Buck McKeon

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation and would like to speak briefly on one of its most meaningful components. When the topic of school choice is debated in Washington and elsewhere, we often refer to the lucky lottery of life. A child doesn't control which family he or she is born into, what economic situations that family must deal with, or what school he or she is likely to attend. Yet the result of that ``lucky lottery of life'' often sets a child on a very specific path through his or her early years--and beyond. Each year, not too far from this Capitol building, we witness a lottery of a different type. The Washington Scholarship Fund, an organization founded to empower low-income Washington, DC families with a choice in where they send their children to elementary, middle, and high school, hosts an annual picnic where parents, grandparents, and others stand in line, waiting to enter a lottery of their own. The prize? A partial scholarship to a private school in the nation's capital and a chance for their loved ones to escape some of the nation's most troubled public schools. It's ironic that each year, for a limited number of Washington families, one lottery has the potential to dramatically impact the results of the other. In 2004, the Washington Scholarship Fund was chosen to manage the nation's first ever federally-funded K-12 scholarship program, the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. This program provides low-income students and families access to up to $7,500 to cover tuition, fees, and any transportation expenses at a private elementary or high school in Washington. Written by Congress, signed by a Republican President, and embraced by a Democrat mayor of the District of Columbia, this school choice program is making a real difference for about 1,800 students this year. But for some, their participation will be placed at risk if we do not act today. Due to very small increases in income or changes in family structure, some participating families now find themselves ineligible for the scholarships they have received for the last two years. Unless we increase the income eligibility threshold for renewing scholarship families that entered the program in its first two academic years from 200 percent to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, some participating students will no longer be eligible to attend the schools that they have called home for the last two years. By raising the income eligibility limit for renewing families, the average income of Opportunity Scholarship Program families would be $22,424. So, the program still would serve the low-income population for which it was initially designed. And this would not cost taxpayers a single dollar more, since this technical change simply allows participating students to remain in the program. Just as importantly, by allowing these students to continue participating, an ongoing federal evaluation of the program can remain in place as it was intended. If we don't act, potentially hundreds of low-income students will be forced from the program but will continue to be studied as if they could use the scholarship, thereby compromising the study. For both supporters and opponents of the program, this study is sure to provide us some meaningful data about both its successes and shortcomings, and it serves us well to ensure its results are valid. Mr. Speaker, this language has passed the Senate Appropriations Committee already and enjoys bipartisan support. For the good of this program and the students it serves--students we call neighbors here in Washington, DC--I urge its passage here in the House as well.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of her retirement on January 2, 2007, we rise to thank Ms. Cindy Fox von Gogh for over thirty-two years of distinguished service to the United States House of Representatives. Cindy began serving the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 as the office Manager for John Dent (D-PA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor Standards. In 1978 she embraced the role of Committee Archivist for Carl D. Perkins (D-KY), Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor. While serving in this capacity Cindy was instrumental in expanding the use of computers in Committee office operations. Milestones during her career at the House include; managing a Micro VAX computer system supporting the Full Committee and eight Subcommittees, implementation of a Novell Network and authoring a Personal Computer Reference Guide for staff. Cindy also created one of the first web sites in the House and was recognized by the Congressional Management Foundation with an award for one of the best web sites on Capitol Hill setting the standard of excellence in web design. Cindy's contributions to Committee operations were achieved while she maintained her commitment to publish into the archives the Committee Legislative Calendar chronicling Committee proceedings as an official historical document of the House. Kindhearted, professional and dedicated are words used by her colleagues to describe Cindy. She is known throughout the House as a person you can rely on to do what's right. She has earned the reputation as a person with a calm demeanor and respect for everyone. Mr. Speaker, Cindy is truly an inspiration in nonpartisan service to the Committee and the House. She served six Chairmen irrespective of which party was the majority. We are grateful for all Cindy has done during the past thirty-two years serving the Committee, this institution and the citizens of our country. Her service to the House is respected by the Chairmen, Members and staff that have benefited from her expertise, institutional knowledge and unwavering disposition. On behalf of the Committee and the entire House community, we extend congratulations to Cindy for her many years of dedication and outstanding service to the U.S. House of Representatives. We wish Cindy many wonderful years fulfilling her retirement dreams.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4766, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act of 2006. This measure will empower Native American tribes, organizations, and colleges as they seek to preserve Native languages and cultures. In many Native American communities, Native languages are disappearing at an alarming rate. It is estimated that only 20 indigenous languages will remain viable by the year 2050. Providing grants to Native American language programs consisting of language nests, survival schools, and restoration programs will bolster the effort to preserve this important part of our Nation's history and culture. By encouraging a greater focus on Native language programs, we are not only striving to preserve the identity of the Nation's tribes, but we're encouraging greater academic performance among Native American students as well. In fact, the legislation requires that Native American language survival schools work toward a goal of all students achieving both fluency in a Native American language and academic proficiency in mathematics, reading (or language arts), and science. It is our intention that students in survival school programs demonstrate adequate progress in English proficiency according to their appropriate grade level. It is also our intention that the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Native Americans administer this program in such a way that Native American survival school grantees be required to obtain parental permission for students to enroll in the survival schools. All parents should be able to make decisions about their children's education, and this bill provides Native American parents with new opportunities to do so. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this worthwhile legislation.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in sorrow to pay tribute to the life and memory of Franklin Thomas Hovore IV. Every once in a while, a person comes along who has the passion to explore the world, the ability to research the unknown, and the extraordinary capacity to teach what he has learned. Frank Hovore was such a man. Pursuing his life's passion in Ecuador on September 22, 2006, he died suddenly while studying beetles near the Amazon. He was 61 years old. Frank was born on August 19, 1945 in EI Centro, California. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and English at California State University, Northridge, in 1971, and later worked as an adjunct biology professor at his alma mater. Further advancing his education led Frank to the University of California, Los Angeles where he was a Ph.D. candidate in evolutionary biology. Enthusiastic and dedicated to the study of insects, he also cared deeply about teaching others. Over 35 years ago, Frank began teaching children from a school bus parked at Placerita Canyon's Nature Center. He was instrumental in the creation of the center's education program, which now reaches over 10,000 schoolchildren a year. He trained docents, served on the center's foundation board, and was an active volunteer at the nature center until his death. Frank is credited with making the Placerita Canyon Natural Area and Nature Center one of the premier environmental education facilities in Southern California. Long considered the world's authority on beetles, Frank published books and many papers on the subject. In addition, he was a scientific adviser on David Attenborough's 2005 acclaimed documentary series ``Life in the Undergrowth'' and provided his expertise on the movie ``Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.'' Director Steven Spielberg recruited Frank to trek to Central America to collect insects for the movie's famous cave scene. Working as a park naturalist and natural-areas supervisor for the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation for 23 years, Frank managed resources and operations for more than 6,500 acres of county parkland, sanctuaries, and open space. For more than a decade, he also served on the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission's Significant Ecological Areas Technical Advisory Committee where he provided astute insights, wise counsel, and excellent leadership. Retiring from county government in 1994, he began Frank Hovore & Associates, a biological consulting firm that provided planning for parks, plant and animal surveys, environmental education, and habitat conservation plans. Consulting afforded Frank the time to travel widely for research on New World beetles deemed essential to forest ecosystems worldwide. Frank will be remembered as an honest, curious, and caring man who was generous with his time and talents in order to protect the environment, to explore nature's mysteries, and to mentor others. His passing leaves a void in the lives of many people, but his legacy will live on forever through the contributions he made to the world as a scientist, educator, and environmentalist. Frank's greatest role, however, was as a father to his daughter, Holly, and to his son, Tom. With his passionate love of nature, and keen intellect, Frank Hovore might have identified with Robert Frost when he said, ``Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.'' In an effort to understand the insect world, Frank often took the road less traveled. And he made a difference, a world of difference.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 6197.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6197, the Older Americans Act Amendments of 2006, and I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this important reauthorization. More than 49 million Americans and counting are over the age of 60. It is the fastest growing segment of our population. In fact, by the year 2050, that number will reach nearly 90 million and comprise almost a quarter of our population. Therefore, supporting the needs of seniors is as important as ever, and to do that we must ensure the long-term stability of programs on which they depend. The House-Senate agreement to reauthorize the Older Americans Act has been struck with these priorities in mind, and I commend my committee colleagues, subcommittee chairman Mr. Tiberi, Ranking Member Mr. Hinojosa, and Mr. Miller, the ranking member of the full committee, for joining me in forging this agreement in a remarkably bipartisan way. On the other side of the Capitol, Senators Enzi and DeWine were instrumental in crafting this legislation as well. I have been here long enough to remember past reauthorizations of the Older Americans Act, and, trust me, there was nothing remarkable or bipartisan about them. In a year when opportunities to reach across party lines are at a premium, this process has been refreshing. Initially established in 1965, the Older Americans Act is no longer the 1960s-era social program it once was. Rather, it has been transformed into the first stop for seniors to identify home- and community-based long-term care options as well as other supportive services that could help prevent or delay expensive institutional care and generate significant savings in Federal entitlement programs. And H.R. 6197 builds on that progress. Specifically, the bipartisan reauthorization will promote consumer choice as well as home- and community-based supports to help older individuals avoid institutional care; strengthen health and nutrition programs while ensuring no State loses a dime as they operate these programs; improves educational and volunteer services; encourages wealthier seniors to pay for many of their program benefits, maximizing the taxpayer investment for low-income seniors; increases the Federal, State, and local coordination; and reforms employment-based training for older Americans. Within these employment-based training programs, to reflect the changing nature of the Older Americans Act and our senior population, I am also pleased this House-Senate agreement requires Federal grant competitions and encourages grantees to establish partnerships with private-sector businesses. These partnerships will help provide participants on-the-job training and aid individuals in achieving their goal of attaining unsubsidized employment. At the same time, the agreement does not lose sight of the valuable community service aspect of the program and requires at least half of all subsidized employment-based training to provide a community service. I would also like to commend my committee colleague, Mr. Osborne, for his work on this legislation, the Federal Youth Coordination Act, that we have been able to incorporate into this agreement. Over the last four decades, there has been a growing Federal involvement and a rapid growth in funds aimed to address numerous problems of youth, from substance abuse and violence to teen pregnancy and hunger. Mr. Osborne has taken the lead in the effort to evaluate, coordinate, and improve these programs. Under his legislation, the Federal Youth Development Council will be charged with doing just that. At a time when so many in Washington feel the need to establish new program after new program, I appreciate this effort to take a step back and review what is already out there before we add even more layers of bureaucracy. Mr. Speaker, as I did in June, when the House passed its initial version of this Older Americans Act reauthorization, I close by thanking all Americans who work or volunteer to support our country's senior citizens. This strong and vital network is made possible because of selfless volunteers who deliver meals to homebound seniors, offer companionship, assist with activities of daily living, and provide many other necessary supports that help older Americans remain healthy and fulfilled. This House-Senate agreement is designed to support them, and I believe it is a positive reflection of their good work. And with that, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record the following correspondence between Chairman Bill Thomas of the Committee on Ways and Means and myself. September 28, 2006. Hon. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman McKeon: I am writing in regard to H.R. 6197, the ``Older Americans Act Amendments of 2006,'' which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce and is scheduled for floor consideration on Thursday, September 28, 2006. As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means has jurisdiction over matters concerning the Social Security Act. Section 203 of the bill impacts the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and thus falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. However, in order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action on this bill. This is being done with the understanding that it does not in any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar legislation. I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 6197, and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration. Best regards, Bill Thomas, Chairman.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the hard work of my staff, Kate Houston, Stephanie Milburn, Rich Stombres and Taylor Hansen for the work they have done on this, along with the Democratic staffers on the other side of the aisle.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6197) to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2007 through 2011, and for other purposes.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Tiberi), the subcommittee chairman.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I mentioned earlier in my comments that added to the Older Americans Act we have included a bill that is sponsored by our colleague here, Mr. Osborne. I failed to mention that this committee that this legislation establishes, the Federal Youth Coordination Act, establishes a Youth Coordinating Council. This council that this legislation sets up will be named the Tom Osborne Coordinating Council. Mr. Osborne will be leaving the committee and the Congress at the end of this session. We will miss him greatly. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 4766.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4766) to amend the Native American Languages Act to provide for the support of Native American language survival schools, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I would state that I would be happy to join with the gentleman on that letter. I am happy now to yield whatever time she may consume to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson), the author of this bill.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4766, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act of 2006. Within the confines of existing programs under the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Native Americans, this measure will empower Native American tribes, organizations, colleges and governing bodies as they seek to preserve Native languages and cultures. I would like to commend my colleague, Congresswoman Heather Wilson, for leading the charge on this issue. Native American tribes nationwide are struggling with the loss of their languages, and, indeed, to lose even one Native language is to lose a piece of our Nation's history. Mrs. Wilson, along with her colleague Mr. Tom Udall, has really done a great service to us, as she invited me to her district last month. I will mention a little bit more about that later, but I want to thank her for doing that. I also want to commend Ranking Member Kildee, who has been a strong supporter of Native American programs forever since I came here, and I am sure much longer than that. H.R. 4766 is being considered in the same spirit as a previous version of the legislation which was examined by our Education and Workforce Committee last month in a field hearing held in Representative Wilson's district in Albuquerque. That hearing provided us an opportunity to learn firsthand about the extent and impact of Native American language loss in New Mexico, throughout the Southwest, and across the Nation. We heard from Native American advocates, academics and students about the need to preserve their languages in the face of a dramatic decline, and today I am proud we are responding. In that hearing we began with an invocation by a Native American Governor in his language and ended with a benediction in his language by the same Native American Governor. There was a great feeling in the room, and some people commented that they hoped this wasn't just a shot and they would never see us again and never hear from us. We are back, and we are passing the bill. In many Native American communities, Native languages are disappearing at an alarming rate. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that only 20 indigenous languages will remain viable by the year 2050. The link between education, language, and culture is considered by many as paramount to preserving the very identity of Native Americans. By encouraging a greater focus on Native language programs, we are not only striving to preserve that identity, but we are encouraging greater academic performance among Native American students as well. The fact that this bill does so within the confines of existing programs makes it worthy of even stronger support from this body. Mr. Speaker, when we discuss Native American language preservation, we are not just simply talking about a method of communication within tribes. This issue is far deeper than that. It represents the preservation of an important part of our Nation's history, culture, and legacy. By providing grants to Native American language programs consisting of language nests, survival schools and restoration programs, we are bolstering that preservation effort. This measure will empower Native Americans to take the steps they deem necessary to preserve their indigenous languages and thus their cultures. After visiting with them last month in New Mexico, I am convinced that we not only are doing right by giving them the opportunity to preserve their languages in this way, but we are also right for working in a creative, fiscally responsible manner to preserve critical elements of our national heritage. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this worthwhile legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say, seeing Mr. Pomeroy from North Dakota get up and speak about this, and we have talked about this before, I had a younger brother that served a mission for our church in the Dakotas with the Indian people. He would have loved what we are doing here tonight.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6138, a measure to extend the programs under the Higher Education Act that are set to expire at the end of this month. I thank the chairman of the 21st Century Competitiveness Subcommittee, Mr. Keller, for his work on this bill as well as his consistent efforts on behalf of our Nation's college students and their families. I also thank Ranking Member Kildee for his help on this effort of getting this bill reauthorized. Earlier this year, when the Deficit Reduction Act was signed into law, we authorized the Act's mandatory spending programs. In this process, we reduced lender subsidies, increased loan limits for students, simplified the financial aid process, and provided additional resources for needy students studying math, science, and critical foreign languages in college. And we managed to achieve all that while making certain that student aid programs operate more efficiently, saving U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars. The House followed in March by passing the College Access and Opportunity Act. This bill would reauthorize the remaining program under the Act. Unfortunately, the Senate has not yet acted on reauthorization legislation of its own. Therefore, the measure before us simply extends these remaining Higher Education Act programs until June 30, 2007, which will give us time to finish up the bill in the next Congress. Additionally, H.R. 6138 includes benefits for college students and institutions of higher education. For example, this legislation reduces red tape for Hispanic-serving institutions by eliminating the 2-year wait-out period between grant applications. It repeals an outdated and burdensome requirement that Hispanic-serving institutions document the percentage of low-income students enrolled at the institution. It continues current law with respect to payments made to Guaranty Agencies so that those agencies can continue working to help students avoid defaulting on their loans. It eliminates the ability of schools to circumvent the Deficit Reduction Act's new school-as-lender restrictions by forming an eligible lender-trustee relationship. And it provides loan forgiveness to spouses and parents of those who died or became disabled in the September 11, 2001, attacks on our Nation. These student benefits, coupled with H.R. 6138's extension of vital higher education programs, are worthy of our strong, bipartisan support. At the same time, I am hopeful that our friends on the other side of the Capitol will renew their commitment to a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. These extensions, and we are now on the fifth in this Congress alone, ought to become a thing of the past. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Secretary of Education Spellings outlined her vision for the future of higher education, following the release of a report from the Commission she formed a year ago to recommend ways to ensure our colleges and universities meet the challenges of the 21st century. As we extend these programs today, we should also commit ourselves to review the recommendations of the Commission and work with Secretary Spellings to expand college access and strengthen the quality of higher education in this country. As I noted, in March, the House passed a reauthorization that I believe would go a long way toward doing that, even before the report was issued. Our bill would strengthen the Pell Grant program, empower parents and students through sunshine and transparency in college costs and accreditation, improve college access programs, and much more. Now, with the new report in the mix, we have a chance to do so again in the next Congress, potentially with important improvements incorporated between now and then. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and on both sides of the Capitol in completing our work early on in the 110th Congress. In the meantime, however, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this extension.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of their independence from the Soviet Union. Since September 21, 1991, Armenia has faced the daunting challenge of building a modem free market economy on the crumbling foundations of Communism. In spite of the situation as they inherited it, Armenia's story has been one of increasing success against long odds. As a member of the World Trade Organization, and a country committed to privatizing their economy, Armenia has seen positive economic growth rates since 1995. While there remains much work to be done, I am confident that the people of Armenia, with their long history of triumph over adversity, will succeed again in making their country a beacon of hope in its troubled part of the world. Throughout their history, the Armenian people have proven both their desire and determination to be free. I am proud to join my colleagues in acknowledging the anniversary of independence for the free government of the Armenian people who have been ruled by the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, Ottoman empires as well as the Soviet Union. On this important occasion, I extend my congratulations to the people and government of Armenia.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5295, the Student and Teacher Safety Act. This legislation builds upon the past efforts of this Congress to bolster school safety, and I commend Mr. Geoff Davis of Kentucky for leading the charge on this legislation. Enhancing school safety is not a new priority for this House. Earlier this year, we sent to President Bush legislation that included a proposal of my committee colleague Mr. Porter to provide schools with criminal history records for individuals seeking to work with or around children. Today we have the opportunity to take another step towards safer classrooms. The Student and Teacher Safety Act simply asks schools to adopt policies that put them in compliance with the legal standard established by the U.S. Supreme Court pertaining to the reasonable nature of student searches. As such, the bill enjoys a tremendous consensus of support, including leading teacher unions and school safety advocates. These groups support the commonsense steps that this bill will take, and I include a letter from the National Education Association for the Record at this point. National Education Association, Washington, DC, September 8, 2006. Representative Geoff Davis, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Davis: On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to commend you for introducing the Student and Teacher Safety Act (H.R. 5295), which will help ensure a safe teaching and learning environment in all public schools. We thank you and our staff for your willingness to engage in a constructive dialogue and to make changes to your original draft based on our suggestions. With these changes, we are pleased to offer our support for H.R. 5295. NEA believes that a safe and effective learning climate is necessary for promoting educational excellence in public schools. All students and education employees must be safe from violence, and procedures must be in place to prevent and eliminate all types of disruption or harassment that might occur. H.R. 5295 will help promote a safe school environment by requiring districts to have in place policies addressing reasonable student searches. Specifically, required policies under your bill must allow education employees or school officials to conduct student searches when acting on reasonable suspicion based on professional experience and judgment. We believe that such policies will help ensure that classrooms, school buildings, school property, and students remain free from the threat of weapons and other dangerous materials. We believe your bill strikes a proper balance between ensuring the safety of students and educators and protecting student rights. We thank you for your efforts on this important issue and we look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure great public schools for every student. Sincerely, Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations. Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Policy and Politics.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, this legislation empowers full-time teachers or school officials, when acting on suspicion based on professional experience and judgment, to search students on public school grounds, and allows States and school districts to conduct reasonable searches to ensure that the schools remain free of all weapons, dangerous materials or illegal narcotics. I cannot imagine anyone that would oppose this kind of legislation based on the fact that we all, working together, want to make schools safer for our students and teachers. In order for our Nation's students to get the most out of their education, it is imperative that they feel safe inside the classroom. Last week's report of two Wisconsin teens plotting a school shooting spree only served to underscore the need to ensure that our teachers, administrators and parents have the necessary tools to keep the classrooms safe and focused on what they are meant for, learning. Parents should be at ease when sending their children to school. Teachers and administrators should know that we are empowering them with resources to make sure that we are keeping their workplaces safe. And most of all, students deserve to learn in as safe an environment as possible. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important measure to bolster school safety.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sadness today to honor the memory of my friend, Thomas Michael Veloz. A caring and charitable man who was a monumental presence in Santa Clarita, CA, Tom passed away on September 13, 2006, at the age of 69. Born in New York in 1937, Tom moved to California with his family in the 1950's. He attended the University of Southern California and graduated with a degree in business finance and education in 1960. After graduating, Tom worked in his father's business, Aquafine Corporation. Eventually assuming the role of president, Tom made the company an international success and then began another thriving business, Ultra Violet Devices, Inc. He was well regarded by his peers who held him in high esteem for his leadership, honesty and integrity. Extremely astute and innovative, Tom helped define many of his industry's current manufacturing standards. Success in business afforded Tom the opportunity to be a generous philanthropist and he was honored several times for his efforts. Tom was a major benefactor to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, College of the Canyons and many other local nonprofit organizations, including local chapters of the United Way, American Cancer Society and the American Diabetes Association. But helping kids became his passion and he was a driving force behind the Santa Clarita Valley Boys and Girls Club. Tom was also very instrumental in opening the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Imaging Center at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in memory of his second wife, Sheila, and he actively participated on the center's board. With his contagious sense of fun and enthusiastic love of life, Tom had a genuine affection for others. He was a funny man with a constant smile and a twinkle in his eye, and he made many friends, some of whom became targets of his renowned practical jokes. Always the doting grandfather, Tom enjoyed semi-retirement because it gave him the opportunity to spend more time with his beloved grandchildren. Although Tom will be remembered as a visionary community leader who generously helped others, his lasting legacy rests in his family. He is survived by his wife, Janet, sons, David and Peter, his first wife, Roberta, brothers, Robert, and his identical twin, Frank, as well as stepdaughters, Sheryl Regan and Janine Jones, and 10 grandchildren. His second wife, Sheila, preceded him in death. Tom's life personifies Cicero's statement that the memory of a well- spent life never dies. Tom Veloz made a positive and profound difference in the Santa Clarita Valley. He will be remembered as a kind man with a giving heart; one who always strived to make his world a better place.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3534, the YouthBuild Transfer Act. I commend the gentleman from Delaware for his leadership on this issue and for sponsoring the corresponding House legislation. Through community organizations nationwide, YouthBuild provides education and job training services, leadership training, counseling, and other support activities to at-risk youth, who--as part of their training--help construct or rehabilitate housing for low-income or homeless families in their communities. The bill before us today simply would transfer operation and oversight of the program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Department of Labor. President Bush proposed this change in his two most recent budgets, based on the recommendation of the White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth. The YouthBuild program is, at its core, an employment and training program for disadvantaged youth. The Department of Labor is the Federal agency with primary responsibility for providing youth development and employment services, including the youth development program of the Workforce Investment Act and the Job Corps program. Therefore, moving this program to the Department of Labor will allow better coordination of services for at-risk youth, strengthen connections to the workforce investment system, and streamline program operations. Mr. Speaker, by moving the program under the Workforce Investment Act, YouthBuild will make more efficient and effective use of Federal funds. The program will be able to maximize collaboration with partners in the One-Stop Career Centers and reduce duplication of efforts across funding streams. In addition, the program will emphasize training that leads to industry-recognized certifications, which will increase participants' access to high demand jobs. At the same time, the program will retain the dual purpose of providing affordable housing. In short, this transfer will enhance the YouthBuild program and provide meaningful opportunities for at-risk youth to acquire the basic education and job skills they need to advance to higher education and productive employment, while at the same time helping rebuild communities. This is a sound, straightforward, and common sense proposal that I urge my colleagues to support.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. At this time I would like to yield to my good friend from across the aisle, the ranking member of the Transportation Committee, Mr. Oberstar, for 2 minutes.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4, the Pension Protection Act, and I ask my colleagues to join me in doing the same. We followed a long road to get to this point, and there have been many bumps along the way. But when you are considering such substantial legislation, such fundamental reforms, especially in a bill where we haven't had reforms like this for over 20 years, that is to be expected. At the end of the day, however, what we have brought to the floor tonight represents the reform package agreed upon by House and Senate pension conference principals after many, many meetings. After a long and sometimes difficult process, this bill provides us just what we were looking for at the outset: Reforms that significantly strengthen outdated worker pension laws for workers, retirees, and taxpayers. And that is a major and a long, overdue victory. In the fall of 2004, nearly 2 years ago, the House Education Workforce Committee, led by then-Chairman Boehner, unveiled six principles to fix our Nation's outdated pension laws. These pillars represented the foundation for the defined benefit pension overhaul Congress was about to embark upon, and our committee pledged to incorporate them into the final legislative product we would send to President Bush. Mr. Speaker, the Pension Protection Act meets that pledge. We pledged to craft a bill that provides certainty by establishing a permanent interest rate to more accurately calculate employers' pension liabilities so they fund their pension promises. We have done just that. We pledged to craft a bill that relies on common sense by enabling employers to build a cushion in their pension plans during good economic times. And we have done just that. We pledged to craft a bill that establishes stability by enclosing funding loopholes and ensuring employers make adequate and consistent cash payments to their plans. And we have done just that. We pledged to craft a bill that promises greater transparency by giving employees timely and straightforward information about the health of their plans. And we have done just that. We pledged to craft a bill that values honesty by ending the practice of allowing employers and union leaders, when faced with a severely underfunded pension plan, to dig their hole even deeper by promising extra benefits to employees and retirees. And we have done just that. And, finally, we pledged to craft a bill that enhances retirement security portability by ensuring that hybrid plans, such as cash balance pensions, which offer portable, more generous worker benefits, remain a viable part of the defined benefits system. And we have done just that. In short, this bill will reform broken pension rules that no longer serve the interests of workers who count on their retirement savings being there for them when they need it. I am proud to have played a role in crafting it, and I thank Chairman Thomas, my neighbor from California, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and, in particular, my former chairman, Leader Boehner, for leading the charge on this important issue. Going all the way back to his days as Employer-Employee Relations Subcommittee Chair, our majority leader has been a tireless advocate for the reforms we are considering tonight, and I thank him for his commitment. I also want to thank my committee staff for their work on this legislation. Ed Gilroy, Jim Paretti, Steve Perrotta, and Mr. Boehner's pension policy adviser, Stacey Dion. They have been truly remarkable throughout this process, putting in innumerable hours, and we literally would not be here tonight without them. Mr. Speaker, I urge swift passage of H.R. 4, both here in the House this evening and in the Senate next week. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.