E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION

Vol. 142 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1996 No. 29 House of Representatives

The House met at 11 a.m. Mr. TRAFICANT led the Pledge of required that he remove those sections The Chaplain, Rev. James David Allegiance as follows: of the Palestine National Covenant Ford, D.D., offered the following pray- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Unit- which call for the destruction of Israel. er: ed States of America, and to the Republic for Until such time as Arafat lives up to Your goodness to us, O God, is be- which it stands, one nation under God, indi- those agreements he has signed and yond our measure and Your grace to us visible, with liberty and justice for all. eliminates Hamas from areas for which is not restrained. In spite of missing f he bears responsibility, the United the mark and seeing too much our own MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE States should know that there is little way, You allow your blessings to flow A message from the Senate by Mr. good in negotiating with him. and Your mercies never to cease. We Lundregan, one of its clerks, an- f pray that this day we will open our nounced that the Senate agrees to the hearts and minds to the daily gifts of report of the committee of conference HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE faith and hope and love and pray that on the disagreeing votes of the two (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given these gifts will brighten our day and Houses on the amendment of the Sen- permission to address the House for 1 make us faithful in Your service. In ate to the bill (H.R. 927), an act to seek minute.) Your name, we pray. Amen. international sanctions against the Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Demo- f Castro government in Cuba, to plan for crats are uniting behind a proposal THE JOURNAL support of a transition government that would make modest but important leading to a democratically elected The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- improvements in America’s health in- government in Cuba, and for other pur- ined the Journal of the last day’s pro- surance. This is a bill that was spon- poses. ceedings and announces to the House sored by the gentlewoman from New his approval thereof. f Jersey [Mrs. ROUKEMA] that would ba- Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- THE MIDDLE EAST sically guarantee that insurance com- panies could not deny health insurance nal stands approved. (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, pursuant coverage for preexisting conditions and given permission to address the House also would improve what we call port- to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on for 1 minute and to revise and extend agreeing to the speaker’s approval of ability, the ability to take your insur- her remarks.) ance with you or to guarantee that the Journal. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, your insurance is renewed even if you The SPEAKER. The question is on Patrick Henry said ‘‘Gentlemen may lose group coverage. the Chair’s approval of the Journal. cry peace, peace. But there is no Today we have over 150 House Demo- The question was taken; and the peace.’’ In quick succession, four blasts crats who are cosponsoring the Rou- speaker announced that the ayes ap- have extinguished 54 lives and scarred kema measure, including myself. We peared to have it. another 210. Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I object Hamas has demonstrated again that are challenging the House Republican to the vote on the ground that a it is a murderous group of fanatics who leadership to let this bill come to the quorum is not present and make the are so poisoned with hate—so obsessed floor without loading it up with all point of order that a quorum is not with slaughter—that no innocent life is kinds of other proposals that would present. safe. make it less possible for the bill to The SPEAKER. Pursuant to clause 5 Terrorism experts have stated that pass. This is something that President of rule I, further proceedings on this Hamas and its allies will attempt to in- Clinton endorsed in his State of the question are postponed. flict this sort of horror on Americans. Union Address. The point or order is considered with- We must work together with the Israe- The time has come now for biparti- drawn. lis in stopping these madmen. san support for this health security and f Arafat must also shoulder his share health insurance reform for all Ameri- of the blame for this situation. He has cans. I call upon the House leadership PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE failed to prevent the uses of territory to bring this bill to the floor so that we The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman under his administration from being can see better guarantees that pre- from Ohio [Mr. TRAFICANT] come for- used as a staging area for these plots. existing conditions would not prevent ward and lead the House in the Pledge He has failed to comply with the con- someone from getting health insurance of Allegiance. ditions of the Oslo peace accords that and that someone who loses their

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.

H 1719 H 1720 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 health insurance on the job can still While we may have some philosophi- ference to discuss his committee’s find- get it in the individual market. cal differences that should be debated ing that there are 760 Federal edu- f on this floor and while we may have cation programs scattered throughout problems from time to time, when I re- 39 separate departments, agencies, and CONGRATULATIONS TO turned to the Sixth District of Arizona, commissions. This web of Federal pro- CONGRESSMAN JIM BUNNING one message was given to me over- grams costs over $120 billion per year (Mr. BURTON of Indiana asked and whelmingly by liberals and conserv- to educate citizens on everything from was given permission to address the atives, Democrats and Republicans. the disposal of boat sewage to citizen- House for 1 minute and to revise and They said, Congressman, focus on re- ship. Each of these programs has its extend his remarks. sults and what works. own application process, and each re- Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- Therefore, our mission is clear. To quires large amounts of staff time to er, a great, great honor befell one of do, in the words of President Clinton, administer—on the Federal, State, and our colleagues yesterday. JIM BUNNING what he said he wanted to do, to end local levels. Money spent on redundant from Kentucky, a very good friend of welfare as we know it, to find a way to programs is money not spent on our mine. Everybody here in the front row cut into the bureaucracy so $32 billion children. was elected to the Baseball Hall of is not spent on the bureaucracy of edu- This must change. Fame. This is an honor that very few cation but instead put on the front- f baseball players ever achieve. JIM lines helping children learn and ulti- pitched no-hitters in both the Amer- mately to allow the American people PULLING THE RUG OUT FROM ican and National Leagues. He did ex- to hang onto more of their hard-earned UNDER AMERICAN STUDENTS traordinary things and it is high time money to decide how to spend that on (Mr. BALDACCI asked and was given he was recognized. their children instead of sending it permission to address the House for 1 I remember when I was about 6 years here to Washington bureaucrats. minute.) old, and he was in the majors, how Those three broadly defined goals Mr. BALDACCI. Mr. Speaker, as much I admired JIM BUNNING. Maybe I deal with results. Let us work together March 15 draws closer, we are reminded was a little bit older, but anyhow let to see those results brought to fruition. that Congress has failed to enact the me just say that JIM deserves this f fiscal year 1996 appropriation for edu- honor. I hope all of my colleagues will cation. Five months of uncertainty A MESSAGE FROM SARA LEE take the opportunity today to con- about Federal funding has had a dev- gratulate him. It is a great honor for (Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was astating impact on schools in Maine JIM BUNNING and a great honor for the given permission to address the House and throughout the country. State of Kentucky. for 1 minute and to revise and extend I am concerned about the effect of f his remarks.) this uncertainty, combined with deep Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, Sara DISTRICT’S FEDERAL PAYMENT spending cuts, on our schools. Schools Lee is closing their Virginia apparel are having to make plans for the next (Ms. NORTON asked and was given factory; 42 workers lose their jobs. school year without even knowing permission to address the House for 1 Sara Lee is also closing a T-shirt fac- what resources they will have avail- minute and to revise and extend her re- tory in North Carolina; another 370 able. marks.) workers lose their jobs. I visited a number of schools in my Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, edu- But Sara Lee says there is a lot of district over the February recess. I was cation is the motherhood and apple pie good news here. They are going to keep so impressed with the students I saw of Congress, yet the divergent ideology open their distribution center in who were eager to ask questions and to on education is punishing 80,000 school- Martinsville, VA. Distributing center. learn. The message I received is that children in the Nation’s Capital. Six They will not make the products here. we must invest more in our students, months into the appropriation year, a They will distribute them so America to help them grow and develop to their third of the District’s Federal payment can buy them but Americans cannot fullest potential. is still here, yes, it is still here, and the work in the factory. Unfortunately, some of our majority District is going to run out of money My colleagues, America does not colleagues seem determined to pull the at the end of the month. build a TV, a VCR, a typewriter, or a rug out from under America’s future by The issue is not the District but telephone, but they are distributing pushing cuts in education funding. whether tuition should go to private them all over our Nation. With NAFTA That’s moving in the wrong direction, and religious schools. We passed it here and GATT, this is not even trade any- and I urge my colleagues to oppose with a compromise. There is very little more. This is a takeover. America is these efforts. money involved, yet nationally of becoming a distribution center for for- f course there is a proposal to cut a bil- eign made imports. lion dollars and a million kids from the Think about it, Congress. There is a ELECTION YEAR POLITICS WITH title I education and disadvantaged serious message in there. THE WAR ON DRUGS program. f (Mr. DOOLITTLE asked and was The House is free to argue the point. given permission to address the House It is a fair point to argue, as to wheth- ARE MORE PROGRAMS THE ANSWER for 1 minute and to revise and extend er vouchers should obtain or whether his remarks.) we should cut large amounts of money (Mr. JONES asked and was given per- Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, to- from public schoolchildren. I ask my mission to address the House for 1 day’s Washington Post contains the colleagues, however, to care about the minute.) following headline, ‘‘About Face, Clin- District’s schoolchildren and about the Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, despite ton To Restore Staff He Cut From survival of the Nation’s Capital itself. large increases in Federal spending, Antidrug Office.’’ Do not allow us to run out of money at test scores for students in the United First paragraph reads: the end of March because money you States continue to fall. In fact, accord- Moving full circle in this election year, owe us is stuck here. ing to a recent study, United States President Clinton plans an ambitious up- f students scored far below Japanese and grading of White House drug control policy British students in all subjects for office, 3 years after virtually wiping out that FOCUS ON RESULTS which there were comparisons. In some office. (Mr. HAYWORTH asked and was subjects, Japanese students came very Mr. Speaker, a recent survey shows given permission to address the House close to doubling scores of United huge increases in drug use amongst our for 1 minute and to revise and extend States students. So, what is the Presi- children. Not only is there increasing his remarks.) dent’s answer to this problem? More drug use, but the average age at which Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I ap- spending and more programs. children first use drugs is now age 13. preciate the words of the delegate from This is not the answer. Last week, Mr. Speaker, the President has pur- the District of Columbia. Chairman GOODLING held a press con- sued a policy of appeasement in the March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1721 war on drugs. He has cut drug enforce- land access while reducing the regu- ducers have the capability to tap into ment programs. As Members heard, he latory burden on doing business at an estimated 60-year supply of oil and has, in fact, been AWOL in the war on home. natural gas that lies undiscovered in drugs. And now, in an election year, he I have no doubt that this Congress America. And they can do this without has decided to do something about it. will reverse recent trends and move to- threatening the environment. Five Mr. Speaker, it is truly tragic that ward a policy that encourages explo- years ago we learned a lesson—we need our children have been allowed to suf- ration and production to ensure a vi- to open the doors to energy independ- fer for 3 years while the President was brant healthy economy. ence to ensure our freedom from for- pursuing his true priorities. f eign tyrants’ threats. f CONDEMNING BOMBING ATTACKS f b 1115 IN ISRAEL CUTS IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS PASS THE BIPARTISAN HEALTH (Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts asked (Mrs. CLAYTON asked and was given CARE BILL and was given permission to address permission to address the House for 1 the House for 1 minute.) minute and to revise and extend her re- (Ms. DELAURO asked and was given Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. marks.) permission to address the House for 1 Speaker, I rise this morning to con- Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, it is in- minute and to revise and extend her re- demn in the strongest possible terms consistent to talk about building for marks.) the deadly bombings that have terror- the future, while tearing down the Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, my Re- ized the people of Israel for the past 9 present. publican colleagues are trying to come days. In Jerusalem, in Ashkelon, and Yet, Members of this House seem to terms with the failure of their agen- most recently in Tel Aviv, suicide ready to abandon education by making da. They are instead trying to repack- bombers representing the Islamic fun- the largest cuts in our history, with age their image. They would have us damentalist group Hamas have taken overall funding for the Department of believe that they are on the side of more than 50 innocent lives, injured Education likely to be reduced by 25 working Americans. But let me tell my hundreds, and placed the mideast peace percent. colleagues that their agenda in fact process in jeopardy. In this time of In fiscal year 1949, 9 percent of the would hurt working Americans. mourning and reflection in Israel, I ex- Federal budget was spent on education. Just take a look at the issue of tend my own personal condolences to This year it is about 1.4 percent. On health care. There is today in this body the families of those killed in these education spending, we are headed in a bipartisan bill to improve the health senseless acts of violence. the wrong direction. security for average working Ameri- Just 2 years ago, Yitzhak Rabin and We talk about restoring families and cans. The bill would prevent the insur- Yasser Arafat stood on the south lawn helping our young people. ance companies from denying health of the White House and signed the dec- Yet, we take away the very key to coverage because of preexisting medi- laration of principles which set the his- their ability to have useful and produc- cal conditions. It would increase health toric peace process in motion. This tive lives—the opportunity for an edu- care availability for all. And this bill morning, in the wake of the bombings, cation. has the support of Republicans and that peace seems as distant and elusive Recent national polls show that Democrats in the House and Senate, as ever. Americans overwhelmingly support but they will not bring it up for a vote. At this critical hour, we in the Unit- education and believe that it should be There has been no action and no activ- ed States Congress must reaffirm our a top priority of Congress. Instead of a ity on this bill, and they are trying to commitment to the goal of bringing tax cut for the wealthy, we should put load it down with controversial propos- peace to the Middle East, and pledge to more money into education for our als in order to try to defeat it. vigorously support efforts that will children and for the future. I will quote from the Wall Street swiftly bring to justice those who seek We must restore these cuts. We must Journal this morning that says, ‘‘But to undermine that peace through cow- invest in America’s families, America’s passing the provisions that the House ardly acts of violence. children, America’s future workers. We suggests, passing the provisions in the f must be prepared to meet the chal- House, may set up a confrontation with lenges of the changing global economy. the Senate’’ and the bill would not RECOGNIZING THE FIFTH ANNI- Stop the education cuts and secure pass. VERSARY OF THE END OF THE America’s economic future. PERSIAN GULF WAR Mr. Speaker, if we are serious about f helping working Americans, let us talk (Mr. BONILLA asked and was given about health care security, bring up permission to address the House for 1 WE MUST SHIFT EDUCATION DECI- the bill. minute and to revise and extend his re- SIONS FROM WASHINGTON TO f marks.) LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise (Mr. HUTCHINSON asked and was WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE OIL AND today to remember the sacrifice and given permission to address the House GAS PRODUCTION AT HOME achievement of our Persian Gulf war for 1 minute.) (Mr. CALVERT asked and was given veterans. Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. Speaker, permission to address the House for 1 This month marks the fifth anniver- President Clinton in his recent State of minute.) sary of the end of the war which liber- the Union Address proposed one more Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, a strong ated the small country of Kuwait and Federal education program, this one to domestic oil and gas industry not only ensured access to the region’s energy provide merit-based scholarships to the means more jobs and a better economic supplies. top 5 percent of high school graduates, future, but is essential for our Nation’s Unfortunately, we have done little to but the fact is there are already 47 national security. reduce the threat of energy depend- scholarship and fellowship programs Throughout the last decade Ameri- ence. operated by the Federal Government, ca’s oil and gas industry has lost a Five years later the U.S. dependence and this highlights a point made by the staggering number of jobs to sunnier on foreign oil has grown; America now gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. business climates. imports 52 percent of its annual oil GOODLING] at a press conference last My Energy and Mineral Resources supply. week. He pointed out that our commit- Subcommittee has been conducting We import 9 million barrels of oil a tee has discovered over 760 Federal edu- hearings to highlight the need for a day to satisfy demand. cation programs spanning 39 different Federal energy policy that encourages For a country that in on the cutting agencies and departments. Many of domestic exploration and production. edge of technology, there is no excuse these programs were designed to meet This policy must allow our oil and for a lack of energy preparedness which exactly the same goals, they overlap, gas producers to have greater public places American lives at risk. U.S. pro- they duplicate, and each has its own H 1722 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 application process and its own set of The trade programs in this country; we One of those patriots was Charles regulations. had 115 trade programs and 19 different Cook. Cookie, as his friends knew him, So why does President Clinton pro- agencies. With my legislation to dis- passed away earlier this month, a half pose one more education program, pro- mantle the Department of Commerce, century after he was freed from a Japa- gram 761? Is it to improve the edu- we consolidated that into one trade of- nese POW camp. You see, Charles Cook cation of our children or merely to fice. The economic development pro- was a survivor of the infamous 1942 Ba- make us feel like we are educating our grams; there were 315 economic devel- taan death march. Those who survived children by spending more money on opment programs in the Federal Gov- the Bataan death march and remained more programs? ernment. We need two, one for the pri- prisoners of the Japanese imperial What we must do is shift education vate sector and one for the public sec- army suffered more than most people decisions from Washington bureaucrats tor. living today could even imagine. But to parents and local school boards. We We need to stop the duplication of Charles Cook did not suffer in vain. He can and we must do better. the Government programs and get rid gave us a priceless legacy. Along with f of this Government-knows-best atti- others of that great generation, he left tude here in Washington, DC, because the legacy of freedom for America and REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CON- the American people cannot afford it the rest of the world. It is for us now to GRESS MAKING GOALS IN EDU- any longer. preserve that gift. CATION AND HEALTH CARE UN- f We must recognize our inherited obli- ATTAINABLE gation, and be zealous custodians of HOW TO AFFORD TO GIVE TAX RE- (Mr. GEJDENSON asked and was Charles Cook’s gift of liberty, which he LIEF TO MIDDLE-INCOME PEO- given permission to address the House purchased so dearly. PLE for 1 minute and to revise and extend f his remarks.) (Mr. DUNCAN asked and was given Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, as I permission to address the House for 1 AMERICA CANNOT AFFORD AN- have been meeting in my district with minute.) OTHER 4 YEARS OF PRESIDENT working people and men and women Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, a few CLINTON who run small businesses, the two weeks ago it was announced that AT&T (Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given needs that turn out to be the most was laying off 40,000 employees. permission to address the House for 1 prevalent are the needs of a good edu- Then, several days ago, it was re- minute and to revise and extend his re- cation and training for the workers and ported that Robert Allen, the head of marks.) good health care for all of them as AT&T, had made over $16 million last Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, in my well. Both of these goals are fast be- year. hometown, if they had found you in a coming unattainable. By the action of Mr. Speaker, this is almost obscene. dark alley with 75 pounds of cocaine the Republican-controlled Congress it There is no way that Mr. Allen could and 4 pounds of heroin in the trunk of will be more difficult in the next year really have earned $16 million for 1 your car, there is a general consensus for kids to go to college, to get train- year of work. that you have done something wrong. ing and education. It is becoming more And to take this much money at the But a Clinton appointed judge, Judge and more difficult between HMO’s and same time that thousands in his com- Herold Bear, who freed drug smugglers the inaction, the lack of action, by the pany are losing their jobs is really too because he deemed it normal for sus- Federal Government in health care. cruel for words. pects to run from the police turned Small businesses cannot afford to buy This excessive and exorbitant com- these drug runners free. The public health care even for their top man- pensation was criticized even a col- outcry over this brand of justice has agers, as the price of these programs umnist in yesterday’s Wall Street been astounding, and President Clinton continue to climb and the benefits con- Journal. ought to demand the resignation of tinue to shrink. HMO’s are endangering Also yesterday, most publications re- this judge immediately. people’s health and survival in the way ported that average compensation for But what bothers me most about this many of them are being managed, and CEO’s at 35 of our largest corporations case is we see yet another example what we are doing is we are crippling averaged $4.3 million and had gone up where President Clinton’s words do not the future of this country unless we are 23 percent since the year before. match his actions. He may talk like a ready to make sure that our workers I have said many times that the aver- law and order conservative, but he ap- are the best trained and the best edu- age person pays almost half of his or points liberal judges who let criminals cated in the world. her income in taxes, counting taxes of walk. If it had been up to this judge, We compete globally. The reality is all types, Federal, State, and local. these cops in New York City would not there are a billion-two Chinese and In- I do not favor higher taxes, but we have been able to arrest a woman who dians, another billion, that are going need to give tax relief to middle-in- was smuggling 4 million dollars’ worth to compete with us. Unless we are well come people, and one way to help pay of drugs to Michigan, enough drugs to trained we are going to lose the eco- for it would be to raise the taxes on all push on every kid in the city’s school nomic battle. The decisions made here these CEO’s and athletes and others system, push drugs on each one of will determine who will win and who making over $1 million a year. them. will lose. f America cannot afford these liberal f TRIBUTE TO CHARLES COOK judges and America cannot afford an- other 4 years of President Clinton. STOP THE DUPLICATION OF (Mr. BARR asked and was given per- GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS mission to address the House for 1 f (Mr. CHRYSLER asked and was given minute and to revise and extend his re- b 1130 permission to address the House for 1 marks.) minute.) Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, 54 years ago, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION Mr. CHRYSLER. Mr. Speaker, as my in 1942, the security of liberty was not HAS GONE FROM JUST SAY NO colleagues know, continuing on with as certain as it is today. The flame of TO JUST SAY NOTHING REGARD- the gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. freedom was in danger of being com- ING DRUGS HUTCHINSON], his comments on the du- pletely snuffed out by those who (Mrs. CUBIN asked and was given plicative nature of the Federal Govern- sought to enslave the world. permission to address the House for 1 ment programs where 760 Federal pro- Thankfully, freedom was preserved minute and to revise and extend her re- grams spanning 39 separate agencies for us by a generation of patriotic ben- marks.) and departments and commissions; we efactors who left the safety of their Mrs. CUBIN. Mr. Speaker, President also when we got here found that we homes and traveled thousands of miles Clinton and his administration have had 163 job training programs, and now, to rid the world of the despots who turned a blind eye to the alarming rise with the Careers Act, we only have 4. started World War II. in youth drug abuse. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1723

Marijuana use among 12- to 17-year- Republicans, how come NEWT GINGRICH tainly hope that a lot of us wake up olds rose from 1.6 million in 1992 to 2.9 wants to cut student loans? It simply and find out that when we continue to million in 1994. Between 1992 and 1994 does not make sense.’’ The Gingrich have this little window to our soul by the number of juveniles testing posi- budget wants to cut student loans $4 how we vote, people are going to get tive for marijuana more than doubled billion, wants to make other cuts in more and more alienated by what is across the country in cities like Bir- the safe and drug free school program, going on in this town. mingham, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Head Start, title I, Goals 2000, other If we do not care about our children, Phoenix, Portland, St. Louis, and San education funding programs, another $3 if we do not prepare for our future, this Francisco. billion. It simply does not make sense. country is really on the wrong course. What was President Clinton doing If we are ever going to be as globally We must put our children first, We can- during that time? Less than 1 month competitive as we need to be in this not shortchange them on education. after he took office, in February 1993, country, we do not cut education. We f he cut the staff at the office of drug do not cut student loans to middle- control policy by 83 percent. Then he class families. We do not cut programs THE JOURNAL eliminated drug testing for the White that help combat drug abuse in the The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. House staff. schools. We do not cut title I. We do EWING). Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I, This administration has gone from not cut school-to-work programs. Mr. the pending business is the question de just say no to just say nothing and it Speaker, it simply does not make novo of agreeing to the Speaker’s ap- has got to change to save our young sense. proval of the Journal. people. f The question is on the Speaker’s ap- f WE MUST PREVENT THE SHORT- proval of the Journal of the last day’s CORPORATE WELFARE CHANGING OF OUR CHILDREN’S proceedings. EDUCATION The question was taken; and the (Ms. MCKINNEY asked and was given Speaker pro tempore announced that permission to address the House for 1 (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given per- the ayes appeared to have it. minute and to revise and extend her re- mission to address the House for 1 Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I object to marks.) minute and to revise and extend his re- the vote on the ground that a quorum Ms. MCKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, yester- marks.) is not present and make the point of day the Cato Institute issued this news Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, on Monday order that a quorum is not present. release which said, ‘‘huge amounts in night I went to a school board meeting The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evi- corporate welfare remain untouched.’’ in one of my districts in suburban De- dently a quorum is not present. Now, everyone in Washington knows troit and talked with the school board The Sergeant at Arms will notify ab- that the Cato Institute is the furthest that is working hard to make good sent Members. thing from a liberal think tank. Yet, things happen. There was real con- The vote was taken by electronic de- even they understand that the cor- sternation about the cuts in education vice, and there were—yeas 346, nays 65, porate welfare state is about the only proposed by the majority here. answered ‘‘present’’ 2, not voting 18, as thing that is not being cut in order to Then, yesterday morning, I was at an follows: balance the budget. elementary school, Pattengill, in my In fact, the Republican majority old hometown of Berkley, MI, and I [Roll No. 45] wants to cut Pell grants for 280,000 stu- met with kids there in grades 1 YEAS—346 dents while preserving subsidies for through 3, and talked to their teachers. Ackerman Canady Eshoo companies like McDonald’s and Camp- Allard Cardin Evans That program is supported by title I Andrews Castle Ewing bell’s soup to advertise overseas. That funds. There is a teacher with partial Archer Chabot Farr Mr. Speaker, is a perverse set of prior- funding. Armey Chambliss Fattah ities. I read to and with the children, and I Bachus Chenoweth Fawell Baesler Chrysler Fields (LA) In this changing economy when saw the results of an effective title I Baker (CA) Clayton Fields (TX) workers are being axed in favor of program. The test scores have gone up. Baker (LA) Clement Flake cheap labor overseas or worker-replac- The children are reading and beginning Baldacci Clyburn Flanagan ing technologies, the last thing we Ballenger Coble Foglietta to learn basic math skills. What is Barcia Coburn Foley should be doing is undermining edu- being proposed on the majority side Barr Coleman Forbes cational opportunities of our future here to very much diminish the fund- Barrett (NE) Collins (GA) Ford work force. ing for those programs is only going to Barrett (WI) Combest Fowler Bartlett Condit Fox Mr. Speaker, the Republican major- shortchange the children of America. Barton Conyers Frank (MA) ity needs to understand that what is We have to prevent that shortchang- Bass Cooley Franks (NJ) good for our children’s education, is ing. Bateman Cox Frelinghuysen good for America. Becerra Coyne Frisa f Beilenson Cramer Funderburk f WE CANNOT SHORTCHANGE OUR Bentsen Crane Furse Bereuter Crapo Gallegly CUTTING STUDENT LOANS AND CHILDREN BY MAKING CUTS IN Berman Cremeans Ganske EDUCATION FUNDING PROGRAMS EDUCATION Bevill Cubin Gejdenson DOES NOT MAKE SENSE Bilbray Cunningham Gekas (Mrs. SCHROEDER asked and was Bilirakis Danner Geren (Mr. BROWN of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the House Bishop Davis Gilchrest given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend Bliley de la Garza Gonzalez Blute Deal Goodlatte for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Boehlert Dellums Goodling his remarks.) Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, I be- Boehner Deutsch Gordon Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, lieve that when someone shows you Bonilla Diaz-Balart Goss earlier this week I spoke in Wadsworth, their leader, they are showing you a Bono Dicks Graham Boucher Dingell Greenwood OH, at the Wadsworth public library, part of their soul. I must say, our soul Brewster Doggett Gunderson to a group of young people and their around here is pretty sick. I am one of Browder Dooley Hall (OH) parents who are looking in the next the few people who voted against the Brown (FL) Doolittle Hall (TX) Brownback Doyle Hamilton couple of years to attend college. It last continuing resolution because it Bryant (TN) Dreier Hancock was mostly made up of sophomores and was a 20 percent cut from education. Bunn Duncan Hansen juniors in Wadsworth High School and In my district in Denver, they were Burr Dunn Hastert Highland High School and other high laying off Head Start workers because Burton Edwards Hastings (FL) Buyer Ehlers Hastings (WA) schools in Medina County. of this cut. Can you imagine our doing Callahan Ehrlich Hayes Mr. Speaker, before I spoke to this that to 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, and 5- Calvert Emerson Hayworth seminar, a young person and her father year-olds? That is wrong. What kind of Camp Engel Hefner came up to me and said, ‘‘How come a soul does it take to do that? I cer- Campbell English Herger H 1724 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 Hobson McKinney Sanford DeLay Gilman McCarthy (Mr. DIAZ-BALART asked and was Hoekstra McNulty Sawyer Dickey Houghton Stokes Hoke Meehan Saxton Dixon LaFalce Waldholtz given permission to revise and extend Holden Metcalf Scarborough Durbin Lipinski Zeliff his remarks and to include extraneous Horn Meyers Schaefer material.) b 1155 Hostettler Mica Schiff Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, Hoyer Miller (FL) Schumer Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota Hunter Minge Scott House Resolution 370 provides for the Hutchinson Mink Seastrand changed his vote from ‘‘nay’’ to ‘‘yea.’’ consideration of the conference report Hyde Moakley Sensenbrenner So the Journal was approved. for H.R. 927, the Cuban Liberty and Inglis Molinari Shadegg The result of the vote was announced Istook Mollohan Shaw Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996, usu- Jackson (IL) Montgomery Shays as above recorded. ally referred to as the Helms-Burton Jackson-Lee Moorhead Shuster f bill, and waive all points of order (TX) Moran Sisisky against the conference report and Jefferson Morella Skaggs PERSONAL EXPLANATION Johnson (CT) Murtha Skeen against its consideration. Johnson (SD) Myers Skelton Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. The House rules allow for 1 hour of Johnson, E. B. Myrick Slaughter 45, a journal vote, I was inadvertently absent. general debate to be equally divided be- Johnson, Sam Nadler Smith (MI) Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Johnston Neal Smith (NJ) tween the chairman and ranking mi- Jones Nethercutt Smith (TX) f nority member of the Committee on Kanjorski Neumann Smith (WA) REMOVAL OF NAME OF MEMBER International Relations. Kaptur Norwood Solomon This conference report is the re- Kasich Nussle Souder AS COSPONSOR OF H.R. 359 Kelly Oberstar Spence sponse of the United States, of the Con- Kennedy (MA) Obey Spratt Mr. BONO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unani- gress, and the President, to the murder Kennedy (RI) Orton Stark mous consent that my name be re- of three American citizens and another Kennelly Owens Stearns moved as a cosponsor of the bill, H.R. U.S. resident by Castro over inter- Kildee Oxley Stenholm 359. King Packard Stockman national waters on February 24. Kingston Parker Studds The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Helms-Burton is also premised upon Kleczka Pastor Stump EWING). Is there objection to the re- the firm conviction that an accelerated Klink Paxon Stupak quest of the gentleman from Califor- Klug Payne (NJ) Talent end to the Stalinist dictatorship in Knollenberg Payne (VA) Tanner nia? Cuba is not only something that we Kolbe Pelosi Tate There was no objection. need to strive for because of elemental LaHood Peterson (FL) Tauzin f Lantos Peterson (MN) Taylor (NC) notions of solidarity with the terror- Largent Petri Thomas REMOVAL OF NAME OF MEMBER ized and oppressed people of Cuba—but LaTourette Pomeroy Thornberry AS COSPONSOR OF H.R. 1963 also because the establishment of de- Laughlin Porter Thornton mocracy in Cuba is in the national in- Lazio Portman Thurman Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask Leach Poshard Tiahrt terest of the United States. Lewis (CA) Pryce Torres unanimous consent that my name be The Castro regime is, to its core, a Lewis (KY) Quillen Torricelli removed as a cosponsor of the bill, H.R. gangster regime. It is a regime that an- Lightfoot Quinn Upton 1963. swered a request, last month, by 130 Lincoln Radanovich Vucanovich The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there Linder Rahall Walker dissident groups for permission to meet Livingston Ramstad Walsh objection to the request of the gen- peacefully, by arresting 186 dissident LoBiondo Rangel Wamp tleman from New Jersey? leaders and independent journalists—as Lofgren Reed Ward There was no objection. Lowey Regula Watts (OK) of last Thursday. Lucas Richardson Waxman f This is a regime that, to further in- Luther Riggs Weldon (FL) tensify its latest Stalinist crackdown Maloney Rivers Weldon (PA) CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 927, Manton Roberts Weller CUBAN LIBERTY AND DEMO- on its internal opposition, felt the need Manzullo Roemer White CRATIC SOLIDARITY [LIBERTAD] to shoot down two American civilian Martini Rogers Whitfield ACT OF 1996 planes, killing three U.S. citizens and Matsui Rohrabacher Williams another U.S. resident, over inter- McCollum Ros-Lehtinen Wilson Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, by national waters a few days ago. McCrery Rose Wolf direction of the Committee on Rules, I McDade Roth Woolsey The message Castro sent the Cuban McHale Roukema Wynn call up House Resolution 370 and ask people by those murders of Americans McHugh Roybal-Allard Yates for its immediate consideration. McInnis Royce Young (AK) was clear: If I can murder Americans The Clerk read the resolution, as fol- over international waters and get away McIntosh Salmon Young (FL) lows: McKeon Sanders with it, imagine what I can do to you. H. RES. 370 NAYS—65 It’s important to note that before the Resolved, That upon adoption of this reso- murderous pilots of those MiG’s vis- Abercrombie Hefley Pickett lution it shall be in order to consider the ually identified the unarmed Cessnas Bonior Heineman Pombo conference report to accompany the bill Borski Hilleary Rush that they had been ordered to shoot (H.R. 927) to seek international sanctions Brown (CA) Hilliard Sabo down, the radar that was guiding them Brown (OH) Hinchey Schroeder against the Castro government in Cuba, to Clay Jacobs Serrano plan for support of a transition government had locked on to a cruise ship with Collins (IL) Kim Taylor (MS) leading to a democratically elected govern- hundreds aboard. Costello Latham Tejeda ment in Cuba, and for other purposes. All And how does the supreme gangster DeFazio Levin Thompson points of order against the conference report himself defend the murders. Read this DeLauro Lewis (GA) Torkildsen and against its consideration are waived. Dornan Longley Towns week’s Time magazine. Castro says: The conference report shall be considered as Ensign Markey Traficant They dropped leaflets on Havana. It was a read. Everett Martinez Velazquez real provocation * * * we had been patient, Fazio Mascara Vento The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- but there are limits * * * in addition to these Filner McDermott Visclosky Franks (CT) Meek Volkmer tleman from Florida [Mr. DIAZ- flights, there was also interference by the Frost Menendez Waters BALART] is recognized for 1 hour. U.S. interests section in our internal affairs. Gephardt Miller (CA) Watt (NC) What these people were doing was intoler- Gillmor Ney Wicker b 1200 able. They were giving money and paying the Green Olver Wise Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for bills of dissidents * * * it was intolerable. Gutierrez Ortiz Zimmer Gutknecht Pallone the purposes of debate only, I yield the This is a regime that, according to customary 30 minutes to the gen- the respected British publication ANSWERED ‘‘PRESENT’’—2 tleman from California [Mr. BEILEN- Jane’s Defence Weekly, has been send- Gibbons Harman SON], pending which I yield myself such ing special forces to be trained at the NOT VOTING—18 time as I may consume. During consid- Hoa Binh Military Base in Communist Bryant (TX) Chapman Clinger eration of this resolution, all time Vietnam, since 1990, in preparation for Bunning Christensen Collins (MI) yielded is for purposes of debate only. strikes inside the United States in case March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1725 of war. According to Jane’s Defence property stolen from Americans, we Many of us, moreover, are deeply Weekly the purpose of those special are not acting in an extraterritorial concerned about the provisions of the forces in Castro’s army, training in fashion; we are protecting the property conference report itself and about its Vietnam, is to ‘‘Take the reality of war rights of American citizens, and in that effect on U.S. policy. to the American people, in order to cre- way, also deterring foreign investment Mr. Speaker, for many of our col- ate internal pressures on Washington.’’ in Castro’s apartheid economy. leagues, this bill will be easy to sup- Let me briefly quote from a state- The importance of codifying—putting port—it tightens the U.S. embargo on ment a few days ago by Senator DOLE: into law—the embargo, cannot be over- one of the world’s most despised dic- ‘‘U.S. policy toward Cuba has con- emphasized. tators. Yet, it is not likely that Fidel sequences around the globe. The world No democratic transition from a Castro will be hurt by this legislation. is still a dangerous place.’’ Adversaries long-term dictatorship in recent dec- Ironically, the Helms-Burton Act—a are watching our response to the mur- ades has been possible without some radical departure from current United der of American citizens. Our response important form of external pressure. States policy—will actually weaken is being noted—by Russian hardliners, Franco’s Spain and the European our ability to encourage democracy in by North Korean generals, by state Community; Trujillo’s Dominican Re- Cuba. sponsors of terrorism in Teheran and public and the OAS; Pinochet’s Chile; The fall of communism in Eastern Tripoli, by Serbian leaders, by the Chi- apartheid South Africa; the Greece of Europe should have taught us an im- nese military eyeing Taiwan. Timidity the colonels. portant lesson: the enemy of a closed only emboldens our enemies. Where there has been no external society, such as Cuba, is not increased This conference report is the re- pressure, such as in China, there has isolation—it is greater contact with sponse of the Congress and the Presi- been no democratic transition and the outside world. The Soviet Union dent to the murder of American citi- human rights violations have in- did not disintegrate because of an eco- zens. creased. The Washington Post confirms nomic blockade—it was exposure to The conference report codifies, it today in page A10, that in the State Western ideas, freedoms and prosperity puts into law, the existing embargo Department’s annual report on human that hastened the end to the cold war. against Cuba, much of which exists rights, to be released today, the fun- In marked contrast, 37 years of eco- only in regulations and miscellaneous damental premise of United States pol- nomic embargo against Cuba has failed executive orders. It will now take an icy toward China, that expanding trade utterly to topple the Castro govern- act of Congress to modify the embargo, will lead to greater individual freedoms ment. and no President will be able to weak- for Chinese citizens, is simply invalid. The dubious premise behind this leg- en the embargo unless a democratic We will be able, by the measures in islation is that the Cuban economy is transition is underway in Cuba. this conference report, including codi- on the brink of collapse, and that by President Clinton is urged to seek fication of the embargo, to maintain tightening our notoriously porous em- international sanctions against the sufficient pressure not only to acceler- bargo, the demise of the Castro regime Cuban dictatorship. ate Castro’s collapse, but also to see to can be achieved with one final push. The President is authorized to fur- it that his demise will lead to an inde- The reality is more complex. The nish assistance to democratic opposi- pendent Cuba with full political lib- Cuban economy has been showing signs tion and human rights groups in Cuba. erties and human rights for the now of recovery, brought about by limited The President is also asked to develop suffering Cuban people. reforms and new trade relationships a plan to assist the Cuban people once The Senate passed this conference re- with the rest of the world. And just as a democratically-elected government is port yesterday, 74 to 22. The President domestic opposition groups inside in place and to terminate the embargo supports it. I urge my colleagues to Cuba—the only real threat to the Cas- once a democratic government—with- support this rule and the conference re- tro government—have been invigorated out Castro or his brother Raul—is in port. by widening contacts with the outside power. The conference report calls for the Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of world, this legislation will turn back denial of entry into the United States my time. the clock by imposing further isolation Mr. BEILENSON. Mr. Speaker, I of any individual who trafficks in prop- and hardship on the Cuban people. erty stolen from Americans by Castro. thank our friend, the gentleman from Moreover, by codifying the Executive American citizens will be able to sue, Florida [Mr. DIAZ-BALART], for yielding orders that have maintained the Cuban in American courts, those who traffick the customary one-half hour of debate embargo since 1959, this legislation in property stolen from them by Cas- time to me. I yield myself such time as locks the United States into a failed tro. This provision will protect the I may consume. policy, and denies the President the property rights of American citizens, Mr. Speaker, we do not oppose the flexibility needed to respond to any fu- deter foreign investment in Cuba, and rule providing for the consideration of ture democratic transition in Cuba. make it much more difficult for the the conference report for the Cuban Many of us are disappointed that the Castro regime to obtain hard currency. Liberty and Democratic Solidarity President has dropped his opposition to The conference report reduces for- Act. this bill. Nevertheless, Congress has eign aid to those countries that provide As the gentleman from Florida has consistently recognized that the Presi- assistance in support of the extraor- explained, the rule waives all points of dent’s hands should not be tied in mat- dinarily dangerous Cuban nuclear facil- order against the conference report ters of foreign affairs—that a wide va- ity Castro is trying to complete at and, although we ought always to be riety of tools should be available to the Juragua. It also allows the President cautious in providing blanket waivers President to act in the national inter- to cut aid to Russia, dollar for dollar, for legislation, the granting of these est abroad. But, this bill mandates for its support of the intelligence facil- waivers for this conference report is in intransigency. As changes occur in ity to spy on the United States that accordance with our usual procedures Cuba—and they will occur—the Presi- the Russians still maintain in Cuba. when we consider conference reports in dent—this President, or some future Just by filing Helms-Burton a year the House. President—will be restricted from act- ago, foreign investment was cut in half The chairman of the International ing in the carefully calibrated fashion in 1995 in comparison to 1994. When po- Relations Committee, the gentleman that has marked our response to other tential investors confirm that dealing from New York [Mr. GILMAN], in re- dictators, and other emerging democ- in property stolen by Castro from questing the rule waiving all points of racies. Americans will expose them to the pos- order, specifically referred to the scope The United States is the only coun- sibility of being excluded from the of matters committed to the con- try in the world that maintains an eco- United States, no matter how unethi- ference. So Members should be aware nomic embargo against Cuba—a fact cal they may be, they will choose not that the conference agreement on this that the Helms-Burton Act, somewhat to invest in Castro’s slave economy. sweeping legislation includes provi- fatuously, tries to change. Many of our By saying that we will not look kind- sions that were in neither the House closest allies, moreover, are greatly of- ly upon foreign interests dealing in nor the Senate bill. fended—as they well should be—by this H 1726 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 legislation’s attempt to coerce them Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to them where it hurts, in their pocket- into joining the embargo. vote against the conference report. books. Countries such as Canada, and our al- b 1215 Regarding our allies, Mr. Speaker, lies in Western Europe, warn that pro- there is no stronger supporter of this visions in this legislation violate inter- Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of treaty organization called NATO than national law, abrogate several treaties, our time. this Member of Congress. I do not take abandon our commitment to inter- Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, the lightly the fact that many of them are national financial institutions and imagination of our opponents is truly concerned about this legislation. But could lead to retaliation against Unit- amazing, as is the gentleman who was let us be blunt: It is time for them to ed States interests elsewhere in the cited and called a conservative, that understand that we will not go merrily world. Moreover, the arrogance of this very well-known anti-embargo activist. along while they provide a lifeline to bill is striking—by following the man- Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he this Communist just off our coast who dates of this legislation, the United may consume to the gentleman from is in fact a mortal enemy of the United States will be imposing its own politi- New York [Mr. SOLOMON], the distin- States. cal agenda on countries—mostly guished chairman of the Committee on Our allies, especially Canada, to the friendly countries—throughout the Rules. north, and my district depends on a lot world whose businesses are acting in Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank of that trade with Canada, but they full compliance with their own laws. the gentleman from Miami, FL, for should be put on notice we will not Finally, we are concerned by the yielding me time. subjugate our national interests to manner in which the legislation seem- Mr. Speaker, we just heard the pre- their financial interests. Human de- ingly subverts our national interest for vious speaker say we, the United cency and human rights come first be- the interests of a select few. The States of America, are the only coun- fore any dollar. Nor should we continue Helms-Burton Act gives unprecedented try that has levied sanctions against to grant them open access to our huge benefits to a few very wealthy former Cuba. Yes, is that not a shame? That is market—as I said before, 250 million Cuban property owners—those who going to change come the next elec- Americans, they lick their chops to do owned property in pre-Castro Cuba val- tion, my friends. With 250 million con- business with the United States—if ued at more than $50,000 when it was suming Americans with the highest they insist on supporting Castro. I call seized in 1959—by giving these individ- buying power in the world, it is about on the President to drive home those uals and corporations the unprece- time that we told some of our allies points with them. dented right to sue, in United States that we do not like standing alone. Mr. Speaker, Castro is teetering on Federal courts, foreign companies That is what Ronald Reagan did back the brink. Cuba’s economy is in a melt- doing business on land they once in 1981 when he pulled them all to- down. Communism does not work. owned. gether and we stopped communism Take away the $6 billion propping them This right is not available to anyone dead in its tracks. No more spread of up, and it is going down, down, down. It who has lost property anywhere else in communism. Democracy is breaking is only a matter of time before com- the world—not in Germany, Vietnam, out all over the world. munism is dead in Cuba, as long as we Eastern Europe, or Russia—and it will If we have to stand alone, we will. enact legislation like this. obviously create a legal nightmare in But these sanctions are going to stand Castro has threatened renewed ter- our already overburdened Federal until atheistic, deadly communism is rorism against the United States of courts. But more troubling is the man- dead in this hemisphere. America. The latest bombings in Israel ner in which the legislation will allow Needless to say, I rise in strong sup- show just how easily that can be done. a few individuals and companies to port of this legislation. I really com- We are so vulnerable. That could hap- profit from the economic activity in mend the gentleman from Miami, FL pen so easily right here in the United Cuba this legislation condemns. By al- [Mr. DIAZ-BALART], as well as the gen- States of America. lowing wealthy former Cuban land- tlewoman from Florida [Ms. ROS- With Russia’s help Castro is con- owners to settle out of court with com- LEHTINEN], who have been so valiant in structing a dangerous nuclear power panies doing business in Cuba, these in- bringing this legislation, along with facility based on old faulty designs. dividuals can now share in the profits the gentleman from New York [Mr. Not only does this facility potentially to ongoing Cuban investment. Thus, GILMAN], the chairman of the Commit- subject us to a Chernobyl style disas- the Helms-Burton bill succeeds, in ef- tee on International Relations, and the ter, but we can surely expect Castro to fect, in lifting the embargo for a select gentleman from Indiana [Mr. BURTON], do what North Korea is doing, and that few, and perversely creates an incen- the chairman of the subcommittee. is to try to exploit the technology for tive for increased economic develop- They are all to be highly commended the purposes of building nuclear weap- ment in Cuba, from which only a small to be here in this timely manner. ons. And that cannot happen in this minority of Cuban-Americans will ben- Last week’s incident under which hemisphere. efit. Castro killed four Americans, and they We have had enough of this tyrant. It Let me be clear and end it here. This were Americans, underscores the need is time to bring this awful era of Fidel debate is not about our opinion of Fidel to start taking the situation seriously. Castro to a close. Adoption of this con- Castro—he is one of the more abhor- For over 30 years we have tolerated ference report today will accelerate the rent dictators of this century. We uni- Castro with a half-hearted embargo. arrival of that great day for both the formly condemn Cuba’s recent downing The holes in the embargo, plus billions Cuban people and the American people. of civilian aircraft in clear violation of of dollars, $6 billion a year from the Please come over here and vote for this international law, and our hearts go former Soviet Union, has allowed this rule and vote for this bill. out to the families of the pilots who dictator to survive and spread this Mr. BEILENSON. Mr. Speaker, I perished. atheistic communism. yield such time as he may consume to But this bill is rash, extreme and Although I do not know it, Mr. the gentleman from Massachusetts misguided—it runs contrary to our ex- Speaker, there may have been a good [Mr. MOAKLEY], the ranking member of perience of dealing with repressive re- reason for not pushing Castro harder the Committee on Rules. gimes elsewhere in the world, and it is during the cold war, but certainly not Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank not in our own national interest. In the now. It is time to get serious, and this my colleague from California for yield- words of Louis Desloge, a conservative legislation does get serious. That is ing time to me. He made a very elo- Cuban-American: why Castro is so upset about it. That is quent statement yesterday in the Implementing an aggressive engagement why the Russians are so upset about it, Rules Committee and I agreed with policy to transmit our values to the Cuban the Russians that we are giving bil- people and to accelerate the burgeoning him entirely. process of reform occurring on the island has lions of dollars to in aid. And they turn Mr. Speaker, this rule provides for a far better chance of ending Castro’s rule around and aid and abet this dictator? the consideration of a very bad bill than the machinations of [the] Helms-Burton And that is why so many of our allies that I worry will have some very bad [Act]. are upset, too. This legislation will hit consequences. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1727 Make no mistake about it the the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Los An- What Havana really worries about is the shootdown by the Cuban Government geles Times, and the Baltimore Sun, all resurgence of opposition in Cuba itself. Op- of two unarmed Cessnas nearly 2 weeks opposing Helms-Burton. I would also position groups have been invigorated by ago was an unconscionable act. Presi- like to submit an article from the Cuba’s widened contacts with the outside world. They are also encouraged by a more dent Clinton was right in rallying the Washington Post exposing a little supportive attitude on the part of Miami- international community to denounce known loophole in the embargo and the based exile organizations. These used to view this terrible overreaction and I believe statement by the European Union in all Cubans who remained on the island, even the President was right in proposing opposition to the legislation. And I opposition activists, with suspicion. Now additional sanctions against Cuba. would like to submit a statement by groups like Brothers to the Rescue, the orga- But I believe it would be wrong for Alfredo Duran, who fought at the Bay nization whose planes were shot down last this Congress and this President to em- of Pigs and was imprisoned for over a week, see opposition groups on the island as brace the Helms-Burton legislation be- year, the President of the Cuban Com- a key to political change. mittee for Democracy, and a statement The Castro regime is alarmed by this po- cause of this terrible act. tential link between domestic opponents and Helms-Burton is a bad bill, plain and by Eloy Guitierrez Menoyo, who was a outside support groups, heralded by Brothers simple. political prisoner for 22 years in Cuba. to the Resuce’s previous airborne leafletting Even though the White House has re- Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me express of Havana. Indeed, Havana’s concern over cently reversed its position on this bill, again my strong opposition to the bill this prospect may have been a factor in last I would suggest that my colleagues for which this rule provides consider- week’s missile attack against the exiles’ read the letter the White House wrote ation. I know the authors have the planes. Washington should be doing every- us last fall when they very eloquently very best of intentions—but I firmly thing it can to promote opposition within believe that by passing this bill we are Cuba by encouraging more human inter- and persuasively made the case against change between the island and the outside Helms-Burton. making a big mistake. Mr. Speaker, I include the following world, not less. In fact, Secretary of State Warren The Helms-Burton Act is not an appro- Christopher expressed his concern that material for the RECORD: priate response to Cuba’s murderous deed. It the bill would actually damage pros- [From the New York Times, Mar. 2, 1996] is a wholesale policy reversal that weakens pects for a peaceful transition in Cuba. A BAD BILL ON CUBA America’s ability to encourage democracy in He further indicated that the inflexi- The Clinton Administration has done Cuba. Mr. Clinton should return to his origi- ble standards mandated in the bill many things right and one thing terribly nal sound position. would make it difficult to respond to a wrong in response to Cuba’s shootdown of two unarmed planes flown by Miami-based [From the Washington Post, Mar. 3, 1996] rapidly evolving situation should it exiles. THE GREAT CUBAN EMBARGO SCAM occur in Cuba. Providing a Coast Guard escort to accom- (By Louis F. Desloge) Mr. Speaker, the Secretary was abso- pany an exile flotilla to the site of the down- lutely right Helms-Burton would put ing today registers American determination Virtually everyone agrees that President Clinton should retaliate forcefully against United States foreign policy toward to protect the security of international wa- ters and airspace. Equally important, it Cuba’s tragic and murderous downing of two Cuba in a statutory straitjacket. civilian aircraft last weekend. But the least And while passions are running un- minimizes the risk of either the exiles’ or Havana’s provoking a new incident. The Ad- effective and most counterproductive pun- derstandably high and outrage is cer- ministration’s decision earlier this week to ishment is Clinton’s acquiescence to the tainly justified the fact remains that suspend charter flights to Cuba and to im- Helms-Burton bill to tighten the U.S. embar- Helms-Burton was bad policy a few pose travel restrictions on Cuban diplomats go of Cuba. This legislation, which the White months ago and it is bad policy today. in this country made clear that Havana had House endorsed last week, albeit with res- Our allies have expressed deep con- attacked not just anti-Castro activists but ervations, will only play into Castro’s hands cern over the bill’s provisions as they international law itself. by creating an expansive loophole for prop- erty claimants, especially wealthy Cuban relate to foreign companies. Yesterday However, the Administration is about to make a huge mistake by signing into law a Americans, to circumvent the embargo. all of us received the statement by the bill, sponsored by Senator Jesse Helms and Jesse Helms and Dan Burton, conserv- European Union indicating strong op- Representative Dan Burton, that aims to co- atives whom I admire, are no doubt sincere position to the Helms-Burton bill. erce other countries into joining the Amer- in their motivation to subvert Castro’s rule Similar statements of opposition ican embargo of Cuba. By dropping his oppo- by applying economic pressure on his re- have come from Canada’s Foreign Min- sition to the bill, Mr. Clinton junks his own gime. However, they may very well achieve ister and leading diplomats around the balanced policy for encouraging democracy just the opposite of what they seek by but- world. in Cuba and signs on to an approach that will tressing, not undermining, Castro’s support at home and weakening, not strengthening, Mr. Speaker, my strongest objection inevitably slow the opening of Cuban society and pick a pointless quarrel with American the embargo’s prohibition on trade with to this legislation is that it will not en- allies. Cuba. courage the departure of Fidel Castro The bill threatens foreign companies with The Helms-Burton bill is a slick strata- and it will only make the lives of aver- lawsuits and their executives with exclusion gem. Its stated purpose is to tighten the em- age Cubans more miserable—especially from American soil if they use any property bargo by allowing Cuban Americans to have Cuban children economically stran- in Cuba ever confiscated from anyone who is the unprecedented right to sue, in U.S. fed- gling the island only hurt the most now a United States citizen. Some of its pro- eral courts, foreign companies doing business vulnerable—and I’m not sure that’s visions appear to violate international law on land once owned by these exiles. The idea is to discourage foreign business investment what this Congress really wants to do. and trade treaties, and the Administration had been saying since last summer that it in Cuba, thus undermining the island’s finan- I believe this bill is exactly what Cas- would veto the measure unless these provi- cial recovery which, the bill’s supporters na- tro wants at a time when communism sions were removed. ively hope, will result in a collapse of the has crumbled around the globe; at a The United States is the only country that Castro regime. The bill’s practical con- time when the Cuban economy is in maintains an economic embargo against sequences are a different story. disarray; and at a time when the inter- Cuba, an outdated policy that has failed in 35 A little-noticed provision in the Helms- nal opposition in Cuba seems to be get- years to topple the Castro Government. Try- Burton measure will enable a small group of ting stronger. This bill only gives Cas- ing to coerce other countries to join the em- Cuban Americans to profit from the eco- bargo is offensive to American allies and un- nomic activity occurring in Cuba. tro an excuse to be more repressive and likely to succeed. To understand this provision, one must to justify his failed system. Backers of the Helms-Burton bill believe first know who helped write it. As the Balti- So, I say to my colleagues, if you the Cuban economy has been so enfeebled by more Sun reported last May, the bill was want to get at Fidel Castro, come up the loss of subsidized Soviet trade that the drafted with the advice of Nick Gutierrez, an with a different approach. Helms-Bur- Castro regime can be brought down with one attorney who represents the National Asso- ton will only breathe new life into his final shove. But Cuba’s economy, though ciation of Sugar Mill Owners of Cuba and the dictatorship. hurting, has already revived from the depths Cuban Association for the Tobacco Industry. of the early 1990’s. Its recovery has been Gutierrez acknowledges his involvement, as Mr. Speaker, I submit for the RECORD built on austerity, limited reforms and new does Ignacio Sanchez, an attorney whose editorials, which have recently ap- trade relationships with the rest of the firm represents the Bacardi rum company. peared in the New York Times, the world. It is unrealistic to think that a rein- Sanchez told the Sun that he worked on the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, the forced American embargo would bring Mr. bill in his capacity as a member of the Amer- Washington Post, the Detroit News, Castro down. ican Bar Association’s Cuban Property H 1728 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 Rights Task Force and not as representative suing Castro’s foreign collaborators later in [From the Boston Globe, Feb. 27, 1996] of the rum company. the final months of an election year? Not MISSTEPS ON CUBA It is not hard to surmise what these former very. When Fidel Castro sent his MIG fighters up sugar, tobacco and rum interests will do if The bottom line is that Clinton, in the against two alleged intruders last weekend, and when the law takes effect: sue their com- name of getting tough with Castro, has en- he not only shot down two unarmed civilian petitors who are now doing business in Cuba. dorsed a bill that allows the embargo to be aircraft and killed American citizens, he Gutierrez told the Miami Herald last fall evaded and protects Cuban Americans who shot himself in the foot as well. as saying that he (and his clients) are eyeing want to legally cut deals to exploit their In the last few months there had been signs a Kentucky subsidiary of British-American former properties in Cuba while the rest of that relations between Cuba and the United Tobacco (B.A.T.) that produces Lucky Strike the American business community must States—frozen for more than 30 years—might cigarettes. B.A.T. has a Cuban joint venture watch from the sidelines. be beginning to thaw. In October President with the Brazilian firm Souza Cruz to In fact, the legislation could encourage a Clinton eased some of the travel and finan- produce tobacco on land confiscated from his cial restrictions on Cuba in the interests of clients, Gutierrez claims. massive influx of new foreign investment in Cuba. Armed with the extortionist powers greater ‘‘people to people’’ contact. This Bacardi would be able to sue Pernod year there has been a steady stream of con- Ricard, the French spirits distributor, cur- conferred by the legislation, former property holders could shop around the world for pro- gressmen visiting the island, each receiving rently marketing Havana Club rum world- the obligatory audience with ‘‘the bearded wide. Bacardi claims that Pernod Ricard’s spective investors in Cuba and offer them a full release on their property claim in ex- one.’’ rum is being produced in the old Bacardi dis- American businessmen are becoming re- change for a ‘‘sweetheart’’ lawsuit settle- tillery in the city of Santiago de Cuba. ceptive to potential opportunities in Cuba. ment entitling them to a piece of the eco- Here is how this vexatious scheme will Some say that more Americans visited Cuba nomic action. Thus, the embargo is legally work if Helms-Burton becomes law. The for- in January than in any month since Castro bypassed and everyone laughs all the way to mer landowner of a tobacco farm files a suit came to power in 1959. in federal court against British-American the bank. Seeing his economy crash and burn after Tobacco and seeks damages. If both sides Actually, not everyone would benefit. The the end of support from the Communist bloc want to avoid prolonged litigation they can Clinton-endorsed version of Helms-Burton earlier this decade, Castro desperately needs reach an out-of-court settlement whereby only exempts the wealthiest cabal of Cuba’s foreign investments; an end to the American the former tobacco grower can now share in former elites from the embargo’s restraints. economic embargo of his island would ease the profits of the ongoing B.A.T.-Brazilian The bill will only allow those whose former the poverty of his people. joint venture in Cuba. Likewise, Bacardi property is worth a minimum value of $50,000 An even more Draconian twist to the em- could reach a settlement to get a share of (sans interest) to file suits. And you had to bargo, in the form of the Helms-Burton bill, Pernod Ricard’s profits from sales of Havana be very rich to have owned anything of that is waiting in the wings. Passed by both Club internationally. value in Cuba in 1959. If you were a Cuban houses but still awaiting action in con- These agreements do not need the blessing butcher, baker or candlestick maker, too ference committee, Helms-Burton would not of the U.S. government. This is the million bad. This bill is not for you. only tighten existing restrictions, but would dollar loophole in Helms-Burton. The bill What could be more useful to Castro in his punish our allies who trade with Cuba. The states: ‘‘an action [lawsuit] . . . may be efforts to shore up his standing with the House version, for example, could ‘‘restrict’’ brought and may be settled, and a judgment Cuban people? The spectacle of the U.S. Con- entry into the United States of corporate of- rendered in such action may be enforced, gress kowtowing to these Batista-era planta- ficers, even shareholders, of companies doing without the necessity of obtaining any li- tion owners and distillers provides Fidel his business in Cuba, a measure which might be cense or permission from any agency of the most effective propaganda weapon since the in violation of our trade agreements with United States.’’ Bay of Pigs debacle. Castro surely knows Canada in particular. What will be the practical result? Foreign that the overwhelming majority of the Some congressmen, such as Joseph Moak- companies like Pernod Ricard and British- Cuban people—60 percent of whom were born ley, told Castro last month that the United American Tobacco are unlikely to abandon after 1959—would deeply resent what can be States and Cuba had reached a ‘‘crossroads.’’ viable operations in Cuba because of a law- characterized, not unfairly, as an attempt to If Helms-Burton were signed into law it suit. More likely, these foreign businessmen confiscate their properties and revert control would ‘‘end any possibility for improved re- will agree, reluctantly, to pay off Cuban ex- over Cuba’s economy to people who symbol- lations anytime in the near future.’’ He told iles suing under Helms-Burton. Given the ize the corrupt rule of the 1950s. Rather than Castro that there ‘‘must be more movement choice of forfeiting millions of dollars in- undermining Castro’s rule, this bill would in Cuba in regard to human rights * * *’’ vested in Cuba or their financial interests in drive the people into his camp. Only last week, however, Castro arrested the United States, the practical business so- 100 dissidents and human-rights activists Where is the logic in denying the vast ma- lution might be to give the exiles a cut of who were seeking a peaceful dialogue with jority of the American people the right to the action. Far better to have 90 percent of the Cuban regime. This upset the European become economically engaged in Cuba if it is something than 100 percent of nothing, these Union, which is trying to work out an eco- extended to only a select, wealthy few? Is businessmen will reason. Allowing Cuban nomic-cooperation treaty with Cuba, and the concept of ‘‘equal protection under the Americans a share of their profits will just made it all the more difficult for those who law’’ served if non-Cuban Americans are now be factored in as another cost of doing busi- are working to defeat Helms-Burton in this relegated to the status of second-class citi- ness. country. Indeed, Helms-Burton gives the Cuban zens? Or is the real intent of this bill to Last weekend Castro made their task next exile community a strong financial stake in allow rich Cuban exiles the opportunity to to impossible. With large Cuban-American Castro’s Cuba. If the foreign businesses sim- get a jump start and thereby head off the communities in swing states such as New ply withdrew in the face of Helms-Burton, ‘‘gringo’’ business invasion certain to follow Jersey and Florida, seeming soft on Cuba in the exiled tobacco, sugar and rum interests the demise of the embargo and the inevitable an election year is not something politicians would get nothing. But if British-American passing of Castro. want. Tobacco or Pernod Ricard or any other for- Let us put an end to this special interest But the Helms-Burton bill is bad law. It eign firm now doing business with the Castro subterfuge. Whatever obligation the United was bad law before Castro’s stupid over- regime offers an out-of-court settlement to States had to my fellow Cuban Americans reaction to the admittedly provocative Cuban American exiles, who is going to turn has been more than fulfilled by providing us flights, and it is bad law now. It is to be them down? Given the option, at least some safe haven and the opportunity to prosper hoped that cool heads in Congress and the people are going to choose personal enrich- and flourish in a free society. Providing us, White House will realize that in time. ment over the principle of not doing business once again, another special exemption which with Fidel. After all, Fidel has been in power makes a mockery of the American Constitu- [From the Chicago Tribune, Mar. 1, 1996] for 37 years, and the exiles are not getting tion, laws and courts, not to mention mak- SURRENDERING U.S. POLICY ON CUBA any younger. ing a farce of U.S.-Cuba policy, is an insult After more than 30 years of them, it should The Clinton White House is not unaware of to both the American and Cuban people. be clear that trade sanctions against Cuba the scam at the heart of the bill. Before the If we are going to lift the embargo for a will not force Fidel Castro to surrender. shooting down of the plane, the president few wealthy exiles then, fine, let us lift it for What a shame, then, that a great power like had objected to the provisions allowing U.S. all Americans. To be fair and consistent, the United States has surrendered its foreign nationals to sue companies doing business in why not liberate the entire American com- policy to a tiny population of hard-line anti- Cuba. During last week’s conference with munity to bring the full weight if its influ- Castro Cubans. What an embarrassment! Congress, the president’s men surrendered ence to bear upon Cuban people? Implement- By agreeing this week to impose new eco- and asked for a face-saving compromise: a ing an aggressive engagement policy to nomic penalties against Cuba, President provision giving the president the right to transmit our values to the Cuban people and Clinton and the Republican-controlled Con- block such deals later on if they do not ad- to accelerate the burgeoning process of re- gress have proven that, given a choice be- vance the cause of democracy in Cuba. But form occurring on the island has a far better tween sound foreign policy and pandering to how likely is Clinton to block Cuban Ameri- chance of ending Castro’s rule then the the rabid anti-Castro crowd in a critical cans in Florida, a key election state, from machinations of Helms-Burton. electoral state, they’ll pander. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1729 In no way do we defend Castro’s dictator- lion Cuban Americans. From these sources But the new flights should be at their own ship or the outrageous disregard for human now come calls for a military response—an risk. Washington, not Miami, should be the life represented by Cuba’s downing last air patrol to knock down rising Cuban MiGs locus of U.S.-Cuba policy. And if the group weekend of two small civilian aircraft. But or a blockade to keep Fidel Castro from ei- files phony flight plans, the administration in that regard, an old American adage is in- ther receiving foreign ships or expelling a should consider grounding its aircraft. structive: Don’t go looking for trouble, it new flood of refugees to Florida. The president’s response drew criticism cautions, ’cause it’ll find you anyway. These measures would be counter- from some of his Republican challengers, but Brothers to the Rescue, an exile group, productive. If put into effect, they would this smacks of the criticism he dealt former went looking for trouble by violating Cuba’s leave the United States largely isolated President George Bush on Bosnia. It is easy sovereign air space to drop leaflets and by among other nations. The better course re- to talk tough when one is out of office. playing hide-and-seek with Cuban jets along mains to keep international diplomatic and For now, the Castro regime should feel the its periphery. private influence focused—in discussions on pain resulting from American displeasure By law, private citizens may not make for- ending the embargo, for instance—on open- over the shooting incident. But the long- eign policy. Yet the Cuban exiles invited this ing political space for human rights advo- term policy for breaking up the Castro re- ‘‘crisis,’’ if they didn’t actually manufacture cates, independent social and professional gime should be more contacts and more com- it, and suckered both a Democratic president organizations, and democrats. As the recent merce. and a Republican Congress into making pol- crackdown on Concilo Cubano demonstrates, icy to suit their purposes. this isn’t easy. But over time it offers hope. [From the Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb. 27, Ironically, the new sanctions, while aimed 1996] at isolating Castro and weakening his power, [From the Detroit News, Feb. 29, 1996] HOLD THE BLOCKADE are certain only to complicate trade rela- CUBA INCIDENT: CORRECT RESPONSE THOSE CRYING FOR MILITARY ACTION AGAINST tions with key U.S. allies and commercial CUBA OUGHT TO PUT SATURDAY’S ATTACKS The downing late last week of two un- partners such as Canada, Mexico and France. INTO CONTEXT. armed civilian planes by Cuban military jets Under the sanctions, U.S. visas will be de- off the coast of Cuba was a brutal and cow- Let’s have a little perspective, please, on nied to foreign corporate executives—and ardly act. But President Bill Clinton prop- the Cuban downing of two civilian planes their stockholders—if these firms are among erly resisted the temptation in a political last Saturday. those that have invested billions of dollars in season to overreact. The administration’s re- To hear GOP candidates (and some Cuban Cuban property. (The U.S. is the only nation sponse was reasonably measured, even as it exile groups) tell it, this is the most heinous that observes the absurd embargo of Cuba.) sought to condemn Cuba in the United Na- international crime since Hitler’s invasions, Another provision would allow U.S. citi- tions. and should be fought as fiercely. Send U.S. zens to file suit against foreign firms utiliz- President Clinton has suspended all air warplanes, says Pat Buchanan. Amateur ing property that was seized by Castro. But charter transportation to Cuba, vowed to hour in the White House, scoffs Bob Dole. in a cynical provision designed to neuter Fortunately, President Clinton has been reach an agreement on tightened trade sanc- that very same proposal, the president is level-headed enough not to blow this inci- tions against Cuba, asked Congress to divert granted power to waive the rule every six dent out of all proportion. His call for U.N. funds from Cuba’s $100 million in frozen as- months to throw out the backlog of antici- Security Council condemnation of Cuba, and sets to compensate the families of the pated cases. Cuban payment of compensation to the fami- downed pilots and restricted travel to Cuba Like all dictators, Castro shows unwaver- lies of the downed pilots, is about what the by Americans. ing patience in allowing his people to suffer. sorry episode merits. But the president didn’t end travel to But if America wants to influence Cuba to Those who want tougher action should ex- Cuba; he proposed requiring visitors to go liberalize, then more ties—not a trade em- amine the facts. through a third country to reach the island bargo—is the answer. The two downed Cessnas were piloted by nation. Government officials estimate that Cuban Americans belonging to a group called about 120,000 to 130,000 people travel from the [From the Washington Post, Feb. 27, 1996] Brothers to the Rescue, which is supposed to United States to Cuba each year. If the re- aid Cubans trying to escape by sea to Amer- CUBA’S BRUTALITY quirement that they route themselves ica. But the flow of refugees has mostly No one concerned for regional stability and through a third country slows the flow, Cuba stopped since Washington began repatriating air safety can fail to condemn Cuba’s brutal will suffer from a loss of revenue in hard cur- in August 1994. downing of two small unarmed civilian rency. So what were the planes doing? This Cuban planes on Saturday. In this latest mission by The proposed sanctions are in line with American group has frequently overflown Brothers to the Rescue, the two planes and a this country’s 30-year-old policy of enforcing Cuban airspace, illegally, and last January third that made it back to Miami had in fact a trade embargo on Cuba. Its economy was dropped anti-Castro leaflets on, Havana. On ignored Cuban warnings as well as official propped up by the Soviet Union, but the dis- Saturday’s flight, the pilots were warned by American cautions not to penetrate Cuban solution of the old Soviet empire has thrust Havana air controllers not to enter Cuban air-space. Nor was it clear whether their pur- the regime of Fidel Castro on hard times. airspace. They replied that they would do so pose was the stated humanitarian one of res- The shootings necessitated punishment anyway, adding, ‘‘we are aware we are in cuing fleeing rafters or the alleged political from Washington, but stiffer trade sanctions peril.’’ one of overflying Havana. But this is no ex- and restricted travel are not the best long- U.S. officials say a third plane that es- cuse for the attack. In such circumstances, term solution for inducing change in Cuba. caped did enter Cuban airspace, while the international law requires warning off the Mr. Clinton last fall moved to ease relations two downed planes were shot by a Cuban approaching aircraft. Instead, the Castro with Fidel Castro’s regime. The administra- MIG–29 in international waters. They also government, having considered for months tion then was right to do so. Commercial and say, rightly, that no country has the legal how to react to these flights, ignored Amer- cultural relations with Cuba ultimately will right to shoot down unarmed planes that ican urgings to stay on a peaceful and legal serve to weaken the grip of the aging com- don’t threaten national security; Cuban air path and shot to kill. munist dictator, whose misrule has given his controllers should have issued warnings. The Cuban attack caught President Clin- countrymen decades of economic ruin. But there is no question that Brothers to ton at a difficult time and place. He does not The administration’s tow-prong policy on the Rescue was trying to provoke a Cuban wish to be outflanked politically in a poten- the shootings is also well-judged. To com- reaction by repeatedly violating Cuban air- tial swing state, Florida, with a large Cuban- plement its own reprisals, it moved to obtain space to pursue their anti-Castro cause. No exile population and a presidential primary a condemnation of Cuba’s action in the Unit- matter how one admires the pilots’ bravery, coming up two weeks from today. Nor does ed Nations. The UN instead ‘‘deplored’’ or despises the Castro regime, that fact is he want, in expressing the prevailing and Cuba’s action, which is taken as a sign that clear. justified outrage, to let it overwhelm his pre- it will not adopt its own trade sanctions. Cuba is now nothing more than a historic vious efforts to open up certain avenues of But in all of its actions, the Clinton ad- leftover whose communist regime is bound communication and relief for the Cuban peo- ministration has moved to maintain control to dissolve soon. To further isolate the popu- ple, or to interfere with agreed procedures of of this country’s Cuba policy. The flights lation—by cutting phone contacts or family legal emigration. Hence the measures he an- near the Cuban coast by a Cuban emigre remittances from America—would only slow nounced yesterday to notch up pressure on group were clearly meant to provoke the the foreign contacts that help undermine the the Communist regime, including suspending Cuban government. The Cubans in the last regime. Havana-Miami charter flights and working several weeks had issued warnings that the Mounting a full-scale naval blockade with Congress to selectively tighten an al- flights should cease. Whether or not the ci- would put America at odds with all its allies. ready tight embargo. vilian pilots actually violated Cuban air Similarly, the Helms Burton bill in Con- Given the tensions Fidel Castro churns on space remains in dispute. gress—which the President has opposed but the American scene, the Clinton proposals Given the ambiguity of the situation, the now promises to work on—would also make were bound to be attacked not only by Re- Clinton administration is right not to let the international mischief unless it is rewritten. publicans campaigning for their party’s pres- Cuban emigre group get it into a confronta- As it now stands, the bill would legitimize idential nomination in Florida but also by tion. The group responsible for the flights suits by Americans against many third-coun- harder-line factions among the state’s mil- has promised to continue them this week. try firms that trade with Cuba. Do we want H 1730 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 to start trade wars with our allies over their around Cuba. At least twice, Brothers to the ical necessity, even though the more prudent commerce with Cuba? Rescue pilots have flown all the way to Ha- long-range course would be to create the per- That, not Mr. Clinton’s reasoned response, vana to drop anti-Castro leaflets. Were the sonal and economic ties needed for the inevi- sounds like amateur hour. Brothers trying to provoke an incident with table transition to a post-Castro era. Cuba on the eve of Congress’ consideration of [From the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 27, 1996] the Burton-Helms bill? Possibly, but even if STATEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, DELE- WEIGHING THE RESPONSE TO CUBA’S BRUTAL they were, and no matter how provocative GATION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, TO ATTACKS those flights might seem, they cannot justify THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE CLINTON’S TASK IS TO PUNISH CASTRO, NOT THE Saturday’s brutal response. The Presidency of the Council of the Euro- CUBAN PEOPLE Is Castro trying to send a message to pean Union and the European Commission Miami and Washington, not to mention the The Cuban air force downing of two civil- present their compliments to the Depart- Cuban people, with this bloody incident? Is ian aircraft last weekend, and the resultant ment of State and wish to refer to the Cuban he trying to prove, yet again, that he will deaths of four Cuban Americans aboard, was Liberty and Democratic Solidarity tolerate no political dissent from his aging a blatantly illegal and needless act of provo- (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996. and increasingly weak regime? Perhaps, but cation by Fidel Castro’s government. Presi- The European Union (EU) has consistently ultimately his attempts to hang onto power dent Clinton is right to condemn it in the expressed its opposition, as a matter of law are futile. Someday, the sooner the better, strongest terms. and policy, to extraterritorial applications the aging dictator will be gone and a new era But Clinton must not allow Castro’s latest of US jurisdiction which would also restrict of relations between Havana and Washington act of brutality to push him too far, and he EU trade in goods and services with Cuba, as will begin. As Clinton ponders how to react sensibly appears to have a hard but well- already stated in various diplomatic to this lastest outrage, the president must measured course in mind. To be provoked demarches made in Washington last year, in- keep in mind those long-term prospects. into a short-sighted overreaction could dam- cluding a letter from Sir Leon Brittan to Exact payment, squeeze Castro, but don’t de- age U.S.-Cuban long-term relations even fur- Secretary of State Warren Christopher. Al- rail the future relationship between the two ther. The Administration’s strategy may not though the EU is fully supportive of a peace- peoples. please some of Castro’s most ardent enemies ful transition in Cuba, it cannot accept that in this country, but it will make it easier for the US unilaterally determine and restrict [From the Baltimore Sun, Feb. 27, 1996] Washington and Havana to resume normal EU economic and commercial relations with relations in that not-too-distant future when CUBAN JETS VS. UNARMED CESSNAS third countries. Castro is gone and the long communist dic- CASTRO’S LATEST BLUNDER: CLINTON TIGHTENS The EU is consequently extremely con- tatorship comes to its inevitable end. EMBARGO, SHUNS MILITARY ACTION cerned by the latest developments in the Clinton has announced that he will seek President Clinton’s substantive response to House-Senate Conference in relation to this legislation to compensate the families of the Cuba’s latest outrage—the shooting down of legislation, including the position now ap- four missing and presumed dead fliers from two unarmed civilian planes whose only parently taken by the US Administration. Cuban assets that have been impounded in ‘‘bombs’’ were leaflets calling for freedom— The legislation contains several objection- this country. He also announced there will was more restrained than his rhetoric. He or- able elements. In addition, provisions relat- be new restrictions on the movement and dered no military action, imposed no naval ing to trafficking in confiscated property number of Cuban diplomats in the United blockade, kept telephone lines open and did and those concerning denial of visas to ex- States and the suspension of charter air not shut off the money sent by exiles to fam- ecutives or shareholders of companies in- travel to Cuba. Lastly, he will expand the ilies in Cuba. volved in transactions concerning con- reach of Radio Marti, the U.S. government Yet some action was imperative. No self- fiscated properties in Cuba, which had been broadcast service into Cuba, a long-time burr respecting country can permit the blatant removed during the adoption procedure by under Castro’s saddle. These are all reason- murder of four of its citizens to go the Senate last 19 October 1995, have now able responses. unpunished. No self-respecting leader can been reintroduced by the House-Senate Con- Less reasonable, and possibly counter- permit himself to be shown without re- ference. These provisions, if enacted and im- productive, is Clinton’s willingness to dis- course. plemented, risk leading to legal chaos. cuss with Congress possible administration Fidel Castro’s latest crime, when combined The EU cannot accept the prohibition for support for the so-called Burton-Helms bill, with his recent crackdown on dissenters, US-owned or controlled firms from financing legislation that would tighten the existing erases what had been a favorable trend in other firms that might be involved in certain U.S. economic embargo on Cuba. While bills U.S.-Cuban relations. It also could short-cir- economic transactions with Cuba. The EU like Burton-Helms reflect an understandable cuit some of his efforts to replace the loss of has stated on many occasions that such an U.S. frustration with the Castro regime, that Soviet-era economic aid with increasing extraterritorial extension of US jurisdiction legislation, like the embargo itself, would trade ties with Europe. is unacceptable as a matter of law and pol- cause ancillary problems in Washington’s re- It is true enough that those involved in icy. Therefore, the EU takes the position lationship with other nations, including im- Saturday’s incident were provocateurs in the that the United States has no basis in inter- portant allies and trading partners like Can- business of pulling Fidel’s beard. They were national law to claim the right to regulate ada and Spain. Unless the State Department members of Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami- in any way transactions taking place outside can help Congress rewrite Burton-Helms so based organization formed to rescue boat the United States with Cuba undertaken by that it aims toward the normalcy of key people fleeing Cuba. But since Mr. Clinton’s subsidiaries of US companies incorporated international trade agreements like policy of forced repatriation stopped much of outside the US. NAFTA—a prospect that seems highly un- that exodus, the group has violated Cuban Nor can the EU we accept the immediate likely—it is best tossed in the congressional air space several times to drop freedom leaf- impact of the legislation on the trade inter- trash bin. lets despite U.S. pleas to desist. This evi- ests of the EU by prohibiting the entry of its It is expected that the United Nations will dently was the intent when they flew toward sugars, syrups and molasses into the US, un- soon join the United States in condemning Havana during their ill-fated mission. less the former certifies that it will not im- the irrational order to set Cuba’s MIG war- The Cuban retaliation was far out of pro- port such products from Cuba. The EU con- planes upon the small civilian craft flown by portion to the provocation and in clear viola- siders such requests, designed to enforce a the anti-Castro pilots. Perhaps U.N. debate tion of international strictures against firing US policy which is not applied by the EU, as will bring out more facts about this incident at unarmed aircraft. As a result, Mr. Clinton illegitimate. Such measures would appear than are now publicly known. For instance, rightly reversed his order of last October unjustifiable under GATT 1994 and would ap- what were the exact whereabouts of the easing travel restrictions between the U.S. pear to violate the general principles of planes at the moment they were attacked? and Cuba. He will stop U.S. charter flights. international law and sovereignty on inde- The U.S. and Cuban government versions dif- He will compensate the families of those pendent states. fer enormously. The Cubans say that the killed by Cuban jet fighters out of frozen In these circumstances, the EU would ap- planes were inside their territory, while Cuban assets in the U.S. He will expand the preciate it if you would inform Congress that Washington and Brothers to the Rescue, the reach of Radio Marti. And he even will work the EU is currently examining the compat- Cuban American organization to which the with Congress to see if some version of the ibility of this legislation with WTO rules and planes belonged, maintain that the aircraft Helms-Burton bill tightening the economic that the EU will react to protect all its le- were flying over international waters. It is, embargo on Cuba can be passed. gitimate rights. in fact, illegal to shoot at any unarmed civil- One provision in that measure permitting The EU is also worried by the provisions ian aircraft, according to international civil Cuban-Americans and others to flood federal that would lead the US to unilaterally re- air agreements. Havana will have a lot of ex- courts with suits seeking compensation from duce payments to international institutions, plaining to do if it hopes to come close to third-country investors who have purchased such as the IMF. This measure would run justifying the deaths of these four people. properties confiscated by the Castro regime counter to collectively agreed upon obliga- At least some of the blame for this tragedy should remain veto-bait. It would serve only tions via-a-vis those institutions and would may lie with Brothers to the Rescue. Since to increase the impatience of other nations represent an attempt to influence improp- 1991, the organization of Cuban American pi- with the U.S. obsession with Cuba. Yet some erly their internal decision-making proc- lots has flown 1,700 missions in the skies tightening of the embargo now seems a polit- esses. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1731 The EU also finds most worrying the re- killed at the age of 31 in Cuba while trying lies of the murdered pilots. They duction of US assistance to the Russian Fed- to overthrow the Batista dictatorship. The should know that their loved one’s ef- eration as a possible consequence of this leg- tender age of the downed pilots makes me forts in helping those seeking freedom islation. Such a measure would not only think of my dead brothers. The scars from was an inspiration to us all. Their dedi- weaken Western leverage in favour of re- premature death are painful to bear. forms, but comes at a critical junction in Nothing can excuse Cuba’s bravado in cation and bravery will not be forgot- time. downing the two Cessnas in which four ten. Finally the EU objects, as a matter of prin- young Cubans perished. However, this is a This latest incident, once again, il- ciple, to those provisions that seek to assert time for restraint and reason on both sides. lustrates Castro’s disregard for human extraterritorial jurisdiction of US Federal US foreign policy relations must not be held rights and disrespect for international courts over disputes between the US and for- hostage by extremists who seek to provoke law. Along with repressing basic free- eign companies regarding expropriated prop- and intensify an already tense atmosphere doms, Castro routinely and unmerci- erty located overseas. This measure would between both countries. fully persecutes anyone who speaks out risk complicating not only third country The time has come to engage Cuba in nego- economic relations with Cuba, but also any tiations. If the US has understood, accepted, against his barbaric practices. Now is transitional process in Cuba itself. Further- and promoted democratization in other the time to tighten the sanctions. Only more, these provisions offer the possibility countries, it is incomprehensible to now con- by ending Castro’s access to foreign to US firms for legal harassment against for- tinue to treat Cuba with rigidity and inflexi- capital will we bring about positive eign competitors that choose to do business bility. change in Cuba. in Cuba. The threat of denial of a US visa for This is the moment to put into practice Since the cutoff of Soviet assistance corporate officers and shareholders accen- more creative and pragmatic policies which in 1991, Castro has launched a des- tuates this concern. are truly conducive to a peaceful solution to perate campaign to lure foreign invest- The EU considers that the collective ef- the Cuban situation. fects of these provisions have the potential After twenty-two years in a Cuban prison, ment in Cuba. This allows him to gen- to cause grave damage to bilateral EU–US I was exiled abroad. Last year, I returned to erate hard currency—the means nec- relations. For these reasons, the EU urges Havana and called for civil and political lib- essary to sustain his repressive appara- the US Administration to use its influence erties, for my right to return and continue tus. We must not allow Castro to prop to seek appropriate modifications to the pro- my political work there, including my right up his failed government with foreign posed legislation, or if this should not be fea- to establish an office of Cambio Cubano in investment in properties—many of sible, to prevent it from being enacted. my country. which were confiscated from U.S. citi- Should the legislation be adopted, the Eu- These objectives are possible only through ropean Union intends to defend its legiti- a national reconciliation, rather than zens. mate interests in the appropriate inter- through a failed policy of confrontation. The The conference report permits Amer- national fora. peace for which we yearn is not easy. Most ican citizens to recover damages from The Presidency of the Council of the Euro- good things are as difficult as they are rare. foreign investors who are profiting pean Union and the European Commission I urge the US Congress to defeat the from their stolen property in Cuba. avail themselves of this opportunity to Helms-Burton legislation. This will block the foreign investment renew to the Department of State the assur- Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- lifeline which keeps Castro’s regime ances of their highest consideration. er, will the gentleman yield? alive. Mr. MOAKLEY. I yield to the gen- The conference report also creates a STATEMENT BY ALFREDO DURAN, PRESIDENT tleman from Indiana. OF CUBAN COMMITTEE FOR DEMOCRACY right for U.S. citizens to sue parties Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- that knowingly and intentionally traf- The recent shooting of two civilian planes er, I would just like to ask the gen- which ended tragically with the loss of four fic in confiscated property of U.S. na- lives was unquestionably an overreaction— tleman, aside from killing Fidel Castro tionals. Moreover, it denies entry into once again—by the Government of Cuba. with some kind of a paper resolution, the United States of any such individ- While President Clinton was correct in criti- what would the gentleman do over this ual. These are logical steps which will cizing and imposing certain sanctions for the latest incident? compel international companies to Cuban Government’s disregard for inter- Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, re- make a fundamental choice: ignore national law, he should seriously ponder claiming my time, I would put the U.S. property rights and engage in whether he is not now overreacting with his strongest sanctions I could. Helms-Bur- own endorsement of the Helms-Burton bill. business as usual with Castro or main- ton is not the answer. tain access to the world’s largest mar- The Helms-Burton bill, with echoes of the Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- Platt amendment, will, among other con- ket. sequences, seriously affect the relations be- er, what sanctions would the gen- While I strongly support increased tween the United States and Cuba for many tleman impose? economic sanctions to force Castro years to come; violate the spirit, if not also Mr. MOAKLEY. Anything else, but from power, I also support efforts to the laws, of free trade and irritate major al- Helms-Burton is not the answer. Let help any new effort which enhances the lies of the United States; deviate the atten- me tell the gentleman, every Member self-determination of the Cuban people. tion of the world from Cuba’s own excesses who votes for Helms-Burton, I bet to the United States embargo, a policy which The conference report requires the within a couple of months would say, President to develop a plan to provide most nations have consistently criticized; why did I do it? and crippled the United States President’s economic assistance to both a transi- ability to act with flexibility to changes in Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I tional government and a duly elected Cuba. yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Government in Cuba. These provisions Mr. Chairman, it will also further weaken Louisiana [Mr. LIVINGSTON], the distin- send a clear signal to the Cuban people the United States’ leverage with the Govern- guished chairman of the Committee on that the United States is prepared to ment of Cuba in the future; slow down the Appropriations. assist in the revival of Cuba’s economy mutually beneficial contacts between the (Mr. LIVINGSTON asked and was people of Cuba and the United States; and and to build a mutually beneficial bi- given permission to revise and extend lateral relationship. exacerbate the divisions already existing be- his remarks.) tween Cubans in the island and Cuban Amer- Cuba is at a crossroads. This report icans. Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I tightens the economic noose around Those of us who wish for a peaceful transi- thank my friend from Florida for yield- Castro and focuses our country’s ener- tion within Cuba appeal both to the Cuban ing me time. gies on bringing fundamental change in Government to rethink their disregard for Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support Cuba. international norms and to the United of the rule and on the conference re- I urge my colleagues to support this States Government not to fall into the trap port on the Cuban Liberty and Demo- important legislation. of overreacting to an overreaction. cratic Solidarity Act. I commend b Chairman SOLOMON, Chairman GILMAN, 1230 STATEMENT OF ELOY GUTIERREZ MENOYO, and Chairman BURTON for all their Mr. BEILENSON. Mr. Speaker, I PRESIDENT OF CAMBIO CUBANO/CUBAN CHANGE, TO THE U.S. CONGRESS hard work on this important bill and yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from At a very early age, I learned about war. welcome President Clinton’s newfound Hawaii [Mr. ABERCROMBIE]. My brother Jose Antonio was killed fighting support. Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I against fascism at age 16 in Spain. I was only I would like to take this opportunity find it rather strange that we are tak- five years old. My other brother, Carlos, was and offer my condolences to the fami- ing up this legislation today in the H 1732 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 manner in which we are. I will attempt not we are going to sanction it. If it is We are pleased that the administra- to answer the gentleman from Indiana the policy of the United States to allow tion has publicly agreed to back the [Mr. BURTON] as well. I think his ques- these flights to take place, then we Burton-Helms bill. And, I ask that tion is a good one: What would you do should say so. I think we should say so President Clinton’s March 5 letter to in place of this legislation? up front. Speaker GINGRICH endorsing this meas- Let me say what I think we should We are meeting in the Committee on ure be made part of the RECORD today. do. I think we should get rid of the em- National Security today, and we have With the tireless work of Representa- bargo entirely, open it up. We are deal- had a discussion already in terms of tive ROS-LEHTINEN, Representative ing with a nation here who shares west- our authorization as to what our policy DIAZ-BALART, Representative ern values. I think if we dropped the should be or not be with respect to MENENDEZ, and Representative embargo entirely, Mr. BURTON is shak- Cuba. And if it is our idea to have a TORRICELLI, we have fashioned a sound ing his head, I wish we had more time. provocation of the Cuban Government piece of legislation that advances one We could have an exchange at some at this time, then I think we need to of our most critical foreign policy ob- later point, perhaps in special orders or say so. And if that is what we want to jectives in this hemisphere. something of that nature. I do not as- do, go to war with Cuba, I think we Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to sociate the people of Cuba with the ought to talk about whether or not we support the rule and this worthy bill. Mr. BEILENSON. Mr. Speaker, I government any more than the people are going to go to war with Beijing. yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from around the world do necessarily with Are we going to encourage the same Coloroado [Mr. SKAGGS]. the government officials that we have kind of approach from Taiwan toward Mr. SKAGGS. Mr. Speaker, this leg- here. I think that the way to end the the mainland of China? I think we have islation comes to the floor today pro- dictatorship in Cuba is to open up our to be very, very careful here with re- pelled by our collective outrage over trade completely. I think the regime spect to whether we allow the emotion the recent murderous attack by the would fall very, very quickly under of the moment to rule the legislation Castro regime on two defenseless and that kind of circumstance. which comes before us in the wake of clearly marked civilian aircraft. Civ- But, because my time is limited, un- it. ilized people everywhere are rightly fortunately, I am trying in good faith With that, Mr. Speaker, I close my outraged by this brutal act and by the to give an answer to Mr. BURTON on remarks and indicate that at some disregard that the Castro regime has that. If we go with the legislation that time in the future, I would be delighted shown for human life and human is before us and allow the suing to take to discuss what we should do. And I do rights. place, who are going to bring into the not think, unfortunately, the legisla- It is long past time for Castro and his suit? Will Meyer Lansky come back tion before us today allows that kind of paranoid regime to follow Brezhnev, then and the Mafia? Is that who we discussion. Honeker, Ceausescu, and all the other want to put back in charge? Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I failed Marxist dictators into the dust- I come from an island people. We un- yield 1 minute to the distinguished bin of history. There can be no dis- derstand what colonial domination is gentleman from New York [Mr. GIL- agreement about that. all about. I can tell my colleagues how MAN], chairman of the Committee on But does it follow that there should my interest in Cuba first started be- International Relations. be no disagreement about this bill? cause the oligarchs in Cuba that con- (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given Emphatically, it does not. In fact, this trolled sugar and slave labor there, permission to revise and extend his re- legislation is a product of outdated which competed with our free collec- marks.) dogma about how to fight Communist tive bargaining individuals in Hawaii Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, the dictators, just as much as Castro is an that produced sugar. We understand Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidar- outdated Communist dictator. completely what was involved in the ity [Libertad] Act of 1996 has three con- A vote for this bill is a vote to ratch- 1950s. I do not want to hear crocodile structive objectives: to bring an early et up the already tight Cuban embargo. tears at this stage about dictatorships. end to the Castro regime by cutting off That may be popular as a way to reg- I understand exactly what is taking capital that keeps it afloat; to start ister our moral outrage at Castro’s lat- place in Cuba there. planning now for United States support est actions. Some may even believe it If my colleagues want to bring the to a democratic transition in Cuba; will help push his regime over the edge. Mafia back in and they want to bring and, to protect property confiscated To the contrary, passing this bill is the people who supported those kinds from United States citizens that is exactly the wrong thing to do right now. of people back into power, that is up to being exploited today by foreign com- What is our self-interest here? What them. They can do that. But do not try panies that are profiting at the expense should be our objective? It should be and sell us at this particular time that of the Cuban people. the peaceful transition to a Cuba with somehow our allies, then, in Mexico This legislation charts a course for an open economic system and a demo- and Canada are going to be subject to responsible normalization of United cratic political system. some kind of sanction. If we want to States-Cuba relations under specific What is the best way to get there? I get rid of NAFTA, it is OK with me. I conditions. And, in the meantime, it think our recent experience is instruc- voted against it. But if that is going to helps protect the property of U.S. citi- tive, our experience with the Soviet be the case, it seems to me that to zens until they can reclaim it under a Union, with Eastern Europe, with bring the kind of pressure that at least democratic government. China and Vietnam. one of the individuals speaking in favor Mr. Speaker, ‘‘libertad’’ means ‘‘free- That experience is one of modest suc- of the legislation brought to bear dom’’ for the Cuban people, literally cess achieved through a policy of today, then I think that we are going and figuratively. tough-minded engagement: Engage- to have to abrogate the NAFTA agree- By approving this Libertad Act with ment economically with trade and in- ment as well. I mean, this may be the wide bipartisan support, Congress will vestment, showing the virtues of our vehicle for doing it. I do not know. I demonstrate our solidarity with the economic system on the ground, in per- had not thought about it previously. Cuban people who are struggling to be son, in their face. Engagement ideo- So when Senator DOLE indicates, as free. logically, promoting the free exchange previous discussant related to us, that We are sending an unambiguous re- of information and people with U.S. policy has consequences around sponse to Castro in the wake of his unimpeded travel. And, engagement the world, I would say that is true. And murderous attack on February 24 that culturally, through cultural exchange I think our relationship with Canada cost the lives of four innocent Ameri- and humanitarian involvement. That’s and Mexico is a case in point. cans. And we express our condolences the policy that ultimately contributed I think that if we are talking about to their families. to the undoing of the repressive re- whether or not we are in control of our Mr. BURTON and I have worked with a gimes of the old Soviet empire and to own foreign policy, I think we have to strong bipartisan coalition that has economic reforms—admittedly incom- take into account whether or not these reached out to the administration in plete—underway in China and Viet- provocations do occur and whether or crafting this conference report. nam. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1733 In contrast, this bill is just another out the hard way—having toyed with a continued on a mission that went be- iteration of an outmoded ideology: misguided policy of appeasement right yond just searching for those who may mindless isolation, the same failed ap- up until those humanitarian relief be lost in the ocean trying to reach the proach that has been applied to Cuba planes were shot out of the sky. It is United States, few as they may be in for more than 30 by years. my hope that those who oppose this recent days. They were determined to What are we afraid of here? A small bill will soon come to the same realiza- make certain that the issue of the island nation with no stragegic allies tion that President Clinton has: That overthrow of Castro and the restora- and a failed economic and political sys- our only policy option is to clamp tion of democracy in Cuba would not be tem? down on Fidel Castro once and for all. forgotten. I do not care what my col- This Congress chose a policy of en- He is the problem. leagues’ beliefs are; if they believe that gagement with China even though Mr. Speaker, this legislation will put was sincere and they did these things, China poses much a greater risk to us U.S. policy with Castro back on we have to pray for their souls and than Cuba. We did this precisely be- track—back to being tough with con- their families and not ignore the cour- cause we know that political, eco- crete action designed to restore democ- age that they had in doing these nomic, and cultural engagement holds racy and encourage Castro’s departure things, not once, but many times, in out the best hope of avoiding those from power. We know from what hap- order to focus attention on the injus- very risks, whether economic or mili- pened in Haiti under the Clinton ad- tices, that were being committed in tary. ministration’s policy of misery that Cuba. This bill takes United States policy properly run and fully supported em- Did they believe that they would be shot down as civilian planes with no in Cuba in the wrong direction. It is ab- bargoes can have serious impact. In weapons? I would hope that no one solutely contrary to the long-term in- Haiti, the Clinton administration’s pol- would believe that in this world that terests of the United States. It will in- icy did damage that Haiti will be try- we have people who would say, ‘‘Be- crease the prospect of a violent convul- ing to recover from—and United States cause you have provoked us, because sion in Cuba that would be a real secu- taxpayers will probably be paying for— you have made us angry, that we are rity and immigration crisis for the for decades. But the Haiti experience prepared to blow up your planes and to United States. should have taught us that, once and murder you,’’ and so the United States I do not agree with the President embargo is made the policy of choice, leads the world in terms of outrage in that this isolationist bill is an accept- it has to be enforced with a clear focus saying whether those planes were over able measure, even in response to such on the enemy target and a firm com- Cuba, within 12 miles, outside of 12 an offensive provocation by the Cuban mitment to seeing it through to its de- miles, we just do not do this to people. Government as occurred last week. sired end. We ask our allies help. This If one wakes up in the middle of the Tightening the embargo will only play legislation is designed to achieve that night and they think there is a burglar into Castro’s hands, helping him to goal. I urge my colleagues to support that intruded in their house, and they keep his people in a state of repression the Libertad conference report and I pick up a gun, and they go, and then and deprivation. look forward to the day when the Unit- they see it is a child that is fleeing As in the case of our other former, ed States can once again embrace a without an arm, they may have the and hold-over adversaries from the cold free and democratic Cuba. legal right, they may have the emo- war era, the best policy for the United b 1245 tional feeling, but they do not shoot States to follow for its own self-inter- down a defenseless child no matter how Mr. BEILENSON. Mr. Speaker, I est, and to encourage reform of China’s much that child provoked them. No yield such time as he may consume to political and economic system, is a pol- matter how we measure the patriotism, the distinguished gentleman from New icy of tough-minded engagement. the dedication, of these pilots, nobody York [Mr. RANGEL]. Let us learn from recent history, Mr. can make the accusation that they (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given Speaker. Let us have the courage to were a threat to the security of the permission to revise and extend his re- say ‘‘no’’ to narrow ideology, to say people in Cuba. ‘‘no’’ to special-interest group domina- marks.) So we all have to do the best we can Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I appre- tion of United States policy toward to show not just Castro but anyone Cuba, and ‘‘no’’ to this bill. ciate this opportunity to address the that thinks this way it is an out- Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I House, and I guess, since this is an rageous thing to do, but how do we re- yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from emotional issue votes will not be spond as a civilized nation? Do we run Florida [Mr. GOSS], my distinguished changed, but I am in opposition to this there, and grab Castro, and shake him, colleague on the Committee on Rules. rule, and most of what I am saying I and say never again? No, our response (Mr. GOSS asked and was given per- hope I am saying for the RECORD as op- is that we are going to enact this bill. mission to revise and extend his re- posed to being against the deep feelings We are going to show him how tough marks.) of my friends and colleagues that are we are. Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my in support of the rule as well as the And what do we do in this bill? We distinguished colleague from Florida bill. say that we are going to not only tight- for yielding time to me, and I rise A couple of weeks ago the President en the trade embargo against Cuba, but today in strong support of this rule and of the United States reviewed this bill, we are going to take it out of the hands the conference report on the Helms- and he had indicated that he had seri- of the President. Who can trust the Burton Libertad bill. ous reservations about this bill inter- President? We have got to make it Today, at long last, we discuss this fering with our foreign policy, our statutory. We have got to say when it bipartisan legislation knowing that the trade policy, about it abusing our court comes to embargoes in foreign coun- President has agreed to sign it when it system, in that he said in its present tries we know best, not Presidents reaches his desk—unlike too many form he would veto it. A couple of know what is best. And what else are other important measures that have weeks ago the Helms-Burton bill was, I we going to do? We are going to say run into his veto pen. Today’s vote cul- think politically speaking, put on the that our embargo was so effective that minates a long effort to educate the ad- back burner in this body. A couple of once we tightened the screws on our so- ministration about the true nature of weeks ago all the Republican can- called friends, they will capitulate to the Castro dictatorship. I must point didates were dealing with the issues this United States pressure and join in out with some wonderment that it that they thought were important, but with us, as they did in South Africa took the brutal tragic death of inno- democracy in Cuba never got on any- and Haiti, and say this is the moral and cent American citizens to finally con- body’s agenda. What happened between the right thing to do and then collapse vince the Clinton administration that that time and this political legislative goes Castro. Fidel Castro really does not operate by rush to do this as fast as we can for de- Give me a break. This bill has noth- rules of civilized conduct and he is mocracy? What happened? ing to do with Castro. It has everything never to be trusted. The Clinton ad- Four dedicated Americans, loving de- to do with our friends and our voters in ministration, it seems, had to find this mocracy enough to risk their lives, Florida. H 1734 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 Do my colleagues think for 1 minute that, if they do not like our foreign denies the most basic of human lib- that the Organization of American policy, they just get themselves an air- erties to the people of Cuba. States is going to say I was outraged, plane, buddy. Just put in for a flight This legislation takes a strong stance too; please let me break every agree- plan. Just go where they want to go. against those immoral investors by de- ment that I have with Cuba? Do my And when they say the jets are coming, nying them participation in our United colleagues think that the World Trade then say, hey, forget it, I am dedicated. States markets, if they decide to invest Organization is going to say since we Let us see what is happening in Ire- in Cuba and prop up the dictator in have a murderer as a dictator, all the land. As my colleagues know, let us this way. investments we have in Cuba, we got to put out some pamphlets there. Let us Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to tell them to forget it. Do my col- go to the Middle East and see whether join us today in supporting this legisla- leagues think the United Nations is or not they are really prepared to real- tion, thus helping Cubans in their going to do anything except condemn ly move the peace process. Let us struggle for freedom. This bill will hurt the United States in trying to perpet- check out Korea, North and South, and Castro, it will help the Cuban people, uate our domestic and, indeed, to Vietnam, and let us legislate it, do not and it will send a strong message to stretch the word, our foreign policy, to let the President with his flip-flop self those immoral foreign investors. Stop include them? No. The truth of the determine 1 day what is good and what helping the dictator by trafficking in matter is that we do not care what is bad. The Congress knows, and who confiscated United States property. they believe. We are doing this because knows better than the Republican ma- The Helms-Burton bill goes to the we feel good about doing it, and do my jority here about everything? heart of the means by which the Cuban colleagues know why we are doing it? So this is not a contract for America. tyrant is now financing his repression Because we got the votes to do it. And This is a contract for the world. If you of the Cuban people; namely, immoral do my colleagues know why the Presi- are for democracy, squeeze the people foreign investment. After the millions dent is doing it? Because he wants the that are hungry, stop the food and of dollars in Soviet subsidies to Castro votes to continue to be President. medicine from going, tell American ended, the Cuban dictator and his Com- I tell my colleagues this: The people businessmen not in Cuba will you in- munist thugs have tried to obtain the who want democracy in Cuba, do not vest, and at the same time support hard currency necessary to keep them- change those ways, do what feels good, trade in NAFTA, support it in GATT, selves in power. Foreigners are allowed but let some of us who want democracy support it all over the world, but do to invest in Cuba, and many do, in and freedom at least try some different not support it in Cuba. properties which are illegally stolen way to do it. I just do not believe that I suggest to my colleagues I have the from American citizens. they are doing anything except saying same outrage for murderers that they In this new slave-like economy, de- to the poor people in Cuba who are do, but I hope this country does not signed by the Castro regime, the Cuban hopeless, who are jobless, who are suf- embark on having this concrete and people are not able to participate. In- fering, who are in misery, who need firmed up as what we do as a nation stead they are pawns of the regime and food, who need medicine; do my col- and as a Congress when we are out- of the foreign investors who are at- leagues think for 1 minute that they raged. tracted to invest in Cuba because of are marching up and down the streets Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I the low wages and the repression of Havana saying, ‘‘My God, Castro, yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman against the Cuban worker. The foreign you made it worse for us, now the from Florida [Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN], my investors pay Castro in dollars. Castro whole world is condemning us’’? No, distinguished friend and colleague. pays the Cuban worker in devalued Castro is saying their misery and their Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I Cuban pesos at a small percentage of pain is due to Americans who sin- thank the gentleman for yielding time what was given to the communist dic- gularly have an embargo against them. to me, as well as for his strong leader- tator. Is he blaming himself for the failures ship role in the passing of this legisla- Mr. Speaker, it is for those four mur- that he has had in the socialistic com- tion. dered pilots, Armando Alejandre, Mario munistic government? No. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the de la Pena, Pablo Morales, and Carlos So who is supposed to be responsible rule for H.R. 927. This legislation is de- Costa, as well as for the thousands and for everything that is going bad? The signed to hasten the demise of the Cas- thousands of unknown Cubans who embargo. And what do we say? Forget tro dictatorship, the last undemocratic have given their lives to bring liberty what you see, what you hear, it is regime in our hemisphere, which for to their island that we will pass this working, man; it is working, man. And over three decades has subjected the legislation today. Cuban people to untold repression and it is working so well, all we have to do b 1300 is tighten this, and then all of the Cu- misery. bans will be in such misery and pain Over the past month, we have ob- Mr. Speaker, it is not only the cor- and hunger. served the voices of those calling for a rect policy to follow, but a moral im- Do my colleagues know what they softer policy with Castro fall strangely perative to assure that the ultimate are going to do? No. What will they do? silent as the dictatorship increases its sacrifice paid by these thousands of They are going to organize and revolt. repression against the people of the is- freedom fighters will not be in vain. Oh, my God. Meaning they are going to land. Not only has the regime in- At times it seems unreal and implau- overthrow the government? Oh, yes, creased its harassment and intimida- sible that only 90 miles from the shores hungry and sick and tired, without ri- tion against the growing independent of this great democracy lies an fles, they are going to this fat, movements in journalism and in other enslaved nation ruled by a ruthless overtrained, overfed army and say, dissident sectors inside Cuba, but the Communist dictatorship, a nation ‘‘Oh, thank God, the Americans have regime’s brutal shoot down last week whose citizens are denied the most made life miserable for me, we are get- of two civilian unarmed aircraft with basic human, civil, and political rights. ting rid of you.’’ U.S. citizens aboard showed us that In my native homeland of Cuba, no one I tell my colleagues one thing: If we after three decades the Castro tyranny but the dictator has any rights at all, do reach these people, we will get rid of remains as bloody and ruthless as it an island which once had the highest them, and they will be on the rafts, and ever has been. standard of living in Latin America but they will be on the boats, and they will The Helms-Burton bill will penalize where its citizens today struggle day to be in Miami, but they will not be fight- those who have become Castro’s new day for the bare necessities needed to ing that Communist Cuban Army in patron saviors-foreign investors who survive. Havana. My colleagues can believe callously traffick in American con- Mr. Speaker, it might seem unreal that. fiscated properties in Cuba to profit that such a state could exist a few But I say this: As we bleed for the from the misery of the Cuban worker. miles from our shores, but of course, families of those heroic pilots, I see These investors care little that they unfortunately, it does. The thousands something new happening here, too. We are dealing with a tyrant who pro- of Cuban rafters who have risked their are, indeed, encouraging other people motes terrorism, drug trafficking, and lives in the Florida Straits to escape March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1735 the Castro dictatorship are a vivid re- get any time from the Democratic side The fact of the matter is he has minder of this sad reality. The thou- to speak in favor of the bill, despite the shown us what he is willing to do with sands of dissidents who have been har- fact that a third of the Democratic the third largest military in the entire assed, imprisoned, and indeed killed Caucus voted for this bill last fall. Western Hemisphere. He represses his are testament to the lack of respect for Mr. Speaker, I rise not to apologize people who ask for peaceful democratic human rights by the Castro regime. for Fidel Castro, not to coddle him, not change, and we are silent for the most Most recently, the premeditated to rationalize or justify whatever he part. Those who say they are for de- cold-blooded murder over international has done. The fact of the matter is that mocracy in Cuba, peaceful democratic waters of four pilots in a humanitarian I am really offended when I hear my change, why are they not speaking out mission, three of them American citi- colleagues refer to this issue as ‘‘This on behalf of the Concilio Cubano? zens, one a Vietnam veteran who is about voters in Florida.’’ To say that What is the response to four U.S. served two tours of duty, has awakened is to say that seeking peace in Ireland citizens flying in international air- the world that in Cuba, the rule of or giving a visa to Gerry Adams is space, unquestioned by our Govern- death and fear prevailed over the rule about Irish voters, or that our collec- ment through all of their intelligence of democratic law and order. tive outrage against the barbaric acts that they were in international air- Mr. Speaker, the legislation we are that have taken place in Israel is about space? This is the response, Mr. Speak- now considering will go a long way to- Jewish voters, or, for that matter, to er. Let me read the transcript that ward helping the Cuban people reestab- say that our movements to end apart- Madeleine Albright presented to the lish the rule of democracy and law for heid in South Africa, to bring democ- United Nations: ‘‘Cuban fighters, a which they have battled for 37 years to racy to Haiti, and our efforts to give small white and blue Cessna that they achieve. I thank the gentleman once relief in Somalia were about African- were tracking, and their excitement again for his strong leadership role in American voters. It is an insult to this was clearly palpable * * * ‘The target making this legislation possible as well community. is in sight, the target is in sight,’ the as many of our colleagues on the This is about democracy. It is about small aircraft, the MiG pilot radioed Democratic side of the aisle. promoting human rights. It is not back to his ground controller. ‘It is fly- Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I about votes of some group in some ing at a low altitude. Give me instruc- yield 1 minute to the gentleman from State or States. That is why we had a tions,’ said the pilot. The answer was Ohio [Mr. CHABOT], a distinguished new strong bipartisan vote. That is why ‘Fire. Authorized to destroy;’ ’’ not to Member of the House. yesterday in the Senate, 74 Senators warn, not to try to seek under inter- (Mr. CHABOT asked and was given joined in favor of creating democracy national law to move them, but, even permission to revise and extend his re- in Cuba. That is why 294 Members of though they were not in Cuban air- marks.) this House last fall voted for it, with a space, no, to destroy. Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in third of the Democratic Caucus joining Thirty-three seconds later, the re- strong support of the conference report an overwhelming number of the Repub- sponse from the MiG 29 pilot was ‘‘We and the rule, and I commend the lead- lican Party because they understand took out his * * *’’ and I will not add ership shown by the chairman of the the realities. the expletive. ‘‘That one won’t mess committee, the gentleman from New Mr. Speaker, let me say that in fact around with us anymore.’’ Two and York [Mr. GILMAN], the chairman of when we hear about creating peaceful one-half minutes later another pilot the subcommittee, the gentleman from change, we are all for peaceful change. sighting the second Cessna said, ‘‘Give Indiana [Mr. BURTON], the gentleman That is our goal. But what has Castro’s me the authority.’’ He was responded, from Florida [Mr. DIAZ-BALART], the response been to peaceful efforts within ‘‘You are authorized to destroy it,’’ and gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. ROS- Cuba, like those of the Concilio it was destroyed. ‘‘Fatherland or death, LEHTINEN], and the gentleman from Cubano, a group of 120 organizations the other is down also.’’ These are the New Jersey [Mr. MENENDEZ]. who promote peaceful democratic transcripts that our U.S. Ambassador I also want to applaud President change in Cuba? Our Members go there to the United Nations presented to the Clinton for finally having voiced sup- and visit Cuba. They have a cigar with world. port for the Cuban Liberty and Domes- Fidel. They enjoy some time there. Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is tic Solidarity Act. It is unfortunate And as soon as they leave, these people this bill is bipartisan. It has the sup- that it took the cold-blooded murder of get arrested. port of the President. President Clin- unarmed American citizens to awaken What happened in the week preceding ton sent a letter to the Speaker of this the President to the harsh reality of the killing of the four American citi- House saying that he supports the bill, the morally reprehensible Castro re- zens? What happened? These people and urges all Members to vote on be- gime. who seek peaceful democratic change half of it. Fidel Castro is a thug, an inter- by Cubans in Cuba, not about some by- Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I national outlaw. His 37-year reign has gone era that people like to allude to, yield myself such time as I may been noteworthy for its brutality and the response to their request which consume. its unrelenting resistance to individual they made to the regime for a national Just in the last century, Mr. Speak- liberty and freedom. The misery that meeting, what we enjoy here in the er, after the Cuban people were fight- has been suffered by the Cuban people United States, to simply sit down and ing almost 100 years for their freedom at the hands of Fidel Castro is one of say, ‘‘How do we move towards demo- from Spanish colonialism, it was the the world’s great tragedies. This legis- cratic change within Cuba,’’ what was United States that stood by their side lation will tighten the existing United the response? One hundred of them and helped them achieve freedom and States embargo against Cuba, and it were arrested and imprisoned. Dozens independence. History has a way of re- protects the rights of United States of others are under house arrest. peating itself. Now it is the American citizens and businesses whose property Women were strip-searched so they people through their Government, and has been confiscated unlawfully by the would be intimidated from participat- today speaking through their Congress Castro regime. It is a good bill and it is ing in the organization. That is the an- and the President, standing with the long overdue. I urge passage. swer to peaceful democratic change in Cuban people against the worst oppres- Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I Cuba. sor in the history of this hemisphere. yield 5 minutes to my good friend, the For those who believe in some ro- So we think of the hundreds of politi- gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. manticism, that when the people go cal prisoners now imprisoned, the thou- MENENDEZ]. and say, Please, we want to move to- sands who have been killed, including Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I wards democracy, Fidel is going to act the American citizens just a few days thank the distinguished gentleman the right way, they have seen it. For ago. We dedicate this legislation to from Florida for yielding time to me. those who keep saying that this is them. It is going to be a great sign of Mr. Speaker, I am happy that I got after the cold war, I agree, it is after solidarity with the Cuban people. I some time from the Republican side, the cold war, but nobody told Mr. Cas- would ask my colleagues to support the since I have been told today we cannot tro. rule and support the conference report. H 1736 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without McHugh Portman Stearns A motion to reconsider was laid on McInnis Poshard Stenholm objection, the previous question is or- McIntosh Pryce Stockman the table. dered, on the resolution. McKeon Quinn Stump Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant There was no objection. McNulty Radanovich Stupak to House Resolution 370, I call up the The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Meehan Rahall Talent conference report on the bill (H.r. 927) Meek Ramstad Tanner question is on the resolution. Menendez Reed Tate to seek international sanctions against The question was taken; and the Metcalf Regula Tauzin the Castro government in Cuba, to plan Speaker pro tempore announced that Meyers Richardson Taylor (MS) for support of a transition government Mica Riggs Taylor (NC) leading to a democratically elected the ayes appeared to have it. Miller (FL) Rivers Tejeda Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I Minge Roberts Thomas government in Cuba, and for other pur- object to the vote on the ground that a Moakley Roemer Thompson poses. quorum is not present and make the Molinari Rogers Thornberry The Clerk read the title of the bill. Mollohan Rohrabacher Thornton point of order that a quorum is not Montgomery Ros-Lehtinen Thurman The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. present. Moorhead Rose Tiahrt EWING). Pursuant to House Resolution The Sergeant at Arms will notify ab- Morella Roth Torkildsen 370, the conference report is considered Murtha Roukema Torricelli as having been read. sent Members. Myers Royce Traficant The vote was taken by electronic de- Myrick Salmon Upton (For conference report and state- vice, and there were—yeas 347, nays 67, Neal Sanford Volkmer ment, see proceedings of the House of not voting 17, as follows: Nethercutt Sawyer Vucanovich Monday, March 4, 1996, page H1645.) Neumann Saxton Walker [Roll No. 46] Ney Scarborough Walsh The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- YEAS—347 Norwood Schaefer Wamp tleman from New York [Mr. GILMAN] Nussle Schiff Ward will be recognized for 30 minutes, and Ackerman Cubin Hastings (WA) Ortiz Seastrand Watts (OK) the gentleman from Indiana, [Mr. HAM- Allard Cunningham Hayworth Orton Sensenbrenner Weldon (FL) Andrews Danner Hefley Oxley Shadegg Weldon (PA) ILTON] will be recognized for 30 min- Armey Davis Hefner Packard Shaw Weller utes. Bachus de la Garza Heineman Pallone Shays White The Chair recognizes the gentleman Baesler Deal Herger Parker Shuster Whitfield from New York [Mr. GILMAN]. Baker (CA) DeLay Hilleary Pastor Skeen Wicker Baker (LA) Deutsch Hobson Paxon Skelton Williams Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield Baldacci Diaz-Balart Hoekstra Payne (VA) Slaughter Wilson myself such time as I may consume. Ballenger Dickey Hoke Peterson (FL) Smith (MI) Wise (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given Barcia Dicks Holden Peterson (MN) Smith (NJ) Wolf Barr Dingell Horn Petri Smith (TX) Wynn permission to revise and extend his re- Barrett (NE) Dixon Hostettler Pickett Smith (WA) Young (AK) marks.) Barrett (WI) Doggett Houghton Pombo Solomon Young (FL) Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, will the Bartlett Dooley Hoyer Pomeroy Souder Zeliff gentleman yield? Barton Doolittle Hutchinson Porter Spratt Zimmer Bass Dornan Hyde Mr. GILMAN. I yield to the gen- Bateman Doyle Inglis NAYS—67 tleman from Missouri. Beilenson Dreier Istook Abercrombie Hinchey Roybal-Allard (Mr. SKELTON asked and was given Bentsen Duncan Jackson-Lee Becerra Jackson (IL) Rush permission to revise and extend his re- Bereuter Dunn (TX) Berman Johnston Sabo Bevill Edwards Jacobs Bonior Lewis (GA) Sanders marks.) Bilbray Ehlers Jefferson Boucher Lincoln Schroeder Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I wish Bilirakis Ehrlich Johnson (CT) Clay Lofgren Schumer to associate myself with the position of Bishop Emerson Johnson (SD) Collins (IL) Lowey Scott Bliley Engel Johnson, E. B. Conyers Maloney Serrano the gentleman from New York in rela- Blute English Johnson, Sam DeFazio Markey Skaggs tion to this measure. Boehlert Ensign Jones DeLauro McDermott Stark Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this meas- Boehner Eshoo Kanjorski Dellums McHale Studds ure, and I compliment the committee and the Bonilla Everett Kaptur Evans McKinney Torres Bono Ewing Kasich Fattah Miller (CA) Towns sponsors on bringing it to this Chamber for a Borski Farr Kelly Flake Mink Velazquez vote. Brewster Fawell Kennedy (MA) Foglietta Moran Vento We all know what Castro has brought to the Browder Fazio Kennedy (RI) Frank (MA) Nadler Visclosky Brown (CA) Fields (LA) Kennelly Furse Oberstar Waters land of Cuba. This measure send a firm mes- Brown (FL) Fields (TX) Kildee Gejdenson Obey Watt (NC) sage that we, in this body, stand for freedom Brown (OH) Filner Kim Gibbons Olver Waxman and democracy in Cuba. There are so many Brownback Flanagan King Gonzalez Owens Woolsey violations of human rights and rules of de- Bryant (TN) Foley Kingston Hall (OH) Payne (NJ) Yates Bunn Forbes Kleczka Harman Pelosi cency inflicted on the Cuban people by Cas- Bunning Ford Klink Hilliard Rangel tro. Further, we abhor the tragedy he caused Burr Fowler Klug Burton Fox Knollenberg NOT VOTING—17 regarding the American airplanes just a few days ago. Buyer Franks (CT) Kolbe Archer Durbin Quillen Callahan Franks (NJ) LaHood Bryant (TX) Frelinghuysen Sisisky Let us Americans stand together, let us vote Calvert Frisa Lantos Chapman Hayes Spence for this bill and send an unequivocal message Camp Frost Largent Christensen Hunter Stokes that we stand for democracy and freedom for Campbell Funderburk Latham Collins (MI) LaFalce Waldholtz Canady Gallegly LaTourette Crane McCarthy the Cuban people. Cardin Ganske Laughlin Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my Castle Gekas Lazio b 1334 colleagues to join me in supporting the Chabot Gephardt Leach Chambliss Geren Levin The Clerk announced the following conference report Cuban Liberty and Chenoweth Gilchrest Lewis (CA) pair: Democratic Solidarity [LIBERTAD] Chrysler Gillmor Lewis (KY) On this vote: Act of 1996. Clayton Gilman Lightfoot Clement Goodlatte Linder Ms. McCarthy for, with Mrs. Collins of Illi- This legislation advocates a respon- Clinger Goodling Lipinski nois against. sible course to encourage and support Clyburn Gordon Livingston Mr. FLAKE, Mr. SCHUMER, and Mrs. genuine, fundamental reforms in Cuba. Coble Goss LoBiondo And, in the interim, it helps protect Coburn Graham Longley MALONEY changed their vote from Coleman Green Lucas ‘‘yea’’ to ‘‘nay.’’ the property of U.S. citizens until they Collins (GA) Greenwood Luther Mrs. CLAYTON, Ms. EDDIE BER- can reclaim it under a democratic gov- Combest Gunderson Manton NICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. ernment. Condit Gutierrez Manzullo Cooley Gutknecht Martinez CLYBURN, and Mr. FIELDS of Louisi- Mr. BURTON has worked with a strong Costello Hall (TX) Martini ana changed their vote from ‘‘nay’’ to bipartisan coalition. With the help of Cox Hamilton Mascara ‘‘yea.’’ Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Coyne Hancock Matsui So the resolution was agreed to. Mr. MENENDEZ, and Mr. TORRICELLI, he Cramer Hansen McCollum Crapo Hastert McCrery The result of the vote was announced has fashioned a sound piece of legisla- Cremeans Hastings (FL) McDade as above recorded. tion. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1737 Recently, President Clinton ex- unanimously adopted a Presidential State- Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. Speaker, we pressed his full support for this bill, ment strongly deploring Cuba’s actions. We must have an effective policy to re- which he has described as ‘‘a strong, bi- will seek further condemnation by the inter- spond to what Fidel Castro did to four partisan response that tightens the national community in the days and weeks American citizens—killing them in ahead. In addition, the United States is tak- economic embargo against the Cuban ing a number of unilateral measures to ob- international airspace—in contraven- regime and permits us to continue to tain justice from the Cuban government, as tion of international law. That is the promote democratic change in Cuba.’’ well as its agreement to abide by inter- first and most important point I have Mr. Speaker, allow me to address sev- national law in the future. to share with my colleagues today. eral of the concerns raised by the few As part of these measures, I asked my Ad- In order to have an effective policy, remaining critics of this legislation. ministration to work vigorously with the we must have the support of our allies, First, the only companies that will Congress to set aside our remaining dif- and my objection to this bill is because run afoul of this new law are those that ferences and reach rapid agreement on the I am convinced it will alienate, instead Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity are knowingly and intentionally traf- (LIBERTAD) Act. Last week, we achieved of bring together, our allies. It will di- ficking in the stolen property of U.S. that objective. The conference report is a vide, instead of uniting them, and the citizens. strong, bipartisan response that tightens the reason it will do that is because this International law and comity were economic embargo against the Cuban regime bill—in a manner unprecedented in not conceived to protect the corporate and permits us to continue to promote demo- American law—extends the scavengers who are profiting at the ex- cratic change in Cuba. extraterritorial reach of the United pense of the Cuban people, pilfering the I urge the Congress to pass the LIBERTAD States’s jurisdiction. bill in order to send Cuba a powerful message purloined assets of American citizens, that the United States will not tolerate fur- As we go around the world, and I and propping up a bandit regime. ther loss of American life. trust that all of my colleagues would To the extent that this act holds us Sincerely, agree with this, there are very few all to higher standards and defends uni- BILL CLINTON. countries where people say, ‘‘You know versally recognized property rights, we admire the American civil justice international law and the rules of the U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, system. We would like to have class ac- corporate game are improved for the COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, tions, plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees, we better. Washington, DC, March 5, 1996. would like to have all of that system in Second, this act does much more Hon. NEWT GINGRICH, The Speaker, The Capitol, Washington, DC. place for our country.’’ And the reason than stiffen sanctions. It outlines a DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I am writing to you re- is that we have a rather extensive and reasonable course for normalizing rela- garding Section 102 of the Conference Report what most foreign countries consider tions with a democratic Cuba. And, it on H.R. 927, the Cuban Liberty and Demo- onerous rules in our civil justice sys- offers the Cuban people an early help- cratic Solidarity Act of 1996, in which the tem. ing hand in making a peaceful transi- Committee on Ways and Means has a juris- What this bill does is to extend for tion. dictional interest. the first time the right for a private When inevitable change comes to, I Specifically, Section 102 codifies existing citizen, not the Government of the Executive Orders and regulations on the am convinced that no country in the Cuban embargo. This provision falls within United States, but a private citizen to world will do more than ours to help this Committee’s jurisdiction over trade bring the full crushing weight of the the Cuban people—and they will know laws affecting imports and revenues. This American civil justice system, with that we never sold them out. provision was not included in the version of discovery, with delays, with attorneys’ Third, this legislation authorizes im- H.R. 927 that was passed by the House on fees to bear upon a private party of an- mediate United States support for September 21, 1995, but rather was added in other country. Cuban prodemocracy groups and for conference. Now, normally, other country’s citi- the immediate deployment of inter- In order to expedite the consideration of the conference report, I will not object to the zens and corporations follow the rule of national human rights observers and inclusion of Section 102. However, this is international law, which is very impor- election-monitors in Cuba. being done with the understanding that the tant for international commerce. And We simply ask our neighbors in this Committee will be treated without prejudice if you know the law of your own coun- hemisphere to hold Fidel Castro to the as to its jurisdictional prerogatives on such try and you know the law of the coun- same standards that they hold them- or similar provisions in the future, and it try where the investment is located, selves. should not be considered as precedent for you are all right. You will abide by My friends, the day unfettered consideration of matters of jurisdictional in- your own country’s law. You will abide human rights monitors are allowed to terest to the Committee on Ways and Means in the future. by the law of the country where your inspect Castro’s prisons will be one of Thank you for your consideration of this investment is. Castro’s last. matter. With warm personal regards, But in this bill today, a person who Let us not pass up this historic op- Sincerely, in good faith accepted title to property portunity to bring about a peaceful BILL ARCHER, under the laws of the nation where that change in Cuba. I urge my colleagues Chairman. property was located will have to to support this conference report on Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask check not only the laws of that coun- H.R. 927. unanimous consent to yield the bal- try, his or her own laws, but the laws Mr. Speaker, I am including at this ance of my time to the gentleman from of the United States as well. And I note point in the RECORD the March 5, 1996, Indiana [Mr. BURTON], our able chair- particularly to my colleagues on the letter from President Clinton and the man of the Subcommittee on the West- majority that we do today what we March 5, 1996, letter from the distin- ern Hemisphere, and the principal generally abhor: We create a statutory guished chairman of the Committee on House sponsor of this measure, and right for a new legal action, and we Ways and Means, the gentleman from that he be permitted to manage the give attorneys’ fees only to the prevail- Texas [Mr. ARCHER], regarding this balance of the debate on this side. ing plaintiff. We do not give attorneys’ conference report. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there fees to the other side. And many of us, THE WHITE HOUSE, objection to the request of the gen- I am sure, have spoken about the bur- Washington, DC, March 5, 1996. tleman from New York? den of one-sided fee shifting, the abil- Hon. NEWT GINGRICH, There was no objection. ity to haul somebody into court, put Speaker of the House of Representatives, Wash- Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve them to a huge expense, and then say, ington, DC. the balance of my time. ‘‘If I am wrong, I am sorry. You are DEAR MR. SPEAKER: The Cuban regime’s Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield still stuck with your legal fees.’’ That decision on February 24 to shoot down two 5 minutes to the distinguished gen- U.S. civilian planes, causing the deaths of is in this bill, one-sided plaintiff-only tleman from California [Mr. CAMP- three American citizens and one U.S. resi- litigation, attorneys’ fees. BELL]. dent, demanded a firm, immediate response. b 1345 Beginning on Sunday, February 25, I or- (Mr. CAMPBELL asked and was dered a series of steps. As a result of U.S. ef- given permission to revise and extend Now, the problem is that this comes forts, the United Nations Security Council his remarks.) at a time when we need Canada, we H 1738 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 need Australia, we need Western Eu- when we say we will protect the prop- Now, in the first place, the bill limits rope. The only time sanctions have erty of American citizens that was sto- legal recourse in American courts to worked, economic effective sanctions len by a dictatorship, we are protecting people who had property in Cuba dur- have worked, is when we are joined by the rights of American citizens’ prop- ing the Batista dictatorship that was our allies. For over 30 years we have erty, and not the rights of other citi- valued over $50,000 in 1960. There were attempted to isolate Cuba, and our ef- zens from other countries. So this is not many Cubans who had property forts at economic sanctions have failed not an extraterritorial piece of legisla- worth more than $50,000 back in 1960 because they have been only ours and tion. before the revolution. You had to be a not engaged our allies. In title III of Now, the essence of what we are try- member of the Batista regime and in this bill, what we do is guarantee we ing to do is to shatter the arguments of good standing to do so. But what this will not have the support of our allies the opponents of this legislation, that does is to enable people who owned in any action that we intend to bring despite the fact that they supported large property to be able to settle out pressure upon the Castro regime. embargoes against South Africa and of court to get a large share, or at least What is most critical here is to unite Haiti, they now say that we should a significant share, of the profits of and to present to the Cuban Govern- have a policy of helping the regime these rum companies and tobacco firms ment, the Castro regime, a Europe, through trade and through investment currently operating in Cuba. They North America, a Latin America, and in Cuba. It is a double standard that know they are not going to shut down an Asia that say that we will no longer has been rejected by this Congress be- these plants. They don’t necessarily trade in your goods. Instead, what we fore and that is going to be rejected want to shut them down. They want to have is a direct affront to rules of again. It has been rejected by the ad- own them. They know it is cheaper for international law on jurisdiction. ministration as well. these Cuban operations to make an I repeat, there is no precedent for ex- The statement that is going to go out out-of-court settlement to comply with tending American law to investments today, a bipartisan statement, is that this new bill. In fact this bill specifi- made in another country pursuant to with regard to Cuba, just as in the 19th cally states that ‘‘a lawsuit may be laws of that country. Indeed, in 1964, century, the American people are brought and settled without the neces- the Supreme Court of the United standing with the Cuban people against sity of obtaining any license or permis- States ruled in Banco Nacional de Cuba oppression, and are not going to stand sion from any agency of the United versus Sabbatino that American courts with the oppressors of the Cuban peo- States.’’ could not inquire into the legality of ple. Those people will be free. They will That is what this is all about. What the expropriation acts of the Cuban remember who their friends were, and we are going to be doing is propping up Government when done in Cuba. they will remember who stood ignoring many of the people who created the en- Lastly, what we embark upon today them and using double standards in vironment which caused Castro to be has the most serious ramifications for this Congress, like our opponents time able to bring forth the revolution and our hope to infuse investment in East- and time again, despite even murders has enabled him to sustain that revolu- ern Europe. Think about it for a mo- of American citizens in international tion. ment. If today’s law becomes law, if waters continue. That is not what we want. We want title III stays in this law, then anyone I think it is shameful that people, to enact legislation that will help the who invests in Poland, the Czech Re- even after the murder of American citi- real people of Cuba, the butchers and public, or Slovakia, regimes that were zens, still find excuses for Castro, still the bakers and the candlestick makers formerly Communist, will have to find pretenses for Castro, and get up and all the laborers and farmers. The worry that at some point the United here and find excuse after excuse after people who were brutally exploited by States will call into question those in- excuse. the Batista regime. Those are the peo- vestments, because under the exact There is no more excuse for murder, ple we ought to help, and those people same pattern as this law, we extend that is no more excuse for that tyr- are excluded from this legislation. extraterritorially a right of action anny. It is time that the American peo- This legislation prevents the United against someone who traffics or profits ple show their unity, as they are going States President from effectively help- in property located in another regime, to today in this Congress. ing in a transition to democracy and even if it was legal at the time. Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield shuts out America’s values and its peo- I conclude with a plea: We must unite myself 2 minutes. ple from exposure to the Cuban people in opposition all countries that respect Mr. Speaker, from a political stand- and their thirst for the same principles civilized behavior. What happened over point, this makes compelling sense, but and values. the Strait of Florida was not civilized from a substantive foreign policy This is not good foreign policy. It behavior. This bill divides. It does not standpoint, it is nonsense. ought to be defeated on its merits. unite. I urge a no on this bill. Mr. Speaker, this is not the way we Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- won the cold war. This is not the way er, I yield myself 15 seconds. er, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman we tore down the Iron Curtain. We are Mr. Speaker, just to respond to my from Florida, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ- going to be punishing the Cuban peo- colleague, I would say that the oppo- BALART, my distinguished colleague ple, when what we really want to do is nents of this bill asked for the $50,000 and great helper and supporter of this punish an antiquated despot. threshold. We granted it to you and to bill. But there are worse things about this the administration so we could keep a Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, it that need to be brought to light. In the flood of litigation from going into the is really a shame my erudite and Baltimore Sun last May, it was re- courts. So we did what you asked. Then learned legal scholar colleague, the ported that this bill was largely writ- you go to the well and say we are doing gentleman from California [Mr. CAMP- ten by Nick Gutierrez, who represents the wrong thing. We just tried to ac- BELL], is so incorrect in his interpreta- the sugar mill owners and the tobacco commodate you. tion of this legislation. First of all, and industry, and Mr. Ignacio Sanchez, who Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the I heard him before the Committee on represents the Barcardi Rum Co. Their gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. ROS- Rules yesterday where he pointed out competitors operate in Cuba, specifi- LEHTINEN]. that there was unfair treatment of cally the British American Tobacco Co. Ms. ROS–LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I some of the parties, I want to point out [BAT] and Perrot Ricard rum distill- thank the gentleman for yielding me that on page 35 in title III, the provi- ery. time and I thank him for all the help sions of title 28 of the United States What is going to happen here is we he has given to this cause for freedom Code and the Rules of Courts, they are not going to shut down these indus- for the Cuban people. apply under this section to the same tries. What is going to happen is these Mr. Speaker, as the previous speak- extent as those provisions with regard Cuban-American lawyers are going to ers have pointed out, those same allies to any other action. make settlements out of court so they who stood with us against undemo- The point I am trying to make is this can get equity participation in these cratic regimes in Haiti and South Afri- is not an extraterritorial law, and competitor firms. ca and Iraq and many other places have March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1739 decided to turn their backs on Cuba, destiny, and it has not worked for business, all you have done is taken preferring to gain a quick and easy dol- those who wanted to get the Cuban the leader of that country and wrapped lar from the repression against the peo- Government to throw out Fidel Castro him up in the Cuban flag once again as ple on the island. and hang him by his toenails. a nationalist hero. Why? Because you Thankfully, America, a land which Except that this time, Mr. Speaker, are pounding on that little island once has given a second chance to many peo- as has been stated on this floor, it goes again. ple like myself who escaped Com- further. It goes deeper. Now we are So where is the victory? There is no munist tyranny, will once again live up telling our allies that we have no re- victory. I stand here today more than to its reputation as the defender of spect for their own sovereignty. Not ever saying we are wrong. Instead of freedom and human rights in the only do we not have any respect for the doing this, what we should do is tomor- world. Cuban sovereignty, but now we are row begin to find a way to speak to the Mr. Speaker, this legislation going to tell Canada, Mexico, and ev- Cuban Government. And if not on all reasserts our commitment to the eryone else that they must behave the issues, then why not be fair? Cuban people that this Nation will not way we behave. b 1400 engage the Castro dictatorship eco- When the embargo was the simple nomically or politically. It recognizes embargo, as some people would like to When there was an immigration that such an unlawful regime deserves think it is, no one in the world sup- problem we spoke about immigration. our rejection, and it further empha- ported us. Now that it will try to in- Let us talk about air space now. Let us sizes our support for the Cuban people clude even our allies, we think that find out who is telling the truth. It by outlining a framework to assist a Canada and everyone will jump up and might save us from future tragedies. free and democratic transitional gov- say this is a great bill, and HELMS and Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- ernment in my native homeland. BURTON were correct; they can save the er, I yield 1 minute to my distinguished Mr. Speaker, the Committee on world for democracy. colleague, the gentleman from Califor- International Relations recently had Well, our arrogance is such that we nia [Mr. DORNAN]. the opportunity to listen to some of do not care what some of our allies say, Mr. DORNAN. Mr. Speaker, this de- the relatives of the four murdered pi- especially those that used to be our en- bate would be interesting, and the gen- lots, innocent civilians who were bru- emies a few years ago. But it is inter- tleman who just spoke his remarks tally attacked and murdered by the esting to note that the Yeltsin govern- would have resonance if we were not Castro regime. They strongly support ment this morning, or last night, said dealing with a first degree murderer. In even tougher sanctions against the ty- you cannot do this, and we will con- 1974, at a seminar in Virginia, a former rant. This legislation will help reduce tinue to deal with Cuba regardless of ambassador, now long gone to heaven, the immoral investments by sending a what you say, because this is wrong. told me that Castro personally exe- clear message to these foreign inves- The part that no one wants to men- cuted in the parking lot of a movie the- tors: If you traffic in confiscated Amer- tion here, because it is very delicate, is ater with gunshots, himself pulling the ican property in Cuba, you will not be the fact that we are not reacting here trigger, the young man who had beaten able to do business as usual in the to the issue in general. We are reacting him for student union president in the United States. to the downing of two airplanes. And I late forties. I could not believe my Simply stated, those investors who have stood on this floor on various oc- ears. I checked it out with the State wish to invest in Cuba have to make a casions and said that that was an act Department, Library of Congress. It choice between becoming accomplices that we should all condemn. But our appears to be a fact. Again, he has to Castro’s dictatorship or participat- Government knew those planes were killed people in cold blooded murder. ing in the United States market. It is flying over on 25 different occasions, I am just back from Bosnia. I do not unfortunate that many of our allies and we did nothing. And our Govern- care what the Europeans do. They trad- have opposed this legislation, but to ment knew that the person who was ed with Haiphong while we were dying them I ask: How many more have to be heading that group flew without a li- for freedom in all of Southeast Asia. I harrassed, arrested or killed before you cense on a couple of occasions, includ- do not care what anybody does. Our stop helping the Cuban tyrant? Again, ing this last one, where they had to country has to do what is right, and to our allies: How many more have to turn back. Castro is a first degree murderer. If we give their lives to free their homeland We had removed that person’s license want to hand him a baseball bat like before you desist in engaging in com- because we confirmed that that group Dan Rather of CBS and an elite party merce and financing Castro’s com- flew over Cuba last July, buzzed the in Manhattan, then you are an acces- munist dictatorship? To our allies, join Capitol building, and dropped half a sory in encouraging this first degree with us in helping to establish freedom million leaflets. That is why we are murderer. He has ordered people beaten and democracy to the enslaved and op- here today. We are not here today and to death with baseball bats. pressed people of Cuba. the President is not on board because What an absurd debate. Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 our desire to bring down the Castro Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New government has changed. We are here minutes to the gentleman from New York [Mr. SERRANO]. today because the Florida primaries York [Mr. RANGEL]. (Mr. SERRANO asked and was given are coming soon, and because people (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his re- have to play up to that whole situa- permission to revise and extend his re- marks.) tion. marks.) Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is That is sad, Mr. Speaker. For these Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I hate to very troubling when you come to the kinds of comments people like me take say this is a political piece of legisla- well and speak and have the full real- a lot of heat. But it has to be said, be- tion for fear of offending my friends, so ization that nothing you say will fi- cause the truth shall set everybody please look into the Federal Election nally sway the vote. This bill will pass free, and maybe we need to be free as Commission, and ignore all of these and the President will sign it, because much as other people in the Caribbean campaign contributions that are pour- the President has been advised that need to be free. ing in here to Members that have Miami has votes that he can pick up. I Tonight we will stand up and say we taken the position that now is the time will support him in New York, and he are tough. We will continue to deal to get the murderer through locking up has a lot of votes in New York. But he with China, but we are tough on Cuba. the people in Cuba. For those people has no votes in Miami, and that is the We will deal with Vietnam, but we will that are offended because someone sug- travesty of this situation. be tough on Cuba. We are going to gests that it might be political, let me What we have here is more of the meet with North Korea, but we are make it clear. The fact that the only same. It is more of a policy that has tough on Cuba. Democratic opponent I had in a pri- not worked. It has not worked for those If you really wanted to make a mary in the last 25 years, that 85 per- of us who feel that the Cubans should change in the Cuban Government from cent of his campaign funds came out of be left alone to determine their own afar, which I think it is none of our Miami, hey, that is not political, and I H 1740 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 challenge people who would even think After the Democratic victories in No- (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given that. vember, come, can we not talk to- permission to revise and extend his re- But let us get down to the merits. We gether? marks.) are outraged at murder. The Speaker is Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I reluc- gone; he was here. What do we do about er, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman tantly get up here and oppose most of it? Hold the people of Cuba American from New Jersey [Mr. TORRICELLI], my my Florida colleagues and people who I hostage and tell them that they have colleague who has done so much work think mean to be right but, unfortu- to fly over Cuba and put pamphlets in this area. nately, their solution is wrong. Let me down there in order to get Americans’ Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. Speaker, I put it in some perspective. attention? Cut off food, cut off trade, want to thank my colleague, the gen- If my colleagues had come here 34 cut off relationships with the people in tleman from Indiana, Chairman BUR- years ago, as I was privileged to do, Cuba because we do not like the bum TON, for yielding me time on what and listened on this floor and in this that is running it? Are we in love with should be the proudest day of his con- well, my colleagues would have heard whoever runs China? As my colleagues gressional career. The gentleman has the same speeches made then as we do know, what are we going to do there; done great service to the United States now. Every day more than half of the 1- put an embargo on China, on North and to the people of Cuba by bringing minute speeches were devoted to Vietnam or North Korea? No. There are this legislation forward, and he has my trashing Castro and the Cuban Govern- no votes in the United States for those congratulations. ment, and in that same session of Con- people. My colleagues know it and I I never thought, however, Mr. Speak- gress we passed every looney law that know it. er, that I would hear a day when Mem- one can think of, and most of them are They sure got my President’s atten- bers of Congress would come to the still on the books. In fact, they are all tion; let us see what we can do now floor while the bodies of four Ameri- still on the books. with these Republican candidates. Let cans are still lost in the Straits of I tried to isolate Cuba and tried to us get it on their agenda, and let me Florida, having been murdered by Fidel bring down Castro through American congratulate the authors of this his- Castro, talking about consideration for law. I made those speeches, I voted for toric piece of legislation. I thought it Canadian investors, worrying about those laws, I have come to the conclu- was born dead. But the courage of four European corporations while there are sion that they were a mistake. Americans out of Miami has not only still hundreds of American corpora- What has happened is that we have given it new life, it has shattered rea- tions whose property was stolen from empowered Castro to make a villain son and common sense as relates to them and is being resold; consideration out of the United States, and by trade and foreign policy. for the Canadian investors, worrying villainizing us he has been able to ac- Let me say this. This is a done deal. about the Spanish companies, quire the political clout that he needs We cannot do anything about it. But do extraterritoriality. to keep the kind of control he has had me a favor. Tell our brave Cuban Amer- People are going to American courts in Cuba. We would have been far wiser icans in Miami do not risk any more under this bill, I would say to the gen- and much more successful had we not lives, mission accomplished, they were tleman from California [Mr. Campbell], isolated Cuba and the Cuban people, brave enough to take the gamble, they because the Cuban courts are unavail- and we continued to work with them, won, they won, the bill is here, no one able. If they could get their grievances to listen to them, to trade with them, challenges it, the President. Every- redressed in Cuban courts for the last and to have commerce with then. The thing that was bad about this bill, four 30 years, they would have gone there. tourism that we enjoyed with each murderers now have corrected it. Wow, They would have gone there. They can- other, the fruits and vegetables that is that a legislative history. not. So we are opening ours up. came from the island, all of those But if people are breaking our laws, Consideration for our European al- things; we would have been better off, breaking international law, flying over lies? If this were an island in the Medi- and the Cubans would have been better a country, and we would know it, and terranean, 35 years later, hundreds of off, and Castro would have long been we condone it, and we do not stop them people in jail, planes being shot down gone from power had we done that. from saving their own lives, that is off our coast, do my colleagues think This law, as well-intended as it is, is morally wrong. Are we saying that if we would be silent? As allies, we would not going to work. There is a good these pilots want to go off in a storm have been there demanding elections chance that it will boomerang on us. against their best interests that we and freedom and taking a stand. Now The mistakes we made, mistakes that cannot stop them? Let us hope that we are asked to have consideration for we made here in law, are copied over these courageous acts of these people our European allies. and over again, and this could hurt us who were shot out of the sky are not If America stands alone for freedom more than it will ever hurt Castro. mimicked by other people who believe in Cuba, for the rights of our own citi- Please vote no. we have to take it one step further. zens against the jails and the torture, Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- Oh, I know there are some of my col- then America has never been in better er, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman leagues waiting for the invasion, and if company. from South Carolina [Mr. SANFORD]. we send that signal that we are ready This legislation is the final in a se- Mr. SANFORD. Mr. Speaker, during to go in like Haiti and we are ready to ries of acts in uniting this Congress on this discussion we have heard a lot of do whatever we can do, we may have 4 a bipartisan basis and making clear to debate, and the problem with that de- more pilots saying let us do it at least the people of Cuba there is no rec- bate is that it has been filled with between now and the general election. onciliation with Fidel Castro, there is Washington voices. If there is anything We made mistakes; we will make oth- no compromise, it is time to bring the that we have learned, it is that Wash- ers. dictatorship to a close, and we do this ington does not know best. So I think I am not nearly as concerned as I ap- as we did against South Africa with the missing ingredient in this discus- pear to be because this law is written apartheid, as we do today against sion is, what is it the Cuban people liv- so poorly we cannot even enforce it. Libya and Iraq, by using our economic ing in Cuba think? And in testimony They are not going to be angry with leverage. after testimony with the gentleman us, my colleague, the gentleman from Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a co- from Indiana, Chairman BURTON, what California [Mr. CAMPBELL], not our al- sponsor of this bill. I congratulate by we have heard is that the people at lies. They are going to feel sorry for us. bipartisan colleagues and the President home in Cuba think that the way that No great Nation like ours can have the of the United States for offering his we solve this problem is not by sending arrogance to tell some other country signature, and to the gentleman from tourist dollars to prop up Fidel Castro, what they can do with their foreign Indiana [Mr. BURTON], on this good not by allowing investment dollars to trade. And the whole idea that this is day. go in and prop up Fidel Castro, but going to be something to bring down Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield rather by tightening the embargo. Castro is one that I do not think the 2 minutes to the distinguished gen- In this case I think we should listen authors believe. tleman from Florida [Mr. GIBBONS]. to those voices. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1741 Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield Mr. Speaker, some who are opposed Key West, FL, I am closer to Havana 2 minutes to the distinguished gen- to this legislation argue, against all than I am to Miami. I live about 40 tleman from California [Mr. MILLER]. evidence, that conciliation and ap- miles north of Miami. Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. peasement will liberalize the Castro re- This is not an esoteric philosophical Speaker, I thank the gentleman for gime, when 35 years of history has issue in south Florida. This truly is a yielding me time. proved exactly the opposite. The down- local issue, because we have a better Mr. Speaker, the Cuban Government ing of those airplanes shows that Fidel sense, I think, than most of this coun- committed a reprehensible and tragic Castro cares only about his power and try, unfortunately, of what is going on act when it decided to shoot down two only about the maintenance of his cor- in an evil empire 90 miles from our civilian airplanes flown by the Cuban- rupt regime. It was the pretext he was shore, an empire that really is in the American organization Brothers to the looking for to crack down on Concilio world’s Hall of Fame of atrocities Rescue last month. And I send my con- Cubano and other democratic organiza- today, not yesterday, not just killing dolences to the families of the victims. tions that were beginning to flower four Americans and planes, but tortur- The shootdown was a tragedy in so within Cuba. It was not the fault of the ing and killing the civilians that live many ways. It could and should have U.S. Government. It was not the fault in their own country. That is the em- been avoided. of the Americans who flew those pire that is 90 miles from our shore. The Cubans could have taken alter- planes. It was the fault of Fidel Castro, What does this bill do? This bill spe- nate steps. But they specifically had who insisted on perpetuating his dicta- cifically gives a legal right of action to warned the United States and Brothers torship. Americans whose property was taken that this would happen. The group and Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the illegally. That is the substance of this the administration did not heed those President has agreed to sign this legis- bill. The thrust behind it is to prevent warnings. The United States failed to lation, but I am disappointed that he other people, other nationals in other prevent the group from continuing its has asked for the power to waive its countries, from investing in Cuba, to flights of fancy and I believe the group key provisions. I urge the President, do try to end the empire that exists deliberately ventured into hostile ter- not waive these provisions. The time today. The investments of Canadians, ritory to provoke a U.S. reaction. has come to be tough with Fidel Cas- of Spaniards, have not changed the em- The shootdown was a tragedy as well tro. We know appeasement does not pire, the evil empire in Cuba. It goes on because but for that tragic action this work. We know only firmness will. today with their investments. legislation would not have won the last Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield What we need to do is we need to strangle those investments. We need to support that it needed. And the legisla- 1 minute to the distinguished gentle- end those investments, and let the peo- tion is wrong. Instead, we should con- woman from Connecticut [Ms. ple of Cuba know that there is hope, tinue to open United States policy to- DELAURO]. that the dictatorship, that the Castro ward Cuba—for the benefit of Cuban- Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, I would Americans, for American businesses, like to know where the outrage of some dictatorship which is holding on by its fingernails is going to end, and that and for regional peace, and, yes, de- of my colleagues was when the United this Congress, the center of hope and mocracy. States supported the Khmer Rouge and democracy and freedom in the world, is But now Congress is poised to leap when the Khmer Rouge killed 1.2 mil- backward today as it considers the so- part of that effort. lion Cambodians. I guess the Cam- Mr. Speaker, I am sure that my col- called Cuban Liberty Act. bodians do not vote in large numbers in We should not do that. leagues in a short time will join me, this country. both Democrats and Republicans Mr. Speaker, this legislation was Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition wrong before the shootdown happened throughout the country, in acknowl- today to this bill. I oppose this bill, edging that we want freedom in Cuba, and it remains wrong today. even though I know that it has support The shootdown has not provided a we want a free society, a free economy, in this Congress. I oppose this bill even single justification for a policy that a freedom of thought, a freedom of ac- though I strongly condemn the Castro even the administration that now em- tion that this bill will be part of creat- government’s brutal murder of civilian braces it had just recently denounced. ing. Americans in the Florida Straits. I op- It is extremely likely that America I can think of nothing that I am pose this bill even though I strongly will be cited for trade violations over prouder of as part of my legislative ca- support freedom and democracy for the this act. reer than to have been part of the And Fidel Castro, after having out- Cuban people. adoption, the drafting, and hopefully I oppose this bill because it is an un- lived over 35 years of U.S. embargo, now, very shortly, the passage of this workable solution to an intractable surely will not back down in his re- bill. problem. The legislation would clog maining years because of additional Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield our Nation’s courts with unenforceable embargoes. United States hostility to 2 minutes to the distinguished gentle- new claims against foreign govern- Cuba in fact has been his political sav- woman from New York [Ms. ments, companies, and individuals. It VELA´ ZQUEZ]. ior. ´ Do not listen to those who say that a creates a quagmire of inflexibility Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise vote against this bill is a vote for Fidel which we will come to regret when today to express my strong opposition Castro. That is McCarthyism. needed change comes to Cuba. It would to the conference report, not just be- Denounce Cuba in the United Na- harm America’s important relation- cause this is the wrong bill, but it is tions, yes. But summon the courage to ships with our sister democracies the wrong bill at the wrong time. No vote against this bill. abroad. It sets a dangerous precedent one will deny that last week’s tragedy Vote against this bill because it is of rash action instead of reasoned and is truly regrettable, but I will urge my bad policy. Vote against this bill be- deliberate progress. colleagues to respond in a level-headed cause it violates international trade Let us not do serious damage to our manner, not with a reflex policy for the law and will be an international embar- own national interest in response to moment. rassment for the United States. Vote atrocities which we universally abhor Tightening a 35-year embargo will against this bill, my colleagues, be- and condemn. Vote against this con- only cause more pain to these innocent cause it is contrary to our best inter- ference report. people. Under the current embargo the ests. Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- human cost has already been too high. er, I am happy to yield 2 minutes to my Cubans cannot even get basic neces- b 1415 colleague, the gentleman from Florida sities like food and medicine. How Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- [Mr. DEUTSCH]. much more pain do we have to inflict er, I am happy to yield 1 minute to my Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in on these people before it is enough? colleague, the gentleman from New support of this bipartisan effort to After more than 3 decades, we should Jersey [Mr. ZIMMER]. change the direction of the dictator- be ready to admit that this embargo Mr. ZIMMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank ship in Cuba. My district represents has failed miserably. The Castro gov- my colleague for yielding time to me. the Florida Keys, and when I stand in ernment has survived the storm. The H 1742 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 average Cuban looks at Fidel as a hero, the families of those killed would be 121 Democrats who have joined with us and the United States Government as compensated. and the President in striking a blow for the enemy. Nobody wants a repeat of The downing of the planes was an in- democracy and striking a blow against last week, but today’s action will fur- excusable action by the Cuban authori- the Castro regime. I want to answer ther isolate and deprive the Cuban peo- ties, and I believe that President Clin- some of the issues. This question of ple, increasing tensions and setting the ton was right to initiate an immediate extraterritoriality, under the Cuban stage for another violent crisis. and direct response. Democracy Act everybody acknowl- As world leaders, we should extend a This is a very emotional situation edges that, and many people voted for peaceful hand and keep dialog between and the immediate reaction is to strike it in this House who oppose this today. our two countries open. It is time we back, but that is the wrong reaction. It The fact of the matter is that under live by our humanitarian ideals and is wrong to define our long-term rela- that act we heard all these issues from stop playing the bully. If we are serious tionship on the basis of this tragic inci- Canada and Mexico and everybody else, about democracy, then more dialog, dent. Passage of the Helms-Burton bill that in fact this was extraterritorial. not an embargo, is the answer. is a shortsighted, irrational response to What is the relationship today? We en- Mr. Speaker, we must not allow heat- this international incident. tered into the most significant trade ed passion to blind us. This bill leads This legislation will not topple Cas- agreement with Canada and Mexico, us down the same wrong path we have tro, this legislation will only tie the and they are trading with us, and so followed for 3 decades. I urge my col- hands of President Clinton and in- much, I think, for the comment. leagues to vote ‘‘no’’ on this conference crease the pain and suffering of the This is not about trade. Someone report. We must learn to look before Cuban people. said this is about trade. No, this is we legislate. In my opinion, this legislation not about trafficking intentionally in ille- Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- only violates international law, it pun- gally confiscated properties of U.S. er, I am very happy to yield 1 minute ishes our international allies by at- citizens and U.S. companies. Canadians to our colleague, the gentleman from tempting to force them to comply with are arguing for their citizens and their interests and their rights. I am coming Rhode Island [Mr. KENNEDY], who has our 34-year-old embargo. An embargo been a big help on this bill. that has not worked. This legislation here to argue for American citizens and Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. will allow Cuban-Americans to use American businesses and their rights. I Speaker, I would like to take a little United States courts to sue foreign am not going to get up here and start exception with talk that has been companies who invest in properties arguing for other countries. The fact of the matter is that if you heard around here a lot about ‘‘let us that were confiscated by the Castro know that that property was not le- not act in heated passion.’’ Why should government. While emotionally justifi- gally yours, and you are willing to buy we not react in heated passion when able, it infringes upon our allies’ sov- it even though you know it was stolen human rights abuses are being seen in ereignty, and possibly violates our from somebody else, you are in receipt Cuba, 90 miles off our shore? Why trade agreements. of stolen property. If you want to do Helms-Burton would limit the au- should we not react in passion when that, fine, then take the risk. And we Fidel Castro knowingly gives the mili- thority of the President to alter or lift do this prospectively, so you know that tary orders for two civilian aircraft parts of the embargo—even for strict you are going to have to continue to with American citizens on board to be humanitarian purposes—by Executive traffic in the property or purchase shot down over international waters? decree. The Executive orders which properties in the future. I am passionate about that, and I am make up our policy on Cuba become Title III has a suspension authority passionate about human rights abuse frozen into law. If the President sought for the President of all the hobgoblins in Cuba. A lot of people have said that to ease restrictions on Cuba in re- we have heard about come to reality. the embargo that was first instituted sponse to democratic changes, he The President, in his letter to all of us, by President Kennedy has not worked. would only be able to do so with con- said, he asked the administration to There is a good explanation for that. gressional approval. work vigorously with the Congress to The Soviet Union used to subsidize We all know that the Cuban economy set aside our remaining differences and Castro’s regime for the last 30-odd is suffering. Cuba is forced to pay a reach rapid agreement on the Libertad years. That is no longer the case. That premium for importing staple foods for Act. Last week we achieved that objec- is why Fidel Castro is looking for for- its people. Medicines are in short sup- tive. The conference report is ‘‘* * * a eign investment to help prop up his ply, causing health care delivery to strong bipartisan response that dictatorial regime and further oppress crumble. Is this what we really want tightens the economic embargo against the people. Make no mistake about it, for the Cuban people? Is this how our the Cuban regime and permits us to the reason why this bill is so important democracy should operate? continue to promote democratic right now is because he needs foreign Engaging Cuba, increasing dialog, change in Cuba.’’ investment now more than he did be- and pressuring for increased human Last, let me just say that if Members fore. rights and democratic reform is the are proud of China’s record of prison Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to best way to genuinely democratize camps, slave labor, dissident jailings, support this bill. It is bipartisan. The Cuba and improve relations with one of 20 years later after our relationships President supported it. I am in strong our closest neighbors. and our investments, if they are proud support of this bill. Passage of Helms-Burton will only of the Canadian and Mexican and Span- Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield deepen the rift between our two coun- ish investments in Cuba over the last 11⁄2 minutes to the distinguished gen- tries and cause further suffering of the several years that have produced no de- tleman from Washington [Mr. very people we are trying to help. mocracy, that have produced greater MCDERMOTT]. Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- repression, and that have kept the re- (Mr. MCDERMOTT asked and was er, I yield 3 minutes to my colleague, gime afloat, then they should vote given permission to revise and extend the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. against the bill. his remarks.) MENENDEZ], who has been a tremendous But if in fact what Members want to Mr. MCDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, on help on this bill. do is what I believe the overwhelming Sunday, February 25, most of us picked (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was Members of this House already by the up our morning paper to read that two given permission to revise and extend rule vote and in past votes want to do, planes, piloted by Cuban-Americans, his remarks.) to strike a blow for democracy and had been shot down near Cuba. This un- Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I strike, in fact, a blow on behalf of the fortunate incident was appropriately thank the distinguished chairman of Cuban people and against the Castro denounced by both President Clinton the subcommittee, and congratulate regime, they will be voting with us on and the U.N. Security Council. him on his bill, which I have helped co- this bill. In addition to this initial response, author. Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield the President quickly imposed several Mr. Speaker, let me thank my 347 fel- 1 minute to gentleman from California restrictions on Cuba and ensured that low Members of this House, including [Mr. BECERRA]. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1743 Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, I thank sues when we had the embargo against a fellow who defeated him in a college the gentleman for yielding time to me. South Africa, they took a different po- race for student body president, and Mr. Speaker, first let us all agree sition. There is no consistency in their Castro shot him to death. That is the that what happened a week ago that arguments. kind of guy we are talking about. He is took the lives of several Americans was When Castro took power, Cuba had a horrible human being, one that regrettable and should not have hap- the highest standard of living in Latin should not be in power, especially not pened, but it is always bad policy when America. Today it is the lowest, not for 35 years. you try to achieve political ends because of the United States embargo, Two years ago, on the high seas, he through economic means, especially because for the past 35 years they have had his Cuban Navy pull up alongside a when they are indirect economic been propped up by the Soviet Union, tugboat with people on it who were means. but because of Castro’s Communist fleeing to freedom. Women were hold- The actual three and one-half-dec- government control policies that do ing their babies above their heads, and ade-old embargo against Cuba is a per- not work. He is the one that has been he ordered his Navy to wash them off fect example of why we cannot achieve hurting the Cuban people, not the the decks with power hoses. The that through an economic embargo. United States and not the embargo, be- women took the babies, the children, The Castro government remains, and cause the embargo had no teeth in it into the hold of the tugboat, and Cas- the only people who have been hurt are until 3 years ago. tro brought his navy ship alongside. the people of Cuba, the women and Somebody said that the OAS was not They directed the hoses into the hold children of Cuba. What we are doing with us on this. The fact of the matter and they sunk that ship, that tugboat, through this bill is using our economic is Castro has been excommunicated and killed those women and children might to bully our international allies from the Organization of American like rats. and friends to do what we think is best, States because of his actions, because This is the kind of government you even though the entire international of his exporting of revolution. guys want to do business with, and my community has spoken against this My colleagues have said, you know, colleagues’ answer is, well, the way to type of embargo. we are going to penalize people who in- work with Castro is to open up trade vest in Cuba and have invested in Cuba. b 1430 and do business with him, that will This is a prospective bill. People who solve the problem. Really? Do you real- Indeed, even Canada, our northern have already bought confiscated U.S. ly believe that? We have opened up neighbor, our great friend, has said it property will not be penalized unless trade with Communist China. It has will take us to international court to they buy more American property. So not changed the Communist regime say that this is a means, a barrier if they have already got property down over there. We have opened up trade against free trade throughout the there, they are not going to fall under with Communist Vietnam. That has world. This is not the way to do things. this bill. not changed anything. Let us address what happened last But people who buy confiscated And here we are, 90 miles from our week in the taking of several American American property in the future are border they are shooting down planes lives, but let us not try to mix the going to be penalized because there with innocent Americans in them, in things up that we have here today and will be a cause of action in U.S. courts international air space, and we are sup- say that because some people died, re- unless suspended by the President. posed to say we are going to solve this grettably, that now we should institute And, No. 2, anybody that traffics in problem by doing business with him. a policy that will ultimately take the confiscated U.S. property will not be Baloney. The way you deal with Fidel lives of many people in a country able to get a visa to come to the United Castro, since he is on his last legs, is do called Cuba though politically we may States. not let him have the hard dollars that disagree with what is going on with the They know full well, the Canadians, he needs to stay in power, and that is government. This is not the way to do the Spanish and everybody else, they what this bill does. it. We should focus where we should. know that this bill takes effect on the This bill will force him from power, I Let us not create bad policy because a date of enactment, and if they buy really believe that, in the next 2 or 3 bad situation occurred. property that is taken away from years, and then the people of Cuba will Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- Americans, stolen from Americans by have freedom, democracy, and human er, I yield myself such time as I may Fidel Castro, they know what they are rights because there is going to be consume. getting into. So I have no sympathy for about $3 or $4 billion invested very Mr. Speaker, the reason I waited those people who want to buy con- quickly, and they will have the free- until near the end of the debate to take fiscated, stolen American property to dom that they wanted all these years. my time is because, as is always the give Castro the hard currency that he Get out of here, Castro. We want you case, there is a lot of misinformation needs to stay in power. gone. We want freedom, democracy, that takes place in this debate and I Now, a lot of my colleagues say, you and human rights throughout this wanted to make sure I clarified these know, we ought to do business with hemisphere, and you are the last hold- arguments. this guy, especially since Boris Yeltsin out. First of all, a lot of my colleagues says we should. Well, Russia and the Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of have said we are going to hurt the peo- Soviet Union have been supporting my time. ple of Cuba. When Castro has a foreign Castro all along, so that does not sur- Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield investor invest in Cuba, the money prise me, but the facts of the matter 1 minute to the distinguished gen- that is paid by the employees of that are these: Castro has exported com- tleman from California [Mr. CAMP- firm goes to Castro. Let us say that munist revolution in Africa, in Central BELL]. they get $400 a month. Castro gets the America, in South Africa where Che Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. Speaker, when- $400 a month and then he pays them in Guevara was killed. He has exported ever an economic sanction has worked the local currency, $400 of that local communism wherever he could. He is a in our history, whether it be South Af- currency. But the exchange rate is 700 committed revolutionary and he still rica, Haiti, Iraq, or even worked in to 1, which means the average Cuban is believes. part, it is because our allies have making less than $5 a month. That Castro has killed innocent agreed with it. What we do today alien- We cannot hurt those poor people human beings. He has put thousands ates our allies at a time when we need much worse than Castro has hurt them. and thousands of people in his Com- them most. The embargo is not going to hurt the munist gulags. If you want to know It is not out of any concern for inves- Cuban people. Castro has murdered the how they are treated, read Armando tors in Canada or investors in Spain Cuban people economically, and lit- Valderas’ book ‘‘Against All Hope’’ and that I rise in opposition to title III of erally in many cases. it will tell you very clearly how he this bill. It is precisely because I want And I would like to say to my col- treats people who disagree with him. to put pressure on Fidel Castro’s Cuba. leagues who opposed the embargo, My colleague, the gentleman from But I know that the only way to put ef- when we talked about these same is- California [Mr. DORNAN], talked about fective pressure, whether it be a sugar H 1744 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 embargo, a tobacco embargo, limited so important, if it is the heart of the to Cuba and Castro is gone, there are sanctions or a total quarantine, is bill, then why just give it away with a provisions in the bill for the United when we have our trading partners and waiver to the President of the United States to help aid in the transition to our allies with us. States? democracy. So we are not going to be Today, for the first time in the his- Incidentally, that title III defends on the sidelines, Mr. Hamilton. We are tory of American jurisprudence, we are only the interests of the rich, only the going to be in there helping the Cuban applying a law not to goods that come fellow who has a very large claim. The people. into our country, not to acts that hap- poor small claim holder is not going to Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he pen within our country, but to goods get any remedy from this bill. This bill may consume to the gentleman from and acts that are outside of our coun- is going to shore up Castro, not bring California [Mr. TORRES]. try. However great our outrage, that is him down. It enables him to do what he (Mr. TORRES asked and was given not American jurisprudence. That is has done so effectively for 30 years, and permission to revise and extend his re- extraterritoriality. It drives our allies that is to fan the flames of national- marks.) away at a time we need them most. ism, to put all of the blame for the Mr. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield mess he has made of Cuba onto the the conference report on H.R. 927. myself the balance of my time. United States, so it plays into his I am grateful to my colleague, the gen- Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to hands. tleman from Indiana [Mr. BURTON] for this op- the conference report. I think there We ought to be targeting our policy portunity to explain why the passage of H.R. should be no doubt that after the rep- not at Castro and what is bad for Cas- 927 would be, in my opinion, not only a grave rehensible actions by Mr. Castro and tro. The policy of the United States policy mistake by this body, but, would set in the regime, there is no disagreement should be aimed at what is good for the motion actions which would deliberately inflict among us here. We condemn that. Cuban people. This bill, this conference upon the Cuban people suffering and depriva- The difference here is the best way to report, puts us at odds with all of our tion. Yes, we all deplore the incident of the respond and how best to bring an end friends and allies, and it deeply offends downing of Americans flying provocative flights to his regime. We knew that Fidel Cas- them. The conference report departs over Cuban airspace but, they were warned tro was a reprehensible thug 3 weeks from the proven and sound U.S. poli- countless times to desist. This legislation will ago. We knew that he was 30 years ago. cies that we have used in other areas of not correct that situation. There is no change in that. He remains the world. At worst, this legislation is a cruel attempt so today, but his recent actions should Mr. Speaker, let me conclude, the by Members in both bodiesÐwho are still not change how we define or pursue the conference report is going to increase fighting the cold warÐto provoke civil disorder U.S. national interest. the isolation of Cuba and its people. It in Cuba. Today we need to send a wake-up I think this bill that is before us is a is going to skew U.S. policy from the call to those cold warriors in our midstÐthe huge mistake, and I believe that for present course of promoting peaceful cold war has ended. We wonÐremember. several reasons. First of all, as a mat- change. It is going to put the United What threat does the Government of Cuba ter of policy, it picks isolation over en- States on the sidelines when this tran- present to the territory or people of the United gagement. By increasing Cuba’s isola- sition is underway in Cuba. It creates States which would justify unleashing further tion and by squeezing the Cuban peo- an unprecedented right for those who pain and suffering and, I would warn, possible ple, the conference report risks a vio- had property confiscated in Cuba to sue bloodshed, among the people of Cuba. lent upheaval in Cuba and increases in United States courts. It hands Cas- The United States is the only world super- the risk of a massive flow of refugees. tro a deck of nationalist cards that he power. Our military might dwarfs that of the I understand that now is not the time will play with consummate skill, and it combined armies and navies of Europe and to lift the embargo. Bad deeds should contravenes U.S. international com- certainly of the Americas. We maintain an not be rewarded. But ultimately the mitments and antagonizes our closest armed, military presence, on the Island of engagement of the Cuban people in allies and trading partners. CubaÐhow many of you appreciate this re- trade and contacts with Cuba will open This conference report is a mistake. ality. the door to a free Cuba. I say to my It is a huge mistake for this country to This country maintains an armed, military friend on the other side of the aisle make because it locks in the President base on Cuba's southern coast. The United that the most distinguished foreign of the United States in the conduct of States controls 45 square miles of southern policy spokesman of the Republican American policy towards Cuba. I urge a Cuba, including a harbor, naval docking and Party in the last generation was Presi- vote against it. ship repair facilities ordinance, supplies and dent Richard Nixon, and he believed Mr. BROWN of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, administrative facilitiesÐwe even have two that the isolation policy of the Cuban I yield myself 1 minute. water distillation plants. people was the wrong policy. Mr. Speaker, Castro is in trouble. He This U.S. military base includes both a I also believe that this conference re- just rounded up the human rights ac- naval and an air station. Over allÐthe United port is going to tie the hands of the tivists and the people who oppose him. States military has a base right inside of Cuba President in knots. I understand that He put hundreds of them in prison just which is three-quarter the total land area of he accepts this bill but I think that is recently. the District of Columbia. One of the stated a mistake. The conference report re- My colleague said that there is no military missions for our base in Cuba is to stricts the ability of the United States guts in this bill except for title III. serve as beachhead in case the United States to respond to changing conditions in Title IV prohibits people who traffic in decides to invade the Island. Cuba. The transition from a Com- confiscated American property from It costs the American taxpayer over $45 mil- munist government to a free govern- getting visas to come to the United lion a year to maintain this military base. Now, ment is not going to be easy. We have States of America, so they are going to it looks to me like the military threat is re- learned that time and time again. have to choose: Do they want to do versedÐit appears to me that this Island pre- What this bill does is, it freezes us out business with Castro or the United sents no military or strategic threat to the terri- of the action at the very time that we States? I believe they are going to tory of the United States. want to be engaged, when we want to want to do business with the United Why then are we considering legislation influence events in Cuba. States. That is going to dry up hard which appears to some to be designed to With regard to title III, the gen- currency for Castro. make economic and social conditions in Cuba tleman from California [Mr. CAMPBELL] You folk on that side of the aisle, the so difficult for the average citizens, that these has explained that very well, but let people who oppose this bill, wanted difficulties would create civic disorder, which me just make this observation. My that $50,000 limit to make sure that we would then provoke the Castro government to friends who are proponents of this bill would not have the courts flooded with take measures against its population, which have said over and over again, title III litigation. The fact of the matter is, will result in increased violence and disorder is the heart of the bill. But you know you asked for it, you got it, now you on the Island, which will be used as a pretext what they did? They gave it away. are complaining about it. for US military intervention. They gave away title III with the waiv- And, finally, when there is a transi- At best, this legislation will have no effect er to the President. If in fact title III is tion, when democracy starts to come upon the Cuban Government's hold on power, March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1745 but will reveal to the international community those corporations and individuals who cur- parts of the world and somehow magi- the mindset of United States elected officialsÐ rently occupy and profit from those properties; cally appearing, bearded, in uniform, who are so trapped, by old ways of thinking Corporate executives who purchase con- and prepared to talk about baseball, and by false pride, that they would act against fiscated U.S. properties will have their visas to just a wonderfully pleasant, interesting a foreign government which poses no threat or the United States revoked. Foreign business person standing in the church pulpit, danger to the national security of the United executives who invest in Cuba after the pas- and, oh, by the way, forget the prisons, States of America. sage of this legislation will be subject to the forget the secret police, forget the tor- b 1445 same punitive action; and ture, forget the murders, forget the To encourage democratic change, humani- dictatorship, forget the poverty, forget Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- tarian and military transition assistance will be the willingness to take on anyone and er, I yield 30 seconds to my colleague, provide to a future Cuban Government that is drive them out of Cuba, because after the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. committed to democracy. all he is such an interesting, char- MEEK]. Mr. Speaker, just as we helped the people ismatic figure. And so, for the last cou- (Mrs. MEEK of Florida asked and was of South Africa, and the people of Haiti, we ple years, life has gotten harder be- given permission to revise and extend must help the people of Cuba in the time of cause with the fall of the Berlin Wall, her remarks.) their greatest need. with the collapse of the Soviet Empire, Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I Castro is desperately clinging to power. He the subsidies are gone. The money is am one of the cosponsors of the Helms- must be cut off, not thrown a lifetime. I believe not there. The military protection is Burton bill, and I have every strong ra- that the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Soli- not there. tionale to do so. I know what the darity Act will greatly hasten the fall of Fidel Suddenly, the Castro dictatorship Cuban people have experienced. I have Castro's dictatorship. was beginning to weaken. And now seen them from 1960 to 1961. And Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the Fidel had a new line. He said to the Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the timeÐin the near futureÐwhen I can greetÐ younger Cuban bureaucracy, ‘‘Stick conference agreement on the Libertad billÐ here in this CapitolÐthe democratically elect- with me. I will manipulate the Ameri- the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity ed President of a free Cuba, as I have the cans. I will manage the transition. I ActÐwhich will tighten the embargo against democratically elected Presidents of a free will manipulate the European Union. I Castro and his barbaric regime. South Africa and a free Haiti. will find the money. And in the end I I am an original cosponsor of this bill, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this am still going to be here.’’ And sadly, I am pleased that President Clinton will sign it bill. from the Clinton administration and into law when it reaches his desk. Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- from others, there were signals that From time to time, we are called upon to er, I yield the balance of my time to maybe Fidel could pull it off. There take strong action against evil in the world. the distinguished Speaker, the gen- were signals that maybe America was We took strong action against apartheid in tleman from Georgia [Mr. GINGRICH]. going to cave. South Africa. We took strong action against a Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank Business leaders went down to Cuba murderous dictatorship in Haiti. Today, Mr. my friend, the gentleman from Indiana, and began to praise the great opportu- Speaker, we have the opportunity to take for yielding to me. nities the dictatorship offered. Oh, you strong and decisive action against the evil of I am delighted to have a chance to might have to build that hotel near a Fidel Castro. share with the House some thoughts on prison camp, but what the heck, there By now, every American knows of the mur- the conference report on H.R. 927, will be profits. We began do have Mem- derous attack by Cuban Mig fighters only 11 which I really see as a freedom con- bers of Congress go down, because after days ago. Two U.S. civilian aircraft were de- tract with the Cuban people. all, the dictatorship was getting a stroyed, and four U.S. citizens were killed in I found it interesting that the very more human face. this unjustified and unwarranted terrorist attack distinguished ranking member of the against unarmed civilians. Those who studied knew it was not committee, the gentleman from Indi- true. Chairman BURTON knew it was Brothers to the Rescue is a peaceful, hu- ana [Mr. HAMILTON], did not seem to manitarian group responsible for saving over not true. The gentlewoman from Flor- think this bill would be effective. I ida [Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN] knew it was 6,000 lives. It is perfectly in character that would just want to start by quoting Castro chose to viciously attack the members not true. The gentleman from Florida from a letter from President Clinton, [Mr. DIAZ-BALART] knew it was not of this caring, dedicated group. who said, But in Miami, FL, which I represent in Con- true. People across America who stud- The conference report is a strong biparti- ied Cuba said, ‘‘Wait a second, this is gress, this senseless, brutal attack is the latest san response that tightens the economic em- in a long list of murders, firing squads, the same dictatorship, these are the bargo against the Cuban regime and permits same lies, these are the same false imprisonments, harassments, human rights us to continue to promote democratic abuses, and political oppression perpetrated change in Cuba. I urge the Congress to pass promises.’’ And for a long time the by Castro against the Cuban people. the Libertad bill in order to send Cuba a Clinton administration opposed this Many of my constituents know Castro's ruth- powerful message that the United States will bill. lessness first hand. Many fled from Castro's not tolerate further loss of American life. And then a tragedy occurred, a trag- prisons. Many of my constituents still have rel- I am delighted that the President is edy that was unnecessary, a tragedy ativesÐmothers and fathers, brothers and sis- now supporting this. But I must say that should have been avoided, a trag- ters, nephews and cousinsÐwho must endure even more decisive than the tragedy of edy which I believe strong representa- the daily hardship and oppression of this cruel the last few weeks has been a commit- tion from our State Department might regime. ment which the gentleman from Indi- well have avoided by saying to the Cas- Is there any wonder why so many people ana [Mr. BURTON] led as chairman of tro dictatorship, ‘‘We will not tolerate were willing to leave everything they ever the subcommittee, a commitment your shooting down innocent civilian worked for and everything they ever owned to which the gentlewoman from Florida aircraft. It violates every international come to this countryÐjust for the chance to [Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN] led, a commitment rule.’’ live in freedom and raise their children without which the gentleman from Florida [Mr. The United Nations had what I fear. DIAZ-BALART] led and others in both thought was a pathetically weak re- The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidar- the House and Senate, that said for a sponse. They did not condemn. They ity Act will put new international pressure on long time, we are committed to free- did not censure. They deeply deplored. the Castro regime. Under its provisions: dom for Cuba. Kill a few people, we deeply deplore it. The embargo against Cuba will be enacted Let me remind my colleagues of the Well, the U.S. Congress is doing into law. Up until now, the embargo has been game that has been played. No dictator something vastly beyond deplore. This enforced via an Executive order and subject to on the planet has been better than bill says no one in Cuba and no one in change by every new administration; Fidel Castro at managing to create a the rest of the world should expect this The owners of illegally confiscated prop- sense that somehow he will always sur- embargo to be lifted until there is de- erties in Cuba will be allowed to pursue legal vive no matter what. No one has been mocracy in Cuba. There is no future for action in United States District Court against better than Fidel at playing off various the Castro dictatorship. There are no H 1746 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 deals. There is no special business in- tion, and together we will establish the cial gains from these settlements. The possi- vestment. There is no loophole. There right to be free once again in our bility that a few could be enriched by this bill, is no sweetheart agreement. neighbor to the south. even as the people of Cuba suffer from the This also says the Congress will be I urge every Member, the President current embargo, concerns me even more. involved unless the President certifies urges a ‘‘yes’’ vote, we urge a ‘‘yes’’ In any event, I cannot support legislation that the transition to a democratic re- vote, the Cuban people want a ‘‘yes’’ which, at the very least, threatens the future of gime is under way in a measurable, vote, and I think the future of freedom our trading relationships, hurts our own eco- real way. It says one other; maybe it is demands a ‘‘yes’’ vote. nomic security, and does nothing to alleviate shocking to some of our friends; it says Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise the suffering of the Cuban people. Let us pur- if Castro has confiscated the property today to speak in strong opposition to H.R. sue a policy of more openness and greater of Americans, we are going to defend 927, the Cuban Liberty Act. This legislation engagement with Cuba, not less, if we truly the property right of Americans, and, would, in the name of ending the rule of Cas- wish to bring about greater change and help yes, if you come from Canada or you tro, cause even greater harm to the Cuban the people of Cuba. come from France or you come from people and jeopardize our relations with many Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to some other country and you have pur- of our important allies. be standing in front of this body as we get chased the confiscated property of As were all Americans, I was outraged by ready to vote on the Helms-Burton bill. This Americans, we are going to take steps the February 24 shootdown of two American piece of legislation will send a clear message to protect American citizens against Cessnas near Cuba. Simply put, there is no to Castro and other petty dictators around the those who would exploit what a dicta- excuse for sending two MiG fighters against world that America will not stand for political torship has done to hurt Americans. unarmed passenger planes. persecution. We will not put our heads in the Maybe some of our friends think it is H.R. 927, however, is the wrong way to re- sand while this tyrant, only 90 miles from our too much for the American Govern- spond. The bill would not have prevented the shores, oppresses his own innocent citizens. ment to protect Americans. Maybe tragic events of 2 weeks ago, nor would it sig- It is a tragedy that it took the recent shoot- some people think the Cuban market is nificantly improve upon the additional sanc- ing down of two unarmed, civilian humani- so huge and so profitable that you tions already taken by the President as a re- tarian planes by Cuban fighters to help bring ought to cut yourself off from the sult of the attack. the Helms-Burton bill to the floor. Fidel Castro American market to make sure you We should not forget that we already im- has been committing atrocities against the can trade in Havana. Well, I am per- pose a comprehensive travel and trade em- Cuban people for decades and these recent fectly happy to have companies make bargo against Cuba. Virtually no exports are repugnant acts only serve to confirm a conclu- that decision. If a European company permitted to Cuba, and travel is strictly limited. sion that we already know. Castro will never or a Canadian company wants to say, And American businesses are prohibited from change. He still has political prisoners, includ- we will prove our commitment to conducting virtually any economic activity in ing women and children, languishing in his Fidel, we are going to ship our goods to Cuba. jails. He still murders his own people as they Havana, and that means we are not Economic indicators have shown that the attempt to flee political persecution. He still is going to be in the United States mar- embargo has had a dramatic effect on the planning to construct a nuclear power plant ket, I somehow think somewhere on Cuban economy. Sadly, however, virtually all that can only be considered a humanitarian the planet there will be a competitor of the suffering has been felt by the Cuban disaster. There can be no compromise. Castro willing to come to America or there people. They have faced serious food short- is an absolute dictator that needs to be taken will be an American company willing ages, as well as a lack of needed medicine down absolutely. to provide the goods and service, and and medical supplies, threatening their health The Helms-Burton bill will force Castro from we will survive. and welfare. power and put an end to these acts of oppres- It is perfectly fair for us to say to the Presumably because this embargo has not sion. It will strangle Castro by cutting off a world we are going to defend Ameri- let to a change in Cuba's leadershipÐeven large segment of foreign investment that is cans, we are going to defend American though it has hurt the people of CubaÐCon- currently propping up his regime. Some of my property rights, we are going to oppose gress has decided to take the embargo even colleagues feel that lessening our grip on the Castro dictatorship. further: to try to prevent any country from trad- Cuba would be the best way to help the And it is even more important, and I ing with Cuba. Specifically, provisions in this Cuban people. I passionately disagree. Cas- want to close this because I think it is bill would permit Cuban-Americans to sue for- tro's acts over the last several weeks only vital to understand, we have a history eign companies if they use, or profit from, con- proves the urgent necessity for this bill and that goes back 98 years from this year, fiscated property from Cuba. the need to strengthen our resolve against this a history that said just about this This provision has been strongly opposed rogue dictator, rather than weaken it. Mr. Cas- point a century ago, as the Spanish by many of our important trading allies, includ- tro, we will not compromise on this issue. The continued to oppress Cuba and the ing Canada, Great Britain, France, and Mex- U.S. Congress will not lower our support to Cuban people were in a long and bloody ico. They rightly see this as a violation of inter- ending the Castro regime. We will fight to the and terrible insurrection, just about national law, and a violation of their sov- end to free the noose that currently surrounds literally 100 years ago, people began to ereigntyÐan attempt by one country to force the Cuban people, I urge my colleagues to stand in this well and talk about our their foreign policy on another. join with me in voting in support of Helms-Bur- obligation to help the Cuban people lib- Mr. Speaker, is it worth risking our relation- ton, in support of freedom and democracy. erate themselves from Spain. ship with our allies to try to strangle Cuba Mr. BERMAN. I rise to oppose this bill. I do Fidel Castro has been a tragic detour even further? I don't think so. this reluctantly. There is much in this legisla- on what was a long period of the natu- If these provisions actually succeed in cut- tion that I support and have supported in the ral friendship between the American ting off additional investment in Cuba, it past. people, who have sympathized and sup- seems unlikely that the results will benefit the I am not, for example, opposed to codifying ported the Cuban people, and we are Cuban people. Our embargo has already hurt the embargo on Cuba. There is no doubt that prepared to say in this House, with our Cuba's economy severely, yet has only Castro is a dictator and murderer whose rule vote this afternoon, just as you wanted caused more pain for the Cuban people with should be vigorously resisted. Cuba to be free of the dictatorship of no change in Cuba's leadership. Given the re- Nor am I opposed to the extraterritorial na- Spain, we want the Cuban people to be sults of this policy to date, expanding the em- ture of this legislation although I wish such free of the dictatorship of Fidel, and we bargo even more would seem unwise and in- unilateral American action was not necessary. are by this act and by this law commit- effective, if not downright cruel. I would greatly welcome international coopera- ting ourselves to a freedom contract Interestingly, some have suggested that the tion in dealing with the world's dictators as with the people of Cuba and we are say- provision will have no effect on foreign invest- well as with other threats to international sta- ing to every young Cuban leader in ment in Cuba. Why? Because the bill allows bility. Cuba and every younger Cuban bureau- individuals to settle their cases against foreign However, I must vote against this bill. When crat, your future is not with Fidel and companies out of court. Thus, foreign compa- this bill was marked up in the International Re- decay. Your future is with freedom and nies could still invest in Cuba. However, those lations Committee, I introduced an amendment prosperity. If you will simply help us, few Cuban-Americans who held large amounts which carved out an exception for some pen- we will work with you for the transi- of property in Cuba could realize large finan- alties for certain activities. My amendment was March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1747 accepted by all sidesÐincluding proponents of those from third countries, who knowingly traf- in the world, Castro continues to rule with an this legislation, but then, unfortunately, it was fic in property that was owned by a U.S. na- iron fist. dropped in conference. tional and was confiscated by the Cuban Gov- The conference report on H.R. 927 is de- I do not understand why my amendment ernment. Although a provision was included signed to force Castro from power by tighten- was dropped. It was not contrary to the intent permitting the President to delay implementa- ing economic sanctions on the Cuban Govern- of the sponsors of this legislation. tion of this provision for unlimited 6-month pe- ment. I commend President Clinton for ex- My amendment retained due process pro- riods, in its September 1995 statement of ad- pressing his strong support for this tough leg- tection already contained in the Trading With ministration policy, the administration stated islation. the Enemy Act [TWEA] and kept exceptions that this title should be deleted. ``Applying U.S. It is time to stop negotiating with Castro. It for news gathering, research, and clearly de- law extra-territorially in this fashion would cre- is time to force him from power. There can be fined educational, religious, and human rights ate friction with our allies, be difficult to defend no just totalitarian state. The only cure for activities. under international law, and would create a communism and totalitarianism is freedom and In 1992, when we passed similar legislation, precedent that would increase litigation risks democracy. The Cuban people deserve no we added substantial civil penalties to Treas- for U.S. companies abroad.'' This provision less. Specifically, the measure would codify the ury's enforcement arsenal to prevent a surge which the administration considered seriously existing United States trade embargo against of business or tourist travel to Cuba. objectionable is still a part of this conference We all agreed and continue to agree that Cuba while increasing the protection for the report. rights of United States nationals whose prop- trips to acquire a winter suntan or make a In fact, an article in the Washington Post on erty has been illegally confiscated in Cuba. quick buck should be discouraged. March 3, 1996, suggests that this provision, However, we wanted to make sure of a cou- Furthermore, the bill directs the President to which would allow Cuban-Americans to sue encourage foreign countries to restrict trade ple of things before we broadened Treasury's foreign companies in U.S. Federal courts, cre- authority to punish such travelers. First, we with Cuba and to work for an international em- ates a massive loophole that would permit the bargo against the Cuban Government. ensured that due process protection was given wealthiest Cuban-Americans to profit from set- Castro's reign of terror and suppression in to individuals or firms, including an agency tling lawsuits brought under this section. The Cuba is nearing an end. His ruthless Com- hearing and we also ensured that there would article explains how these settlements may munist regime is on life support. Let us pull be a couple of categories of travel that would occur without the need to obtain any license the plug by passing this legislation. be off limits to civil fines. or permission from the U.S. Government. Mr. MARTINI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to We agreed that visits by journalists, re- I would also like to reiterate once again, as support the conference report to H.R. 927, the searchers, human rights, and religious organi- I have so often in the past, that we have no Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act zationsÐvisits in other words whose legal ten- moral grounds that would allow us to single of 1995. We must stand tough on Castro. der was information, not hard currencyÐwere out Cuba for this trade embargo. We continue His recent reprehensible act is a testament in our national interest, since they undermined to have trade relations with North Vietnam, to his madness. On February 25, 1996, he rather than buttressed the Castro regime. China, and North Korea, countries with politi- gave orders to shoot down two Cessna planes Now this bill omits all exceptions to civil cal systems different than ours. operated by the American humanitarian group, penalties in the Trading With the Enemy Act The current United States policy toward Brothers to the Rescue. His orders were suc- and removes the administrative due process Cuba does not have the support of the world cessfully carried out and four Americans were provision we wrote into the TWEA, undermin- community. The majority of our allies do not killed. These men could not have defended ing the fairness and credibility of civil sanc- believe the trade embargo is an effective or themselves against a hostile aggressor even if tions. wise vehicle for dealing with Cuba, and tight- they had wanted to. Castro's ignoble action I believe the Government should err on the ening the embargo will only further damage was as pathetic as it was wrong. This sense- side of liberally interpreting American's right to our relationships with our allies. Specifically, less act of violence must be condemned in the travel abroad, particularly when it serves our permitting suits against foreign companies that strongest possible terms. The Cuban Liberty national interests. This legislation does not invest in Cuba will infringe on the sovereignty and Solidarity Act is in fact a condemnation of serve those interests and therefore I cannot of other countries, and interfere with their the Castro regime. support this bill. trade decisions. We must call on the President to organize Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, today we will Finally, and most importantly, any tightening an international embargo on Cuba and we be taking a final vote on the conference report of the embargo will increase the suffering of must tighten our current embargo. This bill for the so-called Cuban Liberty and Demo- the Cuban people. We all recognize that a ter- also protects the rights of U.S. citizens and cratic Solidarity Act. Unfortunately, our consid- rible tragedy in the shooting of the Brothers to businesses by allowing them to sue parties eration of this legislation is occurring after the the Rescue aircraft has occurred, but we need who knowingly and intentionally traffic in con- tragic shooting down of the two Brothers to to move forward in developing a constructive fiscated U.S. property. We cannot allow Cas- the Rescue aircraft. Although the content of relationship with Cuba. Passage of this con- tro to infringe on the rights of U.S. citizens, or this legislation and this recent tragedy should ference report will move our country's foreign on the rights of his own people. The most heartwrenching example of his not be linked, we are today creating a false policy even further in the wrong direction. We control is the state of affairs of the people of linkage between the two. This prevents us should instead vote against this bill and begin Cuba. Their aspirations and cries for freedom from carefully weighing the negative impact the process of building a peaceful and produc- and democracy remain unacknowledged and that passage of this legislation will have on tive relationship with Cuba. our foreign policy and on the Cuban peopleÐ as follows, unanswered. Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong Cuba's liberalization is an impossibility with who will only suffer more with the tightening of support for the conference report on H.R. 927, Castro controlling the reins. He is a despot the economic embargo. Passage of this legis- the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity with little to do but punish men and women lation today is not the correct response to this Act. who have tenaciously championed the cause tragedy. Mr. Speaker, on February 24 Castro or- for freedom through vigilant, assertive, non- The United States should not permit the dered the downing of unarmed aircraft flying violent actions. Not only has he killed four reckless acts of private citizens to dictate our over international waters, murdering all those American citizens but in the process he has foreign policy. Earlier concerns expressed by aboard, including three United States citizens also ignored the will of his people. The people this administration should not be ignored sim- who were committed to promoting peace and of Cuba do not possess the means to hold ply because this tragedy occurred. The Helms- freedom in Cuba. This blatant violation of Castro responsible for his actions, so we must Burton legislation is an extreme bill that con- international law and wanton disregard for do what they cannot. We must hold Castro ac- tinues and strengthens diplomatic policies that human life only reaffirms that Castro will stop countable for his actions. have never been successful. The existing at nothing to cling to power and suppress free- Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in Cuban embargo has failed to cause any dom in Cuba. strong support of the conference report to ac- change in Cuba's government. Passage of All across Eastern Europe, we have wit- company H.R. 927, the Cuban Liberty and even stricter sanctions against Cuba will not nessed the dramatic collapse of communism. Democratic Solidarity Act. move Cuba any further toward a change in The seeds of democracy are taking hold, and The shooting down of unarmed U.S. civilian government. a people long oppressed by totalitarian rule aircraft over the Florida Straits is the heinous This conference report retains the troubling are awakening to the promise of freedom and and unforgivable act of a rouge regime that ig- provisions that make liable for damages in self-determination. Yet just 90 miles from the nores international law. Such wanton dis- U.S. courts individuals or companies, including shores of the greatest and oldest democracy regard for human life cannot go unanswered. H 1748 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996

Today, Congress is responding in the form respect for their views, particularly BOB these extremists by the President and con- of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity MENENDEZ, LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART, AND ILEANA gressional leaders. I urge my colleagues to re- Act. The bill sends a clear signal to Cuba by ROS-LEHTINEN. ject it, though I know they will not. strengthening the United States embargo of Accordingly, my decision to vote ``no'' is a This bill will do nothing to encourage Cuba's Cuba, authorizing assistance for democratic difficult one given the support to have always transition to democracy. In fact, the opposite elements within Cuba, directing the President given President Clinton and the Cuban-Amer- will be the case. By continuing and tightening to prepare to support a transition to demo- ican community. the fruitless embargo against Cuba, we are cratic government in Cuba, and increasing Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong strengthening the Castro regime's only re- protection for the rights of United States na- support of the conference report to H.R. 927, maining claim to legitimacy. The losers are the tionals whose property has been illegally con- the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Cuban people. The winners are Castro and fiscated in Cuba. [Libertad] Act of 1995. The recent shoot down his henchmenÐwho will remain in power not Mr. Speaker, some have raised objections of two unarmed civilian planes by Cuban Air only in spite of but because of the embargoÐ that this bill will impinge on our allies' ability to Force MiG's clearly underscores the continued and United States politicians eager to pander trade with Cuba and that it will only strengthen hostile focus of the Castro dictatorship and the to the Cuban exile vote in Florida. Fidel Castro's ability to retain power. I do not need for stronger pressure to bring it down. The contrast between United States policy believe that we should reward the murderer of Castro's irresponsible and unnecessary viola- toward Cuba and our Government's stance to- four American citizens by relaxing the current tions of international law must be dealt with in ward the brutal and geriatric communist lead- embargo. We should, and we will, strengthen the strongest terms possible. H.R. 927 does ers of China is stark. Despite China's well- the embargo and strangle the Castro regime. just that. documented human rights abuses, its unfair Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to sup- As a strong supporter of former-President trade practices and its policy of exporting dan- port H.R. 927 and strike a blow for the free- Reagan's foreign policy creedÐ``peace gerous arms to terrorist regimes around the dom of Cuba. through strength''ÐI am constantly surprised world, this Congress and the President insist Mr. FUNDERBURK. Mr. Speaker, there can by the lack of vision this administration has in on giving China favored nation trade status. be no compromise in dealing with Fidel Cas- the foreign policy arena and how frequently Chinese belligerence and intransigence is not tro. We must make sure that the Helms-Burton American military and civilian lives are put in only tolerated by our Government, but re- Cuban liberty bill passes as soon as possible harm's way. The concessions given to North warded. Yet the impoverished nation of Cuba so we can tighten the embargo on Cuba. We Korea in the agreed framework and the ill-ad- is deemed to be such a threat to our shores can have no sympathy for those who would be vised involvement of United States forces in that the most punitive sanctions are justified. Haiti and Bosnia are just a few of the exam- inconvenienced because they choose to make This bill is hypocrisy and pandering at its ples of foreign policy decisions with which I a profit over conscience. We must penalize worst. It should be rejected. those who would traffic in stolen American have serious concerns. This is not peace Mr. COYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in op- property. If the Helms-Burton Cuban liberty bill through strengthÐit's danger through ap- position to the Cuban Liberty and Democratic is a violation of NAFTA as claimed by the Ca- peasement. The administration's recent kow- Solidarity Act. nadian Foreign Minister, maybe it is time for towing to Cuba and the resulting aggression I strongly condemn Cuba and Castro's rep- the United States to withdraw from that and by Castro's military further underscores my rehensible and inexcusable actions in shooting any other organization that prevents the Unit- concern about this administration's lack of di- down two unarmed American civilian aircraft ed States from pursuing its national interests. rection. Mr. Speaker, we must demand the Castro's Ironically, since the beginning of his term in recently. This was an unacceptable act that no Cuba abide by international law that stipulates office, President Clinton has attempted to civilized nation can condone. It was a clear that a national air space be set at 12 miles. weaken the U.S. embargo on Fidel Castro's and blatant violation of international law. Our We must not allow Castro's armed thugs to Communist government. This dramatic shift in hearts go out to the families and friends of the grossly expand their national air space to the policy has turned on its head the longstanding victims of this tragedy. 24th parallel. We must make the Castro re- efforts of six previous, bipartisan administra- Nevertheless, while I abhor Cuba's action, I gime realize that any attack on civilian aircraft tion policies of standing firm against the 36- oppose this bill because I believe that enact- outside Cuba's 12 mile borders would be met year old dictatorship in Cuba. H.R. 927 re- ment of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic with military force. To make this point clear, sponsibly reverses President Clinton's ill-ad- Solidarity Act is not in the United States's na- we should start by flying combat air patrols vised appeasement policy by codifying the ex- tional interest, and that our national interest well south of the 24th parallel. Maybe we can isting embargo against Cuba. It also strength- and our efforts to promote democracy and teach Castro's armed thugs the same lesson ens efforts to achieve international sanctions, human rights in Cuba must take precedence that we taught Kadafi a few years back. provides assistance to democratic opposition over our anger and revulsion at this cowardly Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, after much and human rights groups and protects U.S. in- act. consideration, I find that I must vote against terests in illegally confiscated property. By The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidar- this bill. My decision is based primarily on my passing H.R. 927, Congress ensures that the ity Act of 1995 is intended to increase the eco- belief that this is an intrusion on the Presi- United States continues the longstanding nomic pressure on Cuba in the belief that ad- dent's prerogative to conduct foreign policy. ``peace through strength'' approach in dealing ditional hardships imposed on the Cuban peo- This bill restricts Presidential authority and with the Castro dictatorship. This policy has ple will produce additional dissatisfaction with flexibility by codifying the embargo into law. proved the most reliable when facing such the Castro regime and accelerate its downfall. The Helms-Burton conference report contains rogue regimes. It is for these reasons that I The problem with this reasoning is that in a provision requiring the President to seek ap- strongly support H.R. 927 and commend many ways it plays into Castro's hands by al- proval of both the House and Senate before President Clinton for finally recognizing the im- lowing him to blame the Cuban people's suf- changing any aspect of the current embargo. portance of this legislation. I am only sorry fering on foreign enemiesÐnamely, the United This is an unacceptable infringement on Presi- that it took the lives of four innocent civilians States. Sanctions like these provide Castro dential authority. to do so. with a convenient scapegoat for the failings of Further, this bill will interfere with the prin- Mr. DEFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I certainly de- his unsustainable regime. ciples of free trade, exemplified by the North plore the Cuban Government's decision to The best way to replace Castro's dictator- American Free Trade Agreement, an issue shoot down unarmed civilian aircraft. It was ship with a democratic form of self-govern- dear to my heart. Canada, Mexico, and Carib- unconscionable and outrageous. However, our ment and a market economy is though en- bean nations have already expressed their Government bears some blame for failing to gagement, not isolation. The United States concerns for this infringement of their sov- fulfill its obligation to keep U.S. civilian aircraft should be engaging the Cuban people. This ereignty. from conducting harassing raids into foreign legislation will alienate them. It will shore up I must convey however, that I did strongly airspace from U.S. soil. But that's not the Castro by allowing him to fan the flames of consider voting for this bill as a sign of protest issue here. The issue is what kind of policy Cuban nationalism against the United States. against the downing of the two Hermanos al will bring Cuba into the fold of democratic na- I believe that the most effective tool for foster- Rescate planes. That was an indefensible act, tions. ing democracy and human rights and eco- and I feel sadness for the people who were In this case, United States foreign policy nomic development in Cuba is exposure of the killed and their families. In addition, this is an has been hijacked by a small population of citizens of Cuba to free democratic societies. emotional, and enormously important issue for right-wing Cuban exiles in Miami. The bill be- I urge my colleagues to reconsider this action my Cuban-American friends, and I have deep fore us represents a complete surrender to and vote no on the conference report. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1749 The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Mascara Poshard Stenholm PERSONAL EXPLANATION Matsui Pryce Stockman WING E ). Without objection, the pre- McCollum Quillen Stump Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, during vious question is ordered. McCrery Quinn Stupak rollcall vote No. 47 on H.R. 927 I was There was no objection. McDade Radanovich Talent unavoidably detained. Had I been The SPEAKER pro tempore. The McHugh Rahall Tanner McInnis Ramstad Tate present, I would have voted ‘‘no.’’ question is on the conference report. McIntosh Regula Tauzin f The question was taken; and the McKeon Riggs Taylor (MS) Speaker pro tempore announced that McNulty Rivers Taylor (NC) PERSONAL EXPLANATION the ayes appeared to have it. Meehan Roberts Tejeda Meek Roemer Thomas Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- Menendez Rogers Thompson afternoon, March 6, 1996, I was unavoidably er, I object to the vote on the ground Metcalf Rohrabacher Thornberry absent for rollcall vote 47, on final passage of that a quorum is not present and make Meyers Ros-Lehtinen Thornton Mica Rose Thurman H.R. 927, the Cuban Liberty Act conference the point of order that a quorum is not Miller (FL) Roth Tiahrt report, because I had to go to my ophthalmol- present. Molinari Roukema Torkildsen ogist for an emergency procedure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evi- Mollohan Royce Torricelli Montgomery Salmon Traficant Had I been present, I would have voted dently a quorum is not present. Moorhead Sanford Upton ``no.'' The Sergeant at Arms will notify ab- Murtha Saxton Visclosky sent Members. Myers Scarborough Volkmer f Myrick Schaefer Vucanovich The vote was taken by electronic de- Neal Schiff Waldholtz b 1515 vice, and there were—yeas 336, nays 86, Nethercutt Schumer Walker answered ‘‘present’’ 1, not voting 9, as Neumann Scott Walsh GENERAL LEAVE follows: Ney Seastrand Wamp Norwood Sensenbrenner Ward Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I ask [Roll No. 47] Nussle Shadegg Watts (OK) unanimous consent that all Members YEAS—336 Ortiz Shaw Weldon (FL) may have 5 legislative days within Orton Shays Weldon (PA) which to revise and extend their re- Ackerman Cubin Hansen Oxley Shuster Weller Allard Cunningham Hastert Packard Sisisky White marks and to include extraneous mate- Andrews Danner Hastings (FL) Pallone Skeen Whitfield rial on the conference report just Archer Davis Hastings (WA) Parker Skelton Wicker adopted. Armey de la Garza Hayes Paxon Smith (MI) Wilson Bachus Deal Hayworth Peterson (FL) Smith (NJ) Wise The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Baesler DeLay Hefley Peterson (MN) Smith (TX) Wolf EWING). Is there objection to the re- Baker (CA) Deutsch Hefner Petri Smith (WA) Young (AK) quest of the gentleman from Arizona? Baker (LA) Diaz-Balart Heineman Pickett Solomon Young (FL) There was no objection. Baldacci Dickey Herger Pombo Souder Zeliff Ballenger Dicks Hilleary Pomeroy Spence Zimmer f Barcia Dingell Hilliard Porter Spratt Barr Doggett Hobson Portman Stearns REPORT ON RESOLUTION PROVID- Barrett (NE) Doolittle Hoekstra Bartlett Dornan Hoke NAYS—86 ING SPECIAL AUTHORITIES TO Barton Doyle Holden Abercrombie Harman Pastor COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT Bass Dreier Horn Barrett (WI) Hinchey Payne (NJ) REFORM AND OVERSIGHT TO OB- Bateman Duncan Hoyer Becerra Hostettler Payne (VA) Bentsen TAIN TESTIMONY ON THE WHITE Dunn Hunter Beilenson Houghton Pelosi Bereuter HOUSE TRAVEL OFFICE MATTER Durbin Hutchinson Berman Jackson (IL) Rangel Bevill Edwards Hyde Bonior Johnson (CT) Reed Bilbray Mrs. WALDHOLTZ, from the Com- Ehlers Inglis Boucher Johnson, E. B. Richardson Bilirakis mittee on Rules, submitted a privi- Ehrlich Istook Brown (CA) Johnston Roybal-Allard Bishop Emerson Jackson-Lee Campbell Kennedy (MA) Rush leged report (Rept. No. 104–472) on the Bliley Engel (TX) Clay Kleczka Sabo resolution (H. Res. 369) to provide to Blute English Jacobs Conyers LaFalce Sanders Boehlert the Committee on Government Reform Ensign Jefferson Coyne Lewis (GA) Sawyer Boehner Everett Johnson (SD) DeFazio Lincoln Schroeder and Oversight special authorities to ob- Bonilla Ewing Johnson, Sam DeLauro Lofgren Serrano tain testimony for purposes of inves- Bono Fawell Jones Dellums Lowey Skaggs Borski tigation and study of the White House Fazio Kanjorski Dixon Markey Stark Brewster Travel Office matter, which was re- Fields (LA) Kaptur Dooley McDermott Studds Browder Fields (TX) Kasich Eshoo McHale Torres ferred to the House Calendar and or- Brown (FL) Filner Kelly Evans McKinney Towns dered to be printed. Brown (OH) Flanagan Kennedy (RI) Farr Miller (CA) Velazquez Brownback Foley Kennelly Fattah Minge Vento f Bryant (TN) Forbes Kildee Flake Mink Waters Bunn Ford Kim Foglietta Moakley Watt (NC) SPECIAL ORDERS Bunning Fowler King Frank (MA) Moran Waxman Burr The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. EV- Fox Kingston Furse Morella Williams Burton Franks (CT) Klink Gejdenson Nadler Woolsey ERETT). Under the Speaker’s announced Buyer Franks (NJ) Klug Gibbons Oberstar Wynn policy of May 12, 1995, and under a pre- Callahan Frelinghuysen Knollenberg Hall (OH) Obey Yates Calvert vious order of the House, the following Frisa Kolbe Hamilton Olver Camp Frost LaHood Members will be recognized for 5 min- Canady Funderburk Lantos ANSWERED ‘‘PRESENT’’—1 utes each. Cardin Gallegly Largent Owens Castle Ganske Latham f Chabot Gekas LaTourette NOT VOTING—9 The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Chambliss Gephardt Laughlin Chenoweth Geren Lazio Bryant (TX) Clayton McCarthy previous order of the House, the gen- Chrysler Gilchrest Leach Chapman Collins (IL) Slaughter tleman from Florida [Mr. BILIRAKIS] is Clement Gillmor Levin Christensen Collins (MI) Stokes recognized for 5 minutes. Clinger Gilman Lewis (CA) Clyburn Gingrich Lewis (KY) b 1513 [Mr. BILIRAKIS addressed the House. His remarks will appear here- Coble Gonzalez Lightfoot Mr. WYNN and Ms. FURSE changed Coburn Goodlatte Linder after in the Extensions of Remarks.] Coleman Goodling Lipinski their vote from ‘‘yea’’ to ‘‘nay.’’ Collins (GA) Gordon Livingston Ms. RIVERS changed her vote from f Combest Goss LoBiondo ‘‘nay’’ to ‘‘yea.’’ The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Condit Graham Longley Cooley Green Lucas So the conference report was agreed previous order of the House, the gen- Costello Greenwood Luther to. tleman from Indiana [Mr. BURTON] is Cox Gunderson Maloney The result of the vote was announced recognized for 5 minutes. Cramer Gutierrez Manton as above recorded. [Mr. BURTON addressed the House. Crane Gutknecht Manzullo Crapo Hall (TX) Martinez A motion to reconsider was laid on His remarks will appear hereafter in Cremeans Hancock Martini the table. the Extensions of Remarks.] H 1750 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a ilies, the ones who work, the ones who mean here we are. Yesterday we were previous order of the House, the gen- get up every morning, the ones who are out early; here we are today, we are tleman from North Dakota [Mr. struggling like mad, the ones who feel out early. I do not know what we are POMEROY] is recognized for 5 minutes. like one of those hamsters in a wheel doing. We have not gotten the budget [Mr. POMEROY addressed the House. where they run faster and faster every done, we have not gotten our work His remarks will appear hereafter in year, their tongues are hanging out, done, and we are not addressing the is- the Extensions of Remarks.] and yet they feel they do not get out of sues that voters all over America, in State after State as these primaries f the bottom of that wheel. Now one of the things that we have roll through, say are front and center. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a not done that would help, we are going They are saying please listen to us. We previous order of the House, the gen- to see a lot of photo ops with these peo- are the ones that support the Govern- tleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. ple, but these people really do not care ment; why does the Government not WELDON] is recognized for 5 minutes. about photo ops. They really care support the policies we want? [Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania ad- about some policy that would help You know we are going to lose their dressed the House. His remarks will ap- them. Let us start with the minimum support of the Government. That is one pear hereafter in the Extensions of Re- wage. of the things that feeds the cynicism so marks.] The minimum wage is the lowest it much. We will lose their support of the f has been in 40 years. When I went to Government if we are not listening to them and providing those policies. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a college, I was able to work my way through college. College tuition has So I just want to say I am sure where previous order of the House, the gen- everybody lives there will soon be a gone way, way up, and the minimum tleman from New York [Mr. TOWNS] is photo op near them with politicians wage has stayed way down here. It is recognized for 5 minutes. running around trying to have pictures almost impossible for a young person [Mr. TOWNS addressed the House. taken with little kids, with working today to work their way through col- His remarks will appear hereafter in people, in front of a hospital deploring lege and finish before they are 80 years the Extensions of Remarks.] hospital costs, whatever. But when you old. So the minimum wage is terribly f see that photo op, think about how important to try and help people to be does it translate into policy, how does The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a able to support themselves better. that person vote, what do they cospon- previous order of the House, the gentle- Let us look at medical care. Medical sor? That is the reality. The picture is woman from Hawaii [Mrs. MINK] is rec- care is very critical. We have got the not the reality, the record is the re- ognized for 5 minutes. Kennedy-Kassebaum bill moving in the ality, and I think working men and [Mrs. MINK of Hawaii addressed the Senate, but we do not see it moving women are going to be looking for House. Her remarks will appear here- over here. I am the proud cosponsor. I those records, Mr. Speaker. after in the Extensions of Remarks.] hope many more people become co- f sponsors. But that, too, helps working f The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a families to try and hold that pillar of The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gen- medical care underneath them and previous order of the House, the gen- tleman from Kansas [Mr. TIAHRT] is their families as they feel it crumbling. tleman from Tennessee [Mr. DUNCAN] is recognized for 5 minutes. There is another whole area; that is [Mr. TIAHRT addressed the House. recognized for 5 minutes. student loans. People would like to see [Mr. DUNCAN addressed the House. His remarks will appear hereafter in that pillar be held up because everyone the Extensions of Remarks.] His remarks will appear hereafter in knows their young folks are only going f the Extensions of Remarks.] to go as far as their education takes f them, and getting an education is ter- b 1530 ribly costly, especially in this day and WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING THE THE GOVERNMENTS OF SAUDI age. So doing anything to the student ISSUES ARABIA, KUWAIT, JAPAN, AND loans is very unfair, and it makes it EUROPE OWE THE UNITED The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a topple. STATES A RESPONSE previous order of the House, the gentle- When you look at Medicare and Med- woman from Colorado [Mrs. SCHROE- icaid, those are two other areas that The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. EV- DER] is recognized for 5 minutes. really harm the average working fam- ERETT). Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Connecti- Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, I ily because especially if the average cut [Mr. GEJDENSON] is recognized for 5 just came to the floor because my cal- working family has a child that is endar says it is March 6. minutes. handicapped or whatever, they need to Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, the My whole problem is I cannot figure be depending on Medicaid to make up tragedies in Israel over the last several out when we are going to get our work the difference. They may have elderly weeks are something that all of us done. parents who desperately need Medi- have to pay close attention to. I am It seems to me, if it is March 6, that care, and without Medicare and Medic- proud that the American Government means we are almost halfway through aid then the families got to dig deeper and President Clinton have led the ef- this fiscal year, we still have four bills in their pockets to make this all work. fort to try to build a real and lasting that have not been signed, we still have You know, part of the stress on these peace in the Middle East. But many of the debt ceiling issue, we still have the young families and part of their frus- our friends in countries who have bene- fact that we can shut Government trations with this body is rather than fited from America’s generosity and down at any moment, and what we are having pictures they would like a mini- America’s courage have not only not hearing from the primaries out there, mum wage increase, they would like an helped us in this struggle for peace, but where the people are really being able insurance bill, they would like the have actually supported the opponents to speak, is they think we have missed guarantee that their pensions are not of peace in the Middle East. the whole boat, that this issue is really going to be played with. Several times Mr. Speaker, today I will be sending about the average American family and this year we have seen bills saying that letters to the Governments of Saudi how they keep the middle-class Amer- corporations could do with their pen- Arabia and Kuwait to ask them what ican working standard. sions what Orange County, CA, did they are doing to try to stop the at- So, Mr. Speaker, let us talk about with their funds. That does not make tacks on innocent Israeli civilians by that, what that is and how we have not you sleep very well at night. They Hamas. I will be sending the same let- done anything for that. want to be sure education is guaran- ter, virtually, to the Governments of Mr. Speaker, the American people teed in the future, and they want to France, England, Germany, and Japan. feel we have really missed the boat, we know there is a future. Their continuing trade with Iran, deal- have missed the core challenge, and I think we really need to roll up our ing with Iran as if it was one of the civ- that is helping America’s working fam- shirtsleeves and get to work here. I ilized nations of the world, continues March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1751 to provide for them the wherewithal to France, England, Germany, and ver, and the U.S. marshals on their continue their support for the terror- Japan are wealthy enough nations that take of the events leading up to that ists in Hamas. they could join with us in isolating the fateful day of August 21, 1992. The com- In Jordan and Egypt we see different Government of Iran until they are mittee listened to Randy’s description kinds of governments. They, along ready to act like a civilized and respon- of how agents from the U.S. Federal with the Israelis and the leaders of the sible nation. Nations do not kill chil- Marshals Service for a 16-month period PLO, Mr. Arafat and others, have dren. Nations do not finance an organi- executed an extensive surveillance of struggled to build a peace in a region of zation that places bombs in civilian his home that included hundreds of the world that has seldom seen peace. areas. We need to lead and we need hours of filming the everyday proceed- We should also remember and applaud these countries to join us. I will await ings of his family with satellite pow- their efforts: The courage of King Hus- their responses. ered cameras, setting up command cen- sein, the leadership and the courage of f ters in the homes of neighbors, and President Mubarak and his prede- sending many undercover agents pos- RUBY RIDGE: JUSTICE UNSERVED cessor, Anwar Sadat. ing as supporters to the Weaver home. In Israel, the Israelis have lost so The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a In addition, the U.S. Marshal’s Serv- much in their leadership, in their citi- previous order of the House, the gentle- ice initiated military reconnaissance zenry, in the wars and terrorism. Their woman from Idaho [Mrs. CHENOWETH] is like missions to determine what would courage in continuing in this peace recognized for 5 minutes. be the best way to invade the Weaver process is truly remarkable. But the Mrs. CHENOWETH. Mr. Speaker, as home. U.S. marshals on one of these question has to be asked, the Saudis we all know, the issue of values seems missions excited the family dog by and Kuwaitis are regulars in this cap- to be paramount in everybody’s mind, throwing rocks at it. ital asking for assistance and protec- values with regard to those held dear The committee listened to Randy’s tion, but what have they done to assist by our country, by individuals, and by agonizing unscripted depiction of how the peace process? What have the families. But values really come from he made the most regrettable decision Saudis and Kuwaitis done to try to where we place the value on human life of his life when he sent his 14-year-old stop Hamas and its violence on inno- and how we appropriate the protection son Sammy down the road with a rifle cent civilians? of life, liberty, and the pursuit of hap- to see what the dog was barking at— These governments, these feudalistic piness from government. Today those and how those agents shot a young governments, cannot buy their secu- values seem to be misappropriated, so I boy’s dog at his feet, and how a Federal rity by financing the fundamentalists am going to speak to you today, Mr. marshal, dressed in a terrifying para- who will attack women and children Speaker, with regard to an incident military uniform, jumped out of the with bombs in schools and market- that occurred in my district, and the bushes and yelled ‘‘Halt’’—and how places and bus stops. The governments serving up by the Government of an these events led to a gun battle that of the Western World, France, England, award for that incident. ended with the tragic death of Federal Germany, and Japan, they cannot hold Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor Marshal Degan, and of the young boy their head high in the international today to publicly address a growing Sammy—shot in the arm and in the community while they continue to do concern that I am hearing more and back—as he ran frantically up the road business with Iran, the country that is more of from my constituents, and yelling ‘‘I’m coming home Dad!’’ Randy singly most responsible for the terror- from people all around the country— and his wife Vicki, no longer caring if ism in the Middle East. the continuing misappropriation of they were fired at, went down the hill Syria wants to be included in the values by our Federal Government. I to retrieve the small body of their son. family of nations. It needs to end its am not talking necessarily about the While a Justice Department inves- support for Hamas, and the operation values, as typically described by the tigation did find evidence that U.S. of Hamas within its borders. We as media, but the most basic value of how marshal Larry Cooper fired the shot Americans are happy to lead. We are we as a government regard the individ- that killed 14-year-old Sammy Weaver, happy to take on more than our share ual’s ability to safely live his life in an the report failed to determine who ac- of responsibility. But again, I cannot atmosphere of freedom and liberty, tually fired the first shot. Kevin Har- emphasize enough, Saudi Arabia and with mutual respect as each individual ris, a friend of the Weavers, who was Kuwait are there today solely because peaceably pursues happiness. involved in the gunfight, testified be- of American courage, solely because of My most recent concern arises out of fore the committee that U.S. marshal American action, and solely because of what appears to another poor decision Arthur Roderick fired the first shot, American guarantees for their freedom. made by a Federal law enforcement which killed Weaver’s dog. The mar- The Saudis and the Kuwaitis do noth- agency in the wake of what has come shals claimed that Harris fired the first ing to stop the financing of this terror- to be known the tragedy at Ruby shot, which mortally wounded U.S. ist organization. Their governments Ridge, ID. I am talking about the re- deputy marshal Bill Degan. need to respond with actions that show cent issuing of the highest awards of Mr. Speaker, the Senate committee they can be trusted as friends and al- valor to Federal marshals involved in a determined in their report that Harris’ lies, not just as those who need our as- shootout on August 21, 1992 that ended testimony was more plausible because sistance. France, England, Germany, up with the deaths of 14-year-old Dean had fired seven rounds before he and Japan want to be leaders of the Sammy Weaver, and deputy marshal died. For the marshals’ testimony to be world. They want to be the kind of Bill Degan. true, Degan would have had to fire all partners that America looks for in run- Mr. Speaker, I find it incomprehen- seven shots after he was mortally ning this world, in leading the world sible that after years of investigations wounded. The Senate committee also toward a better place for all the people by both Congress and the Justice De- found it hard to understand why, if of the world. They continue to provide partment about significant questions Kevin Harris had actually fired the the financial support for Iran that en- regarding the conduct of Federal first shot, the other marshals had not ables Iran to support and subsidize ter- agents involved in the Ruby Ridge dis- shot him dead in his tracks for killing rorism globally. aster, the U.S. Marshals Service has Degan. We in America must demand from chosen instead to hand out awards Mr. Speaker, what was even more these countries some action. We must rather than sort out their mistakes and disconcerting was hearing U.S. mar- demand more than just rhetoric and punish wrongdoing to ensure that such shals Roderick and Cooper propose dur- rhetorical responses to this kind of deadly mishaps don’t happen again. ing the Senate hearing that Randy savagery. The Government of Saudi Mr. Speaker, I attended much of the Weaver was responsible for shooting Arabia and the Government of Kuwait hearing in the Senate Subcommittee his own son. This suggestion con- owe the Americans a response. They on Terrorism, Technology, and Govern- tradicts all of the facts and evidence owe the world a response, the world ment Information that was chaired by which point to Cooper as being the that turned to their rescue to end the Senator SPECTER. I listened very atten- only one who could have shot Sammy. terrorism of Hamas in the Middle East. tively to the testimony of Randy Wea- Even the Government’s position during H 1752 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 the July 1993 trial was that Cooper had woman from North Carolina [Mrs. your district and see if you do not see shot Sammy Weaver. The committee CLAYTON] is recognized for 5 minutes. a need that we are failing to assist our has actually retained several experts to Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, we communities in meeting. study the matter further. talk much about education, but we do What will be the impact of these Mr. Speaker, at the same time there not do very much. Consider these facts. massive education cuts on the future of is an ongoing investigation into their In 1949, for every $10 the Federal Gov- education for our young people? More sworn testimonies regarding their role ernment spent, $1 was spent for edu- importantly, what will be the future of at Ruby Ridge, Roderick and Cooper cation. For every $10 in 1949 that we this country if we continue to not in- were among the five marshals honored spent for education, $1 was spent for vest in education? What will these last week. education. Now, today, for every $10 working families do if their children Mr. Speaker, in addition, several places in that the Federal Government spends, a are not educated? the Justice Department report deal with the little more than 1 dime—from 1949, We say we believe in families, yet we possibility of a Government cover-up. After the from $1 we have moved to 1 dime—is do not give them the very tools they gunfight, the surviving marshals were taken spent for education. need. How will these students learn away to recuperate. The authors of the report Where are our priorities in edu- when even more teachers are termi- stated that: cation? In 1949 America led the world nated under the pressures of these se- We question the wisdom of keeping the in educational achievement. Today vere cuts? Already schools are receiv- marshals together for several hours while America trails nations like Europe and ing pink slips because they do not awaiting interviews with the FBI. Isolating Asia. We are behind those nations now, know what their budgets will be. How them in that manner created the appearance perhaps because we failed to heed the can they plan under the circumstances and generated allegations that they were words of T.S. Eliot then. Eliot said in of this continued resolution? fabricating stories and colluding to cover-up 1935, ‘‘Time present and time past are We talk about restoring family val- the true circumstances of the shootings. both perhaps present in time future, ues. We talk about helping young peo- Those are the Justice Department's words, and time future is contained in time ple. Yet, our actions are inconsistent not mine. past.’’ Let me repeat those profound with what our words are. Recent na- But the Marshals Service does not appear words of Eliot’s. ‘‘Time present and tional polls show that Americans over- concerned with answering the Justice Depart- time past are both perhaps present in whelmingly support education and be- ment's concerns or learning from this tragedy. time future, and time future is con- lieve it should be the top priority of Marshals Service Director Eduardo Gonzalez tained in time past.’’ this country. said when asked why the service waited so What did Eliot mean by that state- The American people agree with long after the siege to announce the awards ment? Let us examine the statement in Eliot. Instead of a big tax cut for the that he ``didn't think it was appropriate'' to hold the context of education. It is incon- wealthy, we should put more money in such a ceremony while the Senate was hold- sistent to talk about building the fu- education for our children and for this ing formal hearings into the incident. This tells ture while tearing down the present. Nation’s prosperity. We must heed the me that the director blatantly overlooked the Yet, Members in this House seem ready words of Eliot, as true today as they fact the Senate, like the Justice Department, to abandon education by making the were in 1935, and understand that the found fault with the actions of at least two of largest cut in American history, cuts present and past shape the future. the marshals he honored. amounting to one-third of education There can be no bright future without The bottom line is, Randy Weaver faced his spending, cuts that are three times as a brilliant past and a clear present. accusers, stood trial, and answered for the much as other cuts in their discre- Mr. Speaker, we must stop these edu- only crime he was convicted of: failure to ap- tionary budget, cuts with overall fund- cation cuts and make sure that we se- pear in court. While the Justice Department ing for the Department of Education cure America’s future and our chil- and Congress determined through extensive likely to be reduced by 25 percent. dren’s prosperity. investigations that all the agencies involved In essence, for time present, in this were guilty of some level of wrong-doing at blind march, blind march to a balanced f Ruby Ridge, precious little has been done to budget, we want us to ignore time past. ensure such massive errors in judgment do But they are ignoring, as Eliot points b 1545 not occur again. out, both times, present time and past, INTRODUCTION OF BILLS IMPLE- Mr. Speaker, how our Government has and also they are ignoring our future. MENTING IMPARTIALITY IN RE- acted with regard to the tragedy at Ruby More importantly, they are ignoring VIEW OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST Ridge, and in other similar instances has had, Eliot’s conclusion that time future is JUDGES AND REASONABLE AT- and will continually have significant ramifica- certainly contained in time past. TORNEY’S FEES IN CAPITAL tions on how our people view our Govern- If we truly want to preserve the fu- CASES ment, and how Federal law enforcement will ture, we must, we must, first, not for- respond to the constitutional rights of citizens get the past; and second, take care of The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. in the future. the present. That is what Eliot meant. LATOURETTE). Under a previous order Mr. Speaker, the issue of how our Govern- But we forget the past when we dis- of the House, the gentleman from Ten- ment is maltreating its citizens while ignoring regard how much of our budget we nessee [Mr. BRYANT] is recognized for 5 the effects of its own unjust actions is very spent to make us a world power in edu- minutes. much on the minds of millions of Americans. cation: 10 percent in 1949, and now only Mr. BRYANT of Tennessee. Mr. They are asking how can it be possible that 1.4 percent today. And we do not take Speaker, I rise today in order to ex- people such as John Poszgai, a Hungarian care in the present when we are prepar- plain two bills I introduced today and freedom fighter who escaped with his life and ing to further slice education so deep- ask my colleagues for their support of settled in Pennsylvania, can end up being ly. We will also interfere with the fu- this legislation. sentenced to serve 6 years in a Federal peni- ture of this Nation’s prosperity. Both bills relate to judicial proce- tentiary because his cleaning up of an old Instead of cutting the education dure and are intended to help restore dump was considered a crime because it filled budget with regard to the impact of the public’s confidence in that branch in a wetland. They are wondering just where those cuts, I would urge my colleagues of our Federal Government. Today, our Government is placing its values when it to go out from the comfort of these when citizens distrust their govern- gives the highest commendation possible to halls and visit American schools. Go ment to the degree that we are seeing, an individual for shooting a child in the back see how those schools are. Many of it is imperative that we take reason- as he is running to the comforting arms of his them are in disrepair. I have students able steps to promote public confidence father. visiting me who have just left out of in our form of Government that is set f the gallery who are in private schools, forth in the Constitution. and many of them have found that our We must always remember that we CUTS IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS public schools do not give them the op- do not legislate in a vacuum. The laws The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a portunity. We are not investing in our we pass have consequences. Our Gov- previous order of the House, the gentle- education. Visit any of those schools in ernment processes have consequences. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1753 At this very time, the country needs ing compensation levels to a higher offices, are working in this mission of legislation that has positive con- limit than what I have just described. lies and distortion and now trying to sequences with respect to the long- This process has not been used yet. drag the children, parents and teachers term health of our Republic. In capital cases, again death penalty of this Nation into this campaign In that regard, I would like to ex- cases, judges may go outside this range against much-needed reform. plain my bills. The first bill deals with of $40 to $60 per hour and set even high- First of all, let me tell the parents the handling of ethical complaints filed er rates, at their complete discretion. and teachers and my colleagues that against Federal judges. The complaint Under our code, if it involves a death EPA was a Republican idea. It started process currently works like this: The penalty case, the Federal judges can in 1972. It was an idea to do a better job ethical complaint is made in writing to set this compensation to be whatever in cleaning up the environment. It was the circuit court clerk, and this com- they deem is reasonably necessary. In a Republican proposal to set some na- plaint is accompanied by a brief state- other words, again complete discretion tional standards and we have done ment of the facts behind the complaint. on the part of that judge. that. We have begun to clean up. We Alternatively, the chief justice of the Now I understand the need to pay have had 20 some years of experience circuit may also initiate a complaint if people for their time rendered, for their and we have seen where mistakes have he is aware of a set of facts that war- services given, but these payments been made and we need to draw on rant review. that are made in these situations are that. The clerk gives the complaint to the being made at taxpayer expense. In cer- When President Clinton came into of- chief judge of the circuit, and this chief tain habeas cases, certain death pen- fice in 1993, in January, and I quote judge reviews the complaint and enters alty cases in my home State of Ten- from the New York Times, it said, ‘‘in a dismissal or refers it to a special nessee, I am aware of a Federal judge January, mayors from 114 cities and 49 committee of judges from within that awarding the lawyer fees of up to $250 States opened a campaign by sending same circuit. In other words, the com- an hour. Not many Tennessee lawyers the President a letter urging the White plaint is completely adjudicated within command $250 an hour, much less a House to focus on how environmental the circuit of the judge subject to that court-appointed lawyer in a criminal policymaking had, in their view, gone particular complaint. case. awry.’’ While most of the complaints filed My bill would set lawyers’ compensa- That is what started the debate. The against Federal judges are frivolous, tion rates under title 21 in the rec- cities, the counties, the special dis- the process itself, the procedure, ommended range of $75 to $125 across tricts, the Governors, the State asso- should not give the appearance of a the Nation, and thereby stop the judges ciations came to us and said, ‘‘Some of lack of impartiality or lack of fairness, from awarding huge amounts, far in ex- what you’re doing, some of what you’re or an appearance of possible bias, or at cess of the going rate in that particular imposing makes no sense, it’s a great worst, a possible biased review. That is, marketplace. Furthermore, my legisla- cost on us, and we pass it on to the tax- payer in higher, unwarranted costs in these complaints against a judge are tion would require that these amounts many cases.’’ So they gave us the re- now reviewed by his close colleagues. paid in attorneys’ fees and expenses sponsibility of trying to make some They all serve together in the same cir- would be publicly disclosed for all of us cuit, some in the same district. They sense out of this. to see. Mr. Speaker, I served on the commit- work together professionally, they I hope that my colleagues can sup- tee that conducted oversight of EPA meet at conferences, and interact on a port these two bills. I think it is time from 1992–94. What I saw was a horror personal and social basis. we move toward restoring the public’s story and the children and the parents Human nature leads to the likelihood confidence in the judiciary. We can and teachers should know, not just the of a less than dispassionate review in move in that direction by implement- misinformation that they are being fed this type of situation. The situation at ing impartially in the review of com- by this compliance office to lobby Con- a minimum presents an appearance of plaints filed against Federal judges, gress for more money but they should partiality. Couple that appearance and by having reasonable attorneys’ know what is really going on. with the loss of public confidence in fees that are responsible to the tax- Let me cite, for example, a memo our Government institutions that we payer, who ultimately gets the bill. dated March 31, 1993, from the inspec- are seeing, and we have a crisis in the f tor general for audit of that agency. He making. is talking about the Environmental Re- The bill I am introducing will rem- MICA EXPRESSES OUTRAGE AT OUT-OF-CONTROL EPA search Laboratory, one of the oper- edy this situation whereby judges with- ations of EPA. He said for over a period in the same circuit review ethical com- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a of up to 7 years the audit concluded plaints filed against one of their fellow previous order of the House, the gen- that ERLA management had avoided judges. My intent is to introduce a tleman from Florida [Mr. MICA] is rec- or circumvented laws, regulations, and greater degree of impartiality and fair- ognized for 5 minutes. agency procedures in the award and ness to this process. My legislation will Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I come be- funding of certain contracts and had have the clerk of the circuit in which a fore the House this afternoon really in misused or abused the use of contracts, complaint originates automatically a sense of outrage about our out-of- and it goes on and on and on about the forward that complaint to another cir- control Environmental Protection misuse. cuit for adjudication. Agency. We have heard EPA talking Mr. Speaker, this is how taxpayer This legislation builds on the current about how the new majority and Mem- dollars are being expanded. When I complaint review process. It calls for bers of Congress on both sides of the served on the committee, we looked at the creation of a method by which aisle were going to gut their budget Superfund, a multibillion-dollar complaints received against judges and and hurt the environment and do away project that was to clean up the haz- magistrates within one circuit are sent with any regulations. That, Mr. Speak- ardous waste sites. What we found in to another circuit for review. er, is all bunk. this report from GAO in 1994 said al- The second bill pertains to the We have seen EPA use public re- though one of EPA’s key policy objec- amount paid to lawyers and lawyers’ sources in the past to continue their tives is to address the worst sites first, fees and expenses that a Federal judge mission of misinformation of untruths relative risk plays little role in the may award in a capital case, a Federal and distortions. Today I received a agency’s determination of priorities. death case, if you will. Currently title copy of EPA Watch dated January 31, This study by GAO finds in fact that 18, United States Code allows com- 1996. This, Mr. Speaker, really takes they choose cleanup sites on the basis pensation at a rate of $60 per hour for the cake. It says, ‘‘EPA Enlists PTA To of political pressure, not the risk to court time and $40 for out-of-court Battle Congress Over Budget Cuts.’’ children and safety. That is something time to be paid to lawyers that are ap- This story tells how the EPA’s Office our American children, our teachers, pointed to handle Federal criminal of Enforcement and Compliance has a and the Congress should know. cases. These are standard fees. I note memo dated January 19 that states What about polluters? Do polluters that title 18 provides a means for rais- that their staff, from no fewer than 11 pay? Not with EPA. They let them off H 1754 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 the hook. Look at this headline, ‘‘EPA wards working people, working people month, March, is the month that we Lets Polluters Off the Hook,’’ $4.8 bil- who in essence are poor, to continue to celebrate women, the historic contribu- lion in noncollected funds. work and not to seek welfare and de- tions of women, when Susan B. An- Mr. Speaker, I have just about had it pendence for them and their children. thony began to talk about taking ad- with EPA. I am calling on the Speaker, The earned income tax credit that is vantage of the political process and and I am calling on Chairman under assault by this Congress and by voting and standing up for what you MCINTOSH of the oversight committee this budget process in fact enhances believe in. to conduct an investigation of what opportunities and does not take away Well, this has not been a very good they are doing. Rather than going out from opportunities in both urban and year for women, for we have found that and enforcing environmental laws, rural America. women have become unequal both in they are using taxpayer funds to start It helps the more than blue collar the workplace but as well as far as con- a campaign against Congress, and this worker, the hourly worker who has not stitutional and privilege and rights of action must stop. had an opportunity to salt away dol- privacy. For example, whatever your f lars. By them working, they then get a position is, how can you be equal with Medicare for women as opposed to The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a credit back from the Federal Govern- ment which gives them a continuing men? So that women in the military previous order of the House, the gen- would not be allowed to have abortions tleman from North Carolina [Mr. incentive to continue to work. Why should we undermine that incentive for of their choice if paid for, so that the FUNDERBURK] is recognized for 5 min- House banned coverage of most abor- utes. the working poor? Then there has been a big debate on tions by Federal employees health cov- [Mr. FUNDERBURK addressed the those who would want to raise the min- erage, again intruding on the privacy House. His remarks will appear here- imum wage and those who would not, right of women. after in the Extensions of Remarks.] merely over a dollar at this point that The House and Senate voted to pro- f is being proposed, all of the rancor, hibit the use of Federal funds to pay The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a that this would destroy small busi- for abortions for Peace Corps volun- previous order of the House, the gen- nesses or that this would eliminate teers, and so we go on and on with the tleman from California [Mr. HUNTER] is jobs. Do we really understand who is onslaught and the attack on women in recognized for 5 minutes. working in some of these places where this Congress. we used to think teenagers worked? We also saw fit to provide bonus [Mr. HUNTER addressed the House. grants to States that reduce the num- His remarks will appear hereafter in Fast food places? They are individuals who are attempting to support their ber of abortions, not among children, the Extensions of Remarks.] and we are not talking about that f family, some of them with four and five children. question, but we are talking about The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a adults, adult women who have the op- previous order of the House, the gen- b 1600 portunity to make a choice. tleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. FOX] is I was told by a Member that he had One of the most egregious pieces of recognized for 5 minutes. a family in his district, many families, legislation is when a tragedy comes [Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania addressed in fact, four members of the family, upon a family who desires a child and the House. His remarks will appear four children, excuse me, making a liv- they are required to abort because of hereafter in the Extensions of Re- ing on $15,000. Now, you wonder how the threat of that mother. Partial marks.] those people make it. I applaud them. I abortion now has become illegal both f applaud them for working, for keeping on the physician and as well would their family together, for striking out challenge the mother to get proper ECONOMIC SECURITY IS A on their own. medical care. BIPARTISAN ISSUE But if we are to uphold the quality of Mr. Speaker, I would say to you we THE SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a life for all America, then we must fight need economic security for all Ameri- previous order of the House, the gentle- for the economic security of our citi- cans, and in respecting women, in sa- woman from Texas [Ms. JACKSON-LEE] zens. We must go to corporate America luting women, we need fairness for is recognized for 5 minutes. and address the question that every- women in this legislative agenda. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. thing is not profit and dividend, al- f Speaker, many of us have had an op- though I respect those who have had OUT OF SIGHT BUT NOT portunity to visit more extensively the privileges of life and have invested. FORGOTTEN over the last 2 or 3 weeks with our con- I want you to be successful. But we The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. stituents at home. It is interesting, I must also reinvest in the creation of LATOURETTE.) Under a previous order rose just earlier this week to indicate jobs. of the House, the gentleman from Indi- really what has captured the minds and We have been told that the tele- ana [Mr. MCINTOSH] is recognized for 5 the emotions of many Americans as we communications bill that has just been minutes. have watched the Republican primary passed will create 6 million jobs. Some Mr. MCINTOSH. Mr. Speaker, out of proceed before our very eyes. It is not of those jobs, most of them, will be sight, out of mind. that the debate is unique, it is that very technical positions. We must en- There is a human tendency to forget maybe it is being raised when all of us sure that the least Americans who those things or people that are not im- happen to be focused in that direction, have tried their best with the edu- mediate to us. The media feeds this for the questions dealing with eco- cation that they have will, in fact, seek tendency—where stories of heroism or nomic security, the well-being of this the appropriate opportunities for work. tragedy receive 30 seconds of air time country, have been troubling many of Corporate America must reinvest back on the evening news—and then they are our constituents for a number of years. into work. It is not that jobs are leav- forgotten. And it is not a partisan issue. It is in ing this country. It is that we must Mr. Speaker, I rise to give my report fact a bipartisan issue, and it calls to take a stand to create jobs and create from Indiana. question the quality of life that we ex- viable work that has us making items Today I commend the brave men and pect as Americans. What it does is, it again as we built ships, as we built women serving the cause of peace in should pit us toward each other and items in World War II. We must be Bosnia—they may be out of sight, but not against each other. It involves the manufacturers again, and we must cre- they are not forgotten. assessment of affirmative action as a ate opportunities for those individuals They are in Ruthie’s and my prayers valuable tool in which we can extend, who want to hold their families to- and in the daily prayers of the good to those who have not had an oppor- gether. people of Indiana’s Second District, es- tunity, an even playing field. As I stand before you, as well as I pecially the school children. It calls into question the attack on think of economic security and oppor- Last December, right before Christ- the earned income tax credit which re- tunity, I am challenged because this mas Ruthie and I were fortunate March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1755 enough to visit with some of the sol- woman from Ohio [Ms. KAPTUR] is rec- my State of Ohio, 1,000 jobs gone al- diers of the 21st TAACOM Army Re- ognized for 5 minutes. ready just as a result of that one trade serve unit which was being deployed as Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to- agreement and as well as the lack of part of Operation Determined Effort to night on the topic of jobs in America access we have into other closed mar- help our troops in Bosnia. and the trade deficit, an issue which, kets in the world. During the course of my visit, Ruthie after 10 years of very hard work, has fi- Much attention has been put on the and I presented some of the soldiers nally made it into the headlines during impact of a long-term budget deficit in with cards and letters of encourage- this Presidential primary season, and our country, and that is important. ment from school children at both it could not have come too soon. However, very little has been said Rushville Elementary School and Mun- Last week, in our local newspaper, about this structural trade deficit, the cie Northside Middle School. the Toledo Blade, one of the headlines other pillar of the twin deficits on Two weeks ago, I visited Rushville read, ‘‘Trade Deficit Highest in 7 which our economic house and our fu- Elementary School thanks to Scott Years.’’ In fact, last year, 1995, the tures stand. And I am very happy this Bowers of my district staff and his sis- amount of imports coming into this has become a Presidential issue. It is ter Stephanie Bowers, who teaches at country versus exports going out being talked about in the Republican the elementary school. ballooned to over $111 billion, the worst Party. It is being talked about in the I was able to meet those school chil- performance of this economy since Democratic Party. dren who wrote the letter and have not 1987, and, in fact, last year’s goods defi- I guess it just goes to show that when forgotten our men and women serving cit, that means the part of the trade you run for President, probably the in Bosnia. Their words speak volumes deficit that deals with hard merchan- most important power you have is to as to what America is all about. dise, grew to $175 billion, an increase of focus attention on something impor- The first letter that I want to share over 5 percent from the prior year. tant. with you is from Heather Paugh, a fifth That means we are digging ourselves The trends are not encouraging. grader at Rushville Elementary, who deeper in the hole. Since 1990, even though we cut our said: Trade deficits like these have turned budget deficit by 23 percent and further DEAR SERVICEMEN: Good luck on your mis- our country from being the largest cuts are expected in the coming years, sion to Bosnia. I hope that every one of you creditor in the world, that means that our trade deficit has grown by 54 per- come back. I’m behind you all of the way. people borrowed from us, rather we cent. At this rate, the trade deficit will Next is a letter from Jeremy Allison. have become the largest debtor nation overtake the budget deficit within the Jeremy writes, in the world, importing much more next 2 years, and, in fact, it already DEAR TROOPS: I wish you did not have to go than we export and having to monetize, has. to Bosnia. I hope you get all of the medicine pay for those imports with our hard- The same logic that is used to sup- safely to the moms and dads and the kids earned dollars. Is it any surprise that that are sick and need it. port cutting the budget deficit could be My name is Jeremy Allison. My uncle is in the kind of lingering trade deficit has equally applied to the argument for the Air Force. I’m 10 years old and in the 4th served to act as a downward push on cutting this trade deficit. Any bor- grade. I go to Rushville Elementary School. wages in this country, contributing as rower or buyer of a foreign good knows I hope you get back safe. If you do you will well to the loss of millions of jobs that debt has a price. The U.S. trade be a hero. across our country as we see not just deficit technically represents a liabil- Remember God is with you. Your friend, Jeremy. low-skilled jobs but high-skilled jobs ity on our national balance sheet, a The last letter I want to share with moving abroad and a general decline in loan from a foreign seller or creditor you conveys the uncertainty one of the our own living standards? that must be financed. And if you think about that for a sec- children has toward the whole mission. As noted economist Wynne Godley He writes: ond, with interest rates even at the has stated, the main causes for concern level that they are today, is it not I am very surprised that you would risk are the financial constraints that occur your life to save another. I don’t think it’s harder for you to afford a car than it when countries become heavily in- fair that you have to go. I wish that Bosnia was for your parents? That is because debted and the loss of national income would have peace and nobody would have to goods cost more here now. that results from rising interest pay- do what you’re doing. I just want to show you a chart, I ments. I have been studying in school about all of will put it up here, which in the red, In the past, even though you may go the people who have lost their families. I am which is the part I want to reference and buy a car and it may come from very sorry that happens almost everyday. I here, shows what has been happening another country, you purchase it with hope you do not have to shoot anybody. I’m for the last 20 years in our country. We a 10 year old boy in Rushville. your credit card, when you make those Graig Weily. have not had a year where we have had interest payments, those go to the for- We are all proud to know that Amer- more exports going out of our country eign manufacturer. This is what I talk ica has dedicated service men and than imports coming in here. In fact it about when I say monetizing that debt. women ready to give up their lives to has been getting worse and worse. Last In the past, increased flows of foreign protect freedom. And most impor- year, 1995, will be worse than the year investments into our country as well tantly, children back home that be- of 1994. In fact, if you look at our en- as their purchases of our securities, our lieve in them. tire balance of payments, the measure Treasury bills, were necessary to pay Grownups may disagree over the pol- of all of the inflows and outflows of for our trade deficit. Now the willing- icy and the deployment of troops to capital, goods and services to and from ness and capability of these foreign Bosnia, but I think most grownups, in- our country, our position has been de- creditors, especially Japan, to continue cluding myself, agree with Jeremy Al- teriorating, as this chart indicates, these investments and purchases is on lison: ‘‘I hope you get back safe and if since the 1970’s, largely as a result of a the wane. As foreign direct investment you do you will be a hero. Remember lack of domestic savings and invest- and purchases of our securities de- God is with you.’’ ment here at home, but more impor- crease, the United States will still need To the brave men and women serving tant, the rising penetration of foreign to attract foreign capital to pay for in Bosnia—you may be out of sight, but imports into this country and the lit- this deficit. you are not out of mind, you are in our eral displacement of jobs in our coun- If the trade deficit remains at the prayers daily. try. same level, by the year 2010 we will be And that is my report from Indiana I cannot tell you how many Members paying the equivalent of 2.5 percent of this week. have come up to me on this floor since the entire amount of goods and serv- f NAFTA’s passage, which we fought so ices produced in this country and inter- hard against. They said, ‘‘Marcy, we est payments and capital outflows to JOBS IN AMERICA AND THE lost 3,000 jobs in northern Alabama. We foreign countries. TRADE DEFICIT have lost 2,000 jobs in east Tennessee. Now, the 2.5 might not sound like a The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a We have lost 14,000 jobs in Florida,’’ lot, but it represents the amount by previous order of the House, the gentle- and the automotive parts companies of which this economy is growing. It is H 1756 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 not enough to catapult us into the high dent vetoes that particular bill, then the House of Representatives by the standard of living we would hope for there is no money there. gentlewoman from New Jersey, Mrs. our people. The green part is defense spending, MARGE ROUKEMA, a Republican and a Only with the goal of cutting our ex- and I have separated that out as the colleague of mine, and her bill is basi- ploding trade deficit and making sure 13th appropriation bill, because the cally the same as the one that is spon- it remains a part of the Presidential hawks and doves, the conservatives and sored in the Senate by Senators KASSE- race this year will we be able to cure liberals, almost never have disagreed BAUM and TED KENNEDY. So this is a bi- the other part of the twin deficit that more than a plus or minus 10-percent partisan effort. is causing the downward pressure on deviation. Everybody agrees that there Basically, it is a bipartisan effort to wages and living standards in this should be a certain amount of our try to bring very modest health insur- country. budget spent for national defense, so ance reform to the American people. I f that is pretty much on automatic should also point out that in his State pilot. of the Union Address, President Clin- INCREASING THE PUBLIC DEBT The blue is on automatic pilot on the ton said that he would sign this bill if The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a welfare programs, because those wel- it was passed by the Senate and the previous order of the House, the gen- fare and entitlement programs, we can- House and brought to his desk. tleman from Michigan [Mr. SMITH] is not reduce the spending for those pro- The problem that we face right now recognized for 5 minutes. grams unless the President signs the is that there are strong indications Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speak- bill to do it. that the House Republican leadership, er, I would like to talk about the fact What we have done is we have given Speaker NEWT GINGRICH and the Repub- that tomorrow this Chamber is going away congressional authority over the lican leadership in the House, are not to increase the borrowing authority to years and said that the money is auto- willing to bring the bill to the floor in the U.S. Department of Treasury, or we matically going to be there if individ- its existing form, and, in fact, are talk- presume the votes will be there to in- uals meet this certain criteria of enti- ing about loading up the legislation crease the debt. tlement. There is a certain level of with many other provisions which we The public debt of this country is poverty, so therefore they are eligible think we make it more difficult for now $4.9 trillion. I brought a chart with for food stamps, or they are poor and this bill to pass. me to explain the roughly $1.6 trillion have kids and are eligible for AFDC, or I want to introduce to talk a little budget that this Federal Government reach a certain age so you can have bit about the bill, the gentlewoman Medicare, or a certain level of poverty spends every year. If we look at the from California [Ms. ESHOO]. Before I growth of the U.S. budget, back in the so you can have Medicaid. This cannot do that though, I just wanted to say 1970’s, the U.S. budget used up a much be changed. This is the part of the very briefly, that, as I said, there are smaller portion of our total gross do- budget that is causing us to increase 170 Democrat Members of the House the national debt more than any other mestic product. that have signed on as cosponsors to part of the budget. this bill, and there are numerous orga- b 1615 What a lot of us think is that it is nizations, most notably the American In fact, in 1948 it represented 12 per- reasonable, Mr. Speaker, to say to the President, look, if we are going to in- Medical Association and a list of prob- cent of GDP. Now it is up to 21 percent ably about 100 different health care of GDP. This Government, this crease this debt over the $4.9 trillion that we now have, then we want to tie specialty groups, as well as some insur- overbloated bureaucracy, is growing ers, who are not saying that they also bigger and bigger, and how are we to it some reforms in the welfare pro- grams, the entitlement programs, that support the bill. going to stop the overspending? How in addition to that, there has been a are we going to stop more and more are causing the greatest need for in- creasing that debt. commitment by the Republican leader- borrowing, that means that we are tak- ship in the Senate to bring the bill to ing the money that our kids and Let us be fair to our kids, let us be encouraging to the economy, let us bal- the floor the second or third week in grandkids have not even earned yet to ance the budget. The only way you can April. So, again, the only thing that is pay for what we consider today’s prob- balance the budget is to change the en- holding up action on this legislation at lems? titlement programs. That means the this point is the House Republican Everybody in the generation under 40 President has to sign that bill. leadership, which so far has been un- years old had better sit up and take We tried it once. We got a balanced willing to bring it to the floor. note about what Government is doing budget through the House and the Sen- Mr. Speaker, I would like to intro- to their future. This pie chart rep- ate. The President vetoed it. We are duce my colleague, the gentlewoman resents how Government spends its going to try again, Mr. Speaker. from California [Ms. ESHOO], who has money. The bottom blue part rep- f been a strong leader on this issue. resents half of the Federal budget, and Ms. ESHOO. I thank the gentleman it is spent for welfare and so-called en- HEALTH CARE REFORM from New Jersey [Mr. PALLONE]. titlement spending. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under Mr. Speaker, I would like to return The little white part represents in- the Speaker’s announced policy of May the compliment with a multiplier, be- terest. Interest is now becoming the 12, 1995, the gentleman from New Jer- cause the gentleman has been at the largest single item in the Federal sey [Mr. PALLONE] is recognized for 60 forefront in support of the changes budget. This year, this represents net minutes as the designee of the minor- that need to be made for the American interest. Gross interest, if we include ity leader. people on health care. He has been an the interest that is paid on the money Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, the rea- eloquent voice in the committee that that we borrow from Social Security son I am here today is because Demo- we both serve on, the Committee on and the other trust funds, was over $300 crats as a party in the House of Rep- Commerce, when it has come to Medi- billion this part year, larger than any resentatives, basically over 170 demo- care and the protection of the elderly single expense item in the budget. cratic Members of the House of Rep- in our Nation. He has spoken not only The red section represents 12 appro- resentatives, are uniting behind a pro- eloquently but very sensibly. Some- priation bills. Those 12 appropriation posal that would make modest but im- times I think the most uncommon of bills are controlled by Congress. Arti- portant improvements in America’s the senses is common sense. He does cle I of the Constitution says Congress health insurance. Basically it would not lack that. is responsible for the purse strings. provide access to more Americans so I am delighted to join with my col- This is about all we have left, is that that they can have health insurance, league today during this special order little red piece of pie that represents 18 and guaranteeing also that if they lose to talk about this bill on health insur- percent of the budget that represents their job or change jobs, that they can ance. I ran for Congress in 1992, and one the 12 appropriation bills. Why I say carry their insurance with them. of the issues that motivated me the Congress has control of that appropria- The bill that we are all uniting be- most, because it was something that I tion spending is because if the Presi- hind and cosponsoring is sponsored in concentrated on and gave 10 years of March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1757 legislative time and sweat and some- ple’s issue. So this legislation which we need, to what the families need, to times some tears, but it was all worth are so proud to support contains this what individuals need, to add to the se- it, when I served in local government, provisions. curity that they really deserve. was on the issue of health care. The other provision is something b 1630 I recognized back in 1982 that, if that people have spoken, I think, to there was an issue that was driving our every single Member of Congress about So I would like to again salute my economy that needed to be reshaped in our respective congressional dis- colleague, Mr. PALLONE, for the leader- and reformed, it was health care. I tricts. That is those that have a pre- ship that he has provided with the guess I was not only right then, I was existing condition are redlined by the health care task force that has cer- dead right. That was back in 1982, and insurance companies. tainly been in operation on the Demo- we went on to make some wonderful re- Now, let us back up for a minute and cratic side of the aisle to help bring forms and changes in the county where understand why we all buy insurance forward the sensible reforms, not a I served on the board of supervisors. to begin with. I know that I buy and Rube Goldberg plan that no one can Then running for Congress, of course, pay for my automobile insurance in the understand. it was what we talked about and prom- eventuality that something happens No one can charge that this is Big ised. I think it is about time that we and I am involved in an automobile ac- Government on any individual’s back. keep, at least, some of our promises to cident, that I am covered. I do not do This is for the people. They are willing the American people. Even though that so that, when the accident hap- to pay for these provisions, but the law there was not sweeping health care re- pens, the insurance company drops me. must change in order for them to enjoy form legislation in the 103d Congress, We buy it to be covered at the time them. some cheered that. But the American that we need the coverage. So ‘‘thank you’’ to you, Mr. PALLONE, people have been left without solutions So there are tens of millions of for your leadership. It is ongoing. You that they need to bring to their day-to- Americans today that on the basis of a are tenacious. I think that you were day lives. preexisting condition, which is part of absolutely terrific. I look forward to So this legislation, which is biparti- health care, everyone’s body is not per- gathering round the desk of the Presi- san, which was shaped in the Senate by fect. Every human body does not re- dent on a bipartisan basis when he both the Republican and Democratic main perfect from birth until God calls signs this bill into law, hopefully this Senator, has now attracted support, us. So we need to make these provi- year, and that we can conclude the important support from both sides of sions for the people in our country. 104th Congress in keeping the promise the aisle. It is not all things to all peo- I think that it is one of the real that we made to the American people ple. It is not a Christmas tree with unfairnesses of the insurance industry. that we would indeed try to lift them many decorations on it. But quite sim- So we need to make these provisions. up and that there will be sensible ply it strikes at the heart of two issues There is a great deal that is written health care reform, and I think that that we can address in the 104th Con- today, everything that we pick up, this bill, H.R. 2893, is it. gress. from the New York Times to all of the Thank you for sharing some of this First is portability. Portability, what weekly magazine publications, about special order time. I think that this is does that mean? It means that where the anxiety that is underlying the special, and I think that it is in order. you work and you are insured with a American public today. Mr. PALLONE. I want to thank my policy, that if you move to another job Mr. Speaker, I think that we can colleague from California, Ms. ESHOO, or if you lose your job, you can con- take a quantum leap on their behalf if for explaining the bill and basically tinue that health care coverage. How? in fact we speak to those things that why those two principles of portability By individuals being willing to pay for help to make a family secure. I do not and limitations on preexisting condi- it. So this is not a government pro- think any one of us in cosponsoring tions as the basis for getting health in- gram, as important as some of them this bill is making the promise that it surance are so important. are to those in other circumstances in cures everything, that it takes care of As you indicated, it seems like this is our society, this is a piece of legisla- everything. It does not. But, again, it apple pie. In other words, why would tion that acknowledges and will give to does strike to the heart of two very anybody oppose it? But as we know, people what they want, and that is major, important provisions that need that is not the case. In fact, without portability. getting into all the bureaucracy of it, Some say that they experience job to be made by law by this Congress. I what we are trying to press and chal- lock. They will not leave their jobs for think that there will be a grateful Na- lenge the Republican leadership to do another because they do not want to tion that will acknowledge the work of is to simply bring up this bill in what leave this benefit behind. Certainly on the people in the 104th Congress if in we call a clean form, exactly the way the threshold of the 21st century, the fact we produce this for them. you described it and the way it was in- Congress of the United States would be Now, for those that are listening in, troduced, and not load onto it all kinds forward looking and say, We are more they are probably thinking, This of other things that may create con- than willing to catch up with what is sounds so simple. It sounds so sensible. troversy and make it difficult to pass. going on in society and allow our citi- What could ever stand in the way of One of the things that we have heard zens to take with them the benefit that this? There are always interests that they already enjoy and that they them- weigh in, certainly the health insurers is that in the Senate, Senators KASSE- selves are willing to pay for. in the country. BAUM and KENNEDY seem to have a So I think that is not only a very im- I think it is time that the Congress commitment from the Republican and portant principle to set down, but it look at the interests of the American the Democratic leadership to do ex- really is responding to what people people. Certainly we can listen to what actly that. When the bill comes up, as want. If the Congress itself wants to people’s concerns are, about what they I said, in mid-April or possibly late distinguish itself to the American peo- like or dislike about a bill. But then we April, they already have a commitment ple, I think we better be about their must move on. We are here for the peo- that there will not be any amend- business and to respond to what they ple of America. The Speaker sits in the ments. Somebody might offer an talk to us about every day. chair with the American flag behind amendment, but there is not going to I am a Californian, and I do not stay him. Over that it says, ‘‘In God we be any effort to allow those amend- in Washington on the weekend. As soon trust.’’ ments to succeed, not because you and as the bells go off, I race off to Dulles I would like to think that the Amer- I or others do not think that we should Airport to fly home to be with my con- ican people will say at the end of this go further and do more for health in- stituents. This issue of portability has process and this bill that we know the surance reform, because we do, but be- been spoken to and about tens of thou- President will sign, not as a Christmas cause we just know that these things sands of times just in my congressional tree, not diluted to be less than what it are basic and we do not want them district alone. is now, but that the American people cluttered up. This is not a Democratic issue, it is will say, ‘‘in the Congress we trust,’’ Now, on the other hand, if I could not a Republican issue. This is the peo- because they responded to what we just come back to the House for a H 1758 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 minute, what we are hearing in the to them, pay attention to what they So already, getting back to the point House from the Republican leadership are saying, and at least incrementally that myself and the gentlewoman from is very different. Just to give you some come out with the two things that this California made before, already there information, this was from yesterday’s very sensible bipartisan bill represents. are efforts on the part of the Repub- New York Times, and just to read a lit- So thanks again to my colleague. I lican leadership in the House to sort of tle bit, it says that the House Repub- think you are exactly what people sent muck up this bill and not bring the lican leaders said today they would you here to do, that you are sensible, clean bill to the floor that would sim- soon take up this bill, but they intend that you are caring, and that we want ply address the issues of portability to add provisions that are likely to to be effective and produce for the and limitations on preexisting condi- generate bitter, prolonged disputes in American people. After all, this is the tions. Congress. House of the people, this Chamber that We also understand that in another For example, they are talking about we are standing in. House committee, the House Ways and adding provisions dealing with medical Some of the greatest Americans have Means Committee, there may be an ef- malpractice, antitrust law, special sav- come and gone from this floor, have ad- fort to bring up a bill, H.R. 1610, by Mr. ings accounts for medical expenses, and dressed the Nation from that podium, THOMAS. That again is a much weaker tax deductions for the health insurance and I think that we are their political reform measure than the Roukema bill. costs of people who are self-employed. descendents and we would do well to What we are seeing here essentially is Again, we may or may not agree with remind ourselves of the greatness of in- the leadership in the House moving to those points, but they are, as you know dividuals of the past. try to enact provisions that are much being in the Commerce Committee, The reason that they were great was less reform-minded, if you will, than tremendously controversial. because they were good. Why were they the legislation that we have talked It says, in fact, in the article that good? Because they were effective. Why about today. the decision to add these provisions es- were they effective? It is because they I wanted to go back briefly to just sentially is made to placate conserv- produced things for the American peo- explain in a little more detail what ative House Republicans or to satisfy ple, and they are long in the American this legislation that was sponsored by people’s memory for what they accom- committee chairmen keenly interested Mrs. ROUKEMA would do and how im- in one provision or another. I honestly plished on their behalf. portant it is to the average American. I think that we can do the same believe, though, that the real motiva- Essentially what it is is a minimum thing, and I would call on the Speaker tion is to sabotage the bill because guarantee for all citizens with employ- and anyone else that is thinking of, ex- they know, the House Republican lead- ment-based health coverage, in other cuse the expression, mucking up the ership knows, as you and I know, that words, these are people that are buying bill or placing on it those things that insurance on the job or essentially get- these provisions are very controversial. will make it cave in, instead of shep- ting insurance through their employer, Many of them were hotly contested herding it across the finish line and that as long as they pay their pre- during the Medicaid, Medicare budget producing a great touchdown for Amer- miums, their health insurance can battle that we had for a year that was ica. never resolved, and I think it is impor- Thank you. never be taken away from them, tant for us to keep pointing out we Mr. PALLONE. Thank you. I just whether they change jobs, lose their want a clean bill. wanted to continue, if I could, to talk jobs, or get sick. We do not want, for the sake of those about some of the efforts, if you will, That is essentially what we are try- who are more conservative or those that are taking place even today to try ing to do. Exclusions for preexisting who are more liberal, to sort of muck to avoid Mrs. ROUKEMA’s bill from com- conditions would be limited. They can- up this bill, because it is so important ing to the floor in the clean form that not be reimposed on those with current that it move forward. we just talked about. coverage who change jobs or whose em- Ms. ESHOO. Would the gentleman First of all, in the Committee on ployers change insurance companies. yield for just a moment? Economic and Educational Opportuni- No employers who want to buy a pol- Mr. PALLONE. Sure. ties today a bill was reported out by icy for their employees can be turned Ms. ESHOO. I think as people are Mr. FAWELL of Illinois instead of the down because of the health of their em- tuned in and hopefully listening and Roukema bill that we just discussed. In ployees. No employees can be excluded finding this, our conversation, enlight- fact, there was an effort by the Demo- from an employer’s policy because they ening, the reason why we point out, ex- crats on the committee to simply pose have higher than average health care cuse the expression, the ying and yang an amendment that would move the costs, and cancellation of policies will of this, is that what has taken place in Roukema bill or take up the Roukema be prohibited for those who continue to the Senate around this bipartisan bill bill, and that was defeated along par- pay their premiums. Any employee los- and the promise to keep it clean is to tisan lines, the Democrats voting for ing group coverage because they leave keep it uncomplicated. it, the Republicans against it. their job or for any other reason would With the ingredients that are already The Fawell bill, if you will, that was be guaranteed the right to buy an indi- there, they are winning ingredients. We actually reported out of the Committee vidual policy. know that a souffle only rises once, on Economic and Educational Opportu- Now, again, the Roukema bill, H.R. and so we want to capture that oppor- nities does not include the Roukema 2893, to get a little more specific, would tunity. For that set of ingredients that bill’s protections for individuals who prohibit insurers and employers from has been agreed to and I think will have been laid off or retired and are limiting or denying coverage under breed the success that we are looking trying to purchase health insurance for group plans for more than 12 months for, these two major, important health themselves. It also contains weaker for a medical condition that was diag- care reforms for the people of America, provisions with respect to protecting nosed or treated during the previous 6 that we duplicate that recipe and those individuals against being denied health months. So, in other words, if you have ingredients in the House. care due to preexisting conditions. coverage now, I will use the example of If in fact other ingredients are Another shortcoming, if you will, of a cancer patient. thrown into this so that the souffle the Fawell bill includes provisions that If you are working, for example, for does not rise, then I do not think it is would threaten State reform initia- General Motors and when you are there difficult to predict. We will lumber to- tives designed to increase access and working you discover that you have ward the end of the 104th Congress, I affordability in the health insurance cancer and you have to have treat- think, with egg on the face, most market. Basically this deals with the ment, be treated for cancer, and 6 frankly, because the American people whole issue of ERISA, where the Fed- months later you were to change jobs are exhausted with the partisanship eral Government essentially preempts and while you are still undergoing that comes around these life issues and any State efforts to improve access or treatment and move to, for example, to what secures their family. to do more, if you will, in terms of Ford Motor Co. and start working They do not want to hear these kind health insurance reform than the Fed- there, well, essentially the new com- of debates. They want us to stand next eral Government might do. pany would only be allowed to exclude March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1759 you from coverage at most over a life- is very much supportive of the Rou- included Senator Muskie as well as time of 12 months. So that maybe for kema bill. Senator Hathaway, both very well re- the first 6 months, there would not be What we are saying essentially, and I spected Members of the U.S. Senate, the guarantee of health coverage once cannot reiterate it enough, is that in also Congressman Emery and Congress- you change jobs, but there would be this Congress so far nothing really has man OLYMPIA SNOWE of Maine who after those 6 months. been accomplished to move us toward were representing the State of Maine Now, again, those of us who believe health care reform, and even with the in the House of Representatives. And that there should be universal coverage battle over Medicare and Medicaid and knowing and having met these individ- and that you should not be able to ex- the budget battles that continue, it is uals on a personal basis was, of course, clude anybody at any time would say not likely that there is going to be a very special experience for myself as that even that is not enough. But at much resolution of those issues and a recent graduate of college and as a least to guarantee that, that a person those programs. But at least, if we can law student, and I took particular no- for the most can be excluded for only 12 achieve modest health insurance re- tice of the fact that at that time the months, is a significant change in the form on the issues of portability and on Congress was grappling with the issue law from what you are guaranteed the issue of preexisting conditions, of the Federal budget. right now. then we will have accomplished some- In fact I believe it was 1975; it was Also, denial of individual coverage to thing, and there is a need for biparti- very significant in the sense that Con- workers losing group coverage that san cooperation to at least achieve gress passed the Budget Reform Act have had it for at least 18 months those modest goals as we continue to which was attempting to address what would also be prohibited. I do not want work toward the ultimate goal of uni- was then viewed as a systemic problem to get into all the specific details, but versal coverage and affordable quality in the Congress, in the U.S. Govern- essentially it is a significant improve- health care for all. ment, in terms of how we really dealt ment from the way the law now reads. So with that, I would just like to with managing the spending of the The other thing that I wanted to conclude this special order today, but Federal Government, and in that year point out today is that our Democratic point out that we are going to continue we created the House Committee on caucus health care task force, which is to press that the Roukema bill be the Budget in the House of Representa- supportive of the Roukema bill and brought to the floor as a clean bill and tives, in this Chamber, and we also cre- which has sort of spearheaded the ef- oppose any efforts to try to prevent its ated the Senate Budget Committee, fort to try to get the many Democratic adoption in this Congress and its ulti- and 1975 also marked the establishment cosponsors that we now have for the mately being signed into law by Presi- of the Congressional Budget Office bill, about 171, we developed about 6 dent Clinton who has repeatedly stated which was to be a special office of the months ago a set of principles on that he will sign the bill and that he Congress that was going to be geared health care reform which is essentially supports this very modest health care to address fiscal issues in this country guiding what we do in this Congress. insurance reform. and provide honest advice, nonpartisan The two goals that we set forth in our f advice, to those of us here in Washing- Democratic principles of health care ton who were attempting to deal with BALANCING THE BUDGET reform that are really most important the issue of how to control Federal are, first, that Democrats remain com- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. spending. mitted to universal coverage for all LATOURETTE). Under the Speaker’s an- I mention that because at that point Americans and, second, that Demo- nounced policy of May 12, 1995, the gen- the Federal debt was somewhere below crats remain committed to assure that tleman from Maine [Mr. LONGLEY] is a trillion, possibly about a half a tril- high quality health care is affordable recognized for 60 minutes as the des- lion dollars, and yet is was still viewed, for all. ignee of the majority leader. the national debt was still viewed, as a So essentially what our task force Mr. LONGLEY. Mr. Speaker, it is a serious potential crisis, and the level of principles say is that we will support privilege to be here in the House this federal spending and the deficits were any proposals which move the Nation afternoon, and I would like to discuss also viewed as a crisis. closer to these goals of universal cov- one of the aspects of the budget debate Now mind you that was almost 20 erage and high quality health care that that I think we have not been paying years ago, but as a country we had ac- is affordable for all, and we will oppose enough attention to, and that is that, cumulated a record of unbalanced proposals which move the Nation fur- and I know that there is a great deal of budgets, of running deficits, that were ther away from those goals. For that concern amongst the public in terms of exceeding the prior 30 or 40 years. reason we have been very much op- what is really happening in Washing- I believe that presently, here in 1996, posed to the cuts and changes in Medi- ton, and I guess I have got some reas- I have been advised that we have only care and Medicaid that the Republican suring news. balanced our Federal budget in 9 or 10 leadership has proposed as part of its The reassuring news in that I think of the last 60 years, and clearly we budget recommendations in 1995 and this Congress has succeeded in stopping have almost 50 years, going back 60 that continue into 1996. the spending train in Washington dead years where we did not balance the At the same time, though, the prin- in its tracks, and in all honesty I wish budget, and so 20 years ago, to put this ciples that are incorporated in the that we could have done it in, perhaps, in context, we had acquired a record of Roukema bill which we talked about a cleaner and a more polished manner. unbalanced budgets, felt it was a seri- on the floor today, the principles that But I would like to offer a little bit ous crisis, needed to act on it. And basically limit exclusion for preexist- of historical perspective on some of the again I need to underscore that that ing conditions and the principles that difficulties that we have been facing, was 20 years ago. allow you to carry your health insur- and what this Congress really means, I had another personal connection in ance with you from one job to the particularly in comparison to prior this issue, and that was that the fol- other, so to speak, these are principles Congresses, and what prior Congresses lowing year, in 1976, Governor Longley that move us in the direction, if you have attempted to do to control spend- was appointed as one of the first na- will, of universal coverage and more ing, and I would like to go back to 1975. tional cochairmen of the Committee high quality coverage that is afford- 1975 was the year that my father was for a Balanced Budget Amendment, and able. elected Governor of Maine, Governor so against a member of my family, Longley. He was an independent, and I somebody that I love very much was b 1645 had just graduated from college, was given this responsibility of calling the That is not to say that these are the doing some volunteer work, not only in country’s attention to the crisis that answers and that these are going to his campaign, but later in his term of our budget deficits represented. necessarily achieve universal coverage office, and at that point first became Now I mention that as backdrop to or affordable health care, but at least personally aware and met many of the the fact that I asked Greg Winter of they move us in that direction, and members of the Maine congressional my staff to go back and look at the that is why our health care task force delegation, which at that point, in 1975, major congressional actions taken to H 1760 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 deal with the budget crisis and give me The deficit is the symptom; spending is amounts of increases, and in fact, as a breakdown of the different acts and the issue. And controlling spending has you can see looking at these numbers what they might represent, and I am become, I think, a priority in this Con- in the spending line, we have got stunned to discover that going back gress. spending increases of $350 billion from just to 1980 there have been 16 major But something else is important to the year 1995 to the year 2002. Spending pieces of legislation designed to deal understand. Many of these pieces of is continuing to go up. And you are with the Federal budget crisis. legislation contain fiscal notes that right on the money with what you are In 1980 we passed, the Congress called for in some cases revenue in- talking about, that the real goal here passed, the Omnibus Reconciliation creases, in many cases spending cuts. needs to be to get the net revenues into Act. 1981, we passed the Omnibus Budg- But when you look at the actual num- line with the amount of spending that et Reconciliation Act. In fact that title bers, the fact of the matter is that in we are doing. That is how you get to a became so popular that we later passed no single year over the last 16 years balanced budget. six additional acts with that same title has the Federal Government ever re- b 1700 over the last 15 years. And of course in duced spending, and by that I mean ac- 1982 we had the Tax Equity and Fiscal tually spent less money in 1 year than The way to get a balanced budget is Responsibility Act. It is famously it had spent in the prior year. to control the amount of money that known as TEFRA to nearly every ac- And the message is clear, that spend- you were spending out here. In fact, countant in the United States. 1983, we ing has continued to increase unabated that is what the Republican plan would passed Social Security amendments for the last 16 years, despite the fact have done had it been signed into law again designed to deal with controlling that we have had 16 major pieces of leg- by the President. Of course, it was the growth of spending particularly in islation designed to deal with reducing most recently vetoed. I think it is real the Social Security System and to spending so that we could get spending important to know that that spending bring the revenues at that point which in line with revenues and work towards and bringing that spending into line is were under threat based on the increas- balancing the budget. what is absolutely essential. ing payments, it was felt 12 years ago The point that I would like to make, Again, when we look at this chart, we that we needed to act to protect the in- and I see that Representative NEUMAN see revenues of 1.356 or $1,356 billion tegrity of Social Security. 1984, we had has come into the Chamber, and I today, going all the way to 1,841. The the Deficit Reduction Act, and then in would just end with this one comment problem with charts like this one I 1985 we had the Balanced Budget and and then perhaps ask for some com- have in my hand here is there are so Emergency Deficit Control Act. In fact ments from the gentleman from Wis- many numbers in my charts that we some of these titles actually become consin, Mr. NEUMANN. But the point lose sight of what this really means. somewhat ridiculous. We have the Om- that I would make is this: What this really means, it is not about nibus Reconciliation Act of 1986, and I think many of us who were just these numbers. It is about the next then the following year, in 1987, the elected to this body realize in hind- generation of Americans. It is about Balanced Budget and Emergency Defi- sight that this Congress, albeit well in- our children, it is about our grand- cit Control Reaffirmation Act. tentioned, was focusing on the wrong children. In fact in audiences, as I have spoken aspects of the problem and was at- If we do not accomplish this, the pic- to audiences in my district, I have tempting to deal with the symptom; ture is not very bright for our children. joked that the only thing that we have i.e., the deficits, and not the fundamen- But if we manage to bring this about, missed in the last 18 years is the words tal problem which was overspending; it opens all kinds of opportunities for really, really, really serious about bal- and the second recognition that we all our children that absolutely were not ancing the budget act, and the under- have is that what we have seen truly is there before. Balancing the budget, ac- scores, I think, a great concern that a failure of will, a failure of Congress cording to Alan Greenspan, means a 2- many of us have, and I know that the to insist on the measures that were percent reduction in the interest rates. public and certainly this Member feels necessary to actually bring revenues in That means our children, that means very strongly that we need to work to- line with expenditures, and I would young Americans, get to buy homes gether, Democrats and Republicans, to suggest that one of the major mistakes and get to buy cars. deal with this important issue. Bal- that we want to avoid, that this Con- Mr. Speaker, what a lot of people for- ancing the budget should not be a par- gress wants to avoid, is that it would get when they go down this road of dis- tisan political issue. be very easy for us to enter into a look cussion is that when these young peo- But I also have to say that there good, feel good agreement with the ad- ple buy homes and when they buy cars, comes a time when you must focus on ministration on a budget, and we could somebody is going to be building those what your objectives are, and unfortu- all hold news conferences and pat each homes and somebody is going to be nately partisan fights do arise and other on the back. But unlike prior putting those cars together and build- occur, and maybe sometimes for good congresses, none of us wants to be in a ing those automobiles. That means reason, but I would point out that in position where in 10 or 20 years we find jobs. So we are not only talking about looking at these 16 pieces of legislation out that our children are really paying the ability for them to live the Amer- that were passed that each of the par- the bill. ican dream, to own their own home, we ties at different times supported 12 of And I notice that the gentleman from are really talking about them being the 16 acts, and on 8 instances majori- Wisconsin, Mr. NEUMAN is here, and, able to live the American dream and ties of each party in this Congress sup- MARK, welcome to this special order. have a job that allows them to work ported the acts, which basically means Mr. NEUMANN. I will just carry on a and provide for their families. This is that both majorities, of both the little bit on just what you were just truly the opportunity to achieve the Democrats in the Congress and Repub- saying here, that when I go home to American dream. licans in the Congress, passed or sup- our district, and I turn on my TV set, This is absolutely essential. These ported 8 of the 16 acts, and, as I indi- and I hear about cut, cut, cut, cut, and numbers are nice, but it is not about cated, the Republican Party per se sup- then I come back out here to Washing- numbers. It is about our children and ported 12 of the 16 pieces of legislation, ton, and I take a look at the numbers, the opportunities they have here in and the Democrats supported, again and the numbers are not going down, America. It is about keeping our jobs also supported, 12 of the 16, and in 8 of they are going up in spending; spending here at home instead of watching them those years they were in agreement in today is about $1530 billion or about to overseas. It is about the job opportu- passing these bills. $1.530 trillion, and by the year 2002 that nities and the opportunities to live the Now what was the problem? Well, I spending is slated to go all the way up American dream. That is what this think, first of all, the focus was on the to 1.8 or $1,835 billion. chart is really all about. deficit, and when you get right down to So when people talk about these Mr. LONGLEY. That is very impor- it, I think that one of the lessons that spending cuts, I think it is important tant. we have learned in the last 2 years is to note that they are not cuts in spend- Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman that the deficit per se is not the issue. ing. What they are is reductions in the from Connecticut [Mr. SHAYS]. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1761 Mr. SHAYS. I thank the gentleman Mr. KINGSTON. I think it is impor- But they say they do not want that, for making sure we kept this time. tant to follow up that comment, Mr. as if they want to balance the budget. Mr. Speaker, this is an extraordinary Speaker, in saying that that interest The crazy thing is they want to still opportunity that we have to just really does not pay down one dime of the balance the budget in 7 years without a clarify certain issues and just make principal, that people will still con- tax cut, so it means that they are sure that we are all focused on our ulti- tinue to pay all the other taxes in- going to spend the money that we save mate objectives. We want to get our fi- volved in it. The gentleman from Wis- for a tax cut, they are going to take nancial house in order and balance the consin [Mr. NEUMANN], has said that and spend it for more government. So budget, and we want to save our trust two reasons, real quickly, to balance they are not balancing the budget any funds, particularly Medicare, from the budget is it saves America from sooner. They are just making govern- bankruptcy. We thought they were economic disaster. We are paying al- ment larger than we would make it. going to start to go insolvent and be most $20 billion each month in the in- Mr. NEUMANN. Mr. Speaker, if the bankrupt in the year 2002, if we did not terest on the debt already. Nations gentleman will yield, I think that do anything. Now we learn it started to cannot survive with that much debt point is so important. I have found go insolvent last year, and will be service. that to be such a big misconception, bankrupt just at the turn of the cen- No. 2, the gentleman had said that talking to folks here in Washington tury, so we have some heavy lifting to there is a great interest or dividend in versus talking to folks at our town hall do to save our Medicare plan for sen- terms of the homeowner. If you have a meetings back in Wisconsin. The peo- iors, even present-day seniors. 30-year home mortgage for a $75,000 ple back in Wisconsin think if we do Then that third issue, and it all re- house, a 2-percent drop in interest not do the tax cuts, that means we will lates, we want to transform this care- rates, which is what the Federal Re- borrow less of our children’s money taking social, corporate, even farming serve would estimate balancing the and get to a balanced budget sooner. If welfare state into what we would call a budget would bring permanently, that were the case, I would sure listen caring opportunity society. We want to bringing lower interest rates perma- to that argument. help people kind of grow the seeds in- nently, that would mean $37,000 less But that is not what is being talked stead of just hand them the food. that American homeowners would pay about here in Washington. That is Wis- Mr. Speaker, the gentleman related on that mortgage. If it is a $15,000 car consin. Out here in Washington what it so well to our children. It is amazing loan, American consumers would pay we want to do or what is being dis- to me that in the last 22 years we have $900 less. cussed is getting rid of the tax cuts and allowed the national debt to increase 10 One thing that the gentleman from spending the money on more bureau- times, from about $430 billion in 1974 to Wisconsin [Mr. NEUMANN] did not men- cratic programs here in Washington. about $4,900 billion; just 22 years in a tion, a third reason you want to bal- That I am opposed to. time of relative peace. There it is. It is ance the budget is because it will lower If we talk about what the Wisconsin growth out of control. In that case you your taxes. Middle-class America right people think we maybe ought to be are doing it from 1960. But if we notice now has gone from paying about 5 per- thinking about doing, and that is get- the number of 1975, down there, it just cent Federal income tax in the 1950’s ting to a balanced budget sooner and starts to go up at an alarming rate. to, currently, 24 percent. In all State, borrowing less of our children’s money, I think former Prime Minister Rabin, local, and Federal taxes, middle in- that is a good discussion. But that is who was assassinated, he was a politi- come, it is about 45 percent for Ameri- absolutely not the discussion going on cian, and he used to enjoy telling peo- cans now. If President Clinton had not ple and reminding all politicians out here in Washington. The discussion vetoed our bill this April, this April, 6 out here is totally centered around if around the world that elected officials weeks from now, Americans who have we do not do the tax cuts, then we get are elected by adults to represent the children would have $500 in their wal- to spend more money, like somehow children. We are going to be judged on let. our success on what kind of world we Mr. SHAYS. Per child. that money belongs to us. That is not leave our kids. The kind of world we Mr. KINGSTON. In their wallet, right our money. That is the American tax- are leaving our kids is not a hopeful here. I do not know how many Amer- payers’ money. It is our children’s one unless we get this incredible run- ican families would benefit from that money that we are borrowing here. It away debt in line. in Maine or the other States, but I can is not our money to spend. I thank you for letting me share this promise you, in Georgia it would mean Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, if the time with you which you have claimed, a tremendous amount. That is real gentleman will yield, one thing that is and I am grateful you have. money. The gentleman from Wisconsin very important for us to remember, Mr. LONGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would [Mr. NEUMANN] said let us get off the and I believe all four of us here worked just add to that particularly with ref- chart. That is what we are talking for that lockbox provision in an appro- erence to the chart of the gentleman about, a $500 per child tax credit in priations bill that said when you re- from Wisconsin, [Mr. NEUMANN,] that your wallet today. duce spending by x amount of dollars, what we do not hear our attackers say- Mr. SHAYS. If you had three children that money goes to deficit reduction, ing, and we hear an awful lot about, for you would get $1,500. It is important to rather than just being unearmarked instance, how much money we are point out, we did not just have a tax and open for the general budget to going to be spending on medical care cut without paying for it. The way we spend any way you want. for our senior citizens, and believe me, pay for it is cut government spending What is so important about that is that is a very important priority; but or slow the growth of some programs in the Washington liberals and the admin- what our attackers do not acknowledge order to afford to reduce taxes by prob- istration fought that lockbox provi- is that there is one program for which ably about $180 billion by the time we sion, and now we have been unable to we will pay more money in the next 7 ultimately have an agreement with the pass that. It passed out of the House, years than we will spend on medical President. If we do, it is in that range, but we cannot get it out of the Senate care for our seniors. That is interest on we want it about $240. because of the Washington liberals the Federal debt. That $140 billion was paid for by re- fighting it. I think that the public would be ab- ducing government more so we could That is the very thing people in Wis- solutely amazed to learn that we will afford that tax cut. consin are saying. If you are going to spend more money on interest on the The thing that just simply amazes put that $500 directly into deficit re- Federal debt in the next 7 years under me is we have some of our colleagues duction, that is one thing, but we know any of the programs being discussed who say, ‘‘I want to balance the budg- what it is going to do is to feather the than we will spend on medical care for et, but I do not want a tax cut for the bed of another bureaucracy, and an- our seniors. That is how critical the wealthy,’’ quote unquote. The irony of other bureaucrat is going to spend it. issue has become. that is that our $500 tax credit is going Mr. LONGLEY. Mr. Speaker, this Mr. Speaker, I notice the gentleman to families who make less than $75,000. goes back to a point that I attempted from Georgia. [Mr. KINGSTON], has ar- That is the bulk of our tax cut. They to make before each of the Members rived, and I yield to him. are hardly wealthy people. arrived on the floor. H 1762 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 Mr. SHAYS. You mean while we were beginning of the deal and the savings what this Government is doing to their running to get over here, when you or the cuts came later, and then that lives and the lives of their children. took over the floor? was the time for a new Congress to Not only is it immoral to make our Mr. LONGLEY. I had gone back, ac- come in, and the cuts never happened. kids and grandkids pay our bills today, tually, and I had mentioned 1975 and Mr. LONGLEY. It is even worse than like they are not going to have their Senator Muskie’s appointment as that, I would say to the gentleman. own problems when they grow up, but chairman of the Senate Committee on The revenue increases always happen. it is tremendously negative on the the Budget, and that was the year the The spending cuts, reductions, never economy, because our demand for House Committee on the Budget was happen. There had never been a cut in money, for more borrowing, has driven established and the Congressional Federal spending in the last 15 years. up interest rates by 2 percent. Budget Office was established, because The Federal Government has consist- Mr. KINGSTON. One of the things I 20 years ago we viewed the debt and ently spent more money each year wanted to point out is that on the spending as a serious problem, and we than it did in the prior year. All of the chart that the gentleman from Wiscon- created special committees to deal talk about spending cuts or spending sin [Mr. NEUMANN] showed us earlier, with it. Yet, 20 years later, we are still reductions was part of the hypothetical there is an urgency. When you have a struggling with the same issue. wherein you created an artificial level Federal budget that has been going Mr. SHAYS. In fact, it has gotten of increase, then said you were going to like this, or excuse me, a deficit, and much worse. reduce the artificial increase, but you then it goes like that, people have said Mr. LONGLEY. What has been amaz- did not tell people that you were not particularly to the freshmen, ‘‘You are ing to me is, as I mentioned, from 1980 cutting, you were still increasing going too far too fast.’’ I disagree. forward, there have been 16 major spending. When it is the third largest expendi- pieces of legislation. Most of this legis- Mr. SHAYS. If the gentleman will ture in the national budget, the na- lation passed on a strong bipartisan yield, this is just an exact cir- tional debt—— basis. I do not say this to be critical. cumstance. When I was first elected in Mr. SHAYS. If you can clarify. Mr. SHAYS. What was this legisla- 1987 I kept hearing that we were cut- Mr. KINGSTON. I am trying to turn tion intended to do? ting spending, and we actually had this thing around. If you are trying to Mr. LONGLEY. To reconcile spend- bills that said we were cutting spend- balance this budget and bring down ing. ing. I would go back to my district and that orange peak line, what you are Mr. SHAYS. It is more process-ori- say, ‘‘We cut so much.’’ At one commu- trying to do is do it in 7 years. The ented? nity meeting someone said, ‘‘Young folks back home, the business people I Mr. LONGLEY. The Omnibus Rec- man,’’ and I was younger then, ‘‘how know say, ‘‘Why can’t you do it in 1 onciliation Act. There were seven om- come the budget keeps going up?’’ A year?’’ President Clinton as a can- nibus budget reconciliation acts. We good question. didate on June 4, 1992, promised to do had a Balanced Budget and Emergency I went back to my office, and we it in 4 years. Deficit and Control Act. Then we later learned about this amazing thing that b 1715 had a Balanced Budget and Emergency started to happen in 1974, which was Deficit Control Reaffirmation Act. We called baseline budgeting. We spent I believe we should be arguing, is 7 literally had everything except the we $100 billion this year, and then they years not waiting too long? Should we are really, really, really serious about said it would cost to run the same level not try to balance it in 3 or years? In- controlling spending act. of service $105 billion and Congress deed I supported the balance that the I just checked this afternoon the spent $103 billion, and they would call gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. NEU- yearly rates of increase in Federal that a $2 billion cut, even though we MANN] had, which was a 5-year. spending in the 1980’s. I say this, were spending $3 billion more. Mr. NEUMANN. I would just add on whether we are Republican or Demo- One of the things I hope we do in this that, it is possible to do this even fast- crat, let us deal with the facts. The special order is to really just talk er than 7. Seven is a compromise that facts are that spending increased at about where are we cutting, where are is putting off how long it takes us be- tremendous rates during the 1980’s. we freezing, and where are we allowing fore we start this line going back in Yet, at the same time, we had Congress growth to continue to grow, quite the other direction. working together on a bipartisan basis, frankly, at a significant rate. Again, this line shows the growth in probably everyone believing they were I know our colleague from Michigan, the Federal debt over the past years, trying to do the right thing, but what Mr. SMITH, is here. I don’t know if he and we are on a steep incline. I told my they were trying to do is, frankly, nib- wants to be on theme. If he is going to folks back home at the town hall meet- ble around the edges of the problem. be on theme, we would welcome him to ings that my goal was to someday We were tinkering with Social Secu- participate. stand before them, my dream for the rity, we were tinkering with retire- Mr. KINGSTON. He is always on future of this country, and say, yes, ment programs, we were tinkering with theme. here is what we have done in Congress. details of the bureaucracy. We were Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speak- We have stopped that growth and we talking about spending cuts, but yet, er, if the gentleman from Maine will have started it back down again so my research tells me there is not a sin- yield, I think the theme is to remind that our children have a future in this gle year in the last 20 years, if any ourselves how bad it is for not only country of ours. That is my goal for my even in the history of this country, making our kids and our grandkids pay service here. where the Federal Government has all this overspending and what we bor- Mr. LONGLEY. If the gentleman spent less in 1 year than it has spent in row back, but it is also tremendously would yield, if I could add to what he is the prior year. negative on the economy. So what we saying, and I do not have a chart to go Mr. SHAYS. Really what the gen- have said is such things as a child born with it, but I also added up the, quote, tleman is describing, if the gentleman today is going to have to pay $187,000 in ‘‘Tax increases that were called for in will yield, he is describing a situation their lifetime just to pay their share of these 16 pieces of legislation.’’ where people think we have a revenue the interest on the national debt. Mr. SHAYS. Does the gentleman problem, and we know that we have a Mr. SHAYS. Not to pay back the na- mean since 1984? spending problem. Revenue keeps going tional debt, just to pay the carrying Mr. LONGLEY. Since 1980. Theoreti- up every year. It is just that our spend- charge. cally Congress has only raised taxes by ing is going up by a greater amount. Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Just to pay just about $500 billion over the last 16 Mr. KINGSTON. I think it is also im- their share of the interest. It is time years. The reality is we have increased portant, Mr. Speaker, that as an out- everybody, that is, however you want spending somewhere in the vicinity, in sider, I am relatively new to Congress, to put it, you are a young man rel- other words, if one took the baseline but it looks to me that every time Con- atively, I would say to the gentleman approach which was at $590 billion a gress has made a deal in a bipartisan from Connecticut [Mr. SHAYS], but ev- year in 1980 and carried that forward, fashion, the tax increase came at the erybody had better start looking at despite officially raising taxes only by March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1763 $500 billion, there has been over $5 tril- The fact is the earned income tax funds, the disability fund, the Medicare lion of increased spending. credit is going up, the School Lunch fund, and the Social Security retire- What is going on? What has really Program is, the student loan, and Med- ment income fund were all going happened is because much of the tax icaid. Medicaid is going from $89 bil- broke. Specifically they projected that system is on a percentage basis, we lion, which it was last year, to $127 bil- the disability fund was going to be have built in automatic tax increases lion. broke last year, that the Medicare fund into the Tax Code that generate more Medicare is growing from last year, would be broke in 2002, and when I say and more revenue every year, whether $178 billion to $289 billion. We are going broke, there would not be a nickel left or not the tax increases were legis- to spend 7 percent more each year on in it, and that the general trust fund lated. Then on top of those increases, Medicare, we are going to spend 60 per- for Social Security would be broke as we have added additional increases in cent more in the seventh year than we early as 2029. taxes in a manner that has always pro- did now. And on a per beneficiary, be- I have a number of insurance and fi- tected the Government, always made cause everybody says we have more nancial companies in my district. I the Government look as if we were the seniors, you have more seniors, but checked with some of the professional innocent party. even if we take all the seniors, we are economists and they said that the pri- Mr. SHAYS. The bottom line to this going from $4,800 to $7,100 in the sev- vate projections are that Social Secu- issue, though, is that revenues are in- enth year, $7,100 per senior, a 49 per- rity could be broke as early as 2010. creasing significantly, and the chal- cent increase in the seventh year over I say to people, when you have an of- lenge is that expenses are increasing now. Hardly a cut. ficial report, signed by the Secretary of even at a greater amount. We need to Mr. SMITH of Michigan. If the gen- Treasury, the Secretary of Health and start to slow the growth of spending. tleman will yield, when I go to my Human Services, and the Secretary of I am seeing where the gentleman town hall meetings, and you can pic- Labor telling you that three major So- from Michigan [Mr. SMITH] is, and basi- ture that group of people out there cial Security trust funds that the pub- cally the minority has accused us of, that are having a hard time with their lic depends on, particularly the Medi- say, cutting the earned income tax own budgets, they start saying when care fund, which right now is a very credit, which is a tax credit that was we hear what the gentleman from Con- critical program for our senior citizens, designed to help working poor, transi- necticut [Mr. SHAYS] has just said: when you are told by your Government tion them to a point where they are ac- ‘‘Well, why aren’t you cutting faster? that the program is going bankrupt, tually making enough to not be poor. Why don’t you cut more? Why are you what do you do? They do not pay any taxes, they actu- spreading it out so long?’’ Then I told people that when I came ally get a credit back from the Govern- Then they hear that even with the to Washington, I had people seriously ment. Republican plan we are still borrowing tell me, ‘‘Don’t worry about it, they We are expanding that program. But $100 billion a year, even at the end of 7 say that every year.’’ When I go back this is what we are being told. We are years, from Social Security and the to my district, they are astounded. being told that we are cutting the other trust funds. But I go one step further. It turns earned income tax credit, that we are Mr. SHAYS. We will still be borrow- out, in the middle of this budget crisis, cutting the School Lunch Program, ing from the trust funds, the gen- that as early as November, that the that we are cutting the student loan tleman is right. Medicare trust fund went into deficit a program, that we are cutting Medicaid Mr. SMITH of Michigan. They say, year earlier than it was projected be- and Medicare. That is what we are ‘‘Look, you’ve got to do better than cause spending was almost $5.5 billion being told, and they call it a cut. this.’’ more than the trustees had estimated, This is what is happening. Our bill Is it not sad that we cannot get some and we did not even hear about it. increases the earned income tax credit of the liberals, the President of the I have to question who is in control from $19 to $25 billion. It increases the United States, to say, Yes, we are and why are they not being truthful School Lunch Program from $5.2 to $6.8 going to do the right for the future and with us about the nature of the prob- billion in the seventh year. The stu- we are going to stop playing political lem we are trying to confront? dent loan program, and that is the one games? It is so frustrating that we can- Then I say to my audiences, particu- that really gets me, is going from $24 not cut some of this spending and larly in my district, young and old to $36 billion. Only in this place and in make this economy stronger, and leave alike, a lot of business people, individ- this city when you spend 50 percent our kids a paid-off mortgage rather uals, I say, Now what do you do if you more, it is $24 billion now, we are going than the big debt. are in that situation? Let me tell you to add $12 billion to be $36 billion in the Mr. LONGLEY. Just to pick up on the piece that is not being talked about seventh year, do people call it a cut. one example, I think if someone asked when it relates to Medicare reform. Mr. NEUMANN. If the gentleman will me what has bothered me the most per- We are hearing all the attack ads yield, I would like to ask the gen- haps since I came to Washington, I about Medicare and we are being ac- tleman a question, again, that I ask at have to say the lack of honesty, the cused of just the most cold-blooded ac- all the townhall meetings. You talked lack of directness, being candid about tions that anyone could conceive of, about the student loans, you used the the difficult issues that we are con- putting our seniors on the street, et $24 billion and $36 billion numbers. I fronting. cetera. Nonsense. Clear scare tactics would like to ask how many of the Mr. SHAYS. The gentleman likes designed to prey on a very vulnerable American people would be willing to that Maine honesty. You want people population. accept a pay cut from $2,400 a month to in here to speak like the people in I say, put those attacks aside. Who is $3,600 a month. Let me ask that ques- Maine. talking about what our alternatives tion again. How many would like a pay Mr. LONGLEY. It is hard, I think, for are? What happens if we do not do what cut from $2,400 to $3,600? people across the United States to rec- we are trying to do? Let me tell you Mr. SHAYS. In other words, a 50-per- ognize the extent to which people in the options. I say this to an audience, cent increase. I think we would all like this body frankly can become so clever Anybody here in favor of cutting bene- it, especially if we could get away with with language and words that they fits? Nobody responds. calling it a cut. have made an art form out of disguis- How about doubling or tripling pay- I am not proud that there are certain ing the truth. As an example, let us roll taxes? And have we forgotten that parts of the Government that are going just take the Medicare situation. barely 2 years ago the administration up. I would like to be able to get a bet- I campaigned 2 years ago on the fact had a request on the table in the Com- ter handle on spending. It is just that I that the Social Security trustees, and mittee on Ways and Means to increase think if you tell the American people this was in 1994, actually 1993 and 1994, payroll taxes by 10 cents a dollar of the truth, they will tell you to do the that the Social Security trustees had wages? I say, Anybody here think that right thing. If you kind of obfuscate it reported that the system was in serious increasing payroll taxes or doubling or and you distort it, they are going to difficulty, and in 1994 they projected tripling them is going to solve the give you a mixed signal back. that the three major Social Security problem? H 1764 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 That would just be wonderful for em- equal to or better, and the way they parents can continue to receive these ployment, because what also happened are going to attract them is by provid- benefits. in the middle of this debate is AT&T ing eye care or dental care, prescrip- We would be totally out of line to laid off 40,000 workers, and across the tion drugs, allow copayment rebate or allow the Medicare system just to con- country it has become an epidemic for deductible rebate or even give tinue down the road it is going down large companies and small companies MidiGap. right now. I care too much about to realize they cannot afford to pay the Mr. LONGLEY. If the gentleman will Tom’s parents and George’s parents tax burden and the liability burden yield, more astounding, we are actually and the other parents like them across that Government is imposing on them increasing spending on the program, in our district. for the workers they are hiring. that the average payment per bene- Mr. LONGLEY. Not only that, it is Mr. SHAYS. So what is the bottom ficiary this year is $4,800 a year and clear that we have people in this city line? within 7 years it is going to exceed who have made a career out of taking Mr. LONGLEY. First let me tell what $7,000 a year. That is actually a more and more and more money from the third option is. We ruled out cut- healthier rate of increase than the ad- the public for their purposes, not for ting benefits, we ruled out increasing ministration itself proposed. the public’s purposes. payroll taxes. If anything, we said, we What we are going to be doing, and Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speak- need to reduce payroll taxes and lower this is what will save the program, is er, I think there are a lot of people the tax burden, particularly on work- that we will be running it more effi- watching maybe that are saying, well, ing people. ciently, managing it better, giving look, you are the Congress of the Unit- The third option is, we will borrow more people control over their health ed States. You have the majority. Why the money. We will borrow our way out care and eliminating a lot of fraud and do you not do it? What has happened is of the crisis. Then I tell them that do waste, particularly as it relates to un- Congress has given away the ability to you know that we are going to be duly burdensome regulatory struc- control spending over the last 40 years. spending more money on interest on tures. We are going to run a better pro- We have, in effect, passed into law so- the Federal debt in the next 7 years gram, we are going to be providing called entitlement programs that say than anyone is going to spend on Medi- more money for the beneficiaries, they the money is going to be there auto- care? are going to have more choices and, matically without being appropriated Of course we reject those three op- frankly, we will be able to do it in a on a yearly basis from Congress, and so tions out of hand because not a single manner that will bring revenues in line into these laws of food stamps and one of them deals with the real prob- with expenses. AFDC—— lem. In fact, every single one of those Mr. SHAYS. Before the gentleman Mr. SHAYS. Basically, it is half the measures creates more problems than yields to my colleague, I just want to budget. it solves. make sure that we cover this, because Mr. SMITH of Michigan. The blue I say we settle on the one choice that we do not want any senior to think part represents these welfare entitle- made the most sense, which is make that they have to participate in choice. ment programs. A majority of Congress the tough decisions to reform the pro- They can keep their traditional fee-for- cannot reduce these programs and gram, create options for senior citi- service, their 1960 Blue Cross/Blue change spending without the consent of zens, protect those who want Medicare Shield model. If they choose to get into the President, and the President has but give other choices, and that if we private care and they do not like it, now vetoed changes in the Food Stamp give more power—and this is a radical they have 24 months, each and every Program. The President has now ve- idea for this city—if we give senior month within these next 2 years, they toed changes in the work requirement citizens the right to make choices can get out of the private care and in the welfare program. about their own health care, I mean, right back under the system they had. Mr. NEUMANN. Just to comment on the very idea that we are going to give I know my colleague wanted to that, it is very important for the the beneficiaries of a program the right speak. American people to know that on that to make choices, and I describe to peo- Mr. NEUMANN. Just a couple of half where we do not get to vote on it, ple in Maine that in Washington that is things on this. I think all of this dis- spending went this year from last year sacrilege. cussion about what is happening in to this year, went up by $46 billion. Mr. SHAYS. If the gentleman will Medicare, I just reemphasize that if our That money is spent and it is gone. We yield, the bottom line is we did the seniors do nothing, they keep Medicare have no control over that, no vote over heavy lifting with a lot of programs, as they know it today. that. It went up $46 billion. Contrast but in some cases, and particularly A lot of times people forget that our that to the part that we do have con- with Medicare, we have a better pro- friends and our own parents are on trol over, about $500 billion out of a $1.6 gram and yet we save about $240 bil- Medicare, and they forget how con- trillion; that went down by $14 billion. lion. We do it by not increasing the cerned we are about the senior citizens Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Let me show copayment, not increasing the deduct- we know. When I jog with George, a you where that is on this little pie ible, not increasing the premium for good friend of mine, he talks to me chart. That is the little red section on Medicare Part B. The seniors should about his mother. When I ride to bas- this pie chart that represents the 12 ap- have still paid 31.5 percent, which is ketball games with Tom, where our propriation bills other than the defense what they paid last year. That is what kids play on the same team, we talk appropriation bills. This is where Con- we said, just keep it at that rate. about his parents and we talk about gress has control. If we do not pass the We did say that the very wealthy in the meaning of Medicare to these sen- appropriation, if the President vetoes our society would pay more for Medi- ior citizens. it, there is no money there, so we have care. If you make more than $125,000 of been unsuccessful here, and by the year b taxable income, you would pay more 1730 2002, we are going to see the welfare en- for Medicare Part B. Somehow in this whole discussion we titlement portion of this budget grow Then we get into how are we able to lose the fact that we care a lot. We to almost 60 percent, and then you make the savings? By, as the gen- have a responsibility. It is like this have got the interest on the national tleman has pointed out, giving seniors with Medicare today. They are writing debt. The service, paying the interest choice. They are allowed to go into a out checks for more money than they on the national debt, is also on auto- variety of private health care plans. We have in their checkbook. We all know matic pilot unless we follow what these still keep Medicare. No one has to they cannot keep doing that. gentleman have been saying and we leave. But we allow seniors to get pri- We have a responsibility to George’s started reducing the rate of increase in vate care, and the private care has to parents and to Tom’s parents and to spending. be as good or better, otherwise they are George and Tom and our responsibility Mr. SHAYS. If the gentleman will not allowed to participate. They can- to these people, to the people we rep- yield, the bottom line is this: As you not offer seniors less service and resent, is to make sure we do not allow point out, the gentleman from Wiscon- charge them less. They have to provide this system to go bankrupt so their sin [Mr. NEUMANN], 50 percent of the March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1765 budget is on automatic pilot. It is enti- ple. I can tell them now, since I am not and ethical responsibility to stop the tlement. We do get to vote on it, but if running again.’’ And I am thinking, growth of this debt. we do not vote on it, it stays the same, why did you not just be honest with Mr. SMITH of Michigan. If the gen- and so Congress simply never voted on them when you were a candidate? Tell tleman will yield, I would suggest this it. the American people the truth. They borrowing obscures the true size of I have been in Congress since 1987. I will have you do the right thing. Government. You know, if people have never got to vote on changes. The ma- So I just wanted to express some dis- to pay their taxes to afford this huge jority party never wanted to change appointment with some very good peo- bureaucracy, they would be saying, the entitlements and to control their ple who are leaving, and my take on it wait a minute, but we have somehow, growth. So I never had an opportunity is they are leaving now that we have politicians have discovered if they bor- to vote. got to do heavy lifting, now that we row this money and say somehow, well, Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Up until have got ton confront seniors, young we will pay this back later, our kids now, in the Balanced Budget Act. people and everyone else and say, you and our grandkids are going to have to Mr. SHAYS. Up until now, with the know, we have got to address this do it, but what we have done is we have balanced budget, for the first time, this issue. Some things you may not like, had a Government become larger and is the Congress that is willing to take but we have got to do it for the sake of larger, and the bureaucracy so big now on the heavy lifting of controlling 50 our country. I do not know if any of that almost half my time as a con- percent of the budget that is basically you have had that same reaction. gressman is spent being an ombudsman on automatic pilot. We voted on a Has this place been a fun place? No. to help people move through this polit- third, as the gentleman pointed out so Is it going to be a fun place? No. Do we ical maze of this huge overbloated Gov- well, those appropriation items, de- have heavy lifting? Yes. Are we deep in ernment. If we stop borrowing and peo- fense and nondefense, that come out of the hole? You darn right, and we are ple have to start digging into their appropriations. There is the 15 to 16 clawing our way to get out of the hole. pockets for this size of a Government, percent of interest on the national debt Mr. LONGLEY. I think you are mak- they will say, no, wait a minute. which we do not vote on. We have been ing an outstanding point. This is one of Mr. LONGLEY. We cannot even go, voting since I have been here on a third the reasons I went back and looked to go just one step beyond what you of the budget, trying to control it. For back over these 16 years of legislation. are saying, most people cannot even af- the first time, we are trying to control Literally, of these 16 acts, at different ford the tax burden now, even though the entitlements. All we are trying to times the Democratic Party supported we are not even paying for the entire do is slow their growth to 5, 6, 7 per- 12 of the 16 acts, and the Republican Government. That is the difficulty we cent a year. We are not cutting them. Party supported 12. are trying to confront. We are allowing them to increase. That Mr. SHAYS. Both parties, not just Mr. NEUMANN. I would just add, if is just bottom-line issue. one. you would be interested, I have one You know, I would love to just get Mr. LONGLEY. That is exactly it. more chart left. into this issue. I would like your reac- Now, you look in the early 1980’s in Mr. SMITH of Michigan. We like your tion, I have been here now for about 9 spending, 1981, spending went up al- charts. years, and I am seeing good men and most 15 percent; 1982, 10 percent; 1983. Mr. NEUMANN. Would you like to women not run again, and some of Mr. SHAYS. The point is we are not know how much more an American them have very real personal reasons. I blaming parties. But now we have a family of four would have had to pay in just want to express my concern about chance. taxes over the last 15 years in taxes in some of them. Mr. LONGLEY. Not only, this is par- order to pay their share of what the I happen to think of myself as a mod- ticularly with respect to the current Government spent? If the Government erate Republican. I think of myself as debate and the impasse between the ad- were to break even over the last 15 to a centrist in terms of my ideology. I ministration and the Congress, and 20 years, an average family of four in like to think of myself as passionately clearly, as the gentleman from Michi- America would have had to spend or moderate. I am in the center. I am see- gan [Mr. SMITH] pointed out, the Presi- pay to the Federal Government $76,000 ing some of my fellow moderates quit. dent has vetoed welfare reform. He has more in taxes over that period of time They say this is not a fun place any- vetoed a balanced budget. He has ve- if our generation had paid for what more. I am thinking to myself, with all toed literally every significant initia- they bought through this. due respect, when has it ever really tive that we are trying to bring to the Mr. SHAYS. That is a great illustra- been a fun place? I get up in the morn- table to deal with this crisis, and the tion of why it did not happen. There is ing and say I have one of the best jobs easiest thing in the world for us to do no way a family of four would have tol- in the world. To call it a fun place, I would be to pretend the crisis does not erated paying $76,000. have never known it to be a fun place. exist, to just cook up some, come to Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Now, the lit- Now, to listen to them further, you some agreement even though philo- tle young tots in that family of four know, people are getting nasty with sophically we are miles apart on some are going to be obligated to account for each other. I see that. I mean, to the issues, we come to some common that money later on in their lives. No. public this must look like a food fight ground, and we have editorial writers 1, it is immoral. No. 2, balancing the when really what it is about is some across the country hailing our biparti- budget is going to strengthen the econ- very heavy lifting about whether we sanship, the television crews showing omy. end those obscene debts and annual up and just we are all standing there Mr. NEUMANN. That is what this deficits that we have, whether we stop smiling at each other and patting each chart is showing. This is showing our adding to the national debt, and this is other on the back. total debt as of right now. This is the what my colleagues are saying. I think But the bottom line is, when we leave amount they borrowed per person, the Senator from New Jersey, even here, our kids are paying the bill. I am $19,100 for every man, woman and child your own Senator, with all respect; in not willing to do that. in America, which has been borrowed my judgment, they have participated Mr. NEUMANN. That is really the basically over the last 15 years. The in our getting deeper and deeper and point. We keep talking about the debt kicker on this chart is really the bot- deeper in debt by their silence, in some and deficit. It is not about the debt and tom line. The bottom line is our family cases, by their willingness not to step the deficit. It is about a moral and eth- of four today has to pay $440 a month and stand out and say no more, we are ical responsibility that our generation just to pay the interest on the Federal going to call the question. has to stop doing what has been going debt. It is not for any goods or services, So now that we are deeper in debt on for the last 15 or 20 years. This is a not for Medicare, Medicaid, or any of and we are clawing our way to get out moral, ethical, it is a values problem in the rest. The family of four today has of this means, people are quitting, and our country. What kind of a society to pay $440 a month just to pay interest then some, not your Senator, but some would be willing to spend their chil- on the Federal debt. Senators have said, ‘‘You know, now I dren’s money? Ask yourself, what kind I always like to reduce it down to can be honest with the American peo- of society would do that? It is a moral what the actual impact is on my H 1766 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 friends and our constituents across our out here right now is a new era in wages, 12 hour workdays, and increas- districts, and that really is what it America, and we have started down the ing workloads. It is the perfect day to translates into. A lot of times they right path here toward restoring this call for equal rights for women, equal say, ‘‘I don’t pay that much in taxes.’’ great country of ours. pay for women, equal representation I would like to remind, every time we I have 100 percent confidence that we for women, equal treatment for women, walk in the store and buy a loaf of together, the people that are here, and expanded health care for women bread, that store owner makes a small along with the American people out and all Americans. profit on the loaf of bread bought in there, are going to restore this great I have called this special order today the store. When the store owner makes Nation of ours. I have a lot of faith in to pay tribute to women, past and a small profit on it, some of that profit the future of this country. I know we present, who fight every day for im- comes in here to the Federal Govern- are going to make a great country to proved working conditions and equal ment in the form of taxes. When it is pass on to our children and to our rights and treatment for women. all added up, they are paying, in fact, grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, with this in mind, we paying that $440 a month. Mr. SHAYS. I just would like to come together today to celebrate our Mr. LONGLEY. This comes back to thank both of you. You claimed the gains. Already this year we have cele- the point the gentleman from Con- time, and I thank the gentleman from brated the 75th anniversary of women necticut [Mr. SHAYS] made so well sev- Maine for doing that and just say that gaining the right to vote, the 23d anni- eral minutes ago, that the easiest we do live in the greatest country in versary of Roe versus Wade, the com- thing in the world any of us can do is the world, and we are going to save it. ing together of over 30,000 women from say, well, we are going to create a pro- I mean, we are not going to listen to 190 different countries at the fourth gram. Sure, we will give you more polls. The polls are not going to guide U.N. World Conference for Women in money, even though you are getting in- us. We are going to do the right thing. Beijing, and the first Women’s Expo creases and spending, we will double If Abraham Lincoln had listened to held here in Washington, DC. the rate of increase. We can all look polls, we would not be one Nation We celebrate these successes at a like heroes until the American public under God, indivisible. We would be time when we face the most hostile, has got to show up with the tax dollars two nations very much divided. We are antiwoman Congress that I can remem- to pay for it or to deal with the mess going to stay one Nation, and we are ber, a Congress more antifamily, that we have created. going to pursue this. antichoice, antiurban, antiworker, and Mr. SHAYS. One reason I like my Mr. LONGLEY. Just to end on that antienvironment, than any in recent community meetings, I call it my com- note, I think it is easy to forget we as history. In short, this Congress is a dis- munity test, if I have got to go to my a country have faced greater crises in aster for women. community in a community meeting, I the past. We are going to face greater In the first 6 months, we voted in this have got to tell them what we are crises in the future. What we have House of Representatives and passed 12 doing, and if it does not pass, you learned as a country, and particularly I antichoice bills. But the impact of know, if I cannot pass it through my know the senior population under- these actions in this Congress really constituents in a community meeting, stands this, the generation that con- came home in a very personal way re- I do not vote for it. There is no way I fronted the depression, that confronted cently. I received a notice from the can justify seeing what has happened World War II, that put an end to the Government in the mail. It said that in the last 22 years, and my constitu- world fascism and another generation abortion services are no longer covered ents have told me almost to a person, that put an end to world communism, under my health insurance plan. It was ‘‘You get a handle on this Federal yes, we have had some big crises to one small notice in the mail, but one budget. You stop the obscene annual deal with. We have identified the prob- giant step back for reproductive free- deficits.’’ Revenue is here, spending is lem. We have looked at the options. We dom in the United States. The letter, here, at the end of that year the deficit have acted to get the problem dealt marked in a very personal way for hun- is added to the national debt; they with, and we move on. dreds and thousands of employees the want us to end it. That is what we are I am very confident that we are going first widespread practical impact of the going to do. to deal with the issues we need to deal 104th Congress’s multifaceted assault I mean we have three objectives. We with and that the public realize that it on a woman’s right to choose. Thanks want to get our financial house in is in their best interests, and we are to extremists in the 104th Congress, order and balance the Federal budget. going to move forward. U.S. military hospitals, both here and We want to save our trust funds, par- I thank the gentleman from Wiscon- overseas, are now prohibited by law ticularly Medicare, from bankruptcy, sin [Mr. NEUMANN], the gentleman from from performing abortions. In other and we want to transform this social Connecticut [Mr. SHAYS], and the gen- words, women who are stationed here and corporate welfare state into a true tleman from Michigan [Mr. SMITH] for and overseas busily protecting our caring opportunity society. We are not your participation tonight. rights, while in this Congress we have been busily removing theirs. going to give up. f I noticed, you know, I just am in awe The House also passed an amendment of my freshmen. I mean, I wish I could b 1745 denying Medicaid-funded abortions for be an honorary freshman. I know you victims of rape and incest. For poor all have taken some criticism, but my INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY women, this would make fathers out of take on what you have done is you ba- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. rapists. If that were not enough, on sically watched what we have done and HUTCHINSON). Under the Speaker’s an- March 15, when the current continuing said, ‘‘I can’t believe it.’’ Men and nounced policy of May 12, 1995, the gen- resolution will expire, we will effec- women have run and owned businesses, tlewoman from New York [Mrs. tively zero out funding for inter- and you said, ‘‘You know I am going to MALONEY] is recognized for 60 minutes national family planning programs, de- end this.’’ You do not care if you get as the designee of the minority leader. nying hundreds of thousands of women reelected, and that is your strength. If Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today around the world their only source of you do not care whether you get re- I am honored to rise with some of my health care. elected, you are going to do the right colleagues in this special order to cele- Conservative estimates show that thing, and I tell my people, thank God brate International Women’s Day. This this reduction is much more than a for the freshmen. day is a celebration borne out of the loss of money. It means that over 7 Mr. NEUMANN. If the gentleman will fighting spirit of the women’s labor million couples will lost access to mod- yield, we are nearing the end of the movement in the great city that I am ern contraceptive methods, and, for time. I want to close my part by re- honored to represent, New York City. many, health care services. minding us all this is still the greatest International Women’s Day was born In other actions, the new majority country in the world. Sure, we have got in 1857 when women from the garment suspended Federal responsibility for some problems. As a country, we have and textile industry in New York City the women, infants, and children nutri- had problems before. What is going on staged a demonstration protesting low tion program, and eliminated $2 billion March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1767 in school lunches and Aid to Families hance economic empowerment and eco- talked about getting things done for with Dependent Children programs. nomic equality for women; and, finally, women, children, and families. She Tomorrow, this Congress will be enforcement of women’s legal rights said, ‘‘It is up to the women.’’ marking up, or marching backward, and a drive to increase women’s politi- Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentle- the affirmative action bill, which has cal participation. woman from California [Ms. WOOLSEY], opened tightly held doors to so many I must say that in this Congress we who is the author of many important women and minorities. They will be at- have heard a lot of talk about quotas bills in the Woman’s Equity Act and tempting to roll back affirmative ac- and the need to end affirmative action, the Women’s Empowerment Act, and tion. but I would like to talk about one many other areas we have been work- When we consider the losses I have quota, and that is the representation of ing on. listed and those in our scorecard on women. Although we are well over 50 Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I would women’s issues, which we will release percent of the population, we are still like to thank my colleague for yielding tomorrow, we might feel better served only 10 percent of this elected body and this time and for organizing this spe- with a wake today instead of a celebra- only 6 percent of management posi- cial order. She has done a wonderful tion. Today we celebrate to remind tions in the private industry. This job in supporting women internation- each other that the obstacles we face needs to be changed. ally, and will continue to speak out are real, but we will succeed in enact- In response to the Beijing conference, around the globe and here in our own ing legislation which will counter the President Clinton established the country. antiwoman actions of the 104th Con- Interagency Task Force on Women, Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, gress. We will introduce shortly and which, along with other advocacy CAROLYN MALONEY, for yielding time. hopefully pass the Women’s Health Eq- groups, including Bella Abzug’s group, Mr. Speaker, this Friday is ‘‘Inter- uity Act and the Economic Equity Act. WEDO, are working hard to implement national Women’s Day.’’ I come before We will restore funding to Inter- the platform for action. The 12 planks you today to celebrate one-half of the national Family Planning and the Chil- in the platform for action, combined world’s population. I come to pay trib- dren programs. We will succeed, be- with the seven U.S. commitments, ute to women of every nation who care cause we have the power of the vote. could succeed in counteracting the new for their families, contribute to their Women in this country will use their majority’s all-out assault on American work places, and make their commu- vote in the upcoming elections to turn women. The platform for action was nities stronger. They are true heroes, around this antiwoman Congress’ ac- agreed to by 190 countries, and it is a and deserve our recognition. tions. strong statement when 190 countries Mr. Speaker, it has been over 6 We do have winning strategies to and their governments endorse this months since the U.N. Sixth World build on. We need to look back to the platform. Conference on Women took place in energy and promise of the 1995 U.N. The platform will unify women at all Beijing. At this conference, leaders Fourth World Conference on Women in levels and move forward with positive from around the globe laid out a plan Beijing. Over 6,000 Americans and 30,000 change. The platform goes further than of action for improving the economic, women attended this conference—190 the U.S. commitments by calling for social, educational, health, and politi- countries ratified the platform for ac- the empowerment of women, sharing of cal status of women worldwide. tion. Although it was not legally bind- family responsibilities, ending the bur- A key plank of that document is rati- ing, it is certainly politically binding den of poverty for women and children, fication of the United Nations’ Conven- and important that so many govern- high-quality affordable health care, tion on the Elimination of All Forms of ments spoke in support of women’s sexual and reproductive rights, work- Discrimination Against Women, or rights and a specific plan to achieve place rights, educational equity, end- CEDAW, as this treaty is commonly equality. ing violence, protecting a healthy envi- known. Along with 53 of my colleagues, I ronment, women as peacemakers, rati- CEDAW, which was drafted at the have introduced House Resolution 119, fying the convention to end all forms first women’s conference in Mexico which supports the seven United States of discrimination against women, and a City in 1975, holds governments respon- commitments as introduced by Ambas- long-term platform for achieving sible for working to eliminate all forms sador Madeleine Albright. The time has equality. of discrimination against all women. come to mobilize and energize. We Mr. Speaker, today we commemorate To date, CEDAW has been ratified by must enact the U.S. commitments and the International Women’s Day. We 144 countries, with one notable excep- the platform for action into law to put celebrate because the same thing the tion—the United States. Can you be- women in the winning column. new majority fears, women’s potential lieve it? Included in the commitments are ini- power, will help us to succeed. In honor The United States, the world’s great- tiatives which would launch a powerful of International Women’s Day, we will est superpower and staunchest defender program to end domestic violence and reintroduce and reissue the scorecard of human rights, continues to rep- crimes against women with full fund- on women’s issues tomorrow to inform resent the only industrialized democ- ing, and an all-out assault on the the public on how people have voted in racy failing to take this important threats to the health and well-being of this Congress on women’s issues and stand for women’s rights. women. Today we introduced H.R. 2893, family issues and children issues, and On behalf of all women around the the Kennedy-Kassebaum-Roukema bill, we must hold those in power more ac- world—in Africa, Europe, Asia, and in which represents the minimum that countable for their antiwomen actions. the Americas—I invite my colleagues can be done to provide additional We intend to have score cards pro- to join over 60 other Members of the health security to all American people. duced and given out on every single House in support of House Resolution It would cover preexisting conditions Member of Congress on how they have 220, which urges the Senate to pass and provide for portability of health voted on women and children issues. CEDAW this Congress. care, making increased availability of We stand together tonight and we will Let’s make the 21st century the first health care to all Americans. Today we come together tomorrow, and we will century free from state sanctioned dis- gained 170 cosponsors for the legisla- work each and every day to remind the crimination against women. Let’s tion, and we are hopeful that it will extremist majority that women are make International Women’s Day pass. neither marginal nor a minority. The meaningful. Let’s pass CEDAW now. Third, a strong commitment to pro- rights we have gained are significant, b tecting women’s reproductive health but they are only steps in a long march 1800 and the right to choose; grassroots pro- toward equality of rights for all Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I grams to assure that women make women. would like to recognize one of our Na- much more than the 72 cents to every Today we celebrate International tion’s leading experts on constitutional dollar a man earns today by fighting Women’s Day. I would like to end with rights, the gentlewoman from the Dis- for equal pay and assistance in bal- the words of Eleanor Roosevelt when trict of Columbia, Ms. ELEANOR ancing family and work; plans to en- she talked about change, when she HOLMES NORTON. H 1768 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 Ms. NORTON. I thank the gentle- If you were alive in the 1960’s, you because men are outside of the labor woman from New York [Mrs. MALONEY] lived to see or were a part of a country force. Women do not want to narrow for her kind words. I especially thank that for the first time indicated that the gap in that way. her for her leadership in calling our at- women had to be treated equally under It is interesting to note that the tention and summoning us to the floor law. We are still living, therefore, in a Equal Pay Act itself, which requires this evening in celebration of Women’s breakthrough era for women in this that women doing the same or similar History Month and of International country. There have been big, big take- work be paid the same as men, does not Women’s Day on Friday. backs in this Congress. Some of the allow an employer to equalize men and We are obligated, Mr. Speaker, I be- worst have been in an area that is most women’s wages by bringing down men’s lieve, to use these occasions not just as vital to women, their personal repro- wages. So if one goes into a business opportunities to talk. We need, I think, ductive rights. and finds that there is unequal pay of to use them to re-energize ourselves I mourn what we have done in the men and women doing the same job, about issues that are important to us area of abortion. I can only mourn it. I the employer has to bring up the pay of that can be solved and that, at least in will not chronicle it, because it is a women, rather than bring down the pay the 104th Congress, have been stalled. long list, indeed. of men. There is still time to keep the 104th I regret that women in the military Mr. Speaker, I say to my colleagues, Congress from being known as the lose the protection of their country if the way in which women have gained unfeminist Congress or the they become pregnant and desire to over the last 30 years has been in very antifeminist Congress where the losses have an abortion at the hand of the large part because the pay of men has will be recorded by history over the 104th Congress. Surely we must regret come down, not by operation of law but wins. it, as well, for women who are serving by operation of the economy. What More than 30 years after women’s their country. I regret that women in that means for the average woman in consciousness took hold in this coun- prisons at the hand of the 104th Con- the work force is that the gap is right try, I continue to believe on either side gress, may not have an abortion unless where it was and that the Equal Pay of the aisle that is where Members they have funds to pay for it. I regret Act has done just about all it can do. want to be. Yet if we look closely, we the withholding of funds for inter- The rest will require a sharper remedy. will find what I call take-backs, be- national family planning, which has In my Fair Pay Act, I offer that cause they certainly aren’t give-backs, virtually destroyed those programs. I sharper remedy where a woman doing losses from where we had come and regret the criminalizing of partial comparable work would have to be paid where we must head. I am very appreciative that so many birth abortions and what a huge step the same as a man doing comparable Members have signed onto the omnibus that measures from where we had come work. The burden would be on the bill to carry out the seven U.S. com- on choice. woman to demonstrate that the dif- I regret the proposal that the States mitments at the Beijing conference ference in wage between her and the no longer provide Medicaid for victims and that so many have signed onto the man is due to discrimination and not of rape and incest. These seem to me to individual bills sponsored by individual to ordinary market forces. That is a Members. This tradition now in the be unusually cruel provisions, and I heavy burden. But the burden of prov- House from among women especially of hope they are an indication in this ing discrimination is always on the combining women’s legislation into a Women’s History month that no right complainant, and here it must be on single bill has the advantage of focus- acquired is permanent without perma- the complainant as well. ing us on where the greatest need is nent vigilance. These are rights we will My colleagues will note that the fact and offering Members and the public an reacquire, but surely International that the woman has to establish that opportunity to see what we must do Women’s Day and Women’s History the wage differences between herself and what legislation is most pressing Month must energize us so that we are and a man doing comparable work is at a given moment in time. not left at the end of the 104th Con- because of discriminations and not be- I am pleased that in this country we gress with less than we came in with. cause of market forces means that my celebrate International Women’s Day, Included in the omnibus bill is one of bill will not interfere with the ordinary as well. There must be solidarity my bills, the Fair Pay Act. This bill operation of the market. I discuss my among women across the world. In could not be more germane today. In- bill only as the one I know best and as every country, women occupy the sec- deed, I invite Members to note that on one of the many excellent bills in our ond place, not the equal place, even in March 13, I am conducting a special omnibus bill. this country where women have made order on women’s wages. There has While there is still time, while the tremendous strides for more than 30 been a focus on angry white men and, 104th Congress is still making history, years. We take note of those strides, indeed, on angry men because of what I call upon my colleagues to make sure even as we note also that there is real has happened to men’s wages in an era that it does not make negative history; backsliding today and that women sim- when manufacturing has shifted off- to make sure that women and men and ply must halt it, must reestablish the shore, where men are increasingly out- families will not remember the 104th momentum that is associated with side of the labor force, and where for take-backs but for gains; to make women’s rights in this country. women are at work not only because sure that the 104th has something posi- Only 33 years ago, we got the first many desire to work, but because they tive to say to American families about women’s rights legislation in the 20th are either critical to the family income half of the family, or in the very many century, the Equal Pay Act. As a or the only family income. instances, the family itself that has a former chair of the Equal Employment We would do well then, as well, to wage earner that is a woman. Opportunity Commission, I have seen focus on what has happened to the in- Even where there has been consensus in great detail how the law has worked come of women. We note with pride among us on women’s issues, we often to the advantage of women in the Unit- that there is a narrowing of the gap in have not made the progress that I be- ed States. I note that the law has had wages between men and women until lieve all of us surely intended, for ex- less, a lesser effect in other countries, we look closely at how that gap has ample, on domestic violence. There is a because the law is not as often associ- narrowed. We find that the gap has consensus on both sides of the aisle ated with vehicles to bring progress. narrowed largely for professional that this ancient issue finally is ripe Yet, we are grateful for what has hap- women and women who are highly for mitigation and elimination. While pened with affirmative action, with skilled, at the entry level, and at the indeed we were able to get an appro- title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, entry level only. As we go up the priation that is respectable, the fact is with the interpretation of courts. We ranks, the gap widens and reappears, that all of us who have worked hard on are still living in the period when the and we note that the average woman is this issue are saddened that we have courts for the first time have indicated right where she was. A very large part not made the great leap forward, that that the 14th amendment requirement of the gap has narrowed because men this most basic of issues requires. of equal protection of the law applies have fallen, not because women have So in this Women’s History Month to women. risen, because men have lost income, and the year 1996, the year of the 104th March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1769 Congress, may we leave it with more to women, who are disenfranchised and Pisgah, AL, P-I-S-G-A-H. I have never celebrate than we find on March 8, deprived of participating in the demo- visited there. International Women’s Day. May we cratic process of this Nation. Universal It talks and it has a magnificent pic- remember that we have days only for suffrage does not exist in Puerto Rico. ture, compelling picture of two women, issues or almost only or largely for is- While we preach the virtues of democ- Martha Smith, saying goodbye to her sues that need special exposure because racy throughout the world, the United fellow coworker in that town at a plant of special problems that obtain that States still maintains the largest col- called Andover Togs, where she and ap- we, therefore, dedicate this Inter- ony in the world. U.S. citizens who are proximately 100 other workers, largely national Woman’s Day to women all excluded from our Nation’s democratic women, lost their jobs sewing chil- over the world and to the forward gains process and who are denied the right to dren’s clothing. and momentum promised in Beijing vote and the right to representation. If I could describe this picture to and our own country. We who are Mem- The Beijing Declaration and Plat- you, I am sure that most Americans bers of this body use this day and this form for Action, adopted unanimously who have gone through this under- month to move forward women’s issues at the Fourth World Conference on stand. They were saying goodbye to at a time when we still can make the Women by representatives from 189 one another and facing a very unknown 104th Congress truly memorable and countries, reflects a new international future. She was quoted as saying, truly bipartisan on women’s issues. commitment to the goals of equality, ‘‘There are no more textile jobs around I very much thank the gentlewoman development and peach for all women here, they are all going to Mexico and for her leadership and for yielding to everywhere. overseas.’’ Ms. Smith, who has lost 3 me. As a result, the world now has a com- jobs due to plant closings, seems to Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I prehensive action plan to enhance the have the evidence on her side. Two would now like to recognize the former social, economic and political other sewing mills in this region of Governor of Puerto Rico, the gen- empowerment of women, improve their northern Alabama closed at about the tleman from Puerto Rico [Mr. ROMERO- education and training. same time, sending 550 people, mostly BARCELO´ ]. The platform for action, a 362-para- women, into the local labor market. graph document that recommends ac- In many of these towns, there just b 1815 tions on 12 critical areas of concern are not any other jobs to go to. So Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO´ . Mr. Speak- considered the main obstacles to wom- often we hear, these jobs are low skill er, I take this opportunity to salute en’s advancement and builds on the ac- jobs; these are not the high technology women as we commemorate the Inter- complishments made since the first jobs of the future. If anyone has ever national Women’s Day and the Wom- U.N. Conference on Women. made a dress or have done it by hand or en’s History Month. Today, I exhort women to rise and if you have done it with a machine or Since the United Nations held the demand equality. Today I urge Con- if you have ever sewn pearls on a wed- first world conference on women 20 gress to sustain our commitment to ding dress in a pattern, I would like to years ago, significant progress has been women. Today, I remind nations of the see the President of the United States made towards achieving equality be- world to keep on struggling to build a do that. I would like to see most of the tween women and men. Women’s access gender respectful society. Members of this body do that. There is to education and proper health care Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I not any job that takes more skill, more has increased, their participation in would now like to yield to the gentle- concentration, more attention to detail the paid labor force has grown and leg- woman from Ohio, Ms. MARCY KAPTUR, than the sewing arts, because in fact islation that promises equal opportuni- who has been a strong fighter for in- they are the arts. ties for women and respect for their creased wages, increased job opportuni- And for those people that work on human rights has been adopted in more ties for all working women and men. machines, which many of these women countries. All these endeavors contrib- Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I want to do, the speed at which they have to uted to the improvement of women’s thank the gentlewoman from New work with piece work in order to get rights and important changes have oc- York [Mrs. MALONEY] for taking the paid is a speed beyond which most peo- curred in the relationship between leadership today in commemoration of ple in this society have never had to women and men. International Women’s Day, which is work. And they work very, very hard Yet, despite these efforts, the dis- March 8, this Friday, and also during for a living. Many of them get carpel crimination women have suffered sole- this month of March, Women’s History tunnel just in that one industry be- ly because of their gender has been per- Month. cause they work so hard. Many of them vasive. Violence against women re- So often, I guess, I have to think being immigrants, many women it is mains a global problem. Women’s equal back to the whole history of the coun- their first job that they have really access to resources is still restricted try. There have only been about 165 had after high school or after going and their opportunities for higher edu- women that have ever served in the through school. And many of them are cation and training are concentrate din Congress of the United States out of the sole support of their families. limited fields. Decisions that affect over 11,700 persons that have been So tonight we pay tribute to them women continue to be made largely by elected to the Congress of the United and we say to them that we know who men. States. So it has not been but until you are. And we understand the impor- Unfortunately, in some instances, very recently that women have been tant jobs that you have done for the our legal system has entrenched the able to discuss not just the plight of people of this country, and we think it subordinate status of women. These at- men in this country and children but is very wrong that those jobs are being titudes have contributed to the perpet- also of themselves, the issues of con- outsourced elsewhere by corporations uation of stereotypes which must be cern to working women here in our that do not value you as much as we eliminated for they only contribute to country, which is the vast majority of value you in this country. And really, all types of violence against women. women of all ages, as well as women it is not your fault. A lot of women go Today I invite you to join women in around the world. home at the end of the day and think, their request to live in peace and to be I want to thank the Congresswoman gee, I lost my job because I did not try recognized as equal citizens with equal from the great city of New York for hard enough. Yet they have very good rights and opportunities. taking the leadership on this and help- work records. Many of them have chil- As we all know, women fought a long ing us put on the record on behalf of dren at home. They have husbands. and difficult battle to achieve univer- women everywhere helping us be a They have houses to keep. And yet sal suffrage; a basic tenet of democ- voice for them. I must begin with en- they go to work every day, many times racy. For the past 97 years, Puerto tering into the RECORD an article from when they do not feel well, and they Rico has been and still is a territory, the New York Times of February 21 of have done this throughout the history or a colony, of the United States. The this year called Squeezing the Textile of this country. island is home to 3.7 million U.S. citi- Workers. It is just an excellent story If you look at what has been happen- zens, of whom more than half are by John Holusha, and it is situated in ing over the last 20 years, what has H 1770 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 been happening to them is so unfair, so She actually chaired what was then terial to make clothing, for a total shrink- unfair. The last 20 years, the entry called the Education and Labor Com- age of 141,000 jobs—40 percent of all manufac- level wages of women with high school mittee. So it was a woman from you turing jobs lost in the United States last year. educations has gone down 20 percent. part of the country, who grew up in Job losses like these provide grist to politi- That means the harder they work, the very humble circumstances, who was cians with protectionist messages, especially fact that they are providing many responsible during those years for com- in an election year. So while dismantling times the income that makes the dif- ing here to Congress, waiting her turn trade barriers benefits most consumers by ference between that family being able to serve as committee chair, and re- lowering prices, it also deepens blue-collar to survive or not survive, they are get- sponsible for the most important labor anxieties in industries that are vulnerable to ting paid less for it. And even women laws that have helped working women foreign competition. who have gone to college are now earn- The new wave of job losses in the apparel and working men across this country industry, coming as they did soon after the ing 7 percent less than their counter- for the better part of the century. So passage of the North American Free Trade parts did 20 years ago. we owe a lot to the east coast. We owe Agreement and the latest global trade ac- So the stress that families feel and a lot to the Manhattan-Jersey City cord, benefits candidates who say they want particularly women who still largely nexus and to the great Congresswoman to save jobs and protect workers. Four years have the child rearing responsibilities, from Jersey City, Mary Norton, for ago it was Ross Perot railing against free taking care of the home when they get helping us build a middle class in this trade accords, and this year, the Republican home from work, even though that re- populist, Patrick J. Buchanan, has enjoyed a country. sponsibility is more shared now, there surge in the polls with his attacks on free Congresswoman MALONEY, you walk is just a great deal of pressure on them. trade as a sellout of American labor. in her footsteps, and I thank you to- And while textile-plant closings have been If it had not been for women going night for allowing me to participate in a fixture of the economic scene in the small into the workplace, even though many this special order. towns of the South and Northeast for nearly of them do not want to be there today Mrs. MALONEY. I thank the gentle- a quarter-century, the recent hemorrhage of but they have to be, family incomes woman very much. I would like to jobs, though predicted by many economists, would have gone right through the is devastating some areas. It is driven by two bring to your attention that Congress- floor. And now they are barely treading forces—government policy, which encour- woman NYDIA VELA´ ZQUEZ is working on water just keeping even. If you look at ages free trade with low-cost apparel export- where women have had the most pres- many of the issues that you raised and ers like Mexico and Malaysia, and high tech- in fact will be hosting a public hearing nology, which helps big, profitable textile sure on them, where they have been companies produce more cloth with fewer losing jobs to international trade be- on March 11 in New York City with Secretary of Labor Robert Reich. I workers. cause of unfair trade laws, they are in ‘‘We have lost on the order of 500,000 jobs in fields like electrical machinery and hope that you will be able to attend, as apparel in the past 23 years and we will prob- electronics, apparel, which I have just well as other Members of Congress, as ably lose another 40,000 to 50,000 this year,’’ talked about, the food processing in- we explore ways to protect jobs in the said Carl Priestland, an economist with the dustry like the women workers in textile industry and expand wages for American Apparel Manufacturers Associa- workers in America. tion. Watsonville, CA, who worked so very Most of the pain will be felt in small towns hard for Green Giant. They then put all Ms. KAPTUR. I would very much like to be there. I want to compliment the like Pisgah, named after the mountain that those women out of work and replaced Moses climbed to get his first glimpse of the them with very cheap labor in Mexico, First Lady, Hillary Clinton. I under- Promised Land. Locals fear that Andover where the women do not earn enough stand today she was in New York City Togs, Pisgah’s biggest employer, will shut to buy the frozen foods that they man- somewhere sewing on a label, I hope it down its remaining operations, including li- ufacture. And in fact they cannot even was a made in the USA label, to a gar- thography and engineering, in addition to afford a small refrigerator in their ment in New York City. And we look the sewing plant it just closed. If that hap- pens, 400 more jobs will disappear—and with homes. Many of them do not have elec- forward to welcoming Secretary Reich to that very important hearing on them, the town’s hopes for an economic re- tricity. Yet those women are being ex- covery. ploited in Mexico while our women lose sweatshops and what is happening to ‘‘I do a good business with people at the their jobs here in this country. women workers in New York City who mill, so this is going to slow down the econ- If you look at NAFTA, since the pas- sew so many of the garments still made omy big time,’’ said R.D. Mitchell, a former sage of NAFTA, of the hundreds and in this country that are worn by mayor who runs a Chevron service station hundreds of thousands of jobs lost in women across this country. that is one of the town’s unofficial gathering our country, about a third of those Thank you so very much for being a spots. ‘‘There are a lot of people being part of that and for the kind invita- pushed out of jobs within a 20-mile radius of were held by women, many in the ap- here,’’ he added. ‘‘People can’t spend money parel industries. tion. they don’t have.’’ We know, just because of GATT and Mr. Speaker, I include for the For all the financial turmoil in textile NAFTA, we have had upwards of 85,000 RECORD the article to which I referred. workers’ lives these days, the industry itself women lost their jobs in apparel and [From the New York Times, Feb. 21, 1996] remains a huge and profitable sector of the 30,000 women in textiles. And it is not SQUEEZING THE TEXTILE WORKER American economy. Output has grown stead- ily, from $32.8 billion in 1974, to $56.3 billion because people in this country are not (By John Holusha) working hard. Americans work harder in 1984 and to $74.2 billion in 1994, the last PISGAH, AL.—Martha Smith cried as she year for which figures are available. Even than any other people in the world, in- left the Dover Mills plant of Andover Togs after adjusting for inflation, the increase cluding overtime. We have the fewest Inc. on a Wednesday afternoon late in Janu- over the last two decades has been more than vacation days. I think only one other ary. Along with approximately 100 other peo- 33 percent. Profits in 1994 totaled $1.74 bil- nation, the Japanese, work a few more ple, she had lost her job sewing children’s lion, or 2.7 percent of sales, half the 5.4 profit hours a week than we do. So it is not clothing. margin for all manufacturing. that people here are not trying very Now she is enrolled in a state-sponsored Broadly speaking, the textile trade con- program to learn clerical skills. ‘‘There’s no sists of three sectors. Fiber manufacturers, hard. more textile jobs around here,’’ she said. I want to thank Congresswoman the smallest of the three, spin cotton and ‘‘They are all going to Mexico and overseas.’’ other raw materials into threads for the fab- MALONEY. I just will end with this Ms. Smith, who has lost three jobs due to ric makers, which weave the threads into statement: That among the laws of our plant closings, seems to have the evidence on cloth for apparel producers to make into country that are so important in giv- her side. Two other sewing mills in this re- clothing. ing women equal pay for equal work gion of northern Alabama closed at about While it is profitable, the continued pros- and the wage and hour laws that con- the same time, sending 550 people, most of perity of the industry hinges in large part on trol overtime compensation and how them women, into the local labor market. its ability to squeeze out as many American many hours people can work, those The layoffs are not just a regional phe- jobs as possible from the production process. nomenon. After four years of stability, em- The two main sectors—raw fabrics and fin- laws were passed during the 1930’s. ployment in the apparel industry took a sud- ished clothing—achieve that goal in two very There was a great women Congress- den plunge last year, falling by more than 10 different ways, cutting labor costs and auto- woman from New Jersey, from Jersey percent, to 846,000, from 945,000 at the end of mation. And industry experts say that out- City, NJ, Mary Norton, who served 1994. An additional 42,000 jobs vanished in the side attempts to stanch the bleeding may do here was responsible. fabrics industry, which produces the raw ma- more harm than good. March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1771 Clothing manufacturers, swamped by a a total of 416 looms pump out 12,000 square we are one Nation under God. But it is flood of cheap imports from Asia and else- yards of denim every hour, nearly 50 percent important, as we recognize the oneness where that have grabbed 50 percent of the more than the 1,000 older machines that they of this country, that we celebrate Afri- American market, up from 20 percent two replaced. Yet they are so much easier to op- can-American history month and decades ago, stay profitable by exporting erate that only about 20 workers are needed jobs to low-wage Latin American countries to tend them, about one for every 21 looms Asian-American history month and like Mexico and the Dominican Republic. and a tiny fraction of the 400 or so workers Hispanic-American history month, and These companies have been unable to ex- that handled the previous generation. in my community, Fiestis Patris, as we ploit America’s vaunted technological supe- Not only that, but weaving technology is also celebrate Women’s History Month riority to offset their foreign rivals’ wage ad- about to take a major step forward. The pro- along with many of the myriad of won- vantage because no one has been able to de- jectile looms in use now can insert 258 derful ethnic groups throughout this velop an economical alternative to the old- threads a minute; new air-jet machines just Nation. fashioned sewing machine. Automated ma- now coming onto factory floors can process We happen this month to be celebrat- chines have a hard time handling soft, floppy 745 a minute, nearly three times as many. cloth, and the vision-recognition systems Cone plans to replace its older machines ing and commemorating the impor- needed to match patterns at seams, collars with the more advanced models but will not tance of women, and certainly it is im- and cuffs are far too expensive for the low- increase its production capacity, since little portant to recognize women inter- margin apparel business. growth is seen in the American market. nationally. In an integrated apparel factory, one that ‘‘We’ll just have fewer looms and fewer peo- Mr. Speaker, this month we are cele- converts raw fabric to finished clothes, 50 ple,’’ said Patrick Danahy, Cone’s president. brating Women’s History Month and percent of the jobs are sewing machine oper- The combination of faster machines and this Friday we will celebrate Inter- ators, 86 percent of whom are women. ‘‘You fewer people explains the decline in employ- national Women’s Day. In 1910, the can automate design, you can automate pat- ment in the fabric industry from more than German labor leader Clara Zetkin pro- tern setting and cutting, but sooner or later 700,000 in the late 1980’s to 625,700 in January, you have to push fabric through a sewing even as fabric output increased. posed that March 8 be proclaimed machine,’’ Mr. Priestland said. ‘‘That’s still Although the people in Pisgah are unhappy International Women’s Day in memory the bottleneck.’’ when their jobs depart for Caribbean nations of those earlier struggles of women to And that is where governmental policy like the Dominican Republic, the location is better their lives. Working women in comes in. Congressional approval of the good news for the American fabric industry the home and work place have fought North American and world trade accords in because the new factories there are more to make a difference. In recent years, 1994 and 1995 made it much easier for Amer- likely to buy cloth from them rather than it has become a widely celebrated day ican corporations to bring in goods from fac- their Asian competitors. tories in third world countries, notably Mex- ‘‘Eighty percent of clothing imports from for many women’s organizations and ico, by moving to eliminate quotas on im- Mexico and the Caribbean are made of Amer- groups. Rallies, forums, panels, con- ported apparel. ican fabric,’’ Carlos Moore, executive vice ferences, demonstrations, radio pro- The search for cheap labor is nothing new. president of the American Textile Manufac- grams, media shows, and school pro- Many of the mills that are closing now mi- turers institute, said. ‘‘That explains why we grams have become a part of these grated to impoverished regions of the rural have been able to supply a lot of fabric in the celebrations of women’s contributions South decades ago from the relatively pros- face of slow growth and imports.’’ to the history and culture of the world. perous Northeast. Even today, says David And though the recent liberalization of I rise today, however, not in celebra- Thornell, director of the economic develop- world trade seems to be accelerating the exo- tion but with great concern for women ment authority of Jackson County, an eco- dus of apparel jobs from the United States, nomically depressed region that includes Mr. Moore said it might also provide an op- everywhere, overseas and here at home. Pisgah, many of the factory workers here till portunity to increase American raw-textile With the January 26 enactment of the the fields part time to make ends meet. exports. ‘‘Most countries have traditionally current Continuing Resolution [CR], a But with the factory idle, farming alone protected their textile industries, but now handful of antichoice lawmakers in the will not pay all the bills, and residents are they may be forced to open up,’’ he said. house scored a far-reaching victory bitter. ‘‘They pay those people down there a Moreover, some people question whether against women’s reproductive health dollar and a nickel an hour,’’ said Jim the North American Free Trade Agreement Mabry, another Pisgah resident. ‘‘Then they and rights—they have effectively and other trade pacts should be blamed for eliminated all funding for the U.S. ship the clothes back here for finishing so the flight of jobs abroad. Without the trade they can call them American-made. agreement, Mr. Danahy of Cone Mills said, International Family Planning Pro- Andover Togs, which is based in New York, ‘‘Both the apparel and textile jobs would gram. says it had little choice but to open its fac- have gone to Bangladesh and elsewhere in The legislation passed by the House tory in the Dominican Republic. ‘‘I don’t the Far East. and Senate will decrease by 35 percent think we have ever seen a retail environment ‘‘With Nafta in place,’’ he added, ‘‘the tex- the amount of money available to this sour,’’ said Alan Kanis, the company’s tile complex on this continent is more com- spend on international family-planning chief financial officer. He added that the petitive.’’ company’s major customers, discount chains programs—that is, it will cut the budg- like Wal-Mart and Kmart, were major im- Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I et by nearly $200 million.The Agency porters, forcing the company to keep a tight would like to recognize one of our for International Development [AID] rein on its costs. newly elected Members of Congress will not be permitted to spend any of David Buchanan, associate dean of the col- from Texas, SHEILA JACKSON-LEE, who its appropriation for family planning lege of textiles at North Carolina State Uni- has been a strong advocate on so many until July 1, 1996, 9 months after the versity, predicted more mills would shut important issues for this body. start of the fiscal year. Since AID has down. The trend could turn out-of-the-way Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. been unable to release any population places like Pisgah into ghost towns, just as Speaker, let me thank the gentle- many farms villages in the upper Midwest funds since October 1995, the beginning faded into history when farming became woman for her leadership and also her of the fiscal year, this means that the mechanized. diligence on a myriad of issues that program will be deprived of support, al- ‘‘Historically, the role of the textile and have added to the enhancement of together, for three quarters of fiscal apparel industry has been to provide employ- women and their lives and their fami- 1996. For the remainder of this fiscal ment for the otherwise unemployable,’’ Mr. lies in this Nation and how important year, and for fiscal 1997 in its entirety, Buchanan said. ‘‘But that has been changing. it is. And we thank you for your orga- the funds can only be allocated month If there is no work, the sons and daughters nization of this special order to pay will move away, the way they did in farming. by month and on an equal-amount If there is no reason for a town to exist, it tribute to women both in terms of hon- basis. The net effect is a reduction in will go away.’’ oring them for this month and as well the family planning/reproductive If American apparel makers are surviving as recognizing the International Wom- health budget from $547 million in 1995 by hiring cheap labor overseas, the other big en’s Day which will be celebrated on to $72 million in 1996. component of the textile industry, the com- March 8, 1996. Most of the campaign against family panies that weave the cloth and fabric, is It is interesting, I would imagine planning has been carried out under thriving by applying the latest technology at that there might be those who would the guise of preventing U.S. foreign aid home. A visit to the Cone Mills Corporation plant be listening to this special order and funds from paying for abortions, a in Greensboro, N.C., shows the strides in pro- argue that we are all one family, one practice that has been banned since ductivity that American fabric makers have America. And I applaud that, and I cer- 1973. Ironically, the effots of my made in recent years. In the weaving room, tainly encourage the recognition that antichoice colleagues will lead to even H 1772 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 more abortions. Nils Daulaire, deputy TERS], a leader on women’s issues and time to come. But I think that if assistant administrator for policy at the newly elected ranking member on women really do believe and they real- the U.S. Agency for International De- the Committee on Banking and Finan- ly do understand that this is the most velopment, has said that an additional cial Services for Oversight. Thank you basic of all freedoms, the right to de- 200,000 illegal and unsafe abortions will for joining us. termine what happens to your body, result from this action. Daulaire Ms. WATERS. Thank you very much. then we will rise to the level that we projects that as many as 5,000 more I would like to thank you for providing must rise to in order to ensure that we women will die over the next year as a leadership for all of us as we join to- have such a freedom. result of unsafe abortions and gether to recognize International Wom- This evening I would like, in addition mistimed pregnancies, and that rough- en’s Day, which is Friday, March 8. I to talking about the freedom of choice, ly 500,000 additional births will result, thank you for providing leadership for to talk about an issue that really con- putting further stress on already us of focus and give some attention to cerns me, and that is women’s eco- strained child-survival programs. By who we are, what we are doing, what nomic empowerment. gutting funds for family planning, we are accomplishing and what we which enables women to avoid abortion must do to further the cause of women, b 1845 in the first place, this Congress has not only in this country, but in this sentenced women in the developing Nation. We have held a powerful and Women throughout the world con- world to more unwanted pregnancies highly successful World Conference on tinue to struggle to raise and provide and consequently, more abortions. Women in Beijing, and I suppose we for their families. We have fought hard This assault on family planning is an discovered something maybe others for the right to work, the opportunity attack on women everywhere, at home knew, but not all of us. We discovered to participate in government, the abil- and overseas. In the most fundamental that women all over the world are ity to access capital, to start our own way, it seeks to undermine women’s struggling for freedom, struggling for businesses, and the right to attain a ability to take charge of their own justice and equality, and while we have higher education and reliable child lives, their families, and their health made some serious and profound ad- care. care needs. vancements, we still have a long way All of our strides toward affirmative Enabling couples to plan when to to go. advancement are halted when our own have children and how many is at the Mr. Speaker, we have a long way to leaders talk about dismantling pro- very core of promoting personal re- go because there are those in this Na- grams under affirmative action that sponsibility and family values. By en- tion, some in very high places, who help women establish a level playing acting deep cuts in the program, my simply refuse to see us as equals, who field with men. I come from a State antichoice, and so-called pro-family, will deny us the opportunity to serve where we must be involved in the colleagues have increased the likeli- in the many diverse ways that men struggle to try and save opportunities hood that more families will experi- serve in this Nation and in this world, for women because there has been ad- ence the tragedy of maternal of infant and because we have those who would vanced something called the California death due to a lack of reproductive deny us opportunity, those who will Civil Rights Initiative, that would health care. fight very hard to ensure that we do eliminate affirmative action programs I would like to quote Senate Appro- not get a chance to realize our full po- in public employment, education, and public contracting. priations Chairman MARK HATFIELD, a tential, we must continue to struggle. pro-life Senator, who has expressed his We do not like the idea that we have Women have only begun to climb the outrage over the gutting of inter- to be here this evening even, talking corporate ladder and to shake up the national family planning. about the struggle that women are still glass ceiling. While women account for involved with in this world to ensure 52 percent of all Americans, yet we still What we did is bar access to family plan- comprise only 3 to 5 percent of senior ning services to approximately 17 million justice, equality, and freedom, but we couples, most of them living in unimaginable must do that. level positions in major companies. We poverty. We opened the door to the prob- One of the things that we all recog- represent only 11.8 percent of college ability of at least 14 million unintended nize, most women, and most women presidents, 10 percent of the House of pregnancies every year, tens of thousands of who are elected to the House of Rep- Representatives, and only 8 percent of deaths among women * * * and the prob- resentatives recognize, that until and the U.S. Senate. Even with affirmative ability of at least 4 million more abortions unless we are free to determine what action, women are still paid less for the that could have been averted if access to vol- happens with our bodies, we are not same work. Women make only 72 cents untary family planning services had been to a man’s dollar. maintained. free. It is the most basic of those free- doms that we are able to say what we In 1993, female managers earned 33 Senator HATFIELD is correct in say- want in relationship to our health con- percent less than male managers. Fe- ing that, cerns. We must be able to say without male college professors earned 23 per- The family planning language in [the CR] equivocation, without fear, without cent less than male professors, and fe- is not pro-life, it is not pro-woman, it is not concern for what anybody else thinks, male elementary school teachers pro-child, it is not pro-health, and it is not earned 22 percent less than male ele- pro-family planning. It inflicts the harm of a we must be able to say and make deci- profound misconception on very poor fami- sions about our bodies. mentary teachers. lies oversees who only ask for help in spacing We have been in this struggle for a I cannot continue to give you all of their children through contraception, not long time. It has been a long time since the dismal statistics. All I can say is, abortion. Roe versus Wade. But we find ourselves as we focus this evening, let us recog- My colleagues, I urge you, in honor having to defend our right to make de- nize that we are not near the equality of International Women’s Day and cisions about our own bodies right here that this country and this Nation and Women’s History Month, to help re- in this House because there are those, this world deserves. verse this policy. Please, let us not men for the most part, who will take Mr. TORRES. When I step onto the House turn back the clock on women’s rights, every opportunity to try and take back floor every day, I am never certain what I will let us not return to the days when the rights that we have garnered face: Will the agenda promote progress and women did not have the freedom to through the courts in this country. growth? Or will the House encourage policies choose what they would or would not And so we struggle month in and that deliver an America of inequality? do with their own bodies and when cou- month out, year in and year out, and Unfortunately, inequality is often the answer ples could not determine what was best we are still confronted with those ob- and women are often the targets. Whether the for their families. stacles that are created by some of the issue is opportunity on the corporate ladder or men in this House, even as we look to- the freedom to make choices, this Congress b 1830 ward our work over the next few has sought to strip away and demolish the Mrs. MALONEY. Thank you very months, and so I say to all of those who rights of women. much. I would now recognize the gen- are listening that this is a struggle At the top of the hit list is: limiting access to tlewoman from California [Ms. WA- that we may have to be in for some abortion and abolishing affirmative action. But March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1773 what worries me most is the theme of these ation of the bill (H.R. 3019) making ap- Mrs. CUBIN, for 5 minutes, today. efforts: These themes are not about helping propriations for fiscal year 1996 to Mr. TIAHRT, for 5 minutes, today. women. make a further downpayment toward a Mrs. CHENOWETH, for 5 minutes, If helping women was the intent, we would balanced budget, and for other pur- today. acknowledge the fact that women earn only 72 poses, which was referred to the House Mr. MICA, for 5 minutes, today. cents for every man's dollar, and we would Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. BRYANT of Tennessee, for 5 min- utes, today. enforce equal pay for equal work. f We would not question a woman's judgment Mr. FUNDERBURK, for 5 minutes, when she needs a medically necessary proce- PERMISSION FOR MEMBER TO today. Mr. SMITH of Michigan, for 5 minutes, dure; we would work toward perfecting the SUBMIT AMENDMENT TO H.R. today. safest method. 3019, THE BALANCED BUDGET Mr. HUNTER, for 5 minutes, today. If this Congress is serious about women's DOWNPAYMENT ACT, II Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania, for 5 min- issues, let's focus on what we can do for Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I ask utes, today. women, not what we can take away. unanimous consent that the gentleman f f from Wisconsin [Mr. OBEY] may have until midnight tonight to submit an EXTENSION OF REMARKS GENERAL LEAVE amendment to H.R. 3019 for printing in By unanimous consent, permission to Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask the RECORD. revise and extend remarks was granted unanimous consent that all Members The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there to: may have 5 legislative days within objection to the request of the gen- (The following Members (at the re- which to revise and extend their re- tleman from Georgia? quest of Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas and marks and to include extraneous mat- There was no objection. to include extraneous matter:) ter on the subject of my special order f Mrs. THURMAN. tonight. Mr. HAMILTON. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO Mr. BARCIA. HUTCHINSON). Is there objection to the ADVISORY COMMISSION ON Mr. STUDDS in two instances. request of the gentlewoman from New INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELA- Mr. DEUTSCH. York? TIONS Mr. RAHALL. Mr. KLECZKA. There was no objection. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without Mr. JACOBS. f objection, and pursuant to the provi- Mr. MILLER of California. sions of section 3(a) of Public Law 86– Mr. CLAY. RECESS 380, the Chair announces the Speaker’s Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- appointment to the Advisory Commis- Mr. CONYERS. ant to clause 12 of rule I, the House sion on Intergovernmental Relations Mr. MARKEY. will stand in recess subject to the call the following Members of the House: Ms. BROWN of Florida. of the Chair. Mr. SHAYS of Connecticut and Mr. Mrs. MALONEY. Accordingly (at 6 o’clock and 46 min- PORTMAN of Ohio. (The following Members (at the re- utes p.m.), the House stood in recess There was no objection. quest of Mr. TATE) and to include ex- subject to the call of the Chair. f traneous matter:) Mr. LEWIS of California. f LEAVE OF ABSENCE Mr. SOLOMON. b 1910 By unanimous consent, leave of ab- Mr. BARCIA. sence was granted to: Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. AFTER RECESS Mr. STEARNS. Ms. MCCARTHY (at the request of Mr. (The following Members (at the re- The recess having expired, the House GEPHARDT), for yesterday, March 5, and quest of Mr. LINDER) and to include ex- was called to order by the Speaker pro today, on account of official business. tempore (Mr. DREIER) at 7 o’clock and traneous matter:) f 10 minutes p.m. Mr. BUNN of Oregon. Mr. FUNDERBURK. f SPECIAL ORDERS GRANTED Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. By unanimous consent, permission to REPORT ON RESOLUTION PROVID- Mr. POMEROY in two instances. address the House, following the legis- ING FOR CONSIDERATION OF Mr. DELLUMS. lative program and any special orders Mr. STEARNS. H.R. 3021, GUARANTEEING CON- heretofore entered, was granted to: Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. TINUING FULL INVESTMENT OF (The following Members (at the re- Mr. SHAW. SOCIAL SECURITY AND OTHER quest of Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas) to Mr. SANDERS. FEDERAL FUNDS IN OBLIGA- revise and extend their remarks and in- Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts in two TIONS OF THE UNITED STATES clude extraneous material: instances. Mr. LINDER, from the Committee on Mrs. MALONEY, for 5 minutes, today. Ms. NORTON. Rules, submitted a privileged report Ms. KAPTUR, for 5 minutes, today. Mr. GILMAN. Mr. HANSEN. (Rept. No. 104–473) on the resolution (H. Mr. POMEROY, for 5 minutes, today. Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Res. 371) providing for consideration of Mr. TOWNS, for 5 minutes, today. Mrs. MEEK of Florida. the bill (H.R. 3021) to guarantee the Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, for 5 minutes, Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. continuing full investment of Social today. f Security and other Federal funds in ob- Mrs. CLAYTON, for 5 minutes, today. ligations of the United States, which Mrs. SCHROEDER, for 5 minutes, ADJOURNMENT was referred to the House Calendar and today. Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I move ordered to be printed. Mr. GEJDENSON, for 5 minutes, today. that the House do now adjourn. f Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, for 5 min- The motion was agreed to; accord- utes, today. ingly (at 7 o’clock and 12 minutes REPORT ON RESOLUTION PROVID- (The following Members (at the re- p.m.), the House adjourned until to- ING FOR CONSIDERATION OF quest of Mr. TATE) to revise and extend morrow, Thursday, March 7, 1996, at 10 H.R. 3019, THE BALANCED BUDG- their remarks and include extraneous a.m. ET DOWNPAYMENT ACT, II material:) f Mr. LINDER, from the Committee on Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, for 5 Rules, submitted a privileged report minutes, today. NOTICE OF PROPOSED (Rept. No. 104–474) on the resolution (H. Mr. MCINTOSH, for 5 minutes, today. RULEMAKING Res. 372) providing for the consider- Mr. DUNCAN, for 5 minutes, today. Office of Compliance Notice: H 1774 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Rule- ations, Export Financing and Related Pro- coastwise trade; to the Committee on Na- making regarding the application of chapter grams Appropriation Act, 1996; jointly, to tional Security. 71 of title 5, United States Code, relating to the Committees on International Relations By Mr. ARCHER: Federal service labor-management relations; and Appropriations. H.R. 3021. A bill to guarantee the continu- procedures for remedy of violations, see page 2200. A letter from the Assistant Secretary ing full investment of Social Security and S1547–50 of the RECORD dated March 6, 1996. for Legislative Affairs, Department of State, other Federal funds in obligations of the The 30-day period for public comment on transmitting a report regarding the eco- United States; to the Committee on Ways these proposed regulations ends April 6, 1996. nomic policy and trade practices of each and Means. f country with which the United States has an By Mr. STUDDS (for himself, Mr. economic or trade relationship, pursuant to MCDERMOTT, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. WAX- EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, 15 U.S.C. 4711; jointly, to the Committees on MAN, Mr. BEILENSON, Mr. FROST, Mr. ETC. International Relations and Ways and EVANS, Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois, Mr. Means. RANGEL, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. Under clause 2 of rule XXIV, execu- 2201. A letter from the Chair of the Board, GUTIERREZ, Mr. MORAN, and Mr. LI- tive communications were taken from Office of Compliance, transmitting advance PINSKI): the Speaker’s table and referred as fol- notice of proposed rulemaking for publica- H.R. 3022. A bill to amend the Public lows: tion in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, pursuant Health Service Act to establish a program to Public Law 104–1, section 304(b)(1) (109 regarding training in lifesaving first aid, in- [Omitted from the Record on March 5, 1996] Stat. 29); jointly, to the Committees on cluding training in the use of automated ex- 2191. A letter from the Assistant Secretary House Oversight and Economic and Edu- ternal defibrillators to assist individuals ex- for Legislative Affairs, Department of State, cational Opportunities. periencing cardiac arrest; to the Committee transmitting the President’s March 1, 1996, on Commerce. f determination regarding certification of the By Mr. SHAW (for himself, Mr. GILMAN, 31 major illicit narcotics producing and tran- REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON Mr. HAMILTON, and Mr. SOUDER): H.R. 3023. A bill to require the imposition sit countries, pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2291; to PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS the Committee on International Relations. of certain trade sanctions on countries which [Submitted March 6, 1996] Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of threaten the national security of the United committees were delivered to the Clerk States and the health and safety of U.S. citi- 2192. A letter from the Assistant Secretary zens by failing to take effective action for Legislative Affairs, Department of State, for printing and reference to the proper calendar, as follows: against the production of and trafficking in transmitting the 1996 International Narcot- illicit narcotic, and psychotropic substances, ics Control Strategy Report, pursuant to 22 Mr. SOLOMON: Committee on Rules. and for other purposes; to the Committee on U.S.C. 2291(b)(2); to the Committee on Inter- House Resolution 369. Resolution to provide Ways and Means, and in addition to the Com- national Relations. the Committee on Government Reform and mittees on Transportation and Infrastruc- 2193. A letter from the Assistant Secretary Oversight special authorities to obtain testi- ture, and Rules, for a period to be subse- for Legislative Affairs, Department of State, mony for purposes of investigation and study quently determined by the Speaker, in each transmitting the Department’s report on of the White House Travel Office matter case for consideration of such provisions as PLO compliance, pursuant to Public Law (Rept. 104–472). Referred to the House Cal- fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 101–246, section 804(b) (104 Stat. 78); to the endar. concerned. Committee on International Relations. Mr. LINDER: Committee on Rules. House By Mr. YOUNG of Alaska (for himself, 2194. A letter from the Administrator and Resolution 371. Resolution providing for con- Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. GINGRICH, Mr. CEO, Bonneville Power Administration, sideration of the bill (H.R. 3021) to guarantee SERRANO, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Is- transmitting the 1995 annual report of the the continuing full investment of Social Se- land, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. ROMERO- Bonneville Power Administration, also other curity and other Federal funds in obligations BARCELO, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. BURTON of reports pursuant to the Chief Financial Offi- of the United States (Rept. 104–473). Referred Indiana, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. CAL- cers Act that relate to the Administration, to the House Calendar. VERT, Mr. LONGLEY, Mr. GENE GREEN pursuant to Public Law 89–448, section 3(a) Mr. DREIER: Committee on Rules. House of Texas, Mr. DEUTSCH, and Mr. (80 Stat. 201); to the Committee on Govern- Resolution 372. Resolution providing for con- KLINK): ment Reform and Oversight. sideration of the bill (H.R. 3019) making ap- H.R. 3024. A bill to provide a process lead- 2195. A letter from the Chairman, Council propriations for fiscal year 1996 to make a ing to full self-government for Puerto Rico; of the District of Columbia, transmitting a further downpayment toward a balanced to the Committee on Resources, and in addi- copy of D.C. Act 11–215, ‘‘Equal Opportunity budget, and for other purposes (Rept. 104– tion to the Committee on Rules, for a period for Local, Small, and Disadvantaged Busi- 474). Referred to the House Calendar. to be subsequently determined by the Speak- ness Enterprises Temporary Amendment Act f er, in each case for consideration of such pro- of 1996,’’ pursuant to D.C. Code, section 1– visions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 233(c)(1); to the Committee on Government BILLS PLACED ON THE committee concerned. Reform and Oversight. CORRECTIONS CALENDAR By Mr. BAKER of Louisiana: 2196. A letter from the Attorney General, H.R. 3025. A bill to suspend until January Department of Justice, transmitting the an- Under clause 4 of rule XIII, the 1, 1999, the duty on 2,2-Dichlorophenylacetic nual report under the Federal Managers’ Fi- Speaker filed with the Clerk a notice Acid Ethel Ester [DCPAE]; to the Committee nancial Integrity Act for fiscal year 1995, requesting that the following bills be on Ways and Means. pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3512(c)(3); to the Com- placed upon the Corrections Calendar: By Mr. BRYANT of Tennessee (for him- mittee on Government Reform and Over- H.R. 2685. A bill to repeal the Medicare and self, Mr. BARR, Mr. BONO, Mr. DUN- sight. Medicaid Coverage Data Bank. CAN, Mr. GEKAS, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. 2197. A letter from the General Counsel, HEINEMAN, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. f Federal Emergency Management Agency, MCCOLLUM, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. SEN- transmitting a report of activities under the TIME LIMITATION OF REFERRED SENBRENNER, and Mr. SMITH of Freedom of Information Act for calendar Texas): year 1995, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(d); to the BILL H.R. 3026. A bill to amend section 372 of Committee on Government Reform and Pursuant to clause 5 of rule X the fol- title 28, United States Code, to provide that Oversight. lowing action was taken by the Speak- proceedings on complaints filed with respect 2198. A letter from the Director, Adminis- er: to conduct of a judge or magistrate judge of tration and Management, Department of De- a court be held by a circuit other than the fense, transmitting the annual report of H.R. 2969. Referral to the Committee on circuit within which the judge serves, and cross-servicing and acquisition actions un- Commerce extended for a period ending not for other purposes; to the Committee on the dertaken pursuant to acquisition and cross- later than March 11, 1996. Judiciary. servicing agreements with countries that are f By Mr. BRYANT of Tennessee (for him- not part of the North Atlantic Treaty Orga- self, Mr. BARR, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. nization [NATO] or its subsidiary bodies, PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS GEKAS, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2349; jointly, to the Under clause 5 of rule X and clause 4 HEINEMAN, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. Committees on National Security and Inter- of rule XXII, public bills and resolu- MCCOLLUM, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, and national Relations. Mr. SMITH of Texas): 2199. A letter from the Assistant Secretary tions were introduced and severally re- H.R. 3027. A bill to amend title 18, United for Legislative Affairs, Department of State, ferred as follows: States Code, and the Controlled Substances transmitting a copy of Presidential Deter- By Mr. GUTIERREZ (for himself, Ms. Act, with respect to the payment of the costs mination No. 96–11: Presidential Determina- VELAZQUEZ, and Mr. SERRANO): of court-appointed attorneys in certain tion on Military Drawdown for Jordan, pur- H.R. 3020. A bill to exclude voyages to or criminal cases; to the Committee on the Ju- suant to section 572 of the Foreign Oper- from Puerto Rico from laws applicable to diciary, and in addition to the Committee on March 6, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 1775

Commerce, for a period to be subsequently the Committee on Transportation and Infra- H.R. 2342: Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of determined by the Speaker, in each case for structure, for a period to be subsequently de- Texas. consideration of such provisions as fall with- termined by the Speaker, in each case for H.R. 2401: Mr. STUPAK. in the jurisdiction of the committee con- consideration of such provisions as fall with- H.R. 2421: Mr. SHAYS, Mr. SAXTON, Mrs. cerned. in the jurisdiction of the committee con- KELLY, Mr. BLUTE, Mr. FORBES, Mrs. JOHN- By Mr. CONYERS: cerned. SON of Connecticut, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. H.R. 3028. A bill to secure the voting rights By Mr. SCHAEFER (for himself, Mr. MARKEY, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. STUDDS, Mr. of former felons who have been released from TAUZIN, Mr. CHRYSLER, Mr. BONO, Mr. ACKERMAN, and Mr. MCNULTY. incarceration; to the Committee on the Judi- HEFLEY, Mr LINDER, and Mr. STUMP): H.R. 2452: Mr. HOKE. ciary. H.R. 3039. A bill to promote freedom, fair- H.R. 2500: Mr. HUTCHINSON and Mr. MAR- By Mr. DAVIS (for himself and Ms. ness, and economic opportunity for families TINEZ. H.R. 2509: Mr. COOLEY and Mr. KINGSTON. NORTON): by repealing the income tax, abolishing the H.R. 2535: Mr. CHAMBLISS. H.R. 3029. A bill to designate the United Internal Revenue Service and enacting a na- H.R. 2551: Mr. NEY. States courthouse in Washington, District of tional retail sales tax to be administered pri- H.R. 2651: Mr. BONO. Columbia, as the ‘‘E. Barrett Prettyman marily by the States; to the Committee on H.R. 2682: Mr. GILMAN. United States Courthouse’’; to the Commit- Ways and Means. H.R. 2701: Mr. MINGE, Ms. MOLINARI, Mr. tee on Transportation and Infrastructure. By Mrs. SMITH of Washington (for her- HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. QUILLEN, Ms. By Ms. ESHOO: self, Mr. SHAYS, and Mr. MEEHAN): DELAURO, Mrs. KENNELLY, Mr. ORTIZ, Mrs. H.R. 3030. A bill to establish a minimum H. Res. 373. Resolution providing for the LOWEY, and Mr. SKEEN. amount that maybe applied as an aggregate consideration of the bill (H.R. 2566) to reform H.R. 2741: Mr. BARR, Mr. ARMEY, Mr. lifetime limit with respect to coverage under the financing of Federal elections, and for DELAY, Mr. BOEHNER, and Mr. TAUZIN. an employee health benefits plan or a group other purposes; to the Committee on Rules. H.R. 2745: Mr. LUTHER, Mr. FOX, Mr. health plan; to the Committee on Economic WALSH, Mr. RANGEL, Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, f and Educational Opportunities, and in addi- Mr. LEVIN, and Mrs. ROUKEMA. tion to the Committee on Commerce, for a PRIVATE BILLS AND H.R. 2802: Ms. FURSE, Mr. RIGGS, Mr. TAY- period to be subsequently determined by the RESOLUTIONS LOR of Mississippi, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. BISH- Speaker, in each case for consideration of OP, Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. TRAFI- such provisions as fall within the jurisdic- Under clause 1 of rule XXII, CANT, Mr. NORWOOD, and Mr. HUTCHINSON. tion of the committee concerned. Mr. PETERSON of Florida introduced a H.R. 2864: Mr. FATTAH, Mr. THOMPSON, and By Mr. HANSEN: bill (H.R. 3040) to authorize the Secretary of Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. H.R. 2898: Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, Mr. H.R. 3031. A bill to amend the act of Octo- Transportation to issue a certificate of docu- CUNNINGHAM, and Mrs. ROUKEMA. ber 15, 1966 (80 Stat. 915), as amended, estab- mentation with appropriate endorsement for H.R. 2919: Mr. EHLERS. lishing a program for the preservation of ad- employment in the coastwise trade for the H.R. 2928: Mr. CHRYSLER, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. ditional historic property throughout the vessel Two Can; to the Committee on Trans- SHADEGG, and Mr. FOX. Nation, and for other purposes; to the Com- portation and Infrastructure. mittee on Resources. H.R. 2930: Mr. LAZIO of New York. H.R. 2931: Mr. FRAZER, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. By Mr. KANJORSKI (for himself, Mr. f FROST, and Mr. FATTAH. MCDADE, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. COYNE, ADDITIONAL SPONSORS H.R. 2945: Mr. FARR, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. Mr. GEKAS, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. MCHALE, CONDIT, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. THOMP- Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. MASCARA, and Under clause 4 of rule XXII, sponsors SON, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mrs. Mr. DOYLE): were added to public bills and resolu- COLLINS of Illinois, and Mr. HINCHEY. H.R. 3032. A bill to assist State and local tions as follows: H.R. 2946: Mr. FARR, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. governments in recovering from recent dis- CONDIT, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. THOMP- asters; to the Committee on Banking and Fi- H.R. 833: Mr. MCHALE and Ms. PELOSI. SON, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, and Mrs. nancial Services. H.R. 835: Ms. WATERS. H.R. 911: Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. CRAMER, and COLLINS of Illinois. By Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. KA- Mr. BILIRAKIS. H.R. 2959: Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. WATT of SICH, Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts, RANKS North Carolina, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. MENENDEZ, ROST OHNSTON H.R. 957: Mr. F of Connecticut. Mr. F , and Mr. J of Flor- Mr. WILLIAMS, and Mr. CLYBURN. ida): H.R. 969: Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. H.R. 1000: Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey and H.R. 2972: Mr. RUSH. H.R. 3033. A bill to control the transfer H.R. 2974: Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. BAKER of Mr. BROWN of Ohio. within the United States of infectious agents Louisiana, Mr. SKEEN, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. H.R. 1462: Mr. BENTSEN and Mr. SKEEN. which have the potential to pose a severe SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. ACKERMAN, and Mr. H.R. 1496: Mr. QUINN. threat to the public health and safety, and GENE GREEN of Texas. H.R. 1646: Mr. MCHALE, Mr. WAMP, Mrs. for other purposes; to the Committee on H.R. 2991: Mr. FRAZER and Mr. FORD. MORELLA, Mr. EWING, Mr. BARCIA of Michi- Commerce. H.J. Res. 159: Mr. LAHOOD and Mr. BONO. By Mr. MILLER of California: gan, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. FAZIO of California, H. Con. Res. 47: Mr. THOMAS. H.R. 3034. A bill to amend the Indian Self- Mr. BATEMAN, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. HILLEARY, and H. Con. Res. 83: Mr. MCHALE. Determination and Education Assistance Act Mr. SAM JOHNSON. H. Con. Res. 124: Mr. SENSENBRENNER. to extend for 2 months the authority for pro- H.R. 1684: Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. HOKE, H. Con. Res. 144: Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. FOGLI- mulgating regulations under the act; to the Mr. PETE GEREN of Texas, Mr. TEJEDA, and ETTA, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. SCHUMER, and Mr. Committee on Resources. Mr. BONO. THORNTON. By Mrs. MINK of Hawaii: H.R. 1733: Mr. SCOTT and Mr. MOAKLEY. H. Res. 286: Mr. TORRES. H.R. 3035. A bill to provide for a special ap- H.R. 1757: Mr. NADLER. H. Res. 348: Mr. PORTER, Mr. SCHAEFER, Mr. plication of section 1034 of the Internal Reve- H.R. 1758: Mr. BONIOR and Mr. PAYNE of SKEEN, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. CRANE, Mr. nue Code of 1986; to the Committee on Ways Virginia. CHRYSLER, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. SOLOMON, and Means. H.R. 1771: Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. WELLER, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, By Mr. MONTGOMERY (for himself, H.R. 1776: Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. WATT of Mr. TIAHRT, Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, and Mr. Mr. STUMP, Mr. BUYER, and Ms. WA- North Carolina, Mr. NEUMANN, Mr. TALENT, SPRATT. H. Res. 362: Mr. FARR, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, TERS): Mr. FRANKS of Connecticut, Mr. BATEMAN, H.R. 3036. A bill to amend title 38, United Mr. BOEHLERT, and Mrs. FOWLER. Mr. CONDIT, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. States Code, to require that the offices for H.R. 1791: Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. THOMPSON, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, management, policy, and other functions as- H.R. 1828: Mr. ORTIZ. and Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. sociated with the educational assistance pro- H.R. 2019: Mr. ABERCROMBIE and Mr. CLEM- f ENT. grams of the Education Service of the De- DELETIONS OF SPONSORS FROM partment of Veterans Affairs be in the Dis- H.R. 2026: Mr. TALENT, Mr. FRANKS of New trict of Columbia; to the Committee on Vet- Jersey, and Mr. SANFORD. PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS erans’ Affairs. H.R. 2090: Mr. SCHAEFER. Under clause 4 of rule XXII, sponsors By Mr. POMEROY: H.R. 2098: Mr. ROYCE. were deleted from public bills and reso- H.R. 3037. A bill to amend title 49, United H.R. 2182: Mr. TRAFICANT. lutions as follows: States Code, to provide funding for the es- H.R. 2202: Mr. CREMEANS, Mr. BATEMAN, H.R. 359: Mr. BONO. sential air service program, and for other and Mr. MARTINI. H.R. 1963: Mr. SAXTON. purposes; to the Committee on Transpor- H.R. 2228: Mr. EHLERS. f tation and Infrastructure. H.R. 2247: Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of H.R. 3038. A bill to reauthorize and amend Texas, Mr. WATT of North Carolina, and Mr. PETITIONS, ETC. title XIV of the Public Health Service Act YATES. (commonly known as the ‘‘Safe Drinking H.R. 2270: Mr. ALLARD and Mr. WHITE. Under clause 1 of rule XXII, petitions Water Act’’), and for other purposes; to the H.R. 2333: Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. and papers were laid on the Clerk’s Committee on Commerce, and in addition to HAYES, and Mr. RANGEL. desk and referred as follows: H 1776 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 6, 1996 66. By the SPEAKER: Petition of the city H.R. 3019 sions of the other organization on legislative of Miami, FL, Commission relative to the OFFERED BY: MR. MCINTOSH issues. downing of two unarmed civilian planes on AMENDMENT NO. 1: At the end, add the fol- ‘‘(2) The governing board of one such orga- February 24, 1996, by the Cuban Government; lowing: nization includes persons who— to the Committee on International Rela- SEC. . EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS. ‘‘(A) are specifically designated representa- tions. Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act tives of the other such organization or are 67. Also, petition of the Council of the Dis- of 1995 is amended— members of the governing board, officers, or trict of Columbia, relative to Council Reso- (1) by inserting ‘‘(a) ORGANIZATION.—before paid executive staff members of such other lution 11–251, ‘‘Sense of the Council Federal ‘‘An’’; organization; and Payment Emergency Resolution of 1996’’; to (2) by striking ‘‘section 501(c)(4)’’ and in- the Committee on Government Reform and serting ‘‘section 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(5)’’; ‘‘(B) by aggregating their votes, have suffi- Oversight. (3) by inserting after ‘‘1986’’ the following: cient voting power to cause or prevent ac- ‘‘or affiliated organizations’’; and tion on political advocacy issues by the f (4) by adding at the end the following: other such organization. ‘‘(b) DEFINITION.—For purposes of sub- ‘‘(3) The organizations— section (a), any 2 organizations shall be con- AMENDMENTS sidered to be affiliated organizations if the ‘‘(A) either use the same name or trade- organizations meet any one or more of the mark, or represent themselves as being af- Under clause 6 of rule XXIII, pro- following criteria: filiated; and posed amendments were submitted as ‘‘(1) The governing instrument of one such ‘‘(B) coordinate their lobbying activities or follows: organization requires it to be bound by deci- political advocacy.’’.