Frank Wolf

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. WOLF. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the managers on the part of the House have until midnight October 26, 2001, to file a conference report on the bill (H.R. 2590) making appropriations for the Treasury Department, the United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President, and certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. I do not know that I have 4 minutes to speak, but I thank the gentleman. I am very disappointed that the language of the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce) with regard to money laundering and gambling has been taken out. Gambling is beginning to destroy families and fundamentally corrupt this country. It is bringing about greater divorce and breakup of families; and now we see the influence of it coming into this Chamber, whereby here was an opportunity to deal with money laundering and to do it in a way that would be a positive thing; yet it was removed. I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley), because I know he supports this language. And I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce) and the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach). If this Congress adjourns without dealing with the issue of money laundering with regard to gambling, it will be an indictment of this institution. Mr. Speaker, this, on my side, is the reason that I signed the discharge petition with regard to campaign finance reform because we cannot have the spread of gambling continue in this Nation and not deal with it every chance we have. I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce). We ought not to lose this opportunity. Maybe for good reasons the gentlemen had to move ahead with this bill and abandon this opportunity to deal with what is taking place in this country; but we cannot let anti-gambling legislation languish. Mr. Speaker, we need to continue to push to pass legislation to help families.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure what I say does not reflect on the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley), and I appreciate the efforts of the gentleman. The reason I feel so strongly is that gambling is running rampant in the country. The addiction level, particularly among the young is skyrocketing, and for those of us on both sides of the aisle who care about the young, this will enable somebody to sit in their bathrobe at home and gamble, and literally take their family down the road to bankruptcy. This legislation is important, and I appreciate the gentleman's efforts. I look forward to an opportunity to pass such legislation. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record two articles regarding Internet gambling. [From the New York Times, June 5, 2001] Nevada Approves Online Gambling (By Matt Richtel) The Nevada Legislature voted yesterday to authorize regulators to license casinos to offer gambling over the Internet, the first time a state has moved to legalize the potentially lucrative but highly controversial business of online gambling. The Legislature passed the bill on the last day of its every-two-year session, despite objections by some state senators who said it would permit only big, politically powerful casino corporations to participate. A spokesman for Gov. Kenny Guinn said he supported the idea of Internet gambling but would not make a decision about signing the bill until he had read it in its final form. Even if he does approve, it is far from clear when Las Vegas's most powerful casinos will be able to offer gambling over the Internet, or to whom they will be able to offer it. Federal law enforcement officials say operation of an Internet casino is illegal under the Wire Act, but legal experts say it is not clear whether the courts concur with that interpretation, and, as a result, whether casinos will need to seek a change in federal law. The casinos must satisfy regulators that they have technology to prevent bets from being placed by minors or by anyone living in a jurisdiction where gambling is illegal, which currently includes most states. If the Nevada Gaming Commission finds those criteria are met, it would have the power to ``adopt regulations governing the licensing and operation of interactive gaming.'' Industry observers said that while the bill authorized regulators to license casinos, it did not legalize gambling immediately. It would, however, effectively legalize it in the future--a major victory for casinos that advocate online gaming. ``This is a very big step,'' said Anthony Cabot, a gambling law expert and partner in the law firm of Lionel, Sawyer & Collins, which represents some of Nevada's largest casinos. ``There is no doubt that interactive gambling will be authorized.'' If and when they are able to participate, Nevada's casinos will enter an already booming market. According to Bear Stearns, Internet users worldwide wagered $1.4 billion online last year on casino games, lotteries, horse races and other sports events--a figure that the investment banking firm expects to grow to $5 billion by 2003. Some Nevada legislators say only the largest casinos will be able to benefit, however. The bill is written to ensure that the only casinos eligible to get a license are those with an established--and resort-size--physical presence in the state. To get a license, applicants must pay $500,000 for the first two years, and $250,000 a year thereafter. ``That would have been like saying five years ago, `only bricks-and-mortar bookstores can sell books over the Internet,' '' said Senator Terry Care, who was on the losing side of yesterday's 17-to-4 vote in the Senate. ``What would that have meant for Amazon?'' Mr. Care had hoped to offer an amendment to open the prospect of online gambling to any entity in the state with an unrestricted gambling license. but his was one of several amendments that was never introduced because of a parliamentary maneuver. In recent weeks, a similar bill was tabled after it became clear that amendments would be offered by several legislators, including Senator Joe Neal, a longtime antagonist of the gambling industry who hoped to amend the bill to increase the gambling tax from 6.25 percent. To get around the tax question--and the high-profile debate about taxes that it would have entailed--proponents of Internet gambling tacked the legislation as a rider onto a peripheral bill about the work card system for casino employees, said Senator Dina Titus, a Democrat from Las Vegas. Ms. Titus, who voted against the bill, said she objected to the political maneuvering but she said she supported the idea of Internet gambling. She said the rationale behind permitting only large casinos to participate was the belief that they might be best able to ``operate at this level'' and would have the ``capability and money to back up'' the regulations. Las Vegas's casinos are not united in their desire to move onto the Internet. Until recently, in fact, many of them advocated keeping online gambling illegal as a way of trying to kill competition from overseas. Several of the biggest casinos have, however, advocated legalizing Internet gambling, with the companies' executives asserting that since there is no way to stop people from gambling on the Internet, American companies should be allowed to compete.

Mr. WOLF. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I join my fellow members of the Virginia congressional delegation and our colleagues today in support of H.R. 1749, the Herbert H. Bateman Post Office Designation Act, and thank Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis of the First District for introducing this legislation to honor the member of Congress who preceded her. Heb loved being a member of Congress. He was a decent, hard-working, likeable man who could reach across the aisle to work together for the best interests of America. He loved representing the people of Virginia's First Congressional District, and beamed with pride in calling his district, ``America's First District.'' He worked tirelessly for his district. He grew up and practiced law in Newport News, and was a graduate of the College of William and Mary, so he had a special affinity for the people he represented. Aside from his love for the First district, his achievements as a legislator were impressive. As chairman of the House Armed Service subcommittee on military readiness, he was a diligent champion for the defense interests not only of the Tidewater area of Virginia which he represented, but most importantly for a strong defense for our nation. He believed in a strong military and a strong navy. He always understood the need for adequate training before sending our forces into harm's way. He was relentless in the pursuit of military excellence, and he could work with anybody on any side of an issue. Most importantly, when meeting the challenges faced by this great country, party really made no difference. It is especially fitting that we recognize Herb's legislative accomplishments in the area of defense as America's armed forces bravely undertake operations in Afghanistan as we speak. He was a protector of our national defense, and he initiated the practice of listening to the field commanders of our armed forces--the captains and colonels and majors--and not solely relying on the Pentagon brass to get the real picture about our nation's defense forces. I have no doubts that Herb's past work will contribute to a successful conclusion to our on-going military efforts. Herb was a champion of increasing our military readiness, and if we can do anything to honor his memory, it will be to continue to invest in improving and maintaining our nation's defense readiness. He also worked to protect the welfare of the men and women in uniform and their families, and those who have retired from the service of their country. Herb also worked hard for commuters in the First District. Through his seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he focused on improving the highways and bridges in the Tidewater area and protecting the Chesapeake Bay's oyster and crab production. It is fitting that we honor the memory of Herb Bateman, a devoted public servant of the Commonwealth of Virginia and our nation, by designating the postal facility at 685 Turnberry Road in Newport News, Virginia, as the Herbert H. Bateman Post Office Building. I urge my colleagues to unanimously support H.R. 1749 in tribute to the late Herb Bateman.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman and I thank the staff and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss), for allowing and accepting this amendment. Mr. Chairman, as sponsor of the legislation which created the National Commission on Terrorism, or what some are calling the Bremer Commission, I want to offer this amendment. In light of the tragedy of September 11, I believe it is imperative the U.S. Government be responsive and proactive in combating terrorism. As we mourn the loss of life of the terrorist attacks, 27 people from my congressional district, we must be resolved to do whatever it takes to win the war against terrorism. The National Commission on Terrorism was established by Public Law 105-277. No Member, I believe, voted against it in 1998. Congress gave the commission 6 months because they wanted this thing done quickly to review the laws, the regulations, the directives, the policies, and the practices for preventing and punishing international terrorism directed against the United States, assess their effectiveness, and recommend changes to improve U.S. counterterrorism performance. The commission issued its recommendations in June of 2000. Given that the commission was comprised of the Nation's leading terrorism experts, including L. Paul Bremer, President Reagan's counterterrorism czar; former CIA Director, James Woolsey; and retired Army General, Wayne Downing, just appointed with a high position with this administration, one would think that their recommendations and advice would have been taken seriously by those in government. Unfortunately, it appears that some in government either ignored or actively worked to discredit the work of the commission. A recent article in The New Republic alleges that some worked to discredit the findings of the commission report by spinning, by inferring that it did certain things that it did not do. This is troubling, particularly in the wake of the events of September 11, and is why I am offering the amendment today, and for those who do not serve on the committee, to have some mechanism to find out whether any of these recommendations are being followed. Because the director of the CIA is the lead government official, the director has wide-ranging responsibilities in directing the Nation's policy on combating terrorism. The amendment says not later than 90 days after the enactment of this legislation, the director of Central Intelligence, in cooperation with the heads of the departments and agencies involved, shall implement the recommended changes to counterterrorism policies in preventing and punishing international terrorism directed towards the United States contained in the report submitted to the President and the Congress by the National Commission on Terrorism. In addition, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment, if the director of Central Intelligence determines that one or more of the recommended changes will not be implemented, the director shall submit to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence a report containing a detailed explanation of that determination. Mr. Chairman, I am not going to go through all of the recommendations; but there were a couple of recommendations, some of which are being carried out in this bill. For those who are interested, Members can view the commission's report at www.fas.org. Mr. Chairman, I would urge that this amendment be adopted; and I ask the gentleman, the chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, that we keep this in, that this not be dropped in conference. I morally would not be able to support the conference report if this language were dropped. Having been at a town meeting last week where two families lost loved ones, knowing the work that was put into the commission, the Congress has to know what has been adopted and what has not, and there very well may be good reasons why they have not been. I am not on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and I would trust the committee to know. I ask the gentleman to keep this in so I can comfortably and morally vote for the conference report.

Mr. WOLF. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the tragic terrorist attacks on the United States, we have witnessed an outpouring of generosity throughout the nation--be it monetary donations to the local volunteer fire department, blood donations to the Red Cross or time donations to any number of volunteer organizations assisting in the relief operations at both the Pentagon and the World Trade towers. In the midst of the human evil and premeditated acts of death and destruction which marked Tuesday, September 11, it was easy to become disheartened. But out of the rubble, time and again, fellow Americans have risen to the occasion, offering a helping hand, a warm meal or a simple smile, thereby restoring our faith in humanity. These acts of service often go unnoticed and unrecognized, but not unappreciated. The Pentagon, just a few miles from the nation's capital, was a hotbed of volunteer activity. Americans from all over the country put busy lives on hold, taking leave from their jobs and responsibilities at home, some using cherished annual vacation leave, to reach out to fellow citizens. Touring the Pentagon's south parking lot last week, you might find the North Carolina Baptist Men's Association faithfully serving day in and day out, or a church group from Louisiana which had driven through the night only to cook large kettle pots of jambalaya. And of course there were two organizations, which have become a mainstay at disaster sights throughout the country, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. All of these groups, many of them faith based, were instrumental both in the tangible parts of the relief operation, which included blood drives and food preparation, and in the intangible parts, like lifting the spirits of weary rescue workers. Another organization which was a pivotal part of the relief effort at the Pentagon was Christ in Action, based out of Manassas, Virginia, which is part of Virginia's 10th Congressional district. It is a nonprofit organization which was founded in January 1982 by Dr. Denny and Sandy Nissley. Christ in Action prepared and served a remarkable 3,000 to 5,000 meals each day. In the twilight hours of the evening and the hours before sunrise, they and their team of volunteers diligently prepared up to 500 breakfasts to be ready by 5 a.m., for distribution to various areas of the Pentagon where workers could not leave their posts. Between 5-9 a.m., they served another 1,000 to 1,500 breakfasts. And that was just one meal cycle. Christ in Action's tent was designated the ``official'' meal place for the entire relief effort by an office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The relief workers that were permitted to leave their sites often retreated to the Christ in Action tent as a treasured respite from the arduous task before them. Located just 200 feet from the crash site, the tent was near the intersection of two newly created ``streets'' in this impromptu tent city, American Way and Freedom Lane. A large American flag hung behind the stage in the tent, from which various military bands performed during the lunch hour each day, and cards and letters from students and children around the country were gathered in boxes at the foot of the stage, to be read by workers in need of some encouragement during the course of the day. In this time of need, Christ in Action found strength in its unyielding faith, and has displayed an outpouring of love and warmth to countless relief workers from across the country. Christ in Action answered a call to service before the call was even sounded and in doing so gave us a glimpse of the spirit which will carry our nation through this trying time.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 2500) making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the Senate amendment, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman for agreeing to bring this up. The reason this is so important is that many of these groups who are being funded from these diamonds are really connected to all of the disreputable groups that are around the world. The passage of this legislation, one, will save the diamond industry, because if this does not pass the diamond industry, particularly in New York City and other places, may very well collapse because I think there may be a boycott against it. Secondly, the opportunity to bring about a lot of good whereby people will no longer have their arms cut off or limbs cut off. There are indications that the RUF in Sierra Leone, Charles Taylor in Liberia, have been connected with many of the other terrorist groups around the world and were even together earlier this year meeting and agreeing and talking, and the resources of this may very well be used by terrorists and many others around the world. I called Senator Gregg from New Hampshire, and he was very gracious and said he would attempt to work this out. He is committed to doing this. Hopefully we can resolve this issue whereby it will be worked out, the conferees on Commerce, State, Justice can be appointed, which has a lot of counterterrorism money, lot of money with regard to the Justice Department and other areas, INS, money with regard to the State Department, embassy security, diplomatic security, we can move ahead. So with the gentleman from Ohio's (Mr. Hall) promise to move it as a freestanding bill, hopefully the Senate can resolve that issue; and I want to thank my friend from Ohio (Mr. Hall) for his faithfulness on this issue and thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) for his commitment.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution authorizing the use of force against those responsible for the acts. I wanted to be here to be part of history, to make sure I was there when this took place. I have no eloquent words to say tonight like so many others than to say this: I want us to pray for the President; to pray for our leaders on both sides of the aisle; to pray for those in the Cabinet who are going to be part of this decisionmaking; to pray for the military because few, if any, of us will actually go into combat; to pray for the men and women who go into combat; to pray for wisdom, protection, and guidance; and lastly, to pray for our country.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this supplemental. I want to thank the leadership on both sides; I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for moving so fast on this issue. This issue has hit the area that I represent. I also want to say my heart goes out to those families in this area and in New York and in New Jersey, in just watching the pain and the suffering and the agony of those who are looking for their loved ones and to let them know how much we care. Also, I want to thank the rescue workers in my area, in New York City, and the people who have come together. I think this is just the beginning. I believe we should do whatever it takes and make sure that they know that we have the resolve to carry this through to make sure that we root out terrorism. Lastly, I want to commend the President. We had an opportunity yesterday, and he met with the delegation. He was strong, he was confident. He is committed. And we will resolve this issue, and we will bring victory over terrorism. I rise in strong support of this supplemental.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, my heartfelt sympathies are extended to the families. Many people in my area work at the Pentagon and have been involved. The mothers, the fathers, the sons, the daughters, and the neighbors who perished will never be forgotten. I want to also thank and praise the courageous firefighters, the rescue workers, the policemen, the servicemen and women, and the scores of volunteers who have been working around the clock. America is the greatest country in the world. We represent freedom and liberty and democracy, and we will respond to this terrorism. We strongly support the President of the United States to find them and to bring them to justice so this can never happen again.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 61, which expresses the sense of the Senate and the House regarding the terrorist attacks launched against the United States. My heartfelt sympathy extends to all the families, many from our region, who lost loved ones in this terrible act of cowardice. The mothers, the fathers, the sons, the daughters, the friends and neighbors who perished in the World Trade Center in New York City, at the Pentagon, and on four commercial airlines will never be forgotten. I also want to extend my thanks and praise to the courageous firefighters, rescue workers, police officers, servicemen and women, and the scores of volunteers who have been working around the clock with regard to the rescue effort. As the words of the resolution state, these attacks were by far the deadliest terrorist attacks ever launched against the United States. And by targeting symbols of America's strength and success, they clearly were intended to intimidate our Nation and weaken its resolve. We will not be intimidated. We will do all we can and stand behind President Bush, our nation's commander in chief, as he works to respond to the evils of terrorism. We also stand behind the statement that there will be no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them. I am committed to seeing that every resource possible be put together and put towards apprehending and punishing the people who planned and assisted in the implementation of these heinous actions against innocent victims. Our response must be swift and aggressive. The terrorists must be brought to justice and the countries which harbor them must be held responsible. We are a strong Nation, united in our determination to continue to be the beacon of freedom to all in the world. We should pray for our country. May God bless America and God bless all our people.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for this effort in helping with this legislation, and I want to commend the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) for doing this. Mr. Speaker, I just have a couple of comments. Herb Harris, as I said in a previous debate, was a fighter, was an advocate. I first met Herb when I was a young lawyer here in town. He was with the American Farm Bureau. Then he went on to do all the amazing things that the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) said. So it is very fitting. Mr. Speaker, it would really be fitting for the Post Office to have these dedications of Mr. Parris' Post Office and Mr. Harris' Post Office on the same day. I think it would be a great sign, if you will, when Stan Parris comes to Herb Harris' dedication and Herb Harris comes to Stan Parris' dedication. With that, I say congratulations, and I wish Herb the very, very best.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, let me just thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), too, for his efforts to bring this up and the other side of the aisle for their help and the gentleman from Virginia's (Mr. Tom Davis) help on passing the bill. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleagues on the Committee on Government Reform in bringing this legislation to the floor to designate a U.S. postal building in Annandale, Virginia, to honor Congressman Stan Parris, who served Virginia's 8th Congressional District for six terms. It is the privilege as the Representative of the 10th Congressional District to be a sponsor of this bill. Born in Champaign, Illinois, September 4, 1929, Stan Parris was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1972. After serving one term and losing in that very tough 1974, what they called the ``Watergate Year,'' he returned to capture a seat in 1980. Congressman Parris went on to win five consecutive elections, serving from 1981 to 1991. As an aside, during that period of time we would sit back over here many times and chat and talk when issues would come up; and I would say, Stan, and we would say just back and forth, and I can almost see Stan kind of standing back there and thinking of all the conversations that we would have about issues coming up before the Congress. Stan had a very distinguished career in serving this country, both as an elected official and as a veteran. Assisting the people he represented was the cornerstone of his service in Congress. Congressman Parris consistently helped Federal employees and military retirees, both largely represented in Virginia's 8th district. He involved himself early and often in transportation issues, an area of considerable importance to the citizens of northern Virginia. Congressman Parris was a vigilant defender of the taxpayer and spoke out against instances of fraud and abuse, and according to the Almanac of American Politics 1990, it said Parris was one of the earlier voices in Congress to warn of an impending crisis in the savings and loan industry, speaking out in the fall of 1985. If only the Congress had listened to Stan Parris. He graduated from George Washington University Law School in 1958, and if my memory serves me he worked on a copy machine down in the basement of this capitol when he was working his way through law school. Winning an award for outstanding law student of the year, Congressman Parris went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force as a jet pilot during the Korean war. He distinguished himself in combat in Korea, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross, the air medal with cluster, the Purple Heart and the U.S. and Korean Presidential Citation. It was once told to me, if you want to understand Stan Parris, read the book ``Right Stuff'' because Parris was being considered to be an astronaut, was a jet fighter and in many respects a war hero; and if you listen to what actually happened to him, which I will not go into, I think the body would be very impressed. After starting out in the private sector, Congressman Parris won his first elected office in 1963 as the only Republican member of the Fairfax Board of Supervisors. He then, as the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) said, was Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1969, Congressman Parris went on to serve as a delegate in the Virginia General Assembly for 4 years, serving as chairman for the joint House-Senate Republican caucus. Congressman Parris went on to win the seat for northern Virginia's 8th Congressional District in 1972 in a very close election. In 1980 Congressman Parris won a spirited and close election, regaining his seat by under 1,100 votes. I see the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) across the aisle, who is ready to follow and introduce a bill to name, appropriately so, a post office down in Mount Vernon for Herb Harris. To have the Herb Harris Post Office along with Stan Parris is very fitting because they both ably were fighters for what they believed in. They were advocates for their cause and I think really served this region very, very well. After winning five consecutive terms, Stan Parris lost his bid for reelection in 1992, but his work and public service continued. President Bush asked him to be president of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, where he used to come before my appropriation committee, and may have been the best head of the Saint Lawrence Seaway that we have had in the history of the country. He was responsible for overseeing the Federal agency charged with operating, managing and promoting maritime activity for the entire Great Lakes region of the Nation. Stan Parris has dedicated most of his life to serving his country in both a public and military capacity. His commitment and his devotion to public service is deserving of recognition and it is appropriate that the postal building of 4270 John Marr Drive in Annandale, Virginia, be renamed in his honor. I urge our colleagues to join us in supporting this legislation to honor this former Member for his dedicated service and just want to wish Stan the very, very best and his wife, Marty, and his entire family and on behalf of the people of the Commonwealth and the entire Congress, thank Stan and thank his family, because you know how part of the whole process the family can be, for his service to the country as a war hero and as a Member of this Congress.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the President of the United States, President George W. Bush, for the appointment today of a special envoy, former Senator Danforth from Missouri to work on the issue of bringing peace in Sudan. I also want to thank Secretary of State Colin Powell for his efforts and his work. I think the Bush administration, President Bush and Secretary Powell, have really taken a very bold and a very, very important step. I also want to congratulate or thank or commend Senator Danforth for accepting this very difficult job. As many people know, there has been a war going on in Sudan for almost more than 18 years. I have visited Sudan four times in the last 10 years. In Sudan more than 2.2 million people, most Christians, a number of Animists and a number of Muslims, have been killed as a result of this war. There has been unbelievable famine in Sudan. In Sudan, every major terrorist group, Hamas, Abu Nidal and others, has had operations in and around Khartoum, and there is also, as many people know, Osama bin Laden had been in Sudan for a period of time. There is slavery in Sudan. What happens is the militia go into the villages, kill the men, rape the women and take the children away for slavery. So I think the move by President Bush today, working through the good efforts of Secretary Powell, appointing Senator Danforth will really make a tremendous difference. It is the greatest opportunity we have had in years to bring about a just and a lasting peace. This puts a tremendous burden on the Khartoum government and both sides having to come together whereby the people of the south and the people of the north can live in peace. This has been a particularly difficult time because with the revenue, over $700 million this year of oil revenues, they are using that revenue to buy weapons and helicopter gun ships to kill the people in the areas where they have discovered and are now drilling for oil. This is an opportunity. I want to also thank all of the groups, and I will submit for the record all of the names, but those individuals who have been working on this issue for so long. I am reluctant to get into specifics because there are so many; but I will at the end of the statement submit with it their names and all the people who have been working for the last, some for 10, 11 and 12 years, a number of Members of Congress. When I think on the Senate side, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Frist) and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Brownback). On the House side, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and other Congressmen who have been to the region that are working on this. Also, the numerous groups of all denominations from throughout America that are participating and because of their efforts this day has taken place. With prayer and with the hard work of Senator Danforth, it will be my hope that we can bring peace whereby the people of Sudan could live in peace. In closing, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank President Bush for this action, those on the President's staff who helped put this together; also Secretary Powell for his actions and those who work at the State Department that are involved in this very, very important issue. Perhaps they will all be like Esther: they are being called just for a time like this, to bring about peace, whereby the people in the south and the north can live together. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank and congratulate President George W. Bush and his administration for naming former Senator John Danforth of Missouri as the United States Special Envoy to Sudan. Earlier today, in a beautiful and powerful ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House, President Bush, supported by Secretary of State Colin Powell, expressed to Sudan and the world that the United States is deeply committed to helping resolve the conflict in Sudan that has claimed an estimated 2.2 million lives during the past 18 years of civil war. This is a conflict that has also driven another 4 million from their homes, threatens 2 million additional innocent victims with starvation, has witnessed deliberate aerial bombings of schools and churches by the government of Sudan, and has even tolerated the disgrace of slavery in the 21st century. It was noted today, that the degree of difficulty in bringing an end to the suffering in Sudan is very high, but if there is even a chance of success, then the United States must accept this role of peacemaker in this struggle. I applaud Senator John Danforth for stepping forward and accepting this most challenging position of trust. I believe he has the experience, character and reputation around the world to succeed in this job. Everyone who has been involved in bringing an end to the suffering in Sudan acknowledges that this job will not be easy. This effort will require the United States government to speak as one voice. It will require the desire for peace by the combatants in this war, the government of Sudan and the SPLA. It will require the support of the European Union and neighboring countries of Sudan, such as Egypt Kenya and others. And it will require the support of non-government organizations, religious leaders and citizens of the world. I firmly believe that if successful in bringing a just peace to Sudan, Senator Danforth should win the Noble Peace Prize. Today's ceremony announcing Senator Danforth as Special Envoy to Sudan was a long time in coming. It came after many long hours and hard work by many individuals and groups around our country. The bright blue skies and bi-partisan crowd in the Rose Garden reflected the perfect back drop for this ceremony today and signal bright hope for tomorrow for the people of Sudan. As I mentioned earlier, many individuals and organizations are responsible for helping shape the administrations policy with regard to Sudan. I applaud the bi-partisan efforts of members of Congress in supporting the appointment of a high-level Special Envoy to Sudan. Representatives Dick Armey, Tom Tancredo, Don Payne, Tom Lantos, Ed Royce, Spencer Bachus, J.C. Watts, Cynthia McKinney, Chris Smith, Tony Hall, former Congressmen Walter Fauntroy and Harry Johnston as well as Senators Sam Brownback and Bill Frist all have played critical roles in seeing that this day finally arrived and they deserve special mentioning. Many in the administration also deserve mentioning for their efforts in making this day happen. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Armitage, National Security Adviser, Condolezza Rice, Karl Rove at the White House, Andrew Natsios, the director of USAID, Roger Winter, USAID, Elliot Abrams, former chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and current Assistant to the President at the National Security Council, Walter Kansteiner, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, and Ted Dagne of the Congressional Research Service have all played pivotal roles in shaping U.S. policy. Religious leaders and organizations around our country have also provided unbending support in these efforts. Franklin Graham, Cardinals Bernard Law and Theodor McCarrick, the late Cardinal John O'Conner, Father Michael Perry of the United States Catholic Conference, Faith McDonald of the Institute of Religion and Democracy, as well as, the Presbyterian Church, Jewish leaders and Christian colleges across our country have all contributed as well. Finally, many outside of government have steadfastly beat the drum calling for action in Sudan. I would be remised if I didn't mention a few of them as well. Nina Shea and Rabbi David Saperstein, both commissioners on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Roger Robinson and Adam Penner of the Casey Institute, Michael Horowitz, Professor Eric Reeves of Smith College, Chuck Colson and Mariam Bell of Prison Fellowship, radio personality Joe Madison of WOL- Am in Washington, D.C., Steven Morrison of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Jerry Fowler of the U.S. Holocaust Museum, and Charles Jacobs of the American Anti-slavery group are just a few of the patriots for justice who have continued the efforts that led to a special envoy being named for Sudan. Today is a great day of hope for those who speak out for the voiceless and innocent of Sudan who have suffered for too many years. But, today is just the beginning of the efforts that are hoped to bring a just peace to the insanity that has taken place in Sudan for the past two decades. Today, President Bush described the war taking place in Sudan as brutal and shameful. He said it deserves the attention and compassion of the world if it is to end. Senator Danforth noted that the U.S. can encourage the peace, but can not make it happen on our own. He will need much help in successfully bringing the atrocities to an end. It is my hope that through much prayer and hard work, both sides in this conflict will resolve to bring an end to the suffering of so many innocent people and end this war for ever. I thank and applaud President Bush, Secretary Powell, Senator John Danforth and everyone involved in making this day happen. I encourage the American people to stay vigilant in seeing to it that peace comes to Sudan. I pray for the people of Sudan that today will mark the beginning of peace in your country.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2833, the Viet Nam Human Rights Act, and I encourage my colleagues, as did the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), to vote for passage of this very important legislation. I want to applaud the gentleman from New Jersey, my good friend, for his hard work and devotion and dedication in bringing this legislation to the floor, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for his efforts on not only this, but on frankly all of the major important human rights issues that we have had before the Congress. I also applaud the bipartisan group of colleagues who have cosponsored this piece of legislation. I would say to the government, is it too much to ask that the government of Vietnam be required to make ``substantial progress'' toward the releasing of political prisoners, ending religious persecution, increasing respect for the rights of ethnic minorities, and eliminating their participation in the trafficking of human beings before they receive any further increases in government-to-government, nonhumanitarian assistance from the United States? These steps should be at a minimum, the minimum actions taken by any Nation who is serious about establishing normal relations with the United States. Madam Speaker, H.R. 2833 requires that the President of the United States certify that the government of Vietnam make substantial improvements in the area of human rights. Those of us who have held hearings and listened to the heartbreaking testimonies of witness after witness who have endured the persecution from Hanoi policies know that these substantial improvements are long overdue. Witnesses attest that many groups of people in Vietnam have suffered unending persecution since the war ended in 1975, and the persecution has continued. Regarding religious persecution, no faith, no faith is untouched by Hanoi's persecution. In January, 42 colleagues in the House sent a letter to Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai expressing concern for the lack of religious freedom and continued persecution of religious leaders in Vietnam. Catholic bishops, Buddhist monks, leaders of Christian house churches and Muslims have all endured nonstop persecution by the Communist government in Vietnam since 1975. Earlier this year, prominent leaders of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, UBCV, the 83-year-old patriarch, Thich Huyen Quang, and Thich Quang Do, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, were detained and placed under house arrest for what the government described as ``as a number of wrongful acts they have recently committed.'' This action was followed by the detaining of Catholic Father Nguyen Van Ly and a stepped up offense against the Montagnard people of the Central Highlands in Vietnam, as the gentleman from California was talking about. Many of the Montagnard are people who fought alongside American troops years ago and are now victims of imprisonment, torture, and death for speaking out against the Communist government abuses. Christians in Vietnam have had their property confiscated and their leaders imprisoned and tortured for simply trying to worship their God. It should be clear that imprisonment, torture, and killing of innocent citizens, based on their religious beliefs by any country, will always stand in the way of normal relations with the United States. Madam Speaker, H.R. 2833 also tries to address the issue of the complicity of the Vietnamese government in severe forms of trafficking in human beings. In June of this year, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus chaired by the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), held a hearing on the trafficking of women and children into sex markets around the world. One of the expert witnesses showed covertly filmed negotiations of girls as young as 7 and 8 years old being sold into sex markets in Vietnam, 7 and 8 years old. So as Members come pouring in down here to talk about the opportunities for trade in Vietnam, think in terms of these young girls, 7 and 8 years old. Governments who tolerate or participate in this type of cruel and inhumane behavior should never qualify, should never qualify for foreign aid or expect to enjoy Normal Trade Relations with the United States. It is my hope that the passage of the Viet Nam Human Rights Act will send a strong message to the government in Hanoi that continued abuses of its citizens will not lead to an expansion of trade, increases in aid, or normal relations with the United States or the rest of the Free World. I encourage my colleagues to protect the innocent in Vietnam by voting for H.R. 2833. I am sure the gentleman from New Jersey and the gentleman from California will ask for a rollcall vote on this, I would assume. But hopefully, hopefully there will be no negative votes against this so that the message goes into Hanoi of the United States Congress and the people of the United States Congress, and so that the people in Hanoi and the people in Vietnam who will wake up tomorrow and find out that the Congress has passed this legislation, take hope because of the overwhelming vote. So again, in closing, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos). I hope this bill passes with 435 votes or, if there is somebody missing, 434 to nothing, because if we really want to open up the gulags of Vietnam and allow the Catholic priests and the bishops and the monks and the Montagnard people to be heard, and stop the sexual trading that has gone on in the past, the passage of this bill will really do it.

Mr. WOLF. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, our nation has lost one of the true giants of American journalism. Katharine Graham, 84, the former chairman and chief executive officer of The Post Co. and former publisher of The Washington Post, died on July 17 from head injuries she sustained in a fall while on a business trip in Idaho. Mrs. Graham was a remarkable woman of courage, grace and integrity who lead the Post through what has been called two of the most celebrated episodes in American journalism: the publication in 1971 of the Pentagon Papers and the Watergate scandal. She is credited with transforming the Post into one of the nation's leading newspapers. Mr. Speaker, to our colleagues who spend so much time in Washington, D.C., The Washington Post is required daily reading if we want to stay on top of the news of the nation and world. To the handful of us who are privileged to represent congressional districts in the Washington metropolitan region, The Washington Post is our hometown newspaper and we today share in the loss of its legendary leader. I would like to share with our colleagues the July 18 editorial from The Washington Post in tribute to Katharine Graham. [From the Washington Post, July 18, 2001] Katharine Graham 1917-2001 It's one of the wonderful mysteries of journalism that, though a thousand people's labor may be necessary to produce each day's issue, every newspaper takes on an identity of its own. That character is shaped by people you may have heard of--the top editor, an advice columnist, a chief political correspondent, your county's school reporter--and by many whose names you probably don't know: the copy editors, the ad sellers, the press operators and distributors. Few of those who work here, though, would dispute that at The Post a single person is responsible first and foremost for making our newspaper what it is today. That person is Katharine Graham, who died yesterday at the age of 84. Mrs. Graham's imprint was the product both of her values, which suffused the paper, and of the crucial decisions she made about its leadership and direction. At The Post and Newsweek, she chose great editors, such as The Post's Benjamin Bradlee, and then gave them the independence and resources they needed to produce strong journalism. She also supported them at crucial moments, when their work was doubted or under attack by powerful forces in and outside of government. Two of those cases helped define her career, and The Post: her refusal to bow to the government's efforts to block publication of the Pentagon Papers and her backing of the paper's coverage of the Watergate scandal. Her decision in 1971 to publish the Pentagon's secret history of the Vietnam War, after a federal court already had blocked the New York Times from doing so, was even harder than it appears in retrospect. There was nothing harmful to national security in the papers, but the Nixon administration claimed otherwise, and its henchmen were not above threatening The Washington Post Co.'s television licenses. Mrs. Graham's lawyers advised against publication; they said the entire business could be ruined. But after listening to the arguments on both sides, Mrs. Graham said, ``Let's go. Let's publish.'' In those circumstances, she didn't believe that the government ought to be telling a newspaper what it could not print. She proved that again the following year, when The Post again came under enormous government pressure as it pursued, almost alone, the story behind the Watergate break-in. The White House insisted that The Post's reporting was false, and launched a series of public and private attacks against the newspaper--and, on occasion, against Mrs. Graham. Such pressure would have caused many publishers to rein in their newsrooms, but Mrs. Graham did not; instead, she strongly backed Mr. Bradlee and his team. Some two years later, partly because of the paper's persistence, Mr. Nixon was forced to resign. No less important to the paper's success was the fact that Mrs. Graham was a tough-minded businesswoman who never lost sight of the fact that high-quality journalism depended on running a newspaper that turned a profit. She concentrated on the business success of the newspaper, leading it through a difficult strike by pressmen in the mid-'70s, even as she oversaw the diversification and expansion of The Post Co., which added new broadcast television stations and cable networks under her leadership. All those decisions would have been lonely and frightening for any chief executive; given Mrs. Graham's unusual position, they were all the more so. It's hard now to recall how extraordinary it was for a woman to occupy her job, but for years she was the only female head of a Fortune 500 corporation. You get a sense of how anomalous this was when you realize that she was a brainy University of Chicago graduate with journalism experience, both at this paper and elsewhere; and yet when the time came for her father to bequeath The Post to the next generation, it was her husband, Philip Graham, who took over. No one, least of all Katharine, found this strange. Only when her husband died did Mrs. Graham take over the paper; her insecurities in doing so are well documented in her Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography, ``Personal History.'' One of Mrs. Graham's public faces over time became that of the society figure. Both in Georgetown and in her summer home in Martha's Vineyard, she hosted presidents (including the incumbent) and generals In what she amusingly called retirement, Mrs. Graham seemed only to become more active. With the publication of her autobiography, so astonishingly honest and unsentimental about herself, the well-known publisher became an even better-known author. And yet, as public a figure as she was, we here at The Post flattered ourselves to think that we saw an essential side of her that others did not. We were the beneficiaries of her investment, year after year, in a superior product: in new sections, new local, domestic and foreign bureaus, new and diverse talent. We were the beneficiaries of her gradual and graceful passing of the baton to the next generation, a transition that she made seem easy but that--as the experience of other great newspaper families shows--can work only with the greatest of care. We got to hear her brutally frank assessments of puffed-up Washington celebrities, delivered in salty language that forever altered the pearls-and-Georgetown image for anyone who heard them. Most of all, we got to see the respect she brought, and the high expectations she held, day in and day out, for fair-minded journalism. The respect was more than reciprocated. We will miss her very much.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago The Washington Post did a front page story about how the gambling industry targets one of our Nation's most vulnerable groups, our senior citizen population. According to the article, it says, ``Casinos are trying harder than ever to attract retirees. Some are dispatching buses to senior centers or vans to trailer parks and timing their offers for free rides to coincide with the arrival of Social Security checks.'' The gambling industry goes to great lengths to prey on our Nation's most vulnerable groups, the young, the poor, and perhaps most frequently the elderly. A national survey recently revealed over one- half of all senior citizens had gambled recently. This is more than double the rate of one generation ago. The gambling industry targets this audience because they have two attractive attributes: time and money. Often those who are lonely become quickly addicted. It is not long before the marketing strategy succeeds as gambling eats up seniors' life savings and Social Security checks. Mr. Speaker, while I was saddened to read this story, I was not surprised. I am not surprised because very few are actually speaking out against the spread of gambling. I am not surprised because very few of our political leaders have spoken out. I am not surprised because most religious leaders have not spoken out. I am not surprised because most advocates for the poor have not spoken out. I am not surprised because most traditional advocates for the elderly have not spoken out. Saddened, yes; but surprised, no. Only 30 years ago gambling was illegal in most States and was generally considered to be a vice contrary to the American work ethic. Let me say that one more time. Only 30 years ago gambling was illegal in most States and was generally considered to be a vice contrary to the American work ethic. Serious gamblers had to travel to Nevada for casino play, and States had not yet plunged into the lottery mania. Today the lottery is played in 37 States, plus the District of Columbia. All but three States have legalized some form of gambling. Gambling expansion has swept the Nation, with revenues jumping from $1 billion in 1980 to well over $50 billion today. That means that Americans lose on average over $137 million every day. Americans lose on an average $137 million every day a year from gambling. What has the spread of gambling meant for the country? First, gambling comes with a high social cost. Some 15.4 million Americans already suffer from problem and pathological gambling, also called gambling addiction, which is often devastating to the individual and his or her family. The National Academy of Sciences found that pathological gamblers engaged in destructive behaviors. They run up large debts, they damage relationships with family and friends, and they kill themselves. Pathological gambling is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as an impulse control disorder with symptoms similar to those of drug and alcohol addictions. The gambling addict experiences tolerances, needing more gambling, withdrawal from trying to stop, a loss of control and cannot stop even after trying, and often lying and illegal acts such as stealing to support the habit. The effects of this addiction are wide-ranging and often impact many who are not involved with gambling. It is not unusual for a gambling addict to end up in bankruptcy with a broken family facing criminal charges from his or her employer. Youth introduced to gambling are particularly at a high risk for gambling addiction. Over half of those with problem gambling disorders, 7.9 million, are adolescents. For instance, a Louisiana survey of 12,000 adolescents found that 10 percent had bet on horse racing, and 25 percent had played video poker. Adolescents are more likely to become problem or pathological gamblers since they are more vulnerable to risk-taking behavior. According to the National Gambling Impact Study, a study which Congress created and which released its report in 1999, adolescent gambling is associated with alcohol and drug use, truancy, low grades, and problematic gambling in parents and illegal activities to finance gambling. This has led to tragic outcomes. One 16-year-old boy attempted suicide after losing $6,000 on lottery tickets. There is a tremendous need for prevention, research and treatment for gambling addiction. Unfortunately, all three are in short supply. A person who needs treatment is likely to find there is little available and what is available is not covered by insurance. How quickly can addiction develop? Story after story recounts the heartbreak. Consider the story of Debbie. She and her husband visited a new casino built near them in Blackhawk, Colorado. The novelty soon wore off, but her husband started going four or five nights a week. Within 3 months of their first visit, Debbie learned that they would have to file for bankruptcy. Her husband had lost close to $40,000. This did not stop her husband from gambling, and eventually they divorced. So much for family values. She said, ``The husband I divorced was not the husband I married. He is a total stranger to me. He became a liar, a cheat. He engaged in criminal, illegal activities.'' Gambling has negative economic impacts. Revenues are drained from local businesses and services. Gambling leads to a shift in consumer spending from small business groups and services which produce local employment. There is an increased cost to the State from bankruptcy, addiction, treatment centers and the penal system. The Gambling Commission estimated that direct gambling costs borne by the government are currently about $6 billion a year. This does not count indirect costs such as loss of productivity in the workplace, divorce consequences for the family. It is reasonable to suggest that the more gambling a State offers, the more costs it must bear. Gambling is associated with breakdown of the democratic political process. The Gambling Commission concluded that local and State governments tend to become a dependent partner to the gambling industry and become reliant on their vast funds and can be influenced by campaign contributions. In State after State, the gambling industry pours money into the coffers of local politicians from both political parties in hopes of advancing their interests. In State after State, opponents of a gambling proposal are outfinanced, outgunned and outmanned. The fact that gambling has not spread further is a tribute to the tireless efforts of a few grassroots activists in States. These advocacy efforts, often outspent by rates of 20 to 1, have held the levy against even further encroachment by the gambling industry into every community in America. On the Federal level, the NCAA gambling bill introduced on the House side by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) to close the loophole allowing the betting on college sports in Nevada is indefinitely on hold, even though if it were brought up to the floor most people know it would pass overwhelmingly. Who supports the bill? Almost every university with athletics programs, the NCAA, almost every college coach in America, including Joe Paterno, Lou Holtz, Bobby Bowden, Mike Krzyzewski. The lone opposition to this bill comes from the gambling industry which has fought the bill vigorously and is among the highest contributors to campaign funds of both political parties. Sometimes, though, the real story of the spread of gambling can only be understood by actually hearing about the real-life stories that show the true consequences of the spread of gambling. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share a few of these stories. Gambling can lead to death. ``A gambler losing big dollars in the high-roller area of the Motor City Casino in Detroit pulled out a gun, shot himself in the head and died, police said. Terrified gamblers fled from the blackjack table where off-duty Oak Park Police Sgt. Solomon Bell had been consistently losing large bets, witnesses said. Detroit police said Bell had been gambling earlier in the day at MGM Grand Detroit Casino and was hoping to make up for some losses there. They said he lost between $15,000 and $20,000 in the two casinos during the day.'' That was in the Detroit Free Press. ``A former employee at Trump Marina Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City leaped to his death from the gambling hall's self-parking garage. Charles LaVerde's death marked the fifth suicide plunge from a casino facility in less than a year.'' Atlantic City Press. So much for family values, family values on both sides as Members are taking the money from the gambling interests. ``A Hancock County, Mississippi woman says she killed her mother and husband last year as part of a suicide pact made in despair over large gambling debts the trio had run up at Gulf Coast casinos. Julie Winborn pleaded guilty in the death of her husband, Grady Winborn, 57, and her mother, Inez Bouis, 66. She was sentenced Thursday to two life sentences. She had testified that the three lost $50,000 at casinos and decided to end their lives because they could not repay bank and credit union loans.'' Associated Press, 9/10/99. Gambling can lead to crime. ``An insidious new kind of crime is taking hold, radiating out across southern New England from the two Indian casinos in eastern Connecticut. It is embezzlement committed by desperate gamblers, usually compulsive gamblers, who work in positions of trust. A sampling of criminal cases over the past 2 years shows that the amounts of money can be staggering and that an increasing number of the gamblers are women. In all these cases, the money was used to gamble at the Foxwoods Resort Casino or the Mohegan Sun casino, authorities said.'' Hartford Courant. ``Of all the heroes who emerged from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, perhaps none was more inspirational than Henny Tillman. A big, tough hometown kid, he had plunged into serious trouble when he was rescued in a California Youth Authority lockup by a boxing coach who saw a young man of uncommon heart and untapped talent. In a little more than 2 years, he would stand proudly atop the Olympic platform at the sports arena, just blocks from his boyhood home, the gold medal for heavyweight boxing dangling from his neck. But 2 years after his mediocre pro career ended, he was back behind bars. And now he stands accused of murder in a case that could put him away for life. Gambling got Tillman in trouble. He was arrested in January 1994 for passing a bad credit card at the Normandie. He pleaded no contest and got probation. In 1995, he pleaded guilty to using a fake credit card in an attempt to get $800 at the Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood. I have suffered from a long history of gambling addiction, which I am very ashamed had taken over my life, Tillman wrote in a letter to the court.'' Los Angeles Times. ``A Rhode Island woman known as the ``church lady'' is free on bail after pleading innocent to stealing $3,000 from four severely mentally retarded adults at a Mansfield, Massachusetts group home to play slots at the Foxwoods Casino.'' Are the people who run the Foxwoods Casino proud of this record? ``An organist at St. Theresa's Church in Nasonville, Rhode Island, Denise Manderville, worked as a caretaker for the four adults.'' Boston Herald. ``Felony criminal charges are on the rise in northern areas of lower Michigan and some judges, prosecutors, and others are blaming much of the increase on compulsive gambling. Antrim prosecutor Charles Koop said the gambling-related felonies are troubling because many of the people aren't criminally-minded.'' Associated Press. Gambling can lead to debt and bankruptcy. ``One-third of 120 compulsive gamblers participating in a pioneering treatment study have either filed for bankruptcy or are in the process of filing, a University of Connecticut researcher said Tuesday. Nancy Petry said she recently gave a talk to a group of bankruptcy lawyers who estimated that as many as 20 percent of their clients had mentioned gambling as a reason for their problems.'' Hartford Courant. Will Torres, Jr., spends part of his day listening to sad stories. As the director of the Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana district attorney's office bad check enforcement program, Torres has heard some doozies. ``I've seen people lose their homes, their retirements wiped out, their marriages, people losing everything they have. Gambling, specifically video poker, is starting to catch up with drugs and alcohol as a precursor to local crime,'' Torres said. Torres and the district attorney's office recently noticed an interesting trend while profiling bad check writers: a large number of their suspects are video poker addicts. ``We're not talking about people who mistakenly write a check for groceries at Winn-Dixie for $25.33. We're talking about people who are writing checks for $25 or $30 eight times a day at locations with video poker machines or places in close proximity of video poker machines,'' Torres said. So far this year, Torres' office has collected $320,000 for Terrebonne Parish merchants who were given 3,600 worthless checks. Torres said about 30 percent of those bad checks are connected to gambling. `` `It's eating people up,' he said. `It's real sad when people don't have a dollar. No money for food because of gambling addictions. I've seen it up close, and video poker plays a large role in the problem,' Torres said.'' The Courier. Gambling affects children. ``A 4-year-old girl remained in protective custody in Fort Mill, South Carolina, after her mother was charged with leaving her in a locked car while she played video poker. Tuesday in Ridgeland, a woman whose 10-day-old baby died in a sweltering car while she played video poker was given a suspended sentence and 5 years' probation. York County, South Carolina sheriff Bruce Bryant said such incidents reflect the addictive nature of video poker. `You see the same thing with people addicted to cocaine and heroin. They lose all rational thought and will do anything to support their habit, sell the furniture right out of their house, leave their babies in locked cars during the middle of summer,' he said.'' The State, Columbia. ``Children have been left unattended at Indiana's riverboat casinos more than three dozen times while their parents or other guardians were gambling during the past 14 months. A Courier-Journal review of Indiana Gaming Commission records found 37 instances involving an estimated 72 abandoned children since May of 1999 when the State first began compiling reports of such episodes. In one case, an infant had to be revived with oxygen.'' Louisville Courier-Journal. Gambling affects families. We hear so much talk about family values on this floor. When I think of both political parties taking money from the gambling interests, they should read this story: ``There is an ugly undercurrent that's sweeping away thousands of Missourians, people whose addiction to gambling has led to debt, divorce and crime. This is a world of people like Vicky, 36, a St. Charles woman who regularly left her newborn son with baby sitters to go to the casinos and who considered suicide after losing $100,000. And Kathy, a homemaker and mother of two from Brentwood, who would drop her kids at school and spend the entire day at a casino playing blackjack. She used a secret credit card that her husband didn't know about to rack up more than $30,000 in debt.'' St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In short, while the explosion of various forms of gambling across America has, of course, generated some revenue for States and for the gambling industry, it has left in its wake human misery that is only now beginning to be understood. This misery ends up costing the State more than it receives and creates a vicious cycle as the needs of social services dramatically increases. Whether it is a State lottery, a casino, or a cruise to nowhere, gambling is a poor bet for funding legitimate social needs. And soon gambling will be in every home in America with an Internet connection. More than 850 Internet gambling sites worldwide had revenues in 1999 of $1.67 billion, up more than 80 percent from 1998 according to Christiansen Capital Advisors, which tracks the industry. Revenues are expected to top $3 billion by 2002. I want this Congress, I want this Congress and this country, I want this administration, who talks about family values also to reflect on the seriousness of this issue. Frankly, I have heard no one in this administration speak out on this issue, although to their credit they are new, but we have sent letter after letter and they have not spoken out on this issue. This is not about whether or not one makes a decision of choice to travel to Las Vegas or Atlantic City and gamble for recreation. The reality is that such a choice takes planning and some time. As gambling spreads throughout the country, there is less planning time and much more availability for potential addicts to gamble. Imagine this availability being just one click away. This Congress and this administration needs to consider the seriousness of not passing an Internet gambling ban. Are we really ready to have a virtual casino in every home in America with an Internet connection? Mr. Speaker, with all this hard evidence, who is speaking out against the spread of gambling? Crime, corruption, family breakdown, suicide, bankruptcy, and yet the silence is deafening. In fact, in this body, they passed a faith-based proposal yesterday which I supported, and the broken bodies will be helped by that faith-based community. Yet the Bush administration, whether it be Secretary Norton at Commerce or the White House itself has not spoken out on this issue. Where is the Bush administration on this issue? I want to conclude by asking our political leaders, good people on both sides of the aisle, I want to ask our religious leaders, I want to ask those who care about the poor, that care about the poor that Jesus talked about in Matthew 25, I want to ask those who care about the elderly, I want to ask those who are always talking about family values to speak up on this issue, because if you do not speak up on behalf of the Nation's most vulnerable, who will?