José Serrano

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with joy and pride that I pay tribute to La Resurreccion United Methodist Church which, this past Sunday, moved to a new home in the Melrose Community of the Bronx at the historic Methodist building, which was built in 1878 by German Methodists. La Resurreccion has initiated effective ministries to address the needs of the community, such as creating one of the only church- sponsored Harm Reduction/Needle Exchange programs. This program targets single room occupancy hotels in New York City, serving over twenty five hundred participants and employing fifteen to twenty people. La Resurreccion has created an Immigration Clinic with the assistance of lawyers who provide their services free of charge to assist undocumented Immigrants with legal advice. La Resurreccion has also opened an after-school tutoring program called Creando Horizontes, designed and directed by educational professionals to target and enhance the reading and math skills children from the first to the eight grades. Mr. Speaker, in collaboration with various community agencies, public officials and community leaders, La Resurreccion works to address the needs of our community. Among their prophetic ministries are: Educating and Empowering the Community, Advocating for Gay and Lesbian Rights, Advocating for the release of the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners, Advocating for Peace in Vieques, and Denouncing both Police Brutality and Anti-Immigration Laws. Presently, they are working with various agencies to create entrepreneurial opportunities for our young people. It is a privilege for me to represent the 16th district of New York, where the new home of La Resurreccion United Methodist Church is located. I am delighted by the church's success. I have witnessed first-hand the exemplary work they are doing for our community and I am deeply impressed. I applaud the commitment and the efforts of La Resurreccion United Methodist Church's staff, under the leadership of Reverend Eddie Lopez, Jr., in the assistance they provide to our community, as well as in facilitating educational opportunities for our youth. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing La Resurreccion United Methodist Church and its staff and in wishing them continued success in their new building.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great joy that I today pay tribute to the Hispanic Parade Committee, Inc. on its 36th Grand Parade. The parade will be held on October 8, 2000, in New York City. In 1965 the Hispanic Societies met in New York for the purpose of celebrating the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus on October 12, 1492. This was to be accomplished through a parade, which would celebrate the heritage and spirit of the children of the Hispanic American union with a message from Spain and the Latin American nations, representing each country's culture, traditions and folklore. Mr. Speaker, this project came to fruition in August of 1965 when the Hispanic Societies agreed to celebrate with a true Fiesta in the Latin American spirit that every year in the city of New York on the Sunday closest to the 12th of October. From that year on, the Hispanic Parade Committee has organized the memorable annual event now known as ``Desfile de la Hispanidad'' with the participation of Spain and all Hispanic American nations, to commemorate and celebrate Hispanic culture, races, language, religion, and traditions through colorful presentations of each country's costumes, folklore, and music, marching up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 72nd Street. The Hispanic Parade Committee is made up of 50 organizations and a board of 27 representatives who spend a whole year preparing and organizing this complex multinational public event, with numerous cultural and entertainment activities. Among the many activities are the Spring Dance in honor of the reigning Queen of the Parade and her Court of Honor; the Salute to the Americas, which are series of conferences and lectures given by important authorities of the Hispanic world; the Art Exhibits where Latin American artists are invited to exhibit their art; the Sports Championships, which include soccer and softball competitions; the election of the Queen of the Hispanic Parade; a Catholic Mass of the Hispanic Parade, which is celebrated in St. Patrick's Cathedral and dedicated to a Patron Saint of a participating country; and the Great Gala Banquet to celebrate and recognize outstanding individuals of the Hispanic world. The Hispanic Parade Committee has been growing every year. Fifty organizations belonging to the twenty-one Hispanic-American countries are now affiliated in the Parade, there will be a band, 40 allegorical carriages, and 30 folkloric groups representing these organizations. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Hispanic Parade Committee, Inc. and in wishing them continued success on October 8 and in the future.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding individual who has devoted his life to serving others, Reverend Bertram G. Bennett, Jr. He will be honored by the Wardens, Vestry and People of Saint David's Episcopal Church on Sunday, September 17, 2000 for 20 years of ministry at Saint David's. Reverend Bertram G. Bennett, Jr., was born in New York City on September 23, 1951 and has been Priest-in-Charge of St. David's Episcopal Church in the Bronx since 1980. He received a B.A. in Behavioral Science from Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina and a Master of Divinity from the General Theological Seminary in New York City and was ordained Deacon in 1977 and Priest in 1978. Fr. Bennett strongly upholds the Diocese of New York's mission statement of ``effective church presence in poor communities.'' Born and raised in Harlem and carrying out his ministry in the South Bronx, Fr. Bennett is very much aware of the problems that afflict such communities. Serving on a number of committees and boards, Fr. Bennett is well- known and respected in the Diocese, the parish and the community. He has served on the Diocesan Council and on several Diocesan committees. He is currently the Chair of the South Bronx Interparish Council, and in that capacity stresses the importance of the parishes meeting on a regular basis and sharing information and resources. Fr. Bennett is also on the Board of Episcopal Social Services, an organization that assists people of all ages throughout the Diocese. Under Fr. Bennett's encouragement, St. David's has been a member of South Bronx Churches (SBC) since its beginning in 1987. SBC is an ecumenical broad-based organization of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), involved with problems the communities in the South Bronx face regarding housing, illegal drugs, education, health, and employment. As Chair of the Housing Task Force of the South Bronx Churches, Fr. Bennett has been instrumental in the development of affordable homes in the South Bronx. He is also Chair of the Board of the Senior Housing Development. The accomplishments result from the hard work and motivation of Fr. Bennett whose steadfast perseverance is an inspiration to his parishioners. Important to Fr. Bennett's ministry is his involvement with youth work in the church and community. He has served as Chair of the Board of Bronx Youth Ministry and has recently been appointed to serve on the School Chancellor's Interfaith Advisory Council. St. David's After School Program and Summer Day Camp are vital community programs that offer supervised and structured activities for the youngsters. In recent years, Fr. Bennett has encouraged the men of the Parish to meet on a regular basis with the young men of the community for prayer and fellowship during the week. Before coming to St. David's, Fr. Bennett served in churches in the Bronx and Manhattan. As a parish priest, he places a high priority on making pastoral calls, visiting the sick and shut-ins, and counseling. Many times he has been able to assist members of the church and community through court appearances and intervention with the Department of Social Services, and giving support to parents dealing with school authorities. Among the church and community organizations that have honored Fr. Bennett for his ministry are the Boys of Yesteryear, the Bronx Council, Bronx Youth Ministry, and the New York City Council of Churches. Fr. Bennett is a devoted family man, as is evident to those who have met his wife, Ledda, their children and grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Reverend Bertram G. Bennett, Jr., for his remarkable career of serving the community and bringing hope to the many individuals he has touched.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Father Lloyd Springer, who has retired after 27 years of ministry to the South Bronx. He was honored on August 25, 2000, by members of the community. Father Springer came as priest in charge to St. Edmunds Episcopal Church, located at 177th Street and Morris Avenue, in 1973, with a vision and commitment. As a hands-on clergy, he at once began to enhance services to the congregation and to build coalitions with and feelings of empowerment in neighborhood residents. However, as soon as the church began to grow in membership, a devastating fire consumed the parish hall. While this could have been an excuse to flee the South Bronx, instead Fr. Springer worked with the Episcopal Diocese to secure a loan for renovation. Further, he looked to the needs of the neighborhood beginning with Trabajamos Head Start. Blueprints for the renovation of four abandoned buildings across from the church were gathering dust when Brien O'Toole, a community organizer from the North West Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, came to the Mt. Hope neighborhood. Fr. Springer agreed to provide space in the church office and the Mt. Hope Organization was born. A coalition of tenants, churchgoers, homeowners and community leaders met regularly in St. Edmunds' undercroft to address and plan how they would solve the growing problems of abandoned housing stock, drugs, and poor services. The priority for St. Edmunds was the four abandoned buildings across from the church, because drug dealing there posed a danger to all the community, and especially to the community's children. On the site, St. Edmund's Court, with 110 housing units for both community residents and the City's homeless, was opened in 1989 with the Honorable Edward I. Koch presiding. Mr. Speaker, after this success, the Mt. Hope Organization formed a management company and began working with the City to reclaim other abandoned buildings. Father Springer led marches and meetings with elected officials, and the result was 1,200 more units of housing renovated for low- and moderate-income families. Father Springer became the first president of the Board of the Mt. Hope Housing Company, a new Community Development Corporation providing housing, social services, jobs, and job training for residents of the community. During the six years under Fr. Springer's leadership, the Mt. Hope Housing Company did as much work as many larger and longer established Community Development Corporations. Under Fr. Springer's leadership, and in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese and, later, with Episcopal Charities, an After School and Food Bank Program was established. Leaders of the Mt. Hope/St. Edmunds community petitioned the Bronx Borough President for a decent playground, and in 1993 a major capital improvement grant of $870,000 for construction of the St. Edmunds/Mt. Hope Playground was announced at the corner of 177th and Walton Avenue. Parishioners also began to serve an Annual Thanksgiving Dinner for the homeless. These accomplishments energized the community, and Fr. Springer and members launched a search for an organization that would address the inadequate health services available at that time. The Institute for Urban Family Health and the Primary Care Development Corporation became partners with St. Edmunds and Walton Family Health Center opened its doors. This health facility now serves about 900 families yearly. St. Edmunds is also a partner in a new Reach 2010 project, which is looking at the disparities in health care in urban settings, and in particularly the high incidence of diabetes and hypertension among Blacks and Hispanics in the South Bronx. Father Springer's commitment not only to his parish, St. Edmunds, but also to the Mt. Hope Community as a whole, including the homeless, has not gone unrecognized. As Mt. Hope Housing Company rightly stated during its 1993 award, ``Father Springer's presence and wisdom, broad vision and imperturbable temperament, through trials and successes has held the neighborhood to its mission. These qualities and a passion for justice and opportunity, and an ethic of stewardship and duty have contributed mightily to making the Mt. Hope area a community equal to the dignity of its residents.'' Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Father Lloyd Springer for his remarkable career of serving the community and bringing hope to the many individuals he has touched.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute and to congratulate the Rolando Paulino All-Stars team for a very successful year. This group of young South Bronx little leaguers finished their season one game shy of making it to the Little League World Series on August 17, 2000. They have demonstrated that they have the ability and the desire to be assets and role models in our community. We are proud of their accomplishments and I hope they will continue to be successful both on and off the diamond. They are terrific examples for young men throughout our communities. Mr. Speaker, about 150 family members and friends of the Bronx players, almost all of them wearing the team's cardinal red colors and some of them with their faces painted red, sat behind the team's dugout that night to cheer on these Little Bombers. This year, in repeating as the New York State champion, the Bronx team won 10 consecutive games to qualify for the Eastern regional. It defeated four teams from its district in New York City, three teams in the sectional tournament, including South Shore, and three more teams in the State tournament, including Colonie in the final. Mr. Speaker, what made the overall performance of the Bronx team even more remarkable was that it has no home field; players used diamonds in both the south and east Bronx, especially at Claremont and Crotona Parks, and a field at the intersection of LaFontaine Avenue and 181st Street. Again, I congratulate and I wish them the best of luck in their future enterprises. They are our Champions! Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to and congratulating the Rolando Paulino All-Stars Team.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I started out in life with English as a second language. So even though I speak more English in my adult life than I have spoken Spanish, I still have to pay close attention to make sure that what I hear is correct. I heard that this decision was made through an ``informal conference.'' I tried that in Spanish--(the gentleman from New York spoke in Spanish). I tried it in English, ``informal conference.'' Both ways I come up with no conference at all. In other words, an informal conference is a couple of people getting together and deciding there is something they do not like in a bill and then destroying that bill, taking that out, and then presenting it to us as an insult to the will of the House. Let us be clear. The House said that on one particular issue, the issue of our future relations with Cuba, we would begin to change our behavior. In one particular instance, with 301 votes in favor, the House spoke on that issue. But we knew, those of us who support that issue knew, that somehow we would figure on the other side a way to kill that. We had to. How could we listen to 301 Members? How could we listen to the majority of the American people? How could we listen to the American farmer? Are you kidding? So this bill is before us today as an attempt to accomplish many things, but in particular to get two amendments that continue to punish a country and ignore the will of the American people. This is not the end of this issue. We will try very hard today to defeat this rule. But the fact of life is that my colleagues' time is running out. They cannot continue to ignore the Constitution. They cannot continue to ignore the will of the people, and they cannot continue to ignore the will of their own Members. There are 301 Members, there are Republican Members, who will have to explain to the American farmer. My colleagues are hearing it from a person from the South Bronx, who thought all food grew in supermarkets up till recently. My colleagues are going to have to explain to them why they turn their backs on the American farmers who have been begging them to support them on this issue. Cuba did not lose today. I and those who support this issue did not lose today. The big losers are the process in this House and the American farmer. There is no compromise on another bill. Do not kid me, and do not kid us. There will never be a compromise on another bill as long as there is a desire to continue to ignore the will of the American people. Vote down this rule.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I would like to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), my brother, for being courageous enough to always bring up this issue. The fact that we continue to bring this issue is to the celebration of the day and of the time because this issue is not going to go away. As I said before on this floor, time is running out. Today we will see something that has not happened before today. We will see Republican amendments on this floor dealing with the Cuba issue and deal with the Cuba issue as we see it, as I see it, allowing travel, allowing exchanges, allowing commerce between the two countries. Now, we can continue here to espouse all the points we want about what is wrong with Cuba, but the fact of life is that the relationship we want is with the Cuban people. No one here is supportive of the Cuban Government or Chinese Government or Vietnamese Government. We are supportive of people. At this point in our relationship with the rest of the world, it makes no sense whatsoever to continue to say that we will not deal with Cuba because somehow they present a threat to us and to our security and to the rest of the world. We present a threat to the people in Cuba. We present a threat to the children in Cuba. Every time we deny contact through travel, every time we deny food and medicine, every time we deny our culture, our behavior, our ideals, our way of being and of conducting business to be seen and heard up close in Cuba, we are hurting the Cuban people. But we continue to believe that somehow, if we squeeze Cuba a little bit more, its government will fall apart and we keep hearing that. Well, 6 months from now the Cuban Government will be on its 11th president, American President. The only reason they are not on their 13th president is because Reagan and Clinton were reelected. So we better get used to the fact that the change has to come over here in terms of how we are going to behave with them. As long as we stand on this floor and we see support for China, Vietnam and Korea, there has got to be support for Cuba.

Mr. SERRANO. Well, Mr. Chairman, it finally happened, the last speaker let the cat out of the bag. Cuba is a small island, not a large European country. That is the problem. If it was a large European country or an Asian country, he would be lobbying, as he did, for free trade with Cuba, because he was the chief sponsor of lobbying on behalf of President Clinton for free trade with China. But he said it. Cuba is a small island, and for 41 years, we have been saying, you are a small island, you are insignificant, you speak another language, we are going to step all over you. Well, the big news tonight is that it is no longer a Serrano amendment, it is a Sanford- Campbell-Serrano amendment, and even the chairman of the subcommittee, who I respect tremendously said, it does not belong in this bill, but he never said the amendment stinks, he said we should debate it. Mr. Chairman, that is the change, that we want to begin to debate it, and it is a matter of time before this policy falls apart. Because it was improper, and it finally came out. It was never about what was right, it was about Cuba being a small little island, and China being a big country, and Russia being a big country. Well, Cuba will remain a small, little island, but the small children of Cuba should be able to greet and meet the children of America. Contact is the best way. Of all the things we have done to try to isolate Cuba, the travel ban is the most unconstitutional. It is unheard of. It is anti-American at its core to say people cannot travel, and this will have to end.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, once again it is an honor for me to recognize the Great Dominican Parade and Festival of the Bronx on its eleventh year of celebrating Dominican culture in my South Bronx Congressional District. This year's festivities will take place on July 16, 2000. Under its Founder and President, Felipe Febles, the parade has grown in size and splendor. It now brings together an increasing number of participants from all five New York City boroughs and beyond. On Sunday July 16, thousands of members and friends of the Dominican community will march from Mt. Eden and 172nd Street to East 161st Street and the Grand Concourse in honor of Juan Pablo Duarte, the father of the independence of the Dominican Republic. As one who has participated in the parade in the past, I can attest that the excitement it generates brings the entire City together. It is a celebration and an affirmation of life. It feels wonderful to enable so many people to have this experience--one that will change the lives of many of them. It is an honor for me to join once again the hundreds of joyful people who will march from Mt. Eden and 172nd Street to East 161st Street, and to savor the variety of their celebrations. There's no better way to see our Bronx community. The event will feature a wide variety of entertainment for all age groups. This year's festival includes the performance of Merengue and Salsa bands, crafts exhibitions, and food typical of the Dominican Republic. In addition to the parade, President Febles and many organizers have provided the community with nearly two weeks of activities to commemorate the contributions of the Dominican community, its culture and history. Mr. Speaker, it is with enthusiasm that I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to this wonderful celebration of Dominican culture, which has brought much pride to the Bronx community.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mrs. Marcella R. Brown, an outstanding individual who has dedicated her life to public service and education. She was honored on July 8, 2000 by parents, family, friends, and professionals for her outstanding contributions to the community at the Washington Avenue Community Center in the Bronx. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Mrs. Brown moved to the South Bronx in 1959 with her late husband, Nathaniel, and their eight children. She is blessed with 19 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. In 1967, Mrs. Brown began as a community organizer at L.A.B.O.R. and was there for twenty years. In 1972, she earned a B.A. Degree in Urban Planning from Manhattan College and continued her pursuit of postgraduate studies and was awarded a certificate in Health & Human Services. She also graduated with honors from the first class at NYCPD Citizens' Policy Academy, an initiative designed to build positive community relations between residents and the police department Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Brown, currently, works with the Ehrlick Residential Mental Health Housing Program assisting residents in need of supportive intensive services. She began as a Residential Counselor and for the past eleven years she has served as the Entitlement Intake Specialist. In addition, she served as the District Leader in the 78th Assembly District for two terms. She was on the first community board of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Health Center, where she served for twenty years and is the proud recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Life Time Achievement's award for dedicated service. Mrs. Brown was responsible for organizing the community to advance the completion of the NYCHA development at 1162-76 Washington Avenue in the Bronx. She also assisted in the screening of tenants for the first ``Turnkey'' NYCHA development in the South Bronx/Morrisania area. Mrs. Brown belongs to many business, professional, religious and civic organizations and has received numerous honors and awards. Presently, she is serving her fifth term as Chairwoman of Community Planning Board III, she serves as President of the 1162-76 Washington Avenue Tenant Association and has been a resident since the development opened in 1974, she is former Chairwoman for the Interim Council of Presidents for the NYCHA Bronx South District, First Vice President at Lincoln Hospital Community Advisory Board, Worthy Matron at Tyber Chapter #6C Order of Eastern Stars, Member of the Bronx Urban League and the NAACP. She serves as the Chairwoman of Women's Day Program and President of Pastor's Aide-Auxillary at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. Mrs. Brown's daily motto has been ``I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'' Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Marcella R. Brown for her outstanding achievements in community service.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I was unfortunately detained during rollcall No. 356, and I want the Record to reflect that if I had been present, my vote would have been ``yea.''

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, for as long as I have been in Congress, I have worked to lift sanctions against Cuba. One hundred, sixty-seven Members from both sides have cosponsored H.R. 1644, my legislation, to lift the embargo on the sale of food and medicine without restrictions. I and many others of my colleagues applauded the efforts of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt) to include other countries in the removal of sanctions on food and medicine. Unfortunately, this agreement is the result of negotiations that took place without the participation of many of the people deeply involved in this issue over a long period of time. However, the good news is that a door has been opened that will never, ever close again. Elian Gonzalez, who left today, helped us to put aside some of the hate in Miami and to move forward. We will keep pushing that door and that door until it falls and it opens forever. When Juan Miguel Gonzalez stood at the airport today and looked at the American people and in both English and Spanish said thank you for giving my child back to me, thank you for having your system work on my behalf, and try to work with each other so that we can have better relations in the future, Juan Miguel had no understanding, I am sure, the legacy that he and his little boy have left behind. This door is open, and it will never, ever close again. We will trade with Cuba as much as we can now, and we will lift the embargo soon. People can stand here and accuse people of being bad Americans and supporters of the Castro regime. I am a supporter of Juan Miguel Gonzalez. I am a supporter of Elian Gonzalez. I am a supporter of children in Cuba who have never harmed my child; and their father, this Congressman, should not harm them at all. The bad news is that this was a back room deal that is going to be hard in some cases to enforce. The good news is that we have 170 people over here that are going to stay on the State Department, Treasury Department, the administration, joining Members from the other side, to make sure that every possible opening in that door works to our advantage and to the advantage of the Cuban people. It is over. It is over. Mark it on the calendar. The day Elian left, he took with him the sickness of the embargo and he threw it away at sea. Elian's tragedy is going to be our sanity, because starting today we will do what is right and some day when that little boy grows up some reporter will go to him and say, do you know that you played a role in these two people coming together? And he will know what happened, and his father, that 31-year-old articulate, direct, but compassionate man, who had the courage and the strength to say I will wait the system out, if they had taken my child, I would not have been the diplomat that he was.

Mr. SERRANO

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

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I am really concerned, as many of U.S. are on this side, about this amendment and should be. This amendment singles out farmer workers, migrant farm workers, for this harsh treatment. Legal Services was created to protect those who do not have the resources to defend themselves. We know that. We have discussed this on the floor. We had a bipartisan amendment here which increased the funding for Legal Services, and that funding will continue to grow, because both sides see the need for Legal Services to do this work. What this amendment does in a most mean-spirited way is to single out migrant farm workers and to say that if we take their case, Legal Services takes their case, we better win, because if we lose, we are going to have to pay for having taken on a right case. We do not do this for anyone else. We just single out migrant farm workers, and for that reason alone there should be opposition. There is also the understanding that farm workers in general are the poorest of the poor in this country, so this sets a tone for anyone who works in the fields, who does that kind of work, that you have no protection, because the next step will be for all farm workers or for anybody who is in that field. And just on that alone, I think that we should in a bipartisan way really defeat this amendment, and I would hope that the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss) understands what we are trying to do today. Mr. Chairman, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman).

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Let me quickly make two points: first of all, a personal point and then an observation in general. Personally, anyone who has followed me during these 10 years that I have been in Congress knows that I am very outspoken on my country being involved in military activities throughout the world. On many occasions, when we have been involved in the last 10 years, I have spoken against it because I have questioned what we were doing in certain places. Secondly, I, as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) and so many of us do, recognize that the world has changed in such a way where we are truly the last strong standing superpower. So with that comes a responsibility, in my opinion; and the responsibility is especially what we have been doing the last few years throughout the world, and that is joining other countries in peacekeeping operations. I can see no better way to use our military forces than in attempting to keep the peace rather than engaging in war. Unfortunately, the whole world has not changed the way some places have changed, and so we have areas of the world where there are serious problems still going on, and we can either stand by and allow some of these things to happen, or we can take a role. Well, I cannot double-talk. I did not want us to take certain roles of going in and joining one side and fighting the other. But what we are doing now I think is honorable, and it is humane and it is proper, when we go in as part of the U.N. to participate with other countries in keeping the peace. So at this point, I think it is totally improper for us in this subcommittee, in this Congress, to tell our administration to tell our leaders, and I will take the same position should there be new leadership in the future at the White House, that we should not take the role of saying, we cannot participate, and in keeping the peace. What this bill does, and what this whole message is is that we do not care, we do not care what happens throughout the world, and we do not care what role we play. Let me just close by repeating again. I am not one of those who supports our military actions, but I do support our peacekeeping actions.

Mr. SERRANO. I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment, Mr. Chairman.

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

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy).

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute. The more I hear the gentleman speak about his amendment and the more I hear people support the amendment, I cannot believe what I am hearing. It is like we are going crazy in this Chamber. Here we have for the first time a major manufacturer of guns in this country not saying gun control, not saying stop the sale of guns but saying, yes, you were right all along, I can make safety locks; I can bring out smart gun technology; I can make my guns child safety-trigger resistant; I can have chamber load indicators; I can do a lot of things that will make this situation a safer one for people who should not be either using guns or be near a gun in any way. In no way, shape or form does Smith & Wesson want to put themselves out of business by saying gun control. This is a perfect thing to agree on. In fact, if one is for the use of guns in this country, they should be for this. So the more I listen to these arguments I say I do not know, maybe I am listening to another Chamber somewhere else. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, let me just point out that a similar amendment by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hostettler) was defeated on the VA-HUD bill. Secondly, the gentleman keeps mentioning the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice is not a party to this agreement, as is the Treasury Department. Lastly, just to remind everyone, this is Smith & Wesson trying to do the right thing; and to be attacked for trying to do the right thing and to say they have been coerced is totally unfair. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy).

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I am really troubled by this amendment because it wants to destroy an agreement which is for the good of the American people and, in fact, for the good of the gun manufacturing industry. On the safety front, Smith & Wesson agreed to measures like internal safety locks, smart gun technology, child safety trigger resistance, chamber load indicators, and many other provisions that will cut down on accidental shootings and make guns less attractive to criminals. What Smith & Wesson did was, in fact, show for the first time in a very significant way that this issue can be taken seriously as a manufacturer; that they do not have to run away from their responsibilities; that, yes, they can stay in business and still do the right thing by the American people and American children. For that reason, I think that opposing the implementation of the agreement at this point is a vote for less safety and less responsible distribution. To kill the implementation of the agreement sends a strong signal to the rest of the gun industry that they should just keep resisting common sense reform while communities throughout America pay the price. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I want to join the chairman in his comments that he has made. Let me first say that many Members have come to me and told me that this is an area they wish would not be used for offsets. This especially cuts the Fulbright program, which has been cut by Congress by more than 25 percent in fiscal year 1995 and 1996. In addition, I am informed that this would also cut educational advising, which assists folks who are interested in attending school over here. So, in general, while we certainly understand what the gentleman is trying to do, and under normal circumstances I probably would join him, there are many people on this side who believe that hurting this program would just not be the proper thing to do at this time.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I will be very brief. I also want to join the chairman, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), in thanking both our staffs for the work they have done on this bill, and to thank him personally for his treatment of this ranking member, and the diplomatic way in which he deals with me. We have a special relationship. I also want to reiterate to the chairman, as I said before, that I will be supporting this bill tonight. Many Members on this side of the aisle will not. I will support the bill with the intent to continue to work with the chairman to make this the bill that I think it should be when this process is over. However, I have to be honest, that unless some very dramatic changes take place in this bill, the second time around the gentleman will see even less support on this side. I do that understanding the gentleman's desire to work with me and to work with us in making sure this becomes a better bill. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Amendment No. 77 Offered by Mr. Vitter

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I insist on my point of order against the gentleman from Indiana's amendment. The amendment changes existing law and constitutes legislation in an appropriation bill and, therefore, violates clause 2 of rule XXI.