Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to be with you. On this occasion, we are addressing one more time a recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. I must say that while it is very important that we get the House to seriously review those matters and see what next steps we should be taking, I feel pretty strongly that it is important that the two sides of the aisle work very closely together regarding this. This resolution would create a new panel of the Appropriations Committee that would, in part, duplicate work already performed by the Intelligence Committee.

Unfortunately, this substantive change in committee jurisdiction is being proposed without benefit of the kind of bipartisan input that I personally appreciate and think causes the place to work an awful lot better. The present structure in intelligence oversight was developed following the recommendations of the Pike and Church committees in the 1970s. It took years to develop and execute a quality congressional restructure for intelligence oversight.

Something of this importance and sensitivity requires more than just an hour's consideration on the floor. It deserves a thorough review by the committees of the House and all of us who are concerned, from various jurisdictions, about these matters.

I recognize that this is an oversight bill; and with tongue in cheek, I congratulate the new majority for that kind of oversight, drafting legislation without any input from the Republicans of the House.

While I am grateful to Mr. Obey for his efforts to reach out to me personally, I am deeply concerned that no substantive consultation occurred between the majority and the minority, particularly at a leadership level.

Further, I am very concerned that we not jettison the oversight regime that is in place without knowing for certain that we are going to replace it with something that goes beyond just simply getting in the way of the oversight process. I am afraid that what we are doing here is talking about oversight. Instead, on the other hand, we are defusing effective oversight.

It is important that we recognize that one more time we are putting out press releases and producing very little in terms of substantive results.

Madam Speaker, as I said, it is a delight to be with you, and I appreciate the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the leadership and dedication to public service of Lieutenant General Jerry Sinn, who has provided exemplary stewardship of the Army's resources and budgeting for the past 7 years. Beginning as a ``tunnel rat'' in Vietnam, Lieutenant General Sinn has retired as the Army's budget chief after 39 years in uniform.

After being drafted in 1968, Jerry Sinn was soon commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. The Army sent him to Vietnam shortly thereafter, where he fought as a tunnel rat--one of the deadliest missions in that conflict--and led a Rome Plow team. Throughout his career, he has never stopped inspiring, guiding and teaching soldiers--whether as a company commander in Korea, a mathematics instructor at West Point, a battalion commander with the Big Red One, an assistant chief of staff of VII Corps, a brigade commander in the 3rd Infantry Division, or commander of the Corps of Engineers' North Atlantic Division.

Lieutenant General Sinn has spent the last 7 years of his military career in the Pentagon as the Army's top uniformed budget official. His ideas, acumen, finesse and good humor were essential to guiding the Army from being a force at peace to a force at war. General Sinn oversaw the unprecedented growth in resources and mission since 2001, dedicating himself to ensuring that every soldier was properly equipped and trained. He looked after families, initiating and pushing numerous programs to improve their quality of life. And he made sure that everyone involved in financial management understood the importance of their work. General Sinn inspired the civilians and the uniformed members of Army financial management to do their very best and approach their tasks with the same vigor as the soldier on the battlefield. He also provided counsel to the Army leadership, the Defense Department, the Office of Management and Budget and many members of Congress.

General Sinn earned a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars, both with oak leaf clusters and one with a V Device, among many other medals and awards. He lived the Soldier's Creed with great pride and dignity. He always placed the mission first. He never accepted defeat. He never quit. And though he could have, he never left a fallen comrade.

Mr. Speaker, throughout his youth in North Dakota, Jerry Sinn thought he would follow in his parents' footsteps, raising cattle and growing wheat. The U.S. Army, and his many supporters in Congress, are grateful that he devoted his life to public service instead. Please join me in thanking him for those 39 years of selflessness, and wish him well in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1105, I

call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 102) making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I bring before the House a continuing resolution for fiscal year 2007. This CR, which is clean, runs through February 15, 2007. Only necessary technical anomalies are included.

This CR will fund the agencies in the nine remaining bills awaiting conference at the lower rate the House passed, Senate passed, or current fiscal year 2006 level.

We have been working closely with both leadership and Chairman Cochran on this CR to ensure that all essential functions of the government continue without interruption.

With regard to veterans medical care funding, the VA presently has approximately $600 million left over from fiscal year 2006. However, should the VA need additional resources between now and February 15, we are providing the VA and the Secretary with the authority to transfer funds from within other Veterans Affairs accounts.

When we passed this CR the last time, my hope was it would provide a strong motivation for Congress to complete its work in regular order. I was hopeful that our colleagues in the Senate would complete their work on the floor so we could move the remaining individual conference reports before the end of this legislative session.

I want the body to know that the Appropriations Committee has been strongly committed to bringing to this floor individual conference reports. That has not occurred. Each and every individual bill should have come to the floor and gone to conference with the Senate and been sent to the President. From the beginning of our process, Chairman Cochran and I pledged to pass funding bills in regular order. We also stated publicly we would not, I repeat, not, support an omnibus bill in any form.

The House Appropriations Committee passed each of the 11 subcommittee bills out of the full committee by June 30, and with the exception of the Labor-HHS bill, all of the bills off the House floor by the July 4 break.

Similarly, the Senate passed each of its bill out of the full committee to ensure timely consideration on the Senate floor.

The Appropriations Committee has remained committed to moving these bills individually and within the framework of the budget resolution.

My colleagues, the Appropriations Committee has kept its word. The breakdown of regular order this cycle, indeed the failure to get our bills done, should be fairly placed at the feet of the departing Senate majority leader who failed to schedule floor time for the consideration of appropriations bills.

Senator Cochran and I were convinced that moving bills individually was the only way for us to get back to regular order. Lacking regular order, there is a tendency for the remaining bills to become Christmas trees and for spending to grow out of control, having individual Members do with a Christmas tree what they might. In our view, that is simply not acceptable.

Let me make one personal comment aside: my appropriations colleague, Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, could not have been a better partner as we attempted to bringing regular order to the appropriations process. The Senator of Mississippi was poorly served by his own leadership.

I would prefer to return to Congress in January as chairman of the Appropriations Committee but look forward to working with the new chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Until then, I urge my colleagues to support this CR and I would like to close my remarks by wishing all of my friends a Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

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

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to memorialize the heroism and devotion to duty of five U.S. Forest Service firefighters, who gave their lives in the line of duty protecting families and homes from the ravages of a ferocious wildfire that overwhelmed their truck.

The 41st Congressional District includes a series of rugged mountain ranges with thousands of acres of national forest, but also thousands of homes and families. They include some of the most beautiful scenery in Southern California, but they are also home to some of the most dangerous wind-driven wildfires during our annual season of Santa Ana Winds.

I have come to know and deeply respect the firefighters who protect these homes and fight these fires. They are among the most professional and resourceful in the nation. Their heroism and tenacity have made the mountains a safer place to live.

So it is with the deepest sorrow that I ask my colleagues to join me in mourning the loss of five of these brave federal firefighters during the Esperanza Fire in the mountains east of San Bernardino. Those who gave their lives in the line of duty were Engine Captain Mark Loutzenhiser, Fire Engine Operator Jess McLean, Assistant Fire Engine Operator Jason McKay, Firefighter Daniel Hoover-Najera, and Firefighter Pablo Cerda.

Mark Loutzenhiser, a father of three, was a vital member of his hometown of Idyllwild, California. He coached youth sports and was considered a friend by nearly everyone in town. He had 21 years of firefighting service and was a certified emergency management technician. He had previously worked as a hotshot crewman for the Vista Grande Hot Shots and also as a volunteer firefighter for Riverside County. He is survived by his children and his wife Maria Loutzenhiser, a Forest Service employee who joined Mark on the firelines until the birth of their children.

Jess McLean had seven years of firefighting service and had been a hotshot for three years with the Vista Grande Hot Shots. He was a hometown hero--graduating from from Banning High School in 1997 and attending fire science classes at Crafton Hills College. He was a resident of Beaumont, CA. He is survived by his wife Karen McLean and his mother Cecelia McLean.

Jason McKay spent four years as a volunteer firefighter in the High Desert town of Adelanto before joining the Forest Service five years ago. He also served on the Mojave Greens Type II crew. He was a certified EMT and earned an associate's degree in fire science. He was a resident of Phelan, also in the High Desert. He is survived by his mother Bonnie J. McKay and his father Robert McKay.

Daniel Hoover-Najera began his firefighting career with the Tahquitz Type II crew in 2005 and was serving as a seasonal Forest Service employee this year. He worked on the Tahquitz Type II crew in 2005 and was a seasonal employee in 2006. Just 20 years old, he

graduated from San Jacinto Mountain View High School in 2004. He is survived by his mother Gloria Ayala and his father Timothy Hoover.

Pablo Cerda was also in his second season with the Forest Service. He graduated from Los Amigos High School in Santa Ana in 2001 and attended Fire Academy of Riverside Community College. He is survived by his father Pablo Cerda, Sr.

These five U.S. Forest Service firefighters on Engine Crew 57 on the San Jacinto Ranger District were dispatched early on the morning of Thursday, October 26 to fight the Esperanza fire. Taking a stand atop a ridge to protect a home, the crew and their engine were overcome when the fire raced up the slope.

Mr. Speaker, it has been a little more than a month since the loss of these brave firefighters, and their neighbors have overwhelmingly shown their support through donations and help for their families. They are sorely missed by their communities, and by the greater community of federal firefighters. I ask my colleagues to please join in sending their families our condolences, as well as our sense of deep pride for those who dedicate themselves to such selfless public service.

Mr. Speaker, the communities in our Southern California mountains, and the community of Federal firefighters, suffered a terrible tragedy a little more than a month ago when five Federal firefighters were killed protecting our homes and families. Our constituents have promised to provide for the survivors of Engine Captain Mark Loutzenhiser, Fire Engine Operator Jess McLean, Assistant Fire Engine Operator Jason McKay, Firefighter Daniel Hoover-Najera, and Firefighter Pablo Cerda. With the help of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and a local United Way chapter, nearly $1 million has been raised. But we need to ensure that our tax regulations do not block the distribution of this money to the deserving families. My colleague and friend Representative Mary Bono has introduced a very simple bill, which would give permission to the United Way to organize the fund's dispersal. It is a narrow bill that creates a one-time income tax exemption for those firefighter families receiving money from the fund. It also allows donations to the fund to be deductible. Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that the members of this body will help us help these families, who have suffered a terrible loss in the name of public service and protecting our communities from wildfires.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Dr. Ted Vick, a longtime public servant who is retiring after a 55-year career in leadership through education.

Dr. Vick has proven his dedication to educational pursuits by earning his bachelor's degree in elementary education at the University of California at Santa Barbara and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of California at Riverside. His desire to serve in public education led to his service as a principal and vice principal in various school districts throughout his career, including 12 years spent as the superintendent of Adelanto School District. His proven leadership led to 20 years of service on the San Bernardino County Board of Education, and his enthusiasm was quickly noticed by other local organizations. While Dr. Vick dedicated his time to the county board of education, the Needles Unified School District asked for his service when they required another member to join their local district board.

Aside from teaching, Dr. Vick strove to influence others by holding several leadership positions in educational and community organizations. His list of distinguished posts includes the California School Boards Association Delegate Assembly, and the board of directors on the California County Boards of Education. His interest in the needs of the local community is prevalent through his time with the Adolescent and Family Service Center, and while serving on the board of directors for Desert Communities United Way. Dr. Vick's remaining time has been spent devoted to the First Christian Church in San Bernardino, serving as chairman of the board, elder, and deacon.

This relentless involvement in the lives of his fellow citizens has made Dr. Vick an important influence in the community, earning him the well-deserved San Bernardino County School Board Association's 2005 Distinguished Service Award. Although the appreciation of the community is shown on the faces of those whom he has instructed, it was most notably visible in 2005 when Adelanto School District named a local school in his honor; the Theodore Vick Elementary School.

Mr. Speaker, after 55 years of public service, Dr. Vick will retire from his teaching and leadership posts. Although Dr. Vick's presence in the community will be greatly missed, his zeal for leadership and education will continue to inspire the students and adults who have crossed his path. On behalf of the people of San Bernardino County, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in thanking Dr. Vick for his work and in wishing him well in his future pursuits.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 100) making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes.

I appreciate the recognition, Mr. Speaker. I don't anticipate I will use the entire 20 minutes, but we will see how we proceed here.

Mr. Speaker, I bring before the House a continuing resolution for fiscal year 2007. This CR runs through December 8. It is clean without exception. This CR will fund the agencies and the nine remaining bills awaiting conference at the lower rate of the House-passed, Senate- passed or current fiscal year 2006 level.

When we passed the last CR, my hope was that it would provide a strong motivation for Congress to complete its work in regular order. I remain hopeful that our colleagues in the Senate will complete their work on the floor so that we can move the remaining individual conference reports before the end of our legislative session.

I want the body to know that the Committee on Appropriations has been strongly committed to bringing to this floor individual conference reports for each and every bill.

This committee does not support an omnibus in any form and has done everything in its power to ensure that that does not happen. The Appropriations Committee passed each bill of the 11 subcommittee bills out of the full committee by June 30, and with the exception of the Labor-HHS bill, all of those bills were off the floor by the Fourth of July break.

The Appropriations Committee has remained committed to moving these bills individually and within the framework of the budget resolution. My colleagues, the Appropriations Committee has kept its word. I am convinced that moving bills individually is the only way for us to get back to regular order.

Lacking regular order, there is a tendency for the remaining bills to become Christmas trees and for spending to grow out of control. In my view, that is simply not acceptable.

I urge my colleagues to support this CR, and would like to close my remarks by wishing all of my friends, as we go out of town, a happy Thanksgiving.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the fiscal year 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report. This is the second of 11 individual conference reports I hope to bring to the House floor for consideration this year.

The conference report funds the Department of Homeland Security at $34.8 billion for fiscal year 2007, an increase of $2.3 billion over the fiscal year before.

The conference agreement aggressively addresses our most critical homeland security needs including border and immigration security; port, cargo and container security; transportation security; natural disaster preparedness and response; and support to State and local first responders.

I would really like to praise Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Sabo for their very fine bipartisan work; but to my colleague Martin Sabo, let me say not just a colleague and congressional classmate, Martin Sabo is one of the finest people I have known since I have been in Congress. I would say to Martin, a job well done, my friend, not just for, of course, this piece of work, but most important, for a lifetime of work on behalf of your country.

Chairman Rogers has spoken to the specifics of the conference report so I will again direct my attention to the need to complete our appropriations work this year.

As the body knows, the Appropriations Committee has made tremendous strides over the last 2 years in reforming the process of adopting our annual spending bills. The Appropriations Committee has been strongly committed to bringing to this floor individual conference reports for each and every bill. We were successful in doing so last year. I hope to replicate that success again this year.

To underscore this point, Chairman Cochran and I sent a letter to both Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Frist this week reiterating our support for completing each of our bills in regular order and not resorting to an end-of-session omnibus spending bill. I would like to submit for the Record that letter at this point.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Appropriations,

Washington, DC, September 25, 2006.

Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,

Speaker of the House,

Washington, DC.

Hon. William H. Frist,

Senate Majority Leader,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Speaker and Majority Leader Frist: As we approach

the end of the pre-election legislative session, the

Appropriations Committees are preparing to present to our

chambers the conference reports for funding the Department of

Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. While

progress is being made with these two major bills, we want to

reiterate our commitment to moving each of the individual

appropriations subcommittee conference reports at the

earliest possible date this year. We know that you, too,

share this goal.

Thanks to your leadership last year, we were able to

complete each of the appropriations bills individually within

the established budgetary constraints and avoid a massive,

year-end ``omnibus'' spending bill. This represented a

remarkable victory for taxpayers and demonstrated that

Congress was capable of completing its constitutional

responsibilities on time and on budget. Upon our selection as

Chairmen, we committed to you and our colleagues that we

would work to restore regular order to the appropriations

process. We remain committed to passing conference reports

individually again this year.

Maintaining regular order and passing individual conference

reports within the parameters of the budget resolution is an

important part of controlling spending. It is our belief that

omnibus legislation that bypasses the regular order is not in

the best interest of the Congress, or ultimately the

taxpayer. Whether we work through the holidays or pass long-

term continuing resolutions, we are committed to completing

the FY 2007 appropriations process in an open and orderly

manner, without resorting to an omnibus strategy.

Our Committees remain committed to completing our work at

the earliest possible

date. We thank you for your assistance in this endeavor and

we look forward to working with you as we together accomplish

our legislative goals this year.

Sincerely,

Jerry Lewis,

Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations.

Thad Cochran,

Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, early in the process I made it very clear to our leadership and to our Members that the Appropriations Committee would not entertain the prospect of an omnibus spending bill. This committee is doing everything in its power to ensure that this does not happen.

The Appropriations Committee passed each of the 11 spending bills through the full committee by June 20 of this year, and passed 10 of 11 bills off the House floor by June 30. We remain committed to pass the final appropriations bill at a moment's notice.

The Appropriations Committee made a commitment to move its spending bills individually, in regular order, and within the framework of the budget resolution. We have done that. The Appropriations Committee has kept its word.

Moving our spending bills individually is the only way to maintain fiscal discipline. The pursuit of an omnibus strategy is a budget- buster and an invitation to unrestrained spending. If history is any guide, an omnibus spending bill would become a vehicle for other forms of legislative mischief.

Again, Chairman Cochran and I would ask our colleagues to avoid that approach and move forward in passing individual conference reports. Together, we remain committed to completing our work at the earliest possible date.

I also urge the adoption of this conference report in a vote later today.

As I close these comments, let me say one more time, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Sabo have a reflection in this bill of the finest of bipartisan efforts, exactly the kind of effort that will cause the Congress to rise in the respect of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the University of Redlands on the centennial of its founding. From its first graduating class of three students to the present-day student body of 4,100, this school has developed a reputation as a top-quality small university.

At the turn of the last century, Redlands and the surrounding communities were home to the booming navel orange industry. The lure of agricultural wealth and the beautiful climate of the San Bernardino Valley attracted hundreds of sophisticated families from the East Coast and Midwest. Many of these ``colonists'' brought a tradition of fostering civic good works to their new home, and by the early 1900s they were seeking a new college to serve the community.

City residents subscribed more than $50,000 and convinced the American Baptists to locate a new university in Redlands rather than Los Angeles. Chartered in 1907, the university admitted its first students in 1909 and graduated its first class--of three students--in 1910. It now boasts more than 45,000 alumni from around the world. More than 35 percent of its students are from historically under-represented groups.

The University of Redlands today has more than 200 professors teaching in 46 majors and programs, and an additional 200 adjunct faculty providing expertise to its School of Business and School of Education. Graduate programs include music, communicative disorders and geographic information systems, and a Doctorate of Leadership for Educational Justice. The university has been ranked among the top liberal-arts colleges in the West in a number of surveys.

I am proud to say that the relationship between the university and the community remains strong. The university was one of the first educational institutions in the country to require community service as a condition of graduation. Today, over 80,000 community service hours are provided annually by students to local, regional, national and international agencies and organizations. The innovative School of Education has prepared thousands of new teachers to serve our youth.

Mr. Speaker, the University of Redlands will soon begin a year-long celebration of its centennial, which will be highlighted by the entry of a university float in the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade, and will continue with a series of events commemorating 100 years of excellence and community involvement. Please join me in congratulating the trustees, faculty, staff and students on their achievement, and wish them well in their next 100 years.

Mr. Speaker, at the admonition of my dear friend from Pennsylvania, I am simply rising to compliment these two gentleman for the fabulous work they have done and to make one single point: this is the first conference report of 11 that we should have. It is my intention before the year is over to complete all of those reports.

But the point I really want to make and have the House understand, it is not the committee's intention to have an omnibus of any form. An omnibus only complicates the process, causes us to spend more money, not less, and undermines the very fine work that has been done by this committee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the FY07 Department of Defense Appropriations conference report. This is the first of 11 individual conference reports I hope to bring to the House floor for consideration this year.

The conference report funds the DoD at $377.6 billion plus a bridge fund of $70 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition, the DoD conference report contains a clean continuing resolution that funds government operations at the lower rate of House- passed, Senate-passed, or last year's funding level through November 17th.

The underlying bill in this conference report--the DoD Appropriations bill--is the most important of our annual appropriation bills for it funds our national security. I would like to praise Chairman Young and ranking member Murtha for their fine bipartisan work. Chairman Young has spoken to the specifics of the conference report so I will direct my attention to the need to complete our work this year.

As the body knows, the Appropriations Committee has made tremendous strides over the last two years in reforming the process of adopting our annual spending bills.

The Appropriations Committee has been strongly committed to bringing to this floor individual conference reports for each and every bill. We were successful in doing so last year and I hope to replicate that success again this year.

Early in this process, I made it very clear to my leadership and to our members that the Appropriations Committee would not entertain the prospect of an omnibus spending bill. This Committee has done everything in its power to ensure that this does not happen.

The Appropriations Committee passed each of the 11 spending bills through full committee by June 20th, and passed 10 of 11 bills off the House floor by June 30th. We remain ready to pass the final appropriations bill at a moment's notice.

The Appropriations Committee made a commitment to move its spending bills individually--in ``regular order''--and within the framework of the Budget Resolution. We have done that. My colleagues, the Appropriations Committee has kept its word.

Moving our spending bills individually is the only way for us to maintain fiscal discipline. If history is any guide, an omnibus spending bill would also become a vehicle for legislative mischief, a proverbial Christmas tree for unrelated legislative proposals by attaching the year's unfinished business onto must-pass legislation. The pursuit of an omnibus strategy is a budget-buster and an invitation to unrestrained spending.

Chairman Cochran and I urge our colleagues to avoid this approach and move forward in passing individual conference reports.

Together, we remain committed to completing our work at the earliest possible date.

I urge the adoption of this conference report.

Mr. Speaker, I would like today to congratulate the trustees, faculty and students of the San Bernardino Valley College as they celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of this vital education provider in my home town of San Bernardino, California.

Beginning with 140 students at two high school campuses in 1926, San Bernardino Valley Community College has grown into a district with two modern campuses and thousands of students. It has served more than 700,000 students over the past 80 years.

Valley College, as it was known when I was growing up in San Bernardino, has long been a pillar of the local educational community-- and for some time was our only public institution for higher education. We now have California State University San Bernardino and nearby University of California, Riverside. But because of its range of programs, Valley College is still the destination of choice for many students.

The college's low cost and dedication to helping students of all economic backgrounds has made Valley College's student body one of the most diverse in the Nation. Its graduates go on to complete four-year degrees at top universities, and provide the skilled labor for the area's rapidly growing economy.

I have been proud over the years to have supported Valley College's efforts to improve its campus and programs. With the help of earthquake mitigation funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the college has completely remade its central facilities, tearing down main buildings and replacing them with a new library, Health and Human Sciences Building, administration and student services building and the newest addition--a 37,000-square-foot Campus Center. A new art building with a modern gallery is set to open next year.

Valley College is also home to one of the few broadcast television operations in the Inland Empire--its public-television station KVCR. I have been pleased to work with the district to secure funding to upgrade these facilities to meet new high-definition requirements. This station and its related public radio station provide tremendous access to the airwaves for the diverse student body, which makes this a top asset for the community.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in offering congratulations to the trustees, administration, faculty and students of this important institution, and offering our best wishes for the future success of the district and those who make it such a success.

Mr. Speaker, the American Legion is one of the most respected institutions in our Nation, honoring our veterans and providing service to local communities. This is especially true of the Irving G. Bergman Post 428 in Banning, California, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary in August.

Post 428 was chartered as the San Gorgonio Pass Post of the American Legion in August 1931, to serve the veterans living in the Riverside County cities of Banning, Beaumont, Cabazon, Cherry Valley and Calimesa. Over the years, the Post has also become a community resource in the rapidly growing area.

More than 200 veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf are active members of the Post, which refurbished a building in downtown Banning for its headquarters. My colleagues will be pleased to know that a flag flown over our Capitol waves over the Post each day.

Members of the Post provide service to disabled veterans at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center in nearby Loma Linda. The Post is a frequent host for ceremonies on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and other observances. Members have sponsored widely recognized salutes, including a Salute to Blue Star Families and a communitywide Welcome Home to Troops which drew hundreds of area residents to honor California National Guard members returning from fighting the War on Terrorism. The Post also helped completely refurbish the local Armory.

Post 428 is especially active in the community, with members visiting schools to talk about patriotism and what it means to be a veteran, presenting small flags to students and large flags to be flown at the schools. Members have also participated in safety fairs and local parades.

I am particularly grateful to the past commander of Post 428, Rees Lloyd, who has been a strong advocate for protection of the Mojave Cross Veteran's Memorial in the Mojave National Preserve in the desert area of my congressional district. Although it is in a remote location and has a clear history as a veterans memorial, the cross has been challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued the National Park Service to remove it. Through the efforts of Mr. Lloyd, who is now commander of all Riverside County Posts, the American Legion has taken a strong stand in support of maintaining the cross. With their support, I am hopeful we will prevail in keeping this memorial to our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, the American Legion motto is ``Still Serving God and Country,'' and I believe that is especially true of Post 428. Please join me in thanking them for their public service, and congratulating them on their 75th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I would like today to pay tribute to an extraordinary music teacher who is retiring after 44 years of educating and encouraging youth to strive toward musical excellence, thirty years of which were spent enlightening the minds of students at Loma Linda Academy.

Philip Binkley's interest in music began at an early age and continued throughout his life. By receiving both a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree in Music Education, Mr. Binkley proved his sincere devotion to educating others. During his 30 years at the Loma Linda Academy, Mr. Binkley led the school's highest level symphonic band at performances around the globe, setting new standards of achievement. The Loma Linda Academy Symphonic Band was the first high school symphonic band to perform at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, and was one of only nine U.S. and Canada bands selected to perform at the World Exposition in Brisbane, Australia.

Mr. Binkley's continual encouragement strengthened the self- confidence and musical proficiency of each student, resulting in worldwide recognition of the Loma Linda Academy Symphonic Band. In 1992 they captured first place runner-up at the International Music Festival held in Sweden, and won the gold medal at the Munich International Music Festival in 1995, During that same year they represented the United States at the Vienna Klangbogen Festival in Germany.

Mr. Binkley's commitment to his students did not stop at musical excellence; rather he made it a priority to encourage his pupils to live up to the highest standards of integrity. On each trip overseas, he included in the daily itinerary a unique statement which served to remind his students of the importance in serving as model citizens of the United States. Through the Loma Linda Academy Symphonic Band, Mr. Binkley strived to represent to other nations the positive qualities of America's youth.

Outside of teaching, Philip Binkley chose to serve his community by acting as the Minister of Music at several churches in Florida and California. By devoting time to local churches, he was able to expand the musical knowledge of hundreds of individuals. Mr. Binkley's dedication was rewarded with the Loma Linda Teacher of the Year award in 1992 and 2006, and in being named Teacher of Excellence by the Alumni Awards Foundation in 2006.

Mr. Speaker, Philip Binkley has certainly succeeded in becoming an exemplary model of a teacher's commitment to students. Please join me in thanking Mr. Binkley for a lifetime of devotion to the musical education of America's youth, and in wishing him well in his years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I would like today to pay tribute to a longtime public servant, Sam Racadio, who as city manager has been a guiding force in the growth of Highland, California from an unformed new city into a municipality known for a dedication to a high standard of living.

For the past 35 years, Sam Racadio has been a hard-working and energetic public servant in city government. He went to work as an intern in the City of Riverside just after graduating from the University of Redlands, and even spent several years in the Peace Corps as a municipal advisor in Maracay, Venezuela.

After some years in city government in Tulare, California, Sam Racadio returned to the Inland Empire as city manager for three years in Banning, California--a fast-growing city in my district.

The late 1980s were a boom time for new cities in San Bernardino County, and one of the most promising, but least organized, of those new municipalities decided to hire Mr. Racadio as its first city manager. When he joined Highland in 1987, he was just the second employee of the city of 28,000, and the city government worked out of a small trailer.

Highland had a small commercial tax base and few businesses of any size when it gained cityhood, and some analysts warned that the new city would have a shaky budget and could fail. To save money for the future, Mr. Racadio vacuumed floors, cleaned bathrooms and gathered up trash.

By continuing that dedication to saving taxpayer dollars, Sam Racadio has helped build Highland into a thriving city that now has a population of more than 50,000. There are three new parks, a City Hall, and a community center. Coming soon are a municipal pool, a library and athletic center.

Mr. Speaker, I was delighted to work with Mr. Racadio on the development of a city environmental learning center, which will provide access to hands-on, state-of-the-art science facilities for school children and city residents. When it is completed, it will be a model for cooperation between city officials, schools and federal agencies.

As my colleagues can imagine, Mr. Racadio's visionary work as a city manager has been widely recognized among his peers. He has served on the League of California Cities Board of Directors, and was president of the City Manager's Department of the League in 1999. He was president of the San Bernardino County City Managers Association from 1990 to 1998. He was the inaugural recipient of the James A. Thalman Memorial Public Service Award from the Inland Division of the league of cities and received numerous other awards.

Mr. Speaker, after 35 years of public service and 18 years of dedication to the City of Highland, Sam Racadio is retiring to travel with his wife of 36 years, Len. Please join me in thanking him for all he has done to make his community a better place, and wish him well in his future endeavors.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 5672, the Science, State, Justice, Commerce Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007.

This is the 10th of 11 bills the committee has brought to the House floor as we go to the Fourth of July recess. I want to praise especially Chairman Wolf as he goes about his sixth bill for this subcommittee, and Ranking Member Mollohan. These two, working together, have been a model reflective of the best of bipartisan effort in the appropriations process.

In total, this measure provides $59.8 billion in discretionary spending. The bill contains critical funding to make America more competitive by investing in science. NASA is funded at $16.7 billion, which is $462 million above last year's level. The National Science Foundation receives $6 billion, the full amount requested as part of the American Competitiveness Initiative, and an increase of $439 million from last year.

This legislation also continues the critical effort to fight the scourge of meth and prosecute the war on terror. It also provides $2.6 billion for State and local law enforcement, including $405 million to reimburse States for the cost of incarcerating illegal aliens.

The bill also includes vital funding for the Department of Commerce, the State Department, the Small Business Administration and other Federal entities.

I would like to make two additional points about this measure. First, the Members should know the SSJC bill provides $387 million for Member projects, $1.3 billion less than last year's enacted level.

Secondly, this year's bill terminates eight programs resulting in $159 million taxpayer savings.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to make one final point. Last year, the House Appropriations Committee successfully eliminated 53 programs, for a savings of $3.5 billion. Building on that record in this year's 11 spending bills, the House Appropriations Committee has proposed eliminating 95 wasteful or redundant programs, saving the American taxpayer nearly $4 billion.

Mr. Chairman, this bill is a fine product worthy of your support. I want to especially commend Mr. Mollohan for his cooperative work with the chairman and have the entire House recognize Mr. Wolf for his work on this year's bill.