Ralph Hall

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of the time. The gentleman from Oregon is a very good speaker and knowledgeable. He's been here a long, long time. He said there are a thousand reasons why we're out of energy and why we're in the situation we're in. I will say maybe there's two less. You just take these two, though, out of that thousand, I don't know how many he has left. But when we talk about who's furnishing fossil fuels, and who's furnishing nuclear energy, who's furnishing clean coal, who's furnishing solar. And no one has objected to this or no one has said it's not so, 91 percent of the House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of American-made oil and gas, while 86 percent of the House Democrats have historically voted against increasing the production of American-made oil and gas. I don't know where the other thousand are, but that's the major reason we're where we are today. They don't want to drill here. They won't let us drill off the coast of Florida. They don't want to drill up in ANWR. Let me tell you something, we better be drilling on American soil or we're going to have to send our American boys to take some energy away from someone. And that would be an absolute crime when we have plenty right here at home. It's a shame we don't use our own. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) 3 minutes.

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may use, subject to the amount of time I have left. Could you tell me how much time I have?

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 366. This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that increasing American capabilities in science and mathematics and technology education should be a national priority, and I couldn't agree more. I gladly support the gentlelady from Texas's resolution. The Science Committee recognized a few years ago that this Nation needed to make American capabilities in STEM education a priority. Our current chairman, Mr. Gordon, along with then-Chairman Sherry Boehlert requested the report that was to become the ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' report to which we have so often referred in this Congress. As a result of this report, the President came out with his American Competitive Initiative; and this Congress passed, and the President signed, the America COMPETES Act, which specifically addresses the concerns raised in this resolution. In COMPETES, we're dedicating resources to create a broad pool of citizens who are literate in STEM subjects and we are increasing science scholarships and providing financial resources to attract underrepresented populations to STEM fields. Likewise, NSF is funding tremendous STEM education curriculum work in all grades, and OSTP and other Federal agencies, like the Department of Education, are providing strong leadership as appropriate at the Federal level. A few weeks ago, I held a hearing in Texarkana, Texas at the Martha and Josh Morriss Mathematics and Engineering Elementary School, a 100 percent locally funded public school that focuses on inspiring our young children to excel in math and science at an early age and hopefully keep them interested all the way through college. This school is a prime example of the kind of leadership and commitment necessary at the local level and included input from several groups, businesses, the academic community, and parents. However, there is always room for improvement, and we should strive to do more. In fact, it's imperative that we do more if we're to remain the world leader in innovation and technology. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution introduced by my good friend, Ms. Johnson. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) 5 minutes.

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. According to the National Science Foundation, a recent study of fourth graders showed that 66 percent of the girls and 68 percent of boys reported that they liked science. But something else starts happening in the elementary school. NSF found that by the eighth grade, boys are twice as interested in STEM careers as girls are. The female attrition continues through high school, college, and even the workforce. Women with STEM higher education degrees are twice as likely to leave a scientific or engineering job as men with comparable STEM degrees. Despite the fact that women earn half of the bachelors degrees in science and engineering, they continue to be significantly underrepresented at the faculty level in almost all the S&E fields, constituting 28 percent in 2003 of doctoral science and engineering faculty in 4-year colleges and universities and only 18 percent of full professors. The Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology Development was established by Congress on October 14, 1988 through legislation developed and sponsored by Congresswoman Connie Morella, Republican from Maryland. The mandate of the Commission is to research and recommend ways to improve the recruitment, the retention, and the representation of women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities in science, engineering, and technology education and employment. In addition to the Commission, the NSF Research on Gender in Science and Engineering program has worked since 1993 to broaden the participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education fields. One of the things research has discovered is that the more positive images you present of women in these fields in school, the more likely girls will want to enter into these fields later on in life. So the resolution before us today honors the contribution of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, both in the United States and around the world. It also allows us to thank women for the contribution that they have made to these fields, women such as Madelaine Barnothey, the first woman in Hungary to receive a Ph.D. specializing in physics; or Rosalind Franklin, who received her degree in chemistry in 1951 from Cambridge University and was instrumental in putting together a detailed description of DNA; or Sophia Germain, an outstanding mathematician who developed the modern theory of elasticity, without which modern construction would be absolutely impossible. Women have been pioneers in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for centuries. We owe it to girls growing up today to recognize these accomplishments, accomplishments such as those of Maria Telkes, who was a physicist and pioneer in solar energy and designed and built a solar house in the 1930s; or those of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, who was buried at Arlington Cemetery in January, 1992, and was one of the very first software engineers who helped both the military, private sector, and academia develop the foundations of modern digital computing. We just can't discuss important women in history without recognizing the outstanding contributions of Marie Curie, a physicist and chemist, who is one of the only people to ever receive two Nobel prizes in different fields and the only woman to have won two Nobel prizes. Her Nobel prizes were awarded for her work on radioactivity and the discovery of the elements of polonium and radium. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of the resolution before us today. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) 5 minutes. (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HALL of Texas. I yield the gentleman 3 additional minutes.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I submit the following: House Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense Supplemental Information. Bill Number: H.R. 5658, The National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009. Specifics: Hall, Ralph--$2,000,000, UH-60 Weapons Armament Mission B- Kit. Account: U.S. Army, Aircraft Procurement, Army/2/Modification of Aircraft UTILITY HELICOPTER MODS (AA0480) Procurement P-1, Line 020, Number: AA0480. Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Contract Fabrication and Design LLC (CFD), 5427 FM 546, Princeton, Texas 75407- 4763, 972-736-2260-Office, 972-736-6063-Fax. Description of how the money will be spent: The UH-60, Weapons Armament Mission B-Kit, has been developed, qualified and tested to meet the U.S. Army, UH-60 BLACK HAWK, M-240 High Capacity Feed System (HCFS) Operational Requirements Document (ORD). The unfunded ORD requires ammunition on board the UH-60 for 2 minutes of continuous fire or 1000 rounds versus the 200 max rounds available to the Warfighter today. This B-Kit exceeds the ammunition requirement and all components are mounted external to the cabin freeing up approximately 30 cubic feet of space. It provides the Warfighter a 10 times increase in 7.62mm magazine capacity (2000 rounds/side) for the M-240 and provides greater accuracy and increased field of fire for increased soldier survivability. The amount requested will fund the procurement (including packaging and shipping) of approximately 13 shipsets (2 sides per shipset) at a per shipset price of approximately $148,000 each. Why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: This Kit exceeds the unfunded ORD requirement providing 10 times more ammunition for defending the Warfighter, providing significantly more accuracy, thus more lethal firepower with superior self protection and frees up critical cabin space; meets ammunition fire rates required by UH-60 Operational Requirements Documents for greatly improved safety of crew and soldiers in combat. Percent and source of required matching fund: Not applicable--the entity receiving the funding will be providing support to a federal, state, or local government agency. Ralph Hall FY09 Earmark Paper: Chemical-Mechanical Self-Destruct Fuze (cm-SDF) for Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM). Authorized Amount: $2,000,000.00. Project Name: Chemical-Mechanical Self-Destruct Fuze (cm-SDF). MM: Army. Funding Source: Army--Research, Development, Test & Evaluation. PE Number: 0603004A. Line Number: 32. Bill Number: H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of FY2009. Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, Texarkana, TX 75505-9100; Picatinny Arsenal Support-- $350,000; Yuma Test Center Support--$200,000; LAP 8640 Inert genades w/ 223 fuze--$5,400; Remove 223 fuze to create ``Recap'' grenades--$4,400; Assemble cm-SDF Fuzes--$360,140; LAP 120 Projectiles w/recap grenade-- $56,000; Automatic Ampule Mfg Machine--$172,000; Progressive Dieset f/ Housing--$88,000; Progressive Dieset f/Cover--$75,000; Develop Prototype prod process--$484,000; Level of effort Engr Support-- $200,000; General Machine Shop Support--$25,000; Local Test Facilities (Jolt, Jumble, ballistic simulation)--$49,850; Demonstrate Production Capability--$161,880; Travel--$50,000: TOTAL--$2,281,670. Day & Zimmermann Match (12%), $281,670 (Note: To date, Day & Zimmermann has invested in excess of $800.000 on this development). Net funding request--$2,000,000 Continue development of cm-SDF for use on all submunitions of the DPICM family. Through continued R&D, qualification testing, process development and production demonstration, this program seeks to provide the U.S. Army with a simple and cost-effective alternative fuze capable of achieving the Army's goal of limiting battlefield Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) to less than 1%. The DPICM system, delivered by both artillery shell and rocket warhead, provides unprecedented effectiveness on the battlefield but its use is threatened due to residual UXO exceeding the minimum allowed 1%. The cm-SDF offers an innovative approach to self-destruct capability that will meet UXO thresholds while being the most cost- effective solution. Its simplicity, ease of manufacture, and use of readily available materials are important considerations in developing an SDF to assure sustained viability of the DPICM system. This fuze has been under development by the operating contractor of Lone Star AAP for approximately three years, with contractor's investment to date exceeding $800,000. In January, 2008, with support of the Program Manager, Combat Ammunition Systems (PM-CAS), a ``Proof- of-Principle'' ballistic test was conducted at Yuma Test Center with encouraging results. Currently, ``lessons learned'' from this test are being incorporated into the fuze design, and Lone Star is working with PM-CAS toward follow-up ballistic testing leading to Fuze Qualification. TeraStack Pilot for Army Telemedicine [TPAT]. Bill number and account: C/M Ralph Hall. H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter NDAA of Fiscal Year 2009; $2,500,000.00; RDT&E [Research, Development, Test & Evaluation]; PE 0603002A / R-1 Line 30. Legal name and address of entity receiving earmark: Hie Electronics, 321 N Central Expy, Ste 260, McKinney, TX. Description of how the money will be spent and why the use of federal taxpayer funding is justified: This project provides DoD health care with a low cost alternative diagnostic image storage solution that saves 5-7 times the cost of current technologies for medical imaging with data securely guaranteed for 85 years. Current legacy DoD systems are overflowing. Upgrades will be too costly if conventional type systems are used. Further, this technology uses 10 times less energy and is completely portable for a wide array of DoD applications, both within and external to garrisoned medical operations. In addition to being a state-of-the-art storage system, the platform also hosts advanced processor capability which can run automated imaging algorithms enhancing medical care for our returning wounded soldiers. These algorithms are essential for new ways to diagnose and study Traumatic Brain Injury [TBI]. This worthy pilot provides an essential low cost award-winning solution for urgently needed medical storage requirements. The approach is being proven in other video/imaging applications with documented ``real'' savings of up to 90% over current solutions that are expected to break down within 5 years. The TeraStack solution has no requirement for special air conditioned rooms and uses a tiny fraction of electricity [760 W]--plugging into an ordinary room plug. This fully rearward compatible, portable and secure system represents the first increment of next generation environmentally friendly, massive storage systems for a wide range of medical and DoD applications. This pilot introduces this technology into the DoD health care system. It's desperately needed and will have a huge impact. The first application to be demonstrated includes new brain imaging algorithms for studying Traumatic Brain Injury. Description of matching funds: This small business has pledged to match up to 10% of the award with internal resources to insure integration and advanced development features to customize this novel ``best in class'' technology for DoD applications as required. Requesting Member: Representative Ralph M. Hall. Bill Number: H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009. Account: Air Force, RDT&E, Line 192, PE 0305207F, Manned Reconnaissance Systems. Project Name: Rivet Joint ISR Network Integration. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems. Address of Requesting Entity: 10001 Jack Finney Boulevard, Greenville, TX 75403. Anticipated sources of funding for the duration of the project: Additional funding would be provided by the Air Force to procure this capability after successful demonstration of the developmental prototype, in their future years budget requests. Percent and source of required matching funds: N/A, this program is providing a good or service to the Department of Defense. Justification for use of federal taxpayer dollars: The Rivet Joint will provide networking upgrades that will enable it to fully collaborate with a variety of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) nodes so that more effective projections of threat environments can be made. Detailed analysis of Rivet Joint operations shows that full integration of networked capabilities will result in a 25% improvement in critical Threat Analysis Measures of Effectiveness for priority dual-use commercial communication threat environments. The specific threats that will be addressed by this system upgrade are the highest priority threats to ongoing military operations. Detailed finance plan: $1,250,000 is for Non-Recurring Engineering Design and Development; $1,250,000 is for Manufacture, Design and Production of Networked Speech, Geo-Location, and Reach-back Processing and Data Base Access Applications; and $1,000,000 is for Labor, Materials, and System Installation and Integration on one Rivet Joint aircraft. Stryker Common Active Protection System (APS) Radar. Bill Number and Account: H.R. 5658, RDT&E, Army, Line 62. Name and Address of Recipient: Raytheon Company, 2501 West University Drive, McKinney, TX 75070. Program Description/Use of FY09 Funding: Active Protection System (APS) is an externally mounted vehicle protection system that identifies, discriminates and intercepts rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), mortars, antitank guided missiles and artillery projectiles after they are launched toward a combat vehicle. The system consists of the Multi-Function Radio Frequency (MFRF) radar, launchers, fire control processors and countermeasures. In March, 2006, the Army competitively awarded a contract with two options for APS. Option A for the Short Range Countermeasure is in development and will integrate RPG protection into current combat vehicles, beginning with Stryker. Option B will address the longer range threats and is a sub-system to the Hit Avoidance Suite for the Future Combat Systems (FCS) fleet of Manned Ground Vehicles (MGV). In 2007, the Army accelerated the requirement for Stryker by designating it a critical component of Spin Out 2, the second increment of FCS technologies to be fielded to the Current Force in the 2010-2012 timeframe. The FY09 President's budget request does not contain funding to support APS integration onto Stryker. Without FY09 funding, the Current Force APS may not be ready for integration onto Stryker during FCS Spin Out 2. The MFRF radar detects and tracks incoming threats and cues the APS to launch the countermeasure. Initially designed for integration into the FCS MGVs, the MFRF radar must be technically optimized for Stryker while maintaining commonality with the long range design. The additional FY09 funding will allow insertion of reduced cost electronics and modifications to the radar for Stryker integration, as well as software and hardware development for system command and control, including the man-machine interface. Anticipated Sources of Funding: APS development is funded under the FCS MGV budget line, but there is no dedicated funding to support APS development for Stryker in FY08 or FY09. The Army originally requested funding in FY08 for Stryker APS but has since reallocated the funding to support power management and the other upgrades Stryker needs to accommodate FCS Spin Outs. The Army is committed to funding APS for Stryker starting in the FY10 budget. Details of the FY10 funding will not be known until the Army finalizes its FYI0-15 Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP). Matching Funds: N/A. Justification for Use of Taxpayer Dollars: This project aims to accelerate delivery of a validated military need intended to enhance protection of Army soldiers and vehicles. As a priority military initiative, this program will be funded through federal expenditures. Project Name: Prepreg Thickness Variability Reduction Program. Requested by Congressman Ralph Hall (TX-4). Total Requested funding FY09: $3.6 million. Justification of the use of federal funds: This program will reduce the variability of Carbon fiber prepreg, the raw material that provides the basis for strong, durable, light-weight composite aircraft structures. It is predominantly used by the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and the airline industry to fabricate aircraft structures such as wing skins. A major impediment to assembling composite aircraft structural components is the dimensional mismatch of composite parts which may produce rough edges, overlays, or gaps between parts. Much of this mismatch is due to variations that occur in component manufacturing. Funding has been applied to efforts to reduce variation in component manufacturing by the Air Force and the prime contractors. Unfortunately, funds have not been directed towards efforts to reduce variation by refining the raw material--carbon fiber prepreg. Lower prepreg variation will avoid the purchase of costly precision machining equipment by program partners, estimated at $80 million, to mitigate surface and component part deviations. Federal funding is justified in this effort to reducing the variability of prepeg to help the Joint Strike Fighter program and others meet the goal of reducing the overall variability of composite parts. This is vital to reduce the weight of aircraft, as well as to promote optimal stealth capabilities. Detailed Budget for Variation Reduction Development Program: Materials: Resin and prepreg production, production trials, feedstock variations, customer shop trials, and packaging supplies--$200K. Deliverables: (1) Develop and demonstrate the necessary equipment and processes for production and (2) Document aerospace production control documents (PCD) for JSF Program technical approval and signature. Labor: Scientist, technicians, mechanics, testing personnel, and production operators--$300K. Deliverables: (1) Direct the work to be done, optimize process, execute plan scale up work and (2) Ensure best practice sharing of manufacturing engineering development. Testing: Fiber testing, production of composites, and testing of the composite coupons--$1400K. Deliverables: (1) Generate meaningful composite material data, demonstrating alignment to heritage mechanical test data bases and (2) Review data and correlate to end-use application. Overhead, Contract Management, Miscellaneous--$100K. Total Budget: $2000K.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and service of a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Army Specialist Braden J. Long, 19, of Sherman, Texas, died in service to his country last year in Baghdad of injuries sustained when his Humveee came under grenade attack. Specialist Long was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division; Fort Riley, Kansas. Braden's mother, Melanie Thrasher, said that her son wanted to be in the military since grade school and reported for basic training just a month after graduating from Sherman High School in 2005. His family and many friends, as well as his fellow soldiers in the United States Army, can attest to the dedication of this young man who chose to live his life in service to his country. Specialist Long's wife, Theresa, recalled that he was respectful to all and always kept his word. If he said he could do something, he did it. Long met his future wife while both were students at Sherman High School. They were married Nov. 4, 2005, and were living in Fort Riley, Kansas, at the time of his deployment to Iraq. In addition to his wife, Specialist Long is survived by his parents, Melanie Thrasher of Sherman and William ``Bill'' Long III of Arlington; one brother, William Long IV of Sherman; one sister, Michaela Thrasher of Sherman; grandparents, William Long Jr. of Florida, and William Euans, Susan Long, and Shirley Dickinson, all of Ohio; and one great- grandparent, William G. Long Sr. Madam Speaker, words cannot express the gratitude we owe to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom; it is a debt that can never be repaid. I pray that his family will find comfort in knowing that America will never forget the tremendous sacrifice he made while defending our country. As we honor America's fallen heroes on Memorial Day, let us pay tribute to the life of this dedicated young patriot, Army Specialist Braden Long.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise along with Congressman Louie Gohmert to honor today a distinguished County Judge and great American, Judge Larry T. Craig, of Tyler, TX, who recently passed away at the age of 71 on April 12th. Judge Craig was born in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, on July 20, 1936. After moving to Tyler in the summer of 1949, he attended Tyler public schools, graduating from Tyler High School and Tyler Junior College. Having served his country in the United States Naval Reserve, he was honorably discharged in 1963 and attended The University of Texas and the University of Houston, where he earned his bachelor of science in Pharmacy. For the next 25 years Judge Craig worked in retail pharmacy, with 10 of those years as the owner and operator of Craig Pharmacy. In March of 1972, Judge Craig married Barbara Jean Copeland, with whom he raised a family of five children. Judge Craig continued his education and graduated from the Reserve Law Enforcement Academy at Tyler Junior College and the Police Academy at Kilgore College, where he was licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Education and Standards. He was elected County Judge of Smith County in 1986, and was re- elected in 1990, 1994, and 1998. With four terms of service as Smith County Judge, he became the longest serving judge to hold that position. It was an on-the-job learning process, and he admitted that lacking a law degree made judicial aspects of the job initially difficult. But he studied hard, read late into the evenings, and did his job well. Judge Craig consistently received high marks for his work on the bench in local bar polls, and of the three decisions he rendered that were appealed, all were eventually upheld by higher courts. Judge Craig also served on several statewide boards, associations, and commissions, including the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Then Texas Governor George W. Bush appointed Craig and designated him chairman in 1995, where he would become the longest serving Chair of the agency after holding the post for five years. Judge Craig will be remembered as a man of service and a gentleman, but above all, his memory will be honored by the commitment he made to ``keep God and your family first and foremost.'' It has been said that Judge Craig ``was the kind of man that made God proud,'' and we would concur. Madam Speaker, we ask our colleagues to join us in paying tribute to a gentleman, an outstanding public servant, and a great American--Judge Larry Craig.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am honored to stand today to celebrate the life of a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his life in defense of our Nation. Second Lieutenant Peter H. Burks, 26, of Dallas, Texas, died November 14 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany. Pete answered the call of service to his country in April of 2006 when he proudly enlisted in the United States Army. In October of that same year he was commissioned as an officer. Pete was no ordinary leader. He used his warm personality and keen sense of humor to inspire others. He received numerous awards, ribbons and medals, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge. Pete's parents have shared with my office correspondence which speaks volumes about the character of this fallen soldier. Last year he wrote to his mother, ``Dad taught me how to reason, think logically and gave me a thirst for knowledge. You (Mom) gave me a fiery passion, a competitive streak, and most importantly, you taught me the importance of knowing the Lord.'' An excerpt from Pete's emails to his fiancee, Melissa Haddad, includes the following: ``I know that regardless of the circumstances, God is putting me EXACTLY where he wants me for the time being. I know that that is hard to swallow, but it is the truth . . . I will do my best and work to glorify God in all that I do. So long as I do that, I have accomplished the real mission that has been set out for me.'' Pete answered the call to duty, accomplished his missions to the best of his ability, and has now been called home to the Lord. He leaves behind his fiancee, Melissa Haddad; his mother Jackie Merck; father Alan and stepmother Laura Burks; sisters Ali, Sarah and Georgia Burks; brother Zac Burks; grandmother Irene Merck; grandfather Haskell Burks; other family members and a multitude of friends both within and outside the service. Madam Speaker, Second Lieutenant Peter Burks was a true American hero. As we honor all of America's fallen soldiers on this coming Memorial Day, let us pay tribute to this fine soldier and offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends. May God bless all those who serve in our Armed Forces and who defend our Nation around the globe, and may the memory of Peter Burks live forever in the hearts of all those who knew him and loved him.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true public servant who has dedicated his entire life to higher education, Dr. Keith D. McFarland. His teaching career began in 1966 while working on his doctoral degree, and since then, he has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. McFarland has published books, reviews and numerous articles dealing with twentieth century military history, and has also made professional presentations dealing with his discipline and graduate studies. In 1969, Dr. McFarland became an Assistant Professor of History at East Texas State University. This position would pave the way for him to become President of the institution, which in 1996 became part of The Texas A&M University System as Texas A&M University-Commerce. During Dr. McFarland's tenure, he was able to take Texas A&M University-Commerce to new academic heights--twenty new programs were introduced at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. With enrollment at its highest point in 25 years, the university remains one of Texas' top producers of teachers, principals, superintendents, school counselors and educational diagnosticians. The MBA program is considered the number three best buy in the Nation. In the past 4 years, administrative costs have dropped from 11\1/2\ percent to 9\1/2\ percent, while external gifts and research funding has increased by over 200 percent. Passionate about improving a deteriorating physical plant, Dr. McFarland pushed for the first new Campus Master Plan in 40 years. In 2001, he began the first campus construction project since 1977. This project lead to the demolition of forty-one defunct buildings, replacing them with modern and efficient classrooms and support facilities. Under construction today is the Sam Rayburn Student Center, named for one of my personal heroes. Madam Speaker, I am proud to join the many graduates of Texas A&M University-Commerce, including my wife Mary Ellen, in congratulating Dr. McFarland upon his retirement. I can't think of a better testament to public service than educating tomorrow's leaders, and Dr. McFarland is to be commended for his commitment to the field of higher education. Please join me in honoring him on this prestigious occasion.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Chairman, I am of course pleased to support H.R. 2537, the Beach Protection Act of 2007, and appreciate the efforts of Mr. Pallone to advance this legislation. It is my understanding that this bill will receive overwhelming bipartisan support. It is going to be a totally green board, which I applaud. But it seems to me that the House has other, more critical issues to consider, such as the rising cost of energy which affects the success or failures of the traveling public to even reach the beaches of the world. Oil and gas prices are at an all-time high with national averages topping $3.25 a gallon. A year ago we feared a time when crude oil could reach $100 a barrel, and now oil has reached $110 a barrel for the first time in history. Unfortunately, energy analysts are saying that prices at the pump are not likely to decrease any time soon, and could rise as high as $3.75, maybe $4 a gallon this year. My constituents in the Fourth District of Texas, as well as all Americans, are very concerned about the ever-increasing cost of gasoline and diesel, combined with the escalating prices at the grocery store. It is costing them more to travel to work, and more to provide food for their families. They are looking to Congress for some immediate relief and some long-term solutions. The Energy Security Act that the majority passed and the President signed into law has some good provisions; but, unfortunately, none that will provide Americans the relief they need from high energy costs. Not one barrel of oil was provided in that entire act. There was no mention in the Energy Act of an increase in domestic production, which is one way to help bring down energy costs. This year marks the culmination of a research and development product which I have worked on and passed, I think four times as a Democrat and one time as a Republican, and it is the Ultra-deepwater and Unconventional Onshore Hydrocarbon Resources Act that was signed into law as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Nuclear energy has also seen a surge in recent years as people realize it is a clean and safe source of energy. But as with building a new refinery, the permitting and construction process is extremely expensive, and there are still significant risks to venture capitalists who would otherwise invest. Congress needs to reduce uncertainty in the regulatory process for permitting and construction of new nuclear plants, as well as oil refineries, by streamlining the process and requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to issue its rulings within a realistic time frame. America needs relief at the pump now more than ever. Congress needs to jump start efforts to bring down energy costs in the short term and build on comprehensive energy policies that recognize the importance of all energy sources in the long term. Providing Americans with affordable energy is an important issue.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I won't take all that much time. I've heard it said that water and fire are wonderful friends and fearful enemies, and I'm sure that's been said a lot of times today. And we know the terrible devastation that both of these can bring. Thousands of people die in the United States every year due to fire, and many more are injured. The total would be even higher if it weren't for the dedication and the service of our Nation's fire men and women. I don't know how you can say enough about our Nation's firefighters. I would say this: It's kind of a shame that it took a 9/11 for people to really fully appreciate firefighters and men and women that defend us and defend our property and our lives. I just think they're treasures of the country, and it's good for this Congress to honor them every chance we get. And that's why I'm very pleased that the Committee on Science and Technology has taken the time to deliberate and produce a bill that will greatly contribute to the effectiveness of the United States Fire Administration, and by extension, the local men and women who serve us so very well. I'd like to thank the gentlemen from Arizona and Georgia for their leadership on this bill, as well as the rest of the colleagues on the committee for their work. And I, of course, urge passage of H.R. 4847 and yield back the balance of my time after once again saying that it's unusual that it would take some kind of devastation like we had in our sister State over here to really bring the full appreciation of men and women who, day and night, face the fires and face protection of our property and our goods. I'm honored to be a part of recognizing them and saying to them one more time from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you, we appreciate what you're doing, and we look forward to the fact that you're going to be able to continue to do it.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, of course, in opposition to the Senate amendment to H.R. 6. And as I've said before on many occasions, I think our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have really missed an opportunity to pass energy legislation that would actually do something to produce and enhance supplies of domestic sources of energy. The bill before us today does absolutely nothing. It doesn't produce a barrel of oil. And I'm from an energy State. Ten of our States are energy States. I don't see how anybody from energy States can vote for a bill that calls itself an energy bill that doesn't produce any energy. It's really a sad day. But it's not sad for people my age and the people of the average age of this body here. It's sad for those juniors and seniors in high school and those in early college, those that might be called on to go overseas and take energy away from someone when we have plenty right here at home which we could be mining. It's sad that we're not hitting ANWR. It's sad that we're depending on Saudi Arabia for 40 percent of our energy and 20 percent from other Arab nations when they don't like us and we don't like them and we don't trust them. This is a bill that will put our children on troop ships to go somewhere to take oil or gas or energy away from countries when we don't have to. We have plenty right here in this country. But we're turning our backs on the young people of this Nation, and we ought to be ashamed for it. This is a lousy bill. It's a bad energy bill. It should be defeated. It won't be defeated. But I certainly ask everybody to vote against it.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to the memory of John Hill, the only person in the history of the great State of Texas to serve as Secretary of State, Attorney General and Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. John was a friend of mine. He was a spellbinder and, in my opinion, the greatest and most successful trial lawyer of his day. John entered politics as an organizer in the 1964 re-election campaign of Governor John B. Connally. Governor Connally appointed him Secretary of State in 1966, a post he would hold for 2 years. In 1972 John was elected Attorney General, where he pressed lawsuits against polluters, created an organized crime task force and persuaded the Legislature to pass consumer legislation. In 1984 he was elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. He resigned in January of 1988 to advocate his belief that the partisan election of judges fostered an environment which allowed campaign contributors to have undue influence upon the courts. He continued to campaign for a system in which judges would be appointed until his death. He remained engaged in public service, working as Governor George W. Bush's appointee to the Texas Lottery Commission, and supporting the Governor in his bid for the White House. The final years of John's legal career were spent as a senior partner with Locke Liddel and Sapp LLP, and later as a senior partner with the Winstead firm, where he was a shareholder. John is survived by his wife, the former Elizabeth Ann Graham; a son, John Graham Hill; two daughters, Melinda Elizabeth Hill Perrin and Martha Hill Jamison; ten grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of a great American, outstanding public servant, and respected jurist, the Honorable John Hill.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join the President and the Department of Defense in honoring Harry E. McKillop of McKinney, Texas, for more than 40 years of unselfish service to Americans in need around the world. For his humanitarianism and patriotic service, Mr. McKillop was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. This is one of the most prestigious awards given to a civilian by the Department of Defense. In 1969, Mr. McKillop embarked upon his first humanitarian mission to provide supplies and relief to our prisoners of war in Vietnam. This first mission would be the beginning of a life-long crusade to locate, free, and bring home Americans who are held against their will. The most well-known operation was probably the 1979 rescue of 2 Electronic Data Systems employees from Iran in the wake of that country's revolution. Mr. McKillop coordinated flights and logistics for the mission later immortalized by Ken Follett in his best-seller On Wings of Eagles. Even today, Mr. McKillop actively pursues searches on a global basis. Mr. McKillop served his country as a naval officer aboard the USS Phoenix in the Pacific during World War II. Professionally, he has worked throughout the world as an airline executive. Currently he works as an aide to Ross Perot, his closest friend and an associate for more than 35 years. I am honored to have Harry, his wife Rebecca, and his 2 beautiful daughters, Mary and Tory, as personal friends. Rebecca is a long-time American Airlines pilot, with international assignments. They are a great American family. Mr. McKillop is a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus, and is a former Grand Knight of the New World Council 9903 in McKinney, and a member of the 4th Degree Assembly 2266 in Plano, Texas. Soon children in the Fourth Congressional District will be attending Harry McKillop Elementary School in the Liberty development in Melissa, Texas. He has also been honored by the McKinney Fire Department as an Honorary Battalion Chief. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me today in honoring a true patriot and great American, Mr. Harry E. McKillop.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, it is my great privilege to stand today to celebrate the life of Norine Schuhmann, a lifelong resident of Bloomburg, Texas. Mrs. Schuhmann died recently at the age of 97, having lived all but one year of her life in Bloomburg, a town her family pioneered. Mrs. Schuhmann, a bona fide example of a servant leader, gave of her talents and time selflessly. For 45 years she taught in public schools, all but one of those years in her home of Bloomburg. She also helped establish and organize the Cullen Baker Fair in Bloomburg, where she served as a board member until her mid-eighties. Throughout her 97 years, Mrs. Schuhmann was a dedicated member of the community. Her civic commitment was evidenced by the many community organizations in which she was involved. For 40 years Mrs. Schuhmann taught Sunday school at the First Baptist Church in Bloomburg. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Delta Kappa Gamma sorority and the Order of the Eastern Star. In 1997 Mrs. Schuhmann was recognized by the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce as Woman of the Year for her extraordinary commitment to her community. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to honor the life, accomplishments and memory of Mrs. Norine Schuhmann. With her passing, east Texas loses a pioneer, a profound educator, and a wonderful mother. Her contributions will be greatly missed throughout Cass County, but her kindness and service will not be forgotten.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have just heard Mr. Dingell mention World War II and Pearl Harbor and I heard Mr. Pearce answer him; and they are both correct in what they said, that that was an energy war. I remember like yesterday, I was 17 years old standing on the banks of the Tombigbee River in Alabama, and a guy ran down and said the Japanese are bombing Pearl Harbor. I didn't know where Pearl Harbor was. I said, we had better hitchhike back to Dallas; those Japanese will go straight to Washington. I thought Pearl Harbor was down around Mobile somewhere. That is how ignorant I was about the Nation at that time, but I am a little smarter now. And I remember well that Cordell Hull and Henry Stimson cut the energy off from Japan. They had 13 months' national existence. They had to break out and go somewhere, and we had to know they were going to. That was an energy war. So I am a little disappointed in the majority. During the campaign, they blamed the Republicans for high energy prices. Here, before us today, is a bill that the Democrats are touting as the end to high energy prices. There is one big obvious problem with the bill: there is nothing in this bill that will bring any relief to the citizens of our great country or that will lower the cost of a tank of gasoline or the monthly electricity bills. It will likely in fact have the opposite effect. The bill authorizes billions and billions of dollars in new government spending programs, and mandates electric companies to use more expensive ways for electricity generation, whether they are able to or whether they are not able to. If you don't think that is going to make your electricity bill go up even more, then you are not really being realistic. Electric companies are a business just like any other business; and if their costs go up, they are going to pass them along. We don't need to mandate Federal renewable electricity standards. Twenty-eight States and the District of Columbia already have a renewable portfolio standard in place. These standards were made on the State level based on what renewable sources are available in each State, and it is wrong for the Federal Government to enforce a one- size-fits-all standard. My home State of Texas has a very successful RPS. Since its inception in 1999, Texas has become the Nation's leader in wind energy. In June of this year, a Texan put forward plans to build the Nation's largest wind farm in the panhandle of the State. This would be four times larger than the current wind farm. Anyone, anyone who is serious about lowering the cost of gasoline, then, along with research and development and renewable sources of energy, they would be providing incentives to the oil and gas industry to explore more areas of our country for oil and gas. They would be providing incentives to develop our domestic sources of oil and gas. They would be providing incentives to build more refineries. These things are not only important to address today's high cost, but also for our national security. We cannot forget that we import a huge amount of oil from OPEC countries that are willing to take our American dollars, but many are not really our friends. We are shamefully dependent on foreign sources of oil. We can't continue to compromise our national security. Another opportunity the Democrats completely ignore in this bill is a chance to promote the use of clean coal for much-needed new power plants and as a source of transportation fuel. It has been said before that the United States is the Saudi Arabia of coal. So why are we not encouraging the environmentally friendly use of this abundant and inexpensive domestic resource? These facilities would have the best technologies to capture emissions in order to produce clean electricity and the clean fuel that can be used immediately in our Nation's pipelines, filling stations, and in our automobiles. My constituents are doing their part to help the environment, but they need to be able to afford to put gas in their cars so they can get to work to provide food for their families and clothes for their children. A lot of my constituents don't have transportation options. There is no bus system or rail system. They live 45 miles from work, so they certainly can't take a bike. They need their cars. They need the fuel that they put into them to be affordable. I don't see a glimmer of hope for them in this bill. Mr. Speaker, I do feel very strongly that we should be looking to efficiency, conservation, and renewable alternatives of energy to become part of our portfolio. And I support the provisions in this bill that do that; however, there are so many harmful things in this bill that I think the bad, ugly highly outweighs the good. I supported and voted for the bipartisan R&D provisions as they existed coming out of the Science and Technology Committee and generally remain supportive. However, I am concerned with some changes and additions made in this amendment, changes that came about without the opportunity for vetting or Member involvement. Participation by all Members leads to a better product, and we know that. For example, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 garnered the support of 38 Democrats who are still in the House when initially passed by the House. When brought to the floor later that year for final passage, it garnered the support of almost 70 Democrats who are still in this House. Mr. Speaker, I can't stress how important energy is to our country. We have urged drilling in the Outer Shelf. Yes, China drills just off the coast of Key West today. And we have urged drilling in ANWR. I urge our colleagues not to play politics with our energy future.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 251, commending the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for its work promoting energy efficiency for 30 years. NREL, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, based in Golden, Colorado, is the hub of our Nation's work into renewable and alternative energy research and development. Since 1977, when it began as the Solar Energy Research Institute before changing its name in 1991, NREL has received many accolades and many awards. In the past 30 years, NREL has received 39 R&D 100 awards, as well as hundreds of Scientific and Technical Society honors and awards, Technology Transfer awards, and Department of Energy and other agency awards. NREL's success has continued under the leadership of its current director, Dr. Dan Arvizu, who has made the transferring of technologies from the lab to the marketplace a real priority. It's through this ``technical transfer'' that we see inventions and discoveries at work in the real world and not sitting on a proverbial shelf collecting proverbial dust. As we have reached a time in our energy history that we are realizing more and more the importance of and the place that renewable and alternative forms of energy have in our current and future energy mix, NREL's significance and prominence as a world leader in this field is becoming increasingly evident and appreciated. The resolution before us today recognizes NREL for its 30 years of service to our country. I am proud that such a facility exists in this great country of ours. I could only be prouder if it were in my home State of Texas. I thank Dr. Arvizu and all the scientists and employees at NREL. You serve our country and serve our future very well. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 251. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HALL of Texas

Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I, of course, rise in support of H. Res. 709, recognizing and honoring the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum. Samuel ``Sam'' Taliaferro Rayburn was born in Roane County, Tennessee, on January 6, 1882, the eighth of 11 children, and moved west with his family to a 40-acre cotton farm in Fannin County in Texas near the little community of Flag Springs, Texas, in 1887. Many Tennesseeans like Sam Rayburn and Sam Houston were great leaders and builders of the State of Texas. From those humble beginnings, ``Mr. Sam,'' as he became known, rose to become one of Texas' and the United States' greatest statesmen. He held elected office for 55 consecutive years beginning in 1906 with his election to the Texas House. He was elected 24 times to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Texas's Fourth District, and spent 17 of those years as Speaker of the House, a position that put him third in line for the United States Presidency. At the time of his death in 1961, Rayburn's 48 consecutive years in the U.S. House set a congressional record for continuous service. Sam Rayburn was selected to replace the deceased William Bankhead as Speaker of the House, a position he held for a record number 17\1/2\ years. He also served as minority leader during the 80th and 83rd Congresses, the two periods of Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Rayburn served with eight different Presidents and helped to pass several pieces of key legislation throughout his career: One was the Selective Service Act in 1941. He cast the deciding vote to pass that act; the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and 1960; establishment of NASA; the National Defense Education Act of 1958; the Hospital Survey and Construction Act of 1958. The Office of Speaker lacked great formal powers when he first took office, but Rayburn quickly expanded the power and influence of the office. Rayburn relied heavily on his personal prestige, persuasive skills, and personal friendships built up over decades in the House. His leadership style usually resulted in congenial relations between not only the northern and southern wings of the Democratic Party but also between Rayburn and the Republican leadership of the House. Rayburn's actions during his long tenure as Speaker increased the power of the House of Representatives in its relations with the Senate and with the executive branch. Following his election as Speaker, Rayburn wanted to build a library to house his books, his personal papers, and memoirs. He also wanted the facility to be a reservoir center of political history available to the people of Fannin County in his congressional district. With the advice of Secretary of the Treasury John Snyder, Rayburn requested that Judge H.A. Cunningham, a good friend of Rayburn's and a great man from Bonham, Texas, arrange to have a charitable trust established for the purposes of receiving and managing funds donated to assist in building the library. The Speaker also contacted Buster Cole, a young lawyer from Bonham, to assist in the process of setting up the trust. An earlier $10,000 award from Collier's magazine served as a financial base for the foundation. Sam Rayburn, representatives of the Sam Rayburn Foundation, and hundreds of admirers gathered to break ground for the library in December 1955. The library construction was completed in July 1957, and the Sam Rayburn Library officially opened to the public October 9, 1957, in a ceremony that garnered national attention and media coverage. Businesses were closed for the day, and downtown Bonham was decorated with banners and bunting. Many distinguished political leaders attended the dedication, including President Harry S. Truman and his wife, Bess Truman; Secretary of Treasury Robert Anderson; Congressman Hale Boggs of Louisiana; Congressman Richard Bolling of Missouri; Governor of Arizona, Ernest McFarland; former Governor and current Congressman Earle C. Clements of Kentucky; and the majority of the congressional delegations from Texas and Oklahoma, among them Lyndon B. Johnson, Jim Wright, Carl Albert and Tom Steed. There were approximately 11 television and radio stations on hand to report all the activities. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the library and in recognition of the completion of phase one of the Museum Restoration Program, the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum hosted an open house and reception on Tuesday, October 9. An exhibit featuring historic images of the dedication as well as items pertaining to the recent renovation project were on display. The open house and reception honored Speaker Rayburn and recognized the many supporters and contributors who helped fund the recent renovation project. The renovation included a new look, an improved drainage system for the building, a more efficient heating and cooling system, upgraded accessibility to the museum, and a thorough cleaning and resealing of the building exterior. These improvements will not only preserve the historic structure but also provide added protection for the valuable collections and artifacts housed in the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum. I am pleased to offer this resolution today honoring the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum, and I urge my colleagues' support in recognition of this great facility that chronicles an important era in the history of our Nation. I am also proud to represent Mr. Rayburn's Fourth District of Texas. My mother attended Mayo College at Commerce, Texas, with Mr. Rayburn. He was a great friend, my friend, and my family's friend. He truly was one of a kind. And this resolution will go into the Congressional Record, adding more light to this man's great history.