John Mica

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I move to reconsider the vote on adoption of the resolution.

Mr. MICA. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I move to reconsider the vote by which the previous question was ordered on the resolution, H. Res. 609.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I just want to take a couple of minutes of the House's attention on this rule. I'm not a happy camper tonight because my amendment was not accepted as part of this rule. I have the honor and privilege of representing not only suburban and urban areas in central Florida, but I have some rural areas. Maybe you have some rural areas. I asked for a simple amendment to assist my potato farmers. Now you wouldn't think in Florida of potato farming being a big industry; but in part of my district and rural area, we had an incredible disaster hit several months ago. We had 25 to 30 inches of rain over several days, and it wiped out the potato crop. Have you ever seen rotten water-sogged potatoes? These are rotten water-sogged potatoes. Now this may not mean a lot to many of the folks on the Rules Committee, but we've had a custom in the House of helping Members when they have a disaster in their district. I had a disaster in my district. This isn't affecting me personally. We're talking about $45 million not that I even need appropriated, just that I need a small adjustment to get to these potato farmers, who are losing their livelihoods, who are closing down their farms. Again, we had a disaster in my district. I asked for an amendment-- one of many that were rejected--to give a little bit of leeway to farmers in central Florida who will lose their businesses, not be able to employ people, not to be able to have the money to plant the crops so next year they won't be in business. That amendment was rejected summarily by the Rules Committee. So I'm not a happy camper. Now I thought of coming out here and calling a motion to adjourn after every bit of business that went on here in the House. I didn't do that. I still may take that option, I'm telling you, because I have people that don't have jobs, don't have the possibility of continuing their farm business. I have asked for a simple change, not more money-- the money's there--but to allocate money through some of the existing programs so they can get the money now to put people to work, save their crops and save the next crop. I didn't get that cooperation, so I'm not a happy camper.

Mr. MICA

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

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, due to inclement weather canceling US Airways flight No. 2041, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to vote on rollcalls 478 and 479. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on each of these measures.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding an earmark I received in the amount of $500,000 as part of the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010, Environmental Protection Agency, STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Account for the South Seminole and North Orange County Wastewater Improvement Project. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Orange County Wastewater Transmission Authority located at 410 Lake Howell Road, Maitland, Florida. This project will replace wastewater pipes and mechanical equipment that are approaching the end of their service lives. Portions of the Force Main that will be replaced are under the travel lanes of Aloma Avenue. The roadway carries 33,000 vehicles per day and a collapse of the Aloma Avenue pipe and a resulting collapse of the road would be a major public health and safety liability.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding an earmark I received as part of H.R. 2996, the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This legislation appropriates $500,000 to the Department of the Interior National Park Service account for the Castillo de San Marco National Monument in the City of St. Augustine, Florida, which is in my district. The entity to receive this funding is the U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, Castillo de San Marco National Monument located at 1 South Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084. The City of St. Augustine, founded 444 years ago in 1565, is our nation's oldest enduring settlement of European design. Prominent within the Historic Spanish Colonial District, which features thirty- six original colonial buildings, is the majestic Castillo de San Marcos stone fortress that began construction in 1672. As the only existing 17th century fort in North America, the Castillo de San Marcos is an important historical and cultural landmark that features the oldest surviving masonry in our nation. About 538,500 people visited the Castillo in 2008, hosting as many as 3,751 tourists in just one day. Authorized by Public Law 108-480, this funding will be used for the planning and design phase of the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument Restoration Project, as outlined in Alternative C of the March 2007 Final General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. This planning will help preserve and expand the Castillo by constructing a visitor center in the Spanish Quarter of St. Augustine and removing a portion of the visitor parking lot to restore the glacis.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2996--Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This legislation appropriates $500,000 in the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, for land acquisition for the Florida Trail Association. The entity to receive this funding is the Florida Trail Association, 5415 SW 13th St., Gainesville, FL. Funding will be used for the acquisition of land to protect 16 critical segments of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Designed by Congress in 1983, the Florida National Scenic Trail is an essential part of maintaining Florida's natural beauty for future generations and serves as an inspirational, educational tool for conservation efforts in the state.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 2454, the so-called Cap and Trade bill. I noted in opposition to that measure and offer the following statement. The Cap and Tax bill could not come at a worse time and could be a job killer. The 1,200 page measure will impose a national tax on ALL energy and lead to higher energy prices for ALL American households, Most families cannot afford the estimated $1,400 yearly increase in energy costs. With the economy struggling, this bill, with its increased expense to industry, will cause additional unemployment by sending jobs overseas where doing business is cheaper. This bill also further expands the role of government by imposing new restrictions and requirements on everything from light bulbs to water dispensers. As the Republican Leader of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I want to point out that Transportation accounts for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. This legislation contains significant provisions in the committee's jurisdiction, yet we held no hearings on this massive tax increase, and willingly surrendered our responsibility to consider any amendments to try to improve the bill. According to the Heritage Foundation, by 2035 this Cap and Trade bill would: reduce aggregate gross GDP by $9.4 trillion (or reduce Florida gross state product by $28 billion); raise electricity rates 90 percent; raise gasoline prices by 58 percent; raise residential natural gas prices by 55 percent; and Increase inflation-adjusted federal debt by 26 percent, or $28,728 additional federal debt per person. For this any significant other reasons I voted against passage or H.R. 2454.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2892, legislation that makes appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. I have received $350,000 in the FY2010 FEMA, Emergency Operations Center account for a new EOC in Palm Coast, FL. The entity to receive funding for this project is the City of Palm Coast, 160 Cypress Point Parkway Suite B-106, Palm Coast, FL 32164. To the best of my knowledge, the funding would be used for the construction of a new EOC facility in Palm Coast, FL. The FY 2010 funding will assist in the construction of an Emergency Operations Center in Palm Coast. The new EOC will replace the 36 year old obsolete facility. The new location of the replacement facility will better serve the community by having its location in a central area of the City.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2892, legislation that makes appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. I have received $750,000 in the FEMA, Predisaster Mitigation Account for the City of Flagler Beach located at P.O. Box 70, Flagler Beach, FL 32136. To the best of my knowledge, the funding would be used for the construction of a new EOC facility in Flagler Beach, FL. As the population of the City of Flagler Beach has grown, the demand for services has increased. The City Hall and Emergency Operations Center share the same building, creating a constrained environment when responding to emergency situations. The city needs assistance to build a new facility that will accommodate not only current staff, but also the emergency response teams that will use the facility to respond to natural disasters, such as hurricanes that frequent Florida. The new building will expand the necessary space for city departments which will more adequately and efficiently serve the people of the community.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, as we recognize Fathers Day 2009, probably never before has fatherhood been so challenged. The traditional position of fathers in American society and in the family as an institution is in serious trouble. On a recent flight back to Washington I happened to open a local newspaper to birth notices. Nearly half of the births recorded were out of wedlock and about a dozen of the birth notices did not identify a father. In fact, today 28% of Caucasian, 51% Hispanic, and 70% African American children are born out of wedlock, while white males face a challenging role, their African American counterparts' fatherhood role has been dramatically eroded. As we reflect on the plight of fatherhood in our community some sobering facts reveal a crisis that cannot and should not be ignored. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that not having a father has serious economic consequences. There are nearly twenty million children living in a single parent household. With no father present these households account for 45% of our poverty rate. The U.S. Department of Justice found that 46% of unwed mothers would leave poverty if they married the fathers of their children. A recent examination by the National Fatherhood Initiative revealed that African American newborns today are tremendously disadvantaged. Today, half of all children and 80% of African American children can expect to spend at least part of their childhood living apart from their fathers. These staggering figures portray an absence in our society that is detrimental to our nation's youth. We must understand the consequences that result from denying our children a proper upbringing. Although Fathers Day is a time to celebrate and rejoice with our loved ones, we cannot forget about the increasing number of our children that are being raised without a father. Children growing up without a father are more likely to have behavioral problems, and be incarcerated. Those children are less likely to attend college, become married, and form healthy relationships. Unfortunately this trend has become prevalent in our communities. As a result this problem has become repetitive through generations at an alarming rate. We must work to raise awareness of the positive effects fatherhood has on a child's life. We must also find ways to stem the decline of meaningful relationships between a father and his child in our society. I recently read a commentary on The Importance of a Loving Father by Dr. Walter E. Barker, a Florida licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. ``Fathers are very important to their sons' and daughters' development. A mother gives the child unconditional love and acceptance and the father's love is more conditional on the child's finding success and accomplishment out in the larger world. He wants his children to find what makes them happy and then take that gift and talent to make a contribution to the larger society. Fathers want their children to have a strong work ethic and to be willing to assert themselves in the world.'' By supporting the family structure, better education and job training we can begin to reverse the diminished role of fathers in our country. We must all work to help raise awareness on this pressing issue. The importance of fatherhood should not be overlooked by our society if we are to ensure a promising future for the children in America.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2847, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This legislation appropriates $200,000 in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, Department of Justice Juvenile Justice Account for KidsPeace Florida Therapeutic Foster Care Program in my district. The entity to receive this funding is KidsPeace Florida located at St. 711 Ballard Street, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701. The funds from this request will (1) provide community-based placement to children involved with or at risk for involvement with the juvenile justice system; (2) address the mental health needs of children in the social service system; and (3) provide safe and supportive homes to children. This legislation appropriates $250,000 in the Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology Account for St. Johns County in my district. The entity to receive this funding is St. Johns County located at 2740 Industry Center Road, St. Augustine, FL 32084. The funds from this request will be used to improve the communications equipment that allows the cities and County to communicate during an emergency. This legislation appropriates $400,000 in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology Account for the City of Maitland, Florida in my district. The entity to receive this funding is the City of Maitland, Florida located at 1 776 Independence Avenue, Maitland, Florida 32751. Funding will be used for the critical Public Safety Radio System technology upgrades and Mobile Data Terminals for the Maitland Police Department. This legislation appropriates $150,000 in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology Account for Volusia County, Florida in my district. The entity to receive this funding is Volusia County, Florida located at 123 West Indiana Avenue, DeLand, FL. The Volusia County Sheriffs Office will use these funds for information technology systems upgrades to support a new evidence photo management system. The new system will provide for secure storage of evidentiary images to assist in the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of suspects.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 384, I was unavoidably detained on Transportation and Infrastructure Committee business. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to modify the amendment with the modification which I have provided at the desk.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment, which is also offered by Congressman Ehlers, Congressman Graves and Congressman Petri. This amendment would tighten standards for when TSA can issue an emergency regulation or security directive. After 9/11, Congress wanted to ensure the TSA could act quickly to respond to terrorist threats. I was instrumental in crafting some of that legislation, and we wanted to give TSA the ability to waive the Administrative Procedures Act and issue a security directive any time they believed there was an ``immediate threat to transportation security.'' Now we come some 8 years after 9/11 and we see the TSA issuing security directives when the ``immediate threat'' they are seeking to address is sometimes unclear. And also there are some problems with use of this authority. First, we have security directives that change from week to week. TSA is also issuing many directives that are unfunded mandates without an opportunity to comment; others are ``published'' and then remain open for months. And then we have seen examples of even security directives that have been revised seven or eight times. TSA's use of the security directive makes us ask the question: What immediate threat is TSA addressing with these security directives in the manner they are proceeding? This amendment would ensure that the waiver of the Administrative Procedures Act occurs only when there is an ``imminent threat of finite duration.'' TSA would still have the ability to quickly respond to such threats, but if the directive is in place for longer than 6 months, it would be required to conduct a regular rulemaking process. This amendment would refine TSA's security directive issuance process to make it truly responsive to imminent threats and not just the whim of the agency. That is not what we intended. So I ask my colleagues to join other colleagues here in trying to strengthen and clarify this law. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICA. I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all, I do want to express my sincere gratitude to Chairman Thompson, to the majority staff, and to the staff on our side of the aisle and Members from the minority. They worked together, I think, in the best interest of trying to bring forward the best possible Transportation Security Administration authorization and legislation they could, and also worked very closely to modify an amendment that I originally proposed. My colleagues, Congress has repeatedly directed the Transportation Security Administration to use biometric identifier technology for identification cards, travel documents and access control programs. In fact, Mr. Chairman and Members of the House, these are the times, and I was one of the original authors of the TSA legislation, in which we included a similar directive back immediately after 9/11. But these are the times I have passed, or Congress has passed, into law directives, law after law, directive after directive to TSA to use biometric. And I'd like to submit a list of those for the Record. Congressional Mandates for the Utilization of Biometric Identifier Technology for Identification Cards, Travel Documents, and Access Control Programs * * * USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001 Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 Maritime and Transportation Security Act of 2002 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for

Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, do we have 1 minute left on our side?

Mr. MICA. Might I inquire as to the balance of our time?

Mr. MICA. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. MICA. I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), also a cosponsor of this amendment.

Mr. MICA. I only have a short period of time, but I would like to yield it to Mr. Dent.