Timothy Bishop

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, family-run businesses are the cornerstone of Long Island's economy. I rise today to honor one such business, Clare Rose, Inc., as it celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. The success of Clare Rose, Inc. is a testament to the perseverance of the American entrepreneurial spirit. Clare F. Rose founded Clare Rose, Inc. on November 30, 1936 in the quiet hamlet of Patchogue, New York, as a soft drink distribution business and then shifted to beer distribution in 1948. The company distributed just one brand, Piels, and eventually added Anheuser-Busch and Heineken brands to its menu of brewed selections. Today, Clare Rose proudly distributes AB InBev, Heineken, Blue Point Craft Beers, and Great South Bay, along with other quality non- alcoholic products. It has grown to be the largest beverage wholesaler on Long Island and the second largest in New York State. Its initial market territory encompassed only Eastern Suffolk County, later expanding business operations to all of Suffolk in the 1960s and Nassau County in the 1990s. Today, Clare Rose sells more than 11 million cases of beer annually to all of Long Island. Rose started with just two employees, growing over time to a family of over 300 employees. The Rose family has led the company through seven decades of serving Long Island. Clare's sons Mark and Ric assumed management responsibilities in the 1960s and today, Sean, a third- generation Rose, serves as CEO and Chairman. It is a family business in the truest sense--welcoming fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, and many other family combinations. Mr. Speaker, businesses are not just measured in profits or clientele, but by the role they play in their community. Clare Rose continues to support local educational and medical institutions, as well as local land and wildlife conservation initiatives across Long Island. The company has also participated in efforts to educate the public regarding responsible alcohol consumption, with a special focus on high school students and the dangers of underage drinking and drunk driving. Mr. Speaker, local businesses with long histories are treasures for any community. On behalf of New York's first congressional district, I congratulate Clare Rose, Inc. and its employees on its 75th anniversary and wish them decades of success to come.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of his retirement from the Southampton School Board, I rise to commend the Reverend Marvin Dozier for a life spent in service to others. As a board member and past president of the board, Reverend Dozier devoted eleven-and-a-half years to the children and families of our community. Never concerned with recognition or accolades, he made the students his first priority. He was the first African-American to serve as president of the school board, and he worked tirelessly, with dignity and wisdom, to encourage collaboration and forge a common understanding among those with different backgrounds. Reverend Dozier's community activism began when he was a student at Southampton High School during the 1960s. He worked with several teachers to organize diversity training workshops for students, advocated for the hiring of black teachers and served as a voice for the minority in student government. Although he considered himself an activist, his goal was never to be divisive, but to work to bring people together. In 1980, Reverend Dozier was ordained a minister by the First Baptist Church of Southampton and is now pastor of the Unity Baptist Church of Mattituck. He also served as chair of the Southold Town Anti-Bias Task Force. Among many other contributions, Reverend Dozer is Director of the Southampton Youth Association, an organization that coordinates sports programs and summer camps for the school district and seeks to build character through sports. He has insisted that SYA remain true to its mission to give every child an opportunity whether or not the family has money or resources to pay for it. Furthermore, Reverend Dozier serves as the voice for those who cannot stand up for themselves, making sure they have a chance to participate and become involved. A man who always seems to have a smile and a warm welcome for everyone he encounters, Reverend Dozier makes sure his work is guided by his desire to put the children of the community first--not himself, not his own children, but all the children. Additionally, Reverend Dozier has held positions of leadership with great responsibility and dedication, always striving to raise social consciousness and create awareness. His purpose has never been to blame, but to hold people accountable for their actions. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure on behalf of New York's first congressional district to thank Reverend Martin Dozier for making our community a better place and to wish him well as he continues a life of service and contribution.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the lives of two American heroes, Sergeant Peter P. Krupski and Private Russell M. Penny. Sgt. Krupski and Pvt. Penny personified American patriotism and selflessness in making the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms for future generations. Peter P. Krupski enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1941, reaching the rank of Master Technical Sergeant. Sgt. Krupski reenlisted in the Marines in March 1943, earning prominent distinctions such as the American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. In 1943, as the American forces began their offensive through the South Pacific islands occupied by the Japanese, Sgt. Krupski died of wounds sustained during the Battle of Guadalcanal aboard a U.S. Navy mobile hospital. Though just 22 years old when he was killed, Sgt. Krupski has been fondly remembered on the East End of Long Island ever since his passing. Russell Penny enlisted as a member of the United States Army on January 5, 1940, answering ours country's call to service following the advances of the Nazi Third Reich through Europe. Stationed at the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Pvt. Penny was killed during the surprise attack against the base by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. A lifelong resident of Mattituck, New York, Pvt. Penny holds the tragic distinction as the first casualty of Suffolk County and as one of the first of the over 400,000 Americans killed during World War II. In honor of the sacrifices made by Sgt. Krupski and Pvt. Penny, a new community room at the Veterans Memorial Park in Mattituck, New York was named in their honor on May 28, 2011. It is my great hope that our community will continue to remember and support our veterans, forever recognizing them for their essential role in defense of our nation. Mr. Speaker, I commend Sgt. Peter P. Krupski and Pvt. Russell M. Penny for their valor and service, and I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring their memory and sacrifice on the occasion of the dedication of the community room at the Veterans Memorial Park in my district.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. In its current form, I am.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this final amendment, the Bishop-Holt motion to recommit, in order to increase funding for grants for transportation security and counterterrorism. Intelligence seized from Osama bin Laden's compound indicates that al Qaeda was targeting America's railroads on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Earlier, in 2009, the FBI disrupted a plot to blow up trains in New York City and in Washington, D.C. The 9/11 Commission placed some of the blame for the intelligence breakdown before the 9/11 attacks on a failure of imagination; but today, we don't have to imagine the damage a terrorist could do on a rush-hour commuter train. That is evident from the tragedies in Madrid, London, and Mumbai. An even more deadly attack could occur on a train carrying hazardous chemicals through a major city, including trains that pass regularly only a stone's throw from the U.S. Capitol. While airline security upgrades over the past 10 years can help prevent another 9/11, we still face an evolving threat to multiple modes of transportation. In fact, trips by rail exceed air travel by 18 times. Yet air travel receives over 200 times more Federal security funding per passenger than rail. Still, the bill before us today makes deep cuts to rail security. It provides no specific funding for transit, rail, or bus security grants in 2012. Instead, it rolls nine grant programs together to compete for funding that has already been cut 55 percent. That's not a failure of imagination; that's a dereliction of duty. In response, the Bishop-Holt amendment would increase funding for grants for transportation security and counterterrorism by $75 million, fully offset with a reduction in funding for the National Bio and Agro- defense facility, otherwise known as NBAF. While DHS insists that a new billion-dollar animal disease research lab in the heart both of cattle country and tornado alley is completely safe, both the GAO and the National Academy of Sciences have found many faults in safety and in cost overruns. In fact, most of us agree with the National Academy of Sciences that the risk of a release of foot- and-mouth disease in America's heartland must be better addressed before DHS proceeds with construction. We have much higher homeland security priorities than beginning a new billion-dollar facility that will replicate many of the existing functions already conducted at our Federal labs. Fourteen million Americans ride mass transit every day in our Nation's urban areas, with millions more riding commuter or passenger rail each year. If we understand the clear threat to these passengers and accepted efforts to protect them are underfunded, we must do more to keep them safe. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to make the right choice and support this final amendment to increase funding for grants for transportation security and terrorism. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

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

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to mourn the passing of an outstanding young woman in my congressional district whose life was cut short in a tragic car accident on May 28th. Laura Kavazanjian of East Setauket, New York, was only 27 years old but already she was committed to making a difference in the lives of others. Laura had recently completed a master's degree in international education policy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education that focused on access to education for marginalized girls. She valued her own education and was passionate about creating opportunities for young women in the developing world to have the same access to learning. After earning her undergraduate degree from Brown University, Laura worked as a program officer for the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative in Mumbai, India designing and implementing a care and support program for more than 4,000 children living with HIV. She also conducted research in Malawi and worked for Save the Children and CARE for the Power to Lead Alliance, a program aimed at developing leadership among adolescent girls in six countries. Laura was on her way home from her five-year reunion at Brown with her fiance, David Reidy, when the car accident occurred. In addition to her academic prowess, Laura was also a leader on the athletic fields, and played field hockey at Ward Melville High School and at Brown. I had the pleasure of meeting her when she worked in my district office as an intern and later on my campaign for re-election to Congress in New York's first district. Indeed, Laura was a young woman of great promise with the motivation and the ability to realize her laudable goals. She had accomplished much in her short life, and I am sure she would have realized many other achievements. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of New York's first congressional district, I express my heartfelt sorrow to Laura's family, fiance and friends following this tragic loss. We will always remember Laura Kavazanjian with love and appreciation, and her memory will live on in our hearts.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule and support the gentleman's motion to move the previous question. This motion demonstrates we are serious about creating jobs, growing the economy, and lowering gas prices. My Republican colleagues are instead relitigating an issue that was debated exhaustively over the past year. As I traveled all across my district last week, not surprisingly, not a single one of my constituents said the health reform should be altered to fund graduate medical education in qualified teaching health centers through direct appropriations. Rather, my constituents want to hear what Congress is doing now to lower the price of a gallon of gas. They want to know how we are responding to turmoil in the Middle East and speculation by Wall Street, which are causing this price spike. In Montauk Point, the eastern most point of my district, regular unleaded gas cost $4.89 a gallon yesterday. Recreational and commercial fishermen, small businesses and the whole local economy are all being squeezed by gas prices. My constituents want to know what Congress is doing in response and how we plan to create jobs and expand our economy. But since the new Republican majority took over this year, we haven't debated a single jobs initiative or any meaningful proposal to reduce the price of gas for consumers--not one. In the 140 days since the 112th Congress began, we have debated zero job bills and only a handful of bills related to energy, most of which focus on reducing the price of gas 10 years from now, maybe. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against the previous question so that we can focus on our priorities: Reducing gas prices, creating jobs and helping middle class American keep up in today's economy.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, Suffolk County is home to many fire department companies that protect and serve our local communities. I rise to honor the Van Guard Hose Company No. 1 in Patchogue, New York and its members, who this year are celebrating the 120th anniversary of its founding. In the summer of 1890, local residents determined that the Patchogue Fire Department was unable to adequately respond to fire emergencies in the southern section of the Village of Patchogue when Captain G.G. Horton's barn was destroyed by fire. Due to this unfortunate event, these local residents formed the Van Guard Hose Company. Residents requested the purchase of a hose cart and the fire directors of Patchogue Fire Department granted the purchase of a two- wheeled cart and 500 feet of hose. Chief Edwin Bailey, the department's first chief, was tasked with determining the location to house the new equipment. Fourteen residents came together to form the present company for its regular meeting on January 13, 1891 at the home of Mrs. Alfred C. Mott, a resident of southern Patchogue. Today, Van Guard Hose Company No. 1, located just down the street from where the company first met, has grown to 63 members who bravely and selflessly serve their community. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great comfort to know that Long Island is still a collection of communities where neighbors look out for one another, as they did back in the 1890s. I'm proud to represent Van Guard Hose Company No. 1 and its members in the House of Representatives. I offer my congratulations on this milestone and wish them well for many years of continued service to the Patchogue Fire District.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my heartfelt congratulations to a dear friend, Rev. Charles L. Currie, S.J., on his retirement from the presidency of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU). For over four decades, Father Currie has served as a tireless advocate of independent higher education. His passion and dedication have had a tremendous influence on the lives of countless students through his multiple roles as an educator, spiritual leader, and humanitarian. A true renaissance man, Father Currie has personified the AJCU mission of leading a meaningful life of leadership and service. A product of the Jesuit system, Father Currie earned degrees from Fordham University, Boston College, and Woodstock College, as well as a doctorate in physical chemistry from the Catholic University of America. Following his post-doctoral studies at Cambridge University, Father Currie went on to serve as a noted faculty member at Georgetown University before serving as president of Wheeling College (1972-1982) and Xavier University (1982-1986). At Wheeling and Xavier, his vision and leadership placed an emphasis on the importance of academic quality, effective planning and management, active involvement and commitment to the community, and strong public-private and ecumenical partnerships. Following his tenure at Wheeling and Xavier, Father Currie retuned to Georgetown University to direct the University's Bicentennial Celebration, which included over 90 academic, cultural and celebratory events from September of 1988 through September of 1989. Later in 1989, following the assassination of six Jesuit priests and two female coworkers by members of the El Salvadorian military, Father Currie was named special assistant to the President of Georgetown to coordinate the university's response to this tragedy. Working closely with congressional leaders and aides, Father Currie successfully organized a number of educational programs at Georgetown and participated in the extensive Congressional response to block military aid to El Salvador. In 1997, following several years serving as Rector of the Jesuit Community at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Father Currie took the reins as president of the AJCU. Under his leadership, the AJCU has implemented numerous initiatives to increase the free flow of information and communication between the 28 member institutions of the Association. The development of the Jesuit Distance Education Network (JesuitNET) has earned national acclaim, receiving two federal grants and selection by the U.S. Department of Education to participate in the Distance Education Demonstration Program. Similarly, the creation of the AJCU Leadership Development Seminar, the promotion of mission and identity activities, and the concerted effort to promote the education of justice have combined to significantly enhance the coordination of Association goals among member institutions. Perhaps Father Currie's greatest accomplishment as president of the AJCU arose out of tragedy. In 2005, following the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe, Father Currie organized a rapid response from the AJCU members to admit over 1,600 students from Loyola University New Orleans and other affected area universities. By allowing the affected students to continue their studies before returning to the Gulf area in the spring semester, the students were able to maintain uninterrupted instruction and remain on track for timely graduation. Mr. Speaker, I applaud Father Currie for his immeasurable contributions to the cause of higher education and I congratulate him on his well earned retirement following a distinguished career of service and advocacy. In closing, I would be remiss if I did not include the following Ignatian prayer, dedicated to Father Currie and the devoted Jesuit educators like him: Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God, Teach me true generosity. Teach me to serve you as you deserve. To give without counting the cost, To fight heedless of wounds, To labor without seeking rest, To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward, Save the knowledge that I have done your will. Amen.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, in light of the fact that Mr. Baca yielded the balance of his time to me, may I inquire as to how much time we have left on this side?

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).

Mr. BISHOP of New York. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) be permitted to control 10 minutes of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in reluctant opposition to H.R. 872. Mr. Speaker, I find myself in an awkward position here today being asked to urgently vote on a bill where there is no real sense of urgency and where questions of its potential impact on human health and the environment far outweigh the answers. I am also concerned that, in our effort to address concerns on implementation of two Federal statutes, we are neglecting a rational analysis of the best way to protect human health and the environment from the potential adverse effects of pesticides. Finally, I stand in opposition to this legislation because it appears that the push to vote today on this bill is so great that it has stretched the bounds of traditional Member-to-Member commitments to resolve legitimate differences on issues of critical importance to all of us. Mr. Speaker, let me state from the outset that I agree pesticides provide a valuable tool in controlling unwanted pests, whether they be mosquitoes in my home county of Suffolk County, New York, or corn borers in the Midwest. This bill is not about whether pesticides should or should not be used. However, what this bill does call into question is the best way to balance the use of pesticides with the protection of water quality, human health, and the environment, and the economic benefits associated with them. On this point, I am not convinced that the current efforts to protect human health and the environment, which this bill seeks to maintain, are sufficient. If they were, pesticides would not continually show up in the urban and rural water bodies throughout the Nation. As States and the U.S. Geological Survey have told us, pesticides are frequently detected in streams and groundwater throughout the Nation, and literally thousands of streams and bays and lakes are currently impaired or threatened by pesticides. In the State of California alone, pesticides are listed as the number one source of water quality impairment in the State. It is also telling that many States continue to find waters impaired by pesticides that have been banned in the United States for decades. In my view, this shows how the decisions we make today will have long- term impacts on human health, on our environment, and create long- lasting implications and potential increased costs for generations to come. According to the EPA, the potential human health implications of pesticide exposure depend on the type of pesticide and the pathway, concentration, and duration of exposure, and can range from minor skin irritations to developmental concerns to being linked to cancer. One potentially significant source of exposure comes from consuming pesticide-contaminated drinking water. Both the USGS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have verified the presence of pesticides and pesticide byproducts in drinking water sources throughout the Nation. While in the majority of these cases pesticide protection levels were below existing human health benchmarks for those pesticides that have standards, USGS found a number of instances where pesticide detection levels were above acceptable levels. Similarly, even in those instances where detection levels are below acceptable levels, there is still legitimate concern on long-term, low-level exposure to pesticides, especially to the health of children, pregnant women, and the elderly. In my view, the combination of these factors, plus the uncertainty created by increased detection of pesticide-chemical mixtures and the fact that modern drinking water treatment technologies are not designed to detect or remove pesticides, compels me to move cautiously on any proposal that would permanently eliminate options for controlling the amount of pesticides being released into the Nation's waters. In light of these concerns, and in light of the fact that the legislation before us provides for a permanent Clean Water Act exemption for pesticide use, during the markup of this bill in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I offered a simple, commonsense amendment to require Congress to revisit this issue in 5 years when we have a clearer picture on whether FIFRA is sufficiently protective of human health and water quality from pesticide contamination. If, in 5 years' time, we were to see progress in reducing pesticide contamination in surface and groundwaters, then we would have more information to justify a permanent Clean Water Act exemption for pesticide use. In my view, we simply do not have this critical information before us today. This simple concept was echoed by a former Bush administration official who was recently quoted as saying that, when it comes to enacting statutory exemptions from environmental regulatory requirements, it is appropriate to periodically review whether the exemption continues to be supported by data and science. Based on a commitment from the chairman of the full committee to work with me on this issue before this bill was to come to the floor, I withdrew my amendment and voted ``yes'' in the markup. Unfortunately, to date, my concerns remain unaddressed, and yet here we are today considering this bill under the suspension of the rules, where there is no opportunity to debate the issues I and several of my colleagues raised at the committee markup. It seems that the push to vote today on this bill is so great that it has stretched the bounds of traditional Member-to-Member commitments to resolve legitimate differences on issues of critical importance to us all, especially related to the protection of human health and the environment. I am aware that many of my colleagues and several constituencies have pushed for immediate consideration of this bill to respond to the looming court-ordered deadline for Clean Water Act permitting on April 9. I agree that concerns expressed by States and pesticide applicators on how they could be expected to comply with a yet-unreleased pesticide general permit by the April deadline were legitimate. However, that deadline has now been extended by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals until October 31, 2011. It appears, therefore, that we have additional time to work on this issue and to resolve some of the concerns expressed by several members of the committee. Mr. Speaker, I believe a more prudent course would be to take the time necessary and work together to address the concerns of both sides in a manner that minimizes regulatory duplication, makes sense for pesticide applicators and the States, and addresses the concerns related to public health and water quality. I reluctantly urge a ``no'' vote on H.R. 872 under suspension of the rules so that I may continue to work with my colleagues on improving this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlelady from California (Mrs. Napolitano).

Mr. BISHOP of New York. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I just want to make a couple of points. There does appear to be strong bipartisan agreement. I know it passed out of the Ag Committee on unanimous vote. There was a very heavy vote in the T&I Committee. My reservations are rooted in the fact that I believe that we are rushing to a judgment in terms of making this statute permanent. I believe we have ample evidence to suggest that we don't know enough about pesticide impairment of water bodies, both surface and groundwater, to determine whether or not it is prudent for us to make a permanent exemption to the Clean Water Act. So when I offered the amendment, which I then withdrew, for a 5-year sunset so we could assess whether or not this action is the correct one, I believe that I was acting in a very prudent and defensible way. And I am very disappointed, again, that this was an issue that we rushed to the floor in a form that we were unable to amend so that we could get this bill passed. Now, the urgency of time has become much less pronounced because of the court ruling that was just announced this past Monday with respect to delaying the implementation of the court ruling until the end of October. Second point. I know it's very popular to talk about the Environmental Protection Agency as if they are in some ways the source of all evil in this world. This is an issue--it's important to clarify--this is not an issue that the EPA saw. We are here today because of a court ruling. And, in fact, for years, decades, FIFRA has been the controlling legislation with respect to pesticide application, and the Clean Water Act has not been invoked. And, in fact, the EPA, in 2006, took a position that they would not engage in a process that would supersede FIFRA. It was that decision that was overturned by the Sixth Circuit Court. We all want to come up with a way to handle this. We all recognize that pesticide application is something that is very important. I represent the largest agricultural county in the State of New York, and this is an issue that's very important to my farmers. But my farmers also recognize that they want to see to it that Federal policy is, in fact, consistent with their best interest. There are no better environmentalists in this country than our farmers. They need clean air. They need clean water in order for them to do their jobs. So as I say, I am opposed, reluctantly so, and I very much hope that as this goes forward and is considered by the Senate, if it, in fact, is considered by the Senate, that we will take our time, we will craft legislation that we can all support, and that we will particularly have legislation that has a sunset period so that we can evaluate whether or not we are right in taking this action today. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is with tremendous pride, but overwhelming grief, that I take to the floor today to honor one of my constituents who was taken from us far before his time, Officer Geoffrey Breitkopf. When there is danger, there are two types of people. There are the majority of people who run from it, and then there are those brave few who run towards it. Officer Breitkopf was one of those brave few. He served as a Nassau County Police Officer for more than 12 years, the majority of that time was spent serving in the elite Bureau of Special Operations. Always hard working, Officer Breitkopf earned a spot in the BSO in approximately half the time it normally takes. He was highly decorated for his various acts of bravery, including five Command Recognition Awards, four Meritorious Police Service Awards and one Medal of Commendation. Despite having a family and an incredibly demanding job, Officer Breitkopf also found time to serve his community. He was a member of the Selden Fire Department for the past 15 years and served in the heavy rescue company, which handles search and rescue, house fires and extricating people from cars. Tragically, Officer Breitkopf died in the line of duty, doing the job he loved so much and excelled at so well. My thoughts and prayers are with his fellow officers and his family, especially his wife, Paula, and their two sons Connor and Owen. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent a true hero like Officer Geoffrey Breitkopf and ask that we take a moment to reflect on his service to Long Island.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question and against the rule. Not only is the majority passing up another opportunity to finally put forward a bill to create jobs; they are using the underlying bills to make it even tougher on American families, in particular, tougher on middle class homeowners. Further, it is clear, as the gentleman from New Jersey suggested, that Republicans have no plan for rapidly soaring gas prices, another threat to middle class families and to our economy. The Department of Energy forecasts gas prices could spike to a national average of more than $4 a gallon for regular this summer-- about 50 cents higher per gallon than Tuesday's national average of $3.50. In my district of eastern Long Island, regular unleaded has already surged by 34 cents in the last month alone and now averages $3.74 a gallon. In the east end of my district, it's already well over $4 a gallon. And AAA projects gas prices could reach 50 cents higher per gallon by Memorial Day. The Republican response: silence. Instead, we will vote today to kill a mortgage assistance program for the struggling homeowners and the recently unemployed. That is why my colleagues, Congressmen McNerney, Walz and McIntyre, and I have joined in introducing the Federal Price Gouging Act to take on this new threat to our economy. Our legislation gives the FTC the authority to investigate, enforce, and then to punish price gouging and market manipulation. I urge my colleagues to join us in standing up to the oil companies and show hardworking Americans that we are in their corner. Vote against the previous question which, if defeated, would allow the House to consider this important price gouging measure. Now is the time that we must act to prove that their interests are paramount, not the oil companies' or the bankers'.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the long and distinguished career of a good friend and public servant of this House, Mrs. Maura ``Pat'' Kelly. Pat's roots in our home state of New York run as deep as the mark she leaves on this institution after fifty-three years of service. I was honored to attend Pat's retirement ceremony last month and at which our distinguished chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, delivered the following prayer that I proudly submit on his behalf. Prayer for Pat Kelly's Reception Tuesday, February 15, 2011, Rev. Daniel P. Coughlin Holy Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with all the angels and saints we praise You, with all the Irish legends and leprechauns we stand before You. As we celebrate the life and service of Maura ``Pat'' Kelly this day, we do so with honor and humor, memories and best wishes. To this noble institution throughout the years she has always brought a feminine touch, a New York touch, and a touch of the Irish. We thank You, Lord, for giving her years of health and happiness, work and colleagues, bosses and crosses, as well as love of this institution of Congress inherited from her mother, ever changing through the years and never fully understood or appreciated by the American people she served. May the daily public service hardly noticed, now be duly rewarded. Grant her energy and peace, friendship and satisfaction for years to come. As she takes leave of us, may she find even greater love and faith around every bend in the road ahead. As long as she keeps smiling the world will smile back at her. And she shall never be forgotten or walk alone, Lord. For Your smile will forever call her upward and onward even though she has stolen from us all, Lord. As the old tune tells it: her Irish eyes have stolen our hearts away.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.