Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of of H.R. 3019, to expand and preserve home ownership through counseling, introduced by my colleague from Illinois, Representative Biggert. This important legislation will amend the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act to establish an Office of Housing Counseling which will conduct activities relating to homeownership and rental housing counseling.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today in support of H. Con. Res. 61, ``Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States flag flown over the United States Capitol should be lowered to half-mast one day each month in honor of the brave men and women from the United States who have lost their lives in military conflicts.'' The brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives to protect not only the lives of Americans but democracy around the world, warrant a day each month in which the Nation honors their service and sacrifice.

More than 1 million brave men and women from the United States have died in military conflicts since the birth of our great Nation. It is the right of the American people to mourn the loss of the brave men and women who have given their lives for this country. All Americans must remember that our freedom has not come without sacrifice. The heroic men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice, to protect our Nation and our freedom must be honored and recognized. As Gertrude Stein put it so eloquently, ``Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone.''

Paying tribute to the fearlessness and courageousness that the men and women from the United States have displayed throughout history, demonstrates the spirit of patriotism that is the foundation of our great country.

H. Con. Res. 61 must be supported by the Members of Congress in order for us and all Americans to pay homage and show our respect for those extraordinary soldiers who are no longer with us, but whose legacies should live on. In honoring those who have fought for our country from the time of its conception would be a grand opportunity to show the men and women wearing the uniform today that their service is not in vain. It is an opportunity for America to demonstrate the magnitude of appreciation that we hold in our hearts for the service and bravery of all our veterans. A simple gesture can demonstrate the immeasurable amount of gratitude which emanates through us all.

The State of Texas alone is home to approximately 1,707,365 veterans. H. Con. Res. 61 commemorates not only the valuable contribution of heroes past but to our present champions of freedom and democracy. I am reminded of something once said by author Melodie Beattie, ``Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity . . . it turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 415, ``Celebrating 75 years of effective State-based alcohol regulation and recognizing State lawmakers, regulators, law enforcement officers, the public health community and industry members for creating a workable, legal, and successful system of alcoholic beverage regulation, distribution, and sale.''

H. Con. Res. 415 celebrates a remarkable time in American history. It is worthy to remember how far the United States Government has come since its inception. With the ratification of the 21st Amendment, primary authority was delegated to the individual States, establishing the State-based regulatory system for alcohol distribution we still use today. The regulatory system has allowed each State to adopt individual laws that fit the beliefs of its citizens and still remains effective and in place today.

This State-based system created the safest and most responsible alcohol marketplace in the world. It not only protects consumers from tainted or counterfeit alcohol, but also provides transparency, accountability, and tremendous choice and value for American consumers for 75 years.

In 1919, following the passage of the 18th amendment, which prohibited ``the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors,'' the United States experienced a dramatic increase in illegal activity including unsafe black market alcohol production, a growth in organized crime and increasing noncompliance with alcohol laws. By the end of the decade, Gangster Al Capone controlled all 10,000 speakeasies in Chicago and ruled the bootlegging business from Canada to Florida. Numerous other crimes, including theft and murder, were directly linked to criminal activities in Chicago and elsewhere in violation of prohibition.

Many social problems have been attributed to the Prohibition era. A profitable and typically violent, black market for alcohol flourished during the Prohibition Era. Stronger liquor surged in popularity because its potency made it more profitable to smuggle. The cost of enforcing Prohibition was high, and the lack of tax revenues on alcohol (some $500 million annually nationwide) affected government coffers.

The 21st amendment is significant because when repeal of Prohibition occurred in 1933, organized crime lost nearly all of its black market alcohol profits in most States because of competition with low-priced alcohol sales at legal liquor stores. The post-Prohibition period saw the introduction of the American lager style of beer, which dominates today, such as Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser and Coors Brewing Company. Alcohol has been and still is a part of the American tradition. In my great State of Texas there are 75 breweries and eight of them are located in the city of Houston.

Let us celebrate the Cullen-Harrison Act which Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law in 1933, which once again, legalized the sale of 3.2 percent beer, signaling the beginning of the end of the 13-year ``failed experiment'' known as Prohibition.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee for his leadership and kind words to the people of the gulf coast. Let me thank all of my colleagues who have offered to us their concern and certainly their support. I just landed, and I came from the view of a devastated community, an area in Galveston represented by my colleagues that has experienced the greatest devastation that they have seen in decades. Three million people are without power, many of them desperate because of their financial conditions. As everyone knows, particularly my friends from Louisiana, sometimes getting power back together takes a long time.

That is why this bill was important enough for me to come back, because it is a balance. As I left Houston, there were people crying out for diesel fuel, hospitals needing 700 gallons of fuel, and price gouging that law enforcement officers had to stop. People lined up at gas stations wherever they could find fuel, and those who could not find it were begging for fuel. So we know we have to do something about this calamity of energy and need.

I come from what has been called the oil capital of the world. I practiced oil and gas law. And as someone said on the other side of the aisle, there is no fear over here. Democrats want to balance what is best for America, and we have done so.

So there is a little bit of sacrifice that we are doing, but it is important to note that this bill brings relief to those suffering in the gulf and who need to find gasoline because in addition to many other aspects, it opens up leasing of 319 million acres; 85 million acres come from a State option.

That's a balance. But at the same time, this bill includes $18 billion in tax cuts to spur green jobs. And energy is all kinds of energy sources. And so, in addition to the oil, we have the opportunity to do more with green jobs.

We also allow a taking-out from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. If we could get this bill passed and signed, I could help the people in the Gulf region because it would come to hospitals, it would come to gasoline stations. It would come to people who are in need.

This is a bill that ends the current moratorium that allows drilling 3 miles off, but it allows drilling through a State option, 50 to 100 miles.

Let me just say this, Mr. Speaker. I have listened to a lot of Republicans. And interestingly enough, in the 2005 bill, they even said they are trying to move toward energy independence. This is what we do.

And I want to thank the chairman and Congressmen Green and Miller for allowing me to put language in this bill, and I'm proud of this language.

Beyond the fact of the expansion of the leases offshore and opt-in, it allows minority women and small businesses to have the opportunity to do something they've never done, bid for these offshore leases, and it creates an energy consortium of our universities to work with wind and solar.

I would like revenue sharing. I'm from the region. But we can't have everything. I hope to work on it, that we have these incentives that everybody is asking for. But now we have a balance, and the people in the Gulf region are crying out for resources and energy. And this bill, if it's gone to the Senate and it gets to the desk of the President, will help us do so.

This is a good bill. This is a bill that should be signed. This is a bill we're proud of.

And I want to thank my staff, Arthur Sidney.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6899, the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act. This legislation is a timely, necessary, and a comprehensive approach to addressing our energy crisis.

I am especially proud to support this bill because my staff, and I worked tirelessly to ensure that appropriate language was included to benefit all Americans--especially, small, minority, and women-owned businesses, institutions of higher learning, particularly minority serving institutions. I also worked hard so that the American consumers would benefit from paying lower gas prices at the pump. I am proud that such a progressive and comprehensive piece of legislation is on the floor of the House today. I thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Representatives Rahall, Miller, and Green for their leadership in bringing today's important energy legislation to the floor that will address, in part, our current national energy crisis. I would also like to thank Mr. Arthur D. Sidney, my Legislative Director, for his work on this bill.

i am pleased to have my language included in h.r. 6899

I am especially proud to stand in support of this progressive piece of legislation because I was able to get my language included in this bill. Specifically, I was able to get included language in this bill that covers four critical issues: (1) the expansion of leases to offshore lands along the Outer Continental Shelf; (2) that States might opt-in to allow leasing off its costs by enacting legislation signed by the Governor or referendum; (3) allows the Secretary of Interior to establish goals to ensure equal opportunity to bid on offshore leases for qualified small, women-owned, and minority-owned exploration and production companies and may implement outreach programs for qualified historically underutilized exploration and production companies to participate in the bidding process for offshore leases; and (4) provides that the Secretary of Energy shall award a grant on a competitive basis to a consortium of institutions of higher learning for the establishment of a National Energy Center of Excellence to conduct research and education activities in geological and geothermal sciences, renewable energy and energy efficiency (including energy technology using clean coal, solar, wind, oil, natural gas, hydroelectric, biofuels, ethanol, and other energy alternatives), and energy conservation, including a special emphasis on environmentally safe energy. This consortium shall include at least two institutions of higher learning that are historically Black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribally-based universities and colleges.

As a senior Member of the House, representing the 18th Congressional District, which includes Houston, the energy capital of the world, I am pleased to support this bill. I am glad to have authored language and have it included in this bill. My language will go far in making sure that individuals, that heretofore have been underserved, are provided a seat at the proverbial energy table. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this bill could not come at a better time for Americans. To put it mildly, Americans are in desperate need of relief. Just a few months ago in May 2008, gas prices were at an all-time high. The price of regular-grade unleaded gasoline has risen well above $4 in some States. Increasingly, as the economy spirals to a recession, Americans must choose between food, energy, and gas. This crisis is of national and international importance. It is expected that the damage from Hurricane Ike which hit Houston and other parts of Texas, last week, will also drive up domestic oil prices.

background on oil prices and the case for the necessity of this

legislation

The price of crude oil is the largest single factor in the retail price of gasoline. Oil prices have not been regulated since the Reagan Administration; however, the market situation since 2004 has yielded little excess capacity. The weakening value of the dollar, political uncertainty, and unrest in places such as Nigeria, Venezuela, India, and China, exacerbate the problem. Worse still, is the plight faced by the developing world. While the developed world is facing high oil prices, the developing world is facing even higher prices with the weakening value of the dollar. Food prices all over the world are rising, and instability is growing.

Mr. Speaker, oil prices reached a record $147 per barrel and the American people are suffering. Many are faced with the decision to pay for gas or to pay for more food to feed their hungry families. Consumers are in desperate need of relief in the prices of oil, gas, and food.

But even refiners cannot escape the impact of the rising price of crude oil. Refining companies that have no upstream component, all reported steep year-over-year profit losses for the first quarter of 2008.

The overall effects on the consumer have been deep and widespread. Concern over the rising price of retail gas has been mounting for 3 years, and even as fuel exacts a greater toll on consumers' budgets, its macroeconomic effects have reverberated through all sectors of the economy.

The rise in fuel prices is having a deleterious effect on other industries, including the automobile industry. Sales of mid-size cars and trucks have declined. Automakers reported an overall drop in sales of 6.3 percent in February of this year, led by light trucks--which were down 10.6 percent--and sport utility vehicles--down 7.7 percent. The average fuel economy of new vehicles has increased

by more than half a mile per gallon since 2004.

These rising gas prices are also spilling over into other sectors and they are having equally deleterious effects. In a recent survey of plumbing, heating, and cooling contractors, more than 90 percent of respondents expected their business to be harmed because of the high fuel costs. Without change, such as H.R. 6899, long-term, sustained gas price increases are going to severely affect persons living in the suburbs because of the high gas prices and the long commutes. H.R. 6899 will bring marked improvements in energy prices.

h.r. 6899--the legislation on the floor today

H.R. 6899 will address the price at the pump by expanding drilling in an environmentally conscious manner. This bill is comprehensive, and its implementation will expand domestic and renewable sources of energy to bolster our national security. This is a real energy bill that will expand production and supply without sacrificing environmental concerns. The goal of this bill is to make the production and exploration of energy sources more affordable, more accessible, and more environmentally friendly.

H.R. 6899 will end subsidies to the oil companies, promote good jobs here in America, and require Big Oil companies to pay what they owe America's taxpayers. It puts America on the path toward energy independence and a clean green energy future through greater energy efficiency and conservation, and protects consumers with strong action to lower the price you pay at the pump.

This comprehensive and sweeping measure takes strong action to lower the price at the pump. It does so by releasing a small portion of oil from the Government's strategic reserve, and invests royalties from oil companies owed the American taxpayer in alternative energy technology.

H.R. 6899 commits America to a renewable energy future and jobs by extending and expanding tax incentives for renewable electricity, solar and wind energy, and fuel from America's heartland, as well as for plug-in hybrid cars, while requiring 15 percent of American electricity to come from renewable energy. This is a real energy bill.

This bill includes a compromise to responsibly open up the Outer Continental Shelf for drilling, with environmental protections, while demanding that Big Oil companies use the leases they have already been issued. It promotes efficiency and conservation that will save consumers billions, with tax incentives and loans for energy efficient homes, buildings, and appliances, and updated efficiency standards for buildings.

I am pleased that this bill is one of the few recent energy bills that have already garnered strong bipartisan support on the House floor. Now, more than ever, in a time where the American people are experiencing serious economic woes, with a rampant mortgage crisis, the failings of major financial institutions, low wages and high prices, America needs legislation to make oil more accessible and more affordable. Because oil is a finite commodity, it is imperative that all Americans have access. This bill does just that: provides access in a responsible and sensible manner.

Importantly, this bill lowers costs to consumers and protects taxpayers. This is critically important given our growing dependence upon sources of foreign oil and the ever increasing world price of oil. To that end, this bill temporarily releases nearly 10 percent of the oil from the Government's stockpile, known as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and replaces it later with heavier, cheaper crude oil. This is a real energy bill that provides real solutions to America's energy crisis.

The bill provides royalty reform by making oil companies pay their fair share. Further, H.R. 6899 ensures that oil companies pay their fair share of royalties on flawed leases granted in 1998 and 1999. Because of mistakes made by the Interior Department, oil companies holding 70 percent of leases issued for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in 1998 and 1999 became exempt from paying any royalties, costing American taxpayers about $15 billion. This bill makes it more efficient for the Interior Department to collect royalty payments from oil and gas companies owed to the American taxpayer. Additionally, this bill adds a new requirement that it must be in the fiduciary interest of the Federal Government for oil companies to be permitted to make royalty in kind, instead of cash, payments to the government.

H.R. 6899 restores accountability and integrity in oil leasing at the Mineral Management Service. As you are aware, several recent events have called the integrity of this fine institution in question. This bill attempts to right some of those wrongs and address the misconduct that has occurred.

This bill provides for a renewable energy future and creates American jobs. The bill includes $18 billion in tax cuts to spur green jobs and American energy independence, including an 8-year extension of the investment tax credit for solar energy and fuel cells.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6899 includes a 3-year extension on the production tax credit for energy derived from biomass, geothermal hydropower, landfill gas, and solid waste. H.R. 6899 provides for a 1-year extension of the production tax credit for energy derived from wind and clean renewable energy bonds for electric cooperatives and public power. It also provides for incentives for the production of homegrown renewable fuels and tax credits for the purchase of fuel-efficient, plug in hybrid vehicles and it provides incentives for energy conservation for individual businesses and State and local governments.

The bill expands domestic energy supply by ending the current moratorium which only allows drilling 3 miles offshore. The bill also increases domestic oil production across America and in Alaska.

Regarding Alaska, this bill incorporates a modified version of the ``Use It'' legislation that creates more stringent requirements that oil companies produce oil during the initial term of their lease. H.R. 6899 mandates annual lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to speed its development and oil and production. Importantly, the bill bans export of Alaskan oil outside of the United States. It also calls upon the Bush Administration to facilitate completion of the oil pipeline infrastructure into the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, and to facilitate the construction of the Alaskan Natural Gas Pipeline, which could create up to 100,000 jobs.

H.R. 6899 provides the greatest energy efficiency and conservation of any other bill introduced before the Congress. This bill strengthens energy efficiency codes for buildings, provides incentives for energy efficient homes, and reduces transit fees for commuter rail and buses and expands service through $1.7 billion grants to transit agencies for the next 2 years. This is a real energy bill, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my gratitude to all the support groups, families, and friends of our men and women in the armed forces. By supporting those who support them, we honor the sacrifice and courage of our women who have served and are currently serving in our Armed Forces.

Since September 2001, more than 1,700,000 members of the Armed Forces have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and nearly 611,000 have been deployed more than once. More than 782,000 members of our Armed Forces deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are parents. Sadly, nearly 35,000 troops have been separated from their children for 4 or more deployments.

Many of our men and women in the armed forces have given the ultimate sacrifice to secure the freedoms of others. As of May 3, 2008 over 4,500 died and over 32,000 wounded while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan).

The members of our Armed Forces and their families deserve all the medical, financial,

education, and moral support that our Nation can provide. Our military support groups and organizations play a vital role in providing services to members of our Armed Forces and their families, including financial assistance, employment assistance, tax return preparation, counseling, prayer groups, and sending care packages.

The resolution we considered today provides an opportunity for each of us, regardless of political views, religion, ethnicity, gender, or background to come together, and to recognize and honor our nation's heroes and those that support them and their families.

Though we may be divided by our positions on the war in Iraq, we stand together to support our veterans. Our nation has a proud legacy of appreciation and commitment to the men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of this country. We must be united in seeing that every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine is welcomed back with all the care and compassion this grateful nation can bestow.

All too many of our veterans are left without the help and support they need to transition from the horrors they bravely face on the front lines of battle to successful civilian life. According to the Veterans of all ages were homeless.

The V.A. also reports 400 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone have already become homeless, and this figure only takes into account those who have sought services from V.A.-sponsored programs. Experts have predicted that the trauma resulting from the extreme horrors of these modern wars could lead to a surge in homeless veterans in the coming years.

I chose to celebrate one of our heroic daughters of Texas, Specialist Monica L. Brown of the United States Army with House Concurrent Resolution 320 for her efforts earlier this year.

Spec. Brown was the first woman in Afghanistan and only the second female soldier since World War II to receive the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest medal for valor. This soldier from Lake Jackson, Texas was only 10-years-old, when on April 25, 2007, Specialist Brown as part of a four-vehicle convoy patrolling near Jani Kheil in the eastern province of Paktia that was attacked. She saw her fellow soldiers injured, she grabbed her aid bag and started running toward the burning vehicle as insurgents opened fire. All five wounded soldiers from her platoon scrambled out. Under this commotion, she assessed her patients and moved them to a safer location because they were still receiving incoming fire.

The Pentagon's official policy is to prohibit women from serving in front-line combat roles in the infantry, armor or artillery, but the nature of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with no real front lines, has seen women soldiers take part in close-quarters combat more than previous conflicts.

According to the army four Army nurses in World War II were the first women to receive the Silver Star, though three nurses serving in World War I were awarded the medal posthumously in 2007. Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, of Nashville, Tenn., was the first to receive the Silver Star in 2005 along with two fellow male soldiers for her gallantry during an insurgent ambush on a convoy in Iraq.

Though I have opposed the war in Iraq from its inception, I remain absolutely committed to ensuring that we recognize, celebrate, and honor the service of our sons and daughters in and returning from, Iraq and Afghanistan.

I am proud to support H. Res. 1200 by my colleague, Congresswoman Sutton. I firmly believe that we should celebrate and support our armed forces and their families, and I remain committed, as a Member of Congress, to both meeting the needs of veterans of previous wars, and to provide a fitting welcome home to those who are now serving. Current serving military personnel and veterans have kept their promise to serve our nation; they have willingly risked their lives to protect the country we all love. We must now ensure that we keep our promises to them.

Currently, there are over 25 million veterans in the United States. Thee are more than 1,633,000 veterans living in Texas and more than 32,000 veterans living in my Congressional district alone. I hope we will all take the time to show appreciation to those who have answered the call to duty. As Winston Churchill famously state, ``Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.''

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting our troops, their families, and those groups that are working to support them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5938, the ``Former Vice President Protection Act of 2008.'' I would like to thank the Chair of the Judiciary Committee, Congressman Conyers, for introducing this bill and for providing leadership on this important issue.

The former vice presidents of the United States have brought to that office significant public service experience, including as members of Congress or state governors. Some came to their role as president of the Senate already familiar with the body, having served as U.S. senators. Several vice presidents later returned to serve again in the Senate, among them former President Andrew Johnson. Two vice presidents, George Clinton and John C. Calhoun, held the office under two different presidents.

Of the fourteen vice presidents who fulfilled their ambition by achieving the presidency, eight succeeded to the office on the death of a president, and four of these were later elected president. Two vice presidents, Hannibal Hamlin and Henry Wallace, were dropped from the ticket after their first term, only to see their successors become president months after taking office, when the assassination of Abraham Lincoln made Andrew Johnson president and the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt raised Harry Truman to the presidency. Similarly, when Spiro Agnew resigned, he was replaced under the Twenty-fifth Amendment by Gerald R. Ford, who became president when Richard M. Nixon resigned less than a year later.

The vice presidency was generally held by men of mature years, with most of them in their fifties or sixties when they took office. The youngest, John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, was thirty-six at the beginning of his term. At seventy-two, Alben Barkley, another Kentuckian, was the oldest when his term began.

Because I recognize the importance of the vice presidency and the pivotal role it plays in American politics, I believe that tribute, respect, honor, and protection should be afforded to the person, and the family, that has obtained this position. I am proud to support this legislation.

Specifically, Title 18 U.S.C. provides former Presidents and their spouses protection by the United States Secret Service after leaving office but provides no such protection for former Vice Presidents and their families. H.R. 5938, authorizes the United States Secret Service to protect the former Vice President of the United States, his/her spouse, and his/her children under the age of 17 for not more than six months after the Vice President leaves office. The bill would also allow protection to continue should circumstances warrant extension.

After the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, Congress informally requested Secret Service presidential protection. A year later, the Secret Service assumed full-time responsibility for protection of the President. Today, the Secret Service, which is under the Department of Homeland Security, is tasked with protecting the President of the United States and spouse and children under 17 years old for up to ten years after serving in office. The Secret Service also provides protection for the widow(er) of the President and it provides protection for foreign heads of state and accompanying spouse when they visit the United States.

To date, four presidents have been assassinated, and there have been approximately twelve other assassination attempts on U.S. presidents. Under current law, because of the prestige of the office of President, current and former Presidents are protected by the Secret Service. Former Vice Presidents have not received any protection from the Secret Service after the vice president's term in office had expired. This legislation would ensure that Vice Presidents get protection for as long as necessary. Thus, the legislation ensures the safety and well- being of the Vice President, spouse, and children under 17 years of age. This bill recognizes the important role of the office of Vice President. It is a powerful role with important responsibilities. This bill makes an important statement regarding our appreciation, commitment, and respect to the second most powerful position in this, our great country.

I think this bill makes sense. It is reasonable in its scope and its terms. I am proud to support this bill and I urge my colleagues to do likewise.

Mr. Speaker, I support the National Silver Alert Act. I also urge my colleagues to support this bill. It is necessary.

Thousands of vulnerable older adults go missing each year as a result of dementia, diminished capacity, foul play or other unusual circumstances. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America estimates that over five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and that sixty percent of these are likely to wander from their homes. Alzheimer's disease and other dementia related illnesses often leave their victims disoriented and confused and unable to find their way home. According to the Alzheimer's Association, up to 50 percent of wanderers risk serious illness, injury or death if not found within 24 hours. The problem can be exacerbated greatly by national disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, that can, in a matter of hours, increase the number of missing persons by the thousands.

At least eight states, along with non-profit organizations such as the National Center for Missing Adults, Project Lifesaver International and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, have developed programs to address various aspects of the problem of missing adults, but the need for a coordinated national approach, similar to the Amber Alert Program for children, still exists. In addition, financial support is needed for existing and new local and state programs.

The Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program, administered by the Department of Justice, is the only federal program that currently provides grant funding to locate vulnerable elderly individuals who go missing. Authorization for this program ceased in 1998, but Congress has continued to appropriate some monies for it through fiscal year 2008, when it appropriated $940,000. Another federal law, Kristen's Act, had authorized annual grants in the amount of $1 million for fiscal years 2001 through 2004 to assist law enforcement agencies in locating missing adults and for other purposes. Between fiscal years 2002 through 2006, Kristen's Act grants were made through the Edward Byrne Discretionary Grants Program, primarily to the National Center for Missing Adults, a non-profit organization. In 2006, Congress appropriated $150,000 for this purpose.

A. H.R. 6064, the ``National Silver Alert Act''

Importantly, today I urge my colleagues to support another important piece of legislation, H.R. 6064, the National Silver Alert Act. H.R.

6064 sets forth a comprehensive national program. It directs the Attorney General to establish a permanent national Silver Alert communications program within the Department of Justice to provide assistance to regional and local search efforts for missing seniors. The bill requires the Attorney General to assign a Department of Justice officer as a Silver Alert Coordinator.

The Silver Alert Coordinator acts as a nationwide point of contact, working with states to encourage the development of local elements of the network, known as Silver Alert plans, and to ensure regional coordination. The bill requires the Coordinator to develop protocols for efforts relating to reporting and finding missing seniors and to establish voluntary guidelines for states to use in developing Silver Alert plans. The bill requires the Coordinator to establish an advisory group (1) to help States, local governments and law enforcement agencies with Silver Alert plans, (2) to provide training and educational programs to states, local governments and law enforcement agencies, and (3) to submit an annual report to congress. The bill also requires the Coordinator to establish voluntary minimum standards for the issuance of alerts through the Silver Alert communications network.

H.R. 6064 directs the Attorney General, subject to the availability of appropriations, to provide grants to States for the development and implementation of programs and activities relating to Silver Alert plans. The bill authorizes $5 million for fiscal year 2009 for this purpose. The bill also authorizes an additional $5 million for fiscal year 2009 specifically for the development and implementation of new technologies. The Federal share of the grant may not exceed 50 percent and amounts appropriated under this authorization shall remain available until expended.

B. My Past Amendments on Elder Justice Bills

In similar elder legislation, namely the Elder Justice Act and the Elder Abuse Victims Act, I co-sponsored amendments with Ms. Maxine Waters of California to provide funding to State, Local, and non-profit programs to locate missing elderly. Specifically, my amendment would allow a voluntary electronic monitoring pilot program to assist with the elderly when they are reported missing. In these particular bills, my amendment would allow the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to issue grants to states and local government to carry out pilot programs to provide voluntary electronic monitoring services to elderly individuals to assist in the location of such individuals when they are reported missing.

C. Elder Legislation Is Important

Elder legislation such as the legislation before us today and the prior elder bills that I mentioned are important. As elder Americans enter their twilight years, we must do more to protect and ensure their safety. Nothing reminds me more of the necessity of this kind of legislation than my very own experiences in Houston, Texas. A few years ago, the family of Sam Kirk, a native of Houston, Texas, called me to help look for him. Mr. Kirk was elderly and suffered from dementia. He had wandered off and could not be located for several days. His family looked for him for many days but could not find him. In an act of desperation, they called on me to lend my services to help them find him. I helped his family look for him and we found him. When we found Mr. Kirk, he was dehydrated and in need of medical attention. We searched for hours and days to find him. It was worth the time and effort we spent to find him alive and well. Legislation that helps America find and take care of its lost and missing elders is extremely important.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 2353, the ``School Safety Enhancements Act of 2007'', which is aimed at making America a safer place. The bill under consideration addresses health and safety issues for children. I support this bill and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

H.R. 2353 is necessary and will ensure the protection and safety of our children in a learning environment. Violence at our schools have increased at an alarming rate in states such as California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin over the last few years. H.R. 2352 seeks to curb that stem of violence.

H.R. 2352 increases authorized annual funding from $30 million to $50 million for FY 2008-2009 for the Secure Our Schools grant program, and decreases the non-federal grant participation percentage from 50 percent to 20 percent. It requires institutions of higher education to conduct annual campus safety assessments and develop and implement campus emergency response plans.

This bill seeks to address the violence in our schools. It will ensure the safety of students and teachers and will make sure that education is the paramount concern of educators.

The Act also increases the federal portion of the funding from 50 percent to 80 percent, which decreases the non-federal portion from 50 percent to 20 percent. According to the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office of the Department of Justice, which administers the Secure Our Schools grants, many of the poorer communities that need help the most have been unable to participate in the program because they cannot afford the previously required 50 percent non-federal grant match. The proposed change in non-federal funding is more in line with the COPS traditional 75/25 percent split, and should allow more participation in the program.

The Act increases the possible uses of funding to include surveillance equipment, hotlines to report potentially dangerous situations and capital improvements to make school facilities more secure. Finally, the Act requires the establishment of an interagency task force to develop and promulgate advisory school safety guidelines.

The Act amends the existing requirements for grant applications, and requires each grant application to be accompanied by a report, signed by the chief education officer and the attorney general or other chief legal officer, demonstrating that the proposed use of the grant funds is an effective means for improving school safety, is consistent with a comprehensive approach to preventing school violence, and meets the individualized needs of the particular school.

Finally, the Act amends the Higher Education Act and requires each eligible participating institution to conduct an annual campus safety assessment, and develop and implement a campus emergency response plan to address emergency situations, including natural disasters, active shooter situations, and terrorist attacks. The bill is sponsored by Mr. Rothman, and has 52 cosponsors.

my three amendments that were offered and accepted

I have three amendments that I offered and that were accepted concerning this bill. The first extended the current requirement of establishing a hotline or tipline to include the reporting of hazardous conditions, including the presence of hazardous chemicals.

The second one requires schools to develop and implement safety measures to protect students in the event of a terrorist attack or other hazardous condition or situation. It would further require that no funds would be disbursed unless the school had a safety plan in place to respond to a terrorist attach or other hazardous condition or situation.

The need for schools to respond to hazardous conditions or situations is necessary because often children are confronted with hazardous conditions and they simply ignore them. This has been a big problem in the Houston Independent School district. For example, in Key Middle School students were getting sick because they were learning in classrooms where mold was growing on the walls and ceilings. The students saw the mold and were getting sick but they did not know how to respond. These amendments would ensure that children are aware of the toxicity of these chemicals and organic substances. This is a real threat. Key Middle School was subsequently closed because of the severe health risks posed to students. My call for student awareness, training and prevention as pertains to a terrorist attack does not need mach explanation. In light of the tragic events of 9/11, we can never be too cautious with schooling and protecting our children. Children need to know what to do and how to respond to dangerous situations during a terrorist threat.

My last amendment goes to the heart of administrative practice. The original bill required that a taskforce create guidelines. Because the taskforce is to be established within 30 days of enactment of this act, my amendment allows the taskforce to convene and within 60 days issue a preliminary advisory school safety guideline and after that time it should provide the public with an opportunity through notice and comment and publish a final advisory school safety guideline not later than 30 days after the preliminary guidelines. This is good administrative practice and ensures public participation by students, teachers, and parents.

I urge my colleagues to support this very important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6889, which will extend the authority of the Secretary of Education to ensure the continued access to Federal student loans for one more year, introduced by my distinguished colleague from California, Representative George Miller. This significant piece of legislation provides greater access to colleges and universities, making higher education affordable for all Americans, not just the wealthy.

A quality education continues to be the best pathway to social and economic mobility in this country. Earlier this year, we passed H.R. 5715 (now Public Law 110-227), the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008.

Facts on Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act

This legislation amended under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) by:

Increasing annual and aggregate borrowing limits for unsubsidized Stafford Loans to undergraduate students;

delaying the start of repayment for parent borrowers of PLUS Loans;

extending eligibility for individuals with adverse credit to borrow PLUS Loans, under extenuating circumstances;

revising procedures for ensuring the availability of lender-of-last- resort, LLR, loans under the FFEL program;

temporarily authorizing the Secretary to purchase loans previously made under the FFEL program at no net cost to the Federal Government; and

expanding eligibility for aid provided through American Competitiveness, AC, Grants and Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent, SMART, Grants.

The Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008 also expresses a sense of Congress that institutions such as the Federal Financing Bank, the Federal Reserve, and Federal Home Loan Banks, in consultation with the Secretaries of Education and the Treasury, should consider using available authorities to assist in ensuring continued access to Federal student loans for students and their families; and that any action taken by these entities should not limit the Secretary's authority with regard to the LLR program, nor the Secretary's authority to purchase loans previously made under the FFEL program.

It also requires the Government Accountability Office, GAO, to evaluate the impact that increases in Federal student loan limits may have on tuition, fees, room and board, and on the borrowing of private, non-federal, student loans.

Conclusion

In this time of economic downturns, costly natural disasters, rising food and gas prices--families are focused on meeting their basic needs and having a hard time saving for educational expenses. Often times Federal loans are all families have to help their children go to college.

We cannot allow our institutions of higher learning to be inaccessible for the vast majority of our youth. This important piece of legislation gives our young people and their families the opportunity to not only dream of attending college but actually realize that dream. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6889.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for your leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I support H.R. 6503, to amend the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Thousands of vulnerable older adults go missing each year as a result of dementia, diminished capacity, foul play or other unusual circumstances. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America estimates that over five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and that 60 percent of these are likely to wander from their homes. Alzheimers diseases and other dementia related illnesses often leave their victims disoriented and confused and unable to find their way home. According to the Alzheimers Association, up to 50 of wanderers risk serious illness, injury or death if not found within 24 hours. The problem can be exacerbated greatly by national disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, that can, in a matter of hours, increase the number of missing persons by the thousands.

H.R. 6503 reauthorizes the existing Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program. The bill authorizes $5 million for each fiscal year through 2015 for competitive grants to nonprofit organizations. The money may be used to pay for the ``costs of planning, designing, establishing, and operating locally based, proactive programs to protect and locate missing patients with Alzheimers disease and related dementias and other missing elderly individuals.'' The bill states a preference for ``national nonprofit organizations that have a direct line to patients, and families of patients, with Alzheimers disease and related dementias.''

When I consider the necessity of this bill, I am reminded about the time when I was personally called upon by a constituent in the 18th Congressional District in Texas. A few years back, the family of Mr. Sammy Kirk, enlisted my help in searching for Kirk. Mr. Kirk was an elderly man, suffering from Alzheimers and he had wandered away from his family in Houston. He was lost. His family called me to help search for him. I, along with his family, searched many hours and many days. In total, I searched for three days for Mr. Kirk. Finally, Mr. Sammy Kirk was found. He was found and he was dead. He wandered many miles away from his family and was found dead along the bayou. It would have been so much easier, and his life could have been spared if there was an electronic monitoring service that could have been used to help keep Mr. Kirk close to his and family and it would have certainly aided in our search for Mr. Kirk. An innocent, yet vulnerable, life could have been saved. This bill is necessary and I encourage my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5167, the ``Justice for Victims of Torture and Terrorism Act.'' This bill was sponsored by Representative Braley of Iowa. The bill's purpose is to amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to remove the authority of the President to waive certain provisions. I support this bill and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

H.R. 5167, the Justice for Victims of Torture and Terrorism Act, responds to harms suffered by U.S. nationals under the Government of Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War and their efforts to hold Iraq, then a designated foreign state sponsor of terrorism, liable for their injuries. H.R. 5167 presents a new proposal to facilitate the settlement of these claims.

This bill is important and necessary. I was shocked when I found out that the President was going to veto the Defense Authorization bill on Christmas Eve. The President vetoed the $3.5 billion authorization package that would have provided resources for military members, their families, and veterans, because it contained a provision that would have allowed Operation Desert Storm Prisoners of

War, POW, to continue their case against the Hussein regime.

In 2002, 17 American ex-prisoners of war were brutally tortured in Iraq during the first Persian Gulf War sued Saddam Hussein's regime. The veterans eventually won a judgement against Hussein. But shortly after the invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration stepped in and had the judgement overturned.

According to a Dec. 28 report in Congressional Quarterly, President Bush issued his veto after lawyers for the Iraqi Government threatened to withdraw $25 billion worth of assets from U.S. banks if the provisions was allowed to become law. The American POWs were granted damages by a U.S. district court in July 2003. The court awarded $959 million in compensatory and punitive damages to the 17 POWs--some of whom remain on active duty today and are serving in Iraq.

But earlier in 2003, after signing a bill that allowed Americans to collect court-ordered damages from the frozen assets of terrorist states--a list that included Iraq at that time--President Bush had confiscated what was then $1.7 billion in Iraqi assets held in private banks. He allowed the payment of two judgments including one for so- called ``human shield'' hostages held in Iraq in 1990, but none for the Americans taken prisoner in the 1991 Gulf War.

The President chose to respect corporate interests over human interests and corporate rights over human rights. This is something that the American people have seen from this administration in the past in unrelated matters.

This bill, H.R. 5167, the ``the Justice for Victims of Torture and Terrorism Act'' restores a provision in the previously vetoed Defense bill that would allow American veterans and victims of torture to pursue legal claims against their torturers.

Simply put, American veterans tortured as prisoners of war do not deserve to be left behind by a presidential policy that keeps them from seeking justice. We need to hold countries accountable for torturing American troops so it never happens again. We need to get our priorities straight. Protecting American veterans and POWs should come before protecting a country's assets.

We must act today to correct this problem. I urge my colleagues to act with me, and support this bill. A strong bipartisan message of support needs to be displayed by this body to right the wrongs and send a message to the President that American soldiers deserve better. The message is clear: American soldiers deserve the right to bring torturers to justice. I invite my colleagues to stand with me today and support this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1420, a resolution recognizing September 11 as a day of remembrance, extending sympathies to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and their families, honoring the heroic actions of our Nation's first responders and armed forces, and reaffirming the commitment to the defense of the people of the United States against any and all future challenges.

I support this resolution because although seven years have passed since that fateful day, the pain, agony, and sense of loss still endures in the hearts and minds of the American people. As we reflect on the tragic events of 9/11, we can never forget the courage and heroism of the men and women who selflessly reacted to help those that were incapacitated and remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives that were sacrificed without warning.

This tragedy has left an indelible scar on the Nation's history and has awakened a newfound sense of patriotism and nationalism. This day of remembrance is important and necessary because it reminds us that we must continue to support those that fight abroad to keep our homeland safe.

America must now look forward and do all that it can to ensure the integrity of freedom upon which this country has been founded. We must learn from the aftermath of this catastrophe to respond and react to such disastrous events without inhibiting the civil liberties and freedom of the very people we serve.

Madam Speaker, on September 11, 2001, the Nation watched in horror as the unthinkable occurred. On that faithful day, a ruthless attack had been orchestrated, transforming the WorId Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon into human infernos that claimed thousands of innocent lives. The tragic events of 9/11 were examples of despicable acts of faceless cowards who have no regard for human life.

Across the United States and around the world, people of all ages and walks of life collectively united during a time of tremendous sorrow and despair. It was an unforgettable day that transformed the lives of many and united Americans in a way this Nation had not seen since WorId War II.

As I stand here today, my heart remains torn from the gruesome events of that day as I can only imagine what the passengers on flights United Airlines 93, American Airlines 77, American Airlines 11, and United Airlines 175 were thinking of when they found out that they had only moments to live. I must commend the brave souls that did everything to help prevent more lives from being lost. The actions taken by the passengers of flight 93, firefighters, policemen, and first responders can never be forgotten and their service is worthy of great recognition.

I stand here today simply to offer my deepest condolences to the families of the fallen victims and the servicemen and women who sacrificed their own lives to save others. On behalf the 18th Congressional District of Texas, I express my sorrow for the tragic losses in New York, Washington, DC, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. However, we must also not forget the good that has come about in the midst of a country that harbored many differences.

After the tragic events of 9/11, there was a realization that in those moments of humanity, Americans were able to unite and share the same sense of sorrow and empathy. The people of the United States came together and strengthened its resolve to defend and protect the basic fundamentals of the country. This is what makes our country so great. As the late Dr. Martin Luther King has said, ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' I must also bring to light the overwhelming support of our global community in this time of tragedy.

As we reflect back upon this unfortunate event, we need to also consider the measures we have taken to make America safer. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee and the Committee on Foreign Affairs, it is my duty to bring to the attention of the American people many homeland security initiatives that we have undertaken that have not been successful.

Osama bin Laden has eluded our forces for nearly eight years and the nation's infrastructures and borders are still vulnerable to attacks. Immigration has been an important concern that has resulted from these attacks and the terrorist watch list that the Transportation Security Administration has implemented is apparently inefficient.

Madam Speaker, there are many issues that still need to be addressed in order to secure our nation. It is my sincere hope that we as Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike will come together to expeditiously resolve these issues and help place the path of this great nation onto a noble path. I have great faith and confidence that we will be able to achieve this soon one day and our differences will be accommodated.

As we move forward, 9/11 is a day that will remain in remembrance. We have understood the meaning of sacrifice through the country's history of rebuilding and positive reform. The United States is the forefront of innovation and has the ability to reflect and learn from past mistakes. I pray for the lives lost on 9/11 and also for the protection of innocent lives from senseless conflicts and war.

I urge all members to join me in supporting H. Res. 1420. This tragic moment can never be forgotten and we need to do all we can in our power to prevent such a travesty from occurring again. We must remember September 11, 2001 to propel this nation and its policies to prevent and prepare itself from future disasters.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this Act. The Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act, or PACT Act, introduced by Congressman Bob Weiner of New York, strengthens our law enforcement capabilities against illegal smuggling of tobacco products. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Every year, tens of billions of cigarettes are illegally smuggled across State lines and across borders. This fraudulent activity not only harms the public health, but deprives State and local governments of sorely needed tax revenues.

In fact, tax evasion is a chief motivator for cigarette smuggling-- buying the cigarettes in a State where the cigarette tax is low, and selling them in a State with a higher tax. Because of the tax evasion, the trafficker can sell the cigarettes at a discount and still turn an illicit profit.

States lose a billion dollars in uncollected taxes each year as a result of cigarette smuggling. The illicit profit also helps finance other criminal activity--a revenue stream for organized crime.

Because of the scope and interstate nature of this activity, States cannot adequately address it on their own. It has long been recognized as a Federal matter.

But the existing Federal statutes--the Jenkins Act, which requires reporting interstate cigarette sales to tax officials in the buyer's State, and the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act, which prohibits knowingly dealing in contraband cigarettes or smokeless tobacco--are simply not up to the task in the Internet Age.

The Internet, in particular, makes it possible for today's tobacco smugglers to be even more mobile and invisible, and to operate with near impunity.

Even when the smugglers can be identified and pursued, they can simply shut down operations and quickly reappear under a new name and website.

The PACT Act addresses the shortcomings in current law by targeting the delivery systems for illegal Internet tobacco sales--the postal system and commercial delivery services.

With limited exceptions, sending tobacco products through the U.S. mail will be criminally prohibited. And vendors using commercial delivery services for retail sales will be required to notify the tax authorities in the receiving State, conspicuously label all tobacco products, verify that the purchasers are of legal age, and keep careful records of all sales.

The bill raises cigarette trafficking from a misdemeanor to a felony. And it authorizes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to inspect the premises and files of sellers of significant quantities of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco.

H.R. 4081 enjoys support from a diverse spectrum of entities, including the National Association of Convenience Stores, Altria, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Wholesale Marketers Association, and the National Association of Attorneys General, among others.

I commend my colleague, Mr. Weiner, for his leadership on this important legislation. I also commend Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith for his leadership in making this a bipartisan effort.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6513, the Securities Act of 2008 by my colleague from Pennsylvania, Congressman Paul Kanjorski and the Financial Services for their work in this important area.

Ensuring our markets are functioning properly at a time when we are approaching a recession should be a priority for us all. Many of the provisions in H.R. 6513, were recommended to the committee by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and that the act has the support of the SEC and State securities regulators.

The unanimous and bipartisan passage of H.R. 6513 in committee acknowledges that we must act now to protect our Nation's financial future.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of our veterans and in support of H.R. 1527, the Rural Veterans Access to Care Act by my colleague from Kansas, Representative Jerry Moran and the Members of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Ladies and gentlemen, as we come upon the anniversary II of that fateful day in September this Thursday, it is important to remember our men and women currently serving and our veterans who have returned home.