Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to honor the Senior Citizens of Grayson County for all of their services rendered to the community, and I would especially like to acknowledge the dedication exhibited by Harold and Hazel Wright of Sherman, Texas.

Harold and Hazel have been extremely active and influential in their community for over 20 years. They represented the Texoma Council of Governments at the White House Conference on Aging two years ago and were crowned Mr. & Mrs. Senior Citizen of Grayson County. It is because of dedicated individuals such as the Wrights that President George W. Bush fittingly proclaimed the month of May, `Older Americans Month' on April 22nd of this year.

During Older Americans Month, we recognize the many ways older citizens have enriched our Nation through their character, wisdom, and service. America's seniors provide an example for younger generations, and during Older Americans Month, we reflect on their efforts toward building a stronger and brighter future for all. Our country remains forever in their debt, as older Americans have provided a guiding light for the rest of the Nation to follow.

With this in mind, I and Rep. Frank Pallone introduced H.R. 3701, Keeping Seniors Safe from Falls Act in September of 2007. I was pleased when Congress approved the bill, which was later signed by the President of the United States and made public law. This legislation will develop effective strategies to raise awareness about elder falls, encourage research, and support demonstration projects to help prevent falls among senior citizens, as Elder falls are one of the leading risks for Americans 65 years old and above. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will oversee and support demonstrations, research projects, and grants for local and state education campaigns to help achieve these goals. The legislation was endorsed by the Falls Free Coalition Advocacy Work Group, led by the National Council on Aging, the National Safety Council, the Home Safety Council, AARP, the American Occupational Therapy Association, and the American Physical Therapy Association.

Our country remains strong because of the foundation our elders have helped lay, and we commend older Americans for the many contributions they have made and will continue to make to our Nation.

Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume and make sure that I can reserve enough for those that will follow me.

Madam Chairman, H.R. 6063, sponsored by my good friend Mark Udall, authorizes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for fiscal year 2009. As our chairman has very adequately stated, it's a product of very close bipartisan consultation and cooperation led by Chairman Udall and by Chairman Gordon.

Representative Tom Feeney, ranking member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, and I are original cosponsors of this bill, and it builds a 1-year authorization. The intent of the bill is to keep NASA on its current path towards completing the International Space Station, retiring the Space Shuttle, maintaining a balanced set of science and aeronautics research programs, and developing a new launch system capable of taking humans beyond the low earth orbit, a feat the Shuttle cannot do.

The bill is also meant to reaffirm Congress's unwavering support for NASA so as to remove any doubt the next administration might have about Congress's commitment to NASA's program and to NASA's policies.

By being a 1-year bill, it also is designed, I think, to not tie the hands of the next administration to a long-term strategy. To the contrary, H.R. 6063 is designed to give the next President an opportunity to work with the next Congress to fashion a long-term strategy that is consistent with the administration's desires as well as the wishes of Congress.

H.R. 6063 contains a number of important provisions. It authorizes $19.2 billion for NASA for fiscal year 2009 and provides an additional $1 billion to accelerate development of the new Constellation crew vehicle launch system. It emphasizes that NASA should maintain a strong and balanced array of science, aeronautics, and human spaceflight programs and also directs NASA to fly out its full manifest of Shuttle missions, including those dedicated to flying spare parts to the International Space Station, as well as adding a flight to take the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the ISS as we originally committed to do so some years ago. This experiment was stricken from the Shuttle manifest following the Columbia tragedy, but I think given the huge sunk investment in AMS, we ought to make good on our original commitments to fly this expensive instrument to the ISS.

H.R. 6063 directs NASA to continue the important task of developing the Constellation system which will provide our country with a modern, more robust and safer manned spaceflight capability that will enable our astronauts to fly out of low earth orbit, an ability we haven't had since the retirement of Apollo over 30 years ago.

As most of you are aware, once the Shuttle is retired at the end of this decade, our country will have to buy seats from the Russians for as long as maybe 5 years even to assure U.S. presence on the International Space Station. Our payments for rides on Soyuz spacecraft have not yet been negotiated, but it's going to be expensive. NASA estimates it will cost more than $2 billion, and sadly, we're making these purchases at a time when NASA will be laying off thousands of engineers and technicians from the Shuttle program in an effort to minimize our reliance on the Russians.

As I mentioned a moment ago, this bill authorizes an additional $1 billion to speed up the development of the new Constellation system. This initial investment is more than justified.

This bill also includes a number of provisions to encourage NASA working with the private sector to foster development of a domestic cargo launch capability primarily designed to take supplies to the space station. In addition, 6063 includes language directing NASA to solicit for commercial crew launch capability.

Turning to other parts of NASA, let me quickly say H.R. 6063 embraces a number of recommendations that were put forth by the witnesses from government, from industry, from academia, and testified, all of them testified in hearings before our committee over the previous 18 months. These are sensible provisions designed to strengthen aeronautic space science and earth science research programs, encourage technology, risk reduction policies and activities, foster efficient technology, transfer from NASA to other Federal agencies under the private sector, detect and mitigate the threat of near-earth objects, and research and monitor the effects of space weather on satellites.

This list is not exhaustive, but I wanted 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.

So as we stand here today, the space shuttle is in orbit, wrapping up another assembly mission to the International Space Station. May I add that the spouse of one of our Members, Representative Giffords of Arizona, is currently commanding this mission.

NASA has had two other recent success activities. Just 15 days ago, the Phoenix Mars Lander successfully completed a soft landing on the red planet's surface and is in the early stages of searching for evidence of ice and organic compounds. And yesterday, NASA successfully launched a gamma-ray large area space telescope onboard a Delta II rocket.

These are but three of the most current NASA accomplishments. There are many, many other great achievements in aeronautics, space science, and Earth science research that I could talk about, but time doesn't permit. 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.

Before closing, I want to point out that during development of this bill, the subcommittee Democratic staff have been very open and forthright, sharing early ideas and drafts of the bill with our Republican staff. It has been a close and productive partnership, and I want to especially praise the work and hard work of my good, personal friend Dick Obermann. And I certainly want to thank our chairman, Chairman Bart Gordon.

Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I yield to Mr. Feeney, the gentleman from Florida, 3 minutes.

Madam Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to Dr. Weldon, the gentleman from Florida.

I yield the gentleman an additional minute.

Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).

Madam Chairman, I have no further speakers.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I rise to claim the time, and I am going to encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. But first I want to yield 3 minutes to Mr. Feeney, the gentleman from Florida.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the legacy of leadership within the Texoma Council of Governments, as well as the service of dedicated volunteers in the Texoma Foster Grandparent Program.

The Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG) was formed by the Legislature in 1968, and was designated under the authority of Chapter 391, Local Texas State Government Code, along with 23 other State Planning Regions, to review and comment on Federal and State financial assistance requests. It is a voluntary organization comprised of city and county governments, colleges, school districts, and chambers of commerce, determined to build strength through regional cooperation. TCOG is responsible for evaluating any project that would have an impact on the three-county area of Cooke, Fannin and Grayson Counties, and works to continually improve the economic, social, and educational opportunities for the citizens in these regions.

Due to the large number of senior community servants in the area, TCOG founded the Texoma Foster Grandparent Program. This program is part of a national organization focused on utilizing area seniors, ages 60 or older, to mentor and tutor ``at risk'' youths. These volunteers serve approximately 40,000 hours per year in public settings such as Texoma schools, day care, and community centers. On April 24th, the Program's Advisory Council recognized its dedicated senior volunteers with a 50s themed recognition, fittingly entitled, ``Volunteers Rock,'' at the Sherman First United Methodist Church. Several area businesses donated food, door prizes, and funds to help make the event a success, as all volunteers received awards for hours served during the year. The Texoma Foster Grandparent Program Advisory Council and the program's volunteers are wonderful role models for the community at large, and I wholeheartedly applaud them for utilizing their experience, talents, and energy to serve as a positive influence for special needs children and ``at risk'' youths.

But Texoma's celebration doesn't end there because on June 19, 2008, TCOG will celebrate its 40th Anniversary at Austin College with an event entitled ``Legacy of Leadership.'' Funds generated by business partners and vendors for this event will be returned to Texoma's private sector and donated to the Texoma Senior Citizens Foundation. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate TCOG's many accomplishments and legacy of service during the past 40 years. I want to commend current and past members who have contributed their time, talent and resources to make TCOG one of the most effective Councils of Government in the State.

I am confident that the Texoma Council of Governments will continue to meet the challenges of the future and continue to provide outstanding services for those it represents, and I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating TCOG on its 40th Anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the Martha and Josh Morriss Mathematics and Engineering Elementary School in Texarkana, Texas, upon completion of its first year of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) focused curriculum. On June 6 classes concluded for the summer, marking the completion of the first year of this innovative, groundbreaking school in the Fourth Congressional District of Texas.

Morriss Elementary, serving children in grades K-5, is part of a vertically aligned K-16 engineering education collaboration between Texas A&M University--Texarkana and the Texarkana Independent School District (TISD). This collaborative effort provides mathematics and pre-engineering integrated curriculum and pre-engineering electives for students, who are admitted on a competitive basis. Students graduating from the elementary school will be able to continue an advanced math and science program through middle school and high school as they follow a path to a college degree in one of the STEM fields.

On May 12, 2008, the House Science and Technology Committee held a field hearing at Morriss Elementary School to receive testimony on efforts to engage students in math and science at an early age, to keep them interested throughout middle school and high school, and to translate that interest into rewarding careers that will be of benefit to the entire Nation from a federal, school district, university, industry and teacher perspective. At the hearing, witnesses praised the efforts being made at Morriss Elementary. We saw first-hand how a community came together and created, with entirely local funding, what could be a national model for K-16 collaboration in mathematics and engineering. The vision for this school began with Dr. James Sullivan, former TISD Superintendent and current Texarkana City Manager, and his wife, Dr. Rosanne Stripling, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University--Texarkana. The plan received the support of the Board of TISD and, coupled with

the generous land donation from Martha and Josh Morriss, became a reality last year.

The school does not have an attendance zone, and any elementary-age student living in the vicinity is eligible to apply for enrollment on a first-come basis without charge. The school is designed for approximately 400 students, with three sections each in grades K-1, 2- 3, and 4-5. Due to a very high demand, a waiting list has been established for most of the primary grades.

Texas A&M University--Texarkana Arts and Sciences and Education faculty assist the TISD curriculum personnel and teachers to design the mathematics and engineering integrated curriculum and electives. University faculty develop content and pedagogy courses to train the elementary teachers to deliver the curriculum using effective teaching strategies that promote mastery of the curriculum by all students. All of the Morriss Elementary teachers are required to obtain a Masters Degree and either the Texas Master Mathematics Teacher Certification or Texas Master Technology Teacher Certification through preparation programs offered at A&M--Texarkana.

I am proud of the success of Morriss Elementary and wish to commend TISD Superintendent James Henry Russell and school Principal Rick Sandlin for the wonderful job they are doing. I also wish to congratulate the students and the teachers on the completion of their first year and look forward to monitoring the progress of these students as well as the continued success of Morriss Elementary. Our Nation's ability to continue to lead the world in innovation and competitiveness will depend in large part on our ability to motivate students to succeed and pursue careers in STEM fields. Morriss Elementary is an example of how that thrust can succeed at the local level with the vision and support of educators, parents, community leaders and students.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased today to place in the Congressional Record the following winning essay, which Ashita Ganguly, a Senior at Paris High School in Paris, Texas, submitted to the Air Force Essay Contest.

Part of the Air Force Mission Statement Is ``Excellence in All We Do'';

What Does This Mean To You?

Excellence is a tradition that beats proudly in the hearts

of all Americans. The United States Air Force is a specific

example of the furtherance of such a tradition. Since its

formation in 1947, the Air Force has relentlessly strived to

serve and protect America and her people with unyielding

strength, valor, and conviction. Although it has established

itself as the largest and most technologically advanced air

force in the world, it is the spirited and courageous men and

women, selflessly serving their country and fellow citizens,

who truly distinguish the United States Air Force from all

others.

Webster defines excellence as unusual goodness or worth.

Throughout its existence, the Air Force has showcased this

unique generosity not only in regards to national affairs,

but also in world affairs. During the Cold War, when Soviet

leader Joseph Stalin disrupted the supply traffic to Berlin,

the United States Air Force undertook Operation Vittles, also

known as the Berlin Airlifts. From June of 1948 to May of

1949, the Air Force was able to deliver an astounding 2.3

million tons of cargo on the 277,685 flights, providing vital

necessities to all of Berlin's citizens. The excellence in

efficiency proved by the Air Force in these missions

continues to remain un-matched. In the years following, the

Air Force continued to lead in many other humanitarian

efforts including Operation Safe Haven, which relocated

20,000 Hungarian refugees following the Hungarian Revolution

of 1956, and Operation Provide Hope, which provided medical

equipment to former Soviet republics during their transition

to democratic and free-market states.

Since its conception, the Air Force has been involved in a

number of wars and conflicts including World War I, World War

II, the Cold War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf

War, the Kosovo War, and, of course, the Iraq War. Its

members have valiantly served to preserve democratic values

in all parts of the world with great regard to ``a proud

heritage, a tradition of honor, and a legacy of valor,'' as

stated in The Airman's Creed.

A few years ago, I witnessed this tradition first hand when

visiting Andrews Air Force base in Maryland. Watching the air

show, I was astonished to see the meticulous craft and

precision displayed by the pilots. The intricate and complex

formations of the planes in flight still lives in my memory.

However, despite being surrounded by the most sophisticated

and advanced technology comprehensible to man, it was the

infectious spirit of enthusiasm for duty that captivated me.

Watching the pilots animatedly discuss their air crafts and

missions spurred my interest.

The 351,800 members of the United States Air Force, groomed

by tradition, guided by values, and driven by strife towards

excellence represent the heart and soul of American culture.

Exhibiting superiority of character and performance, both on

and off duty, they are the role models in an often misguided

period in society. As the United States Air Force continues

``To fly and fight in Air, Space, and Cyberspace,'' ordinary

citizens, like me, can only expect excellence in all of their

endeavors. Their example inspires us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5940, the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I control time for what we call the opposition for the legislation here today, but I guess that is just a mere technicality, because I am pleased to join Chairman Gordon as well as an overwhelming majority of our committee members on both sides of the aisle as an original cosponsor of H.R. 5940, the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008.

The initiative was first named in the 2001 budget request and made a priority by President Bush. We codified it in 2003, and I was pleased to cosponsor that measure as well then. Now we have taken an already good statute and improved it just a bit, and streamlined some administrative issues to ensure that areas such as nanomanufacturing, education and environmental health and safety are adequately recognized.

It is mind-boggling to realize that the piece of paper that I am reading from is 100,000 nanometers thick. 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 electronics, biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, energy, catalytic, and materials applications is amazing and the kind of research and technology that makes the United States the leader in this innovation. It is important that we continue to make this area of research a national priority.

Certainly, just as an example, look at how nanotechnology has been used to create clean, secure and affordable energy. With gas prices averaging $4 a gallon, when was the last time we heard ``affordable energy''?

Nanotechnology research is currently taking place to improve the performance or increase the efficiency of renewable energy systems, such as solar energy conversion, wind energy, biomass power for utility applications, hydrogen production and storage for transportation, including the development of fuel cell technology, and geothermal energy. Nanofilms for windows are being developed for home use to promote energy efficiency. Nanotechnology is being used to improve batteries and create solid state lighting and low powered displays. The list and potential at this time are absolutely endless.

So I encourage my colleagues to support this measure. This has been a bipartisan effort from the beginning, and while we have made some changes to the program, I believe that, by and large, we continue to give the NNI and all the Federal agencies involved with this the flexibility that they absolutely need to do their work without being overly prescriptive.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), the previous Energy Subcommittee Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) 5 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) 5 minutes.

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

I yield the gentleman 3 additional minutes.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have, if any?

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to Mr. Shimkus, the gentleman from Illinois, 1 minute.

(Mr. SHIMKUS 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 rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 366. This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that increasing American capabilities in science and mathematics and technology education should be a national priority, and I couldn't agree more. I gladly support the gentlelady from Texas's resolution.

The Science Committee recognized a few years ago that this Nation needed to make American capabilities in STEM education a priority. Our current chairman, Mr. Gordon, along with then-Chairman Sherry Boehlert requested the report that was to become the ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' report to which we have so often referred in this Congress. As a result of this report, the President came out with his American Competitive Initiative; and this Congress passed, and the President signed, the America COMPETES Act, which specifically addresses the concerns raised in this resolution.

In COMPETES, we're dedicating resources to create a broad pool of citizens who are literate in STEM subjects and we are increasing science scholarships and providing financial resources to attract underrepresented populations to STEM fields. Likewise, NSF is funding tremendous STEM education curriculum work in all grades, and OSTP and other Federal agencies, like the Department of Education, are providing strong leadership as appropriate at the Federal level.

A few weeks ago, I held a hearing in Texarkana, Texas at the Martha and Josh Morriss Mathematics and Engineering Elementary School, a 100 percent locally funded public school that focuses on inspiring our young children to excel in math and science at an early age and hopefully keep them interested all the way through college.

This school is a prime example of the kind of leadership and commitment necessary at the local level and included input from several groups, businesses, the academic community, and parents.

However, there is always room for improvement, and we should strive to do more. In fact, it's imperative that we do more if we're to remain the world leader in innovation and technology.

I urge my colleagues to support the resolution introduced by my good friend, Ms. Johnson.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) 5 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may use, subject to the amount of time I have left. Could you tell me how much time I have?

I thank the Speaker.

The gentleman from New Jersey keeps talking about doing away with fossil fuels. You know, that's just almost laughable. You do away with fossil fuels today, a year from today, 2 years from today, 5 years from today, 10 years from today, turn these lights out, cut out your air conditioners, forget about driving up to anywhere to get gasoline or oil, forget about building the roads, heating and cooling, just shut her all down, forget about it, and forget about that 40 percent we get from a Nation that doesn't trust us, Saudi Arabia, that's all fossil fuels. We have no control over them.

Sure, we ought to have technology to address fossil fuels to make it cleaner, but we're whistling Dixie if we think we're going to do away and do without fossil fuels.

It's easy to condemn and not trust the oil and gas people, but without them, we wouldn't have the lights we're using right today. We wouldn't have the gasoline that's in our cars, the money that it takes to build asphalt roads, and I could go on down the list forever.

Where do you think 40 percent of that comes from? Saudi Arabia. Another 20 percent from other Arab Nations just like Saudi Arabia that don't trust us and we don't trust them. That's what it's all about. We can't do without fossil fuels. That's foolishness.

Mr. Speaker, I think it's high-time that we realize that we have to work together and seek technology to lessen the effect of carbons and be sensible about it, be reasonable about it, but we can't just shut this off and condemn those that are producing, the men and women in the oil industry that are producing the lights that we share today and cleaning the air that we have today.

We need to keep looking for technology to make it better and cleaner, but it's foolish to talk about doing away with it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) 3 minutes.

I yield the gentleman another 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) 3 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry).

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

The gentleman from Oregon is a very good speaker and knowledgeable. He's been here a long, long time. He said there are a thousand reasons why we're out of energy and why we're in the situation we're in. I will say maybe there's two less. You just take these two, though, out of that thousand, I don't know how many he has left. But when we talk about who's furnishing fossil fuels, and who's furnishing nuclear energy, who's furnishing clean coal, who's furnishing solar. And no one has objected to this or no one has said it's not so, 91 percent of the House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of American-made oil and gas, while 86 percent of the House Democrats have historically voted against increasing the production of American-made oil and gas. I don't know where the other thousand are, but that's the major reason we're where we are today.

They don't want to drill here. They won't let us drill off the coast of Florida. They don't want to drill up in ANWR. Let me tell you something, we better be drilling on American soil or we're going to have to send our American boys to take some energy away from someone. And that would be an absolute crime when we have plenty right here at home. It's a shame we don't use our own.

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

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

According to the National Science Foundation, a recent study of fourth graders showed that 66 percent of the girls and 68 percent of boys reported that they liked science. But something else starts happening in the elementary school. NSF found that by the eighth grade, boys are twice as interested in STEM careers as girls are. The female attrition continues through high school, college, and even the workforce.

Women with STEM higher education degrees are twice as likely to leave a scientific or engineering job as men with comparable STEM degrees. Despite the fact that women earn half of the bachelors degrees in science and engineering, they continue to be significantly underrepresented at the faculty level in almost all the S&E fields, constituting 28 percent in 2003 of doctoral science and engineering faculty in 4-year colleges and universities and only 18 percent of full professors.

The Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology Development was established by Congress on October 14, 1988 through legislation developed and sponsored by Congresswoman Connie Morella, Republican from Maryland. The mandate of the Commission is to research and recommend ways to improve the recruitment, the retention, and the representation of women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities in science, engineering, and technology education and employment.

In addition to the Commission, the NSF Research on Gender in Science and Engineering program has worked since 1993 to broaden the participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education fields.

One of the things research has discovered is that the more positive images you present of women in these fields in school, the more likely girls will want to enter into these fields later on in life.

So the resolution before us today honors the contribution of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, both in the United States and around the world. It also allows us to thank women for the contribution that they have made to these fields, women such as Madelaine Barnothey, the first woman in Hungary to receive a Ph.D. specializing in physics; or Rosalind Franklin, who received her degree in chemistry in 1951 from Cambridge University and was instrumental in putting together a detailed description of DNA; or Sophia Germain, an outstanding mathematician who developed the modern theory of elasticity, without which modern construction would be absolutely impossible.

Women have been pioneers in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for centuries.

We owe it to girls growing up today to recognize these accomplishments,

accomplishments such as those of Maria Telkes, who was a physicist and pioneer in solar energy and designed and built a solar house in the 1930s; or those of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, who was buried at Arlington Cemetery in January, 1992, and was one of the very first software engineers who helped both the military, private sector, and academia develop the foundations of modern digital computing.

We just can't discuss important women in history without recognizing the outstanding contributions of Marie Curie, a physicist and chemist, who is one of the only people to ever receive two Nobel prizes in different fields and the only woman to have won two Nobel prizes. Her Nobel prizes were awarded for her work on radioactivity and the discovery of the elements of polonium and radium.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of the resolution before us today.

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

Madam Speaker, I submit the following:

House Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense Supplemental Information.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658, The National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009.

Specifics: Hall, Ralph--$2,000,000, UH-60 Weapons Armament Mission B- Kit.

Account: U.S. Army, Aircraft Procurement, Army/2/Modification of Aircraft UTILITY HELICOPTER MODS (AA0480) Procurement P-1, Line 020, Number: AA0480.

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Contract Fabrication and Design LLC (CFD), 5427 FM 546, Princeton, Texas 75407- 4763, 972-736-2260-Office, 972-736-6063-Fax.

Description of how the money will be spent: The UH-60, Weapons Armament Mission B-Kit, has been developed, qualified and tested to meet the U.S. Army, UH-60 BLACK HAWK, M-240 High Capacity Feed System (HCFS) Operational Requirements Document (ORD). The unfunded ORD requires ammunition on board the UH-60 for 2 minutes of continuous fire or 1000 rounds versus the 200 max rounds available to the Warfighter today. This B-Kit exceeds the ammunition requirement and all components are mounted external to the cabin freeing up approximately 30 cubic feet of space.

It provides the Warfighter a 10 times increase in 7.62mm magazine capacity (2000 rounds/side) for the M-240 and provides

greater accuracy and increased field of fire for increased soldier survivability.

The amount requested will fund the procurement (including packaging and shipping) of approximately 13 shipsets (2 sides per shipset) at a per shipset price of approximately $148,000 each.

Why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: This Kit exceeds the unfunded ORD requirement providing 10 times more ammunition for defending the Warfighter, providing significantly more accuracy, thus more lethal firepower with superior self protection and frees up critical cabin space; meets ammunition fire rates required by UH-60 Operational Requirements Documents for greatly improved safety of crew and soldiers in combat.

Percent and source of required matching fund: Not applicable--the entity receiving the funding will be providing support to a federal, state, or local government agency.

Ralph Hall FY09 Earmark Paper: Chemical-Mechanical Self-Destruct Fuze (cm-SDF) for Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM).

Authorized Amount: $2,000,000.00.

Project Name: Chemical-Mechanical Self-Destruct Fuze (cm-SDF).

MM: Army.

Funding Source: Army--Research, Development, Test & Evaluation.

PE Number: 0603004A.

Line Number: 32.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of FY2009.

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, Texarkana, TX 75505-9100; Picatinny Arsenal Support-- $350,000; Yuma Test Center Support--$200,000; LAP 8640 Inert genades w/ 223 fuze--$5,400; Remove 223 fuze to create ``Recap'' grenades--$4,400; Assemble cm-SDF Fuzes--$360,140; LAP 120 Projectiles w/recap grenade-- $56,000; Automatic Ampule Mfg Machine--$172,000; Progressive Dieset f/ Housing--$88,000; Progressive Dieset f/Cover--$75,000; Develop Prototype prod process--$484,000; Level of effort Engr Support-- $200,000; General Machine Shop Support--$25,000; Local Test Facilities (Jolt, Jumble, ballistic simulation)--$49,850; Demonstrate Production Capability--$161,880; Travel--$50,000: TOTAL--$2,281,670. Day & Zimmermann Match (12%), $281,670 (Note: To date, Day & Zimmermann has invested in excess of $800.000 on this development).

Net funding request--$2,000,000

Continue development of cm-SDF for use on all submunitions of the DPICM family. Through continued R&D, qualification testing, process development and production demonstration, this program seeks to provide the U.S. Army with a simple and cost-effective alternative fuze capable of achieving the Army's goal of limiting battlefield Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) to less than 1%.

The DPICM system, delivered by both artillery shell and rocket warhead, provides unprecedented effectiveness on the battlefield but its use is threatened due to residual UXO exceeding the minimum allowed 1%. The cm-SDF offers an innovative approach to self-destruct capability that will meet UXO thresholds while being the most cost- effective solution. Its simplicity, ease of manufacture, and use of readily available materials are important considerations in developing an SDF to assure sustained viability of the DPICM system.

This fuze has been under development by the operating contractor of Lone Star AAP for approximately three years, with contractor's investment to date exceeding $800,000. In January, 2008, with support of the Program Manager, Combat Ammunition Systems (PM-CAS), a ``Proof- of-Principle'' ballistic test was conducted at Yuma Test Center with encouraging results. Currently, ``lessons learned'' from this test are being incorporated into the fuze design, and Lone Star is working with PM-CAS toward follow-up ballistic testing leading to Fuze Qualification.

TeraStack Pilot for Army Telemedicine [TPAT].

Bill number and account: C/M Ralph Hall. H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter NDAA of Fiscal Year 2009; $2,500,000.00; RDT&E [Research, Development, Test & Evaluation]; PE 0603002A / R-1 Line 30.

Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Hie Electronics, 321 N Central Expy, Ste 260, McKinney, TX.

Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: This project provides DoD health care with a low cost alternative diagnostic image storage solution that saves 5-7 times the cost of current technologies for medical imaging with data securely guaranteed for 85 years. Current legacy DoD systems are overflowing. Upgrades will be too costly if conventional type systems are used. Further, this technology uses 10 times less energy and is completely portable for a wide array of DoD applications, both within and external to garrisoned medical operations. In addition to being a state-of-the-art storage system, the platform also hosts advanced processor capability which can run automated imaging algorithms enhancing medical care for our returning wounded soldiers. These algorithms are essential for new ways to diagnose and study Traumatic Brain Injury [TBI].

This worthy pilot provides an essential low cost award-winning solution for urgently needed medical storage requirements. The approach is being proven in other video/imaging applications with documented ``real'' savings of up to 90% over current solutions that are expected to break down within 5 years. The TeraStack solution has no requirement for special air conditioned rooms and uses a tiny fraction of electricity [760 W]--plugging into an ordinary room plug. This fully rearward compatible, portable and secure system represents the first increment of next generation environmentally friendly, massive storage systems for a wide range of medical and DoD applications. This pilot introduces this technology into the DoD health care system. It's desperately needed and will have a huge impact. The first application to be demonstrated includes new brain imaging algorithms for studying Traumatic Brain Injury.

Description of matching funds: This small business has pledged to match up to 10% of the award with internal resources to insure integration and advanced development features to customize this novel ``best in class'' technology for DoD applications as required.

Requesting Member: Representative Ralph M. Hall.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009.

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 be made. Detailed analysis of Rivet Joint operations shows that full integration of networked capabilities will result in a 25% 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: $1,250,000 is for Non-Recurring Engineering Design and Development; $1,250,000 is for Manufacture, Design and Production of Networked Speech, Geo-Location, and Reach-back Processing and Data Base Access Applications; and $1,000,000 is for Labor, Materials, and System Installation and Integration on one Rivet Joint aircraft.

Stryker Common Active Protection System (APS) Radar.

Bill Number and Account: H.R. 5658, RDT&E, Army, Line 62.

Name and Address of Recipient: Raytheon Company, 2501 West University Drive, McKinney, TX 75070.

Program Description/Use of FY09 Funding: Active Protection System (APS) is an externally mounted vehicle protection system that identifies, discriminates and intercepts rocket propelled grenades (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. In March, 2006, the Army competitively awarded a contract with two options for APS. Option A for the Short Range Countermeasure is in development and will integrate RPG protection into current combat vehicles, beginning with Stryker. Option B will address the longer range threats and is a sub-system to the Hit Avoidance Suite for the Future Combat Systems (FCS) fleet of Manned Ground Vehicles (MGV). In 2007, the Army accelerated the requirement for Stryker by designating it a critical component of Spin Out 2, the second increment of FCS technologies to be fielded to the Current Force in the 2010-2012 timeframe. The FY09 President's budget request does not contain funding to support APS integration onto Stryker. Without FY09 funding, the Current Force APS may not be ready for integration onto Stryker during FCS Spin Out 2. The MFRF radar detects and tracks incoming threats and cues the APS to launch the countermeasure. Initially designed for integration into the FCS MGVs, the MFRF radar must

be technically optimized for Stryker while maintaining commonality with the long range design. The additional FY09 funding will allow insertion of reduced cost electronics and modifications to the radar for Stryker integration, as well as software and hardware development for system command and control, including the man-machine interface.

Anticipated Sources of Funding: APS development is funded under the FCS MGV budget line, but there is no dedicated funding to support APS development for Stryker in FY08 or FY09. The Army originally requested funding in FY08 for Stryker APS but has since reallocated the funding to support power management and the other upgrades Stryker needs to accommodate FCS Spin Outs. The Army is committed to funding APS for Stryker starting in the FY10 budget. Details of the FY10 funding will not be known until the Army finalizes its FYI0-15 Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP).

Matching Funds: N/A.

Justification for Use of Taxpayer Dollars: This project aims to accelerate delivery of a validated military need intended to enhance protection of Army soldiers and vehicles. As a priority military initiative, this program will be funded through federal expenditures.

Project Name: Prepreg Thickness Variability Reduction Program.

Requested by Congressman Ralph Hall (TX-4).

Total Requested funding FY09: $3.6 million.

Justification of the use of federal funds: This program will reduce the variability of Carbon fiber prepreg, the raw material that provides the basis for strong, durable, light-weight composite aircraft structures. It is predominantly used by the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and the airline industry to fabricate aircraft structures such as wing skins. A major impediment to assembling composite aircraft structural components is the dimensional mismatch of composite parts which may produce rough edges, overlays, or gaps between parts. Much of this mismatch is due to variations that occur in component manufacturing. Funding has been applied to efforts to reduce variation in component manufacturing by the Air Force and the prime contractors. Unfortunately, funds have not been directed towards efforts to reduce variation by refining the raw material--carbon fiber prepreg. Lower prepreg variation will avoid the purchase of costly precision machining equipment by program partners, estimated at $80 million, to mitigate surface and component part deviations. Federal funding is justified in this effort to reducing the variability of prepeg to help the Joint Strike Fighter program and others meet the goal of reducing the overall variability of composite parts. This is vital to reduce the weight of aircraft, as well as to promote optimal stealth capabilities.

Detailed Budget for Variation Reduction Development Program:

Materials: Resin and prepreg production, production trials, feedstock variations, customer shop trials, and packaging supplies--$200K.

Deliverables: (1) Develop and demonstrate the necessary equipment and processes for production and (2) Document aerospace production control documents (PCD) for JSF Program technical approval and signature.

Labor: Scientist, technicians, mechanics, testing personnel, and production operators--$300K.

Deliverables: (1) Direct the work to be done, optimize process, execute plan scale up work and (2) Ensure best practice sharing of manufacturing engineering development.

Testing: Fiber testing, production of composites, and testing of the composite coupons--$1400K.

Deliverables: (1) Generate meaningful composite material data, demonstrating alignment to heritage mechanical test data bases and (2) Review data and correlate to end-use application.

Overhead, Contract Management, Miscellaneous--$100K.

Total Budget: $2000K.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and service of a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Army Specialist Braden J. Long, 19, of Sherman, Texas, died in service to his country last year in Baghdad of injuries sustained when his Humveee came under grenade attack. Specialist Long was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division; Fort Riley, Kansas.

Braden's mother, Melanie Thrasher, said that her son wanted to be in the military since grade school and reported for basic training just a month after graduating from Sherman High School in 2005. His family and many friends, as well as his fellow soldiers in the United States Army, can attest to the dedication of this young man who chose to live his life in service to his country.

Specialist Long's wife, Theresa, recalled that he was respectful to all and always kept his word. If he said he could do something, he did it. Long met his future wife while both were students at Sherman High School. They were married Nov. 4, 2005, and were living in Fort Riley, Kansas, at the time of his deployment to Iraq.

In addition to his wife, Specialist Long is survived by his parents, Melanie Thrasher of Sherman and William ``Bill'' Long III of Arlington; one brother, William Long IV of Sherman; one sister, Michaela Thrasher of Sherman; grandparents, William Long Jr. of Florida, and William Euans, Susan Long, and Shirley Dickinson, all of Ohio; and one great- grandparent, William G. Long Sr.

Madam Speaker, words cannot express the gratitude we owe to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom; it is a debt that can never be repaid. I pray that his family will find comfort in knowing that America will never forget the tremendous sacrifice he made while defending our country. As we honor America's fallen heroes on Memorial Day, let us pay tribute to the life of this dedicated young patriot, Army Specialist Braden Long.

Madam Speaker, I rise along with Congressman Louie Gohmert to honor today a distinguished County Judge and great American, Judge Larry T. Craig, of Tyler, TX, who recently passed away at the age of 71 on April 12th.

Judge Craig was born in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, on July 20, 1936. After moving to Tyler in the summer of 1949, he attended Tyler public schools, graduating from Tyler High School and Tyler Junior College. Having served his country in the United States Naval Reserve, he was honorably discharged in 1963 and attended The University of Texas and the University of Houston, where he earned his bachelor of science in Pharmacy. For the next 25 years Judge Craig worked in retail pharmacy, with 10 of those years as the owner and operator of Craig Pharmacy. In March of 1972, Judge Craig married Barbara Jean Copeland, with whom he raised a family of five children.

Judge Craig continued his education and graduated from the Reserve Law Enforcement Academy at Tyler Junior College and the Police Academy at Kilgore College, where he was licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Education and Standards.

He was elected County Judge of Smith County in 1986, and was re- elected in 1990, 1994, and 1998. With four terms of service as Smith County Judge, he became the longest serving judge to hold that position.

It was an on-the-job learning process, and he admitted that lacking a law degree made judicial aspects of the job initially difficult. But he studied hard, read late into the evenings, and did his job well. Judge Craig consistently received high marks for his work on the bench in local bar polls, and of the three decisions he rendered that were appealed, all were eventually upheld by higher courts.

Judge Craig also served on several statewide boards, associations, and commissions, including the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Then Texas Governor George W. Bush appointed Craig and designated him chairman in 1995, where he would become the longest serving Chair of the agency after holding the post for five years.

Judge Craig will be remembered as a man of service and a gentleman, but above all, his memory will be honored by the commitment he made to ``keep God and your family first and foremost.'' It has been said that Judge Craig ``was the kind of man that made God proud,'' and we would concur.

Madam Speaker, we ask our colleagues to join us in paying tribute to a gentleman, an outstanding public servant, and a great American--Judge Larry Craig.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to stand today to celebrate the life of a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his life in defense of our Nation.

Second Lieutenant Peter H. Burks, 26, of Dallas, Texas, died November 14 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

Pete answered the call of service to his country in April of 2006 when he proudly enlisted in the United States Army. In October of that same year he was commissioned as an officer. Pete was no ordinary leader. He used his warm personality and keen sense of humor to inspire others. He received numerous awards, ribbons and medals, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge.

Pete's parents have shared with my office correspondence which speaks volumes about the character of this fallen soldier. Last year he wrote to his mother, ``Dad taught me how to reason, think logically and gave me a thirst for knowledge. You (Mom) gave me a fiery passion, a competitive streak, and most importantly, you taught me the importance of knowing the Lord.''

An excerpt from Pete's emails to his fiancee, Melissa Haddad, includes the following: ``I know that regardless of the circumstances, God is putting me EXACTLY where he wants me for the time being. I know that that is hard to swallow, but it is the truth . . . I will do my best and work to glorify God in all that I do. So long as I do that, I have accomplished the real mission that has been set out for me.''

Pete answered the call to duty, accomplished his missions to the best of his ability, and has now been called home to the Lord. He leaves behind his fiancee, Melissa Haddad; his mother Jackie Merck; father Alan and stepmother Laura Burks; sisters Ali, Sarah and Georgia Burks; brother Zac Burks; grandmother Irene Merck; grandfather Haskell Burks; other family members and a multitude of friends both within and outside the service.

Madam Speaker, Second Lieutenant Peter Burks was a true American hero. As we honor all of America's fallen soldiers on this coming Memorial Day, let us pay tribute to this fine soldier and offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends. May God bless all those who serve in our Armed Forces and who defend our Nation around the globe, and may the memory of Peter Burks live forever in the hearts of all those who knew him and loved him.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true public servant who has dedicated his entire life to higher education, Dr. Keith D. McFarland.

His teaching career began in 1966 while working on his doctoral degree, and since then, he has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. McFarland has published books, reviews and numerous articles dealing with twentieth century military history, and has also made professional presentations dealing with his discipline and graduate studies.

In 1969, Dr. McFarland became an Assistant Professor of History at East Texas State University. This position would pave the way for him to become President of the institution, which in 1996 became part of The Texas A&M University System as Texas A&M University-Commerce.

During Dr. McFarland's tenure, he was able to take Texas A&M University-Commerce to new academic heights--twenty new programs were introduced at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. With enrollment at its highest point in 25 years, the university remains one of Texas' top producers of teachers, principals, superintendents, school counselors and educational diagnosticians. The MBA program is considered the number three best buy in the Nation.

In the past 4 years, administrative costs have dropped from 11\1/2\ percent to 9\1/2\ percent, while external gifts and research funding has increased by over 200 percent.

Passionate about improving a deteriorating physical plant, Dr. McFarland pushed for the first new Campus Master Plan in 40 years. In 2001, he began the first campus construction project since 1977. This project lead to the demolition of forty-one defunct buildings, replacing them with modern and efficient classrooms and support facilities. Under construction today is the Sam Rayburn Student Center, named for one of my personal heroes.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to join the many graduates of Texas A&M University-Commerce, including my wife Mary Ellen, in congratulating Dr. McFarland upon his retirement. I can't think of a better testament to public service than educating tomorrow's leaders, and Dr. McFarland is to be commended for his commitment to the field of higher education. Please join me in honoring him on this prestigious occasion.

Madam Chairman, I am of course pleased to support H.R. 2537, the Beach Protection Act of 2007, and appreciate the efforts of Mr. Pallone to advance this legislation.

It is my understanding that this bill will receive overwhelming bipartisan support. It is going to be a totally green board, which I applaud. But it seems to me that the House has other, more critical issues to consider, such as the rising cost of energy which affects the success or failures of the traveling public to even reach the beaches of the world.

Oil and gas prices are at an all-time high with national averages topping $3.25 a gallon. A year ago we feared a time when crude oil could reach $100 a barrel, and now oil has reached $110 a barrel for the first time in history.

Unfortunately, energy analysts are saying that prices at the pump are not likely to decrease any time soon, and could rise as high as $3.75, maybe $4 a gallon this year.

My constituents in the Fourth District of Texas, as well as all Americans, are very concerned about the ever-increasing cost of gasoline and diesel, combined with the escalating prices at the grocery store. It is costing them more to travel to work, and more to provide food for their families. They are looking to Congress for some immediate relief and some long-term solutions.

The Energy Security Act that the majority passed and the President signed into law has some good provisions; but, unfortunately, none that will provide Americans the relief they need from high energy costs. Not one barrel of oil was provided in that entire act. There was no mention in the Energy Act of an increase in domestic production, which is one way to help bring down energy costs.

This year marks the culmination of a research and development product which I have worked on and passed, I think four times as a Democrat and one time as a Republican, and it is the Ultra-deepwater and Unconventional Onshore Hydrocarbon Resources Act that was signed into law as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Nuclear energy has also seen a surge in recent years as people realize it is a clean and safe source of energy. But as with building a new refinery, the permitting and construction process is extremely expensive, and there are still significant risks to venture capitalists who would otherwise invest.

Congress needs to reduce uncertainty in the regulatory process for permitting and construction of new nuclear plants, as well as oil refineries, by streamlining the process and requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to issue its rulings within a realistic time frame.

America needs relief at the pump now more than ever. Congress needs to jump start efforts to bring down energy costs in the short term and build on comprehensive energy policies that recognize the importance of all energy sources in the long term. Providing Americans with affordable energy is an important issue.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I won't take all that much time.

I've heard it said that water and fire are wonderful friends and fearful enemies, and I'm sure that's been said a lot of times today. And we know the terrible devastation that both of these can bring.

Thousands of people die in the United States every year due to fire, and many more are injured. The total would be even higher if it weren't for the dedication and the service of our Nation's fire men and women.

I don't know how you can say enough about our Nation's firefighters. I would say this: It's kind of a shame that it took a 9/11 for people to really fully appreciate firefighters and men and women that defend us and defend our property and our lives. I just think they're treasures of the country, and it's good for this Congress to honor them every chance we get. And that's why I'm very pleased that the Committee on Science and Technology has taken the time to deliberate and produce a bill that will greatly contribute to the effectiveness of the United States Fire Administration, and by extension, the local men and women who serve us so very well.

I'd like to thank the gentlemen from Arizona and Georgia for their leadership on this bill, as well as the rest of the colleagues on the committee for their work. And I, of course, urge passage of H.R. 4847 and yield back the balance of my time after once again saying that it's unusual that it would take some kind of devastation like we had in our sister State over here to really bring the full appreciation of men and women who, day and night, face the fires and face protection of our property and our goods. I'm honored to be a part of recognizing them and saying to them one more time from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you, we appreciate what you're doing, and we look forward to the fact that you're going to be able to continue to do it.