Floor Statements

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

I rise in support of H.R. 2651, the Maritime Workforce Development Act. The bill will provide needed training and educational opportunities for merchant mariners and those interested in working in the maritime trades. The U.S. Merchant Marine is an important component to our national and economic security, and I support this effort to strengthen this important sector of our workforce.

The bill directs the Maritime Administration to establish a program to support continuing education at approved maritime training institutes and undergraduate training at the five State maritime academies. Loan recipients would be required to commit at least 18 months of service at sea as a condition of participation in the program. This program will improve the opportunities available to those currently serving as merchant mariners and attract new entrants to the maritime workforce.

The bill also directs the Maritime Administration to develop a strategic plan to enhance merchant mariner recruitment, training, and retention, and to fund demonstration projects to further the goals outlined in the plan.

This measure is an important component of the House's ongoing work to support the U.S. Merchant Marine. I strongly support the bill and ask all Members to do the same.

At this point, I would yield 5 minutes to our colleague from North Carolina, Virginia Foxx.

I have no further requests for time and yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise today in support of the resolution before us, House Resolution 707, expressing support for the designation of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.

According to a June 2008 report of the National Commission on Adult Literacy, among the 30 OECD free-market countries, the U.S. is the only Nation where young adults are less educated than the previous generation. In the current U.S. labor force, more and more workers are required to have at least some postsecondary education or occupational training. By one set of measures, more than 88 million adults have at least one major educational barrier: no high school diploma, no college degree or English-as-a-second-language needs. Because of these educational barriers, a number of working-age adults may fall behind in their efforts to get higher-wage jobs or to qualify for the college courses or job training that will help them advance in their current jobs.

Studies also show that two important factors that influence student achievement are a mother's education level and poverty in the home. Parents in family literacy programs may become more involved in their children's education and gain the tools necessary to obtain a job or find better employment.

The National Assessment of Adult Literacy reports that 90 million adults lack the literacy, numeracy or English language skills to succeed at home, in the workplace and in society. By designating an Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, we can encourage people across the United States to support programs to assist those in need of adult education and family literacy programs.

I stand in support of designating National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week in order to raise public awareness about the importance of adult education and of family literacy.

I ask for my colleagues' support.

I yield such time as she may consume to my colleague from Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn.

I have no additional speakers and yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of H. Res. 167, a measure to express the sense of the House of Representatives in support of the goals and ideals of Campus Fire Safety Month. I would like to thank my colleagues, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), for working together to introduce this important resolution.

As we continue to see the effects of the California wildfires on the news, we are reminded that fires can strike anywhere, at anytime, and that includes on a college campus. September has been designated as Campus Fire Safety Month in an effort to remind college campuses and their communities about the dangers of fires on campus. This month reminds campuses that they need to check their fire sprinkler systems, their fire alarm and notification systems, and train students and staff in what to do in case of a fire on campus.

There have been a number of fire tragedies, some fatal, on college campuses in the past. It is for that reason that Congress regularly recognizes Campus Fire Safety Month. We also included a provision in the Higher Education Opportunity Act to ask colleges and universities to report annually on fire safety efforts. The report would include information such as a list of all

student housing facilities and whether or not each is equipped with a sprinkler system or other fire safety system, statistics on occurrences of fires and the injuries that occurred as a result of the fires, information on various fire safety rules and regulations, and information about training provided to students, faculty, and staff.

Our Nation's college students should be able to live on campus with the confidence that they will be safe in their dorms, apartments, or other housing. This measure will take a key step toward ensuring greater awareness of this issue.

I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of House Resolution 650, recognizing that country music has made a tremendous contribution to American life and culture and declaring country music to be a uniquely American art form.

The creation of country music can be isolated to the United States. Its origins are rooted in the multitude of ethnicities found in the people of our country. The traditional music of the British Isles mingled with the music of African slaves and several other immigrant groups to create the unique sound that is country music. The new music first became popular nationally in the 1920s and was then called ``hillbilly music.'' The first country song was broadcast on the radio in 1922.

Since that time, numerous subgenres have developed within country music. Bluegrass, honky-tonk, country pop, and gospel are just four examples of genres that have developed within country music. Today more than 10 subgenres of country music exist.

Since country music first became popular in the 1920s, it has continued to increase in popularity. In the 1930s and 1940s, it made its debut in Hollywood movies and became even more popular. In the 1950s and 1960s, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash topped the charts with their own brands of the music. The 1970s and 1980s saw Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton become music icons for their roles in the popularization of country music. Today, country music has its own television channel, a multitude of radio stations dedicated to it in every section of the country, and its own system of awards.

The popularity of country music has spread beyond the United States in recent years. Canada and Australia have grown increasingly fond of the music. But country music will always be recognized as a uniquely American art form. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.

I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from Florida, Cliff Stearns.

(Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I do.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to our colleague from Nashville, Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn.

I have no additional speakers, and yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise today in support of the resolution before us, House Resolution 741, expressing support for the designation of this Thursday, October 8, 2009, as ``Read for the Record Day.''

Jumpstart is a national early education organization that recruits and trains college students and community volunteers to work with preschool children in low-income communities. These volunteers help young children to develop language, literacy and social skills. Since 1993, Jumpstart has engaged nearly 21,000 adults to serve almost 80,000 young children.

On Thursday, October 8, Jumpstart is working with its partners, including the Pearson Foundation, Walmart Stores, Inc., American Eagle Outfitters, Sodexo, Penguin Young Readers Group, Chase, and the American Association of Retired Persons, to continue its annual campaign to attempt to organize the world's largest shared reading experience.

In 2006, the international campaign was created to bring preschool children together with valued grownups to read the same book, on the same day, in communities all over the world. In 2008, a world record was set as nearly 700,000 readers shared the classic children's tale, Corduroy.

The goals of the campaign are to raise national awareness about the importance of early education. Jumpstart is working to provide books to children in low-income households through donations, book purchases and sponsorship in order to prepare more children for school success.

On ``Read for the Record Day'' in 2009, the hope is to engage more than 1 million children to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and set a new world record for the world's largest shared reading experience on the same day. Thursday, October 8, can be a celebration of reading, service, and fun in support of the Nation's preschoolers.

I stand in support of designating October 8 as ``Read for the Record Day'' in order to encourage grandparents, parents, teachers, and students to come together with children of all ages to create the world's largest shared reading experience to show their support for early literacy.

I ask my colleagues' support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

In the 110th Congress, the House passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007, which was H.R. 2881. That legislation reauthorized the FAA for 4 years. In May of this year, the House voted again to pass a comprehensive reauthorization bill, this time numbered H.R. 915, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009.

Unfortunately, the Senate has been unable to come to an agreement on its bill over the last 2 years. So for the past 2 years, Congress has passed extensions of the Federal Aviation Administration's funding and authority through the end of budget year 2009. The latest extension expires next week. So today we're considering another extension.

H.R. 3607 would extend the taxes, programs, and funding of the FAA through December of 2009. This bill extends FAA funding and contract authority for 3 months; provides $1 billion in Airport Improvement Program funding through December of 2009; extends the War Risk Insurance program; and extends the Small Community Air Service Development Program. H.R. 3607 would ensure that our National Aviation System continues to operate until a full FAA reauthorization can be enacted.

As I have indicated many times since the passage of the House FAA reauthorization bill back in 2007, we need to pass a long-term bill so that we can meet the growing demands placed on our Nation's aviation infrastructure. Modernizing our antiquated air traffic control system and repairing our crumbling infrastructure need to be at the top of our list of priorities. While I have some concerns with the House-passed bill, I look forward to addressing these issues in conference to develop bipartisan solutions on some of the more controversial provisions.

I urge our colleagues in the other body to complete their work on a comprehensive FAA reauthorization package in a timely fashion. While I am disappointed that the FAA has gone so long without a comprehensive reauthorization, I support this extension as the best alternative to keep the FAA and the national air space system running safely until we can take up and pass a bipartisanship and bicameral bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the ranking Republican on the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).

I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank my colleague from Minnesota.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which eliminates the Federal Family Education Loan Program and moves origination of all Federal student loans to the Direct Loan Program.

For over two decades, I have championed direct loans as the most cost-effective way to provide student loans, but the defenders of the archaic FFEL guarantee loan program remain confused, so let me be clear.

Currently, we have two Federal student loan programs which provide the exact same loans to students. FFEL is a Federal program, not a private loan program. Private lenders make the loans with two separate subsidies from the Federal Government: a guaranteed interest rate that's determined through the political process, not the markets, and a guarantee against default losses. Thus, if a student defaults, the taxpayers are on the hook, not the private lender. The profits are private, but the losses are socialized. FFEL is not a free enterprise.

Over the years, FFEL has proven to be fraught with scandal and an unreliable source of funds, and it costs billions of dollars more for the taxpayers. A writer for a conservative columnist Bill Kristol's Weekly Standard Magazine aptly described the FFEL Program as ``a textbook example of crony capitalism.'' In contrast, the Direct Loan Program eliminates the middleman, lending directly from the Treasury, and all servicing and bill collection is handled by private companies operating through performance-based contracts.

Over the years, there has been unanimous agreement by budget experts under both the Clinton and Bush administrations on the excessive costs of FFEL. Earlier this year, an estimate by the CBO once again reiterated this conclusion when it reported that switching to 100 percent direct lending would result in nearly $87 billion in savings.

At this point, I would like to engage in a colloquy with Chairman Miller.

Chairman Miller, I support the grant program included in this bill that aims to strengthen community colleges. It's my understanding that public 2-year liberal arts colleges that offer associate degrees and certificate programs, such as the University of Wisconsin Colleges, will be eligible to compete for these funds.

Do you agree with that interpretation?

I thank the gentleman for his assurance. And I thank my colleague for the time.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3326, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010:

Requesting Member: Hon. Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Account: Department of Defense: Operations and Maintenance, Army (OM,

Wisconsin businessman John Torinus had a column in the July 25 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which I commend to everyone.

Entitled ``Health care architects must face fiscal reality,'' Mr. Torinus pointed out six serious flaws in the health care reform plan. For example, the proposed 8 percent payroll tax on companies which don't provide coverage. Mr. Torinus' company, like many others, spends about 15 percent of payroll on health care. These businesses would save money by opting out of health care and instead paying the 8 percent tax.

President Obama promises that if you like your health insurance, you can keep it. Don't count on it. The House bill proposes a 2.5 percent penalty on people who don't buy mandatory insurance. For someone earning $40,000, that's $1,000, or about one month's premium for a family.

With insurance companies required to accept all comers, many people would skip insurance and instead pay the $1,000 penalty until a substantial medical need arises. That is what Mr. Torinus says is happening in Massachusetts under a similar plan.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3293, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010:

Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 3293

Account: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fond du Lac County

Address of Requesting Entity: 160 S. Macy Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935

Description of Request: The $400,000 appropriation will be used to expand Fond du Lac County's Save a Smile Program, which provides dental care to Medicaid eligible children. The CMS account provides federal funds for demonstration projects related to one of the core missions of CMS, including improving access to health care and access for low- income and uninsured individuals. The lack of dental care among children is a national problem and the Save a Smile Program is a new innovative approach to remedy the situation that may serve as a model for the rest of the country. The goal of the program is to maximize the dental provider delivery system with public sector intervention to establish a dental home for children with Medicaid who reside in Fond du Lac County. The program removes the major barriers voiced by local dental providers, which include burdensome and frustrated Medicaid billing, increased patient no show rates and inadequate Medicaid reimbursement. Specifically the funds will be used to cover additional eligible children, hire additional staff, and produce educational materials.

Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 3293

Account: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lakeshore Technical College

Address of Requesting Entity: 1290 North Avenue, Cleveland, Wisconsin 53015

Description of Request: The $250,000 appropriation will be used by Lakeshore Technical College to support the development of new programs and certificates in sustainability, renewable energy, energy management, solar power and photovoltaic installation, composites, and other relevant disciplines. These programs will be based on the needs of local industry as determined through program advisory committees, direct business requests, and relevant projections. These programs will expand on Lakeshore's current initiatives to retrain American workers with the skills necessary to succeed in the green workplace. The FIPSE account provides funds for projects that focus on improving access to, or the quality of, postsecondary education. Specifically these funds will be used to hire additional faculty, curriculum and professional development and to develop and offer community education sustainability workshops.

Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 3293

Account: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Marian University

Address of Requesting Entity: 45 South National Avenue, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935

Description of Request: The $200,000 appropriation will be used to establish a collaborative abilities-based Master's Program in Nursing Education. The establishment of this program is designed to address the shortage of nurse educators, thereby expanding opportunities for students to get degrees in nursing. The FIPSE account provides funds for projects that focus on improving access to, or the quality of, postsecondary education. Through this program, Marian University proposes to create the relationships and infrastructure to support collaborative agreements among a group of nursing programs at colleges, universities, and technical colleges within Wisconsin. Although the proposed program would have as its primary focus nursing education, students would

be able to obtain advanced clinical preparation in specialty areas. This venture would be the first in Wisconsin to join private and public colleges in order to create new models that wisely use the scarce faculty resources available. Specifically, the federal dollars will be used for faculty, staff, equipment and travel. This will address a national and state-wide need for nurses as identified by Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks received as part of H.R. 3288--Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Hon. Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Account: FAA--Airport Improvement Program

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Address of Requesting Entity: 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53702

Description of Project: This $950,000 will be used for phase 2 of the 3-phase reconstruction of the primary runway at Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This is one of the largest projects in the state with a total cost of $13 million. The current Pavement

Condition Index Report identifies the northern 6,000 feet of the runway at below minimum service level.

Requesting Member: Hon. Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Account: Federal Highway Administration--Surface Transportation Priorities

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Address of Requesting Entity: 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53702

Description of Project: This $500,000 will be used to complete a study and begin construction of an overpass across the Wisconsin Central Railyard on Lake Shore Drive in the Village of North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The railyard is the largest of its kind in the State of Wisconsin and access at Lake Shore Drive is frequently blocked due to trains parked on the tracks. This overpass will allow for the safe and efficient passage of rail traffic through the community and allow for the delivery of essential services (including emergency services) to the residents of the community. The overpass will consist of a 532-foot bridge span across the yard and access ramps to the connecting roads on both sides of the structure.

Requesting Member: Hon. Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Account: Federal Transit Administration--Buses & Bus Facilities

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Address of Requesting Entity: 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53702

Description of Project: This $250,000 will be used to purchase 35- foot replacement accessible buses and related fare box equipment for the Fond du Lac Area Transit System.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3183 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010:

Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 3183

Account: Department of Energy: Energy, Efficiency, and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Address of Requesting Entity: 800 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901

Description of Request: The $500,000 appropriation will be used by UW Oshkosh to establish a program for biomass recycling to be housed on their campus. This project is in conjunction with several private and public entities in the State of Wisconsin. The EERE account provides federal funds to strengthen the United States' energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality in public-private partnerships. This project is expected to both reduce organic waste sent to the landfill and produce alternative fuels to replace fossil- fuel generated energy for campus operations. The University believes it will save approximately $150,000 annually in energy savings. Schools, nursing homes, and other community institutions and households will gain a means to dispose of biomass waste in an environmentally responsible manner and the entire community will benefit from reduced demand on landfill capacity. Funding will be used to acquire the anaerobic digesting plant equipment, plan and engineer the installation of the digester plant, and educate the Oshkosh area community about this new technology. This project supports the University's plan to develop alternative sustainable energy sources and follow the Governor of Wisconsin's directive to eliminate dependence on fossil fuels.

Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Section 1135

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit Division

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 1027, Detroit, MI 48231

Description of Request: $150,000 for the Corps of Engineers' assistance to participate in an investigation to determine the extent of the Corps' water level management strategy on the depletion of fish and other aquatic habitat within Lake Poygan, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Lake Poygan once provided abundant high quality habitat for water fowl and other birds, furbearers, and warm water fishery. Much of this habitat has deteriorated in recent years. The existing water level management strategy is being reviewed to determine its role in the degradation. Water levels at Lake Poygan have been managed under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Fox River project since 1872. The project would involve the construction of a break wall on Lake Poygan for the purpose of protecting, improving, and restoring fish and other aquatic life habitat. FY 2010 funding would be used to continue the feasibility phase.

Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Construction

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Engineer District, Chicago

Address of Requesting Entity: 111 North Canal Street, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606.

Description of Request: The appropriation will provide $7.275 million in the FY 10 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, Construction account for the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal. The funding would be used for the construction and operation of the electric dispersal barriers in the canal as well as a study to consider alternative approaches to prevent inter-basin transfers of aquatic nuisance species. This request was made with numerous Members and Senators of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, along with a request from President Obama.

Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Construction

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Engineer District, Great Lakes & Ohio River Division

Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Description of Request: The appropriation will provide $3.2 million in the FY 10 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, for restoration projects under the Great Lakes Fishery & Ecosystem Restoration program. The funding would be used in coordination with other federal, state, and local agencies and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to plan, implement, and evaluate projects supporting the restoration of the fishery, ecosystem, and beneficial uses of the Great Lakes. This request was made with numerous Members and Senators of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force.

Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Investigations

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Engineer District, Great Lakes & Ohio River Division

Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Description of Request: The appropriation will provide $4 million in the FY 10 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, General Investigations account for Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Committees. The funding would be used for RAPs to identify specific actions to resolve pollution problems by coordinating with the Corps of Engineers in dredging and sediment cleanups. This request was made with numerous Members and Senators of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding an earmark I received as part of H.R. 2847--Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010:

Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri

Bill Number: H.R. 2847

Account: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies--COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Waupun Police Department, Waupun, Wisconsin

Address of Requesting Entity: 16 E. Main St., Waupun, Wisconsin 53963

Description of Project: This $30,000 from the COPS Law Enforcement Technology account will be used by the Waupun Police Department to purchase new communication equipment to become P25 compliant and more effectively respond and communicate with other jurisdictions in the area.

Mr. Speaker, today, President Obama is in my home state of Wisconsin conducting a town hall meeting to promote his health care agenda.

I know that the residents of my home state will tell him that they are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of their health care premiums, while others are simply unable to afford health care coverage.

Many people in my state have lost their jobs and fear that they won't be able to afford their children's medication or that an unforeseen illness will bankrupt them.

Some individuals who have insurance are simply staying in a job they don't like because their next job may not offer health care insurance.

Others who are happy with their insurance worry that any drastic reform will force them into a system that will limit their choice of doctor or access to medical treatment.

I agree with the President that it is time to fix the health care system in the United States so that all Americans, all my constituents, have access to quality affordable health care coverage.

However, I strongly believe that any reform that we consider in the House must be based on a few important principles.

First, it must give everyone access to quality and affordable health care.

All individuals should have the freedom to choose the health plan that best meets their needs.

Second, any reform should ensure a patient centered system.

Patients in consultation with their doctors should be in control of their health care decisions and not government bureaucrats or insurance agents.

If your child or parent is sick, you should have access to timely tests and treatments and not subject to waiting lists or treatment decisions dependent on anyone other than you and your doctor.

Third, our health care system must emphasize prevention and wellness.

Chronic diseases account for 75 percent of our nation's medical costs. By implementing programs focused on preventing such things as smoking and obesity-related diseases, we will not only save lives, but reduce health care costs.

And lastly, any reform needs to focus on getting rid of the waste, fraud and abuse that plagues our current system. Approximately $60 billion is lost due to fraud in the Medicare program alone. We can't afford to multiply that number through a government takeover of our entire health care system.

Our health care system needs to prioritize efficiency, transparency, and results.

I look forward to working with Members of both parties to ensure that these principles guide any legislation we will consider in the future.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 472. I'm a cosponsor of the resolution introduced by my colleague, Mr. Dent of Pennsylvania, congratulating the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association on the organization's 70th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 472. I am a cosponsor of the resolution introduced by Mr. Dent congratulating the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) on the organization's 70th anniversary.

For decades, AOPA has provided important safety information to pilots all over the country, making it a valuable safety partner with the FAA and the House Transportation Committee.

In addition, AOPA continues to perform an advocacy function for pilots and aircraft owners providing a helpful voice both at the FAA and here in Congress. Representing roughly 415,000 pilots and aircraft owners, AOPA has been a valuable stakeholder helping to shape policy solutions to safety issues facing the general aviation industry.

Finally, in representing pilots and aircraft owners, AOPA represents a general aviation industry that is critical to our nation's economy. The manufacturing of general aviation aircraft as well as the maintenance and operation of general aviation aircraft supports 1,265,000 high-quality jobs here in the United States. General aviation also inspires the love for flying that has led to so many U.S. commercial airline pilot careers.

I support the adoption of the resolution.

I yield such time as he may consume to the author of the resolution, Representative Charles Dent.

At this time, Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my colleague from Michigan, Vern Ehlers.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.