March 9, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E365 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THE SATELLITE HOME VIEWERS ing to work with them, and unfortunately some Military construction work is an important ACT haven't. part of Hawaii's economy. Not only will Ha- However, there are some cases that there is waii's local companies benefit from this legis- HON. RICK HILL a unfair burden on the local broadcasters for lation, but all local companies across the na- OF MONTANA them to go to every household to prove if they tion will have a fair chance to compete for IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES receive a signal. But we must take action to these projects that are worth millions of dol- correct this very concerning problem. lars. Tuesday, March 9, 1999 I appreciate that the Subcommittee Chair- By joining me in supporting H.R. 474 we Mr. HILL of Montana. Mr. Speaker, I wanted man, Mr. BILLY TAUZIN, has focused his efforts can provide the enforcement needed to make to thank you for allowing me to take a moment to come up with a legislative fix to address sure all bidders play by the same rules. I urge to discuss an issue that is very near and dear this matter. On February 25th, Representative my colleagues to support this legislation. to many Montanans heartsÐtheir satellite TAUZIN introduced the Save our Satellites Act f service. Many Montanans and others in rural (H.R. 851) that seeks to save network tele- America have been contacting us regarding vision signals for consumers who will unfairly CONGRATULATING COMMON the dispute over distant network satellite serv- lose access to satellite-delivered network pro- THREADS AWARD WINNERS ice between local broadcasters and satellite gramming. I am an original cosponsor if this providers. I share the concerns that many legislation and fully support its passage. HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH Montanans may be left without network sig- The Save our Satellites Act preserves the OF CALIFORNIA nals if we do not take appropriate action. status quo for 90 days so that a more reliable IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES In a state as large as Montana, there are method of determining who is eligible to re- Tuesday, March 9, 1999 many areas that cannot receive a decent ceive network programming can be imple- broadcast signal of local television stations. mented. This is a good first step toward defus- Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise For many, the only recourse is to invest in sat- ing this emergency situation for rural satellite today in congratulate Muriel Smittcamp, Violet ellite equipment and programing packages in consumers. I look forward to working with Mr. Jensen, Geneva Shannon, Jane Logoluso, order to receive television programing. Re- TAUZIN and other Members of Congress to find and Mildred ``Micki'' Parker, the recipients of cently, the United States District Court for the common sense solutions to this very important the Common Threads Award. This award is Southern District of Florida (Case No. 96± issue. presented to women in agriculture who have 3650±CIV±NESBITT) issued a preliminary in- f made a remarkable contribution to their com- junction that requires the termination of net- munity through volunteer work and philan- work satellite service to over one million sub- H.R. 474ÐFEDERAL CONSTRUCTION thropy. scribers across the United States that fall with- CONTRACTING Muriel Smittcamp, of Clovis, CA, began her in the ``Grade B'' contour. career in agriculture, together with her hus- The Satellite Broadcasting and Communica- HON. PATSY T. MINK band Earl, in 1945, with the purchase of 200 tions Association stated that the Satellite OF HAWAII acres. She has volunteered her time with Home Viewer Act (SHVA) provides that Ameri- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES many organizations including the Ranchero cans who cannot receive an acceptable signal Guild of Valley Children's Hospital (V.C.H.), over-the-air from their local network affiliate Tuesday, March 9, 1999 the Holiday Guild, and the Fresno State Bull- are classified as ``unserved household'' and Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, recently, dog Foundation, Muriel is also a California are therefore, eligible to receive network serv- I introduced legislation, H.R. 474, to help local State University, Fresno Alumni member, con- ice via satellite. An ``unserved household'' is contractors compete for military construction tributor and worker, and donates her services one that cannot receive a television signal of projects. The purpose of H.R. 474 is to ad- to the Clovis Library, the American Cancer So- ``Grade B'' intensity (as defined by the FCC). dress concerns raised by various unions, con- ciety and 4±H. Grade B is a technical measurement used by tractors, and the State of Hawaii, that local Violet Jensen, of Fresno, CA, became a the FCC to determine predictive signal dis- companies are not getting a fair shot at com- farmer's wife when she married Oliver Jensen tribution for tower placement for the broad- peting for military construction contracts. The in 1948. She has actively particpated in all casters. ability of out-of-state contractors to ignore phases of farm management including tractor Because the SHVA does not provide clear state tax and employment laws have allowed driving, tying vines and harvesting crops. She guidance on which households may lawfully them to avoid costs that local companies have has been a member of the Farm Bureau for receive network signals by satellite, and no to meet and thereby outbid our local compa- 50 years during which she has held several straightforward testing mechanism exists to nies. committee chairs. Violet has been active in ascertain which households are ``served,'' The problem of out of state contractors Raisin Wives, La Tienda Guild for V.C.H. and there is confusion in the marketplace. Unfortu- dodging state tax and employment laws was Twilight Haven. She was very active with the nately, this leaves millions of consumers documented at the Congressional hearing I Raisin Queen Pageant and the Farm Bureau caught in the middle. Local broadcasters in held on August 5, 1995, in Hawaii. H.R. 474 Princess Pageant. Montana have assured me of their willingness incorporates many of the suggestions and pro- Jane Logoluso Bautista, of Madera, CA, to work with Montanans who are determined posals made at this hearing on ways to make joined her father's farming operation in 1992. to be ``served households'' by the FCC, but do the bidding process more equitable for local Prior to that she had a 20 year career in the not actually receive a quality broadcast signal companies. health care industry. She is currently respon- by individually testing service and issuing H.R. 474 requires contractors to obtain a sible for government relations, personnel, waivers to allow them to continue receiving state tax clearance in order to be an eligible labor relations and special projects. Jane is network signals via satellite. And they will be bidder on military construction projects; it re- vice-chair of the California Apple Commission, trying to get a waiver to seek a waiver from quires them to obtain a state tax clearance trustee for U.S. Apple Association and is sec- his or her local television broadcaster, and and certify compliance with state employment retary of the Nisei Farmers' League. She vol- provided certain criteria are met, may ensure laws in order to receive the final project pay- unteers for the American Cancer Society and the continued delivery of network program- ment; allows a military agency to withhold pay- has served on the Kingsview Mental Health ming service via satellite. I have urged many ment in order to meet state tax obligations; Corp. Montanans who do not receive a signal to and it requires a contractor that has won a bid Geneva Shannon, of Visalia, CA, grew up contact their individual broadcast stations for a to obtain a state license in the state in which on a farm in Waukena, Ca. She married Eric waiver. I have heard from many Montanans the work is to be performed, if that state re- Shannon in 1980, and together they continued that some local broadcasters have been will- quires such a license. their farming interests. She was involved in 4± · 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. E366 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks March 9, 1999 H and Future Farmers of America in school, Delaware River, and served in the Continental Today, I am announcing the introduction of and continues to support these organizations. Army. Thousands served in the War of 1812, a comprehensive Social Security plan that will Geneva served as president of the Tulare protected New Orleans when threatened in preserve the system while staying consistent Kings Chapter of California Women for Agri- 1815, and fought with the Party of Lincoln to with certain key values that have always pro- culture, and also on the State Board. She is achieve emancipation. Almost 400,000 African vided the heart and soul of the nation's most active in the Farm Bureau, and represents ag- Americans fought alongside white infantrymen popular social program: this plan does not riculture in the classroom. in World War I, though they had to do so in raise the retirement age, it does not cut bene- Mildred ``Micki'' Parker, of LeGrand, CA, segregated units and in the face of wide- fits, it does not raise tax rates, and it does not taught at both Chowchilla and Merced High spread misinformation that African Americans shift the risk onto individuals through individual Schools.