E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 146 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2000 No. 29 Senate The Senate was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, March 20, 2000, at 12 noon. House of Representatives WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2000 The House met at 10 a.m. and was God of hope, fill us with joy and ican workers are being left behind un- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- peace as we trust in You that, by the employed and unable to reach the pore (Mr. OSE). power of Your spirit, our whole life and American dream. And in spite of this f outlook may be radiant with hope. indisputable fact, the Clinton adminis- Amen. tration continues to encourage the ex- DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER f pansion of current free trade policy, PRO TEMPORE such as NAFTA, to other nations The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- THE JOURNAL around the world. fore the House the following commu- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Sadly, the President has also failed nication from the Speaker: Chair has examined the Journal of the to mention another fact that the Com- WASHINGTON, DC, last day's proceedings and announces merce Department also announced, and March 15, 2000. to the House his approval thereof. that is that the United States experi- I hereby appoint the Honorable DOUG OSE Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- enced record trade deficits with its to act as Speaker pro tempore on this day. nal stands approved. NAFTA trade partners last year, as J. DENNIS HASTERT, f well. Seems obvious to me and many of Speaker of the House of Representatives. my colleagues here that NAFTA and PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE f similar trade policies have caused more PRAYER The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the harm than good for our economy and gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. for the American workers. The Reverend Dr. Richard Camp, SCHAKOWSKY) come forward and lead Let us not make the same mistake Ministry to the National Parks, Bos- the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. twice. ton, Massachusetts, offered the fol- Ms. SCHAKOWSKY led the Pledge of Mr. Speaker, I yield back such ill- lowing prayer: Allegiance as follows: conceived trade policies that seem to Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the only trade away American jobs for Your name in all the Earth. Your never United States of America, and to the Repub- higher trade deficits. ending providence orders every event, lic for which it stands, one nation under God, sweetens every fear, and brings real indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. f good out of seeming evil. We come to f You for the grace another day will re- WE HAVE MEANS TO PROTECT quire for its duties and events. LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES OUR FAMILIES, SUPPORT OUR Help us to walk in wisdom to those (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given SENIORS, AND EDUCATE OUR to whom we must give account, to permission to address the House for 1 CHILDREN walk in kindness to those with whom minute and to revise and extend his re- (Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was we work, and to walk with courage as marks.) given permission to address the House we seek to do what is right. Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, some for 1 minute and to revise and extend Guide the women and men of this startling news: Last month the Com- her remarks.) Congress today. Give them the vision merce Department announced that the Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I to see the impact of today's decisions U.S. trade deficit surged to an all-time rise on behalf of senior citizens who on tomorrow's world. And may the rip- high in 1999. The trade deficit rose over cannot afford to pay for their prescrip- ple effect of their lives of integrity re- 65 percent from 1998, over 65 percent. tions. I rise for the children who go to turn to bless them and all people in the Mr. Speaker, the U.S. economy is overcrowded and broken down schools. days ahead. being shipped overseas and the Amer- I rise for the people who work full time b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H999 . H1000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE March 15, 2000 and still cannot afford health insur- of the Salashi family, which included, Democrats want to make sure that ance or quality child care. I rise for Mr. Speaker, a $25 late fee. all seniors are covered. They should people who cannot afford to send their Beam me up. Mr. Speaker, it is time not have to be poor to get Medicare children to college. I rise for the 80 per- to put a dagger in the heart of income coverage for the overwhelming cost of cent of the homeless who go to work taxes. Our Tax Code is so heavy it prescription drugs. Americans want a every day and play by the rules and would give a King Kong gorilla a her- budget that protects Social Security, cannot afford a roof over their heads. I nia. Medicare, that allows for prescription rise to oppose Republican budget prior- I yield back the anguish of the Amer- drug benefits for all seniors. ities that will make the very rich even ican taxpayers. It seems that the Republican budget more rich. f once again fails to connect with the We have the means to protect our needs of middle-class families. COLOMBIA AID PACKAGE seniors, to support our families, and to f (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was educate our children and to bring ev- GAS PRICES TOO HIGHÐPEOPLE given permission to address the House eryone along. This is the moment in ARE HURTING history when we can and should do for 1 minute.) that. Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, in (Mr. RADANOVICH asked and was given permission to address the House f Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, the soothsayer warned Caesar to ``beware for 1 minute.) REPUBLICAN BUDGET PLAN PAYS of the Ides of March.'' Caesar did not Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, the DOWN DEBT listen and Caesar perished. American people are paying almost $2 a (Mr. PITTS asked and was given per- Today, on this Ides of March, I bring gallon for gas while the Clinton admin- mission to address the House for 1 my colleagues fair warning. If we do istration is asleep at the wheel. Gas minute and to revise and extend his re- not pass the Colombia aid package prices are too high, and people are marks.) soon, our friends in Colombia could suf- hurting. Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, would my fer the same fate as Caesar and our Mr. Speaker, why do mothers have to colleagues go on a huge credit card own children could be next. choose between a gallon of gas and a spending spree if they knew that they Mr. Speaker, in fiscal year 1999, Fed- gallon of milk? The American people would be dead and gone once the bill eral agents intercepted nearly 2,800 have to swallow the soaring price of came due and their children would be pounds of heroin and 280,000 pounds of fuel at the pumps, seriously jeopard- responsible for paying it off? Of course cocaine coming into the United States. izing their livelihoods. Whether it is a tractor-trailer, a de- not. And of these amounts, DEA estimates livery van, or a family minivan, gaso- Most Americans work hard to make that 80 percent of the coke and 75 per- line prices are making Californians sure that they have some money to cent of the heroin originated in Colom- choke. Still, the Clinton administra- leave their children when they die. bia. These are staggering figures indeed, tion has done nothing. Most Americans would never dream of Since 1993, when Al Gore broke the but they only represent the seizures. I leaving their children a pile of debt for tie in the U.S. Senate to impose this can assure my colleagues that much their inheritance. But that is exactly administration's gas tax, U.S. oil pro- more is making it to our streets and to what the Federal Government has been duction has declined by 17 percent, oil our young people. doing for years. producing jobs have declined by 27 per- For 40 years, when Democrats con- Without U.S. help in fighting the cent, and 36 U.S. refineries have closed trolled the Congress, they spent money drug war, the Colombian Government their doors. on more and more Government pro- has little chance of ending the violence We need action now, not later, Mr. grams and created bigger and bigger and stopping the flow of drugs. With Speaker. Gas prices need to be lowered debt and they knew that their children the illegal drug trade providing the in- now. would be the ones saddled with the bill, surgents with over $600 million a year f but they kept spending and borrowing in drug money, it is likely that the and spending more. That was wrong. duly-elected Government of Colombia STUDENT ATHLETE PROTECTION Republicans are putting an end to will fall without our immediate help. ACT this kind of spending-now-and-paying- Failing to act will stay with our chil- (Mr.
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