September 6, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7241 provide the best kind of tax relief to all b 1900 sought a seat on the Washington Coun- Americans, not just the wealthiest few, GENERAL LEAVE ty Commission. She recognized the im- by reducing interest rates on home portance of health care in rural com- mortgages, student loans, and other es- Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unani- munities, and she developed the first sential investments. mous consent that all Members may rural health initiative project in Kan- This surplus comes from the hard have 5 legislative days within which to sas. work and ingenuity of the American revise and extend their remarks on the She chaired Ronald Reagan’s cam- people. We owe it to them—and to their subject of the special order today of paign for President in our State and children—to make the best use of it. the gentleman from North Carolina served the Reagan administration in This bill, in combination with the tax (Mr. COBLE). the Department of Health and Human bills already passed and planned for The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Services regional office in Kansas City. next year, would squander the sur- TANCREDO). Is there objection to the re- She worked hard every time to see that plus—without providing the immediate quest of the gentleman from Texas? her fellow Kansan, Bob Dole, would be estate tax relief that family farms, There was no objection. elected President. small businesses, and other estates f In 1992, she decided she could even do more for others and was elected to could receive under the fiscally respon- SPECIAL ORDERS sible alternatives rejected by the Con- State senator for the 21st district. She gress. For that reason, I must veto this The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under was reelected in 1996 and was cam- bill. the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- paigning for reelection at the time of Since the adjournment of the Con- uary 6, 1999, and under a previous order her death. During her time in the Kan- gress has prevented my return of H.R. of the House, the following Members sas senate, she worked hard on health 8 within the meaning of Article I, sec- will be recognized for 5 minutes each. care issues and fought for local control. tion 7, clause 2 of the Constitution, my f She believed that government should withholding of approval from the bill be local and limited. She chaired the IN MEMORY OF KANSAS SENATOR elections on local government com- precludes its becoming law. The Pock- JANICE HARDENBURGER et Veto Case, 279 U.S. 655 (1929). In ad- mittee. Janice was ill during the last session dition to withholding my signature and The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a of the legislature. She could not eat, thereby invoking my constitutional previous order of the House, the gen- and she had pain. But despite huge im- power to ‘‘pocket veto’’ bills during an tleman from Kansas (Mr. MORAN) is pediments, she worked all session long adjournment of the Congress, to avoid recognized for 5 minutes. to fashion an ethics law worthy of pas- litigation, I am also sending H.R. 8 to Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, sage. As State Senator Dave Kerr indi- the House of Representatives with my something sad happened back home in cated at her memorial service, that objections, to leave no possible doubt Kansas last week. Cancer took the life of one more of our State’s citizens. Our legislation now stands as a lasting trib- that I have vetoed the measure. ute to one highly ethical lady who gave I continue to welcome the oppor- State has many treasures: beautiful sunsets, rolling prairie hills, city fac- her waning strength to bring higher tunity to work with the Congress on a standards of ethics in all elective poli- bipartisan basis on tax legislation that tories, waves of wheat, meadowlarks, cottonwood trees, and grazing cattle. tics in Kansas. Senator Hardenburger is targeted, fiscally responsible, and never became silent about things that geared towards continuing the eco- But what matters to us Kansans most, what makes our place the State we mattered. nomic strength we all have worked so For those of us who are privileged to hard to achieve. choose to call home is our people, Kan- sans. work in public service, where the toll WILLIAM J. CLINTON. The death of one Kansan takes some- for entry can be excruciatingly high THE WHITE HOUSE, August 31, 2000. and the price of staying even higher, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Con- thing away from every Kansan. With the death of Janice Hardenburger, the we do not always expect to find true sistent with the action of Speaker friendship, true loyalty, and a true de- Foley on January 23, 1990, when in re- loss is evident. Janice is the epitome of who we are and what we would like to votion for making things better. We sponse to a parliamentary inquiry the had that in State Senator Janice House treated the President’s return of be, one who knew reality of how things are, yet one who could envision how Hardenburger. an enrolled bill with a purported pock- Our State and its people are better things ought to be. et veto of H.R. 2712 of the 101st Con- off because of one life, a life that will A fighter for her beliefs, strong gress as a ‘‘return veto’’ within the be greatly missed. I offer my condo- willed and plain spoken, devoted to her meaning of Article 1, Section 7, clause lences to Janice’s family, but we also family as a wife and mother and grand- 2 of the Constitution, the Chair, with- praise God for a life well lived and the mother, she was generous with her out objection, orders the objections of legacy she leaves behind. time, a farmer, a rancher, a listener the President to be spread at large f upon the Journal and orders the mes- and a doer, a supporter of others and, sage to be printed as a House docu- for the last 8 years, a State senator, a LORI BERENSON TO GET NEW ment. public servant. CIVILIAN TRIAL IN Mr. ARCHER. Mr. Speaker, I ask For more than 25 years, Janice has The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a unanimous consent that further con- been my friend. For 4 years she was my previous order of the House, the gentle- sideration of the veto message on the colleague in the State senate. Born in woman from New York (Mrs. MALONEY) bill, H.R. 8, be postponed until Sep- the small north central Kansas town of is recognized for 5 minutes. tember 7. Haddam, Janice had a lifelong love for Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there education and politics. She graduated Speaker, after nearly 5 years in Peru- objection to the request of the gen- valedictorian from Haddam Rural High vian prisons, my constituent, Lori tleman from Texas? School before attending Kansas State Berenson, could finally be coming There was no objection. University and graduating with a de- home. f gree in home economics and education. Last week, the military tribunal that She married her husband in 1952, and gave Lori a life sentence announced REMOVAL OF NAME OF MEMBER due to his career in the Air Force, she that her conviction is being overturned AS COSPONSOR OF H.R. 3703 and her family moved often. During and her case is being transferred to a Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I ask these years, she kept busy as a volun- civilian court. unanimous consent to remove my teer and raising two sons, Joseph and Lori was convicted by a hooded mili- name as cosponsor of H.R. 3703. Thomas. tary tribunal in a trial that lacked any The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there With Bill’s retirement from the mili- semblance of due process. She never objection to the request of the gen- tary in 1971, the Hardenburgers moved had a chance to present her side, to tleman from Washington? back home to Kansas. Janice got in- call witnesses and present evidence in There was no objection. volved in her community, and she her defense.

VerDate 11-MAY-2000 03:42 Sep 07, 2000 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A06SE7.059 pfrm02 PsN: H06PT1 H7242 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 6, 2000 For nearly 5 years, I have been ask- overturned, but they worry that polit- of compassion and for her health, I hope Lori ing my colleagues to join me in pro- ical pressures will ensure that she will will soon be allowed to come home. testing her conviction. I have cir- receive a long sentence in a civilian Sincerely, culated three letters to the President trial. CAROLYN B. MALONEY, Member of Congress. over the years, and each letter has In Peru, it is a crime to express sym- f been signed by more and more Mem- pathy for the MRTA, the crime is apo- bers of Congress in support of Lori. In logia. In the United States, it would be MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS RE- August, 221 Members of Congress, in a protected as free speech. There it can GARDING COLOMBIA IS IN THE bipartisan way, signed a letter calling carry a long prison sentence. BEST INTEREST OF AMERICA for Lori’s release. I hope that Peru can be persuaded to The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a I will be circulating a new letter ask- act with mercy. There is nothing to be previous order of the House, the gen- ing for mercy for Lori, asking for Peru gained by keeping Lori in prison any tleman from Texas (Mr. PAUL) is recog- to act with compassion and send Lori longer. Peru has already admitted that nized for 5 minutes. home on humanitarian grounds. Lori was not the terrorist leader she Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, those of us Since her conviction, Lori’s health was originally convicted of being. who warned of the shortcomings of ex- has deteriorated. She was originally panding our military presence in Co- I wrote to President Fujimori yester- sent to Yanomayo Prison, located high lombia were ignored when funds were day to let him know how pleased I am in the , over 12,000 feet above sea appropriated for this purpose earlier that Lori will have a civilian trial. level. The altitude destroyed her this year. We argued at that time that President Fujimori has taken a brave health. People like Lori who have not clearly no national security interests step that has subjected him to enor- grown up in the Andes cannot accli- were involved; that the Civil War was mous criticism at home. I am pleased mate to the high altitude of more than 30 years old, complex with that he recognized that the evidence Yanomayo. three factions fighting, and no assur- showed that Lori did not belong in I visited with Lori in October of 1997. ance as to who the good guys were; Peru’s military courts. When I saw her, her fingers were swol- that the drug war was a subterfuge, len and she had circulatory problems Now it is time for Peru to take the only an excuse, not a reason, to need- as a result of the high altitude. Very next step and release Lori. Lori will lessly expand our involvement in Co- little natural light comes into the pris- not be getting off lightly if she is re- lombia; and that special interests were on, and prisoners are allowed only 1 leased now. She has spent nearly 5 really driving our policy: Colombia Oil hour a day to exercise outside. As a re- years in prison in conditions that have Reserves owned by American interests, sult, Lori’s eye sight was failing. seriously undermined her health. I American weapons manufacturers, and Yanomayo was not heated, and the hope that whatever the outcome of her American corporations anxious to temperature rarely rises above 40 de- trial, Lori’s ordeal will soon be over. build infrastructure in Colombia. grees. The cold gave Lori perpetual lar- For humanitarian reasons, for the sake Already our foolish expanded pres- yngitis. of compassion, and for her health, I sure in Colombia has had a perverse ef- Eventually, the Peruvian officials re- hope Lori will be allowed to come fect. The stated purpose of promoting sponded to pleas to move Lori. But in home. peace and stability has been under- some ways, she faced an even harder Mr. Speaker, I include my letter to mined. Violence has worsened as fac- challenge to her health. The new prison President Fujimori for the RECORD as tions are now fighting more fiercely was more than 5,000 feet above sea follows: than ever before for territory as they level, better than the former prison, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, anticipate the full force of U.S. weap- but still hard for a New Yorker. The al- Washington, DC, September 5, 2000. ons arriving. titude, while less dangerous to her President , The already weak peace process has health, continued to affect her cir- Palacio de Gobierno, Plaza de Armass S/N, been essentially abandoned. Hatred to- culatory system. 1 Peru. ward Americans by many Colombians The toughest part was that she was DEAR PRESIDENT FUJIMORI: I am pleased to has grown. The Presidents of 12 South forced to spend months completely learn that Lori Berenson’s conviction has American countries rejected outright alone. For more than 100 days, Lori was been overturned by Peru’s military tribunal. the American-backed military oper- kept in solitary confinement. The iso- As you know from our conversation when we ation amendment aimed at the revolu- met in April 1998, Lori Berenson is a con- lation had an extremely negative effect tionary groups in Colombia. on her psychological well-being. stituent of mine and I am deeply concerned about her. I appreciated your willingness and This foolhardy effort to settle the Co- Despite the difficult circumstances, that of members of your government to dis- lombian civil war has clearly turned Lori has always been quiet, polite, and cuss her case with me during those visits. out to be a diplomatic failure. The best well behaved, a model prisoner. I am The tribunal’s decision is a tremendous evidence of a seriously flawed policy is hopeful that Peru will take these cir- step forward for in Peru. I ap- the departure of capital. Watching cumstances into account and act with plaud the members of the tribunal for look- money flows gives us a market assess- mercy and compassion. ing at new evidence in this case and con- ment of policy; and by all indication, I returned to Peru in April of 1998 cluding that the new evidence did not sup- our policy spells trouble. and, together with the gentleman from port the original verdict. There is evidence of a recent large- New York (Mr. GILMAN), met with In October 1997, I visited Lori in prison and scale exodus of wealthy Colombians to President Fujimori. He was very open I found her spirits to be good despite her de- Miami. Tens of thousands of Colom- during our meeting and agreed to take teriorating health. Like many people who bians are leaving for the U.S., Canada, are unaccustomed to high altitudes, Lori another look at Lori’s case if new evi- Costa Rica, Spain, Australia. These are dence was presented. Apparently, Peru could not acclimate to living at Yanomayo prison. The high altitude played havoc with the middle-class and upper-class citi- has uncovered new evidence, and Lori her health. When I saw her, her fingers were zens, taking their money with them. is getting a new trial in a civilian swollen, her eyesight was failing, and she Our enhanced presence in Colombia has court. was having circulatory problems and per- accelerated this exodus. Since Lori was arrested, her parents, petual laryngitis. After she was moved to a Our policy, unless quickly and thor- Mark and Rhoda Berenson, have prison at a lower altitude, she spent more oughly reversed, will surely force an worked every day tirelessly for her re- than 100 days in solitary confinement. De- escalation of the civil war and a dan- lease. They know Lori as a young spite the severe privation, she has always gerous increase in our involvement idealist who traveled to Peru as a jour- been quiet, polite and well-behaved—a model prisoner. with both dollars and troops. All this nalist. University professors who live will further heighten the need for drug in my district, the Berensons have I am grateful that she will have a civilian trial. However, after nearly five years in sales to finance all factions of the civil given up their careers to devote them- prison, Lori has already undergone severe war. So much for stopping the drug selves to trying to free their daughter punishment and I hope, whatever the out- war. and bring her home. They welcome the come of her trial, her ordeal will soon be Our policy is doomed to fail. There is news that Lori’s conviction has been over. For humanitarian reasons, for the sake no national security interest involved;

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