Frank LoBiondo

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 3288 Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: FRA, Rail Line Relocation and Improvement Program Legal Name of Requesting Entity: County of Salem, NJ Address of Requesting Entity: 94 Market St., Salem, NJ 08079 Description of Request: Received an earmark of $750,000 for the rehabilitation of county owned rail line depended upon by local industry. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: HUD, Economic Development Initiative Legal Name of Requesting Entity: South Jersey Economic Development District Address of Requesting Entity: 226 North High Street, Millville, NJ 08332 Description of Request: Received an earmark of $250,000 to assist in the construction of facilities at the Aviation Research and Technology Park, an industrial park in Pomona, NJ which will facilitate economic development and provide new jobs to the area. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: HUD, Economic Development Initiative Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Town of Hammonton Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Central Avenue, Hammonton, NJ 08332 Description of Request: Received an earmark of $250,000 to assist in the acquisition and adaptation of blighted former industrial sites for reuse as a location for new businesses looking to bring jobs to the area.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 3293 Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Shore Memorial Hospital Address of Requesting Entity: 1 East New York Avenue, Somers Point, NJ 08244 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 for construction of and equipment for a new surgical pavilion. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Bacharach Institute for Rehabilitation Address of Requesting Entity: 61 West Jimmie Leeds Road, Pomona, NJ 08240 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $250,000 for relocation, expansion and upgrade of Bacharach's Sleep Disorder Center. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Vineland, NJ Address of Requesting Entity: 640 E. Wood Street, Vineland, NJ 08360 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $300,000 for the development of a community health and wellness center on the campus of what will become a regional health care and health training facility. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: AtlantiCare Address of Requesting Entity: 2500 English Creek Avenue, Building 500, Suite 501, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08401 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $200,000 to implement a geographic and program expansion of the AtlantiCare Special Care Center, a nationally recognized program to improve outcomes for the chronically ill.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 2996 Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $400,000 for the Lower Cape May Meadows, Cape May Point Environmental Restoration Project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps O&M Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $100,000 for the Salem River, NJ ongoing dredging maintenance project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps O&M Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 for the NJ Intracoastal Waterway ongoing dredging maintenance project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 for ongoing construction of the Brigantine Inlet to Great Egg Harbor Inlet, Absecon Island, NJ shore protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $300,000 for ongoing construction of the Townsend Inlet to Cape May Inlet, NJ shore protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 to begin construction of the Great Egg Harbor to Townsend Inlet, NJ shore protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $200,000 for ongoing construction of the Cape May Inlet to Lower Township, NJ shore protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps O&M Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $250,000 for ongoing maintenance dredging of Absecon Inlet, NJ. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $6,500,000 for ongoing construction of the Great Egg Harbor Inlet and Peck Beach, NJ shore protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Army Corps Section 205 Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Description of Request: Provide the Army Corps authority to continue construction of the Pennsville, NJ section 205 Small Flood Control project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: DOE EERE Legal Name of Requesting Entity: South Jersey Economic Development District Address of Requesting Entity: 226 North High Street, Millville, NJ 08332 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 to construct wind turbines in Sea Isle City, NJ and Penns Grove, NJ on publicly owned land that cannot be utilized otherwise because they currently serve as municipal waste sites.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize LT Jamie C. Frederick for his service to the United States House of Representatives and for his fifteen years of service to our country in the United States Coast Guard. LT Jamie C. Frederick was assigned as Congressional Liaison Officer to the House in the Office of Coast Guard Congressional and Governmental Affairs in July 2007. As Congressional Liaison Officer, he worked directly with the Coast Guard's appropriations and authorizing committees to ensure the Service receives the necessary resources and legislative authorities to effectively execute its vital missions. Lieutenant Frederick served as the face of the Coast Guard here in the House and has sacrificed countless hours of time with his family to respond to Congressional requests and to accompany Members and staff as we travel to learn firsthand about Coast Guard missions and policies in the field. In my roles as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, my staff and I relied on Lieutenant Frederick's tremendous familiarity and understanding of the needs, as well as operational missions, roles and responsibilities of the United States Coast Guard to conduct or oversight of the Service. Lieutenant Frederick began his Coast Guard career after graduating from Dover High School in Dover Plains, New York. Following basic training in Cape May, New Jersey, he was assigned to the USCG Cutter BITTERSWEET before he moved on to a three year assignment at Coast Guard Station Two Rivers, Wisconsin, where he served as a rescue boat coxswain, engineer and federal law enforcement boarding officer. In October 1999, he was one of only 30 enlisted members selected to attend Coast Guard Officer Candidate School at the United States Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut. Upon graduation in 2000, he received a commission as an ensign and was assigned to Coast Guard Sector Key West, Florida as an Operations Center Controller and Public Affairs Officer. While serving as the unit's Public Affairs Officer he earned back-to-back CDR Jim Simpson Awards for excellence in media and public relations. In 2002, he was selected to serve as the Aide to then Coast Guard Chief of Staff, Admiral Thad W. Allen. Admiral Allen is currently serving as the twenty-third Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. Lieutenant Frederick was a key member of Admiral Allen's staff during the Coast Guard's transition to the Department of Homeland Security. In 2004, Lieutenant Frederick was selected to command Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Washington. As the Commanding Officer, he was responsible for operations and readiness of the largest Search and Rescue and Law Enforcement Station in the Pacific Northwest with 7,100 square-miles of ocean, the treacherous Columbia River Bar, and 42 nautical-miles of the lower Columbia River. During his tenure as the Commanding Officer, the Station conducted over 800 search and rescue and 500 law enforcement cases. In 2006, he and his crew were awarded the Pacific Area Coast Guard Foundation Award for Heroism for a winter rescue of the 50-foot fishing vessel Catherine M. Lieutenant Frederick was a finalist for the Witherspoon Inspirational Leadership Award, the highest leadership award in the USCG, in 2005 and was recognized as an Honorable Mention in 2006. It should also be noted that Lieutenant Frederick's military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, two Coast Guard Commendation Medals, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal and a variety of other personal, team and unit commendations. Lieutenant Frederick was recently selected for promotion to Lieutenant Commander and will attend Johns Hopkins University for a master's degree in communications beginning this fall. I know Lieutenant Frederick will excel in his studies. The critical work he has done in service to the Coast Guard and our nation is an example for all those that serve. I wish the best to him and his wife Kimberly and his children. Thank you, Lieutenant Frederick for a job well done.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Chair, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on member requests, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 3082. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 3082 Account: Air Force, Military Construction, Air National Guard Legal Name of Requesting Entity: 177th Fighter Wing Address of Requesting Entity: 400 Langley Road, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 Description of Request: Provide $1.7 million for the construction of a properly sited, adequately sized, and configured functional space to support conventional munitions administration, training and maintenance in support of 18 PAA F-16 aircraft to better enable the 177th to perform its Air Sovereignty Alert mission in defense of the homeland.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 2997: Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: National Institute of Food and Agriculture--SRG Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Rutgers University Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension Address of Requesting Entity: 125A Oswego Road, Chatsworth, NJ 08019. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $451,000 for the Cranberry/Blueberry Disease Project for research on breeding and pest management will provide continued support for the $50 million a year industry. Past research has found bacterial anti-adherence mechanisms helping to fight urinary tract infection and dental caries, and other antioxidant properties. A major effort within the breeding program aims to enhance these health beneficial properties. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service--Salaries and Expenses Legal Name of Requesting Entity: State of New Jersey, Department of Agriculture Address of Requesting Entity: 369 S. Warren Street, P.O. Box 330, Trenton, NJ 08625 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $500,000 for the New Jersey Gypsy Moth Pest Management Program to support and enhance gypsy moth control on affected communities and public lands. Funds will be used to cost share aerial treatments borne by local municipalities; for outreach in developing a Web-based interactive online map showing the distribution of gypsy moth in New Jersey and proposed treatment areas; and for technical support for salaries for field scouts and vehicle operation.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 2996: Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) (along with Reps. Adler, Sires and Rothman) Bill Number: HR 2996 Account: Fish and Wildlife Service, Land Acquisition Legal Name of Requesting Entity: New Jersey Audubon Society Address of Requesting Entity: 11 Hardscrabble Road, Bernardsville, NJ 09724. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,100,000 for a land acquisition project at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) (along with Reps. Sires and Rothman) Bill Number: HR 2996 Account: Fish and Wildlife Service, Land Acquisition Legal Name of Requesting Entity: New Jersey Audubon Society Address of Requesting Entity: 11 Hardscrabble Road, Bernardsville, NJ 09724. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 for a land acquisition project at National Wildlife Refuge.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of this third en bloc amendment. I want to thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member McKeon for including the LoBiondo, Delahunt, Coble, Taylor amendment in this bloc. A couple of weeks ago I met with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Skip Bowen, to discuss benefits available to Coast Guard service members. He brought to my attention the fact that current law provides active duty members of the Armed Forces and Coast Guard and their dependents with access to legal assistance in connection with their personal civil affairs. The law also grants eligibility to certain DoD reservists who are called to active duty for more than 30 days. Unfortunately, the law does not provide the same eligibility to similarly situated Coast Guard reservists. I am offering this amendment with Representatives Delahunt and Coble, two Coast Guard veterans, to ensure current Coast Guard reservists have access to the same legal assistance as other DoD reservists upon release from active duty. This legal assistance is critical in helping reservists understand their rights under the Uniformed Services Reemployment Rights Act, the Service member's Civil Relief Act, as well as probate, housing, consumer and tax laws. There are currently over 8,100 reservists in the USCG, including over a hundred serving on active duty in Iraq providing port and waterways security. I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for working with me on this important issue and I encourage all members to support this en bloc amendment.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 2467. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 2467 Account: Air Force, Military Construction, Air National Guard Legal Name of Requesting Entity: 177th Fighter Wing Address of Requesting Entity: 400 Langley Road, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1.7 million for the construction of a properly sited, adequately sized, and configured functional space to support conventional munitions administration, training and maintenance in support of 18 PAA F-16 aircraft to better enable the 177th to perform its Air Sovereignty Alert mission in defense of the homeland. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 2467 Account: Army--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: (1) Drexel University (2) Waterfront Technology Center Address of Requesting Entity: (1) 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (2) 200 Federal Street, Suite 300, Camden, NJ 08103 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $7.0 million for Applied Communications and Information Networking (ACIN). ACIN enables the warfighter to rapidly deploy state-of-the-practice communications and networking technology for warfighting and National Security. This funding will build on funding from previous years to fully develop this technology. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 2467 Account: Air Force--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Accenture Address of Requesting Entity: 200 Federal Street, Suite 300, Camden, NJ 08103 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $7.0 million for Distributed Mission Interoperability Toolkit (DMIT). DMIT is a suite of tools that enables an enterprise architecture for on-demand, trusted, interoperability among and between mission-oriented C41 systems. This spending will build on funding from previous years to allow DMIT to be extended to Joint and coalition requirements, and address current weaknesses in Air Force management years ahead of current schedules. Adoption by major programs and commercial entities would lead to savings in the $100 millions on current and future DOD programs. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 2467 Account: Navy--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Absecon Mills, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: Vienna and Aloe Avenues, PO Box 672, Cologne, NJ 08213 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3.586 million for Force Protection--Non-Traditional Weaving Application for Aramid (Ballistic) Fibers and Fabrics. By reevaluating standard Industry design and manufacturing techniques for force protection technology, we believe Non Traditional weave designs of Aramid (ballistic) fiber coupled with new applications of microwave plasma treatments can enhance the strength of the fiber and result in enhanced individual mobility, ease of medical access, reduced weight, increased ballistic protection, cost effective savings and weight reduction of ballistic materials currently used Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 2467 Account: Air Force--Advance Procurement Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Communications Systems Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08103 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $4.0 million for Senior Scout COMINT (Communications Intelligence) Capability Upgrade. As part of the Senior Scout ongoing mission, there is an immediate need to add improved COMINT capability to detect and characterize new, modern, low- power radio signals at extended standoff ranges in the presence of interference. The current systems are not able to detect these specific signal sets, which limits intelligence collection capabilities. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 2467 Account: Army--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Price Systems, LLC Address of Requesting Entity: 17000 Commerce Parkway, Suite A, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $5.0 million for Software Lifecycle Affordability Management (SLAM). The Software Lifecycle Affordability Management (SLAM) project provides decision makers a means to understand cost tradeoffs in relation to both performance and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Development of the SLAM Service Oriented Architecture Cost Model (SOA-CM) enables the Army to determine which software lifecycle design/strategies realizes the greatest number of capabilities for the lowest possible cost, following the best possible schedule.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 2847. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) (along with Reps. Bishop (NY), Pallone and King (NY) Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: NOAA, NMFS Fisheries Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Partnership for Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Science Address of Requesting Entity: 501 Trenton Avenue, Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $600,000 for the collection and provision of data on summer flounder and black sea bass to the NMFS, regional councils, and state regulatory bodies and participate in the assessment process carried out by these groups. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) (along with Reps. Payne, Pallone and Sires) Bill Number: HR 2847 Account: Department of Justice, Juvenile Justice Programs Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation of New Jersey Address of Requesting Entity: 1259 Route 46 East, Building 3, Parsippany, NJ 07054 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $400,000 to be distributed to ten local Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies serving 19 counties to strengthen and expand one-to-one mentoring programs for At- Risk Youth. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) (along with Reps. Smith (NJ), Pascrell and Payne) Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: Department of Justice, Juvenile Justice Programs Legal Name of Requesting Entity: DARE, New Jersey, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 292 Prospect Plains Road, Cranbury, NJ 08512 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $350,000 to be used for the Middle School Drug and Safety Prevention Project for DARE, New Jersey, Inc. The project will implement the new D.A.R.E. Middle School/ Junior High School Program, ``Keepin' It Real''. This is a model substance abuse prevention education program on the SAMSHA National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Dorothy (Dotty) Cullen of Vineland, New Jersey for being awarded the MetLife Foundation's 2009 Older Volunteers Enrich America Award. Dotty has been involved with the Vineland Boys and Girls club for over 15 years, served on the Vineland Development Center Board for almost two decades, and has been a leader for veterans care throughout her life. Not one to slow down, Dotty currently serves as the President of the Residents Council at the Baker House, where she herself resides. The Baker House has become known for its patriotism and dedication to the community, participating in Toys for Tots, National Guard packages for soldiers serving abroad, and Read Across America. For her unwavering service to her community and to the country, she was selected for this prestigious national honor. I have personally known Dotty for more than 40 years and I can attest to the invaluable contributions she has made to her community. Her focus on recognizing the sacrifices of our veterans and providing them with the assistance they need is an inspiration to us all. I offer my sincere congratulations to my dear friend, Dotty Cullen, for receiving this honor and thank her for her continued dedication to the residents of Vineland, the State of New Jersey, and the United States of America.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 60 to 55 Reserve Component Retirement Act. Given the increasing demands placed on the brave men and women who serve as citizen soldiers in the Reserve Component, it is time to recognize and reward them in a more timely fashion. The current age requirement for Reserve Component to begin receiving retirement pay is 60 years old, whereas the Active Duty may begin receiving retirement pay as soon as they serve their 20 years, which in some cases, may be as early as age 38. The age limitation placed on the Reserve Component was set in 1948, when the Reserve Component was a much different force. Since 9/11, the National Guard and Reserves have expanded beyond their traditional bounds into a fully functional, combat-ready, and deployable partner to the Active Duty Armed Forces. This shift in use to a full partner has placed tremendous strains on the men and women of the Guard and Reserves. The legislation I am introducing with Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona will lower the age at which Reserve Component servicemembers can begin receiving their retirement pay from age 60 to age 55. This vital legislation will help close the gap between the Active Duty and Reserve Component retirement age, which will improve recruitment efforts and be more fair to the men and women serving in the National Guard and Reserve.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleague from Nevada, Ms. Berkley, and to thank her for holding this special order tonight. I agree that corporations who accept taxpayer funded bailouts should curb lavish expenses that do little to improve their profitability. However, legitimate business functions held at casino- hotels in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and elsewhere should not be the subject of criticism by the media and government officials. In my district, Atlantic City casinos are our region's single largest employer. Unfortunately, like most businesses, they are suffering in the current economic climate. Gaming revenue is down to its lowest point in more than a decade, thousands of employees have been laid off and construction projects have ground to a halt. Corporate gatherings, conventions and other functions bring thousands of business travelers to Atlantic City, filling our retail outlets, restaurants and hotel rooms. The continuance of these legitimate business functions is critical if our region is going to pull out of this recession, put people back to work and expand our economy. That is why I am outraged by the administration's latest salvo against our casino-hotels and the thousands of workers they employ. Forcing non profits and local governments who receive stimulus funds to abstain from holding legitimate events at casino-hotels is appalling. In my district, several nonprofits and government agencies hold important community outreach events at gaming properties in Atlantic City because these convenient venues are often the only ones able to accommodate large numbers of people. For instance, our local Workforce Investment Board regularly holds job fairs and workforce development seminars at casino-hotels in Atlantic City. Under the administration's new rules, these services would likely have to be curtailed at a time when they are critically needed and the economic recovery of our region's largest employer would be further delayed. I call on the administration to back down from this flawed, unjust, and unwarranted policy and instead partner with us to get our travel based economy in Southern New Jersey, Las Vegas and other destinations back on track. I also urge the media to immediately cease their hyperbolic attacks on legitimate corporate travel in this country. I thank the gentle lady from Nevada who Co-Chairs the Congressional Gaming Caucus with me for her leadership and I look forward to working with her and all of our colleagues to get our economy moving again.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmark in H.R. 1105. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Interior and Environment; Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Programs and Management Legal Name of Requesting Entity: National Rural Water Association Address of Requesting Entity: 2915 South 13th St., Duncan, OK 73533 Description of Request: A joint request to provide an earmark of $11.5 million to support rural water grassroots environmental and compliance initiatives, specifically rural water technical assistance, source water protection and ground water protection in New Jersey and across the nation.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 1105: Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Interior and Environment; Fish and Wildlife Service; Land Acquisition (LWCF) Legal Name of Requesting Entity: New Jersey Audubon Society Address of Requesting Entity: 142 West State Street, 4th Floor, Trenton, NJ 08608 Description of Request: $1.5 million towards the purchase of 80 acres, known as the Sinnickson Tract, adjacent to Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge from existing willing sellers. The tract is located on Block 4701, Lot 23 in Pennsville, Salem County, New Jersey. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Interior and Environment; National Park Service; Save America's Treasures Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts Address of Requesting Entity: 1048 Washington Street, P.O. Box 340, Cape May, NJ 08204 Description of Request: $100,000 to create a new, major impact heritage tourism product for the New Jersey Cape by restoring and opening to the public the World War 11 coastal artillery lookout tower, Fire Control Tower No. 23, located on Sunset Boulevard near Cape May Point. The Tower was listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places on May 29, 2003 and on the National Register on Nov. 17, 2003. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Labor, HHS, Education; Department of Education; Higher Education (includes FIPSE) Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Atlantic Cape Community College Address of Requesting Entity: 5100 Black Horse Pike Mays Landing, NJ 08330 Description of Request: $381,000 to be used for the purchase of equipment and technology for the Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Center to be constructed on the campus. The STEM Center will house programming for allied health, food science, life and physical science. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Labor, HHS, Education; Department of Health and Human Services; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Atlantic County Specialty Care Center in Mays Landing, New Jersey Address of Requesting Entity: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2535 Market Street, Suite 1300, Philadelphia, PA 19104 Description of Request: $95,000 to be used to provide safety/ communications, medical and educational equipment for the hospital's Children's Intensive Emotional and Behavioral Program (CIEBP). This program is a full day partial hospital program that integrates schooling, rehabilitation services, and psychiatric treatment for preschool and school aged children. It is the only psychiatric partial hospital program for children 5-12 with severe emotional and behavioral disorders in the Atlantic and Cape May county region. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Commerce, Justice, Science; Department of Commerce; NOAA-- National Marine Fisheries Service Operations, Research and Facilities Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Partnership for Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Science (PMAFS)--Recreational Fishing Alliance Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 3080, New Gretna, NJ 08224 Description of Request: $1 million for a Summer Flounder Initiative which will utilize acadmemic, recreational and commerical fisheries resources to address the management of summer flounder in the Mid- Atlantic region. This Initiative will address science issues relevant to the improved understanding of summer flounder recruitment, population demographies and discard mortality. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Commerce, Justice, Science; Department of Justice; OJP-- Juvenile Justice Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Police Athletic League (PAL) of New Jersey Address of Requesting Entity: 180 South Street, Freehold, NJ 07728 Description of Request: $1,500,000 to fund a statewide afterschool program consisting of athletics, recreation, education and cultural awareness for youth age 8 to 16 with the goal of deterring juvenile crime. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Commerce, Justice, Science; Department of Justice; OJP-- Juvenile Justice Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) New Jersey Address of Requesting Entity: 292 Prospect Plains Road, Cranbury, NJ 08512 Decription of Request: $200,000 to find in-the-classroom programs led by police officers to educate students to avoid drugs, gangs and violence. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Army Corps; Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $2,967,000 for ongoing construction of the Great Egg Harbor to Peck Beach Shore Protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Army Corps; Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $1,914,000 for ongoing construction of the Absecon Island Shore Protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Army Corps; Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $2,297,000 for ongoing construction of the Cape May Inlet to Lower Township Shore Protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Army Corps; Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $1,340,000 for ongoing construction of the Townsends Inlet to Cape May Inlet Shore Protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Army Corps; Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building 100 Penn Square East Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $239,000 for construction of the Great Egg Harbor to Townsends Inlet Shore Protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building 100 Penn Square East Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $77,000 for ongoing construction of the Brigantine Island Shore Protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building 100 Penn Square East Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $144,000 for ongoing construction of the Lower Cape May Meadows Environmental Restoration project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building 100 Penn Square East Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $2,967,000 for ongoing construction of the Great Egg Harbor to Peck Beach Shore Protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Army Corps; CAP Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: Authority to continue construction of the Pennsville small flood control project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; CAP Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: Authority to continue construction of the Pine Mount Creek project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; Investigations Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $96,000 for ongoing study of the Hereford Inlet to Cape May Inlet Shore Protection project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; Investigation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $96,000 for ongoing study of the New Jersey Shoreline Alternative Long Term Nourishment project. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; O&M Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $226,000 for maintenance dredging of the Cold Spring Inlet. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; O&M Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $65,000 for maintenance dredging of the Salem River. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; O&M Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $124,000 for maintenance dredging of Absecon Inlet. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Army Corps; O&M Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Corps of Engineers Address of Requesting Entity: The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3390 Description of Request: $888,000 for maintenance dredging of the New Jersey Intercoastal Waterway. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: Small Business Administration, Salaries and Expenses Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Richard Stockton College Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 195, Pomona, NJ 08240 Description of Request: $100,000 to attract small and disadvantage business to the Aviation Research and Technology Park. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: HUD, EDI Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Atlantic County Address of Requesting Entity: 1333 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City, NJ 08401 Description of Request: $142,500 to construct facilities at the Aviation Research and Technology Park. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: HUD, EDI Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Covenant House New Jersey Address of Requesting Entity: 929 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City, NJ 08401 Description of Request: $118,750 to assist in the construction of the Nancy's Place project, a facility to house and treat at-risk youth with mental illnesses. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: FRA, Rail Line Relocation and Improvement Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Salem County Address of Requesting Entity: 94 Market Street, Salem, NJ 08079 Description of Request: $950,000 to assist in the rehabilitation of the county owned short rail line. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: FAA, AIP Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Atlantic City International Airport Address of Requesting Entity: 101 Atlantic City Intl Airport, Suite 106, Egg Harbor Twp, NJ 08234 Description of Request: $712,500 to assist in the relocation and consolidation of the fire rescue and dispatch operations center. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: FHWA, TCSP Legal Name of Requesting Entity: South Jersey Economic Development District Address of Requesting Entity: 226 N. High Street, Suite A, Millville, NJ 08332 Description of Request: $237,500 to assist in the construction of the Egg Harbor City Transit Hub. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: HR 1105 Account: USDA, CSREES Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Rutgers University Address of Requesting Entity: Marucci Center, 125A Lake Oswego Road, Chatsworth, NJ 08019 Description of Request: $451,000 for ongoing research into cranberry and blueberry breeding and disease resistance.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, to my colleague Mr. Cannon, thank you very much. I would also like to particularly thank Mr. Visclosky. In 1997 when we first started talking about this, there was a dramatic and very sad incident that took place in my district, the Second Congressional District of New Jersey, and I believe that Mr. Visclosky had a similar situation in his district. Through the 1990s, a variety of groups had been sort of cobbling together the ability to buy vests for officers by selling doughnuts and for cake sales and a number of different ways because they understood the need, but there wasn't a resource to be able to do this. Unfortunately, in 1996, at a State prison in my district, Officer Fred Baker, a corrections officer who was on duty, who was not wearing a vest, was stabbed in the back by an inmate and that stab was fatal. We can only speculate what the fate would have been of Officer Baker if he had a vest on. I happen to believe that he would be alive today. And when I got back from that break at home, I got together with Mr. Visclosky, and we embarked upon this road to convince our colleagues of the importance of this program. You've heard the statistics, 40,000 jurisdictions, 1.5 million vests, and people ask, Well, why is it important to keep doing this? Once you've done a vest, why isn't that enough? Well, they have a shelf life. When you put a vest to an officer, it doesn't last forever. The technology increases and they wear out. This is a critically important program. At a time when all of America wonders whether what's happening in Washington really works on Main Street and in the real world, this is a program that we can point to with absolute certainty that has conclusive, positive benefit. It saves the lives of our police officers. This is something that works. This is something that Main Street understands. This is something that law enforcement understands, and this is one of those programs where we can do the right thing and continue it. When an officer is sworn in and receives their badge and their gun, they should be receiving a vest. All across America people get up every morning and don't expect to have a problem, but if that problem occurs and they need that thin blue line, they expect our law enforcement to respond as quickly as they can, and part of that response for law enforcement ought to be the protection that a vest provides. It's the least that we can do. I strongly support this bill. I thank Mr. Visclosky, I thank Mr. Conyers, I thank Mr. Smith of Texas, and all those who are responsible for having this move to the floor today.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in H.R. 2638. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Air Force, Military Construction, Air National Guard. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: 177th Fighter Wing. Address of Requesting Entity: 400 Langley Road, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234. Description of Request: Provide $8.4 million for the construction of Phase I of a two phase Operations and Training Facility for the 177th Fighter Wing at the Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. The facility will house key wing administrative functions to better enable the 177th to perform its Air Sovereignty Alert mission in defense of the homeland. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Army--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: (1) Drexel University, (2) Waterfront Technology Center. Address of Requesting Entity: (1) 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (2) 200 Federal Street, Suite 300, Camden, NJ 08103. Description of Request: Provide $3.2 million for Applied Communications and Information Networking (ACIN). ACIN enables the warfighter to rapidly deploy state-of-the-practice communications and networking technology for warfighting and National Security. This funding will build on funding from previous years to fully develop this technology. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Air Force--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Accenture. Address of Requesting Entity: 200 Federal Street, Suite 300, Camden, NJ 08103. Description of Request: Provide $1.6 million for Distributed Mission Interoperability Toolkit (DMIT). DMIT is a suite of tools that enables an enterprise architecture for on-demand, trusted, interoperability among and between mission-oriented C4I systems. This spending will build on funding from previous years to allow DMIT to be extended to Joint and coalition requirements, and address current weaknesses in Air Force management years ahead of current schedules. Adoption by major programs and commercial entities would lead to savings in the $100 millions on current and future DOD programs. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Army--Other Procurement. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Communications Corp.--East. Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08103. Description of Request: Provide $2.4 million for Battlefield Anti- Intrusion System (BAIS). BAIS is the U.S. Army's type standard tactical Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) system for physical security/force protection. The system uses Seismic/Acoustic Sensors (SAS) to detect and classify potential threats for forward intelligence collection or perimeter self-protection. To date, 773 systems plus spares have been fielded representing less than 10% of the Army's Acquisition Objective, yet approved fielding requirements for small unit protection and perimeter security exceed 8,933 systems. This $6.0 million will provide 270 additional BAIS units to the Army. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Navy--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: McGee Industries. Address of Requesting Entity: 9 Crozenville Road, Aston, PA 19014- 0425. Description of Request: Provide $2.0 million for Improved Corrosion Protection for the ElectroMagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for the CVN-21 class of carriers. The environment around aircraft carrier catapults is among the most corrosive (i.e. seawater spray, heat, deck contaminants) with which the Navy must contend. No reliable corrosion or fracture data exists for the new EMALS configuration and the materials which will be used to construct it, in a catapult-like environment. This funding will continue the program from FY08 to develop design-specific corrosion data under simulated catapult conditions which needs to be continued in order to permit further design refinement, that will: (1) prevent premature component failures (2) minimize costly fleet maintenance and (3) enhance operational readiness. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: FEMA State and Local Programs. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Atlantic County, New Jersey. Address of Requesting Entity: 1333 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401. Description of Request: Provide $750,000 for Atlantic County, New Jersey's Consolidated Emergency Operation Center. The county will use the funding in combination with state, county, and local funding to consolidate the county's disparate emergency management centers into a single existing building which will be able to withstand wind storm and other natural hazards.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmarks in S. 3001. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: S. 3001 Account: Air Force, Military Construction, Air National Guard Legal Name of Requesting Entity: 177th Fighter Wing Address of Requesting Entity: 400 Langley Road, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $8.4 million for the construction of Phase I of a two phase Operations and Training Facility for the 177th Fighter Wing at the Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. The Facility will house key wing administrative functions to better enable the l77th to perform its Air Sovereignty Alert mission in defense of the homeland. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: S. 3001 Account: Army--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: (1) Drexel University; (2) Waterfront Technology Center Address of Requesting Entity: (1) 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104; (2) 200 Federal Street, Suite 300, Camden, NJ 08103 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $4.0 million for Applied Communications and Information Networking (ACIN). ACIN enables the warfighter to rapidly deploy state-of-the-practice communications and networking technology for warfighting and National Security. This funding will build on funding from previous years to fully develop this technology. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: S. 3001 Account: Navy--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: McGee Industries Address of Requesting Entity: 9 Crozenville Road, Aston, PA 19014- 0425 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3.0 million for Improved Corrosion Protection for the ElectroMagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for the CVN-21 class of carriers. The environment around aircraft carrier catapults is among the most corrosive (i.e. seawater spray, heat, deck contaminants) with which the Navy must contend. No reliable corrosion or fracture data exists for the new EMALS configuration and the materials which will be use to construct it, in a catapult-like environment. This funding will continue the program from FY08 to develop design-specific corrosion data under simulated catapult conditions needs to be continued in order to permit further design refinement, that will: (1) prevent premature component failures (2) minimize costly fleet maintenance and (3) enhance operational readiness. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: S. 3001 Account: Navy--Operations and Maintenance Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Address of Requesting Entity: 2300 Wilson Blvd. North Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22201 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $300,000 for the Naval Sea Cadet Corps Operational Funding. The program is focused upon development of youth ages 11-17, serving almost 9,000 Sea Cadets managed by adult volunteers. It promotes interest and skill in seamanship and aviation and instills qualities that mold strong moral character in an anti-drug and anti-gang environment. Funds will be utilized to ``buy down'' the out-of-pocket expenses for training to $85/week. A significant percent of Cadets join the Armed Services often receiving accelerated advancement, or obtain commissions. The program has significance in assisting to promote the Navy and Coast Guard, particularly in those areas of the U.S. where these Services have little presence. Accessions related to this program are a significant asset to the Services: Over 2,000 ex-Sea Cadets enlist annually and an average of over 10 percent of Naval Academy Midshipmen are ex-Cadets. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: S. 3001 Account: Air Force--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Accenture Address of Requesting Entity: 200 Federal Street, Suite 300, Camden, NJ 08103 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2.0 million for Distributed Mission Interoperability Toolkit (DMIT). DMIT is a suite of tools that enables an enterprise architecture for on-demand, trusted, interoperability among and between mission-oriented C4I systems. This spending will build on funding from previous years to allow DMIT to be extended to Joint and coalition requirements, and address current weaknesses in Air Force management years ahead of current schedules. Adoption by major programs and commercial entities would lead to savings in the $100 millions on current and future DOD programs. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) Bill Number: S. 3001 Account: Army--Other Procurement Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Communications Corp--East Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08103 Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3.0 million for Battlefield Anti-Intrusion System (BAIS). BAIS is the U.S. Army's type standard tactical Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) system for physical security/force protection. The system uses Seismic/Acoustic Sensors (SAS) to detect and classify potential threats for forward intelligence collection or perimeter self-protection. To date, 773 systems plus spares have been fielded representing less than 10 percent of the Army's Acquisition Objective, yet approved fielding requirements for small unit protection and perimeter security exceed 8,933 systems. This $6.0 million will provide 270 additional BAIS units to the Army

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, very much. I am here tonight to talk about one of our retiring colleagues from New Jersey, Congressman Jim Saxton, who after 24 years in Congress is hanging it up this year. Jim has been a colleague and a mentor of mine. When I was first elected to Congress in 1994, I remember going through orientation. People were asking me what it was like, and it was like trying to get a drink of water from a fire hose. There was so much information that it was difficult to get. Jim Saxton said, ``Listen, I have a desk in my office. I want to make my staff available to you, and I want you to get off on the right foot.'' It was the beginning of a great relationship. He has been a teacher; he has been a mentor; he has been a leader, and he has been an individual who has been focused on generating results. He wasn't so much interested in the rhetoric. Jim was never one to be running to a camera, to be wanting to do that interview and to get his face on TV or anything like that. He was interested in finding out about the problem, in determining what the possible solutions were and then in working for a consensus. He is known for many things within his district and for doing a great job in representing his constituents, but his work on the Armed Services Committee and his leadership on Armed Services is what he is best known for. To talk about that a little bit, I would like to yield time to Chairman Duncan Hunter, who is probably Jim Saxton's closest friend in this Congress of the United States, who knows more about Jim Saxton and who will share some of the stories with you.

Mr. LoBIONDO. I thank you very much. Picking up what Mr. Hunter said, shortly after the global war on terror began, I believe it was my first trip into theater, Jimmy Saxton was codel leader. And for a rather new member of the Armed Services Committee, to understand how this all came over, Jim Saxton had a passion for understanding where the problems were and getting results. As Chairman Hunter indicated, he focused on special forces. I remember we visited with some special forces folks. Jimmy, true to form, listened very intently and found that there was a problem that was occurring with some small items, batteries that troops in the field had a great deal of difficulty with at the time. I remember Jimmy talking about it and getting a lot of detail and coming back before one of the subcommittee hearings with I believe it was DARPA, and he explained in great detail what the problems were and had people focusing on something that they wouldn't have focused on only because he was there with the troops and had them in mind. Very respectful, very bipartisan, very inclusive, and a real model for how to get things done. And especially on Armed Services where, and I believe everything we do here is important, but Armed Services is not selling wheat to Bulgaria. It is about the lives of the men and women in uniform who are volunteering and serving our Nation, and Jimmy Saxton always had their best interests at heart. And when it came to the State of New Jersey, we are not considered a military State, but we have some great military bases. Jimmy Saxton looked at the three bases. We had Fort Dix, Fort McGuire and Lakehurst Naval Air Station, and he saw the great value in what they were doing. But he saw an even greater value in the quality of work that they could do if they could be combined together in a mega-base. People sort of smiled and chuckled when they first heard about this. And he came to Mr. Hunter about it and he convinced Duncan it was a good idea. Jimmy, as he always did, very quietly rolled up his sleeves, and when that last BRAC commission came out, we now have a mega-base. It is good for New Jersey, but it is really good for America. It makes sense for America. It makes sense for our men and woman in uniform to integrate these assets into something that is much more powerful as a whole than they were individually. He was a great assistance to me with the 177th Fighter Wing, which is in my district, the 2nd Congressional District. It is the premier homeland security base in the entire Nation because of its strategic location. When our jets are alerted and they fly combat air patrols over Washington and New York, they are 8 minutes from the time they are alerted to get over our Nation's capital. We had need for military construction projects to keep this alert facility on a solid footing. Jimmy came along with you, Chairman Hunter, on one of those trips, and he was the kind of guy who rolled up his sleeves. He was not just interested in his district, but what was best for the country. He did that time and time again. My regret is I feel I have so much more to learn from him and he was such a great mentor and teacher. I am thinking about contacting Webster's and making sure that when they put the word ``congressman'' in the dictionary, they put Jim Saxton's picture next to it because as far as I am concern, he epitomizes what we should all be about, focusing on the greater good and focusing on what is best for America and understanding how to get results and not just produce rhetoric. Chairman Hunter, I thank you for your years of service, and I thank you for joining me tonight and honoring Jim Saxton. General Leave

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Madam Speaker, as per the requirements of the Republican Conference Rules on earmarks, I secured the following earmark in H.R. 6599. Requesting Member: Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02). Bill Number: H.R. 6599. Account: Air Force, Military Construction, Air National Guard. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: 177th Fighter Wing. Address of Requesting Entity: 400 Langley Road, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234. Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $8.4 million for the construction of Phase I of a two phase Operations and Training Facility for the 177th Fighter Wing at the Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. The facility will house key wing administrative functions to better enable the 177th to perform its Air Sovereignty Alert mission in defense of the homeland.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to rise on this piece of legislation and the one prior, S. 2766. Mr. Oberstar, let me again tip my hat to you. I continue to be amazed and impressed at the bag of pixie dust you sometimes carry around for special circumstances to get the other body to move when it looks like they have no movement in their mind at all. As Mr. Oberstar and Mr. LaTourette so accurately detailed on the previous bill, S. 2766, and for this bill S. 3298, thanks to the Ninth District Court of San Francisco, who have added to their disgraceful list of decisions on how they are completely disconnected from the real world, and what actually happens in people's lives, we are forced to deal with these issues. When we have people that are upset with us, we want to make sure that they understand that this is the Ninth Circuit Court, it wasn't the EPA. We are very hopeful that the EPA will take the time necessary to look at this very closely. I rise in very strong support of S. 3298. A few minutes ago the House considered a bill that I also strongly support to permanently exempt over 15 million recreational vessels from being slapped with $32,000 in fines daily for incidental discharges, and that's the part that I think that gripes us the most, is incidental discharges. But the bill, I think, needed to have a little bit extra attention in a particular area. It didn't really treat all boats equally. While the bill did exempt recreational vessels and other small commercial boats, like many of the fishing vessels and tour-boat operators in my district, they would not have received an exemption. It would have been unfair to provide exemptions for 15 million recreational vessels while refusing to extend the same exemption to approximately 30,000 commercial vessels that are of equal and, in many cases, a smaller size. In addition, rainwater runoff, bilge water and engine-cooling water and other charges are materially the same, regardless of whether they are discharged from a recreational vessel, a fishing vessel or a small tour boat. Since the Clean Water Act's inception in 1973, these discharges have been exempt from EPA permitting. For 35 years these exemptions have been accepted by Congress and have stood unchallenged in the courts. But, more importantly, these exemptions have been applied to all vessels equally. Therefore, it was fair. The commercial fishing industry in my district is the second largest on the east coast, but it's suffering from a lot of the stress and strains that other areas of the economy is, increased fuel costs, catch limitations and the economic slump in general. Now this infamous court in California is attempting to make things worse by forcing the EPA to make our fishermen abide by costly permits or face tens of thousands of daily fines and lawsuits. At a time when our economy is experiencing a downturn, it is critically important that Congress move both of these bills, S. 2766 and S. 3298, to protect both the recreational and commercial boating industry, and the millions of jobs that they support from unfair regulations. While S. 3298 does not go as far as I would have liked, it represents a very fair compromise. I want to take the time again to thank Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Mica and Mr. LaTourette for their work on these issues, as well as many others in this Congress. The 2 years that we have for the exemption or the extension will give the EPA some of the time they have requested to study the issue of incidental discharges and their effect on the environment before being forced to implement regulations by a court. While I support this legislation, I would like to clarify language in the bill that excludes fishing vessels from this temporary exemption when they are secured to a storage facility or a seafood-processing facility. It is clear this language applies to fishing vessels that are permanently secured or are at least secured for extended periods of time to a storage facility or to a seafood-processing facility, and is not meant to apply when a fishing vessel is unloading its catch at a seafood-processing facility docked at the processing facility for a short period of time or stored at the facility during the off season. With that, I would like to again thank Chairman Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, Mr. LaTourette and all the others who have worked so hard on this. I especially want to thank Mr. Taylor. We had many early morning meetings, but we got a lot accomplished.