Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the United States-Israel Missile Defense Cooperation and Support Act (H.R. 5327). I have had the pleasure of traveling to Israel on many occasions, and I have witnessed firsthand the fear that prevents children from running freely for fear of being too far from shelter when the next rocket attack comes. As we try to facilitate peace negotiations in the Middle East, we also have a responsibility to help Israel with the economic, social, and security costs resulting from terrorist attacks. That includes helping our friend and ally develop defensive technologies to protect her population.

I have supported United States-Israel cooperation on the Arrow, Iron Dome, and other antimissile defense systems for years. I am pleased that President Obama has requested $205 million for this program and that this bill provides the necessary authority for the administration to assist in the procurement, maintenance, and sustainment of these technologies. Our cooperative effort will benefit both the United States and Israel for many years to come. This is a very worthy bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady, the chair of the Rules Committee.

I rise in support of H. Res. 1363, which gives the Committee on Education and Labor, on which I sit, the ability to investigate the Upper Big Branch mine disaster. This resolution allows us to do our work, and I would like to speak about that subject.

In a greater sense, this resolution honors the coal miners who perished in the tragedy and works to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. We owe it to the remaining families and to all mining families.

I feel strongly and personally about the concerns of miners because I was born and reared in West Virginia where my father, the late U.S. Senator many decades ago, was known as one of the best friends the miner has ever had.

There's no question that mining has been a dangerous job. Although the number of deaths in America's mines has been reduced, today coal mining is rated still among the most dangerous jobs in America, and it does not have to be that way.

I support the Education and Labor Committee's work to investigate any possible health and safety violations at Upper Big Branch and to see if laws were circumvented and miners' lives were put recklessly at risk. Those responsible must be held accountable.

Too many families have suffered the loss of a loved one in a mining disaster. We in Congress need to investigate fully the factors that led to these tragedies. We need to investigate fully the deficiencies in laws, regulations, and enforcement that may have contributed. We owe it to the families of the miners lost and the miners who work every day to take action.

We must prevent these accidents from happening again, and I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1363.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair for yielding, and I rise in strong support of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. Our investments in scientific research and education underwrite our national prosperity and success. Yet for decades, we have underinvested in our Nation's tools for advancing innovation and competitiveness.

The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act will build on the successes of the original America COMPETES Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by authorizing funding levels that will continue to double the budgets of our basic research agencies: NIST, NSF, DOE's Office of Science.

I would have preferred the stability of a 5-year reauthorization, and some of my colleagues on the other side decided to play politics with science and have made that impossible. Still, the 3 years of investments authorized by this bill will pay big dividends as discoveries and innovations lead to new industries that will keep our Nation competitive.

I am pleased that despite objections by some in the minority, the bill also provides assistance for small businesses and manufacturers, strengthens STEM education, enhances the participation of underrepresented groups in technical fields, and supports research in pursuit of clean energy in the United States.

I am pleased that the bill includes a provision that I wrote to require the administration to develop national competitiveness and innovation strategy.

I commend Chairman Gordon and the S&T Committee for their hard work on this important piece of legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, we learned last week that April was the fourth consecutive month of job growth in the United States. The tax cuts and investments made by the Recovery Act are turning the economy around. Funding for scientific research and infrastructure in that act has put to work scientists and construction workers and others.

But after years of underinvestment in research, this part of the Recovery Act, $22 billion, was merely a down payment on our future economic competitiveness. The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act in the House this week will build on these successes, among other things, by authorizing funding levels to continue to double the budgets of our basic research agencies. These investments will pay big dividends as recoveries and innovations lead to new industries, like Google and

Cisco and Genentech, that will keep our Nation competitive. If we intend to lead the global economy, we cannot afford to neglect innovation and the infrastructure that produces that innovation and that has produced these economic powerhouses.

As a member of the Congressional Task Force on Competitiveness, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Chair, I strongly support the robust investment in education, research, innovation, manufacturing, and other programs in the COMPETES Act. The amendment I'm offering would help stitch together these important initiatives by directing the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to prepare a comprehensive national competitiveness and innovation strategy within 1 year.

We know that half or perhaps more of the growth in our GDP over the past half century is attributable to our investments in research and technology. For decades, United States leadership in science, engineering, and innovation was unquestionable. But we can't pretend any more that this is a given. A year ago, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, using good methodology, found that among 40 major nations or regions, the United States ranks not first, but sixth, in overall innovation and competitiveness. More importantly, over the last decade, every one of those 40 has improved their innovation capacity at a greater rate than we.

The five nations ranked by ITIF as ``out-competing'' the United States already have national competitiveness or innovation strategies in place. Altogether, at least 30 countries with whom we might compare ourselves have implemented plans to boost their competitiveness. The United States has yet to put forward a similarly comprehensive roadmap for success. Of course, it's not a panacea. But we have the tools and resources to lead the world in science and technology. We can't remain complacent as other nations race to the top. We need to know what is working and what needs improvement. We need to understand how we can reallocate our resources to improve efficiency and productivity. We need to be able to measure whether our actions are having a positive effect. Businesses, schools, and governments need to know where we stand and need to be clear on where we're going.

My amendment requires a comprehensive, coordinated national strategy for improving our economic competitiveness through innovation, and it ensures that we will continuously evaluate our progress in this area. Our competitors are doing it already. We should, too.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying bill. This bill is a real testament to the good work of the fine chair of the Science Committee, Mr. Gordon. I thank him for the good work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support House Resolution 1213, a resolution expressing support for National Lab Day and the need to improve science and math education.

National Lab Day, to be held on May 12th, will give middle and high school students access to hands-on, discovery-based laboratory opportunities. Additionally, National Lab Day will provide schools with an opportunity to assess and upgrade their current lab facilities. I am pleased that nearly 200 organizations representing science and math professionals and educators are supporting National Lab Day.

National Lab Day is a terrific initiative that comes at a time when we need an ``all-hands-on-deck'' mentality to provide our children with a first-rate math and science education. We still don't know how to cure cancer or AIDS, or completely ease the suffering of those with mental illnesses. We still have tremendous challenges regarding energy consumption. And we still don't know all we should about our planet and the people who live on it. The answers to these important questions are beginning to be formed in our classrooms with young students who one day may go on to investigate these issues and make advances that will benefit all of us.

Scientists and teachers long have been concerned about the quality of science and math education. Yet, scientists and educators should not be the only ones troubled by our students' mediocre performance in these subjects. Every citizen concerned about the long-term health of our Nation's economy should be worried by our current educational performance. Parents who want their children to succeed in a new global economy should be interested. Patients in need of new medical advances and citizens who want to see technological progress should care about our Nation's performance in this area.

It is clear that our Nation must improve mathematics and science education in our elementary and secondary schools. American students do not perform as satisfactorily in these subjects as compared with their peers in other nations, which threatens the long-term health of our Nation's economy and our competitiveness. China, India, and Germany, to name three, are putting more emphasis on science and math education. These nations recognize that the jobs of the future will require a basic understanding of these subjects. In fact, the Department of Labor recently found that three-quarters of the 20 fastest-growing future occupations will need workers with significant mathematics or science preparation.

A decade ago, I had the honor to serve on the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, which became known as the John Glenn Commission. In a report entitled ``Before It's Too Late'', we made clear that our Nation must increase the number of teachers in those fields significantly and provide more opportunities for teachers to enhance their math and science teaching skills. Ten years later, I still believe policymakers must do more to support the teachers that play a critical role in science and math education. The Commission recommended that teachers receive the greatest attention, even ahead of curriculum or other areas.

As a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, I have been focused on ways to do just that. I have worked to boost resources for the underfunded Mathematics and Science Partnerships, which provides professional development opportunities to a wide range of teachers and helps them continue improving their skills. I have worked on a bipartisan basis with my colleague Rep. Vern Ehlers to ensure that reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act places the same importance on science as it does for other subjects, such as English.

In today's tight budget environment, I applaud the Obama Administration for proposing historic increases in the federal government's commitment to science education in their Fiscal Year 2011 Budget. I was pleased to see $300 million in the Department of Education budget for improving teaching and learning in science and math. When considering any replacement to the Mathematics and Science Partnerships program, we must recognize that great teachers are made, not born. I feel strongly that any new program must continue to support professional development activities for science and math teachers as they seek to improve their craft. In addition, any new program must ensure that professional development programs are widely available across the country, not just to a few schools that compete successfully because they are already top notch.

Improving our children's abilities in science and math is critical for our economy, our national security, and our democracy. Everyone, from scientist to teacher to parent to businessperson, should be concerned with how well we educate our children in this area. I look forward to working with my colleagues to fulfill the goals of the Glenn Commission and regain our Nation's leadership in science and math education.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution that recognizes the importance of science and math education and highlights the good work done at National Lab Day.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1231.

Let's review the technological, scientific, and political accomplishment that the TIROS I satellite represents.

In October of 1957, the launch by the Soviet Union of the Sputnik satellite struck fear in the hearts of Americans. Sputnik II went into space weighing over 1,000 pounds and carrying a dog. Meanwhile, the United States was developing far smaller satellites and experiencing troubles and public setbacks. On December 6, 1957, a Vanguard rocket failed to launch a U.S. satellite into space when it exploded on national television. In January 1958, the U.S. successfully launched a 31-pound Explorer I satellite, but even this victory was quickly followed by the loss of another Vanguard satellite in February. As the early space race continued through 1958 and 1959, the Soviet Union always seemed to be a step ahead of the United States.

The shock of Sputnik and the fear that the United States was losing its competitive edge inspired a national effort to prove and improve American leadership in the fields of science, math, and engineering. The U.S. poured energy and resources into basic research and development as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Less than 3 years after the launch of Sputnik, these investments were beginning to pay off. The usefulness of satellites to observe the Earth remained unproven, and by 1960, U.S. scientists and engineers had designed and built a new series of satellites to test the proposition and to demonstrate American dominance.

The first launch of TIROS in April of 1960 was a clear U.S. victory in the space race, and it was the world's first meteorological satellite and the first to relay video images of the Earth from above. TIROS represented a scientific milestone and a clear message to our rivals and to ourselves that we had an ``eye in the sky'' and we could watch the planet.

During the 78 days that it was in operation, TIROS I sent home almost 23,000 images, including those of a tropical storm, the cloud system of a large extratropical cyclone in the Gulf of Alaska, and the pack ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Meteorologists used the transmissions to make the first accurate weather forecasts based on data gathered from space. The TIROS I program initiated a revolution in meteorological science and was the first step in the establishment of satellite storm tracking and warning systems that subsequently have saved countless lives. It proved that satellites could be useful tools for studying the planet and acquiring information to be used immediately for predictions and decision-making.

The design, the construction, the launch, and the operation of the TIROS I was carried out by a team from NASA, the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Fort Monmouth, the U.S. Weather Bureau, the U.S. Naval Photographic Interpretation Center, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Lockheed, Douglas, Martin Marietta. I am proud that central New Jersey can rightly claim a large share of the credit for TIROS I, which was engineered and manufactured in central New Jersey by RCA Astro-Electronics. One of the two command and data acquisition centers was located at Camp Evans. Many of the scientists and technicians and engineers who worked on this have recently gathered to celebrate this accomplishment.

But five decades later, it's too easy to take for granted the U.S. victory in the space race and the technological developments that were pioneered by TIROS and its successors. Most of us give little thought to the satellites that bring us our daily weather images. There's the story, perhaps apocryphal, of the politician who said, We don't need weather satellites when we have the Weather Channel. Well, we do. From solar cells and tape recorders to cell phone cameras and GPS systems, the contributions that derive from the TIROS program are not confined to outer space.

TIROS is a reminder of what we can achieve when we apply sufficient energy and resources to research and development in pursuit of a national goal. The story of TIROS should be a guide to rebuilding our economy. It's a blueprint for how we can create not just jobs but whole new industries. It's the story of how America remains competitive.

Let us honor this legacy by maintaining the urgent spirit of discovery and innovation embodied by the TIROS I team.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the resolution commemorating and celebrating the life of Dorothy Height, a woman of petite stature but enormous presence, and the only woman included among the ``Big Six'' most renowned civil rights leaders: the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, our own esteemed colleague John Lewis, A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, and Dorothy Height.

Dorothy Height exemplified the spirit of democracy like perhaps no one else.The daughter of a building contractor, James Edward

Height, and a nurse, Fannie Burroughs Height, she rose to national prominence and leadership from humble beginnings. She was prepared to lead the charge, even when it meant being a lone figure; she was the only woman on the speaker's platform when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his ``I Have A Dream'' speech. She combated the challenges facing African Americans from every angle; in 1936 in New York, she participated in a protest against lynchings. She advocated an end to segregation in the military, fought for a fairer legal system, and worked to end racial restrictions on access to public transportation. During the 1950s, she worked on voter registration drives in the South.

But she also understood the economic underpinnings of the same challenges. Following her work to achieve major civil rights victories in the 1960s, Height shifted her focus to supporting initiatives aimed at eliminating poverty among southern blacks, such as home ownership programs and child care centers. Among her more creative efforts, Ms. Height instituted a so-called pig bank, through which poor black families were provided with a pig of their own, a prize commodity in the early 1960s. Despite the violence and dangers of the time, during Height's years as a civil rights activist, she never acquired a reputation as a radical or militant. She simply steadfastly moved forward, seamlessly removing barriers for all who followed.

In a 2001 interview, Height expressed bittersweet feelings for the earlier years of her work, noting that sit-ins and protest marches had been replaced by lobbying for legislation. The power and momentum behind the struggle for desegregation and voting rights had been replaced by the comparative quietude of pursuits for economic opportunity, educational equality, and an end to racial profiling. She asked where the country would be if the ``vigor placed in fighting slavery and in the women's movement had kept pace.''

Even without that, her accomplishments and awards fill pages. Height is perhaps best known for her four decades of work with the National Council of Negro Women, the Washington, DC, headquarters of which stands just steps from where slaves were once traded in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. She has served as advisor on civil rights matters to U.S. Presidents going back to Eisenhower, as well as advising and traveling with programs sponsored by the Council to the White House Conference, UNESCO, the Institute on Human Relations of the American Jewish Committee, USAID, and the United States Information Agency, among other organizations. Her unparalleled contributions to the advancement of women's rights, civil rights, and human rights have earned her dozens of awards including the 1993 NAACP Springarn Medal, a Presidential Medal of Freedom Award, presented by Bill Clinton in 1994, and a Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush in 2004.

In addition, during her lifetime of service, Dr. Height has been presented with more than three dozen honorary degrees, including doctorates from institutions including Tuskegee, Harvard and Princeton Universities. But the one that undoubtedly mattered the most was her receipt of the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in 2004 from Barnard College, 75 years after the College had turned her away because it had already enrolled its quota of two African American females that year.

Dorothy Height was a pillar of the civil rights movement, and will be dearly missed by us all. I am deeply saddened at her passing but everlastingly uplifted by her life's work.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues and the President in calling for comprehensive reform of Wall Street banks, to increase disclosure and transparency for the protection of the public and the stability of the economy.

As the President's statement yesterday indicated, at its peak, the ``Shadow Banking System'' financed approximately $8 trillion in assets, which in many instances were mismanaged largely without oversight, contributing to the economic collapse at the end of 2008. We are just recovering from the economic collapse--but without meaningful reform of Wall Street the public will continue to be at risk.

That is why I supported, and strengthened with several amendments, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act when it was considered in the House in December. The legislation would implement important reforms that would limit the ability of financial institutions to ``game the system,'' and provide regulators with the information they need to identify and manage systemic risk. I urge my colleagues to continue to fight for enactment of these necessary reforms.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to congratulate our friend and ally, the State of Israel, on the 62nd anniversary of her founding.

A week ago, I had the honor of attending the National Days of Remembrance ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. I was joined by 3 of my constituents, Marlboro residents Toby Shylit Mack, Community Relations Committee Chair of the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County, and her husband Bob Mack, and North Brunswick resident Lee Livingston, President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County.

As always, it was a very moving ceremony. Sitting in the Rotunda, amidst survivors and liberators from the U.S. Armed Forces, I was reminded that even in 1945--out of the ashes of the most unimaginable tragedy in human history--there was nothing pre-ordained about the founding of the State of Israel. When he was President, Dwight Eisenhower said, ``Our forces saved the remnants of the Jewish people of Europe for a new life and a new hope in the reborn land of Israel.''

However, it took three years of tireless work of leaders like David Ben Gurion, Chaim Weitzmann, and Golda Meir--coupled with the dedicated support of Jews in the U.S. and throughout the world--to make the dream of a reborn land of Israel become a reality. Even upon its founding 62 years ago, there was nothing pre-ordained about Israel's survival.

The State of Israel was created with great courage, and it is from this courage that Israel continues to maintain its vibrant and strong democracy today. Israel's achievements over the last 62 years--in areas ranging from education and economics to science and agriculture--far surpass what could reasonably be expected of such a young nation. During my trips to Israel, I have witnessed the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of Israelis firsthand.

The United States always should be proud that our nation was the first country to recognize officially the new nation. In doing so President Truman confidently said, ``I believe it has a glorious future before it--not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.''

Our strong commitment to Israel's existence and prosperity remain steadfast today. Our nations' special relationship extends beyond friendship. It is built on the common values of equality and opportunity for all and our shared commitment to freedom, justice, and peace. Israel is more than just an ally; Israel is an inspiration.

Yet this outpost of democratic ideals in the Middle East continues to face external threats to her very existence. I have seen Israeli families terrorized by rocket attacks, and my visits have only strengthened my conviction that the United States must be unwavering in our support for the right and responsibility of Israel to protect her citizens from legitimate threats. While serving in Congress, I have voted for over $35 billion in economic and military assistance for Israel, and I will continue to support such measures in the future.

Ultimately, the only way to achieve lasting peace and security for the citizens of Israel is to secure a just, permanent, and peaceful settlement between Israelis and Palestinians. I believe that the greatest service the United States can provide to Israelis is as a facilitator in negotiations among the parties. It is my deepest hope that Israeli and Palestinian leaders soon will join each other at the negotiating table, with the support of the U.S. administration, to make swift progress toward an enduring peace agreement.

On Israel's 62nd anniversary, I believe more than ever that the future of Israel and the Middle East is one of peace, cooperation, security, and prosperity. I am pleased to join the Jewish community of New Jersey and all Americans in celebrating Israel's national successes, her great contributions to the international community, and her continued existence as an inspiration for us all.

I thank my friend from New York. If he would yield, I would be pleased to contribute to this discussion.

Remembering 40 years ago, you and I are old enough to remember when tens of millions of Americans joined together in what was at the time a very visionary day, Earth Day, where Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, drawing from Wisconsin's own

Aldo Leopold, who had developed an ethic of the land, and he said, ``Earth Day is a dramatic evidence of a broad new national concern that cuts across generations and ideologies. Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The object is an environment of decency, quality, and mutual respect for other human beings and living creatures.''

It was really very visionary. But what resulted from that were specific bills, solid legislation, these bills that have moved the country along. So it is not just soft-headed, warm-hearted embracing of the wilderness. It was scientific engineering expertise brought to cleaning up the land and the water. And since Earth Day in 1970, laws have been passed such as the National Environmental Protection Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, to mention a few. And Earth Day is no longer just a day. This ethic has been taken to heart, and we continue to move along with the solid science-based efforts to preserve our environment.

Now certainly the number one insult to planet Earth is the way we produce and use energy. My friend from New York has been talking about not only the costs, the costs facing us, which are in dollars and lives, if we do not confront the problems created by the way we produce and use energy. It's not just an average rise in temperature where spring might come a little bit earlier; it is not just that sea level might be up a few inches or a few feet. It is that tropical diseases will appear where they haven't appeared before. We see that happening now. It is not just that we lose the scenery of glaciers in the mountains, we actually lose groundwater; we lose habitat for those things that we depend on for our well-being. So we need comprehensive energy reform to stop using dirty fuels.

It is fortunate that the efforts to deal with the dirty fuels could also relieve our trade imbalance, could also contribute to our national security by making us less dependent on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and in fact it could not only save us money; it could make us money.

As my friend points out, the way we are producing and using energy not only costs lives and dollars through the climate change but it exacerbates our security problems. And by addressing the energy problems, we will indeed increase our national security, saving lives. And if we really make a commitment to investing in reliable energy solutions for the United States, the United States, the historic leader in innovation in the world, the country whose economy has been built on invention and innovation, can lead the world and benefit economically big time through addressing these energy problems, through new clean, sustainable energy, starting first with the low-hanging fruit of efficiency, of wind and geothermal and other readily available sources; moving on to things, some of which are not yet developed but with the American powers of innovation, we can master these things and sell them to the rest of the world.

So the advantages in addressing the energy problem are not just in avoiding catastrophe, it is really to have a positive economic and social future. Waste is never good economics and the United States' attitude toward energy is really profligate. So there is a lot of low- hanging fruit to be gained and money to be saved that way, and then a lot of money to be earned through innovative solutions to the problems.

The lithium ion battery is a good example. In the ARRA, the bill that many in America know as the stimulus bill, there is a significant investment in development and manufacturing for lithium ion batteries and we are well on our way to capturing maybe a third or more of the world market in producing these lithium batteries; where previously we had a small, tiny percent of the production. So it shows that with the commitment, we really can move ahead, we really can seize, earn, a large part of the world market. That's just one example.

We can do the same thing in building technologies. We can do the same thing in other transportation technologies. We can do the same thing in electricity generation; and on and on and on. In fact, we have led the world in technologies for electricity generation, whether it be nuclear or combined cycle turbines, but that is now based on an unsustainable fossil fuel model, the way we had developed electricity generation in the United States.

I would like to talk about another aspect of Earth Day, where over the years now, the same level of hardheaded analysis that we are beginning to bring to the energy problem has been brought to ecology, the relationship between life forms and the environment.

Earth Day is not only about protecting the planet's atmosphere. One of the lessons of the last 40 or 50 years now is that we are a seamless web and that protection of wildlife is not just for aesthetics or humane reasons. Really, protecting the whole environment is important for human quality of life as well.

And I wanted to talk a little bit about wildlife because today I introduced legislation with my colleague and fellow Sustainable Energy Coalition member Jared Polis. This is legislation that will create a program to protect and preserve wildlife corridors. Wildlife corridors are connected strips of land in which a wide range of animals can migrate, can propagate. One professor has called these ``sidewalks for animals.''

They are really necessary in every State. And as we have paved America, as we have bisected it and trisected it and cut it up with roads, we have found that we have moved wildlife into smaller and smaller spaces, where it is now unsustainable. So these corridors will help support the economy of hunting and wildlife watching, but it also will keep the web of life intact.

Our bill, the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act, would establish a Wildlife Corridor Stewardship and Protection Fund to provide grants to Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofits, and corporations for creating these essential wildlife corridors. And the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Transportation are all part of this; and dozens and dozens of organizations that study and that advocate for environmental protection have endorsed this. I commend it to my colleagues, and I hope we can move along with that so that it will be law by next Earth Day.

And we call these green because they are sustainable.

Stripping the environment without replenishment is not sustainable. Ultimately, we will fail; we will perish if that's the way we are going to approach our globe. We must do it differently if we are going to prevail. With Earth Day 30 years ago, now 40 years ago----

We had that vision, we had that vision of a sustainable Earth. And a number of things have followed. Now it's time to really regenerate that vision. And in all of these areas of energy, of agriculture, of transportation, of wildlife management, of oceanography, we need to bring the hard science to bear in ways to make our use and our place on the planet sustainable. That's part of the name of this caucus we have here, the Sustainable Energy and Environmental Caucus, because, as I said before, waste is never good economics. And stripping things without replenishment will only leave us with a bare Earth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1236, which honors the coal miners who perished in the Upper Big Branch Mine--South in Raleigh County, West Virginia, extends condolences to their families, and recognizes the valiant efforts of emergency response workers at the mine disaster.

On April 5, America witnessed the worst coal mining disaster in 40 years when an explosion occurred at the Upper Big Branch--South Mine. Twenty-nine miners were killed in this tragedy, and my thoughts and prayers go out to their families, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.

I also would like to commend the rescue teams who bravely risked life and limb to search for missing miners after the disaster, and thank the volunteers who supported the community through this tragedy.

I feel strongly about the concerns of the mining industry because I was born and raised in West Virginia, where my father as a U.S. Senator, was known as one of the best friends a miner ever had. There is no question that mining has been a dangerous job. Today, coal mining is rated among the most dangerous jobs in America. It does not have to be that way.

Chairman Miller has assured me that the Education and Labor Committee will be investigating any possible health and safety violations at the Upper Big Branch--South Mine to see if laws were circumvented and miners' lives were recklessly put at risk. If that was indeed the case, those responsible must be held accountable.

Too many families have suffered the loss of a loved one in a mining disaster. We in Congress need to fully investigate the factors that led to these tragedies. We need to investigate the deficiencies in laws, regulations and enforcement that may have contributed to these disasters.

We owe it to the families of miners lost in these disasters and the miners that work every day to take action to prevent these accidents from happening again. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1236.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mary Buxton Ward, a woman of valor and commitment who died on Tuesday, March 2nd in Princeton, New Jersey. She is mourned by her daughters, Shelley Rhodes and Heather Ward, her two grandsons, Justin and Shane Rhodes, and all who knew her and admired her life of service.

After serving with the State Department in Libya, Panama and Hong Kong, Mary returned to the United States and eventually settled in Princeton in the 1960's. For 16 years she served as the Executive Director of the Princeton Art Association, before leaving to work with the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament as Secretary and Assistant Director for six years. She retired in 2004 from the University Medical Center at Princeton after 20 years of service in various capacities.

But it was for her role as a volunteer and activist that Mary Ward deserves to be remembered. Never one to sit back and watch, Mary made her presence and her ideals felt. She was arrested several times for demonstrating in support of civil rights, withdrawal from Vietnam, and nuclear disarmament. Her protest against nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site in 1986 resulted in a 5-day jail sentence. She was never afraid to fight for what she believed was right.

Mary Ward was a life-long advocate for justice. During her years in Princeton, she served on the boards of Nuclear Dialogue, Coalition for Peace Action, Federated Art Associations of New Jersey, Teamwork Dance, and as a volunteer member of the court-appointed Child Placement Review Board of Mercer County. She also volunteered with Centurion Ministries, an advocacy group for those unjustly imprisoned.

Mary Ward was not a famous woman, but she was the kind of principled, committed citizen that makes America stronger. The world is a better place because of her.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to honor the life of an outstanding Member of Congress from New Jersey, Bob Franks, who passed away on Friday after a battle with cancer.

During his 14 years in the General Assembly and eight years as a member of this body, Bob was dedicated to bettering the lives of New Jerseyans.

Principled, relentless, genial and magnanimous, Bob, like few others, had the ability to work across the aisle and earn the trust and respect of political allies and opponents alike--a skill regretfully in short supply these days.

After leaving Congress, Bob remained active in public affairs--while spending more time with family than the Congressional schedule would permit--leading the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey. It was during his time as president of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey that I worked closely with Bob and was able to know his good nature and policy acumen first-hand. I feel fortunate to have had such an opportunity.

I ask that the Members of the House extend sympathy to Bob's wife Fran, his family and friends. He will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the rule and the health reform package we are debating today.

I am reminded of a previous time we voted on a Sunday: March 20, 2005, when our colleagues on the other side of the aisle forced an extraordinary vote to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo.

Now, that is what a real government takeover of medicine looks like. That midnight vote was a grotesque legislative travesty. For 215 years it had been a solid principle of this country that Congress not get involved in life-and-death issues like the tragic case of Ms. Schiavo. Yet, on that Sunday, Congress broke with tradition and inserted its own judgment. On that Sunday, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle sent the message that it knew better than families, doctors, and hospital chaplains.

The health reform package we debate today is not a government takeover; it is legislation that helps real people with real problems. It gives them more choice, more control, and more access to health care. One person this will help is a woman from Pennington, New Jersey. She called me yesterday to let me know her concerns that she would lose her job because of state budget cuts in New Jersey, which would mean that she would lose her health coverage as well. She told me her worries about finding affordable coverage while she looks for a new job and tries to keep food on her table. To complicate her situation, she has a pre-existing condition. This means that even if she could afford health care, it is possible she could be denied due to her pre-existing condition.

I will vote for health reform to help middle-class Americans like her, who play by the rules and still find health coverage unreliable or totally out of reach.

I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this health reform package to give families and small businesses more control over their own health care.