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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 145 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, JULY 12, 1999 No. 97 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was S. 776. An act to authorize the National The Chair recognizes the gentleman called to order by the Speaker pro tem- Park Service to conduct a feasibility study from Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 pore (Mr. NEY). for the preservation of the Loess Hills in minutes. western Iowa. f f S. 1027. An act to reauthorize the partici- DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO pation of the Bureau of Reclamation in the PORTLAND ACCESS SITUATION TEMPORE Deschutes Resources Conservancy, and for other purposes. Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, my The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- S. 1257. An act to amend statutory dam- goal in Congress is to make sure that fore the House the following commu- ages provisions of title 17, United States the Federal Government is a construc- nication from the Speaker: Code. tive partner in promoting livable com- WASHINGTON, DC, S. 1258. An act to authorize funds for the munities. Today, increasingly, an im- July 12, 1999. payment of salaries and expenses of the Pat- portant part of promoting livable com- I hereby appoint the Honorable ROBERT W. ent and Trademark Office, and for other pur- munities deals with the Internet con- NEY to act as Speaker pro tempore on this poses. S. 1259. An act to amend the Trademark nection that our cities and counties day. have with the rest of the world. J. DENNIS HASTERT, Act of 1946 relating to dilution of famous Speaker of the House of Representatives. marks, and for other purposes. The Federal Government has played S. 1260. An act to make technical correc- a very constructive role in assisting f tions in title 17, United States Code, and schools and libraries with the E-Rate. MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE other laws. It has provided an important resource S. Con. Res. 36. Concurrent resolution con- A message from the Senate by Mr. for over 32,000 communities over the demning Palestinian efforts to revive the last 3 years and potentially up to $4 Lundregan, one of its clerks, an- original Palestine partition plan of Novem- nounced that the Senate had passed ber 29, 1947, and condemning the United Na- billion in these first 2 years. bills and a concurrent resolution of the tions Commission on Human Rights for its Just as important as the leadership following titles, in which the concur- April 27, 1999, resolution endorsing Pales- for schools and libraries with the E- rence of the House is requested: tinian self-determination on the basis of the Rate, Congress and the FCC now has original Palestine partition plan. S. 323. An act to redesignate the Black the opportunity to ensure that commu- Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument The message also announced that nities have access to the Internet serv- as a national park and establish the Gunni- pursuant to Public Law 105±277, the ice providers of their choice with cable son Gorge National Conservation Area, and Chair, on behalf of the Majority Lead- broadband networks. for other purposes. er, who consulted with the Speaker of This leadership is going to be in- S. 376. An act to amend the Communica- the House and the Minority Leaders of creasingly important in the future as tions Satellite Act of 1962 to promote com- cable systems are concentrated around petition and privatization in satellite com- the Senate and the House, announces munications, and for other purposes. the designation of Allan H. Meltzer, of the country. Only L.A. and New York S. 416. An act to direct the Secretary of Pennsylvania, as the Chairman of the are expected to have more than one Agriculture to convey to the city of Sisters, International Financial Institution Ad- cable system provider in the next year. Oregon, a certain parcel of land for use in visory Commission. An important chapter of this discus- connection with a sewage treatment facility. f sion is being played out in my commu- S. 606. An act for the relief of Global Explo- nity where the city of Portland and ration and Development Corporation, Kerr- MORNING HOUR DEBATES Multnomah County became the first McGee Corporation, and Kerr-McGee Chem- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- local jurisdictions in the country to re- ical, LLC (successor to Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation), and for other purposes. ant to the order of the House of Janu- quire competition on this high-speed S. 700. An act to amend the National Trails ary 19, 1999, the Chair will now recog- Internet connection. As part of an ap- System Act to designate the Ala Kahakai nize Members from lists submitted by proval for AT&T's purchase of the local Trail as a National Historic Trail. the majority and minority leaders for TCI cable, the city and the county re- S. 768. An act to establish court-martial ju- morning hour debates. The Chair will quired that they allow nonaffiliated risdiction over civilians serving with the alternate recognition between the par- ISPs access to their broadband net- Armed Forces during contingency oper- ties, with each party limited to 30 min- work. ations, and to establish Federal jurisdiction over crimes committed outside the United utes, and each Member, except the ma- They argue that this step was nec- States by former members of the Armed jority leader, the minority leader, or essary in order to preserve consumer Forces and civilians accompanying the the minority whip, limited to 5 min- choice. Without open access, con- Armed Forces outside the United States. utes. sumers who wish to use high-speed b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H5337 . H5338 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE July 12, 1999 cable modems for their Internet access, expand Medicare coverage in some who provide us health care is simply and who did not want to use the AT&T areas and to undo some of the negative wrong. That same unwillingness to pro- Excite at-home service, they would effects of the Balanced Budget Act of vide sufficient funds becomes apparent have to pay double, in effect paying 1997 using some of the additional reve- in the President's drug bill. twice. nues that have become available, I was I give him credit for proposing that AT&T sued our local governments, ready to cheer unreservedly. I now we begin to cover prescription drugs arguing that they had no right to cheer reservedly. I would give the for some degree for lower income peo- break AT&T's monopoly over this ac- President between 11¤2 and 2 cheers out ple and others on Medicare. But he cess. The Federal court has ruled that of a possible 3. does not, again, do enough. For exam- the city was entirely within its power The President's program is clearly ple, the plan says at 2008, after it is and could promote competition. Now better in all respects than anything we fully implemented, the Federal Gov- AT&T is appealing that decision. will get from the majority party in the ernment will pay up to half of $5,000 a Now, most people feel that the local House or from any of its presidential year in prescription drugs. jurisdiction is expected to prevail. But candidates. So I am glad that the Now, understand that the language it appears that the FCC, based on re- President has moved forward. But he supporting the bill says that will cover cent comments from Chairman has not moved forward enough. 90 percent to the people at that time. Kennard and an article recently in the First of all, we have to be more forth- In other words, 10 percent of the people Wall Street Journal, that the FCC is right in admitting error. Now I ac- will still not get 50 percent coverage. not yet ready to argue against AT&T's knowledge, Mr. Speaker, this is an Others, of course, will get 50 percent. proposed monopoly. error which it is easier for me to admit But 50 percent coverage, if one is living As a result, I am exceedingly con- since I did not participate in its com- on $22,000 or $23,000 a year, and one has cerned that consumers across the coun- mittal. I am talking about the 1997 Bal- got to pay $520 a year in premiums, and try may be in the bizarre situation anced Budget Act. then one has got to pay another $2,500 where they have competition on the Congress was very proud of the Bal- for one's half share of the $5,000, that is horse and buggy aspect, the two wires anced Budget Act, which cut Medicare pretty significant. That is $3,000 for that come in over the telephone; but to pay for capital gains tax cut and drug coverage out of one's $22,000 or that they will have only one choice also put limits on other government $23,000. But even that, inadequate in when it comes to the 90 percent that is spending which virtually everyone in and of itself, takes too long to become the communication of the future the the House admits are unrealistic, but real.

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