Floor Statements

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: Airport Apron Expansion, Wasilla, AK

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Department of Transportation

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: City of Wasilla, 290 E. Herning Ave, Wasilla, AK 99654

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

This project will add apron space for 20 aircraft tie-down spaces and 2 lease lots for hangar space. This project has been designed and is ready to bid. This project follows a series of apron extensions over the last 4 years to improve general aviation service to the area, in accordance with the City's Airport Master Plan that has been approved by the FAA.

Appropriated Amount: $500,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Construction: $500,000

Project Name: Anchorage People Mover

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Department of Transportation

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Municipality of Anchorage 3650A E. Tudor Road Anchorage, AK 99507

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

This project will provide renovation, construction and improvement capital needed to improve reliability and efficiency of public transit within the Municipality of Anchorage. People Mover provides more than 4,000,000 annual passenger trips, transporting people to work, medical appts, school, and recreation.

Appropriated Amount: $750,000

Detailed Finance Plan:

Capital Renovation, Construction and Improvements: $750,000

Today, it is my great privilege to welcome Rev. Mark Campbell to the House of Representatives. Rev. Campbell and his wife, Shelley, are active duty in the United States Air Force, ministering to our brave men and women in uniform.

Rev. Campbell is currently the chaplain for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of Military Community and Family Policy. He works as a consultant on religious affairs, reviews policy guidance, and facilitates support for chaplain and family support assistance programs at the State level.

Prior to serving as a chaplain in the Air Force, Rev. Campbell pastored the College Gate Baptist Church in Anchorage, Alaska. Since entering the active duty Air Force, Rev. Campbell has served at bases around the world. He is a shining example for those of us instructed to ``go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.''

I thank Rev. Campbell for his prayers today and being here today to lead the invocation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a great Alaskan, Mr. John (Jack) G. Fuller, an outstanding soldier, legislator and Alaskan. Mr. Fuller served our country in the Marine Corps, the Michigan National Guard, the Alaskan National Guard and as a Representative to the Alaskan Legislature. His abilities and dedication have been recognized by all who have served with him, and earned him the opinion of others as irreplaceable.

Jack Fuller began his military career with the 21st Regiment of the Third Marine Division in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, in Guam and at Iwo Jima. It was at Iwo Jima that he was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity. Whilst serving as a Sergeant on February 23, 1945, Mr. Fuller took command of his unit when all its officers were dead or wounded and enabled his platoon to continue the attack. Following this he was promoted to Second Lieutenant.

Following World War II, Mr. Fuller returned to Michigan and joined the Michigan National Guard. During this period he excelled and successfully graduated from the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced courses and the Command and General Staff College. He was eventually granted a permanent commission.

In 1964, Jack Fuller moved to Alaska, with the intention of teaching at the Bureau of Indian Affairs schools on St. Lawrence Island. He also enlisted in the First Scout Battalion, an Eskimo division of the Alaskan National Guard, based in Nome. Jack worked his way up, reaching the rank of Battalion Commander. While under his command, the unit was evaluated as excellent during JACK FROST 1977. Mr. Fuller was further awarded the Legion of Merit, the third highest award of the Army for the outstanding skill, initiative and professionalism he displayed as a Commander. He was the first officer of the Alaskan National Guard to achieve this honor and his dedication to the battalion earned him the admiration of those he served with.

Upon retirement from the Alaskan National Guard in 1978, Mr. Fuller turned to a new challenge and was elected to the Alaskan Legislature as a Representative for District 22, where he served for eight years. In 1986, Mr. Fuller was one of the first to be recruited for the Alaska Defense Force upon its creation, where he used his many skills to aid the State in times of emergency. He also contributed to the State through his work as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Norton. Sound Health Corporation. In recent times Mr. Fuller has also served as President of the Wasilla Senior Center. Regardless of the task at hand, Jack Fuller has committed himself fully to serving others.

On behalf of The United States of America, I extend my thanks and appreciation to Jack Fuller, for his dedication and service to the Great State of Alaska and the entire country. His achievements in both military and civilian life are remarkable and deserve our recognition here, today.

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. 3183, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Project Name: Fairbanks Geothermal Energy Project

Bill Number: H.R. 3183--Department of Energy

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Fairbanks North Star Borough, 809 Pioneer Road, Fairbanks, AK 99707

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: Fairbanks North Star Borough in cooperation with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Center for Energy and Power will use funds to perform research and development work on an enhanced geothermal system designed to replace the 9 megawatt combined heat and power unit located on the campus of UAF.

Appropriated Amount: $1,000,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Program Coordination: $300,000, geothermal resource assessment: $500,000, test well: $4,200,000

Project Name: St. Hermann Harbor Dredging in Kodiak

Bill Number: H.R. 3183--Army Corps of Engineers

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: City of Kodiak, 710 Mill Bay Road, Kodiak, AK 99615

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: In 1997, the Army Corps completed a breakwater to protect Kodiak's St. Herman Harbor. The south channel of this new harbor has residual rubble from the construction period that needs to be dredged and cleaned out in order to allow the channel entrance to be the width and depth intended by the original project design.

Appropriated Amount: $500,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Army Corps of Engineers Operations and Maintenance: $500,000

Project Name: High Penetration Wind Power in Tatitlek

Bill Number: H.R. 3183--Department of Energy

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Native Village of Tatitlek, P.O. Box 171, Tatitlek, AK 99677

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: Funding will provide for a high penetration hybrid wind turbine/diesel power station in the Village of Tatitlek. Because it is expensive to ship home heating fuel into Tatitlek, Tatitlek conducted studies on cost effective alternatives. Energy generation from wind is expected to save the community 32 percent over energy generation from diesel.

Appropriated Amount: $900,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Machines: $612,495; Shipping: $34,028; Concrete pads for generators: $156,257; Crane: $122,499; Electrical lines: $24,500; Controls and Equipment: $340,275; Site prep: $88,472; C.E. freight: $68,055; Wind prospecting: $20,417; Engineering: $102,083

Project Name: Port of Anchorage

Bill Number: H.R. 3183--Army Corps of Engineers

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Port of Anchorage, 2000 Anchorage Port Rd, Anchorage, AK 99501

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: Provide an earmark of $18 million will be used for operations and maintenance for the Port of Anchorage expansion project.

Appropriated Amount: $18,000,000

Detailed Finance Plan: Army Corps of Engineers Operations and Maintenance: $18,000,000

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to reintroduce today the Wildlife Without Borders Authorization Act

The Wildlife Without Borders Program was administratively created by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1983. For the past 25 years, the International Affairs Office has done a superb job of developing wildlife management and conservation efforts to maintain global species diversity.

While the Congress has already created Multinational Species Conservation Funds to assist highly imperiled African and Asian elephants, Rhinoceros and Tigers, Great Apes and Marine Turtles, the Wildlife Without Borders program has provided a funding lifeline to a number of endangered species that for whatever reason have not merited their own Multinational Species Conservation Fund.

The first conservation grants issued under this program were awarded to the Wildlife Without Borders Program for Latin America and the Caribbean Initiative. Since that time, additional grants have been allocated for projects in Africa, Mexico, India, China and the Russian Federation. In fact, in the past two decades, the International Affairs Office within the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has approved 955 conservation projects at a cost of $20.5 million in taxpayer money. These funds have been matched by more than $60 million in private non- federal money, which is a remarkable 3 to 1 matching ratio.

Among the conservation projects that have been approved are funds for the Winged Ambassadors Program to stop the killing of

Swainson's hawks in Argentina, a project to conserve the forest habitat for monarch butterflies, jaguar conservation in the Yucatan region, the restoration of the California condor in Baja California, Mexico and the purchase of equipment for law enforcement personnel to protect imperiled Far Eastern leopards, Amur tigers and snow leopards.

A fundamental goal of this program has been to build conservation capacity and establish ecosystem management regimes by allocating a small amount of U.S. taxpayer money. It is no exaggeration to state that these are the only funds available to assist these highly endangered international species and without this investment these species may become extinct in the wild.

During the last Congress, witnesses representing the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the World Wildlife Fund testified before the House Natural Resources Committee on H.R. 4455. Each of these organizations spoke in strong support of my bill to establish the Wildlife Without Borders Program into law. For instance, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums said that: ``AZA wholeheartedly supports this effort''. The Wildlife Conservation Society stated that: ``Congressional authorization for the Wildlife Without Borders program affirms the leadership of the U.S. Government within the international community, underscoring our commitment to our international wildlife treaty obligations, and encouraging coordinated international efforts to save wildlife species.'' Finally, the World Wildlife Fund testified that: ``There is much to be gained in authorizing the international conservation programs of FWS, and creating one umbrella to promote synergies, efficiencies and coordination.''

By establishing a Congressional authorization for the Wildlife Without Borders Program, we will send a positive message to the international community that the United States is committed to its international wildlife treaty obligations and we recognize the long- term importance of this program by enacting it into law. It will also ensure that this Congress has an opportunity to carefully examine this program, to evaluate its effectiveness and to decide whether its merits further expenditures of taxpayer money in the future.

I urge my colleagues to support this important conservation legislation.

Madam Speaker, today I wish to honor Michael G. Anderson--a great American. Mike has devoted his life to the service of our country for the past 38 years. For the first 32 years, Mike served in our United States Air Force. Most recently, Mike was the Chief of Staff of my congressional office, where he dedicated himself to working for the people of Alaska. After 6 years as my Chief, Mike retired and moved into the private sector where he serves Alaska Natives in his new capacity as President of Wolf Creek Fabrication Services, a subsidiary of Chugach Alaska Corporation.

Born in Maui, Hawaii, Mike was appointed in July 1971 to the United States Air Force Academy by Senator Hiram L. Fong. After graduating from the Academy in June 1975, he launched a distinguished military career that began as a combat aircrew member and included operational and staff assignments in the B-52 and B-1B bombers. Additionally, Mike served as an acquisition program manager and commanded two aircraft maintenance squadrons as well as a logistics group. Mike concluded his military service at the Pentagon, where he was assigned to the Secretary of the Air Force's Legislative Liaison Office. Notably, Mike set benchmarks and was recognized for high standards of performance

and achievement at each of his assignments. He retired from the Air Force in January 2003 finishing his military career at the rank of Colonel.

I handpicked Mike as my Chief of Staff after meeting and working with him on several congressional delegation (CODEL) trips to international locations and to Alaska. Mike began serving Alaska and Alaskans with the broad perspective he gained on those CODELs, and immediately gained knowledge and expertise that I would depend on throughout his 6 years on Capitol Hill. As Chief, Mike would serve when the largest transportation bill in our nation's history--SAFETEA-LU--was being formulated and passed. He would travel on my behalf throughout Alaska to ensure constituent issues were heard, investigated, and resolved quickly. He managed a staff that was assigned tough, Alaska-unique legislation, and coordinated congressional policy to make sure it served Alaska and national interests. As a result, my congressional office cemented and grew its reputation for timely and effective constituent services, and for authoring and coordinating relevant and meaningful legislation serving the interests of the people of Alaska.

Mike also received the distinction of being selected and graduating as a Congressional Stennis Fellow for the 110th Congress. He was one of only 72 picked for this distinguished fellowship. He used relationships from the fellowships he nurtured to help secure my legislative priorities for Alaska and our great Nation.

While Mike is moving on to a new career in the private sector, his impact and contribution to our work in Congress will continue. His expertise in Alaska Native issues garnered great respect for him, and will allow him to continue to serve that vital heart of Alaska's culture and heritage. We are grateful for his service to his Nation, to Congress, and to Alaska. More importantly, my wife Lu and I are most appreciative of his loyalty and friendship. Mike and his wife Rene have become dear friends, and we wish them Godspeed and the very best as they start their next career together.

Mr. Speaker, the week before last we passed the crap-and-trade bill, which is a terrible bill. It's a tax.

Then we celebrated Independence Day. And the week before Independence Day, we became more dependent on foreign countries for our fossil fuels.

We have fossil fuels in the United States, and we need them. Next year we're going to spend $552 billion buying oil from overseas.

I think it's time that this Congress accepts the fact that we have to have fossil fuels for the bridge to the future in order to have the ability to provide power for this country. Let's do the right thing for this Nation.

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

H.R. 1275 authorizes a land exchange that enhances the State of Utah's ability to fund public education. In return for 36,000 acres, the Federal Government will receive 46,000 acres of land that is of a higher conservation value and is believed to be environmentally sensitive.

This legislation passed the House in the 109th and 110th Congresses and is supported by local and State governments, as well as representatives of the outdoor recreational and environmental communities. I believe this is a good bill.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1129, which will create an ironworking program for Native Americans. The manager for the majority has effectively explained the bill, but I would like to make a few additional comments.

This country is suffering from record unemployment, but few areas are feeling the effects of job loss worse than Indian country. I hope that when Native Americans complete the training available through this program that we're authorizing today in this bill, jobs will be available for them.

Unfortunately, if the Environmental Protection Agency has any say, there will be a lot fewer jobs. One of the first major actions taken by the EPA under the Obama administration was to seek to revoke a key permit issued in 2008 to

the Navajo Nation for the construction of a 1,500-megawatt power plant employing the most advanced clean coal technology available today. This is the Desert Rock project.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley said that Desert Rock would create ``500 permanent jobs at union wages on a reservation with an unemployment rate hovering around 50 percent.''

This is an example that every community in America should follow, but it's an example lost on the Democrat leadership of this House. I hope my friends on the other side of the aisle consider that job training makes sense only when those jobs are available.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

This important legislation, introduced by our California colleagues, Devin Nunes and Jim Costa, is the first step towards improving the water supply situation on the Tule River Indian Reservation. This bill authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct a feasibility study to capture more surface water on the reservation.

Many areas throughout the West, including California, need new water storage to help meet water supply needs for humans, fish and wildlife. This legislation will help the tribe move one step closer to utilizing its water rights. This legislation enjoys universal support from the tribe and nearby communities and is an excellent example of where neighbors have come together for the common good.

I urge my colleagues to support this very bipartisan piece of legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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 fiscal year 2010 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill:

Requesting Member: Congressman Don Young

Bill Number: H.R. 2996, FY10 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

Account: Fish and Wildlife Services/Fisheries.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Alaska Sea Otter and Stellar Sea Lion Commission.

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 142, Old Harbor, Alaska 99643.

Description of Request: $200,000 for the Alaska Sea Otter and Stellar Sea Lion Commission. The Alaska Sea Otter and Stellar Sea Lion Commission is an Alaska Native organization that works to ensure conservation, co-management, education, and artistic development of sea otters and sea lions. It is my understanding that this funding would facilitate the development of a co-management plan for sea otters and sea lions by local communities in the interest of sustainable populations and increasing involvement in subsistence management.

Requesting Member: Congressman Don Young

Bill Number: H.R. 2996, FY10 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

Account: Fish and Wildlife Service/Resource Management.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Alaska Sealife Center.

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 1329, Seward, Alaska 99664.

Description of Request: $350,000 for the Sealife Center's Eider Research Program. It is my understanding that the funding for this project would be used to integrate the Sealife Center's marine research facilities with field research to help recover the Stellar and Spectacled Eider, and support the Recovery Team mandated by the Endangered Species Act.

I rise in strong support of the Franks amendment.

I am closer to Korea than anybody in this room, and they are launching a missile on July 4. We have a missile defense site in Alaska that has missiles there now that can shoot that down. We just want to finish it, and this money would finish it.

It sends a wrong message to our enemies if we retreat from the missile defense we have today, and some people say, including Mr. Gates, it doesn't work. Well, I bet your dollar it does work, and it will work. But I don't like sitting in Alaska looking at that missile that can reach us and reach Hawaii, and we don't have the defense to shoot it down. Maybe today we might shoot one down, but we need to finish this Fort Greely missile defense site, and this money would do it. It's shovel ready.

This is a good bill, this just makes it a little better. It's the right thing to do for America. It's the right thing to do for Alaska. It's the right thing to do for freedom of all of the world.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to and recognize the outstanding service of James S.W. Drewry upon his retirement from the practice of law.

Jim Drewry is retiring after decades of outstanding service as a lawyer to his country, to the Congress of the United States, and a leading practitioner in the Washington, DC, community. As outstanding as his National service and later career have been, I would be especially remiss if I did not go to Jim's early work experience prior to graduating from college and attending law school. Jim began his work experience serving as a clerk for Senator E.L. Bartlett (D-Alaska) in the United States Senate during the summers of 1961 to 1963. He then got some real world labor experience as a gandy dancer while working as part of the labor gang on the Alaska Railroad during the summer of 1964. These experiences prepared him well for a life-long career as a legislative attorney that often touched on the important maritime, fishery, natural resource, and transportation issues of importance to my State of Alaska. I for one always appreciated the professionalism and knowledge that Jim brought to the issues, but also his early practical and hands on experience that he brought to any situation.

Jim obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA, in 1966, with honors in political science. There he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to earn not one but two law degrees. The first was from the University of Virginia School of Law (LL.B. 1969) and the second from the London School of Economics (LL.M. international law 1975). Contemporaneously, he held various positions during school breaks including working as a deckhand on a Great Lakes iron ore cargo ship (summer 1965), as a clerk for the Shipbuilders Council of America (summers 1966-67), and as an editorial assistant for the Stratton Commission on National Ocean Policy (summer 1968). Upon

graduation from law school, he was admitted to the Virginia Bar and worked as a solicitor in the Corporate Law Department of the Southern Railway (July to October 1969) before joining the U.S. Navy (October 1969 to August 1974). In the Navy he served on active duty as a Navy Judge Advocate in Japan (2 years), Vietnam (1 year), and Florida (1 year). In the course of that he prosecuted, and defended, in over 200 courts-martial, and served as trial judge in others. For this service he was awarded Navy Achievement Medal twice, for performance in Japan and Vietnam.

After his Naval service, he continued in public service from November 1975 to June 1980, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). While at NOAA, he served as Special Assistant to the NOAA Administrator and as well as in progressively senior positions in the NOAA General Counsel's Office. As Senior Counsel for International Law, he was the Commerce Department's legal representative on U.S. international delegations for the negotiation of major treaties involving fisheries, wildlife, and maritime boundaries. As Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Fisheries, he was one of the two main legal advisers to the Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service and carried out the overall supervision and office management of the attorneys and staff. As Staff Attorney, he worked closely with the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel on a wide range of legal issues and represented NOAA in Administrative Law Judge proceedings.

In 1980 he began his illustrious and distinguished career with the United States Congress. While Jim worked his entire congressional career in the Senate, I say United States Congress because his contributions to legislation and legislative process benefited the entire institution, not just one body. For over 18 years he served as Counsel to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in positions requiring senior-level policy and managerial experience in the fields of commerce, transportation, communications, science and technology, natural resources, and consumer affairs. Many of those years he worked for the distinguished Senator from South Carolina, Senator Fritz Hollings, who was always a gentleman to this Member and a great friend to my dear friend, Senator Ted Stevens. During this tenure at the Commerce Committee Jim was Senior Democratic Counsel for Oceans and Atmosphere (June 1980 to July 1987), nonpartisan Legislative Counsel (July 1987 to May 1994), and Democratic General Counsel/General Counsel (May 1994 to 1999). Throughout his service, and in addition to his considerable substantive contributions in the matters before Congress, Jim provided advice and guidance on parliamentary procedure, the Congressional Budget Act, ethics requirements, and other legal and policy matters. He had daily contact with Democratic floor staff regarding Senate floor action that affected Commerce Committee legislation, participated in the day-to-day management and supervision of the Democratic staff, ensured that documents relating to hearings, markups, and other meetings of Members and the Committee were comprehensive and legally and factually correct, and maintained regular and excellent relationships with Republican staff. Jim's hallmark was his dedicated, calm, and professional manner that provided all Members regardless of political party or philosophical establishment the best support and advice possible.

After this illustrious career in public service, he struck out and went into private law practice. There he took with him and used all of the legislative and ethics skills he developed over the years. He served clients in both the public and private sector, in maritime, fisheries, and natural resources. His approach to client advocacy was one of impeccable integrity, professional skill, and thoroughness in advice. Jim's advice was rightly sought because of this approach. Jim really cared about helping people--everyday people including many in my own State. He tried his best to find compromise and a way to get things done, and a way to get to ``yes'' on difficult problems so that his fellow citizens could benefit. There is much said today to malign those in the law and lobbying business and those who go from positions in government to the private sector. For those who want to know how our system should work, and does work, they need only look to the career of James S.W. Drewry. Jim's pursuit of truth, excellence, and integrity were unparalleled in the Washington community.

Now he moves on to a justly deserved retirement but one that we hope will keep him active in area of public policy development and implementation. He comes from a long line of public servants from Virginia having a grandfather, Patrick Henry Drewry, who served in the Congress as Member of this House and a father, John Metcalf Drewry, who served as a chief counsel for the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee in the House of Representatives. Jim was not content to rest on the laurels of his family legacy, however, and as you can see from this account, distinguished himself in his own right. I join with throngs of his friends and colleagues in saying that the likes of Jim Drewry do not come along everyday and his service to and with us all will be truly missed. With that I send him my very best wishes and also to his wife, Maria, and two sons, for many years of a healthy and prosperous ``next chapter'' in his life.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I receive as part of H.R. 2487--the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Project Name: Steller Sea Lion Comanagement, Biosampling and Outreach/Education

Bill Number: H.R. 2487

Department of Commerce, NOAA-ORF

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark:

Alaska Sea Otter and Steller Sea Lion Commission

6239 B Street, Suite 204

Anchorage, AK 99518

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: TASSC will take a two pronged approach to sea lion biosampling. First, TASSC will work with two high harvest communities to fund local monitors-local residents that will work with the hunters and facilitate sea lion biosampling and help to monitor and document the local environment. Secondly, TASSC will train approximately 25 coastal Alaska residents on proper sample collection techniques and protocols from those sea lions harvested for subsistence.

Subsistence hunted Steller sea lion biosamples are very valuable to the research community. Collection and analysis of these samples can provide critical information that no other source can provide. It is recognized as a top priority activity in the 1992 and soon to be finalized Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan. The importance of collecting samples from animals taken for subsistence is widely recognized by such groups as the National Marine Mammal Lab, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Sea Life Center and the University of Alaska.

Appropriated Amount: $500,000

Detailed Finance Plan:

Personnel & Fringe Costs: $312,300

Travel: $89,000

Supplies: $13,700

Contractual: $50,000

Biosamplers: $10,000

Printing: $21,000

Sample Shipping: $4,000

Project Name: Sexual Assault Response Team Center

Bill Number: H.R. 2487

Department of Justice, OJP-Byrne

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark:

The Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center

Municipality of Anchorage

P.O. Box 196650

Anchorage, AK 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.

The SART Center is essential in the collection of evidence through the forensic medical exam by the sexual assault nurse examiner and its operations is essential in Anchorage's effort to reduce and eliminate sexual assault. The SART lso responds to cases from other Alaskan jurisdictions that do not have SART programs, covering a large area, as the nearest SART Center is 200 miles away.

Appropriated Amount: $400,000

Detailed Finance Plan:

Program Administration, Victim Advocacy, Forensic Investigation: $340,000

Indirect/Communications: $60,000

Project Name: The Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association

Bill Number: H.R. 2487

Department of Commerce, NOAA-ORF

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark:

The Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association

725 Christensen Drive, Suite 3-B

Anchorage, AK 99508

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: The Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association (YRDFA) promotes healthy wild salmon fisheries along the Yukon River in Alaska. It manages programs to aid in the management through the gathering of data from subsistence harvests, Native Elders' knowledge and tracking fisheries issues impacting Yukon River salmon. The Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association also educates fishers and managers in responsible usage and ensures both are able to work to steward the salmon fisheries.

The federal government is obligated to maintain sustainable salmon runs on the Yukon River through the Yukon River Salmon Agreement and to provide subsistence priority under the Alaska Native Interest Claims Act. YRDFA plays a key role in involving the users of the resources in maintaining the salmon runs for which the federal government is responsible for managing.

Appropriated Amount: $100,000

Detailed Finance Plan:

Policy Monitoring; Board of Fisheries, Federal Subsistence Board: $40,000

Yukon River subsistence and commercial fisheries revitalization: $15,000

Salmon By-catch monitoring and reduction: $10,000

Fisheries education and outreach: $10,000

Habitat monitoring; climate change impacts: $15,000

Project Name i-Safe e-Safety Education and Outreach Initiative

Bill Number: H.R. 2487

Department of Justice, OJP-Juvenile Justice

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark:

i-SAFE, Inc.

5900 Pasteur Court, Suite 100

Carlsbad, CA 92008

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: This funding will allow i-SAFE to expand services to a projected 6.2 million students nationally by the end of the 2009 school year. It will also help to fund the i-SAFE initiatives that provide data to FBI, local law enforcement, schools and industry leaders such as USPTO, RIAA and ASCAP. This data is provided through the i-SAFE National Assessment Center--a compilation of student surveys that serve as the world's largest data base of student online behavior and attitudes.

Appropriated Amount: $630,000

Detailed Finance Plan:

i-SAFE Inc. is the leading provider of e-Safety education and training in schools nationwide. i-SAFE also provides schools/districts behavioral statistical data regarding Internet behavior and usage by their students. i-SAFE programmatic assets address a broad range of e- Safety issues through a uniquely comprehensive and holistic framework that includes training of educators (i.e., Professional Development Program--i-SAFE has trained over 85,000 educators nationwide) both online and in-person, extensive community outreach programs towards parents, seniors, legal/law-enforcement officers and, most importantly, a world-class age-appropriate curriculum which features integrated teaching and learning activities for students in all grades from primary to secondary schools. i-SAFE has educated over 8.5 million students nationwide and has cooperative agreement with many of the State Dept. of Education(s) and Districts in all 50 states including schools in Washington DC to name a few: Sidwell Friends School; St. Patricks Episcopal Day School; Woodridge Elementary; Woodridge High School & St. Peters Interparish School.

i-SAFE fulfills a vital role in the digital age and global information society, throughout the United States by empowering Internet users with the knowledge and awareness needed to garner the most benefit from Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) and the Internet via safe, responsible, ethical and legal use.

Beginning in 2009 Congress mandated that elementary and secondary schools receiving E-Rate discounts must submit a certification to the Federal Communications Commission that as part of their Internet safety policy they are ``educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyber bullying awareness and response. i-SAFE can provide to every school, throughout the United States the ``E-Rate Certification Compliance Package''. This package includes all classroom curriculum that is mandated to be taught through the Legislation mandate of the Broadband Act.

Funding will be used to expand the i-SAFE curriculum to more students and classrooms throughout the nation as well as implement the ``E-Rate Compliance Package'' into schools throughout the nation.

This request will also allow i-SAFE to provide, on a quarterly basis, student assessment data (i.e., metrics) to the district/schools upon request allowing them to have metrics on students behavioral attitudes towards online safety.

This Administration is focused on providing every student and school(s) the ability to communicate and learn through today's 21st century communication. Safety is a key component for schools that provide students with the means to access online information and services within their learning environment in the classroom. Education is the diadem to the success of students being empowered with the knowledge of learning safe and responsible tactics as a citizen in today's global economy. The only environment that is conducive for every student, regardless of age, race or socio-economic, to deploy such global education, is that of the classroom. To date, over 8.5 million students nationwide have acquired the critical thinking and decision-making skills to ensure safe online behavior. The efficacy of the i-SAFE program has proven invaluable to the tax payers nationwide.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to enter into a colloquy with the distinguished chairman of Homeland Security, Mr. Thompson.

Mr. Thompson, as we prepare to authorize appropriations for the Transportation Security Administration, I'd like to thank you for your leadership in the committee and your efforts to bring this legislation to the floor.

I would also like to bring to your attention an issue that needs to be corrected. In 2003, when I was chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, language was included in the Vision 100 Act, Public Law 108-176, which required deployment of TSA screeners in the Alaskan communities of Kenai, Homer, and Valdez. Since that time, the Ted Stevens International Airport has improved bag screening capabilities and can adequately screen bags for the three previously mentioned airports.

Kenai, Homer, and Valdez are serviced by air carriers under a partial program. There are no regulatory requirements to screen bags for partial program carriers, so section 613 of the Vision 100 Act imposes a requirement not in effect for other similarly situated airports. The screeners are no longer needed, and TSA has asked that I repeal the language from Vision 100.

This will not cost any money. Rather, this will save TSA money. TSA has informed me that by including this legislation in the TSA Authorization, it would save $1 million a year.

I'd like to ask the gentleman to comment on this.

I thank the gentleman for working with us. And this is requested by the TSA, and hopefully when this bill gets to conference, this will be included.

I thank the gentleman for working with me.