Paul Gillmor

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding individual from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. On Saturday, June 26, 2004 Mr. Keith E. Harman, of Delphos, Ohio, was elected and installed as the State Commander of Ohio for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America for the 2004- 2005 year. A Vietnam Veteran, Keith Harman served his country with honor and distinction from 1967 to 1969 while attached to A Troop, 2/17th Air Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division as a crew chief and door gunner on a Huey helicopter. Keith's honors include the Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Badge and the National Defense Service Medal. Mr. Speaker, in 1983 Keith began his involvement in the VFW by becoming a Life Member of Post 3035 in Delphos, Ohio and in 1986, Keith was elected Post Commander of 3035. It was in this capacity that he embarked on a career of compassion, always wanting to assist veterans in need. Keith would hold the title of Commander of 3035 for three consecutive years until his election in 1990 to District 2 Commander, where he most recently served as Vice Commander of Ohio. In addition to his VFW duties, Keith has been involved in his fellow veterans' concerns by serving as the Van Wert County Veterans Service Officer for the past thirteen years. As District 2 Commander, Keith has displayed great leadership by effectively communicating the mission at hand and adapting to the ever- changing world around him. Through his drive and leadership, Keith has worked tirelessly to increase the membership of the VFW, forge solid relationships with Ohio's communities, and advance the issues that affect veterans most. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Mr. Keith Harmon. Our communities are well served by having such honorable and giving citizens, like Keith, who care about their well being and stability. We wish Keith and his family all the best as we pay tribute to one of the Fifth District's finest citizens.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to the Van Wert County Historical Society on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary. The Van Wert County Historical Society was born of the desire to preserve the history of a great county within the Fifth Congressional District of Ohio. The idea for a historical society first surfaced during Ohio's sesquicentennial in 1953. From overwhelming requests, members of the Van Wert Sesquicentennial Committee founded the Historical Society in 1954. While the Society was slow to start, a meeting on September 18, 1955, changed the course of history for the group. William Fosnaught, a local attorney and schoolteacher, presented the deed to a mansion which was donated to house the museum. Since the 1955 donation of a mansion to the Historical Society, the group has expanded its grounds by adding a gazebo, barn, and log house, one-room schoolhouse, Conrail caboose and the annex building. In addition, the Historical Society boasts the only gazebo to be listed on the National Register of Historical Sites. Mr. Speaker, what makes the Van Wert County Historical Society unique is that the mansion holds artifacts that represent the vast history of Van Wert County. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to the Van Wert County Historical Society. Our communities are served well by having these societies to narrate history to future generations. However, it is the generous donations of artifacts and the volunteering of time by the people of Van Wert County which make the Historical Society a success. On behalf of the people of the Fifth District of Ohio, I am proud to recognize this great achievement.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to Mr. David Uetterling of Defiance, Ohio on the occasion of his election as state commander of the Ohio Disabled American Veterans. David Uetterling has a lifelong record of service to the people of Ohio and the people of America. David entered the United States Army in 1965 and served an 18-month tour of duty in Vietnam. David was injured while serving his country in Vietnam. A resident of Defiance, Ohio, David has been a life member of the Disabled American Veterans Defiance Chapter 36 since 1982. He served 4 years as commander of the Defiance chapter. David has held various DAV offices at the state level and most recently served as bingo chairman and adjutant/treasurer. During the 83rd Annual State Convention from June 10-12 in Dublin, Ohio, David Uetterling was unanimously elected state commander of the Ohio Disabled American Veterans, an organization comprised of more than 48,000 veterans. In addition to his service in the DAV, David is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, ELKS, and American Legion. Mr. Speaker, the service of our disabled veterans is vital to the people of the Fifth Congressional District of Ohio. David Uetterling has effectively displayed leadership to his community through service to the many veterans organizations in which he is involved. His passion to advance the issues that affect veterans most makes him a model citizen of the Fifth District. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to David Uetterling. Our communities benefit greatly through his service. On behalf of the people of the Fifth District of Ohio, I am proud to recognize David Uetterling's great achievement. We wish David and his family all the best as we pay tribute to one of Ohio's finest citizens.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to this legislation and in support of the Kanjorski amendment which is going to be offered later. The real issue we are debating today is whether or not we in the House want to set a dangerous precedent and politicize the process of setting accounting standards. The Financial Accounting Standards rule does not in any way, despite the implication of some other statements, prevent the issuance of stock options. It just says you have to honestly tell the shareholders what their real cost is. If we pass this bill and prevent the SEC from adopting FASB's draft rule, American workers and other investors may invest their pensions and other retirement incomes in unprofitable companies because they will continue to be given misleading financial statements. Under our current accounting standards, companies are allowed to choose whether or not to expense stock options, and many have chosen not to report any expense of this compensation, even when they claim stock option expenses on their tax returns. Stock options are the only form of compensation that may be omitted from a corporation's financial statements. The issue is not whether these forms of compensation provide useful incentives, but whether all of them should be reflected honestly on company financial records as company expenses. Objective observers are virtually unanimous in calling for expensing of stock options. They include Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, Treasury Secretary John Snow, SEC Chairman William Donaldson, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Chairman William McDonough, former SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt, and investor Warren Buffett, who in a July 6, 2004 editorial gave, quote, this bill's opponents an ``A'' for imagination and a flat-out ``F'' for logic. It is also supported by the Council of Institutional Investors, the Investment Company Institute, Financial Services Forum and the Consumer Federation of America. The FASB standards are about having honest and not misleading reporting to people who have invested in a company. I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I am going to be brief because there are a number of speakers tonight. I will enter my full statement in the Record, but I am very pleased to have the opportunity to pay tribute to a very special Member of this body who is leaving after 25 years of service. All of us who serve here know the respect with which Doug is held by his colleagues here, but what many Members of this body do not know is how widely known, how respected he is by parliamentarians all across this globe. Throughout his 25 years in the House, Doug Bereuter has served on an exceptionally large number of important committees. He has also held the gavel as chairman of three different subcommittees. He has played a lead role in the House of Representatives for years, but throughout his 18 years of service on the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and his membership on numerous other congressional exchanges and international task forces, Congressman Doug Bereuter has become one of the most experienced voices in congressional debate on international affairs. I have had the pleasure of serving with Doug for 10 years on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and my wife Karen and I have had the opportunity to know both he and his wife Louise very well as a result of that experience. I think it is an example of the high regard in which he is held, the fact that he is now serving as the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He was unanimously elected to that position by the parliamentarians of the all the NATO countries. NATO has now grown to 26 countries with the recent expansion. His important achievements, both in Congress and abroad, will continue to pay tribute to his esteemed career as an effective legislator and accomplished diplomat. His presence in this House will be sorely missed as he has been one of those Members who has always worked on behalf, not only of the American people, but also his Nebraska constituency. It is a responsibility that he assumes going to the Asia Foundation, a very large and important institution; but it fits perfectly with his background, his experiences, his talent, where he will no doubt make a major contribution. He will be helping not only the United States but the many Asian countries where the foundation is active. I wish Congressman Doug Bereuter and his wife, Louise, and his family the very best of luck in the years to come.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to Mrs. Ruth Larabee, upon her retirement from her position as the Director of the Wood County Department of Job and Family Services in Bowling Green, Ohio. Ruth Larabee grew up in the small community of Landeck, Ohio, in Allen County where the leadership skills which have served her well over the years were instilled at an early age. Ruth graduated from Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio with majors in biology and physical science. Upon graduation, Ruth began her career of serving others by teaching Junior High School. When Ruth became a mother of six, she stopped teaching so that she could dedicate all her time and resources to raising her children. Mr. Speaker, as Ruth's children grew; she accepted a position with the WSOS Head Start Administration. It was in this capacity that she embarked on a career of compassion, always wanting to assist those less fortunate. Ruth accepted her current position as Director of the Wood County Department of Job and Family Services in 1987, where she has provided constant leadership. Drawing upon her past experiences, she has brought stability and calm to an agency which has seen tremendous change. Despite shifts in public policy brought on by welfare reform, demands for increased services for children and the growing needs of the unemployed, Ruth has continued to be a steadfast leader. As Director of the Wood County Job and Family Services, Ruth has displayed great leadership by effectively communicating the mission at hand and adapting to the ever changing world around her. Through her drive and leadership, Ruth has worked tirelessly to better the life of abused children, people in need of public housing, the elderly, and those desperately seeking employment. Through her 17 years of distinguished service to the residents of Wood County, Ruth leaves behind the legacy of an Agency inspired by dedication and compassion. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Mrs. Ruth Larabee. Our communities are served well by having such honorable and giving citizens, like Ruth, who care about their well being and stability. We wish Ruth and her family all the best as we pay tribute to one of Ohio's finest citizens.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to pay tribute to a special in Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. This year, the community of Wauseon, Ohio will celebrate the sesquicentennial of its founding. Mr. Speaker, the City of Wauseon was officially recorded as a town in 1854 upon the arrival of the New York Central Railroad. The City earns its name from the long heritage of the Maumee Indian tribe. The last council of the Maumee tribe was held with the United States government 16 years before the founding of the City. It was at this council that Chief Wauseon conveyed all Maumee tribe lands in the Northwest Territory to the United States Government. From its very beginning, Wauseon had a strong connection with the railroad. Its very creation came as a result of the railroad moving to Northwest Ohio. The first settlement in Wauseon came in anticipation of the arrival of the New York Central Railroad. Wauseon contributed to the prosperity of our young nation, the strength of our economy and the birth of our industrial might. Wauseon has a deep understanding and appreciation of their vibrant culture and long history. Today, we honor the June 26th Heritage Days event in Wauseon, Ohio. This event will mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of the City of Wauseon. The festival will include a Civil War encampment, Native American pow-wow, and music and food from the 1850's. Pioneer life will be on display throughout the celebration. As the county seat of Fulton County and its largest city, Wauseon embraces their long and significant heritage and will continue to share this with visitors and members of their community. Building a community mindful of the past and ready for the future speaks to the wisdom and dedication of Wauseon's citizens. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to the diligent effort and unwavering spirit of the citizens of Wauseon. I am confident that Wauseon's sesquicentennial will serve as an essential reminder to the past and promise of our great land.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a comprehensive energy policy. America needs comprehensive energy legislation to fill the country's critical and growing energy needs. It is vital to our national security, will generate new jobs, and make America more competitive. The House has continued to focus our attention on this important issue with the passage of H.R. 4503, the Energy Policy Act, yesterday afternoon. I am glad that the House has again presented yet another opportunity to the other body to finally deal with energy policy that is so important to our constituents. With gas over $2 a gallon in many areas, it is clear Americans are paying for legislative inaction. It is not just gasoline; it is also high natural gas prices that are hurting both our Nation's agriculture and manufacturing. Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support a strong, pro- growth comprehensive energy policy that will allow the United States to remain competitive and create jobs at home.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4281. This bill will open the door to nearly 41 million Americans that are currently without health care coverage. Providing small businesses with an opportunity to offer their employees affordable health care access is essential in promoting not only the physical health of the American workforce but also the overall economic health of the United States. The American economy has always been driven by the entrepreneurial nature of its citizens, and blocking access to affordable health care will only suffocate growth within the small business sector of our economy. Recently, I had the honor of addressing a group of small business owners from my northwest Ohio district at an NFIB regional luncheon, and the most common concern I heard from them was their inability to secure affordable health care for themselves and their employees. This piece of legislation provides a real solution to one of the major problems plaguing our business and health care industries, and I urge its support. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to an outstanding man, Dr. Robert Martin. This Friday, May 14, Dr. Martin will offer the first lecture at the Hayes Presidential Center's first annual ``Hayes Lecture on Leadership.'' This is a momentous occasion and an exciting time at the Hayes Presidential Center, which was the first Presidential library in the United States. In June 2001, Dr. Robert Sidney Martin was nominated by the President of the United States to be Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS); the U.S. Senate subsequently confirmed his nomination by unanimous consent. Dr. Martin is the first librarian to lead IMLS, formed in 1996. Under Dr. Martin's leadership, IMLS launched a new grant program to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians. The program, announced by Mrs. Bush in January 2002, seeks to off-set a pending national shortage of librarians due to retirements. Dr. Martin acted as co-host to Mrs. Bush for two seminal White House conferences, one on school libraries and the other on libraries, museums, and lifelong learning. In 2004, Dr. Martin will make the inaugural grants for ``Museums for America,'' to sustain heritage, support lifelong learning, and provide centers for community engagement. A librarian, archivist, educator, and administrator, Dr. Martin was Professor and Interim Director of the School of Library and Information Studies at Texas Women's University prior to his appointment at IMLS. From 1995 to 1999, he was Director and Librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. From 1985 until 1995, Dr. Martin was Associate Dean of Libraries for Special Collections at Louisiana State University. Before that, he worked in the archives and special collections at the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Texas at Austin. He also taught at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has authored and co-authored several scholarly treatises including two best-selling books, Maps of Texas and the Southwest, 1513-1900 (1984, 1999) and Contours of Discovery: Printed Maps Delineating the Texas and Southwestern Chapters of the Cartographic History of North America, 1513-1930 (1982). The books reflect another area of Dr. Martin's research interests and expertise: the history of the American southwest. Dr. Martin has a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Masters of Library Science from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Rice University. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Dr. Robert Martin. Our Nation is served well by having such honorable and giving citizens, like Dr. Martin, who care about their well being and stability. We wish Dr. Martin well as he inaugurates the Hayes Presidential Center's first annual ``Hayes Lecture on Leadership.''

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Head Coach Paul Wayne and his Holgate men's basketball team on the winning of their first State Championship in high school basketball. The Holgate High School men's basketball team has worked tirelessly in pursuit of excellence on the basketball court; and The character and team-oriented attitude found on the Holgate men's basketball team enabled the Tigers to hold their championship game opponents to the lowest score in a state championship game since 1963; and The Holgate men's basketball team held their tournament opponents to an average of 32 points per game and out-rebounded their championship game opponent 34-16; and Holgate's State Championship in Division IV high school men's basketball was their first State title and their first state appearance in 51 years. Mr. Speaker, Holgate High School finished the season with an outstanding 21-6 record, capped by the school's first State Championship in high school men's basketball. They embody all that is good about the young people we have in our great nation and I again congratulate them on an outstanding season on and off the basketball court.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Head Coach David Sweet and his Ottawa-Glandorf men's basketball team on the winning of their first State Championship in high school basketball. The Ottawa-Glandorf High School men's basketball team has worked tirelessly in pursuit of excellence on the basketball court. The character and team-oriented attitude found on the Ottawa-Glandorf men's basketball team helped the Titans to win the state tournament final over a team with only one season loss. The Ottawa-Glandorf Titans out-rebounded their opponents 45-25 and defeated them by 33 points in the state title game. Mr. Speaker, Ottawa-Glandorf's State Championship in Division II high school men's basketball was a school-record twenty-seventh season victory and was their eighteenth consecutive victory. The Ottawa-Glandorf High School finished the season with an outstanding 27-1 record, capped by the school's first State Championship in high school men's basketball. They embody everything that is good about our young people and I commend them on their outstanding performance on and off the basketball court this year.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to an outstanding young man from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am happy to announce that Blake Klinksiek of Perrysburg, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to attend the United States Air Force Academy. Mr. Speaker, Blake's offer of appointment poises him to attend the United States Air Force Academy with the incoming cadet class of 2008. Attending one of our nation's military academies is an invaluable experience that offers a world-class education and demands the very best that these young men and women have to offer. Truly, it is one of the most challenging and rewarding undertakings of their lives. Blake brings a special mix of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming class of Air Force cadets. While attending Perrysburg High School, Blake has attained a grade point average of 3.308, which ranks 121st out of the 334 students in his class. During his time at Perrysburg High School, Blake has received several commendations for his superior scholastic efforts. During his first year, Blake was named to the Honor Roll and received High honors recognition due to his GPA of 3.9. His second year was again marked by his being named to the Honor Roll and receiving yet another Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. Blake was named a ``Who's Who Among American High School Students'' and maintained a high level of achievement throughout his tenure at Perrysburg High School. Outside the classroom, Blake has distinguished himself as an excellent student-athlete and dedicated citizen of Perrysburg, Ohio. On the fields of friendly strife, Blake has participated in Varsity Track and Football. He was Captain of the football team as a sophomore and has lettered multiple times in track. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Blake is an active member in his community by participating in Young Life, was a Youth Football Camp and YMCA Youth Camp counselor, and was an English interpreter for a visiting Spanish student. Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to stand and join me in paying special tribute to Blake Klinksiek. Our service academies offer the finest education and military training available anywhere in the world. I am sure that Blake will do very well during his career at Air Force and I wish him the very best in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to an outstanding young woman from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am happy to announce that Natalie Phillips of Northwood, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to attend the United States Air Force Academy. Mr. Speaker, Natalie's offer of appointment poises her to attend the United States Air Force Academy with the incoming cadet class of 2008. Attending one of our nation's military academies is an invaluable experience that offers a world-class education. and demands the very best that these young women and men have to offer. Truly, it is one of the most challenging and rewarding undertakings of their lives. Natalie brings a special mix of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming class of Air Force Academy cadets. While attending Northwood High School, Natalie has attained a grade point average of 3.94, which ranks 2nd out of the 80 students in her class. During her time at Northwood High School, Natalie has received several commendations for her superior scholastic efforts. During her first year, Natalie was named to the High Honor Roll and received the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. Her second year was again marked by her being named to the High Honor Roll along with being named a ``Who's Who Among American High School Students.'' Natalie has maintained this high level of achievement throughout her tenure at Northwood High School. Outside the classroom, Natalie has distinguished herself as an excellent student-athlete and dedicated citizen of Northwood, Ohio. Natalie has been very active on the Northwood High School Varsity golf team. She has served as team captain and has lettered multiple times. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Natalie is an active member in her community by participating in the Spanish Club, Key Club and Student Council. Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to stand and join me in paying special tribute to Natalie Phillips. Our service academies offer the finest education and military training available anywhere in the world. I am sure that Natalie will do very well during her career at the Air Force Academy and I wish her the very best in all of her future endeavors.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to an outstanding young man from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am happy to announce that Craig Baer of Middle Point, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Mr. Speaker, Craig's offer of appointment poises him to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point with the incoming cadet class of 2008. Attending one of our nation's military academies is an invaluable experience that offers a world-class education and demands the very best that these young men and women have to offer. Truly, it is one of the most challenging and rewarding undertakings of their lives. Craig brings a special mix of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming class of West Point cadets. While attending Lincolnview High School, Craig has attained a weighted grade point average of 4.021, which ranks 9th out of the 61 students in his class. During his time at Lincolnview High School, Craig has received several commendations for his superior scholastic efforts. During his first year, Craig was named to the Gold Honor Roll and received the World History GPA Award. His second year was again marked by his being named to the Gold Honor Roll along with being named a Northwest Conference Scholar athlete. Craig has maintained this high level of achievement throughout his tenure at Lincolnview High School. Outside the classroom, Craig has distinguished himself as an excellent student-athlete and dedicated citizen of Middle Point, Ohio. On the fields of friendly strife, Craig has participated in Cross Country, Track and Basketball. He was Captain of the Basketball team as a freshman and has lettered in Track and Cross Country. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Craig is an active member in his community by participating in Spanish Club, Student Council, was elected Junior Class President, and was named to the National Honor Society. Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to stand and join me in paying special tribute to Craig Baer. Our service academies offer the finest education and military training available anywhere in the world. I am sure that Craig will do very well during his career at West Point and I wish him the very best in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to an outstanding young man from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am happy to announce that Joshua Bowman of Crestline, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to attend the United States Air Force Academy Mr. Speaker, Joshua's offer of appointment poises him to attend the United States Air Force Academy with the incoming cadet class of 2008. Attending one of our Nation's military academies is an invaluable experience that offers a world-class education and demands the very best that these young men and women have to offer. Truly, it is one of the most challenging and rewarding undertakings of their lives. Joshua brings a special mix of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming class of Air Force Academy cadets. While attending Crestline High School, Joshua has attained a grade point average of 4.0, which ranks first out of sixty-two students in his class. During his time at Crestline High School, Joshua has received several commendations for his superior scholastic efforts. During his first year, Joshua was named to the Honor Roll and received an Academic Team Award. His second year was again marked by his being named to the Honor Roll, receiving yet another Academic Team Award and also being named ``Bulldog of the Month''. Joshua maintained this high level achievement throughout his tenure at Crestline High School. Outside the classroom, Joshua has distinguished himself as an excellent student-athlete and dedicated citizen of Crestline, Ohio. On the fields of friendly strife, Joshua has participated in Varsity Cross County, Varsity Basketball, and Varsity Baseball. He is a four- time Cross Country letter recipient. Joshua also received the ``Middle of the Pack'' award as well as the ``2nd Man Coaches Award'' during his participation in athletics at Crestline High School. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Joshua is an active member in his community by participating in Key Club, National Honor Society, Teen Institute, Church youth group, and a local prayer group. Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to stand and join me in paying special tribute to Joshua Bowman. Our service academies offer the finest education and military training available anywhere in the world. I am sure that Joshua will do very well during his career at Air Force and I wish him the very best in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. GILLMOR

Mr. GILLMOR. Reclaiming my time, we are taking a look at that, and as my colleague knows, we attempted to do that last year, and we had a problem that sometimes occurs around here called shortage of votes; but I am hopeful that we can have an interstate and international waste bill. The only way we are going to do it is if we have broad bipartisan support, which, as my colleague knows, he and I have both served on this committee a long time, is sometimes difficult to attain.

Mr. GILLMOR. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILLMOR. If the gentleman is making a speech, he is doing it on my time.

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on this legislation.

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to recognize my subcommittee vice chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella), for the fine work that he has done on this bill. The New York Watershed Protection Program reauthorization is bipartisan legislation with 28 cosponsors, including both the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) who are members of our full committee. In fact, the bill has 19 Democrats as cosponsors and 12 Republicans. This bill is a perfect example of fair-minded people from all parts of the political spectrum coming together to support legislation that is good for the environment. The New York City Watershed covers an area of over 1,900 square miles in the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River Valley. The watershed is divided into two reservoir systems, the Catskill/Delaware watershed and the Croton watershed. Together, the two reservoir systems deliver approximately 1.4 billion gallons of water every day to nearly 9 million people in the New York City area. In December 1993, EPA concluded that New York City was able to avoid filtration of its drinking water and assigned New York over 150 conditions relating to watershed protection, monitoring, and studies. Unfortunately, New York City met several key roadblocks to implementation of these requirements, including not being able to obtain a land acquisition permit or approval of revised watershed regulations from the State of New York. Congress addressed this problem in Section 128 of the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996, when the New York City Watershed Protection Program was first enacted. The program authorized $15 million per year for fiscal years 1997 to 2003 for EPA to provide matching grants to the State of New York for approved demonstration grants projects that were part of New York's watershed and source water protection program. In practice, this has been a successful program and has saved the economic vitality and the environmental quality of upstate New York communities in the watershed region, while also saving American taxpayers billions of dollars that would otherwise be necessary to build water filtration systems. Witnesses at our subcommittee hearing on this bill all spoke highly of this program, and they need to see it fully extended. Of note, EPA Administrator Leavitt has also testified that one way to reduce the financial needs of drinking water delivery systems is to encourage more conservation efforts, and I believe programs like the New York City watershed are good examples of public and private partnerships paying environmental and economic dividends. The House faces a simple question: should we as Congress provide legal authority for the Federal Government to assist this watershed? I believe we should. It is a simple bill that extends the authorization of the New York City Watershed until 2010. Let us take a step toward bipartisan protection of the environment and New York's source water in particular. I urge Members to vote favorably on H.R. 2771. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2771) to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize the New York City Watershed Protection Program.

Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, a couple of quick points. The gentlewoman attacked this bill because Bush did not ask for funding for it. I would also point out that the Clinton administration did not ask for any funding for this bill either, but Congress has a responsibility which we exercised before when we originally authorized it and which we are doing it again. Regarding the comments about lead in the drinking water, the activity that is going on now is a GAO study that is ongoing at my request to look at that serious situation. I also want to respond to the comment the lady made about the money in the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund. I would point out to her that the Bush administration has asked for more money for that program than the Clinton administration did. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella), the vice chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.