Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I reserve the right to object, but I will not object. I simply want to point out this is a very important thing that we should do for our troops. I'm delighted that someone has suggested that we use the rotunda for this purpose.

We all know how difficult it has been for the troops in both Afghanistan and Iraq and in other parts of the world. We also know that there is not universal support in our country for the work that they are doing, and this makes their job doubly difficult. So I'm very pleased to support this resolution and make certain that we truly and properly honor the work of our Armed Forces and their families throughout the world when they work in such difficult circumstances.

Yes, I would be delighted to yield.

Reserving the right to object, I simply want to thank the gentlewoman from California for her good comments. And I hope every Member of this Congress will join us in approving this particular resolution.

Madam Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of S.J. Res. 25, the appointment of John W. McCarter as a citizen regent of the Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents.

The previous speaker, the Chair of the House Administration Committee, has pointed out the outstanding record of Mr. McCarter and what he has done. He is the ideal appointee to the board of the Smithsonian.

Mr. McCarter combines extensive experience as director of the Field Museum, which is a responsibility very similar to that of the Smithsonian Museum, although perhaps on a smaller scale. His experience in the day-to-day operations of the Field Museum will hold him in good stead on the Smithsonian Board. Furthermore, he has considerable experience in the private sector, and that experience will also be most helpful in the operation of the Smithsonian.

Mr. Speaker, we have had some problems with the Smithsonian during the past few years, with both the previous secretary and with some of the enterprises the Smithsonian has engaged in. I would volunteer that Mr. McCarter is precisely the sort of person we need to straighten out the operations of the Smithsonian, to serve with his unique knowledge in the field of museums, and also his role in business. I believe he is going to make an outstanding addition to this board. I am very confident that we should appoint him, and that he will be a well- qualified, highly capable addition to the board charged with protecting the Nation's Attic, as we fondly call the Smithsonian. I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H.R. 5159, which establishes an Office of the Capitol Visitor Center under the organization of the Architect of the Capitol.

As the Chair of the committee has pointed out, this has been a long progress, probably longer than it needed to be, but it started at the time I was the Chair of the committee. Unfortunately, the original ideas which we advanced were not accepted by all parties involved, and it has taken a considerable amount of effort to reach the point we are at today. However, what we have today is a good suggestion, a good document, a good organization, and I am very pleased with it, largely because it is very similar to what we started out with more than a year ago.

This new Office of the Capitol Visitor Center will be headed by the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer for Visitor Services, Terrie Rouse. Ms. Rouse has done a superb job in bringing together her management team to make sure that the Capitol Visitor Center is fully operational and prepared to receive visitors as soon as the building is ready to be occupied.

The legislation we are considering today provides a framework for the effective management and administration of the CVC, while at the same time ensuring that Members of the House and Senate have a definitive role to play in governing the operation of the CVC.

This marvelous building, which will be enjoyed by Americans for years to come, will operate in a way that, with this structure, will serve greatly to strengthen the safety and security of the Members, staff, and visitors to the Capitol, but above all, will create an unparalleled visitor experience for the millions of Americans who visit their Nation's Capitol each year.

In addition to being a significant administrative step in the operations of the CVC, this bill is also an important milestone as we move closer toward the facility's opening. In just a few short months, at least we hope they are a few short months, the first visitors to the CVC will have an opportunity to experience the majestic displays that highlight significant accomplishments made by the legislative branch that contributed to the development of our Nation's rich history. Though some visitors may be hundreds or even thousands of miles from home, they will remain connected through interactive kiosks that feature biographical data about their Member of Congress, and they will learn how to contact their Member.

For those Members who have not yet had an opportunity to tour the CVC, or for Members who took a CVC tour several months ago, I urge all those Members to take the time to take a new tour of the facility in its current state so that each and every Member may

experience the facility as it will appear to our constituents.

As we complete the final steps before the facility opens, I thank Chairman Brady for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. As I said earlier, this bill has a unique history with considerable difficulties, and I commend Chairman Brady for managing to steer this bill through the pitfalls and rapids that often encumber bills, and he has presented an excellent bill to this Congress.

This bill will ensure effective management and administration of the Capitol Visitor Center with oversight by the Committee on House Administration and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Chairman Brady as we continue our oversight activities over the Capitol Visitor Center, and as we near its November 2008 opening date and far, far beyond. I once again thank the chairman for his good work on this bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 307, which expresses the sense of the Congress that congressional papers should be properly maintained and encourages Members to take all necessary measures to manage and preserve these papers.

This is a very important issue, and one that I am also delinquent on, as I suspect most Members are. At various times I have encouraged my staff to be certain that we take proper care of papers, that we maintain them, and that they are available for archiving once we leave office. But yet, it is a very difficult task to do this on a day-to-day basis and remember to do it.

Let me also bemoan the fact that the executive branch has been subjected to lawsuits on this isssue, and the courts have declared they must save every little piece of paper, every message, and they are open to scrutiny and subpoena at any time in the future. The net effect of this is that the White House puts hardly anything down on paper, a practice that was developed in the previous administration as well. That is unfortunate. We should have the freedom to express our thoughts freely and make certain that they are preserved in a fashion that prevents them from being used improperly in future times.

As Members of Congress, we are routinely faced with an abundance of notes, letters, and other papers that cross our desk each day. For each of us, there is a temptation to rid ourselves of today's notes and papers and begin each day anew, free from the scourge of clutter. And I know my office certainly should be more free of clutter. It would be easiest to discard these items along with rest of the day's castoffs, but as history has shown us, it is often these mundane items that have painted the most accurate and detailed picture of our Nation's history.

These papers and their contents separately may tell us very little about the place and time in which they were created, but they are threads that, when woven together, create the fabric of our democracy.

While congressional papers are the property and responsibility of the Member, the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate stand ready to assist Members of Congress in the disposition and handling of these materials. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in the effort to retain congressional documents, and in doing so, preserve a piece of history for the sake of our individual and collective posterity.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. Con. Res. 67, which will establish the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

As everyone in this Nation knows, we are in the midst of an election year. It is a particularly exciting election year because it is the first time since 1952 that we do not have a presumptive heir apparent, and we have had considerable activity and considerable citizen interest. We are now at the point where the public is in the process of deciding between Senator McCain, Senator Clinton, or Senator Obama; and we will continue to have considerable interest in November. In fact, I can almost guarantee that the public will be tired of the election process come next November.

But then we enter a new phase, a new phase of great excitement, and that is the inauguration of a new President of the United States of America. The inauguration of the President of the United States is not only an event that fills our own citizens with pride, but one that also demonstrates the power of democracy to the world.

As Chief Justice Roberts swears in our 44th President, the inaugural ceremony will once again prove that in a free society, no matter the size of its army or how mighty its leaders, a peaceful transfer of power is possible, a peaceful transfer engendered by the choice of the people.

Since 1901, all inaugural ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol have been organized by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. This committee was formed to ensure that the activities surrounding President William McKinley's second inauguration were carried out smoothly on the Capitol Grounds, and it has been re-formed every 4 years since.

The current reconstitution of the JCCIC with each Presidential cycle is integral to the success of one of the most powerful and humbling symbols of our Nation's commitment to freedom from tyranny. It is a marvelous occasion, and I am struck by it particularly this week as another great nation, Russia, is going through the presidential election process, almost without campaigns, because the winners have been pre-selected. I am proud to be part of a Nation that does not do that, but that encourages all citizens to consider the candidates and elect a citizen and a President of their choice.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the formation of this important joint committee.

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

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

I rise in support of S. Con. Res. 68, which will authorize use of the rotunda

for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Since the swearing in of Thomas Jefferson in March 1801, each inaugural address delivered by the President has been made in our Nation's Capitol. As we prepare for the next President of the United States to arrive in Washington to take the oath of office, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is charged with ensuring the success of inaugural activities, including securing those facilities necessary to honor this important occasion.

As a symbol of democracy throughout the world, the United States Capitol is a fitting place to acknowledge the peaceful transition of power that will take place on January 20, 2009, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the authorization of use of the rotunda by the committee and by the future President and Vice President of the United States.

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

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, this is the third time I have served or been involved with a task force dealing with contested elections, and I believe this is by far the best procedure that has been developed and can help serve as a model for future decisions of this sort.

I congratulate the two gentlemen before you, who, representing the majority and the minority, did the yeoman's work on investigating the issue, deciding to pull in the Government Accountability Office, which I think was a good addition to the entire process. A careful examination has made it very clear that there was nothing wrong with the voting machines in this particular election; and, therefore, the contestant's claims that the undervote was caused by faulty machines is just not valid.

What the real reasons were, we will never know. It could have been ballot design. It could be several other factors that we have considered.

But the simple fact is that Mr. Buchanan did win the election, and the results of our vote tonight will demonstrate that. He did, in fact, win the election and will remain as a Member of the Congress.

I want to once again compliment the individuals here. Chairman Gonzalez of the task force was eminently fair, thorough, and complete in all his evaluations and discussions. Mr. McCarthy, in his first time on an assignment of this sort, has carried it out very carefully, very thoroughly and contributed a great deal to the discussions and the decisions.

I am just very proud that the House Administration Committee has completed this task which can be, I can assure you, a very onerous and difficult task; but the committee has completed it very competently, thoroughly and fairly; and the result, I believe, is beyond question.

This will serve as a model for future situations of this sort.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137), a bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act's programs.

I thank Chairman Miller, Representative McKeon and their staff for their hard work on this reauthorization bill. I am very pleased that the Education and Labor Committee voted unanimously to favorably refer this bill to the full House for consideration. It is a testament to the fact that bipartisan work, though difficult, pays off with a better final product. This bill makes substantive changes that help future college students and our Nation's economy.

Several provisions that I authored were included in the College Opportunity and Affordability Act. For example, the bill includes provisions of the Higher Education Sustainability Act, a bill that I introduced with Rep. Blumenauer to establish a competitive grant program to encourage colleges and universities to develop, implement and evaluate their sustainability practices and academic programs. I appreciate the efforts of Representatives Inslee and Blumenauer to improve upon the bill's provisions by requiring that the Secretary of Education consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency when awarding sustainability grants. This provision was included in the Manager's Amendment.

In addition, the bill includes the Robert C. Byrd American Competitiveness program, which has provisions that Representatives Wolf, Holt and I developed in the 109th Congress. For example, it awards scholarships to students who are enrolled in studies in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Also, through the Math and Science Incentive program, the Secretary may waive the interest on Federal student loans for students pursuing STEM teaching or professional careers. In conference, I certainly hope Senator Byrd is amenable to making these important updates to the Byrd Scholarship program.

Finally, the bill includes my Independent Study of Distance Education Act, which requires the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study of distance education, as compared to traditional, campus-based education.

I have a few concerns about the bill. First, I am concerned that the bill will require colleges and universities to comply with additional federal ``red tape.'' I understand that Representative McKeon plans to offer an amendment to study the regulatory burden on colleges and universities and ways to reduce it.

Also, I have concerns about the college cost provisions. While the provisions have certainly improved over the past several years, I question whether the federal government should intervene in the way colleges and universities set their tuition, particularly at relatively low-cost community colleges. For example, it is my understanding that Grand Rapids Community College, located in my congressional district, may be subjected to the bill's requirements of the Quality Efficiency Task Force. Unfortunately, the bill fails to take into account state and local factors, such as last year's failed millage attempts, which, in turn, necessitated the tuition increases at this community college. It is situations like this that should be considered when reviewing attempts to control rising college costs.

Finally, I have concerns with the bill's maintenance of effort requirements for state funding. I appreciate Representative Kildee and Walberg's efforts to include a waiver for States facing difficult economic times, such as Michigan.

On balance, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act is a good bill, and I urge Members to support it.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 932 to express support for school counselors and the designation of the week of February 4 through 8, 2008, as ``National School Counseling Week.''

I thank Representative Linda Sanchez for introducing this timely resolution and for allowing me to collaborate with her on it. I also thank the many Members of Congress that decided to cosponsor this resolution, especially Chairman Miller and Ranking Republican McKeon.

School counselors are instrumental in helping our students face daily challenges. They help develop well-rounded students by guiding them through their academic, personal, social, and career development.

School counselors also play a vital role in ensuring that students are prepared for their future. They may encourage students to pursue challenging academic courses to prepare them for college majors and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

I certainly recognize that school counselors contribute to the success of students in our schools, and I encourage all Members to join me in supporting this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to support H.R. 3690, after its amendment by the Senate. This bill would provide for the merger between the Library of Congress Police and the United States Capitol Police. The Senate has returned this bill with minor technical changes and clarifying language regarding the computation of annuities for retiring police officers with prior service. These changes are both accurate and appropriate, and I thank my colleagues in the other body for their work on this bill.

As I've said before, I'm confident that while the Library of Congress Police and the U.S. Capitol Police Force have different protocols and objectives, this merger will leverage the institutional knowledge of the Library staff with the expertise of the Capitol Police for the benefit of both organizations.

I look forward to partnering with Chairman Brady, who's done yeoman work on this issue, to ensure that the committee maintains ongoing communications with the Library and Capitol Police so that going forward both organizations have the resources and assistance they need to successfully integrate their law enforcement divisions. In particular, we wish to provide the Library and the Capitol Police with a means to communicate with the Congress on the progress of the merger and consider any guidance or resources that they require to achieve long-term success.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, as amended; and it will ensure that the Library's treasures are protected from harm and preserved for generations to come.

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

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 1163, my airplane flight was delayed, so I missed this vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay my respects to our departed colleague, Representative Henry Hyde. I am saddened by the death of this exceptionally fine and honorable man, who so ably served not only the best interests of his constituents but, indeed, the entire nation for over 30 years in this House. Henry Hyde will be remembered in many different ways--as a skilled attorney who respected and defended the rule of law; as a stout champion of the rights of the unborn; and as a distinguished statesman who promoted peaceful and just international relations and agreements.

As I remember the life and service of Henry Hyde, one personal experience stands out in my mind. In 1984, I was involved in a closely contested race for an open Michigan State Senate seat. A prominent pro- life organization endorsed my opponent, based not on my record or his, but on unrelated reasons. This was done despite my own consistent pro- life voting record and ardent pro-life policy stance. The pro-life endorsement carried considerable weight in the district and was a noteworthy point in the campaign. Henry Hyde found out about this development, and he was outraged. He traveled up from Illinois to campaign for me, to correct what he considered a grave injustice. Of course, given the passage of the ``Hyde amendment'' to prevent federal funds from being used for abortions--remarkably, passed during his first term in Congress in 1974--Henry Hyde was a hero in the pro-life

movement. His public endorsement of my campaign was a significant factor in my close victory.

Mr. Speaker, I consider it an honor to have known and worked closely with Henry Hyde. I know many of us feel the same way. I hope we will uphold his legacy of defending the rule of law, promoting just international relations, and protecting the sanctity of all life.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I feel very strongly about this issue, and I want to echo the words of the previous speaker, the gentleman from Tennessee who, of course, because of his background, has a deep historical interest and feeling about genocide.

I have been appalled at the lack of advancement of the nations in dealing with genocide, particularly the current genocide in Darfur. There is no reason in the world that our Nation, coupled with the other nations, could not have stopped this earlier. And because of the niceties of diplomatic relations worldwide, we have not done so. I believe that is a mistake, and I feel very strongly about this. Genocide should not occur. As the gentleman before me commented, that we are the only creatures who deliberately kill large numbers of our own kind. And it is not new. It started with Cain and Abel, the killing of a brother.

We must pursue genocide worldwide. We must insist that it not take place. And we must punish those who commit genocide. There is no reason on God's good Earth that we should permit genocide. And we, along with the other nations, have the power to stop it and we should do so.

So I rise with great gratitude to the sponsors of this bill and those presenting this bill on the floor. This is one small step forward in what we really have to do, and that is to totally and completely outlaw genocide worldwide and act expeditiously to stop it wherever it occurs.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his kind words and particularly for his leadership on this issue and finally bringing it to fruition. As he said, it has taken far too long. But now it is here and we are doing it right.

I rise in support of H.R. 3690, the U.S. Capitol Police and Library of Congress Police Merger Implementation Act of 2007, which will provide for the merger between the Library of Congress Police and the United States Capitol Police.

While bringing together two law enforcement bodies may seem like an easy proposition, whenever you have two entities with existing cultures, established protocols, and disparate missions, it is important to conduct a merger of those two groups thoughtfully and with due diligence. This, we have attempted to do.

While the Library of Congress Police and the U.S. Capitol Police both serve and protect the Congress and its assets, they do so in very different capacities. The U.S. Capitol Police are primarily charged with securing the Capitol buildings, Members of Congress, staff and visitors and providing an emergency planning and response function in the event of a terrorist attack or other unplanned activity.

Its core mission is too important to set aside even in the interest of completing this merger. The Library has a mission to serve the Congress and provide essential materials to enable Members and staff to get the information they need to craft effective legislation and perform other essential duties. One very important yet incomplete undertaking within the Library is to conduct a complete inventory of its collection, not only to have an accurate record of what materials are in its possession, but to also create a baseline for measurement of its inventory control efforts going forward. The committee is working closely with Library staff to ensure that progress continues to be made on the inventory of its collections, despite the additional work and effort required to unite these two law enforcement bodies.

The Library and the U.S. Capitol Police have studied the effects of this merger on executing their core operations and how problematic aspects might be mitigated. I am confident that both organizations will continue to carry out their core functions with the level of excellence that the Congress has come to expect.

Over the past 4 years, through numerous hearings and countless meetings with staff of both organizations, the Library and the Capitol Police have exhibited a commitment to apply the law enforcement expertise of the U.S. Capitol Police to the unique needs of the Library, creating an organization that will be greater than the sum of its parts. They have worked to put in place policies and procedures that will ensure that this union is successful and that it achieves the desired objectives of both organizations. Still, this merger marks a beginning, not an end.

As ranking member of the Committee on House Administration, I look forward to working with Chairman Brady to make certain that, going forward, both organizations have the resources and assistance they need to successfully integrate their law enforcement divisions. In particular, we wish to provide the Library and the Capitol Police with a means to communicate with the Congress on the progress of the merger and impart any guidance or resources that they require to achieve long- term success. I urge our colleagues to join me in supporting this bill which will help ensure that the Library's treasures are protected from harm and preserved for generations to come.

I want to once again thank Chairman Brady and the other members of the committee for their hard work on this very, very difficult issue. It seemed easy, but it wasn't, and I'm pleased that we finally have achieved this good result.

I also want to thank Chief Morris of the U.S. Capitol Police who has handled this very well and gone through some very delicate negotiations. In addition, the administration of the Library has been very helpful in trying to reach agreement, and they, of course, have very legitimate concerns about their needs to protect their collection, and they, one and all, have been very helpful in working with us.

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

Madam Speaker, as the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, I'm pleased to support the reappointment of Patty Stonesifer as a citizen regent of the Smithsonian Institution.

Six years ago I stood at this very microphone in a slightly different role as a member of the majority recommending Ms. Stonesifer for her initial appointment. I was very impressed with her qualifications at that time. She has not disappointed us. She has done very well.

In her role as chief executive officer of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ms. Stonesifer leads the foundation in their mission to help all peoples of the world lead healthy, productive lives. At the end of last year, under the leadership of Ms. Stonesifer, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had an endowment of approximately $33 billion, and remains one of the largest charitable foundations in the world.

In developing countries, the foundation focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people, especially those with the fewest resources, have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. For all three of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation program groups, Patty Stonesifer sets strategic priorities, monitors results and facilitates relationships with key partners.

Before helping Bill and Melinda Gates launch the Gates Learning Foundation in 1997, Ms. Stonesifer was a senior vice president at Microsoft, where she was responsible for an $800 million business activity focused on interactive entertainment, news, information and service products. She is active in a number of other charitable endeavors, and has served as a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS.

As Chair of the Smithsonian's Governance Committee, Ms. Stonesifer led the board's efforts to implement best practices in the nonprofit sector, and helped develop and implement the recommendations from the independent review committee designed to strengthen the board's oversight of the institution and reform its operations. In June, the board formally adopted the Governance Committee's 25 recommendations, and they are on target for completion by early 2008.

She has performed incredibly well in all of these areas, and the problems that we have had at the Smithsonian are well underway to conclusion simply due to the work of Ms. Stonesifer. The reforms include a reexamination of compensation, compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, and restructuring senior management to create a stronger reporting relationship with the board. Once implemented, these strengthened government practices will be an important step towards restoring faith in the Smithsonian and its management structure, and they demonstrate the positive impact of Ms. Stonesifer's leadership in this area.

After meeting once again with Ms. Stonesifer, I'm confident that her unique blend of business and philanthropic experience will continue to be a most valuable factor on the board

that is charged with overseeing the Nation's attic, our fond description for the Smithsonian.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting a very capable person, Patty Stonesifer, for reappointment to the Smithsonian's Board of Regents.

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