Rick Santorum

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 203 submitted earlier by Senators Lott and Daschle.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that amendment No. 2296 to S. 548 be agreed to and amendment No. 2297 to S. 938 be agreed to. I further ask unanimous consent that any committee amendment, if applicable, be agreed to, the bills be read a third time, passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to any of these bills be printed in the Record, with the above occurring en bloc.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I thank all of those who have been involved in trying to clear this piece of legislation. This is a very important piece of legislation for the preservation of the Paoli and Brandywine Battlefields. There is money in the Interior Appropriations bill to help with the State and local funds to combine to purchase a piece of the battlefield that would otherwise be sold for development. It would be a real tragedy to lose a Revolutionary War battlefield because of inaction in the Senate. I appreciate the bipartisan support we had to clear this particular bill because the deadline is tomorrow. The development contract would have been exercised, and we would not have been able to purchase this land by clearing this bill today in time to get that done. It is very important to the people in that community. I thank the minority leader, Senator Daschle, Senator Bingaman, Senator Johnson, and many others who were involved in helping to clear this issue on the Democratic side, and I certainly thank Senator Murkowski for his effort in putting that together on the Republican side. Obviously, the sponsors of the bill, Senator Specter and myself, are appreciative of the work that was done to take this bill out of what is a very big stack of bills that I know many Members want to have moved in the Senate and to treat this specially because of the time sensitivity. At a time when comity is short because of how difficult these last few weeks have been, people have put those kinds of differences aside and recognized what is in the best interest of all involved. That speaks volumes for both sides of the aisle. So I want to commend, in a time of difficulty, and maybe even rancor, the people who put their differences aside and did do what is right. It is a heartening thing to me personally, and it is certainly something that I will long remember and appreciate. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the title amendment be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to the consideration of H.R. 3036, which is at the desk.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the S. 1678 be star printed with changes that are at the desk.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, for the information of all Senators, the Senate will conduct a vote on the VA-HUD appropriations conference report tomorrow morning at approximately 9:15. Following the vote, the Senate will resume debate on the campaign finance reform bill, with further amendments to be expected. Senators are encouraged to work with the bill managers on a time to come to the floor to offer their amendments in a timely manner.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until the hour of 9:15 a.m. on Friday, October 15. I further ask unanimous consent that on Friday, immediately following the prayer, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate then begin the vote on the conference report to accompany the VA-HUD appropriations bill.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to a period for morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Thank you, Mr. President. First, I would like to say that the senior Senator from Mississippi has one of the toughest jobs on Capitol Hill, along with the senior Senator from Indiana. Chairing the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and the Agriculture Committee in the Congress are just incredibly difficult tasks. The diversity of agriculture and the needs of agriculture are historic in this Chamber. Trying to come up with a proper mix of how to solve the needs and the difficulties in farm country is complex. It is difficult. I understand coalitions have to be put together to pass bills. In this case, a coalition was put together to pass a bill that, in my mind, did not represent the interests of my area of the country, particularly my State of Pennsylvania. I understand that. I appreciate the difficulty in doing it. I understand that Pennsylvania has a very difficult time participating for one reason. We are a very diverse State agriculturally. We have a tremendous amount of richness in our agriculture. It is our No. 1 industry. Pennsylvania's No. 1 industry is agriculture. Most people don't know that. Most people don't know that the State of Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has the largest rural population of any State in the country. We take agriculture very seriously. Obviously, our rural population depends heavily upon agribusiness for survival. We have been hit this year with an absolutely historic drought that has devastated our farm community. Throw on top of that, sort of adding insult to injury, a big chunk of our State was hit very hard by Hurricane Floyd. Not only did we have drought on top of drought and the crops burned up, but they had floods. We have a situation where in almost every county of our State crop losses are in the area of at least 30 percent, and in many areas and many counties it is 100 percent. I looked at the bill we have before us in the Senate and the one that came out of conference. I was hoping we could focus more of the $8 billion that is in this bill on the area of the country that was affected most dramatically by weather this year. In my mind, it has not. I am not just speaking for Pennsylvania. I am talking about all of the Northeastern States that were affected--the Mid-Atlantic States--by drought. The big chunk of this bill is for AMTA payments, which are payments to farmers who are program farmers. Before we pass this bill, we are going to give $5.5 billion out to farmers who were previous to the Freedom to Farm bill in Government programs. The problem in Pennsylvania is we have a very small percentage of those farmers because of our diversity. We have very few program crops. We have a lot of specialty crops, livestock, and dairy. As a result, a very small percentage of our farmers participate in the AMTA payments. A very small percentage of, frankly, most of the Mid- Atlantic and Northeastern farmers participate in the AMTA program. When you look at the $8 billion-plus that is in this bill and you see $5.5 billion of it going to AMTA, almost none of that is going to the area that is most affected by the drought. It is going to the area that is having bumper crops. The reason we are providing ``disaster'' help, the disaster in most of the country is they have too much harvesttime. As a result, prices are low. So we are going to give them money because they have too many crops to sell at too low a price. I can tell you my farmers in Pennsylvania wish they had something to sell. So I am a little frustrated when you look at where the bulk of the money is going. It is going to areas that are hardly hit by a disaster, and certainly no weather disaster. It is a disaster of richness, if you will, because of the tremendous amount of harvest that has occurred in that area, and, obviously, the world situation and the like. When you look at what is specifically targeted for my area of the country, the ``drought relief'' is $1.2 billion. Not all of it goes to drought relief. A lot of it is going to hurricane disaster relief. I can tell you my Governor told us that just the preliminary numbers in Pennsylvania are approaching $1 billion in losses for drought. So $1.2 billion for drought and hurricane relief doesn't even begin to touch on what the problem is in Pennsylvania. I know some have said we can do a supplemental appropriations bill in the spring to see what the problem is. My farmers can't wait until spring. They have to survive the winter. While some folks are getting double AMTA payments, $11.2 billion worth of money, my farmers are going to be told to wait until the spring. Our area of the country has come to the table time after time after time after time as the Upper Midwest, the Southeast, and other areas of the country have suffered drought, pestilence, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes--I can go on and on--a disaster a year in those areas. We understand that. Our taxpayers and farmers have come to the table and been willing to put up money. We are a big country, and we will pitch in together to help. When it comes to our farmers being hit with the worst drought in a century, the answer is: Wait until the spring. We may pass a supplemental if you need it. That doesn't cut mustard. I understand we had a vote here yesterday on cloture and a group from the Northeast cast our votes on cloture. We were defeated. We will be defeated today. This bill will pass and will become law. I understand the need for getting assistance to farmers. I have to speak up and say what is in this bill is not enough to take care of the needs of the farmers in my State. A couple of other things happened that were disconcerting. We had $134 million in specialty crop money that came out of this bill. We grow a lot of fruits and vegetables in Pennsylvania, specialty crops, important crops. We had $134 million for that. When it came from conference, the money was out and ``specialty crop'' was defined as only tobacco and peanuts. We don't grow a lot of tobacco and peanuts in Pennsylvania or New Jersey or a lot of other areas hit by the drought. Again, that money was designated to help some of our farmers who are not the farmers who have been at the Government trough for years and years and years with program crops, but folks making it on their own, not coming to Washington asking for money. The one time we ask for money, the answer is no. I think that is a very sad commentary. We took the money for specialty crops, for fruits and vegetables--again, people who have never gotten Government subsidies--and we give them to two programs that are still getting Government support--tobacco and peanuts. That is a misguided policy. I understand the dynamics of trying to pass a bill. I understand the power and the influence of the peanut lobby, the sugar lobby, and the tobacco lobby. I understand now we have the honey program back in place, and the mohair program is back. I understand all that. I keep looking at what it does to those who have been paying the bills for a long time for agriculture in the northeastern part of the country. What I see is a neglect of a bunch of farmers who work just as hard as folks in other areas of the country who don't ask the Government to help very much. We hardly ever ask the Government to help in our agriculture. The one time we get hit with the drought of the century, the answer is: We will give you a little here, and wait until next year, and maybe we can give you some more. By the way, some of the other stuff we were going to give you, we will not. I thank the chairman for the money for crop insurance. That is something I very much wanted. The $400 million to help try to get farmers into the crop insurance business is very important. We need more farmers covered with risk management tools. Crop insurance is important. I urge the chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Senator Lugar, to take that up quickly and move forward on crop insurance to put the money to good use. I have to oppose this bill, reluctantly. I understand the difficult job the Senator from Mississippi had in trying to craft this to pass the Senate and get it signed by the President, but for me it doesn't do enough for my area of the country. I will have to vote ``no'' on the bill.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Brother Michael J. McGinnis, who will be inducted as La Salle University's 28th President on September 24. Brother McGinnis was previously a member of La Salle's religion department, and for the past five years was president of Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee. A native Philadelphian, Brother McGinnis joined the Christian Brothers University in 1965 and graduated Maxima Cum Laude from La Salle in 1970 with a degree in English. He obtained his Master's and Ph.D. in theology from the University of Notre Dame. While a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame, Brother McGinniss taught undergraduate courses in the Theology Department. Brother McGinniss became assistant professor at Washington Theological Union from 1979 to 1984, and in 1984 joined the faculty at La Salle on a full-time basis, reaching the rank of full professor in 1993. Recognized for his leadership qualities, Brother McGinnis became Chair of La Salle's Religion Department in 1991 and the following year received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. During his tenure as President of Christian Brothers University, undergraduate enrollment and retention rates increased, a Master's of Education program was established, the Athletic Department joined the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference, and the Center for Global Enterprise was founded. He also took an active role in the Memphis area community, serving on the boards of the Economic Club of Memphis, the Memphis chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. Brother McGinnis also served on the Memphis Catholic Diocesan Development Committee and the board of the Christian Brothers High School. Brother McGinnis has published numerous articles in scholarly journals, written chapters in religious books, and edited six volumes of the Christian Brothers' Spirituality Seminar Series. His book reviews have appeared in journals such as Horizons, Theological Studies, Journal of Ecumenical Studies, and Holistic Nursing Practice. His professional memberships include the Catholic Theological Society of America, American Academy of Religion, and College Theology Society. Mr. President, Brother McGinnis has distinguished himself through his impressive academic and professional achievements, as well as through his dedicated service to the community. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Brother Michael McGinnis on his induction as President of La Salle University.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that offers compassionate choices for women facing unplanned pregnancies. This bill, the Women and Children's Resources Act, establishes an $85 million formula grant program to provide pregnant women with alternatives to abortion. The Women and Children's Resources Act (WCRA) is modeled after a successful program in Pennsylvania, Project Women In Need (WIN). This program was created under the Administration of former Governor Robert Casey and implemented during the current Administration of Governor Tom Ridge. Project WIN has filled a critical void for women seeking support during this confusing and uncertain time. The centers often receive 500 calls per week. This legislation is designed to meet the needs of women facing one of the most important decisions of their lives. WCRA is intended to link women to a network of supportive organizations who are ready and willing to offer assistance in the form of pregnancy testing, adoption information, prenatal and postpartum health care, maternity and baby clothing, food, diapers and information on childbirth and parenting. Women can also receive referrals for housing, education, and vocational training. This bill seeks to provide compassionate choices to women; it is an effort to reach out to women and let them know they do not have to face this decision alone. The bill directs federal funding to states through a formula based on the number of out-of-wedlock births and abortions in a state as compared to this sum for the nation. Upon receipt of this grant, states will select their prime contractors from the private sector to administer the program. The prime contractor will distribute Women and Children's Resources Grants to crisis pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and adoption services on a fee-for-service basis. Faith-based providers may also participate in the program, but they may not proselytize. Further, state-wide toll-free referral systems and other methods of advertisement will be established to make these services readily available to pregnant women and their children. Low-income women will be given priority for these services. Because WCRA seeks to offer alternatives to abortion, contractors and subcontractors which receive funding under this bill cannot promote, refer, or counsel for abortion. Further, these entities must be physically and financially separate from any entity which promotes, refers, or counsels for abortion. Mr. President, not every woman facing an unplanned pregnancy knows that supportive services exist. Many believe that the future they had planned is no longer achievable. They feel alone and abandoned. Often, they mistakenly believe that abortion is their only real choice. For this reason, WCRA offers compassionate, life-affirming choices and support. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the text of this legislation appear in the Record.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. I thank the chairman for his assistance in clarifying this matter.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to engage in a brief colloquy with our distinguished Chairman concerning the conference report that accompanies the fiscal year 2000 National Defense Authorization Act. It has come to my attention that page 526 of House Report 106-301 notes that the conferees to the bill agreed to authorize an increase of $25.0 million for the procurement of additional band 9/ 10 transmitters for the EA-6B tactical jamming aircraft. In reality, during conference negotiations, conferees agreed to authorize an additional $25.0 million for the procurement of modified band 9/10 transmitters.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that offers compassionate choices for women facing unplanned pregnancies. This bill, the Women and Children's Resources Act, establishes an $85 million formula grant program to provide pregnant women with alternatives to abortion. The Women and Children's Resources Act (WCRA) is modeled after a successful program in Pennsylvania, Project Women In Need (WIN). This program was created under the Administration of former Governor Robert Casey and implemented during the current Administration of Governor Tom Ridge. Project WIN has filled a critical void for women seeking support during this confusing and uncertain time. The centers often receive 500 calls per week. This legislation is designed to meet the needs of women facing one of the most important decisions of their lives. WCRA is intended to link women to a network of supportive organizations who are ready and willing to offer assistance in the form of pregnancy testing, adoption information, prenatal and postpartum health care, maternity and baby clothing, food, diapers and information on childbirth and parenting. Women can also receive referrals for housing, education, and vocational training. This bill seeks to provide compassionate choices to women; it is an effort to reach out to women and let them know they do not have to face this decision alone. The bill directs federal funding to states through a formula based on the number of out-of-wedlock births and abortions in a state as compared to this sum for the nation. Upon receipt of this grant, states will select their prime contractors from the private sector to administer the program. The prime contractor will distribute Women and Children's Resources Grants to crisis pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and adoption services on a fee-for-service basis. Faith-based providers may also participate in the program, but they may not proselytize. Further, state-wide toll-free referral systems and other methods of advertisement will be established to make these services readily available to pregnant women and their children. Low-income women will be given priority for these services. Because WCRA seeks to offer alternatives to abortion, contractors and subcontractors which receive funding under this bill cannot promote, refer, or counsel for abortion. Further, these entities must be physically and financially separate from any entity which promotes, refers, or counsels for abortion. Mr. President, not every woman facing an unplanned pregnancy knows that supportive services exist. Many believe that the future they had planned is no longer achievable. They feel alone and abandoned. Often, they mistakenly believe that abortion is their only real choice. For this reason, WCRA offers compassionate, life-affirming choices and support. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the text of this legislation appear in the Record.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, last year, for the first time in Philadelphia's history, the African American Rodeo came to that great city. It was a memorable occasion with approximately 8,000 school children attending the rodeo at the Apollo Stadium. While these children were entertained by the rodeo and re-enactments of life in the old West, they learned of the many contributions made by African Americans to our nation's history. On October 8 and 9, of this year, the African American Rodeo is again coming to the City of Brotherly Love to present re-enactments of historical figures of the old West. Such performances are important because our history books and Hollywood have failed to give proper recognition of the great sacrifices and heroic deeds made by African Americans. Mr. President, more than 200,000 African American soldiers served in the Civil War. After the war, many of these trained soldiers were sent west, forming two infantry and two cavalry units. The term ``Buffalo Soldier'' was given to them by the Native Americans whom they encountered. Those soldiers, their families, and thousands who were freed from slavery were among our early settlers, cowpunchers, and farmers in a number of the western states. It is with pleasure that I salute the Minority Arts Resource Council, its founder and Executive Director, Mr. Curtis E. Brown, its board members, and its volunteers for once again bringing this great event to the city of Philadelphia. I urge my colleagues to join me in saluting the invaluable services and contributions of African Americans and the role that they have played and continue to play in American history.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill that would establish the Schuylkill River National Heritage Area. This legislation recognizes the significance of the Schuylkill River Valley in Pennsylvania, and the role it played in the nation's economic expansion during the nineteenth century. The Schuylkill River, and later the railroads, moved anthracite coal through the river valley to Philadelphia and beyond, fueling the industrial revolution that made this country great. It is important that we endeavor to preserve the historical and cultural contribution that the anthracite and related industries have made to our nation. The labor movement of the region played a significant role in crucial struggles to improve wages and working conditions for America's workers. The first national labor union was organized in this region and was the forerunner to the United Mine Workers of America. In 1995, under the management of the Schuylkill River Greenway Association (SRGA), the Schuylkill River Corridor was recognized as a state heritage park by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Since that time, the SRGA has dedicated itself to restoring and preserving the historic Schuylkill River Corridor by encouraging enhancement and maintenance of the historic qualities of the river from its headwaters in Schuylkill County to its mouth at the confluence of the Delaware River. The legislation that I am introducing today, with the support of Senator Specter, will enable communities to conserve their heritage while continuing to create economic opportunities. It encourages the continuation of local interest by demonstrating the federal government's commitment to preserving the unique heritage of the Schuylkill River Heritage Corridor. This bill will require the Schuylkill River Greenway Association to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary of the Interior to establish Heritage Area boundaries, and to prepare and implement a management plan within three years. This plan would inventory resources and recommend policies for resource management interpretation. Further, based on the criteria of other Heritage Areas established by the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996, this bill requires that federal funds provided under this bill do not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the program. Mr. President, the anthracite coal fields of the Schuylkill River Corridor, and the people who mined them, were crucial to the industrial development of this nation. Through public and private partnership, this legislation will allow for the conservation, enhancement, and interpretation of the historical, cultural, and natural resources of the Schuylkill River Valley for present and future generations. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Madam President, it isn't often I rise to talk about these kinds of issues because, by and large, these issues generally affect the West, and we in Pennsylvania do not have much direct involvement. But in this case we are directly affected in Pennsylvania. We have a national forest in Pennsylvania, the Allegheny National Forest. What has been going on in the Allegheny National Forest over the past several years has been a very troubling thing to thousands of residents in my State; it has had a dramatic negative impact on the quality of life for the residents in northwestern and north central Pennsylvania, as the amount of timber harvests have continued to decline. What we have seen, as a result of that, is a real damaging of the economy. It is a very rural area. Most people think of Pennsylvania and think of big cities and factories, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. But Pennsylvania has the largest rural population of any State in the country. I repeat that. Pennsylvania has the largest rural population of any State in the country. That rural population, by and large, survives on agriculture and off the natural resources, whether it is coal mining or whether it is quarrying or whether it is timber or whether it is what we consider traditional agriculture. The Allegheny National Forest is vitally important for several of our smallest counties. We have 67 counties in Pennsylvania. Our smallest county in population, oddly enough, is called Forest County. Forest County has about 4,000 or 5,000 people who live there. The biggest part of it is the national forest, the Allegheny National Forest. But there are other counties surrounding it that have bits and pieces of the national forest in their county: Warren County, McKean County, and Elk County. In Elk County, PA--aptly named--we have about 600 elk, big ones, that have come back over the past years and are thriving in our forests, almost to the point of being domesticated in some respects and causing problems. But that is another issue for another day. But those four counties get a lot of revenue because big chunks of them are national forest areas. They get a lot of revenues from the timber sales that principally support their school districts. I spoke to students at the Forest County schools a couple of weeks ago. The No. 1 issue that the kids asked me about was, what are we going to do about timber sales? Because they potentially will have to close down one of their schools because of cuts in the Forest Service budget, as well as lawsuits because of the Indiana bat, which, I guess, stays up in the Allegheny National Forest for a couple days a year, so there are all sorts of lawsuits tying up the Allegheny National Forest in harvesting. The Allegheny National Forest is the single largest area for the harvesting of black cherry timber. You look at your black cherry veneer and you will see a lot of it comes from the largest black cherry stand in the country, which is the Allegheny National Forest. The Allegheny National Forest, by the way, is a profitable forest. They make a lot of money in their timber sales because of high value trades. So they are not losing any money to anybody. They are making a lot of money. In fact, the less we harvest, the worse off we are financially. It has been very deleterious to those counties. I will look at the timber receipts for the past several years. Even last year, which was not particularly a great year, we had $1.6 million for Warren County; $1.5 million for McKean County; $1.3 million--$1.3 million for a county of 4,000 people is a lot of money. All these other counties range in the area of 20-, 30,000 people; Elk County, 1.26. All of them, every one of those counties, will have their revenues cut by more than half this year, by more than half because of legal roadblocks and cutbacks in the amount of timber sales as a result of Federal legislation. The problems we confront are not just financial in terms of tax revenue. They are financial, but they are also financial with respect to our economy. Logging is a very important aspect of the way of life. Wood products: Because of our high-value black cherry and other species, we have a lot of high-value processing of that wood, which is resulting in very high unemployment. Many of these areas, in this very strong economy, are experiencing double-digit unemployment, and have consistently for the past couple of years. We also have another concern which, again, when you go up and talk to the folks who live around the forests, is almost frightening, the kind of misinformation that is out there about our forests and the management of the forests. I remember going to Gray Towers, which is outside of Milford, PA. Gray Towers was the home of Gifford Pinchot, who was the Governor of Pennsylvania and was a conservationist. Gifford Pinchot went on to be the first head of the U.S. Forest Service around the turn of the century. The Yale School of Forestry was actually colocated in Milford, PA, at Gray Towers, which was the mansion the Pinchot family lived in. Now it is a museum dedicated to forestry. I was up there looking at old pictures of Pennsylvania. It is remarkable. In picture after picture after picture, Pennsylvania was completely clearcut--clearcut. I stood on the front porch of Gray Towers and looked out and saw the expanse. You can see literally for miles. I looked at the picture on the portico of roughly 100 years ago. It literally was stumps of trees for as far as the eye could see. Of course, now it is green as far as the eye can see, full of trees. Pennsylvania is just remarkable. I fly over it all the time in small planes. It is just literally covered with trees, almost all of which, if not all of which--because I have been told it was completely clearcut--were not there 100 years ago. So the regeneration happens. In fact, the Allegheny National Forest is a valuable forest today because it was clearcut and because a shade-resistant strain of black cherry couldn't grow in those old forests. In fact, there are areas that are now dedicated to old growth in the Allegheny National Forest that have a lot less diversity. People are worried about the health of the forest, environmental diversity. You get to some of these old-growth forests. You take the combination of the old growth and the fact that you have less vegetation, which puts pressure on your deer and everything else--we have a lot of deer. They completely decimate old-growth forests, where it is a desert there because of these high trees. You don't have a lot of younger growth. Whatever does crop up, because there isn't much else around, the deer take it right out. So we went, in this area called the heart of the forest, when they dedicated it to old growth, from 37 varieties of plants down to 4. I don't know about you, but I am not too sure that is protecting the environment or the health of the environment. I am an easterner. I am not one of these guys who understands public lands and forests and all that stuff. I grew up around the city of Pittsburgh and didn't know too much about forests. But I remember hearing people say: We have to manage the forest. You say: Forests manage themselves pretty well. What do you mean? Well, yes, forests manage themselves pretty well, but they manage themselves not in a way that you and I would consider them. They manage it through, in a sense, a boom-and-bust cycle, growth and then destruction and then growth and then destruction. That is pretty much how forests grow if you leave them alone. That is OK, I guess. But it doesn't provide what is, I think, in the best interest of the animal life and the plant life and certainly the community for recreation. The economic resources that are derived from the forest are not maximized when you allow this kind of wild and unmanaged forest generation and regeneration to occur. I trust the Forest Service. I don't always agree with them, but I trust the Forest Service will work to maintain forests and wisely manage them, using sound science to provide the best environment for stable growth of the forest as well as for the indigenous animal species that are there to feed. It is very serious--it is the No. 1 issue in about 5 or 6 counties in my State--that we allow the timber harvesting program to continue. It is the economic lifeblood of those counties. I felt compelled to give a little different perspective, as someone who doesn't talk to these issues very much--and maybe it is best I don't--but who has a real sensitivity as to what sounds good. As I have told people about what sounds good in suburban Philadelphia, saying leave these trees alone, we love the trees, don't hurt the trees, a little knowledge is dangerous sometimes and no knowledge is downright lethal. And in the case of dealing with forest management, a lot of folks don't have a darn bit of knowledge. And it is killing people. It is killing their economy. It is killing their school districts. It is killing the forests. That is not something we should allow to go unchallenged in Congress. Just because it makes a good TV commercial, just because it sounds as if you care more, you don't care more if you understand the facts involved in forest management. I am an enthusiastic opponent of this amendment. I must tell you, when I first got to Congress, I was not. But the more I have learned about forest management and the impact of timber sales on not only the health of the forest but the health of the economy related to the forest, it is an absolute must for me to stand here and oppose this amendment. I urge my colleagues to do likewise. I yield the floor.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of National Payroll Week 1999, which has been designated as September 13- 17. National Payroll Week was founded by the American Payroll Association in 1996 to honor the men and women whose tax contributions support the American Dream and the payroll professionals who are dedicated to processing those contributions. In particular, the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the American Payroll Association represents 200,000 residents and 25 businesses in Pennsylvania. These taxpayers contribute millions of dollars to the federal and state treasuries through payroll taxes each year. These taxes help pay for important civic projects including roads, schools, crime prevention, and national defense. In addition, taxpayers and payroll professionals are partners in maintaining the Social Security and Medicare systems. I ask my colleagues to join me in commending the taxpayers and payroll professionals who, through the payment, collection, and reporting of payroll taxes, have helped make our nation great.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate WHP- AM 580 in Harrisburg, PA as they celebrate their 75th anniversary as a prominent news leader in Central Pennsylvania. For 75 years, WHP has covered the biggest news stories of the day, including the holocaust, Pearl Harbor, the Korean War, Vietnam, Watergate and the fall of the Berlin Wall. As the owner of the radio news franchise in the Capitol region, WHMP reaches more than 100,000 people a week. The unique talent at WHP along with their exceptional news coverage and distinct personalities, have contributed to the station's listener loyalty and enthusiasm. I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating WHP on their 75th anniversary and on their commitment to excellence in their news coverage to Pennsylvania and the Capital region.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the North Catholic Girls Basketball team for their 25 years of outstanding accomplishments. Over the past 25 years, the team has earned a record of 671 wins and 100 losses. Coach Don Barth, the team's coach during their first 23 years, took the team to the WPIAL championship game 21 times. Last year, the team again went to the championship game under their current coach, Molly Larkin Rothman. Among the team's other accomplishments, they have won the state championships seven times, the conference championship 25 times, and they hold the record for the longest winning streak with 56 wins between 1987 and 1989. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating the North Catholic Girls Basketball team on their outstanding accomplishments over the past 25 years. They have provided an excellent example for youth in Pennsylvania and throughout the country.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, this year marks the 250th anniversary of York County, Pennsylvania. Today, I rise to recognize the establishment and storied history of this county which contributed greatly to the founding of our Nation. Established in 1749, York had formerly been a part of neighboring Lancaster County. The citizens of York had petitioned for their own county so that they could establish a courthouse in closer proximity to their jail. With the granting of the petition, York became the first county in Pennsylvania west of the Susquehanna River and the fifth county in Pennsylvania overall. Since that time, the county has developed rich and dynamic civic, social, political and economic institutions, including both durable agricultural and industrial bases, and serves as a model for communities across the Commonwealth and the Nation. Mr. President, from September 1777 through June 1778, York served as the capital of our Nation. As British General Howe's army occupied Philadelphia, our early government, the Continental Congress, was first moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After one day, the Continental Congress sought to place further distance between it and the British, so it crossed the Susquehanna river at Wrights' Ferry and resumed session in the Colonial Courthouse in Center Square, York. Mr. President, it was during the time that the York hosted our nation's government that the Marquis de Lafayette made the famous ``toast that saved the nation.'' With this toast, Lafayette proclaimed his continued support for, and espoused the attributes of, General Washington at a time when certain factions were calling for the General to be replaced. This toast has been credited as saving George Washington's position as our first Commander in Chief. It was also during the time that the Continental Congress convened in York that it adopted the Articles of Confederation. This important document was the precursor to the Constitution and marked the first use of the term ``United States of America.'' Mr. President, the people of York County are proud of their history and their traditions. I am proud to join York in this celebration and ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating York on its 250th anniversary.