Judy Biggert

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge Members to join in saluting an American hero who deserves to be recognized for his lifetime service to the world by passing S. 2250, the Congressional Tribute to Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Act of 2006. Senate 2250 directs the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate to make appropriate arrangements to award a gold medal on behalf of Congress to Dr. Norman Borlaug in recognition of his enduring contributions in fighting hunger around the world. This legislation is identical to H.R. 4924, introduced by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham). Madam Speaker, Dr. Borlaug is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient of whom few have heard, a humanitarian responsible for mounting a global campaign against hunger that saved so many of the world's neediest people through agricultural science. In 1944, he took on the task of researching high-yield and disease- resistant cereal grains. Through trial and error, Dr. Borlaug's efforts led to the development of varieties of wheat that completely altered production agriculture as it was then known in places like Pakistan, India and Mexico. The dwarf wheat variety allowed farmers to produce far more grain per acre than anyone could have predicted. This newfound bounty gave the world's poorest people access to food, ensuring children who otherwise would have been victims of malnutrition could thrive. Dr. Borlaug's landmark discoveries in agriculture led to what is called the ``Green Revolution.'' However, this modest man, born and raised in Cresco, Iowa, and educated in Minnesota, once said his accomplishments were only ``a temporary success in man's war against hunger and deprivation.'' Madam Speaker, I recognize that many in Congress and throughout the country do not know about the progress we have made in production agriculture and are unaware of the countless contributions made by agricultural scientists such as Dr. Borlaug. However, his leadership has inspired so many others of our best and brightest students to pursue careers in agriculture sciences, and his work will live on in the lives of those who have been spared the misery of starvation. Madam Speaker, this is an honor long overdue, and I would urge immediate passage of this important legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2250) to award a congressional gold medal to Dr. Norman E. Borlaug.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I would urge passage of this very important bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 3938) to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States, as amended.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge the immediate passage of Senate 3938, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2006. A compromise between the Senate-passed product and the House version, H.R. 5068, introduced by my friend from Ohio (Ms. Pryce), this is an excellent bill that deserves broad and deep support. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to see this bill on the floor today. The House and Senate versions both enjoyed broad bipartisan support in committee and in floor consideration, and it seems to me that this bill makes a number of important reforms to the way Ex-Im operates that we all can be very proud of. First and foremost, Madam Speaker, this bill firmly establishes congressional intent that the bank should focus its attention on increasing exports by small businesses. The bank does a tremendous job of supporting exports by large corporations and will continue to do so. But small businesses often have had a difficult time navigating the intricate and unfamiliar waters of loan guarantees and insurance offered by the bank. This bill establishes a small business division within the bank staffed by specialists on small business operations. More importantly, it authorizes the small business specialist to approve loans, guarantees and insurance on some projects quickly so that the U.S. small businesses will not be aced out of international competition by another country's export credit agency that moves faster to cement the deal. The bill also establishes a special office to serve small businesses owned by women and the economically disadvantaged and expresses the congressional view that Ex-Im should have an office that focuses on exports of renewable energy technology, an area where the U.S. can excel as a world leader. Finally, this bill establishes a number of new reporting regimes and reorganizes others so that Congress can better monitor and perform oversight on Ex-Im operations, a job some have felt to be difficult in the past. In our increasingly competitive global environment, we must ensure that we can provide every advantage and eliminate every obstacle for U.S. businesses to win the sale over foreign competitors. This is a bill that all Members can be proud of and will increase U.S. exports, and thus U.S. employment in a responsible manner. I want to thank Chairman Oxley and Ranking Member Frank for their strong support in guiding this bill. They, along with Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Manzullo and Ms. Velazquez, joined me as original cosponsors with Chairman Pryce, and all were helpful, as well as Chairman Shelby and Ranking Member Sarbanes and Senator Crapo in the Senate. I would also like to thank the staff who worked on this bill: Chairman Pryce's former staff member, Jackie Moran; Scott Morris of Mr. Frank's staff; and Eleni Constantine from Mrs. Maloney's staff. Also Gregg Richard on the staff of the Senate bill's sponsor, Senator Crapo, was instrumental in passage, and I will note we trained him well when he worked here in the House, as well as Andrew Olmen from Senator Shelby's staff and Steve Kroll for Senator Sarbanes. With that, Madam Speaker, I urge immediate passage of this bill and reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank John Case for his 8 years of service as Chairman of the Pace Board of Directors. Under John's leadership, numerous improvements were instituted to North America's 6th largest bus system, resulting in better service for millions of Americans living in the Chicagoland area. It is no surprise that John was chosen to serve as Chairman of the Board--he has a long history of serving his community and nation. As a retired United States Air Force Major with 20 years of service, including the third bomber wing during the Korean War, he brought many valuable skills to his role as Chairman. His experience is evident in the many improvements he instituted. These include developing Board Committees to handle specific decision areas, implementing use of biodiesel in the Pace bus fleet, doubling the size of Pace's vanpool program, ensuring that retirement funds are being adequately funded, and implementation of the Intelligent Bus System, which provides real- time information on bus locations, ridership and on-time performance. John is a dedicated public servant. For more than 40 years, he has served his community in many public roles. He began his public career in Lisle Township--located in the 13th District of Illinois, which I represent--and, since then, has held the position of Township Trustee and Supervisor for Lisle Township. In DuPage County, in which Lisle Township resides, he has served as a DuPage County Board Member, County Board Chairman, and Forest Preserve President. Once again, I would like to congratulate and thank John Case on his eight successful years as Chairman of the Pace Board of Directors and for all he has done for his community.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk). He has been the chairman of the Suburban Caucus, and this bill has been on the Suburban Caucus list for those bills that are important to not only suburban areas but all over the country, and I yield 2 minutes.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I recognize another member of the Science Committee who has worked hard in this area, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCall), for 2 minutes. Mr. McCALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank Congresswoman Biggert for her leadership on this bill. We have worked very hard to get to this point to get this bill on the floor. I was very proud to be a part of it. I thank you again for your leadership. And I thank Congressman Kirk for helping us in this effort and my colleague from Texas, Mr. Smith, for his hard work. This alternative energy legislation is crucial for America. But it isn't just an alternative energy issue. It is also very much a national security issue. For some time now, we in the Congress have been pushing towards reducing America's addiction to foreign sources of oil. This is a giant step in the right direction. This bill will provide research and development for energy independence, for clean energy technologies, for plug-in hybrid vehicles, solar power, wind, biofuels, clean coal technologies, and hydrogen. If passed, this visionary legislation will put us on the track to provide cheaper and more reliable alternatives to fossil fuels and will work to provide a cleaner environment for our children and our grandchildren. I want to thank our colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their strong support of this legislation as well. It is an important bill for America's energy future.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), who is not a member of the Science Committee but has been so helpful as a member of the Policy Committee and of the Appropriations Committee, and I yield 3 minutes.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6203) to provide for Federal energy research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities, and for other purposes.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett), a long-time member of the Science Committee, for 3 minutes.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 6203, the bill now under consideration.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to Mr. Bartlett from Maryland.

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

Mrs. BIGGERT. Before I close, Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert in the Record an exchange of letters between the Committees on Science and Education and the Workforce. Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives, 2181 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC, September 29, 2006. Hon. Sherwood Boehlert, Chairman, Committee on Science, 2320 Rayburn HOB, Washington,

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6203, the Alternative Energy and Research Development Act. As its title suggests, this bill is designed to advance development of a number of alternative energy technologies by establishing policy goals and focusing research on key technical challenges. Building on the excellent R&D provisions the Science Committee included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, or EPACT, H.R. 6203 supports the development of biofuels from cellulose, meaning feedstocks other than corn; biodegradable natural plastics from biomass; technologies for hydrogen storage onboard vehicles; advanced solar technologies that are economical and make solar power cost competitive in a decade; technologies that minimize the cost and environmental impact and maximize the efficiency of harnessing the power of the wind; and advanced battery technologies specifically for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. In addition to requiring the DOE to continue carrying out the geothermal energy, hydropower distributor and cogeneration research authorized in EPACT, H.R. 6203 supports research to convert coal into pipeline quality gaseous fuels. The bill also promotes energy conservation in three important ways. First, it provides incentives for the construction of energy efficient buildings. Today's buildings consume 50 percent of the Nation's supply of natural gas and 70 percent of its electricity, more energy than any other sector of the economy, including industry and transportation. Second, the bill offers grants to States who deploy solar cells and purchase plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Finally, it establishes a cooperative extension program to encourage the use of advanced energy technologies patterned after the successful agricultural extension programs that aided farmers in incorporating advanced technologies and food production. H.R. 6203 is a modified version of H.R. 5656, which was approved by the Science Committee in July. Like most bills that emerge from the Science Committee, H.R. 6203 represents a compilation of great ideas from a number of members of the committee, including my colleagues from Texas, Lamar Smith and Mike McCaul. And I would especially like to thank the ranking member, Mr. Gordon, for his leadership and his additions to the bill. The bill was further perfected in committee by Representatives Ralph Hall, Doris Matsui, Lynn Woolsey, Sheila Jackson- Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ken Calvert, Al Green, Brian Baird, and Brad Miller. I want to thank my colleagues on the committee for their contributions. H.R. 6203 is the product of a truly bipartisan effort. Mr. Speaker, high natural gas prices and the summer spike in gasoline prices serve as a stark reminder that the path to energy independence is a long and arduous one. To make significant progress down this path requires a steadfast commitment from Congress and the Federal Government to support the development of advanced energy technologies and alternative fuels that will help end our addiction to oil and gasoline. The bill we are considering today would do just that in a fiscally responsible way. In some cases, it gives new direction to research funding authorized in EPACT. In others, the House already has appropriated funds for the programs. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6203. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I recognize a valuable member of the Science Committee, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) for 3 minutes.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. 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 Senate 3661.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding woman whose commitment and passion for a great cause led her to accomplish a very good thing for her community and state. The woman is Debra Nauman. The cause is educating autistic children. And the very good thing accomplished is a place called Giant Steps, Illinois. When Debra's son Riley entered pre-school, she became concerned about the quality of education he would receive as an autistic child. But instead of becoming disheartened, Debra Nauman became inspired. She was determined to provide her son with an education that would facilitate his mental and physical progression. Her resolve led her to Giant Steps, a school for children with autism, in Montreal, Canada. Here was a school that featured an environment that nurtured the autistic mind and provided therapeutic services. Here was what she was seeking for Riley. But here--Montreal, Canada--was a very long way away from her home and business in Illinois. So when Debra sought such a school back home and couldn't find one, she founded her own. Armed only with her tenacity and infectious enthusiasm, she recruited a board of directors, raised funds, rented space, hired personnel and opened the doors at Giant Steps, Inc. Illinois, an academic and therapeutic day school for children with autism spectrum disorders in Burr Ridge, Illinois. As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of Giant Steps of Illinois, it is only appropriate that we recognize Debra Nauman. We celebrate her because, despite the challenges she faces as a single mom running her own business, she did not compromise when it came to her autistic son and his needs. Debra recognized long ago that every child deserves an education that will help him or her progress in life. She continues to work tirelessly to improve Giant Steps of Illinois and expand its programs. In so doing, she has made a world of difference in the lives of so many autistic children and their families in Illinois. Mr. Speaker, once again, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Debra Nauman and congratulate her on Giant Steps of Illinois' tenth anniversary.

Mrs. BIGGERT

Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 973, which supports the goals and ideals of designating the week of October 2-8, 2006 Financial Planning Week. I want to thank my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Hinojosa, for introducing this resolution. I want to commend him for his leadership on the important issue of financial education. In addition to serving together on the Financial Services Committee, Congressman Hinojosa and I co-chair the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, which now has 79 members. His commitment to improving financial literacy levels among all Americans is unwavering. I am honored to co- chair the caucus with him and to be the lead co-sponsor of this resolution. I also want to thank the gentleman from Virginia, Chairman Tom Davis, for expeditiously moving this resolution through the Committee on Government Reform. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 973 calls on the Nation to observe the week of October 2-8, 2006, as ``Financial Planning Week.'' The Financial Planning Association, along with many states and municipalities across the country, have designated October 2-8, 2006, as ``Financial Planning Week.'' Our collective goal for the week is to make Americans aware of their financial planning needs, and encourage them to take the actions necessary to achieve financial security for their families. Mr. Speaker, proper financial planning is an essential part of achieving one's life goals. Whether saving for a child's education, planning for retirement, or purchasing a first home, virtually every major decision that we make requires comprehensive financial planning. Financial Planning Week will provide a good opportunity to talk to your kids about their personal finances, to remind your friends and loved ones of the need to plan for retirement, or to seek help with your own financial situation, if need be. In the last quarter of 2005, the personal savings rate dropped to negative-point-two-percent--one of the lowest since the Great Depression. Studies show that as many as 10 million households in the United States are `un-banked.' They don't even have a bank or credit union account. In addition, 37 percent of workers are not currently saving for retirement. This has to change, and the best way for it to change is for us as Americans to get educated about properly managing our finances. This October, during ``Financial Planning Week,'' I will join my colleagues, and financial literacy advocates nationwide, to encourage Americans to seek out information about the benefits of properly managing their personal finances. I ask my colleagues to join me and support the goals and ideals of designating October 2-8, 2006, as Financial Planning Week.