Pension Security Act of 2007

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding the four earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Congressman K. Michael Conaway

Bill Number: H.R. 2683

Account: Army, Other Procurement

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Texas Army National Guard

Address of Requesting Entity: Camp Mabry, Austin,Texas 78763-5218

Description of Request: Provide $2,000,000 to the Texas Military Forces (TXMF) for eight Joint Incident Scene Communication Capability (JISCC) packages required for disaster response. This equipment enables the Texas National Guard Joint Inter-Agency Task Force (JIATF) to command and control its interagency structure in and out of Texas in support of other states under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. It supports the various disaster command posts including the Joint Interagency Task Force headquarters, each subordinate task force command post, local incident command posts, Emergency Operations Centers, and other multi-agency coordination centers. The JISCC system also uses Department of Defense satellites eliminating the persistent shortage of funds to pay for commercial satellite service. Ten JISCC packages have been authorized in previous years, but currently, the Texas National Guard has only two on-hand.

Requesting Member: Congressman K. Michael Conaway

Bill Number: H.R. 2683

Account: Army, Other Procurement

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Texas Army National Guard

Address of Requesting Entity: Camp Mabry, Austin,Texas 78763-5218

Description of Request: Provide the Texas National Guard $800,000 for the procurement of 700- and 800-Megahertz APCO-25 standard two-way radios for operational and tactical interagency interoperability in their disaster response task force. This project allows the Texas National Guard forces to utilize 700 and 800 MHz trunked radio systems being linked across Texas as established in the State Communications Interoperability Plan. It further fully enables interagency interoperability to coordinate and synchronize interagency efforts to maintain unity of effort.

Requesting Member: Congressman K. Michael Conaway

Bill Number: H.R. 2683

Account: Army, RDT & E

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Zebra Imaging

Address of Requesting Entity: 9801 Metric Blvd., Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78758

Description of Request: Provide $2,480,000 in funding to complete the final phase of a three-year development program to provide a field- deployable version of the Enhanced Holographic Imager (EHI) system. The holographic imager system is used to produce 3-D imagery for the Army's tactical battlefield visualization program, and has proven to be an extremely useful capability for deployed Army and U.S. Special Operations Command warfighters. Over 1700 holographic images were provided to soldiers in theater in 2007. The deployable EHI will produce holograms three times faster than the current system (improving responsiveness to the war fighter) and is transportable allowing the imager to be located closer to the tactical users.

Requesting Member: Congressman K. Michael Conaway

Bill Number: H.R. 2683

Account: Army, RDT & E

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Texas Tech University

Address of Requesting Entity: 19th and University, Lubbock, Texas 79409

Description of Request: Provide $3,000,000 to Texas Tech University to research the use of Compact Pulsed Power as a scientific base for integrating electrical weapons systems onto all-electric combat vehicles. Compact Pulsed Power is the use of targeted electromagnetic radiation to disable electronic devices such as cell phones. Initial research indicates that compact pulsed power technology could be beneficial to the Department of Defense by being able to disable Improvised Explosive Devices used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Texas Tech has developed the technology but needs to field test it in order to deploy it with troops on the ground. An existing lightly armored vehicle such as a HMMWV will be modified to an all-electric platform with an integrated fuel cell and auxiliary battery pack. Two or three types of electric weapon systems (high power microwave (HPM) generator, hypervelocity rail gun, and/or high power laser) will be integrated into the platform. Individually each of these systems is quite complex and the combination of any two of these systems will increase the integration problem exponentially. The information gained from this research could be significant in furthering the nation's defense capabilities.

Madam Speaker, I have received congressional appropriations in H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, FY 2009, for three projects in California's 44th Congressional District which are described as follows:

Requesting Member: Congressman Ken Calvert.

Bill Number: H.R. 2683.

Account: Standards Development--Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Navy.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division.

Address of Requesting Entity: Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Division, 2300 Fifth St., Norco, CA.

Description of Request: The stated project has received a congressional appropriation in the amount of $2,800,000. The appropriation is for a project which would continue work in the areas of Primary and Depot Maintenance calibration standards. Specifically the work will be done in the technology areas of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC), electro-optics, and physical-mechanical. The purpose of the work is to ensure measurement accuracy in support and maintenance of new advanced technology weapon systems, current weapon systems and associated support equipment. Specifically, the funding also continues efforts of calibration standards (hardware) in support of Nanoscale Dimensional Standards using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Standards developed through this ongoing program provide continued measurement support and capability to ensure that our Nation's advanced weapon systems operate as designed and detectors accurately recognize threats.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ken Calvert.

Bill Number: H.R. 2683.

Account: Defense Wide--Research, Development, Test & Evaluation.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University of California, Riverside.

Address of Requesting Entity: 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA.

Description of Request: The stated project has received a congressional appropriation in the amount of $2,400,000. This project aims to take advantage of recent advances in nanomaterials and nanodevices to begin to address the issue necessary to take the electronics industry beyond the two-dimensional silicon based devices and wiring and to develop high density, 3D electronics technology together with associated packaging, portable power sources and heat dissipation solutions. UC Riverside has substantial expertise in the development of nanomaterials that offer extraordinary properties when properly engineered for these applications. The proposed effort will fund technology development studies in the following five areas: 3D integration of RF and Digital technologies; materials development for thermal management; materials development for 3D wiring; materials development for multi-technology isolation; and development of process equipment for advanced 3D processes and materials manufacturing. The availability of new approaches to very high density electronics and compact power sources that are built from the new generation of nanomaterials will greatly aid the DoD mission in providing advanced electronics and power in the battlefield.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ken Calvert.

Bill Number: H.R. 2683.

Account: Defense Wide--Operations & Maintenance.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: March Joint Powers Authority.

Address of Requesting Entity: 23555 Meyer Drive, Riverside, CA.

Description of Request: The stated project has received a congressional appropriation in the amount of $1,200,000 for the purpose of demolishing existing structures on the northeast corner of the former March Air Force Base. The demolition of the buildings is necessary due to structural deficiencies, ADA compliance or prohibitive cost to meet modernization and current building code requirements.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the FY08 Homeland Security Appropriations bill--the House's first all-encompassing look at the security of our Nation. But I strongly oppose the proposition that a border wall will protect this Nation, and I ask my colleagues to consider what a wall along the Southwest border will do.

During this debate my friends in the minority have said they are focused on the funding levels of this bill . . . saying they are too high and wasteful. Here's what is wasteful: according to Customs and Border Protection, every mile of a wall will cost at least $3 million dollars to construct. That doesn't include any funding needed to buy private lands or maintain the fence.

In this 21st Century, we have the technology to adequately protect our borders through a virtual fence without dividing communities, adversely impacting our economy, giving up water rights, denying private property rights for landowners on the border, or changing international boundaries without benefit of international treaties.

I am grateful that the Committee incorporated the language in the bill to include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as one of the federal agencies with which DHS must coordinate before spending money to build a wall. And I have received a commitment to include the International Boundary and Water Commission to the list of federal agencies DHS must coordinate with, as the bill moves through conference. I thank the Committee for accepting the language in the bill requiring the DHS Secretary to consult with local communities, and to seek their advice before spending money on the wall. That's hardly enough, but that puts a little lipstick on the pig.

Rather than spend over $3 million dollars a mile, we should be directing the Department of Homeland Security to utilize technology like ground sensors, unmanned aircraft, vehicle barriers, cameras and human surveillance through Border Patrol.

The technology of a virtual wall saves the taxpayers $2 million dollars a mile . . . will be more reliable . . . and actually give the Border Patrol the time and resources they need to detain illegal immigrants or potential terrorists. Virtual technology is proven; this week the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced it would deploy a virtual fence to protect JFK, Newark Liberty International and LaGuardia airports. Much of the technology they are deploying is either currently being used or developed by CBP.

We need to be smarter about our border security . . . rather than expect a physical wall to singlehandedly protect our country. Unless you live along the border, you do not understand the uniqueness of border communities. Constructing a fence along the southwest border is going to have a devastating economic impact in our border towns.

Much of the area along the border is growing rapidly with more and more Fortune 500 companies moving business to South Texas. What message does constructing a wall send to these companies? Twenty years ago this week, on June 12, 1987--President Ronald Reagan said of the Berlin Wall that scarred Europe: ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.''

We are better than Soviet Europe . . . and an antiquated structure along our borders will not protect our Nation. Protecting the border is of the utmost importance to me, and all Americans.

Nearly every single Border Patrol agent, who has confided in me, is certain a wall is not the solution. They would rather receive funding for additional manpower, technology and tactical infrastructure, such as vehicle barriers, to protect our border.

I urge my colleagues to save taxpayers money, oppose the handful of amendments before us that throw good money after bad in building a wall that will not protect this great Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I have a simple and straightforward amendment that I am offering as a result of the long debate we've had, the many amendments we've adopted, and where we stand at the end of this.

The amendment would allocate $5 million, a modest adjustment, to FEMA's Firefighter Assistance Grants, specifically, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program, the SAFER program.

As I'm sure most Members know, the SAFER program helps local fire departments to increase the number of frontline firefighters. The goal is for fire departments to increase their staffing and deployment capabilities, and ultimately to obtain 24-hour staffing.

We, in this bill, have done our very best to more adequately fund the fire grants and the SAFER program. But the need is great, and we believe this is a prudent and useful and productive place to invest these additional funds.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment has been cleared on both sides of the aisle. I ask our colleagues to approve this critical funding for our firefighters.

I am happy to yield.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I submit the following for the Record.

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Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise and report the bill back to the House with sundry amendments, with the recommendation that the amendments be agreed to and that the bill, as amended, do pass.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit, to put it as bluntly as I can possibly put it, would kill this bill. It would simply kill the bill. The wording, the tell-tale wording, ``to report the same back promptly,'' those are code words for killing this bill.

Now, one has to acknowledge that there are some hot buttons that this motion to recommit touches, words like ``fencing'' and ``border protection.'' But Members should understand that if they are really interested in border protection, if they are interested in immigration enforcement, if they are interested in funding for a concerted effort, which this bill initiates, to identify and deport persons who have committed serious crimes, if they are interested in enhanced port security and transit security and support for local communities, if our Members are interested in those critical priorities, which is what this bill is focused on, then they will defeat this cleverly-worded fraud. It will kill the bill.

We should defeat the motion to recommit. That is all I believe that needs to be said. I ask for my colleagues to vote no.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to reference two positive programs within this Homeland Security Appropriations bill that are making a difference in the 4th District of Alabama.

For several years, Congress has included funding in this bill for local Assistance to Firefighters Grants. The purpose of this grant program is to award grants directly to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations. These awards aim to enhance our first responder's ability to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel, with respect to fire-related hazards. Using a competitive process overseen by fire service subject matter experts, DHS awards grants to applicants whose requests best address the priorities of the program.

This is especially important in the district that I represent in North Alabama.

As a rural area, North Alabama is home to many volunteer fire departments and rescue squads. These people work hard to protect their communities and provide first rate care of their neighbors. Unfortunately in too many instances they are forced to do so with older equipment that doesn't provide the proper safety or performance that they need to do their jobs. This problem isn't for lack of care; it's in large measure due to a lack of funding. The Fire Grant program has proven to be a tremendous asset that has helped meet the needs of the fire departments and EMS organizations that I represent.

I am pleased that this important program has received increased funding this year. That means that more organizations will be able to participate and upgrade equipment and training that they might otherwise have been unable to do. As a result they will be better prepared to save lives, protect homes and businesses and continue to serve their communities in a meaningful way.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for their support of another important program within Homeland Security, textile transshipment enforcement. As a district with a heavy textile manufacturing presence, I am very aware of the problems faced by this important industry.

Today foreign manufacturers are utilizing unnatural and unfair business practices that are hurting U.S. textile manufacturers. One such scheme involves the transshipment of goods to evade duty or quotas on textiles being brought into the country. Over the last several years, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, CBP, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been very successful in stopping many of these illegal textile transshipments.

In 2006, Customs announced that they seized more than $100 million in wearing apparel and textile goods that were misrepresented, smuggled or illegally transshipped in an effort to circumvent U.S. textile trade laws and regulations. Of that amount, $3 million worth of socks were confiscated. This program is making a difference and giving U.S. textile manufacturers an opportunity to compete. I fully support this funding and am pleased that this Congress continues to recognize its importance.