Jim Walsh

Mr. WALSH

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

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton] for her summation of this bill. No one knows how important this bill is to the District more than she does. She knows that the money is needed. She knows that the District is hard- pressed. Mr. Speaker, I am sure I understand the difficult position that the gentlewoman is in, because there may be an issue or two in the bill with which she has a philosophical problem. But overall, I think she has some sympathy for us supporting this bill. She did not support it, I do not want to put words in her mouth, but I understand the dilemma that she has. I would say to my colleague, I am deeply concerned that if we do not get an appropriation conference report passed today, I think it would be very, very difficult for us to come back with a continuing resolution that authorized or appropriated any of this Federal money, at least for the foreseeable future. I know that would be a difficulty for the District. We have to move on. The status quo is not acceptable. It is not defensible. I see this conference report as progress. While, again, there are issues in here that everyone may not agree with, it is needed and it is necessary. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. (Mr. LIVINGSTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Kingston], a member of the subcommittee.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Riggs].

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute to respond to some of the other comments made earlier. Mr. Speaker, we have worked on this bill now since almost a year ago this time. We had at least a dozen hearings. We had four or five meetings on the conference itself. The gentleman from California says he was not included in any of the discussion. That is not entirely true. He made some suggestions in other aspects of the bill that were heard and in fact actually compromised in honor. But the issue of education here, what in God's name are you afraid of? The kids in this school system are being abused. We are trying to create some options for parents who do not have them now. Rich people can afford to go to private schools. Middle-class people who save their money can have that choice, too. Poor people do not have that choice. This is about providing kids a hand up and a handout and an opportunity to become leaders in this community, a community sorely in need of leaders. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Gunderson]. (Mr. GUNDERSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WALSH. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. WALSH. That is correct. That is what this is about, providing some choice to the parents. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, let me say, in our relationship with the District of Columbia, we need to pay them what we have promised. We need to make that formula payment. Basically, it is paying our rent for being in this district. This is the vehicle to do it. If we do not do it with this vehicle, I do not know if we will get it done.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Gunderson]. (Mr. GUNDERSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I will be brief. We stand here and fiddle while Rome burns all around us. It is time for action. The status quo that is the District of Columbia is no longer defendable. We need to move and we need to move now. You can see how difficult any change is. We are talking about minimal change, but this is all we could get, and it is a fight, but it is a worthy fight. The future of the kids of this city, is at stake. We have an opportunity here to give them some positive options, give them some opportunity in life that they did not have before, and I just cannot understand why we would not take that action.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership on this. I would also like to thank the gentleman from Ohio, Chairman Oxley, for his allowing this bill to get to the floor. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon the House of Representatives works toward passage of flow control legislation with bipartisan support. The legislation is a fair compromise that would grandfather facilities designated prior to the 1994 Supreme Court decision, but phases out flow control as financial obligations expire. For example, this bill will protect the local government in Onondaga County to have the right to control the flow of municipal solid waste for financing their waste-to-energy plant and integrated waste program. Without such control, which had been put at risk by the Supreme Court ruling, the county would have been without sufficient cash flow to repay $180 million in bonds which provided funding for the plant. It is also very good news for taxpayers in central New York. Without the legislation, the county's credit rating could have been negatively affected for future bonding and all future public works projects put at risk. In addition, flow control is pro-environment--despite rhetoric to the contrary. If every municipality adopted a comprehensive solid waste program, they could handle their waste locally and not ship their garbage to other States. Our county's recycling program has received national recognition and awards for recycling over one-third of our waste stream. The community also benefits from the sale of electricity produced by the waste-to-energy facility. Working closely with Onondaga County officials, my colleagues in the New York delegation and the Commerce Committee, we were able to develop an excellent bill. This is the kind of cooperation between local and Federal Government that helps communities solve problems, and I urge my colleagues to support passage.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I am asking today that my colleagues join me in saluting the Marathon High School girls field hockey team for successfully defending their New York State class D championship. The team won its second straight championship by defeating Morrisville-Eaton in a close and hard fought contest at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. As last year, the community welcomed the victorious Lady Olympians as they returned. The volunteer fire department once again stirred excitement with wailing sirens and flashing lights, leading a parade through the center of the village. I want to congratulate the team and let them know I am very proud of their performance. In marking their accomplishment, we applaud all athletic endeavors of young women everywhere and give a deserved pat on the back to the adults who have provided the guidance and example that have made these players champions. Those are the parents, the coaches, the administrators, and the fans who have encouraged and enjoyed the play all year long. And while they have brought fame to themselves, they have made their friends and their school, not to mention their community, proud as well. These young people have learned what it feels like to win, but more importantly the value of camaraderie, teamwork, and discipline. They will likely remember these times the rest of their lives. They deserve to, and to have our sincere best wishes for the kind of success which only promises greater things to come. The team consists of: Rebecca Gillette, Joanna Ryan, Amber Potter, Laurel Weiss, Kendra Shufelt, Amber Glave, Tina Owen, Samantha Strough, Bobbie Elwood, Kathy Hoyt, Jessica James, Jennie Lavens, Hilary Matson, Carla Tagliente, Katrina Roe, Darci Contri, Becky Smith, Allisa Altmann, Arlene Hallock, and Coach Karen Funk.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. My good friend from Illinois objected to this, which would have stopped the District government from going back to work tomorrow. I hope he regrets that decision. Does the gentleman regret that decision?

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, House Joint Resolution 153 extends title II of the current continuing resolution (H.J. Res. 136), which expires at midnight tonight, to January 25, 1996. It provides the District government with the authority necessary to continue providing municipal services using its locally raised revenues. This resolution does not provide any Federal funds. The exact same terms and conditions that were included in title two of the previous joint resolution (H.J. Res. 136) are included in House Joint Resolution 153. The joint resolution that I have just introduced simply extends the terms, conditions, and spending authority for a 3- week period to January 25, 1996. Mr. Speaker, the regular appropriations bill for the District of Columbia government for fiscal year 1996 was passed by the House on November 2, 1995, and is presently in conference. The conference committee has had several meetings and we have made considerable progress. However, there are some issues that are requiring more time to resolve than we had anticipated. I have made this unanimous consent request and introduced this joint resolution because I believe it is essential that municipal services continue to be provided by the District government using their own local revenues. As I mentioned earlier, no Federal funds will be made available by this resolution. So the joint resolution was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I again offer a joint resolution (H.J. Res. 153) making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes, and ask unanimous consent that it be considered as passed and that a motion to reconsider be laid on the table.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on House Joint Resolution 153 and that I may include tabular and extraneous material.

Mr. WALSH

Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, the delegate from the District of Columbia has asked us to try to get the people back to work. This is their money, it is not ours, and that is the reason. It is a very narrow CR that affects only their money, no Federal money.

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

Mr. WALSH. And we just had an opportunity to override that veto, and we did not get it done.

Mr. WALSH. I would just remind my colleague that the reason that those employees are not at work is because the President vetoed those appropriations bills----

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

Mr. WALSH. I am sure the gentleman is aware, we passed those appropriations bills. The President, as a matter of fact, signed the appropriations bill that allowed the prisoners to get paid and vetoed the appropriations bill that paid for the guards. So that is a question of priorities, and I do not quite understand it.

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

Mr. WALSH. I think the gentleman is correct. I have no intention to be punitive to anyone, any member of the Federal Government.