Vernon Ehlers

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2430, the Great Lakes Fish & Wildlife Restoration Act. This important bill reauthorizes the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration grant program first enacted in 1990 and renewed in 1998. It builds upon the successes of the program and ensures that both fish and wildlife resources will receive attention. It also expands the scope of the initiative to include grants for regional restoration work undertaken by federal, state, and tribal partnerships. The funds authorized in this legislation are critical to the widespread efforts to restore the vitality and water quality of the Great Lakes basin. This bill is one small piece of the broader package of restoration priorities contained in the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC) Strategy, released in December 2005. It is also largely the same as Title II of my bill, H.R. 5100, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Implementation Act. I am pleased that we are moving forward to enact some of the changes recommended by the GLRC in its comprehensive strategic action plan. I strongly encourage my colleagues to not only provide the necessary authorizations for conducting restoration activities in the Great Lakes, but also to provide the funding required as well. It is unfortunate that this program has received paltry levels of funding in recent years; much more is needed to accomplish the goals laid out in the GLRC Strategy. I thank Senator DeWine, Congressman Kildee, Congressman Kirk, and all the other Members who sponsored and supported this legislation. Today is a victory for the Great Lakes and for the thousands of good people working to protect and restore fish and wildlife resources there.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate and recognize The Magic School Bus on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. As many of my colleagues know, The Magic School Bus is a unique series of books, television programs and teaching materials for children that encourage a love of science and inspire positive attitudes toward math and science education. What my colleagues may not know is that with 131 book titles and more than 58 million books in print, The Magic School Bus is one of the most successful children's science series, and it continues to grow in popularity every day. This series has earned numerous prestigious national recognition awards. I am proud to support The Magic School Bus and its partnership with the National Science Foundation in a television series and museum exhibit, and I commend the Magic School Bus for its tireless efforts. Congratulations to The Magic School Bus on this occasion of its 20th anniversary. May these efforts continue to spark the curiosity of millions of children and help motivate children to further pursue their interests in math and science.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of his retirement in September 2006, we rise to thank Mr. Ron Kurtz for 26 years of outstanding service to the U.S. House of Representatives. Ron began his career at the House working as a Systems Programmer. In that capacity, Ron has served this great institution for the last 26 years as a valuable employee of House Information Resources (HIR) within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. Ron has made significant contributions in the implementation and management of the mainframe computing environment and, more recently, as a key member of the Storage Area Network (SAN) team. Ron's impeccable management of the mainframe computing environment, through emergencies such as the anthrax contamination event, was key to maintaining continuity of such essential House applications as payroll, the Legislative Information Management Systems (LIMS) and Committee Calendars (CCALS). Additionally, Ron has expertly managed the mainframe environment through numerous advances in technology to include integration with a Storage Area Network as part of the overall HIR business continuity efforts. On behalf of the entire House community, we extend congratulations to Ron for his many years of dedication and outstanding contributions to the U.S. House of Representatives. We wish Ron many wonderful years in fulfilling his retirement dreams.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1016) encouraging all offices of the House of Representatives to hire disabled veterans.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I also thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) for introducing this fine resolution. I rise in support of H. Res. 1016, which encourages all offices of the House of Representatives to hire disabled veterans, and I ask all my colleagues to support this important bill. Throughout history, our Nation has depended on the brave men and women of the military to secure our freedom, frequently at their own peril. Millions of those who fight valiantly for our country will return with injuries that threatened their livelihood and that of their families. After completing their service to our country, our Nation's disabled veterans often return to face another challenge: diminished prospects for employment due to the injuries they suffered in battle. By recruiting these exceptional individuals for employment in the House, we are both rewarding these heroes for their sacrifices they have made for their country and securing experienced, dedicated employees to work in House offices. By providing a congressional career path to disabled veterans, we are offering these courageous individuals an opportunity to serve the public in a new capacity. I ask the Members to honor our Nation's veterans both by supporting this important resolution and by hiring disabled veterans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), who is in every way a true patriot and also the author of this wonderful resolution.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I once again reiterate the requests that various individuals have made here, that every Member of this Congress take this resolution seriously, that they vote for it; and, furthermore, that they act on it and hire a disabled veteran to work in their offices. I thank the gentleman from California for bringing this to our attention. I urge support by every Member of the House for this resolution.

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

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I am very proud of our system of free enterprise in America. It has led to a considerable amount of innovation in every area. But I find, surprisingly, once in a while tradition trumps innovation, and that is the situation that we have here with green chemistry. I commend the gentleman from Georgia for offering this bill because, frankly, we have to wake up the chemical industry to this promising new field and overcome the tradition and take up the ideas of green chemistry. In all the experience I have in viewing the cases where it has been used, we have had better products, less pollution, and the manufacturers make more money. There is no reason not to do it. It is just that we simply have to use innovation to break tradition. So, Mr. Speaker, while the full potential of green chemistry has yet to be realized, H.R. 1215 will place us on the right path to reaching that potential. I urge all my colleagues to support the Green Chemistry Research and Development Act.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1215, the Green Chemistry Research and Development Act. I would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) for his leadership on this important legislation which passed the House in the 108th Congress by an overwhelming vote of 402-14. In fact, I appreciate it so much I am sorry I didn't think of introducing the bill myself. When I was a college student studying science, the only green chemistry I ever saw was the mold that grew on the neglected food in our dorm refrigerator. Today, we know that green chemistry is about doing chemistry cleaner and smarter in an environmentally sound way. When businesses innovate by using green chemical processes, they cannot only save money, but also avoid the cost of cleaning up toxic pollutants, providing a safer work environment for their employees, and providing safer products to consumers. Everyone wins. However, the adoption of green chemistry by the traditional chemical industry has been slow because there are only a few widely accepted processes and a shortage of trained experts in green chemistry. And for too long, the Federal investments in green chemistry research and development have been too small and two unfocused. To provide that much-needed focus, H.R. 1215, the Green Chemistry Research and Development Act, will establish a research and development program to promote and coordinate Federal green chemistry, research, development, demonstration, education and technology transfer activities within the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy. The program will support research and development grants including grants for university-industry-nonprofit partnerships, support green chemistry research at Federal labs, promote education through curricula development and fellowships, and serve as a green chemistry information resource. H.R. 1215 does not authorize the expenditure of new money. Instead, the bill obtains funding for the program from sums already authorized to be appropriated at the four agencies involved. H.R. 1215 is an important first step in focusing Federal support for green chemistry. It expands green chemistry education, develops more green chemistry processes, and modestly and responsibly increases the Federal investment in green chemistry. The emphasis on both training the next generation of chemical professionals and retraining conventional chemists and chemical engineers is critical to innovation in the traditional chemical manufacturing sector. I am pleased to support the Green Chemistry Research and Development Act. Again, I thank Mr. Gingrey for his hard work on this important piece of legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1215. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this bill.

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

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1215) to provide for the implementation of a Green Chemistry Research and Development Program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia, the author of the bill, Mr. Gingrey.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5136) to establish a National Integrated Drought Information System within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve drought monitoring and forecasting capabilities, as amended.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5136, as amended, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to urge all of my colleagues to support the National Integrated Drought Information System Act. I urge them to vote for it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today, I rise in support of H.R. 5136, the National Integrated Drought Information System Act. I would like to thank Mr. Hall and Mr. Udall for their leadership on this important legislation. It is truly a bipartisan bill in every way. Drought is a pernicious disaster. It can creep up on you in the form of pleasantly cloudless days. But once it has arrived it can destroy livelihoods, damage valuable ecosystems, and even threaten human health. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, better known as NOAA, estimates that we lose approximately $7 billion each year to this slowly emergent but devastating natural disaster. In 2002, drought killed over three-quarters of all of the Christmas tree saplings in my home State of Michigan. In 2005 and 2006, drought left 60 Michigan counties eligible for the U.S. Department of Agriculture relief programs. And my State got off easy. Since we cannot manufacture more water, our best defense against this creeping threat is knowledge. We must provide clear and accurate warnings of coming droughts so that we can seek appropriate solutions and take appropriate action. Drought information should include enough details to make it useful to the people who work so hard to manage water resources and minimize the effects of drought on our daily lives. The National Integrated Drought Information System Act seeks to provide just that kind of information. This bill authorizes the National Integrated Drought Information System, or NIDIS, in NOAA. The system would include a comprehensive drought forecasting and monitoring system and the research and development programs to support it. The bill requires NIDIS to build upon existing forecast and monitoring efforts and to do so in broad consultation with relevant Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies, as well as public and private organizations. H.R. 5136 emphasizes the importance of timely, preferably real-time, drought-related information that reflects local and regional differences in drought conditions. In summary, this bill gives farmers, utilities, forest managers, waterway operators, tourism companies, reservoir managers, and the general public the tools they need to make thoughtful and informed choices about how to limit the impact of drought on our economy, our environment, and our quality of life. I am pleased to support H.R. 5136, the National Integrated Drought Information System Act. Again, I commend Mr. Hall and Mr. Udall for this important and bipartisan legislation; and I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 5136. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, the cosponsor of this bill, Mr. Hall.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this bill.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert).

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

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5450, as amended, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) one of the most honorable persons in the Chamber, one who has served well for so many years, the sponsor of this bill, who has worked tirelessly for this Congress and for the people of the United States, including on this bill.