Jo Ann Emerson

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to speak on the Financial Services and General Government section of the omnibus. The bill includes $22.7 billion for this subcommittee, which is an increase of almost 10 percent above the fiscal year 2008 level. Nearly every account in the bill is funded at or above the budget request. If you will look closely at this $410 billion legislation, you will see most of the bill provides operational funding for government agencies, not program funding for grants or other services. I am very concerned that this bill focuses on the Federal bureaucracy at the expense of the bricks-and-mortar projects we need to fund to spark our economy. Even within the areas of spending on infrastructure, I harbor concerns. One example is the funding provided for the GSA. In the stimulus bill just passed by the House last week, GSA received $5.6 billion for the construction and alterations of Federal buildings. This bill provides GSA with another $1.4 billion for construction and alterations. In the last fiscal year, GSA only received a total of $1.4 billion for all of these activities. This year, they will receive a total of $7 billion. We have all had experience with GSA projects in our districts. Does anyone really believe they have the contracting, program management, building engineering expertise to effectively manage $7 billion of new projects in 1 year? I also note that the bill includes language prohibiting new District of Columbia students from eligibility for Opportunity Scholarships and stating that the program will be terminated after the 2009-2010 school year unless the authorization is extended. The Opportunity Scholarship Program provides close to 2,000 disadvantaged children the opportunity to attend private schools in the Nation's capital. All of these students who don't have the means to pay private tuition beyond the 2009-2010 school year will be forced out of the schools they and their parents have chosen. These children are from some of the poorest families in the District of Columbia. They have average incomes of approximately $23,000 per year.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information in regards to H.R. 1105, the Consolidated Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009. Project Name: Route 67 Poplar Bluff Industrial Park Bypass. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: Transportation & Community & System Preservation. Requesting Entity: Missouri Department of Transportation. Address of Requesting Entity: 105 West Capitol, P.O. Box 270 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0270. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $665,000 to construct of a new bypass and acquire right of way access to improve the roadway safety conditions and congestion at the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park on Route 67. The State of Missouri will provide a 20% match. All federal funds received will be spent on the Poplar Bluff Industrial Bypass and will not be transferred to another project. Project Name: Route 160 in Taney County, Missouri Safety Improvements. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: Transportation & Community & System Preservation. Requesting Entity: Missouri Department of Transportation. Address of Requesting Entity: 105 West Capitol, P.O. Box 270 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0270. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $665,000 for improvements to the design of Route 160 in Taney County, Missouri. The earmark will also address safety conditions along this dangerous stretch of roadway. The State of Missouri will provide 20% to match the federal contribution. All federal funds received will be spent on safety and roadway improvements on Route 160 in Taney County, Missouri and will not be transferred to another project. Project Name: Chester Bridge in Perry County, Missouri Bridge Repair. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: Transportation & Community & System Preservation. Requesting Entity: Missouri Department of Transportation. Address of Requesting Entity: 105 West Capitol, P.O. Box 270 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0270. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $475,000 to rehabilitate the Chester Bridge which traverses the Mississippi River from Perry County, Missouri to Randolph County, Illinois. The bridge is vital to the region's transportation needs. The State of Missouri will provide 20% to match the federal contribution. All federal funds received will be spent on rehabilitation of the Chester Bridge and will not be transferred to another project. Project Name: Farmington Airport Parallel Taxi-way. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: Airport Improvement Program. Requesting Entity: Missouri Department of Transportation. Address of Requesting Entity: 105 West Capitol, P.O. Box 270 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0270. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $855,000 for the construction of a taxi-way parallel to the main runway. The funds would also be used towards the reconstruction of the airport terminal to address the needs of general and corporate aviation. The State of Missouri will provide 10% to match the federal contribution. All federal funds received will be spent on the construction of a taxi-way and rebuilding a terminal. These funds will not be transferred to another project. Project Name: Route 63 Phelps, Maries, Osage Counties. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation. Requesting Entity: Missouri Department of Transportation. Address of Requesting Entity: 105 West Capitol, P.O. Box 270 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0270. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $332,500 for right of way improvements and an environmental study to the narrow portion of Route 63 in Phelps, Maries, and Osage Counties. This project with improve the overall safety of the roadway. The State of Missouri will provide 20% to match the federal contribution. All federal funds received will be spent on right of way improvements and an environmental study. None of these funds will be transferred to another project. Project Name: BJC Mental Health for Youth Offenders. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: OJP--Juvenile Justice. Requesting Entity: BJC Behavioral Health. Address of Requesting Entity: 1085 Maple Street, Farmington, Missouri 63450. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $900,000 for a program that will target offenders under the age of 18 that are in need of mental health services. The program will serve the Missouri counties of St. Francois and Washington. The $900,000 will be used for operations cost to start up the program, including nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals. BJC will provide support to state and local governments, therefore no match is required. Project Name: Mineral Area Drug Task Force. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: COPS-Meth. Requesting Entity: City of Leadington, Missouri. Address of Requesting Entity: 12 Weir Street, Leadington, Missouri 63601. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $205,000 to assist with funding Mineral Area Drug Task Force's enforcement efforts in locating, dismantling, and reducing the number of methamphetamine laboratories within the area of their operation. Approximately $93,800 is for the purchase of equipment to assist officers in their investigations, $60,600 is for overtime for officers assigned to methamphetamine investigations, $36,100 is for office and field supplies to assist officers in the preparation of reports and to provide supplies to facilitate the processing of clandestine labs, and $14,500 is for travel and training to equip officers with the knowledge to efficiently perform their duties. Project Name: Visual Intelligence Tool for Southern Missouri. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: COPS-Law Enforcement Technology. Requesting Entity: Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Council. Address of Requesting Entity: 3019 Fair Street, Poplar Bluff, Missouri 63901. Description of Request: Provide an earmark for the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Council for $1,030,000 project for the following counties of the 8th Congressional District to acquire and greatly benefit from availability of a Law Enforcement Visual Tool: Ripley, Wayne, Carter, Wright, and Texas. Federal, state, and local agencies will have a common tool to jointly manage emergencies. The project enhances public safety and officer safety by placing sophisticated geospatial intelligence information in the hands of emergency responders. The funding would be used as follows: $50,000 for project administration, $800,875 for image libraries, and $180,000 for installation, training and customer support. Project Name: South Central Drug Task Force. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: COPS-Meth. Requesting Entity: Howell County, Missouri. Address of Requesting Entity: 1106 Missouri Avenue, West Plains, Missouri 65775. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $250,000 for the South Central Drug Task Force to enhance drug enforcement in project area. South Central Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional drug enforcement task force comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. Funds will be spend as follows: approximately $50,000 in overtime funding for existing narcotics officers; $122,500 for technical surveillance and reporting equipment; $65,000 for civilian personnel/Intel analyst; and $12,500 for supplies. Project Name: City of East Prairie, Missouri Stormwater and Sewer Infrastructure. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project. Requesting Entity: City of East Prairie, Missouri. Address of Requesting Entity: 219 N. Washington St., East Prairie, Missouri, 63845-1141. Description of Request: Provide an earmark in the amount of $200,000 to rebuild East Prairie, Missouri's wastewater and storm water infrastructure. The existing 83-year-old water infrastructure is crumbling under the streets due to sinkholes which have plagued the community. The sinkholes are destroying box culverts, which is posing a threat to streets and houses in East Prairie. The money procured will pay for engineering design and engineering inspection for new storm water sewers. A minimum of 45% of the total project cost will come directly from the City of East Prairie, Missouri. Project Name: City of Hartville Water and Wastewater repairs. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project. Requesting Entity: City of Hartville, Missouri. Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 37, Hartville, Missouri, 65667. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $138,000 to make public health related improvements to the city's wastewater collection system. The existing water infrastructure in Hartville is aging and too small to address the needs of the community. The funds will pay for a new force main and bore, new gravity sewer piping, and a new duplex lift station with redundant power. A minimum of 45% of the total project cost will come directly from the City of Hartville. Project Name: Mark Twain National Forest Meth Prevention. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: National Forest System. Requesting Entity: Howell County, Missouri. Address of Requesting Entity: 1106 Missouri Avenue, West Plains, Missouri 65775. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $492,000 to enhance methamphetamine prevention and enforcement efforts on Mark Twain National Forest. Approximately $300,000 directed toward cooperative law enforcement (CLE) agreements; $125,000 for assigned Forest Service salary/fringe; and $67,000 for vehicle, travel, supply, and support of assigned Forest Service personnel. Cooperative law enforcement agreements allow for needed funding and resources required of rural Missouri law enforcement agencies for improved communication, intelligence sharing, and interagency coordination regarding drug prevention and enforcement efforts within the proclamation boundaries of the Mark Twain National Forest. Cooperative efforts with the following counties agencies have proven successful in the past and remain a high priority for drug enforcement efforts in the Mark Twain National Forest: Barry, Carter, Christian, Douglas, Iron, Madison, Oregon, Ozark, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, Stone, Taney, Texas, Washington, and Wayne Counties; and South Central Drug Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional drug task force covering roughly the same area. Project Name: Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium, Portageville, MO for the Fatherhood First program. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium. Address of Requesting Entity: 46 State Hwy. 162 East, Portageville, MO 63873. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $476,000 for the expansion of The Fatherhood First Program to allow additional families in the Missouri Bootheel region access to important services for fathers and families. Education and Intervention activities will focus on many areas of skill development, job readiness, communication, conflict management, child abuse and neglect, and substance abuse. Project Name: SEMO University Entrepreneurship Training and Workforce Development. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Southeast Missouri State University. Address of Requesting Entity: One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 for Entrepreneurship Training Workforce Development and to expand programs that will finance training exercises and conferences coordinated and executed by new economic and workforce development specialists. Project Name: Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO for technology upgrades. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Southeast Missouri State University. Address of Requesting Entity: One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $333,000 to expand the services of Kent Library into a modem Information Commons concept and to link the same technical and support services that this renovation will provide to the students, faculty, and staff on the main campus to the students and faculty on the River Campus, four regional campuses and the community within the University's service region. Project Name: Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO for a mobile health unit initiative. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Southeast Missouri State University. Address of Requesting Entity: One University Plaza, MS 1900: Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $381,000 for the Southeast Health on Wheels (SHOW) Mobile Program. The SHOW Mobile initiative is a health literacy, health promotional and disease prevention, and primary health and dental care program designed to serve Southeast Missouri. The program is administered by the College of Health and Human Services of Southeast Missouri State University. Project Name: Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center, East Prairie, MO for programs to assist at-risk youth and their families. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 207 N. Washington St., Box 249, East Prairie, MO 63845. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $238,000 for the Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center's Positive Alternative System Strategies to Work, or ``Pass to Work,'' program will provide families with activities designed to emphasize good academic and healthy physical performance for at-risk children. In addition, this program will offer employment training, career counseling, and health behavior advice.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Mr. Gary Stilts, Wappapello Lake Operations Manage for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Stilts is retiring this week after a long and distinguished career of more than 30 years of federal service. Nearly 28 of those years have been in the service of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello Lake in the Eighth Congressional District. During his time at Wappapello, Mr. Stilts has dramatically improved public access to the natural resources offered at the lake, and he has forged key local partnerships that enabled the placement of fishing piers, access points, and a fish cleaning station at the lake. Major flood control improvements and an important transportation infrastructure project have been implemented at Wappapello Lake during his term of service as well. The remarkable thing about Mr. Stilts has been his ability to make Wappapello Lake a true member of the local community. The lake is important to families, for recreation, and to businesses, for the tourism it draws. Under Mr. Stilts's leadership, Wappapello Lake twice won the Natural Resources Project of the Year Award, in 1999 and again in 2008. In a district with as many acres of fields, forests and, yes, lakes, as the Eighth Congressional District of Missouri, good stewardship is at the pinnacle of importance. Mr. Stilts has left his mark on Wappapello Lake and the surrounding area by first and foremost being a good steward. His hard work and good advocacy for Wappapello Lake have made it an important fixture on the list of the very best natural resources in our state. I wish him the best in his retirement and thank him for his excellent service to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and to the citizens of the Eighth Congressional District of Missouri.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the Daughters of Sunset, an active group of leaders in Sikeston, Missouri, devoted to the improvement of our community. The Daughters of Sunset were founded in 1984, and this year they celebrate their 25th anniversary. In southern Missouri, we are very fortunate to have many organizations that serve their neighbors and create opportunities for young Americans. One of the cornerstones of the Daughters of Sunset is a scholarship program that enables young people in Sikeston to achieve the dream of attending college. It's truly a program that opens doors to talented students that would never be available to them otherwise. Even better, the recipients of the Daughters of Sunset scholarship often take the lesson of this local support to heart; they stay in southern Missouri to put their educations to work and give back to the community that sent them to college. The philosophy of the Daughters of Sunset is grounded in community service. They seek out opportunities to recognize the service of others, and they are recognized throughout the community as a reliable friend to any neighbor in need of a helping hand. We are fortunate to have the Daughters of Sunset in Sikeston, and I am very proud to congratulate them on 25 years of service to the Eighth Congressional District and to commend them to the U.S. House of Representatives for all of their good works.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, the American economy is in dire straits and our constituents are looking to us to act. This is a moment when we should be coming together, putting party differences aside, and crafting responsible legislation that will both solve the problem and unite the country. I do not believe H.R. 1 is this legislation. I am also disappointed that this conference was so small--with only five Members from the House--that it could have been conducted around the dining room table of my house in Cape Girardeau. It was so brief that it could have been over before I had the chance to make coffee for everyone. Despite the promises of bipartisanship made at the outset, this legislation has been constructed and finished behind closed doors. The motion to instruct conferees we passed here unanimously gave members of this House 48 hours to review the bill before we vote. We got 14. The American economy is hurting, families in my district in Southern Missouri are hurting, and we are applying a code of priorities here that doesn't fit the crisis we're facing. These funds should go to the people and places with the greatest potential to create jobs and improve the economy. This bill deviates from that mission while better solutions have been largely ignored. Regarding the contents of the Financial Services portion of the conference report, I am pleased it reduces funding below both the House and Senate levels. However, $6.9 billion for the Financial Services Subcommittee is still too much. GSA will get $5.5 billion to build and renovate new Federal buildings and ports of entry. However, in fiscal year 2008, GSA received a total appropriation of only $1.4 billion for construction and renovations. This is a huge windfall for an agency that, in my opinion, already has a hard time managing its regular budget. The Accountability and Transparency Board created by this bill was provided $14 million in the House bill, and $7 million in the Senate bill. The funding for the Board in this conference report mysteriously increases to $84 million. Even though this is called a ``transparency'' board, as the Ranking Member, I do not know how or why the funding increases by 600 percent over the House bill. Maybe these funds are needed, but no one on my side of the aisle knows who asked for this funding or how it will be spent.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, first, I would like to say that I hope this bill can be vastly improved in the conference committee. While much has been said about the Senate cuts, their version of the bill still costs $838 billion, which is a $20 billion increase over the House-passed bill of $819 billion. Also, with regard to the Financial Services section of the recovery bill, and particularly since I am a new ranking member, I am disappointed that neither I nor the minority's committee staff were given an opportunity to consult with the majority members or staff before the bill was produced and unveiled on the Internet. I hope that this practice won't continue as this stimulus bill is negotiated with the Senate and as the committee begins its work for fiscal year 2010. With regard to the motion to instruct before us, it simply asks that the House conferees not approve of the final conference agreement until the text of the legislation has been available in an electronic, searchable, and downloadable form for at least 48 hours prior to voting on the final agreement. I think this is a simple request, and it is a simple request that ensures American people have an opportunity to review the bill and contact their representatives regarding its content. I believe, and I think all of us believe, that our constituents have a right to see the bill before it is voted out of conference and it is no longer amendable.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, there are all kinds of public servants in our communities, but we seldom think first of journalists in that category. In the Eighth Congressional District of Southern Missouri, a journalist springs to mind as a public servant: Mike Shain of KFVS in Cape Girardeau. Mr. Shain is retiring after 53 years in the news businesses (the last 37 at KFVS), and I want to commend him to the U.S. House of Representatives for his long labors in the service of our region, our State and our Nation. Though the craft of news reporting has changed greatly in the time Mr. Shain has spent in the business, his fair reporting, his work ethic, and his professionalism have remained constant. Everyone who has looked at Mr. Shain over a microphone or across a table on the set of his weekly news magazine knows they have better done their homework. Mr. Shain takes preparedness to another level--he knows his subject matter and his audience inside-out. Whole generations in Southeast Missouri have grown up with the informed voice of Mr. Shain in their ears. He has not only conveyed to us the news of the day, but he has also placed that news in context for his viewership. He has told us what is important as well as why. He has always had something important to say, which is a tough thing to do when most of your sentences end in a question mark. Still, Mr. Shain has been so successful and is so respected because his intellect is only surpassed by his understanding of the news media and its responsibilities to the public. In service to the public, Mr. Shain has shaped minds and informed opinions among an electorate in Southern Missouri which is serious about its civic duty, patriotic obligations and the wellbeing of its neighbors. His name is synonymous with the news--with what is current and worth understanding. As much as the station that broadcasts him, Mike Shain is an institution. Even though regular viewers of our evening news will no longer see Mr. Shain every day, his presence will continue to be seen and heard in the generations of newsmen and newswomen who have learned their craft from him. Mr. Shain's voice will be missed across the Heartland, but his legacy will endure. I'm proud to have known and worked with Mr. Shain, and I am glad to thank him on behalf of the entire Eighth Congressional District of the State of Missouri.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, there are all kinds of public servants in our communities, but we seldom think first of journalists in that category. In the Eighth Congressional District of Southern Missouri, a journalist springs to mind as a public servant: Mike Shain of KFVS in Cape Girardeau. Mr. Shain is retiring after 53 years in the news businesses (the last 37 at KFVS), and I want to commend him to the U.S. House of Representatives for his long labors in the service of our region, our state and our nation. Though the craft of news reporting has changed greatly in the time Mr. Shain has spent in the business, his fair reporting, his work ethic, and his professionalism have remained constant. Everyone who has looked at Mr. Shain over a microphone or across a table on the set of his weekly news magazine knows they have better done their homework. Mr. Shain takes preparedness to another level--he knows his subject matter and his audience inside-out. Whole generations in Southeast Missouri have grown up with the informed voice of Mr. Shain in their ears. He has not only conveyed to us the news of the day, but he has also placed that news in context for his viewership. He has told us what is important as well as why. He has always had something important to say, which is a tough thing to do when most of your sentences end in a question mark. Still, Mr. Shain has been so successful and is so respected because his intellect is only surpassed by his understanding of the news media and its responsibilities to the public. In service to the public, Mr. Shain has shaped minds and informed opinions among an electorate in Southern Missouri which is serious about its civic duty, patriotic obligations and the well-being of its neighbors. His name is synonymous with the news--with what is current and worth understanding. As much as the station that broadcasts him, Mike Shain is an institution. Even though regular viewers of our evening news will no longer see Mr. Shain every day, his presence will continue to be seen and heard in the generations of newsmen and newswomen who have learned their craft from him. Mr. Shain's voice will be missed across the Heartland, but his legacy will endure. I'm proud to have known and worked with Mr. Shain, and I am glad to thank him on behalf of the entire Eighth Congressional District of the State of Missouri.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Let me say how pleased I am to be the ranking member of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee for the 111th Congress and look forward to working cooperatively with Chairman Serrano. Regarding the Financial Services section of the recovery bill we are debating today, I am disappointed that neither I nor the minority's committee staff were given an opportunity to consult with the majority members or staff before the bill was produced and unveiled on the Internet. One percent. One percent sound like a small amount but in this bill even one-tenth of 1 percent is not trivial. Here's an example. This bill includes $7.7 billion for the GSA to build and renovate new Federal buildings and ports of entry. It's nearly 1 percent of the bill. However, in fiscal year 2008, GSA received a total appropriation of only $1.4 billion for construction and renovations. Now, most of us know from personal experience that GSA construction projects in our districts are hardly ever completed on time, and never under budget. At its highest levels, this is an agency that needs a wake-up call and a good scrubbing behind the ears. What it does not need is 5\1/2\ years' worth of annual budget appropriations to spend in 120 days, a task it most certainly cannot accomplish with any semblance of efficiency. GSA lacks the contracting, program management and building engineering expertise to go from $1.4 billion in appropriations to $7.7 billion in just 1 year. Giving GSA the keys to nearly 1 percent of the stimulus package will result in gross mismanagement and future funding liabilities. Additionally, according to lists provided by GSA of the projects they list that can be awarded within 120 days, 36 percent, or $2 billion, are in Washington, DC. In a bill for the economic health of our entire Nation, Washington is surely getting the lion's share. I am also concerned with $600 million in the bill for the purchase of vehicles for Federal agencies. The bill states that these are to be primarily alternative fuel and plug-in hybrid vehicles, technologies I greatly support. However, there's currently no U.S. production for plug-in vehicles, and they won't be here until after the deadline of this bill has passed.

Mrs. EMERSON. Additionally, the lack of fueling stations for these vehicles could produce a fleet of cars and trucks in this country that could create new obstacles for Federal agencies. Even David Brooks of the New York Times noted that concerns such as this one ``were cast aside with bland reassurances'' in our committee markup of this bill. Mr. Chair, this is neither what we should be doing with the taxpayers' money, nor how we should be doing it.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Drew Juden, director of the Department of Public Safety in Sikeston, Missouri, on being named 2008 Donald Red Loehr Outstanding Police Chief--the highest honor a police chief can receive in our state. In the many years I have known Director Juden, he has been a stalwart advocate for public safety. He distinguished himself by combating drug crime in Sikeston, by formulating calm, complete responses to statewide natural disasters, and by playing a key role in preparedness exercises for a potentially serious earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which includes Sikeston. On earthquake preparedness, Director Juden brings together local, State and Federal entities to cooperate in the face of a serious threat that could cripple major transportation corridors, disrupt communications on a multistate basis, and interrupt energy supplies from coast to coast. Director Juden is more than a dedicated public servant, he is a leader who recognizes opportunities to think creatively to improve the systems that protect and serve our citizens. In Sikeston, Director Juden has a reputation few police chiefs enjoy. He is widely respected, known to be fair, and trusted by everyone in the community for which he works. It is to Director Juden's credit that, as well-known and widely respected as he is, he approached his duty to the people of Sikeston and of Missouri as a public servant first. By achieving this honor, Director Juden has earned well-deserved praise for his leadership role in law enforcement and disaster response preparedness. I sincerely hope that, by recognizing Drew Juden's many accomplishments with this award, the national law enforcement community also takes notice of the initiatives Director Juden continues to lead to keep Sikeston and other southern Missouri communities safe. I'm very proud to congratulate Drew Juden, 2008 Outstanding Police Chief for the State of Missouri, and to commend him to the U.S. House of Representatives for all of his hard work.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a young man who has inspired Americans in my congressional district and across our great nation. Mr. Neal E. Boyd is from Sikeston, Missouri, in the Eighth Congressional District and, in him, I am lucky to represent one of the most talented singers of opera in our country. Mr. Boyd has risen to national prominence in recent weeks, but we in Southern Missouri have long known about his superior ability as a singer. Whether he is singing Puccini or our National Anthem, Mr. Boyd does so with such rare emotion and sensitivity that it brings tears to many more eyes than my own. I am also fortunate to know Mr. Boyd personally. He is a caring person who has always put the interests of his family and his community ahead of his own. He is shy, but he is not shy with his gift. He is modest, but his voice is brazen and strong. He is selfless with his art, with his time, and with his heart--and he is unfailingly kind. Through hard work and dedication to his craft, Mr. Boyd has shown the cliche to be correct: that dreams do come true. I have never once known him to complain, to become defeated, or to give in--even when he has been forced to put his first love of music on hold. Today, I am very glad that Mr. Boyd is able to put his amazing gift first now and for the forseeable future. He has earned every bit of the success we are celebrating for him in Southern Missouri this month. I am very proud to congratulate Mr. Neal E. Boyd on all of his successes, and I am humbled to thank him for the contributions he has made to Missouri over the years and is still making today. Mr. Boyd is most deserving of recognition in the U.S. House of Representatives, and I am fortunate to know him well enough to stand here today and declare him a true national treasure.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tremendous accomplishment of a young man from my district, Mr. Blake DeWitt, who with hard work and determination has earned a valued place in the starting lineup of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In baseball, Mr. DeWitt is making good on the promise he showed with Sikeston High School, where he batted .558 his senior year. He has been singled out with numerous awards, earning recognition as member of the all-state first team each of his four high school years, and ultimately being named to Baseball America's High School All-America first team. At the professional level, Mr. DeWitt began playing in 2004--working his way up to the major league club. Mr. DeWitt's athletic achievements would lack meaning without the solid character behind his athletic ability. He has been lauded by his coaches Joe Torre and Larry Bowa for his unshakable focus and demeanor. He is recognized both on the field and off to be a natural leader. Baseball has a special place in the hearts of all Americans, and Mr. DeWitt is fortunate to be able to play professionally--even with all of the hard work and the many sacrifices it has taken to get him to the major leagues. In Southern Missouri's Cardinal Nation, where you will find a local radio station (KRHW-AM) which is proudly part of the Dodgers Radio Network, we are lucky to have a young man committed to serve as an ambassador of our community wherever his considerable talents are on display. I'm very proud to commend Mr. DeWitt to this Congress and to congratulate him on all of his success in this, his first season in Major League Baseball. We should all look forward to much more of his success on the field.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the February 2008 New Republican Earmark Standards Guidance, I submit the following: Requesting Member: Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson. Account: Research, Development, Test And Evaluation, Army 98 0604710A Night Vision Systems--Sdd. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: DRS Technologies, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 1 McDaniel Street, West Plains, MO 65775. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,800,000 to complete development and qualification of the Common Remote Stabilized Sensor System (CRS3). This project has received $2,100,000 in Congressionally directed funding to date and has been matched with $1.3 million in internal recipient investment. The total development cost is estimated to be $7.7 million. CRS3 would place sensor operators under armor, eliminating their exposure to snipers and lED's. In addition, it would allow the vehicles to conduct surveillance while on the move. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army account.

Mrs. JO ANN EMERSON

Mrs. JO ANN EMERSON. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the February 2008 New Republican Earmark Standards Guidance, I submit the following: Requesting Member: Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: RDTE,N 14 0602782N Mine and Expedition Warfare Applied Research. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Missouri University of Science and Technology. Address of Requesting Entity: 1870 Miner Circle, Rolla, MO 65409. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 for Detection and Neutralization of Electronically Initiated Improvised Explosive Devices. It is my understanding that this funding will provide $200,000 for Navy administrative costs, $900,000 for instrumentation development, research and administrative costs with Missouri S&T partner General Dynamics, $160,000 for faculty salary, $80,000 for a technician, $135,000 for graduate students, $200,000 for equipment (including: instrumentation to develop a fieldable prototype to rapidly detect electronics associated IEDs, instrumentation to develop a fieldable prototype to neutralize electronics associated with IEDs, downmixing receivers, amplifiers, general lab supplies), $235,000 for overhead. Requesting Member: Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: RDTE, A 28 0602787A Medical Technology. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Missouri University of Science and Technology. Address of Requesting Entity: 1870 Miner Circle, Rolla, MO 65409. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $800,000 for Consortium for Bone and Tissue Repair and Regeneration. It is my understanding that Missouri University of Science and Technology and the University of Missouri--Kansas City would use $175,000 in funding for major equipment purchases including a digital x-ray machine; $625,000 for research personnel and supplies. Requesting Member: Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Air Force RDT&E, Line 23, Electronic Combat Technology, PE 0603270F. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Brewer Science, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 2401 Brewer Drive, Rolla, MO 65401. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,600,000 to develop Three-dimensional microstructures. Approximately, $1,120,000 (70 percent) is for engineering, design and simulation work required to develop new 3-D microdevice manufacturing techniques for the microelectronics industry, where two-dimensional device fabrication is the norm; $160,000 (10 percent) for outside engineering support; $320,000 (20 percent) for materials and supplies necessary for the conduct of this development effort and for the construction of 3-D devices. Requesting Member: Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Battelle Memorial Institute, Fort Leonard Wood Operations. Address of Requesting Entity: 571 VFW Memorial Drive, Ste. 5, St. Robert, MO 65584. Account: OSD--Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise, RDT&E, Defense-wide, Line 40 PE 06030711D8Z Joint Robotics/Autonomous Systems. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $800,000 in the FY 09 Defense Budget to complete the prototyping and demonstration of a modeling, simulation and analysis capability for autonomous behaviors of robotic systems in an operational environment. Approximately, $128,000 [or 16 percent] is for improvement of systems within the Maneuver Support Battle Laboratory; $672,000 [or 84 percent] for two development teams working in the Government's Laboratory to develop the necessary applications and interfaces as well as the development of the Demonstration.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the National Society United States Daughters of 1812. This organization has been instrumental in promoting and preserving the history of a critical time in U.S. history--the War of 1812 era. The National Society has been a service organization of women descendants of veterans of America's Second War for independence and remains dedicated to promoting the War of 1812 in our nation's history through educational, patriotic and historical activities. Eighty years ago in 1928, the National Society purchased a national headquarters building on Rhode Island Avenue in our Nation's capital. For these 80 years, the National Society has remained at the same address and maintains one of the few museums and libraries dedicated solely to the War of 1812 time frame. At this location is a grave location index along with extensive genealogical files that are not duplicated anywhere else in the United States. The National Society United States Daughters of 1812 has long strived to preserve the colorful War of 1812 era--the exciting, yet critical time in American history that produced our United States Constitution and our National Anthem. I commend the entire organization for the important work they do to keep our history alive. Madam Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor this prestigious organization. I ask that you join me along with the people of Southern Missouri to congratulate the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 on their anniversary and their invaluable contributions to American history.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, today I am honored to join with you and recognize the 75th anniversary of one of the most successful New Deal programs initiated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In the spring of 1933, while the United States was in the throes of the Great Depression, Congress and President Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps. CCC provided assistance to unemployed Americans by enrolling them in public works projects to better our Nation's infrastructure. The diverse mission of the CCC directed its participants to conduct public works projects throughout the entire United States. This was not a hand-out, but a hand-up, earned by Americans looking for help in dire economic circumstances. The CCC had a positive result in our region by not only upgrading the infrastructure, but by providing a means where young men and women could help themselves by earning a good living and improving their communities. Nationally, the ranks of the CCC would eventually swell to over 500,000 enrollees at one time. In southern Missouri, the CCC completed many projects. From cabins and trails at Big Spring, to a football stadium in Jackson, to sidewalks all over southern Missouri, the proof of the hard work and determination of CCC enrollees is still evident today. These projects instilled a strong work ethic into the participants of the CCC, which undoubtedly prepared this generation for the impending struggle that our Nation would face in World War II. Along with the work ethic implicit in the CCC, the program put enrollees to work in the community on basic education tasks like teaching, reading and writing to illiterate peers. While the CCC ceased to exist after the start of World War II, the concepts and principles established by the program would be reflected in future programs like Job Corps. It is important for our Nation to reflect on the origins of the CCC and the how it has made our Nation a better place to live by bettering the lives of both the participants and our entire Nation.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 578, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize and to submit for the Record a story concerning the events of July 13, 2008, and an account of the heroics of the paratroopers of the 173rd Airborne. Reports such as this one remind every American of the bravery, the courage, and the willingness to sacrifice of every servicemember in the U.S. Armed Forces--but this tale is an exceptional example. I am honored to share it with you and with the American people. I'm sure you heard about 9 soldiers being killed in Afghanistan a couple of weeks ago. As AP reported it, it was a ``setback'', the ``newly established base'' there was `abandoned' by the Americans. That, of course, was the extent of their coverage. Steve Mraz of Stars and Stripes and Jeff Emanuel tell the rest of the story. Emanuel, who went out and dug into the story sets the enemy force at 500 while AP sets it at 200. Frankly I'm much more inclined to believe Emanuel than AP. July 13, 2008 was the date, and Jeff Emanuel, an independent combat reporter sets the scene: Three days before the attack, 45 U.S. Paratroopers from the 173d Airborne [Brigade Combat Team], accompanied by 25 Afghan soldiers, made their way to Kunar province, a remote area in the northeastern Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, and established the beginnings of a small Combat Outpost (COP). Their movement into the area was noticed, and their tiny numbers and incomplete fortifications were quickly taken advantage of. A combined force of up to 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters quickly moved into the nearby village of Wanat and prepared for their assault by evicting unallied residents and according to an anonymous senior Afghan defense ministry official, ``us [ing] their houses to attack us.'' Tribesmen in the town stayed behind ``and helped the insurgents during the fight,'' the provincial police chief, told The Associated Press. Dug-in mortar firing positions were created, and with that indirect fire, as well as heavy machine gun and RPG fire from fixed positions, Taliban and al Qaeda fighters rushed the COP from three sides. As Emanuel notes, the odds were set. 500 vs. 70. Even so, Emanuel entitled his article, ``An Alamo With a Different Ending.'' The 500 terrorists apparently didn't realize they were attacking US Army paratroopers. The unit in question was 2nd Platoon, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, led by 1LT Jonathan Brostrom. The first RPG and machine gun fire came at dawn, strategically striking the forward operating base's mortar pit. The insurgents next sighted their RPGs on the tow truck inside the combat outpost, taking it out. That was around 4:30 a.m. This was not a haphazard attack. The reportedly 500 insurgents fought from several positions. They aimed to overrun the new base. The U.S. Soldiers knew it and fought like hell. They knew their lives were on the line. The next target was the FOB's observation post, where nine soldiers were positioned on a tiny hill about 50 to 75 meters from the base. Of those nine, five died, and at least three others--Spc. Tyler Stafford among them--were wounded. When the attack began, Stafford grabbed his M-240 machine gun off a north-facing sandbag wall and moved it to an east- facing sandbag wall. Moments later, RPGs struck the north-facing wall, knocking Stafford out of the fighting position and wounding another soldier. Stafford thought he was on fire so he rolled around, regaining his senses. Nearby, Cpl. Gunnar Zwilling, who later died in the fight, had a stunned look on his face. Immediately, a grenade exploded by Stafford, blowing him down to a lower terrace at the observation post and knocking his helmet off. Stafford put his helmet back on and noticed how badly he was bleeding. Cpl. Matthew Phillips was close by, so Stafford called to him for help. Phillips was preparing to throw a grenade and shot a look at Stafford that said, ``Give me a second. I gotta go kill these guys first.'' This was only about 30 to 60 seconds into the attack. Kneeling behind a sandbag wall, Phillips pulled the grenade pin, but just after he threw it an RPG exploded at his position. The tail of the RPG smacked Stafford's helmet. The dust cleared. Phillips was slumped over, his chest on his knees and his hands by his side. Stafford called out to his buddy three or four times, but Phillips never answered or moved. ``When I saw Phillips die, I looked down and was bleeding pretty good, that's probably the most scared I was at any point,'' Stafford said. ``Then I kinda had to calm myself down and be like, `All right, I gotta go try to do my job.' '' The soldier from Parker, Colo., loaded his 9 mm handgun, crawled up to their fighting position, stuck the pistol over the sandbags and fired. Stafford saw Zwilling's M-4 rifle nearby so he loaded it, put it on top of the sandbag and fired. Another couple RPGs struck the sandbag wall Stafford used as cover. Shrapnel pierced his hands. Stafford low-crawled to another fighting position where Cpl. Jason Bogar, Sgt. Matthew Gobble and Sgt. Ryan Pitts were located. Stafford told Pitts that the insurgents were within grenade-tossing range. That got Pitts' attention. With blood running down his face, Pitts threw a grenade and then crawled to the position from where Stafford had just come. Pitts started chucking more grenades. The firefight intensified. Bullets cut down tree limbs that fell on the soldiers. RPGs constantly exploded. Back at Stafford's position, so many bullets were coming in that the soldiers could not poke their heads over their sandbag wall. Bogar stuck an M-249 machine gun above the wall and squeezed off rounds to keep fire on the insurgents. In about five minutes, Bogar fired about 600 rounds, causing the M-249 to seize up from heat. At another spot on the observation post, Cpl. Jonathan Ayers laid down continuous fire from an M-240 machine gun, despite drawing small-arms and RPG fire from the enemy. Ayers kept firing until he was shot and killed. Cpl. Pruitt Rainey radioed the FOB with a casualty report, calling for help. Of the nine soldiers at the observation post, Ayers and Phillips were dead, Zwilling was unaccounted for, and three were wounded. Additionally, several of the soldiers' machine guns couldn't fire because of damage. And they needed more ammo. Rainey, Bogar and another soldier jumped out of their fighting position with the third soldier of the group launching a shoulder-fired missile. All this happened within the first 20 minutes of the fight. Platoon leader 1st Lt. Jonathan Brostrom and Cpl. Jason Hovater arrived at the observation post to reinforce the soldiers. By that time, the insurgents had breached the perimeter of the observation post. Gunfire rang out, and Rainey shouted, ``He's right behind the sandbag.'' Brostrom could be heard shouting about the insurgent as well. More gunfire and grenade explosions ensued. Back in the fighting position, Gobble fired a few quick rounds. Gobble then looked to where the soldiers were fighting and told Stafford the soldiers were dead. Of the nine soldiers who died in the battle, at least seven fell in fighting at the observation post. The insurgents then started chucking rocks at Gobble and Stafford's fighting position, hoping that the soldiers might think the rocks were grenades, causing them to jump from the safety of their fighting hole. One rock hit a tree behind Stafford and landed directly between his legs. He braced himself for an explosion. He then realized it was a rock. Stafford didn't have a weapon, and Gobble was low on ammo. Gobble told Stafford they had to get back to the FOB. They didn't realize that Pitts was still alive in another fighting position at the observation post. Gobble and Stafford crawled out of their fighting hole. Gobble looked again to where the soldiers had been fighting and reconfirmed to Stafford that Brostrom, Rainey, Bogar and others were dead. Gobble and Stafford low-crawled and ran back to the FOB. Coming into the FOB, Stafford was asked by a sergeant what was going on at the observation post. Stafford told him all the soldiers there were dead. Stafford lay against a wall, and his fellow soldiers put a tourniquet on him. From the OP, Pitts got on the radio and told his comrades he was alone. Volunteers were asked for to go to the OP. SSG Jesse Queck sums up the reaction to the call: ``When you ask for volunteers to run across an open field to a reinforced OP that almost everybody is injured at, and everybody volunteers, it feels good. There were a lot of guys that made me proud, putting themselves and their lives on the line so their buddies could have a chance.'' At least three soldiers went to the OP to rescue Pitts, but they suffered wounds after encountering RPG and small-arms fire, but Pitts survived the battle. At that time, air support arrived in the form of Apache helicopters, A-10s and F-16s, performing bombing and strafing runs. The whole FOB was covered in dust and smoke, looking like something out of an old Western movie. ``I've never seen the enemy do anything like that,'' said Sgt. Jacob Walker, who was medically evacuated off the FOB in one of the first helicopters to arrive. ``It's usually three RPGs, some sporadic fire and then they're gone . . . I don't where they got all those RPGs. That was crazy.'' Two hours after the first shots were fired, Stafford made his way--with help--to the medevac helicopter that arrived. ``It was some of the bravest stuff I've ever seen in my life, and I will never see it again because those guys,'' Stafford said, then paused. ``Normal humans wouldn't do that. You're not supposed to do that--getting up and firing back when everything around you is popping and whizzing and trees, branches coming down and sandbags exploding and RPGs coming in over your head . . . It was a fistfight then, and those guys held 'em off.'' Stafford offered a guess as to why his fellow soldiers fought so hard. ``Just hardcoreness I guess,'' he said. ``Just guys kicking ass, basically. ``Just making sure that we look scary enough that you don't want to come in and try to get us.'' Jeff Emanuel summed the fight up very well: ``Perhaps the most important takeaway from that encounter, though, is the one that the mainstream media couldn't be bothered to pay attention long enough to learn: that, not for the first time, a contingent of American soldiers that was outnumbered by up to a twenty-to-one ratio soundly and completely repulsed a complex, pre-planned assault by those dedicated enough to their cause to kill themselves in its pursuit. That kind of heroism and against-all-odds success is and has been a hallmark of America's fighting men and women, and it is one that is worthy of all attention we can possibly give it.'' Of the original 45 paratroopers, 15 were wounded and The Sky Soldiers lost 9 killed in action in the attack. They were: 1LT Jonathan Brostrom of Aiea, Hawaii SGT Israel Garcia of Long Beach, California SPC Matthew Phillips of Jasper, Georgia SPC Pruitt Rainey of Haw River, North Carolina SPC Jonathan Ayers of Snellville, Georgia SPC Jason Bogar of Seattle, Washington SPC Sergio Abad of Morganfield, Kentucky SPC Jason Hovater of Clinton, Tennessee SPC Gunnar Zwilling of Florissant, Missouri. Of the 9 that were lost, Sgt Walker says: ``I just hope these guys' wives and their children understand how courageous their husbands and dads were. They fought like warriors.'' They fought like warriors. Last week, there were 9 funerals in the United States. 9 warriors were laid to rest. 9 warriors who had given their all for their country. All proud members of a brotherhood that will carry on in their name. They fought and died in what most would consider impossible circumstances, and yet they succeeded. A nameless fight in a distant war which, until you understand the facts, could be spun as a defeat. It wasn't. And it is because of the pride, courage and fighting spirit of this small unit that it was, in fact, a victory against overwhelming odds. And there's little doubt, given that pride and given that fighting spirit, that they'll be back to reestablish the base, this time with quite a few more soldiers just like the ones who ``kicked ass'' the last time there.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I move to reconsider the vote on adoption of the resolution. Motion to Table Offered by Mr. Welch of Vermont

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I move to reconsider the vote. Motion to Table Offered by Mr. Hastings of Florida

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mrs. EMERSON

Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I really had to come over and couldn't let this opportunity slip by without coming to the floor to say a few words about my friend former Congressman Bill Clay, even though we still kind of call him ``Congressman.'' This is such a well-deserved honor for the former chairman of the Post Office and Civil Service Committee but really more so because of the man that he is. Bill Clay has dedicated his life to his community in St. Louis, the State of Missouri, our Nation, and is well loved throughout the State, not just in St. Louis, where he is from. He was a magnificent leader in this Congress for civil rights and a congressman who really exemplified what's good about this institution, and that is that there are so many of us who can put aside differences and strive to work for a common good, and Bill Clay always did that. He was not a partisan politician. He was and he does remain a true leader. So that is why I am happy to support this legislation to name a post office after our former colleague, a wonderful man and my friend, Bill Clay.