Vernon Ehlers

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 4030, the Congressional Medal for Outstanding Contributions in Math and Science Education. This bill recognizes the outstanding contributions of the private sector in math and science education. The private sector has created many good programs to inspire and educate the next generations of scientists. Establishing a Congressional Medal will identify, honor, and disseminate these excellent educational programs. Science and math education as well as technical training are important and have enormous and pressing need. Science and technology underpin our economic strength and national security. Innovation and productivity gains cannot be sustained without a scientifically literate workforce. Here is a very important point: Jobs of the future will require an understanding of the basic concepts and principles of science and mathematics. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects that 10 of the fastest growing industries and occupations from 2002 to 2012 will be in the high-technology fields. All workers from office assistants to rocket scientists will need a fundamental understanding of math, science, and engineering as well as technical know-how to succeed. I cannot overemphasize the importance of this because the kids who are in schools today will need that education to have good-quality jobs in the future. Unfortunately, currently a full third of U.S. students perform below basic levels in science and math on assessment tests. At the advanced level, only two out of every 100 high school graduates will obtain an engineering or advanced degree, while the numbers are even more dismal for women and minorities who choose to go on in math and science. There is no quick fix for these problems. Government and the private sector must work with the education and scientific communities to educate and inspire our children and prepare them to compete in the global knowledge-based economy. It is very important to recognize that nations such as India and China have deliberately improved their math and science education and are producing far more scientists and engineers today than they did previously. And while their enrollments and graduation rates are increasing, our graduation rates for engineers have decreased steadily for the past 20 years. H.R. 4030 recognizes businesses' achievements in improving math and science education and provides incentive for future participation. I applaud the efforts of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) for developing the bill and the leadership of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon), in moving the bill through committee. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 4030.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I commend the chairman of the committee for his hard work on this bill. It is very difficult to allocate these funds. He has tried to allocate them as fairly as possible. The difficulty is the donor States such as my State want a guarantee that they will get a certain amount of money back, and that is precisely what this amendment does. The State of Michigan over the years has contributed $1.71 billion more to the Federal highway funds than it has received back. They are 48th in the list of 50 States as to how much we get back from the Federal Government compared to the amount of money we send there. This is a very sore point in Michigan. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will guarantee a rate of return for my State, and that is extremely important for my State, to receive that guarantee.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Our transportation system continues to face tremendous challenges. Tens of thousands of lives are lost each year on our highways. More drivers are driving more miles, causing severe congestion. An aging infrastructure is putting a strain on State and local transportation budgets. The public rightly demands safer, less congested roads and more transportation choices. Fundamental improvements to the entire transportation system depend on solid research. Solid research will translate to saved lives, saved money and saved time by providing the tools and information needed to produce solutions. How many of us have used an EZ Pass to breeze past congestion at a toll booth? Or been gently reminded to stay on the road by a rumble strip? Examples abound of these sorts of benefits gained by transportation research, such as research on pavements focuses on manipulating substances at the molecular level to create materials that are more durable and last significantly longer. This saves money, because more durable pavements need less maintenance and are replaced less frequently. It also saves time, reducing construction zones that are a major cause of congestion. Furthermore, research on transit focuses on how to make transit systems more cost-effective and efficient. Better transit systems give people more choices and save time by reducing the number of cars on the road. Research in the social sciences focuses on understanding how future changes in where people live and work will affect future transportation usage, so that planners can make early, smart investments to ensure that we meet future transportation needs. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards of the Committee on Science, I introduced H.R. 3551, the Surface Transportation Research and Development Act. This legislation, which was approved by the full Committee on Science on February 4, increases stakeholder input, expands competition and peer review of research proposals, and ensures greater accountability so that this research actually supports the goals of our transportation system. I am pleased that the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and his staff have worked very closely with me and my staff to incorporate much of the Surface Transportation Research and Development Act and its intent into TEA LU. While I wish we could have provided more funding for research, I must especially thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) for ensuring that, as funding for TEA LU was reduced from $375 billion to $275 billion, research was treated fairly. That was not the case 6 years ago during consideration of TEA 21. I especially wanted to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) for his pledge to work with me to continue to improve the research title and its funding as we discuss this issue with the Senate. Mr. Chairman, when most of us think about the highway bill, we ten to focus on funding levels for our States and projects. Few of us think about transportation research. But transportation research is fundamental to all aspects of our transportation system. How many of us have used an EZ Pass to breeze past congestion at a toll both? Or have been gently, or not so gently reminded to stay on he road by a rumble strip? How many of us have benefited from pavements that are quieter and last longer than they did 30 years ago? Every driver and passenger is better off today because of past investments in transportation research and technology development. Our transportation system continues to face tremendous challenges. Tens of thousands of lives are lost each year on our highways. More drivers are driving more miles, causing severe congestion. An aging infrastructure is putting a strain on State and local transpiration budgets. Changing patterns of where people live and work demand innovative planning for our future needs. The public rightly demands safer, less congested roads, and more transportation choices realizing that we can't simply build more roads to address all of these challenges, especially in urban areas, we must look for new ways to improve the overall system. Fundamental improvements to the entire transportation system depend on solid research, Solid research will translate to saved lives, saved money and saved time by providing the tools and information needed to produce solutions. For example: Research on pavements focuses on manipulating substances at the molecular level to create materials that are more durable and last significantly longer. This saves money, because more durable pavements need less maintenance and are replaced less frequently. It also saves time, reducing construction zones that are a major cause of congestion; Reseach on operations focuses on improving the design of dangerous merges and intersections. This research saves lives by providing planners the information to design safer roads. It also saves time by reducing accidents, which cause congestion; Research on transit focuses on how to make transit systems more cost- effective and efficient. Better transit systems give people more choices, and save time by reducing the number of cars on the road; and Research in the social sciences focuses on understanding how future changes in where people live and work will affect future transportation usage, so that planners can make early, smart investments to ensure that we meet future transportation needs at lower costs. As chairman of the Environment, Technology and Standards Subcommittee of the Committee on Science, I introduced H.R. 3551, the Surface Transportation Research and Development Act. This legislation, which was approved by the full Science Committee on February 4: Provides necessary but prudent increases to transportation research funding; Increases stakeholder input to ensure that the people who must implement and use the research agree that it is worthwhile and applicable; Creates the highest quality research through increased competition and peer review; and Ensures greater accountability so that this research actually supports the goals of our transportation system. I am pleased that Chairman Young and his staff have worked very closely with me, and my staff, to incorporate much of my legislation and its intent into TEA-LU. While I think we all agree that we wish we could have provided more funding for research, I must especially thank Mr. Young for ensuring that as funding for TEA-LU was reduced from $375 billion to $275 billion, research was treated fairly. That wasn't the case 6 years ago during consideration of TEA-21. And I want to thank Mr. Young for his pledge to work with me to continue to improve the research title and its funding in conference as we discuss these issues with the Senate.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I know that the Budget Committee weighed several pressing national priorities as it prepared the FY 2005 Budget Resolution, including the continuing war on terrorism, facilitating economic stimulus, and maintaining fiscal responsibility. I support the Budget Committee's determination to curb overall spending in this year's budget resolution. While I recognize that the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have critical funding needs, I am disappointed that Function 250, which includes basic scientific research and development, did not receive the same level of support. Function 250 was flat funded at $22.8 billion. This clearly does not provide necessary increases in critical basic science programs such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy's Office of Science. I am a strong advocate of these programs, and those at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), because scientific research and development underpins our economic and national security. Scientific research and development forms the foundation of defense and weapons development, increased innovation, and economic vitality. Scientific research is an investment that promises, and has historically delivered, significant returns on that investment. Basic research is essential to advances in medicine, military applications and continued economic prosperity, including the development of cancer therapies, GPS- or laser-guided missiles, and the Internet. NSF is also the primary source of Federal funding for nonmedical basic research at colleges and universities. It underwrites the education of the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technical workers. As a nation, we cannot afford to starve basic science research and education. Continued underfunding of scientific research and education will erode America's technical and scientific preeminence, diminish our ability to compete economically, and undermine our children's economic prosperity and national security. While I am disappointed that the FY 2005 Budget Resolution does not increase basic research funding in function 250, I, along with many colleagues who also support science funding, will fight for these programs during the appropriations process. Even in a tight budget year, we must remember that we cannot afford to sacrifice the research and education which current and future generations need to ensure their economic prosperity and domestic security.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3873. I thank Chairman Boehner and Mr. Castle for their work on this legislation. I particularly thank them for their willingness to include direct certification of migrant children under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. I also commend Mr. Hinojosa and Mr. Grijalva for their persistent efforts to assist migrant children. Migrant families are among the poorest of the working poor, and are largely eligible for the child nutrition programs. Unfortunately, the mobility of migrant children often complicates their access to the child nutrition programs. Migrant families face significant barriers in accessing federal, state, and local resources due to issues associated with mobility, language and literacy. Currently, migrant children are forced to reapply each time they enroll in a new school district. In addition, literacy and language are a problem at the application phase of the child nutrition program. I am pleased that this legislation provides direct certification for migrant children. This legislation works to protect eligible children's access to the child nutrition programs by extending automatic eligibility to children who qualify for migrant educational services under Title 1, part C of the No Child Left Behind Act. It allows for direct certification of migrant children if they are identified by the district's migrant education coordinator. Such a change makes it easier for migrant children to receive school meals as soon as they enter a new school. In addition to migrant provisions, I support promoting nutritional education and physical activity. I am very pleased that this legislation promotes such education and physical activity at the state and local levels to prevent childhood obesity. I am hopeful that local school wellness policies will be established by schools participating in the school nutrition programs will promote health and prevent childhood obesity throughout schools in Michigan. Finally, I support strengthening partnerships between local agriculture and schools. I cosponsored Representative Upton and Representative Kind's Farm-To-Cafeteria Projects Act, and I am pleased to see these provisions included. This legislation will promote partnerships between local Michigan farms and the child nutrition programs to ensure that children receive fresh and local produce. In closing, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased that we are considering this resolution celebrating the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY), and I thank my colleague from Colorado, Mr. Udall, for his work in recognizing this important anniversary. I distinctly remember the first IGY. I was a graduate student in physics at that time. There was much excitement around this coordinated research effort, which led to discoveries with far-reaching impacts on every field of earth sciences. For example, research on making rockets and satellites to better understand weather was a factor in building the technological foundation for the U.S. space program. As often happens with scientific research, the more we learn, the more questions we develop. Much of the first IGY research focused on Antarctica, setting aside an entire continent for cooperative scientific research. In 1959, the Antarctic Treaty formalized this arrangement by designating Antarctica for scientific investigation ``as applied during the International Geophysical Year.'' I am pleased that this resolution continues that spirit of scientific discovery by directing the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to pursue plans for a second International Geophysical Year in 2007-08. A second IGY will inspire the next generation of earth scientists to work collaboratively and across international borders to study the most pressing Earth science questions. I urge my colleagues to support this timely and important resolution.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 3389, which amends the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards to include a category for nonprofit organizations. On the Committee on Science I serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and Standards, with jurisdiction over the National Institute of Standards Technology, which administers the Baldrige Awards program. In that role I am most pleased to support this bill. When the Baldrige award was first announced many years ago, my first thought was, well, what is another award? But this has turned out to be a very outstanding action on the part of the Congress and by the Department of Commerce. It has become one of the most important awards in America. It is highly sought after, and it is a tremendous honor to receive the Baldrige Award. However, the Baldrige Award program is much more than an honor. The criteria of the award are used by companies and organizations nationwide to evaluate their own performance. Also, many State quality awards programs use a national Baldrige criteria. For example, in my district last year, the Michigan Quality Council using Baldrige criteria for evaluation recognized the Grand Rapids Community College for its vision and service to the community. I am pleased to support this change to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Including nonprofit organizations will open the competition to groups that have expressed strong support for the opportunity to be recognized for their efforts at the national level. Many States already include nonprofits as a category, and including them in the national program will help strengthen the Baldrige quality criteria. I thank the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Miller) for their work in bringing this bill to the floor today, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to rise today to support the base bill on the Community Services Block Grant Act. Probably my best way of approaching this is just to describe my own community which has engaged in faith-based activities for years. And I am just constantly amazed at the horror stories that are projected today by Members about what might happen if this bill passes. Let me tell you what has happened in my community and put some of your fears to rest. My community happens to be quite a religious community of many diverse faiths. But yet these churches and synagogues have always felt a major responsibility to the community and to the world about them. As an example, when Vietnamese first became refugees, my small community had more refugees initially than any other city in the United States simply because our churches became active early in providing relief for these refugees. The church that I go to is an inner-city church. My wife and I selected that when we moved to Grand Rapids because we wanted to be involved in the central community. Our church has succeeded in starting a community center. It is a faith-based community center, but anyone is welcome. In addition to that, our church has started a food program for the people in the neighborhood, many of whom are unemployed, on welfare or in very difficult circumstances. We serve approximately 400 people every Saturday. We have a group of volunteers from our church and other churches who every Friday go out and collect food from stores and from warehouses, and make it available in our church basement. We sell it for approximately 10 cents on the dollar. And a number of families that come through can buy a week's groceries for their family for anywhere from $10 to $20. No attempt is made to proselytize in any of these organizations in our community. It is simply a recognition of the people of these churches that as part of their commitment to their Lord and to their faith; they have to help others. And that is precisely what they are doing. They are providing social services which the government would provide at far greater cost and far less efficiently. And we do that voluntarily. My city houses the second largest private mental health hospital in the United States, again, started by a faith-based institution. It is still a faith-based institution. It may discriminate in hiring in certain cases because their treatment is based on a certain philosophy of life and faith and it uses that to effectively treat those patients. Incidently, many of these institutions do already get Federal funds. For example, the hospital I mentioned gets a great deal of money from the Federal Government and from State government for health treatment. No one raises a question about that. No one says this violates the Constitution. They are providing medical treatment, but they do discriminate in hiring, not in every case but many some cases. You look at the colleges and universities across the United States, and of those are not State institutions, most were founded by religious group. Today there are still many religious colleges, primarily Christian colleges, but also other faiths, represented in the higher educational system of the United States. All of these can make better use of Federal money than many Federal programs can. And many of them do receive Federal funds, whether scholarship grants, or loans, what have you. But in the case of an organization such as our church and its food program which I mentioned earlier, we could serve many more people if we had government funds. And we would certainly provide it more efficiently and at less cost than a government entity could with paid employees. So I simply want to point out to the naysayers on this floor that what we are attempting to do in this bill, is not breaking new ground. It has already been broken in the Civil Rights Act. Those who wish to limit the ability of faith-based institutions are, in fact, attempting to infringe on the civil rights of these faith-based institutions and their supporters by prohibiting support from the Federal Government when these churches are, in fact, doing the job that the Federal Government does. And they are doing it in many cases better. I urge that we defeat the amendments that have been offered. I urge that we continue the practice as we have it. And I urge that we make certain that these agencies will continue to be able to provide the services in the manner they see best and be able to qualify for Federal funds and not be hampered by restrictions on their hiring practices. I strongly urge that we defeat the proposed amendments and that we vote for the base bill. I rise today in support of H.R. 3030, Improving the Community Services Block Grant Act. The Community Services Block Grant provides funding for a state-run network of local non-profit community action agencies. Michigan's third Congressional district is served by three community action agencies: the Area Community Services Employment and Training Council in Kent County, the Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan in Barry County, and EightCAP, Inc. in Ionia County. In partnership with community organizations, these agencies provide services to low-income individuals, and families. The partners include faith-based organizations, such as Hope Network and its Exodus Correctional Ministries. In addition, several faith-based colleges and universities, including Calvin College, Aquinas College, Cornerstone University and Reformed Bible College, are located in my district. This is multiplied many times throughout the United States, which has approximately 500 religious colleges and universities, many of which work with community action agencies. Allowing these faith-based partners and universities to receive federal funding is nothing new. Faith-based organizations have been receiving federal money to provide social services for decades. The faith-based provisions within this legislation allow faith-based providers to maintain the character of their organization through their employment practices. These groups do not exist in order to proselytize, but in order to serve those in need. Faith-based providers, including universities, cannot be expected to sustain their religious mission without the ability to employ individuals who share the tenets and practices of their faith. It is faith that motivates these organizations to serve their neighbors in trouble. To deny faith- based organizations the right to shape the character of their groups through their employment practices is to deny them their motivation to serve. Keeping religious-based staffing legal is the only way to ensure equal opportunity and effectiveness for all organizations and to respect the diversity of faith communities that are a part of our civil society.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 498, to honor the players, coaches, and staff of the Grand Valley State University football team, which won its second consecutive NCAA Division II national championship on December 13, 2003. Rising to the top of one's field of endeavor, whatever that endeavor is, is an accomplishment worthy of praise in and of itself. However, repeating that accomplishment is an even more difficult achievement. When you attempt to maintain that top spot, everyone else has you in their sights. You are the focus of their efforts to wrest the trophy from your grasp. That is what makes the achievements of the 2003 Lakers football squad all the more impressive. Coach Brian Kelly and his staff led their squad of young men through a difficult nonconference and conference schedule, then marched through the playoffs to face the University of North Dakota in the NCAA Division II championship game, a game they lost to the University of North Dakota just 2 years previously. This time, the Lakers, led by All-American selections Scott Mackey, Keyonta Marshall, David Hendrix, Michael Tennessee and Lucius Hawkins, defeated the Fighting Sioux 10 to 3, to complete what arguably could be called the most successful 3-year run for a college football team in the State of Michigan. GVSU has rolled up a 41-2 record in three seasons, reaching the national championship game each year and winning the championship twice. Congratulations to the players, the coaches and staff, the students and the faculty of Grand Valley State University. This jewel of a school, with campuses in Allendale in the district of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), and Grand Rapids in my district, is a wonderful institution, not only for its athletic achievements, but also for its academic pursuits. Its contributions to the West Michigan community are too many and too far-reaching to enumerate here today, but we commend University President Mark Murray and the Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees for providing stellar leadership for this wonderful public institution.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in strong support of S. 610, the NASA Flexibility Act. The Committee on Science chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), and the Committee on Government Reform chairman, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) are to be commended for working closely with our colleagues in the other body, as well as with NASA and NASA's unions, in crafting the moderate, targeted and careful package of civil service modifications that resulted in S. 610. All proposals from NASA, its unions, the House and Senate were considered, refined, debated and discussed in a series of hearings in both the House and Senate committees. Differences were debated openly and in a straightforward manner. These measures were carefully crafted after a year and a half of thorough deliberation. This has been an arduous process, but the outcome is an excellent piece of legislation with S. 610. The real winner from all this hard work that went into this legislation will be the scientists and engineers at NASA. NASA is having a difficult time recruiting and retaining the best and the brightest workforce, as many NASA employees from the Apollo era have retired; and unfortunately, the bright, prospective, new talent we need in the agency is instead sometimes attracted to jobs paying more than the government can provide. NASA does many amazing things, as the Mars exploration rovers have demonstrated, but the agency also faces a number of challenges in addressing the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board report. S. 610 will help to revitalize the agency, and I ask all Members to support this bill. Let me also mention another important aspect of this issue. We cannot do good science without good scientists, and we cannot do good engineering without good engineers. In our Nation, unfortunately, the engineering enrollments have been declining for 20 years, in a steady, slow decline. We are having problems in this Nation with getting good, bright engineers and scientists to do the work we need, not only at NASA but elsewhere. I am very pleased that the President recognized this important factor in his State of the Union speech when he mentioned the need to improve math and science education in this Nation. Today, over half of the graduate students in science and engineering in our Nation are from other countries. Our students are not competing well on graduate student admissions. And when we trace it back, it is because they were not excited about science by the time they finished the K-12 system, even though many are excited going into it. We must address that problem. We have addressed it to the best of our ability through math-science partnerships in the National Science Foundation and in the Department of Education. We must continue to support that, plus we also have to provide the resources for our Nation's teachers and our education system to provide the education that our future scientists and engineers need. I believe a combination of improving our K-12 system plus this bill will be a great asset not only for NASA but also for our Nation in the years ahead.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the new ranking member of the committee for his kindnesses and generosity. That bodes well for the future. Science is fun. I can vouch for that as someone who has been a practicing scientist for over 2 decades. Science is also interesting. And science is rewarding. All of that is epitomized by the success of the rover that is currently on Mars transmitting pictures to us and also scientific data and information to us. I am very pleased to join in congratulating the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and their scientists for the successful landing and operation of the rover Spirit on Mars. For over 40 years, the dedicated scientists at JPL have built cutting- edge robotic explorers that have investigated other planets and the far reaches of our solar system and even beyond. These missions have opened windows to the universe, provided us with invaluable scientific information and inspired generations of scientists and engineers. Just 2 months ago, I was privileged to lead a group of science committee members on a tour of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. That tour included an exciting meeting with Dr. Daniel McCleese, who is the chief scientist and Dr. Peter Theisinger, the project manager for the Mars exploration project. Their enthusiasm and devotion to this work was clearly evident during our discussion, and it epitomizes the excitement that the scientists at JPL have. They worked endless hours and I am sure they are so interested and excited in their work that they would be willing to do that work without pay if they had some other means of putting food on the table. Science is fun, as I said, and it is very clear that this grand experiment on Mars is exciting and interesting to our students, our children at our elementary and secondary schools. That is extremely important, because we do not have enough Americans studying science and engineering. Our engineering enrollments in American universities have steadily declined in the last 20 years. One of the reasons is that children in our schools are not excited enough about science. I want to thank JPL and NASA for their efforts to stimulate the excitement of the students in the schools and help generate a new generation of scientists and engineers. I certainly want to congratulate JPL and all its partners on this latest success in landing the rover Spirit on Mars. It is truly moving to see the years of devoted scientific work succeed in this effort. As I saw the first pictures coming back, tears welled in my eyes at the tremendous advancements in science that we are seeing. This experiment also epitomizes what we must do if we are to meet the President's vision. We cannot just pop humans in a space capsule and send them off to Mars. There is an incredible amount of groundwork to be done and the Spirit is one example of the type of work that we have to do if we are going to explore our planetary systems. These experiments are far, far less expensive than sending a human being to Mars and we will have, I would estimate, at least 20 and perhaps even 40 years of such experiments before we are ready to tackle the very difficult and expensive task of sending a human to another planet. I congratulate once again the JPL crew for their work, and not only JPL, but all of NASA and all the scientific community in the United States. The scientists and engineers continue doing this work in generally anonymity. The great excitement we see them exhibiting as they succeed in their experiments is typical of what goes on in laboratories across the United States, and in fact, across the world, but which we, as laymen, never tend to see. Science is a great profession. It is fun, it is interesting, but especially it is important to the human spirit and important to the success of our Nation and the improvement of the prosperity and the general knowledge of this country. Thank you, JPL.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to get up and speak in honor of Paul Simon. I first knew his brother, Art, through Bread for the World. I had been active in world hunger activities and in fact was a coauthor of a book regarding world hunger. When I read Bread for the World at that time I was very impressed with it. I knew that Senator Simon was Art's brother, so I was very pleased when I first had the opportunity to meet Senator Simon and have a discussion with him. He was an honorable person, and, even though I never had close contact with him on a continuing basis, I was very impressed with his forthrightness, his thoughtfulness, his ability and his honesty. He set a high standard for all of us to follow. I also appreciated the help of his wife, who was very interested in the Library of Congress. I was on the Committee on House Administration and served on the Joint House-Senate Committee on the Library of Congress, and she was a great help to me at various times in trying to achieve my objectives. They were a wonderful couple. My last contact with Senator Simon was just 2 months ago, when I received a very kind, handwritten note from him. He had heard one of my speeches on the floor and sent me a quick note saying, in effect, ``That is the kind of voice we need to hear more in the Congress.'' I thought that was an overwhelming act of kindness on his part, to take time at this point in life, with the difficulties he faced, to write to a relatively unknown Congressman from a neighboring State and express his appreciation. This indicated what a wonderful person he was, the kindness and the thoughtfulness he had. I am just delighted to join in this accolade for him. He was a great man. We could use many more like that in the Congress.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce ``The Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2003.'' While Congress, the Administration and the American people have discussed the many challenges facing our nation's manufacturers, such as international trade, China policy, tax policy and health care costs, I believe that a fundamental issue has been generally left out of the debate--innovation. For decades innovation has underpinned American's dominance in the world economy. If our manufacturing sector is to remain competitive in the global marketplace, we must foster innovation within this sector. As Chairman of the House Science Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and Standards, I oversee many of the federal government's manufacturing-focused research and development programs. I have met with manufacturers from around the country and specifically spoken to manufacturers both large and small about their problems. They all agree that innovation is one of the keys to ensuring our manufacturers remain competitive and it is crucial to the development of new industries. Funding research and development underpins innovation. Based on these discussions and a hearing I held earlier this year, I am proud to introduce the Manufacturing Technology and Competitiveness Act of 2003. This bill will help our nation's manufacturers maintain and improve their technological edge. This legislation will stimulate innovation through collaborative research and development, and broaden and strengthen the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which provides small- and medium-sized manufacturers with the tools to compete better. More importantly, it will bring together a variety of partners in the public and private sectors, building relationships that encourage and foster technological development and the ability to bring these developments to the marketplace. Our global competitors are eagerly supporting investments in manufacturing research and development because they know it is the key to sustained economic development. If we are to continue to be the world's technological leader, we need to rise to this new global challenge and make the investments envisioned by this legislation. More specifically, the bill: Ensures that all federal manufacturing programs and related funding are coordinated and focused on solving these important problems. The bill requires a strategic plan and improved budget process to ensure these programs work together efficiently; Designates the current Under Secretary for Technology within the Department of Commerce, as the Under Secretary for Manufacturing and Technology, to be the federal government's point person on manufacturing R&D policy, and outlines new duties focused on fostering innovation within the manufacturing sector for this position; Establishes a new collaborative research and development program for manufacturing technology to build partnerships among higher education institutions, businesses, states and other partners. This program will provide $184 million over four years; Helps to develop future leaders in manufacturing technology through a fellowship program in applied manufacturing research. Fellows will get to work with world-class leaders in technology and engineering at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (KIST). The fellowship program will provide $7.5 million over four years; Reauthorizes and reforms the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program by increasing competition among the centers. MEP is funded at $120 million for the first year, increasing to $137 million by year four; and, Creates a new competitive, peer-reviewed grant program within the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program to develop new tools to help small businesses innovate and compete. Funding for this program will come from the total MEP funding. Mr. Speaker, while I am pleased that we are on the road to economic recovery, we must still address underlying concerns about the future of U.S. manufacturing. This bill will help address some of those concerns and put our Nation's manufacturers in a better position to compete today and in the future. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate, and with the manufacturing and research communities, to pass this important legislation.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 641, 642, 643, and 644, I was absent because I was receiving a major named award from and giving remarks to the national meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on all four votes.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 626 and 627 I was absent because I was giving a major lecture on science and engineering to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on both issues.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to introduce an important piece of legislation, ``The Surface Transportation Research and Development Act of 2003.'' Our Nation's transportation system faces tremendous challenges. We have more drivers who are driving more miles leading to severe congestion, particularly in many urban areas. An aging infrastructure is putting a strain on State and local transportation budgets, which are tied up in maintaining our existing system, with little, if any, money left for improving the system and planning for the future. And an aging population and changing development patterns that demand an innovative response to ensure the transportation system meets future needs. The public demands safer, less congested roads, and more transportation choices. Considering that we won't have the ability to simply build more roads to address these challenges, especially in urban areas, we must look at new ways to improve the overall system, to make it safer and more efficient, and to ensure that the system meets future needs. Fundamental improvements to the entire transportation system depend on high quality surface transportation research. Research can provide the proper tools and information needed to drive solutions. The last time Congress fully examined our Nation's transportation policy was through the debate and passage of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (better known as TEA-21). While Congress increased funding for overall transportation programs by upwards of 40 percent, funding for transportation research remained relatively flat. I think that lack of investment in research has hurt our ability to meet new challenges. However, simply providing more money for research will not solve our problems. Increased funding must be accompanied by some reforms of the existing research programs. As Chairman of the House Science Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and Standards, which shares jurisdiction over surface transportation research with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I held a hearing earlier this year to hear from experts on the state of the Federal Government's current surface transportation research program. In addition, we heard from a wide array of interests on how to improve and reform the research program, and the levels at which research should be funded. Based on this input, I am proud to introduce the Surface Transportation Research and Development Act of 2003. This legislation has three overarching goals: to increase stakeholder input to ensure that the folks who must implement and use the research agree that it is worthwhile and transferable into practice; to create the highest quality research through increased competition and peer- review of all projects; and to ensure greater accountability so that our research supports the goals of our surface transportation system. More specifically, the bill: Creates and funds an important research program run by the National Academy of Sciences to address short to medium-term research needs. Research will focus on reducing congestion, renewing existing roads and bridges while minimizing impact to the public, improving safety by reducing crashes, and developing tools for getting more out of our existing highway capacity and assessing future needs. All projects funded by this program will be competitively awarded and peer-reviewed; Provides needed funds to implement a public-private cooperative environmental research program, with the goal of developing the knowledge, tools, and performance measures that will help us understand the linkage between the environment and the transportation system; Calls on the U.S. Department of Transportation to take the lead in carrying out fundamental, long-term research to achieve breakthroughs in transportation research; Increases funding for University Transportation Centers and ensures greater competition among universities which seek to become transportation research centers; Reforms and increases the responsiveness of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to the needs of the transportation community; and Provides States with additional resources to better train and educate the transportation workforce. This legislation will significantly, yet prudently, increase funding for transportation research starting at $500 million a year in fiscal year 2004 for Federal research programs and gradually rising to $850 million a year by 2009. These funding levels are based on an overall level of $375 billion for the comprehensive six-year surface transportation reauthorization advocated by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which I support. I believe my approach ensures that our transportation research is well planned, peer- reviewed, properly funded, and evaluated and will go a long way to help solve the many challenges facing our Nation's transportation system. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Science and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees, the U.S. Department of Transportation, State transportation departments, and all other interested stakeholders as this legislation and the overall reauthorization of TEA-21 progress.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 668 I was delayed on the way to the floor to vote, and the vote ended just as I walked in the door. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1829, legislation that has been a very long time in coming. I want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the chairman, and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), the ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary, for moving this bill forward; and I particularly want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), my colleague and friend, for his steadfast work on this issue. This bill will provide much-needed relief for manufacturers in my district and across the country that have faced the anticompetitive and unfair practices of Federal Prison Industries for too long. By eliminating FPI's current status as a mandatory source to various Federal agencies and requiring FPI to compete for its contracts, H.R. 1829 will ensure that all private sector businesses can bid on Federal contract opportunities that are funded with their tax dollars, not just those companies who first enter into contractual relationships with FPI. For those who argue that this legislation is inappropriate or that Congress should delay action and rely on administrative reforms, let me describe one recent incident involving FPI and a business in my district that illustrates why we must pass this legislation. The fundamental flaws in this mandatory source rule were clearly evident during a procurement for office furnishings associated with the renovation of the new headquarters of the Federal Aviation Administration. Through the GSA, the FAA conducted a fair and open competitive bidding process to identify the supplier whose entire proposal represented the best value for the FAA. The GSA then selected the winning private sector contractor based on the FAA's specific needs relating to both types of products and installation schedules. As required by FPI procedures, the complete proposal for the winning contractor was then sent to FPI for review. FPI took the contract by simply matching the price of the winning bid to the penny. The FAA and GSA were left with little recourse and, for all practical matters, had to accept FPI's decision, despite the fact that they thought the private sector bid would better fit the FAA's needs and would be a better value than FPI-supplied furniture. Furthermore, FPI planned to subcontract much of the work to furniture companies whose products did not match the design and quality of the winning bid. This contravention of the fair and open competitive bidding process was eventually resolved through vigorous congressional intervention, and the private sector contractor was awarded the FAA contract. But this situation serves as an example of how FPI's unjust procedures completely undermine fair and competitive bidding and eliminate a purchasing agency's prerogative. The reforms in H.R. 1829 are absolutely vital for ending this type of abuse and restoring integrity to the bidding system. I understand and fully support the need to provide prisoners with meaningful work that can help the rehabilitation process. But it should not be done in a procedurally flawed manner, and FPI should not unfairly compete with private sector bidders. It is important to note that FPI is only one of several programs within the Bureau of Prisons that provides meaningful work and skill- developing opportunities to prisoners. The difference is that FPI does so at the expense of the jobs of hard-working, law-abiding citizens. Finally, I am pleased to note that this bill contains several provisions to help inmates transition back into society, including enhanced access to vocational training and employment assistance programs. The FPI program is unfair, wasteful and desperately needs reforming. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this critical legislation.

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra) for introducing this important resolution, and I would particularly like to commend three affiliates of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities that are located within my district: Calvin College, Cornerstone University, and Reformed Bible College. Combined, these schools enroll approximately 6,600 undergraduates. As a former professor at Calvin College, I fully realize the value of Christian higher education. Intentionally Christ-centered colleges and universities encourage students to consider their studies in light of God's word and creation. This perspective enables students to develop moral principles and a sense of purpose in life. It also encourages the students to place a high priority on community service and on helping the disadvantaged. Christian colleges and universities not only prepare students for a life of service but also provide a well-rounded, academically excellent education. Let me once again refer to Calvin College as an example, because I am most familiar with that institution. Calvin College offers nearly 100 academic options, and its largest programs are education, engineering, and economics and business. Because Calvin is a liberal arts college, its graduates are exceptionally well prepared for a variety of vocations, regardless of their major. Furthermore, Calvin instills in its students a desire to serve others. Beginning at Streetfest, during first-year students' orientation, Calvin's Service and Learning Center encourages all students to serve people who are in need within the Grand Rapids community. In addition, most Calvin students have the opportunity to engage in service learning as part of their course work. This service orientation also extends to faculty. When faculty members are considered for promotion or tenure, their service to the community is one of the factors considered. The overarching goal of Calvin's service-oriented, academically excellent education, is to enable students to better understand how they can serve God in their chosen vocations and in their lives. I have used Calvin as an example simply because, as an alumnus and professor of 16 years at Calvin, I am very familiar with the college. But Calvin is just one of many Christian colleges and universities that make efforts to effectively equip students with a well-rounded education and the desire to serve others. Again, I support the goals of Christian Higher Education Month, and I commend the more than 125 members and affiliates of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities for their vital contributions to our Nation. As the Committee on Education and the Workforce proceeds with reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, I am hopeful that the committee will be mindful of the valuable, faith-based education these colleges and universities provide.

Mr. EHLERS

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

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 279) recognizing the significance of the anniversary of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship Program, and reaffirming the commitment to support the use of science in governmental decisionmaking through such Program.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 279, the concurrent resolution now under consideration.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today I am pleased that we are considering this resolution recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship Program coordinated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, better known as AAAS. This resolution has bipartisan support from 26 cosponsors. It recognizes a truly valuable educational program that gives scientists a wonderful opportunity to step out of the lab and into the political process. By working as legislative assistants in congressional offices, they get a behind-the-scenes look at how our laws are made, writing speeches, developing legislation, and serving as liaisons to committees on which a Member serves. At the same time Members of Congress and other policy makers gain a valuable new resource to help them better understand the scientific and technical issues underpinning complex policy debates. Six different fellows have served on my staff and each one has used their unique talents and understanding to help shape my legislative agenda. One in particular contributed greatly to this Nation at the time I was rewriting the Nation's science policy at the request of Speaker Gingrich and Chairman Sensenbrenner. Sharon Hayes played a key role in the preparation of that report, which has been widely used and quoted throughout the scientific community. After 30 years, this program is still going strong. Over 800 scientists have now served Republican, Democratic, and Independent Members of Congress and many are currently working for Congress and the administration. These individuals have contributed not only their scientific expertise, but also a fresh perspective to policy making. I urge my colleagues to recognize the success of this program by supporting this resolution to honor the AAAS Congressional Fellowship Program. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers at this time. I will reserve the balance of my time. MS. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).

Mr. EHLERS

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I am sorry but I am a bit late and out of breath. My plane was an hour and a half late. I believe I ran all the way from the airport. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to speak on this resolution. We have often heard the phrase ``better living through chemistry,'' and that is very true. And I find it strange that today many people regard chemistry as a danger because they worry about things such as pesticides. In fact, I recall speaking to a person once who said that she really did not dare to eat anything now unless it was natural because of the chemicals. And I said, ``Well, do you like oranges?'' ``Oh, yes, they are wonderful.'' she replied. I said, ``In spite of the fact that they are filled with chemicals, chemicals such as vitamin C?'' And I went on to name other chemical components. Chemicals can be either good or bad. And they are certainly a part of everyday life, but what I appreciate is the many good things that chemistry has brought us. And I also appreciate the American Chemical Society, which has established the National Chemistry Week which we are celebrating here. This year the theme is Earth's Atmosphere and Beyond, in an effort to honor the 100th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wright's flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. But there is so much more to chemistry activities that we do not realize. What I appreciate about the American Chemical Society, also, is their interest in education. In my efforts to improve math and science education in this Nation, I have worked very closely with the American Chemical Society over the past few years. And they have been outstanding in their efforts to assist in improving math and science education, and National Chemistry Week is part of that. I just received this morning an e-mail from Michelle DeWitt from Michigan who is one of the organizers of the National Chemistry Week in Michigan. And she talked a little bit about what they did last week. Let me read portions of her letter. ``Our National Chemistry Week event at Westshore Mall was a huge success. We had our largest amount of volunteers ever, with nearly 100 people helping out, including students from Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids Community College, Aquinas College, some local high school and younger students with parents. This was very fortunate because we had the largest turnout with about 3,000 people stopping by between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 18th. ``We had six demonstrations by area chemists and about ten activity tables, where area chemists and college students engaged in hands-on activities with kids of all ages. There was a constant stream of rockets shooting off. Some even hit the ceiling. Making slime is always one of the kids' favorite activities.'' ``We gave away about 1,300 balloons to kids. I heard one boy walking into the mall with his dad saying, `Look, Dad, a party.' and I thought it was great to have kids think of science as a party. The newspaper reporter who spent most of the day with us commented on how much fun everyone was having and said there were so many fun things going on it was like a ten-ring circus.'' Then she goes on and talks about the volunteers and the great things they did. Mr. Speaker, at this point I will insert the entire text of the letter. To: Laura G. Kolton, American Chemical Society Our NCW event at Westshore Mall was a huge success. We had our largest amount of volunteers ever with nearly a hundred people helping out, including students from Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids Community College, Aquinas College, some local high school and younger students with parents. This was very fortunate because, due to advertising in both the Grand Rapids Press and the Holland Sentinel, we had the largest turn out with about 3000 people stopping by between 10 am and 4 pm on Saturday October 18th. We had 6 demos by area chemists and about 10 activity tables where area chemists and college students engaged in hands-on activities with kids of all ages. There was a constant stream of rockets (made with vinegar / baking soda / film containers) shooting off. Some even hit the ceiling. Making slime is always one of the kids favorite activities. We also had a poster drawing contest. We will be sending our winning posters in to the National ACS competition. We gave away about 1300 balloons to kids. I heard one young boy walking into the mall with his dad say ``Look Dad, a party,'' and I thought it was great to have kids think of science as a party. Even the Holland Sentinel reporter who spent most of the day with us commented on how much fund everyone was having, and said there were so many fun things going on it was like a 10 ring circus. We had two sixth grade volunteers (Debra Gorden and Shannon Vandenberg) from Blandford school (which is a Grand Rapids Public school for 6th grade students who have excelled in elementary school.) These girls worked a booth giving away tattoos, stickers, magnifying glasses and ChemMatters Magazine, with the help of two chemistry students from GRCC (Grand Rapids Community College). They loved working with the college guys and were smiling all day. The college students were very nice and inspired the young girls into an interest in college and disproved the stereotype of the geeky chemist. Through this National Chemistry Week thousands of children will learn about the earth's atmosphere and the solar system through hands-on events and demonstrations. I commend the American Chemical Society for stimulating our children's interest in the chemical sciences so that they will not only be interested, but will consider careers in these fields and potentially discover the innovations of the future. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution recognizing the goals and ideals of National Chemistry Week. Today, I am pleased that we are considering this resolution recognizing the importance of chemistry to our everyday lives. This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Chemistry Week. It recognizes the important contributions of chemical scientists and engineers to technological progress and the health of many industries. In addition, it encourages the people of the United States to observe National Chemistry Week, which, this year, is October 19-25. The chemical sciences provide an enabling infrastructure that delivers the foods, fuels, medicine, and materials that are part of our everyday lives. The contributions of chemical scientists and engineers are central to the technological progress and the health of many industries. I commend the American Chemical Society for establishing National Chemistry Week in 1987. During National Chemistry Week, volunteers from across the United States will teach children about air, the atmosphere and the solar system. The theme in 2003, ``Earth's Atmosphere and Beyond,'' was chosen to honor the 100th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wright's flight from Kitty Hawk, NC. It is important to stimulate children's interest in the chemical sciences so that they will consider careers in these fields and potentially discover the innovations of the future. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution recognizing the goals and ideals of National Chemistry Week.