Dean Heller

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 242, final passage of H.R. 1728, I was absent from the House at a family obligation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. HELLER. Madam Chair, on rollcall No. 238, the Frank Amendment No. 2 to H.R. 1728, I was absent from the House at a family obligation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' amendment no. 5 offered by mr. hensarling

Mr. HELLER. Madam Chair, on rollcall No. 241, the McHenry Amendment No. 9 to H.R. 1728, I was absent from the House at a family obligation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Chair, I support and would have voted for H.R. 1728, the Mortgage Fraud and Anti-Predatory Lending Act. Considering the serious situation in Nevada related to housing issues, I support and would have voted for this bill to reform the mortgage and housing industry. H.R. 1728 reforms federal laws related to mortgage loan providers, those that buy or sell mortgages on the secondary securities markets, as well as appraisers. This bill will help reduce predatory lending practices and restrict lenders from making loans available to consumers that cannot afford them. In the last Congress, I supported and voted for a similar bill, H.R. 3915, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2007. This bill passed the House by a vote of 291-127, on November 15, 2007, but was never considered by the Senate. Though this new version of the bill in the 111th Congress has a number of differences, and is not a perfect piece of legislation, I still would have voted in support of the legislation. I sincerely hope that some of the changes that need to be made will be achieved by the Senate or in a conference committee. The economic downturn and housing situation in Nevada is dire. According to one leading foreclosure tracking service, foreclosures in Nevada were up 108% from February 2008 to February 2009. Nevada is the number one state, per capita, in foreclosures. Housing inventory is at an all-time high and construction and new starts are at a near standstill in both northern and southern Nevada. Clark County is one of the hardest hit counties in the nation. Reforming mortgage fraud and predatory lending practices is critical to restoring confidence in the nation's housing market, helping get the economy back on track, and most importantly, helping keep Nevada families in their homes.

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 237, the adoption of the rule on H.R. 1728, I was absent from the House at a family obligation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Dept of Agriculture--SRG Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Nevada-Reno Address of Requesting Entity: 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89557- 0208 Description of Request: Funding would be used to address critical rangeland issues as they affect the health and productivity of land, forage for wildlife and domestic livestock, protection of endangered species, wildfires and invasive species. Science-based solutions to reduce wildfires, improve forage production, and protect wildlife species are critical needs. Funds requested will pay for scientific projects approved by the Experiment Station after peer-review. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Dept of Agriculture--Conservation Operations Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Carson City, Nevada Address of Requesting Entity: 201 North Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701 Description of Request: Funding will be used by the city to continue fire restoration following the Waterfall wildfire. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: DOJ--COPS Law Enforcement Technology Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Washoe County Sheriff's Department Address of Requesting Entity: 911 Parr Boulevard, Reno NV 89512 Description of Request: Funding will be used to improve DNA processing technology at the sheriff's office, which serves most of northern Nevada. The bulk of the funds would specifically help with the creation of a DNA database laboratory, in addition to purchasing equipment. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: DOJ--COPS meth Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Partnership Carson City Anti-Meth Coalition Address of Requesting Entity: 201 North Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701 Description of Request: Funding will be used to combat methamphetamine in the Carson City area, which is one of the top crime and narcotics issues facing the state. Carson City has developed a model program that combines law enforcement, public awareness, drug treatment and counseling programs to eradicate meth use in the local community. The requested funding will build on significant past efforts and ultimately lead to the reduction of meth use in the local community and related criminal activity. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: DOJ--COPS Meth Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Secret Witness Address of Requesting Entity: Secret Witness Program at PO Box 20991, Reno, Nevada 89515 Description of Request: Secret Witness is a non-profit organization (501 (c) (3)) that has been active in northern Nevada for more than 30 years. Secret Witness will expand its efforts into Phase II, and will include an assessment of its program upon completion to determine the impact of the information. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: DOJ--OJP--Juvenile Assistance Legal Name of Requesting Entity: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Address of Requesting Entity: 1041 North Virginia Street, Third Floor, Reno, Nevada 89503 Description of Request: The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), the nation's premier judicial education organization, has been providing critical education to members of this nation's judiciary for decades. Located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus, its long and outstanding reputation for providing cutting- edge training for judges and other system professionals in areas related to court practice is nationally recognized. The National Council uses these Federal dollars to provide training to judges nationwide on child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, divorce, custody and visitation, substance abuse, and mental health and educational needs of children, among other topics. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Corps of Engineers--Investigations Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Truckee River Flood Project Address of Requesting Entity: 9390 Gateway Drive, Ste. 230, Reno, NV 89521 Description of Request: The Truckee Meadows, Nevada project is a multi-purpose project that will provide flood damage reduction, eco- system restoration and recreation along the Truckee River from Reno to Pyramid Lake. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Corps of Engineers--Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: no entity--program request spent by Corps Address of Requesting Entity: Description of Request: The Rural Nevada program was designed to benefit small communities and to provide assistance for construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, environmental restoration and surface water protection projects. The difficulty in meeting water supply needs in Nevada has only been exacerbated by the tremendous growth Nevada has experienced. The Rural Nevada Program was authorized in a prior Water Resources Development Act and splits the project costs with the federal government 75% federal share/25% local share. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: DOE--EERE Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Desert Research Institute Address of Requesting Entity: 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512 Description of Request: A Renewable Energy Center (REC) will serve as the physical and programmatic focal point for all of Desert Research Institute (DRI) research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) work in the area of renewable energy. DRI has proven strengths in wind and hydrogen research, with significant potential to expand its renewable-energy activities into areas such as biomass and biofuels. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Small Business Administration Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Western Nevada Development District Address of Requesting Entity: 704 West Nye Lane, Ste 201, Carson City, Nevada 89703 Description of Request: WNDD is a multi-county development organization that promotes job creation and growth among mostly small businesses. Funds will promote job creation in northern Nevada. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: EPA--Science and Technology Legal Name of Requesting Entity: American Water Works Research Foundation Address of Requesting Entity: 6666 W. Quincy Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80235 Description of Request: Funding would be used to continue research into cost-effective technologies for water quality that will benefit consumers, as the primary purpose of the research is to enable water utilities to practically address and manage challenges to water supply and to be directly involved in the deployment of new technologies. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: EPA-STAG Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Henderson, NV Address of Requesting Entity: 240 Water Street, Henderson, NV 89009 Description of Request: Funding would be used for construction of the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant/Southwest Water Reclamation Facility. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: EPA-STAG Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Reno, NV Address of Requesting Entity: 1 E 1st Street, Reno, NV 89501 Description of Request: Funding would be used to convert septic systems to sewer systems, in order to help promote health and safety of residents. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: HHS--HRSA Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Carson/Tahoe Regional Healthcare/ CTRH Dayton Hospital Address of Requesting Entity: 1600 Medical Parkway, Carson City, Nevada 89703 Description of Request: Funding would be used to provide Emergency Medical Services Equipment for the hospital, which serves a large and fast-growing region. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: HHS--HRSA Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Pershing County General Hospital and Nursing Home Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 661, Lovelock, Nevada 89419 Description of Request: Funding would be used for the purchase of equipment, specifically a mammography machine. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: HHS--HRSA Legal Name of Requesting Entity: St. Mary's Regional Medical Center Address of Requesting Entity: 235 West Sixth Street, Reno, Nevada 89503 Description of Request: Funding will be used to expand and renovate the existing, outdated emergency unit. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: HHS--HRSA Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Center for Molecular Medicine/ Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease at Pennington Medical Building Address of Requesting Entity: Mail Stop 0332, Reno, Nevada 89557 Description of Request: Funding will be used for construction and equipment for the Institute clinical and research facility. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: DOT--Buses and Bus Facilities Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, Nevada. Address of Requesting Entity: 2050 Villanova Drive, Reno, NV 89520 Description of Request: Funding would be used to complete the replacement intermodal transportation facilities in downtown Sparks and Reno that are currently operating over capacity. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: DOT--Interstate Maintenance Discretionary Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, NV Address of Requesting Entity: 2050 Villanova Drive, Reno, NV 89520 Description of Request: Funding will be used to mitigate severe current and future traffic congestion occurring on I-580/US 395 and the adjacent surface arterials in the primary commercial retail district for the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: DOT -- Transportation, Community, and System Presentation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Reno, NV Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 1900, Reno, NV 89505 Description of Request: Funding would be used for continuing the revitalization and enhancement of the downtown rail access corridor. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: HUD--Economic Development Initiatives Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Fernley, NV Address of Requesting Entity: 595 Silver Lace Blvd., Fernley, NV 89408 Description of Request: Funding will be used for the redevelopment and enhancement of an historically significant downtown corridor to attract business and generate jobs, largely in response to destruction from a recent flood. Requesting Member: Congressman Dean Heller Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: HUD--Economic Development Initiatives Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Wells, NV Address of Requesting Entity: 1279 Clover Avenue, P.O. Box. 366, Wells, Nevada 89835 Description of Request: Funding will be used for streetscaping and construction of an indoor recreation facility, largely in response to destruction caused by a recent earthquake.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638. This bill was the FY09 continuing resolution, and it also included a section titled, ``Disaster Relief and Recovery Supplemental Appropriations Act'' as well as three of the annual appropriations bills for fiscal year 2009: the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (Division C); the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (Division D); and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (Division E). Within the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, I requested and the committee approved funding for the following projects: $1.92 million for the Lightweight Cannon Recoil Reduction from the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army account. This recipient of these funds will be Software and Engineering Assoc, Inc., a small business computer software and engineering firm in Carson City, Nevada (1802 N. Carson Street, Suite 200, Carson, Nevada 89701). The firm specializes in developing computer software for the design and analysis of combustion devices. The funds being requested are to support the Army's Future Combat System (FCS), specifically for reducing the weight of the cannon system. The FCS has an operational requirement to be as close to 20 tons as possible so that it can be rapidly transported and still maintain the fighting capabilities of the 67 ton M1 tank that is one of the systems FCS is expected to replace. A new concept is needed for the 120mm cannon system for FCS. This program will enable a 40 to 50 percent reduction in the weight of the 120mm cannon systems that is necessary to meet the weight goals for the Manned Combat System (FCS version of a tank) and the 155 mm NLOS-C vehicles (FCS self propelled howitzer). $1.6 million for a Reconfigurable Tooling System from the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army Account. The recipient of these funds will be 2 Phase in Dayton, Nevada (located at PO Box 730, Dayton, Nevada 89403. The firm specializes in developing reconfigurable tooling systems (RTS) which can make or repair parts onsite. Systems are being used and tested at Army and Marine Corps Depots currently, with positive results. This funding will provide Army and Marine Corps Aviation Commands repair capability in theater, so forces will not have to wait for the time-consuming supply system to provide parts. To alleviate this delay, a portable rapid reconfigurable tooling system is being developed that can repair the specific tool onsite. Aircraft would be able to be put back into operational status faster, giving the Theater Commander more assets to deploy. Two systems were previously delivered to the Corpus Christi Army Depot and Cherry Point Marine Corps Depot for evaluation and testing to facilitate the repair of rotary and fixed wing aircraft, and funds in FY 09 would be used to provide additional systems to the military depots and to provide training for personnel. $2.2 million for a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier for Responsive Space MPOI from the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force account. The recipient of these funds will be OptiComp Company, a small business located in Zephyr Cove, Nevada (located at PO Box 10779, Zephyr Cove, NV 89448). The company's focus is the fabrication and production, solely for the Department of Defense, of optoelectronic laser and detector modules for use on avionic and space datacom platforms. These modules are used in a fabric to permit fault tolerant wideband switching between computers, sensors, and telecommunications links on the platforms. OCC has a full semiconductor clean room and fabrication facility and an extensive test and measurement facility to evaluate all devices prior to acceptance. Within the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, I requested and the Committee approved a $3 million earmark for the Cyber Conflict Research Consortium's Distributed Environment for Critical Infrastructure Decision-making Exercises (DECIDE), a large, national university consortium that includes the University of Nevada, Reno (located at 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevda 89557). The consortia aims to help protect the nation from cyberattacks. DECIDE directly addresses the conclusions of a 2006 report from the President's National Science and Technological Council which stated the need to target Federal research and development investment in cyber security and information assurance needs. The Cyber Conflict Research Consortium anticipates the DECIDE Financial Services Model will be completed in 2009. Within the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, I requested and the Committee approved an $11.375 million earmark for the Nevada National Guard for the Elko Readiness Center (located at 1375 13th Street, Elko, NV 89801). Rapid growth in Nevada requires that a new Readiness Center facility in northeastern Nevada be constructed to meet the needs of the Nevada Army National Guard. The current Elko armory was built in 1961 and does not meet the security or operational requirements for the current mission. The state of Nevada is already providing funds to assist with design.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 6384.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. If the gentleman will yield.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Thank you very much. I appreciate the comments, and I appreciate you putting this together. I am proud to be part of the quarterly report that we have going on here today, spend some time with the folks back home and let them know what is going on here in Washington, D.C. and what we are trying to do to help them. And I want to thank you again for putting us together. And you know what is great is to be able to listen to the gentleman from Michigan talk about the experiences that he has within his district. And I think we can do that with Louisiana, with Ohio, Tennessee, California, but I want to give a couple of examples of what I am seeing in Nevada. I have got a pretty large district. I joke with my colleagues sometimes about the distance that I have to drive, 15 hours to get from one end of my district to the other. I go home most weekends and probably drive 500 miles. In fact, this weekend I am driving out to Elko, which is going to be another 500-mile drive. But that is okay. That is okay. You know, the difficult part about this is that I try to meet my constituents in my district. Every year I try to travel as far as I can, and the exorbitant cost now that it is, just to visit with my constituents, is becoming incredible. I drove about 50,000 miles this year. And had I done that 2 years ago, in trying to visit with my constituents it would have cost me actually $90,000 less, $90,000 extra dollars to drive because of the non-actions of this particular Congress. But I want to put a face, just like the gentleman from Michigan did, on what is going on here in the State of Nevada. As I drive across the State, I can give examples. I have a daughter, and many of you have children that are in sports. And it is a shame that playing in some of these competitive teams, once you get to a competitive level you find yourself traveling great distances. She happens to be playing out of Reno, and she has to go down to Las Vegas or maybe to Sacramento, maybe up to Oregon, across the State to Elko or somewhere of that nature. So it is getting pretty expensive for parents, and I am having parents starting to complain that they can't go to the away games. It is difficult for them to get to the away games because of the cost of travel because of the high fuel costs. Another example of that, I was in a small town called Lovelock, and they have a restaurant over there called Sturgeons, and I was talking to the general manager. And they were talking about the price of eggs. The price of an egg, since the beginning of the year has gone from 7 cents to 13 cents. Now, Lovelock is not that far out of the way. From Reno it is probably an hour and a half or so. So you wouldn't think that travel costs would be that expensive. But it is the cost of everything, because of the inaction of this particular Congress, that is causing these problems. It isn't just the price of fuel. Of course it is the price of poultry. When we start taking all of this corn and the grains and the byproducts and start turning them into ethanol and using what could be used for feed for cattle, for poultry, for hogs and everything else, everything is going up and getting very expensive very, very quickly. I think ethanol is a mistake right now. I think we need to take a look at other ways, other ways of providing energy, and that is why we went on this trip to ANWR. But I want to give one more example, and that is a particular family that came to visit me last week. The Anderson family came in, one of my constituents, family from Nevada, and they came out here. They have a couple of children and they want to show their children Washington, D.C. And I was fortunate enough to have them come by my office. And I believe he is a dental technician and she is a nurse, and they have a young daughter that plays volleyball, very good at volleyball. Their son is a very good baseball player. And they are talking about how difficult it is for them to provide, and the problems that they are facing now with these high fuel prices. They are very good athletes, and so they want to make all of their events, and it gets more and more difficult. To tell you how difficult it is getting, in my home State of Nevada, according to the USA Today, because of fuel prices for airlines, they are cutting 10 percent of their flights. Well, we are one of five States they are going to cut more than 10 percent of their flights into Nevada. Now, for a State like ours that relies heavily on tourism and traffic, you can imagine the impact that that is having. But it is not just coming into the State, the lack of 10 percent flights. It is the lack of 10 percent flights now that are going out. And they talked about how difficult it is to get a flight now and the exorbitant cost it is. I think an airline industry today just announced that the extra bag is not going to be $25, it is going to be an additional $25 on top of that, for a total of $50 so that they can compensate for these huge costs. I want to banter back and forth more. I want to talk about our trip to ANWR. I want to talk about our experiences in Golden, Colorado. I think they were great. I want to give others a chance to introduce themselves. And thank you again for the opportunity to be here. And I will yield back to you.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Thank you. You make a very good point on this. You have heard me say this before, but this energy policy is a three- legged stool. We have to conserve; we have to look at renewable sources; we also need to drill for more oil. You can't do one without the other. You'll have an energy policy that fails. You can't do two without the third or that energy policy will fail. I'll tell you what I got out of this trip to ANWR, which I thought overall really put this in perspective for me. And that is, as was mentioned, we use 20 million barrels of oil a day here in this country. If we do everything we can to conserve--and the American people are moving in that direction, and I applaud that--if we do everything we possibly can for renewable energy, and that is meet our goals--we have a goal here in these Chambers of 15 percent by the year 2020. If we meet those goals, if we conserve, we're still going to need an additional 10 million barrels of oil a day by 2030. So where are we going to get the additional 10 million barrels of oil that the American people are going to need if we continue to stop this possibility of going to ANWR, going offshore, looking at shale, looking at all these other prospects, and building additional refineries: Where are we going to get that additional 3 million barrels that we are going to need, even though we're on top of the renewable process and we have conserved, as the American people are doing today? That's the question that needs to be answered.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. In my local newspaper just today, there was an article written by some of the people that you're talking about, some of the more extreme environmentalists saying that this country would be better off today if we had the same gas prices as they have in Holland, $10 a gallon: $10 a gallon, if we had that, America would be better off. I have a hard time believing that we are better off if we to try to Europeanize ourselves and increase the price per gallon. I've had town hall meetings. I've had over a hundred thousand people polled of what they thought of a 50 cent per gallon increase. Eighty- two percent are against it. We have people now calling for doubling the gasoline prices we have today.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. I want to express my appreciation to the gentlewoman from Virginia for yielding time and thank her for her kind remarks and also to my colleagues from Indiana and, of course, from southern Nevada (Ms. Berkley) for the remarks that she made. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to honor and thank the members of the Nevada Army National Guard, Air National Guard and the members of the Nevada Reserve for their service to the State of Nevada and the United States. Members of the Nevada National Guard and Reserve serve our State and country with honor and distinction. Whether they are saving lives during natural disasters or protecting our country abroad, Nevadans and our Nation owe our Guardsmen and Reservists a debt of gratitude for their service. America must remain committed to our men and women overseas, and I pray for the safe return of every servicemember of the United States. Today I consider it a privilege to offer this resolution along with the Nevada House Delegation, Ms. Berkley and Mr. Porter, in order to honor some of Nevada's finest citizens. As we all know, the people who make the greatest sacrifices for our country are the brave men and women of our Armed Forces. Very often this means servicemembers are deployed for extended periods of time away from family, children, and friends, sometimes in hostile conditions. In addition, when members of the National Guard deploy, their families are not the only ones that are affected. Since our servicemembers live and work in their hometowns throughout Nevada, employers and communities are also affected by these deployments. I would like to recognize and thank those employers who have displayed patriotism by saving positions for returning servicemembers and supporting the servicemembers' families during this time. The Nevada National Guard is regarded as a technically and tactically proficient fighting force fully capable of seamlessly serving alongside active duty personnel. Nevada's Guardsmen and Reservists have bravely served both domestically and abroad in support of the global war on terrorism. The Nevada National Guard has experienced both triumphant and disappointing moments during the past few years. Most of the Nevada National Guard's wartime deployments have been in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The Nevada National Guard has had the pleasure of welcoming hundreds of our airmen and soldiers home from worldwide deployments but also has had the sorrowful task of mourning the loss of three Army Guard combat casualties, the first casualties for the Nevada National Guard since World War II. At this time, I want to extend my deepest condolences to family members of Chief Warrant Officer John Flynn, Sergeant Patrick Stewart, and Specialist Anthony Cometa who lost their lives in defense of our country. Generations of Nevadans will enjoy greater peace and security because of the sacrifices of John, Patrick, and Anthony. Despite trying times, I am proud of the accomplishments of the Nevada Guard during the past 5 years. The Nevada National Guard pledges to fulfill its commitment to the citizens of the Silver State and the Nation in the same conscientious and professional manner they have maintained for nearly 150 years. I support all our men and women in uniform. From the Middle East to Fallon Naval Air Force Station and Nellis Air Force Base, our troops are doing an excellent job of protecting Americans from new threats. Recognizing the sacrifices our troops have made in the past and continue to make today is critical for every citizen. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 358 and honor the bravery of America's best servicemembers.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Absolutely.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the chairman's comments and his commitment to renewable energies. I just want to mention, living in a district that's 105,000 square miles--and I mention that every time I get a chance to speak----

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. I yield 1 additional minute.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I have some final thoughts I'd like to share with this body, and I want to thank the chairman for his patience on this particular issue. It was well-addressed by the gentlewoman from Minnesota, the amount of time and the time and the energy we spent up in ANWR, but I want to talk a little bit about the energy renewable laboratory in Golden, Colorado, where we also spent some time. I found the statistics and the issues there very, very interesting. I'm one who thinks that we have a three-pronged chair here that's very important in our energy future. We want, of course, to be in conservation, which I believe the American people understand that conservation is a critical part. Renewable energy is also the third leg of that chair which is very critical. And also finding additional sources of energy through our natural resources is very critical. I want to talk about the National Renewable Energy Lab that we spent some time with out there. We saw and drove in electric cars. We saw and drove in hydrogen cars, and obviously, we saw the hybrid cars, also. I just want to mention briefly that renewable energy is the future, but I believe it's a long-term future. Let me give you an example. Five or 6 years ago, I drove in a hydrogen car down in Las Vegas. I got a phone call from the other end of the State, come on down, drive this hydrogen car. I thought it was a great idea, went down there, drove in a hydrogen car, went around the block, got out of the car, and I asked the gentleman: So what does it cost? How much does it cost for a consumer to buy this hydrogen car? He told me it was $1 million, $1 million for this hydrogen car. Well, Madam Speaker, I drove a hydrogen car last week, drove it around the block, got done, opened the door, asked the gentleman: So how much does this car cost? And the car still cost $1 million dollars, $1 million for a hydrogen car. I don't have very many constituents that are willing to go out today and buy a $1 million car. So we drove the electric car, drove it around the block, ran fine, asked the question: How far does the car go? He said, well, about 70 miles on a charge. How long does it take to charge? About 6 minutes. How much does this car cost? Very expensive, over $100,000. I said, well, what would it take, what would it take to get an electric car that goes 300 miles at 60 miles an hour that charges in 10 to 15 minutes and costs less than $30,000 but it will go 60 miles an hour? That's what the consumers want here in this country, and they say we're not even close. We're not even close to that. Renewables are incredibly important; the technology isn't there today. So that is the purpose that we continue to go up to ANWR, take a look at ANWR, talk about additional oils. I will tell you, what struck me on my trip up to ANWR was this; that if we conserve--and the American people are conserving and they'll do more to conserve--if we build renewable energy, look for cars, look for opportunities, the technology for renewable energies, and meet our goals--our goal here in this Congress I believe is 15 percent by the year 2020--if we meet those goals, we are still going to need an additional 10 million barrels a day of oil by the year 2025. Even if we conserve, even if we do all the renewable efforts--and the American people are doing that--we're still going to go from 15 million barrels of oil a day to 25 million barrels a day by the year 2025. That's why it's critical. That's why we went up to ANWR. That's why we want to take a look at the opportunity to open up the Outer Continental Shelf, to look at the northern shore of Alaska. I think these principles are critical, that's why we did that. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. It takes me 15 hours to get from one end of my district to the other. So what I'm looking for, as I mentioned earlier--and I appreciate your commitment to electric cars because we're all there. The fact is I want a car that goes 300 miles and recharges in 5 to 10 minutes because if you live in Elko, Nevada and you have an electric car, it takes you 300 miles roundtrip to get anywhere. And if it takes you 6 hours to plug it in, it's certainly going to cost you more to reserve time in a hotel in order to get back. But again, I want to thank the chairman. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer a motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 6003, the Passenger Rail Investment Improvement Act of 2008. This simple motion directs the House-Senate conferees to insist upon section 221 of the House bill, which states that ``Amtrak shall be subject to the Buy American Act, the regulations thereunder, for purchases of $100,000 or more.'' Especially during these trying economic times, it is important that Amtrak, a taxpayer-subsidized agency that has never turned a profit, support American businesses and jobs. In fact, one of the most important ways Amtrak could help the American economy is by buying American, especially by buying American oil. Amtrak runs on diesel fuel, and diesel prices in our Nation are at an all-time high. For the past several months, when I was at home in Nevada, the number one issue on the minds of my constituents was the high price of fuel. I am sure there is no difference than any other district, since fuel costs have reached record highs across this Nation. In fact, this week some of my constituents were in town and came by the office. In talking with them, I was vividly reminded just how the high cost of fuel, spurred by congressional inaction, is hurting families in my district. The Anderson family lives in Carson City with their two kids, Steve and Sarah. They are a model American middle class family. The father is a dental lab technician, the mother is a nurse. Their kids are good students and play basketball and volleyball. But gasoline expenses are hurting their budget. Disposable income for them, just like all Americans, is disappearing as they drop their kids off to play sports or attend their kids' games. Record high fuel prices are not only crippling family budgets, but also public safety efforts, educational institutions, small businesses, and causing inflation in all manner of products and commodities. Despite several promises from the majority party, however, we have seen nothing that would truly help consumers with the high cost of fuel today. Yet, April 18, 2006, more than 2 years ago, then Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi stated, ``Democrats have a plan to lower gas prices.'' Again, April 24, 2006, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi released a statement saying, ``Democrats have a commonsense plan to help bring down skyrocketing gas prices.'' The parade of bold statements promising help for the American consumers continues. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, October 2005 said, ``Democrats believe we can do more for the American people who are struggling to deal with high gas prices.'' Not to be outdone, Democrat Whip Jim Clyburn said, ``House Democrats have a plan to help curb rising gas prices'' in July of 2006. And Madam Speaker, we haven't seen the results of these plans. The American people would like to see the plan. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 5 minutes to my colleague from Minnesota (Mrs. Bachmann).

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to instruct at the desk.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, Americans are now paying on average $1.67 more per gallon than they were when the 110th Congress began. In Nevada, since the 110th Congress began, gasoline has increased about $1.50 per gallon. So far this year, crude prices have increased 40 percent. Since passage of H.R. 6, a so-called comprehensive energy bill, in December of 2007 gas prices have risen nearly 10 percent, diesel prices have risen more than 16 percent, oil has reached all-time highs. Clearly this bill was not the answer to our fuel problems. Clearly whatever the House majority is doing, badgering corporate executives, berating the President, holding hearings after hearings wasting time, is not working. It's not the commonsense plan we were promised. Tax increases on fuels are not part of the commonsense solution and are not a substitute for a real energy policy. I have spoken to more than 100,000 households in Nevada during the course of some telephone/town hall meetings and have asked, Do you support the proposed 50 cent per gallon gas tax? Eighty-two percent oppose this tax increase sending a clear message that the people of Nevada oppose these outrageous plans. Additionally, tax increases that affect oil companies also hurt retirees, seniors, and pension funds. In 2004, more than 2,600 pension funds run by Federal, State, and local governments held almost $64 billion in shares of U.S. oil and natural gas companies. These funds represent the major retirement security for the Nation's current and retired soldiers, teachers, and police and fire personnel at every level of government. Fourteen percent of shares are held in IRAs and other personal retirement accounts. Forty-five million U.S. households have IRAs and other personal retirement accounts. The effects of a punitive windfall profits tax on the energy industry would likely be the same as when it was tried last in the 1980s reducing investment in domestic oil production. The windfall profits tax during the Carter administration drained billions of dollars from the industry which was money not spent on U.S. exploration and production. Furthermore, the windfall profits tax failed to raise a fraction of the projected revenue. Consequently, like most of the House and Senate Republicans, I have voted against billions in tax increases on energy companies which have only been passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices. With billions in tax increases being put forth in the House, not one of them has passed the Senate. Clearly this approach is not consensus and is not part of a commonsense plan to address high fuel prices. While speculation may have a significant effect on oil prices, this process can work in reverse as well. Merely the announcement that Congress is willing to allow full debate on the issues or that certain moratoria will be lifted will cause energy prices to react accordingly. In fact, I have requested a hearing on this issue at the Financial Services Committee on which the committee has some jurisdiction. A real energy policy will address a variety of measures, including the very basic cause of high prices, supply, and demand. Congress desperately needs to address refinery expansion, coal-to-liquid technologies, lifting offshore moratoria, oil shale, and other areas that will address skyrocketing gasoline and diesel prices. Our Nation hasn't built a new refinery in more than 30 years, yet demand for refined petroleum has continued to increase. Estimates show the world's energy needs will be 50 percent higher in 2030 with 55 to 65 percent of demand from conventional oil and gas. The last time Congress opened access of a large oil field to develop was in 1973. The Congressional Research Service notes that 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas are classified as undiscovered resources right here in this country and are offshore. Yet Congress has imposed moratoria on much of the Outer Continental Shelf since 1982. This oil represents about 33 percent of Saudi Arabia's proven reserves. ANWR holds billions of barrels of oil that we intentionally refuse to develop. The U.S. is the only Nation that closes off its own reserves, its own natural resources and willfully subjects its economic future to the whims of oil dictatorships like Venezuela. Russia and the volatile Middle East can hold sway over the American economy not because they can but because we allow them to. China, a Communist country, is exploring for oil with the consent of Cuba, another Communist country right off our shores. In what economic world does that make commonsense? Simply put, we cannot conserve, tax, or regulate our way out of this problem. Nor should we cajole our way out by begging foreign nations for help. Renewable and alternative sources of energy, which enjoy bipartisan support, are simply not a realistic, cost-effective option today. The reality today is that our Nation, now and into the foreseeable immediate future, runs on gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum products. Recognizing this reality and doing something about it is critical to our economy, public safety, education, tourism, and other areas. The House should encourage buying American oil just as we encourage buying American products. In the meantime, this House should have a real broad, open, and forthright energy debate, not a series of small- bore suspension calendar bills that merely tinker around the edges. Congress must address all of the energy and fuel issues gripping this Nation the way the American people understand. Let the will of the House work in a fashion that our constituents can follow and appreciate. The American people, like the Andersons and so many others in my district and nationwide, are demanding answers and demanding action. We should respond accordingly. Support this motion to instruct and support buying American, including American energy. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I reserve 5 minutes for the gentlewoman from Minnesota, Michele Bachmann.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam Speaker, the House has addressed some minor aspects of energy policy. And I have supported several of the measures that the House has debated and voted on, including legislation to address price gouging, halt delivery to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and to address the international energy cartels. But only one of these measures is now law. I just returned, as my colleague from Minnesota mentioned, with a group from the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve and other areas of Alaska which are rich in potential oil and energy resources. Exploration and development of these resources could easily happen in an environmentally sound fashion, quickly brought online, and is something that Alaskans support. Our group on this same recent trip toured the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado as well. As Nevada is a leader in renewable energy development, I also strongly support renewable energy as a long-term solution to our energy needs. I voted for a renewable portfolio standard and on the House floor have cosponsored legislation to expand renewable energy by extending tax incentives. However, these bills scratch the surface of our fuel crisis, nor are they a substitution for a realistic and truly comprehensive energy policy. Congress needs to act now on measures that will lower the price of fuel immediately and in the short term. Conservation is one such area, exploration and drilling are another. Long-term solutions--alternative fuels, renewable fuels, and even the expansion of mass transit--are simply not going to help our constituents this month, this summer, or probably even this year. They are very likely several years off. So this Congress must act to address the short-term needs of drivers today. Currently, the current approach by Congress to date has done little or nothing to address the crisis on fuel prices now gripping my district and the Nation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HELLER of Nevada

Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to vote for the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act (H.R. 5057), a bill that I cosponsored and strongly support. I appreciate the efforts of my colleague from New York, Mrs. Maloney, in bringing this legislation and previous bills regarding DNA evidence to the House floor. A tragic death that took place in my District early this year highlights the need for Congress to support the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program at the U.S. Department of Justice, DOJ. As many of my colleagues know from national news reports, nineteen-year-old Brianna Denison was abducted, strangled to death, and left in a vacant field in southeast Reno. Based on DNA evidence, law enforcement determined that Brianna's murder was the work of a serial offender linked to several other attacks in the Reno area. Like a majority of states, Nevada has experienced a significant backlog in DNA processing. At the time of Brianna's murder, more than 3,000 samples were waiting to be processed in Nevada alone. Local law enforcement petitioned the Reno community for donations that would enable them to expedite processing of samples collected as part of Brianna's case and tackle the statewide backlog. Nevadans contributed nearly $300,000 to eliminate the backlog of DNA samples in our State. This significant outpouring of support demonstrates the American people's commitment to fighting crime through DNA technology. Congress should take this opportunity to mirror the priorities of those we represent. In an age where DNA technology has the potential to solve previously unsolvable crimes and quickly put violent offenders behind bars, there is no excuse for failing to equip law enforcement agencies with the tools and personnel they need to quickly process DNA. The Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act provides a vital means of reducing the DNA evidence backlog in labs across the country. I joined 26 of my colleagues, including the author of this legislation, in sending a letter to appropriators earlier this year urging appropriators to provide full funding for the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program. Few investments could be more important to effective law enforcement in the 21st century. The national DNA database has made matches or otherwise aided in more than 51,000 cases since its inception. While the DNA of Brianna's killer was unfortunately not detected as Nevada's samples were processed in recent months, it is quite possible that the DNA of Brianna's killer is backlogged in another state. Also worth noting is the fact that Nevada law enforcement was able to link 30 unsolved cases to known offenders as a result of eliminating our state's DNA backlog. Assuming a similar success rate nationwide, hundreds--if not thousands--of criminals could be put behind bars if law enforcement could process all DNA samples on hand. Thousands of victims and families whose cases are currently unsolved could find closure. Ensuring that all crime-related DNA samples are entered in the nationwide database makes every community in every district safer. Supporting the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program tells law enforcement that Congress supports their crimefighting efforts with the best technology available, and shows the American people our commitment to taking violent criminals off our streets. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act as well as efforts to provide full funding for this vital program.