Congressional Record, Volume 146 Issue 66 (Wednesday, May 24, 2000)

[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 24, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4379-S4391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

By Mr. BAUCUS (for himself, Mr. Dorgan, and Mrs. Lincoln):
S. 2617. A bill to lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Finance.

the trade normalization with cuba act of 2000

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today, on behalf of myself and
Senators Roberts, Dorgan, and Lincoln, to introduce the Trade
Normalization With Cuba Act of 2000.
For 40 years, we have implemented a series of policies designed to
end Fidel Castro's leadership of Cuba. The instruments we have used
have included a trade embargo, an invasion of Cuba, assassination
attempts, and multilateral pressures. None of these measures has moved
Cuba any closer to democracy and a market economy. In fact, the result
has been just the opposite. Castro is as entrenched as ever. The
economy is in tatters. The Cuban people are suffering.
For four decades, Castro has suppressed his own citizens. He has been
responsible for the imprisonment and mistreatment of thousands, and the
emigration of hundreds of thousands. He has dispatched Cuban troops
around the world to support revolution.
During the Cold War, Cuba was an integral member of the Soviet bloc.
Castro was an eager and active participant in the proxy battles fought
between the United States and the Soviet Union throughout Africa, Asia,
and Latin America.
The Cold War has been over for a decade. The embargo, which had the
goal of forcing Castro out of power, has failed totally. And it will
continue to have no impact on the longevity of Castro's rule.
What has the embargo and American policy actually done? It has
certainly done nothing to advance liberty and democracy for the Cuban
people. And there are no prospects that it will.
What has the embargo done? First, it prohibits all trade with Cuba.
It does include an exception for the sale of food and medicine.
However, the requirements are so complex and burdensome on U.S.
suppliers that very little food or medicine has been exported to Cuba.
We hurt the Cuban people. We hurt American business, American farmers,
and American workers. And we have had no impact on the regime.
We have succeeded in alienating virtually all potential allies who
would be willing to work with us in developing a realistic policy to
influence change in Cuba--the nations of the European Union, Canada,
the Organization of American States, the United Nations, even the Pope.
Another accomplishment of our policy of our trade embargo, we now
have a law, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, that
prohibits lifting the embargo until there is a transition government in
Cuba that does not include Castro. This is an ``all or nothing policy''
that cannot work in the real world.
Unilateral trade sanctions don't work. This is as true with Cuba as
it has been with China, Myanmar, Iraq, or North Korea. In some cases,
it hurts the people in those countries. And it hurts Americans, our
farmers, ranchers, workers, and businesses.
Forty years of sanctions have accomplished nothing in Cuba. It is
time for the Congress to recognize that. I fully support the efforts
being made again this year in both the Senate and the House to remove
the unilateral restraints we have put on our export of food and
medicine to a number of countries, including Cuba. This bill is not a
substitute for those efforts. Rather, this bill is directed only toward
Cuba, and goes far beyond liberalization of food and medicine exports.
Thomas Jefferson said ``Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny
and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the
dawn of the day.'' Current US policy turns Jefferson's statement on its
head. Our effort to isolate Cuba through the trade embargo and other
policies has failed to bring human rights improvement, has provided a
pretext for Castro's continued repression, makes the United States the
scapegoat for Castro's failed economic policies, and hurts the Cuban
people.
It is time to put together a responsible strategy to improve the
human condition in Cuba and set the stage for increased freedom and
respect for human rights once Fidel Castro leaves the scene.
Obviously, Cuba will not change overnight with the removal of the
trade embargo. But this bill is a first step down the road to a
peaceful transition to a democratic society and a market economy in
Cuba.
Before I conclude, I want to recognize my friend, Congressman Charles
Rangel, who has been a leader in trying to end the embargo and move
toward normalization of relations with Cuba. I look forward to working
closely with him to make this happen.
I urge my Senate colleagues to support our effort.
______

By Mr. REID:
S. 2618. A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to sell
certain land to the town of Kingston, Nevada, for use as an emergency
medical air evacuation site and other public uses; to the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources.

emergency landing strip conveyance

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Town of
Kingston Emergency Landing Strip Conveyance Act.
The Town of Kingston, Nevada, currently uses federal land as an
emergency landing strip at Kingston in southern Lander County, Nevada.
Kingston is a rural town located on a small island of private land in
the center of the state and is surrounded by both United States Forest
Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands. The isolation
constrains the growth, economic diversity, and public services
available to those who live in or visit Kingston. Medic Air of Reno has
an agreement with local Fire and Rescue to provide 24-hour emergency
medical service to this landing strip. BLM has extended the existing
airport lease to the Kingston Town

[[Page S4380]]

Board until September 30, 2000, but cannot renew the lease because the
strip does not meet FAA standards.
This Act will convey a total of 144.88 acres to the Town of Kingston.
Seventy acres will be conveyed at fair market value and 74.88 acres at
no cost. The 70 acres contains the main landing strip. The 74.88 acres
contains the balance of the approach and the disposal of this land for
no consideration will benefit the United States by disposing of an
isolated, segregated parcel that would be difficult to manage for
public use. It is my sincere hope that Congress will pass this bill
thereby allowing a win-win situation for both the United States and
Kingston, Nevada.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the bill
be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:

S. 2618

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

SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the lease by the Secretary of the Interior of certain
land to the town of Kingston, Nevada, for use as an emergency
airstrip is about to expire;
(2) rather than renew the airport lease (which would
require certification by the Federal Aviation
Administration), the Secretary and the Town desire that the
parcel on which the main landing strip is situated be sold to
the Town for fair market value as determined by the
Secretary;
(3) adjacent to that parcel is other land, most of which,
if the airstrip parcel is sold to the Town, would be isolated
from other land administered by the Secretary and would
therefore be difficult for the Secretary to manage;
(4) it would in the best interests of the United States and
the Town for the Secretary to convey to the Town both the
airstrip parcel and the adjacent parcel, at the fair market
value of the airstrip parcel; and
(5) the parcels have been determined to be suitable for
disposal in the Shoshone-Eureka Resource Management Plan and
Environmental Impact Statement.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Adjacent parcel.--The term ``adjacent parcel'' means
the parcels of land in the State of Nevada, comprising 74.88
acres, described as Mount Diablo Meridian, T16N, R44E,
section 31, lot 4, E1/2NESE, S1/2SWNESE, S1/2S1/2NWSE.
(2) Airstrip parcel.--The term ``airstrip parcel'' means
the parcel of land, with a landing strip running on an
easterly bearing and a portion of a landing strip running on
a southerly bearing, in the State of Nevada, comprising 70.00
acres, described as Mount Diablo Meridian, T16N, R44E,
section 31, N1/2SESW, N1/2SWSE, N1/2SESE, SESESE.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of
Land Management.
(4) Town.--The term ``Town'' means the town of Kingston,
Nevada.
(c) Conveyance.--In consideration of payment of the fair
market value of the airstrip parcel, the Secretary of the
Interior shall convey to the Town, subject to valid existing
rights, all right, title, and interest of the United States
in and to the airstrip parcel and the adjacent parcel,
totaling 144.88 acres.
(d) No Reservations.--The patent by which the conveyance
under subsection (c) is made shall contain no reservations.
(e) Lease Extension.--If for any reason the conveyance
under subsection (c) is not completed before September 30,
2000, the term of the airport lease, as in effect on the date
of enactment of this Act, shall be considered to be extended
until the date of the conveyance.
______

By Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. Robb, and Mr. Kennedy):
S. 2619. A bill to provide for drug-free prisons; to the Committee on
the Judiciary.

The Drug-Free Prisons Act of 2000

Mr LEAHY. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation--with
Senators Robb and Kennedy--that will provide state and local
governments additional tools to fight drug use in our nation's prisons.
It is critical that our prisons be drug-free, both because lawbreaking
within our correctional system is a national embarrassment, and because
prisoners who are released while still addicted to drugs are far more
likely to commit future crimes than prisoners who are released sober.
This bill includes numerous provisions that will provide needed help to
address drug abuse in prisons throughout the country.
The bill establishes a new grant program that authorizes the Attorney
General to make $75 million a year in grants to state and local
governments to support comprehensive drug testing and treatment for
prisoners and other offenders. It would also permit states that
currently receive money under the Violent Offender Incarceration and
Truth in Sentencing Grant Program (VOI/TIS) to use those funds to pay
for drug testing and treatment, so long as the state receiving the
funds has penalties in place to address drug trafficking in prisons. In
addition, the bill would reauthorize appropriations for the Residential
Substance Abuse for State Prisoners (RSAT) grants program for the next
five years, and establish exemptions to the general four-year time
limit on Byrne grants for state and local law enforcement programs
involving drugs.
The bill also re-establishes the drug courts program and re-
authorizes funding for it. The majority repealed the program in the
Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996, in a
partisan bashing of Democratic programs. In my view, effective programs
dealing with drug abuse should not be used as political footballs. That
is why the Administration, with the strong support of the Department of
Justice, has continued to seek funding for the program, and why the
Congress has continued to fund drug courts in every year's
appropriations acts. This has been the right decision, and we should
undo the repeal.
Drug courts provide the opportunity to deal systematically with
nonviolent drug offenders at a substantial savings to taxpayers.
Instead of jailing these nonviolent offenders, the courts can order
alternative punishments that are mixed with mandatory testing and drug
treatment and human services such as education or vocational training.
Meanwhile, imprisonment is held out as a stick to ensure good behavior.
To qualify for federal assistance, a drug court program must mandate
periodic drug testing during any supervised release or probation
periods, provide drug abuse treatment for each participant, and must
hold out the possibility of prosecution, confinement, or incarceration
for noncompliance or failure to show satisfactory process. Violent
offenders are defined quite broadly, so we can be confident that we are
not funding programs that put dangerous people back on the streets.
Drug courts hold out the promise of providing a way that we can reach
out to younger offenders who are using drugs before they turn to a life
of crime, helping to save lives and significant government resources.
The bill permits state and local governments to spend up to 25
percent of unexpended VOT/TIS grants from fiscal years 1996-2001 to
implement graduated sanctions, including victim and community
restitution, intensive community supervision, regular drug testing, and
short-term incarceration. Such graduated sanctions initiatives would
free up additional prison space for violent offenders, and States would
have to use this program for that purpose. Indeed, the purpose of this
proposal is to ensure that States have sufficient flexibility to
guarantee that violent criminals serve their full sentences, the goal
of the Truth in Sentencing grants.
Drug abuse in prisons is a serious problem. The National Center on
Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) recently
found that drug and alcohol abuse was implicated in the crimes and
incarceration of 80 percent of those currently serving time in
America's prisons. This finding shows that we have a prison population
that has a history of substance abuse, and will seek out opportunities
to continue using drugs while imprisoned. Of course, if prisoners are
using drugs in prison, this will create serious behavioral and other
problems that corrections officers will have to address, at no small
risk to them.
The problem does not end there. The same CASA study shows that
inmates who are illegal drug and/or alcohol abusers are the most likely
to be repeat offenders. In fact, the study concluded that 61 percent of
state prison inmates who have two prior convictions are regular drug
users. The strong link between drug use and recidivism cannot be
ignored. Prison should provide an opportunity for us to break this
cycle and therefore reduce crime. We can do this through a concerted
effort to test prisoners for drug

[[Page S4381]]

use--and penalize those who test positive--and provide adequate drug
treatment so that prisoners can lead productive, non-criminal lives
upon their release. As Joseph Califano, former Secretary of the
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and current president of
CASA, recently said: ``Releasing drug-addicted inmates without
treatment helps maintain the market for illegal drugs and supports drug
dealers.'' And there is every indication that the number of prisoners
needing drug treatment is increasing even faster than the prison
population as a whole. According to CASA, from 1993 to 1996, the number
of inmates needing substance abuse treatment rose from 688,000 to
840,000. There is no reason to believe the problem has abated.
Indeed, just last December, the National League of Cities adopted a
resolution on the importance of drug testing and treatment in prisons.
The League cited studies showing that among inmates who completed drug
abuse treatment programs, only 3.3 percent were rearrested within the
first six months after release, compared to 12.1 percent of inmates who
did not receive treatment.
It is clear that if we do not take steps to stop the revolving doors
of our nation's prison system, we will continually be forced to spend
more and more public money to construct more and more prisons. To avoid
that result, we need to determine through testing which inmates are
addicted to drugs and alcohol, reduce the availability of drugs in
prisons, and ensure that inmates have access to the treatment they need
while incarcerated.
Some have advocated that every prisoner be tested before being
released, a proposal that, to my knowledge, no State has adopted. As
law enforcement officials in our States know, such testing would be
extraordinarily expensive and unnecessarily broad. The better and more
realistic approach is to provide resources that will enhance States'
ability to do targeted testing, allowing corrections officers to use
their judgment as to which prisoners are most likely to be abusing
drugs while providing a deterrent effect for prisoners generally. That
is the approach of this legislation I introduce today.
I realize some of my colleagues may be concerned about funds
originally designated for prison construction costs being used for drug
testing and treatment. Let me assure you that states will retain
complete flexibility under this bill as to how they allocate their
Truth in Sentencing and Violent Offender Incarceration grant funds. But
a powerful case can be made that it is in the fiscal interests of the
States to take advantage of the opportunity this bill offers. According
to the CASA study, it would cost States about $6,500 per year to
provide comprehensive and effective residential drug treatment services
to an inmate. In return, the study shows that society will see an
economic return of $68,800 for each inmate who successfully completes
such a program and returns to the community sober and with a job. This
figure represents the savings in the first year based on the much lower
likelihood that the former inmate will be arrested, prosecuted, or
incarcerated, and includes health care savings and the potential
earnings of a drug-free individual.
Funding both testing and treatment allows us to take a carrot-and-
stick approach to a persistent national problem. We cannot hope to get
a handle on our drug problem so long as drug abuse and drug trafficking
persist in our prisons. We cannot afford the false choice between
treatment and testing; both are needed to keep order in our prisons and
safety in our streets.
This view is confirmed by the people who work with these issues every
day in my State of Vermont. For example, James Walton, Vermont's
Commissioner of Public Safety, and John Perry, the Director of Planning
for the Vermont Department of Corrections, wholeheartedly support this
proposal. I have always valued their counsel, as they have first-hand
knowledge of the real law enforcement needs in my state. They both feel
strongly that the bill will give law enforcement the tools it needs to
test and treat offender populations, both in jail and in the community.
I hope and expect that this bill will have the same effect across the
country.
For that reason and all of the above reasons, I urge the Senate to
take prompt action on this bill and support this effort to make our
prisons drug-free.
______

By Mr. REID (for himself and Mr. Bryan):
S. 2620. A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 2000 Vassar Street in Reno, Nevada, as the ``Barbara
F. Vucanovich Post Office Building''; to the Committee on Governmental
Affairs.

barbara f. vucanovich post office building

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Barbara F.
Vucanovich Post Office Building Naming Act.
As many of my colleagues know, Congresswoman Barbara Vucanovich was
the first female elected to represent the State of Nevada in Congress.
She was first elected in 1983 and retired in 1996, after serving in the
House of Representatives for 14 years. In her final year, she was an
influential member of the House Appropriations Committee and the
Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Military Construction. Barbara and I
came to the House together as a result of the 1982 election. We both
represented all of Nevada; not solely Congressional Districts. Barbara
was a fine member of Congress. I miss her.
Mr. President, it gives me pleasure to introduce this bill to
commemorate Barbara Vucanovich's exemplary service to the State of
Nevada and the United States of America by renaming the main post
office in Reno, Nevada, as the ``Barbara F. Vucanovich Post Office
Building.'' Representatives Gibbons and Berkley introduced identical
legislation in the House on April 4, 2000. Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn
and former Senator Paul Laxalt join Nevada's congressional delegation
in thanking Barbara Vucanovich for her dedicated public service.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the bill
be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:

S. 2620

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

SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF BARBARA F. VUCANOVICH POST OFFICE
BUILDING.

(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 2000 Vassar Street in Reno, Nevada, shall
be known and designated as the ``Barbara F. Vucanovich Post
Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Barbara F. Vucanovich Post Office
Building''.
______

By Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. L. Chafee, Mr.
Harkin, Mr. Kohl, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Wyden, and Mr.
Kennedy):
S. 2621. A bill to continue the current prohibition of military
cooperation with the armed forces of the Republic of Indonesia until
the President determines and certifies to the Congress that certain
conditions are being met; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

East Timor Repatriation and Security Act of 2000

Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today to keep a promise that I
made on this floor a few months ago.
In January, I came to the floor to talk about the tragic events that
occurred last fall in East Timor. I spoke about the need to encourage
the new Indonesian government in its commitment to reform and its
resolve to reject the climate of impunity. I withdrew an amendment that
would have codified the administration's suspension on military and
security assistance for Indonesia East Timor, although I believed then
and strongly believe today that Indonesia has not yet met the basic
conditions that should be prerequisites for any restoration of military
ties with Indonesia.
At that time, Mr. President, I pledged to continue to monitor events
in Indonesia and in East Timor closely. And I pledged to come to this
floor if what I saw troubled me.
Let me tell you what I see today.
First, I am sorry to say, Mr. President, there have been no trials
yet. No one has been brought to justice for the atrocities committed in
East Timor

[[Page S4382]]

last year. I recognize that the Indonesian government has taken some
courageous steps in investigating the atrocities that took place in
East Timor, and I commend the Indonesian government for its efforts to
date. The Indonesian government and the U.N. have succeeded in signing
an agreement to exchange witnesses and evidence that could lead to the
prosecution of those responsible for the violence in East Timor. A
number of dedicated individuals within the new government continue to
work courageously for reform, justice, and accountability. But I note,
that obervers have been disturbed by the number of civilian and
military police officers that the government has appointed to the team
charged with investigating human rights abuses in East Timor. And the
simple fact remains--no one has yet been held accountable in a court of
law for the acts committed by the military and militias in East Timor
last year.
A second concern is there has been no change in the situation in West
Timor. Today, half a year after the referendum, some 100,000 people are
still living in the refugee camps of West Timor, afraid of what will
happen to them should they attempt to return home. Some will likely
choose to stay in Indonesia, but all reports from the area indicate
that many want to return home but do not because of continued
intimidation from militia groups.
Within the refugee camps, since January there have been about a dozen
incidents in which international agencies attempting to deliver aid to
the refugees were attacked. According to recent reports, one militia
group is so well-organized that it prints a newsletter of fabricated
horror stories aimed at dissuading refugees from returning to East
Timor.
This week the plight of these refugees--at this point the most
vulnerable of the original masses--was made even more difficult as they
contend with the heavy rains and floods that have already killed at
least 148 people. Over a hundred are still missing. When the flood
waters recede, these people should have every opportunity to put their
lives back together, free from threats and from fear.
I look at these facts and I consider that the administration has
chosen to take a first step toward lifting its suspension on all forms
of military assistance and contacts by inviting the Indonesians to
particiapte in a joint exercise, and I am indeed troubled.
Today I am introducing a bill, the East Timor Repatriation and
Security Act of 2000. The bill codifies the suspension of military and
security assistance to Indonesia until certain conditions are met--the
same conditions that have been articulated in the past; the same
conditions contained in last year's foreign operations appropriations
bill.
The bill would permit military and security assistance to resume only
when the President determines and submits a report to the appropriate
congressional committees that the Government of Indonesia and the
Indonesian Armed Forces are:
Taking effective measures to bring to justice members of the armed
forces and militia groups against whom there is credible evidence of
human rights violations;
Taking effective measures to bring to justice members of the armed
forces against whom there is credible evidence of aiding or abetting
militia groups;
Allowing displaced persons and refugees to return home to East Timor,
including providing safe passage for refugees returning from West
Timor;
Not impeding the activities of the United Nations Transitional
Authority in East Timor;
Demonstrating a commitment to preventing incursions into East Timor
by members of militia groups in West Timor; and,
Demonstrating a commitment to accountability by cooperating with
investigations and prosecutions of members of the Indonesian Armed
Forces and military groups responsible for human rights violations in
Indonesia and East Timor.
These certainly are not unreasonable conditions. They work in favor
of the forces of reform within Indonesia. And by linking military and
security assistance to these benchmarks, Congress will ensure that the
U.S. relationship with Jakarta avoids the mistakes of the past, and
that U.S. foreign policy comes closer to reflecting our core national
values.
To those who believe that all is well, to those who would prefer to
forgive and forget, to those who think that the issue is yesterday's
news, I would simply reiterate the simple facts. There have been no
trials for the perpetrators of abuses in East Timor, and the situation
in the refugee camps has remained unacceptable. Quite recently, Admiral
Dennis Blair, commander in chief of U.S. forces in the Pacific,
reaffirmed what Secretary of Defense Cohen articulated last year--the
U.S. will not resume a military relationship with Indonesia until the
military personnel responsible for the devastation in East Timor are
brought to justice, and the U.S. will not resume a military
relationship with Indonesia until the refugee crisis in West Timor has
been resolved. Specifically, Admiral Blair called on the Indonesians to
disband and cut off support to the militia members still terrorizing
the refugees. It is critical that the U.S. insist on nothing less. In
fact, we should insist on more--the militia members guilty of
atrocities should be brought to justice.
It is clear that these conditions have not yet been met. But the
administration's new proposals for joint exercises with the Indonesians
undermine Admiral Blair's words. The substance of the exercise
currently being planned does not necessarily trouble me, but its
significance does. The administration looks as if it suffers from a
lack of resolve and from a wavering sense of commitment.
Indonesia is an extraordinarily important country--strategically and
economically. Its future course will undoubtedly affect the United
States. For this very reason, we must stand firm, and insist upon
rebuilding U.S.-Indonesian ties on the firm foundation of respect for
the rule of law and for basic human rights.
It is because I believe this so strongly--and I know that many of my
colleagues share my views--that I have come back to the floor to raise
this issue again. I am keeping my promise. I am watching the situation
in East and West Timor very closely, and I still do not like what I
see.
______

By Mr. ROBERTS (for himself and Ms. Snowe):
S. 2622. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
encourage stronger math and science programs at elementary and
secondary schools; to the Committee on Finance.

the national science education incentive act of 2000

S. 2623. A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 to establish and expand programs relating to science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology education, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

the national science education enhancement act

S. 2624. A bill to establish and expand programs relating to science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology education, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

the national science education act

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce sweeping
legislation to reform and improve math, science, engineering and
technology education in American schools.
The fields of science, math, engineering and technology are critical
to U.S. economic success. Unfortunately, there is growing concern that
we do not measure up as evidenced by studies that show our students
cannot compete internationally. In fact, over half of students in our
esteemed graduate schools are from other countries. Our economic future
depends on science and we must ensure that our schools are preparing
students for the technological jobs that await them.
So many aspects of our national success depends on our technological
savvy. For instance, our strong economy has certainly prospered because
of technology advances. The economic boom, witnessed by average
consumers and Wall Street analysts alike, has high stakes in our
continued technology success. Meanwhile, our workforce is increasingly
staffed by people from other countries. Later this year, Congress will
be asked to again raise

[[Page S4383]]

the quota of H-1B visas. While these workers are key to our economic
success, we must address this problem and grow our own high-tech labor
force. Moreover, we cannot forget how adversely our national security
could fare if our country were to fall behind in technological
pursuits. A key piece of our national security is at stake--the
strength of our military is built upon our technological superiority.
There is a fundamental need for this legislation. I have introduced
the following three bills to help improve the quality of science and
technology teachers and curriculum through incentives and better
training:
The National Science Education Act. These provisions, utilizing the
National Science Foundation, set up Science Master Teachers and offer
grants to place one in every elementary school.
The National Science Education Enhancement Act. Recognizing that we
must keep good teachers and help them grow in their career, this bill
uses the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to set up Science
Teacher Mentors and Summer Professional Development Institutes. It also
expands the Eisenhower National clearinghouse to provide that this
information be available on the Internet.
The National Science Education Incentive Act. This bill provides tax
credits to help teachers with up to $10,000 of tuition and encourage
the private sector education contributions such as computers,
technology service, teacher training and teacher externships.
My legislation is mirrored in the House of Representatives with bills
by Representative Vernon Ehlers, the vice chairman of the House Science
Committee and author of ``Unlocking Our Future: Toward a New National
Science Policy.'' Furthermore, I am pleased to have the support and
able assistance of the Senior Senator from Maine, Senator Olympia J.
Snowe in joining me to introduce this bill.
Mr. President, I strongly encourage my colleagues to join me in
support of this effort to reform and improve math, science, engineering
and technology education in American schools. I ask unanimous consent
that the text of the bills be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bills were ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:

S. 2622

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``National Science Education
Incentive Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:
(1) As concluded in the report of the Committee on Science
of the House of Representatives, ``Unlocking Our Future
Toward a New National Science Policy,'' which was adopted by
the House of Representatives, the United States must maintain
and improve its preeminent position in science and technology
in order to advance human understanding of the universe and
all it contains, and to improve the lives, health, and
freedoms of all people.
(2) It is estimated that more than half of the economic
growth of the United States today results directly from
research and development in science and technology. The most
fundamental research is responsible for investigating our
perceived universe, to extend our observations to the outer
limits of what our minds and methods can achieve, and to seek
answers to questions that have never been asked before.
Applied research continues the process by applying the
answers from basic science to the problems faced by
individuals, organizations, and governments in the everyday
activities that make our lives more livable. The scientific-
technological sector of our economy, which has driven our
recent economic boom and led the United States to the longest
period of prosperity in history, is fueled by the work and
discoveries of the scientific community.
(3) The effectiveness of the United States in maintaining
this economic growth will be largely determined by the
intellectual capital of the United States. Education is
critical to developing this resource.
(4) The education program of the United States needs to
provide for 3 different kinds of intellectual capital. First,
it needs scientists and engineers to continue the research
and development that is central to the economic growth of the
United States. Second, it needs technologically proficient
workers who are comfortable and capable dealing with the
demands of a science-based, high-technology workplace. Last,
it needs scientifically literate voters and consumers to make
intelligent decisions about public policy.
(5) Student performance on the recent Third International
Math and Science Study highlights the shortcomings of current
K-12 science and mathematics education in the United States,
particularly when compared to other countries. We must expect
more from our Nation's educators and students if we are to
build on the accomplishments of previous generations. New
methods of teaching mathematics and science are required, as
well as better curricula and improved training of teachers.
(6) Science is more than a collection of facts, theories,
and results. It is a process of inquiry built upon
observations and data that leads to a way of knowing and
explaining in logically derived concepts and theories.
(7) Students should learn science primarily by doing
science. Science education ought to reflect the scientific
process and be object-oriented, experiment-centered, and
concept-based.
(8) Children are naturally curious and inquisitive. To
successfully tap into these innate qualities, education in
science must begin at an early age and continue throughout
the entire school experience.
(9) Teachers provide the essential connection between
students and the content they are learning. High-quality
prospective teachers need to be identified and recruited by
presenting to them a career that is respected by their peers,
is financially and intellectually rewarding, and contains
sufficient opportunities for advancement.
(10) Teachers need to have incentives to remain in the
classroom and improve their practice, and training of
teachers is essential if the results are to be good. Teachers
need to be knowledgeable of their content area, of their
curriculum, of up-to-date research in teaching and learning,
and of techniques that can be used to connect that
information to their students in their classroom.

SEC. 3. REFUNDABLE CREDIT FOR PORTION OF TUITION PAID FOR
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION OF CERTAIN TEACHERS.

(a) In General.--Subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of
chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to
refundable credits) is amended by redesignating section 35 as
section 36 and by inserting after section 34 the following
new section:

``SEC. 35. TUITION FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION OF CERTAIN
TEACHERS.

``(a) In General.--In the case of an individual who is an
eligible teacher for the taxable year, there shall be allowed
as a credit against the tax imposed by this subtitle an
amount equal to 10 percent of qualified undergraduate tuition
paid by such individual.
``(b) Limitations.--
``(1) Dollar amount.--The credit allowed by this section
for any taxable year shall not exceed $1,000.
``(2) Credit allowed only for 10 years.--No credit shall be
allowed under this section for any taxable year after the
10th taxable year for which credit is allowed under this
section.
``(c) Eligible Teacher.--For purposes of this section--
``(1) In general.--The term `eligible teacher' means, with
respect to a taxable year, any individual--
``(A) who is a full-time teacher, including a full-time
substitute teacher, in any of grades kindergarten through
12th grade for the academic year ending in such taxable year,
``(B)(i) who teaches primarily math, science, engineering,
or technology courses in 1 or more of grades 9 through 12
during such academic year, or
``(ii) who teaches math, science, engineering, or
technology courses in 1 or more of grades kindergarten
through 8 during such academic year.
``(C) who completed a 5-year teaching training program
which meets the requirements of paragraph (3), and
``(D) who received a baccalaureate or similar degree with a
major in mathematics, science, engineering, or technology
from a qualified educational institution.
``(2) Special rule for administrative personnel.--School
administrative functions shall be treated as teaching courses
referred to in paragraph (1)(B) if such functions primarily
relate to such courses or are for a school which focuses
primarily on such courses.
``(3) 5-year teacher training program.--For purposes of
paragraph (1)(C)--
``(A) Elementary school teachers.--In the case of an
elementary school teacher, a teacher training program meets
the requirements of this paragraph if--
``(i) the program requires, in addition to education
courses, that the student complete courses in physics,
chemistry, and biology, and
``(ii) the program recommends completion of an earth
science.
``(B) Middle and high school teachers.--In the case of a
middle or high school teacher, a teacher training program
meets the requirements of this paragraph if the program
requires, in addition to education courses, that the student
also major in a science referred to in subparagraph (A) and
that the student also complete introductory courses in 2
other sciences referred to in subparagraph (A).
``(4) Qualified educational institution.--The term
`qualified educational institution' means any eligible
educational institution (as defined in section 25A(f)(2))
if--
``(A) more than 80 percent of such institution's graduates
who apply for certification by any State as a teacher are so
certified, and

[[Page S4384]]

``(B) such institution's school of education (or equivalent
unit) has an advisory committee--
``(i) which includes (on a rotating basis or otherwise)
practicing mathematicians and scientists and representatives
from several of the appropriate science, mathematics,
engineering, and technology departments of such institution,
and
``(ii) which publishes annually a report detailing
curricula reforms for such school (or unit) designed to align
teacher training curricula with State requirements and
expectations.
``(d) Qualified Undergraduate Tuition.--For purposes of
this section, the term `qualified undergraduate tuition'
means qualified higher education expenses (as defined in
section 529(e)(3)) for a qualified educational institution,
reduced as provided in section 25A(g)(2) and by any credit
allowed by section 25A with respect to such expenses.
``(e) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe such
regulations as may be appropriate to carry out the purposes
of this section.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Paragraph (2) of section 1324(b) of title 31, United
States Code, is amended by inserting before the period ``, or
from section 35 of such Code''.
(2) The table of sections for subpart C of part IV of
subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by striking
the last item and inserting the following new items:

``Sec. 35. Tuition for undergraduate education of certain teachers.
``Sec. 36. Overpayments of tax.''.

(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the
enactment of this Act; except that only periods of being an
eligible teacher (as defined in section 35(c) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as added by this section) after such
date shall be taken into account under section 35(b)(2) of
such Code, as so added.

SEC. 4. CREDITS FOR CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS BENEFITING SCIENCE,
MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION AT THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
SCHOOL LEVEL.

(a) In General.--Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of
chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to
business related credits) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:

``SEC. 45D. CONTRIBUTIONS BENEFITING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS,
ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AT THE
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL.

``(a) In General.--For purposes of section 38, the
elementary and secondary science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology (SMET) contributions credit determined under
this section for the taxable year is an amount equal to 100
percent of the qualified SMET contributions of the taxpayer
for such taxable year.
``(b) Qualified SMET Contributions.--For purposes of this
section, the term `qualified SMET contributions' means--
``(1) SMET school contributions,
``(2) SMET teacher externship expenses, and
``(3) SMET teacher training expenses.
``(c) SMET School Contributions.--For purposes of this
section--
``(1) In general.--The term `SMET school contributions'
means--
``(A) SMET property contributions, and
``(B) SMET service contributions.
``(2) SMET property contributions.--The term `SMET property
contributions' means the amount which would (but for
subsection (f)) be allowed as a deduction under section 170
for a charitable contribution of SMET inventory property if--
``(A) the donee is an elementary or secondary school
described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii),
``(B) substantially all of the use of the property by the
donee is within the United States for educational purposes in
any of the grades K-12 that are related to the purpose or
function of the donee,
``(C) the original use of the property begins with the
donee,
``(D) the property will fit productively into the donee's
education plan,
``(E) the property is not transferred by the donee in
exchange for money, other property, or services, except for
shipping, installation and transfer costs, and
``(F) the donee's use and disposition of the property will
be in accordance with the provisions of subparagraphs (B) and
(E).

The determination of the amount of deduction under section
170 for purposes of this paragraph shall be made as if the
limitation under section 170(e)(3)(B) applied to all SMET
inventory property.
``(3) SMET service contributions.--The term `SMET service
contributions' means the amount paid or incurred during the
taxable year for SMET services provided in the United States
for the exclusive benefit of students at an elementary or
secondary school described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) but
only if--
``(A) the taxpayer is engaged in the trade or business of
providing such services on a commercial basis, and
``(B) no charge is imposed for providing such services.
``(4) SMET inventory property.--The term `SMET inventory
property' means, with respect to any contribution to a
school, any property--
``(A) which is described in paragraph (1) or (2) of section
1221(a) with respect to the donor, and
``(B) which is determined by the school to be needed by the
school in providing education in grades K-12 in the areas of
science, mathematics, engineering, or technology.
``(5) SMET services.--The term `SMET services' means, with
respect to any contribution to a school, any service
determined by the school to be needed by the school in
providing education in grades K-12 in the areas of science,
mathematics, engineering, or technology, including teaching
courses of instruction at such school in any such area.
``(d) SMET Teacher Externship Expenses.--For purposes of
this section--
``(1) In general.--The term `SMET teacher externship
expenses' means any amount paid or incurred to carry out a
SMET externship program of the taxpayer but only to the
extent that such amount is attributable to the participation
in such program of any eligible SMET teacher, including
amounts paid to such a teacher as a stipend while
participating in such program.
``(2) SMET externship program.--The term `SMET externship
program' means any program--
``(A) established by a taxpayer engaged in a trade or
business within an area of science, mathematics, engineering,
or technology, and
``(B) under which eligible SMET teachers receive training
to enhance their teaching skills in the areas of science,
mathematics, engineering, or technology or otherwise improve
their knowledge in such areas.
``(3) Eligible smet teacher.--The term `eligible SMET
teacher' means any individual--
``(A) who is a teacher in grades K-12 at an educational
organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii) which is
located in the United States or which is located on a United
States military base outside the United States, and
``(B) whose teaching responsibilities at such school
include, or are likely to include, any course in the areas of
science, mathematics, engineering, or technology.
``(e) SMET Teacher Training Expenses.--The term `SMET
teacher training expenses' means any amount paid or incurred
by a taxpayer engaged in a trade or business within an area
of science, mathematics, engineering, or technology which is
attributable to the participation of any eligible SMET
teacher in a regular training program provided to employees
of the taxpayer which is determined by such teacher's school
as enhancing such teacher's teaching skills in the areas of
science, mathematics, engineering, or technology.
``(f) Denial of Double Benefit.--No deduction shall be
allowed under this chapter for any amount allowed as a credit
under this section.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 38(b) of such Code is amended--
(A) by striking ``plus'' at the end of paragraph (11),
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (12),
and inserting ``, plus'', and
(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(13) the elementary and secondary science, mathematics,
engineering, and technology (SMET) contributions credit
determined under section 45D.''.
(2) Subsection (d) of section 39 of such Code (relating to
carryback and carryforward of unused credits) is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(9) No carryback of section 45d credit before enactment
of credit.--No portion of the unused business credit for any
taxable year which is attributable to the credit determined
under section 45D may be carried back to a taxable year
beginning before the date of the enactment of this
paragraph.''.
(3) The table of sections for subpart D of part IV of
subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding
at the end the following new item:

``Sec. 45D. Contributions benefiting science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology education at the elementary and secondary
school level.''.

(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. ASSURANCE OF CONTINUED LOCAL CONTROL.

Nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize any
department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States
to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the
curriculum, program of instruction, administration, or
personnel of any educational institution or school system.
____

S. 2623

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``National
Science Education Enhancement Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Assurance of continued local control.

[[Page S4385]]

TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF
1965

Sec. 101. Support for mentoring activities for science, mathematics,
engineering, and technology teachers.
Sec. 102. Expansion of Eisenhower National Clearinghouse.
Sec. 103. Summer Professional Development Institutes.
Sec. 104. Grants for teacher technology training software and
instructional materials.
Sec. 105. Reservation for after-school activities.
Sec. 106. After-school science day care at community learning centers.

TITLE II--OTHER PROVISIONS

Sec. 201. Work-study amendments.
Sec. 202. Study.
Sec. 203. Report to Congress.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

SEC. 3. ASSURANCE OF CONTINUED LOCAL CONTROL.

TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF
1965

SEC. 101. SUPPORT FOR MENTORING ACTIVITIES FOR SCIENCE,
MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY
TEACHERS.

(a) Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational
Agencies Through Professional Development.--Section
1119(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (D);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (E)
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) include mentoring programs focusing on changing
science, mathematics, engineering, and technology teacher
behaviors and practices to help novice teachers develop and
gain confidence in their skills, to increase the likelihood
that they will continue in the teaching profession, and
generally to improve the quality of their teaching.''.
(b) Dissemination of Mentoring Information by Eisenhower
National Clearinghouse.--Section 2102(a)(3)(C) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6622(a)(3)(C)) is amended by striking ``materials'' and
inserting ``materials, including information on model
science, mathematics, engineering, and technology teacher
mentoring programs,''.
(c) Eisenhower Professional Development Program State
Applications.--Section 2205(b)(2) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6645(b)(2)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (N);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (O)
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(P) describe how the State will administer a mentoring
system to ensure consistent implementation of mentoring
programs for science, mathematics, engineering, and
technology teachers, provide a structure for local mentoring
program evaluation, provide technical assistance to local
mentoring programs, ensure compliance by local mentoring
programs with State teacher training requirements, and
provide incentives for local educational agencies to take
mentoring into consideration in assessing instructional staff
hiring needs.''.
(d) Eisenhower Professional Development Program Local
Activities.--Section 2210(b)(2) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6650(b)(2)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (D);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (E)
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) include mentoring programs focusing on changing
science, mathematics, engineering, and technology teacher
behaviors and practices to help novice teachers develop and
gain confidence in their skills, to increase the likelihood
that they will continue in the teaching profession, and
generally to improve the quality of their teaching.''.
(e) Accountability.--Section 2401(a) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6701(a)) is
amended by striking ``part.'' and inserting ``part, including
the impact of State and local mentoring programs on teaching
quality and teacher retention rates.''.

SEC. 102. EXPANSION OF EISENHOWER NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE.

(a) Allocation of Appropriated Amounts.--Section 2003(b)(1)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6603(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``2103;'' and
inserting ``2103, and $10,000,000 shall be available to carry
out subparagraphs (A), (F), and (G) of section 2102(b)(3);''.
(b) Use of Funds.--Section 2102(b)(3) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6622(b)(3)) is
amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``(including, to the
extent practicable,'' and inserting ``(including'';
(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(3) by amending subparagraph (F) to read as follows:
``(F) solicit and gather (in consultation with the
Department, national teacher associations, professional
associations, and other reviewers and developers of education
materials and programs) all qualitative and evaluative
materials and all programs, including full text and graphics,
for the Clearinghouse, review the evaluation of the materials
and programs, rank the effectiveness of the materials and
programs on the basis of the evaluations, and distribute the
results of the reviews (in a short, standardized, and
electronic format that contains electronic links to an
electronic version of the original qualitative and evaluative
materials), excerpts of the materials and links to Internet-
based sites, and information regarding on-line communities of
users to teachers in an easily accessible manner, except that
nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed to permit the
Clearinghouse to directly conduct an evaluation of the
materials or programs; and''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(G) develop and establish an Internet-based site offering
a search mechanism to assist site visitors in identifying
information available through the Clearinghouse on science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology education
instructional materials and programs, including electronic
links to information on classroom demonstrations and
experiments, teachers who have used

[[Page S4386]]

materials or participated in programs, vendors, curricula,
and textbooks.''.
(c) Clearinghouse.--Section 2102(b) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6622(b)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(9) Effective use of technology.--In reviewing
evaluations of materials and programs under this subsection
the Clearinghouse shall give particular attention to the
effective use of materials and technology in science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology education.''.
(d) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the National Academy of Sciences, in
conjunction with appropriate related associations and
organizations, shall--
(1) conduct a study on the Eisenhower National
Clearinghouse and whether the provisions enacted in the
amendments made by this section have resulted in the
Clearinghouse becoming a more effective entity; and
(2) submit to Congress a report on the study, including any
recommendations of the Academy regarding the Clearinghouse.

SEC. 103. SUMMER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTES.

(a) In General.--Section 2211 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6651) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Summer Professional Development Institutes for
Teachers.--
``(1) Program authorized.--From amounts made available to
carry out this subsection, the Secretary is authorized to
make grants to State agencies for higher education, working
in conjunction with the State educational agency (if such
agencies are separate), for activities described in paragraph
(3). Such grants shall be awarded on a competitive basis that
includes a peer review of the grant applications.
``(2) Subgrants.--
``(A) In general.--A recipient of a grant under paragraph
(1) shall carry out the activities described in paragraph (3)
by making subgrants to, or entering into contracts or
cooperative agreements with, institutions of higher
education, and nonprofit organizations of demonstrated
effectiveness, including museums and educational partnership
organizations, which must work in conjunction with a local
educational agency, consortium of local educational agencies,
or schools.
``(B) Priority.--In making awards under subparagraph (A), a
grant recipient shall give priority to applicants whose
application includes an assurance that the applicant will use
a curriculum recognized by the working group established
under section 17 of the National Science Foundation Act of
1950, particularly if the local educational agency (or
agencies) described in subparagraph (A), or the State
educational agency (if such agency is separate from the grant
recipient), has adopted such curriculum.
``(3) Allowable activities.--
``(A) In general.--Each recipient of funds under paragraph
(2) shall use the funds for the following:
``(i) The establishment and operation of science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology summer institutes
that provide professional development to elementary and
secondary school teachers. Such institutes shall be content-
based, build on school year curricula, and focus only
secondarily on pedagogy.
``(ii) To provide teachers with travel expense
reimbursement, a stipend, or classroom materials related to
such an institute.
``(iii) The establishment of a mechanism to provide
supplemental assistance and follow up training during the
school year for summer institute graduates.
``(B) Requirements for curricula.--The curricula referred
to in subparagraph (A)(i) shall be object-centered,
experiment-oriented, content-based, and grounded in current
research.
``(C) Requirements for institutes.--The summer institutes
referred to in subparagraph (A)(i)--
``(i) shall be conducted during a period of a minimum of
two weeks;
``(ii) shall provide for direct interaction between
students and faculty;
``(iii) shall have a component that includes use of the
Internet; and
``(iv) shall provide for follow-up training in the
classroom during the academic year for a period of a minimum
of three days, which shall not be required to be consecutive,
except that--

``(I) if the program at the summer institute is for a
period of only two weeks, the follow-up training shall be for
a period of more than 3 days; and
``(II) for teachers in rural school districts, follow-up
training through the Internet may be used.

``(4) Review of applications by national science
foundation.--The Secretary shall provide each application for
a grant under this subsection to the Director of the National
Science Foundation in order that such applications may
undergo the peer-review process described in paragraph
(5)(B), and shall implement the recommendations of the
Director in awarding grants under this subsection.
``(5) Requirements on national science foundation.--
``(A) In general.--Each year, not later than 6 months
before the application deadline for a subgrant, contract, or
cooperative agreement described in paragraph (2), the
Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop a
theme and structure for the summer institutes supported under
this subsection. Such applications shall address how funds
will be used in accordance with the theme and structure
developed by the Director.
``(B) Application peer-review process.--The Director--
``(i) shall establish a peer-review process for
applications for grants received under this subsection; and
``(ii) shall forward the applications selected by the
Director through such process to the Secretary.
``(C) Priority.--In making awards under paragraph (2)(A), a
grant recipient shall give priority to applicants whose
application includes an assurance that the applicant will use
a curriculum--
``(i) that is recognized by the working group established
under section 17 of the National Science Foundation Act of
1950, particularly if the local educational agency (or
agencies) described in paragraph (2)(A), or the State
educational agency (if such agency is separate from the grant
recipient), has adopted such curriculum; or
``(ii) that is three or four weeks in length.
``(6) Other requirements.--Paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of
subsection (a), and subsection (c), shall apply to recipients
of funds under this subsection in the same manner as such
provisions apply to recipients of funds under subsection
(a)(1).
``(7) Credit for participation.--Participation in an
institute supported under this subsection shall earn credit
toward--
``(A) State continuing education requirements for teachers;
or
``(B) a post-baccalaureate degree program at an institution
of higher education.''.
(b) Funding.--
(1) Allocation of appropriated amounts.--Section 2003(b)(2)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6603(b)(2)) is amended by striking ``B;'' and
inserting ``B, of which $100,000,000, $150,000,000,
$200,000,000, and $200,000,000 shall be available to carry
out section 2211(d) for fiscal years 2001, 2002, 2003, and
2004, respectively;''.
(2) Reservation of funds.--Section 2202(a) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6642(a)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) the amount made available under section 2003(b)(2) to
carry out section 2211(d).''.

SEC. 104. GRANTS FOR TEACHER TECHNOLOGY TRAINING SOFTWARE AND
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.

Section 3134 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6844) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(7) providing technology training software and
instructional materials to teachers.''.

SEC. 105. RESERVATION FOR AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.

Section 10904(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8244) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon in paragraph
(2);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) an assurance that if awarded a grant under this part,
the grant recipient shall use not less than 5 percent of the
amount received to provide after-school day care services
that focus on science activities.''.

SEC. 106. AFTER-SCHOOL SCIENCE DAY CARE AT COMMUNITY LEARNING
CENTERS.

Section 10905(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8245(3)) is amended by striking
``services.'' and inserting ``services, including after-
school day care services that focus on science activities for
children in grades kindergarten through the sixth grade.''.

TITLE II--OTHER PROVISIONS

SEC. 201. WORK-STUDY AMENDMENTS.

(a) Technology Training Treated as Community Service.--
Section 441(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
2751(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``technology training,''
after ``literacy training,''; and
(2) in paragraph (4)(A), by inserting before the semicolon
at the end the following: ``, including tutoring teachers in
the uses of classroom technology''.
(b) Additional Spending for Technology Training.--Section
443(b)(2)(B) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 2753(b)(2)(B)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``7 percent'' and inserting ``10 percent'';
(2) by inserting ``(i)'' after ``shall ensure that''; and
(3) by inserting after ``requirement of this subparagraph''
the following: ``, and (ii) at least 3 percent of the total
amount of funds granted to such institution under this
section for such fiscal year is used to compensate students
employed in technology training or tutoring teachers in the
uses of classroom technology (or both),''.

SEC. 202. STUDY.

The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with other
Government agencies, appropriate organizations, and private
businesses and corporations, shall conduct a study of--

[[Page S4387]]

(1) the feasibility and effectiveness of various
incentives, including tax credits, for corporations and
businesses to provide--
(A) personnel with regular compensation for time spent as
volunteers engaged in the technological training of teachers;
and
(B) facilities for the provision of such training of
teachers;
(2) alternative methods of providing financial support,
through income tax credits, loan forgiveness, or otherwise,
to individuals seeking training or retraining in mathematics,
science, and technology education;
(3) the effectiveness of colleges and universities in
training teachers who are able to use technology and able to
integrate technology into lesson plans and curricula,
including distance learning;
(4) methods to coordinate a working alliance at various
levels of government between the business and academic
community; and
(5) additional means of improving the efficiency of the
technological training of teachers.

SEC. 203. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall transmit to the
Congress a report outlining the results of the study
conducted under section 202. Such report shall include
proposals for a comprehensive approach to providing
technologically competent teachers to our Nation's schools.
With respect to any objectives described in paragraphs (1)
though (5) of section 202 that the Secretary determines are
feasible and effective, such report shall include a plan for
the accomplishing such objectives.
____

S. 2624

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``National Science Education
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) As concluded in the report of the Committee on Science
of the House of Representatives, ``Unlocking Our Future
Toward a New National Science Policy,'' which was adopted by
the House of Representatives, the United States must maintain
and improve its preeminent position in science and technology
in order to advance human understanding of the universe and
all it contains, and to improve the lives, health, and
freedoms of all people.
(2) It is estimated that more than half of the economic
growth of the United States today results directly from
research and development in science and technology. The most
fundamental research is responsible for investigating our
perceived universe, to extend our observations to the outer
limits of what our minds and methods can achieve, and to seek
answers to questions that have never been asked before.
Applied research continues the process by applying the
answers from basic science to the problems faced by
individuals, organizations, and governments in the everyday
activities that make our lives more livable. The scientific-
technological sector of our economy, which has driven our
recent economic boom and led the United States to the longest
period of prosperity in history, is fueled by the work and
discoveries of the scientific community.
(3) The effectiveness of the United States in maintaining
this economic growth will be largely determined by the
intellectual capital of the United States. Education is
critical to developing this resource.
(4) The education program of the United States needs to
provide for 3 different kinds of intellectual capital. First,
it needs scientists and engineers to continue the research
and development that is central to the economic growth of the
United States. Second, it needs technologically proficient
workers who are comfortable and capable dealing with the
demands of a science-based, high-technology workplace. Last,
it needs scientifically literate voters and consumers to make
intelligent decisions about public policy.
(5) Student performance on the recent Third International
Math and Science Study highlights the shortcomings of current
K-12 science and mathematics education in the United States,
particularly when compared to other countries. We must expect
more from our Nation's educators and students if we are to
build on the accomplishments of previous generations. New
methods of teaching mathematics and science are required, as
well as better curricula and improved training of teachers.
(6) Science is more than a collection of facts, theories,
and results. It is a process of inquiry built upon
observations and data that leads to a way of knowing and
explaining in logically derived concepts and theories.
(7) Students should learn science primarily by doing
science. Science education ought to reflect the scientific
process and be object-oriented, experiment-centered, and
concept-based.
(8) Children are naturally curious and inquisitive. To
successfully tap into these innate qualities, education in
science must begin at an early age and continue throughout
the entire school experience.
(9) Teachers provide the essential connection between
students and the content they are learning. High-quality
prospective teachers need to be identified and recruited by
presenting to them a career that is respected by their peers,
is financially and intellectually rewarding, and contains
sufficient opportunities for advancement.
(10) Teachers need to have incentives to remain in the
classroom and improve their practice, and training of
teachers is essential if the results are to be good. Teachers
need to be knowledgeable of their content area, of their
curriculum, of up-to-date research in teaching and learning,
and of techniques that can be used to connect that
information to their students in their classroom.

SEC. 3. ASSURANCE OF CONTINUED LOCAL CONTROL.

SEC. 4. MASTER TEACHER GRANT PROGRAM.

The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861
et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 16 as section 18; and
(2) by inserting after section 15 the following new
section:

``Sec. 16. Grants and awards

``(a)(1) The Director of the National Science Foundation
shall conduct a grant program to make grants to a State or
local educational agency or to a private elementary or middle
school for the purpose of hiring a master teacher described
in paragraph (3).
``(2) In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this
subsection, a State or local educational agency or private
elementary or middle school shall submit to the Director a
description of the requirements for a master teacher of the
State or local educational agency or school, including
certification requirements and job responsibilities of the
master teacher, and a description of how professional
development will be integrated with the math or science
program of the State educational agency or local educational
agency or school including a master teacher.
``(3) A master teacher referred to in paragraph (1)--
``(A) shall provide support for not more than 10 teachers
at public and private schools in math, science, engineering
or technology programs for students in grades kindergarten
through the eighth grade; and
``(B) shall be responsible for in-classroom assistance and
oversight of hands-on inquiry materials, equipment, and
supplies, including supplying and repairing such materials.
``(4) Grants shall be made under this section out of funds
available for the National Science Foundation for Education
and Human Resources Activities.
``(b) In this section, the terms `State educational agency'
and `local educational agency' have the meaning given those
terms in section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965.''.

SEC. 5. HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE FOR ALL SCHOOLS.

The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861
et seq.) is further amended in section 16 (as added by
section 4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(c)(1) The Director is authorized to award grants, on a
competitive basis, to secondary school and college students
working with university faculty, software developers, and
experts in educational technology, or to university faculty,
software developers, and experts in educational technology
working with secondary school or college students, for the
development of high-quality educational software and Internet
web sites by such students, faculty, developers, and experts.
``(2)(A) The Director shall recognize outstanding
educational software and Internet web sites developed with
assistance provided under this subsection.
``(B) The President is requested to, and the Director
shall, issue an official certificate signed by the President
and Director, to each student and faculty member who develops
outstanding educational software or Internet web sites
recognized under this subsection.
``(3) The educational software or Internet web sites that
are recognized under this subsection shall focus on core
curriculum areas.
``(4) The Director shall give priority to awarding grants
for the development of educational software or Internet web
sites in the areas of mathematics, science, engineering, and
technology.
``(5) The Director shall designate official judges to
recognize outstanding educational software or Internet web
sites assisted under this section.''.

SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF WORKING GROUP ON SCIENCE,
MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION.

The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861
et seq.) is further amended by inserting after section 16 (as
added by section 4) the following new section:

``Sec. 17. Establishment of working group on science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology education

``(a) There is established in the National Science
Foundation a working group to review and coordinate regular
and supplemental curricula in kindergarten through the
twelfth grade for science, mathematics, engineering, and
technology, taking into account--
``(1) the content, scope, and sequence of such curricula;

[[Page S4388]]

``(2) the research basis for such curricula; and
``(3) the demonstrated results of such curricula.
``(b) There shall be 15 members of the working group
established by subsection (a), who shall have experience in
the fields of life science, physical science, earth science,
chemistry, technology, math, or engineering, and who shall be
appointed by the Director for a three-year term that may be
extended once for an additional three years. The members
shall be appointed as follows:
``(1) 4 members appointed from among representatives from
appropriate professional societies representing the
scientific disciplines.
``(2) 3 members appointed from among business leaders who
are active in education.
``(3) 2 members appointed from among representatives of
institutions of higher education.
``(4) 2 members appointed from among representatives of
schools of education within such institutions.
``(5) 4 members appointed from among representatives of
professional societies that represent science teaching.
``(c)(1) The working group established by subsection (a)--
``(A) shall, beginning not later than three years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, award recognition annually
in predetermined categories;
``(B) shall publish all criteria upon which a review by the
working group under this section is based; and
``(C) shall disseminate information on award-winning
programs for the purpose of acting as a resource for State
and local educational agencies--
``(i) for determining the best methods for teachers to
present science, mathematics, engineering, and technology
subject areas to students; and
``(ii) for organizing science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology disciplines.
``(2) The information required to be disseminated by
paragraph (1)(C) shall include information describing the
activities of the award-winning programs and the awards made
in each category.''.

SEC. 7. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

(a) General Authority.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Grant program.--The Director shall, subject to
appropriations, carry out a demonstration project under which
the Director awards grants in accordance with this section to
eligible local educational agencies.
(B) Uses of funds.--A local educational agency that
receives a grant under this section may use such grant funds
to develop an information technology program that builds or
expands mathematics, science, and information technology
curricula, to purchase equipment necessary to establish such
program, and to provide professional development in such
fields.
(2) Program requirements.--The program described in
paragraph (1) shall--
(A) provide professional development specifically in
information technology, mathematics, and science; and
(B) provide students with specialized training in
mathematics, science, and information technology.
(b) Eligible Local Educational Agency.--For purposes of
this section, a local educational agency is eligible to
receive a grant under this section if the agency--
(1) provides assurances that it has executed conditional
agreements with representatives of the private sector to
provide services and funds described in subsection (c); and
(2) agrees to enter into an agreement with the Director to
comply with the requirements of this section.
(c) Private Sector Participation.--The conditional
agreement referred to in subsection (b)(1) shall describe
participation by the private sector, including--
(1) the donation of computer hardware and software;
(2) the establishment of internship and mentoring
opportunities for students who participate in the information
technology program; and
(3) the donation of higher education scholarship funds for
eligible students who have participated in the information
technology program.
(d) Application.--
(1) In general.--Each eligible local educational agency
desiring a grant under this section shall submit an
application to the Director in accordance with guidelines
established by the Director pursuant to paragraph (2).
(2) Guidelines.--
(A) Requirements.--The guidelines referred to in paragraph
(1) shall require, at a minimum, that the application
include--
(i) a description of proposed activities consistent with
the uses of funds and program requirements under subsection
(a)(1)(B) and (a)(2);
(ii) a description of the higher education scholarship
program, including criteria for selection, duration of
scholarship, number of scholarships to be awarded each year,
and funding levels for scholarships; and
(iii) evidence of private sector participation and
financial support to establish an internship, mentoring, and
scholarship program.
(B) Guideline publication.--The Director shall issue and
publish such guidelines not later than 6 months after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(3) Selection.--The Director shall select a local
educational agency to receive an award under this section in
accordance with subsection (e) and on the basis of merit to
be determined after conducting a comprehensive review.
(e) Priority.--The Director shall give special priority in
awarding grants under this section to eligible local
educational agencies that--
(1) demonstrate the greatest ability to obtain commitments
from representatives of the private sector to provide
services and funds described under subsection (c);
(2) demonstrate the greatest economic need; and
(3) use a curriculum recognized by the working group
established by section 17 of the National Science Foundation
Act of 1950 (as added by section 6).
(f) Assessment.--The Director shall assess the
effectiveness of activities carried out under this section.
(g) Study and Report.--The Director--
(1) shall initiate an evaluative study of eligible students
selected for scholarships pursuant to this section in order
to measure the effectiveness of the demonstration program;
and
(2) shall report the findings of the study to Congress not
later than 4 years after the award of the first scholarship.
Such report shall include the number of students graduating
from an institution of higher education with a major in
mathematics, science, or information technology and the
number of students who find employment in such fields.
(h) Definitions.--Except as otherwise provided, for
purposes of this section--
(1) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the
National Science Foundation;
(2) the term ``eligible student'' means a student enrolled
in the 12th grade who--
(A) has participated in an information technology program
established pursuant to this section;
(B) has demonstrated a commitment to pursue a career in
information technology, mathematics, science, or engineering;
and
(C) has attained high academic standing and maintains a
grade point average of not less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for
the last 2 years of secondary school (11th and 12th grades);
and
(3) the term ``local educational agency'' has the same
meaning given such term in section 14101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to
carry out this section, $3,000,000.
(j) Maximum Grant Award.--An award made to an eligible
local educational agency under this section may not exceed
$300,000.

SEC. 8. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON REQUIRED COURSE OF
STUDY FOR CAREERS IN SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS,
ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.

The Director of the National Science Foundation shall,
jointly with the Secretary of Education, compile and
disseminate information (including, but not limited to,
through outreach, school counselor education, and visiting
speakers) regarding--
(1) standard prerequisites for middle school and high
school students who seek to enter a course of study at an
institution of higher education in science, mathematics,
engineering, or technology education for purposes of teaching
in an elementary or secondary school; and
(2) the licensing requirements in each State for science,
mathematics, engineering, or technology elementary or
secondary school teachers.

SEC. 9. REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT STUDY EVALUATION.

(a) Study Required.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall enter into an agreement with the National
Academy of Sciences under which the Academy shall compile and
evaluate studies on the effectiveness of technology in the
classroom on learning and student performance, as measured by
State standardized tests. The study evaluation shall include,
to the extent available, information on the type of
technology used in each classroom, the reason that such
technology works, and the teacher training that is conducted
in conjunction with the technology.
(b) Deadline for Completion.--The study evaluation required
by subsection (a) shall be completed not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Definition of Technology.--In this section, the term
``technology'' has the meaning given that term in section
3113(11) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6813(11)).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation
$600,000 for the purpose of conducting the study evaluation
required by subsection (a).

SEC. 10. TEACHER TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861
et seq.) is further amended in section 16 (as added by
section 4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) The Director shall establish a grant program under
which grants may be made for instruction of teachers for
grades kindergarten through the twelfth grade on the use of
technology in the classroom.''.

[[Page S4389]]

SEC. 11. MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPUTER LITERACY ASSISTANCE.

The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861
et seq.) is further amended in section 16 (as added by
section 4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(e)(1) The Director is authorized to award grants to
assist States in reaching the goal of making all middle
school graduates in the State technology literate.
``(2) Grants awarded under this subsection shall be used
for teacher training in technology, with an emphasis on
programs that prepare 1 or more teachers in each middle
school in the State to become technology leaders who then
serve as experts and train other teachers.
``(3) Each State shall encourage schools that receive
assistance under this subsection to provide matching funds,
with respect to the cost of teacher training in technology to
be assisted under this subsection, in order to enhance the
impact of the teacher training and to help ensure that all
middle school graduates in the State are computer
literate.''.

SEC. 12. SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

(a) In General.--Within 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Science
Foundation shall convene a conference of representatives from
Federal, State, and local governments, private industries,
professional organizations, educators, science, mathematics,
engineering, and technology educational resource providers,
students, and any other stakeholders the Director decides
would provide useful participation in the conference. Such
conference shall be known as the National Science Education
Forum.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the conference convened
under subsection (a) shall be to--
(1) identify existing science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology education programs and resource providers;
(2) examine how well existing programs are coordinated and
how much collaboration exists among them;
(3) examine the common goals and differences among the
participants at the conference; and
(4) develop strategies that will support partnerships and
leverage resources.
(c) Report and Publication.--At the conclusion of the
conference the Director of the National Science Foundation
shall--
(1) transmit to the Committee on Science of the House of
Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate a report on the outcome and
conclusions of the conference; and
(2) ensure that a similar report is published and
distributed as widely as possible to stakeholders in science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology education.

SEC. 13. GRANTS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING.

The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861
et seq.) is further amended in section 16 (as added by
section 4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(f) The Director may make grants to a State or local
educational agency or to a private elementary, middle, or
secondary school, under any grant program administered by the
Director using funds appropriated for the National Science
Foundation for Education and Human Resources Activities, for
activities in which distance learning is integrated into the
education process in grades kindergarten through the twelfth
grade.''.

SEC. 14. AVAILABILITY OF CURRICULAR PROGRAMS THROUGH THE
INTERNET.

The Director of the National Science Foundation shall make
available through the Internet at no cost a complete field-
test version (including text and graphics) of any curricular
program, the development for which the National Science
Foundation provided funds.

SEC. 15. SCHOLARSHIPS TO PARTICIPATE IN CERTAIN RESEARCH
ACTIVITIES.

(a) In General.--The President, acting through the National
Science Foundation, shall provide scholarships to teachers at
public and private schools in grades kindergarten through the
twelfth grade in order that such teachers may participate in
research programs conducted at private entities or Federal or
State Government agencies. The purpose of such scholarships
shall be to provide teachers with an opportunity to expand
their knowledge of science and research techniques and
encourage incorporation of such techniques into the
classroom.
(b) Requirements.--In order to be eligible to receive a
scholarship under this section, a teacher described in
subsection (a) shall be required to develop, in conjunction
with the private entity or Government agency at which the
teacher will be participating in a research program, a
proposal to be submitted to the President describing the
types of research activities involved, and how techniques
with respect to such research may be incorporated into the
educational process.
(c) Period of Program.--Participation in a research program
in accordance with this section may be for a period of one
academic year or 2 sequential summers.
(d) Internet Site.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall establish an Internet web site which may be
used by students and teachers participating in the program
under this section to incorporate research knowledge and
techniques into the educational process.
______

By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr.
Wellstone, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. Dorgan, Mr.
Lieberman, and Mr. Moynihan):
S. 2625. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to revise the
performance standards and certification process for organ procurement
organizations; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions.

THE ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATION CERTIFICATION ACT OF 2000

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of myself, Senator
Dodd, Senator Hutchinson, Senator Wellstone, Senator Murkowski, Senator
Torricelli, Senator Dorgan, Senator Lieberman and Senator Moynihan, to
introduce the Organ Procurement Organization Certification Act of 2000
to improve the performance evaluation and certification process that
the Health Care Financing Administration currently uses for organ
procurement organizations.
Our nation's 60 organ procurement organizations (OPOs) play a
critical role in procuring and placing organs and are therefore key to
our efforts to increase the number and quality of organs available for
transplant. They provide all of the services necessary in a particular
geographic region for coordinating the identification of potential
donors, requests for donation and recovery and transport of organs. The
professionals in the OPOs evaluate potential donors, discuss donation
with family members, and arrange for the surgical removal of donated
organs. They are also responsible for preserving the organs and making
arrangements for their distribution according to national organ sharing
policies. Finally, the OPOs provide information and education to
medical professionals and the general public to encourage organ and
tissue donation to increase the availability of organs for
transplantation.
According to the Institute of Medicine's (IOM's) 1999 report on organ
procurement and transplantation, a major impediment to greater
accountability and improved performance on the part of OPOs is the
current lack of a reliable and valid method for assessing donor
potential and OPO performance.
The current certification process for OPOs sets an arbitrary,
population-based performance standard for certifying OPOs based on
donors per million of population in their service areas. It sets a
standard for acceptable performance based on five criteria: donors
recovered per million, kidneys recovered per million, kidneys
transplanted per million, extrarenal organs (heart, liver, pancreas and
lungs) recovered per million, and extrarenal organs transplanted per
million. The HCFA assesses the OPOs' adherence to these standards every
two years. Each OPO must meet at least 75 percent of the national mean
for four of these five categories to be recertified as the OPO for a
particular area and to receive Medicare and Medicaid payments. Without
HCFA certification, an OPO cannot continue to operate.
The GAO, the IOM, the Harvard School of Public Health and others all
have criticized HCFA's use of this population-based standard to measure
OPO performance. According to the GAO, ``HCFA's current performance
standard does not accurately assess OPOs' ability to meet the goal of
acquiring all usable organs because it is based on the total
population, not the number of potential donors, within the OPO's
service areas.''
OPO service areas vary widely in the distribution of deaths by cause,
underlying health conditions, age, and race. These variations can pose
significant advantages or disadvantages to an OPO's ability to procure
organs, and a major problem with HCFA's current performance assessment
is that it does not account for these variations. An extremely
effective OPO that is getting a high yield of organs from the potential
donors in its service area may appear to be performing poorly because
it has a disproportionate share of elderly people or a high rate of
people infected with HIV or AIDS, which eliminates them for
consideration as an organ donor. At the same time, an ineffective OPO
may appear to be performing well because it is operating in a service
area

[[Page S4390]]

with a high proportion of potential donors.
For example, organ donors typically die from head trauma and
accidental injuries, and these rates can vary dramatically from region
to region. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), in 1991, the number of drivers fatally injured in traffic
accidents in Maine was 15.54 per 100,000 population. In Mississippi,
however, it was 30.56, giving the OPO serving that state a tremendous
advantage over the New England Organ Bank, which serves Maine.
Use of this population-based method to evaluate OPO performance may
well result in the decertification of OPOs that are actually excellent
performers. Moreover, unlike other HCFA certification programs, the
certification process for OPOs lacks a clearly defined due process
component for resolving conflicts--an OPO that has been decertified has
no opportunity for appeal to the Secretary of HHS on either substantive
or procedural grounds. The current system therefore forces OPOs to
compete on the basis of an imperfect grading system, with no guarantee
of an opportunity for fair hearing based on their actual performance.
This situation pressures many OPOs to focus on the certification
process itself rather than on activities and methods to increase
donation, undermining what should be the overriding goal of the
program. Moreover, the current two-year cycle--which is shorter than
other certification programs administered by HCFA--provides little
opportunity to examine trends and even less incentive for OPOs to mount
long-term interventions.
The legislation we are introducing today has four major objectives.
First, it imposes a moratorium on the current recertification process
for OPOs and on the use of population-based performance measurements.
Under our bill, the certification of qualified OPOs will remain in
place through January 1, 2002, for those OPOs that have been certified
as of January 1, 2000, and that meet other qualification requirements
apart from the current performance standards. Second, the bill requires
the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate new rules
governing OPO recertification by January 1, 2002. These new rules are
to rely on outcome and process performance measures based on evidence
of organ donor potential and other relevant factors, and
recertification for OPOs shall not be required until they are
promulgated. Third, the bill provides an opportunity for an OPO to
appeal a decertification to the Secretary on substantive and procedural
grounds, and fourth the bill extends the current two-year certification
cycle to four years.
Mr. PRESIDENT, the bill we are introducing today makes much needed
improvements in the flawed process that HCFA currently uses to certify
and assess OPO performance, and I urge all of our colleagues to join us
in supporting it.
______

By Mr. JEFFORDS:
S. 2626. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve
access to tax-exempt debt for small non-profit health care and
educational institutions; to the Committee on Finance.

improving access to tax-exempt debt for small non-profit health care
and educational institutions.

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, today I am introducing
legislation that will help small health and educational institutions
more effectively finance the cost of essential services and new
facility construction. By modifying the laws that restrict the
deductibility of ``bank eligible'' bonds, the bill I am introducing
today will increase access to tax-exempt financing for small non-profit
organizations that need it most, like small local hospitals and small
institutions of higher education.
The Tax Reform Act of 1986 unintentionally discriminated against
small educational, health care and other non-profit institutions that
want to sell small amounts of tax-exempt debt to community banks.
Before 1986, banks and financial institutions could deduct the interest
incurred to carry a tax-exempt bond. This benefit enabled banks to
purchase tax-exempt bonds at attractive rates. The 1986 tax act
repealed bank deductibility, although an exception was retained for
small issuers that issue bonds of $10 million or less each year.
This exception was designed to preserve bank deductibility for small
beneficiaries, but in practice is of assistance only to private
placements issued by small local issuers. The small issuer exception
has proven to be of little value in many States, like Vermont, where
statewide health care and higher education bond issuing authorities
typically issue many millions of dollars of debt each year. My bill
will modify the small issuer exemption by granting the bond issuers the
right to apply the small issuer exemption at the level of the ultimate
beneficiary of the funding. Consequently, a small college or health
care facility borrowing less than $10 million in tax-exempt debt in any
one year could elect tax-exempt status for the debt, even if it is
issued by a statewide issuing authority. This would make the debt more
attractive to local banks, and could result in significant savings for
the beneficiary institution over the life of the bond.
My bill focuses the benefit of the small issuer exemption on smaller
non-profits, without regard to whether the bond issuer is government
entity issuing more than $10 in bonds per year. Small non-profits are
important community institutions; they stand to benefit from greater
access to tax-exempt debt. Wall Street and large banks may have little
interest in small amounts of debt from small institutions, which can
prove costly to administer. The bank across the street from a local
college or health care clinic, however, may have greater confidence and
insight in the institution. My bill would allow those banks to carry
tax-exempt debt at attractive rates and maintain commitments to the
people and institutions in their local communities.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
______

By Mr. BURNS:
S. 2627. A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide
funding for rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier
National Park, to authorize funds for maintenance of utilities related
to the Park, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources.

THE GLACIER NATIONAL PARK REHABILITATION DEMONSTRATION

Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill
that will direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide funding for
the rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National
Park, authorize funds to address the maintenance backlog facing the
park's sewer and drinking water infrastructure, and allow the Secretary
to enter into a demonstration project to rehabilitate the historic
hotels in Glacier National Park using private funds.
This legislation is a companion to a bill recently introduced by
Representative Rick Hill in the House of Representatives. The bill
would provide $20 million for much-needed water and sewer
infrastructure upgrades, which could extend the park's yearly operating
season to six months. Extending the season is extremely important to
ensure that revenue will be generated to rehabilitate these historic
structures in Glacier National Park.
Additionally, the legislation will allow the Secretary of the
Interior to enter into an extended concessionaire agreement so that the
concessionaire will be eligible for tax incentives that will make the
multi-million dollar investment in these historic lodges affordable.
The National Park Service is supportive of this effort and would
benefit from the added flexibility to exempt competitive concessions
contracts from the current 20-year maximum contract length. Permitting
this exemption would allow concessionaires to qualify for historic
preservation tax credits and dedicate funds toward Many Glacier Hotel
and the Lake McDonald Lodge.
The marriage of public and private investment allowed by this pilot
project is the only workable solution that we have found that will save
the park's historic structures in a timely manner. With a multi-billion
dollar backlog of maintenance projects in our National Parks, it is
highly unlikely the rehabilitation projects could be funded using
purely public funds. Glacier Park is a place that all Montanans hold
dear, and its historic hotels are a significant part of its rich
heritage. After years of use, these hotels are now

[[Page S4391]]

in dire need of rehabilitation, and unfortunately the funds just aren't
available at the federal level. This pilot project offers us a unique
opportunity to begin the work necessary to maintain Glacier Park's
preeminent place in our national park system and preserve it for
generations to come. The legislation still ensures a competitive
concessionaire program, but will also ensure that America's citizens
are able to enjoy these century old buildings for generations to come.
Finally, the legislation authorizes funding to rehabilitate the
Going-to-the-Sun Road. This highway is a true feat of engineering, and
one of the most beautiful roadways in the world. It is the centerpiece
of Glacier National Park, and must receive this added attention as soon
as possible to avoid risking public safety and increasing the eventual
cost of rehabilitating the road to acceptable standards.
I look forward to swift consideration of this legislation and the
support of my colleagues.
______

By Mr. MACK:
S. 2628. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on R115777; to the
Committee on Finance.

LEGISLATION TO SUSPEND TEMPORARILY THE DUTY ON R115777

Mr. MACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text
of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:

S. 2628

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

SECTION 1. R115777.

(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 99 of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended by
inserting in numerical sequence the following new heading:

`` 9902.33.40 R115777, (R)-6- Free No change No change On or before 12/
[amino(4- 31/2003 ''
chlorophenyl)(1- .
methyl-1H-
imidazol-5-
yl)methyl]-4-(3-
chlorophenyl)-1-
methyl-2(1H)-
quinoline, in
bulk active
form as the
active drug to
treat
pancreatic
cancer (CAS No.
192185-72-
1)(provided for
in subheading
2933.40.26)....

(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
applies to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for
consumption, on or after the date that is 15 days after the
date of enactment of this Act.
______

By Mr. HELMS:
S. 2629. A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 114 Ridge Street in Lenoir, North Carolina, as the
``James T. Broyhill Post Office Building''; to the Committee on
Governmental Affairs.

james t. broyhill post office building

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I will shortly offer legislation
authorizing the naming of the Post Office 114 Ridge Street Lenoir,
N.C., for The Honorable James T. Broyhill, one of North Carolina's more
distinguished servants, philanthropists, and businessmen.
Congressman Richard Burr and Congressman Cass Ballenger are offering
companion House legislation, which is cosponsored by the entire North
Carolina delegation in that body.
He was born in Lenoir, NC on August 19, 1927 to the late J.E. and
Satie (Hunt) Broyhill. He is a 1950 graduate of the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Business Administration.
After graduation he served as Vice-President of Broyhill Furniture
Industries and as a member of the Lenoir Chamber of Commerce, which he
served as President from 1955 to 1957. As many Senators are aware,
Broyhill Furniture Industries has a worldwide reputation as one of the
finest furniture manufacturers in the world.
Mr. President, in 1962, Jim Broyhill was elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives where he served 12 terms ending in June of 1986. During
his service in the House he was the Ranking Member of the House Energy
and Commerce Committee and was instrumental in guiding Republican
legislative efforts through that committee.
In May 1986 he won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat
vacated by Senator John P. East. Following Senator East's tragic death
in June of 1986, Jim Broyhill was appointed to the U.S. Senate by then
Governor Jim Martin to serve the remainder of Senator East's term. His
committee assignments include seats on the Senate Judiciary Committee
and Senate Armed Services Committee.
While he was unsuccessful in his 1986 election bid for the U.S.
Senate, but this did not dampen his willing commitment to help others
in North Carolina. In addition he was selected (by then Governor Jim
Martin) to serve as Chairman of the North Carolina Economic Development
Board. In 1989, he was appointed by Governor Martin to serve as North
Carolina's Secretary of Commerce, which he held until 1991.
He then retired to Winston-Salem. His wife is the former Louise
Robbins and has three fine children; and they have three children:
Marylin Beach, James Edgar Broyhill II, and Philip R. Broyhill.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the enabling legislation
(S. 2629) be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:

S. 2629

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

SECTION 1. JAMES T. BROYHILL POST OFFICE BUILDING.

(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 114 Ridge Street in Lenoir, North
Carolina, shall be known and designated as the ``James T.
Broyhill Post Office Building''.
(b) References.-- Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``James T. Broyhill Post Office
Building''.

____________________