Congressional Record—House H3398
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H3398 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE May 20, 1999 minute and to revise and extend his re- minute and to revise and extend his re- Rudy, welcome to the GOP. marks.) marks.) f Mr. LUTHER. Mr. Speaker, I am here Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise this today to ask all Democrats and Repub- morning to urge my colleagues to co- CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM licans to sign the campaign finance re- sponsor a bill that the gentlewoman (Ms. BERKLEY asked and was given form discharge petition. I say that, Mr. from Texas (Ms. JACKSON-LEE) and I permission to address the House for 1 Speaker, because there is no issue more are introducing today, the Border Con- minute and to revise and extend her re- important to the future of this country trol Recruitment and Retention Act. marks.) than this particular issue. This bill will correct a longstanding Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, every I ask Members to ask themselves problem within the INS, and begins to Member of Congress knows firsthand why it seems that Congress can never address some of the recruitment and the control that money has over our get anything done. I ask Members to retention problems we have heard so electoral process, and what is worse, ask themselves why Congress cannot much about lately. This bill is not a the American people know firsthand pass health care reform legislation, cure-all. It is, however, a step in the the control that money has over our child safety legislation, or the many right direction. electoral process. other pressing issues facing this coun- I will continue to work with my col- The money spent on last November's try. Ask why that supplemental fund- leagues on legislation for comprehen- election totaled $1 billion. This is an ing bill this week was filled with pork sive pay reform for the United States outrageous sum that hurts our democ- barrel spending, rather than dealing Border Patrol. Currently most Border racy and it hurts our constituents. If with national priorities like education. Patrol agents are kept at the GS±9 A good part of the answer is the way Journeyman level, with only 30 percent voters are disgusted and turned off by we fund campaigns in this country, the of the work force actually working at the excesses in campaign financing influence of special interests. We GS±11, even though their work is much they will not vote, and make no mis- passed this bill, we debated it last year. more comprehensive. take, voters are disgusted. They are We can pass it again now. We do not The bill we are introducing today turned off and they are not voting. need to wait so that it gets tied up in states that any GS±9 with a current Our constituents deserve better. The budget negotiations or in politics of rating of fully successful will auto- American people deserve better. Let us next year's elections. We can pass it for matically qualify for GS±11. What does ban soft money and stop the attack ads the American people today. this mean? It means that on the aver- disguised as issue advocacy soft money pays for. Let us strengthen the Federal f age, Border Patrol agents will move from a salary of about $34,000 a year to Election Commission and give it the THE HISTORY OF CAMPAIGN a salary of about $41,000. It addresses a teeth it needs to enforce campaign fi- FINANCE pay disparity. It is fitting that we in- nance laws. This Congress must act to (Mr. SCHAFFER asked and was given troduce this legislation today and push restore confidence and participation in permission to address the House for 1 for its passage this year, which is the our electoral system. minute and to revise and extend his re- United States Border Patrol's 7th anni- Last month my colleagues and I marks.) versary. signed a discharge petition to demand Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I I believe that this is the least we can that Congress take up the important would like to respond to the vacuous do for an agency that is at the front issue of campaign finance reform. The bleatings of my esteemed colleagues on line of the defense for this country. very fact that as Members of Congress the liberal side of the aisle who invoke f we must petition our government campaign finance reform as their lat- speaks volumes and is a testament to TO FORMER DEMOCRAT RUDY est slogan. the control money has over our elec- BRADLEY, WELCOME TO THE GOP How truly audacious for the very toral process. people who created the current cam- (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given We must prove to our constituents paign finance reform to now self-right- permission to address the House for 1 that we are serious about real reform. eously proclaim their outrage at the minute and to revise and extend his re- We must make sure that our political way the government makes crooks out marks.) system represents everyone, not just of the truly honest people among us. Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, there is those that can afford it. a trend going on in America today that Just what is it about the liberal f mindset that allows them to avoid re- is not talked much about, particularly sponsibility for so many of their bad on that side, at least on the national AMERICAN LAND SOVEREIGNTY ideas and failed initiatives? level. It is a phenomenon of party PROTECTION ACT switching, and it is party-switching Consider the history of campaign fi- Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. going in one direction and one direc- nance. The liberals imposed absurdly Speaker, by direction of the Com- tion only, from Democrats to Repub- low limits on the participation of mittee on Rules, I call up House Reso- licans. Americans in the political process. It is lution 180 and ask for its immediate truly amazing how this has resulted in Over 390 elected Democrats have switched to the GOP since Clinton and consideration. things that were entirely predictable. The Clerk read the resolution, as fol- What happened? Politicians were Gore were elected in 1992. Well, the Re- lows: then forced to spend almost all their publican Party would like to welcome time raising money, and of course the latest party-switcher, State Rep- H. RES. 180 money then found other ways into the resentative Rudy Bradley of St. Peters- Resolved, That at any time after the adop- political process through soft money, burg, Florida. tion of this resolution the Speaker may, pur- suant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the through issue advocacy, and, dare I Rudy Bradley is the only black Re- publican in the 160-member Florida House resolved into the Committee of the mention, through the Chinese Com- Whole House on the state of the Union for munist friends of the White House. And legislature, for now. Here we have a consideration of the bill (H.R. 833) to pre- of course this money, unlike direct lifetime proud Democrat who has fi- serve the sovereignty of the United States contributions, lacks full disclosure, nally come to the conclusion that the over public lands and acquired lands owned which is an invitation to corruption. Democratic Party simply does not re- by the United States, and to preserve State Why are Democrats not talking flect his values or the values of his con- sovereignty and private property rights in about that? stituents. non-Federal lands surrounding those public lands and acquired lands. The first reading of f He is tired of the Democrats' con- stant demonizing those who disagree the bill shall be dispensed with. General de- URGING COSPONSORSHIP OF THE with them. He is tired of rhetoric that bate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and con- BORDER PATROL RECRUITMENT says one thing while governing as a tax AND RETENTION ACT trolled by the chairman and ranking minor- and spend liberal. He is tired of the at- ity member of the Committee on Resources. (Mr. REYES asked and was given per- tacks on the traditional values that After general debate, the bill shall be consid- mission to address the House for 1 made America great to begin with. ered for amendment under the five-minute May 20, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H3399 rule for a period not to exceed four hours. printed or his designee, shall be consid- U.S. for designation as a Biosphere Re- The bill shall be considered as read. No ered as read, and may be amended. serve and would terminate all existing amendment to the bill shall be in order ex- The rule further allows the Chairman Biosphere Reserves unless, one, the cept those printed in the portion of the Con- of the Committee of the Whole to post- Biosphere Reserve is specifically au- gressional Record designated for that pur- pose in clause 8 of rule XVIII and except pro pone votes during consideration of the thorized in law by a date certain, two, forma amendments for the purpose of debate. bill and to reduce voting time to 5 min- the designated Biosphere Reserve con- Each amendment so printed may be offered utes on a postponed question if the sists entirely of land owned by the only by the Member who caused it to be vote follows a 15-minute vote. Finally, U.S., and, three, a management plan printed or his designee and shall be consid- the rule provides for one motion to re- has been implemented which specifi- ered as read.