Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3298.

The Clean Water Act is clear in its mandate that point source discharges into waters of the United States are subject to regulation. But while the law is clear on this point, the Act is less clear in providing guidance on how to deal with the concerns of mobile sources.

Discharges from vessels complicate this matter all the more. First, the sheer numbers of vessels make pollution control and regulation challenging.

Second--and very importantly--we are unclear on the effects of many of the discharges that emanate from vessels.

Third, efforts to address mobile sources of pollution are inherently more complicated than that of stationary ones.

For many years--from 1973 to 2005--the Environmental Protection Agency avoided these vexing issues by decreeing that discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel were exempt from regulation.

While a convenient and understandable approach to the challenges of regulating vessels under the Clean Water Act, EPA did nothing to control or even understand the nature of discharges that stemmed from vessels.

In 2005, however, a federal court ruled that EPA had acted in excess of its authority in ``exempting an entire category of discharges'' from regulation under the Clean Water Act. As a result of this Court decision, all vessels would be subject to Clean Water Act permitting requirements by September 30th of this year.

in both pieces of legislation before us today--in this bill, S. 3298 as well as in the Clean Boating Act--we seek to strike a balance among the various factors that have been central to the issue of minimizing pollution from vessels. And I believe we have been successful in realizing this challenge.

Central to S. 3298 is a moratorium of 2 years from regulation for a majority of vessels potentially eligible.

During this time, the EPA will do what it has not done enough of before--rigorously study what vessels actually discharge, and what the human health and environmental effects of those discharges might be.

This will provide the Congress with additional information that will allow us to properly

address whether, what, and how the discharge of pollutants from vessels should be addressed.

Among the vessels that will be subject to the moratorium is much of the Nation's fishing fleet. We recognize the financial margins that fishermen are subject to, and realize it would not be prudent to control their various discharges without better information.

However, given the uncertainty related to the types, volumes, and composition of discharges from larger commercial vessels, such as cruise ships and super-tankers, these vessels are excluded from the 2 year moratorium. This is only right. Our Nation's valuable fisheries and coastal areas should not be subject to the discharge of pollutants that enter our Nation's waters in such quantities.

Mr. Speaker, S. 3298 strikes an appropriate balance between precaution and commerce, and between aquatic health and pragmatism.

I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation today.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, November 6, 2007, I could not be present for rollcall votes 500 to 508, due to a previous commitment to a distinguished constituent of mine.

Had I been present, I would have cast the following votes: ``yes'' on rollcall vote 500, 501, 504, 505, 507, 508 and ``nay'' on rollcall vote 502, 503, 506.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1315, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

NASA has made a major impact on our national competitiveness in space and aeronautics research.

Since the Sputnik era of the late 1950s, the United States has established world leadership in space flight. Along with that accomplishment, our Nation's investments in NASA have created a strong aeronautics and engineering workforce. This intelligent, talented, well-prepared workforce is one of NASA's most powerful legacies.

NASA is of great economic importance to Texas. Johnson Space Center employs 15,000 civil servants and contractors. An untold number of small spin-off companies have been formed as a result of good ideas from the brain power at NASA.

Research discoveries from our time in space have also greatly benefited our populace.

Each year since 1976, NASA has published a list of every commercialized technology and product linked to its research.

The NASA journal ``Spinoff'' highlights these products, which have included things like improved pacemakers, state-of-the-art exercise machines and satellite radio.

All of these everyday products have stemmed from NASA-funded research: Invisible braces; scratch-resistant lenses; memory foam; the ear thermometer; shoe insoles; long-distance telecommunications; adjustable smoke detectors; cordless tools; and water filters.

During my 15 years on the House Committee on Science and Technology, I have proudly advocated for strong support of NASA.

Its education activities, particularly its efforts to encourage under-represented minorities to pursue engineering and science careers, are exemplary.

I want to congratulate the great work that NASA has done in its 50 years of existence to conduct research that benefits all members of our society.

May the next 50 years be as productive and as successful as the first.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of National Homeownership Month. This month marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark 1968 Fair Housing Act, which opened the dialogue of equal homeowner opportunities and growth. The National Homeownership Month continues with the same principles by promoting the very core of American values of fairness, opportunity, and growth.

National Homeownership Month reflects the importance of homeownership and the American dream. For most Americans, owning their own home will be their largest and most significant financial investment. It represents security, builds neighborhood pride, and is essential in creating positive productive communities.

National Homeownership Month focuses on creating affordable housing opportunities for all and economy sustainability. Home affordability and financial education is the key to overcoming the housing crisis and promoting good housing practices and policies. Financial education not only directly benefits American families, but, in turn, helps to ensure a robust and strong economy.

Mr. Speaker, it is vital that we continue to empower people of all races, economic status, and backgrounds who desire to own their own home. It is a valuable stabilizer for both families and communities.

Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6052, the Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act.

At the onset I want to commend the bipartisan leadership of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their efforts in getting this measure to the floor. The legislation before us is a good bill; one that will provide a much needed hand up to our Nation's transit agencies as they work to meet record demands for public transportation services.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit Agency, or DART, headquartered in my congressional district and one of the best transit agencies in the country, fully supports this bill. Similar to other agencies around the country, DART ridership is setting records, as more north Texans recognize the immense value transit offers.

In May, DART had its busiest month ever, providing 10.3 million trips. North Texans are flocking to transport by rail in record numbers as ridership by light and commuter rail is up 5.4 percent and 7.1 percent respectively over 2007 numbers. During the first 7 months of 2008, DART has witnessed a dramatic 33.8 percent increase in its vanpool ridership.

The agency has acted aggressively to accommodate the increased demand. The agency is utilizing a new super light rail vehicle to increase passenger capacity.

The agency now has a record 145 vans in operation for vanpool commuters and has reached its budget maximum. My transit agency could benefit immediately from the tools provided under H.R. 6052.

H.R. 6052 will help transit agencies expand services and reach more people as it authorizes $1.7 billion dollars for capital and operating funds for transit agencies; increases the Federal cost share for alternative fuel transit buses; extends transit benefits to all Federal employees; establishes a vanpool pilot program; and increases the Federal cost share for commuter parking facilities so more people may have access to commuter stations.

Madam Chairman, without question, there is a need for an overall expansion of transit programs across this country. However, in order for this to happen, there must be a realignment of infrastructure investment priorities and increased support at the local, State, and Federal levels. H.R. 6052 is a step in the right direction as it highlights importance of transit expansion across the Nation.

Public transit takes drivers off the road; uses one-half the fuel of private automobiles; and saves working families billions annually in transportation costs. Studies show transportation costs are the second largest household expense behind housing costs.

Nationally, for every dollar a working family saves on housing, it spends 77 cents more on transportation costs.

While public transit remains an option for some--for poor and working families, public transit exists as a means for economic survival.

So with that said Madam Chairman, I would merely like to reiterate my strong support for H.R. 6052 and urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' in giving transit agencies across the country, and the millions of people they service, a hand up today. This sound, bipartisan piece of legislation is deserving of passage.

Madam Chairman, on rollcall No. 444, I was delayed due to traffic--fundraising for DCCC. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

I thank the gentleman from Michigan.

I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 1293, a bill commemorating the lives of three civil rights activists who were murdered outside Philadelphia, Mississippi by the Ku Klux Klan in June of 1964.

In 1964, Mississippi had the lowest percentage of registered African American voters in the country. Rampant fear and intimidation, along with literacy tests and poll taxes, had kept more than 90 percent of the African Americans in Mississippi from registering to vote. In June of 1964, thousands of young people volunteered to go to Mississippi in order to register African American voters and fight educational disparities.

What would come to be known as ``Freedom Summer'' ignited backlash and violence against these volunteers and civil rights activists. Many homes and black churches were firebombed or burned down that summer, and more than 1,000 volunteers were arrested. Among these Freedom Summer volunteers were James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who went to Mississippi to investigate the fire-bombing of the Mount Zion Methodist Church. On June 21, these three men were arrested and held for several hours on alleged traffic violations, but later that evening they were taken from the jail and turned over to the Ku Klux Klan, where they were beaten, shot and killed.

These men gave their lives in the name of freedom and justice. The media coverage surrounding their deaths sparked outrage amongst Americans, millions of them all over the country. Their deaths and the activities of Freedom Summer helped set the stage for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

I would like very much to thank Congressman Lewis for introducing this resolution, who himself has a closer experience than most of us in this body, and as a matter of fact paved the way for many of us to be here today.

I thank you, Congressman Lewis, for the many sacrifices you have made. And it is an honor to serve alongside Congressman Lewis, who coordinated the Student Non-Violence Coordinating Committee's efforts to organize voter registration drives and community action programs during Freedom Summer.

I strongly support this resolution to honor the sacrifices of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, and all of the volunteers of the Mississippi Freedom Summer who helped to pave the way of voting rights for all Americans.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2452) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to ensure that sewage treatment plants monitor for and report discharges of raw sewage, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 2452, the Sewage Overflow Community Right-To-Know Act, offered by my colleague on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Mr. Bishop, is an important commonsense proposal to enhance the monitoring and public notification of sewage spills.

I applaud Mr. Bishop's work to raise the public's awareness of sewage spills and for his tenacity in bringing together relevant stakeholders on this issue to work through potential differences and produce the fine product under consideration today. I also applaud the work of our colleague, Mr. LoBiondo, for his efforts in supporting and advocating for H.R. 2452.

Public notification of sewage overflows is an important topic that has not received the attention it rightly deserves. During committee hearings on this legislation last summer, the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment received testimony on the overwhelming extent of the problem of sewage overflows. According to the Environmental Protection Agency's own numbers, the frequency and volume of annual sewage overflows is staggering.

For combined sewage systems, EPA estimates that 850 billion gallons of raw or partially treated sewage is discharged annually into local waters. For separate sanitary sewer systems, EPA estimates that 23- to 75,000 of these sanitary sewage system overflows occur each year in the United States, discharging a total volume of between 3 and 10 billion gallons annually.

Worse still is the fact that these sewage overflows can be laden with potentially harmful chemicals, pathogens, viruses, and bacteria and often wind up in local rivers and streams, city streets, parks, or, in unfortunate cases, directly into people's homes.

These statistics further emphasize the importance of investment in our Nation's water-related infrastructure. For too long our communities and citizens have been waiting for us to renew our commitment to meeting the water-related infrastructure needs of this country. While the House of Representatives strongly approved legislation to reinvest and rebuild and replace our failing and outdated waste-water treatment infrastructure and sewers, we have faced continued opposition from this administration investing in our Nation's infrastructure.

I remain hopeful that we will be able to send legislation to the President this year that will meet the water-related needs that we all know exist and are necessary to ensure the economic and environmental health of our Nation.

However, in the interim, we need to make sure that the public is aware of sewage levels to give the individuals the opportunity to stay out of harm's way. It makes no sense for sewage agencies to know where and when overflows are occurring but to avoid making this information readily available to the public. This type of practice defies common sense. Equally troublesome are agencies that lack sufficient monitoring technologies or programs to alert them to the presence of sewage overflows.

The legislation under consideration here today is an essential step in protecting the public's health and environment from the dangers of sewage overflows. H.R. 2452, the Sewage Community Right-to-Know Act, is a commonsense approach to enhance the monitoring and notification of sewage overflows to protect human health and the environment. It is also an approach that can be achieved without significant burden to States and local governments. Monitoring and providing public notification on sewage overflows provides the greatest opportunity to avoid direct contact and potentially harmful pollutants as well.

Facilities' rapid responses to overflows in order to minimize the potential harm to the environment, this legislation amends the Clean Water Act to ensure that all publicly owned treatment works incorporate enhanced monitoring notification and reporting requirements into the existing permits for those systems under their operational control.

Under this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is given 1 year to issue regulations to define the parameters for monitoring and notification to be carried out by the publicly owned treatment works. Following completion of this rulemaking, all publicly owned treatment works are required within a defined time period to incorporate the monitoring and notification criteria from the rulemaking into the existing clean water permits.

However, to help minimize potential paperwork concerns, this legislation allows owners and operators to incorporate the enhanced monitoring provisions in their existing permits as such permits come up for periodic renewal modification.

To enhance the availability of public information on sewer overflows, H.R. 2452 requires the enhanced notification requirements to take effect 30 days after completion of the rulemaking. The legislation under consideration today is slightly modified from the version that was reported favorably from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on May 15 to address a few technical and transitional concerns that were unresolved before the committee markup.

In addition, the bill under consideration today provides a mechanism for States with active notification programs to petition EPA for the ability to carry out the existing notification programs provided that these programs are determined to be functionally equivalent to the national standard for State notification programs called for in this legislation.

I commend the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Boozman, and the ranking member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Mr. Mica, and my Chair, Mr. Oberstar,

for working in a bipartisan fashion to resolve all the outstanding issues related to this important legislation.

Let me conclude by thanking the following organizations for their efforts in reaching the compromised language that is under consideration today: The American Rivers, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the Water Environment Federation and the California Association of Sanitation Agencies. The hard work and willingness of each of these organizations made it possible to reach this agreement and to bring forward this important bipartisan legislation.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following for the Record.

June 23, 2008.

Hon. James L. Oberstar,

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.

Hon. John Mica,

Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure, Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Tim Bishop,

Cannon House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Frank LoBiondo,

Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, and

Representatives Bishop and LoBiondo: On behalf of our members

and supporters across the nation, thank you for reporting

H.R. 2452, the Sewage Overflow Community Right-to-Know Act.

Our organizations strongly support this legislation and

applaud your efforts to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

By requiring public notification, H.R. 2452 could protect

millions of Americans from exposure to untreated sewage

spills that could make them sick. This first line of defense

is critical as hundreds of billions of gallons of raw and

partially treated sewage are dumped into our streams, rivers

and lakes every year. Many American are unaware when a sewage

spill occurs in the local waterways where their families swim

and play.

The bacteria, viruses and parasites found in untreated

sewage can cause severe symptoms including gastrointestinal

problems, infection and fever, as well as heart, liver or

kidney failure, arthritis and even cancer. By requiring the

public to be notified when sewage spills threaten their

health, we can help Americans protect their families by

avoiding contaminated areas until the threat has passed.

Thank you again for your hard work on this important

legislation. We look forward to working with you to see this

bill enacted into law this Congress.

Sincerely,

Eli Weissman, Director of Government Affairs, American

Rivers; Christy Leavitt, Clean Water Advocate,

Environment America; Tiernan Sittenfeld, Legislative

Director, League of Conservation Voters; Nancy Stoner,

Director, Clean Water Project, Natural Resources

Defense Council; David Jenkins, Government Affairs

Director, Republicans for Environmental Protection;

Angela Howe, Legal Manager, Surfrider Foundation.

Paul Schwartz, National Policy Coordinator, Clean Water

Action; Shawnee Hoover, Legislative Director, Friends

of the Earth; Corry Westbrook, Legislative Director,

National Wildlife Federation; Will Callaway,

Legislative Director, Physicians for Social

Responsibility; Debbie Sease, National Campaigns

Director, Sierra Club.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I ask for support of this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6040) to amend the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 to clarify the authority of the Secretary of the Army to provide reimbursement for travel expenses incurred by members of the Committee on Levee Safety.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on H.R. 6040.

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 6040, introduced by the ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mr. Mica, and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Water Resources Environment, Mr. Boozman, makes a technical change to title IX of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.

Title IX of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 establishes the framework for the creation of the National Levee Safety Program to enhance the safety of levees and those living in levee-protected areas.

In the 3 years since hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Nation has refocused its attention to the safety and reliability of flood-control structures and how lives and livelihoods can be affected by their failure.

It is especially evident that to our colleagues from the States of Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois, who have been experiencing the challenges of flooding from the Mississippi River and its tributary system over the past few weeks. The Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has held numerous hearings on the condition of the Nation's levees and other flood-control structures.

Throughout these hearings, one consistent theme was readily apparent, the condition of the Nation's flood control infrastructure is, at best, unknown, and in a few notable instances, is in desperate need for repair and upgrading. The subcommittee received testimony from noted experts in flood control infrastructure that of the thousands of miles of Federal, State, local, and privately owned levees, in this country little is known about the current condition, including whether levees were designed to meet current conditions or whether they have been properly maintained by the non-Federal interests.

Although rare, failure of flood control structures, such as levees, does occur, and has become more frequent in recent years, and actually, in the last recent weeks.

Levees are typically built in a certain location and to a specified height to provide a certain level of protection. However, the level of protection provided by a levee may change with time, due to natural or manmade changes. Natural changes may include land subsidence, sedimentation, vegetative growth in the floodway, or the potential implications of climate change.

Land use changes in an area such as upstream development, and the loss of natural upstream storage capacity, can induce hydrologic changes, including faster runoff that will reduce the level of protection provided by a levee.

Given the important flood damage reduction and development opportunities provided by levees, it is important for the Nation to understand the true nature and condition of our flood control infrastructure, as well as to develop a comprehensive national policy to address issues related to the construction, operation and maintenance of projects and other management techniques for flood damage reduction.

In that light, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure included language in the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 for the creation of a national Committee on Levee Safety.

The committee would be chaired by the Corps of Engineers and would include experts from around the Nation, working towards a short-term recommendation to Congress for the creation of an effective and efficient National Levee Safety Program.

The House and Senate conferees on the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 agreed on the importance of soliciting the recommendations of the Nation's leading experts in levee safety to aid in the drafting of a future National Levee Safety Program. Whatever recommendations are made by the Committee on Levee Safety, these recommendations will be referred back to the Congress for enactment in future legislation.

It is my understanding that the Corps has been working towards the creation of the committee, including the identification of a broad array of experts in levee safety. Unfortunately, the Corps believes it has hit a roadblock due to the specific wording of the authorization language that has prevented the Corps from utilizing available funding to pay for the travel expenses of the committee members.

H.R. 6040 is a simple modification to the existing authorization language to ensure that the Corps can utilize already identified funding to pay these expenses so that the Committee on Levee Safety can formally be assembled and begin its important work.

I applaud my colleagues on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Ranking Member Mica, and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment for volunteering to move this legislation through the House.

It is my hope that the other body can, also, quickly move this legislation to the President's desk so that the Levee Safety Committee can begin its important work and complete it later this summer.

I urge adoption of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following for the Record.

American Society of

Civil Engineers,

Washington, DC, June 23, 2008.

Hon. James Oberstar,

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Hon. John Mica,

Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman and Congressman Mica: I am writing on

behalf of the more than 140,000 members of the American

Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to support passage of H.R.

6040, a bill to amend the Water Resources Development Act

(WRDA) of 2007 to clarify the authority of the Secretary of

the Army to provide reimbursement for travel expenses

incurred by members of the Committee on Levee Safety.

As you recall, ASCE was a strong supporter of legislation

to enact a national levee safety program in WRDA 2007. We

believe that it is essential to clarify that the members of

the Committee on Levee Safety be eligible to receive

reimbursement for their travel incurred as a result of their

volunteering to work on the Committee. The outcome of the

Committee's study undoubtedly will have an important bearing

on future legislative efforts to improve the safety of the

nation's levee systems.

Sincerely yours,

David G. Mongan,

President.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back and ask for support for this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge Congress to enact legislation to lower gas prices and invest in alternative energy.

In Texas, the price of a gallon of gasoline has risen more than $1.05 in the past year.

No one drives more than Texans do. With thousands of miles of highways and cities located far from one another, efficient transportation is frequently on our minds.

Nationwide, gas prices have risen from $2.20 per gallon in December 2005 to $4.10 per gallon on June 19, 2008, according to the Energy Information Administration, the entity that collects official energy statistics for the United States Government.

Gas prices are hurting our local families. Citizens must make tough economic choices because of the crippling effect that high gas prices is having on their lives.

Congress must show leadership and take action to address this problem of high gas prices.

Congress should work toward the goals of long-term energy solutions that promote economic and environment stability.

We should invest in research to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Wind-, solar-, hydrogen-, nuclear-, and geothermal energy sources are all viable options that should be considered.

We should mandate stricter fuel economy standards on all automobiles.

We should utilize alternative fuels that are environmentally sustainable.

We should incentivize the use of public transportation and improve our transportation infrastructure.

We should conduct stronger oversight to determine if gas prices are being artificially inflated.

My years on the Transportation and on the Science Committees have heightened my sensitivity to this subject of rising gas prices.

I have worked to help these committees pass legislation that:

Funds research for environmentally-friendly highway materials;

Secures dollars for our local transportation infrastructure; and

Supports research on alternative fuels, plug-in hybrid cars, hydrogen, ethanol, and other energy sources.

In Texas, we spend a lot of time in our cars. High gas prices are particularly impactful to our economy.

There is no simple or quick solution to this problem of gas prices, but Congress must show leadership and take action to address it.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about my constituents. They are asking for relief from escalating gas prices, and I want to be proactive.

The time to act upon this issue is today.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I recognize the passing of Dr. Theodore Paul Votteler of Dallas, Texas. Named to Best Doctors of America from 1996-2000, Dr. Votteler performed over 25,000 operations before his retirement in 1993 and was one of the first surgeons in the Nation to successfully separate conjoined twins. Deeply committed to his practice and the pursuit of education, Dr. Votteler's compassion, skill and spirit will be deeply missed in the community.

Born in 1927 in Portland, Oregon to Theodore and Mary Gladys Parry Votteler, the family moved to the Dallas area in 1939. Mr. Votteler graduated from Highland Park High School and was attending the University of Texas at Austin when he enlisted for the Navy in 1945. After serving his country, he went to Tulane University School of Medicine where he graduated in 1951.

In 1960, he was appointed medical director of surgical services and director of general surgery at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Votteler performed one of seven successful separations of conjoined twins in 1978 and became an international authority on conjoined separations and pediatric surgery.

In 2007, Dr. Votteler returned to the University of Texas at Austin to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. During his career, Dr. Votteler received many awards including the Children's Medical Center Distinguished Service Award and the Tulane Medical School Lifetime Achievement Award.

Madam Speaker, the medical field has lost an astounding surgeon; I send my condolences to his wife, Vermelle Votteler, and his sons and daughters-in law, Tad and Sally Anne Votteler and Todd and Sharmon Sullivan Votteler. In addition, he is survived by his grandchildren Alexis Sutton Votteler, Theodore Paul Votteler III, Anna Grace Votteler, Vitoria Frances Votteler, and one granddaughter on the way, Carol Elizabeth Votteler.

Mr. Speaker, nearly one in five unemployed Americans have lost their unemployment benefits because it has taken them longer than 26 weeks to find a new job. Obviously, most companies are laying off. Imagine not having a job, losing unemployment benefits, and then trying to pay for gas at the pump and food at the grocery store.

This Democratic Congress knows it is tougher to find a job when the economy is not producing them. That is why we passed legislation last week giving these workers an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits.

In my home State of Texas, there are more than 45,000 workers who have already exhausted their unemployment insurance and 115,000 more that are expected to exhaust their benefits by March of next year. This legislation would help all of these people. But President Bush and his Republican allies here in the House oppose our efforts, even though the President supported a similar extension back in 2002 when the economic situation is not nearly as bad as it is now.

Mr. Speaker, millions of American workers need help from this Congress today. Washington Republicans should reconsider their opposition to this important legislation.

Madam Chairman, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is a strong economic driver in the State of Texas and an important national resource.

My colleagues and I on the House Committee on Science and Technology have worked on this legislation to reauthorize many of NASA's programs for 1 year. This action will provide a funding bridge until next year, and it will provide important funding for research and programs in the areas of science, aeronautics, exploration, education, space operations, cross-agency support programs and other activities.

NASA celebrates 50 years since its establishment. For 50 years, NASA research has enabled scientists to continue to do groundbreaking research in a zero-gravity environment, with untold benefits. For example, one of the many spinoff technologies from the Hubble telescope is the use of its Charge Coupled Device (CCD) chips for digital imaging breast biopsies.

The resulting device images tissue more clearly and efficiently than other technologies. The CCD chips can detect the small differences between a malignant or benign tumor, without the need for a surgical biopsy. This saves the patient weeks of recovery time, and the cost for this procedure is hundreds of dollars vs. thousands for a surgical biopsy. With over 500,000 women needing biopsies a year, the economic benefits are tremendous, not to mention the reduction in pain, scarring, radiation exposure, time, and money associated with surgical biopsies. Of course, this is just one of so many examples of NASA research that benefits society with broader applications.

H.R. 6063 authorizes $20.21 billion in funding for NASA in fiscal year 2009. I support this legislation and urge NASA to continue its education efforts. A well-educated technical workforce is essential to NASA's success, and it is imperative for the agency to continue to invest in education as well as its other activities.

Again, I want to congratulate NASA for 50 years of stellar work.

Mr. Chairman, let me express my appreciation to the gentleman from Florida for the time.

At the outset, I would like also to express my congratulations to our chairman, Mr. Oberstar, and Rail Subcommittee Chairwoman Brown of Florida for their good works on the bill and also the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica). It is a good bill that will have an immediate impact on improving the mobility of Americans all across the country.

I would particularly like to thank Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Brown for working with me to include a provision that requests the Secretary to examine the feasibility of expanding the South Central Rail Corridor to Houston, Texas.

Passenger rail lowers American fuel consumption because it's more energy efficient than both cars and airplanes. Intercity passenger rail consumes 21 percent less energy per passenger mile than automobiles and 17 percent less energy per passenger mile than airlines. Passenger rail also reduces global warming because it cuts in half the carbon dioxide impact per passenger over cars and airplanes, meaning that expanding passenger rail will reduce global warming.

The average intercity passenger rail train produces 60 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions per passenger mile than the average automobile and 50 percent lower emissions than the average airplane. This bill is not only good energy policy, it is also good transportation policy. Intercity passenger rail is an increasingly necessary alternative to highway and air travel, as congestion grows in many regions of the country. For example, Amtrak removes 8 million cars from the road each year.

At a time when gas prices continue to skyrocket, the demand by commuters and other travelers for cost-efficient public transportation systems, including passenger rail, is growing rapidly. This critical bill will help meet this growing need.

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

Let me thank the Chair and the subcommittee chairs of these committees.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Representative Allen in bringing forth this House Concurrent Resolution 337 honoring the Seeds of Peace for its 15th anniversary as an organization.

The importance of peace in the world today is often overlooked due to the severity of constant conflict. As a mother and a lawmaker, the reality of war concerns me for the future of our Nation and the world.

Seeds of Peace is dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence. I am proud to say that I worked with them here in Washington and in Dallas, and I have partnered with Congressman Barney Frank at times to host them.

Due to its proven impact and success in the Middle East, Seeds of Peace has earned international recognition as an effective model for resolving conflict worldwide, and these are young people who have not been kept away from communication or a part of irritation of Israel.

I firmly support Seeds of Peace because I believe peace ultimately depends upon breaking down barriers and mistrust among people from these regions of conflict. Governments negotiate agreements, but only people can define the quality of peace. Innovative people-to-people programs like Seeds of Peace successfully accomplish this goal on a rather modest budget.

I am proud to support the passage of this resolution and urge my colleagues to support it. I thank Mr. Payne for allowing me to make these statements.