September 26, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E1827 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HYDRO RELICENSING IN NEED OF natural phenomenon. At all times, FEMA pro- TRIBUTE TO SWADESH REFORM vided local officials, South Florida Congres- CHATTERJEE sional offices, and residents with information HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS about the services it provides before and after HON. DAVID E. PRICE OF NEW YORK the natural disaster. OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES South Florida was harshly hit by Hurricane IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Saturday, September 26, 1998 Georges, although thankfully, not as severely Saturday, September 26, 1998 as many had predicted. Throughout FEMA Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, acted in a professional manner providing the Subcommittee on Energy and Power held an I want to offer my congratulations to a re- residents of South Florida an opportunity to oversight hearing on the relicensing process spected citizen of my district and a national for the Nation's hydroelectric projects. This is observe their tax dollars at work. leader of the Indian-American community, an important energy issue. Hydroelectric gen- I extend my appreciation to FEMA director, Swadesh Chatterjee, on his election to the eration is the third largest source of U.S. elec- James Lee Witt, and his staff for their magnifi- presidency of one of the oldest and best- tric generation. And it accounts for about 96 cent work in helping my community prepare known Indian-American organizations in the percent of U.S. renewable energy generation. for this disaster. nation, the Indian American Forum for Political While the time remaining in this session will Education. A recent gathering of more than not permit us to address any kind of meaning- f 500 members of IAFPE unanimously elected ful reform in the relicensing process, it is clear Mr. Chatterjee. There could be no stronger ad- from yesterday's hearing that this should be a WHAT IS A FLAG? vocate for the American-Indian community nor top priority in the 106th Congress. a more adept leader than Swadesh Chatterjee Currently relicense applications make up the to guide the IAFPE into the next century, and bulk of the Federal Energy Regulatory Com- HON. JAY W. JOHNSON we are proud that he calls North Carolina mission's licensing workload. The Commis- home. OF WISCONSIN sion's work, in this area, has been hampered Since his immigration to America from Cal- by the complex nature of the relicensing proc- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cutta, India in 1980, Swadesh Chatterjee has ess. A number of parties are involved; the been a leader in North Carolina's business Saturday, September 26, 1998 gamut of Federal laws governing the process community. Swadesh began as the plant man- often have very different and contradictory Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I ager of Brandt Instruments, a manufacturer of goals; and we also discovered that there are would like to enter into the RECORD the follow- process control instrumentation located in the disputes between the authority retained by ing essay by Peter Hagen, a seventh-grade Raleigh-Durham area. He was quickly pro- State resource agencies and the Commission. student from Appleton, Wisconsin. Peter's moted to Executive Vice President, then to the The multiple layers involved in the relicens- essay is entitled ``What is a Flag?,'' and took position of President, where he has served for ing process has imposed regulatory require- first place at the Appleton Flag Day essay the past five years. Under his guidance, ments and costs that threaten to undermine contest. His words demonstrate how our flag Brandt Instruments's operating profits have the Nation's hydropower system. New York grown 170% in the last three years. touches each of us in an emotional, personal City greatly benefits from the inexpensive hy- Swadesh Chatterjee has been an important way. Peter understands the respect our flag dropower generated by the Niagara Falls leader of the growing Indian-American com- deserves, and it is an honor for me to share through New York utilities like, the New York munity in North Carolina. This community is his moving essay with the rest of America. Power Authority and Consolidated Edison. noteworthy for the many accomplished profes- Given the need to relicense over 65 percent of What is a flag? sionals and business people it contains, for its the Nation's hydro electric capacity in the next strong emphasis on education, family life, and 15 years, we must seriously consider estab- Some say it's just a piece of cloth. Others the preservation of cultural traditions, and for lishing a more reasonable regulatory process. may say that it's just fancy toilet paper. its contributions to the wider community. I would urge my colleagues to make reform But what does it stand for? Swadesh Chatterjee is proud of this commu- of the hydro relicensing process a top priority nity, as they are of him, and we are all de- It is a representative of our country, just in the next Congress. We can ill-afford to lose as much a representative as the President. lighted that his leadership will now be ex- the benefits of our Nation's most reliable and Our country is a large number of citizens tended nationwide. I am honored to represent environmentally sound renewable energy united under the government, the values of Swadesh Chatterjee and his family and to source. I look forward to addressing this im- this country, and the flag. This country was know him as a friend, and I am pleased to portant energy issue next year. formed and received its values and freedoms commend his leadership and his achieve- f through the individual sacrifices of many ments before my colleagues in the House different men and women. Some may have today. SOUTH FLORIDA APPRECIATES given their sacrifice through the system of f FEMA'S HELP IN PREPARING indentured servants. Some may have come FOR HURRICANE GEORGES as penniless immigrants, coming to look for PERSONAL EXPLANATION a better life. Some have even given their lives in defense of this country and what it HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN stands for. HON. DEBORAH PRYCE OF FLORIDA OF OHIO IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Yes, but what does this all tell me about my IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES flag? Saturday, September 26, 1998 Saturday, September 26, 1998 Our flag is the same flag that Francis Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, South Scott Key wrote about in his famous an- Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, during Florida owes a debt of gratitude to the Federal them. Our flag is the same flag that Betsy the week of September 21, 1998, I was ab- Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Ross gave so much time and effort to make. sent due to an illness in my family. I received its exceptional performance in helping our Our flag is the same flag that has crossed an official leave of absence from the Majority communities prepare for Hurricane Georges. oceans and deserts, mountains and plains, Leader in this regard. In the hours before the hurricane struck, country after country, making sure that the However, had I been present, I would have FEMA played a critical role in helping the local oppressed are freed. voted in the following manner on the following counties make preparations for this dangerous This is what the flag means to me. legislation: · 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. E1828 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks September 26, 1998 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1998 H.R. 4579ÐTaxpayer Relier Act of 1998: Throughout its history, and as a result of its H. Res. 545Ðimpeaching Kenneth W. Starr, On agreeing to the Rangel Amendment many fundraising efforts, the Club has been a an independent counsel of the United States (Roll Call No. 468): NAY. significant contributor to Massachusetts Eye appointed pursuant to 28 United States Code On passage (Roll Call No. 469): AYE. Research to aid in its fight to prevent blind- section 593(b), of high crimes and mis- f ness. The Club has also been a long-standing demeanors, motion to table the measure (Roll contributor to the Attleboro Scholarship Foun- RECIPROCAL TRADE AGREEMENT Call No. 453): AYE. dation, which provides funds to Attleboro stu- AUTHORITIES ACT OF 1997 H. Res. 144Ðto express support for the bi- dents who are pursuing higher education. centennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition SPEECH OF Since 1948, the Attleboro Lions Club has con- (Roll Call No. 454): AYE. tributed approximately $104,000 to this worthy H. Res. 505Ðexpressing the sense of the HON. GLENN POSHARD cause. Other organizations Attleboro that have House of Representatives with respect to the OF ILLINOIS received funds from the Club over the last few importance of diplomatic relations with the Pa- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES years include the YMCA, the Literacy Center, cific Island nations (Roll Call No. 455): AYE. Friday, September 25, 1998 the Audubon Society, Balfour Riverwalk H. Con. Res. 315Ðexpressing the sense of Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Project, the Guide Dog Foundation, the Ten the Congress condemning the atrocities by the opportunity to comment on the House's Mile River Watershed Alliance and Big Broth- Serbian police and military forces against Al- consideration of Fast-Track trade authority ers, Big Sisters. The Club also hosts an an- banians in Kosova and urging that blocked as- today.