Jim Moran

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a courageous and inspirational peace educator and writer, Colman McCarthy. For over nearly 30 years, I read his columns in the Washington Post constantly pushing for the nonviolent resolution of conflicts, focusing on human security rather than national security. He left the Op-Ed page of the Washington Post in 1997 but he is still sorely missed. Colman is a man motivated by his focus on the underserved, the forgotten, and the poor. He is guided by a commitment to the justice and equality of all of God's children and the blessed natural environment that too often our modern society forgets. He has stood up against senseless wars, echoing Dr. King's approaches to conflict and the tremendous devastation it causes from the lives lost, countless wounded, millions of families broken, refugees created, communities destroyed, and unfathomable sums of money wasted. Colman continues to be a clarion voice against many kinds of violence, including violence and the inhumane treatment of animals. Three decades ago, Colman was writing regularly about the mistreatment of animals. In 2008, the Humane Society of the United States published his writings in a book entitled: At Rest with the Animals. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States had this to say: ``The book showcases the extraordinary breadth of Colman's examination of animal questions. As we revisit his assembled writings, we can see it was not uncommon for him to provide an original moral framing of issues we've now come to debate in society in a serious way.'' Some of the advances that we have made in recent years on these issues, from banning puppy mills to outlawing animal crush videos, have stood on the shoulders of Colman writings and advocacy. We are blessed to have Colman McCarthy and his leadership pointing the way to a peaceful future. As a man of unquestioned integrity, he has taught thousands of youth about nonviolence in many of our local schools. Madam Speaker, Colman deserves our praise and respect for his decades of service. He recently received the El-Hibri Peace Education Prize, established by Fuad and Nancy El-Hibri, which is given each year to an outstanding individual or organization who has demonstrated successful and innovative approaches to promoting peace and social justice globally. I'm proud to honor Colman today and will continue giving voice to his message of peace and cooperation through my role as a Member of Congress.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Hunger Action Month and to honor the Arlington Food Assistance Center, which is located in my Congressional District. Hunger Action Month was established to help inform individuals, communities, corporations and policy makers that hunger is a severe domestic issue and deserves our critical attention. The Arlington Food Assistance Center's sole mission is to feed the hungry. This important action allows their clients to make other necessary purchases, such as paying for rent and utilities, without having to sacrifice their health and nutritional needs. Despite the fact that Arlington County is one of the wealthiest areas in the country, many of our local residents do not have enough to eat. The Arlington Food Assistance Center seeks to remedy this problem by distributing bread, vegetables, meat, milk, eggs, and other food items to those in Arlington who are in need. AFAC obtains surplus food at no cost from local bakeries, supermarkets, farmer's markets, food drives and private donors. Each week, families with one to three members receive one bag of food and families of four members or more receive two bags of food--amounts that are expected to supplement a week's meals. I would like to commend the staff and volunteers of the Arlington Food Assistance Center who work hard to provide needy families in Arlington with groceries each week.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing a resolution to express our condolences at the loss of life of the 72 people who were executed in Tamaulipas, Mexico by a drug syndicate on August 25, 2010. The United States and Mexico have a unique relationship that is vitally important to both countries and to the world. The loss of life and the utter callousness of this act need to be on the forefront of public consciousness. The proliferation of criminal gangs like the one responsible for this atrocious crime highlights the extreme insecurity faced by migrants. This act only reiterates the importance of comprehensive immigration legislation on both sides of the border to place safety above all other concerns. I ask for my colleagues' support of this resolution which calls on the governments of the United States, Mexico, and nations throughout Latin America to commit to greater collaboration on the management and reform of migration policies within and between countries, to reduce the loss of life and establish safe, legal, and orderly migration that respects and protects human rights; and work together to address the factors driving high rates of irregular migration that increasingly exposes migrants to exploitive and life-threatening conditions.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from New Jersey for yielding me the time, as well as his friendship, as well as the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield). And I want to recognize Mr. Inslee for introducing this legislation. We share a deep concern about the use of medications which are not being safely returned to drug stores because of regulatory difficulties. In many cases, you have to have a police officer there overseeing the return of the drugs. This will get over those restrictions and allow a process to happen which is terribly important, because we should all know that drug abuse is not limited to street corner illegal drug purchases, that, in fact, the abuse of prescription drugs is a large part of America's drug problem, particularly among young people. One study has shown that, in the last decade, nonmedical use of prescription drugs increased by almost 100 percent; and among adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, it increased by more than 200 percent. Too many of our young people are raiding the family medicine cabinet to obtain prescription drugs like OxyContin, Ritalin, and Valium. And, of course, it doesn't just affect those individuals, and it's not harmless. It clearly is leading to an increase in criminal behavior. We find that about 600,000 emergency department visits over a year involved the nonmedical use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs or dietary supplements. It's a substantial increase year after year. About one-third of the visits result in hospital admissions. In fact, 1,365 of those emergency visits have resulted in the death of the patient, oftentimes young people. And that's where we see the biggest problem--fatalities in children 13 to 19 years of age. So this will allow local communities to create drug disposal programs. As Mr. Inslee and Mr. Whitfield had mentioned, it gives consumers a safe way to dispose of unneeded pharmaceuticals, including controlled substances. A number of the most responsible pharmacies have asked for this. The pharmacists say they want to be constructive in this process and prevent this illegal and oftentimes fatal use of prescription drugs on the part of young children. This is a very important piece of legislation. It will save lives. It's the right thing to do. I just want to mention one other thing that involves our Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. We are finding that one of the things that is leading to very serious problems with water quality is the fact that prescription medications are winding up in our water supply because our sewage treatment centers don't have the ability to screen them out, so they go right into the water supply that leads to drinking water. And we think that that is a source of some of the problems we find with endocrine-disrupting chemicals that block or mimic natural hormones. And we see that in a number of fish, particularly the fish in the Potomac River. This is one of the problems. So we are addressing a number of issues with this legislation. I trust that it will be passed unanimously, and maybe even by the Senate, which would be phenomenal. So, Mr. Speaker, we thank all those who cosponsored this, and let's hope it becomes law very quickly.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the week of September 5th through the 12th, 2010 to be designated as the National Suicide Prevention Week. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens and young adults in the United States. Every 2 hours, a person under the age of 25 commits suicide, resulting in an estimated 12 youth suicides every day. CrisisLink, a nonprofit located in Arlington, Virginia, is a prime example of an organization dedicated to saving lives and preventing these tragedies. Located in my Northern Virginia eighth congressional district, CrisisLink gives vital support to people facing life crises, trauma and thoughts of suicide. They provide information, education and links to community resources throughout the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan region to those in need. Mental health issues are a stark reality for many Americans, whether it may be themselves, a family member, friend, or coworker. Currently, more than 78,000 veterans of the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have sought help for mental health related issues. Sadly, 120 veterans commit suicide every week. Nationally, suicide rates are highest among people older than 65; this age group makes up 12.5 percent of the population and accounts for 15.9 percent of all suicides. Although these are just a few examples, every community experiences the debilitating effects of suicide. Since 1969, CrisisLink has provided invaluable, free and confidential crisis intervention and referral services to anyone who calls. CrisisLink has also played a vital role in educating the community on how to recognize the signs of depression and respond quickly to the signs that someone is in trouble. 2009 was a difficult year for many in our community. But CrisisLink has quickly been there to help every step of the way. I have known CrisisLink's work for many years and have seen both how they operate and the impact they have on our community. I know that they put their resources to good use. I commend CrisisLink for the 40 years of service to our community; answering more than a half- million crisis calls, responding to more than 25,000 potential suicides, providing more than a quarter million referrals, promoting mental wellness, educating people about depression and other mental illnesses, and reducing the stigma attached to mental illness. My best to CrisisLink and good luck on another 40 years of commendable, vital service to those in need.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, history is instructive on almost every issue we face in this body. Today's issue is whether we should take action so that the wealthiest Americans don't have to pay an income tax rate of 39.6 percent. So let's look back at when they were taxed at that rate during the Clinton administration. Well, what happened was exactly the opposite of what the Republican Party predicted would happen. In fact, people at that rate brought home more after-tax income than at any time in American history. Twenty-two million new jobs were created, and we had record budget surpluses. And in fact, at the end of this month we were projected to have paid off all of the debt, relieving our children and grandchildren of any of the debt that we would have otherwise burdened them with. Alan Greenspan was worried we didn't have enough debt floating out there. But instead, when President Bush was elected, one of the very first things he did was to try to finance two wars with two deep tax cuts, none of it paid for and now we have $12 trillion of debt. Let's look at history and learn for it.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the Consolidated Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources or ``CLEAR'' Act (H.R. 3534). This measure will impose long overdue reforms in the way the federal government regulates oil and gas drilling operations off our coast. Something the industry and their allies in Congress have long opposed. The explosion of Deepwater Horizon and the uncontrolled flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico render this opposition moot. The American public has witnessed an ecological and economic catastrophe the likes of which this country has never seen nor should ever have to see again. It has seen a company in the interest of boosting profits cut corners and take shortcuts that resulted in the death of 11 workers, a Gulf community in dire economic straights and untold loss of marine and animal life. It has seen a weak regulatory system rubber stamp drilling permits, approving most in less than twenty-four hours and never reading or realizing the response plans to a blowout were fiction. How else could it accept plans to save walruses in the Louisiana bayous and Alabama beaches? More than 300 million gallons of crude oil have spilled into the Gulf of Mexico before the wellhead was finally capped. Even if the cap holds and relief wells secure and permanently plug the well, the region will still have to deal with the millions of gallons of oil spread throughout the Gulf and along hundreds of miles of shoreline as the peak hurricane season approaches. It will take decades for the region to recover. It was a disaster waiting to happen and one we may now finally have the tools to prevent from occurring again. Reforms that were once thought impossible are now before this House today. This bill revamps the oil and gas royalty collection program, repeals liability limits on economic damages, separates the apparent conflict of interest between the federal government's royalty collection, leasing and enforcement offices, imposes new procedures for use of chemical dispersants, and mandates that the oil and gas industry include a worst-case scenario for oil spill response plans. But now some claim this bill is ``overreach,'' that it goes beyond what is needed to address the failures of the industry and the regulatory agency. In addition to reform of our offshore oil and gas leasing program, this bill breathes new life into a commitment proposed by John F. Kennedy and signed into law by Lyndon Johnson to take a share from a diminishing public resource, our offshore oil and gas reserves, and use the funds to conserve and protect natural resources onshore. LWCF was a good idea then and remains a good and popular idea today. Since its inception, millions of acres of land has been conserved and are in use today by the public. They are portions of our national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests and state and local parks and recreation areas. They are responsible for saving endangered species from extinction, protecting fresh sources of drinking water for millions of Americans, and protecting valuable historic properties and landscapes from destruction. Unfortunately, the federal commitment has fallen short of the goal. In recent years, we have underfunded our commitment to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Over the past ten years, its funding level has been erratic, $672 million in fiscal 2001 and $253 million in fiscal 2007, but never at its authorized level of $900 million. This bill imposes a $2 per barrel fee on oil extracted from the public's waters to allow us to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and not add to the federal budget deficit. It would then ensure that the program is funded at $900 million annually. The additional funds this legislation will release will: 1. Ensure that areas protected by Congress can be more effectively and efficiently managed. LWCF provides for inholdings with high biological, historical or recreational values. These lands are available for a limited time before they're developed. Sufficient LWCF funding ensures agencies can take advantage of these opportunities. Real estate prices are lower now, ensuring more land can be purchased with each dollar invested. 2. Improve management by reducing fire danger and through other means. It allows access to these areas to perform important wildlife habitat management and facilitate public recreation. Fire danger, public safety and other threats are reduced, and hunting, fishing, wildlife watching and other recreation is improved and protected. 3. Ensure public access and quality recreation that has a substantial economic impact. The Outdoor Industry Association estimates that active outdoor recreation contributes $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy, supports nearly 6.5 million jobs across the U.S., generates $49 billion in annual national tax revenue, and produces $289 billion annually in retail sales and services. 4. Ensure efficient management and cost savings. 80 percent of lands acquired with LWCF funds lie within the existing boundaries of federal parks, refuges, forests, or recreation areas. When land management agencies purchase inholdings, internal boundary line surveying is reduced, as well as right-of-way conflicts and special use permits. Agencies generally tend to avoid acquisitions with burdensome infrastructure improvements that require significant capital investments. An added parcel generally does not increase management presence; rather, management is usually just absorbed within existing stewardship costs. A recent national bipartisan poll shows strong support for the continued use of oil and gas fees for land and water protection and for fully funding the LWCF at $900 million annually. An overwhelming majority of voters--86 percent--support committing funds from offshore drilling fees to LWCF (up 5 percent from June 2009). (Poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and FM3) Many local communities are strong supporters of federal LWCF expenditures due to the economic benefits that accrue through recreational tourism and the additional visitation that occurs with improved public access and recreation opportunities. LWCF protects places where people love to go, from famed national parks to historic sites, to local parks that ensure recreation. LWCF supports recreational access such as trailheads and river put-ins--that allow hunters, fishermen, mountain bikers, hikers and boaters to access America's recreation lands. LWCF enjoys broad congressional support. LWCF has benefited every state and every congressional district. LWCF has enjoyed longstanding, widespread support not just among conservation champions but also among fiscal conservatives and many minority members. Over the past five years, letters urging the Appropriations Committee to provide major increases to LWCF have been signed by a total of 36 Blue Dogs and 43 Republicans. This is a way to fulfill the vision first stated by President Eisenhower and what our constituents still support today. Support the CLEAR Act.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act of 2010. This legislation, as it was drafted and brought to this floor, would exempt one firearm of any value or a combination of firearms not to exceed $1,500 from creditors' claims during bankruptcy proceedings. That's right--this bill would allow an unlimited exemption for a single firearm. Despite claims from supporters that this bill is intended to protect firearms used primarily for personal, family, or household use, there is absolutely no reference to this requirement in the bill. This means someone could claim an exemption for an antique firearm worth tens of thousands of dollars. In essence, Congress is incentivizing individuals to game the system by purchasing an expensive firearm prior to filing for bankruptcy. While I understand language will be added to correct this glaring loophole, this just goes to show why this bill should have been vetted first by the Judiciary Committee. In addition, supporters of this bill claim that it is a Second Amendment issue and that it will allow individuals going through bankruptcy to continue to protect their households. While I sympathize with those facing bankruptcy, the Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms. It is not intended to protect an individual's property from legitimate claims during bankruptcy anymore than the First Amendment protects an author's novels or other works during those same proceedings. Finally, this bill was introduced 5 days ago and has a total of 21 cosponsors. Yet, here it is on the suspension calendar--a process that is supposed to be reserved for non-controversial legislation, particularly when that legislation has evaded the normal Committee process. By contrast, the Gun Show Loophole Closing Act, a bill introduced 446 days ago and supported by 109 cosponsors, languishes in committee. Closing that loophole, which we know puts guns into the hands of criminals and the mentally ill, is something worthy of this Chamber's attention. Instead, we are spending floor time on this. I urge my colleagues to vote against this flawed and unnecessary bill.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to support the Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2010 (H.R. 5320), and am a cosponsor of the provisions which were drawn from Endocrine Disruptor Screening Enhancement Act of 2010. These provisions address an issue of immense importance, endocrine disrupting chemicals and their impact on public health. There are alarming studies that show rates of diseases unheard of generations before. Asthma rates have nearly tripled in the past three decades. One of every six American children has a development disorder (ADHD, dyslexia, mental retardation). One in every 150 American children is now diagnosed with autism. For boys, one in 59. Cancer, after accidents, is the leading cause of death among children in the United States. Primary brain cancer increased by nearly 40 percent and leukemia increased by over 60 percent among children 14 years and younger in the last 30 years. Childhood obesity has quadrupled in the past 10 years. Type 2 diabetes has increased drastically. There is an increase in sexual abnormalities, particularly in newborn boys. Forty-one percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and about 21 percent will die from cancer. It is believed that much of this is environmentally induced. An analysis of the umbilical cords of a test group of newborns found over 200 chemicals in the blood--chemicals to which the mother had transmitted to the fetus. We're seeing it in wildlife. In parts of the Potomac, 100 percent of the male small mouth bass are intersex--they are carrying undeveloped ovaries. These alarming trends in public health are believed to be the result of chemicals in the environment that disrupt our endocrine system. Small amounts of these chemicals, it has been shown, can have a huge impact on our health and ultimately health care costs. Close to 14 years ago, Congress enacted legislation requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish an Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. To date that endeavor has focused on pesticides, and the agency has been hamstrung by its use of old science and interference by the chemical industry. This bill will facilitate the study and regulation of endocrine disrupting chemicals. It will require EPA to focus on the 100 chemicals of most concern, to which people are exposed through drinking water. It empowers the agency to consider a range of scientific sources for information on toxicity, and to act quickly in regulating these substances. I fully support this measure and the endocrine-related provisions in this bill. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues Chairmen Ed Markey and Henry Waxman to bolster research efforts and broaden the scope of the federal regulatory agencies to remove harmful chemicals from the environment. This bill is a good start, but more needs to be done. It would be unconscionable to allow this pervasive, severe threat to American health to continue unabated.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, legislation I introduced along with Representative Mary Bono Mack. The Fur Products Labeling Act of 1951 requires that animal fur garments be labeled with the name of the species used, manufacturer, country of origin, and other information. That law protects consumers by providing product information and letting them know whether the product is made from real animal fur, and if so, what type of fur. A provision in that labeling law, however, exempts products with a ``relatively small quantity or value'' of fur. Since 1998, the Federal Trade Commission has set that amount at $150. Many garments--such as jackets, sweaters, vests, and accessories-- that are only trimmed with animal fur fall below this $150 threshold. And because that threshold includes only the cost of the fur, not the total cost of the garment, even products containing several pelts could fall below the limit. Products without labels, which are estimated to account for 13 percent of the fur garment market, pose a significant problem for consumers. Some consumers may be allergic to certain fur products. Absent a label, they may buy a product that they assume is faux fur, but turns out to contain real fur that can impact their health. Also, many consumers have strong moral objections to purchasing real fur products or have concerns about the use of certain species. Without labels, how are customers supposed to know what they are buying? At its core, this is a consumers' rights bill. And consumers have a right to be skeptical about the accuracy of the information they receive when buying products at retail outlets. A series of recent investigations by The Humane Society of the United States revealed that dozens of designers and retailers were selling fur-trimmed jackets advertised as ``faux,'' ``raccoon,'' ``coyote,'' or not labeled at all, which turned out to be raccoon dog, domestic dog, or wolf. The problem is complicated by the increasing use of dyeing and shearing on fur products. If customers see pink, orange, blue, or sheared trim, they often assume it is synthetic because it is not labeled and does not resemble an animal's fur. Quite simply, the current labeling law has not kept up with changes in the marketplace. The only way to ensure consumers have all the information they deserve is by removing the $150 loophole and requiring labels on all fur products. This bill has the support of designers and retailers such as Gucci, Burberry, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, and Tommy Hilfiger. These companies recognize the need for clear and consistent standards as a way to ensure consumer confidence in the products they sell. It is also supported by National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA), an organization representing more than 160 government agencies and 50 corporate consumer offices. This bill has been vetted thoroughly and modified at both the Subcommittee and Committee level to address valid concerns raised by the Members of the Minority, including the addition of language excluding from the labeling requirements small amounts of homemade products made by hunters and trappers. Finally, it is important to note that this bill would in no way restrict any trade in fur or any methods of producing fur. Again, this is about giving all consumers, whether they have a closet full of fur garments or wouldn't be caught dead in one, the complete information they need to make enlightened purchasing decisions. This is a commonsense bill that deserves broad support, and I ask my colleagues to vote for its passage.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, we have been going back and forth between the Republican and Democratic sides with two views of history and two policies. The Republican Party has argued all morning, and it will continue right through the election, that we should go back to the Reagan-Bush policies of the past and the Democrats want to try a new approach. But let's just review the history. Ronald Reagan ran for President saying that any President who doesn't balance the budget should be impeached, and yet for 8 years he never once submitted a balanced budget, and, in fact, quadrupled the deficit. Bill Clinton came into office, adopted the suggestion of President George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st President, that you should have a concept called PAYGO. The first President Bush may have lost an election as a result, but it was the right thing to do. Bill Clinton adopted the PAYGO concept as his own and made sure that any new spending was offset with additional revenue and for any tax cuts we were prepared to cut spending proportionately. It worked. We created surpluses, so many surpluses, in fact, that Alan Greenspan was worried we had too much Treasury debt floating out there. The reality is that this past President's policy that the Republicans would want us to go back to, took a $5.6 trillion projected Clinton surplus and turned it into $3.5 trillion of Bush's legacy of debt. Is that what the American people really want to see repeated? I don't think so.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I don't need even that much time to say that I strongly support this bill. I appreciate the fact that the authorizing committee has brought it to the floor. We will get it passed. The only substantive argument I really hear is a jurisdictional one. The chair of the Judiciary Committee hasn't raised any objection to this. It ought to be passed, and this Congress should be proud that it did.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank Congressman Gallegly for his effort to bring this to the floor. It is Congressman Gallegly who originally brought this issue to the attention of Congress 10 years ago, and I have enjoyed working with him as Co-Chairs of the Animal Protection Caucus to pass this important bill. Quite simply, animal crush videos contain some of the vilest treatment of animals imaginable. They feature scantily clad women crushing, impaling, or burning small animals of all types, apparently for the sexual gratification of some sick people. These videos have no redeeming value and clearly fall outside the realm of protected speech. But although these videos contain behavior that would be considered animal cruelty under state and federal laws, it is nearly impossible to prove who produces the videos, making a ban on their sale through interstate commerce the only means of ending the market for this smut. A law was passed by Congress 11 years ago that did just that, but earlier this year the Supreme Court struck down that law, claiming it could be used to violate free speech rights. While I didn't agree with that decision, it was clear that Congress could not just stand by while these videos once again proliferated on the Internet. Not only are they viciously inhumane to the animals involved, but they also teach behavior that can lead to other violent crimes against animals and humans. As demonstrated by the its long list of bipartisan cosponsors and its unanimous passage out of Committee, this bill represents a good faith effort by Members of both parties to maintain the effectiveness of the original law while addressing the constitutional concerns raised by the Court. Those who attempt to make a profit off the sale of crush videos showing the torture of animals should not be allowed to hide behind the claim that they did not produce the content. This bill will take away that pathetic excuse, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to proudly recognize the George Mason High School girls' and boys' soccer teams for winning their respective State 1A Soccer Championships. On June 12th at Radford University, the George Mason High School Mustangs of Falls Church valiantly defeated Radford High School 3-1 to capture their third consecutive state title. The following day, the boys' team displayed equally outstanding talent by defeating Radford 2-1 to capture their second consecutive state championship. The girls' championship win follows a remarkable season of 18 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie. Junior midfielder Hannah Walker scored twice and sophomore forward Leah Roth had a goal and an assist. Nichole Mitchell played tough as the starting goalkeeper, only allowing one goal in the net from a penalty kick. After the final moment of the game, the George Mason players victoriously rushed the field and saluted their fans that had traveled 4 hours to watch the game. The boys' championship game was led by Mustang seniors Nick Smirniotopoulos and Andrew Arias following a remarkable season of 19 wins, only 1 loss, and 4 ties. This is the second year in a row that the George Mason boys' soccer team has captured the state title. Smirniotopoulos, recently named to the 2010 All-Met team by the Washington Post, and Arias, each scored a goal to clinch the win. Just before halftime, junior goalkeeper Tyler Back made a remarkable save on a breakaway. Also standing as stalwarts on the defensive end were senior Natan Lailari and junior Franky Andrianarison. Like their counterparts on the girls' team, the lone goal scored against them came from a penalty shot. I extend my congratulations to all of the athletes, coaches, and the entire George Mason High School community for their historic victories. Winning a state championship takes hundreds of hours of practice, preparation, and hard work. May your perseverance, strength, and diligence stay with you through all of your journeys in life.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, the Republican Party's mantra of ``drill, baby, drill'' dropped from sight almost as fast as the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Yet the fact is, while this was the worst ecological catastrophe in American history and an accident, it was also an inevitability. It was inevitable because, for 8 years, the Cheney- Bush administration allowed Big Oil to operate with almost complete disregard for the protection of our environment. So I am proud of the fact that President Obama and the Democratic Party are now holding BP accountable for all of the costs of the cleanup and for the devastating impact on the local economy in the gulf. I am also proud of the fact that they are holding Big Oil accountable to explore and produce domestic energy on already leased lands at competitive prices in a clean and safe manner. The gulf coast catastrophe underscores the need for comprehensive energy and climate reform to rein in Big Oil and to reduce our reliance on dirty fossil fuels and foreign sources of oil. It is what the Democratic Party wants. More importantly, it is what the American people need and want. Let's pass an energy reform bill now.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, we should all be greatly concerned for the safety of our U.S. census workers. According to the Census Bureau, there have been 379 incidents involving threats and abuse towards census employees so far this year. That's more than double the violence that occurred during the last census in 2000, and there are still 3 weeks remaining in this year's census taking. The reported incidents have consisted of robberies, assault, violent threats, being held against their will, and carjacking. They are doing very important work and getting paid very little for it. They should not be subjected to this kind of abusive treatment. Ironically, it is the work of census takers that will ensure that each American receives their fair share of Federal resources. They are performing a very important public service. I'm afraid that this abuse may be directly tied to some of the antigovernment rhetoric that is coming from some people in this body and the Republican noise machine; in other words, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and countless other so-called ``shock jocks.'' Rather than disparaging Federal employees, this body should be applauding the excellent and courageous work that they are performing.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Garamendi, thank you for having this Special Order. We in Virginia--not all of us, but many of us--watch with sadness at what happened to the California shores, and we don't want it repeated in Virginia. Even though the Governor and the Republican Party have pushed and pushed with these silly mantras, Drill, baby, drill, and Drill here, and drill everywhere, we're not going to let it happen. If we had not been diligent, we might have some drilling rigs off the shore of Virginia today, but we don't. And they're not going to go there until there is substantial modification of the industry practices with regard to offshore drilling. Let's bear in mind that what we are talking about is our Nation's oil. It's not oil that's owned by these oil companies or by the private sector. It's owned by us, the taxpayer. It's public land. It's owned by our children and our grandchildren. And instead of being put to our benefit and their benefit, because of neglect, carelessness, irresponsible decisions, it is destroying the ecology of the gulf and could well destroy the ecology of the Everglades along the Florida shore, and could even go up the east coast. We have no idea how extensive this damage is going to be, nor how expensive it will be to clean it up. But we're now getting an idea of why it happened. And I would say to the gentleman and to the Speaker that we ought to be mindful, first of all, that this was not under President Obama's watch. It was not under any kind of Democratic policy. It was under the administration of a President who owned an oil drilling company, an oil exploration company, a Vice President who was the CEO of Halliburton, who made money from manufacturing and installing drilling rigs--in fact, continued to own thousands of shares of Halliburton while they made enormous profits not only from drilling rigs but from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So while these two folks sit back, the damage is being inflicted upon people who bore no fault but, in fact, became dependent upon this industry. And our hearts go out not just to those who lost their lives but to those who have lost their livelihoods. Now, when we trace back how this particular drilling rig exploded, we find that there were a number of points along the way where it could have been avoided. Back in 2003, the Interior Department--the Bush administration's Interior Department--agreed with BP and other oil companies that installing a $500,000 acoustical shutoff switch on every offshore rig would be unreasonably expensive, even though such a shutoff switch would have prevented all of this oil from spewing out. Now it's costing BP billions of dollars. It's costing our country billions of dollars in tourism, to the fishing industry, and it's costing the lives of thousands and thousands of people because they cut corners. They weren't even willing to spend $500,000--a half million dollars on a shutoff switch. And then they feel badly. They think they are being beaten up on by the Congress. Well, let me share some of the reasons why they've lost their credibility. For one, they started out telling us that it was about 1,000 barrels a day that were leaking. I think the gentleman will remember that. Of course there are 42 gallons in a barrel, which would mean that every day, about 200,000 gallons of oil were being emitted. Well, it wasn't 1,000. Then they went up to 5,000, which means that-- well, with 5,000 instead of 42,000 gallons of oil a day, it was 210,000. But the 5,000, even though the scientists at the Minerals Management Service say, We think it's much larger than this, the scientists continued to be ignored. And now we find that every second, 18 gallons of oil is being emitted from this spill. Now, think about that. Most of us, to fill our tank, the gas tank in our car, it takes about 18 gallons. All of that is going out into the gulf every second, which means that we've got more than 1,000 a minute. We've got 65,000 gallons an hour, and we have 1.6 million gallons every day. It's hard for the mind to comprehend that, but 1.6 million gallons of oil is coming out into the gulf every day. And this has gone on for, what, 50 days. Now, what has to happen in the future is there needs to be a time- out. No more deepwater drilling until, number one, we have the technology on hand. The Minerals Management Service has been assured that this cannot happen again. We had a 30-day open window when they had the ability to determine whether permits should be issued. Under the Bush administration, it was automatic. They didn't take any of that time. But in the future, we need trained personnel. We need tested equipment. We need all of the technology to be on hand. And all of that research that should have been done, it needs to be paid for by the oil companies. The taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for that research. The taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for the training. And the taxpayers, obviously, shouldn't pay for the equipment. All of it needs to be tested because it is the taxpayers' oil. It is the taxpayers' land, and it has been exploited and a lot of people have made billions of dollars by drilling off our land, drilling the oil that really belongs to our children and grandchildren. Well, it is time to put a stop to this. As far as I am concerned, there should be a moratorium until we can assure the American public and our children and grandchildren that this can't happen again because the government is going to be the sheriff in the future. The Obama administration is going to put in the people that care about our environment that are going to regulate this oil drilling and are going to ensure that this kind of catastrophe never happens again because we are not going to show the kind of negligence and greed that drove this situation to occur. So I thank you, Mr. Garamendi. Again, let me conclude by ending where I started, that we feel bad for what happened to California. We feel worse for what is now the worst ecological disaster in the gulf, but we have to make sure that we learn from this and we never, ever let something like this happen again.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Federal Supervisor Training Act of 2010. This bill would establish a minimum training program for supervisors within federal government agencies. Every year Congress passes laws that either create or modify programs that serve the American people. Yet, it is up to the men and women of the federal civil service to efficiently and effectively implement the programs this body approves. Competent managers are essential for a functioning civil service that can carry out the federal government's mission. This bill will require each federal agency to develop and implement a training program that, among other things, teaches supervisors to develop and discuss employee goals and objectives, to foster an appropriate work environment, and to improve employee performance and productivity. The bill requires supervisors to receive initial training within one year of promotion, and once every three years thereafter. In addition to supervisor training, the bill also requires agencies to establish mentoring programs so that new supervisors can learn from the experiences of more seasoned federal managers. I believe that providing our federal supervisors adequate training will improve the delivery of government services, reduce costs associated with mitigating employee grievances and improve morale throughout the entire civil service. During today's tough budget climate I fear that federal agencies will cut supervisor training in order to reduce costs. I believe that would be a mistake. This bill would ensure that even through difficult economic times supervisors receive the training they need so that they can best serve our constituents.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to draw the attention of my colleagues to a successful example of public-private collaboration that marks a new era of government transparency and accountability. It could not have happened without the cooperation of the private sector. Following President Obama's commitment to let the public track every dollar spent under the economic stimulus package, administration was hard pressed to find a timely and effective way to meet the objective. Many were skeptical, and thought it would take months if not years to develop a website, standardize the information, create a website and keep the information current. Rather than start from scratch and begin a new procurement process, the Office of Management and Budget opted to leverage an existing program and technology. This wise decision lowered the cost and enabled it to be implemented under an extremely tight timeline. In June 2009, OMB and the Recovery and Accountability and Transparency Board (RATB) selected an existing data management system used by the Environmental Protection Agency called the Central Data Exchange or CDX for short. The great efficiency of the interagency work allowed the website, Recovery.gov, to open several weeks later in August for both the government and the public to access. The system is also flexible enough that OMB and RATB continue to guide and improve reporting requirements through a separate data collection site, FederalReporting.gov on a daily basis. The Recovery Board and the EPA partnered with CGI Federal to develop and implement the site. CGI Federal built the site and added enhancements and still continues to validate the site's information. The tireless work and outstanding effort of this partnership led to the successful implementation of this system. FederalReporting.gov is the first centralized reporting strategy that spans all participating federal agencies. As a result, agencies do not have to spend funds to implement independent solutions for data collection. Also, FederalReporting.gov is one of the first federal reporting systems to be entirely paperless. The success of the site proves that a paperless system does not result in a large number of non-compliant recipients but opens the door for future green government efforts. FederalReporting.gov shows us that there are examples of successful collaboration and partnership between government agencies and the private sector that help move our country forward.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman. I want to speak specifically to this amendment that addresses a duplicitous employment practice by private security contractors in Afghanistan. Last year, four employees of Paravant, a Blackwater subsidiary, were involved in a shooting incident where a number of Afghan civilians, one was killed, others were wounded. A subsequent investigation found that Paravant employees were not classified as employees but were, instead, classified as independent contractors. Then it was revealed that Paravant classified them as independent contractors in order to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. Raytheon, who was the main contractor on the Afghan Border Police contract, attempted to sever ties with them, but they were rebuffed because this company claimed to have no responsibility for or oversight over the four in question, even though they had hired them and were paying for them. This can't be permitted. There has to be responsibility for private contractors. They can't be free agents doing what they want over there. They are recognized as working for the American Government. We need to make employers responsible for their employees. This is a duplicitous method of avoiding taxes, but most importantly, direct responsibility for the actions of private security contractors. It needs to be ended. And I support the other amendments that address the accountability and oversight over private security contractors.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Council for International Visitors, NCIV--a nonprofit leader in citizen diplomacy-- and supporting designation of February 16, 2011, as ``Citizen Diplomacy Day.'' NCIV is a membership association, with members based in congressional districts throughout the nation, dedicated to promoting excellence in citizen diplomacy--the concept that individual citizens have the right and responsibility to help shape U.S. foreign relations ``one handshake at a time.'' NCIV's nationwide network comprises 92 community organizations as well as federal agencies, associate members, and individuals. With leadership and training provided by NCIV, member organizations create professional connections, provide cultural activities, and offer home hospitality opportunities for foreign leaders and specialists. Each year, the aggregate efforts of NCIV members involve more than 80,000 volunteers. The NCIV network is the private-sector partner of the U.S. Department of State for the International Visitor Leadership Program, IVLP, a long-standing, successful initiative for strengthening U.S. foreign relations. More than 285 current and former heads of state (including F.W. de Klerk, Anwar Sadat, Manmohan Singh, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Morgan Tsvangarai) and approximately 1,700 cabinet-level ministers have participated in the IVLP, which U.S. ambassadors have repeatedly ranked first among 63 U.S. public diplomacy initiatives. Through citizen diplomacy, the NCIV network and the IVLP have positively affected hundreds of thousands of lives in America and abroad--among countless other ways, by: Empowering a key reformer to stand up for democracy and freedom following the February 2010 coup in Niger; Introducing high school students in Reno, Nevada, to Moroccan journalists and Afghan women leaders; Sharing best practices with leaders of Malaysian disaster-relief nonprofits in the wake of a devastating earthquake and tsunami; Connecting an environmental and water resources engineering firm from Portland, Oregon, to business opportunities with China; and Breaking stereotypes about Americans for a Yemeni governance and conflict management expert. The success of NCIV is based on patriotic citizens, entrepreneurs, and small businesses coming together to help promote America abroad while boosting the local economy. By working with the State Department, NCIV is an important source of income for many throughout the U.S. based on the increased economic activity generated by international visitors. Nearly the entire IVLP budget is spent within the United States, where it generates millions of dollars in local economic activity. NCIV members raise an additional $6 for every dollar they receive in federal funding, all of which is spent locally. Furthermore, by bringing foreign leaders to U.S. schools, government agencies, and businesses, the NCIV network and the IVLP help U.S. communities build a more globally literate, competitive workforce. Please join me in demonstrating congressional support for this national network of citizen diplomats by recognizing NCIV's 50th anniversary and recommending designation of February 16, 2011, as Citizen Diplomacy Day. Cosponsors of Legislation Introduced by the Rep. Jim Moran The Honorable Donald Manzullo, the Honorable Howard Coble, the Honorable Keith Ellison, the Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson, the Honorable Lee Terry, the Honorable Mark Steven Kirk, the Honorable Peter Welch, the Honorable Betty McCollum, the Honorable Patrick Murphy, the Honorable John Boozman, the Honorable Sue Wilkins Myrick, the Honorable Steven Rothman, the Honorable Denny Rehberg, the Honorable Jan Schakowsky, the Honorable Daniel B. Maffei.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. So, Mr. Speaker, we are to be treated with 1 minute after 1 minute by our Republican friends telling us what they want to do with the economy, but is a year and a half so long ago? For 8 years, the Republican Party had the opportunity to steer this economy, to fix this economy. What happened? They took a $5.6 trillion projected surplus and 21 million new jobs that had been created by the Clinton administration and left President Obama with a $3.5 trillion projected deficit--a $9 trillion fiscal reversal. In the last several months of the Bush administration, we were losing 700,000 jobs a month. In fact, in the last few months of the Obama administration, we have gained more net new jobs than during the entire 8 years of the Bush administration. Just a year and a half. Think of the reversal, but also consider what President Obama inherited. So, while I have great fondness for many of my colleagues, we would ask the American people to look at the facts. When they had the opportunity, they blew this economy wide open left it in shambles and now we are being asked to believe that they would do it differently if we just give them one more chance.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill of which I am also a cosponsor. Last week, President Obama submitted a request to Congress to authorize funds for this important missile defense system which will shield Israeli civilians from indiscriminate short-range missile attacks. The bill is consistent with support of human rights for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and of efforts to enhance Israel's security and defense of her citizens from violent rocket and missile attacks. This reflects the role that the United States can play in saving lives on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and if we can save lives and promote a sustainable peace, then we must play that role from both a moral as well as a geopolitical motivation because when people feel secure, they think differently than when they feel under siege. Their priorities change. And this missile defense system could be a game changer. It deserves our support.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2478-- the Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009. This legislation calls for the end of the reign of terror perpetrated by Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), and beginning the work of reconstruction and reconciliation efforts across northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic. This predatory rebel group has been allowed to roam unchecked across Central Africa for nearly a quarter century, leaving behind a wake of communities ravaged by their senseless violence and barbaric means of recruitment. Since 1986, the LRA has abducted tens of thousands of children to be used as soldiers or sex slaves in one of the worst and most neglected humanitarian crises on the planet. On December 14, 2009, the LRA initiated a series of attacks in the Makombo region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where over the course of 4 days, the LRA massacred at least 10 villages, killing over 321 civilians and abducting over 250 civilians--80 of whom were children. In a continuation of the LRA's 24-year history of brutal, unchecked violence, the terrorist rebel group forced children to kill other children, raped girls as young as 11 years old, and gave a warning of silence to the local population by cutting off a number of villagers' ears and lips. Out of the over 321 civilians whose lives were lost, only two died from gunshot wounds, as LRA combatants are known to conserve ammunition by killing with clubs and machetes. Despite the horrific nature of the attack and the sheer number of causalities, the outside world did not receive word of the massacre before Human Rights Watch released their report almost three months later. But ultimately there is hope in seeing an end to this crisis. For more than a year, American youth across the country have called for U.S. leadership in ending the conflict; Congress has listened, and in turn, taken concrete action in seeing an end to this war. The LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act stands today as the most cosponsored piece of legislation on an Africa-related policy issue in modern congressional history; 65 Senators and 197 of my colleagues in the House of Representatives have put their names on this crucial human rights legislation. This legislation requires that the administration deliver a strategy to Congress within 180 days of the enactment of this legislation that outlines a multilateral, interagency plan for the apprehension of top LRA commanders and protection of civilians in LRA affected areas. This budget neutral bill also sets a priority within existing State Department funding for transitional justice mechanisms in northern Uganda, disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former child soldiers, and immediate emergency humanitarian relief to communities devastated by the LRA in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and Southern Sudan. Most importantly, this bill gives a mandate to the President from Congress and the American people in taking proactive steps to bring an end to the violence of the LRA and restoring peace and stability to Central Africa. By the end of the year, I and my colleagues will look forward to seeing a robust strategy submitted from President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and we will continue tirelessly fighting for its successful implementation. I ask of my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. MORAN of Virginia

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I am on the floor today acknowledging the upcoming 100th year anniversary of the passage of the Weeks Act, a significant conservation achievement in the history of the United States. John W. Weeks, a Republican Congressman from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, was relentless in his efforts to pass this legislation, which authorized the federal purchase of cutover and denuded forestlands in the headwaters of navigable streams for the purpose of conserving the flow of streams and rivers and to restore lands for future timber production. Despite a fierce two year battle, Rep. Weeks was successful and the Weeks Act cleared Congress on March 1, 1911. At the turn of the 19th century, vast amounts of private forested land in the eastern United States had been ravaged by clear cut logging. In the absence of trees, vast areas of the East were prone to flooding and soil erosion, as well as destructive forest fires. No longer productive, these lands were often abandoned and came into state and local ownership for nonpayment of taxes. To bring these lands back from the ecological brink, Rep. John Weeks introduced legislation directing the federal government to relieve state and local governments from managing these lands and restore them to their former condition. Today 26 eastern states are home to 52 National Forests encompassing almost 25 million acres. These forests provide significant economic benefits. Not only are the forests recreational sanctuaries, they are also a major contributor in keeping America's drinking water clean. Many eastern municipal water supplies depend on National Forest watersheds and currently $450 billion in food and fiber, manufactured goods, and tourism depends on clean water and healthy watersheds. In addition, the timber supply managed by the Forest Service provides a significant monetary benefit. The timber resource was almost nonexistent when the federal government purchased the land, but today these lands host an estimated 42 billion cubic feet of growing stock and about 210 billion board feet of saw timber. With this resolution we recognize and commemorate the vision of John W. Weeks and his contribution to the conservation effort. Both Republicans and Democrats recognized the importance of federal government in conserving the forests and the water supply for long term environmental goals. Today I encourage both Congress and the Forest Service to begin preparing a centennial celebration commemorating this major bipartisan accomplishment. Our 52 National Forests in 26 eastern states may never have existed if the Weeks Act of 1911 had not been passed. I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution.