George Radanovich

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate and remember the Genocide against the Armenian people. Between 1915 and 1923 the Ottoman Turkish Empire committed a horrible Genocide against the Armenian people. In a systematic and deliberate attempt to eliminate the Armenian people and erase Armenian culture and history, the Ottoman Turkish government committed this atrocity. As a result, over one and one-half million Armenians were massacred. The Armenian Genocide is a historical fact, and has been recognized by academicians and historians worldwide. The evidence is irrefutable and includes many eyewitness accounts, and statements from the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey at the time. Unfortunately, today's Turkish government is still persisting in their denial that the Armenian Genocide ever took place. On April 24 each year Armenians around the world commemorate the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Commemoration activities will take place in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York, Armenia, and in my Congressional District in Fresno, California. Many commemoration activities are planned in Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley over the next several days. I have the honor of representing thousands of Armenian-Americans in California's Nineteenth Congressional District, and today I send them my most sincere condolences on this solemn occasion. As a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues I have fought hard for aid to Armenia, aid to Nagorno-Karabagh, and other important issues. However, I am equally proud to be the author along with Rep. David Bonior, of H. Con. Res. 55 which would ``honor the memories of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.'' As well as having this Congress honor the memories of the victims, H. Con. Res. 55 also encourages The Republic of Turkey to do the same. This legislation calls on the government of Turkey to turn away from its denials of the Armenian Genocide, and instead, to openly acknowledge this tragic chapter in its history. By doing so, the Turkish government can help to raise the level of trust and relations between Armenia and Turkey and allow Armenians to begin the healing progress. I encourage my colleagues to vote for the passage of H. Con. Res. 55. Remembering this Genocide against the Armenians will help ensure this type of tragedy is never allowed to occur again.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Scott Johnson, Michael Walsh, Linda Coleman, Matthew Ethen, and Diane Jackson for being honored with the 1998 Excellence In Teaching Awards. These exceptional educators were honored for their unique contributions to the betterment of education. Scott Johnson is a third grade teacher at Fresno Unified School District's Aynesworth Elementary School. He has been teaching for eighteen years. He has also taught fourth, sixth, and second grade classes. Scott has been in charge of the reading lab, E.S.L. teaching lab, and was a resource teacher for 6 years. As a member of the Fresno Zoological Society, he has volunteered for the past eight years in various fund-raising events. He has performed with the Fresno Childrens' Playhouse, bringing live theater to Fresno students. He has actively worked with his church's Children's Ministry and has been listed in the California State Department of Education's List of Exemplary Language Arts Teachers. Michael Walsh is currently a sixth grade teacher at Fresno Unified School District's Roeding Elementary School. During his career, Michael Walsh has been a teacher at Rowell Elementary School, Slater Elementary School, and on special assignment at the Discovery Center. He has also served as a Teacher/Energy Coordinator at Easterby Elementary School, Elementary Science Specialist For the Fresno Unified School District, and Assistant Energy Coordinator for the Fresno Unified School District. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Arizona State University and has studied at California State University, Fresno, the University of California at Berkeley and Fresno Pacific College. Michael Walsh is also the author of the work titled ``Science Education.'' Linda Coleman is currently teaching at Fresno Unified School District's Yosemite Middle School. During her 25 years of teaching, Linda Coleman has served as a writing consultant, a teacher of physical education, and a teacher of language arts & science. Additionally, she is a coach for both volleyball and track and field at Yosemite Middle School. She received both her Bachelor of Science degree and teaching credential from California State University, Fresno and is an active volunteer in the community. Her volunteer activities include authoring Yosemite's first technology plan, member of the School Improvement Plan Committee, Language Arts Representative, and WASA member of the Superintendents Advisory Committee. Matthew C. Ethen is currently a Social Studies Teacher at Fresno Unified School District's Edison High School. Matthew Ethen has an extensive Military Background. He is a Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Army ROTC and an Adjutant to the HHD 818th Transportation Battalion, where he was responsible for the training and welfare of 50 Army Reserves. He has also served as an Executive Officer, Captain, and Operations Officer. Outside his military service, he has served as a tutor, an assistant to a university professor, and a student teacher. Other responsibilities of his have included acting as an Educational Services Assistant for the Fresno Bee and an Educational Consultant for West Publishing Company. He has taught at Edison High School since 1991. Matthew Ethen earned his Bachelor of Science Degree at St. Cloud University and his teaching credential from California State University, Fresno. Diane Jackson is currently the Principal of Fresno Unified School District's Bullard T.A.L.E.N.T. Elementary School. During her teaching career, Diane Jackson was a Language Arts Teacher at Orcutt Junior High in Santa Maria, a Resource Specialist at Fitch Middle School of Monterey, a Reading Specialist at Seaside High School of Monterey, and an instructor at Chapman University. Her administrative experience began in 1981 when she took on the position of Curriculum Coordinator for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. She moved on to become Elementary Principle of Crumpton Elementary School in Monterey from 1986-1989, Elementary Principal of Indianola Elementary School in Selma from 1989-1993, and a K-8 Principal in Coarsegold, California from 1993-1996. Diane Jackson earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English at the University of California at Santa Barbara and a Master of Arts degree from California State University, San Jose. Mr. Speaker, it is with greater honor that I congratulate Scott Johnson, Michael Walsh, Linda Coleman, Matthew Ethen, and Diane Jackson for being recognized with the 1998 Excellence in Teaching Awards. Their devotion and care for education serves as a model for all individuals involved in education. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Scott Johnson, Michael Walsh, Linda Coleman, Matthew Ethen, and Diane Jackson many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Fresno County Supervisor Sharon Levy for receiving the annual Rose Ann Vuich Ethical Leadership Award. I also rise today to congratulate Fresno County Administrative Officer Will Randolph and Selma City Manager Manuel Esquibel for receiving the Excellence In Public Service Award. As public servants in the Valley, Sharon Levy, Will Randolph, and Manuel Esquibel exemplify the focus and integrity that is deserving of this recognition. Sharon Levy was first elected to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors in 1975 and was re-elected for her 7th term in March of 1996. Levy, who served as Governor Deukmejian's appointee to the State Board of Corrections, is a member of the following organizations: Airport Land Use Commission, Ambulance Authority, Association Of Metropolitan Water Agencies, Audit & Debit Advisory Committee, Board of governors of the California State University, Fresno Foundation, Co- Chairman of Adult Volunteer Crossing Guard Program, Economic Development Corporation, Fresno City & County Consortium, Fresno Convention/Victors Bureau, Fresno Rotary, Mental Health Advisory Board, San Joaquim River Conservancy, and the Transportation Authority. Sharon has been a resident of Fresno County since 1955. She has been President of the Mallock PTA, Junior League, and Women's Symphony League. She is married to Joe Levy and has three children and seven grandchildren. Fresno County Administrative Officer William H. Randolph has served as Chief Executive Officer of Butte County, City Administrator of Oroville, California, District Director for the Second Congressional District of California, and Legislative Director for the Second Congressional District of California. William Randolph has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from California State University, Chico. He has served in a public capacity in many different instances including serving on the Board of Directors for the Economic Development Corporation of Fresno and the New United Way of Fresno. Selma City Manager Manuel A. Esquibel has over twenty-five years experience in local government. He has served in the City of Selma for the past seven years. During his professional career, he has developed an effective team approach style among community members and local government officials in addressing community needs. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioral Sciences from the University of Southern Colorado. Manuel Esquibel has served as City Manager for the City of Lindsburg, Kansas, Assistant City Manager for the City of Pueblo, Colorado, and Executive Director for the Human Resources Commission of Pueblo Colorado just to name a few. The awards were presented by the Fresno Business Council and the Fresno Bee. I applaud the efforts of Ann Speaker, President of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce; Jim Boren, Editor of the Fresno Bee; and Deborah Nankivell and Dick Johnson of the Fresno Business Council for their efforts in organizing and putting this program and award together. Their commitment to public service and the community is exceptional. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Fresno County Supervisor Sharon Levy for receiving the annual Rose Ann Vuich Ethical Leadership Award. I also congratulate Fresno County Administrative Officer Will Randolph and Selma City Manager Manuel Esquibel for receiving the Excellence In Public Service Award. As dedicated public servants in the Fresno Community they are very deserving of this honor. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Sharon Levy, William H. Randolph and Manuel A. Esquibel many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, fellow members of the House and Senate, and colleagues in the U.S. wine industry, last May 20th to 30th, 1997, I had the opportunity to again lend my support to an American Delegation of Viticulture and Enology that spent two weeks visiting and studying all aspects of the Republic of South Africa's wine industry. In April of 1996, I had the opportunity of providing support and guidance to a similar trip, the first officially invited U.S. wine delegation to visit the People's Republic of China since 1949. A summary of that report, which is still hailed as a primary source of information on the PRC wine industry, was entered into the Congressional Record of September 28, 1996, Vol. 142, No. 137, pp. E1776-E1777. The trip to South Africa, also organized under the sponsorship of the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program, was conducted for the purposes of establishing contacts at all levels of the South African wine industry, assessing the status and growth of the industry and identifying the potentials for American wine interest involvement, including trade, marketing, investment, and joint venture activities, as well as the problems that may be encountered in pursuing such business interests. The resulting 72-page delegation report entitled, ``A Window on the Wine Industry of South Africa,'' not only addresses the above points of interest, but provides a current picture of how the South African wine industry is structured and operates. Descriptions are given of the organization and functions of the various government elements that have oversight responsibilities for the nation's alcohol beverage industry, supporting research institutions, including the University of Stellenbosch's Viticulture and Oenology academic program, and other industry/private sector wine education initiatives. Also, vineyard management and winemaking practices in South Africa are addressed, along with site visit descriptions of the nation's largest wine cooperative, KWV, and several individual wineries from the most northerly positioned wine estate outside of Johannesburg to wine estates of the Cape Town region. This report, I feel, given the current national attention being focused on U.S.-South African relations, particularly in the field of business and trade, will serve as a valuable up-to-date source of information for anyone in the U.S. wine community who is interested in developing a business relationship with or in South Africa. I wish to commend the members of this delegation and its leader, Gordon Murchie, President of the Vinifera Wine Growers Association, for their professionalism in representing the United States in this valuable fact-finding and trade relations trip. It is with considerable pleasure that I offer the Prologue of this report, which not only summarizes the potentials and challenges for American wine industry involvement, but outlines how to proceed and who to contact, both in the United States and South Africa, to establish business and trade relations. The full report is available by contacting the Vinifera Wine Growers Association. For further information on making contact with the government or private sector agencies and organizations listed herein, please contact my Washington, D.C. office.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Order of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception on the occasion of their 150th anniversary. The Order of the Armenian Sisters is highly respected, supported, and admired by Armenian communities world-wide. Their unparalleled accomplishments, dedicated service, and commitment to future generations are deserving of recognition. The Order of the Armenian Catholic Sister of the Immaculate Conception was founded on June 5, 1847 in Istanbul, Turkey by Archbishop Andon Hassounian. Hassounian later became Catholicos and the first Cardinal of Armenian ancestry. Serpouhi Haji-Andonian intended to travel to Italy in order to join a Roman Sisters' order. However, Archbishop Hassounian persuaded her to remain in Istanbul and help him to establish an Armenian Sisters' Order with the mission of educating Armenian girls. Soon, Sister Serpouhi's selfless dedication had resulted in many others joining the Order. The Sisters established many schools in local towns and villages. This expansion spread even to Cilicia. The Order suffered many casualties during the Turkish Genocide of Armenians in 1915. Numerous schools were destroyed and many sisters were massacred. The surviving sisters, with about 400 orphans, migrated to Italy. They settled in the Kastel Gondolphio Palace of the priest Bios. The number of orphans grew to 500 and the Sisters resettled in Torino's Sanitarium of Love. The headquarters relocated to Rome, and in time, the order once again began to expand. Soon, Rome was in the grip of World War II, and the expansion of the Order was interrupted. Nevertheless, at the end of the war, twenty new candidates came to Rome to take their vows. Today, the Order has approximately 100 nuns, and new applicants continue to come from Armenia. Presently, the Order administers over twenty schools, orphanages, and boarding centers for university students. The schools are located in such diverse areas as Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, France and the United States of America. The Armenian Sisters operate three schools in the United States located in Philadelphia, Boston, and Los Angeles. The school in Philadelphia was founded in 1967, the school in Boston was founded in 1982, and the school in Los Angeles (located in Montrose) was founded in 1985. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate the Order of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception on the occasion of their 150th anniversary. Their dedication and commitment to their heritage should serve as a model for people the world over. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing the Order of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dumont Printing of Fresno, Harris Ranch Inn of Coalinga, WestAmerica Bank- Sanger Branch, Evangelical Free Church of Fresno, The Clovis Independent of Clovis, David & Sons of Fresno, Giannini Packaging Corporation of Dinuba, Producers Dairy of Fresno, Costco Wholesale of Clovis, and Claude Laval Corporation of Fresno for being honored by the Fresno Compact for their dedication to helping students prepare for the increasing demands of society and the work place. The Fresno Compact is a coalition of community leaders and the area's public schools, committed to a long-term effort to improve achievement levels and skills of young people who leave our schools. Formation of the Compact was initiated in 1990 by businesses and the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, who's members were concerned about the difficulty of finding young workers equipped to succeed in entry level jobs. The members were also concerned about the problems young people have in supporting a family, finding satisfactory work and contributing positively to the economy. Schools and the community leaders then joined businesses in organizing the compact. The compact is now involved in coordinating various initiatives by its members, including business participation with the schools. The mission of the Compact is to focus community-wide efforts on preparing students for the increasing demands of society and the workplace. This year the Compact has honored ten businesses in Fresno County that have been nominated by the schools for their outstanding contributions to classroom learning. These businesses have contributed everything from time and money to human resources and expertise. Some of the businesses are quite large and some are quite small, but each one shares a common goal--to get involved in Fresno County's education system! In every case, the result is a lasting partnership that has touched the lives of kids. Harris Ranch Inn and Restaurant was nominated by Coalinga High School and Middle School. Harris Ranch personnel have taught Coalinga High School students about economics and marketing. Students have participated in mock interviews with Harris Ranch employees to help prepare them for the world of work. Each year during celebrations and fund raising events, Harris Ranch provides students and parent organizations with necessary supplies and materials. Harris Ranch also creates a positive learning climate in the schools by providing a monthly recognition dinner for employees. The Giannini packaging corporation of Dinuba, in conjunction with the Trembley family foundation has invested in the area of technology in the Clay Joint Elementary School District. The offices of the foundation, Leroy Giannini Jr., and Jim Burnett has invested over $150,000 in equipment and materials. In 1993, they began installing 27' TVS, VCRs, cable boxes, personal computers, and printers in each classroom, including the Library. The TVS are networked together enabling instructional TV programming and distance learning. The WestAmerica Bank of Sanger has been one of the primary catalysts for the successful career preparation program anchored at Sanger High School. WestAmerica employees have been active members of the advisory committee for the Sanger High School Business Department for the past seven years. As a part of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce Employment Competency Program, WestAmerica Bank has been a key business partner. Manager Donna Silva has devoted one to two days a month for instruction, student assessment, and curriculum development focusing on employment competency skills needed for entry-level success in the workplace. Evangelical Free church in Fresno offers yet another unique partnership that links people from throughout the community to Ernie Pyle Elementary School. Each Year, individuals from the church congregation volunteer to read with first and second graders. This happens as often as three times a week. The Ernie Pyle staff believes children have become much more confident and it has shown in their reading ability. Dumont Printing Company has been an active partner with Fresno's oldest high school, Fresno High School, since 1994. The owners, Larry and Susan Early, provide visible support for the highly successful marketing academy. As a direct result of the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Early, students as well as teachers have received complimentary tickets to cultural events including ballets, symphonies, and local museums. Dumont assists with curriculum development, field trips, mentors and guest speakers. The dedicated professionals from the Clovis Independent have personally dedicated their time and talents to making this vision a reality. Each week, a guest reader volunteers one hour a day to read stories to the primary students. Classroom presentations have also been a strong contribution by the independent. Writers and advertisers provide ``hands on'' newspaper activities illustrating their job responsibilities at the Independent. Students are taught to see the correlation between mathematical application and advertising sizing and pricing. The Clovis Independent promotes student recognition by printing students of the month, honor students, those receiving special awards, and special interest stories. The David & Sons-Viking Elementary School partnership is another excellent example of the impact individual employees have on students. Employees participate in field trips, student of the month activities, classroom tutoring and a number of other activities that result in one- on-one contact with kids. As a business, David & Sons is also an important player in the Viking Pen Pal Program. The kids love the letters they receive from the employees. In addition to extensive involvement from employees, David & Sons also contributes financially to after school activities that touch the families as well as the children. Ericson Elementary School of Fresno is in its second year of an exciting partnership with the Claude Laval Corporation. The primary goal of the partnership is to expose children to an array of career possibilities. Division heads from the Claude Laval Corporation do classroom presentations which often include hands on demonstrations. These department heads talk to kids not only about the intricacies of the industry but about the importance of work ethics, goal setting, and life long learning. perhaps the most innovative aspect of this process is the interview/resume process. Each student who completes the packet goes to a mock interview, and as a culminating activity, four students are selected to attend a Claude Laval Leadership Training Program which includes a factory tour and lunch with Claude Laval executives. At the end of the year, classrooms prepare presentations on topics such as marketing, finance and manufacturing and present them to the executive team at Claude Laval. In Clovis, Tarpey Elementary School and Costco have cultivated a partnership that families, as well as students have benefited from. Costco has donated back packs and school supplies to over 1,000 students. Needy families have been the recipients of food and clothing. The annual Tarpey BBQ and carnival has become one the community highlights as a result of Costco's generous donation of food and supplies. The final business partner award goes to a long standing business partnership and an icon in the community. Producers Dairy was nominated by the State Center Community College District for their contributions to the State Center system for over a decade. Producers is sole sponsor of the ``Producers California Community College Baseball State Championships.'' This event not only touches college athletes but brings thousands of dollars into the Fresno Community. Producers Dairy also provides over $20,000 in scholarships to students who might not otherwise have the means to go to college. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Harris Ranch, Giannini Packaging Corporation, WestAmerica Bank, Evangelical Free Church, Dumont Printing, The Clovis Independent, David and Sons, Claude Laval Corporation, Costco Wholesale, and Producers Dairy for the dedication and care that they have exhibited for future education. School business partnerships bring a little bit of hope to a lot of kids, thanks to the commitment of powerful teachers and concerned and dedicated citizens. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing these companies many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Chairman, the Smith amendment does not change any current policy on roadbuilding. The Boehlert amendment would codify an administrative process on road moratoriums that is currently under a public hearing process and is not finished. I urge all of my colleagues to vote no on Boehlert, yes on Smith, and yes for forest health.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, right now there is an ongoing public comment period on the administration's proposed moratorium on road building. This amendment, the Boehlert amendment, would override that public process. This amendment, the Boehlert amendment, would put the road moratorium proposal into law and cut the public entirely out of the process. The Boehlert amendment then violates the public process that the other side claims to be so important. The Boehlert amendment overrides the regulatory process. It overrides the Administrative Procedures Act. But, most importantly, it violates the people who in good faith are participating in a national discussion on how to manage the road and infrastructure in our national forests. The Smith amendment reaffirms this Congress' commitment that we shall not, I repeat, ``not'' build roads in sensitive areas that are off limits to roads under our current environmental laws; and that is the bottom line.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate George A. Macdonald on the occasion of his retirement after 42 years of exemplary service to America's airline industry. Captain Macdonald's hundreds of thousands of miles of flying have quite literally taken him to every corner of the globe as he manned cockpits for Pan American World Airways and United Airlines. Born in Oakland, Capt. Macdonald worked his way through flying lessons so he could pursue his dream. Hired by Pan Am in 1995, he has moved forward while explosive technological advances transformed his job and economic tumult rocked the industry he loves. The list of planes he has flown with passengers aboard is right out of an aviation textbook. Boeing Stratocruiser 377, Boeing 707, SA-16 seaplane, DC-4, DC-6, Boeing 727 and the mammoth Boeing 747. Over the years Capt. Macdonald has served his country, the world and the cause of freedom. When Pan Am was awarded a contract by the United Nations to fly planes in the Marianas, he transferred to Guam. It was there where he first received his captain wings and on his first flight in the left seat on the two-engine SA-16, one of the engines went out. With the Coast Guard in tow, Captain Macdonald guided the crippled plane to a safe landing and passengers and crew had nary a scratch. It seems eons ago that Berlin was a city divided and West Berlin was surrounded by communist East Germany. Captain Macdonald flew Pan American 727's that connected Berlin to its free countrymen in a years- long effort that kept hope alive for the united Germany we have today. Over the years, Capt. Macdonald was selected for leadership positions by both his fellow pilots and his company. He served in top executive positions for the Airline Pilots Association and rose to be Chief Pilot for Pan American in Los Angeles. He held that position when Pan Am sold its Pacific routes to United Airlines and Capt. Macdonald was chosen to pilot the first United non-stop to Tokyo. Mr. Speaker, on April 26, Capt. Macdonald will fly from our nation's capitol to San Francisco on his last trip as a commercial airline pilot. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing George Macdonald and his co-pilot--his beautiful wife, Peggy--much love, health, and happiness in retirement.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, I have long been a supporter of the Government Performance and Results Act and I am pleased that Congress is strengthening the law today through H.R. 2883. In a nutshell, the Results Act holds Federal programs accountable for producing clear, tangible results in exchange for the money that they spend. I can think of no better place to apply the common sense principles of the Results Act than in the environmental protection area. I, like most Americans, am unequivocally committed to achieving the highest standards of environmental protection in America. My experience in my district has taught they we cannot have a strong, prosperous America if we do not preserve our natural resources. I have also learned that prosperity and a clean environment is not an either/or proposition but a both/and proposition. It is a balance the Federal Government must create in its own policies if we are to have the highest level of environmental protection. But we can only be prosperous and have a clean environment if we are true to a few simple principles Americans hold accountable; that is accountability for results, personal and community responsibility, and effective use of our entrepreneurial genius through sound science and technological advances. The Results Act offers a chance to examine whether government programs are consistent with these values, especially whether they are focused on producing tangible environmental results through the most effective and efficient means possible. Unfortunately, the Clinton Administration does not see things the same way I or most Americans do on this issue. Last year I was deeply troubled when the administration issued a waiver exempting the Council on Environmental Quality from the common sense requirements of the Results Act. Because this council is supposed to play a key role in setting policy and reviewing approaches and performances of all Federal environmental programs, the administration was, in essence, signaling that results do not matter. This action occurs at the very same time when the council, along with a host of other Federal environmental programs, are coming under fire from reputable institutions such as the National Academy of Public Administration for lacking a clear picture of what environmental outcomes are sought and achieved by our government. The Results Act provided the administration the perfect opportunity to address this imbalance and focus itself on producing the best environmental outcomes possible. Unfortunately, by exempting the Council on Environmental Quality, the administration has left Congress and the American people with no accounting of whether the Council is achieving its objectives through what means, at what cost, and at what time schedule, and so on. It is time to get back to basics and focus on environmental programs, on producing tangible results rather than safeguarding their outdated command and control regulation-driven methods. H.R. 2883 gets us back on track by requiring the Council on Environmental Quality to comply with the Results Act, as well as outlining stronger provisions for the rest of our environmental programs to follow, as well. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2883 so that we can hold the Council on Environmental Quality and all Federal programs to these common-sense principles of accountability that the American people expect from their Government.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bob Mathias. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Bob Mathias' Olympic Decatholon Gold Medal victory. Mr. Mathias is recognized as both an exceptional athlete and dedicated American. He has certainly left his mark in many ways. Bob Mathias had a historical career in athletics that has been matched by no other athlete of our time. In 1948, Bob shocked the world by winning the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon. Bob was seventeen years old at the time, becoming the youngest person ever to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field. This record still stand today. Mathias was recognized as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States when he received the Sullivan Award in 1949. He never lost a decathlon championship and retired undefeated after winning the gold medal again in the '52 Olympics. Bob was also an All-American running back for Stanford University, where he became the only athlete to play in the Rose Bowl and compete in the Olympics in the same year (1952). He was then drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 1952 NFL draft. After his distinguished athletic career, Bob began to use his talents in many different fields. He served as an underwater demolition specialist in the US Marine Corps from 1954 to 1956. He also traveled extensively around the world for the U.S. State Department on good will missions, reporting to President Eisenhower. In 1954, Bob began his acting career when he starred in the movie ``The Bob Mathias Story.'' John Wayne then signed him to be an actor in Hollywood where he worked in many films until 1960. In 1966, Bob Mathias was elected to the U.S. Congress where he served four terms as a distinguished Congressman from California. Always a champion of youth, Bob became the director of the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He worked there from 1977 through 1983 and built the center into a showcase for our athletes. Bob then served as the Executive Director of the National Fitness Foundation until 1987. He is currently the United States Goodwill Ambassador. Bob is married to Gwen and lives in Fresno. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Bob Mathias. This year is the 50th Anniversary of his Olympic Decathlon Gold Medal victory. His dedication and exemplary efforts should serve as an inspiration to all. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Bob Mathias continued success for the future.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Daniel J. Wall of Sacramento, California, one of California's most effective advocates in the State Capitol. Dan will be leaving the California State Association of Counties (CSAC). On March 16, 1998 after serving that organization for 13 years. Dan is CSAC's deputy director for Revenue and Taxation and Federal Affairs. He is responsible for advocacy on revenue and taxation issues and for coordinating the Sacramento end of the association's federal efforts. Dan will be leaving CSAC to become the chief advocate for Los Angeles County in Sacramento. As a former California county supervisor, I had the pleasure of working with Dan on a variety of public finance issues. He displays a level of determination and commitment to county government that few can match. Individuals who work with Dan are impressed with his breadth of knowledge on complex revenue and tax legislation, his cheerful demeanor, his keen intellect, and his dancing prowess. Viewed as a real champion of county government, Dan is widely admired and respected by members of both political parties. Although Dan was born in Texas, he was raised and educated in northern California. He received his bachelor of arts degree in economics from St. Mary's College and a master of arts degree in economics from San Francisco State University. His particular focus was in the areas of public finance, international trade, and statistics. On a personal level, a distinguishing attribute of Dan's is his appreciation of fine cuisine and superior fine wines from California. As a winemaker, his recognition and enjoyment of quality wines is particularly close to my heart. Dan also is regarded by many as a real connoisseur of oriental food, especially the increasingly popular Japanese dish, sushi. His ability to locate some of the most interesting sushi establishments in virtually any community is well- documented. He was always able to direct visiting elected officials to the best of Sacramento. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Dan Wall for his tireless efforts on behalf of California's 58 counties. It is his unique and special qualities as a person and professional advocate that warrants his recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Dan many more years of success in representing and protecting the interests of county government.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Deran Koligian for being recognized ``Man of the Year'' by the Armenian National Committee of Central California. Deran Koligian is committed to working hard for the community and Armenian-Americans. Deran Koligian represents the first Supervisorial District on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. He is serving in his fourth term and represents some urban areas of Fresno and a large agricultural region in western Fresno County. Koligian served as the 1996 Chairman of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. With his duties as a member of the Board of Supervisors, Koligian serves on the Fresno County Audit and Debt Advisory Committees, Central Valley Project Authority Advisory Committee, Biological Diversity Task Force, San Joaquin Agricultural Law Review, Cal-ID Board, I-5 Business Development Corridor Commission, Ambulance Authority, Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Solid Waste Commission, Pleasant Valley Habitat Plan Board of Directors and Steering Committee, Southeast Solid Waste Commission, Selma-Kingsburg-Fowler County Sanitation District, West County Solid Waste Planning Board, Fresno-Madera Agency on Aging, and Solid Waste Enforcement Hearing Panel. He serves as an alternate member of the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, Mid-Valley Water Authority, Water Resources Management Executive Committee, and San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust. He was born and raised in Fresno and is a graduate of Madison Elementary School, Central High School, and Fresno State College (now California State University, Fresno). Additionally, he served as an Army infantryman during World War II in the South Pacific. Supervisor Koligian has been an outspoken advocate for agriculture as a member of the Board of Supervisors of Fresno County. While being engaged in farming his entire life, Koligian has been very actively involved in civic organizational work. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Madison Elementary School for 12 years, followed by 12 years of service on the board of Central High School. He was also a member of the Fresno County Schools Trustee Association and Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission. Koligian has also served as chairman of the Fresno-Madera Land Bank Association and Chairman of the Fresno County Planning Commission. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to congratulate Deran Koligian for being recognized as ``Man of the Year'' by the Armenian National Committee of Central California. Deran Koligian's dedication and pride for the Armenian heritage warrant this recognition. I ask my Colleagues to join me in wishing Deran Koligian many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, Republicans have begun to downsize the institution of government through privatizing, localizing and eliminating Federal programs, and returning more power, money and decision-making to families and local communities. But that is not enough. As a society, we must release the power of religious and civic organizations to solve local problems. One such organization is Hope Now for Youth in Fresno, California. Hope Now for Youth hires religious, ethnic college students to serve as counselors for young men in Fresno who are involved in risky behavior. The counselors seek to provide the parenting that these kids have missed growing up. Other services include job training, job placement, and help with meeting basic needs. Hope Now for Youth does all of this without any government money. It is funded by individuals and businesses in Fresno who have taken personal responsibility to rebuild their own communities. It relies heavily on volunteers who give of their time and their love. Mr. Speaker, Hope Now for Youth is an effective local charity that is a positive role model for all Americans. Local charities like Hope Now for Youth deserve our support. Anyone wishing to find out more may contact my office.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Janice Braly, Eleanor Lema, Carol Blasingame, Sally Magneson and Shirley Kirkpatrick for being recognized as the recipients of the Common Threads Award. The award recognizes women whose roots are in agriculture, and who have dedicated themselves to their community through volunteer service and philanthropic giving. Janice Braly of O'Neals is a former State President of California Woman for Agriculture and a California 4-H foundation member. Among her other accomplishments are a University of California Davis Dean's Policy Council Member and Castaic School Board Association President. She is currently a member of both the California Cattle Women and the Madera County Cattle Women. Eleanor Lema of Merced is a three-term Chapter President of California Women for Agriculture. She has been active in the Merced Chamber of Commerce for 10 years. Her accomplishments include being a Merced County Farmland Trust Board member for six years, a Merced Farm Bureau member for 20 years and a member of the Soroptimist Club, where she served as a board member for 15 years. Carol Blasingame of Fresno served as a Director for the Big Fresno Fair Director for three years. In 1996, she was President of the La Feliz Guild. Carol is a member of the Board of Directors of the Fresno City & County Historical Society, Chairman of the Fresno Fair Education Program, serves on the Ag Fresno Advisory Board, and is a member of California Women for Agriculture. Sally Magneson of Ballico served as President of the P.T.A. at three different schools, as a Brownie Leader, and as a Cadet Scouts Leader. She is a past President and the founding member of the League of Women Voters of Merced County. Sally was formerly active on the California State Reclamation Board, as the President of the Sierra Club of Merced, and as a member of the Merced County Library Commission. Shelly Kirkpatrick of Exeter is a 4-H Diamond Star, an Officer of the Central California Chapter of California Press Women's Association, and a member of the Tulare County Cattlemen Association. She is the founding member of the Tulare County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture and was elected to the Recreation Commission for the City of Exeter. Shirley currently serves on the Tulare County Planning Commission and is a member of the California Farm Bureau Land Use Commission. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Janice Braly, Eleanor Lema, Carol Blasingame, Sally Magneson, and Shirley Kirkpatrick for being recognized with the Common Threads Award. I applaud the contributions, ideas, and leadership they have exhibited in our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing these individuals many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Black History Month to pay tribute to the San Joaquin Valley African-American Historical and Cultural Museum. The African-American museum has been instrumental in exposing the history and contributions of African- Americans to the development of the San Jaoquin Valley. In 1983, an exhibit was set up as part of Fresno's One Hundred Year Centennial Celebration to show contributions African-American settlers had made toward the growth, prosperity, and cultural richness of Fresno County. By 1988, the exhibit had gained a great deal of popularity and needed to grow. Shortly following the exhibit's popularity, a donation by the State Center Community College District provided the space needed to move the exhibit into its first permanent exhibit hall where it remained until 1989. The museum has moved twice since then and now proudly rests in downtown Fresno. The African-American Historical Museum is used for a variety of artistic, cultural, and historical presentations. The building has served as a community center for numerous community groups and organizations. In addition, the African-American Museum has hosted community forums, meetings, workshops, and recreational activities. In an effort to combat crime, enhance security, and bring about much needed social and physical change within the area, the African-American Museum has worked diligenty to enhance and improve the neighborhood through various projects and community outreach activities. The African-American Museum in Fresno is the only African-American Historical-Pictorial museum in the entire San Joaquin Valley. It houses some of the Valley's proudest pictorial moments, events, and heroes. Additionally, the museum is working with the City of Fresno and the Outreach Unit from the School of Professional Phychology and several local businessmen to sponsor a total youth involvement conference. The conference is directed toward crime prevention and positive redirection of youth participation within the community. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to the African-American Historical and Cultural Museum in honor of Black History Month. The museum symbolizes the long and storied history of contributions made by African-Americans to the development of the San Joaquin Valley. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing the African- American Historical and Cultural Museum many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Nancy Lee Hinds, the founder of Hinds' Hospice Home Foundation in Fresno, for being recognized with the Social Action Award. Nancy Lee Hinds has dedicated her life to the dying and their families, and is very deserving of this honor. The award for Social Action is named annually by Temple Beth Israel for works on the diocesan and community levels. The award recognizes the long practice of Christian virtues. Nancy Lee Hinds was chosen for this award based on both her current work and her instrumental efforts to have hospices recognized throughout the state. Nancy Hinds' Hospice Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides care for those who have life limiting illnesses and no further medical treatment available. Hinds' Hospice Foundation has cared for patients that range in age from 3 months to 103 years. The Hospice Foundation also provides outpatient care that involves volunteers caring for patients in their own homes. Outpatient volunteers also perform such duties as yard work, grocery shopping, and haircutting. Nancy Lee Hinds was born and educated in Cleveland, Ohio. There she received a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. In 1970, she married Godfrey Hinds, a missionary doctor in Ireland. In 1977, her husband died of cancer in Northern Ireland. Following the death of her husband, Nancy opened her arms and doors to the dying and has been dedicating her life to caring for them ever since. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Nancy Lee Hinds for unselfishly dedicating her life to helping others. It is the leadership and care exhibited by Nancy Lee Hinds that warrants this recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Nancy Lee Hinds many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Family Connections Adoptions for over 15 years of devoted service to the community. Family Connections Adoptions helps families adopt children with special needs from all over the globe. Family Connections Adoptions began in February, 1983. In 15 years the agency has placed over 1400 children, about half of which have been from California. The rest have been from developing countries--India, Korea, Thailand, South America, Vietnam, Romania, Ethiopia, China, Russia and others. The agency began by serving families in three countries with an office in Modesto, California. The service area has expanded gradually and now covers the whole state of California. There are branch offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Oceanside. The children range in age from infancy to fifteen years. The children are of every race and ethnic background. All of the children have been ``waiting children,'' which means that they have some special needs. These special needs can consist of medical challenges which include blindness, deafness, missing limbs, cerebral palsy, heart problems, cleft lip and palate, hydrocephalus, failure to thrive, severe asthma, fetal alcohol syndrome, and drug addiction. Some of the children at Family Connections have been free of medical challenges but their age, large sibling group, or minority race kept them waiting for an adoptive family. The family who adopt through Family Connections vary in age, income, education, race, and family size. Couples who have been married two years and singles are welcome to apply. For some, the adoption is a first child for the family. For others, the new addition joins a family with other children. The common factor all families share is their desire to nurture a child. Many of the agency staff are adoptive parents themselves and they relate to adopting families with warmth and understanding. Family Connections has a commitment to children who wait for permanent, loving homes and to the families who long to open their hearts and homes to the waiting children. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Family Connections for their contribution to child adoption. It is the care and devotion displayed by Family Connections that warrant this recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Family Connections many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Fresno Unified School District's Roosevelt High School for winning the California School Board Foundation's Golden Bell Award. Fresno Unified's Roosevelt High School was recognized for this prestigious award for its Family and Community Program. Additionally, Roosevelt High has been successful in creating other programs and activities to draw parents and community members into the school. The Golden Bell Awards program promotes excellence in education by recognizing outstanding programs in school districts and county offices of education throughout California. The Golden Bell Awards reflect the importance of the education necessary to address the changing needs of students. This awards program contributes to the development and evaluation of curriculum, instruction and support services. It seeks out and recognizes innovative or exemplary programs which have been developed and successfully implemented by California teachers and administrators. The program also focuses on recognizing and supporting educators who invest extra energy and time to make a demonstrated difference for students. Roosevelt High, built in 1928 for a student body of 1,700, now houses 3,669 young people of diverse backgrounds. Approximately 60% of the student body is Hispanic, 20% Asian, 10% African American, and 10% are white. The remainder of the students are Native American and come from other countries including India. In 1983, Roosevelt School of the Arts was created for the purpose of desegregation. Roosevelt School of the Arts provides quality visual and performing arts opportunities for nearly six hundred students from all over Fresno. The faculty and administrative staff consist of educators who are also talented artists. The faculty, staff, students, and parents of Roosevelt High School have received many awards and grants. Roosevelt was awarded the California High Schools Network grant in 1993 and the SB1510 Technology grant in 1994. The School was presented with the National Science Teacher of the Year Award in 1996, the California School Boards Association Golden Bell Awards for parent and community involvement in 1995 and 1997, and the State Board of Education Distinguished Schools Award in 1996. Two student volunteers and one adult volunteer for the school have received Fresno County Volunteer Bureau Volunteer of the Year awards for 1995, 1996, and 1997. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Fresno Unified School District's Roosevelt High School for winning the California School Board Foundation's Golden Bell Award. The students and faculty of this school exemplify a care for the community and a dedication to hard work. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Roosevelt High School many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, passage of H. Con. Res. 202, the Equitable Child Care Resolution, is an important step Congress must take to address the child care needs of American families. The Equitable Child Care Resolution will ensure that the child care discussions by Congress include consideration of the needs of at-home parents. Unfortunately, the President's child care proposal fails to recognize that almost 70 percent of American families do not pay for child care because at-home parents or relatives care for the children. These families--many of which are low to middle income--have devised creative solutions to meet their child care needs, because they would rather have a parent, relative, or friend care for their children than an institution. However, their solutions often entail a sizeable sacrifice of family income. The President's proposal simply ignores this 70 percent of families with children and instead focuses on the remaining 30 percent. During consideration of child care policy, it is also important that Congress not create another large federal bureaucracy. Such a bureaucracy, coupled with a subsidy for child care, would create the incentive for increased dependence on, and control by, Washington bureaucrats. The effect would be to move more children into institutionalized day care. Parents have the right to determine what kind of child care that is best for them, whether parent-based, church- based, community-based, neighborhood-based, or institution-based. They should not be pushed into one type of care through social engineering subsidies. Moreover, the President's plan would unequally distribute benefits, tilting them toward families where both parents choose to work, while taxing those who decide to stay at home. A more effective solution would be to provide an across-the-board tax reduction--such as expanding the $500 per child tax credit recently enacted by Congress. We should expand the range of choices available to parents, not the government's control over child care. Parents should be equipped with the resources, responsibility, and personal control to raise their children. The federal government currently sponsors numerous programs to help families with children. Since 1995, Republicans in Congress have enacted major reforms to help families afford child care. The welfare reform law has merged four programs into the better and more effective Child Care Development Block Grant. This block grant allows localities to respond to the different needs of our families, giving parents choices through vouchers. Overall, welfare reform has increased child care funds for our country's neediest families by $4 billion. In addition, the Child Development Tax Credit provides $14 billion over the next five years to families with child care expenses. My goal is to help restore the central role of families in society while addressing the specific needs of our children. A child care plan, such as the one offered by the President, that punishes parent care and encourages government controlled institutionalized care does not strengthen the family. Rather, it weakens families while increasing the role of Washington bureaucrats in the lives of our children.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Elaine (De La Torre) Bernard and Carol De La Torre of GENESIS, Inc. for being recognized Business Women of the Year by the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Top Female Owned Business by the California State Chamber of Commerce. As sisters and owners of Genesis, Elaine and Carol have made countless contributions to the community and are very deserving of recognition. For the past 10 years, Elaine Bernard and Carol De La Torre have dedicated their lives to Genesis, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides residential treatment, foster care and supportive family services to children who have been sexually, physically and/or emotionally abused, neglected or abandoned. The Genesis goal is to serve in the Fresno county area and community by providing interventions and building blocks for area youth and families. From the moment Genesis group homes opened their doors, there have been tremendous changes in the lives of many children. Originally, GENESIS, INC. opened one residential group home in Fresno to serve female adolescents who were predominately Hispanic and under- served. The number of group homes has grown to six with over forty-two clients in placement. GENESIS also established three community schools to assist with their educational needs and goals. GENESIS has been committed to providing job opportunities to Valley residents and has prided itself on the ability to provide quality employment for both men and women of diverse culture and backgrounds. Furthermore, GENESIS has provided a learning environment for university interns and volunteers who receive valuable on-the-job training and experience under the supervision of highly skilled professionals. The California State Chamber of Commerce recognizes one top female owned business on an annual basis. On September 19, 1997 Genesis incorporated received this award under the criteria of success and contributions to the community. Genesis was chosen among 30 other nominations from around the state of California. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Elaine (De La Torre) Bernard and Carol De La Torre of Genesis, Inc. for over 10 years of outstanding community service. It is the leadership and care exhibited by these two sisters that warrant this recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Elaine (De La Torre) Bernard and Carol De La Torre many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Edward C. Valdez for his commitment and dedication to the Hispanic community. Edward Valdez is a prominent attorney and was awarded the 1997 Latin American Businessman of the Year. His accomplishments with the Hispanic community are noteworthy and warrant recognition. Born in Castroville, California, Valdez spent much of his childhood in the fields picking fruit and vegetables. Valdez did very well in school, but had the notion that college and higher education was for non-Hispanics. He grew up in a community where people worked in the fields all of their lives and no one ever went to college. This discouragement caused him to join the Army instead of continuing on with school. In the service, Valdez began to meet college graduates and realize that he could also go to college. In 1964, Valdez finished his military obligation and enrolled in junior college. His college studies and determination paid off in the late 1960s when AAA Insurance hired him as a claims adjuster. The company soon promoted Valdez to a job in Fresno, where he continued his education at California State University, Fresno. In 1969, he began law school and worked as a paralegal by day and studied by night. After graduation, Valdez and several other lawyers formed a partnership that became well known for work with the under-served Valley populations and Hispanic leaders. When his partners left the firm to become judges, Valdez built his firm into a solo practice. He continued his motivation by providing help with several community service projects. Valdez supports the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the positive effects it has on business in the Valley. Valdez credits much of his success as a result of his education. I praise his emphasis in the importance of higher education. He encourages lifting Valley farm-labor populations into enterprises that bring jobs and money through higher education. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to Edward C. Valdez for his accomplishments and dedication to the Hispanic community. His passion for the legal profession and his encouragement for Hispanic youth is both refreshing and inspirational. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Edward Valdez many more years of success.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2846 which bars Federal spending for planning, developing, implementing or administering national education testing unless such tests are specifically authorized by Congress. Passage of this bill is good for our schools. The President's strong support of national testing reveals serious philosophical differences between many in Congress and the Administration with regard to the role that teachers, parents, school board members and local communities play in ensuring that our children have the best possible opportunities for education available to them. A national test would tell us little more than we already know--that the measure of a child's education is determined both by the quality of the education that the child has access to and the willingness and ability of that child to learn. I oppose such a test because I believe that we need to invest in our schoolchildren and in their education, not study them. Make no mistake, I think schools should provide minimum requirements and standards of learning. However, we should not expand the role of the Federal Government in education to achieve this goal. Our teachers, parents, school districts and local communities, particularly those in California's Central Valley, are more capable of cultivating a better education for our children, and in measuring that education, than federal bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Federal money is better spent on improving the conditions and quality of our schools than on a full- employment program for administrators of a national education test. National testing is the first step towards further federal intervention and control of the education of our children. In order to administer a national test, it first must be written. This job, no doubt, will be performed by federal bureaucrats in the Department of Education. Soon, these same individuals will be setting the reading and math standards for our nation's schoolchildren. Next, the Department of Education will want to set the curriculum of school districts and classrooms to meet those standards as evaluated through the federal test. Mr. Speaker, we spend over $29.5 billion on the federal Department of Education. According to a recent study, only 85 cents of each dollar that the department allocates for elementary and secondary education actually makes it to the local school district. One study of a New York public school system showed that only 43 cents of every district dollar actually made it into the classroom. If we want to maximize our return on federal education dollars, we need to skip over the bureaucracy, reject national testing and provide as much funding as possible directly to communities and schools. Besides shifting education funds to local communities, it is important that we ensure our children are given the educational choices and opportunities they deserve. This means giving states, school districts, local communities, teachers, and parents flexibility to implement policies and use resources that best respond to the education needs of that particular community--and not forcing them to adopt a national one-size-fits-all test. My goals for educating our children are not tied to national testing. Instead, we must maintain our strong commitment to education funding that shifts more dollars and greater control to our states, communities, parents and teachers. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 2846.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Budget Committee, to analyze the President's budget for FY 1999. The federal budget isn't just an accounting tool. It's a vision of the kind of America we want for our families. Our vision is for an America where families are restored to their central role in society, the entrepreneurial spirit is unleashed in every community, and religious and civic organizations are released to solve local problems. Unfortunately the President's vision, as outlined in his latest budget, is limited to an ever expanding Federal government. The President claims that his spending plan achieves a $9.5 billion surplus in fiscal year 1999 thereby reaching, an even surpassing, the goal of a balanced budget three years sooner than expected. But even is that assertion is correct, his budget submission misses the real point: balancing the federal budget is not just a bookkeeping exercise. Balancing the budget is about moving power out of Washington, having more decisions made by families and communities, and putting more faith in people rather than Washington ``experts.'' Balancing the budget is about restraining the size of the federal government so that other fundamental institutions--families, religious and civic organizations and business enterprises--begin to play their appropriate roles in the nation. When government grows, it invades the proper roles of these other institutions. The reverse is also true, so that when government is restrained, the other institutions grow. That is why Congress insisted that last year's budget agreement should not only balance the budget, but should also cut taxes at the same time. Only by coupling both strategies would the growth of federal bureaucracies stay in check. Only in this way could balancing the budget achieve the far more important goal of restoring balance among the nation's fundamental institutions. One example of this restored balanced is the economic growth of the past several years, which has contributed significantly to today's favorable budget outlook. Critics have long predicted that too much deficit reduction, undertaken too fast, would cause the economy to contract. Instead, the reverse has happened. As the 104th and 105th Congresses held fast to their pledge to restrain spending and reform government, the engines of economic growth took over. The economy grew faster than projected. Interest rates fell, which in effect gave everyone a tax cut. Employment climbed. This growth, coupled with Congress's spending restraint, fueled our ability to quickly reach a balanced budget. Another example of how rebuilding fundamental institutions helps all Americans is the decline in welfare dependency. This has occurred partly because the welfare reform law adopted in 1996--a reform the President vetoed twice before finally accepting public demand for it-- devolved responsibilities and control to states and communities, which always were better suited to address the problems of poverty. Welfare reform gave Governors the flexibility to experiment, and tailor programs to their own unique populations. More importantly, it showed real compassion for those who received public assistance by encouraging taking responsibility for their lives, by making them accountable, and by moving them off the welfare rolls and onto payrolls. Since welfare reform was enacted, the welfare rolls have declined by 2.2 million people. Mr. Speaker, the President seems not to have noticed. His budget reflects a typical return to expanding government whenever and wherever possible. For him, every problem (real or imagined) has a government solution--one that puts trust in Washington bureaucrats rather than individuals and families. The President's budget contains 85 new spending programs, including 39 new entitlements. In all, these entitlements add nearly $150 billion to federal spending over the next five years. Meanwhile, he fails to pursue any further reduction in the tax burden on the American family-- who notwithstanding last year's reduction--are still overtaxed. In fact, he slams the family budget by gobbling-up over $129 billion more of American income in new taxes and fees. The President, who speaks of building bridges to the future, is actually taking the discredited road of the past--the past that brought on the era of big government. His zeal for more spending is disturbing. The government should be doing all it can to foster growth of economic resources, to provide for long-term prosperity, and to assure that the nation can meet its obligations to future generations. The government should not look for every way possible to spend these resources. Nowhere is this more important than in Social Security--and nowhere does the President present a more staggering contradiction. To his credit, the President has acknowledged the need to prepare this unique program for the coming retirement of 76 million ``baby boomers.'' In his State of the Union address, he urged that any budget surpluses that appear should be preserved for Social Security's needs. But right now, in this budget, he proposes to spend any surpluses and then increase taxes and pour those funds into more government programs. All this increased spending could, alternatively, be preserved for saving Social Security. But the President's actions say more than his words. He would rather spend the money on special interest giveaways than provide for a safe and secure Social Security system. The soul of last year's budget agreement was a commitment to restrain the growth of government and to help restore the vitality of America's communities, neighborhoods, and families. By contrast, the President's budget harkens back to the era of big government. While Americans have come to recognize the limits of Washington's ability to solve problems, President Clinton continues trying to draw more of American life under the control of Washington. America is hungry for a positive vision of society, a society that values hard work, honesty, and a commitment to family faith and freedom. But the President only serves up a vision of more government in a budget that is balanced in numbers, not in spirit.