Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for your leadership on the committee and your leadership for these veterans in this country. And to the ranking member, I know that he did not mean that the leadership of this House, that have devoted a block of time to talk about the veterans and their service to this country, is filling the time.

I want to thank the leadership, I want to thank the chairman, and I want to thank the Republicans on the committee because we have some issues that we want to talk about honoring veterans that have served this country. So I know he did not mean that talking about veterans, other than Memorial Day or Veterans Day, is filling our time. He didn't mean that, I know that.

So I want to rise in support of veterans-related bills being considered today, and I support all eight of them.

I am pleased to be a cosponsor of House Resolution 1231, supporting Vietnam Veterans Day. In my State of Florida, we have close to 600,000 thousand veterans in Florida, and I am pleased to be given the chance to serve their interests as a member for 16 years on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

The Vietnam War was a very divisive time in our Nation's history, and I hope that all Americans, through this resolution, will be able to continue to help heal this Nation, and that the Vietnam vets, who so bravely served our country, will finally get the respect they have earned. Let me just say: Vietnam veterans bravely served this country finally get the respect they helped earn.

I am also pleased recently to visit Puerto Rico recently and tour the VA Medical Center in San Juan. I was very impressed with the people who work at that facility and with the people in the territory as a whole. The employees were very professional, and it is a credit to both Puerto Rico and to the VA.

I was also in Ponce, admiring the port there, in my other role as a member on the Transportation Committee, and was very impressed by the city and very pleased that the veterans there have access to the VA clinic.

I support H.R. 4289, to name the VA clinic in Ponce after Captain Rubio, who earned the Medal of Honor for his service protecting his comrades above and beyond the call of duty.

I also rise in support of H.R. 4918, to rename the Miami Veterans Medical Center after one of Florida's bravest servicemen, Private Bruce Wayne Carter, of the United States Marine Corps. His mother still lives in Jacksonville. Private First Class Carter was ordered to Vietnam in April, 1969, and served as a radio operator. When he was 19, and in an act of incredible altruism, he threw himself on an enemy grenade, absorbing the full extent of the blast to protect his fellow marines.

He gave his life in service to our country and to his fellow marines and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. I am pleased to join the entire Florida delegation in support of this legislation in honor of Bruce Carter.

Again, I want to thank the chairman, and I urge all of my colleagues to support all eight bills honoring veterans

on the floor of the House of Representatives today. And once again I want to thank the leadership for bringing these veterans bills up today.

Will you yield?

Sir, I understand what you're saying, but I don't know that it was any different when the Republicans were in charge. The appropriations bills, they are going through the process, they are going through the different hearings and the discussion. But today we have an opportunity to honor the veterans.

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Buyer, I think it is appropriate to take proper time to honor the veterans, and I am very happy that we are doing this today. The appropriation bills, as you know, will be coming up. These are the ``must'' bills that we have to pass. And so often, as you well know, we take them and we wrap them in a continuing resolution. Hopefully, we will pass several of those bills, but today it is time for us to honor the veterans.

We have passed, working together, the largest VA budget in the history of the United States.

Will the gentleman yield?

Last week, just last week we passed the Amtrak bill, which is an opportunity that we can take people out of their cars and move them forward. I went from downtown Brussels to downtown Paris, 200 miles, 1 hour and 15 minutes. That is the future of this country. We are moving forward. And I know you voted for my Amtrak bill. That is a great step forward.

Mr. Speaker, I first of all want to thank Congressman Towns for hosting this energy information transportation session today.

And I was very excited last weekend that I was in your district, and I was able to ride the train from Union Station to downtown New York. That distance, I was able to do it in 2\1/2\ hours, and the goal of our Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is to be able to do it in less time.

That is right. And we want to do it in 2 hours.

But the key is we were able to do that, and I was able to take that train ride and read and contemplate what we've got to do. We've passed the Amtrak bill. We've got to move this country forward, and I want to thank you for your leadership on this issue.

We've had our heads in the sand long enough on the issues of global warming, and I'm glad that the House Leadership is making this issue a top priority. You only need to look at the constantly rising gas prices to understand why we need to focus on energy independence.

My home State of Florida is particularly vulnerable to weather pattern changes brought about by climate change. Florida on average sits just 98 feet above sea level and each year battles hurricanes with increased frequency and intensity.

Fortunately, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is taking the bull by the horns and looking at ways that we can decrease the negative effect our transportation system has on the world's ecosystem.

One simple way to do this is increasing the use of passenger and freight rail. Freight railroads have made major gains in fuel efficiency through training and improved locomotive technology. A single intermodal train can take up to 280 trucks off our highways. Today, one gallon of diesel fuel can move a ton of freight an average of 414 miles, a 76 percent improvement since 1980. And General Electric will soon unveil the world's first hybrid locomotive.

Passenger rails' ability to reduce congestion is well known, with ridership numbers increasing steadily each year. One full passenger train can take 250-350 cars off the roads. Passenger rail also consumes less energy than automobiles and commercial airlines. But we need to get people to wake up and start making passenger rail a priority in this country.

Unfortunately, this also brings up the bigger issue of capacity and what we are able to accomplish with the limited rail capacity that currently exists in the United States. We need to find a dedicated source for increasing rail capacity and we need to do it now to prepare for the future.

This may not be an easy task, but it is the right thing to do for future generations.

Mr. Chairman, I've got to say that one of the joys of serving in this Congress is serving on this Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with Mr. Oberstar, who is the guru of transportation, not just for Amtrak, but every single area of transportation. And for helping to develop this Amtrak bill. Eleven years without a bill. The last authorization was 11 years ago.

And of course I want to thank Mr. Mica for his leadership in this area, and Mr. Shuster, and also Mr. LaTourette, because I want people to know that we didn't just come up with this bill today. This is a bill we've been working on for years. And this is an exciting day for the American people, a real milestone.

The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act provides over $2 billion per year for capital and operational grants, $500 million per year for developing State passenger corridors, $345 million per year to pay down debt, $345 million per year for high-speed rail programs, and requires a plan for restoring service to the Sunset Limited Line.

Amtrak's improved physical state and recent focus on customers service, along with increased highways and airport congestion and rising gas prices, have made intercity passenger rail more popular and necessary than ever.

In Fiscal Year 2007, Amtrak carried more than 25.8 million passengers, the fifth straight fiscal year of record ridership. Like its ridership gains, Amtrak's financial performance has improved as well, posting approximately $1.5 billion in ticket revenue, a gain of 10.8 percent over 2006 ticket revenue, and the third consecutive year that ticket revenues increased.

More than just a convenient way to travel, Amtrak is also energy efficient. Rail travel is more energy efficient and uses less fuel than cars or airplanes. According to the U.S. Department of Energy data, Amtrak is 17 percent more efficient than domestic airline travel and 21 percent more efficient than automobile travel.

And let me just say that there is no mode of transportation that pays for itself. We all subsidize every form of transportation.

Current initiatives include a more sleek model, more efficient Auto Train fleet, reducing annual fuel usage by 640,000 gallons, and remanufacturing brake systems throughout the Amtrak fleet that will reduce energy consumption by 8 percent.

Passenger rail also reduces global warming. The average passenger rail train produces 60 percent lower carbon emissions than cars and 50 percent less than airplanes.

On May 10, Amtrak celebrated National Train Day by holding events throughout the country, over 60, to be exact, showcasing intercity passenger rail and its importance to this Nation. I celebrated National Train Day by holding events throughout my district, including press conferences and events in Jacksonville, Winter Park and at the Sanford Auto Train station. Every event had great turnout, showing strong support for Amtrak, and I got to hear firsthand accounts of people who use Amtrak every day to go to work, to visit friends and family all over the country.

Congress also showed strong support for Amtrak and passenger rail by passing legislation supporting National Train Day by 415-0.

Fifty years ago President Eisenhower created the national highway system, which really changed the way we travel in this country. Today we need to do the same thing with passenger rail, and make the level of investment necessary for it to become more successful in the future.

The American people deserve the best passenger rail in the world, and I believe that this Amtrak authorization will go a long way to raise the U.S. to its rightful place as a world leader in passenger rail.

Passing of H.R. 6003 will be the first major step in bringing our Nation's intercity passenger rail system to the 21st century. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote for the Passenger Rail Investment Improvement Act.

Mr. Chairman, once again I want to thank Mr. Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, Subcommittee Chairman Shuster and the staff. On behalf of the American people, I thank you. This is really a great day.

Let me say thank you, Mr. Oberstar, for your hard work on this bill and helping to develop this manager's amendment which incorporates provisions in the bill that would improve the overall Amtrak system. We are falling behind other industrialized nations who have prepared their country for the future by investing heavily in high-speed rail.

Mr. Oberstar talked about what he did when he was right out of college with his scholarship and how it took him 6 hours to go from downtown Brussels to downtown Paris. Now it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes, over 200 miles. We went less than 6 months ago to visit a new system, downtown Barcelona, Spain, to downtown Madrid, over 300 miles, 2\1/2\ hours, and we didn't even know we were moving.

That is our competition. That is who we are competing against as far as when we talk about trade and other issues. They are able to move their people, goods and services, and we are falling behind.

Amtrak reauthorization legislation is one of the few pieces of transportation legislation that has passed the Senate. Let me repeat that. Amtrak reauthorization legislation is one of the only pieces of legislation that has passed the other body. We have a great opportunity to go to conference and send a bill to the President's desk that provides a tremendous benefit for the traveling public, creating economic development and decreased energy consumption.

The American people deserve the best passenger rail system in the world. I have said over and over and over again, we are the caboose, and we don't use cabooses anymore.

This legislation takes a proactive step in addressing the outrageous cost of gas, now over $4 a gallon, and it makes a statement that we are serious about improving our dependence on foreign oil. Rail travel is more efficient and uses less fuel than both cars and airplanes.

I would encourage all of my colleagues to support this amendment and support the bill so we can quickly move this bill through the process and have it on the President's desk for his signature.

Mr. Chairman, the Washington D.C. Metro system is the fourth busiest transit system in the nation. The system provides transportation to the federal employees who work here everyday and the millions of visitors that visit the city each year.

This amendment will require a dedicated funding source provided by the local governments that are served by the Metro. Something for which the Metro has been without for far too long.

It also creates an office of Inspector General to help provide oversight of the system.

This legislation also ensures that rail customers will have access to a broad range of wireless providers in case of an emergency and will provide additional dollars to the Transit Authority.

The Metro system that serves this country's capital is a national asset and I hope that both the local and federal government will continue to show full support for the system.

Mr. Chairman, we would encourage Amtrak to work closely with all the states they operate in to ensure that they are operating in conjunction with local commuter systems.

This is one more example of the need for additional rail capacity and the affect this lack of additional infrastructure can have on a state.

As more and more states turn to commuter rail service to move their citizens, it will be imperative that passenger, commuter, and freight rail work together to best utilize limited rail resources.

I encourage my colleagues to reject this sham amendment. Prohibiting funds for one route will have negative effects on the entire system, and it's already addressed in this legislation in a way that won't harm Amtrak and the services it provides.

Opponents of passenger rail have repeatedly tried to siphon off the growth of our Nation's rail system by cutting funds, zeroing out the budget, and now cutting out the only transcontinental passenger route; all while in the same time the opponents have the gall to ask for a better profit model.

Let me tell you, I've got some breaking news for you. There is something

more important than profit. Amtrak was the first responder during Hurricane Katrina and used the Sunset Limited line, which is being restored in this legislation, to help evacuate thousands of gulf coast region residents while President Bush and his administration was nowhere to be found. Now, that is a part of every key State future evacuation plan.

This amendment will have a negative effect on major States, eight-- California, Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas, Texas, Texas.

The Sessions amendment will do the exact opposite of what we're trying to accomplish with this legislation, which is to expand passenger rail service, reduce congestion and improve our energy independence.

Passenger rail's ability to reduce congestion is well known, with ridership numbers increasing steadily each year. One full passenger train can take 250 to 350 cars off the road. Passenger rail also consumes less energy than both automobiles and commercial airlines.

I would encourage any Member who don't want to explain to their constituents why they no longer have access to Amtrak service, to vote ``no'' on this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, anyone who has railroad tracks in their district has heard from constituents who are upset by repeated train whistles.

Unfortunately, these train whistles are the most effective way of warning people of an oncoming train. And even still we see constant reports of injuries and deaths on the tracks.

Technology holds the key to many improvements throughout our rail system, including improved safety. And hopefully it can help with the age-old problem of train whistles.

We also need to invest in more grade separations at rail crossings to improve safety and

cut down on the need to blow warning whistles in the first place.

Mrs. McCarthy of New York. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, 50 years ago President Eisenhower created the national highway system which changed the way we travel in this country. Today, we need to do the same thing with passenger rail and make the level of investment necessary for us to become the most successful in the 21st century. That is why I am so excited about House bill 6003, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, which was introduced by Mr. Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, subcommittee Ranking Member Shuster, and myself.

Amtrak is extremely valuable to our country. It takes cars off the road that are already congested. It reduces congestion in the sky, and it's better for the environment.

In many areas of the country, Amtrak is the only mode of transportation available. They have shown major increases in ridership, too, as ridership has increased in 8 of the 9 last years and reached a record level of 25.8 million passengers just last year. And with the cost of gas potentially rising to $5 a gallon, there would be even more riders lining up for Amtrak.

Unfortunately, for many years Amtrak had been given just enough money to live alone, never getting the necessary funding to make serious improvement in the system. The hydraulic electric system is 70 years old, 65 percent of the bridges were built in the 1920s, and several tunnels which trains travel through every day were built in the 1800s.

In 2005, Amtrak conducted a comprehensive review of its capital needs. The review determined that Amtrak should invest $4.2 billion to bring their infrastructure to the state of good repair. Today, with the backlog of major bridges and tunnel work, the necessary investment capital has approached an estimated $6 billion.

As other countries continue to invest tens of billions of dollars each year to improve their passenger rail system, we are falling further and further behind by deferring much-needed improvements to our system. We must find a way to speed up Amtrak bylaws of repair work and bring its assets to a good state of repair so that Amtrak can concentrate on increasing capacity, increasing speed, developing new facilities, and planning for the future.

These major infrastructure improvements are also necessary to improve the safety and security of the system and its passengers and workers. Amtrak has and will continue to play a critical role in evacuation and transportation systems during national emergencies. Unfortunately, it is also a prime target for those who wish to harm us, and we must provide resources to make the system less vulnerable.

I'm looking forward to working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to pass important legislation.

The United States used to have a strong passenger rail system. Now we're at the caboose, and they don't even use cabooses anymore.

The American people deserve better, and I believe that the Amtrak reauthorization bill will go a long way to bring the use to its rightful place as the world leader in passenger rail.

In closing, I went from downtown Brussels to downtown Paris, 200 miles,

1\1/4\ hours; downtown Barcelona to downtown Madrid, 2\1/2\ hours.

We will move forward with high-speed rail in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Con. Res. 336) honoring the sacrifices and contributions made by disabled American veterans.

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

With House Concurrent Resolution 336, we honor the sacrifices and contributions made of our disabled veterans. The current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have added well over 30,000 of our sons and daughters to the roles of veterans disabled in defense of our Nation, with the number continuing to grow.

Collectively, there are approximately 2.8 million veterans receiving compensation for disability incurred in the line of duty. This resolution calls for the establishment of a single week dedicated annually to each and every one of our Nation's disabled veterans.

What better time would there be for groups large and small, national and local, private and public, to come together and remember in their own way the sacrifices of the Nation's heroes? Those great Americans gave the most for the least. They have earned our lasting remembrance and much more.

It is far too easy for many to forget the true costs of war, to forget the deaths of our servicemen and to ignore the wounds of those who return. It is too easy for too many of us to think that the cost of war ends when the last soldier returns.

Our disabled veterans continue to serve our country in so many ways, bearing their wounds as a reminder to all that freedom and liberty are not free. The men and women who return wounded and disabled from combat, and service to our Nation, remind us of the terrible price we pay, not only in costs measured in dollars, but the costs measured in lives lost and changed.

It is therefore right and proper that we remember the service and sacrifice of our disabled veterans and pay tribute and honor to them during this week of Disabled American Veterans Week.

When called, they answered. When needed, they served. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude and a heartfelt remembrance for their sacrifice and service. I am reminded of the words of the first President of the United States, George Washington, whose words are worth repeating at this time. ``The willingness with which our people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportioned as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country.''

It is part of my service and duties to visit the veterans' hospitals and clinics

in the areas I travel to. I recently visited the medical center in Puerto Rico, dedicated a new clinic in Orange City, Florida, and, before that, the Medical Center in New Orleans.

We have been funding the VA and veterans health care at record levels, giving the VA the largest increase in funding in the history of the United States. It is our duty to oversee the VA to make sure that they are spending the money properly in the best interests of our brave men and women who defend the rights and freedom of our great Nation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).

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

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

I want to be clear, Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, House Concurrent Resolution 336 honors the sacrifices of the disabled veterans, and I urge all Members to support it.

I am very proud of the fact that we have just passed the largest VA budget in the history of the United States of America. Now a lot of times people talk the talk, but we as Members of this body need to walk the walk for the veterans. And when I said that I have visited the facilities in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, I have also visited the facilities in Louisiana, and I made sure that we put the money into the budget so we could rebuild that facility for veterans in that area.

I urge my colleagues to unanimously support H. Con. Res. 336.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 336.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 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. 1235) expressing support for the designation of National D-Day Remembrance Day, and recognizing the spirit, courage, and sacrifice of the men and women who fought and won World War II.

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

Mr. Speaker, last week, on June 6, we celebrated the anniversary of one of our greatest military accomplishments and an historic event that changed the face of our Nation and the world.

On June 6, 1944, the largest seaboard invasion in history began the 2-month Battle of Normandy. The D-day invasion began during the night, and continued with air and naval attacks and an amphibious attack in the early morning hours.

The D-day operation of June 6, 1944 brought together the land, air and sea forces of the Allied armies in what become known as the largest invading force in human history. Operation Overlord landed five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

The invasion force included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by 195,000 Navy personnel from eight Allied countries. Almost 133,000 troops from England, Canada and the United States landed on D-day. Casualties during the landing was over 10,000.

New Orleans is the home of a wonderful museum, the National World War II Museum. This museum opened its doors on June 6, 2000, and paid tribute not only to the D-day but all of the efforts in World War II. One of the reasons it is located in New Orleans is it was the home of Andrew Jackson Higgins.

The historian, Steven Ambrose, reported that General Eisenhower once told them that Higgins was the man who won the war for us. Eisenhower explained to him that if Higgins had not designated and built the LCVPs, we never could have landed over the open beach. The whole strategy of the war would have been different.

According to the National World War II Museum, the Higgins work force was the first in New Orleans to be racially integrated. This work force shattered production records, turning out more than 200,000 boats, including 12,500 LCVPs, or Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel, by the end of the war.

General Eisenhower's D-day message read: You are about to embark upon the greatest crusade, toward which we have strived these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you, and hopes and praise of liberty- loving people everywhere march with you.

The world still recalls D-day, and the efforts of the United States and our Allies to end fascism in Europe and across the globe. It is fitting that we recall these accomplishments, and this day, and the service and sacrifice that hastened the end of World War II.

The world still looks to us for leadership for leadership and to be a beacon to illustrate the path ahead. Let us always strive to provide this light, this leadership and this wisdom to do what is right.

Last August I had the honor and privilege to visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France. While there I laid a wreath of flowers in honor of the soldiers that fought and died at Normandy and visited the graves of Floridians who gave their life fighting the Nazis.

Tori Robinson, an American gospel singer based in Paris, also a constituent of mine, sung at the ceremony. Her version of God bless America brought people from all over the memorial. There this honor was shared by all visitors in this holy place.

I want to take a special note to honor Chairman Obey and Chairman Murtha for their hard work in getting funds for this new Normandy Visitors Center appropriated. My visit to this center followed theirs, which was just dedicated on June 6, 2007, the 63rd anniversary of D- day.

This visitors center truly paid tribute to the soldiers who stormed those beaches and gave visitors a true sense of what these men and their loved ones was going through during the war that led up to the D- day invasion.

I encourage all Americans to visit this hallowed site. Most of the visitors are from Europe and come to honor the sacrifice of the young Americans made for their freedom.

Many brave men and women died on this day, 64 years ago, to restore the freedom we enjoy today. Here rests in honored glory a comrade in arms only God knows, reads just one of the 9,387 grave markers at the American cemetery in Normandy, France. We honor them by remembering and this resolution calls us to remember.

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

I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cazayoux).

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on House Resolution 1235.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to unanimously support House Resolution 1235.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that if the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) offers a resolution as a question of the privileges of the House at any time on the legislative day of June 10, 2008--

(1) the previous question shall be considered as ordered thereon without intervening motion except one motion to refer; and

(2) the Speaker may postpone further proceedings on such a vote on a motion to refer as though under clause 8(a)(1)(A) of rule XX.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5669. The Poison control centers provide vital healthcare services to Americans of all incomes and keep costs from emergency procedures under control. Through their cost-saving programs, these centers benefit the general public, the government, health care providers, public health entities, and insurers.

In my district, Jay Schauben supervises a poison control center at Shans-Jacksonville hospital that treats a population of approximately six million. The Florida legislature created this center in 1989 to address overwhelming needs in the areas of exposure treatment and education, and Dr. Schauben's team has risen to the challenge and helped a countless number of my constituents. I would also like to thank Senator David Karnes, whose tireless support has been a great help in attaining funding for these important centers. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Gerold Schiebler of the University of Florida. Dr. Schiebler has been active for decades in the campaign for affordable healthcare and widespread access to poison control services.

With our economy in recession, now is certainly no time to further limit access to the quality healthcare services, or to tie the hands of advocates like Dr. Schauben, Senator Karnes, and Dr. Schiebler. So, it is critically important that poison control centers are reauthorized, and that these centers receive full funding through Fiscal Year 2014.

A wide variety of Americans benefit from the services poison control centers provide every day. The general public benefits by receiving cost-free poisoning prevention guidelines, emergency medical advice, and follow-up calls about treatment. These services prevent trips to emergency rooms and keep already outrageous healthcare costs from rising even further.

I represent one of the poorest districts in the State of Florida, and I have seen first hand the challenges my constituents face in finding affordable healthcare. A study group consisting of medical and poison control experts has found that every dollar spent on poison centers saves seven dollars in healthcare costs.

Also, poison control centers provide educational programs aimed at prevention. These programs help educate many uninsured Americans about means of poison prevention, and keep healthcare costs in the U.S. down by avoiding emergency room procedures.

In addition to saving low- and middle-income Americans healthcare dollars, poison control centers provide 24-hour emergency and informational services via a Toll-Free National Hotline. This hotline is a vital source of information for many of my constituents, and Americans across the country, who could not otherwise receive medical advice or attention. This hotline also provides essential follow-up calls regarding continuing care of poison exposures.

Without a national hotline, many individuals with known or suspected toxic exposures would seek significantly more costly and less accessible healthcare alternatives, such as an emergency room visit.

Simply, the benefits of these centers are widespread, but are especially helpful to those whose incomes prohibit access to private health care services. Failure to reauthorize these important centers would represent a tremendous disservice to Americans in all Congressional districts.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5669.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1176) supporting the goals and ideals of National Train Day.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 1176.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

National Train Day celebrates the 139th anniversary of the ``golden spike,'' which was driven into the final tie in Utah and marked the completion of our Nation's first transcontinental railroad in 1869.

This weekend I celebrated National Train Day by holding events throughout my district, including press conferences and events in Jacksonville, Winter Park, and Sanford Auto Train station. We had a great turnout at every event, and I heard firsthand from people who use Amtrak every day to go to work and visit friends and family all over the country.

As Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, I have had the privilege to see firsthand passenger rail systems in other countries. I have taken high-speed trains from Brussels to Paris, 200 miles, 1\1/4\ hours; and from Barcelona to Madrid, 300 miles, 2\1/2\ hours; and the advantage for travelers and for business are tremendous. We need to catch up with the world, and with gas prices edging toward $4 a gallon, some places $5 and $6, now is the perfect time for us to begin to make serious investment in passenger rail.

Indeed, Amtrak ridership and revenue has never been stronger. In 2007, Amtrak set a new record for ridership, exceeding 25.8 million passengers. In the same year, ticket revenues increased by 11 percent, to more than $1.5 billion. For my State of Florida, Amtrak expenditures for goods and services in the State soared to nearly $40 million last year, and Amtrak currently employs over 700 Florida residents.

I have traveled all over the country and have conducted many transportation roundtable events that feature rail and its importance, and the people I have talked to love Amtrak. It is a great way to commute to work, takes cars off our congested highways, and improves the environment. In many areas of the country, it is the only means of public transportation available.

Now what I can't understand is why the Bush administration, again, in the midst of sharp increases in gas prices, continues in its efforts to destroy passenger rail in this country. Every industrialized country in the world is investing heavily in rail infrastructure because they realize that this is the future of transportation. But sadly, as their systems get bigger and better, our system gets less and less money.

While the administration has spent nearly a trillion dollars on the war in Iraq, it continues to decrease their requests for Amtrak. This year they only requested $800 million for Amtrak's 25.8 million passengers. Well, that is an improvement from zero. For Amtrak, just one week's investment in Iraq would significantly improve passenger rail across the country for an entire year. This is another perfect example of how out of touch this administration is because I can assure the President that there is a whole lot more support for Amtrak in this country than there is for the war in Iraq.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about Amtrak, and it is important for people to know the facts. Ridership numbers and ticket revenue are at a record level. Outstanding debt has been reduced by $600 million over the past 6 years, and many major infrastructure projects have been completed. And this has been achieved with a workforce that has been reduced by over 4,000 employees. We still have a lot of work ahead of us when it comes to Amtrak, and it took a major step forward last week when we introduced legislation reauthorizing Amtrak at a level that would allow it to grow and prosper. The legislation developed by the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mr. James Oberstar and myself, and introduced with Congressmen Mica and Shuster, provides over $2 billion a year for capital and operating grants, $500 million per year for developing State passenger corridors, $345 million per year to pay down debt, $345 million per year for high-speed rail programs, $600 million to start working on constructing a new tunnel through Baltimore, and requires a plan for restoring service to the Sunset Limited, one of my top priorities.

Major infrastructure improvements are also necessary to improve the safety and security of the system and its passengers and workers. Amtrak has and will continue to play a critical role in evacuating and transporting citizens during national emergencies. Unfortunately, it is also a prime target for those who wish to harm us and we must provide resources to make the system less vulnerable.

Fifty years ago, President Eisenhower created the national highway system that changed the way we travel in this country. Today we need to do the same thing with our rail system, and with Amtrak reauthorization we are doing just that.

The United States used to have a first class passenger rail system. However, after years of neglect, we are now the caboose, and they don't even use cabooses anymore. The American people deserve better, and I believe our Amtrak reauthorization bill will go a long way to restoring the American passenger system.

I encourage my colleagues to show their support for our Nation's rail system and its employees by holding events at our local commuter train stations any time during the year, and I would also encourage Members to cosponsor H.R. 6003, the Amtrak reauthorization bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, how much time remains?

I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).

I yield 3 minutes to the Congresswoman from California, my friend, Mrs. Grace Napolitano.

Mr. Speaker, let me reiterate that 50 years ago, Eisenhower created a national highway system that changed America. Today we need to do the same thing with our rail system; and with this Amtrak reauthorization, we're doing just that.

The United States of America used to be the first as far as passenger rail was concerned. And I say it over and over again, now we are the caboose. And we don't use cabooses anymore. The American people need and deserve better.

Let me also mention that joining us on celebrating Amtrak National Train Day were 150 ladies from the Hope Chapel Church who rode from Jacksonville to Winter Park. And also, we had over 60 activities throughout the country. Participating in those activities were the Harlem Globetrotters and many Members of Congress.

I, in closing, am very excited about moving this country forward as far as making sure that we are no longer the caboose.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 5522, the Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Act of 2008. This bill would require the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, to issue rules regulating combustible industrial dusts, like sugar dust, that can build up to hazardous levels and explode.

Opponents of this bill claim that OSHA has enough existing standard and education materials to protect workers. However, I would strongly argue that the absence of clear OSHA standards puts thousands of American workers and innocent bystanders at risk from workplace hazards. Unfortunately, I have an example to back up my statement.

On December 19, 2007 there was a chemical explosion at the T2 Laboratories in Jacksonville, Florida. According to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, CSB, this explosion was one of the worse chemical accidents in their

10-year history. Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated incident. A year earlier, there was another explosion in Daytona Beach at the Bethune Point Wastewater Plant. These two incidents demonstrate a critical need for stronger OSHA regulations.

In 2002, following a series of fatal explosions and a large number of deaths and injuries caused by runaway chemical reactions, the CSB issued a report concluding that reactive incidents are ``a significant chemical safety problem'' and that OSHA's Process Safety Management Standard, PSM standard, has ``significant gaps in coverage of reactive hazards.'' The study identified 167 serious reactive chemical accidents resulting in 108 fatalities in the U.S. over a 20 year period. The CSB therefore recommended that OSHA amend the PSM standard to better control reactive chemical hazards.

Reactive hazards rulemaking had been on OSHA's agenda during the Clinton administration as a result of a number of fatalities and a labor union petition, but the Bush administration removed it from the regulatory agenda.

OSHA's mission is to ensure employee safety and health and as OSHA is watching the progress of H.R. 5522, I ask that they review the 2002 recommendations by the Chemical Safety Board and revise the Process Safety Management standards to prevent further workplace accidents.

I want to start out by thanking Chairmen Oberstar and Cummings and Ranking Members Mica and LaTourette for all of their hard work on this bill.

We have given the Coast Guard so much responsibility, and they have been up to the challenge.

I have great respect for my colleague from California, but I rise to express my serious concern with her pending amendment. As a Member from the State of Florida, which has 14 ports and numerous cruise lines, I have a particular interest in the cruise industry. The cruise industry is one of the most important economic engines in the State of Florida. Over 5 million passengers embarked from Florida in 2005 and the industry contributed more than $6 billion in direct spending. In addition, the cruise industry is the second largest employer for Florida, generating more than 125,000 jobs.

Before coming to Congress I owned a travel agency, and I can tell you that a cruise is one of the most cost-effective, safe and enjoyable vacations one can take. In fact, I recently sent my mother on a cruise.

The cruise industry is highly regulated by State, Federal and international laws. They ensure that passengers are safe and have a sound safety and security record. It is apparent from the FBI statistics that crime against U.S. passengers on cruise ships are very rare.

The proposed amendment would unfairly penalize the cruise industry and require the public posting of crime allegations, organized by the name of the cruise line. No other private industry is required to provide such information on an Internet site.

The bill unfairly penalizes the cruise industry without any evidence or justification for this measure.

Requiring the reporting of allegations of crimes onboard ships would be misleading to the public as there is no distinction between an allegation and an actual crime committed. That is why if a local government requires the reporting of allegations of crime, no specific business is identified since in many instances these allegations are unfounded.

In closing, I will continue to work to make sure that the cruise industry is one of the safest industries in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor of H.R. 3547.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Stephanie C. Kopelousos, the Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation.

Throughout her nearly 15 year public service career, Stephanie C. Kopelousos has worked in both State and Federal public policy, with a particular emphasis in transportation. Her impressive rise to Florida's Secretary of Transportation is well deserved and notable.

Stephanie C. Kopelousos is the first woman to serve as Secretary of Transportation of Florida. She oversees more than 7,000 employees and an annual budget of $8 billion. In an industry so critical to our economy such as transportation, it is sad that women are underrepresented. I hope that her status inspires other women to follow in her success. I believe her leadership will fuel Florida's continued economic growth and enhance Floridian's quality of life.

Secretary Kopelousos has served in several capacities in Florida's Department of Transportation since 2001. Prior to becoming Secretary, she was Interim Secretary and Chief of Staff, providing day-to-day management and directing legislative issues since December 2005. From 2001 to 2005, Secretary Kopelousos served as the primary federal liaison for the Florida Departments of Transportation and Community Affairs in Washington, D.C. Her policy portfolio included transportation, emergency management and disaster relief, and housing.

Her career boasts helping Florida receive its fair share of federal transportation funding as federal liaison for Florida Department of Transportation. In addition, her efforts during two back-to-back hurricane seasons in 2004 and 2005 helped Florida receive significant disaster-related assistance.

A graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Political Science, Secretary Kopelousos has proven herself to be a great asset to Florida's transportation needs. I am pleased to honor Stephanie C. Kopelousos for her distinguished accomplishment and her many years of outstanding service, and to thank her for her extraordinary dedication to the people of Florida.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember a spiritual warrior for her constituents and those who could not fight for themselves, Julia Carson. She served 6 years in Congress, but her experience here far outweighed her time here. She always remembered where she was from and how she got there.

This was a tough lady. She spent her initial swearing in in the hospital recovering from double bypass surgery. She was a wonderful personal friend who I enjoyed spending time with.

I have my Julia Carson story. I remember a few years ago, we were going to an event at the Army-Navy Golf Club. We were going to a program, a celebration, and our driver got lost and made a wrong turn. We ended up on the seventh fairway. We were going up the hill, and the car couldn't go up and it couldn't go back. I panicked, but she was calm during this entire process. We eventually were rescued by the Capitol Hill Police. I will never forget that experience.

Julia Carson was a classy lady, very classy. And I loved the way she dressed and the way she held herself. Like Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7, she fought the good fight and she finished the course. But most important, she kept the faith. Julia, I will miss you.

Mr. Chairman, as a Member from Florida, I rise in strong support of the Homeowners' Defense Act, H.R. 3355.

The terribly high cost for homeowners paying property insurance in my State of Florida, as well as for those on the Gulf Coast, and as we saw just recently, in California, has become a growing concern for homeowners. We saw what happened after hurricane Katrina and Rita and the four hurricanes that hit my district in Florida back in 2004.

These hurricanes, and other recent natural disasters, have led the insurance companies to limit their exposure to such disasters by outright pulling out, or reducing their risk. And this back peddling on their obligations on the part of the insurance industry has resulted in homeowner insurance rates rising by 100 percent to over 600 percent in higher-risk areas. This is entirely unacceptable. How can homeowners possibly afford this? This is just outrageous. We need to take action and step in. Just last week we saw the insurance companies out in California saying they will not provide insurance to hundreds of thousands of people that lost their homes in the terrible wildfires that hit the coast, all the way from LA to the Mexican border.

This is why people buy insurance: to protect themselves. How is it then that after disaster after disaster can we just sit back and allow these companies to pull out of the market.

Rising insurance rates are affecting homeowners across the country, not just in Florida. Clearly, the insurance market is not working, and it is time to put through a plan to stabilize the market and lower insurance rates for consumers.