J. Forbes

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Thank you.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Madam Speaker, consistent with Republican earmark standards, the following are detailed finance plans for each of my requested projects in H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance and Continuing Appropriations Act. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Homeland Security. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Chesterfield County, VA. Address of Requesting Entity: 9901 Lori Road, Chesterfield, VA, 23832, USA. Description of Request: Provide $250,000 to enhance perimeter security at the Chesterfield, VA Emergency Operations Center to assure the safety of personnel during response efforts, as well as the protection of our emergency response critical infrastructure. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a highly sensitive public safety agency. The function of the EOC is to provide information to public safety providers and citizens on a range of items to include criminal activity, terrorist activity or natural disasters. In the event of a terrorist or an individual(s) who may want to hinder or interrupt the public safety system in the County, the logical place to strike is the EOC. In order to mitigate the risk of sabotage or criminal activity, providing physical security to our facility is necessary. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Military Construction, Navy. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Address of Requesting Entity: Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provide $9,990,000 to make Industrial Access Improvements at Main Gate 15 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Mandatory vehicle access control at military installations is a Department of Defense (DoD) requirement per DoD Directives 5200.8 and 5200.8R. Based on a Staff Integrated Vulnerability Assessment conducted in October 2006, the entrance and guardhouse configuration at Gate 15 are inadequate for both industrial access and from a security/safety standpoint and require upgrading. This project provides for industrial access improvements of Gate 15 including the truck and private automobile inspection area, Pass Office Renovations and counter terrorism measures at Gate 15. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Military Construction, Army National Guard. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Pickett. Address of Requesting Entity: Fort Pickett, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provides $2,950,000 to be used to construct a Multipurpose Machine Gun Range for training purposes with a variety of firearms and weapons for the Virginia National Guard and other Army and Guard units along the East Coast. Full budget documentation is a part of the President's Fiscal Year 2009 Department of Defense budget request. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Military Construction, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Lee. Address of Requesting Entity: Fort Lee, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provides $90,000,00 to construct a standard- design training barracks complex for advanced initial training for Army soldiers. This project supports the increase in trainee requirements at Fort Lee as part of the increase in permanent end strength of the Army. The estimated and intended use is 1200 soldiers. All existing adequate facilities are being fully utilized to support current operations. If this project is not provided, there will not be sufficient adequate permanent facilities to support the Grow the Force initiative and soldiers will continue to work out of temporary and/or relocatable buildings which have limited operational capabilities and limited useful life expectancies. Full budget documentation is a part of the President's Fiscal Year 2009 Department of Defense budget request. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Military Construction, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Lee. Address of Requesting Entity: Fort Lee, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provides $10,300,000 to provide a dining facility to support an increase in the number of soldiers who will receive Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee. This project supports the Grow the Force initiative. It will enable the Army to meet the greater training throughput requirement that will result from the increased size of the Army. All existing adequate facilities are being fully utilized to support current operations as well as Army Modularity and Global Defense Posture Realignment (GDPR) initiatives. If this project is not provided, there will not be sufficient adequate dining facilities to support the training requirement as a result of the Grow the Force initiative. All physical security measures and antiterrorism protection measures are included. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations and Housing) certifies that this project has been considered for joint use potential. Full budget documentation is a part of the President's Fiscal Year 2009 Department of Defense budget request. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center. Address of Requesting Entity: Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, 1030 University Blvd., Suffolk, VA 23435, USA. Description of Request: Provide $640,000 for research and development effort that will bring together the Modeling and Simulation community to define, implement, and utilize a set of standards that will guide the development of M&S capability for the foreseeable future. Standards will provide a more cost effective way to ensure simulation compatibility and reuse among the Services and the many types of simulations being developed to address their problems. This action provides funding for the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center at Old Dominion University to develop a set of modeling and simulation standards that will guide all aspects of DoD modeling and simulation design and development.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, every day on the floor and across America today, we are hearing people talk about being bipartisan. They come to the floor when they have drafted a bill improperly or they have ethics charges against them, and they plead with us with tears almost that we need to be bipartisan. But when it comes to one of the most significant issues facing America today, energy, they don't want to be bipartisan. Mr. Speaker, it is one thing to cut the microphone and the lights off against Republicans; but what this bill does is cut it off against scientists and engineers and analysts who will never have an opportunity to analyze this bill and tell America what it does because it was filed last night and we will vote on it today. When they do, this is what they are going to tell Virginians. They are going to tell Virginians that it pulled away the revenues that they could have gotten from oil drilling. They will tell Virginians that it has increased their electricity bills enormously, and it puts $18 billion more taxes across America. But that is okay because off the camera they are going to put their arm around us and say don't worry about it because this bill will never become law because it is just designed to give us cover in the election. Mr. Speaker, America deserves better.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Madam Speaker, consistent with Republican earmark standards, the following are detailed finance plans for each of my requested projects in the H.R. 6599, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for FY 2009. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 6599. Account: Military Construction, Navy. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Address of Requesting Entity: Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provide $10,590,000 to make Industrial Access Improvements at Main Gate 15 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Mandatory vehicle access control at military installations is a Department of Defense (DoD) requirement per DoD Directives 5200.8 and 5200.8R. Based on a Staff Integrated Vulnerability Assessment conducted in October 2006, the entrance and guardhouse configuration at Gate 15 are inadequate for both industrial access and from a security/safety standpoint and require upgrading. This project provides for industrial access improvements of Gate 15 including the truck and private automobile inspection area, Pass Office Renovations and counterterrorism measures at Gate 15. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 6599. Account: Military Construction, Army National Guard. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Pickett. Address of Requesting Entity: Fort Pickett, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provides $2,950,000 to be used to construct a Multipurpose Machine Gun Range for training purposes with a variety of firearms and weapons for the Virginia National Guard and other Army and Guard units along the East Coast. Full budget documentation is a part of the President's Fiscal Year 2009 Department of Defense budget request. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 6599. Account: Military Construction, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Lee. Address of Requesting Entity: Fort Lee, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provides $90,000,000 to construct a standard- design training barracks complex for advanced initial training for Army soldiers. This project supports the increase in trainee requirements at Fort Lee as part of the increase in permanent end strength of the Army. The estimated and intended use is 1,200 soldiers. All existing adequate facilities are being fully utilized to support current operations. If this project is not provided, there will not be sufficient adequate permanent facilities to support the Grow the Force initiative and soldiers will continue to work out of temporary and/or relocatable buildings which have limited operational capabilities and limited useful life expectancies. Full budget documentation is a part of the President's Fiscal Year 2009 Department of Defense budget request. Requesting Member: Congressman J. Randy Forbes. Bill Number: H.R. 6599. Account: Military Construction, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Lee. Address of Requesting Entity: Fort Lee, VA, USA. Description of Request: Provides $10,300,000 to provide a dining facility to support an increase in the number of soldiers who will receive Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee. This project supports the Grow the Force initiative. It will enable the Army to meet the greater training throughput requirement that will result from the increased size of the Army. All existing adequate facilities are being fully utilized to support current operations as well as Army Modularity and Global Defense Posture Realignment (GDPR) initiatives. If this project is not provided, there will not be sufficient adequate dining facilities to support the training requirement as a result of the Grow the Force initiative. All physical security measures and antiterrorism protection measures are included. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations and Housing) certifies that this project has been considered for joint use potential. Full budget documentation is a part of the President's Fiscal Year 2009 Department of Defense budget request.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Madam Speaker, today when the sun comes up on America, there are all too many people who spend all too much time criticizing and apologizing for this Nation, trying to verbally tear it down. But what frightens us most is those people who spend way too much energy and way too much time trying to do harm to innocent Americans as they go about their day-to-day lives, carrying their children to piano recitals, to Little League practice, just going to work. It just makes common sense that we would want to know what they were trying to do, because if we know, we have at least a chance to stop it. This is a bipartisan bill that we should have had a year ago. We certainly should have had 4 months ago. Thank goodness we have it today. The only unfortunate thing is those who will benefit the most will never know it, because they never became victims because we were able to stop those terrorist acts before they took place.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, in 1961 President John F. Kennedy laid out a bold challenge, to put a man on the moon in less than 10 years. At the time, people called it unreasonable and absurd to put a man where no human had stepped before, using technology that hadn't even been developed yet, and to do it in less than 10 years seemed impossible. But what we saw come out of that decade was a Nation that continued to defy the odds and achieve the seemingly impossible. When Neil Armstrong opened the door of Apollo 11 and set foot on the surface of the moon, he embodied the very essence of America, combining our hopes, our dreams and our determination. Americans rose to the challenge and changed the course of history. Today we face a new challenge. The national average for a gallon of gasoline is now $4.07. Gas prices have risen nearly 75 percent since the Democratic majority took control just a year and a half ago. And this isn't a coincidence. The majority's policy since taking power has been to restrict domestic energy production and increase taxes and regulations on U.S. energy suppliers. Simple economics tells us that limiting the supply of oil will increase costs. At a time when families in my district and across the country are struggling every day to cope with skyrocketing prices and a slowing economy, this is outrageous and irresponsible. We continue to get the bulk of our energy fossil fuels, and 60 percent of that comes from foreign nations that, in many cases, do not share our interests. This is not just an economic problem. It's a national security crisis that demands both short and long-term solutions. We must increase our oil supply in the short-term, but we must also launch a national effort to harness American innovation if we hope to succeed in the long-term. Like the first Manhattan Project that was established to insure the security of our Nation during World War II, today our national security depends on our ability to produce reliable sources of energy to fuel our economy and our national defense, independent from other nations. That's why I've introduced a bold new initiative that will put us on the path to energy independence. The New Manhattan Project for Energy Independence, H.R. 6260, challenges the United States to achieve 50 percent energy independence in 10 years, and 100 percent energy independence in 20 years tape, and establishes a commission to lay out a plan to get there. A lot of people had talked about it, but it was time to put forth a bill and do something about it. That's what H.R. 6260 does. Additionally, the bill sets out seven major goals that will put our Nation on this path. The New Manhattan Project will bring together the best and brightest minds in our Nation and encourage American innovation by awarding major cash prizes to anyone who successfully reaches one of these goals. Specifically, Americans will be challenged to develop ways to double CAFE standards to 70 miles per hour, while making these vehicles affordable to consumers; improve home and energy efficiency by 50 percent on a wide scale, develop a solar power plant that costs no more than a coal-consuming power plant; make the production and use of biofuels cost-competitive with standard gasoline fuel; safely and cheaply store carbon emissions from coal-powered plants; safely store neutralized nuclear waste; and lastly, to produce sustainable electricity from a nuclear fusion reaction. The processes to reach these goals are neither simple nor cheap, and many Americans may think them impossible. To make it possible for the inventor, researcher or company that achieves any of these goals, my proposal would provide significant cash prizes to the first person who reaches each of these goals. And to assist those who have promising ideas in these areas to help our country achieve energy independence, $10 billion will be set aside for grants to fund promising lines of research. In total, this bill would supply the same level of resources on the same scale as the original Manhattan Project, which is a total of $24 billion. It is, in fact, possible that even after the major investments proposed in this bill, we may not be 100 percent energy independent. But even if one of these goals is achieved, the impact would literally transform the energy sector. And if every one of these ambitious goals is reached, our country would be free from our addiction to foreign oil, and we will have guaranteed our economic and national security tape for future generations.

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Thank you, Rob, and now, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize another great leader in the House of Representatives from the State of Texas, Congressman John Carter.

Mr. FORBES. Thank you, John, and now, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize someone who has led us in so many of these issues for so many years from the State of Michigan, Congressman Vern Ehlers.

Mr. FORBES. Thank you, Vernon. Mr. Speaker, now I would like to recognize, from the State of Colorado, Mr. Doug Lamborn.

Mr. FORBES. Thank you, Congressman McCotter. Mr. Speaker, now I would like to yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, and now from Minnesota, another leader on many of these issues, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

Mr. FORBES. Thank you. Now I would like to recognize from Arizona, Mr. Trent Franks.

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, now I would like to recognize another good friend from the State of South Carolina (Gresham Barrett).

Mr. FORBES. Thank you for those words of wisdom. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the gentleman from Michigan (Thaddeus McCotter).

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, tonight is a rather historic night because as people might be watching this at home, or if they happen to still be in this great, historic Chamber, if you look around, this room is draped with history. Unfortunately, when people look at this great assembly hall in which so many great debates and great pieces of legislation have passed, what they have become accustomed to seeing is if you are on this side of the aisle whenever there is anything that goes wrongs, there are fingers pointed on that side of the aisle in trying to blame everyone sitting over here. Of course the folks on that side of the aisle are turning over here and pointing their fingers in this direction. If anything good takes place, the folks on this side of the aisle want to stand up and take credit for those things that are good, and folks on that side of the aisle want to do the same thing. And folks sitting at home begin to question and ask whether we can ever get anything done, whether we can ever come together as a body. Well tonight, that is what we do. Republicans and Democrats come together to talk about something that is the cornerstone of the American experience, and that is the rich history of faith that we have had in this country that has helped create our greatness, helped sustain us and that many of us who will speak here tonight for this next hour believe will continue to sustain us in years to come. Mr. Speaker, right behind you tonight is a great phrase. It says ``In God We Trust.'' As you stare out all around this magnificent room, you see some of the greatest lawgivers history and the world has ever known. But the ones you see across this room, you see just half of their face, their half profile except the one directly in front of you which is Moses who we recognize as perhaps one of the greatest lawgivers of all. And throughout our country we have been steeped in an enormous history of faith that starts all of the way back with the commission that Christopher Columbus had when they talked about the grace of God; the first colonial grant to Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584, the grace of God was mentioned in there. The first charter of Virginia in 1606, it referenced knowledge and worship of God. The Mayflower Compact in 1620, it talked about having undertaken for the glory of God. The Declaration of Independence we all know and can cite that those inalienable rights were endowed to us by what the writers of that document said were their creator. The first act of Congress, 1774, they asked a minister to open with prayer, and they read four chapters of the Bible. And during the Civil War we are told that soldiers on both sides, Union and Confederates, that religion was the greatest sustainer of morale. Of course we know numerous stories of the great faith of men and women as they were in slavery and fought to get out of that horrible institution. In 1815, over 2,000 official government calls to prayer had been made by States in the Federal Government, and thousands more have been made since then. In 1864 Congress added ``In God We Trust'' to the American coinage. In 1870, the Federal Government made Christmas an official holiday. In 1931, the Star Spangled Banner was our national anthem, including the phrase ``in God is our trust.'' In 1954 we added the phrase ``one Nation under God'' to the Pledge of Allegiance. And in 1956, Congress by law made ``In God We Trust'' our national motto. And, of course, we all know the significant role that faith and religion and the church played in the civil rights movement. Tonight, Mr. Speaker, for the next hour you will hear some of the greatest leaders in our country and certainly in this body who will come forth not as Republicans and not as Democrats, but come forth as Americans to talk about what we think is the core value system that we have been proud of in this Nation, and that is the rich history of faith that we have. Now, Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield to my good friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre).

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, we just appreciate the leadership of Congressman McIntyre on all of these issues of faith. Mike, thank you so much. And I'd like to now recognize another great leader on faith issues across the country from the State of Arkansas, Congressman John Boozman.

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the congressman from Arkansas for his great leadership on this; and now recognize another leader from the State of New Mexico, Congressman Steve Pearce.

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, we thank the gentleman from New Mexico. And now another great leader in the Congress of the United States from the State of Maryland, Mr. Roscoe Bartlett.

Mr. FORBES. Thank you, Mr. Bartlett, for those great words. And now another leader on so many of these issues from the State of North Carolina, Congressman Robin Hayes.

Mr. FORBES. I'd now like to recognize from the State of Colorado, Ms. Marilyn Musgrave.

Mr. FORBES. Thank you, Marilyn, for those words, and now I'd like to yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Mr. FORBES. Thank you, Doug. Now I'd like to recognize Mr. David Davis from Tennessee.

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, thank you for our time. I know that our time is expired. We have a few other gentlemen that I hope will be recognized later by the House. But, Mr. Speaker, thank you for your patience. General Leave

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

Mr. FORBES

Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.