Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 'Tribal Self-Governance Amendments of 1999' and am pleased that 22 of our colleagues have cosponsored the legislation.

Numerous reports by journalists and the media, human rights workers, Federal agencies, religious organizations, and the administrations of Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton have documented widespread human rights abuses suffered by indentured workers in the U.S./CNMI.

The bill I introduce today will crack down on the enormous, mostly foreign-owned garment industry that employ thousands of foreign workers to sew foreign fabric into garments bearing the 'Made in USA' label which is then shipped to the U.S. mainland quota and duty free.

The U.S./CNMI has morphed into an offshore sweatshop, wrapping itself in the American flag to circumvent quota restrictions and escape payment of hundreds of millions of dollars in duties on imported garments.

The Congress cannot continue to irresponsibly ignore the worsening crisis or the exploitation of tens of thousands of foreign workers on American soil.

Mr. Speaker, today forty seven of our colleagues join Mr. Spratt and myself in introducing the Insular Fair Wage and Human Rights Act of 1999 which will permit the U.S. territory of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (U.S./ CNMI) to be treated more like a state under certain provisions of law.

We owe it to the taxpayers of the United States, to the textile workers of this country who are enduring unfair competition, and to the garment workers and other foreign workers in Saipan who are being forced to experience a distasteful and unrepresentative side of America.

The bill improves water quality monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting so that the public knows which CAFOs are polluting.

Mr. Speaker, today I introduced legislation to address the most important source of water pollution facing our country--polluted runoff.

Water quality in California's San Joaquin Valley has been degraded by unregulated discharges of waste from dairy farms.

This legislation will restore confidence that we can swim and fish in our streams and rivers without getting sick.

Farm SAFE is very similar to legislation that I introduced last Congress.

I hope that this Congress does not continue to ignore this growing national problem.

I am encouraged by recent efforts by the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency to address pollution from animal feedlots.

Farm SAFE will require large livestock operations to do their part to reduce water pollution.

I rise today to recognize the 86th birthday of Rosa Parks, a pivotal force in the struggle for civil rights in America.

Mr. President, today I ask the Senate to join me in commending those brave Americans who served aboard the U.S.S. Phaon.

I hope that these remarks increase our knowledge and respect for the critical role that damage repair ships played in the Pacific campaigns.