Michael Castle

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to overriding the President's veto of H.R. 2082, the conference agreement on the Fiscal Year 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act. As a former Member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, I believe it is vital that we provide the United States intelligence agencies with the tools and resources necessary to ensure our security. Therefore, I strongly support funding in this bill for human intelligence activities, intelligence analysis, and counterterrorism operations. Furthermore, I support language in the agreement prohibiting the use of interrogation techniques not authorized by the U.S. Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations. Our soldiers and interrogators need to know exactly where the line is when engaging prisoners and there should be absolutely no question about what is acceptable behavior and what is not. In fact, I have cosponsored legislation to require the anti-torture provisions included in this conference agreement. Nevertheless, I will oppose this bill because it fails to implement the 9/11 Commission's recommendations for reforming congressional oversight of intelligence funding. In its final report, the 9/11 Commission concluded that: ``Of all our recommendations, strengthening congressional oversight may be among the most difficult and important. So long as oversight is governed by the current congressional rules and resolutions, we believe the American people will not get the security they want and need.'' Last year, the Democratic leadership attempted to apply a ``Band- Aide'' to this problem by creating a powerless Intelligence Oversight Panel that has very little control over actual funding decisions. This is clearly not what the 9/11 Commission recommended. In fact, its report plainly states that ``tinkering with the existing committee structure is not sufficient.'' In May of 2007, I offered a simple amendment to the bill before us, calling for Congress to implement these crucial recommendations--but it was prevented from being considered for inclusion in this legislation. Mr. Speaker, the American people have insisted that we implement all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations--even those that are difficult. We will be doing this country a disservice until we put in place an effective committee structure capable of giving our national intelligence agencies the oversight, support, and leadership they need.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to the late Elmer D. Saxton, Sr. Mr. Saxton passed away peacefully at the age of 87 on Monday, February 18, 2008, surrounded by his family. Formerly, Mr. Saxton served as the State of Delaware Service Officer for the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization. Mr. Saxton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Agnes, in 1993. A career soldier, Mr. Saxton proudly served our country as a member of the United States Army in both World War II and the Korean War. He was recognized for his service in various artillery and ordinance corps by several commendation medals. Following his retirement from active duty, Mr. Saxton worked for the University of Delaware and the United States Postal Service before taking his position at the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Upon his retirement from his position as Delaware's VFW Service Officer, Mr. Saxton continued to put forth tireless effort in assisting those in need. As a member of the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus, as well as an ongoing member of the VFW, he devoted himself to ensuring that flags were placed on all veterans' graves and that members of the honor guard served for fallen comrades. In addition, Mr. Saxton was instrumental in the establishment of the Veterans Memorial Cemetery and the Veterans Nursing Home in Milford, Delaware. As a founder and faithful member of Holy Family Church for many years, he enthusiastically participated in community outreach and service projects, including the collection and distribution of food with Val's Needy People fund and the delivery of emergency and holiday groceries. Mr. Saxton faced all challenges with one goal in mind: to help another. Mr. Saxton, or ``Pop'', as he was called by his family, will be lovingly remembered by his three children, nine grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. They will remember him as a man who loved to solve crossword puzzles, loved to root for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies and Wilmington Blue Rocks, and loved to help others. His superlative example of heroism, dedication, and selflessness will serve as an inspiration to all those who knew him.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to reccognize Mr. John Cochran, Business Development Executive of Bank of America Card Services. John will retire this year from his position as a leader in a company with the largest credit card portfolio in North America, having over 40 million customers amounting to $190 billion in high-interest loans. During his time at Bank of America, John was responsible for all business development endeavors for Bank of America Card Services. Prior to the January 2006 merger with Bank of America, John was the chief operating officer of MBNA Corporation, which he also helped to found in 1982. Under John's direction as head of Business Development, MBNA became a pioneer in issuing so-called ``affinity'' credit cards--cards endorsed by alumni associations, interest groups, professional organizations, clothing manufacturers, sports teams, and others. Cards emblazoned with the logo of a much-loved alma mater or team proved to be appealing to many consumers and, as a result of John's ingenuity, MBNA enjoyed runaway growth. Within 10 years, MBNA had become one of Delaware's largest employers, and remains so today under the Bank of America name. John is also the person behind Bank of America's 3 major affinity relationships: the National Education Association, Ducks Unlimited, and the American Automobile Association, all 3 of which will celebrate 27 years of successful marketing agreements with Bank of America this year. John was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Loyola College, where he currently sits on the board and has served as its chairman. Though not a Delaware native, John contributes to the State of Delaware in more ways than just furthering private sector development. John is a member of the board of directors of the Delaware Council for Economic Education. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Delaware Public Policy Institute. I acknowledge Mr. John Cochran for his many years of service and numerous contributions to Bank of America, the credit card industry, and the State of Delaware. I am confident that as he enjoys his retirement with his wife and children, and cheers for his beloved Baltimore Orioles, he will remain an active and influential member of our community.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to Steve Anderson and the dedicated employees of Anderson Homes, an independent homebuilder based in Middletown, Delaware. This week Anderson Homes will do what many consider impossible. Together, with ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team and hundreds of local sub-contractors and volunteers, they will build two new high quality homes for two Wilmington families in less than a week's time. Mr. Ty Pennington, the host of the show, informed the Latif family and their neighbor Rose Chatman of the wonderful news Tuesday morning in traditional fashion: yelling ``Good Morning'' via bullhorn. Anderson Homes has agreed to tackle this unbelievable challenge of building two houses, while waiving all fees and donating all the materials. Anderson Homes was founded in Middletown, Delaware, in 2000 and has 45 full-time employees. In just 7 years, the company has built more than 1,000 quality homes. The company was named the ``Fastest Growing Homebuilder in the Nation, 2003'' by Builder Magazine and was the recipient of 11 Regal Awards by the Homebuilders Association of Delaware in 2006. ABC-TV Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is on a quest to build a house in all 50 States. Each family will return from an all expenses paid trip to Disney World to find a brand new' home, custom built to meet their special needs. The Extreme Makeover team selected the Latif and Chatman families of Delaware for their most recent home-building project because of their unique and inspiring circumstances. Ju-Juanna Latif's life story is one of inspiration, a reminder to all of us of what can be accomplished if one perseveres. Ms. Latif became a single mother at the age of 16 and dropped out of high school. In spite of the obstacles, Ms. Latif earned a GED and set her sights on going to college. Unfortunately, life once again challenged Ms. Latif and she found herself living in a homeless shelter with her baby. While living at the shelter, Ms. Latif worked proactively to achieve her goals by taking parenting classes, undergoing job training, and enrolling in college once again. Upon completion of a work study program, Ms. Latif was able to move out of the shelter into low-income housing. Ms. Latif bought her grandmother's home and, in doing so, also met a wonderful neighbor, Rose Chatman. Ms. Latif is a proud mother of four children, ages: 19, 13, 12, and 9. James, Ms. Latif's youngest child, has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and is wheelchair-bound. Ms. Chatman, better known as ``Grandma Rose'' takes care of James during the day while Ms. Latif goes to work as a welfare fraud analyst. ``Grandma Rose'' not only cares for young James, but is also an active member of her church by making the flower arrangements and providing transportation to church members. With the help of Anderson Homes and ABC-TV Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the new home will accommodate the special needs of Ms. Latif's son, James, and will make life easier for the entire family, including ``Grandma Rose.'' Thank you to Steve Anderson, the employees of Anderson Homes, ABC, and all the volunteers who made the dream of a brand new home a reality for these deserving families.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman for his kind words about the amendment and for his work, along with Mr. McKeon and Mr. Keller and others and Mr. Tierney on the legislation, and I urge everybody to support the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CASTLE. I thank the distinguished ranking member for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to rise in support of the legislation and to rise in support of the manager's amendment. I hope that everybody who supports considering this bill today is paying attention to what I think all of us are hearing at home, and that is that the cost of college education is going up faster, as the cost of living increases, than anything, including health care; that is a vital part of our economy; that if we do not produce good college graduates and graduate students beyond that, that we will be hurt greatly from an economic point of view; and that we need to address these issues. I think this legislation, which was forged with the help of Republicans and Democrats, with amendments by Republicans and Democrats, is balanced legislation and serves the purpose of dealing with looking closely at college costs and asking them to pay attention to it. We have had a number of hearings about this; and some have produced good testimony, some have produced sort of marginal testimony in terms what could be done. In my view, this legislation is a big step forward in addressing that issue. I know all the college presidents and boards mean well, but the bottom line is they have to serve well too. They have to make sure that college is affordable to as many people as possible. I will be involved in several of the amendments later on, but the basic underlying structure of what we are trying to do here today is of great importance to the entire educational and economic future of our country. I hope that all of us can be as supportive as possible of the legislation and of the manager's amendment.

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

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I'm pleased to offer this college cost accountability amendment to the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, which I also support, legislation to reform and strengthen many of the Nation's higher education programs. As you know, for over a decade, Congress has worked on the behalf of students and families in an effort to solve the college cost crisis. Today we will have the opportunity to vote on these bipartisan college cost reforms. We all can agree on the need to hold down the costs of college, and I believe we're making progress by providing additional support to minority-serving institutions, teacher quality grants, grants supporting veteran student success, and other positive changes. I would like to also note the provisions included to help us better track annual changes in tuition, fees, and room and board costs for undergraduate students. All of the information collected will be made publicly available on the department's College Navigator Web site so that students and their parents have better access to cost increases at various institutions. While each of these provisions take steps in the right direction to combat college costs, I believe we can go farther to uncover what is driving college costs and hopefully stem the tide of this growth that threatens access to higher education for many American students. My amendment expands the responsibilities of the quality task forces established in the underlying legislation by requiring them to develop annual benchmarks for the top 5 percent of institutions that have the largest increase in their tuition and fees over the most recent 3-year period. If these institutions fail to meet these benchmarks, rather than punishing these schools with legislative penalties, institutions are simply required to provide the Secretary of Education with a detailed explanation of the reasons why they failed to do so. I am supportive of the underlying legislation which makes reforms for our institutions of higher learning, parents and students, and my amendment will build upon the provisions set forth in the introduced legislation to make tuition increases even more transparent and help ensure colleges are doing everything possible to reduce college costs so that any student wishing to obtain a higher education may do so. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in strong support of the Cooper amendment. I am a great believer in what our historically black colleges have done and continue to do. Delaware State University in my State is clearly a good example of that. I think this authorization level increase makes a lot of sense. This is not something new. This has been going on for over 100 years in our country. We have been basically educating African Americans, sometimes in a segregated way, but now I think in every instance in a way where we have complete desegregation, too. The historical black colleges have played a prominent role in the education of many African American students in our country and have provided an environment of intellectual and cultural growth. While comprising 2.4 percent of all 2- and 4-year title IV eligible institutions, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities are responsible for 23 percent of the bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans, 13.6 percent of all master's degrees awarded to African Americans, and 24.1 percent of first professional degrees awarded to African Americans. These statistics are very important, and I think make a great deal of sense in terms of our continuing support in the Congress of the United States of America. I think the amendment is a good amendment, and I believe that it is one that we should all support here as part of this act which is going to help higher education in our country.

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Ryan-Altmire amendment in the broader sense of what we are dealing with here today, and that is the cost of higher education. I think we have an obligation as elected officials in this country to do everything in our power to allow young individuals, perhaps in some cases middle-aged individuals, to proceed with a college education. It is necessary for the future of our country, for the future of our economy, and we have to look at all different measures of this. And we're dealing with a lot of broader measures here today. But I've often heard this issue of textbooks is a significant cost driver, and I think it is. I see, by some statistics that have been provided to us, the textbook prices have increased at four times the rate of inflation since 1994; and students spend an average of $900 a year on textbooks, an amount equal to 20 percent of tuition at an average university, half the tuition at a community college. If those numbers are anywhere near correct, and they're projected numbers, but if they're anywhere near correct, that is a huge problem which we have to address in this country. And the colleges have sort of wrestled with it a little bit, but I think they need some guidance. And I believe that the proposal which is in this amendment provides some good guidance to actually try to put together a program so that textbooks can be exchanged and the costs can be kept down greatly. Under the bill, the publishers would be asked to provide more information to the faculty about pricing; and that's good, because I think the bill did some good things in this area. And colleges and universities would be required to notify their students about which books are needed for which classes so the students are better able to plan and prepare for textbook costs. But this amendment, which goes further than that, provides us with an opportunity to take more concrete steps to address the high cost of college textbooks by creating the limited pilot competitive grant program to establish a college textbook rental program. If this, as a pilot program, can work, it could lead to measures much further down the line which could provide very substantial cost savings to individuals who are attending college. And for that reason, hopefully we can all be supportive of it.

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment which I have cosponsored with Mr. Van Hollen. I could not be more strongly in support of this. I think we need to understand what Teach for America is. Most people may know, but essentially it's a reach-out by a young lady whose name is Wendy Kopp, with a board of directors which is very strong, which was created with the idea of attracting bright young students to education. We have many, many good educators in America. We need the best teachers we can find in this country. This was an effort to try to attract individuals who are not necessarily involved in education to become involved in that profession. So they reached out to our very best schools. And all of a sudden, if you look at the Ivy League schools and the other very top schools in America, you are going to find there are more young candidates to go into the Teach for America program than there are any other employer at those particular schools now. A lot of young people want to do this, and it's been highly successful. They get involved in the schools. It was never established, necessarily, to have them be teachers for life. But that has actually worked in favor of teaching as well because some have stayed in teaching. Others have gone into education administration. And as a result, we have been able to bolster our teachers across the United States of America. It brings new young people into teaching; and with the experienced good teachers that we have already in our country, it can make a huge difference. I think we have a responsibility to inspire young people to teach, if they are qualified to do so, in every way we possibly can. As a matter of fact, they turned down so many people in this program, I think maybe we should be suggesting a second program of some kind to pick up some of those who were turned down, because they're very qualified people, as a matter of fact. You heard some of the numbers which Mr. Van Hollen brought up before of 5,000 corps members, et cetera. We want to increase that number. That's what this is really all about. Hopefully, all of us can be supportive of legislation which is going to provide good teachers, great teachers, to make a difference in the lives of our young people and, hopefully, any concern about how they're getting into teaching versus how others get into teaching is something which we can resolve. This is clearly needed in this country. We need to improve our schools however we can. I think this amendment will do it, and I encourage everyone to support it. I rise in support of this amendment offered by Congressman Van Hollen. I support H.R. 4137, and believe that with passage today we will be making some good reforms for our institutions of higher learning, parents, and students. This amendment is intended to build upon these reforms, and extend them into our nations elementary and secondary schools. Specifically, our amendment would authorize funding to support the Teach for America Program to recruit, select, train and support a national corps of outstanding recent college graduates, of all academic majors, who commit to teach in low-income communities and who hopefully become lifelong leaders for education. Earlier this year, Representative Van Hollen and I introduced legislation which authorizes Teach for America. Currently, funding for the program has been consistent, but piecemeal. The purpose of the bill, and amendment, should the organization be awarded a grant, would be to provide an efficient funding stream. Ultimately this will help the organization grow from its current membership of over 5,000 corps members in over 1,000 schools in 26 regions. The Teach for America legislation has the support of 105 cosponsors, spanning the political spectrum. The Senate has also expressed support for the program, and has included language in their reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. It is my hope that today the House will show their support by including this amendment in H.R. 4137. What we know to be true is that a highly qualified teacher is imperative to the achievement of our students. This amendment will help us to make that more possible across the country. As we, as a nation, continue to focus on closing the achievement gap, I see no better compliment than a national teacher corps. I encourage all of my colleagues to join representative Van Hollen and me in supporting this amendment.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to the University of Delaware Department of Public Safety for being recognized by the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, an independent organization created by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriffs' Association and the Police Executive Research Forum. The importance of public safety officers within our community, and in particular within the University of Delaware, cannot be underscored enough. I am proud to represent a State that is home to such selfless and dedicated officers as those at the University of Delaware Department of Public Safety. The University of Delaware is now a member of an elite group of public safety agencies in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Barbados that have received this prestigious, international award. The men and women of the Department have shown great dedication and commitment to providing quality service and protection to all students, faculty, and staff at the University of Delaware campus. Employing only a total of forty-two officers on its Wilmington and Lewes campuses with approximately twenty security offices, the Department of Public Safety has no easy task as the University of Delaware has a large enrollment with students living on and off campus in the town of Newark. Despite this challenging task, the department has provided and continues to provide the highest quality protection and service to the University of Delaware community. The citizens of Delaware deserve to know that the University of Delaware Department of Public Safety, has taken extraordinary steps to demonstrate their professionalism and pride in delivering quality public service to the University of Delaware community. I am tremendously proud of the Department of Public Safety and would like to commend and thank the men and women of the Department for the sacrifices and commitment that they make on a daily basis. The bravery and hard work of all those involved with this outstanding organization is responsible for making Delaware a safer place to live.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill before us and consider it a good mix of fiscal policy solutions. Others before me today have already described this legislation in some detail, so I'll refrain from repeating what's already been said. However, I think the approach agreed to by the administration and House leaders from both parties is prudent and responsible. It is no simple matter to find an artful mix of fiscal policy solutions that will stimulate the economy yet mitigate inflationary risks. As this legislation moves on to the Senate for further consideration, the House and administration should be open to other ideas. There is much at stake and the other body knows that we can always return to this issue if the results of this package need adjusting. We have to recognize that we alone cannot solve an economic slow down. The Federal Reserve will play a major role by setting interest rates and the costs of borrowing at levels commensurate with economic conditions. So some restraint and caution is needed at times like these. This stimulus package uses a variety of fiscal policy tools--some that will have long term benefits like accelerated depreciation, and others that will have a more immediate impact like recovery rebates. While we can debate the particulars and merits of exactly who is eligible and for what amount of rebate, history shows us that programs like this do positively impact the economy as Americans pay down debt or make modest purchases. Homebuilding is a major part of our economy, and that industry sector employs many, many Americans. Housing starts this year are forecast to be half of what they were in 2007, and the current stock of new and existing homes on the market is increasing markedly. Therefore, I am particularly pleased that the size of loans the Federal Housing Administration can insure is increasing, and the size of loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase will be temporarily increased. This will benefit homeowners who are in a subprime mortgage and struggling to make payments now or when their loan resets. Finally, the accelerated depreciation schedules included in this package are very important components. As businesses find it advantageous to replace existing equipment or purchase new goods for expansion purposes, the effects of these decisions will be vast and have a positive impact for those that manufacture the equipment or goods, on those that install and in turn use these new or upgraded resources. All in all, Madam Speaker, I think we have taken some very sound steps here with this bill. Much is at stake here, and we need to move with care and consideration. Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this stimulus package for the relief it provides over 117 million American families and the timely boost it delivers our slowing economy. Let's be clear: As a product of genuine bipartisan compromise, this legislation does not contain everything one might have included in a stimulus package. For example, I support--and I hope the President will accept--the Senate's proposal to extend the relief in this package to low-income seniors and people with disabilities. That being said, this legislation proposes to put $145 billion into the hands of those who will use it to strengthen our economy, and it deserves our support today. The centerpiece of this package is tax relief in the form of rebates of up to $600 for individuals and $1200 for married couples--with an additional $300 available for every dependent child. Importantly, it extends relief to 35 million hard-working families who make too little to pay federal income taxes but do pay payroll, sales, property and other taxes. These rebates will generate $1.26 in economic activity for every dollar we put back into the economy. The package before us also encourages business investment by doubling the amount small businesses can expense for capital investments made in 2008 and by allowing all businesses to immediately write off 50 percent of depreciable plants and equipment purchased in 2008. Finally, it assists those facing foreclosure by increasing Federal Housing Administration, FHA, loan limits to $729,750 in 2008, and it provides greater liquidity to the mortgage market by temporarily increasing loan limits for single family homes at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from $417,000 to a maximum of $729,750. For this initiative to be meaningful, it must be timely. Therefore, while I agree with many of the additional elements being discussed by the Senate--such as an appropriate extension of unemployment insurance for those who need it--we must not let prolonged arguments over these items delay swift enactment of the stimulus our economy so clearly needs. If additional steps prove necessary, we will of course stand ready to act. But for today, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan agreement. Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the economic stimulus package. I want to congratulate our Leadership for working in a bipartisan manner to bring much-needed economic relief to all sectors of our economy. Madam Speaker, our economy is on a downturn. We are seeing gas prices, grocery prices, heating bills, and the price of consumer goods steadily increase. The dollar has fallen to new alltime lows, prompting inflation fears and the standing of our currency in the world market. Our housing foreclosure rates continue to threaten the quality of life for our constituents. In my hometown of Sacramento, the foreclosure rate is now the fourth highest in the Nation, with 1 out of every 48 homeowners burdened by this crisis last year. Madam Speaker, as more and more Americans are feeling insecure about their future, I believe it is the right time for economic intervention by this Congress. This economic stimulus package put forth today is targeted, temporary, and timely. It will put hundreds of dollars into consumer pockets and bring financial relief to millions of working families. It will significantly expand the child tax credit. Madam Speaker, this package also seeks to help those in danger of losing their homes. Americans across our Nation are being challenged daily by the mortgage crisis. By raising the FHA and GSE loan limits, this bill will inject much- needed liquidity into the California housing market, and more importantly into the Sacramento region. It will allow struggling homeowners to get out of bad loans and refinance into more affordable loans. This bill is an important first step. I am proud that we were able to work quickly in a bipartisan fashion to start the process of relieving the economic strain being felt by families across this great country. Madam Speaker, I again want to thank our Leadership for their hard work on this bill. It is critical that we get our economy back on track. This stimulus package is a step in the right direction.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. This company, for six decades, has been committed to providing exceptional products for their customers while demonstrating exemplary business practices. Founded in 1958, W.L. Gore & Associates has grown to be the global leader in fabrics, medical, industrial, and electronic products. The organization's success has grown from the dedication, passion, and their commitment of their employees to excellence. For ten consecutive years, they have earned the recognition on FORTUNE magazines ``100 Best Companies to Work For,'' and in 2007 was ranked tenth overall. To this day, W.L. Gore & Associates is recognized for its unique corporate culture. With a mission of creativity and personal responsibility, their organization adopted a management structure driven by personal interaction. Corporate decisions are made based on knowledge and experience, rather than by official titles or positions. As envisioned by founders' Bill and Vieve Gore, they hoped that associates would constantly be encouraged to grow through knowledge, skill, and individual accountability. On this 50th anniversary, I would like to recognize the many accomplishments of W.L. Gore & Associates. Their commitment to their customers and employees should be an example for all. I commend the W.L. Gore & Associates family for their commitment to the Delaware community and the nation, and I wish them all the best on this momentous anniversary.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today in honor of Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. (LNW&AI), a company that for almost 60 years now has been accomplishing great feats and doing outstanding work for the housing industry in Delaware and surrounding areas. Today, I wish to call attention to a neighborhood renewal project this group championed. It positively impacted our community to such a degree that the readers of Affordable Housing Finance Magazine named it the Nation's best affordable homeownership development. Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. was presented with this prestigious award because they had the vision, drive, prowess and compassion to take an area in need of revitalization and transform it into a true community. Less than a decade ago the Wilmington, Delaware neighborhood now known as Eastlake was home to some of the highest per capita drug and crime rates in the nation. All of that has changed since LNW&AI came in with an innovative renewal plan to construct new homes at below-market rates for neighbors. While designing this community, LNW&AI was mindful of practicality, community, affordability, safety, and aesthetics--all of which help explain the program's great success. Through the work of LNW&AI and its project affiliates, the Village of Eastlake is now seeing an unprecedented influx of residents that are inspired and committed to bettering their community and future. I have long been a supporter of Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. Leon Weiner, whom I had the distinct privilege of knowing and working with while he was alive, founded the company in 1949 and made it a success. He recognized that people from every walk of life, regardless of economic circumstances, share a common need and dream of having a place to call home. His hard work and dedication to such a cause helped put thousands of people of modest incomes in homes. Furthermore, he established a rich philanthropic legacy within LNW&AI. Through my personal experiences with Leon's successors: Kevin Kelly and David Curtis, as well as the rest of the LNW&AI staff, I can assuredly say that Leon's legacy not only lives on, but thrives in the company today. Once again, I would like to recognize Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. Their work at the Eastlake community is remarkable and very deserving of Affordable Housing Finance Magazine's Reader's Choice Award. They are an invaluable asset to our community and I wish them all the best now and in the future.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to the 2007 University of Delaware Men's Lacrosse team. In 2007 the Blue Hens' record was 13-6 in intercollegiate play, posting its finest season in school history and advancing all the way to the NCAA national semifinals. The Blue Hens opened up the season with five straight wins, but began to struggle and by mid season they were just 6-5. In mid-April the Blue Hens rallied in the final quarter to defeat Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) foe Villanova 19-18, thus igniting the Blue Hens into winning seven straight games before the national semifinal loss. Upon entering the tournament, the Blue Hens defeated the defending National Champions and the No. 2 ranked University of Virginia. Delaware then defeated the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in the national quarterfinals at Navy to earn a spot in the Final Four. The Blue Hens are coached by Bob Shillinglaw who has coached at Delaware for more than 30 years and is one of the Nation's most respected and successful coaches. This past year Coach Shillinglaw's team was led by a strong senior class, which included 2 All-Americans, Alex Smith and Jordan Hall and All-CAA selections Adam Zuder-Havens, Dan Deckelbaum, and Rob Smith. I congratulate Coach Bob Shillinglaw and the 2007 University of Delaware Men's Lacrosse team for their success, and the pride they have shown as representatives of the University of Delaware and the First State.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2499, the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program Extension Act of 2007. The measure includes an important, albeit limited, delay of the scheduled 10 percent cut to Medicare's physician payment rates, which will help ensure quality care and access for Medicare patients without the cuts to vital Medicare programs I opposed previously. While not the expansion to reach an additional 4 million children I had hoped for, S. 2449 also extends the authorization for the State Children's Health Insurance Program until March 31, 2009, ensuring the needs of the 6 million children currently enrolled are met. I hope Congress will again forge ahead and continue negotiations to reach more of these eligible and uninsured children. As co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, I was extremely pleased to see the reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program to fund type 1 diabetes research and type 2 treatment and prevention programs for Native Americans and Alaska Natives included in S. 2449. I am the lead Republican sponsor, with my colleague Representative Diana DeGette, of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 2762, to reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Type I Research and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians for 5 years and to increase the authorized funding level to $200 million annually for each program. While a long-term extension is needed, in this difficult budget environment a short-term extension is a step in the right direction and I will continue to work next year with my colleagues to finish the job and secure a multi-year renewal so the critical long- term projects supported by this program can continue. Since their creation in 1997, the Special Diabetes Programs have led to research breakthroughs through the Special Diabetes Program for Type 1 Research and have increased diabetes treatment and prevention programs for Native Americans and Alaska Natives through the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. Before this time, efforts on both fronts were in short supply. The Special Diabetes Programs have been reauthorized twice and have enjoyed broad bipartisan support in both the House and Senate; and H.R. 2762 continues in this spirit with 225 cosponsors. The reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Programs is vitally important and an extension to September 30, 2009 is welcome. With over 20 million adults and children in the U.S. affected by diabetes, the cost to the U.S. economy is estimated at $132 billion per year in direct and indirect medical costs alone. Continued funding of the Special Diabetes Programs will ensure that the Federal effort to combat diabetes remains strong, as we ardently work to ensure that accelerated diabetes research, treatment, and prevention efforts with on the ground results in improving the lives of millions of people burdened with diabetes continue. I will continue to push for a longer extension of the Special Diabetes Programs.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2082, the conference agreement on the Fiscal Year 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act. As a former member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, I believe it is vital that we provide the United States intelligence agencies with the tools and resources necessary to ensure our security. Therefore, I strongly support funding in this bill for human intelligence activities, intelligence analysis, and training, infrastructure, and global intelligence improvements. I also support the authorization in the bill providing emergency funding for counterterrorism operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Furthermore, I support language in the agreement prohibiting the use of any interrogation techniques not authorized by the U.S. Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations against any individual in the custody or effective control of any element of the intelligence community. Our soldiers and interrogators need to know exactly where the line is when engaging prisoners and there should be absolutely no question about what is acceptable behavior and what is not. In fact, I recently cosponsored legislation to require the anti- torture provisions included in this conference agreement. Nevertheless, I will oppose this bill because it fails to implement the 9/11 Commission's recommendations for reforming congressional oversight of intelligence funding. In its final report, the 9/11 Commission concluded that: ``Of all our recommendations, strengthening congressional oversight may be among the most difficult and important. So long as oversight is governed by the current congressional rules and resolutions, we believe the American people will not get the security they want and need.'' Earlier this year, the Democratic leadership attempted to apply a ``Band-Aid'' to this problem by creating a powerless Intelligence Oversight Panel that has very little control over actual funding decisions. This is clearly not what the 9/11 Commission recommended. In fact, its report plainly states that ``tinkering with the existing committee structure is not sufficient.'' In May, I offered a simple amendment to the bill before us, calling for Congress to implement these crucial recommendations--but it was prevented from being considered for inclusion in this legislation. Mr. Speaker, the American people have insisted that we implement all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations--even those that are difficult. We will be doing this country a disservice until we put in place an effective committee structure capable of giving our national intelligence agencies the oversight, support, and leadership they need.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, with ongoing high oil and gasoline prices and the conference on global climate change taking place in Bali, the time for making investments to secure our energy future is now. H.R. 6 is a strong first step toward reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, which is a real security concern, addressing climate change, and protecting public health, while saving consumers money on energy bills and providing business opportunities in the energy market, which will stimulate economic growth and create new jobs. But we must not stop short of addressing climate change. Scientists say that if we are to have a good chance of avoiding potentially catastrophic repercussions of climate change, we must reduce emissions 60% to 80% by 2050. Through cap-and-trade, based on a sound energy policy foundation, Congress can deliver the kind of reform business and industry need to grow the economy, stabilize the climate, and create more diverse and secure sources of energy. I sincerely hope the Speaker keeps her commitment to address this critical issue. The Energy Independence and Security Act, includes many provisions that I have previously supported in earlier iterations of the legislation in January and August. It increases the fuel economy for automobiles to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, requires that 15% of our electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2020, includes important energy efficiency provisions for buildings and appliances, a renewable fuels standard with safeguards under the Clean Air Act with specific incentives for cellulosic biofuels, and continues and makes new investments in renewable energy production through the repeal of subsidies for the oil and gas industry. For the first time in 30 years, the bill ensures that our automobiles go farther on a tank of gas by raising fuel efficiency, or CAFE, to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, which is both aggressive and something manufacturers feel they can achieve. This is an historic achievement. With close to $100/barrel oil, $3.00 a gallon gasoline, and a nearly one billion dollar deficit in our balance of trade from oil imports makes increasing our fuel economy so critical. I have long believed that reasonable CAFE standards are both achievable and practical and would have a positive impact on fuel consumption in this country. While the issue of raising CAFE standards is not new and the proposals for how it should be achieved have differed greatly, I am pleased to support the agreement Congress has reached. Another key measure is the requirement of a 15 percent national renewable electricity standard, which will help lower energy costs, create new jobs and help diversifying our energy portfolio with clean, renewable sources, like wind and solar energy. This standard will hopefully begin to ease pressure on natural gas prices and help reduce carbon emissions quickly. While I am a cosponsor of legislation to create a 20 percent national renewable electricity standard, complimenting Delaware's recently adopted standard and effort to harness offshore wind energy, this compromise will go a long way in helping to keep our air and water clean and in our effort to address climate change. Finally, I strongly support the key tax provisions, such as the 4- year extension of production tax credit for qualified renewable energy, like wind, and credits for residential efficiency measures, that will help us make strong investments in clean, renewable energy sources, and help address affordability and availability.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4156, the short-term war supplemental appropriations bill. Although I plan to oppose this bill, I am also pleased that its authors included several provisions meant to improve transparency and ensure U.S. troops are adequately trained and mission capable. Hopefully, the inclusion of these provisions signifies the beginning of real progress, and I plan to work with my colleagues to develop a unified approach to address the challenges we face in Iraq. Our soldiers in Iraq continue to do tremendous work and it is critical that we provide them with the resources they need to improve security. Unfortunately, the bill before us today would delay important troop-protection and equipment funds requested by the Pentagon. According to Department officials, delaying these funds would also force the Pentagon to begin borrowing from its regular defense budget, which in turn could impact important operating funds for troops and military bases. Additionally, I am concerned that this legislation would condition troop funding on the initiation of an immediate redeployment from Iraq. Although I strongly support a responsible strategy for bringing U.S. troops home, these decisions should not be mandated by Members of Congress without close consultation with our military and foreign policy leaders in the field. Furthermore, the U.S. commander in Iraq, GEN David Petraeus, has already set forth a plan to bring home a full combat brigade this month and at least five brigades by July of next year. Congress should perform strong oversight with respect to the redeployment process, but placing restrictions on our military commanders is not helpful in their efforts to achieve stability and bring troops home. Still, I support language in the bill that would improve accountability and increase transparency by requiring regular reports on the status of the military's redeployment plans. In the same way, I support sections of the bill that would ensure military units are properly trained and prepared for deployments. Embracing a comprehensive regional security plan and prohibiting torture are also key provisions which I continue to support. In fact, I recently cosponsored legislation identical to the anti-torture provisions included in H.R. 4156. The leaders of the U.S. Senate have already made clear that this legislation does not have the votes necessary for passage and therefore many of these important provisions will be left on the table. Therefore, I call on my colleagues to embrace the substantive areas of this bill where we can find agreement, and join me in committing to a bipartisan approach for achieving stability. Mr. Speaker, the Bipartisan Compact on Iraq Debate, of which I am an original author, identifies the areas where Democrats and Republicans have found agreement. Let us embrace these points of agreement and move forward in supporting our troops serving in combat.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Scott D. Miller, the esteemed President of Wesley College for the past ten years. The College's Board of Trustees Chairman recently described Scott Miller's service as ``a legacy of accomplishment. During Dr. Miller's tenure, the College's enrollment has tripled, fund raising has been remarkable, the endowment has doubled and the institution has been named to the prestigious Regional Best Colleges list of the U.S. News & World Report list for the fourth consecutive year.'' A native of western Pennsylvania, Dr. Miller's career has been dedicated to higher education. Although he is only forty-eight years old, Dr. Miller has already served a remarkable seventeen years as a chief executive officer at institutions of higher learning--a testament to his leadership skills and unique vision. In my years of working with Dr. Miller on a variety of issues, I have found him to be an insightful and energetic man with a genuine passion for education. Dr. Miller's impact on education is certainly not limited to his leadership of Wesley College. He is actively involved in the local community and in higher education at a national level. He was recognized by the American Council on Education in 2004 as among only seventeen college presidents who have advanced their institutions through entrepreneurial leadership. I have no doubt that we will continue to hear great things about Dr. Miller for many years to come. I congratulate Scott Miller for his years of exemplary service to Wesley College and his countless contributions to the City of Dover and its surrounding communities. On behalf of all Delawareans, I would like to thank Scott and his family for their commitment during the past decade. We wish him all the best as he continues to excel in his career and assumes another important leadership role as President of Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4134, the Internet Crime Prevention Education Program Act. In recent years, the Internet has grown to be a thriving educational resource. Adults and children alike have become dependent upon the Internet to provide an abundance of information at their fingertips. However, this wonderful educational resource may also expose young people to new dangers, such as the 750,000 online predators children may encounter every time they surf the web. In fact, one in five children received an online sexual solicitation last year alone. The prevalence of online predators is a frightening reality and it is clear to me that something must be done. For this reason, it is essential that we provide our schools and law enforcement agents with the necessary tools to teach children how to protect themselves from these Internet dangers. The bill before us today provides grants for Internet crime prevention education and takes us one step closer to making the Internet a safer place for kids. It is important that we support programs like i-SAFE, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting youth online through developing the resources to teach internet safety. The competitive grant program created by H.R. 4134 will provide funds to organizations dedicated to Internet crime prevention education. Through education and awareness, we can ensure a more hospitable web environment, so that children may be free to utilize the benefits of the Internet without being exposed to its dangers. Mr. Speaker, I intend to support the legislation before us and I call on this body to vote in favor of Internet crime prevention.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. I would like to thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding, and I apologize for returning to such a mundane subject as the rule before us, but that is what I am here to do. I do rise in support of this rule, and I would like to thank Chairman Miller along with Mr. McKeon and Mr. Kildee, as well as their staffs, for the work they have done over the last several Congresses to strengthen and improve the Head Start program. Since 1965, the Head Start program has given economically disadvantaged children access to the same educational, health, nutritional, social and other services that were enjoyed by their more affluent peers. The goal of the program was, as it remains today, to provide children a solid foundation that will prepare them for success in school and later in life. As the centerpiece of the Federal Government's efforts to support quality early childhood education for our Nation's most disadvantaged youth, Head Start has served nearly 20 million low-income children and their families. Currently, Head Start serves over 900,000 children every day and has over 1,600 grantees across the United States. In my home State of Delaware, Head Start programs serve over 2,000 children with over 800 additional 3- and 4- year-olds receiving assistance through State Government funding. Although we can agree on the need for Head Start and its successes, we must also recognize that the Head Start program is capable of producing even greater results for our children. Students who attend Head Start programs do start school more prepared than those with similar backgrounds who do not attend Head Start. Head Start students continue, however, to enter kindergarten well below national norms in school readiness. By moving to close the school readiness gap, the bipartisan Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act will improve results for almost a million Head Start students across the Nation. I believe strongly in the Head Start program, particularly because of how the program helps children later in their academic lives. Despite the positive reputation of Head Start overall, however, there have been reports which have unfortunately uncovered the fact that some individuals have taken advantage of the taxpayer dollars that fund the program to line their own pockets. Along with the expertise of the Government Accountability Office and through reforms made in this bill, changes will be made to avoid these issues in the future. I feel this is the right step to take for the benefit of the program, and I thank everyone for finding what I hope will be a resolution to the pockets of abuse. As I said at the outset, Head Start is an important and very popular program. The importance of early childhood education and services cannot be overstated. I believe strongly that the reforms sought with this bill will go a long way to institute needed reforms to an already successful program. I support passage of this rule and the conference report to H.R. 1429.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. I thank the distinguished gentleman from California for yielding and for his work on this legislation. I do rise to ask my colleague to support this bipartisan conference report before us today. Like almost every other Member of this body, I believe strongly in the benefits of this program. I trust that the conference report on H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act, will improve Head Start by emphasizing that every child, regardless of his or her economic status, should have the best possible chance to succeed. As Mr. McKeon stated, this report is a byproduct of bipartisan collaboration and compromise. I would also like to thank Chairman Miller, along with Mr. Kildee and Mr. McKeon, as well as the committee staff for their work on Head Start. I see Ms. Woolsey in the room. I have worked with her on this issue before, too, and thank her. This legislation builds upon efforts made in the past several Congresses to address weaknesses in the Head Start program and improves upon language contained in the bill to help make the program even stronger. Specifically, this report preserves and enhances the vital role of parents in ensuring the success of Head Start by establishing both a governing body and a policy council, each with specific detailed responsibilities. This conference report also maintains the current income eligibility requirement to provide services to those who need them the most. Additionally, this legislation ensures that curriculum and other materials used in Head Start classrooms are based on the principles of scientific research and scientifically valid research. Equally important, this conference agreement ensures that a greater number of Head Start teachers are adequately trained and educated in early childhood development, and that applies to Early Head Start as well. Finally, consistent with the motion to instruct I introduced last week, this conference agreement limits the compensation of a Head Start employee to Executive Level II, that of an Assistant Secretary, currently $168,000. Mr. Speaker, the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act builds upon the success of the Head Start program and will assist in having the program achieve even greater results. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this conference report.

Mr. CASTLE

Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to instruct conferees.