Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing the Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act of 2011 to remove a serious disincentive to participation in charitable activities. Private charitable activity plays an important role in our society, and it is important that Congress not stand in the way by penalizing those who wish to offer their services to these groups.

Under current law, individuals that volunteer their time and energy by driving their personal vehicles on behalf of a charitable group can end up with an unpleasant surprise in the form of an unanticipated tax bill. Specifically, volunteer drivers receiving reimbursement for the use of their vehicle are taxed on these payments to the extent that they exceed 14 cents per mile. This treatment stands in stark contrast to the allowance for reimbursement for the business use of that same vehicle, 51 cents per mile in 2011.

The Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act will equalize the tax treatment of charitable reimbursements with those received for business driving because the point of the payment is essentially the same, that is, to cover the cost of operating a personal vehicle while performing an important service in the pursuit of a greater good.

To achieve this end, my legislation would exclude from gross income any reimbursement received for the use of a volunteer's car while assisting a charitable group, limited only by the cap the Internal Revenue Service sets regarding business driving. This treatment would be available only for services provided without compensation and drivers would be required to maintain sufficient records to substantiate the charitable use of their vehicles. Finally, this bill drops the requirement that charitable groups report these reimbursements to the IRS, removing an administrative and paperwork burden that detracts resources from a charity's larger purpose.

Each day, thousands of Americans lend a hand in providing transportation services to a multitude of organizations engaged in good works. These activities include assisting individuals with their routine grocery shopping, providing the use of a four-wheel drive vehicle to transport home-visit nurses during inclement weather, delivering meals as part of a holiday food drive, helping individuals to keep their medical appointments, and many more similar activities.

These volunteer drivers are donating their time and their talents, not their vehicles, and accepting reimbursement for the use of that car, incidental to their time and talent donation, is a reasonable act, which should not result in an additional tax liability. Today, when it comes to driving a personal vehicle, our tax code makes a distinction between business and charitable uses. This distinction is a mistake; it is a serious disincentive to charitable activities, and it should be corrected. I encourage my colleagues to support the continued efforts of our charity-minded constituents by cosponsoring the Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act of 2009.

Mr. Speaker, as a returned Peace Corps volunteer, I rise today to note the passing of Sargent Shriver, who founded the Peace Corps and headed it for its first five years. He was the enthusiastic and committed leader of the new agency, taking it from its founding in 1961 to more than 14,500 volunteers serving in 55 countries by 1966.

I served in the Peace Corps in Somalia in 1966 and 1967 and saw firsthand the contribution that Peace Corps volunteers make to the communities they serve, as well as the effect service has on the volunteers. Fifty years later, the continued selfless and noble service outside our borders remains a testament to the timeless American ideals demonstrated and encouraged by Sargent Shriver.

But it wasn't just the Peace Corps. Sargent Shriver led a life of service, founding the Office of Economic Opportunity and helping to develop its many programs. From 1968 to 1970, he was our able ambassador to France during a difficult time in our relations with that country. In 1972, he ran for Vice President with George McGovern and then ran for President in 1976.

And yet, there are many people who are unfamiliar with Sargent Shriver's service and achievements. His biographer, Scott Stossel, told the Washington Post that it's hard to find another American figure where the disproportion between how much he accomplished and how little he is known is so large.

Let us pause to mark the passage of this public servant and say ``thank you.''

Today I rise in support of H.R. 2, legislation which would repeal the health care law passed last year. Even if it is unlikely that this bill will pass the Senate, I think it's important for the House majority to state its position in the clearest possible terms to encourage a general reevaluation of the new law.

Make no mistake. My colleagues and I support health care reform which would ensure that all Americans, including those with preexisting conditions, have access to affordable coverage. However, the health care law that passed last year takes a fundamentally wrong approach to achieving that goal and will only make worse our skyrocketing health care costs and Federal deficits.

My State of Wisconsin is a leader in terms of providing efficient, high-quality care; and I have been meeting and will continue to work with medical providers in my State as well as my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to develop proposals which will reward high-quality, low-cost medical services instead of simply giving government more control over our health care.

Only by implementing proposals that rein in out-of-control health care costs will we be able to make affordable coverage available to all Americans. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this legislation is to make clear that schools participating in the school lunch program are legally allowed to donate excess food to local food banks.

In 1996, Congress passed the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, which protects donors who give to food banks in good faith from all liability except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct. This landmark law has allowed businesses and civic organizations to donate critically-needed food to local food banks and food pantries.

Despite this law, many schools and school districts have been hesitant to donate excess food from school lunches, primarily due to a misperception that U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations don't allow for excess food to be donated.

Loudoun County, Virginia, in Congressman Frank Wolf's district, has expressed these reservations. That is why Congressman Wolf, an original cosponsor of this bill, reached out to work with me to help address this issue. I'm sure there are many other examples in congressional districts across the country.

This is unfortunate as excess food is being thrown away rather than provided to food banks to support those in need. In many cases, students who rely on school lunches also rely on support from local food banks.

The purpose of this bill is straightforward: to keep excess school food out of the garbage and get it into food banks. The bill will clarify that schools and school districts are permitted to donate excess food and that they are covered under the Good Samaritan Act when doing so.

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

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us, the Museum and Library Services Act, reauthorizes the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the Federal agency that oversees Federal funds going to libraries and museums nationwide, and generally updates the law.

The Museum and Library Services Act authorizes funding for the Library Services and Technology Act and for Museum Services. The library program funding is distributed to States through a formula, and the funds are spent on a wide variety of libraries across our Nation. Through this bill, the Library Services and Technology Act is updated to require greater coordination and better leveraging of Federal and State investment in our Nation's libraries.

The museum funds are distributed through five competitive grant programs and two cooperative agreements. In this section of the bill, the Museum Services Act is updated to encourage greater collaboration between museums and other organizations to leverage resources and improve local communities. It also tries to strengthen capacity for the conservation and preservation of museum collections and helps support State efforts to leverage museum funds.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Today, we consider S. 1275, the National Foundation on Physical Fitness and Sports Establishment Act. This legislation would establish a charitable and nonprofit foundation to raise private funds to carry out new initiatives by the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. The bill establishes a board of directors to govern the activities of the foundation appointed by the Speaker, the majority leaders of the House and Senate, and the minority leaders of the House and Senate.

First established in 1965, the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition has been renewed by every President for the last 45 years. The council is made up of 25 volunteer citizens, including New Orleans Saints

quarterback and Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees, three-time Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes, Billie Jean King, Grant Hill, and Michelle Kwan.

The council advises the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on opportunities to develop accessible, affordable, and sustainable physical activity, fitness, sports, and nutrition programs for all Americans regardless of age, background, or ability.

The council has played an important role over the years in raising the awareness of Americans about the need to become physically active. It sponsors an array of programs, events, and initiatives, including the establishment of May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month; runs the Presidential Physical Fitness Award; recognizes national and local contributions to physical activities; and has played an instrumental role in the development of physical activity guidelines, dietary guidelines, and the National Physical Activity Plan.

Currently, the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition lacks any grant making or regulatory authority, which has limited its activities to providing consultation and technical assistance, general publications, a Web site, and guidance to schools, government agencies, and other interested parties on how to improve physical activity.

The bill before us, S. 1275, would establish a charitable and nonprofit foundation to raise private funds so that the council can award grants to carry out and support its activities. The foundation is similar to those established for the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. Foundations created by Congress allow these programs to create partnerships with the private sector, leverage funds, and expand their work without increasing Federal expenditures. Consistent with this belief, the bill prohibits the foundation from accepting or competing for any Federal funds.

As has been stated on this floor in the past, childhood and adult obesity is an issue that has now reached epidemic proportions in the United States. In 2008, 17 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 19 were obese, and approximately 70 to 80 percent of overweight or obese children remain obese in adulthood. These children are more likely to develop diseases such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. In order to reverse these dangerous trends, Americans need information and support to improve their diet and promote exercise in their daily lives. The bill will establish the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and will ensure that it continues to play an important role in attacking the obesity crisis that is negatively impacting the health of all Americans.

I would also like to mention at this point the contributions of our former colleague from Maryland, Tom McMillen, in urging that we attempt this important matter before the end of this Congress, and I urge my colleagues to join me in doing so.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of House Resolution 1759, which supports the designation of an ``Ed Roberts Day'' for his tireless work as a leader and champion in the disability rights community.

Born January 23, 1939, Edward Verne Roberts contracted polio at the age of 14 in 1953. Despite spending most of his adolescence in an iron lung, he graduated high school and was admitted into the University of California at Berkeley, where he became the first severely disabled person to attend that university.

This feat is all the more amazing when you consider the obstacles that were thrown in Ed's way. A high school administrator threatened to deny him a diploma because he had not completed driver's education and physical education requirements. College administrators told him they had tried to educate students with disabilities before and it did not work. The director of campus housing was afraid that they could not accommodate his needs, offering him a room in the empty wing of the campus hospital. Ed accepted only on the condition that it was considered dormitory space.

During his time at UC Berkeley and after he left college, Ed worked with other students with disabilities to push for curb cuts so that parts of the university could be accessible to disabled persons. He formed the Physical Disabled Student Program to help facilitate and ease the transition for other students with disabilities to attend college.

In 1972, he established the first Center for Independent Living in order to support and assist disabled persons in gaining independence. The center's philosophy was, and it continues to be, based on three main points:

First, comprehensive programs with a wide variety of services, such as employment and assistive technology, are the most effective at meeting the needs of persons with disabilities;

Second, people with disabilities know best how to meet the needs of others with disabilities; and

Third, the strongest and most vibrant communities are those that include and embrace all people, including disabled persons.

Today, most independent living centers across the country use this model as a basis for their work with individuals with disabilities. To celebrate this fact, Ed is known as the ``Father of the Independent Living Movement.''

Mr. Speaker, Ed Roberts was a pioneer in the disability community until his death in 1995. Today, we honor him and acknowledge his work to reduce barriers, increase access, and improve the lives of all persons with disabilities. So I rise in support of House Resolution 1759, which supports the designation of an ``Ed Roberts Day.''

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

Madam Speaker, at the end of this Congress, we will say farewell to Congressman Jim Oberstar, who has represented Minnesota's 8th District since 1975. But his Congressional career started long before that in 1963 when he was appointed as a staff member on the then-Public Works Committee by Representative John Blatnick (who preceded Congressman Oberstar as the representative from Chisholm, MN, and later was Chairman of the Public Works Committee). Forty-four years later, Jim Oberstar would rise to become Chairman of that same committee, now known as the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Having served with Chairman Oberstar during my entire tenure on the Transportation Committee, I want to acknowledge his expertise, his valuable service and the many contributions he has made over many decades. No one knows more about the history of our nation's infrastructure and the critical role it has played in our development as a nation. He is an expert on the history of the Committee and has had a front row seat to the many dramas that have played out over the years as the Committee has worked to pass good, bipartisan bills to move our country forward in building needed highways and transit, airports, developing our ports, protecting our environment--including our shared interest in the Great Lakes--and improving safety amongst all the transportation modes.

To appreciate the character of Jim Oberstar, one needs to look at his background growing up on the Iron Range in the small town of Chisholm. His father was an iron miner and Chairman Oberstar himself worked in the open pit mines to pay for his education. Many a time at Committee meetings we would hear stories of the lessons he learned from that experience and how it was a driving force behind his devotion to improving worker safety. As I stated on the Floor a few weeks ago, the people of the Iron Range are going to lose a great and dedicated champion with deep roots in the history of that mining region of the country.

Another essential part of Jim Oberstar is his ear for languages. He majored in French at the College of St. Thomas in Minnesota and furthered his proficiency in the language during time spent in Belgium and Haiti. While at a function at the Residence of the French Ambassador, where Mr. Oberstar was able to communicate with our hosts in their native language, a Frenchman in attendance informed me that his accent was very good. Something that would make Mr. Oberstar very proud, I am sure.

Let me close by recognizing the other essential element in Mr. Oberstar's life--his family. He married his wife Jo and raised four children before her death in 1991. For the last 17 years, he has had Jean by his side. My wife and I have been honored to consider them friends. He also has strong Wisconsin connections, with his daughters graduating from Marquette University in Milwaukee and his oldest daughter now raising her family in Kenosha. We expect to be welcoming Jim and Jean to Wisconsin often as they come to visit the family.

So, it is the end of an era on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I want to express my admiration and thanks for Jim Oberstar's service to the Committee and to the House. Most importantly, I appreciate his friendship and the many experiences we have shared over the years. I wish him and Jean all the best as they begin this new phase of their lives.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as was pointed out, in May, the House passed H.R. 915, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009. In March of this year, the Senate passed its own FAA reauthorization bill. The House took that up, amended it, passed it, and sent it back to the Senate. Since then, we have been in formal discussions to reconcile the two bills. While these discussions have led to tentative agreements on nearly all of the provisions, a few controversial issues have prevented the House and Senate from reaching a final agreement.

Therefore, with the FAA's authorities set to expire at the end of the calendar year, we again find it necessary to consider another extension. Like the 16 earlier extensions over the past 3 years, the bill before us would provide a short-term extension of the taxes, programs, and funding of the FAA, this time through the end of March 2011.

It is unfortunate that this Congress has not been able to reach final agreement on a comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill. We recognize the importance of a multiyear authorization, and I look forward to working with Mr. Costello and my other colleagues in the next Congress to that end.

However, in order to ensure the safe operation of the National Airspace System while Congress continues to debate a full reauthorization package, I certainly support passage of today's extension and urge my colleagues to do the same.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I just want to take a minute to acknowledge and express my admiration for the service of the chairman of our committee, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar). The Public Works and Transportation Committee has a long and honorable record here in our Congress. I think the gentleman from Minnesota has been a contributing member of that committee both as a leading staff member, working his way up, and then as a member of the committee representing the Iron Range in northern Minnesota and working his way up to the chairmanship, for a significant percentage of the life of the committee. We are a 200-year-old-or-more- plus country and I think you've been on the committee for at least a quarter of that time.

It has really been a joy for me to be able to learn about the background and history and contexts of a lot of the different decisions that the committee has faced over the years from the gentleman from Minnesota, who in some cases read about them, in other cases experienced firsthand the history that we were discussing and the background of the decisions that we were making. Like any other two Members of a body like this, we've never agreed on everything, but I think we've always tried to be agreeable. I certainly have appreciated that. And I think that there is no question that the people of the Iron Range in northern Minnesota are going to lose a great and dedicated champion with deep roots in the history of that mining region of our country.

I would just like to yield for a brief moment to my chairman on the Education and Labor Committee, George Miller.

Before I wrap up, just one last point, and that is that I think one thing I've learned watching Jim Oberstar is the way he has expressed appreciation for and treated the people he works with on the staff of the committee and in the House. I think the fact that he spent many years as a staffer himself, sometimes you get angry about things but he always recognized the contribution and the importance of the work that was being done by people who devoted their lives often not in the public spotlight but even in more important endeavors as they actually worked out the details of legislation that were working with us, such as David Heymsfeld that he just referred to.

For these and many other reasons, you, sir, shall be missed.

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

Madam Speaker, as a representative from the Great Lakes region and a cosponsor of the House version of this bill, I support passage of S. 1421, the Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act. S. 1421 will explicitly ban Asian carp from being imported or shipped to the

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of the resolution before us, my colleague from Tennessee, James Duncan.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution before us sponsored by my colleague from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan), congratulating the National Air Transportation Association for celebrating the organization's 70th anniversary. The resolution also applauds the association's efforts over the years to improve general aviation safety and bolster the general aviation industry.

NATA represents over 2,000 member companies that provide millions of jobs in the United States that support the general aviation industry. NATA member companies provide for many of the behind the scenes support for general aviation, including fuel sales, aircraft maintenance, parts sales, storage, and flight training, just to name a few. These sectors of the general aviation industry support jobs for millions of Americans and contribute $150 billion to the United States economy.

NATA played a big role in the resurgence of aviation after World War II and continues to play an important advocacy role for its member companies. Most importantly, the association plays an active role in improving safety for its member companies and the traveling public.

I support the resolution, and urge my colleagues to adopt the resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, while there are several issues that we would like to continue working on as this bill moves forward, I want to voice my support for H.R. 4714, the ``National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2010.''

The NTSB is a small, but important, part of the federal government and makes critical contributions to our nation's transportation safety each year.

In 1967, Congress formed the NTSB as an independent agency to investigate civil aviation accidents and significant transportation accidents in the surface modes--railroad, highway, marine, and pipeline--as well as assisting victims of fatal accidents.

Since its creation in 1967, the NTSB has investigated more than 132,000 aviation accidents and more than 10,000 accidents in other transportation modes. As a result of these investigations, the Board has issued a total of almost 13,000 safety recommendations and over 82 percent of those have been adopted.

In making safety improvement recommendations based on world-class investigations, hundreds of NTSB professionals as well as the Federal Aviation Administration and the aviation industry have helped create the safest aviation system in the world. With its current resources, NTSB continues to do a tremendous service to this Nation and the traveling public in all modes of transportation.

H.R. 4714, as amended, provides for a four-year reauthorization-- fiscal years 2011 through 2014.

Given the size of the federal deficit and the improvement in aviation safety resulting in fewer aviation accidents requiring NTSB's attention, we are concerned with the level of funding authorized in this bill.

We believe that a better starting point for the NTSB's funding levels is $100.4 million, the amount requested in the fiscal year 2011 President's budget. The NTSB both supports and is comfortable with the President's budget Request.

Despite the state of the federal budget, as introduced, H.R. 4714 would have authorized a twenty percent increase over current levels from 2010 to 2011.

Even a ten percent increase in authorization levels, as included in the amended version of H.R. 4714, raises concerns due to the Federal deficit. H.R. 4714, as amended, would authorize a total of a 27 percent increase in funding over 4 years.

We remain concerned with the authorization levels contained in the bill and look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues on this issue should H.R. 4714 go to conference.

This bill also expands the NTSB's authority to investigate ``incidents'' in all modes of transportation. The bill directs the NTSB to define the term ``incidents'' in a rulemaking. It is our understanding that the Department of Transportation will be given the opportunity to comment on and influence the NTSB's rulemaking. This bill would also require the formulation of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with each appropriate modal agency to describe and reach understanding on the roles and responsibilities of each party in the event of an NTSB incident investigation.

We believe that the inclusion of ``incidents'' in the definition of ``accidents'' will require close oversight by Congress to ensure that there are no negative impacts on the ability of each modal transportation agency to investigate and conduct enforcement activities. The potential for the NTSB to obtain evidence voluntarily from the parties involved in an incident may limit the evidence available to the modal agencies in the pursuit of an enforcement action.

We also remain concerned about the impact of a provision prohibiting the disclosure of information by party representatives during an investigation. While the intent of the provision is sincere, its impact may severely harm the party representative system, a system that has served the Nation well over the years.

We would like to work with the Chairman and Rep. Carnahan to ensure the provision achieves its intended result without unintended consequences.

Finally, we would like to thank the Chairman for trying to address the concerns raised at markup regarding the language in the bill on interim recommendations.

Unfortunately, despite these changes to the bill, we are still concerned that there may be some confusion with the issuance of both interim safety recommendations and final recommendations. Again, we hope the Chairman will continue to work with us to address these concerns as this bill moves forward.

While these are several issues that we would like to continue working on in a bipartisan manner, we do support H.R. 4714 and look forward to working together to improve the bill.

I thank the Chairman as well as my other colleagues for their work on this bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, as the House considers H. Con. Res. 319 recognizing the anniversary of the shootings at Fort Hood last November, I would like to pay tribute to all of the 43 shooting casualties and recognize two of my constituents.

Staff Sergeant Amy Krueger of Kiel, Wisconsin, was one of those who lost their lives that day. Following the 9/11 terrorists attacks, she was moved to join the Army because she wanted to help keep America safe. She was proud of her military service and returned to Kiel High School to share her experiences with current students. Staff Sergeant Krueger had been to Afghanistan previously and, like others in the Soldier Readiness Processing

Center that day, was about to be deployed again.

In his remarks at the Fort Hood memorial service shortly after the shooting, President Obama shared a story that symbolizes Staff Sergeant Krueger's energy, drive and determination. He said, ``When her mother told her she couldn't take on Osama bin Laden by herself, Amy replied `Watch me.' '' That spirit was evident to all who knew her.

In the small Wisconsin town of Kiel, the news of Staff Sergeant Krueger's death was met with an outpouring of love and support for her family and friends, as well as respect for her service to our country. On Memorial Day this year, the town unveiled a memorial in her honor that includes words that meant so much to her: ``All Gave Some--Some Gave All.'' As we mark this sad day one year later, we remember Staff Sergeant Krueger and send our thoughts and prayers to her loved ones.

Private First Class Amber Bahr of Random Lake, Wisconsin, is a Sixth District resident who was injured in the shootings. As the events unfolded that terrible day, Amber immediately reacted to help her injured comrades and did not even realize that she too had been shot. This generous spirit was also cited by President Obama as an example of the bravery and caring of these soldiers for one another.

Our service men and women have joined the military to serve their country; many, like Amy, to join the fight against terrorism. I am sure they did not expect that they would be fighting it here on U.S. soil.

I join my colleagues in supporting H. Con. Res. 319 as we take time to remember and pay our respects to those lives lost, as well as commend and thank the civilian and military law enforcement personnel, the medics and all others who helped those in need that day.

I thank my colleague from Louisiana.

In May 2009, the House passed H.R. 915, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009. In March of this year, the Senate passed its own FAA reauthorization bill which the House took up, amended, passed and sent back to the Senate. Since that time, we have been in informal discussions to reconcile the two versions of the bill. While these discussions have led to tentative agreements on nearly all of the provisions, a few controversial issues have stalled progress on a final agreement. Therefore, with the FAA's authorities set to expire on September 30, we again find it necessary to consider another extension bill. Likes the 15 earlier extensions over the past 3 years, H.R. 6190 would provide a short-term extension of the taxes, programs, and funding of the FAA, this time through the end of this year, 2010.

I remain very disappointed that a few issues in the reauthorization package are holding up final agreement on a comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill. However, in order to ensure the safe operation of the national airspace system while Congress continues to debate a full reauthorization package, I support passage of today's extension.

I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I support passage of H.R. 4195, a bill that would authorize the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a commemorative work to honor the formation of the Peace Corps and the ideals upon which it was founded.

I served in the Peace Corps in Somalia in 1966-67, just 5 years after the program's founding, and saw first hand the contribution that Peace Corps volunteers make to the communities they serve. Fifty years later, the continued selfless and noble service outside our borders remains a testament to the timeless American ideals embodied by the Peace Corps volunteers I served with and those that are serving today. Indeed, 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 in developing countries through volunteer service abroad.

The memorials and commemoratives of Washington, DC, 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 the Peace Corps's founding, and the American ideals it represents, deserve an essential and meaningful part of the national capital landscape to commemorate the preeminent, lasting significance of a watershed moment in the nation's history, the founding of the Peace Corps 50 years ago. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4195.