Nick Lampson

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, a golden anniversary is indeed a special milestone, and today I am proud to recognize the Webster Fire Department's 50th Anniversary. This exemplary and dedicated group of firefighters continues a proud, 50-year long tradition of excellence. As the first response team for the City of Webster, Texas, the Webster Fire Department exudes professionalism and dedication by all its firefighters in providing fire and emergency services for the community. The Webster Fire Department is responsible for fire prevention, fire suppression, and emergency medical services to the City of Webster. The Department also offers such special services as a Smoke Detector Program, Fire Extinguisher Training, and Fire Safety Training. The Webster Fire Department operates three engines, one ladder, and one rescue from two fire stations. They also operate special units such as a Wild Land Firefighting Booster Truck, a High Water Rescue 6x6, and a Water Rescue Boat. Chief Jamie Galloway and his department will be celebrating the November anniversary all year long. In honor of the occasion, a special patch has been designed to be featured on the firefighter's uniforms and on all department vehicles. I am honored to represent the City of Webster and its outstanding Fire Department. Their hard work and commitment brings pride to their entire community. It is truly a privilege to stand here today in observation of the golden anniversary of the Webster Fire Department, and I ask that we submit congratulations from the 110th Congress into the Record.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, today I would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of a drug prevention coalition in the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. The Bay Area Alliance for Youth & Families was formed in 2003 with the mission of uniting the community's resources in order to empower youth and their families in the fight against drugs and underage drinking. The coalition is committed to helping youth reach their fullest potential and equipping them with the skill and knowledge to become competent and caring citizens. The Alliance focuses its efforts on organizing the local community to address underage drinking and drug use by increasing awareness of substance abuse and the resources that are available to address it, decreasing access to alcohol in the home, school, and community environments, and changing community norms by encouraging and supporting youth who have made an active commitment to be drug-free. The Bay Area Alliance for Youth & Families currently has 130 adult members from across the community including law enforcement officials, healthcare professionals, substance abuse counselors, teachers, and parents, as well as members who work for community service agencies, faith-based agencies, government and local businesses. There are over 1,000 youth who are part of the Alliance by being CLEAR, Clean Living Encouragement and Responsibility, members. CLEAR members have made a commitment to be drug-free and alcohol-free, and participate in voluntary drug-testing to demonstrate their commitment to be the program. They help raise awareness in their community and act as role models for other youth by living a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle. The Bay Area Alliance for Youth & Families has partnered with many esteemed organizations. In 2006, it partnered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to create a very successful regional seminar on Methamphetamine abuse. Additionally, the Alliance has developed relationships with local colleges and universities to assess the drug and alcohol issues on their campuses and has assisted in forming a team to begin to address their issues through environmental strategies. Unfortunately Harris County, where the Alliance is based, leads the Nation in the greatest number and percentage of alcohol-related traffic fatalities. The coalition has taken steps to begin to reduce alcohol- related traffic fatalities by assuming an active role in creating the Harris County High Risk Drinking Epidemiology Work Group. The coalition also regularly holds town hall meetings where topics such as underage drinking, drug testing in schools, and internet safety are addressed. These are just a few of the ways the Bay Area Alliance for Youth & Families is helping to combat drug and alcohol issues in their community. I respectfully request that the U.S. House of Representatives join me in congratulating the Bay Area Alliance for Youth & Families for its hard work and dedication to keeping our children drug and alcohol free.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, last month I was proud to be part of an important announcement concerning the safety of our children. And thanks to the tremendous generosity of Quest Foundation, the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children was able to establish netsmartz411.org, a first of its kind online service. NetSmartz411 provides a direct line for experts at the National Center for Concerned Parents. Through this program, questions and concerns about online safety can be answered quickly and accurately. We are all too familiar with stories of Internet predators making their way into our homes with the simple click of a mouse. More and more teenagers are joining social networking Web sites and roaming the Internet freely, with little or no adult supervision. These Web sites have given predators the freedom to search for pictures, ages, even nearby schools. By empowering more parents than ever before, NetSmartz411 will reinforce our efforts to make the Internet a safer place. So for those who want more infor- mation, my colleagues, and would like to find that out, please visit www.netsmartz411.org, or www.missingkids.com.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding me the time, and our Republican colleagues for the graciousness in extending our time. I first met Lyndon Baines Johnson when he was a Senator from Texas and he came to my high school and showed the commitment that he had to education and to inspiring young people to go into public service. I was one of those young people who responded to his words at that time. And I am privileged today to represent the area where the Lyndon Baines Johnson Space Center, the Johnson Space Center, is located in Texas, and it continues to be a beacon to inspire young people to enter into, particularly math and science education, critical areas that we need. And I am also privileged to speak today in support of this piece of legislation, H.R. 584, a bill to name the Department of Education's Washington headquarters in honor of one of our Nation's greatest Presidents, President Lyndon Baines Johnson. As a Texan, it gives me particular pride to help this effort to name the building after a man who did so much to enhance and improve the educational system for all Americans. Not only did he begin his storied career in public service as an educator, as I did, and some of my colleagues who have already spoken, President Johnson also ushered in the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and the Higher Education Act of 1965, all keystones in our efforts to provide excellent and enduring educational opportunities for all of our children. The House should take this simple step to honor a great leader and educator and, of course, a great Texan. It is a fitting tribute to his family that remains, including Lady Bird. I ask for the support of all Members of this piece of legislation, H.R. 584.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have been able to call Ann Richards a friend of mine and of my family. Just like she inspired millions of young women in Texas and across this Nation, she inspired my oldest daughter, Hillary, who I often took along with me to meetings in Austin. At one meeting with the Governor, Hillary pulled out this yellowed copy of Ann's keynote address to the 1988 Democratic National Convention and proceeded to quote lines back to her. Hillary's favorite line from that speech was one that Ann had popularized in her famously wry tone: ``Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.'' To me, that line epitomizes Ann Richards: skillful, determined, and equal to any man's task. She was a woman in what had been a man's rough and tumble world of Texas politics, but she never let anything or anyone hold her back. She believed education was the great equalizer. She believed redemption was possible, and she believed that a woman's place was in the dome. She aimed to create a new Texas; and when she broke through that glass ceiling, she reached her hand out to pull women, minorities, and the disadvantaged up with her. Like the yellow rose of Texas, Ann was a beautiful and classic lady. She could also be thorny, though. She told you exactly what you needed to hear, using wit and candor to make her point. Her presence and her laughter could fill a room, even if all you could see was that big white hairdo peeking above the crowd. Dorothy Ann Willis Richards is a Texas giant, and I am proud that my daughters grew up knowing such a strong, independent, and caring woman. I want to leave you with some words from Ann, words that all of us here today should take to heart. She said: ``The public doesn't like you to mislead or represent yourself to be something you're not . . . They don't ask their public officials to be perfect. They just ask them to be smart, truthful, honest, and to show a modicum of good sense.'' Ann, we'll miss you.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, today is, indeed, a day for thoughtfulness and courage in this House. As we debate the future of our involvement in Iraq, we must not forget that our troops are engaged in armed conflict a half a world away. It is their future and their sacrifice which necessitated this debate today. Now is the time when this hallowed institution must dig deeply within its own conscience and rise above the politics and the platitudes which have plagued us for far too long. The American people and our troops demand and expect no less of us. Yet no simple solutions face us. Let's look first at the decisions we have made. We were advised that the conflict in Iraq would require more troops, a longer engagement, and an exit strategy. We did not heed that advice, and now we face an escalating insurgency and civil war. We were told the cost was $50 billion. We were wrong. It cost more than $380 billion and climbing fast, and we have not been good stewards of the taxpayer money, as there has been much corruption and waste in our spending. We were told of eminent success in Afghanistan, and we pulled out our troops in order to provide an earlier surge in Iraq. We were wrong, and we have seen a rise in violence in both countries. We must break this pattern. We can ill afford any further misjudgments, because it is our obligation in this deliberative body to consider every option available. We stand here today to engage in the first substantive discussion of the policies we need to implement in order to succeed in Iraq and bring our troops home. It is abundantly clear that Iraq has been and remains deeply embedded in the conscience of the American people. As this world watches, we must demonstrate from the well of this House that democracy flourishes only when honest and open debate occurs. In this difficult decision, I believe this body has two primary obligations to the American people: one, to fully support our troops with resources they need in order to accomplish the missions they are assigned; and, two, to ensure full accountability for the vital resources that we have sent to Iraq. This House has neglected both of these obligations for too long, and it is time for us to exercise our responsibilities on behalf of our troops, the American people, and the world. I stand here today in opposition to the proposed troop surge. We all agree that cutting off funding for our troops currently serving in Iraq is an untenable option that will send the wrong message to our partners and our enemies alike. I will never vote to leave our troops stranded. But the question facing us now is, how can we vote to put upwards of 20,000 additional troops in harm's way without adequate resources and without a clear and detailed plan? Because I stand in support of our troops, I cannot support this proposed surge. It is clear that the burden of our Nation's current struggle continues to rest with the brave men and women in our armed services. It is no longer fair to our troops to rubber-stamp this war. I want them to know that we were deliberative in our decision. I fear this surge will not by itself be sufficient today. It is time for Members of both parties to listen to the experts for whose opinion we have asked, yet have ignored: our military leaders past and present, the bipartisan members of the Iraq Study Group, and soldiers returning from Iraq. It is time for a strategic change in course in Iraq, one including diplomacy and education and an honest reconstruction effort. These actions partnered with the actions of the military will show our dedication to improving the lives of all Iraqis in making their nation one of peace, freedom, and democracy. I am not here today to criticize the President or to engage in partisan grandstanding. This war is not a partisan issue. I have no doubt that one day the actions of our Nation will help bring peace and democracy to the Middle East. However, the strategy we are here to debate today remains flawed. Too many questions remain unanswered. While my loyalty to and my confidence in our troops remains steadfast, this Congress and this Nation must today seek a new direction.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, when we think of football in Texas, and especially Galveston County, we think of La Marque High School. Following a 15-1 season, the La Marque Cougars met the Waco Lions at the Alamodome in San Antonio, and claimed their fifth state championship on December 22, 2006. The Coog's victory was impressive, with La Marque scoring 20 points in the last quarter to break a tie and bring the championship back home to a proud and dedicated community. This exemplary and dedicated group of young men and their coaches, backed by the entire school, continues a proud legacy of winning. Their hard work and dedication brings pride in our entire community. I am honored to represent the Cougars, and La Marque, where football reigns. It is a privilege to honor the La Marque High School Cougars for recapturing the Class 4A Division II State Football Championship, and I ask that we submit congratulations from the 110th Congress into the record.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, energy is on everyone's mind these days. The price of fuel has been rising and awareness of the extent to which we are dependent upon foreign sources of oil has grown. At the same time, in an effort to reduce emissions of air pollution, we are also transitioning to cleaner fuels. The good news is that we have developed and are continuing to develop alternative fuels and cleaner-burning versions of our current petroleum-based fuels. But we must ensure the availability of infrastructure and equipment for transporting, distributing and utilizing these new fuels at a reasonable cost. For a number of reasons, biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel are often incompatible with many components of the present-day infrastructure, forcing distributors and retailers to make heavy investments in new hardware if they want to carry these fuels. H.R. 547 initiates a program to research ways to mitigate many of these problems and make bio-based fuels more compatible with the country's petroleum- based infrastructure, thus avoiding the massive costs to the country of a whole new infrastructure. The bill also initiates a program to develop less-expensive, easier- to-use testing methods and equipment for verifying the sulfur level of clean diesel fuels. Since infrastructure is used for various fuel products with sulfur content, ranging from 15 to 5,000 parts per million, there is a concern that distributors and retailers may sell fuel with sulfur beyond 15 parts per million limits of ULSD, ultra-low sulfur diesel. This simply gives retailers and distributors a way to ensure the quality and regulatory compliance of the fuels they sell. To ensure consistent specifications throughout the fuels market, H.R. 547 instructs NIST to begin developing standards for biofuels as they would for conventional, petroleum-based fuels. There is also an authorization of $10 million to carry out all programs within this bill. Mr. Gordon secured numerous endorsements and support for this bill from groups as diverse as convenience store and truck-stop owners, petroleum marketers and retailers, the Renewable Fuels Association, API and the NRDC. Given the relatively small cost, the very specific concerns it addresses and the carefully negotiated language and endorsements, it would be a shame to make this bill something it is not by amending it with provisions that are outside the scope or purpose of this bill. I ask my colleagues to please consider this as they bring amendments forward. H.R. 547 is a good idea, turned into a good, bipartisan piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the bill without making major substantive changes or additions. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I have no further requests for time at this time, and I am prepared to yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Parliamentary Inquiries

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. I thank everyone for their interest in this particular matter regarding the subject of alternative fuels generally, but I have to support the Eshoo amendment in the nature of a substitute. The problem of increased nitrogen oxide emissions with biofuels, and biodiesel in particular, relates to the combustion of the fuel in an engine and not to challenges retailers and distributors are encountering in transporting such fuels, and that needs to be the clear focus point here. For this reason, we actually removed reference to the NOX emissions in the manager's amendment in the committee markup. So Ms. Eshoo's amendment restricts research and development to evaporative emissions from infrastructure. Therefore, I would support and ask for support for Ms. Eshoo's amendment to that amendment.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word on the Burgess amendment. I would first, Mr. Chairman, like to yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo).

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, this bill was very narrowly drafted to address a particular issue facing the country's energy infrastructure. This amendment does not fall within that narrow focus of the bill. The program areas which are in this amendment would be better addressed by a stand-alone bill or in some other manner. The amendment specifically refers to nitrous oxide emissions. Nitrous oxide emissions do not occur from pipelines. This bill is attempting to address the issue of transporting additives or other fuels in a manner that makes it easier and less expensive for retailers to be able to accomplish that task. I think there are going to be many opportunities for us to discuss the engines and the burning of these fuels within those engines at other times during this year, and I would hope that we would have the support joining us in making it happen.

Mr. LAMPSON. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. LAMPSON. I absolutely support biofuels and have a significant interest in wanting to do so because I believe that it is going to bring a great deal to our economy, our independence and our security. What we are trying to do here is to craft a piece of legislation. Not to not address the things that you are bringing up right now on how engines process this fuel, but on how we can transport it from one place to another so that someone can get access to put it in their engine.

Mr. LAMPSON. Reclaiming my time, I would just point out to the gentleman that, yes, this is research and development, but it is not research and development on engines and how engines burn fuel, but on pipelines and infrastructure to transport that fuel so they can ultimately be placed into engines. There are going to be many opportunities for us to discuss how emissions come from these fuels.

Mr. LAMPSON. I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska.

Mr. LAMPSON. Reclaiming my time, only during the evaporative process of that. Not from the engine of that truck, if it is emitting something different from that.

Mr. LAMPSON. That is precisely what the amendment to the amendment is attempting to address. I think that this is an appropriate process right now. I support the Eshoo replacement and hope that all my colleagues will do the same.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. I just wanted to indicate our support for the amendment proposed by Mr. Alcee Hastings. We will support it. We think it is a good amendment.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, we like the amendment that Mr. Weller has proposed and look forward to working with him on this and other things. Thank you very much for your interest. We will indeed support this amendment.

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

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the attention the gentleman from Pennsylvania is giving to what is undoubtedly a crucial element of the possible transition to a hydrogen-based economy. But I oppose the amendment because it has no relation to H.R. 547. This amendment is simply outside the scope of what is a very carefully and narrowly drafted bill to address specific short-term research needs that would allow currently available biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel to be distributed in existing pipelines, and use other current liquid fuel distribution technologies. These are all fuels that can be used in a current generation of commercially available automobiles. The gentleman from Pennsylvania's amendment, in contrast, deals with problems of containing hydrogen, a fuel now derived from natural gas rather than biomass, and distributing it if and when hydrogen vehicles become available. Hydrogen would require a new distribution infrastructure. So while the amendment uses similar words related to distribution, it is talking about an entirely new generation of distribution technology. Also, while it is possible that some hydrogen could actually be developed from biomass, it is not today. So the references to hydrogen derived from biomass in the bill are not really related to the research on hydrogen distribution that would be conducted if this amendment became law. It is also unclear what would be the funding source for the gentleman's amendment since it establishes a program at the Department of Energy while the funding in H.R. 547 all goes to the Environmental Protection Agency. For these reasons I would ask the gentleman to withdraw his amendment. This amendment does address an important concern. I ask the gentleman to consult with his colleagues in the Hydrogen Caucus about ways to work the intent of this language into hydrogen legislation that the Committee on Science and Technology is likely to consider as it moves on to other energy research legislation later in the Congress.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, the funding within the bill goes to the Environmental Protection Agency. And I believe in your amendment, the funding for the research on hydrogen goes to the Department of Energy. Would the gentleman explain how that is going to be funded?

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, we believe this is an acceptable amendment and thank the gentleman for submitting it.