Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support designating an Early Detection Month for Breast Cancer and All Forms of Cancer (H. Con. Res. 158). As a cancer survivor myself, I stand here as proof that early detection can save lives.

While the search for a cancer cure continues, much progress has been made in the areas of prevention, detection and treatment of cancers. However, there are still over 2 million new cases of cancer diagnosed each year.

The statistics are alarming: Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers affecting women, and prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men. Only non-melanoma skin cancer remains more common for men and women overall. Right now, it is estimated that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Sadly, thousands of West Virginia women faced breast cancer diagnosis in 2009 alone. Yet each year, more women survive their battle with breast cancer due to medical advances in early detection and treatment. Medical researchers, including those at Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in Huntington, West Virginia, are working hard to improve those figures--but early detection remains an important key to saving lives, which is why I strongly support this effort to designate an Early Detection Month to bring attention and focus to this critical issue.

The steady decline in deaths resulting from breast cancer can be attributed to an increase in the number of women who receive mammograms and the development of powerful new drugs that successfully treat cancer.

As many of you are aware, in 2006 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and subsequently underwent surgery. I am very thankful for all of the West Virginians who contacted me, offering their prayers and support as I prepared for my procedures, through my recovery, and up to this day. I am also truly grateful to the doctors who were able to diagnose my cancer early and--with immediate treatment, they improved my chances for survival.

Cancer screening is often quick and easy and many testing measures can be performed in a local doctor's office. So many lives can be saved and so many families spared a tragic heartache of dealing with cancer diagnosis. That is why I support H. Con. Res. 158 and the efforts to encourage early detection since the bottom line with cancer is raising awareness and early detection saves lives.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1017, I call up the bill (H.R. 3254) to approve the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 3254.

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

Today, the Committee on Natural Resources is bringing before this body for consideration three bills which would provide for the settlement of the legitimate water claims of several Indian tribes.

Many Americans rarely give a thought to having clean, potable water in their homes. We turn on the taps in our kitchens, and we take it for granted that water will flow forth. But that, unfortunately, is not the case in all places.

There is no scarcity of water in my home State of West Virginia. We are rich in water. It flows freely.

Yet, today we continue to work to ensure that all of our citizens have access to clean, potable water, as well as to be served by sanitary wastewater systems; and I have and will continue to fight this fight every day of my tenure in this body. So it is with understanding and with compassion that I bring these three measures to the floor today.

The pending measure, and I give him full credit for his leadership and bringing it to our attention, sponsored by the gentleman from New Mexico, Ben Ray Lujan, would adjudicate the water rights of the Pueblo of Taos and end 40 years of active litigation by ratifying a settlement agreement.

Forty years, my colleagues, 40 years of litigation: that is what the pending legislation would end. And I cannot commend enough Mr. Lujan and Mr. Heinrich, the other gentleman from New Mexico and member of our Committee on Natural Resources, for their efforts in this matter.

Similarly, I commend the chairwoman on the Subcommittee on Water and Power, the gentlewoman from California, Grace Napolitano, for the hearings and all of her hard work on the measures that we are considering today.

This legislation implements a settlement agreement that was signed in May of 2006 by the Pueblo of Taos, the State of New Mexico, 55 community ditch associations, the town of Taos, El Prado Water and Sanitation District, and the 12 Taos-area Mutual Domestic Water Consumer Associations. Collectively, the parties to the agreement represent the majority of water users in the Taos Valley.

Let me emphasize that point. This settlement provides water certainty to both tribal and non-tribal communities.

Under this settlement agreement, funds would be authorized for the Taos Settlement Fund, the Taos Infrastructure and Watershed Fund, and for various projects that are mutually beneficial to the pueblo and non-pueblo parties.

I would note that the Taos Pueblo has settled for a water right that is far less than what the claims asserted in litigation by the United States and the pueblo. This potential value is much more than the amount that is authorized to be appropriated in H.R. 3254, a clear financial benefit to all taxpayers.

Yet we will hear from some on the other side of the aisle that they are just not sure whether or not this settlement agreement is a good deal. They just do not know, they will say.

Well, all the parties which finally came together to settle 40 years of litigation, I remind you, believe that this is a good settlement. The gentleman from New Mexico who represents these people in this body believes it is a good deal. The gentlewoman from California, Grace Napolitano, who held hearings on this bill and worked with all the concerned parties, believes it is a good settlement. And the Committee on Natural Resources, which approved a pending measure, thought it was a good enough settlement to send to the full House.

Let me be clear: Both the Departments of the Interior and Justice were involved in this settlement agreement. Rather than engage in protracted litigation, both Republican and Democrat administrations for over the last 20 years believe that negotiated Indian water rights settlements are the preferred course of action.

In testimony before the Water and Power Subcommittee, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation stated: ``Settlements improve water management by providing certainty not just as to the quantification of a tribe's water rights but also as to the rights of all water users.''

He added further: ``Indian water rights settlements are consistent with the Federal trust responsibility to Native Americans and with a policy of promoting Indian self-determination and economic self- sufficiency.''

We do indeed have a trust responsibility to Indian country, and fulfilling that responsibility is at the heart of what we are doing today. The Taos Pueblo has had to fight for its water rights against Spanish settlers, with Mexico, and then as part of the United States. Let us today end this long fight and provide certainty to all the water users in the Taos Valley.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the lead sponsor of this bill, whom I referenced in my opening remarks, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan).

Mr. Speaker, it's my honor to now yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Mexico, Martin Heinrich, another cosponsor of this legislation and a valued member of our Committee on Natural Resources.

I am prepared to close, Mr. Speaker.

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

Let me conclude by noting that in a letter dated January 19 from the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice, they noted, ``Both rancor and uncertainty can have substantial economic consequences. The existence of unquantified water rights claims casts a shadow over all water users in a water basin, as no other water user in the basin can ever be certain when these rights may be used and how this will impact other users.'' The pending bill solves this problem. It provides badly needed certainty.

And before finally concluding, I would note to my colleagues, and I did not really want to do this for fear of scaring off support from my side of the aisle, but I will note that a third of these bills have a cosponsorship of the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake), not an individual known around here for his prolific spending habits. So I do that, again, with the trepidation of scaring off support from my side of the aisle for the pending measure. I will conclude, Mr. Speaker, by asking all Members to support this measure.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1017, I call up the bill (H.R. 3342) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to develop water infrastructure in the Rio Grande Basin, and to approve the settlement of the water rights claims of the Pueblos of Nambe, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 3342.

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

We are now proceeding with the second of three bills to implement Indian water rights settlement agreements being considered by this body today. The pending measure, like the previous bill, is sponsored by our colleague Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and cosponsored by Martin Heinrich of that State.

This legislation would settle the water rights of four pueblos in New Mexico under an agreement with the State of New Mexico, Santa Fe County, the city of Santa Fe, and individual water users. It would end 44 years of active litigation involving over 2,500 defendants by ratifying the settlement agreement and funding a regional water system for all water users in the valley.

The previous bill we considered would end 40 years of litigation. The one we are currently considering would end 44 years of litigation. I would say to my colleagues that today we are making history. The American people want certainty. During these tough economic times, we all want to have certainty in our lives. But for many, a long-year certainty with respect to water has not been the case in the Rio Grande watershed. Today we can provide that certainty.

The pending measure would secure water to meet the current and future needs of the pueblos involved, protect water users that make the region unique, preserve irrigation in the area, and provide water for all the region's residents. As in the case of H.R. 3342, water rights settlements improve water management by providing certainty not just to the quantification of a tribe's water rights but also to the water rights of all users. Certainty provides opportunities for economic development, for Indian and non-Indians alike. Where Indian water rights are unquantified, there is often tension and conflict between tribes and their neighbors. The best settlements, like the ones before us today, replace tension with collaboration, mutual interdependence, and trust.

I commend the team of Lujan and Heinrich for their hard work on this matter. I again would acknowledge the long hours of work that have been put into this measure by the distinguished gentlewoman from California, Grace Napolitano, in her position as chairwoman for our Subcommittee on Water and Power. She has gone through countless hours of hearings and discussions and meetings on these bills. I thank the four pueblos and their settlement partners for their hard work and dedication.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield such time as she may consume to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), the chairlady of our Water and Power Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield to the lead sponsor of this legislation, Mr. Ben Ray Lujan.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy once again to yield such time as he may consume to the cosponsor of this litigation, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Heinrich).

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

Mr. Speaker, just to conclude and reiterate what I have already said, that 44 years of litigation is far too long, 40 years of litigation is far too long. We all know the tremendous costs involved in litigation to the Federal taxpayer, the amount of salaries paid to judges, lawyers. We could go on and on about the costs that the taxpayer ends up bearing over some 44 years of litigation, longer time period than Moses spent in the desert. So with that, I would say that this bill is certainly economical to the American taxpayers, and I would urge its passage.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1017, I call up the bill (H.R. 1065) to resolve water rights claims of the White Mountain Apache Tribe in the State of Arizona, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 1065.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring before the House legislation that would adjudicate the water rights of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and end years of active litigation by ratifying the settlement agreement. This is a bipartisan measure, sponsored by the gentlelady from Arizona, Ann Kirkpatrick, for whom I extend tremendous applause for the manner in which she has led the House on this issue, brought it before our attention, and secured the cosponsorship of the entire Arizona House delegation.

The waters of the White Mountain Apache Reservation feed to the Salt River of Arizona. The Salt River is a primary water source for the metropolitan area of Phoenix, Arizona, along with thousands of acres of agricultural land. Coming to closure on water rights is imperative to protect the water supply for thousands of people in Arizona. Equally important is the fulfillment of commitments made to the White Mountain Apache people to provide them a clean reliable water supply, and to repair their irrigation system, which has fallen into disrepair.

In this settlement all parties came together with a mutual desire for success. Indeed, the parties to this settlement agreement include the White Mountain Apache, the State of Arizona, the cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, and others, and various water user organizations and entities. As with the two bills we just considered, I want to again acknowledge the administration's position that for over 20 years the Federal Government has stated that negotiated Indian water rights settlements are preferable to protracted and divisive litigation. The pending measure does just this, with a negotiated settlement and an end to decades of litigation.

I thank the gentlelady from Arizona, Ann Kirkpatrick, and her colleagues in the Arizona delegation for their hard work in bringing this measure forward. I also again would recognize the tireless efforts of our subcommittee chairwoman, the gentlelady from California, Grace Napolitano, for her countless hours of hearings and staff meetings and other meetings with the affected parties on this issue. And I would thank the White Mountain Apache people for their continued dedication to this settlement and legislation.

Access to water should not be a privilege in this country, but is a basic, fundamental right. These people have clearly earned our respect and support for this legislation. I urge the passage thereof.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield such time as she may consume to the lead cosponsor of this legislation who has worked so hard on this issue, the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Kirkpatrick).

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

Mr. Speaker, before yielding to the gentleman from Michigan to close on our side, I would just reiterate what has already been said by the gentlewoman from Arizona, that she is joined in her cosponsorship of this legislation by the gentleman considered the watchdog of fiscal spending in this body, Mr. Jeff Flake, in cosponsoring this bill.

At this point, I yield the balance of my time to the co-Chair of our Native American Caucus in the Congress and a valued member of our Committee on Natural Resources, the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Dale Kildee.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer congratulations to several of West Virginia's most dedicated and hardworking individuals. On December 1, 2009, several individuals were honored for their role in enhancing tourism to Greenbrier County when the Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) presented their fourth annual Spirit of Tourism Awards.

The Greenbrier County CVB presented four awards to honor people who have made a difference in the local economy through enhancing local tourism. The Spirit of Tourism Awards recognize residents that have made a significant impact on the tourism industry in the areas of tourism development, volunteerism, securing a convention or meeting to the area, and excelling at partnering with the Greenbrier County CVB.

This year's Greenbrier Award recipient was awarded to Jim Justice for his hard work and dedication since his purchase of `The Greenbrier' earlier this year. Mr. Justice has

made significant developments since then with the development of a new restaurant, Prime 44, The Tavern Casino, and the announcement of the new PGA Tour `The Greenbrier Classic'. Mr. Justice has worked hard to improve `The Greenbrier' all the while increasing tourism to the county and state.

Russell Williams and Annamarie Visclosky were this year's recipients of the Greenbrier County Ambassador Award, which honors those who have assisted the tourism community by going above and beyond the call of duty. Mr. Williams and Ms. Visclosky have spearheaded a number of impressive activities in the community, including the Lewisburg Chocolate Festival, Carnegie Hall's Taste of Our Towns, and the Rhythm and Blues Festival.

The State Fair of West Virginia was named as this year's recipient of the Hometown Hero Award, which recognizes an individual or group that has gone above the call of duty in securing conferences or meetings in Greenbrier County. Board Member Kathryn Tuckwiller accepted the award of behalf of the State Fair of West Virginia.

The Friend of Tourism Award is chosen by the Convention and Visitors Bureau to recognize an individual or group that has excelled in promoting tourism in partnership with the Bureau. This year's winner was Brier Properties which was recognized for their significant hotel development in the area and their outstanding willingness to partner with the Greenbrier County CVB in marketing initiatives.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in congratulating the winners of this year's Spirit of Tourism Awards who have contributed in unique ways to the growth and development of the economy in the Third Congressional District of West Virginia--a district that I am very proud to represent here in Washington, DC.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the American University of Beirut Medical Center, AUBMC, upon being designated as the first ``Magnet'' facility in the Middle East by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Magnet Recognition Program.

The ``Magnet'' program recognizes nursing excellence in the delivery of care to patients, promoting quality health care services in an environment that supports professional nursing practice, and providing a mechanism for the dissemination of best practices for nursing services. AUMBC is the first health care institution in the Middle East and the third in the world outside the United States to receive this award.

``Magnet'' recognized organizations set the global standard for professional nursing care and innovative health care reform that meets the needs of patients, families, and communities. Only five percent of all hospitals in the United States are ``Magnet'' recognized institutions, including such prestigious hospitals as Cedars Sinai Medical Center and Johns Hopkins Hospitals. Special recognition is in order for Gladys Mouro, Assistant Hospital Director for Patient Care Services, who spearheaded the 6-year effort to secure ``Magnet'' recognition.

I am absolutely delighted that this extraordinary designation was achieved at a U.S. recognized and supported institution, the prestigious institution of higher learning in the Middle East, the American University of Beirut. Congratulations to the AUB administration, faculty, and the entire AUBMC medical staff for their 6 years of hard work to achieve this goal.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the ninety years of service by the West Virginia State Police.

Audiences throughout the world have always been transfixed by the American lawman, from the earliest days of radio with the Lone Ranger and Dragnet, to today's televised prolific forensic adventures. In West Virginia this week, we shall go a long way in setting the record right, celebrating the real human spirit, and illuminating the costly sacrifices of the steadfast mission galvanized by the shields worn proudly across our state, ``To Serve and Protect.''

The West Virginia State Police have given the people of West Virginia nine decades of dedication and commitment by an unbroken long line of forest green. This remarkable group of professionals, our nation's fourth oldest state police agency, has a storied history and rich tradition of service.

In acknowledgment and with gratitude, the West Virginia Department of Culture and History is opening a splendid exhibit entitled, ``Celebrating Ninety Years of the West Virginia State Police,'' which will stand as a permanent display in the West Virginia State Museum, in tribute to this fine organization.

Stretching over 90 years of history, born in the trademark forest green uniforms worn today, the West Virginia State Police force armed with 21st century tools, technologies, and expertise is the foundation for law enforcement in our democratic society. Theirs is a story of an admirable path of honor and bravery. It is one of men and women who are known, respected and recognized nationally for their efforts in law enforcement.

Throughout their proud legacy and often in the face of great change, West Virginia State Police officers have been at the ready, answering trouble, turmoil, and even tornadoes of one form or another, with speed, accuracy and more often than not, a deep understanding of those they serve. For all this we are, and will forever be, grateful.

Today, as we celebrate roads well travelled and those yet to be blazed, I share great pride with the people of West Virginia.

And, to all the men and women of the West Virginia State Police--past and present, uniformed and non-uniformed--I express my deepest gratitude and heartfelt thanks for their service and commitment to the safety and security of the people of West Virginia.

I hope my colleagues here in the Congress will join me in congratulating everyone with the West Virginia State Police and their families on their 90th anniversary and offer our sincerest best wishes for their continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the achievement of U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd on becoming the longest serving Member in the history of the United States Congress.

Senator Robert C. Byrd has made a career of setting the standard for his fellow Members of Congress to emulate and today, he has, again, set the bar of Congressional service one notch higher.

This is a history-making day. But Senator Byrd's record-setting achievement is not gauged best by the number of years, days, and hours he has spent in office--though he could tell us to the minute. It is, instead, more correctly measured by the wealth of hope his work has generated, the vast number of lives his efforts have touched and improved, and the multiple generations of citizens his struggles from virtual orphan to the heights of political power have inspired.

His work, in short, has been monumental. His efforts have provided for public services and fundamental structures--modern highways, safer bridges, veterans centers, clean water systems--but these fall far short of the greatest and most lasting monument that he has given the people of West Virginia, his devotion and tireless work to make their lives richer.

I am proud and awed--though not in the least surprised--to be able to congratulate West Virginia's senior Senator on becoming the longest serving Member in the history of the U.S. Congress. And I look forward to many more record-breaking years of Robert C. Byrd serving in the U.S. Senate and setting a wise and fruitful course for the future of West Virginia and the Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service, dedication, and sacrifices of America's professional truck drivers who serve our Nation daily by delivering the clothes we wear, the food we eat, and yes, even the medical prescriptions upon which many of us must rely.

This week, November 1-7, is designated National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and is set aside to honor the 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the United States. One out of every fifteen people across this country is employed in the trucking industry, which is one of our Nation's largest employers.

Truckers serve as the backbone of their industry, which is responsible for a large portion of the total U.S. freight tonnage. Estimates suggest that a majority of communities rely solely on the trucking industry for their goods and commodities. In turn, our economy not only relies, but thrives, on the good work of these men and women.

America's truck drivers work to help keep our highways safe. They follow stringent safety regulations, attend frequent training programs, and help educate the motoring public to make sharing the roadways with tractor-trailers safer.

Finally, Madam Speaker, America's truck drivers sacrifice precious time from their families, all the while, they deliver for ours. This week we pause to say thank you to them and to their families.

I salute these fine individuals along with their understanding families for their commitment to America's future stability, increased prosperity, and for delivering life's essentials safely and securely.

Madam Speaker, as we, in the Congress, continue to debate the course of energy in America; as we consider the science of efficiency, the effects of power generation on the environment, and the impact of energy supply on the economy and on national security, I believe we also need to remember some very fundamental things.

We need, for example, to pay acute attention to the effects that the decisions we make in Washington will have on the men and women, the families, and the communities back home who have, for generations, provided the natural energy resources that fuel America.

Today I am proud to introduce--along with my colleagues from West Virginia, Representatives Alan B. Mollohan and Shelley Moore Capito--a resolution honoring America's miners.

The government has long recognized that it has an obligation to do all that it can to ensure that our coal miners have safe, healthy workplaces. But I contend that we also have an obligation to do all we can to ensure that our miners simply have work.

America has grown strong through the labor of coal miners. Their work has provided, light, warmth, and economic security for generations of growing American families. it has fueled the steel furnaces that built our great cities and our military might And the labor of miners has made reality of the creative imaginings of America's most inventive minds.

These hard-working, selfless, earnest men and women, their livelihoods, their way of life, and the future of their families and their communities are at stake. Mining can be difficult, dangerous work, but mining is also a noble, honest profession, and miners and their families are proud of the work they do for America, as well they should be.

We can mine and use coal more safely, more cleanly, and more efficiently. And we will. Our future depends upon it.

So, Madam Speaker, I introduce this resolution to support the goals and ideals of a National Miner's Day that will commemorate the work and the sacrifice of miners past and present. But I do so, as well, as a demonstration of support for the jobs of miners future.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to show my support for National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

As President Obama stated in his proclamation naming October as the National Disability Employment Awareness Month, fair access to employment is a fundamental right of every American, including the 54 million people in this country living with disabilities.

Through the Ability One Program, a federal initiative, that enables people who are blind or have other significant disabilities to work and provide products and services to federal and commercial customers, thousands of working Americans are contributing to West Virginia and national economies.

The more people know about the capabilities of people with disabilities to work and lead independent lives, the more we can shatter stereotypes and misperceptions. We need to celebrate empowering one another by highlighting the ingenuity and perseverance of people with disabilities. As a Nation, we should take this month as an opportunity to showcase the contributions of those with disabilities who have found success in the workplace.

However, there is more that needs to be done to spread the awareness that hiring people with disabilities is good for businesses in West Virginia. For example, seven out of ten working age Americans who are blind are not employed.

The month of October honors these men and women who live with disabilities and are working or want to work within their communities. I would like to take this time to shine a spotlight and raise awareness of programs in West Virginia and around the Nation that work with individuals with disabilities.

Both the American Foundation for the Blind, AFB, and the National Federation for the Blind, NFB, have chapters in Huntington and around the state where they work with individuals with disabilities to improve their lives through advocacy, education and career programs. These organizations work to educate the public on the ability of those with disabilities to succeed and thrive within employment settings They promote independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources.

Another organization working in West Virginia to educate employers about employing workers with disabilities is Goodwill Industries. They provide education, training and career services for people with physical, mental and emotional disabilities. They work to train and employ contract workers to fill outsourced needs for document management, assembly, mailing, custodial work, grounds keeping and more. In 2008, local Goodwill organizations collectively provided employment and training services to more than 1.525 million individuals.

Federal initiatives such as AbilityOne Program, also help people who are blind or have other severe disabilities find employment by working for nonprofit agencies, NPAs, that sell product or services to the U.S. government. They are the largest source of employment for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the United States with 12 participating non-profit agencies in West Virginia.

I know employers can make a difference. Two years ago, my chief of staff became disabled after a fall in his home injured his spinal cord. He's now back at work and continues on the road to recovery with the help of accommodations I'm pleased to say the House of Representatives made for him at my request. From the Speaker and her staff, to both the Sergeant-At-Arms and the CAO's staff and to the Capitol Police and the House Staff Fitness Center--all of these offices have responded enthusiastically. From help getting his transportation past security checkpoints to getting his wheelchair into the office, from designing his workstation to accommodating his workout routine, the House answered my requests affirmatively. This month he was recognized by his state vocational rehabilitation program for his accomplishment of returning to work.

All of us face battles--many of us face more than our fair share. This month serves as a reminder of that truth. It is a truth we as a society must respect and must work to make right.

We have some strong allies in that battle as evidenced above. There is more than abundant evidence here that despite all odds against it, the human spirit is a difficult, if not impossible, flame to snuff out. Hope is but a small thing on show this day when compared to the many triumphs and remarkable victories we celebrate. The courage shown every day by those with disabilities is contagious and their successes empower all of us to be better individuals, better community members, and better Americans.

Please join with me in celebrating all of the organizations who work to raise awareness about the dedicated and hard-working Americans who are blind or have other significant disabilities who provide quality products and services at fair market prices to the Federal government every day.

Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for yielding, and I rise today in strong support of this Interior appropriations conference report and to congratulate the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for their work on this important funding measure.

In particular, I wish to express my deep appreciation and congratulate my classmate, Interior Subcommittee Chairman Norm Dicks, as well as full committee chairman, Dave Obey, on the completion of this conference report. I thank Ranking Members Lewis and Simpson as well.

I am privileged to serve as chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Many of the priorities funded in this legislation have long been priorities of the authorizing committee as well.

We often hear Members of Congress express concern about the future of our national parks, our forests, our refuges and public lands. We often hear Members express support for a strong trust relationship with native people. We often hear Members express deep concern regarding wildlife, climate change, and water quality and quantity.

I would say to my colleagues that today is one of those days where Members who say they care about these things can come to the House floor and prove it by voting for this strong conference report.

Last spring, the House approved legislation that I sponsored, the Federal Land Assistance and Management Enhancement Act, or FLAME Act, to authorize a separate funding stream for emergency wildfire suppression. Over the last decade, wildfires have become increasingly dangerous and destructive, burning more acreage and more property more often. Yet financially, the Federal Government has continued to be ill- prepared to respond to these fires. Time after time, we have seen wildfires rip through communities, while at the same time they burn through the agency's budget.

I moved the FLAME Act through the House because it will give the agencies the money they need to knock down catastrophic fires, while protecting the important funds needed to stop fires from starting in the first place. Thanks to the cooperation and assistance of the Appropriations Committee, the FLAME fund is included in this conference report, and for the first time, we are creating a savings account to cover the cost of fighting fires we know are going to happen.

Instead of a ``rainy day'' fund, it is a fund for fire seasons when we have not had nearly enough rainy days, and I know the communities threatened by these dangerous fires are grateful it is included in this bill.

The conference report also includes funding for increases for our national parks, wildlife refuges, forests and public lands, investments in what Ken Burns has reminded us is one of America's best ideas.

I thank the chairman.

The conference report also contains significant funding for the land and water conservation fund, a contract we have made with our grandchildren that, as we deplete our offshore energy reserves, we will invest some of the profits in conservation.

Finally, the conference report honors our enduring commitment to native people with significant funding increases for Indian health services and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The rates of poverty and illness among native people continue at unacceptably high rates, and sufficient funding for these programs is vital.

Of course, as with all compromises, this conference report is not perfect. It includes several individual provisions I do not support. However, this legislation represents a continued commitment to protecting and preserving that which makes our Nation unique.

I urge Members' support and appreciate the work of the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to, in the very beginning, commend the gentleman from California, the chairman of our Committee on Education and Labor, Mr. George Miller, for the tremendous leadership, dedication, persistence and patience with which he has handled the pending legislation. I wish to also commend our distinguished chairlady of our Subcommittee on Water on our Natural Resources Committee, the gentlelady from California, Mrs. Grace Napolitano.

I do rise in my capacity as chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources to support the pending legislation which was favorably reported out of our committee without controversy.

By now, I would think that most of us are aware that there are major issues associated with drought and agriculture in California. While the rainy season has hit parts of the State, it will do little to refill reservoirs that haven't seen normal level of rainfall for years. The impacts of the drought are obvious, whether we're talking about brown lawns, fallowed fields or increased water rates for struggling families.

To address this dire situation, the pending measure is based on the practical idea of conservation through reuse. By recycling water, this bill would create 39,000 acre-feet of water or enough water to supply over 24,000 homes. We're bringing this legislation up under a rule today because a very vocal minority opposed this bill for reasons unrelated to the merits of the legislation.

I'm fortunate to come from a State with abundant water resources. I understand how water is critical for both people and our economy. What I do not understand is why some Members on the other side want to use this bill as a strawman so they can demagogue Democrats on the drought issue.

One Republican Member from California in particular filed a number of amendments that are very good at generating headlines and controversy. Unfortunately, the amendments were not germane to the subject matter of the bill before us, nor are they very thoughtful or realistic solutions to the crisis before us.

Opposition to this legislation is like cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. Water supply issues in California are not a zero sum game. Creating more water through reuse in urbanized areas reduces pressure on water demands elsewhere in the State. If opponents to this legislation want to work towards solving California's water woes, then I suggest getting real about finding solutions and stop the partisan political attacks.

The bill before us today creates new water resources through reuse. We have brought up bill after bill doing the same thing before this body without any controversy, including bills for my Republican colleagues in southern California, Utah and Oregon.

The only reason we are here today debating this legislation is because one Member thinks a solution to a severe drought is to gut environmental laws and overturn court decisions. Perhaps that Member should propose a rain dance as well.

So it is time to support H.R. 2442 and move forward with practical solutions for a real drought in California. I urge support of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 816 and to express my condolences and deepest sympathies to the people of American Samoa and Independent Samoa for the loss of life that was caused by the earthquakes and tsunamis that hit these islands on September 29, 2009.

Struck by towering waves that reached up to 20 feet in height, the people of American Samoa, Independent Samoa and Tonga are today confronting staggering losses of life and property as they watched helplessly as the in-rushing sea swallowed up coastal towns and villages.

As of last week it is estimated that 32 American Samoans and 135 residents of Independent Samoa lost their lives. And today, many families in the affected areas still lack basic necessities resulting in the risk of additional deaths because of scarce clean water, shelter, food and basic health care.

I was pleased to have had the opportunity to visit American Samoa earlier this year with my good friend and colleague, Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, the author of the resolution we are debating today. Among the places we visited while we were there was the Village of Leone; one of the areas on American Samoa that was severely impacted. I want to express my profound condolences to the people of Leone for their suffering as well as to thank them once again for the warm welcome and hospitality they offered us.

I want to also commend Congressman Faleomavaega for his efforts in marshalling the response of the federal government in responding to the disaster in his home island. Eni and his staff labored around the clock to coordinate the efforts of FEMA, the Red Cross, Army Corps and the other federal agencies tasked by President Obama to speedily deploy all the resources and tools necessary for a full, swift and aggressive response.

Mr. Speaker, American Samoans in the Pacific and in the mainland United States are an integral part of our country's history and of our American social fabric. They are our brothers who fight valiantly in our wars and contribute immensely to the prosperity of our country. Today, I send my thoughts and prayers to the victims and their family members in this moment of grief and tragic loss. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and pray for their speedy recovery.

Madam Speaker, I rise to express my heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the people of American Samoa as they cope with the effects of the powerful earthquake and tsunami that struck American Samoa, Independent Samoa and Tonga yesterday, September 29, 2009.

Our fellow Americans in American Samoa are presently facing tragic losses of life and property as a result of the most devastating of circumstances. It has been reported that survivors of the deadly earthquake-triggered tsunami described how they watched the in-rushing sea swallow up coastal towns and villages leaving devastation in its wake.

At least 111 people are confirmed killed in Independent Samoa, American Samoa's neighbor to the north and on Tonga and officials in the Polynesia region have expressed fears the toll will rise as rescue workers struggle to reach outlying villages submerged and flattened by the wave.

Additionally the island is without telephone service; homes and government buildings have been destroyed and the airport runway has been severely damaged. I applaud President Obama for his prompt response in declaring this a major disaster. I also want to commend our colleague, Congressman Eni Faleomavaega for his efforts facilitating the relief efforts that are currently underway.

Last month, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting American Samoa where we were graciously hosted by my good friend Congressman Eni Faleomavaega and the American Samoa Fono. In Pago Pago and the village of Leone, two areas severely hit, we were showered with beautiful and ornate traditional gifts and received with the warmest of welcomes and hospitality.

American Samoans in the Pacific and in the mainland United States are an integral part of our country's history and of our American social fabric. They are our brothers who fight valiantly in our wars and contribute immensely to the prosperity of our country. Today, I send my thoughts and prayers to the victims and their family members in this moment of grief and tragic loss. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and pray for their speedy recovery.