Alcee Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman), who is the chairwoman of the Intelligence Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment. The gentlewoman and I served on the Intelligence Committee, and perhaps she might be able to educate my friend from Texas regarding watch lists and how difficult it would be in order to have watch lists, as Mrs. Maloney put it, for 800,000 people on one rail line in New York alone.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas, my good friend (Ms. Jackson-Lee) of the Committee on Homeland Security.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very privileged to yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), who is the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and has worked actively and diligently for the security of this Nation.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1\1/ 2\ minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), who is chairman of the Science Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am very pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to a distinguished new Member of the U.S. Congress from Pennsylvania who is chairman of the Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight (Mr. Carney).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1\1/ 2\ minutes to another distinguished member of the Committee on Homeland Security, my very good friend from the Virgin Islands, Donna Christensen.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield at this time 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time until the gentleman has closed. I would ask the Speaker how much time I have remaining.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, you do know and every Member of this body does know that the 9/11 Commission Report was published in the year 2004. Since that time an election has occurred. Before that time and even before this 9/ 11 Commission Report came into existence, President Bush did not even want to appoint a 9/11 Commission. He came kicking and dragging and screaming to even cause it to come into existence. And the extraordinary work that has been done by Lee Hamilton and Governor Kean and the other members of that committee recommended to this body in 2004 that we undertake these measures. So now we come here, and I ask them, what did you do before that? The answer is nothing. Mr. Speaker, this body has a responsibility today to pass this rule and the underlying legislation. We can't afford to continue to procrastinate, as my colleagues did since 2004. Today this new Democratic majority is delivering another piece of our Six for '06 promises. Today this Democratic majority is passing and sending to the President for his signature the 9/11 Commission's outstanding recommendations. The fact of the matter is that bad people who want to do bad things will always try to find a way to succeed. This conference report ensures that we are doing everything we can here in the United States and abroad to stop that from happening. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and the rule.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to yield 3\1/ 2\ minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), who is on the Committee on Homeland Security, and the chairman of the Select Committee on Global Warming. Mr. Markey has fought diligently regarding airport screening. The gentleman from Florida isn't in here now that talked about screening as not being something that's important.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, before yielding to Mrs. Maloney, who was directly affected in her district in New York during 9/11, I would just say to my friend from Florida that when he and his party were in charge, the question is, what did they do? Did they pass $250 million annually for airport checkpoint screening? Did they pass $450 million annually for baggage screening? Did they do 100 percent screening within 5 years? Did they protect from lawsuits people who in good faith report what they believe are terrorist activities around airplanes, trains, or buses? Did they do stronger security measures? No. They did none of that. I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished lady from New York, who really knows about 9/11, Mrs. Maloney.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 567 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, before yielding to myself, I yield to the gentleman from New York for a unanimous consent request. (Mr. McNULTY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment today to give pollinator protection and the concern of Colony Collapse Disorder a prominent presence in H.R. 2419, the Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007. This amendment reflects the contributions of countless organizations and a bi-partisan coalition of Members of Congress who share a common concern for pollinator decline. When issues like Colony Collapse Disorder and pollinator decline threaten one-third of American agriculture, they must be taken seriously. I commend Chairman Peterson and the Committee on Agriculture for their tireless work on provisions in the current Farm Bill Extension Act to address pollinator research. However, my amendment demonstrates the need to clarify that significant research and conservation programs will play an important role in combating Colony Collapse, Disorder and North American pollinator decline in years to come. If we want our children to enjoy food grown in this nation in the coming years, then we must save bees and other pollinators. Mr. Chairman, this amendment adds a section to the bill authorizing $86.5 million over 5 years for facilities improvement and research grants to combat Colony Collapse Disorder and North American native/ managed pollinator decline. These funds would be authorized through a combination of initiatives at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, including the Agricultural Research Service, ARS, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, CSREES, and the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, APHIS. This section of the amendment is very similar to my legislation H.R. 1709, the Pollinator Protection Act, which has the bi-partisan support of 50 cosponsors. This amendment also incorporates welcome adjustments to the Pollinator Protection Act which I collaborated with Senator Barbara Boxer to develop in the companion legislation, S. 1694, the Pollinator Protection Act of 2007. My amendment also clarifies the importance of native and managed pollinators in vital conservation programs of USDA. This component of the amendment reflects the content of H.R. 2913, the Pollinator Habitat Protection Act of 2007, which Representative Earl Blumenauer and I recently introduced, similar to S. 1496 introduced by Senator Max Baucus. On the Senate side, this similar legislation has received vast bi-partisan support from 33 cosponsors. Mr. Chairman. Moments like this truly demonstrate the collaborative capacity of this great Congress to meet a dire need with thoughtful policy that truly engages stakeholders and impacted communities. I thank Members of Congress that worked with me in both chambers of Congress in this effort to save American agriculture. I also thank the many scientists and organizations for their endorsement of this amendment, namely: the American Beekeeping Federation, Inc., American Honey Producers Association, American Farmland Trust, California Farm Bureau Federation, California State Beekeepers Association, Center for Biological Diversity, Coevolution Institute, Defenders of Wildlife, Environmental Defense, Florida Farm Bureau Federation, National Wildlife Federation, Partners for Sustainable Pollination, Sonoma County Beekeepers Association, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Wild Farm Alliance, and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. I thank Chairman Peterson for his support and I urge my colleagues support this vital amendment.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to this amendment. Consider, the cost of sugar over the past 27 years has actually decreased, and it remains the only commodity in the country that has actually contributed toward paying off the national debt. But as the cost of sugar has gone down, the price at grocery stores for candy manufacturers and bakery manufacturers and other sweets are charging more for their products, whose main ingredient is sugar, has increased. Footnote right there. Why does the confectionery industry get smaller and cost more? I don't need to sugarcoat the facts, Mr. Chairman. American consumers are getting a sweet deal on sugar. It's so cheap in the U.S., they give it away in restaurants. Unlike other commodities, the U.S. sugar program doesn't cost the American taxpayer one dime. Do my colleagues realize that if this amendment passes, over 146,000 jobs, 25,000 of which are in South Florida, will be in jeopardy. Congress can't turn its back on these hardworking Americans simply because candy companies in the U.S. want to pay their workers pennies in South America rather than living wages in South Florida. In my district, the cities of Belle Glade, Clewiston, South Bay and Pahokee will almost cease to exist if this amendment passes. Talk about getting a raw deal. As my distinguished colleague Dale Kildee, who himself represents a significant portion of sugar beet country, is fond of saying and correctly so, we have the cleanest, greenest, and safest sugar supply in the world. I implore my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, continuing along the lines of what Congressman Meek has been speaking about, I sat behind him and he did not know that I was there. I thought that it would be helpful if I would join my very good friend, who is a member of the 30-somethings, and have him know that those of us that are the over 30-somethings have the exact same sentiments as it pertains to the circumstances as exist in our respective communities because of the Iraq war. Representative Meek, I wish to just bring to the table one example. I won't use the many in the congressional district that I am privileged to represent which abuts your district, and we have overlapping circumstances in a variety of our communities in South Broward and North Dade, and in this case I am going to carry it way west to the Everglades. For the last 7 years, I have been about the business of trying to get a water treatment plant in Belle Glade, Florida for the people of Belle Glade, South Bay, Pahokee, and that general area. I won't even talk about the hospital; I won't even talk about the police that you have already talked about that we have tried to get. And so I thought, well, certainly now that we have political circumstances that are favorable to the majority, that it would be very easy to get a water treatment plant. Now, you and I know this: we know that in Iraq we have paid for water treatment facilities that have been blown up. We know that we have paid for sewers that the materials were stolen. And we know that we are building an embassy, I guess we are building an embassy, at more money that I can ever contemplate that must have a big bull's eye on it, but we are not sure who is building it. We know about no-bid contracts. We know about millions of dollars being poured into this situation while our communities are suffering. Now, something is wrong with this picture. I heard you loud and clear regarding the extraordinary debt. And I don't mean to take much of your time, I came down here to file this bill, but I could not resist. And I yield back to my very good friend from Florida.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Just to say, Mr. Chairman, you know there is another component to all of this, and that is that the 16,000 air traffic controllers and the people that work in these modern facilities are overburdened, and I just for the life of me do not understand how we don't understand the dynamics of their work. And I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Would the Chair advise how much time I have remaining.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to Mr. Poe, my colleague from Texas.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I ask unanimous consent that each side be given an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today with Representatives Poe, Filner, and Bono to offer an amendment prohibiting the Federal Aviation Administration from eliminating, consolidating, colocating, or planning to consolidate or colocate any terminal radar approach control center, or TRACON. Our amendment is virtually identical to the amendment that was overwhelmingly approved by the House in a bipartisan fashion by almost 100 votes just last June. Yet, since the House went on record of opposing further consolidation, the FAA has done virtually nothing to address our concerns. Even more, it has accelerated its consolidation efforts while shutting out stakeholders from the process. Mr. Chairman, the TRACON system guides airplanes within a 50-mile radius of the airport on their takeoffs and final approaches. The FAA has embarked on an ambitious consolidation and colocation plan which will significantly limit our air traffic capacities in the future. I warn that this policy is shortsighted. It is now rumored that the FAA's current consolidation proposal seeks to eliminate or consolidate nearly 50 TRACONs in over 30 States across the United States. In some instances, entire States will be left without any approach radar system within their borders. In other instances, consolidation runs the risk of placing undue stress on nearby TRACONs already having to deal with larger airspaces and staffing shortfalls. In Florida, the FAA is planning to consolidate the TRACONs of Miami International, Ft. Lauderdale International and Palm Beach International airports into one TRACON. Note that all three of these airports are within a Federal high-risk urban area, and smack dab in the heart of Hurricane Alley. Once this plan is implemented, if a terrorist attack or natural disaster were to strike the Miami TRACON, then all three international airports would lose their approach radar system. Controllers in Jacksonville, an airport more than 350 miles away, will be forced to direct approaching aircraft throughout virtually the entire State. Realize, Mr. Chairman, this is not a question of whether or not consolidation can technologically be done. It can be done and it is being done. On the contrary, this is a question of should it be done and what risk is Congress willing to run. Further, in the instances where consensus is possible and consolidation could be appropriate, the FAA is still refusing to involve stakeholders in the process. To that end, this amendment appropriately exempts the TRACONs of Palm Springs and southern California from the limitation. Opponents of our amendment likely will argue that the construction of some new control facilities, including one in my district, will be delayed and funds lost if we do not allow consolidation. To them I say, why can't we keep those funds available until all stakeholders can reach a viable solution? Congress does it all the time. Some point to the FAA authorization bill as the appropriate place to address this issue. And I have great respect for the chairman of that committee with whom I've had a conversation. If that's the case, though, why do we keep throwing money at the problem in this bill? At the very least, we should tie this money to smart policy and a transparent process. The FAA's TRACON consolidation runs the grave risk of leaving our air traffic system vulnerable during critical times and setting a dangerous precedent for a process that excludes stakeholders from decisions that impact their lives. This is not a risk that Congress should be willing to take. I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.