Lamar Smith

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2076, the conference report to the Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary appropriations bills. Immigration, both legal and illegal, is an issue that affects every American. The Federal Government must take seriously its responsibility to establish and maintain a credible immigration policy that benefits American families, taxpayers, and workers, and serves America's national interests. I introduced H.R. 2202, the Immigration in the National Interest Act of 1995, to address many of the problems in current immigration law. H.R. 2202 recently passed the Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote of 23 to 10, and has 114 cosponsors. This legislation is designed to reduce illegal immigration, and to reform our immigration system. Funding is crucial to the effective implementation of these immigration policies. Chairman Hal Rogers and I have worked together to ensure that the immigration programs and objectives contained in H.R. 2202, especially those that provide for stronger enforcement of our borders, are funded in H.R. 2076. I would like to thank Chairman Rogers for his tireless efforts to secure our borders. Both bills contain enforcement initiatives to secure America's borders. These include an increase of 1,000 border patrol agents on the front lines, additional support staff and improved equipment for the Border Patrol, and 400 additional land border inspectors. Both bills also contain initiatives to remove criminal and illegal aliens from the United States. H.R. 2076 funds the removal of illegal aliens and criminal aliens after they have served their sentences and provides $500 million to reimburse States for the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens. Mr. Chairman, America's immigration policies have failed in the past largely because the Immigration and Naturalization Service has often been ignored and underfunded. Both H.R. 2202 and H.R. 2076 will change that. I urge my colleagues to support this conference report.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, perhaps the current budget negotiations should be terminated. They undermine the President's ability to keep his word to the American people. In June 1992, then candidate Bill Clinton said he would balance the budget in 5 years. ``I would present a 5-year plan to balance the budget,'' he pledged to the voters. That means he will have to balance the budget by 1997, 2 years from now. Maybe Republican leaders should not be negotiating with the administration to balance the budget in 7 years. Let President Clinton keep his contract with the American people and show us how he would balance the budget in 2 years. Of course, we'd have more confidence that the President meant what he said if he had any plan to balance the budget. The Federal Government should not spend more than it collects, for two reasons: First, it will help the economy and the American people. Second, it will help President Clinton keep his word.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the following committees and their subcommittees be permitted to sit today while the House is meeting in the Committee of the Whole House under the 5-minute rule. Committee on Banking and Financial Services, Committee on Commerce, Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. It is my understanding that the minority has been consulted and that there is no objection to these requests.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in order to form opinions and reach conclusions, the American people trust the media to present the facts objectively. Unfortunately, all too often this is not done. Editorials, in the guise of news stories, regularly appear on the front pages of newspapers. Some reporters don't wait beyond the first paragraph to reveal their bias. In the age of 15-second sound bites, positions on complex issues are reduced to ``for'' or ``against,'' with no explanations. The lack of the public's trust in the media is glaringly revealed by two 1995 public opinion surveys. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll found that 60 percent of those surveyed think the media is out of touch with average Americans. In a Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll, only 21 percent said the media are very or mostly honest. Publishers, editors, producers, and reporters can better protect our democracy if they will initiate efforts to root out bias and present the facts objectively to a public yearning for the truth.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, our Nation needs a balanced budget, not because it's a good accounting device, but because it will help every American. A balanced budget will recharge the economy. It will cause interest rates to drop. And reduced interests rates mean lower mortgage payments, lower car payments, lower student loan payments. As part of the Republican plan to balance the budget in 7 years, there are income tax cuts for families. And there is a capital gains tax cut for job growth. This will generate more investments, more business expansion, and more jobs. Before he was elected, President Clinton said he could balance the budget in 5 years. After the election he said it wasn't necessary. Now he says that he wants to balance the budget in 7 years but he still has not presented a plan. The Republicans do have a plan. Let's balance the budget, cut taxes, and create jobs now.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, American service men and women should not be asked to risk their lives in Bosnia unless national security interests are threatened and military deployment would protect United States interests. President Clinton made a strong statement last night, describing the horrors in Bosnia. But he did not define what American national security interests are involved in Bosnia. And his statement did not establish that U.S. ground troops would resolve the Balkan conflict. The people of the 21st District of Texas are committed to a strong American defense that protects our Nation's security interests around the world. Thousands in the 21st District have risked their lives to serve our Nation in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the gulf war. But America's leaders have a responsibility to ask for their service only when it is essential to protect our Nation's national security interests. Before committing U.S. troops, the President should demonstrate that American national security interests are at risk and that U.S. military deployment can decisively advance our interests. President Clinton has not made this case.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today's debate is about whether we will put an end to something for nothing Government. Something for nothing Government continues liberal spending programs today but forces our children to pay for them tomorrow. Candidate Clinton promised an end to something for nothing, a 5-year plan to balance the budget. Three-quarters through his term, President Clinton has no balanced budget plan, just $200 billion deficits as far as the eye can see. The President would continue 25 years of larger Federal budgets and smaller family budgets, rising red ink and declining private investment. This Congress will end something-for-nothing Government by passing the Balanced Budget Act of 1995. It put the Federal Government on a modest diet so that our children can have a future of plenty. Support this balanced budget and, for the first time since Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon, we will put deficits behind us. Make this balanced budget the law of the land and we will reduce what the Government spends to increase what the family keeps. Support the Balanced Budget Act of 1995: Keep our promises to America's families, to America's future.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, 1,262 days ago, President Bill Clinton promised a 5-year plan to balance the budget. Two unbalanced budgets later, the President still has presented no balanced budget plan. Tody, much of the Federal Government is shut down because the President will not keep his promise. He has closed the Government because he opposes any plan to balance the budget over 7 years. We do not ask the President to adopt our Balanced Budget Act of 1995. We do not ask the President to accept our proposal to save Medicare from bankruptcy. We do not ask the President to support our plan to make regulations more cost-effective. We do not ask the President to approve our plan to return osme of his huge tax increase to the American families who earned the money in the first place. We do not ask the President to adopt a single provision of our balanced budget plan. All we ask is that the President kept his word. We ask the President to commit to balance the budget in 7 years using honest numbers. That is all. And that is not too much to ask for the American people.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to the attention of the House an especially timely and articulate letter I received from Honey Suzanne Hastings, a young constituent. She describes the impact the Endangered Species Act has had on her family as well as her own concerns regarding the weakening of property rights--an issue of particular interest to me and to many of my constituents. The letter is dated October 18, 1995, and reads in part: Dear Representative Smith: My name is Honey Suzanne Hastings. I am fourteen years old and a freshman at Bandera High School in Bandera, Texas. In the past I have heard there was a conflict over property rights in Texas but it did [[Page E 2174]] not really mean much to me until my parents bought some hill country land in a nearby country. It was their dream to retire and move out there when I graduate from high school, raise some livestock and live off the land. Soon after they bought the land they found out that an endangered species would make it difficult for them to clear enough brush and cedar for the animals to graze without breaking the law. My Dad and Grandpa both served their country in the military and have often told me how lucky we are to live in a free America. They have both chosen to live in Texas because of its great value of this freedom and the opportunity to pioneer. This confusion over the rules about private property rights is making it hard for my parents dreams to live off the land to come true, and I hope that as my Representative you will work hard to make sure that my folks and others like them do not become endangered species. Sincerely, Honey Suzanne Hastings, Pipe Creek, Texas.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1833, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. Many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will attempt to frame this debate in terms of a woman's right to choose. But the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act is not about women, choice, or reproductive rights. The true issue that this legislation addresses is the brutal late-term abortion procedure called partial-birth abortion. Regardless of whether or not one believes that life begins at conception, a partial-birth abortion, which can be performed at any time following the 5-month period, is clearly the taking of an innocent human life. A baby is developed enough at 5-months to be able to live outside of the womb and there are many instances of infants being born prematurely at 5 months and surviving to live a full life. The partial-birth abortion procedure should be prohibited. I heartily support this effort to protect the sanctity of human life.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the Senate bill (S. 457) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to update references in the classification of children for purposes of U.S. immigration laws, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, S. 457 amends the immigration laws to change the term ``legitimate child'' to a ``child born in wedlock,'' as well as change the term ``illegitimate child'' to ``a child born out of wedlock.'' This change in terminology does not provide a substantive change in the immigration laws. However, while technical, the change will help to facilitate the adoptions of foreign national children by American couples. (Mr. GEKAS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation just considered.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, in the last election, the American people told us to balance the budget, cut the taxes, and end the gimmicks. They wanted an end to Alice in Budgetland: to the rising tide of red ink that destroys jobs, makes housing and education more expensive, and encourages our addiction to big government. They wanted an end to Alice in Budgetland: to the constant tax increases that take more and more money and decisions away from the American people. They wanted an end to the Alice in Budgetland rosy scenarios, bogus growth numbers, and magic asterisks, the ponzi scheme by which Congress kept spending more of the people's money. Today we keep our word. We have a plan to balance the budget. Our balanced budget plan will mean 1.2 million additional jobs by 2002. Our balanced budget will reduce interest rates, making new homes, college education and start-up businesses more plentiful and affordable. Our plan also increases the power and decision-making of families. It's not just important to balance the budget. It matters how we balance the budget. The family and small business tax relief provisions contained in our plan are essential to returning power and money back home. Without tax relief, we won't return decisions where they belong--to the people who do the work, pay the taxes, raise the children. Without tax relief, we aren't putting people first. Last week in Houston President Clinton stated, ``I think I raised your taxes too much.'' We agree that the President was wrong, and that's why Republicans unanimously opposed the largest tax increase in history. That's why our plan is the only plan that returns some of the money that President Clinton took in 1993. It's the family's money to keep. It's not Washington's money to spend. And only our balanced budget honors hardworking Americans by letting them keep more of what they earn and by spending their money with great care. I urge my colleagues to support this balanced budget.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrate the importance of personal responsibility, mutual respect, and good citizenship. This week we salute these important virtues that are essential to the American character. This week we pay tribute to the millions of Americans who contribute billions of hours to help their neighbors achieve their potential and improve their lives. This week is Character Counts week. So it is appropriate to bring to your attention the work of the Character Counts Coalition. The Character Counts Coalition focuses attention on the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, caring, fairness, and citizenship. These pillars are more than simply words. They are a code by which millions of people have been able to achieve extraordinary dreams for themselves and their neighbors. These are a framework for a self- governing nation. And these six simple pillars have made the United States of America the economic, social, and political lighthouse for the world. But today, as these pillars of character are being embraced around the globe from Moscow to Managua, they are too easily ignored or forgotten at home. Illegitimacy rates have spiralled 400 percent since 1960. Divorce rates have doubled over the past 30 years. A rising tide of suicide, teenage pregnancy, and violence have often turned our shining cities into gruesome nightmares. We must work together within our own communities, our churches, our synagogues and mosques, our schools, and our workplaces to reverse these trends. Today the question for every American is not only what can you do for your nation but what can you do for your school, your neighborhood, and your community. Character Counts week celebrates the work of those Americans who are answering this call. The Character Counts Coalition is answering this call. We salute the message and encourage all Americans to heed the pillars of character.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Bryan Baldwin. On Tuesday, October 24, 1995, Mr. Baldwin will be honored at the annual conference of the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) as the 1995 Peter J. Salmon National Blind Employee of the Year. After nine years at the San Antonio Lighthouse, Mr. Baldwin, who has been blind since birth, teaches computer skills to the visually impaired, enabling them to obtain more technologically advanced jobs. he exemplifies self-determination, demonstrated by remarkable job growth and commitment to help other live independently. After high school, Baldwin worked in a plant nursery. Six years later, he was still earning minimum wage and had no benefits. Married and ready to start a family, Baldwin decided to seek a higher-paying job with more benefits that would better use his education and skills. Baldwin applied for an assembler's position at the San Antonio Lighthouse and was hired in 1985. He has progressed from general assembler to machine operator to quality assurance [[Page E 1917]] lab technician and, finally, to his current position as computer trainer. While a lab technician, Baldwin used computers to evaluate and document test results. He discovered that he had a natural talent and interest in how software programs could make many of his tasks easier. He bought a computer of his own and taught himself how to operate several programs. Encouraged by his supervisor, Baldwin then applied for a computer trainer position in a job skills training program at the Lighthouse's William Judson Career Guidance and Skills Training Center. Through the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program, Baldwin now has the satisfaction of helping other people who are blind. Baldwin has returned to school at Palo Alto Community College, is active in his church, and spends most of his free-time with his two daughters. Baldwin says of his success, ``I was totally surprised when I heard I had received this award. It makes me feel so good because I'm really just doing my job. I'm fortunate because every day I help other people like myself realize that there are so many options available to them.''

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend and neighbor from San Antonio for yielding me time. On June 16, 1995, 35,000 San Antonians lined the streets of our hometown to [[Page H 8700]] demonstrate ``Kelly Pride.'' The purpose of this huge demonstration in ``Military City'' was to inform the Base Realignment and Closure Commission why Kelly Air Force Base should not be closed. It wasn't only the people of San Antonio who recognized the importance of Kelly to defending the freedom that Americans cherish. Military leaders understood the importance of Kelly and recommended that BRAC not close Kelly. Because the BRAC Commission ignored this view and decided to close Kelly anyway, I support the Tejada resolution and will vote to disapprove the BRAC Commission list. Our military leaders recommended that Kelly stay open for good reason. The pride of San Antonio has made Kelly into one of the Nation's premier Air Force bases, an essential player in the free world's fight against nazism, fascism, communism, and in the recently successful campaign in the Persian Gulf. You can see the pride of San Antonio in the work of the generations of San Antonians who have made Kelly Air Logistics Center synonymous with high quality, top efficiency, and unmatched productivity. You can see the pride of San Antonio as another C-5 or C-5A rolls out of one of the enormous hangers where it has been expertly serviced and prepared to do its part in our Nation's defense. You can see the pride of San Antonio as its military and civilian communities rallied together to support airlifts in Operation Desert Storm and all recent major conflicts and humanitarian missions. The Air Force recognized the indispensable contributions of Kelly and that is why they recommended that this depot remain open. Because BRAC rejected the recommendations of our military experts, I will vote for the motion to disapprove the recommendations of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission out of protest against the loss of resources and services that the Kelly community contributes to our Nation's defense. Kelly's proud tradition is confirmed not only by the Air Force's recommendation that Kelly stay open but also by the decision of the Commission and the administration to recommend that ``Privatization in place'' be implemented at Kelly. I am encouraged and hopeful that this plan will secure our Nation's defense. Our community's leaders, the city of San Antonio, and the Kelly community will join together to work with the Federal Government to ensure that this transition is as smooth as possible. I know that our community will show the hard work, patriotism, and commitment that it has always shown in its work for our Nation's military. I am optimistic that you will continue to see San Antonio's pride as future generations of workers demonstrate their excellence, as another C-5 rolls out of the hanger, and as we support the missions of our Nation's armed services in future crises. ``Kelly Pride'' will sustain our community through this transition, just as thoroughly as it has sustained our Nation's Air Force for so many years.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, as a member of the Budget Committeee that produced the first balanced budget in 25 years, I rise in strong support of the Labor/HHS appropriations bill. This bill provides Federal support for such important activities as biomedical research, Head Start, and special and higher education. In other areas, this appropriations bill returns power, money, and control where it belongs: to our families for decisions around the kitchen table, to our neighborhoods, and to our State and local governments. Rather than education Presidents, this bill creates education classrooms and empowers education parents across America. Some of the same people who opposed our balanced budget and have opposed every attempt to control the Federal deficit have resoted to demagoguery to attack this appropriations bill. With no positive plan of their own, they try to scare students and the parents of students about education spending. Don't believe these purveyors of doubt, doom, and deficits. The question is not whether or how much we'll spend on education. The difference between our balanced budget that this appropriations bill is an essential part of, and the Clinton bogus budget, is who will do the spending. The Clinton bogus budget assumes that Government knows what's best for your children. It provides for a big bureaucratic Department of Education and tells parents what your children should learn. The American people know better. And this Congress was elected to be different. Support our education parents. Return power to our families and local communities. Vote in favor of the Labor/HHS appropriations bill, an essential building block of our balanced budget.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. If the gentleman will yield, I appreciate your point you just made. My concern is still the commitment we made to the Governors to reimburse the States.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, as chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee that has just marked up comprehensive legislation to end the problem of illegal immigration, I rise in opposition to the Mollohan amendment on reimbursing our States for the costs of incarcerating illegal aliens. The Mollohan amendment violates the commitment that we made to our Governors and ignores Congress' culpability in the problem of illegal immigration. The solution to the problem of illegal immigration is to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the United States. And removing illegal immigrants if they arrive. My bill, the Immigration in the National Interest Act, will accomplish this goal. It fulfills one of the Federal Government's central functions: securing our Nation's borders. In the past, Congress has been part of the problem, not the solution. Past Congresses have ignored the problem of illegal immigration and failed to stem the tide of illegal aliens entering our country. While Congress dithered, illegal immigrants entered our Nation in record numbers, with upwards of 1 million illegal aliens permanently entering our Nation every 3 years. Congress' failure to secure our Nation's borders has been a disaster for our citizens, our local government, and our States. Our citizens have been plagued by crime committed by illegal immigrants. And States have been forced to pay the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens whom the Federal Government did not prevent from entering our country and preying on our citizens. These State costs have resulted directly because, in the past, Congress refused to address the problem of illegal immigration. What has been the cost to States of Congress' failure to stem the tide of illegal immigration? The General Accounting Office estimates that incarcerating illegal immigrant felons costs States at least $650 million per year. That translates into $66 million that New York cannot spend on schools, $43 million that Texas cannot spend on roads, and $400 million that California cannot spend on health care. All because the Federal Government failed to do its job. Mr. Chairman, I do not generally favor reimbursement as a means of solving our illegal immigration problems. We should prevent illegal aliens from entering the country, rather than spending money on them after they get here. However, Congress has made a commitment to our governors to help reimburse some of the costs that they have incurred. The Mollohan amendment goes back on this commitment and breaks our word to our governors. The Mollohan amendment is wrong for our citizens and wrong for our States. Keep Congress' word to Governor Bush, Governor Wilson, Governor Whitman, Governor Pataki, and others. I urge my colleagues to oppose the Mollohan amendment.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2076. H.R. 2076 provides for a 25-percent increase in funding of the Immigration and Naturalization Service--a generous increase in a time of budget cutting. The resources provided in H.R. 2076 will go a long way in assisting INS in securing our borders. Given the size of its mission, INS has been underfunded for many years. I am happy to see that changing. The resources made available in H.R. 2076 support the enforcement provisions in my immigration bill, H.R. 1915. It adds 1,000 additional border patrol agents next year--plus support personnel--and increases new technology for the Border Patrol and for enforcement initiatives. [[Page H 7628]] H.R. 2076 adds to INS's capability to detain and remove deportable aliens, especially criminal aliens. It includes additional detention space, additional investigators and detention and deportation officers, and provides for the expansion of deportation procedures so that criminal aliens can be deported immediately upon release from prisons. Additionally, H.R. 2076 increases the resources available for enforcement of employer sanctions, another important tool in controlling illegal immigration. H.R. 2076 adds additional inspectors so that U.S. ports of entry can run more efficiently and smoothly, facilitating legal entries and prohibiting illegal entries by fraudulent documents. I strongly support H.R. 2076 and urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the American people sent us to Washington to balance the budget. We now have a balanced budget that restores this American dream. The American people sent us to Washington to deflate the uncaring Federal bureaucracy that meddles in and micromanages their lives. Our conference budget eliminates dozens of needless commissions, streamlines agencies, and consolidates departments. The American people sent us to Washington because they are tired of Alice in budgetland gimmicks and games and want honest kitchen-table accounting. By ending the deceptive practice of baseline budgeting, we've ended Congress' shell game, which raided the family budget for the ever-increasing Federal budget. The American people sent us to Washington to cut Federal spending and we have. We eliminated 283 programs: some wasteful, some outdated, some duplicative, and some run better by families, communities, and neighborhoods. The American people sent us to Washington to save and protect important entitlement programs by controlling the spiraling growth that threaten them. We do this by our plan to fix, save, and improve Medicare. Mr. Speaker, it's not the Government's money to take. It's the family's money to keep. Vote for the balanced budget that we've agreed upon. Reduce the Federal budget to increase the family's budget.

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for the immediate consideration of the bill (H.R. 962) to amend the Immigration Act of 1990 relating to the membership of the United States Commission on Immigration Reform.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment.