Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize the life of Thomas Samuel Stephens of Cameron, Missouri. Thomas' achievements and service, both to his country and his community, were great and we are indebted to him for his sacrifices.

Mr. Speaker, Thomas Samuel Stephens was born on June 8, 1918, in Temple, Texas, to his parents, Lessie and Rufus Stephens. On January 14, 1944, Thomas had the fortune of marrying the love his life, Euclid Elizabeth Stockton, at their church in Temple, Texas. Together they raised one daughter, Patti Jane. Thomas passed away on December 2, 2010, in Kansas City, Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, Thomas was a true patriot. He served in the 80th Infantry Division, 3rd Army, 319 Regiment C Company, 4th Platoon under General George Patton from August 26, 1943 to March 29, 1946. He received the Purple Heart, EAME Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star, an American Theatre Campaign Medal and a Victory Medal, as well as a Sharpshooter and Rifle pin.

Mr. Speaker, after being honorably discharged, Thomas received his Masters Degree and taught at the University of Texas A&M in the Horticulture Department from 1948-1953. Thomas then spent the rest of his career working for the United States Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service, actively engaging in food and food storage research that is used in the food products we enjoy in every grocery store today.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to Thomas' patriotism and contributions to agriculture in the United States, Thomas also had a passion of enjoying God's world by fishing, campaigning and planting trees. Thomas was active in his church and enjoyed singing, having been a part of the first group of Singing Cadets at Texas A&M. Thomas deeply loved his family.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in honoring the life of Thomas Samuel Stephens. I am truly grateful for his service to our country and his contributions to agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Wesley Henry Scherler McDowell. Wesley is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 175, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Wesley has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Wesley has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Wesley has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Wesley scraped, painted and replaced the floor molding in the front entryway and men's bathroom for St. Rita's school at St. Munchin in Cameron, Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Wesley Henry Scherler McDowell for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Alexander M. Spoon. Alexander is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 180, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Alexander has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Alexander has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Alexander has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Alexander M. Spoon for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Sawyer A. Hanway. Sawyer is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 180, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Sawyer has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Sawyer has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Sawyer has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Sawyer A. Hanway for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Adam M. Zimmerman. Adam is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 180, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Adam has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Adam has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Adam has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Adam M. Zimmerman for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, I missed rollcall vote No. 202. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. Chairman, I want to rise in very strong support of the gentleman's amendment.

Having flown for over 20 years, I've had firsthand experience with low altitude or low-level obstacles that are out there. I had to make some last-minute corrections just to avoid them. If we had some way to understand where those obstacles are, a very simple method, it would greatly improve safety.

Just in the crop duster world alone, we've had nine deaths in the last 10 years from obstacles that are unmarked, unlighted, and we don't have any idea where they are.

I would very much be in support of this amendment. I thank the gentleman for offering it.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I would first like to start out by saying that I appreciate the Rules Committee making this amendment in order. And while I am going to withdraw the amendment, I think it's very important to talk about this because it's a very important aspect of the Interstate Commerce Act.

Just to give you a little bit of background, in 1994 when we were doing the FAA reauthorization bill, Congress recognized the importance of airports to interstate commerce and enacted legislation to prevent State and local governments from imposing discriminatory taxes on airport users to fund local projects unrelated to airport infrastructure improvement, maintenance, and operations.

However, for nearly 20 years, State and local governments have taken advantage of a loophole by applying the burden of the tax not only to airport users but all similar entities within that taxing jurisdiction. This has allowed State and local governments to completely circumvent the intent of Congress and levy discriminatory taxes against interstate travelers, in particular, rental car customers.

The intent of the 1994 law is very clear. Targeted taxes imposed at airports are to be used at airports for airport-related projects. We must not continue to allow State and local governments from circumventing these restrictions.

Right now, Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

Mr. Chairman, in closing, I want to thank the Rules Committee for making this amendment in order. I very much want to thank the chairman for his willingness to work with us on this issue in the future, and I look forward to that.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, this is an amendment which deals with a TFR, a temporary flight restriction, that complicates things at the air show in Cleveland. There are actually several air shows that this is a problem with, but the Cleveland Air Show happens to be the worst one.

The reason I am doing it is because I do a lot of air shows and fly in a lot of air shows, and I am intimately familiar with how the TFRs work. The problem we've had in the past is when the Cleveland Indians play at Jacobs Field, there is a stadium TFR right now, which is a temporary flight restriction for any stadium with a game going on, whether it's football, baseball, whatever. That TFR is 3\1/2\ miles in radius and 3,000-feet deep.

Well, with the airport so close to the stadium, if there is a rain- delay game that is postponed and rescheduled and you have the air show in Cleveland, which is one of the most historic air shows around the country, it completely eliminates that air show. The irony is that the stadium there, the Cleveland Indians' stadium, only seats 43,000 people; and there are 90,000 people at the air show. So it creates a problem.

What I am trying to do is clarify and allow the air show to go on when there is a game going on. Now, here is the irony. This is the most important part. There is what we call an air show TFR, temporary flight restriction. It's more restrictive than a stadium TFR. In fact, an air show flight restriction is 5 miles in radius, and it's 12,000-feet deep. It completely encompasses the stadium TFR. So if there is a game going on at the same time as an air show, they are still going to be completely protected, and it is going to be completely encompassed within that TFR, and they can both proceed. If, for some reason, the air show ends early and the game is still going on, then it will immediately revert back to the stadium TFR, and everybody is happy, and we move forward. There is never a single point in time when there is no protection over that stadium. It has always been a problem, and we are just trying to clarify so the people of Cleveland can continue to do the air show.

I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

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

Mr. Chairman, again, I know there's a lot of confusion out there, and I hope there's staff listening and there are Members listening in their offices.

Again, the Cleveland Air Show, I fly a lot of air shows, and this is one of my favorite air shows. And it's an extraordinary aviation community because it used to be home to the Cleveland air races. And again, this never, at any time, lessens security one bit. In fact, it makes security stronger because the TFR around an airshow is even tighter than a normal TFR. It's bigger, it's deeper, and you can't even turn a prop without getting permission during an airshow while it's going on. So there will never ever be a time that this stadium is not underneath the TFR.

I'm not trying to pull the wool over anybody's eyes. I'm being straight up on this thing. It's a problem, and we need to fix it. So there's no reason why two events can't go on at the same time, if that ever is a problem. And it has been in the past. We just don't want it to be in the future.

I yield to the gentleman from West Virginia.

We did not contact the FBI. But we did contact Homeland Security. Homeland Security did not get a response back to us. However, and I've provided to the ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee the response from the FAA--they took no position. And we still leave that authority to them. They can still, if they think it needs to be more restrictive, they can do that. So I didn't want to take that completely away.

I think probably the biggest problem is I think that sports authorities didn't realize there are TFRs associated with an airshow which are actually even more restrictive and bigger. So the best thing you could do is have an airshow next to your game. You're going to have a better TFR, I guess the irony is.

Yes, and again I think it's just simply because they don't realize there's still a TFR there. And I probably should have done a better job of explaining that. If in the future it becomes a problem, I want there to be good security. I'd be more than willing to work something out.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of an amendment which I call the Herrick amendment, named for the gentleman who brought the matter to my attention, a restorer of old aircraft.

This amendment requires the FAA to preserve original aircraft engineering data in the agency's possession. You can kind of think of this as blueprints of our Nation's very earliest aircraft. It extends for the time from 1927 to 1939, 1927 being the very first typed certificate that was ever issued by the CEA at that time, the FAA now.

Right now, the FAA is currently authorized to destroy that data. In my opinion, this destruction represents the disappearance of very detailed documentation surrounding the golden age of aviation. In some cases this data is converted to a CD or is converted digitally.

What happens is the FAA policy then requires the agency to destroy the original documents. In the world of aviation, to those of us who are very close to aviation, this would be comparable to making a copy of the Declaration of Independence and then destroying the original. It is unclear how much of this original data exists, which is all the more reason why I think we need to preserve it, to find out how much is there.

What my amendment does is it simply requires the FAA to preserve original aircraft engineering data in the agency's possession of aircraft from 1927 to 1939. It requires the FAA to revise the order which provides them authority to destroy this data. The revision would prohibit such destruction. And it makes the documentation to be preserved under this act available to the public upon a Freedom of Information Act request, subject to a prohibition on using the documents for commercial purposes.

I would urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, in response to that, I can guarantee you that this is my last amendment, for this particular bill at least.

I would close with that, Mr. Chairman, yield back the balance of my time, and urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Alexander Christian Nason. Alexander is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 376, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Alexander has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Alexander has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Alexander has earned the rank of Firebuilder in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say and the position of Senior Patrol Leader in his troop. Alexander has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Alexander planned and supervised the construction of a storage closet for Liberty United Methodist Church in Liberty, Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Alexander Christian Nason for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize the outstanding achievement of Kirsten Clemons of Blue Springs, Missouri. Kirsten is the assistant principal of Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Missouri, and is the Missouri Assistant Principal of the Year. Kirsten has also been nominated by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) as a finalist for the 2011 NASSP/ Vicro National Assistant Principal of the Year. This prestigious nomination recognizes Kirsten's ability to excel in the ever-demanding role of assistant-principal in all aspects of education.

Mr. Speaker, Kirsten is a major contributing factor to the collaborating leadership success at Blue Springs South High School by devising a comprehensive reading initiative along side the school's 1,400 students and their parents. Put in charge of curriculum and assessment, Kirsten used teamwork and collaboration amongst teachers, students and parents to strengthen the reading program at Blue Springs South High School. Kirsten is a true asset to the Blue Springs School District with her commitment to students, relationship building and long-range goals for students, teachers, and Blue Springs South High School.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in applauding Kirsten Clemons' outstanding professionalism and commitment to educating the American youth. I join with Kirsten's colleagues, family, friends, and students in congratulating Kirsten on her outstanding achievement, and wish her good luck in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Adam Pasley. Adam is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1051, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Adam has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Adam has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Adam has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Adam Pasley for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Elliott J. Kieffer. Elliott is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1214, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Elliott has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Elliott has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Elliott has served as the Tamegonit Lodge Chapter Seven Chief and earned the rank of Warrior in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Elliott has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Elliott built a handicap-accessible ramp with handrails for St. James Catholic Church in Liberty, Missouri, providing easy access to the church's educational wing.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Elliott J. Kieffer for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Stephanie Scheib. Stephanie is a very special young woman who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Girl Scouts of the USA and earning the high honor of the Gold Award.

Stephanie's outstanding achievement reflects her hard work and dedication. Stephanie has exhibited unique and creative examples of service that have made a difference in her community. I am confident that she will continue to hold herself to the highest standards in the future. This is an accomplishment for which Stephanie can take pride in for the rest of her life.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Stephanie Scheib for her accomplishments with the Girl Scouts of the USA and for her efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of the Gold Award.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Lynesia Taylor. Lynesia is a very special young woman who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Girl Scouts of the USA and earning the high honor of the Gold Award.

Lynesia's outstanding achievement reflects her hard work and dedication. Lynesia has exhibited unique and creative examples of service that have made a difference in her community. I am confident that she will continue to hold herself to the highest standards in the future. This is an accomplishment for which Lynesia can take pride in for the rest of her life.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Lynesia Taylor for her accomplishments with the Girl Scouts of the USA and for her efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of the Gold Award.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Megan Hottel. Megan is a very special young woman who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Girl Scouts of the USA and earning the high honor of the Gold Award.

Megan's outstanding achievement reflects her hard work and dedication. Megan has exhibited unique and creative examples of service that have made a difference in her community. I am confident that she will continue to hold herself to the highest standards in the future. This is an accomplishment for which Megan can take pride in for the rest of her life.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Megan Hottel for her accomplishments with the Girl Scouts of the USA and for her efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of the Gold Award.