David Dreier

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by expressing my appreciation to my good friend and colleague Mr. Hinojosa for his leadership and his management of this, and to my friend Mr. Platts as well, and Ms. Matsui and Mr. Davis for their very thoughtful remarks. I, of course, rise in very strong support of the resolution. I was looking forward to voting for it, but I didn't intend to address it until I listened to the remarks of Mr. Davis in which I was reminded of a very thoughtful interview I heard this morning with the Reverend Joseph Lowery, who, as we know, next Tuesday at the age of 87 is going to be participating in the historic inauguration of Barack Obama. He was talking about the Reverend Martin Luther King and the level of activism that he had in the civil rights movement, and he ended his interview by saying, Mr. Speaker, that he very much appreciated the fact that at age 87 he had lived long enough to be able to see the history that we will all witness next Tuesday. This resolution is focused on ensuring that we encourage the level of volunteerism that is necessary to deal with what is a very, very serious societal challenge that we face at this moment, and that is the hunger problem; the fact that there are so many people who, because of the economic downturn through which we are going, are suffering. So I want to join with my friends, encouraging my constituents in California, those here in the metropolitan area, and others around the country to support the effort that Mr. Platts talked about, by contacting offices and doing what they can at food banks to provide assistance. It is being done in the names of Barack Obama, the Reverend Joseph Lowery, and, of course, Dr. Martin Luther King. So I again thank my colleagues for their effort and the focus on this very, very important issue, and again urge all of us to support this resolution.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. I thank my good friend from Pennsylvania and my friend from Texas. Mr. Speaker, I wasn't planning to speak about Senator Pell until I heard the very thoughtful remarks of our new colleague on the other side of the aisle, and I was thinking when he mentioned the term ``eccentricities'' not defining Claiborne Pell, it immediately brought to mind one of my first opportunities to have an exposure to an elected leader. I was in the 1970s an undergraduate in college in California, and we had, as a speaker on our campus, Senator Claiborne Pell, who was flying in. I was charged with the task, Mr. Speaker, of actually picking him up at Los Angeles International Airport. I will never forget when he arrived, and looking like the New England gentleman that he was, he came to Los Angeles wearing a hat, carrying a great big overcoat, and someone confronted him at the airport. I was reminded, when my friend was just speaking about the fact that he would meet and talk to everyone, I had a car waiting, and he stopped and spoke at length with this gentleman there. Then, just a very few years later, Mr. Speaker, I was very privileged to be able to have the opportunity to be elected to serve here in the Congress, and I reminded Senator Pell of my first introduction to him just a few years before when I was an undergraduate, and he recounted very fondly his visit then. And I had a chance, during that period of time, to develop a friendship with him and work with him on a number of issues. So I rise in strong support of this resolution. He was a great public servant and a fascinating human being, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, today I have introduced a trio of bills that focus on my top legislative priority for the coming year: getting our economy growing again. The centerpiece of this plan is the Fair and Simple Tax (FAST) Act. I introduced this legislation in the previous Congress, and it remains my long-term goal for economic revitalization. The FAST Act would dramatically simplify and reduce the tax burden on Americans. By creating a simple, one-page tax form that retains the child credit and all major deductions, like mortgage interest, it would make the annual tax filing nightmare far more manageable. It would also implement a host of additional tax reforms, such as reducing the tax on capital gains and corporate income, permanently extending the R&D credit, and creating new incentives for long-term financial planning. Implementing the FAST Act, however, is a long-term goal. As we work toward comprehensive reform, we must also pursue more immediate and targeted solutions to jumpstart our economy. That's why I introduced two additional pro-growth bills--aimed at the housing industry and the auto industry. The Economic Recovery Through Responsible Homeownership Act would create new tax incentives for responsible home purchases. Those who make a down payment of 5, 10 or 15 percent will get a tax credit of $2000, $5000 or $10,000 respectively. The housing crisis is at the root of our economic crisis. We need to encourage new purchases to stabilize the market, stop the free-fall in prices and restore the communities that have been plagued by foreclosures. But because irresponsible homeownership and predatory lending are partly to blame for the crisis in the first place, only a plan that rewards responsible action will succeed. This bill accomplishes both objectives. I have also introduced the Commonsense Auto Recovery (CAR) Act to provide a boost to our ailing auto industry, without resorting to another bailout. The CAR Act draws on the same principle as my housing bill and creates a tax credit for car purchases, equal to the amount of the sales tax on the purchase. Any individual or small business owner is eligible for the credit. This is an important component of my pro- growth plan because the auto industry touches so many parts of our economy and workforce. The manufacturers, dealers, auto-parts makers and financers--many of whom are small businesses--are all a part of the broad-based auto industry that has weakened considerably in this economy. Thousands of jobs have already been lost, and thousands more are threatened. An effective and sustainable way to boost the industry is to encourage Americans to get back to their local car dealerships. Addressing the immediate challenges of the weak housing and auto industries will provide a quick boost to our economy. These are critical short-term steps that must be taken. In the long run, we must act on the need for fundamental reform of our tax code to reduce the burden on families and businesses and simplify the tax-filing process. We cannot restore our economy without both a short-term and long-term view. I believe that this package of tax bills is a comprehensive approach to getting our economy back on a path of growth and I look forward to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan way to achieve this goal.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, at this time, let me just inquire of the Chair how much time is remaining.

Mr. DREIER. At this time I am happy to yield 1 minute to our great, relatively new Member from New Orleans (Mr. Scalise).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I'd like to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Roanoke, Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte). (Mr. GOODLATTE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to my good friend from Miami, the hardworking member of the Committee on Rules, Mr. Diaz-Balart. I will say as I do that, Mr. Speaker, that we would never have contemplated denying the then-minority what is being denied us under this measure.

Mr. DREIER. I yield myself the balance of the time. Mr. Speaker, we've had a fascinating debate here. I've repeatedly asked my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to yield to me so that we could engage in an exchange on this, and no one chose to yield to me at all, indicating exactly what this rules package is all about. We've repeatedly had academics quoted here over the past hour about the use of ``promptly'' and the fact that it kills legislation. Time and time again from the Chair, the Speaker of the House has ruled that a measure that is recommitted to a committee promptly is not killing the bill. Until the Chair says that, it is not killing the bill. We know that the last Congress was the single-most restrictive, closed Congress in the history of the Republic, and it is very, very sad to have this sacrosanct right being obliterated that is granted to the minority, as Thomas Jefferson outlined in his manual, talking about the procedures and the rights that the minority should have. It is outrageous in the wake of Barack Obama's pledge to the American people that he wanted to have greater transparency and accountability. Now, Mr. Speaker, at the conclusion of this debate on the package, I'll be offering a motion to commit, which could be the majority's last opportunity to freely decide the form of the motion to recommit. Included in the motion will be an amendment. This amendment is the minority's attempt to restore some of the Obama vision of openness, inclusiveness and transparency to the underlying rules package. First, it would restore the motion to recommit, which I've discussed. It is an important tool that ensures that the minority gets at least one chance, one bite at the apple, so that 100 million Americans represented by Members of the minority here can be heard. Second, it would restore term limits for committee chairmanships. Third, it would change committee membership ratios so that all committees, except the Rules and Ethics Committees, reflect the ratio of Democrats and Republicans in the House. This would help to ensure that the 100 million Americans, as I said, who are represented by Republicans would have some kind of say in this process. Fourth and finally, it would require that all committee votes be available online within 48 hours, a proposal from the Republican Study Committee. At the end of the last Congress, the Appropriations Committee filed reports on bills that had been ordered reported months before. The public should not have to wait to know how their Member voted in committee while committee chairmen dragged their feet. These four improvements are about nothing more than exactly what Barack Obama talked about--transparency, accountability and fairness. Today's historic rules package rolls back reforms made a century ago this month by a bipartisan working group of Members rising against the repressive rule of Speaker Joe Cannon. Two of the reforms that were codified during that historic revolt on opening day in 1909 were a motion of recommittal for the minority party and an increased threshold to set aside Calendar Wednesday. Ironically, we find ourselves here in the same well 100 years later, fighting to maintain these simple rights and guarantees which have for a century, Mr. Speaker, safeguarded this House from the rise of another tyrannical Speaker. So it is in that light that I ask Members to join me in supporting the motion to commit. Let us not undo what has been done. Let us learn from our past. Let us move forward with the hope and comity inspired by Barack Obama. Let's show the world that, in this House, the democratic process is alive and well no matter how large the majority. Vote ``yes'' on the motion to commit. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, let me just say that the spirit of the debate here, refusal to yield, is indicative of exactly what this rules package consists of. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to our very good friend from Springfield, Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am happy to yield 2 minutes to my good friend from Richmond, Virginia (Mr. Cantor), the distinguished Republican whip.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I begin by thanking my good friend from Rochester, the distinguished Chair of the Committee on Rules, Ms. Slaughter, for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. And I congratulate her and all of our colleagues on their membership in the 111th Congress. As we have heard from the speeches delivered by the Speaker and the Republican leader, today marks the start of the 111th Congress, a new beginning for the first branch and for the people's House. As was stated, 2 weeks from today we are going to be making history with the inauguration of Barack Obama. President-elect Obama has already reached out to congressional Republicans, expressing his desire to work with us in this new Congress. We all know very well what an honorable campaign Mr. Obama ran. While I didn't support his candidacy, I, like many of my colleagues and fellow Americans, was inspired by his message of hope, unity, and change for the future. He laid out a vision that replaces bitterness with bipartisanship, cynicism with a sincere commitment to a brighter future. Of course, there is a great divergence of opinion on the details of exactly how we reach that brighter future. Congressional Republicans have our agenda. We feel very strongly about it. We are committed more than ever to the principles for which we stand. But we wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Obama that the way forward is through open, inclusive debate, a strong spirit of bipartisanship and the sincere pursuit of common ground. Unfortunately, the high-minded rhetoric of the Presidential campaign only highlights the pure cynicism of this rules package that we are considering today. The Democratic leadership of this House is poised to consider, as its very first legislative act of this Congress, a rules package that literally shreds the Obama vision. I am going to repeat that, Mr. Speaker. The package that we are going to be voting on today literally shreds the Obama vision. Fourteen days before he is even inaugurated into office, the President-elect's plan for unity and bipartisanship is being obstructed by his own party. This rules package takes the abysmal record of the last Congress and actually makes it more restrictive. You will hear a lot today about arcane procedural tactics and wonder how it has any relevance to the problems that we face as a nation. But these changes, Mr. Speaker, have enormous consequences for the conduct and outcome of our policy debates. Mr. Speaker, process is substance. As we tackle enormously important issues like, as everyone has said, getting our economy back on track, we cannot achieve a good outcome without a good process. We are very attuned to the concept of history being made right now and 2 weeks from today, so perhaps we should look at history. The motion to recommit, as we know it today, was granted to the minority 100 years ago following a rebellion against the most dictatorial Speaker of the last century, Joseph Gurney ``Uncle Joe'' Cannon. This motion ensures that the minority gets at least one opportunity, one opportunity to offer an amendment or an alternative. During the Democrats' 40-year reign, they routinely denied Republicans, often dozens of times in a Congress, the single bite at the apple, one opportunity to offer an alternative. Mr. Speaker, when we took the majority in 1995, we guaranteed the right of the motion to recommit, and we never, we never denied it. This body has always been governed by majority rule. The majority has a number of tools at its disposal, not least of which is the Rules Committee itself, on which I am privileged to serve. That's how they advance their agenda. An effective majority can abide by the rules and traditions of the House and still succeed legislatively. By contrast, in the 110th Congress, the Democratic leadership chose, instead, to resort to procedural gimmickry to advance their agenda. They had every legislative advantage as the majority party, and yet they felt compelled to trample the traditions of the House, rather than build consensus or engage in actual deliberation. They went so far as to shut down the appropriations process to avoid open debate. Mr. Speaker, as for the motion to recommit, that one single opportunity, that one single opportunity for minority input, the Democratic leadership frequently resorted to legislative tricks to deny it. Now, the Democratic leadership is no longer content to shut down debate on an ad hoc basis. They are making it official with this rules package. The underlying resolution contains a host of new procedural gimmicks to stifle debate and to perpetuate partisanship. This resolution changes the rules of the House to formally limit, to formally limit, the motion to recommit. This limitation prevents any bill from being returned to committee for further deliberation. It restricts Members' ability to strip out tax increases. Apparently, the Democratic majority believes tax increases are sacred, but open debate is not sacred. This rules package also manipulates our budget rules, once again, to protect tax increases, as well as to protect spending increases. You see, Mr. Speaker, the Democratic leadership not only spent the last Congress shutting out Republicans, they also had to find clever ways to shut out fiscally conservative Democrats. Trying to build consensus within their own party was very time consuming. They learned their lesson, though. This rules package guts the budget rules that many Democrats hold so dear. The laundry list of rules changes goes on. They cut term limits for committee chairmen, they scrap Medicare cost-containment measures. And if all this weren't enough, they include completely closed rules, completely closed rules for the two bills that will be considered later this week without ever having the Rules Committee meet. Apparently, the Democratic leadership scoured the House rules for accountability and transparency measures and systematically dismantled what they found. So much, Mr. Speaker, for the Obama vision. While he is calling for the most transparent administration in our Nation's history, his congressional Democrats are launching the most closed Congress in history. But I believe that President-elect Obama is sincere. Since the day he was elected, he has been reaching out to Republicans. He has called many of us individually to express a sincere desire to move beyond the divisiveness of politics and to work together. I can only imagine the chagrin at his own party, their attempt to undermine his best efforts. Today's rules package is a huge step backward. It sets the stage for even more closed, bitter, rancorous debate. The next major item on the agenda is more than a $1 trillion stimulus package. Republican Leader John Boehner has laid out several modest, but critically important, requests for an open process. There should be public hearings. The text should be available online for a full week prior to a vote. There should be no special-interest earmarks. These are commonsense guidelines that are widely supported by the American people. They understand that our response to the economic crisis is too important to allow it to be slapped together in secret behind closed doors and rammed through the House. Both Democrats and Republicans have a number of good ideas that should be considered and debated. Today I will be pursuing an economic recovery package that focuses on pro-growth policies. I am introducing a trio of bills aimed at growing our economy by simplifying and reducing the tax burden on individuals and job creators, jump-starting our housing market and reviving the auto industry. I hope we can move forward on these kinds of policies, but neither I nor my colleagues ask to prejudge the outcome of those debates. We simply ask that that debate take place. Majority Leader Hoyer agrees, and said so on an interview that he had this past Sunday. We can only hope he is able to convince the Speaker to keep the process open and transparent. If her leadership's first legislative act of this Congress is any indication, it won't be a fruitful endeavor. Mr. Speaker, today's new beginning is nothing more than a new low for the Democratic majority. Their cynicism and manipulation is all the more dismal against the backdrop of President-elect Obama's vision for hope, unity and change for the better. The Democratic majority's actions today do not represent change that fulfills hope. This is change that denies hope. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this rules package. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am happy to yield 2 minutes to our very good friend from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say that it doesn't appear that we have any other speakers on our side. Is the gentlewoman prepared to close debate on hers?

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am happy to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Columbus, Indiana (Mr. Pence), the Chair of the Republican Conference. (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am happy to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Chester Springs, Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to commit.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire of the gentlewoman how many speakers she has remaining on her side, and how much time is remaining on both sides for this debate?

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, over the last few years we have spent considerable time on the extremely important issue of immigration and homeland security. In the 108th Congress, we passed the National Intelligence Reform Act, a landmark piece of legislation to overhaul our intelligence agencies. But, as I noted at that time, the bill unfortunately did not go far enough in addressing the major security vulnerability presented by the porous nature of our borders. Recognizing that need, in the 109th Congress we debated immigration extensively and even passed H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. Regrettably, the Senate failed to act on this important piece of legislation. In the 110th Congress, the House passed legislation to reauthorize the Basic Pilot, or E-Verify, employment verification program. A tremendous amount of work remains in the effort to secure our borders. That is why I am reintroducing the Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act, which is designed to eliminate up to 98 percent of the illegal border crossings into the United States. I believe that any effort to end illegal immigration will be viable only if it addresses the root cause of what attracts illegal immigrants to our country: the lure of economic opportunity and the ease with which illegal workers can find jobs. Under the Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act, we will dramatically increase the enforcement of laws which prohibit American businesses from employing illegal immigrants. The growing availability of counterfeit identity documents has undermined the current system because employers find it increasingly difficult to establish the authenticity of documents presented by job applicants. As a result, too many employers have been either unable or unwilling to comply with the law. Our legislation adds new features to the Social Security card to deter counterfeiting and make it easier for employers to determine whether a card is genuine by including a digitized photo of the cardholder on the card. The improved Social Security card will also be encoded with a unique electronic encryption code to allow employers to verify each prospective applicant's work eligibility status prior to hiring, through either an electronic card-reader or a toll-free telephone number. The Department of Homeland Security will be required to establish and maintain an Employment Eligibility Database with an individual's proof of citizenship data, work, and residency eligibility information, including expiration dates for non-citizens. This database will also include information from the Social Security Administration that the Commissioner determines necessary and appropriate for the purpose of verifying an individual's work eligibility status. Employers who hire an illegal immigrant or choose not to verify a prospective employee's work eligibility will face stiff federal fines of $50,000 and up to 5 years in prison. The employer would also be required to reimburse the government for the cost of deporting the illegal immigrant. Moreover, this bill provides that no officer or employee of Department of Homeland Security shall have access to any information contained in the Employment Eligibility Database for any purpose other than the establishment of a system of records necessary for the effective administration of this Act, and will impose penalties of $10,000 in fines and mandatory-minimum sentence of 5 years in prison on anyone who misuses information on the database. With the improved Social Security card and national verification system, prospective employees will have no way of obtaining fraudulent identification documents. By improving the employment verification process, we can eliminate the supply of jobs for illegal workers and end the employment magnet that draws them here. Under this bill, legal workers will only need to update their Social Security card once to have their photo placed on the card and for other long-overdue anti- fraud measures to be applied. Moreover, a worker would only need the updated Social Security card when applying for a new job. I want to make it absolutely clear that this proposal does not represent the creation of a national identification card. This bill strictly prohibits the use of the Social Security card as a national ID card, and stipulates that the card not be required to be routinely carried on one's person. Because Social Security cards are already required to be provided to new employers, the changes proposing in this bill take us no further down the road of creating a national ID card. It should also be noted that the government already has the information that would be contained in the Employment Eligibility Database. An individual's eligibility to work under the law is dependent on whether they are a U.S. citizen, and if not, their immigration status. Finally, the Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act also puts teeth into the new enforcement procedures by calling for the addition of 10,000 new Homeland Security officers whose sole responsibility will be to enforce employer compliance with the law. These new agents will free up the rest of the Border Patrol to exclusively focus on border enforcement and terrorism prevention. This bill is in no way meant to send a message that we intend to limit opportunities for the American dream to be fulfilled. However, we are a Nation of laws and if individuals wish to pursue opportunities in the United States, they must play by the rules and we must make clear that there will be no economic opportunity for anyone who enters this country illegally. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in this effort, and hope they will consider joining me as we take action on this vital national security priority. I would like to thank the original co-sponsors of this legislation, including, Mr. Reyes of Texas, who began his career in public service with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in the U.S. Border Patrol, where he worked for 26\1/2\ years. I would also like to thank the original co-sponsors from my home state of California, including Mr. Issa, Mr. Calvert, the author of the Basic Pilot Program, and Mr. Bilbray, the Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, virtually everyone is talking about the need for us to have a second economic stimulus package. From falling home prices to rising unemployment, there is no doubt that the economic volatility our nation has experienced over the past few months has caused great uncertainty and there are many needs that have to be met. As we seek to get our economy back on track, I am very proud to be introducing what I think is the closest thing to a panacea to the economic growth challenge that we are facing. This plan, known as Fair and Simple Tax Act, or simply FAST, would cut the number of tax brackets in half, with three simple tax rates--10 percent on the first $40,000 in income, 15 percent on incomes between $40,000 and $150,000 and 30 percent on any income above $150,000, significantly reducing the burden on taxpayers at all income levels. Furthermore, it will dramatically simplify the tax filing process by creating a one-page tax form that implements the three-tier simplified marginal rate structure, while retaining many of the popular deductions, including mortgage interest, state and local taxes, charitable giving, the personal exemption and the child tax credit. But the FAST Act is about much more than just lowering marginal tax rates for working families or making that April 15 deadline easier to meet each year. It's about getting our economy growing again and creating new opportunities. This bill reduces the capital gains rate from 15 percent to 10 percent, lowers the top corporate rate from 35 percent to 25 percent and permanently extends the research and development tax credit. These provisions will not only promote new economic growth, but they will also make the U.S. economy more competitive and help to provide the tax certainty that spurs investment and capital improvements. The FAST Act will permanently end the death tax and will further index the alternative minimum tax (AMT) to inflation, ensuring that fewer taxpayers are impacted each year. It also permanently extends the 2001 and 2003 pro-growth tax cuts. Finally, the FAST Act will enable Americans to better prepare for their future needs. This legislation creates three new, tax-free savings accounts: the Retirement Savings Account and the Lifetime Savings Account, both providing a $5,000 tax-free contribution, and the Lifetime Skills Savings Account, which provides a $1,000 tax-free contribution. Additionally, the FAST Act provides a $7,500 tax deduction for individuals and a $15,000 tax deduction for families who do not receive employer-sponsored health coverage. This expanded deduction will provide individuals and families with additional assistance to purchase healthcare and allows unspent funds to be allocated to a Health Savings Account (HSA). Each of these provisions will help Americans to secure their financial futures by saving for healthcare costs, continuing education and retirement. Madam Speaker, our nation is facing a severe economic crisis that must be addressed comprehensively. I believe that the FAST Act will go a long way toward providing the simplicity, fairness and clarity that are needed for long-term growth. As we consider economic stimulus proposals in the days and weeks ahead, I hope my colleagues will join me in pursing this pro-growth reform agenda.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that will continue to provide safe drinking water to Southern California. Identical legislation was approved by the House in 2007 but was still awaiting consideration in the Senate when the 110th Congress adjourned. It is my sincere hope that we can move quickly to see this bill enacted. In 2000, Congress created the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund after the discovery of perchlorate and other harmful contaminants in the basin's groundwater. The San Gabriel Groundwater Basin covers more than 160 square miles in Los Angeles County and is the primary source of drinking water for over 1.2 million people. The fund initially authorized $85 million in Federal funding to assist the state and local government agencies as well as the private companies found responsible for the contamination to effectively implement a comprehensive clean up plan that would protect the safety of our region's drinking water supply. After evaluation, it is evident that an increase in this authorization is necessary. That is why this bill extends the current authorization of the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund by a total of $61.2 million--$50 million for the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority, WQA, and $11.2 million for the Central Basin Municipal Water District (Central Basin). The San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority, has done a tremendous job in administering the clean up program. In 1999, the WQA projected the cost of cleaning up the San Gabriel Basin at a total of $320 million based on the level of contamination of the five original Operable Units of Baldwin Park, El Monte, South El Monte, Whittier Narrows and Puente Valley. Since the initial authorization by Congress in 2000, dramatically increased contamination levels have been identified in the South El Monte and Puente Valley Operable Units. This discovery has significantly increased both the capital and operation and maintenance costs of the projects. With the cost of inflation. increased energy costs and the higher contamination levels found, the total cost is now estimated at $1 billion. Significantly, the WQA has a number of treatment plants that are already operating at full capacity with more coming on line in the near future. I am proud to say that this partnership is an example of good stewardship of taxpayer money. Congress created the Restoration Fund in 2000, with an initial authorization of $85 million, or a 25 percent investment. To date, over $70 million has been appropriated, with approximately 83 percent of the clean-up provided by local sources and responsible parties, with about 12 percent federal funding. With this modest increase of $61.2 million, bringing the total federal investment to $146.2 million, or approximately 14 percent, the WQA and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation can continue jointly administering this clean-up program. In working with the WQA and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation over the past decade on this regional solution, there is no doubt that this increase is warranted and will be utilized in the most effective way to continue to provide safe drinking water. The cost-effectiveness of the original authorization of the Restoration Fund is clear. And without a doubt, that cost-effective use of the Federal investment will be continued in this new authorization. The Federal partnership will continue to hold the coalition of local water agencies and private parties together to finish the job that we started a decade ago. I look forward to working closely with the House Resources Committee, and with the Water and Power Subcommittee Chairwoman Grace Napolitano, who is a cosponsor of this bill and has been a champion of regional water solutions. I am also pleased to have the support of Representatives Gary Miller, Lucille Roybal-Allard, and Adam Schiff who are also cosponsors of this legislation and have long supported the safety of our regional groundwater supply.