Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 3791.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009. This bill reauthorizes the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. Over the past 9 years, these programs have provided over $5 billion to purchase firefighting equipment and training, and for communities to hire additional firefighters. This Federal support for public safety is even more important in this tough economy as local officials struggle to provide services in the face of decreasing budgets.

The provisions in this bill make several changes to the program to enable more fire departments to apply for grants, and to ensure that the programs can benefit all types of communities, from small towns to our largest cities.

As part of this, the bill apportions the AFG funding between the career, volunteer, and combination fire departments according to a formula that authorizes a minimum of 25 percent of each year's total AFG dollars for each type of department.

The bill also authorizes the director to waive matching funds, budget maintenance requirements and other requirements for fire departments facing exceptional economic hardships. It further lowers the matching requirement for AFG and modifies the matching structure of SAFER to make it easier for communities to plan for the commitment of a SAFER grant.

The Science Committee heard testimony from fire service experts in July that, particularly in this economy, the current matching requirements dissuaded some departments from applying. These provisions enable those fire departments with the most need to apply.

Finally, H.R. 3791 also increases the amount of money larger jurisdictions may apply for under the AFG program. These amounts better reflect the needs of larger metropolitan areas as well as fire departments that have been consolidated to provide unified coverage to a large area.

H.R. 3791 is the product of much hard work by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Congressional Fire Services Institute. It has been endorsed by all of these groups. This bill has bipartisan support and passed out of the Science and Technology Committee by voice vote.

I would like to once again thank Mr. Mitchell for sponsoring this important legislation. I would also like to recognize the efforts of our subcommittee chairman, Mr. Wu, in getting the policy right in this bill and working to get a consensus piece of legislation. I also want to thank Mr. Pascrell of New Jersey for being the father of the origination of these bills, as well as Majority Leader Steny Hoyer for bringing all of the parties together and working together to get a good bill out.

Finally, I would like to recognize the staff who have been integral in crafting this legislation: Meghan Housewright and Mike Quear on the majority staff, and Dan Byers on the minority staff.

We have some amendments today. I look forward to working with my colleagues today to make a good bill better.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the author of the bill, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Mitchell).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the majority leader, as I said earlier, the person who really was the sheriff in bringing everybody together for this bill, and we thank him for it.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Texas, a former member of the Science and Technology Committee, Ms. Jackson-Lee.

My friend from Texas raises a valid point and an excellent point. You can be well assured that we will continue to work with you through this, through the conference process to bring your legitimate points to light.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), the chairman of the subcommittee.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Thompson and Chairman Oberstar for working with me to get this important bill to the floor.

I would like to insert an exchange of committee correspondence in the Record at this time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Homeland Security,

Washington, DC, November 7, 2009.

Hon. Bart Gordon,

Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, House of

Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing you regarding H.R. 3791,

the ``Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009,'' introduced

on October 13, 2009. This legislation was initially referred

to the Committee on Science and Technology and sequentially

referred to the Committee on Homeland Security on November 6,

2009.

In the interest of permitting this important legislation to

proceed expeditiously to floor consideration, I am willing to

waive further consideration of H.R. 3791. I do so with the

understanding that waiving further consideration of the bill

should not be construed as the Committee on Homeland Security

waiving, altering, or otherwise affecting its jurisdiction

over subject matters contained in the bill which fall within

its Rule X jurisdiction.

Further, I request your support for the appointment of

Homeland Security conferees during any House-Senate

conference convened on this or similar legislation. I also

ask that a copy of this letter and your response be placed in

the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this

bill.

I look forward to working with you on this legislation and

other matters of great importance to this nation.

Sincerely,

Bennie G. Thompson,

Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I now yield 2 minutes to the Chairman of the Transportation Committee, the gentleman from Minnesota, Chairman Oberstar, and I want to once again thank him for helping bring this bill to the floor.

I yield the gentleman 30 additional seconds.

I thank my friend from Nebraska for his courtesy to Mr. Oberstar. I would request of the Chairman, what time is left for each side?

Mr. Chairman, as has been pointed out earlier, I'm not sure whether it's the godfather or the grandfather of the FIRE Grants program, Mr. Pascrell from New Jersey. He is here, and he is recognized for 3 minutes.

I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Markey).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Kirkpatrick).

Will the gentlewoman yield?

I would like to thank the gentlewoman for her efforts with the SAFER program and her support for the bill.

You raise a very good point that fire departments in many communities are struggling with shrinking budgets. Some of these struggling communities do have SAFER grants. I would be happy to work with you on this issue as we work to enact this legislation into law.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to a very active member of our committee, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan).

You are courteous to ask. I think we have marshaled it just right. We have 2 more minutes and one speaker.

Again, I thank you for the courtesy. I believe we are going to be able to do it, but thank you very much.

Mr. Chairman, I would yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend from St. Louis, Missouri (Mr. Carnahan).

I will use the remainder of my time to close, so if the gentleman would like to close.

Mr. Chairman, in quick closing, I want to concur with Mr. Smith's remarks, thanking him for his cooperation. This has been a good subcommittee, committee process. It has been bipartisan. And because of that, we have a good bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I just want to thank the gentlelady for this amendment. I think it demonstrates why having greater consultation makes a better bill. You bring unique expertise. We've got a lot more water in Tennessee than you have in Nevada. So thank you for this good amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition to the amendment, although I am not in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I have no objections to this amendment. I want to point out that the underlying programs or competitive grant programs are peer reviewed by members of the fire service.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

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

Under clause 2 of rule XII, bills and reports were delivered to the Clerk for printing, and bills referred as follows:

[Omitted from the Record of November 7, 2009]

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee: Committee on Science and

Technology. H.R. 3791. A bill to amend sections 33 and 34 of

the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, and for

other purposes, with an amendment, Rept. 111-333, Pt. 1;

referred to the committee on Homeland Security for a period

ending not later than November 7, 2009, for consideration of

such provisions of the bill and amendment as fall within the

jurisdiction of that committed pursuant to clause 1(i), rule

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the bill,

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am pleased that we're considering H.R. 3585, the Solar Technology Roadmap Act sponsored by Science and Technology Subcommittee Chair Gabrielle Giffords. This bipartisan bill has a number of cosponsors including myself, subcommittee Chair Brian Baird, and Dan Lipinski, as well as committee members Michael McCaul and Roscoe Bartlett.

I assume solar power is not the first name that comes to your mind when you think of the State of Tennessee; but over the last few years we have really seen firsthand the major potential that solar energy has to create new jobs across the country and reduce our dependency on foreign oil in the process.

Recently, two major producers of special materials used in solar panels have chosen Clarksville and Cleveland, Tennessee, as sites for their next large factories, each with over $1 billion investment creating hundreds of jobs, plus many more jobs in larger investment with the supply chain, as well as universities now setting up courses in management for the solar panel industries. And this is happening all across the State and communities all across our Nation. And that's why we need a national plan, and that's why we are discussing this important bill today.

H.R. 3585 establishes a comprehensive road mapping process for solar technology research, development, and demonstration activities conducted by the Federal Government in partnership with industry. The Secretary of Energy is also directed to award grants to carry out these programs by merit-based review specifically to provide awards to industry-led consortia research, development, and demonstration in solar manufacturing.

The road map provision in the bill is molded on the successful National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, which has been instrumental in helping semiconductor technology advance rapidly over the past two decades.

H.R. 3585 incorporates recommendations of the witnesses who appeared at the Science and Technology Committee, as well as input from a variety of academic, government, and industry experts. Science and Technology Committee staff closely consulted with the minority in the development of this bill. We accepted several minority amendments, and the vast majority of items in our manager's amendment in committee were also suggested or requested by the minority. The bill was voted out of committee on a bipartisan voice vote.

H.R. 3585 has been officially endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Solar Energy Industries Association, British Petroleum, IBM, Intel, and National Semiconductor.

I look forward to voting for several good amendments today and strongly urge my colleagues here to support a bill that will help our country take back the leadership position in this fast-growing industry and put our best minds to work to meet our future energy needs.

Once again, I want to commend Ms. Giffords, Mr. McCaul on their leadership on this issue. I would also like to take a moment to recognize staff who worked on this bill: Adam Rosenberg, Wyatt King, and Elaine Ulrich on the majority side; and Elizabeth Chapel and Tara Rothschild on the minority side. Without the hard work of the staff on both sides of the aisle, producing good bills like this one would not be possible.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the passionate solar advocate and primary author of this bill, the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Giffords).

Mr. Chairman, first, let me thank Mr. McCaul for his significant contribution to this and, more importantly, really, for the constructive role he has played on our committee.

I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend from New Jersey, Mr. Pascrell.

Mr. Hall, if the gentleman would yield, to answer your question, I have about six different speakers at about 2 minutes for most of them.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to an outstanding member of our committee from Michigan, Mr. Peters.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

We have a number of other Members who wanted to speak on this bill, because it is a good bill and they participated, but I do not see them at this time. I don't think it would be respectful to the minority to hold them up with just a filibuster by me.

I yield to the gentleman to see whether he has anyone else who would like to speak.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

This amendment includes a number of good ideas from my colleagues who today were not fortunate enough to be on our committee, so I am happy to support them all, and I appreciate their contribution to making this a better bill.

The amendment also incorporates important clarifying language that the our staff worked out with our committee colleagues and partner, Dr. Bartlett, to ensure that the road map committee only has the power to provide guidance on technological goals and activities and cannot recommend or select specific recipients of funds. This amendment provides further protection against any conflicts of interest on the road map committee, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from San Diego, Mrs. Davis, for as much time as she may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Ranking Member Hall, to respond to your question, the manager's amendment was a compilation of a variety of amendments that had been presented to the Rules Committee. In an effort to expedite the process here today, there was no mention of opposition to these. The minority staff had access to these amendments at the same time that we had them. We heard no opposition, so we tried to batch them together so that the process could move forward more expeditiously.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition to the amendment.

I yield the gentlewoman from Arizona 3 minutes.

I yield the gentlewoman 1 additional minute.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Dr. Broun is a valued member of our committee and has well deserved credentials for looking after the taxpayers' dollars. But I really think in this case it is being penny wise and pound foolish.

In the short time that I have, I want to make one quick point. The United States invented the technology for the solar industry now. Yet China is the largest manufacturer, exporter and deployer of solar in the world right now. The United States simply cannot compete with them in terms of wages. We do not want to work for $2 or $3 an hour. We do not want to have our kids to do that. So we have to be ahead of them in technology.

For that reason, we are going to have to invest in that technology so that we can make our solar panels and our solar industry be such that we are not only manufacturing it, but we are also putting forth the best technology. That is why this investment is important. That is why this is an investment in our future and our kids.

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

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Thank you, Mr. Marshall. I want to let you know that the author of the study that you put forth testified before our committee. It was made part of the record. And you are absolutely right, the sun doesn't shine 24 hours a day, so we need to also find ways to be able to have the storage. I think it is a two-fer with this proposal, and we gladly accept your amendment.

As my friend knows, even in Florida the sun doesn't shine 24 hours a day, so to make the most use of solar technology, storage is very important. I think there will be a combination there. That storage benefit, the technology, will also be used for wind power and other types of renewables.

So I think you have an excellent amendment. It makes a good bill even better, and I appreciate your addition to this bill.

I thank the gentlelady from Nevada.

Certainly, as we have had various hearings in the Science and Technology Committee, we've determined very easily that there is a nexus between water and energy. In most cases, it takes water to make energy and it takes energy to move water, and certainly in the area of large plants with solar thermal, there is a lot of use of water in that regard. To make those plants more efficient will help us to conserve water and help us with that nexus.

And again, I thank the gentlelady for this good amendment to this good bill.

Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to sadly announce a retirement. No, it's not mine; it's much worse. The chief of staff of the Science and Technology Committee, Chuck Atkins, is going to be retiring at the end of this year.

As all of us know, if we are going to run our business well and be successful, we have to have good friends that will give us advice. We have got to have an outstanding staff that will help us execute our work. Chuck has been both of those for me.

Chuck has served his country with distinction in a number of ways. From the jungles of Vietnam as a decorated marine, including a Purple Heart, to the Halls of Congress, Chuck has been a patriot.

He first came to Washington in 1993 with our former colleague Scotty Baesler, from Kentucky. Then in 1998, Chuck took on the chore of being the chief of staff for my personal office. Later, when I became ranking member of the Science and Technology Committee, Chuck took on those additional responsibilities as the staff director there.

In 2007, when I had the good fortune of you allowing me to serve you as the chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, Chuck then became the staff director for the committee. Quite frankly, he has been the key to our committee's success, skillfully putting together an outstanding staff, mentoring them, bringing them along to really perform to their maximum potential, and doing all of that, I am very pleased, in a bipartisan manner.

I will tell you one quick story there. When I first became elected, as you know, the majority staff has two-thirds to one-third, and so there was a big switch. Chuck went to the minority staff and said they could be the first ones to interview for our new expanded staff. After interviewing them, because he wanted to get the very best that he could, our first five hires were from the Republican staff. All the other Republican staff members who didn't have a job, he said they could stay and help us work until they could find another job.

I think because of that, over the last 2\1/2\ years, we have been so successful in being able to pass 82 bipartisan bills and resolutions. Twenty-seven of those have been signed into law and many more are in the pipeline to be signed.

Chuck, thank you for a job well done. I hope that Chuck's wife, Merry, is listening. If so, Merry, thank you for putting up with Chuck for those late nights, and thank you for, I am sure, having to put up with the frustration that he would bring home from having to work with me.

Certainly.

I yield to my friend and ranking member of the Science and Technology Committee, Mr. Hall.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3819) to extend the commercial space transportation liability regime.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3819, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in strong support of H.R. 3819, a bill to extend the current commercial space transportation liability regime.

First established by Congress as part of the Commercial Space Launch Act Amendments of 1988, the commercial space transportation risk- sharing liability and insurance regime has been extended four times since its original enactment. The current extension expires on December 31 of this year, and it is therefore important for Congress to act now so that there is sufficient time for this legislation to make its way to the President before the current authority expires.

The liability and insurance regime that would be extended by this legislation is three-tiered and was originally modeled on the Price- Anderson Act that governs liability risk-sharing under the nuclear power industry. Under the regime, commercial space launch providers licensed by the U.S. Government are required to provide third-party liability insurance to compensate for maximum probable losses from third-party claims up to a level of $500 million. For claims above those maximum probable losses, the U.S. Government may pay successful liability claims up to $1.5 billion in 1989 dollars above the insurance level, subject to funds being appropriated by Congress for that purpose.

Finally, for successful claims above those amounts, the licensee assumes responsibility for payment.

To date, not a single dollar has had to be appropriated by the U.S. Government to pay third-party claims, but the existence of the liability risk-sharing regime has enabled the development and sustainment of a commercial space launch industry in the U.S., including the emergence of several new companies in recent years.

In addition, the regime has allowed U.S. companies to remain competitive with their international counterparts, almost all of whose governments provide similar or more generous risk-sharing liability regimes to that of the U.S.

I should note that, in the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, we directed that there be an independent review of the current risk-sharing regime to see whether or not it was working and whether it needed to be continued or passed, and that review was completed in 2006. I think a number of the review's findings bear mentioning; and, therefore, I will quote a couple of those.

First of all: ``Private liability insurance capacity remains fragile and far below what would be needed to compensate for government indemnification if it were eliminated.''

Secondly: ``Foreign competition has increased, and all credible international competitors have risk-sharing schemes rivaling or surpassing that of the U.S.''

Finally: ``The current regime has become the industry standard. Its elimination could send the wrong signal to international customers and competitors and would be a negative factor in the competition for global launch business.''

In sum, the commercial space transportation liability and insurance regime has worked. It has not cost the American taxpayers a single dollar in claims payments to date. It has strengthened U.S. competitiveness in commercial space launch, and it is not a blank check, since any potential claims payments must be subject to prior congressional appropriation. The bill before us today extends the liability risk-sharing regime for a period of 3 years.

As Members may know, there currently is debate on the potential role to be played by would-be commercial providers of crew transportation to the international space station. At present, no such commercial crew transportation systems exist. Before a meaningful decision can be made on the potential role of commercially provided crew transportation in meeting governmental needs, important policy and safety issues will have to be addressed.

The most optimistic projections of the would-be commercial providers are that it will be at least 3 years before such crew transportation systems could be developed, and many independent observers argue it will be longer than that. Therefore, the duration of the extension contained in this bill is limited so as not to prejudge the outcome of the deliberations on those policy and safety issues or to take a position on the role to be played by commercial crew transportation systems.

So, Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank Ranking Member Ralph Hall, Space and Aeronautics Chairwoman Gabrielle Giffords, and subcommittee Ranking Member Pete Olson for cosponsoring this important legislation. I want to extend my thanks to Dick Obermann, who is the staff director for our subcommittee, and his very good team.

This is a good bipartisan bill, and I urge Members to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 793) supporting the goals and ideals of National Chemistry Week.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 793, the resolution now under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 793, a resolution recognizing the importance of chemistry and honoring National Chemistry Week.

I want to commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) for introducing this resolution.

The importance of chemistry and chemical engineering in our lives cannot be overstated. These disciplines contribute to public health by helping to keep our water clean and our food pure. They contribute to advances in medicine through new biomaterials, drug design and drug delivery techniques. They help make cleaner and more efficient energy technologies possible, and they help keep toxins out of our homes and out of our natural environment through the development of green chemicals and materials.

In short, chemistry and chemical engineering contribute in immeasurable ways to the economic strength, security, and well-being of our Nation and all its citizens. For this reason, it is important to get young people excited about chemistry and interested in pursuing careers in chemistry and in the sciences in general. National Chemistry Week plays a great role in this effort.

National Chemistry Week activities are carried out by local sections of the American Chemical Society located in all parts of our Nation. It is estimated that over 10,000 volunteers from industry, government, and academia will participate in National Chemistry Week activities this year.

They will be working to design hands-on activities, to provide demonstrations and to develop exhibits. Through these activities, they will help stimulate the interest of young people in chemistry and in pursuing careers in science and technology.

So, Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the American Chemical Society for its efforts to establish and to sustain National Chemistry Week.

Once again, I thank Mr. Reyes and his cosponsors for introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the importance of chemistry in our daily lives and the positive impact of National Chemistry Week by supporting H. Res. 793.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, let me thank Dr. Ehlers for bringing both his real-world experience to the Science Committee, as well as his passion for the work that we do there. He makes us a better committee.

I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 558) supporting the increased understanding of, and interest in, computer science and computing careers among the public and in schools, and to ensure an ample and diverse future technology workforce through the designation of National Computer Science Education Week, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 558, the resolution now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House is considering H. Res. 558. I would like to thank my good friend from Michigan, Dr. Vern Ehlers, for his leadership on STEM education generally and for his resolution highlighting computer science education. I would also like to thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) for his work on the resolution.

Today's world is run by computers. From communications, to finance, to transportation and national defense, almost every facet of the modern world is tied to computers.

As we move forward in the 21st century, the country that leads in innovation in the computing and IT fields will very likely lead in productivity and economic growth. If we want America to be the leader, it is vitally important that we train the next generation of IT and computing professionals to provide this spark to our economy.

This resolution recognizes the importance of computer science education to our country, and encourages increased efforts and participation in this field. I want to highlight the attention this resolution pays to the important issue of increasing the involvement of women and underrepresented minorities in the computer science field.

If we want to be truly successful in our efforts to maintain an innovative economy, we need everyone in our country involved in the effort. This is true across the STEM fields, where the problem of underrepresentation of certain groups persists.

I want to once again thank Dr. Ehlers and Mr. Polis for introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Dr. Ehlers for standing up for us nerds of America, as he does so well.

I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis).

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I want to once again thank Dr. Ehlers for his leadership in this area. It has been very evident by his conversation today of his passion that he brings to this important subject.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 797) expressing the sense of Congress with respect to raising awareness and enhancing the state of cyber security in the United States, and supporting the goals and ideals of the sixth annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 797, the resolution now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 797, a resolution to applaud the goals and activities of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month. The Science and Technology Committee has been a leader in Congress supporting the efforts to promote better security and cybersecurity, and I am pleased to support this resolution and to help raise awareness of this critical issue.

Each year, Americans become more and more dependent on technology for their daily lives. More than 200 million people in this country use the Internet for shopping, education, socializing, information gathering, banking and entertainment, and an increasing number of Internet users are children and seniors.

Unfortunately, with this growth in use, we have also seen a startling increase in cybersecurity. Bank accounts are now being hacked; children are

being bullied or harassed on social networking sites; and personal information is being stolen from relatives, retailers, universities, and even government agencies.

For example, earlier this year, computer systems at the FAA were hacked, increasing the risk of large-scale commercial air traffic systems disruption.

Improving cybersecurity will take the effort of all of the key stakeholders: Federal, State and local governments, academia, business and individuals.

We are all part of the user community and we each must do our part, from updating the Web browsers of our personal computers to improving the coordination of cybersecurity research investments across the public and private sectors. We need to change the way we think about cybersecurity and ensure it is built in from the beginning.

Cybersecurity is a challenge that transcends borders. There are 1.7 trillion Internet users worldwide, which means that we can only advance cybersecurity through increased international collaboration. That's why I join my colleagues in applauding the efforts of the National Cyber Security Alliance, a public-private partnership focused on improving cybersecurity for home users, small businesses, and education institutions.

I want to thank my friend from New York (Ms. Clarke) for introducing this resolution and urge my colleagues to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the author of this resolution, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke), and congratulate her on an outstanding hearing last Friday on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

In conclusion, I want to once again thank the gentlewoman from New York for bringing this important resolution to us. I think that this will help give our country a better awareness of the concerns we have about cybersecurity.

Also, as Dr. Ehlers notes, our Science and Technology Committee has spent quite a bit of time on this issue, being the first to have a review of the 60-day review. Hopefully, we are going to be seeing in the next very few days a significant bill coming out of our committee concerning the necessary research and technology aspect of moving forward with our research in the cybersecurity area.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service and dedication of Mark William Libell, a member of my staff who is leaving my office to pursue the next phase in his career.

Mark grew up in Alabama and received his bachelor's degree in History from Maryville College in East Tennessee. After getting his start on the Senate side of the Hill, Mark returned to school to pursue a J.D. at the University of Alabama, which he completed in 2 years.

Mark was drawn to the pace and promise of Washington at a young age. With a love of American history, Mark grew up reading the stories of our Nation's leaders. In fact, I think he has the record in my office for the number of books he requested from the Library of Congress. His commitment to public service is evident in his work and has earned the respect of his colleagues.

As the Senior Legislative Assistant in my office, Mark was a valuable resource to me and my staff. His broad knowledge of policy, his appreciation for the rules of the House, and his enthusiasm for the job helped me to advance my legislative priorities and better serve my constituents.

While Mark's work-related contributions have been greatly valued, his sheer presence in the office will be sorely missed. Mark was always one of the first in the office to grab lunch, usually around 11:30 a.m. His choice of food was always a topic of discussion in the office as the aroma filled the air, whether fish from the cafeteria or Chinese food.

Madam Speaker, there is no question that Mark's character of thoughtfulness, dry humor, and fun spirit is strong and will be missed by all.

Mark, I thank you for your service and wish you the best of luck in the future and in your new position.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service and dedication of Sarah R. Tuke, a member of my staff who is leaving my office to pursue the next phase in her career.

Sarah Tuke is a Tennessee native, raised in the Nashville area. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a bachelor's degree in History, she moved to St. Louis to work for a non-profit organization. Sarah quickly realized, however, that working in politics interested her more, and she returned to Tennessee to volunteer for Harold Ford Jr.'s U.S. Senate campaign in 2006.

Following the campaign, Sarah moved to Washington, D.C. to further pursue her interests in politics and the legislative process. She joined my staff in February 2007 after an internship with the House Science and Technology Committee.

From the first day she walked into my office, her enthusiasm and kind spirit impressed me and everyone she worked with. Her commitment to helping Middle Tennesseans has always been strong--I have never had a staffer with the patience and kindness that Sarah exudes, especially when answering questions from constituents and volunteering to help her co-workers with projects. She has also worked hard to understand the complexities of adoption and veterans issues, which has helped me in pursuing my legislative priorities.

Madam Speaker, if you would like to package kindheartedness, you could just put a bow on Sarah. It's Sarah's ``can-do'' attitude, combined with her genuine compassion to others that has led this wonderful individual to rise and succeed as she has done in my office.

Sarah, we're all going to miss you. I wish you the best of luck in your new position with the Japanese Embassy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of the founding of the West End Church of Christ congregation in Silver Point, Tennessee.

In 1909, Pastor George Phillip ``G.P.'' Bowser relocated the Laurel Hill congregation to Silver Point and established the Putnam County Normal and Industrial Orphanage to provide housing, education, vocation, and religious instruction to the African American children of the region. In 1913, the school became the Silver Point Christian Institute, educating grades one through eight. A small printing press was operated by the school, which led to the development of the Christian Echo--a publication that is still printed today.

By 1915, the church and school combined into the West End Church of Christ Silver Point. A new building was constructed, which still stands to this day. In December 2007, the building was included in the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. National Park Service.

The geographically isolated Highland Rim area of Middle Tennessee has always focused on small-scale agriculture and timber resources grouped into small towns. Farms were tended by individual families with little outside help. Until the early 20th century, these small communities in Silver Point had few religious organizations and even fewer schools. Classes were often taught in buildings that could not afford proper maintenance or enough supplies for students.

The school that Pastor Bowser established in 1915 provided the young children of the community with educational opportunities never before seen in the area. Though the school closed in 1959, the Church remains active.

Many prominent and nationally-acclaimed leaders have been personally involved with the Church, including Sam Womack, Alexander Campbell, Marshall Keeble, Henry Clay, J.S. Winston, R.N. Hogan. G.E. Stewart, and Levi Kennedy.

Through its 100 year history, the West End Church of Christ in Silver Point has provided a place of identity and congregation for the African American community of western Putnam County. I congratulate the congregation on its centennial anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Marilyn M. Mathis who is leaving Murfreesboro City Schools after 26 years of service to pursue a new phase in her distinguished career.

Marilyn joined City Schools in 1983 as the Assistant Superintendent for Administration under the leadership of School Director Dr. John Hodge Jones. After Dr. Jones' retirement in 1997, Marilyn was appointed Director of Schools.

During her 26 year tenure, Marilyn has seen the City School's student population nearly doubled. As Director, she has been influential in improving City Schools over the last 12 years.

Marilyn was determined to live up to the standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act and strived to make City Schools one of the top school districts in the state of Tennessee. She led the system by its mission statement: ``to assure academic and personal success for each child.''

Under Marilyn's leadership, City Schools added three new schools including the Bellwood-Bowdoin Preschool for more than 400 at-risk preschool students, and the opening of Scales and John Pittard Elementary Schools. She also established Bradley Academy as ``An Arts Integrated School,'' the Discovery School for high achieving students at Reeves-Roger, and named Hobgood Elementary as a NASA Explorer School.

Marilyn also supported and participated in a public education foundation for Murfreesboro City Schools and created a partnership agreement with Middle Tennessee State University located in Murfreesboro.

Her legacy to City Schools will live on for years to come, and the students of Murfreesboro are better prepared for the future because of her hard work and dedication.

Thank you Marilyn. I wish you the best of luck in your new position as Executive Director of the Association for Independent and Municipal Schools.