Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I am honored to introduce Dr. Bruce Hargrave, a pastor and friend from my hometown--Rockwall, TX--who offered the Opening Prayer today.

Dr. Hargrave currently serves as Vice President of Development for the United Methodist Theological Seminary in Moscow, Russia.

From 2003 to 2008, he was the Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church of Rockwall. During his time there and with his help, the church increased its mission initiatives, including developing in conjunction with the General Board of Higher Education & Ministry, the construction of the only United Methodist Seminary on the continent of Africa. His effective pastoral work over the past 38 years is evident in the success of the churches he has led, all showing growth in membership and attendance, as well as an increase in giving to missions.

Along with his pastoral work, Dr. Hargrave worked for the Garland, TX, Community Hospital Psychiatric and Addiction Medicine Unit from 1993 to 1997. While there he served as Director of the Behavioral Medicine Clinic for Tenet Health Corporation and Hunt County Family Services in Greenville, TX, as well as Provider Relations Director and Associate Clinical Supervisor.

Dr. Hargrave received a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy from Dallas Baptist University. He earned his Master of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX, before completing his education at Luther-Rice University in Lithonia, Georgia with a Doctorate of Ministry in Administration.

Dr. Hargrave's faith in God is reflected in his career, one which has been spent in service to the betterment of others. I am honored to welcome Dr. Bruce Hargrave today as our guest Chaplain in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. Chairman, at this time of economic turmoil and of growing international technological competitiveness, it seems to me that America should be funding those things that advance our capabilities and that increase our standing in the world.

As ranking member of the House Science and Technology Committee, I've always felt that NASA has done more to advance America's technological leadership than any other Federal agency, and this bill presently reduces NASA's funding in human spaceflight at a very critical time.

The House Appropriations' reduction of $670 million in exploration systems represents a reduction of 17 percent from the President's FY 2010 budget request. With NASA on a path to retire the space shuttle after only eight more flights, America needs to rapidly develop the next generation of spacecraft. The $670 million reduction would have prevented NASA from completing the Constellation system before March 2015. In fact, because this reduction would occur in the peak design year when staffing is at its highest, NASA estimates that the work stoppages, inefficiencies and loss of key skills and capabilities would delay the Constellation program by as much as 2 years from that time.

Moreover, the cut in exploration funding would increase costs by as much as $8 billion to the program, and it would reduce the Constellation workforce by more than 20 percent in 2010, or by approximately 4,000 contractors, mostly from the existing workforce.

During this gap in human spaceflight capability, America must buy seats from the Russians to get to the International Space Station and fulfill our obligations to our international partners.

I am really encouraged that Chairman Mollohan, though, and Ranking Member Frank Wolf are working to mitigate this loss. I am grateful to them, and I thank them both for the colloquy.

Madam Speaker, I, of course, rise today in support of H.R. 356, expressing support for the designation of February 8, 2010, as ``Boy Scouts of America Day'' to honor the Nation's largest Scouting organization's 100th anniversary.

Congressman Chaffetz has done a very good job of pointing out the history of the Scouts in America. It dates way back to 1910, when it was first incorporated for the purpose of providing educational programs for boys and young adults to build their character, train them in the responsibilities of being a participating citizen, and developing personal fitness.

By the end of 1912, Scouts were enrolled in every State of the Union, which helped the Scouts obtain their Federal charter from Congress in 1916.

Boy Scouts of America endeavors to develop young men who are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit and who have a high degree of self-reliance. Boy Scouts provides instructions on America's social, economic, and governmental systems and inspires young men to take pride in their American heritage and to understand the Nation's role in the world. Boy Scouts respect the basic rights of all people and are encouraged to participate in and provide leadership for their communities.

I want to recognize John Jarvis from Texarkana, Texas, who is a Scout leader with the Caddo Area Council and a member of Troop 16. John originally brought this resolution to my attention and has worked with me to bring this to the House floor today.

I also recognize Tim Hetchs for his assistance on this bill. And I want to

thank my colleagues for cosponsoring the resolution, many of whom were Boy Scouts. Several of our colleagues in Congress have participated in Scouting, including President Ford, as was pointed out by Congressman Lynch.

I ask my colleagues in the House to join us in support of H. Res. 356, in recognition of the many contributions of the Boy Scouts of America to our Nation.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The National Water Research and Development Initiative Act is the Science and Technology Committee's response to a lot of recommendations that were made by the country's top scientists on water research and development.

Our water supply is of vital importance to the health and well-being of our Nation, and this bill, as passed out of the committee and the good work that was done in the committee, demonstrates an effort on both sides to address concerns over water research.

No State is immune to water problems, whether there is too little of it or an overabundance of it. Yet in the last quarter century, our knowledge of water resources has been based on research that was conducted in the middle of the last century. While I support the concept behind the National Water Research and Development Initiative Act, issues remain that need to be further addressed.

I am still convinced that several provisions of H.R. 1145 may duplicate provisions found in H.R. 146, the Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009, specifically the SECURE Water Act. We have to be mindful to ensure that these two bills complement each other and do not create additional bureaucratic burdens on water research efforts.

In addition to the concerns of repetitious Federal efforts, I am cognizant that the complex responsibility for developing and managing the Nation's water resources are shared between Federal, State, local, even tribal and private interests. Several Federal water laws have recognized States as having primacy over the allocation and use of water. This notion has been further reinforced by Supreme Court decisions. Therefore, we have to be very careful not to undermine the historical responsibility of State and local governments on managing their water resources. It is vitally important that the authorities given in this bill do not supersede or replicate efforts of these at the levels that I have just laid out.

Furthermore, I am concerned that the vague nature and description of the ``National Water Census'' in this bill may be a step toward federalizing groundwater, surface water, and other water resources normally managed by State and local entities. To that end, we offered and passed an amendment in committee to ensure State, local and tribal participation in coordination efforts. Previous efforts to organize water research and management have been generalized in what they call ``top-down'' agendas, with little or no participation from the States or local levels. The intent of this amendment was to encourage a true dialogue between the levels of government.

I am pleased that the chairman included language in the bill expanding the Energy-Intensive Industries Program established in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to include ``research to develop water-efficient technologies that increase energy efficiency, including utilization of impaired water sources in production.''

During the full committee markup, questions were posed about the definition of ``impaired waters.'' These questions sought to clarify that impaired waters included water extracted during oil and gas exploration and production, also known as produced water. I applaud this effort and note that as a potentially significant source of water, the language of this bill should be interpreted to be inclusive of all sources of nonpotable water.

As we move forward with today's debate on H.R. 1145, I would like to commend the many Members who offered amendments in order to attempt to make this a better bill. However, there are several amendments that give me some concern. I am very hopeful that today's debate will address any apprehension and allow us to move the bill forward.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I do rise today to speak about this amendment offered by the chairman of my committee, Mr. Gordon, and I may want to ask the chairman a question or so about it.

There are a lot of provisions in the manager's amendment that I support. I support the emphasis of ensuring a role for institutions of higher education. I support the provision that calls for the National Water Research and Assessment Plan to be updated every 4 years, to guarantee that the plan evolves with the growing body of knowledge garnered through our water research efforts, and I also support including the list of regional outcomes, the development of tools to assist local water resource managers.

There are several things that I had some problems about. One, as to whether or not it was necessary to enhance the research outcome number 9, ``Improvement of hydrologic prediction models and their applications'' with the following addition: ``including spatial and temporal variation in natural supply, watershed hydrology, human and ecological demand, and infrastructure.'' But I think we discussed those pretty well in committee and with some interest on how these additions make the research outcome better, but I'm convinced that they do.

I guess I would just ask the chairman, how can you ensure that this pilot program that we have set up in here would not change into a burdensome regulatory requirement that's pushed off on the States or tribal units or some of those?

I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, history has indicated to me in my long time working with the chairman, I know that as this bill moves through the Senate, we'll be working together on these things through conference and address the concerns that we have raised.

We support the committee, and I thank the chairman for his discussion.

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

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

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve.

Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment. Although I don't necessarily oppose the amendment, I do have a statement.

Mr. Chairman, I actually rise in support of the amendment offered by Representative Kosmas of Florida.

The amendment simply directs the agencies under the interagency committee to assess the impacts of natural disasters on water resources.

We know that national disasters such as floods, droughts, hurricanes and all of that can have a very significant effect on water levels and cause major disruptions in local communities.

In my home State of Texas, we have recently seen the extremes of way too much water in the form of hurricanes and too little, many times in the form of droughts.

It's important that we achieve a better understanding of the impacts of these natural disasters on water resources so that local managers and State officials can plan and manage for future use and economic growth. It simply makes sense that we coordinate efforts at the local, State and national level to achieve these ends.

I have long been a proponent of this type of coordination. During the 109th Congress, I sponsored a bill to create the National Integrated Drought Information System, and I am proud to say the program is currently up and running. NIDIS coordinates and integrates observations so that local water managers can better plan and can better predict for future uses.

While our Nation will always face natural disasters of one form or another, we can do more to mitigate the effects through careful study and careful planning. The gentlelady's amendment moves in that direction, and I urge its passage.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman from Washington's amendment. Potential reservoirs and new hydropower should continue to play a major part in our water and energy supplies.

As areas of the country struggle with water shortages or increasing demands on the water supply, we have to be willing to be creative in the ways we address water use and water storage problems. This is a thoughtful amendment and an improvement to the bill. I commend Mr. Hastings for his leadership on this effort.

I am not opposed to the amendment, I recommend its passage, and I yield back my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. I think this amendment is very important to ensure that we assess water supply and water needs for communities and we keep in mind the industries and businesses that employ the folks in these communities.

We don't believe the bill should be about pitting one water user against another, but rather it should help to ensure enough water for all users by focusing on new methods and technologies for conservation and efficiency.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise not in opposition, but to make a statement about the amendment.

I have some question about it, but I don't think I have a question I want to propound to you because we have discussed it. And your amendment would add to the growing list of research outcomes, the improvement of understanding of competing water supply uses and how different uses interact with each other and impact each other. And I know you understand that, and we've discussed it.

I would ask whether or not it means using water for irrigation is competing with industrial uses or the ecosystem management, like releasing large volumes of water from dams competing with the use of water for electricity generation or recreational activities. And we've had some of that at Lake Texoma in my district.

But as we go through and this goes on to the Senate and we have conference committees, and I know you've always been willing to explain your position, and we'll work together on that.

So I'm satisfied with the bill, and I would hope that we pass the bill.

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

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment, though I do not oppose it.

I have some reservations about it, but they're reservations I think that we can work as it goes through and on through the conference committee. I appreciate this amendment, and I do not object to the amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. Actually, this amendment seeks, as the gentleman has expressed, to return us to the original purpose of the bill by focusing on the duplication that exists among Federal agencies involved in water research efforts and attempting to streamline these efforts. I think we always have to be good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars as we work through legislation up here.

I support the amendment because I believe it's a good amendment, and it's looking after the taxpayers, and I urge my colleagues to join me.

Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition. Though I'm not totally opposed to it, I'd like to make a statement.

Mr. Chairman, it's my understanding that the purpose of the National Water Research and Development Initiative was to streamline, organize and coordinate Federal water research and development efforts. Although I support the underlying premise of the gentleman's amendment, I think it's duplicative of legislation we've already passed.

A little more than 2 months ago, this body passed H.R. 631, the Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Act offered by Mr. Matheson of Utah under a suspension of the rules by a voice vote. Because this Matheson bill has not been passed by the Senate, I think we can work through this bill, and I withhold any opposition to this amendment with the understanding that I already know the gentleman, and have worked with him for a lot of years. I know we can work through any problems that we have with it.

So, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by Representative Shadegg of Arizona. The amendment requires the interagency committee to identify areas of duplication, and I don't like that word ``duplication'' at all. And it recommends to the President ways to avoid such duplication. The amendment also calls on the President to ensure the Federal agencies do not pursue activities already being conducted by States, localities, and tribal units.

And duplication spawns red tape, and the best example of red tape I can think of is Wilbur and Orville Wright's first airplane was a page- and-a-half handwritten contract, and the Osprey, the tilt wing that is one of the most modern airplanes today, just the paperwork on that weighs around 20,000 pounds. That's how bad red tape can actually get.

I think it's a commonsense amendment here that carries out the underlying goal of the bill. One of the main purposes behind creating the interagency program was to reduce duplication across agencies thereby streamlining efforts and saving taxpayers dollars. It makes no sense in these economic times for fellow agencies to duplicate effort in Washington and makes even less sense for them to duplicate activities already taking place in our States and local communities.

I commend the gentleman in offering the amendment, and I urge its passage.

Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition though I am not opposed to the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by Representative Moore of Wisconsin. This amendment requires the interagency committee to assess the role of Federal water research funding in helping to develop scientists and engineers at colleges and universities.

One of the goals of the Water Research Initiative is to facilitate technology transfer, communication, and opportunities for exchange with nongovernmental organizations, such as institutions of higher education. Developing collaborative opportunities with colleges and universities will hopefully increase the quality of the research and development of water solutions, but also spur students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math careers, and we are very much in favor of that.

It is vital for the future success and competitiveness of our Nation that we encourage more and more students to pursue these exciting fields. We know that more and more nations are graduating large numbers of scientists and engineers. If we are to remain the leader in innovation and entrepreneurial development, then we need to invest in the young men and women who will design and build tomorrow's solutions.

Representative Moore's amendment simply requires that we examine how water research funding is helping to meet our science and engineering education needs. I support the gentlelady's intent and her amendment.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of John M. Connally, Jr., who recently was honored for his contributions to the insurance and financial services industry.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors-Dallas named John the 2007 Advisor of the Year at their awards ceremony last June. This organization encourages

and facilitates the professional growth of insurance and financial services providers and promotes their public image. This award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service to their industry and their community.

John began his career in 1963 and has been a major contributor both to his own company as well as to NAIFA. He is currently president and CEO of Financial Protection Life and Annuity Corporation. As a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow, he serves as secretary of the NAIFA-Dallas Board of Directors, chairman of the Governmental Relations Committee, and will become President of the Association in 2010. He is a life member of the Million Dollar Round Table and has served on the boards of directors of the Dallas Association of Life Underwriters, the El Paso Association of Life Underwriters, and the El Paso General Agents and Managers Association, where he also was president.

Additionally, John has served as a member of the Richardson City Council, a founder of Richardson Sports Incorporated, and has served on various other community boards. He was the Regional Director for John B. Connally for President, Campaign Manager for Wayne Connally for Lieutenant Governor and Preston Smith for Governor. He also served as a Lay Leader for Custer Road United Methodist Church.

John and his wife, Erna, have been married for 35 years. Their family includes Kelle, Katie, Dan, Jaelyn and Brad. John is a Texas Tech graduate, where he earned a BBA in finance, played football on an athletic scholarship and was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

Madam Speaker, I commend John M. Connally, Jr., for his service and commitment to the financial industry, his family and his community. He comes from a great Texas family that has contributed so much to our state and Nation, and their legacy continues in his life and in the lives of his children.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am -submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act:

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: Operation and Management

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District and City of Denison.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1645 101 East Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74128

Description of Request: I have secured $238,000 for the City of Denison. The funding will be used to approve access to the water for this project that the entire Lake Texoma Shoreline Management Plan. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Lake Texoma Shoreline Management Plan was opened for a 30-day review in November, 2004, which resulted in the conclusion that a Final Environmental Impact Statement would be required. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: Science

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Texas A&M University-Commerce

Address of Requesting Entity: 2600 South Neal Street, Commerce, TX 75428

Description of Request: I have secured $380,600 for Texas A&M University-Commerce. Funding would be used to implement and operate a high-powered computing grid (a virtual computing environment) that will facilitate the solution of interdisciplinary computational and engineering models, and to develop a computational model of complex electromagnetic wave transmission, propagation, and reception, and analyze that model using new Computational Science methods within the virtual computing environment. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: MRT Construction

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Red River Valley Association

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 709, Shreveport, LA 71162

Description of Request: I have secured $2,201,000 for the Red River Chloride Project, TX & OK. This project is designed to control natural chloride brine emissions at three major source areas to improve water quality for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use. Funding would be used to improve construction of low flow dams, pump stations, and diversion pipelines to Truscott Brine Dam. This project is a select major water strategy of the 2007 Texas Water Plan for the region and recently the state of Oklahoma expressed a renewed interest in the Area VI element of the project and supports the Area VI reevaluation efforts underway. Area VI is located on the Elm Fork of the North Fork of the Red River in Harmon County, Oklahoma. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: Museums and Libraries

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Texas--Center for American History

Address of Requesting Entity: SRH2.101, 1 University Station D1100, Austin, TX 78712

Description of Request: I have secured $285,000 for the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum located in Bonham, Texas, one of five divisions of the University's Center for American History. The funding would be used to expand educational and program services to more people, area educational organizations and traditionally underserved populations to meet the public education mission of the University of Texas at Austin and the Center for American History. The National Historic Landmark is the creation of the man who served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives longer than any other person: Sam Taliaferro Rayburn (1882-1961). Known affectionately as ``Mr. Sam'' by his friends and colleagues, Rayburn established the library and museum in 1957 as a tribute to the people of his district and for future generations. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: Elementary and Secondary Education (includes FIE)

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Communities in Schools of Northeast Texas

Address of Requesting Entity: 2886 FM 1734 Chapel Hill Rd, Mount Pleasant, TX 75455.

Description of Request: I have secured $143,000 for Communities in Schools of Northeast Texas in Mount Pleasant. Funding would be used to continue the recognized prevention program and would be used for program maintenance, expansion of current programs and replication in areas where no CIS is located. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of McKinney

Address of Requesting Entity: 222 N Tennessee, McKinney, TX 75070

Description of Request: I have secured $300,000 for the City of McKinney. Funding for this project would be used to replace its current analog system with digital technology that ensures interoperability capabilities, eliminates coverage deficiencies, and accommodates future growth. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Space Engineering Institute at Texas A&M University

Address of Requesting Entity: 301 Wisenbaker Engineering Bizzell Street, College, Station, TX 77843

Description of Request: I have secured $500,000 for the Space Engineering Institute at Texas A&M University. Funding for this project will be used to involve undergraduate students in research projects in conjunction with Johnson Space Center. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: TCSP--Transportation & Community & System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Greenville

Address of Requesting Entity: 2821 Washington Street, Greenville, TX 75403.

Description of Request: I have secured $570,000 for the City of Greenville. Funding will be used to provide safe transportation of goods, correct federal highway IH-30 and SH-34 bridge repairs and complete the Monty Stratton Parkway Interchange at IH-30 and Monty Stratton. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: Economic Development Initiatives (EDI)

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Texas--Center for American History

Address of Requesting Entity: SRH2.101, 1 University Station D1100, Austin, TX 78712

Description of Request: I have secured $142,500 for the Sam Rayburn Library and

Museum located in Bonham, Texas. Funding will be used for the emergency repair and renovation of the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum. Renovations will address structural renovations to the building that will protect the valuable collections and improve the access to an important national historic landmark. The Sam Rayburn Library and Museum, is one of five divisions of the University's Center for American History. The National Historic Landmark is the creation of the man who served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives longer than any other person: Sam Taliaferro Rayburn (1882-1961). Known affectionately as ``Mr. Sam'' by his friends and colleagues, Rayburn established the library and museum in 1957 as a tribute to the people of his district and for future generations. The building serves to preserve materials relating to the forty-eight year political career of Sam Rayburn. The museum and exhibits provide a rare collection of Congressional and Presidential papers for students, researchers and visitors. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: TCSP--Transportation & Community & System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Interstate 69 Texas Alliance

Address of Requesting Entity: 125 East 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701

Description of Request: I have secured $617,500 for the improvement of I-69. Funding will be used to provide direct access to the Port of Houston and relieve congestion for the communities all along the route, providing the most direct route from Mexico and Canada for major commercial centers in the U.S., easing traffic on I-35. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: TCSP--Transportation & Community & System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: North East Texas Rural Rail Transportation District (NETEX)

Address of Requesting Entity: 2821 Washington, Greenville, TX 75401

Description of Request: I have secured $95,000 for the City of Greenville. Funding for this project will be used to support track, bridge, and other rail related infrastructure improvements to bring the existing rail line to Class 2 conditions. According to a recent TxDOT valuation and assessment report, the rail line requires extensive maintenance and/or total replacement of infrastructure to support existing and future operations. The proposed improvements will allow rail operations to run from 10 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour as originally intended. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Ralph M. Hall

Bill Number: H.R. 1105, FY 2009 Omnibus

Account: TCSP--Transportation & Community & System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sulphur River Regional Mobility Authority (SURRMA)

Address of Requesting Entity: 1125 Bonham Street, Paris, TX 75460.

Description of Request: I have secured $95,000 for the Hwy-24, Commerce through Cooper 4-lane completion in Delta, Hopkins, Hunt and Lamar Counties. Funding for this project will be used to keep engineering/development phase of the project on schedule without disrupting the project momentum at Texas DOT. The completion of this transportation project embraces the following five goals; reduce traffic congestion, enhance safety, expand economic opportunities, improve air quality, and increase the value of transportation assets. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, of course, in support of H.R. 554, the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments of 2009.

This initiative was first named in the 2001 budget request, and it was made a priority by the previous administration. Last year, we created a necessary and responsible reauthorization bill for this important program. The House took an already good statute and improved it just a bit to streamline some administrative issues and to ensure that areas such as nanomanufacturing, education and environmental health and safety are adequately recognized. Unfortunately, the Senate did not act on it prior to adjournment, so we will try it again with the same bill this year.

Just what is ``nanotechnology,'' and why is it important?

Well, according to the NNI Web site, ``Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter . . . at dimensions between 1 and 100 nanometers.''

Now, a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. To put it into perspective, this piece of paper that I am reading from is 100,000- nanometers thick. It is 100,000 nanometers. The fact that our scientists and engineers can create and manipulate matter on that small of a scale to be used in electronic, biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, energy, catalytic, and materials applications is mind boggling. It is the kind of research and technology that makes the United States the leader in innovation.

It is important that we continue to make this area of research a national priority. There are numerous examples of nanotechnology being used today. Not only is it being used to create clean, secure energy, but its uses range from stain-free clothing to glare-resistant eyewear to car bumpers to improved tennis balls. Nanotechnology is also being utilized to cut down on drug counterfeiting and to improve computer capacity. The list is long, and the potential for nanotechnology at this time is endless.

Once again, I am pleased to join Chairman Gordon. He is a good chairman to work with. As well, the overwhelming majority of our committee members are good folks on both sides of the aisle. We do work together, and I am honored to be an original cosponsor of the NNI Amendments Act of 2009. This has been a bipartisan effort from the beginning. While we have made some changes to the program, I believe that, by and large, we have continued to give the NNI and all of the Federal agencies involved with it the flexibility needed to do their work without being overly prescriptive.

I support this measure, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Likewise, I hope my friends in the Senate will do a better job this year and will soon follow suit.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to Colonel Pitts, the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

I yield the gentlelady from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) 2 minutes.

I yield the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) 2 minutes.

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

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the chairman of the House Republican Conference, the gentleman

from Indiana (Mr. Pence) for 3 minutes.

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

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.

According to the American Water Works Association, an international nonprofit scientific and educational organization, daily indoor per capita water consumption in a typical single family home is about 70 gallons. By installing more efficient water fixtures and checking for leaks, single family homes can reduce their daily per capita water consumption by, we are told, 35 percent.

Now, while some of these technologies are already on the market and being used, many water-saving ideas have not gotten past the research phase for lack of a coordinated Federal research program. While the Environmental Protection Agency is charged with protecting water sources, EPA's research and development program is not comprehensive or rationally organized and does not address water efficiency and conservation.

H.R. 631 establishes a research and development program for water efficiency technologies and conservation at the EPA. It instructs the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development to develop a single coordinated research plan.

EPA is tasked with using recommendations and existing reports from the National Academies and the National Science and Technology Council in the development of the plan. The EPA should develop a comprehensive strategic research plan for technologies that embodies our national priorities, particularly water efficiency and water conservation.

Mr. Speaker, at a time when our Nation is facing water shortages, we just can't afford to fall behind on technological research and development. We need to invest resources so that we can better manage water shortages in the future. I urge all of my colleagues to support

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry).

I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Inglis).

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

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 117 supports the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week, which will be celebrated this year in just a few days, starting on February 15.

The National Society of Professional Engineers established one of America's oldest professional outreach efforts, National Engineers Week, in the year 1951.

During this week coming up, a wide range of activities are planned in order to increase the understanding of and the interest in engineering and technology careers, and to promote K-12 literacy in math and science. Among these activities is the Future City competition, which has engaged more than 30,000 middle school students in more than 1,000 schools across the Nation to tackle water conservation issues. The finals for this competition will be held during National Engineers Week.

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is another activity during the week, intended to help spark enthusiasm for science and engineering in our daughters and our granddaughters. Currently, less than 20 percent of engineering undergraduates are women, and only 10 percent of our professional engineering workforce is women.

These activities and many others will also highlight the contributions that engineers have made to our society. The innovation path that our country has trail blazed would not be possible without the work of engineers. From designing satellites to help us predict the weather to creating bandages that don't hurt when you pull them off, engineers play a role in nearly every facet of our lives. It is essential that we capitalize on opportunities such as National Engineers Week to raise awareness of the valuable work and contributions of engineers to society, and to attract young people of all ages to this very rewarding profession.

I commend the corporate sponsors of the week, who recognize that their future depends on our engineers of tomorrow. I support the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week, and I urge my colleagues to join me in this support.

National Engineers Week Corporate Sponsors

3M; Bechtel Group Foundation; Bentley; Boeing; BP;

CH2MHill; Conoco Phillips; DuPont; ExxonMobil; Fluor;

Hitachi; IBM; Intel; Lockheed Martin; Motorola; Northrop

Grumman; Raytheon's Math Moves; Rockwell Collins; Symantec.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers).

I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

I yield the gentlewoman 1 additional minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield my neighbor from Louisiana (Mr. Fleming) 2 minutes.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 469, the Produced Water Utilization Act of 2009. I had the pleasure of working with Chairman Bart Gordon on this and introduced H.R. 469 in the 110th Congress as H.R. 2339. In July of 2008, the bill was reported out of the Committee on Science and Technology by a voice vote and then was passed by the House of Representatives again by a voice vote on July 30. It comes to the floor today virtually unchanged. Only the short title and the authorization years have been updated.

For those who are not familiar with the term, the Department of the Interior defines ``produced water'' as mainly salty water trapped in reservoir rock and brought up along with oil or gas during production. Produced water cannot, in its current form, be used for any purposes, and it is most commonly reinjected into the ground at great expense to small producers across the country. Each barrel of oil that is produced generates approximately 10 barrels of produced water, and we currently produce over 5 billion gallons of produced water a day in the U.S. That is enough water to accommodate 14.3 million homes a day.

As we face shortages in energy and water, this bill could not be more timely. H.R. 469 is legislation that has two main purposes, first, to increase domestic energy production by lowering production costs for small producers and, second, to increase the amount of water available for agricultural, irrigational, municipal and industrial uses by making produced water stable. The Produced Water Utilization Act will provide important funding for research, development, demonstration and commercial application of technologies to purify and use the produced water.

There is a critical interdependency between energy and water. Water is needed to produce energy, and the treatment and distribution of water requires energy. And as our population grows, so will the demands on both. According to a report by the Department of Energy on the Interdependency of Energy and Water ``the lack of integrated energy and water planning and management has already impacted energy production in many basins and regions across the country. For example, in three of the fastest-growing regions in the country, the Southeast, Southwest and the Northwest, new power plants have been opposed because of potential negative impacts on water supplies. Also, recent droughts and emerging limitations of water resources have many States, including my State of Texas, also South Dakota, Wisconsin and Tennessee, scrambling to develop water use priorities for different water use sectors.''

We obviously need to take a serious look at how we can avoid a water/ energy crisis, and this bill certainly helps.

Mr. Speaker, produced water is currently considered an expensive nuisance by oil and gas producers, but it needs to be considered a valuable, usable commodity. With the research and development set forth in the Produced Water Utilization Act, we can make it happen. I urge my colleagues to vote for the bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton).

Will the gentleman yield?

You are ranking member on Energy and Commerce and former chairman of Energy and Commerce.

And you are not on the conference committee?

Is that unusual?

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

Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my deep disappointment at a missed opportunity in this Stimulus Bill. Before us is a package that many claim will stimulate the American economy and create jobs. But we are on the verge of losing thousands of highly skilled American jobs and this bill has done nothing to address the situation.

As Ranking Member of the Science and Technology Committee, I am particularly concerned about a section aimed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. As many of us are aware, NASA is currently on a path to retire the Space Shuttle in 2010 and develop the next generation launch system, but without sufficient funding that replacement system cannot be ready before 2015 at the earliest. During this five year gap, America will pay cash to Russia to provide transportation for our astronauts to our International Space Station.

The bill calls for $600 million, but none of that money will help close this impending gap. This one-time addition will not keep an estimated 5,600 jobs from disappearing during the gap, and it will not reduce our dependency on and payments to Russia. I want to be clear-- because this bill fails to include funding to reduce the gap, we will be forced to lay off high tech workers in the United States while we are paying Russia to do the job that these American workers used to do.

Many Members of Congress have been concerned by this situation. Last year's NASA Authorization Bill passed the House with a resounding vote of 409-15 and authorized an additional $1 billion to accelerate the development of the shuttle follow-on--known as Constellation System. Unless the Constellation System can be delivered sooner than 2015, we stand to lose thousands of highly-skilled aerospace jobs that will be very difficult and costly to replace. The sooner these systems are developed the sooner we eliminate our reliance on the Russians for access to the International Space Station, and give our Nation the systems necessary to explore beyond low-Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond.

Keeping American tax dollars working for us here at home would stimulate the creation of highly-skilled, well-paid jobs in this country. Furthermore these types of investments in our Nation's space transportation infrastructure would continue to pay dividends and have large multiplier effects throughout the economy by stimulating high- tech manufacturing and networks of suppliers around the country. It is exactly the kind of thing that should be part of this ``stimulus package.'' Not funding the acceleration of the Constellation Systems represents a failure of our national leadership that will be paid for on the backs of American aerospace workers and with a loss of our industrial competitiveness against our international competitors.

It makes me sick that we are bailing out failed banks and corporations while ignoring the support of a successful Space Station and space program--a program that could defend our nation from space and provide a cure for our most deadly diseases. By lessening the utility of a Space Station that provides a platform for lifesaving research, including growing white corpuscles that could be used to cure cancer, we are weakening our competitiveness. We are allowing Russia to reap the benefits of our space program--benefits that are badly needed here at home. It is comparable to buying energy from Saudi Arabia and other nations and not spending that same amount developing our own natural resources, such as those found in ANWR, off the coasts of Florida and California, and in the energy-rich Gulf of Mexico.

I am told that the total budget for NASA is less than 1% of the Federal budget (\7/10\ths to be exact). Surely, we can honor the request that Congresswoman Kosmas had in her amendment that the Rules Committee rejected--a request that would have narrowed the gap-- especially considering that we throw away billions on other nations through foreign aid. President Monroe is famous for saying ``hands off this hemisphere,'' but we should be saying ``hands on this hemisphere'' and protecting our own American citizens, and their jobs, first.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to honor an outstanding citizen in the Fourth District of Texas and my longtime friend, Bill Douglass of Sherman, as a 2008 Convenience Store Hall of Fame Inductee.

This year's Convenience Store News Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October honored Bill as much for his strong character, integrity and community service as for his business achievements. Bill was honored for his tireless efforts on behalf of the convenience and petroleum retailing industry and for the level of integrity that he has upheld over the years. The W. Douglass Distributing Company, which Bill founded in 1981 and which he serves as CEO, is a full-line distributorship and operator of the 15-unit Lone Star Food Stores chain servicing the region of north Texas and southern Oklahoma. The company, which began with just six employees, has grown to more than 280 employees.

Throughout his career, Bill has been a tireless and effective advocate for the convenience and petroleum retailing industry. He has served as chairman of the General Committee of State Relations for the American Petroleum Institute, chairman of the National Association of Convenience Stores and director of the Texas Petroleum and Convenience Store Association, and he has testified on several occasions before Congress about issues important to his industry.

Bill is also a widely recognized and respected member of the north Texas community, providing financial support and volunteer efforts to various local organizations each year. In 2002 he and his wife, Joan, were named as the Outstanding Employer of Older Workers for their strong belief in the value of older workers by maintaining an age- balanced group of employees. Their winning combination of younger workers and their older counterparts has created a work environment where age and experience can assist in training, advice and counseling. The company has no mandatory retirement age and provides flexibility in scheduling of employees' hours.

Madam Speaker, Bill Douglass is the kind of employer who leads by example. These are some of the words that his employees used to describe him and his family in a full-page newspaper ad: ``wonderful, inspirational, brilliant, graceful, generous, charitable, tireless, encouraging, selfless, devoted, integrity.'' Bill Douglass embodies all of those qualities--and I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing this wonderful man and outstanding American, Bill Douglass.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of, H.R. 2638--The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.

A. Rivet Joint ISR Networth Integration (0305207F 192 MANNED RECONNAISSANCE SYSTEMS.) The entity to receive funding for this project is L-3 Integrated Systems, located at 10001 Jack Finney Blvd., Greenville, TX 75402. The funding would be used to provide networking upgrades that will enable it to fully collaborate with a variety of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) nodes so that more effective projections of threat environments can be made.

B. PrePreg Thickness Variability Reduction Program (0603680F 29 MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.) The entity to receive funding for this project is Cytec Engineered Materials, located at 4300 Jackson Street, Greenville, TX 78402. The funding would be used to reduce the variability of prepreg thickness to +/-1 percent, which is a substantial improvement over even foreign prepreg capabilities. Reducing variation significantly complements and enhances the advancements expected to be made in the areas of tooling and manufacturing. These achievements are crucial for Cytec's military and commercial partners.

C. Stryker Common Active Protection System (APS) Radar (0603653A 62 ADVANCED TANK ARMAMENT SYSTEMS (ATAS).) The entity to receive funding for this project is Raytheon Network Centric Systems, located at 2501 West University, McKinney, TX 75070. APS is an externally mounted vehicle protection system that identifies, discriminates and intercepts RPGs, mortars, antitank guided missiles and artillery projectiles after they are launched toward a combat vehicle. The system consists of the Multi-Function Radio Frequency (MFRF) radar, launchers, fire control processors and countermeasures.

Please see attached for financial plan of each project. Neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in these projects.

Finance Plan

Requesting Member: Rep. Ralph M. Hall.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Air Force, RDT&E, Line 192, PE 0305207F, Manned Reconnaissance Systems.

Project Name: Rivet Joint ISR Network Integration.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems.

Address of Requesting Entity: 10001 Jack Finney Boulevard, Greenville, TX 75403.

Anticipated sources of funding for the duration of the project: Additional funding would be provided by the Air Force to procure this capability after successful demonstration of the developmental prototype, in their future years budget requests.

Percent and source of required matching funds: N/A, this program is providing a good or service to the Department of Defense.

Justification for use of federal taxpayer dollars: The RIVET JOINT will provide networking upgrades that will enable it to fully collaborate with a variety of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) nodes so that more effective projections of threat environments can ba made. Detailed analysis of RIVET JOINT operations shows that full integration of networked capabilities will result in a 25 percent improvement in critical Threat Analysis Measures of Effectiveness for priority dual-use commercial communication threat environments. The specific threats that will be addressed by this system upgrade are the highest priority threats to ongoing military operations.

Detailed finance plan: $750,000 is for Non-Recurring Engineering Design and Development; $750,000 is for Manufacture Design and Production of Networked Speech, Geo-Location, and Reach-back Processing and Data

Base Access Applications; and $500,000 is for Labor, Materials, and System Installation and Integration on one Rivet Joint aircraft.

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.

I honor Chairman Gordon for pointing out that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. We refer to it as NASA. It is a good time to reflect on really how far our Nation has come in a half century, but it is also an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to space flight and innovation.

H.R. 6063 authorizes NASA for fiscal year 2009. It is the product of close bipartisan and bicameral consultation and cooperation, and I urge its support.

H.R. 6063 is a 1-year authorization. The intent of the bill is to keep NASA on its current path towards completing the International Space Station, transitioning between the Space Shuttle and the next crew vehicle, and maintaining a balanced set of science and aeronautics research programs. It also reaffirms Congress' long-standing commitment to NASA and to its programs.

But by being a 1-year bill, H.R. 6063 is designed to give the next President an opportunity to work with the next Congress in order to fashion a long-term strategy that is consistent with the administration's desires, as well as Congress.

H.R. 6063 contains a number of important provisions. It authorizes $20.2 billion for NASA for FY 2009, including $1 billion to accelerate development of the new Constellation crew vehicle launch system as a replacement for the space shuttle. This new launch system will provide our country with a modern, more robust and safer manned space flight capability that will enable our astronauts to fly out of low Earth orbit, an ability we haven't had since the retirements of Apollo over 30 years ago.

As we are debating the bill today, China has three men in orbit and the scheduled space walk took place earlier today. They are fast accelerating their space capabilities, and if we are to remain the leader in space exploration, we must continue to innovate and accelerate our programs.

As most of you are aware, there is currently a substantial gap, as much as 5 years, between retiring the shuttle and bringing the next crew launch system online. During this gap, our Nation will be in the untenable position of relying on Russia to assure a U.S. presence on the international space station. I find this unacceptable. Therefore, I am pleased that this bill authorizes extra funding for the new launch system, thereby taking a step toward closing the gap and reducing our dependence on foreign partners.

As this is only a 1-year bill, I look forward to working with the next administration to find further solutions to close the gap and preserve our own human space flight capabilities.

The bill also includes a number of provisions to encourage NASA, working with the private sector, to foster development of domestic commercial cargo launch capability primarily designed to take supplies to the Space Station. In addition, H.R. 6063 includes language directing NASA to solicit for commercial crew launch capability. Both of these provisions confirm our commitment to advancing American

space capabilities rather than relying on foreign nations.

In addition to human space flight, the bill also advances a balanced and robust space science, Earth science and aeronautics program. It embraces a number of recommendations that were put forth by witnesses from government, from industry, and I could name them, who testified at hearings before our committee over the previous 18 months.

These are sensible provisions designed to strengthen aeronautics, space science and Earth science research programs, encourage technology risk reduction policies and activities, foster efficient technology transfer from NASA to other Federal agencies and to the private sector, detect and mitigate the threat of near-Earth objects and research and monitor the effect of space weather on satellites.

The list is not exhaustive, but I want to mention these few examples to emphasize to all Members the breadth of this bill and how it improves upon many of NASA's activities and programs. Suffice it to say that NASA is one of the most exciting and innovative Federal agencies, and it serves as a huge inspiration to our young people to take a serious interest in math and science education.

It also continues to inspire Americans, and it draws the admiration of nations worldwide.

On the fiftieth anniversary of NASA, we should all be proud of what our Nation has accomplished in the last half century. We should boldly push forward with the excitement, support and anticipation for what the next 50 years hold. I am convinced that our greatest accomplishment lies in the frontiers ahead.

I want to thank Chairman Gordon and his staff. I want to thank my staff, Ed Feddeman and Ken Monroe. They worked closely with Dick Obermann.

I also want to acknowledge the work of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and her capable staff. It's a good organization, and I appreciate all of them.

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

Mr. Speaker, I might add on to the gentleman's statement about Mr. Obermann. I think I am the one that employed him. When I switched to be a Republican, I was going to try to make a Republican out of him, but I don't think I would have been able to do that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).

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

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