Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, pharmacies play a critical role in delivering health care in America. Local pharmacists are the first line of defense in recognizing health problems and providing medical advice. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more difficult to find and retain pharmacists who will practice in rural areas. With the impending retirement of the baby boomer generation, this problem only becomes worse. It is estimated that over the next 20 years, there will be a shortage of 150,000 or more pharmacists nationwide.

We are already experiencing this problem in Kansas. Seven counties in our State do not even have one single pharmacist; and 30 other counties have only one pharmacist in the county.

During my time in Congress, I have advocated for community pharmacies, and I currently co-chair the Congressional Community Pharmacy Caucus.

I was pleased that this week the House chose to address several important issues related to the issue of pharmacists in H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Provider

Act. This legislation includes provisions that community pharmacists from across my State have been tirelessly advocating for and that are important to keeping them in business.

The Congressional Community Pharmacy Caucus worked hard to get these necessary fixes included in this legislation, and I am gratified that they were included in H.R. 6331. These provisions are included in bills that I have sponsored, and they include prompt pay. The bill requires pharmacies to be reimbursed within 14 days if clean claims are submitted electronically and 30 days if submitted in other ways.

The AMP delay, this is the average manufacturer's price, the bill delays the implementation of the provisions creating the average manufactured price that was developed by CMS and which in my opinion is a terribly flawed system. The bill delays the implementation of the AMP system until after September 30, 2009.

Finally, the bill suspends the competitive bidding requirements in the durable medical equipment program for 1 year as well, as well as exempting diabetes test supplies from being subjected to the competitive bidding process.

It is important to the health of Americans and certainly to the health of rural Kansans that the Senate promptly adopt this legislation.

Also this week, it was my pleasure to participate in a ceremonial signing of the Kansas legislation that will allocate $20 million in funding to help the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy increase the school's ability to conduct more pharmaceutical research and expand the size of the entering class at the school. Under this proposal, nearly 200 students would be able to enter the program through a satellite campus in Wichita in a new building being built on the main campus in Lawrence.

The University of Kansas has a strong reputation for retaining graduates within our State. Sixty-three percent of KU pharmacy graduates live and work in Kansas. Increasing the educational capacity will give students an opportunity to learn, and will help address pharmaceutical shortages in our State.

I would like to commend the leadership of the university, especially the dean of the School of Pharmacy, Ken Andus; Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Atkinson; Provost Richard Lavalare; and Chancellor Robert Hemenway. I would also like to thank the legislature of our State for seeing the importance of this expansion.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to commend the investment in this worthwhile project, and I ask that Congress continue to do its part to see that pharmacies remain an important component of delivering health care across America.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) for yielding me time today, and I rise in support of H.R. 3195.

In my world, in the way I look at life, all human beings, because we're created by the same God, are entitled to respect and dignity. In our framework in our country, our Constitution provides that we are entitled to certain rights. One of those, as I see it, is the right to an opportunity to succeed.

So I'm pleased that our country, in 1990, this Congress and the Senate came together with the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act. And I'm pleased today that we are here to restore certain of those rights that were believed to be there under the ADA passed in 1990. What this law will do is to require the courts to interpret this law in a fair manner.

We know that all of us are entitled to an opportunity to succeed. And I think all of us, as we look at our lives, look just for the chance to be judged based upon our own performance. We don't want special rights. We all just want to be gauged by people who judge us by what we do and how we do it and how well we do it. And so the original law and the Restoration Act today, as I see it, establishes that premise that we're all entitled to be judged based upon how we perform our tasks.

I support this legislation and am pleased by what I've heard on the floor this afternoon by the way it came about. And I appreciate being here to hear the gentleman from Maryland, the distinguished majority leader, speak about his sponsorship and authorship of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

One of my predecessors, Bob Dole, served in that similar capacity. I'd like to quote my predecessor when he spoke about the ADA and indicate that I believe that what he said then should be the words of today as well:

``This historic civil rights legislation seeks to end the unjustified segregation and exclusion of persons with disabilities from the mainstream of American life. The ADA is fair and balanced legislation that carefully blends the rights of people with disabilities with the legitimate needs of the American business community.''

Madam Speaker, I believe that's what the legislation before us does today, and again confirms the right that we all have to be judged based upon our ability to perform.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague from Washington indicated, the Government Accountability Office this afternoon confirmed what many of us thought to be true--the Air Force's process in selecting a contractor to build a new air refueling tanker was badly flawed. The GAO upheld Boeing's protest, concluding that the Air Force ``made a number of significant errors.'' The GAO recommends this contract be re-bid.

This contract was awarded several months ago, and every conversation I have had with Air Force officials raised more questions than were answered. I agree with this independent finding. The Air Force should follow the GAO's recommendation and reopen the bidding.

Awarding this contract to Boeing would create thousands of American jobs. But the bigger question is should we even allow a foreign- subsidized company to bid for U.S. military work? While the GAO rejected the Air Force's process, Congress also needs to address the broader issue of keeping manufacturing jobs in the United States.

I urge the Air Force and Congress to work to make the right choice for American jobs, American taxpayers and the American military men and women.

Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to congratulate and to pay tribute to the Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in my home State in Wichita, Kansas, for 75 years providing outstanding services and care to our Nation's heroes, our veterans.

Caring for those who have borne the battle is our Nation's utmost responsibility. And for 75 years, the Dole VA Hospital has helped our Nation honor this commitment. Let us take time today to pay tribute to the work of the Dole VA leadership staff and volunteers and the Kansas veterans they

serve each day. Veterans are the people I hold in highest regard only to be exceeded by those individuals who serve those veterans.

Under the skillful leadership of the VA Network 15 Director Dr. Peter Almenoff and hospital director Tom Sanders, the Dole VA Hospital has worked to fulfill its mission: ``To improve the health and wellbeing of veterans we are honored to serve.'' In fact, the Dole VA has received national acclaim in its service to veterans. On a recent rating of VA hospitals for quality of veterans' care, the Dole VA hospital ranked third in the Nation. Our country is fortunate to have these individuals who made the commitment to serve these veterans. What we do in Washington, D.C., pales in comparison to what these individuals do each and every day for our veterans.

On November 16, 1933, the first patient, a veteran of the Spanish- American War, was admitted to the hospital. At that time, there were 150 beds. By the end of 1933, all beds had been filled. In 2008 over 2,000 admissions were recorded at the hospital. The Center now provides a full range of primary, acute and extended care services to veterans from 59 counties in Kansas. Many of these counties make up the First Congressional District that I represent. And despite covering more than 57,000 square miles, the First District is without a VA hospital of its own. Veterans in central and western Kansas rely on the care and services provided by the Dole VA. We are blessed to have such an outstanding facility in Kansas available to those who have given so much on our behalf.

Last month, I had the opportunity to participate in the 75th anniversary jubilee in Wichita attended by the hospital's namesake, former United States Senator Bob Dole, a member of the country's greatest generation and an unending advocate for veterans. Also attending the celebration was the Veterans Department Secretary James Peake, Kansas Senators Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback, Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt, and Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer.

We listened to Dole speak of his own military service and recovery from wounds he received in World War II in a VA hospital, as well as his leadership in building the World War II Memorial, as co-chair of the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors. With his legacy of service and sacrifice to our country and its veterans, Senator Dole is an appropriate namesake and inspiration for the hard work and dedication of the leadership, staff and volunteers at the Dole VA.

Again, I wish to congratulate the Dole VA Medical Center for 75 years of care to our country's veterans. On behalf of veterans in Kansas, I thank them for their service.

Mr. Speaker, every year I conduct town hall meetings in each of the 69 counties that comprise the First District of Kansas. I want to hear what's on the minds of my constituents and receive my marching orders that I bring back to Washington, D.C.

And so now for the 12th year, I've made the rounds, some 5,000 miles with 69 town hall meetings, and I'm here on the floor tonight to visit one of those issues that has certainly been raised by Kansas voices, and I want to make certain that those voices are heard and that the commonsense that my constituents have is part of the debate on the issues that we face here in the Nation's capital.

While the issues that Kansans talk to me about every year--they change I guess from year to year a bit--one thing remains the same. Folks want to see good things happen in their own communities, and they want to see good things happen in their country.

This year, the issue I heard the most about was the high cost of energy. I heard from Kansans who can't take much more pain at the pump. Right now, prices which are expected only to increase are too high for Kansans, and it's past time in their opinion, and mine as well, for Congress to pay attention.

Farmers, truckers, manufacturers, teachers, seniors, all shared with me that something needs to change or they just can't make it. This is what I heard all across our State. Kansans are trying to get by, and their employers are struggling to keep them employed.

And it's not just about economics. It's about our foreign policy. We can look at the nightly news and see that our own foreign policy is distorted because of national security issues that

are presented by the fact that we're at the mercy of oil-rich countries, many of them who despise us.

Kansans understand that technology changes with time and so should environmental and energy policies. Exploring and drilling can be done with limited environmental impact. China, with Cuba's permission, is tapping our natural resources, our natural gas fields, right off our own coasts, where our companies are banned. They are banned even with advanced technologies and a strong commitment to see that there is no ecological disaster.

While I support increasing the domestic supply of oil and gas, I know it's not the only answer. We need to meet our country's energy needs in a diverse way. It's capturing the power of the sun. It's harnessing the wind that blows across my State of Kansas. It's using heat from within the Earth to generate electricity. All of these and many more energy sources are completely renewable. Renewable energy can create jobs at home and help our economy, improve our environment, and reduce our dependence upon foreign oil.

Energy conservation can also help. Too many of us have gotten away from the things that we always knew. Growing up, it was considered a sin in my family to leave the lights on when you weren't in the room. We need to get back to that mentality of being responsible with our energy use.

Across Kansas, folks are recognizing the benefits of conservation. Farmers are transitioning to no-till practices, which reduce the number of times the tractor passes through the field. Commuters are carpooling. Every gallon that we conserve, every degree we don't heat or cool, every empty room that doesn't have a light on, helps us reduce the demand.

I'm taking steps in my own congressional office to reduce energy use.

Tonight, I'm on the floor delivering a message from Kansans, like Brian and Laura Velasquez from the small town of Reading, Kansas, on the east side of my district:

``Dear Representative Moran, we are a middle class Kansas family. It has become more difficult the past few years for us to make ends meet in spite of increased income. Since our lifestyle has not changed, the main explanation has to be the fallout from the cost of fuel. We are not the only ones in this predicament. The U.S. is at the mercy of too many oil-rich nations that are not concerned about our welfare. This needs to change now.''

I agree with my constituents. It's clear that Americans want Congress to develop policies that increase the supply of energy, and they want Congress to encourage the development of new fuel sources. Until the supply of energy, renewable or fossil fuels, increases, prices will only continue to rise.

We must work together, not just with words but in action to promote energy conservation, develop domestic production of oil and natural gas, and aggressively pursue alternative fuels. Let all Americans know we hear their concerns and we will act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana for yielding me his time.

I am here to commend the Ways and Mean Committee's efforts to make the Tax Code more equitable to our servicemembers. However, once again, I am on the floor to express my disappointment that the bill does not include an important provision providing more affordable housing opportunities for our servicemembers and their families.

This fix to the Tax Code that is missing from this legislation would prevent lower income military personnel from being discriminated against when applying for affordable housing built under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. There is a strong need for the tax bill that we are considering today, but the Senate will not approve it without this additional provision.

A number of military installations across the country are experiencing housing shortages as a result of the 2005 BRAC.

Fort Riley, an Army post located in the State of Kansas, is nearly doubling its size with an influx of 30,000 soldiers, family members and civilian workers.

When these new soldiers live outside the fort, they receive a military housing allowance for the use in paying rent. Though the Tax Code does not treat this housing allowance as taxable income, it is considered income when determining a military family's eligibility to live in facilities financed by low-income housing tax credits. The result is that many servicemembers, particularly our enlisted ones, are considered to earn too much income and thus are disqualified from accessing this affordable housing program. However, comparative low- income civilians receiving section 8 housing vouchers are more likely to qualify for this same housing. This is because, unlike the military housing subsidy, the Tax Code exempts section 8 assistance from being considered income.

Our Nation's military families deserve access to safe, decent, affordable housing, and they should be given a fair opportunity to qualify for it. Last December the Senate acted to fix this inequality, and the Senate included in their version of this legislation a provision exempting military housing allowance from income eligibility requirements when qualifying for affordable housing.

Under this Senate provision, the Governor of each State would be allowed to make this exemption if he or she determines that it is needed for a certain military installation within that State. This Senate provision is patterned after USDA's WIC nutrition programs for women, children and infants, and provides State agencies a similar option for WIC eligibility. Unfortunately, the House majority's refusal to include this provision has stalled this important tax legislation from moving forward.

The men and women serving our Nation are waiting for us to act, and I hope that the changes made by the Senate, which narrow the scope of the provision, will address many of the majority's concerns and a compromise can be reached. Until then, military families who are applying to live in affordable housing continue to encounter this discrimination.

While I will vote for H.R. 6081, our military men and women deserve a better shot at affordable housing.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Hare for his leadership on passage of this bill and my colleagues and staff on the House Veterans Affairs Committee for their support. I joined Congressman Hare as an original cosponsor of H.R. 2790. This bill creates a full-time Director of PA Services within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This legislation is beneficial in improving patient care for our Nation's veterans, ensuring that the 1,600 PAs employed by the VA are fully utilized to provide veterans medical care.

As a Member of Congress who represents one of the most rural districts in the country, I know that physician assistants are a key to providing medical care in underserved areas. Often, they are the only health care professional available. PAs help ensure those who live in our communities receive timely access to quality health care.

I want to be certain that PAs are appropriately utilized by the VA to serve our veterans. Like our armed forces that have full-time directors of PA services, this legislation will establish a dedicated expert in the VA Central Office. This PA Director will work to fully integrate the profession into VA health care, ensuring PAs have a stronger voice in the VA so they can better serve our veterans and their patients.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor late this afternoon to express my concern with the United States Air Force's decision to award the $35 billion contract to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers to a foreign-led consortium of companies over a proposal put forth by American-based Boeing.

As I stand here today, Americans across the country are hopefully receiving in the mail our effort to stimulate the U.S. economy, that $600 check. Why, during this time when we're trying to address the issue of our economy and create jobs, is our government outsourcing a multi-billion dollar tanker contract to a foreign company instead of creating those jobs here in America?

The Air Force's selection of European Aeronautic Defence and Space will lead to about 19,000 aerospace jobs in Europe. This decision has a significant impact, of course, in my home State of Kansas. Boeing's finishing and test center for tankers would take place in Wichita. Throughout the State, local suppliers would provide support services and parts for Boeing. In Kansas alone, Boeing's proposal would create or sustain 3,800 jobs and $145 million annually, important investments that Europe now stands to gain.

Not only is the Air Force's decision a blow to American jobs, it's bad for our servicemembers and bad for the American taxpayer. Now that we've had a chance to look at the Air Force's analysis, we see how badly flawed the tanker selection competition was. The result is that the Air Force chose a tanker that is higher cost, higher risk, less capable, less survivable, and less efficient.

Boeing has filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office. I have listened to the explanation of the Air Force and the Department of Defense officials and I remain unconvinced that this was a fair competition. And so we now eagerly await GAO's results later this summer.

In the meantime, the Air Force's decision has raised questions that Congress should address. How does this decision impact America's economic security? How does it impact our military security? What are the national security effects of outsourcing critical military work to France and other foreign countries that often oppose our country's foreign policy? Should the Department of Defense's procurement process take into account billions of WTO-disputed foreign subsidies that give foreign manufacturers heavily weighted advantage in these competitions?

Air Force refueling tankers allow our military to operate around the world. In this day and age, the importance of modernizing our aging tanker fleet with the best available option cannot be overstated. In the coming weeks and months, I urge my colleagues in Congress to work to ensure that the right choice is made for Americans and America's military men and women.

Madam Speaker, today, the House of Representatives debated the conference report on what we in Kansas call the farm bill. Here in Washington, it's now called the Food, Conservation, Energy Security Act, and I note that the word ``farm'' is now missing from the farm bill.

As I indicate to Kansans, there probably is no more important piece of legislation that this Congress will consider than the 2008 farm bill from a Kansas perspective. Certainly, not every Kansan is a farmer, not every Kansan is a rancher, but agriculture is the backbone of the Kansas economy, and policies that we determine here today in the House of Representatives and tonight later in the Senate affect the Kansas economy and a way of life that we have revered in our State for generations.

Agriculture is not only a business. It's not only a way of earning a living. In fact, it's a very difficult way of earning a living. It is the opportunity that we have in our State for sons and daughters to work side-by-side with moms and dads. It's the opportunity for us to pass on values from one generation to the next.

And today, Madam Speaker, I worry that the legislation that we will soon be sending to the President is inadequate to meet the needs of Kansas producers and American agriculture.

In the 2002 farm bill, we passed a security net, a safety net for our farmers, and it's a three-pronged approach to making certain that our farmers are secure and have an opportunity to survive in difficult times, whether those times are difficult because of low commodity prices or difficult because the weather does not cooperate.

And today, Madam Speaker, we chose to reduce that security, that safety net that provides Kansans a future.

I had two criteria in trying to determine whether or not the farm bill was something I should vote for. One: Is this farm bill better? Is the 2007, now 2008, farm bill better than the one that was adopted by Congress in 2002? And clearly, the answer to that is no.

And the second criteria comes from listening to farmers for the last 2 and 3 years about what a new farm bill should look like. In fact, I listened to American producers from across the country. Since the passage of the last farm bill, I've chaired or been the ranking Republican, Republican leader on the subcommittee responsible for all farm programs and participated in 15 hearings across the country. And what I heard time and time again, especially from the folks back home is, whatever you do, Jerry, make certain that we don't lose the direct payment and make certain that crop insurance remains a viable option for us to protect

ourselves from risk. And unfortunately, once again, those two criteria were not met today.

So Madam Speaker, I pledge to my colleagues in the House of Representatives, and particularly my friends on the House Agriculture Committee, to continue to work in a very strong and bipartisan way to see if we can't improve the lives of farmers in Kansas and States across the country.

I served on the conference committee that provided the report that we have had before us today, and I offered amendments and supported amendments that I think would make significant improvements in the 2008 farm bill. They were rejected on straight, party-line votes, and it's a sad day for me because I've always enjoyed my work in the Agriculture Committee because I care about farmers and ranchers, and I care about their way of life. But never has our committee been partisan, and again, I pledge myself to work with my colleagues to see if we can restore the days in which we were in this together on behalf of American agriculture.

Madam Speaker, it's my belief that if we're going to spend as much money as we spend in this farm bill, which is a significant sum of money, we ought to spend it in much more wise and prudent ways than this conference report provides. We owe it to farmers across the country, and we owe it to the taxpayers of this Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a man who positively influenced the future of central Kansas and in the process touched the lives of thousands of his fellow citizens.

It is a privilege for me to pay tribute to the life of Mr. Dane Britton of Ellsworth, Kansas.

As Kansans, we are dutifully aware of our State motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera, which translates, ``To the Stars Through Difficulties.'' Dane lived this theme with passion.

In 1975, at only 23 years of age, Dane was named Police Officer of the Year for Houston, Texas. Five years later, Dane returned home to Ellsworth to serve as president and chief executive officer of Citizens State Bank--representing the third generation of his family's leadership at the bank. At the same time, Dane stepped forward as a civic leader in his hometown. He was instrumental in securing construction and expansion of the Ellsworth Correctional Facility. His efforts helped bring Cashco, a manufacturing firm, to the community and helped prevent closure of the Independent Salt Company in Kanopolis, Kansas. Dane also provided leadership for construction of the local Performing Arts Center and the Ellsworth Fire Station. As a member of the Ellsworth City Council, Dane led an effort to establish 911 emergency services to the community. He also served as chairman of the board for Smoky Hills Public Television.

In 1988, Dane was appointed Director of Security and Drug Enforcement for the U.S. Department of the Interior. In that role, he oversaw law enforcement responsibilities for all interior department lands-- including two presidential emergency centers. In 1992, Dane was selected as one of two Eisenhower Fellows and in so doing became the first Kansan ever chosen for this honor.

Later, Dane moved to Salina, Kansas, where he worked as a stock broker and again established a leadership presence in the community. Dane was elected chairman of the Salina Planning Commission and served on the Salina Community Theater Board of Directors.

Dane touched the lives of many people. His civic leadership was marked by strategic thinking, passion and a willingness to work to make certain that good things happen.

``What he did for Ellsworth was incredible,'' said Nick Slechta, director of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce and a longtime friend of Dane's. ``He was very proficient in everything he did. He put so much gusto into every part of his work.'' I can think of no finer tribute.

Dane's dedication to his community, the State of Kansas and our country was exceptional. I join Dane's many friends and admirers in extending my deepest sympathies to his family during their time of loss.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am here today with my colleague the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moore) as we commend and congratulate an amazing year at the University of Kansas in its Department of Athletics with an earlier victory at the Orange Bowl in the football program followed up by a victory by our basketball team at the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas, just a few weeks ago. We're anxious to have the Jayhawks--the players, the team, and school athletic officials--here so that our colleagues from Congress can greet and congratulate them, and we hope that happens in the near future. And we are also expecting that the President will invite the Jayhawks to the White House for the traditional commendation from the President of the United States.

I, of course, support House Resolution 1096 commending my alma mater, the University of Kansas. It's been a long time for Kansas Jayhawk basketball fans since ``Danny Manning and the Miracles'' shocked the sporting world and defeated the Oklahoma Sooners and won KU's last basketball championship. In that time since 1988, KU has had many memorable moments but also some real heartbreaks as at times it came up just a bit short in returning the championship trophy back to Kansas.

On April 7 the Jayhawks were trailing the Memphis Tigers 60-51 with 2:12 left in regulation. Then began one of the most amazing comebacks that we have seen in the history of basketball and one of the most memorable college basketball experiences. With just 2.1 seconds left in regulation, Final Four MVP Mario Chalmers hit a game-tying 3 point shot. It was the exact scenario that every young kid dreams of when practicing shooting those baskets in their home driveway. KU went on to defeat Memphis 75-68 to claim its fifth national championship to the jubilation of Kansans everywhere.

In our State we have a number of choices for students to attend college and a lot of rivalries within our State. Two of the greatest rivalries, Kansas State University and their outstanding program, as well as the University of Kansas and their program. But even our Wildcat fans and K State supporters were pleased and proud of the Kansas victory. Forty thousand fans celebrated that night in Lawrence, and later close to a hundred thousand Kansans came across our State to share in the Jayhawk victory parade in Lawrence, Kansas.

I should also mention that the class that all Kansans showed that night in celebrating, Kansans were typical Kansans that evening, well behaved but in a great mood of celebration.

The University of Kansas has one of the most distinguished histories in college basketball. The founder of basketball, Dr. James Naismith, was the first coach at the University of Kansas, and he was also the only coach in KU's history to ever have a losing season. This is KU's fifth national championship, and they've been to the Final Four 13 times and have captured an astounding 51 conference titles in history.

My congratulations to the chancellor of the university, my friend Bob Hemenway; and to my friend the athletic director, Lew Perkins; Coach Bill Self; the assistant coaches Danny Manning, Joe Dooley, Kurtis Townsend, Brett Ballard, and Ronnie Chalmers; and the outstanding KU basketball team.

All Kansans are proud. We commend you on this amazing year and your success. And as the congressman from Kansas (Mr. Moore) says, ``Rock Chalk Jayhawk.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to share an inspirational story about a community coming together in a time of need. Like Americans across the country, Kansas families are burdened with the rising cost of fuel, healthcare, and other basic needs.

The Bible Christian Church of Garden City raised funds to help reduce the pain many Kansas families are facing at the pump by lowering the price $0.40 a gallon at a local Shell gas station. They allowed as many residents to participate in the event in 1 hour as possible. The turnout was so great that the hour was extended for those who waited in line throughout the hour and didn't make it through.

In addition to giving a discount on gas, Bible Christian Church held its third annual Community Day of Service. Many free services were provided in the church's Family Life Center, such as hair cuts for children; hearing, dental, and vision screenings; cancer screenings and bone marrow registry, along with free clothing.

I would like to recognize members of the Bible Christian Church, community physicians, and local residents for their time and efforts in their act of services to the Garden City community.

While Washington remains divided on ways to help the needy, it is small acts of generosity like this that our Nation can be proud of and encourage. Even the smallest deeds are a step in the right direction.

Madam Speaker, I rise before you today in remembrance of the late Lydia Porubsky who passed away February 11th at the age of 83. Mrs. Porubsky was known across Topeka, Kansas, for a chili recipe and her 6-day-a-week presence at Porubsky's Grocery and Meats.

Lydia, alongside her husband of 49 years, Charles, Sr., operated Porubsky's until Charles' death in 1998. Lydia, however, continued to be a fixture in the deli. She was the person every customer remembered thanks to her positions behind the counter and at the cash register. An amazing thing about Lydia is that she remembered you as well. The conversations and the small-talk she would engage in only enhanced the experience of eating at Porubsky's.

Porubsky's is also known for their great food. Not the least of which is the chili. Porubsky's developed a reputation over the years as having some of the most delicious chili in the area. According The Topeka Capital-Journal, Porubsky's was featured in Gourmet Magazine. This publication's editors discovered what the people of Kansas had been enjoying for over 60 years. Gourmet Magazine summed it up as well as anyone when it stated, ``Porubsky's is not just a place to eat. It is a destination in itself.'' While the magazine was referring specifically to the food, people familiar with Porubsky's knew that Lydia was also a star attraction.

My personal experience with the Porubskys dates back to my time in the Kansas legislature. Several of my fellow legislators and I would make the trip to Porubsky's during our breaks. Meeting from January through June meant that we had at least 3 full months to truly enjoy Porubsky's hot chili and spicy pickles. With meat and cheese trays displayed, the restaurant was a warm respite from the cold and a welcome break from our political and governmental dealings.

But in a city with many dining options, it was Lydia's genuine interest in us that kept us coming back. Even today, as I travel Kansas, I will alter my plans so that I can have a ham salad sandwich at Porubsky's and enjoy this family's warm welcome and hospitality.

While Porubsky's and many family-owned establishments like it lack the bells and whistles of nationwide chains, the underlying quality that truly matters is the collection of people it takes to make it work. Charles Sr. and Lydia provided us with a model of small business ownership. My home State of Kansas is no stranger to family-owned and - operated undertakings. Our economy was built by people like the Porubskys, who knew that if they did not work for it, it was not going to be given to them. Their love of family and the city of Topeka will never be forgotten.

This staple of Topeka enterprise will continue through the efforts of the Porubskys' sons, Matthew, Charlie, Jr., Mark, alongside the Porubsky's daughters Cecelia Pierson and Teresa Thomas who have all made their homes in Topeka. This restaurant, this way of life must be remembered and admired, Madam Speaker. We all know a ``Lydia Porubsky'' in our lives. Every one of us has someone who reminds us of what is really important as our lives and our jobs continue to speed up. I am sorry that my Lydia Porubsky has passed on. I am thankful for having had the chance to know her and her family. This woman, this business, will remain a part of our greater Kansas community and will enjoy a special place in my heart.

Madam Speaker, please join me in celebrating the life of Lydia Porubsky, offering our sympathy to her family, and praying for the continued success of Porubsky's Grocery and Meats.

Madam Speaker, sports fans across the country likely know the University of Kansas for its winning tradition in men's basketball and recently for the success of its football team that won the 2008 Orange Bowl. While these are accomplishments Kansans are proud of, I want to draw attention today to the impressive talents and accomplishments in the University's aerospace engineering program.

Earlier this year, at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 46th Annual Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, two University of Kansas students and one professor were honored for excellence in aircraft design, aeronautics research and instruction.

Nobuya Nishio, an aerospace engineering student, won first place in the international aircraft design competition for designing an eye- catching two-seat airplane with a 300-mile range capable of traveling 143 miles per hour. Nobuya is the eighteenth student from the University of Kansas to place first in this competition since 1968.

Another Kansas student, Roelof Vos received the Abe M. Zarem Award for Aeronautics Research. Roelof's groundbreaking

work on actuators will enhance the ability of airplanes to fly through turbulent air while maintaining smooth flight. In addition to the improvements this will bring to passenger comfort, planes will benefit from the new actuator technology by experiencing less airframe fatigue, which leads to less stressed aircraft, safer flight and ultimately lower cost air travel.

Both of these students were under the instruction and mentorship of Dr. Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering. Professor Barrett received the Abe M. Zarem Educator Award in recognition of his outstanding instruction. His research focuses on flight control using adaptive aerostructures that have been integrated in high speed, high precision flight control systems and are ideal for countermunitions. Professor Barrett's lab is the only academic facility in the country that specializes in these countermunitions that protect our Armed Forces by intercepting mortars and other weapons.

American economic competitiveness is strengthened as more students study and excel in the academic areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. I join Kansans in congratulating Nobuya, Roelof and Professor Barrett for their outstanding creativity, insight and hard work. Jayhawks not only excel in athletics but fly high in the classroom, as well.

Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives is considering an important piece of legislation. H.R. 4220, the Federal Food Donation Act of 2007 is a step in the right direction towards feeding the hungry in our nation. It is unacceptable that here in the richest nation in the world American children go to bed hungry while perfectly good food goes to waste. I am proud to be a sponsor of this bill--a bill that will not solve all hunger, but will solve some people's hunger.

I want to thank Mrs. Emerson for introducing the Federal Food Donation Act. The bill will help the efforts of nonprofit organizations serving the hungry. Agencies and contractors are encouraged to donate safe and wholesome food to nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to food-insecure people, while avoiding another mandate or further layer of bureaucracy. In order to help protect donors, the bill provides that executive agencies and contractors making donations are protected from civil or criminal liability

While donating unused food is a good step in combating hunger in America, the fight is not over.