E. Shaw

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall Nos. 65, 66 and 67 I was absent due to a family medical emergency. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 65 and ``no'' on rollcall Nos. 66 and 67.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, all across America, in the small towns and great cities of this country, our heritage as a nation--the physical evidence of our past--is at risk. In virtually every corner of this land, homes in which grandparents and parents grew up, communities and neighborhoods that nurtured vibrant families, schools that were good places to learn and churches and synagogues that were filled on days of prayer, have suffered the ravages of abandonment and decay. In the decade from 1980 to 1990, Chicago lost 41,000 housing units through abandonment, Philadelphia 10,000, and St. Louis 7,000. The story in our older small communities has been the same, and the trend continues. It is important to understand that it is not just the buildings we are losing. It is the sense of our past, the vitality of our communities and the shared values of those precious places. We need not stand hopelessly by as passive witnesses to the loss of these irreplaceable historic resources. We can act, and to that end I am introducing today with a bipartisan group of my colleagues the Historic Homeownership Assistance Act. This legislation is almost identical to legislation introduced in the 106th Congress as H.R. 1172, which enjoyed the broad bipartisan support of 225 cosponsors. It is patterned after the existing Historic Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credit. That legislation has been enormously successful in stimulating private investment in the rehabilitation of buildings of historic importance all across the country. Through its use we have been able to save and re-use a rich and diverse array of historic buildings and landmarks such as Union Station in Washington, DC.; the Fox Paper Mills, a mixed-used project that was once derelict in Appleton, WI; and the Rosa True School, an eight-unit low/moderate income rental project in a historic building in Portland, Maine. In my own State of Florida, since 1974, the existing Historic Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credit has resulted in over 325 rehabilitation projects, leveraging more than $238 million in private investment. These projects range from the restoration of art deco hotels in historic Miami Beach, bringing economic rebirth to this once decaying area, to the development of multifamily housing in the Springfield Historic District in Jacksonville. The legislation that I am introducing today builds on the familiar structure of the existing tax credit but with a different focus. It is designed to empower the one major constituency that has been barred from using the existing credit--homeowners. Only those persons who rehabilitate or purchase a newly rehabilitated home and occupy it as their principal residence would be entitled to the credit that this legislation would create. There would be no passive losses, no tax shelters, and no syndications under this bill. Like the existing investment credit, the bill would provide a credit to homeowners equal to 20 percent of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures made on an eligible building that is used as a The bill also makes provision for lower-income home buyers who may not have sufficient federal income tax liability to use a tax credit. It would permit such persons to receive a historic rehabilitation mortgage credit certificate which they can use with their bank to obtain a lower interest rate on their mortgage. The legislation also permits home buyers in distressed areas to use the certificate to lower their down payment. The credit would be available for condominiums and co-ops, as well as single-family buildings. If a building were to be rehabilitated by a developer for sale to a homeowner, the credit would pass through to the homeowner. Since one purpose of the bill is to provide incentives for middle-income and more affluent families to return to older towns and cities, the bill does not discriminate among taxpayers on the basis of income. It does, however, impose a cap of $40,000 on the amount of credit which may be taken for a principal residence. The Historic Homeownership Assistance Act will make ownership of a rehabilitated older home more affordable for homeowners of modest incomes. It will encourage more affluent families to claim a stake in older towns and neighborhoods. It affords fiscally stressed cities and towns a way to put abandoned buildings back on the tax roles, while strengthening their income and sales tax bases. It offers developers, realtors, and homebuilders a new realm of economic opportunity in revitalizing decaying buildings. Mr. Speaker, this bill is no panacea. Although its goals are great, its reach will be modest. But it can make a difference, and an important difference. In communities large and small all across this nation, the American dream of owning one's home is a powerful force. This bill can help it come true for those who are prepared to make a personal commitment to join in the rescue of our priceless heritage. By their actions they can help to revitalize decaying resources of historic importance, create jobs and stimulate economic development, and restore to our older towns and cities a lost sense of purpose and community. I urge all Members of the House to review and support this important legislation, and I look forward to working with the Ways and Means Committee to enact this bill.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I am continually seeking sound policy changes that will make and keep our economy productive, create jobs and improve the overall quality of life for Americans. It is my belief that an important elements of a productive economy is modern, efficient and environmentally responsible space for Americans to work, shop and recreate. In order to create and maintain such space, a building owner must regularly change, reconfigure or somehow improve office, retail and commercial space to meet the needs of new and existing tenants. I believe that the Internal Revenue Code's cost recovery rules associated with leasehold improvements are an impediment for building owners needing to make such improvements. Therefore, I am pleased to introduce this legislation to change the cost recovery rules associated with leasehold improvements. Simply stated, this legislation would allow building owners to depreciate specified building improvements using a 10-year depreciable life, rather than the 39 years required by current law, thereby matching more closely the expenses incurred to construct these improvements with the income the improvements generate under the lease. To qualify under the legislation, the improvement must be constructed by a lessor or lessee in the tenant-occupied space. In an effort to ensure that the legislation is as cost efficient as possible, improvements constructed in common areas of a building, such as elevators, escalators and lobbies, would not qualify; nor would improvements made to new buildings. Office, retail, or other commercial rental real estate is typically reconfigured, changed or somehow improved on a regular basis to meet the needs of new and existing tenants. Internal walls, ceilings, partitions, plumbing, lighting and finish each are elements that might be the type of improvement made within a building to accommodate a tenant's requirements, and thereby ensure that the work or shopping space is a modern, efficient, and environmentally responsible as possible. Unfortunately, today's depreciation rules do not differentiate between the economic useful life of a building improvement--which typically corresponds with a tenant's lease-term--and the life of the overall building structure. The result is that current tax law dictates a depreciable life for leasehold improvements of 39 years--the depreciable life for the entire building--even though most commercial leases typically run for a period of 7 to 10 years. As a result, after-tax cost of reconfiguring, or building out, office, retail, or other commercial space to accommodate new tenants or modernizing workplace is artificially high. This hinders urban reinvestment and construction job opportunities as improvements are delayed or not undertaken at all. Additionally, a widespread shift to more energy-efficient, environmentally sound building elements is discouraged by the current tax system because of their typically higher expense. If a greater conservation potential of energy-efficient lighting were to be realized, the demand for the equivalent of one hundred 1,000-megawatt powerplants could be eliminated, with corresponding reductions in air pollution and global warming. Reform of the cost recovery rules for leasehold improvements has been long overdue. In the 106th Congress, this bill enjoyed widespread support with 144 Members co-sponsoring it. This legislation should be enacted this year. This would acknowledge the fact that improvements constructed for one tenant are rarely suitable for another, and that when a tenant leaves, the space is typically build-out over again for a new tenant. It is important to note that prior to 1981 our tax laws allowed these improvement costs to be deducted over the life of the lease. Subsequent legislation, however, abandoned this policy as part of a move to simplify and shorten building depreciation rules in general to 15 years. Given that buildings are now required to be depreciated over 39 years, it is time to face economic reality and reinstate a separate depreciation period for building improvements to tenant occupied space. Mr. Speaker, I urge my fellow members to review and support this important job producing, urban revitalization legislation. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee to enact this bill.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I have been sitting on the floor for the last few minutes, and I heard one Member say we cannot predict with absolute certainty what the economy is going to be, what revenue is going to be, what spending is going to be 10 years from now, and then from that come to a conclusion that the American people do not need a tax reduction. If we are waiting for absolute certainty in our projections, the American people will never get anything back, but then what disturbs me most is a comment that was just made on the floor a few moments ago when one Member said the government should not give away money it may need. The government may not give away money it may need. Mr. Speaker, this is the taxpayers' money. It is not the government's money. When the government has enough to operate and to pay down the debt and to act in a responsible way for the foreseeable future, it is our obligation to let the American taxpayers keep more of what they earn. There are things that we do know with certainty. We do know that Federal taxes are at the highest level ever since peacetime. Americans work for more than 4 months just to pay their taxes. We know that with certainty. The typical American family pays more than 38 percent of its income in total taxes. We know that. On top of that, households are facing higher energy prices. My colleagues from the Northeast know that. The price of oil has doubled over the last 18 months. Manufacturing activity is at its lowest level since the 1990 recession. We know that. These are things we know and these are things that we have to operate on. The Congress is not going away. We are going to be back year after year after year. The miracle of our democracy is that we are able to adjust to the times. We are able to adjust to current circumstances. We are able to adjust to our economy. Let us pass this tax bill. It is the taxpayers' money, it is not the government's money.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to express my support, unconditional support, for H.R. 2, the Social Security and Medicare Lock-Box Act of 2001. Today Social Security protects 45 million Americans and provides one out of three seniors with their primary source of retirement income. According to the Social Security Administration, 39 percent of all seniors are lifted out of poverty because of their Social Security benefits. Clearly Social Security is one of the most successful and most important Federal programs ever created that we have today. But Social Security is in trouble. In less than 15 years Social Security will spend more than it receives in taxes. By the year 2037, the trust funds will be absolutely empty; and the program will only pay less than three-fourths of its promised benefits. One of our most important priorities this year is to put Social Security on sound financial footing so it can continue to pay full benefits far into the future and full benefits without increasing taxes to American workers. H.R. 2, the Social Security and Medicare Lock-Box Act, is the first critical step towards saving Social Security for all time. This legislation prevents Congress from using the Social Security and Medicare surpluses to cut taxes or increase spending. The lockbox ensures that 100 percent of the Social Security surplus and 100 percent of the Medicare surplus are used to reduce the debt, until we enact legislation to save Social Security and Medicare. Let me repeat: the full amount will go to pay down the debt until such time as a portion of that is used to save Social Security and Medicare. The lockbox is important for three reasons: first, it ensures that we have the money to pay for Social Security and Medicare reform once reform plans are enacted; second, it promotes fiscal discipline by forcing the Congress to balance the budget, without relying on Social Security or Medicare surpluses; finally, the lockbox reduces our national debt, resulting in higher national savings, faster economic growth, and lower interest costs for our government. I encourage all Members to show their commitment to Social Security and Medicare by supporting this most important act and then continue to work with us on the majority side to save Social Security for all time. There have been a number of speeches that I have heard, mainly coming from the other side, one from my ranking member on the Subcommittee on Social Security, the gentleman from California (Mr. Matsui), likening this somehow to Girl Scout cookies. This is very important legislation. Does this save Social Security for all time? Absolutely not. It is just a first step. It keeps us from spending the surplus, so it will be there for us to work together on, whenever we can move the minority side to come aboard with us and work to save Social Security for all time. Is it irrelevant? Of course, it is not irrelevant. It is very relevant, because how are we going to save Social Security if we are giving the surplus away in tax cuts or in new spending programs? It locks it away. This is the right thing to do. This is the right time to do it. This is important legislation, but it is only a first step. I would encourage all Members to come aboard with us and to vote this most important first step towards Social Security reform. It would be a tragedy not to pass this bill, and not to pass it by an overwhelming vote of well over two-thirds, the amount necessary in order to pass this under suspension.

Mr. SHAW. I just want to point one thing out. The lockbox is released as soon as the Congress saves Social Security. So to say that this is going to bind the hands or tie the hands of future Congresses presupposes that we will not save Social Security, and I will tell the gentleman that with some bipartisan support we will.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest sympathy for the victims of the earthquake that recently struck the state of Gujarat in western India. January 26th marked Republic Day for the Indian people. The celebration of the fifty-first anniversary of the ratification of the Indian constitution was overshadowed by an earthquake, which although it only lasted sixty seconds, took an incalculable toll on western India. It measured 7.9 on the Richter Scale. An earthquake so forceful and deadly that tremors were felt throughout the country and an estimated 25,000 people were killed. Remarkably, rescuers continue to find survivors, and we are grateful for their work on behalf of the Indian people. The slow and arduous process of rebuilding both buildings and lives has begun. The aftershock of such a calamity will be felt for years to come. It is therefore my hope that our government will provide the necessary and appropriate funds that may help alleviate the destruction caused by this catastrophe. So far, USAID has allotted nine million dollars for relief efforts. However, no amount of aid can ever compensate for the anguish and profound loss that has been experienced by the Indian people.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, today, along with my colleagues Congressmen Paul and Petri, I am introducing the Public School Construction Partnership Act, to help our public schools meet the need for school modernization, new classrooms and the repair of old and aging facilities. I represent three of the fifteen largest school districts in the country--the Miami-Dade County Public School District is the nation's fourth largest school district, the Broward County School District is the nation's fifth largest, and the Palm Beach County School District is the fifteenth largest. Public school children attend classes in 296 elementary, middle and senior high schools in Miami-Dade County, 178 in Broward County, and 137 in Palm Beach County. Many classes are held in temporary classrooms, many of the buildings are in need of repairs, and the student population in the state of Florida is expected to grow 25 percent faster than the overall population. This makes the need for new school construction and renovation of old ones critical. Public schools need new ways to raise revenue to meet the problems caused by growth and overcrowding. The financing needs faced by an urban school district may not be of the same nature or scope as those of a rural district. At the same time we need to reduce construction costs and promote school construction efficiencies to ensure that dollars are spent wisely and effectively. This bill is a meaningful step in those directions. Four different approaches to financing new public school construction and repairing older schools are provided for in this legislation. First, in order to encourage private-sector participation and avoid debt capacity problems for states and localities, the bill would allow school districts to make use of public-private partnerships in issuing private activity bonds for the construction or improvement of public educational facilities. Private activity bonds can now be issued to finance 12 types of activities such as airports, docks and wharves, qualified residential rental projects, and qualified hazardous waste facilities. It makes sense to be able to issue them for the construction and rehabilitation of public schools. In order to qualify for the bonds, public-private partnerships would build school facilities and lease them to the school district. At the end of the lease term the facilities would revert back to the school district of no additional consideration. Alternatively, a school district could sell their old facilities to such a partnership, which would then refurbish them, and lease the refurbished facilities back to the school district. The proceeds from the sale could then be used by the district to build new classrooms. This allows the school district to leverage investment in school facilities without having to borrow by issuing tax-exempt bonds. The bonds would be exempt from the annual state volume caps on private activity bonds, but would be subject to their own annual per- state caps equal to the greater of $10 per capita or $5 million. This bill leaves to the states the manner in which the per-state amount is to be allocated. Second, the bill provides for a 4-year safe harbor for exemption from the arbitrage rules. To prevent state and local governments from issuing tax-exempt bonds and using the proceeds to invest in higher yielding investments to earn investment income (thereby earning arbitrage profits), arbitrage restrictions are placed on the use of tax exempt bonds. In the case of tax-exempt bonds use to finance school construction and renovation, the bond proceeds must be spent at certain rates on construction within 24 months of being issued. The bill would extend the 24-month period to 4 years for school bonds as long as the proceeds were spent at certain rates within this period. It is difficult for school districts to comply with the present 24-month period when funding different projects from a single issuance of bonds. The increase in the time period would give school districts greater flexibility in planning construction projects and more money with which to build and repair schools. Tax exempt bonds issued by small governments are not subject to the arbitrage restrictions as long as no more than $10 million of bonds are issued in any year. In order to provide relief to small and rural school districts undertaking school construction and rehabilitation activities, the third approach undertaken by the bill is to raise the exemption to $15 million as long as at least $10 million of the bonds were used for public school construction. Fourth, the bill would permit banks to invest in up to $25 million of tax exempt bonds issued by school districts for public school construction without disallowance of a deduction for interest expense. Currently, banks are allowed to purchase only $10 million without being subject to disallowance of interest expense. Banks traditionally have been an important purchaser of last resort of tax exempt bonds. Increasing the amount of bonds that can be purchased by banks without penalty will allow school districts to sell their bonds to banks, thereby avoiding having to incur the expense of accessing the capital markets. This legislation offers an innovative approach to help finance the building and rehabilitation of our public schools, which is so vital to improving our education system. The creation of the public/private partnerships would speed up the construction of new public schools that are urgently needed. The bill gives our school districts the flexibility they need to tailor their financing needs to their individual situations. This legislation can help our public schools to construct and repair needed facilities to educate our children, and I urge my colleagues to join me in seeking its enactment.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize the life-long contributions of Crosby Kazarian to his community and church. Due to his record of service. Mr. Kazarian was honored recently with the Pontifical Medal of St. Nersess Shnorhali by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriach and Catholicos of All Armenians, at St. David Armenian Church of Boca Raton, Florida. The presentation of the medal and the Patriarchal Encyclical, reached here from Holy Etchmiadzin, the Holy See of the Armenian Church, were made by His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Crosby Kazarian was praised for his widespread services in the Armenian Church, the Dioces, the Knights of Vartan, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and the St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New York. As an American born Armenian, Crosby was one of the rare members who was very fluent in Armenian, both liturgical and conversational, whose participation as an ordained deacon in the Armenian Church, and a member of the church choir in Providence since 1944, was an outstanding accomplishment. Mr. Kazarian was a member of the Parish Council, and a Diocesan Delegate. He was chairman of the Diocesan Assembly in 1976-78, and was on the Diocesan Council from 1979-83. He has been a member of the St. Nersess Theological Seminary Board of Directors, and since 1985 has served on the Armenian Church Endowment Fund's Board of Trustees. A phenomenon in an individual's life was Crosby Kazarian's election as the Grand Commander of the Knights of Vartan, an International Armenian Fraternal organization, which was hailed as the youngest among his predecessors during 1983-85. Presently an active member of the Brotherhood, Crosby is also a member of St. David Armenian Church, being one of its Godfathers on the consecration day in 1988, and still serving the same church as an Arhdeacon, Mr. Kazarian and his wife of forty-years, Araxie, are the parents of two sons, Gregory and Ara.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me, and I very much appreciate the work of this great body. Mr. Speaker, as extraordinary as it has been to see traditional adversaries come together this year on comprehensive Everglades restoration legislation contained in the Water Resources Development Act, something else is going on here which I think is very special and I think is very worthwhile noting. Skeptics have been saying, and they have been at our heels in recent weeks, we will not get it done. To them I say, we will. Some have gone around the country saying a Republican Congress cannot work with a Democrat administration to produce good policy for the American people. We have and we will. Others have lost patience and doubted our ability to lead and get this done in this short span of time. Well, we have proven them wrong, also. The fact is this: When both parties come to the table with sincere good-faith efforts to get something done without hidden agendas and with eyes towards the next generation and not just the next election, building upon relationships of good will, not destroying them, we can do good things for our country and for the entire globe. We all recognize the importance of this legacy, not only on the land and water, but on the people who live in Florida and visit this national treasure, and want to make sure that it is there for future generations. My colleagues know, I have worked my entire career and will continue to work to build bridges across the aisle. There is no better example of doing that, as I am looking at my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch) and looking at my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss), whose congressional districts share the Everglades, to say that this is certainly a very fine moment. I have offered several bills on the environment, but none makes me prouder to have my name on it than the comprehensive Everglades restoration bill, because I have been looking after this piece of my backyard for my entire life. I am eager to see this legislation pass, not because the base Everglades bill has my name on it, but because it is the right thing to do and because a broad cross-section of Americans have put their support and their hard work into getting us to this day. I urge the passage of this resolution, this rule, and also push for the passage of the underlying bill.

Mr. SHAW. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I come to the Democrat side of the aisle this morning to close this argument, not to get in anybody's face but to demonstrate the solidarity of this great body and what we are experiencing today. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch); all of the Florida delegation; the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis); of course the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the chairman of the committee; the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski); the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert); the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar); of course the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), who has been absolutely there for us the entire way. There are just so many. The entire Florida delegation, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), there are just so many that have worked so hard to see that we got here this day. But we also have our heroes in Florida, many of them not with us. I want to associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch) in ticking off the Members, former Members of this body as well as the former Governors who have worked so hard, Senator Graham as Governor and as a Senator, Senator Connie Mack, former Senator and Governor Chiles, who really had a sensitivity toward the Everglades and to saving the Everglades, and, of course, Governor Jeb Bush who has been absolutely tireless in his efforts to pull together this legislation and communicating with the Speaker and the majority leader and other people to see that we got where we are today. I have been confident the whole time that I have been working on this bill that we would be able to get to this day, and I have had that confidence because I have seen the bipartisan support that we have been able to generate; and the locomotive on this entire bill, of course, is the largest restoration, environmental restoration project in the history of the world. It started with the destruction of the Everglades. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) spoke of it earlier this morning during the debate on the rule, where Governor Broward, for whom my home county is named, ran on the platform that he was going to drain that swamp, the Everglades. We almost got there. Thank God we stopped it. We have had great cooperation from the Army Corps of Engineers through this whole project. Mr. Westfahl has been absolutely tireless in working with us. Secretary of Interior Mr. Babbitt has been tremendously helpful and sensitive to the needs of Florida and to the needs of the Everglades. This destruction is not just down in the Everglades itself. It starts out up just south of Orlando, and it stretches down all the way through Florida Bay and off the Keys, the Florida Keys. The water has been rerouted in so many ways that the sheath flow has been almost completely destroyed. The salinity of Florida Bay goes up and down so that the natural grasses that are on the floor of the Florida Bay are in deep trouble. This makes all of the fish life, the shellfish and other fisheries that are in that area, puts them in grave danger and that could affect the whole fishing industry for the entire State of Florida. It is fitting and proper that the Federal Government at least pay half of the cost of the restoration of this great natural resource. But I think one of the great miracles of pulling this thing together is that all of the interests came together. The agricultural interest which was at complete odds with the environmental interest of the Everglades have come together with the environmentalists, the developers have come together as the municipalities. The Indian tribes that are there have signed on. It was just a tremendous job that has been done in bringing these people together. This is a historic day. November 3 is the day that we took the first step in really restoring this great national treasure. Mr. Speaker, this is really a great day for this country; it is a great day for Florida. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, for the past eight years, I have had the privilege of serving in the U.S. House of Representatives with the distinguished gentlelady from Jacksonville, Florida, Tillie Fowler. It has been my and my wife, Emilie's great pleasure to get to know Tillie and her husband Buck. They have become close friends of ours as we worked together to serve our constituents in Florida. The residents of Florida's 4th Congressional District have been fortunate to be represented by a hard-working, dedicated Member of Congress. Tillie has served as the Vice-Chairman of the Republican Conference, making her the highest-ranking woman in the Congress and the only Floridian who is part of the leadership. While she has been involved in the leadership, she has not neglected the needs of her constituents. Her service on the Armed Services and Transportation Committees has been exemplary. She worked very hard to ensure that Florida received its fair share of highway funding. Tillie Fowler is a class-act and we need more individuals like her here. We will truly miss her. But we know that she will not stop serving the residents of Florida no matter what she does next.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. I thank the gentleman for those very fine remarks. In just a moment I will be yielding back the time, the balance of which I understand will be claimed by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton) to conclude this special order, but I would like to just point out a couple of extra things about Bill Archer which are tremendously important. When I first went on the Committee on Ways and Means, the first thing they would do when they started marking up a tax bill was to close the doors. I can tell my colleagues that those sessions went a lot quicker and there were not as many speeches made, but he opened that process, which I think was a very good thing to do. Also, I would like to, just from a personal standpoint, mention what great friends that he and Sharon have been to Emily and to me. In Congress we do make some friends that last a lifetime, and our relationship with the Archer's has been a very, very special one, and one that both Emily and I certainly treasure. After hours, many, many times we have gotten together for dinner or have gone various places. I know that they have shown a keen interest in conservation on the continent of Africa. One such trip, which was not a taxpayers' expense trip, I must say, was deep back in this Congo, where it took better than a day to get back where we were going. Then we would walk for miles and miles and miles through the forest. I can tell my colleagues that I believe that 70-year-old man can walk further than I can. He absolutely is in great shape. I can attribute that, I think, to the time that he spends on a tractor doing other various other things at his farm out in Virginia, which I know he and his wife dearly, dearly love. Her love for animals is something that is, I think, really, really quite incredible. But I look forward to seeing more of Bill Archer. I have an idea that his days in government are not entirely behind him. He has so much yet to offer, and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead in other capacities. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas).

Mr. SHAW. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to rise in really celebration of a career of probably one of the most respected Members of this great body, and I am speaking of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer). The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) came to this House back in 1970 after having served a short term in the Texas House of Representatives. But I think he really came into his own in 1994 when he became the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means after serving for several years as the Ranking Republican Member. If there is one person in this body that I really try to as much as I possibly can to pattern myself after, my conduct and how I vote and how I view things, it would be the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer). He has such a high moral standard that he sticks to himself. His ability to listen to the Members and his ability of inclusion on the Committee on Ways and Means, it is sort of a rare thing that one sees that there is a coming together, because we see tax policy different, the two political parties. But under his leadership, he was a key player in getting the 1997 balanced budget with tax relief signed into law. That tax cut was the first tax cut in 16 years. That shows his ability to work with the administration. I know that, on many occasions, he has gone down and has met with President Clinton on a number of things, some of which bear fruit and others that have not. I would like to just tick off a few of the accomplishments that the Committee on Ways and Means has done under his leadership. He shifted the burden of proof off the taxpayer and onto the Internal Revenue Service. That does not sound like much. But under our form of law, the taxpayer had the burden of proof, which just does not seem to be fair under our sense of justice. Under the leadership of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer), we changed that. We gave taxpayers 74 new rights and protections in their dealings with the Internal Revenue Service. We created an independent oversight agency to oversee the Internal Revenue Service. We gave new protections for innocent spouses. This is where, particularly in a case of a divorce, where the Internal Revenue Service would go back after, usually, the wife who just signed the return that her husband put in front of her; and they would go after her for things that were in the tax return that were stated wrong, fraudulently or in error. Now they have new rights, which is something that was very important. It prevents the IRS from seizing homes without a court order. It seems peculiar that the IRS could have done this without court orders, but now they have to have a court order; and that is the right thing to do. These things, among the others, were the first overhaul of the Internal Revenue Service since 1952. Human resources, he steered the welfare and health care reforms into law. I had the great privilege of working with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) on welfare reform. We have done unbelievable things. We have cut the roles in half in this country, and in doing so, not just by shoving people off the roles, but giving them pride in themselves to raise their own self-esteem and expectations that we have of them and they have of themselves. So many of these people have now become the role models for their kids, and that is terribly important. Eight million former beneficiaries are now working and have gained their independence. What a wonderful thing that is. Child poverty now is at an all-time low. Out-of-wedlock birth rate plateaued and now is declining for the first time in an entire generation and longer. Prisoners are no longer receiving welfare checks. That is something that is hard to believe, that welfare checks were being paid to prisoners, but that is what was happening. We put a stop to that. Taxpayers have saved $30 billion. His goal was to preserve Social Security. The Archer-Shaw bill was a perfect example of trying to work with inclusion. All the hearings that we had, listening to our Democrat colleagues, we incorporated into the bill their concerns through the hearing process. I would think that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer), probably one of his great disappointments is that we did not get the bipartisan support and the support from the White House that we felt we were promised. But I am confident in the next Congress that we will save Social Security. That plan that we will adopt may not have the name of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) on it, but it certainly will have his spirit and the result of the good works. Beginning in the year 2012, we are looking at a $120 trillion deficit in Social Security. One tries to think how many zeros are in 120 trillion. Just think of it this way, it is 36 times the amount of the national debt. We talk so much in this Chamber about getting rid of the national debt, and we have a projection out there by the Social Security Administration of an amount equal to 36 times, 36 times the national debt. That will be just over 60 years beginning in the year 2015. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) tried to change that. Mainly because of his good works, we will be able to reverse that in the next Congress. He sponsored the bill and led the fight for the PNTR for China. As a conservative, he was the right man to lead that. I think that it is certainly a great accomplishment for which we can be proud. When he took over the Committee on Ways and Means as chair, he actually looked at our staff and reduced the staff by one-third. This is something that I think is really totally innate, the extent of that reduction in this Congress. The example of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) is everywhere, I think, in what he was able to accomplish, particularly during his time as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. He certainly will be missed, but his good works will be enjoyed by the American people for generations to come.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of my special order.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. The gentleman from Kentucky is on it, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. SHAW. I am glad to yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I will speak to one provision of the bill that I am very concerned about and I wish it had not been placed in the bill, which is a bill that I, even despite this provision, intend to vote for. However, I am very concerned about this particular provision, and that is the one that we have heard the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton) just speak about it. The provision that was put in this bill gives some legitimacy for the use of Social Security numbers other than the intended use, and that is by the Internal Revenue Service and by the Social Security Administration. Right now, there is a commerce in this country on selling Social Security numbers. One can go to the Net, and one can buy Social Security numbers. This is a personal thing. We know of the terrible crime regarding Amy Boyer. She was killed in New Hampshire by a stalker. I know that the Senator who placed this in the bill had her in mind by putting the provisions in there, but the provisions just simply do not address that question and actually gives legitimacy where it is not deserved. As I understand, the stalker there bought her Social Security number off of the Internet for $45 and then was able to locate them. We have a bipartisan solution. The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kleczka) and I have filed this bill. It has been through the Committee on Ways and Means. That is H.R. 4857, the Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2000. This bill restricts the sale and public display of Social Security numbers in both the public and the private sectors. It enhances the privacy rules that apply to Social Security numbers contained in credit reports so that they are less accessible to the public.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for saying that because there is widespread jurisdiction of this particular bill. The gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), who spoke earlier before the Committee on Commerce, he and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) have expressed great interest in this. In fact, I think the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) has been working on this thing for some time. Banking also has a piece of it. So it is not as simple as just getting it through the Committee on Ways and Means. It does have this multiple jurisdiction. It is my intention at the beginning of the next Congress to file this bill again. I will be again looking across the aisle to get cosponsors and get assistance on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I am particularly proud of and want to talk about several provisions that are in this bill. One would improve Medicare benefits to fight breast cancer and cervical cancer. My digital mammography provision gives women access to brand new breast cancer screening technology. The pap test provision makes tests more frequent so that cervical cancer can be found early and treated successfully. Mr. Speaker, it is extremely important to focus on the education provisions of this bill. I know firsthand that we face a public school construction crisis. My congressional district runs through three of the fastest growing school districts in the country. In Palm Beach County, the student population has more than doubled just since 1985. Broward County, the fifth largest school district in the country, has 240,000 students and 210 schools. Miami-Dade County is the fourth largest school district, with over 350,000 students. It averages an increase of 10,000 new students each and every year. I am particularly excited about the portion of this legislation that incorporates my legislation which I have sponsored, along with Florida Senator Bob Graham, the Public School Construction Partnership. These provisions empower local districts to use innovative, cost-effective ways to finance new schools and repair aging ones. Miami Beach Senior High is a prime example of a public school that should benefit from this legislation. Its aging facilities diminish the education opportunities for the 3,000 students and teachers who occupy the premises. Many of these are the same buildings that were there when I was in high school. In order to encourage private sector participation and avoid debt capacity problems for localities, this legislation would permit tax exempt private activity bonds for investors willing to join public- private partnerships to construct new public schools or renovate existing ones. The partnerships would use the bonds to borrow funds for construction and ownership of the school facilities. The facilities would then be leased to the public school systems, who would operate the facilities with their own teachers and principals. At the end of the lease term, the facilities would be transferred back to the school system without additional cost. A greater use of public-private partnerships would allow states and local communities to accelerate school construction projects at significant savings by giving private sector incentives to help meet new construction and renovation needs. Rather federalizing public school construction, these less costly provisions will allow local school districts to decide what is best for their students.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me, and I thank the chairman for giving me this privilege of being able to close debate. Mr. Speaker, we here in this Chamber are only the voices speaking out for the millions of Americans who do care about the environment, and leading that in this House, of course, we have our great chairman, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster). I had the privilege of working with the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) both in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Public Works; and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), who I think thinks he is representing Florida for the great work he has done for the restoration of the Everglades. Of course, we have many of the gentleman's New Yorkers in Florida, so I am sure that has been a great effort of his. Also, thanks to the gentlemen from Florida (Chairman Young) and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller), for the work they have done in their committees with regard to the Everglades. Secretary Babbitt, whose name has been missing from this debate, he I think has given us an extraordinary amount of attention in the Everglades, and his name should certainly be referenced in our discussion. And in the other body we have our two great Senators from Florida, Senator Connie Mack, who we are going to miss after this year, and Senator Bob Graham, who has really gotten deeply involved in matters pertaining to the Everglades. This has truly been a great moment of great bipartisan effort. I think the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) may have stated it best in his closing remarks when he said that the Earth does not belong to man, that man belongs to the Earth. This is certainly a recognition. Many roads are paved with great intentions that go in the wrong direction. This certainly is the case and has been the case with regard to the ecosystem of south Florida. Starting from just south of Orlando and going south to Lake Okeechobee, many years ago it was thought to be a great idea to get rid of the flooding, straighten the Kissimmee River, and have it dump directly into Lake Okeechobee. It worked, but it worked too well, because it brought all of the agricultural runoff down into the bottom, which has really changed the very nature of Lake Okeechobee. Some of the oldtimers down there will tell us that in the old days we could read the date off of a dime that was laying on the bottom of Lake Okeechobee. Now we cannot find the dime. It has changed considerably. But we are addressing that issue, and thanks to this great committee that this bill is coming out of, that restoration project is underway. Now it is time to change the nature of the rest of the sheet flow, the runoff that runs south over that great river of grass. It was once thought that this ecosystem was indestructible, that we could do anything and get away with it. Mother Nature had different ideas. We cannot. The very water that now shoots down in by ways of canals into the Florida Bay has greatly changed the salinity of the Florida Bay itself. The natural grasses that grew on the floor of Florida Bay have been damaged because of the salinity and how it varies. There are many other things that need to be studied, but we have a great blueprint. That blueprint is the Everglades to be restored before man changed it. We need to go back as close as we can. But when we see the great cooperation that we have received not only from this body, but we have to go to my own State of Florida and talk about my Florida legislature that has stood up, stepped up to the plate and has put the money up, the matching funds required in order to make this happen; and all of the interests involved, the agricultural interests that wanted to go one way, the environmental interests that wanted to go the other way, the developers, the Miccosukee and Seminole Indian tribes, we had a coming together that was absolutely incredible. It was almost a magic moment. It is very important on this bill that we not only vote it in today by the great bipartisan vote that I am confident of, but that we conference it promptly and get it passed into law and get it to the President's desk for signature. This is tremendously important because of that fragile balance that we have, the fragile balance of State and all of the interests that I have mentioned. I can tell the Members, this is really a wonderful, wonderful moment in this institution and in the history of the country. It is not just a Florida issue. I would like to say, and I would want to absolutely recognize the greatness of our Florida delegation in working together, with interest in north Florida as well as south Florida, in bringing together what is going to happen here in just a minute or so; that is, the passage of this great bill. Mr. Speaker, this Congress, this 106th Congress, it can look back and say that we put forth the greatest, largest environmental restoration project in the history of this globe. It is a wonderful moment for this institution. It is a wonderful moment for our country. I urge a yes vote. Mr. Speaker, it is remarkable to have this broad a cross-section of Americans supporting legislation on any single issue. But protection of the Everglades is a national priority, because most Americans speak of this national treasure in the same breath as the Redwood Forests, the Mississippi River, Old Faithful, the Appalachian Trail, or the Grand Canyon. Most Americans also understand the basic concepts of clean water and the delicate balance that nature requires. Everglades restoration is about restoring the balance that was disturbed by man-made structures as we pursued the noble goal of flood protection in decades past. That is why so many diverse interests have come together, in historic fashion, to support enactment of a Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, as outlined by the Comprehensive Review Study undertaken by the Central & Southern Florida Project, led by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District. (A list of participating organizations is submitted herein for the Record, with much applause for their work.) That is why our underlying Everglades restoration bill, H.R. 5121 and S. 2796/2797, as modified by today's manager's amendment and the stellar work undertaken in the other Chamber, has been endorsed by numerous organizations, from environmental groups to agricultural groups to home builders and other businesses, to utility districts and other local governmental bodies, to recreational users and Native American Indian tribes. (A list of organizations supporting the legislation is also submitted for the Record.) This legislation is as much about a process to make future decisions affecting the ecology of South Florida as it is about specific projects authorized by this bill. I am pleased that Members from other parts of the country have respected our State's right to determine what is correct within the context of our own State water laws. While recognizing that Florida has come to the table as a full and equal partner in this restoration effort, for the good of all Americans. The State of Florida has already taken the extraordinary step of putting up 50 percent of the up-front construction costs, which Governor Jeb Bush has shepherded through the State legislature as a commitment in anticipation of the federal response. We at the federal level can no longer delay answering the call. I thank Chairmen Bud Shuster, Don Young, and Sherry Boehlert, along with the Ranking Members Oberstar, Miller, and Borski, my Florida colleagues and co-sponsors from other states for their leadership and support of doing the right thing. Citizens from all over the country understand that this is not a local issue affecting only South Florida--although not simply because our state boasts tourists and future residents from all 50 states and many foreign countries. What is good for the environment is good for us all, and with a vote to pass Everglades restoration in the House, we can truly lay claim to a legacy for the 106th Congress: We will have worked in bipartisan, bicameral fashion to deliver a huge victory for the American people and a huge victory for the environment, with the largest and most significant environmental restoration project in the history of the United States, if not the history of the world. Let me discuss a little about the Everglades. There is no other ecosystem like it anywhere in the world. It is home to 68 individual endangered or threatened species of plants and animals, which are threatened with extinction unless we act. The Everglades has also been shown to play a significant role in global weather patterns. Several years of research by state and federal scientists, private environmental and agricultural experts and the Corps of Engineers produced the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), which includes 68 individual projects to be completed by the Corps of Engineers over the next 36 years. The total cost of the plan is $7.8 billion, to be shared 50/50 with the state of Florida. The CERP will restore more than 1.7 billion gallons of freshwater per day to the natural system, which is currently lost to sea via the St. John and Caloosahatchee rivers. Flood control projects constructed by the Corps of Engineers in the 1940s destroyed the original freshwater sheet flow through the natural system, and more than 50% of the original ecosystem has been lost. This plan will restore the Everglades to almost 80% of its original condition. In its natural state, the Everglades covered over 18,000 square miles and was connected by the flow of water from the Lake Okeechobee through the vast freshwater marshes to Florida Bay and on to the coral reefs of the Florida Keys. The Everglades is the largest remaining tropical and subtropical wilderness remaining in the United States. Its wonders include unique habitats of sawgrass prairies, tree islands, estuaries and the vast waters of Florida Bay. The lands owned and managed by the Federal government--4 national parks and 16 national wildlife refugees and 1 national marine sanctuary which comprise half of the remaining Everglades--will receive the benefits of the restoration. But this legislation is designed to restore the entire ecosystem of the Everglades, not just the national parks and federally owned lands. This should be of comfort to those who enjoy the recreational benefits of such wilderness areas, as well as those living in communities on the periphery of the Everglades who are affected by the water flows of the system. I have heard from local property owners, sportsmen's chapters, airboat associations and Safari Club chapters and understand how important this is to to them. The compelling Federal interest has been matched by the State of Florida, which has already stepped up and committed $2 billion to the effort. Florida's Fish & Wildlife Agency will maintain its strong role. Congress needs to respond to that pledge. Finally, there are additional opportunities for community involvement contemplated or even called for by this legislation. One area is in the scientific verification procedures. Our Everglades legislation includes a provision for independent scientific review, contemplating that the National Academy of Sciences or some other qualified body or bodies will convene a panel to review the Plan's progress towards achieving the stated natural restoration goals. I believe it is appropriate to point out that, in South Florida, we have a number of institutions that could contribute significantly to such scientific research because of their demonstrated competency in such areas. For example, Florida international University, one of the leading research universities in my State, has done a remarkable job in fostering an ecosystem approach to meeting the challenges created by population growth in one of the most environmentally sensitive regions on Earth--the greater Everglades ecosystem. Spearheading this effort is the Southeast Environmental Research Center (FIU-SERC) with its experienced scientific staff and established network of collaboration with university, federal, state, local, and private organizations. FIU- SERC has extensive expertise in conducting monitoring assessments for the Everglades that can contribute to the Adaptive Monitoring and Assessment Program in WRDA. The Corps of Engineers can greatly benefit from utilizing FIU- SERC's existing resources to conduct future monitoring activities in the Everglades. In addition, the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is uniquely situated to provide an interpretive site to carry out public outreach and educational opportunities pertaining to the restoration of the Everglades. In August, 1999, the Museum signed an agreement with the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force to provide public education outreach in conjunction with the restoration effort. The Museum has a 25-year history of providing environmental science education to the public in innovative ways. It currently hosts more than 500,000 visitors annually and plans to build a dynamic, interactive facility called the Florida Environmental Education Center, as well as expanding its Florida Ecoscapes Exhibition. I hope that such activity would be looked upon favorably by the Corps of Engineers in developing an interpretive site partnership initiative for community outreach and assistance. Mr. Speaker, I include the following material on this legislation: The Central and Southern Florida Project Comprehensive Review Study was led by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District and the South Florida Water Management District, located in West Palm Beach, Florida. Many other federal, state, tribal and local agencies were active partners in developing the Comprehensive Plan and that partnership will continue through the implementation of the Plan. Those agencies are listed below. US Department of the Army: US Army Corps of Engineers; Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. US Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service; Natural Resources Conservation Service. US Department of the Interior: US Fish and Wildlife Service; US Geological Survey/Biological Resources Division; Everglades National Park; Everglades Research and Education Center; Biscayne National Park; Big Cypress National Preserve. US Department of Commerce: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Marine Fisheries Service; National Ocean Service; Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. US Environmental Protection Agency. Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. Seminole Tribe of Florida. State of Florida: Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Department of Environmental Protection; Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission; Governors Commission for a Sustainable South Florida; Governor's Office; South Florida Water Management District. Local Agencies: Broward County Department of Natural Resource Protection; Broward County Office of Environmental Services; Lee County Utility Department; Martin County; Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resource Management; Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department; Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Management; Palm Beach County Water Utilities. Academic Institutions: Florida International University; University of Miami; University of Tennessee. supporters of the everglades restoration bill The Clinton-Gore Administration Governor Jeb Bush Seminole Tribe of Florida Miccosukee Tribe of Indians National Audubon Society National Wildlife Federation Florida Wildlife Federation World Wildlife Fund Center for Marine Conservation Defenders of Wildlife National Parks and Conservation Association The Everglades Foundation The Everglades Trust Audubon of Florida 1000 Friends of Florida Natural Resources Defense Council Environmental Defense Florida Citrus Mutual Florida Farm Bureau Florida Home Builders American Water Works Association Florida Chamber of Commerce Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association Southeastern Florida Utility Council Gulf Citrus Growers Association Florida Sugar Cane League Florida Water Environmental Utility Council Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of America Florida Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association League of Women Voters of Florida League of Women Voters of Dade County Chamber South Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank and praise the leadership and hard work of the following people, on behalf of those they represented in creating a consensus product, legislation to restore the American Everglades, as embodied in this bill: Governor Jeb Bush and his staff, especially Nina Oviedo and Clarke Cooper of the Governor's Washington office, Secretary David Struhs and Leslie Palmer of the Department of Environmental Protection, and Kathy Copeland of the South Florida Water Management District; Senator Bob Graham and Catharine Cyr-Randsom of his staff; Senator Connie Mack and C.K. Lee of his staff; Mike Strachn and Ben Grumbles of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee; Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Davis; Acting Assistant Secretary Mary Doyle and Peter Umhofer of the Department of the Interior; Tom Adams of the Audubon Society; Bob Dawson, representing the coalition of agriculture, home builders, and utility districts; Mary Barley, Bill Riley, and Fowler West of the Everglades Trust; Col. Terry Rice of Florida International University; Dexter Lehtinen, The Honorable Jimmy Hayes, and Lee Forsgren, representing the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; and finally, my own staff, especially Donna Boyer, Mike Sewell, and Bob Castro.