Floor Statements

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

I rise in support of H.R. 758, legislation that will establish an interagency aerospace revitalization task force in order to develop a national strategy for workforce development in a field that is vital to our national security.

I would like to commend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), my colleague from the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and all of the bill's cosponsors for bringing this forward.

The aerospace industry is just one of the scientific and technical fields where our Nation is falling behind, and it is a critical one. The aerospace industry is at the heart of our military, space, air transport and information technology applications.

In the year 2004, total employment at the aerospace industry fell to its lowest point in 50 years. Twenty-seven percent of the aerospace manufacturing workforce will become eligible for retirement by 2008.

The sad fact is that we have neglected the pipeline that would prepare new workers for this industry. On international assessments, our students rank near the bottom of industrialized nations for math and science literacy.

This task force is a good beginning; however, we need to do much more. It has been my privilege to work with the gentleman from Michigan to push for increased funding for math and science education. We must invest in these areas on a much larger scale if our Nation hopes to retain its global leadership in science, engineering and innovation.

It is my hope that this task force on the aerospace industry will spark a much broader discussion about our Nation's future in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and will launch a groundswell of support for greater investment in that future.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 758.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

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

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 494, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably delayed in meetings with my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on Roll Call 465, 466, and 467.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 428, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Flake

Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 417, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 418, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 419.

Mr. Speaker, I was delayed in my district attending a very important Base Realignment and Closure Commission hearing of critical importance to my constituents. Had I been here, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcalls 363, 364, 368 and ``no'' on rollcalls 365, 366 and 367.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 369, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on June 18, this nation lost a true patriot when James Jarrell ``Jake'' Pickle passed away. Congressman Jake Pickle was truly dedicated to his country, the state of Texas he loved so much, and to the constituents he served so dutifully. In 1942, young Jake Pickle began his public service by enlisting in the U.S. Navy and serving as a gunnery officer in World War II. After surviving three torpedo attacks he returned to Texas and with some fellow veterans established radio station KVET in Austin, Texas. As a protege of President Johnson, he came to the U.S. House of Representatives in the early 1960s looking to make a difference. He got his chance almost immediately.

Bucking the trend of the times, and breaking with many from the Southern delegation, Congressman Pickle voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and continued to remain a staunch advocate for civil rights and protections for minorities. He always said that this vote was the proudest moment of his career. In the early 1980s, as chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, he worked to protect and strengthen Social Security from financial ruin. Recognizing the need to maintain America's technological edge and always mindful of the need to increase job opportunities for his constituents, he helped bring high-tech industries to Austin and worked to make the University of Texas, my alma mater and his, a cutting edge research institution.

As I have traveled throughout my newly reconfigured district, I have heard numerous stories about Jake and the plastic pickles he used to hand out on the campaign trail. He loved the people of Texas, and was happiest when he was sitting at a local diner telling stories and listening to his constituents. I was very honored to represent my colleagues as part of the official Congressional delegation that was sent to Congressman Pickle's funeral. It is my hope that as the Representative for some of the communities Congressman Pickle proudly represented for 31 years I can continue advocating for the issues he cared for the most, and represent the people of the 15th Congressional District with the same honor, grace and dedication. I extend my sincere sympathy to Congressman Pickle's wife Beryl, his children, grandchildren, family and friends on their loss, but know that his memory will live on in the halls of Congress and in the communities of Texas.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 342, I inadvertently voted ``yes'' (by mistake) I wanted to vote ``no''. Please show me voting ``no'' on the Herseth amendment.

Amendment Offered by Ms. Hooley

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 329, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Amendment Offered by Mr. Beauprez

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment because if passed, this measure will place extreme financial and legal hardships on border and urban hospitals. Because this measure addresses emergency medical care, our hospitals and our doctors are bound by law and their medical oath to treat individuals who are in desperate need of medical attention.

This measure cuts critical funding for our hospitals to cover emergency room care. Due to the high degree of cost associated with this type of care, this amendment will leave hospitals with a choice of two evils, bankruptcy or closing their doors to these communities.

Either way, this measure results in a dramatic cut in access to health care facilities for all residents.

This measure is irresponsible, impractical, and will destroy healthcare in American communities, especially in border states. Therefore, I respectfully ask my colleagues to vote no on this amendment and yes to safeguarding access to health care in all cities.

Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained in my Congressional district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on Rollcall Nos. 241, 242, 246, 248 and 250. I would have voted ``no'' on Rollcall Nos. 243, 244, 245, 247, and 249.

Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 234.

Madam Chairman, I offer amendment No. 4 on behalf of the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca).

Madam Chairman, I am offering this amendment on behalf of myself and my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca).

I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla), and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), for putting together this bipartisan bill.

I believe this amendment will be an important improvement. The Baca/ Hinojosa amendment would take $855,000 from the Common Computing Environment program and transfer it to the Hispanic Serving Institutions Education grant program under the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service.

This competitive USDA/HSI grant program is designed to promote and strengthen the ability of HSIs to carry out education programs that attract, retain, and graduate outstanding students capable of enhancing the Nation's food and agriculture, scientific and professional work force. This program is making a difference in the Latino community. Coastal Bend Community College in Beeville, Texas has used its USDA/HSI grant to improve retention, expand and strengthen the agriculture curriculum, engage high school students in agriculture-related fields through dual enrollment programs, and increase the number of articulation agreements with area universities like Texas A&M at Kingsville and many universities throughout the country and the territories!

Although Title VIII of the Farm Bill authorizes $20 million for this program, actual appropriations remain at only 28 percent of the authorized level.

Only 2.7 percent of HSI college graduates earn a degree in agriculture-related areas. The continued underrepresentation of Hispanics in these important areas of agriculture demands a greater investment in such programs to expand funding to additional HSIs to better meet USDA goals.

With over 200 HSIs, serving over 1.4 million students, it is time to increase the appropriations for this program beyond current levels. Our amendment is a modest step in that direction.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

I would accept that. If the gentleman from Texas will accept the amendment, I will.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the Blumenauer-Flake amendment to H.R. 2744. I have lots of respect for the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), but I must speak up for our sugar producers and for jobs in South Texas.

Nearly every year an anti-sugar-farmer amendment is offered to the agriculture appropriations bill, and almost every year the same misinformation is recklessly spread about sugar farmers. Before voting on the Blumenauer-Flake amendment to H.R. 2744, consider these facts:

I repeat what the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd) said earlier. All U.S. commodities covered under the 2002 farm bill receive loans from the Federal Government. Sugar is not receiving a special treatment. I represent lots of ag producers, and it is a fact that loan levels for sugar farmers have remained unchanged for 20 years.

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Blumenauer- Flake amendment to H.R. 2744.

Sugar prices in the United States are low by world standards. Grocery shoppers in other developed countries pay 30 percent more for sugar than U.S. consumers.

America already has one of the most open sugar markets in the world, importing sugar from 41 countries whether we need the sugar or not. As the world's fourth largest net sugar importer, we're the only major sugar-producing country that is a net importer.

146,000 Americans are employed by the U.S. sugar industry. A vote for the Blumenauer-Flake Amendment to H.R. 2744 is a vote against 146,000 hard-working farmers and workers in 19 States.

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Blumenauer- Flake Amendment to H.R. 2744 and save over 100,000 American jobs.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 234, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

personal explanation