Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, please excuse my absence from the formal House of Representatives swearing in ceremony today as I was unavoidably detained while paying my respects to a fallen soldier from my district at his funeral in Arlington National Cemetery. I appreciate the opportunity to take my oath of office on my return to the U.S. Capitol.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act and specifically the Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act.

I would like to thank Chairman Barton, and the Energy and Commerce Committee staff for their support. I would also like to extend a special thanks to my colleague Congresswoman Anna Eshoo for her work on the issue.

Biological weapons have been proven to work, are capable of causing massive disaster, are relatively cheap, and are increasingly easy to design, build and disseminate.

The materials and technical know-how needed to make a bio-weapon that could infect hundreds of thousands of people are already widely distributed around the planet, and the number of people who possess the expertise needed to create bioweapons is rapidly growing as biotechnology and pharmaceutical research and production expand into developing countries.

Preventing either a natural epidemic or a bioterrorist attack is, unfortunately, unlikely. Therefore, the Nation's ability to rapidly and effectively respond in the face of a bio-security crisis must be a central pillar in our bio-security strategy.

Medicines and vaccines that can counter illnesses caused by exposure to bioterror agents are obviously an essential component of biodefense and would be critical to controlling the spread of contagious disease.

This legislation will enable the government to better develop, procure, and make available countermeasures to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents for use in a public health emergency.

Bioterror countermeasures for agents of terrorism have no market other than the government. This legislation will provide assurance to companies that the government is fully engaged and a willing and able business partner.

This legislation will speed up the development and procurement process by reorganizing and enhancing these responsibilities into the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency, BARDA.

1. BARDA would create a single point of authority within government.

2. BARDA would streamline the approval and acquisition process to help bridge the ``valley of death'' for bio-pharmaceutical research.

3. BARDA is an aggressive partnering with universities, research institutions and industry on the advanced development of promising drugs and vaccines and would of these countermeasures.

As the Chairman and my colleagues on both sides of our aisle know, the House passed version of this legislation also included specific authority under BioShield for HHS to enter into procurement contracts with multiple companies for multiple products and technologies.

We all know from lessons learned that this is a complicated and uncertain process. These vaccines and other medical countermeasures are only in the early stage of development and history suggests that most will not be successfully developed or only a few will receive FDA approval.

That is why the House-passed bill included a provision intended to direct a risk mitigation strategy that the Department not put all their eggs in one basket.

Is it the understanding that while the bill passed by the Senate had no similar provision, that currently the BioShield statute provides authority for the Department to enter into multiple procurement contracts for products and technologies for the development and acquisition of countermeasures and that this is an important risk mitigation strategy for the government.

I have been in communication with Senator Burr and he agrees with this policy.

I urge your support of this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the accomplishments of the Lake Orion Review newspaper on the occasion of its 125th anniversary of service to the Oakland County community of Lake Orion, Michigan. The Lake Orion Review is also the oldest surviving business in Lake Orion.

The Review was established on December 24, 1881, known simply as the Orion Review with the original slogan: ``Independent in Everything-- Neutral in Nothing.''

At that time, the community was home to only 400 citizens. Today, the Review circulates to about 35,000 readers and the community continues to grow and prosper, with numerous new businesses and families calling Lake Orion home.

The weekly newspaper was originally published by John Neal, Joseph Patterson and Frank Sutton, in the rear of Lou Warner's store on North Broadway Street. When hard times hit during the Great Depression, the newspaper's demise seemed written on the wall.

Apparently someone erased the premature obituary, because today the Lake Orion Review, published by Sherman Publications, is regarded as a beacon and trusted friend of the community. The Review has received multiple honors from the Michigan Press Association over the years, and enjoys a positive relationship with its readers and local news sources.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Lake Orion Review on its 125th anniversary and congratulating the staff for its continuing dedication to integrity, fairness and balanced news coverage for the community and its people. They are truly deserving of our respect and admiration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5533, the Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act of 2006.

I would like to thank Chairman Barton and Chairman Deal and the Energy Committee staff for their continued support on this effort.

I want to thank my colleague and friend, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, and her staff for your commitment, your energy, your counsel and your enthusiasm to get this bill as far as we have come. Thank you very much. It has been a joy to work with you.

And I have to say at the time of this intense pre-election partisanship, I am thankful that we might serve as an example to many, that you can reach across the aisle to pass important legislation that affects the American people so deeply as their future security, the security of their children and their families and the well-being of the United States of America. Thank you for working with us. I appreciated the opportunity to do that.

I would also like to recognize the administration and their willingness to work with us to build upon Project BioShield, of which they really led the charge. We found that it was not sufficient, it needed some improvement, but it was very forward leaning of this President to come out and establish for the first time BioShield, knowing that the threat was real from terrorists around the country and trying to develop at least a program that would deal with the bioterror threat to the

United States. They have been so willing to work with us in finding out what worked and what did not work and this second round we think improves BioShield dramatically and really has to happen if we are going to have protection against biothreats in the future.

The efforts include both offensive and defensive ways to find new developments and better treatments for those infected by bioterrorist attacks and naturally occurring attacks, as was mentioned by the mention of the bird flu.

The problems that we have discovered in looking at BioShield was that there was no single point of authority within HHS for the advanced research and development of countermeasures and quick procurement decisions, and, really, there is only one customer for these type of vaccines, and this is the place where we found some difficulty. There is really only one customer, and that customer is the people of the United States, the government of the United States. With a single source contract it is very hard to attract venture capital, very hard to get private industry excited about developing something if they did not know where the Federal Government was going to be when it came to purchasing something that we are the only ones that were going to buy it, a hard place to be.

So we came up with the single point of authority to make quick decisions; and the Valley of Death takes a long time, 8 to 12 years, to develop these vaccines, very labor intensive, a lot of intellectual power applied to coming up with the right vaccine to be the right prophylactic for what we know is a bioterrorism or natural-occurring event. That Valley of Death, because we are the single source of those contracts, was very real and stalling what we know is great research to happen for the cure and the development of these vaccines.

Also, we found that it did not motivate academic researchers, drug and vaccine manufacturers and other possible partners to commit substantial resources.

What this bill does, Mr. Speaker, is address all those issues and gives us a framework to go forward and bring out the best in our scientific community, our academic community, our producing community to come up with the right safety net for the protection of the United States when it comes to bioterror threats and natural occurring threats in and around our societies, which we know is already here, bird flu mentioned, but we also know the real threat of bioterrorism as well.

I would hope, Mr. Speaker, that we could encourage the Senate to take our lead here and set aside any partisanship that may arise in the course of this bill in the Senate and take quick action. This really means the safety and security of every family in this country. Bioterrorism is, unfortunately, a reality in 2006 and beyond; and they need to set aside any differences they may have in the Senate and take this bill up. So I would encourage Senate Democrat leadership to do just that.

I would also commend Senator Byrd, who has created this bipartisan product, and urge they move this product as soon as possible. And I would also urge, Mr. Speaker, that this important piece of legislation be passed as quickly as possible.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to echo the strong support for H.R. 6164. I want to thank Chairman Barton and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Chairman Deal, committee staff, everybody who put so much of their heart and soul into this bill, including my legislative assistant, Kelly Childress, who spent hours helping us put some of the provisions in this bill and the bill that was just before us.

This legislation does a lot of great things. The chairman of the committee stated why the NIH is our crown jewel. This bill does something very, very important. It is going to get more money to the people doing the research who come up with the solutions for so many ailments in this country. No other nation in the world has this kind of intellectual power in one place working to solve some of our most challenging health care problems. This bill accomplishes great things to that end.

I want to highlight one thing, if I may, a provision that for the first time addresses pain and palliative care. It is long overdue, but it is here. Fifty million Americans are either partially or completely disabled because of acute or chronic pain, and for the first time we elevate it in the eyes of NIH so they can study it. I always say lend me your EAR: Education, Access and Research can happen now because of this bill and because of the work of this House in a bipartisan way to reach out to 50 million Americans who suffer from pain, for people who suffer cancer and diabetes and arthritis and HIV-AIDS. The list is long. This House gives them hope tonight.

I want to say thank you to all who have put so much in it. This will make a difference in Americans' lives for now and in the future. I commend everybody who had a piece of it.

Mr. Speaker, today is really an important day because what we celebrate today are those people who sacrificed of themselves and gave of their all to save the lives of someone else, and that is the real difference between us and our enemy. We celebrate those who save lives. They celebrate those who take lives. That is the difference to remember.

Al Qaeda has a very radical plan, and this attack was not just to poke America in the eye and to kill our civilians. It was to obtain a goal, a goal that they had publicly stated, a tale of faith that ranges from all of the Mideast, northern Africa, southern parts of Europe, including Spain and Indonesia.

This is a war not only of ideology but about a political geography that they believe they own and they are willing to kill Jews and Christians and men and women and Muslims to get it.

Amrullah Saleh visited the United States. He is now head of the intelligence services in Afghanistan, and he said when he was visiting here, ``Only we in Afghanistan have seen what happens when Osama bin Laden is king or prime minister or commander-in-chief of a nation. Our freedom, our culture, our way of life was completely taken from us.''

Under the Taliban, it was against the law to teach women to read or to drive. They could not go outside unless they were escorted by a male relative. They had burned buses because they were a modern necessity. They could not listen to music, watch movies or television, shave or use the Internet.

Osama bin Laden said, ``The war is for you or for us to win. If we win, it means your defeat and your disgrace forever.''

Strong words by a cowardly enemy, but we know that threat is real, and sometimes we get lost in the haggling when we all know that this is the time that we pull together and celebrate those who celebrate life, pull together against those who celebrate death.

Today is our day that we rededicate ourselves to the task of protecting and defending this Nation against a vicious and merciless enemy. We must not forget and we must do what it takes to prevail against those perpetrators of 9/11.

This is what we commemorate in today's resolution, and I would urge all of us to remember who the enemy is

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Sergeant Raymond Plouhar, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his Nation on June 26, 2006, while serving in Iraq. What follows is an inspirational poem Sergeant Plouhar wrote before he was killed in the line of duty.

This is who I am

This is me, this is who I am

I am a Marine to the very end

I live by the motto that is Semperi Fi

I come to countries in far off lands

to fight for freedom for which most are to scared to stand

Do not judge me for what I do

for what I do I do for you

I will kill for those who cannot kill

I will die for those too scared to

I will leave my loved ones, my kids, my wife

I will leave them all behind to give you a better life

I have seen and done things that will haunt my dreams

I have given up many things for you to be free

Do not feel pity for me, for this is my choice

I chose this life so people like you can have a voice

I will die on my feet, I will not live on my knees

I will do this so America can stay free

This is me, this is who I am

I am a Marine to the very end.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the accomplishments of Brigadier General Robert Taylor as he retires after nearly 40 years of service with the United States Army and the Michigan Army National Guard. I thank General Taylor on behalf of those individuals who have benefitted from his time, contributions, and leadership abilities.

Robert Taylor began his career in the Michigan Army National Guard in 1964, where he served 3 years as a Military Police enlisted soldier. Soon after, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Military Police Corps in June of 1969. He has held command and staff assignments in the 146th Military Police Battalion, 1st Battalion 119th Field Artillery 38th Infantry Division, 72nd Rear Area Operations Center, and Commander, Recruiting Command, Michigan Army National Guard. During his over 40 years of service, he has been promoted to several, senior staff assignments. Some of these prestigious assignments included positions as Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Chief of Staff, Michigan National Guard, and in October of 1993, he was promoted to General Officer as the Assistant Adjutant General, Army. General Taylor held the position of Commanding General, 46th Military Police Command for the Michigan National Guard from June 1, 2004 until June 29, 2006, at which time he reverted to sole duty as the Assistant Adjutant General for the Army. In this assignment, Taylor was responsible for the wartime readiness of over 8,300 soldiers of the Michigan Army National Guard. Brigadier General Taylor's dedication to upholding the principles of the United States Army, and his continued work on behalf of the people in his community, is a testament to his strength of character.

General Taylor's years of service in the Army and his dedicated work on behalf of his country are honorable. His decorated medals include the Federal Legion of Merit, the Federal Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the State of Michigan Distinguished Service Medal, and the State of Michigan Legion of Merit Medal. In addition, Taylor has been awarded the Department of the Army Staff Identification Badge and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board, National Guard Association of the United States. General Taylor's academic background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Management from Spring Arbor University. His military education includes the Military Police Office Basic Course, the Field Artillery Officer Basic and Career Course, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the Senior Reserve Component course at the Army War College.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to join me in honoring General Robert Taylor's exceptional service to America. May he know that his Nation is greatly appreciative for his tireless work.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our chairman and Mr. Dingell for working so hard and so long to help us put this bill together, as did Mrs. Miller and Mr. Stupak.

When many people across the country think of Canada, they think of great trading partners and great allies. They think of hockey great Wayne Gretzky, Michael J. Fox, Shania Twain, all great contributions to our society here and good neighbors.

But when the people from Michigan think about Canada, we don't have that luxury. We think about trash and Canadian trash. We think about PCBs, soiled coffin waste and medical waste. We think of the loss of half of our landfill capacity in Michigan to Canadian imports of household municipal waste.

That is what it looks like and that is where it comes, to the great State of Michigan. There is no value added to it. It comes and is thrown into a hole. Because of the fact that they are consuming our landfill capacity, and coming to a neighborhood near you, my great State of Michigan is a landfill.

This bill, with the work of so many people, will stop the flow of Canadian waste. It will give Michigan citizens, and every citizen across the country in their own States, the ability to make the determination if they want to take this trash in their landfills.

Just a week ago they talked about, as they have since this bill was first introduced in 2001, the Canadians said we will reduce the trash and try to get to our 100 percent recycling rate and we will get back to you. The problem was since that last verbal promise to do that, 5,500 equivalent garbage trucks have come over the bridge in the last week. That is 288,000 garbage truck equivalents coming across our bridge every year for the foreseeable future. It is 11 million cubic yards a year ending up in Michigan landfills.

Why are we concerned about that? You can see on the far chart there is human blood dripping out of the back of that truck. You can imagine what chaos that caused when that truck was coming across the bridge. We had testimony by a Michigan State police officer that they believed that there may have even been a human body in that truck. They stopped it and searched it, and what they found was not a human body, but human medical waste. That is one mosquito away from an epidemic. It is dangerous and illegal. We have no way of knowing what other medical waste is in those trucks. It is impossible to inspect them.

This is really a good-neighbor policy. This says we love our Canadian friends to the north. We want to continue with the most robust trading partner we have in the world, but good neighbors don't throw their trash in another person's yard; and they have been doing it for a long time.

This bill is important for a couple of reasons. It is balanced. It is balanced because it directs the EPA to implement the existing U.S.- Canadian Transboundary agreement; but it also, more importantly, gives the State of Michigan and every State the ability to make their own determination if those trucks should continue at that rate coming into our landfills in the great State of Michigan. It allows Michigan citizens to be good stewards of their environment. There is no better place to place that trust and legal authority and that binding agreement than in the hands of these Michigan citizens.

Mr. Speaker, those PCBs, that blood, we even found illegal drugs coming across in those trucks, as well as soiled coffin waste. It is all living proof of what we have endured over these last years.

Today is the day we will stand up and tell our good friends the Canadians we are tired of getting their trash in the State of Michigan. Let us be good stewards of our environment.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his hard work and all he has done to bring us to this point and put all of the right people in the room to make this happen. I thank Mr. Dingell for working with us and Candice Miller for pushing this vote. This is a vote that will send a very clear signal to our Canadian friends that we won't put up with political promises, that we want real action and we want it now.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I appreciate it.

I want to compliment Mr. Conaway from Texas for his introduction and

pushing this bill, H.R. 5611, to the forefront. It is an important part of what we are doing in this House.

We get to the point where Asia has used more oil last year than North America, and India is yet to come online fully in its oil consumption. There is only going to be more pressure on the oil produced around the world.

So this House has taken some important steps to try to steady our supply. We have invested in the policy changes for domestic production and expansion of our refinery capability. We have invested in alternative fuels, not only in research and development but trying to make sure there is refining capability for ethanol across the country.

Lastly, we talk about conservation, when I recall back to being a young child and my parents coming home and telling us about President Nixon's challenge to every American to lower their thermostat in their house to help conserve energy, and it worked.

What this bill does is really present some very commonsense options for all of us that we get to follow. It is a true partnership from all of the players who have really the most to gain by conservation. It will lower demand, number one; and it will reduce our dependency on foreign oil, number two. They are small, commonsense things that we can do individually that add up to big solutions. That is what is important about this bill.

Just a few examples, Mr. Speaker, if I may. Replacing your clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. You can improve gas mileage by around 3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. You can increase your gas mileage by 2 percent by using the recommended grade of motor oil by your car's manufacturer.

These are commonsense, simple things. But Americans need to understand how important those small things are in adding up to big savings of barrels of oil consumed every year, which means, at the end of the day, lower prices, less dependence on foreign oil.

Every family has sat at the table and talked about the consumption of their budget by gas prices. If you stop to fill up your pump on the way to take your kids to school, or to go to work, or run an errand, you know how painful it is today.

If we continue on the path of this House with good energy policy and domestic supply and alternative fuels, and individual conservation, Mr. Speaker, we will ensure that we have an energy supply for the future that is both affordable and meets the demands of an American economy that is on the move.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5534) to establish a grant program whereby moneys collected from violations of the corporate average fuel economy program are used to expand infrastructure necessary to increase the availability of alternative fuels, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material on the bill.

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

Madam Speaker, many thanks to the staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Mr. Boucher as well, who helped and assisted along the way, and Mr. Fossella from New York for helping put this legislation together. I can't tell you how timely it is.

Every day, Americans must fill up their cars with gasoline that comes from some of the most unstable regions of the world. American dollars flow to dictators, despots, and committed enemies of the United States, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Ahmadinejad of Iran and Obasanjo of Nigeria. However, we do have other options, and that is the exciting news.

Today, nearly 5 million Americans drive flex-fuel vehicles. These cars are capable of running on gasoline or renewable fuels, like E-85, which is 85 percent ethanol; and that number is growing.

Currently, Ford, General Motors and Daimler Chrysler are in the process of announcing that they would be soon producing 2 million flex- fuel vehicles annually. The fastest way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil is to make ethanol, the fuel that is grown right here in the United States, available to Americans all across the country.

Unfortunately, renewable-fuels infrastructure has not kept pace with the number of renewable-fueled cars on the road. Today, only 600 or so gasolines have E-85 pumps installed, consisting of less than 1 percent of all gas stations. In fact, only 34 States even have E-85 pumps available to the motoring public.

We have come up with a good solution for that, a kick-start, if you will, to the ethanol revolution that is about to take hold of America. Remember our choices are this, Madam Speaker: we can send that money to an Iranian ayatollah, or we can send our fuel money to an American farmer. Today, we start that process of allowing consumers to make a good choice and send it to an American farmer.

Each year, there are automobile companies who pay fines because they are not in compliance with CAFE standards in the United States, and those fines come to the general treasury. What we have done is to take those CAFE fines, fines that they pay for not meeting fuel economy standards of the United States, and roll it over and allow small loans to independent gas station owners all across the country to install ethanol pumps.

We think that this can double the number of ethanol pumps next year and start to fuel the fire for private investment in ethanol all across the United States and meet a demand from 5 million current users and 2 million future units from Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors cars all across this great country.

The one thing that we have figured out in this whole process, there is a great researcher at Michigan State University, Dr. Bruce Dale, who believes that within 5 to 6 years with his continuing cellulosic research and other things, there can be an ethanol product at the pump for $1.25 a gallon. $1.25 a gallon.

That is an economy built entirely on the energy of the United States. We are going to build the refineries here that refine the ethanol product. We are going to transport that fuel to the pumps all across America and we are going to produce those cars right here in the United States.

It is good for the environment. And it is good for reducing our demand on foreign oil.

Madam Speaker, I think this is long overdue. The science of this is so exciting. We are right on the edge of turning the corner, not only from corn-based, but from switch grass and other things. It is all right here. This is just part of that three-legged stool. It is the research and development.

It is the ability, as we passed not so long ago, the energy bill that gave incentives for more ethanol refineries all across the country of some 93, four being built in Michigan, being built all over the United States is starting to catch on.

The last leg of that stool to make this successful is distribution. And this is that kick-start that we so desperately need. Again, Madam Speaker, we think this is an important bill at an important time in our history. We can see the conflicts around the world, how it draws us in to some of the worst governments the world has to offer.

This is our chance in America to stand up for our American farmers, for our ingenuity, for our ability to produce clean burning fuel for the cars that we use in this wheeled economy of ours. We can move forward through innovation. This bill is that kick start that is so desperately needed to do it.

Madam Speaker, these grants will be for no more than $30,000 to $60,000 per business for the purpose of expanding the availability of alternative fuel infrastructure. There is no new program here. That is really important. We did not create a new program to do this. This is part of the Clean Cities Program. We just redirected their purpose a little bit.

Madam Speaker, there are no taxpayer dollars involved. All of the money involved is by the fines paid. In addition, Madam Speaker, in an e-mail received by the Congressional Budget Office dated July 19, 2006, it states that ``this would not affect direct spending; in other words, it has no cost.''

Madam Speaker, I urge the quick passage of this bill as we move to the next phase of how we operate our motor vehicles all across this great country, and how we reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, on the legislative day of July 10, 2006 the House voted on two measures under suspension of the rules. H.R. 5061, the Paint Bank and Wytheville National Fish Hatcheries Conveyance Act and H.R. 2563, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct feasibility studies to address certain water shortages within the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in Idaho. On rollcall votes No. 358 and No. 359, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and thank Lieutenant Colonel David E.A. Johnson for his 22 years of service to the United States, and to commend him on an exemplary career with the United States Army.

LTC Johnson entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1980 where he graduated in 1984 in the top 15 percent of his class. He later became one of 23 out of 124 qualified officer candidates to graduate from the Special Forces Detachment Officers Qualification Course. He was immediately assigned to command a Special Forces ``A- Team'' in the 5th Special Forces Group in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 2000, he served as an Army legislative liaison in the House Liaison Division where he planned, coordinated and escorted Congressional Delegations on fact-finding missions to over 28 countries and seven States. In 2002, LTC Johnson was selected as an Army Strategist to augment Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-- North in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as Chief of Plans and Current Plans. In Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, he has transformed Special Operations Theater Support Element procedures, integrating General Purpose and Special Operations Forces and has been a key leader of logistics transformation.

Overall, LTC Johnson has earned over 36 separate combat and peacetime awards as well as nearly every special skill badge authorized. He has shown consistent excellence in leadership, planning, and innovation, while making a permanent impact on Special Operations.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring Lieutenant Colonel David E.A. Johnson and thanking him for the countless sacrifices he has made for this Nation,

and the 22 years of remarkable service in the United States Army. May he know that this body and his Nation are proud of him.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5646) to study and promote the use of energy efficient computer servers in the United States, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material on the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, the digital economy is on the move, and we have got some great news for Michigan, a State that is very automotive dominated, with Google announcing 1,000 jobs over the next 5 years this morning to be located right outside my district in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is a great and important, I think, announcement for our State, which has had a little bit of economic trouble, but is now embracing this new wave of digital innovation, the digital economy, the IT economy, as it spreads around this great country.

With that come some serious concerns for the IT community, for those who are involved in the digital economy, and for those of us, all of us, who depend on energy use.

According to industry analysts, the U.S. server market is expected to grow from 2.8 million units in 2005 to 4.9 million units in 2009, a growth rate, Mr. Speaker, of almost 50 percent. Data center energy costs are expected to soar, as companies deploy greater numbers of servers consuming more power and, in the process, emitting more heat that needs to be dissipated.

Data center electricity costs are already in the range of $3.3 billion annually. Improved energy savings in servers will help the United States meet its energy demands to stay competitive in the global economy without having to build new generating facilities. If done right, Mr. Speaker, that is power lines that won't have to be built, it is power plants that won't have to be built just to meet the demands of what is a growing part of our economy, and that is these data centers as applies to the IT or digital economy.

Interesting, if you take a small 100,000 square foot, which is not so small, actually, annual utility cost for a data center or a server farm, it is nearly $6 million. If done right, efficient servers can result in as high as an 80 percent reduction in electricity demand. That is $4.8 million in savings if we can reach that goal. That means jobs, innovation, expansion. It means taking the money and investing it in people versus electricity or energy costs. That is a win for everybody.

Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense conservation bill that will work to reduce the need for new power plants and new transmission lines in each of our districts by driving down demand for electricity and allowing the expansion and growth of the digital economy.

There are a great number of organizations who have stepped up to support H.R. 5646, and I would like to name just a few: the Alliance to Save Energy, American Electronics Association, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Electronic Industries Alliance, Information Technology Industry Council, Semiconductor Industry Association, and TechNet.

The legislation is very straightforward. It calls for a study in our ability to get ahead of this very, very important problem looming before us, and that is the expanded use of energy.

Finally, I want to thank Ms. Eshoo for her help and support and assistance in this effort, as well as that of her staff, who have worked diligently with my staff to help put this together in a timely fashion to help meet the needs of this new and exciting American economy.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo).

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I appreciate the hard work from Mr. Hobson, Chairman Wolf, and the FBI to address the potentially devastating impact of the FBI's Up and Out Policy on agents in the field who have given decades of public service to protect our Nation. I cannot thank enough Chairman Wolf and Mr. Hobson for the long hours of negotiation that allowed us to stand with the men and women who stand in harm's way in protection of the United States.

It is critical that the Federal Government protect the retirement benefits of Supervisory Special Agents who have honorably served their country, and I look forward to working with you to address this issue this year.

Further, I am very pleased that the FBI is committed to establishing a housing allowance pilot program here in Washington, D.C., within the funds provided in this bill. We ask a lot of our agents in the field, agents who risk their lives every single day to put mobsters in jail, break up terrorist plots across America, protect the public integrity by Federal, State, and local officials, and so much more. The least we can do is give them the fair compensation that allows them to provide for their family and have a home that is not hours away from their field office. By creating this first-ever housing allowance within the Bureau, agents will be able to reduce their commute time, giving them more time to take a son to a swim meet or a daughter to a dance recital. But perhaps most importantly, Mr. Chairman, this program will be a morale boost and will allow FBI agents to focus on their vital work to protect America and all Americans.

I look forward to continuing to work with the FBI, Chairman Wolf, and yourself, Mr. Hobson, on ensuring that FBI agents are compensated fairly; and I thank you for your strong leadership on this important issue.