Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act, an important piece of legislation.

A few years ago, Arizona had been a national leader in home prices. With the growing subprime mortgage crisis, Arizona is now experiencing increasing record foreclosures. In May, new foreclosures in my State were 141 percent higher than they were just 2 years ago.

Some mortgage lenders are working responsibly with homeowners to adjust their mortgages to fairly reflect the decreased home values. They are adjusting their lending policies in response to the current housing market. Congress has to do the same. We should not penalize homeowners by taxing them their discharge debt.

This bill encourages market-based decision; it creates fundamental tax fairness. This bill responsibly helps Arizona families avoid foreclosures and to remain in their homes. Fewer foreclosures will help stabilize property values and protect our local and our regional economies.

I proudly cosponsored this bipartisan legislation that is endorsed by the National Association of Realtors, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the President's veto of the KidsCare bill, known as SCHIP here in Washington. His refusal to provide funding to over 82,400 uninsured children in the State of Arizona is simply unconscionable.

Today, in my State, one out of every five kids currently has no health insurance. We rank among the five highest States in the entire country.

By vetoing the KidsCare bill, this President proves that his priorities are not in line with the American people, are not in line with the people from my home State of Arizona.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to continue to support this fiscally responsible legislation passed by Congress with bipartisan support. It is critically important that the President does not fail the kids of Arizona, the kids of our country and, hence, fail our future.

Madam Speaker, I am both pleased and honored to share with my colleagues the work of a distinguished program that began in a converted 1956 school bus named ``La Tortuga'' or ``The Tortoise'' which became a portable classroom. This program on wheels was the dream of a young man that saw a need to serve and thereby improve the quality of life of the migrant and the rural poor of Arizona.

Founded in August 24, 1967, through this young man's vision and tenacity, Project Portable Practical Education Preparation (PPEP) began serving the needs of migrant and the rural poor of Arizona to improve the quality of lives though self-help programs which became PPEP's fundamental mission. Today I wish to recognize their 40th anniversary.

An article in The Arizona Daily Star, written in November 1967, had this to say about Project PPEP: ``Its goal is summed up in the title, a practical education which is brought almost to the doorstep of unskilled and poverty-stricken people in Southern Arizona. Its method involves the use of constant information; finding what kinds of education the people want and then providing it.''

Since October 1967, slowly, laboriously, La Tortuga crawled back and forth along the hot dusty miles from Marana, Arizona to Tumacacori and Patagonia in southern Arizona. The old green bus stopped in poor Mexican-American, Bracero, Native American and Black communities, bringing Project PPEP and its belief in ``Si Se Puede'' (yes it can be done) to hundreds of low-income populations in rural Pima and Santa Cruz Counties.

After gaining acceptance in the communities along the way, John David Arnold, the founder and CEO of PPEP and La Tortuga's driver, mechanic and teacher, used this circuit model for delivery of social and educational services--a model used some 300 years earlier by Father Eusebio Kino, the great mission builder of the southwest. Today PPEP is supporting the construction of twelve brick and mortar schoolhouses for at-risk students (graduating over 2,400) and La Tortuga's legacy is traveling down the information super highway as PPEP designs two virtual academies: the Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA) and the Insight Virtual Academy of California (IVAC).

The work of Project PPEP and the leadership of Dr. John David Arnold have been cited as national models eight times in the Congressional Record, including citations by Congressmen Morris K. Udall, Jim Kolbe, Ed Pastor, and Senators Dennis DeConcini, Mike Enzi, John McCain and Jon Kyl. Dr. Arnold was honored twice at the Clinton White House among numerous other recognitions nationally and internationally. Recently Dr. Arnold was appointed by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) as their National Education co-chair and International Relations co-chair. Furthermore Dr. Arnold was the Arizona LULAC Man of The Year in 2004 and 2006, and in 2004 was awarded the prestigious Cesar Chavez Award for Community Service and Leadership.

I wish to commend and congratulate Project PPEP CEO Dr. John David Arnold, the Board of Directors, and the 476 staff on their 40th year of providing personal financial training and services which have enabled families to become self-sufficient, including over $19 million in loans through its micro-credit loan program.

To list all of the good work Project PPEP has accomplished in the last 40 years would be a daunting task. Project PPEP has made it possible for many rural families to achieve the dignity they deserve. For all their good work they are much deserving of Congressional recognition.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time alotted to the Science and Technology Committee.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act. This bill will help our Nation make great strides in our efforts to simultaneously reduce our dependence on foreign energy and address global climate change. I am proud to join with my colleagues on the Science and Technology Committee under the leadership of Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall to contribute a very strong Science and Technology title to this bill.

This title authorizes funding for research in advanced, experimental energy technologies; marine renewable energy technologies to harness the power of ocean waves and currents; geothermal energy technologies, to tap into the enormous reservoir of heat stored within the earth; biofuels, to increase the amount of energy we can extract from our agricultural resources; solar energy technologies, to tap into the tremendous power of the sun; carbon capture and storage, to reduce the carbon footprint of coal-fired power plants; and, of course, global climate change.

Mr. Chairman, all of these important provisions to this legislation had bipartisan support within our committee. I look forward to Members' support of this legislation, and will continue to work with Members to make sure these great provisions go to the President's desk.

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

Mr. Chairman, we have no speakers. Would my friend from Texas please rise for a question?

We have no additional speakers. We're prepared to yield back our time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time as well.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

If there is one thing that we here in Congress can bank on, it's that the sun is going to come up each and every day. Solar power is a domestic form of renewable energy, and increasing its use will be good for our environment, good for public health, good for our national security and good for our economy.

I hail from the great State of Arizona, of course, which is rich in sunshine, but every single State in our country receives enough sunshine to make valuable use of solar energy. In addition to all the societal benefits that I mentioned, solar power is also a solid property investment. Solar panels installed on homes or offices enable families or businesses to reduce and often eliminate electricity bills. They often pay for themselves in just a few short years. Solar panels can increase the resale value of a home or a business. Solar products are becoming more efficient and more attractive all the time and, in fact, there are several examples where the solar panels are actually built into and blend with regular roof tiles.

Unfortunately, many consumers are not aware of some of these benefits of solar. They're not aware of the improvements. A challenge for the solar industry to advertise and promote this has been addressed by another industry that I believe that we can learn from. The agriculture industry pioneered a mechanism called the check-off program, and they did this to increase generally an awareness of a product rather than a particular brand. These programs are federally created and they are a proven way of increasing consumer awareness of a category of products. Almost two dozen programs have been created, and some of these we know very well. For example, in the milk industry, the Got Milk? campaign. Beef. Cotton. Pork. The wide familiarity that we can all name in these campaigns is a solid testament to the effectiveness of raising consumer awareness. And increased consumer awareness is exactly what the solar industry needs in order to increase the demand for products here in the United States, which will be to the benefit of the entire country.

I therefore offer an amendment that would create a check-off program for the solar industry. This amendment has been explicitly requested by the solar industry. It is structured to incur no cost for the government. All costs are borne by the solar industry, yet individual companies have the ability to opt out of the program.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. It is a proven idea with a good track record. It will address global warming, energy independence, American competitiveness, and I believe it's a winning proposition.

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

Mr. Chairman, I will yield.

Mr. Chairman, the companies would be able to opt out immediately.

To my knowledge, those companies will be able to opt out if they do not want to participate in the program. Again, this is an amendment that was brought to me by the Solar Energy Industries Association. The solar companies in Arizona that I have worked with are all in favor of this amendment. Again, it's a voluntary program where the companies can choose to opt out if they so choose. But it has been successful, Mr. Chairman, in many other industries. And the

agriculture industries that I mentioned are good examples.

I am certainly willing to work with my friend from Texas as this bill moves forward, but I do think that there are some real benefits to offering this amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Safe and Effective Drug Development Act, which was adopted as an amendment to H.R. 2900 in committee. I would like to thank Mr. Dingell, Mr. Engel, Mr. Hall, and Mrs. Blackburn for their work on this legislation.

An op-ed in today's Washington Post by Dr. Lichtenberg from Columbia University identified medical innovation as the key factor contributing to the increase in life expectancy here in the United States over the last 15 years. I think we would all agree that living longer is a very good thing.

However, in 2004, the FDA identified 76 specific problems that have caused a critical slow down in medical innovation. This legislation formalizes public-private partnerships between the FDA, nonprofits, and universities. These partnerships help solve the problems that stand between new biomedical discoveries and how quickly and safely these discoveries are translated to consumers.

I want to thank the gentleman for allowing me to speak and thank all of those staff and of course the committee members who worked so hard on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today deeply disappointed that proposed legislation to deal with our failed immigration laws fell short today on a procedural vote in the other body.

An impressive bipartisan coalition of Senators--including Arizona Senators Kyl and McCain--worked tirelessly for the past several months to craft immigration reform legislation. Unfortunately, their efforts were not fruitful.

Doing nothing to address our nation's immigration crisis is irresponsible. The Federal Government cannot continue to shirk its responsibility to protect our borders. Today's failure leaves the burden of dealing with illegal immigration on State and local governments.

My district in Southern Arizona deals with the negative impact of illegal immigration every day. I will not relent in my efforts to find ways to remove the unfair burden placed on local law enforcement, health and social service agencies and our public schools.

I urge my colleagues and the leadership of the House to come together in a bi-partisan fashion to craft smart immigration reform that is tough, practical, and effective. We must roll up our sleeves and exhibit the leadership that is needed on this critical issue.

The House has already made some progress. I applaud our efforts to address the problems we face along our border in our Homeland Security Appropriations bill. This includes adding more border patrol agents and increasing the use of technology to secure our border. I also urge fully fund federal programs, such as SCAAP, that reimburse local law enforcement agencies for the apprehension and detention of illegal immigrants.

The cost and burden of illegal immigration remains primarily on the shoulders of local and state governments, especially those on the border. The fight for Comprehensive Immigration reform goes on and it must remain a top priority in Congress. We must pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 564, I was at the White House. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment No. 51 Offered by Mr. Campbell of California

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 565, I was at the White House. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment Offered by Mr. Campbell of California

Madam Speaker, I rise today in order to express my congratulations

to the bipartisan coalition of Senators that succeeded in reviving their efforts to pass a comprehensive immigration reform package this year.

I applaud the decision made by my colleagues in the other Chamber to bring their bill back to the floor for debate. There will be an opportunity for amendments, from both sides of the aisle, in order to craft a final version of this legislation.

It is also time for the House to get an immigration reform package to the floor so that the President will get a bill to his desk soon.

In southern Arizona, immigration reform is not just a political debate. Funding that this bill promises will go directly to the front lines, to places like Douglas, Elfrida, Bisbee, Tubac, and Naco. Passing comprehensive immigration reform will ensure that in Arizona and elsewhere along the border our communities will have the resources available to secure our border and relieve communities from the burden of illegal immigration.

My district knows first hand what happens when people in Washington turn their heads away from the issue of illegal immigration. I urge all of us to keep working toward legislation that will create a comprehensive immigration policy.

We must work alongside our colleagues in the Senate to craft a solution that is in the best interest for all Americans.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I think it's important to really focus on the substance of this bill, and I rise today in strong support of this Homeland Security bill.

I represent southern Arizona. My district, the 8th Congressional District, shares 120 miles with the country of Mexico. We are facing a security and immigration crisis in my district and across the Nation. The flood of illegal immigrants and drug trafficking continues to place an undue burden on not just our health care system but our schools, our first responders and on our local law enforcement.

Currently, the Tucson sector is the most porous section along the U.S.-Mexico border. On average, every day the Border Patrol apprehends about 2,000 illegal immigrants and approximately 2,500 pounds of drugs. While most illegal immigrants are coming here for economic opportunities and don't want to do harm to anyone, probably about 10 percent are involved in criminal activities.

Nationally, the Border Patrol arrests 1 million illegal immigrants annually and seizes over 1 million pounds of marijuana and 15 to 20 tons of cocaine.

Smugglers' methods, routes and modes of transportation are potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited by terrorists attempting to do the American people harm.

Border security must be strengthened, and all of the options for accomplishing this must be on the table. Success requires a multifaceted approach. We need to build fences, we need to deploy sensors, we need to utilize the latest technologies, such as UAVs, and take advantage of advanced technology in terms of detection.

I'm pleased that this legislation makes border security a priority and provides the funding that we badly need along the U.S.-Mexico border. The improved border security that this bill will fund is a crucial component in passing comprehensive immigration reform that is tough, practical and effective. I hope to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation later that includes components of border security, along with comprehensive immigration reform.

Now, the bill that we are discussing today provides $8.8 billion for the Customs and Border Protection agency, which is $50 million above the President's request, and $647 million, nearly 8 percent, above fiscal year 2007. It provides funding for 3,000 additional Border Patrol agents, and this will bring the total number of Border Patrol agents up to 17,819 by the end of fiscal year 2008.

This bill also funds the SBI, the Secure Border Initiative. This is going to be rolling out in Sasabe in southern Arizona, and it funds this initiative at the President's requested level of $1 billion. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to justify how it plans to use these funds to achieve operational control of our borders.

So I urge my colleagues to pass and I urge the President to sign this very important legislation. Our border communities urgently need this funding to stem violence and lawlessness and prevent terrorism that could possibly impact the United States along the southern border.

I urge the Members on both sides of the aisle to move forward on this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I intended to offer a clarifying amendment to the underlying bill. As currently constituted, funding is appropriated for Customs and Border Patrol to construct, renovate, equip, and maintain buildings and facilities necessary for enforcing our immigration laws.

My amendment would have added the word ``structures'' in addition to facilities and buildings. This minor change would have made it clear that the Customs and Border Patrol can focus on the physical infrastructure needs of our border security apparatus with the funds appropriated by this bill.

Securing our borders, as we know, requires a multifaceted approach. We need to do more than just maintain facilities and buildings. We need to build fences. We need to deploy sensors, and we need to take advantage of all the advanced technology and equipment that is being developed right now.

Currently, the Tucson sector that I represent has more apprehensions than all other sections of the border combined. Every single day our Border Patrol apprehends, on average, about 2,000 individuals and over 2,500 pounds of drugs.

This is the most porous part of the U.S.-Mexico border.

While most illegal immigrants come here to look for work and opportunities, approximately 10 percent are involved in criminal activities. So, border security must be strengthened, and all options for accomplishing this must be on the table.

Nationally, the Border Patrol arrests about 1 million illegal immigrants annually, seizes about a million pounds of marijuana and 15 to 20 tons of cocaine. Smugglers' methods, routes and modes of transportation are potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited by terrorists attempting to bring weapons into our Nation. The Border Patrol must be allowed to deploy and sustain an appropriate mix of personnel, equipment, technology and border infrastructure in order to protect our Nation.

As Congress moves forward in this process, I urge my colleagues to allow the Customs and Border Patrol to take the necessary steps in order to secure our border and to secure our citizens. This would expand the opportunity for Customs and Border Patrol to secure our Nation and protect our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1441) to prohibit the sale by the Department of Defense of parts for F-14 fighter aircraft, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1441, a bill that will put an end to military surplus sales that may inadvertently be helping to sustain Iran's Air Force.

First, I would like to thank Chairman Lantos and Chairman Skelton for their leadership on this issue. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this critical national security issue.

The background to this problem begins in the 1970s when our country sold F-14 Tomcats to Iran's pro-Western secular government. Iran was a close ally of the United States at the time and needed the capabilities of the F-14 in a dangerous part of the world. Times have changed, unfortunately. And Iran has now called for the destruction of Israel and is refining uranium in what many observers from the non- proliferation community believe is an attempt to develop the fuel necessary for an atomic weapon.

Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism and is likely responsible for arming insurgents in Iraq. Iran has ignored the calls of the international community for greater transparency in its nuclear power research and development, and the United Nations Security Council recently imposed stricter economic sanctions on Iran as a result.

When the United States Navy retired the F-14 fleet last September, that left Iran as the only nation still flying those aircraft. Iran has been trying to get around United States sanctions and export controls to secure the parts necessary to keep the F-14 flying. Recent

undercover investigations and reports have made it clear that Iran may have been successful.

Following an undercover investigation, the GAO reported in 2006 that acquiring surplus military hardware not properly demilitarized is disturbingly easy.

In January of this year, the Associated Press reported that front companies were able to secretly purchase military parts for resale in Iran. Iran is the only nation still using the F-14. There are no other legitimate buyers overseas.

In order to address this issue, I worked with my colleague from New Mexico, Mr. Pearce. And after a joint trip to Israel, we introduced H.R. 1441, which will prevent the United States Government from selling approximately 10,000 parts that are unique only to the F-14 Tomcat.

This legislation will prohibit the military, as well as any other private company, from selling F-14-specific parts. It is also, Mr. Speaker, a complete ban on all international sales of parts specific to the F-14.

We cannot take the risk that components unique to the F-14 could be resold to Iran. The text of this bill was included in the fiscal year 2008 defense authorization bill, H.R. 1585, as section 1049.

The House Armed Services Committee approved the language in its markup of that bill, and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has already marked up the specific bill and has reported it favorably.

Mr. Speaker, we must take the responsibility to ensure that our military hardware never falls into the hands of nations hostile to the United States and can never be used against our men and women in uniform and not used against our allies.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1441.

I include for the Record an exchange of letters related to this bill between Chairman Skelton of the Armed Services Committee and Chairman Lantos of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

June 8, 2007.

Hon. Tom Lantos,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rayburn House Office

Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman, On March 27, 2007, the Committee on

Foreign Affairs ordered reported favorably H.R. 1441, ``The

Stop Arming Iran Act.'' This legislation contains subject

matter within the jurisdiction of the House Committee on

Armed Services, and thus, was sequentially referred to the

Committee on Armed Services by the Parliamentarian for the

House.

Our Committee recognizes the importance of H.R. 1441 and

the need for the legislation to move expeditiously.

Therefore, while we have a valid claim to jurisdiction over

this legislation, the Committee on Armed Services will waive

further consideration of H.R. 1441. I do so with the

understanding that by waiving further consideration of the

bill, the Committee does not waive any future jurisdictional

claims over similar measures. In the event of a conference

with the Senate on this bill, the Committee on Armed Services

reserves the right to seek the appointment of conferees.

I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter and a copy

of the response in your Committee's report on H.R. 1441 and

in the Congressional Record during consideration of the

measure on the House floor.

Very truly yours,

Ike Skelton

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Arkansas for his comments, and I indeed think that this is an important piece of legislation that will further support our interests abroad and make sure that parts like the F-14 Tomcat are not sold to the Iranians.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight a very important issue facing our Nation that is addressed in this legislation, mental health care for our troops. The mental health implications of extended and repeated combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan are now only beginning to be understood.

Among Vietnam-era veterans, the lifetime rate of PTSD, sometimes taking decades to appear, is 30 percent. According to the VA, the current rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is already 20 percent. The mental health needs of the generation of combat veterans that we are creating will face this country for decades to come.

We must realize that the nature and scope of warfare has changed, bringing a new level of stress to combat deployments that is fundamentally new. Even in the Green Zone of Baghdad soldiers are repeatedly attacked and regularly attacked.

The troops must cope with ongoing severe stress for months to come. Experts tell us that extended periods of stress like this, with no way to alleviate it, create the conditions where PTSD is most likely to develop.

According to a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine, 95 percent of troops in Army and Marine units report having been shot at during their deployment, and 95 percent report seeing dead bodies, 89 percent report being ambushed or attacked. One in five is currently suffering from depression, anxiety or stress while deployed. Twenty percent are now facing marital problems, including divorce or legal separation from their spouse. The after-effect of these extended and highly stressful combat deployments will continue to affect their families, the military and our communities for many, many years to come.

I believe that we need to shift towards preventive care. What we know from our experience is that PTSD not being treated can start a downward tragic cycle of addiction, isolation and despair. This bill improves a mental health training for military case managers working with outpatient facilities like Walter Reed so they can identify problems early.

This way we can help provide treatment before returning servicemen are discharged and left to fend for themselves. This bill also creates critical new funding to best identify practices. Mental health is critical for our troops, and I am very interested in passing this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight a very important issue facing this country that is addressed in this legislation: mental health care for our troops. The mental health implications of extended, and repeated combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan are now only beginning to be understood.

Among Vietnam-era veterans, the lifetime rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, sometimes taking decades to appear, is about 30 percent. According to the VA, the current rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is already 20 percent.

The mental health needs of the generation of combat veterans that we are creating will face this country for decades to come. We must realize that the nature and scope of warfare has changed, bringing a level of stress to combat deployments that is fundamentally new.

Even the Green Zone in Baghdad is attacked regularly, and the lives of troops stationed there are literally at risk every single day of their deployments. The troops must cope with ongoing, severe stress for months on end. Experts tell us that extended periods of stress like this, with no way to alleviate it, create the conditions where PTSD is most likely to develop.

According to a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine, 95 percent of troops in Army and Marine units report having been shot at during their deployment, and 95 percent report seeing dead bodies. Eighty-nine percent reported being ambushed or attacked.

One in five is suffering from depression, anxiety or stress while deployed. Twenty percent face marital problems including divorce or legal separation from their spouse.

The after-effect of extended and highly stressful combat deployments continues to affect military communities and families long after the service member has returned home.

I believe the most important shift is to move toward preventative care. What we know from decades of experience is that PTSD, left untreated, can begin a tragic downward spiral of addiction, isolation and despair.

This bill improves the mental health training for military case managers working with outpatients at facilities like Walter Reed, so they can identify potential problems early. This way, we can help provide treatment before returning servicemen are discharged and left to fend for themselves.

It authorizes critical new funding to identify best practices and build up our clinical knowledge of PTSD and how best to treat it. And it creates a mechanism to improve the transition from the DoD health system into the VA system, so that service members will not fall through the cracks.

Not every American chooses to wear the uniform and serve this country. Not every family stays up lonely nights and waits for a father, husband, mother, wife, or child to come home. Not everyone hears the call of their country and says `send me.' But for those who do, we owe it to be there for them when they get back.

I will be proud to vote for this legislation that supports our troops and brings a new focus on critical mental health issues.

I thank the gentleman.

I rise today to raise serious concerns about the amendment to H.R. 1585 that would require background checks for all civilians entering military installations.

I certainly appreciate the need to secure our installations, especially considering the recent events in your home State of New Jersey. But I would like to bring a unique situation to your attention.

My southern Arizona district is home to Fort Huachuca, a critical national asset that is home to Army Intelligence and Electronic Testing and was recently designated the Joint Center of Excellence for Human Intelligence Training.

Fort Huachuca occupies over 73,000 acres of rugged desert terrain. The geography of the area forces the citizens of Elgin and Canelo, along with the surrounding communities, to rely on access through the fort to get to their ranches and homes. This amendment would cause significant hardship to the surrounding community that has had access to the installation for decades. I believe that this is not a unique situation, and there may be other circumstances where the restrictions placed on military installations could be onerous.

I would like to ask that the gentleman work with me to address the unique circumstances of the Army installations in southern Arizona.

I thank the gentleman for his support.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 331, I placed my voting card in the machine and pushed the button. I don't know if it locked me out or if I didn't press hard enough. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''