Gary Miller

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. In recent years, many of you recall that there have been concerns about allowing banks to get involved in the real estate marketplace, specifically being involved in housing sales and housing transactions other than for pure lending purposes. So before I introduced this bill, I went to all the associations to make sure the understanding was that this was clearly a temporary bill. This bill has been endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS, which mainly had a huge concern with banks being involved with real estate, the National Association of Homebuilders and the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. This bill was discharged from committee without a hearing because the ranking member and the chairman both believed this bill could really have a major impact. That's why this bill is on the floor. I ask for an ``aye'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Last week, I received a letter from a constituent, Dr. Harry Levine, who was a surgeon in the U.S. and Canada for 60 years. Dr. Levine said, ``As a surgeon who worked in Canada and the U.S. for 60 years with two of the highest degrees in the world of surgery''--he was a fellow in the Royal College of Surgery in Canada, in the United States he serves as a diplomat on both the American Board of Surgery and the National Board of Medical Examiners-- ``I have unparalleled experience in all levels of society, from grinding dirt-level poverty to the most privileged. Please take this advice from me. This medical insurance program now up for a vote in Washington will be nothing short of a national calamity in every respect involving everyone and sparing no one. I cannot stress to you the extent to which chaos, illness, and needless death will befall everyone.'' According to Dr. Levine, under government-run health care, people become numbers and lose their identity-- you're a pest, not a patient. Don't take my word for it, ask your doctor. Ask them how government-run health care will change your life or shorten it.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the FY 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3138 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: County of Orange Address of Requesting Entity: 10 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, California 92701 Funding Secured: $52,193,000 Description of Request: The Santa Ana River Mainstream Project, including Prado Dam, provide urban flood protection to the growing communities in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties, and has been a high priority project for the Army Corps of Engineers since it was first authorized in 1986. The Santa Ana River has been recognized as the worst flood threat west of the Mississippi River. The Army Corps of Engineers estimates if flood mitigation is not completed, a major storm event could flood over 110,000 acres, kill 3,000 people, and destroy up to $15 billion worth of property in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. Floods from the Santa Ana River would destroy interstate transportation facilities, railroads and highways, and have long-term effects on business activities on a national level. The project, which extends some 75 miles along the Santa Ana River, will increase levels of flood protection to more than 3.35 million people in the area. Federal assistance for the start of construction was approved in the Fiscal Year 1990 federal budget and has been included in the federal budget every year since. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3138 Account: Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Orange County Water District Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 8300, Fountain Valley, California 92728 Funding Secured: $100,000 Description of Request: The Ground Water Replenishment (GWR) System Mid-Basin Injection Pilot Facilities Project will determine the feasibility, and the benefits and costs of constructing a full-scale project that would inject GWR System product water directly into the principal aquifer in an area of high volume groundwater pumping. The purpose of the GWR System Mid-Basin Injection Pilot Facilities Project is to reduce reliance on imported water by expanding local water supplies. This will be accomplished by increasing recharge of the Orange County groundwater basin through direct injection of purified, recycled water into the groundwater basin. This project will install one pilot test well and two monitoring wells, evaluating hydro-geologic data, and developing a preliminary plan for full-scale construction. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3138 Account: Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Orange County Water District Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 8300, Fountain Valley, California 92728 Funding Secured: $100,000 Description of Request: The Groundwater Replenishment System (GWR System) is a jointly funded project of the Orange County Water District (OCWD) and the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) with OCWD serving as the lead or constructing agency. When complete, the GWR System will be the largest water recycling project of its kind in the world, reusing 140,000 acre feet per year (AFY) of advance treated wastewater (recycled water). The GWR System will supplement existing water supplies by providing a new, reliable, high-quality source of water to recharge the Orange County Groundwater Basin and protect the Basin from further degradation due to seawater intrusion. By treating excess storm flows along the Santa Ana River, the GWR System project also postpones the need for OCSD to construct a new ocean outfall in Huntington Beach.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the FY 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Elementary and Secondary Education Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of La Habra Address of Requesting Entity: 1101 W. Las Lomas Dr., La Habra, California 90631 Funding Secured: $148,000 Description of Request: The City of La Habra's ``Young At Art'' program addresses the need to provide arts education to underprivileged children in a community that currently receives no formal arts program for its kindergarten through second grade (K-2) students. ``Young At Art'' provides direct services to over 1,400 K-2 students and 50 teachers, and will positively impact 2,500 parents and 5,000 community members in La Habra, California. In 2001, The Children's Museum implemented ``Young At Art'' to preschool populations. After several years of success with this program and in response to increasing community requests, The Children's Museum at La Habra is now expanding ``Young At Art'' to serve 100% of the Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade elementary students La Habra. ``Young At Art'' has two overall goals: to increase teachers' ability to lead K-2 elementary students in integrated arts and core curriculum learning experiences, and to use arts learning to increase the language arts skills, math readiness skills, and cognitive process capabilities of K-2 elementary students who are now at-risk for academic failure. Federal funding would be used to expand the La Habra Children's Museum program ``Young at Art'' to serve 100 percent of K-2 elementary school students in the City of La Habra. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Elementary and Secondary Education Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hope Through Housing Foundation Address of Requesting Entity: 9065 Haven Avenue, Suite 100, Rancho Cucamonga, California 91730 Funding Secured: $350,000 Description of Request: The Hope Through Housing Foundation's Academic Tutoring and Enrichment Program combines intensive age- appropriate academic tutoring with enrichment activity for children in grades K-8. In addition, a family literacy component and community building technical assistance program will strengthen the support services available to children and youth. The program includes tutoring where each day a student attends, they receive 60 minutes of small group academic tutoring in both math and English/language arts. Homework assistance to support the small group tutoring sessions, trained staff provide a minimum of 45 minutes daily of assistance. During this time, students have access to a fully furnished computer laboratory with high speed Internet access. Each learning center is a literacy-rich environment stocked with age appropriate books, as well as creative writing and reading materials. Students are encouraged to check out books, create journals, and engage in any type of activity that encourages them to read and write for pleasure. Students will work together on projects that support in-school learning. Additionally, through both group activities and one on one time spent with staff, attention is paid toward helping students gain confidence in themselves and learn to communicate effectively. These programs go above and beyond by being administered onsite at affordable housing communities to serve our nation's most at-risk youths. Federal funding would be used for the After School and Beyond--Academic Tutoring and Enrichment Program to serve at-risk youth and their families living in high-risk neighborhoods in San Bernardino County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Diego County and Los Angeles County. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Museums and Libraries Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Chino Hills Address of Requesting Entity: 2001 Grand Avenue, Chino Hills, California 91709 Funding Secured: $250,000 Description of Request: The City of Chino Hills, within San Bernardino County, is a rapidly growing community. Its current James S. Thalman Branch Library, which is housed in an inadequate 9,000 square foot building, is the most utilized library within the County's system. The facility is grossly inadequate for the City's burgeoning population and is reaching the end of its useful life. The City has acquired 11.7 acres of land to construct a government center that will include a City Hall, a Police and Sheriff Facility, the Fire District Administrative Headquarters, and the new James S. Thalman Branch Library. The City is funding the $11 million cost of construction for the facility; however, federal assistance is needed for interior improvements to the library that will serve the needs of all Chino Hills residents.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the FY 2010 Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: FTA, Buses and Bus Facilities Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Anaheim Address of Requesting Entity: 200 South Anaheim Boulevard, Anaheim, California 92805 Funding Secured: $725,000 Description of Request: The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) will be the premier regional multimodal transportation hub in Orange County, located on a 16-acre site in the City of Anaheim, strategically situated along the Los Angeles to San Diego (LOSSAN) rail line, bounded by State Route 57, and in close proximity to the Interstate 5 freeway. The ARTIC will establish both physical and functional linkage to provide seamless access between all transit modes. The ARTIC is needed to accommodate the travel needs of 45 million visitors and will strategically facilitate bus rapid transit service, proposed California High Speed Rail alignment, as well as the Anaheim to Ontario International Airport segment of the California- Nevada Interstate super speed rail project. The project will also expand existing transportation infrastructure for Amtrak intercity rail, Metrolink commuter rail, fixed-route and express bus services, taxi and Anaheim Resort shuttles, as well as private transportation providers such as Greyhound. The City of Anaheim is completing this project in conjunction with the Orange County Transportation Authority and once complete, will act as an integral hub serving millions of travelers in and out of the Southern California region. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: FTA, Capital Investment Grants Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Omnitrans Address of Requesting Entity: 1700 West 5th Street, San Bernardino, California 92411 Funding Secured: $32,370,000 Description of Request: The introduction of premium transit modes and services in the San Bernardino Valley corridors in the future will allow Omnitrans to achieve better market penetration, while being able to positively influence the livability of communities in its service area. The faster, more direct transit service of Bus Rapid System (BRT) has proven beneficial to many communities around the country. Therefore the study has selected the following seven major transit corridors within the Omnitrans service area: (1) E Street; (1a) E Street Extension; (2) Foothill Boulevard East; (3) Foothill Boulevard West; (4) Mountain/Euclid Avenues; (5) San Bernardino Avenue; (6) Holt Avenue/4th Street; and (7) Grand/Edison Avenues. These seven corridors, two north/south and five east/west, cover much of the developed land within the service area and form a grid which will allow direct transfers between lines if an entire system of fast premium services is implemented by Omnitrans. Omnitrans is currently moving forward with the E Street Corridor, and a plan is needed for the remaining corridors. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: Economic Development Initiative Legal Name of Requesting Entity: National Community Renaissance Address of Requesting Entity: 9065 Haven Avenue, Suite 100, Rancho Cucamonga, California 91730 Funding Secured: $1,000,000 Description of Request: National Community Renaissance is one of the largest nonprofit affordable housing development corporations in the United States. It manages the development and preservation of high quality affordable housing throughout the country, including development of new affordable housing, preservation of existing affordable housing at risk of going to market rate, and full service construction management with expertise in multifamily and mixed use development. This community opportunity program has been absolutely invaluable in helping to provide affordable housing for more American families and in promoting increased homeownership in the United States. For every dollar of public funding, National Community Renaissance leverages nine dollars of private funds to support its goals of affordable housing. Over the past several years, Congress has continually supported National Community Renaissance's program of acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of at-risk affordable housing by appropriating funds from the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program account. Federal funding would be used for the acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of at-risk affordable housing. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: Economic Development Initiative Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hillview Acres Children's Home Address of Requesting Entity: 3683 Chino Avenue, Chino, California 91710 Funding Secured: $250,000 Description of Request: Established in 1929, Hillview Acres Children's Home cares for severely abused and neglected children throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Using four cottages that house no more than nine children each, Hillview provides 24-hour residential and mental health treatment services for abused boys and girls ages six through eighteen. The Home's main activities include complete assessment services and psychiatric care, a state-certified nonpublic school, a Family Reunification Program, and a home for pregnant teens and teenage mothers. One of the biggest challenges Hillview faces today, however, is its aging physical plant. Built with volunteer labor over forty years ago, the physical appearance of the campus no longer mirrors the services provided. The renewal of the campus is vital to showing the children they are worthy of a safe and caring home. Hillview Acres has benefited from congressional support in previous fiscal years and continued federal funding of this public-private partnership is necessary, however, to allow Hillview to uphold its mission in receiving, treating, and caring for thousands of severely abused and neglected children.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the FY 2010 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Conservation Operations Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Municipal Water District of Orange County Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 20895, Fountain Valley, California 92728 Funding Secured: $134,000 Description of Request: In the arid climate of Southern California, it is critically important to provide a coordinated effort to conserve water resources by controlling water usage. In particular, Orange County's growing population requires extensive conservation measures to adequately provide sufficient water resources for its residents. Funding for the Irrigation Controller Installation Program would allow for the installation of a smart irrigation controller system that uses innovative technology to regulate the amount of water that is delivered based on weather conditions, soil, slope, and type of landscape. Supported by local government entities and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, this computerized landscape sprinkler system will save the residents of Orange County 30,000 acre-feet of water every year, directly benefiting more than two million Orange County residents. This program has direct national significance by relieving pressure from imported water sources such as the Colorado River Aqueduct and the San Francisco Bay Delta. In addition, its implementation will help reduce urban runoff, preventing pollutants from reaching natural waterways and the ocean.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the FY 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 2892 Account: FEMA, State and Local Programs Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of La Habra Address of Requesting Entity: 201 E. La Habra Blvd., La Habra, CA 90631 Funding Secured: $254,500 Description of Request: Currently, the City of La Habia's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a very small conference room within the Police Station. The maximum occupancy is less than a dozen individuals, and there is not adequate space or equipment to serve as an Emergency Operations Center, particularly if there were a large-scale emergency such as an earthquake, wildfires, act of terrorism, etc. During the recent ``Golden Guardian'' earthquake exercise in California, the team evaluating the City's performance noted the inadequacy of the facility and its hindrance to the exercise. The problems would be even more pronounced should there be an actual emergency requiring the mobilization of our first responders and emergency personnel. This project would provide for necessary equipment and modifications to establish the various required components of an EOC (Planning and Intelligence, Operations, Communications, Public Information, etc.). I believe that it is critical for Congress to use taxpayer dollars responsibly by investing in Southern California communities to prevent, combat, and contain the devastating threat of fire and natural disasters that routinely ravage the Southern California landscape

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the FY 2010 Defense Authorization Bill. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 2647 Account: Navy--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: General Dynamics Address of Requesting Entity: 180 North Riverview Drive, Suite 300, Anaheim Hills, California 92808 Funding Authorized: $3,600,000 Description of Request: The Deployable Autonomous Distributed System (DADS) is the future of Network-Centric Anti-Submarine Warfare. The DADS program integrates and demonstrates an autonomous undersea sensor system, deployable from multiple platforms, to improve the Navy's capability to conduct effective anti-submarine warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the littoral environment. DADS enhances the automation and connectivity between sensors, operators, and weapons and feeds the network-centric antisubmarine warfare picture. DADS utilizes multiple, cutting edge sensor technologies to increase the probability of detecting threats and to reduce the false alarm rate. With a goal to be deployable by any available asset, DADS will serve as an unmanned, autonomous reporting entity, freeing surveillance platforms for other missions. This funding will help the Navy in developing a system small enough to support deployability goals and in the development of compact power sources. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 2647 Account: Navy--Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Power Paragon Address of Requesting Entity: 901 E. Ball Road Anaheim, California 92805, Funding Authorized: $5,000,000 Description of Request: This project is a design build prototype for a hybrid electric drive (HED) for the CG 47 Class Cruisers for the US Navy. This project contributes to the future of environmentally sound, fuel-efficient propulsion. The Navy believes that this improvement would realize a significant savings per year per ship. This HED for surface combatants such as the CG 47 would significantly reduce fuel costs, increase ship endurance and range, produce less environmental emissions, increase ship survivability through reduce signatures, and provide increased overall ship electric power generation capacity. This installation would leverage advances in lighter weight and more efficient electric propulsion technologies that have resulted from the Office of Naval Research investments over the last several years.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the Mollohan Amendment, which increases funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) by $100 million. Each year, American taxpayers spend over $36 billion to provide health care, education, and incarceration to illegal immigrants. In 2005, the Government Accountability Office found that states spend more than $1.7 billion each year alone to incarcerate criminal aliens. Unfortunately, Congress has only reimbursed about 20 percent of these local expenditures over the years through the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. The difference between actual expenditures and the SCAAP reimbursement level is particularly dramatic for my home state of California, which has the largest number of incarcerated illegal criminal aliens of any state in the nation. This year, the cost to California alone is estimated to be $1 billion. This year, the Administration proposed to terminate SCAAP by requesting no funding for this important program for Fiscal Year 2010. At a time when states, especially California, are experiencing unprecedented budget challenges, it is irresponsible for the Administration to terminate this program and place the costly burden of our nation's failed immigration policies on state governments. We cannot afford to eliminate or reduce this vital program, which already falls far short of what states and local governments actually spend to incarcerate illegal criminal aliens. Although I am pleased that House appropriators went against the will of the Administration by including $300 million for SCAAP in H.R. 2847, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, this is still a far cry from acceptable. My colleagues and I have offered an amendment to increase SCAAP funding by $100 million, which will fund the program at a grand total of $400 million for Fiscal Year 2010, which is equal to last year's funding. If Congress fails to increase funding for SCAAP, states will be forced to cut many of our local law enforcement agencies including sheriffs, police officers, anti-gang violence units, and district attorney offices. Taxpayers should not be burdened with funding the incarceration of criminal aliens who, by law, are the responsibility of the federal government. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment and provide the resources necessary to our state and local governments.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. 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 FY 2010 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: Office of Justice Programs, Byrne Discretionary Grants Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hope Through Housing Foundation Address of Requesting Entity: 9065 Haven Avenue, Suite 100, Rancho Cucamonga, California 91730 Funding Secured: $850,000 Description of Request: In previous fiscal years, Congress has shown strong support to the Hope Through Housing Foundation by providing dollars to fund a pilot program to fully incorporate a violence prevention curriculum, particularly gang prevention, into the existing programming at affordable housing communities. Funding will be used to administer an after-school program on site at affordable housing facilities that is designed to help prevent violence and keep at-risk youths off the streets. This program includes an array of services essential to assisting at-risk youth gain the resources they will need to succeed in life and school. An afternoon at Hope's After School and Beyond--Violence Prevention includes: team building exercises, self esteem building activities, homework assistance, family literacy and Peace Builders, the nationally acclaimed violence prevention curriculum. These elements will further develop positive and community networks that will support youth in their journey into adulthood, and will support their families in helping them on this journey. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: Office of Justice Programs, Juvenile Justice Account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Chino Address of Requesting Entity: 13001 Central Avenue, Chino, California 91708 Funding Secured: $150,000. Description of Request: The City of Chino runs the Chino Experience as an after-school program for teens in grades 7 through 9. The Chino Experience addresses the needs of this growing population group and specifically focuses on at-risk youth. It is the only facility in the community offering non-sport programs and services to teens in grades 7 through 9 for extended evening hours and weekend programming. The three critical components of the program are individual case management, school-based enrichment, and the Chino Experience Teen Center facility. These components address the socioeconomic, academic, and social needs of the teens and also serve as diversions from dangerous influences of gangs and drugs. The Chino Experience provides year-round, five days per week programming for teens plus two special excursions per month. On-site after-school tutoring is available and shuttle bus service takes the students directly from three schools to the Chino Experience Teen Center after school for alternative programs. The requested funds will support teen programs with a special emphasis on teens living within the low-income and moderate-income areas of the community. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: Office of Justice Programs, Byrne Discretionary Grants Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Rio Hondo Community College Address of Requesting Entity: 11400 Greenstone Avenue, Santa Fe Springs, California 90670 Funding Secured: $300,000 Description of Request: Rio Hondo College operates its Public Safety Center with Police and Fire Academies to train cadets and Federal, State, and local first responders from over 115 agencies. The Public Safety Center was recently recognized by the Department of Homeland Security as a ``Regional Homeland Security Training Center.'' In tandem with this recognition, Rio Hondo College recently pledged $520,000 toward the acquisition of additional land adjacent to the Fire Academy to train Federal, State, and local first responders in tactics to best manage the possibility of a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or Explosive event (CBRNE) in Southern California. Los Angeles County has pledged $150,000 toward the Center, and the City of Santa Fe Springs is prepared to contribute up to $300,000 toward the Center. Training is already under way at the expanded Center. In order to meet the rising demands for training from L.A. County first responders and Rio Hondo students at the Center in order to prepare for natural and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or Explosive (CBRNE) disasters, the training center needs the appropriate equipment to train for underground and tunnel scenarios, lighting to train 24/7 and to simulate nighttime operations, and a classroom trailer now that the center is designated as a Department of Homeland Security approved training center.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the month of June is recognized as National Homeownership Month. On June 3, 2009, I introduced this bipartisan resolution with 12 of my colleagues, including the ranking member, and I would like to thank Maxine Waters. As I recall, you have been here every time on the floor speaking with me. You are an ardent supporter of housing. You understand the benefit of that to communities and how it really helps people who need homes. We are in a tough time, but we need to acknowledge the importance of homeownership in building strong communities and families. Owning a home is a fundamental part of the American Dream and is the largest personal investment most families will ever make. For millions of American families, homeownership provides an entry into the middle class, and is a key to building wealth. Moreover, in addition to providing financial benefits to individuals, homeownership also helps strengthen communities. Homeowners have a greater stake in the success of their local schools, civic organizations and churches. We have recently experienced significant upheaval in the U.S. housing market which has affected the entire economy. My home State of California in particular has been heavily impacted by the mortgage crisis, with thousands of families losing their homes. Despite all of this occurring in the current housing market, we need to remember that homeownership has historically been the single largest creator of wealth for most Americans. As someone who has been involved in the housing industry for more than 35 years, I have seen my fair share of housing downturns. From these experiences, I have learned that at a time of stress, it is important to ensure that liquidity continues to flow to the housing market in order to keep the markets functioning. The loan limit increases for FHA and GSEs included in enacted law are finally providing affordable, safe mortgages for homeowners who were previously forced to resort to risky loans that impaired their ability to keep their home. Additionally, I have also cosponsored the Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, which was introduced by my fellow Southern Californian, Ken Calvert, to bring stability to the housing market and encourage responsible homeownership. Congressman Ken Calvert's bill would expand the homebuyer tax credit provisions included in the enacted stimulus bills. During these economically challenging times, it is more important than ever to provide tax relief to hardworking families. In the first quarter of 2009, the homeownership rate was 67.3 percent. It has become more difficult for many people to retain homeownership today. Many families are trying very hard just to be able to make their house payment each and every month. In the past we have seen downturns in the seventies, eighties and nineties. This is probably the most significant one I have ever seen. At this point in time we need to acknowledge that supporting homeownership is a worthy goal of this Congress, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution by voting ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Well, you have worked very closely with me over the years on dealing with conforming loan limits in high- cost areas for Freddie and Fannie, and in California we almost felt like stepchildren for years. The limits were so low that people in California could not be able to use them to buy a home, and they were forced into riskier loans that many times you and I fought hard to change. We have raised the GSEs and the FHA loan limit in California and are helping a tremendous amount of people refinance their homes, or people who need to sell a home and people buying a home be able to get into the marketplace at probably at least 100 basis points cheaper than they would be able to get into a jumbo loan. I don't know if it is over, Maxine. I really wish I could say it was. I remember back in the early eighties when the prime went to 21.5 percent. You remember that. As a developer, I was paying a 24.5 percent interest rate for construction projects I had, and if anybody could even get a loan for 12 percent, they would buy a house at that point in time. But you couldn't get it. I hope we are doing what is right, providing liquidity in the marketplace to encourage people to take advantage of the deals that are out there today. But you see more and more lenders having to foreclose on homes, and they are putting them on the marketplace. In fact, I have a bill right now that Chairman Frank is going to be bringing up before the committee that allows banks, instead of forcing those homes on the marketplace, they can lease those homes for up to 5 years, and that way you get a lot of these distress sales off the marketplace. Hopefully we can find a reasonable bottom at that point in time and the market will start to come back. But you have such a glut of foreclosed properties on the market today that it keeps driving values down further and further, and that makes it more difficult for people to be able to stay in their home, because many times they owe more than it is worth. So hopefully we can get together, and we have done many of these things in a bipartisan fashion, and create a structure that will create a bottom and get us out of this. I am looking forward to that. But I am really thankful to you for your help and your cooperation and your support for the housing market. You have a passion for that, as I do, and I know Spencer Bachus does and Chairman Frank does also, and hopefully working together in a bipartisan fashion we can find a bottom and move the American people in a positive fashion forward.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of House Resolution 502, celebrating the life of Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity. Millard Fuller, along with his wife, Linda, founded Habitat for Humanity in 1976. Habitat for Humanity operates as a nonprofit Christian housing ministry. Working together with local affiliates, Habitat provides safe, decent and affordable housing for people of all backgrounds. Since its founding, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 300,000 homes worldwide in 3,000 communities and provided housing for more than 1.5 million people. Habitat for Humanity provides needy families with an opportunity for homeownership. The average cost of a Habitat home in the U.S. is $60,000. Habitat for Humanity sells homes at no profit to Habitat homeowners. In order to purchase a home, a Habitat homeowner must invest hundreds of hours in sweat equity into building not only their Habitat house, but houses for others as well. A Habitat homeowner is also responsible for making a down payment and monthly mortgage payments. Habitat for Humanity is able to finance its operations through mortgage payments made by Habitat homeowners, donations and volunteer labor. Habitat also accepts government funds, so long as they have no conditions that would violate Habitat principles. In my State of California, Habitat for Humanity has worked tirelessly to provide housing for needy Californians. Thousands of people have a decent place to live because of the work of many volunteers and the generosity of thousands of donors. Mr. Speaker, Habitat for Humanity is an organization that deserves to be honored. I urge my colleagues to join me and vote ``yes'' on this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, in closing, you have to admire an individual who applies Christian principles to his life. He didn't just talk good. He didn't just tell a story, he created good and he created a life for many people. There's nothing like looking in the eyes of an individual or a family who is moving in a new home, especially when the family was involved in that home, building that home, and helping build homes for other people. You have to admire him for what he did, and all the individuals in this country and other countries who give of their time, their talent and their resources for the betterment of humanity. And at this point in time, I would ask for an ``aye'' vote on a man who deserves it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to congratulate Mr. Allen ``Ali'' Cayir of Chino Hills, California for being awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Established in 1986 by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, Inc. (NECO), the Ellis Island Medal of Honor pays tribute to our nation's immigrant heritage, as well as individual achievement. This medal is awarded to U.S. citizens from various ethnic backgrounds who exemplify outstanding qualities in both their personal and professional lives, while continuing to preserve the richness of their particular heritage. A native of Turkey with an engineering degree from Istanbul Technical University, Mr. Cayir arrived in New York in 1980 with plans to begin a new life in Southern California. In 1989, he founded Transtech Engineering, Inc., which today is a multi-million dollar enterprise that provides professional and technical expertise to governmental agencies, educational institutions and the private development sector. In addition to Mr. Cayir's professional success, he is an extremely active part of his community. His philanthropic contributions include diverse organizations such as Tools for Education at California State University, restoration work at Mission San Juan Capistrano and United Way. Throughout his life, Mr. Cayir has demonstrated his commitment to community service as well as a passion to preserve and celebrate ethnic diversity. I am proud to honor Mr. Cayir's achievements and congratulate him on his receiving this prestigious award.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to clarify my position as it relates to H.R. 146, the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act. I cosponsored this legislation when it was originally introduced into the House of Representatives by my friend Congressman Rush Holt of New Jersey, to create a grant program to generate partnerships at the State and local level, encouraging the private sector to preserve, conserve, and enhance nationally significant Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields. This bill passed by an overwhelming margin on the House floor on March 3, 2009, and was subsequently sent to the Senate. Senate leaders then removed all language the House of Representatives had voted for and replaced it with the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. The Senate proceeded to pass the legislation and send it back to the House of Representatives where we stand to vote on it today. To be clear, the language contained in H.R. 146, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 in no way resembles the legislation I cosponsored when I lent my name and support in favor of the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act. It was not my intention or desire to be listed as a cosponsor of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. This legislation does have several laudable provisions, including language I sponsored: H.R 548, the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act to preserve and protect Civil War Battlefields and H.R. 530, the Santa Ana River Water Supply Enhancement Act to increase Southern California's water supply. However, this omnibus bill taken as a whole would withdraw millions of acres of public land from energy development, increase government spending by almost $9 billion, and add even greater restrictions to federally managed lands. I have been a long time advocate for preservation of our nation's historic battlefields. These battlefields offer a porthole to the past. The vivid imagery of an epic conflict can remind visitors of the struggles our country has gone through to preserve the banner of liberty and justice for all. Memorializing the Civil War, Oliver Wendell Holmes said, ``We have shared the incommunicable experience of war. We felt, we still feel, the passion of life to its top. In our youths, our hearts were touched by fire.'' By preserving this Nation's historic battlefields, we can give visitors a sense of what Mr. Holmes was talking about. Unfortunately, this legislation stripped the language to which I originally lent my support, and therefore do not wish to appear as a cosponsor of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the FY 2009 Omnibus. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Resource Conservation and Development Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Municipal Water District of Orange County Address of Requesting Entity: 18700 Ward Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92728 Funding Secured: $134,000 Description of Request: Funding will be used to expand an existing $2.2 million program launched in 2004 to distribute an additional 5,500 Smart Irrigation Controllers by the end of 2011 to the highest water using residential and commercial properties in Orange County. This ``smart'' Irrigation Controller technology assists customers in delivering the appropriate amount of irrigation water to landscape based on soil, slope, type of landscape, and changing water conditions. Smart irrigation controllers will help use exiting water resources and efficiently as possible to help take pressure off of our imported water supplies from Northern California and the Colorado River. When fully implemented there will be a reoccurring 40,000 acre foot savings of water every year. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Community Oriented Policing Services' Law Enforcement Technology Program Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Brea Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea, CA 92821 Funding Secured: $50,000 Description of Request: The City will use the funds to develop of a forensics criminal science laboratory for its police department. This will allow the Brea Police Department to meet legal and scientific standards in the proper handling and processing of biological evidence (DNA, blood, semen, saliva, and tissues); to process evidence in a manner that meets safety standards for the evidence technicians; more efficiently and effectively identify and collect latent fingerprint evidence through the use of chemistry and light. The creation of the forensics criminal science laboratory will give the Department the means in which to identify more suspects and solve more crime. It will also reduce the workload on outside companies that Brea Police Department contracts with and the Orange County Sheriff's crime lab. Finally, it will allow the department to control the speed in which evidence is processed and maintained. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Office of Justice Programs, Juvenile Justice Delinquency Programs Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hope Through Housing Foundation Address of Requesting Entity: 9065 Haven Avenue, Suite 100 Rancho Cucamonga, California 91730 Funding Secured: $750,000 Description of Request: Funding will be used to administer an after school program on site at National CORE affordable housing facilities that is designed to help prevent violence and keep at risk youths off the streets. This program includes an array of services essential to assisting at-risk youth gain the resources they will need to succeed in life and school. An afternoon at Hope's After School and Beyond-- Violence Prevention includes: team building exercises, self esteem building activities, homework assistance, family literacy and Peace Builders, the nationally acclaimed violence prevention curriculum. These elements will further develop positive and community networks that will support youth in their journey into adulthood, and will support their families in helping them on this journey. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Office of Justice Programs, Community Oriented Police Services' Law Enforcement Technology Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Orange County District Attorney Address of Requesting Entity: 401 Civic Center Drive, Santa Ana, California 92701 Funding Secured: $500,000 Description of Request: Funds will provide for three DNA mobile collection vehicles that would travel to the five branch courts in Orange County to collect DNA on site from offenders and volunteers. Funds would also provide for related equipment, supplies and DNA processing. By expanding collection efforts, the District Attorney would be able to collect approximately 50 samples a day. The Orange County District Attorney DNA Expansion Project will strengthen local law enforcement efforts to solve, and ultimately prevent, ``volume crimes'' such as burglaries, auto thefts, and robberies. Currently, throughout the country, law enforcement DNA laboratories are backlogged and must focus on the most violent of crimes, such as homicides and rapes. Due to these backlogs, volume crimes are either ``not processed'' or significantly delayed. It is well documented that those who commit burglaries, also commit other crimes. These crimes include, but are not limited to, rapes, homicides, robberies, gang violence, drug possession and sales, carjacking, auto theft, etc. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Office of Justice Programs, Byrne Discretionary Grants Legal Name of Requesting Entity: County of San Bernardino Address of Requesting Entity: 655 E Third Street, San Bernardino, California Funding Secured: $1,925,000 Description of Request: The request is for the purchase of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System for mobile and fixed identification. In 1985, the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino embarked on a joint venture to create a regional identification system designed to be shared by all law enforcement agencies in the 27,360 square mile jurisdiction (with a combined population of over 3,250,000). The system provides fingerprint, photo, and DNA services to all public safety agencies including the local police departments, district attorneys, school districts, coroners, and Sheriffs' Departments in both counties. It is also available to other state and federal law enforcement agencies that utilize these services on a routine basis. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: County of Orange Address of Requesting Entity: 300 N Flower Street, Santa Ana, California Funding Secured: $14,000,000 Description of Request: This funding will go to construction, acquisition of property rights, relocations, environmental mitigation and enhancement in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties for the Santa Ana River Mainstem Project. The Army Corps of Engineers considers the Santa Ana River as the worst flood threat west of the Mississippi River. The Corps estimated that 3 million people and 110,000 acres would be impacted, with potential loss of 3,000 lives and $15 billion in economic losses in 1987 price levels. Estimated impacts and loss without the Project being constructed would be much greater with current population growth and value of land and structures. In addition to protecting a large, highly populated and rapidly growing area of Southern California, the Project has and will improve protection of major transportation corridors. The Santa Ana River Mainstem Project including Prado Dam was authorized under the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1986, and Section 309 of WRDA, 1996. The flood control districts of these counties are the Local Sponsors who are responsible for implementing the Project. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Department of the Interior and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources, Title XVI Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Orange County Water District Address of Requesting Entity: 18700 Ward Street, Fountain Valley, California Funding Secured: $558,000 Description of Request: Funds will be used to supply 72,000 acre feet per year of water and will provide the backbone facilities for future ground water replenishment system expansion. The Groundwater Replenishment System (GWR System) is a jointly funded project of the Orange County Water District (OCWD) and the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) with OCWD serving as the lead or constructing agency. When complete, the GWR System will be the largest water recycling project of its kind in the world, reusing 140,000 acre feet per year (AFY) of advance treated wastewater (recycled water). Phase I, currently under construction, will supply 72,000 AFY and will provide the backbone facilities for future GWR System expansion. The GWR System will supplement existing water supplies by providing a new, reliable, high-quality source of water to recharge the Orange County Groundwater Basin and protect the Basin from further degradation due to seawater intrusion. By treating excess storm flows along the Santa Ana River, the GWR System project also postpones the need for OCSD to construct a new ocean outfall in Huntington Beach. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Environmental Protection Agency's State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Orange County Sanitation District Address of Requesting Entity: Ellis Avenue, Fountain Valley, California 92708 Funding Secured: $300,000 Description of Request: The Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) is under a Consent Decree mandate to comply with the Clean Water Act through implementation of secondary wastewater treatment standards. The Consent Decree compliance effort requires that OCSD undertake an enormous capital improvement program to construct, rehabilitate, and upgrade the facilities needed to comply with secondary treatment standards. Federal support has been provided to municipalities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston, for similar projects. These funds will go to meet this mandate. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Department of Education, Elementary and Secondary Education Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hope Through Housing Foundation Address of Requesting Entity: 9065 Haven Avenue, Suite 100 Rancho Cucamonga, California 91730 Funding Secured: $330,000 Description of Request: These funds will be used to administer an after school tutoring program on site at National CORE housing facilities. The project will combine intensive age-appropriate academic tutoring with enrichment activity for children in grades K-8. In addition, a family literacy component and community building technical assistance program will strengthen the support services available to children and youth. The program includes tutoring each day where a student attends, they receive 60 minutes of small group academic tutoring in both math and English/language arts. Each learning center is a literacy-rich environment stocked with age appropriate books, as well as creative writing and reading materials. Students are encouraged to check out books, create journals, and engage in any type of activity that encourages them to read and write. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Health Resources & Services Administration Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Children's Hospital of Orange County at Mission Address of Requesting Entity: 27700 Medical Center Road, Mission Viejo, California 92691 Funding Secured: $95,000 Description of Request: Funds will be used to purchase needed equipment to retrofit all patient rooms on the Medical/Surgical unit with sleep sofas to improve the comfort and restfulness of overnight accommodations for parents of children in the Children's Hospital of Orange County at Mission. To facilitate and maximize parental and family involvement in patient care at CHOC at Mission, the hospital maintains open visiting hours and encourages parents to spend as much time as possible with their children, including sleeping overnight with their children, in the hospital. CHOC at Mission provides a family lounge area, two separate parent sleep rooms with bathrooms, and sleep accommodations for parents in each room on the general Medical/Surgical unit. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Federal Highway Administration, Interstate Maintenance Discretionary Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Orange County Transportation Authority Address of Requesting Entity: 550 South Main Street, Orange, CA 92868 Funding Secured: $237,500 Description of Request: Funds will be used for the examination of the technical feasibility of options to connect SR-91 Express Lanes with SR-241 and for the preliminary engineering for funding for the SR-91 corridor and the Costa Mesa Freeway (SR-55) Interchange. The SR-91 is the only significant transportation facility connecting Orange County and Riverside County. The facility is currently operating at full capacity during peak hours and is critical for the movement of goods from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to inland destinations. The request is partly for examination of the technical feasibility of options to connect SR-91 Express Lanes with SR-241. A direct connection between high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on the SR-91 and the SR-241 toll road will provide a new travel option for SR-91 commuters and allow for a more balanced distribution of travel along the highly congested SR-91 corridor. The request is also for the preliminary engineering for funding for the SR-91 corridor and the Costa Mesa Freeway (SR-55) Interchange. Constructing this project will alleviate current and future congestion at the interchange of SR-91 and SR-55. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Federal Highway Administration, Transportation, Community and System Preservation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Rancho Santa Margarita Address of Requesting Entity: 22112 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita, California Funding Secured: $95,000 Description of Request: The project will consist of removing failed pavement, installing new pavement in the failed areas, cold milling the pavement, overlaying the entire roadway surface with Asphalt Rubber Hot Mix, repairing the sidewalks, installing Concrete Access Ramps, adjusting utility manholes and water valves to grade, and installing new striping and traffic loops along the Antonio Parkway. The Antonio Parkway was constructed in the mid to late 1980s. Since that time, heavy use combined with the natural aging process has caused transverse block cracking, heaving, and shoving on its surface. A new surface course of asphalt rubber hot mix combined with full depth dig-out repairs will extend the life of the pavement another 20 years. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development Initiative Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Hillview Acres Children's Home Address of Requesting Entity: 3683 Chino Avenue, Chino, California Funding Secured: $95,000 Description of Request: This request is for construction and improvements to Hiliview Acres Children's Home facilities. One of the biggest challenges Hiliview faces today is their aging physical plant. The campus's relationship impact model was written and implemented in the 1970s. Since that time, Hiliview has continued to be progressive in the way they treat and care for injured children. As their success in taking care of abused and neglected children maintains and increases in strength, their facilities have weakened and no longer parallel the quality of their program. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development Initiative Legal Name of Requesting Entity: National Community Renaissance Address of Requesting Entity: 9065 Haven Avenue, Suite 100, Rancho Cucamonga, California Funding Secured: $950,000 Description of Request: Funding will be used for the construction of affordable housing communities. With this funding, National Community Renaissance will undertake one or more large-scale neighborhood revitalization projects, develop or acquire and preserve over 10,000 additional apartments in at least 10 more states nationwide, and establish a best-in-class non-profit Web portal, a free information resource that will become the go-to location for updates and information assistance in using affordable housing resources. National Community Renaissance is one of the largest nonprofit affordable housing development corporations in the United States. It manages several business lines that contribute to the development and preservation of high quality affordable housing throughout the country, including development of new affordable housing, preservation of existing affordable housing at risk of going to market rate, and full service construction management with expertise in multifamily and mixed use development.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Chair, there is no debate that the economy is in serious trouble and it is clear that quick, responsible action must be taken to ensure struggling American families will be able to rebound from the current recession. What is even clearer is the package, which will ultimately be signed by the President, will not help struggling Americans nearly fast enough. Rather, it devotes billions of dollars to special interest groups' pet projects and commits vast sums of money to long term spending priorities that do nothing to stimulate the economy. What the American people need is a package that is timely, targeted, and temporary, which is why I am voting against H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This massive piece of legislation--equivalent to the entire yearly discretionary budget of the U.S. Congress--was developed in haste, behind closed doors, and without the input that was promised to the Minority party in Congress. The bill represents a litany of pork barrel spending that will do nothing to help hard working American families struggling to make ends meet. For example, this bill contains $600 million to buy new cars for the federal government, $50 million to fund the National Endowment of the Arts, $44 million to repair the U.S. Department of Agriculture Headquarters, $400 million for NASA to conduct climate change research, and $335 million for sexually transmitted disease education and prevention programs. These items represent an increase in government spending, not job creation. Further, the bill creates 32 more government programs, directs $248 billion in mandatory spending, and according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, only 40 percent of the discretionary funds will be spent in the next year and a half. All in all, based on the Democrats' estimation of the number of jobs they wish to create with this legislation, Congress will be spending $275,000 per job created or saved. Americans should be asking; how will we pay for all this spending once the economy recovers? The fact remains that once this bill becomes law, the total federal deficit will be approaching $2 trillion. We must make sure that the relief we provide is immediate, effective, and temporary. To accomplish this we must focus the stimulus on providing tax relief to struggling families and small businesses. Small businesses remain the life blood of the American economy and we must ensure that resources are in place to allow them to thrive. House Republicans propose to allow small businesses to take a tax deduction equal to 20% of their income, and allowing businesses to write asset depreciation off on their taxes at an accelerated rate, which will immediately free up funds for small businesses to retain and hire new employees. This is in addition to retaining the net operating loss carryback and expensing for small businesses, currently contained in the bill. To ensure business only hire legal workers and U.S. citizens, I am pleased the bill includes a four year reauthorization of the E-verify program and will work to make it mandatory and permanent. Rather than a refundable credit based on payroll taxes, House Republicans propose reducing the lowest individual tax rates from 15% to 10% and from 10% to 5% As a result every taxpaying-family in America will see an immediate increase in their income with an average benefit of $500 in tax relief from the drop in the 10% bracket and $1,200 for the drop in the 15% bracket. A married couple filing jointly could save up to $3,200 a year in taxes. The Alternative Minimum Tax is again threatening to affect millions of middle class Americans and needs to be addressed immediately so taxpayers can be confident that this burdensome tax will not strike them this year. Additionally, House Republicans propose to make unemployment benefits tax free so that those individuals between jobs can focus on providing for their families. The stimulus proposal pending in Congress includes record levels of government spending that will substantially increase the current deficit. As stewards of the economy, Congress must ensure that the proposals adopted here are the most effective at turning the economy around. Wasteful spending and new government programs will only place the American people at a greater risk in the future. Americans deserve a stimulus package that addresses their needs, not a stimulus package that devotes millions of dollars to pet projects and interest group demands.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, please let the record reflect that had I been present to vote on final passage for H.R. 7321, the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, I would have voted ``nay.'' This bill is a vague and ambiguous attempt to restructure the domestic auto industry and lacks the specificity necessary to protect taxpayers. This bill does nothing to guarantee that once domestic automakers receive billions of dollars in taxpayer money that they will become independent of government funding. The bill was introduced after 11 a.m. on December 10, 2008. However, the House began consideration of the bill at 2:30 p.m. the very same day. It is unreasonable to expect Members of Congress to take their first vote in less than five hours after a bill has been made public. If this language would have been made available at least 24 hours before being voted upon, I would have had adequate time to travel to Washington to cast this important vote. This is not the ``open and fair government'' that Democrats have promised. Other than being in Washington waiting for last-minute legislation to be introduced and voted on, Members of Congress have additional responsibilities and other obligations to their constituents that are just as important. This week, I have been in my district meeting with my constituents on various issues including ongoing international conflicts. I am disappointed and appalled that Democratic leadership has treated American taxpayer money in such an irresponsible manner.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmark's, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, Title VIII: Requesting Members--Congressman Gary G. Miller. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Bill Section: Title VIII, Disclosure of Earmarks and Congressionally Directed Spending Items. Account: Other Procurement Navy PE#024428N, Aegis Support Equipment. Amount: $4,000,000. Description of Request: Sabtech Industries (23231 La Palma Ave, Yorba Linda, CA 92887) requested continued project funding on behalf of the United States Navy, Program Executive Office Ships. Funding will be used to modernize Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) based peripheral emulators. The project is located at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Virginia. The Systems Engineer for Combat Systems Simulation and Warfare Systems at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, VA and the United States Navy, Program Executive Office Ships at Washington Navy Yard, D.C. have endorsed this requirement of Sabtech products to provide modernization for the Aegis Weapon System and associated Land Based Test Sites. The Aegis Land Based Test Sites (LBTS) require various high fidelity Commercial Off the-Shelf (COTS) based peripheral emulators, High Tech Data Communication switching systems, and state-of-the-art technology to collect and analyze Combat System performance data. These products are vital to the support of the development, certification, Life-Cycle Support Engineering Activity (LSEA) and training of Aegis and Ship Self Defense System (SSDS). Modernizing these emulators and switches provides superior quality computer programs for the war tighter and significant cost avoidance. Without this modernization, critical test time in the Aegis LBTSs will be lost, resulting in delaying certification and delivery of the AEGIS Baselines, AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense, and Ship Self Dense System to the fleet.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to say I absolutely support free market principles. I have no interest in bailing out Wall Street. I think that we need to reduce the size of government, and I believe that government intervention should not occur. But this is not a normal situation. I have not seen anything like this. I wasn't around during the Great Depression, but having read about it, I have not seen anything like this in our financial services industry since then. Banks are not lending to banks, and if banks don't lend to banks, the access to credit in the private sector really is going to dry up, because if they won't lend to each other, they are not going to want to lend to the private sector. Small businesses in this country are starting to hurt now. I spoke to a friend I have known for over 30 years who is a contractor who works for a very large company, and the company doesn't know right now, the employees, that many are going to get laid off, because their lines of credit have been dramatically reduced, and without credit in this country, it is going to have an impact on businesses, and if businesses are impacted, they are not the bad people, they are the ones who provide jobs in this country. This bill, I will say, is not perfect, but there are not many options we have today, and the last thing we can afford to do is do nothing and let the system start to crumble. Small people, I say ``small'' because they are not business people, they are trying to work for a living, and I take the word ``small'' back, average people out there who are just working for a living and trying to make ends meet, supporting their families and paying their bills, they are the ones that are going to get hurt. This is not to bail out a bunch of fat cats on Wall Street. The people who made their money two or three years ago, they made their money. You can't impact that. We can change things in the future to change the law to make sure people are protected and their investments are protected and people don't take advantage of the system, and that has to happen. Now, this bill has grown in size, but much of it has to do with tax extenders. It is not pork. When you are talking about allowing child tax credits to continue, like we have in the past, the alternative minimum tax patch to continue, research and development tax credit, teacher expense deductions, those things have been added to this bill and the bill has absolutely grown in size. But let's not lose the focus on what we are trying to do here today. The thing we are trying to do is stabilize the economy, not bail out individual businesses; make sure the economy can continue to run, people can work and businesses can operate. That is why I am rising in support of this bill and ask for an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, as Chairman Frank said, I have yet to talk to a Member who wants to have to vote on this today. This is probably the toughest vote any of us have taken since we have been in Congress. And if you just solely rely on the telephone calls we are getting from home and listen to people who really don't understand the complexity of our marketplace and what we are trying to deal with here, the easiest vote for you to make would be a ``no'' vote today. But you have to go beyond that. You have to say what happens to the family next week who wants to buy a house and they can't get a loan? What happens to the family next week who wants to get a car loan and they can't get a car loan? Or they want to send their kids to the university and they go to get a student loan, and there are no loans available? And right now when the marketplace is running as it is, people say, well, that is not likely to happen. But if you look at the systemic problem we have in the marketplace, there is a probability that it could happen. Now we can roll dice today. We can say, let's not vote, and let's hope everything goes okay. And for Members, it's a very difficult situation. They say, if I vote for this bill and the bill passes and the marketplace does not crash and it continues and it improves, people are going to be mad at me because I voted to continue the process they think is bad. If you vote ``no'' on this bill and we have a crash in the marketplace and illiquidity occurs and people go to get loans, the businessman who normally relies on his loans to make payroll, he goes to the bank and the bank says, like the bank said to McDonald's, we will no longer fund expansion of McDonald's, which is the largest fast- food chain in the United States, when that occurs, then the Member has to say, what is the consequence to voting ``no'' for this bill? So it's almost a catch-22. You're darned if you do, and you're darned if you don't. There are some things in this bill that I think should have happened earlier. We are having mark-to-market that deals specifically with assets banks have to hold that are devalued. Chairman Bernanke said last week, accounting rules require banks to value many assets at something close to very low fire-sale prices rather than at hold-to- maturity prices, which is not unreasonable in its given face of illiquidity. Banks are forced today to write down the value of the assets they have and set huge reserves aside for losses they have already taken. The bad thing about this, I put language into the housing bill in April as an amendment. It came out of this House and went to the Senate. When the bill came back from the Senate, that language mysteriously disappeared. We could have done that then and perhaps not be quite in the situation we're in today. The subprime marketplace that people are angry about today, the subprime marketplace is a good marketplace. But when you mix predatory lending in the market, it's bad. When you make loans to people when a trigger kicks in in the interest rate that they cannot make, you have committed a predatory loan. We should have defined that in law 4 or 5 years ago. But we did not. If you look at the rates of interest today, they have been held down so low that the euro in recent years has increased in value dramatically, and the result of commodity prices in the U.S. is that oil, grain, coal, metal, and currency premiums are basically suffering a 20 to 30 percent hit. If you look at the marketplace today, the declining home prices we've had out there today, and the subprime loans that they're going to be buying, they are going to be buying them at 40 percent of market value. And if you look at what is happening on the prime loans, which are good loans, they are only worth 90 percent of market value. Members today need to look at what we're doing. Are we going to change the market or are we going to let the market continue to decline and roll dice and say perhaps nothing will happen? I think there is something we need to do in the coming months that really bothers me that is not in this bill. I think we need to look at public-private partnerships involving local communities, investors, in these assets we buy and basically maximizing the benefit and the value of these assets. If we involve the local people in what we're doing here, they will put their assets with the assets of the Federal Government, increasing the benefit to the marketplace and ensuring that the yield to these investments will produce a profit. What we don't want to have happen is like what happened during the savings and loan debacle where assets were bought by the Federal Government, dumped on the marketplace at low prices, calling the market to continually decline farther than it had currently done, and end up with a worse problem than we face. Members need to look at what we're doing today. Some Members have worked very, very hard to come up with a compromise package that we believe is not pleasing either side. The Democrats are not happy. The Republicans are not happy. But it is something that is going to work. We need to look at that. We need to weigh our conscience for what is best for our community and what is best for our country. And we need to vote what is right for this Nation.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, I submit the following: Pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, Division D, Title III. Requesting Member: Congressman Gary G. Miller. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Bill Section: Division D, Title III. Account: FEMA, Predisaster Mitigation Fund. Amount: $850,000. Legal Entities To Receive Funding: City of Mission Viejo, 200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo, CA. Funding Description: Total Cost of Project: $2,014,575. $270,000 (estimated) for development of plans and specifications and construction oversight. $1,744,575 (estimated) for construction of slope tie backs, soils nails, re-grading the slope, and new retaining wall. Federal Appropriation: $850,000. Cost Covered By city of Mission Viejo: $1,164,575. Description of Request: During the month of January 2005, a 67-foot- high engineered slope between Encorvado Lane and Ferrocarril experienced a massive failure as a result of the severe rainstorms. As a result, seven homes were yellow or red tagged. Approximately 22 residents were displaced from their homes, including two homes that serve as board and care facilities for 12 elderly and/or disabled residents. In addition, the public street Ferrocarril was damaged. This event was part of the presidential declaration for the State of California, Orange County in which the city received Public Assistance funding for emergency protective measures. The city of Mission Viejo conducted an emergency temporary repair, which included the removal of vegetation and backyard structures, emergency grading to provide temporary stabilization of the slope, installation of 95 steel soldier beams at the base of the slope, and covering the slope to try to mitigate further slope erosion from water intrusion. These efforts have been paid for through Public Assistance funding administered by FEMA and the State of California. The city will now repair the slope to meet current code standards and protect the public right-of-way. This project is critical to remove a blight within the city of Mission Viejo and to protect the public right-of-way from further damage. In addition to federal assistance, the city of Mission Viejo will cover all costs not covered by any federal funding received.

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to express the importance of H.R. 2933, a bill to reauthorize the Civil War Battlefields Preservation Program. I would like to thank Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young of the Committee on Natural Resources for shepherding this bill through their committee. Additionally, Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, Public Lands must be recognized for their work preserving the American landscape for generations of future citizens to enjoy. Additionally, I would like to particularly thank everyone at the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Trust, especially their President, James Lighthizer, for all the work they have done bringing attention and awareness to the need for preservation. Without the Trust, hundreds of acres of land would likely be lost forever. Preservation of our Nation's Civil War Battlefields is an issue that I hold close to my heart and fresh in my mind. Without a physical link to the past, we are left with only a passing glimpse of who we are as a Nation. Our historic battlefields provide outdoor classrooms for visitors to recreate the history of heroes from generations come and gone. In 1993, the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, a blue-ribbon panel was created by Congress to investigate the status of America's battlefields. The Commission reported that 384 Civil War battlefields were considered high priority and were in serious danger of destruction. The report concluded that almost 20 percent of the Civil War battlefields were lost or fragmented, 17 percent in poor condition, and 60 percent to have been lost or in imminent danger of being fragmented and lost as coherent historic sites. Congress recognized the need to safeguard the only living link to the ``War Between the States'' and in fiscal year 1999 a preservation program was financed for the first time. In 2002, I authored the bill that created the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program. To date, this program has helped save more than 15,000 acres in 14 States. The American Battlefield Protection Program, an arm of the National Park Service, manages and competitively awards the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program grants. Furthermore, this legislation will facilitate the creation of partnerships at the State and local level, encouraging the private sector to preserve, conserve, and enhance nationally significant Civil War battlefields. The program's 50/50 matching grants formula encourages both public and private sector investment in battlefield protection. Grants are directed to State and local governments for land acquisition only and are not issued to nonprofit or private groups. Grant money cannot be used for administrative costs or overhead. The grants are awarded based on five requirements: (1) The battlefield must be on the list of 384 priority sites determined by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission; (2) The land must be outside the authorized boundaries of the National Park System, thus keeping the program from contributing to National Park Service maintenance costs; (3) Any land acquired with the assistance of the grant program may not be subsequently converted to a non-conservation use without the prior written permission of the Secretary of the Interior; (4) Any grant awarded must be supported by an appraisal of the property's value in accordance with federal standards for property appraisals; and (5) Any land acquired with the assistance of the grant program must be protected by a perpetual easement to ensure its preservation for future generations. The effect of this program and intent of this legislation is to preserve nationally significant Civil War battlefields through conservation and purchases of those battlefields from willing sellers at fair market value. Preservation of historic battlefields involves only willing sellers when properties become available, and since only willing sellers are involved in the transaction, all private property rights are preserved. There is absolutely no eminent domain authority associated with this program. Willing sellers are compensated at fair- market value and the program allows preservation groups to compete with developers to buy land. Among the sites saved as a result of this program are historic properties at: Fort Donelson, Tennessee, where the Union scored its first major victory of the war and Union General Ulysses S. Grant earned the nickname ``Unconditional Surrender''; Antietam, Maryland, where 23,000 soldiers were killed, marking the bloodiest day in American history and leading to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation; and, Chancellorsville, Virginia, where a much smaller Confederate force defeated the larger Union force, while suffering the loss of the famed General Thomas ``Stonewall'' Jackson. Despite the progress, we still have more to do. Many sites have only been partially preserved and those that have no opportunity for acquisition run the risk of being lost forever. Only about 20 percent of the actual battlefields upon which the Civil War was fought are currently preserved. All of the rest of that hallowed ground is either unprotected or has already been destroyed. These battlefields offer a porthole to the past. The vivid imagery of an epic conflict can remind visitors of the struggles our country has gone through to preserve the banner of liberty and justice for all. Memorializing the conflict, Oliver Wendell Holmes said, ``We have shared the incommunicable experience of war. We felt, we still feel, the passion of life to its top. In our youths, our hearts were touched by fire.'' By preserving this Nation's historic Civil War Battlefields, we can give visitors a sense of what Mr. Holmes was talking about. Since fiscal year 1999, Congress has appropriated $36 million to preserve Civil War Battlefields and the White House included a $4 million request for the program as part of its fiscal year 2009 budget. H.R. 2933 is a clean bill that would extend the authorization, from fiscal years 2009 through 2013 for battlefield preservation grants under the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002. The program's necessity, and proof that the preservation of history is a bipartisan issue, is demonstrated by more than 100 cosponsors divided nearly equally between Republicans and Democrats. A companion bill, authored by Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, has already been approved by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and enjoys widespread support in that chamber. I thank the Speaker and I respectfully request and urge you to support this legislation.