Martin Sabo

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. That is very crucial for 2 reasons: one, so that the residents have some advance knowledge that their status may change, and also so the local governments may know that the status of buildings are going to change so that there is some potential for negotiating, maybe even negotiating change of ownership. And I had one big project where they were able to work out a nonprofit ownership of a building where the owner wanted to refinance so they could continue as low-income housing. And so I just think this is a very important amendment, and let me add that it is one part of dealing with what is a growing problem in our country, and that is the lack of affordable housing. Clearly the expansion of vouchers helps, and I strongly support the Stokes amendment to add more vouchers. But we have a problem that goes beyond that in our area in Minnesota, and that is that we have very, very low vacancy rates, and the problem is that people lose their vouchers, and there is no place to go. We desperately in this country need to build more housing that is available for low-income people. The vouchers are good, but, if there is no housing to use them with, they fail their purpose. And so we really need to be fair to local governments, to residents, to have the kind of notice that my friend, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Vento), is suggesting, but we also need more vouchers for people who have low income, but we also need to get serious about producing more housing that is available for low-income families in this country. It is a problem that exists not only in our urban area, but in most rural parts of our State. So I thank the gentleman for his very good amendment. I understand the procedural problems we have today, but I would urge the subcommittee to look kindly on such a proposal in conference.

Mr. SABO. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would yield, my understanding is that one of the things that helps remedy the situation are the so-called sticky vouchers which can be used where these projects are converted.

Mr. SABO. My understanding is that under this bill sticky vouchers can be used for renewal after the first year.

Mr. SABO. Mr. Chairman, I think our history has been that whatever problems exist nationally have not existed in most of these projects and programs in our State, and they worked very well. They provided very good housing, and are widely used, and people who live there like them and would like to be able to stay. At some point I would like to ask the chairman of the subcommittee a question, and I am not sure if it is appropriate.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce a resolution to grant honorary United States citizenship to the Norse navigator and explorer, Leif Ericson. Leif Ericson played a vital role in the European discovery of our continent. It is a role that, over the years, has not been widely recognized. Within the past 30 years, new historical evidence has surfaced to show that Leif Ericson landed in North America around 1000 A.D., almost 500 years prior to Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World. Leif Ericson was born around 970 A.D. in Greenland, son of the famous warrior, explorer, and discoverer of Greenland, ``Eric the Red.'' There are two traditional accounts of Leif Ericson's discovery of America. However, the one that is best upheld by recent evidence states that a contemporary of Leif's, Bjarni Herjolfsson, chanced upon America after drifting off course. Bjarni did not land in the New World, but upon his return to Greenland, he described his course to Leif. Following Herjolfsson's course, Leif later landed in North America. He named the new land ``Vinland,'' after the plentiful supply of grapes he found there. He built a small settlement and spent the winter in Vinland before he returned to Greenland. At the end of his career, Leif Ericson settled on his father's estate in Brattahlid, Greenland, where he lived until he died. It is rumored that he is buried in an unmarked grave in the Brattahlid cemetery. I offer this resolution as a tribute to the pioneering spirit of Leif Ericson, and as a symbol of the virtues of courage and perseverance we all must embody in order to accomplish our goals. I also offer this resolution in recognition of the Leif Ericson Millennium Committee (LEMC), a non-profit organization whose founder and president, Ivar Christensen, has devoted his life to gaining recognition of Leif Ericson's voyage and Viking settlements in North America around 1000 A.D. Since its inception, the LEMC has enlisted several Honorary Members, established a ``working'' Board of Directors, trademarked a logo, gathered preliminary information on Viking Celebrations throughout North America, and is now planning how to realize the objectives for the Millennium Celebration. Finally, I also offer this resolution to honor all Americans of Scandinavian descent. For generations, they have proven themselves brave and loyal Americans, carrying on the tradition of courage and exploration started by their Norse ancestors, including Leif Ericson. It is only appropriate that we recognize the importance of Leif Ericson by making him an honorary citizen of the United States, a small tribute for his contributions to our society.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Project for Pride in Living (PPL), a nonprofit development organization in my home district that has been recently recognized by the Fannie Mae Foundation for its very successful, multi-faceted approach in the fight against poverty. Project for Pride in Living was originally established in Minneapolis in 1972 to buy and rehabilitate rundown, inner-city houses. It has grown considerably over the years to address poverty issues on a variety of fronts. PPL now provides affordable rental and ownership housing opportunities, job training through direct employment, employment education and placement, youth development, neighborhood security, and support services. PPL has been a strong and effective agent for economic stabilization and community building in neighborhoods throughout the Twin Cities, but especially in the Phillips neighborhood. It has built or renovated more than 900 single-family and multifamily units. PPL's Self-Sufficiency Program and employment and training initiatives have helped several thousand people. In 1996 alone, 509 families participated in the Self- Sufficiency Program, by obtaining help to find jobs, to stabilize their finances and housing situations, and to make positive changes in behavior, attitudes, and school performance. On May 19, 1998, the Fannie Mae Foundation presented a Maxwell Sustained Excellence Award to Project for Pride in Living. This award is given to community-based nonprofit organizations demonstrating the best examples of sustained creation and management of communities and neighborhoods. PPL was one of ten award winners this year, selected from a pool of 160 applicants from across the United States. All ten awardees have a history of building and sustaining communities, with housing being the lead component of their efforts. As a Maxwell Sustained Excellence Award winner, PPL will receive a three-year grant of $150,000 to further organizational development, and a three-year, $250,000 Community and Neighborhood Development Fund (CNDF) loan. PPL will invest the grant in activities to increase its capacity to develop and manage housing, including upgrading technology, establishing an internal pre-development fund, and enhancing staff development and training. The CNDF loan will provide construction financing for the production of 24 single-family homes. I salute Project for Pride in Living for receiving Fannie Mae's distinguished Sustained Excellence Award. It is a remarkable honor for a truly deserving organization.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Madam Chairman, is this a request for a rollcall vote on an amendment which passed without dissent?

Mr. SABO. Madam Chairman, the amendment was accepted by all the managers of the bill without dissent?

Mr. SABO. Maybe we should vote ``no.'' Recorded Vote

Mr. SABO. Madam Chairman, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deep condolences to the people of Guatemala on the brutal murder of Bishop Juan Jose Gerardi on April 26th. Bishop Gerardi played a leading role in establishing and directing the Catholic church's human rights office in Guatemala. Just two days before his death, his office made public its report, entitled ``Guatemala: Never More,'' which documented over 55,000 instances of violence and human rights violations in that country's 36-year civil war. His death reminds us that despite the strides Guatemala has made since peace accords were signed in December 1996, the process of building peace, reconciliation and respect for human rights remains fragile. For that reason, I have joined several of my colleagues in writing a letter to President Arzu of Guatemala expressing our condolences on the death of Bishop Gerardi and urging him to maintain a clear and strong commitment to implement the peace accords. Bishop Gerardi was truly a martyr to the cause of truth. The best way that we in the Congress can honor his memory is to pass the Human Rights Information Act, H.R. 2635, which would require all federal agencies charged with the conduct of foreign policy to declassify and disclose records on human rights violations in Guatemala and Honduras after 1944. The survivors of human rights violations in these countries, and the relatives of those who did not survive, have a right to know the truth. If we are serious about our commitment to democracy, peace and human rights in Central America, then we should do no less.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2807, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Product Labeling Act. This bill is a key bipartisan step to protect two of our planet's most precious and endangered animals--rhinos and tigers. Rhinos and tigers are coming perilously close to extinction in the wild because of illegal poaching to support the high demand for traditional medications. Congress has worked to protect these majestic animals by creating the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, and by banning the import or sale of products that contain parts of endangered species. Despite these laws to protect rhinos and tigers, a loophole allows many products to be sold in the United States that explicitly state--on their labels, no less--that they contain rhino and tiger parts. Proving that these products contain banned substances can be extremely difficult. Even after performing costly tests, the U.S. Customs Service often can't prove what the labels plainly show--that these products contain rhino and tiger parts and are illegal. The result is that many such products end up in stores across America. The Rhinoceros and Tiger Labeling Act would stop this costly and confusing exercise, and allow us to accept product labels at their face value. If products say they contain parts of endangered animals, we shouldn't let them in the country. I strongly support this bipartisan legislation to stop the flaunting of our laws and strengthen protections for endangered species.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. As someone who voted for the gas tax to reduce the deficit in both 1990 and 1993, I have to say to my friends on the Republican side, if Democrats had brought a bill to the floor with mandatory spending and no offsets, or spending and no offsets, they would have laughed us off the floor. We never tried it. We did not try it. I cannot believe this process. Why do we not deal with it honestly? There are people who prefer spending transportation money to other expenditures. That is a legitimate decision. But let us deal with the reality of the spending cuts that we then have to make. Let us be honest. This is not money from heaven. There are trade-offs. Let us understand those trade-offs. Let us pay some attention to the process that we are breaking here today.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, as Women's History Month draws to a close today, I rise in recognition of five notable Minnesota women who have made significant achievements in their respective professions and who deserve to be recognized as a result. Rosalie Wahl is the first woman to have been named a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice. First appointed to the Court in 1977, she served as a Justice for 17 years. By the time she left the Court in 1994 there were four women Justices. During the course of her career, she witnessed encouraging changes taking place for women in the state political arena, but her hard work and leadership made Wahl one of the true ``pioneers.'' Wahl has said, ``I feel we as women move forward together . . . none of us can really get where we are today without the help of other women and the men who have given us a hand.'' Prior to becoming a Supreme Court Justice, Wahl worked for the State Public Defender starting in 1967, where she argued over 100 cases before the Supreme Court, upon which she would later serve herself. Wahl attended William Mitchell College of Law, where she later served as an assistant professor and ran the Clinical Criminal Program prior to joining Minnesota's highest court. Joan Anderson Growe is the six-term Secretary of State of Minnesota and is the state's first woman constitutional officer to be elected in her own right. Her public life reflects a deep commitment to citizen participation and openness. As Secretary of State, Growe has led Minnesota in becoming an elections model for the nation. She instituted mandatory election judge training, had election safeguard laws enacted, and supervised election law recodification. Minnesota's statewide on- line computerized voter registration database is one of the first in the nation. Growe has assembled a coalition of public and private sector organizations and businesses to conduct a Get-Out-the-Vote drive in every general election. Minnesota led the nation in voter participation in 1976, 1980, 1984, and 1988 and tied with Maine in 1992 and 1996. She organized the National Advertising Council's first Get- Out-the-Vote drive in 1980. Pamela G. Alexander is the Assistant Chief Judge of the Hennepin County District Court where she has served for the past 15 years. Her commitment to community service is evident both in and out of the courtroom. In the Hennepin County District Court, she serves on numerous committees which represent a wide range of issues. These include the Sexual Assault Coordinating Board, the Public Safety Facility Advisory Board, the Grand Jury Task Force, and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee. The Minnesota Supreme Court has also named her to the Racial Bias Task Force where she currently serves as Chair of the Implementation Committee for her district. Alexander has received several community service awards, including the Minnesota Minority Lawyers Profiles in Courage Award. She also serves as a motivational speaker for local youth, making many appearances in churches and schools throughout the year. Alana Blahoski is one of two Minnesota women to have played on the gold-medal winning United States women's ice hockey team in the 1998 Winter Olympics. Her athletic achievements demonstrate genuine perseverance and dedication. A St. Paul native, Blahoski graduated from Johnson High School, where she was a three-time all-star hockey player. She graduated from Providence College in 1996. At Providence, she served as co-captain on the women's ice hockey team as a senior and was named the 1995-96 Eastern College Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year. Blahoski went on to become a two-time member of the U.S. Women's National Team, recording two goals and four assists in ten games. She also appeared on U.S. Women's Select Teams in 1995, 1996, and 1997. Jennifer Schmidgall is the second Minnesota woman to have been a member of the U.S. women's 1998 Olympic ice hockey team, showing exemplary athletic ability and sharing the excitement of earning a team gold medal at a young age. A native of Edina, Schmidgall's interest in ice hockey sparked during visits to an outdoor rink at Lewis Park with her father, where she would skate and watch him play hockey. She started playing ``serious'' hockey in the eighth grade. By 1995 she was a member of the U.S. Women's National Junior Ice Hockey Team, appearing on the team again in 1996. Schmidgall graduated from Edina High School in 1997. She plans to attend the University of Minnesota this year, where she would like to study business management and psychology. I am pleased to honor these remarkable women in celebration of Women's History Month. I thank each of them for their contributions to the state of Minnesota and I wish them continued success in the future.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, this week, Fannie Mae celebrates the fourth anniversary of its Trillion Dollar Commitment. I rise before you today to congratulate Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson and all of Fannie Mae's employees and local partners on the tremendous impact they have had on expanding home ownership opportunities in Minnesota and the nation. Since March 1994, Fannie Mae has helped 5.6 million families through this targeted effort. Sixty-eight percent of Fannie Mae's business served families most in need--minorities, new immigrants, residents of central cities and underserved areas, first-time home buyers and people with special housing needs. I have seen firsthand the impact of this commitment in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Fannie Mae's Minnesota Partnership Office piloted a highly successful low downpayment mortgage, known as the ``Minnesota Flex,'' which is now offered in many communities nationwide. This mortgage product helps first-time homebuyers overcome one of the major obstacles to homeownership--saving for a downpayment. Last year, Fannie Maie also launched a rehab effort in Northeast Minneapolis, which is helping to revitalize that community. Nationally, Fannie Mae is transforming the housing finance system by removing barriers to homeownership and increasing the supply of affordable housing. In short, Fannie Mae's commitment is making a tangible impact on communities and improving the quality of life for homebuyers as well as renters. I commend Fannie Mae and its local partners on a job well done and wish them further success in expanding home ownership and affordable housing opportunities in the coming years. I would also like to read the attached letter from the Mayor of Minneapolis in support of Fannie Mae's efforts. Office of the Mayor, Minneapolis, MN, March 4, 1998. Mr. James A. Johnson, Chairman, Fannie Mae, Washington, DC. Dear Jim: I want to extend my sincere congratulations to you and all of Fannie Mae on your upcoming fourth anniversary of the Trillion Dollar Commitment. It has been delightful to partner with Fannie Mae as you strive to reach your goal of serving the housing needs of underserved populations. The City of Minneapolis has benefited from Fannie Mae's commitment in many ways. The work of the Partnership Office in finding creative solutions for our community's needs has been a critical component for our housing programs. The new townhouse River Station development project would not have moved forward without Fannie Mae's American Communities Fund. Homeownership opportunities will be available for 360 families in Minneapolis' riverfront area. The Section 8 homeownership demonstration project secured HUD approval once Fannie Mae committed $4 million as an underwriting experiment to fund the mortgages. Northeast Minneapolis received special funding under your innovative HomeStyle rehab initiative. The entire City is benefiting from your outreach efforts through HomeStyle. By credit enhancing and purchasing our mortgage revenue bonds, first-time homebuyers achieved lower interest rates. Your new Neighborhood Partners initiative in the Phillips, Powderhorn, and Central neighborhoods will be a huge boost to revitalizing these underserved areas. I look forward to continuing our partnership as we explore ways to help even more Minneapolis residents achieve homeownership and affordable housing. Sincerely, Sharon Sayles Belton, Mayor, City of Minneapolis.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Minnesota National Guard--Norwegian Home Guard Troop Reciprocal Exchange Program. The program is the longest running military exchange between two nations, and it has strengthened the ties between our countries while enriching the lives of the young men and women who have participated in it. Each February, over 200 soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard and Norwegian Home Guard leave their homes and join the guards of each other's nation. They spend two to three weeks in the other country, training with the host military, visiting cultural sites, and getting to know their new peers. The exchange guards even spend a weekend with a host family, to enrich their experience in the host nation. The Minnesota National Guard--Norwegian Home Guard Troop Reciprocal Exchange Program is of great value to both our peacekeeping and cultural goals. By training in Norway, members of the Minnesota National Guard gain experience operating in a foreign environment. At the same time, participants from both countries have an opportunity to explore a new culture and to travel at a young age. The Norwegian- Americans of the Minnesota National Guard also have a chance to explore their family roots in Norway. Finally, the coordination between our nations' militaries reinforces our mutual dedication to working for world peace. I am pleased to recognize the Minnesota National Guard--Norwegian Home Guard Troop Reciprocal Exchange Program for its 25 years of accomplishments, and I wish the program its continued success in the future.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to acknowledge a great man from Minneapolis who was an outstanding leader in Minnesota's African American community. In honor of Black History Month, I would like to take this opportunity to once again pay tribute to Gary Sudduth, who died suddenly on July 28, 1997, at the young age of 44. As we celebrate the final week of Black History Month, I thought it appropriate to resubmit my commemoration of the life of Gary Sudduth, who made a profound impact on the African American community as well as everyone who knew him. He is sadly missed. The following is my July, 1997 tribute to Gary. Minnesota lost a passionate voice for social and economic justice when Gary Sudduth, the Minneapolis Urban League President, died suddenly on July 28, 1997, at age 44. His untimely death strikes a blow to the community and efforts to make our cities better places to live, work and learn. For years, Gary's reputation as an effective force for social change was well-known, not only in Minnesota, but across the nation. In the process, he touched and improved the lives of millions. Gary was born and raised on the North side of Minneapolis with his eight brothers and sisters. He continued to live there until his death. In 1977, he joined the Minneapolis Urban League, and I first knew him as the young, active director of its juvenile advocate program. Later, he became director of the Street Academy and then vice president of community outreach and advocacy programs. In 1992, Gary was named president and chief executive officer. Throughout his tenure, Gary united people from all walks of life to focus on a common goal--improving the social and economic conditions for people in urban areas. He knew how to negotiate with his adversaries and to prod his friends--all in the name of implementing policies that would revitalize cities and benefit their inhabitants. At the same time, he sought long-lasting solutions for problems, not quick fixes. Above all, he listened and he led, sustained by the belief that every problem had a solution. Gary demanded fairness, excellence and accountability from the government, from our schools and from the legal system. He challenged the establishment and the status quo to accomplish the changes he saw necessary--all the while speaking out for minorities, the poor and for children. His moderating style and negotiating skills often brought calm, compromise and peace to Minneapolis at times when crisis and unrest threatened to destabilize it. It will be difficult for the community to replace the talents and drive of Gary Sudduth, who made the work of the Urban League his mission. The way he lived his life was an example for us all--in fact it was his greatest asset. The city of Minneapolis, the state of Minnesota, and indeed the nation are better off for his commitment and his contributions. That is his enduring legacy. I hope his example has inspired a new generation of leaders and urban advocates who will try to emulate his life's work.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Minneapolis Community Development Agency and the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. These agencies are celebrating 50 years of exceptional service to the citizens and businesses of Minneapolis, MN. The Minneapolis Housing and Redevelopment Authority [MHRA] was established on November 5, 1947, for the purpose of eliminating urban blight and developing low-cost housing for Minneapolis residents. The MHRA developed its first locally financed renewal project in 1950; built, owned, and managed its first public housing units in 1952; developed its first federally assisted project in 1955; and over the next three decades, built and managed nearly 8,000 units of public housing and implemented hundreds of redevelopment projects, providing affordable housing, commercial and industrial development sites. In 1981, the MHRA merged with the Minneapolis Industrial Development Commission and the development division of the city coordinator's office to create the Minneapolis Community Development Agency [MCDA], a new streamlined agency to coordinate city development resources. In 1991, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority [MPHA] separated from the MCDA, creating two independent agencies. Mr. Speaker, the MCDA and the MPHA have made significant and lasting contributions to the quality of life in Minneapolis in the areas of housing, economic development, and the arts, and continue to forge new traditions in community building. These agencies have received numerous awards and recognitions of their outstanding achievements in the areas of housing and economic development, including a 1971 award from the Department of Housing and Urban Development naming the MHRA the most outstanding urban renewal agency in the Nation, the first such award ever presented. Congratulations to these two agencies and best wishes for continued success in their efforts to make Minneapolis an outstanding city in which to live, work, and play.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. LoBiondo].

Mr. SABO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Owens]. (Mr. OWENS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SABO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, a 65-year policy should not be reversed by the choice of a contracting officer in the District of Columbia. Davis-Bacon is not about union bosses; it is about being sure that people who build our buildings and construct our roads are paid a fair price and we get quality in return. Mr. Chairman, let us remove this inappropriate rider from this bill.

Mr. SABO. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SABO

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], ranking member of the full Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Oregon [Ms. Furse]. (Ms. FURSE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] for the purpose of a colloquy.