Vernon Ehlers

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding and I also want to recognize that Mr. Graves has been a real stalwart on the Transportation Committee, particularly the Aviation Subcommittee, with his wealth of experience in flying. The knowledge that he brings to it has just been invaluable. I really appreciate all that Mr. Graves has done for aviation in the Congress. That's very important because last year the Congress developed a negative impression of flying. You all recall, I suspect, that some corporate leaders came in asking for government funds, and they flew here in their private jets. That made headlines across the country. Unfortunately, the news media didn't leave it there, but continued to pursue the entire issue of flying and presented the portrait of the average flyer as being very wealthy and having an airplane as a toy to play with. That is far from the truth. Most pilots do not have a lot of money. Very few of them own their own airplanes. This negative impression that was formed here by the Congress and in the Congress really troubled those of us who know something about flying. I am not a professional pilot. I would love to be, but I've never had either the time or the money to do it. But I recognize injustice when it takes place. It took place right here in the Congress of the United States. And that led to a lot of activity on our part to try to educate the public about flying, about who the pilots are, what they accomplish for the economy as a whole, and in particular, what good works they do. A good example of that is the tremendous amount of effort the private pilots of the United States exerted in helping the island of Haiti. Just last week, we had Harrison Ford here to describe what he had done. He owns several airplanes and did a number of flights into Haiti transporting doctors, medicines, and so forth. He is an example of what I'm talking about. Not everyone who took part is a movie star, as Harrison Ford is, but he was representing a lot of people who expended a lot of their own money to aid the people in Haiti through the use of airplanes flying goods in and out, flying patients out to the United States for medical treatment when they were in serious trouble, etc. And this is just one example of the many things that pilots and aviation in general do to help the public at large. So I'm very proud to stand here and say we have to help aviation and private pilots in every way that we can. And one good way is to encourage them to learn to fly. Many individuals normally would not think of flying, but when they see that they can accomplish so much good with aviation, we hope that they will take the time to learn how to fly and to at least join a flying club or perhaps eventually own their own airplane so that they can really go forth and help a lot of people. It's amazing how many people do this sort of thing in various fields. For years, I was interested in ham radio. Again, a tremendous help to the economy and to the people at large is done during emergencies by ham radio operators. It's very similar with pilots. When the need is there, they will rise to the occasion and they will provide the transportation that's necessary. In my area, we have an Angels of Mercy program, which has done tremendous good work flying people to hospitals. The patients cannot afford to take a commercial plane to get distant medical treatment. They're not in good enough shape to travel by car. And so the Angels of Mercy fly individuals at essentially no cost or very low cost so that the patients can get medical treatment in the right place at the right time. It is high time that we recognize the good service that these pilots provide and that we do everything we can to help them in that effort. This resolution is part of that--simply encouraging people to learn to fly. I know there's a local group in my district that has taken advantage of this to publicize flight lessons in my area. They have a number of people signed up already who are willing to learn to fly so that they can accomplish good for other people. So I strongly urge that we adopt this resolution and recognize the good work that aviation does for the general welfare of our Nation.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of House Resolution 1338, a resolution recognizing AmeriCorps Week. This year marks the fourth annual AmeriCorps Week, which is May 8 to May 15. As a co-Chair of the National Service Caucus, I am honored to recognize the individuals who participate in the AmeriCorps program and dedicate their time and effort to helping others in local communities. Last year, President Obama signed the latest reauthorization of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Serve America Act. This act aims to ensure additional accountability to national service programs, helps smaller organizations participate in national service, and works to ensure America's veterans can participate in service. Americans have a long history of service to each other and to their country, and AmeriCorps creates a web of opportunities for Americans to serve. I saw ample evidence of this just yesterday when I participated in a ceremony in Grand Rapids, Michigan, my hometown. It was just striking to me what a multiplier effect we have with the AmeriCorps program. The room was filled with volunteers, but not all of them were AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps had energized a lot of different organizations and a lot of different volunteers to put in time during the course of the past year, and many of them received rewards because of the quality of work they did. I was not only happy to see that the Federal Government had assisted in the formation of this group but also that we were getting so much for so little Federal money because the AmeriCorps people working there who did receive some Federal funds had, in fact, recruited a large number of other people to work with them, and so we accomplished a great deal in my community with very, very little Federal funding. I think that serves as a model for the Nation. Nationwide, AmeriCorps provides 85,000 opportunities annually to serve communities from across the Nation and gives Americans the opportunity to offer their services in tutoring and mentoring disadvantaged youth, fighting illiteracy, building affordable housing, and assisting communities in times of natural disaster. In fact, there was a group of volunteers yesterday who were supposed to receive a reward for all their good work with Habitat for Humanity, and they were not there to receive it because they were putting up another house. That's an example of how these efforts are multiplied throughout the different communities. A couple of examples of this ongoing service include AmeriCorps members assisting the American Red Cross in managing shelters for residents who have evacuated their homes due to the flooding brought on by the heavy rain in Nashville, Tennessee, and partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank in greater New Orleans to assemble and ship emergency food boxes bound for the Louisiana coastal fishing communities whose livelihood is being impacted by the recent oil spill. I want to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues Ms. Matsui, Mr. Platts, Mr. Price and others for introducing this resolution with me. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding me a generous amount of time. I rise to speak, because I am the principal Republican--in fact, perhaps the only Republican--cosponsor of the bill. But it's a very worthy bill, and I believe we should present that side of it as well. I must say, I share the concerns of my Republican colleagues about the cost and where the money is going to come from to pay for it, but I have to also say that I think the value of this bill is so much greater than many of the other bills we pass that I'm certain we could find the funds for it if we need to. Let me just comment as a physicist, which is what I am, and say a little bit about energy. First of all, energy is the most basic resource that we have, and there's very little we can do without energy. If you look back through history, you find that the great changes in the history of our planet and the people living on our planet arose with new developments in energy. For example, agriculture never really succeeded until people discovered they could hitch a plow to an oxen or a horse, and use animal energy to supplement human energy. Later on, the Industrial Revolution took place. Why and when did that happen? Because people in developed countries had discovered they could use energy in other forms to perform the work that people had been doing. I'm talking about, for example, hydropower, getting energy from water running over mill wheels and so forth. But also, other types of energy were developed about that time; such as burning coal to extract energy from it or using coal to generate electricity, and use that power to drive the machinery that was necessary in the mills and the factories at that time. We are now in an era of multiple uses and multiple sources of energy, but the energy we are using is not that abundant. We are depleting our supplies of fossil fuels, particularly oil and coal, and also natural gas. Even though we have found some new gas resources recently, if you look at the numbers you can calculate very precisely when we are going to run out. The cheapest way to develop new sources of energy is by conserving the energy we use now. I'm just going to say that again because it's so important. If we simply use our energy efficiently, and we conserve energy when we can, we can solve most of our energy shortage problems for the next 30 to 40 years. That's why I think this bill is very important, because it stimulates the use of our ingenuity to reduce the amount of energy that we need to use. I have had personal experience with this. Some years ago, I got tired of paying exorbitant gas bills to keep our home warm, and so I did the things that this bill advocates; in other words, proper insulation, and doing exactly what you can to prevent loss of energy, et cetera. It worked. Since then, my gas bill for heating my house is down about a third of what it was before. Now that's a lot of money we're talking about, and every American would love to save that amount of money on their utility bill every year. That's what this bill will provide. It also helps educate or train the people who will be installing the energy-saving technology in individuals' homes or in factories, plants, and so forth. This does work. The EPA did it some years ago, with their Green Lights program. The EPA went around to most of the business buildings in this country, factories or stores or whatever, and did an analysis of the energy that was used to provide lighting for the buildings, and they discovered that they could save a tremendous amount of money. They also calculated what the payback time would be if the owner of the factory or the store implemented their recommendation. The average payback time was on the order of 2 to 3 years. Now, you show a businessman how he can save money and in the process get a payback time for his investment of only a few years, they're going to do it. That program was exceedingly successful. And it worked. That's exactly the type of model we're dealing with here. So I urge the passage of the bill. I hope it is successful. I hope we can resolve the issue of where the money is going to come from so that we have uniform support of this on both sides of the aisle, all across our nation.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to praise the students, their families and educators at East Kentwood High School, located in my Congressional District, who won the Region Three Award during the national finals of the 2010 ``We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution'' competition. The students and teacher participating in this year's program have shown the nation the high standard of talent and education found in West Michigan. The students studied for months before coming to Washington, DC, for the national finals. The team participated in a mock congressional hearing to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles in the U.S. Constitution. The team won local and state ``We the People'' contests to qualify for the national competition. I would like to recognize the following students from East Kentwood High School for their outstanding performance: Tacy Allan, Heather Anderson, Brandan Bilski, Sam Broecker, Austin Calloway, Jessica Dippel, Christian Erwin, Natalie Eyke, Brandon Gafford, Alex Giarmo, Gurgen Grigoryan, Erin Letherby, Ian Macneil, Gwenevere Mueller, Brynley Nadziejka, Julia Nguyen, Taylor Sanchez, and Roger Taylor. Their teacher, Deb Snow, also deserves a great deal of recognition for instilling these students with a passion to learn and providing them with the knowledge they needed to succeed. I would also like to commend the Center for Civic Education for putting on the ``We the People'' program and providing resources to schools in my district to help educators teach students about the U.S. Constitution. I cannot overstate how important it is for students to graduate from high school with a comprehensive understanding of how our government works. ``We the People'' programs should be recognized for promoting civic education, and I am pleased that it has had such a big impact in my district. Also worthy of special recognition are Linda Start and Jim Troost, the state coordinators, and Susan Laninga, the district coordinator who are responsible for implementing the ``We the People'' program in my district. I am very proud of the students, their families and teacher at East Kentwood High School for winning the Region Three Award in the ``We the People'' competition, and I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating them for their achievement.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 229 I was detained in the Attending Physician's Office, and arrived on the House floor too late to be recorded on this rollcall. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for yielding. I am a great believer in volunteer efforts, and I believe that is what makes our Nation tick. And I think it is especially appropriate to educate children and young adults at a very early age to become involved in volunteer work. Global Youth Service Day is a major means of implementing that, and bringing to children the awareness of and importance of volunteer work, and also developing ways to make volunteer work seem interesting and fun to the youth of our Nation. I do have to warn them, however, as I have learned myself, volunteer service can lead to the halls of Congress. I would have never been elected to office, never even would have become politically active without my volunteer activities. But I soon learned when engaging in volunteer activities and helping people that much of the problems I was trying to solve should have been solved by the local elected officials. And with some friends we got together and got some very good people elected. Never did I suspect that I might myself someday be called upon to do the same thing and follow a path that led to Congress. The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act is a wonderful device to give recognition to the youth of this Nation, gives an opportunity for us to recognize the service that they have rendered, and also calls on the President of the United States to encourage people of the United States to observe this day and make it clear to young people what marvelous opportunities for volunteerism they have. There are many different ways in which the youth can contribute to the functioning of the Nation, but two that come to mind as being especially useful are, one, helping the elderly who often have trouble adjusting to new homes or who simply don't know how to handle the electronics of the new abodes that they've moved into. Another method is working with the young people of this Nation, with the very young people--the children who are having trouble with how to read or who are having trouble learning math. This is a wonderful opportunity for younger people who have more experience with science and mathematics and who are able to communicate their love of science and mathematics to help the young people around them. So it is with pleasure that I rise. It is with great pleasure that I am a cosponsor of this resolution. I think it is an extremely important issue. I thank Ms. DeLauro and Ms. Woolsey for their working on this as well. This is a golden opportunity for all of us to express our gratitude to the young people of this world who continue to act as volunteers in so many different ways and in meaningful ways which will direct their careers as well as will help the Nation.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise to urge the House to take up and pass H.R. 1132, which would extend the short line railroad tax credit as soon as possible. This credit creates immediate jobs, leverages significant amounts of private infrastructure investment and helps preserve much needed rail service to rural and small town America. This credit has produced significant results since its enactment in 2004. Unfortunately the credit expired at the end of 2009. Nationally there are over 500 short line railroads operating 50,000 miles or nearly one quarter of the country's rail network. In my own state of Michigan, short lines operate 52 percent of the states total rail network and almost all of that is in areas no longer served by the large Class I railroads. The majority of Michigan's agricultural products that move by rail move by short line rail. Today's short lines are small businesses that saved the track the large national railroads would otherwise have abandoned. This tax credit has played a critical role in helping preserve this valuable transportation infrastructure. If we do not extend it soon, the 2010 work season will be lost and with it we will lose a very cost efficient way to create jobs and rehabilitate our rail infrastructure. Currently, H.R. 1132 is co-sponsored by a bi-partisan majority of the House, 259 Members. Surely with that kind of support we can find a way to enact this legislation before it is too late to enjoy its benefits in 2010, a year in which Michigan desperately needs new jobs.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 205, I missed the vote on H. Res. 1062, due to an important vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am sorry I arrived late for this debate, but I was speaking at the National Academy of Engineering. I simply want to speak on the record in support of this bill. It is essentially the same bill that I introduced several years ago when we were in the majority, and it did pass then. The major change now is of course increased funding because of the increased need that has occurred. The hypoxia and harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, are nationwide problems that have grown tremendously in the last decade, not just in the Gulf of Mexico, but also in the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, California, the Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere. This is a problem that just simply has to be dealt with. It is hurting the fishing industry tremendously. I recognize that there is concern about the cost of the bill. First of all, I am sure we will not be appropriating as much money as is authorized. But secondly, you have to measure the effect on commerce of this bill, particularly the commercial fishing industry, but also the safety of the tourist industry. If we do not correct this problem and it continues to spread, we will soon find the tourist industry off the southern coast, particularly Florida and the Gulf States and also Texas, will be injured because people will simply not be able to use the waters and will vacation elsewhere. This could create additional problems. I won't go into all the details on that. I do have a prepared statement which I will submit. But I just wanted to go on record as supporting this bill very strongly. I have worked with Mr. Baird. I was the sponsor a few years ago, and he helped me then. He is the sponsor now, and I have helped him. And I just want to encourage the body to vote for this bill and adopt it. The cost issue is certainly a legitimate one. It always is. But I think that is best addressed through the appropriations process. But certainly there is the need to go after this HAB problem scientifically and find out why the problem is becoming so much worse, and what we can do to stop it. I am hoping that through research we can stop it at far less cost than we are talking about in this bill. But we won't know until we do the research and get into the details of the problem. I again thank the ranking member, Mr. Hall, who has done yeoman work on the committee this year. I thank him for yielding time to me, and thank him for all the good work he has done. I urge the body to adopt this particular bill. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that today the House is considering H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010. Hypoxia and harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, are nationwide problems that affect our coastal and Great Lakes communities. The damaging effects of HABs and hypoxia are felt in locations including the Chesapeake Bay, California, the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. Less than two weeks ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a warning indicating the potential for a major bloom in New England this summer that may threaten the shellfish industry. These blooms have major economic consequences for our country, and must be prevented. In 1998, Congress passed a three-year bill authorizing HAB and hypoxia research programs, with a focus on the ``dead zone'' in the Gulf of Mexico and Pfiesteria in the Chesapeake Bay. The Act was reauthorized in 2004, and added freshwater, such as the Great Lakes, as an important area for HAB and hypoxia research. It also increased the participation of local resource managers in developing HAB and hypoxia research plans; ensuring that the research was prioritized to address the questions facing people working with HABs and hypoxia on a daily basis. Also, the bill required that all research funding be administered through a competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed process. The amendments we are considering today strengthen the algal bloom research activities at NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and improve the communication and coordination between the many federal, state and local stakeholders. The bill would facilitate a clear national strategy for research in both marine and freshwater environments, and reauthorize activities through 2015. One comment on the process; I am aware that modifications have been made to the legislation since it was considered by the Science and Technology Committee, and that some of these modifications fall within this committee's jurisdiction. While I understand there are necessary technical changes following markups, I do believe the consideration of substantive changes should take place in a manner that all committee members have the opportunity to voice their input. I understand that Subcommittee Chairman Baird will detail these changes on the floor, and I thank him for his efforts to share this information with all Members. I am pleased that Chairmen Baird and Gordon and Ranking Member Hall have worked diligently within the Science and Technology Committee and other Committees of jurisdiction to bring this bill expeditiously to the floor of the House. This bill will help us improve our understanding of these phenomena so that we can accurately predict their occurrence and develop tools for improved detection and mitigation of these problems. I urge the House to pass this bill.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my thanks to Congressman Dale Kildee for his honorable service to the State of Michigan over the last 33 years. It has been a privilege to serve with him for half of that time. Congressman Kildee's diligence and commitment to voting is unrivaled, having missed only 27 votes in his entire career. His consecutive vote streak of 8,141 votes is admirable, not only for its unprecedented nature, but because it shows his commitment to taking a stand on the issues. Of the votes that Congressman Kildee has cast, many have been in support of important education reforms and our auto and manufacturing industries. I have enjoyed working with him on the Education and Labor Committee and, as a fellow educator, I have always appreciated his approach and commitment to improving our nation's schools. On a personal note, Congressman Kildee has been a great friend and a good example to me and every Member of Congress. The State of Michigan has been well represented by Congressman Kildee, and I hope he will be able to cast another 20,000 votes!

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4462. On January 12, Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7 earthquake, which devastated the country and people of Haiti. I have lived for approximately a dozen years in earthquake country, and I know how serious an earthquake of this magnitude is. I wish to extend my deepest sympathy to the families who have lost loved ones in this horrible tragedy. Even in the face of this disaster, the people of the world have united in response through prayer, monetary donations, and critical humanitarian aid. In fact, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported yesterday that over $275 million has already been generously donated worldwide. I am again humbled by the efforts of humanitarian aid groups based in west Michigan, which has a long history of charitable giving in times of need. The response to this natural disaster has proved no different. I'm grateful to my constituents for their compassion and generosity, which has existed for many years. Humanitarian aid groups in Grand Rapids that are contributing to the relief effort include Rays of Hope for Haiti, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, the Red Cross, and countless others. Even a global corporation located in my district is en route with several flights this week to Haiti, transporting medical supplies and a medical team. The extraordinary efforts by all of these groups are to be commended. While our country and the world respond to emergency needs in Haiti, I have heard from many in my community who echo my fervent requests to provide additional assistance to the orphans in Haiti. I ask for your continued prayers for the children of Haiti who will soon be united with their adoptive families here in the United States, and especially for those who have been orphaned in the wake of last Tuesday's tragedy. I also urge the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to greatly speed up the adoption process and visa procedures for not only the orphans already in process but also for all the children who became orphans due to the death of their parents in the horrible earthquake. I urge my constituents and all Americans to donate to a reputable charity organization for earthquake relief in Haiti. I am very pleased that former Presidents Bush and Clinton are leading efforts through the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund. This bill, H.R. 4462, will allow taxpayers to deduct their donations from their 2009 taxes, and it is my hope that all people who are able will offer their support to the people of Haiti. May God bless and comfort the people of Haiti.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to Republican Leadership standards, I am submitting the following information regarding projects I received funding for as part of as part of the conference report to the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 3288), which were not included in House-passed appropriations bills: Requesting Member: Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Agency: Department of Health & Human Services Account: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)--Health Facilities and Services. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Cherry Street Health Services Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Cherry St., SE., Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Description of Request: The bill provides $400,000 for Cherry Street Health Services for facilities and equipment. Cherry Street (community health center), Touchstone Innovare (mental health services) and ProAction (substance abuse/mental health treatment) are developing an integrated care system in which patients in need of both mental health and physical health care will be involved in an integrated plan of treatment in which both medical and mental health professionals from different agencies work together in the same office space to complete a plan of treatment, a valuable use of taxpayer funds. In order to provide services to an increased number of patients, the three agencies are building a 92,000 sq. ft. building that will house the operations of the three organizations. The medical, dental and vision care equipment requested will be used in the operation of a federally qualified health center for the treatment of low- income patients most of whom would otherwise not have access to primary health care services. Requesting Member: Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Agency: Federal Transit Administration Account: Buses and Bus Facilities Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Rapid Address of Requesting Entity: 300 Ellsworth Ave., SW., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503 Description of Request: The bill provides $1,948,000 for the Rapid's Wealthy Operations Center Expansion in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The funding was requested by the Rapid. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will allow the Rapid, the region's largest public transportation service, to expand to accommodate growth needs over the next 30 years.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I certainly support making health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans. Perhaps I'm naive, but I had hoped that we would have been able to produce a bipartisan bill that I could gladly vote for. Such is not the case. We were not even given the courtesy by the other party of taking part in writing this bill and presenting ideas which could be included in the bill. The status quo in the health care system is unacceptable. We must make health care more affordable and accessible than it is. But this bill is even less acceptable than the current health care system. This bill will result in large tax increases, as we've heard, which is absolutely the last thing that my State of Michigan needs because we are struggling so hard with the economy the way it is. This proposed bill is basically a government takeover. What am I looking for? I'm looking for health care quality. That, to me, means getting the treatment you need, when you need it, from the doctor you choose. This bill does nothing to provide that. Time is a great health care killer among governments. We looked at other countries. They may have very good plans, but if you need an MRI today and you have to wait for 6 months, you are not getting good health care. We want to make sure that the plan we develop provides the health care you need, when you need it, from the doctor you choose. I truly hope that, in the future, as we go through the conference process with the Senate, that our Republican ideas will be incorporated as well as the Democratic ideas, and that we really produce the best bill we can. We did that with Medicare. We tried to do it with Medicare part D, and I would hope that the Democratic Party, instead of just glorying in their bill, and doing their own thing, and ignoring the Republicans, would, in fact, work with us and try to produce a bill that is good for the country, for the people, and especially for those who need medical care.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, on November 14, 2009, Northrop Grumman will lay the keel of the first ship of the new Gerald R. Ford class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), in Newport News, Virginia. Susan Ford Bales, the daughter of President Ford, is the ship's sponsor and will serve as the keel authenticator for the ceremony. President Ford was a good friend of mine, and I am honored to hold his former seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2006, I supported an amendment to the 2007 national defense authorization bill, offered by then Senator John Warner, which expressed the sense of Congress that the CVN-78 should be named after President Gerald R. Ford. On January 16, 2007, the U.S. Navy followed Congress's instruction and announced that CVN-78 would be so named. Consequently, CVN-78 and other carriers built to the same design all will be referred to as ``Ford class carriers.'' The Gerald R. Ford class carrier design is the successor to the Nimitz class design, and it incorporates several improvements, such as allowing more sorties per day and requiring fewer sailors for its operations and maintenance. Expected to enter into service in 2015, the U.S.S. Gerald Ford, and its Ford class successors, will ensure that the U.S. Navy, and policymakers, will continue to have the assets they need to adequately defend our nation and protect our allies and interests around the globe. President Ford served his country honorably and faithfully for more than 60 years, first as a Navy officer during World War II, then as a Congressman, Vice President and finally as President and former President. I believe it is fitting that we name this next class of aircraft carriers after President Ford, and I look forward to monitoring the future success of the U.S.S. Ford.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in support of this bill, the Coast Guard reauthorization for fiscal year 2010. It is a shame that Congress has not been able to pass this reauthorization for the past 3 years, although it is not due to a lack of effort on the part of the House of Representatives. Although there are many good provisions in this bill worth noting, I would like to talk briefly about a provision that was not included in this year's bill, ballast water management. As an environmentalist and a protector of our Great Lakes, I believe we must act quickly and properly on ballast water management. Although aquatic invasive species enter into our ecosystems through many different pathways, such as natural migration, attaching themselves to ships and aquaculture, the most common pathway is through ballast water. Ballast water is pumped onboard a ship to control its stability at sea. Ships often take on ballast water at a foreign port and discharge it at their USA destination port. When a ship pumps harbor water into its ballast tanks, it usually also sucks up aquatic species from that harbor. When those ballast tanks are emptied, those often-dangerous species are introduced into a new ecosystem and they may perpetuate as an invasive species. Since some ships are capable of holding millions of gallons of ballast water, the potential for spreading invasive species is unavoidable. Once an invasive species takes hold in a new environment, it has the ability to disrupt the balance of an ecosystem and cause significant environmental and economic harm. The amount of harm caused to this Nation enters the tens of billions of dollars in damage each year. For example, zebra mussels have cost the various entities in the Great Lakes Basin an estimated $5 billion for expenses related to cleaning water-intake pipes, purchasing filtration equipment and so forth. Sea lamprey control measures in the Great Lakes cost approximately $10 million to $15 million annually. On top of these expenses, there is the cost of lost fisheries due to these invaders. For these reasons, combating aquatic invasive species is a central element of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration strategy and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Last year, I worked closely with Chairman Oberstar to include a title on Ballast Water Management in the Coast Guard bill, which would have created a uniform national standard for ballast water treatment. The goal was to have no living organisms in ballast water discharged by ships after 2013. Although I would have liked this bill to once again include a provision on ballast water management, I am cognizant that this provision may be one of the reasons this bill has been held up in the Senate. However, I believe Congress must act, and that there must be a uniform national standard. A patchwork of different State laws is untenable, especially in the Great Lakes where a ship may visit numerous ports in numerous different States, not to mention Canada. Therefore, I look forward to working with the Chairman to address ballast water management in another bill very soon. By spending millions of dollars preventing aquatic invasive species from entering our waters now, we can avoid spending billions of dollars trying to control and manage them once they are here. The adage, ``an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'' may have never been more appropriate.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3819, extending the current commercial space transportation liability regime through the end of 2012. The economic competitiveness of the U.S. commercial launch industry is vital to our national interests. Domestic commercial launch services are an integral part of our Nation's infrastructure and high-technology economy. Commercial launch services are used to launch a variety of U.S. civil and national security payloads, including communications, weather, remote sensing, GPS, and other systems. We can scarcely imagine a society today which does not need to have those particular devices available. The current commercial space launch indemnification regime has been in place since 1988 and has been renewed four times. It has helped protect U.S. commercial launch providers against catastrophic third- party liability when conducting FAA-licensed launch activities. Since its inception, there has never been a loss that would trigger this regime, and Congress has never had to appropriate any funds. By ensuring adequate liability coverage, this system has strengthened U.S. competitiveness in a global space launch market, and it has enabled private-sector investment to develop new entries into the market. In other words, this regime has worked well by not being used. It has cost nothing, and it has given our space enterprises a big boost. Over the last 20 years, competition from foreign launch providers, including China, France, India, and Russia, has grown significantly. At the same time, the overall number of launch opportunities has decreased. The commercial space transportation liability regime enables U.S. launch providers to operate without ``betting the company'' with every launch. In a competitive market with narrow returns, this has been a vital link in strengthening this vital industry. I join with the Chair of the Science Committee in urging my colleagues to support the U.S. commercial launch industry and to vote for H.R. 3819.

Mr. EHLERS. I have no other speakers, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 793, supporting the goals and ideals of National Chemistry Week. This year marks the 21st anniversary of National Chemistry Week. It is a concept that was first introduced in 1987 by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society and one of the premier scientific societies in our Nation. Over the past 20 years, this annual event has proven to be a great success, and it will continue this week with various events, celebrating the impact chemistry has made on our society from the very beginning. Designed to reach out to the public, especially elementary and secondary schoolchildren, the National Chemistry Week program will emphasize the importance of chemistry in everyday life with this year's theme, ``Chemistry--It's Elemental,'' which will celebrate the Periodic Table of Elements. Created 140 years ago this year by Dmitri Mendeleev, the Periodic Table of Elements articulates the very basis of the universe, and it consists of common elements used in our everyday lives as well as some fairly exotic elements which are rarely used in our everyday lives. Activities for the week will highlight the history of elements, the roles elements play in everyday life, the common and not-so-common uses of elements, and the history of the periodic table. This week is a wonderful opportunity for the public to engage in various events designed to increase the knowledge and awareness of chemistry's everyday effects. More than 10,000 volunteers from local areas, businesses and schools will unite this week to educate millions of children across the country. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring all those who are volunteering their time and who are promoting these various activities through National Chemistry Week. I would just like to add a few personal observations of things that I've encountered during my lifetime as a scientist. I'm a physicist, not a chemist; but I have learned some chemistry. I remember speaking to a group about environmental issues sometime back, and a lady came up to me afterwards, and was very concerned--actually, I would say distressed. She said, I'm terribly concerned about all these chemicals today and what's happening to us and what it's doing to us and our bodies. I said, Well, that's certainly something to be concerned about. Do you have any chemicals specifically that you're worried about? She said, No, no. All of them. So I asked her if she liked to eat oranges. She said, Oh, yes, I love oranges. I said, In spite of the fact that they're filled with chemicals? She said she didn't know they were filled with chemicals. I said, Well, yes, things like vitamin C and lots of other foods and chemicals that are very useful to your body. The point that I made to her is that the question is not so much the chemicals; it's which chemicals. We have to recognize which are bad chemicals for individuals to ingest or to breathe and which ones are very good for us and are, in fact, very healthy. That's the point of what the Chemical Society is trying to develop here, that chemistry is an integral part of life. It is not bad in and of itself. In fact, it can be good in and of itself, but we should be aware as legislators and as scientists of the many great things that we have developed using chemistry which have improved living for people in this Nation and in other nations throughout the world. So let's all join in this particular effort. Let's recognize the tremendous strides we have taken forward thanks to chemistry and, for that matter, physics and other sciences. Let's recognize that these are, by and large, good for the people and good for the Nation. Let's all join in this great event which recognizes what the American Chemical Society and chemists in general have done for the past few years. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all I want to commend the previous speaker, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa). We work together on the Education Committee, and I have always admired his deep interest in science and his desire to make science available to and comprehensible to everyone in this Nation, including those who have not had the opportunity to study it in elementary or high school. I commend him for his deep interest. Whenever I have needed help on this issue of science and science education, Mr. Hinojosa has jumped into the fray with me, so I want to take a minute to commend him on that. I also want to commend the Chair of the Science Committee, who has also been very helpful in these efforts. As most Members know, I was a professor for many years, a professor of physics. I taught every course at the college level, from the simplest to the most complicated. I have never lost my love for teaching, and particularly my effort to improve science education in the elementary and secondary schools. Mr. Hinojosa pointed out that if we do not produce a generation of scientists out of those students who are currently in elementary and secondary school, our Nation in the future will suffer because of that. On the next topic which will be coming to the floor, I will say more about that. It's absolutely essential that we recognize how important it is for our students to learn these subjects. Parents must realize that. I always tell the students, if you really want to make certain you have a job after you get out of college, study science. You may end up in medicine, as the Speaker pro tempore has, or you may end up in other fields. But it's quite likely you are not going to get as good a job if you don't bother to learn science. This is just the nature of the world today.

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

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 558, supporting computer science and the designation of National Computer Science Education Week, and I yield myself so much time as I may consume. The purpose of this particular resolution is multifold. One, it's to recognize the importance of computer science and computer science education. Secondly, it is to recognize that we are falling behind as a nation in the number of computer scientists that we graduate. I had no idea of this until last year when I was visited by one of my constituents. The purpose of this resolution is also to honor that constituent, as well as Dr. Grace Hopper. The constituent who took the time to visit me was Professor Joel Adams. He is the Chair of the Computer Science Department at Calvin College, a stellar liberal arts college located in my district in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He pointed out to me something that I was totally unaware of, even though I thought I kept up with all the problems in science. He told me he was very concerned about the small number of computer scientists that we are graduating, and was particularly concerned about the lack of students entering into computer science, either taking computer science courses in high school or majoring in computer sciences in their college or university careers. Without the students enrolling in this field we are, of course, going to have a shortage of individuals in the future to develop computer science theory and practice in the United States of America. Therefore, I commend Professor Adams for bringing this to my attention. I also will commend in a few moments Dr. Hopper, who has been very effective in bringing computer science down to the level of elementary students. I am very pleased today that we are considering this resolution, which turns our attention to the issue of computer science education. As you know, I have spent much time in Congress fighting for research in education, particularly education in the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, all of which are collectively called STEM. I believe these STEM subjects hold special promise for the future of our Nation, and that it is very critical that all of our Nation's students receive a foundation in STEM. This helps develop well-rounded citizens and also may prepare some students to become the innovators of tomorrow. As a former teacher, I always enjoy speaking to students in high schools, and I always have a little bit of fun with them, too, because high school students, out of custom, I think, tend not to want to study too hard and tend not to want to study too much science. Some people would say those go hand in hand. But I always remind them of one thing. I ask them a question, first of all, who is the richest person in the world? Well, they all know that. Bill Gates. How did he start out? Computer science. Is he a nerd? No, he's not a nerd. I said, Yes, he is. I know him personally, and he is a nerd of the first order. I say it's very important what courses you take in high school, because I can tell you one thing. When you get out and start looking for a job, you either are going to be a nerd or you are going to work for a nerd. Now which would you rather do? Of course at that point they say, Well, I guess I'd rather be a nerd. At any rate, somehow we have to reach the high school students and make them recognize that these issues are very important to their future. It is very nice to have acronyms to catch these general areas, as we do in talking about STEM education, but the lines between these disciplines blur quickly when you step into the classroom and into the real world. One of the areas where we are facing a really unique challenge is in computer science. It is very important that students in K-12 are exposed to computer science, and we have a shortage of teachers in high schools who are able to teach it in a meaningful way. Many students do not get a chance to learn about it in school, and even when they have a chance, they may not learn it as well as they should. The lack of understanding of computer science and how it fuels innovation in STEM disciplines contributes to a lack of interest in computing careers, especially among women and underrepresented minorities, whose participation rates in computer science are among the lowest of any scientific field. By introducing students to computer science at an early age and providing them with learning experience in computer science at all educational levels, we can reverse this trend and expand and diversify our technology workforce. Computing technology and the innovation it yields are transforming our world and are critical to our global competitiveness, particularly our economic competitiveness. However, we are not preparing an adequate and diverse workforce to meet the ever-growing demand for the information technology sector, which includes some of the country's most innovative and successful companies. A 2009 Computer Science Teachers Association study shows that even in schools which employ computer science teachers, only a little more than half of the schools offer introductory courses in computer science, and the number of course offerings are declining. Given the enormous importance of these skills, we need to understand how to attract more students to these courses early in their education. To raise awareness about the challenges facing computer science education, the resolution before us today designates National Computer Science Education Week. The week of December 7 has been chosen to honor the birthday of Grace Murray Hopper, one of the first female computer scientists. Dr. Hopper is best known for her 1953 invention of the compiler, the intermediate computer language that translates English language instructions into computer language. She came up with the compiler, she said, because she was ``lazy'' and hoped that ``the programmer may return to being a mathematician.'' Her work on compilers and getting machines to understand language instructions ultimately resulted in the COBOL business language. I can say from personal experience I deeply appreciate the work she did, because when I first started using computers in 1957, I was writing programs in assembly language. It is just one step above the computer language itself. It was laborious, painstaking work to try to get the computer to understand what I was trying to do. Today, of course, we program in English or some other language and are able to accomplish much more as a result. A mathematician by training, Dr. Hopper taught mathematics, served in the military, and held a vast variety of positions throughout her life in both the public and private sector. Her pioneering work, particularly in computer languages, underpins many of the tools used in today's digital computing. I would like to share a quick anecdote about Dr. Hopper, as recounted by Merry Maisel of the San Diego Supercomputer Center. ``Most of us remember seeing Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper on television. We recall a charming, tiny white-haired lady in a Navy uniform with a lot of braid, admonishing a class of young naval officers to remember their nanoseconds. The `nanoseconds' she handed out were lengths of wire, cut to not quite 12 inches in length, equal to the distance traveled by electromagnetic waves along the wire in the space of a nanosecond--one billionth of a second. In teaching efficient programming methods, Rear Admiral Hopper wanted to make sure her students ``would not waste nanoseconds,'' and we are talking about the nanoseconds of computer operation. ``Occasionally, to make the demonstration even more powerful, she would bring to class an entire `microsecond,' a coil of wire nearly 1,000 feet long that the rear admiral, herself tough and wiry, would brandish with a sweeping gesture and a steady wrist.'' Dr. Hopper passed away in 1992. I am glad to honor her legacy with the designation of National Computer Science Education Week, as I also honor Professor Adams for calling to my attention the current shortfall in computer scientists. This resolution also promotes cutting-edge professional development for teachers in order to encourage students to be exposed to computer science concepts and support researching ways to increase participation in this field. Without professional development, we will not train and retrain the necessary workforce to provide the education students need in computer science. I hope my colleagues will join me today in recognizing the importance of computer science education and honoring the memory of Grace Murray Hopper. I would particularly like to thank my distinguished colleague from Colorado, Mr. Polis, for his early and steadfast support for this resolution and his work on it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I will make some closing comments. I thank the gentleman from Colorado for his comments. He knows whereof he speaks. He did a lot of good work in this area before he came to the Congress. He has been very helpful in the Education Committee in addressing these issues, and I appreciate that effort. I think the key is to get children started in computer science at an early age. They love to deal with computers when they are doing video games and things of that sort. It is not too much of a leap to get them thinking about programming the computers, and that is the kind of knowledge that we need to develop in this Nation if we are going to remain competitive in the years ahead on the international scene. So, I am delighted to recognize computer scientists in general, and I hope we do a better job of producing more and better computer scientists in this Nation so that we indeed will remain competitive and continue to lead the world in this particular area. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 797 and yield myself so much time as I may consume. It seems that nearly every facet of our lives, professional and personal, relies on computers and the Internet in some fashion-- communication, transportation, shopping, medicine, entertainment, and the list goes on. It is not an understatement to say that information technology has become one of the main components of our everyday American lives, and as such, we are left more and more vulnerable to cyberattacks, viruses, worms, and identity theft. As our Nation depends more heavily on this technology, both proactive and reactive cybersecurity are essential. In order to raise awareness of the importance of cybersecurity, the National Cyber Security Alliance has declared the month of October as Cyber Security Awareness Month. All month long, the NCSA is sponsoring events and programs to raise awareness of the importance of cybersecurity. The National Cyber Security Alliance is the preeminent public-private partnership, working with the Department of Homeland Security, corporate sponsors, and nonprofit collaborators to promote cybersecurity awareness for home users, small and medium size businesses, and primary and secondary education. We all have a role in sustaining our cyberinfrastructure, which is essentially this year's theme, ``Our Shared Responsibility.'' The NCSA offers many tips for individuals and businesses alike to help protect themselves from cyberattacks. StaySafeOnline.org is a Web site created by the NCSA to provide education on all of the different aspects and issues related to cybersecurity. All of the organizations and agencies involved in National Cyber Security Awareness Month have put forth a great effort in raising awareness and helping us as Americans become better, more responsible computer users. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 797, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, if the majority has no additional speakers, then I will proceed to close. We have had a lot of good discussion here about cybersecurity, but a word that hasn't popped up as much is cyberwarfare, and that is by far the most dangerous situation facing our Nation today. Cybersecurity is indeed a major issue and we need protection from thieves trying to steal our bank accounts, et cetera. But the real difficulty we face as a Nation occurs because we are so vulnerable. We are so advanced technologically, that we are vulnerable to attacks of all types from many enemies of different backgrounds and different abilities. It is a sad commentary today that a powerful, strong nation such as the United States of America can be the victim of a very small nation or even a small group of individuals seeking to do us harm using cyberwarfare. I myself did not realize the extent of this until some years ago. I was selected as a rapporteur of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Science Committee to write a report on cyberwarfare; and it was simply astounding to learn the risks that we face as a wealthy, well-established, highly developed nation simply because we make such great use of cyberknowledge and cybertechniques that we are automatically very vulnerable in the area of cyberwarfare. I appreciate the gentlelady from New York bringing this to our attention. We have a lot of work to do here, not just in the military, but in many civilian sectors as well. The warning is here. The alarm has been rung. Let's make sure that, as a nation, we go ahead and defend ourselves as we should against this very, very highly technological but very dangerous new activity. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.