Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Glenda Booth, an outstanding environmental activist from Fairfax County. On Saturday, April 25th Ms. Booth will receive the Liz Hartwell Conservation Award for her decades of service to her community.

Ms. Booth has served as Chair of the Wetlands Board of Fairfax County, and spearheaded the first program in the state to implement Living Shorelines to protect the upper tidal reaches of the Potomac River, reducing erosion and nutrient pollution that would flow to the Chesapeake Bay.

She has promoted environmental stewardship through the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, Virginia Conservation Network, Friends of Westgrove Park, Mount Vernon Council of Citizens Associations, Friends of Huntley Meadows Park, Friends of Dyke Marsh, and numerous watershed management advisory committees. She was instrumental in helping me develop and implement Fairfax County's environmental agenda, which the Board of Supervisors adopted shortly after I was elected Chairman. This comprehensive environmental plan addresses topics ranging from natural landscaping to the reduction of endocrine disruptor pollution. Without Ms. Booth's extraordinary scientific expertise and political acumen the County's environmental policies would not be as inclusive or effective as they are today.

Ms. Booth also is an able advocate at the state and federal levels. By leading the Friends of Dyke Marsh, she has spearheaded efforts to protect wildlife and aquatic life at this remarkable marsh in Fairfax. Through her participation in the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, she has championed stronger environmental policy at the statewide level. Prior to her wide-ranging volunteerism in the community, Ms. Booth served as staff to Senator Dianne Feinstein of California. This professional experience equipped her to be a highly effective community activist.

Advocates like Ms. Booth have initiated every significant environmental legislative achievement in the past, whether it is legislation to clean up toxic waste at sites such as Love Canal or protect local habitats in Dyke Marsh and Mason Neck. I am grateful for her service, which is more valuable than ever as federal, state, and local governments confront environmental challenges ranging from climate change to restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join with me in congratulating Glenda Booth on receiving the Liz Hartwell Conservation Award to recognize three decades of environmental activism.

Madam Speaker, this past weekend President Obama appointed Aneesh Chopra, Virginia's Secretary of Technology, to serve as our nation's Chief Technology Officer.

It was an excellent choice to fill a very important position.

On February 25, the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Moran, and I wrote a letter to President Obama urging him to appoint Mr. Chopra because we believed his public and private sector experience made him eminently qualified for the post.

As we make unprecedented investments in innovative technology through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Mr. Chopra's leadership will help us save taxpayer dollars, make government more efficient, ensure accountability, and reinvigorate our economy.

I recently introduced a bill to make it a permanent position by statute. I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring H.R. 1910 to ensure that the Presidentially-appointed Chief Technology Officer will be part of future administrations.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of several students in Northern Virginia. These students have participated and excelled in programs administered by their local Parent Teacher Associations and Parent Teacher Student Associations.

Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) and Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSA) serve a critical role in helping to provide the best possible educational environment for our students. The Northern Virginia District PTA consists of a region with more than 220 schools. Schools located throughout Northern Virginia are consistently recognized as being among the very best schools in our country. I strongly believe one factor in the excellent education received by our students is the high level of involvement and encouragement provided by parents through the PTA and PTSAs. At its annual meeting and dinner, the Northern Virginia District PTA recognized the following students for their outstanding achievements:

In the category of District PTA Citizenship Essay Awards--High School Division the winners are Paul Capp, a senior at McLean High School, and Lisa Pang, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

In the category of District PTA Citizenship Essay Awards--Middle School Division the winners are Cali Willcockson, a seventh grader at Liberty Middle School, and Ji Soo Song, an eighth grader at Rocky Run Middle School.

A separate special congratulations goes to Paul Capp of McLean High School for placing 3rd in the Virginia State PTA Citizenship Essay Contest--High School Division and to Ji Soo Song who won 1st place in the Virginia State PTA Citizenship Essay Contest--Middle School Division.

The following students were recognized in the category of Virginia PTA Outstanding Interpretation Awards, which recognize artistic achievement: Literature: Senior Division--Alexander Kopenhaver, (9th grade), Washington-Lee High School. Music Composition: Primary Division--Pierre Quan, (2nd grade), Forestville Elementary School; Intermediate Division--Kyle Gatesman, (3rd grade), Canterbury Woods Elementary School. In Photography: Middle/Junior Division--Courtney E. Brown, (6th grade), Bull Run Elementary School. In Visual Art: Primary Division--Kaitlin Phan, (2nd grade), Colin Powell Elementary School; Intermediate Division--Jamie H. Chang, (5th grade), Union Mill Elementary School; Senior Division--William W. Park, (11th grade), Langley High School.

The Frieda M. Koontz Scholarship Award has been awarded to Monica Choudhury, a senior at James Madison High School in Vienna. This scholarship awarded by the Virginia PTA will provide $1,200 to Ms. Choudhury as she begins her studies at the University of Virginia.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me today to recognize the outstanding achievements of these students. I also ask that we recognize the Northern Virginia District PTA, in partnership with the Virginia PTA, as they work diligently to develop the diversity of talents and skills of students attending schools throughout Northern Virginia. It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the achievements of these students and the Parent Teacher Associations that support them.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to the contributions of Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) and Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSA) in Northern Virginia. These associations serve a critical role in helping to provide the best possible educational environment for our students.

Schools located throughout Northern Virginia are consistently recognized as being among the very best in our country. I strongly believe one factor in the excellent education received by our students is the high level of involvement and encouragement provided by parents through PTAs and PTSAs. Parent volunteers exist in a number of capacities within each school ranging from providing planning and implementation help for social events to helping ensure that teachers have the classroom resources they need to succeed.

The Northern Virginia District PTA represents a region with more than 220 schools. Maintaining a healthy and strong organization is an important part of allowing these groups to have the greatest possible impact on the students they serve. To encourage such strength, it is important to note the individual PTAs that excel in this mission.

I am pleased to present the following recognitions for 2008-2009 school year:

PTA Schools of Excellence designations have been awarded to the Lake Anne Elementary School PTA and Lake Braddock Secondary School PTSA.

The PTAs at Mantua Elementary School and Oakton Elementary School were acknowledged by the National Parent Teacher Association for their outstanding participation in Take Your Family to School Week.

Eight schools have achieved a PTA membership level exceeding one member per student attending the school. Those associations are Chesterbrook Elementary PTA, Falls Church Elementary PTA, Flint Hill Elementary PTA, Haycock Elementary PTA, Langley High School PTSA, Nottingham Elementary PTA, Waynewood Elementary PTA, and Wolftrap Elementary PTA. All members involved should recognize that these remarkably high levels of parental involvement suggest a strong commitment to ensure a quality public education within our school systems.

The growth and expansion of PTAs is an important part of sustaining the impact of the associations. The Virginia PTA provided a charter for the Quander Road School PTSA in Alexandria. Kelly Greenwood, who serves as President of Quander Road School PTSA, and the school's principal, William Files, should be commended for their efforts to engage parents to participate in this association's founding.

Of particular note are the contributions of three individuals to their respective schools' PTAs: Kristen Arseneau, of Terra Centre Elementary School PTA, was awarded the District Outstanding Achievement Award;

Sue Bernstein, of Hollin Meadows Elementary PTA, has been named District Volunteer of the Year for Primary Schools;

Robin Harris, of George C. Marshall High School PTSA, was named District Volunteer of the Year for Secondary Schools.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in recognizing the outstanding achievements of these individuals and the organizations with which they work. Dedicated involvement from so many parents reflects a strong commitment to public education and community service that students in our schools are fortunate to experience. I offer my strong support for these organizations and their dedicated volunteers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak tonight, on the eve of Earth Day with respect to the most critical environmental crisis that this nation has ever faced: climate change. As daunting as this challenge is, I am proud that this Congress has done more in the past two months to combat climate change than the previous Administration accomplished in eight years.

With passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, we invested over $70 billion in clean, renewable energy. This important legislation will save or create over three million jobs. In the area of clean, renewable energy we will put people to work weatherizing homes of low income Americans. The previous Administration proposed eliminating all funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program. This stimulus legislation will invest $5 billion dollars over two years, which will weatherize at least two million homes. A wide range of studies suggests that weatherization is the most efficient way to save money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With the stimulus legislation, we are off to a great start.

The stimulus also invested $8.4 billion in transit and $8 billion in high speed rail. Communities around the nation, including my 11th District of Virginia, are suffering from congestion that threatens to constrain economic growth in some of the most productive communities in the Nation. These transit investments will give commuters choices, reduce congestion, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They will spur economic development while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The stimulus invests $2 billion in advanced battery research. This field is essential to develop the next generation of plug in hybrids and to store solar energy. With solar companies creating jobs throughout our region, we must make the investments in innovation that will continue to grow the green jobs sector. America invented the photovoltaic solar panel, yet Germany, China, and Japan now lead us in solar panel production. With these investments, in addition to loan guarantees, we will once again have the opportunity to lead the world in production of green energy. By investing in the development of a smart grid, we will ensure that we conserve energy at home while enabling the transmission of renewable energy.

Although we are already seeing benefits of the stimulus, whether it is repaving potholed roads or creating green jobs, we know that we cannot rest while carbon emissions continue to rise in America, China, and India. We must lead by passing comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction legislation that reaches 80 percent reductions in emissions by 2050, with aggressive but achievable shorter term targets. Without this legislation we will not be able to bring China and India to the table to develop binding goals for those large carbon emitters.

I look at greenhouse gas legislation as an opportunity. For a quarter of a century, we have accepted dependence on foreign oil. For a quarter of a century, we have accepted dramatic declines in mining jobs even as our communities are devastated by acid mine drainage and mountaintop removal. For a quarter of a century, we have lost market share in auto sales as we clung to production of gas guzzling dinosaurs.

No more will we accept the constraints that accompany an unwillingness to innovate. We may look forward to greenhouse gas legislation that sends a strong market signal to invest once again in America: in efficient automobiles, in wind turbines, in solar panels, in weatherization, in transit. These investments will not only protect our climate, and thus our coastal communities and agricultural heartland, but also lay the groundwork for a new age of industrial expansion founded on technological innovation.

The environment cannot sustain further increases in carbon emissions and neither can our economy. We must act now to pass greenhouse gas reduction legislation that protects our climate while unequivocally redirecting our economy toward a clean energy future.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the recipients of the 2009 Prince William American Red Cross Awards. These individuals and their work with the Red Cross stand as an example of dedication and service for the benefit and safety of the community.

The Elizabeth Smith Davies Award commemorates the hard work and dedication of Red Cross volunteers and staff members with at least twenty-five years of service. Jean Johnson is receiving this award for her thirty years of involvement in the Red Cross. Her years of service include training thousands of community members in Red Cross health and safety programs, including training for family care giving, responding to emergencies and CPR/AED/First Aid certification. Ms. Johnson's service combines education, safety and a positive attitude that encourages those around her to take an active role in Red Cross initiatives.

Rear Admiral James E. Miller's five-year membership of the Board of Directors merits the Dr. Gail Kettlewell Award for outstanding volunteer leadership and service. As an active member of the board, Admiral Jim Miller is the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee and a member of the Governance and Service Delivery Committee. He and his wife, Anna, are enthusiastic fundraisers. Each year they go out into the Haymarket and Gainesville communities to request support for the annual silent auction at the ``March is Red Cross Month'' celebration. Admiral Miller is always looking for new members, volunteers, and opportunities for the Red Cross by spreading the word of the Red Cross' mission wherever someone will listen.

The Brownie B. Smith Award is the preeminent award for volunteer leadership and is bestowed upon individuals who have exemplified sustained dedication and leadership in a volunteer capacity. The recipient, Marty French, serves in any capacity that will further the cause of the Prince William American Red Cross. His involvement in the Disaster Response Team is leadership from the front. He assists victims displaced by fire or broken water pipes and can be depended on to lead Red Cross emergency response any time of day or night.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the staff and volunteers of the Prince William American Red Cross. When a community is hit by disaster, it is often the Red Cross that provides comfort and assistance. The efforts of individual members are responsible for the organization's outstanding reputation, and I am honored to recognize Jean Johnson, Rear Admiral James E. Miller and Marty French for doing their part to uphold this tradition of excellence.

I thank the distinguished chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Federal Retirement Reform Act of 2009. This legislation eliminates inconsistencies in the Federal retirement system and provides greater retirement security for Federal employees. It helps ensure we will not face a brain drain that could cripple Federal agencies. Within the next decade 47 percent of supervisory staff in the Federal workforce will be eligible for retirement. We must take action to ensure that Federal agencies continue to have the institutional knowledge and expertise that allows government to function smoothly and effectively.

The Federal Retirement Reform Act of 2009 makes several legislative reforms. This legislation enables members of the civil service and the Federal Employees Retirement Service to redeposit their cashed-out annuities if they decide to re-enter civil service. The committee adopted my amendment to H.R. 1256 by adding this language which is contained in the bipartisan FERS Redeposit Act.

I am pleased that we now have the opportunity to enact this legislation that will attract talented employees back to the Federal Government. We should be consistent with all of our Federal workers. Employees in the Civil Service Retirement System can already redeposit their annuities. Allowing FERS employees to do the same is only fair. This bill also ensures that FERS employees receive annuity credit for unused sick leave, just as CSRS employees do. Again, it is an issue of equity to provide those employees with the same benefits. This reform will improve the efficiency of the Federal Government by reducing absenteeism.

In addition, the bill will enable employees in the Civil Service Retirement System to work part-time at the end of their careers without losing retirement benefits. This provision will help retain talented workers and assist in training future supervisors and executive-level staff.

I applaud the distinguished chairman, Mr. Towns, for shepherding this important legislation through committee and look forward to its passage to help ensure a vibrant Federal workforce for years to come.

I would say to my good friend in response, when the budget comes to the floor this afternoon, I would be glad to talk about that subject. Right now we are talking about Federal employees and

trying to make sure that they have what they need.

Well, as a member of the Budget Committee, I'm very aware of the fact that actually tax cuts for middle class families in this budget exceed $2 trillion. And again, that will be made clear when we have the opportunity to debate the budget on the floor of the House. I thought the gentleman wanted me to answer his question.

I thank the distinguished Member from California for yielding.

The concurrent resolution before the House reflects President Obama's bold vision for investing in America's future. Throughout the previous administration, a sustainable and clean energy policy was ignored and our dependence on foreign oil grew. I am proud that this Congress has done more in the past 2 months to promote energy efficiency and combat global climate change than the previous administration accomplished in a full 8 years.

At the local level, I enlisted counties across the Nation to join Cool Counties, a program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now is the time for the Federal Government to take similar action.

This budget increases investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency by 18 percent and provides for a clean energy policy that will safeguard our environment, our Nation, our economy, and create jobs. Through the use of a reserve fund, this budget makes significant energy investments in a deficit-neutral manner.

This Congress, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, made almost $60 billion in energy investment--$39 billion in direct funding and $20 billion in tax incentives.

Our actions will modernize our electricity grid. The current grid is outdated, inefficient and unreliable. A smart grid will enhance energy efficiency, lowering energy bills and improving air quality. A 5 percent increase in the efficiency of the grid will eliminate carbon emissions equivalent to the emissions of 53 million automobiles.

This Congress, through the Recovery Act, invested in the weatherization of

millions of American homes, enabling families to better insulate their homes and lower energy bills, and we know that weatherization is among the most efficient ways of lowering our energy dependency on foreign oil.

Investment in energy independence will benefit our economy. Instead of relying on foreign countries to meet our energy needs, this budget will promote the creation of green jobs right here in America. Instead of losing manufacturing jobs, as we have over the past 25 years, we can add jobs in wind and solar power generation; in the manufacturing of advanced batteries; in weatherization programs; in the creation of the smart grid; in the expansion of broadband; and in hybrid vehicle production. Investment in clean energy, Madam Chairman, is an investment in the American worker. It creates jobs.

We must invest once again in America, in efficient automobiles and wind turbines. These investments will protect our climate and lay the groundwork for a new age of industrial expansion founded on technological innovation.

The energy investments that this budget enables fulfill President Obama's vision for clean energy independence and promote a healthy environment while strengthening our economy.

I urge my colleagues to support the budget resolution.

I'm hopeful that the gentleman will allow me to answer. Actually, he is misinformed. This budget actually cuts taxes by $2 trillion. It finances the AMT----

Sir, I'm not going to answer your question yes or no. I'm going to answer it thoughtfully as a member of the Budget Committee.

Madam Chairman, let me begin by thanking the chairman for the opportunity to discuss the House budget resolution. And I appreciate the chairman's willingness to work with me to include language in the budget resolution to support pay parity within the Federal workforce of our civilian and military employees.

Our men and women in uniform have distinguished themselves throughout history, particularly during this time of war; and, at the same time, we cannot forget the critical role civilian employees play in providing logistical support to our military as well as their important work on behalf of our taxpayers and essential government services.

I would also note that the House budget resolution lays the foundation to carry out President Obama's bold vision for fixing the American economy.

While advancing the major priorities of the Obama budget, the budget resolution is by definition a less specific document than the President's budget and, therefore, does not assume all of the specific offsets included.

For example, I have expressed concern about the President's proposals to cap tax deductions for mortgage interest and charitable deductions. Similarly, I and others believe the $250,000 threshold to allow families to qualify for tax cut extensions is too low. I am pleased, therefore, that the budget resolution does not assume any specific tax offsets to meet its revenue targets.

If I may ask the distinguished chairman of the Budget Committee two questions.

First, Mr. Chairman, does the chairman agree that the pay parity language included in the resolution provides equitable treatment for Federal employees, civilian and military?

I thank the distinguished chairman. On the issue of tax policy, might I ask the distinguished chairman, is it the case that the budget resolution does not specify particular tax offsets, but rather leaves that decision to the Ways and Means Committee?

I thank the distinguished chairman.

Let me close, Madam Chair, by thanking the chairman once again for his generous collaboration with me and my colleagues on this, my first budget as a member of the committee. Through his steady leadership, the budget resolution before the House today delivers the profound change in course and investments in America's communities for which my constituents have long been waiting.

I thank the Speaker.

Madam Speaker, listening to some of our friends on the other side, I am struck sometimes with the idea of--have you no shame? The crowd that brought us from record surpluses in 8 brief years to record deficits-- have you no shame? The crowd that rode this economy, a healthy economy that was growing jobs, into the economic ditch--have you no shame? The crowd that oversaw the dismantling of strict enforcement of regulation and prevented regulation of the financial services industry to any great degree when it came to complicated financial instruments and then is surprised at the results--have you no shame?

Madam Speaker, today I rise to discuss the fiscal year 2010 budget and its critical importance to our Nation's future. The latest estimate of our 2008 fourth quarter GDP decline is now 6.3 percent. After a record job loss of 681,000 in December, January and February losses both topped 650,000. Almost 2 million Americans have lost their jobs in just the last 3 months. The Federal Reserve has estimated that GDP for the entirety of this year will decline between 0.5 percent and 1.3 percent, which underscores the dire need for action. Every further contraction in our economy represents additional Americans who lose their jobs.

President Obama has set a bold agenda to heal our ailing economy. While no one action will instantly fix the economic troubles we have been left by the Bush administration, the President and this Congress have taken a number of steps to put us on the path to recovery. Like many of my colleagues, I have already seen positive effects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in my district:

A community health center at risk of closing its doors received funding and is treating patients today.

Local small businesses that were laying off workers are now rehiring them to complete transportation projects.

But there's more to accomplish. President Obama's vision is transformative and provides for the critical investments in America that have been neglected for far too long. Deficit reduction, middle- income tax relief, health care reform, education and energy independence are the linchpins of the President's plan.

Under President Obama's plan, at the end of 4 years, we will have cut the current year's deficit of $1.8 trillion, most of it inherited from President Bush, by two-thirds, to $586 billion. The fiscal year 2010 concurrent resolution on the budget reduces nondefense discretionary spending over the next 10 years to its lowest level as a percentage of GDP in almost 50 years. This Congress expects similar fiscal responsibility from the private sector and that is why the Budget Committee cut $250 billion reserved for future financial sector bailouts.

The President's vision supports the middle class by expanding the child tax credit, maintaining the elimination of the marriage tax penalty, carrying forward the Making Work Pay tax credit, maintaining the estate tax and capital gains tax reductions, and ensuring that the alternative minimum tax does not hit the millions of working Americans in danger of being affected. There are $1.5 trillion of tax cuts in this budget.

The President's vision supports meaningful health care reform as well. Even as overall health care costs rose over the last 8 years, the number of Americans without health insurance increased from 13.7 percent of the population to 15.3 percent. Under the President's proposal, we will be able to offer health care to the 46 million Americans currently without coverage.

The President's vision invests in energy independence and promotes a clean energy economy that creates jobs. For too long, a sustainable and clean energy policy has been ignored and our dependence on foreign oil has grown. Increasing our investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies will promote America's energy independence and safeguard our environment through a reduction in greenhouse gas production.

In recognition of the critical role that education plays in our economic productivity, the President's budget builds upon the classroom support provided in the Recovery Act. From enhancing Head Start and early childhood learning opportunities to making college more affordable through expanding Pell Grants, this budget will prepare our children to become productive, contributing members of the global economy.

In addition, the President's vision places national defense on a sustainable course, including a 4 percent increase in defense spending for fiscal year 2010. It includes enhanced support for our veterans, finally fulfilling the duty this country owes for the service they have given.

The President's vision prepares for the reauthorization of the transportation funding bill that will invest in transit and infrastructure projects throughout the country.

Now I would like to confirm what is not in the concurrent resolution on the budget. Much has been made of the potential funding sources the President has listed in his blueprint. Madam Speaker, I would point out, the concurrent budget resolution that is scheduled to come before the full House does not increase taxes. In fact, it would reduce them. It simply lays the foundation for fulfilling President Obama's vision and making the critical investments in America's future. Specific tax policies will be pursued by the tax-writing committees of the Congress where I expect further modifications

and hope to see elimination of the proposed caps on mortgage interest and charitable deductions.

Madam Speaker, I look forward to supporting the President's budget.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 282) recognizing the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, as amended.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 282, ``Recognizing the 30th Anniversary of the Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel,'' and I commend our good friend Mr. Fortenberry for introducing it.

Last week on March 26, we marked the 30th anniversary of the signing of the 1979 peace accord between Israel and Egypt, brokered and witnessed by the United States of America. The signing of that treaty remains one of the most dramatic and strategically important events of our life times.

It culminated a process of peace-making that Israeli and Egyptian diplomats had begun secretly in Morocco in mid-1977. That process, Madam Speaker, was most memorably punctuated by the stunning visit of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to Israel in November of 1977 and by the signing, subsequently, of the Camp David Peace Accords in September of 1978, laying the groundwork for the peace treaty signed 6 months later that we celebrate today with this resolution.

The significance of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty cannot be overstated. With the signing of the treaty, Egypt became the first Arab State to recognize the state of Israel. More than that, the treaty demonstrated the dream of the Arab-Israeli peace, a dream that most experts at that time put in the ``not in my lifetime'' category, and it was, indeed, possible.

In 1994, Jordan became the second Arab State to make peace with the state of Israel. Egyptian-Israeli peace has saved countless lives. Between 1948 and 1973, Egypt and Israel fought four fierce land wars, plus the 1968-1970 War of Attrition, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties. Thanks to the 1979 peace treaty, there have been no further Egyptian-Israeli wars nor have there been any wars between Israel and other Arab States since that time. Although, as we all know, Israel continues to be threatened by well-armed, non-state actors like Hamas and Hezbollah, who are used as proxies by states such as Syria and Iran.

The 1979 peace treaty also extended the prospect of superpower conflict over the Arab-Israeli conflict. In 1973, the U.S. and the USSR, at that time, had gone nearly to the brink of war for the sake of their allies, Israel and Egypt respectfully. The peace treaty ensured that would never happen again, and the central diplomatic role played by the United States facilitated Egypt's transition to the pro-Western camp. This was truly the age, as one scholar has called it, of heroic diplomacy in the Middle East.

President Sadat risked his career and, ultimately, his life on his bold action. Many Arab leaders accused him of treason--the Warsaw Pact states as well. Egypt was expelled at that time from the Arab League, and was not welcomed back for a decade. Just 2\1/2\ years after signing the peace treaty, Anwar Sadat was dead, the victim of an assassin's bullet. Although his murderers ascribed their actions to other motives, mainly their outlandish claim that Sadat was not a true Muslim, there is little doubt, Madam Speaker, that those who supported the assassins were deeply outraged by his peace treaty with Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin went against the grain of his own party by leading the fight for total withdrawal from the Sinai, which was the Egyptian price for this peace treaty. When Begin brought the treaty to the Knesset vote, he had to rely on his longtime nemesis of the Israeli left for votes, as many of his Likud Party colleagues refused to support him and the peace treaty at that time.

Both Sadat and Begin richly earned the Nobel Peace Prize they won in 1978, probably the easiest decision the Nobel Peace Prize Committee ever made. President Carter, whose relentless diplomacy was critical for achieving the Camp David Accords and the peace treaty, was unquestionably yet another hero of the Egyptian-Israeli peace-making process.

When President Sadat spoke before the Knesset on November 20, 1977, he asked, ``Why don't we stand together with the courage of men and the boldness of heroes who dedicate themselves to a sublime aim?'' Menachem Begin took up that challenge, and 30 years ago, those two leaders achieved the seemingly impossible, and their achievement endures yet today.

Today, we honor their remarkable achievement, and we express the hopes that others in the Middle East who have not yet embraced peace will someday see the wisdom of the path and show the courage of Sadat and Begin. Madam Speaker, I strongly support this important resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to do likewise.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time at this time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 152) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States remains committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 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 resolution under consideration.

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

I rise in strong support of H. Res. 152 to reaffirm American commitment to the values and aspirations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Mr. Speaker, I want to particularly thank our colleague, John Tanner, our good friend from Tennessee and president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, for introducing this resolution. I commend him for his leadership in ensuring that the voices of legislators are heard in the decision-making process of the Alliance.

The NATO PA serves as a unique transatlantic forum for generating public support for Alliance activities, as well as in facilitating dialogue between parliamentarians of member, associate and observer states.

On April 3 and 4, NATO will hold its 60th anniversary summit in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany. The joint hosting of this meeting by two former adversaries poignantly symbolizes NATO's successful role in contributing to the reconstruction and stabilization of Europe following the devastation of World War II.

By serving as a reminder of the peaceful prosperity that has spread across the continent since the bloody battles of the earliest 20th century, this historic summit should bolster the Alliance's commitment to confronting the new challenges that affect NATO interests values.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, the world is a very different place than it was when the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949, with the chief aim of deferring then-Soviet aggression. In the 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, NATO has sought to aid the democratization and Euro-Atlantic integration of former Warsaw Pact foes as well as to develop more cooperative relations with the Russian Federation.

NATO looks forward to welcoming the newest members of the Alliance, Albania and Croatia, at the upcoming summit. While pacing the process of enlargement, NATO remains prepared to extend invitations for accession negotiations to other European democracies meeting membership criteria.

In the last decade, NATO had increasingly sought to address new risks emerging from outside the treaty area itself that can threaten Euro- Atlantic peace and security. Such challenges include terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and disruption in the flow of emergency resources. The Alliance should begin considering a new strategic concept that takes into account the changing international security environment and outlines how to develop military capabilities accordingly.

NATO's first and most significant out-of-area mission has been in Afghanistan, where the Alliance is engaged in stabilization and reconstruction efforts amidst ongoing combat operations against the Taliban. We are now embarking on a new chapter of the U.S. and NATO missions to Afghanistan, one centered around the national election for President and on defeating al Qaeda and its Taliban allies.

NATO's role continues to be critical to the future success in Afghanistan, and achieving that success remains a considerable test, Mr. Speaker, of the Alliance's political will and military capabilities. It is crucial that allies remain committed to the mission, remedy shortfalls in all areas affecting successful engagement, and ensure equitable sharing of responsibilities.

Mr. Speaker, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is to be commended for its pivotal role of preserving transatlantic peace and stability over the last 60 years. I strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to our friend from Kansas (Mr. Moore).

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague.

This amendment adds a single element to section 3 of the FLAME Act, directing the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to develop a cohesive wildland fire management strategy.

As my colleague from New Mexico just indicated, invasive species really can be very destructive and, frankly, affect every part of the United States. For example, the gypsy moth defoliates and kills oak trees throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

In my own region, the hemlock wooly adelgid has a similar range, but it infects and kills Eastern and Carolina hemlocks. Ninety percent of all of the hemlock trees in Virginia have been killed by this pest, and it is spreading, and it is spreading from the Southeast toward the Northeast and the Midwest. The southern pine beetle defoliates vast stands of pines in the South, wreaking havoc and creating tinderboxes in dry conditions.

The Forest Service recognizes these fire hazards. In 2002, in a report about the western bark beetle, the agency said that, ``Extreme fuel loads pose a significant threat to property and life,'' and, ``Mortality caused by bark beetles increases the risk of catastrophic fires.''

This fire hazard is not limited to Western States. The Daniel Boone National Forest national managers, for example, said they ``are concerned about the debris from dead and dying trees that are now covering the forest floor. This debris dramatically increases the fuel load in these areas, which may create severe conditions in the event of a wildfire.''

Since invasive species can create conditions under which large fires are much more likely, it would be appropriate to try to prevent these hazardous fuels from accumulating by suppressing the pest in the first place.

I am delighted to join in this amendment. I thank my colleague from New Mexico and in advance my colleague from Colorado for joining in this effort, and I look forward to its adoption.

I rise today to highlight the critical investments in America made by this Congress and by the Obama administration through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to turn our economy around.

We are embroiled in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Our economy remains in a recession that dates back to December, 2007. Our gross domestic product decreased 6.2 percent in the fourth quarter of last year. Housing prices have declined for 24 consecutive months. Unemployment is at a 25-year high--and rising.

More than 4.4 million Americans lost their jobs, including a staggering 651,000 jobs lost last month. In my district, one of the wealthiest in the Nation, applications for food stamps increased 79 percent over the previous year.

In the past 12 months, Americans have lost 4 years of wealth, upending the carefully planned retirement strategies for millions of our fellow Americans. Over the next 2 years, if we do nothing, as some propose, our economy and the American people will suffer an estimated $2 trillion in lost potential, lost productivity, and lost earnings.

We know the price of inaction. The last 8 years left us a dire legacy we won't soon forget: Trillions of dollars of budget surpluses squandered; critical infrastructure repairs and improvements ignored; alternative energy research and development placed on the back burner; regulations neutered and the financial sector allowed to run amok; poverty ignored and allowed to grow; middle-class Americans saw their purchasing power decline dramatically while a privileged few saw theirs grow and soar; and millions of jobs and trillions of dollars of economic progress lost.

Mr. Speaker, we can no longer afford the inaction of the last 8 years. That's why this Congress acted, in concert with President Obama, to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It was a bold stroke to put people back to work and make critical investments in our Nation's infrastructure that have been so neglected in the last 8 years.

We acted to ensure the future prosperity of our country. The Recovery Act will save or create 3.5 million jobs, including 9,300 in my own district, and provide needed investment in education, energy independence, health care reform, transportation, infrastructure, and tax relief for the middle class.

While no one action we can take will instantly fix all of our economic troubles, our investments are showing progress. Thanks to the Recovery Act, shovel-ready projects throughout the Nation are breaking ground, putting people to work planning, constructing,

and managing these projects. Highway construction projects nationwide receive $30 billion, with an additional investment of $10 billion in transit and rail projects.

Thanks to the Recovery Act, those firms that were in fact put out of business or had to delay work are now being put back to work and putting people back to work repairing and improving roads and bridges, building schools, modernizing street light systems and water treatment plants, and building many other needed but neglected capital projects in my district and across the Nation. These are real jobs building real projects that are helping real Americans.

In the 4 weeks since the legislation was signed into law, Mr. Speaker, $175 billion has already been allocated, including $77 billion for education throughout the country, $27 billion for highways, and $15 billion in new Medicaid funding badly needed by our States.

The economic crisis has caused shortfalls for virtually every State and local government in the Nation. Our State and municipal governments are among the country's largest economic engines, performing everyday functions that Americans rely on daily, from public safety, to public health, to local education, to public libraries.

The Recovery Act provided $53 billion in State stabilization funding badly needed by our States that are hemorrhaging red ink right now. Specifically, the investment in education, for example, will pay immediate long-term dividends for our economy. Enhanced educational support includes $40 billion for local school districts and $21 billion for higher education, and will create increasing opportunities to prepare our children to enter the workforce.

In addition, our investments in education are paying off immediately by stemming the loss of tens of thousands of jobs for teachers and custodians and bus drivers and nurse's aides and teacher's aides all across school districts in the United States.

One of the primary drivers for economic recovery will be our investment in the technology field as well, Mr. Speaker. The world is changing and it's critical America stay at the forefront. In order to reduce our reliance on foreign oil, we will move towards a cleaner, greener economy. The stimulus addresses both of these areas.

The Recovery Act provided $30 billion to transform our existing energy systems and $8 billion in weatherization and energy efficiency funds that will create 87,000 new jobs weatherizing 2 million households across the United States.

The cost of health care continues to rise dramatically, Mr. Speaker, and it's incumbent upon us to reduce costs without harming existing coverage. The Recovery Act included almost $20 billion to accelerate the switch to health information technology systems by doctors and hospitals to modernize health care systems. It's estimated that this reform ultimately will yield an annual saving of $77 billion in health care costs to average Americans all across the country.

This act is only one piece of the economic mosaic, and I know it's going to succeed.

Madam Speaker, today I introduced the Federal Municipal Bond Marketing Support and Securitization Act of 2009 to address the collateral damage suffered by our state and local governments as a result of the financial crisis. The nation's 55,000 issuers of tax-exempt bonds, including most state and local governments, continue to experience limited access to the capital markets due to the liquidity crisis despite the fact that municipal bonds have always been among the safest investments.

A municipal bond expert recently told me, pointedly, that it is a nightmare out there for those entities attempting to float bonds.

Prior to my election to Congress last November, I spent the last 14 years in local government as a member of the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, Virginia, the last five as Chairman. I oversaw a local government with an annual budget of $4.5 billion and a AAA rating from Wall Street's three main credit rating agencies. I understand state and local governments, and I believe they are the most effective engines for creating jobs on Main Street, whether by building new schools, fire stations and water treatment plants, or repairing our nation's ailing infrastructure and implementing our environmental agenda.

State and local governments issue debt for their myriad projects through the selling of bonds, and the municipal bond market was one of many victims of the financial meltdown last fall. After the fallout, investors and money fled from those bond markets to U.S. Treasury notes as a safe haven. As a result, the nation's 55,000 issuers of tax-exempt bonds, our state and local governments, are experiencing limited access to the capital markets due to the liquidity crisis despite the fact that ``munis'' are and always have been among the safest of investments.

Further complicating the issue is the fact that the private insurance market has virtually disappeared, eliminating a viable means of credit enhancement, which allows a small town water authority, for example, to attain the same credit-worthiness as a metropolitan transportation authority.

The drying up of bond markets and lack of insurance has created a double-whammy of steep shortfalls and tough financial choices for state and local governments. In light of this fiscal and capital crisis, legislation is needed to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a program to provide direct credit enhancements or insurance for municipal bonds to help our state and local partners move forward on their shovel-ready projects.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank agreed with me during a colloquy on the subject in mid-January in which he called states and municipalities among the most sympathetic victims of the economic turmoil. Since then, I have been consulting with Chairman Frank, my colleagues, municipal governments and others who are active in the municipal bond market to craft a solution. What I proposed today may not provide the ultimate solution, but it provides a starting point to begin addressing this critical situation.

My legislation directs the Secretary of the Treasury and Federal Reserve Board to work together to strategically intervene in the municipal bond market to restore liquidity and spark local job creation. It gives the Treasury Secretary the authority, either directly or through the Federal Financing Bank, to provide credit enhancements or guarantees or to outright purchase municipal bonds. It calls on the Federal Reserve to exercise its authority to establish a credit facility for the express purpose of assisting our local and state partners. Of course, the method, source, timing and conditions of any new financing arrangement would be subject to Treasury's approval.

The federal government historically has been reluctant to interfere with the municipal markets, but I believe such concerns could be

addressed by imposing some reasonable limits and conditions on the nature and amount of assistance to minimize risk. Furthermore, municipal bonds historically have a solid performance rating with a low rate of default.

A basic measure for the public to have confidence that the recovery and reinvestment package is working will be the creation of jobs and the completion of physical projects. President Obama has set the goal of creating three to four million jobs. Unlike the financial services relief plan, in which the reward for our investment was largely unseen by the general public, expectations are high for tangible results-- paychecks and progress--from this stimulus plan.

It is my firm belief that the primary vehicle for delivering on that promise will be our investments in state and local governments, but we first need to ensure that localities are ready to run with the ball once we make the hand-off. That will require immediate federal action to stabilize their fiscal situation and to revive the municipal bond market.

I believe this bill can help stabilize the municipal bond market, and I look forward to working with Chairman Frank and other interested members in finding a solution to this serious problem.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Zeiders Enterprises over the 25 years since its founding in Prince William County, Virginia. The more than 700 staff members of Zeiders Enterprises provide services and assistance to more than 1.5 million military and family members at nearly 50 military installations worldwide each year.

Zeiders employees serve in crucial roles as clinical counselors, victim advocates, new parent support specialists, financial counselors, transition specialists, and relocation specialists. Through these activities, Zeiders Enterprises has made a direct, positive difference in the lives of individuals, families, their communities, and the organizations in which they serve. Especially noteworthy is the role that Zeiders plays in supporting the special needs of military service members and their families. Zeiders Enterprises is a founding sponsor of The Quality of Life Foundation, whose mission is to honor and serve our severely injured combat service members and their families by helping them face the life-changing challenges unique to their situations.

Employees at Zeiders contribute outside the workplace through extensive volunteer service. This volunteer support of the American Red Cross, Peace Corps, local schools, youth development programs, mentoring programs, victim advocate programs, youth sports programs, community orchestras, volunteer fire and rescue departments, and military service in National Guard and Reserve occurs in Prince William County, Virginia, and across the nation where Zeiders employees live and work. The consistent contributions of Zeiders employees to the communities in which they serve are truly impressive.

A culture of public services emanates from the top of the Zeiders Enterprises organization. Michael Zeiders, president and CEO, serves the citizens of Prince William County and Virginia as an active member of both the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board and the SkillSource Group Board. Under his leadership, Zeiders Enterprises is an active partner in the community. Additionally, Mr. Zeiders has supported families of Wounded Warriors nationwide through the Quality of Life Foundation.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me today to congratulate Zeiders Enterprises on its 25th anniversary and to pay tribute to the significant contributions its employees have made in improving the lives of our brave men and women who serve this great country.