Hal Rogers

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Chairman, is the gentleman satisfied that in this bill we adequately fund the census in order for the census to be maintained and conducted appropriately?

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

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to a very hard working Member of this subcommittee, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham).

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Chairman I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Youngc), the very effective chairman of the full committee who has done a wonderful job this year bringing these bills to the floor.

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 12 minutes. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 2670, making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for fiscal year 2000, provides funding for programs whose impact ranges from the safety of people in their homes, to the conduct of diplomacy around the world, to predicting the weather from satellites in outer space. Mr. Chairman, this bill requires a very delicate balancing of needs and requirements, from ongoing activities and operations of the departments and regulatory agencies, to new areas of concern like preparing to respond to the threat of domestic terrorism or beefing up worldwide security for our embassies overseas, to special funding requirements like the decennial census. This year, our capacity to respond to all of these needs is tempered by the fiscal restraint under which we are forced to operate. The 1997 budget act for 5 years imposed spending restraints in each of those 5 years, in other words, budget caps, spending caps, beyond which we cannot exceed. We all went home after we passed that Budget Act of 1997, most of us voted for it, both sides of the aisle, and we crowed about how we were saving America's fiscal integrity, and we did. Mr. Chairman, the piper is at the door waiting to be paid for that party, and this bill represents the piper. This is a very, very austere bill. We are having to live with those budget caps and yet maintain some very, very critical agencies of this government, a little bit like as I told in the full committee, the old drunk back home that was arrested for setting his bed on fire at the rooming house where he lived, he came into court and the judge asked for his plea, and the old fellow said, ``Well, your honor, I plead guilty to being drunk, but that doggone bed was on fire when I got in it.'' I am telling my colleagues that these budget caps are with us. We have to live with it. And we will. We have had to carefully prioritize the funding in this bill and make very hard judgments about how to spend these limited resources. The bill before the Committee today recommends a total of $35.8 billion in discretionary funding that comes from three places: $27.1 billion is general purpose discretionary funds; $4.2 billion is from the violent crime trust fund; and $4.5 billion is emergency funding. Leaving aside the Census, and oh, how I wish I could leave aside the Census, the bill is $833 million below current spending and $1.3 billion below the CBO's freeze level for fiscal year 2000. For the Department of Justice, the bill provides $18.1 billion, $6 million above current spending. Increases are provided to maintain current operating levels of key law enforcement agencies. FBI, DEA, U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Bureau of Prisons all are maintained at their current operating level. And we address a severe detention space shortfall in the Bureau of Prisons and the INS with this bill. These increases are offset by a decrease in funding for COPS, from $1.4 billion to $268 million. I would point out that that $268 million is the full authorization level set in law for the final year of the current program. That is all we are allowed by law to appropriate, and we did. Local law enforcement and criminal justice block grants are maintained at or near last year's level, $1.3 billion more than the administration requested. That assures that your State and local law enforcement agencies, your sheriffs, your police departments, continue to have the resources to fight crime in your districts. The major program increases in the bill can be counted on two fingers, and they are both in Justice, $100 million for 1,000 new border patrol agents, which the administration refused to request, and $22 million for the Drug Enforcement Administration, equaling the administration's budget request. I would point out and remind Members that the latest statistics on violent crime in the United States show that America is now suffering the least number of violent crimes since we have been keeping records. I would like to say to my subcommittee members over those years, and the full committee members, and the full Congress, a big thank you on behalf of the American people for staying with funding for these law agencies over these years to enable America now to have the lowest crime rate in recorded history. For the Immigration and Naturalization Service, we continue to provide resources for the naturalization backlog reduction initiative, for the detention shortfall, and for the border patrol, and we continue to hope against hope that the most mismanaged and unmanageable agency of the Federal Government, the INS, will dig its way out of its continuing state of crisis. They cannot claim money as a cause, because we have given them all the money they can spend and more, to be frank. We have doubled this agency's budget in 5 years, tripled it in the last 10 years, and yet it manages now to perform crisis after crisis. In the Department of Commerce, we provide full funding for the 2000 decennial census. All the money is there. Every penny that is needed by the Department of Commerce and the Bureau of the Census to conduct the decennial census is in this bill. Make no mistake. For those who have been crying all of these years for adequate funding for the decennial census, and after we had pleaded with the administration to furnish us the dollar figure of the request for a full census, only 7 weeks ago, months and months behind schedule, they finally coughed up the figure. That figure now in this bill, $4.5 billion, is an increase of $3.5 billion over current spending, no restrictions. ``Do the census. You got the money.'' In the rest of the Commerce section, we provide $3.6 billion, which is $500 million below fiscal year 1999. We include current operating levels for the National Weather Service and avert commercial service office closings overseas, which are more than offset by decreases in low priority NOAA programs and the termination of the Advanced Technology Program. Judiciary, $3.9 billion, an increase of $272 million, maintains current operating levels. State Department and the Broadcasting Board of Governors, $5.7 billion, $1.3 billion below current appropriations, including emergencies. We include $568 million, Mr. Chairman, for the costs of worldwide security improvements to our embassies, places where Americans work overseas, and we replace vulnerable embassies started in 1999 with emergency funding. We include $351 million for the third and final year of U.N. arrears, subject to authorization, the amount agreed to by the White House and Congress in the pending authorization. It abolishes two agencies, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the U.S. Information Agency. We merge them into the State Department. Most of the related agencies are frozen at 1999 levels; 141 million for the LSC; for SBA, 734 million, a $15 million increase over fiscal 1999. And we continue our emphasis on funding disaster loans, a function that SBA has continued to raid to fund salaries and expenses over the last 3 years. This is the second year we have been required to send them a message on that issue. This is the bare bones of the recommendations before my colleagues today. It is based on a freeze with reductions where we could, and increases above fiscal 1999 where needed to maintain operations of critical law enforcement and other agencies. We give no ground on the war on crime and drugs. We provide the resources to State and local law enforcement that has helped bring the violent crime rate down for 5 straight years to its lowest level since Justice began tracking in 1973. We fully fund the 2000 census. We pull our weight with respect to meeting the need for fiscal restraint and more. Mr. Chairman, this bill represents our best take on matching needs with scarce resources to do the right thing. I want to thank the ranking minority member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), who has been a very effective and a very valued partner and colleague on this bill. He has been a quick study. He is brand new on the subcommittee and brand new as ranking member, and this is a complicated bill with a lot of coverage, and he has spent a lot of late nights working getting ready for preparing to help bring this bill to the floor. I want to thank him for his good work. I also want to thank all of the members of the subcommittee: the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Taylor), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), the gentleman from California (Mr. Dixon), the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan), and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard) for all of their help and assistance. And let us take a moment to extend our deepest sympathy to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan) and his family on the loss of his father who preceded Alan, of course, as a Member of this body and on this subcommittee. Our hearts go out to Alan and all of his family, and I thank him for his valued help in preparing this bill. Finally, I want to thank my full chairman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the ranking member, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey). They have been marvelous in helping us move this bill forward. We have tried very hard to produce the best bill we possibly could within the resources we had to work with. I think it is a good bill; it is a fair bill. It is austere, but I think it is fair, and I urge all Members to support it. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.000 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.004 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.005 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.006 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.007 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH04AU99.008 Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, this is a fair rule. This rule is like practically all the other rules that have been brought before this body on an appropriations bill. This is an open rule. Offer any amendment you want. There are no limitations. The Committee on Rules says take it to the floor and let anybody on the floor say whatever they want, offer any amendment they want. So there you are. Now, what you want over here, you want to offer legislation on an appropriations bill. There are legislative committees all over this Congress, all over Capitol Hill, meeting just this moment considering legislation, authorizing programs, deauthorizing programs and the like. We do not do that on the Committee on Appropriations. Members know that. We appropriate funds. If you want to get your legislation passed, go to the appropriate committee and get it passed. I will probably vote for it. But not on an appropriations bill. That is not what we do. This is a fair rule, and I urge its immediate adoption. This bill is a major bill that is restrained beyond any bill that I have brought to the floor in my experience. We actually cut spending from current levels by $833 million, and we do maintain the critical agencies at their current levels. We do not cut the FBI, the DEA, the Weather Service. We increase the Border Patrol. But practically everything else is frozen. It is a responsible bill written under very tough spending caps that you imposed on us 3 years ago. You voted for the caps. I am here to tell you now that you have had your good time, the piper is at the door waiting to be paid, and that is this bill. It is restrained, and we had to restrain ourselves because of the caps. But if you want to legislate on my bill, I am going to oppose you. Go to the appropriate committee. Make your fight. Make your case. Bring it to the floor in the right way and we will probably pass it, but not on this bill. So I urge Members to support this fair rule. There is nothing the Committee on Rules could have done under the gentleman from California (Chairman Dreier) better than this rule I think, because it is open. It is like all the other rules. It precludes legislation, because that is what this Congress is all about. So I urge, Mr. Speaker, a strong vote for the rule, so that we can get to the bill.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this bill and commend it to the body. In his first year as chairman, our good friend the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) has done an outstanding job. He has taken the courageous approach to producing this bill, working with a lot less money than his predecessors. He compensated for that with difficult but justified decisions throughout the bill. This bill restores the public works programs of the Army Corps of Engineers, maintaining commitments between the Federal Government and communities across the Nation for flood control, navigation, and shoreline protection. The President's requested budget ignored many ongoing projects and zeroed them out, while at the same time he proposed $80 million in brand new activities. The administration adopted the practice of low-balling the annual Corps budget, leaving ongoing projects dangling and walking away from front-line responsibilities that Congress has directed and the Corps has proceeded with. We on the subcommittee have repeatedly hammered the White House for that practice because it breaks the faith between the Congress the Corps and our communities. It is an irresponsible approach to budgeting for our Nation's needs, and our constituents deserve better. Fortunately, we have the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) at the helm; and this bill goes a long way towards getting these projects back on track. The recommendation of $4.2 billion will ensure that these vital national priorities are adequately funded. In addition, Mr. Chairman, I want to speak very briefly in favor of the bill's provisions regarding wetland permitting. We have been hearing and we will hear more from the opponents on this issue claiming that the bill reduces Federal protections and allows expanded development on remaining wetland. Simply put, that accusation is false. Neither the intent nor the impact of these provisions will be harmful to the environment. With regards to the administrative appeals process, the bill's provisions merely reflect what the administration expressed support for some time ago. But despite report language in both the 1998 and 1999 bills giving the Corps the direction and the resources to implement an administrative appeals process for jurisdictional wetlands, nothing has happened. The underlying provisions in this bill in no way undermine public interest groups' rights in the appeals process. It merely gives private property owners, those most affected by the jurisdictional determination, the same rights now afforded to our environmental interest group friends. The language currently in the bill is a common-sense measure and should have been implemented by the Corps some time ago. I urge the House to support it. In closing, I will just say that the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) and his very capable staff have put together something we can all be proud of, and I would urge everyone to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 12, I was unavoidably detained for rollcall votes Nos. 277, 278, and 279. The votes were on agreeing to the day's journal, on passage of H. Con. Res. 107, and on passage of H. Con. Res. 117. If I had been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on all of these measures.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, June 23rd, I was speaking to a large group of Kentucky high school students on school violence, and was unable to arrive for rollcall vote No. 247. The vote was on passage of H. Res. 218, providing consideration for the FY 2000 Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. If I had been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained for rollcall vote No. 144, agreeing to the Senate amendment to H.R. 4, a bill declaring United States policy of the deployment of a national missile defense system. If I had been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I am a strong supporter of this legislation and voted for the original measure when the House of Representatives earlier considered it this year.

Mr. ROGERS. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 144, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I think it is pretty plain to most Americans that what is happening here is like what has been happening all year long. That side of the aisle is opposed to anything that this side of the aisle proposes. Look what they are opposing here. In this bill, there is aid for not only the military personnel of America in the Kosovo region, there is also aid to help protect our American diplomats working under extremely dangerous conditions all through the Kosovo region, all seven embassies in that region. This bill contains $70.5 million to help protect Americans working in our embassies and consulates in that region, including in Tirana, where we need a brand new embassy to try to house the Americans working there. Regarding the census. In this bill, we lift the fence off the funding for the State Department, the Commerce Department, the Federal judiciary and all their other agencies covered by the Commerce-State- Justice bill. Otherwise, those agencies will simply shut down on June 15. In this bill we simply lift the fence, let the moneys be spent, keep the Justice Department operating, keep the courts operating, keep the Commerce Department operating, keep the Federal courts, including the Supreme Court and all the Federal courts across the country, in operation. Also the Immigration and Naturalization Service says unless they get an additional $80 million, they are going to have to release onto your streets the criminal illegal aliens now being held by the INS. They are out of money. Those criminals will be released on our streets and our roads and highways throughout this country. If Members want that to happen, vote ``no'' on this bill, because we put $80 million in this bill for the INS to continue to keep in jail the criminal aliens who would otherwise roam the streets of this country. And so I urge Members to support this bill. You can find any reason to oppose it. You can find every reason to be for it.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, this week in the Nation's Capital we all stand humbled by the sacrifice of 312 brave Americans. The names of these Americans will be added to thousands of others engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The panels of the memorial wall contain the names of officers killed in the line of duty, some dating back to the 1800's. The new names will be added this week at ceremonies here in Washington--a commemoration which traditionally attracts more than 10,000 police officers and survivors of fallen officers from across the country. On the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial there are stories of gallantry, bravery, sacrifice, honor and duty. There is also the tragic story of Wayne County, Kentucky, whose citizens I represent here in the United States Congress. The families of Wayne County have the sad distinction of losing their county sheriff to violence in late 1946, only to see his successor also shot down in cold blood over two years later. It's a tragedy made even more difficult with the knowledge that these two fine public servants, these two brave law officers, were also brothers. Joseph Gibson was elected Wayne County Sheriff in 1945 by one of the largest majorities ever bestowed on a county official at that time. Elected while in his early 60's, Sheriff Joseph Gibson was noted for his fairness and determination. It was this determination which led Sheriff Joseph Gibson to his death: a dogged search for a fugitive ultimately led him into the path of a waiting sniper. His death on December 22, 1946, marked the first time a sheriff had been killed in the line of duty in the 146 year history of Wayne County. Joseph Gibson's younger brother, Everett, took up the responsibility of chief law officer for Wayne County. Right after being sworn into office, Sheriff Everett Gibson continued his brother's work of seeking out bootleggers and destroying their stills. On July 25, 1949, Sheriff Everett Gibson and Deputy Bill Sexton were investigating reports of an illegal still when they were ambushed. Sheriff Everett Gibson was shot dead on the spot, but Deputy Sexton, although wounded, escaped. He recovered from his injuries and testified at the trial that convicted the killer and his accomplices. Reporter Mitchell Gregory told the story of Sheriff Joseph Gibson and Sheriff Everett Gibson this past Wednesday, May 12th, in the Wayne County Outlook newspaper of Monticello, Kentucky. I have been encouraged by Outlook editor Melodie Phelps to include the full text of that article in the Record and ask for it to be printed at the conclusion of these remarks. I want to extend my congratulations to retired police officer Mark Byers, whose determination resulted in the names of Sheriff Joseph Gibson and Sheriff Everett Gibson being included among the names of the other brave men and women listed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. [Wayne County (KY) Outlook, May 12, 1999] Former Gibson Brother Sheriffs To Be Honored (By Mitchell Gregory) Editor's Note.--Names of the men accused in these deaths have been omitted and are only identified by initials. These events happened nearly half a century ago, and we did not write this article with the intention of dredging up hurtful memories for family members who may still reside in Wayne County. This article was written in honor of the two sheriffs who will receive recognition this week. The late 1940's were trying times for law-abiding citizens in Wayne County. It was sorrowful times for the Gibson family, who lost two brothers who were slain while honoring their oath to uphold the law and provide security for the county they served. This week in Washington, D.C. those brothers, Joseph and Everett Gibson, will be commemorated for their service to their profession and the stance they made which ultimately cost them their lives. The two will be included on the Police Memorial Wall in the nation's capitol during a ceremony on Saturday, May 15. The Outlook was contacted several weeks ago by Mark Byers, a retired police officer who is a relative of the Gibson family. Byers was the one who noticed the omission of the Gibson brothers on the Memorial Wall and set the wheels in motion for their inclusion. Joseph and Everett were sons of John and Belle Frogge Gibson. They both attended local schools and lived in Wayne County most all of their lives. Joseph was the oldest of the two, a poultry and fur business man. Everett was a farmer most of his life before finishing the term of his elder brother. According to a 1946 Wayne County Outlook article, ``he (Joseph) was elected Sheriff of the county at the November election in 1945 by one of the largest majorities ever given a county official (at that point.)'' It seemed Gibson, who was in his early 60's, was a very well-liked politician in the county, even by the man who took his life on December 22, 1946. In fact, according to testimony from the murder trial, the accused had gone on a fugitive search with the sheriff prior to the shooting incident. The accused was D.M., who was 28 years old at the time. He would eventually spend the rest of his life behind bars, though it took quite some time for this decision to be rendered. Court proceedings were held at the Monticello National Guard Armory where a jury sentenced him to death by the electric chair at Eddyville. Attorneys for the accused, however, requested a change of venue. The trial was moved to Fayette County but the jury there issued the same sentence. The Kentucky Court of Appeals, however, disagreed and said that the proceedings in Fayette County were too far away from Wayne County. Finally, the lasting decision came from a Pulaski County jury which ordered D.M. to life in prison. It was Sunday night in December when the shooting occurred. Joseph Gibson and his family were getting ready for church, recalled Brook Gibson, son of the late sheriff. D.M.'s mother came to their home and said her son was drunk. Brook Gibson, who was 28 years old at the time, offered to go with his father to investigate, but Joseph Gibson told his son to go on to church. By the time the service was over, news was spreading around town that the sheriff had been killed. Following is part of The Outloook's account of that night. Gibson and Chief of Police Charles Back responded to the call which led them to what was known as the Sheep Lot area of Monticello. Back arrested M.T. and took him to jail. Sheriff Gibson captured J.T. and the two proceeded to look for D.M. when they heard a voice say, ``Is that you, Joe?'' According to testimony, Gibson replied ``Yes, is that you. (D.M.)?'' A shot was then fired from the home. Chief Back went back to Sheep Lot to aid Gibson, whom he could not find. ``So he returned to town and picked up Policeman Wiley Gregory and returned and soon located Mr. Gibson's body lying in an alleyway,'' the news article stated. The two police officers pursued D.M. who later fired at them from horseback. ``The charge struck the ground between the men,'' The Outlook reported. The accused was apprehended, taken to jail, and interrogated the rest of the day. When apprehended, he was in possession of a box of .22 caliber cartridges. The Outlook article continued, ``Investigating officers reported they found a discharged .22 caliber cartridge shell inside the home near the window from which J.T. said the fatal shot was fired. A .22 caliber bolt action rifle believed to have been the murder weapon was found at the home of (the accused's brother-in-law) who resided next door, the brother-in-law told the officers the gun belonged to him, but D.M. had borrowed it several times recently and that he had seen it in D.M.'s home earlier in the day.'' On the stand, D.M. responded to his accusations. The Outlook paraphrased the testimony as so: ``He said he carried a shotgun because he had helped the sheriff search for L.C., whom he identified as an escaped convict, and who, he said, had been hiding in nearby woods. He said he had been told that L.C. was mad at him. He said he didn't know the sheriff had been killed until he was removed from the City Jail to the County Jail. Several .22 rifle shells found in his pockets were explained by D.M. his business as a hog- killer. He said he started borrowing a rifle from his brother-in-law last November.'' The defense had anticipated testimony that would provide D.M. with an alibi. J.C. was going to testify that he and D.M. ``were together at the time of the shooting, several hundred yards from where it took place,'' according to an old newspaper article report. J.C. did not show up in court. A state witness later testified that D.M. had said he ``took a crack at Joe Gibson.'' There were over 100 witnesses in the trial. In the 146 year history of Wayne County, this marked the first time a sheriff had been killed in the line of duty. But it would not be the last. Joseph's younger brother, Everett, took on the responsibility of Wayne County Sheriff and served the people until he was killed on July 25, 1949. ``Everett came in and took dad's place,'' said Brook Gibson. Everett continued the term as his brother had before, seeking out and apprehending bootleggers and crushing stills. In the February 24, 1949 Outlook, an article reported, Sheriff E.M. Gibson and Chief of Police Russell Hill made a raid on the Shady Nook Service Station and arrested two men. The officers confiscated 17 cases of beer, one case of whiskey, and an automobile. A previous raid there the month before had netted 37 cases of beer and ten pints of whiskey. On July 25, Sheriff Everett Gibson and Deputy Bill Sexton traveled toward Murl to investigate reports of a still. ``When they entered a clearing where the still was located, they were fired on,'' reported The Outlook. Gibson was hit three times, dying instantly, according to the article. Sexton was also hit three times but, ``made his escape and got to the road where he was picked up and brought to town and then taken to the Somerset Hospital,'' the newspaper stated. Sexton recovered from his injuries. Three men were indicted by Wayne Circuit Court and charged with murder, according to an August 1949 article. The men pled not guilty and asked for a change of venue, which they were granted. The trial was moved to Lincoln County. In Stanford, H. R. was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. The other two were convicted of manslaughter. Brook Gibson said he was not aware that this father and uncle were omitted from the police memorial, until he was contacted by Byers several months ago. Byers sent Gibson paperwork that needed to be completed to include the brothers in the memorial. ``It's a nice gesture,'' said Gibson. ``I think they deserve recognition the same as any veterans that were serving their countries.''

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, we in the House of Representatives are in the midst of celebrating the 15th annual Public Service Recognition Week sponsored by the Public Employees Roundtable. This week--in ceremonies on the National Mall here in Washington and in communities all across America--we pay tribute to the inspiring work of countless public servants who give of themselves to make this Nation a better place. I am proud to recognize one such pubic servant today. Mr. Walter D. ``Dee'' Dalton of Somerset, KY, is currently the District Manager of the Social Security Administration office in Somerset. During this 25 years of dedicated service to the agency he has earned the admiration of his coworkers and the gratitude of thousands of his neighbors for his effectiveness. His career with the Social Security Administration is an inspiration to all Americans and is a sterling example of what public service is all about. Mr. Dalton's career has been built around a single idea: that reaching out and helping one's neighbors is still a noble undertaking. In the Pulaski, Wayne and Clinton County area, thousands of citizens can testify to the fair and efficient service they receive from Mr. Dalton and the staff of the Somerset Social Security Office. This compassion for neighbors, combined with his dedicated and effective leadership, have built a solid reputation for the office that is well known across Kentucky and the entire agency. Born in nearby Monticello, KY, Walter D. ``Dee'' Dalton earned a bachelor's degree in business from Campbellsville College in Taylor County, KY. The majority of his career has been in service to the Somerset office of the Social Security Administration. More than 19,000 of the citizens I represent rely upon Mr. Dalton and his fine staff of 14 for the timely administration of their Social Security benefits. More than 6,300 Kentuckians who rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) also depend upon the hard work of the employees of the Somerset Social Security office. This fine tradition of neighbor helping neighbor is why I believe Mr. Dalton is a fine example of the Federal employee we recognize during National Public Service Recognition Week. Countless citizens join me in saluting Walter D. ``Dee'' Dalton. We all share the pride of his wife, Clorenda, and their two children, 17- year-old Rachel and 9-year-old Chip. I join his family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors in saluting him for his career of public service. We thank him for his dedication, his hard work, and his commitment to make our region of Kentucky a better place to live.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I want to commend our colleague, the gentleman from the Second District of Kentucky (Mr. Ron Lewis) for offering this legislation. His predecessor in the Second District, Bill Natcher, most all of us served with here in this great body, and knew him and knew him to be the epitome of rectitude and the very model of what a U.S. Congressman ought to be. Bill Natcher was a combined Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken. He was the Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken of Congress. Forty-one years of service in this body. As has been mentioned, he holds the record for consecutive votes cast, 18,401 over that 41 years of service, never having missed a single vote, a record that I am going to say never will be matched. It is technically possible but not very likely. But Bill Natcher, as we all know, was more than a consecutive voting streak; he was a patriot and a statesman. He was a man of the highest character. He prided himself in dutifully serving his district, his great Kentucky, and the Nation. As has been mentioned, he was a very long time member of the Committee on Appropriations. He served for 18 years as the chairman of the District of Columbia Subcommittee, 18 years, and during that time became known as the mayor of Washington. In those days, the chairman of that subcommittee held great sway in the running of this city. And then, of course, we know he served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and that is where he really made his mark. His tenure was marked by a strong commitment to programs that benefitted the general welfare of our population. He was a man of commitment. I am going to quote him here. He said, ``I have always believed that if you take care of the health of your people and educate your children, you continue living in the strongest country in the world.'' In 1992, at the age of 83, he ascended to become chairman of the full Committee on Appropriations. He liked to laughingly say that he had sat next to the chairman waiting to assume the seat for some, I think, 25 years, Jamie Whitten. And finally, in 1992, he assumed that chair. He continued his reputation as a fair and responsible lawmaker. Bill Natcher's contributions to this country, to Kentucky, and to this body were so many, we never may fully appreciate all that he did and meant to all of us. But one contribution that will certainly be appreciated by the residents of the Second District of Kentucky is that bridge extending over the Ohio River into Indiana. Methodically Bill Natcher labored to erect that bridge for his constituents and for the betterment of the State, and it was unable to be finished, of course, during his lifetime, unfortunately. But the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lewis) has taken up the task, and he has persistently fought to get the money and the authorization and the wherewithal to finish what bill Natcher had begun. I want to commend the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lewis), Bill Natcher's very worthy successor, for continuing Bill Natcher's legacy and diligently working for the people of that great district and especially to finish the construction on this bridge, and now to name that bridge the William H. Natcher Bridge, something that all of us will be proud of until the day we die and our kids will continue believing is worthy of that name for many, many decades to come. It will be a daily reminder to Bill Natcher's former beloved constituents of his tremendous service to our Nation. This is a fitting tribute to Kentucky's former dean, and I am honored to urge support unanimously of this measure.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, on March 2, 1999 I was unavoidably detained and was not present for roll votes #29 and #30. Had I been present, I would have voted aye on roll call vote #29 and aye on roll call vote #30.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 41, the Mass Immigration Reduction Act.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the judiciary, and related agencies, the conference agreement provides a total of $33.7 billion, which includes: $27.6 billion in discretionary funding, $5.5 billion in crime trust funds, and $600 million in mandatory funding. As in the House-passed bill, aside from the ramp up for the 2000 census, the major increases are for the Department of Justice, to press forward on our number one domestic priority--fighting crime and drugs, strengthening our borders, and protecting against terrorism. The conference agreement provides $18.2 billion for Justice, an increase of $450 million over fiscal year 1998. The conference agreement retains the House priority on State and local law enforcement, by providing $4.85 billion including: full restoration of local law enforcement block grant at $523 million; full restoration of the juvenile accountability block grant at $250 million; a significant increase for juvenile crime prevention to $285 million, $47 million over fiscal year 1998; an $1.4 billion for the COPS Program, including $180 million for special initiatives. Other items in the Justice Department include: An increase of $111 million over fiscal year 1998 for the war on drugs; $283 million for the Violence Against Women Act programs; $2.46 billion for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, under two new accounts, including a $40 million interior enforcement initiative, similar to what was included in the House bill; and $145 million in new funding for counterterrorism measures, including $125 million for equipment grants and training for state and local first responders. For the Department of Commerce, the bill includes $5 billion, including $1,031 billion for the decennial census, $75 million over the House-passed level, to assure preparations for an actual enumeration. For the Department of State, and related agencies, the conference agreement includes $5.5 billion, including $475 million for U.N. arrearages, subject to authorization. For related agencies, the conference agreement includes $300 million for the Legal Services Corporation, and $76 million for SBA disaster loans, with additional funds for disasters provided elsewhere in the bill. While the conference agreement includes full year appropriations for all agencies, it also includes a provision cutting off funding on June 15. This, in my view, is a very problematic provision. It was inserted as part of the current resolution of the census debate, and holds all agencies, not just the decennial census, hostage to future debate on the conduct of the 2000 census. This, in my view, is a serious mistake. All of the programs in this bill, such as the Supreme Court, the rest of the Federal courts, the Department of Justice, the FBI, the INS, the DEA, the State Department embassies abroad, and loans to small businesses, could be shut down over a political dispute between the Congress and the administration over how to conduct the census. I cannot believe the administration insisted on this provision, and I cannot believe that the administration wants to hold open the possibility of shutting down these vital functions of government as leverage for its position on the census, that has been rejected by two district courts. I believe this provision is not defensible, and the blame lays squarely on the shoulders of the White House. The conference agreement also includes a provision that makes all Government attorneys subject to the ethics rules of State attorneys, effective 180 days after enactment of this bill. The 180 day delay of the effective date is intended to allow the Department of Justice sufficient time to express any concerns it may have to the Congress about the application of the legislation. The Department of Justice has expressed a desire for the Congress to ask the Department to submit legislative language authorizing the Department to develop and enforce a code of ethics to cover the conduct of its own attorneys. Of course, the Department is free to submit such legislation to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees for their consideration. In other parts of this omnibus bill, the conference agreement includes a number of provisions that relate to the programs covered by the Commerce, Justice, State, and judiciary appropriations bill. These include: $1.4 billion in emergency funding for the State Department and the FBI to respond to the recent terrorist embassy bombings in Africa, including major upgrades of security at U.S. missions around the world. $101 million in emergency funding for SBA disaster loans and administrative expenses in response to increased requirements due to Hurricane Georges and other natural disasters. $20.2 million for additional emergency funding for anti-drug programs of the DEA and INS; $30 million and authorization language for a pollock fishing buy out program; $5 million in emergency funding for the New England multi-species ground fishery; $2 million and authorization language for a Trade Deficit Review Commission; portions of the State Department reauthorization legislation, dealing with the merger of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the United States Information Agency with the State Department, and providing authorizations and other changes in legislative authority with respect to these three agencies; the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act, as passed by the Senate; the Internet Tax Freedom Act, the Child On-line Protection Act; the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act, relating to temporary foreign professional workers; reauthorization of the Police Corps; and several authorizations relating to anti-drug programs.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana.

Mr. ROGERS. What we should do is fund the entire year of this bill for all of these agencies, keep them going, not hold them hostage to this fight over the census; fund the decennial census only for the half year, until the courts have time to decide the constitutionality of sampling, until the test projects that are going on around the country right now on sampling can take place and we will see the results by March; until the advisory committee this Congress set up to supervise the census has time to report to us in February. By March, the courts will have decided, the advisory committee will have reported and the pilot projects will be completed and we will know whether or not sampling is a good idea, constitutional and so forth.

Mr. ROGERS. I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana.

Mr. ROGERS. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding to me. Madam Speaker, we passed the Commerce, Justice appropriations for the State Department, the Commerce Department, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies through this body, through the Senate, for the full year. We fenced in the last half of the year's funding for the decennial census until the Federal courts could decide whether or not it is legal to do sampling. I will tell my colleagues what is going on in that room right back there where they are negotiating this budget deal. The President is insisting that we not fund all of these agencies in the bill for the last half of the year. In March, all of these agencies would shutdown if the President prevails. What does that mean? It means that the Bureau of Prisons will shut down. Do we turn the prisoners loose? It means the National Weather Service will go out of business. Do we want to know what our weather will be tomorrow? Do not watch television. National Weather Service is shut down. It means the Justice Department would be shut down. The FBI would be closed. The laboratories that test bullets from all over the country for local police departments shut down, closed by the President's decree. It means the State Department and all of the embassies worldwide keeping the peace in the world would be shut down by the President's decree on March 15 if he prevails back there in that room. That is what is going on. Why are they insisting upon this? So they can have their way on the frivolous idea of sampling the census for the decennial census. Yesterday, I received a letter from the Federal Judicial Conference, over which the Chief Justice presides. In the letter, it says that this has a dangerous incursion into perhaps intimidation of the Judicial Branch of government, of the very Court that will eventually decide sampling and its constitutionality. The Supreme Court itself would be shut down in March if the President has his way. All of the Federal courts would be shut down. The U.S. Marshals would be shut down. The drug war would be shut down if the President had his way back there in that room this very minute. I say that is outrageous. It is unconscionable. It is unconstitutional, in my judgment, and it is an attempt to intimidate the United States Supreme Court on the very makeup of this body. I say that is outrageous. It is unacceptable and should be whisked away like the dirt on the floor.

Mr. ROGERS. That was the plan, the gentleman is correct, that this House passed, and now we hit this brick wall of the White House saying, no, siree, we are going to shut the government down until we get our way on the census.

Mr. ROGERS

Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, on the evening of Tuesday, October 13, the people of Johnson County, Kentucky, are coming together to pay tribute to Frank ``Hylo'' Brown, an old-time bluegrass singer and songwriter from River, Kentucky, in Johnson County, who has inspired bluegrass and country music lovers for decades. A talented inspiring musician, young Frank Brown was born in River in 1922. He earned the nickname of ``Hylo'' because of his incredible vocal range, but it was his compassion and insight as a human being and a musician that have earned him the respect and admiration of those who know him and his music. Despite being a success on the bluegrass music circuit, he has always remembered where he came from--a small town called River, a one-room school house, and a coal miner's heritage. Even today, fans still come by the old home place where Hylo currently lives to see his collection of memorabilia from over 50 years of writing and performing. Hylo once said, ``I never set the world on fire, but I made a living.'' To the people who know him, he did a lot more than that. That is why the people of Paintsville and Johnson County are paying tribute to Hylo, commending him for over 50 years of bringing music into our homes and our hearts; being a Legendary Bluegrass Balladeer; the loyalty he has shown to Johnson County and the people of eastern Kentucky; and the kindness and consideration he has shown his fellow performers. Hylo Brown has not only earned the right to have his name forever placed alongside the U.S. 23 Country Music Highway, in eastern Kentucky, but he has earned our respect and admiration--not just because of the joy of his music has brought us over the years, but because of the good, decent man he has been to all those he has known throughout his life. I commend Hylo Brown, and I commend the people of Paintsville and Johnson County for recognizing his accomplishments.