James A. Leach

Perspective is the most important and most difficult thing to apply to issues of the day. If one were to look at the 14th century, clearly the seminal event was the Bubonic plague in which some 20 million people died. Now, as many have…

My amendment did not suggest that it be regulated by the Federal Reserve, although other amendments I offered did suggest that.

it is with a great deal of reluctance that I rise in opposition to this bill. It contains many reasonable provisions, most importantly, the payment of interest on business checking, with my only concern on that point being that it does not…

I appreciate this. And let me say that the brunt of this bill is a wonderfully thoughtful approach, and I congratulate the gentleman and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly) on this. I would only come back to the one provision which…

Mr. Speaker, at a time when we as a country are galvanized by a singular international event, it is important to deal with normalcy. It is particularly uplifting to discuss history. The resolution before us speaks to an event a century and…

As all Members know, this resolution involves a difficult set of decisions that neither the Congress nor the executive can duck. Anyone who is not conflicted in their judgment is not thinking seriously. For myself, I have enormous regard…

The problem posed by Internet gambling is one we ignore at our peril. Gambling on the Internet is fast becoming one of the most critical issues confronting the American family. Casino gambling as it has been sanctioned in Western…

This bill is an enforcement mechanism that stops the ability of all interstate Internet gambling.

Gambling alone leads too easily to addiction. It leads to a situation where fathers lose their homes, mothers their families, students access to college and, in far too many instances, violence to the person and to their friends. This is a…

on behalf of the House, it is my honor to welcome and extend appreciation to the Reverend Dr. Paul Smith for delivering the opening prayer this morning. Dr. Smith is the senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn and a…

Sometimes we underestimate the role of sport in all of our culture. The fact of the matter is sport is a very important part of all cultures. Soccer/football is somewhat new to these shores in its seriousness, but we are all impressed with…

I favor reform of the estate tax to protect family farmers and small businesses, but I have grave qualms about its elimination for super-sized estates. What is credible is an increase in the estate tax exemption to $5 or 10 million. What…

In conclusion, let me again thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) for their leadership on so many African issues. Symbolically, this bill…

This resolution recognizes 50 years of outstanding broadcasts by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Earlier this year, we celebrated the one-half century of service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and now we bring before this House a…

Mr. Speaker, George P. Shultz began his career in the South Pacific in World War II. He is ending his career, to the degree it is ending, and we hope it is not fully, with a bill aimed in his honor, a facility designed to prevent further…

Mr. Speaker, I would first say with regard to the words that have been brought to us today that this is an important provision in law to bring a money laundering statute into being. Following the money is the most effective way of tracking…

American governance today is confronted with an unprecedented challenge. A concerted terrorist attack has been perpetrated against our institutions, people, and way of life. As legislators we are obligated to look to our constitutional…

there is nothing more difficult than to provide perspective to events of this week, but it would be self-evident that two of the profoundest lessons are that all societies, particularly democracies, are vulnerable to terrorism and that…

I would like to briefly mention the subject the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) mentioned earlier and that is the courthouse issue and the priority that might be given it. I would first like to compliment the committee and the…

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, let me stress that arguably the greatest issue in the world today may well be disease control. What the WHO symbolizes is a people-oriented concern for control of disease. Taiwan should not be precluded from…

I cannot say that UNESCO is the most important international body that has ever been created. I can say it is a credible international body. The United States chose to withdraw from UNESCO in the 1980s for a variety of reasons. Some stem…

Bankruptcy is an extraordinarily sensitive subject. The issue here, we must bear in mind, is balance, rather than the need for a bankruptcy law itself. After all, one of the first laws of the first Congress was a bankruptcy law, which was…

last year, after nearly two decades of work, the U.S. Congress passed the Financial Modernization Act to bring our nation's banking and securities laws in line with the realities of the marketplace. Today, an analogous opportunity presents…

in conclusion, let me thank again the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce), the distinguished ranking member, and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), as well as the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) and the gentlewoman from…

I rise to alert the House that there is a provision in this statute that I think is of seminal significance for the small business community. Since 1933, there has been a prohibition in the banking industry on the capacity of banks to pay…