Floor Statements

I thank my colleague for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill before us, S. 230, which would authorize the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a memorial in our Nation's Capital to honor the formation of the Peace Corps and the thousands of volunteers who have represented our American ideals to communities around the world for over 50 years.

I was honored to have the opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps in Somalia, and I saw firsthand the contribution that Peace Corps volunteers make to the communities they serve. The continued selfless and noble service outside our borders remains a testament to the American ideals embodied by the Peace Corps volunteers I served with and those who are serving our Nation today.

The creation of the Peace Corps by Congress and President John F. Kennedy in 1961 marked a fundamental turning point in American foreign policy. The values and ideals of America were put into action to help meet the needs of people and communities in developing countries through volunteer service abroad.

When I was serving, we were taught that we were representing the American people, not necessarily the American Government. Therefore, I believe that a memorial to mark over 50 years of service by our fellow Americans that is paid for with voluntary contributions is an appropriate indication of the public support for all the volunteers that have and will continue to represent America in many different societies around the world.

The memorials in Washington, D.C., tell the story of the people and events that have shaped our Nation's history and our fundamental ideals. The founding of the Peace Corps was an expression of those ideals and will continue to inspire new generations of Americans to embrace the belief that we can and should reach out to uplift those around us. As such, I believe a memorial commemorating 50 years of Peace Corps history and volunteerism would be a meaningful part of the National Capital landscape.

I encourage my colleagues to consider this bill in the spirit in which it is being offered, as a privately funded commemorative effort, and join me in supporting S. 230.

Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing legislation to establish a program of limited tax credits and tax deductions to get average Americans more involved in the political process. This bill, the Citizen Involvement in Campaigns (CIVIC) Act, will broaden the base of political contributors.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, during the 2011-2012 election cycle candidates winning a seat in the House spent an average of more than $1.5 million. Viewed in the aggregate, more than $4.25 billion was contributed to campaigns for federal office, with more than 63 percent of this total given in chunks of $200 or more. Donors making contributions of $200 or more were a small segment of our population, about one-half of one-percent of all adults (Center for Responsive Politics). Is it any wonder then that some believe that large campaign donors have undue influence with the winning candidates?

We need to take a fresh look at innovative approaches to campaign finance reform, with special attention paid to ideas that encourage, and not restrict, greater participation in our campaigns. Toward this end, I have been advocating tax credits and deductions for small political contributions for many years. An updated tax credit system would be a simple and effective means of balancing big donors and bringing individual contributors back to our campaigns. The impact of this counterweight will reduce the burden of raising money, as well as the appearance of impropriety that accompanies the money chase.

Most would agree that the ideal way to finance political campaigns is through a broad base of donors. But, as we are all painfully aware, the economic realities of modern-day campaigning lead many candidates to focus most of their efforts on collecting funds from a few large donors. This reality alienates many Americans from the political process.

The concept of empowering small donors is not a new idea. For example, from 1972 to 1986, the federal government offered a tax credit for small political contributions. This provided an incentive for average Americans to contribute to campaigns in small amounts while simultaneously encouraging politicians to solicit donations from a larger pool of contributors. Currently, five geographically and politically diverse states (Oregon, Minnesota, Ohio, Virginia, and Arkansas.) offer their own tax credits for political contributions. These state-level credits vary in many respects, but all share the same goal of encouraging citizens to become more involved.

The CIVIC Act can begin the process of building this counterweight for federal elections. This bill is designed to encourage Americans who ordinarily do not get involved in politics beyond casting a vote every two or four years (that is, if they bother to vote at all) to become more active participants in our political process.

The CIVIC Act will reestablish and update the discontinued federal tax credit. Taxpayers can choose between a 100 percent tax credit for political contributions to federal candidates or national political parties (limited to $200 per taxable year), or a 100 percent tax deduction (limited to $600 per taxable year). Both limits, of course, are doubled for joint returns. As long as political parties and candidates promote the existence of these credits, the program can have a real impact and aid in making elections more grassroots affairs than they are today.

A limited tax credit for political contributions can be a bipartisan, cost-efficient method for helping balance the influence of large money donors in the American electoral process. Instead of driving away most Americans from participation in political life, we can offer an invitation for citizens to play a larger role in political campaigns. It seems to me that this will be a fruitful way to clean up our system, while at the same time convincing Americans that they actually have a meaningful stake in elections. I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor the Citizen Involvement in Campaigns Act.

Mr. Speaker, today's elections are costing more and more each year.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, winning candidates spent an average of $1.5 million in the 2011-2012 election cycle. More than $4 billion was contributed to campaigns during the last cycle, with 63 percent of this total coming from donors who gave more than $200.

Most would agree that the ideal way to finance political campaigns is through a broad base of donors. This is why I propose to bring back the Federal tax credit for small campaign contributions. Today, I have introduced the Citizen Involvement in Campaigns Act. Under this legislation, individuals who donate amounts up to $200 to a Federal campaign could receive a tax credit equal to that contribution.

With more and more campaign operations moving to Web sites and online resources, campaigns could tilt the playing field away from special interests and large donors and empower small donors and average Americans. This bill is a step in the right direction of encouraging greater participation in our campaigns, and I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today I introduced the Technology, Equality, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education (TEACH) Act to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to the benefits of electronic instructional materials used in today's colleges and universities.

Colleges and universities across the country are using a wide array of new technologies and instructional materials in the classroom. While the use of these new technologies is a positive development, it can also pose a challenge for accessibility. We have an obligation to ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to obtain a quality education.

The bill would require that any instructional technology, such as digital content, tablets, online platforms, interactive computer software, etc., used by a postsecondary school either be accessible to students with disabilities or that the school provide accommodations or modifications so that the ease-of-use and benefits of the technology for students with disabilities is on par with other students.

These requirements are consistent with joint guidance issued in 2010 by the Departments of Education and Justice regarding the use of new technologies in the classroom and the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The guidance was issued in response to the use of electronic book readers by some colleges and universities that were not fully accessible to visually impaired students.

To help schools meet these requirements, the TEACH Act directs the Access Board, an independent federal agency, to develop guidelines for electronic instructional materials used by institutions of higher education. Schools would not be limited to using materials or technologies that are consistent with the guidelines, but those materials that do conform to the guidelines would automatically be considered to be accessible under the law.

In 2008, the Higher Education Opportunity Act created the Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities, otherwise known as the AIM Commission. One of the commission's recommendations was that the Access Board be directed by Congress to develop guidelines to help guide the development of accessible instructional materials in the marketplace. This bill would implement that recommendation.

For decades, schools have been required to provide equal access to all students. What this

bill would do is ensure that students with disabilities are given equal treatment now and in the future as new, innovative technologies are developed and used more often in the classroom.

I hope that my colleagues will join me in support of this legislation.

I thank my colleague from Alaska for yielding, and I rise to support the Young amendment. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of the amendment.

It is important that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers be encouraged to use the private sector for surveying and mapping services whenever practical. Congress should take steps to end the increasing duplication of and competition with the private sector by the Corps of Engineers. This amendment would allow the Corps to continue to manage mapping and surveying for its projects, but it should rely on the private sector to perform the mapping and surveying services and activities that are commercially available to the maximum extent practical.

At a time when Federal funds for infrastructure, including water resources projects, are limited, the Corps should be increasing its use of the private sector for surveying and mapping, where it makes sense, not wasting tax dollars by competing and duplicating the private sector.

So I encourage the House to adopt the Young amendment to increase the Corps' reliance on the capable and qualified private sector surveying and mapping services wherever practical.

Mr. Speaker, America's health care system needs reform. There's no denying that. But the law signed by this President is not the answer most Americans are looking for.

We know health insurance is too expensive. The average American family has seen their premiums rise by over $3,000 since 2008. But under ObamaCare, premiums could increase by as much as 413 percent.

We know that young people in America are especially vulnerable. Under ObamaCare, young Americans could end up paying 19 percent to 30 percent more for their insurance.

We also know that far too many of our fellow Americans are left with no insurance coverage at all. The Congressional Budget Office tells us that even after ObamaCare is implemented, 30 million people will still be uninsured.

It's time to defund this law and replace it with commonsense health care reform.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3174) to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to obligate funds for emergency relief projects arising from damage caused by severe weather events in 2013, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill before us.

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

H.R. 3174 is a bill with a clear and simple goal. This legislation allows the Department of Transportation to obligate previously authorized and appropriated funds for emergency relief projects without limitation to the amount a State can receive for a particular severe weather event. This bill does not increase spending and only applies to funds that have been previously authorized or appropriated.

This bill is consistent with the authorizing language in MAP-21, which we passed with bipartisan support last summer. MAP-21 does not limit how much a State can receive from the emergency relief program for a particular severe weather event.

This bill restores the flexibility provided in MAP-21 to the Department of Transportation to determine how funds that have already been authorized and appropriated should be spent. This bill has bipartisan support.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado, Representative Gardner.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado, Representative Coffman.

(Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1961) to amend title 46, United States Code, to extend the exemption from the fire-retardant materials construction requirement for vessels operating within the Boundary Line.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1961.

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

H.R. 1961 renews the exemption for the Delta Queen from certain Coast Guard requirements adopted decades after the vessel was built.

The Delta Queen, a paddle-wheel riverboat, was built in 1926. It operated in California until 1947 and then carried tourists up and down the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers for more than 60 years. Forty years after the vessel was built, Congress set new rules prohibiting wooden ships from carrying 50 or more overnight passengers. The vessel has a steel hull, but a wooden superstructure.

Between 1968 and 2008, the Delta Queen operated under an exemption from the restriction on wooden passenger vessels, which was renewed nine times by Congress. H.R. 1961 reinstates the Delta Queen exemption. The vessel will still be subject to all other Coast Guard passenger vessel safety requirements. It must undergo required inspections and receive a certificate of inspection, like any other passenger vessel.

I commend my colleague from Ohio, Steve Chabot, and the bill's bipartisan cosponsors for introducing this bill. Permitting the Delta Queen to return to the river is estimated to create 170 jobs and produce economic activity of $9.3 million annually.

The bill before us was reported favorably from the Transportation Committee on a voice vote. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and allow this historic vessel to return to the river.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to our colleague from the State of Ohio, Steve Chabot.

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

Just to make sure the record is clear, I'm informed by staff that the bill was noticed in regular order, and no rules were waived concerning its regular consideration by the committee or, in fact, by the House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to our colleague from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to our colleague from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie).

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3095) to ensure that any new or revised requirement providing for the screening, testing, or treatment of individuals operating commercial motor vehicles for sleep disorders is adopted pursuant to a rulemaking proceeding, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill before us.

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

I am pleased to support H.R. 3095. This bill ensures that any new or revised requirements made by the Secretary for the screening, testing, or treatment of commercial motor vehicle drivers for obstructive sleep apnea is adopted through a rulemaking proceeding.

H.R. 3095 does not require a rulemaking proceeding to be initiated. It only requires that any future changes to screening, testing, or treatment requirements for obstructive sleep apnea are made through a rulemaking.

A rulemaking will help the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, stakeholders and this Congress understand the costs and benefits of the proposed changes and provide stakeholders an opportunity to comment.

H.R. 3095 is the most responsible way to move forward with any changes to obstructive sleep apnea screening, testing, or treatment requirements.

This bill has over 59 Democratic and Republican cosponsors and shows how effective a bipartisan effort to move practical legislation can be. Senator Blunt from Missouri and Senator Warner from Virginia have introduced S. 1537, the companion bill to that before us, H.R. 3095.

This bill has strong bicameral, bipartisan support, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3095.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to our colleague from the State of Indiana (Mr. Bucshon).

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage all Members to support the bill before us, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud the work of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission, CULCON (U.S,-Japan Conference on Educational and Cultural Interchange) and the United States-Japan Bridging Foundation on the occasion of their upcoming meetings in Washington, D.C., and for their ongoing work in support of a strong U.S.-Japan relationship.

I am especially honored to recognize the outstanding leadership of Mr. Thierry Porte, who has served the American people for six years as Chairman of the Japan-United States Friendship Commission and CULCON, and as Vice Chairman of the United States-Japan Bridging Foundation.

The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission, a Federal agency established in 1975, awards grants supporting Japanese studies and educational, artistic, cultural and intellectual exchanges between the two nations. CULCON, established in 1962, is a bi-national advisory panel to the U.S. and Japanese governments ensuring that the best of new ideas are implemented as operational programs. CULCON also facilitates collaborations and partnership with other U.S.-Japan organizations. The United States-Japan Bridging Foundation was established in 1999 as a byproduct of the efforts of CULCON and the Commission. The Bridging Foundation is a self-sustaining 501(c)(3) nonprofit promoting educational and cultural exchanges. Collectively, these three organizations have been advancing and strengthening the vital educational and cultural foundations of the U.S.-Japan relationship.

Mr. Porte's enthusiastic and dedicated leadership has been instrumental in the success of all three organizations. In the field of art and culture, Mr. Porte has been a staunch supporter of the Japan- U.S. Friendship Commission's U.S.-Japan Creative Artists' Fellowship program that sends American artists to Japan for three months to collaborate with colleagues in their field. In spite of challenging financial circumstances, the Commission supported the continuation of this 30 year-old program whose impact reverberates as the artists continue their work with knowledge gained in Japan and working with their Japanese collaborators.

Mr. Porte has also been a strong supporter of Japanese studies in the United States. He has helped sustain funding for this field with support for projects such as the North American Coordinating Council of Japanese Library Resources (NCC). The NCC creates programs and online services to support the research needs of the field of Japanese studies and for users with any interest in Japan, anywhere.

The bedrock of the U.S.-Japan partnership is the close bond between our people, which remains the greatest resource for our Alliance. Student exchanges have been an important vehicle for nurturing the bonds between Japan and the United States. In this context, educational and cultural exchanges between Japan and the United States have been vital in building the strong partnership that exists today. At the same time, student exchanges help Japan and the United States to address the global challenges as partners with shared values, and enhance the global competitiveness of both countries.

To jointly address these issues, Mr. Porte, as Chairman of CULCON, spearheaded the work of a bi-national Education Task Force to examine trends in bilateral student exchanges and to make recommendations to leaders in both nations towards an ambitious goal: Double the number of U.S. and Japanese students studying in each other's country by 2020. The Educational Task Force, which is made up of government, private sector (nonprofit and for profit), and academic leaders from each country, has examined trends in bilateral student exchanges, and made recommendations to leaders in both nations on ways to revitalize and invigorate U.S.-Japan educational exchanges. Through Mr. Porte's leadership, the Task Force is making great strides in improving the quality and quantity of student exchanges.

Throughout his tenure as Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Porte has worked with the leaders of several professional organizations to support educational needs in Japan. In this regard, Mr. Porte supported efforts by Teach for Japan to help train Japan's most promising leaders to have an immediate impact on student achievement and develop these leaders into a national movement for educational change.

Mr. Porte has also been a staunch supporter of the United States- Japan Bridging Foundation as it expands opportunities for American undergraduate students to study in Japan. I applaud the Bridging Foundation for its work as a public-private partnership to raise over $4 million and award over 1,000 scholarships to American students since its inception.

In short, the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission, CULCON and the U.S.- Japan Bridging Foundation have made great strides in promoting a strong and healthy U.S.-Japan relationship through the inspired leadership of Mr. Thierry Porte.

On behalf of the Congressional Members serving as Commissioners of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission--Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Jay Rockefeller, Congressman Jim McDermott, and myself--I would like to express our deepest gratitude for these contributions and assure Mr. Porte and his colleagues that the positive results of their hard work will be felt for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall 418 on final passage of H.R. 2218, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2013, I incorrectly recorded my vote as ``no.'' I intended to vote ``yes.''

Personal Explanation

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2353) to amend title 23, United States Code, with respect to the operation of vehicles on certain Wisconsin highways, and for other purposes.

Yes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill before us.

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

U.S. Highway 41 between Milwaukee and Green Bay is slated to become part of the U.S. interstate system early next year. H.R. 2353 would simply allow trucks that exceed Federal weight limits but are currently authorized to operate on this road to continue to operate after the interstate designation.

This primarily involves agricultural crops during harvest season, milk, timber, scrap metal, and garbage. No new trucks in excess of Federal weight limits would be allowed on the new I-41. This would just maintain the status quo and not disrupt the current flow of commerce.

This is not unprecedented, as other roads which have become part of the interstate system have received this grandfather, including I-39 in Wisconsin, with no ill effect. In fact, the Wisconsin State Patrol, which is responsible for truck safety enforcement, has issued a statement in support of this bill, and is noting the safety benefits of not forcing these trucks off the safer interstate and onto State and local roads which are not designated to carry such traffic.

The bill before us is also supported by Republican and Democratic members of the Wisconsin House delegation, our two U.S. Senators, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and many State and local officials and organizations. I ask my House colleagues to approve this bill, which is so important to my State.

I reserve the balance of my time.

It is without an amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from Wisconsin (Mr. Ribble).

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation before us, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of this amendment and am pleased to be a cosponsor. Charter schools are a critical component of our Nation's public school system and are helping to foster an array of high-quality public school options for parents and their children. Today, more than 6,000 public charter schools serve a diverse student body of more than 2.3 million students in 40 States and the District of Columbia. Unfortunately, however, almost one million students find themselves on charter school waiting lists, unable to attend the school of their choice. We must do more to expand access to these high-quality public school options.

One recent study conducted by the Stanford Center for Research on Education Outcomes found that schools that have a strong start tend to remain highly successful schools in the future. The federal Charter Schools Program has been a crucial tool in helping many charter schools get this strong start. Unfortunately, however, many schools aren't able to use the funds provided through this program in ways that would be most effective for their students. This amendment would simply expand the ways in which charter schools can use the startup funds provided through this program, including for professional development, teacher training, instructional materials, and minor facilities improvements.

The amendment would also give priority to States that allow funding provided to charter schools to be shared when a student is enrolled in multiple schools. This flexibility will help support the growth of a wide array of high-quality virtual schools and other expanded learning opportunities provided through partner organizations.

Lastly, the amendment simply ensures that charter schools receiving funds under the federal Charter Schools Program are doing outreach to low-income and underserved populations. While charter schools often serve a disproportionate number of low-income students, this amendment will simply ensure that they continue to lead the way in providing access to high-quality public school options.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

I thank my colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my support for the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 5.

I am in frequent contact with educators in my district in Wisconsin. One of the concerns I hear the most is that Federal money comes to local schools and districts in a variety of funding streams, each with its own restrictions and reporting requirements. I am constantly asked if there's a way that we

can consolidate some of these funding pots so that schools can better apply the funds to those areas where they will have the most effect. These feelings are strongest in smaller or more rural schools, where funding tends to be the most limited. H.R. 5 would give them that much- needed local flexibility.

Wisconsin schools are doing a lot of innovative things to prepare their students for success in the 21st-century economy. They know that the nature of work is changing: jobs in manufacturing, where Wisconsin is a leader, require critical thinking, the ability to be innovative and to work with people of varying skill levels, and the ability to communicate effectively. These skills were favorably noted in a 2012 National Research Council report and in a recent Gallup Poll that found that those who have those skills are twice as likely to have higher work quality than those who don't.

Wisconsin is a member of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a coalition of States, education groups, and employers that's working to ensure that students have these critical skills. I hear from educators that these innovative programs help to bring to life the subjects that students are studying in school, oftentimes renewing their focus on core academics. Again, I also hear that schools and districts are hamstrung by their inability to put Federal funds to use in these innovative ways. So I'm pleased that the Student Success Act, through its Local Academic Flexible Grant and in other ways, gives educators the flexibility to pursue these innovative initiatives at the local level.

I would also like to mention the subject of geography, which is a core academic subject under No Child Left Behind, but has never received the same level of support as other core academic subjects. The National Geographic Society has invested millions of its own dollars to help invest in the future of geographic education--a critical investment, given the importance of geography to our national and international well-being. It's critical that geography be on a level playing field with other core academic subjects. This bill accomplishes that goal by letting geography compete equally for funds to enhance the professional development of teachers in this critical subject.

I, again, want to emphasize my support for the rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1848) to ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration advances the safety of small airplanes, and the continued development of the general aviation industry, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 1848.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1848, the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013.

I'd like to commend my colleague, Congressman Mike Pompeo, for introducing this bill, along with Congressmen Dan Lipinski, Sam Graves, Richard Nolan, and Todd Rokita.

I will insert into the Record a letter of support for H.R. 1848 from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, National Air Transportation Association, and National Business Aviation Association, as well as a separate letter of support from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

Mr. Speaker, we're considering H.R. 1848 today because general aviation is vital to our country. The general aviation industry includes nearly 600,000 pilots, employs 1.3 million people, and contributes approximately $150 billion annually to the U.S. economy. In fact, the general aviation industry is one of the few remaining U.S. manufacturing industries that provide a trade surplus for the U.S., and it has a presence in every one of our 435 Congressional districts.

However, over the last several decades, the general aviation industry has experienced unique challenges, including a steady decline in new pilots, flight activity, and the sale of new aircraft. In part, these challenges are due to overly prescriptive and outdated certification processes, which greatly increase the costs of bringing new products to market and, ultimately, increase the costs for consumers.

The bill before us is intended to address these challenges by streamlining the certification process for small airplanes, making it more efficient and effective, while also protecting the important safety oversight function of the FAA.

The goal is to improve safety at a fraction of the cost. For example, the leading cause of fatalities in general aviation is due to ``loss of control.'' There are several existing technologies available to mitigate loss of control, such as an angle of attack indicator. However, in an FAA-certified airplane, the purchase and installation of this equipment is about $5,000; whereas, the exact same piece of equipment in a noncertified experimental airplane is about $800. So right now, the FAA's complicated and costly small airplane certification process provides a disincentive to certify new airplanes and safety equipment. This is just one example of how the Small Airplane Revitalization Act will improve safety at a fraction of the cost.

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

Mr. Speaker,I yield such time as he may consume to our colleague from the Fourth District of Kansas (Mr. Pompeo).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from the 25th District of Texas, Representative Roger Williams.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to reiterate that this bill is about good government, about creating a regulatory environment that improves safety at a fraction of the cost, and ultimately about helping to revitalize an American industry.

I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.