Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of his retirement this month, we rise to thank Mr. William Champ for his long career of outstanding service to the U.S. House of Representatives.

William Champ has been an employee of the Furniture Division, Cabinet Shop of the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer of the House for 30 years. During that time, he has earned the respect and admiration of his fellow co-workers. Bill is a person of great character and will leave behind a legacy of professionalism, hard work and dedication to the institution. His list of accomplishments is far too lengthy to include in this tribute, but includes the lecterns in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building that every Member of Congress uses during each session, a key fixture seen by millions of people all over the world. Bill was a key member of the team that designed and constructed the lecterns. He was also instrumental in the renovation of the audio/ video upgrade of the Ways and Means Committee Room.

Bill's retirement is bittersweet; the House will lose an individual who from day one of his employment made a long term commitment to excellence. His performance has always been exceptional and above and beyond expectations. His legacy will live on in the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives as we wish him many wonderful years of happy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1674) to authorize and strengthen the tsunami detection, forecast, warning, and mitigation program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to be carried out by the National Weather Service, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the time to Mr. Boehlert.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his kind words, and also have a good deal of sorrow in my heart because of his departure from this Congress. You have contributed so much, Mr. Chairman, and we deeply appreciate what you have done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this life-saving bill. H.R. 1674, as amended, will provide the tools our communities need to protect their citizens from the threat of tsunamis.

On December 26, 2004, one of the most devastating tsunamis ever recorded struck the unsuspecting nations of the Indian Ocean Basin. According to the U.N., almost a quarter-million people lost their lives or have never been found, and millions more were displaced. These numbers are impossible to comprehend. It represents more than the number of people killed in the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear weapons blasts. The effects of this tragedy will be felt for generations.

As we recovered from the shock of the event, we naturally began to ask the question: How can we prevent this from happening again?

H.R. 1674, as amended, the Tsunami Warning and Education Act, is part of the answer. Tsunami warning systems can save lives by giving people the time they need to get out of harm's way. This bill will expand the coverage of our tsunami warning systems to cover both the coasts of the U.S., not just the Pacific coast, giving more of our citizens critical protection.

Of equal importance, this bill will help communities develop efficient evacuation plans as well as effective systems for broadcasting warnings. It will also help educate the public so that they know how to respond to those warnings. In short, this bill will give our coastal communities the tools they need to save lives.

Our Nation has been fortunate not to have experienced a tsunami of the magnitude of the Indian Ocean tsunami--yet. Nor have we escaped all harm. Tsunamis have killed over 300 people in the U.S. in my lifetime, and the threat remains real, whether in Alaska or Crescent City, California, or any of our other coastal areas.

It is critical that we give our coastal communities the tools and timely information they need to alert their citizens to coming danger, and passing this bill will help make that happen.

It is unfortunate that it often takes a tragic event to bring natural disaster response planning to our attention. This makes it all the more important that we seize on this opportunity to help prevent future tragedies here in the U.S. and around the world. It is of utmost importance that we pass this bill to establish a tsunami forecast and warning system for the United States, aid other countries in doing the same, and educate the public to understand and heed the warnings.

I want to once again emphasize this bill will save lives. I urge my colleagues to join me in strong support of H.R. 1674, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my good friend and colleague, Sherry Boehlert.

It has been my honor to serve on the Science Committee with Sherry for more than a decade. As the Committee Chairman, his inspired leadership earned the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Sherry's thoughtful approach to policy and commitment to pragmatic, non-partisan solutions to our nation's problems have led to policies that are both sensible and effective. Under his leadership, the Committee has elevated the importance of the federal science and technology portfolio, promoted sound environmental and energy policies, and strengthened math and science education. He also reinforced the scientific expertise of the Committee by adding a number of seasoned scientists to its staff.

Sherry's unflagging optimism allowed him to plow through adversity and what most of us would consider insurmountable challenges. Through even the most discouraging times, his generosity of spirit and his endless good humor has been contagious to his colleagues--even when they don't share his point of view. I am certain that his endless enthusiasm and constant optimism will be remembered by all who have worked with Sherry. He has served the public in a manner that is rarely seen today: thoughtfully, carefully, and with great humility. In all, Sherry will leave this Congress considerably better than he found it, and he will be sorely missed.

It lessens the blow slightly to know that Sherry will not be going too far away. He will be continuing his service to his fellow citizens in Washington at the Wilson Center on a scholarly appointment. Undoubtedly, science policy will continue to feel the influence of his thoughtful and dynamic approach to problem-solving.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Britt ``Max'' Mayfield on an exemplary career of service to his fellow citizens, and to wish him well in his much-deserved retirement. In his 34 years of service to the nation, Max Mayfield has personified the

dedication and excellence that make the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service one of the crown jewels of the federal government. Since he began forecasting weather for the Air Force in 1970, and over more than three decades with the National Weather Service, Max has helped push forward the science of forecasting to help make our nation a safer place. But just making better forecasts has never been enough for Max, because a forecast does no good if nobody hears it. Mr. Mayfield has also dedicated his career to making sure that his always-improving forecasts get out as quickly as possible to the people who need them. For example, he has worked tirelessly to make more educational opportunities available to emergency managers so that they have the tools they need to interpret and respond to hurricane and severe weather forecasts quickly and intelligently.

There is no doubt in my mind that Max Mayfield's exemplary efforts, and those of his hard-working staff at the National Hurricane Center's Tropical Prediction Center, have helped communities prepare for impending disasters and have saved lives in communities across the country and around the world.

I am not alone in my esteem for Mr. Mayfield. The American Meteorology Society, the National Association of Government Communicators, ABC Television, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the National Hurricane Conference, the Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and President George W. Bush have all presented Max with formal awards for his outstanding achievements and service to his craft and to society. And those are just the formal awards--they do not include the many personal ``thank-you's'' that he has received from the very people he has spent his life serving, and from the people whose lives he has helped save.

So I am pleased to express my deepest gratitude to Max Mayfield, and to his endlessly supportive family for sharing him with us for this time. God bless you and the work you have done; I wish you calm weather and smooth sailing in your retirement.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 73) supporting the goals and ideals of National High School Seniors Voter Registration Day.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 73, introduced by my colleague from Louisiana, Congressman McCrery. This bill will establish the first Tuesday in May as National High School Seniors Voter Registration Day, during which volunteers will register high school seniors and other students of voting age on site in their schools.

As I have often stated, my goal as the chairman of the House Administration Committee is to make sure that every citizen who is able to vote does so. As an educator, I have witnessed firsthand the passion and energy our young people possess when given a chance to voice their beliefs, qualities that will serve them well as they enter the voting booth. The National High School Seniors Voter Registration Day will create an additional mechanism to register young men and women and perhaps encourage an early desire to participate in the political process. Accordingly, I call upon my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield as much time as he may consume to the sponsor of the resolution, Mr. McCrery of Louisiana.

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

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 73.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 495) authorizing the printing as a House document of ``United States House of Representatives, The Committee on Ways and Means: A History, 1789-2006,'' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, on November 6, 2006 the U.S. House of Representatives lost an institution in the Members' Dining Room when Jon Corbin, maitre d' until January 2006, passed on.

Jon started his lifelong career working for Congress in 1954 working for Representative Sam Rayburn and the Texas Delegation giving tours of the U.S. Capitol. He also took a second job at the U.S. Senate Post Office from which he retired in 2005. Jon became very popular working with the Texas Delegation and was assigned the position of personal server for Rep. Rayburn in his private dining room until Rep. Rayburn's death in 1961. Jon went on to become the maitre d' of the Main Dining Room, now the Members' Dining Room, in 1968.

Jon loved his job, working with the Members of the House. He was an astute listener and would gather all the facts before answering most questions asked of him, giving well thought out, honest answers and his views on many subjects. He was a huge sports fan and did his research on most scores and the who, what and when of big weekend games that Members would discuss with him. Jon was extremely knowledgeable about the U.S. Capitol and was considered the dining room staff information source on most questions concerning the Capitol. He was well liked and respected by his fellow workers and by Members of Congress. Jon had a great memory and knew most of the Members, past and present, by name on sight.

All who had the honor to meet and work with Jon Corbin will truly miss him. On behalf of the former and current Members Jon served over more than 50 years, and the entire House community, we celebrate Jon's contributions to this institution and extend condolences to his family and friends on his passing.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 423) authorizing the printing as a House document of `A History, Committee on the Judiciary, United States House of Representatives, 1813-2006,' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 505 I could not vote because the First Lady, Mrs. Laura Bush, and I were dedicating the new National Garden at the Botanic Gardens, and I was not able to return to the House Chamber in time to register my vote. Had I been present, I would voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate and recognize The Magic School Bus on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.

As many of my colleagues know, The Magic School Bus is a unique series of books, television programs and teaching materials for children that encourage a love of science and inspire positive attitudes toward math and science education.

What my colleagues may not know is that with 131 book titles and more than 58 million books in print, The Magic School Bus is one of the most successful children's science series, and it continues to grow in popularity every day. This series has earned numerous prestigious national recognition awards.

I am proud to support The Magic School Bus and its partnership with the National Science Foundation in a television series and museum exhibit, and I commend the Magic School Bus for its tireless efforts.

Congratulations to The Magic School Bus on this occasion of its 20th anniversary. May these efforts continue to spark the curiosity of millions of children and help motivate children to further pursue their interests in math and science.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2430, the Great Lakes Fish & Wildlife Restoration Act. This important bill reauthorizes the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration grant program first enacted in 1990 and renewed in 1998. It builds upon the successes of the program and ensures that both fish and wildlife resources will receive attention. It also expands the scope of the initiative to include grants for regional restoration work undertaken by federal, state, and tribal partnerships. The funds authorized in this legislation are critical to the widespread efforts to restore the vitality and water quality of the Great Lakes basin.

This bill is one small piece of the broader package of restoration priorities contained in the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC) Strategy, released in December 2005. It is also largely the same as Title II of my bill, H.R. 5100, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Implementation Act. I am pleased that we are moving forward to enact some of the changes recommended by the GLRC in its comprehensive strategic action plan. I strongly encourage my colleagues to not only provide the necessary authorizations for conducting restoration activities in the Great Lakes, but also to provide the funding required as well. It is unfortunate that this program has received paltry levels of funding in recent years; much more is needed to accomplish the goals laid out in the GLRC Strategy.

I thank Senator DeWine, Congressman Kildee, Congressman Kirk, and all the other Members who sponsored and supported this legislation. Today is a victory for the Great Lakes and for the thousands of good people working to protect and restore fish and wildlife resources there.

Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of his retirement in September 2006, we rise to thank Mr. Ron Kurtz for 26 years of outstanding service to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ron began his career at the House working as a Systems Programmer. In that capacity, Ron has served this great institution for the last 26 years as a valuable employee of House Information Resources (HIR) within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. Ron has made significant contributions in the implementation and management of the mainframe computing environment and, more recently, as a key member of the Storage Area Network (SAN) team. Ron's impeccable management of the mainframe computing environment, through emergencies such as the anthrax contamination event, was key to maintaining continuity of such essential House applications as payroll, the Legislative Information Management Systems (LIMS) and Committee Calendars (CCALS). Additionally, Ron has expertly managed the mainframe environment through numerous advances in technology to include integration with a Storage Area Network as part of the overall HIR business continuity efforts.

On behalf of the entire House community, we extend congratulations to Ron for his many years of dedication and outstanding contributions to the U.S. House of Representatives. We wish Ron many wonderful years in fulfilling his retirement dreams.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1016) encouraging all offices of the House of Representatives to hire disabled veterans.

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

Mr. Speaker, I also thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) for introducing this fine resolution.

I rise in support of H. Res. 1016, which encourages all offices of the House of Representatives to hire disabled veterans, and I ask all my colleagues to support this important bill.

Throughout history, our Nation has depended on the brave men and women of the military to secure our freedom, frequently at their own peril. Millions of those who fight valiantly for our country will return with injuries that threatened their livelihood and that of their families.

After completing their service to our country, our Nation's disabled veterans often return to face another challenge: diminished prospects for employment due to the injuries they suffered in battle.

By recruiting these exceptional individuals for employment in the House, we are both rewarding these heroes for their sacrifices they have made for their country and securing experienced, dedicated employees to work in House offices. By providing a congressional career path to disabled veterans, we are offering these courageous individuals an opportunity to serve the public in a new capacity.

I ask the Members to honor our Nation's veterans both by supporting this important resolution and by hiring disabled veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), who is in every way a true patriot and also the author of this wonderful resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I once again reiterate the requests that various individuals have made here, that every Member of this Congress take this resolution seriously, that they vote for it; and, furthermore, that they act on it and hire a disabled veteran to work in their offices.

I thank the gentleman from California for bringing this to our attention. I urge support by every Member of the House for this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this bill.