E750 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 8, 2001 of the 1950s. The less-stable post-Cold War this week as the Regional Subcontractor of smuggling operations, while staying out of the world, with the addition of such nations as the Year. She is the first in our region to re- host nation’s respective internal affairs and Northern Korea, Iraq and Iran to the list of ceive this award. chain of command. Although an innovative ap- potential nuclear threats, adds to that. (In fairness, though, Ms. Hillburst’s father started the Commercial proach to drug policy, this helping-hand policy The ABM treaty is a sticking point, of Printing Company in Rockford in 1948. She is in obvious need of review, especially with sorts, but that doesn’t mean a new document assumed the helm of the company in 1989. respect to Peru. can’t be crafted to take its place. Contrary, The business performs customized and com- Mr. Speaker, as you know, Section 1012 of perhaps, to common perception, there is a mercial printing jobs. Rebecca Hillburst and the 1995 Defense Authorization Act requires provision for withdrawing from it. Either her four employees, George, Lars and Eleanor Russia or the United States can get out on Hillburst and Darcie Powelson are symbolic of that U.S. intelligence and related assets can six months’ notice by explaining that its the small entrepreneurial enterprise that only be used if the President determines ‘‘supreme interests’’ have been jeopardized whether drug smuggling comprise an ‘‘extraor- by events relating to the treaty. makes America great. I applaud their hard work and dedication. dinary threat to the national security of’’ the Bush, in his remarks on Tuesday, seemed foreign country and that ‘‘that country has the to have been laying the groundwork for such f an assertion. In any case, this much is cer- appropriate procedures in place to protect tain: A functioning missile defense is incom- EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO FAM- against the innocent loss of life...which patible with the treaty, which forbids it. At ILY, FRIENDS, AND COWORKERS shall at a minimum include effective means to least the president chose not to figuratively OF VERONICA ‘‘RONI’’ BOWERS identify and warn an aircraft before the use of rip the document up, which some of his cam- AND CHARITY BOWERS force’’ is authorized. After temporarily sus- paign rhetoric last fall seemed to suggest. He pending air interdiction flights in early 1994, wants to—at some undetermined point—take SPEECH OF the legitimate exit route. former President Clinton made the determina- The president also wants to give back with HON. TODD RUSSELL PLATTS tion that Peru fulfilled Section 1012 one hand at least part of what he proposes to OF PENNSYLVANIA These straight-forward procedures include take away with the other. He’s convinced checking the flight plan of the observed air- (and he’s probably right) that the United IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES craft, establishing radio communications, mak- States doesn’t need nearly the nuclear arse- Tuesday, May 1, 2001 nal it now maintains. America has about ing visual contact to check the aircraft’s reg- 7,200 warheads; Russia, about 6,100. Under Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, as we all are istry and to give it visual instructions to land, various START agreements and negotia- well aware, on the morning of April 20th a Pe- getting permission to fire warning shots, then tions, both nations have agreed to a target of ruvian Air Force fighter jet erroneously shot disabling shots and finally, when all else fails 2,000 to 2,500. Bush has said lately that he en- down a single engine Cessna owned and op- and the aircraft refuses to comply, then and visions still lower numbers, and Moscow seems ready to go along. (Not the least of its erated by the Association of Baptists for World only then can permission be granted to shoot reasons is the cost savings.) Evangelism based in York County, Pennsyl- down a civilian aircraft. vania and located in my District. In so doing, Cost still casts a long shadow on the mis- All reports indicate that on that fateful Friday one American missionary was severely injured sile defense idea as well, though. Defense De- morning, over the strenuous objection of U.S. partment sources say even a rudimentary and two were tragically killed. personnel, Peruvian officials either moved too plan could start at $35 billion. One of the I want to express my profound sympathy to quickly through these procedures, or did not proposal’s harshest critics, Sen. Joseph James Bowers and his son Cory upon the implement them fully. The result was that a Biden of Delaware, has fielded a figure al- tragic and untimely loss of their wife and most 30 times higher; $1 trillion. At such bullet fired from a Peruvian Sukhoi—25 jet prices (in addition to what already has been mother, Veronica ‘‘Roni’’ Bowers and seven- month-old daughter Charity. I also want to ex- fighter passed through the fuselage of the tiny spent), the nation certainly deserves a sys- missionary plane, through the heart of Roni tem that works. Bush’s commitment to it press my sincere gratitude to the pilot of the should include a commitment to eliminating plane Kevin Donaldson, who despite severely Bowers and into the head of baby Charity, kill- the engineering hanky-panky that marked injuring both legs was able to land safely in ing both instantly. The air interdiction effort in previous tests. the Amazon River. Peru and the overall policy itself is mired in In coming months, Bush and other top offi- In addition, I want to urge the Association of questions. cials will be fanning out over Asia and Eu- Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE) to con- rope, talking to America’s allies and seeking President Bush has requested $882 million input—views to be taken into account. This tinue to pursue their critical outreach efforts in for his Andean Regional Initiative in next has all the earmarks of a rational, reasoned the Amazon region and around the world. As year’s budget. This program will substantially approach far superior to the gunslinger rhet- a matter of background, the ABWE supports increase the investment in drug interdiction oric of last year’s campaign. It just might 1,300 missionaries in 65 countries worldwide. and eradication efforts in Peru and sur- work. The administration is to be congratu- The missionary group has worked in Peru rounding countries. Before Congress appro- lated for being both assertive and construc- since 1939 establishing Baptist churches, priates another dollar toward counter drug ef- tive. schools, camps, and centers for pregnant forts in Peru, I believe it is imperative for us f women, as well as providing medical care to review and rethink our interdiction policy. I throughout the Peruvian Amazon. More than urge Congress to look into tightening intercept SMALL BUSINESS WEEK 8,000 churches in the U.S. and Canada con- procedures in drug trafficking areas, as well as tribute money to support the mission of the strengthening the important role they have in HON. DONALD A. MANZULLO ABWE. But what makes ABWE’s mission so the oversight of our drug policy. OF NEW YORK successful are the countless American men, The United States should not expend tax- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES women, and families from all walks of life who willingly sacrifice their precious time and effort, payer dollars to provide intelligence to a coun- Tuesday, May 8, 2001 and unfortunately sometimes their lives, to do try that apparently violates straight-forward, Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, as Chairman God’s work. internationally recognized interception proce- of the Small Business Committee, I am The untimely death of Roni and Charity dures. Every effort must be made in our inter- pleased to join with the President in launching Bowers has brought to the forefront a signifi- diction policies and procedures to ensure Small Business Week. Small businesses rep- cant, but little known operation that takes against the innocent loss of life. We cannot resent the most important sector of our econ- place as part of our overall anti-drug policy. undo the horrific personal tragedy that James omy. They comprise 99.7 percent of all the Since the mid 1980’s, the Department of De- and Cory Bowers have endured with the loss employers in the United States. They provide fense has led an inter-agency air interdiction of their wife and daughter, mother and sister. two-thirds of the initial job opportunities for effort to close the ‘‘air bridge’’ between coca We can, however, do our utmost as a nation Americans. And, they provided over $63 billion fields in the Andean region of Peru and Bolivia to ensure that through procedural reforms of worth of goods and services to the federal and the production facilities in Colombia. The the interdiction program, this private tragedy is government. idea was that the United States would provide transformed into a public good, so that no One of my constituents, Ms. Rebecca intelligence and other assets to the host na- other family will suffer a similar heartache and Hillburst of Rockford, Illinois, will be honored tions for the detection and elimination of drug loss in the future. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E751 COMMEMORATION OF THE of H.R. 10, the Comprehensive Retirement fact that Americans pay more in taxes than for ARMENIAN GENOCIDE Security and Pension Reform Act of 2001 and these necessities. In 1992, National Tax Free- strongly support its enactment. dom Day was nearly a whole month earlier— HON.