Mary Fallin

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate and commend the Keystone Adventure School and Farm in Edmond, Oklahoma, which is in my congressional district. Through a dedicated school-wide effort the Keystone Adventure School and Farm has been awarded the President's Environmental Youth Award. These hardworking and committed students have created an environmentally sustainable project called the Kid's Cafe. This Cafe is run entirely by the students and involves growing their own fruits and vegetables, maintaining bees to pollinate plants and create honey, and numerous other environmentally friendly enterprises. Much of the money brought in from these endeavors is used to help less fortunate children in Thailand create their own green gardens to supplement their diet. This student run Cafe enhances their educational experience at the Keystone Adventure School and Farm by exposing them to some of life's most important lessons and offering them a chance to help their community and the world. Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in recognizing the achievements of Keystone Adventure School and Farm. I believe that they have set an outstanding example for all of Oklahoma and the nation to follow.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for the time. I just want to say I am as appalled as any Member of Congress by crimes committed as an act of hate. Criminals who commit acts like murder, rape and assault do belong behind bars. But I oppose this bill because it lays the groundwork for the prosecution and the potential persecution of citizens whose crimes are not actions, but rather crimes of thought and speech. The end result of this bill and the hate crimes agenda will be the suppression of both the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion. By establishing crimes of speech and thought, this law places pundits, journalists, preachers and religious men and women at risk. Other nations have gone down this path before and seen their liberties curtailed. In nations like Canada and Great Britain, where hate crimes legislation has been expanded to include speech, now columnists must avoid certain subjects, and cartoonists worry that their caricatures could become a crime. Even in this country, hate crimes legislation has already been used as a political tool to suppress religious speech. In Pennsylvania, we saw a State hate crimes law used to file felony charges against 11 Christians speaking their minds and preaching their beliefs concerning a gay pride parade. Because sexual orientation had been added to the Pennsylvania hate crimes statute, the Christian demonstrators faced the following charges: Criminal conspiracy; possession of instruments of a crime--and the instruments of the crime were bullhorns; reckless endangerment of another person; ethnic intimidation; riot; failure to disperse; disorderly conduct; and obstructing highways. I believe America is the greatest country in the world because we do have freedom of speech and we do have freedom of religion, and we must protect those ideals. Mr. Speaker, any acts of murder, rape, assault, harassment, theft or any other crime should be punished equally under the law. I cannot support legislation which establishes thought crimes or lays the foundation for a country in which religious and political speech can be deemed hateful and even criminal.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 213 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Thank you to the gentleman from Iowa. I appreciate your hosting this hour tonight for us to discuss a very important issue to our Nation and a very important issue to this Congress and this body. And I appreciate the words that have been spoken so eloquently by my colleagues here tonight. Mr. Speaker, I want to address a couple of things in this piece of legislation that should give us pause as we look at the intent of this legislation, this bill. First of all, it would federalize a number of crimes that have traditionally been left to the States. Assault is a local crime. So is homicide. But under this bill, the Department of Justice would be allowed and encouraged to jump into these cases when they met certain criteria as a hate crime. The Federal Government does not have unlimited resources or even manpower; so do we really want the prosecutors, who should be dealing with things like terrorists or mobsters, dealing with and debating what a street corner thug may or may not have said or may or may not have thought when it comes to a mugging? Local law enforcement and local prosecutors, local courts do an outstanding job of handling such cases, and Congress should let them do their jobs. But, second, this bill is also a clear violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. It creates a special class of victims. It says one victim is more important than another victim, and in doing so, it relegates every other victim to a position of second class. Assault is assault, murder is murder, and they are all hate crimes, in my opinion. But this bill elevates some victims and downgrades others. And this is every bit as unconstitutional as even a poll tax might be for this Nation. And, third, this bill opens the door to the regulation of speech. And this really bothers me. One of our very basic foundations of our Nation, one of our very basic ideals of our Nation that we hold so dear is the freedom of speech, liberty and justice for all. I have to say I do find hate speech very abhorrent. It is childish. It is hurtful. It is wrong. But yet this piece of legislation, when you make hate speech a special precursor to a criminal act, you're only one step away from making speech itself an offense. And then who decides what comment will qualify for the hate speech? When you look at some other countries like Canada and Great Britain who started out with hate crime laws like this and then they added hate speech as a separate offense and then what we find in those countries is now that Columnists in those countries must avoid certain subjects. Columnists must worry whether a caricature may become a crime. And even more troubling is perhaps the way this legislation like this also threatens religion and freedom of religion. Should a Christian minister or a rabbi or an imam have to worry about what their message is maybe if it deals with something like sexuality and that might be considered to be hate speech? If so, that would be an unprecedented violation of the first amendment rights and a direct below to the religious liberty in this country. This legislation may be well intentioned, but it also puts this country on a very dangerous path. And more importantly, the Constitution, as well as a sense of very basic fairness, prohibits the elevation of one class of citizens above another. All victims deserve justice. All victims deserve equal justice, and it should be equally rendered. But this bill is the wrong answer, and I want to urge my colleagues to reject this legislation. To the gentleman of Iowa, I appreciate you, once again, for allowing us the time to discuss a very important issue with our Nation and to express our opinions.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. I am here today to support this resolution also, and to support the naming of 2009 as the Year of the Military Family. For years now, we have been sending our sons and our daughters overseas to fight terror and also fight for our freedom. Our military men and women have sacrificed, missing birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and endured many hardships, and we are honored on this floor in this Chamber to frequently pay tribute to those men and women. Too often, however, we forget the families, the loved ones behind our military men and women--our mothers, our fathers, our children, our siblings, husbands and wives of our troops. Their sacrifice is also worthy of our greatest respect. These are the unsung heroes of the War on Terror, the loved ones who watch our troops go into battle, and are ready to greet them when they arrive back home. We now have 1.8 million family members of active duty military personnel, and just over 1 million family members of reservists. Of every two soldiers who are deployed, one leaves behind a wife or a husband who will wait for months, and sometimes even years, before they see their spouse again. Nearly 2 million children have fathers or mothers who are in the military, and these children, undoubtedly, feel great pride in having a mother or father serve their country, but they also feel a great burden of growing up with one parent who often is far from home and missing those important times. Without the support and sacrifice of these brave men, women, and their children, our Armed Services could not function, so much so that it is just safe to say thank you to our military families for their service and for protecting our country and for making the tremendous sacrifices with their families. So, Mr. Speaker, for all these reasons, I would like to join my colleagues in also congratulating the 2009 members of the military families, and to say that this is your year. 2009 is the Year of the Military Family. So let us join in and respect those families and honor them today in this Chamber.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on federally funded projects, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding federally funded projects I received as part of H.R. 1105--Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009. Under Division B--Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009 I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, requested and received through the Department of Justice under its OJP--Byrne Discretionary Account the amount of $150,000 for the University of Central Oklahoma located in Edmond, Oklahoma. The requesting entity for this funding was the University of Central Oklahoma located at 100 North University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034. The University of Central Oklahoma combined with the new $35 million Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Forensic Institution and has established a major forensic education/laboratory program serving the entire southwest. The Program has been expanded to 48 graduates a year. This funding will be used to provide laboratory infrastructure and equipment to significantly expand the services available to the training programs and to state and local law enforcement officers. Under Division B--Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009 I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, requested and received through the Department of Justice under its COPS Law Enforcement Technology Account the amount of $200,000 for the Oklahoma Department of Safety located in Oklahoma City, OK. The requesting entity for this funding was the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations located at 6600 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City, OK 73116. Provide $200,000 to replace the state's aging communication system and to provide comprehensive radio and data communications capabilities for all emergency response agency units in Oklahoma. Out of this $200,000, the amount of $150,000 [75% of the total] will be used for the replacement of a 800 MHz base station and associated repeater equipment at a major transmission site in Chickasha, OK which is ten years old and is now frequently failing, creating a safety issue for the public safety personnel that depend on that location. Additionally, the amount of $50,000 [25% of the total] will be used to replace and upgrade a dispatcher console in Muskogee, OK in order that it can handle low band and 800 MHz radio frequencies. The current communications capabilities of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies are inadequate, unsafe, and antiquated. Deployment of this communications system will patch geographical gaps in the state, link all the types of the first responders and support personnel and enable Oklahoma state and local public safety agencies to quickly transmit critical information on potential threats. A statewide 800-megahertz communications system was approved in 1982 but has never been completed due to budget constraints. Under Division B--Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009 I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, requested and received through the Department of Justice under its COPS Law Enforcement Technology Account the amount of $300,000 for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations located in Oklahoma City, OK. The requesting entity for this funding was the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations located at 6600 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City, OK 73116. The Oklahoma Mobile Analysis Center is a self-contained vehicle equipped with secure computer hardware/software and communication-networking systems that will allow trained criminal analysts to receive, analyze, and disseminate raw intelligence data necessary to state and national homeland security efforts. Information generated by the MAC unit will be turned into actionable knowledge that supports the ability to detect, investigate, prevent, and respond to criminal and terrorist activity. Under Division C--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, requested and received through the Corps of Engineers under its Investigations Account the amount of $311,000 for the Southeast Oklahoma Water Resource Study. The requesting entity for this funding was the Oklahoma Water Resources Board located at 3800 N. Classen Blvd., OKC, OK 73118. The output of this multi-year study will be a Southeast Oklahoma Watershed Management Plan that identifies solutions to water resources problems with the study area, including a systems approach to collaboratively develop pertinent existing, forecasted and strategic information for the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan. Under Division C--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, requested and received through the Corps of Engineers under its Investigations Account the amount of $191,000 for the Washita River Basin. The requesting entity for this funding was the Oklahoma Water Resources Board located at 3800 N. Classen Blvd., OKC, OK 73118. The output of this multi-year study will be a Washita River Watershed Management Plan that identifies solutions to water resource problems within the study area, including a systems approach to collaboratively develop pertinent existing, forecasted and strategic information for the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan. The project covers the Washita River Watershed and adjacent counties in southwest Oklahoma.- Under Division C--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, requested and received through the Corps of Engineers under its Investigations--PAS Account the amount of $100,000 for the PAS: Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan. The requesting entity for this funding was the Oklahoma Water Resources Board located at 3800 N. Classen Blvd., OKC, OK 73118. This Multi-year study to provide technical assistance to the state of Oklahoma in updating the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan. The OWRB envisions that, combined with federal cost-shared funds, the OWRB could work with local water suppliers in evaluating their system conditions, long-term needs, and develop a strategy to meet their needs over a 50- year time horizon. The plan would also address the long-term needs of other water use sectors. Under Division C--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, requested and received through the Bureau of Reclamation under its Water and Related Sources Account the amount of $65,000 for the Oklahoma Investigations Program, Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan. The requesting entity for this funding was the Oklahoma Water Resources Board located at 3800 N. Classen Blvd., OKC, OK 73118. This project provides technical assistance and funds to assist the State of Oklahoma in updating the Oklahoma State Comprehensive Water Plan. FY2009 funds are being requested to complete modernization of the OWRB database management system, migration of existing data and appropriate training. Under Division F--Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin requested and received through the Department of Health and Human Services under its Health Resources and Services-- Health Facilities and Services Account the amount of $333,000 for Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation located at 825 N.E. 13th Street Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104. These funds will be used for a mass spectrometer. Mass Spectrometry is a highly effective type of advanced technical analysis and has become a critical technique in biomedical research. In a field such as cardiovascular disease research, mass spectrometry is giving scientists new abilities ranging from experiments attempting to understand fundamental processes. Mass spectrometers have fundamentally changed research and are now considered a key tool for research organizations. In the entire State of Oklahoma there is no such instrument. Under Division F--Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin requested and received through the Department of Health and Human Services Account under its Health Resources and Services--Health Facilities and Services the amount of $285,000 for Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences located at 1111 West 17th, Tulsa, OK 74101. These funds will be used for the purchase of equipment to update the facility. Under Division F--Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin requested and received through the Department of Health and Human Services under its Health Resources and Services-- Health Facilities and Services Account the amount of $333,000 for Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences located at 1111 West 17th, Tulsa, OK 74101. These funds will be used for the purchase of equipment. Under Division F--Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin requested and received through the Institute of Museum and Library Services under its Museums and Libraries Account the amount of $285,000 for the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The requesting entity for this funding was the City of Oklahoma City located at 200 North Walker Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. Oklahoma has a unique story and a history that differentiates us from any other state in the nation. Nowhere else in the United States can a visitor hear first-hand accounts from 39 different American Indian Tribal Nations regarding their journey from ancestral homelands, or discover how Native peoples have contributed and woven their identities into the fabric of contemporary Oklahoma. The American Indian Cultural Center will be a ``living cultural space'' featuring modern-day expressions of 39 Tribal Nations. It will provide visitors a rare opportunity to be immersed in traditional celebrations, contemporary events, and activities both inside the Cultural Center and across a 300-acre Cultural Park. These funds will be used to complete the education and cultural exhibits construction within the cultural center. Under Division I--Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin requested and received through the Buses and Facilities Account the amount of $712,000 for the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority located at 300 S.W. 7th St., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73109. These funds will be used for an Automated Vehicle Location systems provide real time bus information to management and bus patrons and include automated enunciation system to automatically announce bus stops in order to assist individuals with vision problems. Under Division I--Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, I, Congresswoman Mary Fallin requested and received through the Buses and Facilities Account the amount of $1,330,000 for Oklahoma City Bus Replacement. The requesting entity for this funding was the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority located at 300 S.W. 7th St., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73109. These funds will be used to replace buses that have reached the end of their useful lives.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity today to take a very important step in protecting some of our most vulnerable elderly citizens who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. One American in 10 over the age of 65 suffers from Alzheimer's disease. For those over 85, it is one in two. Alzheimer's patients now number as many as 4.5 million in the United States, and as we baby boomers continue to age, those numbers will only continue to grow. One of the great dangers for Alzheimer's patients is the tendency to become disoriented and to wander away from home. In fact, some 60 percent of those with Alzheimer's will do so at some point, and half of them will be seriously injured or even possibly die. We've all heard stories in our local news networks, in our local communities: an elderly person goes missing, perhaps just going on a simple trip to the grocery store. Local search efforts are launched, and there are some great programs around our Nation to have those search efforts. The family will post notices somewhere and pleas for help for that missing person goes out. And the media certainly can help sound the alarm. But sometimes these stories don't end happily and sometimes they do. The person that has wandered beyond the reach of local search efforts can be in serious trouble. If the weather is bad, or if that person should run across some dangerous individual, and they cross that Alzheimer's patient's path, it can end in tragedy. In the fall of 2007, a member of my church, a lady named Betty Ledgerwood, left home one day and got into her car, had gas in her car, and ended up driving, not knowing where she was, who she was, and actually was missing for almost a full day. And her family even called me here, frantically trying to get some help with the media to find her. Her family did do all they could to sound the alarm. Local officials searched for her, but she was eventually found, and she had died from exposure to the weather, just right outside her car, not in my home State of Oklahoma, but actually clear in Missouri. And she didn't know where she was, and unfortunately, her family didn't know where she was. It's a story that we hear all too often, that a loved one is confused with dementia or Alzheimer's can be missing. And that's why the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program today that we're talking about will help protect our moist vulnerable at-risk seniors. This is a program that has potential, saving and preserving the lives of some of our most vulnerable and threatened elderly citizens. It enlists the capacities of many different agencies, private-public sector. It does not seek to create new agencies. It simply focuses attention and effort on a growing problem. So, Mr. Speaker, today, I'd like to urge the passage of this measure so we can bring the next Betty Ledgerwood home to her family safely. Thank you so much.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to urge the passage of a resolution honoring an outstanding young man from my home State of Oklahoma and from my district, Sam Bradford, who is the winner of college football's highest honor, the Heisman Trophy, and of course he is from the great university, the University of Oklahoma. It has been said that sports build character, and we always hope that is true, but Sam Bradford brings character to sports. He is a remarkable athlete, honor student and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Most recently, he reminded us as to how to set priorities in life. He could have earned millions by entering the professional football draft, but yet he chose to return to college next fall and complete his degree. Sam Bradford graduated from Putnam City North High School which is in my district, and he is the son of a former college football player. Two years ago, he stepped in as quarterback for the University of Oklahoma Sooners, his father's alma mater, and by the end of the his first season, he had thrown 36 touchdown passes, an NCAA record for a freshman. Last year, he passed for 48 more touchdowns, setting another record along the way, and in January, he led his team, OU Sooners, into the national championship game. They did not win, but they played very well, and I guarantee you they played with honor. And after the game, we were treated to the image of two fine young men embracing on the field: Tim Tebow, last year's Heisman winner, and Sam Bradford. There are no better role models today in the sport than those two fine young men. And America would be better served, well-served if these two young men were to meet again next January in a national championship rematch, which I hope they do. Of course, we are very partial to Sam Bradford and Oklahoma, and for a very good reason. He's a proud member of the Cherokee Indian Nation, and before each game, he rereads the biblical story of David and Goliath to remind himself that he must be his very best each day. In both of his first two seasons, he has made the conference all- academic team as a scholar athlete, and I can assure you that there are hundreds, maybe even a thousand, small boys, young boys in Oklahoma that would love to grow up to be the next Sam Bradford, and they could hardly pick a better role model than Sam. In an age where athletic success too often translates into what could be arrogance or even misbehavior, Oklahoma is proud of our most recent Heisman Trophy winner. He is a great quarterback. He is a great young man. He is humble in victory, and he is gracious in defeat. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to urge this body to approve H. Res. 60, commending an Oklahoma Sooner who reminds us all that success on the playing field and true humility can go hand in hand. I know that some of my colleagues from Oklahoma are also very proud of Sam Bradford. I know that some of them wanted to come today, but they were all catching their flights, but all the Oklahoma delegation in the House, in a bipartisan way, are supporting this resolution. I would urge its adoption.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend SSgt Lloyd Lee Elliott, USAF of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for his service to the United States of America. SSgt Lloyd Lee Elliott, USAF, distinguished himself in service to our country from August 13th, 1943, to October 15th, 1945. SSgt Lloyd Lee Elliott served as a tail-gunner on a B-17 Bomber completing 33 missions over Germany. There are many paths which are set before us in life, many times paths which are not desirable to pursue. Answering the call of his country, this young man followed the path before him not knowing if it would lead him safely back home. Believing in the freedom of the United States and in defending our rights, Staff Sergeant Elliott distinguished himself in service to our country. Each person who has served our country has many experiences which can be shared. We share today with Staff Sergeant Elliott our thanks and our gratitude for his service. He is one of many who have sacrificed; answering the call to make the United States of America what it is today. Once again, I want to commend SSgt Lloyd Lee Elliott, USAF.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to commend and congratulate retired Major General Rita Aragon, who has been named Woman of the Year by the Journal Record business newspaper in Oklahoma City. Rita Aragon's story is an inspiration to all women. As a single mother working as public school teacher, she joined the Oklahoma Air National Guard more than 30 years ago. In 1989 she became the first unit commander in the Guard, and by 2003 she had risen to the rank of Brigadier General. As a major General she served on active duty as assistant to the commander of air education and training and later as assistant to the chief of Staff Manpower and Personnel in the Pentagon. Since her retirement she has returned to education as director of advance programs at the College of Continuing Education at the University of Oklahoma. Throughout her career, Rita Aragon has given her time and talent to many community organizations and served on the boards of many of those groups. During Oklahoma's response to the 1995 federal building bombing in Oklahoma City she helped lead the military contingent at ground zero. I am honored to recognize Rita Aragon's life of service to her Nation, state and city.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to commend and congratulate retired Major General Rita Aragon, who has been named Woman of the Year by the Journal Record business newspaper in Oklahoma City. Rita Aragon's story is an inspiration to all women. As a single mother working as a public school teacher, she joined the Oklahoma Air National Guard more than 30 years ago. In 1989 she became the first unit commander in the Guard, and by 2003 she had risen to the rank of Brigadier General. As a Major General she served on active duty as assistant to the commander of air education and training and later as assistant to the chief of Staff Manpower and Personnel in the Pentagon. Since her retirement she has returned to education as director of advance programs at the College of Continuing Education at the University of Oklahoma. Throughout her career, Rita Aragon has given her time and talent to many community organizations and served on the boards of many of those groups. During Oklahoma's response to the 1995 federal building bombing in Oklahoma City she helped lead the military contingent at ground zero. I am honored to recognize Rita Aragon's life of service to her nation, state and city.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, my, my, my, what a difference one night can make. Last night we were in session until about 7:15. There was no energy bill. All of a sudden, we wake up this morning and we have an energy bill, but it's an energy bill that even the majority of, well, I would say even the conservative Blue Dog Democrats have not seen, much less even the Republicans in the House. And so why do we have this today happening? It's because there are people in this body who do not want to produce energy for America. We're playing games with American energy production. We're hurting the American economy. We're hurting the pocketbooks of our American businesses. We're increasing our dependence on the foreign oil. All of the Americans right now are very concerned about our economy, they're concerned about our unstable financial institutions, they're concerned about home foreclosures, they're concerned about trade deficits, they're concerned about foreign countries who are coming in and buying American assets. They're concerned about the cost of gasoline, the cost of food, the cost of consumer goods. You know, families are struggling, businesses are struggling. But yet in this body, we have an energy bill that has been brought forth today that we have not seen, that we have not had time to debate, to look at. It's one of the most important issues facing our Nation. Producing an American energy bill that produces American energy is the course for the future of this Nation. It's a threat to America's national security, our economic security not to pass the energy bill.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, in just 2 weeks, children from all across America and in my district will be starting back to school. All over America, school officials are struggling with the rising costs of fuel. They have to run their buses twice a day for the next 9 months. And in some States, they're already talking about cutting back on bus routes. They're already talking about forcing some children to have to walk to school, and even going to four-day-a-week school classes. That's just not inconvenient for our families and our children, but it's flat-out dangerous for our children, especially our young ones. Day after day, we wait for this House and the Democratic leadership to allow us a vote on expanded energy resources, whether it is drilling, whether it is alternative resources--wind, solar, nuclear, refinery capacity, and day after day they say no. In just a few weeks, our children, who have been riding buses safely, are now going to have to alter the way they get to school. Mr. Speaker, time is up. It's time for us to vote on the American Energy Act. Let's vote on it today. Let's vote on it before we go on our August break. Let's give the American people relief on gas prices.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 520, I was unavoidably detained during the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, you know, the only way to produce more energy for America is to produce more energy. It's not taxing the energy. It's not releasing more reserve from the Strategic Reserve. If we released what is being proposed today from the Strategic Reserve, it would be a 3-day supply. But yet when President Bush earlier announced that he was going to lift the offshore ban on drilling, the price of a barrel of oil dropped $9, and the markets responded. The way you change the energy and the cost to America is to introduce more energy to the marketplace. And one of the ways we can do that is to make it easier for oil and gas companies to be able to drill. I have introduced a piece of legislation, H.R. 6379, the Federal Exploration and Production Reform Act, that would allow oil companies and gas companies to be able to get their permits processed in a timely manner from the Bureau of Land Management and would help us be able to put that production online in immediate form. Right now, it takes an average of 213 days to get a permit processed through the Bureau of Land Management. That's not acceptable. They even have a huge backlog of permits. And we've heard all the debate here today that over 65 percent or so of our energy comes from foreign countries. We have over $700 billion of our money going to other countries, many who are hostile to America. We're making those countries rich by buying their energy. I am convinced that we can produce our own energy here in America, whatever form it might be, whether it's oil, gas, clean coal technology. There's wind, solar, nuclear, biofuels. All those things are possible. I know they're possible because America's a great Nation. We have smart people. We have innovation. We have creativity. We can do whatever we want to do if we put our heads to it, if we put our minds to it, and allow it to happen. But this Congress has stopped it from happening. We've had lawsuits, we've had rules and regulations, we've had bureaucratic red tape that has tied up the industry from making the innovations, producing the energy that would fuel our Nation, and we can no longer afford to do that. The American people are suffering. Businesses are suffering, and now it's time for this Nation to generate our own energy. Let's get rid of the Federal bureaucratic red tape, the time delays. Let's put Americans to work. Let's quit transferring our wealth to other foreign countries and risking our national security and our economic security. We can invest that money here in America. We can generate revenue that could go to transportation, education, health care, go to our infrastructure in our Nation. Let's put Americans to work. Let's invest here and let's produce energy.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6515 is the ``use it or lose it'' bill that was defeated last month, but today it is coming back with just window dressing added to this version. The previous version of this bill, H.R. 6251, was rejected by the majority of Republicans and nearly all the oil patch Democrats, including the chairman of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee. Like the last version, H.R. 6515 breaches contracts by requiring terms under which oil companies may use and bid on leases. In fact, this piece of legislation may actually drive away oil and gas companies from the U.S. and lower the production of energy. It is based on a claim that has been dismissed by the Department of Interior, that the industry is stockpiling 68 million acres of Federal leases. This bill cannot hide 30 years of shutting off access. In Jimmy Carter's last year as President, over 100 million acres were leased onshore, and it reached 160 million acres under Ronald Reagan. In a good year it is now just 50 million acres. The government and the Democrat leadership is the one that is stockpiling oil and gas leases, and the Speaker is keeping it off the market. Over two billion, that's over 200,000 million acres are not leased. And according to today's New York Times, when the President decided to lift the ban on OCS oil and gas production, the Speaker responded, I'm not going to let him get away with it. Well, H.R. 6515 and the Speaker are not living up to their promises. This bill also purports to open up the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, but the NRPA is already open. Just yesterday the Secretary of the Interior announced a major lease sale for this fall. So 6515 could delay the drilling because the bill now injects new environmental language that is already existing in the NPRA law. And this is an invitation for environmental groups to sue to stop oil production. And they have been filing lawsuits for the last 10 years to stop the production. This is a bad piece of legislation.

Mr. FALLIN

Mr. FALLIN. I am in its present form.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, America has slammed into an energy wall in the past 18 months, with gas prices escalating 70 percent since the beginning of the 110th Congress when the current Democratic leadership took control. Americans are now paying over $4 and change for a gallon of gasoline. This dire situation affects not only drivers, but ripples through all commerce of the United States, from the cost of food, to building materials, to tourism, to jobs, to health care, and in short, our economic security. Increased supply from our own American resources is one tool that we have in our tool box to help us get out of this mess. This is a bipartisan solution, as demonstrated by Speaker Pelosi's recent request to President Bush to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help funnel more product to American refineries, and thus more gas to local gas stations. While this is a small step in a positive direction, the Democratic- controlled House of Representatives has only compounded the problem of American energy supplies. The current leadership has scheduled and passed over a dozen bills from the Committee on Natural Resources alone restricting or potentially restricting energy development on the public lands of the United States. We also expect a package of over 60 more bills from the Senate before we adjourn, most of which will impact energy exploration and development on public lands. The Democratic leadership of the House of Representatives has also failed to lift the congressional moratoria on the development of oil and natural gas resources from the Outer Continental Shelf. It has blocked access to over 1 million acres of uranium-rich lands in the southwestern United States, fuel which could be harnessed to produce clean, air-friendly nuclear energy. It has locked up oil shale and stopped energy transmission corridors across public lands. It has even tried to stop wind energy. While this trail bill before us may seem like small potatoes, it is indicative of a larger problem. The more lands we place off-limits to multiple uses, including energy development, then the more we have to rely on others for our economic feedstock of energy. This trail will affect lands and waters in more than nine States in very populous eastern areas and the mid-Atlantic region of America. At least, thanks to Congressman Pearce's amendment, we will know exactly what energy resources will be impacted by this designation. This is not true for all trails designated under the National Trails Act. Currently, there are thousands of miles of trails affecting every region of the United States, and with the trend in legislative activity in this Congress, we can certainly expect many more in the near future. This motion to recommit will ensure that we do not inadvertently cut off crucial energy supplies during the current crisis when we designate trails under the National Trails Act. It expands on language authored by Congressman Rob Wittman, now in section three of the bill, which was readily accepted by both Democrats and Republicans during the markup of H.R. 1286 in the Committee on Natural Resources just 2 weeks ago. What is good for the Washington-Rochambeau trail should be good for all trails, wherever located. And, Madam Speaker, as I just mentioned, this House just voted unanimously on an amendment by Congressman Pearce for an energy assessment on this trail, so why should we prohibit or hinder the development, the production, the conveyance, or transmission of energy on any trail in the United States? I ask for your support.

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Ms. FALLIN. In its present form I am.

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, yesterday in The Washington Post, there was a full-page article and more about a young couple who were camping in the Appalachian Mountains back in 1981 who were both murdered by a gentleman who had a handgun, who was deranged, and came upon their campsite and murdered them both. He went away to prison for many years, was paroled, was out in the public, and then went back up into the Appalachian Mountains 28 years later to kill two more people with a handgun. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit that would ensure in this legislation that the rights of States and local governments, within the trails area designation, to regulate possession and carrying of firearms will be unharmed by this legislation. This bill does provide that the trails designation shall not diminish the right of States to regulate hunting, but it is silent on issues including the clear right to carry firearms. Despite the recent Heller decision affirming our second amendment right, the National Park Service still refuses to allow State and local gun laws to govern, unlike the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. This motion to recommit will secure full second amendment rights along the 600-mile trail. The second amendment is a critical right. We must protect our constituents against consequences of this legislation that could harm that right. I can think of no better spokesperson for the second amendment right than the Father of our Country, George Washington. George Washington said of firearms: ``The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference. They deserve a place of honor with all that's good.'' He also said: ``A free people ought to be armed.'' I can't say it better myself. The National Park Service has regulations that limit hunting and the right to carry or possess firearms even in States and localities where it is legally permitted. These regulations harm wildlife and the environment because local wildlife management officials are impeded in their work. Before any attempt is made to restrict the rights of gun owners and the second amendment defenders, this motion to recommit protects their legal existing rights now and in the future. I urge my colleagues to support this motion to recommit. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FALLIN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. FALLIN

Ms. FALLIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway).