Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor John Tooker, a fine public servant who has dedicated the past 17 years to making the city of Yucaipa, California, a better place to live. After serving as city manager for all but 2 years of Yucaipa's cityhood, Mr. Tooker has announced his retirement. A native Californian, John Tooker was bitten by the public service bug early in his life, graduating from California State University at Long Beach with a specialty in public administration. He has worked in city and county government continuously since then and, through his hard work, has helped improve many communities in California. John Tooker came to my congressional district in 1991 as the city manager for Yucaipa, California. Since his arrival, the city of Yucaipa has always passed a balanced budget. In addition to his good fiscal housekeeping, Mr. Tooker has been instrumental in building up the parks and community recreation areas during his tenure. He negotiated the purchase of 32.5 acres for a community park site in 1996 and, in the years following, oversaw the construction of a Community Park, Community Center, City Hall and Fire Station No.3. In addition, the Teen Center and Senior Center have been enlarged and remodeled and numerous city parks have been renovated. With the local community college, the city purchased an Olympic size swimming pool which will be placed in a beautiful new facility for the entire community. The residents of Yucaipa and their families have these great places to relax in no small part due to John's leadership. Mr. Speaker, John Tooker and his wife are the proud grandparents of a baby grandson, Luke Jonathan Tooker, who was born last month. He will now be able to spend a lot more time with Luke. Please join me in wishing John Tooker health and happiness in his retirement and thank him for his many years of dedicated service.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in wishing a happy 90th birthday to Connie Valanos, who has become a Capitol Hill institution as the owner of the landmark Monocle Restaurant. Connie and Helen founded the Monocle in 1960 as a young couple. Over the years, leaders from Congress have regularly gathered at this fine restaurant to relax with their friends and colleagues. It has often been the scene of quiet discussions over legislative strategy and resolving differences between Democrats and Republicans. Many a major problem has been solved over a meal at the Monocle. Many a friendship was made at these sessions. Politics is at its best when people solve problems by way of compromise. Connie has always known that Democrats and Republicans coming together and becoming friends leads to the best of compromise. Madam Speaker, friends from the House of Representatives and the Senate will be gathering on his birthday October 6 to celebrate the great success of the nearly 50-year-old Capitol Hill restaurant. Please join me in wishing Connie and his entire family a great birthday and many more years of success.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute and say farewell to Chuck Turner, a hard-working, highly valued staff member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. It is a privilege to consider Chuck a part of the extended Lewis family. Throughout his over 30 years of service to the legislative branch, Chuck represented the highest values we in Congress want to provide: courtesy, commitment, and a dedication to public service. He has distinguished himself as a champion of this great institution, working tirelessly to ensure the Capitol stays the ``people's house'' and that it remains a beacon for motivated and service-minded young people. Appropriations staffers have a special role in Congress, helping to ensure that our government spending meets the needs of the public and stays within our budget. At the same time, they must help us to win the support of a majority of Congress, since these spending bills must pass every year. New staff members working on Legislative Branch appropriations could always rely on Chuck's expertise, generosity, and insight. He has been an example of the very best of the Appropriations Committee and has been a staffer that colleagues and Members on both sides of the aisle could turn to. Retirement is something to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is not the end of a career, but rather the beginning of a new adventure. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in sending our best wishes to Chuck in his retirement, and let him know that we will miss him every day and will always be grateful for all he's done for Congress and the Legislative Branch.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I would guess there is nobody in the House that has more rural territory than this Member, and the program that my chairman is suggesting we put in the bill is one that is very important to my constituency. I do have serious reservations, however, about the way we got to having to present this in the first place. This Member just received this bill very early this morning. I would guess there may be dozens of Members who have issues that they would hope would be in the bill if they had the time or the flexibility in the approach we handled this bill to have their items considered. So in that sense, I have serious reservations, but it is not my intention to object.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, it was just 2 days ago that we were debating an $800 billion continuing resolution to fund our troops and veterans, protect our homeland, respond to natural disasters and put our country on a pathway towards energy independence. Many Members, including this Member, reluctantly agreed to support the CR to keep the essential business of our government running through March 6 of next year. Now in addition to being asked to pay for a bailout for Wall Street, taxpayers are being asked by House Democrats to swallow an additional 60, that is $60 billion in spending on a laundry list of items I saw for the first time just a few hours ago. This would be laughable if it were not so serious. I was reluctant to support the CR the other day because virtually every dollar was approved without the consideration of the House Appropriations Committee, without floor consideration in the House and Senate, without any amendments or input from any House Member or Senator and without formal House and Senate conference committee work. During our debate we all agreed on the importance of getting the appropriations process back on track. Just 2 days ago we found ourselves back on the House floor making the very same mistakes again, debating an additional $60 billion--$60 billion is a lot of money--in spending legislation that very few have yet seen. There was no committee consideration, no amendments and no debate. One more time, we are presented with a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. So much for getting the appropriations process back on track. The majority is describing this legislation as a ``stimulus package'' to help our national economy. But let's be clear about that. Let's not fool ourselves. This is a political document pure and simple. If these priorities are so important, why hasn't this bill gone through the normal legislative process? We could have, and should have, debated many of the items included in this package, hearing full committee and House floor consideration when we are considering each of the 12 individual bills. But as we know, the majority is unwilling to move individual spending bills and derailed the appropriations process for this entire year. Before you make a decision on this legislation, I ask you to consider three sobering facts: First, of the projected $247 billion increase in the budget deficit in 2008, $226 billion results from additional spending, and $21 billion results from decreased revenues. Second, in 2009, spending is projected to reach 21.4 percent of the GDP for the first time since 1993. Third, balancing the Federal budget by 2013 would require either limiting annual spending growth to 1.4 percent or raising annual revenue growth at 8 percent or a combination of both. So to balance the budget, we either need to raise taxes or we need to spend less. Now I didn't fall off the turnip truck this morning. It doesn't take an economist to tell you that the economy needs our help. And what does this Congress do? It proposes to spend billions and billions and billions more without any offsets in spending. The failure to adhere to pay-as-you-go, or what we call PAYGO, means that this new spending will be financed through additional borrowing, which will increase interest rates and prove a further drag on our struggling economy. In recent days, government has taken steps to bail out the auto industry to the tune of some $25 billion. It has proposed a bailout for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the tune of another $25 billion. It has committed as much as $70 billion to rescue AIG. In the last few weeks, this Congress hasn't found a cause that doesn't need a handout or a bailout. Where does the spending end, Mr. Speaker? Where does it end? In this time of financial instability and national anxiety over the state of our financial market, the first goal of the Congress should be to do no harm. But this legislation does just the opposite. Is it any wonder that the approval rating of Congress is now at 13 percent? If Congress were a business, its CEO would have been fired long ago. Mr. Speaker, there's an old saying: ``No bill is better than a bad bill.'' That is especially true in this case. We would be doing our constituents, our shareholders, the American taxpayer, a tremendous favor if we took our foot off the gas pedal for a while. We ought to be focused on more oversight rather than more spending. Indeed, spending money is not the answer to every problem. Mr. Speaker, I have got a feeling that I have seen this movie before. And believe me, the sequel is always worse than the original. We must display more discipline and demonstrate better judgment in spending taxpayers' money. There is no better time or place to begin than right here now. I strongly urge my colleagues to reject this unfettered spending spree. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I do not intend to take very much time, but I do want to take just a moment to express to the Members that which I have expressed to my chairman in many a forum. This Member has been very, very concerned about the way the appropriations process has been working during this Congress, concerned enough to think that we could very well be on the pathway to destroy the Appropriations Committee, which has historically been the rock of this place in terms of accomplishing real work. I certainly don't point to my chairman in terms of these concerns directly. We have very, very fine members with great experience and talent on each of our subcommittees. On both sides we have fabulous staff people who make a great contribution to this entire arena. But over this last year or year-and-a-half, those people have been heard all too seldom. Indeed, while our staffs do work together weekend after weekend, in turn they know full well we are not producing the product we could if we had a fully-developed bipartisan discussion in every one of these very important subcommittees. It is with that concern that I rise to suggest to the Members, it is long past due that we change the pattern by way of which we are carrying forward our appropriations business. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to Republican earmark guidance, I am submitting the following: Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Advanced Technology Sensors and Payloads. Account: RDTE, DW. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Trident Systems. Address of Requesting Entity: 1615 Orange Tree Lane #104, Redlands, CA 92374. Description of Request: This funding will be used to research the production of a suite of new communications, control and data exploitation capabilities for use with multiple existing and planned Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This project will provide Special Operations Forces (SOF) and other end-users with an Advanced, Miniaturized, Frequency-Agile Communication & Control (AMFACC) system, consisting of a secure, long-range, high- bandwidth, frequency-agile communications link; a common payload control and data exploitation capability for use across multiple payloads (e.g., cameras, radar systems, infrared sensors); and a streamlined vehicle control interface. This project will provide several critically-needed capabilities to extend the reach and operational flexibility of UAVs in theater. Amount: $2,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Carbon Nanotube Thin Film Devices for Portable Power. Account: RDTE, Defense Wide. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of California, Riverside. Address of Requesting Entity: 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521. Description of Request: This funding will be used to continue the research and development carbon nanotube technology for portable power. Recently scientists at the Center for Nanoscience for Defense at the University of California-Riverside have introduced a revolutionary improvement to hydrogen fuel cells by fabricating some of the important components from thin films of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The UltraCell fuel cell platform has already been selected by the Army and if the CNT fuel cell technology could be adapted to this system there is the possibility of a new generation of simpler and more compact fuel cells, which will reliably deliver power at lower cost than conventional fuel cells. In order to bring these two technologies together it is necessary to engineer high temperature membranes in combination with gas diffusion electrodes composed of thin films of carbon nanotubes. Amount: $2,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology. Account: RDTE, N. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California State University, San Bernardino. Address of Requesting Entity: 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407. Description of Request: This funding will be used to further a collaborative partnership with California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), San Diego State University, and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, along with other government, academic, and industry representatives. This partnership offers a proven process for accelerating technology to meet priority military and homeland defense requirements. It integrates current technology transfer and commercialization efforts. Find high-tech solutions for DoD, national priorities to assist researchers in laboratories in commercializing new technologies, and develop educational infrastructure to train managers and entrepreneurs. The commercialization of advanced technology promotes business and entrepreneurial ventures. Key focus on commercializing technologies developed in government labs and/ or funded under the SBIR program, transitioning technologies from the commercial sector to meet government priorities. With continued military efforts in the War on Terrorism, Homeland Defense initiatives, the need for advanced technological solutions for personnel protection, enhanced situational awareness, NBCR protection, and critical military operations is paramount. Amount: 2,500,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Conventional Strike Mission Integration Demonstration. Account: RDTE, Air Force. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Northrop Grumman. Address of Requesting Entity: 862 Hospitality Lane, #100, San Bernardino, CA. Description of Request: This funding will be used to continue the research and development of the Conventional Strike Mission Integration Demonstration. The Commander, U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), has expressed great interest in a capability for prompt conventional-weapon strike against time-urgent high value targets such as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) at global ranges from the U.S. The objective is to provide military options at times of national crisis, or when our homeland or our allies are threatened by an imminent and devastating attack. A conventionally armed ballistic missile provides a transformational capability with the promptness and assured defense penetration to defeat small numbers of extremely time critical targets. This funding will produce demonstrations which will provide validation of Prompt Global Strike (PGS) command and control concepts to ensure mission success, while addressing the constraints of missile-based conventional warfare, including maintenance of a ``clear bright line'' between nuclear and conventional capabilities. Amount: $6,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Cyber Threat Analytics. Account: RDTE, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Metaflows/SRI. Address of Requesting Entity: 22 N. 6th Street, Redlands, CA 92373. Description of Request: Cyber-TA is a research project to develop the next-generation of real-time national-scale Internet-threat analysis technologies, and conduct critical deployment evaluation and operational transition of new research concepts in large-scale network defense to protect critical DoD and IC networks. Cyber-TA has brought together many of the world's most established researchers across the fields of data privacy, cryptography, malware and intrusion detection research, as well as operational experts in Internet-scale sensor management, to develop leading edge solutions to the evolving threat of increasingly virulent and wide-spread self-propagating malicious software. Amount: $3,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Center for Innovative Geospatial Technology. Account: Intelligence Activities. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: ESRI. Address of Requesting Entity: 380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92373. Description of Request: This funding will be used to continue activities such as modeling homeland security hazard assessments and responses at the Center for Innovative Geospatial Technology. Amount: $10,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Collaboration Gateway. Account: RDTE, DW. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Trident Systems. Address of Requesting Entity: 1615 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92374. Description of Request: This project fulfills an urgent need to establish effective, certified cross-domain collaboration among multiple security domains at different security levels in a Coalition operations context. Building on successful research conducted under SBIR topic AF05-093, this project will provide the software, hardware, and certification testing necessary to enable multiple Coalition nations to collaborate while enforcing each nation's security requirements. The product of this research will be a complete Coalition Cross-Domain Collaboration environment, including all software, hardware, documentation, and test results to support certification of the final product by the Unified Cross Domain Management Office (UCDMO). This project will also support installation, tailoring, and site accreditation for a Coalition environment of interest. Amount: $1,500,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Integrated Information Technology Policy Analysis Research. Account: RDTE, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California State University, San Bernardino. Address of Requesting Entity: 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407. Description of Request: This is a collaborative effort, California State University, San Bernardino with the Army Research Laboratory, advancing the Army's transformation to Network Centric Operations (NCO)/Network Centric Warfare through Integrated Information Technology Policy Analysis Research. The objective is to translate an information advantage into a warfighting advantage through robust networking of geographically dispersed forces. This project seeks to provide analyses of policy barriers and enhance web-based technology for commanders to effectively get needed information to soldiers expeditiously. The Army faces ongoing challenges in implementing NCO which demands continuous and rapid transition of information technology into defense systems. The Army must keep policy impacting IT security in sync with those technology advances. In terms of access to classified data, a tremendous gap exists between technological capability and legal and governmental doctrine. Amount: $2,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Inter Turbine Burner for Turbo Shaft Engines. Account: RDTE, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Advanced Projects Research Incorporated. Address of Requesting Entity: 26770 W Street, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Description of Request: The Inter Turbine Burner is an engine alteration that adds a second combustor within a turbo shaft engine to increase power output and engine.efficiency. This technology can be used as an upgrade to existing engines to provide greater power and performance in response to increased air or ground vehicle capability requirements and can be incorporated in new engine designs to provide both higher performance and greater fuel efficiency at lower engine speeds. This technology can be used on helicopters such as the UH-60 Blackhawk and military ground vehicles such as the Ml Abrams tank to increase fuel efficiency and peak power. Amount: $4,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Integrated Propulsion Analysis Tool. Account: RDTE, AF. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Advatech Pacific. Address of Requesting Entity: 1849 N. Wabash Ave., Redlands, CA 92374. Description of Request: The Integrated Propulsion Analysis Tool (IPAT) is an engineering software application for the design and analysis of spacecraft launch vehicles. IPAT currently provides the Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards Air Force Base with critical launch vehicle analytical capabilities that include complex, competing alternatives analysis and selection; design risk identification and mitigation; concepts of operation development; and life-cycle system cost, schedule, and performance trade-off analysis. The Integrated Propulsion Analysis Tool directly supports many of the Air Force's new major system acquisition programs including Conventional Ballistic Missile, Prompt Global Strike, and Operationally Responsive Space. IPAT is the premier integrated analysis tool supporting this nation's leadership role in developing propulsion technologies, aerospace vehicles, tactical and strategic missiles, re-entry vehicles, and spacecraft. Amount: $2,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Integrated Spacecraft Engineering Tool. Account: RDTE, Air Force. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Advatech Pacific. Address of Requesting Entity: 1849 N. Wabash Ave., Redlands, CA 92374. Description of Request: This funding will further research on life cycle cost/risk modeling software. This software accurately characterizes the cost of a space program and allows Air Force acquisition leadership to understand the impacts of design decisions during the very early phases of the program when knowledge-based decisions yield the highest life-cycle cost savings. The Integrated Spacecraft Engineering Tool (ISET) program quantifies a program's cost/ risk uncertainties statistically, with particular focus upon technology readiness levels and their relevant cost and risk impacts. Amount: $2,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Synchrotron-Based Scanning Research Neuroscience and Proton Institute. Account: RDTE, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Loma Linda University Medical Center. Address of Requesting Entity: 11175 Campus Drive, Loma Linda, CA 92354. Description of Request: The Synchrotron-based Neuroscience and Proton Institute (NSPI) is pioneering new possibilities in medical technology and neuroscience for the service of patients with previously untreatable benign diseases. The potential of the NSPI is to successfully expand efforts in the treatment of people with currently uncontrollable serious behavioral conditions, including military personnel and veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as persons who are currently incarcerated in prisons and who volunteer for this treatment. Eventually the treatment would be an available medical option to all persons seeking a non-invasive, non- drug alternative to behavioral disorders and reactions, both in the military and civilian populations. Amount: $5,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: M156 MI-RAMS. Account: P, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Magneto Inductive Systems Limited. Address of Requesting Entity: 115 Del Rosa Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Description of Request: The Magneto Inductive Remote Activation Munitions System (MI-RAMS) provides command and control of land based ordnance, including tactical demolitions, munitions, signals, active barriers required for terrain dominance by US Army Combat Engineer Forces and Army and Navy Special Operations Forces (SEALs) in the harsh urban, littoral, dense jungle, blue water (to include ice fields), desert, and arctic conditions. It provides the ability to remotely initiate and/or control tactical ordnance items for target neutralization through buildings, concrete, metal, subterranean structures, tunnels, caves, and under water which current radio frequency devices cannot accomplish. Amount: $3,500,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: MI-RAMS. Account: RDTE, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Magneto Inductive Systems Limited. Address of Requesting Entity: 115 Del Rosa Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Description of Request: The Magneto Inductive Remote Activation Munition System (MI-RAMS) provides command and control of land based ordnance, including tactical demolitions, munitions, signals, active barriers required for terrain dominance by US Army Combat Engineer Forces and Army and Navy Special Operations Forces (SEALs) in the harsh urban, littoral, dense jungle, blue water (to include ice fields), desert, and arctic conditions. It provides the ability to remotely initiate and/or control tactical ordnance items for target neutralization through buildings, concrete, metal, subterranean structures, tunnels, caves, and under water which current radio frequency devices cannot accomplish. Funding will provide for LRIP/Type Classification efforts of a dual frequency hybrid B receiver and key system enhancements to increase functionality to include a digital display to enhance ease-of-use for combat engineers. Amount: $3,500,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Norton AFB Infrastructure Improvements. Account: OM, Defense Wide. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Inland Valley Development Agency. Address of Requesting Entity: 294 S. Leland Norton Way, Suite 1, San Bernardino, CA 92408. Description of Request: The OEA in the Department of Defense is tasked to assist communities that are adversely impacted by Defense program changes, including base closures or realignments, base expansions, and contract or program cancellations. The San Bernardino International Airport, formerly Norton Air Force Base, is a 2,100-acre facility, wholly within the jurisdiction of the City of San Bernardino. Officially closed as a military base in March of 1994, the former Base has been operated by two joint powers authorities, the Inland Valley Development Agency (IVDA) which was formed in 1990, and the San Bernardino International Airport Authority (SBIAA) which was formed in 1992. The IVDA and the SBIAA are in the process of replacing and upgrading the infrastructure of the former Norton Air Force Base. These improvements include ongoing base structure repair and environmental remediation, water system improvements and base floodwater runoff mitigation. In addition to the federal funds requested, the IVDA and the SBIAA are committing their own significant financial resources to the various projects. Amount: $6,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Spintronics Memory Storage Technology. Account: RDTE, Defense Wide. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of California, Riverside. Address of Requesting Entity: 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521. Description of Request: This project aims to take advantage of recent advances in nanomaterials, nanodevices and spintronics to bring about revolutionary advances in magnetic storage technologies and to develop chip-scale packaging and thermal dissipation solutions for this new generation of devices. Current hard disk drives are now contending with the superparamagnetic limit which limits the magnetic grain size for recording information. In this effort we will explore the use of multilevel recording techniques and examine the use of new nanomaterials for the development of highly efficient thermal interface materials in order to accommodate the high thermal dissipation required in compact devices. Amount: $3,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Advanced Starting Systems. Account: OM, Army National Guard. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Northstar JPS. Address of Requesting Entity: 1675 Cabrera Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92411. Description of Request: The funding would be used for the production of air and ground multiple start advanced starting systems for the Army National Guard. Amount: $500,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Technology Commercialization and Management Network. Account: RDTE, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California State University, San Bernardino. Address of Requesting Entity: 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407. Description of Request: In collaboration with the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) supports Technology Commercialization and Management Network through the Integrated Technology Transfer Network (ITTN). The program strengthens the Army's capacity in defense by identifying and fast- tracking the transfer of technology, improving situational intelligence for commanders and soldiers in the field, and leveraging and enabling interdependent and network-centric warfare. The future commercialization of technologies will require a special combination of skills that traverse the boundaries of entrepreneurship, business, and science. The ITTN program addresses this by implementing a comprehensive program of training, to perform research and work in the Army Laboratory and technology companies. Students acquire special skills needed through an intensive applied curriculum of business and entrepreneurship courses, experiential learning through apprenticeships and mentoring with CSUSB faculty and the Army Research Laboratory. Amount: $2,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Facility Security using Tactical Surveys. Account: RDTE, DW. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Tactical Survey Group. Address of Requesting Entity: 2800 North Little Mountain Drive, Bldg D, San Bernardino, CA 92405. Description of Request: The Tactical Survey System is an innovative computer-based, interactive tool that provides crisis personnel access to a vast database of reliable pre-incident information on a facility, thereby enhancing their ability to effectively respond to an emergency situation. The Tactical Survey System includes immersive imagery with embedded tactical intelligence including hazardous material types and locations, aerial photos, ingress and egress videos, key personnel, building construction information, utility shutoff locations with instructions, communications infrastructure, fire fighting assets, fire and security alarm systems, and perimeter control systems. Completion of a survey at a federal installation also then allows precise advanced planning of emergency response, conduct of realistic exercises, and detailed training of individuals. Amount: $3,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Tactical Video Capture System. Account: P, Marine Corps. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L3 Communications. Address of Requesting Entity: 600 Third Ave, NY, NY 10016. Description of Request: Initiated by DARPA research funds, the Tactical Video Capture System (TVCS) was developed as the first intelligent video system that provides Real-Time Visualization, Situation Awareness, and After Action Review for the USMC Pre- Deployment Training Program and particularly for urban warfare training operations. Praetorian is an operating system that stitches live or recorded video onto a textured 3D model of the training site's terrain and infrastructure. TVCS provides intuitive, easily understood situational awareness in 3D context from large numbers of video feeds on a single screen. Praetorian also allows an on-the-ground trainer to see video on mobile PDA's, so they are equipped with actionable information. From remote TVCS stations, trainers will have the ability to effortlessly move through the width, depth, and height of the training area with full visual awareness of events as they unfold. Amount: $4,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Geospatial Intelligence Analysis Education. Account: Intelligence Activities. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Redlands. Address of Requesting Entity: 1200 East Colton Ave, PO Box 3080, Redlands, CA 92373. Description of Request: This project supports continuing efforts to strategically enhance the human and scientific infrastructure of the Intelligence Community (IC), as well as other federal agencies which employ staff who should be using advanced Geospatial Analysis methods. The effort involves collaborating with the Intelligence and Federal Geospatial Communities in the design, development, and implementation of a professionally-oriented graduate education program, including research, short courses and basic studies in geographic information science (GIS). A key objective is to equip officers at federal agencies with advanced geospatial analysis skills. Amount: $1,000,000.00. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Micro-Satellite Serial Manufacturing. Account: RDTE, Air Force. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Southern California. Address of Requesting Entity: USC, Los Angeles, CA 90089. Description of Request: USC is requesting continuation of the Microsatellite Serial Manufacturing project initiated as a demonstration project in fiscal years 2006, 2007 and continued in 2008. The project is having success in developing new serial manufacturing methodologies that produce microsatellites more quickly, thereby allowing the U.S. to be responsive to national security space needs. Serial methods build families of microsatellites where the knowledge of the prior designs is harnessed serially on the next microsatellite; short cycle times (approximately 1015 months) that give important insights into the entire satellite construction process, something impossible in today's typical 10-year cycles. The project's educational outreach component supports National Security Space (NSS) and the Intelligence Community (IC) in order to provide much-needed and security-cleared graduate and undergraduate engineers for the future national security workforce. Amount: $1,000,000.00.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor my good friend Deborah Pryce whose service to Ohio and her nation has been exemplary. I first came to know Deborah when I was active in a Task Force to elect more Republican women to Congress. Her spirit and enthusiasm impressed me then and it was no surprise to watch her quickly become a leader among her colleagues. In 2002 she was elected House Republican Conference Chair, a position I once held, where she articulated the party's message and helped craft the Republican agenda. In this capacity, Deborah became the highest ranking Republican woman in history. I am particularly touched by the work Deborah has done to fight cancer. After losing her beloved daughter Caroline to this disease, Deborah co-founded Hope Street Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing funding and awareness of pediatric cancer. Knowing Deborah like I do, she will tirelessly continue her fight against this dreadful disease. I wish her well as she returns home. Congress' loss will be her family's gain. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to honor my good friend and fellow appropriator Dave Hobson of Ohio. I've had the pleasure of serving alongside Dave as we have fought to make sure our military has the resources it needs to defend our interests around the world. Dave's commitment to ensuring the brave men and women of our armed forces receive the pay, benefits, housing, and quality health care they deserve is second to none. Dave made constituent service a priority during his time in office. He has long sponsored monthly ``Open Doors'' meetings in his district so his constituents could directly share their concerns with him. During his time on the Energy and Water Subcommittee, Dave visited Northern California on behalf of our colleague John Doolittle. Dave brought to our attention the urgent matter of levees and flood control. His expertise on this issue has been critical as California has worked to address this serious problem. Retirement is something to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is not the end of a career, but rather the beginning of a new life adventure. I send my friend Dave my best wishes in all his future endeavors. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to honor Ralph Regula, the second- longest currently serving Republican member of the U.S. House and a man I am honored to call a friend. I thank Ralph for his years of service. He has inspired a legacy that demonstrates the true character and compass on of his Ohio district. During his many years on the Appropriations Committee, Ralph has done magnificent work on many subcommittees, particularly the Labor, Health, Human Services and Education budget, which is the largest discretionary domestic account. He focused on strengthening our education system to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global marketplace, making health care accessible to all, ensuring that the U.S. remains at the cutting edge of medical research, and retaining workforce training programs that provide people an avenue to seek gainful employment. He has been an example of the very best of the Appropriations Committee and has been a Member that colleagues on both sides of the aisle could turn to. While I will miss seeing him in the halls of this great institution, I know he will be happy at hone on his farm in Ohio with his wife Mary and their four grandchildren.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to honor the incredible service of my very good friend Ray LaHood. I have had the privilege of serving alongside him as a Member of the Conference and as an Appropriator. I first met Ray when he was a young staffer for Bob Michel. He performed invaluable service in helping Bob be a great leader. Ray's son Darin was looking for work and it was a pleasure to bring him into the extended Lewis family as a part of my personal office. With my encouragement, Darin went on to law school as an attorney in Nevada. I know I share Ray's pride as Darin has returned home to Illinois to run for Peoria County State's Attorney. Ray is a consensus-builder and a common-sense legislator and has distinguished himself as a champion of this great institution. Throughout his time here he has fought vigorously to ensure the Capitol stays the ``people's house'' and that it remains a beacon for motivated and service-minded young people. I know his constituents appreciate his selfless service. His efforts are a testament to the highest level of commitment an individual can demonstrate on behalf of others. I join my colleagues in wishing Ray, Kathy, and his family well.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. The chairman is most sensitive and generous. Thank you for that. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim 1 minute.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the Republican leader of the House, John Boehner of Ohio.

Mr. LEWIS of California. If you have no additional speakers yourself, then with that I will yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LEWIS of California. The gentleman is very kind.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Yes, I did.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 5 minutes to my colleague, Hal Rogers, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the ranking member of the committee dealing with military construction and veterans benefits, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the ranking member of the Transportation Committee, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, if there's been a Member of the House who has told all of us the urgent need for being able to tap into our resources of oil and gas, it's been the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson). I yield him 1 minute.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today with serious reservations about the process, or rather the lack of process, governing the development of this year's end spending bill. This package is made up of several components. We have just heard from the Defense Chairman. It also includes the Homeland Security bill and the Military Construction-VA spending bills, all of these together total some $603 billion; a continuing resolution for nine spending bills funded at fiscal year 2008 levels; emergency spending totaling something in the neighborhood of $23 billion; and other provisions costing even billions more. If you are like me, you have a great many questions about what is actually included in this package. The simple truth is this: Very few people have any idea what is in it. During this time of economic uncertainty, our constituents are demanding oversight, transparency and accountability from Congress. Last Friday, I began writing a letter to the three leaders writing this legislation. My message was simple: Given the size and scope of this spending bill, it is paramount that House Members and Senators of both parties be active participants in crafting this bill. I felt then, and I feel now, that it is essential that chairmen and ranking members of our Appropriations subcommittees be at the table during substantive negotiations. I didn't send the letter, Mr. Speaker, because on Saturday morning I was told that the key elements of the spending bill were already in place and that there would be no Member or Senator participation. In other words, no full Appropriations Committee consideration, no meetings involving the key chairmen and ranking members, and no formal House-Senate conference deliberations. I am convinced that the completion of this legislation without the full participation of Members and Senators will result in lasting long- term damage to not just the Appropriations Committee, but also to the institution, the House of Representatives that I love. It also leads the House and Senate into an unprecedented dangerous territory by handing the sole decision-making authority on national spending practices to a handful of elected leaders and a whole lot of unelected staff members. It is not as if these leaders were negotiating 12 individual spending bills that had passed the House and the Senate. This year, the House has passed one funding bill. The Senate has not passed any. Over the last 2 years, out of the 24 regular order bills, the Appropriations Committee in the House has produced exactly one regular order conference report. The challenge of developing and passing a Federal budget requires full active participation of Members and Senators in the full Appropriations Committee, on the floor of the House and Senate, and through an open House-Senate conference committee. By the way, I might mention it was suggested on the floor earlier today that the chairman of our committee indicated the reason we haven't had a full, open committee hearing regarding this process was because Members tend to stand up and pontificate in open hearings. Well, let me suggest that may very well be the case, and I wouldn't suggest that our chairman was ever known for pontificating, but, in the meantime, this lack of Member involvement is absolutely unacceptable. All year long, the majority leadership has chosen to ignore regular order. The assumption has been that Barack Obama would be elected President in November, and that he would support higher levels of spending all across the board. But join me in this question: What happens if John McCain gets elected President? And what if that President draws an even tougher line than President Bush? What does that mean? Does that mean, Mr. Chairman, that we won't have Appropriations Committee meetings or hearings or bills for another 4 years? It is an interesting question. When I first came to Congress, legislation was drafted by Members with jurisdiction over the issues of the day. Members of both parties had every opportunity to participate in the debate by offering amendments. Today, whether you are Republican or a Democrat, you no longer have any opportunity to participate, no opportunity to offer amendments, no opportunity to settle meaningful differences in the committee and on the House floor or in the conference between the House and the Senate. My colleagues, this is no way to govern. We ought to work together, produce spending bills through a legitimate committee process and return to a full and open debate in committee and on the House floor. Let me say that I did have a conversation just yesterday, indeed a cursory conversation, with my chairman, Mr. Obey, about what's in this bill. I appreciated that opportunity to chat for a few minutes about this horrendous process as well as this bill. Let me say that the issue that seemed to have paralyzed the process this year, and caused the committee to essentially close down, involves the majority's unwillingness to address the high price of oil and gas. That issue is finally, at least in part, addressed with this bill. Had we dealt with the OCS moratorium in June, the committee probably would have completed all of its bills, but we chose not to let that process go forward. It is now late September, and, finally, the voices of millions of Americans, financially drained from paying $4 a gallon for gasoline, they are finally being heard. Section 152 of the CR represents a gigantic step in the right direction relative to energy independence. We actually suspend the moratorium on drilling in the United States. Now, frankly, depending on who is elected as President, we may have to worry about that next year. I mean, a President could literally be involved in reestablishing that moratorium and thereby hampering America one more time. In closing, I don't believe we should shut down our government. We must support funding for our troops, our veterans, and protect our homeland. Each of the 535 House Members and Senators should have played a role in shaping this bill. It is time that we insist upon a return to regular order. It's certainly time that we get back to that which the Speaker promised, an open and transparent process with everybody's involvement, Members, but also the public as well. Mr. Speaker, I proudly reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida, who is the former chairman of the full committee as well as the Defense subcommittee.