Congressional Record—House H3
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June 3, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H3 House for 1 minute and to revise and minute and to revise and extend her re- for the 21st Century'', but not included extend his remarks.) marks.) in the conference report to H.R. 2400, Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise and for other purposes, and that the Speaker, before I give my one minute, today to commend the voters of Cali- bill be considered as passed. I just would like to publicly thank our fornia for rejecting Proposition 226. Re- The Clerk read the title of the bill. colleague, the gentleman from Ohio publican leaders in the House were sup- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. (Mr. HALL) for his trip to Sudan and porting this initiative in order to si- Pease). Is there objection to the re- calling attention to a tragic, tragic sit- lence the voices of American workers quest of the gentleman from Pennsyl- uation. I thank him. and America's working families. And vania? Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in the Cali- by voting down Proposition 226, Cali- Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. fornia elections, the people of Califor- fornia voters stood up for their right to Speaker, reserving the right to object, nia rejected a cynical attempt to stifle participate in the political process. if I could, just to embellish a little bit the voices of working families in Amer- Right now, working families do not on my reservation, the bill that passed ica, to stifle the voices of concerned have enough say in our political proc- Congress last week had a provision nonprofit organizations. ess. In 1996, wealthy corporations and that had a major impact on southeast- Proposition 226 was an effort by the business representatives poured more ern Wisconsin. This was a provision Republican leadership and the Repub- than $650 million into campaigns, 11 that was not contained in the original lican Party to lash out at working fam- times what labor unions, the represent- House version of the bill nor was it ilies and to deny members of unions atives of working Americans, were able contained in the bill when it passed the the ability to participate in the politi- to spend. Senate. However, during the conference cal process in this country, a right that We need to pass genuine campaign fi- committee, there was an amendment they are guaranteed under the Con- nance reform that increases the par- added to the conference committee re- stitution. It was cynically dubbed the ticipation of average working families port. That amendment basically gives Paycheck Protection Act. It had noth- and limits the role of wealthy special the Governor of the State of Wisconsin ing to do with protecting people's pay- interests. We need less money in our unilateral authority, from my perspec- checks. It had everything to do with political process. We need to restore tive, as to how $241 million should be trying to get back at organized labor in Americans' faith in our political proc- spent for transportation projects in this country for the very effective cam- ess. We need to pass meaningful cam- Wisconsin, money which was by agree- paign they ran in the last national ment originally set aside for southeast- elections on behalf of President Clin- paign finance reform today. f ern Wisconsin. The reason that we ton and on behalf of many Members of heard from the State and from others the Congress where they told the truth b 1415 that this provision was in the bill was about what the Republican leadership DIABETES because of the concern that the State and majority was trying to do in this of Wisconsin would lose this $241 mil- House of Representatives in denying (Mr. CUMMINGS asked and was lion. It is my belief that at this point, people the rights and fundamental given permission to address the House that is no longer a danger. And so what basic ability to raise their family. for 1 minute and to revise and extend I am going to propose to the chairman f his remarks.) of the committee in just a moment or ON CHARACTER Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, diabe- two is unanimous consent for an tes is a disease of national impact. Ac- (Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given amendment which would return the cording to the American Diabetes As- language to what I perceive to be the permission to address the House for 1 sociation, there are an estimated 15.7 minute and to revise and extend his re- original agreement between the par- million people who suffer from this dis- ties. If I may, Mr. Speaker, the con- marks.) ease. The frightening fact is that there Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, in many ference report language, section (n) are over 5 million people that have it foreign countries it is difficult to do Substitute Project, Section 1045 of the and are unaware of it. business without a payoff or a bribe. Intermodal Surface Transportation Ef- Medical technology has not yet dis- Just slide some money across the hand ficiency Act of 1991 has several sections covered a way to prevent this disorder. and doors open. It happens in many to it. My amendment would strike the Only treatment is available. It is countries that do not have high moral second paragraph and would insert the known as the silent killer because it standards of right and wrong. But it is following two paragraphs: seldom gives any warning of its pres- not acceptable in America. Not until Paragraph 2. ``Notwithstanding para- ence. Many people are unaware that now. It appears something has graph (1) and subsection (c) of this sec- they have diabetes until they suffer changed. tion, upon the request of the Governor Our high moral standards driven by from one of its life-threatening com- of the State of Wisconsin, submitted character and a strong sense of right plications, blindness, kidney disease, after consultation with appropriate and wrong now seem to have sunk to a nerve disease, amputations, heart dis- local government officials by October new low of a mere political contribu- ease and stroke. 1, 2000, the Secretary may approve 1 or tion and doors open. Just a few lucra- The African-American community is more substitute projects in lieu of the tive political donations from the Com- nearly twice as likely to suffer from substitute project approved by the Sec- munist Chinese and a big U.S. corpora- this disorder that can cause the body retary under paragraph (1) and sub- tion will change export policy and to not produce enough insulin or not section (c) of this section.'' doors will open. properly use it. Over 2.3 million Afri- ``(3) Funds available for 1 or more The administration has taken high- can-Americans have been diagnosed substitute projects under paragraph (2) tech satellite export waivers from the and over half are unaware that they shall be used for transportation prior- Department of Defense and the State have this silent and deadly disorder. ities associated with the East-West Department and given it to the Com- I urge this Congress to reduce the Corridor Project in southeastern Wis- merce Department, making it easier number of Americans suffering from di- consin.'' for doors to open. Now an American abetes and increase funding for bio- That would be the amendment that I company may have exported high tech- medical research. am going to ask the gentleman for nical information that jeopardizes our f unanimous consent for. The reason I am doing this, Mr. Speaker, is that I security, our national security. TEA 21 RESTORATION ACT It may happen in other countries, but believe that this is a fight, and it truly it should never happen here. Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask is a fight, in the State between State f unanimous consent for the immediate officials and local officials as to how consideration in the House of the bill this money should be spent. There was CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 226 (H.R. 3978) to restore provisions agreed a delicate balance of power that had (Ms. DELAURO asked and was given to by the conferees to H.R. 2400, enti- been achieved in the prior language permission to address the House for 1 tled the ``Transportation Equity Act that had been agreed to on a bipartisan H4 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE June 3, 1998 basis. It is my understanding that the section is not intended to be a limitation on Section 3: State Transportation has asked for the level of federal funding provided under any Restores the National Historic Covered this language. Unfortunately, I was not Bridge Preservation program. future full funding grant agreement. The actual Restores the Substitute Project for the aware of this language until very, very federal share for projects eligible for full fund- Barney Circle Freeway, Washington, D.C. late in the process. I do not think that ing grant agreements shall be negotiated be- Restores Fiscal, Administrative and Other it is good public policy for one person tween the designated recipient and the Sec- Amendments included in both House and whether it is a Governor, a Mayor or a retary. For example, the amounts included in Senate bills. President to have sole discretion over subsection 3030(c) for the Dallas-North Cen- Clarifies program funding categories for $241 million. I think that the balance of tral Extension project do not reflect a cap on Puerto Rico and continues current law pen- alties for Puerto Rico for non-compliance power shifted dramatically under this the Federal share of project costs included in with the federal minimum drinking age re- amendment.