Brian Baird

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Oklahoma. He and I have had the privilege firsthand of visiting some of the endangered reefs and hearing from some of the world's leading experts, and his eloquent comments about the leadership of our Nation in this regard are well put. I have no speakers at this time, and would reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Mr. Kirk for his leadership on this and thank him for mentioning Representative Portman, who is really a champion of efforts to preserve the global environment. Mr. Speaker, it is entirely appropriate that we do this today, on Earth Day. I wore a tie which my wife gave me for Christmas which has a picture of my twin 3-year-old boys on it. When we talk preserving rain forests or preserving coral reefs, I think all of us have this commitment, that our children and our grandchildren should one day be able to enjoy these. But if we do not act promptly, quite frankly, I fear that they will not be able to. I have witnessed firsthand the degradation of some of what were the most the magnificent reefs on Earth. If you did not know what they are supposed to look like, you might not recognize the difference. But when you go underwater and things that are supposed to be there are not, species of fish, certain types of corals, gone; when you see corals that have been knocked over; when you see bleaching of almost every coral you see; when you see areas where marine anchors have been dragged across them; when you see areas where excessive human pressure in the form of divers and other things have damaged the reefs; when you see invasive species that are devouring some of the creatures that should be there; when you see runoff from nearby rivers; that is what is happening already. As populations grow, as temperatures increase, as ocean acidification worsens, it is a very, very real possibility that reefs which we are able to enjoy, that countless species depend on, that many nations depend on for their very survival, some of the coastal nations, our own areas in Florida and elsewhere on the coast depend on for security from storms, when you see these precious resources in peril, it is deeply moving and profoundly troubling. By recognizing the International Year of the Reef, I hope we can follow what Mr. Kirk said and urge Congress to take more actions to protect these valuable resources. I am proud that we can cosponsor this in a bipartisan fashion, and I will urge passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BAIRD. I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma, I thank Mr. Kirk and all the cosponsors of this resolution. Again, this resolution is somewhat of a symbolic act. What we really need to do in addition to this is support the various efforts, both nationally and internationally, to preserve these magnificent resources for generations yet to come and for the entire world. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and would yield back the balance of my time and urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 891, the resolution now under consideration.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this occasion, again I mention it is on Earth Day, to seek support for House Resolution 891, as amended, celebrating 35 years of space-based observation of the Earth by the Landsat spacecraft. This resolution celebrates the world's longest unbroken record of civil Earth observations of the land beginning with the launch of the first Landsat satellite on July 23, 1972. The data collected from Landsat satellites have helped advance our scientific understanding of global change and fostered applications that benefit our private sector, as well as our State, local, regional and Federal Government activities. Mr. Speaker, the scientific and applied uses of these space-based land observations are vast. Landsat data are used to monitor crop patterns, manage natural resources such as water and forests, assist in land use and urban growth planning, help protect wildlife habitats and support national security objectives, to name just a few examples. Landsat's 35 year data record has also been critical in helping to understand the interactions between land cover changes and variations in the Earth's climate. The most recent report of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program Report references Landsat as one of two critical satellites. It states, ``Without these satellite observations, the current pace of discovery and innovation in global land use and land cover change climate research would not be possible.'' Mr. Speaker, this celebration of Landsat's continuous 35 years record of land observations provides a clear example of the societal benefits derived from our Nation's space program. But there is more to be gained from Landsat data. Increases in computing and communications capabilities are stimulating innovative approaches to using Earth observations data such as Landsat. One need only look to the Internet, where anyone can access images of neighborhoods, cities and regions to see firsthand the ways in which Landsat data are finding their ways into our lives. Mr. Speaker, in reflecting on the contributions that Landsat has made over the past 35 years and the growing applications of these data, we must remember that the success of Landsat begins and continues with people. We owe our gratitude to the many talented and hard-working scientists, engineers and other professionals who have been involved in the Landsat program. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 891. As we address the implications of climate change and the pressure on our environment and resources, it is important that we ensure the continuation of the Landsat program and ensure the research, technology and educational investments that are required to expand the use of Landsat data and the benefits they provide to science and society. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 891) celebrating 35 years of space-based observations of the Earth by the Landsat spacecraft and looking forward to sustaining the longest unbroken record of civil Earth observations of the land, as amended.

Mr. BAIRD. I want to thank the gentleman from Oklahoma. It is an astonishing history, isn't it? The fact that we have now got a continuous record of changes at all sorts of levels, changes in ground cover, changes in agriculture, changes in the water resources, et cetera, is an extraordinary resource for a host of uses. Our agriculture community benefits from this, our national parks benefit from this, flood control managers benefit from this. This Landsat satellite system, which was, as the gentleman from Oklahoma pointed out, once rather controversial, is now seen as something that would be very difficult to plan without. It has produced enormous economic benefits and economic savings. Who would have thought many decades ago before the space program that one day we would be able to send up remote instruments to look back down on Earth, not from the 40,000 foot level, but much higher, to give us the broad sweep; but not only the temporary snapshot, but the vast look over time, so you can see changes, both constructive changes and the losses. Absolutely incredible and important. I want to share the gentleman's concern. We need that continuity to continue. Let us hope that the good engineers of NASA have produced an instrument which can last much longer, as they have in many cases, as we see in the Mars rover system, for example. But we need that continuity in the data records so scientists can see what changes have occurred over time without interruption. We need to continue that not only with the proximate, the next Landsat satellite, but future generations as well. Mr. Speaker, I thank the scientists and engineers, and thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for his support of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BAIRD. Again, I want to commend my colleagues for introducing this legislation. I think this is absolutely appropriate, particularly on Earth Day. But it is helpful for us to remember down here on Earth that our lives on Earth are made better by the space program and the observing network that we have up in space that help us anticipate all kinds of potential disasters and avoid those, and also guide us in doing proactive things to improve the health of our great planet. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and urge a ``yes'' vote on this resolution.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 1118, the resolution now under consideration.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to pay tribute to a great American scientist, Dr. John Archibald Wheeler. Dr. Wheeler passed away recently at the age of 96. He was a pioneer in the fields of nuclear and theoretical physics. Along with Niels Bohr, Dr. Wheeler worked out the first explanation of how nuclear fission actually worked. During the war years, Dr. Wheeler went to work on the Manhattan Project, helping to understand the theoretical basis for plutonium production. After the war, Dr. Wheeler continued his work for the country by helping to develop the American hydrogen bomb. After returning to academia, Dr. Wheeler continued his contributions to the field of physics. In 1957, Dr. Wheeler created the concept of wormholes to describe tunnels in space-time, and in 1967 he coined the term ``black hole,'' not to describe Congress, but as part of the theory of gravitational collapse. John Wheeler also contributed greatly to the scientific community with his devotion to teaching and training the next generation of scientists. He was a devoted teacher and textbook author, and served as a professor for over 70 years. Some of his graduate students included Richard Feynman, Kip Thorne, and Hugh Everett, all renowned physicists in their own right. Mr. Speaker, last week we lost one of the truly great scientific minds of the 20th century. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution honoring John Wheeler's achievements and expressing our profound condolences on his passing. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, at this moment it is a real pleasure to yield time to one of our distinguished new Members. We sometimes say in this body that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do something. In this case, we actually do have a physicist, Dr. Foster, the gentleman from Illinois, and the author of this outstanding legislation. I yield to him such time as he may consume.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Dr. Foster for introducing this resolution, and for his eloquent description of an individual to whom we owe such a great debt in this country. A recent survey asked citizens of the United States if they could name a single living United States scientist, and, sadly, many, many weren't. In this body it is not at all uncommon for us to bring up suspension bills honoring sports teams who may have won an NCAA championship or the Super Bowl or something like that. It is thoroughly appropriate that we do more to recognize outstanding scientists who did not just win a single sporting event, but changed the face of the Earth through their intellect, through their diligence, and through their discoveries. And I very much commend Dr. Foster for raising this, and I thank him. And, I hope it is not the last that he will enlighten us with his knowledge as a physicist. I know it won't be. But I would urge this body to see what we could do more through our actions here on the House Floor and in our districts to do more to honor and elevate the status of U.S. scientists so that we could provide role models for young people and rise above the gathering storm. Our science committee, chaired by Bart Gordon, has helped lead the effort in that. We are proud to have passed The America COMPETES Act. The America COMPETES Act is designed to produce many, many more John Wheelers. I want to express our thanks on behalf of the Congress to his family and our condolences for their loss. I yield back the balance of my time and urge a ``yes'' vote on this outstanding resolution.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. I thank the gentlelady. One of the things I am most proud of about this budget, and I want to commend Chairman Spratt for his work on, is his emphasis on keeping America competitive. And I want to talk about two ways it does that. First of all, as my colleagues have mentioned, it fully funds the America COMPETES Act. It provides funding allowances to make sure that we have adequately trained teachers in science and mathematics to make sure that we have research investments. This morning, on the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Science Committee, we heard from Bill Gates, the CEO of Microsoft. Chairman Gates spoke about the absolutely essential importance of training the next generation of scientists and engineers and of funding critical basic research in applied sciences. If we want our economies to be strong, we must invest in science. This budget provides for that. The other side, which my colleagues have also mentioned, is career and technical education. I am proud to have cofounded the Career and Technical Education Caucus in this Congress. And I can tell you if you talk to business people throughout this country, they will tell you they desperately need trained and skilled workers. The President's budget would zero out the Perkins grant program, which provides essential resources for our career and technical education programs. Our Democratic budget restores that funding. If you or your child want a job in a highly skilled profession, career and technical education can provide that. Our budget makes sure those programs have the resources needed. I am proud to support this budget.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, this is indeed a landmark day in the United States of America in the history of health care because the Congress of the United States, the House of Representatives, is going to say that mental illness deserves treatment and people suffering from mental illness deserve to have that treatment covered under their insurance plans. I want to commend Jim Ramstad and Patrick Kennedy for decades of work on this project. They are American heroes, in my judgment. They joined me for a field hearing in my congressional district where we heard from families, patients and providers about the toll mental illness takes on their lives. As a clinical psychologist who spent 23 years providing mental health care, I want to share with my colleagues this simple fact. I have never met, and I am sure you have never met, anyone who has not been touched personally by a family member, a friend, or a coworker whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness. All of us in some way have been touched by mental illness, in our families, our friends, or our coworkers. What this bill does is say that people suffering from such illnesses will be covered under insurance plans. I want to be clear about one thing. This is research-based, it is effective, it saves lives, and it saves dollars for our economy. Research-based, effective, it saves lives, and it saves dollars. This legislation supports it. Congratulations, Patrick Kennedy and Jim Ramstad. I urge a ``yes'' vote on behalf of millions of Americans.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. I thank my friends and colleagues from Connecticut and Utah. The reference was I had the privilege of graduating from the University of Utah where, to some degree, I majored in skiing, and for me it was a career and technical path. I am pleased to be here today to speak in support of H. Res. 930, a resolution introduced by myself and my good friend from Pennsylvania, Phil English. The resolution supports the goals and ideals of Career and Technical Education Month, which we are celebrating this month of February. This resolution expresses the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of Career and Technical Education Month, recognizes the importance of career and technical education in preparing a well-educated and skilled workforce, and encourages educators, counselors, and administrators to promote career and technical education as an option to students. Our country is currently facing a growing problem of not having enough qualified workers to fill high-demand jobs. Across the Nation, employers are facing difficulties in finding skilled employees. Indeed, one survey showed that nearly 75 percent of employers report severe difficulties trying to hire qualified workers. Career and technical education provides students with the skills they need to find employment in skilled professions and to compete in a growing and competitive global economy. Career and technical education also helps students receive and complete their education. Those who participate in these programs have higher grade point averages in college and are less likely to drop out. In fact, according to the Department of Labor, career and technical education prepares students for all of the 20 fastest growing occupations in our Nation today. Career and technical education is also unique in the way it engages students in their learning. I visited skill centers in my district, including the Clark County Skills Center and the New Market Skills Center in Thurston County last year, and I found students genuinely interested and involved in the classroom and in their education. Indeed, in my school visits, it is not at all uncommon to go to one, apparently, academic class, where students seem disinterested or maybe bored with their course of study. You encounter them somewhat later in the career and tech courses, and they're motivated, enlightened and enthused. Indeed, I could well imagine a young person saying they have no concern at all for what the Pythagorean Theorem is; A squared plus B squared equals C squared doesn't mean anything to them until they realize that's how you frame a roof, and that suddenly has relevance. I believe the Federal Government needs to focus more attention and resources on career and technical education. The Federal Government funds career and tech ed through the Perkins Act, which is the primary source of funding for career and technical education at the local level. Unfortunately, as we debate this resolution on the House floor, the administration has once again proposed eliminating funding for these programs. In fact, the Perkins grant program has not received a substantial increase in funding since 2002. I am hopeful we will not only honor career and technical education today, but work in the months ahead to restore funding for these very important programs. I want to applaud the Association for Career and Technical Education for its efforts. I also want to recognize the more than 15 million students currently involved in career and technical education in this country, and the more than 19,000 institutions that are presently offering career and technical education programs nationwide. Those folks who are studying and teaching in career and tech programs should know that they have friends and allies here in the Congress. In fact, last year I joined my colleague from Pennsylvania in creating the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus. This bipartisan group is working to raise awareness of the benefits of career and technical education in Congress and to support funding and policies to benefit career and technical education. I would urge my fellow Members to join the caucus and work with us to expand and strengthen career and technical education in this country. Finally, I would just offer a suggestion to my friends and colleagues in this institution and those colleagues who happen to be running for President. We often, in our political speeches, say things like, we want to make college education more affordable. Well, as a former college instructor and a chair of the department, I believe we ought to make college education more affordable, but I would encourage all of us to insert the words ``career and technical education'' when we talk about supporting education in this country. We should make career and technical education every bit as high a priority, as high in prestige, and as fully supported financially as we endeavor to do with college education. With that, I would like to close by thanking again the chairman of the committee, Chairman Miller, and Ranking Member McKeon. And I would also like to thank my good colleagues who spoke on this issue today. I look forward to working with them on issues relating to career and tech education, and I urge passage of this resolution.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I wish to share the perspectives of former Congressman Don Bonker on his distinguished colleague during his service in the House, the Honorable Tom Lantos. Tom Lantos was an extraordinary person in so many respects. The only member of Congress to survive the Holocaust, his passionate commitment to human rights, a widely respected authority on foreign policy, and one who worked closely with every administration, regardless of party, and world leaders to insure that democracy, not tyranny, reign in our lifetime. There was also the extraordinary personal side of Tom Lantos. His confinement and courageous escape from a Nazi- operated forced labor camp in Szob, Hungary, led to his befriending the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who gave him safety in his Budapest apartment and eventual freedom and relocation to the United States. Mysteriously, Raoul Wallenberg disappeared behind the Soviet Union, never to be heard from again. But Tom and his wife, Annette, never forgot the man who saved their lives, and the 40,000 others whose lives were spared because Raoul Wallenberg, at high personal risk, issued fake passports that enabled them to leave the country. I first met Tom Lantos before he came to Congress in 1978. As chairman of the subcommittee on human rights, it was suggested I talk to Annette Lantos about the fate of Raoul Wallenberg. Both Annette and Tom gave eloquent testimony before my subcommittee. Later, Tom Lantos wrote and passed resolutions and had a statue placed in the U.S. Capital honoring Raoul Wallenberg. The teenagers from Budapest have spent a life-time honoring the man who saved their lives. For many years, I traveled with the Lantos' all over Europe, including, to Russia, Romania and Hungary. They were committed first and foremost to the cause of human rights and strengthening democracies, especially in the countries of the former Soviet Union. There was no more eloquent voice or effective champion on these issues than Tom and Annette Lantos, a true legacy that will endure for generations to come. There is another Lantos legacy. As a parent of 2 daughters, he took great pride in their 17 incredible grandchildren, all of whom are fulfilling the highest expectations of their grandfather. Every year the Lantos Christmas card displayed a growing family of beautiful and gifted children who obviously gave them considerable pride and joy. In the Congress, Tom Lantos had no peers. He was respected by leaders of both political parties and the undisputed authority on foreign policy. Most newly elected Congressmen avoid the Foreign Affairs Committee because there is little that can help in their constituencies, but for Tom Lantos it was always about foreign relations. Indeed he ranks, alongside Lee Hamilton, as one of the two finest chairmen who ever presided over the House Foreign Affairs Committee. For those who had the privilege of knowing Tom Lantos, there is even more legacy. His eloquence and charm, personal loyalty to family and friends, his diplomatic grace in meeting world leaders, left one with the impression of being near a truly great leader and genuine statesman of the world. It was a privilege to have known Tom Lantos.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill (H.R. 1834) to authorize the national ocean exploration program and the national undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as proposed to be adopted under suspension of the rules, be modified by the amendment that I have placed at the desk. (For the text of H.R. 1834, see proceedings of the House of February 13, 2008, at page H896.)

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. I thank my friend and colleague from Texas and the gentleman from Florida as well. I want to commend Chairman Filner for his support as well. I am very, very pleased today to recognize the efforts of my constituents, who joined together with many others from across Washington State to unite in a common endeavor, to help our veterans and their families. The desire of Washington residents to help our veterans has led to the creation of the Veterans Family Fund Certificate of Deposit in November of last year. As my friends have described earlier, anyone wishing to show their personal support for our veterans can do so in a simple way: They can simply invest in a 6-month Veterans Family Fund Certificate of Deposit. After the 6 months, as mentioned earlier, half of the interest earned on the certificate goes back to the individual who invested, but the other half of the interest is donated as a charitable contribution to the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Innovation Program. The Department of Veterans Affairs will use the new funding to provide assistance to veterans and their families in areas where none is otherwise available through the State or Federal Government. This will include direct grants for emergency financial assistance and efforts to promote the long-term financial stability of Washington State's veterans. Speaking personally, as someone who worked in the VA system as a clinical psychologist, I can tell you how valuable this sort of flexible individualized assistance can be to helping our veterans and families. Last year, Congress stepped up to the plate and provided significant increases in funding for our Nation's veterans, but this is a creative way for the average citizen to show his or her support for the brave men and women who have served in the Armed Forces. This program was entirely citizen- driven, and it demonstrates the power of interested individuals who come together to make a difference. I would like to particularly acknowledge Jane Jacobsen, who was the first to come up with the idea for the program, and Mike Worthy of the Bank of Clark County who made his institution the first to participate in the program and has already sold more than $300,000 in CDs, including one which I was happy to invest in myself. I also want to acknowledge John Lee, the director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, who has supported the project from the very start. And, in particular, I want to give special recognition to the outstanding Governor of the State of Washington, Governor Christine Gregoire, who has been a key supporter and advocate for this program from its infancy. I am joined in this effort by the entire Washington delegation on this resolution to commend the people of our State for showing their support for the needs of our veterans, and we encourage residents of other States to pursue similar creative ways to show their support for veterans. Again, I thank the Chair, I thank the gentleman from Texas and the gentleman from Florida for their time, and urge passage of this resolution.

Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BAIRD. I would just like to thank you for supporting this initiative and would in turn support your proposal. What this comes out of is citizens saying, Look, we've got young men and women, and as many people know in this conflict, it's not just young men and women, it's people of all ages overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan and throughout the country. And when they come back home, we want to show them our support. It's a fine thing and a proper thing that we would wave a flag and say thank you for your service. But sometimes people need more than just a thanks. Sometimes they need the ability to visit a loved one; sometimes they need a home repaired; sometimes they need a little bit of help financially to go to school. And the kind of program that we are putting forward today allows over and above what we are already providing through our VA services to average citizens to provide support for doing just that. It sounds like that is what you are seeking to do, Mr. Kennedy. I commend you for your efforts and look forward to working with you. Mr. KENNEDY: I likewise thank the gentleman.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Chairman, I want to address a fundamental problem in our current education and support system and it is this, people who are not able because they lack the money to go to school on their own expense are not eligible for student loans if they can't go more than half time. Ironically, this means that some of the people who are most in need of student loans, and very often most deserving of student loans, are ineligible for such loans. The one law we haven't been able to repeal in Congress is the law of unintended consequences, and this is an unintended consequence. We should not say to hardworking men and women who would like to go back to school to improve their education, improve their standard of living, no, you can't get any Federal help unless you have the time to go more than half time. It just doesn't work. I have spoken to young, hardworking students who say, look, I am doing everything right. I am trying to raise my family. I am working for a living. I am paying my bills. I would like to take courses, but I can't afford to do so without a loan, and yet I am ineligible for the loan. What our amendment does is simply ask the Department to conduct a study of the pros and cons of providing less than half-time students, making them eligible for student loans and of possibly establishing a pilot program to see how this can best be done. This amendment has broad support. The American Association of University Women, the National Education Association, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the American Association of Community Colleges and others. I would like to thank, particularly, the Chair and ranking member of this committee and the subcommittee Chair, ranking member and their staffs for their diligent work on this. It is a commonsense amendment that will help literally millions of Americans be eligible for student loans to further their education. Madam Chairman, I would urge passage of this amendment and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Chairman, I yield to the distinguished chairman, Mr. Miller, for 30 seconds.

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Chairman, I urge passage and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BAIRD

Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, on January 22 and January 23, 2008, I was not present for votes. I take my voting responsibility very seriously. Had I been present, I would have voted the following: rollcall vote 19--H.R. 4211 (on motion to suspend the rules and pass): ``yea''; rollcall vote 20--H. Res. 866 (on motion to suspend the rules and pass): ``yea''; rollcall vote 21--H.R. 3963 (on ordering the previous question): ``yea''; and rollcall vote 22--H.R. 3963 (passage, objections of the President not withstanding): ``yea.''