Thomas Reynolds

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, because this rule is so fair, we want to continue to allow the debate even though we have taken warning of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest), chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, that we will see some of that debate tomorrow. I am sure it will spill over in some of our rule today, but we will continue on the debate. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan) for 2 minutes.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 294 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this fair rule and the underlying bill, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of the resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. House Resolution 294 provides for the consideration of H.R. 1402, a bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to implement the Class I milk price structure noted and known as Option 1-A. The Committee on Rules met last week and granted a structured rule for H.R. 1402. This is a fair and balanced measure. The Committee heard testimony from numerous witnesses and considered 39 amendments. Members offering amendments were able to combine similar amendments and the committee made a total of 9 in order. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate to be equally divided by the chairman and the ranking minority member on the Committee on Agriculture. The rule waives clause 3 of rule XIII, requiring the inclusion in the report of a CBO cost estimate and a statement on certain budget matters if the measure includes new budget or entitlement authority, and section 308A of the Congressional Budget Act requiring a Congressional Budget Office estimate in the committee report on any legislation containing new budget authority against consideration of the bill. The rule makes in order the Committee on Agriculture amendment in the nature of a substitute as an original bill for purpose of amendment, modified by the amendments printed in part A in the report on the Committee on Rules accompanying the resolution. Those amendments fix the budget problem. With the amendment, the bill actually saves money as opposed to spending it. The rule further provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute be considered as read and waives clause 7 of rule XVI, prohibiting nongermane amendments against the amendment in the nature of a substitute. The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in part B of the Committee on Rules report accompanying the resolution. In addition, the rule provides that amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, except as specified in the report, and shall not be subject to a demand for revision of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The rule waives all points of order against the amendments printed in the report. Additionally, the rule permits the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone votes during consideration of the bill, and to reduce voting time to 5 minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a 15-minute vote. Finally, the rule allows one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Madam Speaker, during an address in Peoria, Illinois, President Dwight Eisenhower remarked that ``farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you are a thousand miles from the cornfield.'' And so it is with the business of America's dairy farms. With images of athletes and celebrities donning milk mustaches, and an abundance of dairy products at the neighborhood grocer, it is easy for us far removed from the farm to forget the plight of the farmer. Madam Speaker, H.R. 1402 is a critical measure that targets a unique market: our Nation's independent and family-owned dairy farms. Unlike other businesses that have the flexibility to get the best prices for their product, dairy farmers cannot stop milking cows if the price of raw milk suddenly drops. They must sell their product at the going price. Further, they are unique in a volatile market because they produce an extremely perishable product. As President Kennedy once remarked, ``The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything he buys at retail, sells everything he sells at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways.'' And as the son of an agri-businessman, having represented vast family farmlands throughout my career, and having grown up and around the farm and the dairy industry, I know how true President Kennedy's words ring, even today. That is why Congress carefully crafted the Freedom to Farm bill in 1996. While this law set many important provisions in place, it did not strictly define consolidating milk orders. Subsequently, the administration proposed two options, and then opted for one that the majority in the House and Senate and the vast majority of the dairy community opposed. Congress and the dairy community support Option 1A. This Class 1 pricing option is based on sound economic analysis by the USDA Price Structure Committee. Among other factors, it takes into account transportation costs for moving fluid milk, and the costs of producing and marketing milk. Option 1A is currently the best alternative for our Nation's family dairy farms. This plan reforms the Federal Order system through a variety of means that include consolidating the 31 current Orders into 11, including previously unregulated areas into the plan, and reclassifying milk products. In addition, by keeping in place price differentials, a system that has proven effective over many years, Option 1A diminishes market volatility and ensures that there will continue to be plenty of fresh milk in all markets of this country. Our Nation's family-owned dairy farms are in a crisis. In New York alone, our State has seen a dramatic decrease in the number of dairy farmers and cows. From 1997 to 1997, the number of dairy farms decreased by 41 percent, and the number of cows by 15 percent. Other areas of the United States have seen a similar decline, which takes away both a way of life that dates back to the birth of our Nation, and hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide. H.R. 1402 will go a long way towards fixing the current pricing inequity. In fact, this bill is critical for the long-term viability of dairy farming in most States, including my own State of New York, which is the third largest dairy State in the country. In New York, I represent Wyoming County, a community rich in agricultural history, and our State's most productive dairy county. Further, Option 1A does not economically discriminate against one or more milk-producing regions of the country to benefit another. It is based on factors that recognize the importance and value of having fresh supplies of milk produced locally. Our great Nation has a long tradition in family-owned businesses, especially in agriculture. America's independent and family-owned farms give our Nation the unique ability to provide for the needs of our people. In order to maintain and allow the dairy industry and family-owned dairy farms to grow, we need to enact Option 1A. More than 250 years ago, George Washington wrote, ``I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture.'' Madam Speaker, by adopting this rule and its underlying bill, we can improve our Nation's agriculture and the lives of our men and women of America's dairy farms. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Agriculture.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Green).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Green).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, will the Chair please inform me how much time is remaining on both sides.

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, last Friday a ``Dear Colleague'' letter was sent to all Members informing them that the Committee on Rules is planning to meet this week to grant a rule for the consideration of H.R. 2506, the Health Research and Quality Act of 1999. The Committee on Rules may grant a rule which would require that amendments be preprinted in the Congressional Record. In this case, amendments must be preprinted prior to consideration of the bill on the floor. Amendments should be drafted to the version of the bill reported by the Committee on Commerce. Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure their amendments are properly drafted and should check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain that their amendments comply with the Rules of the House.

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 43 years of combined service of Robert and Linda Barnes to Springville Elementary School. Bob and Linda retired from the Springville Griffith Institute School earlier this year, marking the first time in more than two decades neither was there to greet incoming students at the onset of the school year. Bob served as Principal of Springville Elementary School since 1976. His wife, Linda, has been secretary since 1979. They were married in 1983. Mr. Speaker, from parental feedback to standardized test scores, Springville Elementary School has thrived under the Barnes' leadership, ability and devotion. Ninety-eight percent of the students read at levels above the state average; and the majority of second and fourth graders place in the 60th to 80th percentile of the Stanford Achievement Tests. American historian and writer Henry Adams once noted that ``a teacher affects eternity; he can never tell when his influence stops.'' For Bob and Linda Barnes, the lives they've touched over their years at Springville Elementary School will ensure that their influence carries on far into the future. But it's not just the children of the Springville community that have benefited from the Barnes' time and talents. Whether the Chamber of Commerce, the Salem Lutheran Church, the Concord Republican Committee, or countless other civic and community activities and organizations, Bob and Linda have always been there to provide a helping hand to their neighbors. While I'm proud to honor the contributions of Bob and Linda Barnes both to the Springville Elementary School and their community, I'm also honored that they are among my closest and dearest friends. For many years we were next door neighbors, and through morning coffees and late-night conversations, I know how deeply Bob and Linda care about the children of the Springville community, and how sorely they will be missed. Mr. Speaker, I ask that this Congress join me in saluting Bob and Linda Barnes for their years of service to Springville Elementary School; and in wishing them great health and happiness in their retirement.

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, a ``dear colleague'' letter will be delivered to each Member's office today notifying them of the plan by the Committee on Rules to meet the week of September 13 to grant a rule which may limit the amendment process on H.R. 1402, Consolidation of Milk Marketing Orders. Any Member who wishes to offer an amendment should submit 55 copies and a brief explanation of the amendment by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 14, to the Committee on Rules in Room H-312 in the Capitol. Amendments should be drafted to the text of the bill as reported by the Committee on Agriculture. Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are properly drafted and should check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the Rules of the House.

Mr. REYNOLDS

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hutchinson).

Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 281 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of the resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 281 provides for the consideration of House Resolution 180, a concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the President should not have granted clemency to convicted terrorists of the Armed Forces of the National Liberation, the FALN. Last night the Committee on Rules held an emergency meeting to provide for suspension days on Thursday, September 9, and Friday, September 10, in order that the Congress be allowed to quickly respond to recent presidential action. Mr. Speaker, this is a very short legislative week. Members of Congress just returned from meeting with their constituents during their August work period and honoring our Nation's workforce on Labor Day. In addition, Congress cannot extend the legislative week in respect to Rosh Hashanah. Therefore, the resolution will be considered under the suspension of the rules in order to accommodate the measure in this very short legislative week. Furthermore, the suspension process is normally used to consider such bipartisan measures. The rule provides that it shall be in order at any time on Thursday, September 9, 1999, or Friday, September 10, 1999, for the Speaker to entertain a motion that the House suspend the rules and adopt a concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 180, expressing the sense of Congress that the President should not have granted clemency to these terrorists. Mr. Speaker, on April 14, 1986, the United States military forces bombed the headquarters and terrorist facilities of Libyan strongman Mu'ammar Qadhafi. The strikes were ordered in retaliation for a cowardly act of terrorism that left two dead, including Sergeant Kenneth Ford, and 230 wounded, including 50 American military personnel. In announcing the air strikes, President Ronald Reagan said, ``Those who remember history understand better than most that there is no security, no safety, in the appeasement of evil. It must be the core of Western policy that there be no sanctuary for terror.'' Yet we are here today because sanctuary has been offered to convicted terrorists. And make no mistake about that. The 16 Members of the FALN, duly tried and convicted, have not been imprisoned because of their political beliefs. They have been jailed because their reign of terror left six dead and dozens more permanently maimed, including members of our law enforcement community. FALN has claimed responsibility for 130 bombings of civilian, political and military sites; and according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, they are prepared to strike again. Why, then, would President Clinton offer them clemency? Why should they be released from prison? Not one of these terrorists contested the evidence against them. None showed remorse. In fact, in the years since their conviction for numerous felonies, including conspiracy, not a single one asked for clemency. Much has been written and said about President Clinton's reasons for making this offer of clemency. I will leave those discussions to the pundits and to the commentators. But I will say this: this action is more than misguided, it is more than wrong, it is a very real threat to the safety and security of the American people. Of course, their release is not without conditions. They needed to renounce violence. After almost a month, with the clock ticking, they finally agreed. Isn't something very, very wrong, when someone needs to be coerced and cajoled to renounce violence? Mr. Speaker, not a single act of terrorism has been attributed to the FALN since these individuals were jailed. Why then should the power of the presidency be used to give them the freedom to renew their reign of fear and terror? This House, this Congress and this Nation have been engaged in a great debate over how to best ensure the safety and security of our homes, our neighborhoods and our schools. During the course of that debate, President Clinton himself said that our responsibility is ``not only to give our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families, but to intensify our resolve to make America a safer place.'' Mr. Speaker, we can make America a safer place, and we can start by keeping criminals off our streets and terrorists behind bars. I urge the adoption of this rule and its underlying resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella). (Mr. FOSSELLA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman). (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley).