Rob Portman

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, I think we will have a better answer to that as of tomorrow close of business. But my expectation would be we would have business here on the floor even though the Senate will be out, the other body, in part because of the work we need to do on the supplemental, and in part because of possibility of other important work in the appropriations conference reports.

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I would be happy to talk about the schedule to the extent we know it. Mr. Speaker, according to the calendar we announced at the beginning of the year, next week was scheduled to be the last week of the first session of the 108th Congress; and while the House by and large has completed its work for this session, the Senate is a little behind us, maybe several weeks behind us, and we still have some more work to do. So we will be here beyond October 3, certainly. We will be completing appropriations bills, as well as other important priorities. In addition, the President's recent request for additional resources for the war on terrorism through the supplemental is something this Congress will be considering. Of course, that means we will need additional time in session. While I understand that Members are anxious to know about votes for October, especially for the week of October 6, we have not yet finalized a number of key decisions that need to be made before we know exactly what that schedule will be. Hopefully by the close of business tomorrow, Friday, we will be able to distribute a ``Dear Colleague'' letter to each office which will indicate the days when we expect to have votes for the entire month of October. This information will also be on the majority leader's Web site hopefully by the close of business tomorrow. For next week, in addition to a lengthy list of bills that we will consider under suspension of the rules starting on Tuesday, we do have a long list of conference reports that could become available. These include, but are not limited to, the FAA authorization, which has to get done, as we all know, the DOD authorization bill, military construction appropriations bill, energy and water appropriations bill, and, of course, the Energy Policy Act of 2003. No one can say at this time which days any of these bills will be considered by the House. It is difficult to know, but I would stress that we will expect to be voting on one or more of these conference reports, and we should expect to be here next Friday. Members should know we may well be working late into the evening next Friday, October 3, 2003, to consider some of these conference reports. I would try to answer any further questions the gentleman from Texas has.

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Texas knows some of the complexities of some of these issues and knows the progress we have made, but also the ground we have yet to cover. So I think it is unlikely, from my point of view, it is unlikely we will see it next week. But I think it is very likely that we will make significant progress in the next two weeks, particularly if we are here for a considerable amount of time the week of October 6, 2003, to be able to make progress on these conference reports. Even in the absence of the Senate being in session, we can still work on conference reports. So our hope is to continue to push with regard to all of the conferences. We named a number of them earlier. We hope to have them come to the floor over the next several weeks as we complete our work.

Mr. PORTMAN. It certainly would be a priority. It is my understanding that the Senate formally requested a conference just last night on what is the second largest now of our 13 appropriations bills. It is certainly a very important bill for us to be able to complete on an independent basis and that is our goal. We cannot commit to a day next week when we would consider a motion to go to conference, but I think it is very likely it could happen next week.

Mr. PORTMAN. It is our understanding that Members of that conference from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol have indicated that a couple of relatively small changes are necessary to get that bill into position where both the House and the Senate can pass the conference report. That is what we are working toward. Those grant programs administered by FAA expire, as the gentleman knows, at the end of the month. I know that the chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and so many other Members in this Chamber would like to get this bill to the President for signature as soon as possible.

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, that is certainly a fair question. And I honestly do not think we will have the answer to that until some time midweek next week, depending on how the conference reports are going. My point earlier was that Members should be prepared to be here on Friday, if necessary. We do not know if that will be necessary, but if there are conference reports that are ready to go, I think it is important that we are here to get our work done. So it seems like it would make sense for Members not to make plans for Friday that they are unable to get out of. We will see what happens as of next week.

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am advised by the majority leader's office that it will be available as soon as possible tomorrow, which, in House terminology, probably means tomorrow afternoon or evening. It is going to take a while to make some decisions on some matters that are not entirely in our control, including working with the Senate on how we work through the supplemental. So I would think tomorrow afternoon sometime.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday next.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday next; and further, that when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30, for morning hour debates.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the valuable work of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Established in 1978, EBRI is a nonprofit nonpartisan organization committed exclusively to data dissemination, policy research and education on economic security and employee benefits. Few issues are as complex and important as those involving retirement security policy. For the past quarter century, EBRI has provided Members of Congress and other policymakers with objective, unbiased information on this critical issue. EBRI helps provide a context for our debates, and because it makes no policy recommendations, EBRI's facts can be comfortably used by all participants in debates. The information provided by EBRI has served Congress well for the past 25 years. During this time, we have seen some significant changes and improvements to our nation's retirement system. EBRI consistently illuminates the real issues and clarifies the key questions about retirement, which helps us to provide a better future for America's workers and retirees. I am certain that EBRI will continue to be an invaluable resource to policymakers as we continue to strengthen our nation's retirement security laws. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing the contributions of EBRI. As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, all of us congratulate EBRI for its commitment to advancing policymakers' knowledge and understanding of retirement security issues and their importance to our country.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time and want to congratulate him and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ford) for their good bipartisan work on this legislation. The legislation does have a cost, as it is analyzed by the Joint Tax Committee, and I believe that is $12.6 billion. Guess what? Over that same period of time, the estimates are there will be about $50 billion more in contributions to our charities. These are faith-based charities, community organizations, those who are out there doing the good work to help those most in need. I love the provision on the nonitemizers, because it helps people who are nonitemizers now not only give more money to charity and gives them a break for it, but gets them more engaged as volunteers in their communities in helping out, having an investment in these charities. I like the provision on the IRA rollover. We ought to do the same with some other retirement accounts. With the IRAs, we are able to say if you are 70\1/2\, you can then roll over into a charity without having the tax consequences. That will help not only this year, but going forward, as baby boomers begin to get these big lump sums in their IRAs, to be able to give those to charities. There are a lot of assets there, and it is a great policy. The gentleman from Texas raises a substitute; and I just have to say, codifying this very complicated issue of economic substance doctrine is a very difficult thing to do. The Treasury Department is dead set against it. They instead believe what we ought to be doing is providing more disclosure and tightening the rules. That is going to be in a bill coming to the floor, we hope soon, out of the FSC-ETI bill. That is a better way to approach it. Finally, the codification of economic substance, to my understanding, is retroactive, so you are actually changing the rules of the game after the fact. So those who have entered into transactions and arrangements are now being told after the fact, guess what, the rules all change; now we have this new rule to be applied. I am afraid what will happen is you will see tax shelters going underground. You will not see what we ought to be seeing, which is more disclosure and tightening of the rules. So I think this is a great bill. I would urge my colleagues to support it, because it does the right thing on policy grounds; and I would be very skeptical about this substitute. I think it is bad tax policy; and it will result, perhaps inadvertently, in more problems in our Tax Code.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Alex Machaskee, President, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio. Alex will be honored as the International Business Executive of the Year by the World Trade Center Cleveland on September 18, 2003. This award recognizes leading Northeast Ohio business executives for achievements in international business. Alex was born in Warren, Ohio. He is a graduate of Cleveland State University with a bachelor's degree in marketing. He joined The Plain Dealer in 1960. Before being named Publisher in 1990, he served five years as Vice President and General Manger. He also served as Director of Labor Relations and Personnel, Assistant to the Publisher and Promotion Director. In addition to his service at The Plain Dealer, Alex has been active with a number of local and national organizations. He is Chairman of the Board of United Way Services, and served as Chairman of the United Way Campaign from 2000 to 2001. He is past Chairman and a member of the Greater Cleveland Roundtable, an organization of community leaders that works to promote racial amity and diversity. Alex also is Vice President of the Musical Arts Association (the Cleveland Orchestra), serves on the Board Governance and the Finance and Administration Committees of the Cleveland Foundation and is a member of the Museum Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Nationally, he is a member of the Labor Relations Subcommittee of the Newspaper Association of America and a member of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Alex's success has not gone unnoticed. He was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Cleveland State University in 1995 and from the University of Akron in 1998. He also was inducted into the Northeast Ohio Business Hall of Fame in 2001. Mr. Speaker, Alex's leadership has been integral to promoting the economy of Northeast Ohio, and I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing his accomplishments as he is honored as the International Business Executive of the Year. All of us in Southwest Ohio, the area I represent, congratulate him for his outstanding service, including his commitment to our friends in Northeast Ohio.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Joseph A. Pichler, a constituent and friend, who will be honored by Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion at its 21st Annual Cincinnati Associates Tribute Dinner on November 2, 2003. Joe will be honored for his exemplary civic and philanthropic leadership. Joe is a member of the Corporate Council of Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion. Founded in Cincinnati in 1875, the College-Institute is the oldest institution of higher Jewish education in the western hemisphere. The College-Institute prepares rabbis, cantors, religious school educators and Jewish communal workers at its four campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem. The College-Institute also awards Masters and Doctoral degrees to men and women of all faiths. Joe brings leadership, hard work and energy to every assignment. Currently Chairman of the Board of the Kroger Company, he also served Kroger as Chief Executive Officer; President and Chief Operating Officer; and Executive Vice President. Joe joined Dillon Companies in 1980 as Executive Vice President and was elected to Kroger's Board of Directors when Dillon merged with Kroger in 1983. For fifteen years, he taught at the University of Kansas School of Business, and served as Dean from 1974 to 1980. From 1968 to 1970, he was Special Assistant to the U.S. Department of Labor's Assistant Secretary for Manpower. Joe is a member of the Board of Directors of Federated Department Stores, Inc., and Milacron, Inc. In a career consistently marked by high points and achievements, Joe has pursued service to our community with equal enthusiasm. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cincinnati City Development Corporation; Member of the Board of Trustees of Xavier University; Member of the Advisory Board of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Salvation Army; CoChairman of the Greater Cincinnati Scholarship Association; and a Member of the Catholic Commission of Intellectual and Cultural Affairs. In 2000, he was presented with the Distinguished Service Citation by the National Conference for Community and Justice. A magna cum laude graduate of Notre Dame University, Joe received an M.B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He and his wife, Susan--who is also a dedicated community volunteer--have four children. All of us in Cincinnati congratulate Joe on receiving this prestigious award.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on Monday, September 15, 2003, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2003, for morning hour debates.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday next.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. I appreciate the gentleman from Georgia for yielding further and he is exactly right. The Senate has requested conference on those three appropriations bills, Legislative branch, the DOD, and the Mil Con bill, Military Construction. We expect to move to appoint conferees to one or more of these on Tuesday afternoon. In addition, as the Senate completes additional measures, I would anticipate the possibility of going to conference on additional items as well next week.

Mr. PORTMAN. That is a good question. If the gentleman will continue to yield, the FAA authorization expires at the end of September, as the gentleman knows, and we need to pass this legislation before that time. Otherwise, airports across the country will risk losing their grants to upgrade everything from their instrument landing systems to their runways they need to expand. So we do intend to schedule this important legislation before the end of September so we do not get into that problem, but at this point we are not certain if it will come to the floor next week or the following week.

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Georgia for yielding to me. I would be happy to talk about the schedule for next week. The House has completed its work for this week. Our business is over. All members and staff are invited to attend a remembrance ceremony today in memory of those innocent lives that were lost 2 years ago this morning in the terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and here at the Pentagon. This ceremony will begin at noon on the West Front of the Capitol. With regard to next week's schedule, Mr. Speaker, the House will convene on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour, 2 p.m. for legislative business. At that time we expect to consider several measures under suspension of the rules as well as potential motions to go to conference. Any votes called on the measures that will be considered Tuesday afternoon will be rolled until after 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the House will meet for legislative business at 10:00 a.m. We expect to consider legislation under suspension of the rules on Wednesday. Next week, we also plan to consider H.R. 7, the Charitable Giving Act of 2003, and H.R. 1829, the Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 2003. In addition, I would like to note that we may consider one or more conference reports towards the end of the week. Members should be aware that we will be in session Thursday, possibly late into the evening on Thursday, in order to complete these important pieces of legislation. Finally, I would like to note that for all Members we do not plan to have votes next Friday, September 19. I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding to me, and I would be happy to answer any questions that he may have.

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague yielding further. It is possible that we would have a couple of other conference reports. Certainly the energy bill is a possibility. There may be good progress, we understand, in that conference. Everybody is eager to be sure, with the blackouts and with our increasing dependence on foreign oil, we move forward a national energy strategy. So that is one possibility. Another would be the Department of Defense authorization bill, which is also in conference, and as my colleague knows, with these conference reports it is difficult to predict what will happen in conference, but if those conferences are completed, we would expect to move those conference reports to the floor as soon as possible.

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, as my colleague on the Committee on Ways and Means will recall, we did have a good debate in the committee on this legislation, and it is a bipartisan piece of legislation, the Charitable Giving Act. I do not know frankly what the Committee on Rules is going to do in terms of the structure of the rule. I am convinced that there will be a good debate on it, and we will have a motion to recommit and possibly a substitute, but I just do not know what the Committee on Rules is going to decide in terms of how the rule is structured.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of Dr. Phillip Bridenbaugh, a friend and distinguished constituent. He is stepping down as Chair of the Department of Anesthesia at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center after 26 years of outstanding service. For more than a quarter century, Dr. Bridenbaugh has dedicated himself to the medical community in Cincinnati. He has built strong relationships with key volunteers, government officials, and his staff. He also has been a close and valuable adviser to me and the Administration on important health care issues affecting our nation. He has also been active nationally on anesthesiology issues. He is a member of the Association of University Anesthesiologists, a diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology and a fellow of the American College of Anesthesiologists. He also has invested a great deal of his time with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and has served as ASA president (1996 to 1997), president-elect (1995 to 1996), first vice president (1994 to 1995), and vice president for scientific affairs (1992 to 1994). In addition, he is past president of the Washington State and Ohio Societies of Anesthesiologists, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia, and the Society of Academic Anesthesiology Chairs. Dr. Bridenbaugh received his medical degree from the University of Nebraska School of Medicine. He served his anesthesiology residency at Virginia Mason Hospital, and was a National Institutes of Health trainee in anesthesia for two years at Stanford University and at St. Thomas' Hospital. Dr. Bridenbaugh also has been very active with several professional journals, serving as associate editor of ASA's journal Anesthesiology since 1984, associate editor of the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia from 1989 to 1994, and editor-in-chief of the journal Regional Anesthesia from 1986 to 1989. He is co-editor of the textbook ``Neural Blockade, Pain Management.'' Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing Dr. Bridenbaugh's many accomplishments as he steps down as Chair of the Department of Anesthesia at the University of Cincinnati. All of us in the Greater Cincinnati area thank him for his outstanding dedication to our community, and we wish Dr. Bridenbaugh and his wife, Dr. Diann Bridenbaugh all the best.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Ruth Upson, a distinguished leader, who will receive the Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) on September 15, 2003. To commemorate the joint 40th anniversaries of GCF and Stepping Stones Center for the Handicapped, four awards will be presented this year honoring volunteers who have played vital roles in the overlapping histories of these outstanding organizations. Ruth's father-in-law, Mark Upson, was GCF's first Director and, through Mark, she became very familiar with the good work GCF does. Ruth is a GCF donor and member of the Foundation Society for legacy givers. Ruth also has been active with Stepping Stones since the early 1960s. In addition to Ruth's good work at GCF and Stepping Stones is her dedicated service at a number of hospitals in the Cincinnati area. Ruth has given a great deal of her time (over 3,500 volunteer hours) at General Hospital in the 1930s, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in the 1940s, Christ Hospital, and most recently at the Women's Imaging Center. Other volunteer work includes the Junior League of Cincinnati, which she joined in 1940; the Deupree Community, where she has served with the Auxiliary and on the Executive Board; and the Church of the Redeemer, volunteering ``wherever needed.'' Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing Jean's accomplishments as she receives the Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award. All of us in the Greater Cincinnati community thank her for her outstanding service and efforts to help those in need.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Kay Pettengill, a dear friend and distinguished constituent, who will receive the Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) on September 15, 2003. To commemorate the joint 40th anniversaries of GCF and Stepping Stones Center for the Handicapped, four awards will be presented this year honoring volunteers who have played vital roles in the overlapping histories of these outstanding organizations. Kay is being honored for her service to both GCF and Stepping Stones Center. She served as a member of the GCF Distribution Committee and later the Governing Board from 1984 to 1993 and as Governing Board chair from 1990 to 1991. Kay began volunteering with Stepping Stones in 1971. She is a past president and board chair and, due to her outstanding dedication and accomplishments, became the first Honorary Trustee of Stepping Stones in 1993. Between 1981 and 1984, she was instrumental in raising $1.2 million for Stepping Stones. Kay also was key in helping to raise $1.5 million for Camp Allyn, owned by Rotary Club and where Stepping Stones operated a resident camping program. Kay also has been a member of the Junior League since 1948 and has helped to raise vital funds for United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Hamilton County Special Olympics, Easter Seals Southwest Ohio, American Red Cross, Children's Theater, and Cincinnati Restoration, Incorporated. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing Kay's many accomplishments as she receives the Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award. All of us in the Greater Cincinnati area thank her for her tireless work to help those who are less fortunate.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Dr. Jean Rothenberg, a distinguished constituent, who will receive the Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) on September 15, 2003. To commemorate the joint 40th anniversaries of GCF and Stepping Stones Center for the Handicapped, four awards will be presented this year honoring volunteers who have played vital roles in the overlapping histories of these outstanding organizations. Jean was instrumental in helping to get GCF on its feet. Jean was the last president of the Fresh Air & Convalescent Aid Society, which ran the Fresh Air Farm on what is now the Stepping Stones Center property. When the group decided its mission had become outdated, a committee was formed to study what to do with its $600,000 endowment and property. In 1963 and because of Jean's leadership, the committee collaborated with a group of civic leaders and bank presidents, who were forming GCF, to provide the $600,000 as seed money for the new foundation. The Fresh Air Farm property became Camp Stepping Stones. Jean has also been integral to other local organizations that are important to our community. One example is the Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center of Greater Cincinnati, which she founded in 1950. She has supported the Center and the cause of helping the hearing impaired with her leadership and financial resources, and is currently an emeritus member of the board. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing Jean's accomplishments as she receives the Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award. All of us in the Greater Cincinnati area thank her for her outstanding service to our community and for her efforts to help those who need it most.

Mr. PORTMAN

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Dan and Minor LeBlond, friends and distinguished constituents, who will receive the Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) on September 15, 2003. To commemorate the joint 40th anniversaries of GCF and Stepping Stones Center for the Handicapped, four awards will be presented this year honoring volunteers who have played vital roles in the overlapping histories of these outstanding organizations. Dan is a native Cincinnatian, and is being recognized for his 15 years of service to GCF. He joined GCF as an Associate Director in 1988, serving in that role until GCF's volunteer and staffing structure changed in 1994, when he became a member of the new Grants Review Committee and served until 2003. Among his many community leadership roles, Dan has been a board member of American Red Cross; Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, Inc.; Cincinnati Country Day School; Cincinnati Institute for Fine Arts; Good Samaritan Hospital and TriHealth, Inc; United Way of Greater Cincinnati; and a number of corporate boards. Minor was born in Memphis, Tennessee. She is being recognized for her role as a founder, past trustee, and president of Stepping Stones Center for the Handicapped. In addition to Stepping Stones, Minor has been active with a number of other important organizations. She was a founder, past trustee, and president of Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled, Incorporated. She also served as a past board member of United Cerebral Palsy of Cincinnati, Inc.; Friends of the School for Creative and Performing Arts; Glad House; and Playhouse in the Park. She is active in fund drives for United Way, Fine Arts Fund, and other organizations. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing the many accomplishments of Daniel and Minor LeBlond. All of us in the Greater Cincinnati area thank them for their dedication to improving the lives of others. They have made a significant difference in our community, and I know they will continue to do so.