EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.

May 11, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 995

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

HON. MARCY KAPTUR OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 10, 1995

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

recognize efforts in Northwest Ohio to celebrate the beginning of National Volunteer

Week in America. It is very hard to imagine

our country without its corps of ready, willing

and able volunteers. So strong and proud is

America’s history of volunteerism, that the

concept and nature of ‘‘American Volunteerism’’ has become an institution by which the

world recognizes and understands our national

identity of compassion and caring for our fellow humankind.

Has there ever been a time in our history

that there were not volunteers ready to lend a

hand? Beginning with Paul Revere and extending right through to the response of emergency and medical personnel to last week’s

tragedy in Oklahoma—Americans have always

been ready to help their fellow citizens.

While volunteerism in America does not always manifest itself in terms as dramatic as

when every available doctor and nurse within

a 100-mile radius and beyond rushes to the

scene of a tragedy, it is no more important or

devoted than the millions of Americans who

respond daily and regularly to the unsatisfied

needs of their communities.

Here in our community, volunteers feed the

hungry, shelter and minister to the homeless,

reach out and touch minds that are eager to

learn and spirits that yearn to fly. Even in the

lives of those whose needs are not borne from

necessity, but whose pursuits are dedicated

toward service and improvement, volunteers

make the day.

I know my colleagues join me in recognizing

National Volunteer Week and in saying to

every citizen in our community and country

who works for a recompense that no amount

of money can satisfy, thank you for answering

the call, thank you for helping make our country a better place.

TRIBUTE TO DR. NEAL THOMAS

fJONES

HON. THOMAS M. DAVIS OF VIRGINIA

HON. FRANK R. WOLF OF VIRGINIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 10, 1995

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, my colleague and

I rise today to pay tribute to a fine individual

of the Eleventh District of Virginia, who has

contributed so much to his community.

Dr. Neal Thomas Jones retired as pastor of

Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia April 30, 1995 after twenty-six years of

dedicated and faithful service. Under Dr.

Jones’ leadership, the congregation became

one of the largest congregations of any faith in

Virginia and a leader among Virginia Baptists.

Because of his vision, Columbia Baptist has

extended its reach far beyond the traditional

religious activities to include an array of intensive community services. Among them are:

World Friends, which provides English As A

Second Language Instruction for more than

100 people each week.

Church and Community Ministries, which

provides food, clothing, furniture, rent, and

transportation to more than 500 people annually.

Columbia Child Development Center which

provides Day Care for approximately 200 children on a year-round basis; Care-A-Van which

at its peak delivered more than 200 meals

weekly and served as a life line for many rescued from homelessness.

Counseling Ministry, which involves crisis

prevention and crises prevention measures

such as marriage preparation and parenting

classes.

Columbia Institute of Fine Arts, which provides instruction to the community in fine arts.

In addition, Columbia Baptist facilities have

become a vital resource for various community

support groups including Alcoholics Anonymous, Survivors of Incest, Narcotics Anonymous, Alzheimer support groups, Alzheimer

Day Care Program, Family Nurturing Training

Program, Muscular Dystrophy and other support groups.

Columbia Baptist Church’s other activities

include working with local Police Departments

to provide summer camps for children from

disadvantaged areas, working with city and

county agencies to provide a myriad of community services to the poor and disadvantaged, and fostering a sister relationship with

the Baptists of Moscow before the days of

normalized relationship. Furthermore, Columbia Baptist provides facilities for various community events including regional conferences

on drug abuse and prevention, and mental

health services related to aging, including the

White House Conference on Aging in 1995.

Mr. Speaker, we know our colleagues join

us in honoring Dr. Jones whose church has

attracted the neediest downtrodden elements

of our society along with diplomats, members

of Congress, professional football coaches,

and others who sought spiritual inspiration.

A TRIUMPH OF COMMON SENSE

fHON. DOUG BEREUTER OF NEBRASKA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 10, 1995

Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, Washington,

DC’s, Metro deserves high praise for its steadfast resolve which resulted in a common

sense agreement on its subway platform

edges. Last year, the Department of Transportation insisted that Metro install costly platform

edges with bumps in order to warn blind riders

and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, this huge expenditure

would have resulted in little, if any, benefit. In

fact, there was disagreement among the organizations representing the visually impaired

about the merit of the platform edge requirement. This appeared to be yet another case of

the Federal Government forcing compliance

simply for the sake of compliance rather than

making an effort to meet an actual need. On

June 13, 1994, this Member wrote to Metro’s

general manager, Lawrence Reuter, to urge

him to stand up to the DOT bureaucracy and

fight for a practical solution. A copy of the letter was also sent to Transportation Secretary

Federico Pen ̃a.

This Member is pleased that a reasonable

agreement has now been reached between

Metro and the Federal Transit Administration.

Under the agreement, Metro will install a system of transmitters that will allow visually impaired riders wearing wrist beepers to be signaled when they are too close to the edge of

the subway platform. This system will be much

less expensive than the proposed bumpy platforms and should also provide a higher degree

of safety. This Member also commends the

Federal Transit Administration for finally demonstrating common sense and flexibility in arriving at this agreement. Too bad it took a

confrontation to reach a common sense solution but sometimes that is necessary.

Mr. Speaker, this Member commends to his

colleagues the following editorial in support of

the agreement from the April 27, 1995, edition

of the Washington Post.

METRO PLATFORMS: REASON PREVAILS

It had all the earmarks of a classic legal

regulatory battle between a regional agency

and the federal government: Metro General

Manager Lawrence G. Reuter was bucking an

order from the federal government under the

Americans With Disabilities Act to rip out

and replace all of its subway platform edges

as a safety measure for blind riders. Comply

or risk federal funding, said the Department

of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration. It’s too expensive and isn’t needed

on a system with a good safety record already, replied Mr. Reuter.

We’ll sue, said DOT. We’re not budging,

said Metro, noting that there was a division

of opinion among organizations representing

people whose vision is impaired as to the

usefulness, or potential additional hazards,

of the federally mandated surfaces with

raised bumps.

But now, after nearly a year of wrangling,

bumpy edges are giving way to smooth solutions. The Clinton administration has

backed away from its demand, settling instead for agreement by Metro to install a

system of transmitters that will signal blind

riders wearing wrist beepers that they are

close to platform edges. Federal mass transit

administrator Gordon J. Linton concluded

that the regulation is ‘‘so narrow and prescriptive’’ that ‘‘there is not room to exercise judgment or discretion’’ and agreed to

grant Metro’s request for a ‘‘determination

of equivalent facilitation’’ for the edges that

are already along the platforms.

Translation: Score one for good sense. Instead of proceeding with expensive, time-