Silvestre Reyes

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this rule. I am here again today to ask that this body do the right thing for the people of West Texas. The conference report on H.R. 629, the Texas Low- Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Act, is in my opinion and in the opinion of others, including those people that live in West Texas, an affront to all of us and to those of us that represent them in this body. This conference report strips a key provision from the bill that both the House and the Senate had adopted. Unlike both the House- and Senate-passed measures, the conference report does not include a provision that would restrict waste at the selected site to the States of Texas, Maine, and Vermont. I ask, how can this House in good conscience vote to waive all points of order against this report? Mr. Speaker, this is my first term, but as I heard and as I understand the comments of the gentlewoman from New York, this is a highly unusual way to bring back a conference report for a vote. I think that it is clear that the provisions that were both on the Senate and the House side were, to use an old West Texan term, finagled off in a highly unusual maneuver in requiring a rule on a simple conference report. I think that is wrong and I think that the people of West Texas deserve better treatment by this House than they have received on this. By voting for the conference report, my colleagues are saying to all the Members of this House that it is okay to ignore the will of this body, that it is okay for eight conferees to ignore the rest of all of the senators and representatives that represent the people throughout this country. Members should vote against this conference report because the conferees violated the scope of their authority. That I think is very clear. We should not let this House vote on a bill that ignores the will of both the House and the Senate. I am sure that without this key provision, which is the Doggett amendment which would restrict nuclear waste to Texas, Maine, and Vermont under H.R. 629, that bill would never have passed in the Senate. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to defeat this rule and send this bill back to conference where it belongs. Let us all together today send a strong message that the conferees cannot and should not ignore the will of the House and the Senate. I urge all of my colleagues to vote against this rule.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, that is correct.

Mr. REYES. Absolutely. That is a very real concern that all of us have about this site that is scheduled to be into Sierra Blanca.

Mr. REYES. They do not. And therein lies the liability, not just for the people of Sierra Blanca, not just for those of us who live in west Texas, but literally for communities throughout this country that this waste material would be transported through to get to Sierra Blanca.

Mr. REYES. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla) because this is a tough issue but it is an issue that I find easy to defend because it is the right issue for our community and the area that we represent. I rise in opposition to conference report on H.R. 629 because, as I mentioned earlier, I do not believe that we should be considering a conference report that ignores the will of the House and the Senate. I do not believe we should be considering a conference report that has stripped a key provision from the bill that both the House and the Senate had adopted. Unlike both the House and Senate passed measures, the conference report does not include a provision that would restrict waste at the selected site to the 3 States, the States of Texas, Maine and Vermont. As far as I am concerned, that, in itself, is reason enough not to move this bill forward. But if we need additional reasons to vote against this conference report, I would like to enter into the Record an article that has already been mentioned by my colleague from Texas (Mr. Bonilla) that was printed in the Dallas Morning News on July 8. As we can see in this article, two Texas hearing examiners recommended against licensing a low-level nuclear waste dump in far West Texas, at Sierra Blanca. The hearing examiners explained that the State Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority did not, and I repeat, did not adequately determine whether a fault under the site posed an environmental hazard or not. The examiners further stated that the authority did not adequately address how the proposed facility might harm the quality of life in that area, the quality of life of a constituency that we represent. Their protection, their interests are why we are opposed to this conference report. These findings are further evidence that the proposed radioactive waste dump is a potential environmental hazard which has not undergone adequate study by various State agencies. Mr. Speaker, I ask this body if Texas State regulators do not support the Sierra Blanca site, why should we jeopardize the health and the well-being of people in West Texas? I do not care how many times supporters of this bill say that a vote for H.R. 629 is not a vote for the Sierra Blanca site. It simply is a vote for that site. They know it, I know it, and the people of Sierra Blanca and El Paso know it. Mr. Speaker, by now, having heard the argument, even you know it. If H.R. 629 becomes law, it will endanger the safety and the welfare of the community and the people who live there. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, could I ask as to the availability of time that we all have?

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the minority also in opposition to the conference report, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla) yield to me 10 of his minutes that I may be allowed to control.

Mr. REYES. That is correct. And the potential exists that this waste disposal site in Sierra Blanca, Texas, could conceivably become the only site where nuclear waste could be disposed of and could be stored. That is a very real concern for those of us that live in West Texas.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes. Mr. Speaker, with all deference to the gentleman from east Texas, he made the statement that this is an issue that will not go away. He is absolutely right. The issue will not go away. But with the decision that we are making here today, we expect that a whole community can potentially go away. We have been called crazy because we are in opposition to this. I think it would be irresponsible not to oppose a proposal that could affect a whole area, a whole region. It could affect up to 5 million people that utilize the Rio Grande River as a primary water source. It could affect the underground water tables. It could conceivably affect a whole region of our border area. We have been told that to send it back would be to delay it. Well, I would ask my colleagues, with all due respect, what do they expect us to do when we have got the consequences facing us that could potentially affect future generations of west Texans in a way that we at this point cannot even imagine? I ask my colleagues who are talking about what a good deal it is, how it can be very safe, how it has been well thought out, how it will be well packaged, if it is so good, why do they not take it? Why do they not put it in their district? Why do they not put it in a place where the people want it? Mr. Speaker, the people of Sierra Blanca, the people of El Paso, the people along the border in our region simply do not want it. We have been told that Governor Richards and Governor Bush want it. Let them hear loud and clear that in this area, we do not want it. We do not need it. And we should not have it. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the conference report on H.R. 629. As I mentioned earlier, I do not believe we should be considering a conference report that ignores the will of the House and Senate. I do not believe we should be considering a conference report that has stripped a key provision from the bill that both the House and Senate had adopted. Unlike both the House and Senate passed measures, the conference report does not include a provision that would restrict waste at the selected site of the states of Texas, Maine and Vermont. As far as I am concerned, that's reason enough not to move this bill forward. But, if you need another reason to vote against this conference report, I'd like to enter into the record an article printed in The Dallas Morning News on July 8. As you can see, two Texas hearing examiners recommended against licensing a low-level nuclear waste dump in the far West Texas community of Sierra Blanca. The hearing examiners explained that the ``State Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority did not adequately determine whether a fault under the site posed an environmental hazard.'' The examiners further stated that the Authority did not adequately address how the proposed facility might harm the quality of life in the area. These findings are further evidence that the proposed radioactive waste dump is a potential environmental hazard which has not undergone adequate study by various state agencies. If Texas state regulators don't support the Sierra Blanca site, why should you? I don't care how many times supporters of this bill say that a vote for H.R. 629 is not a vote for the Sierra Blanca site--it is. They know it, I know it, the people of Sierra Blanca know it and you know it. If H.R. 629 becomes law, it will endanger the safety and welfare of the community and the people who live there. If you need still another reason to oppose this conference report, I want to enter into the record a copy of the resolution that unanimously passed the Mexican Congress. This resolution was passed on April 30 of this year. Let me read some of it to you. ``The Mexican Congress declares that the proposed project of Sierra Blanca, Texas, like other proposed disposal facilities on the Mexican border, puts at risk the health of the population in the border zone and constitutes an aggression to our national dignity.'' ``The position that the Mexican government assumes with relation to the proposed disposal facility of Sierra Blanca will constitute a clear precedent that can be invoked relating to disposal facilities that are planned in the future within 100 kilometers along the common border.'' ``This represents high potential risk of contamination for the Rio Bravo and the underground aquifers, which could cause a negative impact for the health of the population, the environment, and the natural resources on both sides of the border.'' ``The construction of the disposal facility in dispute would violate the spirit of . . . international law and would implicate the noncompliance of the commitments assumed by the United States after the signature of the 1983 Agreement on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in the Border Area--better known as the La Paz Agreement--particularly Article 2 of the Agreement, which states: `The Parties undertake to the fullest extent practical to adopt the appropriate measures to prevent, reduce, and eliminate sources of pollution in their respective territory which affect the border area of the other.''' The Agreement also ``commits the Parties to cooperate in reciprocity, and mutual benefit. In complying with these dispositions, the United States Government must take measures in this case with the appropriate authorities, in order that the Sierra Blanca project not be authorized.'' The Resolution further states, ``due to the adverse effects that this project could have on the health of [the Mexican] population and the natural resources, we present the following Pronouncement: ``We reiterate our complete rejection of the project which is the construction and operation of the nuclear waste disposal facility that the Government of Texas plans to build in Sierra Blanca, Texas, and express our disagreement, concern, and unconformity with the policy adopted and followed up to now by the Government of the United States, that favors the construction of disposal facilities on the southern border with Mexico, without taking into account the potential negative impacts that this policy can have regarding human health and the environment in the communities located on both sides of the border.'' The Mexican Congress asks the ``House of Representatives of the United States to vote against the Compact Law that authorizes the disposal of wastes between the states of Texas, Maine, and Vermont in virtue that its approval signifies a relevant approval for the construction and management of the disposal facility of radioactive wastes in Sierra Blanca, Texas and represents a violation of the spirit of the La Paz Agreement.'' Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to listen to the Mexican Congress and to the people of far West Texas. Vote against this conference report because it's the right thing to do. Mr. Speaker, I include the following material for the Record: [From the Dallas Morning News] Examiners Recommend no License for Proposed Nuclear-Waste Dump--State Agency Hasn't Fully Explored Possible Hazards of W. Texas Facility, They Say (By George Kuempel) Austin.--In a victory for environmental groups, two state hearing examiners Tuesday recommended against licensing a low-level nuclear-waste dump in far West Texas. The recommendation was a setback for Gov. George W. Bush, who has tentatively backed the proposed dump, near Sierra Blanca just 18 miles from the Rio Grande. The hearing examiners found that the State Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority, which wants to build the facility, did not adequately determine whether a fault under the proposed site posed an environmental hazard. Kerry Sullivan and Mike Rogan of the State Office of Administrative Hearings also said the agency failed to adequately address how the proposed facility might harm the quality of life in the area. The examiners' report was forwarded to the three-member Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. The commission staff already has recommended that a license be issued, but the final decision rests with the commissioners, all of whom were appointed by Mr. Bush. Their decision is not expected soon. Congress is considering a proposed pact favored by Mr. Bush that would allow for low-level nuclear waste from Texas, Vermont and Maine to be buried at the site. Mr. Bush said in a written statement that he was ``troubled'' by the examiners' findings. ``I have said all along that if the site is not proven safe, I will not support it,'' he said. ``I urge the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to thoroughly review this recommendation and the facts and to make their decision based on sound science and the health and safety of Texans.'' Democrat Garry Mauro, who is running against Mr. Bush in this year's governor's race, praised the examiners' ruling. ``I hope Governor Bush calls on his three [TNRCC] appointees to immediately reject this permit,'' he said. Mr. Mauro said that he is pleased the administrative judges also raised the ``specter of environmental racism'' but that he is sorry they didn't address Mexico's concerns about a possible treaty violation. Critics have said Sierra Blanca was chosen because of its largely poor Hispanic population, an allegation that supporters have disputed. Mexican lawmakers visited Austin last month to protest the dump, saying it would violate an agreement between the nations to curb pollution along the border. Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Rogan spent three months hearing from both sides on the issue. Dump opponents said they were pleased with the findings. ``Politically and legally, it's a victory,'' said Bill Addington, a merchant in Sierra Blanca, a town of 700 in Hudspeth County, about 90 miles southeast of El Paso. ``The authority has not done its job, even with all the money and resources they have at their disposal.'' But Mr. Addington also was cautious because the final decision on the dump license rests with the TNRCC, which is not bound by the hearings officers' recommendation. The dump, which would be built on a sprawling ranch just outside the rural town, is intended to hold radoactive waste primarily from the state's utilities hospitals and universities. It spawned opposition from critics in West Texas and Mexico, who fear that it would contaminate precious groundwater reserves.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, as a point of reference, that is one of the major concerns that we have. That once the site is in place, it will become a profit-generating venture that would accept waste material not only from Texas, Maine, and Vermont but literally from throughout the country.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to announce E-Rate week. Today I join many Members of Congress in kicking off a week of discussion, information, and emphasis about the importance of the E-Rate program to our schools, our children, and our country. The E-Rate is designed to bring discounted Internet services to children in schools and libraries across America. In the world of tomorrow, technology and the Internet will be the tools essential to our Nation's workforce. Technical literacy will determine whether a person has a high-paying job or whether that person is frozen into a low-wage, low-opportunity profession. Currently, only a few wealthy school districts can afford this technology. The E-Rate ensures that needy schools receive discounted services so that every American child has an equal chance to succeed. Those who attack the E-Rate undercut the future of our children and of our country. Americans want to provide their children the skills and tools of the 21st Century. Through the E-Rate, this is one way we can accomplish this goal.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I am gladly standing this morning in support of the E-rate. I believe this country's most valuable resource to be our children, and education is key to their development. In a world where computers are defining their very lives, our educational institutions must include technology. The genius of American education is that whether rich or poor, our children are given the opportunity to gain that knowledge. Today, the Internet is a tremendous tool to acquire that knowledge. It brings people and ideas thousands of miles apart to a child's desktop. We cannot afford to have this technology available only in financially strong schools. Through the E-rate, those schools and libraries with limited resources are given the necessary discounts to link up with everybody else. The attacks on the E-rate are an assault on our children's future. Our society must not be divided by those who are computer literate and those who are not. Mr. Speaker, if we do not support E-rate, we doom and handicap our children. Americans understand and want access to technology in their children's schools, and we must all support the E-rate.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about an innovative program which provides remarkable home ownership opportunities for low- income families in El Paso. The Lower Valley Housing Corporation of El Paso has helped more than 300 families in my district. These are families with an average annual income of $13,000 or less, and it helps them to acquire their first homes through a private and public construction financing program. Working with the USDA's Rural Development Fund, families pre-qualify for financing without down payments by agreeing to provide sweat equity. Each family is required to work on the construction of their homes and also their neighbors' by providing at least 65 percent of the labor. Because of these do-it-yourself contributions, these homes cost only one-third of what the normal construction costs would be. The result is a move away from an expensive apartment rental to the pride of home ownership where families have equity and affordable payments as low as $300 a month for a $42,000 home. This program is a model for the Nation. Families build strong communities, celebrate home-building skills and gain the pride of home ownership.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in support of this resolution, but I also rise to let Members know and understand that there are things that are very important that are included in this resolution, and there are issues that are confrontational that I think are counterproductive. As a former law enforcement officer who conducted and supervised undercover operations and investigations along our Nation's border, I can certainly appreciate the intent of this resolution. Let me state in the strongest possible terms that the extradition of our U.S. Customs agents should never even be an issue. They were doing their jobs. They effectively did their jobs to the extent that people that are guilty of money laundering are under arrest and will be tried soon. Undercover law enforcement investigations, including sting operations, are a necessary component of our national security and we must protect the agents that are involved always. Operation Casablanca was a success, and we should congratulate the men and women of the United States Customs Service. Three prominent Mexican banks and 26 Mexican bankers have been indicted, and more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana and 4,000 pounds of cocaine have been seized during the course of this investigation. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in support of this resolution. However, I do have some reservations with the language of the resolution in its current context. In my view, this is just an opportunity for some to attack Mexico once again, instead of fomenting an understanding and hopefully working with our counterparts to have them understand the seriousness and the importance of operations such as this that decommission organizations that are a threat to the national security of both the United States and Mexico. I liken some of the language the same as we annually get into in the certification process. The language of this resolution does not constructively, in my opinion, engage Mexico. It engages in a lot more fingerpointing. I think that instead of blaming Mexico for feeding this Nation's $50 billion a year drug habit, I would encourage all of my colleagues to engage our neighbors to the south in constructive dialogue. Mr. Speaker, I spent this weekend with 13 of my colleagues from Congress and 20 of our counterparts from the Mexican Parliament at the 37th Annual U.S./Mexico Interparliamentary Meeting in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. We discussed this very issue. I think we discussed it perhaps an hour longer than we should have. Part of what we need to do as Members of Congress is engage in a constructive dialogue with our counterparts. We left Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico, with a better understanding of each other and we pledged to continue to work throughout this year to make sure that each of us understands the challenge, each of us understands the dynamics, and most importantly, each one of us has the ability to engage in constructive dialogue to the benefit of both the United States and Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I think that this afternoon as we stand here and engage in dialogue about this resolution, which is vitally important to the men and women that serve this country in a law enforcement capacity, I think we should keep one thing in perspective. That is that we have two arenas to concern ourselves with. The first one is the arena where agents of both countries engage in an operational manner to protect our constituents. The second one is the political arena where much is said, but very little is accomplished because of fingerpointing. Mr. Speaker, I hope we keep things in perspective. I hope we are able to engage in constructive dialogue.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I rise to thank the gentleman very much for the funding provided in this bill for helping to solve major flood control and water supply problems in the El Paso-Juarez area. These resources will allow our local and State officials to move forward with environmental improvements on the border. There is, however, one request that I would urge the gentleman to consider during the House-Senate conference on this bill. The Senate bill includes $1 million for the El Paso wastewater reclamation program which is not in the House bill. The wastewater reclamation program is our top water resource priority in the El Paso area. I urge my colleagues to accept the Senate level for this program. Knowing that the budget is tight, I would offer a recommendation or suggestion for a budget offset that would make the $1 million increase budget neutral. The El Paso area flood control project is provided with $5 million in the bill which is needed and generous. However, I believe that we can stage the work on the flood control project so that this amount could be reduced to $4 million in fiscal year 1999, with a reduced amount of $1 million shifted to the wastewater reclamation program, again, our top priority. Again, I want to thank the gentleman for his kind assistance on any help that he can provide in adjusting the funding to meet our El Paso priority. I also want to echo the comments of my colleagues in thanking both him and the ranking member for all their years of service. My only regret is that I did not have longer to serve with both of them.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow Capitol Hill will be given the opportunity to experience what I believe is one of the most dynamic, innovative and educational programs ever created in our country. This program, called FIRST, teaches our youth that science and technology can be fun, it can be exciting and, yes, even cool. Mr. Speaker, teams of high school students work with local adult mentors to build robots. They then compete against other teams in regional competitions and culminate with a national competition at Disney World in Florida. Tomorrow FIRST is bringing 12 of its outstanding teens here to provide a mini version of one of its competitions. One of these teams, I am proud to say, is Montwood High School and their robot Rambot which comes from El Paso, Texas, in my district. I am very proud of the hard work and determination that brought them here this week. Mr. Speaker, many of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle have already joined me in supporting FIRST and are helping to sponsor tomorrow's event. I urge each one of my colleagues, as well as their staffs, to come by the Rayburn foyer tomorrow between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to learn how the lives of our students and students in my colleagues' districts can be changed forever in a very positive way.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize that on September 15-21, 1998, survivors of the USS Register and Indianapolis will be having their reunion in El Paso, Texas at the Howard Johnson Lodge. The USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on November 15, 1932. The ship served with honor from Pearl Harbor through the last campaign of World War II, sinking in action two weeks before the end of the war. On July 30, 1945, while sailing from Guam to Leyte, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-58. The ship capsized and sank in twelve minutes. Survivors were spotted by a patrol aircraft on August 2nd. All air and surface units capable of rescue operations were dispatched to the scene at once. The USS Register was among the several ships involved in the rescue. Upon completion of the day and night search on August 8th, 316 men were rescued out of a crew of 1,199. The USS Register (APD-92/DE233) served in the Pacific Theater of operation as an attack personnel destroyer during World War II. On May 20, 1945, the ship survived a hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane off the island of Okinawa, sustaining casualties and heavy hull damages, after shooting down three enemy suicide planes. On August 3rd, the USS Register was among eight ships that rescued some survivors of the ill- fated USS Indianapolis. After distinguished service, the USS Register was decommissioned March 31, 1946 at Green Cove Springs, Florida on the Saint Johns River. In the Spring of 1966 it was struck from the Naval Reserve Fleet and subsequently transferred to the Republic of China Navy and renamed the Tai Shan. ``We the surviving shipmates of the USS Register and the survivors of the USS Indianapolis value the memories of their service in the United States Navy and our shipmates who are no longer with us and are not forgotten for their distinguished service and eternal brotherhood. Rest in peace shipmates. On their behalf, we honor them and Paul James Register, for whom our ship was named for, who was killed in action while serving aboard the ill-fated USS Arizona, December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.'' Service members of the USS Register and Indianapolis The sailors of the USS Register and Indianapolis served the United States of America with honor and distinction. These veterans of WWII contributed to end the war in the Pacific and the war as a whole. They deserve a page in history, for their story is a reminder of all the servicemen and women who gave their lives to preserve the freedoms that we take for granted today.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be deleted as a cosponsor of H.R. 3396, the Citizens Protection Act of 1998.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Border Patrol Agent Alex Kirpnick, who was shot and killed last night in Nogales, Arizona. Alex and his partner came upon five drug smugglers crossing just west of Nogales and in the course of doing his job, Alex was killed. Alex Kirpnick immigrated to the United States from Russia 10 years ago. He had been with the Border Patrol for 20 months and was a highly skilled agent who spoke eight languages. I know from speaking to Alex's colleagues that Alex was a man of great character and he will be missed. Alex was well-liked and respected by all those he worked with. Alex is survived by his parents, Boris and Eta Kirpnick, and a sister, Zhanna, who live in California. I have never felt the pain of losing a child, but during my tenure as Border Patrol Chief in Texas, I lost many good officers. I would like to extend my condolences to Alex's family and to his colleagues in Nogales who have lost a dear friend and a good agent. As a former border patrol chief, I know the sacrifices made by the men and women on our border, protecting our communities. I ask all of my colleagues to remember Alex and the often thankless job he performed each and every day. Alex faithfully served our nation and protected our communities while serving on our nation's border and we owe Alex a great debt of gratitude for his service and commitment.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize 15-21, 1998, survivors of the USS Register and USS Indianapolis will be having their reunion in El Paso, Texas at the Howard Johnson Lodge. The USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on November 15, 1932. The ship served with honor from Pear Harbor through the last campaign of World War II, sinking in action two weeks before the end of the war. On July 30, 1945, while sailing from Guam to Leyte, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-58. The ship capsized and sank in twelve minutes. Survivors were spotted by a patrol aircraft on August 2nd. All air and surface units capable for rescue operations were dispatched to the scene at once. The USS Register was among the several ships involved in the rescue. Upon completion of the day and night search on August 8, 316 men were rescued out of a crew of 1,199. The USS Register (APD-92/DE233) served in the Pacific Theater of operation as an attack personnel destroyer during World War II. On May 20, 1945, the ship survived a hit by a Japanese Kamikaze plane off the island of Okinawa, sustaining casualties and heavy hull damages, after shooting down three enemy suicide planes. On August 3rd, the USS Register was among eight ships that rescued some survivors of the ill- fated USS Indianapolis After distinguished service, the USS Register was decommissioned March 31, 1946 at Green Cove Springs, Florida on the Saint Johns River. In the Spring of 1966 it was struck from the Naval Reserve Fleet and subsequently transferred to the Republic of China Navy and renamed the Tai Shan. We the surviving shipmates of the USS Register and the survivors of the USS Indianapolis value the memories of their service in the United States Navy and our shipmates who are no longer with us and are not forgotten for their distinguished service and eternal brotherhood. Rest in peace shipmates. On their behalf, we honor them and Paul James Register, for whom our ship was named for, who was killed in action while serving aboard the ill-fated USS Arizona, December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.--Service members of the USS Register and Indianapolis The sailors of the USS Register and Indianapolis served the United States of America with honor and distinction. These veterans of WWII contributed to end the war in the Pacific and the war as a whole. They deserve a page hi history, for their story is a reminder of all the servicemen and women who gave their lives to preserve the freedoms that we take for granted today.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, first, I would like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant). I have spent some time today discussing this issue with him, and I appreciate the fact that this year I believe that the debate has been on a very high level, and about the real issues. I respect the fact that he is concerned about the amount of narcotics in this country. We are all concerned about that. But where we disagree is where we think that in support for the Traficant amendment, where we think that we can stand here or vote for a proposal that could conceivably cost the lives of, yes, constituents. Somebody made mention of questioning whether we are harming constituents. Ironically enough, one year ago today a young man in Redford, Texas, was shot and killed in a very unfortunate incident by a United States marine deployed on one of these patrols. If that is not harming a constituent, I do not know what is. We talk about being members of the drug task force, we talk about drug strategy. There is only one way to defeat drugs. That is on three different levels. I know, because I spent 26\1/2\ years doing that, not being a member of a drug task force, or not being a part of this or a part of that, but doing the job, working with other Federal agencies, local and State agencies. There are three ways we need to approach this problem. That is through education, that is through treatment, and yes, that is through enforcement. But enforcement does not include deploying the military into our communities along the border. The price is too high. The death of one young man in Redford, Texas, is too high. Stop and think, as parents, what Members would be feeling today one year ago, when that young man was shot and killed. It pours salt in a wound that has not even healed yet. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) makes mention of my opposition to troops on the border. Yes, I am opposed to troops on the border, but I think I am opposed to the troops on the border for the right reasons. I do not have to sound tough on drugs, I have been there. I have done that. I ask that Members support the Reyes amendment, and that they ultimately understand why we are opposed to sending troops to our borders.