E 1016 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 11, 1995

Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership has

promised to balance the budget by cutting $1

trillion from the budget over 7 years. This

would finance a proposed $350 billion tax

break for America’s wealthiest citizens. In addition to its assault on Medicare and Medicaid,

the Budget plan represents an assault on programs such as housing, summer jobs for our

youth, education, job training, and energy assistance for our elderly.

As Members of Congress, we must take a

strong stance in defense of our Nation’s seniors. It is estimated that the proposed $282 billion in cuts to Medicare would add more than

$3,000 to seniors’ health costs. In fact, if the

cuts to Medicare become law, the average

Medicare beneficiary is expected to pay approximately $3,500 more in health costs over

the same 7-year period.

According to the Urban Institute, the typical

Medicare beneficiaries already dedicate a

staggering 21 percent of their incomes to pay

out-of-pocket health care expenditures. While

our Republican colleagues say that they aren’t

cutting Social Security, under their budget proposal for Medicare, seniors would see 40 to

50 percent of their cost-of-living adjustment

consumed by increases in Medicare cost sharing and premiums.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to my colleagues

for allowing this meaningful discussion on a

very important issue. I share their concern that

we must protect Medicare and Medicaid from

the Republican budget ax. We must not allow

the Republican Party to balance the budget on

the backs of those most in need. By the same

token, we will not allow our seniors and the

poor to be used as pawns in a tax give-away

scheme for the rich.

INTRODUCTION OF THE CONSOLIDATED AND REFORMED EDUfCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND REHABILITATION SYSTEMS ACT,

THE CAREERS ACT

HON. HOWARD P. ‘‘BUCK’’ McKEON OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 11, 1995

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, today I am joining the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Rep. BILL GOODLING, all Republican Members of our Committee, and Representatives

KASICH, DELAY, BOEHNER, and DAVIS, in introduction of the Consolidated and Reformed

Education, Employment, and Rehabilitation

Systems Act—better known as the Careers

Act of 1995. This legislation transforms this

Nation’s vast array of career-related education, employment, and job training programs

into a true system of workforce preparation

and development.

As was brought to the attention of the Congress by the U.S. General Accounting Office

over the past several years, the United States

currently has as many as 163 different Federal

programs, totaling $20 billion, which offer

some form of job training and/or employment

assistance for youth and adults. In addition to

the excessive number of Federal programs,

the quality of U.S. training programs varies

significantly. As a result, earlier this year we

introduced H.R. 511, the Workforce Preparation and Development Act, which pledged that

the 104th Congress would, thoroughly evaluate our current programs, and subsequently

develop and enact legislation that: First, Eliminates duplication and fragmentation in federal

workforce development programs; Second,

transfers major decision-making to States and

local communities; Third, stresses the vital

role of the private sector, at all levels, in the

design and implementation of the workforce

preparation system; Fourth, is market driven,

accountable, reinforces individual responsibility, and provides customer choice and easy

access to services; and Fifth, establishes a

national labor market information system that

provides employers, job seekers, students,

teachers, training providers, and others with

accurate and timely information on the local

economy, on occupations in demand and the

skill requirements for such occupations, and

information on the performance of service providers in the local community.

Today, after a comprehensive set of hearings on this issue, we are following through on

our promise. We are introducing legislation

that will do what was pledged in H.R. 511.

The Careers Act, does all of the above and

more. The Careers Act would consolidate and

eliminate over 150 existing education, training,

and employment assistance programs into 4

consolidation grants to the States. Such grants

would include: A Youth Workforce Preparation

Grant; and Adult Employment and Training

Grant; a Vocational Rehabilitation Grant; and

an Adult Education and Literacy Grant. And

these 4 programs, working together, will form

each State’s workforce preparation system.

Our bill provides maximum authority to

States and localities in the design and operation of their workforce preparation systems.

We significantly reduce administrative requirements, paperwork, duplicative planning, reporting, and data collection requirements across

the various programs—in general eliminating

vast bureaucracy within the system. However,

our legislation does provide some broad parameters for the design of a workforce development system, that we feel are necessary to

move the system in the right direction, based

on testimony heard in our numerous hearings,

and in talking to people around the country.

Specifically, title I of Careers, is designed to

build an infrastructure in States and local communities for development and implementation

of a comprehensive workforce development

system. At the State level, Governors are

asked to pull together key State agency heads

and leaders from business and education to

develop a single State plan and performance

measurement system for the entire workforce

development system. Governors are also

asked to designate workforce development

areas throughout the State, for the distribution

of funds and service delivery under much of

the system.

To ensure the involvement of employers in

the design and implementation of local systems, Careers requires the establishment of

local, employer-led, workforce development

boards. These boards would provide policy

guidance and oversight over local systems,

and would be responsible for the establishment of local one-stop delivery systems—easily accessible single points of entry into the

local workforce preparation system.

The youth workforce development program

pulls school systems and postsecondary institutions together with local business leaders to

develop a school-to-work system for both inschool, and out-of-school youth in the community. This system is designed to result in challenging academic and occupational competency gains for all youth in the community,

as well as completion of high school, or its

equivalent, and other positive outcomes such

as placement and retention in employment, or

continuation into postsecondary education or

training. States would also be require to show

how special population students meet the performance standards.

Under the adult and the vocational rehabilitation programs, upfront or core services—

such as information on jobs, assessment of

skills, counseling, job search assistance, information on education, training, and vocational

rehabilitation programs in the local community,

assessment of eligibility for such programs—

including eligibility for student financial aid—

and referral to appropriate programs would be

available to all individuals through a net work

of one-stop career centers and affiliated satellite centers throughout each community. For

individuals with severe disabilities and determined to be in need of more intensive services, such services would be available through

vouchers and other means to be used with approved providers of vocational rehabilitation

services. Under the adult training system, for

individuals who are unable to obtain employment through the core services, more intensive service such as specialized assessment

and counseling, and development of employability plans, would be available—also through

the one-stops. For those unable to obtain employment through these services and determined to be in need of education or training,

such services would be provided—through the

use of vouchers or other means that offer

maximum customer choice in the selection of

training providers. States would be required to

establish a certification system for the identification of legitimate providers of education

and training for receipt of vouchers—taking

into account the recommendations of local

workforce boards.

Finally, beyond the specific area of job training, the Careers Act includes privatization proposals for 2 existing government sponsored

enterprises—again focusing on the streamlining of federal programs. Sallie Mae and

Connie Lee were created by the Higher Education Act and are examples of for-profit,

stockholder owned GSEs which have successfully fulfilled their intended purposes. Privatization cuts the ties to the Federal Government

and establishes a willingness on the part of

the Government to take a successful publicprivate partnership and turn it into a completely private venture when government support is no longer necessary. I want to thank

the administration for its thoughtful testimony

at our hearing on the issue of privatization and

for its assistance in identifying and addressing

the important and complex issue involved in

privatization proposals. And also, I would like

to thank the administration for its testimony

and advice on reform of our job training system.

As a Congressman from a district in California that has been hit hard by defense and

aerospace cutbacks—I understand that the

skills of this Nation’s workforce are more important today then ever before to U.S. competitiveness. However, our current patchwork

of Federal programs is not the answer. The

Careers Act addresses our long term

workforce preparation strategy by creating a
May 11, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 1017

seamless system for youth and adults to meet

the competitive needs of our workforce. I

thank our distinguished Chairman for his insight and leadership on this vital issue and I

invite all of my colleagues to join with us in

this dramatic effort to overhaul the Federal approach to job training and workforce preparation.

DEDICATION OF THE RICHARD

BOLLING FEDERAL BUILDING

f

HON. KAREN McCARTHY OF MISSOURI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 11, 1995

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to inform the members of this body that on

Sunday, May 13, the people of the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri will pay tribute

to the late Dick Bolling, a Member of the

House of Representatives from 1949–1983.

We come together this weekend to dedicate

the Federal Building in downtown Kansas City

as the Richard Bolling Federal Building.

Dick Bolling represented my congressional

district for 34 years and it is a fitting tribute

that this building be named in his honor. This

building resulted from his vision—the vision of

a man who understood how vitally important it

is for the employees of the Federal Government to live and work in local communities like

Kansas City throughout the country.

Dick Bolling will long be remembered as a

giant of the House, and a voice for his constituents on the national political stage. He is

a shining example of the generation we so recently honored on VE Day, a generation that

fought economic depression, went overseas to

defend our freedom, and returned to build a

new society with opportunity for all.

Initially intent on an academic career after

college, World War II intervened and Dick

Bolling enlisted as a private and emerged 5

years later as a lieutenant colonel with a

Bronze Star. Continuing as he began, Dick

Bolling battled entrenched forces all of his

life—the armies of ignorance, segregation and

machine politics. His first post-War job brought

him to Kansas City as Director of Student Activities and Veterans Affairs at the University

of Kansas City, now known as the University

of Missouri-Kansas City.

While at the University Dick Bolling became

very active in the American Veterans Committee and the Americans for Democratic Action.

His political activities led to his decision to run

for Congress in 1948 against the Pendergast

machine candidate in the primary and against

a one-term Republican who was perceived to

have a lock on the district. Mobilizing a core

group of activist veterans, Dick Bolling characterized his election on President Truman’s

coattails as a fluke. He went on to be re-elected, by overwhelming victory margins, to 16

additional terms.

It is difficult to describe in a few short sentences the career of a man who served in this

institution for 34 years. He was passionate

about the House of Representatives. He was

not afraid to be critical of the House as he

was in his best known book, ‘‘House Out of

Order,’’ and he devoted much of his career to

reform of its shortcomings. Known for his parliamentary skills, he was particularly proud of

his contributions which led to passage of the

Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first meaningful

civil rights legislation enacted after Reconstruction.

Dick Bolling served as an adviser to many

of the great political personalities of his time:

Speakers of the House of Representatives,

Presidents and presidential contenders, and

other national leaders. I have also been

moved by the statements of his colleagues

made in tributes at the time of his retirement

from the House in 1982 and at the time of his

death in 1991. He was a mentor to many of

those elected to serve in this body and clearly

the hero of countless more both inside and

outside of the House of Representatives.

Perhaps Dick Bolling’s greatest contribution

to those who knew him or who know of him

was his spirit. He never shied from fighting for

a cause in which he believed. He urged his

fellow members to work hard, to serve their

constituents, to be honest, and to have the

courage of their convictions. He is a role

model to me and to countless others of my

generation who have chosen public service.

His leadership is a contribution which will not

be forgotten in his congressional district or by

the country. On behalf of the people of the

Fifth District of Missouri I am proud to join in

the dedication of the Richard Bolling Federal

Building.

WE NEED TO BAN TOY GUNS

fHON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 11, 1995

Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, once again, another child in the city of New York died needlessly at the hands of a police officer who

thought the child had a gun. While the child

did have a gun, it was a toy gun.

As a result of this ongoing crisis, I am introducing a bill today asking the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ban toys which in

size, shape, or overall appearance resemble

real handguns. Congress tried to ban toy

handguns by passing the Federal Energy

Management Improvement Act of 1988 which

required that all toy guns manufactured or sold

after May 5, 1989, be marked to distinguish

them from real weapons.

The act required one of the following markings: a blaze orange plug inside the muzzle;

an orange band covering the outside end of

the muzzle; construction of transparent or

translucent materials; coloration of the entire

surface with bright colors; or predominately

white coloration in combination with bright colors. The act also required the Director of the

National Institute of Justice [NIJ] to conduct a

technical evaluation of the marking systems.

The conclusion of the evaluation conducted

by NIJ showed that the orange plug marking

standard completely failed to enable police officers to identify the weapon as a toy gun. In

fact, clearly marked toy guns were most likely

to provoke shootings on the first trial, and less

likely only after police officers gained some familiarity with the situation and the possible appearance of toy guns.

It is quite clear to me, and should be to all

of you, that something drastic needs to be

done to stop the needless shooting of innocent children. Markings are not enough—they

do not work.

To ensure that there are no mistakes, no

failures to recognize plastic from steel, I

strongly encourage you to vote for a total ban

on the manufacturing of realistic toy handguns.

COMMEMORATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN

fGENOCIDE

SPEECH OF

HON. STEPHEN HORN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 2, 1995

Mr. HORN. Mr. speaker, eighty years ago

the world watched in horror as one of the

most tragic, savage periods in modern history—the destruction of the Armenian culture

by the Ottoman Empire in what later became

the Republic of Turkey—unfolded. Between

1915 and 1923, over 1.5 million Armenian

men, women, and children were systematically

murdered by Ottoman leaders. Millions more

were driven from lands that they and their ancestors had occupied for centuries. By 1923,

the Armenian culture had been almost completely eradicated within the confines of what

is now modern-day Turkey. hat had once been

a thriving Armenian populace of more than 2.5

million human beings in 1915, numbers

around 80,000 today.

Racial/ethnic hatred was the reason for this

brutal genocide—as it was in the Nazi death

camps of Auschwitz and Dachau whose 50th

liberation anniversary we are honoring this

year. And therein lies one of the most important reasons that the world must never forget

this shameful event. As we watch in horror at

today’s racial and ethnic atrocities in Bosnia

and Rwanda, and as we remember the all too

recent slaughter of one million Cambodians

under the evil rule of Pol Pot, and as we listen

in disgust to the racial hatred being preached

by Americans of various racial and ethnic

backgrounds, we must use this tragic anniversary of the Armenian Genocide to renew our

efforts to make sure that any and all genocide

atrocities never again occur. This is our memorial to those one and a half million human

beings who were lost in the Armenian Genocide.

TRIBUTE TO OFFICER JOSEPH

fGALAPO

HON. THOMAS J. MANTON OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 11, 1995

Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, as a former

New York City police officer and in recognition

of National Police Week, I rise today to pay

tribute to Officer Joseph Galapo.

Officer Joseph Galapo was killed in the line

of duty on August 16, 1988. He made the ultimate sacrifice for those he served. I extend

my most heartfelt condolences to Officer

Galapo’s widow and three children. I hope it is

of some comfort to the family to know the people of New York City feel a deep sense of

gratitude for the sacrifice you have made.

During the week of May 14, we recognize

the tremendous sacrifice officers of the law