Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I would respectfully add my voice to those opposing this amendment.

While clearly we all want to reduce our imports of foreign oil, I have not been convinced that raising CAFE standards would actually accomplish this. As I understand it, our imports' share of oil consumption was 35 percent in 1974. Since then, our new car fuel economy has roughly doubled, but our auto import share has risen nonetheless to about 50 percent. For this reason, I am not convinced that the amendment, if adopted, with achieve one of its primary goals.

Additionally, our national economy is struggling, to say the least. In my home State of Pennsylvania, which is not normally thought of as a State closely tied to the automotive industry, a total of 220,800 jobs are dependent on the industry; 39,700 of these people are directly employed by it, and when you add in other spin-off employment, we are talking about over 220,000 jobs in Pennsylvania alone.

Mr. Chairman, in these difficult economic times, I simply do not think it is prudent to put those jobs and this vital industry in jeopardy when it is not clear the benefits potentially derived would merit doing so.

With the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) I urge defeat of the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to honor a great American ally and an inspiration to people striving for freedom throughout the whole world--Greece.

Today the House observes the 184th anniversary of Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire. This anniversary not only represents a triumph for the nation of Greece but a triumph for all Western democratic nations. The ancient city-states of Greece created many of the fundamental elements that have shaped our modern culture such as logic, mathematics, the empirical method of scientific discovery, politics, and the philosophical ideals that were embraced by our Founding Fathers, especially the motion of democracy and self-governance.

In a perplexing world where terrorism and war confront our nation, it is comforting to know that we can count on the nation of Greece for support. Greece remains one of our staunchest allies. Greece was one of the first nations to express solidarity for the United States after 9/ 11 and since then has been in the forefront of the War on Terror.

I join Greek Americans in my district of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and throughout the world in celebrating a proud nation with a rich long heritage in inspiring and influencing men and women around the world. I am proud to stand here today to recognize and honor

Greece on this the 184th Anniversary of its independence.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American and Pittsburgher, Mr. Earl V. Jones, Sr. Mr. Jones is a constituent of mine and the founder of the worldwide Peace on Earth Campaign.

The Peace on Earth Campaign is centered on community leaders and the many volunteers in the community who do their part day in and day out. Local firefighters, police and paramedics have co-sponsored Mr. Jones' project which is showcased by a flag designed by Mr. Jones himself. The flag and symbol for the world peace campaign is a dove and globe in red, black, brown, yellow, and white to acknowledge the ongoing struggle for world peace.

In a post-9/11 world where terrorism and war surround us, Mr. Jones' Peace on Earth Campaign is a symbol for all nations to strive towards. The Peace on Earth campaign has been recognized and endorsed by President George W. Bush, former President Bill Clinton and Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

Mr. Jones organizes numerous events to promote community involvement in the Peace on Earth Campaign. One of the many events Mr. Jones' organization promotes is a highly successful student essay program in our public schools. Each essay is designed to bring awareness of the theme of peace on Earth to the youth of the world.

With his efforts to promote the noble goal of peace on Earth, Mr. Jones truly epitomizes the American values of peace, community, and brotherhood. I commend Mr. Jones on his countless hours of volunteer work spent as the ambassador and organizer for the Peace on Earth Campaign.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this rule. Two weeks ago, heavy rains from hurricane Ivan inundated my district in

southwestern Pennsylvania, and many communities across Pennsylvania experienced disastrous flooding and mudslides.

This was no typical storm, Mr. Speaker. It has been estimated this was a 100-year rain, perhaps a 500-year rain, one that we will never see again in western Pennsylvania. And the damage inflicted went far beyond the federally determined floodplain. It devastated homes and businesses that were not expected to buy flood insurance.

Several of the worst hit communities were, Etna, Millvale, Sharpsburg, Carnegie and small communities along the Allegheny River. As soon as the flooding subsided, I toured the communities affected by the flooding and met with the owners of many small businesses that had been damaged.

Jane Moran got walloped by Ivan twice. Her 7-Eleven store in Etna was severely damaged, and her home nearby was damaged so badly it has been condemned. Her husband and three sons all had to move into a one- bedroom apartment with her daughter and boyfriend and, until recently, were wearing borrowed clothes.

In Millvale, 8 feet of water from Girty's Run flooded many of that municipality's businesses; 190 of the 230 businesses in Millvale suffered damage. The flood waters caused $400,000 in damage to Jerry Kitman's furniture store. His wife Judy's business, Lasting Memories floral shop, was also completely destroyed.

Ed and Arleen Carr, the owners of Yetters Candy Store, a family business that had been in operation 75 years, saw all of their equipment and supplies completely destroyed.

Grant Street Diner and Catering, a family-owned business, was completely destroyed, and 5,000 pounds of food were ruined.

Mr. Speaker, I say this to you because these people are the embodiment of the American Dream. They worked hard and invested every penny in their businesses and they need help now. President Bush was in my district on September 23, and he told these people, we understand the Federal Government has an obligation to help, and we will.

Well, Mr. Speaker, we need your help, and what we do not need are loans. That is all that are available to these businesses right now. These mom-and-pop shops are already loaned up to their eyeballs, and they do not need another loan. What they need is a grant.

Last night, we went to the Committee on Rules and asked for a one- time grant of up to $250,000 for these small businesses in these areas that were not in Federal flood zones and, through no fault of their own, find their businesses gone. If we do not give these businesses grants, they are not coming back, and the communities they sit in are not coming back.

What do we tell these folks? Do we tell them we have $20 billion to rebuild schools and businesses and infrastructure in Iraq, but when it comes to American taxpayers they have to take loans? Mr. Speaker, we can do better than that. We have supported all disaster relief for Florida, for our friends on the west coast that have fires and earthquakes. People in Pennsylvania need some help. Mom-and-pop businesses are the backbone of this country, and they are asking for our help tonight.

I ask that we defeat this rule so that we can go back to the drawing board and put an amendment in there that will allow grants to small businesses so that we can restore these people's businesses and the American dream. I ask all my colleagues to support defeating this rule.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join in this special order commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of Penn State University. As a proud alumnus of Penn State University, I can attest to the quality of education offered by this outstanding institution of higher learning.

Beginning like so many other state universities as a school to provide an education in farming and agricultural science to the citizens of Pennsylvania--which, by the way, is still one of its important missions--the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania in Centre County, Pennsylvania, grew rapidly and has educated thousands of Americans over the last 150 years.

Today, The Pennsylvania State University boasts 20 branch campuses across the commonwealth and offers a full range of undergraduate majors and graduate degrees, as well as a college of medicine and a highly respected law school. In fact, many of Penn State's grad schools are considered among the nation's top ten in their fields. It has an enrollment of over 80,000 students each year,

and it is considered one of the premier research universities in the nation. I might add that it also has one hell of a football team, which has been led to many victories over the years by its legendary coach, Joe Paterno.

I look back fondly on my years in State College as some of the best years of my life. I received a world-class education at Penn State between 1971 and 1975, and I also had a pretty darned good time on campus.

Consequently, I am proud to mark this milestone in the life of my alma mater by participating in this special order commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of this remarkable institution of higher learning. I can't wait to see what Penn State and its alumni achieve in the next 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tremendous artistic ability of a

young man from my Congressional District, Tyron Morrison of Woodland Hills High School. Tyron is the winner in the 2004 14th Congressional District of Pennsylvania's High School Art Competition, ``An Artistic Discovery.''

Tyron's piece, entitled, ``T.L.,'' is an impressive portrait in acrylic paint of a young man's face, with a strong use of highlight and shadow.

Tyron's artwork was selected from a number of outstanding entries to this year's competition. I am certain that his family is proud of her artistic talents as well as this accomplishment.

It gives me great pride and pleasure that Tyron's painting will be representing the 14th Congressional District of Pennsylvania in the national exhibit of high school students' artwork that will be set up in the United States Capitol in the coming weeks. The winners of the Congressional Art Competitions held in each Congressional District will be displayed in that exhibit.

I encourage my colleagues as well as any visitor to Capitol Hill to view Tyron's artwork, along with all of the other winning artwork that will be on display throughout the next year. It is truly amazing to walk through this corridor and see the interpretation of life through the eyes of these young artists from all across our country.

I would also like to recognize all the other participants in this year's 14th Congressional District High School Art Competition, ``An Artistic Discovery.'' I would like to thank these vibrant young artists for allowing us to share and celebrate their talents, imagination, and creativity. The efforts of these students in expressing themselves in a powerful and positive manner are no less than spectacular.

I hope that all of these individuals continue to utilize their artistic talents, and I wish them all the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Greece, one of America's greatest allies and sources of inspiration, on the 183rd anniversary of its independence from the Ottoman Empire.

Greek Independence Day marks the return of independence to the birthplace of democracy. The Ancient Greeks profoundly shaped western culture. Many of the fundamental elements of our modern culture can be traced back to them--logic, mathematics, the empirical method of scientific discovery, and of course many of the political and philosophical ideals embraced by our Founding Fathers, especially that of self-governance--originated with the ancient Greeks.

Today, Greece is one of our staunchest allies. It was one of the first countries to express solidarity with the United States after 9/ 11, and it has contributed significantly to the global war against terrorism through its military and humanitarian missions.

Greek-Americans in my district of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and throughout the United States can celebrate this day with pride as they continue their rich tradition of philanthropy, civic duty, and education. Indeed, Greek-Americans have contributed greatly to the American way of life. Their commitment to family, community, and this nation are an inspiration to us all.

I hope that my colleagues and the American people will join me today in honoring Greek Independence Day and the continued democratic friendship that exists between our nations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to let my House colleagues know about a notable milestone. WQED Multimedia in Pittsburgh is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year.

Debuting on April 1, 1954, WQED was the nation's first community- owned television station. At the time, leaders in the Pittsburgh community saw a need for an educational TV station in addition to the already present commercial ones. As station founder Leland Hazard stated, ``On this station you will find a children's hour designed to determine whether it is necessary for someone to get killed to entertain young folks.'' And that is exactly what the station has done. Beginning with Fred Rogers' ``Children's Hour,'' the station has continued to produce wholesome, thoughtful, and nonviolent shows that entertain and educate both young and old.

Which is one of the reasons that, today, WQED Multimedia is one of the most valued Pittsburgh institutions, providing educational, cultural, and informational programming for both local and national audiences.

As the programs WQED produces show, education has always been a priority for the organization. Everyone is familiar, of course, with ``Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood,'' the award-winning children's program, but not everyone knows that WQED has also produced a lot of other high- quality children's educational programs over the years, including ``Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?'' and ``Once Upon a Classic''. In addition, WQED has produced a nationally broadcast science quarterly program entitled ``The Infinite Voyage'' and a number of National Geographic Specials.

WQED Multimedia is also very involved in cultural promotion and preservation. WQED's radio station broadcasts various types of classical music locally, and it promotes Pittsburgh music nationally and internationally through broadcasts of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the River City Brass Band, America's only full time professional brass band. Many of WQED TV 13's programs also seek to promote American culture. In fact, other public broadcasting stations throughout the country have copied the station's program ``Things that Aren't there Anymore''--and several of Rick Sebak's programs celebrating American's favorite pastimes, such as ``Great Old Amusement Parks'' and ``A Hot Dog Program,'' have aired nationally. These programs and many others clearly demonstrate WQED's commitment to telling America's Stories with the American Classics, All-American Documentaries, an American Soundtrack and America's Home Cooking series.

Informing viewers about the world and community is another important goal for WQED Multimedia. One outlet it uses to do this is Pittsburgh Magazine, which informs readers about the interesting people and places in and around the city. Additionally, WQED Multimedia provides an Educational Resource Center for teachers and has a community outreach program that combines the power of the media with community involvement to help inform Pittsburghers of important issues affecting them.

The more than 250 awards that WQED Multimedia has won over the years, including 60 Emmy's and 12 Peabody's, bear witness to the consistently high quality of programs the organization is producing.

Today, over 1,000,000 Pittsburgh households depend upon WQED. It is now the parent company of WQED TV Channel 13, WQED radio Channel 89.3 FM, WQEJ radio Channel 89.7 FM in Johnstown, PITTSBURGH magazine, local and national television and radio productions, www.wged.org, and the WQED Education Resource Center.

Pittsburgh is justifiably proud of WQED Multimedia. Its broadcast, print, and Internet productions educate and entertain millions of Americans across the country. I want to congratulate WQED Multimedia on its 50th anniversary. I hope that WQED's high-quality contributions to our community--and this Nation--will continue for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I just spoke with the Governor's office earlier this evening. I was aware of this letter that was sent out to four Republicans. Governor Rendell does not endorse this program. He does not support this program. And I just want that to be reflected in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 280. This bill would establish a National Historic Site in southwestern Pennsylvania to preserve parts of the former U.S. Steel Homestead Works and educate the public about its importance.

The Homestead Works played an important role in America's economic and industrial history. It was one of the largest and most productive steel mills in the world 100 years ago. Assessing the historical significance of the Homestead Works, New York Times writer William Serrin observed:

Its products helped the nation move west, shaped its

skyline, bridged and dammed its waters, helped make it a

world naval power, and helped it enter the Space Age. When

the mill began, the nation's population was 51.5 million, the

Industrial Revolution was in its infancy, and America was

innocent and isolated; when the mill went down, the nation's

population was 250 million, the Industrial Revolution--based

on steel--had changed America and the rest of the world

irrevocably, and America was the world's dominant nation in

every imaginable way.

The Homestead Works and other steel mills nearby made the United States the economic and military superpower it is today. As a result, Pittsburgh is known for its steel industry around the world. I want to make sure this nation and the world always remember the sacrifices made by the workers who labored in the mills to give Pittsburgh this distinction.

The history of the Homestead Works is much bigger than that of Pittsburgh or even southwestern Pennsylvania--it reflects national trends in industrial development, scientific innovation and technological advancement, our labor and social history, our country's diverse ethnic heritage, and the work ethic that characterizes this nation.

The story of Homestead, its industrial and labor history, continues to attract worldwide interest. The most well-known incident in Homestead's history is the Battle of Homestead, where in 1982 steel workers repulsed a force of Pinkerton detectives sent in to break their strike. More than a hundred years later, the Battle of Homestead still stands as one of the most compelling stories in the long history of the labor movement in the United States.

The Homestead Works' Carrie Furnaces 6 and 7 are also sites of national historical significance. They are rare examples of early production techniques and turn-of-the-century technological advances. These relics are the only remaining pre-World War II era blast furnaces left in the Pittsburgh area, and they represent some of the most important technological accomplishments of the American steel industry. I believe that our nation has an obligation to preserve these unique historical assets.

For nearly a decade I have been working with the Steel Industry Heritage Corporation to preserve the Battle of Homestead site, Carrie Furnaces 6 and 7, and the history of those who toiled there. The Steel Industry Heritage Corporation has been successful in convincing the property owner, the community, and the National Park Service to support this initiative. The National Park Service recognizes the historical significance of these sites and recently recommended that they be preserved, in a National Historic Site, for future generations.

The legislation before us today would create a new National Historic Site that would include Carrie Furnaces 6 and 7, the Hot Metal Bridge, the Battle of Homestead site, and other historic parts of the Borough of Homestead.

Mr. Speaker, approval of this legislation today will bring us one step closer to the certainty that the remarkable history of the Homestead Works will be remembered for generations to come. I want to thank the Park Service for its work on this initiative, and I want to commend Augie Carlino, President and CEO of the Steel Industry Heritage Corporation, for working with me for many years to move this initiative forward. Finally, I want to thank Chairman Pombo and Ranking Member Rahall of the Resources Committee for working to bring this bill to the House Floor today.

I urge my colleagues to support this very worthwhile legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2655, legislation reauthorizing the Walsh Visa program. This program provides U.S. work visas to young people from economically disadvantaged communities in Northern Ireland.

The City of Pittsburgh, which I have the honor of representing, is one of the hub cities for the Walsh Visa program. Consequently, I have had the opportunity to see first-hand the impressive accomplishments of this important program.

Nearly 250 young men and women, Protestant and Catholic, have participated in the Walsh Visa Program in Pittsburgh since the city was selected as a hub city for this initiative. This program promotes tolerance in Northern Ireland by bringing unemployed Protestant and Catholic youth from economically disadvantaged areas to work and live together in a vibrant multicultural community. These young people learn first-hand about the benefits of tolerance and diversity as they develop useful job skills and important work habits.

The Walsh Visa program literally transforms the lives of many of its participants, ending their dependence on government hand-outs and returning them to their communities as valuable economic assets--as well as advocates of tolerance and peaceful coexistence in their deeply divided communities. Their new work skills reinforce their status and influence in their communities, and that gives their message of tolerance and peaceful co-existence added weight.

And that brings me to the bigger picture. The Walsh Visa programs doesn't just benefit a few thousand individuals. It also benefits the hundreds of thousands of people in their communities in Northern Ireland.

When these young people go home, they take back much-needed job skills, and they serve as important role models for the other young people in their community--not just in terms of promoting religious tolerance, but also in terms of encouraging participation in the workforce in communities where unemployment has historically been depressingly high and many young people have developed an unhealthy dependency on government welfare programs.

After completing the Walsh Visa Program, one of the Pittsburgh hub participants stated that, having lived and worked in America, she would never consider being without a job again back in Belfast.

The Walsh Visa Program is administered in Pittsburgh by the Ireland Institute, a non-profit organization which has a mission to promote mutual understanding between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland and job creation throughout all of Ireland.

More than 100 local companies have signed on in support of this program, and thousands of dollars in in-kind contributions have been received from the community. If, as I believe, widespread public support indicates the merit of a government program, then private support for the Walsh Visa Program in Pittsburgh represents a ringing endorsement of this international initiative.

Mr. Speaker, the Walsh Visa Program is helping the people of Northern Ireland move beyond the sectarian strife that has divided them for far too long. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2655 and reauthorizing this important program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate North Hills Community Outreach on their Millvale satellite's ten-year anniversary. Founded in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, in 1987, North Hills Community Outreach is an interfaith nonprofit organization that addresses the basic needs of individuals and families who are in crisis, hardship and poverty. I am proud of their effectiveness and compassion as they help the people of my district in the midst of difficult times.

The Millvale satellite was established in 1993 and was originally housed in the choir loft at Christ Lutheran Church. Having outgrown that space, the offices were moved to a storefront at 223 North Avenue in 1997. Unfortunately, the need for North Hills Community Outreach's services continues to grow and they are planning to move to an even larger facility. To that end, North Hills Community Outreach is collaborating with Millvale Borough on the potential expansion and refurbishment of the Community Center in Millvale.

I applaud North Hills Community Outreach's holistic approach to helping people. The organization's case management program includes such services as employment assistance, utility and rent assistance, an emergency food pantry and the Faith in Action program in which volunteers help the frail elderly and adults with disabilities with transportation, yard work and light chores.

Over the past ten years, thousands of people in need have benefited from North Hills Community Outreach's caring, professional staff and dedicated volunteers. I commend North Hills Community Outreach on their mission of ``people helping people'' and their belief that no one in northern Allegheny County should ever feel hungry, alone or forgotten.

I wish them the best of luck with their move and hope for much continued success.

Mr. Speaker, we had a very unfortunate ruling in Oklahoma City, one that we are going to undo today.

This reminds me a lot about back in the days before I was in Congress. I was in the insurance business, and we used to do a lot of cold calling to make insurance calls. They always told us as they were training us that you had to get nine noes in order to get a yes; but if you kept calling, that every time a person said no to you, not to lose faith, because you were one step closer to the yes.

So today we are doing a tremendous favor for the telemarketers in America, something that I wish they had done for me when I first started in the insurance business. We are giving them the list of the noes up front, so they do not have to make these nine calls to get a yes. We are telling them up front the people that do not want to talk to them, and now all they have to do is call the people that want to hear from them, that want to buy their products.

I think it is a wonderful thing which we do today for the telemarketers, and it is a wonderful thing we do for the 50 million Americans that do not want to have to pick up that phone at dinnertime.

Mr. Speaker, I represent Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the second oldest county in the country. And this is indeed a sad day for seniors in Allegheny County because instead of providing our seniors with an affordable prescription drug plan under Medicare, instead, tonight we will give seniors a Medicare+Choice style drug plan.

Now, we all remember in Pennsylvania what Medicare+Choice is. That is the HMOs trying to provide Medicare, the same companies that left hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians high and dry, not only in my State but all across this country, when they pulled out of their plans.

This plan is nothing more than a huge subsidy to drug companies and will eventually lead to the privatization of Medicare. Do not just take our work for it. The AARP, which represents more senior citizens than any other organization in this country, says, The provisions that would establish a premium support structure beginning in 2010 could destabilize the traditional Medicare program and lead to much higher costs for beneficiaries. Rather than expand choice, this provision could limit choice by leading to a substantially higher cost for beneficiaries who want to stay in the traditional Medicare program. Those who choose not to enroll in private plans should not be put at a financial disadvantage.

The other part of this plan that I just find unbelievable right here in title VIII, section 801 is we prohibit the administrator of the program from negotiating better prices from the drug companies on behalf of taxpayers. We are going to spend $400 billion of taxpayers' money, and we always hear from our friends, let us run government like a business. Well, what business does not negotiate for more favorable prices? But not this plan.

Our government is prohibited from negotiating lower prices on behalf of senior citizens. I watch seniors in Pittsburg get on buses every month and drive to Canada to buy their drugs, because they cannot afford them in this country, for half the price of what they have to pay for in the United States. And now when we finally have an opportunity to take the buying power of all these senior citizens and negotiate more favorable prices from the drug companies, this bill specifically prohibits us from doing that.

Mr. Speaker, this is a bad bill. We should vote it down.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a number of Pittsburgh residents who were honored on May 3rd 2003 with Bloomfield Citizens Council Awards.

Every year, the Bloomfield Citizens Council gives out these awards to recognize members of the community who have improved the quality of life in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the 2003 award winners for their efforts to make Bloomfield a better place to live.

Emil DelCimuto has been selected as the recipient of the Mary Cercone Outstanding Citizen Award for his commitment to helping others in the community. As a volunteer for the Bloomfield Lions Club, the St. Joseph Nursing Home, and Meals on Wheels, Mr. DelCimuto has dedicated his time and energy to the people of Bloomfield. He is also an active member of the Bloomfield Preservation and Heritage Society and a sports columnist for several local newspapers.

The Distinguished Patriotism Award was presented to Raymond Fern. As a Korean War Veteran and life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mr. Fern is currently Commander of District 29, which has 15,000 members. Mr. Fern also became the first Pennsylvanian in 25 years to receive the All Star Grand Commander of the Military Order of the Cootie in 2000 for his strong commitment to hospitalized veterans.

The People of Vision Award was presented to David Voelker, Richard Voelker and Marcia Deaktor for their financial investments in the economic growth and development of Bloomfield.

The Bloomfield Citizens Council will present two awards for Christmas decorations this year. Joe and Toni Surmacy received the Keeping Christ in Christmas Award for their holiday arrangement with a religious theme, and Art and Mary Harrover received the Most Outstanding and Completely Decorated Home for their detailed Christmas designs.

In closing, I would like to congratulate the recipients of the 2003 Bloomfield Citizens Council Awards on their important contributions to the quality of life in Bloomfield. On behalf of the residents of Bloomfield and the rest of the 14th Congressional District, I thank them for their efforts.