Don Sherwood

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today as an original cosponsor of H.R. 3557 and in support of awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to John Cardinal O'Connor, Archbishop of New York. I hope that all my colleagues will join with us in recognizing Cardinal O'Connor's devotion to faith, service, and country. The Diocese of Scranton, which I am proud to represent, was once home to Cardinal O'Connor. I remember how thrilled I was when in 1983 he became the Bishop of Scranton, and what mixed emotions the people of the diocese had when he was selected to become the Archbishop of New York. We hated to lose a leader that was doing so much for our area. He had the great respect and genuine affection of everyone of all faiths in northeastern and north central Pennsylvania. Cardinal O'Connor is quoted as saying that he has no intention of fading into the woodwork. We are all very glad to hear that. I am confident that he will continue his ministry of personal compassion to those whose quiet cries are often lost in the din: the unborn, the handicapped, the sick, and the working poor. One month ago today Cardinal O'Connor turned 80. I say to His Eminence, I wish him belated happy birthday, and I thank him for his many years of selfless service to his Nation and his faith. I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella), for his leadership in bringing this bill before the House today to honor this great leader, this great American, John Cardinal O'Connor.

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Madam Speaker, my colleague from Pennsylvania, let us summarize. This is a very simple solution to a problem that only government could make so complex. We have had 435 people working for 10 months in a bipartisan manner to get 13 spending bills, 13 appropriations bills, put together and live within a budget. We are down to the end of the time, and we have a hole. It is not a very big hole. It is 3, 4, $5 billion. In the general scheme of things around here that is not a lot of money. In other years we just spend it and take it out of the Social Security money. But we have pledged to the American people that we will not raise taxes and that we will not spend their Social Security money. Madam Speaker, we all know that Americans pay too many taxes, and we all know that that Social Security fund should be sacrosanct. It is a contract with the American people, and we, as their representatives, must protect it. So those are our criteria. We will not raise taxes, we will not spend the Social Security money. How do we come up with this $4 billion? Madam Speaker, business solves this problem every day. Family budgets solve it every day. Several years ago, when one of our great American corporations, Chrysler Corporation, was about to go bankrupt, Lee Iacocca said, ``We will share the pain equally.'' Everybody took a cut or a saving, everybody. It worked. Today Chrysler has repaid their government loans, and they are a very successful, sound American company. So let us do the same. Let us apply common sense, take an across-the- board budget cut. Only in politics would people argue against an across-the-board budget cut because it is the right thing to do. It is so simple that in the world of politics where everybody is fighting for their region or their issue we have people that are fighting this very simple proposition. So we only have to find 1.3 or 1.4 percent savings. What budget could not find a 1.3 percent saving? You have been given examples tonight that HUD properties, because we are not managing quite well enough, costs us a million dollars a day. That is $365 million. There is a good one. Does that mean HUD is poorly run? No. It means that there is one thing in HUD that we need to pay better attention to. We need harder work and better management, and in my 30 years in business and two-thirds of that on the school board we always needed to work harder and manage better, and the Federal Government is no exception. As my colleagues know, 26,000 diseased persons received 8.5 million in food stamps. Does that mean the food stamp program is bad? It is a wonderful program, but we need that $8.5 million to go to the right people. We do not need it to go to people that are dead, that somebody is cashing their check. Hard work and better management. Madam Speaker, I could go down through this and talk about $714 bells that should be $46. There are many, many examples in this huge Federal Government where we can save money. Now this is a very, very simple solution. You ask every department to save 1.3 percent, and I agree that we should start with our own salary. Only when the impetus comes from the top can you expect every soldier and every worker to do the same, and we are asking our defense people to do more with less. We need to set the example here in our own salary. So, Madam Speaker, I think that while we have worked very hard, the appropriators on defense and interior and education, health and human services, agriculture, that work has been done. We just need to get together and take our savings and make this budget come together. It will be a historic thing. It has not happened in almost 30 years that we have paid down the national debt, lived within the budget and not spent the Social Security money. I think we should come together in a bipartisan manner, find these savings and pass a budget. It is for the American people, and they deserve it.

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1615) to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to extend the designation of a portion of the Lamprey River in New Hampshire as a recreational river to include an additional river segment.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 1615.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of 1615, introduced by my colleague the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Sununu). The gentleman is to be congratulated for his work in protecting a valuable and picturesque river. Specifically, H.R. 1615 amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to extend the Wild and Scenic River designation to a 12-mile segment of the Lamprey River running through New Hampshire. This new addition would be designated as a recreational river in accordance with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. As part of the Omnibus Parks and Public Land Management Act of 1996, an 11\1/2\ mile segment of the Lamprey River was designated at that time as a recreational river. The study done for this segment also found that an additional 12-mile segment upstream warrants a like designation. Now that there is overwhelming local support, this section of the Lamprey River is ready for the designation. This bill is supported by the National Park Service, and I urge my colleagues also to support H.R. 1615. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Sununu).

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 20) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct and operate a visitor center for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River on the land owned by the State of New York.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 20.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Upper Delaware is a national treasure. Through the efforts of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), there will be thousands of people each year that will be able to view it and to kayak in it and to enjoy this beautiful scenic river. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 20, introduced by my esteemed colleague from New York (Mr. Gilman). H.R. 20 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a 99- year lease for State-owned land within the boundaries of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River located at Mongaup, New York. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is to be commended for his hard work on this needed bill, which initiates construction of a visitor center for the Upper Delaware which will serve as an information point for area services and attractions, as well as supply basic traveler needs. Because the act which established this recreational river limits the Federal authority to acquire lands, Congressional action is needed to authorize the expenditure of appropriated funds for the construction and subsequent operation of a visitor center on leased land. H.R. 20 is supported by both the National Park Service and the minority. Besides being a necessary addition to an increasingly busy component of the National Park Service, the Mongaup Visitor Center is also important to my constituents because the Congressional district that I represent is bounded on the east by the Upper Delaware River. I again commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) for his hard work in getting this bill to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 20. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman). (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1665) to allow the National Park Service to acquire certain land for addition to the Wilderness Battlefield in Virginia, as previously authorized by law, by purchase or exchange as well as by donation, as amended.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1665, introduced by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bateman). The gentleman from Virginia has worked hard on this bill which will help the National Park Service protect additional Civil War battlefield land. H.R. 1665 allows the Park Service to acquire certain land for addition to the Wilderness Battlefield in Virginia by purchase or exchange as well as donation. Currently, the Park Service can acquire land only by donation, thereby preventing landowners from disposing of property the Park Service desires to include in the battlefield boundaries. Recently, however, the owners of three tracts of land have expressed their desire to dispose of property to the Park Service which is within the boundaries of the battlefield. Enactment of H.R. 1665 would allow the Park Service to acquire this land. Mr. Speaker, an amendment was accepted at the subcommittee consideration of this bill which makes it clear that disposal of the land by purchase will only be from willing sellers. This bill now has wide bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1665. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bateman). (Mr. BATEMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from Virginia for his hard work to preserve this historic site. I am slightly surprised that he did not refer to our great Civil War as the ``War of Northern Aggression.'' Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 748) to amend the Act that established the Keweenaw National Historical Park to require the Secretary of the Interior to consider nominees of various local interests in appointing members of the Keweenaw National Historical Parks Advisory Commission, as amended.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 748, introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak). H.R. 748 is a simple yet necessary bill that amends the Keweenaw National Historical Park Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to consider nominees of various local interests in appointing members of the Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission. The existing statute establishing the Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission states that members shall be appointed from nominees submitted by various local government entities. Apparently this has raised constitutional concerns as the statute directs the Secretary of the Interior to appoint to the commission persons nominated by State and local officials. The Department of Justice has stated that this procedure does not satisfy the requirements imposed by the appointments clause for Federal officers. H.R. 748 addresses these constitutional concerns by striking from nominees each place it appears and inserting after consideration of nominees. This bill has the support of the administration and minority, and I urge my colleagues also to support H.R. 748.

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no more requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have the greatest respect for the chairman of this committee, a man with his roots deep in agriculture, and he has worked long and hard on this bill with his committee. But there are some fundamental problems if you are from the Northeast or mid-Atlantic. This does not address our drought relief. I wish the people that could have decided to shortchange us could have been to Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with me and looked at the corn this high and the barns empty of forage. This bill is bad for us for three reasons: it does not address the drought; it does not address option 1-A, which means we are going to allow Secretary Glickman's mistake to put our farmers out of business, and it does not address the compacts. Mr. Speaker, the only thing that this bill is good for in the Northeast is the auctioneers. I hate to go home and see the hammer fall on another Northeastern dairy farm. I ask Members to oppose this bill.

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1402 which would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to implement the Class I milk marketing structure known as Option 1-A that will put some sense back in the system that they are trying to change that has worked for so long. If my colleagues look at my diagram, they will see what bleeds red, almost the whole part of the country, except some parts of California and the upper Midwest. Although I have great respect for my colleagues on the other side of the debate, in this case, they are dead wrong. This map was made by the Department of Agriculture. The red part of the map, which is the vast majority of the country, shows the farmers that get hurt. If we do not pass H.R. 1402, we will have all the milk in this country produced in a couple areas. The next thing they will be asking us to do is reconstitute it so they can ship it. Mr. Chairman, do my colleagues know the difference between fresh orange juice and concentrate? That is where we are going in the milk business if we do not pass H.R. 1402. We have had in my area one hauler that went from 140 stops to 40 stops. That is what is happening to the family farm. Option 1-A of H.R. 1402 will help us delay that. I had a lady come into a meeting that I was at a while ago and she said, I came and I had to go home. Her son sent me a little letter. His mom had told him I could vote on this. He said, ``Mr. Voterman, my mom says you can help us. Please help my Grandpa Jack's cows.''

Mr. SHERWOOD

Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Chairman, milk was left out of Freedom to Farm for a reason. Milk is different than wheat, and it is different than corn. As the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) was talking about milking Bossie, that has to be done twice or three times a day 365 days a year. And that milk has to have a market. And no one dares to be able to take advantage of that little producer because they know he has to sell it right then. This is a pretty good system that has been working since 1937, and the legislation here would change it greatly. I am as free market, free enterprise a person as there is in this Congress. I never asked the government for a thing in my business. Milk is different. Dairy farming is different. What we need is a supply of fresh, wholesome milk so that WIC can have it, so poor families can have it, so we can all have it. There is not a better system of milk distribution in the world than we have in the United States right now. The farmers voted to preserve it, it is working well, and I am in very much opposition to the amendment of my friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).