Nancy Pelosi

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to have this unexpected opportunity at this time of the day to rise and share an occasion with my colleagues. Yesterday, May 13, marked the publication of a book, ``The Courage to Stand Alone,'' by Wei Jingsheng. For those of our colleagues who are not familiar with Wei Jingsheng, he has been called the Sakarov of China. His book, ``The Courage to Stand Alone,'' is a compilation of some of his previous writings, some earlier from prison and letters that he has written. He is a full- fledged world class champion for democracy. He received, in 1994, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Last year he received the Sakarov award from the European Parliament. Mr. Wei Jingsheng was sent to jail in 1979 following his peaceful writings about human rights and democratic freedoms. He served nearly 14 years in prison, and then about the time that the Chinese Government was trying to court the Olympics, Mr. Wei Jingsheng was released, only to be re-arrested after the Olympic decision was made. Mr. Wei Jingsheng was then re-arrested following a meeting that he had with Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, John Shattuck. At the time the Chinese Government said that Mr. Wei Jingsheng was arrested for revealing state secrets. The state secret he revealed was to tell a foreign journalist something that had already appeared in the Chinese newspapers. In any event, he has gone back to prison for at least another 14-year sentence. For most of the time that he has been in prison, about 18 years now, he has been in solitary confinement. The only other people around him from time to time are other prisoners whose duty it is for the Chinese regime to taunt Mr. Wei Jingsheng. Mr. Wei Jingsheng has written the way the Founding Fathers of our country have written about democratic freedoms being written on the hearts of men. He has done this courageously. He continues to be arrested and re-arrested because he will not recant. He has spoken out against the repressive policies of the regime under Deng Xiaoping and continues not to recant even following the death of Deng. As I have said, he is a great champion of democracy. I hold his courage up to the attention of my colleagues one day following the publication of his book. As I say, he has been called the Sakarov of China. Many of us in our lifetime will never meet a person who has risked so much for democracy. It is interesting to me to see leaders of our Government travel to South Africa and visit the prison at Robin Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. It is like visiting a shrine. That is appropriate. Nelson Mandela is a great hero. Why, then, would these same people not even speak out in support of Wei Jingsheng, who right now is suffering the same plight that Nelson Mandela did for so many years? Remember the name, Wei Jingsheng, the father of democratic freedoms in China, because he had the courage to stand alone.

Ms. PELOSI. It is my understanding that in meetings from the higher levels of the Clinton administration that Mr. Wei's case has been brought to the attention of the Chinese regime. Either the attempts on Mr. Wei's behalf have not been forceful enough or, one thing is for sure, they have not been successful.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Gephardt-Stupak-Stenholm substitute to H.R. 3. The substitute places the focus where it belongs--on prevention of youth violence and crime. The majority's attempt to get tough on crime is not tough, it is cruel, and it lacks a basic understanding or caring for youth violence prevention. Prevention and early intervention are effective solutions to youth violent crime. Yet the block grant provided in H.R. 3 does not provide funds for prevention programs. Mentoring and after school programs can be successful in deterring youth violence. But this bill focuses only on tougher punishment. Trying young offenders as adults is not proven to deter crime. In fact, the Department of Justice reports that children tried as adults have a higher rate as repeat offenders than children tried as juveniles. Juveniles charged in the Federal adult or juvenile Justice systems should be placed in juvenile facilities, where they can receive counseling and rehabilitation. What is the purpose of H.R. 3. Will it reduce crime? No. It treats youth as adults in detention, which diminishes the chance for their rehabilitation. This will not deter young people from violence. It will just eliminate the opportunity for first time youth offenders to change their lives for the better. We can already charge violent juveniles as adults. Our emphasis must be on prevention if we really want to get tough on youth violence and crime. I urge my colleagues to support the Gephardt-Stupak-Stenholm substitute. Our focus and our efforts must be expended on preventing the increase of violent young criminals, not on increasing their hopelessness.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, they say a word to the wise is sufficient. Why, then, do we not get the message here in Congress when we are told over and over again the importance of the care that we give to our children in their earliest moments of life? It is hard to believe, with all the new information we have, why the Committee on Appropriations voted last week to reduce the President's supplemental request for the WIC Program, the program for women, infants, and children, by 50 percent, cutting $38 million from the budget. That money is really not nearly enough anyway for WIC to serve those who are currently eligible. Even at this $38 million supplemental funding level, more than 180,000 women, infants, and children who presently survive because of WIC will lose this life-sustaining program. Some States, including my own State of California, are already moving to remove people from the WIC Program. The program pays for itself. Indeed, it is an investment. The GAO has reported that each dollar spent on WIC saves us $3.50 in expenditures for Medicaid and SSI for disabled children and other programs. As we prepare for Mothers Day, as families across the country set the table to honor our mothers, let us have a place at the table for the women, infants, and children of America who are poor. Support the President's supplemental request.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Japanese- Americans who received honorary high school diplomas from the San Francisco Unified School District in a special graduation ceremony on May 6 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. The honorees were denied the opportunity to graduate from high school in San Francisco during World War II. The issuance of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, set into motion the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans including the honorees and their families for the remainder of World War II. The internees were given only 48-hour notice to sell or store their belongings, and evacuate their homes before they were herded into 10 internment camps across this Nation. They were surrounded by barbed wire and watched over by armed military guards. Most of the honorees were only 17 or 18 years old at the time. They were removed from school as security risks. Yet, they were American citizens, the American-born sons and daughters of parents who emigrated from Japan. More than 50 years later, the honorees and their fellow internees are in the senior years of their lives. In the past decade or so, our Government has apologized and awarded reparations. The Civil Liberties Public Education Fund now supports efforts to educate others about the internment experience. The honorees' experiences are living symbols of a shameful period in American history which we must not repeat. As one of the planners of the ceremony expressed, it is a privilege to be part of a program that will enlighten so many, especially the students in our school system. Mr. Speaker, I commend the individuals involved and the San Francisco Unified School District in planning this event to acknowledge the legacy of the Japanese-American experiences. I am grateful to the honorees for coming forward and sharing of themselves. I am proud to salute them.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, it is with a mixture of sadness and deep gratitude that I rise today in tribute to an American woman who devoted her life to the causes of civil rights and social and economic justice. Margaret Cafferty, a sister of the Presentation Sisters, is her name. And her death on April 20, 1997, at her motherhouse in San Francisco after a battle with bone cancer, leaves her native city, her country, and the global community a proud legacy of a staunch and persuasive defender of justice for all, especially the poor and oppressed. Born in San Francisco on December 8, 1935, Sister Cafferty was the daughter of John Cafferty and Mildred Sinks. Sister Cafferty's sense of social justice was nourished from the cradle by her father, a coal miner, and her mother, who where both active in the struggle for labor rights. In 1953, Margaret Cafferty entered the community of the Sisters of the Presentation. Her early assignments included teaching high school in San Francisco and in Los Angeles where she challenged her students to become aware of the social needs surrounding them. In 1968, she moved more directly into social action, working as a pastoral minister in the predominantly African-American community of Sacred Heart Parish in San Francisco. At the same time, she pursued and earned her masters of social welfare at the University of California at Berkeley. As an educator, community organizer, and social justice leader, Sister Margaret pioneered new models of building a community within parishes. She successfully cultivated partnerships with labor, government, business, and the academic community in pursuit of justice. She fought tirelessly for civil rights in the African-American community of San Francisco, with the United Farm Workers, and with refugees from Central America. She led her order's participation in the Sanctuary Movement. She sought to know first hand the plight of the poor, visiting the migrant camps in California, the slums in our inner cities, and the poor communities on Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador where her sisters worked. She was a bridge-builder and a peacemaker, She lived out the maxim, ``If you want peace, work for justice.'' On numerous occasions, she was called upon to exercise her exemplary leadership skills by working with the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious [LCWR], NETWORK, the Catholic organization which lobbies Congress on social justice issues, and by her own order. She exerted unparalleled leadership in building dialog within the Roman Catholic Church about the role of religious women. She never hesitated to speak the truth, to find opportunity in crisis, to identify hope within the most desperate hour. From 1981 to 1990, the Presentation Sisters elected her to be superior general, and from 1992 until her untimely death, she served as the executive director of the LCWR. As her sisters declared, ``While Sister Margaret's contributions to the communities she served as an organizer and an advocate for the underserved were far-reaching, she will be remembered by bishops and beggars, by legislators and labor leaders, by friends and foes alike as an extremely gracious, articulate, determined and compassionate woman of faith who will be sorely missed.'' Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending condolences to Sister Margaret's sister, Ellen Cafferty, herself a missionary in Guatemala, and to the Union of the Sisters of the Presentation [PVBM].

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, the bill before us today is an ill-advised, destructive approach to a law that was intended to protect species from extinction, not to be manipulated as a substitute for poor disaster response. Natural disasters affect human lives and can be devastating to local communities and economies. My community has certainly experienced its share of natural disasters and I know firsthand the difficulties people encounter in rebuilding their homes and lives in the aftermath of such devastation. We should be sensitive and responsive to these human needs, and we should address them on an immediate basis. Residents in flood-prone areas should be protected and added steps can be taken to ensure the safety of people and their property in these areas. Response to the California flood disaster should not be used as an excuse to obliterate the law that gives lasting defense to the survival of threatened species on Earth. In an emergency threatening human lives the current law provides for the Endangered Species Act to be waived. But H.R. 478 goes to the extreme in allowing a nonemergency exemption of the act with the result of permanently decimating the intent of the ESA. It would codify actions now considered damaging to the protection of species the law was intended to protect. H.R. 478 will not prevent floods, but it will prevent needed environmental protection of threatened species. The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations advises a vote against H.R. 478 on the basis of the potential threats to restoration of northern California salmon populations under the ESA. In their letter they emphasize: The California Central Valley is the source of most of the West Coast's remaining salmon harvests. Eliminating ESA- driven water reforms in the California Central Valley Project would seriously damage Washington's Oregon's and California's salmon harvests, wiping out tens of thousands of fishery jobs as far north as Alaska which those resources now support. The arguments linking flood damage to the ESA are unfounded. In the Statement of Administration Policy, OMB states: The administration of ESA by the Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS] and the National Marine Fisheries Service has not resulted in significant delays in construction or proper maintenance of flood control facilities. For example, during the recent California flooding, FWS implemented ESA provisions which allowed emergency actions in disaster areas to be taken quickly without the Act's normal ``prior consultation'' requirements. In the Dissenting Views filed with the committee report to H.R. 478, it is noted that both the Department of Interior and the Corps of Engineers, were emphatic that there were no cases where it could be demonstrated that the implementation of the ESA caused any flood structure to fail, or where the presence of any listed species prevented the proper operation and maintenance of flood control facilities. H.R. 478 is a misdirected attack against an imaginary enemy. The Endangered Species Act did not cause California's devastating floods. Our response to this disaster can be positive--let's repair or replace the damaged flood control facilities under the current ESA waiver and work together on sound water management policies that will protect people and the environment into the future. This is the most important environmental vote to come before the House in this session. We should not revisit the rancor of the last Congress where the majority went against the mainstream of public sentiment which favor greater protections for our environment. In a letter to Members of Congress, the President of Republicans for Environmental Protection states that the American people do not want to see our environmental laws weakened. And they certainly do not want to see such things accomplished by bad, opportunistic legislation such as

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues, Mr. Pallone and Mr. Porter, for giving us this opportunity to remind the world that we will never forget the Armenian genocide even when the descendants of the Ottoman Empire refuse to accept responsibility for this crime against humanity. In 1944, noted jurist and scholar, Raphael Lemkin looked to a previous generation when he coined the word ``genocide'' to describe the systematic annihilation of the Jewish people by the Nazis. Lemkin was thinking of the Turkish attempt in 1915 to extinguish from this earth the ancient community of Armenians living within the Ottoman Empire. Ironically, Hitler had also referred to the extermination of the Armenians when he spoke of his plans for the Jewish people in 1939: ``Who, after all, speaks today of the Armenians,'' Hitler said. During World War I, Turkish rulers tried to eradicate all traces of this culturally rich and historic people. At least one and a half million Armenians were massacred and 500 thousand deported. We owe it to the survivors and their descendants to remind the world of this tragic event. We owe it to Turkey and to the Turkish people who face continued recriminations in this chamber and throughout the civilized world for as long as the Ankara government stonewalls and rejects historical fact. We owe it to the Bosnians and Rwandans who wonder if the perpetrators of modern day atrocities will be brought to justice. The stench of genocide must not be allowed to waft over future generations. In 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, a free Armenia emerged. This tiny, landlocked nation is attempting to embrace democratic ideals as it struggles to gain its footing amidst hostile neighbors. These proud people are defying the odds to retake their place among the community of nations. I must also express my deep gratitude to the survivors of the Armenian genocide who sought refuge in the United States and to their descendants. As someone who represents a city rich in cultural diversity, I can say without reservation that the Armenian people have enriched San Francisco, the State of California, and this nation with their splendid heritage, their commitment to family values, their work ethic, and their contributions to their communities in their adopted homeland.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute John A. Pica, Sr., the 1997 recipient of the Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. Good Citizen Award. John Pica exemplifies the spirit in which this award is given. He has devoted every day of his adult life to service of his country and his community, especially the Italian-American community of Baltimore. Raised in the Little Italy section of Baltimore by Italian immigrant parents, Tony and Maria, John Pica received a bachelor of law degree at Mt. Vernon School of Law and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore. In addition, he attended the Maryland Institute of Engineering. In 1943, John enlisted in the Army and served in the 34th Infantry Division. He returned home as the most highly decorated war hero in the State of Maryland, achieving the Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, three Purple Hearts, a Combat Infantry Badge for courage, and the Roll of Honor Award for Distinguished Service. John Pica also served with distinction as an aide to my father, Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. In 1955, when my father was mayor of Baltimore, he appointed John to a vacancy on the Baltimore City Council, where John served until 1967. During his tenure on the council, John was instrumental in passing major legislation of great importance to the community of Baltimore. Among his many legislative accomplishments, John was responsible for securing Social Security and health insurance benefits for city employees and for revising the housing building code, which brought about the reorganization of the Department of Public Works. John continues his public service today by serving on the Maryland Transportation Commission as an advisor to Gov. Parris Glendening. Mr. Pica's extraordinary professional success has not prevented him from active involvement in his community. His enthusiastic participation in organizations including Italian-American Charities, the Little Italy Lodge, and as cofounder of the Little Italy American Legion, merely solidified the great respect and affection the community of Little Italy feels for this native son. Mr. Pica's love, understanding and compassion for others have earned him the loyalty and admiration of many friends. It is said by his friend that if you look up the meaning of the word kindness in the dictionary, you find John Pica. His list of friends have included such names as Truman, Kennedy, Schaefer, Nixon, Reagan, D'Alesandro, McKeldin, and Schmoke. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to salute John Pica for the honor he has brought to the Italian-American community by his many accomplishments and commitment. He deserves this award for the contributions he has made in the spirit and tradition of its namesake, Thomas D'Alesandro.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues the following article, ``There is Hope for the Children'' by Judy Mann in the Washington Post on Friday, March 14. This article ably describes how children are helping themselves through programs funded by UNICEF and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The article also presents an excellent summary of the UNICEF report, ``America's Partnership with UNICEF,'' written by former House Appropriations Committee staff member Terry Peel. Terry's efforts to promote child survival have given tens of thousands of children around the world a chance for a decent life. I commend this important article to your attention: [From the Washington Post, Mar. 14, 1997] There Is Hope for the Children (By Judy Mann) Ten years ago, less than 40 percent of the children in Uganda and Kenya were immunized. Twenty percent of them were dying of preventable diseases. Today, the immunization rate has reached 80 percent. Uganda's under-5 mortality rate has dropped from 218 per 1,000 live births in 1960 to 185 in 1995, and Kenya's has dropped from 202 to 90. This success story is one of many included in two new reports that chronicle a decade of genuine progress in child survival led by UNICEF and the U.S. Agency for International Development. In the pictures of the children at health centers and schools, in the faces of mothers, fathers, health care workers and teachers, there is hope and a determination to beat malnourishment and disease. The UNICEF report was written by Terry R. Peel, a former staff director of the House Foreign Operations Committee, who traveled to Latin America, Africa and Asia to find out how U.S. support for UNICEF--which has amounted to $840 million during the last decade--is being used. He found story after story of children being lifted out of appalling and hopeless situations. In El Salvador, where more children were dying of preventable diseases than of all the war-related causes combined, warring factions stopped shooting on designated days so children could be taken safely to clinics and vaccinated. El Salvador's under-5 mortality has dropped from 210 per 1,000 births in 1960 to 40 in 1995. In Uganda, Peel found a Catholic priest, the Rev. Steve Collins, who works with a UNICEF center that helps children whose parents are dying of AIDS complications get the technical and vocational training they'll need to sustain the families. He introduced Peel to Katherine Nambudye, 20, who lost her parents to AIDS two years ago and is raising five younger siblings. ``Because of the training program, she has graduated from school and is studying to be a teacher,'' Peel wrote. ``Katherine also runs a chicken business, makes sure her brothers and sisters are in school and cares for her 14-year- old brother who has polio. This brother is also working through the center to get a certificate in graphics. He goes to the center daily with the help of his brothers and sisters who push him more than a mile in a wheelchair.'' In India, UNICEF has promoted schools for children who otherwise would be working in factories. Peel's report includes a wonderful picture of two beautiful girls, Shabana and Sudesha, who worked in the bangle industry for years before finally being enrolled in school. Shabana hopes to be a doctor. Jon Rohde, UNICEF's country representative in India, told Peel that the 2 million deep well water pumps used throughout the world were invented by UNICEF in India. He said the pumps, which provide safe drinking water, along with oral rehydration therapy for diarrhea, have saved millions of lives. The Agency for International Development financed the basic research that led to oral rehydration therapy and used its marketing experience to educate parents and health workers. The therapy is widely used in Bangladesh, and experts from there took it into Rwandan refugee camps, where it helped prevent mass deaths during cholera outbreaks. In its report, AID estimates that the therapy saves 1.5 million children a year. It was critical during a cholera outbreak that began in Latin America in 1991. AID's Lessons Without Borders program has taken practices developed to increase child immunization in Kenya to Baltimore--and the city's immunization rate has risen from 62 percent to 96 percent for school-age children. At a program marking International Women's Day at the U.S. State Department yesterday, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton referred to the program: ``We can learn from our neighbors around the world,'' she said. ``Countless lives can be improved, and we can improve lives here at home.'' Clinton, who leaves this weekend for Africa, said she hoped her trip would give ``American people a renewed sense of the importance of our commitment to Africa.'' ``In this time of interdependence and interconnection, we all have a stake in each other,'' she said. ``American interests are at stake. Far more importantly, America's values are at stake.'' One of those values is a commitment to the welfare of children. Through AID and its support of UNICEF and other international child and family health organizations, the United States has prevented millions of child deaths and improved the quality of life for millions of children. In the last decade, AID has spent $2.4 billion for child survival. Americans can take heart from these two reports: This is taxpayers' money well spent.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Canady legislation, because this bill would force doctors to choose between their best medical judgment and a prison sentence. The bill is an unprecedented intrusion by Congress into medical decisionmaking, and in fact, indeed, lacks respect for women. I urge my colleagues to vote against this legislation, and heed the words of Vicky Wilson, who said, ``I strongly believe this decision should be left within the intimacy of the family unit. We are the ones who have to live with the decision.'' Indeed, Vicky had to do that when she was faced with carrying a fetus who had a fatal condition, and carrying it to term would have imperiled her life and her health. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Canady legislation.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Armey], the distinguished majority leader, for awarding his Freedom Works Award to the Omega Boys Club of San Francisco. It is a national organization now. As he says, it is about self-initiative, it is about respect for the individual. The Omega Boys Club, and Joe Marshall, who is here today, as the gentleman mentioned, and others, Jack Jackwa, who have been involved in its founding, seek to reduce violence and to provide higher education to children, giving them something to say yes to. I am pleased to join with the majority leader in giving this high acknowledgment and recognition of their fine work. Nothing that any of us do is more important than the work of the Omega Boys Club.

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

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues to pay tribute to Greece, a nation that has contributed much to the civilized world. On March 25, we celebrate the 176th anniversary of Greek independence. It was on this day in 1821 that, as one of the stories goes, Bishop Germanos of Patras declared in St. George's Square ``Eleftheria I(ee) Thanatos'': Freedom or death. The phrase became the battle cry of the Greeks and all who came to their aid in the ensuing revolution to end 400 years of Ottoman rule. More than 2,000 years after it brought forth the concept of democracy, Greece would begin its long struggle for independence, and the right to claim for itself that which it had so selflessly given to the rest of the free world: governance by the people. It is the etymology of the word ``democracy'': ``demos'' meaning people, ``kratos'' meaning state, hence the people's state. Half way around the world, another young nation was in the midst of its growing pains. The United States of America, barely 45 years old in 1821, was putting into practice, the principles of ancient Greece. The ideals of Greek democracy were not lost on our forefathers who drew inspiration from the ancient traditions. ``To the Ancient Greeks,'' said Thomas Jefferson, ``we are all indebted for the light which led ourselves out of Gothic darkness.'' Time and again, the Greeks have shown themselves to be fierce protectors of democratic ideals. During World War II, in the mountains of northern Greece, shepherds turned rebel fighters used the terrain and meager arms to baffle the Axis and slow the Nazi march into the Balkans. One in seven Greeks died for freedom during the war. In times of peace and prosperity too, the contributions of the Greek community are immeasurable. Greek-Americans have played a significant role in all aspects to American life. Here in this Chamber, the children of Greek immigrants have brought their legacy and inspiration, and have made this place a better one for their contributions. The social fabric that is San Francisco would be less vibrant, less vital were it not for the presence of the Greek-American community which has worked tirelessly in the best interests of diversity.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this and so many other issues of importance to the people of our country, and for calling this special order. I am pleased to join him and one of our new Members of Congress, the gentlewoman from Oregon, and I thank her for her leadership on all of these issues, as well. Mr. Speaker, I serve on the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education of the Committee on Appropriations. On that committee we deal with the welfare of America's children in many ways: their health, their education and well-being, and the economic security of their families, which is related to their well-being, that is for sure. What we see in that committee from the scientists who come in and tell us what the possibilities are now in science, and what we know about the development of children's brains, is how important it is for them to have the proper nutrition and care before they are born even, and how essential that is, and that investments in their good health are very good investments for our country indeed. The opportunities are great. Knowledge that we have gives us plenty more opportunity to help our children not only reach their own personal fulfillment, not only strengthen the families from which they come, but also enrich our own country in terms of our family values and our economic strength. So we all have a responsibility to these children. Every parent, of course, has a responsibility to his or her child, but on our committee we are trained to think of every child in America as our child, all the children as our children, because indeed they are our responsibility. So in Congress, we have a responsibility, as well as State legislatures have a responsibility, to expand health care coverage to insure America's nearly 10 million--as has been referenced by my colleague--uninsured children. These are important efforts. We also have responsibilities as a society, every segment of the society has a responsibility to help children receive necessary health care. Parents should use every opportunity to buy health insurance and provide for the care of their children. Employers must renew their willingness to provide workers with family health coverage and other family supporting benefits. They should stop dropping coverage for children and pay premiums for family coverage. States should ensure that all eligible children are enrolled in Medicaid, and should adopt good child health programs like those adopted in 1966 in New York and in Massachusetts. Again, the Federal Government must also help working families obtain health insurance for their uninsured children. A child's chances of growing up healthy and strong should not depend on what State he or she is from. We have a Federal responsibility. Any initiative on children's health coverage must be effective, not symbolic or cosmetic, and should include certain basic principles. I too want to acknowledge the good work of the Children's Defense Fund for helping to define the problem, to quantify it in statistics, the challenge we face, and to qualify it in terms of the nature of the problem we are faced with. I associate myself with the principles they have advanced that state that uninsured children, at least through age 18, and uninsured pregnant women should receive coverage for all the full range of necessary services, including care required for children with special needs. The proposal should build on successful private, State, and Federal efforts to help working families afford health insurance for their children, and while there is a broad consensus that working parents should help pay for their children's private insurance, the cost must be affordable, it must be based on family income, and must allow all families to obtain coverage and seek care for their children. While I think it is very important for employers to retain and in some cases obtain health insurance for their workers, I think that the sad part of all of this debate about children in America is it is so obvious that it is such a good investment, that these children will be stronger in every way if they are invested in in terms of their good health. But also the fact that we have to talk about a public role I think speaks to the fact that wages in America have not risen with our great economic success. In some ways, government is once again being called upon to subsidize a low wage in America. Every working parent should either have health insurance with his or her job, or have the ability to purchase health insurance for their children. No wonder some people find it a matter of survival to have to go on welfare in order to receive Medicaid benefits if their children are sick and they simply have no other recourse. Let us not have seeking health care be an incentive to go on welfare. That is exactly the wrong direction. But also let us look to the needs of not only people on welfare, but to the working poor in America and their health care needs. I thank the gentleman once again for his leadership on this.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to ensure that no woman who is a victim of domestic violence will be denied legal services because of the economic status of her abuser. The Domestic Violence Legal Services Eligibility Act states that in cases of domestic violence only, the Legal Services Corporation, in determining eligibility for services, will consider only the income of the client seeking services. Legal services clinics report that women fleeing the home of a spouse or a partner comprise the majority of their domestic violence cases. Yet the Legal Services Corporation guidelines currently state that eligibility for services is determined by household income. In the case of a great number of legal services they provide, this is fair and appropriate in ensuring that people who live at or below the poverty level have access to legal services. But for women fleeing abuse, the situation becomes complicated. Often these women do not have independent income, so the household income counted against her is that of the alleged abuser. This legislation would make certain that these women do not have to be denied legal services because of their spouse or partner's income. As the new welfare law goes into effect, domestic violence victims will be among those hardest hit. More than 2 million women are abused by their husband or partner each year. It has been reported that more than half of the women currently receiving government assistance cite domestic violence as a factor. We are responsible to do everything within our power to help victims of domestic violence escape abuse and start on the path to self- sufficiency. This is just one step on that path and I hope you will join me.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 570, the Hong Kong Reversion Act. I commend Chairman Bereuter and Ranking Member Berman for bringing this bill to the floor today. While there are differing views in Congress about the direction which United States- China policy should take, we are all united in our concern about the future of Hong Kong. On July 1, 1997, less than 4 months from now, control over Hong Kong will revert to China. This action defines the future for a freedom-loving people, who will find themselves under the jurisdiction of an authoritarian regime. There is much at stake with this takeover and the people of Hong Kong are not the only ones who will feel its effects. Hong Kong's very viability as a global financial center will be threatened if the Chinese Government does not act responsibly and does not respect internationally recognized basic human rights and fundamental principles. Transparency, access to unbiased information in real time, and recourse to an independent judicial system are all critical components of long-term economic growth. Restrictions on freedom of the press and freedom of speech stifle a citizenry and undermine its economy. Unfortunately, the future picture for Hong Kong is already clouded. In 1984, the United Kingdom and China in 1984 created a framework for Hong Kong's reversion in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The Joint Declaration established a ``one-country, two-system'' arrangement, under which Hong Kong would enjoy a ``high degree of autonomy'' in its operation for the next 50 years. Recently, serious questions have arisen about China's intentions to adhere to its agreement in light of actions by Beijing, including abolishing Hong Kong's democratically elected legislature, and repealing its Bill of Rights and other ordinances ensuring the rights of freedom of association and assembly. H.R. 750 reaffirms congressional support for the automony of Hong Kong and implements a series of reports and guidelines to determine whether China is fulfilling its obligations under the 1984 Joint Declaration. Under the bill, the President of the United States could modify current United States law and policies involving Hong Kong, should he determine that ``Hong Kong is not sufficiently autonomous * * *''. While this bill does not go as far as I believe it should go in protecting the people of Hong Kong, it is an important step. No discussion of Hong Kong's future would be complete without acknowledging the ongoing struggle of its brave prodemocracy movement to ensure basic freedoms for its people. The courage and commitment of Hong Kong's prodemocracy activists, led by Martin Lee, and including Emily Lau and Christine Loh, is exemplary. We must speak out on their behalf to support their efforts and to ensure their safety.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Sherman], also a Member of the freshman class. (Mr. SHERMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Greenwood].

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Torres], a member of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs and a leader on this issue. (Mr. TORRES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Sam Farr], a great environmentalist. (Mr. FARR of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maine [Mr. Allen], a Member of the freshman class. (Mr. ALLEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Skaggs], a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. [Price]), a member of the Committee on Appropriations. (Mr. PRICE of North Carolina 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. Maloney], who has worked very hard on this issue.