Stephanie Herseth Sandlin

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in one vote on the floor of the House of Representatives today. The vote was the Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 847--James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in eight votes on the floor of the House of Representatives today. The first vote was H.Res. 1771--Same Day Consideration Rule. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on that question. The second vote was H.R. 6540--To require the Secretary of Defense, in awarding a contract for the KC-X Aerial Refueling Aircraft Program, to consider any unfair competitive advantage that an offeror may possess. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The third vote was Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5116--America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The fourth vote was Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2142--Government Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Performance Improvement Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The fifth vote was Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2751--FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The sixth vote was S. 3243--Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The seventh vote was Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3082--Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The eighth vote was H.R. 6547--To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require criminal background checks for school employees. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in one vote on the floor of the House of Representatives today. The vote was H.R. 5510--Aiding Those Facing Foreclosure Act of 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3447, The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010. I would like to thank Senator Akaka for introducing this critical legislation in the Senate and Representative Walt Minnick of Idaho who introduced the companion bill here in the House and worked diligently to refine the landmark Post-9/11 G.I. Bill enacted in 2008. I would also like to thank Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Filner, as well as Ranking Member Buyer, for their leadership throughout the 110th and 111th Congresses on this topic in helping ensure that our Nation's veterans have access to the educational benefits they deserve and have earned. One of the most significant accomplishments of the 110th Congress was the passage of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. That legislation offered the first update and improvement of the Montgomery G.I. Bill in over a generation, and set the Department of Veterans Affairs on the path toward providing today's veterans the educational benefits that befit their service and sacrifice. Today, by passing S. 3447, this House can take another significant step on the ongoing journey to provide veterans with those improved educational benefits. During the 111th Congress, I have had the honor to serve our Nation's veterans as Chairman of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee. As part of my work as chairman, our subcommittee held six hearings on various aspects of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill program. We addressed the VA's long- term strategy to implement the benefit and investigated the reasons behind some of the processing delays that plagued the program when the VA first began paying benefits in August of 2009. In addition, our Subcommittee held an education roundtable and several legislative hearings on bills that sought to improve or expand the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill program. During these many hearings, it became clear that, while the version of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill program the House passed in the 110th Congress was a positive step, there were also logical, commonsense, bipartisan improvements to be made to the benefit that would allow veterans greater flexibility and better meet their needs. S. 3447 contains many of those needed improvements. This bill: Allows veterans to use Post-9/11 benefits for Apprenticeship and On- the-Job Training programs. Provides students pursuing education through distance learning access to the housing stipend given to traditional students. Credits National Guard members--who are activated under Title 32 orders for national disasters--with Post-9/11 eligibility. Improves the often confusing state cap system to expand and simplify the yellow ribbon program which allows veterans to receive funds to attend private schools. Fully covers tuition at any public school. Is fully offset and cost neutral thanks in part to closing several loopholes in the program. There is historical precedence for making such changes. The 78th Congress also needed to pass several reforms to the original Montgomery G.I. Bill. Today, the Montgomery G.I. Bill is considered to be one of the most successful veterans programs in the history of our country. By passing S. 3447, we are following in that tradition. In conclusion, I would like to thank the many Veterans Service Organizations who worked with Senator Akaka, Representative Minnick, and myself on these issues. Groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America were tireless champions on this bill and these issues. The passage of S. 3447 would not be possible without their efforts. I also want to thank Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Ranking Member John Boozman for his leadership and effort in conducting proper oversight of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and helping to improve it. I am very proud of the bipartisan way that Representative Boozman and I approached Economic Opportunity issues and this topic was no exception. I wish him the best of luck in his work in the Senate on behalf of veterans and the State of Arkansas. Again, I urge all my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to support this important legislation.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in seven votes on the floor of the House of Representatives today due to a family medical issue. The first vote was H.R. 5546--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 600 Florida Avenue in Cocoa, Florida, as the ``Harry T. and Harriette Moore Post Office.'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The second vote was H. Res. 1759--Expressing support for designation of January 23rd as ``Ed Roberts Day.'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The third vote was S. Con. Res. 72--A concurrent resolution recognizing the 45th anniversary of the White House Fellows Program. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The fourth vote was H.R. 6205--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1449 West Avenue in Bronx, New York, as the ``Private Isaac T. Cortes Post Office.'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The fifth vote was H. Res. 1764--Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2965--Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on that question. The sixth vote was H. Res. 1761--Congratulating Auburn University quarterback and College Park, Georgia, native Cameron Newton on winning the 2010 Heisman Trophy for being the most outstanding college football player in the United States. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The seventh vote was H. Res. 1743--Congratulating Gerda Weissmann Klein on being selected to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6132, the Veterans Benefits and Economic Welfare Improvement Act of 2010, which the Veterans Affairs Committee approved with bipartisan support on September 15th. I would like to thank Veterans Affairs Chairman Filner for his leadership in introducing H.R. 6132, as well as the support and leadership of Ranking Member Buyer. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation, which contains a number of important provisions that will directly improve the lives of veterans and the services available to those veterans and their families. Included among these provisions are four bills that I originally introduced. All four of these bills--H.R. 1088, H.R. 1089, H.R. 2461, and H.R. 1037--have previously passed the House, and I am pleased they have been included in this legislation. H.R. 1089, the Veterans Employment Rights Realignment Act, originally passed the House without opposition by a vote of 423 to 0 on May 19, 2009. The provisions before us today create a three-year demonstration project to move the enforcement of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protections of veterans and members of the Armed Services employed by Federal executive agencies to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). Under a previous demonstration project established by Public Law 108- 454, OSC investigated some federal sector USERRA claims from 2004 to 2007. This demonstration project showed that the OSC had the expertise and ability to quickly obtain corrective action for federally employed veterans, and that success warranted a further continuation of this study. H.R. 1088, the Mandatory Veteran Specialist Training Act, originally passed the House by voice vote on May 19, 2009. The provisions before us today take an important step toward providing better employment assistance to those who have bravely served their country. These provisions reduce from 3 years to 18 months the period during which Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists or Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER) with the Department of Labor (DOL) must complete the specialized veterans employment training program provided by the National Veterans' Training Institute (NVTI). Through several Economic Opportunity Subcommittee hearings I chaired during the 110th Congress, I learned it was taking, on average, 2.5 years before DOL veterans employment specialists were completing the NVTI program. This leaves untrained specialists who don't have the necessary skills trying to help veterans with their employment needs, and this bill helps correct that situation. H.R. 2461, the Veterans Small Business Verification Act, passed the House as part of H.R. 3949 with overwhelming bipartisan support on November 3, 2009. The provisions before us today clarify the responsibility of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to verify the veteran status of owners of small businesses listed in the VetBiz Vendor Information Pages database. Furthermore, it requires that the VA notify small businesses already listed in the database of the need to verify their status. The Economic Opportunity Subcommittee learned through hearings, and meetings with VA staff and the veterans community that the database contained firms that didn't qualify because the verification process was voluntary. Since firms registered in the database can qualify to receive set-aside or sole-source awards, this new legislation will help ensure our veterans are afforded the small business opportunities they are due. H.R. 1037, the Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act of 2009, originally passed the House on July 14, 2009 without opposition by a vote of 422 to 0. The provisions before us today improve the educational benefits available to our country's veterans by expanding the scope of work-study activities available to veterans receiving educational benefits through the VA. Currently, eligible student veterans enrolled in college degree programs, vocational programs or professional programs are eligible to participate in the work-study allowance program. However, they are limited to positions involving VA related work, such as processing VA paperwork, performing outreach services, and assisting staff at medical facilities or the offices of the National Cemetery Administration. This legislation both reauthorizes the work-study program for 3 additional years and expands the list of qualifying work-study activities to include positions with State veterans agencies, Centers for Excellence for Veterans Student Success and other veterans-related positions at institutions of higher learning. Given the wide variety of tasks our men and women in uniform perform while serving their country, our Nation should be capitalizing on the unique training and skill sets that veterans who are pursuing their degrees bring to their educational institutions. In conclusion, H.R. 6132 takes a number of important steps toward helping veterans who have bravely served their country. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6132.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5360, the Housing, Employment and Living Programs (HELP) for Veterans Act of 2010, which the Veterans Affairs Committee approved with bipartisan support on Sept. 15, 2010. I would like to thank Veterans Affairs Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer for their leadership on the committee and their support of this legislation. I introduced the original version of H.R. 5360 on May 20, 2010, with the support of my colleague, Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Ranking Member Boozman. The bill, as introduced, was titled the ``Blinded Veterans Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2010.'' The Blinded Veterans Adaptive Housing Improvement Act aligns the VA's definition of blindness with existing federal laws with regards to eligibility criteria for Specially Adapted Housing Grants. The Economic Opportunity Subcommittee that I chair held a hearing in November 2009 that identified this excessively restrictive definition as having prevented some visually impaired veterans from qualifying for the assistance they need to modify their homes for their disability. Thanks to a concerted bipartisan effort by Ranking Member Boozman, the other members of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, and other members of the full Veterans Affairs Committee, H.R. 5360 was improved and expanded throughout the legislative process to provide aid and assistance to many veterans beyond the visually impaired. I'm pleased the committee worked together in a bipartisan way to craft the final version of this legislation. Importantly, these benefit improvements for veterans don't add a dime to the deficit. They are fully paid for by making a change that the VA requested to regulations regarding the VA's Home Loan Guarantee program. H.R. 5360, now known as the HELP Veterans Act, improves benefits to veterans in a number of areas in addition to the assistance for blinded veterans, including: Increasing apprenticeship, on-the-job training and flight training educational benefits through the Montgomery G.I. Bill. Extending authorization for the VA's work-study program for student veterans to 2020 and authorizing new program standards to allow these veterans to work in Congressional offices as part of their work-study. Temporarily reducing, for the three years, the requirement for private employers to provide a wage increase for veterans participating in an approved on-the-job training program. Reauthorizing the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education. Improving the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program by providing reimbursement for certified child care assistance for single parents as well as increasing the subsistence allowance payable to veterans participating in VR&E by 5.2 percent. Updating regulations for VA educational benefit programs to increase the reporting fees payable to educational institutions as well as modifying the rules for advance payment of educational assistance to prevent any break in educational benefits. Giving the Department of Labor the authority to make grants to programs and facilities to provide services for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children. Again, I wish to thank Ranking Member Boozman and the rest of my colleagues on the committee for the cooperative and bipartisan spirit in which they worked to better serve our veterans through this legislation. I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 5360, the HELP Veterans Act.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. I thank the chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3199, the Emergency Medic Transition Act of 2010. This is a collaborative effort, and I would like to thank Representatives Harman, Bean, Sarbanes and so many others for their collaborative partnership on drafting the bill. I also want to thank Representative Steve Buyer with whom I have worked closely on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. Representative Buyer offered some commonsense suggestions as the ranking member of our full committee on how to improve H.R. 3199. He is also a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and he helped make the final product a better piece of legislation. This bill takes important steps to improve the ability of veterans to translate their military experience into the civilian workforce, specifically working to help veterans with military medical experience to become civilian emergency medical technicians. The legislation creates a grant program that will assist individual States in the creation of a fast-track EMT certification process that takes into account the experience a veteran gained while serving in the military. Recent estimates from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 had an unemployment rate of 21.6 percent in 2009. This is a terribly troubling number and the Veterans' Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, which I have the honor of chairing, has held a series of hearings during the 111th Congress on a variety of issues related to veterans employment. These hearings have shown that one of the critical barriers facing newly separated veterans trying to enter the workforce is the challenge of translating their military experience to the civilian market. So I am pleased that the legislation the House is considering today not only increases access to health care, but does so by increasing employment opportunities for veterans and allows them to use their skills gained in service to our country to serve their local communities in civilian life. H.R. 3199 also requires an assessment of whether this new program should be expanded to help veterans with medical training to obtain certification in other health professions. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important legislation.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Johnson for yielding me this time and for her support of the bill. This legislation enjoys bipartisan support of the South Dakota congressional delegation. Judge Andrew Bogue served this country honorably throughout his lifetime. A native of Parker, South Dakota, he served in the Army Signal Corps during World War II, and later in the Judge Advocate General Corps. He served as a State's attorney for his home Turner County and was elected as a judge in the Second Judicial Circuit Court. In 1970, both South Dakota Senators at that time, Karl Mundt, a Republican, and George McGovern, a Democrat, recommended that President Nixon appoint Judge Bogue to the U.S. District Court for the State of South Dakota. Judge Bogue served in that position until his passing just last year. He was trying cases and working hard all of the way up to his 90th birthday. When Judge Bogue was confirmed, there was no Federal courthouse in Rapid City. As the first judge to be based in the western part of South Dakota, he served his first year in Deadwood. He moved his courtroom to Rapid City and worked the next few years in the First Federal Savings and Loan Building. Judge Bogue was present at the very beginning when the General Services Administration began planning the Federal building and courthouse that we are renaming after him today, and he participated in that planning. Put simply, Judge Bogue is a major reason the Rapid City Courthouse exists as it does today. Judge Bogue was an impressive figure on the bench, and lawyers who practiced before him knew him as someone who listened and who was committed to justice. Because of his role and his contributions to the administration of justice throughout his career on the bench, the group tasked with renaming the Rapid City Courthouse unanimously agreed on Judge Bogue, and I can think of no better tribute to his legacy.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank Chairman Rahall for yielding me time and for his outstanding leadership of the Natural Resources Committee and his Office of Indian Affairs in moving this important legislation forward. I would also like to thank the Judiciary Committee chairman, Mr. Conyers, as well as my good friend, Mr. Scott, chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. Through their efforts on the Judiciary Committee, the bill has been strengthened in its final form. I would like to thank my good friend the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) and his staff for his strong partnership in moving this important bill through the House. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill that passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The Tribal Law and Order Act will improve law enforcement efforts and combat sexual assault and drug smuggling in Indian Country. It reauthorizes existing programs designed to strengthen tribal courts, police departments, and correction centers, as well as programs to prevent and treat alcohol and substance abuse, and improve opportunities for at-risk Indian youth. A vote against this bill is a vote to keep the status quo, a status quo where it's estimated that one in three American Indian women and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetime. A vote against this bill will maintain the status quo, a status quo where drug trafficking organizations are targeting Indian reservations to manufacture and distribute illegal substances because of the lack of law enforcement on Indian land. Native American families, like all families, deserve a basic sense of safety and security in their community. Law enforcement is one of the Federal Government's trust obligations to federally recognized tribes. Yet as tribes all across the country know all too well, Congress is failing to meet that obligation. The situation is particularly challenging for large, land-based reservations in South Dakota and elsewhere. Officials from the Oglala Sioux Department of Public Safety recently had six officers to cover the Pine Ridge Reservation, an area larger than the States of Delaware and Rhode Island combined. The kinds of problems that arise from such a limited law enforcement presence include the case of a young woman living on the Pine Ridge Reservation. She'd received a restraining order against an ex-boyfriend who battered her. One night she was home alone, woke up as he attempted to break into her home with a crowbar. She immediately called the police, but due to a lack of land lines for telephones and spotty cell phone coverage, the call was cut off three times before she reported her situation to the dispatcher. The nearest officer was about 40 miles away, and even though the police officer who took the call started driving to her home at 80 miles an hour, by the time he arrived the woman was severely bloodied and beaten and the perpetrator had escaped. Today, the House has an opportunity to deal with these issues, to deal with these issues and so many others to make a difference in the lives of Native Americans across the country. The Senate has already unanimously approved it. Senator Jon Kyl, the Republican whip, said when the bill passed the Senate, ``Many tribal communities today lack the support and tools needed to combat the terrible violence and crimes they experience. That's why I applaud the passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act, which authorizes desperately needed funds for law enforcement in Indian Country.'' Senator John Barrasso, vice chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee added, ``Through this bill we are sending a strong message that Indian reservations will not be a haven for criminal activity, drug trafficking, gangs, or abuse.'' The Tribal Law and Order Act also has the support of the administration, the National Congress of American Indians, and many other tribal, State, and local governments and organizations. We have worked for years, over many Congresses, in field hearings where Members of this body and their staff have traveled to South Dakota and to other Native American communities to fully understand the magnitude of this problem and the importance of acting in this Congress, working with the Senate in a bipartisan way through weeks and months of negotiations to make responsible changes to this bill to address the concerns that Members on both sides of the aisle had expressed about the bill. We have made those changes. Senator Coburn has been satisfied that we have made those changes. We have worked diligently in the committees of jurisdiction to address the changes, to ask what it is that any Member has to get them to a ``yes.'' We can't delay any further. Native American women and their children are the most at risk. The statistics bear it out. I ask my colleagues to join me in passing this important bipartisan bill and send it to the President for his signature. Mr. Speaker, I would like to include in the Record the following letters and resolutions in support of H.R. 725. National Congress of American Indians, Washington, DC, June 29, 2010. Hon. John Conyers, Chair, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Lamar Smith, Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Smith: On behalf of the National Congress of American Indians, I write to strongly urge your support for the revised version of the Tribal Law and Order Act, unanimously approved in the Senate on June 23, 2010, and included within a House-passed version of the Indian Arts & Crafts Act (H.R. 725). This bipartisan legislation is of critical importance to improving public safety on Indian reservations throughout the country, and we urge you to support proceeding with the passage of the legislation on the floor of the House of Representatives. The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the companion bill (H.R. 1924) in December, and Marcus Levings, Chairman of the Mandan, Arikara & Hidatsa Nation, provided testimony on behalf of NCAI that also detailed the effects of crime on his tribe and his family. Despite the federal responsibilities to protect Indian communities, the violent crime rate on reservations is two and a half times the national average; Native women are victims of rape and sexual assault at three times the national average; and tribal lands are increasingly the target of drug trafficking and gang-related activity. These problems are exacerbated by the fact that the Department of Justice is subject to little oversight on its performance. The Denver Post has reported that the federal government declines to prosecute 62% of Indian country criminal cases referred to federal prosecutors, including 75% of child and adult sex crimes. We would like to particularly thank Chairman Scott and the Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee for their work on the legislation. The Senate bill has incorporated a number of changes at the suggestion of the Subcommittee, as well as amendments suggested by both Democratic and Republican Senators. In addition, the bill has received a great deal of input from the Department of Justice, the federal Judicial Conference, and from tribal leaders and law enforcement officials across the country. As approved by the Senate, H.R. 725 is well- vetted and bi-partisan legislation that is necessary to address the regrettable public safety trends that exist on Indian lands. When enacted, the Tribal Law & Order Act will: Require the Department of Justice to maintain and compile data on declinations of Indian country cases and submit annual reports to Congress; Authorize the DOJ to appoint special tribal prosecutors to assist in prosecuting Indian country crimes; Expand the special law enforcement commissions program, clarify the standards required of tribal officers, and permit flexibility in reaching MOUs between the BIA and tribal governments that seek special commissions; Allow tribal law enforcement personnel to obtain training at various accredited facilities, instead of insisting all BIA police officers receive training from the lone Indian Police Academy in Artesia, New Mexico; Encourage cooperation between state and tribal law enforcement; Increase and clarify tribal sentencing authority under the Indian Civil Rights Act; and Enable BIA and tribal police access to Federal criminal information databases. When enacted, the Tribal Law and Order Act will address these and other critical shortcomings in the criminal justice system. That is why I respectfully request your active support to ensure House passage of H.R. 725. Sincerely, Jefferson Keel, NCAI President.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives today. The vote was on the Motion to Recommit on the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act of 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on that question.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, today I'd like to recognize the 100th Anniversary of the South Dakota State Medical Association Alliance, the oldest continuous Medical Alliance in the United States. The South Dakota State Medical Association Alliance was founded on September 20, 1910, in Hot Springs, SD, during the 19th Annual South Dakota Medical Association meeting. Eighteen wives of the physicians who attended this meeting saw the need to form The Ladies Auxiliary to the South Dakota State Medical Association. In 1975, the organization became known as the South Dakota State Medical Association Auxiliary, and in 1992, it was renamed as the South Dakota State Medical Association Alliance. As the mission of the organization sets forth, the South Dakota State Medical Association Alliance has always strived to build healthy communities and to support the family of medicine through health promotions and legislative efforts. In their endeavor to make South Dakota's communities healthier and safer places to live, the South Dakota Medical Association Alliance has partnered with programs of the South Dakota State Medical Association, promoted health education, encouraged participation of volunteers in activities that meet health needs, supported health-related charitable endeavors, and supported the medical profession. I therefore, acknowledge their contribution to promoting healthy living in South Dakota, and congratulate the South Dakota State Medical Association Alliance on reaching this important milestone.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of amendment number 38 to the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2011. I would like to thank Chairman Skelton for including this amendment, which I introduced, in an en bloc package today. Representative John Fleming of Louisiana, a member of the Armed Services Committee's Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, is cosponsoring the amendment. I appreciate his support and the leadership he has shown on the issue of improving and protecting our nation's bomber fleet. This amendment requires reports from the Institute of Defense Analyses, the Congressional Budget Office and the Department of Defense that, taken together, will provide a comprehensive review of the sustainment and modernization requirements and costs related to the U.S. bomber force and long-range strike capability. Over the past year, as I've met with Air Force leaders, including Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz, we have discussed the need to sustain and modernize our nation's current bomber fleet as the Air Force begins to develop a next-generation bomber and long-range strike capability needed to maintain a strategic deterrence. Since I was first elected to Congress in 2004, I have worked closely with the brave airmen at Ellsworth Air Force Base in my state of South Dakota. Ellsworth is home to two wings of B-1 bombers, and I know the important role those planes have played in Iraq and Afghanistan. These planes, and the other bombers in our fleet, project power across the globe in order to keep potential enemies at bay and also serve to protect and save the lives of troops fighting on the ground. As Members of Congress, we are charged with equipping our Armed Forces and are responsible for allocating taxpayer funds in the most fiscally responsible manner. This amendment ensures that we will accomplish both goals by better informing Congress and the Department of Defense on the best path forward for our nation's bomber fleet. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Chair, thank you for the opportunity to offer this amendment to the America COMPETES Act. I am grateful to Chairwoman Slaughter and the Rules Committee for making this amendment in order. I'd also like to thank Chairman Gordon for his support for this amendment and for his nearly 26 years of service in this Chamber. I congratulate him on his hard work on this bill and wish him and his family the best as he gets ready to move on to the next chapter in his career. This amendment expresses the sense of the Congress that the National Science Foundation should respond to the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences and National Science and Technology Council regarding investments in facilities, and to make joint investments with the Department of Energy where possible. Currently, the NSF in investing in one such project with the Department of Energy for a joint facility in South Dakota, in response to the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences and National Science and Technology Council. The facility in Lead, South Dakota is known as the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory, or DUSEL. A deep underground facility will shield experiments from cosmic rays that interfere with results. The DUSEL in Lead will be the largest deep underground facility in the world; Russia, Italy, and Japan already have deep underground facilities. Lead is the home of the Homestake gold mine, once the largest and deepest gold mine in North America. The DUSEL will continue a long history of scientific exploration in the Homestake mine, which began with the solar neutrino experiments of the 1960s. Construction is already underway at the mine to accommodate this new 21st century scientific project of national significance. Preparations for a Large Underground Xenon, or LUX, detector are already occurring 4,850 feet below the surface. The mission of the LUX detector is to detect dark matter which makes up approximately 95 percent of mass in the known universe. This experiment will help us better understand the makeup of the universe. The DUSEL project promises to advance our understanding in a number of scientific disciplines, including particle and nuclear physics, geology, hydrology, geo-engineering, biology, and biochemistry. Experiments in the mine will be conducted at the surface and up to 8,000 feet deep. It will also have an important educational component for K-12 students all the way through graduate school students. Educating our girls and boys at a younger age in science will help them achieve as they get older and encourage them to pursue scientific careers. I am grateful for Chairman Gordon's support for this amendment and urge my colleagues to approve this amendment and help advance the cause of science and continue our Nation's leading role in exploring the foundations of the natural world around us.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. I rise today in strong support of S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. I want to thank our full committee chairman, Mr. Filner; our ranking member, Mr. Buyer; and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michaud and Ranking Member Brown for their leadership, for their strong support of this legislation, which contains many important provisions related to caregiver support and rural health care for veterans. It also includes legislation I introduced, the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act. This act will provide significant enhancements to the health care available for women veterans. Today women make up approximately 8 percent of veterans in the United States, and that percentage will continue to rise as more and more women answer the call to serve their country. With an increasing number of women seeking access to care within the VA, the challenge of providing adequate health care services for women veterans is one the VA must master, and I am confident that it can. This legislation addresses this challenge by taking several important steps to ensure adequate attention is given to women veterans and their health care programs so that women can access the quality primary health care and the specialized services they deserve and have earned. Among its provisions, this bill improves the VA's sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder programs for women by requiring the Secretary of the VA to ensure that all mental health professionals have been properly and consistently trained in the best methods and practices so women veterans feel secure in seeking treatment. Childcare is another crucial issue for women veterans--and for male veterans as well--and the bill before us today tackles current barriers to care by authorizing a childcare pilot program and requiring the VA to carry out this program in at least three veteran service networks. We anticipate that this is going to help veterans keep their appointments. The legislation also requires the VA to provide 7 days of medical care for newborn children of women veterans, representing an important policy update in the VA. Currently, the VA has no provision to provide care for these infants, yet 86 percent of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom women veterans are under the age of 40. Accordingly, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important legislation.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the many South Dakotans who have helped fight the effects of widespread flooding throughout the northeast and southeast portions of the state in recent weeks. About one month ago, South Dakota faced the threat of significant damage and cost due to flooding. The northeast and southeast portions of the state had high water tables and the winter's snow was beginning to melt. That meant rising water on our rivers and creeks and a danger of flooding that threatened our agricultural economy, roads and homes. But South Dakotans didn't flinch in the face of these developments. Instead they banded together as they always do and developed plans to mitigate the worst of the dangers and deal with the smaller inconveniences. County emergency managers worked with state officials from the Department of Public Safety and Office of Emergency Management. Red Cross volunteers worked with mayors of small towns. The National Guard mobilized to help the city of Aberdeen, and the Civil Air Patrol scouted flood damage from the air. Local law enforcement officials and the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department, patrolled and offered assistance to those in danger. And neighbors worked with and for each other, filling sandbags to protect their homes and their communities. Our federal partners did their share as well. The Federal Emergency Management Agency helped train state Office of Emergency Management staff in the weeks before the heaviest flood activities and has already begun assisting the state in planning for recovery operations. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stepped up with a levee project to protect the city of Watertown, completing it on time and amidst concerns over flooding. Today, I am proud to report that, while the danger is not entirely past and there remains much recovery work to do, South Dakota once again has come together to successfully meet a challenge head on. We still have some roads closed, dozens of homes suffered some flooding damage and it may be some time until we can determine the extent of the damage. But we have, so far, avoided the kinds of catastrophic damage that was feared. Madam Speaker, I remain proud as ever to represent the people of South Dakota and their enduring ability to rise to whatever challenge they must. I offer my sincere thanks to all who worked so hard to limit the effects of this flooding.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to S. 1147. While I acknowledge the importance of curbing underage smoking and respect this bill's intent to prevent funding of terrorist groups, I believe the bill threatens the government-to-government relationship with Native American tribes set out by our founders in the U.S. Constitution. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate commerce with Indian tribes. However, this bill would open the door to allowing States to bring felony charges against tribes and tribal businesses who participate in tribe-to-tribe transactions. Two of the tribes I have the honor of representing, the Rosebud Sioux and Yankton Sioux, have contacted me with their concerns. They also do not object to this bill and support reducing cigarette trafficking. They simply ask that the bill be amended so that tribal sovereignty, recognized through hundreds of treaties and reaffirmed through executive orders, judicial decisions, and congressional action, not be encroached. I urge this body to respect tribal sovereignty and it is for this reason I could not support this bill today.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor the 100th Anniversary of the South Dakota State Capitol building. The South Dakota State Capitol building is located in Pierre, South Dakota. The South Dakota State Capitol building was designed by Minneapolis architects C.E. Bell and M.S. Detwiler and assembled between the years of 1905 and 1910. The building is more than 114,000 square feet in size and is made up of materials such as native field stone, Indiana limestone, and Vermont and Italian marble. The building is 161 feet tall, 190 feet wide, and 292 feet long and includes carved woodwork and marble, special cast brass, and hand laid stone. In 1977 the State of South Dakota decided to restore the building back to its original 1910 appearance. The restoration was completed in 1989 to the original color and style of the walls and drapes. Some of the many important architectural features of the South Dakota Capitol building include the capitol floor, which is made of terrazzo tile, and was created by 66 Italian artists. Terrazzo tile is a type of marble flooring that consists of chips of marble meshed together through a process of layering which creates multicolored designs and patterns. The rotunda, an important feature of the capitol, encompasses a large 96-foot dome which can be seen outside the capitol. The inside bottom ring of the dome looks like ribbons strung together and joined as one to resemble government as eternal in nature. The dome also displays the pasque flower, which is the South Dakota state flower. The third floor holds both the House of Representatives and Senate floors where all the state's laws are debated and voted. Over its 100 years of history, the capitol has stood as a testament to the beauty and strength that represents South Dakota, and I trust that this historic building will continue to remain a landmark for the next 100 years.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I believe it's critical that we control rising health care costs, increase quality and value within our health care system, and that we improve access to health care and affordable health care insurance coverage. H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, represents one of the most important votes of the year, on an issue that has been a priority for me since I first was given the honor of representing South Dakotans in Congress. I have long believed that the strength of our communities in South Dakota depends on the health of our people and that, unfortunately, quality, affordable care remains out of reach for far too many South Dakotans. I am convinced this Congress and the President will achieve fundamental reform because our country must fix what's broken in our health care system. The status quo is unsustainable. There is simply too much at stake for South Dakota's families and businesses, who have either seen their premiums rise sharply year after year, or who still have no access to an affordable plan. Done right, health care reform will both ensure that more people have access to quality health care, and, just as critically, make the common-sense reforms that are necessary to fix an unsustainable system that threatens our fiscal future. These twin goals of addressing access, quality and costs on the one hand, and solidifying our fiscal future on the other are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are complementary. Unfortunately, the House bill misses this critical opportunity. While it does include many good provisions, it is not the right answer for South Dakota, it could threaten existing access to health care in our state, and it does not include nearly enough cost-containment and deficit reduction measures. I am concerned by the projected impact of the bill's Medicaid provisions on South Dakota's state budget, and the reductions in payments for long-term care under Medicare. I have recently discussed the state's budgetary situation with Governor Rounds, along with a number of community leaders, business people and others across South Dakota, and we must take this situation very seriously. The growth in the state Medicaid program due to the recession will produce a projected 25 to 30 million dollar deficit in the state Medicaid program in 2010, and, after the expiration of the Recovery Act enhancement in the FMAP rate, a 50 to 60 million dollar deficit in FY2011. Early analysis suggests that the House bill Medicaid provisions would impose at least $87.6 million more in new Medicaid costs on the state than the Senate Finance Committee bill. Given that budgetary impact, we have to consider the likelihood that dramatic service cuts would be the end result in South Dakota if the House bill were implemented, and that is a source of serious concern for me. It should be for every South Dakotan. I have discussed the long-term care provisions of the House bill with a number of long-term care providers in South Dakota and have serious concerns about how the House bill would affect the future of care in our state for our seniors. While the original House legislation again has been improved in this respect by the addition of some incentive payments under Medicaid, overall, I am concerned that the cuts under Medicare to long-term care are unsustainable, and put undue financial pressure on this essential part of the health care infrastructure of South Dakota. Nursing homes will not derive the same benefit from universal coverage that hospitals will, so this is another issue that needs to be addressed as the process continues. Another of my top priorities is the Indian Health Care Improvement Act reauthorization that has been incorporated into the broader bill. Together with the nine sovereign Native Tribes I represent, I have worked hard to advance the Indian Health Care reauthorization in the House of Representatives. I share the concerns of the Great Plains Tribal Chairman's Association (GPTCA) regarding aspects of the current version of that legislation. The GPTCA is comprised by the elected leaders of the sovereign Indian Tribes and Nations of the Great Plains, including South Dakota. I have consulted closely with the Tribes I represent. For years, the Tribes and the GPTCA have supported the Indian Health reauthorization and have been disappointed at the great length of time it has taken to bring the legislation to this point in the House. The GPTCA has reviewed the current version of the Indian Health reauthorization contained in the broader health reform bill and has serious concerns about certain provisions in the bill, principally the fact that urban Indian non-profit organizations are, in various sections outside of Title V of the reauthorization, treated on a par with federally-recognized tribes. The federal government has a unique relationship with the 562 federally-recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. This government-to-government relationship is established by our founders in the U.S. Constitution, recognized through, hundreds of treaties, and reaffirmed through executive orders, judicial decisions, and congressional action. Fundamentally, this relationship establishes the responsibilities to be carried out by one sovereign to the other. That is why these requests by nine sovereign Sioux tribes located in South Dakota are essential. I will continue to provide my full support to GPTCA's requests to improve the reauthorization in conference with the Senate, and to properly fund Indian health services. Turning again to the broader House health care reform bill, underlying my concerns relating to Medicaid and long-term care and other issues is a fundamental concern about the effect of broader House health care reform bill on the nation's long-term deficit, and more specifically, my view that it doesn't do enough to start bringing down the deficit and health care costs in the long term. As President Obama noted earlier this year: ``If we do nothing to slow these skyrocketing costs, we will eventually be spending more on Medicare and Medicaid than every other government program combined. Put simply, our health care problem is our deficit problem. Nothing else even comes close.'' He's right. Skyrocketing long-term costs will bankrupt the Medicare trust fund by 2017--and that's just part of the problem we need to fix. But when it comes to the net change in the federal budgetary commitment to health care, the House bill is seven times greater in budgetary commitment of dollars than the Senate Finance Committee bill, while falling far short of the long-term cost containment in the Senate bill. In my view, any bill with such a significant increase should have a similar commitment to cost containment. Otherwise, we'll find ourselves in the same situation we find ourselves in with Medicare--an essential program for South Dakotans that is going broke because we can't make the tough choices now and are putting those choices off until we face an immediate crisis. That's not reform--that's a recipe for fiscal disaster. Now, the House bill does include a number of good provisions on which the vast majority of South Dakotans I have talked to agree. For instance, I strongly support provisions in this bill to require insurance companies to cover people with preexisting conditions, and to end the insurance companies' ability to cancel coverage when someone becomes sick. These practices must end. I was surprised and dismayed to see that the House Republican proposal that we also will vote on refuses to end the unconscionable practice of denying coverage for preexisting conditions. The Congress will ultimately agree on a bill that ends this practice. In addition, I support establishing health insurance exchanges to provide a transparent and competitive marketplace for individuals and businesses to buy more affordable health care plans. Unfortunately, in my view the House bill has not come far enough from where it started, and the bill does not yet represent the right formula for South Dakota. Nonetheless, I am very optimistic that, with the House and Senate working together with the President, we will achieve a good bill for South Dakota during this Congress, because the time has come for fundamental reform. Again--I believe the Congress has a responsibility to pass health care reform legislation that is deficit neutral, that ensures access, fairness and affordability of coverage for South Dakotans, and that takes a responsible approach to long-term costs with a focus on achieving higher quality health care outcomes. This bill meets some of these goals but not all, and I can't support it. I remain steadfastly committed to improving this legislation and I am optimistic that through the legislative process we will achieve what South Dakotans deserve, which is a fiscally responsible and sustainable reform of the health care system that will dramatically improve coverage and quality for all.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Chair, today the House is considering H.R. 2868, the Chemical and Water Security Act of 2009. Chemical and water security is essential and of course we must take every sensible step to support the establishment of adequate security programs for drinking water and wastewater facilities and a continuation of efforts to properly improve security measures and risks related to chemical facilities. However, I have heard serious concerns from agricultural retailers and farm groups in South Dakota about the potential implications of this legislation and am concerned that it is being rushed through the House. Specifically, these constituents are concerned about the inclusion of Inherently Safer Technology (IST) requirements, which will affect products important to agriculture in our state such as anhydrous ammonia fertilizer. Anhydrous ammonia fertilizer is a widely-used and essential lower-cost source of plant nutrients on which many farmers in South Dakota rely. The South Dakota Agribusiness Association has informed my office that, while the bill does not require smaller Tier 3 and 4 facilities to switch to a safer product or process, in the face of higher regulatory costs and increased liability concerns, these facilities may well opt to stop handling this product. While there are replacement fertilizers that could be substituted for anhydrous ammonia, the South Dakota Agribusiness Association anticipates that the cost per acre would increase for farmers as more product application would be needed to obtain the same nitrogen levels needed for certain leading crops, like corn. Farmers in South Dakota are already struggling with increased input costs and I believe we should not rush to put in place new rules that could further raise these costs. This is especially true, where, as here, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently engaged in implementing Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), which were authorized as part of the Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2007, which I supported. The crop-related chemical facilities have been working cooperatively with DHS throughout the CFATS process to establish appropriate risk-based standards and ensure compliance. This rulemaking process is not yet complete and I would prefer to allow the Department time to implement CFATS so we can more fully assess the effectiveness of current regulation before authorizing further significant changes to the program. In addition, during testimony before the Committees on Homeland Security and Energy and Commerce, Administration officials expressed concern over whether DHS had the necessary resources and expertise to properly administer IST requirements. Such uncertainty over a critical section of the proposed regulations further supports the view that it is more appropriate to allow the current regulatory process to continue. At this point there is no companion authorization bill in the Senate. However, as the legislative process continues to move forward, I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate toward a bill that achieves the goal of properly protecting our citizens, in South Dakota and across the country, from risks posed by accidents or terrorist attacks on chemical, drinking water and wastewater facilities, and ensures that agricultural and other businesses will be protected from overly burdensome regulations. Thank you.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unable to participate in three votes on the floor of the House of Representatives today because I was participating in a panel on public safety and housing as part of the White House Tribal Nations Conference. The first vote was on the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3548-- Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The second vote was H. Con. Res. 139--congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their contributions to the Nation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question. The third vote was H. Res. 880--Recognizing the efforts of career and technical colleges to educate and train workers for positions in high- demand industries. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on that question.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3949, the Veterans' Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009, which the full Veterans' Affairs Committee approved with bipartisan support last week and which contains legislation I introduced, along with the ranking member of the Economic Opportunities Subcommittee, Mr. Boozman, to verify the veteran status of small businesses listed in the VetBiz Vendor Information Pages, known as the VIP database. I would like to thank full committee Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer for their leadership and support for this legislation. The overall bill under consideration by the House combines the provisions from a number of other bills into strong legislation that will assist a broad array of veterans in a variety of ways, and I applaud Chairman Filner for moving this legislation forward. The bill updates the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and burial regulations for national cemeteries. It creates a scholarship program to improve the eye care available to veterans and improves the Department of Veterans Affairs' outreach efforts by improving coordination among key offices within the VA. The Veterans Small Business Verification Act that Mr. Boozman and I introduced follows up on legislation Congress passed in 2006 requiring the VA to maintain its VIP database and verify that applicants for inclusion in the database were veteran-owned small businesses or service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Once firms register in the VIP database, they qualify to receive set-aside or sole-source awards. The Economic Opportunity Subcommittee learned through hearings and meetings with VA staff and the veterans community that the database contained firms that didn't qualify because the verification process was voluntary. This voluntary process meant that while the VIP database included over 16,000 businesses, less than 1,000 had received verification of their veteran status or had voluntarily submitted information to be verified. While I'm pleased that Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki has taken steps since these hearings over the past 6 months to improve the process by which businesses are verified, this bill will ensure our veterans are afforded the small business opportunities they're due. The Veterans Small Business Verification Act would amend title XXXVIII to clarify current law and require the VA to verify that firms are veteran-owned small businesses or service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses in order to be listed in the VIP database. Furthermore, it requires that the VA notify small businesses already listed in the database of the need to verify their status. In conclusion, H.R. 3949 takes important steps toward providing needed assistance in a number of areas to those veterans who have bravely served their country. I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 3949.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding, for his service to our country, and for his tireless advocacy on behalf our Nation's veterans. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1168, the Veterans Retraining Act of 2009, which the Veterans' Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee passed on October 8 and the full committee approved last week. I would like to thank the ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, Mr. Boozman, for his outstanding leadership in introducing this important legislation, and full committee Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer for their leadership as well and their support of this legislation. The bill offers important updates to the employment training assistance available to veterans. It directs the Secretary of Labor to provide a monthly assistance allowance to veterans who are enrolled in an employment and training program. It teaches a skill in demand. In addition, the veteran would be eligible to receive a monthly housing allowance, as well as a moving stipend of up to $5,000 for moving expenses directly related to the receipt of this training. In order to be eligible for this assistance, veterans must be unemployed for no less than four months and ineligible for other education and training assistance. Employment assistance is one of the essential benefits that our country gives its veterans. These benefits help our veterans adjust to life outside of the military and successfully transfer the skills and experience they acquired while serving in the Armed Forces to the civilian job force. Again, I want to thank Chairman Filner and particularly the hard work of Ranking Member Boozman for their support on this issue, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, on October 30, 2009, I will be proud to host two of my constituents, Branden Stackenwalt and his father, Dave Stackenwalt, for a visit to the U.S. Capitol. Branden is proud to be a combat engineer with the U.S. Army, serving with the 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion. On September 21, 2009, the vehicle Branden was traveling in ran over a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan. One member of the vehicle's four-man crew was killed and the other three, including Branden, were critically injured. In the blast, Branden suffered severe fractures to vertebrae in his back, both legs, elbow and heels. Thanks to his enduring spirit and courageous determination--as well as the excellent medical care he received from our Nation's Army doctors--Branden is vastly improved today and on the road to recovery. He was first flown to Germany, and then to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center where he has received care since September 27. Since the incident, Branden has undergone multiple surgeries to repair his legs. Although he still faces an arduous road to full recovery, he has made significant progress, all the while maintaining a positive attitude. I am quite certain that Branden's personal strength of spirit, along with the loving care of his family, has been instrumental in the progress he has made. During his recovery, I have had the privilege to get to know both Branden and his family. His parents, Dave and Kim, are wonderful people who love their son very much. Branden also has a younger sister, Savannah, in South Dakota who I know is eager to see him again soon. Branden is now able to get around well in a wheelchair, and I have learned that he will soon be transferred to the Minneapolis VA facility to continue his recovery. I am pleased that he was able to visit us at the Capitol. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and respect for one of South Dakota's brave young soldiers that I rise today in recognition of Branden Stackenwalt and his service to our country. I am so very proud to represent him, his family, and all South Dakotans who serve in our Nation's Armed Forces. I thank Branden and all those who serve for their courage and fortitude in the face of danger.

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN

Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support of H.R. 2489, the National Land Remote Sensing Outreach Act, bipartisan legislation that I introduced with my colleague Steve LaTourette, that would authorize a program at the U.S. Geological Survey enhancing the use of satellite remote sensing data for research and education. For almost a decade, the USGS has partnered with a nonprofit organization called AmericaView to help citizens, researchers, and public agencies solve real world problems using satellite imagery. Over these years, the USGS has provided satellite data and grants to AmericaView. AmericaView, in turn, has supported a network of university partners now in a total of 36 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa , Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Thanks to this outreach program, a great trove of satellite data and information, which is archived at the USGS Earth Resources Observation Data Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is put to work throughout our country. Each state program tailors its efforts to each state's needs, applying the data for use in a range of useful activities, including science education projects, the calculation of drought effects, designing irrigation protocols, or planning flood response. In short, USGS is enabling an amazing and varied array of remote sensing data applications through these ongoing outreach efforts and partnerships. Despite receiving appropriations in past fiscal years, the USGS geospatial imagery outreach program has never formally been authorized. Passing this legislation today will officially authorize the USGS' existing outreach activities, helping to boost the program's recognition, expand the program to additional states and territories, and provide for Congressional direction and oversight. The legislation before us today was amended in Committee to reflect input from the Department of Interior and colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and I'd like to thank the Administration and my colleagues for their willingness to work together on this bill. I'd also like to recognize the contributions of our former colleague, Representative Ralph Regula of Ohio, who introduced this legislation in the previous Congress. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2489, the National Land Remote Sensing Outreach Act.