Charles Boustany

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. This is a serious issue. It needs to be well-thought- out. Throw on top of those specific tax increases that are proposed on the oil and gas industry this massive cap-and-trade proposal which is still not well-thought-out, and of course, we have more work to do on it, obviously. I have to say the American people deserve to know what this is going to do in terms of job loss. They really deserve to know, and they deserve to know what this is going to do to the cost of electricity in their hometowns and what it's going to do to the cost of gasoline at the pump and what it's going to cost in heating oil and so forth. That is information we ought to have. So, before we start proposing these types of expansions of taxes that are going to kill jobs, that are going to create higher unemployment and that are going to run up the costs, we're talking about a recipe for more borrowing, for more spending and higher taxes.

Mr. BOUSTANY. I thank my friend for yielding. Madam Speaker, I stand in opposition to the rule that led to this budget proposal. Let me just say that, first of all, this Congress is facing some very grave challenges, along with the President, and I think the President has rightfully singled out health care, energy and education as areas that have to be addressed with substantive reform, but I have to say that I vehemently disagree with the prescribed approach. Let's look at a couple of points here. First of all, let's take energy. This energy proposal lays out a prescription for singling out a number of serious oil and gas tax increases, at the very minimum, totaling $31.5 billion. Now, this is going to devastate an industry, a domestic oil and gas industry-- independent companies, not the big companies like ExxonMobil and Shell and others that do work overseas but, rather, those independent companies that work in the Gulf of Mexico and that supply a major source of oil and gas energy for the United States and for every single American family. What does this mean for the average family? They're going to pay higher gas prices at the pump. They're going to pay higher costs in electricity. Also, we're going to see massive job loss. Now, we did have hearings, yes. Oh, we had hearings. I sit on the Ways and Means Committee. I remember Secretary Geithner coming in front of us. I asked him: How many jobs will this budget kill? He could not answer the question. I asked: Do you realize that the oil and gas industry employs about 1.8 million people in the United States with about 6 million additional jobs associated with this industry? A lot of these jobs are going to be killed; we're going to lose them, and they don't come back right away. This is at a time when our energy dependence on foreign oil is serious. What is our transition strategy as we try to get to a green economy? Well, it's natural gas. Well, guess what? Thirty-five percent of the natural gas used in this country comes from wells that were drilled within the last 2 years. The rig count is now down over 50 percent since September. Do the math. We're going to see higher gas prices. So I have to say, if the Secretary comes before the committee and offers this budget proposal but cannot answer simple questions such as ``What is going to be the impact on unemployment across multiple sectors?'' that's a serious concern. The CBO. I asked the same questions of the Director of the CBO and got the same answer. They have not done the analysis. Well, I think that's incomplete work. Don't you think we need more information as to what the impact of this budget is going to be on unemployment and on jobs if it's implemented in its entirety? We're talking about good, high-paying jobs. I'm not talking about white-collar executive jobs. I'm talking about pipe fitters, electricians, painters, people who work on boats, across-the-board manufacturing jobs, small manufacturing companies that do fabrication and so forth. These are serious jobs.

Mr. BOUSTANY. I appreciate the gentleman yielding. I think it's important to recognize that this budget proposes to enact cap-and-trade legislation. It's one of the assumptions in the budget. The gentleman from Massachusetts mentioned that the American people have spoken about this, but I want to remind him that, again, there are a lot of unanswered questions about the inherent proposals in the budget, such as the impact on unemployment based on some of the assumptions in this budget. I've got data from the oil and gas industry that shows pretty devastating results across the board on the gulf coast and in manufacturing in other States around the country as a result of the assumptions in this budget.

Mr. BOUSTANY. I thank the gentleman. I think it is a mischaracterization to say that we cut veteran spending. We actually raised veteran spending each year we were in the majority. But I want to point out something else, and that is----

Mr. BOUSTANY. No, I am not going to yield to the gentleman. I want to complete a thought. The gentleman was standing here at the podium saying that we are going to spend this and we are going to spend that on veterans; but at the same time, my friend from New Jersey was earlier saying that this is a budget proposal that doesn't enact anything. So I think we are seeing a double standard being discussed over here. We all recognize this is a proposal, it is a political document, but I have to say that we oppose it because it proposes to borrow too much, it proposes to spend too much, and it proposes to tax too much.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, last night the President tried to make a case for his $3.6 trillion budget. He suggested that more than $30 billion in new taxes on America's energy producers would not cost American jobs. I represent a number of America's small energy producers and the support companies, service workers, and others who responsibly provide the energy powering America. The President's budget would force them out of business and send their work and their jobs overseas. But this is what the President failed to tell those listening last night. His new energy taxes would hit every single American. The new taxes in his carbon program would increase electricity prices, the price at the pump, and home heating oil costs. Republicans believe we must be good stewards of the environment, and Louisiana workers prove every day that we can produce energy in an environmentally responsible way. Let's work together to create jobs and keep energy costs down. The President's plan to hike taxes on Americans who are already struggling with a slow economy is just the wrong way to be going. Let's make America competitive again and get Americans working. That's the kind of stimulus Americans and our economy really need.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009. These earmarks are contained in Division C--Energy and Water Development: Southwest Coastal Louisiana Hurricane Protection, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations Purpose: Provide an earmark of $956,000 to advance the authorized Southwest Coastal Louisiana Hurricane Protection, LA project. The Corps is directed to expedite the study under the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. The funds will be used to continue the feasibility phase including the Chenier Plain Sustainability Initiative. Activities include plan formulation, hydrology and hydraulic analyses, economic inventory, environmental analyses, and stakeholder and public involvement. Calcasieu Lock, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations Purpose: Provide an earmark of $574,000 to advance the authorized feasibility study for the Calcasieu Lock, LA project. The study is needed to replace the lock. Funds will be used to address economic and environmental concerns. A rate review will be undertaken to determine the economic impacts of the without-project conditions, and will be accompanied by an analysis to identify impacts from flooding of agricultural areas. The Calcasieu Lock is a bottleneck on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway system in Louisiana, causing delays in transportation and interstate commerce. Calcasieu River and Pass Navigation, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations Purpose: Provide an earmark of $155,000 for the authorized Calcasieu River and Pass Navigation, LA project. The study is needed to investigate ways to improve navigation on the Calcasieu Ship Channel by adding passing lanes and anchorage areas. Currently only one-way traffic is allowed because of the narrow channel and hazardous cargo. The funds will be used to complete the feasibility study and initiate the PED phase. Additional beneficiaries include the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District and the users of the Calcasieu River Ship Channel. Calcasieu River Basin Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations Purpose: Provide an earmark of $75,000 to advance the authorized feasibility study and initiate the PED. The study is needed to investigate methods of providing flood control and environmental enhancement measures in the Calcasieu River Basin. Additional funds could be used to initiate the plans and specs for the first construction contract. Other beneficiaries include the residents of Calcasieu Parish. LCA--Ecosystems Restoration, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations Purpose: Provide an earmark of $8,604,000 to advance the studies for the authorized Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Ecosystems Restoration, LA project. The funding is needed to continue eleven feasibility studies and initiate six PED studies. Activities include completing and submitting to the Secretary a final report on the Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Program Feasibility Program, completing identification of initial BUDMat projects; beginning plans and specs on Barataria Basin Barrier Shoreline Restoration project; and continuing studies initiated in FY08. Additional beneficiaries include residents of Louisiana. Calcasieu River and Pass, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Maintenance Purpose: Provide an earmark of $13,894,000 for the authorized Calcasieu River and Pass, LA project. Funds are needed to keep international commerce moving without delays and light loadings. Funds will be used to operate and maintain the Calcasieu River Salt Water Barrier and the channel, dredge bar channel, dredge mile 5 to 17 and Devil's Elbow, foreshore dike construction for protection of disposal areas and to reduce shoaling, and maintenance of dredged material disposal facilities. Additional beneficiaries include the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District and the users of the Calcasieu River Ship Channel. Freshwater Bayou, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Maintenance Purpose: Provide an earmark of $1,716,000 for the authorized Freshwater Bayou, LA project. The lock is crucial to support offshore oil industry to provide the necessary fuel, supplies and food to offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, and also to support commercial fishing. The funds will be used for operations and maintenance and to dredge two critical reaches to support the energy infrastructure along the Freshwater Bayou, LA. Mermentau River, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Maintenance Purpose: Provide an earmark of $1,828,000 for the authorized Mermentau River, LA project. Funding is required to dredge and continue ongoing repairs along the Mermentau River, including operations of Catfish Point and Schooner Bayou Control Structures, maintenance of the control structures, including water control data systems, real estate, and dredge Mermentau Bar Channel, and boathouse replacement at CPCS. Bayou Teche & Vermilion River, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Maintenance Purpose: Provide an earmark of $13,000 for the authorized Bayou Teche & Vermilion River, LA project. The funding will be used for ongoing repairs, debris removal, and operations and maintenance for the Bayou Teche & Vermilion River. Bayou Teche, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Maintenance Purpose: Provide an earmark of $194,000 for the authorized Bayou Teche, LA project. Funding will be used for dredging and ongoing operations and maintenance for the Bayou Teche. Activities include surveys of the channel, environmental studies, real estate management, and operate and maintain Keystone Lock. Calcasieu River, Mile 5.0-14.0, Cameron Parish Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, CAP 204 Purpose: To provide an earmark prioritizing the Calcasieu River, Mile 5.0-14.0, Cameron Parish project within the Corps CAP 204 program. Funds will be used to complete the design and implementation phase for the beneficial use of dredged materials project along the Calcasieu River. The project provides for the placement of shoal material from the Calcasieu River, Mile 5 to Mile 14, into the Cameron Creole Prairie National Wildlife Refuge. Additional beneficiaries include the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District and the users of the Calcasieu River Ship Channel. Town of Carencro, Lafayette Parish, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, CAP 205 Purpose: To provide an earmark prioritizing the Town of Carencro, Lafayette Parish, LA project within the Corps CAP 205 program. The funds will be used to continue the design and implementation phase for the small flood control project in the Town of Carencro. Additional beneficiaries include the residents of the Town of Carencro. Bayou Queue de Tortue, Vermilion Parish, LA Member requesting funds: Charles Boustany Jr., MD (LA-07) Entity receiving funds: US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, 7400 Leake Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, CAP 205 Purpose: To provide an earmark prioritizing the Bayou Queue de Tortue, Vermilion Parish, LA project within the Corps CAP 205 program. The funds will be used to complete the feasibility for a small flood control project in Bayou Queue de Tortue. Additional beneficiaries include the residents of the Town of Gueydan.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, tonight President Obama is expected to unveil some of his health care reform, and I hope to work with the President to lower costs for American families and make health care more accessible without dramatically raising taxes. Some of my Democratic colleagues advocate for government-run universal health coverage, but coverage alone does not guarantee access. Too many rural communities currently lack doctors, and Medicare payment cuts and frivolous lawsuits have driven providers out of business in underserved communities. Health care reform should be based on three basic principles, information, choice and control. Information that provides real information to patients and doctors, choice that allows freedom of choice to choose a doctor and develop a doctor/patient relationship, and control, which creates real portability for families. Working together, I believe we can achieve real results and make health care much more affordable and accessible. We all agree that our system will make America more competitive and give families peace of mind. And that's why we need to work together to put the doctor and patient back in control.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, I just want to make a correction here to the gentleman's comments. While providing coverage is one thing, providing real access to care, to a primary care physician, is another, and far too many of these children are receiving care in the emergency room, which is the most expensive and least effective way to provide care.

Mr. BOUSTANY. We also need to limit the crowd-out of private coverage and target the neediest children for enrollment first. We need to help poor children first. I know we can do better. Oppose this rule. Oppose this bill.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule and to the underlying bill. Last week, the Democratic majority rushed a massive bill through the process, laden with wasteful spending of borrowed money that has not been shown or demonstrated to create jobs. The American people are hurting. They are clearly hurting. We have tough economic times, and we have a responsibility to legislate and to legislate in a responsible way. Too often, children on Medicaid or on SCHIP receive fewer visits with primary care providers than those with private coverage. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, children on these programs were 2 times more likely to visit hospital emergency rooms multiple times in a given year. As a physician, I know that government-run programs must achieve better results. My State has the eighth highest ER visit rate. This is unacceptable and we can do better. Now, the GAO has criticized government-run programs, like SCHIP, for disregarding patients' access problems. It warned: ``Coverage alone does not guarantee services will be available or that children will receive needed care.'' It is disappointing to me that the majority rushed this flawed bill to the floor without permitting any opportunity for improvements. In fact, as proposed, this bill would exacerbate enrolled children's access problems. The CBO warned that a similar bill would force more than 2.4 million children out of private health care plans and onto government rolls. Working together, I know we can do better. I know we can make SCHIP help children who really need it--those who really already qualify for it but who are not enrolled. There are far too many of these children out there. This massive expansion fails to help those children most of all. States should measure also and report provider access problems in SCHIP programs to measure their progress. We asked for this, and it was not even entertained in the Rules Committee. I do not understand the closed debate here, the closed opportunity.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Chairman, both sides can agree that our national economy is in trouble as tens of thousands of Americans are without work. But the question remains, are we going to get this right? The bill before us falls far short of the goals that we are hoping to achieve. In 2005 my home State of Louisiana saw economic devastation as the result of two hurricanes. During that recovery effort, we learned many things about what government can and can't do effectively and quickly. Tax relief for small businesses and families enable businesses across the Gulf Coast to rebuild, expand, and create good-paying, long-lasting jobs. As a result, thousands of Louisiana families found security they desperately needed following these two storms. Government direct spending was also attempted. However, 3 years later, 3 years later, much of that money is still tied up in bureaucratic entanglement. There's a lesson here. There is clearly a lesson. There are many different solutions to a problem, and this economic crisis, as complex as it is, certainly proves this. But secondly and more importantly, we must look for solutions that will produce results. We need to spur job creation to get Americans working again, and the best way to achieve that job creation is by reducing taxes on small businesses, entrepreneurs, and companies who can put people to work now. We are willing to work with the administration and with our friends across the aisle to accomplish these goals. Together I believe we could craft a bill that would stimulate private sector job growth, which is what's desperately needed. That will make this country competitive again. This bill will not accomplish those goals. I would urge a ``no'' vote on this bill, and let's come up with a better way to do this.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. I would like to include the rest of my statement in the Record. In section 402 of their bill, Majority leaders failed to address the access problems I brought to their attention last year. Their vague language does not require states to uniformly report primary care visits. It does not mention surveying parents on whether sick children received needed care quickly. It also fails to require states to describe their plans to avoid displacing children's private coverage. We need to help poor children first. A plastic government coverage card that delays access to needed care is an insult to low-income families. Congress has a duty to help enrolled children who--despite being covered--still can't find a doctor to treat them when they're sick.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, as a physician, we all recognize the importance of high quality health care for all children in this country. In addition to the declining source of revenue as a means to pay for this, which I believe is an irresponsible way to legislate on health care, there's a serious other problem that needs to be discussed and that is, does this bill provide real access to quality health care? Too often children on Medicaid and SCHIP receive fewer visits from primary care providers than those with private coverage. That's clear. And they are much more likely to seek care in the emergency room when it's late. They don't get the necessary screenings and vaccinations. GAO criticized government-run programs like SCHIP for disregarding patients' access problems. It's disappointing to me, as a physician, that the majority rushed this flawed bill to the floor without permitting any opportunity for improvements. I offered an amendment that went to Rules which was not allowed, which would have encouraged States to measure and report provider access problems for SCHIP programs. It would also require States to report their plans to limit ``crowd out'' of private coverage.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, as I travel across my district, helping with hurricane recovery, I am proud of the can-do spirit of the people of southwest Louisiana. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike caused amazing damage throughout my area, but neighbors are helping neighbors. These two storms also highlight the importance of American energy production in the Gulf of Mexico. High gas prices are affecting our food prices, the economy in general, and people's pocketbooks directly. Throughout August, I joined my fellow House Republicans in urging Speaker Pelosi to bring Congress back in session to help American families struggling with the dramatically high gas prices, but she refused. Now we can act. We can increase and diversify our energy supply, become less dependent on foreign sources of oil and create good high- paying American jobs. Many of these energy jobs are going overseas, but we can keep them right here in America. By harnessing all of America's vast resources, we can help Americans in the short term and into the future. Let's do the responsible thing. Let's open parts of our deepwater coasts for energy exploration and pass a comprehensive energy bill. Let's begin to reduce the price at the pump.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 6890 which would extend the authority of the Secretary of Education to waive certain requirements for those States impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The legislation would also ensure that those school districts that experienced widespread damage by the severe storms, tornadoes, or flooding in the Midwest or hurricanes in the gulf coast receive the same amount of funding under the title I program as they did last year. I want to thank my fellow members of the Louisiana delegation for working with me in introducing this bill and their ongoing work alongside with me to assist those impacted by the devastating natural disasters that have hit the gulf coast as well as the Midwest. Mr. Speaker, the events over the past month when Hurricane Ike hit the Texas and Louisiana coast and Hurricane Gustav hit the Louisiana coast remind us of the damaging impact that natural disasters have on our Nation's residents and their local communities. As thousands of residents return to their homes and towns, they'll need help in rebuilding their houses and their livelihoods. Local elementary and secondary schools--both public and private--will need help in replacing textbooks and other instructional materials so that students can get back to learning and a little bit of normalcy. Just over 3 years ago, our Nation experienced one of the worst disasters in our history when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated Louisiana and the Mississippi gulf coast. More than 1,100 public and private schools were forced to close, and approximately 158,000 students were displaced as a direct result of the hurricanes. The loss of business and government infrastructure, jobs, and housing deprived school districts of local property taxes that normally fund school operations. In the Midwest, we know that the massive flooding experienced over the summer in Iowa and recently in Illinois has devastated local communities and schools. Louisiana and Texas are still assessing the damage done as a result of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, but the initial assessments paint a grim picture. In the aftermath of these natural disasters, Congress should assist those public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that are struggling to re-open and re-enroll students for families returning to these devastated areas. In 2006, we provided funds to States and public and private schools in the gulf region impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to replace instructional materials, recover student and personnel data systems, and other important services to get schools back up and running. We also guaranteed that those school districts in the gulf coast receive the same amount of funding under the title I program for fiscal year 2006 as they received for fiscal year 2005. We provided the Secretary of Education with limited authority to waive certain financial requirements to ensure that those states that were heavily impacted by the destruction could use several funds to meet their financial commitments. These waivers have proven critical to the recovery of schools in several impacted areas and enabled them to access much-needed reconstruction funds. The bill we have before us today, H.R. 6890, would extend this temporary authority for another fiscal year through September 30, 2009. As we continue to assess the damage in the Midwest and along the gulf coast, similar to the assistance provided back in 2006, H.R. 6890 also guarantees that those school districts in the Midwest impacted by flooding and the gulf coast impacted by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike receive the same amount of funding under the title I program for this upcoming school year as they received for the last school year. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6890. I'm thankful to the committee and to the gentlelady from California for bringing this resolution to the floor. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, we're pleased to join our colleagues on the other side of the aisle in paying this tribute to our colleague. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 642, the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act, and I join my colleagues in honoring our colleague. So often in this Chamber, we consider legislation to expand access to college and strengthen our Federal higher education programs. Today, we have an opportunity to discuss the need to bolster safety on college campuses, specifically fire safety. The timing and the name of this bill are appropriate because this month is often designated as Campus Fire Safety Month, and there was no Member more concerned about protecting our college students from the dangers of fire than the late Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones. This bill would honor Representative Tubbs Jones by naming a demonstration program in her honor. Our Nation's college students should be able to live on campus with the confidence that they will be safe in their dorms, apartments, or other housing. This measure will take a step toward ensuring that colleges have the ability to ensure their buildings are properly equipped with the latest fire safety measures. This measure, combined with the provisions enacted by Congress in the Higher Education Opportunity Act, will increase campus fire safety on colleges and universities. The provisions included in the Higher Education Opportunity Act required colleges to provide a fire safety report to the Secretary of Education. The report must include statistics showing the number of fires and injuries resulting from fires on campus over the past year. It will also require colleges to report on the type of fire prevention technologies they are utilizing and any plans the colleges may have to improve their fire prevention and detection technologies. The bill before us today will help colleges think creatively about fire safety and ensure that they have the funds to move forward with their plans. Today, we have the opportunity to honor Representative Tubbs Jones' commitment to the safety of college students and pass a measure that will help colleges keep our young people safe from devastating fires. While I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, our efforts to help college students will be incomplete until we also approve a true and honest all-of-the-above energy reform package that puts our Nation on the path to energy independence. Our higher education system is being squeezed by high energy costs just as the rest of society is. Schools are being forced to limit their operations and reduce the number of school days just to save on utility costs and save their students the price of a day's commute. The majority met behind closed doors to craft a bill that offers more in the way of political cover than actual energy reform. This is not the change Americans need, and it's not the change they deserve. We need a real energy policy, not one that looks good on paper but keeps vital American resources under lock and key. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. I rise today in support of House Resolution 1463 which recognizes the benefits of service learning as a teaching strategy to effectively engage youth in the community and classroom, and it supports the goals of the National Learn and Serve Challenge. Young Americans, from kindergartners to college students, have the desire, power, and ability to make a real difference in their communities. Service learning offers a unique opportunity for them to get involved in a concrete way by integrating community service projects with classroom learning. It enriches the learning experience, teaches civic responsibility, and strengthens communities. Research has shown that service-learning programs can have positive impacts on youth in three general areas: academic engagement and achievement; civic attitudes and behaviors; and social and personal skills. The studies also demonstrate that students gain the maximum benefit when their service-learning experience includes a direct tie to the curriculum, planning, and design of service projects by students, structured reflection on the service experience in the classroom, and continuity of service for at least one semester. Service-learning programs work. They meet the Nation's needs by putting the talents and energies of America's youth to work solving real issues in their communities such as homelessness, elderly care, and illiteracy. In addition, students' lives are enriched through service learning as they become engaged in their own educational process. We see the results and benefits of the work they do, and they become civic-minded Americans who make a contribution to the communities in which they live. Learn and Service America is the only Federally funded program dedicated to service learning and enables over 1.5 million students to make meaningful contributions to their community while building academic and civic skills. Through its annual week-long National Learn and Serve Challenge, the program spotlights the value of service learning to youth, schools, and communities and instills an ethic of lifelong community service. In light of the recent natural disasters that have stricken our Nation, it is important that young people are encouraged to incorporate service into their lives and make a difference in their community and country. The intangible benefits alone--such as pride, satisfaction, and accomplishment--are worthwhile reasons to serve. Today I applaud the efforts of Learn and Serve America and the millions of dedicated youth volunteers for their service, and I would like to encourage all Americans to work together so we can more effectively meet the pressing needs facing our Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. I yield back.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague from California in support of House Resolution 1464, recognizing and honoring the 50th anniversary of the founding of the AARP. While I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, I must also remind all of my colleagues that we, in Congress, must do our part to serve our constituents over the age of 50 by approving an all-of-the-above comprehensive energy package that will put our Nation on the path to energy independence, a real energy policy, and not one that just pays lip service to parts and parcel of energy policy, one that really looks at solving our energy problems going forward. With that, I would say that I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I urge my Democratic colleagues to work with us across the aisle and to serve those constituents that the AARP serves in approving essential energy policy as well. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOUSTANY

Mr. BOUSTANY. I am glad you brought that up. Clearly, having a whole lot of refineries concentrated on the gulf coast, in Texas or on the coast of Louisiana, we have a very soft underbelly. We have a true vulnerability with key energy infrastructure. Many refineries, while they were not damaged, they had to be shut down for a period of time. We don't have large inventories of gasoline in this country. We don't have it. So when you shut refineries down, particularly a large number of them, you end up with shortages of gasoline and this country has had to start importing gasoline to a much greater extent than we used to.

Mr. BOUSTANY. Diesel as well, and other refined products. So this a significant problem. If we had true destruction of those refineries, which could have easily happened, we are talking about a real vulnerability, real price shocks at the pump, and a long time before we can get this infrastructure back up and running. The point is with a comprehensive energy policy, we are going to diversify our sources of energy. We need to expand refining capacity and build out in other areas of the country. We need to invest in the alternative fuels that will give us alternatives to gasoline, but it takes time for those investments. Clearly, it is important that we start the process. In my district, a large oil company has just recently put a significant investment into an alternative fuel company that is going to be making cellulosic ethanol. It is the first cellulosic ethanol facility in the entire country. They are ramping up and there is a lot of excitement about it, and it offers great possibilities, but we have to develop this and we have to develop the infrastructure. That is going to take time. So what we have to do is strategically manage our dependence on fossil fuels right now as we transition to the next energy economy which will involve alternatives and renewables.

Mr. BOUSTANY. First of all, as we try to transition, we still need oil and gas, and we should be investing in this country and in the United States, looking at our own natural resources. A large part of the oil and gas that is available is off our Outer Continental Shelf, in the gulf coast area, as we have seen off the coast of Louisiana and Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, but also east coast and west coast. We ought to be taking advantage and using those resources as we transition. One of the key features that we fought for, I say ``we,'' the Louisiana delegation, for 50 years we fought to get revenue sharing whereby the tax revenue that comes to the Federal Government, some of it is shared with the States. For instance, in Louisiana now with new production, we have the opportunity to share in 37.5 percent of revenue that will go to the State to help the State do environmental repair along the gulf coast. It will help us invest in infrastructure, and it also provides an opportunity to invest in alternatives fuels. That provision was enacted in the Energy Security Act of 2006, something we fought very hard for and it is a very good bill. It is critically important that States along the coast have that revenue-sharing option available to them. That is the incentive for them to allow drilling off their coast. And that helps them build their infrastructure. The Democrat bill earlier this week didn't allow that. And that's one of the reasons why I think this was a sham approach. It was saying, we'll give a little lip service to drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf, but we're going to restrict certain areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, and we're not going to allow revenue sharing, which is something the States all want. And that's the essence of federalism. That's a great way to do it.