Dave Hobson

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker, I request to submit this tribute in honor of the Lima Company of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment based in my congressional district. The piece was written by Albert Caswell. Rest! Rest our fine sons . . . Your war is now over . . . Your battle's begun . . . There's Company in Heaven . . . There's a new force to be found . . . There's a new band of 23 brothers, of so renown . . . There's a new winged force of Angels, warriors in the Army of our Lord now . . . There's 22 Magnificent Marines and a Corpsman, who are all out in front, moving so forth out on the prowl . . . Heading in a divine direction, to do a battle for our Lord . . . to fight the darkness, as it's the light they so ensure! The ones who so lived and so died for each other, in the darkest times of war . . . as where their great burdens bore. Who have now come back as Angels, in this the greatest of all force . . . listen on the wind, you'll hear their voices. Once but our bravest and brightest, who were all once champions of right . . . there our United States Marines . . . Who were the finest of all sons our nation has seen, who so bravely left all their loved ones to do what must be done! While, strength in honor was but their most magnificent of themes, but willing to die for us and give up all their dreams. Moments on this earth are but all we so have, to make a difference, to crush hearts . . . all in our shortest of life paths. To grab hearts, from the beginning, where we so start, to stare right into the face of death with but only your fine hearts. But for the greater good, as only they could . . . There's Company in Heaven . . . it's getting crowded up here! As the Lord our Father, welcomes these fine warriors in all of his tears! And if I ever have a son, I but hope and pray and so wish . . . that he could but be like all of these fine ones! Yeah, There's Company in Heaven . . . New Angels up here! Ready for this new battle which appears! And when there comes a gentle rain . . . your sons' tears of love shall wash down upon you to so ease all of your pain . . . Until, one day up in Heaven . . . you will all so meet again! And you won't have to cry no more . . . FAOY.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. I want to pay tribute to my colleagues and my friends, Ralph Regula and Deborah Pryce. To be honest, it's a little surreal standing here doing this because I'm joining them in retirement at the end of this term, but I'd like to take a few moments to talk about both of them. Ralph and Mary showed up in Urbana, Ohio when I was running for Congress. And I pulled up in my pickup truck. I had one too. It was burgundy, it wasn't red. That was my campaign color. With a big sign, Hobson for Congress. And Ralph's walking down the street, and I never met Ralph or Mary before. And Ralph says, I've been reading about you; and I think we're going to get along just fine. And he was right. We did. And I came to Congress and I got elected. And I came down here and John Boehner wanted to be on the Ag Committee, and I wanted to be on the Ag Committee. And we got in a little tussle about that. And Ralph says, hey, if he wants it that bad, let him have it. You could never do enough for them, and you can never get off the committee. And by the way, there's a transportation bill coming up this year and he said, I think I can get you on that Transportation Committee. And you're going to get a lot of stuff for Ohio. And I did. I got everything that the Governor asked for. And I got a bike trail I didn't really want in the beginning, but Mr. Oberstar liked bike trails, and I showed up for him on some meetings, and suddenly I got almost as much money for bike trails as I did for highways. And I really wanted the highways, but the bike trails turned out to be a great thing. Then Ralph came to me later on. And this is the way Ralph is, and this why our delegation over the years has been such a good delegation, because when he went into the Committee on Committees, he worked to place us all around within the committees so that Ohio had a voice when legislation was being done, whether it be on the authorizing committee or the Appropriations Committee. Ralph had us covered so that our State benefited and our people grew on those committees to points where, at one time, I don't know how many committee chairman we had when we were in the majority, but we had quite a number and we had the Appropriations Committee covered. We were the only State that had two cardinals when we were on the Appropriations Committee when we were in the majority. That was due to Ralph because Ralph came to me and he said, would you like to be on the Appropriations Committee? I didn't ask him. He came to me and he said, would you like to do this? And he was sharing, and that's the way Ralph Regula was. He shared. Ralph Regula shared the whole time he was here, and even today, about what we're all about, of doing good for this country. He's been a mentor to all of us in the delegation. He's been a great friend to Ohio, and he's done a lot of really neat things for Ohio and the country. One of the things we've both done together and it's actually, some money was put in, most of you didn't see it, but it got in there in the CR to take care of the Everglades, because Ralph Regula is probably the father of most of the restoration in the Everglades. And I've helped him do that when I became chairman of energy and water. And the Everglades we have looked at is not a treasure for Florida, or not even a national treasure, it's an international treasure, and we've saved it for our grandchildren and their children if we could get the things done that we need to do. He's also worked very hard for things, not just in his district that he felt were good for Ohio, such as the Cleveland Clinic, NASA Glenn, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. He's done great things with the parks all over the country. He's done great things with research, education. He's just been an outstanding Member for many, many years of this Congress. I consider he and Mary true dear friends. Mary is also very giving. You've heard the good work she's done. But also she was a mentor to my wife when we came. She got my wife into the chairs to become head of the congressional club, all the spouse groups of both the House and the Senate. She got my wife into the chairs, and my wife became president of that, just as Mary had done many years before. Didn't have to do that, but it was their way of sharing and caring for people from Ohio. And we both, my wife Carolyn and myself really appreciate their friendship over the years. Something that Ralph and Deborah and myself have all worked on together is this GME for children's hospitals across the country. Our delegation, when John was here, John became a convert to that, Kasich when he was here because he had a personal situation in his family, and we all worked on that. We all worked on a number of hospital issues. And going back to Ralph, I can remember once when I was in the Speaker's office, I was working on durable medical equipment, and the Speaker finally said to me, shut up, Hobson. You got a billion dollars. Shut up. Get it down. And Ralph said, Dave, you'd better be quiet and we'd better move on. So we did move on. But Deborah, Pat and myself have represented Central Ohio, and Deborah's made a real difference for Central Ohio. And we've all worked together on a number of projects for the community. The Rickenbacker International Intermodal facility is going to create 20,000 new jobs over the next 2 decades. That wouldn't have been done without Deborah's hard work with all of us to try to get this done. The VA clinic in Central Ohio, again a product that we've all three worked on. We had hearings in Columbus on the VA Clinic. All of our districts were impacted by it. Fortunately, it turned out to be in my district, but we all worked to make sure that's a reality for the veterans of Central Ohio, so that they can get health care in a better situation in their local community. We worked on the Defense Supply Center during the BRAC, which most of the people, it's in my district, but most of the people live in Pat and Deborah's district. And again, we worked as a unit, the three of us worked together. We were partners in this. When she ran for leadership, we were partners to help her get into leadership and be the highest ranking female ever in the Republican delegation, and frankly, in this Congress, until Speaker Pelosi was elected. And that's a real tribute to Deborah and her leadership, but also to our delegation, who all worked together to make sure that Deborah got there. And another place she's been just a tireless advocate on behalf of the Ohio State University and Columbus Children's Hospital. We have great programs in both places that are attributed to Deborah and her hard work. At Children's Hospital in Columbus there's a number of programs there. We just did an autism program that will be great for children with autism, which is afflicting so many young children in our region, and it's going to be working with the Children's Hospital in Columbus, and also with Wright Patterson Air Force base and Children's Hospital in Dayton. And I've had a number of people call and thank Deborah and us for putting this together. And Ohio State, she's been the premier leader for all the stuff that's happened at Ohio State University, which is her alma mater. And she's been tireless in fighting for better quality education, but also in getting the facilities and the programs there to make sure that Ohio State is a premier, leading institution in our region. And frankly, it has moved up, under her tenure, to be, moved up dramatically in the research that it does for this country while Deborah has been representing that facility. And that's even true that Pat Tiberi played the trumpet. But you must have played the whole band because we got a lot more stuff there since you've been here working on this. I think probably in addition to her leadership here of our caucus and working on the health care things that she's done, there's a bill that passed that I think is probably the crowning glory she might share with you of her being here and that was the bill that was named for her daughter, Caroline, and one that dramatically increases funding for pediatric cancer research, and it was signed into law this year. That's a lasting tribute and it's making a great difference in the lives of so many families touched by pediatric cancer. These are two great Members that I've had the privilege of serving with here. In closing, I'd like to say I've really enjoyed serving with them, but I've really enjoyed serving in Congress. It's been an honor for all of us, I'm sure, to have been here to work with our colleagues. And I know when you look on TV you say oh, you watch this floor sometimes and you say, all they do is bicker amongst themselves. Well, you see it here, but you don't see the great work that goes on behind the scenes where Members get together and work together, talk together and get the country's work done. And I think it's unfortunate that the public doesn't understand the great friendships that are here across the aisle and within delegations as we do our work in furthering the work of this country on behalf of all the citizens of this country. So I knew it was time for me to leave. I didn't know Ralph or Deborah, where they were going to be at the point, but I made up my decision. We each made up our own decisions. And I knew that it was time to move on. But I've got to tell you, it's been a pleasure to work with everyone in this Congress, and especially our delegation, both Democrats and Republicans. We have not had the rancor between Democrats and Republicans. And I'm really saddened tonight when we do this, not for us, but there's two people who are not here that were dear friends of mine, Paul Gillmor. I wouldn't be here if Paul Gillmor hadn't gotten me appointed to the State Senate. And Stephanie Tubbs Jones became one of my best friends. We traveled all over the world looking at military bases together. And she would, if I flew to Cleveland to see my daughter and we were on the same plane, I didn't have a car there, she would drive me to my daughter's house and take me there, and we became true friends. I took she and her husband on their 25th wedding anniversary. She wanted to go on a codel, and I said I'll give you the best party that you can ever have if you'll go on this trip and get Mervyn to go with us. And those were the days when you could do that. We had a great party for them. And she was a wonderful Member of this Congress. You know, maybe there were some things in the political realm that we all disagreed with. But as people, we all cared about each other, and that's what's important. So thank you for your service tonight, all of us together, and thank you, Steve, for giving me the time to speak. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a fellow Ohioan and a great American, Congressman Ralph Regula of Ohio. Ralph was elected to represent the 16th Congressional District in 1972 and has served in this body since he was first sworn in as a Member in January 1973. He is the longest serving Member of Congress from Ohio in our State's history with unbroken service totaling 36 years, and he will be retiring at the conclusion of this session. In his second term, Ralph was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee, an unusual act at that time, as Members had historically served multiple terms before being appointed to the prestigious committee. Over the course of more than three decades of service on the committee, Congressman Regula has made his mark in many areas, and I would like to highlight some of them this evening. First, after having served on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee since 1975, Ralph became its Chairman in 1995 and served in that capacity for 6 years. As chairman his accomplishments are too many to mention here, but I want to address a few of the groundbreaking changes he made that will have lasting benefits well into the future. Chairman Regula focused on making critical changes to ensure that the most important issues and problems were addressed by the agencies in the Interior bill. Much of what he accomplished didn't make headlines. He insisted on an emphasis on ``taking care of what we have,'' and made tremendous strides in reducing the backlog of maintenance projects on Federal lands, in Indian schools and hospitals and in cultural institutions like the Smithsonian Institution. He instituted a pilot recreation fee program whereby the National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, Forests and Bureau of Land Management charged users of those resources modest fees. The fees were then available for making necessary improvements for the benefit of the visitors to those lands. This concept of recreation fees had many naysayers, but Ralph persisted and worked for years to show the merits of the program. He was right, and as of today, nearly $2 billion has been paid in recreation fees, and those fees have resulted in tremendous improvements in visitor services in our National Parks, Forests and other Federal lands. He was a critical leader on the cleanup of the Everglades in Florida. He insisted that restoration of natural resources should be the primary focus of the program and that the Department of the Interior have a seat at the table to ensure that decisions on water distribution and development were not made separately from, and without consideration of, natural resource restoration needs. As Chairman of the Interior Subcommittee, he identified management shortfalls in the agencies under the subcommittee's jurisdiction and helped agencies help themselves by addressing management improvements. For example, he oversaw the complete overhaul of the National Park Service construction program. The program lacked a national priority setting process, and its list of construction needs included many projects that were unrelated to construction projects. Chairman Regula made sure that the entire program was changed to incorporate meaningful measurement criteria for identifying and prioritizing projects and that the management structure was streamlined to ensure that the emphasis was on getting the job done rather than designing grand concepts to justify a bloated bureaucracy. Congressman Regula has had a tremendous impact on energy research and development. He fought for a balanced national energy strategy. He focused limited Federal funds on improving the efficiency and cleanliness of fossil fuels at the same time as we pursued renewable and alternative energy sources. He conducted extensive oversight on what we had gotten for the billions of dollars invested in energy research since the establishment of the Department of Energy. He continued and expanded critical research on natural gas infrastructure improvements, oil field productivity improvements, developing fuel cells for electric power generation and transportation applications, and decreasing emissions from coal-fired power plants. He recognized that Federal energy research only works when we have a joint government/industry effort and that most major energy breakthroughs have come from industrial research efforts and from small entrepreneurs in the private sector. Ralph, a farmer himself, was the moving force behind the establishment of the Children's Farm at the National Zoo. He worked tirelessly for several years to bring this exhibit to fruition. It provides a ``hands on'' experience for young children to see what life on a dairy farm is like and has become one of the most popular exhibits at the zoo. Congressman Regula continuously demonstrated his strong commitment to doing the right thing for both the Government agencies in the Interior bill and for the American taxpayer. He made sure that the Federal land management agencies made tremendous strides in improving those lands, in reducing their maintenance backlogs, and instituting management improvements. He made sure that energy and mineral development on Federal lands was expanded responsibly and in an environmentally sound manner. He made sure that essential science programs--dealing with critical issues such as satellite imagery, earthquakes. volcanoes, the biological sciences, landslides and mapping--in the United States Geological Survey were maintained. He made sure that priority school, hospital and clinic construction for Native Americans were addressed in annual appropriations bills. Republican term limits in the House required Ralph to give up his chairmanship of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee in 2000. At the request of then-Chairman Bill Young, Regula took the reigns of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee beginning in 2001 and held the position for a full 6 years until 2006. Regula took the chairmanship, having never served on the subcommittee as a rank and file member, but with a good staff and as a quick study, he masterfully managed a bill with the largest domestic spending level in the Federal Government and with many of the most divisive policy issues. George W. Bush had just been elected President and had come to Washington with a major domestic policy objective--the improvment and accountability of our Nation's education system on behalf of our children. During that first year, Regula held hearings on the administration's budget request for the three cabinet departments and nearly 500 programs funded in the bilI, putting together a balanced, bi-partisan bill. At the same time, Congress' education commit1ees were drafting and negotiating the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, NCLB. While endorsing increased accountability and standards for students being included in the new NCLB, Regula, himself a former teacher and principal, knew that the keys to improving student achievement were the teacher and the principal. He provided the necessary funding increases for Title I, Federal funding for the disadvantaged under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind Act, and continued support for School Improvement and Innovative Education grants to help local schools address these new accountability and school improvement standards. Further, he focused targeted funding to improve teacher training and performance within the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act through programs such as Math and Science Partnerships and the Comprehensive School Reform program. His motto became, ``We need a good teacher in every classroom in this county.'' With this motto Regula knew that a well prepared and well- trained teacher would indeed lead to improved student achievement. Additionally, he provided funding for innovative demonstration programs to improve teacher education, training and performance which are today infusing our Nation's classrooms with teachers from a host of diverse educational and work backgrounds. These programs include Teach for America, now the largest recruiter of college graduates which brings graduates from our Nation's top colleges into our most challenging schools for a 2 year service commitment and Troops to Teachers which provides financial assistance to those retiring from the military to transition into our Nations classrooms. The Teacher Incentive Fund is being adopted by key school districts around the country to incentivize teachers to teach in the most challenging districts and schools. When Regula took the helm of the subcommittee, it was the beginning of year 3 of a 5-year commitment to doubling the funding for biomedical research through the National Institutes of Health, NIH. Our country's biomedical research efforts--supported by NIH and carried out in universities and institutes throughout the country--are premier in the world. Over time, however, the increasing costs of conducting research began to erode the ability of researchers to compete for limited grant dollars, resulting in fewer grants and an increasingly difficult climate for attracting young scientists into health research. The doubling effort received bipartisan support from both Congress and the new administration, and, despite very tight subcommittee allocations, Regula oversaw the completion of the 5-year doubling effort that brought the NIH research effort from $13 billion to $26 billion annually. Today, this number stands at more than $29 billion in annual health research funding to improve the lives of all Americans. While Federal funding for training of physicians and specialists is provided nearly exclusively through Medicare, Federal training for pediatricians and pediatric specialists had been virtually non-existent when Congressman Regula took the chairmanship. He understood immediately, though, that the most important years in one's life are the early years and, without a well-trained pediatric workforce, we are not investing wisely in our Nation's children. Therefore, Regula ensured that Federal dollars were in place every year to assist in training these critical physicians at children's hospitals throughout the U.S. After completing their training, these physicians and specialists are now caring for and treating children across the country, not just where children's hospitals are located. Today, Regula remains one of this Congress' most vocal advocates of Children's Graduate Medical Education funding. While many in national politics and health policy continue to wring their hands about the number of people in our country without health insurance, Regula saw the value of community health centers in providing healthcare to the uninsured and under-insured. During his tenure as Chairman, funding for these centers rose from $1.2 billion to nearly $2 billion. Today more than 4,000 service delivery sites exist throughout the U.S., providing primary healthcare to over 15 million people. During Regula's tenure, health policy experts became increasingly concerned about our Nation's ability to cope with newly emerging infectious diseases, especially as we watched how quickly disease could travel across the globe with the example of SARS. Further, in the wake of the September 11 tragedy and the anthrax attacks, these same experts called our attention to our vulnerability to biological hazards. Working with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, Ralph provided the key funding to step up the resources of the CDC to protect the Nation and prepare it for possible intentional biological threats against our population. Similarly, with the rise and spread of avian influenza, Ralph's subcommittee appropriated new funding to help the Nation, as well as at-risk countries in the developing world, improve the ability to detect, prevent, and control a potential pandemic flu strain. Today, pandemic preparedness and response plans are in place at the national, State, and local levels of Government, and research and development is ongoing on both a pandemic flu vaccine and new antiviral medicines. Income support and healthcare payments to the elderly and disabled through the Social Security and Medicare programs are funded through mandatory spending; however, it is the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee that provides the critical administrative funding to ensure that benefit payments are processed efficiently and in a timely manner. While Congressman Regula knew that ensuring adequate staffing to these critical agencies would never be a top media story or even a leading policy topic, he understood that Americans' dependence on these services required his good management of these agencies and financial support to ensure their efficient operation. Following enactment of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program, Ralph saw to it that the agencies had the financial support necessary to carry out the new program. Finally, very outspoken in his belief that education is the key to our Nation's future in the global economy, Ralph also understood that educational growth is more comprehensive than a traditional classroom. As a result, he is still a leading spokesman for the One Stop Centers funded through the Department of Labor. These community-driven centers assist workers at all points in their working lives with training to improve their skills or to develop them in new business areas. Their training programs come through community colleges, technical schools and other accredited programs. Throughout his tenure as chairman, Congressman Regula supported these centers with both Federal funding through his subcommittee and through his regular stump speeches about the terrific partnerships these One Stops can have with the businesses and employees in their communities, thus ensuring the continued economic well-being of these communities. Ralph's impacts throughout his district and the State of Ohio are too many to name here. Suffice it to say that the residents of our State enjoy benefits of a premier national park in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, improved healthcare institutions, schools, higher education institutions, including medical schools, highway infrastructure and the arts as a result of his work in this body. Throughout these 36 years of service in the House, Ralph Regula has remained a serious legislator with an open mind and a kind demeanor. He has worked effectively and professionally among his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that the work of our Nation gets done. He has exemplified the words of Ronald Reagan when he said that ``there is no end to what you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit.'' This Congress will greatly miss the steady hand, judgment and leadership of Congressman Ralph Regula. We wish him all the best as he leaves the Congress. I am sure that he and his lovely and talented wife Mary will continue to do great things on behalf of Ohio and the Nation. Ralph, I know your colleagues here, the thousands of folks at the Departments of the Interior, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and the countless independent agencies funded in those two bills, and, most importantly, the American people will not forget all you have accomplished and the impacts that your work has had in improving our lives.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the February 2008 New Republican Earmark Standards Guidance, I submit the following (dollar figure for which is to be adjusted to reflect totals actually provided in the bill): Requesting Member: Congressman David L. Hobson Bill Number: FY 09 Military Construction/Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill Account: Title I, Department of Defense, Military Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Ohio National Guard Address of Requesting Entity: 2825 West Dublin-Granville Road Columbus, Ohio 43235-2789 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $12,800,000 to fund acceleration of construction of a facility to relocate the Ohio Air National Guard's 269th Combat Communications Squadron and 251st Combat Communications Group to another part of the Springfield, Ohio Air National Guard Base. The current 25 year old facility is obsolete and places severe restrictions on the ability to perform equipment maintenance and conduct training operations. It does not comply with existing codes and has excessive operations and maintenance costs. The current building can be reused for other functions but cannot be made functionally adequate for the communications mission.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Edward L. Ellebruck of Springfield, Ohio. Throughout his lifetime, he served his country and his community with dignity and honor. Mr. Ellebruck began his career in public service by serving in the United States Air Force, where he was trained as an interpreter at the U.S. Army Language School in Monterey, California. There, he learned Russian, and was later assigned to serve in northern Japan with the Air Force Security Service to monitor Soviet military operations. He was also part of space exploration history. In 1961, he intercepted the voice transmission of the second Russian cosmonaut launched into space, Gherman Titov. Mr. Ellebruck also used his linguistic skills to assist Japanese students and their families in studying the English language. Upon his return to civilian life, he spent the remaining 43 years giving back to his community and country in other ways. This included his work to help provide opportunities for individuals who were mentally retarded or had developmental disabilities. For many years, he served as a member, and later as the Chairman of the Clark County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD). Mr. Ellebruck was also instrumental in the establishment of a not- for-profit work center for the mentally retarded known as Town & Country (TAC) Industries. The facility, located in Springfield, Ohio, employs an estimated 400 handicapped individuals from throughout the region, and provides them with employment opportunities that help them develop marketable and life skills. For 25 years, he served as President of the Board of Directors of TAC Industries, where he and others helped to secure work contracts involving the U.S. Air Force and other government agencies through the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH). These opportunities have a made a real difference in enhancing the quality of life for TAC's participants. While our community and country have lost a leader and a devoted citizen, Mr. Ellebruck's legacy of service is an example for all of us on what one individual can do for others.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker. In accordance with the February 2008 New Republican Earmark Standards Guidance, I submit the following list (dollars figures for which are to be adjusted to reflect totals actually provided in the bill): Requesting Member: Congressman David L. Hobson Bill Number: FY 09 Defense Appropriations Bill Account: Title III, Army Procurement Legal Name of Requesting Entity: TPI Composites Address of Requesting Entity: 2145 Airpark Drive, Springfield, Ohio 45502 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $6,000,000 to build 50 lightweight, armor ready SRATS vehicles, including composite cab/ vehicle structure, for use in theater. (Specialized Reconnaissance Assault Transport Systems (SRATS)) Account: Title III, Air Force Procurement Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sierra Nevada Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: 2611 Commons Boulevard, Beavercreek, Ohio 45431 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,000,000 to do a digital upgrade based on COTS technology. (Senior Scout Digital Rio Raton ELINT System) Account: Title IV, Army RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Dynamics Research Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: 2900 Presidential Drive, Suite 100, Fairborn, Ohio 45324 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,000,000 to eliminate the disparity that exists between pre-mobilization training for Army active duty and reserve component health care providers by training the reservists at civilian medical simulation centers. (Reservists Medical Simulation Training Program) Account: Title IV, Army RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Phygen, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 1400 Marshall Street, N.E., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413-1040 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $4,500,000 to toughen metal surfaces to ensure maximum life by improving wear resistance and reducing friction which keeps engineered components operating for longer periods. (Ultra-Endurance Coating) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Riverside Research Institute Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 208, Beavercreek, Ohio 45434- 0208 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 to provide the trained and skilled workforce needed to process, exploit, and disseminate intelligence community advanced technologies, the development of which over the next 5-15 years will exceed current ability. (Advanced Technical Intelligence Center) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Qbase, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 2619 Commons Boulevard, Dayton, Ohio 45431 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,500,000 to develop and demonstrate data analysis tools for increases in physical and cognitive human performance. (Imaging Tools for Human Performance Enhancement and Diagnostics) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: SI International Address of Requesting Entity: 1825 Commerce Center Boulevard, Fairfield, Ohio 54324 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 to conduct scientific research on, and to deploy improved technologies on, reducing the cost of aerospace systems sustainment. (Science for Sustainment) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Woolpert, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 4454 Idea Center Boulevard, Dayton, Ohio 45430 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3,000,000 to combine new sensor technology and a rapid and secure data transmission workflow for more accurate and timely information. (Sensor Fusion) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: 2875 Presidential Drive, Suite 190, Fairborn, Ohio 45324 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3,000,000 to develop and implement a sustained capability to process and exploit airborne intelligence data. (TIR (Thermal IR) Processing and Exploitation Cell) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Science Applications International corporation (SAIC) Address of Requesting Entity: 4031 Colonel Glenn Highway, Beavercreek, Ohio 45431-1602 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,500,000 to develop sensor algorithms and concepts that utilize laser radar for high- confidence, confirmatory target identification. (Active Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) Phenomenology (AUP) & Automatic Target Recognition Technology Transition (ATR)) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Greentree Group Address of Requesting Entity: 1360 Technology Court, Suite 100, Beavercreek, Ohio 45430 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3,500,000 to capture and manage information from disparate sources used to provide complex systems acquisition program status. (Acquisition Data Repository) Account: Ttitle IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: SelectTech Services Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: 8045 Washington Village Drive, Centerville, Ohio 45458 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 to automate the response to triggered sensors. (Automated Sensor-Communication Response Technology) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: KLA-Teacor Address of Requesting Entity: 160 Rio Robles, San Jose, California 95134 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3,500,000 to continue development of sub 200nm light source technology that will be integrated into wafer inspection tools for the manufacturing and inspection of microelectronics. (Optically Pumped Atomic Laser (OPAL)) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: CACI MTL Systems, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 3481 Dayton-Xenia Road, Dayton, Ohio 45432 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,000,000 for research and advanced development of next generation image exploitation algorithms. (Integrated SAR/PI Evaluator for Critical Target and Activity Recognition (INSPECTAR)) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wright State University Department of Emergency Medicine Address of Requesting Entity: 3139 Research Boulevard, Suite 205, Dayton, Ohio 45420 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3,000,000 to develop a nationally recognized center for educational and operational programs for first responders and medical teams. (Homeland Emergency Learning and Preparedness (HELP)) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wright State University Address of Requesting Entity: 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, Ohio 45435-0001 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 to train electronic warfare combat engineers to replace the large number who are retiring. (New Electronic Warfare Specialists Through Advanced Research by Students (NEWSTARS-RAPCEval)) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: SET Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: 2940 Presidential Drive, Suite 270, Fairborn, Ohio 54324 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,500,000 to develop a more robust version of the current Counter-Bomber system. (Multi-Sensor Person-Borne Suicide Computer Bomber Detection System) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Eclipse Energy Systems, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 1004 Sycamore Avenue, New Carlisle, Ohio 45344 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,000,000 to develop variable transmittance technology for pilot visors and tactical goggles. (Smart View Program (SVP)) Account: Title IV, Air Force RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Avetec Address of Requesting Entity: 30 Warder Street, Suite 210, Springfield, Ohio 45504 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,500,000 to develop advanced aircraft energy management systems analysis, modeling and simulation tools across the system's lifecycle. (Integrated Aircraft energy Management Modeling and Simulation) Account: Title IV, Defense Wide RDT&E Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Eagle Tool & Machine Address of Requesting Entity: 663 Montgomery Avenue, Springfield, Ohio 45501 Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Renaissance Services Address of Requesting Entity: One South Limestone Street, Suite 1012, Springfield, Ohio 45501 Legal Name of Requesting Entity: QuesTek Innovation LLC Address of Requesting Entity: 1820 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60201 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,500,000 to improve the safety and service life and reduce the maintenance cost of current gear components. (Corrosion Resistant Ultrahigh-Strength Steel for Landing Gear)

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, it's been a tough term for the Ohio delegation. First we lost Paul Gillmor, and now we've lost Stephanie. Too early for both of them in their lives. But I think it's these times when people in the country need to know the friendships that happen in this House. We may differ politically on certain issues, but we don't differ when it comes to making friends and friendships here in this House. Stephanie had that beautiful energy that you will hear about and heard about before about her that we will all remember. She never met a stranger. Wherever we traveled in the world, Stephanie always had that great smile on her face. Whenever we were in Cleveland together--I have a daughter who lives in Cleveland, and Stephanie would give me a ride when I would fly into Cleveland to my daughter's house. She would stop and talk to my grandkids. Even though she was in Dennis' district, she was still working that side of town, too, because Stephanie worked wherever she was. She is a loss to all of us. She worked on issues that transcends this body, these human issues, and the people in her district are not going to forget that, and they truly do have a loss. We traveled together many times to view the troops, and I just came back yesterday from Korea. In Korea, I talked about Stephanie to one of the general officers, and he said, I remember her. When we were in Bosnia, you came there in Thanksgiving and how she related to the troops in her own special way and talked to these young people about what they were doing, what they're going to do in the future. But the most important thing about Stephanie, Stephanie never forgot who she was. She was a friend to all of us, but she never forgot her district. One time, I talked Stephanie into going on a trip with me to Italy, and she said, ``I can't go. It's our 25th wedding anniversary. Mervyn and I want to spend our 25th wedding anniversary together.'' And this was when you could do this. I don't even know if I want to tell this, but she's gone and I'm retiring. So maybe I can tell this story now without going to the Ethics Committee. But I said, ``Stephanie, we're going to give you a party in Venice. You tell Mervyn it's going to be a very romantic time and it isn't going to cost him a cent.'' Guess what. They went on the trip. And even after Mervyn's tragic passing--and I was there with her then--she would recall the great time we had together. And I'm not going to miss her because she's going to be here with all of us, but who's going to miss her is Mervyn, Junior. He's lost not only his mother and his father but his grandparents in a very short period of time, and this is a young man. I hope his aunt can help him, and I hope all of us don't forget this young man and his life. And we're not going to forget Stephanie.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the February 2008 New Republican Earmark Standards Guidance, I submit the following: Requesting Member: Congressman David L. Hobson. Bill Number: H.R. 6599. Provision: Title I, Department of Defense, Military Construction. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Ohio National Guard. Address of Requesting Entity: 2825 West Dublin-Granville Road, Columbus, Ohio 43235-2789. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $12,800.00 to fund acceleration of construction of a facility to relocate the Ohio Air National Guard's 269th Combat Communications Squadron and 251st Combat Communications Group to another part of the Springfield, Ohio, Air National Guard Base. The current 25-year-old facility is obsolete and places severe restrictions on the ability to perform equipment maintenance and conduct training operations. It does not comply with existing codes and has excessive operations and maintenance costs. The current building can be reused for other functions but cannot be made functionally adequate for the communications mission.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4199, which would expand the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park to include additional sites associated with the lives and work of Wilbur and Orville Wright. Few technological advances have transformed the world or our nation's economy, society, culture, and national character as the development of powered flight. Therefore, it is important to preserve the historical sites associated the Wright brothers' achievements in the field of aviation. That is what this bill will do. Over the years, the Ohio congregational delegation has worked together to preserve and promote Ohio's rich aviation history. A few years ago, I, along with Congressman Tony Hall, had the privilege of introducing the bill that later became law to designate eight Miami Valley counties and the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park as part of a National Aviation Heritage Area. Today, I commend my colleague, Congressman Mike Turner, for his leadership in sponsoring this bill to add two additional sites to the aviation park. Specifically, H.R. 4199 will add Hawthorne Hill, which was Orville Wright's home in Oakwood, and several Wright Factory buildings in Dayton, where the brothers conducted research and testing. These sites would be part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, which already includes such historic sites as: Huffman Prairie Flying Field, the Wright Cycle Company Complex, and the Paul Laurence Dunbar House. Together, these sites are an important part to nation's history, and Ohio's cultural heritage. Again, I commend Congressman Turner for his leadership to preserve and promote Ohio's aviation heritage with this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4419.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the February 2008 New Republican Earmark Standards Guidance, I submit the following: Requesting Member: Congressman David L. Hobson. Bill Number: H.R. 5658. Provision: Division B, Title XXVI, Section 2604. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Ohio National Guard. Address of Requesting Entity: 2825 West Dublin-Granville Road, Columbus, Ohio 43235-2789. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $12,793.00 to authorize acceleration of construction of a facility to relocate the Ohio Air National Guard's 269th Combat Communications Squadron and 251st Combat Communications Group to another part of the Springfield, Ohio, Air National Guard Base. The current 25-year-old facility is obsolete and places severe restrictions on the ability to perform equipment maintenance and conduct training operations. It does not comply with existing codes and has excessive operations and maintenance costs. The current building can be reused for other functions but cannot be made functionally adequate for the communications mission.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend and former colleague, Congressman Paul Gillmor, by supporting the designation of the U.S. Postal Service Office located at 175 South Monroe Street in Tiffin, Ohio, as the ``Paul E. Gillmor Post Office Building''. While we all miss our friend, this designation will serve to honor him for his distinguished career in public service in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate, and for living his life as a true gentleman. The reference to being a ``true gentleman'' is something that will have a special meaning to members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and it's something that I would like to enter into the Congressional Record as a tribute to Paul Gillmor. Paul and I were both members of the SAE's during our time at Ohio Wesleyan University, and our fraternity has a motto that describes what it takes to be a true gentleman. I think this passage by John Walter Wayland describes Paul Gillmor and how he lived his life. It reads as follows: ``The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety, and whose self-control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others, rather than his own; and who appears well in any company, a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe.'' Mr. Speaker, I think that my colleagues would agree that Paul Gillmor lived the life of a true gentleman as a father, a husband, a friend and a public servant. With that said, I appreciate today's effort to move this well- deserved legislation forward, and I urge everyone to honor and remember our friend and colleague, Paul Gillmor.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in paying tribute to former Congressman Charles Vanik, a long-time representative of northeast Ohio and a strong human rights advocate. While I did not serve with Congressman Vanik in Congress, his work to improve the quality of life for others is well-known. Throughout his 26-year career in Congress, he worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents and on the issues that he cared about, including: Social Security, Medicare, the environment and trade. As many of my colleagues have mentioned, Congressman Vanik is most widely known for co-authoring an amendment to the 1974 Trade Reform Bill with the late Senator Henry ``Scoop'' Jackson that linked a country's favored trade status to its record on human rights. Specifically, their Jackson-Vanik amendment tied the former Soviet Union's trade status to its willingness in allowing freer Jewish emigration. As a result, an estimated 2 million Jewish citizens were permitted to immigrate to other countries. Congressman Vanik also worked with Congressman Ralph Regula to create the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and was involved with the important work of cleaning up of the Great Lakes. Madam Speaker, Ohio, our Nation and the international community have lost a true public servant with the passing of Congressman Vanik. I join my colleagues in honoring him and in expressing our condolences to his family.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Ohio Willow Wood, a leader in the prosthetic and orthotic industry. Over the years, the family-owned company based in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, has provided products to help amputees live full and active lifestyles. In 1907, Ohio Willow Wood was founded by William E. Arbogast, who personally experienced the challenges of living as an amputee from injuries he suffered in a railroad accident. His experience with poorly-fitting, uncomfortable and unreliable prosthetic products inspired him to establish Ohio Willow Wood. Over the next century, the company that started out making it easier for prosthetists to obtain quality materials for their patients, became a global leader in designing and manufacturing lower limb prosthetic components. Through innovative research and development, the company has been responsible for several breakthroughs in the prosthetic industry. These include the first American-made ``solid ankle, cushion heel'' (SACH) foot, and the Alpha Liner, which is the first fabric- covered, gel interface system that improves the comfort and protection for prosthetic users. Ohio Willow Wood is also involved in research and development of new products and technology for the U.S. Army to use in its treatment of victims of lower extremity loss. In addition to designing and manufacturing prosthetic products, Ohio Willow Wood develops Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and equipment for the orthotic and prosthetic community. The company also has global distribution partners and direct offices in Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. While many aspects of Ohio Willow Wood have evolved and changed over the past 100 years, the company's commitment to the orthotic and prosthetic industry remains constant. Today, third and fourth generations of the Arbogast family are active in the daily operations of Ohio Willow Wood, standing by its promise to free the bodies and spirits of amputees. Madam Speaker, I commend all of the employees at Ohio Willow Wood for reaching this milestone, and I wish them continued success in the years to come.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember our good friend Paul Gillmor. Just yesterday, the three of us rode together in from Columbus. I saw him in the airport, and I said, Hi, Gillmo. He said, Hi, Honorable Dave, and we started to talk, as we did often, because we've known each other a long time. And I said, What'd you do, and he told me about going to the floods. And then we got into boats and he told us about his boat and the times he was having on the lake with his children and Karen, and he was happy. Then we started to talk business, because Paul wasn't just a legislator. He was a businessman, too, and he was starting a bank in Florida. He says, You want to invest? I said, Well, we've been talking about that. So we talked about that for a while, and he was happy, and we were all happy. We were colleagues, friends. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Paul Gillmor. When Paul Gillmor was president of the senate, I lost an election and got appointed to the State senate that Paul Gillmor was president then for a few more weeks before we went in the minority, and he helped pick me. He picked me, and the newspaper read ``Loser Wins.'' But Paul Gillmor set me on the way. I've never lost another election, thanks to Paul Gillmor. Paul Gillmor was always there, and I think his staff knows that. I met a young man then in the State senate named Mark Wellman who was working for Paul then. He works with Paul to this day. That's the kind of loyalty people had to Paul Gillmor. I know of no politician in Ohio today who doesn't have respect for Paul Gillmor and wasn't his friend. He transcended partisanship. He had his way about the things he had to get done, but it never became personal. When we were in the legislature, both sides had great respect for Paul Gillmor, and we used to meet together and talk about things together. Paul Gillmor was a unique person in that respect because there's always somebody out there that's got it in for somebody, but they didn't have it in for Paul Gillmor because he was what I would call a true gentleman. We're SAEs and Ralph's an SAE, too, and Paul went to Ohio Wesleyan, and I went to Ohio Wesleyan. We went there at the same time. But I would meet people when I got in the State senate, and they said, Do you know Skip, Skip Gillmor? I said, No, I don't know Skip Gillmor. I know Senator Gillmor, but he was Skip Gillmor to all the people at Ohio Wesleyan. And they loved him at Ohio Wesleyan, and they still do. One of the first calls I got today was from people at Ohio Wesleyan saying what do we do. I said I don't know. We've lost a good friend. I hope Karen and the children can review the statements that have been made about Paul today. It's something that is not said about a lot of people. He was a good man, he was a great man, and he was a great father to his children, which is the most important thing, and we're going to miss him.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Let me say this: as the gentleman spoke, this came about when I was chairman of the committee. We relooked at what we were doing for HBCU. I happen to have two in my district. These institutions are generally underfunded and generally don't have the ability to put the emphasis on science and technologies that many of us believe these students should have. This is an effort by the committee to direct that money so we can increase taxes and can increase funding to the Federal Government and to other agencies by getting these people involved in science and technology. So I wholeheartedly support the committee's recommendation and would urge to vote down the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I thank both gentlemen for their comments, and I yield back my time. Announcement by the Acting Chairman

Mr. HOBSON. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) for such time as he may consume.

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. HOBSON. I would like to thank my chairman. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. We have put together, I think, a very good bill. This bill is $31.6 billion. The earmarks and the directed spending in this supplemental we're talking about today is about 3 percent of the bill, it's $1.09 billion. There are 777 projects. This includes the plus-ups to the administration's request. In some cases the administration asked for some money, we decided it wasn't quite enough to finish off something, so we added money to it. Let me talk a little bit about the Corps. The administration requested $4.08 billion for 837 projects. The House adds $777 million for 466 projects. There are no new authorizations or new starts. And sometimes the President asks for new starts, Members ask for new starts; we don't have enough money to do new starts, so we stopped new starts. The earmarks are 14 percent of the total Corps' budget. I might add, when we started with the Corps of Engineers, the Corps didn't have a 5- year development plan, they had no vision of where it really wanted to go. It didn't come from the administration to change that, it came with the chairman and myself working together. We changed that in the Corps. That didn't come out of the administration, those nameless people down there who somehow figure out how they're going to spend the money. At least here we know who's spending the money and we know the projects that we're looking at. Title II. The administration requested $551 million for 146 projects. The House added $72 million for 47 projects. In DOE, in title III, the House adds $246.5 million for 263 projects. This represents less than 1 percent of the total DOE budget, which is $32 billion. This is a 50 percent cut to the fiscal year 2006 level. And I might say on the Republican side, it is now a 40 percent split versus the 60 percent as the majority changed. I think we've done a good job at looking at people's needs. Let me give an example. In my State, ODOT is the big highway people, and they always want to do these big projects. And when I want to do something in my town that really impacts people within my city, they don't have time to do it. And even when I do an earmark, they fight me on the earmark because they want to do the big deals. They want to do the big projects that cost a lot of money. And they take care of people, too. But at the local community, I think sometimes we are better off at what we want to do versus what the large agencies want to do. So I want to thank the chairman, and frankly, the staff, who has looked through all these projects. We've looked through all these projects. We've vetted these projects. And we've done as good a job as I think we can in looking at them. And we're not the technical people, but the staff is more technical. We've gone back on the Corps projects and talked to Corps of Engineers and said, do these projects make sense? Are they executable? Can we get them done? And they've come back and said yes. So we have had a review. I think this is a well done bill. I think the earmarks are essential to Congress doing its oversight. I wish, frankly, we could work better with the administration on their earmarks. We don't know what they're going to do. They don't come and talk to us. Even in the hearings, we have no idea where they're going to spend all their money on the projects they want. I think it would be a better process if we could all work together and have more transparency, and did more things at the local level. And we could take out a lot of the bureaucracy that exists in those huge bureaucracies that we tend to fund without anybody ever questioning how much money they're spending there. And I don't want to pay more taxes either. I think the projects here that we do help the quality of life within the communities where we live. I support the bill. I'm opposed to this amendment. And I would request that Members oppose this amendment.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, as I said, I rise in opposition to this amendment. We used a bipartisan process, and I was very involved in strict adherence to the applicable House rules and a thorough examination of Member requests. This process resulted in funding recommendations for the projects that we considered the most meritorious. This project that this amendment attacks is a legitimate use of Federal funds to further the development of the Department of Energy's mission. In closing, I believe this amendment has no basis and should be defeated, and I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HOBSON. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the fair and bipartisan manner in which the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) as our chairman has used to put this supplemental report together. I fully support the list of congressionally directed projects that it contains. I encourage Members to support these projects and to vote for final passage of the underlying Energy and Water bill. When we first brought this bill to the floor roughly a month ago, I expressed my concern about the absence of detailed project guidance on how to spend this much money. The supplemental report that is before the committee today resolves that concern. Chairman Visclosky and I, and our respective staffs, engaged in a lengthy bipartisan effort to sort through the thousands of earmark requests that we received. We screened the large number of requests to select the projects that had the most merit and were the best fit for inclusion in the Energy and Water bill. We have complied fully with Chairman Obey's direction to reduce the value of our energy earmarks by one-half compared to the amount we funded in fiscal year 2006. The Corps of Engineers faces an enormous backlog of work, somewhere between $12 billion and $60 billion, and that is before the pending WRDA bill adds another $13 billion of unfunded requirements. There is a significant need for additional funding for water resources infrastructure, above and beyond what the administration requested. This supplement provides another $770 million for specific Corps water projects. Within a total appropriation of $5.58 billion for the Corps, less than 14 percent is dedicated to congressionally directed projects. Every one of those projects is already authorized, and every one has been reviewed by the Corps to be sure they have the capability to execute it. Until we make some progress with the backlog of ongoing work, we continue the past practice of not funding any Corps new starts. On the Department of Energy side, the committee recommended $246.5 million for 263 specific projects, which represents a 50 percent reduction from the amount of DOE earmarks contained in our fiscal year 2006 bill. Many of these projects are intended to demonstrate alternative energy technologies. It is important to note that we are spending billions of dollars on DOE's energy security mission, which includes the research, development, demonstration and deployment of advanced energy technologies. If this research is to be worth the investment, and if this research is to improve our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported oil and reducing the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels, then these technologies must ultimately be adopted by the private sector. Therefore, a significant number of our Department of Energy earmarks are ``green'' buildings to demonstrate alternative energy technologies. It is important that we show the American people that there are alternatives to burning fossil fuels for power generation, for transportation, and for heating and cooling, so that builders and consumers know these alternatives are available and affordable. We intentionally put these technology demonstrations in high-traffic settings designed to get a lot of public exposure, such as museums, educational institutions, and community buildings, in order to maximize the value of these demonstrations. We have a constitutional responsibility to appropriate funds for the Federal agencies. That means we do not simply rubber-stamp the administration's project requests, but rather, we put our own mark on the annual agency budgets. That is what this supplement represents. I support this supplement to our bill, and I encourage the other Members to do so as well. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Amendment Offered by Mr. Flake

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. HOBSON

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.