Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, again I rise in support of H.R. 816 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Let me first make a simple point of clarification. There is no such place as Nevada. There is, though, a Nevada in the western United States, and that is the issue of which we are speaking here.

H.R. 816 seeks to protect the citizens of Clark County, Nevada, from floods by releasing 65 acres from Sunrise Mountain Wilderness Study Area. This is a critical need for one of the fastest growing areas of the United States. Title to the land will remain with the Bureau of Land Management. I would strongly encourage BLM to act expeditiously in granting Clark County a right-of-way to this acreage so the flood control operations can start soon.

I would also like to commend Congressman Porter and his staff for their work on this legislation. I urge passage of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3473 and again yield myself such time as I may consume.

This, along with Chairman Rahall's bill, are the two brilliant bills of this particular package. I can't say more. On behalf of my constituents who reside in Bountiful, Utah, I express my appreciation for the consideration of this bill today. It has been a long time in coming. My office has been involved in negotiations with the city, as well as the United States Forest Service, for the last 3 years.

For nearly 20 years, the City has commenced and called off multiple attempts to exchange this land administratively, primarily due to change in personnel within the local office in Utah. That is why we are doing this legislatively now.

We finally have before us, I think, a direct land exchange which does several things. It increases the equal value exchange between Bountiful and the United States Forest Service. Bountiful City will give 1,600- plus acres to the Forest Service. The Forest Service will exchange part of a 220-acre parcel that is in the city limits, balance their contiguous area, and also has the ability of protecting a gun range, which is extremely important in that particular area, a shoreline trail, and the Davis Aqueduct within Davis County.

This bill allows for a process to move forward to allow the Forest Service to deal with any lands not consumed by this exchange. My goal in drafting this bill is not to create a long-term management issue, either for Bountiful or the Forest Service. I believe this bill accomplishes both the letter and the spirit of that particular goal.

I also wish to express my appreciation for the many staff hours which have gone into this particular bill. I also express appreciation to city officials in Bountiful for their patience, their willingness to work in good faith with our office, as well as the United States Forest Service, and especially the majority staff on our committee.

It is a good bill, and it does move the process of dealing with these particular land exchanges forward. It makes it easier to manage for both the Forest Service as well as the City of Bountiful. I urge passage of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on House Resolution 698 and will again yield myself such time as I may consume.

This bill has been very well explained by the chairman. Congressman Walsh, as well as the cosponsor, the gentleman from California, should be commended for their work on this particular bill. I urge its adoption.

At this time, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the author of the bill, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh).

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 1922, and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the chairman has adequately explained the bill. I have no additional speakers. It is a good bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 4191, and yield myself such time as I may consume.

This does change the name of the Dayton Aviation National Park to reflect more accurately the individuals being commemorated at this site and the role they played in the history of aviation in this country. Additionally, this new name describes the park's purpose.

I thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Turner) for bringing this bill to us. It is an excellent bill, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, once again I encourage adoption of this excellent bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

I rise today to support H. Res. 978, which expresses the support for the designation of the week of March 3-7 of this year as the School Social Work Week. And it will promote the awareness of the vital role of school social workers in schools, and in the community as the whole, where they help students to prepare for their future as productive citizens.

From time to time, students face certain challenges to achieving academic

success. The emotional, social, and behavioral problems can be serious impediments to learning and can have a deleterious effect not just on the individual student, but on others in the school setting. Schools, families, communities must work collaboratively to assist students to achieve the positive academic and behavioral outcomes.

School social work service provides a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of students through early identification, prevention, intervention, counseling, as well as support. And school social workers are trained, qualified professionals who meet the State requirements to practice social work specifically in a school setting. They provide direct services to students who experience academic and social difficulties. They develop relationships that bolster self-esteem, reward positive behavior. School social workers support teachers by offering options for addressing student needs and by participating in the student support team. School social workers work with families and communities, coordinate services to the students as well as to the family.

According to the National Mental Health Association, there are between 17 and 18 million children who are in need of mental health services, and those are just the ones I taught in my classes. These workers address those particular needs. School social workers help students who otherwise might not receive services due to inaccessibility or lack of availability of services.

So I commend these dedicated professionals for the service they provide, and I ask my colleagues also to support this resolution which would identify School Social Work Week this coming March.

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

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 930, which supports the goals and ideals of Career and Technical Education Month.

Eighty-five years after the passage of the first piece of Federal vocational education legislation, career and technical education continues to evolve from its original and sole focus of preparing students for work immediately following high school.

Today, the goal of career and technical education is to empower students to participate effectively in an international economy. Career and technical education programs contribute to broad educational achievements of students. These programs may include classes in basic skills, but also higher level skills, such as the ability to utilize technology, the ability to think creatively, solve problems, and the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Career and technical education is offered in middle school, high school, 2-year community and technical colleges, as well as other post- secondary schools. And career and technical education is designed to prepare high school students to transition successfully to post- secondary education. It is also designed to help college students acquire the skills and knowledge that are needed to find gainful employment. And it is designed to help workers acquire job skills in new fields or to refresh skills in their existing career path.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18 of the 20 fastest growing occupations within the next decade will require career and technical education. And according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 40 percent of employers report that job applicants need better skills in this area.

Career and technical education programs are an integral part of the public education system and are designed to educate for careers. Career and technical education prepares students for more than just a good- paying job; it is the beginning of a career path. And in today's workforce and economy, it is essential that students and workers remain life-long learners because the cutting edge skills don't remain cutting edge for long. Access to formal and informal training opportunities is critical to remain competitive. Career and technical education programs are the solution for securing this type of training.

Today's career and technical education programs are increasingly incorporating rigorous and challenging academic content standards. They provide a non-duplicative sequence of courses leading to an industry- recognized credential or certificate, or an associate or baccalaureate degree.

The programs of study offered through career and technical education are essential for our students and our workforce. For these reasons I stand in support of Career and Technical Education Month.

With that, I also thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird)

for introducing this bill. At some time I would hope he would answer whether skiing is considered part of career and technical education in his bill. And I ask my colleagues, in the bipartisan spirit that permeates our committee, to support this bill as well.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 944, which honors the distinguished career of Army Lieutenant General Russel Honore, who is retiring, as has been said, after 37 years of service to this great Nation.

The United States Army is known for its tradition, strength, and valor, and Lieutenant General Honore exemplifies what it means to be a soldier. The general has had a career that young soldiers dream about. He saw action in both Iraq and Kuwait during the first Gulf War. He has earned 15 awards and decorations and has served overseas in both Germany and Korea. But perhaps

his most significant contribution to the Nation was as commander to the Joint Task Force Katrina following the devastation of the gulf coast in 2005.

The general commanded troops from all branches of our military in one of the worst natural disasters that our country has ever experienced. He was working not only to help repair his native State of Louisiana, but he was working to repair his country, and he did so in exemplary fashion.

I wish to honor Lieutenant General Honore and his family, Beverly, Stephanie, Kimberly, Stephen, and Michael, the best in what comes next for them, and I thank them for their commitment to this country as a family. I congratulate the general on his magnificent career, and I urge all Members to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill before us is truly a technical amendment that deals with the Native American $1 coin. It is a good bill for collectors. It does no harm to the Nation. It does not cost the taxpayers a dime, or in this case, it doesn't cost them a dollar. I urge its immediate passage.

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us is a technical amendment only. When the Native American $1 Coin Act passed the House last spring, it was envisioned the one-dollar coins with a regularly changed reverse celebrating different Native American themes would start being issued by the Mint last month--January 2008.

However, due to the press of other important business, the Senate was unable to pass the bill until the end of July and the minor changes made there required House approval. The result was that this very laudable program did not get to the President's desk until September, which triggered language in the text intended to ensure that the U.S. Mint had enough time to properly design the first coin, and so the program wills start next January instead.

To avoid having to send the bill back to the Senate again and further elongate the timeline, no attempt was made to change language that ended the production of the then-current design of the Sacagawea dollar coin, so that there would not be two designs co-circulating. That meant that the Sacagawea dollar by law cannot be produced this year, for the 5-10 million U.S. Mint proof sets that otherwise would have contained it.

Mr. Speaker, this bill merely corrects that issue, so that collectors will be able to get the last of that design of the dollar coin during 2008 in their collectible sets. Next year new dollar coins will start circulating alongside the Presidential dollars, still bearing the image of Sacagawea on the front but once a year having a different reverse design representing the contributions of Native Americans to our heritage.

This bill will be good for collectors, will do no harm and will not cost the taxpayers a dime--or a dollar. I urge its immediate passage.

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

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

The gentleman from Arizona has adequately explained H.R. 2251, and we're prepared to accept this legislation with a brief clarification from the chairman of the subcommittee on the intent of this bill.

The question we have is, is the proposed intermodal transportation center intended to limit the access to the park by automobile, or is this part of a larger plan to abolish the public's ability to travel through the park by private automobile?

Mr. Speaker, I would yield to the gentleman from Arizona if he is prepared to address that issue right now.

Thank you. Reclaiming my time, I appreciate that statement. And with that assurance, we can accept this legislation.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3332 and yield myself as much time as I may consume.

The gentleman from Arizona has again adequately explained this particular bill, and I would urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I'm once again appreciative of the remarks by the gentlewoman from Hawaii, and I'm also appreciative that now I know how to say ``Kalaupapa.'' Her staff was very kind enough to send over the pronunciation guide, but they didn't put where the accent marks should go; so I didn't know where the emphasis was on this particular word.

But with that, I am still very supportive of this particular act.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Arizona has adequately explained the bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 209 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

The resolution has been adequately explained again by the gentleman from Arizona. I would like to commend Congressman Whitfield for his work on this resolution that designates the Museum of the American Quilter's Society in Paducah, Kentucky, as the National Quilt Museum of the United States. It's a designation that brings us all a great deal of warmth and comfort and helps tie together the loose ends of our society. I am grateful this resolution has been brought to the floor so that we can finally put this to bed.

The bill's author, Mr. Whitfield, wanted to be here today, but his flight has been unavoidably detained because of weather conditions.

I urge the adoption of this resolution and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the kind words from the gentlewoman from Texas in support of this particular resolution.

I have no other speakers. I urge adoption of the resolution and yield back the balance of my time.

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

H.R. 29 was introduced by our colleague, Darrell Issa, and authorizes the construction of the groundwater recharge and pumping project in the lower Santa Margarita River basin in Southern California.

If constructed, the project would provide much-needed water to the local water utility district as well as to Camp Pendleton, the Marine Corps base, for its military training needs. This project would augment the local water district supply, would relieve future additional demands for constantly limited imported water supplies, and would set aside and preserve valuable environmental habitat.

This project is an excellent example of local and Federal agencies working together to secure safe, dependable water supplies for future generations. This bill is good for water consumers, and it is good for our soldiers. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill, which has been considered by the House twice already. Perhaps the third time will be the charm.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I appreciate the gentleman from Washington yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, if you remember back in the 1960s when Volkswagens were very popular and they had this wonderful self-deprecating campaign going on for their advertising. For instance, putting a Volkswagen in a carport and the caption would read, ``It makes your house look bigger.'' My favorite one was taking a Volkswagen, ripping off the fenders, putting big tires on it, putting even a spoiler in the back, a painted stripe, jacking it up on the back, and the caption read ``Is nothing sacred?'' Sometimes while I've been here in Congress, I have often wondered if nothing is actually sacred.

Education, even higher education, is still the purview of States. The 10th amendment gives them that parameter. And yet it is possible that we often ignore that. It is possible to soup up a Volkswagen, but we never should. It is also possible for us to tell States how to run their policy on education and how to appropriate their money to education, but it never should happen.

The provision to which I object is called ``maintenance of effort.'' This is a provision that was added to the Budget Reconciliation Act, or was attempted to, and was removed. And most of the people in local government are surprised to see this effort coming back here in this particular bill. This was also not discussed in our committee to any detail.

It is one of those things that the Rules Committee will always talk about how these things should be discussed in committee. But when we, in committee after committee, have major pieces of legislation held close to the vest and only brought forward only hours or days before the actual markup in a committee, oftentimes we find things within those bills that are surprising. This provision was found in this bill, and it was not one of those pleasant surprises.

The maintenance of effort amendment that was put into this bill requires the States to maintain a 5-year rolling average of their funding for higher education, and if they ever go under that 5-year average of education, their LEAP funds, which are now renamed in this particular bill, will be yanked from those States, unless they go to the Department of Education and grovel before the Secretary of Education to try to get some kind of penitence so they can get those moneys back.

This proposal is counterproductive. We all know that States have cyclical budget years like we do. In 2002, the average State increase in higher education was 1.8 percent. In 2006, it was up 9.3 percent. If I was a State legislator again responsible for those budgets, realizing this proposal was in here, when we had a chance to add more money for higher education, knowing we would now be judged on a 5-year rolling average, there is no way I would ever put that kind of increase in there. This is going to be counterproductive to actually States funding their higher education system.

But even if this policy worked, we should not do it. H.L. Mencken once said, ``There is always an easy solution to every human problem. It's neat, it's plausible, and it's wrong.'' Even if this Federal stick to States was effective, it is wrong. It is wrong to tell States how they will appropriate their money. It is wrong to give them more Federal mandates.

Now, the chairman of the committee, Mr. Miller, will soften this proposal in the manager's amendment. That is good but doesn't nearly go far enough. Mr. Hoekstra had a perfect compromise amendment that was refused to be considered by the Rules Committee on a technicality. It is wrong. It should have been considered. And I had an amendment to remove this, to put it back to the status quo so we could have a chance in the committee to discuss this issue, and it was not allowed to be made in order. That is wrong. The proposal is wrong. The discussion process is wrong. If we're not going to discuss these issues in the committee, it should be the purview of allowing people to come here on the floor and discuss these issues, which are not just

technical in nature but philosophical in nature, of what the Federal Government ought to do and what it ought not to do. This particular provision in here should be discussed.

We should know full well what we are doing to States if we move forward in that area. And for the Rules Committee not to make that in order, I think, is wrong.