H8354 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 15, 1999 been met, and I hope the government of eight children. As a boy, he excelled in The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Azerbaijan will recognize that it is in sports. In high school, professional previous order of the House, the gen- Azerbaijan’s own interests to lift the scouts began taking interest in his tleman from Florida (Mr. WELDON) is blockades so that section 907 will no pitching skills. Hunter’s natural talent recognized for 5 minutes. longer be necessary. In the meantime, and dedication to the game led to a re- (Mr. WELDON of Florida addressed Congress must be clear: until steps are markable career which elevated a the House. His remarks will appear taken by Azerbaijan to lift the block- young country boy to a national sports hereafter in the Extensions of Re- ade, section 907 stays. hero. He was given the name Catfish in marks.) f 1964 when former Oakland A’s Charlie f Finley signed the 18-year-old to play LET US QUICKLY REJECT THE 13 baseball. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a MONTH FISCAL YEAR Hunter admitted that he enjoyed previous order of the House, the gen- tleman from Illinois (Mr. LIPINSKI) is (Mr. CHABOT asked and was given hunting and fishing, and the A’s owner recognized for 5 minutes. permission to address the House for 1 apparently insisted on the name Cat- (Mr. LIPINSKI addressed the House. minute.) fish. Jim Catfish Hunter went on to His remarks will appear hereafter in Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, from win five world championship rings and the Extensions of Remarks.) time to time, we hear some pretty a plaque in baseball’s Hall of Fame. wacky ideas in Washington, none As an 8-time All Star, he pitched in 6 f World Series, helping to win three wackier than a recent suggestion, ap- ON THE RELEASE OF FALN TER- parently emanating from the other championships in Oakland and two more with the Yankees. His 15-year RORISTS BY THE WHITE HOUSE body that the Congress adopt a 13- baseball career ended in 1979, but not month fiscal year so as to circumvent The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a before he won 224 games, pitched a per- the budget caps we agreed to back in previous order of the House, the gen- fect game, and in 1974 received the 1998 which, as I recall, was a standard tleman from New York (Mr. FOSSELLA) American League’s Cy Young Award. 12-month year. What will we call the is recognized for 5 minutes. Jim Catfish Hunter gained the kind Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, last newly created 13th month? Taxember? of superstardom that could have Spenduary? week, as some Members of the body changed most men, but he remained know and many Americans know, a And what will our big government the same unassuming man he was when friends think of next in their ongoing number of terrorists that engaged in a he left Eastern North Carolina. Mr. reign of terror across this Nation dur- fiscal assault on hard-working, tax- Speaker, John Ruskin once said, ‘‘The paying families. An 8-day week? A 30- ing the seventies and eighties were first true test of a truly great man is part of a group known as the FALN, hour day? With more time for every- his humility.’’ Mr. Speaker, if this is body to work for the tax man? that were responsible and proudly the test, then Catfish Hunter will cer- claimed responsibility for 130 bomb- I have a really unique suggestion. tainly be remembered as a great man. Let us keep our promises, stand by the ings, if not more, killing innocent peo- At age 33, Jim Catfish Hunter retired ple and maiming innocent people. commitment we made to the American from baseball and moved back to North people. Let us honor those spending It became news in the last several Carolina, not far from where he was weeks because they were offered clem- caps that the Congress and the Presi- raised, to concentrate on his family. He ency by the White House. Despite the dent agreed to only about a year ago. had married his high school sweetheart fact that they rejected the initial offer Let us give the American people some- Helen, and together they had three of clemency because they thought con- thing they are not accustomed to, a children, sons Todd and Paul, and a ditions placed upon them were too Congress and a President who keep daughter, Kim. Hunter has been quoted humiliating, ultimately they agreed their word. I guess that is something as saying he would have given up all of and now they are free, with the excep- you see only once in a blue moon, or, his money and fame for the health to tion of two, who rejected the offer. as they say, only in a 13-month year. watch his grandson Taylor grow. At the time, those of us who opposed f But Jim Hunter was a fighter. In- stead of shying away from the disease, the offer of clemency objected, for a REMEMBERING JIM ‘‘CATFISH’’ he worked to raise awareness of his ill- number of reasons. One, these are evil HUNTER, HALL OF FAME PITCHER ness in hopes of finding a cure. In fact, people. They sought to hurt, kill, and The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a last May, Hunter attended the opening maim innocent people. They sought, in previous order of the House, the gen- of the Jim Catfish Hunter ALS Foun- a way, the overthrow of the United tleman from North Carolina (Mr. dation in Hartford, North Carolina. States government because they did JONES) is recognized for 5 minutes. The event fell on May 8, the 31st anni- not get their way through a civilized, Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. versary of his perfect game. normal democratic process known as Speaker, last week America lost a leg- Mr. Speaker, we remember him as the rule of law, known as elections. endary figure in the game of baseball. more than just a great ball player. He They sought the independence of The town of Hertford and the State of was a wonderful man who loved his Puerto Rico. They did not get their North Carolina lost a friend and a hero. family and his community. In fact, I way, so they resorted to bombs. They Hall of Fame pitcher Jim ‘‘Catfish’’ imagine he would like to be remem- resorted to killing. They resorted to Hunter passed away, just one year bered as Jim Hunter, the husband, fa- maiming. They were terrorists. after being diagnosed with ALS, the ther, grandfather, and friend, rather At the time, we brought forward same disease that took the life of than Catfish Hunter, the Hall of Fame some of the victims: A police officer former Yankee first baseman Lou baseball pitcher. was blinded for life, another who was Gehrig. Today we celebrate his life and the blind in one eye, another who lost his legacy that he has left for future ath- leg, another whose husband was killed b 1645 letes. Mr. Speaker, the Nation and the in the tavern bombing in 1975, another Mr. Speaker, Jim ‘‘Catfish’’ Hunter is game of baseball are better off because family who lost their father and hus- a grand example of what a sports hero Jim Catfish Hunter passed this way. band in 1975. We said, we are sending should be. He played baseball because f the absolutely wrong signal to terror- he loved the game. The success he The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. ists, because we are emboldening peo- gained was secondary. During his ca- PEASE). Under a previous order of the ple around the world who are going to reer, no matter how impressive his ac- House, the gentlewoman from Texas contemplate terrorism on our soil. complishments or how great the public (Ms. JACKSON-LEE) is recognized for 5 It did not take long, Mr. Speaker. recognition, he never forgot his family minutes. Just a few days ago there was a state- or his community. In fact, he lived the (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas ad- ment put out by one Filiberto Ojeda kind of life that movies are based on. dressed the House. Her remarks will Rios. He put out this statement: ‘‘If Jim Hunter was raised in rural east- appear hereafter in the Extensions of they,’’ the United States, ‘‘start bomb- ern North Carolina as the fourth of Remarks.) ing Vieques again, and they threaten September 15, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H8355 the island’s population, or those car- sent to all Members informing them tion. In many cases, these regulations rying out acts of civil disobedience, that the Committee on Rules is plan- have far outlived their original pur- they will have to face the con- ning to meet the week of September 20 pose, yet remain on the books, persist- sequences, because Los Macheteros will to grant a rule for consideration of ently chipping away at the profits and not remain with their arms crossed. H.R. 1875, the Class Action Jurisdiction livelihoods of rural Americans. You can be sure of that.’’ Act of 1999. The most onerous of these policies is He added that Puerto Rico should Yesterday the Committee on the Ju- one which former U.S. Senator Hank take advantage of ‘‘this historic mo- diciary filed its report on this legisla- Brown of Colorado worked actively to ment and battle against the revolu- tion, House Report 106–320. The Com- eliminate during his service in the tionary offenses being developed by the mittee on Rules may grant a rule United States Senate, an outdated United States government, among oth- which would require that amendments maritime law known as the Jones Act. ers.’’ be preprinted in the CONGRESSIONAL Passed in 1920 in an effort to Why is this important? Because this RECORD. strengthen the U.S. commercial ship- gentleman was the leader of Los In this case, amendments must be ping fleet, this law mandates any goods Macheteros, a ruthless terrorist orga- preprinted prior to consideration of the transported between two U.S. ports nization that claimed responsibility for bill on the floor. Amendments should must travel on a vessel built, owned, bombings and other acts of violence, be drafted to the version of the bill or- manned, and flagged in the United along with the FALN, throughout the dered reported by the Committee on States, no exceptions. Unfortunately, seventies and eighties. He emerged the Judiciary. Members should use the over the years the U.S. domestic fleet from a decade of hiding this week with office of legislative counsel to ensure has languished under the Jones Act, this statement that I just read that that their amendments are properly because the Act itself has made it pro- was broadcast over radio. drafted, and should check with the of- hibitively expensive to build new One of the prisoners who has been re- fice of the parliamentarian to be cer- ocean-going vessels in U.S. shipyards. leased, who is now free, was a member tain that their amendments comply In fact, only two bulkers have been of this organization. So here we have with rules of the House. built in U.S. shipyards in the last 35 it, just several days after some of these f years, which has left our country with terrorists were set free, after several the oldest fleet in the industrialized days we sent the wrong signal that we REPORT ON RESOLUTION PRO- world. To contract for a new ship are going to tolerate terrorists, nego- VIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF would cost an American operator over tiate with terrorists, coddle terrorists; H.R. 1402, CONSOLIDATION OF three times the international non- just several days after, someone who MILK MARKETING ORDERS subsidized rate, almost assuring that has been in hiding for a decade rears Mr. DREIER, from the Committee on no new bulkers are built in the United his ugly head once again. Rules, submitted a privileged report States. Yesterday in the other body there (Rept. No. 106–324) on the resolution (H. Still, those few carrier owners who was a hearing, and in an effort to try to Res. 294) providing for consideration of operate U.S.-flagged vessels enjoy an get to the bottom of what happened the bill (H.R. 1402) to require the Sec- absolute business monopoly. Effec- here, why the White House would reach retary of Agriculture to implement the tively shielded from any form of inter- this mind-boggling conclusion to re- Class I milk price structure known as national market competition by the lease people who were part of a net- Option 1A as part of the implementa- U.S.-only policy, known as ‘‘cargo pref- work, who had no remorse, offered no tion of the final rule to consolidate erence’’, operators charged artificially apologies, no contrition for this act Federal milk marketing orders, which inflated shipping rates, fees and other that innocent people could be killed, was referred to the House Calendar and expenses all underwritten by those who and it could have been anywhere in ordered to be printed. can still afford to ship their products. this country, it could have been any f Because of this, agricultural pro- American family just having lunch who ducers today do not have access to do- CONGRESS SHOULD REPEAL could have been killed, the White mestic deep sea transportation options ANTIQUATED SHIPPING LAWS House office of deputy counsel to the available to their foreign competitors. President responded that the reason The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a There are no bulk carriers operating on why they were granted clemency, previous order of the House, the gen- either coast of the United States, in among other things, they do not pose a tleman from Colorado (Mr. SCHAFFER) the Great Lakes, nor out to Guam, danger to society. is recognized for 5 minutes. Alaska, Puerto Rico, or Hawaii. Colo- These are people who were Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, U.S. rado producers are thus placed at a videotaped making bombs. These are shipping laws can add as much as $1 to competitive disadvantage. Foreign pro- people who were proudly part of an or- the cost of a bushel of export wheat. ducers are able to ship their products ganization that killed innocent people. These antiquated policies should be re- to American markets at competitive These were people who were convicted pealed, and the sooner, the better. international rates, whereas U.S. pro- of seditious conspiracy. Some of them No sector of the U.S. economy is ducers cannot. at their trial said that they wanted to more susceptible to international trade Colorado producers also need access kill the sentencing judge. Some of barriers and foreign economic market to deep sea transportation options be- them said that if they could, they conditions than agriculture. This fact cause other modes of transportation would kill anybody. These are the peo- has become increasingly evident for are often expensive, unpredictable, or ple that this White House has chosen the past couple of years as Colorado’s unavailable. The rail car shortage we to send back into society. farmers and ranchers have struggled to experienced in 1997 could have been To this very day, we do not know market their goods to an ever-expand- averted if just 2 percent of America’s why. I would think the American peo- ing global marketplace replete with domestic agricultural production could ple and the victims, especially, deserve faltering foreign economies and highly have traveled by ocean-going vessel. to know. subsidized competitors. With continued record harvests an- f Compounding these profound chal- ticipated across the West, and bottle- lenges is a package of special interest necks and congestion on rail lines, this ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING SUB- laws that have been preserved in Amer- could easily happen again. Colorado MISSION OF AMENDMENTS ON ica’s law books for almost 80 years. farmers are therefore vulnerable to ar- H.R. 1875, CLASS ACTION JURIS- Along with my colleagues on the tificially high rail rates at a time when DICTION ACT OF 1999 House Committee on Agriculture, I commodity prices are already de- (Mr. DREIER asked and was given have worked extensively to pull these pressed. This in turn raises the cost of permission to address the House for 1 regulations out by their roots. U.S. production, lowers income, and makes minute.) shipping laws impose great costs and it more difficult for Colorado producers Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, this after- burdens on Colorado producers while to compete against subsidized foreign noon a Dear Colleague letter will be providing the least benefits to our Na- products.