Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Franklin School, in Belleville, Illinois, for being named an Illinois School of Honor, one of only two schools in Illinois to receive this award.

The University of Illinois Extension has teamed with the Character Education Partnership (CEP) to conduct an award competition that recognizes schools that have implemented outstanding programs in character education. Franklin School was selected in the state competition as one of only two Illinois Schools of Honor. This is a prestigious honor for Franklin School and brings well-deserved recognition to their very successful character education program.

With the emphasis in recent years on testing and meeting aggressive educational standards, it is refreshing to see that schools also realize that character counts. These schools demonstrate that well- rounded students can be developed by instilling values of respect for others and good moral judgment while also focusing on instruction in academic subjects.

The application process for the State School of Character competition is very rigorous and there are specific, objective criteria that must be met to qualify. In order to be considered, a school must demonstrate that they have implemented a comprehensive, effective and successful program for incorporating character development into their school environment. Winning this award reflects positively on the entire Franklin School community, administration, faculty and staff, students and families. All worked together to achieve this honor.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the administration, faculty, staff, students and families of Franklin School for their recognition as an Illinois School of Honor.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Illinois, the Honorable Bill Foster, be permitted to take the oath of office today.

His certificate of election has not arrived, but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Illinois delegation, I am pleased to introduce the newest member of our delegation in the House, Congressman Bill Foster, from the 14th District of Illinois. Bill resides in Geneva, Illinois, and has lived in the Fox Valley for almost 25 years.

Bill has a diverse background in both business and science. He started a very successful theater lighting business with his younger brother when he was only 19 years old, and he went on to receive his Ph.D. in physics from Harvard. Bill worked at Fermilab for 22 years, where he designed research projects and built the latest round of the particle accelerators.

Bill comes from a family with a strong history of working for the public good, and we look forward to working with him on behalf of his constituents and the Nation.

Madam Speaker and Members of the House, please welcome our newest colleague, Congressman Bill Foster from the 14th District of Illinois.

Madam Speaker, I yield to our colleague from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Marissa Junior & Senior High School, in Marissa, Illinois, for receiving a bronze medal as one of ``America's Best High Schools'' as determined by U.S. News & World Report.

Our future will be determined, to a great extent, by the success of our Nation's high schools in preparing our next generation of leaders, innovators and problem-solvers. Our students must be able to compete for the highly skilled jobs that are driving economic growth. For these reasons, our schools must continually challenge themselves in pursuit of educational excellence. This designation from U.S. News & World Report clearly shows that Marissa Junior & Senior High School is doing a good job in this regard.

U.S. News & World Report looked at over 18,000 high schools from across the country and ranked them according to specific, objective criteria. In order to be considered for the top rankings, a school must perform above other schools in its State. This includes evaluation of reading and math testing with consideration for percentage of disadvantaged students. Additional evaluations looked at the performance of the least advantaged students as well as those top- performing, college bound students.

Of the over 18,000 schools evaluated through this process, less than 1,600 (about 9 percent) were awarded gold, silver or bronze medals. Marissa Junior & Senior High School being named to this elite group is a testament to the careful planning and support by the board and administration, the dedication, preparation and instructional excellence of the faculty and staff and the hard work and high level of achievement on the part of the students.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the board members of Marissa School District #40 as well as the administration, faculty, staff and students of Marissa Junior & Senior High School for their recognition as one of the best high schools in the United States.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Uno, the first beagle to win ``Best In Show'' at the 132nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden.

Uno was bred and is co-owned by Kathy Weichert, of Belleville, IL. While Uno came into this competition with 32 previous best in show ribbons, he faced considerable competition at this year's Westminster event. Not only had no beagle ever won ``Best In Show'' at Westminster, no beagle had even placed first in the hound division since 1939.

Uno not only won the recognition of the judges at this year's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, but he was also the fan's favorite as was made evident by the rousing, standing ovation from the capacity crowd at Madison Square Garden when his victory was announced.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Kathy Weichert, owner of K-Run Kennels in Belleville, IL and recognizing Uno, this year's ``Best In Show'' winner at the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5270, the Airport and Airway Extension Act. I want to thank Chairman Rangel for bringing this to the floor today, as well as Chairman Oberstar and Ranking Members Mica and Petri.

On September 20, 2007, the House passed H.R. 2881, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007, a long-term authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) programs. However, until H.R. 2881 is signed into law, it is important that we extend FAA's programs on a short-term basis.

If Congress does not act before February 29, 2008, the FAA is potentially facing significant FY 2008 budget problems due to the lapse in funding for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), and the upcoming expiration of both the aviation excise taxes and the authority to make expenditures from the Aviation Trust Fund.

To address these problems, H.R. 5270 would extend not only the aviation taxes and expenditure authority, but also AIP contract authority, until June 30, 2008.

This is not the first time we have passed short-term extensions to ensure FAA has the contract authority it needs to make AIP grants. In 1999 and 2000, as Congress was debating what eventually became the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century, or AIR 21, we passed 4 extensions of FAA's contract authority. Moreover, the House acted on three separate occasions last year in an attempt to extend FAA's authorities, including passage of H.R. 2881, the 4-year FAA reauthorization legislation. The Senate has yet to act on any of these measures.

We must ensure that this extension passes without further delay to not only improve safety and combat delays and congestion but to also stimulate the economy.

H.R. 5270 creates $2.76 billion in AIP contract authority to fund the program until June 30, 2008. When annualized, this $2.76 billion equates to $3.675 billion for the full fiscal year 2008. H.R. 5270 will allow the FAA to make AIP grants, so that airports can take advantage of the full 2008 construction season. This, in turn, will put people to work and improve the safety and efficiency of our aviation system.

Aviation is too important to our nation's economy--contributing to $1.2 trillion in output and approximately 11.4 million U.S. jobs--to allow the taxes or funding for critical aviation programs to expire. Until H.R. 2881 is signed into law, we must ensure that FAA has the funds it needs to continue its vital programs.

H.R. 5270 provides a short, 4-month extension to ensure FAA's programs remain fully funded, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 180th Anniversary of the founding of McKendree University, the oldest college in Illinois.

McKendree University was founded in 1828, by Methodist pioneers in Lebanon, Illinois. First named, ``Lebanon Seminary.'' the name was changed in 1830 in honor of William McKendree, the first American-born bishop of the Methodist Church. McKendree University is not only the oldest college in Illinois, but it is also the oldest college in the United States with continuous ties to the United Methodist Church.

While McKendree University is justifiably proud of its rich history and tradition, it continues to grow and modernize in order to attract the quality of students and faculty needed to maintain its excellent academic standing. This continuous evolution was made evident with the recent name change from McKendree College to McKendree University in 2007. This name change reflects the broad range of academic opportunities available at McKendree, including the introduction, beginning in 2004, of several graduate programs. These graduate programs--including education, professional counseling, business administration and nursing--have become so popular that their enrollment now accounts for one quarter of the entire student body.

McKendree has continued to evolve physically as well as academically. The university now includes two campuses in Kentucky as well as the main campus in Lebanon, Illinois. It also hosts off-campus offerings at nearby Scott Air Force Base, in addition to other locations in Illinois and Kentucky. In 2006, McKendree opened the new Hettenhausen Center for the Arts which has rapidly developed into one of the premier performing arts centers in the region.

As McKendree has continued to expand and evolve, it has earned more wide-spread recognition of the excellent academic reputation it has long enjoyed locally. Recent awards and rankings include being ranked among the top 14 percent of ``Comprehensive Colleges--Bachelor's'' by U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges 2007 and U.S. News & World Report's ``Great Schools, Great Prices'' ranking.

McKendree University has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1828, with 72 students in two rented sheds. It now boasts a dynamic, multi-state campus with a full range of extra-curricular offerings to complement its excellent academic programs. Throughout its impressive evolution, however. McKendree University has remained true to its roots. Students still come first at McKendree. The focus of the entire McKendree community on enabling each student to fulfill his or her potential continues to mark McKendree University as ``Illinois'' First and Finest.''

Madam Speaker, I am proud to say that my wife, Dr. Georgia Costello, received her undergraduate degree from McKendree and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and students of McKendree University on the occasion of their 180th Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I too would like to join our colleagues on the other side the aisle in welcoming our chairman back. Let me say that on this legislation, I think Chairman Oberstar, as he always does, has summarized the legislation very well. We have a similar provision in H.R. 2881 that we passed out of the House on September 20, and, unfortunately, as Chairman Oberstar indicated, it is pending in the other body.

It makes sense to pass this legislation at this time. We are hopeful that by doing so today that the other body will act quickly and we, in fact, can get this over to the President and signed into law.

Many changes have taken place since the FAA arbitrarily imposed the age 60 rule in 1960. The age expectancy of a person living in the United States then versus today goes from 60-something-years-old, in the early 1960s, to 77 years today. We have other provisions in the legislation, as Chairman Oberstar indicated, on international flights that make certain that there is at least one person in the flight crew 60 years old or under 65. Secondly, we have provisions to make certain that physicals and other health care issues are addressed by pilots that will qualify.

Let me say that I strongly support this legislation. As Chairman Oberstar indicated, both Mr. Petri and Mr. Mica, myself, Mr. Hayes, and other members of the committee have broached this subject and attempted to bring it to the floor before today. I am very pleased that we are moving on this legislation. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 661 is a resolution honoring the accomplishments of Barrington Antonio Irving, the youngest pilot and first person of African descent ever to fly solo around the world.

I want to thank our colleague, Mr. Hastings of Florida, for introducing this important legislation.

On June 27, 2007, Barrington Irving flew solo around the world to inspire youth, in particular inner-city youth and minority youth, throughout the Nation to consider pursuing careers in aviation and aerospace. In doing so, he became the first African American and youngest pilot to make such an extraordinary trip.

In order to make his dream a reality, he received donations from airplane manufacturers and others, which he used to assemble the plane that carried him around the world. He named his plane ``Inspiration'' in hopes that his flight would inspire others to reach for their dreams.

In addition to such an amazing accomplishment, Barrington continues to work tirelessly to provide additional resources for young people pursuing careers in the field of aviation.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Irving is a remarkable man, which should serve as a motivation to us all that dreams can come true if you put your mind and heart into a project. That is why I support H. Res. 661 and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the passing of our colleague from Illinois, Henry J. Hyde. Congressman Hyde served in the House of Representatives for over 30 years and his respect for this body and the United States of America was a hallmark of his career. Volunteering to serve in the Navy during World War II, he played basketball at Georgetown, graduated from Loyola law school and eventually chaired both the Judiciary and International Relations Committees, presiding over both with the same dignity and eloquence with which he treated all floor debate.

Henry was perhaps best known as Congress's leading voice for protecting the unborn. During his first term, he was successful in enacting the ``Hyde amendment,'' which outlawed the Federal funding of abortion in most cases, and still stands today. But what stands out equally to many of us is the way he handled this advocacy, always arguing passionately, always arguing forcefully, but always arguing his beliefs with a grace and tact that provided for an honest exchange on the most contentious of issues. This is a great lesson for all of us today, that even when we disagree, we should debate the issues on their merits, with the highest levels of decorum.

Madam Speaker, Henry Hyde was an influential presence in the House of Representatives and both national and Illinois politics. He will not soon be forgotten, and I send my condolences to his family.

Madam Speaker, I regret to inform the Members that former Congressman Henry Hyde died this past Friday, November 30. Henry served in the Illinois legislature for 8 years, from 1967 to 1974. Henry was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 and served for 32 years until his retirement after the 109th Congress.

Henry was both liked and respected by those of us who served with him. He chaired both the Judiciary and International Relations Committee, presiding over both with the same intelligence and eloquence he brought to all floor debate. Last month, President Bush presented Henry with the Presidential Medal of Freedom award, our Nation's highest civilian honor, for his meritorious service to his country.

Members should know that directly after votes this evening, Mr. Roskam and I have reserved a Special Order to recognize and remember the service of Henry Hyde later on this evening. Those who want to participate can do so or submit a statement.

At this time I would yield to my friend from Illinois (Mr. Roskam).

Madam Speaker, I would ask the House to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of our friend, Henry Hyde.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2265) to extend the existing provisions regarding the eligibility for essential air service subsidies through fiscal year 2008, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on S. 2265.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2265, as amended. As you know, the authorization for Federal Aviation Administration programs expired on September 30, 2007. Although the House overwhelmingly passed H.R. 2881, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007, on September 20, 2007, the Senate has yet to pass a long-term FAA authorization bill.

Instead, S. 2265, as passed by the Senate last week, extends a single provision of the expired Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act. Specifically, S. 2265 extends section 409 of Public Law 108-176, the Vision 100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, regarding the Essential Air Service program.

Rather than extend just this one provision, our amendment to S. 2265 extends each of the FAA's major programs, as well as section 409 of Vision 100. Without this legislation, the Airport Improvement Program will not be authorized after November 16.

Because the Airport Improvement Program is funded by contract authority, rather than discretionary budget authority, its funding is typically provided by an authorization act. S. 2265 provides $918.75 million in Airport Improvement Program contract authority to fund the program for the 3-month period from October 1, 2007, until December 31, 2007. This amount, when annualized, equals the fiscal year 2007 amount for the program. This provision will ensure that airport funding continues without interruption through the end of this calendar year.

S. 2265 also authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary for Federal Aviation Administration operations, facilities and equipment, and research and development programs through the end of the year.

In addition to these program reauthorizations, S. 2265 extends the Secretary of Transportation's authority to

limit to $100 million the third-party liability exposure of airlines and aircraft manufacturers for any cause resulting from a terrorist event. This authority expired on September 30, 2007. S. 2265 extends this authority until the end of the year.

Finally, S. 2265 extends section 409 of Vision 100 for an additional year, through September 30, 2008. Section 409 directs the Secretary of Transportation to use the most commonly used route, rather than the shortest route, when measuring the distance of certain communities from the nearest hub airport to determine eligibility for the Essential Air Service program.

S. 2265 does not provide any additional funding for the EAS program. Rather, it simply allows communities to continue participating in the program for fiscal year 2008, within existing funding levels, on the same terms as were in effect during the previous authorization period.

In summary, Mr. Speaker, this bill simply continues aviation programs under the same terms and conditions as were in effect on September 30, 2007. It ensures that these important programs continue to operate without interruption.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Chairman Oberstar, I want to thank our committee colleagues, Ranking Member Mr. Mica and Subcommittee Ranking Member Petri, for working together on this critical legislation.

I look forward to the Senate passing a long-term FAA reauthorization bill and sending a bill to the President in the near future.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 2265, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin).

Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of S. 2265, as amended, and yield back the balance of our time.

I thank the gentlewoman, the Chair of the subcommittee, for yielding time to me, and I thank her for all of her hard work on this legislation, as well as Chairman Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, and the ranking member of the subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the resolution to override the President's veto of the Water Resources Development Act.

Overriding the President's veto is extremely important, as this legislation addresses what the Congress and administration failed to do in previous years: enact a WRDA bill that addresses the critical infrastructure needs of our country.

WRDA authorizes projects from major flood control, navigation, environmental restoration, and other water resource projects, as well as includes authorizations of several important projects to restore and enhance the Nation's environmental infrastructure.

The United States transportation system has an extensive system of highways, ports, locks and dams, and airports; yet we continue to neglect upgrading and modernizing our infrastructure. We shouldn't build our infrastructure and then walk away without maintaining and modernizing it as it becomes antiquated, like we have done with the upper Mississippi and the Illinois Waterways lock and dam system.

In this WRDA bill, we are authorizing the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Waterway System. The bill authorizes the replacement of 600- foot navigation locks with seven new 1,200-foot locks to bring more efficiency and effectiveness to our water transportation system.

Our current system looses about 10 percent of its capacity due to the system failure and breakdowns because it has exceeded its life expectancy by over 20 years. It can't handle the traffic in an efficient and cost-effective manner, and it's costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars to patch it together every year, let alone the cost in time and money to its users.

At a time when we continue to spend $12 billion of the U.S. taxpayers' money every month in Iraq, I can't understand why the President would veto this important legislation. You have to ask the question, how can we afford to spend billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to rebuild the infrastructure in Iraq but can't afford to invest in our own infrastructure right here at home?

This bill is 7 years overdue. Our infrastructure needs are growing. The President's veto message talks about priorities. I believe that the future of the U.S. economy and the living standards of our people should be our top priorities. This bill will help our farmers get their crops to market, protect critical habitat, and provide flood protection for our people.

Modernizing our infrastructure is the right thing to do. It is a necessity for our economy and commerce, and we, therefore, must override the President's veto today.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support overriding the President's veto of WRDA and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 230, a resolution supporting the observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This resolution provides a special opportunity to increase awareness on the importance of regular self-examinations, as early detection is the key to increasing survival rates.

This is also an occasion on which we can recognize the more than 2.4 million breast cancer survivors and remember those who are no longer with us on account of this deadly disease. This past October, survivors and activists have reminded us why it is so important to support research throughout the entire year to find a cure for breast cancer.

In this country, this disease strikes 1 woman every 3 minutes, and it is the leading cause of death among women ages 45 to 54. The numbers are staggering--we simply must continue to adequately fund research and ensure that services and treatments are accessible to those who need them.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of those who have fought a courageous battle with breast cancer, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our former colleague, George Sangmeister, who passed away last weekend. George was a stalwart of Illinois politics for over 30 years and served in this body from 1988-1994. He embodied the hardworking decency of the Midwest and I extend my condolences to his family.

George committed a great deal of his life to public service, beginning with his service in the Army during the Korean War. He graduated from Elmhurst College and the John Marshall Law School, becoming a Will County Magistrate in 1961. He later served as the county's District Attorney and was elected to both the Illinois House and Senate. In 1986, he was tabbed by Adlai Stevenson III to run as his Lieutenant Governor. They lost that race, but George went on two years later to win election to Congress.

George had a warm personality and was a results-oriented politician, looking for consensus wherever he could. He was not concerned about grandstanding, but always seeking out a way to bring people together for the greater good. He led the efforts to create the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, both projects distinct to and emblematic of Illinois.

Madam Speaker, we can all learn from the example of George Sangmeister, and I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring his life and accomplishments.