Thelma Drake

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5001, the Old Post Office Building Redevelopment Act of 2008. The bill would direct the General Services Administration to enter into an agreement to develop the Old Post Office building on Pennsylvania Avenue in accordance with its plan approved by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in 2001. The bill would also authorize GSA to relocate the Federal agencies currently occupying the Old Post Office Building. The management of Federal real property has been on the Government Accountability Office's high-risk list since 2003. One of the key issues the GAO has raised is the problem of unused and under-used Federal property. Currently, the Old Post Office is under-used and has been for some time. Over the years, there have been many attempts to make better use of this historic building. The most recent attempt was made after Congress passed the Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act in 1976. This act, among other things, required GSA to encourage the public use of public buildings for ``cultural, educational and recreational activities'' and allowed Federal entities and commercial enterprises to share federally owned buildings. Unfortunately, the mixed use of Federal and commercial space was not successful in this case. Today, there are only a handful of Federal agencies in this historic building on Pennsylvania Avenue, considered America's Main Street. This area of the city has undergone revitalization to help benefit and attract people who live, work and visit the Nation's capital. Allowing for the redevelopment and reuse of this important building will help to further the progress made in this area of the city. Authorizing GSA to proceed with the full redevelopment of this building has the potential of being a win-win situation for the Federal Government, the taxpayers, and the local community. I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2452, the Sewage Overflow Community Right-to-Know Act. Our Nation has nearly 23,000 miles of ocean and gulf shoreline along the continental United States, 5,500 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and 3.6 million miles of rivers and streams. Public confidence and the quality of our Nation's waters is important to every citizen of this Nation, but it is also critical to industries that rely on safe and clean water. To improve the public's confidence in the quality of our Nation's waters and protect public health and safety, Representatives Bishop and LoBiondo introduced H.R. 2452, the Sewage Overflow Community Right-to- Know Act. Sometimes, especially during wet weather, sewage systems can leak or overflow. This can be caused by inadequate design or capacity or by breaks in the system of pipes that are often old and in need of repair. H.R. 2452 requires the publicly owned treatment works develop and implement a feasible monitoring program that is reasonably able to detect the occurrence of an overflow or leak in their sewer systems in a timely manner and to notify the public and health authorities whenever a release would threaten public health and safety. The Environmental Protection Agency is to develop regulations to help local utilities implement these monitoring and notification requirements starting 180 days after these regulations have been issued. EPA or the States, as the case may be, are to incorporate these monitoring and notification requirements into local utilities' Clean Water Act permits on a rolling basis as their permits come up for renewal. This should provide for the orderly implementation of this program and minimize the need to reopen utilities' permits. To minimize burdening local utilities with duplicative notification requirements, States that have substantially equivalent release notification programs in place may seek EPA's approval to implement the State's notification program instead of the requirements under H.R. 2452. The bill authorizes the use of State revolving loan funds to help communities pay for this monitoring and notification program. Under this program, EPA and local utilities must define the appropriate amount of monitoring to reduce risk and reasonably protect human health. However, they need to be careful not to unwisely use up funds that are meant to address the very infrastructure problems that are causing the release of sewage in the first place. I congratulate Representatives Bishop and LoBiondo on sponsoring this bill. The public has a right to know when their waters are threatened by sewage release. So I encourage all Members to support this bill.

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the outstanding achievements of Sam Keltner of Virginia Beach, and to commend him on becoming a Congressional Award Gold Medalist. This recognition by the United States Congress is the highest honor bestowed upon America's youth. It serves as a testament to Sam's strength of character and commitment to our national values of dedication to public service and the cherished qualities of personal growth, initiative, and achievement, all of which are cornerstones of the Congressional Award. Sam's volunteer efforts are tremendous, speaking very highly of him and his level of commitment to the community and to public service. In earning the rank of Eagle Scout, Sam worked on behalf of Real Life Christian Church to help others, providing moveable storage crates for the church and fellowship. In addition, he continues to be active within the Boy Scouts of America, BSA, Tidewater Council, serving as Junior Assistant Scoutmaster and Senior Patrol Leader, completing the Venturing Scout program, receiving the BSA Tidewater Council Venturing Leadership Award, and participating in the Physical Fitness QUEST program. Sam has devoted time and energy to excellence in physical fitness, improving his speed in running and playing a diversity of sports. His incredible effort enabled him to reach a time of a little over 14 minutes for a 5k run. By maintaining his own physical fitness, Sam continues to push himself to achieve more, and engage in new opportunities for advanced leadership experience including the 2006 COPE Program, his membership with U.S. Track and Field, and his involvement with the First Colonial High School Varsity Cross Country Track Team. Sam has become a role model not only for his peers, but for the large community around him. Upon receiving the Congressional Medal, he joins a most elite group of our Nation's youth who have set and achieved this very commendable goal. I am certain Sam's incredible accomplishments, dedication to service, and evident leadership talents will continue to speak highly of him, as they do now.

Ms. DRAKE

Ms. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the outstanding achievements of Sean Warren of Virginia Beach, and to commend him on becoming a Congressional Award Gold Medalist. This recognition by the United States Congress is the highest honor bestowed upon America's youth. It serves as a testament to Sam's strength of character and commitment to our national values of dedication to public service and the cherished qualities of personal growth, initiative, and achievement, all of which are cornerstones of the Congressional Award. Sean's volunteer efforts are tremendous, speaking very highly of him and his level of commitment to the community and to public service. In earning the rank of Eagle Scout, Sean worked with the Lynnhaven Baseball Fields Executive Board to provide a children's playground area onsite. In addition, he continues to be active within the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Tidewater Council, serving as Junior Assistant Scoutmaster and Senior Patrol Leader, completing the Venturing Scout program, receiving the BSA Tidewater Council Venturing Leadership Award, and participating in the Physical Fitness QUEST and Fitness for Life programs. Sean has devoted time and energy to excellence in physical fitness, improving his running and weightlifting capacity for the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) and football at Princess Anne High School. He has engaged in opportunities also for advanced leadership experience, including his position as Cadet Athletic Commander for his NJROTC unit and as a member of the 2006 COPE Program. Sean has balanced the challenges of public service with his own personal welfare and developed a well-rounded persona. Sean has become a role model not only his peers and teammates, but for the large community around him. Upon receiving the Congressional Medal, he joins a most elite group of our Nation's youth who have set and achieved this very commendable goal. I am certain Sean's incredible accomplishments, dedication to service, and evident leadership talents will continue to speak highly of him, as they do now.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the outstanding achievements of Ian Gibson of Virginia Beach, and to commend him on becoming a Congressional Award Gold Medalist. This recognition by the United States Congress is the highest honor bestowed upon America's youth. It serves as a testament to Ian's strength of character and commitment to our national values of dedication to public service and the cherished qualities of personal growth, initiative, and achievement, all of which are cornerstones of the Congressional Award. Ian's volunteer efforts are tremendous, speaking very highly of him and his level of commitment to the community and to public service. Ian completed over 600 hours of Voluntary Public Service and earned the rank of Eagle Scout, working with Strawbridge Elementary School to provide school supplies to orphans in Bolivia and Russia, and 25 local children. In addition, he continues to be active within the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Tidewater Council, serving as Junior Assistant BSA Tidewater Council Venturing Leadership Award, and participating in the 2007 National OA Leadership and Conservation Summit at Indiana University. Ian has devoted time and energy to excellence in the sports of baseball and football, honing his speed and endurance, and earning a selection as First Colonial High School's ``Male Student Athlete of the Week.'' By maintaining his own physical well-being, he has balanced the challenges of public service with his own personal welfare and developed a well-rounded persona. Ian has become a role model, not only for those young cub scouts he assists and tee-ball players he coaches, but also for the large community around him. Upon receiving the Congressional Medal, he joins a most elite group of our nation's youth who have set and achieved this very commendable goal. I am certain Ian's incredible accomplishments, dedication to service, and evident leadership talents will continue to speak highly of him, as they do now.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to the State of Israel and its proud 60 years of existence. Last month we were celebrating Israel's 60th birthday, and I was proud to vote in favor of a resolution honoring this great achievement. This month, I look forward in wishing Israel another 60 years as a strong and free democracy. I have always spoken about how my trip to Israel in 2005 was a life changing event. With a young statehood but an ancient history, Israelis are faced with daily and often costly reminders of the price of freedom. I do not believe a day has gone by since Israel's founding where it has not been subject to attack. Yet, through the sheer will of a people fighting for the right of a brighter future for their children, Israel still stands. Israel's tumultuous existence has lent itself to a very unique identity--one which can only be understood by the citizens who live their everyday lives in range of the missiles and suicide attacks of terrorists. However, these unfortunate consequences of proximity have created a nation of resolve--strengthening its foundation and purpose as a shining beacon of democracy in the Middle East. Israel is a story of survival and today I honor Israel's perseverance and wish our ally a hopeful future. Best summed up by the words of by Dr. Israel Zoberman, founding rabbi of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach: ``The Jewish state's perseverance and fortitude to turn adversity into advantage, never betraying the optimistic essence of its people, are ample testimony to the nobility of the human spirit it has so profoundly enriched and painstakingly guarded.'' The determined vigilance of Israel is a sobering reminder to us of what it sometimes takes to stand your ground in the face of adversity; and let us remind Israel that she does not stand alone in that fight.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, for 2 days now, this Congress has addressed a bill to provide increased unemployment benefits. The irony is what we are not talking about. We must talk about why are businesses leaving America, why are we losing these jobs. The answer is overwhelmingly the cost of energy and our refusal as a Congress to capture our natural resources. Dow Chemical stood beside us when Representative John Peterson announced the NEED Act, the bill that lifts the moratorium for natural gas in the Outer Continental Shelf. They told us of a $30 billion expansion and 10,000 jobs that they wished were here in America, but they were going to China, Libya and Saudi Arabia. Why? The price of natural gas. You can't pay $8 to $10 in America for an energy source that's 85 cents in those countries. We all know we lost the fertilizer industry a long time ago.

Mrs. DRAKE. Think of the jobs that could be created, the jobs that we could keep here just by this industry. And just yesterday, the subcommittee voted on a 9-6 vote, with the Democrat majority all voting not to allow us to lift the moratorium on the Outer Continental Shelf. In the last 25 years, we've captured 7 billion barrels of oil in the Outer Continental Shelf. Do you realize the spillage has been one one-thousandth of 1 percent? We also need to talk about those American families, those American workers who have purchased homes where they wanted them to be, not worried about a commute to their job, but today, for several of those, their gas cost is the same as their mortgage. That impacts business in America. Mr. Speaker, America is a great Nation because of her people. It's our responsibility to put the policies in place that allow them to have a quality of life and to create the jobs.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, my district is home to many beautiful American treasures and one of them is the Chesapeake Bay. ``Save the Bay'' is one message that reaches beyond all political boundaries. Working alongside my longtime colleague and friend Jo Anne Davis in the 109th Congress, we passed legislation to create the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail--which is part of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network we are reauthorizing today. As many of you know, this initiative falls under the larger Chesapeake Bay Program, which was created in 1983 to restore and protect the bay. I am proud to lend my vote in favor of this bill today, however, I would like to call attention to one of the greater matters that this Congress should also be voting on: legislation to help the American people pay for the astounding cost of energy. One example is a comprehensive bill by Representative Peterson that creates a partnership between energy development and the environment. This bill opens up the OCS for natural gas exploration and uses an estimated $86 billion dollars in royalties for environmental restoration efforts. The Chesapeake Bay Commission estimated that the total cost to restore the Chesapeake Bay is $19 billion. The NEED Act fully funds the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort at $20 billion. This energy bill is another way we can help Save the Bay, and the budgets of American families. I am an original cosponsor of the NEED Act and I believe it is an example of bipartisan energy legislation. We must all come together in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation that will increase our domestic energy supply and help alleviate soaring prices. I cannot speak for your districts, but families in Virginia's Second District need an energy solution now and it is our job to give them one.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to start by thanking the gentlelady from Colorado for hosting us this evening and sharing the stories from her own district and the people that she stopped and talked with. We've just come off our district work period for Memorial Day, and I know all of us at home over these last few days have heard over and over again from our constituents about the extremely high price of gas and how they just can't make that work in their lives and with their incomes. And I was thinking about tonight and coming down here to join you, and I realized this is my fourth year of serving the Congress. That means this has been 4 years that I have been saying the same thing over and over and over again. In my first 2 years here, I served on the Natural Resource Committee so I had the opportunity to listen. And one thing I learned right away in 2005 that really upset me, because I didn't know this even though I've lived in Virginia now for 41 years; I grew up in northern Ohio and I grew up on Lake Erie, and I found out in 2005 that Canada has been taking natural gas from under Lake Erie since 1913. I want you to know I never saw a derrick. I never saw any type of a rig. I never had any indication that that was taking place. And I thought, I really felt that I had been misled and that here we are in America blocking getting our own resources and here all along our neighbors are doing it. And we know today that the one thing that would change the price of gasoline for our citizens, for our constituents, for America, for our businesses is to increase our own domestic supply. The number one issue that would make a difference. In the 109th Congress, my first 2 years here, we did vote in this House. We voted to open up ANWR. I was surprised in those years when I learned that the National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska--just for a visual for people across America, when I learned that if you visualized that wildlife refuge as RFK stadium, ANWR, where the actual drilling would take place, would be the size of a postage stamp; and that really upset me because that wasn't the mental picture that I had. And I also learned that we have not built a refinery in this country since 1976. Those were all things that I learned in my first year serving here in Congress. Serving on the Resource Committee, I listened to our neighbors in Canada who came to the Resource Committee to tell us how they were successfully taking oil products from oil shales and oil sand, and they came to volunteer to help us be able to do the same thing. And we still haven't done anything to increase our own domestic resources using yet a third way to do that. I was fascinated when I would listen to the hearings about using the technology of liquefied coal, that that's old technology, that we can do jet fuel, diesel, gasoline, that would run in all of our engines today by using coal. America is the Saudi Arabia of coal. Again I question, why are we doing this and why are we making America less competitive? Why are we putting this burden on our citizens? I met Alaskan citizens who came to talk to me, to beg us to drill in ANWR, and they are the people that live right there. I think it's time that we had a strategic energy plan. Now, in 2007 and 2008, the discussions that have taken place on this floor about increasing domestic supply have come not because we've brought any sort of strategic plan to the floor. It's come in other pieces of legislation like you saw tonight, in a bill when Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers stood and did a motion to recommit to try to get at the problem that we're all facing in America. I know that we can protect our environment. I know that we can encourage conservation, that we can incentivize alternative energies as well. In the Second District of Virginia, we're very proud of one of our universities, Old Dominion University, that is creating biodiesel out of algae. How exciting and interesting is that. They are also doing significant research in what's called coastal energy: wind, wave, solar. But there again, how do we increase our domestic production in our country? But I also go back to what about families across America. Just before we went on our Memorial Day break, when I got home, when I was sitting there talking to my husband about what was his week like, what was my week like here in D.C., and he said to me, I know you don't know this, but do you know our water bill was $88 for last month? $88 just for water. We both know that in the last 7 years our real estate taxes have tripled, and we're seeing today what we're paying for gasoline, what we're paying for food, and you've explained very, very well about the higher cost of transportation and that we have to move these products. And that's us sitting there talking. We've lived in our house for 20 years. Our children are grown. How do families do it today? How do families do it that have to commute any distance because of the price of housing in our country? And more and more people have had to live further out. If we want America to be competitive, if we want to grow our economy, if we want our families to be able to feel like that they're getting ahead and succeeding, we have got to join together in this Congress. We have to have a bipartisan solution, and we have to increase our domestic supply. I'm sure that you were as distressed as I was when I read the newspaper article that our President had gone to Saudi Arabia and asked them to increase the gas production. My first thought was, why didn't he come here to Congress and tell us that we must change the law and allow for this domestic production, to allow for the siting of refineries, and to tell the American people that it is the policies right here in Washington that are stopping that from taking place? That's what I would hope that he would do. I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity. I know you have other speakers. I think you and I could probably talk half the night to America about this issue, about how important it is, but every single person listening to us tonight knows how critically important it is that we increase our domestic supply and that we're able to drop this price and for American families to be able to feel that they can do something, that they can enjoy life and not have to worry and worry how they're going to pay for all the things that are in their lives today. This is something that I feel we, as Members of Congress, could make a difference and could make those changes.

Mrs. DRAKE. Well, first, I'd like to thank the gentleman for that very thorough explanation to America as to what is really going on. I was very proud to stand beside you several months ago when you did your press conference on your bill. There were several of our colleagues there--original cosponsors on your bill--standing with you. I'll never forget standing with you as well were representatives from Dow Chemical because they made an announcement, too. They told us that they were doing a $30 billion expansion in China, Saudi Arabia and Libya, 10,000 jobs that they wished were right here in America. The reason they did it was because you couldn't pay $10 to $12 for a unit of gas here that you could pay 85 cents for in Saudi Arabia. I've never forgotten that. I thought it was very, very painful. Your bill as well does something that is very important. It has a 37\1/2\ percent royalty back to the State. Now, the Commonwealth of Virginia desperately needs that kind of funding for our number one issue of transportation. Your bill also fully funds the Chesapeake Bay Commission's request for the bay cleanup. So there are ways that we can be environmentally protective and that we can be environmentally sound. You brought up various environmental groups, and I wanted to say to you that I was going to speak to the Natural Resources Committee one day about why I support deep sea drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf. I represent the entire Atlantic coast in Virginia. Well, there was someone there from one of our environmental groups whom I knew. I went up to him, and I said, ``I know if you're speaking you're going to say the exact opposite of me, but what I really want to ask you is: Do you understand the impact that you have on our economy or is that your point?'' He actually acted like I'd hit him. I said, ``No, no, no. Wait. I'm really serious. I'm trying to understand what the issue is, but I truly believe you either don't know or you intend to do it.'' Do you know what? He turned and he walked away and he wouldn't answer me, but we cannot as leaders in our country stand back and allow this to take place. I just wanted to finish up with a couple of facts that I found very interesting. One is, if we were to increase that nuclear that you have on there, we could keep 200 billion tons of carbon out of our atmosphere annually if we simply had the nuclear capability of France.

Mrs. DRAKE. The second thing is that we're 13 times more likely to have a spill if we transport oil product by tanker. I think that's important for America to know. There is another that you've said, that it has been over 30 years, almost 40, since there has been any significant spill from any sort of deep sea drilling. We all saw what happened with Katrina and Rita. There were no problems there. We know Canada has an oil rig in the north Atlantic, off the coast of Newfoundland, called Hibernia. There have been no problems there. As you have said, the technology is so much better. The other important thing is the horizon is only 12 miles out. You're talking 50 miles from Virginia Beach. That's half the way to Richmond. So there is no way you would ever see a rig. I want to thank you because you have done just a tremendous job of bringing this issue to the forefront and of explaining it to America, and I truly believe that when Americans have the facts and Americans understand this issue that Americans will be demanding of us as Members of the House and as Members of the Senate that we deal with this issue. I really hope that they call their Representatives all across America, that they phone and tell their Representatives and demand that we deal with this issue and not make America less competitive. I keep talking about families. What about single parents? How do you deal with this incredible cost? You have brought it up. It is something that we have been extremely concerned about, the price of natural gas for home heating, and we have been very fortunate in our area to have milder than normal winters. That has not been the case across the country. So thank you. I would like to thank the gentlewoman and yield back to her as well.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, In accordance with the earmark standards of the House of Representatives, I am submitting the following financial statements for each of my requested projects funded in H.R. 5658, the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009. Project Name: LPD-17. Requesting Member: Representative Thelma Drake. Bill Number: H.R. 5658. Account: Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Department of the Navy. Address of Requesting Entity: Multiple Locations. Description of Request: To increase the President's Budget for the LPD by $1,800,000,000. In 2007 Congressional testimony, USMC leaders testified that a force structure less than 10 LPD class ships would put the USMC at significant risk in meeting commitments for global presence and to the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The $1.8 billion in FY 2009 funding is for LPD 26 as requested on the Navy's and Marine Corps' FY 2009 Unfunded Priority Lists. Project Name: Deployed ASW Sustainment Training: P-3 Air Crew Tactical Team Trainer (PACT3). Requesting Member: Representative Thelma Drake. Bill Number: H.R. 5658. Account: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Navy. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Alion Science & Technology--BMH Operations. Address of Requesting Entity: 5365 Robin Hood Road, Norfolk, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provide funding of $4,000,000 over the President's FY09 budget request to develop a PC-based simulation environment for the P-3 aircrew. The funding will increase forward deployed P-3 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities in direct response to warfighter requirements resulting in enhanced readiness for current and future contingencies. Project Name: Analytics for Shipboard Monitoring Systems (ASMS). Requesting Member: Representative Thelma Drake. Bill Number: H.R. 5658. Account: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Navy. Legal Name of Requesting Entities: Oceana Sensor Technologies and ESRG LLC. Address of Requesting Entities: Oceana Sensor Technologies--1632 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA, USA: ESRG LLC--1209 Independence Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provide funding of $1,000,000 to integrate remote monitoring technologies with legacy ship systems. This Project will enable reduced manning and provide crucial ship-to-shore interaction for remote diagnostic decision technology to support ship operators globally. Project Name: Automated Fiber Optic Manufacturing Initiative. Requesting Member: Representative Thelma Drake. Bill Number: H.R. 5658. Account: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Navy. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: KITCO Fiber Optics. Address of Requesting Entity: 5269 Cleveland Street, Virginia Beach, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provide funding of $4,500,000 over the President's FY09 budget request to insert automated fiber optic technologies in small, portable, maintenance equipment that can be used by ship construction and ship's force personnel in the harsh shipboard environment. The funding will assist in deploying fiber optics as the primary communication system components for tactical shipboard applications on almost every current and future ship platform. Project Name: Fire and Emergency Services Station. Requesting Member: Representative Thelma Drake. Bill Number: H.R. 5658. Account: Military Construction, Navy. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Representative Thelma Drake. Address of Requesting Entity: Naval Station Norfolk, VA, USA. Description of Request: Accelerate funding of $10,360,000 for a Fire and Emergency Services station located at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, Poet and Capitol Tour Guide Albert C. Caswell, who has been the author of many heartfelt tributes to our military servicemen and women, recently penned a poem in honor of Tech. Sergeant William Jefferson Jr. who died from injuries caused by an improvised explosive device on March 22, 2008. As an instructor at the Combat Control School, he trained more than 400 combat controllers in 4 years. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Air Force Combat Action Medal. Sergeant Jefferson epitomizes the dedication and courage of our brave men and women on the frontline, who sometimes make the ultimate sacrifice to defend their country and its values. I am proud to submit the following into the Record. I Will! I Will fight, and I Will bleed! All so my Country, may live in peace! And, I Will lead! All for God, and Country Tis of Thee! And, I Will give up . . . My wonderful wife, and watch her grieve! And never again, My sweet little child Tyler, so see! As all of this world, I so leave! And not ask why, so indeed! But for The Greater Good . . . All of this, I so would! I may die, and I may bleed! All so we can be free! As I so look up to The Heavens above . . . And ask The Lord all in his love, to watch over my family! For I Will! Dedicate my entire life to thee . . . As I Will! In the darkest nights of war, so be . . . Strong, and full of courage . . . Me! All for my Country Tis of Thee . . . All for my brothers and Sisters in arms . . . I Will forever fight on continually! As I Will, carry that charge . . . All with, what's inside of me! As I Will! Gaze, into That Face of Death! And give up, all that I have so left . . . All so to insure! That my children . . . Shall not ever have to go off to war! As I Will, so stand for peace . . . As I Will, hear Our Lord's Call Sign . . . calling me! As an Angel in The Army of Our Lord. I Will Be! Until, up in Heaven, Kristy, Tyler, Mom, Dad, and Family! One day, we Will all so meet! And Give up all, that I so love and need! All for what I believe! I Will! In memory of A Real American Hero . . . Tech Sgt. William Jefferson Jr. May our Lord bless you and your wife Kristy and your daughter . . . and he will!

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. This motion is an expansion of the GI Bill to improve educational benefits for active duty, Guard and Reserve and veterans. This motion, if enacted, increases monthly educational benefits in October of 2008, then gradual increases tied to length of service. It includes funding for books and supplies, and increases benefits for Guard and Reserve members. It allows members to transfer benefits to their spouse or children, and allows more servicemembers to access these benefits. It also offers student loan repayment help. I believe it is time to update and improve educational benefits offered to our brave men and women. I believe there is overwhelming consensus in this body to do so. By adding this provision to the NDAA, it allows these benefits to actually become law.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, 25 years ago, in the rural area of Virginia Beach, Virginia, know as Pungo, several locals decided that the rest of the community should be aware of Pungo's delicious treasure: its strawberries. In 1983, locals began an annual festival, which at the time drew 2,500 people. In the years to follow, the festival's attendance grew to roughly 120,000 people each year. Today, the festival hosts many family-oriented activities, including a carnival, youth art show, and a multi-million dollar military display. In 1985, it was deemed necessary to establish a festival board in order to accommodate the festival's growth as well as establish themselves as a nonprofit organization. To this end, the festival gives back to the community in the form of scholarships for students and makes contributions to other community-oriented programs. To this date, the Pungo Strawberry Festival has donated over $550,000 to the community. I want to take this moment to recognize the people behind this festival, some of whom have been involved since the beginning, and to inform my colleagues that this year the festival will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with, as always, an emphasis on the men and women serving in the military. The theme this year will be ``Celebrating 25 years of Freedom, Family, and Fun.'' I support the community of Pungo in their efforts and look forward to attending the festival this year.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank Chairman Frank, Ranking Member Bachus and the Committee for their hard work. They have presented a thoughtful and creative proposal. Housing is a very complex issue--it is also a very emotional one. We aren't just talking about abstract concepts, we are talking about a person's home. We're talking about real people with a real problem. Prior to Congress I was a Realtor for over 20 years. I have worked with many families to help them realize their dream of home ownership. I have also served as chairman of the Virginia Housing Study Commission. Housing is an important issue for me and something I feel very strongly about. I have seen good markets and bad. I have witnessed many changes to the mortgage market. I have struggled with how to define and protect against predatory lending practices. I have seen interest rates and loan products that seemed too good to be true--unfortunately, we have seen that in fact, many were too good to be true. I rise today to share my observations and concerns about the bill before us. There are many components of this bill which I think are excellent and fully support. First Federal Housing Administration modernization is long overdue. FHA must be streamlined and made more efficient. Government Sponsored Enterprise regulatory reform would also help stabilize the housing market. I support an amendment to be offered today that will create a first time home buyer tax credit for low- to mid-income buyers. This would increase the number of buyers in the market--increasing demand now for an oversupply of homes. The bill also increases funding for foreclosure counselors and financial education. I also appreciate the additional funding for law enforcement to prevent mortgage fraud, and that Department of Veterans' Affairs loan limits are raised, and the enhanced appraisal standards and appraisal independence. These are all well thought out, very important reforms that will help American families and the marketplace. However, my concerns with today's package include the establishment of a new affordable housing fund to create new grants that can be directed to organizations that work specifically on housing issues. The bill does contain a provision that will prohibit the use of these grant funds for political activities, the fact is that many of the possible recipients engage in partisan political activities and therefore should not receive funding to offset their costs. It is important to remember that money is fungible, so that if a group cannot use these grants specifically for political activities, it could certainly have more money freed up for political activities because of the injection of new grants funding. I am also concerned about a $300 billion federal loan guarantee. There are two important issues with this provision that I foresee. One, a lender with troubled loans could contact those homeowners and offer a federally backed loan--and refinance at a loss but now he has moved that loan from a potential total loss to 85 percent current value--and will be guaranteed by federal government should it foreclose. He now has no reason to work with that borrower should the borrower still face foreclosure. Two, this program has a huge impact on neighborhoods. Consider neighbor A who bought at the height of the market. This person struggles month to month but manages to pay his mortgage on time. Neighbor 8 and their lender agree to take advantage of the new program and negotiates their mortgage to 85 percent current value. Not only is fairness between the two neighbors and issue, but the new reduction in value can have a huge impact on the value of surrounding properties. While I understand this is a voluntary program. My question is why can we not develop incentives for the private sector to do this and not obligate the American taxpayers with $300B in loan guarantees? Furthermore, there are several things already in the works. FHA secure is a new FHA product allowing homeowners to refinance their resetting Adjustable Rate Mortgages. So far, there are 3 times the refinances this year as in previous years. HOPE NOW is an alliance between counselors, services, investors that is working to prevent foreclosure through outreach to delinquent borrowers. The program provides counseling and loan work outs based on buyers' ability to pay. From July 07 through March 08 1.4m avoided foreclosures through these efforts. Also, Fannie Mae is currently working on a streamlined short sale program to allow the sale of property that is over-mortgaged. Both the administration and the private sector need to do a much better job at explaining what is currently available. Neither has done a good job of explaining to the public these available options. As such, I can understand Chairman Frank's frustration and desire to take action. Again I thank the committee for their work and I would encourage us to institute the reforms in this package that I highlighted. However, I firmly believe we should take caution and allow ongoing efforts to work before we decide to go down the path of obligating American taxpayers for $300B in loan guarantees.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, housing is a very complex issue. We are talking about a person's home, real people with a real problem. Prior to Congress I was a realtor for over 20 years. I have worked with many families to help them realize their dream of homeownership. I have served as chairman of the Virginia Housing Study Commission. I have seen good markets and bad and many changes to the mortgage industry. I have struggled with how to define and protect against predatory lending practices. I have seen interest rates and loan products that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, we have seen they were too good to be true. There are many components of this bill, which I think are excellent. Enacting those reforms now would have a huge impact on the housing market and be helpful to American families. My concerns with today's package include the establishment of a new, affordable housing fund and a $300 billion Federal loan guarantee program. A lender with troubled loans could contact those homeowners, offer a federally backed loan and refinance at a loss. But now he has moved that loan from a complete loss to 85 percent current value that will be guaranteed by the Federal Government. He now has no reason to work with that borrower. Neighbor A bought at the height of the market. He struggles but pays. Neighbor B negotiates 85 percent of current value, a huge impact on the value of surrounding properties. This is a voluntary program. Can't we develop incentives for the private sector and not obligate the American taxpayers with $300 billion in loan guarantees? There are several things that are currently making a difference. The FHA Secure loan program, HOPE NOW, an alliance to prevent foreclosure through outreach to delinquent borrowers. Fannie Mae is currently working on a streamlined short-sale program to allow the sale of properties that are overmortgaged. The fact is, one out of two people never contact their lender for help. Both the administration and the private sector need to explain what is available. Neither has done a good job.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, H-2B is a legal, temporary worker program that has been very successful in providing our Nation's small businesses with the workforce they need during peak business seasons. However, an important provision expired last September. Many in Congress have acted in support of legislation that would have fixed this escalating problem. Bills, amendments, and discharge petitions have been introduced as early as last March; yet, no action. Yesterday, the House passed an extension of the Religious Worker Visa Program while many of our Nation's small and seasonal businesses are still struggling to find workers, and Congress has responded with nothing but a hearing. That hearing is today, Madam Speaker, nearly 7 months after the H-2B exemption expired. I can only hope that this Congress will give our small businesses a legal solution to their workforce needs.

Ms. DRAKE

Ms. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, today is tax day. This is a day when all Americans are reminded of the federal government's treatment of their hard-earned money, investments, and retirement savings. Our servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan think about these issues as well. I firmly believe it is time to improve the options at their disposal to secure a comfortable retirement after their service to our Nation. Currently, two common options available in the private sector used as retirement savings tools are the Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and a 401(k), which is an employer-sponsored retirement plan where the employer matches the employee's contributions up to a specified limit. Both can be structured as either a ``Traditional'' or ``Roth'' plan. Many are familiar with the Roth and Traditional IRA options as Roth IRAs have been around since 1998. However, a Roth 401(k) is a fairly new option that is similar to the Roth IRA in that it allows after-tax contributions to fund tax-free retirement income. The Roth 401(k) option was established as part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) and went into effect on January 1, 2006. The Pension Protection Act of 2006, signed into law by President Bush on August 17, 2006, makes the Roth 401(k) permanent, removing the December 31, 2010 expiration date that previously was in force. Traditional IRA and 401(k) plans are funded through tax-deferred contributions or ``before-tax'' contributions, which means the money contributed is taken out of a person's pay before Federal and, in almost all cases, state income taxes are withheld. Any earnings are also tax-deferred. This means that an individual does not pay income taxes on contributions and earnings in their IRA or 401(k) account until their money is withdrawn, usually at retirement. With a Roth plan, an individual does not receive the tax deduction for their contribution, but all the money in the account grows tax-free and can be withdrawn tax-free subject to certain criteria. For many, the Roth is the better deal. As such, more and more companies have started to offer Roth 401(k)s since they were allowed to start doing so two years ago, and many firms that don't yet provide this option are considering adding it in the future. However, in a glaring omission, this same option has not been extended to the federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which is the federal government's in-house 401(k) retirement savings plan for the federal workforce and our men and women in uniform. That is why today I have introduced the Roth TSP Act of 2008. This bill will simply provide the same 401(k) options available in the private sector to participants in the TSP. Currently, there are 3.9 million account holders in the TSP. These include civilians who are employed by the U.S. Government and our military personnel. Our men and women in uniform and the federal workforce may find the option to structure their retirement plans as a Roth TSP to be a better deal. My legislation will place the same options available in the private sector at their disposal and provide another option when considering their long term financial and retirement planning. Allowing this option could provide greater growth potential and greater return on investment for their retirement savings than under the traditional TSP structure. Consider the potential benefit to our military. If military personnel serve in a combat zone as an enlisted person or as a warrant officer for any part of a month, all military pay received for military service in that month is excluded from their gross income. For commissioned officers, the monthly exclusion is capped at the highest enlisted pay, plus any hostile fire or imminent danger pay received. With a Roth TSP, these individuals could earn this pay tax-free, grow their investment in their Roth TSP, and then withdraw it all tax-free after age 59\1/2\, having never been required to pay taxes on the invested money. The men and women of our military worry about consequences on a day- to-day basis that most Americans never even consider. The least we can do in return is provide our service members with choices and options that will allow them to plan for their future and help to ensure that they never have to worry about a secure retirement.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. I rise in support of the Beach Protection Act. And as the Member who represents the entire Atlantic Coast in Virginia and much of the Chesapeake Bay, I recognize that our beaches are a treasure and must remain clean and safe. But we must lift the Federal moratorium on deep sea drilling of natural gas in the Outer Continental Shelf. America has acted to make our energy consumption cleaner, and today we use much more natural gas for the generation of electricity. We have increased demand without increasing supply. The U.S. is the only developed nation that does not capture natural gas from the Outer Continental Shelf. Canada has done it for years. We all know what Cuba's getting ready to do. It's American families and American businesses that pay this extra cost, and it is driving American businesses overseas simply because of the cost of energy in America. Coastal States should be able to decide if this activity takes place, and we should share in those royalties. In Virginia, we could use those dollars for transportation. America expects our policies to meet our energy needs.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I would certainly like to thank my colleagues for this resolution today in honor of my dear friend, Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis. Jo Ann really was the American dream, and we have all heard a lot about her life since her very unfortunate and very early passing last fall. But she came from a very poor childhood and reached just, I think, the highest of success to serve in this body. But she was a success because she cared for other people and she put them first. And that's what people saw in Jo Ann. They loved and trusted her. She was a woman of great faith, great courage, great honesty, great strength, and great integrity. Jo Ann was a very private person, and when she told me of her diagnosis with breast cancer, I was really quite surprised that she had made the decision that she would be very public with her illness for the purpose of helping other women. I think we all admire and thank her for doing that. But I watched as she went through her chemo, and I saw how she struggled to be here with each and every one of us. So, Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank my colleagues. I know if Jo Ann were here today she would say, oh, don't bother doing that. But we all need a memory of Jo Ann. I think this is a fitting way to do it. She loved America. She served her constituents, she was true to herself, and she was a gift to each and every one of us who knew her.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to one issue that I believe we all agree on, and that is the safety and security of American citizens. Our Nation's borders are our first line of defense. The first step in any immigration plan is to provide for a secure and impenetrable border. I have introduced a discharge petition on Representative Heath Shuler's bill, the SAVE Act, which provides a clear, three-point plan to get tough on illegal immigration. The plan is simple: Increased secured security along our borders, mandatory worksite enforcement, and greater interior enforcement. This issue deserves debate, and I am proud to reach across the aisle to work with Mr. Shuler on this bipartisan bill. I urge all of my colleagues to join me and Mr. Shuler and sign this bipartisan petition before you leave today. It's time to demonstrate that Congress is serious about illegal immigration. The American people expect and deserve our quick and complete attention to securing our borders and protecting our Nation.