Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 135) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

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

House Concurrent Resolution 135 authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 20th annual District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run to take place on June 10, 2005. The Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to using athletics to impact the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Funds raised through projects like the Law Enforcement Torch Run make it possible for athletes with disabilities to train and compete year round.

The Special Olympics offers something that is seldom offered to these individuals. It creates an environment where persons with disabilities are

fully accepted, encouraged and empowered. Through training and competition, Special Olympics athletes grow mentally and physically, improving their physical fitness and motor skills and ultimately gaining greater self-confidence. With more than 85,000 law enforcement officers carrying the flame across 35 nations, the 2004 Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run raised more than $20.5 million. This event has historically been the largest and most successful Special Olympics grassroots fundraiser and awareness vehicle, and with the authorization of House Concurrent Resolution 135, we will ensure its continued success.

The sponsors of the event will work with the Architect of the Capitol and the United States Capitol Police to comply with all the applicable regulations relating to the use of the Capitol Grounds and will assume responsibility for all expenses and liabilities related to the event.

I encourage my colleagues to join the law enforcement community in supporting the Special Olympics and join me in supporting this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 136) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.

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

Madam Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 136 authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service to take place on May 15, 2005. The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary are the sponsors wishing to honor some of America's bravest men and women. The memorial service will honor the 154 Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting their communities in 2004.

I would especially like to recognize the seven peace officers killed in the line of duty in 2004 from my home State of Pennsylvania.

This is the 24th time that this event has been held on the grounds of the Capitol. This memorial service is part of National Police Week, which was created by law in 1962; and this year begins today and continues until May 15.

Police Week draws officers, their families, and the survivors of fallen officers from around the country and includes such events as the Blue Mass at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, a candlelight vigil at the National Law Enforcement Memorial, and a police unity tour featuring officers and historic vehicles.

This event begins at noon on Sunday and, following the ceremony on the Capitol grounds, will continue with a procession to the Law Enforcement Memorial followed by a wreath-laying ceremony.

I encourage my colleagues to attend this much-deserved memorial service to honor those who are on the front lines, protecting the communities we live in, and work to serve.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam 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 House Concurrent Resolution 86, House Concurrent Resolution 135, and House Concurrent Resolution 136, the matters just considered by the House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this rule and H.R. 366, the Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act of 2005.

This bill, introduced by the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), my colleague, authorizes the Carl D. Perkins Act through fiscal year 2011.

H.R. 366 highlights student achievement, increases accountability, and strengthens cooperation between secondary and post-secondary vocational and technical education programs.

This bill responds to the needs of employers and future employees by emphasizing both academic and technical education in curriculum planning. It helps schools identify those students who wish to pursue specialized technical training and assists those schools in setting up a course of study that will best help those students receive that training.

Since its inception, the Perkins Act has provided many students in my district with the ability to continue to enhance their skills and their education.

Perkins equips students with the ability to proceed with post- secondary education or pursue other post-secondary opportunities.

I believe it is essential for our economy to strengthen the Perkins program.

Through Perkins, one of the largest technical schools in my district and in Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, was able to upgrade its equipment. This new, high-tech equipment allows students to improve their skills and, hence, makes them more marketable in a work environment that stresses technology and innovation.

H.R. 366 would also allow local facilities to offer information on supportive services so students can address their transportation and child care needs while in school.

Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which is also located in the 15th Congressional District, has many students pursuing engineering and other degrees in the hard sciences who would not be able to graduate on time absent Perkins assistance. Without the money these programs provide, these students would have to secure full-time employment while completing their degrees. This leads to more student debt, more time in school, and ultimately, more taxpayer expenditure.

As the workforce continues to expand, we must continue to provide resources for Perkins, not cut or zero out this important program.

The Perkins program is extremely important, not just for the numbers of students it serves, but for the communities that benefit from the better prepared workforce that results from these programs.

I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation and support the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to this body's attention the terrible natural disaster that has recently occurred in my district in Pennsylvania. On April 2, heavy rains triggered substantial flooding of the Delaware River. The river overflowed in various local municipalities. Hardest hit were the small borough of Portland in Northampton county and the city of Easton, also in Northampton County.

I was back in my district at the time of the flooding. I toured the water-damaged areas extensively, visited with local residents, and was horrified by the destruction and heartbreak that this disaster has induced. Keep in mind all this occurred less than 1 year suffered from the devastating effects of Hurricane Ivan.

On April 9, in response to what I had seen, I wrote a letter to the President, asking him to declare the 15th district a Federal disaster area. The Governor of Pennsylvania also requested this relief, and I supported him in that request. I also keep in regular contact with our State and Federal Emergency Management officials in order to coordinate relief efforts.

I urge my colleagues to keep the citizens devastated by this natural disaster in their prayers.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes to talk about an issue that is very important to me as a Member of Congress and as a consumer: financial literacy.

Last week we passed a resolution I cosponsored with overwhelming bipartisan support, H. Res. 148. This resolution supports the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month.

Tonight, on the eve of the debate of our Nation's bankruptcy laws, I believe it is only fitting to support Financial Literacy Month and speak on the benefits of personal financial literacy.

In our Nation today, half of all Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck. The average college senior has approximately $7,000 in consumer debt, and only four out of every 10 workers is saving for retirement.

As individuals incur debt, they are less likely to be prepared for retirement and more likely to become dependent solely on the Social Security system to support them into retirement.

By encouraging informed choices and wise financial decisions, our Nation's consumers will have positive credit ratings, money management skills, and be on the road to a stable and prosperous life. They will be able to build homes, buy cars, finance educations, and start businesses. It is our goal to

educate the public about financial literacy.

In today's world, we must continue to expand access to financial institutions and provide all Americans with the tools they need to become productive members of society. These principles and goals are important to all of us.

The programs and seminars supported by the resolution will provide the guidance that is needed for so many Americans. I encourage those who supported this amendment and agree with these goals to work alongside us to educate Americans about finance and economics.

Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this legislation, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users.

TEA-LU is an important piece of legislation. It is especially important to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It provides money for highways. It provides money for roadway safety. It authorizes money for road and highway congestion relief. For the millions of Pennsylvanians who depend on the Commonwealth

roads for travel between work, school, home and business, this act provides the means to build better roadways and to ensure that existing thoroughfares and highways are safer, less congested, and properly maintained.

These funds are particularly important in a State like mine which has to maintain a much larger and older infrastructure than some others. The Department of Transportation in Pennsylvania maintains over 40,000 miles of highways.

Accordingly, I support the tradition of recent transportation authorizations in which funding is returned to the States on a need- based approach. In my district, the Greater Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania and its environs, the maintenance of existing and the creation of new infrastructure are of vital importance to the well- being of the residents. Thus, as part of this bill, I have asked for an allocation of funds for a host of transportation projects including the construction of the bridge crossing the Lehigh River to connect both sides of the American Parkway in the city of Allentown, the expansion of State Route 412 from interstate 78 into the city of Bethlehem, the improvement of State Route 145 in Whitehall Township, and the construction of intermodal facilities in the cities of Easton and Allentown.

Members of the Pennsylvania delegation, myself included, all share in the conviction that highway improvements should be available to all people living in the Commonwealth. I thought we shared this goal with the Governor of my State. Recent actions by the Governor, however, have called into question this assumption.

On March 1, 2005, the Associated Press reported the Governor has decided to flex some $412 million of the approximately $1.2 billion in highway funds previously appropriated to the State. The Governor proposes to divert this money, about one-third of the total allocation, away from the highway system and over to the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, and the Port Authority of Allegheny County. These public transportation systems are drowning in a sea of debt partially of their own making, and they have been doing so for some time.

Given the foregoing, I applaud the inclusion in this bill of a provision which calls for the Government Accountability Office to determine the extent to which State government representatives, such as the Governor of my State, are appropriating large amounts of Federal highway dollars that are supposed to benefit all citizens of a State and how those officials are accounting for those dollars.

While no one objects to giving States some flexibility to the allocation of Federal highway money in order to benefit the common good, diverting these highway funds to a particular mass transit project or projects to such a significant extent is simply unacceptable to me and most Pennsylvanians.

Mr. Chairman, I support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 25) recognizing the contributions of Jibreel Khazan (Ezell Blair, Jr.), David Richmond, Joseph McNeil, and Franklin McCain, the ``Greensboro Four'', to the civil rights movement.

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 concurrent resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 25. This important resolution recognizes the tremendous contributions of Ezell Blair, Jr.; David Richmond; Joseph McNeil; and Franklin McCain to the civil rights movement. These four individuals, known as the ``Greensboro Four,'' became tireless icons in our Nation's struggle for civil rights and fairness for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, on a winter afternoon in North Carolina in 1960, this quartet of college freshmen grabbed the attention of the entire world. It was February 1, 1960, when these four simply took their seats at the lunch counter of F.W. Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina. But there was nothing simple about this act.

As was to be expected at that time, the young men were refused service when they sat at the segregated counter at about 4:30. Each of them sat quietly at the counter until the store closed at 5:30. They returned to sit at the same segregated counter the next day.

This time they were joined by about two dozen other students. The presence

of these 30 or so young people overwhelmed the small diner, but again they were denied service. The next day, February 3, students occupied 63 of the 65 available seats at the lunch counter.

These civilized acts of defiance inspired similar sit-ins across North Carolina in the days that followed. By the end of February, such protests were taking place at eateries all over the South. Ultimately, the Greensboro Four induced the integration of public accommodations throughout many segregated southern States. Even Woolworth's integrated all of its stores in July of 1960.

Mr. Speaker, what an awesome action this was for anyone to take, yet alone four college freshmen. Ezell Blair, David Richmond, Joseph McNeil and Franklin McCain transcended the Nation's civil rights struggle by starting this series of sit-ins. The Greensboro Four deserve the commendation of the Congress 45 years after their historic demonstration for their contribution to the civil rights movement.

I am so pleased to be a cosponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 25. I thank the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina for authoring this meaningful resolution. I urge all my colleagues to support it.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support and agree to House Concurrent Resolution 25.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 324) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 321 Montgomery Road in Altamonte Springs, Florida, as the ``Arthur Stacey Mastrapa Post Office Building''.

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 H.R. 324.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 324, a bill to designate the U.S. postal facility at 321 Montgomery Road in Altamonte Springs, Florida, as the Arthur Stacey Mastrapa Post Office Building. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney) for sponsoring this legislation to honor Sergeant Mastrapa, a courageous American hero whom our Nation lost in the war on terror.

Sergeant Arthur Mastrapa of Apopka, Florida, an Army Reservist and military police officer, was killed in a rocket attack at a logistics support facility in Balad, Iraq, on June 16,

2004. He was 35 years old. His loss was made more tragic because it came just 2 days before he was due to return home with his comrades in the 351st Military Police Company, based in Ocala, Florida. He is survived by his loving wife, Jennifer, and his two loving children, Marisa and Reese.

Nothing could be more appropriate or fitting than to name this post office after Sergeant Mastrapa. Mastrapa was a Reservist and a postal letter carrier who worked full time at this post office on Montgomery Road in Altamonte Springs. I hope and pray that the dedication of this facility in Altamonte Springs will be a meaningful reminder of Arthur's life and service to his family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. The Mastrapa family needs to know that the heartfelt thoughts and prayers of all the Members of the House of Representatives are with them. We join them in mourning their loss.

The United States of America owes its security and freedom to people like Arthur Mastrapa. Sergeant Mastrapa and our Armed Forces have helped to prevent another attack against America since September 11, 2001, by taking the war on terror straight to where our enemies live and plot. Certainly, the wonderful democratic election in Iraq on January 30 was in no small part possible to Sergeant Mastrapa's heroism.

I know the Iraqi people, like all Americans, would thank Arthur if they could.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the House leadership for selecting this bill for floor consideration, and I greatly thank my distinguished colleague from Florida for working on H.R. 324. I urge all Members to support this honor for Sergeant Arthur Mastrapa.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney), my distinguished colleague, the sponsor of H.R. 324.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H. Res. 324, and 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. 86) congratulating the

New England Patriots for winning Super Bowl XXXIX.

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 H. Res. 86, the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am truly honored to be a new Member of the House. I look forward with great anticipation to this body's numerous deliberations on consequential issues in the months and years ahead. Engaging in debate for this resolution, however, is unfortunately not one that I have looked forward to.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 86 congratulates the New England Patriots on winning Super Bowl XXXIX over the Philadelphia Eagles 24 to 21 on February 6, Super Bowl Sunday. As a big Eagles' fan myself, I know the rules of the House preclude me from wearing this hat, but I thought I would just show it to our audience. I am a dear and devoted Eagles' fan, but I had a very tough day, as did millions of other Eagles' fans across the country.

With this Super Bowl title, their third in the last four seasons, the Patriots have indeed earned their place atop the football world, and they deserve this honor from the House.

On behalf of all Members, I salute the Patriots for solidifying their place as one of the most successful dynasties in NFL history.

In this era of great parity in the NFL, the Patriots' recent success may not soon be replicated. Their three Super Bowls put New England in a class with other great franchises in pro-football history, like the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s, the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s, and the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s.

This was the Patriots' ninth straight win in the playoffs over the past 4 years, which equals the great run of Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers during the 1960s as the best pro-season stretch of all time. Led by their infallible coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady, safety Rodney Harrison and Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch, the Patriots continued to do whatever it takes to win big games, and the Brady branch connection proved too much for the Eagles. They have won each of their three Super Bowls by just three points, but Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to recognize our Philadelphia Eagles for their outstanding season as well.

The Eagles went 13-3 during the regular season and reached the Super Bowl for the first time since 1981 and the second time in team history. Quarterback Donovan McNabb has been their catalyst all season. He threw for a whopping 357 yards and three touchdowns on Super Bowl Sunday, and wide receiver Terrell Owens, who broke his leg and tore a knee ligament just 7 weeks before the Super Bowl, returned for the first time and remarkably caught nine passes for 122 yards.

Over 130 million Americans are estimated to have watched at least part of the Super Bowl, nearly half of all residents. Super Bowl Sunday has become an unofficial holiday in this country, and for the third time in 4 years, the New England Patriots, and the Brady branch connection in particular, proved to all of us that they are indeed the champions of football.

Mr. Speaker, while I am indeed heartbroken and crestfallen in the wake of the Eagles' loss, I want to sincerely congratulate my colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) both for the success of his Patriots and for moving forward this resolution on the team's behalf.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bradley), my distinguished colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I have no other requests for time at the moment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. On behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Pittsburgh Steelers and all of their fans, I urge all Members of the House to support the adoption of House Resolution 86.

Mr. Speaker, 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. 80) recognizing the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association on the occasion of its 75th anniversary and commending the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association for sponsoring annually the Mid- Atlantic Expo and Symposium, as amended.

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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 80, as amended, commends all State fire chiefs associations. Every State in the Union has a fire chiefs association.

These groups provide valuable leadership skills to career and volunteer chiefs, chief fire officers and managers of emergency service organizations throughout the United States.

The members are literally on the front lines of the homeland security effort, ready to respond in a moment's notice to crisis situations anywhere in America. Fire chiefs are unquestionably the world's leaders in fire fighting, first response, emergency medical services, natural disasters, search and rescue, and many other areas of public safety. Their efforts largely go unnoticed, which is why I am so pleased that the House is taking time to recognize fire chiefs associations today.

Mr. Speaker, my thanks go to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode) for introducing this resolution. I urge the adoption.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 14, my vote was not recorded. Had it been recorded, I would have voted ``yea.''