Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise to announce that yesterday I introduced H.R. 7071, the Federal Agency Program Realignment and Closure Act of 2008, legislation that will change the way Washington does business once and for all.

It is clear that the Federal Government is bogged down with rampant spending, continually growing entitlement programs, an ever increasing annual budget and a Federal deficit that economists predict will hit $500 billion by 2010. When the U.S. Military needed reform and more efficient spending, Congress and the Department of Defense employed the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, BRAC, to evaluate military needs and spending saving taxpayers untold billions of dollars. If it is good enough to reform our Nation's military, it is good enough to be applied to the entire Federal Government.

I introduced this bill to apply the proven BRAC model to all Federal agencies and programs. This commission will consist of 17 bipartisan members, including both public and private sector officials, providing an objective, non-partisan, and independent review and analysis of all Federal agencies and programs. The commission will target agencies and programs that perform a duplicative function, would perform better at the State level or in the private sector and create a list of recommended realignments and closures. Congress will then have an up or down vote on the commission's recommendations. All saved funds will be used solely for deficit reduction meaning it cannot be used to fund new government programs.

Spending in Washington, DC, is completely out of control. I believe that if we are going to keep putting new spending and programs on the table, then we absolutely must have a mechanism to take old things off of the table. The American people understand that if you spend too much of your budget this month you cut back the next month and they expect their government to work the same way. My legislation will help drain the swamp in Washington and put the Federal Government back to work for the people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3560. The bill is designed to make technical corrections to policies we enacted in this and previous Congresses.

Specifically, this bill, at its core, corrects a technical error in the funding level for the extension of the QI-1 program that was passed earlier this year as part of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. The QI-1 program provides for the government's payment of Medicare part B premiums for certain low-income beneficiaries through the State Medicaid program.

In addition, this bill provides an important correction in FDA policy regarding the development of antibiotics. This provision would have been in the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act that we passed last year; however, it was dropped at the last minute because of PAYGO reasons.

Finally, this bill provides the Secretary with additional authority to perform education and outreach activities as part of the Medicaid Integrity Program established by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.

This bill is fully paid for, with some money left over to spare. The offset for this bill is the use of the State Public Assistance Reporting Information System. This system provides States with a tool to improve program integrity and go after fraud and abuse in the administration of public and medical assistance programs. This system does this by matching program enrollment data, such as Medicaid enrollment data, with data from other States which determine possible duplicate payments.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this legislation. However, I do want to remind Members that the need for a technical bill might not have arisen if the majority would have involved the minority in the crafting of the Medicare bill passed in July. The majority should have provided the minority time to review the legislation and offer a motion to recommit.

I support this legislation, but I hope moving forward the majority will include the minority when writing major legislation.

I yield as much time as the gentleman may consume to my friend from Michigan, Dave Camp.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia, Congressman Wolf, as much time as he may consume.

(Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he might consume to Mr. Wolf.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for yielding me the time in supporting this legislation to reduce mercury exports from the United States.

I am pleased that this bill has come back to us from the Senate and want to congratulate all the people who have worked so hard to make this legislation a reality. This bill is proof that people of all political stripes can come together for the common good. It is a shining example of how our process in Congress can work and work well if given the chance.

Elemental mercury presents a serious American health concern even when it is mishandled in distant countries. Specifically, this form of mercury converts into neurotoxic methylmercury that comes back to the United States in the form of tainted fish and polluted air.

This legislation attempts to break the global transport cycle of mercury by banning the export of elemental mercury in 2010. It does not cover coal exports and is not intended to cover fly ash exports from coal combustion or elemental mercury in manufactured consumer products.

This bill also assures that domestic stocks of elemental mercury, which are a valuable commodity, have someplace to go. Under the consensus language we are considering, a safe domestic storage option will open when the ban commences. Further, the legislation does not preclude private storage solutions. I am glad that this bill allows enterprising folks to facilitate good environmental policy.

In addition, I am pleased this bill recognizes that we should not punish people who do the right thing. Private entities who want to take advantage of the government-sponsored storage option must pay their fair share, but they will be indemnified against any environmental damage after the government takes possession of their mercury. This is commonsense policy and a key feature of ensuring that the proper handling and the safe, long-term storage of elemental mercury occurs.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased with the compromise, bipartisan legislation. It represents the serious give and take by both parties. I hope that efforts like this will continue to be more the norm than the exception throughout this Congress and future ones as well.

I urge my colleagues to support S. 906.

And I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey to address another concern.

Madam Speaker, consistent with House Republican Leadership earmark standards, I am submitting the following earmark disclosures for publication in the Congressional Record.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638--Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year ending September 30, 2008.

Account: Research, Development Test and Evaluation, Navy.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: GWACS Defense, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 4500 South 129th East Avenue, Tulsa OK. 74163.

Description of Request: Provide an appropriations earmark of $2,000,000 for the Ground Warfare Acoustical Combat System of Netted Sensors. The entire project cost to complete is $19,200,000 with anticipated funding of $5,000,000 being raised privately by GWACS Defense, Inc. over the next two years. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of Defense, Research, Development Test and Evaluation, Navy account. The funding will be used by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab to accelerate completion and purchase of a new small arms fire detection and location technology for force protection in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638--Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year ending September 30, 2008.

Account: Research, Development Test and Evaluation, Navy.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Advanced Composites Group, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 5350 S 129th E Avenue, Tulsa, OK, 74134.

Description of Request: Provide an appropriations earmark of $800,000 for the Lightweight Composite Structure Development for Aerospace Vehicles. The Advanced Composites Group, Tulsa is currently investing approximately $200,000 annually in R&D out of autoclave technology. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of Defense, Research, Development Test and Evaluation, Navy account. The funding will be used to develop composite structural prototypes for the CH-35K and other Navy designated aircraft.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638--Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year ending September 30, 2008.

Account: Research, Development Test and Evaluation, Navy.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Com Aeromet.

Address of Requesting Entity: 112 Beech Drive, Riverside Jones Airport, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74132.

Description of Request: Provide an appropriations earmark of $800,000 for the Airborne Infrared Surveillance (AIRS) System. This funding will be provided to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for its use in developing AIRS. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of Defense, Research, Development Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide account. The funding will be used to develop a terrestrial based airborne infrared capability of medium range and long range missile threats to the United States and our allies.

Mr. Speaker, when I was coming to the House after the August vacation, where we did nothing on energy policy, I was walking through the airport, and many people were patting me on the back, said get down there, get that energy bill done, it's hurting us, we need something done.

And they said they couldn't believe that the Speaker, Nancy Pelosi from San Francisco, would not allow us a vote on this. One guy said, I can't believe she's that powerful that she is single-handedly holding this up when the majority of the American people want to see this done and done now and get a comprehensive, all-of-the-above strategy.

She does have that power, and she's exercising her power. She has the key. She holds the key in her hand to unlock the potential of America, to unlock oil and gas reserves in this country that would last for 160 years that we can get right here in our own backyard. And while we're doing that, we can develop technologies like wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, biomass, all other technologies in an environmentally sound way, and we need to do it now.

Instead, we're getting a bill that's full of tax increases and drilling less in America, and this is the biggest hoax perpetrated on the American people that I've seen since I've been in Congress.

And on her Web site, she says a bill should generally come to the floor under procedures that allow full and open debate. Members should have 24 hours to examine bills and conference reports before they come to the floor. But she's not doing it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 6786, the Delaware Tribe of Indians Judgment Funds Distribution Settlement Act.

The Delaware Tribe was the first tribe to sign a treaty with the fledgling United States in 1778, playing an important role in winning the Revolutionary War, and was called the ``Grandfather Tribe'' by other tribes in and around the Delaware River valley. The Tribe was forced inexorably westward by the Colonies and then the United States from its aboriginal area further west and eventually into Cherokee territory in Oklahoma.

The Tribe was recognized by the United States throughout the 20th century until it was terminated by the Department of the Interior in 1979. The Department rescinded that decision in 1996, and the Tribe was recognized from 1996 until 2004 when a Tenth Circuit Court decision ended the Tribe's Federal recognition. The United States Solicitor General stated to the United States Supreme Court that the Tenth Circuit decision to end status of the tribe resulted in the need for Congress to address this issue.

This legislation restores the rightful Federal recognition of the Delaware Tribe of Indians but also incorporates mechanisms for the Delaware Tribe of Indians and the Cherokee Nation to resolve issues between them in Eastern Oklahoma amicably. I am pleased to see not only Delaware restoration but also accord and cooperation between the two tribes.

Madam Speaker, everywhere I go across the First Congressional District, my constituents have the same question on their minds: If record-high gas prices that are breaking the backs of families across the Nation won't entice Congress to act now, then what will?

By failing to allow an up-or-down vote on legislation to increase the production of American-made energy, my friends on the other side of the aisle remain the only obstacle to putting America on a path to energy security and decreasing our dependence on foreign oil.

The American people overwhelmingly support a commonsense, all-of-the- above solution to solve this crisis and address our growing energy needs.

The longer we delay in passing a comprehensive energy plan, the longer American families and small businesses will continue to pay more than they should for a tank of gas.

It's time for the majority to live up to their promise and allow a vote on the energy future of this country.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was the third anniversary of the Supreme Court's 2005 decision in the Kelo v. City of New London case.

In that decision, a divided Supreme Court ruled that the government may take people's homes and bulldoze them to make way for strip malls or other private development in order to increase tax revenue.

The negative effects of this far-reaching decision places all private property owners at risk. No property owner is safe if the government decides that their land would serve a better purpose and be an economic gain if something bigger and more taxable were in its place.

To combat these unjust property takings, I introduced H.R. 6219 to protect the rights of the private property owners. With this bill, all Americans now have the tools they need to fight unjust property takings and defend their homes and small businesses.

The government has overstepped its bounds in taking private property from people. It has also done the wrong thing in not allowing us to drill for oil and gas in America. It is very important that we get it in our own backyard. A lot of people on the Democratic side talk about alternative energy sources, and that is good. And we as Republicans believe in that. But also, we believe we need to get energy right here in our own backyard as well as we need to develop these technologies.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 431 I was unable to record my vote. I intended to vote ``yea'' on that question. I ask that this statement appear in the Record adjacent to rollcall No. 431.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 6219, the Private Property Rights Protection and Government Accountability Act of 2008.

Previously, the U.S. Constitution specifically limited government taking of private property through a relatively narrow exception for ``public use.'' Public use has historically referred to roads, schools, firehouses, etc. You may remember the infamous 2005 Supreme Court decision, Kelo v. City of New London, where the court broadened the government's ability to take your home, farm, business or place of worship. The negative affects of this far reaching Supreme Court decision places millions of private property owners nationwide at risk.

Some States are trying to correct this injustice and have enacted restrictions on the use of eminent domain (in this case, is when the government seizes private property), with varied effectiveness. However, Congress has not taken action to restore private property rights and the abusive use of eminent domain has continued.

That is why I am introducing the Private Property Rights Protection and Government Accountability Act of 2008, along with the House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton. This legislation will restrict certain federal economic development funds for 10 years to any state or locality in which eminent domain is used to take private property for a private purpose. It will also allow private property owners the legal recourse they deserve to fight baseless private property takings by State and local governments.

Examples of eminent domain abuse can be seen across Oklahoma, from Oklahoma City to Muskogee, and across this country.

No family, business operator or place of worship is safe if the government decides that their property does not measure up, and that ``public purpose'' would be better served if it were torn down and replaced by something bigger, glitzier and more taxable. I encourage all my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as I look forward to celebrating Father's Day this weekend, I was proud to introduce House Resolution 1243, which honors fathers across the country by recognizing the important role that fathers play in shaping the lives of our Nation's young people, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children.

Being a father is one of the greatest blessings of my life. I love my job, but I look forward to the end of the week when I can head back home to Tulsa to be with my family.

My children, Tommy, Meredith, Sydney and Daniel are my number one priority, and I strive every day to show them they are important. I would like to take this opportunity to remind all fathers to spend extra quality time with their children on Father's Day, and to continue to do so throughout the year.

I introduced this legislation not only to honor fathers but to call attention to the importance of the job. The role that fathers play in the development of our youth cannot be overstated.

The absence of fathers contributes to many social problems that we, as legislators, fight to prevent daily. According to findings by the National Fatherhood Initiative, the closer adolescents feel to their fathers, regardless of the type of family structure in which they live, the less likely it is that they will engage in the use of drugs or delinquent behavior. Involved and proactive fathers help to shape confident and productive future citizens.

So as we honor fathers on Father's Day, we should also encourage men to evaluate their own participation in their children's lives, because you never can be too involved.

As a co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood, as a father and a concerned citizen, I ask my colleagues to join me in spreading the message of responsible fatherhood to all levels of society, and encouraging more fathers to reconnect with their children by supporting House Resolution 1243.

Madam Speaker, I rise to state for the record, and bring to my colleague's attention, that the month of May is globally recognized as Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month.

On May 13, 2008, Tami Harbour, her mother Marcia Higgins from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Tami's 94 year-old grandmother Wilma Seely from Owasso, Oklahoma, came to my office with Tami's twin sister Teri to educate my staff and me about Neurofibromatosis (NF).

NF is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on the nerves of the body. These tumors are not restricted to any certain portion of the body and can appear anywhere, at any time, at any age. NF type I strikes one in every 2,500--3,000 people, without regard to race, sex or age. The first signs of the condition are usually multiple cafe-au- lait colored spots on the skin. Some of the youngest victims of this condition can also be subject to optic gliomas--brain tumors that can cause blindness and can be life-threatening. In addition, bone deformities, including scoliosis at an early age, and plexiform tumors, which can cause severe medical problems and turn cancerous, can also be caused by NF. Learning disabilities occur in more than 65 percent of the individuals with NF type 1.

NF type 2 is a genetically distinct form of NF that causes tumors to form on both acoustic nerves, resulting in deafness. NF type 2 also causes visual problems and muscle weakness. Symptoms of this type of neurofibromatosis include ringing in the ears, balance problems, and reduced hearing; however, these symptoms often do not appear until the late teen years, even if the condition has been present since birth. NF type 2 strikes 1 in 30,000 people and does not discriminate by age, sex or race.

At this time, surgery is the only effective treatment to relieve the problems caused by the symptoms of both forms of NF. There is no pharmaceutical treatment to control the growth of tumors and, unfortunately, there is no known cure. Half of the people with NF do

not have a family history of the disorder; however, a person with NF has a 50 percent chance of passing on NF with each child he or she has.

Although Tami is the only one in her family with NF type 1, she learned in her late teens that she had the disorder called Von Recklinghausen's Disease. However, her tumors did not start multiplying until she was a young adult. She has had a few thousand of tumors removed. She is in constant pain, but the condition does not stop her from performing her duties as a housekeeper at the nursing home where she has worked for the past eleven years.

I am encouraged by the NF research being conducted at the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Human Genome Research Institute and medical centers throughout the United States, funded by the National Institutes of Health. With robust federal and privately funded NF research, it is my hope that one day soon we will have a cure for this disease.

Madam Speaker, consistent with House Republican Leadership earmark standards, I am submitting the following earmark disclosures for publication in the Congressional Record:

Bill Number: H.R. 5658--National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009.

Account: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: GWACS Defense, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 4500 South 129th East Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74163.

Description of Request: Provide an authorization earmark of $8,500,000 for the Ground Warfare Acoustical Combat System of Netted Sensors. The entire project cost to complete is $19,200,000, with anticipated funding of $5,000,000 being raised privately by GWACS Defense, Inc. over the next two years. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of Defense, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy account. The funding will be used by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab to accelerate completion and purchase of a new small arms fire detection and location technology for force protection in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658--National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009.

Account: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Westwood Corporation.

Address of Requesting Entity: 12402 E. 60th Street, Tulsa, OK 74146.

Description of Request: Provide an authorization earmark of $1,500,000 for Power Conversion Equipment for High Density Power Generation Packages. The $1,500,000 project will be funded as follows: Design: $180,000; Purchased Parts, Fabrication and Assembly:

$720,000; Functional Testing: $120,000; Onsite Testing Support; $480,000. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of Defense, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy account. The funding will be used to allow the electrical output of a new design generator with advanced shipboard architectures. Given that this request will be providing support to a federal agency, matching funds for this request is not required.

Madam Speaker, I rise to state that due to unforeseen circumstances, I missed rollcall vote 353 to H.R. 6124 taken on May 22, 2008. Had I been present for this vote, I would have voted ``yea'' on this measure.

While this Farm Bill is not perfect, I would have voted to support the bill because of the benefit it will bring to Oklahoma's farmers and ranchers. In a time of rampant Government spending, I would like to have seen substantive reform in terms of fiscal responsibility. However, this bill does take necessary steps to help the agriculture industry that is vital to the State of Oklahoma. I look forward to voting on this measure to ensure that it becomes law.