Jim Walsh

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I am a little surprised, quite frankly, at this amendment. I fully expected there would be more amendments adding additional funds to the already precious dollars that are in VA medical care, but this amendment would take $16 million out of veterans medical care. This is money that goes toward surgical procedures, towards pharmaceutical drugs, towards nurses and doctors, heat and lights, and running these facilities. To hand over these funds to the Inspector General's office, to me, just does not make good sense. So I strongly oppose the amendment. We have already provided the Inspector General with an increase of $6 million over last year, a 15 percent increase from in their fiscal year 2001 budget. It is also a $4 million increase over this year's budget submission. This amendment would result in close to a 50 percent increase in the budget. I suspect the Inspector General could not handle that much money, they could not put that many people on, and this money is dearly needed for veterans medical care. I would hate to jeopardize the health of our veterans by reducing this already substantial but certainly dear amount of money. So I rise in strong opposition to the amendment.

Mr. WALSH. I thank the gentleman from Michigan for his remarks and for his leadership on all science issues in the House and for being a strong advocate for science. The subcommittee is acutely aware of the need for vigorous basic research effort in this country, which starts with the work of the National Science Foundation. Too often we overlook the importance of basic research in the sciences and in engineering also because its results are not always immediately applicable to tangible products. Breakthroughs in medical research, on the other hand, are more easily understood. I would like to echo the gentleman from Michigan in saying that we would do well to recognize the diversity of scientific endeavors that contribute to medical advances. I find it telling that the recent very noteworthy success of the human genome project, for example, was built on cutting-edge research in computer science, chemistry and other subjects of the kind supported by NSF. If the resources were available to us, the subcommittee would support an even greater increase in NSF funding than the 9 percent increase over fiscal year 2001 that is in the bill. We feel, nevertheless, that the increase is a strong start in guaranteeing that our Nation remains preeminent in basic research for years to come.

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

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I am told that this allocation of $1 million was recently in a second or third analysis of the funds available. The Congressional Budget Office found approximately an additional $1 million that had not been spent. The gentleman has proposed that we spend it in veterans' medical care. I cannot think of a better place to put this found money, so we will accept the amendment.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) for his pioneering efforts in developing this very important national program and for his continued efforts to ensure the National Estuary Program remains a strong program to protect our national estuaries for the future. I agree that this program has been successful with developing and maintaining local government, nonprofit, industry, and volunteer support from within the States where these estuaries are located. That is why we have increased funding this year for this program to $20 million, a $2 million increase over last year. I would be glad to work with the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey to assure that this very important program continues to protect and enhance our precious national estuaries. Amendment Offered by Mr. Hastings of Florida

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

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order against the amendment because it proposes to change existing law and constitutes legislation in an appropriations bill and therefore violates clause 2 of rule XXI. The rule states in pertinent part: ``An amendment to a general appropriation bill shall not be in order if changing existing law.'' The amendment directly amends existing law, and I would ask for a ruling of the Chair.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I insist on my point of order.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close the debate, and I will honor the gentleman's agreement that I will yield as soon as he does. Mr. Chairman, this is a phony choice. We do not have additional funds available to us to spend, and we cannot in the process of creating this legislation amend any existing legislation, and that is what the gentleman has asked us to do. The debate over tax cuts is over. In fact, the check is in the mail. These funds are not available to us to spend. We have an allocation. It is a substantial amount of money. The subcommittee has met for hundreds of hours in hearings and in planning to develop this bill, as a subcommittee and full committee. The bill passed the full committee on a voice vote. I think it has strong support within the Committee and within the Congress; and, for that reason, Mr. Chairman, I would reserve my point of order and ask Members to continue to support this bill as it stands after having made the choices that we have made.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley).

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

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve my point of order, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I continue to reserve my point of order. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is the same amendment that the gentleman from Wisconsin offered in the full committee. It was considered out of order in the full committee, and he is without question on message. He stays on message. I recognize that. I congratulate him for that, but I think the message is wrong. The message should be that the President had an agenda to bring to the Congress. He brought it to the Congress. We had debate on whether or not the American taxpayer was paying too much money. The debate was resolved by Congress. The House and Senate voted to cut the tax rates that individual taxpayers pay. The people who pay the most money got the largest tax cut, the people who pay the least amount of taxes got the least tax cut, and those who do not pay taxes did not get any tax cut. I think that is pretty logical, and people can understand that. Mr. Chairman, what we are charged with doing today is the Congress's primary role, which is creating a budget and spending taxpayers' money. We have an allocation. It is the allocation provided to us by the budget resolution and the Committee on the Budget in consultation with the Committee on Appropriations which handed down our allocation, and we have to live with that. That is our allocation. Mr. Chairman, we have provided funds for almost every one of the areas that the gentleman would otherwise supplement funds, and we think that the funding is right. I will close by saying I think this is the right formula for spending in this bill. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition; and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALSH. I do, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that debate on this amendment and any amendment thereto be limited to 50 minutes to be equally divided and controlled by the proponent, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), and myself, the opponent.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, June 9, 2001, the West Genesee Wildcats defeated Bay Shore to win the New York State Class A Women's Lacrosse Championship. The Wildcats won the Class A final with a 16-10 victory over Bay Shore to top off an impressive 22-1 season and a dominant playoff run. This talented group was guided by this year's All-CNY girls lacrosse coach, Bob Elmer, who is now in his second year leading the Wildcats. The State Champion Lady Wildcats previously won the Section III Championship and Upstate Regional to advance to the State Championship game. The Lady Wildcats' star player is none other than the CNY Player of the Year, Martha Dwyer. West Genesse is also home to three other CNY team members: Chrissy Zaika, Meghan O'Connell and Nicole Motondo. The 2001 Class A Championship team also includes: Eileen Gagnon, Vanessa Bain, Shannon Burke, Laura Corso, Lindsey Shirtz, Kelly Fitzgerald, Colleen O'Hara, Milly Yackel, Kelly Kuss, Keri Rubeis, Nelli Nash, Katie Kozloski, Carolyn Maurer, Kim Capraro, and Eileen Flynn. I am very proud of these young women and wish to celebrate the outstanding athletic achievements they have made this season. I am equally proud of the coaching staff and wish to join them, as well as the parents and other family members, teachers and administrators, in extending sincere congratulations for a job well done. This strong group of fine young athletes deserves special recognition.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a neighbor who has generously given of his time, talent, and finances to benefit the Central New York community. Mr. Sherman Saunders, a local businessman, was honored earlier this week at a surprise eighty-third birthday party in Syracuse, New York. Mr. Saunders was born on July 10, 1918, in Syracuse to a local family that operated a stone and gravel business. Mr. Saunders' great- grandfather started the business as a livery stable on West Onondaga Street. After receiving a civil engineering degree from Syracuse University, Mr. Saunders ran the family business, eventually expanding it to sell sand and Redi-Mix in addition to stone and gravel. Many major Syracuse area landmarks and development projects utilized his company's services during their construction, and the Central New York community continues to literally rely upon him as it grows and prospers. Mr. Saunders and his wife of forty-two years, Marie, have six children--Judith, Karen, Gail, Michael, Sandy, and Marilyn--and continue to reside in the Syracuse area. Their son Michael directs the family business today. Besides Mr. Saunders' community contributions as a local businessman, Mr. Saunders has been a tireless advocate for good government. With a keen interest in politics, Mr. Saunders has given generously to local candidates for public office. Mr. Saunders has also been a generous benefactor to such local organizations as the Greater Syracuse Boys & Girls Club, various youth recreation organizations, the SPCA, and Syracuse-area Catholic Charities. Mr. Saunders' longtime philanthropic work is deserved of such special recognition this week, but his modest and humble demeanor makes his generosity even more noteworthy. As his family and friends gather in celebration of his birthday, I wish him continued health and prosperity as he enters his eighty-fourth year and thank him for his numerous contributions to making Syracuse a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of House Resolution 172 to honor fallen New York City Firefighters John J. Downing of Ladder Company 163, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford both of Rescue Company 4. These men made the ultimate sacrifice in carrying out their sacred duties this past Father's Day, June 17th fighting a terrible blaze. In that tragic fire at the Long Island General Supply Company in Queens, New York our state lost three brave heroes, three dedicated fathers, and three devoted husbands. Words can not describe the debt of gratitude we as a nation owe these fine men. I join my Colleagues in expressing my deepest sympathies to their families. At 2:20 p.m. that Sunday the alarm came in. As they had done so many times in the past, for so many years, Firefighters Downing, Fahey and Ford responded to the call without hesitation. At first, the blaze appeared to be small and routine. Then as the fire built inside, a massive explosion erupted turning the 128-year-old store into a heap of rubble. In the wake of the blast, these three brave men had answered their final alarm trying to enter the building to do a job they had accomplished so many times before. Much like the 1.7 million firefighters across the nation including the volunteers and paid professionals in my own district in Central New York, these men and their families knew and accepted the risks associated with the nature of their work. Each and every day, whenever the fire whistle blows, fire bell rings, or fire pager sounds, the firefighters in our country respond in an instant, working to protect and secure the lives and property of others and ready to make the same sacrifices that were made in Queens this past Father's Day. As we honor our fallen heroes from New York City, we must also remember the brave men and women who fight fires on a daily basis in our country. From fighting structure fires to rescuing entrapped victims at motor vehicle accidents, our nation's firefighters are fearless in practicing the laws of God, as they are brave in protecting the lives and property of their fellowmen. Firefighters Downing, Fahey, and Ford took this spirit to the ultimate limit. We are fortunate to have so many firefighters like these men, firefighters who believe in what they are doing, and who will fight to the very end for what they believe. For this, I pay tribute to them as well as to all the brave firefighters across our nation.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I do not believe I am going to need all that time, and I will yield it back to the chairman of the committee. I do not think anyone here can stand back and not be concerned about the damages that have occurred in Texas and throughout the country. We are all very concerned about it. We would not rescind funds if we did not think that there was sufficient funds available. I want to make that very, very clear, because this is an important emergency that we have to respond to and FEMA needs the resources. As I said, there is about $1.6 billion available. The gentleman from Texas just pointed out that the FEMA estimates are approximately $2 billion for Texas. I believe that is true, but the fact of the matter is most of those expenses, most of those losses will be covered by private flood and disaster insurance. FEMA is not responsible nor would it ever be responsible for all those losses. Many of those will be covered by private insurance. So the $2 billion figure is not the FEMA requirement.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bentsen). Mr. Chairman, we spent a lot of time trying to determine what funds are available in FEMA. And based on, I think, very accurate information, we know that the White House, that OMB, and the Treasury have $1.1 billion available to them in contingency emergency funds for FEMA. There is also approximately $900 million in the pipeline from prior years' appropriations. Even with a $389 million revision, there still is $1.6 billion available for the remainder of this year. When I say the remainder of this year, I am saying, July, August, September; three more months, $1.6 billion. In next year's bill, we intend to appropriate in the neighborhood of another $1.5 billion, which would be available as soon as the President signed the bill, hopefully in September or October. Those funds then become available. Mr. Chairman, within the very near future, we have got about $3 billion to work with. No one knows exactly what the extent of the damages are due to Allison; but if we can learn anything from history, Hurricane Floyd, which was a very severe hurricane that we all remember, we voted on a supplemental appropriation. Hurricane Floyd affected 14 States all up and down the east coast, into the Carolinas, New Jersey, Florida, all the way up and down; and the total costs to FEMA were about $1.1 billion. And it was a massive storm. No one knows yet what the estimates are for Allison, but it is fair to say, Mr. Chairman, that we have at least $1.6 billion available right now in the pipeline ready to go. And if the Congress acts promptly in the fall, we will have another $1.5 billion. So a total of over $3 billion available. We looked very hard to find funds within existing appropriations for this rescission. I think it is a fair rescission. I have talked with Mr. Allbaugh about it. He is not totally sanguine with it, but he does understand the resources he has, and I think he can live with those until the next fiscal year begins. So, Mr. Chairman, I would urge a strong opposition to this amendment and urge a ``no'' vote.

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

Mr. WALSH. Even in that case, FEMA's responsibility is to do the immediate cleanup and then pay for municipal damages, not all private damages.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, seven years ago, a group of NCAA basketball coaches gathered to create Coaches vs. Cancer, an effort dedicated to reducing the risk of cancer in youth and raising funds to assist in the research, patient services, advocacy, and prevention programs of the American Cancer Society. Since its inception, Coaches vs. Cancer, now a formalized partnership between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society, has raised millions of dollars nationally. In Central New York, Syracuse University Men's Basketball Coach Jim Boeheim began his longtime involvement in the effort during the 1995- 1996 season. In its first year of existence, Coach Boeheim's group raised a record for first year programs nationally and finished second in local contribution totals across the country. In its second season, the Syracuse program became the national effort's largest local fundraiser, an honor the Central New York program holds even to this day. Coach Boeheim currently serves as National Chair of the Coaches vs. Cancer Council. In addition to Coach Boeheim's advocacy and support, the Syracuse chapter owes its success to the work of Juli Boeheim. Since beginning her involvement, Juli Boeheim has chaired numerous fundraising and public awareness events, including creating the Coaches vs. Cancer Basket Ball Black Tie Gala, which has netted over $350,000 over the past two years. Both Jim and Juli Boeheim have traveled regionally and nationally on behalf of the organization and assist in recruiting additional coaches and their spouses to become involved. They have filmed public service announcements, made numerous hospital visits, and attended dozens of public awareness events on behalf of the organization. Jim and Juli Boeheim's leadership has allowed the Syracuse University Coaches vs. Cancer program to raise close to $2 million for the local programming of the American Cancer Society. As the Home Builders Association of Central New York prepares to honor the Boeheims for their longtime work at its annual Parade of Homes Preview Party on May 31st, it is my privilege to recognize Jim and Juli Boeheim for their leadership--on both a national and local level--within the Coaches vs. Cancer organization.