Floor Statements

I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues are rushing to clap and pat themselves on the back, I just want to make very clear; this is not new, this is just more, and that is why we're happy to accept it.

If you look at the report language on page 242, we make it very clear that our cooperative relationship with Israel is not only significant, but primary, and that our efforts to invest with them over these many years on programs like David's Sling and Arrow are significant and are fully funded at the President's request in this bill.

What we don't have, however, which perhaps you could help with, is the cooperation of the Department of Defense to share critical information with Israel on THAAD.

So I think, frankly, that this is of more of a ``me too'' than it is anything else. We are happy to accept it. But I think if you check the language on 242, you will see that this committee has done all that needs to be done, going along with the President to fully fund these programs, but we could use some help with the administration and the Pentagon to get them to work cooperatively on THAAD.

Madam Chairman, first I would like to congratulate the gentleman from Missouri, the distinguished chairman of the committee, on his first mark of the national security defense bill. He is a fabulous member and a great leader. I appreciate all of the hard work that has been put into this bill.

I also want to thank my ranking member, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Everett), for his hard work and his willingness to work in a bipartisan way to achieve what I consider to be a very significant mark for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee; also, the members of the subcommittee and our fabulous staff.

Madam Chairman, this bill is a bill that I have worked on with my colleagues to incorporate four priorities into the bill before the House.

First, this bill aims to create a public discussion about nuclear weapons by

establishing a congressionally appointed bipartisan commission designed to reevaluate U.S. strategic posture. This commission would provide valuable recommendations to Congress regarding the proper mix of conventional and nuclear weapons needed to meet new and emerging threats.

Second, the bill slows the Department of Energy nuclear weapons initiatives. We limit reliable replacement warhead funds to design and cost study activities and eliminate funding for the proposed Consolidated Plutonium Center. Instead, we increase funding to strengthen the Stockpile Stewardship Program, as well as the weapons complex.

Third, the bill funds ballistic missile defense systems that will protect the American people, our deployed troops, and allies against real threats while shifting resources away from longer term, high-risk efforts.

It fully funds the Army missile defense budget request for the Patriot PAC-3 missile, including funding for the Patriot ``Pure Fleet'' initiative.

It fully funds the Ground Based Missile Defense System to protect the United States against a potential threat from North Korea or Iran.

It includes funding for Aegis BMD and fully funds THAAD development and deployment.

Finally, we are boosting funding for space capabilities that deliver near-term benefits to the warfighter and improve space situational awareness and survivability.

Madam Chair, this bill strikes a balance between near-term needs and long-term investment, and it creates the means to help bring our nuclear weapons policies into the 21st century. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Chairman, pursuant to section 3 and 4 of House Resolution 403, and as the designee of the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, I request that during further consideration of H.R. 1585 in the Committee of the Whole, and following consideration of amendment 49, the following amendments be considered in the following order: amendment No. 30; amendment No. 11; amendment No. 31; amendment No. 41; amendment No. 15; amendment No. 42; amendment No. 43; en bloc No. 3.

Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank my colleagues very much for bringing this issue up, although I cannot support their amendment. I appreciate not only their frustration, but their energy that they bring to the debate because, frankly, as the Chair of the subcommittee, that is the reason we did cut $764 million from this program.

For a long time I think many of us have been concerned that this has been an agency that has been obviated from all of the normal conventions of responsibility and testing regimen and accountability. I think what we see now is that we do have components of missile defense that are successful. Certainly PAC-3 is successful, certainly Aegis BMD is successful, and many of us have very high hopes for THAAD.

The ground-based system has not had as successful testing as many would like. As frustrated as my colleagues may be, as severe a cut as they are proposing is too detrimental to our ability to do what we try to do in this bill, which is to deliver in the near term the kind of protections that we need to have for not only the American people here at home, but for our warfighters deployed down range.

These medium and short-range missile threats are real. It is important that we keep this funding going so we can deliver on these good opportunities while we restructure the program and while we hold the Missile Defense Agency accountable for the first time.

I have to reluctantly oppose this amendment.

Madam Chairman, pursuant to section 3 and 4 of House Resolution 403, and as the designee of the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, I request that during further consideration of H.R. 1585 in the Committee of the Whole, and following consideration of amendment No. 43, the following amendments be considered in the following order: amendment No. 7, amendment No. 1.

Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Franks of Arizona

Madam Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the chairman of the committee.

Madam Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Madam Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment, specifically because of some of the language that my colleagues have been using.

What I find to be absolutely amazing is my colleagues on this side of the aisle who, for the last 6 years, have operated under a theory that there's never been too much money for missile defense without any accountability and without any reasonable sense that they had to have tests and that they had to produce for the American people. So it's not surprising to me that my colleagues rise and try to add back the money, the 8 cents on the dollar that my subcommittee, in a bipartisan way, trimmed from this program, as we did what the Republican bill last year suggested, that we redirect the focus of missile defense to near-term capabilities for the warfighter, for the American people and for our allies.

Now, the never-too-much money for MDA crowd will try to gin up all kinds of threats, and I will say it again. We here on this side of the aisle are not confused about the threats. We believe these are real threats, and that is why we have diligently restructured the MDA budget to deal with the near-term threats so that we can actually protect the warfighter, the American people and make sure that we have these capabilities now for current threats.

So the idea that we are doing massive cuts and that this is irresponsible probably makes sense to people that think that there's no such thing as not enough money for MDA, but from my point of view and for my constituents, I believe they need accountability, they need a testing regime operated by somebody other than themselves, and we need to have the modest cuts in this budget and need to oppose this amendment.

Madam Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).

Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, as I said earlier, I rise in opposition to this amendment because we, I believe, have cuts in this bill that not only preserve the ability to have robust investments in missile defense, but, for the first time, create accountability for the Missile Defense Agency to deliver in the near term the kinds of capabilities necessary to protect our warfighters in the near term for real threats they face today, the American people, for real threats they face today and our allies and access abroad.

That is what we decided to do last year in the defense bill. That is our most important priority. These are minor cuts that redirect our agency to do what they never did under our colleagues when they were in the majority, which is to have operational testing that is real, that has countermeasures, that deals with the real kinds of circumstances that we would face if we were attacked. There is great doubt out there about the capabilities of this system because it has never been held to the rigor and the robust testing necessary to make it a credible deterrent.

We believe these cuts are marginal cuts. We plus up many things in this bill to make sure that we deliver in the near term to the warfighter the capabilities they need, and I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

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

Madam Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I don't oppose the amendment.

Madam Chairman, let's just be clear. There is nothing in the bill that says that MDA cannot put the system on operational alert using RDT&E funds. They are not prohibited from doing it. In fact, they have done it in the past.

What section 222 does say that if you are going to operate it, you should use operating and maintenance funds. That's all it says.

So we have no objection to the gentleman's amendment, because in fact there is nothing in the bill that prohibits the system from being flicked on, and there is nothing about what we say that is contrary to what the gentleman is asserting. However, we do believe that it is important that when you are operating a system, you should use operation and maintenance funds.

I am happy to yield to the ranking member.

Reclaiming my time, I said that very easily I would be happy to accept the amendment.

Frankly, we have had a markup in the subcommittee and a markup in the full committee over the last 3 weeks, and any time, if the gentleman had come to me and said that he needed clarification for what these funds could be used for, I would have been happy to clarify for him. And I hope he now feels it has been clarified.

It has always been operationally possible for the RDT&E money to be used for operational alerts. That is what they have been used for before.

So I am happy to accept the gentleman's amendment.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I am happy to take the amendment. And any time that the gentleman wants to work together on these issues, we are happy to do it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Susan A. Cota, as she retires from the Chancellorship of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District.

Dr. Cota was the first Hispanic female Chancellor in the 43-year history of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District. She was also the first Hispanic female Chancellor appointed in the California Community College system.

Dr. Cota has held various positions in the California Community College system, such as counselor, director, and dean of student services. She has also served as the Statewide Administrator of Disabled Students Programs and Services.

Dr. Cota holds a doctorate in organization and leadership from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Science degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from San Francisco State University and a bachelor's degree in English from Immaculate Heart College.

Dr. Cota is active in a wide variety of national, state, and local organizations. She was elected to the Board of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and currently serves on the Executive Board and as Chair of the Community College Futures Committee and on the Board of the Community College Leadership Development Initiatives Foundation at the University of San Diego.

In 2006, she received the Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award from the Community College Administrators. She has also received the Community College League of California's Courageous Leader Award, and the Outstanding Educator in Administration Award.

Under her leadership, a $498M facilities construction bond was approved, to provide for the complete build-out of Las Positas College in Livermore, and full renovation of the Chabot College campus.

As Dr. Cota retires, I thank her for her steadfast leadership of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, and her commitment to the continuing education of our community. I wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Karen Halliday, as she retires as Las Positas College president, after nearly 35 years of teaching and serving students in the California Community College System.

Karen Halliday began teaching as an adjunct faculty member in Learning Disabilities and Special Education at various Bay Area universities. As a faculty member and Learning Disabilities Specialist at De Anza College in Cupertino, she helped develop the first Learning Disabilities program in higher education in California. She later became the director of the Educational Diagnostic Center at De Anza College.

In 1987, Karen Halliday was the first faculty member to receive the Foothill-De Anza Community College Teacher of the Year Award. In 1988, she joined the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office in Sacramento, as the Specialist for the Disabled Students Program and Services.

In 1989, Karen Halliday became the Vice President of Student Services at Las Positas. In 2002, she was named president of Las Positas College. During her tenure, she successfully led the college through the passage of Measure B, a $498 million district facilities bond.

In 2003, thanks to her encouragement and guidance, the Las Positas College Foundation was created to ``foster growth and success, both in its students and in the communities it serves.'' Later that year, the foundation was granted 501(c)3 status.

Karen Halliday has been a member of the Executive Board for the Association of California Community College Administrators and the Chair of the Legislative Commission for the California League of Community Colleges. She has authored several publications, along with numerous Board of Governors Agenda Items related to Matriculation, DSPS, and Student Services.

As Karen Halliday retires, I would like to thank her for her dedication to higher education in our community, and her contribution to the field of disabled students' services. I wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Vanden High School's Academic Decathlon Team for wining the Division II State Academic Decathlon Title.

Over 500 schools from 42 counties in the state participate in the California Academic Decathlon, which promotes education and teamwork.

The championship team from the Travis Unified School District in Solano County was led by Head Coach David Kenyon and included Team Members Erin Campos, Aleena Syed, Abdul Hassan, Nicolai McCrary, Elise Campos, Julieanne Cunningham, David Crowell, Adrian Bullock, and Tanya Campos.

Not only did the Vanden High School's Academic Decathlon Team win the State Title, becoming the first Solano County School to achieve such a feat; they broke the Division II scoring record by amassing a grand total of 45,372 points. The Team also won the State Super Quiz Title.

Prior to competing statewide, Vanden High School's Academic Decathlon Team won the first ever North Bay Regional Competition and also won the regional Super Quiz Title.

The theme for the statewide competition was climatology and China. The students were required to answer questions relating to math, art, music, and history.

The Vanden High School Academic Decathlon Team and coach put in numerous hours, including their lunch periods, to prepare for the regional and statewide competitions. This speaks volumes of their dedication to learn and work as a team.

While several of the members will be graduating and moving on to college, they should take pride in the solid foundation they help build and the standard they set.

Again, I would like to congratulate the Vanden High School Academic Decathlon Team for their monumental achievements and for bringing the State Academic Decathlon Title to Solano County. They represented their school and community extremely well. Go Vikings!

Madam Speaker, I rise with great pride today to recognize Vanden High School's Academic Decathlon Team for winning the Division II State Academic Decathlon Title.

Over 500 schools from 42 counties in the State participate in the California Academic Decathlon, which promotes education and teamwork.

The championship team from the Travis Unified School District in Solano County was led by Head Coach David Kenyon and included Team Members Erin Campos, Aleena Syed, Abdul Hassan, Nicolai McCrary, Elise Campos, Julieanne Cunningham, David Crowell, Adrian Bullock, and Tanya Campos.

Not only did the Vanden High School's Academic Decathlon Team win the State Title, becoming the first Solano County School to achieve such a feat; they broke the Division II scoring record by amassing a grand total of 45,372 points. The Team also won the State Super Quiz Title.

Prior to competing statewide, Vanden High School's Academic Decathlon Team won the first ever North Bay Regional Competition and also won the regional Super Quiz Title.

The theme for the statewide competition was climathlogy and China. The students were required to answer questions relating to math, art, music, and history.

The Vanden High School Academic Decathlon Team and coach put in numerous hours, including their lunch periods, to prepare for the regional and statewide competitions. This speaks volumes of their dedication to learn and work as a team.

While several of the members will be graduating and moving on to college, they should take pride in the solid foundation they help build and the standard they set.

Again, I would like to congratulate the Vanden High School Academic Decathlon Team for their monumental achievements and for bringing the State Academic Decathlon Title to Solano County. They represented their school and community extremely well. Go Vikings!

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the dedication and service of the National Association of Letter Carriers. For the last 15 years the NALC has annually conducted what has become the largest food drive in the nation. This food drive is unique because it allows anyone with a mailbox the opportunity to take part. By participating in this food drive we are all building stronger neighborhoods and strengthening our local communities. Because of this event we are given the opportunity to support those in our communities who, far too often, go without.

For the past three years the sheer quantity of food collected has been staggering. Last year 70.5 million pounds of food were distributed in communities throughout this country. That was the third straight year where the amount of food distributed has exceeded 70 million pounds. Over the past 15 years the grand total of food collected is more than three quarters of a billion pounds of food. These totals have helped make the NALC National Food Drive the largest single day food drive in the nation.

This year NALC president William H. Young has challenged all of the local branches throughout the country to increase their food totals by 10 percent. This challenge has inspired one of the largest publicity campaigns in NALC Food Drive history as well as encouraged good natured competition between regional branches. I know that the Letter Carriers of 10th Congressional District of California will make us proud.

The NALC National Food Drive is distinctive in how the food is distributed. It strengthens community ties because all of the food collected by local carriers goes back into those neighborhoods. 10,000 communities across the country will be part of this amazing event. Because every pound of food goes to local food banks, the NALC National Food Drive gives everyone the opportunity to support their community. A simple donation of non-perishable food placed in the mailbox with the outgoing mail will help change the lives of those who live and work in the area. Thanks to the NALC and due to this creative and effective strategy, getting involved has never been easier.

Again, I want to congratulate the NALC for conducting such a remarkable event and I am proud to say that I will be leaving food in my mailbox on May 12th.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my friend Chairman Gordon for reporting these two critical bills out of the Science Committee, one focused on math and science education and the second on science and engineering.

Taken together, these two bills are a critical step toward restoring our American technological base as well as giving students, engineers, and researchers the tools they need to compete in a global economy.

And they are a great way to kick off the Innovation Agenda, an effort that is vital to America's competitiveness, economy and security, and an effort the New Democrat Coalition, which I chair, is proud to be leading.

I am very proud to offer a bipartisan amendment with my good friend, Congresswoman Judy Biggert of the Science Committee. Our amendment would expand eligibility for National Science Foundation Early Career Awards to thousands of scientists and engineers previously deemed ineligible. These men and women have followed alternative career paths such as working part-time or in non-academic settings, or have taken a significant career break or other leave of absence.

In particular, our amendment would level the playing field for women scientists who have taken maternity leaves, and for all scientists and engineers who have taken internships, worked in industry, or who have pursued entrepreneurial efforts.

The amendment would also expand the scope of the Presidential Innovation Award to recognize and reward innovations that result in intellectual property that significantly enhances the economic competitiveness of the United States.

I strongly support Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Gordon's efforts to promote a strong Innovation Agenda that grows our economy and creates more jobs.

I appreciate working with Judy Biggert on this issue and ask my colleagues to support our amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon), the chairman of the Committee on Science and a great leader on innovation.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for his support of the bill. I appreciate the ranking member's support of the bill. I really want to thank my colleague from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) for her friendship and her support.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise with the support of my colleagues, Hon. Anna G. Eshoo, Hon. Barbara Lee, Hon. Mike Honda, Hon. Lynn Woolsey, Hon. George Miller, Hon. Tom Lantos, Hon. Zoe Lofgren, Hon. Mike Thompson, and Hon. Pete Stark, of California, in the House of Representatives--to recognize UPS for their 100 years of service to our communities.

In 1907 in a small basement in Seattle, Washington, two young entrepreneurs set out in search of the American dream. They built that dream on the principles of providing the best service at the lowest possible cost while always being committed to reliability, courtesy, neatness and high ethical standards. One hundred years later, the commitment to those values has not wavered and that small basement company has become the largest package delivery company in the world. It is our privilege to commend UPS for 100 years of unparalleled service.

The four major themes of the UPS centennial celebration, transformation, culture, service, and responsibility underscore the commitment of UPS to its customers, employees and stockholders.

The transformation from a small basement messenger company to the world's largest package delivery company is a testament to UPS's successful business strategies. This longevity is evidence of UPS's constant focus on the future amidst the ever changing workplace.

UPS's culture of integrity, innovation, and responsibility has fostered a respected reputation worldwide. The commitment to these principles has been instrumental in earning the trust of its valued customers.

At the core of UPS's success lies its unparalleled service to our communities. Through its commitment to its customers and its valued workforce, UPS has demonstrated its dedication to our local communities.

While a strong profitable company is the goal of any business, UPS has proven its commitment to responsible business leadership. From its partnerships with local community groups to its environmental awareness, UPS has successfully demonstrated what it takes to be a responsible, strong, and profitable business.

Through each of these themes, UPS has reaffirmed its commitment to its customers, employees and stockholders. We all wish UPS continued success in the future and hope that their second hundred years of service will be as dynamic as the first.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Sergeant Wayne D. Mann of the El Cerrito Police Department who after 28 years of service will retire and close his career with the department.

Sergeant Wayne D. Mann has unselfishly served his community with great dedication and pride, and will leave the department with special recognition and with the highest commendation. Sergeant Mann was born in Detroit, Michigan on May 6, 1957, and was raised in Martinez, California, where he later received an Associate of Arts Degree from Diablo Valley College.

He began his career in law enforcement with the Martinez Police Department, as a Police Cadet, in 1976. Among his positions in the department, he was a Police Dispatcher, and a Volunteer Reserve Police Officer. He entered the Police Academy at Los Medonas College in 1979, entering the EI Cerrito Police Department the same year.

Sergeant Mann has held many assignments within the department, such as Bicycle/Junior Traffic Officer, Crisis Negotiation Team, Assistant Range Master, Detective, Sergeant and Detective Sergeant, among others.

Sergeant Mann has performed his duties with great technical competence, efficiency, and distinction, earning him the Albany-EI Cerrito Exchange Club ``Officer of the Year'' award in 1991. Along with his commitment to department, he has continued his professional growth by attending numerous classes and courses to include the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute.

Sergeant Mann has served the citizens of Contra Costa County and the City of El Cerrito with great distinction, and in retiring from his position as a Police Sergeant, brings to close a career with the EI Cerrito Police Department.

As Sergeant Wayne D. Mann retires from the El Cerrito Police Department, I would like to thank him, and his wife Tina and two children, Travis and Bryan, for his record of service and concern for the protection of life and property in the local community, and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Bruce Morgan, a man with immense scientific contributions and over 40 years of service to our nation at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Mr. Morgan graduated with an A.S. Degree in Gunsmithing from Trinidad State Jr. College in Trinidad, Colorado in May 1967. Mr. Morgan was then hired by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he was assigned to support the Linear Accelerator.

Mr. Morgan has made his presence in the workplace known. He has worked with nuclear reactors, designed and constructed experiments, and advanced previous findings in the field.

Mr. Morgan built the first 9-inch Rotating Neutron Source, which was a major accomplishment for his employer, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, at the time. This invention allowed the study of neutron flux in nuclear weapons.

Mr. Morgan has also designed, fabricated, and developed many innovations in ballistic technology such as ballistic range hardware and gunload development, high-speed camera and flash x-ray systems to perform ballistics diagnostics, experiments in light armor using Cermet materials, experiments with explosive active and reactive armor, experiments resulting in the ultimate development of an upgraded armor package for the MI-M2 Abrams Tank, and development of light armor for the AC-130 Gunship for use by our military ground-support aircraft.

Mr. Morgan was also temporarily deployed to work on upgrading armor packages for the

Humvee and armored gun-truck in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

As Mr. Morgan retires from the work he has been involved in for over 40 years, I would like to thank him for his great contributions and advancements in the field, and acknowledge the loyal service he has given to his employers and country. I wish him the best in all his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Suisun City Police Chief Ron Forsythe, who after nearly 30 years of service to the community of Suisun City has retired from the Suisun City Police Department.

Chief Ron Forsythe has unselfishly served his community with great dedication and pride, and will leave the department with special recognition and with the highest commendation.

Chief Forsythe began his professional career in 1973, as a student aide in the Daily Republic newsroom, eventually being promoted to reporter and photographer.

His time spent in the newsroom piqued his interest in law enforcement. In 1977, he became a dispatcher and reserve police officer for the Suisun City Police Department. Working his way up the ranks, Chief Forsythe was promoted to chief of police in 1993.

During his career in Suisun City, Chief Forsythe was known for his innovative and forward thinking policies. He took leadership roles in introducing technology, such as automation and car-mounted computers to the department.

Chief Forsythe also instituted the first ``citizen police academy'' in the county and later introduced the first ``teen academy'' in the country. Moreover, Chief Forsythe's role in implementing community policing in Suisun City played a key role in turning around a city that was once considered the worst city in the bay area to live in.

Police Chief Ron Forsythe has served the citizens of Suisun City with great distinction, evidenced by policing policies that have served as nationwide models and the numerous State and national awards the department received.

As Chief Ron Forsythe retires from the Suisun City Police Department, I would like to thank him, and his partner, Matthew Forsythe, for his record of service and concern for the protection of life and property in the local community, and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his future endeavors.

Madam Chair, I want to thank the chairman and Subcommittee Chairwoman Johnson for the opportunity to speak, and for their leadership in support of the Water Quality Financing Act. And as has been said, this legislation will provide $14 billion to deserving communities and water agencies.

The State Revolving Fund continues to be one of the most efficient and practical Federal funding programs for water reconstruction and infrastructure projects in local communities.

I have been a long supporter of reauthorizing the Clean Water SRF and infusing much-needed funding into our Nation's clean water infrastructure. In the last four Congresses, I have joined with my colleague, former Congresswoman Sue Kelly, to offer legislation to reauthorize the SRF program. Unfortunately, the Republican-controlled Congress never acted on this important legislation.

Today's legislation finally gives us the opportunity to do the right thing. It is imperative that Congress continues our partnership with communities to fund Federal clean water mandates in the most cost efficient manner possible. As a loan fund and not a grant program, the Clean Water SRF promotes fiscal responsibility without denying communities the opportunity to refurbish, rehabilitate or rebuild new water infrastructure. Whether used for funding wastewater treatment or non-point source pollution control, the SRF is a useful tool in providing cleaner, safer water in our communities.

The EPA has identified billions of dollars in water infrastructure needs. It's time that we act responsibly and reauthorize this important program. As stewards of the Clean Water Act, we have the responsibility to provide for infrastructure necessary to ensure its proper implementation. Today's legislation gets us back on track.

Madam Chair, there will be much discussion about the inclusion of the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage language in this bill. In my view, the verdict is in. Protecting Davis-Bacon and the prevailing wage laws it supports are a national priority. This is evidenced by over half the States, including mine, California, passing their own prevailing wage laws. And importantly, Madam Chairman, it is clear a majority of the House supports Davis-Bacon.

I look forward to joining a bipartisan majority of the House today in taking a strong stand and rejecting any attempt to limit the application of Davis-Bacon protections.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 720.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly commend Speaker Pelosi for showing tremendous leadership on this issue and creating the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. This committee will provide Congress the opportunity to conduct important and essential oversight that is long overdue.

I remain deeply concerned about global warming and have been appalled by the Bush Administration's failure to provide any leadership on one of the most important environmental, economic, and moral issues of our time. As the largest producer of greenhouse gasses in the world, the United States must enact national emissions controls to curb our country's contribution to global warming.

European Union leaders are meeting this week to consider plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020, a first step in a post-Kyoto global warming strategy that could lead to mandatory limits for cars and pollution allowances for airlines.

While these actions are critical, the United States needs to lead in this area as Speaker Pelosi is working to achieve. It is high time for the Bush administration to stop questioning the science behind global warming and act to protect future generations.

The Secretary General of the United Nations stated this week that ``the danger posed by war to all of humanity--and to our planet--is at least matched by the climate crisis and global warming.''

As a Representative of California, I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Safe Climate Act, which was introduced last year and will be offered again this year. The goal of the Safe Climate Act is to reach 1990 emissions levels by 2020 and then to continue to cut emissions through 2050.

In order to achieve these cuts, the Environmental Protection Agency would be instructed to set national standards for vehicle emissions at the levels mandated by California state law, which has the strictest vehicle emissions laws in the country. By focusing on an increased use of renewable energy and allowing the nation's largest polluters to meet new federal standards by buying and selling emissions allowances, the Safe Climate Act sets out effective common-sense energy policies that will reduce the United States' dependence on foreign oil while actively addressing global warming.

Again, I praise Speaker Pelosi for drawing attention to this important issue and working toward a solution.

I strongly support the passage of the Committee Funding Resolution for the 110th Congress and the authorization for the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.