Floor Statements

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

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 12 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Friday, July 28, 2006, at 10 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to object. I shall not object, but I will yield to the gentleman from Michigan to further explain his request.

Mr. Speaker, further reserving my right to

object, I would like to now join the chairman and urge the House to adopt this printing resolution. The two publications to be reprinted, ``Our Flag'' and the pocket edition of the U.S. Constitution, are very popular with the American people, especially teachers and students.

I know when I go to my schools, our students really enjoy these two very fine publications telling them about their flag and about the Constitution in an abbreviated form.

So the supplies, Mr. Speaker, of both have been exhausted, and with Constitution Day approaching on September 17, now is an ideal time to replenish our supplies.

The resolution also provides for printing of a new publication about the U.S. Botanic Gardens.

Mr. Speaker, I remove my reservation, and I urge all Members to support the resolution.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman and the ranking member and the CBC chair for their moving forward this equal protection under the law for all Americans.

I tell you, the gentleman who proposed this said that this is to help save the Voting Rights Act. In fact, it is an attempt to destroy it, because this amendment turns section 5 on its head under this amendment. Instead of enforcing the Voting Rights Act and stopping voting discrimination, the Department of Justice would be forced to spend nearly all of its time conducting investigations.

As the ranking member of the Committee on House Administration, which oversees Federal elections, voter disenfranchisement continues nationwide, and this is the wrong time to weaken this voting rights bill with all of these poison amendments.

Three Presidents cannot be wrong. The architect of this one, the late President Lyndon Johnson's daughters are asking for this to be passed without these poison pill. We had the late Ronald Reagan, who continued this piece of legislation for 25 years, and our present administration, the President who strongly wants to renew this.

We must move forward. We must let generations to come know that we were steadfast in keeping the promise of this America.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a sponsor of H.R. 9, ``The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006.'' This legislation compliments the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965, which is considered to be among the greatest legislative accomplishments in our nation's history. Often referred to as the ``Crown Jewel'' of America's civil rights laws, the Act memorializes those who marched, struggled and even died to secure the right for all Americans to vote.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed just months after the historic Selma to Montgomery march and remains a lasting achievement of the Civil Rights movement. It helped to change the face of Southern politics in ways we could hardly imagine. In Alabama, in the space of only one year after the Act became law, black voter registration practically doubled from 116,000 in August 1965 to 228,000 in August, 1966. By 1990, there were more than 7,300 black elected officials nationwide, including the governor of Virginia. The Act produced black Members of Congress from Alabama, Florida and North Carolina for the first time since Reconstruction. Rural black voters in Georgia and Louisiana sent black representatives to Congress as well.

One of the more meaningful provisions of the Act called for the placement of federal referees and monitors in counties with a clear practice of disenfranchisement. There were and still are subtle tools to discourage blacks, other minorities and poor people from voting. Local political establishments still use many of the same tactics: annexation ineligibility; purging voter lists; relocating polling places; the

use of official government issued voter-ID cards and raising residency requirements. These are some of the discriminating practices that undermine the impact of black and other minority voters in particular.

As the Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration which oversees Federal elections, I applaud the substantial progress that has been made in the area of voting rights through the 1965 Voting Rights Act. However, I also know that we must continue our efforts to protect the rights of every American Voter. This can be achieved through the reauthorization and restoration of the expiring provisions of this vital law.

Chief among the expiring provisions is Section 5, which requires that any change to voting rules in covered jurisdictions be submitted to either the United States Department of Justice or the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for ``preclearance'' before it can take effect. Through Section 5, the Voting Rights Act has prevented thousands of discriminatory voting changes from undermining minority voters' access to the ballot.

H.R. 9 will also extend Section 203, the language minority protection of the Act. This provision requires jurisdictions that fall under the purview of the law to make all election information that is available in English available in the local minority language. Thus, all citizens will have a fundamental right and opportunity to register, learn the details of the elections and cast a free vote. During hearings, House Members received substantial evidence from advocacy groups and the Department of Justice that language minorities remain the victims of discrimination in voting.

There is no more fundamental right than the right to vote. For nearly a century many Americans were denied this fundamental right of citizenship. We must continue our efforts to protect the rights of every American voter with the reauthorization and restoration of the expiring provisions of the Act. H.R. 9 will renew and strengthen the Voting Rights Act for another twenty-five years.

A vote for this important legislation will send a resounding positive message to the next generation and generations of Americans to come. I urge its passage.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 347, I was detained and was unable to get to the floor before the roll closed. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

(By unanimous consent, Mr. Boehner was allowed to speak out of order.)

Legislative Program

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and distinguished career of Francis Mary McHie Rains for her important contributions to society, especially women and African Americans. Ms. McHie Rains, the eldest of three children, was born to John and Hermina McHie in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 29, 1911. After high school she attempted to enroll at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, but she was denied admission because of her color. Ms. McHie Rains successfully petitioned the legislature to become one of the first African-American women to be accepted to the school and she graduated in 1932.

Ms. McHie Rains was a pioneer. She became the first African American employed at two major Midwestern hospitals before serving as assistant to the director of the School of Nursing at Meharry Medical College in Nashville where she met her future husband, Dr. Horace Rains. The couple married and

had two children before moving to California, where they established a family medical practice in my district of Long Beach.

In 1953 Mrs. Rains became the first African American woman to teach at the School of Nursing for the University of Southern California's general hospital.

Mrs. Rains also served as a board member of the Long Beach Children's Psychiatric Clinic, the National Council of Negro Women, and the NAACP.

She was an involved member of Grant AME Church for nearly 50 years, as well as a Sunday school teacher.

During her retirement, she served as the Chair of the Long Beach Community Improvement League.

Mrs. Francis Mary McHie Rains passed away on May 21, 2006 at the age of 95 in Long Beach, California. I proudly recognize Francis Mary McHie Rains, a woman whose faith, wisdom and courage became her legacy.

I rise today to recognize the long and distinguished career of Francis Mary McHie Rains for her important contributions to society, especially women and African Americans. Mrs. McHie Rains, the eldest of 3 children was born to John and Hermina McHie in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 29, 1911. After high school, she attempted to enroll at the University of Minnesota's School of Nursing, but she was denied admission because of her color. With the help of a State Senator and a local African-American activist and businesswoman, Mrs. McHie Rains successfully petitioned the legislature to become one of the first African-American women to be accepted to the University of Minnesota's School of Nursing and the first African American to graduate from the university in 1932.

Mrs. McHie Rains was a pioneer, as a young professional she became the first African American employed at the Minneapolis General Hospital where she served as a superior, and at the Herman Keifer Hospital in Detroit, Michigan where she was one of the 12 women who broke the color barrier at the hospital. While serving as Associate Professor and assistant to the Director of the School of Nursing at Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, she met her future husband, Dr. Horace Rains. The couple married and had 2 children. They later moved to southern California where together they established a family medical practice in Long Beach.

In 1953, Mrs. Rains became the first African American woman to teach at the School of Nursing for the University of Southern California General Hospital in Los Angeles, and later became a real estate broker in 1972 and was the owner of a Century 21 franchise. Mrs. Rains served diligently as board member of the Long Beach Children's Psychiatric Clinic, the National Council of Negro Women, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. She was an involved and long time member of Grant AME Church for nearly 50 years, as well as a Sunday school teacher. During her retirement she served as a Chair of the Board of the Long Beach Community Improvement League.

Mrs. Francis Mary McHie Rains passed away on May 21, 2006 at the age of 95 at Windsor Gardens Convalescent Center of Long Beach, California. She leaves to cherish her memory one son, Anthony J. Rains, M.D. of Renton, Washington; a daughter, Kimberly Kerns of Houston, Texas; and 2 grandchildren; one great-grandson; and a host of relatives and friends.

Mrs. Rains was a woman of many firsts; she was a trailblazer and loyal servant. Those who knew and loved her will always remember her dedication to excellence and progress in her community, and as loyal and dedicated constituent of my district, I am very proud to be able to remember and celebrate her life as a part of my community.

I join with her children, family and friends in tribute to this good and faithful servant who has gone home, leaving us to humbly acknowledge the living legacy of a great educator, mentor and abundant love evident in the lives of all those she has touched. I proudly recognize Francis Mary McHie Rains, a woman of faith, courage, dedication, persistence, understanding and wisdom, for her career accomplishments over a span of 70 years as a pioneer and her contributions of service in caring for the people of our community, our Nation and the world.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of order.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand tonight and thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for passing H.R. 4416, a bill I introduced to help missing children be reunited with their families. Let me first begin by thanking Chairman Tom Davis and Ranking Member Waxman for reporting this measure out of the House Committee on Government Reform. I would also like to thank Chairman Ehlers for the role that he and the Committee on House Administration have played in moving this legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, my bill will permanently authorize the use of official franked and penalty mail to assist in the location of missing and exploited children. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita opened many eyes to the undeniable reality that faces so many of America's most vulnerable. In the aftermath of those disasters, TV screens across the country aired photographs and other information about missing children throughout the gulf region. Fortunately, in the days and months since, the children missing as a result of these hurricanes have been reunited with their families, and that is very good news.

However, one thing remains clear. This Congress should take every reasonable step available to help families, not only those from the gulf coast but all across America be reunited with their loved ones that have been missing. My bill represents one step in that effort.

I have reviewed this matter at great length in the course of my work as ranking member of the Committee on House Administration and as a member of the Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards. In my judgment, the congressional frank presents an ideal opportunity to distribute information about missing and exploited children in addition to being an effective way for Members to communicate with their constituents about our important work.

Beginning in 1985 and for a period of 3 years, section 3220 of title 39 of the U.S. Code authorized the use of Federal penalty mail to assist in U.S. Department of Justice efforts to locate and recover missing children. Congress subsequently reauthorized this law three times for various lengths of time, but the last reauthorization expired 4 years ago, and unfortunately it has not been renewed or extended.

This program, which is entirely voluntary, has been a joint effort between the Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. By permanently authorizing this legislation, we are providing Federal agencies and the United States Congress with the opportunity to help in the recovery of missing and exploited children throughout this country.

Under the provisions of my bill, biographical data and pictures of children featured in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's photo distribution program can be included in various categories of official Federal Government mail.

According to the center, one in six of these featured children is recovered as a direct result of someone in the general public recognizing the child in the picture and notifying authorities. The U.S. Postal Service reports that in fiscal year 2005, U.S. Government agencies mailed over 1.3 billion pieces of penalty mail. If only 50 percent of this mail had included a picture and biographical sketch of one of the more

than 797,000 children currently reported as missing, there would have been over 708 million chances of a missing child being identified and reunited with his or her family.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to include in the Record a letter that I received from the president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Mr. Ernie Allen, urging reauthorization of this program and emphasizing its value and importance.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important piece of legislation that Congress has supported for almost 20 years. I am grateful that this body will continue that support by the passing of my bill on Monday so that we can do our part to help bring these children home safely.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children,

Alexandria, VA, March 24, 2006.

Hon. Juanita Millender-McDonald,

Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Millender-McDonald: On behalf of the

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (``NCMEC''),

I am writing to commend you for introducing H.R. 4416, a bill

to reauthorize the use of official and franked mail to assist

in the location and recovery of missing children.

NCMEC can attest to the fact that distributing photos of

missing children is extremely successful. We began our photo

distribution program in 1984 and now have 345 public and

private partners. We are pleased to report that one out of

every six missing children in our program has been recovered

as a direct result of the photo being recognized by a member

of the public. We are grateful to the members of Congress and

executive branch offices that have chosen to join us in our

efforts over the years.

Thank you for your initiative in continuing this program

that has proven to be a valuable tool in the search for

missing children.

Sincerely,

Ernie Allen,

President.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Today, I am offering an amendment to increase funding for the Department of Justice drug court programs. My amendment would raise allocated funding to drug court programs in the bill from $40 million to $45 million.

Mr. Chairman, we Members of Congress recognize that substance abuse not only has devastating effects on the abuser but also on the entire community. The total estimated cost of drug abuse to American communities in 2000 was $160.7 billion, mostly from health care costs and productivity losses.

Also troubling is the rise in drug-related crime. Between 1984 and 1999, the number of defendants charged with a drug offense in Federal court increased by 247 percent. In 2001, substance abusers accounted for more than half of all sentenced Federal inmates.

However, many drug-related offenses are nonviolent, and incarceration will not prevent repeated drug use. Treatment is the key.

Drug courts are a proven, unique tool in the war against substance abuse. These special courts were developed to curb dependency at the local level by reflecting the unique strengths of each community and using comprehensive supervision, drug testing, and treatment services.

To date, there are nearly 1,800 drug court programs that serve more than 70,000 participants with impressive recovery results. The program allows for the full weight of interveners to be brought to bear on the offender, compelling him or her to deal with the substance abuse problem.

The treatment represents a viable long-term solution with long-term results as opposed to incarceration, a short-term course of action that fails to treat the addiction problems.

I am proud that while he served as our Nation's Drug Czar, Asa Hutchinson came to my district and visited my drug court in Compton, California. He went away believing it was a model for others nationwide. It is clear that these courts make a difference, Mr. Chairman, and deserve sufficient funding levels.

I wish to recognize Chairman Lewis, Chairman Wolf, and Ranking Member Mollohan for their dedication to drug courts and thank them for increasing this account by 300 percent from last year.

With the understanding that Chairman Wolf and Chairman Lewis will fight in conference to increase drug court funding to $45 million, I have agreed to withdraw my amendment, and I defer to the chairman at this time.

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman.

I do recognize you will use all of your efforts to try to increase this. I appreciate your commitment to this successful program.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend the Chairman and Ranking Member for their support of my request to include $228 million in funding for the C-17 aircraft procurement in H.R. 4939, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Hurricane Recovery.

This funding allows for the procurement of seven new aircraft and clearly signifies the Defense Department's growing commitment to the future construction of the C-17 aircraft through fiscal year 2008.

The House and Senate are fervent believers in the C-17, as this plane has exceeded all expectations and is one of the most successful airlift cargo aircrafts of the Defense Department. The C-17 is currently being flown 160 percent more than usual to deliver supplies to war theatres and to conduct humanitarian missions. The C-17 is vital to our national security, and an irreplaceable tool for our country to meet our growing global commitments.

The C-17 is fighting for America, and I have proudly led the fight for the C-17. My work with the Secretary of the Air Force, letters to the Secretary of Defense and working with the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Appropriations Committees of both the House and Senate have resulted in the appropriations we have had approved. In December, I proudly delivered a letter to the President that had the signatures of 148 House Members and 13 Senators supporting the C-17 program. I am pleased to represent the Boeing Company in my District, and the skilled workforce who calls Southern California their home.

Mr. Speaker, while I am pleased that Congress has done its part for the next fiscal year to provide much-needed C-17's to our troops to fight the War on Terror and to serve humanitarian needs both at home and abroad, I will only intensify my pursuit of further funding. The American Armed Forces deserve to fly with only the best.

Mr. Speaker, I am deeply disappointed in the Republican Congress' unwillingness to focus on the truth in Iraq. Calling today's spectacle a true debate of ideas on Iraq does not pass the ``straight face test.'' If House Republican leadership choose to have a real debate on Iraq, Members of the House should be able to offer alternatives and ideas. Instead, they have blocked all alternatives by Democrats and for 10 hours the American people are left with the same empty rhetoric they have been hearing from the House Republicans on the floor for 3 years.

My constituents in the 37th District want a strategy in Iraq. They want to know when our brave young soldiers will return home to their families safely. Given this, I find it disingenuous for Republican leadership to talk tough about the war on terror when this debate is supposed to be about American troops in Iraq. It was the Republican leadership who could not wait to divert resources from the war on terror to chase after Saddam Hussein in the first place. Many Democrats said this was a dangerous path, and sadly, that is exactly where we find ourselves.

Mr. Speaker, I support withdrawing our troops at a specific time and redeploying them to the periphery of the arena. Redeploying our troops is the natural and timely evolution to our mission in Iraq. But now is the time that we need to start the process and planning of bringing our troops home. Our troops have contributed to the building of a democracy, assisted in training an Iraqi police and military force and overseen three elections as well as the drafting of a national constitution. They have accomplished a great deal. And we have supported them throughout.

I join the American people in their deep patriotism and love for our great land, and I join them in their solemn appreciation for the thousands of American families who have sacrificed a son or daughter.

However, our troops have been in Iraq for over 3 years. We knew that when we entered this conflict that our troops were not going to be a permanent fixture in Iraq. This was the understanding Congress had with the administration and the American people. The men and women who have given their lives in liberating Iraq have completed their mission and they have done so with valor.

Now it is time for the Iraqi people to rebuild their communities and it is time for us to make our communities whole again by bringing our troops home.

The resolution today is not what the Republican leadership had notified us of. I can only hope that the next Iraq debate on House floor takes place both soon and with greater substance.

Mr. Chairman, I rise, too, in support of this amendment that provides $30 million for the Capital Grants Railroad Relocation and Improvement program. Those of us who are in regions who have ports and who have the propensity to move goods, movement across our State and across the Nation, understand the importance of this particular amendment.

I have the elevator corridor. It is 37 percent capacity. We need to expand that because of the freight and the goods movement that is coming in from the ships coming into our ports and across the country. We cannot do that without an infusion of capital to help with the security of that cargo as well as the improvement in the quality of life in our communities.

It has been said that when you have rail lines you can help then to increase the quality of life, reduce emissions in the air, provide the type of air quality that is sorely needed, especially in areas like Los Angeles and Long Beach. So I understand why the gentleman has introduced this amendment, and I am part of the cadre of Members who are asking for this to be approved because it is an investment in rail infrastructure and for economic development reasons. It also enhances the quality and safety of our communities.

And so I thank the chairman for his comments; however, I would suggest to him that this really moves rail more efficiently and more effectively, and I ask for this amendment to be approved.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer this amendment to the Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007, to provide more funding for the training of college students to be poll workers.

As ranking member on the Committee on House Administration, I am pleased that the Appropriations Committee fully funded the budget request for the Election Assistance Commission, commonly referred to as

I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

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

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

I do recognize that. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. We will miss you sorely on this committee and the work that you have done, along with our distinguished ranking member.

Today I do offer this amendment that addresses one of the greatest atrocities of the 21st century, and that is the trafficking of men, women, and children for forced labor and sexual exploitation.

The Economic Support Fund operates to provide financial assistance for various developmental programs worldwide, including 266 programs to eradicate human trafficking. These programs are designed to present a multifaceted defense against the various and varied crimes that comprise human trafficking.

We know that this year the committee has provided $8 million for the use of this program. That is a start, but it is less than what the President has suggested in the program. Of course, I am proposing a modest increase of $2 million. This amendment offsets the increase by those things that have been outlined in the amendment.

It is not enough that we pay lip service to this problem, we actually have to lead the 21st Century Abolitionist Movement against modern day slavery. I am very happy to present this amendment. We know that human trafficking affects an estimated 800,000 persons each year, and 80 percent of those victims are women and children.

I am happy that the ranking member joined me on the trip to the United Nations to address these atrocities, and so I am so happy that the chairman and the ranking member have accepted this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

My amendment addresses a critical energy source of our national renewable energy portfolio that needs to be a priority in the energy debate. As we know, the affordable energy situation is far from resolved in our Nation. My amendment provides for the necessary funds to continue the Geothermal Technology Program and to continue our Federal support of cleaner alternative power. This energy is cost- effective and cleaner.

Recently, an Associated Press article stated that the Federal Government has a backlog of 230 lease applications to prospect for geothermal energy. This AP article also states that the average age of an application to prospect geothermal sites is 9 years.

Recent supply projections from the American Gas Association show that natural gas suppliers will continue to lag behind the demand in the foreseeable future, resulting in continued high prices. The high cost of natural gas affects electricity and home heating costs across the United States. This is why we need to continue to support Federal investment in geothermal energy and to support the Geothermal Technology Program.

Now we do know that most of the geothermal power plants were built in the mid-1980s and early 1990s when energy markets were receptive to alternative energy investment. Since then, there has been a significant decline in this investment.

The Bush administration has repeatedly championed the need to expand our renewable energy resources and to develop our country's geothermal energy resources. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy have jointly stated that commitment to increase our energy security would be by expending the use of indigenous resources on Federal lands, while accelerating protection of the environment.

A recent report from the Department of Energy found that California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington State have the greatest potential for quick development of geothermal resources. In fact, the study, Mr. Chairman, listed nine ``top pick'' sites in California and ten in Nevada.

As we work on improving our affordable energy options, we must support the Geothermal Technology Program. It is also a job creation program. It will ultimately mean about 150 to 200 jobs in a community.

The minimal $5 million that I am asking for will be taken from the Hydrogen Technology Program to be placed in the Geothermal Technology Program, and all of this can be attainable.

We must not turn our backs on this important source of environmentally friendly energy. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment and to support geothermal technology and, more importantly, to support lower prices for energy.

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

Mr. Chairman, I do appreciate the chairman's working with me on this amendment, along with our ranking member. I thank him for accepting the amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter into a colloquy with the chairman. I would like to thank the gentleman from North Carolina in this colloquy. And, Mr. Chairman, as a resident of Southern California, I have witnessed the impact diesel emissions has had on our air quality. Our constituents are more likely to contract cancer, asthma and other respiratory problems. The emissions from older heavy-duty trucks, in particular, are among the highest contributors of ground level ozone, volatile organic compounds, and particulate pollution in the country. These trucks are the highest polluters among on-road transportation emissions sources.

As a primary player in the movement of goods, diesel engines play an important role in keeping our economy strong. While the administration has taken action with the diesel fuel engine regulations to reduce emissions, the EPA estimates that there are 11 million existing engines that still need to be fixed. This is why providing the necessary resources for the important diesel initiatives under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act should be central to any current national transportation plan.

We have worked extremely hard to ensure that Americans may have cleaner air where they work and live. I know, despite the bipartisan support we received for DERA funding, finding the funds for this program was a tough process. Ultimately, while cuts had to be made to DERA's appropriation, I am very proud to have worked with the subcommittee leadership to get the funds that we did receive. However, the fight is not over.

While the $26 million will go far in the mission for reducing diesel emission, a great deal more is needed. Despite the fact that today's diesel vehicles are 99 percent cleaner than their 1970 counterparts, each older truck contributes an average of 1 ton of pollutants into the air per year. We must make certain that every effort will be made during conference to increase funding above the $26 million level, or at least to consider keeping it where it is.

So, Mr. Chairman, the DERA program is very important to my district. These funds play a critical role in fully integrating today's technological advances with consumer demands and environmental needs in order to provide cleaner air where our constituents live and work. And I would like just to have the chairman respond that we hope that in the conference, at least the money that has been placed there by the administration will be maintained with perhaps increases if we can.