Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlelady from California, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a member of the Committee on Appropriations and a Member with a long history of advocating for those unempowered persons around the world.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for her leadership on this issue and the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Lantos. Again, my appreciation and the committee's appreciation to Mr. McGovern and Mr. Pitts for their joint collaboration on a very instructive and important lifesaving measure. As someone who has recently returned, let me again say that the voices of these individuals have to be heard through the humanitarian efforts of this Congress.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 8 minutes to the distinguished member of the Rules Committee, Mr. McGovern, the author of the legislation, and a strong and dedicated and committed advocate for the displaced persons of Colombia, indigenous Afro-Colombians and others in need.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, let me join in the debate that has taken somewhat of a slightly different turn that I think is enormously important. This resolution speaks to the confusion that we have experienced when there is an organization that blocks others from benefiting from the world's natural resources. I am reminded that my colleague, Congressman Nick Lampson, and myself offered a few years ago an amendment to ask the Department of Interior to do an inventory of the resources that were in the gulf. We know that the gulf offers many different geographic regions. The exploration in those areas is somewhat controversial. But in the areas of Louisiana and Texas, it has been accepted and, frankly, has been one of the most safe approaches to the question of exploration of natural resources. But I raised that question, having listened to a number of my colleagues, to say that a component to the idea of ensuring that the world's resources are spread fairly and are not held to penalize or punish is the acceptance of the resources in the region, in the gulf region. As we speak, there are a number of explorations and finds that are going on safely and environmentally safely, if you will, that are utilizing new finds in natural gas. The idea of a cartel or an organization on natural gas again to penalize and punish unfairly those who don't have the resources certainly should be spoken to by this Congress. I also believe that the issue has to be one that is addressed by the respective heads of the agencies, the Secretary of Interior, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of State, to be able to address these questions on a diplomatic basis, so that, in essence, we can move this resolution and be able to stop this at its start. I am glad that the names of Qatar, Trinidad and Canada were mentioned, because there are positive relationships that have been engendered. Nigeria has been a country that has been friendly to the United States and should be mentioned as well. So we have a long way to go on disestablishing, of providing some break in the idea that when you organize, you organize to punish and to penalize; you organize to take away resources; you organize to gouge; you organize to undermine. I frankly believe that there are many ways of looking at this question of natural resources to be spread, and one of them, of course, is to improve the utilization of natural resources here in the United States and particularly the utilization of those in the gulf region. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 467) condemning the decision by the University and College Union of the United Kingdom to support a boycott of Israeli academia, as amended.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me first express our great appreciation to our colleague from Pennsylvania, Representative Patrick Murphy, for introducing this important and timely measure. Madam Speaker, on May 30, the University and College Union of the United Kingdom voted to urge its membership to boycott Israeli faculty in academic institutions, an extraordinary action by men and women of letters in a free society and the belief in academic freedom. Mr. Murphy's resolution today voices the extreme disapproval of the United States Congress of the Union's shortsighted, simpleminded and singularly offensive action. What the University and College Union has done flies in the face of the very values that define democracies and are critical to their success, freedom of inquiry and freedom of speech, or freedom to disagree. If the University and College Union follows through with this boycott, it will also spark numerous individual and institutional boycotts against British academics and others who likewise have similar values. An academic boycott is a blatant effort to stifle free thinking and debate, the hallmarks of a democratic society. From any point of view, it is wrong. Only in the most extreme moral exigencies would I find the need to take such an action and for such an action to be acceptable. In this particular instance, however, it seems outright wrong. By singling out the conduct of Israel, which is a democratic and pluralistic society surrounded by states with many charges of human rights violations against them, the union's leadership has revealed its true purpose, to demonize Israel. It is simply inexplicable how the union has turned a blind eye to the world's worst violators of human rights and targeted Israel only. If anything, Israeli universities are one of the few places in the world where one will find Jews and Arabs learning side by side. The union's selective sympathy demonstrates a profound ignorance of Israel's academic community and the threats that the country faces. Having personally visited Israel and its academic institutions, I can tell you that Jews and Arabs do study side by side, and the good news is that they learn, and they learn from each other, and out of that comes positive reaction to the conflicts of the region. The events of this past month in the Gaza Strip in which Hamas lay waste to the legitimate institutions of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza further underscore the profound misjudgment of union leaders to narrowly condemn Israel. The University and College Union of the United Kingdom has thus far chosen to ignore these developments and instead focused its wrath on Israel's ongoing efforts to defend itself against Hamas and other terrorists. If the union truly cared about helping Palestinians, it would help nurture dialogue among Israeli and Palestinian academics and come to the resolution that the two states must live side by side, and Israel has a right to exist. It would support institutions that help to develop, not stunt the educational sector for Israelis and Palestinians. And most importantly, it would condemn Hamas and others that repeatedly hijack and sabotage any possibility of a lasting two- state solution to the conflict. By blaming the victims for the terrorists' crimes, the union's actions represent a bizarre inversion of the most fundamental principles of human rights. People of conscience have no choice but to speak out against this hypocrisy. In the face of terror and those who are morally blind to it, we must stand up for the values we cherish: openness, dialogue, democracy and freedom. That is why Mr. Murphy's legislation is so important, and that is why I call upon all of my colleagues to support this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this evening I rise to introduce H. Res. 535 in tribute to David Ray Ritcheson, a survivor of one of the most horrific hate crimes in the history of Texas, and recognizing his efforts in promoting Federal legislation to combat hate crimes. David Ray Ritcheson, a Mexican American, was a friendly and cheerful student at Klein Collins High School in the Houston suburb of Spring, Texas and a popular and talented football athlete who was loved and admired by his family and friends. However, on April 23, 2006, at the age of 16, David Ray Ritcheson was severely assaulted while attending a party in Spring, Texas by skinheads who assaulted and violated him because of his race. It was through his suffering of this enormous tragedy, having gone through more than 30 surgeries to restore his appearance and regain the normal use of his body, that this young man stayed steadfast and came to the Judiciary Committee in 2007 and gave the most passionate plea for the passage of the Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. This resolution, Mr. Speaker, is a resolution in tribute to Mr. David Ray Ritcheson, after having lost his life in July of 2007. We look forward to the debate of this resolution on the floor of the House, and we pay tribute to David Ray Ritcheson for his courage and for the tragedy that took his life.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support, and as a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 556, the bipartisan National Security FIRST Act of 2007. This bill will ensure that never again will the Congress and people of the United States be taken by surprise at the discovery that an administration may have endangered the nation's security by authorizing the acquisition of critical American infrastructure by an entity owned or controlled by foreign government with interests inimical to the United States. Mr. Speaker, recall how outraged Americans were in January 2006 when we learned of the Bush administration's secret approval of the Dubai Ports World deal. That is when it was disclosed that the secretive Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) had approved a port deal sought by Dubai Ports World--with only minimal review--despite the deal's national security implications. Dubai Ports World is a company owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Dubai port deal would have resulted in the company managing terminal operations at six major U.S. ports, including the Port of Houston in my own congressional district. But that is not all. As the facts began to dribble out, we learned that the CFIUS had not initiated a 45-day national security investigation--despite the fact that UAE had links to 9/11 and notwithstanding the fact the Department of Homeland Security had raised security concerns. It was only in response to the overwhelming disapproval, criticism, and anger of the American people and the Congress that Dubai Ports World announced in early March 2006 that it was divesting itself of these U.S. port operations, effectively killing the deal. Mr. Speaker, although this was a happy outcome it did not obscure the material fact that the CFIUS process was fundamentally flawed. This is because despite the national security implications, the Bush administration lawfully had approved the Dubai Ports World deal with only minimal review--and with no notification to the Congress. It is also clear from the record that the Bush administration only gave the Dubai port deal a cursory look before approving it. The secretive CFIUS approved the plan with little review, in only 30 days, and without the 45-day national security investigation that should have been conducted. Further, the CFIUS approval was made by mid-level officials. The senior-level decisionmakers in the administration-- including the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the President of the United States--were not involved in the decisionmaking process and learned of it only from media reports. In addition, no Member of Congress was informed of the secretive approval by CFIUS of the port deal--with Members also learning about the deal in press reports. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I participated in hearings that uncovered the weaknesses in the CFIUS regulatory framework and cosponsored bipartisan legislation in the 109th Congress that would have corrected these deficiencies. That bill, H.R. 5337, passed the House 424-0 but the Republican congressional leadership in the last Congress could not get together with the Senate to produce and present to the President a bill he would sign. We rectify that failure today. H.R. 556 strengthens national security by reforming the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) process by which the Federal Government reviews foreign investments in the United States for their national security implications. The bill requires CFIUS to conduct a 30-day review of any national security-related business transaction. After a 30-day review is conducted, CFIUS would be required to conduct a full-scale, 45-day investigation of the effects the business transaction would have on national security if the committee review determines that the transaction threatens to impair national security and these threats have not been mitigated during the 30-day review. The statutory 45-day review is also triggered if the committee review determines that the transaction involves a foreign government-controlled entity and the CFIUS chairman and vice chairman are unable to certify it poses no threat to the national security. Finally, the 45-day review is required if the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) identifies intelligence concerns with the transaction that he concludes could threaten national security, and these threats have not been mitigated during the 30-day review. The bill also contains numerous other provisions to strengthen the CFIUS review process. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 556 for four important reasons. First, it subjects transactions involving foreign governments to a stricter level of scrutiny. Second, the bill provides for senior-level accountability for CFIUS decisions. Third, the bill improves CFIUS accountability to Congress. Finally, H.R. 556 strengthens the CFIUS review process by establishing a formal role for intelligence assessments for every transaction. I will briefly discuss each of these important procedural improvements. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier, the Dubai Ports World deal was approved by mid-level officials and without a 45-day national security investigation of the transaction, even though Dubai Ports World was owned by a foreign government. H.R. 556 strengthens current law by requiring in cases involving a company that is controlled by a foreign government, a non-delegable certification by either (1) the chairman of CFIUS (the Secretary of the Treasury) or the vice-chairman of CFIUS (the Secretary of Homeland Security) that the transaction poses no national security threat. In the absence of this non-delegable certification, a second-stage 45-day national security investigation of the transaction must take place. Next, H.R. 556 ensures senior level accountability for CFIUS decisions by requiring the chairman and vice chairman of CFIUS to approve all transactions where CFIUS consideration is completed within the 30-day review period (limiting delegation of approval authority to the Under Secretary level); and requires that the President approve all transactions that have also been subjected to the second-stage 45-day national security investigation. H.R. 556 improves CFIUS accountability to Congress. As was noted above, Members of Congress were not notified of the CFIUS approval of the Dubai Ports World deal. This bill rectifies this failure by requiring CFIUS to report to the congressional committees of jurisdiction within 5 days after the final action on a CFIUS investigation, and permits the committees to request one detailed classified briefing on the transaction. The bill also requires CFIUS to file semi-annual reports to Congress that contain information on transactions handled by the committee during the previous 6 months. Last, H.R. 556 strengthens the CFIUS review process by establishing a formal role for intelligence assessments for every transaction. The bill requires that every transaction be subjected to an assessment by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and contains provisions to ensure that the DNI has adequate time to conduct the required assessment. All in all, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 556 represents an important contribution to our effort to secure the homeland. Last November, the American people voted for change, they voted for competence, they voted for a new direction for our country. I am proud to say that with H.R. 556, the new majority has once again delivered on its promise to chart a new direction to make America safer and more secure. I urge all Members to join me in supporting H.R. 556.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 660, the ``Court Security Improvement Act of 2007.'' This legislation will go a long way toward enhancing the security and integrity of our judicial system and the able men and women who comprise the Federal judiciary. Mr. Speaker, let me quote the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court: ``Our democracy and the rule of law depend upon safe and secure courthouses.'' That is because an independent judiciary is essential for a regime based on the rule of law. Nothing can do more to undermine the independence of the judiciary than the very real threat of physical harm to members of the judiciary or their families to intimidate or retaliate. In 1979, U.S. District Court Judge John Wood, Jr., was fatally shot outside of his home by assassin Charles Harrelson. The murder contract had been placed by Texas drug lord Jamiel Chagra, who was awaiting trial before the judge. In 1988, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Daronco was murdered at his house by Charles Koster, the father of the unsuccessful plaintiff in a discrimination case. The following year, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Richard Vance was killed by a letter bomb sent to his home. The letter bomb was attributed to racist animus against Judge Vance for writing an opinion reversing a lower-court ruling to lift an 18-year desegregation order from the Duval County, Florida schools. In this age of the global war on terror, the danger faced by Federal judges, judicial officers, and court personnel is real, as illustrated by the three murders noted above. The recent and tragic murder of U.S. District Court Judge Joan Humphrey Letkow's husband and mother reminds us that the danger has not abated. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 660 provides a three-pronged legislative response to the security challenges facing our judicial institutions and personnel. First, it directs the U.S. Marshals Service to consult with the Judicial Conference regarding the security requirements for the judicial branch, in order to improve the implementation of security measures needed to protect judges, court employees, law enforcement officers, jurors and other members of the public who are regularly in Federal courthouses. The bill also extends authority to redact information relating to family members from a Federal judge's disclosure statements required by the Ethics in Government Act and removes the sunset provision from the redaction authority, thus making the redaction authority permanent. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 660 also enhances the security and protection of judicial personnel and their families by making it a criminal offense to maliciously record a fictitious lien against a Federal judge or Federal law enforcement officer. This new crime and punishment is intended to deter individuals from attempting to intimidate and harass Federal judges and employees by filing false liens against their real and personal property. The bill also makes it a crime to publish on the Internet restricted personal information concerning judges, law enforcement, public safety officers, jurors, witnesses, or other officers in any U.S. Court. The penalty for a violation is a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years. Additionally, the bill increases the maximum penalty for killing or attempting to kill a witness, victim, or informant to obstruct justice or in retaliation for their testifying or providing information to law enforcement by increasing maximum penalties. All in all, Mr. Speaker, this bill makes a substantial contribution to the enhancement of security of judicial institutions and personnel. I urge all members to join me in supporting this beneficial legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, thank you for this opportunity to speak in support of H.R. 2643, the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2008 and to commend Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt for their leadership in shepherding this bill through the legislative process. Madam Chairwoman, I support this bill because it focuses our efforts on global climate change and ensures that America's water and air will be cleaner. It is said the Arctic region is warming fastest, threatening the livelihoods of indigenous hunters by thawing the polar ice-cap and driving species like polar bears toward extinction by the end of the century. Today, more than one third of the world's population lives. within 60 miles of a shoreline. Thirteen of the world's twenty largest cities are located on a coast. Because of their precarious location and unique meteorology, these cities are particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. As industrial and commercial centers, many are also net contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, extending the effects of global warming. Given the earth is ``committed'' to rises in temperature over the next 30-40 years, it was only rational these futures be built into business models. But reducing emissions did not need to be at the expense of competitiveness: in fact, carbon trading, clean technologies, and sustainable energy generation all promised new opportunities for skilled jobs and economic growth. Houston is also experiencing more frequent and more powerful storms and rain fall, in terms of flooding, some of the old structural solutions--the concreted bayous of Houston need additional measures to ensure the safety of the population. Unfortunately, Houston's development pattern had made such weaknesses more acute. The city represented ``classic urban sprawl over coastal ecology.'' With its large, low density population and high density roads and impervious surfaces the city was highly vulnerable to flooding. Before the development arrived, the natural ecology of the Houston delta would have managed increases in rainfall and flooding. But the constructed environment had pushed back forest and wetland ecologies and undermined natural flood alleviation mechanisms. The major causes of flooding in the Houston basin are due to Houston's highly developed area; the intensity and duration of Texas rainfall; and flat topography with little storage. These conditions led to Houston suffering heavily at the hands of flooding--most recently, the $5 billion price tag after the inundations accompanying Tropical Storm Allison. The flooding heavily damaged the urban infrastructure and, because of the release of human waste from sewers and medical waste from hospitals, posed a severe public health risk. Improving the security of our nation's drinking water and wastewater infrastructures has become a top priority since the events of 9/11. This legislation takes significant actions in assessing and reducing vulnerabilities relating to the toxic contamination of our water system. The quality of water should be of the utmost importance when it comes to the health and well-being of the people in this country but the effects of storm water compromises this quality. Individuals who swim in front of flowing storm drains are susceptible to earaches, sinus problems, diarrhea, fever, and rashes; these individuals are 50 percent more likely to develop a variety of symptoms than those who swim 400 yards away from the same drains. In a ranking of environmental risks posed to the metropolitan Houston area, an Environmental Foresight Committee has identified water pollution as having a relatively high risk. Houston needs to address the trash and odor problems in our waterways which. significantly affect quality of life, and economic tourism, development. Maintaining the biological soundness of the state's rivers, lakes, bays, and estuaries is of great importance to the public's economic health and general well-being. The fact that greater pressures and demands are being placed on the federal government pertaining to security of our water resources makes H.R. 2643 paramount to reexamine the process for ensuring that these important priorities effectively address the maintenance of a proper ecological environment of the bays and estuaries of the nation and the health of related living marine resources. It is time that we as Americans start becoming more aware and better activists in keeping the air we breathe clean. Air pollution can damage trees, crops, other plants, lakes, and animals. Breathing polluted air can make your eyes and nose burn. It can irritate your throat and make breathing difficult. Each day, air pollution causes thousands of illnesses leading to lost days at work and school. Air pollution also reduces agricultural crop and commercial forest yields by billions of dollars each year. There are 900,000 children in Harris County alone who are at risk of the health effects from the pollutants in the air. Children are more vulnerable to air pollution than adults because they spend more time outdoors than adults, are usually outdoors most in the summer when air pollution levels are highest, and have immature immune systems. It is time to put a stop to global pollution, it is time to build a better and healthier earth and we can do so by supporting H.R. 2643. For these reasons I strongly urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman very much for yielding. I thank the Chair of the Democratic Caucus, Mr. Emanuel, for his amendment, upon which I decided not to offer my amendment on this issue. Let me explain why I believe that the American people understand that no one is above the law: secret energy task force; secret wiretapping of Americans in violation of the FISA Act; a clandestine campaign to gut critical environmental protections; and new rules developed in secret governing the treatment of foreign terror suspects held by the United States. The Vice President said he is part of the legislative branch. That means we can expel him. But in this instance, I believe we must say to the American people, he is not above the law. This is a nonfunding of the Vice President's residence on the basis of his declaration that he is not part of the executive. I think this is an appropriate vehicle. I think we must say to the American people that not one of us, not one legislator, not one executive person, none of us is above the law. I wholeheartedly support this amendment. I am proud to join as a cosponsor with my good friend, the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Emanuel, in sponsoring this amendment to H.R. 2829, the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2008. I also rise to commend Chairman Serrano and Ranking Member Regula for their leadership in shepherding this bill through the legislative process. I declined to offer the amendment that I filed so unity could be exhibited under one premise--no one is above the law--including the Vice President. Among other things, this legislation provides funding for the Supreme Court and the Federal judiciary, the District of Columbia Government; and several independent agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission. The bill also funds the Executive Office of the President and other executive branch agencies, including the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service. While most Americans do not know that this legislation also provides funding to operate the official residence of the Vice President, they do know that the Vice President is a member of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. This fact apparently is news to the current occupant of the office, Vice President Cheney, who it has been reported resisted compliance with an executive order issued by President Bush in 2003 regarding the handling of classified information on the ground that the Vice President and his office is not a unit of the executive branch. Mr. Chairman, if it were not so serious and not part of a long pattern of disturbing conduct, the Vice President's claim would be merely laughable and his weak grasp of the facts might even be charming. But this Vice President has a long, disturbing, and disastrous record of asserting as fact things that he plainly knows to be untrue. This is the same Vice President who said this about the war in Iraq: ``I think it will go relatively quickly . . . [in] weeks rather than months.'' In the run-up to the war, this same Vice President went on national television and confidently assured the nation that there was a connection between 911 and Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Vice President Cheney proclaimed in March 2002 that Saddam Hussein's Iraq possessed ``biological and chemical weapons,'' and confidently assured the nation less than a week before the launch of the Iraq War that, yes indeed, ``we believe [Iraq] has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.'' In each instance, the Vice President was proven wrong by the facts. With his preposterous claim not to be a member of the executive branch, history is repeating. But as the saying goes: ``history repeats; the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.'' Indeed, perhaps the only person in the whole history of the United States who has been more wrong more often about more things of great consequence than the Vice President is the current President, who after all, is the nation's Chief Executive and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Let us set the record straight and get our facts right. The Vice President is a creature of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government as Article II, section 1 of the Constitution makes clear. The Vice President is not a ``member'' of the Legislative Branch because membership in that branch is governed by the first clause in sections 2 and 3 of Article I. No member of Congress is elected to serve a four-year term as is the Vice President. And no member of Congress is provided an official residence as is the Vice President and the President. A member of the Federal legislature can be involuntarily removed from office if his or her colleagues, by a \2/3\ margin, vote to expel. The Vice President can be involuntarily removed from office after impeachment by the House and conviction in the Senate. Mr. Chairman, the Vice President is extremely intelligent and no doubt knew his claim to be a member of the legislative branch was and is specious. The claim was simply a dodge to evade accountability and compliance with the requirements of the law. We have been down this road before: Secret Energy Task Force, secret wiretapping of Americans in violation of the FISA Act, clandestine campaign to gut critical environmental protections, new rules developed in secret governing the treatment of foreign terrorism suspects held by the United States. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to have spent the majority of my time in Congress protecting and defending the separation of powers that is the hallmark of our democracy. I have consistently opposed this Administration's abuse of executive powers and prerogatives. That is why I introduced H.R. 264, the Congressional Lawmaking Authority Protection Act, challenging the president's misuse of bill signing statements. Similarly, I introduced the Military Success in Iraq Act (MSIA or ``Messiah'') to deliver American troops from Iraq by terminating the authorization to use military force and requiring a new vote to continue offensive military operations in Iraq. A third example of my resistance to this Administration misuse and abuse of authority is H.R. 267, the Military Commissions Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007, which I introduced to repeal the restriction on the jurisdiction of courts, justices, and judges to hear or consider applications for writs of habeas corpus filed by or on behalf of certain aliens detained by the United States. Mr. Chairman, no person is above the law and certainly not Vice President Cheney. That is why I joined with Congressman Emanuel to resist his latest attempt to avoid accountability and evade responsibility. The intent of the amendment is straightforward: to limit the availability of funds for the Office of the Vice President only to Vice Presidents who are members of the executive branch of the Federal Government and subject to the executive authority of the President of the United States. The appropriated funds are not available to members of the legislative branch. A person is a member of the legislative branch only if they are so qualified by virtue of compliance with Article I, section 2, clause 1 or Article I, section 3, clause 1. Acting as President over the Senate is not sufficient to make one a ``member'' of the Senate, and thus a member of the legislative branch. Although our amendment will save the taxpayers $4.752 million from being used by the Vice President, it does not restrict funding for the Vice President's secret service protection and does not affect the funds Cheney would receive as President of the Senate. The Senate version of the FY08 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill provides the President of the Senate with $2.3 million. Mr. Chairman, if the Vice President does not think he is a member of the executive branch there is no reason he should impose upon the taxpayers to fund the perquisites of his office. Democrats were entrusted by the voters with the majority to restore fiscal responsibility, oversight, and accountability to government. The new majority is committed to ensuring that government operates in an open, transparent, accountable and fair manner. For all these reasons, Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of the amendment. Let me again thank Chairman Serrano and Ranking Member Regula for their courtesies, consideration, and very fine work in putting together this excellent legislation.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, it goes right into the same appropriations, historic State offices, but it doesn't take any money out without putting it right back in.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman for accepting the amendment, and I look forward to working with committee and working with the chairman on this important historical statement and language as we move forward to conference.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman and ask my colleagues to support this amendment.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Just a few minutes ago, the full committee Chair mentioned the value of this bill, and I salute the appropriators, the chairman and ranking member of the subcommittee, for the valiant effort that they have made, whether it is about hazardous toxic cleanup; Superfund sites; national parks; historic preservation, where $102 million is appropriated, $30 million over the budget of the President, $30 million over the 2007 mark and $20 million above the President's request. This is a very good effort, and I want to thank Mr. Tiahrt and I want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee and both the chairman and ranking member of the full committee. The chairman of the subcommittee just a moment ago mentioned the words ``downward trend'' in the budget process as another amendment was being debated. I want to bring to the attention of my colleagues the downward trend of historic preservation around America. My amendment is simple. It is to encourage through reprogramming the National Historic Preservation Fund and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to redouble their efforts to assist State and local governments and community groups in identifying and working to preserve nationally significant sites, structures, and artifacts, particularly those relating to communities founded by newly emancipated slaves such as Freedmen's Town in Houston, Texas, or Tulsa in Oklahoma or the work that was done to serve the pre-Civil War and post-Civil War mansions in Savannah, Georgia, or the meat packing area in New York. We have to be able to stand for preservation in the face of urban renewal, in the face of urban infrastructure that has to be done. I am hoping the reprogramming of $1 million will help communities like Freedmen's Town, help the city of Houston to realize that we mean business and the acknowledgment of the importance of historic preservation. This is the historic Fourth Ward. These are the cobblestone streets that have been laid by the hands of slaves. And just a few days ago, we commemorated emancipation. These are the remaining churches where pastors have dedicated their congregations and their moneys and themselves to historic preservation. These are the streets that have been disrupted. And what we are hoping by this amendment is that the present project of infrastructure work for clean water, which is crucially important, can be done by the work or the analysis of an engineer that says you can do this on a sidewalk and preserve these cobblestone bricks that were laid by hand by 34 freed slaves who were bricklayers at that time. We know that the repetition of disrupting these bricks will destroy them forever, and there is a community that desires to have this preserved. This amendment, which is a reprogramming, emphasizes the importance of this. Let us not have a downward trend, if you will, of historic preservation. Many Members have come to the floor with issues of value around Interior and Environment. We want the environment to be safe, but we want the historic environment to be preserved for those who are a valuable part of the historical story of America. So I would ask my colleagues to support this amendment. It is crucial to the Freedmen's Town community in Houston, but it is crucial to the Tulsa story in Oklahoma. It is crucial to the story of Chicago, crucial to Savannah, crucial to New York, and many other States where we have systematically ignored the historic preservation of our Nation. Who will tell our children the story? I am fighting in Houston. Others are fighting elsewhere. This amendment is to create the historical record, the legislative record, that we are committed to. Let me thank the committee for its commitment. We know the fund is sizable, but this is an important step. And the funding that was given is an important affirmation of historic preservation, particularly when engineers recognize that you can construct infrastructure work and preserve the historic identity of this community. Thank you for this opportunity to speak in support of my amendment to H.R. 2643, the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2008, and to commend Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt for their leadership in shepherding this bill through the legislative process. Among other agencies, this legislation funds the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park System, and the Smithsonian Institution, which operates our national museums, including the National Zoo. Most Americans do not know that this bill also funds a very special agency, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and its adjunct, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple but it sends a very important message from the Congress of the United States. The purpose of my amendment is to encourage the National Historic Preservation Fund and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to redouble their efforts to assist state and local governments and community groups in identifying and working to preserve nationally significant sites, structures, and artifacts, particularly those relating to communities founded by newly emancipated slaves, such as Freedmen's Town in Houston, Texas. Mr. Chairman, just west of downtown Houston lies the Fourth Ward. It is the city's oldest Black community. But before it was the Fourth Ward, this community was known by its original name, Freedmen's Town, given by freed slaves who settled it shortly after receiving the news of their emancipation on Juneteenth. Initially located where Allen Parkway Village now stands, Freedmen's Town was established immediately after the Civil War, when many farmers gave or sold their truck farms and property to freed slaves. Freedmen's Town prospered during the turn of the century. Economic, community, and social development were at a peak until local government became threatened by the prosperity of this area and its residents. In the 1920s, Freedmen's Town was the ``Harlem of the Southwest.'' The area was filled with many restaurants, jazz spots, and night clubs. These establishments were frequently visited by Houston's white citizens as well. West Dallas was the community's main commercial strip. As the years passed and with the coming of integration, many Freedmen's Town residents began to move toward Texas Southern University, in the Third Ward, and other areas of the city, such as Studewood, South Park, Riverside Terrace, Kashmere Gardens, and Acres Homes. And the size and population of Freedmen's Town began to shrink. Much of this was due to construction in the late 1930s against the wishes of Blacks here, which continued to sever the historical neighborhood, divided nearly at midpoint by the addition of the Gulf Freeway. The struggle for justice by community residents and leadership is only one facet of Freedmen's Town's rich and colorful past, which is still home to many significant historical landmarks and features. Hand- laid brick streets, constructed by Rev. Jeremiah and his congregation over half a century ago, still run through the area. Houston's first cemetery, Founder's Cemetery at Valentine and West Dallas, contains the graves of military men who fought in the Civil War, as well as the historical remains of John and Augustus Allen, the founders of Houston. Immediately adjacent to Founder's Cemetery stands the ``Hanging Tree'' where several Blacks were hanged. During World War I, Camp Logan, located just west of Freedmen's Town, was the site of the worst race war in the city's history--the ``Camp Logan War'' in August of 1917. Behind Founder's Cemetery lies Congregation Beth Israel, the oldest Jewish cemetery in Houston, which is beautifully maintained to this day. Among other historical churches in the area, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church built in 1866 continues to be a major focal point of Freedmen's Town, though it has been relocated from its original site on ``Baptist Hill'' where the Music Hall and Coliseum now stand. Reverend John Jack Yates, the first Black pastor of Antioch, was a dynamic and influential leader known for his deep commitment to the education of Black youngsters. He often used his personal finances to send Freedmen's Town children to school. Today, Jack Yates High School in the Third Ward stands in his honor. Of the houses that Reverend Yates built, only the one he built for his brother remains at 1314 Andrews. Yates' historical homestead at 1318 Andrews, believed to be the oldest two-story home built by an African American owner, was moved to Sam Houston Park (ironically, a park commemorating a slave-owner), while the house at 1204 Wilson was demolished by the City of Houston in 1986. Further plans promoted under the name of ``Founders Park'' so threatened the historical preservation of Freedmen's Town that outraged residents and leadership organized opposition through the Freedmen's Town Neighborhood Association to defeat the plans of outside private interests. However, the constant encroachment on Freedmen's Town and Fourth Ward continues to date with the plans of the Houston Renaissance and private developers. Although Freedmen's Town is a nationally registered historical site, and the largest intact freed slave settlement left in the entire Nation, its official designation protects only 40 of the 80 blocks or more of the remaining Freedmen's Town area. To preserve what remains of Freedmen's Town will require the combined efforts of community groups working with local, State, and Federal Government to reach a consensus of projects worthy of preservation. One such project for Freedmen's Town is the ``Bricks Street Project,'' which is intended to preserve the original brick pavers of Freedmen's Town along Andrews Street and Wilson Street. These streets have been found to contain brick pavers patterns which may be unique to the Freedmen's Town area, and are consistent with brick patterns seen on architectural features located in the Historic District. Oral histories indicate the possibility that portions of the iron rails which once carried a Freedmen's Town trolley car may still remain in situ in the rail track ways. Three of these community groups include the Rutherford BH Yates Museum, Inc., which has played a leading part in promoting the Bricks Street Project; the Resident Council of Allen Parkway Village, which works to educate the public on issues of Federal housing and historical preservation laws; and the Freedmen's Town Association, founded for the purpose of assuring the active and effective participation of current residents in planning the preservation, restoration, and development of the area, especially in the area of business and private home ownership. Mr. Chairman, hearts break when irreplaceable structures are destroyed or damaged beyond repair, instead of preserved and protected as they deserve. A plaque pointing out ``on this site a great building once stood'' simply cannot tell the story in whole or in full. Equally tragic is the loss of traditions: a way of living or crafting wood or farming, of celebrating holidays or worshiping or feasting on ``Juneteenth'' cuisine. The preservation and perpetuation of artifacts as well as traditions is important to telling the story of the people who settled a community. By protecting the buildings, landscape or special places and qualities that attract visitors, we preserve our history for future generations. For all these reasons, Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of my amendment and thank Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt for their courtesies, consideration, and very fine work in putting together this excellent legislation. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I conclude by thanking both the chairman and the ranking member, and I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me again offer my appreciation to the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member of the subcommittee for the courtesies of both of their staff. This amendment was offered last year. It is a continued commitment I have to the Smithsonian and the value of its programs and outreaching across America. My amendment is simple, and it simply has the Congress on record to encourage and not limit outreach programs administered by the Smithsonian Institution, as I indicated, an identical amendment that was offered last year. What are these outreach programs? These outreach programs involve reaching out to communities, African American communities, Asian American communities, Latino communities, Native American communities, and yes, New Americana. It is a program dealing with Kindergarten through college age museum education outreach opportunities. It enhances the K-12 science education programs and facilitates the Smithsonian's scholarly interactions with students and scholars at universities. Some would say that it brings the scholars of America out of the attics of America. In addition, it has a program called the Mobile Museum, an exhibit that can visit up to three venues per week in the course of only 1 year, at no cost to the host institution or community. The net result is an increase by 150 the number of outreach locations to which SITES shows can travel annually. And in addition, through its flexibility in making short-term stops in cities and towns from coast to coast, a mobile museum has the advantage of being able to frequent the very locations where people live and work. I believe America is a great country. We have a very rich history, and that history sometimes is lost because of the lack of technical assistance and education of our community. For example, may I share with my colleagues, the community in Houston called Freedmen's Town? It is a community that was settled by freed slaves. It now has a few remaining structures after urban revitalization. Part of the complexity of it is a lack of education, understanding of the value. Artifacts, museums, preservation, all of that is part of the work of the Smithsonian outreach that educates the community about the precious jewels that they have. Cobblestone streets that were laid by slaves, churches that were built by slaves, and a variety of other facilities, like an old school that was attended by freed slaves. The Smithsonian's outreach program educates us about our history, provides mobile museums, connects America, connects us to this fabulous and extensive museum's holdings of the Nation's history by visual scenes. And so I would ask my colleagues to consider the importance of reaffirming, if you will, the value of the outreach program of the Smithsonian. Mr. Chairman, thank you for this opportunity to speak in support of my amendment to H.R. 2643 the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2008 and to commend Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt for their leadership in shepherding this bill through the legislative process. Among other agencies, this legislation funds the Smithsonian Institution, which operates our national museums, including the Air and Space Museum; the Museum of African Art; the Museum of the American Indian; and the National Portrait Gallery. The Smithsonian also operates another national treasure: the National Zoo. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple but it sends a very important message from the Congress of the United States. My amendment provides that none of the funds made available in this act be used to limit outreach programs administered by the Smithsonian Institution. An identical amendment was offered to last year's appropriations bill, H.R. 5386, and was adopted by voice vote. Mr. Chairman, the Smithsonian's outreach programs bring Smithsonian scholars in art, history, and science out of ``the nation's attic'' and into their own backyard. Each year, millions of Americans visit the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. But in order to fulfill the Smithsonian's mission, ``the increase and diffusion of knowledge,'' the Smithsonian seeks to serve an even greater audience by bringing the Smithsonian to enclaves of communities who otherwise would be deprived of the vast amount of cultural history offered by the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian's outreach programs serve millions of Americans, thousands of communities, and hundreds of institutions in all 50 States, through loans of objects, traveling exhibitions, and sharing of educational resources via publications, lectures and presentations, training programs, and websites. Smithsonian outreach programs work in close cooperation with Smithsonian museums and research centers, as well as with 144 affiliate institutions and others across the Nation. The Smithsonian's outreach activities support community-based cultural and educational organizations around the country; ensure a vital, recurring, and high-impact Smithsonian presence in all 50 States through the provision of traveling exhibitions and a network of affiliations; increase connections between the Institution and targeted audiences (African American, Asian American, Latino, and native American, and all of America); provide kindergarten through college- aged museum education and outreach opportunities; enhance K-12 science education programs; facilitate the Smithsonian's scholarly interactions with students and scholars at universities, museums, and other research institutions; and publish and disseminate results related to the research and collections strengths of the Institution. The programs that provide the critical mass of Smithsonian outreach activity are: the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), the Smithsonian Affiliations, the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies (SCEMS), National Science Resources Center (NSRC), the Smithsonian Institution Press (SIP), the Office of Fellowships (OF) and the Smithsonian Associates (TSA), which receives no federal funding. To achieve the goal of increasing public engagement, SITES directs some of its federal resources to develop Smithsonian Across America: A Celebration of National Pride. This ``mobile museum,'' which will feature Smithsonian artifacts from the most iconic (Presidential portraits, historic American flags, Civil War records, astronaut uniforms, etc.) to the simplest items of everyday life (family quilts, prairie schoolhouse furnishings, historic lunch boxes, multilingual store front and street signs, etc.), has been a long-standing organizational priority of the Smithsonian. SITES ``mobile museum'' is the only traveling exhibit format able to guarantee audience growth and expanded geographic distribution during sustained periods of economic retrenchment, but also because it is imperative for the many exhibitors nationwide who are struggling financially yet eager to participate in Smithsonian outreach. As economic downturn and uncertainty continue to erode the ability of museums to present temporary exhibitions, the ``mobile museum'' promises to answer an ever-growing demand for Smithsonian shows in the field. A single, conventional SITES exhibit can reach a maximum of 12 locations over a 2- to 3-year period. In contrast, a ``mobile museum'' exhibit can visit up to three venues per week in the course of only 1 year, at no cost to the host institution or community. The net result is an increase by 150 in the number of outreach locations to which SITES shows can travel annually. And in addition to its flexibility in making short-term stops in cities and towns from coast-to-coast, a ``mobile museum'' has the advantage of being able to frequent the very locations where people live, work, and take part in leisure time activities. By establishing an exhibit presence in settings like these, SITES will not only increase its annual visitor participation by 1 million, but also advance a key Smithsonian performance objective: to develop exhibit approaches that address diverse audiences, including population groups not always affiliated with mainstream cultural institutions. SITES also will be the public exhibitions' face of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Mrican American History and Culture, as the planning for that new Museum gets under way. Providing national access to projects that will introduce the American public to the Museum's mission, SITES in FY 2008 will tour such stirring exhibitions as NASA ART: 50 Years of Exploration; 381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story; Beyond: Visions of Planetary Landscapes; The Way We Worked: Photographs from the National Archives; and More Than Words: Illustrated Letters from the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art. To meet the growing demand among smaller community and ethnic museums for an exhibition celebrating the Latino experience, SITES will issue a scaled-down version of the National Museum of American History's 4,000- square-foot exhibition about legendary entertainer Celia Cruz. Two 1,500-square-foot exhibitions, one about Crow Indian history and the other on basket traditions, will give Smithsonian visitors beyond Washington a taste of the Institution's critically acclaimed National Museum of the American Indian. Two more exhibits, In Plane View and Earth from Space, will provide visitors in the field with a taste of the Smithsonian's recently opened, expansive National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center. Several exhibit tours will be extended by popular demand. The most important of them are The American Presidency and Our Journeys, Our Stories, the original itineraries of which could not accommodate multiple exhibitor requests. For almost 30 years, The Smithsonian Associates--the highly regarded educational arm of the Smithsonian Institution--has arranged Scholars in the Schools programs. Through this tremendously successful and well- received educational outreach program, the Smithsonian shares its staff--hundreds of experts in art, history and science--with the national community at a local level. The mission of Smithsonian Affiliations is to build a strong national network of museums and educational organizations in order to establish active and engaging relationships with communities throughout the country. There are currently 138 affiliates located in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Panama. By working with museums of diverse subject areas and scholarly disciplines, both emerging and well- established, Smithsonian Affiliations is building partnerships through which audiences and visitors everywhere will be able to share in the great wealth of the Smithsonian while building capacity and expertise in local communities. The National Science Resources Center (NSRC) will strive to increase the number of ethnically diverse students participating in effective science programs based on NSRC products and services. The Center will develop and implement a national outreach strategy that will increase the number of school districts (currently more than 800) that are implementing NSRC K-8 programs. The NSRC is striving to further enhance its program activity with a newly developed scientific outreach program introducing communities and school districts to science through literacy initiatives. Some of NSRC's goals are: Double the number of school districts implementing NSRC K-8 programs, growing from an estimated 15 percent of the school population to 30 percent Significantly expand national outreach programs to ethnically and culturally diverse school districts through the work of the NSRC's three centers of excellence Engage 125 school districts--representing an additional 5 percent of the United States K-8 student population--bringing the impact of the NSRC's work from 20 percent to 25 percent of the nation's youth Continue to develop and bring first-class educational resources to the nation by forging partnerships with school systems, educators, education and museum professional associations, and others to expand opportunities for development and dissemination of Smithsonian-based education resources Through a collaborative effort with other Smithsonian education units, expand the educational opportunities available throughout the country, particularly in the area of science education reform Expand the number of science materials currently available to school districts for grades K-3 and continue pursuing newly-published children's books, which will enhance science education programs throughout the country Continue to develop and bring first-class educational resources to the nation by forging partnerships with school systems, educators, education and museum professional associations and others to expand opportunities for development and dissemination of Smithsonian-based education resources. In addition, through the building of the multicultural Alliance Initiative, the Smithsonian's outreach programs seek to develop new approaches to enable the public to gain access to Smithsonian collections, research, education, and public programs that reflect the diversity of the American people, including underserved audiences of ethnic populations and persons with disabilities. For all these reasons, Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of my amendment and thank Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt for their courtesies, consideration, and very fine work in putting together this excellent legislation.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. To the ranking member, yes. The amendment is the same language. It is a limitation, the same language that was offered last year.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple, and it sends a very important message to the United States Congress. As I do that, let me thank the chairman of the full committee and the chairman of the subcommittee and all of those who are prepared to work in a bipartisan manner. I can see that the tone has changed on this particular bill because this is an amendment that was accepted last year. My amendment is simple, as I said. It emphasizes the importance of urban forests and preserves our ability to return urban areas to healthy and safe living environments for our children. An identical amendment was offered to last year's appropriations bill, H.R. 5386, and was adopted by voice vote. This amendment emphasizes surveys that indicate that some urban forests are in serious danger. In the past 30 years alone, we have lost 30 percent of all our urban trees, a loss of over 600 million trees. Some of it has been lost to devastating natural disasters. For example, in my travels to New Orleans, as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, huge numbers of trees, maybe thousands, were seen either strewn around or laying upon piles of debris. Eighty percent of the American population lives in dense quarters of a city. Reforestation programs return a tool of nature to a concrete area that can help remove air pollution, filter out chemicals and agricultural waste in water and save communities millions of dollars in storm water management costs. I have certainly seen neighborhoods in Houston benefit from urban reforestation, as it would across the Nation. In addition, havens of green in the middle of a city can have a beneficial effect on a community's health, both physical and psychological, as well as increase property values of the surrounding real estate. Reforestation of cities is an innovative way of combating urban sprawl and/or deterioration. In this age of climate change and global warming, a real commitment to enhancing our environment involves both the protection of existing natural resources and active support for restoration improvement projects. In 1999, American Forests, a conservation group, estimated that the tree cover lost in the greater Washington metropolitan area from 1973 to 1997 resulted in additional 540 million cubic feet of storm water runoff annually, which would have taken more than $1 billion in storm water control facilities to manage. For those of us who live in areas 50 feet below sea level, as I do, in the gulf region, we know how important it is for trees to be amongst us. This amendment is very simple. It is an encouragement based upon existing legislation that indicates that trees are important to clean air, it is important to prevent extreme flooding, storm water runoff, and certainly, it is a cooling factor in these days when temperatures are rising enormously high. I would hope my colleagues would be sensitive to the bipartisan commitment to reforestation and move this amendment forward so that we as a Nation can stand on the record for the greening of America, treeing of America, all over, no matter what region you're in. Thank you for this opportunity to speak in support of my amendment to H.R. 2643, the Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2008, and to commend Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt for their leadership in shepherding this bill through the legislative process. Among other agencies, this legislation funds the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park System, and the Smithsonian Institution, which operates our national museums including the National Zoo. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple but it sends a very important message from the Congress of the United States. My amendment emphasizes the importance of urban forests, and preserves our ability to return urban areas to healthy and safe living environments for our children. An identical amendment was offered to last year's appropriations bill, H.R. 5386, and was adopted by voice vote. Mr. Chairman, surveys indicate that some urban forests are in serious danger. In the past 30 years alone, we have lost 30 percent of all our urban trees--a loss of over 600 million trees. Eighty percent of the American population lives in the dense quarters of a city. Reforestation programs return a tool of nature to a concrete area that can help to remove air pollution, filter out chemicals and agricultural waste in water, and save communities millions of dollars in storm water management costs. I have certainly seen neighborhoods in Houston benefit from urban reforestation. In addition, havens of green in the middle of a city can have beneficial effects on a community's health, both physical and psychological, as well as increase property value of surrounding real estate. Reforestation of cities is an innovative way of combating urban sprawl and/or deterioration. In this age of climate change and global warming, a real commitment to enhancing our environment involves both the protection of existing natural resources and active support for restoration and improvement projects. In 1999, American Forests, a conservation group, estimated that the tree cover lost in the greater Washington metropolitan area from 1973 to 1997 resulted in an additional 540 million cubic feet of storm water runoff annually, which would have taken more than $1 billion in storm water control facilities to manage. Trees breathe in carbon dioxide, and produce oxygen. People breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. A typical person consumes about 38 lbs of oxygen per year. A healthy tree, say a 32-ft tall ash tree, can produce about 260 lbs of oxygen annually--two trees supply the oxygen needs of a person for a year! Trees help reduce pollution by capturing particulates like dust and pollen with their leaves. A mature tree absorbs from 120 to 240 lbs of the small particles and gases of air pollution. They help combat the effects of ``greenhouse'' gases, the increased carbon dioxide produced from burning fossil fuels that is causing our atmosphere to ``heat up.'' Trees help cool down the overall city environment by shading asphalt, concrete and metal surfaces. Buildings and paving in city centers create a heat-island effect. A mature tree canopy reduces air temperatures by about 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit. A 25-foot tree reduces annual heating and cooling costs of a typical residence by 8 to 12 percent, producing an average $10 savings per American household. Proper tree plantings around buildings can slow winter winds, and reduce annual energy use for home heating by 4-22 percent. Mr. Chairman, trees play a vital role in making our cities more sustainable and more liveable. My amendment simply provides for continued support to programs that reforest our urban areas. For all these reasons, Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of my amendment and thank Chairman Dicks and Ranking Member Tiahrt for their courtesies, consideration, and very fine work in putting together this excellent legislation.