Silvestre Reyes

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report to the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization. This conference report is important because it focuses on providing our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines the equipment and other resources necessary to accomplish the vital mission of protecting this Nation's vital interests. There has been considerable debate during this election year about the status of our military's readiness. This discussion often focuses on a range of topics including pay, facilities, new equipment, size of the force and procurement. Well, I'm proud to stand before you and tell you that this report does more than debate, pontificate or raise additional discussion items. This report funds and places resources where the service chiefs feel they are needed. And, in a number of cases, provides additional funding to address the service chief's unfunded requirements for their procurement, readiness and modernization efforts. It is also important to acknowledge that this conference report also addresses a number of quality of life issues for our military personnel. There are a number of important initiatives included in this report. Some may see these initiatives as an increase in benefits. However, things like increased minimum housing allowances for young families, and a 3.7% pay raise and a comprehensive set of improvements to the military health care system are not perks or increased benefits. They are simply the least we can do for those service members and their families who sacrifice every day. Beyond all of the campaign rhetoric and posturing, this report demonstrates Congress' commitment, our commitment to our Nation's military and the men and women who serve in that military. I urge all of my colleagues to support this conference report.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be the sponsor of the House bill of S. 366, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail Act. This trail has a great deal of importance to the Southwest. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (the Royal Road of the Interior), served as the primary route between the colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial capitals at San Juan de Los Caballeros (1598- 1600), San Gabriel (1600-1609) and then Santa Fe (1610-1821). The portion of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro that resided in what is now the United States extended between El Paso, Texas and present San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, a distance of 404 miles. El Camino Real is a symbol of the cultural interaction between nations and ethnic groups and of the commercial exchange that made possible the development and growth of the borderland. American Indian groups dating back into prehistoric times, especially the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande river valley, use the area and trail along the Rio Grande long before Europeans arrived. In 1598, Don Juan de Onate led a Spanish military expedition along those trails to establish the northern portion of El Camino Real, and during the Mexican National Period and part of the U.S. Territorial Period, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro facilitated the emigration of people to New Mexico and other areas that would become the United States. This trail is important to the history of the borderlands as it was central to the exploration, conquest, colonization, settlement, religious conversion, and military occupation of the Southwest. Many people used the trail including American Indians, European emigrants, miners, ranchers, soldiers, and missionaries. These travelers promoted cultural interaction among Spaniards, other Europeans, American Indians, Mexicans, and Americans. El Camino Real fostered the spread of Catholicism, mining, an extensive network of commerce, and ethnic and cultural traditions including music, folklore, medicine, foods, architecture, language, place names, irrigation systems, and Spanish law. This trail is important to the cultural history and rich heritage of the Southwest. S. 366 amends the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro as a National Historic Trail. This non- controversial legislation prohibits the acquisition of any lands or interests outside the exterior boundaries of any federally administered area for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro except with the consent of the owner. The bill has already passed in the House in a similar form. I am pleased that this bill, which is identical to the House bill which I originally introduced, has again made it to the floor. I would like to thank Chairman Young and Ranking Member Miller. I would also like to thank Congressman Hansen and my colleague Mr. Skeen for allowing this clean bill to come to the House floor. I know that the designation of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, as a part of the National Historic Trails System, will benefit a great many people. I hope my colleagues will support me in the passage of this legislation.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), McDonald's owner/operators, and the McDonald's Hispanic Operators Association for their commitment to Hispanic American higher education. Their generous ongoing support of the RMHC/ Hispanic American Commitment to Educational Resources Scholarship Program (HACER) has just earned them an award from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund as one of the ``top ten . . . corporate citizens for the Hispanic community.'' The RMHC/(HACER) provides scholarship assistance to promising Hispanic American college-bound students. Since its establishment in 1985, it has awarded over $7 million in scholarships to approximately 7,000 Hispanic American high school seniors. It is the largest high school-to-college program for Hispanic students in the country. This pioneering diversity effort was initiated by Richard Castro, a McDonald's owner/operator in my home district, El Paso, Texas. RMHC/ HACER now comprises 33 local programs, including a thriving El Paso program. All are jointly supported by RMHC, its local affiliates, and McDonald's owner/operators. RMHC/HACER addresses the very real need to increase the Hispanic high school graduation rate and Hispanic participation in our colleges and universities. Hispanic youth drop out of high school at a higher rate than any other major RMHC/population group. They also lag far behind their peers in college attendance and graduation. HACER provides Hispanic youth an incentive and a means to change these trends. RMHC/HACER is one of many ways that Ronald McDonald House Charities, with support from the McDonald's system, fosters and supports the educational aspirations of America's youth. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund award is a fitting recognition of an organization that truly gives back to the community and our nation.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, the teachers in the State of Texas and in many states do not pay Social Security taxes. Because they do not pay into Social Security, teachers do not receive Social Security benefits. Instead, these teachers receive a pension from their respective State. While retired teachers may be eligible to receive Social Security benefits as a result of previous jobs, these benefits are often greatly reduced. Further, some or all of a spouse's or widow's or widower's benefits may be offset if a retired teacher receives a pension that did not require payment of Social Security benefits. This is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1217, a bill that would address the problem of reduced Social Security benefits in the case of spouses and surviving spouses who are also receiving government pensions. These would include the pensions that teachers receive from the State of Texas and other States. H.R. 121 would modify the formula, and is currently pending in the Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security. Madam Speaker, there are 253 cosponsors of this important legislation, and I would request that this bill be moved out of committee and brought before the House for a vote.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4945 which will amend the Small Business Act to strengthen existing protections for small business participation in the Federal procurement contracting process, and for other purposes. My support for this bill is based on my concern that larger businesses may be influencing activities to group or bundle requirements so that they exceed $100K. Clearly, one of the original intents of the Small Business Act was to assist small businesses in competing for smaller Federal Government contracts. Ideally requirements under $100K should be awarded to small businesses. However, loose interpretations of the statute and a tendency toward bundling have caused small businesses to be cut out of the procurement process. The strength of this nation's economy is based on the contributions of small businesses. When these small businesses demonstrate that they have the ability to meet the requirements established in the contract, they should not be unfairly shut out of the process because of their size or lack of access. This legislation goes a long way toward eliminating the unfair practice of bundling a number of small contracts into one and awarding the contract to a larger business. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advise that unfortunately because of an important scheduling conflict, I was unable to cast my vote yesterday during consideration of H.R. 5109, The Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Act of 2000. At the time of the vote, I was presenting a keynote speech in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, where I highlighted veterans issues as part of a discussion of the important contributions of Hispanics in public service. Had I been able to be present during consideration of the bill, I would have voted in support of the bill. This is a bill that I co- sponsored, strongly supported and voted in favor of being reported out of the House Veterans Affairs Committee for consideration on the House floor. This is an important bill that would improve the personnel and administration systems of the Veterans Health Administration, allow for necessary construction, and require reports on the effectiveness of the Veterans health care system along with the various aspects of Post Traumatic Stress syndrome on Veterans. The bill is important as it provides revised authority for pay adjustments for nurses employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and requires that nurses are consulted in formulating policy relating to the provision of patient care. Also, as part of the full spectrum of health care for Veterans, I am pleased that the bill provides for special pay for dentists, and raises their salaries depending on their training and length of tenure. Additionally, the bill provides an exemption for pharmacists from a ceiling on special salary rates, and authorizes the inclusion of a physician assistant to consult on the utilization and employment of physician assistants in VA medical centers. Moreover, it is critical that our VA medical facility infrastructure is safe and meets the needs of our veterans. Therefore, I welcome the authorization in this bill for the construction of major medical facility projects across the nation. In order to better serve our veterans, this bill also requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that a protocol is used in any clinical evaluation of a patient to identify pertinent military experiences and exposures that may contribute to the health status of the patient and ensures that information relating to the military history of patients are included in their medical records. Most importantly, I commend the authors of this bill for developing a pilot program to allow Medicare-eligible veterans to receive care at non-VA facilities if they do not have easy access to VA hospitals. Accessibility of care is essential to truly meet our nation's healthcare commitments to our veterans. This carefully tailored demonstration project ensures that care is made more easily available in remote locations, while recognizing that primary VA health care facilities and services should in no way be comprised. Overall, this bill should provide added improvement in health care services and benefits to our veterans. With H.R. 5109, we are providing important changes and modifications to the VA health care system, in order to continually maintain and upgrade the provision of services and benefits to our veterans. Our veterans have always answered the call to duty. Consequently, America must always work to match this dedication by fulfilling our commitments to these men and women who have worn the uniform. I therefore strongly support this legislation, and I am proud that my colleagues joined in unanimously passing this bill.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be the sponsor of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail Act. This trail has a great deal of importance to the southwest. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, otherwise known as the Royal Road of the Interior, served as the primary route between the colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial capitals of San Juan de Los Caballeros, San Gabriel, and ultimately Santa Fe, New Mexico. The portion of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro that resided in what is now the United States extended between El Paso, Texas, the district that I represent, and present-day San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, a distance of some 404 miles. El Camino Real is a symbol of the cultural interaction between nations and ethnic groups and of the commercial exchange that made possible the development and growth of our borderland. American Indian groups dating back into prehistoric times, especially the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande River Valley, used the area and the trail along the Rio Grande long before Europeans arrived on this continent. In 1598, Don Juan de Onate led a Spanish military expedition along those trails to establish the northern portion of El Camino Real; and during the Mexican National Period and part of the U.S. Territorial Period, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro facilitated the immigration of people into New Mexico and other areas that would ultimately become the United States of America. This trail is important to the history of the borderlands as it was central to the exploration, conquest, colonization, settlement, religious conversion, and military occupation of the Southwest. Many people used this trail, including American Indians, European immigrants, miners, ranchers, cowboys, soldiers and missionaries. These travelers promoted cultural interaction among Spaniards, other Europeans, American Indians, Mexicans and Americans. El Camino Real fostered the spread of Catholicism, mining, an extensive network of commerce, and ethnic and cultural traditions including music, folklore, medicine, foods, architecture, language, place names, irrigation systems, and Spanish law, to name a few. This trail is important to the cultural history and the rich heritage of the Southwest and of this country. H.R. 2271 amends the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro as a National Historic Trail. This noncontroversial legislation prohibits the acquisition of any lands or interests outside the exterior boundaries of any federally administered area for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. With the amendment today, which we are willing to accept, this bill or a similar bill has already been passed by the Senate. The Senate bill was sponsored by Senator Jeff Bingaman and cosponsored by Senator Pete Domenici. I would like to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) as well as the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) as well as the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Romero-Barcelo), the ranking member of that committee, for the work that they did to move this bill out of the committee and onto the House floor for today's vote. I would also like to thank my colleague and good friend the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for his help in this legislation. He is a cosponsor of this legislation and clearly appreciates the historical impact that the trail has had on two nations. I hope that my colleagues will support me in the passage of this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank both gentlemen for helping with this very important bill for the Tiqua Tribe in El Paso. It is an issue of fairness. It is one that I would urge all my colleagues to support. It is vitally important to be able to sustain the tribe in the coming years. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1460. As I walked over from my office a few minutes ago, I thought of a number of things that I wanted to tell you about how important this bill is to the members of the Tiqua tribe. I thought that I might tell you about the proud tradition and the remarkable history of the Ysleta del Sur tribe that dates back to prehistoric times. I thought that I might tell you about a unique group of individuals that will be reduced to a mere handful of members within a few generations if we fail to pass this bill, and I thought I might tell you about the disappointment and sorrow that the parents and members of the tribe have when a child is born, and because of the current blood quantum requirements, that child is excluded from tribal membership. I thought about talking about all of these things to you but decided that I would instead talk about fairness, about doing what is right and doing what is honorable. This bill is not about money or power or politics. Its about the long-term existence of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, commonly known as the Tiqua Indian Tribe. The current statute requires that a person have a blood quantum of at least 1/8th in order to qualify for tribal membership. This bill would reduce the blood quantum requirement to at least 1/16th. There are currently only 1,252 members with the requisite blood quantum of 1/8th or more. When we pass this bill, another 500 members will be included in the tribal membership. This increase in numbers under the lowered blood quantum requirements would help to ensure that the offspring of tribal members who fall within those requirements would also qualify for tribal membership. This is not rocket science. I don't have any charts and pictures to show you. All I have to offer is a profound sense of how important it is for individuals born to this tribe to belong to a family a culture and a people with a distinct place and tradition in America. I urge you to support this bill and vote to reduce the blood quantum requirement for the Tiqua Indian tribe.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Diana S. Natalicio, an outstanding individual and role model in both the Hispanic and academic community. Dr. Natalicio is currently president of the University of Texas at El Paso, otherwise known as UTEP, a position that she has held since 1988. She received her bachelor's degree in Spanish from St. Louis University; her master's degree in Portuguese; and a doctorate in linguistics was awarded by the University of Texas at Austin. In 1961, she was a Fulbright Scholar in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and in 1964, she was a visiting scholar in Lisbon, Portugal. After serving as a research associate at the Center for Communication Research at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Natalicio joined the faculty of UTEP in 1971 as a part-time assistant professor. She quickly rose to the rank of associate professor and then professor. In addition to her teaching responsibilities in the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, she has served UTEP in numerous administrative capacities, including chairman of Modern Languages, associate dean and dean of Liberal Arts, vice president for Academic Affairs, interim president, and finally as president in today's capacity. Dr. Natalicio has served on numerous boards and commissions, appointed to those boards and commissions by President Clinton, former President Bush, and Governor Bush as well. Some of them are the National Science Board, NASA Advisory Council, the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, the ``America Reads Challenge'' Steering Committee, the Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence and many, many others that are important in her role as president of a dynamic university. Dr. Natalicio has received countless awards and honors, which include the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education, the Outstanding Contribution to Education Award by the Hispanic and Business Alliance for Education, the Humanitarian Award from the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the distinguished Professional Women's Award. In 1999, Mr. Speaker, Dr. Natalicio was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. She has also written numerous books, articles and reviews in the field of applied linguistics. Under Dr. Natalicio's leadership, UTEP has become the largest Hispanic majority university in the Nation. Its budget has increased from $64 million in 1988 to over $146 million today, and its doctoral programs have grown from 1 to 8 programs and it is still growing. In the last decade, Dr. Natalicio has been an effective and increasingly influential individual in raising the visibility and the funding of the University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Natalicio began visiting Washington, D.C. some 10 years ago in an attempt to solicit Federal research dollars. At the time, Dr. Natalicio today reflects, they did not even know who UTEP was. I had to go and create an identity for the institution in Washington, D.C. UTEP's Federal research grants have increased to $53 million last year from $3.5 million in 1987. The university spent some $27.8 million in 1999 moving up to fifth place among the State's 35 public academic universities in actual expenditures for Federal money. Dr. Natalicio has constantly pushed UTEP towards becoming a Tier 1 research university. In May of 1997, under the leadership of Dr. Natalicio, UTEP embarked on an unprecedented fund-raising effort called the Legacy Campaign, an initiative which, to date, has raised some $50 million in new endowments, tripling the university's total endowment from $25 million to over $75 million today. Within one year, Dr. Natalicio has announced that the university's Legacy Campaign has raised $45 million, 95 percent of its goal. This generous financial commitment has resulted in the creation of more than 200 new endowments, including 80 newly endowed scholarships; 26 new professorships and chairs; and 48 new departmental excellence funds. Dr. Natalicio's efforts to expand UTEP's Development and Alumni Affairs office has resulted in a steady increase in annual giving to the university. Dr. Natalicio further is proud of the accomplishments and can be traced to the courageous decisions and an appreciation for the contributions of others. She has been an instrumental force in transforming UTEP from a regional institution to an international university whose vision is outward and whose growth and phenomenal success in garnering additional funds for new programs are the envy of other universities. She is responsible for developing, during radically changing times, an atmosphere in which students, faculty, and staff are stimulated, inspired, and challenged.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, during these difficult times where we truly understand the relationship that we have with each other, whether or not we agree politically, whether or not we sit on the same side of the aisle, I had the opportunity to learn from Herb Bateman, an individual who served this country in so many different ways. Earlier when I found out that he was in fact going to be retiring at the end of this term, I asked him, I said, Herb, how do you know when it is time to retire? He said, ``Every individual knows individually when it is time to go. For me, I want to go home and I want to spend time with my family and with Laura.'' This evening, as we pay tribute to Herb, I want Laura and his two children and his grandchildren to know that Herb was a man that we all deeply respected, a man that we loved, and that, although at times we might have disagreed with him politically, we are truly all in this together, and we feel your loss every bit as much as you do.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Democratic substitute and in strong opposition to the fiscally irresponsible Republican tax scheme. The substitute would raise from $44,000 to $100,000 the annual income level at which couples must include 85 percent of their Social Security benefits as taxable income. By raising these levels, the substitute would provide the same tax relief as in the reported bill for approximately 95 percent of beneficiaries. The tax reductions in the Democratic bill would be contingent on a year-by-year certification by the Secretary of the Treasury that there are sufficient surpluses outside the Social Security and Medicare programs to make the general fund transfers necessary to reimburse the Medicare Trust Fund. Thus, before the Medicare Trust Fund is depleted, the substitute guarantees that the budget surpluses exist to ensure these appropriations will actually be made to the Medicare Trust Fund to replace the lost revenue. Our proposal can only go into effect in years in which there is enough of an on-budget surplus to replace lost revenues in the Medicare Trust Fund. The Republican bill makes no such guarantees and merely relies on continued surpluses year after year. Furthermore, the Republican bill requires huge transfers of federal funds from general revenues into Medicare. It takes money out of one pocket and puts it back in the other pocket. These transfers jeopardize the program's solvency and could result in increased Medicare premiums. Our seniors deserve better than political games. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for the Democratic substitute and against the risky Republican tax scheme.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill, another in a series of fiscally irresponsible tax cuts. Our current budget surplus has put us in a position to extend the life of Social Security and Medicare, to ensure that we are able to provide a Medicare prescription drug benefit, invest in education, and pay down the national debt. But the Congressional majority's strategy is not to extend the solvency of Social Security or Medicare by even one day or address other important domestic issues like education. They would rather use uncertain projections about the future surplus to provide irresponsible tax breaks. According to the Department of Treasury, the Congressional majority's tax schemes provide relatively few benefits for the vast majority of working families. As a result of the tax cuts passed this year, the average family in the top 1 percent would receive a tax cut of over $16,000--compare that to the $220 tax cut that middle income families received. We should provide fair and equitable tax cuts that allow working families to send their kids to college, pay for child care, and care for sick family members while still strengthening Social Security and Medicare and paying down the national debt. President Clinton's tax cut package would have done just that. In contrast, this reckless bill will deprive Medicare of roughly $100 billion in dedicated revenues over the next ten years and half a trillion by 2024. This bill attempts to solve that problem by replacing the lost revenue with money from the projected surplus. There is no guarantee that we will have years of budget surpluses to work with and replace the lost revenue. Pass this bill and we are guaranteed to drain resources from the Medicare trust fund. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to stop playing politics and focus on good policy.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an outstanding institution in my district, the Department of Veterans Affairs El Paso Vet Center which has served the veterans of west Texas and southern New Mexico for the last 21 years. The center provides quality care to improve the lives of men and women who fought and defended our Nation's security and freedom. These services are provided with incredible compassion and understanding. Through counseling, guidance and rehabilitation programs, the center is an invaluable link between our veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs. By reaching out to more than 100,000 veterans in the El Paso area, the center makes an incredible difference in our community. It is veterans programs like this that deserve the full support and appreciation of this institution. Abraham Lincoln once said, ``Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the Nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.'' Wars indeed have left behind men and women who need our assistance. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, I am proud to recognize the El Paso Vet Center, an institution that has continuously provided assistance to our Nation's veterans in El Paso.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise this morning in support of maintaining the President's waiver of Jackson-Vanik for Vietnam and in opposition of this resolution. Our policy of engagement with Vietnam is our most effective tool for influencing Vietnamese society and achieving positive relationships with that country. With engagement, we are able to insert American ideals of freedom and liberty to the Vietnamese people. Furthermore, as a global leader in economic enterprise, American companies are poised to develop even broader commercial ties and influential relationships throughout Vietnam. I can tell my colleagues that our presence in Vietnam impacts their society in all areas, from commercial relations to worker rights. Moreover, as a Vietnam veteran, I believe that the coordination and cooperation of the Vietnamese government in the recovery of remains of our servicemen is essential and has been extremely successful and possible through our policy of engagement. Clearly, additional progress must be made in Vietnam on a whole range of issues including trade, human rights, religious freedom, and freedom of expression. However, we can only do that through a policy of engagement. We all agree that there must be greater political and democratic reforms as well as more open access to Vietnamese markets in order to address the large and growing trade imbalance. In my view, the most effective way to bring about improvements in trade, human rights, and political and religious freedoms and to maintain other progress in successful joint searches for veterans' remains is through continued engagement with the Vietnamese government and increased contacts with the Vietnamese people so that they can learn and appreciate the values of democracy and the values of freedom. If we do not support the President's waiver of Jackson-Vanik for Vietnam, the result will be that it will cause us to disengage and withdraw. This will harm and not improve our situation with Vietnam. Removal of Vietnam's status would likely result in the withdrawal of American goods and, therefore, American values. I strongly urge everyone in this House to support the waiver of Jackson-Vanik for a status for Vietnam and vote against this resolution.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4864, the Veterans Claims Assistance Act. I also want to thank our chairman, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump); the ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans); the subcommittee chair, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn); and subcommittee ranking member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Filner) for their leadership on this very important issue for our veterans. This bill is important because it makes sure that assistance is given to our veterans when establishing a claim for benefits. The bill requires the VA to assist a veteran in obtaining evidence to establish a claim by requiring the Veterans Administration to make reasonable efforts to obtain relevant records and materials. This is an important legislative correction as it eliminates the unfair requirement that a veteran must first submit a well-grounded claim before the VA will assist him. We have an obligation to make sure that our veterans are given a hand in receiving the benefits that they have worked for, that they have in some cases bled for, and have certainly earned in the defense of our country. We should never require our veterans to first overcome bureaucratic obstacles before they are given the help that they earned and that they deserve. The Department of Veterans Affairs was established to assist our veterans, and this legislation reinforces their obligation to serve our veterans and to help them receive any benefits to which they are entitled. I am therefore extremely pleased with this bill's requirement that the VA assist our veterans in obtaining medical and treatment records and information from other Federal agencies and to provide a medical examination to establish whether or not they have a service- connected claim. This is good, pro-veterans legislation, and I therefore ask the entire House to join in full support. This morning, Madam Speaker, I also urge the House to fully support eliminating the offset of military retired pay against veterans compensation, which is included in the Senate defense authorization bill and which is contained in H.R. 303. Many of us have already made this request in a letter, and today I ask the House to vote to eliminate this very unfair and costly penalty to our veterans. I again want to thank the ranking members and the chairmen of our committee for their leadership.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, this morning I was here to express my deep frustration at our inability, while on the one hand bringing up this suspension bill for the Community Renewal and New Markets Act, at the same time when we were unable to get full funding for Round II empowerment zones. After I just heard my colleague make mention that there has been an agreement that there will be $200 million for Round II, I am obviously pleased, as El Paso is one of the areas that was designated under Round II as an empowerment zone. It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that over the 10-year life of the program, urban empowerment zones were supposed to receive $100 million. However, in fiscal years 1999 and 2000, amounts less than $4 million each year were appropriated for each urban empowerment zone. Moreover, in this fiscal year, up until a few moments ago, we had been led to believe that there were zero dollars for empowerment zones. This is good news for El Paso. It is good news for all the communities that have been counting on and have been planning on a 10-year basis for money for their empowerment zones. Full funding for empowerment zones unleashes tremendous potential for growth and economic development in places like El Paso under Round II. Each of these communities have laid out long-term plans and proposals which will deal with high unemployment, in some cases like El Paso with unemployment running consistently twice the level of the national unemployment rate. These communities have already been slated for assistance, and we are pleased this morning that that assistance will be forthcoming. Mr. Speaker, I intend to vote for and support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 4850, the Veterans Benefits Act. I want to thank the chairman and ranking member of our committee as well as the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) for his leadership on this bill. This bill provides serious improvement in services and benefits to our veterans. With H.R. 4850, we are providing important cost-of-living adjustments for compensation paid to veterans with service-connected disabilities as well as their dependents, along with enhancing other benefit programs providing compensation and life insurance benefits. Moreover, with the increasing number of Guard and Reserve members of our Armed Services that are being called upon to defend our Nation, the diseases and the symptoms that they suffer should be considered service connected just as if they were on active duty status. Under current law, if a Guard member or a Reservist on inactive duty training suffers a heart attack or stroke, the disability is characterized as due to a disease and is not considered service connected. This bill simply corrects this situation by allowing those on inactive duty for training as to count this as service connected for the purposes of Veterans benefits. Furthermore, with the increasing number of female veterans, I am proud that this bill amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to provide a monthly rate of compensation for the service-connected loss of one or both breasts due to the radical or modified radical mastectomy. This bill finally creates parity for breast cancer along the same lines as other visible physical disabilities. Lastly, the bill expands the eligibility of veterans to participate in group life insurance programs. Madam Speaker, when Reservists are called up for quick deployments, the need for insurance to cover these men and women for loss of life during acts of war is paramount. As it is, as regular insurance, their regular insurance, does not cover these types of situations. This bill fulfills our obligation to make sure that our men and women in uniform of the Reserves who are putting their lives on the line for their country have the same opportunity to gain security for themselves and their families through our life insurance programs. Clearly, the various aspects of this bill serve the needs of today's veterans, and they raise the level and quality of benefits for them and for their families. It is long overdue. With this legislation, we improve and fulfill our obligation to better serve our male and female veterans, Reservists, Guardsmen and their families, who have sacrificed for the American ideal and interests around the world. I, therefore, strongly support this legislation and urge Members of the House to unanimously pass this bill.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, this morning I would like to take a moment to recognize a community health clinic in my district that has recently received national recognition. The clinic is called Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe, or, as we call it in El Paso, ``La Fe'' Clinic. It was named as the best clinic in the Nation by one of the largest Hispanic advocacy groups in the United States, the National Concilio de la Raza. I am very proud of the work that La Fe Clinic is doing in El Paso. It is truly a stellar facility that serves the needs of many local community residents. I should add that many of these residents would have no other place to receive affordable health care if it were not for La Fe Clinic. This clinic has been at the center of this community for 34 years and continues to play an integral part in the health of El Paso's south side residents. La Fe Clinic is truly a remarkable organization. In 1999, this clinic served almost 18,000 clients. This facility provides low-cost prescription medication to the elderly and to other patrons; provides pediatric care; provides dental care, even treating the dental needs of patients with AIDS; and assists in signing up children for the CHIPS program in Texas. I would like to recognize the chief executive officer, Mr. Salvador Balcorta, and the staff of the La Fe Clinic for maintaining a vision and focus for the clinic many times against what seemed to be insurmountable odds.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill offered by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett) designating the Alfred Rascon Post Office Building. It is difficult to talk briefly about a man who has done so much in the service of his country, so I think I want to begin by making just a few comments about the man, Al Rascon. Al represents all of those tenets that the founders of this Nation set forth for our country. He was born in Mexico, grew up and attended high school in California, and enlisted in the United States Army. He completed training as a medic and served in Vietnam. During his tour of duty, he was seriously injured during an operation with his reconnaissance platoon. Because of his injuries, he was discharged from active duty and was placed in the Army Reserves. As most of my colleagues know, because of his heroic efforts earlier this year, he received this Nation's highest award, the Medal of Honor. However, Al Rascon is not a hero only because of his actions on the battlefield 24 years ago. He is a hero because he has continuously given of himself to his community and to his country. In addition to his military service, he has served honorably as a government civil servant with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and currently serves as Inspector General of the Selective Service. Beyond his government service, he has dedicated himself to working with our youth, to show them that there are opportunities in this country for those who are willing to work and work hard. Earlier this year, Al Rascon brought that very message to high school students in my district of El Paso, Texas; and it was overwhelmingly well received by our young people. So today, I urge each of my colleagues to support passage of this important legislation. This is a small tribute to a man who has given so much for his country.

Mr. REYES

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

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I want to thank the chairman. I also want to thank the staff for helping us work out this commitment. I look forward to working with him.

Mr. REYES. Happy birthday. Mr. Speaker, I also want to tell my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, I had intended to offer an amendment that would have added $5 million to the Food and Nutrition Service for a program that would target outreach to expand the feeding programs in the colonia areas of the Southwest. I will not offer the amendment, but I would like to request a commitment from the chairman that, as the agriculture bill moves to conference committee, that he will do what he can to secure the funds for this much-needed targeted assistance in the colonias.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment to bring much needed assistance to some of the poorest communities in our Nation. My amendment will strike the provision in the bill that prohibits funding in the bill or any other bill from being available to carry out a colonias initiative without prior approval of the Committee on Appropriations. ``Colonia'' is a Spanish term for ``community.'' Along our Southwest border, it is the name for U.S. communities that lack basic water and sewer systems, power, paved roads, safe and sanitary housing, health care, and adequate educational, recreational, and employment opportunities. There are more than 1,500 of these third-world-like communities in our Nation, with more than half a million people in California, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. These communities sprung up because of a lack of affordable housing, unscrupulous land development, and neglect of our border region. Because of a lack of basic service, poverty is extreme in our colonias. Fifty percent of the residents are below the poverty level, with average family income of about $12,675. Moreover, 40 percent of colonia residents have less than a ninth grade education and unemployment exceeds 40 percent. The health of these citizens is terrible due to contaminated wells, poorly constructed septic tanks, and the difficulty in buying water from private vendors. This situation is a tragedy that has never been properly addressed. Eight-five percent of colonia residents, Mr. Chairman, are United States citizens, and 40 percent of those residing in our colonias are children. Devastating diseases are prevalent in the colonias, with hepatitis and tuberculosis at rates of between 30 and 50 percent. Colonia residents are part of our Nation, and we have a moral obligation to give them the basic essentials we expect for all of America's children. The need to allow USDA to implement programs and initiatives to help address the severe problems of colonia residents is very critical. One such program is the Partnership for Change-Colonias Initiative, which was a pilot program which began in Texas bringing together Federal, State and local governmental entities and nonprofit groups to create a unified colonia strategy. This strategy called ``Partnership for Change'' addresses the multitude of colonias issues including housing, health, nutrition, and employment issues. The ``Partnership for Change'' uses innovative approaches to ensure that food and nutrition services reach colonia residents. Because colonias are remotely located without proper roads, colonia residents are simply unable to retain these kinds of services. In response, the ``Partnership for Change'' built an additional seven WIC clinics directly in the colonias serving an additional 5,200 residents. It has also purchased vans to transport clients to assistance centers and coordinated traveling food pantries. My amendment will allow strategies such as this to go forward without the continuous need to obtain committee approval. If the committee has problems with the way programs like this are administered, the proper approach is to have the committee discuss the various aspects with the USDA rather than continually require this prohibitive requirement before colonia initiatives can go forward. Every American family, regardless of where they live, should have the basic essentials of water, roads, housing, and a health environment. Otherwise, we allow a cycle of poverty and disease to continue despite having the resources to make an enormous difference. While the rest of our Nation is reaping the benefits of a booming economy and budget surpluses, colonia residents are struggling barely to survive. This is unacceptable, and we can do much better as Americans. I, therefore, ask all Members to support my amendment and to show their commitment to our fellow Americans who are having to overcome unbelievable obstacles and to give the USDA flexibility to use innovative approaches to provide additional outreach and coordinated efforts to colonia residents. I ask all Members to vote yes on my amendment.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say that I appreciate the hard work. We have always worked together, and I appreciate the opportunity to work through this very critical issue. I thank the gentleman, as well as the rest of us who understand the necessities that Colonias have, and I really appreciate the gentleman working with us on this.