Charles Dent

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 71) expressing the sense of Congress that there should be established a Caribbean-American Heritage Month.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I want to thank our guest, the Reverend Nelson Quinones, who is visiting from my home district in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. The Reverend is the assistant pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Like many members of the clergy, Reverend Quinones is an important voice in the overall community. Reverend Quinones' byline regularly appears in columns and letters in our local and regional newspapers, addressing a variety of important topics that concern the community. Just as he serves his congregation and community, the Reverend has also served his country. For 6 years, Reverend Quinones was an electronics technician with the United States Naval Reserve. Also in attendance today is the Reverend's wife, Jessica, who is a kindergarten teacher in the Northampton area school district and their 2-year-old son, Nicholas. They join us today in the gallery.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 810. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005. Today there have been bills presented that discuss, among other things, the merits of embryonic stem cell study versus cord blood cell utilization. This discussion, while interesting, misses the point of promoting stem cell research in general: Scientific breakthroughs that may originate from stem cell examination have the power to better, and even save the lives of our fellow citizens afflicted with terrible diseases. Stem cell research holds out hope for those suffering with, for example, diabetes, Parkinson's, and coronary heart disease, the number one killer of adults in this country. We must encourage this research, and the legislation offered by my colleagues from New Jersey and Delaware is an important step forward in our attempts to find cures for these diseases. Moreover, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act promotes the establishment of ethical standards with regard to the procurement of embryos utilized in the research. The only embryos that can be utilized are ones that were originally created for fertility treatment purposes and are in excess of clinical need. Further, the individuals seeking fertility treatments for whom those embryos were created have determined that these embryos will not be implanted in a woman and will be otherwise discarded. Finally, these same individuals have provided written consent for embryo donation. The development of standards, both ethical and clinical, is an important aspect of stem cell research. This bill directs that the National Institutes of Health develop guidelines to insure that researchers adhere to the highest possible principles in scientific inquiry. Here we have a unique opportunity to establish national standards that will become the benchmark for scientific study throughout the world. By encouraging scientific breakthroughs while at the same time observing the highest possible standards of ethical and clinical behavior, we can go a long way towards battling genetically- based diseases that have ended the lives of so many. Thank you Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to having an opportunity to work with my colleagues from Oregon and California in the near future in order to address the expansion of casino gambling to off-reservation sites. I thank the gentleman for allowing me to address this issue of concern to my district. In my Pennsylvania district, the Delaware tribes of Oklahoma have filed suit in order to acquire the right to establish a casino. Their claim is based on a conveyance that allegedly occurred in 1737 before our Nation's independence. The land that they claim is home to at least 25 local families, and also contains the Binney and Smith manufacturing plant, the maker of Crayola crayons. These tribes, who are based out of State, are only interested in seeing working and senior Pennsylvanians gamble away their hard-earned dollars. They are not concerned about the valuable manufacturing jobs jeopardized as a result of the displacement caused by this casino, or the fact that Binney and Smith/Crayola makes a useful product loved by children all over the world. I am concerned about this kind of reservation shopping, and I look forward to working with my colleagues from California and Oregon and Michigan and elsewhere in order to limit these tribes' ability to build new casinos on properties not contiguous to existing reservations or on those lands where ownership is based solely on a conveyance that predates the existence of our Nation.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 5 minutes. Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 1817, the Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006. Mr. Chairman, I come to Congress in an era when rancor between the parties seems to dominate the headlines. This bill, however, is a testament to the idea, uniquely American, that congressional politics will always be placed on the back burner when it comes to the job of protecting the homeland. This legislation has come to the floor of the House in no small part because of the bipartisan efforts of both the chairman and the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, of which I am a member. This is not to say that both sides did not state their positions forcefully. In this regard, there were spirited exchanges while this bill was being marked up in committee. There were over 30 amendments offered, and all were extensively and vigorously debated. Yet throughout all of this, the dialogue was cordial, and I believe this is because everyone involved possessed the same goal: pass a bill that would give this country the protection it deserves at a cost that we can all afford to pay. The bill indeed puts resources where those resources are needed. It authorizes some $34 billion to fund programs designed to combat a host of homeland security issues. It allocates $1.84 billion so that the government can afford to hire and train some 2,000 new border patrol agents. These newly minted law enforcement officers will not only serve as a deterrent to would-be terrorists but also as an important element in the fight to curb illegal immigration in general. Improving intelligence capabilities is also an important part of this legislation. The bill provides moneys so that the Department of Homeland Security can hire the best intelligence analysts available. It promotes the development of an open-source intelligence strategy, and it increases the capabilities of the Department of Homeland Security to detect and preempt the most serious kind of terrorism imaginable: a nuclear or biological attack. Some have wondered whether or not this bill is comprehensive enough to deal with all the security threats the Nation must confront. There is no doubt in my mind that it is. There is money authorized here to make sure that containers coming from foreign ports receive risk-based cargo screening. Funding for this important project will also increase from $126 million in 2005 to $133 million in 2006. Further, the bill provides funding for such varied security issues as the protection of civilian passenger and cargo aircraft, $10 million; chemical countermeasure development, $76 million; the detection of weapons of mass destruction, $100 million; and critical infrastructure protection, $465 million. The idea that homeland security funding should be based on security rather than on political concerns is one that resonates on both sides of the aisle of this great Chamber. The Members of this body recognize that the security challenges we face are unique in our history. The Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 gives us the tools to meet these challenges. For that reason, I vigorously and strongly support this legislation. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal).

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, as a member of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science, and Technology, I rise in opposition to the EPS&T provisions in the Thompson substitute. The base bill presents well-thought-out solutions to real terrorist threats by prioritizing and maximizing how U.S. tax dollars are spent. The Thompson substitute does not prioritize spending. It does not recognize that not all threats are created equal. It does not exercise any fiscal restraint whatsoever. It just throws a lot of money at problems. Such an approach does not enhance our Nation's security or provide adequate support for our dedicated first responders. The emergency preparedness, science, and technology, EPS&T, provisions in the Thompson substitute address important issues, but are ill-conceived and fraught with unintended consequences. For example, subtitle A of title VII would establish a new, separate grant interoperability program. It is ill-advised. A new program will encourage inconsistencies in communication systems purchased with Federal grants and, unfortunately, dilute funding for other critical grant programs. This program is also not needed. Indeed, in fiscal year 2004, grant recipients obligated over $925 million for interoperability projects through existing programs, the single largest use of grant funding with more than $6 billion in the pipeline, it is unspent and unobligated, to State and local government available for first responders. Subtitle D of title VII would establish a parallel EMS bureaucracy within the Department's Emergency Preparedness and Response, EP&R, Directorate. Such a new bureaucracy will not enhance terrorism preparedness. EMS entities already exist within the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Fire Administration of the EP&R Directorate. This provision is also premature and will undercut the Department's efforts to implement organizational reform. Subtitle G of title VII would authorize the Metropolitan Medical Response System. Yet, MMRS, which provides funding to U.S. cities to develop plans and capabilities for coping with the medical consequences of a terrorist attack involving weapons of mass destruction is nearly complete. Since its inception in 1997, the program has assisted 124 cities in establishing such plans and capabilities. There is simply no need to maintain MMRS as a separate grant program. Indeed, the funds provided under other existing grant programs, such as the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative, may be used for such purposes. For these and other reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote against the Thompson substitute.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. As I stated in my previous remarks, this legislation is important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is it will help us in our fight against nuclear and biological terrorism. I think we all can agree that that is the one issue that, as Americans, we can agree to as our greatest threat. This committee has spent a great deal of time discussing that issue recently, and I believe, for one, that this bill adequately addresses that issue and many, many others. So with that, again, I rise in strong support of this authorization legislation. I am proud of the bipartisan spirit that we have embraced in this committee led the chairman and the ranking member. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of the time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox).

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I would like to inquire as to how much time remains.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of the rule and H.R. 1544, the Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act of 2005. Mr. Speaker, it is said that in this country politics end at the water's edge. This is certainly the case with this legislation. The Select Committee on Homeland Security, on which I serve, passed this bill unanimously. This occurred because the idea behind the legislation is a bipartisan one: combat the threat of terrorism at home by directing funds to those localities that are most at risk for terrorist attack. The idea that funding should be based on risk and security rather than on political concerns is one that resonates on both sides of the aisle of this great Chamber. The Members of this body recognize that the challenges we face are unique in our history. No previous generation has had to combat the threat to the homeland that we face right now. Today's terrorists are determined to wage war against us not on some overseas battlefield, but in our cities, ports, and transportation hubs. This is why this bill is so important. It makes sure that we take into account threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences of attack as we decide how to best spend our anti-terrorism dollars. This bill is also necessary because it confronts the issue of threats to the homeland head on. It directs appropriate State authorities to come up with a comprehensive homeland security plan tied to the achievement, maintenance, and enhancement of the essential capabilities established by the Department of Homeland Security. In developing those essential capabilities, the Department is required to seek the input of those on the frontlines: local police; fire departments; and EMS units, emergency medical service units. This provision is vital because combating terrorism is a nationwide problem that calls for cooperation between officials at the local, State, and Federal levels. Finally, the bill requires the Department to set national standards for first responder equipment and training so that all frontline units responding to a terrorist attack will be able to operate effectively. The Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act of 2005 is an important tool for safeguarding the homeland. It is a positive step towards development of an effective homeland security policy, and I support it wholeheartedly.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on House Concurrent Resolution 86, House Concurrent Resolution 135, and House Concurrent Resolution 136, the matters just considered by the House.

Mr. DENT

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

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. House Concurrent Resolution 86 authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 64th annual Greater Washington Soap Box Derby to take place on June 18, 2005. Dating back to 1933, when a newspaper photographer witnessed three local boys racing engine-less cars down a neighborhood hill, the soap box derby has become an example of classic Americana. Over the years, the idea to hold a neighborhood race has grown from a local race where competitors raced anything with wheels to win a trophy to a nationwide extravaganza complete with three soap box divisions, official sponsors and the opportunity to travel and win college scholarships. More importantly, however, is the work that goes into these soap box racers. Building a racer gives children valuable experience working with their hands and challenging their minds, learning about aerodynamics, craftsmanship and attention to detail. With three divisions and races all over the world, there is a place for everyone to try their hand at soap box building. It took several years for this hobby to catch on in Washington, D.C., but after more than seven decades of racing, the tradition of the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby continues to encourage youth between the ages of 8 and 17 to develop their building, design and creativity skills. The winners of each division will represent the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area in the National Soap Box Derby to be held in Akron, Ohio, on July 30, 2005. The races will take place on Constitution Avenue between Delaware Avenue and Third Street, Northwest, and will be free of charge to the public. The resolution also authorizes the Architect of the Capitol, the Capitol Police Board and the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association, the sponsor of the event, to negotiate the necessary arrangements for carrying out the event in complete compliance with the rules and regulations governing the use of the Capitol Grounds. The sponsor assumes responsibility for all expenses and liabilities related to the event. I support the resolution and urge my colleagues to join me in support. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 86) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 135) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. House Concurrent Resolution 135 authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 20th annual District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run to take place on June 10, 2005. The Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to using athletics to impact the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Funds raised through projects like the Law Enforcement Torch Run make it possible for athletes with disabilities to train and compete year round. The Special Olympics offers something that is seldom offered to these individuals. It creates an environment where persons with disabilities are fully accepted, encouraged and empowered. Through training and competition, Special Olympics athletes grow mentally and physically, improving their physical fitness and motor skills and ultimately gaining greater self-confidence. With more than 85,000 law enforcement officers carrying the flame across 35 nations, the 2004 Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run raised more than $20.5 million. This event has historically been the largest and most successful Special Olympics grassroots fundraiser and awareness vehicle, and with the authorization of House Concurrent Resolution 135, we will ensure its continued success. The sponsors of the event will work with the Architect of the Capitol and the United States Capitol Police to comply with all the applicable regulations relating to the use of the Capitol Grounds and will assume responsibility for all expenses and liabilities related to the event. I encourage my colleagues to join the law enforcement community in supporting the Special Olympics and join me in supporting this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 136) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.

Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 136 authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service to take place on May 15, 2005. The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary are the sponsors wishing to honor some of America's bravest men and women. The memorial service will honor the 154 Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting their communities in 2004. I would especially like to recognize the seven peace officers killed in the line of duty in 2004 from my home State of Pennsylvania. This is the 24th time that this event has been held on the grounds of the Capitol. This memorial service is part of National Police Week, which was created by law in 1962; and this year begins today and continues until May 15. Police Week draws officers, their families, and the survivors of fallen officers from around the country and includes such events as the Blue Mass at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, a candlelight vigil at the National Law Enforcement Memorial, and a police unity tour featuring officers and historic vehicles. This event begins at noon on Sunday and, following the ceremony on the Capitol grounds, will continue with a procession to the Law Enforcement Memorial followed by a wreath-laying ceremony. I encourage my colleagues to attend this much-deserved memorial service to honor those who are on the front lines, protecting the communities we live in, and work to serve. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this rule and H.R. 366, the Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act of 2005. This bill, introduced by the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), my colleague, authorizes the Carl D. Perkins Act through fiscal year 2011. H.R. 366 highlights student achievement, increases accountability, and strengthens cooperation between secondary and post-secondary vocational and technical education programs. This bill responds to the needs of employers and future employees by emphasizing both academic and technical education in curriculum planning. It helps schools identify those students who wish to pursue specialized technical training and assists those schools in setting up a course of study that will best help those students receive that training. Since its inception, the Perkins Act has provided many students in my district with the ability to continue to enhance their skills and their education. Perkins equips students with the ability to proceed with post- secondary education or pursue other post-secondary opportunities. I believe it is essential for our economy to strengthen the Perkins program. Through Perkins, one of the largest technical schools in my district and in Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, was able to upgrade its equipment. This new, high-tech equipment allows students to improve their skills and, hence, makes them more marketable in a work environment that stresses technology and innovation. H.R. 366 would also allow local facilities to offer information on supportive services so students can address their transportation and child care needs while in school. Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which is also located in the 15th Congressional District, has many students pursuing engineering and other degrees in the hard sciences who would not be able to graduate on time absent Perkins assistance. Without the money these programs provide, these students would have to secure full-time employment while completing their degrees. This leads to more student debt, more time in school, and ultimately, more taxpayer expenditure. As the workforce continues to expand, we must continue to provide resources for Perkins, not cut or zero out this important program. The Perkins program is extremely important, not just for the numbers of students it serves, but for the communities that benefit from the better prepared workforce that results from these programs. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation and support the rule.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to this body's attention the terrible natural disaster that has recently occurred in my district in Pennsylvania. On April 2, heavy rains triggered substantial flooding of the Delaware River. The river overflowed in various local municipalities. Hardest hit were the small borough of Portland in Northampton county and the city of Easton, also in Northampton County. I was back in my district at the time of the flooding. I toured the water-damaged areas extensively, visited with local residents, and was horrified by the destruction and heartbreak that this disaster has induced. Keep in mind all this occurred less than 1 year suffered from the devastating effects of Hurricane Ivan. On April 9, in response to what I had seen, I wrote a letter to the President, asking him to declare the 15th district a Federal disaster area. The Governor of Pennsylvania also requested this relief, and I supported him in that request. I also keep in regular contact with our State and Federal Emergency Management officials in order to coordinate relief efforts. I urge my colleagues to keep the citizens devastated by this natural disaster in their prayers.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes to talk about an issue that is very important to me as a Member of Congress and as a consumer: financial literacy. Last week we passed a resolution I cosponsored with overwhelming bipartisan support, H. Res. 148. This resolution supports the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month. Tonight, on the eve of the debate of our Nation's bankruptcy laws, I believe it is only fitting to support Financial Literacy Month and speak on the benefits of personal financial literacy. In our Nation today, half of all Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck. The average college senior has approximately $7,000 in consumer debt, and only four out of every 10 workers is saving for retirement. As individuals incur debt, they are less likely to be prepared for retirement and more likely to become dependent solely on the Social Security system to support them into retirement. By encouraging informed choices and wise financial decisions, our Nation's consumers will have positive credit ratings, money management skills, and be on the road to a stable and prosperous life. They will be able to build homes, buy cars, finance educations, and start businesses. It is our goal to educate the public about financial literacy. In today's world, we must continue to expand access to financial institutions and provide all Americans with the tools they need to become productive members of society. These principles and goals are important to all of us. The programs and seminars supported by the resolution will provide the guidance that is needed for so many Americans. I encourage those who supported this amendment and agree with these goals to work alongside us to educate Americans about finance and economics.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this legislation, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. TEA-LU is an important piece of legislation. It is especially important to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It provides money for highways. It provides money for roadway safety. It authorizes money for road and highway congestion relief. For the millions of Pennsylvanians who depend on the Commonwealth roads for travel between work, school, home and business, this act provides the means to build better roadways and to ensure that existing thoroughfares and highways are safer, less congested, and properly maintained. These funds are particularly important in a State like mine which has to maintain a much larger and older infrastructure than some others. The Department of Transportation in Pennsylvania maintains over 40,000 miles of highways. Accordingly, I support the tradition of recent transportation authorizations in which funding is returned to the States on a need- based approach. In my district, the Greater Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania and its environs, the maintenance of existing and the creation of new infrastructure are of vital importance to the well- being of the residents. Thus, as part of this bill, I have asked for an allocation of funds for a host of transportation projects including the construction of the bridge crossing the Lehigh River to connect both sides of the American Parkway in the city of Allentown, the expansion of State Route 412 from interstate 78 into the city of Bethlehem, the improvement of State Route 145 in Whitehall Township, and the construction of intermodal facilities in the cities of Easton and Allentown. Members of the Pennsylvania delegation, myself included, all share in the conviction that highway improvements should be available to all people living in the Commonwealth. I thought we shared this goal with the Governor of my State. Recent actions by the Governor, however, have called into question this assumption. On March 1, 2005, the Associated Press reported the Governor has decided to flex some $412 million of the approximately $1.2 billion in highway funds previously appropriated to the State. The Governor proposes to divert this money, about one-third of the total allocation, away from the highway system and over to the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA, and the Port Authority of Allegheny County. These public transportation systems are drowning in a sea of debt partially of their own making, and they have been doing so for some time. Given the foregoing, I applaud the inclusion in this bill of a provision which calls for the Government Accountability Office to determine the extent to which State government representatives, such as the Governor of my State, are appropriating large amounts of Federal highway dollars that are supposed to benefit all citizens of a State and how those officials are accounting for those dollars. While no one objects to giving States some flexibility to the allocation of Federal highway money in order to benefit the common good, diverting these highway funds to a particular mass transit project or projects to such a significant extent is simply unacceptable to me and most Pennsylvanians. Mr. Chairman, I support this legislation.