Bart Gordon

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Chairman, it is my understanding that this amendment is going to be accepted.

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Chairman, I understand the message. Despite the high cost of energy and existing laws enforcing conservation, Federal agencies still do not give energy efficiency a priority and continually fall short of meeting their requirements. Our estimates are that the Federal Government wasted almost half a billion dollars in the last 2 years by not meeting its requirements--or roughly equivalent to 8,200 barrels of oil every day--a total of 6 million barrels over the last 2 years. This happens because the laws already on the books are not taken seriously enough. The National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA), last year's Energy Bill (EPACT), and a related Executive Order all clearly state that agencies shall meet aggressive but reasonable energy efficiency goals and standards and to prepare reports to the Department of Energy, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Congress and on the agencies' performance. Yet the Federal Regulations that govern new building construction are 17 years out of date and the reports reach the Congress months or years after the data is available. The amendment I am offering today would increase the incentive for agencies receiving appropriations under the Agriculture Appropriations bill to comply with the law by tying Federal buildings performance to appropriations. This amendment simply states that none of the funds made available by this Act shall be used in contravention of Federal buildings performance requirements. Therefore, agencies must adhere to existing law when constructing, leasing or refurbishing any building with money appropriated under this act. These relatively simple steps in designing new buildings in conformance with current law, measuring building performance, and procurement of energy efficient products will contribute to substantial energy savings in the Federal sector--lessons that have already been learned outside the Federal Government. Increased energy conservation in the Federal sector means cleaner air, cleaner water, and in a time of soaring energy costs, keeping money in taxpayers pockets. How can we expect consumers and industry to make sacrifices and commit to energy conservation when the Federal Government fails to make it a priority for itself? Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Rutherford County's Larry Kirk, who will retire on June 30, 2006, from the Murfreesboro Electric Department after 24 years of outstanding service. Larry has been in the electricity business for 40 years and started working for Murfreesboro Electric Department in 1982. He transferred to Murfreesboro after working in Chattanooga for 13 years and working for Mississippi Power & Light for three years. Under his leadership, Murfreesboro Electric Department has grown from 15,000 to 45,000 customers as the population of the city has doubled. Active in his trade, Larry has served as the President of the Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association and currently serves on the Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association Board of Directors. Larry has served his country, as well as his community. During the Vietnam era, he served in the U.S. Army Special Forces and the Special Forces National Guard. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, where he was once chairman and president. He has served on the Board of Directors of Heart of Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross, and he has donated an astounding 14 gallons of blood over the years. Upon retirement, Larry plans to devote more of his time to his love of Middle Tennessee State University athletics. Although Larry is a graduate of Ole Miss and Delta State, MTSU is his adopted university. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the MTSU Development Foundation and is an active member of the Blue Raider Athletic Association, where he once served as president. I commend Larry Kirk on his numerous accomplishments and his involvement within the Murfreesboro community. I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Rutherford County's Shane Reeves as Tennessee's recipient of the National Federation of Independent Business' 2006 Small-Business Champion award. Shane, a partner in the Reeves-Sain Family of Medical Services, comes from good stock. His mother, the former Carolyn Boatwright, got me off to a fine start as my seventh grade student teacher at Hobgood. I also enjoyed working with his father, Richard Reeves, a progressive voice for Murfreesboro for many years while he served on the Murfreesboro City Council and as the city's mayor. Shane has been a strong leader in Reeves-Sain's success. With two locations in my hometown of Murfreesboro, the company has become the leading provider of pharmaceutical and healthcare services in the area. Since its creation in 1980, Reeves-Sain has grown from a small healthcare business into a multi-million dollar corporation, all the while maintaining its hometown appeal. Reeves-Sain strives to deliver comprehensive customer care to all patients and to uphold Christian values in the workplace, and Shane has been instrumental in making that goal a reality. Shane has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including University of Tennessee's 1998 Co-Preceptor of the year award, Tennessee's 2000 Most Innovative Pharmacy Award and Tennessee's 2003 Distinguished Young Pharmacist award. Active in the community, Shane chairs NFIB/Tennessee's Leadership Council and works with NFIB/Tennessee's SAFE trust. He also serves as a board member of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and is past president of Leadership Rutherford. Shane serves as a deacon at North Boulevard Church of Christ. I commend Shane Reeves on his award, as well as his numerous accomplishments and involvement within the community. I wish him continued success in the future.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the Federal Government wastes $250 million a year by not enforcing its conservation statutory requirements in its Federal buildings. I do not think we can ask the American public to do adequate conservation if we are not going to do it ourselves. My amendment simply requires the Interior Department to follow the law. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished American, Dr. Eilene Marie Galloway, on her 100th birthday. Dr. Galloway has lived a life of distinguished service to this Nation and to her profession, and it is fitting that we pause to recognize her accomplishments and to wish her well as she attains this significant milestone. Dr. Galloway was born Eilene Marie Slack in Kansas City, Missouri on May 4, 1906--less than three years after the Wright Brothers achieved the first airplane flight. She married George Galloway in 1924. They had two sons, David and Jonathon, who have given her six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Dr. Galloway graduated from Swarthmore College in 1928 and holds honorary doctorates from Swarthmore and Lake Forest College. She is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Throughout her professional career, Dr. Galloway has been an influential force in the development and analysis of domestic and international space policy and law. When Sputnik was launched on October 4, 1957, she was working as a Senior Specialist in International Relations for the Legislative Reference Service (the forerunner of today's Congressional Research Service) at the Library of Congress. She was immediately asked to work with Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Richard Russell to develop America's response to the Soviet Union's space initiative. In that capacity, she helped to draft the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which established NASA and has remained an enduring framework for U.S. civil space policy. From that time forward, Dr. Galloway has worked tirelessly with the U.S. Congress and as a consultant to NASA, the Federal Communications Commission, and the State Department to assess alternatives and develop approaches for U.S. and international space policy and law regarding the exploration and utilization of outer space. The international aspects of space activities have been a major recurring theme of Dr. Galloway's work. For example, she served as a consultant to Majority Leader Johnson in 1958 when he addressed the United Nations and recommended the creation of a Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). She has worked with COPUOS for decades, whether serving as part of the U.S. delegation or as liaison to COPUOS for the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). During that time, she helped draft the U.N. treaties that govern exploration of outer space, the Moon, and other celestial bodies. She also was instrumental in creating the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) in 1958, which has served as the forum for legal scholars and others from around the world to debate the myriad legal issues associated with space exploration and utilization. Dr. Galloway has continued to be an active participant in space policy and space law debates for almost five decades, as well as serving as a resource to researchers and the media on historical and current space policy issues and mentoring new members of the space policy and space law communities. Her contributions to her profession have led to her selection as an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics--the highest rank possible in the Institute, election as a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society, receipt of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Institute of Space Law, receipt of the Theodore Von Karman Award from the International Academy of Astronautics, receipt of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Aerospace and numerous other awards and citations. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Eilene Marie Galloway has served her profession and this country with distinction for many years. She is a worthy role model for young women and men everywhere, and she is an inspiration to all of us. I know my colleagues in the U.S. Congress join me in wishing Dr. Galloway a very happy 100th birthday.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the many contributions Leslie Stevens has made while interning in my Washington, D.C., office. Leslie, a native of Harriman, Tennessee, has been a wonderful addition to the office and a great servant to the constituents of Tennessee's Sixth Congressional District. Last December, Leslie graduated from my alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University, with a degree in political science. Her love of the subject is evident through her eagerness to experience all aspects of government and her desire to read just about anything related to politics. Though she is still young, Leslie already has first-hand knowledge of both the state and federal levels of government. She has learned the inner workings of the General Assembly as a legislative intern for the Tennessee Board of Regents. And during her time in Washington, she has attended briefings, addressed constituent concerns and provided visitors from Tennessee with an up-close look at the U.S. Capitol. I hope Leslie enjoyed her internship as much as my staff and I have enjoyed her help in the office. I wish her all the best in the future.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the outstanding achievements of three young men from Blackman High School in my hometown of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Samuel Brace, Jeremy Crook, and Andy Michael beat out 433 teams from across the nation to win the 2006 Capitol Hill Stock Market Game. I congratulate Sam, Jeremy, and Andy for their tremendous win, and I commend their accounting teacher, Ken Reed, for engaging the students in such an innovative and educational competition. The Stock Market Game helps students learn about saving and investing by testing their skills with a hypothetical $100,000, which they invest in the U.S. stock markets. Sam, Jeremy, and Andy dominated the competition, holding on to the top spot for 8 of the 10 weeks. The students increased the value of their portfolio by an incredible 50 percent to finish the game with $150,263 and a $15,000 lead over their nearest competitor. Today, the students and Mr. Reed are here in Washington, D.C., touring the nation's capital as their grand prize. I congratulate all the participants from Blackman for the school's strong showing. A second group of students finished in fourth place, while a third team finished 20th overall. And again, I applaud Ken Reed, Samuel Brace, Jeremy Crook, and Andy Michael for their impressive win in this year's competition.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a most distinguished individual--Scott Crossfield. Scott was an authentic American hero--though he would decline the applause--who served the Nation with distinction as a premier test pilot. With characteristic courage and enthusiasm, he carried out numerous pioneering test flights during his career--flights that significantly advanced the field of aeronautics. It is rare for someone as famous and expert in his field to come to Congress as a professional staff member, but Scott proved to be an invaluable resource as well as a tireless advocate for aeronautics research and development during his years of service to the House Science Committee in the 1980s and early 1990s. Scott came to the Committee after a wide-ranging career as a Navy pilot during World War II; an aerodynamicist, project engineer, and research test pilot at NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NASA's predecessor agency); as chief engineering test pilot and director of testing and quality assurance for North American Aviation, one of the main contractors on the Apollo program; as a vice president for research and development of Eastern Airlines; and as senior vice president of Hawker Siddley Aviation. Author Tom Wolfe sought to capture the spirit of a test pilot in The Right Stuff, his compelling look at the men who flew at Edwards Air Force Base and the Mercury Seven astronauts. It was a difficult task, because among men like Crossfield ``[t]his quality, this it, was never named, however, nor was it talked about in any way.'' In 1960, Scott's peers in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots recognized his incomparability with their highest honor--the Ivan C. Kincheloe Award-- for ``Outstanding Development and Flight Testing of the X-15''. The X- 15 is one of three aircraft in the National Air and Space Museum that embody Scott's influence. The Museum honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. Scott is known to the public for flying his Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket at Mach 2--twice as fast as sound--on November 20, 1953. Equally vital was his knowledge of aeronautics and his practical experience in the design, development, manufacture and operation of aircraft, allowing him to describe the events during flight in the language of his fellow engineers. Interviewed by Aviation Week & Space Technology for a 1988 documentary, Scott identified himself as an ``aeronautical engineer, an aerodynamicist, and a designer. My flying was only primarily because I felt that it was essential to designing and building better airplanes for pilots to fly. . . . The opportunity to be a test pilot . . . is there for all--and probably within the grasp of most. In my mind, we should divest ourselves of this idea of special people (being) heroes, if you please, because really they do not exist.'' Wolfe wrote of the Brotherhood of the Right Stuff, ``. . . [T]he idea here (in the all-enclosing fraternity) seemed to be a man should have the ability to go up in a hurtling piece of machinery and put his hide on the line and then have the moxie, the reflexes, the experience, the coolness, to pull it back in the last yawning moment--and then to go up again the next day, and the next day, and every next day, even if the series should prove infinite.'' During his career Scott confronted numerous emergencies: engine flameouts, aircraft control failures, an X-15 landing which broke the plane in two--and the day in June 1960 when a ground test of the X-15's rocket engine ended in an explosion that threw the cockpit twenty feet at a speed that exposed Scott to 50 times the force of gravity. Scott wrote in his book, Always Another Dawn, ``all I could think of was the possibility of a second explosion that might hurl my part of the airplane halfway across Edwards and through the main hangar and workshop. In the cockpit I moved swiftly to do what I could to prevent this. . . . Immediately afterwards, . . . we recalled in detail all that we could remember while it was still fresh in our minds. These eye-witness accounts, added to the miles of telemetry data and the film strips from the three movie cameras, would enable us to establish the cause of the explosion very quickly.'' Such dedication was critical to correcting failures, improving performance and accomplishing the major goal of NACA, which was to infuse the leading edge of aeronautical technology into American industry and aircraft. The Committee on Science and Technology was fortunate, when it came time to recruit Scott, to have Jack Swigert, the pilot of Apollo 13, as its chief of staff. Scott and Jack had known each other for years and it was Scott who talked Jack into leaving graduate school at the University of Colorado for the astronaut corps. Scott answered the call to public service and brought his unique abilities and contacts to a decade and a half of distinguished service on the Committee. When he joined the staff he had already been a pilot for over 40 years. During his years of service, Scott was the Committee's lead staffer both for the Federal Aviation Administration and for the aeronautics portion of NASA. The universally high level of respect he garnered opened doors no one else could open. His unique experience and level of knowledge meant that he was on top of both the technology and the politics of the agencies he oversaw. In the wake of the Challenger disaster, Scott applied himself to an analysis of the Shuttle orbiter's braking system as his part of the Committee's investigation. He wrote that, `` . . . Orbiter landings appear high risk even under ideal conditions, which seldom occur. Exceptional procedural and skill demands are placed upon the pilots to nurse the brakes and tires through every landing. Landing rules have had increasing constraints imposed that hamper operational flexibility and usefulness of the Orbiter . . . [I]t is a tribute to the pilots that they were able to carry such a tender system so far.'' When the Shuttle returned to flight in 1988, it did so with a stronger braking system. The astronauts can thank Scott Crossfield every time their drag chute deploys as the Shuttle rolls down the runway. The Committee, upon his departure in 1993, expressed ``[a]ppreciation for [his] knowledge and experience in aviation and engineering, contributions to sound aviation policies, and foresight to set in motion plans for 21st Century aerospace transportation.'' NASA awarded him the Distinguished Public Service Medal and the Federal Aviation Administration a Certificate of Appreciation. In 2003, Scott applied his experience at teaching pilots to a singular purpose. The team chosen to attempt a recreation of Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight at Kitty Hawk asked Scott to train the pilots attempting to get the replica Flyer into the air. The Wrights didn't leave an instruction manual for the Flyer, and as Scott told the Experimental Aircraft Association's Sport Aviation magazine, ``[t]hings you would do intuitively as a pilot in any other airplane just don't work with this one.'' Aviation Week magazine recognized his contribution by including Scott as Laureate for Aeronautics/Propulsion in 2003. Scott always had time to fly his plane around the country to share his experiences and love of aviation. He loved speaking to young people--especially in the Fairfax County elementary school near his home that is named after him. That honor probably meant as much to him as receiving the National Aeronautics Association Collier Trophy from President Kennedy, the National Space Club's Wernher von Braun Trophy or his enshrinement in the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame, the National Aviation Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame. Scott was one of a kind and all who worked with him were blessed to have the opportunity to do so. I want to express my condolences to his family on the sad loss of this amazing man.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the championship season of the Livingston Academy Wildcats. The Wildcats won their first state football championship at the Class 3A Blue Cross Bowl in December. Residents of Overton County, Tennessee, can be proud of their Wildcats. The team fought against the odds as they went into the playoffs as the Number 4 seed in Region 2-3A with a 5-5 record. They impressively defeated four region champions on their way to the state football championship. Early in the championship game, the Wildcats held a 21-0 lead over David Lipscomb. Showing great skill and determination, the Wildcats left MTSU's Floyd Stadium as victors with a 28-13 win over their competitor. This group of Wildcats was the first football team in the school's history to advance past the quarterfinals. In addition, they became only the second team from the Upper Cumberland to win the state title. I commend the Wildcats and their head coach, Matt Eldridge, for a wonderful season and an outstanding championship win. Danny McCoin, Bobby Gore, Bruce Lamb, Grant Swallows, David Clouse and Dale Flatt serve as the team's assistant coaches. Gary Ledbetter is Livingston Academy's principal. I congratulate all the talented members of the 2005 3A State Champion Wildcats: Jake Peterman, Jonathan Sullivan, Clint Cooper, Jamie Cravens, Levi Holt, Josh Simpson, Joe Reynolds, Wilson Cates, Mike Jones-Larue, Cody Waddey, Dustin Looper, Josh Carwile, John Michael Stephens, Jonathan McGill, John Cody Brown, Vincent Woodruff, Drew Cannon, Steven Morgan, Jamey Vaughn, Josh Huitt, Colton Hummel, Seth Melton, Kevin Scott, Jordan Bailey, Jake Reeder, Gary Massengille, Josh Coffee, Kiefer Smith, Tyler Livingston, Sam Nelson, Jeremiah Jackson, Terrance Melton, David Petry, Cody Shokoui, Blake Moon, Beau Massengille, Curtis Beaty, Levi Cobble, Volby Loftis, Brad Pendergraft, Ryan Bowman, Jesse Cole, Wade Ford, Josh Looper, Bobby Perdue, Jacob Coffee, Ethan Livingston, John Willeford, Robert Holt, David Ledbetter, Justin Gore, Ryan Duke, Jonathan Preece and Jacob Collins.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Libby Johnson for her tremendous service to Tennessee's Sixth Congressional District while working in my Washington, D.C., office. After serving as my executive assistant, the Sumner County native is moving on to greener pastures. Her last day is today, and although my staff and I are sad to see Libby go, we are glad she has taken a job that will further her career and is worthy of her incredible abilities. Libby's conscientious work ethic and incomparable enthusiasm have served her well in the fast-paced world of Congress. Those same abilities also have gained her the respect of her colleagues. Now, she will share her tremendous abilities and experience with a new employer, who should be ecstatic over having found such a fine person. As busy as she has been, Libby always took time to say a kind word to those around her. It seems she has never met a stranger during her time on the Hill. With her vivacious personality and contagious smile, she certainly has made a lasting impression on virtually everyone she has met. Libby, you have endeared yourself to me and my staff. We will miss you and wish you well in your future endeavors.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Amy Jared for her dedication to art education. Amy, a native of Cookeville, Tennessee, developed an art outreach program that was recently honored with the Nation's highest award for community arts programs. As Art Education Manager at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Amy developed a Latino Outreach Program that was named one of 15 finalists in the 2005 Coming Up Taller Awards. Since 1998, the awards have recognized the Nation's outstanding community arts and humanities programs. The Coming Up Taller Awards are a project of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. During her time with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Amy also initiated all of the studio-based outreach programs with Philadelphia's public schools, expanded the museum's afterschool studio art classes and developed weekend art classes. In 1998, her art education programs received an Award of Excellence in Programming from the American Association of Museums. For five consecutive years, her children's studio programs were honored with a Best of Philly award. Amy recently left the museum to return to teaching art in schools. I have no doubt that she will do an outstanding job. Her students certainly will be fortunate to have such a talented and engaging teacher. I congratulate Amy for being recognized as a Coming Up Taller Award finalist, and I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Robert Sanders, a generous man who dedicated his life to keeping our children safe. Dr. Sanders passed away earlier this month. Dr. Sanders wore many hats in my hometown of Murfreesboro, where he resided. He was a husband, father, farmer and pediatrician. He served as Director of the Rutherford County Health Department from 1969 to 1991 and served as the county's medical examiner from 1983 to 1999. As a pediatrician, Dr. Sanders cared for thousands of Murfreesboro's children. As an advocate for child safety restraints in vehicles, he saved the lives of countless more. Because of Dr. Sanders' tireless efforts, Tennessee became the first State in the Nation to pass a law requiring children in vehicles to be restrained in safety seats. Every other State in the country eventually followed Tennessee's lead. Even after the passage of that law in 1977, Dr. Sanders kept working to keep children safe while riding in vehicles. His efforts led to a state seat belt law and loaner programs to help low-income families acquire child-restraint seats. The Tennessee Medical Association, Tennessee Public Health Association and Tennessee Pediatric Society all have honored Dr. Sanders for his great service. Although Dr. Sander's dedication to a noble cause will benefit children for generations to come, I know he will be deeply missed by his family, his friends and countless Middle Tennesseans like me.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Democratic Members and staff of the House Science Committee to recognize a long- time member of the Committee staff--Vivian Tessieri. Vivian will be leaving the Science Committee early next month after nearly 30 years of devoted service. She is one of the longest serving staff members in the history of the Committee and she will be greatly missed. Vivian was hired by the Committee on Science in 1977, shortly after legislation passed to significantly expand committee staffs. At that time, the Science Committee had 7 subcommittees and the minority staff (then Republican) grew from 4 to its present size. I'm told that the rapidly growing staff needed someone to bring order to the chaos, and Vivian--then a young staff assistant with a number of years experience at the General Accounting Office--fit the bill. Vivian's job has not been easy. Her first assignment was on an extremely busy subcommittee. Vivian jumped right in and brought unprecedented discipline to the operation. Staff who worked with her assured me that Vivian's years on the Energy Subcommittee were some of its most productive--laying the foundation of energy policy still adhered to today. Vivian excelled at her job and was quickly promoted. When the Full Committee's legislative clerk retired in the early 1980s, Vivian was the obvious choice for that position. She brought her enthusiasm for organization, common sense to ask questions, and savvy communications ability to the position and it has never been the same. Generations of members and staff assume that Committee events automatically run smoothly and flawlessly, but the fact is that Vivian has been the force behind the Committee's administrative success. Even in the midst of her daily workload--endless archiving, copying and maintenance of Committee records--Vivian has always found time to take a personal interest in staff members' legislative issues and keep them informed of related topics moving forward outside of the Science Committee's jurisdiction. She has a keen eye and depth of historical Committee knowledge that is unparalleled. Only one other Committee employee has worked for the Republicans, then the Democrats, then the Republicans once again. This is a testament to Vivian's unparalleled professionalism and devotion to her job. Those who have worked alongside Vivian through the years say that to describe Vivian is to combine a high level of competence with an unfailingly helpful, professional and friendly manner. She has been a delight to work with, always dependable and conscientious in her work, while maintaining her serenity and good cheer under pressure. Vivian loves this institution. Her commitment to her work is a testament to her genuine desire to see members, Committees and staffs succeed for the constituents they serve. People like Vivian do not come along very often and many times we don't realize their true value until they have gone. Regrettably that time has come. Vivian, we wish you nothing but success and happiness as you take your immense talents to the private sector.

Mr. GORDON

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I will just close by saying that a purpose for having an authorization is a portion of oversight. And I think Mr. Frank really has been beneficial for us in making us justify ourselves, making us have part of this oversight. It is a better bill, a healthier bill for that. I think it can live up to the scrutiny. With that, I would like to yield to my friend from Missouri for some remarks.

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall), my partner and ranking member on the Space Subcommittee. (Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I have a variety of speakers here who would like to speak on this bill, and so I am going to be very brief. I first want to concur with Chairman Boehlert, who I think did a very good job in laying out the content of the bill and the spirit in which it was put together. I want to rise in strong support of the conference report for the NASA Authorization Act of 2005. This bill is a result of constructive bipartisan and bicameral negotiations regarding the future direction of NASA. The issues have been complex, but the conferees have approached them with an open mind and a willingness to compromise. I think it is important for the authorizing committee with jurisdiction over NASA programs to provide appropriate oversight and guidance to the agency, and I think this bill does that. Of course, I am sure that each of us have additional provisions that we would have liked to have included as well as some that we would have preferred to drop, but nevertheless, I think this bill is a constructive compromise that will serve NASA and the Nation well. NASA is facing significant challenges in the years ahead, not the least of which is budgetary outlays for the agency's programs. I think this bill is a constructive step to assist the agency in meeting those challenges, but success is going to require Congress's active involvement in the months and the years ahead. Finally, before I close, I would like to express my thanks to my colleagues on the House side and, in particular Chairman Boehlert, Chairman Calvert and Subcommittee Ranking Member Udall for all the efforts they have made on behalf of this bill. I would also like to express my deep appreciation to our friends in the Senate for their bipartisan and bicameral spirit of cooperation they have brought to our negotiations, and certainly without the good staff work on our Science Committee, we would not be here today. It has been a pleasure to work with them to craft this conference report. I would also like to say, again, thanks to the House and Senate staff, as well as to the NASA personnel for their assistance in bringing the conference to a successful conclusion. In closing, I believe this is a good conference report, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), the House's poet laureate.

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me first inform my friend from Massachusetts that I have no NASA facility in or near my district, so I try to be an honest broker in this authorization. I will also point out, in this 2-year authorization, more than 99 plus percent of the authorization goes to non-Mars related issues. So I think we have tried to put a balance in here. As the chairman has pointed out and I have pointed out, we very much think that NASA needs to be a multi-mission agency with aviation, education and so many other things that are so important to this agency. For that reason, we put firewalls into this bill so that they cannot be poached for things that we think might be a lesser priority. So, hopefully, we will be able to reach that balance. Let me also just finally say that I am sure that Spain had a very tough budget when Isabella decided that it was worthwhile to make an investment in Columbus. I think that when we look at these issues, certainly education, nutrition programs, all these things are important, and one can say even more important. But there needs to be a balance. We have tried to reach a balance that we think has been a responsible balance, and that is why it has been a bipartisan, bicameral approach. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I again urge passage of this bill and yield the remainder of my time to my friend from Michigan (Mr. Levin).