March 22, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E373 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS INTRODUCTION OF THE BUILDING, Here is what the BRICKS Act does. First, it cal flexibility and options, the BRICKS Act ad- RENOVATING, IMPROVING, AND provides $20 billion in interest-free and low-in- dresses this problem in my congressional dis- CONSTRUCTING KIDS' SCHOOLS terest Federal loans to support school con- trict and in districts across the United States. ACT OF 2000 struction and repair at the local level. These I urge my colleagues to support the BRICKS loans will be used to pay the interest owed by Act. This timely legislation makes responsible HON. JUDY BIGGERT States and localities to bondholders on new use of limited Federal resources and effec- OF ILLINOIS school construction bonds that are issued tively meets a commitment to giving every child an opportunity to attend school in an en- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES through the year 2003. These loans will be in- terest-free for the first 5 years, with low inter- vironment that is physically safe and condu- Wednesday, March 22, 2000 est rates to follow. cive to learning. Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Gen- Second, the BRICKS Act allocates these f eral Accounting Office [GAO] released reports school construction loans on an annual basis, CHINA: THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIO- in 1995 and 1996 outlining the deplorable con- using the title I distribution formula. Monies LATIONS CONTINUEÐREBIYA ditions in many of our Nation's elementary and would be distributed to States at the request KADEER SENTENCED TO 8 secondary schools. A sample GAO survey of each State's Governor and without a YEARS IN JAIL showed that America's schools are in need of lengthy application process. an estimated $112 billion in repairs and that The money provided for under this bill is $11 billion alone is needed to get schools in used to support, not supplant, local school HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER compliance with Federal mandates requiring construction efforts. These loans are designed OF ILLINOIS the elimination of hazards such as asbestos, to allow States and localities to issue bonds IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES lead in water and radon, and to improve ac- that would not otherwise be made due to fi- Wednesday, March 22, 2000 cessibility for the disabled. nancial limitations. Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to The decline in the condition of our Nation's Third, and perhaps most importantly, these highlight on yet another incidence of the Chi- schools is not limited to a particular region. loans will be distributed in a fiscally respon- nese Government's blatant violation of human Every State has schools that are in need of sible manner that does not take away from the rights. 1999 was one of the worst years yet in repair and modernization, and my home State Social Security program or the projected on- recent Chinese history for arbitrary detentions, of Illinois is no exception. Last August, the Illi- budget surpluses. Specifically, my bill will gen- arrests, and human rights violations, and it is nois State Board of Education released the re- erate funding from the Exchange Stabilization looking like 2000 will be no different. sults of its own survey, which showed that Fund [ESF]Ða fund that was created through This time the victim is a 53-year-old Uighur over the next 5 years, Illinois' school districts the Gold Reserve Act of 1934 and that cur- businesswoman, Rebiya Kadeer. On March will need more than $7 billion in infrastructure rently has more than $40 billion in assets. 10, 2000, Ms. Kadeer was sentenced to 8 work. Finally, the school construction and mod- years in jail for ``giving information to separat- Mr. Speaker, as a strong supporter of local ernization loans are not a government hand- ists outside the country.'' education, I believe that school construction out. The BRICKS Act requires a State entity or Ms. Kadeer is a well respected business- and renovation are areas best directed by local government that receives funding under woman who was once officially touted as an States and local communities. That's why I ap- this legislation to repay the loan to the Ex- inspiration to her fellow members of the plaud those States that have passed meas- change Stabilization Fund. At the same time, Uighur ethnic group. Her efforts to business ures designed to help schools replace and this proposal ensures that States and local enterprises have been recognized by Chinese modernize their facilities. Illinois is one of governments will not be burdened by exces- authorities as contributing to the overall eco- those States that have stepped up to the plate sive interest ratesÐor be forced to repay the nomic and social development of the Xinjiang in this regard. loan in an unreasonable amount of time. Uighur Autonomous Region. So respected In December 1997, the Illinois General As- After the first five interest-free years, the in- was she by the Beijing establishment that she sembly passed a school construction law to terest rates on these loans will be set at the was chosen in 1995 as part of China's official address the shortage of classroom space average prime lending rate for the year in delegation to the U.N. Fourth World Con- brought on by population growth and aging which the bond is issued, but it cannot exceed ference on Women in Beijing. buildings. To fund the program, the General 4.5 percent. Again, no payment will be owed, However, in 1997, Ms. Kadeer was stripped Assembly approved the sale of $1.1 billion in and no interest will accrue for 5 years, unless of her passport, and with it the right to free- school construction bonds over a 5-year pe- the Federal Government prior to that time dom of movement as well as subjected to con- riod. Just last year, Illinois Governor George meets its financial commitment to funding 40 tinual police harassments. These actions were H. Ryan's Illinois FIRST program increased percent of the costs borne by local school dis- clearly aimed at silencing her husband, Mr. funding for the school construction grant pro- tricts for providing special education services, Sidick Rozi, a former political prisoner who gram by $1 billion, adding another $290 mil- as is currently required by Federal law. has been an outspoken critic of China's treat- lion for fiscal year 2000. Mr. Speaker, the BRICKS Act is a fiscally ment of the Uighur minority in western China. Despite the best efforts of Illinois and other responsible answer to a serious national prob- Mr. Rozi, now living in the United States, has States, the long-term costs of repairing and lem. I am proud to offer this legislation for the made numerous statements on Radio Free upgrading our Nation's schools are proving House's consideration. I am more pleased to Asia, Voice of America and testified last July more than many State and local governments note how this legislation will help schools lo- before the Congressional Human Rights Cau- can bear. And in this era of budget surpluses, cated in the 13th Congressional District of Illi- cus concerning the extremely harsh discrimi- it would not be right for Congress to sit idly by nois, which I represent. As my colleagues may nations suffered by the Uighur minority. Ms. and let schools fall into further disrepair and know, the 13th district encompasses some of Kadeer was made a hostage in her own coun- obsolescence. the fastest growing communities in the nation. try, unable to join her husband and a number That's why I rise today to introduce the School administrators in my district have of her children in the United States, simply be- Building, Renovating, Improving, and Con- made it known that school construction and cause of the political activities of her husband. structing Kids' Schools (BRICKS) ActÐlegisla- renovation have failed to keep pace with the On August 11, 1999 Rebiya Kadeer was ar- tion addressing our Nation's exploding need explosive population growth and increased rested while she was on her way to meet with for elementary and secondary education rates of student enrollment. What's more, they a group of Congressional Staff visiting China. school repair. This legislation is a slightly tell me that the growth in tax revenues from She was charged in September with ``pro- modified companion bill to S. 1992, which was new households has not kept up with the viding secret information to foreigners.'' Ms. introduced in the other chamber by my friend costs of construction needed to serve them. Kadeer does not have access to ``state se- and colleague, Senator SNOWE of Maine. By providing schools and States with more fis- crets'', she is a businesswoman, not a political ∑ This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate 20<MAR>2000 05:30 Mar 23, 2000 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A22MR8.000 pfrm09 PsN: E22PT1 E374 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks March 22, 2000 activist. After seven months of detention and [From the Wall Street Journal, Feb. 15, 2000] PERSONAL EXPLANATION the arrest and subsequent arbitrary sentencing FOR ITALIANS, ``SOPRANOS'' HIT A BIG, SOUR of her secretary and one son, Ms. Kadeer was NOTE HON. HERBERT H. BATEMAN given a 4-hour trial. During this trial, neither (By Frank J. Guarini) OF VIRGINIA she nor her lawyer were able to speak, none Eric Gibson's Jan.