March 3, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H695 Association of University Business and Eco- However, in spite of all the many percent or even more, want to become nomic Research, National Asian Pacific good things there are about Puerto citizens. We certainly do not need to American Legal Consortium, Association of Rico and its people, I do not believe add a State where almost half of the Public Data Users, Americans for Demo- Puerto Rico should become a State at people do not want it. cratic Action, National Community Action Foundation, Asian Pacific American Labor this time. First and foremost to me, Puerto Rico should vote first. They Alliance, Consortium of Social Science Asso- the American people do not support can hold a referendum without our per- ciations, and AFL±CIO. this expansion. In every poll or survey, mission. The Congress should not take Labor Council for Latin American Ad- the people of my district hold opinions a vote that as a practical matter we vancement, Leadership Conference on Civil almost identical to the national aver- cannot get out of unless, and until we Rights, League of United Latin American age. I have not received even one phone have a truly fair, accurate assessment Citizens, Mexican American Legal Defense call, comment, letter or postcard in of how many Puerto Ricans really and Education Fund, NAACP, National favor of this from my district. Every want this. Council of La Raza, National Urban League, Organization of Chinese Americans, Teach- local contact has been against this. For all of these reasons, Mr. Speaker, ers of English to Speakers of Other Lan- This is very important to me. I believe we should maintain our guages, California Rural League Assistance, Second, according to the Congres- present friendly, close relationship and American Association of State Highway sional Research Service, Tennessee with Puerto Rico as a U.S. Territory. and Transportation Officials. would potentially be one of six or seven f States to lose a House Member if Puer- f PEACE CORPS DAY 1998 to Rico becomes a State. This would b 1245 not have much effect on me because The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of Jan- STATEHOOD FOR PUERTO RICO most of the growth in our State has been in and around Knoxville and uary 21, 1997, the gentleman from Cali- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Nashville, so my district will be about fornia (Mr. FARR) is recognized during SNOWBARGER). Under the Speaker's an- the same or even possibly shrink in morning hour debates for 5 minutes. nounced policy of January 21, 1997, the size for the foreseeable future. How- Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. DUN- ever, it would definitely hurt our State it has been 35 years since I joined the CAN) is recognized during morning hour if we lose the equivalent of 11 percent American Peace Corps, and I rise today debates for 5 minutes. of our House delegation. to celebrate this month and this very Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise Third, the GAO and others have esti- day, the 37th anniversary of the Peace today to speak on the question of mated this could cost American tax- Corps. whether Puerto Rico will become our payers $3 to 5 billion a year in added It was started on March 1, 1961, when 51st State. Last year I was the only costs to the Federal Government. We President Kennedy signed legislation member of the Committee on Re- are not in nearly as strong a shape eco- passed by this Congress creating the sources who voted against this bill on nomically as some people think with Peace Corps. the final committee vote. I did not the stock market at record levels. Also Today there are more than 150,000 re- speak against this bill at the time or in about 8 to 10 years when the baby- turned volunteers in the United States, try to get anyone else to vote against boomers begin retiring, we are about to five of whom serve in the House of Rep- it, primarily due to my great respect face some of the greatest costs we have resentatives and two in the United for and friendship with Chairman ever seen in the history of this coun- States Senate. Young, the primary sponsor. Chairman try. With national debt of $5.5 trillion Today, because of the anniversary of Young and I agree on almost all issues, right now and a debt almost quadruple the Peace Corps, there are more than particularly on the need to open up a that when you figure in future pension 6,000 returned volunteers that are pres- very small portion of Alaska to further liabilities, we really cannot afford to ently, as I speak, working in schools oil production. do this until Puerto Rico strengthens throughout the United States to bring After I cast this lone dissenting vote, its economy significantly. a program called World Wise Schools. I was asked to visit Puerto Rico by its Fourth, when I went to Israel 3 or 4 They bring the cross-cultural aware- government and some of its leading years ago, our group met, among many ness of these countries that they citizens, and in an attempt to be as fair others, with the woman who headed served in to the school children of as possible, I went there for a weekend Israeli immigration. She told us they America. visit 8 or 9 months ago. While there, I gave all immigrants to Israel up to 2 I just participated in a program like met some of the nicest people I have years of intensive language training if that downtown at the Peace Corps met anyplace in this world. I was they needed it because Israel felt that headquarters, where we had life inter- greatly impressed with the beauty of it was very important to have a com- action with students from South Afri- the island and the great progress that mon, unifying national language. ca, that was being taught by an Amer- is being made toward freedom and a It is fine with me if everyone in this ican Peace Corps volunteer from Wash- strong economy and away from the country learns Spanish or some other ington, D.C. shackles of socialism. second language, but I think all U.S. Today there are 84 countries in the I was impressed with the close ties citizens need to be truly, honestly flu- world that have invited the Peace and favorable feelings most Puerto ent in English. We need a unifying na- Corps to be in them. There are 6,500 Ricans have with and for the United tional language. Look at the problems volunteers that are now serving over- States. I was told that Puerto Rico had Canada has now with many in French- seas. They are addressing the critical sent more soldiers and sailors to the speaking Quebec wanting to split Can- development needs on a person-to-per- U.S. military than any other State per ada in the middle. English is and son basis, helping spread and gain ac- capita, and I really appreciate this. should be our national language, even cess to clean water; to grow more food; I had never thought much about this if some do not like it. to help prevent the spread of AIDS; to before I went there, but Puerto Rico is I am told that a little over 20 percent teach English, math and science; to closer to Washington, D.C., and the of the people in Puerto Rico are fluent help entrepreneurs start new busi- Southeastern United States than are in English. I believe Puerto Rico nesses; and to work with nongovern- some of our Western States. I believe should greatly emphasize the English mental organizations to protect our en- that Puerto Rico is fast on its way to language training if they want to be- vironment. becoming an island paradise. Some of come a part of our Union. In fact, the demand for Peace Corps it already is. Fifth and finally, some say only a lit- far exceeds the supply. For my conserv- Puerto Rico has a great future, if it tle over half of Puerto Ricans want to ative friends on the other side of the continues moving even further toward become a State of the United States if aisle, I wanted you to recall that the a free market economy and lower they are given a truly free choice with President has asked for expansion of taxes. The island is in a strategic loca- fair definitions. I do not believe we the Peace Corps in his address to the tion and could be a valuable asset to us should add any State unless an ex- Congress here just last month. In his militarily. tremely high percentage, at least 75 1999 budget request, he wants to put H696 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE March 3, 1998 10,000 volunteers, up about 35,000 more Currier. However, before Martha and time, Garner spent a lot of his time volunteers, serving overseas by the Garner had a chance to begin raising a taking care of the direct needs and con- year 2000. The demand for their service family, World War II pulled Garner cerns of his constituents back in Kan- is there, the supply is not, and the only away from home for 3 years. He en- sas. As a senior member of the power- thing that stands between that is the listed in the Navy, but after only 10 ful House Appropriations Committee, United States Congress and its ability months he received a commission as Garner was in a unique position to pro- to appropriate the funds.