2144: CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE February 14, 1983

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES-Monday, February 14, 1983 The House met a 12 o'clock noon. The Chaplain, Rev. James David

Ford, D.D., offered the following prayer:

0 God, You have promised that wherever we are Your spirit is with us and Your love surrounds us. As the Psalmist tells, Your presence is with us always-in the mountain heights or the farthest oceans, at our moments of seeking after goodness to the times when we miss the mark and turn our face from Your light. We thank You, 0 God, that Your spirit is ever with us-encouraging, forgiving, sustaining, and giving us inward peace. For these and all Your manifold gifts, we offer this our prayer of thanksgiving. Amen.

THE JOURNAL The SPEAKER. The Chair has ex­

amined the Journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the House his approval thereof.

Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

REMOVAL OF NAME OF MEMBER AS COSPONSOR OF H.R. 918

Mr. SMITH of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 918.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida?

There was no objection.

DANGERS OF QUAALUDES <Mr. SMITH of Florida asked and

was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include extra­neous matter.>

Mr. SMITH of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on January 27, I introduced H.R. 1055, a bill which would move methaqua­lone-the chemical from which Quaa­ludes are made-from schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act to schedule I. The bill is similar to legis­lation that I drafted and helped pass last year in the Florida Legislature.

Quaaludes have become the most rapidly growing drug of choice for ado­lescents. According to south Florida medical experts, for instance, Quaa­ludes are quickly becoming a primary factor in automobile accidents, where their abuse alone or in combination with alcohol is estimated to cause nearly half of all traffic fatalities in­volving drivers between the ages of 15

and 44, as evidenced by the news arti­cle that I am attaching to the RECORD.

In Florida, the availability of Quaa­ludes became a major health problem. Teenagers would go to so-called stress clinics and receive prescriptions for Quaaludes. They would keep some of the pills for themselves and sell the re­mainder. When their supplies were ex­hausted, they would visit another clinic and receive another prescription. As a schedule II drug, methaqualone can be dispensed by prescription. By putting this substance in schedule I, we will be able to prevent this practice and force the removal of Quaaludes from pharmacies.

As long as Quaaludes are available in other States, we will not be able to curb entirely the abuse of this drug. Only national legislation-such as H.R. 1055-can accomplish this worthy goal.

The news article follows: [From the Miami Herald, Feb. 4, 19831

TRAFFIC DEATHS ARE TRACED TO QUAALUDES

<By Steve Sternberg> Most victims of Quaalude abuse die in ac­

cidents, not from overdoses of the drug, a Dade County medical examiner reported Friday in the Journal of the American Med­ical Association.

Dr. Charles V. Wetli, deputy chief medical examiner, reported that an 11-year review of 246 Quaalude-linked fatalities in Dade County suggests the number of accidental deaths caused by abuse of the sleeping pill is soaring.

In 1971, Wetli said, autopsies revealed the presence of the drug methaqualone hydro­chloride in the blood or tissues of two vic­tims.

Seventy such deaths were recorded in 1981, he said.

The most striking finding of the study is that one-third of the drug's victims died on the highways, Wetli said in an interview.

"The main thing that I'm trying to get across is that we have to look for more than just alcohol in automobile accidents," he said. "People are taking two or three drugs, combining methaqualone with something else-cocaine or alcohol-and then trying to function. That's when they get into trou­ble."

The rise and fall in the annual number of methaqualone deaths appears to be linked to the drug's availability, Wetli said.

In 1973, when methaqualone was cheap and could easily be obtained by prescription, autopsies revealed 17 drug-related deaths. One year later, after methaqualone was re­classified as a controlled substance, nine deaths were linked to the drug.

The alarming number of deaths in 1981, Wetli said, "coincides with ... large-scale smuggling operations of counterfeit metha­qualone tablets from South America."

Adding to the "street supply," he said, were "sham 'stress' clinics that readily pro­vide prescriptions for methaqualone with virtually no legitimate medical indication."

Wetli said preliminary research shows only 38 methaqualone-linked deaths in 1982. The sharp decrease coincides with federal efforts to curtail smuggling and local efforts to shut down stress clinics, he said.

More than three-fourths of the 246 deaths occurred after 1977 and resulted from inju­ries, or trauma. Drug overdose accounted for only 27 per cent, the study indicates.

"The number of traumatic suicides sky­rocketed," Wetli said. "It's very much like alcohol. In a heated argument with a boy­friend, the girl friend runs into a room, grabs a gun and shoots herself in the head.

"There were 19 cases of traumatic suicides from 1971 to 1980," he said. "Then there were 19 cases in 1981 alone. That to me is absolutely amazing."

WOMEN AND THE BUDGET <Mrs. SCHROEDER asked and was

given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.>

Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, last week the Women's Research and Education Institute of the Congres­sional Caucus for Women's Issues issued an alert on President Reagan's 1984 budget.

It was quite similar to the Institute's analysis of the 1983 budget-women and children come out on the short end of the stick.

In fiscal year 1984, the Reagan ad­ministration proposes a Federal spend­ing freeze that would hold Federal outlays for 1984 at the 1983 level, with a 5-percent inflation factor built in. This freeze translates into further cuts in spending in domestic programs, which means women, particularly poor women with children, are out in the cold.

I was happy to see the Republican women also mention the Reagan budg­et's disproportionate effect on women. I think after you read the WREI report, which I will insert in today's Extensions of Remarks, you will un­derstand why the budget cuts are be­coming an important bipartisan women's issue.

AND THE PRESIDENT WONDERS WHY PEOPLE THINK HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE POOR The SPEAKER. Under a previous

order of the House, the gentleman from California <Mr. STARK) is recog­nized for 5 minutes. e Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, my Sub­committee on Public Assistance and Unemployment Compensation is work­ing on a plan to provide emergency aid

D This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., 0 1407 is 2:07 p.m.

• This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor.

February 14, 1983 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE 2145 to the homeless. At the same time other committees and the leadership of this body are developing the ele­ments of a broad program of humani­tarian and jobs assistance to the vic­tims of this severe economic recession. I find it ironic that at this time of eco­nomic crisis the administration is once again proposing in its 1984 budget to eliminate the community services pro­gram.

I would like the administration to explain to me and to this Congress how it can say it cares about the misery of the unemployed and home­less when it refuses to fund the very programs that are targeted for these unfortunate Americans. Specifically, how can the administration justify merging the community services block grant with the social services block grant and reducing the combined funding by $292 million-and still say it cares about the 12 million unem­ployed in this country and the 2 mil­lion homeless?

Mr. Speaker, the Nation's 932 com­munity action agencies-which are the primary local recipients of community services block grant funds-are some of the very few federally assisted local agencies which have historically been able to bridge the wide gaps between Federal, State, and local assistance and have effectively coordinated public, private, and voluntary aid ef­forts for the hungry, the cold, the homeless, and the jobless.

For the past 3 years this administra­tion has attempted to phase out the community services program. Congress has blocked these attempts and, in fiscal year 1983, provided level funding of $360.5 million for the program. This year, the President's budget has rec­ommended merging the community services block grant with the social services block grant, as I have stated.

I want to remind my colleagues that it has been the community action pro­grams which have developed and im­plemented one of our most important and successful Federal emergency as­sistance programs and the community food and nutrition programs of many years ago. More recently, we can all re­member the energy crisis intervention programs which began in 1976 and 1977. These programs provided emer­gency food, emergency shelter, and emergency heat to those in crisis, par­ticulary the elderly, who had little or no access to complicated and inflexible public welfare programs. I also want to remind my colleagues that during the fuel assistance debates of 1976-77 the Federal agencies were unable to tell us who was in need, where they were, and in what numbers.

It was the local community action agencies and their national organiza­tions which came forward and in­formed us of the scope of the need and how best to meet that need quickly and efficiently. I find it quite disturb-

ing that once again this year the exec­utive agencies are unable to tell us who is hungry and homeless, where they are, and in what numbers. Once again we have had to rely on the sometimes anecdotal testimony of State and local and private agencies and officials to piece together the scope of need across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I think it should be clear that it would be bad public policy-particularly at this time of crisis-to agree to the administration's request for elimination of the commu­nity services program. I hope my col­leagues on the Budget and Appropria­tions Committees will insure that no less than the current level of $360.5 million is provided for the community services block grant in fiscal year 1984 .•

SPECIAL ORDERS GRANTED By unanimous consent, permission

to address the House, following the legislative program and any special orders heretofore entered, was granted to:

<The following Members <at the re­quest of Mr. SMITH of Florida> to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material:>

Mr. GONZALEZ, for 5 minutes, today. Mr. STARK, for 5 minutes, today. Mr. ANNuNzro, for 5 minutes, today.

EXTENSION OF REMARKS By unanimous consent, permission

to revise and extend remarks was granted to:

<The following Members <at the re­quest of Mr. BILIRAKIS) and to include extraneous matter:>

Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. GINGRICH. <The following Members <at the re­

quest of Mr. SMITH of Florida> and to include extraneous matter:>

Mr. PEPPER.

Mr. RODINO in two instances. Mr. SIKORSKI. Mr. MORRISON of Connecticut. Mr. SMITH of Florida. Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. MARKEY. Mr. FLORIO in two instances. Mr. SKELTON in two instances. Mr. DASCHLE in two instances. Mr. ANDERSON in 10 instances. Mr. GONZALEZ in 10 instances. Mr. BROWN of California in 10 in­

stances. Mr. ANNUNZIO in six instances. Mr. JONES of Tennessee in 10 in­

stances. Mr. BONER of Tennessee in five in­

stances. Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. SISISKY.

ADJOURNMENT Mr. SMITH of Florida. Mr. Speaker,

I move that the House do now ad­journ.

The motion was agreed to; accord­ingly <at 12 o'clock and 8 minutes p.m.), the House adjourned until to­morrow, Tuesday, February 15, 1983, at 12 o'clock noon.

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, ETC.

Under clause 2 of the rule XXIV, ex­ecutive communications were taken from the Speaker's table and referred as follows:

337. A letter from the Secretary of Agri­culture, transmitting a draft of proposed legislation to repeal the mandatory honey price support program, and for other pur­poses; to the Committee on Agriculture.

338. A letter from the Director, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, transmitting a cumulative report on recissions and deferrals of budget authority as of February 1, 1983, pursuant to section 1014<e> of Public Law 93-344 <H. Doc. No. 98-18>; to the Committee on Ap­propriations and ordered to be printed.

339. A letter from the General Counsel, Department of Defense, transmitting a draft of proposed legislation to authorize certain construction at military installations for fiscal year 1984, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.

340. A letter from the President and Chairman, Export-Import Bank of the United States, transmitting a report on loan, guarantee, and insurance transactions supported by Eximbank during December 1982 to Communist countries; to the Com­mittee on Banking, Financing and Urban Affairs.

341. A letter from the General Counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency, transmitting a draft of proposed legislation to amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, to extend certain au­thorities thereunder, and for other pur­poses; to the Committee on Banking, Fi­nance and Urban Affairs.

342. A letter from the Secretary of Health and Human Services, transmitting a report on the Department's immunization program and goal of eliminating indigenous measles transmission; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

343. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations, Department of State, transmitting notice of the proposed issuance of a license for the export of cer­tain defense equipment sold commercially to the Philippines <Transmittal No. MC-4-83>, pursuant to section 36<c> of the Arms Export Control Act; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

344. A letter from the Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations, trans­mitting a report of political contributions of Ambassador-designate James R. Bullington, and members of his family, pursuant to sec­tion 304Cb><2> of Public Law 96-465; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

345. A letter from the Comptroller, De­partment of State, transmitting the quarter­ly report as of December 31, 1982, on the programing and obligation of international narcotics control funds, pursuant to section 481 of the Foreign Assistance Act; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

2146 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE February 14, 1983 346. A letter from the Director, Adminis­

trative Office of the United States Courts, transmitting draft of proposed legislation to reorganize the court system for cases and proceedings under the bankruptcy laws, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

347. A letter from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, trans­mitting a draft of proposed legislation to amend the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970; to the Committee on Public Works and Transportation.

348. A letter from the Administrator, Vet­erans' Administration, transmitting a draft of proposed legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to repeal the authority for eligible veterans and eligible spouses to pursue correspondence training, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veter­ans' Affairs.

349. A letter from the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a draft of pro­posed legislation to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to accept gifts and bequests for the purposes of the Department of the Treasury, and for other purposes; jointly, to the Committees on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs and Ways and Means.

350. A letter from the Under Secretary of State for Management, transmitting the second annual report on implementation of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, pursuant to sections 2402 (a) and <c> of Public Law 96-465; jointly, to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Post Office and Civil Service.

351. A letter from the Under Secretary of State for Management, transmitting the second annual report on implementation of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, pursuant to section 2402<a><4> of Public Law 96-465; jointly, to the Committees on Foreign Af­fairs and Post Office and Civil Service.

PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

Under clause 5 of rule X and clause 4 of rule XXII, public bills and resolu-

tions were introduced and severally re­f erred as follows:

By Mr. DASCHLE: H.R. 1429. A bill to amend the Social Se­

curity Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to make certain reforms in the old­age, survivors, and disability insurance pro­gram, and for other purposes; to the Com­mittee on Ways and Means.

By Mr. GOODLING: H.R. 1430. A bill to amend the Internal

Revenue Code of 1954 to reduce the amount of foreign earned income which is excluda­ble from gross income; to the Committee on Ways and Means.

By Mr. PEPPER: H.R. 1431. A bill to amend the Emergency

Homeowners' Relief Act to require the Sec­retary of Housing and Urban Development to provide emergency mortgage assistance under such act whenever the rate of mort­gage delinquencies reaches a specified level, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs.

By Mr. HAWKINS: H. Res. 81. Resolution providing amounts

from the contingent fund of the House for expenses of investigations and studies by the Committee on House Administration in the 1st session of the 98th Congress; to the Committee on House Administration.

By Mr. HOW ARD <for himself and Mr. SNYDER):

H. Res. 82. Resolution providing amounts from the contingent fund of the House for expenses of investigations and studies by the Committee on Public Works and Trans­portation in the 1st session of the 98th Con­gress; to the Committee on House Adminis­tration.

ADDITIONAL SPONSORS Under clause 4 of rule XXII, spon­

sors were added to public bills and res­olutions as follows:

H.R. 1015: Mr. MAVROULES, Mr. GRAY, Mr. CROCKE'IT, and Mr. ZABLOCKI.

H.R. 1016: Ms. OAKAR, Mr. GRAY, Mr. CROCKE'IT, and Mr. ZABLOCKI.

H.R. 1092: Mr. BENNETT, Mr. FORSYTHE, Mr. HALL of Ohio, Mr. LAFALCE, Mr. PRICE, Mr. WILLIAMS of Montana, and Mr. WON PAT.

H.R. 1181: Mrs. BOXER. H.R. 1245: Mr. DWYER of New Jersey, Mr.

BOLAND, Mr. STOKES, Mr. TALLON, Mr. WEISS, Mr. YouNG of Missouri, Mr. RATCH­FORD, and Mr. HORTON.

H.J. Res. 58: Mr. SUNIA, Mrs. HALL of Indi­ana, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. DELLUMS, Mrs. COLLINS, Mr. HOYER, Mr. Russo, and Mr. GRAY.

H. Con. Res. 39: Mr. BERMAN, Mr. GUAR­INI, Mr. RICHARDSON, Mr. PORTER, Mr. KosT­MAYER, Mr. BROWN of California, Mr. MAV­ROULES, Mr. LEvINE of California, Mr. JEF­FORDS, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. CROCKE'IT, Mr. CORRADA, and Mr. CHANDLER.

DELETIONS OF SPONSORS FROM PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLU­TIONS

Under clause 4 of rule XXII, spon­sors were deleted from public bills and resolutions as follows:

H.R. 918: Mr. SMITH of Florida.

PETITIONS, ETC. Under clause 1 of rule XXII, peti­

tions and papers were laid on the Clerk's desk and ref erred as follows:

26. By the SPEAKER: Petition of Patriot­ic Order Sons of America, Philadelphia, Pa., relative to American traditions; to the Com­mittee on the Judiciary.

27. Also, petition of C. R. Lyngaas, et al., Mauston, Wis., relative to salaries; to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.

28. Also, petition of Marian Zabrockas, et al., New Lisbon, Wis., relative to the con­gressional wage increase; to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.