June 6, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H3909 We need to stop that, really, and we here, stood and delivered the State of that control the economy. To say that need to start allowing schools to focus the Union address and rallied America it all happened according to a plan is on what they believe to be important to spend more and more on our defense. to dangerously rewrite history. While I talk about the Reagan ad- locally. b 2100 f ministration and the collapse of the He never told us it was offense. He Soviet Union, it leads naturally to a VARIOUS ISSUES OF THE DAY said it was necessary to prevent Soviet discussion of Star Wars, an issue that The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. expansion, not some secret plan to is still before us. Just because the So- WALDEN of Oregon). Under the Speak- force the Soviet Union into collapse. viet Union is no longer intact does not er’s announced policy of January 6, Ronald Reagan came before the Amer- mean that we are safe. In fact, the 1999, the gentleman from California ican people and told us the Soviet world is more complicated and more (Mr. SHERMAN) is recognized for 60 min- Union was a powerful threat and would dangerous. There are those who have utes. remain so for quite some time. He come before this House and suggested Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, a few urged us to embark upon military ex- that the world does not have to be a minutes ago I became aware that this penditure projects, some of which dangerous place if only we developed a hour of time to speak before this House would last a decade or 2 decades be- missile defense system. was available. I thought about it for a cause, he told us, the Soviet Union was Now, Mr. Speaker, I would like to see moment. I am confident that my pres- a threat. Now, those who claim to be us continue to research in this area, ence here will not adversely affect the Ronald Reagan’s ideological descend- and when our technology has advanced ratings of other cable television shows, ants, some who claim to be his friends, to the point where we can provide some many of which are made in our area. tell us it was all a lie, that Ronald reasonable defense at reasonable cost, And so I figured I would take this op- Reagan knew that the Soviet Union deployment is certainly called for. But portunity even though I have not had had corroded from the inside, that he let us not fool the American people. the chance to prepare and my remarks knew that these expenditures were not Those that cannot hit us with an may not be quite as crisp as I would necessary to defend us but rather were ICBM, those who cannot hit us with an like. part of a secret plan to force the Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile will I would like to address a number of Union to spend more and more on its be able to smuggle nuclear weapons different topics that I have been think- defense in a dangerous game in which into our cities no matter how effective ing about, particularly over this last the Soviet Union would be faced either our missile shield. A nuclear weapon is district work period. The first is an odd with the prospect of launching a nu- about the size of a person, some small- attempt by those who claim to love clear strike or consenting to an arms er than a child. And anyone who has Ronald Reagan to rewrite the history race that it could not win, an arms been in Southern California or prob- of the fall of the Soviet Union. race launched against it by a Reagan ably just about any major city in this We know what the real history was. administration with a secret plan to country is aware that every year hun- The Soviet Union looked powerful. We drive it into destruction. Ronald dreds of thousands, every day thou- spent on our defense, fearful of Soviet Reagan never told us that we were en- sands of illegal immigrants are snuck aggression and expansion, and Ronald gaged in such an effort. Ronald Reagan Reagan led us in those efforts. across our border not just from the Our deficit grew. We tightened our never told us that we were trying to southern border but the northern as belts domestically. We did so because push the Soviet Union to destruction, well; that illegal drugs are smuggled we were told that the Soviet Union that they would face a moment at into America with relative ease, and could expand, that it was powerful, which they would blame us and would this is by people being paid a few hun- that it could emerge as the most pow- realize that either they would launch a dred dollars to sneak a person into the erful nation on Earth. military strike or go into the dustbin United States, marijuana importers or In 1991, to the surprise of just about of history. smugglers, criminals bringing in bales everyone both inside and outside the He never told us this, because he of marijuana for a few thousand dollars Soviet Union, the Soviet Union began never believed it; and the Soviet Union in compensation. to collapse. That is what really hap- in its dying hours did not believe it, ei- How difficult would it be to sneak a pened. ther. The Soviets knew that their sys- nuclear weapon into an American city? It is kind of disconcerting to think tem collapsed of its own weight. Only A nuclear weapon smaller than a child that all the experts in all the capitals retroactive American arrogance would does not need ventilation, does not did not foresee such an enormously im- say that the other superpower col- need to be fed. Children who are smug- portant event. And experts are reluc- lapsed because of something we did gled into America scream and cry. Nu- tant to admit that they cannot always here in Washington, D.C. clear weapons would not. So imagine see the future. But what is worse is The fact of the matter is Communism that we had a perfect defense against that those who have come to idolize does not work, and in the last decade Iranian or Iraqi or North Korean mis- Ronald Reagan have started to rewrite or two, both Communist giants have siles. What would those countries do? history. ceased to embrace their ideology; and They would smuggle a weapon or two In their rewriting of history, Ronald without that ideology they have ceased into an American city, hire or kidnap Reagan foresaw as early as the early to be exporters of Communism, ceased an American scientist to come look at 1980s that, within a decade, the Soviet to have confidence in Communism, and it, detain that American scientist until Union could be pushed into the dust it has shaken them to their roots. Are it could be moved to another apart- bin of history, that Reagan knew that we going to say that Communism lost ment or another city, and inform our the Soviet Union had begun to corrode favor in the Soviet Union because of government that in some apartment, in from the inside and far from being a American hostility and Communist some city, in some State in this coun- challenge to the United States, in fact, ideology lost favor in China because of try, there was a nuclear weapon in the it was a nation that could not survive. American friendship? That either custody of someone reporting to Bagh- These supposed supporters of Ronald friendship or hostility from America dad or to Tehran. Reagan ascribe to him an omniscience creates the same result? I think not. I would like to see a defensive shield and all-knowingness, that they think is Communism does not work. Russia and shielding us from intercontinental bal- complimentary. China realized it. This forced a crisis of listic missiles. But let us not fool the In fact, what these supporters of confidence in both places. The Soviet American people. That is just one Reagan are doing are besmirching Ron- Union not being one nation but rather small element of our defense. And if we ald Reagan’s character, attacking his an amalgam of nations held together spend a trillion dollars building a roof honesty, and telling us that our former by a failed ideology collapsed, and over a building that has no walls, we President is a liar to the American peo- China has moved from the ideology of will have been misallocating resources. ple. Communism to the ideology of nation- I am not sure that we can police our Time and again, President Reagan alism overseen by a relatively small borders well enough to prevent nuclear came before us in this hall, I was not group of oligarchs and local potentates weapons from being smuggled here, but

VerDate 01-JUN-2000 05:36 Jun 07, 2000 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K06JN7.093 pfrm06 PsN: H06PT1 H3910 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 6, 2000 I do know that a missile defense shield Iran has said, well, we need help in the World Bank. The U.S. voted is of only modest use as long as our stopping these ships. All Iran has to do against that loan, but we certainly did borders remain porous. is announce that those countries that not tell our European allies that we We need to focus our attention on the are enforcing the U.N. blockade are al- would take their votes in favor of that rogue states that are currently devel- lowed into Iranian coastal waters, al- loan as a reason to perhaps reexamine oping nuclear weapons and might be lowed within 12 miles of its coast, and other aspects of our foreign policy. We willing to use them even if they faced we will be able to shut down these ille- were good losers. We accepted the de- the threat of annihilation from our nu- gal Iraqi oil exports. But instead, Iran feat. This calls into question how we clear weapons. And we need to cut off lets the tankers go by the checkpoint provide foreign aid. money, investment funds, from going and claims they cannot do anything to Mr. Speaker, I have come to this to the regimes of North Korea, Iran stop it and will not let United Nations floor in the past to support American and Iraq, because all three of those ships or, rather, American and British foreign aid. I think we should do what countries are trying to develop nuclear ships detailed to enforce the U.N. we can to help the Third World de- weapons. blockade, will not allow them in their velop, to help the poorest people on North Korea has agreed to stop its coastal waters. this planet survive. But the recent ac- program, and I leave them aside. We Mr. Speaker, this is a dangerous situ- tion by the World Bank threatens can discuss them separately at a dif- ation; and it shows that our policy to- America’s support for foreign aid. That ferent time. But let us focus for a while ward Iran, especially in the last 2 support is not all that deep to begin on the two great enemies or rivals that months, has been mistaken. Two with, but how do we go back to our dis- we face in Southwest Asia. We do need months ago, the Secretary of State an- tricts and explain that America par- to prevent the government in Baghdad nounced unilaterally, without really ticipates in the World Bank, its capital and the government in Tehran from much consultation with Congress at was provided in significant part by the getting their hands on money. When all, certainly without any congres- American taxpayer, and the World investment capital flows into those sional encouragement or approval, the Bank disbursed $231 million of loans to two countries, when money is loaned to Secretary of State announced that the Iran; money that is fungible, money them, money is given to them, export United States would allow Iran to ex- that allows the Iranians to spend their markets are given to them, when Iraq port to the United States pistachios, oil resources and oil revenues on their is allowed to sell its oil and not spend carpets, caviar, dried fruit; and many military programs? This is going to be the money on food for its people, then people joked, how important could that a hard sell. money is in the hands of those who be. Mr. Speaker, sometime this month would wish to develop nuclear weapons Mr. Speaker, first it is symbolically we will be dealing with the foreign ops and whom as I have pointed out will important, because if America will do appropriations bill. At that point, we face little difficulty in smuggling them business with Iran, business as usual, if will be asked to appropriate hundreds into the United States. Unfortunately, America will open its markets to these of millions of dollars to the IDA pro- our efforts to stem the flow of money nonenergy exports of Iran, then how gram administered by the World Bank. to Tehran and Baghdad have been set can we turn to Europe and Japan and We have to be aware that money of the back in several different ways. tell them not to do business as usual United States disbursed to that pro- Today, Mr. Speaker, it was revealed with Iran on a bigger scale? How can gram could be lent on a concessionary that Iran, having suffered hundreds of we today turn to Japan and Germany basis, could be lent at very low interest thousands of casualties in a war of ag- and tell them to stop buying Iranian rates, pay-us-when-you-feel-like-it oil because Iran is clearly complicit in gression launched by Iraq 2 decades terms, to such countries as North the illegal export of Iraqi oil? Cer- ago, now is allowing Iraq to use its Korea or Sudan, or any other country tainly it weakens our position. coastal waters to evade the U.N. block- that claims to have a good project and ade, evade U.N. sanctions, sell a billion b 2115 is very poor. dollars perhaps every year of oil, and These exports, these non-energy ex- North Korea and Sudan are very poor this would not be money in the oil-for- ports from Iran, are important to Iran. because of the evil of their govern- food program controlled by the United They are its major non-energy exports. ments, not because of a lack of world Nations. This is money directly into They pale into insignificance in dollar aid. How are we going to go back to our the hands of the Iraqi military. amount compared to oil, but reflect on constituents and say, these hundreds of Mr. Speaker, we could spend a tril- this: Iran will always get the world millions of dollars were turned over to lion dollars on a missile defense sys- price for its oil. Nothing we do is going an international organization free to tem, but if we do not stop those oil to change by one penny the amount of make loans to some of the most evil tankers from leaving the Strait of revenue Iran gets for every barrel that nations or evil governments, I want to Hormuz, if we do not prevent that oil it exports to a world thirsty for its oil. stress evil governments, on this plan- from being exported, we are literally In contrast, those other exports, the et? allowing Saddam Hussein to build nu- carpets, pistachios, et cetera, those ex- Better we appropriate these same clear weapons and then we can worry ports need every market they can find funds, and I do not want to see a reduc- about how to keep them out of the to try to push up the price, and by tion, I want to see, if anything, an in- United States. What concerns me, Mr. opening up our markets we invigorate crease in our foreign aid, and provide Speaker, is that our policy toward Iran the world market for those Iranian ex- these same funds to entities under the has been ineffective. The ineffective- ports, exports as to which there is no control of the United States govern- ness is shown today by Iran allowing fixed world price, exports that are im- ment or entities where we at least have that Iraqi oil to be exported. portant to the Iranian economy. Some a veto power, so these funds are loaned Now, we are told that the ships that 5 million people, it is reported, work in or given only for projects in countries come from Iran down into the Persian the Iranian carpet industry. That is that have some minimal respect for Gulf pass a checkpoint controlled by just one of the four imports. human rights? the revolutionary guard. We are told We would think that today the State I look forward to working with Mem- the revolutionary guard does not re- Department would react, react to these bers of the relevant subcommittee and port to the President of Iran, and so we illegal shipments through Iranian wa- of the Committee on Appropriations to should not get bent out of shape if they ters and cut off Iran’s access to Amer- see what we can do to make sure that allow those oil tankers into their ica’s markets. My fear is that that will when we go back to our districts and coastal waters. The fact remains that not happen. Every time there is an op- defend foreign aid, we can say that all in Iran, the president is not the head of portunity to make a unilateral conces- U.S. tax dollars are going for projects their government or military. The su- sion to Iran, we seem to do it and do it in countries that we can support. preme leader is. That leader controls quickly, unilateral concession after Mr. Speaker, this is an additional those revolutionary guards, and those unilateral concession. reason why the loan to Iran was not guards have allowed those tankers to The latest pat on the back that Iran only a poor decision but one that was use Iranian coastal waters. has received is a $231 million loan from ill-timed, as well. Not only does Iran

VerDate 01-JUN-2000 05:36 Jun 07, 2000 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K06JN7.095 pfrm06 PsN: H06PT1 June 6, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H3911 today, a few days after the loan, decide wills become operative, do not pay a a family, people who are called upon to to facilitate Iraqi evasion of U.N. sanc- penny of estate tax. This is a tax paid get off of welfare and to enter the work tions, not only does Iran sponsor ter- by only 11⁄2 percent of all the families force, and we tell them, we are going to rorism and is on the State Department in America. Yet, to read some of the take a chunk of your money, of your terrorism list, not only is Iran, along letters, to listen to some of the rhet- paycheck, to support the social secu- with Iraq, one of the two greatest oric on this floor, we would think that rity system, and I support the social threats for possible destruction of the estate tax was the most burden- security system. We are going to im- American cities at such time as they some tax on American working fami- pose an income tax. We are not going develop nuclear weapons, but Iran a lies. to give you a tax credit for the social year and a half ago decided to continue Estates of under $2 million will, after security tax you pay, and we will give its oppression of its small Jewish com- the current law becomes hopefully ef- you no tax credit for the State sales munity, just as it oppresses those of fective, pay absolutely nothing, as long tax that you pay. the Baha’i faith. as some law and estate planning docu- People who make less than $10 an The Iranian government since its ments are drafted in advance. Mr. hour are paying a lot of tax. What revolution has executed on trumped up Speaker, I introduced a bill that made about them? Are they affected by in- charges 17 members of its small Jewish this law I think less burdensome on centives? Are we to say that the ability community. Well over half of that upper middle class American families, to leave the second $10 million to your community has fled, and now 13 Jews and said that $2 million could be left by kids 20 or 30 years from now is what is are on trial in the city of Shiraz on the a man and wife or a husband and wife, uppermost on the minds of somebody most trumped up charges in trials that to their children with no estate tax, building a business, but that the size of would have made Josef Stalin ashamed, even if they did not prepare a bunch of today’s paycheck is irrelevant to a per- trials where the only evidence is the estate planning documents in advance. son who is working two jobs? I do not apparently tortured or coerced confes- This bill was designed to liberate think so. sions of the defendants in which the de- widows and widowers from these by- Yes, all taxes have an adverse impact fendants confessed to crimes they passed trusts, complicated legal docu- on incentive, the incentive to work, could not possibly have committed. ments, almost required of them by our the incentive to participate in the Mr. Speaker, here in the United current estate tax law. But that bill economy. But I venture that there is a States we live in a multi-ethnic, multi- did not get a hearing because there is far worse effect on our economy from cultural society in which people of any an effort here not to liberate upper taxing those who make less than $10 an ethnic or religious group may be found middle class families, and of course, hour than taxing those who have more in our national security agencies, and those of lesser means are already ex- than $10 million. yes, may be found among those few empt, but not to liberate upper middle b 2130 who commit espionage. class families from the estate tax and Mr. Speaker, we have had British- from the burdens of doing estate plan- I would also point out that before we American spies, we have had Jewish- ning. The plan here is to abolish this cut the estate tax, before we eliminate American spies, we have allegedly had estate tax altogether. the estate tax, we ought to make sure Chinese-American spies. Anybody of The estate tax is a painful tax. It is that we are not endangering Social Se- any ethnic group could find themselves a bad tax. I hate the tax. I hate all curity, that we are not putting our- in a position where they are the taxes. Every single one of them is pain- selves in a position when we will not be custodians of our national secrets. Iran ful. There is no way for the Federal able to provide any pharmaceuticals to is just the opposite. No one of the Jew- government to get money that does not those who are on Medicare, some who ish faith is allowed near anything of have a bad effect on those who are re- need $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 a year of any military or national security sig- quired to pay. pharmaceuticals to survive. nificance whatsoever. The question is not whether the es- Mr. Speaker, they retired believing Mr. Speaker, these 13 are accused of tate tax is a bad tax, but whether it is they had Social Security and now find spying for the CIA, and I put forward our worst tax. I ask Members, is a tax that they are insecure, find that they that we could not be the world’s only 1 do not have the wherewithal to pay for superpower, we could not have emerged that 98 ⁄2 percent of all Americans are the pharmaceuticals that they need to in this powerful position, if our CIA exempt from, is that our worst tax? Or survive. went to Iran looking for spies and de- is it an income tax and a FICA tax that Mr. Speaker, what will come before cided to hire people from the small eth- falls so heavily on the working poor? this House on Friday is a bill to repeal nic group that are prohibited from get- Must we first eliminate a tax that falls the estate tax before we have made So- ting anywhere near any of the informa- chiefly on those with estates over $10 cial Security secure, before we have tion our CIA might be interested in. million, or must we first eliminate These charges are absurd. The World taxes on those who are making $10 an made Medicare recipients secure. Bank loan to Iran, as this trial con- hour or less? Should it be $10 million Every Medicare recipient today knows tinues, was the kind of mistake that and more, or $10 an hour or less? Where that tomorrow they could be diagnosed imperils American support for foreign should we focus our generosity? Where with a disease requiring $5,000 or $10,000 aid and American support for the should we focus our tax cuts? a year of pharmaceuticals for which World Bank, and imperils a relation- Mr. Speaker, there is an earned in- they will get no Federal aid; and we are ship that has recently been celebrated come tax credit, but it is not available told that the most important thing we by the President in his farewell tour, to many of the working poor, and is can do with the available Federal funds farewell as President tour of Europe, not available to any that do not have is to deal with a tax that falls most involving ties that are certainly dis- children in their homes. So we have a significantly on those with more than rupted when European nations say, we situation where we are told that the es- $10 million. will ignore the trial of the 13 Jews in tate tax diminishes the incentive to Mr. Speaker, I suggest that we need Shiraz, we will ignore Iran’s other work because somebody working at age to explore a number of avenues. Now, I problems, and when they will force the 40 or age 50 or age 60 is thinking ahead do not want to ignore the adverse ef- World Bank to take American capital to the point when their estate plan fects of the estate tax. It does make it and money borrowed on the strength of would become effective, in their more difficult to leave a business or a American capital and hijack that eighties or nineties, thinking ahead to family farm to the next generation. money to Tehran. what the estate tax law might be at And we hear statistics about how busi- Mr. Speaker, I would now like to that point, knocking off work early nesses are not always left intact to the shift my focus to a bill that will come and going to the golf course. next generation and we are told that it before this House I believe on Friday, Maybe it is happening, maybe it is is the estate tax. and that is a bill to repeal the estate not. But let us talk also about the ef- It is not always the estate tax. The tax. fect that our current taxes have on the son or daughter of a farmer does not At the outset, let me stress that 98 working poor, people who are called necessarily want to farm. The owner percent of all Americans, when their upon to work the second job to support who builds a business from nothing to

VerDate 01-JUN-2000 05:36 Jun 07, 2000 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K06JN7.098 pfrm06 PsN: H06PT1 H3912 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 6, 2000 a $50 million business may find that his might make major contributions, the who put the money in and continue to sons and daughters feel themselves un- estate tax comes up every time. Not fund the Social Security payments to qualified or just disinterested in con- with every person, but certainly in those who are receiving checks today, tinuing to own that business. There is every hour or two. people whose tax dollars, FICA con- no proof that family businesses will The reason for that is that this tax tributions were used to pay the prior stay in families if only we reduce taxes does fall upon those who can most af- generation’s benefits. on those with assets of over $10 mil- ford to come to fundraisers. I think The proposal that the governor has lion. that we in this House need to pass cam- put forward is to take one-sixth of the Finally, Mr. Speaker, one little se- paign finance reform for a lot of rea- money, virtually, that is now going cret about the estate tax. No one will sons, but one of them is that we spend into the regular Social Security Trust tell it to us. That is that at every too much time at fundraisers, and we Fund and divert it into special assets major hospital complex, nonprofit hos- hear too often too repeatedly from that owned by those who contribute the pital, at every major university in this 11⁄2 percent of Americans who pay the funds. I wish we could promise that. I country, if we abolish the estate tax, estate tax, who happen to be the same wish we could do that. But before we the buildings will not have names. I am 11⁄2 percent of Americans who donate start bestowing multitrillion dollar not saying that we will not be able to the most money for political cam- benefits, new benefits, why do we not find our way around campus. That is paigns. make sure that the program can con- not the problem. The problem is that Mr. Speaker, if we do not stop and tinue to pay the existing benefits? gifts, major gifts to our universities think about it, if we do not filter it Another huge benefit promised by and hospitals will slow to a trickle. out, we are going to come to the con- the governor of Texas is that if one If we go to any campus today, we see clusion if one serves in this House that were to die before reaching 65, their this building is named after the Smith the whole country is concerned about family gets a huge check from Social family and that building is named after the estate tax, because in the average Security. Or if they were to die at age the Cohen family and we wonder why. month we hear about it five, 10, 20 68 or 69 or 70, before they have received The answer is simple. The families in- times. We have to remember that every their actuarial expected benefit, the volved made huge gifts to the univer- one of those times was not out at the family receives a giant benefit. That is a wonderful promise. I wish I sity, huge gifts to the hospital, moti- community Little League, was not at a could make that promise. I would be a vated in part by the fact that those visitation to a senior center, was not lot more popular if I made that prom- gifts will not be subject to the estate at a widely publicized town hall, but in ise. But what do we do to those who tax. nine out of 10 cases, or maybe 10 out of live to 90 or 100? Do we say that those Charitable giving at the low end, the 10 cases, it was through a friend that is who live less than their average life $5 and $10 put in the collection plate, a supporter of either us or our col- span get their money back and those would not be affected by a repeal of the leagues here. that live longer than the average life estate tax. But at the high end, when Yes, if we serve in this House, we span stop receiving benefits? There is people are bequeathing millions of dol- need to keep in touch with people, and no solution offered by the governor of lars to universities that in their gra- sometimes that is thrown askew when Texas. Two huge benefits promised; no ciousness choose to name buildings the fundraising burdens and the time source of revenue to pay for them. A after the donors, at the high end where commitments of that are imposed upon sixth roughly of the money diverted. people make gifts that are income tax us. Let us make Social Security secure, deductible in their 80s, knowing that Mr. Speaker, I would like to com- and then we can focus on whether we not only do they get an income tax de- ment just briefly on Governor Bush’s Social Security plan and some of the can do better. duction today but perhaps if they die Mr. Speaker, I have talked about a rhetoric surrounding that plan. Gov- in their 90s they get estate tax relief as number of topics. Topics that are com- ernor Bush has turned to young people well, those gifts are motivated by the plex topics that I do not get enough and said that they only get a 1 or 2 per- fact that 60 or 70 percent of the gift’s time to study about, read about; and it cent return for the money they put in value is represented by a tax deduc- leaves me longing for a greater level of tion. That $5 million Smith building Social Security. What he has not said intelligence. Mr. Speaker, there are cost the Smith family only 30 percent is that the first two generations to par- those working on greater levels of in- of $5 million. ticipate in Social Security did incred- telligence today. There are those en- What is going to happen when we re- ibly well. Social Security brought us gaged in silicon chip engineering who peal the estate tax? The universities out of the Depression as much as any are creating more intelligent machines and hospitals will be here saying: now, program. And the first two generations all the time. And there will come a Congress, you have to appropriate to participate in that program contrib- time when the silicon chip-driven ma- some special money for us. But how uted for only a portion of their work- chines rival humans in intelligence. will we do that? We will cut our own ing lives and received the benefits, ben- There are genetic engineers mapping revenues by $17 billion a year. The col- efits that many are still receiving the human genome and within a few leges, the universities, the hospitals today in their 80s and 90s. decades they may be in a position to will not come here and tell us about So what does this mean? It means create a more intelligent human being, this because essentially they do not that today’s Social Security tax is pay- perhaps one that could have dealt with want to bite the hand that feeds them. ing for our grandparents’ retirement. all of the topics confronting this Con- Speaking of the hand that feeds This was never a pension system where gress with greater wisdom than I have them, I have had a lot of town halls in our money is saved exclusively for us. been able to muster. my district. I have heard hundreds of Rather, our money is being used to There are those dealing with questions, hundreds of complaints. I fund the retirement of those who went nanotechnology, technology where am out in the community almost every before, just as their money went to things are manipulated at the atomic day that I am in California. Mr. Speak- fund the retirement of those who went and molecular levels, technologies that er, at these public gatherings, I cannot before, and we can trace it back to the offer a chance to engineer either from remember a single occasion when Depression generation. biological materials or from electronic someone has come up and said: let us Now, we are told that the new gen- materials or from a combination of the abolish the estate tax. eration does not have to contribute to two a level of intelligence way beyond Mr. Speaker, I hate to admit it, but pay for the previous generation’s re- today’s computers, way beyond today’s it is a sin of which virtually everyone tirement. We are going to have their animals, and perhaps way beyond to- in this House suffers or is guilty. I also money diverted into separate indi- day’s humans. spend time raising money for my cam- vidual accounts and that anything else Speaking of intelligent humans, on paign and for the campaigns of my col- would be unfair. Mr. Speaker, we can- August 7, 1939, Albert Einstein wrote to leagues. Not a day goes by, or not even not simultaneously take all the funds President Roosevelt and brought to his a couple hours go by. If a couple of that are coming into Social Security attention clearly and crisply the im- hours are spent talking to those who and say that is the money of the people portance that nuclear technology

VerDate 01-JUN-2000 05:36 Jun 07, 2000 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K06JN7.100 pfrm06 PsN: H06PT1 June 6, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H3913 might have for the future of the world. or simply more docile than the average ment of Defense for the fiscal year end- In just a few years, that nuclear tech- human form, and we are told to imag- ing September 30, 2001, and for other nology literally exploded. What was ine a race invented for slavery. I think purposes, which was referred to the the high and unusual science of 1939 be- all of us recoil at the ethics of that. House Calendar and ordered to be came the public policy issue of 1945 and But will we recoil with the same printed. beyond. level of revulsion if the nearly as intel- f We today are still wrestling with the ligent as human or perhaps as intel- political, the international, and the ligent as human docile race is engi- REPORT ON RESOLUTION PRO- ethical issues of nuclear power and, of neered from canine DNA or simian VIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF course, nuclear weapons. DNA, perhaps someday if we are not H.R. 4577, DEPARTMENTS OF Would it not have been great if we careful, human DNA? But not only may LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN had gotten a bit more of a head start? there be genetic engineering that in- SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND Would it not have been good for hu- vents those entities which some would RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIA- mankind if the scientists had come to wish to enslave, genetic engineering, TION BILL, 2001 us 20 or 30 years before the nuclear whether it starts with simian DNA or Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, from the Com- weapons were created and told the human DNA, could very well invent a mittee on Rules, submitted a privi- world’s political leaders that the genie level of intelligence well beyond that leged report (Rept. No. 106–653) on the will soon be leaving the bottle and it is of any of us here, perhaps even beyond resolution (H. Res. 515) providing for time to develop a code of ethics and that of the Albert Einstein I quoted consideration of the bill (H.R. 4577) central understandings that will fit the earlier. Then how should human kind making appropriations for the Depart- new technology? react? ments of Labor, Health and Human That which can be done with genetic b 2145 Services, and Education, and related engineering may also be done with sil- agencies for the fiscal year ending Sep- Now, some more than 50 years after icon chip engineering. A book I have tember 30, 2001, and for other purposes, nuclear weapons, we are still strug- not had a chance to read bears the in- which was referred to the House Cal- gling with the ethical issues that they teresting title the Age of Spiritual Ma- endar and ordered to be printed. create. Well, I do not know how many chines. How many decades is it before f years we have before what I refer to as the computer screen lights up with the remembered intelligence poses even question, am I alive? Why am I here? REPORT ON RESOLUTION PRO- more severe ethical issues for us than Should there be any ethical limitations VIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF nuclear weapons do. on creating computers with intel- H.R. 3605, SAN RAFAEL LEGACY Let me bring a few of them to our at- ligence, not just to balance our check- DISTRICT AND NATIONAL CON- tention. I know this may sound like books or to figure the trajectory of the SERVATION ACT science fiction today, but I do not rocket, but computers intelligent Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, from the Com- think anyone familiar with science enough to ask the spiritual questions? mittee on Rules, submitted a privi- would say that these are not real possi- I do not know. I do know that it will leged report (Rept. No. 106–654) on the bilities. I am not saying this decade, take a panel of Einsteins to give us resolution (H. Res. 516) providing for maybe not next decade, maybe not in some guidance as to what our laws consideration of the bill (H.R. 3605) to the lifetime of those of us who have should be. This is going to be a tough establish the San Rafael Western Leg- lost our hair, but certainly within the issue. lifetime of some of the younger folks in I am going to propose probably next acy District in the State of Utah, and the back of the room. Congress, if I am fortunate enough to for other purposes, which was referred First, we will see genetic engineering be here, if there is interest by some of to the House Calendar and ordered to that will either create or offer to cre- my colleagues, perhaps we could work be printed. ate our slaves or our masters. Today on it this month or next month, that f dogs are a man’s and woman’s best we create a national commission on ILLEGAL NARCOTICS friend. They are great pets, and a few the ethics of engineered intelligence to of them are engaged in work, shep- try to give some guidance to those law- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. herding sheep, for example. Today’s makers that will come after us in deal- TANCREDO). Under the Speaker’s an- dogs have been bred, not genetically ing with the issues of silicon or carbon- nounced policy of January 6, 1999, the engineered, just bred to be friendly, based intelligence that approach or ex- gentleman from Florida (Mr. MICA) is docile, and obedient. ceed that of today’s human being. recognized for 60 minutes. There are a few who think it raises I do not know how to deal with these Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I come to ethical issues, but most of us view a issues. It is a tradition in this town the floor as we return from the Memo- dog’s intelligence as below that of self- that, when one does not know what to rial Day work recess and am again awareness and consciousness and are do, one creates a commission. There is pleased to appear before the House and quite happy to have dogs that are obe- also a tradition in this town to wait my colleagues to talk about what I dient, docile. till the last minute, to wait till some consider the most important subject But what happens when the genetic development is going to impair jobs in facing this country and this Congress engineers start developing more intel- our own districts before we get serious and that is the problem of illegal nar- ligent canines? What happens when we about the issue. I would say that these cotics. start having dogs as intelligent or are issues, and there are others as well During this recess, as chair of the more intelligence than apes? Fortu- that we ought to try to tackle at least oversight and investigation Sub- nately, I do not think we are going to at the thinking stage at the earliest committee on Criminal, Justice, Drug face this issue in the next decade. But possible time. Policy and Human Resources of the we are going to face it this century, f House of Representatives, I had the op- and we are probably going to face it be- portunity to continue our series of fore we figure out what to do with it. REPORT ON RESOLUTION PRO- hearings, both here in the Congress the At what point must we recognize VIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF day before we left and adjourned and other life forms as being protected by H.R. 4576, DEPARTMENT OF DE- then during this holiday recess to con- our Constitution? How intelligent must FENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, duct three national field hearings. a genetically engineered animal be to 2001 One of those was in New Orleans at be worthy of our protection and re- Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, from the Com- the request of the gentleman from Lou- spect? I do not know. mittee on Rules, submitted a privi- isiana (Mr. VITTER), also a member of Likewise, we have seen many science leged report (Rept. No. 106–652) on the the Subcommittee on Criminal, Jus- fiction shows where scientists start resolution (H. Res. 514) providing for tice, Drug Policy and Human Re- with human DNA and deliberately try consideration of the bill (H.R. 4576) sources, to look at a drug testing pro- to create a being that is less intelligent making appropriations for the Depart- gram that had been instituted in some

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