Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield as much time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).

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

Mr. Speaker, my words on this quite appropriate bill would pale in comparison to the fine words from the gentleman from Ohio and the gentleman from Chicago. I think they said it quite well and eloquently, so at this time I think it's appropriate that I just urge all Members to support H.R. 3788.

I rise today in support of this bill designating the United States Postal Facility, located at 3900 Darrow Road in Stow, Ohio as the ``Corporal Joseph A. Tomci Post Office Building.''

A native of Ohio, Corporal Joseph Tomci was a ``humble, determined and athletic'' man. A football player and avid outdoorsman, Corporal Tomci graduated from Stow-Munroe Falls High School located in Stow, Ohio in 2003.

As a teenager he was determined to join the Marines. After the September 11th attacks, his decision was reinforced and he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps just a few months after graduating from high school. Corporal Tomci was inspired by his favorite quote ``the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing''. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, Lima Company based in Camp Lejeune and quickly rose to a leadership position. He was deployed three times--Haiti in 2004, Fallujah, Iraq in 2005, and Ramadi in 2006.

When on leave from Iraq, Corporal Tomci often told friends ``I'm doing this so you guys don't have to.'' As a squad leader, Corporal Tomci had great concern for the 12 Marines under his command. He was especially conscious of training the soldiers who had just been deployed to Iraq, once telling his mother that now he knew what it felt like to be a parent.

Tragically, while serving his 3rd deployment in Ramadi, he was killed by a roadside bomb on August 2, 2006.

After his death, one of Corporal Tomci's friends put it best when he said Corporal Tomci was a patriot and ``he was made to be a Marine.''

I urge the passage of this bill in honor of an ambitious, caring, and dedicated American who sacrificed his life while serving his country.

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

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

I rise today in support of S. 1211, designating the United States Post Office at 60 School Street in Orchard Park, New York, as the Jack F. Kemp Post Office.

A former Congressman, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and, most importantly, a former quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, Jack Kemp will always be remembered in San Diego and around this country for his unwavering dedication to the ideals of conservative principles, a passion for economics, faith in helping poor people across the country, and for his eloquent quotes of Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, or one of the influential citizens he met along his journey, such as Kimi Gray. Jack Kemp was truly an American original.

Through his years as a Congressman and as a Cabinet Secretary, Jack Kemp inspired us all to hold fast to our ideals. He was known and respected by people in both political parties and by people from all walks of life for his leadership and commitment to principles, no matter what the issue.

Jack Kemp spent the majority of his political career staunchly advocating tax cuts, promoting economic growth, and encouraging us all to recognize, as John Kennedy did, that a rising economic tide raises all boats. His devotion to supply-side economics saw its height when, due largely to his influence, it became a cornerstone in the

Reagan administration's economic policy. He believed in expanding and growing the economic pie, not just parceling up what was available at the time.

He was also deeply committed to minority rights. Throughout his life, Jack Kemp relentlessly urged the GOP to fight for and support minorities. He sincerely believed in the party of Abraham Lincoln as the party that should be leading all people in this country.

As Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, he was a forceful advocate for affordable housing for all Americans, especially in the inner cities.

Congressman Kemp was a role model because of his integrity and his passion, whether it be on the football field, in the House Chamber or in the executive branch, and it is appropriate today that we name this post office after him.

I reserve the remainder of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. King).

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

I want to compliment the gentleman from Pennsylvania. It's true, as somebody who had to endure, as my father was stationed in South Philly before the urban renewal, but mostly before we abandoned the old concepts of urban renewal and talked about true revitalization, which was a totally different restructuring of the way government went in, it wasn't the one-size-fits-all Washington knows best, it went in and incorporated with the community, allowed the community to decide, right sizing, human sizing, not just government sizing. It really did transform, especially South Philly.

As somebody that spent his childhood, some of his childhood in Philly, I was happy to see that Jack Kemp was able to work with the local Congressmen, the local community, to make sure that in the future the children in that area wouldn't have to endure what we did in those days.

I also want to point out, Mr. Speaker, that Jack Kemp was somebody who

really stood up for the concept that thinking outside of the box was important, that Democrat or Republican or left and right, that being right was all that mattered and not worrying about staying in and being locked in to parameters of so-called political doctrine.

I would also like to point out in closing that as a personal friend of his, I appreciate the fact that we have been able to discuss his life. I just want to correct for the record that as far as I remember, Jack Kemp was not only a quarterback for the Chargers, he was the first quarterback for the Chargers. He was the guy that we first saw carrying the lightning bolt in what was then Balboa Stadium. We will always remember him not as a Congressman, not as a Secretary, but always the guy who was carrying the ball for those of us in San Diego.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers at this time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, there is a lot about Cesar Chavez that a lot of people don't remember. The fact is that he was a decorated naval veteran. Also, they don't remember that Cesar Chavez was probably a good, well, 20 years ahead of his time. In fact, Cesar Chavez in 1969 led the first march on the Mexican border to protest illegal immigration. He was accompanied by Walter Mondale and Ralph Abernathy at that time to alert all to the problems that were equating with illegal immigration at that time.

In fact, in 1979, Mr. Chavez, testifying before Congress, pointed out that when farm workers strike and their strike is successful, the employers go to Mexico and have unlimited, unrestricted use of illegal immigrants to break our strikes. He also pointed out that the employers used professional smugglers to recruit and transport human contraband across the Mexican border specifically to break the union strikes of the farm workers.

I think as we recognize him, we understand that history does repeat itself. Years and years later, 20 years later, there were those raising the issue of the impact on the working class by illegal immigration, but first and foremost there was Cesar Chavez at the Mexican border saying illegal immigration is hurting us more than anybody is willing to admit and that the growers and the wealthy were benefiting from the exploitation of illegal immigration. History will show that Cesar Chavez was right and brave to stand up in 1969, and we should be doing the same today.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, ``The reforms I am proposing will not apply to those who are here illegally.'' These words were spoken by the President on September 9 right at this podium. He pointed out that he was proposing to insure 30 million, not the 47 million that we hear today.

Was the difference between the two the fact that the President committed not to provide benefits to illegals in this country?

The sad fact about the situation is that the proposal that Pelosi has given us is one that does not guarantee to the American people that those illegally in the country will get benefits in this country even though they are violating our law. Why has Pelosi abandoned the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program, the SAVE Act, is because she wants to include that 17 million that are here illegally.

The commitment the President has made at this podium should be kept by this House, both sides of the aisle. So stand by the SAVE Act. It is a system that works. It is functional. It has been the standard. Why abandon it now?

Mr. Speaker, as cochairman of the U.S.-Philippine Friendship Caucus, I wish to offer my sincere condolences to the citizens of the Philippines that have suffered so much due to the devastation left by Tropical Storms Ketsana and Parma. Since September 26, 2009, the flooding that has occurred due to record amounts of rainfall has forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people, destroyed over 4,000 homes and left more than 700 people dead.

This is a tragic event that reminds us of the fragility of human life when confronted by the forces of Mother Nature. Sadly, the deadly results of Tropical Storms Ketsana and Parma continue to do damage and wreak havoc on the health and well being of the citizens of the Philippines. As Congress offers its condolences, our friends in the Philippines try to restore order to their country.

As an American, I am proud that more than 700 United States Marines and sailors are on the ground in the Philippines providing food and clean drinking water directly to her citizens. With that said, I want to reaffirm the United States commitment to doing all we can to help our friends in the Pacific. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Filipino people and I urge my colleagues to support the underlying resolution.

Madam Speaker, I would like to submit the following Earmark request:

Requesting Member: Congressman Brian Bilbray

Bill Number: Conference Report to H.R. 3183, FY 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations

Account: EERE

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: UC San Diego

Address of Requesting Entity: 9500 Gilman Drive, San Diego CA 92093

Description of Request: I received $750,000 for the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology (SD-CAB). SD-CAB is a consortium of renowned research institutions--including UC San Diego, The Scripps Research Institute, the Salk Institute, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego State University and other regional entities--that are collaborating with industry partners in a broad-scale research effort to develop advanced transportation fuels from algae. Scientists from these institutions established SD-CAB in an effort to make sustainable algae-based fuel production and carbon dioxide abatement a reality within the next 5 to 10 years. The primary goal of the center is to create a national facility capable of developing and implementing innovative research solutions for the commercialization of fuel production from algae. Algae biofuels have the potential to provide a secure and renewable source of transportation fuel that is at least carbon neutral, and does not compete for land or fresh water resources required to grow food supply crops.

To further establish the SD-CAB as a national research resource for the sustainable development of algae-based biofuels, I made a project request intended to help develop the facilities necessary to the production and culturing of a variety of algae strains. These facilities would be both on campus at UCSD and at an off-site location where existing infrastructure can be readily upgraded, refurbished and leveraged for the SD-CAB research enterprise. A congressionally directed appropriation of $750,000 has been provided in the House FY 2010 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill to help meet these needs.

This advanced research project will provide an important training component for both students and faculty, in this critical emerging field of research. It will serve as a platform for continued collaboration with other universities and key industry partners. It is also a logical continuation of the San Diego region's leadership role at both the state and federal levels in developing and deploying viable alternative energy and transportation fuel solutions. Further, the cutting edge R&D into alternative transportation fuels derived from algae enabled by this project will be reflective of current related policy goals and funding priorities of both the federal government and the State of California.

Madam Speaker, I would like to submit the following request:

Requesting Member: Congressman Brian Bilbray

Bill Number: Conference Report to H.R. 3183, FY 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations

Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The City of Solana Beach

Address of Requesting Entity: 635 South Highway 101, Solana Beach,

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

The resolution before us is a commitment to reaffirm a sense of urgency, of reminding all of us of the crisis that occurred not so long ago in the crumbling towers in New York and the crisis at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. I appreciate the chairman bringing this item before us, and as a representative of the minority on the committee, I want to strongly urge its support.

I appreciate the fact that the gentleman has worked in a bipartisan fashion. I think this is one committee where the chairman and ranking member have proven that Washington, especially the House of Representatives, can work in a cooperative manner, and I think if there is any place the American people not only expect but demand that we find that bipartisan ground, I think we have found it in this resolution and on this issue.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. King), the ranking member on the Committee on Homeland Security.

I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier).

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chairman's words. And let me just say, December 7, 1941, was brought up earlier, and my father's birthday actually was December 7 and he was actually stationed at Pearl Harbor in 1941. And I think the big slogan we've always heard about December 7 is, never again shall we be not prepared to avoid this. I guess the goal that we need to say in remembrance is, never again with 9/11.

How many of us around this country, especially if you asked those in New York, how many thought that flight schools in Florida or California were going to affect their lives? Most New Yorkers would probably say, it doesn't affect me. I guess how many people around this country would think that if Virginia gave driver's licenses to people who were not legally in the country, did it really matter? And they would think, no it probably doesn't matter in my life. I think 9/11 has proven that what happens anywhere in the United States may have a major impact at corners across this country.

I'd have to say that we do talk about what happened at New York. We can identify where the Pentagon was hit. And, sadly, I don't think most of us could point out where in the field in Pennsylvania the heroes of that flight perished. In that field, somewhere in Pennsylvania, there were the heroes who chose to stop an act of terrorism dead in its tracks. And I think every Member of Congress, when we do a tour of the Capitol, we walk into the Capitol, every Member of Congress should remember those heroes who perished in that field in Pennsylvania because, Mr. Speaker, we stand here today and we have the privilege of showing our constituents this structure to representative government, the Capitol.

We stand today probably because these heroes were willing to give it all to protect the Capitol of the United States. As far as I know, this was, we were the next one in line. And so, as we stand here today and recognizing the sacrifice, the heroism and the loss of

9/11, I think that we should remember every day that a Member of Congress or the President has the privilege of serving the public in this building, in this temple of representative government, that we ought to thank those heroes for preserving for us the right to be able to represent them here in this structure because without that heroism, not only would the structure not be here, but there's many of us that will vote on this resolution today who may not be here today if it wasn't for their heroism.

So I ask that we support this resolution. I ask that we remember what it's about and we remember that the only way to make sure it doesn't happen again is to take the time to do the right things, learn from the mistakes of 9/11 and make sure we don't forget the mistakes of 9/11 so that we never repeat the tragedy of 9/11.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield as much time as he may consume to my colleague from California (Mr. Dreier), the coauthor of this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to close by saying I thank everyone for the cooperative effort here. Sadly, recently, we've talked a lot about heroes, and too often we mix up heroes and victims. I think we've got to remind ourselves that, when we talk about Ted Hall and Arnie Quinones, we're talking about true heroes. Victims are individuals who are at the wrong place at the wrong time and who have paid the ultimate price. Heroes are individuals who willfully put themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and who pay the ultimate price. There is a huge difference between a hero and a victim.

Today, with this resolution, we're not only recognizing the men and women who are out fighting the fires today, but we're recognizing the heroes--all of the individuals who are fighting fires and who are addressing this issue--in the persons of Messrs. Hall and Quinones, the heroes who chose to serve their community and to put themselves in harm's way as a service. With this resolution, we do them honor and respect, not only to the two individuals but to everyone who chooses to put themselves in harm's way to protect others.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following.

Requesting Member: Congressman Brian Bilbray

Bill Number: H.R. 3288--Department of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

Account: Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Interstate Maintenance Discretionary

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of San Diego, CA

Address of Requesting Entity: 202 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Description of Request: I secured $1,000,000 to fund initial construction work for an interstate highway interchange improvement project of regional and national significance, which will widen I-5 and connect it with S.R. 56 in San Diego, significantly improving mobility of goods and people. The I-5 corridor is the primary north-south link between Southern California--San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County--and Mexico, and S.R. 56 is one of the few east-west freeways serving the San Diego region. The vicinity of the interchange project experiences extensive, recurrent traffic congestion, with average daily counts of 261,000 vehicles (including 10,000 trucks), projected to reach 430,000 vehicles daily within 20 years. Environmental and design work for the project is complete, and additional construction funding is programmed in current Regional and State Transportation Improvement Plans for future federal, state, and local highway funding allocations. Local and State sources will finance at least 20 percent of the total project cost. The project addresses the authorized purposes of the Department of Transportation Interstate Maintenance account, which includes funding for the addition of new interchanges.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following.

Requesting Member: Congressman Brian Bilbray

Bill Number: H.R. 3326--Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010

Account: USAF, Research and Development

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Address of Requesting Entity: 14200 Kirkham Way, Poway CA 92064

Description of Request: I was able to secure $1,500,000 million for the Predator C. In July 2008, I took a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan to assess the current conditions on the ground. In a meeting with General David D. McKiernan, former Commander of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and former Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A), he emphasized that the most important tools needed to successfully conduct operations are more ``eyes in the sky,'' also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Most importantly, this request will help save lives through better intelligence gathering and greater strike capabilities. Furthermore, Predator C means more jobs contributing to San Diego's local economy. Predator C will provide the USAF and other customers with an additional covert capability, enhanced by much higher operational and transit speeds for quick response and quick repositioning for improved mission flexibility and survivability.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following.

Requesting Member: Congressman Brian Bilbray

Bill Number: H.R. 3288--Department of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

Account: Federal Highway Administration, Transportation & Community & System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entities: City of Escondido, California/City of San Marcos, California

Address of Requesting Entities: 201 North Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025/1 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos, CA 92069

Description of Request: I received $500,000 to widen the Nordahl Bridge where it intersects SR-78. This widening project is a key to the greater SR-78 infrastructure/capacity improvement project that is decreasing congestion in both San Marcos and Escondido in preparation for the new public Palomar Pomerado Hospital.

The Cities of San Marcos and Escondido have requested funding for the project, and the project is supported by the San Diego Association of Governments and CALTRANS. Funding assistance will provide a sensible, long-term solution to the interchange by widening and lengthening the existing overpass bridge structure at Nordahl Road and SR-78 to accommodate capacity improvements planned for SR-78 while also addressing congestion on local streets.

$5,000,000 will be obligated in FY 2010, and will fund preliminary engineering, environmental review, right-of-way acquisition and construction costs for the project. The regional project is the #1 priority for both the City of Escondido and the City of San Marcos and is not only the subject of a MOU between the cities, but also a draft cooperative agreement with Caltrans District 11. It is supported by the region's metropolitan planning organization, the San Diego Association of Governments and is included in the San Diego Regional Transportation Plan.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following.

Requesting Member: Congressman Brian Bilbray

Bill Number: H.R. 3326--Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010

Account: OPAF, Line 12

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California National Guard

Address of Requesting Entity: 9800 Goethe Road, Box 42, Sacramento,

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to congratulate International Game Fish Association (IGFA) Trustee Michael L. Farrior of Rancho Santa Fe, a long time San Diego businessman, for his extraordinary leadership and for his passion in promoting fishing and conservation.

Mr. Farrior, whose interest in sportfishing stretches back nearly four decades, has become the recognized authority and historian of saltwater sportfishing on the West Coast. Over the years Michael has shared his interest in antique tackle and encouraged others to begin collecting and preserving old fishing equipment. The antique tackle collection he has assembled and the research he has shared is another way Michael gives back to a sport that he loves.

A long-time member of the Tuna Club of Avalon, Mr. Farrior was appointed Historian and was subsequently invited to write The History of the Tuna Club 1898-1998. When his book was published, Mr. Farrior donated all of the profits to the Tuna Club Hospital Foundation. He approached that project with the same enthusiasm he has demonstrated throughout his life and his research has literally changed the way the International Game Fish Association viewed West Coast sportfishing.

He is a well-respected IGFA Trustee, and has been the catalyst in arranging pier fishing tournaments for the youth of San Diego, as well as fishing trips for military patients recuperating at the San Diego Naval Hospital from wounds suffered in Iraq. He has also assisted the U.S. government by providing the historical data for use in developing the Highly Migratory Species Act.

Mr. Farrior was able to establish that the birth of big-game fishing occurred on the West Coast and the early fishing gear used to battle large bluefin tuna, marlin and swordfish, evolved here. The sportfishing ethics and rules used today by IGFA and other fishing clubs were originally drafted at the Tuna Club at Avalon on Catalina Island at the turn of the century. ``Making Californians aware of the fact that big-game fishing was born here and getting California indelibly recognized as the birthplace of big-game fishing is one of my proudest achievements,'' he added ``Previously, it had literally just been lost to time''. Mr. Farrior's impact on West Coast sportfishing is also indelibly written in the history which he has preserved and which has consumed him throughout the years. His contributions to sportfishing over the years truly qualify him as Sportfishing's own ``National Treasure.''

Mr. Speaker, on the 23rd of this month, Rosalie Rosas watched her husband go off to work. She stayed at home with Robert, her son, 2, and Alesa, an 11-month-old baby, thinking that the next morning her husband, Agent Rosas, would be back at home with the family. Sadly, that wasn't to be.

Agent Rosas was in the Campo area of southern California serving a nation that he looked forward to serving for so long; a young man who had grown up in the Imperial Valley area, had served as a reservist, always looked forward to being a Border Patrol agent. While alone, he detected individuals crossing the border. Somewhere in the process of confronting the illegals crossing the border, Agent Rosas was murdered by those illegals.

Mr. Speaker, Agent Rosas' situation, and more importantly, the situation of Rosalie and the two children, is something that all Americans should remember, that there are Americans every day that are not only defending this country far, far away, but there are agents every day and every night that stand on the border, stand in ports of entry or throughout this country, standing up and defending this country from incursions from across the border and from foreign lands.

Agent Rosas died in the service of this country, was murdered in the service of this country, and Rosalie and the two kids will never be the same, and neither should this country.

Mr. Speaker, there are Border Patrol agents today that are in the sweltering heat of Yuma, Arizona, across the Texas frontier, that confront smugglers every day from New Mexico to San Diego. And they do not know which one of the individuals they are confronting, if it's just an innocent illegal who happens to not realize that you can't come into this country illegally anymore, somebody that may not mean harm but is being brought in by vicious, terrible smugglers who not only smuggle illegals, but smuggle drugs. That agent doesn't know if the person they're confronting is going to surrender or draw a firearm and kill him immediately.

Agent Rosas was shot in the head and killed. But he was able to wound one of his assailants, and the assailant later was detected as far up as northern California, and he was arrested there. With the cooperation of Mexican officials, we were able to apprehend individuals in Mexico.

But I think that more important than talking about the crime that was committed at our border--something that I think all Americans should have known was coming when we've seen the violence that has occurred on the other side of the border for far too long--Americans should have known this violence was going to cross over, while we continued to turn a blind eye to the illegal activity along our border, because it just wasn't politically proper to raise the issue that crime and violence is occurring along our frontier.

No, the thing that I would like to remember tonight is that Agent Rosas is just one of many that are out there in the terrible heat of the summer, the terrible cold of the winter, through rain and sleet and snow and whatever it takes to do their duty, and doing it in a nation that tends not to recognize their true service.

Mr. Speaker, we use the word ``hero'' a lot of times in this country and, sadly, we use it too often instead of using the word victim. But there is a big difference, Mr. Speaker, between a victim and a hero. A victim is someone who is at the wrong place at the wrong time and suffers for it. But a hero is someone who willfully puts themselves in harm's way at the wrong time and suffers for it. And I do not think we should, as a society, ever forget the difference between a victim and a hero.

Agent Rosas is a true hero, somebody who served this country. And we should all remember, as his services are held this week, that his services are in recognition of not only his sacrifice and his family's sacrifice, but of the sacrifice of men and women around this country that defend us along our borders.

I think it goes without saying that all of us in Congress want to send out our heartfelt sympathies to Rosalie and Rob and Alesa for their great loss and their great contribution by losing their father. I hope we all remember that there are fathers and mothers around this country that we ought to appreciate while they're alive and not just honor them when we lose them.