I.  Regional and National Economic Growth.

A.  Year 2000 Fairness and Responsibility Act.  I was the lead Democratic sponsor of the Y2K Liability Act, which is one of the few significant bills - other than normal appropriations - that was signed into law this year.  The law establishes a legal framework for more efficient handling of legal claims arising at the end of the year, when computers might have problems handling the date change from 1999 to 2000.  Among other things, the law seeks to encourage out-of-state settlements of Y2K problems and limit the legal exposure companies face.  As The Wall Street Journal recently stated, this is one time where Congress actually dealt with a matter proactively.

This law will allow the high-technology firms that are driving our national economic expansion in Northern Virginia and throughout the United States to focus on what they do best - find innovative solutions to problems - and allow them to use their capital for improving their businesses instead of hiring lawyers to answer lawsuits.  Some experts have estimated the litigation costs associated with the Y2K problem could exceed $1 trillion.  The American people will be better served by fixing the problem at a fraction of that cost instead of litigating for years.

The law, whose chief Republican sponsor was Congressman Tom Davis of Northern Virginia, will protect business owners who make good faith efforts to become Y2K compliant from liability by limiting punitive damages recoveries and holding parties accountable only for their proportional fault.  The bill also makes it easier for small businesses to get access to funds they need to ensure their readiness for the year 2000 by allowing them to borrow up to $50,000 through the Small Business Administration.

I successfully sponsored an amendment to the bill that exempted all personal injury claims and cross claims from the legislation.  This compromise amendment helped pave the way for final passage of the bill and was named by the administration as a key reason for the President's ultimate support of the legislation.
 

B.  Bankruptcy Reform.   I was an original co-sponsor of The Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1999 which passed the House of Representatives with wide bi-partisan support on May 5, 1999.
This legislation would fundamentally reform the Bankruptcy Code by creating a fair, needs-based system.  Those who truly cannot repay their debts would be able to use the complete Chapter 7 liquidation provisions.  Those who can repay a significant amount of their debts would be required to file under Chapter 13 and work out a repayment plan.  The legislation would correct the flaw in the bankruptcy system that encourages bankruptcies of convenience, while protecting the ability of people with legitimate financial needs to obtain a fresh start.

I successfully sponsored two major consumer amendments to the legislation when it was on the Floor. The first would create  a "Debtors Bill of Rights" aimed at curbing abuses by so- called "bankruptcy mills," which advertise themselves as debt counseling organizations or government-sanctioned sources of assistance for consumers having difficulties meeting debt repayments.  The legislation would require debt relief organizations and bankruptcy mills to make disclosures to consumer debtors about the nature, costs, and consequences of their services, and would outlaw deceptive and fraudulent advertising practices.

My second amendment would require credit card companies to make clear disclosures that would inform consumers on every billing statement that making only the minimum payment each month will increase the amount of interest paid, and the length of time it takes to repay the balance on the account.  Many consumers believe they are doing the right thing by making the minimum payment on their credit card every month.  While this may meet their legal obligation, it makes their financial situation more difficult.  Consumers should understand the consequences of their financial decisions.

C.  Class Action Litigation Reform.   I was an original co-sponsor of the Interstate Class Action Jurisdiction Act that passed the House of Representatives in September.  This legislation is designed to crack down on frivolous and abusive class action litigation  It is my hope that the Senate will soon pass a similar bill and that the President will sign this much needed procedural fix to our nation's civil procedure laws.

This legislation is needed to address the recent explosion of nationwide class action filings in state courts.  Opportunistic plaintiffs' lawyers race to state courts hoping to find ones with lax class certification standards.  Often, nationwide class actions are decided in a locale that has virtually no connection to the suit.  Individual plaintiffs often find themselves trapped in a suit they know nothing about, while the economic realities of defending such suits force defendants to settle cases regardless of their merits.  The plaintiffs' lawyers often pocket millions in fees while their "clients" each receive only pennies or a coupon in compensation.

The Interstate Class Action Jurisdiction Act would sensibly correct this problem by amending the federal diversity and removal statutes to enable these cases to be heard in the forum best equipped for handling complex multi-state and multi-party litigation with national impact.

D.  Budget Committee.  In January, I was appointed to the House Budget Committee, which is an excellent position from which to advocate a continuation of the sensible, fiscally prudent policies that I believe have spurred our current economic expansion.  In this new era of budget surpluses, it is extremely tempting to forgo the restraint which has helped balance the federal budget and spur economic growth.  This year, the Republican leadership of the House  approved a five-year $726 billion tax cut that I strongly opposed as a member of the House Budget Committee.  The Republican plan used virtually all of the on-budget surplus for tax cuts that would primarily benefit the wealthy.  I voted for a budget that would have used at least half of all projected surplus dollars to pay down the national debt.  Paying down the national debt reduces interest costs to all Americans and frees up capital for private sector investment, thus spurring economic growth.  Although the final appropriations bills signed by the President were far from perfect, the budget will enable us to pay down the national debt by more than we have done at any point in history.

E.  Legislation Sponsored to Address High Technology Workforce Shortage.  According to reports by the Department of Commerce and the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), there are still more than 340,000 unfilled positions in the high technology sector.  Moreover, the Department of Labor has projected that the U.S. economy will require 130,000 information technology jobs in three fields — computer scientists, engineers, and systems analysts — every year for the next ten years.  The impact of the workforce shortage is particularly severe in Northern Virginia.

I have introduced a package of four bills to address this problem.  The first (H.R. 201) would establish regional private industry councils for labor market areas that are located in more than one state, thus permitting the Washington area to develop a regional approach to workforce shortage problems.  The second (H.R. 203) would authorize payment of incentive bonuses to certain job training providers that place large percentages of individuals in occupations for which a high demand exists.  The third (H.R. 733) would establish Regional Skills Alliances (RSAs).  RSAs are industry-led, public-private partnerships in which employers and public agencies, and sometimes educational institutions and labor unions, pool their resources to identify and train workers for region-wide job opportunities.  RSAs are a demand-side initiative that catalyze firms in industries to play a greater direct role in developing skills that they and their regions need.   The fourth (H.R. 838) offers incentives, in the form of tax credits, to businesses who take-on the burden of training their workforce.  A credit of 20 to 25 percent of training expenses up to
$6,000 per employee will provide a real incentive to businesses and will ensure that those who will benefit the most from a highly skilled workforce are in a position to identify those skills which are needed and design and implement training programs.

These bills have not been enacted, but they are having a very real impact on the way our government addresses workforce shortage problems.  For example, the Department of Labor has substantially modified some of its training programs after the RSA model.  I am hopeful that the President will embrace these proposals as he prepares his final budget.

F.  Potomac River Dredging Approved.  The House Appropriations Committee approved my request for more than $2 million to perform critically-needed dredging of the Potomac River Channel.  Under the bill, $660,000 will be available to dredge the Potomac River at Alexandria and $985,000 to dredge the Potomac River below Washington, D.C.  These projects were authorized under the River and Harbor Act of 1910 and 1899, respectively.  The last maintenance dredging of these channels occurred in the 1960s, making these dredging projects long overdue.  Silting has severely compromised navigability for deep draft ships, forcing many commercial ships to schedule sailing with high tide and reducing the efficiency of the channels and harbor.

In addition, the bill contains $400,000 to dredge from the Potomac River channel to the Mount Vernon wharf.  Mount Vernon remains one of the region's largest tourist attractions.  An increasing number of visitors arriving by river are hampered by silting that has made portions of the channel unnavigable during low tides.

G.  Patent and Trademark Office to Remain in Northern Virginia.  After a lengthy evaluation process, the General Services Administration announced in June it had selected the Carlyle site in Alexandria as the new location for the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  One of my priorities has been to ensure that the PTO's consolidated facilities remain in Northern Virginia and be accessible by public transit for the nearly 7,000 PTO employees and users of this government agency.  This goal has now been achieved.  The new Alexandria site calls for nearly two million square feet of space within five connected buildings that will be within walking distance of the Eisenhower Avenue and King Street Metro stations, as well as a 3,500-car parking facility.  LCOR Alexandria, LLC, chosen to develop about two million square feet of office and related space for PTO on the site, was determined to offer the best overall value because it had the highest technical proposal and lowest price.
 
 

II.  National Defense, Military Personnel, and Civil Service Issues

A.  Appointment to the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.  In January, I was appointed to the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which is responsible for funding almost $270 billion worth of programs, ranging from new weapon systems to personnel accounts.  With numerous Defense Department agencies and approximately 47,000 military and civilian personnel who live and/or reside in the Eighth Congressional district, this assignment is particularly important to Northern Virginia.  During 1999, I was instrumental in securing funds for several important defense initiatives that are based locally.

Examples of these local initiatives include $7 million for the Army's Land Information Warfare Activity (LIWA) Information Dominance Center at Ft. Belvoir;  $12 million to enable George Mason University to continue its work in state-of-the-art information security; and a $3 million increase for the Navy's Collaborative Integrated Information Technology Initiative (NAVCIITI), a partnership with Virginia Tech to develop a state-of-the-art system for improving the Navy's capabilities in education, information dissemination, simulation, and integrated services training.  Virginia Tech's Alexandria Research Institute is participating in the early stages of this research.

I was also pleased to secure $5 million for completion of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial located in Arlington National Cemetery.  The Memorial is the nation's only major memorial to honor and pay tribute to America's nearly 2 million women who have served in defense of the nation beginning with the American Revolution.
 
 In addition to funding procurement, operations and maintenance, and research and development programs, this legislation makes a number of critical investments to our nation's armed forces, including a 4.8 percent pay increase for military personnel, an additional $399 million to support DOD's recruiting and retention efforts, $233 million for DOD's computer security program, and $36 million toward a multi-agency program to develop a next-generation internet.

In a related matter, I requested funding in the FY2000 Military Construction Appropriations bill for several crucial base construction projects in the Eighth Congressional District, including $1.7 million for a fire station at Ft. Belvoir; $2.15 million for a military police station at Ft. Belvoir; and $2.9 million for a public safety center at Ft. Myer.  These projects will upgrade vital base operations that have been housed in aging facilities.

B.  Update on FEHBP for Military Retirees. I have been an ardent supporter of expanding health care options to our nation's military retirees.  On January 6, 1999, I sponsored the Health Care Commitment Act, H.R. 205, to permit covered beneficiaries under the  military health care system who are also entitled to Medicare to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).  This legislation will expand a demonstration program that was established by legislative language that I offered to the FY1999 National Defense Authorization Act.  During consideration of this Act, the House of Representatives, on May 20, 1998, voted 420-1 in favor of my amendment to establish a demonstration program to allow Medicare-eligible military retirees to join the Federal Health Benefits Program.

The language authorizing the FEHBP Demonstration Project permits enrollment of up to 66,000 Medicare eligible military beneficiaries at eight selected demonstration sites.  Effective January 2000, the demonstration program will run for three years and be fully analyzed by the Department of Defense, the Office of Personnel Management, and the General Accounting Office when concluded.  According to the Civil Service Subcommittee, late this summer the Defense Department sent postcards and brochures to eligible enrollees at the eight selected demonstration sites.  The open season begins on November 8 and runs through December 13, with coverage effective January 2000.  In an ongoing effort to promote this program, I testified before the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Civil Service on June 30 to support the continued expansion of the FEHBP demonstration project for military retirees.

C.  Legislation to Designate Fort Belvoir as Museum.  On May 24, 1999, I introduced H.R. 1912, the National Museum of the United States Army Site Act of 1999.  This bill is a companion measure to S. 1064, offered by Senator Thurmond, which would designate Ft. Belvoir as the site for a National Army Museum.  Reps. Davis and Wolf are cosponsors of H.R. 1912.  The Secretary of the Army is still reviewing sites to locate a national Army museum somewhere in the metropolitan Washington area.  More than 60 sites have been considered, including a GSA site in Southeast Federal Center in Washington, DC; the Twin Bridges site in Arlington; and the Ft. Belvoir location.  The proposed 48-acre site for the National Army Museum at Fort Belvoir would be an excellent complement to many nearby historic tourist destinations, including George Washington's Mt. Vernon estate.  Community supporters of the Ft. Belvoir site have organized a task force to develop a strategic plan to secure the designation.

D. Civil Service.  As a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, I sponsored an Amendment which ensured that civilian federal employees receive an average pay adjustment which is on par with the military.  Consequently, federal employees will receive an average pay adjustment of 4.8 percent, the largest increase in many years.  While we still have a long way to go before federal employees are paid at a level comparable to equivalent private sector employees, this pay adjustment represents real progress.

Similarly, I intervened during the consideration of the budget this fall with Speaker Hastert to ensure that any cut to the salaries of Members of Congress did not adversely affect those whose salaries are tied to or capped by Members' pay, such as Senior Executive Service personnel and federal judges.  No federal employee should have his or her salary adjustments determined by the political decisions which determine whether Members of Congress receive a pay raise or cut.

I worked with Rep. Steny Hoyer to ensure that Library of Congress employees can take advantage of transit subsidies available to employees at most other government agencies.  Transit subsidies are available to employees who ride Metro trains and buses and have proven successful at increasing the use of mass transit.

III.  Improving Regional Transportation

A. Washington Regional Transportation Act.  One of the greatest impediments to this region's economic health and quality of life is traffic congestion.  To address what has become the second worst traffic congestion in the nation, I joined my House colleague Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and Senator Charles Robb  in introducing the "Metropolitan Washington Regional Transportation Act."  This legislation will help jump-start relief and ease congestion within the metropolitan Washington D.C. region.

Our bill, which has been endorsed by the Greater Washington Board of Trade, numerous local officials, and the American Automobile Association (AAA) empowers the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board with new powers as a federal corporation to help this region more effectively address its transportation needs.  This new corporation could accept revenues and issue debt to finance a consensus list of high priority transit and road projects specifically designed to bring traffic relief that otherwise would not be built with existing or anticipated funding schemes.  As an incentive to promote better regional cooperation, the legislation provides $60 million in matching federal grants.  The legislation also provides Congressional consent for the creation of regional transportation authority.
 
 

B. Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge .  The traffic congestion and four-hour delays caused by the November 4, 1998 suicide attempt on the bridge provided us with a glimpse of what one future may hold if there is no progress on a replacement bridge.  The traffic congestion caused by this suicide attempt wasn't just limited to the bridge and the Capital Beltway.  Major transportation arteries across the region already operating at overcapacity were simply overwhelmed by rush hour commuters seeking alternative routes home.  Delays as long as two to three hours were experienced as far away as Tysons Corner and Greenbelt.  And, in Alexandria, virtually all thru-streets were converted into parking lots.

This incident underscores the continuing importance of the speedy replacement of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge for our economy, quality of life and environment.  Following the approval by the 105th Congress of $900 million in federal highway for the bridge, my focus turned this year toward working with the City of Alexandria to address some of its concerns about the bridge design — concerns that could have resulted in additional litigation, and securing additional federal funds for the project.  In 1999, I am pleased that Secretary Slater expressed support for providing an additional $600 million in federal funds, which leaves us $400 million short of the project total.  This year, securing congressional approval of this additional money will be a priority.

C.  Transportation Appropriations in 1999. Through the regular appropriations process, I was also able to secure federal funding for several transportation related projects designed to reduce traffic congestion and make our Metro and mass transit systems more user friendly:

$5 million for Federal Highway Administration in cooperation with the District Department of Public Works, the Virginia Department of Transportation and the National Park Service, to complete all design and National Environmental Policy Act requirements on the construction of additional lane capacity on the 14th Street Bridge.  This bridge is plagued with significant traffic congestion and delays during both the morning and evening rush hours with traffic growth projected to grow by more than 10 percent annually once construction begins on the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge.  Work needs to commence now to redesign the bridge to accommodate an additional lane in each direction to ensure that it can handle current and future traffic demands.

$1.5 million for the City of Alexandria to build a Transit Center at the Alexandria Union Station.  The City of Alexandria is trying to build a Transit Center at the Alexandria Union Station to prepare for the significant increase in transit demand anticipated from the scheduled reconstruction of the Springfield Interchange and the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge.   The Transit Center, which would be located adjacent to Amtrak, Metro and Commuter Rail services, would serve as both a major hub for expanded bus service as well as an information center to  coordinate and maximize transit use.
 
  $500,000 million for Arlington County to improve pedestrian and bicycle access across Rosslyn circle to the Rosslyn Metro Station.  Crossing this circle is not only a hazard to users of the popular Custis Trail, but also to patrons of bus and rail from Georgetown and the Arlington Palisades.
 
  $350,000 for Fairfax County to construct six bus shelters, bike lockers at park and ride transit gathering areas, an information kiosk, and improvements in overhead and street lighting for the Springfield circular bus service.

$300,000 for the George Mason University and the Virginia Department of Transportation to develop and use advanced signalization technology to improve traffic flow and alleviate congestion caused by two multi-year, billion dollar construction projects:  replacement of the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge and reconfiguration of the Springfield interchange.

D.  Plan to Increase Flights at National Airport Opposed.  Congress came very close this year to adopting legislation to increase the number of flights at National Airport.  I strongly opposed this legislation.   The current slot and perimeter rules that limit the operations at National Airport were part of a legislative compromise whereby the airports' users bore the cost of future airport improvements in return for limiting the total number of flight operations per hour and prohibits flights from traveling more than 1,250 miles from National before landing.

As part of legislation reauthorizing federal aviation programs, provisions being advanced by a number of western interests that want more frequent and more direct flights from the west to National.  By working with the other members of the Washington metropolitan members in the House, we were able to defeat efforts to weaken the perimeter rule and severely limit any increase in the total number of slots to a total of six additional flights per day.  The other slot controlled airports, Chicago's O'Hare, New York's LaGuardia and JFK airport did not fare as well.  Their slots would be completely phased out.  The Senate bill directs National to accept an additional 24 slots per day; half of these new slots would be exempt from the 1250 mile perimeter rule, permitting long distance, transcontinental flights at National for the first time.  I will continue to oppose additional flights and work to limit any increase in slots or a weakening of the perimeter rule at National.

E.  Noise Complaints Plague Mt. Vernon Area.  I have also been working to address growing reports of excessive aircraft noise in communities south of National Airport.  On two occasions, I hosted town meetings with local citizens inviting representatives from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to discuss current aircraft noise and flight path issues.  At these meetings, many concerns were answered, but many more must still be resolved.

One explanation became abundantly clear.   At the present, there is no noise abatement procedure for southern operations once flights travel beyond five miles from National Airport.  Air traffic controllers are free to turn airplanes off the Potomac at will and at no established elevation.  Flights traveling north from National Airport must follow noise abatement procedures for at least ten miles from National and in addition are prohibited from turning inland before the tenth mile is reached.

I am working with Fairfax County Supervisor Gerry Hyland on a resolution encouraging the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) to determine the cause of the recent noise problem and study the feasibility of extending the noise abatement procedure south of the airport from five to ten miles.  The study, however, might identify additional noise abatement procedures that could reduce the frequency of flights over any particular community and reduce the level of aircraft noise.  COG has agreed to undertake the first part of this study, pending identification of funds to hire outside aviation experts.  I am working on possible federal sources to finance the study.  I am also seeking federal funding sources to create an independent process for monitoring compliance with the current noise abatement procedures.  I hope these collective actions will have some positive impact and reduce the severity of noise and complaints that have been generated within recent months.
 
IV.  Housing, Community Development, and Education

A.  Borromeo Housing Foundation. The FY 2000 VA/HUD Appropriations Act included my request for $250,000 for the Borromeo Housing Foundation to establish a permanent "Second Chance Home" for unwed mothers.  The foundation has outgrown its present site and is searching for a permanent home in Arlington County.  This program has served as a successful bridge for women and their families who need intensive services and training to strengthen their capacity to be self-sufficient.

B.  Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless.  The Arlington/Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless (AACH) will receive $250,000 under a provision of the VA/HUD Appropriations Act to help purchase its current rental property at 932 North Highland Street in Arlington.  Unfortunately, the current owner, who has leased up to two-thirds of the building to AACH, is selling the property.  With no assurances that the new owner will renew the coalition's lease arrangement, AACH is seeking to raise the $600,000 needed to purchase and renovate the building, which houses its Community Resource Center and the bulk of its counseling, workshops and training programs.

C.  "This Way House" for At Risk Youth.  The House also approved $200,000 for the Campagna Center of Alexandria for its "This Way House" program.  This innovative program works with at-risk youth to strengthen families and create safe havens where children can flourish by providing shelter, intensive counseling, and supervision.  The program targets students who have been suspended and expelled from school, providing a safe and nurturing environment to youth who have potential to succeed, but all too often fall into the abyss of juvenile delinquency.  It is a unique and comprehensive service for youth ages 12-17 in our area who would otherwise be greatly under-served.

D.  Congressional Prevention Coalition.  In 1999, I continued as a co-chair of the Congressional Prevention Coalition (CPC) with a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of the House and Senate dedicated to spreading science based information about preventive health measures.  As a founding member and co-chair of the CPC, my co-chairs and I continued to try to educate Members of Congress, their staff and our constituencies about the importance of disease prevention and health promotion.  The effort seemed particularly salient this year as Congress struggled with reducing costs in the Medicare program and health care in general with managed care reform legislation.  The coalition held a briefing once a month and sent a newsletter to members about various prevention issues.  In educating members, our coalition hopes to encourage enactment of common sense legislation that incorporates life saving and money saving prevention philosophies into public health policy.

E.  1999 Annual Women's Conference.  This year's eighth annual Women's Conference provided women and their families with important information about strategies for living a long and healthy life.  The Conference keynote speaker, News 4 anchor Doreen Gentzler focused on the importance of early detection and screening in leading a healthy life.  Other speakers included afternoon keynote Dr. and Mrs. Gabe Merkin, author Dr. Theo Colburn, and Dr. Janet Collins, Assistant Director of the Nation Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.  Speakers provided  information on topics including planning for long term health care, caring for an aging loved one, and career strategies for young professionals.  Exhibitors also attend to provide information on local services and organizations.  More than 500 people attend the Conference annually.

F.  Support for Federally Impacted Schools.  As a member of the Impact Aid Coalition, I helped lead the fight to secure funding for the Impact Aid program in fiscal year 2000.  Because Northern Virginia has such a large concentration of military bases and service members, its schools lose an important base of funding in property taxes.  Accordingly, the federal government has traditionally provided additional funds to these "impacted" areas through the Impact Aid program.  Though the program has been a target in recent years of budget cuts, members of the Impact Aid coalition have banned together to attest to the importance of the program.  The efforts of the coalition have been successful in fiscal year 2000 in reversing cuts to the program of recent years.  The final funding in the Consolidated Appropriations bill included $911 million, $175 million above fiscal year 1999 and $47 million above the President's request.  I will continue to make this a priority in fiscal year 2000.

G.  Children's Hospice Demonstration Program.  More than one million children are seriously, chronically ill with progressive medical conditions, and of these 75,000 to 100,000 children die each year.  Like other critically ill people, these children and their families need appropriate support from the health care industry.  Unfortunately, there is currently an unmet need for these children and their families as a result of limitations in coverage and reimbursement for children's hospice-related care and services.  I have secured $1 million in the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2000 for Children's Hospice International in Alexandria to create a demonstration program to provide comprehensive support hospice services for terminally ill children and their families.
 

V.  Environment and Parks and Recreation.

A.  Upgrading of Local Bicycle Trails.  As a member of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, one of my highest priorities has been to upgrade and assure the proper maintenance of our bicycle and hiking trails, which provide great recreational opportunities for the people of Northern Virginia.  This year I am pleased that the Committee appropriated $400,000 to the National Park Service to build a new bridge on the George Washington Memorial Trail for bicycles and pedestrians.  The new bridge would be built adjacent to the "Humpback" bridge near Columbia Island Marina, enabling cyclists and hikers to avoid a very severe hazard of turning blindly on the three foot span between the bridge's concrete siding and parkway traffic traveling in excess of 45 miles per hour.

I am also pleased to report that we secured $100,000 for the National Park Service to conduct a feasibility study on extending the Mount Vernon Memorial Trail from Theodore Roosevelt Island north to the Capital Beltway.  The State of Maryland is currently studying options to add additional lanes to the American Legion Bridge including the option of building a pedestrian/bike across the Potomac River linking the C&O tow path and the McCarthur Boulevard bike trail to Virginia.

B.  Claude Moore Colonial Farm at Turkey Run Park in McLean.  In addition to funding for bike trails, the Committee also appropriated $65,000 for the Claude Moore Colonial Farm at Turkey Run Park to support and stimulate educational programs which foster public understanding and appreciation of the importance of agriculture in the development of American society.  The farm continues to face a period of financial stress that seriously challenge its resources.

Other highlights of the FY 2000 Interior Appropriations Bill include: $150,000 for the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program to support the operations of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.  This trail was the only one of fifteen national scenic and national historic trails approved by Congress; and $40,000 for the National Park Service to make improvements to Belle Haven Marina comfort station in Mount Vernon.

C.  Lorton Update.  Of  great importance to the Eighth Congressional District is the current management and scheduled closure of Lorton prison, which is currently set for January 1, 2002.   I have worked to ensure that the Department of Corrections and its trustee keep to this schedule and minimize any disruptions to Lorton or the Newington Forest communities arising from the continuing operation of the prison.  Following an incident earlier this year where Lorton residents received direct gunfire from the Lorton firing range, I worked with D.C. Police Chief Ramsey to close the firing range.

I have also worked with Fairfax County residents adjacent to Lorton, and private land owners on Mason Neck, on a land reuse plan and land exchange proposal guiding the future use of the 3,000-acre Lorton property.  This proposal provides Fairfax with a great opportunity to acquire additional land at a discounted price, redevelop the land consistent with the wishes of the county and the local residents, including provisions to set aside more than 90 acres for a new public elementary, middle and high school.  And, through an authorized land exchange, protect environmentally sensitive land on Mason Neck by creating a new interpretive center for the federal Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Adoption program.  As part of a federal appropriation, an initial $6.7 million in federal funds are now available to begin cleanup of the Lorton property to enable school construction to begin once the next bond referendum is approved.