William Keating

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedication of the David Cutler Memorial Forest in Duxbury, Massachusetts. David Cutler became of fixture in Duxbury in 1945 when his family decided to settle here, and from that point on, our community has been the better for it. Just five years after moving to Duxbury, his parents started the Duxbury Clipper, and thus began David's affair with newspapers. After serving as captain of Colby College's football team, he came back home and got a job as a reporter at the Patriot Ledger. It wasn't long, though, before he felt a call to duty and David enlisted in the US Marines. Like many men of his age group during that time, he was sent to Vietnam, where in an attack in 1968, he was shot in both legs. His courage and valor were rewarded with a Purple Heart and the title of Captain. Upon returning to the states, he went back to the Patriot Ledger and would soon become the paper's State House reporter. But after two years, he felt another call to duty, and left the Ledger to start the Marshfield Mariner. Today, communities throughout Massachusetts' South Shore are served by one of David's papers--whether it be the Norwell Mariner or Scituate Mariner or anywhere in between. But it takes a special kind of man--a truly gifted story-teller--to make the most local of news a successful business; yet, that's what David did. He took a $1000 investment and turned it into an $8 million empire. From there, David went on to sell his Mariner newspapers and began working to resurrect other struggling newspapers around Massachusetts until his untimely death. The details of David's life appear to describe a man who was larger than life--college football captain, honored Marine, intrepid newspaper reporter and successful entrepreneur. And that is just the highlight reel. It doesn't take into account all the lives he touched both professionally and personally, the numerous community functions and local causes he threw his support behind, the countless games and events he attended for his children and later grandchildren. These are often thought to be ``the little things,'' but in reality they are as much the mark of a man's success. Maybe even more so, for they are what make life rich. So by all accounts, David Cutler was the richest man in town. And the truly fortunate thing is that he seems to have known that while he was still alive. I was moved when I read that early in his illness, David said to an old friend, ``My life's work was my family, and I've succeeded.'' I never had the pleasure of meeting David Cutler, but if all I knew about him was that one quote, I would know he was a good man. David's legacy of service and commitment to our community lives on today. It lives on in his newspapers. It lives on in his family. And it lives on in this forest we are dedicating in his honor. It seems to me that there is no more fitting a memorial for man who contributed so much to Duxbury than a living, breathing, growing part of the town he loved. David Cutler's forest, like the man it is named for, will make its mark on the lives of countless members of our community for generations to come.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra for fifty years of musical entertainment and to express my gratitude for their undying commitment to preserving education of the arts in Massachusetts. The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra was founded fifty years ago as an all-volunteer collection of student and adult musicians. Today, the Orchestra is renowned as the premier cultural arts organization of Cape Cod--comprised of 85 classically trained, professional musicians who bring their passion for music and culture to each and every performance. Under the skillful direction of Maestro Jung-Ho Pak, the Orchestra reaches the hearts of its audiences through five classical concerts and three pop concerts per season--inspiring over 50,000 residents and visitors to the Cape and Islands communities. The home of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra has changed throughout the years--from venues across the Cape to their current stage at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center at Barnstable High School. However, their music has remained in the souls of their listeners wherever they go. Through the Orchestra's MusicWorks! Education Program, students of all ages across the Cape and Islands are provided with the opportunity to interact with orchestra members, learn about their many instruments and attend intimate concerts. These programs are designed to enable all students--not just those who are musically-inclined--to develop an appreciation for and life-long interest in classical music. In September, 2010, the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra merged with the Cape Cod Conservatory of Music & Arts--unifying their mission of inspiring joy through the arts. Now, the Cape Cod Symphony and Conservatory of Music & Arts provide a whole variety of new programs-- from a musical summer camp to music training for adult students--to engage eager participants of all ages. The high-caliber educational opportunities offered by the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra has greatly contributed to the cultural atmosphere of the region. I commend the Orchestra for its devotion to music education and I thank all members, past and present, for their willingness to relay their passion for music and performance to five decades of audiences.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Cape Cod Times, a daily newspaper circulated throughout the towns and villages of Massachusetts' Cape and Islands. Seventy-five years ago, businessmen J.P. Dunn and Basil Brewer came together in a Hyannis garage to publish the Cape Cod Standard-Times. This union grew out of the men's desire to provide the residents of the Cape and Islands with access to community news, so they teamed up with the New Bedford Standard-Times for joint distribution through the 1960s. By 1970, however, the success of local small businesses and industries had brought an era of expansion to the region, augmenting the need for a local paper to service the needs and interests of the unique communities of the Cape and Islands. In 1975, the first Cape Cod Times edition was published as an ``independent Cape Cod newspaper, printed and published on the Cape, by Cape Codders, for Cape Codders.'' Today, the Cape Cod Times provides over 60,000 readers in the region with daily headlines of national and local relevance--from summer beach closings to breaking news across the globe. The paper's circulation reaches beyond the Cape and Islands through its online subscription, allowing readers to stay up-to-date on community happenings no matter their location. Time and time again, the paper has been recognized for its national significance, having been named to such prestigious awards as ``Newspaper of the Year,'' ``Website of the Year'' and ``Sunday Newspaper of the Year'' by the New England Press Association, the New England Newspaper Association, and the New England Associated Press Executives Association. Having owned a home on Cape Cod for twenty years, it is with pride and gratitude that I congratulate the Cape Cod Times, its editors and staff on providing seventy-five years of authentic journalism to the people of the Tenth Congressional District of Massachusetts. I extend my best wishes to the paper for many more years of award-winning journalism to come.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, due to a funeral, I was regrettably unable to attend the Full Committee markup of H. Res. 255; H.R. 1447; H.R. 1299; H.R. 915; H.R. 1801; and H.R. 1165 held on September 21, 2011. I submit this statement for the record to reflect my support for each of the measures and amendments considered during the markup. However, in regard to H.R. 1299, my constituents and I have serious reservations over any legislative language that does not properly differentiate between high-risk areas like the U.S.-Mexico border and low-risk areas like the Cape Cod National Sea Shore. Although I understand that this bill's intention is not to pave the way for DHS to take jurisdiction over from the Department of the Interior, I hope that future discussions on our national security will take into account the differences between high-risk and low-risk borders to better address threats without sending the wrong message to residents who live in low- risk regions.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Cape Cod Times, a daily newspaper circulated throughout the towns and villages of Massachusetts' Cape and Islands. Seventy-five years ago, businessmen J.P. Dunn and Basil Brewer came together in a Hyannis garage to publish the Cape Cod Standard-Times. This union grew out of the men's desire to provide the residents of the Cape and Islands with access to community news, so they teamed up with the New Bedford Standard-Times for joint distribution through the 1960s. By 1970, however, the success of local small businesses and industries had brought an era of expansion to the region, augmenting the need for a local paper to service the needs and interests of the unique communities of the Cape and Islands. In 1975, the first Cape Cod Times edition was published as an ``independent Cape Cod newspaper, printed and published on the Cape, by Cape Codders, for Cape Codders.'' Today, the Cape Cod Times provides over 60,000 readers in the region with daily headlines of national and local relevance--from summer beach closings to breaking news across the globe. The paper's circulation reaches beyond the Cape and Islands through its online subscription, allowing readers to stay up-to-date on community happenings no matter their location. Time and time again, the paper has been recognized for its national significance, having been named to such prestigious awards as ``Newspaper of the Year,'' ``Website of the Year'' and ``Sunday Newspaper of the Year'' by the New England Press Association, the New England Newspaper Association, and the New England Associated Press Executives Association. Having owned a home on Cape Cod for twenty years, it is with pride and gratitude that I congratulate the Cape Cod Times, its editors and staff on providing seventy-five years of authentic journalism to the people of the Tenth Congressional District of Massachusetts. I extend my best wishes to the paper for many more years of award-winning journalism to come.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, the Massachusetts delegation moves today to honor the Local 537 Pipefitters Association of Boston, which will be celebrating its Centennial on Saturday, September 10, 2011. It is with pride that we reflect on the many accomplishments of Local 537 members and with appreciation that we commend the organization for its unparalleled service to our great state. The history of Local 537 is a lesson in perseverance. The Pipefitters have seen decades of prosperity followed by years of declining job opportunities. In response, Local 537 members have become more versatile. They have borne witness not only to the advancements in the technology and materials on which their trade is dependent, but also to the evolution of workers' rights and labor unions. When hard times have fallen, the Pipefitters found work across the continent at the Trans-Alaskan pipeline, across borders to the oil fields of Canada and across state lines to construction jobs in New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island--always to return when new opportunities arose at home. With a membership of over 2,600, the jurisdiction of Local 537 covers Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk counties and extends into Plymouth and Worcester counties. From Boston to Lowell and Salem to Quincy, the work of Local 537 is visible within the interiors of the very landmarks that make our state and cities unique and recognizable. They have left their mark on the resident halls and academic facilities of Harvard University, Boston College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University; the piping systems in the Deer Island Water Treatment Plant and Weymouth Power Plant; and beneath the bleachers of the stadiums and arenas that house New England's proud sports teams. Today, Local 537 retains the competitive edge and adaptive spirit of the original plumbers, gas fitters and steam fitters who first organized themselves over a century ago. The Pipefitters are a true Massachusetts institution and we thank the organization for its numerous contributions to the Commonwealth.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. KEATING. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ruppersberger).

Mr. KEATING. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Thank you, Madam Chair; and thank you, Mr. Ruppersberger, for allowing me to present this timely amendment to the FY12 Intelligence authorization. Madam Chair, there are 72 fusion centers throughout the United States, including one in Massachusetts, which is also the home of the sole joint terrorism task force that is housed in an airport. However, as noted yesterday by Mr. Lee Hamilton, vice chair of the 9/11 Commission, during the Committee on Homeland Security hearing, which dealt with looking back 10 years after 9/11, all 72 fusion centers have varying degrees of quality, and this results in gaps in communication. Gaps in sharing, such as agencies' failure to link information about the individual who attempted the December 25, 2009, airline bombing, prevented him from being included in the Federal Government's terrorist watch list, a tool used by DHS to screen for persons who pose a significant security threat. This week, the GAO released a report to the Department of Homeland Security recommending that DHS improve its assistance and services to State and local homeland security partners and streamline some of the information-sharing mechanisms. Furthermore, in July 2011, DHS reported that it established performance measures for assessing its information-sharing efforts. These measures include, for example, the percent of intelligence reports customers rated as satisfactory, enabling customers to anticipate emergency threats. DHS plans to report on these metrics beginning in fiscal year 2012. While these are positive steps, GAO's work has shown that developing outcome-based performance measures that gauge information-sharing efforts are really necessary to strengthen the accountability of these efforts, and we are still waiting for DHS to implement these steps. Now, as a former district attorney of over a decade, I understand how critical it is to share information and how not sharing that information enhances and enables critical activity. That, indeed, carries over to terrorists themselves. This amendment encourages this type of streamlining process by further integrating and leveraging fusion centers to enlist all the intelligence, law enforcement, homeland security capabilities in the United States in a manner that's consistent with the Constitution to prevent acts of terrorism against the United States of America. It was just a few months ago that Secretary Napolitano in testimony before the Homeland Security Committee said that the threat of terrorism is at its most heightened state since 9/11. That's what she's saying now. So I encourage all Members to vote for this amendment, as well as the manager's amendment, to strengthen this bill and incorporate all the elements of the intelligence community, particularly trying to merge information, enhance sharing of information with State and local officials who have their ear to the ground. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of one of our nation's most pristine national parks and a favorite attraction in Massachusetts--the Cape Cod National Seashore. On August 7, 1961, one of the most famous residents of Cape Cod, President John F. Kennedy, signed into law the bill designating the Atlantic shorelines of Chatham, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown a protected national treasure. The Cape Cod National Seashore was the second coastline to be adopted into the National Park Service, and remains one of only ten coastal areas to receive the same honor. Since then, the Seashore has attracted millions of visitors from all corners of the world--boosting our local economy and helping to define Massachusetts as a top destination for both domestic and foreign tourism. In today's volatile job climate, the Cape Cod National Seashore serves as a stable employer to 100 year-round employees and nearly 200 additional seasonal employees. Under the protection of the National Park Service and the care of the towns lining the outer Cape, the images most recognizable of the Cape Cod National Seashore have remained intact--lighthouses atop rocky jetties, rolling dunes of white sand and shells, the vivid scent of wild cranberry bogs. Today, as it was in 1961, local residents and visitors still find leisure and exploration in the forty miles of peaceful seaside trails and beaches. As President Kennedy eloquently said some fifty years ago, ``. . . this Act makes it possible for the people of the United States through their government to acquire and preserve the natural and historic values of a portion of Cape Cod for the inspiration and enjoyment of people all over the United States.'' A foreshadowing of years to come, President Kennedy's message of the critical importance of environmental conservation has never been more pertinent than today. And so, it is with pride that I recognize the Cape Cod National Seashore for fifty years of ecological and historic preservation, and with sincerity that I look forward to another fifty.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Cape Cod League's All-Star Game, which is taking place in Fenway Park on Friday, July 29. I rise, not just because this organization embodies the best of America's pastime, but because the league has decided to dedicate this year's game to the memory of Christina-Taylor Green, the youngest victim of the Arizona shootings that took the lives of six people and injured 13 others, including our colleague, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Christina was an avid baseball fan who hoped one day to become the first female major league baseball player. Her father, John, is a scout with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the family spent summers in Cape Cod, in part so he could scout players in the Cape Cod Baseball League. For those of you who are not familiar with the Cape Cod Baseball League, it's the Nation's premier amateur league and gives fans like Christina the opportunity to watch future major league players up close. In Christina's honor, league players will wear commemorative patches on their shirts, and her brother, Dallas, will throw out the first pitch. Additionally, Christina inspired the league to arrange for a Cape Cod Baseball League baseball to be brought into space by Congresswoman Giffords' husband, Mark Kelly, and the astronauts on board the final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavor. The ``Spaceball'' covered 6.5 million miles during this trip. Baseball games are wonderful examples of old-fashioned American fun, and I commend the Cape Cod League for their heartfelt tribute. Sadly, Christina, whose innocent life was lost too early, will only be there with us in spirit; yet that unique American spirit, to achieve new heights, the same we saw in her desire to be the first female major league baseball player, will continue to inspire us.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. I thank the gentleman for yielding his time. I rise today to honor Sergeant Matthew A. Pucino of Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, who lost his life on November 23, 2009, after his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device while conducting a mounted patrol in Afghanistan. Sergeant Pucino enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2002 as a Special Forces candidate. He went on to complete the Special Forces qualification course and earned the coveted Green Beret as a Special Forces engineer sergeant. In July of 2009, he deployed for the third time in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan. Sergeant Pucino was highly decorated, which is a testament not just to his abilities as a soldier, but to his true character. This includes such honors as the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces Tab. In tribute to Sergeant Pucino's ultimate sacrifice for our country, I have joined with my colleagues in the Massachusetts delegation in introducing H.R. 2062 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 45 Meetinghouse Lane in Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, as the Matthew A. Pucino Post Office. I respectfully urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation in honor of Sergeant Pucino--a hero, not just to the citizens of Massachusetts, but to all Americans.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of Robert and Gloria Noble of Quincy, Massachusetts. They will be recognized for their tremendous contributions to our community on August 1, 2011, when Manet Community Health Center will bestow the first Elizabeth A. Swanton Community Service Award upon Mr. and Mrs. Noble. This award is presented in memory of Elizabeth A. Swanton, a former member of the board of Manet Community Health Center who passed away in January 2011 at the age of 69. She dedicated 30 years of her life advancing the Manet mission, including her service as President of the Manet Board of Directors. The award recognizes an individual or group who, like Elizabeth Swanton, has demonstrated a significant commitment to volunteerism and community service. Robert and Gloria moved to Quincy in 1951, a year after they married. Immediately, they immersed themselves in civic life and community service. Some of their more notable roles--and there are many--include Bob's service as Massachusetts Commander of the American Ex-Prisoners of War and Gloria's tenure as Director of D.O.V.E., which seeks to help victims of domestic violence. For over two decades, they have also helped to organize Quincy holiday celebrations as members of the Quincy Christmas Festival Committee. In 2008, the couple was recognized for their commitment to the community with the Quincy Sun's ``Citizen of the Year'' award. Their life has not only been rich in accomplishments and accolades, but also in family. They have been blessed with four children, 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren, and have been fortunate enough to watch their family grow roots in Quincy. Bob and Gloria are known throughout Quincy as true local heroes, and they have created a legacy of community service on the South Shore that will be hard to match and surely never forgotten. When I think of them, the words that come to mind include devoted, selfless, caring and committed. Our communities are all better thanks to their tireless activism. They are, without a doubt, a perfect choice for the first- ever Elizabeth A. Swanton Community Service Award.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rosemary Wahlberg, a loving mother, wife and long-time community advocate, who recently celebrated her 80th birthday on May 18, 2011. Rosemary has dedicated her life to the service of the less-fortunate, inspired by her short time as a resident of public housing in the Quincy neighborhood of Germantown in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A mother herself, she was distraught by the plights of numerous widows and single mothers struggling to hold their families together. Never a woman to be deterred, Rosemary began her own personal ``war on poverty'' campaign, beginning as an employee of a recently-enacted federally-funded nutrition program. It did not take long for both her employers and those she served to understand the merit of her work ethic, passion and dedication. For 25 years, Rosemary served as Executive Director of Quincy Community Action Programs, where she and her colleagues provided indispensable services from adult education and workforce development training, to food and nutrition services to housing assistance programs. With Rosemary at the helm, no fight on behalf of those families was lost, no goal left unattained. Rosemary is known throughout Massachusetts as a fighter for the underprivileged, and a champion for the rights of all residents of the Commonwealth. She commands respect and admiration from law enforcement officials and local and federal government officials alike. To reflect on her work for our community is to reflect on a life of selflessness, devotion, drive and, above all, care for her fellow man. The City of Quincy and surrounding communities are a better place thanks to Rosemary's patience, values and unrelenting strength. She is truly a modern-day hero of community activism, and one whose legacy will not soon be forgotten. Congratulations, Rosemary, on your 80th birthday and best wishes on many more years of fulfillment.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I was unavailable for votes on July 6th and a portion of July 7th, 2011, as I was attending the funeral services for Sgt. Matthew Gallagher, a constituent who was killed while serving this country in Iraq on June 26, 2011. Sgt. Gallagher would have turned 23 years old on July 5th, a mere day before we welcomed his body home to Cape Cod and two days before he was laid to rest. While each fallen service member is a tragic loss for our country, it is their loved ones who have to live with this heartache every day. I hope that the families of our fallen warriors can find even the slightest measure of comfort in our nation's eternal gratitude for their loved one's service and sacrifice.

Mr. KEATING

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, how much time remains?

Mr. KEATING. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise to urge my colleagues to support my amendment to H.R. 2021. As constituents see soaring gas prices, soaring oil prices, oil companies have revealed record profits. The top five multinational oil companies earned over a trillion dollars in the past decade. In my district, where jobs and commerce depends on a coastal marine and tourism economy, I have constituents that are paying up to $4.50 a gallon. These oil firms, these conglomerates, are eating up more and more of our constituents' paychecks. And where is it going? Only a small portion--some estimate as little as 7 percent--are reinvested back into the economy to pay for efficiencies and research into alternatives to oil. Rather, oil companies are providing bumps for stockholders and high bonuses to their company executives--a pat on the back for high prices at the pump. Remember that up to 90 percent of the tax subsidy money given to executives and companies by the taxpayers went to buybacks for preferred stock purchases. My amendment would provide transparency to the U.S. taxpayer. The amendment requires that all completed permit applications include data on executive bonuses distributed by the applicant company in the most recent quarter. In May I offered a similar amendment to H.R. 1231, which would have required the Secretary to make available to the public data on executive bonuses for any company that is given a drilling lease, and it received at that time 186 votes. We have an opportunity now to successfully pass this amendment, and the time is now to hold the largest oil companies accountable. I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment in order to provide transparency to the American taxpayer. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. I think the point is that environmental groups, marine jobs groups and groups that depend on tourism in my district don't have shareholders. They aren't the beneficiaries of this. The purpose of this amendment is to find out who really benefits. If you represent a district like mine, there is a great risk in this--a risk in jobs, a risk in commerce, a risk that is irreparable, a risk that is one that should be taken very seriously. If one is taking that very seriously, one has to look at who, indeed, is benefiting by this. It's clear, given some of the other alternatives that are there right now, that the people at the pump are not benefiting by this. The people in my district who are depending on jobs that could be risked as a result of failures from this drilling have a great deal to risk. It is not a red herring. In fact, if you're going to apply any kind of fish analogies, another important industry in my area, the fishing industry, is one that is assuming this risk as well. Now, all of these risks are there. Who is benefiting by this risk? The purpose of this amendment is to tell the public who, indeed, benefits by it. It is the executives who are getting these large bonuses, because this is about profits, and the profits go to those executives. They aren't there to help reduce costs for the people at the pump, and they certainly aren't there to help the people in my district who are bearing all the risk of this type of drilling. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. KEATING. I am opposed to it in its current form, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer this final amendment that I believe will greatly increase economic and job safeguards for the American people. Simply put, the underlying legislation is about risk versus reward. We know what the reward is: trillions of dollars of profit over the last decade for oil companies and preferred stock buybacks and bonuses for executives. We know what the proponents of this bill say the reward will be: lower gas prices at the pump. Now, what is the risk that we're looking at? The risk is existing jobs: existing jobs in the marine industry, the fishing industry, the tourism industry--industries that are among the most job-producing in my State and in the States of so many other people in this Chamber. My amendment requires the administrator to determine whether or not this will lower gas prices for American citizens. I believe we need a safeguard for the American public, who should not bear the burden of the risk with no guarantee of the reward. I'm sure the many small businesses in the gulf and in my district which rely on the marine economies and tourism would agree with this. This final amendment is a commonsense compromise, and regardless of how the Members feel about the underlying legislation, this is something that we should all be able to support. When I offered my amendment earlier, my colleague from across the aisle said it was irrelevant because it dealt with exposing executive bonuses and that it, thus, did not deal with the heart of what this bill is supposed to do, which, according to him, was to increase domestic oil production that would translate into decreased gas prices at the pump. Now, if it's not for lower gas prices for consumers, then the only rationale for this must be that it's for higher profits for oil companies. All day, proponents have said the reason for the bill is to lower gas prices. This amendment, simply put, asks them to mean what they say. I ask all of my colleagues to please support this final amendment. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.