Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 85th anniversary of Macaron's Sooper Market, the oldest business establishment in the town of Springer, in my home state of New Mexico. Founded in 1920, Macaron's Sooper Market has been family-owned and operated for the entire 85 years the store has been in existence.

A testament to small business success in Northeastern New Mexico, Macaron's Sooper Market, the oldest business establishment in the town of Springer, in my home state of New Mexico. Founded in 1920, Macaron's Sooper Market has been family-owned and operated for the entire 85 years the store has been in existence.

A testament to small business success in Northeastern New Mexico, Macaron's Sooper Market also plays a significant role in the history of Springer. Originally known as the Springer Confectionery Store, Joseph and Lillie Macaron purchased the establishment in 1920 and reopened the business in October as the Macaron's Sooper Market.

In the thirties, more modern times necessitated the move to a newly constructed, larger building not far from the original location. The store was expanded again in the sixties to become the Macaron's Sooper Market we know today.

The legacy continues as Fred, Betty, Gary and Marilyn Macaron, descendents of the store founders, carry on the family business and decades-long tradition. Macaron's Sooper Market is an enduring and historic feather of Springer and a staple of the Northern New Mexico small business community.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in offering congratulations to the Macaron family as they celebrate 85 years in business. Family-owned small businesses like Macaron's Sooper Market are the heart of Northeastern New Mexico's economy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the passing of Sergeant Robert J. Hanson, the last surviving crew member of the famed Memphis Belle B-17 that flew combat missions during World War II. Mr. Hanson was a man of character, capacity, compassion and courage. We are all saddened by his loss.

Robert was born in Walla Walla, WA, joined the military in 1941, and was assigned to the crew of the Memphis Belle.

Early in World War II, the United States 8th Air Force decided to use its heavy bombers in daytime attacks against occupied Europe. The British predicted horrible losses during daylight raids. It was not surprising that the first bomber crew to complete 25 missions would be regarded as heroes.

The crew of the Memphis Belle was the first to complete a combat tour. Between November 7, 1942 and May 17, 1943, the crew flew missions ranging from 4 to almost 10 hours in duration. For these missions Robert Hanson and his fellow airmen were awarded the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. The Memphis Belle and its crew were then returned to the United States on a morale- building tour of aircraft plants.

Sergeant Hanson served as the radio operator on the Memphis Belle. He put the name of his sweetheart, Irene, next to the window where he sat just in case someone needed to know who to contact if he died in combat.

During its missions, the Memphis Belle was hit by flak, cannon shells and machine gun bullets. The plane's major parts were replaced at least once, and four crew members died during combat.

Sergeant Hanson himself narrowly escaped serious injury or even death. He was writing in a log book one day and had to sneeze. As his head moved, a bullet missed him and put a hole through the book.

He regaled family and friends with his experiences about a chase involving several German planes, the bomber's tail being shot off and a nose dive that left the crew wondering if they should use their parachutes.

Upon leaving the service, he went on to work as a salesman for Nalley Fine Foods in Walla Walla, WA, and became a regional manager. He later worked for a candy company in Spokane, Wash. He and Irene recently moved to Albuquerque, NM, to be near their daughter.

In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, and when he was able, he toured the country speaking about his experiences aboard the Memphis Belle.

Sergeant Hanson was a loving husband and father and a loyal friend. I extend my deepest sympathy during this time of bereavement to his wife of 63 years, Irene; his daughter, Mary Black; his son, Rick Hanson; and his six grandchildren.

Not only was Robert Hanson part of our Greatest Generation, he was a true hero, aptly defined as one who inspires through manners and actions, who leads through personal example and accomplishments requiring bravery, skill, and determination.

Mr. Speaker, when radio operators signed off using Morse code, they keyed Dit-Dit-Dit-Dah-Dit-Dah. And, Robert was fond of ending his phone conversations in this way. In honor to him, I ask my colleagues to rise with me and say Dit-Dit-Dit-Dah-Dit-Dah.

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

(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, we support passage of H.R. 177, the water recycling and desalting projects authorized in this bill. These projects will be eligible for limited financial assistance under the Bureau of Reclamation's title XVI water recycling program. These projects will reduce Southern California's dependency on imported water from the Sacramento River Delta, and will dramatically improve the reliability of water supplies in Southern California.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the majority and minority staff and especially Steve Lanich.

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

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

(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, as the majority has explained, S. 55 provides for a land exchange at Rocky Mountain National Park in order to facilitate the relocation of a park trailhead.

Madam Speaker, the proposed exchange will include private property within the park that will further the public use and enjoyment of a popular hiking trail. In addition, the legislation requires that a conservation easement be maintained on Federal land being conveyed in order to protect, preserve, and enhance the conservation values of that land.

Madam Speaker, the terms of the exchange are satisfactory to both parties, and we know of no problems with the legislation. That being the case, we have no objection to the adoption of S. 55 by the House today.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to just thank the majority and minority staff and especially Rick Healy of the Resources Committee.

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

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

(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, we support passage of S. 156, the Ojito Wilderness Act. This bill designates the Ojito Wilderness Study Area, an area totaling approximately 11,000 acres, as a permanent wilderness to be protected pursuant to the 1964 Wilderness Act. The bill also provides for the purchase and transfer of adjacent Bureau of Land Management lands to the Pueblo of Zia. These lands, totaling approximately 13,000 acres, are contiguous to the current boundaries of the Pueblo. This area will be taken into trust and held for the benefit of the Pueblo by the Secretary of the Interior, and will be managed in perpetuity by the Pueblo as wilderness.

As the lead co-sponsor in the House, I would like to take this opportunity to greatly acknowledge my colleague from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson) and fellow co-sponsor. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Resources, for bringing the Ojito Wilderness Act to the floor. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is the result of good-faith collaboration and cooperation among many people in New Mexico and among many of us here in the United States Congress. This is truly a compromise bill. I encourage my colleagues to support it.

I am proud to say that New Mexicans recognize how vitally important it is to protect natural areas, to encourage the stainable use of our State's natural resources, and to honor the role land plays in the lives of Native Americans. As this Ojito legislation demonstrates, with creativity and cooperation, we can find solutions compatible with all of these necessities.

This proposal has been under consideration for many years. In 1991 Manuel Lujan, the Secretary of the Interior in the former President Bush's Cabinet, recommended the Ojito area to Congress for wilderness designation. The BLM has evaluated this area and found it qualifies for full wilderness status and protection.

The legislation has the explicit support of the Governor of New Mexico, the counties of Sandoval and Bernalillo, individual members of the State government, including our State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons, the Pueblo of Zia and its members, the adjacent private land owners and ranchers who graze their cattle on the land, numerous environmental groups, and business owners and private citizens living and working nearby.

The Ojito Wilderness Study Area is characterized by pristine and dramatic landforms and rock structures and by several rare plant populations that are indigenous to the area. Ojito is also recognized for its high density of cultural and archeological sites, including sites that have religious significance to Pueblo Indians.

This legislation is of particular importance for the Pueblo of Zia. The Pueblo's reservation lands currently lie in two noncontiguous sections. Zia has made a concerted effort over years to adjoin its reservation lands. This legislation will help make that long-standing goal a reality. The Pueblo has consistently and openly worked in cooperation with other interested parties to reach a mutually satisfactory arrangement for the protection of these important lands as undeveloped open space with continued public access. And, in an additional gesture of good faith, the Pueblo has waived its sovereign immunity from suit for matters arising under the provisions of this bill.

Considering the above, I think this bill does the right thing by ensuring the preservation, protection, and public accessibility of this special area of New Mexico for future generations of Americans. Allow me to express a special thanks to New Mexico Senators Bingaman and Domenici, the sponsors of this bill in the Senate. Let me further express my gratitude to the Governor of Zia, Zia Pueblo, Teofilo Pino, and to the Pueblo's former Governor and current Tribal Administrator Peter Pino, and also to Martin Heinrich, Albuquerque City Councilor and long-time volunteer for the Coalition for New Mexico's Wilderness for their strong and fair efforts in reaching a meaningful and positive compromise.

I would also like to fondly acknowledge my Senior Legislative Assistant Johanna Polsenberg and my field representative Sarah Cobb as well as Rick Healy and Rob Howarth on the Committee on Resources for their tireless and dedicated work on this important and far-sighted legislation.

Finally, I would like to thank my father, Stewart Udall, for his work over 40 years ago on the enactment of the Wilderness Act during his tenure as Secretary of the Interior. It is with the deepest respect and awe in the warp and weft of history that I might find myself on the floor of the House today honoring my father's legacy and his tremendous dedication to ensuring the preservation of wilderness, as stated in the act itself, lands ``in contrast to those areas where man and his works dominate the landscape, where the Earth and its communities of life are untrammeled by man.''

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to authorize the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to carry out five collaboratively created pilot projects dealing with post-disturbance rehabilitation.

For those communities that remain at risk from wildland fire or other disturbances, it is important to consider, in advance, scenarios for rehabilitation should a wildland fire, insect infestation, hurricane, or other disturbance event occur. The National Forests Rehabilitation and Recovery Act does just that--this legislation promotes pro-active planning and collaboration to accelerate the approval of rehabilitation projects following uncharacteristic disturbance events.

The National Forests Rehabilitation and Recovery Act will create five pilot projects for post-disturbance rehabilitation. Federal forest land communities can apply to participate in the pilot program by meeting a number of different criteria, with specific consideration given to communities that have a proven track record of working in a collaborative manner to resolve natural resource issues.

This bill includes independent, third-party monitoring of the forest areas following rehabilitation operations to track the short-term and long-term impacts of logging, replanting, stream restoration, road removal, or other rehabilitation activities. The legislation further creates a National Oversight Committee of scientists to provide scientific and socioeconomic monitoring and evaluation of the pilot program. The National Oversight Committee will submit reports to Congress on the short and long-term results of the pilot project. The results of this report will allow Congress to make the most informed decisions on post-disturbance rehabilitation in the future.

Community collaboration has shown great promise in resolving controversial issues before Federal agencies. While I reserved concerns with the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, Public Law 108-148, one good that came out of the legislation is that it recognized the promise in collaboration by encouraging the development of community wildfire protection plans. These plans have allowed communities across the country to work in a collaborative manner to resolve natural resource issues concerning wildfire protection.

There is no doubt that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When Congress passed the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, Congress clearly recognized the priority of preventing wildfires through active thinning of Federal lands in the wildland-urban interface. It is just common sense that we need to invest more on the front end in the name of fire prevention to avert major spending post- fire.

While I believe that there were inadequacies with the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, I do believe that we are being penny-wise and pound- foolish by cheating our budget for forest thinning. To date, forest thinning has not been funded even close to the level authorized. This needs to improve for the sake of protecting our communities and public lands.

Mr. Speaker, the National Forests Rehabilitation and Recovery Act represents a balanced and collaborative approach to post-disturbance rehabilitation. I am pleased to introduce my legislation today with my colleagues Mr. Nick Rahall and Mr. Raul Grijalva. I urge my other colleagues to support this bill so that we can promote a collaborative approach to restoring forest ecosystem health and diversity following unusually intense disturbances.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Low-Income Gasoline Assistance Program Act of 2005. I want to thank the original House cosponsors that have joined in this effort.

Recent high gasoline prices are taking a serious toll on American's pocketbooks. The monthly budgets of hard-working, low-income families are currently dominated by the unexpected price increases at the pumps. We all must do our part to conserve fuel and reduce our national demand for petroleum and I applaud those individuals who have begun or continue to walk, bike or take public transportation on a daily basis. Unfortunately, not all people have these options. Due to lack of available public transportation, people living in rural areas are often forced to commute to everyday activities by automobile. The Low-Income Gasoline Assistance Program Act or LIGAP is designed to assist American families most affected by high fuel prices.

LIGAP is modeled after the successful LIHEAP program that helps low- income citizens pay for seasonal heating and cooling. In short, LIGAP calls for qualifying recipients to receive $25-$75 per month for 3 months to pay for gasoline. Additionally, another 3 months' benefit will be made available if prices do not soften. LIGAP will allow States and tribal organizations to make grants to low- and fixed-income individuals and families who have no option but to drive at least 30 miles a day, or 150 miles per week for work, school, or medical care to defray the cost of purchasing gasoline. States are also encouraged to use their welfare reform block grant to provide transportation stipends to parents who meet the same distance standards.

This measure will enable States to operate the program through their Community Action agencies or welfare departments. Additionally, tribal organizations may directly request assistance. Thus, States will have the flexibility to set income-eligibility standards similar to the current eligibility for LIHEAP. The prices at which the program triggers on and subsequently releases will then be set for each jurisdiction through consultation between the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Energy.

LIGAP is not meant to be a substitute for the long-term energy solutions we all seek for our Nation. Each of us understands the necessity of a comprehensive and balanced approach to energy development, but we must realize that in every State there are hardworking people and elderly individuals whose monthly budgets are being overwhelmed by the cost of gasoline. While we must approach this country's energy demand with the willingness to make the tough, long- range choices demanded of us, it is equally important that we heed the immediate damage being caused by the current high prices. We must show a willingness to provide some comfort for those Americans who are most at risk.

Mr. Speaker, we all recognize that people are suffering and that something must be done to help with the high cost of gasoline. I urge my colleagues to join us in this forward thinking and comprehensive proposal.

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to authorize the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to carry out five collaboratively created pilot projects dealing with post-disturbance rehabilitation.

For those communities that remain at risk from wildland fire or other disturbances, it is important to consider, in advance, scenarios for rehabilitation should a wildland fire, insect infestation, hurricane, or other disturbance event occur. The National Forests Rehabilitation and Recovery Act does just that--this legislation promotes pro-active planning and collaboration to accelerate the approval of rehabilitation projects following uncharacteristic disturbance events.

The National Forests Rehabilitation and Recovery Act will create five pilot projects for post-disturbance rehabilitation. Federal forest land communities can apply to participate in the pilot program by meeting a number of different criteria, with specific consideration given to communities that have a proven track record of working in a collaborative manner to resolve natural resource issues.

This bill includes independent, third-party monitoring of the forest areas following rehabilitation operations to track the short-term and long-term impacts of logging, replanting, stream restoration, road removal, or other rehabilitation activities. The legislation further creates a National Oversight Committee of scientists to provide scientific and socioeconomic monitoring and evaluation of the pilot program. The National Oversight Committee will submit reports to Congress on the short and long-term results of the pilot project. The results of this report will allow Congress to make the most informed decisions on post-disturbance rehabilitation in the future.

Community collaboration has shown great promise in resolving controversial issues before Federal agencies. While I reserved concerns with the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, Public law 108-148, one good that came out of the legislation is that it recognized the promise in collaboration by encouraging the development of community wildfire protection plans. These plans have allowed communities across the country to work in a collaborative manner to resolve natural resource issues concerning wildfire protection.

There is no doubt that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When Congress passed the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, Congress clearly recognized the priority of preventing wildfires through active thinning of Federal lands in the wildland-urban interface. It is just common sense that we need to invest more on the front end in the name of fire prevention to avert major spending postfire.

While I believe that there were inadequacies with the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, I do believe that we are being penny wise and pound foolish by cheating our budget for forest thinning. To date, forest thinning has not been funded nearly to the level of what was Congressionally authorized. This needs to improve for the sake of protecting our communities and public lands.

Mr. Speaker, the National Forests Rehabilitation and Recovery Act represents a balanced and collaborative approach to post-disturbance rehabilitation. I am pleased to introduce my legislation today with my colleagues Mr. Nick Rahall and Mr. Raul Grijalva. I urge my other colleagues to support this bill so that we can promote a collaborative approach to restoring forest ecosystem health and diversity following unusually intense disturbances.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me time, and I also thank him for his excellent presentation on the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule. Once again the folks running this place have made a mockery of the legislative process. This bill was put on a rocket docket so that no one knows what is in it. Look at how we have proceeded here.

First of all, last week, just a short 10 days ago, we first saw the bill. Some of the members of the committee did not even see it until Tuesday. Unveiled on Monday, and did not see it until Tuesday, Democrats and Republicans not knowing what is in the bill. On Wednesday, we had hearings, 2 short days later. We only had four witnesses and several hours of hearings; and the crucial witness in this case, the administration witness, would not even take a position on the bill.

Here is the agency that for 30 years has administered the bill, with the scientists, with the expertise, and the administration witness walks in and says, We do not know. We do not have an idea. Just go ahead.

We could have taken the time, I say to the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo), to travel the country, to reach out and find out what was working with this law and what was not working and crafted a bipartisan bill. But that is not what we have here today.

After we had that hearing with four witnesses, the very next day, rather than waiting a day or two and seeing how the hearing went and what the reaction was, we marked up the bill and reported it out of committee. So at the end of the week we thought we had one bill. Well, last night in the Committee on Rules, there were major changes to the bill again in the manager's amendment.

So what the gentleman from California just said about the Democrats writing the bill, sure, we contributed some of the language, but the manager's amendment makes significant changes in this bill; and the things that we are really fighting over, we may have contributed 90 percent, but the things we are fighting over in the 10 percent are huge things at stake: this huge giveaway to big developers, major changes in the environmental laws. Those were written by others in the bill.

So this bill is an abomination. It has made mockery of the legislative process. I urge my colleagues to defeat the rule and start once again, start once again with a process that respects this institution.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California tries to make the substitute and the bill that is on the floor sound the same; but there are major differences, and we should recognize that. First of all, let us talk about some of those differences.

The bill before us is a huge giveaway to big developers. It creates a program where the burden is on the government to disprove. It basically does not put a dollar amount in the bill, because they are afraid of the dollar amount because it is an entitlement program for landowners that want to gut the Endangered Species Act. But the estimates are 10, 20, 30, 40 billion. Who knows how much this is going to cost.

Our bill, the substitute, does not do that. It is modest. It says we should work with private landowners. It sets up a program so that the government goes out and works with those landowners to accomplish the goals of the Endangered Species Act.

The majority bill, and this is another major difference, changes the Endangered Species Act in a radical, radical way, especially with the adoption of the manager's amendment. The substitute reforms the Endangered Species Act, while protecting the core provisions of that magnificent environmental law that has been on the books for 30 years.

At the end of this, we have not respected this institution by the way we brought the bill before the floor, the way we have worked in committee to put it on a rocket docket and speed it through, speed it through this process. We need to slow down. We need to take a look at this and work in a bipartisan way.

I urge my colleagues to defeat the rule.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the Miller-Boehlert substitute.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the substitute amendment in opposition to H.R. 3824.

H.R. 3824 is being promoted as a piece of legislation that is good for business. As a senior member of both the Small Business committee and the Resources committee, I think I have an important perspective on this issue.

I would like to draw a parallel between the Endangered Species Act and landmark legislation that has been passed by Congress to protect the health and safety of workers. One could easily and logically argue, if they were so inclined, that child labor laws and occupational safety and health laws were bad for business. But we don't because we intuitively understand that supporting the very foundation of business, the people who do the work, is a long-term economic benefit for society, even though it may cost a few dollars up front.

That goes to the basic fact that practically every adult in America has worked hard at a job for a business or a corporation at some point in his or her life. All of us can easily relate to the problems caused by unfair labor practices and unsafe working conditions. However, very few of us are scientists. We are not a scientifically literate society.

I am not here to say whether that is good or bad but just to offer one explanation why we find it so difficult to grasp that the health of our environment and the continuity of all the pieces in our environment is as important to the health of our society and the strength of our economy as sound labor practices. Legislation that hurts the health of the worker is not

good for business. Laws, like the one being proposed today, that undermine the very foundation of our society's well-being and economic infrastructure, are not good for business.

When we undermine the basic tenets and goals of the Endangered Species Act, we do so at our own peril. Most of us in the House were alive in the early 1960s when Rachel Carson published her book, Silent Spring. The silence of which she spoke caused by the extermination of songbirds, dying because the shells that protected their offspring shattered long before the young were ready to hatch. The eggs shattered and the next generation died because DDT weakened the structure of the eggs. The spring, once filled with the sound of songbirds, was growing ever more silent as DDT began to pervade every corner of our environment.

DDT nearly exterminated our Nation's symbol of freedom, the bald eagle, because it shattered their shells. DDT nearly exterminated the endless flocks of brown pelicans flying low over the ocean's horizon, because it shattered the shells of their young. In my lifetime, I have witnessed the near extinction of these birds. And, thank God, I have witnessed their return because we banned that chemical.

Even though the birds have returned, did we ban DDT too late, because we all know that every one of us harbors residues of DDT in our bodies, that DDT is found in our mother's milk? Or, were the eagle and the pelican sentinels, helping us to right our wrongs just in time, before they disappeared from this planet and our own bodies weakened along with, them.

The Environmental Protection Agency banned DDT a year before the ESA was passed and here we are, 35 years later, about ready to pass a so- called ``ESA reform bill'' that would suspend all Endangered Species Act provisions related to pesticides.

The Endangered Species Act is really about a single species--us, human beings. I am not going to be dramatic and suggest that our species faces extinction. At six and a half billion and growing, I think the human species is going to be around for a good long time. But the existence of today's young people is not the existence I remember from my youth.

Bottled water, mercury poisoning the womb, rates of asthma attacks skyrocketing, beaches closed because E.coli pollutes the water and sickens our children.

The Endangered Species Act is not about saving the tiny silvery minnow that lives in the Rio Grande and it is not about saving the spotted owl that exists in mature forests. It is about alerting us to the fact that our rivers no longer sustain fish and our forest no longer sustains birds. The Endangered Species Act sounds the five- minute buzzer for humanity and says ``Watch out!'' Our fellow creatures are sickening. The animals that share our water, our air, our soils are dying. Something is wrong and we better do something about it before it begins to weaken and sicken us and we have to scramble to pick up the pieces.

Let me close where I began--whether or not a drastic weakening of the Endangered Species Act is good for business. The simple cost/benefit analysis often applied to endangered species protection only reflects what can easily be given a monetary value. This highly selective economic analysis only counts what can be most easily quantified--the cost of timber not cut, the cost of water not sold, the cost of crops not sprayed with pesticide.

These economic analyses do not account for the cost if environmental protections are not put in place--an aquifer that dries up, a hillside that erodes into a river, people stricken with cancer from unsafe pesticides. It is easy to hold up the first balance sheet and say, ``Business will suffer'' in the same way one could say that by prohibiting the labor of children, ``Business will suffer''.

But the cumulative costs of a thousand cuts into the environment that sustains us as humans will be borne by everyone in society, consumers and businesses alike. Without environmental laws, our economy polluted our rivers, darkened our air, paved our wetlands, and drained our rivers. The Endangered Species Act does not take property from private entities; it protects the property, the health and the wealth of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today to commemorate the opening of The Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This museum celebrates and honors the long-standing tradition of ballooning in the Land of Enchantment. This opening is the culmination of a tremendous effort on the part of the Anderson and Abruzzo families and devoted friends and business partners, all of whom have shared in the vision and dream to create a world class collection of ballooning memorabilia and equipment.

The exhibits and programs stand as a testament to the history, science and art of ballooning. This museum will be a significant addition to the city known as the ``The Balloon Capital of the World'' and will prove to be a wonderful complement to Albuquerque's annual International Balloon Fiesta.

This commanding building is a fitting tribute to Albuquerque balloonists Ben Abruzzo and Maxie Anderson who are recognized internationally for their first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by gas balloon. Not only will this museum serve as a constant reminder of their legacies, but it will also offer extensive and educational exhibits that will inform and broaden ballooning enthusiasts for years to come.

The Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum will serve as an educational institution. The museum's innovative educational outreach plan includes field trip opportunities, lectures, and an emphasis on integrating the Balloon Museum into the Albuquerque Public Schools curriculum.

I am pleased to congratulate the Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum and all of those whose efforts and contributions have made this opening possible. I would like to especially thank the Anderson and Abruzzo families, whose vision and continued dedication have been the driving factor in the museum's completion. I would also like to thank the City of Albuquerque for embracing and financing this project. I am proud to join the community in celebrating this amazing new addition to New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues rise to congratulate the many professionals and volunteers who have helped to make this wonderful new museum a reality.

Mr. Speaker, New Mexico recently lost a respected soldier, admired educator, beloved husband and father and distinguished citizen. William Collins died peacefully at the age of 84 on August 29, 2005, at his home in Albuquerque.

Bill was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 14, 1920, but at a young age moved with his mother and sister to Boston, Massachusetts. It was there that his father, Robert Collins, was recuperating at a hospital from wounds suffered at the Battle of Somme in World War I.

Growing up in East Boston, Bill excelled in baseball and football and attended Kents Hill Academy in Maine on a baseball scholarship. A later baseball scholarship led Bill to the University of Southern California, and after his first year, Massachusetts U.S. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge appointed him to the United States Military Academy. At West Point, Bill played on two national championship teams with Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard while simultaneously playing baseball as a feared left-handed pull hitter. Always a prankster who received numerous demerits, Bill would later claim to have held the all-time West Point record for ``walking the yard'' as punishment for his amusing deeds.

The United States' involvement in World War II resulted in a 3-year, early graduation for Bill's West Point class. Upon graduation in 1945, he married Doris Leary in the Cadet Chapel. A lovely lady, Doris would be Bill's wife and best friend for 60 years, a union blessed with two sons and grandchildren. Bill then joined the 11th Airborne Division as a paratrooper. He fought for his country in the Philippines and was preparing to parachute into Japan as a Pathfinder when the war ended.

Serving as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, Bill was a Company Commander in the 28th Infantry Division in Germany and an R.O.T.C instructor at the University of Rhode Island. He was then transferred to the U.S. Army Ordnance Corp and served in Redstone Arsenal in Alabama and in Korea. Following his tour of duty in Korea, Bill served as project engineer for the Sidewinder and Redeye missile programs at White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico. He subsequently joined the Army's Intelligence Corp and served as a counter intelligence agent in Korea, recruiting, planning and directing intelligence-gathering missions into North

Korea. Bill retired from the Army in 1964 with the rank of Major.

After military retirement, Bill returned to school and earned Masters and Doctorate degrees in Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico. For the next 30 years, he taught American and Latin American history as well as that of Spain, Portugal and Mexico at Purdue University. His classes were so interesting and filled with such quick wit that the walls of large lecture halls were lined with televisions to accommodate the overflowing attendance. In addition, Bill, who was ambidextrous, amazed his students by his ability to write on the blackboard right-handed and then switch the chalk to his left hand in order to continue writing without blocking the students' view. He received the ``Mobil Best Teacher of the Year'' award at Purdue 2 years running and then served on the selection committee.

Bill loved Purdue football and was a long-suffering Boston Red Sox fan. When he was a youngster in Boston, he would travel by trolley car to attend games at Fenway Park for 25 cents. He recalled meeting famed Red Sox hurler Cy Young at Fenway and, with his father, meeting Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr when Doerr first came to the Red Sox in 1940. Bill watched every Red Sox game on television from his home in Albuquerque and was thrilled when the team won the 2004 World Series, their first time to do so in 86 years. When Bill passed away, he was wearing his Boston Red Sox wrist watch that he proudly wore for many years; he then fell asleep on the same pillow he had used 60 years before at West Point.

Mr. Speaker, William Collins will be greatly missed by his family and many friends. I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of this fine American.

Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor of the resolution before us, I rise in strong support of its passage and am looking forward to the unveiling of this beautiful statue at tomorrow's ceremony in the rotunda. My district is home to 14 of the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico, and I am very pleased this moment has finally arrived.

Today and tomorrow are exciting days for our State as we at long last unveil our second statue in the United States Capitol. As every New Mexican knows, we are proud of our other statue, that of Senator Dennis Chavez, El Senador, the first Hispanic Member of the United States Senate and a champion of civil rights.

The statue of Po'Pay has had a long journey to get here. The journey began in 1997 when State Senator Manny Aragon and State Representative Nick Salazar introduced Senate bill 404 to the New Mexico State legislature which formally nominated Po'Pay to be the second figure placed in Statuary Hall to represent our State. The bill was soon passed and signed by the Governor, leading to the creation of the Statuary Hall Commission and Foundation which was responsible for determining the statue's appearance and fundraising.

The appearance of Po'Pay was a particularly difficult problem because there are no pictures or physical descriptions of him. Nevertheless, the stunning sculpture that will be unveiled tomorrow gives us a powerful glimpse of who Po'Pay was.

And who was Po'Pay? Very little is known of this man's life; but he was a native of San Juan Pueblo, soon to officially change its name to what it was before Spanish missionaries arrived in New Mexico more than 400 years ago, Ohkay Owingeh, located in northern New Mexico and which I today have the honor of representing in the Congress. He was by most accounts a religious leader. But in 1680 he organized a widespread rebellion against the Spanish throughout the region on a single day.

Po'Pay is considered to be the leader of the first American Revolution. He has been recognized throughout history as the man who made it possible for Pueblo culture to live and to sustain itself through the centuries. The 19 New Mexico Pueblos and Hopi villages in Arizona attribute their ability to continue their traditions and way of life to the efforts of the Pueblo revolt and its leader Po'Pay.

The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, as it is now known, was the single most successful act of resistance by Native Americans against a European colonial power. It established Indian independence in the Pueblos for more than a decade; and even after Spanish rule was reimposed, it forced the imperial authorities to observe religious tolerance. Ever since the 17th century, the cross and the kiva have existed side by side in Pueblo communities.

It is for these reasons that Po'Pay is being honored with a statue in the Capitol. It is fitting that Po'Pay is joining Senator Dennis Chavez as our State's representative in the Halls of Congress. As one member of the Statuary Hall Commission stated recently, ``The selection of Po'Pay to be placed in Statuary Hall serves as a unique reminder to the world that two unique cultures can coexist without destruction of their traditional cultural values and beliefs.''

Cliff Fragua, the sculptor who crafted this rendering of Po'Pay out of a 7-foot slab of Tennessee marble, also deserves a word of praise for his beautiful work. Thousands of visitors to Washington, D.C., each year will see this work and gain a sense of New Mexico's history and our country's history. I would also like to point out that this statue created by Mr. Fragua will be the first in Statuary Hall created by a Native American.

Madam Speaker, passage of this resolution today is a precursor to what will be a great day and celebration tomorrow for our State. I am honored to be a part of it. I would also like to recognize my wife Jill's role on the Statuary Hall Commission and to thank Chris Romero and Theresa Aguilar of my staff for all the hard work they have put in with the commission during the planning of this event. I would also like to recognize Mr. Benny Shendo, secretary of the Department of Indian Affairs in New Mexico, who will be in Washington for this ceremony. And to close, to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005. The Valle Vidal is located in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico and is home to abundant populations of Rocky Mountain wildlife, including the largest herd of elk in our State. This ``living valley'' is an incredibly important ecological treasure whose value lies in its wilderness and natural beauty, not in its finite supply of energy.

The Valle Vidal is a special place for New Mexicans and people from around the world who come to relax in its alpine majesty and enjoy outdoor recreation and sporting opportunities. Boy Scouts from all over the country have come to the adjacent Philmont Scout Ranch for decades and each year spend thousands of hours doing conservation work and earning merit badges in the Valle Vidal.

Over the past 2 years, I have followed closely numerous events concerning the Valle Vidal. I have traveled to the Valle Vidal to witness its beauty, spoken with my constituents and others from the State, tracked political developments, and reviewed regulatory or policy initiatives undertaken by this administration. I have also received thousands of calls, e-mails, faxes, and letters against drilling and practically none in support of it. As a result, I have come to the inescapable conclusion that the Valle Vidal should be protected from oil and gas development.

The modern history of the Valle Vidal dates back to 1841 when Mexican Governor Manuel Armijo granted 1.7 million acres, the largest single landholding in the western hemisphere, to Guadalupe Miranda of Taos and a French trapper named Carlos Beaubien. This land grant, which included the 100,000 acre piece now known as Valle Vidal, is probably the most famous ever made by Mexico. It later became known as the Maxwell Land Grant after Lucien Bonaparte Maxwell, a Kansan who married Beaubien's daughter and later became the sole owner of the vast property.

Thirty years ago, the Pennzoil Company purchased nearly 500,000 acres of this land, which they used as a hunting park. Pennzoil maintained the area as such until 1982 when it donated a 100,000-acre parcel of it to the Federal Government, which was at the time the largest donation in Forest Service history. Interestingly, no drilling was ever done in the Valle Vidal when Pennzoil owned it. What an ironic travesty it would be for the government to now turn its back on this unique gift and allow the area to be blighted.

I do not want the Valle Vidal to be opened up for drilling. New Mexicans and thousands of Americans are overwhelmingly against drilling in the refuge. These concerned citizens realize that the Valle Vidal's minimal contribution to our energy needs now is not worth despoiling such an important ecological and watershed system. The consequences are just too great.

Moreover, many of my constituents, as confirmed by recent economic studies, recognize that the protection of special public lands like Valle Vidal is good for local economies; and, in fact, exploration of these places for a few hours of energy will hurt long-term economic growth and community sustainability.

Fundamentally, drilling in the Valle Vidal to create more energy is a false choice. We must consider alternative and more effective measures for solving our Nation's energy needs. For example, an increased use of renewable fuels and improved fuel efficiency standards would contribute greatly to solving many energy-related problems. The key is to make the best renewable and alternate energy systems competitive with today's nonrenewable sources of energy so they can be developed for use in the United States and even for sale abroad. We simply cannot hope to drill our way to energy independence. The fact that this special place is being targeted for oil and gas leasing radically demonstrates what is wrong with this administration's energy policies.

In this case, the Forest Service's commitment to a leasing environmental impact statement, before the agency has even prepared a forest plan amendment, demonstrates that legislative action is necessary to ensure that the Valle Vidal's nonmineral resources and values are given the attention and protection they deserve. Moreover, the Forest Service, even with irrefutable reason to do so, is without the legal authority to permanently protect this special place from mineral development.

New Mexico is home to a strong oil and gas industry which I openly support. I believe there are many places suitable for oil and gas drilling. Valle Vidal, however, is not one of them.

Mr. Speaker, to that end, today I am introducing the Valle Vidal Protection Act to permanently protect the Valle Vidal from mineral

extraction. In so doing, my legislation does not interfere with the Forest Service's Forest Plan Amendment process. That process is allowing the Forest Service to exercise its expertise and listen to the people and thereby establish a long-term management plan for the Valle Vidal commensurate with its importance as a critical component of our natural and cultural heritage. In my view, which I know is shared by many of my constituents, the Valle Vidal's ecological health and integrity should be restored and protected and enjoyed to the utmost by current and future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues both in the New Mexico delegation as well as in the entire Congress to join me in passing this legislation and protecting the Valle Vidal permanently. This ecosystem is too valuable to the people of New Mexico and the nation, and the energy gains too miniscule to justify the potential damage to this pristine area. We must protect it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 25th anniversary of the Los Alamos branch of the University of New Mexico. Nestled in the mountains, this bustling center of science and education is a mainstay in the community of Los Alamos. Initially a graduate studies center for science, engineering and management, UNM-Los Alamos has evolved into a state-of-the art facility offering a broad base of educational programs.

UNM-LA offers a variety of associate's degrees and certificates, as well as courses that transfer toward a bachelor's degree. Small, personalized classes taught by dedicated instructors give students the attention normally associated with liberal arts colleges. Affordability is also a key factor at UNM-LA as lower division classes cost students a mere 25 percent of the main campus tuition rate.

Student success is the main focus at UNM-LA where a range of classes are offered on many educational levels to students from diverse backgrounds. UNM-LA provides Adult Basic Education, GED training, English as a Second Language instruction and a tutorial center to supplement the classroom experience. In addition to the core curriculum, upper division classes are available to graduate students though the UNM Extended University at UNM-LA.

In partnership with the Los Alamos National Laboratory, UNM-LA provides the most current computer training to Lab and contract employees. Responsive to current need, these classes enable employees to build necessary skills for career advancement within the Lab. Several science and technology programs prepare students for work at the Lab and many UNMLA graduates find employment at LANL.

Approximately 2,500 students attend UNMLA each year with campus housing available to those who wish to live in the beautiful Los Alamos area. Campus life includes student government, music, art and a Student Center with numerous activities. The natural beauty and recreation opportunities surrounding the campus make UNM-LA an ideal setting for living and learning.

UNM-LA further enriches the community by hosting events such as concerts, art exhibits and lectures on campus throughout the year. Several satellite locations in neighboring communities give access to students outside the main campus area. UNM-LA is also involved in the administration of two small business development centers in Los Alamos and Sandoval counties.

Mr. Speaker, UNM-LA has brought quality higher learning to the dynamic Los Alamos area. Serving Northern New Mexico for 25 years now, UNM-LA has provided well-rounded educational and life experiences to thousands of students. Graduates of UNM-LA have no doubt taken with them a strong ethic of learning and a stronger sense of community as well.