Christopher Shays

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the invention of modern air conditioning has clearly changed our country. Modern air conditioning fueled the post-war growth of sunbelt cities such as Miami, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Houston. The invention of modern air conditioning also led to the building of glass skyscrapers, shopping malls and pressurized modules for space exploration. On this, the 100th anniversary of the invention of modern air conditioning, we truly honor Dr. Willis H. Carrier. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this concurrent resolution.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the House consider House Concurrent Resolution 413, important legislation introduced by my distinguished colleague (John Walsh of New York). This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives in honoring the invention of modern air conditioning by Dr. Willis H. Carrier on its 100th anniversary. Only 1 year after graduating with a master's degree from Cornell University, Dr. Carrier submitted designs and later installed the first modern air conditioning equipment. Installed in Brooklyn, New York, the air conditioner was designed to control indoor humidity and temperature. When granted a U.S. patent for ``the apparatus for treating air,'' as it was called in 1906, Dr. Carrier became known as the ``father of modern air conditioning.'' The formula Dr. Carrier used to develop the modern air conditioner still stands today as the basis for all fundamental calculations for the air conditioning industry. Air conditioning became the integral technology enabling the advancement of society through improvements to the Nation's health and well-being. Industries also grew with the new ability to control the temperature and humidity levels during and after production. The invention of air conditioning has also improved areas such as film development, preservation of processed meats, medical capsules, textiles, and other products. In 1921, Carrier received a patent for the centrifugal refrigerator machine that became the first practical method for air conditioning large spaces. This single achievement paved the way for the upward expansion of cities, as well as bringing human comfort to hospitals, schools, office buildings, airports, hotels, and department stores. Dr. Carrier debuted air conditioning technology for legislative activity in this very Chamber in 1928 and in the Senate Chamber in 1929. After World War II, the air conditioner began to be installed in homes across America. According to the Carrier Corporation, 10 percent of American homes were air conditioned by 1965. By 1995, more than 75 percent of American homes were air conditioned; and in some portions of the South, 90 percent of homes have air conditioning or central air systems. Now the air conditioning industry totals $36 billion on a global basis and employs more than 700,000 people in the United States alone. Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate on this hot summer day that the House recognizes and honors the invention of modern air conditioning by Dr. Willis H. Carrier on its 100th anniversary. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh).

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to thank the gentleman from Michigan for his very thoughtful comments, and to say whether you are a Bruin fan, or Ranger fan, like Mr. Tierney and me, you can still be very happy to support this important resolution honoring the Detroit Red Wings.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 452.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have an opportunity to salute the Detroit Red Wings and will just point out that my statement was written by a staff member who does not even happen to be a Detroit Red Wings fan, but he has done a gracious job in preparing this statement. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 452, introduced by our distinguished colleague from the State of Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick), congratulates the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings for winning the Stanley Cup for the third time in 6 years. The entire House delegation from the State of Michigan are cosponsors of this legislation. Last month, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in just five games to win the Stanley Cup Finals and bring the title back to, as the writer says, Hockeytown. En route to the finals, the Red Wings beat last year's Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche, to clinch the Western Conference title. The Red Wings' roster features such NHL superstars as team captain Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Sergei Federov, Chris Chelios, and goalie Dominik Hasek. I would specifically like to congratulate Detroit Head Coach Scotty Bowman for his impressive leadership this season and throughout his frankly awesome career. Coach Bowman has been with the team since 1993, and he has guided the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup championships, including back-to-back wins in 1997 and 1998. Bowman is retiring from the NHL and thus closing out a truly remarkable career, during which he set many coaching records including a record nine Stanley cup championships during his tenure with the Montreal Canadians, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and now with the Detroit Red Wings. Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge adoption of House Resolution 452. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I think it says something that a Boston Bruins, one of the original six, and a New York Rangers fan are saluting the Detroit Red Wings. They have been an awesome team, remarkable players, and truly outstanding coach; and I will just say that given that some Members have not had the opportunity to speak, with some trepidation, I am going to ask for a rollcall vote and know that my House Members from different hockey towns will have the good nature and goodwill to make this a unanimous resolution.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 452) congratulating the Detroit Red Wings for winning the 2002 Stanley Cup Championship.

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) for introducing this resolution and working so hard to bring it to the floor. Frankly, when he speaks, no one else needs to. I also thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), chairman of the Committee on Government Reform, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking member, for expediting its consideration. I ask all Members to support this resolution to express our condolences on Ted Williams' death and honor his awesome life and achievements.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 482) honoring Ted Williams and extending the condolences of the House of Representatives on his death.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the House consider House Resolution 482, and I commend my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) for introducing it. This resolution recognizes the enduring contributions, heroic achievements and dedicated work of Ted Williams. Mr. Speaker, it is truly my honor to rise today to support this resolution that honors Ted Williams. Ted Williams is not only one of baseball's greatest hitters, he was also a member of this Nation's greatest generation. Many of his baseball exploits still stand today. The last hitter to bat over .400, Ted approached that endeavor like anything else in his life, never taking a shortcut. Batting under .400 but rounded off to .400 going into the last two games of the 1941 season, Ted took to the field and went six for eight in a double header on the last day of the season, raising his average to .406, the last player to hit over .400. He led the American league in batting six times, slugging percentage nine times, and total bases six times, and runs scored six times. He won two triple crown titles and was named Most Valuable Player of the league twice. He was also named to the All Star Team 16 times. Yet Ted's love of country and duty to serve took him away from the game twice, once during the Second World War and again during the Korean War. During the Korean War, he flew 39 combat missions and earned an Air Medal and two Gold Stars. During his baseball career Ted had always hoped that people would see him and refer to him as the greatest hitter who ever lived. He was the greatest hitter that ever lived. But today this House recognizes Ted Williams as also a Navy aviator, a Marine, and a great American who exemplified dedication and sacrifice in absolutely everything he did. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4755, introduced by our distinguished colleague from the State of Ohio (Mr. Hobson), designates a post office in Lancaster, Ohio as the Clarence Miller Post Office Building. Members of the entire House delegation from the State of Ohio are cosponsors of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, this post office will recognize former Congressman Clarence Miller and his 5 decades of public service to the citizens of Lancaster, Ohio whom Congressman Miller served as a city councilman, mayor and U.S. representative. Born in Lancaster on November 1, 1917, Clarence Miller served 13 terms as a United States Congressman, from 1967 until 1993. Prior to his term in Congress, he was mayor of Lancaster from 1964 to 1966 and a member of the Lancaster City Council, 1957 to 1963. Congressman Miller originally made his living as a utility company engineer before entering into public service. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.R. 4755. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson).

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this measure.

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 4687, the National Construction Safety Team Act. The reason why I think this bill is so well drafted and so well thought out is because of the work of both the chairman and the ranking member, along with the extraordinary Science Committee staff. When we first began these hearings, I thought, ``Wait a second, we had two gigantic, wide-body planes filled with fuel imploding in these buildings? What would Members expect?'' But as we began this investigation, we realized there were a lot of things we could learn from the collapse of these buildings. It is sad and unfortunate that no one was in charge of this investigation. Because no one was empowered to be in charge, we could not gain access to some of this material right away to understand how this building, for instance, imploded. It was fascinating for me to review the fire escape options. Had they not all been concentrated in one place, maybe more people could have gotten out. We learned that materials and building construction made a difference. Studying building No. 7, a building over 40 stories tall, while it burned indefinitely and then basically collapsed was an incredible opportunity for us to discover a number of things about building materials. The collapse of the World Trade Center forever changed the landscape in New York City. In Connecticut's fourth district alone, over 60 constituents perished in the attacks, and the lives of their families, friends and colleagues will never be the same again. When both buildings imploded, I was unfortunately brought to remember what had happened in Bridgeport, Connecticut, shortly before I was elected in 1987. The L'Ambiance building in Bridgeport, a 16-story apartment building, collapsed when 16 concrete slabs crashed to the ground. We lost 28 construction workers. The collapse of L'Ambiance was due in large measure to poor construction practices. The tragedy made clear the need to improve the inspection and reporting requirements for building construction--which we did. I think what we are doing here does so much more to guarantee in the future we will build better buildings. In the future when there is a building collapse, we will have procedures to govern the investigation and understand what caused the collapse. And just like when an airplane crash takes place, we will understand why it happened and how we can prevent it from happening again. I have tremendous respect for what the Committee on Science has done. There has not been a lot of press on this issue, not a lot of attention to the extent I think it deserves, but from this horrible experience we have learned so much and will have the ability in the future to take command of a site and understand what needs to be done. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their extraordinary work, and for the work of the staff, and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 4687, the National Construction Safety Team Act. The collapse of the World Trade Center forever changed the landscape in New York City. In Connecticut's Fourth district alone, over 60 constituents perished in the attacks on the Twin Towers; and the lives of their families, friends and colleagues will never be the same again. As I watched in horror as the towers collapsed, I was reminded of the 1987 collapse of L'Ambiance in Bridgeport, Connecticut. L'Ambiance was a 16-story apartment building which collapsed when 16 concrete slabs crashed to the ground, killing 28 construction workers. The collapse of L'Ambiance was due in large measure to poor construction practices. The tragedy made clear the need to improve the inspection and reporting requirements for building construction--when we did. As we continue to fight the war on terrorism and strive to prevent future conventional biological, chemical and nuclear attacks, we must also find more effective ways to respond to disasters. The study of the World Trade Center collapse made clear that we must improve procedures for investigating building collapses. H.R. 4687 will clarify who is in charge and their respective responsibilities in case of future disasters. This legislation grants the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) authorities similar to those of the National Transportation Safety Board, and establishes a procedure to govern all future building disasters. It grants NIST access and control of the disaster site, subpoena power and the ability to move and preserve key evidence. I commend Chairman Boehlert for his leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, last year, as it has since 1990, the General Accounting Office (GAO) declared that Department of Defense's financial management systems pose a high risk of fraud, waste and mismanagement. To get a better understanding of how the acquisition and procurement processes should operate, the House Government Reform Committee, National Security, Veterans Affairs and International Relations Subcommittee asked GAO to follow a defense inventory item from the initial idea through procurement and operation. They reviewed the procurement, accounting, control and payment processes for the Joint Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST), a chemical and biological protection garment for use by military personnel. The General Accounting Office found DOD's nonintegrated data systems and processes are wasting money and degrading readiness. Despite pledges to the Subcommittee 2 years ago to fix scattered inventory controls, DOD still cannot provide a real-time accounting of the location and condition of critical protective equipment. As a result, as DOD procures hundreds of thousands of new JSLIST garments annually, some military units have formally declared JSLIST garment surpluses while others cannot get enough suits for training. While DOD is scheduled to procure 2.8 million more JSLIST garments for approximately $100 each, GAO found some had been auctioned on the Internet for less than $3 each. This form of waste directly affects readiness. When the chemical alarms again sound in the desert, U.S. forces will need those suits. Transformation of DOD's last-century financial management systems into a 21st Century enterprise architecture is a critical element of their ability to survive, and prevail, against tomorrow's threats. DOD has been bogged down by scores of outdated data information systems that do not allow commanders and managers to make effective management decisions. The Secretary of Defense has stated, ``One of my highest priorities is to have reliable, accurate and timely financial management information upon which to make the most effective business decisions,'' and has tasked the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to achieve this goal. The use of chemical and biological weapons is a very real threat. The Comptroller must have the tools to assure military inventory, such as the JSLST and other protective equipment, and medical supplies, is readily available when needed. Except for system changes that are the results of statutory directives, the Department and its components should not allocate any funding to modify any system that is part of DOD's current financial management environment without the approval of the Comptroller. In granting this approval, the Under Secretary of Defense should assure that a valid business case has been made and that the systems modifications or enhancements comply with the new enterprise architecture DOD is attempting to implement.

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 459, Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives that Newdow v. U.S. Congress was Erroneously Decided. ``One Nation, under God,'' reflects the fact that a belief in God permeated the founding and development of our Nation. The Pledge of Allegiance is not a prayer of part of a religious service. It is a statement of our commitment as citizens to our great Nation and the role God played in it. Yesterday, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals confused the issue of separation of church and state with the foundation on which our nation was built. ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.'' So reads our Declaration of Independence. As a new nation we claimed our freedom from any monarch in the Declaration of Independence and inherently in the U.S. Constitution because of ``certain unalienable rights'' guaranteed to us by our Creator. President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address, spoke of God 13 times, not in an effort to unite church and state but to unite our Nation at the conclusion of one of the most devastating periods in U.S. history, the War Between the States. Speaking of the Northern blue and Southern grey, this is what Abraham Lincoln said: ``Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes his aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered--that of neither has been answered fully.'' Abraham Lincoln continued, ``With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right.'' Today, we as Americans need to seek the right as God gives us to see this right, and continue to ask God's blessing on our great Nation, whose 226th year of freedom we celebrate next week.

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, when I was elected in 1987, I had one big desire: to get our country's financial house in order and to balance the Federal budget. That was my desire. I did not feel I really had an opportunity to really have an impact on that until John Kasich came and started offering amendments to cut spending in 1989, and more and more of us started to join with him. Then in 1994 a major change happened: Republicans had an opportunity to lead this House and to try to get our country's financial house in order. We did that by 1997, and in 1998 we ended deficit spending. In 1999 we ended using Social Security reserves. That happened. That is a fact. It was a bipartisan effort. There are times I voted to increase the national debt, and there are times I voted not to. But when I hear a colleague who has pushed the farm bill so hard talk to us about not increasing the deficit, I think, did that not contribute to increasing the national debt? Is that not a part of spending? When I see some of my colleagues who voted for the defense budget, did that not help increase the national debt? Now, I also voted for the tax cut. So did a number of Democrats. When the Senate had a chance to repeal the tax cut, only three of them wanted to repeal it. Now, I was uncomfortable when we had a debate to increase the national debt, and it was kind of put into something else. I heard my colleagues say, let us have it clean. So I asked my leadership, and others did, as well, let us have it clean. There were some who said the $750 billion increase, as the President proposed, is simply so high because it might push us beyond even the election of the President. So when there was an effort by Senator Daschle and Republicans jointly to come in with $450 billion and to have it clean, I pleaded with my House leadership to just take it right off this desk and send it to the President. That is what we have an opportunity of doing. I really think, and I know why my colleagues on this side of the aisle are tempted to do it, there are things they do not like, and this is a way for them to illustrate their contempt, their anger, all the things that are pent up. I just cannot imagine you would do it on this issue, not on this issue. I cannot imagine that we would tomorrow risk the fact that this may not pass. And, you know what? It may not pass. Maybe you will succeed in getting some Republicans, a few, to vote against it, and maybe my Democratic colleagues will convince the rest of their conference to make a political game of this. In the end, we are simply pushing another debate on this until February, 2003, the next Congress. Maybe the Democrats will be in charge. Maybe the Republicans. But we will have to wrestle with this issue. But for me there is no question. I voted for the tax cut. I did not vote for the farm bill. I thought the farm bill was an outrage. I think it kind of sent a message that is unfortunate. I voted for the defense bill. I voted for the 9-11 costs. So in the end when you see the votes go up and if my Democratic colleagues are successful in convincing most of their colleagues to vote against this and this goes down, I think tomorrow people will know where the problem is. This is Senator Daschle's bill. It is a Democratic bill in the Senate that we have an opportunity to take off this desk and pass it, and any alteration to this sends it right back to the Senate. I sincerely hope my colleagues remember, if they voted for the farm bill, that they have some obligations. If they voted for the defense bill, they have some obligations. And the tax cuts which my colleagues are concerned about really have not taken effect. They have come in years in the future. But the one thing that did take effect was the $300 or the $500 or the $600 payment. The Democratic proposal. Thank God. Because as we went into this recession more spending and tax cuts have made this recession less. So I salute my colleagues for making this recession less by spending more and making the debt ceiling increase necessary.

Mr. SHAYS

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, from June 17 through June 19, I was in London, England participating in a Government Reform National Security Subcommittee meeting on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses. I take my voting responsibility very seriously and would like the Congressional Record to reflect that, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on recorded vote number 230, ``yes'' on recorded vote number 231, ``yes'' on recorded vote number 232, ``yes'' on recorded vote number 233, ``yes'' on recorded vote number 234, ``yes'' on recorded vote number 235, ``yes'' on recorded vote number 236, ``yes'' on recorded vote number 237, ``yes'' on recorded vote number 238, and ``yes'' on recorded vote number 239.