Ander Crenshaw

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. I thank the gentleman for yielding the time. I am very proud and privileged to join with my colleagues from Florida to sponsor this resolution commending Tim Tebow for winning the Heisman. As has been pointed out, it's the most prestigious award in college football, and it's the first time a sophomore has ever been awarded this. They have been giving this award for over 70 years, and never has a sophomore won it, but of course never was there a Tim Tebow before this year. He has pointed out a lot of the statistics, the highlight I think is the fact that he is the first quarterback in major college football to throw for more than 20 touchdowns and also run for more than 20 touchdowns. He went on the rest of the year to win the Sullivan Award, the Danny O'Brien Award and the Maxwell Award. He was voted the AP Player of the Year. But I would say to you that, in spite of all those great athletic achievements, his strength of character maybe surpasses his athletic ability. And just a word about Tim Tebow, the person, one of the reasons I'm so pleased to be here tonight is because his mom and dad, Pam and Bob Tebow, have been great friends of mine since we were together at the University of the Florida. I have watched Tim grow up. He is the youngest of five children. He has two older sisters, Katy and Christie, he's got two older brothers, Peter and Robbie. And when you grow up as the baby--even though he was a big baby, he was pretty competitive, looking after his big brothers and sisters. He worked on a farm. They live in Jacksonville, and he would go out and mow the lawn and pull weeds and fix the fence, and developed a pretty good sense of work ethic. I think he would say to you today, Tim Tebow, as I listen to him talk, one of the reasons he has been so successful in athletics is because he understands that there are things in life that are more important than football. And I think because of that perspective, it has made him a better individual and also a better football player. But as has been pointed out, he spends a great deal of his free time going back to the mission field with his dad to the Philippines, where they started an orphanage. When he has time, he will go to hospitals and visit with young people today, who maybe have serious injuries. He has been a real inspiration to them. And because of his deep and abiding faith in God, he sees his athletic ability as a platform so he can go into schools and go into prisons and go into churches and talk about his faith. So I would just say that I want to add my words of congratulations to Tim Tebow and to his family. And not only has he been a great football player, but he has exhibited a great strength of character. I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution honoring him for winning this most prestigious award.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the families of members of our United States Armed Forces. Today, the United States House of Representatives passed H. Con. Res. 295, a concurrent resolution ``expressing the deepest appreciation of Congress to the families of members of the United States Armed Forces.'' I was proud to add my support to this legislation. In northeast Florida, we are honored to live in an area with a large community of military members and families. They are a tremendous asset, not only to our Nation as a whole, but to our local municipalities as well. While husbands and wives are serving our Nation all over the world through military service, their families are also sacrificing for the benefit of our Nation. Their willingness to frequently relocate, separate from spouses and parents, and ``face increased worry and uncertainty when their loved one serves extended tours overseas'' demonstrates their commitment to our Nation. For that and more, they deserve our deepest and most grateful thanks. Many times these families are not recognized, nor seen in the spotlight of our society. While there are no medals awarded to spouses or children, their sacrifice and service could not be any more distinctive. It has been said that families are the fabric from which any strong culture is built, and certainly the strength of our military families bolsters the foundation of America. So it is with great appreciation and sincere thanks that I salute some 3 million United States Armed Forces members and their families serving our Nation around the world.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize Florida's oldest child service agency, daniel, located in Jacksonville. On July 19, 2008, daniel will celebrate 124 years of service to Northeast Florida's abandoned, abused and neglected children. Founded in 1884 as The Orphanage and Home for the Friendless and later named for Colonel James Daniel, a well-known community leader who died as a result of his fight against Jacksonville's yellow fever epidemic, daniel has continued to serve our children and our community uninterrupted since that time. Over the years, daniel has served more than 100,000 children, gained national acclaim as a leader in the area of independent living services and offered our children structure, routine and discipline in caring and comfortable facilities where they can learn, live and know that they are valued. Through its many programs, daniel works hard to give the children entrusted in its care the tools to develop solid character traits for life. Character builds slowly but can be torn down with incredible swiftness. Through the years, daniel's staff has continued to strengthen our community by dedicated devotion to the children they serve. They are in the business of building lives. They plant a thought and reap an act. They plant an act and reap a habit. They plant a habit and reap a character trait. They plant character and reap a destiny. As a community it may be years before we realize the full value of daniel's services. But each time one of daniel's kids goes on to become a productive member of our community, it is testimony to their hard work. I congratulate this very special program and rise today to acknowledge the accomplishments of daniel's 124 years of service to the children of our community.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise today to submit documentation consistent with the new Republican Earmark Standards. Requesting Member: Congressman Ander Crenshaw. Bill Number: H.R. 5658--The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2009. Account: Military Construction, Navy. Legal Name of Receiving Entity: Naval Station Mayport. Address of Receiving Entity: Mayport, Florida. Description of Request: I have secured $3,530,000 in authorization funding in H.R. 5658 in the Military Construction, Navy account for an Aircraft Refueling project at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. This project will construct a two (2) outlet, 300gpm/outlet aircraft direct fueling system to include concrete foundations and slab on grade, 15,000 gallon double wall steel tanks (to be relocated from the existing truck fill stand), concrete containment berms, double walled underground piping, valves, pumps, pressure gauges, filter seperators, leak detection monitors for piping and tanks, float switches, double wall steel product recovery tank, emergency shut off valves, fuel quality monitors, pipe vents, fire protection, pressure indicating transmitter and water drain off system. It would also construct underground double walled fuel transfer line from bulk storage to the direct fueling facility. The project will properly close, by abandoning in place, the existing underground fuel transfer line from the bulk storage to the existing truck fill stand. Closure will include pigging/ purging the lines, grout injection of ends, core boring and soil sampling along the fuel transfer line, and submission of a Florida Department of Environmental Protection Closure Assessment Report. In addition, this project will construct a 150 m2, single story building on a concrete slab on grade and concrete footings. The building and fuel lab will include vinyl floor tile, steel stud/gypsum wallboard walls, hollow core interior steel doors, solid core exterior steel doors, double glazed single hung windows, modified bitumen roofing, interior plumbing, electrical power and lighting wiring, data/ communication wiring, fluorescent lighting fixtures, ceramic bathroom tile, HVAC system/distribution/controls and site utilities (electric, water, sanitary, fiber optic communication/data). The project demolishes building 18 (32 m2) and the truck fill stand facility 142 (400 GM). Naval Station Mayport is a strategic base for the Navy. This project was programmed to receive funding in Fiscal Year 2012, but was identified by the base commander as the highest unfunded priority in Fiscal Year 2009. Military Construction projects are always 100 percent funded by the U.S. Federal government so there is no opportunity for matching funds.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize the Clara White Mission located in my district in Jacksonville, Florida. Tomorrow, the Clara White Mission will be awarded the 2007 HUD Secretary's Award for Excellence. This award, made in partnership with HUD and the American Planning Association, recognizes ``model'' programs that improve employment, education, and housing opportunities, and I cannot imagine any more deserving recipient than the Clara White Mission. The Clara White Mission, which was founded in 1904, but traces its origins to 1880s Jacksonville, is committed to eradicating chronic homelessness in blighted areas. It should be noted that the Clara White Mission is unique in many ways, but most notably their passion for bettering not only the community but also the individual. Tomorrow, at the Mission's ``Miracle on Ashley Street'' event, community and corporate leaders will serve the homeless and community guests a gourmet lunch prepared by area restaurants and the Clara White culinary students in an effort to help raise awareness for the program. The project assists homeless members of the community through a variety of programs. The Mission offers permanent housing, substance abuse mediation, mental health counseling, and help to those in need of developing marketable job skills tailored to the demands of the local job market. The saying goes, ``Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.'' The Clara White Mission puts this principle in practice every day through the programming they offer those who have the greatest need. I congratulate this very special program and rise today to acknowledge the wonderful accomplishments of the Clara White Mission as they receive HUD's 2007 Award for Excellence.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize and honor all law enforcement officials for the crucial and irreplaceable job that they so tirelessly do for our communities' benefit. When I meet with various officials throughout my district and see the job that they do, I am continually impressed by the sense of honor and the level of commitment with which they so unselfishly serve. Many of them continually place their lives on the line in order to protect the families and individuals in our area. Some have indeed given their lives in the line of duty, and for that there is no measure of gratitude that can possibly rise to the level of what our community owes them. These dedicated individuals give of their time, energy, and heart. They ask for little other than our support. They crave no spotlight or public applause. They serve out of a sense of deep love for their community and out of a sense of purpose in ensuring the citizenry is protected and justice is served. I would like to especially recognize a fallen officer whose name was added to the wall on the National Police Memorial in Washington, D.C. this week, in a ceremony attended by Jacksonville Sheriff Rutherford. Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer Eric Bell was killed, on duty, on October 12, 2007 when a vehicle pulled in front of his patrol car. Officer Bell was returning from a call on Heckscher Drive when a van traveling on New Berlin Road collided with his cruiser. Officers like Eric Bell embody the belief that there is no greater purpose than serving our fellow neighbors, and Officer Bell gave his life in this noble effort. In doing so, he and other law enforcement officials model character and integrity for generations to come. It is with a grateful heart and a sense of tremendous pride that I recognize and honor Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer Eric Bell and each individual serving our community in a law enforcement capacity during this 2008 National Law Enforcement Week.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, today the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee considered S. 934, a companion bill to H.R. 1374, which passed the House of Representatives on December 17, 2007. This legislation provides the Forestry Service the flexibility they need to properly manage their assets. This legislation modifies the Florida National Forest Land Management Act in two simple ways which will provide the Forest Service essential authority to manage the national forests in Florida effectively. The first provision simply adds an unmanageable tract of land located in Tallahassee, FL to the list of lands the Secretary of Agriculture is currently authorized to sell. This specific property, tract W-1979, is approximately 114 acres of land that has evolved into an unmanageable, problem area for the Apalachicola National Forest. Due to the configuration and surrounding development, the vegetation cannot be managed through prescribed fire. Although a very valuable tract from a real estate/commercial aspect, this tract has lost its national forest character. The sale of this land will allow the Forest Service to purchase other lands located within the Forest that are more manageable and will enhance national forests in Florida. Secondly, this legislation would allow the Forest Service to use proceeds from the sale of other ``non-green land'' to be used for construction and improvements to administrative facilities essential to the proper management of the Forest. These ``non-green land'' tracts of land are owned by the Forest Service, but have urban improvements like fairgrounds or sporting complexes and are not conducive to the overall purpose of protecting our national forests. This legislation would allow the Service to use the proceeds from the sale of improved lands to build critical infrastructure they need to manage the forests in Florida, while allowing the forest service to continue its practice of using receipts from all non-developed ``green land'' tracts for the acquisition of other ``green land'' tracts to enhance the national forests in Florida. I am pleased that this legislation is moving forward and the Forest Service will have the ability to efficiently and effectively manage our Nation's precious resources.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the members of the Navy League of the United States for their exemplary work in supporting our sea services. In my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, we have two Navy bases, a Coast Guard Sector, a U.S. Marine Corps Command and a large port, so we are constantly aware of the impact your members have on our mariners. Our area is home to several Navy League Councils, including the Mayport Council, which is one of the largest in the country and the home Council for J. Michael McGrath, your incoming National President. As Mike prepares to accept the challenges of guiding this fine organization, I want to congratulate him and wish him well. I am confident he will lead the Navy League with the same dedication and commitment your membership is accustomed to. Following a full Navy career, Mike continued his support of the sea services through the Navy League. Both he and his wife, Gloria, are active life members. Based on his experience and insight, Mike can provide a clear and knowledgeable plan for the future of this organization. As our military is stretched in resources, organizations like the Navy League are even more important in fighting for the priorities and goals of our sea services, not only to Congress but also to local community leaders and businesses who must understand the value that our military institutions bring to local economies, The 21st Century is still young, and the roles of the sea services are ever evolving. It will take innovative and effective leadership to weather these transformational times. I look forward to continuing to work with Mike McGrath in his new role as National President of the Navy League of the United States.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to question the new majority's earmark reform for the 110th Congress. On July 31, 2007, I supported and the House of Representatives passed S. 1, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, which provides for greater transparency in the legislative process. It is with great disappointment that I take this time to recognize the lack of this same transparency in the conference report for H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. This legislation authorizes Federal funding for local water and civil works projects that are extremely important to the State of Florida, and the Nation as a whole. At the start of the 110th Congress the new Democratic majority made repeated promises to the American public about their goals for this newly led Congress, ensuring ``accountability, honesty, and openness at all levels of government.'' It is now November and the unfortunate reality is that these promises are not being kept. In accordance with House Rules, I submitted a written request letter for the authorization of Federal funding for several local water and civil works projects in my district to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The intent of the new earmark disclosure rules was to make all earmark requests transparent and accessible to the American public. In addition, these new rules require the committee to ``identify, on a publicly accessible congressional Web site each congressionally directed spending request through lists, charts, or other similar means, including the name of each requesting Member or Senator.'' In a recent review of the conference report for H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, it came to my attention that one of the projects authorized in the report, which I requested, Sec. 5158 (125) the Jacksonville Septic Tank Replacement, did not include my name with it, as required. I do not bring this to your attention today seeking recognition for doing the job I was sent here to do. However, I do bring it to your attention to express my disappointment that the new earmark disclosure rules are not being followed properly. The American public deserves the accountability, honesty, and openness promised to them. Let's ensure that all of our bills conform to this standard.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the admirable efforts of the Jacksonville Elks Lodge #221 for the outstanding service they have provided our nation's veterans. In these uncertain times where foreign radicals continue to pose a threat to our Nation and our troops continue to fight this threat overseas, their contributions are made even more significant. Over the past 3 years, the 352 members of Jacksonville Elks Lodge #221 have raised almost $42,000 and donated much needed supplies for our veterans. They have traveled almost 39,000 miles to veterans hospitals, nursing homes and private homes of veterans and have invested almost 2,500 hours of service to our veterans population. Every month members of Jacksonville Elks Lodge #221 visit the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Lake City to volunteer their time for our veterans and have supported more than 100 homeless veterans each year through donations and goods to the City of Jacksonville's Homeless Veterans Stand-Down. Currently they have adopted four veterans whom they are assisting with shopping, groceries, transportation to and from medical appointments and other day-to-day activities. They have held luncheons and provided support for spouses and families of deployed service men and women and adopted units deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, sending them supplies and recreational equipment. Taking into account their service for our veterans community, it is no surprise that at least three of the recent past State Veterans Chairpersons of the Florida State Elks Association Veterans Service Committee have come from this Lodge and their current Chairperson was selected as the Female Veterans Services Volunteer of the Year for the State of Florida in an award presented at the Florida State Elks Convention in June 2005. It is my distinct honor to call the members of the Jacksonville Elks Lodge #221 my friends and neighbors and I am proud to represent them as their Member of Congress. On behalf of Jacksonville and our entire Nation, I would like to express my utmost appreciation and offer them our thanks for their service to our community.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained in my congressional district on Monday, September 24, 2007. I respectfully request the Congressional Record to reflect that, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 891 on motion to suspend the rules and pass House Concurrent Resolution 193; ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 892 on motion to suspend the rules and pass House Resolution No. 668; ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 893 on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1199 and ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 894 on motion to suspend the rules and pass House Resolution 340.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my displeasure with H.R. 3162--The Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act (CHAMP). The CHAMP Act would expand the existing State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by giving nearly 5 million children who come from middle-income families access to free healthcare. This proposal pays for this expansion by cutting 3 million senior citizens' access to Medicare. This legislation would nearly double the 6.6 million children who are currently enrolled in the SCHIP program. In my home state of Florida, the current SCHIP program level covers children in families who earn up to 200 percent above the poverty level, which amounts to a $41,200 annual income for a family of four. I support the SCHIP program in its current form. However, I cannot support an over-expansion of the program that uses hard-earned tax dollars to provide free healthcare to children and adults who come from middle-income families that make 300 to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. The CHAMP Act is nothing more than a veiled effort to develop a single-payer healthcare system. In order to pay for this gross expansion of socialized medicine, this proposal would cut Medicare funds for 9,746 seniors who live in the Fourth Congressional District of Florida and are currently enrolled in the Medicare Advantage Program. I believe that my constituents would be unsupportive of any measure that compromises healthcare to the elderly in an attempt to give free healthcare to middle-class children and adults who were already covered by private health insurance plans. Finally, the funding mechanism for this expansion incorporates an increase in the federal cigarette tax from 39 cents to 84 cents per pack and increases taxes on many other forms of tobacco products. In the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, 27,416 families, or 31 percent of all families with children under the age of 18, are already eligible for either Medicaid or SCHIP under current law. Despite this fact, the Medicare cuts to seniors are exacerbated by the fact that the CHAMP Act would cover individuals up to the age of 25. Once again, the very nature of the program, which is intended to provide medical care to children, is compromised by the expansion plan to cover young adults as well. In addition to all the concerns I mentioned above, I was unable to support this legislation due to several additional concerns I had during the consideration of this legislation. First of all this bill was clouded in secrecy until hours before the House of Representatives voted on the bill. Additionally, the proposal authorizes a one-month waiting period for a motorized scooter even if a doctor determined the scooter was medically necessary, and reduces the amount of time that the government would rent oxygen equipment to seniors from 36 months to only 13 months. Finally, the CHAMP Act, in its current form, provides free healthcare to illegal immigrants. This complete disregard for existing law will inevitably aggravate the existing illegal immigration problem. This legislation was an erratic attempt to re-authorize the State Children's Health Insurance program while creating an open-ended entitlement program that moves us further away from providing benefits to those most in need.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3161, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies program. I regretfully do so even though agriculture is second only to tourism in terms of revenue for my home state of Florida. By passing this legislation in its current form, the House of Representatives is almost ensuring a veto from the White House. This bill would spend $91.5 billion including $18.8 in discretionary spending, and is $993 million over the President's budget request. I am concerned that if we send this bill to the President's desk with the current excessive spending, it will be vetoed along with many of the other fiscal year 2008 Appropriations bills. It is imperative that we write a bill with real reform and realistic spending levels. My constituents of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, along with the rest of America deserve legislation that contains realistic funding levels to ensure the safety of their food, promote conservation, provide assistance to those in need and protect the health of plants and animals through research.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report for H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act. This important legislation provides overdue authorization for hundreds of critical water projects throughout the United States including several in my district, the Fourth Congressional District of Florida. The bill authorizes 900 flood-control, navigation and environmental projects managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and will authorize $21 billion dollars. Many of these projects are critical to the safety of our commercial and recreational ship traffic as they navigate inland waterways. I applaud the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee for completing this imperative legislation.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, on August 3, 2007, I underwent surgery to relieve the condition of spinal stenosis before any permanent nerve damage occurred. Due to this surgery, I was absent from the House of Representatives from 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 1st until Sunday, August 5th. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``aye'' on rollcall No. 786 on motion to recommit with instructions on H.R. 3162; ``no'' on rollcall No. 787 on passage of H.R. 3162; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 788 on motion to change the convening time; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 789 on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3248; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 790 on agreeing to the conference report on H.R. 1495; ``no'' on rollcall No. 791 on ordering the previous question on H. Res 602; ``no'' on rollcall No. 792 on agreeing to the resolution on H. Res. 602; ``no'' on rollcall No. 793 on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 601; ``no'' on rollcall No. 794 on agreeing to the resolution on H. Res. 601; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 795 on motion to recommit with instructions on H.R. 3159. ``No'' on rollcall No. 796 on passage of H.R. 3159; ``no'' on rollcall No. 797 on approving the journal; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 798 on motion to adjourn; ``no'' on rollcall No. 799 on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 599; ``no'' on rollcall No. 800 on agreeing to the resolution on H. Res. 599; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 801 on motion to recommit conference report with instructions on H.R. 2272; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 802 on agreeing to the conference report on H.R. 2272; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 803 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``no'' on rollcall No. 804 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``no'' on rollcall No. 805 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161. ``Aye'' on rollcall No. 806 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 807 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 808 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``no'' on rollcall No. 809 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``no'' on rollcall No. 810 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``no'' on rollcall No. 811 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``no'' on rollcall No. 812 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``no'' on rollcall No. 813 on agreeing to the amendment on H.R. 3161; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 814 on motion to recommit with instructions on H.R. 3161; ``present'' on rollcall No. 815 on motion to reconsider on H.R. 3161. ``Present'' on rollcall No. 816 on passage on H.R. 3161; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 817 on motion to adjourn; ``no'' on rollcall No. 818 on agreeing to the resolution on H. Res. 600; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 819 on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3311; ``no'' on rollcall No. 820 on approving the journal; ``no'' on rollcall No. 821 on motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3356; ``no'' on rollcall No. 822 on motion to table H. Res. 612; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 823 on motion to adjourn; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 824 on motion to adjourn; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 836 on passage of S. 1927. ``No'' on rollcall No. 837 on approving the journal; ``no'' on rollcall No. 838 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 3222; ``no'' on rollcall No. 839 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 3222; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 840 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 3222; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 841 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 3222; ``no'' on rollcall No. 842 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 3222; ``no'' on rollcall No. 843 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 3222; ``no'' on rollcall No. 844 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 3222; ``no'' on rollcall No. 845 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 3222; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 846 on passage of H.R. 3222.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I want to rise very briefly in opposition. I share the same concern that we all share about these unexploded ordnance sites. The safety of our citizens is important, and I think our subcommittee has recognized that by stating very clearly in very strong language that the Department of Defense should make this a priority, that we should get rid of this unacceptable backlog. But I don't think we can take money out of the 2005 round of BRAC to solve the problem. That would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul. The 2005 round of BRAC has been put together. There is already some concern that it may not be fully funded, so if we take one penny out of that pot of money and spend it somewhere else, we could upset a very delicate balance. We have to remember we have made a commitment to our men and women in uniform. For instance, I know in my community, they are building a $129 million hangar to house all the P-3s that will come down from Maine. If there is not enough money to do that, what happens to those planes? They are stranded. What happens to the sailors that are coming? They are stranded. So while I share everyone's concern in dealing with this backlog, I think it is inappropriate and I think it is wrong to take money which would upset that kind of balance. We have to remember not only do we care about our communities, but we care about our commitment to our men and women in uniform. Therefore, I would rise in opposition and urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, today, along with several of my colleagues, I introduced the Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2007. As we know, the federal government gives American families a helping hand in saving for the future. Accounts with special tax advantages help people save for college, retirement, and other life events. But people with disabilities don't always have the same expectations for the future. Individuals with disabilities may have very different needs and concerns for their long-term care. However, no matter how different the needs or the financial demands that face a family, all parents have a common interest--to ensure the financial security of their children. Although several savings tools exist for all families, increased costs for care, long-term security, more flexibility, and the desire to foster greater independence for children with disabilities warrant the establishment of a new savings instrument. Many of you know about typical tax-deferred savings plans--such as a ``529'' and college tuition plans. These savings tools, which are available to all Americans, can't help a family with a child who may not go to college. Yet, one could argue that the need for savings and planning for the future is even greater for a child with a disability because he or she will likely be less able to earn a self-supporting income. And may require continued expenditures on medical treatment or adaptive equipment. Without a new savings tool, parents of children with disabilities must choose between turning down the advantages of savings plans available to others or risk a hefty penalty if their child cannot use the funds according to the account restrictions. The Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities (FSAID) Act of 2007 will provide families of people with physical, cognitive, or developmental disabilities access to the savings tools that everyone else enjoys. Individuals with disabilities, or their families, could create a Financial Security Account (FSA) that accrues tax-free interest during the life of the beneficiary. The FSA will help families of individuals with disabilities to pay for a variety of current and long-term essential expenses including medical care, community based support services, education, employment training and support, and assistive technology. As adults, beneficiaries can also use these accounts to pay for housing and transportation needs. FSAs differ from existing savings tools by providing much needed flexibility for families and beneficiaries: Accounts can be established as easily as a typical savings account, without overburdensome paperwork, administrative fees, or on-going legal fees; Beneficiaries are allowed to control their own financial destinies; and if they are unable to serve in this capacity, parents, guardians or other designees can serve in this capacity; Qualified expenses under the FSAID are purposefully broad to accommodate the greater needs of people with disabilities and the financial demands of their individual care plan; Qualified expenses are not limited to adulthood or retirement age so resources can be used whenever they are needed; The flexibility in expenses also allows families to save with confidence even though they cannot always predict how independent their children will become; A family who saves money in a traditional account for a child who becomes disabled later in life can roll over the funds into an FSA without penalty; and Unlike some savings instruments, FSA would be created and regulated on a federal level so any eligible individual in the United States would have access to this savings tool. The Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2007 will give families of people with disabilities the ability to save for their children's futures just like other American families. Today, we are taking the first step toward that realization by giving all American families the tools they need to provide for their families--no matter what their specialized needs might be. A new approach to savings for these families--one that fosters ownership, self-control and flexibility--is needed today. I urge my colleagues to support this innovative approach to saving for the long- term, specialized needs of children with disabilities. FSAs will bring families the much needed peace of mind by giving them the tools to provide for their children and helping ensure that children with disabilities are able to live life to the fullest and be as productive as possible. Our legislation offers hope to families to provide resources that are life-enhancing and meaningful and the control necessary to ensure that their loved ones obtain essential services. I urge my colleagues to support the Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2007.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, on Monday, May 14, 2007, I was unable to cast several votes because I was meeting with Forest Service and fire fighting personnel to assess the hazardous situation and current evacuation of several areas in the Fourth Congressional District threatened by wildfires. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall 342, the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program Reauthorization; ``yea'' on rollcall 343, Supporting National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims; and ``yea'' on rollcall 344, Recognizing National AmeriCorps Week.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the outstanding leadership Captain Zecchin and the past commanding officers of the USS Kennedy, including Captain Dennis Fitzpatrick and Captain Harv Henderson, have provided to the sailors and this great Nation. Naval leadership depends on two core military values--cohesiveness and mission. Orchestrating 3,500 sailors to pull together to accomplish a mission, whether that mission is war, training, repair or preparing to decommissioning, is a monumental task. The Kennedy's 39 years of outstanding service is due to the series of leaders who stood at her helm and kept her ready at a moment's notice. I wish Captain Zecchin well on his next tour as the Commanding Officer of the USS Kitty Hawk; we will miss him here in Mayport. The Kennedy has seen many farewells--from the spouses and family of its crew and from Navy servicemen seeing her off on various deployments. Just think, how many loved ones have proudly watched their son or daughter sail off to gloriously defend our freedom and preserve our way of life. But at the end of each deployment there has always been a welcome home. Today, we say goodbye for the last time. We are here today to say farewell to a ship that has symbolized so much to so many. To the sailor, the Kennedy has been a home away from home on many deployments. She represents small town America, where many of her sailors are from. Her population is a little over 5,000 and she boasts a post office, doctors' offices, a place of worship, restaurants that serve over 15,000 meals a day and employment opportunities for all. She has elevators, runways, and a busy airport. This ``carrier'' town represents the best of America. All the sailors work together toward a common goal, never separated by race or class or gender. Ships are steel, they are not alive. It is the crew who bring a ship to life. The stories that emerge from her sailors will keep her spirit alive. The Kennedy will continue to live in the lives of the thousands of sailors who manned her rail, flight crews who donned a rainbow of colored shirts and made her flight deck roar to life, and aviators who were catapulted into the sky and prayed to catch her hook on their return. To the Jacksonville community, the Kennedy will always be a symbol of our great city. She has meant so much to this community and this community has meant so much to her. Here on this pier where you sit today, the sailors of the Kennedy and the men and women of our local ship-repair companies worked long hours on grueling jobs to complete the largest pier-side availability ever accomplished in the Navy. The skills of the artisans from these Jacksonville companies have kept the boilers and propulsion plant working during the Kennedy's time in Mayport. Big John's connection to our community is more than just the economic base she provides. We will miss her sailors and their wives and husbands. We will miss the children in our local schools and athletic clubs. We will miss their involvement in the Mayport community. To our country, the Kennedy has been part of our history for 39 years. She is one of the finest ships in the world's finest Navy. As our country continues to fight the war on terror, we must remember the role the Kennedy played in the earliest counter-terrorist actions. Even though she entered active duty during the height of the Vietnam War, she soon found herself in a role more familiar to today--spending the first of several deployments in the Mediterranean to help deal with a deteriorating situation in the Middle East. In the 1980's, she responded to the growing crisis in Lebanon, and in 1988 F-14 Tomcats launched from the Kennedy intercepted and downed two hostile Libyan MiGs in response to Libya's terrorist activities. On the Kennedy's most recent deployment, the air wing dropped more than 64,000 pounds of ordnance on Taliban and al Qaeda targets. To me personally, I share many of the same memories as the Jacksonville community, but the Kennedy also provided me with the great honor of joining the national debate on how the Navy is going to meet the threats of tomorrow while fighting the budget pressures of today. The discussion that followed the announcement that the Kennedy would be decommissioned was good for our Navy, good for our Congress and good for our Nation. We must be keenly aware of how important our aircraft carrier fleet is to this Nation's ability to counter current threats and deter future aggression. Carriers are mammoth cities, and are not constructed in a single day. We cannot take lightly the decision to take an aircraft carrier out of service; that decision cannot be reversed. The discussion will continue well past the final days of the John F. Kennedy, and I will remain an active member of any debate on the size and shape of our Navy fleet, and for this I thank the John F. Kennedy. To Mayport, the Kennedy has been the symbol of this national treasure. This Naval Station is defined not only by the ships that are home ported here, but also by its strategic location to counter the ever growing threats in South America and the Caribbean. If we do not deter the aggression and narco-terrorist threats today, South America could very well become the next Afghanistan. Terrorist training camps would be dangerously close to our own shores. I will continue to work with our Navy leadership to make sure that we have the right ships in the right places for the right missions. The Navy needs Mayport even more now than it did when the Kennedy battle group called her home. The Kennedy is a great and noble ship and when this day is done, she will cease to be four and a half acres of sovereign U.S. territory that can launch an array of fighter aircraft and precision weapons which strike terror in the hearts of America's enemies. She will be stripped, docked and viewed by most as just a great mass of steel. Her dedicated crew will be dispersed to other carriers and they will continue to perform their duties. And as those who served aboard her and as those in our community who loved her, remember the glory of the USS John F. Kennedy--then our ship, the sacrifices of her crew and the freedom she fought to defend will continue to live on and on.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. I thank the gentleman for the time, and I rise today in strong opposition to this resolution which says Congress disapproves of a war plan. There are a lot of reasons to disapprove of this resolution, one of which is I believe that war should not be waged from the floor of this House. That is why we have one Commander in Chief, that is why we have military leaders on the ground. They are in charge of conducting the war. And they have said we have made a mistake and we need a new direction, we need a new plan. And they have proposed that plan, and it is broad and it is comprehensive. It involves political considerations, it involves economic situations, diplomatic considerations, and, yes, it entails additional troops to go to Iraq. Yes, additional troops. But it is a plan. And you can be skeptical and you can say it may be too little, it may be too late. Maybe it is a good plan but it won't be executed properly. But it is going to give us hope and it is going to give the Iraqi people hope. And, if anything, we ought to be here today trying to make that plan better, not debating a resolution that is nonbinding, that is symbolic, that means nothing, that says nothing, that does nothing. In fact, it has no useful purpose whatsoever, unless maybe it is to undermine the President or perhaps to demoralize our troops by saying to them, ``We have a new mission for you to undertake. Go to Iraq and try to execute this mission. But, by the way, the United States Congress doesn't believe in the mission, and we think it is doomed to failure.'' You tell me that that is not going to have a negative impact on our American soldiers. Now, I know there are people in this Chamber that think the plan is doomed from the very beginning. You don't think it will work. And if that is your belief, you ought to do more than introduce a symbolic resolution and then stand here and pound the podium and hem and haw and make speeches and leap in front of the television cameras. You ought to do something that really means something. You ought to propose a resolution that says we believe it was doomed from the very beginning and we are going to do everything we possibly can to stop this plan. That is what you should do. And if you don't think the plan is going to work, if you think it is doomed to failure, and you don't have a viable alternative strategy and you don't want to find a viable alternative strategy for winning, then you ought to go even further and you ought to stand up and say, ``We admit defeat. It didn't work. We are not going to fund the war altogether anymore. We are going to withdraw.'' I will tell you one thing, the plan is there. It may not be perfect and, quite frankly, it may not work. I have got reservations myself. But it is there, and every American, Democrats and Republicans alike, ought to hope that this plan succeeds because it may very well be our last best chance to prevent a catastrophic failure in Iraq. And if that happens, the disastrous effect won't just be felt in Iraq, won't just be felt by the people of the Middle East, but quite possibly will be felt by all Americans alike.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Joint Interagency Task Force, the Navy and the Coast Guard drug interdiction forces for their role in seizing more than 43,420 pounds of cocaine during operations over the last several months in the Pacific. In particular, I would like to commend the Jacksonville based Coast Guard Helicopter Tactical Interdiction Squadron, HITRON, for their critical role in missions which intercepted 8,850 pounds of cocaine that was headed for our Nation's shores. These actions represent a crucial victory in keeping drugs off our streets, out of our schools, and away from our children. HITRON is the Coast Guard's premier airborne law enforcement unit trained and authorized to employ Airborne Use of Force. With an historic record of success, HITRON consists of eight leased AgustaWestland MH-68A StingRay helicopters. These helicopters are extremely fast and maneuverable, and they are armed and cutter- deployable. They have proven very effective at intercepting the go-fast boats favored by drug runners on both coasts. Prior to HITRON, drug runners would simply ignore our orders to cease and desist. HITRON now has the ability to shoot out the engines of these drug boats, preventing them from reaching our shores. During a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing the Commandant of the Coast Guard told me that HITRON is batting a thousand--every time the HITRON aircraft went after a go-fast drug boat it had stopped the drug runners cold. America is continuing to fight the war on drugs, and these are the kinds of successes we need to win. For their contributions the HITRON unit has a lot to be proud of, and our Nation owes them a great debt of gratitude.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, in 1967 the Federal Government spent just over $157 billion and operated with a deficit that was under $9 billion. Today, almost 40 years later, the Federal Government spends approximately $2.7 trillion and has a $260 billion deficit. The Federal Government's total spending and oversight has vastly changed from the 1960s, yet it still operates under the basic accounting rules established 40 years ago by President Lyndon Johnson's Commission on Budget Concepts. Just as an engine of a 1967 Cheverolet Impala would be an automotive disaster in a 2006 Toyota Prius, our economic policies suffer today because we are using outdated concepts and antiquated accounting practices. Today, I am introducing the Accountable Budgeting Commission. This needed legislation will provide the long overdue review of the underlying concepts that are impairing our ability to properly and effectively analyze and understand the issues we face in the 21st century. This Commission will provide the necessary oversight and make recommendations on ways to modernize our basic budgetary principles as Congress brings more accountability and transparency to the budget process. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this important and long overdue legislation.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule and the underlying bill. For me, the question of drilling off our coastal waters is a difficult one, and it is made even more difficult by the fact that I represent the State of Florida, where we have 1,300 miles of shoreline, and we have a tourism industry that adds up to about $60 billion, and a lot of that is due to our magnificent beaches. But I am faced with a question today, whether I vote in favor of letting the people of Florida control their own destiny as it relates to offshore drilling within 100 miles of the shore. I can do that, or I can just vote ``no'' and do nothing. It seems to me, as I look at this bill, I would urge my colleagues to support it because it gives to our precious beaches in Florida unprecedented permanent protection, something we have never had before, something we may never have again within that first 100 miles. Would I like to see more protection? Sure I would. Most people in Florida would. But wishing it so is not going to make it so. And I am going to support this bill. Other people will say no, I will just vote ``no.'' And people that do that, I think, are going to find themselves hoping against hope, rolling the dice that somehow, some way drilling won't occur off the coast of Florida or any other coastal waters in America. And I think that is pretty shortsighted. I don't want to sit back and wait, sit back and watch. I don't want to find myself watching the sun rise and the sun set through the silhouette of an oil rig. That is too big a chance to take. So I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this rule, in favor of the underlying legislation.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. I think it is going down, and that is the good news, because the economy is growing.

Mr. CRENSHAW. We raised the debt ceiling twice. And the economy is roaring, and we lowered taxes, and people are back at work, and the deficit is going down, down, down. And that is good news.