Floor Statements

I want to thank the chairwoman and the ranking member for including my legislation, the bill to modernize SBA's SCORE Program, into the larger bill before us today.

For years, SCORE Program has been providing entrepreneurs with free, confidential and valuable small business advice. Nationwide, SCORE has 389 chapters throughout the United States, nearly 11,000 volunteers.

Locally, I know it has had a huge impact on our small business community. They do a lot to help them, especially with small business planning, which is critical to starting any kind of business today.

Small business creates 70 percent of all the new jobs, not only in our market, but throughout Florida. Their success is vital to our economy, and we need to do everything we can to ensure their success. And this bill helps that.

My legislation will help ensure that qualified SCORE volunteers are available to provide one-on-one advice and counsel to small business owners in Florida and across the country.

Again, I want to thank the chairwoman and the ranking member for giving me this opportunity today.

Madam Speaker, last week the House Small Business Subcommittee on Finance and Tax held a hearing on a long overdue issue: the pressing need for tax simplification for America's small business.

The IRS estimates it takes over 37 hours to complete the 1040 short form, the most basic income tax form we have. Why does it take this long? Because our Tax Code today runs over 67,000 pages.

This is a disgraceful state of affairs. We need a simpler and fairer Tax Code that rewards, not punishes, hard work and success. Small business creates 70 percent of all new jobs in America. Small business can lead us out of this economic recession and back into recovery if Congress gives them a chance.

Let's start by overhauling our broken tax system.

I want to thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise in support of this important bipartisan amendment.

Defective Chinese drywall has taken a toll on thousands of homeowners. Many, including my constituent, John Medico of Bradenton, are now finding their homes uninhabitable.

John left his new home and now rents a place. He is forced to not only to pay the mortgage, but he is paying rent on his new place. And this has happened to a lot of people in my area in southwest Florida.

Earlier this year I wrote the U.S. Trade Representative and the Federal Trade Commission asking them to take the appropriate steps to confront this problem.

I am concerned about the public health effects of the problem. Anecdotal evidence points to the Chinese drywall being responsible for the chronic respiratory problems in our region. Also, pregnant women have been advised to move out of their homes for the safety of the unborn.

I am grateful to the gentleman for bringing this amendment forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle of Florida on this important issue and helping our constituents resolve this problem.

Madam Speaker, the House will vote today on a Federal budget that borrows, taxes, and spends more than any other budget in history. Tax increases and deficit spending on big government programs won't help the economy. It will discourage job creation and burden families in the future for additional generations.

We can't spend our way back in terms of the recession and we can't borrow our way out of debt. The budget before us today would increase spending by $1.9 trillion over the next 10 years, raise taxes by $1.4 trillion, and add $3.3 trillion in new debt.

This is reckless spending masquerading as sound budgeting. What our country needs is a responsible budget that scales back spending and borrowing; a budget that will strengthen our economy and put Americans back to work; a budget that will leave our children and grandchildren with better opportunities than we had.

Mr. Speaker, the American people were outraged yesterday, and with good reason, when they learned that the bonuses of $165 million were going to executives at AIG, an insurance company. They are the very executives who drove the company to the ground and helped create the economic problems we're facing today. Instead of getting bonuses, they should be fired.

AIG is now 80 percent owned by the Federal Government, which is the American people. This is an outrageous injustice at taxpayers' expense.

I have been in business 30 years. We always pay for results, proven results, in this case something that would be a return to the American people. But that hasn't happened. This rewards greed and recklessness.

AIG recently reported in a 2008 fourth quarter more than $60 billion in losses, all while the unemployment in America hit a 25-year high.

I ask the President to use all the power at his disposal to prevent these bonuses from being paid at taxpayers' expense.

Mr. Speaker, Congress needs to lead by example in this time of economic uncertainty. For that reason, I was encouraged when the House decided to give up its pay raise next year. It is important to send the right message to the American people: a message that says Congress is willing to tighten its belt just like American families are doing across the country.

But we need to go even further. That's why I hope the leadership in the House will take up my legislation, H.R. 566, blocking all future congressional pay raises until the Federal budget is balanced.

Millions of hardworking Americans only get a salary increase if they produce positive results. Congress should be no different. With our national debt about to surpass $11 trillion and unemployment in our country surging past 8 percent, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. The American people expect and deserve nothing less.

My legislation to block congressional pay raises until we balance the budget offers meaningful reform. I urge Members from both sides of the aisle to support it.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: NOAA--Operations, Research, and Facilities

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Mote Marine Laboratory

Address of Requesting Entity: 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Fl. 34236

Description of Request: I secured $500,000 for Science Consortium for Ocean Replenishment (SCORE) at Mote Marine Laboratory.

SCORE is a multi-state initiative for the recovery of the nation's ocean fisheries. Its approach is to replenish diminishing marine fisheries stocks based on scientific protocols developed through a highly coordinated national effort focused on demonstration of successful stock enhancement. This fast-track strategy has the potential to be more cost-effective and timely than policy measures traditionally used to conserve and sustain ocean resources. The consortium includes institutions from Florida, New Hampshire, Washington and University of Southern Mississippi.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service-- SRG Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Mote Marine Laboratory

Address of Requesting Entity: 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Fl. 34236

Description of Request: I secured $416,000 sustainable aquaculture food technology innovations.

Mote Marine Laboratory and the University of Texas Marine Science Institute are seeking funds for a five-year research program to develop innovative and sustainable technologies to farm marine fishes on land and to expand the supply of safe seafood for U.S. consumers. A critical need exists for inland re-circulating aquaculture technologies to reduce the large and growing global demand for seafood, to reduce fishing pressure on declining wild fish populations, and to improve our nation's food security and health. The growing demand for marine fishery resources is currently being met through imported seafood produced in coastal ponds or sea cages in other countries around the world.

Mr. Speaker, unemployment in my home State of Florida and across the country continues to rise. As the stock markets and retirement accounts fall, our national debt is approaching $11 trillion. And just last week, Congress approved, over my objections, a $410 billion spending bill that was 8 percent higher than last year, more than twice the rate of inflation. On top of all this new spending, we now hear that the White House is proposing nearly $1 trillion in new taxes. Now is not the time to be raising taxes or embarking on a reckless spending free.

Rather than exploding the size of Federal Government, Congress should be working to strengthen the backbone of our economy with small businesses. Seventy percent of all new jobs are created by small business, many of them in our area family owned.

Let's get our economy back on track by helping to work with small businesses. That's the legacy that we want to leave our children and grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service--

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Health Resources and Services (HRSA)--Health Facilities and Services

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Child Protection Center, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1750 17th St., Bldg. L, Sarasota, Fl. 34234

Description of Request: I secured $285,000 for the Child Protection Center.

The ``Pillar of Hope'' Campaign seeks to build a Child Advocacy Center in Sarasota, Florida. Along with the expansion of the counseling program, the Center will have two new state-of-the-art medical exams rooms at their location. By having the ability to provide more medical services to abused children the burden on local emergency rooms will be lessened. Currently, the Center is unable to offer certain services as they are limited in space in their current location.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Charlotte County

Address of Requesting Entity: 18500 Murdock Circle, Suite 536

Description of Request: I secured $380,000 for Evacuation Route Widening/Burnt Store Road Project.

Funds will be used to complete design and begin construction of this evacuation route, extending from Zemel Road to the Lee/Charlotte County line. Emergency evacuation times from Charlotte and Lee Counties are unacceptably high. The Burnt Store Road evacuation road, which services over 250,000 residents in Lee and Charlotte Counties, requires 17.3 hours clearance time for a category three hurricane during peak season.

Funds will be used to expand the existing 2-lane rural highway to a 4-lane divided arterial with shoulders. It is estimated that this effort will reduce clearance time by 11 hours and enhance the overall safety of the route.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Corps of Engineers--Investigations

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Sarasota

Address of Requesting Entity: 1565 First Street, Sarasota, FL 34236

Description of Request: I secured $166,250 for the revitalization of the Robert L. Taylor Community Center as part of the Newtown Redevelopment Comprehensive Plan.

The Robert L. Taylor Community Center is the only government sponsored/owned recreation center in Newtown and is the most heavily used recreation center in the City. Its renovation will provide modern recreation facilities for the youth of Newtown. The recreation center and its 10 acres of land, including athletic fields and a pool, is the home of the Redskins football league (little league football), a gym, weight room, auditorium (used heavily by seniors for meetings and bingo, etc.), and business offices. The center is also the primary facility used by local high school student athletes when their school facilities are in use by in-season sports. Unfortunately, most of the facilities are in need of complete intense renovation or replacement

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Department of Justice--COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sarasota County

Address of Requesting Entity: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, Fl 34236

Description of Request: I secured $600,000 for Emergency Technology and Communications from the COPS account for Sarasota County.

Sarasota County is requesting federal assistance to help fund the next generation E-911 VOIP network technology component of a new multifaceted Emergency Operations 911 Public Safety Communications Center. The technology component will replace the current 30-year-old 911 call-taking network (recognizing only voice calls). This equipment is vital to helping keep the people of Sarasota County safe.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Department of Justice--COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Manatee Community College

Address of Requesting Entity: 5840 26th Street West, Bradenton FL 34207

Description of Request: I secured $200,000 for an Emergency Notification System using VOIP at Manatee Community College.

VOIP technology offees many advantages; one of the biggest is the convergence between voice and data, which offers possibilities beyond regular telephone or e-mail services. A good example is using VOIP for mass notifications, in which a user can send an alert message simultaneously to a large audience in multiple ways such as text messaging, voice mail and e-mail. Funds will be used to purchase equipment and the one-time cost of installation and set-up.

Reqesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Economic Development Initiatives

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sarasota Housing Authority

Address of Requesting Entity: 1300 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236

Description of Request: I secured $237,500 for the Sarasota Housing Authority to build a LEED Certified community center.

Redevelopment is already underway. Plans call for a community center to be built to serve as a property management office as well as a resident services center that will be used to provide training and services to residents to become self sufficient. This center is slated to be a LEED Certified as a green building.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Manatee and Sarasota Counties

Address of Requesting Entity: 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205 (Manatee County) 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236 (Sarasota County)

Description of Request: I secured $475,000 Intelligent Transportation (ITS) project in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.

The counties are upgrading their signal systems in order to deploy a more advanced traffic management system. This project also complements a programmed State of Florida project to deploy ITS for the purpose of incident management on 1-75. It is expected to reduce vehicular delay by 9.5 million hours per year and reduce fuel consumption by 3.8 million gallons per year.

The counties have been coordinating their efforts. Manatee County will incur a greater cost on this project; as a result funding should be split 60-40 between the counties.

Manatee County's project is called Advanced Traffic management System (ATMS), while Sarasota County has designated theirs ITS.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hardee County

Address of Requesting Entity: 412 West Orange Street, Room 103, Wauchula, Fl. 33873 Description of Request: I secured $332,500 for Bridge costs on US-17.

Funds will be utilized to construct a 500' by 43' bridge in the Hardee County Line/CR 634 segment. The project is an important component of the larger project to four-lane US-17 in Hardee County.

This larger project is important for safety and economic reasons. US- 17 four laned entirely will be a valuable evacuation route during hurricanes. Also, it would provide an economic boom as many businesses are looking to the area in their future plans.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Alternative Analysis

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sarasota County

Address of Requesting Entity: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, Fl 34236

Description of Request: I secured $1,009,375 Sarasota County Bus Rapid Transit.

Sarasota County is expanding its transit system with the most fuel- efficient vehicles and the latest ITS technology. The Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project will: connect areas of highest transit ridership access for key employment sites; improve the operating efficiency of transit services, and support regional long-term land use goals.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Health Resources and Services (HRSA)--Health Facilities and Services

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sarasota County

Address of Requesting Entity: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236

Description of Request: I secured $190,000 for a Health Facility in Englewood, Florida. Sarasota County is seeking to construct a new health facility in the community of Englewood. The facility will be located in the southern most portion of Sarasota County and will serve the residents of both Sarasota and Charlotte counties. The facility will improve access to health care and a variety of human and social services programs for residents.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Corp of Engineers--Investigations

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Sarasota

Address of Requesting Entity: 1565 First Street, Sarasota, FL 34236

Description of Request: I secured $150,000 for Lido Key beach re- nourishment. The middle portion of Lido Key Beach is the most seriously eroded segment. This section of beach is generally very narrow due to the ongoing erosion problem, which has been accelerated by several storms from 1982 to the present. As a result, the damage to Lido Key Beach and adjacent structures from even moderate storms has increased and greater losses can be expected from future storms. The beach loses an average of almost 11 feet of width each year.

In a Reconnaissance study report approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in May of 1997, the Corps found that the Lido Key Beach Nourishment project ``is technically sound, economically justified, and socially and environmentally acceptable.'' The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has recommended the nourishment of 1.56 miles of shoreline. Ratios in excess of 1 to 1 are required for the Corps to find that a proposed shoreline protection project meets its national economic benefit test.

The project was fully authorized by Section 364 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, P.L. 106-53.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Corps of Engineers--Construction

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Manatee County

Address of Requesting Entity: 1112 Manatee Ave W. Bradenton, FL 34205

Description of Request: I secured $3,828,000 for Wares Creek Flood and Coastal Storm Damage Project. The Wares Creek Project involves dredging approximately three miles of the waterway for flood control purposes. It seeks to extinguish ``muck and sediment'' from the mouth of the creek. The project was initially authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 and is endorsed by the Manatee County Commissioners. It received $4.7 million in funds last year from the Omnibus Appropriation bill.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Corps of Engineers--Operations & Maintenance

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: West Coast Inland Navigational District

Address of Requesting Entity: 200 East Miami Avenue, Venice, FL 34285

Description of Request: I secured $2,076,000 for the West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND) under the Army Corps of Engineers, Operation and Maintenance account for maintenance dredging of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), (a.k.a Intracoastal Waterway, Caloosahatchee River to Anclote River), Florida.

The areas in need of maintenance dredging include Longboat Pass (Manatee County), Venice Inlet (Sarasota County), mouth of Caloosahatchee River (Miserable Mile in Lee County), and the Boca Grande Bayou area (Miller's Marina in Lee County) of the GICW. With the Committee's help, Congress appropriated $1.4 million (FY'04 & FY'05 combined) for the required design, engineering, permitting, and initial dredging for these projects.

In 1945, in the Rivers and Harbors Act, Congress authorized the GICW to be maintained at a width of 100-feet, and a depth of nine-feet between the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River, near Ft. Myers, and the Anclote River, north of Tampa. The GICW channel runs through six counties (Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee) and links natural deep-water sections of bays through a series of man-made channels, thereby providing for the safe passage of commercial goods, and access to commercial fishing grounds. Dredging of the GICW commenced in 1960 and was completed in 1967, at which time the WCIND began maintenance activities.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Corps of Engineers--Operations & Maintenance

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Port Manatee

Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Tampa Bay Way, Palmetto, FL 34221

Description of Request: I secured $2,483,000 for Maintenance Dredging at Port Manatee.

Funding will be used to perform maintenance dredging as needed (generally not every year). The funds being requested are appropriated in the Corps of Engineers' O&M Account but are entirely derived from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF). The Trust Fund is financed by a Harbor Maintenance Tax of 1/8 of one percent of the value of imports and domestic traffic and this generates considerably more than the amount actually appropriated by Congress each year for the navigation projects. The requested funds are needed to restore full project dimension of the Phases I and II work.

The Fiscal Year 2009 federal budget for the Army Corps of Engineers includes $2.6 million for Manatee Harbor O&M.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Corps of Engineers--Construction

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Port Manatee

Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Tampa Bay Way, Palmetto, FL 34221

Description of Request: I secured $478,000 for a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) on Tampa Harbor.

The GRR is studying the need for improvements to the Tampa Harbor in order to meet projected increases in international commerce. As Florida's largest port (in tonnage), Tampa Port handles in excess of 50 million tons of cargo annually and is West Central Florida's largest economic engine contributing billions of dollars annually to the 7 county region surrounding Tampa Bay. Port Manatee supports 22,000 jobs and has a total economic impact of $2.3 billion. As changes in the global shipping market evolve, both Tampa and Manatee Ports must be able to accommodate modern international vessel fleets which require deeper draft. The GRR will determine the national economic feasibility of further improvements to the Tampa main federal channel.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)--Health Facilities and Services

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Florida Hospital--Wauchula

Address of Requesting Entity: 533 West Carlton Street, Wauchula, FL 33873

Description of Request: I secured $95,000 to support the expansion and renovation of the emergency department. This initiative is vital to the health care infrastructure and clinical services available to Hardee County and the surrounding communities.

Florida Hospital Wauchula is a 25 bed facility specializing in emergency, outpatient and transitional care. In 2000, we became the first Critical Access Hospital in the state of Florida in an effort to enhance the health care services provided to our rural service area. The hospital employs 91 full-time staff, including 5 physicians on General Medical Staff. In addition to our 7-bed emergency department, Wauchula offers diagnostic imaging and lab services and a transitional care unit with short-term skilled nursing and rehabilitation services.

As a rural community with limited medical resources, Hardee County relies on Florida Hospital Wauchula to provide high quality health care. The emergency department handles over 12,000 visits per year; a volume that taxes the facilities capacity to its limit.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Department of Energy--EERE

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sarasota County

Address of Requesting Entity: 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34236

Description of Request: I secured $951,500 for a Renewable/ Alternative Energy Center in Sarasota County.

Sarasota County is an established national leader in energy efficient practices as evidenced by its green building and sustainability policies, as well as its private sector and develop alternative energy and green building initiatives. The County will commit its resources to partner with the federal and state governments, universities and the private sector to construct a zero-energy LEED Platinum certified green building to house the Center. This collaboration will promote the application of alternative energy technologies to protect the public safety and welfare of our citizens and communities and contribute to the future sustainability of our state and nation.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Department of Justice--COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Bradenton

Address of Requesting Entity: 100 10th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205

Description of Request: I secured $200,000 for the City of Bradenton Police Cruiser In-Car Video System.

The City of Bradenton proposes to install in-car video systems for every police cruiser in its fleet. This project not only protects the officer but assists the State's Attorney's Office in case prosecution as evidence collection will be enhanced.

Madam Speaker, this bill that we are going to consider or vote on in the next day or so should be about jobs, small business, and working families. However, small business, which I am on that committee, make up 99 percent of businesses in Florida and they create 70 percent of the jobs, but only 1 percent of this will actually go in terms of helping small business.

The Congressional Budget Office says it will do more harm than good long term; 300 leading economists say this bill will not help the economy. It explodes the debt. We are at $10 trillion now; this year we will be at $1.2 trillion plus the stimulus with interest, over $1 trillion. This is about our children and grandchildren. We are going to put them further behind. We will not leave it better for them, and that is why I cannot support this bill.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009:

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Emergency Operation Centers (EOC).

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sarasota County.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1660 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34236.

Description of Request: I secured $1,000,000 to help relocate and construct a new Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center. An engineering survey conducted in May 2007 determined that the Sarasota County Administration Building was not designed to withstand the forces of a major hurricane. This building houses the County Emergency Operations Center, 911 Consolidated Communications Center, and the Enterprise Information Technology Data Center. Sarasota County is in the midst of planning and designing a new 50,000 square foot public safety center that is structurally sound and geographically located to ensure that it can provide critical services and government continuity after the advent of a major storm event. Funding will be used to help relocate and construct a new Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center.

Requesting Member: Congressman Vern Buchanan.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: (RDT&E, Army, PE 0601004A).

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: New College of Florida.

Address of Requesting Entity: 5800 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL 34243.

Description of Request: I secured $1,200,000 for the continuation of the Florida Collaborative Development of Advanced Material for Strategic Applications, which will introduce a research project with significant educational components and undergraduate student involvement that will study the physical mechanisms of laser assisted modification of two types of nanoparticles: three dimensional, almost spherical metal nanoparticles embedded in dielectric matrix and highly anisotropic one-dimensional structures confined into carbon nanotubes. The proposed study will utilize various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to investigate in a coherent systematic manner the possibilities of modifying in a controlled and reproducible way, various structural and electronic properties of these two systems. In addition to the particle size analysis, the study will place special emphasis on the interpretation of the experimental data in terms of the particle shape, metal concentration, in the film after each consecutive step of the modification process. This study will be the first attempt to combine the data obtained from UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy and numerical Mie resonance analysis, with material characterization performed by Rutherford backscattering (RBS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and relate them to their optical non-linear properties studied by Z-scan measurements. The second part of the project will involve laser-assisted manipulation of filled double-walled carbon nanotubes and micro-Raman spectroscopy and TEM characterization of highly anisotropic 1D nanostructures confined into carbon nanotubes.

The results of the proposed investigation will have two-fold significance. First, they will contribute new important information in the area of nanosized particles with the key goal of tailoring their properties. Second, the study will serve as an effective educational tool for teaching undergraduate students how to do ``real life'' research. The proposed area of research will give students a strong understanding of the fundamentals of physics and technology as an intellectual discipline and provide them the opportunity to work successfully in a diverse group. The research will be carried out primarily at New College of Florida in close collaboration with local scientists; the French National Research Center, Orsay, France; the Max Planck Institute for Microstructure Physics, Halle, Germany; the Central Laboratory of Solar Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sophia, Bulgaria; and the University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.