Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today I would like to recognize the centennial anniversary of the Sitka National Historic Park, which is the oldest federally designated park in Alaska. The park was established in 1890 to commemorate the 1804 Battle of Sitka. All that remains of this last major conflict between Europeans and Alaska Natives is the site of the Tlingit Fort and battlefield, located within this scenic 113-acre park.

In 1808, following this series of battles between the Tlingit natives and Governor Alexandr Baranov, Sitka was established as the capitol of what was then called Russian-America. Following the sale of this land to the United States after the decline of the otter fur trade, Sitka continued to be the seat of government for territorial Alaska until 1906, when the capital was moved to Juneau.

Unofficially called ``lover's lane'' or ``totem park'' by Sitka locals, the Sitka National Historic Park attracts nearly 300,000 visitors a year to its scenic coastal trails, beautiful temperate rainforest, and world-class collection of Northwest coast totem poles. These histories carved in cedar were donated by Native leaders from villages in Southeast Alaska, and were then brought to Sitka by Alaska's then District Governor John G. Brady in 1905. Many poles exhibited along the park's two miles of wooded pathways are replicas of the original totem poles.

The park also boasts a visitor center which contains ethnographic exhibits and houses the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center, where visitors can watch Native artists at work. Here, the park cares for more than 154,000 museum collection items. These include Tlingit ethnographic pieces, Russian American archeological and historical items, historical photos, archives and herbarium specimens. Highlights of the collection include totem poles, Chilkat weaving, Tlingit oral history recordings, 19th Century Russian furniture, Russian Orthodox icons and vestments, and two hundred original glass plate negatives by Sitkan photographer E.W. Merrill. Through these exhibits, visitors of the park get a rare peak into the unique cultures and lifestyles of Tlingit natives and Russian-American creoles.

The experience continues at the Russian Bishop's House, one of the last surviving examples of Russian colonial architecture in North America. This original 1842 log structure conveys the legacy of Russian America through exhibits, refurbished living quarters and the Chapel of the Annunciation. This house was once the center of the Russian Orthodox Church authority in a diocese that stretched from California to Siberian Kamchatka, at a time when Russia was still the dominant power in the Pacific Northwest. Today, it is an artifact of the heritage of Russian Orthodoxy in Alaska, which maintains a strong presence to this day.

Given this unique combination of natural beauty, cultural history, and rare artifacts, it is no wonder that the Park played a significant role in Sitka's recent designation as one of the Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Tucked away behind the dormant volcano Mt. Edgcumbe, the Sitka National Historic Park remains one of Alaska's jewels. As the City of Sitka commemorates Sitka National Historic Park month, I would like to join Alaskans in recognizing the Park on its centennial celebration.

Madam Speaker: Whereas Lance Mackey was born and raised in Alaska and currently resides in Fairbanks, Alaska; and

Whereas, Lance Mackey comes from a long line of successful mushers, including his father Dick and his brother Rick, each of who has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; and

Whereas, Lance Mackey is married to his high school sweetheart Tonya, who is also a musher, and has three children: Amanda, Brittney and Cain and one new grandchild, born on the seventh day of the nine-plus Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; and

Whereas, Lance Mackey and his family run the Comeback Kennel in Fairbanks, Alaska; and

Whereas, Lance Mackey was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2001, took a year off from sled-dog racing to recover from the disease and is now cancer-free; and

Whereas, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which has been called the ``Last Great Race on Earth,'' is a grueling 1,150 mile sled dog race across Alaska's jagged mountain ranges, frozen rivers, dense forests, and windswept tundra; and

Whereas, running the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is a year-long commitment to training and caring for one's sled dogs; and

Whereas, the Yukon Quest is an equally grueling 1,000 mile sled dog race from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon; and

Whereas, Lance Mackey is the only 4-time consecutive Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion, the only 4-time Yukon Quest Race Champion and the only man to win both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Races in the same year, which he did in both 2007 and 2008; and

Whereas, Lance Mackey, guided by his two lead dogs ``Maple'' and ``Rev,'' mushed his team of Alaskan Huskies along the path of the 38th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from its start in Anchorage to the finish line in Nome in just 8 days, 23 hours and 59 minutes and nine seconds; and

Whereas, both ``Maple'' and ``Rev'' exemplify all the essential qualities for good lead dogs, including intelligence, initiative, common sense, and the ability to find a trail in bad conditions; and

Whereas, Lance Mackey, who despite retiring ``Larry,'' the lead dog with whom Mackey won his first three Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Races, was still able to convincingly win his 4th consecutive Iditarod; and

Whereas, the Iditarod Trail, a National Historic Trail, is staffed by thousands of volunteers who monitor and assist all competitors; and

Whereas, each checkpoint along the Iditarod Trail has coordinators, health care professionals and licensed veterinarians who carefully monitor the health and safety of all dogs and mushers; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) Commends Lance Mackey on his record-breaking 4th consecutive Iditarod victory during the 2010 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

(2) Applauds each and every musher who was courageous enough to compete in the 2010 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

(3) Expresses appreciation to all the volunteers and staff who help make this great Alaskan race possible each and every year.

Madam Speaker, we talk about reform--we're for reform and you're for reform. But 2,700 pages of what? 2,700 pages. The Bible only has 1,341 pages in it.

Let me give you an example on page 752 of this bill. Let me read it to you:

``Eligibility for non-traditional individuals with income below 133 percent of the Federal poverty level. (1) In general. Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(a)(10)(A)(i) is amended by striking ``or'' at the end of subclause (VI); by adding ``or'' at the end of subclause (VII); and by adding at the end the following new subclause: (VIII) who are under 65 years of age, who are not described in previous subclauses of this clause, and who are in families whose income (determined using methodologies and procedures specified by the Secretary in consultation with the Health Choices Commissioner) does not exceed 1331 3 percent of the income official poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance with section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981).

Now, did anybody understand that?

Madam Speaker, today I congratulate James B. Blasingame on his retirement from the Alaska Railroad. Mr. Blasingame started at the Alaska Railroad at age 35 starting as a programmer. He has moved up through the company culminating his career as Vice President of Corporate Affairs. In 1985, Mr. Blasingame was appointed by the Alaska Railroad as the Federal coordinator where he oversaw the transfer of the Federally-owned Alaska Railroad to the State of Alaska.

The Alaska Railroad has been an outstanding organization in Alaska promoting expansion and economic development throughout the state. I commend Mr. Blasingame and his tireless effort within the company to improve the railroad's operations, facilities and safety performance. Not only do I want to commend him on his work, I would also like to applaud the amount of time he spent volunteering on a number of non- profit, civic boards and organizations, including Providence Hospital, Anchorage School Business Partnership, World Trade Center of Alaska and Credit Union National Association.

Today, I congratulate and recognize Jim on his retirement and years of service to Alaskan residents and the development of the Alaska Railroad and wish him good luck in the next chapter of life.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to submit a resolution approved by the Alaska Railroad Board of Directors commending Jim for his service.

Resolution 2009-58

Whereas, James B. Blasingame, at the young age of 35, began

his employment with the Alaska Railroad as a Programmer and

was later promoted to various positions including Supply

Analyst, Management Analyst, and Executive Administration

Director leading to his ascension in 1993 to Vice President

of Corporate Affairs; and

Whereas, James B. Blasingame not only loves history, but

has helped to make history at the Alaska Railroad, by serving

as the State Manager of the Alaska Railroad Transfer Project

supporting the effort in the early 1980s to transfer the

Railroad from Federal to State ownership; and

Whereas, James B. Blasingame has served as the Alaska

Railroad Board of Directors' Board Secretary since 1985,

managing corporate governance, policy development, government

and community relations, corporate asset oversight including

records preservation and philanthropy; and

Whereas, throughout his tenure as Board Secretary and Vice

President Corporate Affairs for the Alaska Railroad, James B.

Blasingame was part of a team instrumental in qualifying the

Alaska Railroad for federal grants used to improve the

Railroad's operations, facilities and safety performance; and

Whereas, James B. Blasingame has worked tirelessly to

mentor fellow railroaders, earning terms of endearment such

as ``Mother'', ``Dutch Uncle'', and ``Oracle'' and instilling

an understanding in all for our past and a commitment to our

future as a state-owned enterprise that safely operates on a

self-sustaining basis and supports the economic development

of our state; and

Whereas, James B. Blasingame has served our Alaska

community through his volunteer time and efforts on a number

of non-profit, civic boards and organizations, including

Providence Hospital, Downtown Partnership, Association,

Anchorage School Business Partnership, World Trade Center of

Alaska, Alaska Credit Union League, Denali/Alaskan Federal

Credit Union, Credit Union National Association; and

Therefore be it resolved, the Alaska Railroad Board of

Directors extends its most sincere appreciation to James B.

Blasingame for his long-standing dedication to the Alaska

Railroad and his distinctive leadership role in the

maturation of the Railroad into an award winning, world class

state-owned corporation; and

Be it further resolved, that since James B. Blasingame has

invested countless hours toward the development of the Alaska

Railroad and because his dedication warrants permanent

recognition, the Alaska Railroad Corporation Board of

Directors hereby adopts this resolution renaming the Alaska

Railroad's Denali Board Room the ``James B. Blasingame Board

Room''.

Mr. Speaker, I can only say I am losing a good friend who will go to better and greater places.

You have been an ally to myself and to the feeling of working bipartisan work with the chairman on both sides of the aisle. We have always talked to one another, and we have recognized the importance of being ``the'' Congressman and of listening to the Congressman from that district. I have sponsored this bill every time it has come out of the committee--while I was chairman, before I was chairman, after I was chairman--and I will continue to do that.

I understand minority Member Doc Hastings and his position and why he opposes it; but as we talk about this politically, we have to think about the people whom we are affecting by our words. They have been patient, patient, patient, and it is time for us to take the step forward.

Is this bill perfect? No. I think it's better after the amendment is adopted. I think it does solve the problems. There is no Indian Country in Hawaii. Land cannot be taken into trusts. A Native Hawaiian governing entity may not exercise jurisdiction over non-Native Hawaiians. The State of Hawaii shall retain regulatory and taxation authority over Native Hawaiians.

Yet these are Native Hawaiians, and I can speak with a great deal of pride as to what happened in Alaska. In 1971, we passed the Alaska Native Lands Act where we recognized the natives of Alaska, Alaska natives--distinct and different from those natives in the lower 48--but Alaska natives.

And the progress they have made and the contribution they have made to the State is amazing. They are the number one, I would say, economic driving force in the State today. From a large group of people, 13 basic different tribes, regions, they are from a group that wasn't recognized other than the fact that they were natives, that they really did not fit well. But they were part of this State before we long came there, my State, and their contribution, because they were recognized, is just awesome. And I'm hoping this happens in the State of Hawaii.

For those in Hawaii that may oppose this, open your hearts. Open your minds. Maybe do a little something a little different in Hawaii, as we did in Alaska, and see the benefit to the individual, not only the natives but everybody else. This legislation is a step forward. Is it perfect? The Governor says

no. I think it's open for debate. But if we don't do something, if we don't move forward, those people will be neglected again.

So I ask my colleagues on my side and on the other side to consider moving on something that is humanely the right thing to do for a group of people that are Americans. They are aboriginals to the State of Hawaii. They are brothers to Alaska. We've worked together. We will continue to do that.

So I compliment, again, my good friend Neil for his work and his dedication to this House, representing his people. That's what we're here for. And thank God we do have people like that left.

I will miss you, Neil.

Madam Speaker, due to the death of my brother I was unable to participate in the legislative proceedings of the House during the week of January 18, 2010. If I had been present I would have voted the following:

Rollcall 6 was on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to congratulate the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine for its 150 years of commitment to advancing science and improving health. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall 7 was on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to congratulate the Penn State women's volleyball team on winning the 2009 NCAA Division I national championship. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall 8 was on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to commend the University of Virginia men's soccer team for winning the 2009 Division I NCAA National Championship. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall 9 was on a rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3254, H.R. 3342, and H.R. 1065. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Rollcall 10 was on a motion to suspend the rules and pass the Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act of 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall 11 was on a motion to suspend the rules and pass the Idaho Wilderness Water Resources Protection Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall 12 was on passage of the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Rollcall 13 was on passage of the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Rollcall 14 was on passage of the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2009. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Rollcall 15 was on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to express condolences to and solidarity with the people of Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall 16 was on a motion to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment--Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3326, the Departments of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010.

Project Name: Synthetic Liquid Fuels

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Legal Name and address of entity receiving earmark: Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is

justified: This project will supply the U.S. Air Force and other military branches a secure supply of synthetic fuels to operate fighters, bombers and other aircraft and military equipment. It will help the Air Force to achieve its stated goal of certifying its fleet of aircraft on a synthetic fuel blend and purchasing 50 percent of its fuels in the form of a synthetic fuel blend by 2016.

Appropriated Amount: $2,400,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Research and Development, $2,400,000

Project Name: AutoScan Under-Vehicle Inspection System

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Legal Name and address of entity receiving earmark: Kachemak Research Development, Inc., 59584 East End Road, Homer, Alaska 99603

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: Kachemak Research Development, Inc. is a woman owned, HUBZone, 8(a) entity. AutoScan, an under vehicle inspection system developed by KRD, is a stationary system that captures the entire undercarriage image of vehicles, ranging in size from passenger vehicles to semi-trucks. Because of the unique capabilities of AutoScan, vehicles do not need to maintain a constant speed as they travel across the system. Funding will be used for product enhancement and beta testing of Autoscan generation 2 and 3 architecture. As part of the inspection protocol at every military base, CONUS and OCONUS, the undercarriage of every delivery vehicle must be inspected. Standard inspection protocols have been comprised of a mirror-mounted stick or search pits. AutoScan makes it possible for inspection personnel to maintain a safe stand-off distance. Additionally, it stores images for later comparison and analysis if needed. And it provides one, complete, clear image of any vehicle's under-side in real-time and capabilities that no similar system is able to provide.

Appropriated Amount: $2,400,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Research and Development, and Testing, $2,400,000

Project Name: Electromagnetic Interference Hardened Expandable Rigid Wall Shelter

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Legal Name and address of entity receiving earmark: Alkan Shelter, LLC, 1701 South Cushman Street, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: The U.S. Marine Corps has a requirement to develop an EMI hardened, expandable composite rigid wall shelter, which currently does not exist. The USMC Electronic Maintenance Shelter Program, Calibration Laboratory Program, and the Communication Maintenance Shelter Program are several funded programs with an immediate need. Sufficient funding is not available for an EMI hardened, expandable rigid wall composite shelter development program. Alkan Shelter, LLC, a small business located in a HUBZone in Fairbanks, AK, proposes a three-phase development and test program for an expandable, composite EMI hardened shelter for the U.S. Marine Corps. First phase is to study the feasibility of EMI hardening to 60-80dB attenuation for the entire expandable shelter or hardening one wing of the shelter. The second phase is to manufacture the EMI hardened composite expandable shelter prototype. The third phase will be to perform EMI and environmental testing to ensure requirements are met. The Marine Corps now uses 1980's technology rigid wall shelters that have aluminum skins and a paper honeycomb core. These shelters are: poorly insulated, have a limited roof and floor load, do not have ballistic protection, the roof cannot be sandbagged, are highly subject to corrosion and can only be stacked six-high on ocean going container ships. Additionally, the U.S. military does not have an EMI hardened expandable rigid wall shelter. Alkan's new carbon fiber hybrid composite expandable shelter will provide a technologically superior structure that will correct the deficiencies of old 1980's technology. Combining high tech carbon fiber composites with EMI protection will provide the USMC and the U.S. military with a lightweight, expandable, rugged, thermally efficient, and safer working environment for carrying out their sensitive electronics and calibration repair and maintenance missions.

Appropriated Amount: $800,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Research and Development, $800,000

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3288, the Departments of Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Project Name: Sexual Assault Response Team Center

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Legal Name and address of entity receiving earmark: Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center, Municipality of Anchorage, P.O. Box 196650, Anchorage, Alaska 99519

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: Funding will be used for the continued development and operations of the Municipality of Anchorage Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center. This project will support victims through care while participating in investigation and prosecution and help in prosecution of sexual assault cases through professional evidence collection, documentation, preservation and processing.

Appropriated Amount: $400,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Development and Operations $400,000

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3288, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.

Project Name: Port of Bristol Bay Expansion

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Agency: Department of Housing and Urban Development

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Bristol Bay Borough, 1 Main Street, Naknek, AK, 99633

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: Shovel ready dock expansion where the largest run of sockeye salmon is processed and shipped. This project is the economic engine for the low-income area of Bristol Bay. These funds will go toward constructing a sheet pile dock and addition to the 27 year old structure.

Appropriated Amount: $1,000,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Construction $1,000,000

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3288, the Departments of Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Project Name: Arctic Utilidors (Phase 11) at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Legal Name and address of entity receiving earmark: Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska 99702

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: This project (which would be another increment in a highly successful, multi-year funding effort) will repair large sections of the utilidor that are in extreme need. The utilidors and related piping were constructed and installed in the 1950s and were they to fail during the winter season, when temperatures are commonly -40F and lower, the base could suffer catastrophic results in as quickly as four hours.

Appropriated Amount: $9,900,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Repairs $9,900,000

Project Name: Install Edge Lights, Taxiway Golf at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Legal Name and address of entity receiving earmark: Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska 99702

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: Provides for new taxiway edge lights along a major aircraft access point to the base runway. Project includes installing 12,000 lineal feet of underground wiring and lighting fixtures. There will also be new asphalt shoulders installed after the lighting is completed.

Appropriated Amount: $3,450,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Installation $3,450,000

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3288, the Departments of Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Project Name: Maniilaq Association in Kotzebue, AK, for establishing a cancer treatment center

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Legal Name and address of entity receiving earmark: Maniilaq Association, P.O. Box 256, Kotzebue, AK 99752

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: There are high rates of cancer among AK Natives and a cancer center located in rural Alaska would allow for screenings, early detection and local treatment.

Appropriated Amount: $500,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Equipment $500,000

Project Name: Denali Commission in Anchorage, AK, to support health projects and economic development activities for the arctic region

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Legal Name and address of entity receiving earmark: Denali Commission, 510 L Street, Suite 410, Anchorage, AK 99501

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: The funding would be used to support health projects and economic development activities for the arctic region under the Denali Commission Act of 1998.

Appropriated Amount: $10,000,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Programming $10,000,000

Madam Speaker, I rise to discuss the $2.4 million that was included at my request in the FY10 Defense Appropriations Bill for Synthetic Liquid Fuels.

Considering the large amounts of potential CO2 emissions produced by a coal or a natural gas-to-liquids facility, technologies will have to be developed to ascertain the feasibility of sequestering the CO2.

Recent investigations by the U.S. Department of Energy have shown that between 8 and 12 billion barrels of additional oil can be recovered from the existing Alaska North Slope oil fields with using CO2 enhanced oil recovery technology. Alaska North Slope oil reservoirs present a potentially large target or ``sink'' for sequestering the CO2 generated in a Fairbanks-based coal-to- liquids or a coal/gas-to-liquids plant, thereby enhancing conventional oil recovery as a by-product. However, very little practical study of CO2 sequestration has directly addressed the Alaska North Slope area. Moreover, in the present case, effective CO2 sequestration is highly dependent on the technologically and economically-feasible transportation of CO2 from the Fairbanks source to the Alaska North Slope. Additionally, for the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline proposed to bring the Alaska North Slope natural gas to world markets, to be successful, accommodation for the handling of about 480 mmscf CO2/day, assuming 4 bscf/day of natural gas, from the Prudhoe Bay Unit must be considered.

The study paid for by these monies would investigate the feasibility of gathering, delivering and utilizing the resultant CO2 from the plant for enhanced oil recovery on the North Slope of Alaska, thereby simultaneously sequestering CO2 and increasing domestic oil production. If this proves feasible, the construction of the proposed would supply the U.S. military with domestically produced synthetic fuel and greatly increase U.S. oil production from existing oil fields.

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chairman, may I indulge in a colloquy with you?

I would like to engage in a brief colloquy with you regarding a provision of great importance to the Alaska Native community. As you and I have previously discussed on numerous occasions, section 646 of the Internal Revenue Code allows Alaska Native Settlement Trusts to provide health, education, and welfare benefits to Alaska Natives, who are generally recognized as among the most economically disadvantaged populations in the United States.

It is my understanding that this provision was not included in the bill before us today because the bill only extends tax benefits that terminate in 2009, and this benefit does not terminate until December 31, 2010. Its omission is not a reflection of your views on the merits of the provision.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to thank you for your commitment to work on this provision and for your support of the Alaska Native people.

Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate a fine Alaskan soldier--SSgt. Shawn Michael Roberts. SSgt. Roberts has recently been inducted into the Sgt. Audie Murphy Award program in the Army. Sgt. Audie Murphy, for whom this award was named, was a famous Hollywood actor, as well as the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. Sgt. Murphy was a courageous warrior and received every decoration of valor our country has to offer, including two Silver Stars, three Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor. In short, this induction is one of the highest honors in the Army and reflects the comparable level of commitment and dedication that has been exemplified in SSgt. Roberts' performance.

It is little wonder, in light of his many accomplishments, that Shawn has received this award. Since entering active duty in December 2001 SSgt. Roberts has served two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as one tour in Bosnia. During his tenure with the U.S. Army, Roberts has received numerous medals of commendation, including the Iraq Campaign Medal with three campaign stars.

Alaskans are proud of our military heritage and I am proud that our country has such noble defenders. I thank SSgt. Roberts for his service to our country and I congratulate him on his induction into this award program.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2996, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

Project Name: Water and Sewer Improvements, Kodiak, AK

Bill Number: H.R. 2996 Title II Environmental Protection Agency

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: City of Kodiak, P.O. Box 1397, 710 Mill Bay Rd., Kodiak, AK 99615

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: This project would replace aging sewer and waterlines in a residential area of Kodiak, and enable the City to comply with the Clean Water Act.