Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated public servant in Chester County, Pennsylvania who has retired after more than 20 years of loyal service in law enforcement.

Lieutenant Matthew John Gordon started his law enforcement career with the Parkesburg Police Department and has faithfully served the City of Coatesville Police Department since 1989.

Lieutenant Gordon earned the respect of fellow officers and elected officials with his outstanding work ethic and exemplary police work throughout his distinguished career.

In addition to protecting the citizens of Coatesville, he also served as Commander of the Chester County Emergency Response Team since its inception in 2002.

Colleagues and friends will celebrate Lieutenant Gordon's career accomplishments and wish him well in retirement on May 8, 2009 during a dinner at St. Anthony's Lodge in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in praising the outstanding service and dedication of Lieutenant Matthew John Gordon, and all those who take an oath to serve and protect their communities.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2009 inductees to the Phoenixville Area School District Wall of Fame.

Thomas R. Ramsey Jr. and Leo J. Scoda are well-deserving recipients of this honor thanks to their outstanding service to students and constant commitment to improving the quality of life in the community.

Mr. Ramsey, a Phoenixville native, has shared his knowledge of television broadcasting with high school students since 2002, helping launch Phantom Television. In addition to informing students and staff with daily morning announcements, the station provides great coverage of concerts, sports and other scholastic events. Mr. Ramsey also gives back to the community through his service on Schuylkill River Heritage Center Board and the Donald J.L. Coppedge Scholarship Committee.

Mr. Scoda dedicated 35 years to teaching biology at Phoenixville Area High School where he also guided the boys' tennis team to amazing 196-0 record in PAC 10 play and 33 Chest-Mont and PAC 10 league championships. He also has been most active in civic life by serving as Mayor of the Borough of Phoenixville since 1998.

The school district and community members will honor the two men during an induction ceremony on May 5, 2009 at Phoenixville Area High School.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in congratulating Thomas R. Ramsey Jr. and Leo J. Scoda for their tremendous community spirit and exemplary dedication to the youth of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the parents, students and faculty at Great Valley Middle School for earning the outstanding distinction of being named one of the nation's Schools to Watch.

Just 11 schools in Pennsylvania and 170 schools in the United States have been recognized as Schools to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.

This honor demonstrates that Great Valley has an exceptionally talented team of teachers and administrators, involved parents committed to making education a priority and hard-working students determined to make the most of their educational opportunities.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing the Great Valley Middle School for this much-deserved national honor and for the school's constant commitment to excellence in education.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Chester County resident Alicia Fox on her installation as Governor of the Northeast Potomac District of Pilot International.

Alicia has earned the promotion to this distinguished post with more than 22 years of dedicated service to her community and a faithful commitment to the mission of Pilot International.

Admired by peers in the Pilot Club of Valley Forge for her willingness to provide countless hours of volunteer service, Alicia has taught 4H students the craft of sewing, started and supervised an after-school program for local elementary school students and served several years on the board of a local Boy Scout Troop.

She also has selflessly served her church by teaching Sunday school, preparing children for sacraments, caring for the linens and as a member of the Finance Committee.

Alicia will become Governor of the Northeast Potomac District during a ceremony on May 3, 2009.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in congratulating Alicia Fox on this tremendous achievement and recognizing her outstanding volunteer spirit and drive to improve the quality of life in her community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated educator whose outstanding leadership and guidance has prepared countless teachers for rewarding classroom careers. Dr. Elsa Geskus will be retiring from Kutztown University in Berks County, Pennsylvania after serving the last 12 years as Chairwoman of the Elementary Education Department. She has earned the respect of her fellow faculty members for excellent leadership, scholarship and service.

Colleagues also praised Dr. Geskus for securing national accreditation for the Department and authoring an accreditation report

used as a model for colleges and universities throughout the country by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Another highlight of her tenure at Kutztown was establishing the Philadelphia Masters in Elementary Education Graduate Program. This program helped 64 Philadelphia teachers obtain master degrees from Kutztown and led to developing similar programs for teachers in Reading and Allentown.

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Geskus was active in several national organizations, including the Middle States Steering Committee, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the College of Education.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in honoring the distinguished career of Dr. Elsa Geskus and all who commit themselves to teaching others.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an ambulance corps that is celebrating 65 years of faithfully serving communities in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Volunteer Medical Services Corps of Lower Merion, Narberth, Conshohocken and West Conshohocken provides critical care services in a 49 square-mile area and responds to more than 7,200 calls for help each year.

The dedicated and highly-skilled first responders stand ready to answer calls at all hours, in the sweltering heat of summer and the frigid depths of winter, and on some of suburban Philadelphia's most heavily traveled highways, including the Schuylkill Expressway and the Blue Route.

Since its founding in 1944, Volunteer Medical Services Corps has remained true to its mission of providing the highest quality care to each patient its members transport with compassion and dignity.

The Corps owes a large measure of its success to more than 70 volunteers who selflessly give approximately 8,000 hours of service each year.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in congratulating Volunteer Medical Services Corps of Lower Merion, Narberth, Conshohocken and West Conshohocken on its 65th anniversary and acknowledging the tremendous commitment and service of its volunteers and professional staff.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Exton resident Elmer Duckinfield, whose tremendous volunteer spirit and constant compassion have earned him the 2009 Safe Harbor Andrew Dinniman Humanitarian Award.

Elmer first served his country in the Army and Navy and has not stopped looking out for others since that time. He is a founding volunteer and a former Board Member at Safe Harbor, which is a nonprofit shelter serving single homeless men and women in the West Chester area.

Safe Harbor is not the only nonprofit agency benefitting from Elmer's genuine charity, humility and drive to make the world a kinder place for everyone. He has eagerly helped more than 70 nonprofit agencies in southeastern Pennsylvania during the last year, logging more than 15,000 miles in his car and contributing countless hours.

Whether it is collecting bread and pastries for St. Agnes Parish, safely driving pregnant homeless women to emergency shelters or tracking down donations to replace an industrial dishwasher at Safe Harbor, Elmer always stands ready to help anyone in need.

Elmer will receive his much-deserved humanitarian award during the Safe Harbor Gala on Saturday, April 18 in the Atrium of QVC.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in honoring Elmer Duckinfield for his exemplary service and never-ending desire to improve the lives of others and the quality of life in his community through outstanding acts of kindness.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, Consolidated Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009. These earmarks are all multi-member requests and national projects/ programs.

commerce, justice and science

Delaware River Basin Commission, P.O. Box 7360, West Trenton, NJ-- $235,000--Funding for the Delaware River Enhanced Flood Warning System. The funding will be used to assist the Delaware River Basin Commission, in conjunction with NOAA/NWS, USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the enhancement of the basin's flood warning system. This enhancement will include the evaluation and improvement of existing precipitation and stream gage networks, development of additional NOAA flood forecast points in both non-tidal and tidal stream reaches, and merger of GIS and Doppler radar technology to improve flash flood warning capabilities for smaller watersheds.

energy and water

Mid-Atlantic River Commissions, Delaware River Basin Commission, P.O. Box 7360, West Trenton, NJ--$2,365,000--This funding is necessary to fulfill the federal government's obligation to provide an equitable share of funding for the commissions, as required under their compacts. This funding will enable the commissions to implement critically important water resources management projects and activities in the national interest.

labor health and human services and education

National Writing Project Corporation, University of California, 2105 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA--$24,291,000--It is my understanding that the funding would be used to fund programs in teacher development, quality writing, and research to help improve student performance in writing.

Reach Out and Read National Center, 56 Roland Street, Boston, MA-- $4,965,000--It is my understanding that the funding would be used for the purposes authorized in Section 5411-5414 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Center for Civic Education, 5145 Douglas Fir Road, Calabasas, CA-- $25,095,000--It is my understanding that the funding would be used to support the We the People program and the Cooperative Education Exchange, the purposes of which are authorized by the Education for Democracy Act (Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Sections 2341- 2346).

National Council on Economic Education, 1140 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 202, New York, NY--$5,019,000--It is my understanding that the funding would be used to support the Cooperative Education Exchange, the purposes of which are authorized by the Education for Democracy Act (Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Sections 2341-2346).

National History Day, 0119 Cecil Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD--$500,000--It is my understanding that the funding would be used to expand and improve National History Day, a year-long non-profit education program, focused on grades 6-12, that works with both students and teachers to improve the teaching and learning of history in schools.

Reading is Fundamental, Inc., 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC--$24,803,000--It is my understanding that the funding would be used for the purposes authorized in Section 5451 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to support and promote programs, which include the distribution of inexpensive books to young and school-age children, that motivate children to read.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated public servant in Chester County, Pennsylvania, who has retired after 33 years of loyal service in law enforcement.

Detective Lester J. Neri started his career in 1975 with the Springfield Township Police Department and faithfully served the Tredyffrin Township Police Department for the last 27 years.

Detective Neri earned the respect of fellow officers and supervisors with his outstanding leadership and analytical skills over the course of his distinguished career.

He has been a tremendous asset to the department due to his wide range of skills, including crisis negotiations, homicide investigations, undercover investigative techniques and fingerprint processing.

Despite retiring in December, Detective Neri continues to serve the 42,000 men and women who pin on a badge each day in his position as State President of the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in praising the outstanding service and dedication of Detective Lester J. Neri, and all those who take an oath to serve and protect their communities.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, Consolidated Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009.

Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development--FTA Priority

Consideration Projects

$6 million for the Ardmore Transportation Center--Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority--123 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ``Nothwithstanding any other provision of law, the funding made available for the Ardmore Transportation Center through the U.S. Department of Transportation Appropriations Acts for Federal Fiscal Year 2005 shall remain available for that project during fiscal year 2009.''

$1 million for the Coatesville Train Station--City of Coatesville-- One City Hall Place, Coatesville, Pennsylvania. ``Nothwithstanding any other provision of law, the funding made available for the Coatesville Train Station through the U.S. Department of Transportation Appropriations Acts for Federal Fiscal Year 2006 shall remain available for that project during fiscal year 2009.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Silver Springs-Martin Luther School on its 150th Anniversary and to recognize the tremendous dedication of staff, administrators, Board of Trustees and supporters of this outstanding facility.

Founded in 1859 in Philadelphia with just one dollar and gritty determination to serve orphaned children, the 36-acre campus in Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County provides a home, treatment, education and a variety of services to very special, traumatized children and their families.

The extremely dedicated and talented staff at Silver Springs-Martin Luther School, combined with the excellent foster family care, special education school and family resource services, help so many wonderful children overcome the steep challenges they face in their early years.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing the Silver Springs-Martin Luther School for reaching this extraordinary milestone and in commending the exemplary efforts of the staff, administrators, Board of Trustees and supporters in providing a nurturing and healing environment so that children facing long odds can achieve their full potential.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, Consolidated Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009.

Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development

Downingtown Borough, 4-10 West Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown, Pennsylvania--$712,500 for a bridge over Brandywine Creek. The bridge will extend Boot Road over Brandywine Creek allowing access to a proposed redevelopment site that will bring jobs and attract businesses to Chester County's only Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ). It is critical to the revitalization plans of the borough.

Valley Forge Park National Historical Park, 1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania--$142,500 for the construction of a bridge over Valley Creek for Loop Trail. This project will complete the final link in Valley Forge National Historical Park's Joseph Plumb Martin Trail (JPMT), which receives 960,000 visits annually. The Missing Link will connect the JPMT with three other popular hiking and recreational trails and with two popular parking areas at Knox's Quarters and the Mount Misery trailhead. The new trail will enable visitors to walk, jog, or bicycle around the entire park without having to travel along dangerous state highways. This will greatly improve visitor safety and enhance the visitor experience through reduced exposure to high-volume traffic and the increased availability of recreational options.

Borough of Boyertown, 100 S. Washington Street, Boyertown, Pennsylvania--$475,000 for Main Street streetscape improvements. Boyertown is a Main Street designated community under the Main Street program of the Pennsylvania Department of Economic Development. The purpose of the designation is to revitalize the downtown commercial district to promote a stable, safe, and pleasant shopping and living area to be enjoyed but not only the borough but surrounding communities.

Historic Yellow Springs, PO Box 62, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania-- $142,500 for parking and street enhancements at Historic Yellow Springs. The funding will help to further revitalize the community with projects to enhance

parking and to help renovate their facilities. The mission of Historic Yellow Springs is to share, preserve, and celebrate the unique living village of Yellow Springs by focusing on history, arts, education and the environment.

Montgomery County Community College, 340 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania--$237,500 for continued expansion of their West Campus in the borough of Pottstown. This funding will allow for Montgomery County Community College's further expansion of workforce development and transfer programming to help residents in Pottstown Borough and greater tri-county area of Montgomery, Chester, and Berks counties.

Agriculture

The Rodale Institute, 611 Siegfriedale Rd., Kutztown, Pennsylvania-- $42,000 for continued Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi research. The funding will help further Rodale's research which they believe has helped to determine that using biological farming methods instead of chemical methods will produce cleaner air and safer drinking water.

Commerce, Justice and Science

Berks County Community Foundation, PO Box 212, Reading, Pennsylvania--$200,000 for the Reading Police K9 Unit. The funding will be used to further develop the Reading Police K9 Unit and help meet its future financial needs for the purpose of crime reduction in the City of Reading.

Exeter Police Department, 4975 Demoss Road, Exeter, Pennsylvania-- $250,000 for the Berks County Emergency Response Team (BCERT). Funding will be used to purchase equipment necessary for the formation of a Berks County emergency response team. The team and equipment that will be bought with this funding will help protect the lives of police officers and other first responders during the resolution of high-risk incidents and serving arrest and search warrants.

Alvernia College, 540 Upland Avenue, Reading, Pennsylvania--$600,000 for the South Reading Youth Initiative. The funding will be used to assist at-risk youth by promoting programs that teach them to expand their ability to think logically and critically, to comprehend accurately, and to communicate effectively.

American Library Association, 1615 New Hampshire Ave. NW, First Floor, Washington, DC--$258,000 for the All Kids Count program. The funding will be used to develop a series of four films dedicated to educating parents how to keep their children safe and informing children how to protect themselves against abduction, internet predators and targeted school violence.

Police Athletic League of Norristown, PO Box 685, Norristown, Pennsylvania--$92,000 for PAL youth programs in Norristown. The funding will be used to continue the high-quality, low-cost programs that are offered to the youth (ages 5-18) of the Norristown Area. Programs and activities are offered that cover educational, artistic and recreational interests.

Energy and Water

Alvernia College, 540 Upland Avenue, Reading, Pennsylvania--$570,900 for scientific instrumentation initiatives. The funding will be used for essential investigative equipment for an interdisciplinary forensic science and criminalistics training laboratory, an environmental research laboratory, a fuels and energy research laboratory, a human anatomy and physiology laboratory, and a mathematics laboratory, that will help Alvernia in broadening its scientific offerings.

Albright College, 13th & Bern Sts, P.O. Box 15234, Reading, Pennsylvania--$380,600 for science instrumentation and construction of three student independent research labs dedicated to biology, chemistry and biochemistry and physics.

Financial Services

Delaware County Community College, 901 South Media Line Road, Media, Pennsylvania--$300,000 for a small business solutions center. The funding will be used to continue the Center's operations as well as expand its programs. Specifically, the Center will develop and deliver a series of entrepreneurial programs for students enrolled in DCCC's trade programs (i.e., plumbing, electrical, carpentry, HVAC, automotive technology, and welding) since these students have consistently asked for more training in starting their own small businesses.

Interior and Environment

City of Reading, 815 Washington Street, Reading, Pennsylvania-- $500,000 for the Reading Waste Water Treatment Plant. The funding will be used to consolidate screening and grit removal operations, the impact of future environmental regulations, the need for security improvements, and the potential for improved efficiencies associated with new control systems.

Labor Health and Human Services and Education

Phoenixville Community Education Foundation, PO Box 809, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania--$147,000 for remedial after school math and reading education. Funding will be used to provide remedial summer and afterschool programming for students in grades K-12 who are not proficient in math and reading on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), the states standardized test.

I-LEAD, Inc., 525 Penn St., Reading, Pennsylvania--$143,000 for the College Without Walls program. The College Without Walls program delivers I-LEAD's leadership curriculum via an accelerated Associates Degree in Leadership Studies in students' neighborhoods of residence through partnerships with local nonprofit organizations. The program includes Vocational training opportunities in healthcare, including a cutting-edge vocational ESL program, leverages workforce development dollars to build long-term careers in high-demand industries for low- income workers. For those who do not have a high school diploma, I-LEAD offers GED classes and support to equip local residents to take the next step toward economic independence and family and community stability by furthering their education.

Chester County Hospital, 701 East Marshall Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania--$428,000 for facilities and equipment. The funding will be used to add 72 inpatient beds and will allow the hospital to centralize and update all of its surgical facilities and services.

Central Pennsylvania African American Museum, 119 N. 10th Street, Reading, Pennsylvania--$238,000 for exhibits relating to the Underground Railroad. Funding will be used to educate the public regarding African American History including inventions, contributions to society and the world, with special emphasis on telling the Underground Railroad story and record the history of local African Americans.

Chester County Historical Society (CCHS), 225 North High Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania--$190,000 for a community historical education initiative in the County. Funding will be used to modernize and broaden education and other outreach services to better address the changing needs, expectations, and demographics of the community.

Pocopson Township Historical Committee, PO Box 1, Pocopson, Pennsylvania--$214,000 for exhibits and curriculum development at the Locust Grove Schoolhouse. The Pocopson Township Historical Committee works to identify and encourage the preservation of historical resources within the Township through education and community involvement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding southeastern Pennsylvania municipality celebrating its centennial anniversary.

East Norriton Township, Montgomery County, is a 6.1-square mile municipality that was established on March 9, 1909. However, East Norriton's roots can be traced back to the early days of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The vast tract where East Norriton is located was one of William Penn's early manors known as Williamstadt. The Township's long history includes a direct connection to America's courageous fight for independence. George Washington visited his wounded troops at Bartle Bartleson's Tavern along Germantown Pike during the Revolutionary War, according to historians.

As the region grew, a number of additional municipalities did as well. Eventually, East Norriton was formally incorporated in 1909 when it was carved out of the larger municipality known as Norriton Township.

Residents have been commemorating the 100th anniversary with events throughout the past year and will continue their celebration on Friday, February 20, 2009 with a Centennial Celebration Dinner.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in congratulating the Township on its momentous anniversary and extending best wishes for continuing prosperity, harmony and quality of life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. K. Cyrus Melikian of Haverford, Pennsylvania, who died of heart failure on November 27, 2008.

Mr. Melikian's parents escaped the 1919 Armenian massacre and immigrated to Philadelphia shortly before he was born. After graduating from Northeast High School, he attended the University of Pennsylvania and then served in the military.

Mr. Melikian developed the concept of a coffee vending machine while serving in the Army Air Force at Wright Field in Ohio during World War II. He and an officer, Lloyd K. Rudd, were annoyed that the PX was not serving coffee. After their discharge in 1946, Mr. Melikian and Mr. Rudd successfully devised and created an automatic coffee dispenser to the delight of the many football fans who purchased their coffee for 10 cents a cup outside of Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

As their success grew, Mr. Melikian and Rudd sold their company in 1967. Then with the help of his sons, he established Automatic Brewers & Coffee Devices. At ABCD, Mr. Melikian developed pods for single or double orders of espresso, coffee-pod packaging machines and brewers, and coffee-bean grinders integrated into brewers.

His other inventions included a commercial microwave oven and an ice dispenser for soda cups in vending machines. He was responsible for numerous patents.

In addition to his successes as an inventor, Mr. Melikian was also an award-winning marksman, helping to found the trapshooting program at Aronimink Golf Club.

Mr. Melikian was a member of several gourmet societies and was the founder and chairman of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Bacchus Society. In 1961, he and Mr.

Rudd coauthored The Wonder of Food. In the 1970s, Mr. Melikian wrote a syndicated newspaper feature about the history of famous dishes and, in the 1990s, he established and taught at a chef training school.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in honoring Mr. K. Cyrus Melikian, an innovative entrepreneur who made coffee drinking a convenient pastime. May his life be an inspiration to all fellow citizens and we extend our utmost respect and condolence to his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this rules package and, instead, to speak in favor of bipartisanship. We are living in challenging times, and the American people have grown tired of all the partisan bickering that has plagued our body for far too long. Our citizens want us to work together to achieve practical and realistic solutions for all Americans. Unfortunately, we've wasted energy with excessive partisanship in the legislative process that, in turn, has led to an inability to achieve fundamental reforms and legislative successes.

We've just witnessed an historic election where the overarching message was the message of change. We need to listen to our citizens, for they have spoken.

But the real change that we need is for Democrats and Republicans to roll up their sleeves and work together on important legislation such as creating jobs, stimulating the economy and increasing the supply of American-made energy.

This week I intend to introduce a resolution that would encourage and support bipartisanship in the House. Specifically, the resolution would amend

House rules to allow for any amendment to be considered on the floor that has at least one Democrat and one Republican sponsor, is submitted to the House Rules Committee according to the committee's amendment submission deadline, and does not violate any other House rule. By the simple fact that it is a joint Democrat and Republican amendment makes it bipartisan and, therefore, worthy of floor consideration.

I am hopeful that our leadership will not only offer support for this resolution, but will bring it to the floor of the House, giving all of our colleagues the opportunity to debate and discuss its merits.

While this resolution will not completely solve our problem of partisanship, I believe it will be the start of a process to allow us, regardless of party, to work together for real legislative successes.