Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, Republicans justify these irresponsible bills by claiming that more drilling will help reduce the cost of gasoline and fuel for the average American. Yet opening up even more of our country's shores to drilling will do little to help Americans at the gas pump. In reality, the United States is already producing more oil per day than it ever has. There are more drilling rigs in the United States than the rest of the world combined.

The drilling plan issued by President Obama that this bill amends already makes three-quarters of our offshore oil and gas resources open to drilling. Yet 70 percent of the offshore areas that are leased are currently not even active. That's 55 million acres under lease not active.

The price of oil and gas is set on a global level, primarily by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC. At maximum output, the United States holds only 2 percent of the world's oil reserves, not nearly enough to significantly impact the price per barrel, which is set on a global scale. According to the Energy Information Agency, even tripling our current offshore drilling capabilities by the year 2030 would lower gasoline prices only 5 cents per gallon more than if we continued at our current levels.

Gas prices are set on the world market on the basis of many geopolitical factors. For example, when the world thought Israel might attack Iran in February, gas prices went up 10 percent in 2 months to reach a 9-month high over fear that fuel supply lines would be disrupted. Though production in our country has actually increased every year since 2005, crude oil hit a record $147 per barrel over the same time period, demonstrating that there is little correlation between drilling levels in the United States and the price of oil.

What drives the price of oil more than any other factor is the large nonstop worldwide demand for oil. The only way we can reduce gasoline prices is to reduce our country's disproportionate demand for fossil fuels by increasing our energy efficiency, improving the fuel mileage of our cars, and developing renewable energy resources. Federal policies should focus on these kinds of demand-reducing improvements, not on increasing the land available for drilling. I make it very clear over and over again that I'll be the last person standing off the shores of Florida if we continue down the path of wanting to drill in that area.

Mr. Chairman, with all this in mind, my amendment requires applicants for drilling or exploration to explain in detail to what extent and by when any oil is found on the leased property will that decrease the price of oil for the American consumer.

More drilling will put our businesses, as well as our environment and our health, at an increased risk. Since we know that there's no correlation between gas prices and U.S. drilling, this bill is really nothing more than a giveaway, and I know my good friend from Washington will say that it is not. He perceives it as not a giveaway. I do. I think that it's nothing more than a giveaway to the oil and gas companies. My goodness, gracious, have we not given them enough?

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Announcement by the Acting Chair

Mr. Chair, do I have any time remaining?

Mr. Chair, I am going to use my 30 seconds as I hope to yield to my good friend from Washington for a question. Perhaps I can get it in.

Do you dispute, Representative Hastings, that we now have 55 million acres under lease, 70 percent of it is not being utilized and, in the final analysis, that all of what we wanted to drill, that it would amount to more than 2 percent of the world's output?

I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

I thank the gentleman. But in the Gulf of Mexico, which holds the largest volume of undiscovered technically recoverable resources, 32 million acres are under lease. However, only approximately 10 million acres have approved exploration or development plans, and only 6.4 million of these acres are in production. Leased areas in the Gulf of Mexico that are not producing or are not subject to pending or approved exploration and development plan are estimated to contain 17.9 billion barrels of UTRR oil and 49.7 trillion cubic feet.

So I will make the argument again to my dear friend that if we're talking about doing everything that you called for--and I know it's most sincerely--if we do that, we are not talking about reducing the price of gas but by a nickel. So show me the plan to get us to energy independence by drilling.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I do want to say, in the last exchange that I had with my good friend, that I deeply appreciate his yielding some of his time to me, and I'm glad that he didn't compare apples to oranges. I thought that's what he was going to do, but he went down the applesauce route.

Mr. Chairman, my Republican colleagues continue, in my opinion, to cling to an antiquated 19th century energy policy while the rest of the world has moved into the 21st century. Just because the majority Members of Congress refuse to acknowledge that human activity contributes to climate change does not make it true. Climate change is not an abstract or difficult scientific principle to grasp. The effects are all around us. Our country is currently experiencing its worst drought since the Dust Bowl in the year of my birth, 1936.

Just last week, sudden violent storms rocked the east coast--they were referred to as microbursts--knocking out power for thousands and killing a number of people. Furthermore, record heat waves are having serious repercussions on crop yields.

We must pursue responsible, sustainable energy policies both for the legacy that we will leave our children and also to make certain the United States is at the forefront of an emerging green economy.

My amendment will not let oil companies shield themselves in ignorance any longer. It requires in each permit application an analysis and estimate of the impact on global climate change of the consumption of the fossil fuels discovered.

While the oil and gas found under each individual lease may not have a huge impact, there is no question that the aggregate fossil fuel consumption contributes to global climate change.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment in order to force my friends, the House Republicans, and big oil companies to acknowledge the reality that the international community is preparing for.

Interestingly, Mr. Chairman, when I was president of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Parliamentary Assembly--its headquarters is in Denmark--I went to Denmark during that 2-year period of time, close to 30 times over the course of the years that I've been here. When I fly into Denmark, just coming from the side of Sweden, I see the windmills tilting that have been tilting for 16 years. And Denmark's city, Copenhagen, is the beneficiary of much of that production. They're headed toward the future. We're living in the past.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, in the words of the celebrated movie that these words came from, I'm shocked, just shocked that this is a political amendment. And I'm equally shocked that this bill is political. This is the 143rd time that we're talking about oil drilling. And somewhere along the line, I'm lost. I thought politics was what we do. That's what I do. That's what people sent me here to do. That's what you do, my good friend, is politics. That's what it's about.

The difference is where we separate ourselves is whether we're talking about the politics of the future, where there are opportunities for us to do the things to bring us to energy independence, or whether or not we are going to cling to fossil fuels until we just can't find any place else to drill.

My major opposition to oil drilling offshore has been demonstrably shown when the Deep Horizon accident occurred. There have been other accidents. You want to drill in the tundra; there have been accidents where oil was spilled in that area. And daily in Ft. Lauderdale, I see ships sitting offshore, and I find that occasionally tar and things that come from them wind up on the beaches.

We make $60 billion a year in Florida on those resources. I heard you earlier, my colleague, argue about North Dakota. I don't want to be in North Dakota in the wintertime, and I'm glad if they are about their business doing what they want to do; but I know a lot of North Dakota people, when they finish with the drilling up there, are going to come to Florida for our beaches, and that's what I'm about trying to preserve.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome the XIX International AIDS Conference, AIDS 2012, back to Washington, DC. On July 22, 2012, more than 30,000 people from approximately 200 countries are expected to converge on Washington, DC, for AIDS 2012, including 20,000 delegates, 10,000 additional participants in the Global Village, and up to 2,000 journalists. Over the course of the Conference, which runs through July 27, 2012, the world's leading scientists, public health experts, policymakers, community leaders, and persons living with HIV/AIDS will chart the way forward in the global response to HIV/ AIDS by turning the latest scientific advancements into action.

The III International AIDS Conference was held in our Nation's capital in 1987, the same year that the United States established a policy barring HIV-positive foreigners from obtaining permanent immigration status or entering the United States without special waivers. As a result, no major scientific conferences on HIV/AIDS have been held in this country since--until now. Thanks to years of advocacy by countless individuals and the leadership of former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, the misguided travel and immigration ban against people with HIV was lifted in 2010. This was a critical step forward in addressing societal stigma and discriminatory practices against people living with HIV/AIDS.

The return of the International AIDS Conference to the United States could not come at a more critical time. Here at home, more than one million people are living with HIV and approximately 50,000 individuals become newly infected with the virus each year. And among individuals living with HIV, one in five is unaware of his or her infection. This not only increases one's risk for developing worse health outcomes and unknowingly transmitting the virus to others, but undermines HIV prevention efforts as a whole. Furthermore, significant disparities persist across diverse communities and populations with regard to incidence, access to treatment, and health outcomes, particularly for men who have sex with men, MSM, African Americans and other minorities, women, and young people.

However, more than 30 years after the beginning of the epidemic, we are now at a point where we have the tools necessary to prevent the spread of HIV and bring an end to the crisis. The theme of AIDS 2012, ``Turning the Tide Together,'' represents the challenge before us. In order to change the course of HIV/AIDS in the United States and abroad, we must harness the potential of the most recent scientific advances in HIV/AIDS treatment and biomedical prevention, continue research for a HIV vaccine and cure, and scale up effective, evidence-based interventions in key settings. As the world's leader in HIV research and the largest funder of international AIDS programs, including the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, TB, and Malaria, continued commitment by the United States to HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment programs is crucial to improving global health.

Mr. Speaker, AIDS 2012 is a tremendous opportunity to further strengthen the role of the United States in global HIV/AIDS initiatives within the current context of significant global economic challenges. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to join me in welcoming the delegates and participants of AIDS 2012 to Washington, DC, as well as commit to helping support a stronger international response to HIV/AIDS, advancing the health and rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, and working to create an ``AIDS-free generation.''

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, despite the name of this bill, the underlying legislation has, in my judgment, little to do with securing a sufficient supply of rare Earth minerals for our country. Rather, it is another Republican giveaway to large, profitable companies that do not need congressional action to pad their bottom lines.

In fact, today's bill is so broadly drafted that it is not just rare Earth mines that will no longer have to adhere to our Federal environmental laws, but virtually any mine on public land anywhere, including silver, uranium and coal mines.

Mining operations have severe and permanent consequences for the land and residents living nearby. In fact, 75 percent of existing mines end up polluting the groundwater despite the designed mitigation plans. The need for a complete and thorough review of the environmental impact before approval is therefore absolutely necessary.

What's more, Madam Chair, is that this bill's underlying intent of loosening up the permitting process is not

even necessary. Mining is already the priority use for most public lands, which makes it virtually impossible to regulate and control. Mining on public lands is also already incredibly cheap. These companies pay little rent to the American taxpayer for the use of public land.

Moreover, under the Obama administration, 82 percent of plans are approved within 3 years, with an average of 4 years for the largest mines located on public lands. Any delays in permit approval usually stem from an incomplete application or problems that arise during review which were not anticipated and require supplemental information.

By giving the lead agency the option to extend the time period for review in the event of new information, my amendment makes sure agencies can get the job done right while still adhering to a predictable schedule. Prioritizing speed over accuracy--I learned early, as did all of us, that haste makes waste--as this bill does, guarantees that mining companies are able to drill additional mines at a faster rate with less consideration for the broader impact of those mines.

My amendment is necessary to give agencies the time they need to make sure that this bill will not compromise environmental protections that keep our drinking water safe, soil nourishing and nontoxic, and our air clean enough to breathe.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I understand very clearly what my good friend from Washington is saying. My quarrel is in asking that the lead agency be given the option to extend the time, as I believe historically mining companies--who, under the underlying bill would have the right to sign off on the extension--are not likely to do that. There is no history showing that they do. They want to hurry up and get on with their mining business. When there are unpredictable kinds of circumstances, then it would seem to me that the lead agency would be the place that would determine the time for review.

With that, Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, this bill is an irresponsible giveaway to the mining industry that has taken enormous profits at American taxpayer expense.

One section in particular is extremely disturbing. Section 205 of the bill eliminates awarding of attorneys' fees to litigants bringing successful legal challenges against certain agencies' actions, like the issuance of a mining permit.

Eliminating the possibility of fee shifting makes litigation prohibitively expensive for groups and individuals that don't have the deep pockets of large corporate entities. Indeed, the whole reason fee shifting exists in the first place is so that a party does not

have to be wealthy in order to file a lawsuit.

Justice should be accessible to all, regardless of their individual financial circumstances. Eliminating the awarding of attorneys' fees means that the traditional parties for these kinds of lawsuits, such as nearby landowners, small business owners, and environmental groups, will no longer be reimbursed for the cause of successfully litigating a claim.

The only reason to eliminate this fee shifting is to discourage parties from filing these kinds of suits.

Who is the biggest beneficiary of reducing the number of permit challenges? The permit-holding mine companies, of course. Since litigation can be extremely expensive, these cash-strapped plaintiffs usually only bring those lawsuits with the most likelihood of success because they literally cannot afford to lose.

Eliminating the awarding of attorneys' fees will increase the predictability of the permitting process only by stifling access to the courts.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment creates an exception for the awarding of attorneys' fees to successful challenges submitted by either individual citizens or nonprofit entities so that justice in this country is not reserved for only those who can afford the hefty entrance fee.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague for yielding the time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise to express my disappointment, not necessarily in this measure, but in how it has come about. We are here considering a rule for five unrelated measures the day before we recess for the 4th of July. Once again, we are rushing to the floor with vital legislation that most Members have hardly had the chance to read. This rule is the very embodiment of congressional dysfunction.

While my colleagues are busy playing political games, our Nation's infrastructure is crumbling, and we all know that. Tuition costs are rising, and we all know that. The economy is struggling. Perhaps, if my Republican friends weren't so preoccupied with appeasing their base, we wouldn't find ourselves in this position yet again.

We could have taken care of student loans back in March when the House first considered a measure to keep current rates. However, instead of paying for it in a way that was amenable to both sides of the aisle, the Republican leadership chose to pay for it by cutting much-needed preventative health funding. The President said he would veto the bill in this form, yet Republicans still chose to waste this body's time and defer to the Senate to come up with an affordable pay- for.

The transportation bill we are considering has been an even longer time in coming--over 3 years to be exact. While the conference report is not perfect, it is clear that we must pass a long-term reauthorization so that construction projects all across the country can move forward with repairing and improving our Nation's aging transportation system and infrastructure. Yet, once again, we find ourselves racing against the clock.

Without a long-term bill, opportunities to truly invest in our Nation's infrastructure and economy will continue passing us by. Without a long-term bill, construction projects all across the country could shut down. Without a long-term bill, 3 million Americans will be faced with not having a job after Saturday. We should not have to pass nine extensions over 3 years' time to get to this point, and we would be better served than this 27th-month extension if we did a 4- or a 5- year bill.

Infrastructure investments are essential to our Nation's economic growth and prosperity. This reauthorization should never have been held hostage by political gamesmanship. There is simply too much at stake. Short-term extensions put millions of jobs and the safety of our Nation at risk by casting great uncertainty on long-term transportation and infrastructure projects. This is unacceptable.

While I'm not happy about every provision in the flood insurance portion of this conference report, after 10 years since its last reauthorization and countless short-term extensions, it's about time that we get a long-term extension.

The National Flood Insurance Program insures 5.6 million properties across every State in the Nation. Yet, one Senator from Kentucky refused to allow the bill to go forward on the most specious of reasons, a vote on abortion. I have yet to hear the Senator explain what abortion has to do with flood insurance or why he would threaten the security of the homes of all those Americans just to make a political point. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Last night, I read where he said just because two or more persons at the Supreme Court make a decision, that doesn't mean that it's constitutional. I hope this guy goes back to law school, if he ever went.

Finally, on today's underlying appropriations measures, I can only say: here we go again. Once again, the Republicans refuse to provide the necessary funds to reach the hardest-hit Americans. Once again, the Republicans kowtow to corporate power rather than provide the resources to keep rampant excesses at bay. And once again, my friends on the other side of the aisle choose to undermine the long-term priorities of this Nation in favor of partisan posturing.

I've said before and I maintain again and now that the Republicans are living in a world of let's pretend. In ``Alice in Wonderland,'' Alice said that ``if she had a world of her own, everything would be nonsense.'' In the Republican world, as Alice said, ``Nothing is what it is, because everything is what it isn't.'' In the Republican world, Mr. Speaker, the best way to rein in the most corrupt practices of Wall Street is to underfund the SEC; the best way to close a $400 billion tax gap is to force the IRS to fire thousands of taxpayer support employees; and the best way to ensure our national defense is to continue to pump in billions and billions of dollars into nuclear weapons that serve no earthly purpose but to destroy our Earth. What part of ``we have enough nuclear weapons to destroy every human being 25 times'' do we not understand?

In this world, increasing unemployment somehow improves our economy; defunding essential government programs somehow helps the hardest-hit Americans; and cutting domestic programs in health care, education, infrastructure, and economic development while increasing Defense Department funding somehow serves the long-term needs of this country. Well, it doesn't. For months we've known that student loan rates were set to rise; for months we've known that the highway bill was going to expire; and for months we've done nothing but use the House floor as a political playground.

Mr. Speaker, our country cannot prosper if every major piece of legislation is held hostage to partisan interests. As Alice said--again referring to ``Alice in Wonderland''--``of all the silly nonsense, this is the stupidest tea party I've ever been to in all my life.''

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased at this time to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Sacramento, California, a former member of the Rules Committee, my good friend, Ms. Matsui.

Will the gentleman yield?

You can't really believe that it should be standard procedure for us to do a 600-page bill that CBO has not scored until 10 minutes ago.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to my very good friend from the Virgin Islands, Dr. Christensen.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman, my good friend from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, would you be kind enough to tell me the time remaining for both sides.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I am very pleased at this time to yield 4 minutes to my good friend, the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Two more, possibly three, but we're moving rapidly.

I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased at this time to yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Richardson).

I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, it's a shame that we are here today considering this hodgepodge measure. For too long, my Republican colleagues have used this House to further their partisan agenda rather than the interests of the Nation.

So it is no surprise that, once again, we are rushing to the floor to take care of business that should have been taken care of months ago. Time and again, when given the choice between reasonable, bipartisan measures and blatantly partisan policies, Republicans have chosen to pander to the extreme wing of their conference. They have passed bills they know will be dead on arrival in the Senate, pursued legislation with no hope of being signed into law, and attached controversial measures to otherwise innocuous matters.

While Republicans are busy playing politics, Americans have been wondering how they're going to get a job, put a roof over their heads, or afford to pay for college or food.

Though I'm glad these measures are finally being brought to the floor, our constituents deserve better. On this measure, 600 pages, the dead of night last night, five measures put together under one, and we received a CBO score just a few minutes ago. Most Members in this body don't have any idea what's in this bill or how much it costs.

This Republican tactic of saying ``no'' to everything is dragging down our Nation, slowing our recovery, and threatening the survival of important and necessary government programs. There's serious work to do here in the House of Representatives, and my and your constituents can't afford to sit around and watch this spectacle.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution in support of the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), which takes place from July 22, 2012, through July 27, 2012, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. This year's conference is of particular significance, as it represents the return of the International AIDS Conference to the United States after the 1987 HIV travel and immigration ban was lifted in 2010. My resolution supports a stronger international response to HIV/AIDS that seeks to foster greater scientific and programmatic collaborations around the world in order to prevent the transmission of HIV; increase access to testing, treatment, and care; and improve health outcomes for all people living with HIV/AIDS.

There are currently 33.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, and more than 25 million have died of AIDS since the first cases were reported in 1981. In the United States, more than one million people are living with HIV/AIDS and approximately 50,000 individuals become newly infected with the virus each year. Furthermore, one in five individuals living with HIV is unaware of their infection and societal stigma remains a significant challenge, underscoring the need for greater education about HIV/AIDS and access to testing. Significant disparities also persist across diverse communities and populations with regard to incidence, access to treatment, and health outcomes, particularly for men who have sex with men (MSM), racial and ethnic minorities, women, and young people.

Since 1985, the now biennial International AIDS Conference has brought together the world's leading scientists, public health experts, policymakers, community leaders, and persons living with HIV/AIDS in order to address the major issues facing the global response to HIV/ AIDS; evaluate recent scientific developments and share knowledge; and facilitate a collective strategy forward. AIDS 2012 is organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS) and expected to convene more than 20,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries, including 2,000 journalists. The theme of AIDS 2012, ``Turning the Tide Together,'' embodies both the promise and urgency of utilizing recent scientific advances in HIV/AIDS treatment and biomedical prevention; continuing research for an HIV vaccine and cure; and scaling up effective, evidence-based interventions in key settings in order to change the course of the HIV/AIDS crisis.

AIDS 2012 is a tremendous opportunity to further strengthen the role of the United States in global HIV/AIDS initiatives; re-energize the response to the domestic epidemic within the current context of significant global economic challenges; and focus particular attention on the devastating impact that HIV is having on different communities across the country. My resolution supports the goal of bringing renewed awareness of, and commitment to, addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in the United States and abroad. In particular, it recognizes

that formulating sound public health policy; protecting human rights; advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights; addressing stigma, poverty, and other societal challenges; and ensuring accountability are key to overcoming HIV/AIDS. It also encourages the ongoing development of innovative therapies and advances in clinical treatment for HIV/AIDS in the public and private sectors.

Mr. Speaker, continued commitment by the United States to HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment programs is crucial to protecting global health. I urge my colleagues to support my resolution, which recognizes the importance of the XIX International AIDS Conference in the global effort to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic and create an ``AIDS- free generation.'' We are closer to a future without HIV/AIDS than ever before. Together with the international community, we have the means to bring an end to HIV/AIDS once and for all. What we need now is leadership and solidarity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of an outstanding human being. Dr. Calvin Hylton (Kappa) Shirley passed away on June 23, 2012 at the age of 91. He was my doctor and great friend.

Dr. Shirley was born on January 28, 1921, grew up in Pensacola, Florida and graduated from Florida A&M University. He served as a Navy corpsman in the Pacific during World War II, and went on to earn his degree from Boston College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Shirley was an accomplished physician who specialized in the fields of obstetrics and family practice. He was among the first black doctors to work in Broward County, starting the historic Provident Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, which was the first medical facility in the city for blacks. Dr. Shirley served there for 54 years and delivered over 6,000 babies. In 1949, he established his own practice, and allowed those who could not pay for his services to offer him crops as payment. Dr. Shirley was a man who lived by his principles, stating that, ``A good doctor is one who is concerned with giving service, as opposed to one who's only concerned with the almighty dollar.''

In addition to his outstanding service to the community, Dr. Shirley paved the way for African Americans in the medical community. He was one of the first four black physicians in Broward County to have his own medical practice. He was also the first medical advisor to the Sickle Cell Foundation. Furthermore, Dr. Shirley was the first and only black physician to receive the coveted Heideman Memorial Doctor of the Year award, and serve on the Executive Board of the Florida State Health Planning Council as well as serve on the staff of Broward General Hospital. He was also the first black obstetrician-gynecologist in Broward County and the first black staff physician at Broward Health Medical Center.

On top of his professional career, Dr. Shirley was affiliated with many organizations rooted in the South Florida community. He was one of the founding members and first Polemarch of the Fort Lauderdale Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., an organization of which I am a proud member. Additionally, Dr. Shirley was a 32nd Degree Mason, a Shriner of Kazah Temple 149, and a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity of Alpha Rho Boule.

My chief of staff Art Kennedy, also a Kappa with Dr. Shirley and myself, remembers him fondly, ``Brother Shirley was always a gentleman, very cool and calm, and he loved Kappa.''

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to all

those who have been impacted by the loss of such a great man. My thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Shirley's family and friends during this most difficult time. He was a tremendous individual who selflessly dedicated his life to helping all those around him, and he will be dearly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the ``Broward is Greater than AIDS'' (Broward > AIDS) campaign, an initiative of the Broward County Health Department (BCHD) to raise public awareness of the importance of knowing your HIV status and getting tested. The launch of the Broward > AIDS campaign takes place as we observe the 18th Annual National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 2012, a joint initiative between the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed at promoting HIV testing.

While advances in antiretroviral treatment now allow people living with HIV/AIDS to have longer, more productive lives than ever before, HIV continues to spread at a staggering rate. Nationwide, 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV/AIDS, and 50,000 individuals become newly infected with the virus each year. Furthermore, more than one in five HIV-positive individuals are unaware that they are infected, which not only increases their risk for developing worse health outcomes but also the likelihood of transmitting the virus to others.

Although HIV/AIDS knows no borders, race, or gender, it has taken a particularly devastating toll on South Florida and certain groups. Since 2008, Broward County has had the highest rate of HIV infection per-capita in the nation. Within the past year, new HIV infections rose by 25 percent while new cases of AIDS also increased significantly. In addition, according to the BCHD, HIV/AIDS continues to have a disparate impact on men who have sex with men (MSM) and black heterosexual women.

HIV/AIDS can happen to anyone, but we have the power to stop HIV and create an AIDS-free generation. It all begins with getting tested for HIV to find out your status and using this knowledge to take better care of yourself, your loved ones, and your community. Equally important is also knowing the status of your partner. Regular HIV testing has been proven to save lives and reduce new infections. The Broward > AIDS campaign is a vital tool to educate individuals and the community about the realities of HIV/AIDS, why they should get tested, and where testing is available.

Through the Broward > AIDS campaign, the BCHD seeks to encourage and increase HIV testing to reduce the spread of the disease as well as the stigma associated with it. The unfortunate fact remains that many individuals and communities do not talk about HIV/AIDS. We cannot hope to eliminate the stigma and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS if we do not break the silence. HIV/AIDS is not just a personal health issue, it is a community health issue and we all have a responsibility to do our part to protect our families, friends, and neighbors.

Mr. Speaker, this National HIV Testing Day, I commend the Broward County Health Department and its comprehensive HIV/AIDS

outreach campaign, Broward > AIDS, for working to increase HIV testing and end stigma. Together with effective, evidence-based policies that address barriers to HIV testing and access to treatment and care, we know that we can overcome HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Stopping Non-Native Animals from Killing Endangered Species, or SNAKES, Act. This bill implements a successful pilot program in which specially trained dogs help to detect the Burmese python and other constrictor reptiles ravaging the Everglades ecosystem. The bill will fund a program to prevent the snakes from establishing sustainable populations in new areas as well as to control the snakes that are already out there.

I am a Florida native and travel across the Everglades frequently. Until recently, there was rarely a time that I would drive through the Everglades and not see animals like wading birds and rabbits along the roadside. Since these snakes have spread over the last few years, however, I rarely see any animals at all anymore. In fact, recent studies have shown the mammal population in the Everglades has declined over 90 percent in some cases.

This drastic reduction in numbers is the result of the Burmese python and other constrictor reptiles wreaking havoc throughout the Everglades, obliterating endangered and local wildlife, and upsetting the delicate balance of the ecosystem. The snakes in Florida are contained to a relatively limited area right now, but they will not remain that way. Experts anticipate that the snakes may expand beyond the Everglades, or escape from pet-owners and breeders in other parts of the country to then possibly establish new breeding populations there.

I am sad to say that while there is no proverbial silver bullet to completely eradicate the snakes already in the Everglades, we do have some tools at our disposal that can stop them from spreading. This bill today implements one such technique that has already recently proved its success in the field.

Auburn University EcoDogs, working along with Federal, State, county, tribal government entities, universities, and non-profit stakeholders, recently trained dogs for a study to assess whether detection dogs were an effective tool for python management efforts. As it turned out, dog search teams can cover more distance and have a higher accuracy rate in particular scenarios than human searchers.

The team consisted of two dogs, named Jake and Ivy, a dog handler and a snake handler. It performed free-ranging python searches on a variety of State, Federal and tribal lands. In controlled searches, dogs performed approximately 2.5 times faster than human searchers, in addition to having a significantly higher success rate of 92 percent during controlled canal searches, when compared to the human search team of 62 percent. The SNAKES Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to work with the stakeholders to establish this detection program.

These specially trained dogs can also respond to specific python sightings throughout the year. A rapid response team will take a dog directly to the site where a python was recently spotted in order to track the snake from

there. In addition to organized searches, this will help manage and control the spread of pythons and other large constrictor snakes.

I would not be introducing this bill if the dogs were ever in any danger, Mr. Speaker. At no point do the dogs approach the snakes. Instead, once a dog indicates that a snake is in the area, it is taken to a safe distance while a human handler captures the snake.

Unfortunately, these snakes have already destroyed much the wildlife of the Everglades. This program alone will not bring them back. Nor will it completely eradicate the snakes that are already breeding, as there are simply too many snakes that are too widespread.

However, these dogs are useful for keeping the snakes where they are and stopping them from spreading to other areas. We should, therefore, quickly establish a full-time dog detection team so that we have the ability to respond with the best tools available in order to prevent what happened in the Everglades from happening anywhere else in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Helen R. Henderson from Pahokee, Florida on the occasion of her 100th birthday, which is June 8, 2012. Born in Kentucky, Mrs. Henderson was raised on her family's farm. From her earliest days, she learned the value of a healthy diet, eating the food her family raised. Her life has been characterized by hard work, dedication, compassion, and inner strength.

Helen and her late husband, Brooks Henderson, devoted their lives to education in the Glades area, with Brooks serving as the principal of Pahokee High School, and Helen working as a special needs elementary education teacher in Belle Glade and Canal Point. Helen began her love for learning at a young age when she traveled six miles by horse and buggy to attend her one-room schoolhouse in Kentucky. Sadly, the Henderson's only child, Ann, passed away several years ago, but their love of education was passed down to their grandson, Kevin Henderson, an instructor at Palm Beach State College in Belle Glade.

An accomplished musician, Helen has played piano at her church, First United Methodist of Pahokee, for over 60 years. A lifelong

follower of Jesus Christ, she has taught Sunday school to several generations of Pahokee children. She still faithfully attends Sunday school and worship service each week. She still lives in her own home in Pahokee, where she enjoys spending time with friends, participating in church activities, and working in her yard. Helen says the secret to her longevity is hard work and eating right.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Helen Henderson is a fine citizen, and I am proud that she continues to make a positive impact on the Glades community. I am delighted to join her family, friends and many admirers in wishing her a very happy 100th birthday and continued good health and happiness for years to come.

Mr. Chair, I am pleased to support an amendment by my dear colleague and friend, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, to increase the current level of funding to $20 million for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE budget for the purpose of investigating child exploitation.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency has played a key role in stopping child pornography from entering our country since the 1970's. With today's technology, abusers across the world can instantly trade and share lewd material of children with the greatest ease, unless we do something to stop it. Additionally, ICE is ramping up its efforts to stop traveling child sex offenders who enter and exit this country preying on innocent children. ICE's efforts are leading the way identifying and investigating these criminals and rescuing their victims.

Mr. Chair, this is a modest funding increase with the most important of purposes, protecting the world's most vulnerable citizens, the children. I wholeheartedly support this amendment, and urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida, my friend, for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Departing for the moment at hand, Mr. Speaker, just to identify that, today, the bipartisan Foster Youth Program has on the Hill with many of us foster care youth from around this Nation. This bill directly affects their lives. I have the good fortune of having a constituent, Breon Callins, and Washington, D.C. youth Goldie Brown following me today, and I hope they hear my remarks and understand the importance to them and to all children in America's future.

The rule provides for the consideration of four bills--the Intelligence authorization, Energy and Water appropriations, Homeland Security appropriations, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations. While I agree with my colleague Mr.

Nugent that it is important that this is customarily an open process-- and I commend my Republican colleagues in that regard--I do as I did in the Rules Committee--and he was there last evening--object to the significant number of amendments that were not allowed, and I am sure there are Members who will be present to speak to them.

Once again, we are looking at broken Republican promises on spending levels. Once again, we are shortchanging our future for the selfish demands of today.

And once again, we're missing the opportunity to fully invest in our Nation. The choices made in these bills make no sense to me, Mr. Speaker. Nuclear weapons instead of nonproliferation. Fossil fuels instead of renewable energy. Divisive abortion provisions instead of bipartisan agreement on Homeland Security.

It's almost as if Republicans enjoy jabbing a finger in the eye of progress. They seem to be doing everything they can to find ways not to grow our economy and create jobs. They do not seem to understand that clinging to fossil fuels and nuclear weapons at the expense of scientific research and energy efficiency will not bring about the kind of progress that this great Nation needs. When you cut the Office of Science, when you cut the Advanced Research Projects Agency, and when you cut energy-efficiency programs, you harm our ability to invest in the kinds of research that lead to innovation and job creation.

Mr. Speaker, I could go through all of these bills and point out everywhere the majority has not sufficiently invested in the kinds of programs we need to make progress. It would not be hard, because unless it involves military spending or oil, you can be sure that the majority has cut it under the argument that we're in a fiscal crisis and cannot forward it.

Mr. Speaker, I reject that notion. We can afford to invest in our future, we can afford to create jobs, and we can afford to make the choices now that will reap the benefits for future generations, including those foster children that I mentioned.

When President Bush wanted to invade Iraq, Congress spent a trillion dollars. When Republicans wanted to cut taxes for the best off among us in America, Congress spent a trillion dollars. When Congress wanted to fight the war on terror, it appropriated and still does nearly unlimited funding to do so. So this is not about the deficit. The United States does not lack the money to prioritize our future. What we do lack is the political willpower and the leadership necessary to set gainful priorities.

Spend some now, save more later. What is obvious to middle class and working poor Americans seems entirely lost to my Republican colleagues. This Nation should be benefiting from American ingenuity and products made here in America. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle would rather let other countries take the lead in scientific advancement, energy efficiency, and clean energy. I'm not just talking about this year's appropriations, Mr. Speaker. I'm talking about the trend under the Republican majority of defunding and deprioritizing the long-term needs of the Nation. It's just plain depressing.

I know that many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would prefer to see climate change as a liberal hoax, clean energy as a Socialist cabal, and science as a Communist plot. But drastic changes are upon this country and indeed upon this world, and our failure to adequately address these challenges now will cost us more in the future.

We need energy efficiency, not environmental degradation. We need nuclear nonproliferation, not more nuclear weapons. And we need more investments in science, because the next generation--including those foster children that I spoke about--of American scientists and innovators might not be one of the billionaires or millionaires so beloved by my Republican colleagues, but instead might be a desperate entrepreneur in need of a little bit of Federal assistance in order to make that great scientific breakthrough.

The sacrifices continually demanded by the Republican majority--in order to provide ever more money for foreign wars and tax cuts for the wealthy, including those of us in Congress--are shortchanging the future of this Nation. Rather than work with Democrats to develop bipartisan policies and funding priorities to address the country's challenges, House Republicans are continuing to use the appropriations process for partisan gimmickry and political gamesmanship, and pretending by deeming something that ain't going to happen in the Senate as law.

I can't tell you what business anti-abortion provisions have in a bill about funding the Department of Homeland Security. I can't tell you why it's more important for the Republicans to target women's health than it is to achieve bipartisan consensus on funding our Nation's first responders. And I can't tell you why, Mr. Speaker, we still have to debate this issue when there are so many other pressing concerns before us today.

Rather than garner Democrat support for the Homeland Security bill, Republicans felt the need to poison the legislation with the erroneous abortion provisions regarding the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Rather than take seriously the need to fund disaster relief-- and, yes, it is true, tomorrow hurricane season begins, and we haven't done all or nearly as much as we should have, and there were amendments that would have addressed some of the things that we should, in fact, be prepared to do. Rather than take seriously firefighter assistance grants, cybersecurity efforts that are growing exponentially, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and other Federal frontline agencies, the majority has cast aside cooperation in the name of what I believe is reckless ideological point-scoring.

So in this latest season of appropriations, Mr. Speaker, we find ourselves yet again cutting from valuable, worthwhile, and essential programs that would create jobs made in America, grow our economy, and ensure prosperity for the millions of Americans still struggling to get by.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I personally tire of using one bad example on energy creation--Solyndra, which was and is a bad example--and ignoring all of the other kinds of investments that we have made in this Nation that are going about the business of solar and wind. I saw in my congressional district this weekend a wind program that is the future that is working with existing energy infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my distinguished good friend, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), a former member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining for both sides?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my classmate and good friend, the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey).

If the fact that something failed in one year allows that it's not to be brought up another year, then we would be out of business around this joint. But if my colleague is seeking me to yield, I understand your point in the end, but I just want to say that Mr. Hinchey should have had an opportunity to make his presentation.

Well, he offered it now and we didn't accept it. Therefore, perhaps he'll get another chance.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt), with whom I served on the Intelligence Committee for 8 years.

I am very pleased at this time to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois, my good friend, Mr. Davis.

If we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to require that immediately after we adopt this resolution, the House will consider H.R. 1519, the Paycheck Fairness Act, introduced by my friend, Ms. DeLauro. And I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill.

I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Connecticut, my friend, Ms. DeLauro.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from California, my friend, Mr. Miller.

Mr. Speaker, would you advise again how much time remains?

Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased at this time to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) with whom I served, again I say, on the Intelligence Committee for 8 years.

Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to yield 1 minute to another of my classmates, the gentlewoman, my good friend from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard).

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who is my good friend and also has served on these committees for a long time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Tierney) with whom I served on the Intelligence Committee for 8 years.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask of my good friend from Florida whether he intends at this time to have any additional speakers other than himself?

Mr. Speaker, I'm prepared to close.

I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, I do and will urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' and defeat the previous question.

But at this time, I will close by saying our future economy, national security, and way of life depend on harnessing the power of scientific advancement, technological progress, and clean energy. And in this respect, America has no peers in the world. These efforts will enable us to reduce our dependence on oil, develop better energy infrastructure, and mitigate the effects of climate change. At the same time, we have to ensure our frontline homeland security resources are adequately funded and sufficiently prepared to meet new challenges.

We cannot be distracted by ideological poison pill amendments on abortion. We cannot be dissuaded from making the necessary investments because of false claims that we cannot afford them. And we cannot be so willing to sacrifice our Nation's future prosperity to fund more tax cuts for the wealthiest--and I continue to say, including those of us in Congress, the wealthiest Americans--and more nuclear weapons for the military.

These appropriations measures are Congress's best opportunity to set our Nation's priorities and to invest in our economy. Continually defunding these programs is the opposite direction of where we need to go. We must provide the funds necessary to make the advances that will ensure America's continuing global leadership.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule and to defeat the previous question, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, it is my esteemed privilege to recognize the achievements of Mr. Christopher Dorsey, who serves as the director of the Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Ensemble. He is the recipient of the 2011 ``Jazzonian'' Excellence in Jazz Education Award.

Mr. Dorsey has been leading the Dillard High Jazz Ensemble to the sweet sounds of success in recent years. The Jazz Ensemble took first prize at the ``Swing Central'' jazz competition in Savannah, Georgia in both 2010 and 2011. Also in 2010, they took 2nd place at the ``Essentially Ellington'' Jazz Band Competition. In 2011 and 2012, the Dillard Jazz Ensemble was awarded back-to-back first prize honors at the ``Essentially Ellington'' Jazz Band Competition at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud of the success that both Christopher Dorsey and the Dillard Jazz Ensemble have attained under his leadership. I wish him and the program much continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Foster Care Month, which is observed each May to raise awareness about the challenges that are faced by children in the foster care system.

Every year, nearly 30,000 young adults leave the foster care system at the age of 18 without the support of a permanent family. As these young people transition out of the system, they are at a higher risk for unemployment, poor educational opportunities, health issues, increased rates of incarceration, and homelessness.

I am honored to be involved in recognizing the tireless efforts of individuals working to improve the foster care system and in shedding light on the needs of foster youth.

Approximately 400,000 American children are in need of safe and permanent homes because their own families are facing a crisis and are unable to care for them. The issues faced by young people in the foster care system and those coming out of it deeply concern me. This is why I have been continually involved in raising awareness of issues facing the child welfare system for a number of years.

Last month, I was proud to host a stop of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youths nationwide listening tour where we learned first-hand about the challenges and successes of Florida's child welfare system from government officials, child welfare advocates, as well as current and former foster youth. My membership in the caucus, along with my work with programs such as Angels in Adoption, have made me better aware of not only the problems facing the foster care system, but also the many people who have dedicated their lives to making it better.

Mr. Speaker, I am truly proud of the work that is being done in my congressional district, and applaud the efforts of the countless individuals across the Nation working to give foster youth a voice.