Timothy Bishop

Mr. BISHOP of New York

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

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2744) to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to clarify the eligibility requirements with respect to airline flight crews, as amended.

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

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me just close by thanking also the great deal of support we had on the Republican side of the aisle for this bill. I also want to thank the flight attendants for their tireless advocacy of their bill and the many long hours of work that they put in to secure approximately 240 cosponsors for this bill. I think the fact that we were able to generate so many cosponsors is a testament to the fact that this is a carefully and narrowly crafted bill that addresses an inequity that was never intended in the original law.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me begin, Mr. Speaker, by thanking Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon for supporting this bill and helping to bring it to the floor so quickly. I have been proud to be the primary sponsor of this bill. I also want to thank Mr. McCotter of Michigan, who was the primary cosponsor of the bill on the Republican side. The Family Medical Leave Act has been a great program for working families in this country since it was passed in 1993. No one can question the benefit it has provided for working women and men by being able to take time off from work to care for themselves or family members. The original intent of the law was to provide for 12 weeks of unpaid leave if an employee has worked 60 percent of a full time schedule over the past year, which is about 1,250 hours. So in order to qualify for FMLA coverage, an employee has to have logged in 1,250 hours over 12 months to be eligible. While 1,250 hours adequately reflects 60 percent of a full-time schedule for the vast majority of employees in this country, that equation does not work for flight attendants and pilots. Flight attendants and pilots work under the Railway Labor Act, rather than the Fair Labor Standards Act, which covers most nine to five workers. Time between flights, whether during the day or on overnights and layovers, is based on company scheduling requirements and needs, but does not count towards crew member time at work. Flight attendants and pilots can spend up to four to five days a week away from home and family due to the nature of their job. However, all of those hours will not count towards qualification. The courts have strictly interpreted the law and insisted that crew members must abide by the 1,250 hours for qualification, even though the intent of the law was 60 percent of a full-time schedule. Airline flight crews have been left out of what was intended to cover them. Therefore, a technical correction is needed to ensure that FMLA benefits are extended to these employees. This legislation seeks to clarify the intent of the law. This legislation simply states that an airline crew member will be eligible for FMLA benefits if they have been paid for or completed 60 percent of their company's monthly hour or trip guarantee and have worked 504 hours. This brings these transportation workers in line with the intent of the original legislation and as promised when the law was passed. Last month in our Education Committee we heard from Jennifer Hunt, a flight attendant for US Airways. Jennifer was denied FMLA coverage when she applied to take time off to care for her ill husband, an Iraq war vet. Jennifer, like many other flight attendants and pilots as well, unfortunately did not meet the hourly requirement. This bill corrects that oversight. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his support and for bringing this legislation to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to adopt this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. We yield back the balance of our time as well.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H. Res. 1142, which recognizes May 25, 2008, as the 26th National Missing Children's Day and urges everyone to do what they can to prevent the tragedy of a missing child. In the late seventies, a succession of high-profile missing children's cases helped heighten the awareness and underline the seriousness of child victimization. When Etan Patz went missing on his way to school in 1979, the first major national media campaign surrounding a missing child took place. The considerable media attention and comprehensive search helped highlight the problem of child abduction nationwide. Etan's case and others helped expose a flaw in the system. At that time, there was no national response system in place to coordinate State and local cooperation or a central mechanism to support searching families. In 1983, May 25 was proclaimed National Missing Children's Day, and a nationwide movement was born. May 25 was chosen because it is the anniversary of Etan's disappearance. More than 2,000 children are reported missing every day, but strides have been made to change this disturbing statistic. Programs such as the AMBER Alert Program, which notifies law enforcement officials and the public of child abduction cases, have done a lot to help return missing children to their families. To date, 329 children have been recovered because of the AMBER Alert Program. Each May, we reflect on missing children and renew our efforts to reunite those young people with their families. National Missing Children's Day is an opportunity to remind families of the importance of maintaining up-to-date photographs of their children and to encourage everyone to give their full attention to the photographs and posters of missing children. Anyone can be a hero and offer the tip that helps return children to their families. Protecting young children is one of our Nation's top priorities. On May 25 we will pause to remember the children whose lives have been lost, celebrate those who have been reunited with their families, and renew our efforts to continuing searching for children that are still missing. Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Missing Children's Day, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6022, at a time when oil prices are reaching record highs, suspending the Federal Government's oil purchases is a win for consumers and for the Federal budget. Regular gas now costs over $3.73 a gallon, compared to only $1.47 in 2001 before the President began implementing his disastrous policies. Families and businesses on eastern Long Island and across the country are calling on Congress to take action to lower these soaring gas prices and reduce our Nation's unsustainable addiction to oil. In response, I am pleased to cosponsor this bill, which takes a good, first step. Economists and government agencies agree that suspending the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve would directly impact gas prices this summer by making more oil available. In contrast, it would take at least a decade for consumers to benefit from Republican plans to hand over America's wilderness areas to big oil. Moreover, it is not fiscally prudent for the Federal Government to continue to pay such high premiums to stockpile oil when we currently have sufficient reserves. In the 108th and 109th Congresses, as Bush administration policies drove the price of gas to record highs, I introduced similar legislation to halt the filling of the Petroleum Reserve. Today the need for such action is even greater, Mr. Speaker. Therefore I call on my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 6022.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, earlier today I travelled back to my district and was honored to participate in a ceremony dedicating a memorial to Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, a Long Island native and constituent who was killed while serving in Afghanistan and posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Had I been here, I would have voted in the following manner: Rollcall vote No. 267, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 268, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 269, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 270, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 271, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 272, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 273, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 274, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 275, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 276, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 277, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 278, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 279, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 280, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 281, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 282, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 283, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 284, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 285, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 286, I would have voted ``nay''; Rollcall vote No. 287, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 288, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 289, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 290, I would have voted ``aye''; Rollcall vote No. 291, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1512, the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) Reimbursement Protection Act. SCAAP is vital to my district on eastern Long Island by providing much needed assistance to municipal governments that incur the large cost of incarcerating undocumented immigrants. In fact, in my district of Suffolk County, officials estimate that 10 to 12 percent of those incarcerated are undocumented individuals with a cost to the County of approximately $12 million in 2006. Unfortunately, SCAAP does not reimburse States for all of the costs to incarcerate undocumented individuals. Presently, the only funding that SCAAP provides is the cost of incarcerating undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of a felony or two or more misdemeanors. This legislation will reimburse States incarcerating undocumented individuals charged with a felony or two or more misdemeanors. This small change will greatly assist local governments who are overburdened by recent escalating costs. While my district and many others across the Nation have greatly benefited from SCAAP funding, the Bush administration continues to eliminate funding for the program. I was proud to cosign a bipartisan letter to House appropriators asking that they reject the President's short-sighted elimination of the program and increase SCAAP funding. I am a strong supporter of comprehensive immigration reform and as Congress continues to debate immigration reform, we cannot deny that State and local governments are on the frontlines of immigration enforcement. I will continue to work to ensure that they receive adequate funding and resources for the important role they play. I want to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Sanchez, for introducing this much needed legislation.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member of the full committee and also of the subcommittee for working together so quickly and so cooperatively to bring this legislation to the floor. It is very badly needed, and the passage of it will allow us to expand upon the gains that this Congress has made in the dual goals of access and affordability. And let me just quickly reflect on those. We have significantly reduced student loan interest rates. We have significantly increased the Pell Grant maximum. We have overridden the administration's recommendation to eliminate the SCOG program. We have overridden the administration's recommendation to eliminate the Perkins Loan program. We have done all of this on a bipartisan basis, and we have done all of this with a focus on keeping student need and student interests uppermost in our mind. There are several very positive features of this bill. Let me talk just about three of them. The first is seeing to it that we maintain liquidity in the student loan market, a situation that is forced upon us by factors that have nothing to do with the Student Loan program. The second is the increase in loan limits on an annual basis. The most important element of this is that it will reduce student reliance on private lending, and that certainly is a goal of ours, to see to it that students have access to government regulated loans as opposed to private loans. And, lastly, the easing of the repayment requirements for the parent loan will be enormously helpful to needy families and the students of those families. So I again want to commend leadership on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol for working so quickly on this. I want to commend the Education Department and the administration for their willingness to be supportive, and I urge speedy passage.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise with profound sadness to recognize a fallen marine from my district, Lance Corporal Jordan Christian Haerter who was only 19 years old when he was killed in Iraq last week. Lance Corporal Haerter was from the small Peconic Bay community of Sag Harbor, New York, and is the village's first war casualty since World War II. He is the 30th of our brave troops from Long Island, and the eighth constituent of mine, who has fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Haerter had been in Iraq for only a month when he died a hero while defending a checkpoint in Ramadi. He was killed while firing at the driver of an enemy truck full of explosives that was running a barrier and about to crash into dozens of his fellow marines. His noble sacrifice was honored earlier this week when hundreds of Long Islanders paid their respects outside the Old Whalers Church in Sag Harbor. They remembered his youth, his love of the Marine Corps, and his determination to be the best marine he could be. He was always faithful. On behalf of New York's First Congressional District, I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family. Their loss will never be forgotten, and we will always remember Jordan's noble sacrifice.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me start by thanking Chairman Oberstar and Chairman Cummings and Ranking Member LaTourette for their leadership and tireless advocacy on behalf of the Coast Guard. I would also like to express my gratitude for the invaluable service provided by our exemplary Coast Guardsmen and women every day. My amendment would require the Coast Guard to study the extent to which State and local law enforcement augment Coast Guard resources by enforcing Coast Guard-imposed security zones around vessels transiting to and from U.S. ports and conducting port security patrols. The amendment requires the Coast Guard to study and clarify their relationship with local law enforcement, the standards set to ensure that local law enforcement of Coast Guard security zones can deter a security incident. The amendment also seeks to identify the differences in law enforcement authority, particularly boarding authority, between the Coast Guard and local law enforcement. This amendment is necessary given evidence that the Coast Guard is overextended around the country. A 2007 GAO report states that the assistance the Coast Guard already receives from State and local law enforcement is vital to meet security requirements with limited resources. Some may point to this as a vindication of local law enforcement's ability to share in the responsibilities of protecting hazardous cargo from potential threats. I would argue that the GAO has shed a light on a more fundamental issue: a lack of adequate Coast Guard resources and a potential new role for local law enforcement that has historically been reserved for the Coast Guard. This issue requires increased scrutiny. After 9/11 and the absorption of the Coast Guard by the Department of Homeland Security, considerable strain was placed on Coast Guard resources. This shortfall is apparent as dozens of LNG proposals across the country compete for Coast Guard resources to make waterways suitable for hazardous cargo. The Coast Guard on several occasions has expressed its concerns to Congress about the proliferation of LNG proposals that require extensive Coast Guard oversight. The limited public discussion about who should provide these resources has led to unanswered questions. Is this something that should be passed on to the consumer through the price of goods? Is this a local responsibility? Is this a Federal responsibility? This amendment begins the dialogue necessary to clarify what ratio of responsibility is appropriate to protect hazardous cargo. It is vital to maritime security to determine the role local law enforcement should play in protecting hazardous cargo so that, as policymakers, we can determine exactly what the Coast Guard needs to protect and preserve America's waterways. Madam Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Chairman, let me simply close by thanking Chairman Oberstar and Chairman Cummings and Mr. LaTourette for their support of this amendment. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to rise in honor of a proud and long-serving institution of my district--on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Smithtown Fire Department. I am privileged to represent the Town of Smithtown, along the western part of New York's first congressional district. Since 1908, this historic town was home to a small but very effective fire department, ``The Smithtown Volunteer Hook and Ladder Company''. Toward the end of its first year in service, it acquired two fire trucks, a chemical engine, and a hook and ladder truck. This began a century of protecting the people of Smithtown during which their outstanding service record has been defined time and again by bravery and efficiency. From those humble beginnings grew a proud volunteer fire department that has expanded to its current 168 committed members. The single old firehouse on Bellemeade Avenue has expanded to a much larger main fire station headquarters on Elm Avenue and two satellite stations located on Plymouth Boulevard and Plaisted Avenue that respond to emergencies and keep the township safe. During the fire department's century of service, Long Island's booming population has intensified the demands on the Smithtown Fire Department members. Still, they remain an all-volunteer and highly skilled force which frequently proves itself capable of heroism and selfless dedication to our community. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me once again in thanking those firefighters who continue to protect our families and communities and to extend our deepest gratitude to volunteers, like those intrepid men and women of the Smithtown Fire Department, on its 100th anniversary.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, on April 10th, 2008, I was unable to vote due to a prior commitment in my district. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 178, 179, 180, 181, and 182.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Chairman, on behalf of the residents of eastern Long Island, I would like to commend Chairwoman Johnson and Congressman Pallone for their leadership and unwavering dedication to clean water issues. I would also like to thank the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee staff for their hard work and commitment to advancing this legislation to the full House today. My district encompasses 300 miles of Eastern Long Island's coastline, which includes some of this country's most popular and beautiful beaches that I am very proud to represent. Maintaining coastal health is an integral objective not only in my district but to preserve our Nation's environment and to sustain the tourist economies of our States that rely on safe, clean beaches. Millions of beach-going Americans and their families who will flock to our Nation's shores in the summer months ahead deserve pristine waterways, and we should do all we can today to preserve them for future generations of Americans. To that end, the water quality monitoring and notification grants established in the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act have been absolutely vital to protecting the health of beachgoers and preserving the quality of our shores. However, it has become clear that further development of the BEACH Act is needed after recent reports marked progress but raised questions about its implementation. Therefore, I commend Mr. Pallone, the author of the original BEACH Act, for building on the program's success by updating the law and advancing improvements in this bill to meet the challenges involved with carrying out the program and to continue funding its grant programs. Accordingly, this bipartisan legislation reauthorizes grants to states through 2012, but increases grant authorizations to $40 million annually; expands the scope of BEACH Act grants from water quality monitoring and notification to include pollution source tracking efforts; and strengthens environmental standards for water quality testing and communication. In addition, this bill requires that beach water quality violations are disclosed not only to the public but to all relevant state agencies with beach water pollution authority. Furthermore, this bill requires the EPA to conduct annual reviews to make sure state and local governments that receive funding in the BEACH Act comply with its process requirements. Under this bill, grantees have one year to comply with the new environmental standards. Otherwise, they will be required to pay at least a 50 percent match for their grant until they come back into compliance, in place of current law which allows the government to require a non-federal share of up to 50 percent. For six years, the BEACH Act has given beachgoers the peace of mind that the beaches they visit are clean. Our legislation begins the process of strengthening this important law and reassures the American public that preserving healthy shores is a priority of our environmental agenda. One in ten tourists is destined for the beach this summer--providing our travel and vacation industries with customers and business. I hope my colleagues agree that the BEACH Act is an excellent example of an effective government program that benefits communities in every region of the country and has yielded tremendous progress in restoring healthy shores. Madam Chairman, with the leadership and support of this body, we can ensure that beach visitors throughout the country are assured that local governments have all the resources they need to monitor recreational waters and alert the public of potential health hazards.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of an established and important landmark in New York's first congressional district--the Port Jefferson Elks Lodge. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is one of the oldest, largest and most respected private organizations in the United States. From its humble beginnings in 1868. the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks has grown to nearly 1.3 million men and women with 2,300 local lodges throughout the country. Through these local branches, the Elks organization has contributed more than 5.6 million volunteer hours and $142 million in philanthropic service last year alone. Many of my constituents are proud hosts of the Port Jefferson Elks Lodge, and many more of my constituents are beneficiaries of the Lodge's invaluable service and contributions to the community. Since 1958, the Port Jefferson Elks Lodge has been recognized as a benevolent order dedicated to serving the community, including their notable service to our nation's youth and returning veterans. The members of the Port Jefferson Lodge support numerous charitable and patriotic activities in my district--from awarding youth scholarships and aid to disadvantaged families to local food pantry and veterans' program donations. Through its ``Helping Hand'' dinner, the Port Jefferson Elks Lodge recently raised $37,000 for a local Marine Corps veteran, Richard Kramer, who died from cancer due to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam. The lodge donated funds and hosted events at its facility in order to gather community support for the Kramer family. This is a shining example of the Port Jefferson Elk's mission of goodwill and just one among many good deeds performed by the Elks on behalf of the veterans and citizens in our community who are most in need. I am proud to represent the Port Jefferson Elks Lodge. It is an ally and champion of our continuing efforts to ensure that our veterans receive their deserved benefits and the best quality of life--a small price to pay in return for their bravery, sacrifice, and honorable service to our country. The Elk's mission is best reflected by their pledge: ``So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.'' Madam Speaker, I am honored to represent the Port Jefferson Elks Lodge and to recognize its 50th anniversary. On behalf of New York's first congressional district, I thank the Lodge and its members for their steadfast dedication to eastern Long Island and for embodying their cherished principles of ``charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity''.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. The chairman's mark is $6.9 billion above the fiscal year 2008 enacted level for education and $7.1 billion above the President's request for education. And as a member of both the Budget Committee and the Education Committee, I am proud of that. And I think all of our colleagues should be proud of that. Mr. Etheridge just talked about the 47 programs that the President's budget cuts but that this budget resolution restores. I want to talk about just three of them. The President's budget resolution or proposal cuts $750 million out of the SEOG program, the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, fully eliminating the program. And it also eliminates the Perkins Loan revolving fund another $750 million. That is $1.5 billion on an annual basis taken out of the student loan delivery system. And that completely undercuts what this Congress, on a bipartisan basis, passed and enacted into law this fall when we passed the College Cost Reduction Act. So the Congress has gone on record as saying that the Federal Government needs to take a larger role in supporting student financial aid programs. And the President is ignoring that and, in fact, pushing us in the opposite direction. We need to push back and continue to fund those programs. And the other is the Perkins Vocational Education program, $1.2 billion, that the President again recommends be eliminated. These are job training programs. And at a time when we are hemorrhaging jobs, and at a time when we need to remain competitive globally, to take away job training programs makes absolutely no sense. So I am proud that the budget resolution addresses these three vital areas. I am hopeful we will be able to appropriate the moneys to keep these funds going. And I thank the chairman for his leadership on this and many other important issues.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise on behalf of New York's first congressional district to mourn the passing of a beloved constituent and treasure of the Long Island community, Mr. Ed Siegmann. Born in Ridgewood Queens, New York in 1919, Ed was an exemplary citizen who served honorably in the U.S. Army during World War II. Upon his return, Ed became a tireless advocate for the interests of seniors on Long Island, perhaps most effectively as the President of the Suffolk County United East End Senior's Council. Frustrated by the lack of media coverage concerning health care and other challenges faced by seniors in Suffolk County, New York, Ed approached publishers with an idea to write about them himself. As a result, Ed's column in the Suffolk Life newspaper, ``The Upper Half,'' was born in 2000. The following year, Ed had the distinction of being the only Long Island resident to be awarded the prestigious Beneficiary Services Certificate of Merit. Ed's tireless work to promote economic and social justice for the elderly and disabled were boundless. He was the founder and vice president of Southold TaxPac; president of the Southold-Mattituck Senior Citizens Club; a member of Seniors Against Discrimination; and a member of Southold's Senior Housing Taskforce. He worked in these organizations to improve the lives of seniors by working to reduce taxes, and to promote affordable health care and moderately priced senior housing. Indeed, Ed was a local hero who was a shining example of a concerned and active citizen who was among our community's most effective champions for the rights of the elderly. It is entirely appropriate that he is honored by the naming of the Ed Siegmann Community Room at the Southold Town Human Resources Center. Madam Speaker, it was truly an honor to work with Ed and to call him a friend. On behalf of a grateful community, I thank Ed Siegmann for his many enduring contributions to eastern Long Island, where he will always be missed but whose memory will be forever cherished.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. I want to thank Chairman Miller and Chairman Hinojosa and Ranking Member McKeon and Ranking Member Keller for their good and bipartisan work on this bill. This is, in fact, a bipartisan effort. It passed out of the Education Committee by a unanimous vote, and I think that that suggests that this is a very good product. It closely resembles the Senate bill, so we should be able to conference it quickly, and it continues the strong work that this Congress has done on a bipartisan basis to improve access and affordability for higher education. We have twice now, on a bipartisan basis, saved the SEOG program and the Perkins loan program. We have increased the Pell Grant maximum, and we have cut interest rates in half. Let me just go over a couple of the high points of the bill. It strengthens the Perkins loan program, a loan program that the administration seems determined to kill but has broad bipartisan support in this Congress. We've increased the maximums that students may borrow. We also have mandated that the assignment of the proceeds of defaulted loans that are collected by the department will reverse back to the campus revolving loan funds so that those loan funds will remain fully funded. It increases the cohort default rate window so that the default rate is now measured over a 3-year period as opposed to a 2-year period. That will protect students and it will also provide greater accountability and stewardship of taxpayer funds. It restricts the Secretary's authority with respect to negotiated rulemaking on accreditation standards, and this is important as many believe that an effort is underway to federalize education, and we believe that these aspects of higher education are best left to higher education professionals. It reinstates the Federal role in supporting cooperative education. It simplifies the FAFSA process. It has very clear language on transfer of credit. And it incorporates the full provisions of our Student Loan Sunshine Act. So from every vantage point, this is a first-rate piece of work, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition, though I will not express opposition, I will just express a plea for clarity on this measure as we go to conference. My concern is this, and by the way, I would like to applaud my colleagues for offering this amendment, and I certainly would like to laud their intent, but my concern is that we will be requiring colleges to provide information that, by its very nature, is speculative, and we will then be allowing students to make judgments on that information when it may not be reliable. And having gone through this for a long, long time in a previous life, it is not a good idea to give students misinformation. So my plea is that as we go to conference on this, I hope that we can work with the authors of the amendment to maintain its intent but clarify the language in such a way that students are not put into the position where they are put in a position where they make judgments based on information that, as I say, is speculative and, therefore, not as reliable as it could be. As I say, though, I am not in opposition. I just hope that we can clarify this in conference. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor Jonathan M. Schneider, my departing district office director and communications director who was recently appointed the Deputy Supervisor of the Town of Brookhaven on Long Island. Jon is a hard-working and dedicated public servant who has consistently demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the people of eastern Long Island. As one of my original staffers, I have enjoyed watching Jon develop and sharpen his communications and political skills. Jon started as a press secretary when I opened my Washington office in 2003. He became a trusted advisor who helped shape and carry out my agenda. He was already an experienced congressional staffer with service as Congressman Steve Rothman's press secretary. Additionally, he brought energy and environment policy expertise to my staff as a former national political representative of the Sierra Club. When Jon moved back home to Long Island, I was delighted to keep him on board my staff as the communications and district office director. As the leader of my office in Coram, New York, I have always been able to count on Jon's counsel to deliver effective constituent services. Jon has also excelled at advocating key transportation and infrastructure projects on Long Island. He has helped me advocate important conservation initiatives, particularly the preservation of open spaces and biodiversity in Long Island Sound. He was also instrumental in helping me secure a federal study of the severely polluted Forge River in Mastic, New York. Such important assignments involved working closely and almost daily with multiple levels of local elected representatives and maintaining important working relationships with government officials, civic groups and community advocacy organizations. As such, Jon proved to be an invaluable asset to my staff, both as a skilled professional and through his friendly, light-hearted nature. Jon currently resides in Port Jefferson Station with his wife, Mary Ellen, their nearly five-month-old daughter, Eleanor, along with a notorious yet very talented pet tortoise named Boris. While I am saddened to see him leave my staff, I congratulate Jon on his appointment and will look forward to observing his continuing career in public service in the years ahead. Madam Speaker, on behalf of my staff and the people of the first congressional district of New York, I thank Jonathan M. Schneider for his hard work to improve the lives of eastern Long Island's residents. I wish him and his family continued success, good health and the best of luck for years to come.

Mr. BISHOP of New York

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, at least President Bush is consistent. Like the other seven budgets that he has submitted to this Congress, it is no surprise that his eighth and final request continues to reflect spectacularly flawed priorities. There was some debate earlier this week about whether the budget should be printed and distributed to congressional offices. Perhaps the best decision would have been to spare us the books and save the trees. For the eighth year in a row, the administration has degraded the budget process. This budget barely goes through the motions. Instead of formulating a blueprint to guide this Nation toward what should be our fiscal priorities, the budget continues the flawed policies of the past 7 years. Without putting forth an honest or straightforward budget, the President has yet to attempt seriously to meet our goals, goals that we should all share of budgetary accountability, enforcement, and fiscal responsibility. This is why so many of our colleagues, Madam Speaker, have already accurately described the President's budget request has a pro forma document with little meaning or relevance, that has also been described as arriving on Capitol Hill ``dead on arrival,'' and that is perhaps a very, very good thing. Perhaps the lack of truth in budgeting represents the best example of why ``change'' has become the overriding theme of this coming election. This Congress should refuse to be misled again by a budget that hides the true costs of the devastating fiscal policies of this administration. For example, omitting total war costs gives an artificially deflated notion of what the deficit will be, and we now have the Secretary of Defense estimating that the true cost of the war in fiscal 2009 will be $170 billion, as opposed to the $70 billion that is put in the budget as a placeholder. That number alone will drive the deficit up to over half a trillion dollars. The President's budget also omits the cost of extending the tax cuts, the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, which disproportionately favor those who need those tax cuts the least. Let me just cite two very troubling aspects of a budget that is shot through with scores of troubling aspects. The first is one that is of particular importance to my home State of New York. We have been fighting, those of us in New York, and this fight has been led primarily by Carolyn Maloney and also Vito Fossella and Jerry Nadler, to see to it that the brave Americans who responded to the site of the World Trade Center, first to try to rescue people, then to recover bodies and then to clean up what came to be known as ``the pile,'' some 70 percent of them are suffering from various health ailments relating to the toxins that they were exposed to in the days immediately following those attacks on the Twin Towers. In the current year, the Congress committed to spend $150 million to provide for the ongoing health care needs and monitoring of those very brave first responders and rescue workers. The President's budget cuts that number to $25 million. My question for the President is: Have all of these people all of a sudden become well? Have they been miraculously cured? Or, more likely, has the President simply decided that providing health care for these very brave Americans is simply not a Federal responsibility? In either case, I certainly hope that this Congress will do the right thing and restore that funding. The second has to do with education, particularly access to higher education. In his State of the Union message, the President chided the Congress for not having fully funded his American Competitiveness Initiative. Yet we are now presented with a budget that eliminates two programs for student financial aid that are absolutely crucial for needed students to attend college. One is called Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, approximately $750 million a year, and the other is Perkins loans, approximately $670 million a year. For those two programs, the President advocates taking approximately $1.4 billion out of the student loan program, and does so while costs are rising and the ability of students to pay is declining. How can we have a competitive workforce, how can we have a competitive Nation, if we don't even provide our young men and women with access to college? Future generations of Americans will pay the price for the President's flawed priorities and more debt as a consequence of his actions. In fact, the debt that will be accrued over the 8 years of the Bush Presidency will amount to some $3.5 trillion. That is an amount that exceeds the combined debt of all of the Presidents from George Washington through the first President Bush. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues, I implore my colleagues, to resolve one last time to defeat this budget request from the President and to restore middle-class, mainstream priorities, the very priorities that our new majority has been working on now for the last year.