E 1192 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 8, 1995

Gift Ban: I have cosponsored legislation to

ban all gifts to Members, with limited exceptions for close personal friends or family.

This bill would ban lobbyist contributions to

a legal defense fund and prohibit lobbyists

from making charitable contributions at a

Member’s behest. The bill also limits the

ability of Members to profit from generous

book-writing deals.

Lobbying Reform: Current registration requirements allow thousands of paid lobbyists

to evade lobbying disclosure rules. Congress

should act to close these loopholes and require lobbyists to disclose who pays them,

whom they lobby, what issues they lobby for,

and how much they are paid to influence the

legislative process or the executive branch.

In addition, Members of Congress and congressional committees should disclose information about legislation they introduce that

was written by lobbyists.

Ethics Panel: I have introduced legislation

to create an outside panel to investigate

charges against Members. It is enormously

difficult for the ethics committee to fairly

investigate, prosecute, and judge ethics complaints against fellow Members. With less of

an investigative burden, the committee

could focus on important institutional ethics

issues, including preventive education on

ethics and guidelines on extremely harsh

personal attacks.

Congressional Salary: I have consistently

voted against congressional pay raises during my time in Congress, including the most

recent increase in 1989. I support the proposals to freeze Members’ salaries for several

years. Current law provides for an automatic

cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Members unless Congress votes it down each year.

While Congress has blocked these increases

in recent years, these automatic COLAs

should be abolished. At the very least, Congress should not receive an increase until the

budget is balanced.

Congressional Pensions: I support significant reductions in congressional pension

benefits. Possible reforms include increasing

Members’ personal contributions, capping

total pension benefits, and means-testing

benefits for former Members in lucrative

jobs. Congress should conduct a comprehensive study to bring congressional benefits in

line with benefits in the private sector.

Franking: Since 1992, with my strong support, the House has cut its mailing budget by

more than 70%, banned mass mailings within

60 days of an election, and required all mass

mailings to be approved by a bipartisan

franking commission to ensure that they are

substantive and non-partisan. Additional reforms are still needed. Congress should further restrict unsolicited mailings and ban

‘‘postal patron’’ mailings to all residents unless they advertise public meetings or solicit

information. All large mailings should be

disclosed for public scrutiny.

Ongoing Reform Process: I am introducing

legislation to require regular congressional

reforms—taking reform up every Congress

rather than having one-shot, omnibus packages every twenty or thirty years. Members

should have the opportunity to vote on significant reforms at least every two years.

Reform should be a continual, ongoing process, and not wait until problems force belated change.

Conclusion: No issue is more important

than the restoration of the confidence of

Americans in their government. Americans

will forgive government’s honest failings if

they believe that it cares about their needs

and is trying to do a better job. Members of

Congress have an obligation to earn the

public’s respect and trust. Congress has

taken some important steps, but other,

broader reforms are necessary if Congress is

to be the truly representative body the people deserve and the nation’s founders intended.

URGING SUPPORT FOR THE UNITED STATES COMMEMORATIVE

fCOIN ACT OF 1995

HON. NORMAN Y. MINETA OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, June 7, 1995

Mr. MINETA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce bipartisan legislation to celebrate key

moments and presidents in American history,

and by doing so help provide for the continued

education of Americans about these subjects

in the years ahead.

Commemorative coins have played a unique

role in celebrating American history, as well as

in providing a source of income for those nonprofit organizations which care for the legacies

represented by these coins. This is part of the

inspiration for the United States Commemorative Coin Act of 1995, which I am introducing

today along with my colleagues Reps. LIVINGSTON of Louisiana, JOHNSON of Texas, SKELTON of Missouri, YATES of Illinois, HOYER of

Maryland, STUPAK of Michigan, LIGHTFOOT of

Iowa, and CUBIN of Wyoming.

Organizations supporting this effort include

the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Mint, the

U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee. Our purpose is clear. In the effort to

streamline important U.S. commemorative coin

legislation, this bill includes a program of six

commemorative coins to be minted during the

next 2 years. To explain why this is in the national interest, some background history is in

order.

In November of 1994, the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee published its first annual report to Congress. The

Committee, which is congressionally authorized, concluded that given the recent decline

in commemorative coin sales there must be

greater thought and limits to future coins. Offering numerous coin programs during the

same period threatens the success of each individual program, does a disservice to those

honored with commemorative coins, and increases the risk that the programs will operate

at a loss to the Mint.

In its report to Congress, the Committee

stated its full support of the 1993 Sense of the

Congress Resolution, enacted as part of Public Law 103–186, which seeks to limit the

number of commemorative coin programs in

any 1 year. The legislation introduced today

provides for the following coins to be minted:

Bicentennial of U.S. Gold Coins (1995 minting), Harry S Truman and the United Nations

(1996 issue), 150th Anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution (1996 issue), Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (1997 issue), 125th

Anniversary of Yellowstone National Park

(1997 issue), and National Law Enforcement

Officers Memorial (1997 issue).

Mr. Speaker, this is a well-balanced program with original sponsors to represent the

subjects to be honored. In my added capacity

as a Regent of the Smithsonian Institution, I

had previously introduced H.R. 1079 with fellow House regents LIVINGSTON and JOHNSON

to authorize the Smithsonian coin. But this

omnibus bill offers several advantages to our

Nation, including a faster legislative process

and the certainty of what our commemorative

program will be in its entirety over a 2-year

period.

I urge our colleagues to join in this effort

and move this legislation quickly.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

SPORTS ARENA FINANCING ACT

fOF 1995

HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, June 7, 1995

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, at the request

of the District of Columbia, I introduced H.R.

1509 on April 7, 1995, in order to begin the

necessary process that will enable the District

to begin work on a new sports arena. Since

then, the District has developed a different

funding mechanism and has requested that a

revised bill be introduced. Mayor Barry and

the City Council have assigned a very high

priority to the new arena because of its revenue-generating potential at a time when the

city is in acute financial distress. The Council

has given its wholesale support to the project

and the Mayor has expedited the project in the

District to free it from procedures that might

otherwise delay it. We will try to do the same

here in the Congress.

I particularly appreciate that Representative

TOM DAVIS, chairman of the subcommittee that

must carry the legislation through the Congress, has agreed to become an original cosponsor and to expedite the bill.

H.R. —

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in

Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘District of

Columbia Sports Arena Financing Act of

1995’’.

SEC. 2. PERMITTING DESIGNATED AUTHORITY

TO BORROW FUNDS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF SPORTS ARENA.

(a) IN GENERAL.—An agency or instrumentality may borrow funds for purposes of developing and constructing a sports arena in

the District of Columbia if the agency or instrumentality is granted the authority to

borrow funds for such purposes by the District of Columbia government.

(b) TREATMENT OF DEBT CREATED.—Any

debt created pursuant to subsection (a) shall

not—

(1) be considered general obligation debt of

the District of Columbia for any purpose, including the limitation on the annual aggregate limit on debt of the District of Columbia under section 603(b) of the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental

Reorganization Act (sec. 47–313(b), D.C.

Code);

(2) constitute the lending of the public

credit for private undertakings for purposes

of section 602(a)(2) of such Act (sec. 1–

233(a)(2), D.C. Code); or

(3) be a pledge of or involve the full faith

and credit of the District of Columbia.

SEC. 3. PERMITTING CERTAIN DISTRICT REVENUES TO BE PLEDGED AS SECURITY

FOR BORROWING.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The District of Columbia

(including the agency or instrumentality described in section 2(a)) may pledge as security for any borrowing undertaken pursuant

to section 2(a) any revenues of the District of
June 8, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 1193

Columbia which are attributable to the

sports arena tax imposed as a result of the

enactment of D.C. Law 10–315.

(b) EXCLUSION OF PLEDGED REVENUES FROM

CALCULATION OF ANNUAL AGGREGATE LIMIT

ON DEBT.—Any revenues pledged as security

by the District of Columbia pursuant to subsection (a) shall be excluded from the determination of the dollar amount equivalent to

14 percent of District revenues under section

603(b)(3)(A) of the District of Columbia SelfGovernment and Governmental Reorganization Act (sec. 47–313(b)(3)(A), D.C. Code).

SEC. 4. NO APPROPRIATION NECESSARY FOR ACTIVITIES RELATING TO BORROWING.

The fourth sentence of section 446 of the

District of Columbia Self-Government and

Governmental Reorganization Act (sec. 47–

403, D.C. Code) shall not apply with respect

to any of the following obligations or expenditures:

(1) The proceeds of any borrowing conducted pursuant to section 2(a).

(2) The pledging of revenues as security for

such borrowing pursuant to section 3(a).

(3) The payment of principal, interest, or

other costs associated with such borrowing.

THE ENDING OF AN ERA

fHON. IKE SKELTON OF MISSOURI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, June 7, 1995

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, the 351st Missile Wing, Whiteman AFB, MO, under the

command of Col. G.D. Blackmore, recently

completed deactivation of its 150 Minuteman II

Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles under the

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and has

today inactivated. This unit’s accolades remain

unparalleled in the annals of ICBM history.

The only six-time winner of the ICBM missile

competition, only simultaneous holder of the

ICBM community’s tripe crown of awards, and

six Air Force outstanding unit awards are but

a small part of the recognition of this wing’s

total contribution to our country’s success in

winning the cold war.

The men and women of the 351st have continuously maintained a silent vigil in the rural

countryside of west-central Missouri since

1963. Twenty-four hours a day, every day for

32 years, the 351st kept the deterrent posture

that safeguarded our great Nation so very

well. The 351st Missile Wing carried out this

immense responsibility in tremendous style,

and we, the citizens of this country, owe them

a debt of thanks which cannot be repaid.

The wing continued its pursuit of excellence

even while deactivating. Everything this unit

did was done using quality approaches, and

that effort paid great dividends. From first

place international public sector in my great

State’s Quality Award Program, to winning the

Secretary of the Air Force Team Quality

Award, to first place in Air Force Space Command’s Unit Quality Award, the men and

women of the 351st have become an example

to the entire Air Force in trust, teamwork, and

continuous improvement.

Safety was the wing’s No. 1 goal while deactivating and was the underlying philosophy

of the unit. Nothing is more challenging than

deactivation of a weapon system covering a

10,000-square-mile area in west-central Missouri, in all kinds of weather and conditions.

Many of the tasks the wing performed during deactivation have never been done before

at an operational unit. The 351st saved the Air

Force over $163 million by returning items to

the supply system. All of the arduous maintenance, security, and operations efforts were

performed without incident, and this fact illustrates that the wing routinely turned the intricate into the commonplace. Safety was more

than a phrase in the wing, it was a way of

life—the safe conduct of all wing activities.

The outstanding efforts of this wing have

clearly established them as the benchmark for

others to emulate. After more than 32 years of

faithful and outstanding service to the Nation,

the wing cased its flag for the final time today.

The legacy of the Whiteman Warchiefs has

been one of continuous excellence in every

area of their mission. The 351st Missile Wing

takes its place today as one of the finest units

ever to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States of America.

TRIBUTE TO LOUISVILLE MALE

HIGH SCHOOL

f

HON. MIKE WARD

OF KENTUCKY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, June 7, 1995

Mr. WARD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take

this opportunity to congratulate the outstanding performance of Louisville Male High

School from Louisville, KY, in the ‘‘We the

People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution’’

national competition which was held in Washington, DC, April 29–May 1. These outstanding young people competed against 49 the

classes from throughout the Nation and demonstrated a remarkable understanding of the

fundamental ideals and values of American

constitutional government.

This program is administered by the Center

for Civic Education and is one of the most extensive of its kind. In its 8-year history the program has reached more than 20 million students in elementary, middle and high school.

The competition at the national level simulates

a congressional hearing during which students

testify as constitutional experts before a panel

of judges. I applaud this program and, as a result, these students for their participation in an

invaluable educational experience.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that a copy of the list of

participants which I am submitting be placed

in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. I hope that

the students of Male High School will continue

their interest in Government.

The competing class was from Louisville

Male High School. The teacher was Sandra

Hoover. The students were as follows: Shannon Bender, Josh Bridgwater, Shilo Burke,

Katie Callender, Scott Embry, Jessi Followwill,

Adam Greenwell, John Grissom, Christy

Jones, Jonathan Keith, Stephanie McAlmont,

Stephen McAlmont, Shannon McMillan, Travis

Moore, Kristi Mosier, Adam Pedigo, Melanie

Rapp, Amber Rowan, Chris Rutledge, Shannon Simms, Eric Stevens, April Stivers, Ricky

Suel, Danyaun Vandgrift, and Shaniqua Wade.

The State coordinator was Tami Dowler. The

district coordinator was Tommy Dowler.

A REQUEST TO INCLUDE TEXAS

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 30 IN THE CONGRESSIONAL

RECORD

HON. CHARLES WILSON OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, June 7, 1995

Mr. WILSON. Mr. Speaker, the following

was sent to me by the Secretary of State of

Texas. I respectfully request that it be printed

in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD.

THE STATE OF TEXAS,

SECRETARY OF STATE,

May 29, 1995.

I, Antonio O. Garza, Jr., Secretary of State

of the State of Texas, do hereby certify that

the attached is a true and correct copy of

House Concurrent Resolution 30, passed by

the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995,

as signed by the Governor on May 25, 1995,

and as filed in this office on May 25, 1995.

Enclosure.

ANTONIO O. GARZA, JR.,

Secretary of State.

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas, In response to an Act of Congress

approved April 10, 1869, the 12th Legislature

of the State of Texas convened in Provisional Session from February 8 to February

24, 1870, and ratified Amendments XIII, XIV,

and XV to the United States Constitution;

and

Whereas, Those federal constitutional

amendments, each ratified by separate joint

resolutions of the 12th Legislature on February 15, 1870, solidified some of the most

precious rights that have been guaranteed

constitutionally to Americans, particularly

ethnic minorities who were granted the

blessings of equal citizenship and the beginning of an end to their past oppression; and

Whereas, Amendment XIII eliminated forever the practice of slavery, Amendment XIV

promised due process and the equal protection of the laws, and Amendment XV prohibited denial of suffrage on the grounds of race,

color, or previous condition of servitude; and

Whereas, Over time, copies of the three

resolutions regrettably have vanished from

the holdings of the Texas state archives, yet

others are preserved in Washington, D.C., by

virtue of their certification and transmittal

to the Secretary of State of the United

States and to the presiding officers of the

United States Congress; and

Whereas, The 1995 Regular Session of the

74th Legislature coincides with the 125th anniversary of these historic ratification actions and marks an appropriate time for the

conveyance to this state of replicas of the

three resolutions so that Texans may view

and appreciate a series of documents that

have played such and important role in the

extension and elaboration of their civil

rights: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the 74th Legislature of the

State of Texas, Regular Session, 1995, hereby

respectfully request the National Archives

and Records Administration to make copies

of the joint resolutions of the 12th Texas

Legislature ratifying Amendments XIII,

XIV, and XV to the United States Constitution and transmit those copies to the Texas

State Library and Archives Commission for

placement in the state archives; and, be it

further

Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state

forward copies of this resolution to the archivist of the United States at the National

Archives and Records Administration, to the

vice-president of the United States and