[Pages H9597-H9625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4194, DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
ACT, 1999

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I
call up House Resolution 574 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

H. Res. 574

Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be
in order to consider the conference report to accompany the
bill (H.R. 4194) making appropriations for the Departments of
Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and for
sundry independent agencies, boards, commissions,
corporations, and offices for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 1999, and for other purposes. All points of
order against the conference report and against its
consideration are waived. The conference report shall be
considered as read.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Upton). The gentleman from California
(Mr. Dreier) is recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to my very dear friend from South Boston,
Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley), pending which I yield myself such time as
I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time
yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
(Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks and include extraneous material.)
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, this rule waives points of order against the
conference report to accompany H.R. 4194, the VA, HUD and independent
agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 1999. A key element of
this rule is that it permits the inclusion in the conference report of
the public housing reform bill that the House passed last year with
substantial bipartisan support. That legislation will provide more
flexibility for local housing authorities and greater housing
opportunities for the working poor. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the
chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing, the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Lazio), for his successful efforts in moving this good government
reform bill forward.
I would also note that the conference report provides nearly three-
quarters of a billion dollars more than the President requested for
various veterans assistance programs such as medical care and research,
and at this point, Mr. Speaker, having said that, I am going to move
into a very, very important issue here, and I am going to take time and
encourage my colleagues to join me as we pay tribute to the guy who has
done more than almost anyone for veterans in those areas of medical
care and research, and I am referring of course to my great pal from
Glens Falls, New York, the distinguished chairman who will be retiring:
Jerry Solomon.
Nobody has worked as aggressively and as tirelessly on behalf of our
nation's veterans and for all those programs that benefit them than
Jerry Solomon.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon),
as I said, will retire this year after two long decades of very
distinguished service here in the House of Representatives. During the
last 8 years he served as the top Republican on the House Committee on
Rules, and during the last 4, as we all know, and especially the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) knows this, Jerry Solomon
has served as chairman of the committee. I know I speak for many of his
colleagues in Congress, his constituents in the Adirondacks and other
parts of New York, our men and women in uniform and the millions of
veterans who bravely serve their country when I say that we will all
miss the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon).
Jerry was first elected to Congress as part of the very distinguished
class of 1978, which includes, of course the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Gingrich), my colleagues from California, Jerry Lewis and Bill
Thomas and a number of others. But the legacy he will leave behind is
as impressive as some who have served in this institution for
generations.
Inspired, as I was, by President Ronald Reagan, Jerry Solomon has
worked to strengthen the morale and preparedness of our military and to
make the government fiscally responsible by rooting out waste and
inefficiency. He is a principal author of the line item veto
legislation that was enacted in the Congress in 1996. He fought
tirelessly for the defense build up of the 1980s that led to the end of
the Cold War. At a time when the all volunteer Army is serving our
Nation well, Jerry reminds us every year of the pending dangers that
loom on the international horizon by his spirited advocacy of the
Selective Service program. His unquestioned patriotism and love of
country

[[Page H9598]]

have been a source of leadership and inspiration to those who have been
fortunate enough to spend their entire lives in a world free from
global conflict.
But if there is one legacy that Jerry Solomon can be most proud of
Mr. Speaker, it can be found in the veterans programs and their funding
levels contained in the appropriations bill that this rule makes in
order.
As a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, as my late father
was, he served during the Korean war and was a former Member of the
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. There, as I said, there was no
better advocate for our brave men and women who have made sacrifices
for our country and for the freedoms that we enjoy, and there is no one
more committed to the long-term success of our military. Serving with
Jerry Solomon on the Committee on Rules and on the front lines to
implement the policies of Ronald Reagan has been one of the most
rewarding experiences of my years here.
Mr. Speaker, I want to offer my very best wishes to Jerry and his
wonderful wife, Frieda, and their great family as he pursues what I am
sure will be another long and very distinguished career in the years
ahead.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I will urge adoption of this rule.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. MOAKLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, my dear friend from
California (Mr. Dreier), for yielding me the customary half hour, and,
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule, and I rise to pay
tribute to my dear friend and for a few weeks remaining my chairman,
Jerry Solomon. I think the VA, HUD and independent agencies rule is
really the perfect place to pay tribute to Jerry.
Mr. Speaker, during his 20 years in the Congress, Jerry Solomon has
been a tireless defender of the American veterans. Many fights up in
that Committee on Rules, I saw him put people in their place because
they did not feel that the veterans role was still important. He has
worked harder than just about anybody to make sure that the men and
women who gave themselves in defense of this country are treated with
the honor and gratitude that they deserve. And he is so proud of his
beloved Marine Corps that he still gets the Marine Corps hair cut, and
I do not think anything has touched him more than receiving the
Marine's Iron Mike award.
At a time when our national security is threatened by more regional
unrest and threats of terrorism than large global conflicts, many
people overlook the contributions made by America's fighting men and
women, but not Jerry Solomon. Jerry has been at the forefront of nearly
every debate on veterans' health, veterans' pensions, the POWs, the
MIAs and also defense spending. In fact he will find any way to sneak
his military service into about any conversation.
I have sat next to Jerry Solomon for many years, and I have to say
that I preferred having him on my right. But he has been a very
dedicated chairman, and, believe it or not, Mr. Speaker, he has even
granted a few open rules.
Alongside his favorite President, Ronald Reagan, Jerry fought the
spread of communists all over the world. From insisting on a balanced
budget to a shrinking Federal Government, Jerry has been a dedicated
soldier of the conservative movement.
As chairman of the Committee on Rules, Jerry filled those shoes as
well as anybody that handled that committee before him. He served with
distinction, and he has done his party a great service. It has been a
great pleasure for me to be working with Jerry. Even though our
ideologies are 180 degrees apart, we still have a fond friendship for
each other which shows that opposites really do attract.
But his district has been very fortunate to call him Representative,
and I have been fortunate to call him my friend.
So Jerry, semper fi.
I rise in support of this rule and congratulate my colleagues Jerry
Lewis from California and Louis Stokes from Ohio for their good work on
this bill.
Although at one point the VA/HUD conference report contained some
pretty awful Housing language, it has been removed and the bill is much
better for it.
This bill funds Americorps, boosts veterans medical programs, and
fully funds clean water action. It provides $3.7 billion for the
National Science Foundation which I completely support. In this high-
tech era we cannot devote too much time or energy to advancing
scientific research or training our children to take that research
over.
This bill provides housing for the elderly and the disadvantaged. It
fully funds section 8 and public housing modernization which I can say,
as a former resident of public housing, is tremendously important.
I urge my colleagues to support this rule and support this
conferences report.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Bakersfield, California (Mr. Thomas) with whom, as I mentioned in my
opening remarks, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) came to the
Congress.
(Mr. THOMAS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)

{time} 1030

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, apparently there is a long list of people
who want to get their licks in, so we apparently have only a brief
period of time.
The one thing that I enjoy almost as much as anything since I came to
Congress with Jerry was to indicate that he is leaving with my ability
to say Mr. Chairman. When we first came, we were not completely
believing that we would ever, ever be able to be in the majority. It
was a long difficult haul. But Jerry was key to making it happen.
There are a lot of people around here who hold a lot of opinions and
we never really know where they stand. Neither of those are a problem
with Jerry. He believes certain things. He believes them very strongly.
He will let us know exactly where he is on those issues. That means
that it is a joy to work with him--if we are on the same side. If we
are not, it is full combat. Since we are almost always on the same
side, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with him.
Just one short vignette to give my colleagues the feeling of how
wonderful it has been over these last 2 decades. We were freshmen, and
there were 35 of us meeting out at the Marriott for our orientation. I
came late actually. I replaced a Member who had died after the primary
in 1978.
On my left was Dan Lundgren as a freshman Member now running for
Governor of California. On my right was Jerry Solomon. Jerry leaned
over and talked to Dan and said, ``Dan, I really admire you. You ought
to run for freshman president.'' Dan felt pretty good, so he stood up
and said I am announcing for freshman president. I did not say anything
and moved to Jerry, and Jerry stood up and said ``I am announcing for
freshman president.''
With Jerry, we know exactly what we get; and the saddest thing of all
is we are not going to get him anymore.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. MOAKLEY. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, are there no Democrats on the other side who
want to talk either about this spectacular conference report or the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon)?
Mr. MOAKLEY. I do not think so.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman just spun around. I am sure
they will be breaking down the doors to come in here.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman
from Charlotte, North Carolina (Mrs. Myrick), a member from the
Committee on Rules and my friend.
Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I do rise today in honor of our chairman,
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), and to say that our
committee is a small one, but it is definitely dominated by the humor
and the kindness and actually the temper of our chairman.
There is no better place than today in VA-HUD to honor him, too,
because no one has worked harder for the veterans of this country than
Jerry has. I know New York State is going to name a veterans' cemetery
after him.

[[Page H9599]]

He is a true hero in the likes of Ronald Reagan whom I know very much
that Jerry totally supported and is very pleased to be cut out of that
same mold.
My first impression of the chairman was actually when I was here my
first year and in the leadership, and Mr. Solomon challenged somebody
to step outside. I thought, gee, that is really different. Fortunately,
I was never challenged myself personally to step outside, thank
goodness.
But his humor is interjected in everything we do, and we very much
appreciate that. Sometimes in serious moments in committee meetings or
leadership or other places, why, Jerry will come up with something that
just totally breaks the ice and makes everybody laugh.
One of those times was, very recently, we were discussing the very
serious problem of the year 2000 and what is going to happen to all of
our computers. Jerry sat down and was talking about it, and he said,
you know, that TY2 thing. Everybody just broke up, which I thought was
really great.
Anyway, we are going to truly miss him, and I want to say that he is
very much a great patriot of our country.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my dear friend, the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).
Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for many years, I used to go to lunch
in a little restaurant in Little Havana in that section of Miami. The
restaurant was called La Hacienda. It was near the courthouse. Other
assistant State attorneys would go to lunch there as well as public
defenders and police officers.
Very often, also having lunch at La Hacienda was an accountant and
businessman named Oliver Martinez. Now just imagine someone as pleasant
and charming as Jerry Solomon. It was impossible not to like Oliver,
and we became very good friends.
Oliver Martinez is a cousin by marriage to Jerry and to his lovely
wife Freda. Oliver would always say ``My cousin Jerry is a very
important Member of Congress.'' He would talk about how proud he was of
his cousin Jerry.
Well, years later, it was my privilege and my honor to be elected to
this Congress in this miracle of freedom and human dignity known as the
United States of America, and I met Oliver Martinez's cousin Jerry. I
learned that, indeed, he was an important Member of Congress. I also
learned that he was much more than that.
Jerry Solomon is the personification of what is greatest about
America. If one had to use only one word to describe Jerry Solomon, and
many other words accurately describe him, such as integrity and
patriotism and decency and talent and loyalty and friendship and
courage and energy, but if I had to use one word with which to describe
Jerry Solomon, I could do it. That word is character.
When you are able to spend 4 years working in the Committee on Rules
day in and day out under the leadership of Jerry Solomon, Mr. Speaker,
you understand what the word character is all about. You also learn
what hard work means in the context of teamwork.
It has been my immense privilege to become a friend of this
extraordinary American patriot, an extraordinary American patriot
devoted to his family and to his colleagues, generous in spirit,
gracious to all, but unyielding in his defense of America, its people,
and their freedom.
I will truly miss his daily counsel and guidance. I will never be
able to fully reciprocate his graciousness. To my leader and chairman
and to Freda and the entire family, may you enjoy many, many more years
of health and happiness, and may God's grace be forever with you.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, when my dear friend the gentleman from California (Mr.
Dreier) asked me if I had any speakers, the reason there are no people,
we have a very important Democratic caucus going on right now. I know
there would be teams and teams of Democrats ready and willing to say
something nice about Jerry, but they are tied up in a very important
caucus
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. MOAKLEY. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, tell them to cancel that meeting and get
over here.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Maybe if Jerry would change the rule to increase the
time.
Mr. DREIER. Where are your priorities?
Mr. Speaker, I yield a minute and a half to the very distinguished
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), our majority leader.
Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Dreier) for yielding. And certainly the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Moakley) is correct, we have no doubt about it, if, in fact, the
democratic Members of the House of Representatives did not, in fact,
have things far more pressing to do they would be here, Jerry, in large
numbers to celebrate your leaving. I would say to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley), we understand that and we appreciate it;
there is no doubt about it.
Jerry Solomon is one of the fortunate ones. Those of us that have the
great privilege of coming to Washington and working on behalf of our
friends and neighbors back home also often come to the House of
Representatives as our first stop, and those of us that I think that
are fortunate enough to perceive early that the House of
Representatives is a unique place in the history of the world, I think
of it as the most unique institution of freedom in the history of the
world, soon fall in love with this institution. I think Jerry Solomon
has clearly done that, and I tell people often, and I think, Jerry,
you, must, too, say I love the House of Representatives; I love its
procedures; I love its camaraderie. I even like some of the partisan
fights we have here because we are all working here in this House for
things in which we invest so much of our life's heartfelt belief, and
Jerry has done that.
He is an intense man. He is a colorful man. He is a funny man on
occasion. On occasion, he is an angry man. He can be a stubborn man,
but he is also a joyful man.
Jerry, congratulations to you to have come to this town to begin your
service in Washington. To spend your time in this wonderful place,
until your retirement, I think is an extraordinary privilege.
I laugh when I think back. I am sure it was for you, Jerry, like it
was for me and for all of us when we first came to town, we were the
new kids on the block. There was not a lot of fanfare. There was not a
great deal of notice and, to a large extent, when in fact we were
noticed at all it was only to ask, who is that guy?
Then we worked and we did our job and we made our associations and we
made our mark and we tried this legislation and we tried that
legislation. We fought against legislation. We worked with our
colleagues. We invited them outside. We even talked about horse
whipping on occasion.
After all of these years, to look back, Jerry, on that anonymity,
where you must have felt like all of us do, a little insecure, a little
worried, will I fit in here, to think that now after all of these years
you are retiring, the amount of time and attention that goes to the
celebration of your retirement, what a mark you have made. People that
hardly noticed you when you came here have their hearts filled with joy
that you are leaving.
There can be no doubt, there can be no doubt, that Jerry Solomon will
be a memory to those of us who have had the privilege of serving with
you, Jerry, and you will be a part of these halls forever and ever, as
I hope we will all have a chance to earn; just a little bit of a time
where our ghost might be welcome back here. Sometime way off into the
future when there is a heated debate on this floor, in the middle of
that debate we will all hear a voice come out, ringing through the
floor, saying, ``step outside.'' I look forward to seeing the
wonderment on the faces of the Members as they ask, who was that guy?
Where did it come from? But we will know.
Thank you, Jerry, for the privilege of being a colleague.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, having spent more time in the woodshed than
probably any of my colleagues, thanks to the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Solomon), I know the feeling that was just mentioned by the
distinguished majority leader.

[[Page H9600]]

Mr. Speaker, I yield a minute and a half to the gentleman from
Lincoln, Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), a classmate of the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Solomon).
(Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, as a classmate, as a friend, as a long-
term colleague of the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr.
Solomon), I am pleased to say a few words about him. There is much that
could be said about his many very positive contributions to this
Congress and to the governance of this Nation.
Our colleague from New York and I have worked together on so many
issues. Of course, we have had our policy disagreements from time to
time but they are few. Our wives also have become very good friends.
Sweet, long-suffering, patient Freda and my wife Louise, are good
friends, and Jerry Solomon since you are a marine, and I dare not say
former marine, in addition to his public service, after retirement from
the House, can now devote more attention to trying to bring to order
that moving mountain he calls his dog before it chews up all of his
wife's carpets and tears up the entire lawn.
Quite seriously I would like to focus on just one aspect of this
gentleman's very distinguished service and that is his service and
contributions in the North Atlantic Assembly and his focus on NATO
issues. Jerry Solomon has served as a House delegate to the North
Atlantic Assembly since 1982 and he has served there for us with great
distinction. He is currently one of the two longest serving members of
the House delegation. In that capacity, he served with distinction as
the chairman of one of the five committees there, the Political
Committee, for the entire maximum length of time for that position. He
currently is the North American vice president for the North Atlantic
Assembly.
That parliamentary group of NATO countries has had a dramatic effect,
I might say, in helping the delegates of the countries of the former
Warsaw Pact to understand their parliamentary role in a functioning
democracy. Additional, Representative Solomon, among other things, has
been in the leadership of that NAA effort to help our colleagues from
the associated member nations of Eastern and Central Europe.
I also would say that the time he spent here in this House preparing
the entire Congress, including our Senate colleagues, for the upcoming
vote on NATO expansion, and his strong, and I think correct views, on
the necessity of NATO expansion, were a major contribution to the
success of the recent enlargement round for NATO and for the
enlargement rounds yet to come.
Beyond that, our distinguished colleague from New York (Mr. Solomon)
has focused necessary congressional attention on the nations of the
Caucasus region and on the Central Asian republics and for that we are
very grateful and benefitted as Americans. So, Jerry Solomon, my
colleague, friend, and classmate of 20 years, I say for the American
delegates to the World Atlantic Assembly and for so many of us in this
Congress, well done. We do not expect you have completed your public
service but this part of your career is approaching an end and we thank
you.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Hall), a dear friend, a man who served with Jerry on the
Committee on Rules for many years.
Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) for introducing me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my friend and colleague from the
Committee on Rules, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon). He is a
very distinguished chairman of the Committee on Rules, who will be
retiring at the end of this Congress and we will miss him.

{time} 1045

Being chairman of the Committee on Rules is a difficult job. It is by
design one of the most partisan positions in the House, yet the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) has succeeded in winning the
respect of committee members on both sides of the aisle. Being in the
minority sometimes is not a lot of fun, and oftentimes when we get run
over by Jerry he does do it with style, I will say that.
Despite the strong differences of opinion in the Committee on Rules,
he has maintained an atmosphere of collegiality that is too rare in the
House these days. Jerry and I both share a passion for people that are
hurting and certainly for reducing the suffering of oppressed people
the world over, and he has been very generous with me in support of my
efforts to aid the victims of dictators and totalitarian regimes, and I
thank him for that.
Jerry is a man of sincerity and integrity. He is committed to his
causes. He is one of the giants in the House, and his expertise, drive,
and dedication have been an enormous influence in shaping the
legislation that has passed through here.
Good luck, Jerry. We will miss you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my
friend from Metairie, Louisiana (Mr. Livingston), the very
distinguished chairman of the Committee on Appropriations.
(Mr. LIVINGSTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, to my friend Jerry Solomon, let me say
that our friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall) just said being in
the minority is not very fun. We know that, but we also know that being
in the majority is fun. And my colleagues on the other side of the
aisle knew it for so long: 40 years. We had an opportunity, and it has
been a wonderful opportunity for me, to share that change of life from
minority to majority with my friend, a former Marine and longtime
Congressman, the Chairman of the Committee on Rules, and a public
servant par excellence, Jerry Solomon.
He is a great American. He is a patriot. He is a man who means what
he says and says what he means. If you do not like it, he will step
outside with you. The fact is, though, that everyone respects him.
People always wonder when Members retire about who will be missed and
who won't be. I happen to think that he will be one of the most missed
Members. He is one of the most colorful, one of the most dedicated, and
one of the most hard-working. The Washingtonian magazine did say he was
one of the most hard-working, and I think it was on the money there.
I am going to miss that big file folder with ``Solomon'' written on
it being carried to and fro. I am going to miss our conversations about
the dairy farmers, and I know that as soon as that subject comes up
next year I will be hearing from him. But we want to wish you and
Freda, bon voyage.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
to say that I know that Jerry is listening to all of these accolades,
and I know last week some people had some nice things to say about him.
They were talking about how warm Jerry Solomon was, what a warm fellow
he was, so Jerry went back and looked up ``warm'' in the dictionary. It
says, ``not so hot.'' Only kidding, Jerry.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Gilman), my dear friend, just to show how bipartisan this is, the
chairman of the Committee on International Relations.
(Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, along with my colleagues from the State of
New York and throughout the Congress, we find it hard to believe that
our distinguished colleague, the chairman of the Committee on Rules, is
not going to be with us following adjournment of this session.
As senior Republican of the New York Congressional Delegation, I
express my regrets on behalf of our entire delegation that our dear
colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) has chosen to step
down after 20 years of distinguished service in this body.
I came to know and admire Jerry soon after he came to Congress in
1978. His experience as a Marine, as a town supervisor, a county
legislator and member of the New York State Assembly, as well as his
experience in the insurance business, brought to this Chamber an
outstanding combination of experience, balance, public service, and
most of all, common sense. Jerry's ability to forcibly, and I
underscore

[[Page H9601]]

forcibly, articulate an issue, his energy and, most importantly, his
integrity, personified the Congress to many of us.
Jerry, like myself, is a graduate of the New York State Assembly, a
superb training ground for legislators, and he worked well there. Jerry
acquitted himself meritoriously in that body, his constituents having
promoted him to the Congress and keeping him here for some 20 years. I
especially appreciate Jerry's leadership role in helping to champion
our cause of POWs and MIAs in Southeast Asia, one of our major
priorities.
It is well-known that Jerry has had a deep interest in foreign policy
and was a strong defender of our United States national security
interests. Thus, it was no surprise when he joined us on the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs in the 98th Congress in 1983, and I was
privileged to serve with him on the Subcommittee on Asia and the
Pacific under the tutelage of our Ranking Republican, Joel Pritchard of
Washington. That was the only Congress during which we served together
on a subcommittee.
Jerry went on to become the Ranking Republican on the Subcommittee on
International Operations and Human Rights in the 99th Congress. Even
after leaving our committee in 1989 and joining the Committee on Rules,
Jerry has continued his strong interest on issues that affect U.S.
economic and national security interests. Jerry has been a battler for
human rights and against oppression wherever it has reared its ugly
head in the world.
My nickname for Jerry is ``the battler,'' because he battles so
ardently for his views, but he also enjoys a well deserved reputation
for always being willing to listen to the other side.
The job of chairman of the Committee on Rules, a chief legislative
traffic cop for this institution, is not an easy task, and Jerry has
met those challenges in balancing the many diverse views that have come
his way, like so many cars at a busy intersection during rush hour,
with aplomb, fairness to all, and good humor, and with his good
partner, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley).
Jerry has also been a true and loyal friend of the veteran. His
support for their well-being has made him one of the most beloved of
all of our colleagues to them. It was of great comfort to our entire
New York Delegation to know that Jerry was there to help when it was
learned that the VA was shortchanging our New York veterans' hospitals.
In other areas, especially the efforts to prohibit the desecration of
our flag, as well as to bring jobs to New York with a good working
wage, Jerry has been a dedicated foot soldier.
So in closing, let me say that when Jerry leaves us, I, regrettably,
will be the only committee chairman left in our New York Delegation.
Jerry's sage advice and friendship is going to be missed by all. To
Jerry, to Freda, to their 5 children, I extend my best wishes for their
health and happiness in the days ahead and remind them that they will
always be welcome and always have a home here in the Congress.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my very good
friend, the gentleman from Atlanta, Georgia (Mr. Linder), a valued
member of the Committee on Rules.
Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, it is a treat for me to be able to be here
on this Tribute to Jerry Solomon Day.
About 3 years ago a huge battle over an amendment broke out on the
floor of this House and it created quite a stir, and people came
running to the floor of the House to see what the problem was, and I
figured and discovered that Jerry Solomon was right in the middle of
it. A senior leadership aide, those are the ones who are quoted more
often in Roll Call than leadership, a senior leadership aide walked
over to me and said, what is Jerry doing? I said, you need to
understand something. Jerry is a Marine, and he is going to take that
hill whether you like it or not.
He has been since he was a Marine a public servant, both to his
neighborhood and his community, his State and his Nation. And he has
been an inspiration to all of us.
I have been privileged for 4 years to serve on the Committee on Rules
with him, and he is a fighter, but a fair fighter. Always insisting
that the minority have an opportunity to be heard too, always insisting
that all sides of an important issue get aired on this floor in terms
of an amendment or an opportunity for debate.
I do not know that I have ever seen anyone enter into more fights and
scraps and battles than the chairman of the Committee on Rules, but I
do not believe he ever has left behind an enemy. Adversaries, yes;
enemies, no. This is a great tribute to a public man, and I am honored
to have served with him.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. McNulty), who is a fellow New Yorker with the person we are
honoring here today.
Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for
yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, when I get up in the morning, the first 2 things I do
are to thank God for my life and thank veterans for my way of life,
because if it had not been for the men and women who wore the uniform
of the United States military through the years, I would not have the
privilege as a citizen of the United States of America of going around
bragging about how we live in the freest and most open democracy on the
face of the earth. Freedom is not free. We have paid a tremendous price
for it.
I shall always be grateful to those who, like my brother, Bill, made
the supreme sacrifice, and to people like that man right there, Jerry
Solomon, who served with distinction in the United States military and
then came back to our home region in upstate New York, was a successful
businessman, but more importantly in my eyes, who entered a career in
public service. From the local government roles to his national role
today, he has rendered such outstanding service.
I have been in the United States Congress for half of Jerry Solomon's
tenure, and what a privilege it has been, Jerry, over these past 10
years to serve with you, as a team, because together we have
accomplished a great deal for the capital region of the State of New
York, and I will not go into those items right now. But one day on the
steps, I think I was in my first or second term, we were having
pictures taken with our respective constituents and Jerry grabbed me
and asked the photographer to take a picture of the 2 of us. He later
inscribed that photo and sent it over to my office and it is on my
office wall today and it will stay there, and it says, ``Mike, thank
you for being part of the 1-2 punch for the capital region of New
York.'' Let me acknowledge, there was never any doubt about who was
number 1 and who was number 2.
But I want to say to my friend, Jerry, what a great honor it was, and
it has been, to be number 2 on that team with you. And today I want to
look you in the eye and say thank you for your service to our country,
number 1, for the tremendous service you gave to your constituents
throughout your long and distinguished career; and most importantly,
thank you for what you gave to me. You have been a true and loyal
friend, and while you are leaving here, and I regret that deeply, the
one thing I take comfort in knowing is that that wonderful friendship
will continue.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the
gentleman from Redlands, California (Mr. Lewis), my very good friend,
and the man who will be managing the conference report when we finally
get to that point.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate my
colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) yielding me this
time.
I simply wanted to rise to let the House try to remember the good old
days of the House of Representatives. It was just after the election of
1978 that the real bomb-throwers came to the Congress. I mean there
were the likes of Newt Gingrich, Jerry Lewis, Jerry Solomon. I remember
saying to Jerry one time, I do not sell life insurance, I help people
buy it. We were the only 2 insurance agents in our class. He said, my,
God, I wish I had thought about that.

{time} 1100

Jerry kids me a lot about the fact that he has mellowed over the
years. Many of us, Jerry, have mellowed. But also in this business,
while we come

[[Page H9602]]

with preestablished notions about the way the world should work in the
toughest business in public affairs, you do not understand that working
with other people and recognizing that most issues have little to do
with partisanship, per se, compromises, the way you move towards your
objective in terms of the future of the country, not a Member in the
House has done more of that kind of growing than Jerry Solomon.
He has made a tremendous contribution to the House. He has told us
all time and time again that we can work together if we will. And while
he pounds his hand on the table, at the same time with a soft velvet
glove he gets an awful lot of work done that very few people will
understand.
His district will have great difficulty ever replacing the quality
and mix that has been Jerry Solomon in this House. I am proud to be his
friend.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Stokes), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on VA, HUD and
Independent Agencies Appropriations, who is also retiring, my dear
friend.
(Mr. STOKES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Moakley), for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with the remarks of my other
colleagues and the tributes paid here today to chairman of the
Committee on Rules, Jerry Solomon. As a Member of the Subcommittee on
VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations, I can personally
attest to the great respect that I have for the gentleman from New York
and the manner in which he has represented the citizens the New York
and the veterans of this country.
All of us on that subcommittee became used to Jerry monitoring
everything we did for veterans. We also knew that if we did not do what
he felt should be done in any particular bill, that we would hear from
him either when we went before the Committee on Rules or on the floor
of this House.
I had the opportunity to appear before Jerry Solomon on several
occasions when I chaired the VA-HUD Subcommittee on Appropriations. I
have also appeared before him on numerous occasions as the ranking
member of the subcommittee. I have to say that I did not always get
what I wanted from him, but I was always accorded a full hearing and a
patient understanding of my concerns. Jerry was always courteous and
considerate.
I have always enjoyed watching Jerry in action on the floor. He is
animated, passionate, and a real showman. No matter how much one may
disagree with him, you must also always admire him.
All of us, also, Jerry, admire your fierce patriotism and your love
of this country. You have had a great career in the House. You have
been a credit to this institution and to our Nation. As we both end our
careers here at the end of this term, I just want you to know that it
has indeed been a great honor for me to have served with you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade) the distinguished chairman of
the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, who also is joining
that very distinguished group with Mr. Solomon and will be,
unfortunately, retiring at the end of this term.
(Mr. McDade asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. McDADE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from
California (Mr. Dreier), the able gentleman and next chairman of the
Committee on Rules for yielding me this time. I am grateful for the
opportunity to join in this tribute to the distinguished gentleman from
New York, my good friend, Jerry Solomon, chairman of the Committee on
Rules.
Jerry Solomon showed himself to be a patriotic champion for
conservative causes as well as a masterful legislator. He has done
yeoman's work. We have all benefited from the ``wisdom of Solomon,''
and so has the Nation. As the Marine, Semper Fi became more than a
model for Jerry Solomon. It is his creed. He is genuinely always
faithful, and it is part of what makes the gentleman from New York such
a tenacious advocate for our Nation's citizens, veterans, workers, GIs
and the list goes on and on.
Throughout his career, the gentleman from New York has worked to
protect our Nation's proud ensign and promote the fiscal prudence that
has led to the elimination of the deficit.
Mr. Speaker, I know that Jerry is not going to retire, so I will not
use that word. He is much too active to do what retirement often means
to people. And I wish to you and your wife, Freda, much success and
happiness in your new life.
I was looking forward, Jerry, to perhaps playing a game of golf with
you. I thought maybe he does not golf. Maybe we could go fishing. I
found out that Jerry does not fish much. What Jerry did is work, work
with that huge envelope of material in front of him. You have been a
great, great credit to the House, and we appreciate it.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Pasco, Washington (Mr. Hastings), a very valued member of the Committee
on Rules and my good friend.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
California (Mr. Dreier) for yielding me this time. It is my pleasure to
be here to pay tribute to the chairman of the Committee on Rules, the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon).
Mr. Speaker, I have been using this first time on the committee to
observe how really a master runs a very political committee, and I
think the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) has done a remarkable
job.
I first was aware of Jerry Solomon when I ran for office in 1994. I
think on a weekly basis I would get faxes from his campaign office on
various issues that Jerry Solomon felt very strongly about. I have to
say, I agreed with a vast majority of what he said, which I think is a
compliment to him. There are some things I disagreed on. But there was
one thing that came to my mind about Jerry Solomon and that is this: He
is very, very opinionated in his positions, as people have mentioned
before, and yet here he is a chairman of a committee that is probably
the most political committee in the Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I think the way that the gentleman has chaired that
committee over the 2 years that I have been on it, and the 2 years
prior to that time, has been very commendable. Probably the greatest
measure of how well he has carried that out is that everybody on both
sides, we hear today on the Democrat side, on the Republican side, that
the gentleman has been very, very fair in carrying out his duties as
chairman of that committee. That is probably the best measure of
success.
One last question I would like to ask. What really is in that folder
that you carry around?
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I can recall being at a committee hearing when Jerry was
presiding and after we recessed, an elderly gentleman came up and said,
``Mr. Solomon, I have been watching the way you move here in the Rules
Committee.'' He said, ``could you give me a copy of the rules by which
you run the committee?'' Jerry took out a picture and just autographed
it and said, ``Here it is.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs.
Meek).
Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say to Jerry, I really hate to see
you leave. I seem to have a strong affinity with the older yet really
good men in the Congress, Jerry.
Everyone keeps addressing Jerry as a New Yorker. But many should know
that he is also a Floridian. And he is sort of a little enigmatic to me
at times in that he always tells me, ``Carrie, you get exactly what you
want when you come before the Committee on Rules.'' But you know what,
I do not. But I do not feel badly about it because Jerry has a way of
turning you down with a smile. He shows no animosity. He shows no
partisanship. He just tells you ``no'' when he does not agree with you.
I appreciate that about you, Jerry.
I think you can be identified with several identifiers as I see you.
Number

[[Page H9603]]

one, you are very tenacious. There is a bulldog in him and he does not
give up very easily. He makes his point on issues that are important to
him. He smiles, he listens, but he never agrees, but he is fair.
He is determined to represent the best in this Congress, and that is
fairness. And even in his conservative nature, he is able many times to
express issues from both sides of the point.
I like Jerry also because he loves his wife. Some never mention their
significant others in this Congress, but Jerry does. He talks about his
wife. He talks about his family. He believes in the things that he
comes to this well and purports to be.
I like him because he is a clever strategist, a good politician, but
he is not hypocritical. That is, he espouses his point of view, and, of
course, he is able to do that in a very, very intelligent manner. He is
funny. He is honest.
Jerry, I want to thank you for your dedication to the veterans of
this country and the way you have expressed your concerns before this
Congress. We are going to miss you, Jerry. Thanks for serving with us
this time.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Wood Dale, Illinois (Mr. Hyde), my very, very dear friend, the
distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, which has
gotten a little attention in the last 24 hours or so.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, saying good-bye is one of life's least
pleasant tasks, especially when it is people you love, people you have
grown to respect and count on. This year, and at the end of every
Congress, we say good-bye to so many wonderful people. But Jerry
Solomon is quite special.
I could describe him as a perfect blue-white diamond in a sea of
zircons, but that makes the rest us zircons and that might not be the
most apt description.
Jerry, they have talked about your fierce patriotism, about your
loyalty to the party, about your energy, your activism. I just want to
say two things about you.
One, I know of your personal physical courage, spiritual courage. It
is rare and it is marvelous. But most of all in a time of overpowering
cynicism, you have proven by your 20 years here in Congress that
politics can be a noble profession, because you have brought real
nobility to it. We will miss you.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) just alluded to
Mr. Solomon's wife. When I first heard about Mr. Solomon's wife, I
pictured a big, burly woman with a submachine gun guarding his premises
in New York, as he brought up in one of the debates on gun control.
Then I saw this beautiful, petite young lady in the Committee on Rules
and I said, ``Are you still sitting at the window with that rifle?''
She denied it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Hinchey).
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I was over in my office listening to the
proceedings here. I did not realize that this tribute to Jerry was
going on, but I wanted to come over and participate in it. And while I
was walking over here, of course, I was reminiscing about my
relationship with Jerry over the years, if one could call it that.
I first met Jerry almost a quarter of a century ago. I had just been
elected to the New York State Legislature, and it was late in the year,
1974, I think December. And I was going through the legislative office
building, and the place was pretty dark and empty. I walked down the
hall, and all the offices were dark. There was no one there, except I
came upon this one office with the door opened. I looked inside, and
there was someone working assiduously at a desk. It turned out to be
Jerry Solomon.
Mr. Speaker, that is the first time I met him. He made an impression
on me that particular occasion, only because I remember it after all of
these years. And that impression was not a false one. It was a very
accurate one. The impression was simply this: that this was a man who
was dedicated to his work; this was a man dedicated to his profession
and to the people who elected him; this was a man dedicated to his
work.
He has lived up to that impression every single day that I have known
him in the intervening 24 years. I served with Jerry for a short time
in the State Assembly and then he was elected to the Congress, and then
I knew about him only from time to time, and we would run across each
other, reading about him in the newspapers.
Then when I came here a few years later to begin to serve with him, I
could witness again that same kind of energy, that same kind of
enthusiasm, that same kind of dedication to his profession, to his
work, to his constituents, and to his beliefs.
Jerry and I differ on issues, and we have from time to time from the
very beginning, and we continue to differ on some issues and will for
the rest of our lives, I feel safe in saying. Nevertheless, I bear for
him the greatest respect and admiration because he is an example of the
total absence of ambivalence.

{time} 1115

He believes in things. He believes in them fully, firmly and
devoutly. You never have to question yourself with regard to where
Jerry stands on any of the issues. He is very happy to tell you, and to
tell you in the most direct and forthright way.
So it is with a sense of sadness that I see him leave this chamber,
but also with a sense of joy for him and for his family, because I know
that he is going on to a new and productive life. And whatever it is to
which Jerry dedicates himself, that will have the full devotion of a
very competent man, indeed.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Corning, New York (Mr. Houghton).
(Mr. HOUGHTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HOUGHTON. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Massachusetts said
something about referring to a dictionary and trying to find out the
definition of the word warm. I tried to do the same thing. I was
thinking of Jerry as a great marine, a model marine, and I looked up
model and it said miniature replica of the real thing. So I decided I
would not use that.
However, I do think of an article I read many years ago written by
Bob McNamara, when he left Ford Motor Company and he joined the Defense
Department, and he described people in positions of importance, of
leadership. And he said there were two types of people; people who were
sort of judicious and passive and sat back and made their judgments;
and the others, who were active and pushing and doers and enablers.
Jerry, you represent the finest of that, and I am honored to have
served in this body with you.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Torres), a fellow Member who is also retiring.
Mr. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me a great honor to stand here with so many of
my colleagues and pay tribute to a great American, Jerry Solomon. And
as has been just mentioned, he and I will exit here together. We will
not be here next term. But I feel a good feeling leaving with a person
like Jerry Solomon from these hallowed chambers.
I have watched him over the years perform his job, as many of my
colleagues here have mentioned, with great diligence and great
dedication. Tough, but with well meaning in his heart. Honorably. We
talk about an ex-marine, a model marine. That he is.
I had the distinct privilege to travel with him to South Korea
recently where we visited the DMZ, and I was so proud to stand with him
on that line where he described his negotiations with the North
Koreans, along with former Representative Sonny Montgomery, as they
negotiated to bring back American bodies from that war-torn land. It
was, indeed, an inspiration to be there with him.
I would say to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that he would
have been proud of Jerry. I saw Jerry act as a statesman in the way he
handled discussions in the Middle East, in central Asia, and in the Far
East on many questions that are so close to the people in this body;
peace negotiations, the discussion on the financial markets, the
discussion on NATO questions. He, indeed, epitomizes a great

[[Page H9604]]

statesman, here in the House and abroad, and we were all so proud of
him.
We hate to see you leave, Jerry, I know, but I am going with you. So
I hope that on some occasions we will come back here to meet again. I
wish your wife Freda, an elegant lady, the best, and you and your
daughter the best ever. Thank you so much. It has been a pleasure to
serve with you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Sanibel, Florida (Mr. Goss). We are all very gratified that our
colleague from Sanibel has returned and that his wife is recovering
well.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Goss).
(Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished friend from
California (Mr. Dreier) for his words and the well wishes, as does my
wife, and I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me the
time.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be here for this occasion to speak about
the distinguished gentleman from Glens Falls, New York. He is a very
unique Floridian. He is the one who went the wrong way. He was born in
Florida and went to New York. Most of New York is coming to Florida, as
we know, and we welcome him and we hope to get Jerry back, and Freda
and others, back to Florida. We would be proud to have you.
I think of a lot of things when I think about Jerry Solomon and my
years of service with him. I started out being one of four on the
Committee on Rules when he was the minority leader for us. I learned an
awful lot. Then he did something magic and suddenly we were nine and
the majority, and I have learned even more having him as our chairman.
I think of energy. I think of vitality. Every time I think of Jerry,
I think of a marine. Just find me a hill to charge up. He has got
nonstop energy and will take on anything.
And in this town particularly, I think of forthrightness. With Jerry
Solomon, I do not think it is a question of having to read the tea
leaves. If you have not figured out where he stands, listen to him for
a minute, he will tell you very clearly. I think of integrity,
professionalism, knowledgeability.
I know, from my travels with Mr. Solomon around the world, from the
love of his family, the love of his friends for him here and abroad,
that he will not be forgotten. The wisdom of Solomon will endure very
definitely, the reputation of Solomon will endure, and we all hope that
Solomon will endure, and we look forward to working with him now and
forever.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Glenwood Springs, Colorado (Mr. McInnis), another valued member of the
Committee on Rules.
Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, the chairman of the Committee on Rules has
ably served our country, and I can tell him that I have always looked
at him with a great deal of respect not only as chairman but like a big
brother.
As I hear the stories, I first of all want to affirm that Freda is a
wonderful, wonderful person. I wish she could be on the House floor. I
wish our rules allowed her to be here to receive some of these tributes
as well.
But I do want to very quickly relate a story about how dedicated, in
the marine type of environment, that our chairman is. Tragically, he
lost a constituent in my district, in a river. And as my colleagues
know, the Rocky Mountains can be terribly unforgiving. So the chairman
called me up and said, look, we have this body, a constituent, and the
family is grief stricken. I want that body recovered.
I said, Mr. Chairman, you do not just recover these bodies that
easily. It is somewhat of a difficult task. He said, I will bring in
the Navy. I said, no, do not bring in the Navy. It will take a while
for this thing to come up.
The next day we had Navy helicopters in my district, we had Navy
frogmen in my district. And the worst editorials I have ever gotten
from my newspapers were because I knew Jerry Solomon and he brought in
the military into the wilderness of Colorado.
At any rate, you did succeed in your mission. You are dedicated to
your constituents, you are dedicated to this country, and you are also
dedicated to your colleagues. You have helped us a lot. So I want to
confirm all those compliments and that we are going to miss you, Mr.
Chairman.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Quinn).
Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding me this
time. There are too many people on that side, Jerry, so I had to come
over to my good friends on this side of the aisle to get some time for
you.
I want to say, on behalf of all of us in New York, and I just left
the American Legion's conference over in the Cannon Building, to come
over and thank you on behalf of all veterans and all American Legion
members and all citizens for your work on the flag amendment. We
appreciate that deeply.
Also, as a New Yorker, when we first came here, now three terms ago,
a bunch of us were just dropped into the U.S. Congress and then they
told us about something they called the committee on committees. We
could not believe there was such a thing, but it was you who helped and
guided us.
I guess what I want to say on behalf of a lot of us, Jerry, as a
former schoolteacher for many years up in Buffalo, New York, you have
probably served, without even knowing it, because of your example and
your discipline, as a teacher to many of us. And I am not talking about
staff members, and not about the pages, I am talking about other
Members of Congress. And for that, and all the other things you have
heard here this morning, we thank you very much.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Richmond, Virginia (Mr. Bliley), one of my classmates, and the very
distinguished chairman of the Committee on Commerce.
(Mr.BLILEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time. Like the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Henry Hyde) said so
eloquently, it is always hard to say goodbye.
Jerry is everything, but especially a patriot. We know about his
efforts to create the Department of Veterans Affairs, about his efforts
to pass a law that says if you do not register for the draft, you do
not get any Federal funds or aid; if you are a college or university,
and you do not allow military recruiters on your campus, you do not get
any aid. His tireless work for Taiwan and the relationships between
Taiwan and the United States. His tireless work to not forget Latvia,
Lithuania and Estonia; that they should be members of NATO. And I know
he will continue to work on that when he leaves this great body.
But I would like to remember some of our travels with the North
Atlantic Assembly. I remember particularly one time going with him to
Maras, Turkey. We went on a boat up a river. It kind of reminded you of
Moses and the papyrus and the reeds along the Nile. We got a terrible
rain but we got up there.
Another time we were in Brussels and we had a meeting with Sir Leon
Britton, who represents very ably the European Community and the
European Union on trade, and he really took on Sir Leon, so much so
that, and these meetings with the Europeans always start late and
finish later, but this one finished early. They were dumbfounded. And
his great debates with the liberal labor member from Great Britain on
defense, Bruce George.
Mary Virginia and I loved being with Jerry and Freda. We will sorely
miss you, Mr. Chairman. You have been a great friend. We have not
always agreed, but you have always been helpful and a great inspiration
to all of us. Godspeed.
Jerry Solomon is a true American patriot. He is an ardent anti-
communist who supported the policies of Ronald Reagan. These policies
brought down the Berlin Wall and won the Cold War. Jerry was only in
his second term when Reagan entered office but Reagan knew he could
count on Jerry to lead the charge on his anti-communist policies.
Love of God, love of family, and duty, honor, country best describe
Jerry. As a Marine, Jerry know peace did not come cheaply. Jerry fought
strenuously for causes he cared

[[Page H9605]]

about as our colleague. His love of God and country guided him in his
legislative accomplishments on Capitol Hill.
His most significant accomplishment was the creation of the
Department of Veterans Affairs. During the bill signing, President
Reagan paid tribute to Jerry. President Reagan remarked, ``We have it
this year because Marine veteran Congressman Jerry Solomon worked to
make sure the job would be completed before Congress adjourned.''
In Jerry's unabashed style, he passed legislation which barred
federal aid to those who refuse to register for the Selective Service;
he also championed legislation that halts federal aid to colleges and
universities that bar military recruiters from campus. And next year,
Jerry, it will be the year a Constitutional Amendment banning flag
burning passes both the House and the Senate and is sent to the States
for ratification.
Jerry, my friend you have a lot to celebrate in your retirement. In
1978, when you were first elected to Congress, the Soviet Union and the
spread of communism was running rampant. America was told by its
President we were in a great malaise. Well, Jerry did not believe
America's best days were behind us, and neither did a former Governor
of California.
Ronald Reagan believed in a Shining City on the Hill when he entered
the White House. So did Jerry and I. We worked to strengthen the
military because peace through strength is the only guarantee that
America's freedom will be secured. We worked to pass President Reagan's
tax cut that led to the longest peacetime expansion of the economy.
Jerry was a leader on the war against drugs.
Your leadership will be missed by many of us in Congress. Jerry,
thank you for your friendship and camaraderie for the last 18 years. I
have enjoyed traveling with you on our important North Atlantic
Assembly missions.
I wish you and Freda well in your retirement. You fought the good
fight for the country you have loved. We owe you a debt of gratitude
for your service to our country. The country is in better shape since
you entered Congress 20 years ago. America's best days lie ahead and I
know Jerry will never stop fighting for his country and his beliefs.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Ocala, Florida (Mr. Stearns).
(Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, Jerry, it is with joy but also with sadness
that I come down here in this short amount of time to tell you what a
great guy you are and how much we are going to miss you.
I think a lot of people do not realize Jerry was an entrepreneur, an
insurance agent. He was making a lot of money. And for him to come
here, he gave up a lot of his business. It has been quite a sacrifice.
In fact, I imagine he would be a multi-millionaire by now if he had
still kept his business.
Many of my colleagues talked about his experience in the Marine
Corps. He also has served with distinction as an active member of the
Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion and the Marine Corps
League. So I think his patriotism is there for all of us to see.
This gentleman also served with distinction on the Foreign Affairs
Committee and on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. And we talk
about his great distinction as chairman of the Committee on Rules, but
those committees also were his forte. In addition, he is a former
chairman of the Prisoners of War, Missing in Action Task Force, and is
still an active participant in this task force.
He has been identified with various issues, but the issue that I
really identify with him is the second amendment and the fourth
amendment. I will never forget on the House floor, in the evening, when
Mr. Solomon stood up to argue for the right to bear arms, in which he
talked about his wife alone in upstate New York. There was silence and
quiet, stillness on the House floor, when he said, she is alone
tonight, and I want to ensure that my wife, who is alone, should have
the right to protect herself against unwanted intruders. I know his
debate and his expression carried the day.
So we all know of Jerry Solomon's patriotism. We know he has the
wisdom of Solomon, and we are going to miss him. He certainly lives up
to the Marine Corps motto: Semper fidelis. Always faithful. God bless
you Jerry Solomon and God bless America.

{time} 1130

Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I want to look you right in the eye, Mr.
Chairman, because this is a special day.
When I first came to this Congress just a few years ago, I was
looking for this ``Mr. Chairman,'' Mr. Solomon. He was described to me
as a shy and retiring person, someone whom you might not often know
what his opinion was; quite the contrary Jerry Solomon did let you know
where he stood. After a few times on the floor, someone came to me and
said, ``You know, you are just as shy and retiring as Chairman
Solomon.'' That was a compliment.
Mr. Solomon, our experiences together were quite interesting. I came
frequently to the Rules Committee, and I would like to thank you, for
even though disagreeing with me, you treated me fairly and gave me the
opportunity to express my views and to come to the gateway committee
and say that I think this particular legislation should be done this
way or that way.
This is an appropriate time to give you honor and appreciation, for
you helped us understand the ultimate sacrifice made by veterans, those
living today as well as those in the military who gave their lives for
our country. We thank you for that.
One of my fondest memories since I see Chairman Gilman sitting next
to you, was that I was able to join you along with Chairman Gilman when
we honored the fallen men in World War II and honored them by placing
wreaths on their graves in Europe. That was a particularly special
occasion for those of us who claim birth after World War II, for it
helped us understand fully what this country's freedom truly means.
I applaud you also for the love that you express for your family,
your wife, your daughter, and that great New York community that has a
lot of apples in it which you represent. Finally, I just simply wanted
to thank you for teaching me a thing or two about the Rules Committee,
however, I also want to let your colleagues know and the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley), whose service I appreciate, I will be
back. We look forward to being with you in the future. Mr. Solomon,
Godspeed!
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, it is a great tribute to the gentleman from
New York that more than a couple of people want to talk about him; as
some said celebrate his planned departure.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that we extend the allotted time
5 minutes for the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) and 5
minutes for our side.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Upton). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier)
is allocated an extra 5 minutes as is the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Moakley).
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my very good
friend, who also is retiring, the gentleman from Naperville, IL (Mr.
Fawell).
Mr. FAWELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding
time. Jerry, I want you to know that I am not going to miss you in the
106th because I am not going to be here, either. But I know that
Congress will miss you very much.
You are the leader of the Rules Committee. You are a leader in many
ways. I would describe you simply as a leader of men and people in
general. There are two kinds of people I have been told in this world
when faced with a problem and they ask either how can I help or what is
in it for me. In politics sometimes it is the latter, where the ego
takes control. I have never found that to be the case with you. I have
found that what you see is what you get in Jerry Solomon. You know
exactly where you do stand and basically that means that here is a man
who is very interested in serving people because he is empathetic and
concerned about people. Time and again I can say as one who did not
serve in any committee with you, that when I was in trouble on the
floor, many times I was in trouble, you were there. Many times when I
did not even ask you, you would come down here, when I was a pork-
buster,

[[Page H9606]]

for instance, and time and time again you did give me so much help.
You are a man that believes in giving. You know that by giving, that
is how you receive. You know that by loving, that is how you really are
loved. That is why the people in this Congress, I think, think so very
much of you. You got a big file, but you do not need that. You are a
big man, anyway.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Rangel) the ranking member of the Committee on Ways and
Means.
(Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, let me thank my colleagues for extending the
time. I never would have forgiven myself if I had not been here to join
with my colleagues to say thank you for the friendship that Jerry has
extended to all of us in this Congress. It is great being an American.
It is great being a Member of this august body. It is even better being
a New Yorker type of an American, but for those people that have never
been able to serve in the past, it was a different atmosphere than we
have today, and the friendships that we made then have proven that no
matter how testy the issue, no matter how partisan the House, it has
never really affected the friendships that we have had over the years.
In the Rules Committee, whether in the minority or as the chairman,
the courtesy, the professionalism that has been extended even when you
know that you are not going to get what you want, you leave knowing
that you have been treated fairly. Certainly as the dean of the New
York State delegation where we have political views from the left and
the right, you have been the hub, Jerry, for all of us, because no
matter how contentious the issue, you have always maintained a
friendship, your smile, and your personality.
I would just like to say in closing, however, that once you came to
me and indicated that I had been in combat in Korea with the Marines
and you were semper fi-ing and everything to me, and I wondered whether
or not you really had the right guy and whether you were so friendly
because you thought I was in the Marines and I had to tell you, that,
no, it was my son that was in the Marines and I was in the Army, and I
often wondered as to whether or not it made a difference. But I value
your friendship. You have made a great contribution to this House, but
more importantly in the lives of those of us who have been fortunate
enough to serve, you have made a difference.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, my friend from New York (Mr. Rangel) has
just touted the greatness of being from New York. I think it is great
to be from California.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my fellow Californian, the
gentleman from Newport Beach (Mr. Cox).
Mr. COX of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from
California for yielding time. It is fitting that we are here on the
floor giving tribute to Jerry Solomon under a structured rule that
limits the time for debate. Most of us would like to take an hour at
least to say what we have on our minds and in our hearts.
When 48 years ago Jerry Solomon left college to volunteer for the
Marine Corps, to deal with the Communist invasion of South Korea, he
started a lifetime of service to his country. As I look on the floor
and see the portraits of George Washington and the Marquis de
Lafayette, I see two men whom we can see in Jerry Solomon, soldier
statesmen who loved their country even when for them it was just an
idea, the idea of freedom to which Jerry has committed his life.
There was somebody else that I met and had a chance to work for that
I thought was unique, President Ronald Reagan. I worked for him in the
White House. I was quite sure that I should have given up my job in
California and come to work for Ronald Reagan because there would never
be another one like him, but I found here in the House of
Representatives one like him, one very much like him, Jerry Solomon,
the chairman of the Rules Committee, who is tough as nails on issues,
just like Ronald Reagan was, but who interpersonally is friendly and
courteous and respectful of his colleagues and of his constituents. He
smiles a lot. Because just as much as he loves his country, he loves
life. He loves his family, he loves this institution, and I daresay in
our better moments all of us. Your way, Jerry, your sense of
patriotism, your love of everything in which you have involved yourself
is contagious. You have brightened this institution for a generation.
You have brightened my life. Even when you are not here, when you come
back as maybe a Supreme Court Justice to give us shorter, more to the
point opinions, we will always know that we are your friends and you
ours. Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve with you.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
New York (Mrs. Kelly).
Mrs. KELLY. Jerry, you have been such a great friend and a neighbor
of mine ever since I came to this body and really before I got here in
1994, 1995. But mostly you have been a mentor to me. You have been a
true leader of this House. You have built support for various
legislative initiatives over the course of so many years. The
experience you have brought here to this body has made the body a
better place. It has brought more of New York common sense to
Washington than many of the others of us. You have stood, you have
fought not only for the Nation but you fought for our State and our
Nation as a whole. I think that is a wonderful attribute, Jerry. So
many people are here that do not speak with quite as loud a voice as
you have, Jerry, and I have to tell you, that strong, loud voice is
something we New Yorkers love and appreciate and are going to miss
tremendously. The House is going to seem less next year. That is
because the very large role that you, Jerry Solomon, have crafted here
in Congress is going to be empty. So those of us from New York will
continue to build consensus and make the bills we pass good for New
York and this Nation we will try to make as good as possible, but we
will do that with you in our hearts, Jerry.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my very good
friend, the gentleman from Winter Park, FL (Mr. Mica).
(Mr. MICA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, and my good colleague Mr. Solomon, I am really
sad that Jerry is leaving us now. He served 10 years with my brother
Dan Mica and the truly sad part about his leaving is after 6 years, he
no longer calls me Dan.
All kidding aside, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Solomon, at a time when our
country is really cynical about its leadership in Congress and
politicians in general, I cannot think of anyone who has set a better
example by his life and his conduct than Jerry Solomon. Jerry Solomon
has been in all instances a national leader, someone who typifies what
people want of their individuals who serve in politics. He came from
business, gave up his fortune, time with his family to dedicate it here
to his country.
Jerry Solomon, I tell you this from the bottom of my heart, I know is
a true patriot and his top priority has been those who wear the uniform
and his daily concern has been to strengthen our national security. No
one exemplifies true patriotism more than Jerry Solomon.
Lastly, Jerry Solomon, if you do not know him or have not known him,
is a family man. No one greater sets an example for this country or for
this Congress than Jerry Solomon and the example he has set as a family
man. I salute everyone and particularly Jerry as my friend and will
miss him, but he has a special place in all of our hearts and our
memories.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fox).
Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Moakley) for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute a great individual, a role model
Congressman, Jerry Solomon from New York. He has showed in every way he
has worked, whether as an advocate on the floor, whether in committee
work, the perseverance for the people.

{time} 1145

His high character shows about what he is all about, a proud veteran,
a Marine's Marine, someone who fights for

[[Page H9607]]

not only people from New York but all across America, for veterans
matters, for military matters, for anything that matters to the people
of this country. He has been fair, he has been compassionate, he has
been our great friend, and I look forward to seeing him be back on the
floor, and hopefully maybe some day in the Senate, maybe some day
President.
Mr. Speaker, I know he wants to retire from this body, but we need
him back for this country because he has been a fighter for the people,
he has done a great job, and we could not be more proud of him.
God love you and your family, may God's blessing be on you from every
day here forward.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Kennedyville, Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), fellow Marine with the
gentleman from New York, Mr. Solomon.
Mr. GILCHREST. Jerry, I guess some decades ago when you occasionally
were barely able to hold up your M-1 rifle because you were holding it
for hours in the rain with sand fleas on that glorious place called
Paris Island you did not really dream of serving your Nation in this
capacity as an U.S. Member of Congress. But those early days on Paris
Island gave you a sense of pride, not pride in yourself, but pride in
America, and your presence here on the House floor has lifted us up
with your pride because your pride comes from your love of your
country, your love of your colleagues, and so that gift that you have
given to us has been enormous.
I heard one time, Jerry, from a Marine that there are five words that
make up a person's life, and you really are the epitome of those things
when someone gets to know you personally, and that is humility,
commitment, compassion, faith and love. And that is being American,
Jerry, and you have given us quite a gift.
So we salute you. Semper fi.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Staten Island, New York (Mr. Fossella).
(Mr. FOSSELLA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Dreier) for yielding this time to me, and I have been listening to this
tribute to an American original. The gentleman from upstate New York is
the essence of what this country really is all about, the notions of
liberty and freedom. But more important, the willingness to die for
those things.
I have only been here about a year, and I have not had the privilege
of serving for the 20 years that so many other Members of this body
have had to serve with Jerry Solomon. But in less than a year I have
come to respect the man who is the benchmark for integrity, and in days
when there are so many relatives around in terms of, well, it is
relatively okay or it is okay for now, Jerry Solomon represents the
notions that there are absolutes: truth and integrity.
The people of upstate New York are some wonderful, wonderful people,
and they represent the best of this great country, and they have
exercised their great judgment for the last 20 years in sending us an
American original. Mr. Solomon, as the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs.
Kelly) said, you are a mentor to many of us. I salute you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to another great
gentleman from New York (Mr. Forbes).
Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California for
yielding this time to me, and it is with great emotion frankly and
eternal respect for my good friend, Jerry Solomon, who served not only
this Nation so ably, but the people of the 22nd district, and I
remember almost 23 years ago when I first met Jerry Solomon, and at the
time he was a member of the Assembly of the State of New York and
distinguished himself there as a champion for the Empire State and took
that great leadership role that he had in New York and brought it to
Washington when he was elected in 1978. And for me it has been a
wonderful ride with Jerry.
Jerry, you are truly, as my friend from Staten Island noted, you have
been a mentor to many of us. I remember as a young staffer in the State
Assembly how you at that time became a role model and, even more so,
when I was distinguished and allowed to represent the first district of
New York.
I have to tell you that it is with great sadness that we watch as you
prepare to accept new challenges at the end of the year. You have
served this Nation so ably.
And when I think of terms like ``a man of the people,'' I mean, my
colleagues, you must know that Jerry Solomon treated the 22nd district
and worked so hard every day as if it was a cliff hanger for him. He
would drive up and down the Northway and the Thruway and Route 9, and
at a moments notice he would stop in on a community and meet with
constituents, any group of constituents, and he did that, and he never
took the people for granted, he worked very, very hard. And frankly
when I think of terms like ``patriotism'' Jerry Solomon to me embodies
all the best attributes of patriotism. He has been not just a role
model, but a dedicated patriot, and God love you Jerry, and Godspeed.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to extend the debate
for 5 minutes on each side.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Upton). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Pelosi).
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member for
yielding this time to me and thank him also for giving me this
opportunity to speak about our mutual friend and colleague, Mr. Solomon
of New York.
Mr. Solomon and I have nothing in common politically; is that not
correct? However I have enjoyed following his leadership on human
rights issues throughout the world where he has been an unsurpassed
champion. It speaks, I think, to how the House used to be that people
so far a part on the political spectrum could come together and work on
an issue.
I first became acquainted with Mr. Solomon and his magnificent wife,
Frieda, in the North Atlantic Assembly proceedings and saw his
leadership on behalf of our country there, and, yes, his patriotism
there. When he became Chair of the Committee on Rules, although that
meant the Democrats were no longer in power, he always with a smile
either granted an amendment on those rare occasions or with a smile
turned down an amendment or even admonished us, but always with a
smile.
But the one overriding observation I would like to make is how
devoted Mr. Solomon was and is to the district he represents. Every
time he spoke on the floor he spoke from the perspective of his
constituents and certainly his conscience and the Constitution, but
never forgetting his constituents. How many times you took off that
jacket and showed us that shirt that used to be made in his district
demonstrating his concern for the workers in his district, and in that
way workers throughout America who are caught up in this change of
globalization.
So on behalf of my own constituents, Mr. Solomon, I want to thank you
for your leadership on human rights issues throughout the world, I want
to thank you for your leadership on behalf of American workers, I want
to thank you for your cooperation from time to time, but even when not
cooperating, always with a smile. And I want to wish you and Frieda all
the best as you go forward.
Thank you for your service. Congratulations on your decision. We will
miss you. It is hard to imagine the House of Representatives here
without Mr. Solomon and without the famous Solomon folder.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman
from Jacksonville, Florida (Mrs. Fowler), my good friend.
(Mrs. Fowler asked and was given permission to revise and extend her
remarks.)
Mrs. FOWLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my appreciation to
a good friend for his leadership and his service to the American
people. As my colleagues know, in addition to being an advocate, strong
advocate, of conservative ideals, Jerry has always been concerned about
our issues of national security. As has been mentioned here several
times today, he is a former Marine, fought during the Korean war, and
he has always remained semper fi

[[Page H9608]]

to his country and the duty of protecting its military interests.
It has been said that the test of a vocation is the love of the
drudgery that it involves, and I do not know for sure if Jerry loves
that aspect of serving as a chairman of the Committee on Rules, but he
certainly deserves all of our heartfelt thanks for his service in this
difficult and sometimes very thankless job.
So as we approach the final days of the 105th Congress, I wish Jerry
and his wife, Frieda, the best of luck. I know they are going to enjoy
the time they can now spend with their family, including their six
grandchildren, but I will say I am going to miss a good friend, a good
adviser. I went to him so many times for advice, and it was always
good.
So, Jerry, we wish you well, and we will truly miss you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Somerset, Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), my good friend.
Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this time
to me.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what we will do around here for opinions
when Jerry Solomon leaves. I suspect we will find a way to give
opinions, but certainly the opinionated Mr. Solomon, the Marine that is
still a Marine in this body is someone we are going to miss, all of us.
You always knew where Jerry Solomon stood. He was not hesitant to let
you know what his feelings were about a given topic, and that continues
to this day. We need more of that around here, but certainly Jerry
Solomon gave us during his tenure here his ideas and his passionate
feelings about every issue that hit this floor, and that is what we
admire about him. We admire his honesty and his truthfulness and his
integrity because you knew exactly what he was telling you came from
directly in the heart, and that heart was of course made of solid gold,
molded during some of our Nation's most tumultuous times in Korea in
combat and otherwise.
So, Jerry, we are going to miss you. Your service, especially these
last few years as the traffic cop of all legislation coming to the
floor of the House, Chairman of the Committee on Rules, is a service
that is a pretty thankless job, but we are all here to say thank you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Enterprise, Alabama (Mr. Everett) my good friend.
(Mr. EVERETT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with all these
great things that have been said about Jerry Solomon, but I also like
to tell the Members something that is going to surprise them.
I got here in the 103rd Congress, and there were two Members from a
little place called Midland City, Alabama, population 400, myself and
my friend Earl Hutto, the gentleman from Florida. We found that we
lived in the same house in this small Dale County, Alabama town. Well,
also my good friend, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. John Lewis) is
from about 18 miles up the road, just over the Dale County line in Pike
County, Alabama. Being very proud of that, I told Jerry Solomon the
story one day, and he started laughing.
I said, ``What are you laughing at?''
He said, ``You don't know where I'm from?''
I said, ``Well, I guess you're from New York. You've represented them
now for 18 years.''
He said, ``No, I'm from Echo.''
Mr. Speaker, Echo is 7 miles from Midland City, Alabama, and then had
a population of about 40 people. We had in the 103rd Congress 4 U.S.
Congressmen from a rural southeast county of Alabama.
I recently, last week, gave Jerry a note from a relative of his who
stated how much his Dale County family they loved and admired him.
Jerry, I think you have heard here today we love you, and we admire
you, and we are going to miss you.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hall).
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to get to rise and say a
few words for Jerry Solomon.
I served as a Judge for 12 years in Texas. I was 10 years in the
Texas Senate. I have been up here 18 years. As my colleagues know, part
of the compensation we get for public service is getting to know people
like Jerry Solomon. I know of no one in the years whom I have met all
through the years, anyone that has influenced me more or that I have
been more impressed by or that I would rather be a role model for my
sons than this man we are honoring here today.

{time} 1200

I know there is a tombstone in Blairsville, Pennsylvania that says
``Stop here my friend and cast an eye. You are now; so was I. As I am
now, you will be. Prepare for death and follow me.'' And, Jerry,
somebody added later, ``To follow you, I am not content until I know
which way you went.''
Let me tell you we know which way you are going. You are going home
to a family that loves you. You are going home to a district that
respects you. You are going home to a country that you served well. You
lit the fire to the Reagan revolution here. You are my kind of guy.
God bless you. And how lucky I am to have known you and how lucky the
people are to have come home.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Pleasantville, Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson).
Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share my
admiration for a Member of Congress who I think is unique. If I had a
list of top 10 effective Members of Congress to affect this country,
Jerry, you would be in it and near the top.
Jerry, I admire your tenacity, your toughness, your intensity, but
your soft and gentle kindness and good spirit. Now those yet good
spirits may change when people cheat you or lie to you or are unfair.
But that is the way it should be.
I admire that you fear nobody, that it does not seem to matter what
the issue is. You do not show fear. You do what is right.
I admire how you fought for our veterans and how you fought for the
defense and sovereignty of America as much as anyone in this country
ever has.
Jerry, you are the kind of Congressman I hope to be. You are the kind
of person I want my son to be like. You are a model to us all, and you
have made a huge difference as you have served us here, and I thank
you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent again that we extend
the debate for 5 minutes on each side.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blunt). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Reno,
Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from
California, for yielding to me. I find it a true honor as a freshman to
be here standing and addressing my good friend, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Solomon), because you do not have to be here 20 years, as I
have been only 1 year, to find him to be a true friend and a man that
we all look up to.
I say, as we look out today among our colleagues here, we are
approaching the end of an era at the end of the 105th, the era of
Solomon in this Congress. The gentleman from New York will be truly
missed as a gentleman who fought for veterans, fought for the flag,
fought for this country.
I think of General MacArthur when he said, and I will paraphrase,
``Duty, honor, country.'' Those three hallowed words mean and reflect
all that you can be, all that you should be, all that you will be. I
think those of us who admire Jerry Solomon believe those three words
are indeed the reflection of Jerry.
Jerry, as you go home to your family and a loving constituency, I
want to wish you the very best and to your wife and family as well. I
salute you for your hard work, your dedication, and your friendship in
this body.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
Hartford, New York (Mr. Boehlert).
Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a special pleasure for me to
be

[[Page H9609]]

here in this well to talk about a man with whom I have had some of my
fiercest battles with in my service in these 16 years in the Congress
and some of the most pleasant satisfying victories.
I know of no individual who is a better friend of the veteran, of the
farmer, of the working men and women in America than Jerry Solomon. He
will be missed for all the right reasons.
He is as conservative as any Member of this House; but underneath
that hard veneer, he has got a heart as big as all outdoors. There are
a lot of people who have benefited from the service of Jerry Solomon in
the Congress of the United States. So it is a privilege for me to be
here in this well saluting this very distinguished American.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Syracuse, New York (Mr. Walsh), one of our distinguished cardinals.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Dreier) for yielding me time to come here and say some nice things
about my friend, Jerry Solomon, as so many others are.
You are rich in friends, Mr. Chairman, and it is deservedly so. You
are truly one of the leaders of our country. You are truly the leader
of the New York State delegation. I owe you my position that was just
mentioned on the Committee on Appropriations. Without your strong
support, fiery support, I probably would not be there. So I am indebted
to you for that.
You are a gentleman, a soldier, a Congressman, and a true defender of
this country, its flag, and its veterans and all its marvelous
institutions. We thank you for your sense of humor and, more
importantly, we thank you for your sense of honor.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my good friend, the
gentleman from Huntington Beach, California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, Jerry Solomon has given a new meaning
to the words ``the wisdom of Solomon.'' All of us who have served with
him, and I have served with him for the last 10 years, understand what
that means.
Jerry Solomon, first and foremost, and this is, I think, the word
that best describes Jerry, is that Jerry Solomon is a patriot. That is
what America has always depended on, the likes of Jerry Solomon. I am
very proud to have served at your side, Jerry. Jerry Solomon is a
patriot. Jerry Solomon is courageous. He is a man of integrity.
To all of us who you are leaving behind, you are leaving behind
friends. You are a good friend. We respect you. We admire you. We wish
you luck, Jerry. Thank you very much for the service you have done for
the United States of America. You have done a good job for our country.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my friend, the gentleman
from Saint Joseph, Michigan (Mr. Upton).
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, it has been a great delight for me to serve
as Speaker pro tempore during part of this great tribute to a wonderful
man who loves this House, Jerry Solomon.
I have had the opportunity to know the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Solomon) for a long time from my days when I served for Ronald Reagan
and now as a Member of this House. We all love this House. No greater
love comes from a man with terrific respect, Jerry Solomon.
It is a great tribute to you that, as you finish this year, we have a
balanced budget; and now we can, in fact, use that surplus to reduce
the debt. That is the next battle.
I can remember the days and the issues where we met together on so
many different times moving the Solomon budget. Yes, it was bipartisan.
We got one Democrat, we got 19 Republicans, and we fell far short of
getting the battle won. But somehow, some way, today we prevailed.
It is because of your great efforts in so many different ways that we
do love this House and we love the men and women who serve it. Thanks
to people like you, a man with courage, with heart, thoughtfulness and
compassion, a great man that we look forward to seeing again. Thank
you, Jerry.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to close this debate by saying that this
was clearly one of the most moving testimonials, to a Member who is
going to retirement, that I have seen in the 18 years that I have been
privileged to serve here.
Many people have talked about great things but one of the things that
struck me is this issue of sacrifice. It is a privilege for all of us
to serve here, and most everyone enjoys their service, but, in fact,
there is sacrifice that goes with service as a Member of the United
States Congress.
Those of us who sit on the Committee on Rules have had the
opportunity on many occasions to hear Jerry Solomon refer to the fact
that when he came to the Congress he had to sell his real estate, his
securities and his insurance businesses, and, it, in fact, has been a
sacrifice for him.
We often hear of our Founders who gave their lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honor. We are glad that Jerry has not given his life
and we know that he has not given up his sacred honor, but we know that
he did have to give up much of his fortune to do that. So he has made a
great sacrifice.
His book, The Balanced Budget, has been a dream that he has had for
many, many years, long before he came here. I am very gratified that we
have been able to pass the first balanced budget in a quarter of a
century while Jerry was here serving as a member of that committee.
God and the voters willing, I will have the chance in the 106th
Congress to keep the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) sitting
at my right as the ranking member, and to try to fill Jerry's shoes as
chairman of the Committee on Rules.
It will be an impossible task, but I have been privileged to enjoy
his encouragement and support for the many years that I have served
there.
Mr. Speaker, while I know the time is rapidly coming to a close, I
yield one minute to my very, very dear friend, the gentleman from Glens
Falls, New York (Mr. Solomon).
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I will not take but a minute because there are a lot of
things I like to brag about that I am good at but I am not good at
this. I am afraid of what might happen if I stood up here and talked
too much because I am an emotional person. In 20 years, I have had some
emotional events on this floor. Some that I'm proud of, some that I
might not be so proud of.
I can recall something a couple of years ago. I was raised by my
grandmother and my grandfather. They were of Scottish descent and they
always taught me first and foremost that you always respect and honor
women. And I remember I got into a debate late one night with the
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), on that side of the aisle,
and I did something that I was always ashamed of because I was rude to
a woman. I was rude to a Member of this body, and that is something we
should never, never do.
I would just tell the Members that we can be emotional, we can be
opinionated, as I am, but we should always be respectful of each other.
Ron Dellums, like the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), is on
the opposite end of the political and philosophical spectrum from me.
Ron Dellums and I had some tremendous battles on this floor but we
always walked off the floor and we were friends afterwards. That is
what will make this place a success, and I would just thank all of the
Members for their remarks. It means a great deal to me.
I better not talk any longer, but I will say this right now, I am
going to invite all of the Members, men and women, the Members of this
body, to step outside so that I can hug the women and shake hands with
the men and tell them how much I love and respect this great
institution. It has been a great honor and privilege to serve here for
two decades and I have cherished every minute of it. I thank all of you
for your generous remarks. I love you all.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, there is a large group of people who are unable to speak
here on the House floor. They sit here regularly; they work upstairs in
the Committee on Rules, on many occasions around-the-clock, and I would
like to, on behalf of those members of the staff

[[Page H9610]]

of the Committee on Rules, say how much they will miss the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Solomon) and how much they have appreciated their
great time of service with him.
Mr. Speaker, I will say that there are many other Members who have
indicated to me that they would like to have had the chance to
participate in this tribute to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Solomon), but because of the exigencies of their schedule they were
unable to.

General Leave

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on this tribute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) that
surrounds House Resolution 574.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my many colleagues on both sides
of the aisle to offer a many-gun salute to one of the clearly most
vigorous, admired, and truly respected leaders ever to come to these
Halls of Congress.
My colleagues, this courageous and dynamic Marine veteran who arrived
on the Hill twenty years ago has not only been a credit to the Marine
Corps in terms of the vitality and drive with which he discharged his
duties, but also to this House to which he has for so long given so
much of his energy and good judgment. These Halls will remain desolate
for a long time after our very good friend Gerald Solomon has departed.
As the Chairman of the Rules Committee, one of the most important and
difficult tasks on Capitol Hill, Jerry attacked his work with a
spirited dedication rarely seen on the Hill. Involved in every serious
piece of legislation, his ability to control the flow of business and
determine which alternatives should be brought up for a vote has been
close to legendary.
The 22nd District of New York, which includes much of Hudson Valley,
has been a Republican area since the birth of the Republican Party, and
Jerry Solomon has aggressively supported most of the conservative
programs of the Party, reflecting his own convictions and those of his
loyal constituents. Year after year the voters have returned him to
office by wide margins because they could see that Gerald Solomon was
no sleeping Rip van Winkle, the legendary figure which Washington
Irving placed historically in Jerry's district high up on the Hudson
River. According to the story, Rip van Winkle slept for twenty years.
No one can accuse Jerry Solomon of sleeping during the twenty years he
has been the two-fisted Representative of the 22nd District of New
York.
My colleagues, we will not soon again see the likes of this genial
and industrious Marine veteran who has easily earned the warm
friendship of so many of his colleagues in this maelstrom of
legislative activity.
May he find real solace in retirement on the quiet banks of the
Hudson and in the hollows and the hills of upper New York area of his
youth. We are sure that Jerry will not be satisfied with just an
occasional short emulation of Rip van Winkle, because we really expect
that he will father a memoir or two, giving his perspective on his many
years of generous and cheerful jousting on the Floor of this House.
We will sorely miss this good man, a friend of so many and a model
for every new member to emulate. We would be most unhappy if Jerry did
not come back to the Floor often to reacquaint us all with the
cordiality and enthusiasm with which he so often greeted us these many
years. God bless, Jerry, and Godspeed!
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak in tribute to Jerry
Solomon and his many years of service and leadership to this country.
Chairman Solomon is a strong, effective and passionate chairman of
the Rules Committee. He is a true Leatherneck--no-nonsense, patriotic
and capable of getting the job done.
I had the pleasure of working closely with Jerry Solomon on the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act--which has effectively ended the
irresponsible practice of Congress passing the bill to state and local
governments and the taxpayers they represent. Jerry's commitment to
unfunded mandates relief--and his tireless advocacy were key to passage
of this landmark legislation.
Jerry has also been one of the most vocal Members of Congress in the
vital fight to reduce drug abuse in this country. I've been pleased to
work with him on a number of issues--the Drug Free Communities Act and
the recently passed Drug Demand Reduction Act. There is no member of
this body more committed to reducing substance abuse than Jerry
Solomon. The issue burns in his heart.
The U.S. House of Representatives is losing a real fighter in Jerry
Solomon. Happily, he is leaving the Rules Committee's gavel in capable
hands, but we'll miss his drive, energy and determination.
I know Chairman Solomon will be watching C-SPAN in upstate New York
to keep an eye on us, and I hope and expect to continue to hear his
firm and passionate voice on issues of concern to our country.
Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, what can I say, at the end of this Congress
America is going to truly miss one of it's great Conservative leaders.
The powerful Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Jerry Solomon
will be retiring to pursue new opportunities.
This former Marine, serving the United States House of
Representatives since 1978, has been known for defending the American
flag, fighting the war against drugs, protecting our nations veterans,
the interests of our nations military, and running a committee that is
fair to this body and fair to the American people.
Not only has Congressman Solomon been known for his policy, he is
also know for his great sense of humor, his devotion to his family, and
his pride in his work.
Congressman Solomon, it has truly been an honor serving this great
nation together, and you will be greatly missed. I wish you, your wife
Freda, and your entire family all the best.
As a veteran, and man who loves this country, as I know you do, today
sir I salute you for your hard work, honesty, integrity, and devotion
to this country.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about a great friend of mine
who throughout his congressional career has been a strong and
passionate leader whom I am personally proud to have served alongside
of in the House of Representatives.
He is a loyal patriot to his country and devoted husband and father
to his family. No one can doubt his allegiance to the Marine Corps and
no one can doubt his sincerity nor his passion to serve his country.
I have had the privilege of traveling with him as members of the
National Security Committee and throughout our travels have gotten to
know him on a personal basis. His strong devotion to our country and
military has been an inspiration to me. Every place we traveled, he was
always interested in the issues of that country and how the United
States could act on those issues and provide leadership.
I wish him happiness and a long productive life in his retirement. We
will greatly miss his presence in this House.
Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, although I am one of the
newer Members of this body and have had the privilege to serve with Mr.
Solomon for only one term, I am very sorry to see him leave us. When I
first came to Congress, Mr. Solomon asked me to call him Jerry, but I
have never been able to do that. Not because I didn't feel close to him
but because I have such a deep respect for him both as a person and as
a public servant that I felt that he deserved a title reflecting that
respect.
Sometimes as Members of Congress, we don't always treat each other or
this institution with the respect that it deserves. We let partisanship
cloud our better judgment and we aren't very civil in our debates.
Although Mr. Solomon and I couldn't have held more opposite points of
view on certain issues, I always felt that we could be open and honest
in our disagreement. And we would always part ways, maybe disagreeing
but with a mutual respect for each other and our differences. He is a
true gentleman, one that will be greatly missed by this body and the
New York delegation in particular. God's speed, Mr. Solomon, and thank
you for your years of service to this country and to New York.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Chairman of the
Rules Committee, my friend Jerry Solomon.
Jerry Solomon was one of the first members I met when I came to
Congress six years ago as a freshman. I had never served in a
legislature before and the challenges of Washington seemed
overwhelming. He was a cool veteran with many years of experience. From
his initial hello and genuine interest in making sure I got off to a
good start, I knew Jerry Solomon was a colleague I could respect and
trust. I'm proud to call him a friend.
As a little boy growing up in Seoul, Korea during the war, my family
and I were rescued by the U.S. Marines from the living hell of
communist North Korean occupation. I will never forget the sacrifices
these brave Americans made to save a little soul like mine far, far
away from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Their caring
attitude, determination and patriotism made me want to be an American
right then and there. Now, I don't think Jerry Solomon was one of the
Marines who came down my street, but he very well could have been. Even
today, many years after his service in the Marines, Jerry still
embodies those same qualities and that same Marine can-do spirit. He's
what America is all about.

[[Page H9611]]

As a faithful and effective Representative, I know that his
constituents in upstate New York will miss his service in the House as
much as the rest of us will. After 20 years in Congress, Chairman
Solomon can retire, though, knowing that he has left a very positive
and enduring legacy for others to follow. Good luck, Jerry.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I
move the previous question on the resolution.
The previous question was ordered.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution
574, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 4194) making
appropriations for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and
Urban Development, and for sundry independent agencies, boards,
commissions, corporations, and offices for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 1999, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 574, the
conference report is considered as having been read.
(For conference report and statement see proceedings of the House of
Monday, October 5, 1998, at page H9359.)
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis)
and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).

General Leave

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks on the conference report to accompany H.R. 4194,
and that I may include tabular and extraneous material.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.

{time} 1215

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
As this bill went off the floor not so long ago, we may all recall
that we spent much of half a day discussing my colleague, my chairman,
and now the ranking member of this subcommittee of appropriations, the
gentleman from Cleveland, Ohio (Mr. Stokes). We are not going to repeat
that extended period this go-round, but it certainly should be brought
to the attention of Members and his friends that the gentleman is in
the process of presenting his last bill on the floor of the House of
Representatives.
This conference report involves all of the funding for programs that
are very important to the American public, those that relate to
veterans' medical care, for example; all of the many public housing
programs, the funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, the
funding for NASA and the like.
The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) we all know is an appropriator's
appropriator, but the gentleman has done another thing during this
legislative year. He wanted to make sure that each of us remember that
before appropriations there was authorization. And so just to make a
demonstration of that fact, this year he has accomplished that which is
almost unbelievable to those of us who have watched this process for
some time. He has snuck into this little package just about 60 pages of
minor legislation that deals with his favorite field, and that is the
field of housing. For working with our colleague on the banking
subcommittee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) on this side and
the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) on the other, the
gentleman from Ohio has proceeded to include what was the Housing
Reauthorization Act within this appropriations bill, a bill that is
called a ``must-pass bill.''
Now, frankly, those who really know the gentleman know that he
actually went about this because his friend and the ranking member of
that same subcommittee of the Committee on Banking has his last bill on
the floor today as well, and that is the bill that was tucked away
here, and I was quite surprised when the gentleman brought this to my
attention, and he was going to such an extent to recognize the years of
the very capable work of our friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Kennedy).
So there are many details that I might go over with my colleagues
regarding this bill, such as the fact that within VA medical care we
are some $300 million over the President's budget in that category of
funding. We are responding to the crisis that is ahead of us that deals
with NASA's funding because of problems in Russia and some changes of
government in the European space agencies.
In the meantime, I will spare my colleagues those details, for we all
have heard this bill discussed in great detail before.
So I look forward to further conversation with my friend from
Cleveland (Mr. Stokes).
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, it is not without a certain bittersweet feeling that I
rise today in support of this conference agreement. This is the final
appropriations bill that I will help bring to the House, along with the
chairman of the subcommittee, the distinguished gentleman from
California (Mr. Lewis). Thanks to his leadership and patience, we
present today a balanced, bipartisan conference report that is worthy
of the Members' support.
In many ways the bill we present today is better than the House-
passed version. I will mention several instances that demonstrate this
point. First, while the House bill included no funding for Americorps,
the conference provides the Senate amount of $425 million. Given the
President's personal interest and commitment to this program, I think
we all realize there would be no bill without this funding.
Several environmental provisions that were of great concern have been
modified, including the ones dealing with the Kyoto protocol, Mercury,
and contaminated sediment dredging.
The House provision regarding domestic partners that would have
restricted funds available to the City of San Francisco has been
dropped. One-half of the reduction to the housing opportunities for
persons with AIDS program imposed by a floor amendment has been
restored. More than one-half of the House-recommended increase for
veterans' medical care has been retained without any adverse impact on
the Federal housing administration. Mr. Speaker, 50,000 new housing
vouchers have been included to help families make the transition from
welfare to work. This is a significant increase above the levels
originally recommended by both the House and the Senate.
The Housing Authorization bill, which my chairman, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lewis) has just made reference to, H.R. 2, has been
included. Now, this version has been crafted by a bipartisan group from
both bodies and has the support of the ranking Democrats involved in
the negotiations. I want to take a moment too to say, as did my
chairman, that we really owe a debt of gratitude to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) for the excellent work he did, along with
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) in giving leadership to the
bill that we now include in H.R. 2 as a part of the Committee on
Appropriations.
I want to take a moment too, Mr. Speaker, just to say that one of the
things I have enjoyed so much working from the appropriations aspect
has been the great work that has been done over on the Subcommittee on
Housing and Community Opportunity by its ranking member, the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy). I do not know of anyone in the House
that has any greater knowledge or greater commitment to those who live
in public housing and who has been the kind of an expert he has been in
trying to get the kind of legislative reforms that would help those
people who are relegated to public housing have the kind of decent
housing that they are entitled to live in. I just want to take a moment
to commend him for the great work he has done as he too prepares to
leave this body.
I might say also I have talked with the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, and he supports H.R. 2 that has been included in
this bill.
Although I have not seen a formal statement of administration policy
on

[[Page H9612]]

the conference agreement, I believe this compromise should be endorsed
by them. I am hopeful this measure will soon be signed into law so that
the departments and agencies funded in the bill can have the benefit of
congressional guidance and drop out of the continuing resolution.
Now, although we have not been able to do everything in this bill
that I would like to see or that the administration would like to see,
I feel that given the constraints under which we had to operate, the
conferees have done a very credible job, and no small part of the
credit belongs to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), our
chairman.
Rather than go into detail about the specific provisions of the
conference agreement, I would like to take just a moment or 2 to tell
the House what a pleasure it has been to serve on this subcommittee
with the gentleman from California. He has been patient, courteous to
the extreme, always willing to listen and try to accommodate opposing
views, but all the while nudging and cajoling and moving the process
forward.
This is a very large and complex bill with many diverse elements that
are sometimes pitted against one another. It is a difficult task to
navigate this legislation through the minefields and the shoals that
could easily torpedo it. It is a testament to the gentleman's
legislative skills that once again he has been able to bring to the
House a free-standing bill deserving of the support of all of us. I
count the gentleman not only as a valued colleague, but also as my
personal friend. Along with my wife, Jay, I look forward to many more
years of friendly association with you, Jerry, and with your lovely
wife, Arlene.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to take a moment to express my personal
appreciation to the subcommittee staff director, Frank Cushing, for his
professionalism and for the manner in which he has worked with me and
the other members of the minority. I also want to express my
appreciation to Paul Thomson, Tim Peterson, Valerie Baldwin, Dena
Baron, who is a detailee to our subcommittee, along with Jeff Shockey
and Alex Heslop on the chairman's personal staff. My special thanks
also to 2 members of the Minority staff whom I have grown to be very
close to and who have both been invaluable to me, Del Davis and David
Reich, along with Fredette West of my own congressional staff.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg).
(Mr. KNOLLENBERG asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the VA-HUD
conference report. I extend congratulations to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lewis) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Stokes).
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the VA-HUD Conference
Report. I want to commend Chairman Lewis and Ranking Member Stokes for
their leadership on this bill. This is a good bill that contains many
important provisions, one of which I would like to highlight this
morning.
During the VA-HUD Conference last Thursday, I worked with my
colleague, the senior Senator from West Virginia, on a provision to
protect workers, manufacturers, farmers, and every citizen in this
country from the devastating impact of mandated greenhouse gas
reductions required under the Kyoto Protocol. The product of this
carefully crafted agreement will prohibit the Environmental Protection
Agency from implementing the Kyoto treaty through ``back door''
regulatory actions.
Specifically, the Conference Report language reads as follows: ``none
of the funds appropriated by this Act shall be used to propose or issue
rules, regulations, decrees, or orders for the purpose of
implementation, or in preparation for implementation'' of the Kyoto
treaty until it has been ratified by the Senate.
The Kyoto Protocol is a bad deal for the American people. It would
exempt the developing world from having to reduce its greenhouse gas
emissions, placing the entire burden on the United States and other
industrial nations. This exemption creates an enormous loophole for
nations like China, India, Mexico, and Brazil which are estimated to be
the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the next century.
This gross inequity will have a chilling effect on the U.S. economy.
Those who can least afford it would be hardest hit by increases in the
cost of electricity, gasoline, food, and other goods.
Mr. Speaker, the language included in this Conference Report is
critical to stop the implementation of a fatally flawed treaty. I urge
every member of the House of Representatives to support the VA-HUD
Conference Report and this vital funding limitation.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Solomon), the chairman of the Committee
on Rules.
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
yielding me this time.
I am only going to take a minute just to, more than anything else,
praise and commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) and the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for the outstanding job that they have
done, not just on this bill but on the bills that they have brought to
this body every single year for so many years under the chairmanship of
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) and before that, the
chairmanship of my very good friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Stokes).
When we look at this particular appropriation bill, to think that the
Veterans' Administration is getting $42.6 billion out of a total
allocation of $70 billion, and that is outstanding. I know we will have
Members that say it is not enough, and maybe even I think it may not be
enough, but my colleagues have such a difficult situation as they deal
with not only the Veterans' Administration, but the Department of
Housing, which is extremely important and very costly; when they are
dealing with the Environmental Protection Agency; when they are dealing
with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and just dozens
and dozens of all of the other independent agencies.
I do not know how my colleagues do it with the allocation that they
get, but they have done a tremendous job, and I just want to sing the
praises of both of my colleagues and their staffs on both sides of the
aisle. Because they are good, but they would not be as good if they did
not have the great staff to go with them. So I salute all of my
colleagues, they have done a great job. And I thank the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for all of his service.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I mentioned a few moments ago in my remarks
the outstanding job that the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy)
has done with reference to the inclusion of H.R. 2 in this bill, and it
is indeed a pleasure for me to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy).
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me thank
my good friend, the gentleman from Cleveland, Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for the
tremendous job that he has done, not only in this particular bill, but
in so many other bills over the years of making sure that the poorest
people in our country are provided the basic protections that I think
all Americans believe in. I also want to thank the gentleman from Ohio
for the tremendous years of service that he has provided all of the
people across this country, not just in his own home district, but any
poor American who feels that they can look to their government for a
helping hand from time to time ought to recognize that behind the
helping hand of the government was always Lou Stokes' long shadow. I am
just so honored to be able to have worked with him in this process on
bringing this bill to the House floor this afternoon.
I also want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lewis) for the fine work that he continues to do
and will continue to do into the future in terms of looking out after
the Nation's housing needs, in particular.
It is important that we understand that we have a major commitment to
housing our poor and our senior citizens, our elderly people across our
country, and it is only through the generosity and the willingness of
people like Lou Stokes and Chairman Lewis to take stands to protect
those people that we are able to bring this bill to the floor.
I also want to pay particular thanks to my good friend, the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Lazio) who I crashed with more than once over this
piece of legislation, but I am glad to say that

[[Page H9613]]

we both found ways of working together and coming up with what I
believe is a very, very good compromise.
I said to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), I have never heard
more nice things said about he and the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Solomon), and even the Boston Herald wrote a nice story about me
yesterday.

{time} 1230

I was figuring that I would highly recommend quitting, if Members
want to get good press around here. Maybe I should recommend that to a
few more guys on the other side. But nevertheless, I do want to say a
brief word about this legislation, because I do think it is important.
We have a basic principle in America that we are going to look out
after the poor. We are going to make sure that they get protected when
they need a helping hand in terms of housing. And what we have done is
seen this country, over the course of the last several years, house
over 3 million families in our country. What we have not done, however,
is provided them the necessary subsidies to keep those housing units in
good shape.
As a result, every American is now familiar with the sight of some
monstrosity that is called public housing that is deteriorating, that
is full of very poor people and full of violence and crime and drugs.
And people say look at public housing, it simply does not work.
Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that if we continue to have
policies where we just concentrate the poorest of the poor in large
public housing units and do not provide them with the subsidies they
need to keep those housing units in decent shape, we are going to see
further deterioration. If we do not, in fact, provide the funding
levels to make sure that the apartments are kept up and what we end up
doing is just concentrating the poor, then we see the deterioration.
If, in fact, on the other hand, as the Republican chairman of the
Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Lazio) had proposed, that all we do is simply bring in
more moderate-income people into public housing, that might solve the
issue of looking at buildings and saying, well, they are in much better
shape. The problem is what it does do is it leaves the very poor
without shelter.
So, what we found is a way of making certain that we provide
protections for the very poor, and that is a great tribute to the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lewis) in terms of their capability of finding us an additional 50,000
vouchers to make certain that any poor person that is going to be
displaced by the basic provisions of this bill are, in fact, going to
find their housing needs met by our country in any event.
There are also some other protections that come in the form of the
Brook amendment, which continues to be in place, but we do make certain
that other kinds of requirements making certain that there are not work
disincentives in the bill are eliminated.
I am happy to say in working with Secretary Cuomo that we have been
able to raise the FHA loan limits, which will open up home ownership
opportunities for millions and millions of families all across this
country. And I think that HUD today is an agency that has come back a
long way from the days of an agency that was full of difficulties, of
bureaucratic anomalies and all sorts of issues pertaining to how public
housing and assisted housing was getting built. It is now an agency
that is well-run, and I think that people on both sides of the aisle
have recognized the fact that there has been professionalism brought
back to HUD, and we now see the Congress of the United States being
willing to pump billions of dollars worth of increased funding into
this agency and into the housing units that it provides to the poor.
So, I want to very much thank my friend, the gentleman from New York
(Chairman Lazio), for the great leadership he has shown and tell him
what a great pleasure it has been to work with him over the course of
the last few years, and I look forward to working with him for at least
a few more days.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio), the chairman of the
subcommittee of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services that
deals with housing, as I thank him for his cooperation and fine work
this year.
Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I want to begin with a few
``thank yous'' of my own. First of all, I would like to thank the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Stokes) for their assistance and for their leadership in helping to
bring this bill to the floor and for allowing us on the authorizing
side to carry almost 400 pages of authorizing provisions that comprise
the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act to this floor.
I would be remiss if I did not also at this time thank another
important person, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), who was
responsible for helping to craft the rule, not just this time, but on
three earlier occasions that helped bring this to the floor.
Jerry Solomon is a great New Yorker. People say Jerry is three
things. He is a marine, he is a Republican, and he is an insurance
agent, not necessarily in that order. He has always been a man who has
done great service to this body, who has brought honor on this
institution, and so it is my pleasure to tip my hat as I say to Jerry,
``Good luck as you just `step outside.' ''
Let me thank also my staff who have been very important to this. This
process began over 3 years ago, Mr. Speaker, in my office when we got
out a chalk board and started developing policy about what we needed to
do after visiting a number of different public housing authorities that
were just devastating in their impact on tenants.
I want to thank Paul Callen from the Legislative Counsel's Office,
who worked countless long hours when we knew there was going to be
final legislation and kept on redrafting and redrafting. He was
enormously helpful, and personifying the very best of the staff work in
this House. Aquiles Suarez, Clinton Jones, Sarah Chapman, Richard
Scott, the staff director, Joseph Ventrone and David Horne, who as
counsel to the committee literally bled and sweated through this
process. I want to thank all of them for their extraordinary hard work.
I want to thank the House leadership. As I mentioned earlier, Mr.
Speaker, this is the third incarnation of this bill. Three times this
bill was passed on the House floor, once in the last Congress in a
bipartisan fashion with over 100 Democrats supporting, once this
Congress with over 70 Democrats supporting and virtually every
Republican supporting this monumental reform of public welfare, and a
third time as part of VA-HUD. This legislation really is the second
step of reforming the welfare system by reforming public housing. And I
want to acknowledge the work of my friend and colleague, the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy). And as I bid him a farewell after
this week, I want to say it has been a pleasure to work with him, and I
compliment him for his very good work.
This Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act speaks to the
concepts that we hold dear as Americans of family, of accountability,
of responsibility, of working, of stronger communities, of safer
communities, of empowerment of the individual and of neighborhoods over
Washington institutions.
We have in this bill made significant changes that remove the
disincentives to work.
There are more tenant choices in this bill, giving tenants the
incentive to go to work and to have a family without being punished by
the perverse rules that have punished work and punished family.
We allow tenants to use vouchers for home ownership, giving them an
opportunity of the American dream.
This is a victory of one, dynamic vision of public housing over a
static vision. One is to defend the status quo, which we reject here
and which we have rejected in the past, and the second, which we
embrace today, which is to create a dynamic environment in public
housing where the working poor and the people who are not employed can
live together; where people can fulfill their greatest ambitions,
including going to work or creating a family; where we remove the sense
of despair and loss and a sense of failure with success, with a sense
of opportunity, with a sense of progress, with a sense of growth.

[[Page H9614]]

We embrace in this bill a policy that encourages an American work
ethic. We say that community service is very important to build our own
communities. People in public housing deserve to live in peaceful
enjoyment in their own apartments just like other Americans. We screen
out people who are violent criminals. They will not even get a first
strike. They will not get into public housing. For people who disrupt
other tenants in the halls, they will be removed from public housing.
We say to public housing authorities that work well and to the
successful public housing authorities that they will be rewarded with
more flexibility. We are going to trust them. We are going to reject
the immorality of rewarding failure and penalizing success. We will
look at public housing authorities that have been doing a poor job year
after year after year and say, ``No more.'' No more are we going to
throw good money after bad. And, in fact, we are going to expect
performance. We are going to expect that our dollars are going to be
used effectively. We are going to expect that people will have a chance
to be transformed. We are going to expect that good tenants and good
neighbors are going to be embraced and celebrated.
This bill is every principle that we say as Americans we support. I
have had the opportunity to visit many housing authorities in many
urban areas. In New Orleans I spoke with a cabdriver who came from the
very housing authority that I was going to visit and refused to take me
there because he said it was too dangerous for me. Yet children are
expected to grow up there. Families are expected to be formed there.
Lives are expected to be nurtured there.
That is not right, Mr. Speaker. This bill marks a pivotal point in
transforming those housing authorities. In Chicago, which I visited 4
years ago, there are the Robert Taylor Homes, with broken windows and
garbage in the hallways and drug addicts controlling hallways, broken
playgrounds, abysmal maintenance, money wasted, nobody working. Four
years later, that reality is still the same.
This bill marks the turning point. This bill embraces a sense of
change, of transformation, of expecting success, of not tolerating
family deterioration, of embracing accountability and responsibility.
Mr. Speaker, I feel passionately about this. I feel passionately
about the House success in making this happen, because I know in my
heart that without this bill, the Quality Housing and Work
Responsibility Act being on this VA-HUD bill, we would not be at this
point. We would not have the parties at the table. We would not have
agreement, and we would not be able to promise the change and
improvement and opportunity that we are going to promise to public
housing residents throughout America.
So, I urge passage. I thank my colleagues. I thank the House
leadership for their extraordinary efforts on our behalf. I thank the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Leach), chairman of the full Committee on
Banking and Financial Services, for his trusting me and his help
throughout the process. And again, I want to thank Mr. Lewis (of
California) my colleagues on the Committee on Appropriations for their
patience and for their leadership.

Title V of the FY99 VA/HUD Appropriations Conference Report, ``The
Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998'' Subtitle Summary
of Major Provisions

The short title of the bill is the Quality Housing and Work
Responsibility Act of 1998. The bill removes disincentives
for residents to work and become self-sufficient, provides
rental protections for low-income residents, deregulates the
operation of public housing authorities, authorizes the
creation of mixed-finance public housing projects, and gives
more power and flexibility to local governments and
communities to operate housing programs.
Generally provisions are effective for Fiscal Year 1999.
Specific provisions are made effective for Fiscal Year 2000
primarily due to budgetary impact.

subtitle A--General provisions

Declaration of Policy and Public Housing Agency
Organization. States that it is the policy of the United
States to assist States and political subdivisions of States
to remedy unsafe housing conditions and housing shortages and
to vest in public housing agencies (PHAs) the maximum amount
of responsibility and flexibility in program administration.
Recognizes that the Federal Government cannot through direct
action alone provide for the housing of every citizen, but
must promote the independent and collective actions of
private citizens to develop housing and strengthen
neighborhoods.
Requires that the board of directors of a PHA include at
least one resident of assisted housing (who may be elected by
the residents, if provided in the PHA plan). Exceptions to
the requirement are (1) where the PHA is required by State
law to have a salaried, full-time Board of Directors, or (2)
where a PHA oversees less than 300 public housing dwelling
units and no resident has agreed to serve on the Board.
Minimum Rent. Provides that a public housing authority may
establish minimum rental contributions of not more than $50
per month. Establishes certain mandatory financial hardship
exemptions from the requirement.
Determination of Adjusted Income and Median Income. Defines
``adjusted income'' for purposes of this Act to mean the
difference between the income of the members of the family
residing in a dwelling unit or the person on a lease and the
amount of any income exclusions--some of which are
mandatory--for the family as determined by HUD. Mandatory
exclusions are for: (1) elderly and disabled families ($400);
(2) medical expenses; (3) child care expenses; (4) allowance
for minors residing in the household; (5) certain child
support payments; (6) spousal support expenses, (7) earned
income of minors. PHAs may establish other permissive
exclusions, such as for excessive travel expenses, for
example.
A twelve-month mandatory income disregard is established
for persons who have been unemployed for 1 or more years and
who obtain employment, whose income increases as a result of
participation in a family self-sufficiency or job training
program, or who was within six months assisted under any
State program for temporary assistance for needy families
(TANF).
Family Self-Sufficiency Program. Transition provisions
which maintain the Family Self-Sufficiency requirements for
vouchers currently used by PHAs in such programs, maintaining
current obligations but eliminating program requirements
prospectively.
Public Housing Agency Plans. Requires each PHA to submit a
plan, composed of an initial five-year plan showing the PHA's
statement of needs and goals for that period (updated every
five years), and a moral detailed operating plan, which shall
be submitted annually. The contents of the annual plan (which
may be submitted as part of a comprehensive housing
affordability strategy) much include, among other things,
information on the housing needs of the locality, population
served, method of rent determination, operations, capital
improvements, unmet housing needs of families with incomes
less than 30 percent of median, homeownership efforts, and
efforts to coordinate the program with local welfare agencies
and providers and other items. One or more resident advisory
boards must be established by the PHA, and the plan must be
developed in consultation with the resident advisory boards.
The Secretary may grant waivers from some of these
requirements for PHAs managing less than 250 units.
Discusses the standards by which the Secretary may review
PHA plans, notice of approval or disapproval, treatment of
existing plans, and authority of a public housing authority
to amend plans. Enhanced rulemaking procedures are required
to ensure sufficient participation by public housing agencies
and other appropriate parties in developing HUD regulations
governing the plan.
Community service and family self-sufficiency requirements.
Requires adult residents of public housing to contribute no
less than 8 hours of work per month within the community in
which the adult resides, or to participate on an ongoing
basis in an economic self sufficiency or job-training
program. Annual leases are required in public housing. Annual
compliance reviews are required for the work requirement, and
leases shall not renewed unless a resident is in compliance
with the work requirements. Exceptions from community work
are provided for working families, senior citizens, disabled
families, persons attending school or vocational training, or
physically impaired persons. PHAs may administer work
requirements through resident groups or third-party nonprofit
organizations.
Income Targeting. Forty percent (40%) of public housing
units are reserved for families whose income do not exceed 30
percent of area median income (``AMI''). Seventy-five percent
(75%) of Section 8 vouchers shall be reserved for those whose
income does not exceed 30% AMI. A PHA shall be able to reduce
targeting requirements in its public housing program, with
regard to specific projects that are located in poverty
census tracts, by offsetting increases (on a one-for-one
basis) in Section 8 targeting (``fungibility''). A floor of
30% is established in public housing, so that reductions in
public housing targeting levels will not result in less than
30% of public housing being reserved for those at or below
30% of area median income. Current law requirements are
maintained for Section 8 Project-Based projects, but
targeting is reduced to the same as in public housing (40%)
of those under 30% of AMI). Targeting changes are effective
upon enactment of the Act.
PHAs are prohibited from concentrating the poorest families
only in certain developments. A PHA is required to submit
with its annual plan an admissions policy, for review

[[Page H9615]]

by HUD, designed to encourage income-mixing of residents.
PHAs may offer incentives in connection with such admissions
plans. Certain income and eligibility restrictions may be
waived by an authority that provides units to police
officers, law enforcement and security personnel.
Repeal of Federal Preferences. Permanently repeals
imposition of federal preferences. Appropriations acts have
repealed such provisions annually.
Joint Ventures and Consortia of Public Housing Agencies.
Authorizes PHAs to enter into consortia with other PHAs, or
into joint ventures with third parties, to administer public
housing programs or the provision of supportive or social
services to public housing residents.
Public Housing Agency Mortgages and Security Interests.
Authorizes PHAs to mortgage or grant security interests in
any public housing project or property of the PHA, subject to
terms and conditions prescribed by the Secretary. No action
taken may result in any liability to the Federal Government.

subtitle b--public housing

Public Housing Capital and Operating Funds. Provides
general parameters for developing capital and operating funds
for distribution of funding to PHAs. Funding for the Capital
Fund is $3 billion for FY 99 and such sums as may be
appropriated annually thereafter through FY 2003. Funding for
the Operating Fund is $2.818 billion for FY 99 and such sums
as may be appropriated annually thereafter through FY 2003.
Mandates that such formulas include a factor that would
reward superior performance by PHAs.
Beginning in FY 2000 and thereafter, PHAs shall have the
ability to use up to 20 percent of their capital grants for
PHA operations. Beginning in FY 99 and thereafter, PHAs with
less than 250 units are afforded full flexibility between
operating and capital funds.
PHAs that receive income from non-rental sources may retain
and use such amounts for the benefit of low-income housing
purposes without any decrease in the amounts otherwise
received by the PHAs under this section.
Total Development Costs. Deletes from the calculation of
total development costs the costs associated with demolition
of public housing projects, or the costs of remediation of
environmental hazards associated with public housing units.
Excludes HOME and CDBG funding from total development cost
limitations.
Family Choice of Rental Payment. Families residing in
public housing will have a choice as to whether they would
rather pay a flat rent for a unit, to be established by the
public housing authority for each unit in its inventory, or
to pay no more than 30% of the family's adjusted income as
rent. The purpose is to allow public housing authorities to
create rental structures that would reflect the asset value
of the unit, similar to the private rental market and which
would remove disincentives to families obtaining employment
and achieving self-sufficiency, while maintaining income
protections for the residents.
Site-Based Waiting Lists. A PHA is given authority to
establish site-based waiting lists notwithstanding any other
HUD handbook or regulation, provided such site-based waiting
list is in compliance with civil rights laws.
Pet Ownership. Residents of public housing may own one or
more common household pets subject to the reasonable
requirements of the public housing agency and in accordance
with state and local laws and regulations.
Conversion of Public Housing to Vouchers. Permits public
housing authorities, in accordance with the PHA plan, to move
toward a voucher program for certain buildings after a cost-
benefit analysis of maintaining and modernizing the building
as well as an evaluation of the available affordable housing.
Mandates that a one-time cost assessment be done of every
public housing project within two years of the date of
enactment of the Act to determine the relative costs of
converting the project to vouchers versus maintaining it as
public housing.
Transfer of Management of Certain Developments to
Residents. Allows residents or non-profit resident management
corporations to assume the responsibility of managing or
purchasing a development. Allows a public housing authority
to contract with a resident management corporations to manage
one or more developments.
Homeownership. Authorizes PHAs to design homeownership
programs for sale of public housing units to public housing
residents, to entities for resale to residents or other low-
income persons, or directly to low-income persons. There is a
downpayment requirement, the amount of which is determined by
the PHA, for the purchase of any unit to be provided by the
purchasing family. Resale restrictions are imposed on
purchasers for five years after sale to prevent purely
speculative purchases. Homeownership programs under this
section are not subject to the demolition or disposition
requirements. Allows high-performing PHAs to use proceeds
from disposition of scatter-site public housing to purchase
replacement scattered-site housing which will be considered
public housing.
Required Conversion to Tenant-Based Assistance. Contains a
mandatory conversion provision requiring PHAs to provide
housing assistance in the form of vouchers in lieu of
continuing to subsidize certain distressed developments.
Requires notification of tenants in public housing
developments subject to conversion and provides them tenant-
based housing assistance or occupancy in a unit operated or
assisted by the PHA. Authorizes the Secretary to determine
whether a PHA has failed to comply with this subsection and,
in such case, to withdraw funding from the development.
Mixed-Finance Public Housing. Provides authority for PHAs
to develop mixed-financed projects, which may include
projects containing some public housing units with non-
assisted market rate units. PHAs may provide assistance to
such developments from operating or capital funds, in
accordance with regulations established by the Secretary of
HUD, in the form of grants, loans, guarantees, or other forms
of investment in the project. Allows PHAs to deposit certain
grant funds in escrow accounts for use as collateral in
connection with certain tax credit development financing.

subtitle c--section 8 rental and homeownership assistance

Merger of Certificate and Voucher Programs. Merges and
consolidates the Section 8 certificate and voucher programs.
Allows PHAs to establish a set of local preferences based on
local housing needs and priorities. The screening and
selection of tenants shall be the responsibility of the
owner. PHAs are given the power to terminate contracts with
owners who fail to evict tenants that engage in activity
which threatens the health, safety or peaceful enjoyment of
the premises of other tenants or that is drug-related or
violent criminal activity.
Administrative Fees. For FY99, sets administrative fees for
public housing authorities at 7.65 percent of grant amount
for the first 600 units at fair market rent for a two bedroom
and 7.0 percent of the grant amount for all units in excess
of 600. The Secretary may increase this fee in certain
circumstances.
Advance Notice to Tenants of Expiration, Termination or
Owner Non-renewal of Assistance Contracts. Authorizes a
Section 8 owner and HUD to enter into a five-year renewal
agreement, whereby the owner agrees to continue in the
program each year for five years provided funds are
appropriated. Owners who enter into five-year agreements with
HUD are not required to provide annual notice to tenants. For
owners who have not entered into five-year renewal agreements
with HUD, they shall provide notice to tenants which shall
include certain required information.
Homeownership Option. Allows public housing authorities to
use funds under this title to assist a low-income families
trying to attain homeownership through lease-purchase
programs. HUD is authorized to establish a demonstration
homeownership program.
Authorizations. Contains a specific authorizes for FY 2000
and 2001 of an amount sufficient to fund 100,000 incremental
vouchers under this section for each of those years;
authorizes such sums for FY 99 through FY 2003 for relocation
and replacement housing, witness relocation, and other uses.

subtitle d--home rule flexible grant demonstration

Flexible Grant Program. Provides localities with
substandard PHAs a ``home-rule flexibility option'' that
would allow them great latitude to design and implement
creative solutions to local problems. Jurisdictions with PHAs
that rank in the lower 40% of HUD assessment scores are
eligible to develop alternative housing programs and apply
for waivers from certain existing program rules. PHAs
classified as ``high performers'' under HUD assessment scores
would be excluded from eligibility. HUD has discretion to
approve programs from up 100 jurisdictions over four years
(throughout 2002). HUD would enter into ``performance
agreements'' with the jurisdictions setting forth specific
performance goals.

subtitle e--accountability and oversight of public housing agencies

Study of Alternative Methods for Evaluating Public Housing
Agencies. Requires that a study be conducted of alternative
methods to evaluate the performance of public housing
agencies. HUD is to contract if possible with the National
Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to conduct the study.
The findings are to be reported to Congress 12 months after
execution of the contract.
Expansion of Powers for Dealing with PHAs in Substantial
Default. Authorizes the Secretary to (a) solicit competitive
proposals from other entities to manage all or part of the
authority's assets, (b) take possession of all or part of the
authority's assets, (c) require the authority to make other
arrangements to manage its assets, or (d) petition for the
appointment of a receiver for the authority, upon a
substantial default by a housing authority of certain
obligations. Mandates that after two years of being
designated as a ``troubled'' PHA, the Secretary shall take
one of the prescribed actions unless HUD determines that the
PHA has improved its performance by more than 50% as measured
by HUD assessment scores. The Secretary may provide emergency
assistance to a successor entity of an authority. Allows
an apponted receiver to abrogate contracts that impede
correction of the default or improvement of the
authorities classification, demolish and dispose of assets
in accordance with this title, and create new public
housing authorities in consultation with the Secretary.

[[Page H9616]]

Audits. Provides that the Secretary may withhold amounts
from assistance otherwise payable to a PHS for purposes of
paying the reasonable costs of conducting an independent
audit of the PHA.

subtitle f--safety and security in public housing

Provisions Applicable to Public Housing and Section 8
Assistance. Provides that the National Crime Center, police
departments, state law enforcement agencies designated as
registration agencies under a state registration program, or
other law enforcement agencies shall provide to the PHA upon
its request information regarding the criminal background of
an adult applicant for housing assistance. An applicant must
be given an opportunity to dispute any such information. PHAs
may be charged a reasonable fee for provision of the
information.
Screening of Applicants. Provides that a family is
ineligible for federally-assisted housing for three years if
evicted by reason of drug-related criminal activity or for a
reasonable time (as may be determined by the PHA) for other
criminal activity. A PHA or owner of federally-assisted
housing shall establish standards prohibiting admission of
persons or families who the PHA reasonably determines to be
using an illegal substance or whose use of illegal substances
or alcohol would interfere with the health, safety, or right
to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents.
A PHA or owner of federally-assisted housing may deny
admission to any applicant household that, during a
reasonable period prior to applying for housing assistance,
had engaged in any criminal activity. A PHA or federally-
assisted housing owner may require that an applicant
household prior to admission authorize the PHA to obtain any
relevant criminal records from the National Crime Information
Center, police departments, and other law enforcement
agencies.
Termination of Tenancy and Assistance for Illegal Drugs
Users and Alcohol Abusers. Requires a PHA or owner or
federally-assisted housing to establish safeguards and lease
provisions allowing termination of assistance to residents
who the PHA or owner determines to be engaging in the use of
a controlled substance or whose illegal use of a controlled
substance interfers with the health, safety, or right to
peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents.
Ineligibility of Dangerous Sex Offenders. Requires that
owners prohibit admission to federally assisted housing to
any household that includes any individual who is subject to
a lifetime registration requirement under a State sex
offender registration program.

subtitle g--repeals and related provisions

Repeals Relating to Public Housing and Section 8 Programs.
Repeals numerous obsolete individual public housing grant
programs and authorities.
Amendments to Public and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination
Act of 1990. Amends certain provisions of the Anti-Drug Abuse
Act of 1988, which allows the Secretary of HUD to make grants
for use in eliminating crime in and around public housing and
other federally assisted low-income housing projects. An
authorization of $310 million is provided for FY 1999, and
such sums as may be appropriated through FY 2003.
Treatment of Occupancy Standards. Prohibits HUD from
Establishing a national occupancy standard. Mandates that HUD
publish by Notice in the Federal Register the contents of a
HUD memo (the ``Keating Memorandum'') setting forth HUD's
standards for enforcement with respect to discrimination
complaints involving familial status.
Income Eligibility for HOME and CDBG Programs. The HUD
Secretary shall within 90 days of enactment of the Act grant
for not less than 10 jurisdictions exceptions to the
limitations based on percentage of median income applicable
to those jurisdictions under the HOME and CDBG programs.
Use of Assisted Housing by Aliens. Makes certain technical
drafting corrections to the Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (the Immigration Reform
Act). The corrections are necessary to prevent a PHA from
having the option not to enforce the provisions of the
Immigration Reform Act contrary to the intent of Congress.
Protection of Senior Homeowners Under Reverse Mortgage
Program. Permanently authorizes HUD's reverse mortgage
program and establishes a limit of 150,000 mortgages.
Requires that the Secretary consult with consumer groups to
identify alternative approaches to providing consumer
information regarding home equity conversation mortgages.
Provides that HUD shall develop restrictions to prevent the
elderly from being defrauded by third-party financial
advisors. The Secretary is required to issue rules that would
ensure that the mortgagor does not fund any unnecessary or
excessive costs of obtaining the mortgage, including costs
for estate planning, financial advice, or other related
services.
Native American Housing Assistance. Makes technical
amendments to the Native American Housing Act of 1996.
Amendments to Rural Housing Programs. Simplifies and
expands Single Family Loan Guarantee Homeownership Program by
basing homeownership opportunity solely on individual income,
up to 115 of Area Median Income rather than area loan limits.
Authorizes a permanent extension of undeserved areas program
that requires a 5% set aside of rural housing programs for
undeserved areas. Preference [current law] for these area
will be given to projects where poverty is 28% or greater and
where 13% of the housing is substandard.
Authorizes permanent extension of Section 515 program
(Rural Multifamily Direct Loan Program) of rental housing for
very low, low and moderate income families, the elderly and
disabled in rural areas through direct government loans to
eligible borrowers to construct or to acquire and
rehabilitate rental housing.
Authorizes permanent extension of nonprofit entities that
requires that 9% of Sec. 515 funds be allocated to non-profit
groups.
Authorizes permanent extension of Sec. 538 program (Rural
Multifamily Loan Guarantee Program) to allow the USDA
Secretary to guarantee eligible loans for the development
of rural rental housing.
Requires the USDA Secretary to guarantee rural multifamily
loans (Sec. 538) where funds from tax-exempt bond financing
are involved and therefore expands the base of funds a group
may use to leverage funding for rural multifamily housing.
Expands non-profit participation in Sec. 514--Farm Labor
Housing by making limited dividend partnerships, controlled
by non-profit corporations, eligible for farmworker housing
loans and therefore expands the base of funds a group may use
to provide farmworker housing.
Eases rules on Farm-Labor Housing and Rental Assistance by
permitting seasonally operated farmworker housing projects to
be funded on an operating basis and therefore eases paperwork
burden by permitting project rents to be based on the area
income of farmworkers rather than individual income.
Reauthorization of National Flood Insurance Program.
Authorizes homeowner's flood insurance by extending
authorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
for homeowners through FY 2001.
Extends emergency implementation of NFIP to the end of 2001
by allowing certain communities lower flood premiums while in
the middle of implementing mitigation and other flood control
plans that ultimately reduce the community's risk for
flooding.
Assistance for Self-Help Housing Providers. Expands
competition of Self-Help Housing Program (SHOP) by requiring
HUD to make self-help housing program nationally and
regionally competitive. [Program provides funds for
infrastructure and land acquisition to groups who sponsor
self-help housing programs. Program started in FY 1996 with
$40 million, assisting over 4,000 homes at an average
government cost of $10,000 to provide homeownership.]
Extends time to complete FY96 SHOP projects by extending
from 24 months to a total of 36 months the time grantees may
use funds under this program to build housing. Extends SHOP
program for FY 1999 and FY 2000 by granting two year
extension.
Special Mortgage Insurance Assistance. Updates
underutilized FHA program for high-risk borrowers by
providing limited mortgage insurance for high-risk borrowers
who participate in CDFI led pre- and post-purchasing
counseling for mortgages under $70,000 and requires
participation through a certificed CDFI who will share in any
losses incurred.

Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 15 seconds to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy).
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to
acknowledge the tremendous work, and one of the great aspects of
working in the Congress is to see the tremendous diligence and
dedication of the staff,. I particularly want to thank Angie Garcia and
Rick Maurano from the Committee on Banking and Financial Services for
their hard work on the housing bill. Also, Scott Olson from my own
staff, who has really worked very, very hard on this bill, and also Del
Davis and David Reich for the hard work that they have done to continue
to protect the interest of the poor who occupy our housing units.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. LaFalce), the ranking member on the Committee on Banking and
Financial Services.
(Mr. LaFALCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time very much.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report providing
appropriations to VA-HUD and Independent Agencies for fiscal year 1999.
First of all, I, too, want to join in the plaudits of the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) for the tremendous staff work that we
have received on this bill from both sides of the aisle, and he has
enumerated the individuals.
As on every bill, there are some individuals in the Congress who are
deserving of special attention. Certainly the gentleman from California
(Chairman Lewis), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) the ranking
member, certainly

[[Page H9617]]

also the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) and the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy).
I point out in particular the work of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Stokes) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy), not because
they are partisans on my side of the aisle, but because they will be
leaving Congress this year, and this legislation can stand as one of
the most significant hallmarks of their work here, something of which
they can be very, very proud.
We would also be remiss if we did not acknowledge the tremendous
impact and influence and tenacity of the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development, Secretary Cuomo, in attempting to come up with a bill that
everyone could support. If it were not for that tenacity, that
doggedness, that perseverance, we would not be standing here today as
we are. So I applaud him, too.

{time} 1245

There are many reasons to support this bill. Core HUD programs, such
as the modernization program for public housing; the Section 8
incremental account; the McKinney homeless programs, all receive needed
increases. $42.6 billion is provided to veterans programs in benefits,
$439 million more than requested by the administration. And the
AmeriCorps program receives $22 million more than provided last year.
Most notably, however, the VA-HUD conference report includes landmark
public and assisted housing reform legislation. The legislation, which
was a product of months of bipartisan negotiations between Members of
the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services and the Senate
Committee on Banking, Housing, and urban Affairs, represents a balance
between the need to reduce the concentration of very poor families
living in public housing and the necessity to preserve adequate housing
assistance for the very poor. I think that balance was achieved, in
part because the authorizers agreed to establish targeting requirements
that far exceed the provision in the original House-passed bill, H.R.
2, which I had to oppose. That balance, however, was enhanced by the
work of the appropriators to fund new units of Section 8 assistance for
those with families working to move from welfare to work. I do not
think we would have had an adequate balance without those additional
units of Section 8 housing.
Today, I rise in support of the conference report providing
appropriations to VA-HUD and Independent Agencies for fiscal year 1999.
As Ranking Member of the Banking Committee, there are many reasons to
support this bill. Core HUD programs, such as the modernization program
for public housing, the section 8 incremental account, and the McKinney
homeless program, receive needed increases. $42.6 billion is provided
to veterans programs and benefits--$439 million more than requested by
the Administration. The Americorp program receives $22 million more
than provided last year.
Most notably, however, the VA-HUD conference report includes landmark
public and assisted housing reform legislation. The legislation--a
product of weeks of bi-partisan negotiations between the House and
Senate Banking Committees--represents a balance between the need to
reduce the concentration of very poor families living in public housing
and the necessity to preserve adequate housing assistance for the very
poor. That balance was achieved, in part, because the authorizers
agreed to establish targting requirements that far exceed the provision
in the House-passed bill, HR 2, which I opposed. The balance, however,
was further enhanced by the work of the Appropriators to fund new units
of section 8 assistance for those with families working to move from
welfare-to-work.
This balance, however, did not come easy. For years, the Congress has
deliberated upon dramatic reforms to the public and assisted housing
programs which serve over 4 million low-income, American families
today. But today, I believe the four-year campaign of Congressional
Democrats , the Administration, and tenant advocates against onerous
rent reforms and irresponsible targeting levels has finally brought
positive results. Policy issues of most concern to me and my Democratic
colleagues--including maintaining affordable rents for tenants;
reserving an adequate number of units of public and assisted housing
for the poor; streamlining the administrative burdens on Public Housing
Authorities (PHAs); and replacing dilapidated housing with sustainable,
mixed income communities--have been resolved fairly and appropriately
in this conference report.
For instance, the report targets 75 percent of section 8 tenant based
housing and 40 percent of public housing for ``very poor'' families,
those with incomes at and below 30 percent of the area median income.
If a PHA has housing developments located in areas where there are high
concentrations of very poor families, it may reserve up to 10 percent
fewer units of public housing for the very poor as long as it increases
the number of section 8 assistance reserved for the very poor from 75
percent to 85 percent. The conference report also provides that tenants
may choose either an income-based rent of up to 30 percent of the
tenant's adjusted income or a market-based rent. Protections for
tenants who choose to pay a market-rate rent but then suffer a change
in income making the market rent unaffordable, or who choose to pay an
income-based rent and benefit from an increase in income, are also
provided.
I do want to point out, however, that I would have preferred a less
punitive resolution to the ``community work'' requirements promoted by
my Republican colleagues. The conference report goes too far in making
the requirement a condition of occupancy and authorizing a PHA to evict
a tenant found in non-compliance. Certainly, I support encouraging all
Americans to contribute to their community. But I cannot support an
approach that could result in evicting families from public housing for
failing to volunteer in their community.
I am also concerned that the conference report includes the Home Rule
block grant that permits localities to apply to HUD to administer their
public and assisted housing programs. Despite the fact that this
provision was strongly opposed by PHA and without vocal support from
the mayors or cities, the conference report permits 55 localities
served by a troubled PHA and 45 localities served by a non-troubled,
non-high performing PHA to apply to receive public housing operating
and capital funds and section 8 funds directly and to administer
comparable housing programs with such funds. I intend to closely
monitor the implementation of this program to ensure that localities
continue to serve as many families in need as possible and preserve the
public and assisted housing stock as affordable housing.
Again, I want to express my appreciation to Secretary Andrew Cuomo
and my colleagues on the Banking Committee--Chairmen Leach and Lazio,
Ranking Member Kennedy, Chairmen D'Amato and Mack, Ranking Members
Sarbanes and Kerry--for working with me to develop a thoughtful and
progressive public and assisted housing reform bill which I am proud to
support.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), chairman of the
Committee on Banking and Financial Services.
(Mr. LEACH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague for
yielding me this time, and let me just echo the comments of so many
about the distinguished service of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Lou
Stokes), whose friendship is much appreciated; as well as that of the
gentleman from New York, (Mr. Solomon), who, through the Committee on
Rules, has truly shaped the agenda of the last two Congresses.
Second, I would like to thank my good friend, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Jerry Lewis), for working with the authorizing
committee in such a forthright way, in an appropriations context, which
is a rather unusual circumstance but much appreciated.
Second, I would like to underscore, as the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy), the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce),
and most of all, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) have, that
included in this appropriations bill is the Quality Housing and Work
Responsibility Act of 1998, which represents the first major updating
of our public housing laws since the depression.
This landmark legislation is one of the two or three most important
issues before this session of this Congress. Outdated laws and programs
are replaced with a new empowering approach for people in our smaller
communities as well as our larger cities. There is much to be proud of
in this bill, home ownership, local control, volunteerism, and
empowerment, to name a few.
On a philosophical note, I am reminded of a speech given last year by
the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He stated: ``In the 1960s,
people thought government was always the solution. In the 1980s, people
said that government was the problem. In the 1990s, we know that we
cannot solve . . . problems . . . without government, but that

[[Page H9618]]

government itself must change if it is to be part of the solution.''
Mr. Speaker, both the majority and minority members of the Senate and
the House committees of jurisdiction, and as has been mentioned here,
our extraordinary staffs, as well as the administration, led by
Secretary Cuomo, worked tirelessly to craft a reasonable and
responsible approach to reform public housing programs in a manner that
I believe will achieve efficiencies at the Federal level and advantages
at the local level, and empower some of the most needy in our society
with the resources to become self-sufficient and to make decisions
based on responsible choices.
The Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 makes
necessary changes to be part of the solution. It symbolizes many
things, not the least of which is that serious legislation can be
considered during times of difficulties between the administration and
the Congress.
Finally, let me just conclude by stressing again the extraordinary
work of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) in putting this bill
together; the extraordinary thoughtfulness and cooperation of the
ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy); as well
as the ranking member of the full committee, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. LaFalce); and, of course, the thoughtfulness of the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lewis); as well as the full committee chairman,
the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Livingston).
I strongly urge support for this legislation. And I would be remiss
if I did not say that I am very proud of this particular work product
of this Congress.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Brown), the distinguished ranking member of the
Committee on Science.
(Mr. BROWN of California asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much
for yielding me this time, and I will try to be brief.
I believe that we have before us an excellent bill, H.R. 4194, which,
while not perfect, and no bill can be, goes a long way toward dealing
with a lot of the problems which I have, particularly in my role as the
ranking member of the Committee on Science. These problems involve
NASA, the National Science Foundation, EPA research, and other related
matters. Overall, the bill deals positively with all of these agencies,
and I am proud to support the bill and acknowledge the fine work of my
two good friends, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), and our
ranking member, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes).
I think perhaps more important than the matters that I have mentioned
relating to the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science is the
precedent set in this bill for approving authorizing legislation
dealing with the housing problems that are the subject of this bill.
This probably represents a greater degree of cooperation between
authorizers and appropriators than we have seen in the history of this
Congress. And by sheer coincidence, I spent part of my time in the last
week drafting a revision to the rules of the House which would
facilitate exactly what has been done in this bill, and it requires
only rather minor changes in the wording of the rules. This will, of
course, if appropriate, be brought up for discussion when we reorganize
in the next Congress.
In addition to what I have already said, praising the overall impact
of this bill, let me make special mention of the cooperation that I
received from the committee in dealing with a small but I think
significant program involving cooperative research between the U.S. and
Mexico.
We have been working for a number of years establishing a joint U.S.-
Mexico research foundation. And, of course, any time we try to do
something new, we run into lots of problems. I would say that the work
of the gentleman from California and the gentleman from Ohio has been
critical to solving these problems, which are procedural in large part.
The amount of money involved is not all that great. But I want to
express my deep appreciation to them for their willingness to assist on
this matter, and I am sure that the results will bear fruit that they
will be proud of in improving our relationships with our neighbor to
the south in future years. I look forward to continuing to work with
them, assuming I am fortunate enough to be reelected in the years
ahead.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant).
(Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I want to just take a few seconds to pay
tribute. I missed an opportunity to pay tribute to a great American, a
great marine, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), chairman of
our Committee on Rules. And Godspeed. He is one of our greatest.
I want to pay tribute also to the chairman of this committee, and
thank him for all the help that he has given my community and the
Nation.
And I want to pay a special tribute to an individual who I consider
to be one of the strongest legislators in the history of our Nation,
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Lou Stokes), the first African American to
be a cardinal in the Congress of the United States. Absolutely amazing.
He is certainly one of the best.
Now, the business. I want to thank the committee for including the
language of my bill, which will extend housing counseling services to
veterans who are in danger of losing their homes. In addition to that,
I want to thank them for the money for my community, hard-pressed, that
will turn an old abandoned hospital into a community asset.
I also want to thank them once again for including ``buy American''
language, so that when these funds are spent, these agencies will keep
in mind the fact that American taxpayers are American wage earners, and
American wage earners are those who have American jobs. People have
American jobs because Americans, as consumers, buy American products.
And when our government buys, they should consider buying American.
So with that, in closing, I do want to make this last tribute on this
appropriation bill to be handled by the distinguished Member, the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes). My community wants to thank the
gentleman for all he has done for the Nation, for the State of Ohio,
and for the 17th Congressional District of Ohio. Without a doubt, his
legacy will long be remembered and felt here and he will be deeply
missed.
I thank the chairman for all his help.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez).
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, as the representative of one of this
country's largest public housing populations, I strongly oppose this
conference report. The public housing provisions in the agreement will
only ensure that the difficult lives of the extremely poor become a
nightmare.
Over the years, the nature of public housing has changed. Clearly,
reform has become necessary. But the provisions in this report
represent a significant departure from our national commitment to
helping those most in need. This report simply gives up on housing the
very poor.
A year ago, when the Republican leadership brought these provisions
to the floor, they left little hope of a bright future for public
housing tenants. Democrats fought hard and won on some points of basic
fairness. Although this conference report eliminates some of the worst
provisions in that bill, it still does not pass the compassion test.
Decent and affordable housing will remain out of reach for millions
of the neediest families. People affected by this legislation are some
of the most vulnerable members of society. Many of these families are
working to become self-sufficient. We should be addressing those issues
instead of unraveling one of our most vital safety nets.
My colleagues, if we are going to reform public housing, we must do
so in a reasonable and compassionate way. Preserving rent limits and
improved targeting are only a small step. The question we must ask
ourselves is whether the poorest families are going

[[Page H9619]]

to be better off. The answer is clearly no.
I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this conference report.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Sheila-Jackson Lee).
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his
kindness and for yielding me this time.
Let me pay special tribute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes)
for the leadership that he has shown in Congress, and over this
particular legislation that impacts so many Americans. We thank him for
his leadership. And the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), we thank
him for cooperatively working with the gentleman from Ohio. They have
been a dynamic team.

{time} 1300

I somewhat disagree with my good friend from New York on the pain of
those living in public housing. Might I say that although there are
some points of this bill that I certainly appreciate in this
appropriations bill and agree with, but I do want to acknowledge that
there are hardworking Americans in public housing, those who want to
live at a higher level, and I am concerned that some of these elements
may not do that. Frankly, I think the forced volunteerism certainly
begs a lot of concern about putting something on one group of people
because they happen to be in public housing.
I do applaud the fact of the reinstatement of the 1937 act which
allows public housing residents to be hired. It is important, however,
that we look to improve their working and living conditions. I am glad,
however, of the $283 million for 50,000 new Section 8 vouchers. I
encourage our community, the City of Houston, to use those vouchers. We
have 10,000 families living on Section 8.
I also am glad that NASA is funded and particularly the Space
Station. I think it is extremely important that we have continued
research in support of the Space Station, the money tagged for minority
research and education programs, and I am delighted that we are moving
in that direction.
The National Science Foundation also will continue to be able to do
its research and work extensively on teaching our children math and
science and helping those teachers who need professional development.
For once we have recognized the value of the AmeriCorps Service. I
thank the gentleman from Ohio and the House committee and this
conference committee for understanding that young people are out there
working to improve the lives of Americans. AmeriCorps has been finally
funded so that those young people can go to college and help child
care.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I say thank you for the veterans' support and
thank you for the money for Covenant House that will help young people
be housed in Texas. The runaways will now have a place to live because
of the support of Covenant House in Texas.
I would ask the gentleman from Ohio to continue his good work and
continue his good service.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my opinion on H.R. 4194, the VA-
HUD-Independent Agencies Appropriations for FY 1999. Although the
measure has some redeeming elements, I am still unhappy with some of
the provisions.
First, this is a VA-HUD Appropriations bill, not a public housing
authorizing bill. For the life of me I cannot figure out the why of the
provision requiring unemployed public housing tenants to contribute
eight hours of community serve each month to remain in public housing.
The 13th Amendment of the Constitution states that ``Neither slavery
not involuntary servitude will be permitted except for a punishment of
crime where the party shall have been duly convicted.'' Forcing people
into mandatory community service so that they can remain in public
housing amounts to nothing less than slavery. This mandate would thrust
this country back into the dark ages of slavery by encouraging forced
labor of individuals who are down on their luck.
However, I am very relieved that as part of a deal with the Clinton
Administration, we now have 50,000 new vouchers for Section 8 housing
residents. In the city of Houston, there are approximately 10,000
families living on Section 8 assistance and approximately 15,000
families on the waiting list for Section 8 assistance. These additional
vouchers in this bill are sorely needed to provide housing assistance
to Americans with low incomes. This definitely makes this bill a lot
more viable, especially for the Members who represent large urban areas
where these needs are vast.
Although this bill continues our current trend of reducing NASA
funding, I do appreciate the appropriations provided for this very
important and very vital agency. By funding NASA at $13.7 billion, we
will continue to viability of several important minority and gender-
oriented programs. Also, $55,900,000 is tagged to fund minority
research and education programs, $10,000,000 above the requested
amount. Such appropriations are necessary and will insure the
successful development of minorities and women in the fields of science
and engineering.
The Appropriations Committee graciously raised the level of funding
for other space-related programs. For instance, the funding for the
Near-Earth-Asteroid budget was increased by $1,600,000. It is equally
important that grater funds are provided for the Mars 2001 program, and
the Life and Microgravity Science Department.
I also thank the Committee for providing funding for the National
Science Foundation (NSF). We should always strive to continue advances
in scientific research and development. The Committee has funded the
NSF at $3.4 billion. Although the levels is $146 million below the
Administration's request, it is good that we continue to support this
significant Foundation. More specifically, appropriations for necessary
upgrades and overhauls of important research and regulatory equipment
are continued. Other provisions aptly address the NSF educational
budget, which assists K-12 schools to teach their children about math
and science. Funding for this budget is $10 million over last year's
budget. However, I am concerned at the refusal of support of the Kyoto
Global Warming Treaty. There are also some other research on the EPA
that we must fix. The preservation of our environment is very
important.
Finally, the budget for the Corporation for National and Community
Service, better known as Americorps, was zeroed out in the House
version of the bill. I was astonished at this move. Americorps has
valiantly served our country during its short existence, and I hope
that we will continue to support it. I believe that any program as
positive as this, which highlights the American virtue of volunteerism
and altruism, should be continued indefinitely. I am very pleased that
the other body added the $426 million back in for 1999--equal to the
1998 funding.
I am also grateful that the Conference bill includes $42 billion in
VA programs and benefits. This Report includes much needed funding for
medical and prosthetic research, service connected compensation
benefits and pensions, and major construction of veterans' facilities.
I love our veterans, and I am glad that the Congress remains vigilant
in taking care of those who have served our country through military
service.
Lastly, I am very pleased that the funding for Covenant House has
been added to the bill and $300,000 for the city of Houston. Covenant
House Texas, located in Houston, is a non-profit agency which provides
shelter and comprehensive service to homeless and runaway youths under
the age of 21. There is a tremendous need for these programs in Texas,
to serve at risk, young people who have had little in their lives in
the way of basic education, career training, and independent living
education. I thank both the chairman, Mr. Lewis, and the ranking
member, Mr. Stokes, and to all of the conferees for ensuring that this
much needed program was included in the Conference Report.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Waxman), the distinguished ranking member of the
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time.
When the VA-HUD appropriations bill was passed by the House in July,
it contained numerous provisions in the accompanying report that were
intended to interfere with the implementation of our environmental
laws. In the legislation now before us, I see that the conferees have
improved most of these anti-environmental riders. However, there is
still some potentially damaging language in the bill and I want to
mention some of these specific provisions.
The report urges EPA to start over in their efforts to clean up air
pollution in our national parks. I understand this language was
included by the Republicans at the request of coal-burning utilities in
Colorado.
In the mid 1970s, there was growing public concern regarding air
pollution clouding the beautiful vistas of our national parks. As a
result, Congress directed EPA to address the problem in

[[Page H9620]]

the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977. After a stalled effort, the
program was improved and strengthened in 1990. Unfortunately, just as
this program was finally beginning to be implemented, the program was
stalled for 9 years by an anti-environmental rider attached to this
year's highway bill. The language in the VA-HUD appropriations bill now
adds insult to injury by urging EPA to start over and not encourage the
States to even plan or think about addressing this serious issue.
There is language in this bill which is intended to prevent the
reduction of mercury emissions from power plants until after the turn
of the century. There is language which is intended to slant
implementation of our pesticide safety laws in favor of pesticide
chemical companies at the risk of public health. Additionally, there is
language designed to interfere with the dredging of PCB contaminated
sediments in our rivers and our lakes.
Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat comforted by the chairman's past
assurances that this is all report language and is not binding on the
agency. However, it is now up to Carol Browner, the Administrator of
the EPA, to take the chairman at his word and to deal with or to ignore
some of these harmful provisions. I am pleased that the bill before us
is better than the one we passed through the House. I wanted to put in
the Record some of my concerns.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume just by way of a brief reaction. I could not help but pay
close attention to the comments of the gentleman from California, for
he was expressing concern about report language in the bill, and we
have discussed this before. He knows the relative impact of report
language. But what he may not know is that for the riders he is really
concerned about, we had serious discussions and negotiations and work
with the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Byrd) who was the key player
involved in all of this and want to make sure we understand that he is
a Democrat, that we recall that.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the conferees,
especially the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy)
and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) for the outstanding work
that they did on the housing report. Gone are the heavy-handed
provisions that would have mandated community service for unemployed
residents of public housing. In its place this bill requires either 8
hours of community service or 8 hours a month of participation in an
economic self-sufficiency program. This is real problem-solving without
the insensitive and stoic responsibilities to existing circumstances in
public housing that we witnessed earlier in the process.
When I look at my congressional district in Chicago, where only 18
percent of the residents of Dearborn Homes are employed, where only 9
percent of the residents of Robert Taylor A are working; where only 9
percent of the residents of Stateway Gardens are working, there is
clearly a need for job training. I believe that this is where we need
to direct our focus. This is a most welcome undertaking and is proof
positive of the type of agreements this body can reach. I thank the
conferees for an outstanding piece of work.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Mrs. Meek), a hardworking and very dedicated member of the VA-
HUD subcommittee.
Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank our leader Lou Stokes who
is retiring from Congress. I thank Chairman Lewis. The two of them have
what I have always described as a dynamic duo. With the fact that they
work so well together as a member of that conference committee, the
work was sometimes strenuous and caused us to have to make hard
decisions, but they were good decisions.
At first I was a little bit dissatisfied with H.R. 2, but after the
many compromises that were made, particularly those compromises that
had to do with additional Section 8, also additional public service for
the people who are in such distressed conditions, I want to give my
full support to this conference report and hoping that the volunteerism
that perhaps is forced on some of the residents will cause them to make
this a virtue and work this into what they will give to society.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ford).
Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report and
to pay tribute to the leadership of this giant Lou Stokes, this
gentleman and giant. The gentleman from Ohio deserves special praise
for helping to produce today what will be his final VA-HUD
appropriations bill. He was able to work with both the administration
and his very able and amiable friend and chairman of the committee the
gentleman from California to produce and craft a bill that includes a
landmark housing reform package that provides opportunities,
responsibilities, is less onerous and gives more autonomy to local
public housing authorities.
The gentleman from Ohio is leaving a great legacy to this Congress.
He has done so much to honor our veterans, to improve the lives of
millions of Americans by expanding affordable housing, cleaning up our
environment and advancing medical research in my district and districts
around the Nation.
On a personal note, Mr. Stokes and Mr. Clay and Mr. Dellums and Mr.
Rangel are like fathers to me. I have known them since I was a child.
Aunt Jay and certainly Judge Stokes, and Chuck and Shelley and Lorie
are like cousins. He will be missed not only by those of us in this
House but those throughout this Nation. He is one that has provided me
with great counsel and advice since being in the Congress and just on a
very personal note, I want to say to my friend and uncle and father
figure Mr. Lou Stokes, thank you for what you have meant to me, thank
you for what you have meant to this Congress and thank you for what you
have meant to this Nation. You are indeed a true patriot and you will
be missed.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema).
(Mrs. ROUKEMA asked and was given permission to revise and extend her
remarks.)
Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I know there have been wonderful accolades
given to the chairman and other members of the committee, the ranking
member, and I want to join in that. I particularly want to commend the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) and the public housing provisions
in this bill. Having been a member of the Banking Committee for a good
number of years and the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Housing,
I know what a giant step of reform this is. I want to commend them. But
I especially want to reference the fact that the money was put in to
deal with the veterans' needs in States like New Jersey and other
States. After all, when our veterans served, they did not serve one
region of the country or another. They served all Americans.
I just want to congratulate the committee for doing what is fair and
right for all the veterans no matter what States they live in, and
particularly for our veterans' hospitals in New Jersey.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Conference Report
for H.R. 4194, the VA, HUD Appropriations Act for FY 1999. This is a
very good Conference Report with many strong aspects.
Public Housing.--This Conference Report includes H.R. 2, the Public
Housing bill. I want to commend Chairman Lazio for his strong
leadership on this effort.
Our public housing programs have been a failure. For years I served
as the Ranking Minority Member on the Banking Housing Subcommittee.
While we made repeated attempts to address the waste, fraud and abuse
inherent to our public housing system, this is the first time we have
had a comprehensive plan offering effective solutions.
We have made great strides in reforming our welfare system in an
effort to give people the hand up they need rather than a hand out.
With the passage of this Conference Report, we move a step closer to
completing the job of reforming our welfare system. These reforms are
real and help people by giving public housing families the tools they
need to achieve financial independence.
Ramapo.--In addition, I would like to thank the Chairman for his hard
work and dedication. I would like to thank him and the Committee for
including a grant to Ramapo College.

[[Page H9621]]

This grant will help to offset the cost of constructing a Center for
the Performing and Visual Arts that will serve all the people of
northern New Jersey.
Moderate Rehabilitation.--I would also like to thank the Chairman and
the Committee for including language on Moderate Rehabilitation
contracts. Moderate Rehabilitation properties are vital neighborhood
assets in many lower income communities that hold neighborhoods
together.
Veterans.--But, I would like to take the rest of my time to speak on
an issue that is vital to the veterans of New Jersey and the Northeast.
This Conference Report contains language that urges the Veterans
Administration to provide for a one time credit of $20 million to the
Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Three, which serves veterans
of New Jersey and the Northeast. This language is right and fair. The
veterans served their country, and there should be no difference on
their care and treatment according to state or regional locations. This
Conference report puts the money back and brought equity for all our
veterans.
A General Accounting Office (GAO) study revealed that the Network 3
returned $20 million for the Fiscal Year 1997 budget to the Veterans
Administration national offices in Washington. According to the GAO,
the Network 3 Director found ``no prudent use'' for these funds.
At the same time this money was returned to Washington, my office had
numerous complaints from the East Orange and Lyons facilities. Most
recently, a patient at Lyons Veterans Affairs Medical Center, which
mainly serves psychiatric patients, was found dead after wandering off
site unsupervised. He was missing for three days and found only 150
feet from the Hospital's administration building. It is also
interesting to note that due to funding restraints, New Jersey's VA
hospitals have eliminated over 240 jobs. It is obvious to me that the
$20 million could have been spent in many prudent ways.
The crisis facing our veterans, brought about by implementation of
the VA's new funding formula known as Veterans Equitable Resource
Allocation (VERA), has negatively impacted funding of veterans' health
care in New Jersey and the northeastern United States. New Jersey and
the Northeast will lose millions of dollars over the next several
years.
To save money, the VA has cut back on numerous services for veterans
and instituted various managed care procedures that have the impact of
destroying the quality of care the veterans receive. For instance, the
VA has reduced the amount of treatment offered to those who suffer from
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and reduced the number of medical
personnel at various health centers.
As a result of these cutbacks on top of the $20 million give away,
there has been an erosion of confidence between veterans and the VA.
This erosion threatens to destroy the solemn commitment that this
nation made to its veterans when they were called to duty.
This credit of the $20 million will help to restore the confidence of
our veterans in the VA. I call on the Secretary of the VA to act
immediately on the Committee's direction after this bill is signed into
law.
I thank the Chairman and urge adoption of this Conference Report.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Vento).
(Mr. VENTO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Agreement on H.R.
4194, the VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations for FY 1999.
Overall, I am supportive of the funding levels for the Veterans
programs and for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I
have concerns about the wisdom of limiting the implementation of the
Kyoto global warming treaty in the manner prescribed. It is short
sighted to ignore the facts that are building on global warming and it
is more short sighted for the United States not to be taking a lead
role in the international community on these efforts to control
greenhouse gases. So, although this bill has been tempered from what
was in the House bill it is still overreaching. It is also regrettable
that this bill contains hundreds of millions of dollars of earmarks
among housing and environmental programs, continuing a usual pattern
for this bill that I find less than appealing, with the limited funds
available, the report picks winners and losers for such funds based on
nonobjective criteria.
There is always too much to say about appropriations bills that cover
the whole range of issues and programs that we have before us. That
task has been multiplied by the inclusion of the authorizing
legislation, H.R. 2, which has many provisions that I have worked on
over the past few Congresses.
I do support the agreement brought together in this bill on H.R. 2.
Because I have not had adequate time to study the nuances of all the
language, I cannot unequivocally endorse the entire product. I remain
concerned about the community work requirements and the inclusion of
the Home Rule Flexible Grants Demonstration program in the agreement
and have some concerns about the potential negative effect of public
housing operating subsidy and modernization formulas that are as of
yet, not created and therefore, untested. The final provisions are
limited in scope and time and attempts to avoid duplication with other
Federal requirements.
Nonetheless, I must praise those who came to this agreement for
moderating the House bill which was extreme in its so-called reforms.
From not repealing the 1937 Housing Act to providing much better
targeting of scarce housing resources to the very poor, this agreement
is a significant improvement and a reasonable compromise. The inclusion
of this agreement today shows that Public Housing Authorities (PHAs)
can be given flexibility without destroying the underlying protections
for those in need of housing assistance: the Brooke amendment which
limits families' rent contributions, and targeting of 75 percent of
Section 8 assistance vouchers and 40 percent of public housing units to
the very poor.
I am pleased that some form of the changes I had worked on for
several years in Housing Authorization bills in the past three
Congresses have been included in the agreement. In particular, I refer
to the expansion of the Public Housing Drug Elimination Program (PHDEP)
to a more comprehensive crime oriented program which had been called
COMPAC. Section 586 of the bill does make amendments to PHDEP to assure
that this program, already effective in many cities across the country,
can be improved to include the eradication of drug-related and violent
crimes, primarily in and around public housing buildings with severe
crime problems. While not entirely including my COMPAC provisions that
were in the House-passed bill, these changes will link community
policing efforts and local anti-crime efforts with public and assisted
housing security and crime reduction initiatives. I am concerned,
however, that in lieu of an actual formula for distribution of the
crime and drug elimination program funds to PHAs that apply and
demonstrate security and crime reduction needs, there is only a
preference for PHAs that have previously received funds under PHDEP
with a small, undefined ``set-aside'' of funds for a ``class of public
housing agencies that have urgent or serious crime problems.'' I
believe the latter is an attempt to assure medium- to small-sized PHAs
have an opportunity to receive funds even if they have not to date, and
thus would not be subject to the preference for funds over the next
four years. I would also hope that either in developing the preferenced
set of PHAs and the special class of PHAs, that HUD will fairly
allocate these funds across the country to PHAs like St. Paul that have
received funding in the past, and to others that have needs that have
not received PHDEP monies.
Thankfully, the agreement does not create the ill-advised Housing
Accreditation Board that the House bill was to have foisted upon the
system, regardless of whether it is necessary. The creation of a
commission to study the effectiveness of current public housing
performance assessment is a much better outcome and should be more
useful and cost effective in the long-run than super-imposing a new
government bureaucracy.
As the work of the appropriators, I wish to thank and commend the
Conferees for including some relief, though not all that we hoped for,
on the matter of tenant notification of the prepayment of a mortgage on
the apartment building in which they live. As Members may recall, I
offered an amendment to provide for 12-month of notice to affected
tenants based on a Senate amendment accepted in the VA-HUD bill.
However, the amendment was out of order at that time as it was
legislating on an appropriations bill. Thankfully, we are over that
hurdle by a long shot in this bill with extensive authorization to say
the least. Since then, I have been working with my Minnesota colleague
from St. Paul's sister city, Minneapolis, to ensure that tenants, state
and local governments, and advocates have advance knowledge of
prepayment, in part to enable them to the degree it is possible, to
preserve the existing assisted housing. Without Preservation funding
requests from the Administration and without the appropriations of
funds for preservation, the real heavy lifting to keep affordable
housing units isn't likely to be possible. I hope this policy path will
change in the future. Until then, this notice is a small step forward
to give tenants in states like Minnesota which has developed its own
funding program for preservation the opporutnity to preserve a few
buildings. I will continue to work to see that the federal government
pulls its share of the weight on preservation and provides adequate
funding by whatever means are available so that it is a true partner to
the states and our citizens in this endeavor.

[[Page H9622]]

I am also very pleased that the Conference agreement has included an
increase of the FHA loan limits: an increase in the floor to 48% of the
Freddie/Fannie conforming loan limit that is almost as much as the 50%
of the conforming loan amendment that I had offered successfully in the
1994 housing bill that died in the other body, and, an increase to
$197,620 for the FHA ceiling that will help many middle income and
first time home buyers in high cost areas. Both of these increases
should be helpful to keep this program relevant in the market place and
making it more responsive to the actual cost of building and buying a
home in large and small, rural and suburban, urban and ex-urban real
estate markets across the country. The five years delay in responding
to the changes in the market speak to a need for autonomy for the FHA,
administration so that the program is not hobbled by political limits.
It is good to note, as well, the permanent authorization of the popular
and proven FHA HECM program, better known as the Reverse Mortgage
program for Seniors.
I do note that the Conference Agreement provides almost a billion
dollars, or $975 million, for homeless assistance, thirty percent of
which is targeted to permanent housing assistance. While I am pleased
with that funding level for the HUD McKinney programs, I do regretfully
note that the FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Grant program has
remained level funded at $100 million and would point out that the
matching requirements have been diluted. Hopefully those who receive
such funds will maintain their current efforts.
The Appropriations Conferees should be praised as well for the 50,000
incremental, or new, vouchers that this bill providing funding for.
Democrats in the House have long been fighting for additional section 8
assistance, so it is indeed a good bill that can bring those new
Section 8 vouchers to fruition. I would only note that I am a little
concerned that many of those vouchers are earmarked for certain cities
in a way that may not be what is reflected by actual need for the
vouchers. Furthermore, the one-year commitment for the redefined
vouchers continues to snowball into a larger commitment each year.
Without a multiyear commitment the public and assisted housing sponsors
have no clear long term policy from the Federal Government.
I would be remiss not to note the inclusion of $426 million of
funding for the AmeriCorp program and $80 million for the Community
Development Financial Institutions Fund, two Administration programs of
which I am very supportive. As a supporter of the effective
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation and its Neighborhood Housing
Services, I am pleased at the $90 million allocation of which $25
million could be used for a pilot home ownership initative.
Mr. Speaker, it has been six long years since we have openly wrote a
comprehensive housing policy measure for our nation into law. This
product on balance is positive, but a weak substitute for what needs to
be done our nation is on the CUSP of a Housing Crisis our Budget
priorities and the agenda doesn't effectively deal with it. The
Congress has been reduced to reacting to the crisis and while this
measure is a positive step it is not the answer to the issue.
Nevertheless, I ask my Colleagues to support this Conference
Agreement which has been tempered in many ways from the House-passed
VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies appropriations bill that I could not
support when it was considered earlier this year. Hopefully, we will
see this kind of balanced and fair compromising as we continue to wrap
up the appropriations bills this Congress, in the week ahead and
beyond.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. It has been a tough bill to craft.
This bill is always a very tough bill to craft. Thanks to the
leadership of the gentleman from California, we have crafted a bill
that I can commend to all of the Members as being a good bill.
In closing, I want to take once again just a moment to say, we could
not bring a better bill to the floor than this bill, the last bill on
which I will be the ranking member of the committee.
Jerry, I want you to know, I am proud of this bill, I am proud of my
association, of my friendship with you. It has been a great honor to
serve with you. I am very proud to commend this bill to all the Members
of the House.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume. By way of closing the discussion on this bill, I first
want to take a moment myself to express the same level of appreciation
and respect to our very fine staff that was expressed by my colleague
Louis Stokes earlier: Frank Cushing and Del Davis, Paul Thompson and
David Reich, Valerie Baldwin, Fredette West; Jeff Shockey of my
personal staff and Alex Heslop who have helped so extensively with this
work. Tim Peterson and Dena Baron. And, of course, Louis, Arlene Willis
had something to do with all this.
An item that may or may not be known by the gentleman from Ohio
because in this world that we work in, there are no secrets, but you
never can tell, we might have preserved one. Mr. Speaker, there is one
matter that I do want to bring to the House's attention. It concerns my
good friend Louis Stokes. For 24 years, the gentleman from Ohio has
served on this subcommittee, what is now called the VA, HUD and
Independent Agencies appropriations subcommittee, first as a member and
then as chairman. While he is now ranking member, he will always be my
chairman.
During that time, he has always been a strong supporter of veterans,
and that is especially true for minority veterans. Among other things,
Louis Stokes has worked to get the VA to reach out to minority
veterans. He has worked to get VA to increase the number of minority
employees in higher grades. He has worked to get the VA to make certain
that more contract funds were available to minority firms.
Louis Stokes served honorably in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. To
honor and to recognize Congressman Stokes' long and distinguished
career in support of veterans and veterans programs, the conferees on
the VA-HUD appropriations measure have, I would say discreetly, my
staff wants me to say secretly, agreed to rename the Cleveland VA
Medical Center at Wade Park as the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that all Members will agree that it is both
fitting and proper to name the Cleveland Medical Center for our friend
and colleague Louis Stokes.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the
conference agreement. I especially want to congratulate the gentleman
from California, Chairman Lewis, and the gentleman from Ohio, Mr.
Stokes, the ranking member, for their evenhanded bipartisan work in
putting together this difficult piece of legislation.
The bill has broad support from both parties and in both Chambers. In
numerous ways this conference report addresses our nation's critical
priorities and gives support to areas in need. This bill includes
funding for the construction of a Greater Sacramento Urban League
office on Marysville Boulevard in Del Paso Heights, California. This
project will symbolize the renewal of hope and revitalization of one of
northern California's most depressed areas.
According to the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA),
the area where this project will be suffers from an unemployment rate
of 22% and a per capita income of only $5,551. Del Paso Heights is
extremely economically depressed and suffers from a decaying
infrastructure. The SHRA has also found that 31% of the residents
receive AFDC and 40% live below the poverty line.
This earmark to help move the Greater Sacramento Urban League offices
to this area can help turn these numbers around. Last year alone, 100
young people earned their G.E.D. from their Project SUCCESS program.
150 people graduated from their office technology program and 25
students earned certification as nursing assistants/health aides. Over
2,700 people have learned about HIV/AIDS prevention and personal
responsibility. They have also helped over 1,000 people develop job
readiness skills and placed 300 people in jobs.
I was also pleased to find that funding was made available for the
new City of Citrus Heights, California. These needed funds will go
towards the transitional costs that are associated when an area of this
size becomes its own city.
In particular, these funds will be used for the continuation of the
efforts of Citrus Heights to address and mitigate long term solutions
to the problems that are priorities to the city and may not have been
priorities to the county that they belonged to last year.
The County of Sacramento also received another year of funding for
the Sacramento River Toxic Pollutant Control Program and the Combined
Sewer System in the EPA section of the bill. These are vital multi-year
projects that will help ensure the health and well-being of
Sacramento's residents. Both projects are part of Sacramento County's
long-range pollutant control plans, and I am pleased to have been able
to support these projects over the past several years.
In short, this is a bill that is of benefit to my congressional
district, my state and the entire

[[Page H9623]]

nation. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting it.
Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4194, the
FY1999 VA/HUD/Independent Agencies Conference Report.
While there are many parts of this bill that I am proud to support, I
am especially pleased that the Housing Opportunity and Responsibility
Act, H.R. 2, was included in this Conference Report.
Mr. Speaker, it was not too long ago that the House considered and
passed H.R. 2, which represents the first significant reform of public
housing in several years. Among other substantial improvements, the
bill eliminates many current obstacles that local housing authorities
face in receiving funding. During the consideration of H.R. 2, I worked
diligently with my fellow colleague from Pennsylvania Representative
Ron Klink to successfully include the text of a bill we crafted, the
Community Right To Know Act, as part of H.R. 2.
The Community Right to Know Act, H.R. 212, requires local public
housing authorities to notify, and consult with, potentially impacted
local governments when negotiating any settlement of, or consent decree
for, significant litigation regarding public housing assistance from
the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Thanks to our
hard work and persistence, the House passed our bill in the form of an
amendment unanimously, by voice vote last year.
When the House considers this Conference Report today, we will be
requiring HUD to consult with local communities before they attempt to
implement any housing program. This is especially important to my
constituents in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where they have been
working hard to implement the Sanders Consent Decree, a housing
desegregation class-action lawsuit which involves HUD and the Allegheny
County Housing Authority (ACHA).
The Consent Decree states that HUD, ACHA, and the plaintiff's
attorney's will work to end alleged discriminatory housing policies in
the County and distribute 100 public housing units throughout the
County rather than concentrating them in blighted areas. Disputes
stemming from the consent decree began early in the implementation
process when HUD, ACHA, and the plaintiff's attorney's, as members of
the Sanders Task Force, decided to schedule closed door meetings in
which the general public was not invited.
To make matters worse, the Task Force does not include community
leaders, private citizens, local officials or any Congressional
Representatives and has made little or no effort to consult with
citizens in developing their plans. As a result, the Task Force's
initiatives are often ill-advised and poorly managed.
The Klink-Doyle ``Community Right To Know'' initiative would prohibit
closed-door meetings and allow the public at-large to voice their
concerns, comments and make suggestions as to how to implement consent
decrees, and other HUD programs in the best possible manner. I am
especially pleased that the House and Senate Conferees included this
bill in this Conference Report.
This Conference Report is the product of a compromise between the
Administration, the House and the Senate. I am proud to support this
Conference Report and urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 4194.
Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the VA, HUD
and Independent Agencies Appropriations bill.
I urge my colleagues to support this measure and I would like to
express my appreciation to Chairman Lewis and Mr. Stokes for crafting a
bill that is both equitable and fair to veterans, homeowners and
renters and supporters of cleaner environment.
It is never an easy task to establish the right priorities and
funding levels for the Veterans Administration, the Environmental
Protection Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development,
but the conferees appear to have done so once again.
I would also like to express my appreciation for the spirit of
compromise that was reached between the Administration, the authorizing
committee and the appropriations committee on legislation that will
substantially rewrite public housing programs.
Last year the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the Housing
Opportunity and Responsibility Act, by a vote of 293 to 132. The public
housing reforms contain key elements of H.R. 2, but are responsive to
concerns raised by the administration and many low income housing
groups.
I am especially pleased to see that all parties agreed to retain
tough screening and eviction procedures that cover not just public
housing but privately-owned publicly assisted housing.
As you know, I have a personal interest in the expedited eviction
procedure.
Unfortunately, it took the tragic death of Alexandria police officer
Charlie Hill before HUD began to explore procedures to expedite the
eviction of drug dealers from public housing projects. The police and
the community knew who the drug dealers were, but every time they
attempted to do something, they were stymied by the legal aid
advocates. Fortunately, Alexandria was successful and the city's
subsidized housing units are a far different place to live in today.
The expedited eviction procedure works but it needed to be
strengthened further.
Today's legislation builds on past efforts by permitting housing
authorities to access criminal records for screening and evicting
tenants. It also extends these useful tools to private owners and
managers of Section 8 housing.
Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill, it deserves strong bipartisan
support.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this conference
report. I am pleased that it increases funding for veterans health,
public housing, and services for some of our most needy citizens. I
remain concerned that under the VERA formula, Connecticut veterans may
face additional cuts in their health services, and I look forward to
working with the VA and the rest of the Connecticut delegation to
address this problem.
I am pleased that the report includes language which directs the
Consumer Product Safety Commission to revisit its flammability
standards for children's sleepwear.
In 1996 the CPSC voted to weaken the standards for children's
sleepwear which protect children from being burned. Those standards,
which had been in place for more than 20 years, required children's
pajamas to be made from material which self-extinguishes if it catches
on fire. The standards are credited with saving tens of thousands of
children from injury and death.
The language in the conference report gives the CPSC the opportunity
to examine all the data and revoke, modify or retain its weakened
standard without waiting for the numbers of children burned to rise.
I am proud to join Congressmen Weldon and Andrews, Fire Marshalls,
Chiefs, and fire safety organizations from around the country in
supporting this language and calling on the CPSC to return to its
original, protective standard. This is truly a matter of life or death
for many children, and I appreciate the assistance of Chairman Lewis,
Ranking Member Stokes, and all of the conferees in addressing this
important issue.
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank Chairman Lewis and
Ranking Member Stokes for their leadership in crafting this Conference
Report.
As always, my good friend from California has presented this House
with a bill that will improve the livelihood of our nation's veterans,
preserve housing programs and maintain our commitment to scientific
excellence at NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the EPA.
We are all aware of the Chairman's dedication to a healthy
environment. By authoring the California Clean Air Act, Mr. Lewis made
possible the environmental advancements our region in southern
California has experienced in recent years.
I share his dedication to clean air and a healthy environment. And I
stand in strong support of the language in the Conference Report
regarding the Administration's misguided Kyoto Protocol.
I went to Kyoto last December and talked to many of the international
key players there. I was interested to hear from Chinese
representatives that they had no intention of adhering to this
international agreement.
Because China will become the number one emitter of Carbon Dioxide
sometime in the next two decades, the treaty doesn't work.
I also held three hearings in my Science Subcommittee on Energy and
the Environment before attending the conference. At those hearings, top
climatologists told us that no clear scientific evidence exists
indicating that there is human-induced global warming.
So, the treaty will not work and the science doesn't show that we
need it. But that is not the only reason to support the language in the
Conference Report.
I also support the language because it stops this Administration from
implementing the Kyoto Treaty without Senate ratification. If they were
able to do so they would be ignoring the sanctity of the Constitution.
If the President believes this treaty is good for America, let him
send it to the Senate so it can be weighed on its merits in a full and
open debate. That is what the Constitution demands.
Again, I thank Chairman Lewis and Ranking Member Stokes for their
excellent work on this Conference Report and urge a yes vote.
Mr. McINTOSH. Mr. Speaker, the Kyoto Protocol is a bad deal for
America. In the face of inconclusive science, this treaty goes too far,
too fast, and involves too few countries. The fact is that, even if we
stopped operating every car, truck, boat, train, and airplane in this
country, the energy savings still would not be enough to meet the U.S.
commitments under the Protocol.
Moreover, under this treaty, all of the burdens are imposed on the
industrialized countries, while the developing countries enjoy all

[[Page H9624]]

the benefits. Huge emissions producers like China, India, South Korea,
Brazil, and Mexico are totally excluded from any commitments. As a
result, even if every developed country were to achieve its emissions
reduction obligations, there still would be not net reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions.
Without global participation, this country could well face crippling
economic consequences: the elimination of millions of American jobs,
significant increases in our energy prices, and deterioration of our
standard of living. Given the scientific uncertainties, we don't need a
Kyoto Protocol that hamstrings our future and leaves this country
incapable of coping with real crises. Needless to say we cannot
countenance any Administration attempts to make this treaty a reality
before it is submitted to the Senate for advice and consent and before
Congress can agree upon any necessary implementing legislation and
regulations.
The Clinton/Gore Administration has recognized the Protocol's
deficiencies and promised that it will not submit this treaty for
ratification until there is ``meaningful participation'' by developing
countries. Under Secretary of State Elizenstat also has repeatedly
disavowed any intention of the Administration to implement the Protocol
before it is submitted to the Senate.
But these assurances notwithstanding, EPA has taken actions that
strongly suggest that the Administration may be trying to jump the gun
on Congress and issue rules and regulations through the back-door. Take
for example, EPA's attempt to cap carbon emissions in the
Administration's electric utility restructuring plan. An internal
Agency memorandum that was provided to my Subcommittee revealed that
EPA saw this proposal as a ``concrete step to move forward domestically
on global warming while continuing to work for progress internationally
in follow-up to Kyoto.''
In a hearing before my Subcommittee, an EPA official also testified
that the agency has the authority to regulate the carbon dioxide that
we exhale every day as an air pollutant under the Clean Air Act, as if
it were the same as other air pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen oxide, or mercury, that are already regulated.
We have to pass the bipartisan funding limitation in H.R. 4194 to put
the breaks on back-door regulatory actions. We cannot allow EPA to make
an end-run around fundamental democratic procedures to advance the
Administration's social engineering.
The Kyoto Protocol is a fundamentally flawed treaty. Our only
safeguard against this bad deal is our constitutional process of Senate
advice and consent. The Clinton/Gore Administration must be held to its
promises to Congress and the American public, while the treaty remains
a ``work-in-progress,'' and while the Clinton/Gore Administration
continues to ``explore'' ways to achieve ``meaningful participation.''
This is a global issue. ``Meaningful participation'' must mean global
participation by all countries. We will settle for nothing less.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this conference
report and ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I first would like to thank Chairman Lewis, Congressman
Stokes and the Subcommittee staff for their guidance throughout the
year. As all of know this is the final VA, HUD Conference Report for
Lou Stokes. Having served with Lou on this Subcommittee for four years
I know that he will missed for his insight and knowledge of the vast
array of issues that face this Subcommittee each year. Lou, you have
made serving on this subcommittee a educational experience and I wish
you all the best in your retirement.
Mr. Speaker, this conference report is a balanced one. It provides
funding for many vital programs for our nation's veterans, for
protection and preservation of our environment, for meeting the housing
needs for our elderly and disabled and for scientific research and
discovery.
In total this report provides over $93 billion for the Departments of
Veteran Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and 17 independent
agencies and offices. Nearly half of the bill's funding supports the
Department of Veterans Affairs' efforts to provide health care, housing
and benefits.
As a member of this subcommittee I am pleased that this bill provides
increased funding for the VA Health Care System. However, I remain
concerned over the way the VA has chosen to implement the Veterans
Integretated Network System (VISN) and intend to continue to follow
this implementation very closely. Funding has increased each year for
the last three years yet some area networks are not seeing any
increases and in fact are receiving cuts in funding and services. As
implementation continues, I intend to make sure that the quality of
care for our veterans continue at a very high level.
During subcommittee mark-up I offered report language, accepted by
the Conference Committee, which would require the Veterans
Administration to give back $20 million to VISN 3. These funds were
wrongly given back to the VA Headquarters any my report language will
rectify this situation. There is no doubt that VISN 3 can use this
funding and I will continue to monitor this situation to see that the
VA uses this funding to provide services to my state's veterans and
does not divert this funding for administrative needs.
In addition to veterans funding, H.R. 4194 provides funding for the
Section 811 program, housing for people with disabilities, at $194
million, $20 million more than the President requested and the Section
202 program, housing for older Americans, at $660 million, $501 million
more than the President's request. Both of these programs are working
extremely well at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and I
am pleased that the Committee provided increased funding for them.
The conference report also continues a set-aside program that the
Committee started two years ago to meet housing needs for people with
disabilities. The Committee has included $40 million for tenant-based
rental assistance to ensure decent, safe, and affordable housing in
communities for low income people with disabilities. I am also pleased
that the Conference Committee has included language to direct the
Secretary of HUD to use his waiver authority to allow non-profit
organizations to apply directly for these funds instead of through a
Public Housing Authority. It is my belief that this change will provide
better access to housing for more individuals with disabilities. I
sincerely hope that Secretary Cuomo and I can continue our mutual goal
of giving more individuals with disabilities the opportunity to live
independently.
On another issue, this report includes an increase for the National
Science Foundation. Specifically, the bill includes $3.7 billion for
NSF, $242 million over last years funding level. This increase will go
along way towards moving scientific research forward. Scientific
research has been a high priority of mine since being named to the
Appropriations Committee and I am pleased that the FY99 Conference
Report continues to emphasis the importance of basic science research.
Finally, there continues to be a desperate need for Superfund reform
and change. The program needs to be re-authorized and it needs to
promote actual clean-ups based on sound science, not the rhetoric of
political science. Polluters need to pay and steps need to taken to
assure that public or private funds are used for environmental clean-
up, not to sustain endless litigation. Comprehensive reform is needed
in order to continue a strong viable program.
Mr. Speaker, this is a balanced conference report and it deserves our
support. I urge my colleagues to adopt this conference report.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise and say
a few words to my friend and colleague, Harris Falwell. In the short
time that I have served as Ranking Democrat on the Education and the
Workforce Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations, I have found him
to be thoughtful in pursuit of bipartisan agreement and compromise.
When I first assumed the ranking position on that Subcommittee, Harris
extended himself to me as a gesture of his trademark comity and
friendship. Although we come from ideologically different perspectives,
I appreciated the fact that he was open to debate and discussion on
many issues. In fact, he encouraged it.
One of the most rewarding experiences I had while working with
Chairman Fawell was when we collaborated to introduce the Savings Are
Vital to Everyone's Retirement (SAVER) Act, which was enacted into law
last December. He solicited and encouraged input from all of our
colleagues with an interest in this issue. As a result of the
bipartisan participation, this effort was successful in creating a
number of initiatives, both public and private, aimed at increasing
public awareness about the importance of preparing for retirement. This
project culminated in the first White House Summit on Retirement
Savings.
Because of his leadership and legislative achievements, he served the
13th Congressional District of Illinois with distinction. I wish
Chairman Fawell continued success in his next endeavor and look forward
to working with him again.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support today for the NASA
funding provided in this bill. Last year at this time, there were
rumors floating that NASA's proposed budget was going to be cut by $1
billion in 1999. This would have seriously damaged NASA's programs. Mr.
Weldon and I rallied support for NASA. 201 Members of Congress signed a
letter to the Speaker arguing for stabilization of NASA's budget. The
$1 billion dollar cut was avoided in the President's budget as a result
of the overwhelming bipartisan support which NASA enjoys in the House.
Today, I am very happy to see an increase in NASA's budget to $13.7
billion. This is more than the President's request and more than

[[Page H9625]]

the House and Senate in the VA-HUD Conference Report. NASA is a
government agency that looks to the future. For every dollar we invest
in the space program, we receive a return of at least $2 in direct and
indirect benefits. With the International Space Station program close
to launch and assembly, it is crucial that NASA receives no further
cuts. I am especially pleased to see that more money is included for
aeronautics research and for life and microgravity sciences, research
areas at NASA Lewis Research Center in my district.
NASA Lewis is NASA's Lead Center for Aeropropulsion and also a NASA
Center for Excellence in Turbomachinery. Microgravity research in
combustion and fluids is also performed at Lewis.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time, as I congratulate Louis Stokes on his fantastic career.

{time} 1315

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blunt). All time having expired, without
objection, the previous question is ordered on the conference report.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the conference report.
Pursuant to clause 7, rule XV, the yeas and nays are ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 409,
nays 14, not voting 11, as follows:

[Roll No. 483]

YEAS--409

Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Allen
Andrews
Archer
Armey
Bachus
Baesler
Baker
Baldacci
Ballenger
Barcia
Barr
Barrett (NE)
Barrett (WI)
Bartlett
Barton
Bass
Bateman
Becerra
Bentsen
Bereuter
Berman
Berry
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop
Blagojevich
Bliley
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonior
Bono
Borski
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Bryant
Bunning
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canady
Cannon
Capps
Cardin
Carson
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Chenoweth
Christensen
Clay
Clayton
Clement
Clyburn
Coble
Coburn
Collins
Combest
Condit
Cook
Cooksey
Costello
Cox
Coyne
Cramer
Crapo
Cubin
Cummings
Cunningham
Danner
Davis (FL)
Davis (IL)
Davis (VA)
Deal
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
Deutsch
Diaz-Balart
Dickey
Dicks
Dingell
Dixon
Doggett
Dooley
Doolittle
Doyle
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Edwards
Ehlers
Ehrlich
Emerson
Engel
Ensign
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Ewing
Farr
Fattah
Fazio
Filner
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fossella
Fowler
Fox
Frank (MA)
Franks (NJ)
Frelinghuysen
Frost
Furse
Gallegly
Ganske
Gejdenson
Gekas
Gephardt
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gilman
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Goodling
Gordon
Goss
Graham
Granger
Green
Greenwood
Gutierrez
Gutknecht
Hall (OH)
Hall (TX)
Hamilton
Hansen
Harman
Hastert
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Hefley
Hefner
Herger
Hill
Hilleary
Hilliard
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Hooley
Horn
Houghton
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hutchinson
Hyde
Inglis
Istook
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jenkins
John
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (WI)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kasich
Kelly
Kennedy (MA)
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kim
Kind (WI)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kleczka
Klink
Klug
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
LaFalce
LaHood
Lampson
Lantos
Largent
Latham
LaTourette
Lazio
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Livingston
LoBiondo
Lofgren
Lowey
Lucas
Luther
Maloney (CT)
Maloney (NY)
Manton
Manzullo
Markey
Martinez
Mascara
Matsui
McCarthy (MO)
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McCrery
McDade
McDermott
McGovern
McHugh
McInnis
McIntosh
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Menendez
Metcalf
Mica
Millender-McDonald
Miller (CA)
Miller (FL)
Minge
Mink
Moakley
Mollohan
Moran (KS)
Morella
Murtha
Myrick
Nadler
Neal
Nethercutt
Neumann
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Owens
Oxley
Packard
Pallone
Pappas
Parker
Pascrell
Pastor
Paxon
Payne
Pease
Pelosi
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Pickering
Pickett
Pitts
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Portman
Price (NC)
Quinn
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Redmond
Regula
Reyes
Riley
Rivers
Rodriguez
Rogan
Rogers
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Rothman
Roukema
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Rush
Ryun
Sabo
Salmon
Sanchez
Sanders
Sandlin
Sawyer
Saxton
Schaefer, Dan
Schumer
Scott
Serrano
Sessions
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuster
Sisisky
Skaggs
Skeen
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (OR)
Smith (TX)
Smith, Adam
Smith, Linda
Snowbarger
Snyder
Solomon
Souder
Spence
Spratt
Stabenow
Stark
Stearns
Stenholm
Stokes
Strickland
Stump
Stupak
Sununu
Talent
Tanner
Tauscher
Tauzin
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Thomas
Thompson
Thornberry
Thune
Thurman
Tiahrt
Tierney
Towns
Traficant
Turner
Upton
Vento
Visclosky
Walsh
Wamp
Waters
Watkins
Watt (NC)
Watts (OK)
Waxman
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Wexler
Weygand
White
Whitfield
Wicker
Wise
Wolf
Woolsey
Wynn
Yates
Young (AK)
Young (FL)

NAYS--14

Conyers
Crane
DeFazio
English
Hostettler
Lipinski
Paul
Petri
Roemer
Sanford
Scarborough
Schaffer, Bob
Sensenbrenner
Velazquez

NOT VOTING--11

Brown (CA)
Fawell
Kennelly
Linder
McHale
Moran (VA)
Poshard
Pryce (OH)
Riggs
Torres
Wilson

{time} 1334

Mr. LARGENT changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the conference report was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________