Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, this week as the other body takes up the President's request for the $87 billion in supplemental appropriations for Iraq, we must do more for our troops and their families who are under increasing duress.

Specifically, Congress should grant a $1,500 bonus to all who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Not since Vietnam have such a large number of troops had such long deployments. The pressure this puts on our troops and their families is tremendous.

This summer, the Department of Defense increased deployments for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan to 1 year, and not until last week, did the Department of Defense offer these troops who are living under highly primitive and stressful conditions a 2-week leave for rest and recuperation.

Tragically, this month our U.S. causalities in Iraq surpassed the number of those killed in the first Gulf War. We have now lost more than 308 servicemen and women.

Recognizing the increasing gravity of U.S. military involvement abroad, I have introduced H.R. 3051, to qualify all active-duty military personnel deployed for any length of time in Iraq and Afghanistan for a $1,500 bonus. This $1,500 bonus proposal should be part of the supplemental appropriations bill. Although, as Members of Congress, we may have different ideas about U.S. policy in Iraq, we can all agree our servicemen and women deserve our sincere recognition for their courageous efforts. Fifteen hundred dollars will not only help boost morale, but will send a strong bipartisan message to our troops that Congress is unified behind them.

The Bush administration is actively lobbying Members of Congress to approve the $21 billion in direct grants to support the infrastructure development in Iraq in this $87 billion supplemental appropriations.

First of all, I see no reason why we cannot separate out these two items. The $66 billion for defense, which we all support, should be made a separate bill. And the $21 billion they want for reconstruction in Iraq should be placed in a separate bill, so we can have a debate on it. And then we should require Iraqi oil to be used as collateral for international loans to finance Iraqi infrastructure projects. And we should also ensure Iraq reconstruction contracts are competitively bid.

Either way, U.S. citizens should not be expected to support Iraqi development while many Americans face shortfalls in funding for health care, prescription drug coverage, school and road construction, and other critical infrastructure improvements.

Even to come up with this $87 billion for the supplemental appropriations for Iraq, the U.S. must borrow the money base we are so far in debt thanks to the policies of this administration. We do not have the money. We have to borrow it. Yes, Congress must continue to work to help, but not at the expense of the Americans here at home and our troops abroad.

Some of my colleagues tonight have talked about waste, fraud and abuse; and I think it is shameful when we look at the waste, fraud and abuse being put forth by this administration when we look at reconstruction for Iraq.

Just take a look at some of these numbers they have provided us:

There is $4 million to develop a set of telephone numbers and $150 million for a national 911. In my district if you want 911, the local taxpayers have to do it.

How about $100 million to build seven planned communities? Each community to have 3,258 houses.

Ten million dollars to finance 100 prison-building experts. We have to pay prison-building experts $10 million to tell them how to do it in Iraq?

How about $100 million for 2,000 garbage trucks?

And then they want $20 million for Afghan consultants, whatever those are.

And we have $850 million for health facility construction and medical equipment replacement. What about health care in this country?

How about $900 million to import petroleum products such as kerosene and diesel? Remember, Iraq has the world's second largest oil reserves, and we have to import oil products to them?

The health care provisions alone provide a striking comparison between taxpayers' support of Iraqis health care

and Americans' support for health care.

You only need to look at the numbers. In Iraq, currently 13 million people receive basic access to health care, half the country. One hundred percent of the population has maternity care. Every Baghdad hospital and clinic is operating. In Detroit, we just had to close down two hospitals because we did not have any money.

There are 7,500 tons of medicine distributed to hospitals and clinics, and there are 128 generators and power supplies being installed in Iraq.

Let us go to the United States. Not one new dollar has been spent on 42 million uninsured Americans.

There has been no increase for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant or the National Health Service Corps; no increase for the childhood immunization program; Congress has underfunded HIV prevention and care, and failed to address the Nation's nursing shortage.

We have no control over runaway healthcare costs and can no longer afford prescription drug coverage.

Instead of again dipping into the pockets of working Americans and risking veterans' benefits for our troops when they return home, I support proposals to suspend the tax cuts for the top 1 percent of income earners to pay for the Bush administration's $87 billion supplemental. And I urge Congress to consider my bill, H.R. 3051, to include support for our troops in this supplemental aid package to Iraq.

Again, my bill provides a $1,500 bonus to military personnel who serve under the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, or Reserves in a combat zone in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the coming year an estimated 150,000 young men and women will not see their families, a record number of reservists and guardsmen and women will put their private sector opportunities and jobs on hold, and thousands of children from every part of America will pray for their parents' safe return.

These extraordinary times, deserve an exemplary measure. I urge you to support my bill, H.R. 3051, to provide for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to make it a part of the supplemental appropriations bill.

Give our troops the $1,500 bonus they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of Representative Kind's Motion to Instruct on the Medicare prescription drugs bill.

The Medicare program presently contains payment disparities that are biased against rural areas such as Northern Michigan, which I represent.

This language instructs the Medicare prescription drug bill conferees to address the inequities that cause many of the providers in Northern Michigan to be paid significantly less than our urban counterparts for the same services.

This problem puts our health providers at a severe disadvantage and adversely affects seniors' access to quality health care in our communities.

As a Member of the bipartisan House Rural Health Care Coalition, I insist that the conferees and the President pay close attention to the rural Medicare fix that is outlined in both this motion and the letters sent by our Coalition to the conferees and the President.

As I've mentioned over and over, rural seniors are generally older, sicker, and poorer than those in non-rural areas.

Why we would turn our backs on the seniors who most need our help is beyond me.

The Kind motion instructs the conferees to select the essential rural provisions from the House and Senate Medicare bills and ensures that rural beneficiaries and providers are not left behind.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that Chairman Tauzin and Ranking Member Dingell have moved so quickly to address this week's decision by the Federal district court in Oklahoma that the FTC did not have authority to implement the national Do Not Call list.

It is not often that we can move forward with such speed in a bipartisan manner in both bodies, but this action only proves that Congress intends this list to go into effect, despite what Judge West in Oklahoma may think.

This list was to have gone into effect on October 1, and millions of consumers were looking forward to getting some relief from telemarketers.

I am somewhat amazed by the decision of the court, given that Congress clearly expressed its intent to provide the FTC with the authority to implement the list by passing the Do Not Call Implementation Act.

I do not know how much more clear we could have been--we gave the agency funding to set up the list, but yet the court managed to find that no authority existed from Congress.

This bill will make things clear, and I am pleased at this quick response to the ruling. I am a cosponsor of this bill and look forward to its quick passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedication and achievements of a constituent of mine who is a true asset to his community, Tony Autore.

On Friday, September 26, 2003, the Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Agency Head Start Program Center in Cedarville, Michigan will be designated the Autore Center, in recognition of Tony's many years of devotion to the important work of that agency.

To understand Tony's deep roots in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, you have to go back to the beginning, when Tony was born in Sault Ste. Marie and went through Catholic elementary school and public high school there. He married Ethel Duff in 1949, and over the years they have been blessed with three sons, two daughters and seven grandchildren. Tony also served in the U.S. Army from 1952 through 1954.

Before entering military service, Tony began his career as an employee of the local branch of Standard Oil Company. After coming home from the Army, Tony moved to Cedarville, Michigan and with Ethel purchased Standard Oil's delivery route for oil and propane for the Cedarville/Hessel area. Moving to Cedarville, where they still reside, they began developing the community and business relationships that continue today as a testament to their place in the community.

Tony and Ethel both devoted themselves to building a reputation for customer service that survives today. One of their first innovations

was automatic delivery of propane fuel and oil for their customers, to avoid the problem of customers running out of heating and cooking fuel because they forgot to order it. That may sound academic today, but it was a new idea at the time Autore Oil began the program. The business today represents a family tradition of customer service, with children Beth McConkey and Steve and Scott Autore active in the business. Even though Ethel is supposed to be retired, you will often find her at the Autore Oil offices as well, providing her indispensable assistance.

Tony began his community service early, and it would be hard to find another person who has contributed more to Cedarville, the eastern Upper Peninsula and to Michigan. He established Cedarville Boy Scout Troop 40 and served on the board of the Les Cheneaux Education Foundation which helped students to pursue extracurricular interests in the arts, music, woodworking or other activities that kept them motivated, learning and moving forward educationally.

Tony has served on the Mackinac County Planning Commission, the Mackinac County Housing Commission, and Mackinac County Economic Development Corporation. He is a member and past president of the Cedarville Lions Club. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus, the Christopher Columbus Association and served with the Clark Township Volunteer Fire Department. As a member of the Les Cheneaux Chamber of Commerce, Tony was instrumental in hosting Michigan Outdoor Writers winter and summer conventions that brought the attention of far flung readers to the eastern Upper Peninsula's attractions.

Perhaps Tony's crowning achievement is what he has done to foster the health and growth of the Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Agency, headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie. Tony served on its board of directors for 18 years and has been treasurer of the board since 1989. He has always been willing to step in when needed, most recently as Vice Chair when that position was temporarily vacant.

The best example of Tony's hands-on, `can-do' attitude is how he helped start a food commodity delivery program for the C-L-M Community Action Agency. His trucks and drivers traveled three counties for at least seven years to deliver food through the federal TSAP program to as many as twenty different distribution sites, free of charge, until funding came through for a paid driver and vehicle. He assisted the Agency in developing the Head Start Center which will bear his name after September 26th. Because of his work in the community, he was able to secure the use of the Cedarville Town Hall for senior meals, where they still are served today.

Over the years, the Community Action Director and staff have come to rely not just on Tony's capacity for hard work, but also on his sage counsel and advice--not a small benefit for an agency with a five and a half million annual budget.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in giving a well-deserved and heartfelt round of congratulations to a real Michigander, a devoted family man and a shining example of service to his community, which needless to say, contains many friends and admirers of Tony Autore.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to highlight my amendments to the Transportation-Treasury-Independent Agencies Appropriations Act. Although they were ruled out of order by the House Committee on Rules, I believe they warrant attention.

I offered two amendments to the Rules Committee: one to require that the State of Michigan use some of their federal aid to help rehabilitate the Mackinac Bridge; and another to prohibit airlines from cutting their service if they took the most recent federal airlines' bailout money.

My Mackinac Bridge amendment would have bolstered much-needed support of the largest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere, connecting Michigan's Lower and Upper Peninsulas.

Under the Mackinac Bridge Authority's original 1956 toll agreement, the Bridge does not qualify for state apportioned federal aid. However, the Mackinac Bridge Authority, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration are now working to update the Bridge's toll agreement to allow it to qualify for federal aid.

Should the toll agreement take effect, my Mackinac Bridge amendment would ensure the State of Michigan would use ``such sums as necessary'' of their state apportioned federal aid for the rehabilitation of Mackinac Bridge.

My air carrier amendment would protect airports and airline passengers from increasing cuts in service. During the last two years, air carriers have lobbied for federal aid on the grounds that they cannot alone shoulder the burden of heightened security needs and the declining economy while maintaining adequate flight service.

Congress has continually supported increased federal aid for U.S. air carriers, most recently during the Fiscal Year 2003 Supplemental Appropriations Act. The Supplemental provided an ``emergency'' $2.9 billion in assistance to U.S. air carriers.

Yet despite increased federal assistance, air carriers continue to cut flight service at airports across the country. Rural airports have been hit particularly hard by air carriers eliminating air travel options or reducing the flight schedule.

My air carrier funding amendment would prohibit any air carrier receiving federal assistance under the FY03 Supplemental Appropriations Act from reducing the level of service at any airport for a period of two years, retroactive to the date of the Supplemental's enactment on April 16, 2003.

These amendments would have helped improve the lives of northern Michigan residents. It is unfortunate the House Rules Committee prohibited their consideration.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of Mr. McHugh's amendment to protect commercial air service for small communities.

The Federal Aviation Administration Conference Report establishes a pilot program to require up to 10 selected Essential Air Service communities to contribute a 10 percent cost share for a 4-year period.

The McHugh amendment prevents this baseless cost-sharing burden from taking effect.

For 25 years now, EAS has provided government subsidies to air carriers serving small communities like mine in northern Michigan.

Without the federal help of EAS, many small communities would not be able to retain scheduled commercial air service. Rural residents like those in the 1st District of Michigan deserve access to the air transportation system. Commercial air service is also critical to economic development.

Never before have local airports been required to contribute to the federal EAS program, nor should they be expected to do so now.

I'm supporting the McHugh amendment to make sure communities receiving EAS funding won't be forced to sacrifice other important local programs at the expense of air service.

I also take this opportunity to mention my other efforts in this bill to protect my community airports and air passengers.

I submitted an amendment to the House Committee on Rules to prohibit airlines from cutting their service if they took the most recent federal airlines' bailout money.

During the last two years, air carriers have lobbied for federal aid on the grounds that they cannot alone shoulder the burden of heightened security needs and the declining economy while maintaining adequate flight service.

Congress has continually supported increased federal aid for U.S. air carriers, most recently during the Fiscal Year 2003 Supplemental Appropriations Act. The Supplemental provided an ``emergency'' $2.9 billion in assistance to U.S. air carriers.

Yet despite increased federal assistance, air carriers continue to cut flight service at airports across the country. Rural airports have been hit particularly hard by air carriers eliminating air travel options or reducing the flight schedule.

My air carrier funding amendment would prohibit any air carrier receiving federal assistance under the FY03 Supplemental Appropriations Act from reducing the level of service at any airport for a period of two years, retroactive to the date of the Supplemental's enactment on April 16, 2003.

This amendment would have helped improve the lives of northern Michigan residents. It is unfortunate the House Rules Committee prohibited their consideration.

I do, however, urge my colleagues to support the McHugh amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the motion to instruct conferees offered by my friend and colleague the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell).

As the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce has stated, for the past two days, we sat in hearings on the full Committee on Energy and Commerce on the reasons for the blackout that paralyzed a huge portion of the Northeast and the upper Midwest including my home State of Michigan.

One thing that witnesses in those hearings agree on is that there must be mandatory reliability standards for the transmission grid in this country with some real enforcement authority.

The distinguished chairman talked about this may be a political expedient bill or motion. The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) has had this bill for close to 8 years. For 8 years we have been trying to get reliability, mandatory reliability standards with real enforcement.

Every witness we heard, every witness we heard agreed with the Dingell motion, that we have to have mandatory reliability standards, there has to be accountability and who is responsible. What we have seen for the last 2 days is everybody pointing their fingers at everybody else and everyone saying it is not my fault. These are not my words. Witnesses, including Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, Governors Granholm of Michigan and Taft of Ohio, to State public service commissioners and operators of the regional transmission organizations and electric power generators and transmission companies all agreed. We need some mandatory reliability standards, what we have in this motion to instruct.

The present system of voluntary standards does not provide enough assurance of reliability.

The House bill, H.R. 6, allows the North American Electric Reliability Council, NERC as we call it, to set and enforce mandatory standards for cooperation among utilities. No enforcement, no fines, no penalties if they violate these standards. NERC is a voluntary compliance, not mandatory.

NERC was created after the massive 1965 blackout when Congress, and I was not here then, but Congress back then said this should never happen again. So they created NERC. Measures taken then have not been enough to prevent the disastrous consequences that affected more than 50 million people on August 14th with the August blackout.

In Michigan alone there were more than $20 million in losses to public entities, 70 manufacturing plants that had to shut down and more than $1 billion in expected losses to business when it is all totaled up.

There are genuine and serious differences about other provisions in the House and Senate energy bills that have to be worked out in the conference. There is little dispute about the need for mandatory reliability standards for the aging electricity transmission grid in our country.

The motion to instruct, this motion by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), joined by many of us on this side of the aisle, will ensure that electricity reliability is not held hostage to what may be a long, drawn-out process on the energy bill as a whole.

In the last 2 years, this House has passed comprehensive energy legislation. It has never made it to the conference. It has never been passed by the Senate. We do not want a situation where once again this goes to a conference and it dies as we adjourn for the year. We have this aged electrical transmission power grid out there. Everyone talks about a way we can improve it. Right now we have to talk about how can we get some reliability into it right now.

All the incentives in H.R. 6, all the things that are put forth in H.R. 6 will not take place for years. Let us put some reliability into the system now.

This motion to instruct will do that. Let us not hold reliable energy hostage in the conference report. Vote yes on the motion to instruct.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of historic Calumet, Michigan, which was named as one of four Michigan Main Street communities for 2003 in a statewide competition.

Calumet is in the northernmost part of my 1st Congressional District, halfway to the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Between 1867 and 1884, Calumet alone produced half of this country's copper from the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company mines.

Parts of its historic downtown have formed an integral part of the Keweenaw National Historical Park, which tells the riveting economic and cultural story of the migration of miners and their families to the wilds of northern Michigan to work the copper range in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Recognizing the value of its historic resources and the economic benefits of the Main Street program, in January 2003 Calumet formed a steering committee and this spring submitted its application for the Main Street designation. A hallmark of the presentation was communitywide cooperation between public and private resources.

The managing director of the team from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation which administers the program said that out of literally hundreds of communities MEDC has worked with, Calumet's combination of public/private sector effort was very rare. As reported by the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette, the director described Calumet's presentation before an MEDC and Michigan State Housing Development panel in Lansing by saying, ``[Calumet was] absolutely the top presentation we had in those two days . . . [It] left a buzz in that room.''

Calumet had to come up with substantial seed money toward administrative costs, and it has done that through pledges from the Village of Calumet, Calumet Township, the Downtown Development Authority, Keweenaw National Historical Park and local businesses. Main Street program professionals will visit Calumet on a regular basis to work with local participants as they market Calumet's historical community and encourage economic development.

The aim of the program is to stimulate economic growth, and Calumet's successful application may result in a return of nearly $40 for every dollar it spends, according to Main Street's 2001 national re- investment statistics. The program was developed by the National Historic Preservation Trust.

Calumet already has embraced the concept of preserving its historical resources. It welcomes and entertains the many visitors it receives every year with proudly preserved facilities such as the Calumet Theatre, the Upper Peninsula Fire Fighters Memorial Museum, Larium Manor and the Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne's. The work that resulted in the Main Street designation is just one more example of Calumet's legacy of community effort in support of its history. Calumet already knows the value of sharing that history with visitors and scholars, and will bloom even more beautifully as a Main Street community.

I ask you, Mr. Speaker, and my Colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in congratulating everyone in Calumet who put their effort, heart and history into Calumet's selection as a Main Street community. I offer my heartiest congratulations.

With this honor, Calumet will move even more quickly to transform its downtown into a thriving, appealing Main Street center of commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of Boyne City, Michigan, which has been named one of four Michigan Main Street communities for 2003 in a statewide competition sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Boyne City in northwestern Lower Michigan recognizes as its greatest downtown assets scenic water resources and historic turn-of-the-century architecture. With the comprehensive community-wide proposal it developed over a period of several years, Boyne City could not be a better candidate for the kind of downtown makeover that Main Street communities receive as part of this commercial revitalization program.

The seeds of Boyne City's application to be a Main Street community were planted about five years ago, when local resident Tom Johnson, of the Northern Michigan Economic Alliance, attended a national Main Street Program conference. Recognizing the value of its historic resources and the economic benefits of the Main Street program, in 1999 a collaborative Boyne City group including citizens, business people, the Downtown Development Authority and City representatives formed the Boyne City Main Street committee with the goal of becoming a Main Street community.

Boyne City's years of effort met with success on June 19, 2003, when MEDC announced that Boyne City was one of four

statewide winners in the very first year of operation of the Michigan program. Boyne City's selection was based on physical characteristics of the proposed Main Street area, the capacity of their downtown business organization and broad based support that evidenced willingness of the whole community to participate.

Along the way Boyne City had to commit to providing a minimum of $35,000 per year for three years for a full time Main Street coordinator.

National and state experts who work with the Main Street program will make dozens of visits to Boyne City over the next three years to work with local participants as they develop ways to market Boyne City's historical downtown, encourage economic development, develop loft apartments with the assistance of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and preserve and rehabilitate historic structures.

The aim of the program is to stimulate economic growth, and Boyne City's successful application may result in a return of nearly $40 for every dollar it spends, according to Main Street's 2001 national re- investment statistics. The Main Street program was developed by the National Historic Preservation Trust.

With this honor, Boyne City will move even more quickly to transform its downtown into a thriving Main Street center of commerce and economic vitality.

I ask you, Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in congratulating everyone in Boyne City who put in the years of effort and community wide collaboration that made Boyne City a charter member of what I sincerely believe will be a long line of successful Michigan Main Street communities. I offer my heartiest congratulations.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes today to extend my heartiest congratulations to the members, past and present, of the Miscowaubik Club in Calumet Township, Michigan. On August 16th, 2003, the Miscowaubik Club will proudly celebrate 100 years of existence with an evening of music, dancing and, no doubt, storytelling about the club's rich history.

Named after an Ojibwe Indian word for ``copper,'' the Miscowaubik Club was founded in January, 1903 as a social haven and athletic facility for the executives of the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company and local businessmen, who were then placing their mark on the remote and spectacular Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan. The club was modeled after the Tennis and Racket Club of Boston.

The period of the club's founding coincided with the heyday of community prosperity that accompanied the mining activity in Upper Michigan's copper range. At the peak of that activity between 1867 and 1884, Calumet & Hecla mines produced half of this country's supply of copper.

In 1903, 175 invitees paid $36 in fees and dues to become charter members. Guest book logs show visits to the club from visiting celebrities, including boxers Jack Dempsey, Jack Sharkie, and Max Schmelling.

Present membership has recognized the changing times, and the club elected its first woman president in 1994.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my House colleagues join me in raising a figurative glass to toast the Miscowaubik Club on its 100th anniversary. I wish the club and its members a second happy century of social discourse.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Gutknecht bill.

I have always argued that while the reimportation safety-issues are of paramount importance, they are not insurmountable.

This bill includes many of the safety-provisions I've been calling for in my bill H.R. 2652, the ``Internet Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act''. In fact, when I first looked at the reimportation language included in the GOP prescription drug bill, I was glad to see many of these safety provisions included--until I noticed the ironic ``poison pill'' provision found in this language that would give the HHS Secretary the power to kill reimporation. The Gutknecht bill would remove this ``poison pill'' provision.

I have questioned the FDA in the past as to why they have refused to follow their own safety guidelines when importing prescription drugs for U.S. consumers under the ``personal use'' exemption. I have not received a satisfactory answer from the FDA and I've concluded that their decision to ignore their own guidelines was based on politics rather than public-safety. I was further convinced of this fact when I received highly unusual lobbying call from the FDA against this bill last week.

The truth is, this bill will force the FDA's hand--they can and they will be required to implement a safe reimportation program within six months.

The lobbying campaign by the Pharmaceutical Industry in opposition to this legislation has been very distasteful--many of the tactics they employed were just plain dishonest. Americans continue to pay prescription drug prices that are 30 to 300 percent more than in European and other industrialized nations including Canada. This bill will finally force the most profitable industry in the world to give American citizens some relief from this outlandish price discrimination.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2210, the Republican Head Start reauthorization bill. This legislation tears at the heart of successful early childhood development services in the United States that have been in place since 1965.

Across the Nation, Head Start has helped to combat poverty and provide children with an enriched social, academic, and healthful base before kindergarten. In my own northern Michigan communities, Head Start has long provided valuable services to the 5,598 children and their families enrolled in 148 programs throughout the 1st Congressional District.

I am dismayed H.R. 2210 provides only a 2.9 percent increase over the last year in the already under-funded Head Start programs--barely keeping up with inflation, and I have very serious concerns about several of its provisions.

In particular, the bill completely fails to support Head Start teachers. These dedicated professionals earn about half of what typical kindergarten teachers make. Yet, H.R. 2210 only provides about $400,000 for teacher salaries and education next year--more than $300 million less than needed in fiscal year 2004. Funding for the following years is no better--$2 billion less than needed over the next 4 years.

To add insult to injury, H.R. 2210 increases teacher credential requirements so that 50 percent of Head Start teachers must have a Bachelor's degree by 2008. But the bill provides almost no money to help teachers advance their education, and it doesn't pay to increase teachers' salaries after they earn a Bachelor's degree! What incentive does that provide for quality teachers to remain dedicated to Head Start programs?

I am also concerned about block grant provisions in the bill. Shifting program money to state block grants, even in the eight test states, could allow states to change the Head Start program in substantive ways that may jeopardize the successes Head Start programs have long achieved. It is a pilot program as proposed, but as we all know these pilot programs tend to grow.

In the name of so-called ``reform'', H.R. 2210 allows selected states to increase Head Start class size and the child-to-staff ratio; decrease parental involvement; hinder disability assessment and treatment; and eliminate comprehensive health care services like vision, dental, and mental health screenings. Moreover, the Republican Head Start bill lets the eight test states move funds currently intended for local Head Start agencies to other pre-school and child care programs that may not offer the same critical services on which children and families depend.

Head Start has made a valuable contribution to the education of our Nation's children,

and I will do everything possible to protect these locally designed and administered programs in northern Michigan.

I urge my colleagues to vote no on H.R. 2210. Vote no to dismantling Head Start.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Michigan Agri-Business Association on the august occasion of its 100th year of service to agricultural producers in Michigan.

On June 25th, 1903, in the gymnasium of the Y.M.C.A. building in Battle Creek, Michigan, the Michigan grain dealers met to organize the Michigan Grain Dealers Association. This was the first step on the Association's journey to becoming the industry-wide Michigan Agri- Business Association which today is indispensable to Michigan agricultural businesses.

Along the way, as the Grain Dealers Association added to its membership, it changed its name to indicate that hay producers and dealers, animal feed manufacturers and dealers, and fertilizer, ammonia and seed businesses had all come on board. It became the Michigan Agri- Business Association on June 11, 1990.

Today, the Association provides educational programs and member services to its individual members. Its public relations and legislative efforts include a newsletter to all members, trade shows, educational programs and up-to-date information and advice on all state and federal legislation that affects agriculture in Michigan.

Agriculture is a multi-billion dollar business in Michigan. Agricultural producers and dealers in Michigan are some of the most advanced in the country, because they know that efficient and effective use of natural resources and technological tools are how to provide a better product and a better industry.

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues in the House of Representatives, I invite you all to join me in applauding the Michigan Agri-Business Association and all its members in commemoration of the Association's 100th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I offered an amendment in today's bill that would ban using funds in the supplemental to support FEMA's Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs Office in Washington, D.C. The amendments were born out of my frustration in dealing with FEMA which, up to now, had an excellent working relationship with my office and many other congressional offices.

The problems relate to the very serious floodings in part of my district in May of this year. More than $100 million in damage resulted from floods. FEMA's recommended denial of Michigan Governor Granholm's request for a Federal major disaster declaration that would permit Federal aid to the hard-pressed local governments, businesses, and individuals affected.

My district is rural, mostly low income, and these 4 counties just cannot bear this kind of financial hardship and economic burden without our help.

My frustration with FEMA is not with the men and women who actually do the work for the agency in the Region 5 office. In fact, FEMA responded with impressive speed immediately after the disaster to put people on the ground and to investigate, even before a formal disaster request was made. My frustration is the runaround I received from the Washington office since the decision in June not to declare a major disaster.

For the first time in my 11 years in Congress, I was forced to file a Freedom of Information request to receive the factual information I needed to represent my constituents. When I asked for the reasons for their decisions and the copies of correspondence related to the decision process, FEMA refused to give me this basic information. In fact, they refused to even voluntarily tell me whether the decision to deny disaster relief was made in FEMA in Chicago, or FEMA at headquarters here in Washington.

FEMA headquarters even refused to have a meeting with me, our two State U.S. Senators, the Governor's representative, and the Under Secretary responsible for emergency aid to discuss this issue.

In order to properly appeal the decision, the Governor's office should have had the information they needed and any documentation we needed to make the appeal. Congressional liaison offices are there to facilitate the needs of Members' offices, not throw up roadblocks.

I realize my amendment was not made in order, but I wanted to bring to the attention of the House this situation. There is no reason for not giving me the information I need to respond to my constituents when they ask me whether the refusal for disaster aid is political. There is no reason to refuse to have a meeting with top-level FEMA officials, a Member of Congress, two U.S. Senators, and representatives from the Governor's office.

I hope that speaking out on the floor will make our point, and I am here to do so.

Mr. Chairman, we have a crisis in Michigan. We have become the dumping ground for 100 percent of Toronto Canada's trash.

At a hearing earlier this week we heard excuse after excuse from the EPA as to why they are not enforcing a bilateral agreement that was reached back in 1992 which requires United States officials be notified of all shipments of trash coming in from Canada. When I asked the EPA if they have ever received such notification from Canada in the past 11 years, they said no. When I asked exactly when EPA would begin implementing the agreement they answered ``hopefully soon.'' This is very similar to a response they gave the Congress 10 years ago.

In the mean time, Michigan landfills are being filled with Canadian trash and Canada is now considering sending their human waste to Michigan! When will it end, Mr. Speaker.

This amendment will provide $1 million to the EPA for implementing the requirements in the bilateral agreement, end the excuses, and begin the enforcement! I urge its adoption.

Offered By: Mr. Stupak

Amendment No. 1: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following: