Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1009, a resolution to promote greater awareness of effective runaway youth prevention programs. This legislation, introduced by my friend from Nevada, Mr. Porter, is a step in the right direction towards reducing the number of our youth that separate from their families in times of distress and discouragement. Raising awareness of concerns of the disadvantaged in our communities and bringing issues to the attention of lawmakers and the general public is often the catalyst for action.

The number of young people who currently live on the streets is alarming. Without any family or community support, these youth fall through the cracks of society. It is critical for our young people, who are the future of our country, to be afforded the best possible opportunities in order to succeed and become balanced, well-informed citizens.

On Guam, there are a number of community-based youth organizations that provide structured counseling for at-risk youth and their loved ones. One such program under the Department of Youth Affairs (DYA), Jumpstart, works to strengthen family ties with the goal of integrating troubled teens back into their homes. Sanctuary is another longstanding and effective nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing Guam's at- risk youth. In addition to counseling, these organizations work preventatively, targeting and providing education about drug-use, physical and mental abuse, and violence. Another program, the Youth At- Risk Life Skills Training Program, is affiliated with the 4-H Club and the University of Guam's College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS). This program focuses on education paired with life skills such as peer mentorship and environmental sciences.

I take this opportunity today to commend the efforts of organizations such as these that take action in their communities, often working from the grassroots. The success of these organizations depends on the dedication of the people who run the programs and, as a result of their conviction and hard work, troubled teens and their families have a network of support and hope for a better future.

These are the individuals and organizations for which H. Res. 1009 seeks to bring recognition upon, and it is their work this resolution seeks to support. I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 1009.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, while the majority has decided to bypass the hearing and the committee consideration process for the pending legislation, H.R. 1344, since it simply authorizes a study of a proposed river designation, we have no objection to adoption of the bill by the House today.

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

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

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, first, I wish to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) for his work on this bill. We have no objection to the consideration of this legislation, H.R. 3961, and urge our colleagues to support it.

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

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, we support H.R. 4382; and I commend my colleague, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter). We have no objection to the adoption of the legislation by the House today.

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I just want to state my support for our National Guard Civil Support Teams and for H.R. 4382. We fought long and hard for our CST in Guam and just broke ground for our facility last month.

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

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, we support H.R. 4588 to continue support of water resources research at public universities.

I might add that my district is home to one of these institutes, the Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific, or WERI, at the University of Guam. WERI is integral to water research and the protection of water resources in Micronesia, our region of the world. This is an excellent partnership between USGCS and institutions of higher education across the country, and we are pleased to support this reauthorization.

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

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5079 includes a number of provisions to improve water supplies and water management in the State of Oregon. We have no objections to the consideration of this legislation today

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, with the changes made to the bill by the Resources Committee, we support H.R. 383 and have no objection to the adoption of the legislation by the House today

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I would note that we are taking up H.R. 1515 when a Senate-passed measure, S. 207, sponsored by Senator Landrieu and dealing with the same subject, was referred to the Resources Committee well over a year ago. However, we will not object to the adoption of H.R. 1515 by the House today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, since this bill was introduced in March, there has been no action on it by the Resources Committee. It would appear then that the impetus for movement on the legislation is the fact that the Senate last week passed S. 2463, which includes in part the wilderness designation provided for by H.R. 5059.

The wilderness designation made by H.R. 5059 is clean and would result in the protection of 23,700 acres of national forest land. As such, we have no objection to the adoption of the legislation by the House today.

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

Mr. Speaker I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, like the bill we just considered, this measure also deals with the wilderness designation in New Hampshire and there has been no action on it by the Resources Committee. Legislation that the Senate passed last week, S. 2463, also includes the wilderness designation provided for by H.R. 5062.

The wilderness designation made by H.R. 5059 is clean and would result in the protection of 10,800 acres of forest land. As such, we have no objection to the adoption of the legislation by the House today.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5861 is an acceptable compromise. While it makes technical changes to the Historic Preservation Act, it includes none of the highly controversial amendments that were first proposed by the majority.

The historic preservation community, including the Advisory Council, the Trust, and the State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, we do not oppose H.R. 5861

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, we supported the original authorization for a memorial to disabled veterans here in Washington, D.C. Through no fault of the memorial proponents, complications regarding the final site selection have delayed the approval process.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important piece of legislation that is near and dear to many of our hearts. Just this summer, I attended a Purple Heart pinning ceremony for a young soldier from Guam, Sergeant Jeremy Balamonte, who was wounded in action in Iraq early in the war. Another soldier, Jilario Bermanis, from Micronesia, was paralyzed in combat.

Mr. Speaker, we have had a number of fatalities and wounded soldiers fighting in this war. So, again, I would like to emphasize that this is something that is very, very dear to my heart.

We support this extension to allow this project the time it needs to move forward.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back my time.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, this is a noncontroversial measure, and it contains appropriate safeguards regarding the property being conveyed for use as a visitor center for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

We urge the adoption of H.R. 3871.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and so I yield back my time.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, while most Americans are aware of the significance of the Revolutionary War or the Civil War, the importance of the War of 1812 is not as widely understood.

The Dean of this House, Representative John Dingell, is to be commended for his experience and effectiveness in bringing this important legislation to the floor. It is always an honor to work with Mr. Dingell, and we urge our colleagues to support H.R. 5132.

Mr. Speaker, it is now indeed my honor to yield as much time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the Dean of this House and the sponsor of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back my time.

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, Representative Betty McCollum is to be commented for her foresight in introducing this legislation and her diligence in working to get her bill to the floor today.

The importance of the mighty Mississippi in her district and all along its route as it bisects this country before reaching the Gulf of Mexico can never be overstated.

I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1796.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to my friend and our colleague from St. Paul, Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McCollum for her remarks. I have no further speakers.

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