Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to Republican earmark guidance, I am submitting the following in regards to H.R. 1105. Project Name: Banning Family Health Center. Account: HRSA--Health facilities and services. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Inland Behavioral and Health Services, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 1963 North `E' Street, San Bernardino, CA 92405. Description of Request: This funding will be used for the construction of a comprehensive community health services center in Banning, California. The center will provide health service to low- income, uninsured adults, families and seniors in a rapidly growing area in need of health services. Amount: $714,000. Project Name: Village of Childhelp West, Beaumont, CA. Account: SAMHSA. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Merv Griffin Village of Child Help. Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 247, Beaumont, CA 92223. Description of Request: The funding will be used to expand services at one of the nation's first residential treatment facilities dedicated to the healing treatment of severely abused and neglected children. Currently, the facility is operating at or over 100% capacity and has waiting lists of children from referral sources. Amount: $714,000. Project Name: We Care San Jacinto. Account: Innovation/Improvement (FIE). Legal Name of Requesting Entity: We Care San Jacinto, USA. Address of Requesting Entity: 300 West First Street, San Jacinto, CA 92583. Description of Request: This funding will be used to expand an already existing program which provides tutoring, homework assistance and after-school classes for low-income families at no cost. In conjunction with the local school district, We Care is aimed at helping children who are failing or are most at risk of failing to meet California State's student academic achievement standards. With numerous street gangs that are involved in criminal activity in the area of San Jacinto, the We Care tutoring program has attempted to positively influence those who might very well be inclined to drop out of school or not seek secondary education. Expanding the center will continue to improve the quality of life for the students of San Jacinto and for the entire community. Amount: $77,000. Project Name: San Bernardino County Museum Hall of Geological Wonders. Account: IMLS. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: County of San Bernardino, USA. Address of Requesting Entity: 385 North Arrowhead Avenue, 5th Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415. Description of Request: This funding will be used to assist in the completion of new exhibition space and to upgrade the care of the collection in the 12,000 sq. ft. Hall of Geological Wonders at the San Bernardino County Museum. Project goals include enhancing and updating exhibitions, modern museum collection care, diverse learning programs, and will provide greater opportunity for education and appreciation for regional and natural heritage at the San Bernardino County Museum. Amount: $333,000. Project Name: San Bernardino and Riverside County Regional Fingerprint ID (CAL-ID). Account: OJP--Byrne Discretionary Grants. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, CA. Address of Requesting Entity: San Bernardino County, 655 East Third Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415 and Riverside County, 4095 Lemon Street, Riverside, CA 92501. Description of Request: This funding is for ongoing product development and purchase of mobile fingerprint identification devices and software. The Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino County embarked on a joint venture to create a regional identification system designed to be shared by all law enforcement agencies in the 27,360 square mile jurisdiction. The system provides fingerprint, photo and DNA services to all public safety agencies including local police departments, district attorney, school districts, coroner and Sheriffs' Departments in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It is also available to other state and federal law enforcement agencies that utilize these services on a routine basis. Amount: $1,925,000. Project Name: San Bernardino FileNET Program. Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of San Bernardino. Address of Requesting Entity: 300 North ``D'' Street, San Bernardino, CA 92418. Description of Request: The funding will be used to upgrade to FileNET document imaging system to, which allows real time document uploads and viewing by the police department and the prosecutor's office. The system will speed up investigations and prosecutions in San Bernardino, a city ranked as one of the most dangerous in America. Amount: $400,000. Project Name: East Valley Regional Crime Analysis System (COMPASS). Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Redlands. Address of Requesting Entity: 35 Cajon Street, Redlands, CA 92373. Description of Request: The funding will be used to expand the COMPASS (Community Mapping, Planning and Analysis for Safety Strategies) initiative to other communities in the Inland Empire region. COMPASS has expanded the role of crime mapping, data sharing and analysis within the East Valley region, leading the way in GPS, offender monitory analysis, and processing shared data from local agencies in support of a state program. Amount: $425,000. Project Name: California Gang Suppression Enforcement Teams. Account: OJP--Byrne Discretionary Grants. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California State Department of Justice. Address of Requesting Entity: 4949 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95820. Description of Request: The funding will be used to support the expansion of Gang Suppression Enforcement Teams to provide technical expertise to local law enforcement overwhelmed by gang violence. GSET identifies and attacks and gang's leadership, infrastructure and hierarchy, to completely disable a gang's operations and prevent it from reestablishing itself. Amount: $200,000. Project Name: Criminal Information Sharing Alliance Network. Account: OJP--Byrne Discretionary Grants. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Criminal Information Sharing Alliance, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 225, Folsom, CA 95630. Description of Request: The funding will help the Criminal Information Sharing Alliance assist the State of California in its development, procurement and implementation of state-of-the-art technologies that enhance the capabilities of the State's criminal intelligence investigation, enforcement and assessment centers through a southwest regional approach. Amount: $400,000. Project Name: Ranchero Road Corridor Project. Account: FHWA-Interstate Maintenance. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Hesperia, CA. Address of Requesting Entity: 9700 Seventh Ave., Hesperia, CA 92345. Description of Request: Funding will help construct an interchange at Ranchero Road and I-15. The project will improve motorist circulation, reduce traffic congestion, and promote commerce. This project is eligible for Interstate Maintenance (IM) funding as the IM program provides funding for resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation and reconstruction work, including adding lanes to increase capacity, on most existing Interstate System routes. IM program requires 10% local match. Amount: $650,750. Project Name: Potrero Boulevard/SR 60 Interchange. Account: FHWA-Surface Transportation Program. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Beaumont, CA. Address of Requesting Entity: 550 East 6th St., Beaumont, CA 92223. Description of Request: The project, to engineer and construct the Potrero Boulevard/SR 60 interchange, will relieve congestion and improve safety at the Interstate 10 and SR 60 interchange. This project is Surface Transportation Program (STP) eligible as those program funds may be used to carry out projects involving construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, resurfacing, restoration, and operational improvements for highways. STP program requires 20% local match. Amount: $855,000. Project Name: I-215 and University Parkway. Account: FHWA--Interstate Maintenance. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of San Bernardino, CA. Address of Requesting Entity: 300 N. D St., San Bernardino, CA 92346. Description of Request: This project would construct a direct connector ramp from westbound University Parkway to southbound I-215. Constructing an additional southbound entrance ramp will provide the necessary relief for traffic on both sides on the interchange. The benefits include additional growth for Cal State San Bernardino, continued development of upper scale residential units in the vicinity of the university and continued commercial and industrial development on the west side of 1-215. This project is eligible for IM funding as the IM program provides funding for resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation and reconstruction work, including adding lanes to increase capacity, on most existing Interstate System routes. IM program requires 10% local match. Amount: $508,250. Project Name: Needles Highway. Account: FHWA--Public Lands Highway Program. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: San Bernardino Associated Governments. Address of Requesting Entity: 1170 W. 3rd St., 2nd Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92410-1715. Description of Request: The realignment and widening of the Needles Highway will facilitate motorist safety, economic development, and future capacity needs due to increased freight movement from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Improvements to the highway are necessary for improved motorist safety as well as to reduce road flooding and wash-outs. Additionally, improvements are necessary as Needles Highway provides access to and from a number of Indian reservations in the area. This project is Public Lands Highway Program (PLHP) eligible as the PLHP program provides for transportation planning, research, engineering, and construction of highways, roads, and parkways and transit facilities within public lands, national parks, and Indian reservations. PLHP requires no local match. Amount: $3.8 million. Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009. Project Name: Mojave Water Agency Non-Native Plant Removal. Account: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)--Conservation Operations. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Mojave Water Agency. Address of Requesting Entity: 22450 Headquarters Drive, Apple Valley, CA 92307. Description of Request: $667,000 will be provided to help complete a project to remove invasive weeds from the Mojave River area in cooperating with an ongoing local initiative. The Mojave River serves thousands of acres of federal land, including the Mojave National Preserve. Non-native plants are a constant threat to the Mojave River's ecosystem. Removing them will conserve vast amounts of water, which is a very precious resource in this area. Removal will also protect wildlife and dramatically reduce the risk of flood and fire.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to Republican earmark guidance, I am submitting the following: in regards to H.R. 1105. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Joshua Tree National Park Visitor's Center Account: National Park Service, Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Twentynine Palms Address of Requesting Entity: 6136 Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms, California 92277 Description of Request: The Joshua Tree National Park Visitors Center annually hosts nearly one and a half million visitors in a cramped, obsolete facility where it is impossible to display the cultural history of the area, provide needed community and informational services, or even provide appropriate information to visitors to the Park. These funds would allow for an improvement and expansion of the Center to provide the space to display the fabled Campbell Collection of Native American artifacts, as well as a wide array of other objects of interest to both the visiting public and to researchers. Amount: $300,000 Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Joshua Basin Water District Recharge Account: EPA State and Tribal Assistance Grants Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Joshua Basin Water District Address of Requesting Entity: 61750 Chollita Road, Joshua Tree, California 92252 Description of Request: Joshua Basin Water District needs to develop a recharge system to import water from the California State Water Project to avoid overdraft conditions and septic system contamination of the aquifer. This project is an important component of a regional water management plan and over $2 million has already been committed locally. The system of underground storage facilities would accept and store water from the State Project in years when surpluses are available. There are currently no other recharge projects on going in the Joshua Tree basin. Amount: $300,000 Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Water System Infrastructure Improvements Account: EPA, State and Tribal Assistance Grants Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Big Bear Lake Department of Water and Power Address of Requesting Entity: 41972 Garstin Drive, Big Bear Lake, California 92315 Description of Request: This project would provide improved water pressure at peak demand periods and improved water quality resulting from the replacement of steel pipes with PVC. Although the City of Big Bear is located in an area prone to wildfires, much of its water supply infrastructure is unable to even meet minimum requirements for fire flow. Engineering studies have identified 181,800 feet of pipeline that must be replaced to meet current standards. Amount: $500,000. Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Desert Hot Springs Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Mission Springs Water District Address of Requesting Entity: 66575 2nd Street, Desert Hot Springs, California 92240 Description of Request: This project will construct a municipal wastewater collection and treatment system that will eliminate individual wastewater disposal systems that overlie the Mission Creek and Desert Hot Springs aquifers. To accomplish this, the district needs to replace roughly 4000 individual sewage disposal systems that lie in a very concentrated area over the primary inflow of the groundwater that supplies nearly 400,000 people. Amount: $478,000 Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Hi-Desert Wastewater Collection and Reuse Account: Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hi-Desert Water District Address of Requesting Entity: 55439 29 Palms Hwy, Yucca Valley, CA 92284 Description of Request: The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner. The Hi-Desert Wastewater Collection and Reuse Facility will protect the groundwater quality in the area and provide reclaimed water to be used directly for irrigation and commercial purposes that are normally supplied by potable water. Using reclaimed water to meet non-potable demand will off set the demands for potable water. Amount: $1,000,000 Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Seven Oaks Water Quality and Conservation Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District Address of Requesting Entity: 300 East Vanderbilt Way, San Bernardino, California 92408 Description of Request: The rains of the winter of 2005 demonstrated beyond question that water conservation at Seven Oaks Dam can provide a major supplemental source of water for an increasingly water starved region. Unfortunately, by holding water behind the dam the water is degraded so far as to be unusable. Work is being done to determine the appropriate method to improve water quality while continuing to conserve behind the dam. Amount: $1,500,000 Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis. Project Name: Santa Ana River and Tributaries Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Yucaipa Address of Requesting Entity: 34272 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, California 92399 Description of Request: This project will study the feasibility of a flood control project in Yucaipa, California. This community is located just north of Interstate-10, a major transportation hub that is threatened by 100-year level flooding. The study will look at the viability of detention basins, flood channels, and habitat to reduce the threat downstream. Amount: $268,000 Requesting Member: Congressman Jerry Lewis H.R. 1105 The Omnibus Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009 Project Name: Space Radiation Health Research Program Account: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Loma Linda University Medical Center Address of Requesting Entity: 11175 Campus Street, Loma Linda, CA 92354 Description of Request: Provide $2,800,000.00 to conduct investigations that clarify the space environment and how it will affect personnel and equipment. Funding will continue the implementation of the radioisotope laboratory for handling radioisotopes and tagging selected molecules for PET scanning and molecular imaging. This project will also enhance on-going core research activities including radiation protection, radioprotectants, and other site specific protection, immune interactions, nanodosimetry to explore radiation interactions on the DNA level, and other on-going joint research initiatives. This research will give support for on- going core activities in both the histology laboratory and in the imaging laboratories.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. I have one speaker remaining.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the partner of our chairman, Mr. Obey, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan).

Mr. LEWIS of California. I'd be happy to yield.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Could I inquire as to how much time is remaining?

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. (Mr. BARTON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. I have been told, since the Speaker wants to close, then our leader ought to precede her, we will have three.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, as I prepare to call upon my last speaker, I want to remind my colleagues that according to the Congressional Budget Office, only 11 percent of the appropriations in this bill will be spent by the end of 2009; 47 percent would be spent by fiscal year 2010; 53 percent would not be spent until after October of 2011. It is my pleasure to call upon, for 1 minute, the Republican leader of the House, John Boehner.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that all of us appreciate Members and staff who are willing to work around here. There's no Member in the House who puts in more energy and time and hours than my friend, Chairman Obey. I do not necessarily have to agree with everything that he might suggest, but in the meantime, you certainly cannot discount his commitment to this effort. And to the staff on both sides of the aisle who spent endless nights, weekends and otherwise trying to evaluate and work through this package and help each other where we can, I want them all to know that they have our thanks, the entire House's thanks, for that effort.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield $8.8 billion to the gentleman from Tennessee for 1 minute. That's the cost of the minute I'm yielding him on this bill, to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the newest Member of the House, Aaron Schock of Illinois.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, could I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen).

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield 3 minutes to the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Appropriations that gets the vast percentage of increase in spending in this bill, the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt).

Mr. LEWIS of California. I believe I have two.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp), the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee. (Mr. CAMP asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, in just a short while, the House will be voting on the President's $790 billion economic stimulus package. It is by far the most expensive piece of legislation ever considered by this legislative body in its more than 200 years. I will be voting ``no'' on this legislation. Over the next few minutes, I would like to share my concerns about this bill as it is currently written. The President, whom I respect a great deal, is a fine salesman. But as I have said on more than one occasion, facts are stubborn things. The fact is that this stimulus package does more to promote the growth of the Federal Government than it does to create jobs or to stimulate our economy. The fact is there are 104 government programs in this legislation that are being permanently expanded. This includes 31 new government programs and permanent expansions to 73 existing programs. Taxpayers will pay for these programs well into the future. Of the total funding in this package, $190 billion--or 61 percent--is devoted to increasing the size of government. Only $122 billion--or 39 percent--is for a temporary one-time infusion of money into 98 Federal programs to stimulate the economy. Again, these are the facts. The interest on this new spending alone will cost no less than $350 billion. And, if all of the new spending in this bill is carried forward in the future years, Federal nondefense budgets will have to increase by at least 42 percent each year. One more time, these are the facts. My colleagues, is there anyone in Congress who really believes that this spending can be sustained? Let's not kid ourselves. When it comes to Washington spending taxpayers' money, a trillion has become the new million. So how did we get to this point today? Two nights ago, the President's chief of staff came to Capitol Hill under the cover of darkness and presented the framework of a final deal to Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi. The only negotiation that took place occurred in the middle of the night in several back rooms of the U.S. Capitol between the White House and these two leaders. There are hundreds of billions of dollars of spending in this legislation, and yet not one member of the House Appropriations Committee--not even Chairman Obey--was in sight when the final deal was cut. There are hundreds of billions of dollars of tax provisions in this legislation, and yet not one member of the House Ways and Means committee--not even Chairman Rangel--was in sight when the final deal was cut. The purpose of a conference committee is to negotiate differences between competing versions of the House and Senate bills. Amendments are usually offered, debated, and considered. But there were no negotiations between Republicans and Democrats at Wednesday's conference. The negotiations had taken place the night before. Outside of the Speaker and Senate Majority Leader Reid, no one in the Congress has any idea what is really in this legislation. It was filed in the House as it was negotiated--in the darkness of night. And it became available to Members and the public on a Web site at 12:30 a.m. this morning, less than 12 hours ago. This is precisely why every single Member present on Tuesday, more than 400 Members of the House, voted to have the conference report available 48 hours before House consideration. But the Speaker and the Senate Majority Leader are clearly afraid that the more Members and taxpayers learn about this bill, the more Members will walk away from it. The House should not vote on the largest spending bill in the history of the United States when no one on either side of the aisle has any real idea of what's in it. There is no doubt that urgent action is needed to stimulate the economy and create jobs. Had the President and congressional leaders focused and put their attention on the real need for job creation, with an emphasis on infrastructure jobs, this package would be sailing through the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support. There are Members on both sides of the aisle who would support reasonable transportation and infrastructure projects as well as reasonable tax reform, but that is not what is before us today. In the end, funding for roads, highways, flood control measures, and other job creating infrastructure projects were downsized in order to increase the size and scope of government programs. Mr. Speaker, that's not stimulus. That's not job creation, and it certainly isn't what the country needs or deserves. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Then let me ask the gentleman from Wisconsin: Would you consider such a request?