policy.house.gov     Agenda: 105th Congress Agenda: 105th Congress | 106th Congress | 107th Congress | 108th Congress Orginal Agenda | Speakers Agenda | Election Reform The Two-Year Agenda for the 105th Congress: Mission Accomplished Creating a Better America for Ourselves and Our Children (The Agenda was announced at the beginning of the 105th Congress.  Agenda items are in normal type; actions taken to accomplish the agenda are in italics. Please note this is a partial listing; with thousands of bills and hundreds of votes, it's impossible to list every achievement, but let us know if you feel a particular item should be included by sending e-mail to The House Policy Committee.) 1. Balance the federal budget When the Republican majority took office four years ago, we made balancing the budget our top priority because we realized that out-of-control federal spending and debt were blocking progress on the issues facing America. In 1998, for the first time in a generation, the federal government not only balanced its books, but ran a $71 billion surplus—after Congress in 1997 gave the American people the first tax cut in 16 years, including a $500-per-child tax credit, Roth IRAs, a one-third cut in the capital gains penalty tax on savings and investment, and death tax relief for farmers and small businesses. We've come a long way. In 1993, Bill Clinton’s first budget contained the largest tax increase in American history and called for a 1998 deficit of $241  billion.   In 1995, his budget still called for $200 billion  deficits far into the future.   His 1998 budget called for 85 new spending programs, $150 billion in new spending, $129 billion in new taxes, and a deficit of $10 billion. But in 1994 and again  in 1996, the American people elected a Congress committed to economic growth through balanced budgets, lower taxes, and leaner  government.  And Congress has delivered. Since November 1994, when the new majority was first elected, the budget has swung from a $203 billion deficit to a $71 billion surplus, with continuing  surpluses projected for years to come.  Confidence in Congress’  fiscal discipline has slashed long-term interest rates from 7.8% in  1995, when we took office, to about 5.2% today. This interest-rate  decline has saved the typical family a whopping $50,850 on a home mortgage, $900 on an auto loan, and $1,438 on a student loan. And that’s on top of the billions that our 1997 tax cuts are returning to American  taxpayers through the $500-per-child tax credit, education tax credits, the Roth IRA, and cuts in the penalty tax on savings and investment ("capital gains"), and the death tax. But much more must be  done.  Clinton veto threats prevented the Senate from passing  broad-scale tax relief this year, although the House in May 1998 passed a $100 billion tax cut targeting the Marriage Penalty and other middle-income tax relief.   Despite  unanimous Republican support, the Clinton White House worked to block  the Balanced Budget Amendment by a single  vote in March 1997, preventing enactment of the procedural safeguard  that could lock in the fiscal discipline this Congress has fought to  impose. And opposition from  President Clinton and Congressional Democrats has blocked enactment of an overhaul of the broken budget process, which has heaped up $5.5 trillion of debt. In 1997, the President vetoed legislation that would have prevented future government shutdowns and  guaranteed that if Congress and the President failed to reach a budget agreement, federal programs would be funded at current  levels. Congress will address  each of these items when we return in January 1999. We will pass broad-based tax relief. We will pass the Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution with a 2/3 vote. We will overhaul the broken  budget process, and end the threat of government shutdowns. 2. Improve learning for all Americans Education has been a top priority for this Congress. Since 1997, we have enacted  legislation improving every facet of education, including the Higher Education Act, the Workforce Investment Act, and the Reading Excellence Act.   We also  passed legislation addressing special education, loan forgiveness for  new teachers, quality teaching grants, emergency student loans, school  nutrition, charter schools, quality Head Start, vocational education, and community services block grants--all told, some 14 major  initiatives. But Clinton opposition killed another eight key measures: A+ Education Savings Accounts, Dollars to the Classroom Block Grants, teacher testing, prepaid college tuition plans, a scholarship program for thousands of D.C.  families and children, bilingual education reform, our school construction plan, and our safe schools program. Despite such obstacles,  the 105th Congress compiled an historic record on education. At the  beginning of this Congress, we outlined three specific goals. Here's  how we carried them out: Get more resources to teachers and students for  classroom learning and keep fewer in Washington. On September 26, 1998, the House passed historic school construction legislation as part of the "90-10 Taxpayer Relief Act," the bill that locked in 90% of the surplus to save Social Security. Instead of the flawed Clinton school construction plan--the bulk of which was a temporary, 2-year fix for only 100 mostly urban  school districts--the 90-10 plan provides permanent help to all school districts. It reforms the rules  governing tax-exempt bonds to spur school construction and renovation, as well as streamlining the rules to make it much easier for educators to comply with them. 92% of House Republicans supported this school  construction initiative; 88% of House Democrats opposed it. On September 18, 1998, the House passed the Dollars to the Classroom Act, H.R. 3248, which consolidates 31  Washington-based federal education programs into a single, flexible grant program for states and communities. It gives school districts  the flexibility--without federal red tape--to buy computers, build  more classrooms, or hire more teachers, depending on their own specific needs. And by eliminating bureaucracy, it increases funding  to schools: on average, each classroom would receive an additional $425 a year. By law, 95% of each state's grant must be spent on classroom activities and services. The bill passed the House by a vote  of 212-198, and 205 of the 212-vote majority were Republicans. The President announced that he would veto the bill. The Dollars to the Classroom Act builds on H.Res. 139, which passed the House on October  29, 1997. This legislation called for at least 90% of the Education Department's elementary and secondary education funds to be spent in the nation's classrooms--not in Washington, D.C. (Currently, over a  third of these funds never reach the classroom.) Every House  Republican supported this reform; almost half of House Democrats  opposed it. In the FY 1999 Labor-HHS appropriation, Congress provided $1.1 billion to reduce  class size--matching the President's proposal for 100,000 new teachers, but blocking both his attempt to channel the funds through  the education bureaucracy and his effort to bar the use of the funds for teaching children with special needs. Congress insisted that the  funds be controlled at the local level, and that local educators be given the flexibility to use them for reducing class size with quality  teachers--including special education teachers and teachers of children with special needs. On September 11, 1997, the Senate voted to give local school districts complete control of $12 billion in federal elementary and secondary aid programs for one  year--a reform killed by President Clinton's veto threat. H.R. 6, the Higher Education Act that Congress passed in September 1998, will cut interest rates on college student loans, boost Pell Grants from $3,000 to $5,800 by 2003, forgive loan debts  for graduates who teach in poor urban or rural school districts, and improve accountability by requiring schools of education to disclose  how well their graduates do on teacher certification tests. The new interest rate provision alone will result in hundreds or thousands of  dollars in savings for students. The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 1998 (H.R. 3874) reforms and improves Federal child nutrition  programs by increasing flexibility for state and local providers, expanding nutrition services in after-school care programs for low-income and at-risk children, reducing program fraud and abuse in  the WIC program, and modifying the Summer Food Program to encourage greater participation by private, nonprofit organizations. Enhance local and parental control of education. The House passed the D.C. Student Opportunity Scholarship Act on April 30, 1998. It provides 2,000 tuition scholarships to  help low-income families in the District of Columbia send their  children to the school of their choice, as well as providing extra  tuition assistance for 2,000 public-school students. Unfortunately the  President killed this legislation because of opposition by the education bureaucracy. A House  Policy Perspective explains why the President should have signed this legislation instead of denying needed assistance to local students. As part of the Taxpayer  Relief Act of 1997, Congress--over the President's strong  objection--created A+ Savings Accounts for college expenses. In 1998, Congress passed new legislation--the Education Savings and  School Excellence Act--to allow parents to use these A+ Education Savings Accounts for K-12 school expense. This legislation gives parents more flexibility to send their children to the school of  their choice by providing substantial tax savings on money used to pay  for K-12 schooling.  Parents could use the extra money for  tuition, transportation, school uniforms, or even a home  computer.  In addition, the bill provides incentives for states  to implement merit pay for teachers and teacher testing, and  strengthened the Safe Schools anti-gun program. Unfortunately President Clinton vetoed this valuable reform. H.R. 2846, a ban on  federalized national testing programs, bars Administration attempts to  impose new, unvalidated Federal testing without specific and explicit congressional authority. The fast-track nature of the White House-initiated national testing proposal has alarmed educators and  policymakers alike. This legislation reasserts the principle of local control, the hallmark and strength of American  education. Cut education red tape and excessive bureaucracy, and work with local educators to help children master the  basics in academics. H.R. 2206, the Head Start bill, will improve this  program through a renewed emphasis on quality and accountability. It increases resources available for teachers and teacher training, and provides for new performance standards. H.R. 2535, the Emergency Student Loan Consolidation Act of 1997, became law as part of the 1997 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriation (P.L. 105-78) on November 13, 1997. H.R. 2535 makes it easier for borrowers to lower payments by consolidating student loans  and updates loan eligibility status to take recently enacted education  tax credits into account. The Reading Excellence Act (H.R. 2614) passed the House on November 8, 1997 and the Senate on October 6, 1998. H.R.  2614 provides $260 million in grants for programs that will help ensure that every child can read as soon as they are ready, and not  later than the end of the third grade. The bill focuses on improving the teaching of reading in our nation's neediest schools. H.R. 2616, the Charter Schools Amendments Act of 1997,  became law on October 22, 1998. H.R. 2616 provides $100 million  annually to help charter schools, cutting in half the percentage of  funds that can be spent by the Education Department. Charter schools,  which cut red tape and bureaucracy, will help provide parents with more choice concerning their children's education. The Employment, Training and Literacy Enhancement Act of 1997 (H.R. 1385) became law on August 7, 1998. H.R. 1385  provides three block grants for the consolidation of 60 federal  training programs, thereby sending federal funds for education and  training directly to the localities that can use them most effectively. H.R. 1853, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational-Technical Education Act Amendments of 1997, reforms vocational-technical education programs by repealing 35 programs and burdensome requirements, sending decision-making back to state and local authorities, and protecting the right of home schoolers to educate their children.  90% of  the funds must go directly to the local level. The bill awaits the President's signature. H.R. 5, the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Improvement Act of 1997, reforms and strengthens our nation's special education program. It consolidates 18 programs into six and  provides $50 million in increased resources to help teach children  with disabilities. This bill passed the House and became law on June  4, 1997 (P.L. 105-17). The English Fluency Act, H.R. 3892, reforms the cumbersome federal bilingual education bureaucracy, providing  funds to states to address the needs of English- language learners and ensure that they learn English as soon as possible. It provides local educators greater flexibility in choosing methods of instruction. And it requires that parents give their consent before their child is  placed in a class for English language learners. The two education  provisions included in the Taxpayer Relief  Act of 1998, H.R. 4579, would improve both higher education  and elementary and secondary education. Under the bill, private higher  education institutions would be permitted to establish prepaid tuition  programs. (At present, only state-supported schools may do so.) In addition, at the elementary and secondary level, school districts would be allowed to keep additional school-construction funds (rather  than rebate them to the Federal government) where the proceeds of school construction bonds are spend within four years. This bill, which would provide an important boost to school construction, passed  the House on September 26, 1998, but unfortunately was blocked by a Presidential veto threat. The Workforce Investment Act,P.L. 105-220,  consolidates more than 60 federal training programs through the  establishment of three block grants to the states for adult employment  and training, disadvantaged youth, and adult education and literacy  programs. Emphasis is placed on long-term academic improvement and  occupational training, eliminating numerous federal requirements, including duplicative and costly planning, paperwork and reporting requirements, and bureaucracy. On July 17, 1998, the  House Education Committee adopted the final report of the 3-year Crossroads Project, "Education at a  Crossroads," a top-to-bottom review of existing federal education programs. The study found that there were more than 760  federal education programs, which span 39 agencies, boards, and  commissions, and cost the American taxpayer nearly $100 billion  annually. Only a small number of these programs are related to  improving academic achievement in the classroom. As a result of this project, it became clear that successful schools were not the product  of federally-designed programs, but rather were characterized by parental involvement, local control, emphasis on basic academics, and dollars spent in the classrooms, not on bureaucracy. 3. Strengthen America's families The 105th Congress passed  landmark legislation to strengthen and defend America's families,  including not only critical education and tax reforms like the $500 per child tax credit and A+ Education Savings Accounts but abolition of the  marriage penalty, adoption reform, bans on partial birth abortion and  federally funded assisted suicide, criminal penalties for deadbeat  parents, and critical reforms to ensure retirement security for all Americans. Here are the goals we set for ourselves in 1997, and our  progress in accomplishing them: Pass the Working Families Flexibility Act to permit working women and men to take time off--using overtime--for  family and medical emergencies and other personal needs. H.R. 1, the Working Families Flexibility Act, reforms  decades-old law to permit working women and men, at their option, to take time off--using  overtime--for family and medical emergencies and other personal needs. It passed the House, 222-210, March 19, 1997.  A similar measure (S. 4) introduced by Sen. John Ashcroft in the Senate was blocked by Senate Democrats from reaching the floor in May and June 1997.  (Clinton announced he would veto this  reform.) End partial birth abortions. H.R. 1122, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which  would outlaw this gruesome procedure, passed the House by a veto-proof  margin of  295-136 on March 20, 1997, and passed the Senate by a strong 64-36 margin on  May 20, 1997.  This bipartisan legislation, which was vetoed by  the President in the 104th Congress, was passed by the House 296-132  on October 10, 1997, after taking into account Senate amendments endorsed by the American Medical Association. On October 10, 1997 President Clinton once again vetoed the measure.  The House voted  to override the President's veto 296-132 on July 23, 1998, the Senate failed to override the veto by just three votes on September 18, 1998. 51 of 55 Senate Republicans voted to override; 32 of 45 Senate Democrats voted with the President. The Child Custody Protection Act, H.R. 3682, outlawed the transportation of minors across state lines for abortions  when done to evade state laws providing for parental involvement in  their children's abortion decisions. This important legislation passed  the House by 276-150 on July 15, 1998, but was blocked in the Senate  by a Democratic filibuster. A further key pro-life bill passed by Congress, the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-12), ensures that no federal funds or facilities can be used to provide or promote assisted suicide. Fight child abuse and neglect and streamline the adoption process. The House passed H.R.  867, the Adoption Promotion Act of 1997, 416-5, on April 30, 1997, and the Senate approved the measure November 8, 1997. The bill became law (P.L. 105-89) on  November 19, 1997. The bill streamlines the cumbersome adoption process for foster children to ensure that more vulnerable children  are placed in permanent, stable, and loving homes. The Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act (P.L.  105-187) makes it a felony to evade child support by moving to another  state or country, or failing to provide child support for more than  two years. The bill became law on June 24, 1998. The Child Online Protection Act of 1998 was  passed by Congress as part of the FY 1999 omnibus appropriations legislation on October 19, 1998 and became law on October 21, 1998; it protects children from material harmful to minors by making it a crime to make such material available to them. In October 1998  Congress also passed a new law to crack down on criminals who seek out minors over the Internet. The Child  Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act makes it a crime--punishable by up to 10 years in prison--to use the Internet to  sexually solicit minors or to knowingly send obscene material to a person under the age of 16. Protect the rights of people of faith. The House Judiciary  Committee Constitution Subcommittee held a series of hearings on how  best to protect Americans' First Amendment right to the free exercise  of religion in June and July, 1997. H. J. Res. 78, the Religious Freedom Amendment, was reported by the House Judiciary Committee 16-11 on March 4, 1998 and won a  majority in the full House on June 4, 1998. (The constitutional  amendment failed to win the two-thirds approval necessary to send it to the states for ratification.) The Freedom from Religious Persecution Act of 1998, H.R. 2431, passed the House on May 14, 1998, and the Senate on  October 9, 1998, and has been sent to the President for signature. The Act focuses responsibility for identifying and responding to religious persecution in a new State Department office, as well as providing a list of potential sanctions for countries engaged in religious persecution. It also extends new protections to individuals seeking asylum in this country on the basis of religious persecution, and bars  religious persecutors from this country. The Religious Liberty and Charitable Donation  Protection Act (P.L. 105-183) amends the bankruptcy laws to  protect bona fide charitable contributions from being voided in bankruptcy. Ensure retirement security, including expanding  availability of IRAs, removing impediments to expanded pension coverage, and ensuring greater retirement savings for all workers, while protecting current retirees. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 accomplished all of these goals. Congress has expanded the  availability of individual retirement accounts allowing hundreds of thousands more Americans to contribute on a tax-favored basis to their own IRAs.  Congress also increased the IRA contribution limits to allow more people to take advantage of existing IRAs and created new "American Dream" IRAs that allow tax-free withdrawals for first-time home buyers and college-bound kids.   In addition, H.R. 1377,  the SAVER (Savings Are Vital to Everyone's  Retirement) Act, which passed the House on May 22 and the  Senate on November 7, 1997, directs the Labor Department to undertake  outreach efforts to encourage retirement savings. The bill also  directed the White House to hold National Summits on Retirement  Savings in 1998, 2001, and 2005. The SAVER Act became Public Law  105-92 on November 19, 1997. Make the Social Security Trust Fund safe and secure. On September 26, 1998  the House passed the "90-10 Taxpayer Relief Act," which provides tax relief for millions of  married couples, savers, small business owners, and senior citizens. The 90-10 plan dedicates 90% of the projected federal surplus--an estimated $1.4 trillion over 10 years--to saving Social Security,  while returning 10% (about $80 billion over five years) to taxpayers. On September 25, 1998  the House also passed the Save Social  Security Act, H.R. 4578, which establishes a new "Protect Social Security Account" in the U.S. Treasury. The account will save budget surpluses until a reform measure can be considered to ensure the long-term solvency of Social Security. 4. Increase family income by  lifting the burden of excessive taxes from working Americans On Sept. 2, 1997, the  Congressional Budget Office reported that taxes have risen to 20% of GDP--the highest since World War II.  This record-breaking  federal involvement in the economy, thanks in large part to the 1993 Clinton tax increase, means taxpayers are working harder for fewer after-tax rewards.  Lower tax rates are critical to our nation's fiscal health.  The 105th Congress has cut the tax burden on all Americans, with the vast majority of relief  going to middle-income workers. Our Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 cut taxes by $185 billion, including a $500 per child tax credit, education tax  credits, and reduction in both the death tax and the "capital gains'  penalty tax on savings and investment. This year, the House targeted the destructive marriage penalty, passing a budget that  called for more than $100 billion in tax cuts to address this and other unfair penalties on families. Unfortunately, the President--while proposing some $130 billion in higher taxes this year--blocked enactment of any new tax relief. Eliminate, or significantly reduce, the "capital gains" penalty on savings and investment. The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (H.R. 2014, which became law on August 5, 1997) reduces penalty taxes on savings and investment for all Americans. Retroactive to May 1997, each saver's  investment tax burden will be reduced by at least 25%, and--for lower-income taxpayers--by almost two-thirds. Lower tax rates on savings and investment will help sustain long-run economic growth by  encouraging capital investment, risk taking, technical innovation, and job creation. Congress has also passed another pro-growth tax cut--the Internet Tax Freedom Act, H.R. 4105. The Act  was approved by the House unanimously on June 23, 1998, and became law as part of the FY 1999 omnibus appropriations on October 19, 1998. For  a period of three years, the measure prohibits state and local  governments from imposing Internet access charges, bars multiple or  discriminatory taxes, calls for global free trade on the Internet, and establishes a commission on taxation of Internet commerce. Enact tax relief that strengthens and encourages American families. The Taxpayer Relief Act grants taxpayers a $500-per-child tax credit and education tax credits. This tax relief--the first significant tax cut for families since President  Reagan's tax cuts sixteen years ago--will help millions of American  families make ends meet.  Nevertheless, federal taxes remain 20%  of GDP, the highest since World War II.  Further tax rate cuts are essential to continued economic growth and opportunity for all  Americans, and are included in the House Budget Resolution passed June  5, 1998. In fact, the Resolution would eliminate of the Marriage Penalty, which cost 21 million families an average of $1,400 in  1996. Repeal or substantially reduce death taxes. The Taxpayer Relief Act saves jobs in small, family-owned businesses by reducing the death tax. Over the next ten  years, the exclusion from the death tax will increase from $600,000 to $1 million.  For small family businesses and family farms, the  exclusion will increase to $1.3 million ($2.6 million for couples),  effective January 1, 1998.  Death tax relief will save families'  farms, small businesses, and vital life savings from a tax initially  designed to apply to Carnegies and Rockefellers.  Moreover, it  will save jobs that depend upon those small enterprises.   A strong, bipartisan coalition continues to push for complete repeal of the death tax. H.R. 902, sponsored by Policy Committee Chairman Christopher Cox, won 207 cosponsors, including House Speaker Newt Gingrich.  Death Tax repeal was also a top legislative priority of President Clinton's own White House Conference on Small  Business. Dramatically simplify tax laws in order to end the IRS as we know it. On June 17, 1998, the  House passed H.R. 3097, the Tax Code Termination Act, by a 219-209 margin. H.R. 3097 will required  that the existing, cumbersome code be replaced by December 31, 2001. Audit the IRS, including insisting on audited  financial statements, accounting for the $4 billion failure of the IRS's bungled computer system, and exposing improper use of IRS authority  against taxpayers. On November 6, 1997, the House passed H.R. 2676, Chairman Bill Archer's Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1997, by the overwhelming margin of 426-4. The measure  shifts the burden of proof in the U.S. Tax Court from the taxpayer to  the IRS--granting audited citizens the same rights as citizens faced  with criminal charges. H.R. 2676 also establishes an IRS governing  board dominated by private-sector professionals, makes it easier for citizens to sue the IRS, discourages adding any more complexity to the tax code, and makes it a felony to order audits for political reasons.  The Senate passed the measure 97-0 on May 7, 1998, and it became law  on July 22, 1998. The Taxpayer Browsing Protection Act, signed into law by President Clinton on Aug. 5, 1997, makes it unlawful for the IRS or other federal employees to look at tax returns or tax-return information without authorization. The Ways and Means Committee and the Government Reform Committee have each begun investigations into the IRS's waste of $4 billion of taxpayer money on a computer  system that was never put into service. 5. Improve access to quality  health care On July 24, 1998, the  House passed the Patient Protection Act of  1998, H.R. 4250, a common-sense, market-oriented reform of  our rapidly changing health care system.  The bill guarantees  patients increased access to the affordable health care they need,  when they need it most, by holding insurance companies  accountable.  Its innovative reforms, including expanded Medical Savings Accounts, HealthMarts, and Association Health Plans, make health care more affordable.  It guarantees access to OB-GYNs and pediatricians rather than bureaucratic gatekeepers, and lifts "gag rules" imposed on doctors. Save Medicare from impending bankruptcy. The July 29, 1997 budget agreement ensures the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund for 10 years.  The agreement improves Medicare by creating tough  anti-fraud procedures, modernizing its payment system, and expanding  choices for seniors. Improve the quality and coverage of Medicaid through greater state flexibility in order to increase access for  children and others. The 1997 budget  agreement overhauled federal mandates preventing states from providing  the widest access to health care for uninsured children.  States  will be granted automatic waivers to provide health care by the most efficient means possible; no longer will they be required to wait for  Washington regulators to approve urgent improvements to the Medicaid system. Promote wellness through enhanced disease  research and improved Medicare preventive benefits (for example:  diabetes and breast cancer screening) and oversight of NIH. The 1997 budget  agreement adds long-term cost-saving health benefits to Medicare, such  as mammography, pap smears, diabetes, prostate and colorectal cancer  screening, bone density measurement, and vaccines.  The Act  additionally benefits older Americans in the prevention of  osteoporosis by covering bone mass measurements and management of  diabetes through the coverage of blood glucose monitors and testing strips. Ensure access to Medical Savings Accounts. The 1997 budget  agreement gave seniors expanded health care options, including enrollment in tax-free Medical Savings Accounts, which allow  individuals to manage their own routine health care expenses and  purchase insurance for expensive treatments or catastrophic illnesses.  Moreover, on July 27, 1998, the House passed the Patient Protection Act, H.R.4250 (see above), which would expand the availability of Medical Savings  Accounts and make them permanent. Modernize the Food and Drug Administration to  speed up approval of medical advances that save lives. The President signed the Food and Drug Administration Modernization and Accountability Act of 1997 (Public Law  105-115) on November 21, 1997. This bill, which the House passed  October 7, 1997 as H.R. 1411, makes the approval process for new drugs  and medical devices faster and safer. Responding to previous FDA deficiencies, it concentrates FDA resources on reviewing high-risk  products and expanding access to experimental drugs and devices for  seriously ill people who have exhausted all alternatives available through regular treatments. The bill also permits off-label drug use and implements a pilot program for third-party review of medical devices. 6. Increase economic growth  and create jobs through regulatory reform Adopt commonsense regulatory reform based on the principles of flexibility, consensus, private property ownership, free  enterprise, local control, sound scientific evidence, and the latest technology. On March 13, 1997, the House passed H.R. 852, the Paperwork  Elimination Act.   The bill advances the use of non-paper-dependent information technologies by requiring that federal  agencies provide the option of electronic submission of information, electronic compliance with regulations, and electronic disclosure of information to all who must comply with federal regulations. On May 6, 1998, the  House approved H.R. 1872 , the Communications Satellite Competition and Privatization Act, 403-16.  This measure will cut the cost of distance communications.  One study concluded that the privatization of Intelsat and the elimination of Comsat's monopoly over U.S. access to Intelsat services will save U.S. consumers $4  billion over ten years.  Worldwide, savings are expected to total  $7 billion over the same period. On July 16, 1998, two  bills improving the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), H.R.  2864, the OSHA Compliance Assistance Act of 1998, and H.R. 2877, a bill to end OSHA enforcement quotas, became law. The OSHA bills will, collectively, establish and fund consultation programs, allow  employers to identify OSHA violations, and end the unfair practice of citation quotas for inspectors. The bills, which are the first OSHA reforms in almost 23 years, represent achievements for businesses, employers, and employees as they refocus OSHA on prevention and cooperation. Work to introduce competition into the American  electricity marketplace. The House Commerce Committee has worked intensively over the past two years on legislation to allow competition and choice in the electricity  industry. Competition and choice will force electricity producers to operate more efficiently--meaning less pollution and lower electric bills. Encourage greater competition in financial services by modernizing outdated regulations. H.R. 10, the Financial Services Act, passed the House 214-213 on May 13, 1998.  The bill overhauls 60-year-old  regulations on banks, securities firms, and other financial service  providers.  A clear majority of the Senate endorsed Senator  D'Amato's companion legislation, but the Senate was unable to complete work on the bill in this session.  Congress will take up financial services modernization as a first order of business next  year. Encourage state and local governments to review  all unfunded mandates. From Medicaid to welfare to education, Congress is consulting with governors, mayors, state legislators, and educators to pass legislation that taps the  innovation of state and local officials and private citizens to meet our nation's challenges. Ensure full compliance with the Results Act to force government to meet set performance standards. Congress is encouraging  federal agencies to develop--often for the first time--strategic plans that clearly define the purposes, operations, and goals of their  programs. Strategic planning is one of the most critical tools of  private and non-profit sector management, and will help our federal  government deliver more efficient service to the American taxpayer.  The first phase of the Results Act, including strategic planning, consultation with Congress, and the submission of  final agency reports, was completed on September 30, 1997. The  agencies' efforts were abysmal, with 19 of 24 agencies failing to comply with fundamental requirements of the Results  Act. Congress, which has held at least 23 hearings using the  Results Act since February 1997, will redouble its enforcement efforts. 7. Fight gang violence and  drugs Prevent juvenile crime and target gangs and  hard-core juvenile offenders. H.R. 3, the Juvenile Crime Control Act, creates a  consolidated block grant to help states fund juvenile crime control  activities, and gives state and local officials the flexibility they need to make the best use of these resources. H.R. 3 was passed by the House, 286-132 , on May 8, 1997. H.R. 1818, the Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act, reforms the federal system to make it easier to treat  juveniles as adults, and provides states with the incentives and means  to crack down on violent juveniles in their own jurisdictions. H.R.  1818 passed the House, 413-14, on July 15, 1997. The FY 1999 omnibus  appropriations bill provides some $535 million for juvenile crime prevention programs. Renew our commitment to stigmatize drug use, focusing on fighting drugs at the local level. On March 24, 1998, House Speaker Newt Gingrich named Illinois Rep. J. Dennis Hastert as chairman, and Ohio Rep. Rob  Portman and Florida Rep. Bill McCollum as co-chairmen, of the Speaker's Task Force for a Drug-Free America. The task force advanced a comprehensive legislative strategy to address the problem. Issues to be addressed include expanding the authority of the "Drug Czar,"  developing a World War II style victory plan in the war on drugs, sealing off U.S. borders to illegal drug shipments, apprehending and prosecuting drug dealers, and reducing demand for drugs here at home. H.R. 956, the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, helps  communities across the country stop drug use among America's youth by providing grants to areas that have established sustainable and  accountable anti-drug efforts involving their entire communities. H.R. 956 passed the House, 420-1, on March 22, 1997, passed the Senate, June 18, 1997, and became law on June 27, 1997. The FY 1999 Treasury Appropriation doubles the funding for this Act. Restore needed resources for the war on drugs. The Fiscal Year 1998 and 1999 House appropriations bills dramatically expand the War on Drugs,  providing law enforcement with more than $16 billion to combat drug use and supply on the streets and along the borders. This includes almost $200 million for a national media campaign targeting youth drug use, $54 million for new narcotics detection technology, and some $185  million for attacking crime in high-intensity drug trafficking  areas. 8. Community renewal and  investment Help people move from poverty to prosperity by enacting community renewal initiatives, including reform of public  housing; promotion of home ownership; educational opportunity  scholarships; and incentives to create jobs and facilitate the move from welfare to work, and promote charitable giving. H.R. 1031, the Talent-Watts American Community Renewal  Act, brings moral and family renewal, personal economic  empowerment, and increased private charity to our neighborhoods by  allowing for up to 100 "Renewal Communities" to be established on a  competitive basis in both urban and rural areas. The Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act passed Congress on October 8, 1998 as part of the FY 1999 VA-HUD Appropriations Act. The bill fundamentally reforms the nation's long-troubled public housing system by ending the current penalty for  public housing residents who work or marry, as well as imposing a work  requirement on residents (other than the elderly, the disabled, and students). It encourages public housing residents to buy their homes. It creates strong incentives for better management of public housing by providing successful homing authorities with more flexibility and putting broken ones under new, competitive management. It allows more  of the working poor to have access to public housing, creating working role models for children in such communities and rewarding working parents. And it strengthens housing authorities' ability to expel criminals and fight drugs and gangs. Rebuild America's transportation system to support the 21st century economy. A six-year plan to do  so, H.R. 2400, the Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act, passed the House 337-80 on April 1, 1998. It was signed by the President and became law (P.L. 105-178) on June 9, 1998. Make Washington, D.C., the finest capital city in the world. On June 19, 1997, Rep. Tom Davis, the chairman of the House’s D.C. Subcommittee, introduced  H.R. 1963, the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Act of 1997. It fundamentally restructured the relationship between the federal  government and the District of Columbia by limiting the District's activities to those normally conducted by cities and ceding typical state activities to the federal government. These reforms are largely  included in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 implementing the July 29,  1997 Congressional budget agreement with the President. The Congress also  attempted to help District schools, but was thwarted by a Clinton  veto. See  above. 9. Reform the civil justice system Expose and fight against judicial activism. The House passed H.R.  1252, the Judicial Reform Act of 1997, by voice vote on April 23, 1998. H.R. 1252 will require challenges to state referenda to be heard by a three-judge court,  preventing lone judicial activists from overturning the will of the people. The Judicial Reform Act was referred to the Senate Judiciary  Committee on May 15, 1998. Reduce the time, expense, and burden of using  our courts. The Conference Report  for the 1998 Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Appropriations Act (H.R. 2267), which passed  the House on November 13, 1997, includes the Hyde Amendment protecting citizens from unwarranted government prosecution. The Hyde Amendment permits citizens who were prosecuted by the government frivolously or  in bad faith to recover attorney's fees and other litigation costs. It  was signed into law November 26, 1997. Enact the bipartisan product liability reform  and other common sense legal reforms, including protecting charities and  local governments from abusive lawsuits. To meet both goals, the  House and Senate are considering far-reaching legal reform measures addressing product liability, securities law, and civil justice  reform. Rep. Rick White's Securities Litigation Uniform Standards  Act, H.R. 1689, passed the House 340-83 on July 22, 1998. It promotes interstate commerce by giving savers, investors, and pension holders the protection and efficiency of one national securities law standard. This bill follows up on Chairman Cox's Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (H.R. 1058) in the 104th Congress, which  passed the House 319-100 to become the only law enacted over President  Clinton's veto. This landmark legislation ended lawyer-driven "strike  suits"--meritless cases that penalize honest investors, workers, and  managers while failing to help investors who have genuinely been  wronged. (California voters defeated an effort to reverse the effects  of H.R. 1058 there by a 74%-26% margin; H.R. 1689 would do for the nation what California voters did for their state.) S. 1260, the Senate version of H.R. 1689, passed the Senate 79-21 on May 13, 1998. The legislation passed Congress on October 13, 1998. H.R. 911, the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997, passed the House, 390-35, on May 21, 1997. The Senate passed it the same day, and it became law on June 18, 1997.  It grants immunity from  personal civil liability to volunteers working on behalf of nonprofit organizations and governmental entities. H.R. 1534, the Private Property Rights Implementation Act, passed the House 248-178 on October 22, 1997. The bill provides for expedited access to Federal courts for individuals who have had their property taken by federal or state government, thereby  providing recourse for citizens victimized by improper takings of  their constitutionally protected private property. H.R. 992, the Tucker Act Shuffle Relief Act, passed the  House 230-180 on March 12, 1998. H.R. 992 enables property owners with a grievance against the government to have their cases heard in a  timely fashion by preventing the government from "shuffling" the cases  between two federal courts. S. 2392, the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act of 1998, was passed by Congress on October 1, 1998 and became law on October 19, 1998.  It encourages prompt and accurate disclosure of Year 2000 problems and solutions by protecting honest statements about the issue from being used in court against the person who makes them. The 106th Congress will take up further legislation to avoid an avalanche of meritless Y2K litigation as a top priority in January 1999. H.R. 872, the Biomaterials Access Assurance Act, passed both Houses July 30, 1998, and became law on August 14, 1998. This law  curbs counterproductive, life-threatening litigation by protecting  companies that sell materials to manufacturers of vital medical  equipment, like heart valves and artificial joints. Litigation has made it impossible for many companies to provide such materials. In  fact, excessive liability has caused 75% of biomaterials firms to ban  sales to the U.S. market, raising the cost of health care, boosting insurance premiums, limiting innovation, and blocking efforts to save lives. H.R. 872 is a major step toward reducing these huge costs and improving health care for all Americans by encouraging medical innovation and new health care technology. 10. Make our environmental  protection efforts smarter and more effective Overall, Congress has  provided a record level of support for natural resources and the  environment, the highest funding level in history. These funds will ensure that our children and grandchildren inherit an environment in even better shape than it is today. H.R. 2107, the FY 1998 Interior Appropriations bill that passed Congress on November 4, 1997, provided increased support for both the National Parks and the National Forest System to protect these  national treasures. The bill allowed parks, refuges, and forests to keep  the fees they collect--allowing them to address maintenance backlogs and meet operational requirements. (It's a surprise to many park visitors,  but park entrance fees have been diverted from the parks to Washington, D.C. for years.). H.R. 2107 improved America's wildlife refuges and land and water conservation efforts, continues restoration of the Everglades,  and funds a major forest health initiative. It became law November 14, 1997. For FY 1999, Congress targeted several needy areas,  appropriating $140 million for Everglades restoration, and  increasing the budget for National Park operations by $99 million, for  the Bureau of Land Management by $55 million, for National Wildlife Refuges by $18 million, for education and law enforcement related to the environment by $35 million, and for wildland fire fighting by $83  million. The increased funding was made possible by reforms of practices  that led to costs such as $800,000 for one restroom at the Delaware Water Gap Park. The 105th Congress also  created tax incentives for environmental conservation as part of Public Law 105-34, the 1997 tax bill (the first significant tax rate cut in 16  years). In that bill, significant incentives were established for landowners to gift their property for conservation in  perpetuity--forever protecting the land from development. Such purposes could include "preservation of natural habitat," "preservation of open space for scenic enjoyment of the general public or pursuant to a governmental conservation policy," and "preservation of historically  important land or certified historic structures." The 105th Congress has also conducted extensive oversight of environmental programs, discovering significant problems that can now be addressed--including a shocking $13 billion U.S. Forest Service maintenance  backlog. The 105th Congress improved  the environment on land, at sea, for wetlands and in the air: Land H.R. 4060, the Fiscal  Year 1999 Energy and Water Development  Appropriations Bill, signed into law October 7, 1998, grants  $20.9 billion in new discretionary spending authority to the U.S. Army  Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy,  and several independent agencies. Among many key environmental provisions, the bill expands solar and renewable energy programs and  accelerates cleanup of badly polluted Department of Energy sites. The Quincy Library Recovery and Economic Stability  Act, H.R.858, which passed the House 429-1, helps maintain our forests using local plans and initiatives, instead of mandates from  Washington bureaucrats. The legislation will implement a pilot program  designed by local California environmentalists, community leaders and timber workers to maintain economic stability, improve forest health,  and prevent wildfires in the Plumas, Lassen and Tahoe National Forests in California. The bill provides for the selective removal of crowded, smaller trees while leaving other, more fire-resistant trees in the forest. It also temporarily defers timber harvests on environmentally  sensitive lands. Local environmentalists, elected officials and wood-product companies anticipate that the thinning prescribed in the  bill will provide sufficient timber to economically stabilize the local  communities. In addition to protecting the forests from future fires,  the program will create 2,500 direct jobs per year and 12,250 over the  life of the five-year program. The Sonny Bono Memorial Salton Sea Reclamation Act, H.R. 3267, directs the Secretary of the Interior to  reclaim the Salton Sea, an important 30,000-acre environmental preserve located about 130 miles east of San Diego. The Salton Sea is suffering  increasing levels of salinity and pollution. Formed in 1905 by the  failure of a temporary levee that allowed the Colorado River to flow  into the Salton trough for nearly one and one-half years, the Salton Sea is a landlocked body of water that has grown into a unique salt-water  ecosystem. Home to numerous species of fish and more than 375 species of birds, the Salton Sea faces serious threats today from salinity and  pollution. Though water constantly flows into the Sea, carrying with it  naturally occurring salts, industrial chemicals, and other pollutants,  water can escape only through evaporation, leaving behind the pollutants and salts. About four million tons of salt go into the Sea every year,  and the current salinity level in the water is approximately 25% greater  than that of the Pacific Ocean. In the face of these high levels of salinity and pollutants, disease has broken out among numerous species  of fish and birds, culminating in the sporadic deaths of hundreds of  thousands of birds and millions of fish. Under the legislation, the  government will be able to pay the necessary costs to reduce and  stabilize the salinity of the Salton Sea, and ensure the safety of its  unique ecosystem. The bill passed the House and Senate and was sent to the President for his signature on October 21, 1998. H.R. 1420, the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement  Act, which passed the House 407-1 on June 3, 1997, improves the federal management of the 92-million acre wildlife refuge system,  thereby benefiting hundreds of species, including nearly 700 kinds of birds, 220 mammals, 250 reptile and amphibians and 200 kinds of fish.  H.R. 1420 passed the Senate on September 10, 1997, and it became Public Law 105-57 on Oct 9, 1997. Under the Act, the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System—to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management,  and restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats—becomes clearer and more manageable. For example, the Act facilitates resolution of competing uses by establishing a hierarchy  of uses for the refuge system based on the following factors: the  conservation mission of the system, the purposes of each individual refuge unit, compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses, and  non-wildlife-dependent activities. The Act also provides guidance for  the Secretary of the Interior in administering the system, directing  him to resolve conflicts in a manner that first protects the purposes  of the refuge. In addition, the Act promotes conservation by directing the Secretary of the Interior to propose comprehensive conservation plans for each refuge in the System  (outside of Alaska), with a required maximum 15-year cycle for plan revision. Matters to be considered in plan development will include fish and wildlife distribution and migration patterns, plant populations, archaeological and cultural values, habitat problems, and  opportunities for compatible wildlife-dependent recreation. In this  way, the Act will help maintain America’s precious wildlife both now and in the future. H.R. 1787, the Asian Elephant Conservation Act, which  unanimously passed the House on October 21, 1997 and the Senate on November 8, 1997, supports Asian nations' programs to boost their now dwindling number of elephants. Moreover, the Striped Bass Conservation Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1658) passed the Senate without opposition on November 10, 1997, and the House on November 13, 1997. It became Public Law 105-96 November 19, 1997. Approximately 35,000 to 45,000 elephants—listed as "endangered" under the United States' Endangered Species Act—roam in the wild of thirteen Asian nations,  including 20,000 to 24,000 in India, 5,000 to 6,000 in Burma, and 2,500 to 4,500 in Indonesia. The Asian Elephant Conservation Act, which is modeled after the highly successful African  Elephant Conservation Act of 1988 and the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, helps protect these majestic creatures by  establishing an Asian Elephant Conservation Fund to be administered by  the U.S. Department of Interior. This funding—$5  million per year for five years—would be in addition to any funds  appropriated for African elephants, rhinoceros and tigers, and will be  directed towards anti-poaching efforts, conservation management plans, translocation of threatened populations, monitoring of census figures and known populations, and public education for elephant conservation.  And, in line with Congressional efforts to ensure that funding is  directed at its intended targets, the Secretary of Interior is prohibited from spending more than three percent of the funds for administrative expenses. H.R. 39, the African Elephant Conservation Act (AECA),  reauthorized the program that was responsible for rescuing African elephants from the path to extinction. According to co-sponsor Rep. Randy Cunningham, African elephant populations declined from around 1.5 million to 600,000 animals during the 70s and 80s. "Drought, shrinking  habitat, and expanding human populations had some part in the decline of the population. But by the mid-1980's, rampant and efficient poaching of  elephants for the world ivory trade was found most directly responsible  for elephants' endangerment," Rep. Cunningham said. AECA reversed the  decline, and H.R. 39, which reauthorizes AECA, became Public Law 105-217 on August 5, 1998. The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Reauthorization  Act, which was approved in the House by voice vote, is designed to increase U.S. involvement in the international protection of endangered rhinoceros and tigers. The tiger population has decreased  from 100,000 in 1900 to just 5,000 today. The rhinoceros population has decreased from 65,000 in 1970 to less than 11,000 today. The legislation  continues U.S. participation in international programs designed to combat the illegal poaching of rhinos and tigers and expand conservation  programs for these species. H.R. 1270, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, passed the House  307-120 on October 30, 1997. H.R. 1270 creates a permanent, safe, isolated location for the storage of dangerous nuclear wastes. The Forage Improvement Act, H.R. 2493, passed  the House 242-182 on October 30, 1997 and was sent to the Senate the  next day, where it was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural  Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Public Lands. The bill establishes  a mechanism for uniform management of livestock grazing on Federal lands, providing ranchers who use the land with needed stability and predictability. On November 19, 1997, the Wildlife Management Act for U.S. Military  Installations became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R.1119). The Act improves the fish and wildlife management on nearly 25 million acres of land under the jurisdiction of  the Department of Defense. The measure  reauthorizes and improves the law under which land controlled by the Defense Department is managed for fish and wildlife-related conservation and recreational purposes on over 900 U.S. military installations, benefiting nearly 100 federally-listed threatened or endangered species. Specific improvements  in the new legislation include: replacing existing conservation plans with integrated ecosystem management plans that encompass all natural resource management activities; requiring all military installations  with significant natural resources to prepare and implement integrated plans; requiring that the military ensure that sufficient trained  personnel are assigned responsibility to comply with the Act; and facilitating the sustained multi-purpose use of wildlife resources, including hunting, fishing, trapping and non-consumptive uses. To ensure compliance with the legislation, the Secretary of Defense must submit an annual report summarizing the status of these plans. H.R. 2870, the Tropical Forest Conservation Act, passed the House on March 19, 1998. The Act facilitates protection of tropical forests by allowing Third World countries to swap portions of their  debts to the United States for tropical forest conservation. It establishes a Tropical Forest Facility in the Department of the Treasury to provide for the administration of debt reduction. These benefits will  only go to developing countries with tropical forests that have put in place major investment reforms and meet certain environmental policy  requirements. The benefits will be used to provide grants to non-governmental environmental, conservation, and indigenous peoples’  organizations for preserving, maintaining, and restoring tropical  forests. It became Public Law 105-214 on July 29, 1998. Sea The Coral Reef Conservation Act, H.R. 2233, which unanimously passed the House and awaits Senate action, will create  new protections for coral reef ecosystems throughout the world. Nearly  10 percent of the world's reefs have degraded or have been destroyed, and this figure is expected to reach 20 to 30 percent by the year 2010. According to Congressman Jim Saxton, sponsor of the House legislation, "coral reefs worldwide are in great danger from both natural and  human-induced causes. In U.S. waters near Florida, six new coral reef  diseases have been identified in the last five year and they are spreading rapidly." Coral reefs protect our coastlines from waves, storm  surges, coastal erosion, and provide natural shelter for marine habitats. The bill establishes a Coral Reef Conservation Fund, which  will support conservation projects benefiting coral reefs worldwide. The bill authorizes $1 million to be appropriated into the fund annually for  the next five years and requires that all grants be matched by other  funds on a one-to-one basis. The Coral Reef Conservation Fund will be  administered by the Commerce Department and will support coral reef  conservation projects conducted by governments, non-governmental organizations, or individuals with relevant expertise. Projects which are sustainable in the long term will receive priority. Grants under  this program must be matched by other funds on a one-to-one basis.  Administrative costs are capped at 3 percent of the amounts available in  the Fund each fiscal year. H.R. 408, the International Dolphin Conservation Program  Act, which encourages fishing methods that will not harm  dolphins, passed the House on May 21, 1997, and became Public Law 105-42 on August 15, 1997.This law  will implement an international treaty to protect dolphins and provide ecosystem protections for other marine life in the yellow fin tuna fishery. The legislation, authored by U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD),  is part of an international effort to protect this valuable species by implementing the provisions of the "Declaration of Panama," which was  adopted by 12 nations, including the United States, in October 1995. The  nations came together to develop a binding international agreement to protect dolphins and other marine life in the Eastern Tropical Pacific  Ocean. Other major provisions of  the legislation include: Protecting dolphins  through more accurate labeling – Under the Act, the words "Dolphin Safe" will really mean "Dolphin Safe. " Before the Act, a "dolphin  safe" label could be placed on tuna cans based on the type of fishing gear used to catch the tuna, not based on whether they killed  dolphins. Now the "dolphin safe" definition will be based upon the  more accurate definition of actual observed mortality; if just one  dolphin is killed during a tuna catch, none of the tuna caught could  be labeled as "dolphin safe." Protecting endangered  turtles – The old "dolphin safe" definition did not take into account the numerous sea turtles and other species caught as "bycatch" by the  dolphin-safe fishing methods. Unfortunately, those "dolphin safe" fishing methods can actually increase "bycatch" mortality as much as 100 times over the level of the new, safer eco-system fishing practices under the Act. Ensuring International Cooperation – The bill binds the signatory nations to the conservation  and management measures enacted by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, ensuring cooperation to dolphin-safe fishing practices. During the past two  years, the number of dolphins killed has decreased to about 4,000 per  year and the overall dolphin population is now 9.5 million and believed to be stable or increasing. This new law is essential to ensuring the  continued protection of dolphins and other marine life in the Eastern  Tropical Pacific. The Striped Bass Conservation Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1658) became law on November 19, 1997. The Act requires a moratorium on fishing for Atlantic striped bass in the coastal waters of  a State that the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the  Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior determine is not complying with the Commission's plan for managing Atlantic striped bass. In order to  enforce this moratorium, the Act provides for civil penalties and  forfeiture of vessels, gear, and fish. In addition, the Act mandates continuing, comprehensive studies of Atlantic striped bass stocks and a  study of the socio-economic benefits of the Atlantic striped bass resource. H.Con.Res. 131, a  resolution calling for increased international attention to environmental protection of the world's oceans, passed the House on  November 14, 1997. This resolution states that an improved understanding  of the ocean and the resources it contains is critical to the economy, environmental quality, and national security of the United States. It  encourages the Administration to take advantage of the international  focus on the oceans in 1998 to examine U.S. ocean programs, identify  opportunities to streamline and better direct these programs, and take substantive actions to advance the exploration of the ocean and the appropriate use of ocean resources. The resolution, introduced by Rep.  Jim Saxton, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Fisheries  Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans, is part of Congress’ support for the  'International Year of the Ocean.' This event will be marked by a series  of conferences, international scientific research projects, and  educational events designed to increase understanding of the ocean and encourage wise management of marine resources. Its primary goal is to "focus the attention of the public, governments, and decision-makers on the importance of the oceans and the marine environment as a resource." H. Con Res. 131 is part of Congress’ contribution to these  efforts. The National Sea Grant College Program Reauthorization  Act, which passed the Senate unanimously and the House with 422-3, became law on March 6, 1998. The Act will provide $334 million  for funding marine research and education at over 300 American universities. The Act authorizes funding for the 29 state and regional  National Sea Grant College Programs located in U.S. coastal areas. In addition, the Act provides $8.8 million annually for competitively awarded university research grants. The National Sea Grant College  Program was established in 1966 to improve marine resource conservation,  management and utilization. The Sea Grant core program includes research, education and advisory services. Research funding is devoted to the development of marine-related technology, environmental studies and socioeconomic and legal research. A one-third non-federal match is required to receive federal assistance. The program is administered  through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Wetlands The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), also part of the FY 1998 Interior appropriations bill  (H.R. 2107) that passed in November 1997, increased wetlands  conservation funding by 20% over FY 1997. NAWCA funds—which must be  matched by non-federal entities—go to acquiring, enhancing and restoring wetlands across North America. In addition, NAWCA funds target those wetlands most critical to threatened species, shorebirds, and waterfowl. In this way, the Congress is accomplishing two important goals within  one program, increasing wetlands and preserving troubled species. Air H.R. 2400, the Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity  Act (BESTEA), which passed the House in March and was signed into law on June 9, 1998, sets aside nearly $10 billion for the  Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ). This program assists states in complying with the Clean Air Act by funding transportation projects that lower emissions. In addition, the  legislation sets aside $4 billion for transportation enhancements that  are environmentally related. Setting aside highway funding for  environmental activities helps mitigate the environmental impacts of transportation and assists states in complying with federal air quality standards. In the 106th Congress, the House will continue to work to protect and preserve our environment. We will reform the flawed Superfund program, which currently squanders half of the billions of  dollars dedicated to cleanups on lawyers and bureaucracy. Reform  legislation will slash this massive overhead and ensure that cleanup  dollars help the environment. And Congress will improve the 1972 Endangered Species Act, which has done too little to help threatened species come back. 11. Rebuild a strong national  defense to remain the leader of the free world The 105th Congress--the first Congress to cut  taxes in 16 years--is now the first Congress in a decade to provide  for a real increase in defense spending. In the Post-Cold War world,  where dictators like Kim Jong-Il, Saddam Hussein, and Slobodan Milosevic can wreak havoc with genocidal policies, ballistic missiles,  and nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, peace through strength is  the only policy option. The Republican Congress is restoring our  strength to keep the peace. Reverse the neglect of defense modernization,  high-tech R&D, and the quality of life of veterans, service  personnel, and their families. Since 1993, the  Administration has spent more than $12 billion on military peacekeeping and related deployments around the world, from Somalia  and Haiti to Bosnia--stretching already declining force levels to  carry out non-military missions. And just as global peacekeeping  efforts subtract from overall U.S. capabilities, the Administration’s pattern of delaying modernization programs has also taken a severe toll on our national security. The services’ weapons and equipment are  reaching the ends of their service lives, wearing out primarily  because of today’s overwhelming pace of operations. Congress has moved aggressively to reduce these imbalances and protect our national  security: Congress has added more than $4.5 billion to the President's requests for readiness improvements over the past four years. And over the past three years, the Congress has added more than $15 billion to the Administration's under funded procurement accounts. In 1998  allocated $48.9 billion for procurement, $250 million more than the  President’s request. On October 6, 1998,  Congress sent to the President the FY 1999 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R.  3616). It became law on October 17, 1998. Staying within the spending level for defense in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Act provides the military services with the tools to better recruit and retain  quality personnel, filling gaps in training, and equipping American service personnel with the advanced technology they need to perform their missions. Specifically, the Act increased military pay,  reenlistment bonuses, and retention incentives; reformed health care for Service personnel; provided housing, recreation, and educational  enhancements; and acted to reverse the slide to a "hollow force." H. R. 4103, the FY 1999 Defense Appropriations Act,  became law on October 17, 1998. It provides $250.5 billion for national defense in FY 1999, $3 billion more than was appropriated for FY 1998. A year earlier, on November 6, 1997, Congress passed and sent to the President the FY  1998 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1119), boosting modernization that had been neglected  since the Reagan era. Defense procurement had declined 70 percent in the years 1985-1997. H.R. 1119 worked to reverse the shrinkage of the Navy--historically the key to U.S. military power. Congress doubled the President's request for the transitional CVN-77 carrier, since the U.S. can now no longer constantly deploy carriers in the Western  Pacific, Mediterranean, and Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf theaters. The bill was signed into law November 18, 1997. The FY 1999 omnibus  appropriations bill strengthens national security by dedicating more than $1.5 billion for enhancing U.S. intelligence capabilities, mostly for advanced new satellite systems and improved intelligence-gathering  from human sources. And this legislation also provides $2.4 billion  for antiterrorism, including diplomatic security and repairs and some $200 million for intelligence antiterrorism activities. Congress passed H.R. 2266, the FY 1998 Defense Appropriations Act Conference Report, on September 25, 1997, providing resources for key weapons systems to maintain America's high-tech  defense edge. The President signed the bill October 8, 1997. Congressional hearings have revealed that 60% of military housing was unsuitable, causing  "terrible retention rates in all branches of the military," said House  Appropriations Military Construction Subcommittee Chairman Ron Packard. "It costs the American taxpayer over $26,000 to train a soldier for their first assignment," Chairman Packard said. "We simply can't afford to keep replacing pilots, tank commanders and other highly trained personnel. Many military families have simply had enough of cracked walls, doors falling off hinges and paint and  asbestos problems." In the FY 1998 and FY 1999 Military Construction Appropriations bills, Congress has  responded by dedicating over $1 billion more than the President's  request to fund essential projects such as family housing, troop  barracks, hospital and medical facilities and child development centers on bases in the United States and abroad. During the 105th Congress, the House has passed a number  of bills which honor the work and enhance the well-being of American soldiers and veterans: A constitutional amendment to prevent desecration of the flag for which servicemen have battled, H.J. Res. 54, passed the House 310-114 on June 12, 1997. Legislation  guaranteeing the legal residence and voting rights of military  personnel passed the House as part of the FY 1998 National Defense Authorization Act on November 6, 1997. H.R. 240, a bill permitting veterans to seek court remedies when federal veterans employment preference laws have been violated, passed the House by a  voice vote on April 9, 1997, and was referred to the Senate Veterans  Affairs Committee on April 10, 1997. H.R. 2367, giving  veterans with disabilities derived from military service a 2.1  percent cost-of-living adjustment, unanimously passed the House on  October 28, 1997, and the Senate on November 5, 1997. It was signed  into law November 19, 1997. S. 714, protecting VA employees from discrimination and expanding VA health care programs for Persian Gulf War veterans, became law November 21,  1997. The emerging threat of the Peoples Republic of China could prove to be the greatest challenge to American interests in the Twenty-first Century. President Clinton, even while he signed the  Fiscal Year 1999 Defense Authorization Act (H. R. 3616), said he "strongly opposed" a provision Congress wrote into the FY 1999 Defense Authorization Act to guarantee that  national security is protected when technology is transferred to nations like the People's Republic of China. The Congress supported the transfer of licensing authority for satellite exports from the  Department of Commerce to the Department of State in order to give greater attention to national security interests. H.R. 3616 also  required the President to certify that any export of missile  technology or equipment to the People's Republic of China (PRC) would  not be detrimental to the U.S. space launch industry and would not measurably improve the PRC's missile or space launch capabilities. The House and Senate passed a number of bills addressing potential military threats to the U.S. and its East Asian allies as part of the 11-bill "Policy for Freedom" initiative on U.S.-China relations: A McCollum-Cox bill  requiring the President to report to Congress on Communist Chinese  espionage in the U.S. passed the Senate unanimously on November 6,  1997, and the House 385-36 on November 7, 1997 as part of the Intelligence Authorization conference report, which was signed into  law November 20, 1997. By a veto-proof  301-116 margin, the House passed H.R. 2386, the United States-Taiwan  Anti-Ballistic Missile Defense Cooperation Act, providing for the development and sale of theater missile defenses to democratic Taiwan. On June 25, 1998, a revised version of this bill passed the Senate as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act (S. 2057). The amendment calls for the Defense Department to assess theater missile defense for American allies in East Asia, including Taiwan,  Korea, and Japan. The President signed the provision into law on October 17, 1998. The House approved H.R. 2647 in a 405-10 vote on November 7, 1997, requiring the  Executive Branch to identify, under the International Emergency  Economic Powers Act, companies owned by (and bankrolling) the  Chinese military in order to monitor their activities in the United States. On May 14, 1998, H.R. 2647 passed the Senate and was later incorporated into the Defense Authorization Act which the President  signed into law on October 17, 1998. Improve efficiency in defense spending and reduce bureaucracy. H. R. 4103, the Defense Appropriations Actfor Fiscal Year 1999, identifies reductions from the Administration's budget request for more than 250  programs, including savings of $3.5 billion targeted at bureaucratic overspending, personnel over-budgeting, consultants and advisory services, travel, data processing, and personnel management programs. H.R. 2266, the FY 1998 Defense Appropriations Act,  became law on October 8, 1997.  It spurs reform of the  bureaucracy by, for instance, finding savings in administrative and infrastructure costs overlooked by the Administration. The National Defense Authorization Act for FY  99, H.R. 3616, passed the House (357-60) on May 21, 1998 and  was approved by unanimous consent in the Senate on June 25, 1998. In  compliance with the Balanced Budget Agreement, the bill authorizes $270.8 billion; however, it reprioritizes the President's defense budget by providing a basic military pay raise of 3.6%, as well as strengthening health care benefits for service members, their families, and military retirees. Expand NATO to ensure peace in Europe for future generations. H.R. 1431, the European Security Act, passed the House  on June 11, 1997. The bill codifies Congress' expectation that the Baltics, Romania, and Slovenia will follow Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic into NATO--designating them as eligible for U.S. alliance accession aid. The NATO provisions of the European Security  Act were accepted in conference, passed the Senate as Title XXVII of  H.R. 2607 on November 9, 1997, and became law November 19, 1997. And  the Senate ratified NATO expansion to include Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary on April 30, 1998 by a  vote of 80-19. The European Security Act of 1998, enacted as part of the FY 1999 omnibus appropriations bill, urges the President  to ensure that all emerging democracies in Central and Eastern Europe will be considered for membership in NATO as soon as they meet  membership criteria. For the first time, protect American territory from terrorist missiles, starting with an accurate assessment of  military threats against the United States. The Congress has been on record favoring the deployment of national missile defenses since it was adopted as a key element of the 1995 "Contract with America." In every year since 1995, Congress has consistently increased the level of funding for missile defense beyond the Administration’s  requests. President Clinton vetoed the FY 1996 National Defense Authorization Act, which called for the  deployment of a national missile defense system by 2003. In the FY 1997 National Defense Authorization  Act, Congress directed former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and a blue-ribbon bipartisan panel to assess the ballistic  missile threat to the United States. Congress was concerned that the Administration’s view that a threat to the United States would not  emerge before 2010 was overly optimistic. The Rumsfeld Commission  concluded that because of new methods for the rapid transfer of  technology, rogue states would be able to obtain threatening missile capabilities much earlier. Senator Cochran’s "American Missile Protection Act of 1998," S.1873, does not set a deadline for deployment, but  stated "It is the policy of the United States to deploy, as soon as technologically possible, a National Missile Defense system capable of defending the territory of the United States against limited ballistic  missile attack (whether accidental, unauthorized, or deliberate)." Backed by White House opposition, Senate Democrats filibustered the  bill on September 2, 1998. Every Republican Senator voted for the bill and against the filibuster. Since even President Clinton admitted that his defense plan under-funded national missile defense by $2.3 billion over the next five years, H.R. 1119, the FY 1998 National Defense Authorization  Act, restored $474 million for national missile defense left out of the President's FY 1998 budget request. The 1999 Omnibus Appropriations bill,  prepared in light of unanimous classified and unclassified  recommendations from the Rumsfeld Commission, includes an additional $1 billion for missile defense. See Policy Statement on Missile Defense and The Helsinki Summit. 12. Reform the United  Nations Demand full credit--as other nations do--for US financial contributions to the UN, including military capabilities, facilities, local government services, and security we provide. From 1992-1997, the  United States spent more than $12 billion for UN peacekeeping  operations around that globe. Such amounts, requested by the Clinton  Administration and appropriated by the Congress, have been viewed by the UN as unilateral contributions from the United States, and  considered ineligible for reimbursement by the United Nations. No  other nation has shouldered such a huge burden in the interest of international peace and security. Nevertheless, some suggest that American dues to the United Nations, withheld in order to encourage much-needed administrative reforms, are in arrears. The Clinton  Administration claims that the United States owes the international  organization $1.5 billion in arrearages, of which $900 million is for  multilateral peacekeeping efforts. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act (H.R.  1757), passed on June 11, 1997, contained measures to reform the  United Nations. The bill proposed to gradually limit the U.S. assessment to 20% of the U.N. budget and mandate reimbursement for  U.S. contributions to peacekeeping. The President vetoed this reform legislation in October 1998. Use US influence to reduce wasteful bureaucracy  and implement other reforms at the UN. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act (H.R.  1757), discussed above, makes U.S. payments to the international  organization contingent on specific reforms regarding U.S. sovereignty (Year 1), peacekeeping (Year 2), and U.N. management and budget (Year 3).  The President vetoed these reforms in October 1998. Control expanding UN troop deployments around  the globe, ensure US troops are not placed under UN command, and improve  consultation with Congress on ongoing peacekeeping efforts. Since 1993, the  Administration has spent more than $12 billion for peacekeeping and related operations around the globe.  And the Administration is currently preparing to expand those commitments with a new, open-ended involvement in Kosovo. Vigorous oversight of the Administration's  deployment of U.S. forces to Haiti, Bosnia, and Kosovo continues in the House International Relations and National Security  Committees.  In Haiti, Chairman Gilman focused on the failure of U.N. police training to eliminate para-military violence and intimidation and on how former President Aristide is working to block free market reforms. With respect to Bosnia,  the FY 1998 Defense Appropriations Act passed on September 25, 1997 cut off funds for the deployment of U.S. troops there on the date President Clinton promised troops would be withdrawn, July 1, 1998, unless the President outlines the  purpose, duration, and exit strategy of an extended deployment. Congress will address the Kosovo deployment--undertaken at the end of  our session, and without consultation with Congress--at the beginning  of the next Congress. 13. Ensure the integrity of American elections Prevent voting fraud, and ensure that current  laws are followed and enforced. Preserve and protect the constitutional right to free speech. Respect union workers' beliefs and paychecks by  ending political taxes on their pay. Encourage citizen participation and grassroots political involvement. Require full and timely disclosure of all  campaign contributions. On November 13, 1997,  the House leadership announced that following hearings on the issues  below by the four committees of jurisdiction, the House would address  these aspects of campaign reform: How Can Illegal Foreign Payments Be  Stopped? How Can the Violation of Presidential Campaign Spending Limits Be Stopped? Why Did Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Elections Fail? How Can We Prevent "Soft Money" from Corporations, Unions and Individuals from Obliterating the $1,000  Limit on Individual Contributions? Can Workers’ Paychecks Be Protected from Unauthorized Deductions for Political Campaigns? How Can Candidates Compete with Other Candidates Who Expend Unlimited Personal Funds under the Supreme Court’s  Rules? Can "Issue Advocacy" Spending in Federal Elections Be Addressed Consistent with U.S. Supreme Court  Decisions? How Can We Ensure the Integrity of Voter Registration and the Voting Process? How Do We Update Campaign Disclosure Rules and  Procedures from the 1970’s to Reflect the New Technologies and Conditions of the 1990’s? On March 30, 1998, the House passed H.R. 34, to prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from making contributions or expenditures in  connection with an election for Federal office, 369-43. It also passed H.R. 3582, to speed up and expand disclosure of campaign contributions and contributors to the public. H.R. 3582 would also boost the  enforcement powers of the Federal Election Commission. In July and  August, the House devoted unprecedented floor time to campaign reform  and the fundamental questions of free speech, self-government, and representative democracy raised by the issue. The House passed H.R. 2183, which includes a ban on "soft money" campaign contributions, by  a vote of 237-186 on August 3, 1998. Congress has also  conducted extensive investigations of corruption in the political process. For example, the Education and Workforce Committee held a series of hearings looking at problems union members are having in  retaining a full, equal, and democratic voice in their union affairs.  The ultimate goal is to identify possible areas in which the  Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA, or, the "Landrum-Griffin" Act) might be improved to better safeguard members' democratic rights. To lay the groundwork for substantial legislative reform in the 106th Congress, Rep. Fawell introduced the "Democratic  Rights for Union Members Act," which would strengthen the democratic  rights of union rank and file members. In addition, the Committee has investigated potential illegality in the top management of the Teamsters union--conduct that resulted in Teamsters President Ron  Carey being banned for life from the union because of his involvement  in illegal fundraising schemes. Accessibility Alphabetical Site Index Search Site Map Site Navigator What's New? 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