[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 124 (Tuesday, October 5, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H8138-H8139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[[Page H8138]]
AMENDING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ORGANIC ACT OF 1944 TO ENSURE
THAT DEPENDENTS OF EMPLOYEES OF THE FOREST SERVICE STATIONED IN PUERTO
RICO RECEIVE HIGH-QUALITY ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5042) to amend the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of
1944 to ensure that the dependents of employees of the Forest Service
stationed in Puerto Rico receive a high-quality elementary and
secondary education.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 5042
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO COVER EXPENSES OF PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY SCHOOLING OF DEPENDENTS OF FOREST
SERVICE PERSONNEL IN PUERTO RICO.
Section 202 of the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of
1944 (16 U.S.C. 554b) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(a) Provision of Medical Care; Related
Transportation.--'' before ``Appropriations for the Forest
Service''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(b) Coverage of Dependent Educational Expenses in Puerto
Rico; Related Transportation.--(1) Appropriations for the
Forest Service shall be available to the Secretary of
Agriculture to cover the cost of primary and secondary
schooling of dependents of Forest Service personnel, who are
stationed in Puerto Rico and are subject to transfer and
reassignment to other locations in the United States, but not
to exceed the costs authorized by the Department of Defense
for the same area for dependents of members of the Armed
Forces, when it is determined by the Secretary that the
schools available in the area of Puerto Rico in which the
dependents reside are unable to provide adequately for the
education of the dependents.
``(2) If the Secretary determines that the school attended
by a dependent described in paragraph (1) is not accessible
by public means of transportation on a regular basis, the
Secretary may provide, out of funds appropriated for the
Forest Service, for the transportation of the dependent
between the school and the place of residence of the
dependent.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr.
Pomeroy) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5042, introduced by the
gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Acevedo-Vila).
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5042 amends the Department's Organic Act to allow
the Secretary of Agriculture to cover tuition and transportation costs
for dependents of Forest Service employees in Puerto Rico.
When the U.S. Naval Base at Roosevelt Roads closed its school,
several Forest Service employees lost the only nearby English language
school available to their children. H.R. 5042 would allow the
Department of Agriculture to reimburse tuition and transportation costs
for these employees' dependents. Currently, several other Federal
agencies, including the FAA, Department of Justice, and the Coast
Guard, have made use of this authority for their employees assigned to
Puerto Rico.
The bill should have minimal fiscal impact, as USDA was reimbursing
the Department of Defense for the use of their school at the same rate
authorized in this bill.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 2015
Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want the record once again to reflect that I am
standing in for the ranking member, the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Stenholm) as he appears in the Committee on Rules arguing for
consideration of an amendment that would allow the House to express its
support for disaster relief for farmers similar to what was passed
earlier by the Senate; $3 billion for disaster relief for farmers was
an amount established in the Senate consideration on this matter.
Certainly, it was not all that some wanted, but it was viewed as a
substantive response to the disaster need to our farmers.
It troubles me that some in the House are talking about no response,
talking about doing whatever is necessary for Florida, by the way, I
stand in strong support for a response of Florida, but leaving behind
the losses faced in other agriculture production areas.
We all have to stand together, and the production loss of my farmers
is just as devastating, albeit from other causes than hurricane losses,
as the hurricane losses have been to the farmers in southern Florida.
Therefore, I wish the ranking member well in his testimony to the
Committee on Rules. We will fully engage this debate tomorrow, but I
want the record to reflect that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm)
in my opinion is clearly advancing the interest of farmers tonight as
he testifies to the Committee on Rules in favor of his disaster
legislation, legislation supported by both Republicans and Democrats
representing hard-hit areas of production agriculture.
That said, I will now read from the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Stenholm's) statements on behalf of H.R. 5042: ``Mr. Speaker, I rise in
support of H.R. 5042, and I thank the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr.
Acevedo-Vila) for bringing this issue before the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture.
``Until recently, 11 dependents of the Forest Service employees
stationed in Puerto Rico attended the DOD Educational Authority schools
at the Naval Station Roosevelt Road. However, this naval station closed
earlier this year at the direction of Congress. As a result, Federal
Forest Service employees assigned to Puerto Rico are faced with limited
choices and opportunities for their children's education. This could
lead to loss of qualified staff of the Forest Service willing to work
in Puerto Rico.
``While other Federal agencies have authority to reimburse their
staff for educational expenses incurred by their dependents while
assigned to Puerto Rico, the Forest Service has no similar
authorization. This legislation, which is supported by the Forest
Service, will simply employ authorization to the Forest Service to
reimburse its staff for educational expenses incurred by their
dependents when assigned to Puerto Rico.
``I encourage Members to support this simple but fair legislative
solution.''
Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5042.
This legislation is an important step to provide access to stable and
quality education for the dependents of our federal employees who are
assigned to Puerto Rico. This is a non-controversial bill that will
allow the dependents of USDA Forest Service employees to receive
convenient, reliable and high quality education when assigned to Puerto
Rico.
Until Naval Station Roosevelt Road's closure earlier this year,
dependents of Forest Service employees who work at both the Caribbean
National Forest and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry
(IITF) had attended the DOD Educational Authority (DODEA) schools at
NSRR, and the Forest Service reimbursed DODEA for the expense of
educating its staff's dependents.
The closest DODEA school, at Fort Buchanan, is approximately a 1 to
1\1/2\ hour commute each way from their previous school, and therefore
is not a convenient or suitable alternative. Most of the classes taught
in Puerto Rico's public schools are in Spanish, and are not acceptable
alternatives to English-based education for these federal employee
dependents. Private schools, while close by, are an expensive cost to
federal employees, and though other federal agencies, such as the U.S.
Coast Guard, the Department of Justice, the Federal Aviation
Administration and others have authority to reimburse their staff for
educational expenses incurred by their dependents at private schools
while assigned to Puerto Rico, the Forest Service has no similar
authorization.
As a result, federal Forest Service employees assigned to Puerto Rico
are faced with limited choices and opportunities for the continuing
education of their dependents. This legislation will simply provide
authorization to the Forest Service to reimburse its staff for
educational expenses incurred by their dependents' when assigned to
Puerto Rico.
This bill is budget neutral, as it caps the Forest Service's
reimbursement authority to not exceed the per-child amount previously
reimbursed to the DODEA. The Forest Service supports this legislation.
I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to vote yes on this
important fix to
[[Page H8139]]
allow the dependents of federal employees working for the Forest
Service to receive the highest educational experience.
In closing, I would like to thank Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob
Goodlatte, ranking member Charles Stenholm, and the committee staff of
their assistance in quickly sheparding this bill through their
committee and to the floor. I appreciate their help in addressing this
important measure.
I urge my fellow members to support this measure, and to ensure that
the dependents of our dedicated and professional Forest Service
employees in Puerto Rico maintain convenient access to quality
education.
Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Murphy). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5042.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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