George Radanovich

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, there is a program which involves constituents in my district which is worthy of note. In its fourth year, the Top Five program has become established as a local award that truly recognizes the best of the best in central San Joaquin Valley business. The sponsors are: Baker, Peterson & Franklin, Certified Public Accountants; California State University Business Center; and the Fresno Business Journal. The purpose of the Top Five is to provide the opportunity for successful companies and business leaders to interact with each other, and to stimulate businesses to persist in their efforts to redefine and reshape relations with their employees, their customers, and their communities in ways that promote the welfare of all. The Business Journal goes on to state that the 1995 Top Five awards showcase outstanding private companies whose innovations and achievements have made a special contribution to the valley. This year, 41 businesses were nominated from a broad coverage area of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Kings, and Tulare Counties, with a significant number of finalists hailing from the mountain communities. Types of businesses represented by applicants range from manufacturers to services, and business sizes range from a handful of employees to nearly 1,000. The five winners who were honored at a reception were selected by an independent panel of respected business and professional leaders. They are: Danish Creamery Association whose CEO is James A. Gomes. Danish Creamery is one of Fresno's oldest businesses and has received many medals attesting to the associations commitment and quality. It employs 130 people. Heidi's 1-Hour Photo in Mariposa. The owner is Heidi Vetter. She employs 6 others who offer photo finishing. Heidi has also added a custom-framing shop which allows her to process film into a family treasure hanging on the wall. Inland Star Distributing Centers, Inc. Michael Kelton, who is president has a staff of 10. Inland Star began in 1981 as a local, single-site, public warehouse. It is now a national, five-site, full- service distribution organization. Ruiz Food Products, owned by Fred Ruiz employs 775 people. Ruiz Foods is a multimillion-dollar business that was recently listed No. 26 among the top 500 Hispanic-owned businesses nationwide. It, today, is the largest burrito manufacturer in the United States. Sierra Press, Inc., in Mariposa employs 5 people. Jim Wilson is the CEO. The business was cofounded by Mr. Wilson and Jeff Nicholas. Sierra Press has built a devoted customer base through its unique approach to book publishing. They specialize in photographic scenes and memories of America's national parks. Once again, congratulations to all the companies who participated this year.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, as this House considers H.R. 2274, the National Highway System Designation Act, it continues to engage in a long standing debate on the broader issue of Federal mandates. As is found in the content of H.R. 2274, previous legislation of the 104th Congress has established a theme consistent with the main tenets of the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which states ``The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.'' The basis for which Chairman Bud Shuster's able leadership should be commended is in his clear commitment to the 10th amendment and to those efforts designed to empower the States and the people. Therefore, with the chairman's input, H.R. 2274 recognizes that individual States have unique needs and priorities that they are best suited to address. In addition, the legislation cuts the Federal seatbelts that attempt to harness individual citizens from dangers best determined by themselves. There is no better example of Federal mandates being inconsistent with the Constitution than that of Federal statutes which require that States pass laws requiring the use of motorcycle helmets or face reduced highway funding. The history of motorcycle helmet laws stems from the 102d Congress and 1991 legislation that rings with Federal bureaucracy: The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act [ISTEA]. ISTEA penalizes States that do not enact motorcycle helmet and auto seat belt use laws by withholding up to 3 percent of their highway construction funds. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation has eloquently countered the faulty wisdom of these infallible laws in stating: Helmet laws raise very personal and emotional issues for motorcyclists. Issues like: adults being responsible for themselves; freedom of thought and expression; the government telling citizens how they must appear in public--a helmet is a piece of apparel; a person being forced to place an item on their body which they feel is not in their best interest and; the appropriate level of government control of and intervention into personal behavior. I could not agree more with this rational position. This is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 899, a bill to eliminate the penalties for noncompliance by States with the program requiring the use of motorcycle helmets. Chairman Don Young, who presides over the Resources Committee of which I am a member, introduced this legislation to widespread support. Such support is most telling when recognizing that 202 Members have to date cosponsored the bill. On this issue, let us heed the advice of the States and individual citizens who best understand transportation issues. And while the founder's of this country may not have envisioned automobiles or motorcycles they did have it quite right when they yielded to the principle that local issues are best solved by the insight of locals.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I attach a great deal of importance to our system of national parks. It includes many sites that reveal our history and our respect of nature. Just this past weekend, I had occasion to visit the national military park at Gettysburg, PA. Who could question the wisdom of preserving our country's heritage by providing such a park. That park and many others, including one of the crown jewels, Yosemite National Park, located in my own congressional district, are examples of what national parks are supposed to be. It is out of a concern for the future of our national parks that I support H.R. 260, the National Park Service Reform Act. This legislation will help solve many of the problems currently facing the National Park Service [NPS] so that it can better meet its objectives of serving visitors and protecting the natural and cultural resources entrusted to it. H.R. 260 does not close a single park or unit. It does require the NPS to further develop a plan and mission for the agency. It then requires that the NPS review the existing 368 areas managed by the agency to determine whether all of them should continue to be managed by the NPS. Any NPS recommendation for the closure of an NPS unit would be subject to review by an independent commission and would require the passage of a separate act of Congress. As a member of the National Parks, Forests and Lands Subcommittee, I commend Chairman James Hansen's able leadership for prompting the General Accounting Office's [GAO] telling August 1995 report entitled, ``National Parks: Difficult Choices Need To Be Made About the Future of the Parks.'' The GAO report sights what I, too, view as a ``further deterioration in--national--park conditions.'' I want to acknowledge my acceptance of one of the remedial routes offered in the GAO report, namely, cutting back on the number of units in the system. We do not want to clutter the system with Steamtowns and Suitland Parkways without considering budgetary factors. Though as I said recently in the Fresno Bee, this process ``won't be easy and I'm not saying there won't be problems.'' It is true that some national park entities might eventually be transferred out of the National Park System. Some such transfers may well be warranted, and they would not be new. Just last year the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC., was transferred out of the National Park System. The Kennedy Center still operates, and people still enjoy attending concerts there, but it is simply under new management. Similarly, commuter highways serving Washington, DC, like the Suitland and Baltimore-Washington Parkways should be considered for new management outside of NPS. It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that H.R. 260 has the support of both Republican and Democrat members of the Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over this legislation. It is a good bill, and I am convinced that it will help bring fiscal sanity to the operation of the NPS.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, today is the centennial observance of the discovery of chiropractic on September 18, 1895 by Dr. D.D. Palmer in Davenport, IA. The name chiropractic was derived from the two Greek words of chiro meaning hand and praktos meaning done by hand. According to Webster's Dictionary, ``Chiropractic is a system of healing holding that disease results from a lack of normal nerve function and employing manipulation and specific adjustment of body structures--as the spinal column.'' Today, chiropractors are recognized by the Federal and State governments in licensure, education, continuing education, student financial aid programs, radiation certification, legal expert witnesses, hospital staff membership and insurance recognition as stated in the Occupational Outlook Handbook of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor and other official sources. Chiropractors also are recognized by the Federal and State governments as primary health care providers. The U.S. Public Health Service classifies doctor of chiropractic among medical specialists and practitioners and includes chiropractors in its Health Manpower Sourcebook, and includes a chapter covering chiropractic in Health Resources Statistics. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, lists chiropractic in its Occupation Outlook Handbook as ``Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners.'' Chiropractors are a listed occupation for purposes of taxation by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and under the Internal Revenue Code, chiropractic care is a medical deduction. Mr. Speaker, in saluting this chiropractic centennial, I take pleasure in including with my remarks a summary statement about the profession that was written at my request by my chiropractor constituent, Dr. Rita Schroeder of Fresno, and one of my California advisers, Dr. L. Ted Frigard of Beverly Hills. Chiropractic, Past, Present and Future On September 18, 1895, Mr. Harvey Lillard, who had been deaf for seventeen years sought the services of Dr. D.D. Palmer. Mr. Lillard stated that he was exerting himself in a cramped, stooping position and he felt something give way in his back and immediately became deaf. An examination revealed that a vertebra was twisted from its normal position. Dr. Palmer reasoned that if that vertebra was replaced, the man's hearing should be restored. With this object in view, Dr. Palmer maneuvered the vertebra into position using the spinous process as a lever and soon Mr. Lillard could hear as before. Thus the science and art of chiropractic were formed at that time. Chiropractic was founded on anatomy: osteology, neurology and function of bones, nerves and the manifestation of impulses. Chiropractic is a science, a knowledge of health and disease reduced to law and embodied into a system. A vertebral subluxation occludes an opening through which nerves pass, producing a pressure upon nerves causing interference with the transmission of a normal quantity of abstract force generated in the brain and expressed at the end of the nerve in physiological function. [[Page E 1798]] education Chiropractic education is recognized by the Federal and State governments. The Commission on Accreditation the Council on Chiropractic Education (C.C.E.) is recognized by the United States Department (Office) of Education and by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation student financial aid programs Chiropractic students qualify for financial aid programs for their chiropractic education. Financial aid programs consist primarily of Federal and State loans, grants and scholarships. Student aid programs for chiropractic students demonstrates that the Federal and State governments not only encourage education for chiropractic students but establish ways to finance that education. licensure Chiropractors are licensed in all fifty states, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, by an Act of the United States Congress. Chiropractors must meet the individual State requirements and pass a State Board examination for licensure. radiation certification Chiropractors must meet the educational requirements and pass a State examination for certification for the supervision and use of radiation and x-ray machines. expert witness Chiropractors are accepted as expert witnesses within the lawful scope of the limited speciality of their practice in the County, State and Federal Court system. insurance recognition The Congress of the United States, with Presidential approval, has authorized the provision of chiropractic services under federal law for all Americans in Medicare and Medicaid. Federal employees have chiropractic coverage in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program and coverage in the Federal Employee Workers' Compensation program, and in leave approvals, for illness suffered by federal employees. Chiropractic health services are included in the Railroad Retirement Act, State MediCal (Medicaid) program, State Workers' Compensation Insurance program and virtually all insurance carriers in the United States provide policies covering chiropractic care. Chiropractors perform disability evaluation for the courts and workers' compensation insurance programs. Chiropractors perform physical examination for school children and employment and insurance companies. hospital staff membership Chiropractors are entitled to hospital staff membership by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH). The JCAH is a hospital standard setting organization which has the power to define and regulate the activities which take place in hospitals. In 1983, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the American College of Radiology and the American College of Surgeons participated in the revision of the Accreditation Standards for Hospitals with the JCAH. The 1983 revision liberalized the prior standards regarding admission to medical staffs or, and allowance of hospital privileges to limited practitioners which include chiropractors. The chiropractic profession has an effective and valuable health care service to render humanity. We are sure that the profession has strived mightily over the last century to achieve the high standards that are now evident.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend NATO for finally exhibiting resolve by retaliating against Bosnian Serb aggression. I cannot help but wonder if such actions against the Serbs early in the conflict would not have significantly altered the current dismal situation. The lives of peacekeepers could have been saved, civilian suffering could have been lessened, United Nations credibility could have been salvaged. Three and a half years is far too long a period of time for such atrocities to go unpunished. Unfortunately, 37 more lives needed to be sacrificed before appropriate steps were taken against the Bosnian Serbs. But, we must not dwell on the past, instead we must look forward to the future and hope that the United Nations and NATO continue not to allow Serb attacks on noncombatants in designated safe areas to go unchecked. I must urge the administration to continue in the direction that it has taken, and again reiterate the need to lift the arms embargo against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Diplomatic success depends on the credible use of force.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, this 104th Congress now moves forward from the Contract With America. And, ``move'' must be the operative word. The lesson learned in our August recess is that the public wants action not words. Everywhere I went, men and women said, ``Congressman, we'd sooner have you moving ahead * * * even if the path is rough and you stumble occasionally * * * don't let Congress just stand there.'' America bought in to our program. They approve our commitment to a balanced budget. They like cutting back the bureaucracy. They commend term limits. Most of this we delivered in this House. Yet, there is more to do here on the Hill, and I urge the Senate to heed the call. Let us get down to business, but let us make sure it is dealing with unfinished business, not business as usual.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, many of us in this House--indeed, close to 200 of us--have joined in sponsoring various legislative measures that would declare English as our country's official language. Beyond mere declaration, and depending on the particular proposal, these bills and resolutions contain various mechanisms of implementation and enforcement. The movement behind recognizing English as our official language, I believe, is growing by the day. I continue to receive communications from my constituents, asking that we, in Congress, take action accordingly, and I am pleased to be a cosponsor of two such English language measures, H.R. 123 and H.R. 1005. And, Mr. Speaker, it is with this emerging English energy in mind that I take particular pleasure in making available excerpts from a speech by the distinguished majority leader of the U.S. Senate, Bob Dole, in which he stressed the unifying role of one language. Senator Dole addressed the American Legion Convention in Indianapolis, IN, earlier this week on Labor Day. You are Freedom's heroes and American patriots, and I'm proud to be among you. Each of you has answered America's call--whether it was to fight for our freedom, or to defend the peace in which we have prospered for so many years. Each of you knows what it means to wear the uniform of your country, to put your country first and to be willing to bear any sacrifice to keep her free. Because of you, and those who came before you, we Americans are the freest people on earth. And you know as well as I do how we stay that way; we must remain the strongest country on earth. That's what I want to talk with you about today. Keeping America strong--in her might and in her heart, in the face of external enemies and in the presence of threats from within. America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave, and a great century of hope and opportunity is about to unfold before us. But to claim that future, America needs your help. For some in America believe our might is no longer needed, and some think our definition of what it means to be an American is out of date. Of course, neither is true. Can there be any doubt that the world is still a dangerous place? Yes, the Cold War is over. We won one of humanity's greatest struggles against totalitarianism and oppression. But today peace is threatened and dark forces are multiplying in almost every corner of the world. For the demands of freedom require us to modernize our forces, to maintain our technological edge, and to ensure that America remains the world's one and only superpower. We will never apologize for that. Our goal is not just to be strong enough to turn back a threat. We must be so strong no one ever again is even tempted to threaten us, at all. But if we are to return this country to greatness, we must do more than restore America's defenses. We must return as a people to the original concept of what it means to be American. This means tackling subjects the arbiters of political correctness don't even want discussed: For example, English must be recognized as America's official language. Western tradition and American greatness must be taught in our schools. And the Federal government just end its war on traditional American values. America has always been more than just a place on a map, it has held a claim on our hearts. We are a nation dedicated to a proposition: that all men and women are created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain, inalienable rights. Our forefathers rejected race and religion as the forces to form a nation, choosing instead the ideals of freedom and democracy. It was a radical gamble, and ever since we have held it to be an article of faith that those who would be Americans must first abandon lesser allegiances. As Franklin Roosevelt once said, ``Americanism . . . is not, and never was, a matter of race and ancestry.'' Succeeding waves of immigrants have been drawn to America by this idea. Lacking the centuries-old, primal bonds of other nations, we have used our language, our history and our code of values to make the American experiment work. We have used them to forge millions of diverse individuals into one people with a common purpose. Language, history and values: these are the strings that bind our hearts to America. These are the forces that have held us together--allowing us to be diverse and yet united, to absorb untold millions of immigrants while coming the closest any country ever has to the classless, upwardly mobile society of our ideals. But these keys to unity are under attack from our government and from intellectual elites who seem embarrassed by America. What we see as opportunity they see as oppression. Where we see a proud past, they see a legacy of shame. What we hold as moral truth, they call intolerance. They have false theories, long dissertations and endless studies to back them up. But they know so much they have somehow missed the fact that the United States of America is the greatest force for good the world has ever known. Yes, we have our faults. But part of what makes me so proud to be an American is the constant effort of our people to do better--to make our country right and good and just. Unfortunately some policies and programs born out of that desire have gone awry. Begun for the best of reasons and then hijacked by the Embarrassed-to-be-American crowd, certain Federal programs are untying the strings of citizenship.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, 1995 marks the 20th year since the fall of Long Chieng, the CIA headquarters in Laos, where the Secret War was staged. The Hmong suffered tremendous casualties as a direct result of their alliance with the United States during the Vietnam War. The Hmong heroically acted as our counterinsurgency force for over 10 years fighting some of Ho Chi Minh's best divisions to a standstill. These courageous actions disabled North Vietnamese forces, preventing them from waging war with Americans in South Vietnam. Mr. Speaker, I call my colleagues' attention to Jane Hamilton- Merritt's article that appeared in The New York Times and urge that we remember our former Hmong allies who are now refugees of the Secret War. At this point, I wish that the article be inserted into the Record. [From the New York Times, June 24, 1995] Refugees of the Secret War (By Jane Hamilton-Merritt) Buried in the sweeping foreign aid package passed by the House on June 8 is an amendment that could rescue thousands of desperate refugees. The amendment would end the forced repatriation of Hmong refugees in Thailand to Communist Laos, where they face persecution by a Government with one of the worst human rights records in the world. The Senate should preserve this amendment when it takes up the bill, later this summer. It is the least Washington can do for the Hmong. They are being persecuted in part because they were persecuted in part because they were valuable allies in America's ``secret war'' in Laos that accompanied the war in Vietnam. Perhaps 30,000 Hmong are trapped in Thailand in refugee camps and in jails, and some have spent years in hiding. Many are military veterans who were recruited and trained by the C.I.A. to fight North Vietnamese troops in Laos. An ethnic minority in the country, the Hmong aided the American effort throughout the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations. Fighting to save Laos from a Communist takeover, the Hmong helped us by gathering intelligence, rescuing downed American pilots and sabotaging the entrance of the Ho Chi Minh supply trail into South Vietnam. Speaking on behalf of Hmong veterans and their families, William Colby, the former Director of Central Intelligence, told the House Subcommittee on Asia and Pacific affairs last year that for 10 years the Hmong kept Hanoi's army in northern Laos to approximately the same battle lines it held at the beginning of the war, though the number of troops increased from 7,000 to about 70,000 by the end of the conflict--troops that were not available to kill Americans in South Vietnam: For the Hmong, the sacrifice was enormous. Perhaps 10 percent of the population--30,000 people--died. In 1975, the new Communist regime in Laos singled out for persecution Hmong who had been allied with the United States. In the last two decades, tens of thousands of Hmong have been killed or imprisoned in [[Page E 1628]] ``seminar camps,'' which are essentially concentration camps. Many others escaped across the Mekong River to northern Thailand, and others have resettled in the United States, France, Australia and Canada. Before the end of this year, camps in Thailand will close and 30,000 Hmong and Lao refugees will be forced back to Laos. This is all the direct result of a misguided international program known as the Comprehensive Plan of Action, which has been in place since 1989. The program, developed to resolve the problem of the Vietnamese boat people, also affects other Indochinese asylum-seekers such as the Hmong. The plan was drafted by State Department and United Nations officials with no public debate--although it is financed in part by American tax dollars. It has been responsible for the forced return of thousands of refugees, including the Hmong, to repressive countries, though the State Department refuses to acknowledge this. A March report from a fact-finding mission to Thailand sponsored by Representative Steve Gunderson, Republican from Wisconsin, concludes that the State Department had not been truthful. The fact-finding team charges the State Department with ``deception'' and ``whitewash'' to ``cover up misdeeds of officials involved in helping pressure and force Hmong/Lao refugees from Thailand to Laos'' and also to ``cover up their persecution and murders'' in Laos. The report accuses staff members of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees of giving ``misleading'' information to Congress that claimed that forced repatriation of the Hmong was not occurring. Mr. Gunderson's findings confirm what has been reported for years by Hmong victims and their families in the United States, journalists and human rights organizations. In a 1989 report about screening of Hmong refugees and asylum-seekers in Thailand, the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights warned: ``Screening is conducted in a haphazard manner with little concern for legal norms. Extortion and bribery are widespread.'' Opponents of the House provision in the foreign aid bill claim that it will cause greater numbers of refugees and could cost the United States more money. But as Representative Bill McCollum, Republican of Florida, pointed out in a recent House floor debate, the bill would not increase the number of refugees admitted to this country. The amendment, he said, is about ``getting the United States out of a scandalous international program.'' And, he said, ``It is also about allocating what few spaces we do have for refugees to those who need and deserve our help.'' The Hmong veterans in Thailand are in a sense America's lst remaining P.O.W.'s. They fought with Americans and we left them behind. It is well within Governement's powers to save the Hmong veterans and their families. The amendment to the House bill, proposed by the Chairman of the International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee, Representative Christoper Smith, Republican of New Jersey, is a start and should be supported in the Senate. We can help these people without significantly adding to this country's refugee population and to our financial burdens. It would be the humane and just thing to do. It is a moral obligation.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, I intend to vote for H.R. 1555 and against attempts to weaken it. I believe in competition. I believe in reduced regulation. I want markets, not mandarins of the bureaucracy, to control what communications services are available to us and how much we pay for them. The electorate's message that came here with us was a clear signal. It rises above the din of those who clamor for controls. The people told us get the bureaucrats out of our houses and off our lines. Americans reject the idea that privileges or special advantages should be given by government to certain companies, allowing them to carry on a particular business and control the supply of certain services. Much as our constituents may enjoy the game of Monopoly, they don't want its impact on their real-life pocketbooks. I intend to keep my word to the people I represent. Their final judgment will not be modified by me.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, today the House will consider legislation to lift the embargo against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Last week, the Senate passed S. 21, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Self-Defense Act of 1995, with the two-thirds necessary to override a Presidential veto. Senator Bob Dole, in conjunction with a broad bipartisan coalition is attempting to assert American leadership in the right direction. In the course of 3 years, the United Nations prestige has dwindled to nothing, NATO's credibility has been seriously damaged, and the United States has invested over $2\1/2\ billion in a mission which is undeniably a complete failure. As a result, tens of thousands have died by simply putting faith in the United Nations promise of protection. After the fall of two of six U.N. safe havens, there can be no doubt that the United Nations lacks the will and means to defend innocent civilians. Yet, the embargo denies the Bosnians the ability to acquire the weaponry necessary for them to do the job of defending Bosnian homes, cities, and citizenry. And so, it is now our responsibility to exhibit strong and decisive leadership to end this grave injustice. It is high time to allow the Bosnian people to defend themselves. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to once again vote to lift this crippling arms embargo. Bosnia's fate should be decided by Bosnia, not the international community.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation that will resolve an issue of great concern to employees of our Nation's community colleges. Under current Labor Department interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, classified employees of community colleges-- instructional aides, bus drivers, groundskeepers, and other school support personnel--are prevented from pursuing an expanded role as instructors. Many classified employees earn academic certification in order to teach certain courses at the community college where they are employed. Unfortunately, current law makes it cost-prohibitive for community colleges to allow these employees to each in addition to their regular duties. The legislation I am introducing today will allow classified employees of community colleges to teach, in addition to their regular duties, without violating the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Department of Labor's requirement that classified employees must be paid a blended overtime rate that reflects both their compensation for their full-time work in a classified capacity and the higher rate as instructors makes the use of these workers impractical. If these employees were paid a time-and-a-half overtime rate computed solely on their classified wage, the costs would diminish substantially and community colleges would be able to utilize these workers, who already have a commitment to education and want to pursue an expanded role as instructors. My bill has been endorsed by the California School Employees Association and the American Association of Classified School Employees. I urge my colleagues to join me and the cosponsors of this bill in supporting this much needed change in the law.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in protest to this amendment that is being offered currently. I am a winemaker. I do not take MPP's. I never will take MPP's. But when my industry is singled out among 20 to 25 commodities that are participants in the MPP program, I must rise in protest. Mr. Chairman, I am a member also of the Committee on the Budget and I do not believe that programs like this are going to survive 7 years of budget cuts that are necessary in order to get to zero. But I do agree that those decisions regarding the fate of MPP must be budget-driven and they must be decided within the Committee on Agriculture under the direction of the gentleman from Kansas [Mr. Roberts], our chairman, not from someone who comes from a State where there is very little agriculture and no participation in the program. I rise in strong protest to this amendment and urge ``no'' vote on the Kennedy amendment.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, the Republic of Armenia held national elections. The country's citizens were called to the polls to decide both who would serve in their National Assembly and whether they would adopt a new constitution. Because this was Armenia's first post-Soviet election for these purposes--a president was democratically-elected in 1991--there was widespread international interest. Additionally, controversy occurred in electoral preliminaries that prompted a widespread wish that the process be internationally monitored. At the request of the Armenian Embassy, I was invited to join as an observer. Although commitments in my own schedule precluded personal participation, two members of my senior staff agreed to my request that they take part. My decision to be so represented in the Armenian electoral process had a particular basis in my constituency. California's San Joaquin Valley, and especially the community of Fresno, much of which I represent, is the home of many American citizens whose forebears came to this land from Armenia. Thus, the term, ``diaspora,'' is heard to define the settlement of Armenians in the 19th Congressional District and other parts of America. The report prepared by my staff members, Mr. Speaker, I believe is worth of being examined by our colleagues, and I ask that it be entered in the Congressional Record accordingly. In doing so, I also want to add my appreciation to the individuals and institutions that their report notes afforded assistance in conducting their mission. Finally, I wish to offer special thanks to the Lincy Foundation for covering the costs of travel and lodging for my staff members. By doing so, as is permitted by House ethics rules, the Foundation made it possible for an important international undertaking to go forward without its having to be a burden on the public purse. Report to the Congressman (By Will Dwyer II, Counsel and Steve Samuelian, District Director) Introduction The maxim that the past is prologue certainly helps an understanding of modern Armenia. More than two millennia ago, the then kingdom of Armenia controlled an empire that stretched from the Mediterranean to the Caucasus. But, it fell first under the Byzantine Empire, followed by the Muslim Turks, then the Mongols, the Ottomans, and the Soviets. Subordination to and maltreatment by foreign powers produced an intense national sensibility. Indeed, the Armenian-American author, playwright, and novelist William Saroyan (born in Fresno in 1908) captured that consciousness in perhaps his most famous quotation about his ancestors, ``When two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a new Armenia.'' In this century, Armenia and her people have been put to tortured tests. An estimated 1,750,000 Armenians were massacred or deported by the Turks in and around 1915. [[Page E 1472]] With the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Armenia was briefly independent from 1918 until it was occupied by the Red Army in 1920, ultimately being incorporated into the USSR in 1936. The so-called ``glasnost'' or openness policy that was adopted by the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s saw Armenian national identity reawakened. A declaration of independence was made in August 1990 but it was ignored by Moscow. Armenia boycotted the March 1991 USSR referendum on the preservation of the Soviet Union, and held its own referendum in September 1991. After 94% of the Armenian people voted for secession from the USSR, independence was formally proclaimed. By March 1992, Armenia had joined the new Commonwealth of Independent States, been accorded diplomatic recognition by the USA, been admitted into the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and become a member of the United Nations. What democracy has added to Armenia, two neighboring countries and nature, itself, have been busy subtracting. Energy supplies and raw materials do not flow readily into Armenia because its traditional foe Turkey imposes a border blockade on the west as does Azerbaijan on the east. Those embargoes aggravate the national need to rebuild from an earthquake that hit Armenia on December 7, 1988, destroying 48 villages, and leaving 25,000 people dead and more than half a million homeless. The Armenian conflict with Azerbaijan is rooted in many centuries of Christian Armenian and Shiite Muslin Azeri enmity over Nagorno-Krarabakh, an autonomous region in southwestern Azerbaijan. Eighty percent of the enclave's total population of 193,000 are ethnic Armenians. Since 1988, Nagorno-Karabakh has been in rebellion against the Republic of Azerbaijan. The conflict has claimed more than 15,000 lives and left an estimated 1 million people homeless. In 1994, Azerbaijan allowed Russian troops into its territory to help bring an end to the fighting. The Election Against this backdrop of history, culture, and economic tribulation, the adult (18 and older) members of the 3.6 million Armenian population, a third of whom live in the ancient capital city of Yerevan, were called to the 1,590 polling places of this landlocked, Maryland-sized country on July 5, 1995. (The official number of eligible voters was stated to be 2,189,804.) Voters made their decisions on three ballots: 1. A referendum ballot regarding adoption or rejection of the Constitution (adoption requires a simple majority as long as the votes in favor equal at least one-third of all listed voters). 2. A candidate ballot on the ``majoritarian'' system providing for the election on 150 National Assembly Deputies (one candidate is elected in each district provided he or she receives a majority of the votes cast in the district and the total votes received is at least 25 percent of the total votes cast). 3. A bloc ballot for political public organization on the ``proportional'' system providing for the country-wide election of 40 additional National Assembly Deputies (votes are cast not for individuals but for a political party that has selected a list of candidates to fill any seats won by it, based on a percentage share of all votes cast as long as their bloc receives a minimum of five percent). Post-election reports by the Armenian government relate that ``an estimated 65 percent of the eligible voters cast ballots for about 1,500 candidates who were campaigning for 150 majoritarian seats of the 190-seat parliament.'' Preliminary figures indicate the pro-government Hanrapetutiun (Republic) bloc gained ``a clear majority'' of the parliamentary seats. The same reports also say that the Constitution was favored by 68 percent of the voters, assuring its adoption. The fairness and freeness of Armenia's election are likely to be debate sources for some time to come. There is little doubt that during the run-up to Election Day, the banning of a leading opposition party, closing of the newspapers, the disqualification of several of the opposition parties, and other deprivations of human rights raised serious questions about fair play. In addition, we share a concern that even if the government has evidence of wrongdoing on the part of several Dashnak party leaders (as the government claims) that may not be sufficient justification for banning the entire party from participation in elections. It certainly is not justification for the closing of several newspapers, many of which were not even Dashnak, but the newspapers of other opposition parties that are not included in the government's allegations. It also needs noting that one of the newspapers closed is the undisputed leading newspaper in the Republic of Armenia with the most circulation and readers. Where one observed actual balloting played a part in judging how well or poorly the system functioned. At some of the precincts we monitored, voting seemed to proceed smoothly. At others, objections were heard over procedural shortcomings in polling place practices. For example, Steve was witness to posters on the doors of several polling stations urging a ``yes'' vote on the government supported constitution. We believe that general unfamiliarity with conducting elections contributed to difficulties of a mechanical kind. We also are of the view that lack of training and organization contributed to the election-day problems. We share the concern issued by the U.S. State Department on January 18 about the pre-election closing of newspapers and banning of parties. Furthermore, we share the concern that many international organizations have expressed that the jailed opposition party leaders have been held for over six months without any evidence being brought forth by the government. As well, the fact that the prisoners have not been allowed visits by their lawyers or family members is a cause for concern. These actions do not seem to accord with democratic principles of due process. Let it also be said that we recognize that Armenia is a young nation and that its current government faces difficult circumstances that include two unjust blockades and an economy that has been burdened for over seventy years with socialist policies. In addition, the tradition of closed elections in Armenia makes it difficult for the Armenian government to immediately and instantly make Armenia a Western U.S.-style democracy. The government has made some notable progress on economic reforms towards private property ownership and a market economy; it deserves recognition for these achievements. Our observer work leads both of us to endorse, without reservation or condition, the content of the two-page press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation in the wake of the election. We also are aware that many of the monitors with whom the two of us collaborated during our Armenian activity also accept this statement as constituting an objective evaluation worthy of broad appropriation. To that end, we incorporate it in our report hereat: [Press Release 6-7-95]

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, recently, Mr. Frank J. O'Neill, a constituent of mine from Dunlap, CA, wrote to me about his concerns regarding Medicare. I think he expressed his views very well, and I want to take this opportunity to share with my colleagues his words, which were also printed in the Fresno Bee. Mr. O'Neill recognizes the need to slow the unsustainable high rate of growth in Medicare spending. However, he points out that many other programs are in desperate need of reform, such as food stamps and Social Security disability. I want to assure Mr. O'Neill that there is a very big difference between the two parties. Republicans are committed to protecting and improving Medicare. We also are committed to reforming every other area of our Government, rooting out waste and fraud, and getting the Federal Government out of functions that are more appropriately handled at the State or local level or by the people themselves. And I think our commitment will be borne out in the months ahead. The people want us to save Medicare, but at the same time they want us to bring fundamental reform to other programs. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to heed Mr. O'Neill's wise words of advice: [From the Fresno Bee, June 10, 1995] Medicare Recipient Says all Programs Need Examination (By Frank J. O'Neill) George Wallace had it exactly right. While campaigning for president as an independent he said, ``There's not a dime's worth of difference between Democrats and Republicans.'' I was thrilled at the Republican landslide last November. I really thought it would make a big difference. I'm 68 years old. You'd think I'd know better. As I write there is an American Association of Retired Persons announcement on the radio. In a doomsday voice the speaker is asking if I know what Congress is planning to do to Medicare. He asks, do I know what the reductions in Medicare will cost me? Why isn't the AARP looking at the big picture and lobbying for a plan that will be good for me, good for my children, good for the country? If they succeed in terrifying all the seniors it will only precipitate a partisan screaming match and solve nothing. Of course it will promote a ``who's to blame'' contest and generate innumerable bumper stickers for next year's election. Is it possible that I don't understand the problem? My hero, Rush Limbaugh, coming from the right, challenges that I must understand that ``something must be done about Medicare--it will be broke in 2002.'' Well, a pox on both their houses. I am willing to accept numbers that we say we can't keep spending at the current rate. I am also more than willing to cinch up my belt and contribute my share. But I am not willing to do it alone. Not alone Limbaugh says the government has become a giant sow with everyone looking for a nipple. Well, he may be right. And I'll agree that one of the nipples may be labeled ``Medicare,'' but what about all the others? I'll share my nipple as soon as there is an overall plan to get everyone else to do the same thing. No way will I agree to be penalized as long as I can stand in line at a 7-Eleven in Henderson, Nev., watching a young 30-something buy a package of gooey cinnamon buns with food stamps and then walk across the store to play the slot machine with the change she received in cash. My Medicare is threatened when there is a big new sign in front of the Subway sandwich restaurants announcing, ``We now accept food stamps!'' Food stamps to eat out! And my Medicare is the economic culprit? Even if a child's disability is the result of physical abuse inflicted by the parents, the child is still eligible for Social Security disability payments--payments made to the parents who caused the disability. A spokesman for Social Services says, ``Well, it is extremely difficult to remove a child from the home of its natural parents!'' Need money? Hurt the kid. While my Medicare is threatened. Drug abusers are in many cases classified as disabled. As such they are eligible for Social Security disability payments. But my Medicare is threatened. What is needed is an across-the-board analysis of these programs to make sure all facets are examined and treated fairly. The very first step is something that could be done quickly. Separate the Medicare program for seniors over 65 from all these other Social Security activities. Clear distinction The Republicans are reported to be surprised to find from a survey that most people don't realize that Medicare and Social Security are separate and different. Oh, yeah? If so how come the Part B payment I must make for Medicare is deducted from my Social Security check? And where does that money go? Into a ``trust fund''? Sure. Just like my 40 years of Social Security payments. I accept as a fact that the Medicare program needs a close examination but I will not support any revisions that penalize me without correcting abuses that are financially impacting the system. AARP is wrong. Limbaugh is wrong. George Wallace was right.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, a memorandum sent by Dr. Petar Sarcevic, Ambassador of Croatia to the United States, exposed compelling evidence of direct military involvement by the Yugoslav Government in assisting secessionist Croat Serb forces. I have submitted this memorandum in order to make my colleagues aware of the gravity of these circumstances in hopes of continuing support of internationally imposed sanctions on Yugoslavia. Washington, DC, June 30, 1995. Re Belgrade regime responds to offers for suspension of sanctions by stepping up its intervention in the Croatian occupied territories. To: Members of the U.S. Congress. From: Dr. Petar Sarcevic, Ambassador. It is with deep concern that I write to you regarding the dangerous build-up of the Yugoslav army forces in the occupied territories of Croatia. During the past several weeks the international community has been engaged in intensive negotiations with the Belgrade regime over suspension of sanctions in exchange for the normalization of relations with Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina. Concurrently, the Belgrade regime stepped up its intervention in Croatia's occupied territories. Croatia has obtained copious evidence that documents the active engagement of the Yugoslav army in Croatia by: sending equipment from Serbia and Montenegro to the occupied territories; directing the paramilitary units on the occupied territories through Belgrade-commissioned officers sent to these territories for that purpose; paying the wages of those officers and of other members of the proxy government and military; and forcibly mobilizing citizens of the ``Federal Republic of Yugoslavia'' (Serbia and Montenegro) and ethnic Serb citizens of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina for military service in the occupied territories of Croatia. Taken together, the above evidence (see Attachment) is tantamount to yet another breach of the internationally recognized borders that UNCRO is supposed to protect, as well as fortifying the unlawful occupation of Croatia's territories. At the same time, this evidence confirms an additional build-up in the region, and specifically, threatens the adjacent Bihac safe area in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This situation could result in a renewed attack from occupied Croatian territories on this important Bosniac enclave. My Government would then be placed in a very difficult position in light of its sincere efforts to meet and honor the obligations in [[Page E 1409]] bilateral agreements with Bosnia-Herzegovina. I appeal to you to keep abreast of developments in both the occupied territories of Croatia and neighboring Bosnia- Herzegovina. Your highest consideration of this escalating situation is essential. Attachment \1\ evidence of of Forcible Mobilization The forcible mobilization is proceeding on a large scale and is expected to continue. As of June 14, 1995, over 4,500 mobilized men were transferred against their will and a further 500 volunteers have been transported to the occupied territories of Croatia. In addition, there has been a dramatic increase in the transfer of military personnel from Serbia and Montenegro through the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in violent of relevant Security Council resolutions. Soldiers have been transported in vehicles provided by the Yugoslav army and entering the occupied territories of Croatia. The primary objective of Belgrade authorities is to further strengthen and reinforce their hold in the area of Slunj in Croatia, and thereby secure the occupation of this region and amass considerable forces for further engagements in the strategically important region of Bihac (UN ``safe area'') in Bosnia and Herzegovina. \1\ Source: Letter sent by The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia to the United Nations Secretary General on June 28, 1995. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- evidence of direct and increasing military involvement in croatia The very fact that the commander of the Serb paramilitary forces in Croatia, Lt. Gen. Mile Mrksic, prior to his present assignment, served as Assistant Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav army, demonstrates the level of military involvement of Belgrade authorities in the occupied parts of Croatia. Mrksic was responsible for the special forces of the Yugoslav army and the JNA officer responsible for the siege of Vukovar. Other evidence of Serbian military involvement in Croatia include the following. On June 13, 1995 two Yugoslav army tank units totalling 26 M-84 MBTs operated by the Yugoslav army's 211th Armored Brigade, were sent from Nis, Serbia, across the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and deployed in Slunj, in the occupied territories of Croatia in sector Glina. In addition, on June 12, 1995 one unit of armored personnel carriers (APCs) consisting of 10 vehicles operated by the Yugoslav army Second Motorized Brigade was sent from Valjevo, Serbia, across the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and deployed in the same region in Croatia, at Banovina. Furthermore, on June 19, 1995 the Yugoslav army supplied equipment for two MI-8 rotary-wing aircraft located at the Udbina airport in the occupied territories, sector Knin, through the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia has also brought to the attention of the United Nations evidence that throughout June 1995 the following senior officials of the Yugoslav army commissioned officers were assigned for duty in the occupied territories of Croatia: Colonel Slobodan Tarbuk from the Yugoslav army Kragujevac corps, transferred to the 39th corps of the so-called Army of RSK in Petrinja, Croatia, on June 9, 1995. Lt. Colonel Vucekovic from the Yugoslav army, transferred to the 11th corps of the so-called Army of RSK in Croatia, on June 23, 1995. Colonel Uros Despotovic from the Yugoslav army, transferred to the 70th paramilitary Infantry Brigade of the so-called Army of RSK in Plaski, Croatia, in June 1995. Colonel Milivojevic from the Yugoslav army, transferred to the 70th paramilitary Infantry Brigade of the so-called Army of RSK in Plaski, Croatia, in June 1995. Lt. Colonel Milos Cvjeticanin from the Yugoslav army, transferred to the 2nd Armored of the so-called Army of RSK brigade in Croatia, in June 1995. Colonel Milorad Stupar from the Yugoslav army Pancevo Special Units corps, transferred to the paramilitary Special Forces of the so-called Army of RSK corps in Croatia, in June 1995. violation of the Zone of Separation (zos) As of May 1995 a total of 320 Serb paramilitary troops remain in the zone of separation (ZOS), in violation of the March 29, 1994 cease-fire agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 994 (1995). Of these, 70 are in sector ``Vukovar'', 50 in sector ``Glina'', and 200 in sector ``Knin''. Furthermore, on June 22, 1995 two new platoons of paramilitary personnel were deployed in the ZOS in the vicinity of Kasic, in sector ``Knin'', directly threatening the civilian traffic on the Zadar-Maslenica highway. On June 23, 1995 two additional platoons of paramilitary personnel were deployed in the ZOS near Osijek.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to withhold wishing the United Nations a ``happy birthday'' until it grows up. My particular problem with this international organization--chartered for a mighty mission and with the best of intentions--comes into clear focus when you look at the sorry state of its performance in Bosnia. As so often is the case, the editors of the Wall Street Journal have offered their readers an insightful and incisive examination of current conditions. That is the case with today's editorial, ``Virtual United Nations,'' which I am pleased to draw to the attention of my colleagues in Congress. [From the Wall Street Journal, June 27, 1995] Virtual United Nations Fifty years ago this week, representatives of 50 countries gathered in San Francisco to sign the Charter of the United Nations. It was probably both the novelty of peace in Europe and the dream that it would spread and last that inspired the U.N.'s signatories to pledge to ``save succeeding generations from the scourge of war'' by practicing ``tolerance and [living] together in peace,'' by uniting ``our strength to maintain international peace and security'' and by accepting ``principles and the institution of methods'' so that ``armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest.'' Fine as they are, it is difficult to imagine that these words sounded any less like rules for a virtual reality world then than they do today. Then as now, people like to believe that having such intentions is important, no matter that war is raging in Bosnia under the U.S.'s watchful eye. This 50th anniversary year of the U.N. features far more debates about how the U.N. needs to be reformed than recounting of its successes. But these ideas do not address the key failings of the U.N. that are visible all around us. These are not just the shortcomings that can be attributed to the dearth of collective interest and political will. They are also uniquely U.N.-inspired instances of failing to do what the organization and its bodies say it is dedicated to doing. The failure of the U.N. in Bosnia is too grand to describe exhaustively or even in thematic terms, so events of last week will have to suffice. The refusal of the United Nations to authorize a NATO request for an air strike on a U.N.- mandated target last week was merely the lastest in a series of such vetoes. A new type of failure of the U.N. was also on display last week in Belgrade. There, the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees is complaining that it is besieged by draft-age ethnic Serb men--mainly refugees from Bosnia and Croatia--who are being rounded up for conscription into the rump-Yugoslav army. Figures given by the office are that as many as 2,500 men have already been press-ganged, and 70 ``begging for some sort of protection'' were turned away by UNHCR on Thursday alone. Also last week was Le Monde's report that for a year the United Nations has been sitting on a report written by its own people that shows that the Serbs alone have pursued ethnic cleansing as a planned and systematic government policy and that they have been responsible for the vast majority of the other war crimes and atrocities. The report makes the explicit admission that it is not possible to treat all of the parties in the Bosnian conflict on an equal basis. The U.N. not only made this pretense possible, but also dressed it up with the mantle of the world's prominent international mediating body. This farce of moral equivalence continues despite the existence of the U.N.'s report and was most recently on display on Friday when the Security Council condemned Bosnian Muslim army efforts to block the movement of Unprofor forces in its attempt to lift the siege of Sarajevo. To be sure, many organizations and individual states have failed Bosnia. But the U.N. is the body that purports to be competent in such situations. Worse than inaction (which the U.N. could then blame on member-state cowardice), the U.N.'s actions have in many ways worsened the conflict. Those who talk of U.N. reform are therefore the most optimistic of the pundits. Many believe the body is simply unreformable because consensus of the type that existed in 1944 and 1945 would be impossible to find today. Presumably there is a role for such an organization, though perhaps confined to a talk shop. Yet as long as the U.N. undermines its own goals, as it has in Bosnia by refusing to acknowledge and condemn blatant aggression, any hope that it will somehow develop into a useful forum for conflict resolution are likely to be disappointed.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, today I commend the Supreme Court's recent decision regarding racial preferences and quotas. In a country where everyone asks to be treated equally, this decision moves us closer toward such a reality. As Justice Clarence Thomas stated in his opinion, ``government cannot make us equal; it can only recognize, respect, and protect us as equal before the law.'' But the Court's decision does not go far enough. This Congress should work to end all discrimination, including preferences and quotas. In the spirit of equality, I am introducing legislation this week which will promote equality. The American Action Act will ban racial and sexual discrimination against any individual in employment, education, and contracting. The concept of this legislation is simple: All discrimination must end.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, on May 6 in my congressional district in Fresno an important air show and dinner conference was held by the Lao Veterans of America organization to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of South Vietnam and other Indochina nations to Communist aggression. Present at the air show from the Fresno area and from across the United States were thousands of Hmong and Lao combat veterans of the Vietnam war as well as their families. Also in attendance were many important individuals and officials including: Maj. Gen. Vang Pao, former commander of Military Region II in the Royal Lao Army; Gen. Thonglit Chokhbenbol, former commander in the Royal Lao Army; Gen. Nguyen Khanh, former President of the Republic of South Vietnam and army commander; Mike Johns, former White House speech writer for President George Bush; Phillip Smith, director of the Center for Public Policy Analysis in Washington, DC; Col. Douglas R. Moore, commander of the 144th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard; Lt. Col. James Arthur, wing executive officer, 144th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard; Jim Patterson, mayor of Fresno; Madame Nguyen, Vietnamese community leader and human rights activist; Joe Scheimer, representative of the Ravens, one of the organizations of United States pilots who flew covert military operations during America's secret war in Laos; Christopher Robbins, journalist and author of the important book, ``The Ravens: The Men Who Flew in America's Secret War in Laos''; and Robert Lung, a Fresno city councilman.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, I rise to reiterate my strong support for the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act, of which I am an original co- sponsor. Those who support this portion of H.R. 1561 believe in the integrity of the United States, and are sensitive to preserving America's credibility abroad. That credibility is linked to effectively carrying- out policies of humanitarian assistance. U.S. humanitarian assistance must be allowed to be delivered to those countries in need all over the world. Specifically, this legislation will address situations such as that found in Armenia, where a Turkish blockade is preventing our aid from being delivered. It is essential that United States aid be allowed to flow unhindered into Armenia. I urge my colleagues to support the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act.

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, today, we have the welcome news of Capt. Scott O'Grady's rescue by U.S. Marines in northern Bosnia. Having survived the trauma of being shot down by hostile forces is testimony to Captain O'Grady's courage and determination. This mission was a combination of Semper Fidelis and the luck of the Irish. As a Member of this body and because of my own Croatian heritage, Bosnia is a major concern. I continue to pray for the quickest possible--and least bloody--resolution to the crisis in the Balkans. Let me make firm by belief that there must be no large-scale commitment of American troops in Bosnia. The need, Mr. Chairman is to lift the arms embargo immediately. What many fail to see is that by not lifting the embargo, the internationally recognized state of Bosnia cannot effectively defend itself. We must not be a party to preventing fearless people from resisting naked aggression. The aggressive conduct of the Bosnian Serbs can and will be met--and punished--by those who want to defend themselves. If the international community will not help, it must not hinder.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, President Clinton's veto of the rescissions bill goes to the heart of the reason why the liberal Democrats lost control of Congress last year. Liberals are totally committed to big government, and it it totally outside their realm of understanding to reduce the deficit. They are incapable of thinking in terms of less government and less bureaucracy. Their political commitments and rigid ideology render them completely ineffective in solving the problem of deficit spending. When liberals like Bill Clinton get up and say they want to reduce the deficit, you have to wonder who he is trying to fool. I cannot for the life of me figure out how President Clinton has any credibility on deficit reduction or the budget. By vetoing the rescissions bill, the President says that big government and big bureaucracy are more important than our children's future. This is why liberals lost control of Congress. They say one thing, but do another. Liberals may say they want to balance the budget, but their actions say that government is more important than people, and certainly more important than America's future.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, as we enter into this budget debate, I think it is very important to consider the job and the task at hand. Let us not miss this opportunity to reduce the role of the Federal Government in our lives. In the budget process, I think we need to concentrate on two things, and that is if government has a role in anything, let us push it to the most local level. Second, let us review and get out of the things that government should never have been doing. Let us being to privatize. That is what the Kasich budget does. We must also never pass up the opportunity to make the point that if people are taxed and regulated less, that they will be more productive, and there needs to be room in a budget to assume that that more productivity returns revenue into the Treasury. Third, let us not underestimate the ability of the American people to rise to the challenge of less bureaucratic control in Washington, DC. That is what the Kasich budget does. Fourth, let us beware of any proposal by a party whose leadership does not believe in less Federal Government in Washington, DC, and the leadership of a party who thrives on your dependence on a bureaucracy.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman, in the election in 1994 the American public sent a strong message to Congress, and that was they wanted a smaller, less intrusive Federal Government. Mr. Chairman, the 1996 budget resolution is a manifestation of that mandate. The Federal Government has gotten too large, and we have made it smaller and less intrusive by transferring power from Washington to the State and local level. We have also privatized many functions of Federal Government that frankly should never have been started here in the first place. I believe the American people are willing and able to rise to this new level of expectation. The American public is not stupid. I think it is arrogant to assume that the people of this country are not capable of taking responsibility for themselves, for their families, and for their communities.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, President Clinton claims he wants a Government that is lean but not mean. Today the Federal Government is big and mean. It takes 1 of every 4 dollars the average family earns. That is mean. The average family has to spend more to pay for the cost of Government than on anything else. Big government is not just mean to our families. It is nasty to our children. This year the Federal deficit will skyrocket to $176 billion. The debt will explode to $4.7 trillion. That is $75,000 of debt for every family of four. Families beware--the Democratic leadership does not help you--they thrive on you. There is a better, leaner way, and we are voting on it this week. It is our balanced budget and it puts the big, mean old system on a diet. Our balanced budget ends deficits by 2002, returns power, control, and money to families and restores the American Dream to our children. I urge my colleagues to vote for leaner, not meaner, Government. Support our balanced budget.

Mr. RADANOVICH

Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, this evening I want to enter into the Congressional Record statements written by two young Armenian students from my district. These letters were written about the Armenian genocide and were selected as award winning essays by the Central California chapter of the Armenian National Committee. These essays are statements about the suffering the Armenian people incurred at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish government, and about remembering the victims of the genocide. I am honored to represent thousands of Armenians in my district, and equally honored that I can count essay award winners Taleen Kojayan and Denyse Kachadoorian among them. Many Reasons to Remember (By Taleen Kojayan) Everyone knows about the Jews and the Holocaust, about the horrible agony they were put through by the Germans. But who knows about what began on the terrible day, April 24, 1915? To most people this is just an ordinary day from the past. It has no meaning, no significance. But, to every proud Armenian, this date means anguish and grief. It reminds them of the torture their people went through years before. It reminds them of Armenian genocide. ``Armenian genocide? Is that the German thing?'' said someone. When the word ``genocide'' is heard, that's what most people think of. Little do they know that there was another genocide, where two-thirds of a nation was wiped off the face of this Earth. One and one-half million Armenian men, women and children massacred. Who is responsible for the dreadful butchery of the Armenian people? The answer is clear. There is no doubt that the Turks were the ones who wanted to get rid of the Armenians for good. This wasn't the first time that the Turks had harmed the Armenians. There is a history of conflict between them. For example in 1896, the Turks managed to kill 300,000 Armenians. There were also other instances during 1894, which is the time they began their campaign to wipe out the Armenians. Of course it isn't logical that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in one single day. The day April 24 was chosen as the beginning for a special reason. On this day, about 200 Armenian intellectuals were gathered from the Turkish city of Istanbul. They were taken to central Turkey and were never heard from again. People are weaker without their leaders, and the Turks knew that. This marked the start of the Armenian genocide. The first place they wanted ``Armenian-free'' was Istanbul. Many Armenians lived there who had power and money. They owned businesses and controlled the markets. The Turks were tired of being outnumbered by Armenians in their own city. So, they walked out in the streets beating a big drum. They said they needed Armenian men between the ages of 16 and 60 to fight in the war for them. That was just an excuse. Some of the richer Armenians paid a fee, called the Bedel, to try to get their sons out of the fighting. Even though the fee was paid, it was ignored and the men still had to go. Others might have known that there was more to the story than what they were being told. The Turks could have killed the people right there in Istanbul, so why didn't they? Well, the killing couldn't go on in Istanbul because it was close to Europe. The Turks couldn't run the risk of anyone knowing. So, the people were rounded up, taken to central Turkey and then massacred just like the intellectuals. So began three years of pain and death for the Armenian people. They were tortured in many ways. Most were sent out into the desert with no food or water. It soon became the grave of many helpless Armenians, including a member of my grandfather's family. Some people were hung, and some were shot. The heads of others who were beheaded were displayed on wooden poles. Some little girls who survived this horrible ordeal were found in other homes. All of this suffering, and who knows about it? No one knows, and no one cares about what happened to us. Why are the Armenians so unimportant to this world? Yes, the massacre happened, and no, we shouldn't live in the past. But something like this should not and cannot be forgotten. When the extermination of a whole race of people is attempted, everyone should remember so that they will learn from our mistakes. ``After all, who remembers today the extermination of the Armenians?'' --Adolf Hitler, Aug. 22, 1939. We shouldn't forget that the Armenian people made it through. They strived to make sure that the Turks did not succeed. And they accomplished just that, or else I wouldn't be here today. The Armenians survived, and will continue to do so. ``Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a new Armenia.'' --William Saroyan. [Taleen Kojayan is a 10th-grade student at Clovis West High School.]