Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Traumatic Brain Injury Taskforce, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 99. This resolution will help increase awareness for traumatic brain injury (TBI), the leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, few Americans may understand the amount of devastation caused by TBIs every year. This year alone, over 1.4 million people will sustain a traumatic brain injury. Sadly, at least 80,000 of those individuals will remain permanently disabled from the trauma.

Falls, motor vehicle crashes, sports injuries, and violence are among the major causes of TBI, leaving every individual susceptible. Additionally, TBls can manifest themselves in various ways, from a small behavioral change to complete physical disability, and even death. Brain injuries affect the whole family emotionally and financially, often resulting in huge medical and rehabilitation expenses.

It is now especially important that we promote awareness for TBI because military doctors are naming it the signature wound of the war in Iraq. Thanks to the state-of-the-art body armor with which our men and women overseas are equipped, they are able to survive violent attacks, while still receiving a blunt force to the head. Walter Reed Memorial Hospital found that over 60% of all soldiers wounded in an explosion, vehicle accident, or gunshot to the head or neck, sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury.

Mr. Speaker, because all of our fellow citizens have family, friends and neighbors who could fall victim to TBI at any time, I urge support from my distinguished colleagues for this resolution here today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the patriotic essay on military service by one of my young constituents, Mr. Adam Brown of Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania.

Adam's essay entitled, ``Narratives of Soldiery,'' was submitted for publication by Mr. Larry Babitts, a twice-wounded, two-war combat veteran and commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Capitol City--West Shore Chapter 11, Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. In his essay, Adam pays tribute to the courageous service and sacrifice of those men and women in uniform who selflessly guard our individual freedoms and liberties here at home and throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to submit Adam's essay for publication in the Congressional Record, at Mr. Babbits' request. Adam's essay reminds all Americans that it is our solemn national duty to support our fellow citizens who volunteer to forfeit their own security to defend and preserve the rights and liberties that make our Nation the world's pinnacle of freedom. In Adam's words, ``there is no greater gift than serving your country.''

Narratives of Soldiery

(By Adam Brown)

Hang your head in shame, those who think themselves too

good for service, for there is no man who may say it with

truth. Those who find themselves in wealth's company and

belittle the soldier, hold your self-righteous tongues in the

presence of men greater than yourselves. Before your

mercurial words lash on the backs of the men who fight,

remember this; the dream that you live was delivered by those

men whom you belittled. For a rich man who thinks himself too

valuable for soldiery is worth less than the vagabond who

answers his nation's call.

All men of a free nation are indebted to nation that grants

them that freedom. And the soldier, violent so as his acts

may be, is the vessel with which those freedoms are

delivered. Go Curser of the warrior, exercise your freedoms;

speak what you will, worship what you will, and congregate

where you will, but rest your head at night with an uneasy

conscience. For when your nation looked for your service

in time of war, you lowered your head, so as not to be

recognized, so let your head stay lowered in dishonor.

Wise is the common man who recognizes his debt, and pays

it with his service, for there is no greater gift than

serving your country.

Common man, you may walk the roads of your country knowing

one absolute truth, every time you fought on our behalf,

every time you killed out of orders, and every time you held

a dying brother, you earned your rights. Every American gets

them, but you, oh noble veteran, have earned them in a way

the nay-sayer will never. And his riches can never buy what

you have earned. Keep this knowledge sacred, that in paying

the debt to your country, all others now owe that debt to

you. You now owe no man, only God.

Common man of soldiery, what you have done will be forever

with you, both your valiance and your nightmares. For every

soldier remembers, be it right or wrong, taking life. So when

you wake in your bed with cold sweat, find comfort; find

comfort in the fact that the actions that give you

nightmares, have also brought you honor. And search for a

small measure of peace. In a world that was fair, no one

would ask you to be strong again, because you have shown

enough strength for your entire lifetime. But, alas, this

world lacks perfection, and you are never rid of what is

asked of you.

Though it isn't fair, still you must be strong, strong for

your family, and your community. Do not search for

recognition for what you have done; it will come of itself.

It seems impossible to find enough toughness in oneself to

remain the pillar of strength for so many, but you can do it,

and you must do it. People will look to you as the military,

be it invited or not. So your actions reflect on the

military, the entire military, regardless of your branch, it

is for this reason you must still be strong. Though you

may not think it, you will find inner strength to hold up

all that you need to.

You who retreats from honor's light, again you are

addressed. When a soldier enters your presence, dare you not

to criticize or even meet eyes with him. For you did cower,

and no self-justification will nullify that fact. You have

the luxury of speaking ill of the nation, and its leader.

Carry with you any politics you may, speak ill of your

government if you see fit, for that is the first liberty we

took upon creating our country, but see the line between the

government, and the soldier. For that line is a canyon for

which there is no compare, And if you truly think ill of your

government, do not impose upon a soldier, your

dissatisfaction. For if not for him you would hail: a British

crown, a Mexican president, a slave holder, a German Furher,

a Japanese Emperor, a Korean Dictator, a Russian Czar, or an

Arab Sheik. This list is long and the common soldier did

fight and prevail over all these. So you have no place to

quarrel with such a noble man. Keep in mind, the soldier is

merely the sword of his people, to do what they wish. One

does not blame the sword for who it cuts down, or why it

cuts, the sword only does what its wielder commands. Yet

forget not your duty, to speak against the government if it

should become tyrannical, because you are bound by honor to

see the sword not abused.

Some men measure success in gold and things of beauty; I

pity these men. Some measure success in popularity, these men

too, I pity. For success is nothing more than accomplishing

something correctly, every man has done this, and every man

has failed at this. Men place too much importance on success,

and in doing so have neglected the most important of all

virtues, honor. But what is honor? Honor cannot be tasted,

seen, or heard, but felt; not just by he who is honorable,

but everyone around him as well. Honor is standing defiantly

in the face of that which is wrong and stating with a stem

voice and clenched fists, ``This is not right, and I will not

let this stand.'' Those words will emanate to the heavens and

rally the angels' cheers. Those words will shake hell to

hysteria and send demons fleeing in fear.

Take a moment, Common Man of the Soldier, and find simple

comfort in the fact that not all turn a blind eye to what you

have done. For what you carry with you; you are honored.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge today, November 17, 2005, as the Great American Smokeout. For nearly three decades, the American Cancer Society has designated the third Thursday of each November as a day for smokers nationwide to unite and kick the deadly habit of smoking.

Today, smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. It is a major cause of not only lung cancer, but cancers of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, kidney, bladder, pancreas, cervix, and has most recently been associated with acute leukemia and cancers of the stomach. Yet, over 45.4 million Americans are addicted to tobacco.

Mr. Speaker, due to the commendable efforts of organizations such as the American Cancer Society, 46 million Americans have thankfully already quit smoking. The American Cancer Society will be conducting activities today throughout the United States to celebrate the Great American Smokeout. I encourage all smokers to take part in this critically important endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, on December 1, 1955, on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, the conscience of the Nation was rallied by a seamstress from Tuskegee. ``The only tired I was,'' Rosa Parks once remarked about that day, ``was tired of giving in.''

The injustice of racial segregation was overcome because so many ordinary people rallied to a great and noble cause, because so many ordinary people recognized an injustice and were tired of it. Rosa Parks' legacy is to have peacefully compelled our great nation to face up to its greatest shortcoming. As so many have said, Rosa Parks stood up by sitting down.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud this chamber has today adopted a resolution (S. Con. Res. 61) to allow Ms. Parks to lie in honor in the rotunda of the United States Capitol, so that all citizens of our great Nation may pay their last respects. There must be room in this building for not only members of Congress and Presidents, but also for a seamstress and her moral legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to strongly support House Resolution 276. This resolution will help increase awareness about a horrible disease: Pancreatic cancer.

Few Americans may understand that pancreatic cancer is a horrific killer. This year alone, over 32,180 people will be diagnosed with this disease. Because there are no early detection tools for this cancer, 99% of those diagnosed will lose their lives.

Many Americans are not aware that pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers; most patients only survive 3 to 6

months after diagnosis. This is why it is a moral imperative for Congress to work to increase awareness of this deadly cancer.

Currently, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (known as ``Pan CAN'') is the only national advocacy organization available for pancreatic cancer patients and their families and friends. I became aware of Pan CAN through a constituent of mine, Bob Hammen, who lost his wife to this terrible disease. Pan CAN provides patient support and professional education about this disease, while coordinating advocacy programs to focus national attention on finding a cure for pancreatic cancer.

Pan CAN regards each November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. With the passage of H. Res. 276, Congress will be supporting Pan CAN's efforts to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer so that scientific advancements can lead to early detection programs and effective treatments.

Mr. Speaker, because all of our fellow citizens have family, friends and neighbors who are regrettably vulnerable to this dreaded disease, I urge support from my distinguished colleagues for this resolution here today.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the School Readiness Act of 2005. I would like to pay particular attention and highlight a provision of the bill granting greater flexibility to Head Start programs wanting to provide Early Head Start to children ages birth to 3.

A priority goal of the Head Start program is to reach out and assist as many of our Nation's at-risk children as possible in the most effective and responsible manner possible. In continuing with this tradition, I was proud to join with my distinguished colleagues, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen), in offering a bipartisan amendment during committee consideration of this measure meant to reach out and serve at-risk children at an age when brain development is occurring rapidly and is perhaps in its most critical phase.

The Biggert-Van Hollen-Platts amendment, which was adopted unanimously in committee, gives grantees providing services under Head Start ages 3 to 5, and Early Head Start, birth to age 3, the flexibility to use existing unfilled Head Start slots for infants and toddlers who are eligible for Early Head Start.

In the earliest years, infants and toddlers are developing a foundation not only with respect to language and cognition, but also with respect to emotion, mental health, and social behavior upon which all subsequent learning is built. As many as 75 percent of children enter the Head Start program with vocabulary skills below the average range, and 82 percent of these children start out with early writing skills below the average range.

These numbers tell us that we need to start reaching out to at-risk children at an even younger age, before they have already fallen behind their peers. Yet early Head Start currently serves less than 5 percent of eligible infants and toddlers.

A major study of the Early Head Start program by Mathematica Policy Research and Columbia University found that 3-year-old Head Start children performed significantly better on a range of measures of cognitive, language, and social and emotional development than a control group. In addition, the parents of these children scored significantly higher than control group parents on many aspects of parenting and the home environment.

Early education programs are clearly important to the future of our Nation and our Nation's children. They have the ability to influence the course of young children's lives in a positive way. I hope my colleagues in this Chamber will join me in supporting final passage of

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to establish a Special Inspectors General Council for Hurricane Katrina. As Members of Congress charged with overseeing the operation and accountability of the Federal government, we have a responsibility to ensure that all funds we authorize and appropriate are spent for their intended purposes. In the wake of the terrible devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, we have already appropriated more than $60 billion for the immediate relief effort, and this amount is, no doubt, only the beginning. These funds must be spent in a way that ensures that the people in the affected areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are able to recover.

Assuring accountability for relief and recovery projects is imperative. The public's trust in their government has been shaken in the aftermath of this disaster. We must assure the American people that we are being appropriately prudent with their money. Any dollar lost to fraud or waste is a dollar that does not make it to someone who is in need. This funding is too important to be misspent, and that is precisely why I am introducing this legislation today.

As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Management, Finance, and Accountability, I have seen firsthand the good work of agency inspectors general. Their unique relationship with both the agencies they oversee and the Congress, to whom they report, provides an ideal check on the system. Inspectors general have long stood as a bulwark against fraud and mismanagement.

While some in the Congress have called for the appointment of one Special IG to oversee hurricane relief funding, this proposal raises concerns. The most troubling aspect of the legislation is a requirement that this Special IG be appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security within three days. This is contrary to the intent of the Inspector General Act. The IG Act requires that an IG with this much authority--one who would potentially oversee the expenditures of up to $200 billion--be appointed by the President with the advise and consent of the Senate. Under the Special IG proposal, we would face the unworkable problem of having several IGs with Senate confirmation reporting to a political appointee who reports to one cabinet secretary.

The response to Hurricane Katrina will involve the full breadth of Federal resources. It will touch nearly every Federal agency. What we need is a coordinated response from the IGs now in place throughout government. We need IGs with institutional knowledge unique to their own agencies to work together under the leadership of the Department of Homeland Security. This Council will draw on the resources of over 5,000 auditors and investigators who are already in place today.

The hurricane relief money is being spent right now. It is important that this coordination begin as quickly as possible. We cannot take a chance on a single Special Inspector General who mayor may not have the depth and breadth of knowledge to ensure full accountability at all the Federal agencies that will be part of this effort. We have no time for a learning curve, especially when we have the ability to leverage the considerable resources already available. A Special IG Council will enable this important work, which in many cases is already underway, to be completed in the most effective manner.

Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on Management, Finance, and Accountability, I rise today to express my concern for the victims and to emphasize the importance of ensuring that every dollar allocated to this relief effort gets to its intended recipient. As we pass this important relief measure, let me assure all Americans that we stand ready, willing, and able to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina. As we prepare to provide the appropriate and necessary assistance to ensure our citizens can rebuild their lives, we must administer these Disaster Assistance funds responsibly.

Over the past two years, my Subcommittee has held three hearings on management at the Department of Homeland Security. While not always the most exciting topic, it is strong, sound management that will enable us to get through a crisis of this magnitude. Last year, in the aftermath of the Florida hurricanes, FEMA administered grants through the Individuals and Households Program. Just as we seek to do today, these grants were intended to provide emergency relief to those most impacted. Unfortunately, according to a report by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (Audit of FEMA's Individuals and Households Program in Miami-Dade County, Florida, for Hurricane Frances, OIG-05-20), there were numerous documented instances of improper payments.

The assistance that we are providing to the victims of Hurricane Katrina is too important to be misspent. The Federal government has a responsibility to ensure the proper and effective distribution of aid. Any dollar lost to fraud or mismanagement is a dollar that does not make it to someone who is in need.

With the passage of the Stafford Act (Public Law 93-288) and its subsequent amendments, the Congress put in place specific requirements for the effective allocation of disaster funds. This statutory framework is designed to protect these resources from those who would seek to gain at the expense of the victims of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. With sound management, appropriate controls and accountability, we will have the means to continue to provide resources to those who are truly in need of assistance.

Mr. Speaker, the ongoing scenes of devastation and despair caused by Hurricane Katrina are heart-wrenching and unprecedented in our Nation's history. We must and will unite in a national effort to assist our fellow citizens in these hours of overwhelming need.

Our condolences and prayers go out to all individuals who have been impacted by Hurricane Katrina, especially those who have lost loved ones in this horrific tragedy. Passage of this legislation makes it clear that all members of Congress, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike, are indeed united in our prayers for and commitment to the victims of this devastating event. We are also united in our admiration of the military and emergency services personnel who are working tirelessly to save lives and maintain order. Their heroic efforts, matched with the outpouring of support from the American people, are a testament to the character and compassion of our people.

While the days, weeks, and months ahead will be long and difficult, our Nation will meet this unprecedented challenge with unwavering determination, compassion, and courage. May God watch over the victims of this tragedy during this time of tremendous loss and suffering.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Madam Chairman, this amendment I offer would increase funding for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS, by $1.227 million for the purpose of eradicating plum pox disease. This funding effort would allow for the total amount of funding for this program at APHIS to be $3.443 million, the same level that was appropriated in fiscal year 2005.

The amendment I offer is important to the fruit growers both in Pennsylvania and across our Nation. It would help to bring an end to the most significant and destructive virus that affects our stone fruit grower, plum pox. The virus is extremely damaging to fruit production. The plum pox virus is capable of causing disease in fruits such as peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, sweet and sour cherries. Tree yields can be severely affected. Some reports claim 80 to 100 percent premature fruit drop in some plum varieties. Infected fruit may be unsightly and difficult to sell as table fruit. Export of fruit is difficult; export of budwood and nursery stock is next to impossible.

With the discovery of plum pox virus in Pennsylvania in September of 1999, a survey and eradication program was put in place. Through 5 years of survey, research and control action, the program has been successful in both containing and almost completely eradicating the virus. In fact, in 2004, for the first time no plum pox virus was found outside of existing quarantine areas. Three years of negative data in several of these quarantine areas allowed the rescinding of those quarantines. After 5 years of testing, no plum pox virus has been found in the United States outside the remaining quarantine zone in Pennsylvania.

Although we have made considerable progress, the virus is still present. As evidence of the virus' persistence, on June 3 of this year, last week, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture announced the discovery of plum pox virus in Adams County once again. Both the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture are currently following the standard procedures to survey and quarantine the area in question.

Level fund for the plum pox virus program at APHIS will likely eradicate this virus from both Pennsylvania and the United States, thereby being a smart Federal investment. Without adequate funding, the plum pox virus program will not be able to complete an appropriate survey and the associated procedures, which in turn will leave questions about the status of the virus. Eradication of the virus may not be completed and the possibility of virus spreading beyond the quarantine area will be left open.

Complete eradication of the plum pox virus, on the other hand, will allow U.S. stone fruits and nursery industries to continue operating without further impairment by this virus menace.

Level funding, as this amendment proposes, is critical to helping to eradicate this devastating disease once and for all.

Madam Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the difficult fiscal times we are in. The gentleman and his staff have done a great job of trying to balance all the concerns, and certainly I appreciate the gentleman's efforts and his staff's efforts to address this specific concern. I look forward to working with the gentleman as we go to conference with the Senate. In light of that effort, when we get to conference, I will be glad withdraw the amendment at the time and work with the gentleman and his staff in the months to come.

Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Madam Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

I will be glad to take a more in-depth look at that amendment. I think we all have a shared purpose, but we will look at the specifics of the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bipartisan amendment. If we want a national energy policy that is truly about economic security for all Americans, not just those in the auto industry, that is about national security for all Americans, it needs to be comprehensive. It needs to be about hybrid vehicles, alternative fuels, renewable fuels. It needs to be about better using our resources we have. But it also needs to be about conservation.

This amendment is one of the greatest steps we can take in the area of going forward in conservation. It is not about whether you should be able to buy an SUV. It is about whether you should be able to buy an SUV that gets 27.5 miles per gallon like a car does instead of 20.7. It is about choice and efficiency.

This amendment is a good amendment. I urge a ``yes'' vote. I commend the prime sponsors of the amendment for bringing it before the House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce important legislation that will improve the way the Federal government collects delinquent non-tax debts.

This legislation would amend the Debt Collection Act to eliminate the 10-year limitation on the collection of delinquent federal debts through the Treasury Offset Program, which is maintained by the Financial Management Service at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. A request for this legislation was transmitted as part of President Bush's Fiscal Year 2006 Budget request. It is estimated that this provision would return $6 million to the Treasury in the first year of implementation, and at least $11 million each year thereafter.

Non-tax debt would include defaulted loans or overpayments to vendors. Under current law, the only type of non-tax debt not subject

to the 10-year limitation is defaulted student loans owed to the U.S. Department of Education. This legislation would bring all other types of debt in line with the requirements for repaying student loans.

The U.S. government should have the ability to collect each and every debt. This money belongs to the taxpayers. No one should be able to avoid responsibility simply by waiting for an arbitrary time limit to expire. In times of tightening budgets, we cannot afford to allow delinquent debtors to shift their burdens onto taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to take this opportunity here this evening to recognize the selfless and courageous sacrifice made 62 years ago by the four military chaplains on board the USS Dorchester, an American troop ship during World War II. The example of these four chaplains is an important reminder to all Americans, especially now when another generation of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen such as Corporal Joseph Fite, whom we just heard of his making the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation, of the important lessons of both the sorrow and heroism found in war. We today have a new generation making sacrifices overseas in harm's way as these four military chaplains did so courageously 62 years ago.

On February 3, 1943, the Dorchester was torpedoed in the icy waters off the coast of Greenland. Over 900 men were on board. Only 230 survived. Many of the survivors recounted the story of the heroic actions of four chaplains of different faiths: A Jewish rabbi, Lieutenant Alexander Goode, from York, Pennsylvania, my hometown; a Catholic priest, Lieutenant John Washington; and two Protestant ministers, Lieutenants George Fox and Clark Poling.

These four servants of God spent the 18 minutes of the Dorchester's sinking, their last 18 minutes in this life, helping their fellow human beings to safety. When there were no more life jackets to hand out, the chaplains removed their own and gave them to four shipmates. The four chaplains were last seen on the hull of the ship arm and arm in prayer as the ship sank into the icy waters.

There is no greater example of love than the four chaplains' selfless service to and sacrifice for their fellow human beings. A love that did not discriminate based on race or creed. A love that required the ultimate of sacrifices.

Our memory of and tribute to the four chaplains continues today as important a lesson in humanity now as it was 62 years ago.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce important legislation to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our Federal government--the Program Assessment and Results Act, or PAR Act, which establishes a statutory requirement that the Office of Management and Budget, OMB, working with agencies, review and assess the effectiveness of each federal program at least once every five years. As elected representatives of the people, we have a responsibility to use taxpayer dollars in the most effective way possible. As Congress formulates its budget each year, we must have the best information available to us on which to base our spending decisions.

The Government Performance and Results Act, or GPRA, has laid a solid foundation for agencies working with Congress to set strategic goals and begin to utilize performance based information. Building on GPRA, we must take the next step toward reforming the way the government conducts business.

One of the key aspects of any reform effort is to change the prevailing mindset. If our emphasis is on creating a more results- oriented government, then we must change our mindset from outputs to outcomes. It takes time to achieve this type of cultural shift. The reforms of the early 1990s--the CFO Act, GPRA and others--are just beginning to work as intended.

Prior efforts to make the federal government more effective--the Hoover Commission, Zero-Based Budgeting, the Planning-Programming- Budgeting System, Reinventing Government--have come and gone with little lasting effect. Federal managers have learned that if they wait, each new administration is likely to attempt yet another broad based reform. From a management standpoint, it is difficult in that type of environment to make long-range plans; and it's next to impossible to achieve the kind of cultural shift needed to reform the management of the federal government.

By enacting GPRA, Congress put government reform in statute. Because of this statutory framework, federal managers now look at the requirements for performance plans and strategic plans required by GPRA and know they are here to stay regardless of changes in Congress and the Executive Branch. When the first agency strategic plans fell short of expectations, the reform effort was not scrapped--it was improved. Now, ten years after GPRA was enacted, we have strategic plans that are more in line with what was envisioned. We have seen slow, sustainable improvement.

GPRA requires that agencies focus attention on program evaluation as one of six aspects of their strategic plans. Unfortunately, according to a 2004 report from the Government Accountability Office, program evaluation is the one area where departments consistently come up short. Not only have agencies failed to comply with this requirement, the valuable information that stands to be gained from these evaluations is not culled, coordinated, or presented in a useful way.

We have seen great progress in meeting other objectives set out in GPRA. In 1997, only 76 percent of federal managers had developed performance measures. By 2003, that number had risen to 89 percent. It is now time to strengthen GPRA to address the shortfall we see in program evaluation.

By creating and using the Program Assessment Rating Tool, or PART, this Administration has gone a step beyond the strategic plans required by GPRA and implemented a system for evaluating the performance and results of federal programs. The next logical step is to codify the requirement for a coordinated evidence-based review of programs.

The PAR Act does not seek to codify the use of the PART specifically. Rather, this bill amends GPRA by establishing a requirement for program reviews. Specifically, the Office of Management and Budget, working with agency heads, would be required under the Act to review each program activity at least once every five years. By requiring OMB to coordinate this effort with the agencies we will take a great step forward in making the federal government more efficient and results oriented.

Information gleaned from these program reviews needs to be useful across the board to all stakeholders. Members of Congress, taxpayers, federal managers and the Executive Branch need to know if programs are being managed effectively and if they are achieving the desired result. Further, this legislation, once enacted, will allow us to compare data among different agencies, to see how different programs with similar goals are achieving results. Members of Congress can use the information to make informed budget decisions and conduct more effective oversight. It will help the taxpayers see what they are getting for their money. Most important, federal managers will use the information to improve the way they manage programs. The results will be a more effective and efficient government for the good of all Americans.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 641) supporting the goals and ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 641.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise to strongly support this resolution that admirably supports the goals and ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

Madam Speaker, few Americans may understand that pancreatic cancer is a horrific killer. Because early detection methods are largely unsuccessful, 99 percent of those diagnosed will lose their lives, the highest mortality rate of any form of cancer. By the time the symptoms become evident in patients, it is almost always too late. Individuals diagnosed have an average life expectancy of just 3 to 6 months.

This year alone, more than 31,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, known as PANCAN, is the only national advocacy organization available for pancreatic cancer patients, their families and friends and all Americans.

PANCAN regards each November as Pancreatic Cancer Month. By adopting House Resolution 641 today, this body will offer strong support for this outstanding organization and, most importantly, help to increase awareness of pancreatic cancer so that we can help to improve detection and treatment approaches.

Madam Speaker, since all of our fellow citizens have family, friends and neighbors who are regrettably vulnerable to this dreaded disease, I urge support from my distinguished colleagues for this resolution here today.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I certainly appreciate and thank the gentleman for his kind words of support and his efforts to help raise awareness of this deadly disease.

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