Michael McCaul

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. There is a debate on the current detainees--and I know it's pending disposition from the President--in my view, they should automatically be placed on the list. This is not a difficult decision. With respect to those who have been released, Congress should take a stand and not defer to the administration on this and ensure that the suspected terrorists are never allowed on a U.S. commercial aircraft. And with that, I reserve.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to my distinguished colleague from Indiana (Mr. Souder).

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to the remaining time.

Mr. McCAUL. I submit they should be. The administration has been vague in its response on this issue and perhaps we should entertain the idea of a bill that I would be happy to work with the chairman on to ensure that those who have been captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan, those terrorist suspects who were at Guantanamo who have since been released--many of whom have been returned to the battlefield to kill our soldiers--that at the very least if we're going to put anybody on the No Fly List and the Terrorist Watch List, that these individuals should be placed on this list. And I will be happy to yield.

Mr. McCAUL. Reclaiming my time, as to the 530 detainees who we know are dangerous actors who have already been released from Guantanamo, do we know if they've been placed on the No Fly List and the Terrorist Watch List?

Mr. McCAUL. I am happy to yield myself an additional 2 minutes. And I yield to Mr. Thompson.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. Recently, I participated in a congressional delegation down in Guantanamo, the first congressional delegation since the President ordered that Guantanamo will be closed. We saw the detainees down there. We saw the top 16 al Qaeda operatives. We saw Khalid Sheikh Mohammed praying, bowing to Mecca. To look at the man who was responsible for the death of 3,000 Americans was perhaps the most chilling experience of my congressional career. As a former Federal prosecutor, to extend constitutional protections to these detainees as criminal defendants is, in my view, setting a very dangerous precedent. They were captured on the battlefield, and they're enemies of war. The Souder amendment--while I do support the overall bill--the denial of the Souder amendment raises big concerns, in my view. The idea that detainees held in Guantanamo cannot be placed on the No Fly List begs the question who is qualified to be put on the No Fly List. And since that time, we've released 500 detainees from Guantanamo, 60 of whom have been captured on the battlefield trying to kill our soldiers in Afghanistan. So I would like to pose a question to the distinguished chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and I would be happy to yield time to him. And the question is simply this: We have debated whether the detainees currently being held should be on the No Fly List. In my view it's a no-brainer that we should reach agreement on in a bipartisan way. But as to the 530 who have been released from Guantanamo, does the chairman know whether or not they have been placed on the Terrorist Watch List or the No Fly List? I yield.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. That's correct.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I share in the same spirit with Chairman Oberstar. I think it's the height of arrogance for us to name, at taxpayer expense, buildings after sitting Members of Congress, people in the Congress, currently serving, and that's what the American people resent about this institution. And I appreciate the bipartisanship you bring to this. I would also say that President Reagan was not in office at the time of the naming, and I thought it was very fitting to have named it after President Reagan, as it would be if a Member of Congress retires from this institution and the Congress decides to name a building after a retired Member of Congress. But it is entirely inappropriate for a Member of Congress to use taxpayer dollars to name a building after himself or herself to glorify themselves. So, with that, I thank the chairman for his bipartisanship on this issue. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. McCAUL. I thank the gentleman from Texas, my good friend, Mr. Cuellar. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment that I'm proud to cosponsor. I urge its adoption. As we all know, the development of alternative energy is of supreme importance to this country both as an economic and a national security issue. I believe in the all-of-the- above energy policy that includes more energy domestically. Unfortunately, in our home State of Texas, the construction of wind farms has been delayed because such farms interfere with radars used by the FAA. The amendment is simple. It requires the FAA to study and report to the Congress on the impact radar replacement can have on the development of renewable energy facilities. If they can still achieve their national security and public safety goals from an alternative location while still accommodating the development of renewable energy, then Congress should know this so we can then take appropriate action.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer this amendment that would prohibit naming airports, Federal programs, and other projects under the FAA's jurisdiction after sitting Members of Congress. Although such instances are rare, this practice further erodes the public trust in this institution and its Members. Recent press reports from the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport highlight this problem. The airport received $800,000 from the stimulus package to upgrade its alternative runway. Whether or not that is a wise use of money is not the question this amendment is intended to address. Rather, the problem is that the perception of the American people is that this little airport is getting special treatment because it is named after Congressman Murtha. This perception feeds the belief that Members of Congress are arrogant and out of touch with the American people that we represent. This is a problem that exists in other areas of the Federal Government as well. There are courthouses, such as the ones named after Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, and then there is the Charlie Rangel Center for Public Service. There are also various roads and bridges across the country named after Members of Congress and everything from schools to clinics to prisons in West Virginia named for Senator Byrd. Unlike the bill I have introduced to end this practice, this amendment is limited only to the scope of projects authorized by the underlying bill. But with this first step, we can start to correct this and hopefully begin anew to restore some of the standing that this great institution has lost with the people that it serves. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri).

Mr. McCAUL. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. McCAUL. This amendment is not intended to be applied retroactively. It would only apply to then Members--

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding. I also want to thank the chairman of the Science and Technology Committee for his dedication and strong bipartisan leadership on this committee, which is so important, and for allowing my bill to go out of committee once again and come to the House floor. As the gentleman mentioned, it passed unanimously last Congress out of the House. I hope it does the same this Congress, and I hope the Senate will act on it this time. Like many other Members of Congress, I am concerned about America's dependence on foreign sources of energy, and the National Academy's ``Rising above the Gathering Storm'' report has echoed the calls of many in the academic and business communities for a greater need to recruit and develop scientific and engineering talent to work on solving these problems. Increasing energy independence and decreasing the harmful effects of energy production and use are clearly areas of long-term national need. Our reliance on imported energy only serves to increase our vulnerability to external events and to the actions of regimes that are, in many cases, openly hostile to the United States. One of the ways that we can reduce the need for energy imports is to use our energy more efficiently. Buildings consume more energy than any other sector of the economy, including industry and transportation. According to the United States Department of Energy, American buildings consume 39 percent of our Nation's primary energy and 70 percent of our electricity. However, energy-efficient building practices are still at the fringes of the building sector, in part, because of a lack of awareness about energy-efficient technologies and design practices among building professionals. That is why I introduced the Green Energy Education Act. This legislation authorizes the Department of Energy to partner with the National Science Foundation to support graduate education and curriculum development to advance DOE's broad energy-technology development mission. Working through NSF, DOE will help develop the next generation of engineers and architects to produce buildings, incorporating the latest energy-efficient buildings and technologies. In order to reduce the likelihood of duplicative and wasteful programs, this bill allows for the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation to combine their efforts to find workable solutions to the issues surrounding building efficiency that can be transferred to the marketplace. Specifically, H.R. 957 will authorize DOE's Office of Science and Applied Energy Technology Programs to contribute funds to NSF's successful graduate education and research program. This bill also authorizes the DOE to contribute to NSF's curriculum development activities in order to improve the ability of engineers and architects to design and to construct more efficient and durable buildings. So let me, once again, thank the chairman for allowing this to come forward to the House floor, and I urge my colleagues to support this important step towards increasing America's energy independence.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong opposition to the budget resolution that the majority is forcing on this House and the American people. This budget is an irresponsible and unwise increase in Federal taxes with borrowing and spending that will double the national debt and place a $50,000 burden on each American. The budget proposes to spend nearly $4 trillion over the next year that America simply doesn't have. It also lays the groundwork for radical changes that will further prolong this recession by increasing government control of health care and increasing taxes on small businesses and anyone who uses electricity or gasoline. This budget maxes out America's credit card and buries future generations in a mountain of debt. This budget and its massive increase in borrowing and spending will lead to higher taxes and return us to big government. Simply put, Republicans want more freedom for Americans. Democrats want more government control over our lives.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 730, the Nuclear Forensic and Attribution Act. This act deals with the process of determining the source of confiscated nuclear material. It is a necessary component of our defense as it could deter states from aiding terrorists' efforts to carry out nuclear terrorism. One need only look to the A.Q. Khan network and its proliferation to Pakistan, Iran, North Korea, to know how important this bill and this provision is. In the last Congress we held hearings on this bill in the Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology Subcommittee, which I was the ranking member. I would like to thank my good friend, Mr. Schiff, for working in a bipartisan manner to incorporate some of our suggestions, including a provision that I requested to provide scholarships and fellowships for those pursuing careers in technical nuclear forensics. As we all know, America needs to incentivize more young people to go into highly technical professions such as these. The workforce involved in nuclear forensics, in particular, has been evaporating for the past 30 years. Without a qualified workforce, we cannot attain the level of preparedness we need. This bill will reinvigorate the workforce pipeline to guarantee the Nation a resource of technical experts in this critical field, and strengthen America's attribution capabilities. To ensure a worthwhile return on public investment, the bill mandates a 2-year commitment of service within the Federal technical nuclear forensics workforce after graduation for fellows of the scholarship program. Again, I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Schiff, for introducing this important legislation and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to your attention a Trojan horse for billions of dollars in pork spending under the guise of a stimulus. This $1 trillion bill is designed to spend taxpayer money on programs that have nothing to do with creating jobs. It takes a step toward government-controlled health care and takes limits off of welfare spending to create endless handouts. This should be about creating jobs, not about making work. We can do this with long-term, meaningful tax cuts. The President's own economic advisers say the Republican plan will create twice the jobs for half the cost. We cannot spend our way out of debt. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says that long-term, this bill will cause more harm than good. Yet Democrats intend to spend the equivalent of $1 million a day for the next 3,000 years. The hardworking people in my district are also hurting from this economy. But under this bill, their tax dollars will only dig a deeper hole for us to climb out of.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker: I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Matthew Allen, nuclear physicist from Sandia National Laboratories, for his outstanding service to the Nation. Matt has served with distinction as a Fellow these last two years on the House Committee on Homeland Security, and has worked closely with me for the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology. Matt has been instrumental in providing technical expertise to me on critical nuclear-related matters affecting the security of the homeland. He was an essential resource in the successful introduction and ultimately House passage of the ``Next Generation Radiation Detection Act of 2008.'' His oversight and legislative work on issues such as radiation detectors, national nuclear forensics capabilities, and the Securing the Cities program was thorough, well informed, and infused with good humor. Always wanting to learn and to do, Matt took an interest in areas beyond his personal comfort zone, including biosecurity, cybersecurity, and the nuances of the legislative process. He took enormous pride not only in the details of his work, but in the concept that a laboratory scientist could be invited to serve the Congress in such a central capacity. He referred to his fellowship as a ``study abroad'' program, and, like an idealistic student, delighted in everything the Hill and Washington, DC had to offer. I applaud Matt's service and hope, long after he has returned to the lab bench, for his continued engagement in policymaking.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Royce Hopkins of Waller County, who passed away on February 6, 2009. Today we celebrate the life of a great man who was one of my heroes. Royce Hopkins was a dear friend and a gentle man in every sense of the word. He will always be remembered for his kindness, integrity and his optimistic and infectious smile. I can still see the twinkle in his eyes and his spirit lives on in all of us. Like my father, Royce served in the Eighth Air Force in World War II. Like Dad, he flew on bombing missions in a B-17 known as the Flying Fortress. On December 4, 1944, Royce and his crew arrived in England. He flew 26 combat missions over Germany, 25 bombing and one weather mission. He earned four Air Medals, five Battle Stars, a Commendation Medal for a special assignment, a Purple Heart and two presidential Commendations for the group. His generation saved the free world from the threat of fascism. Born during the Great Depression and tempered by war, they will always be known as the Greatest Generation. I remember going to Royce's WWII reunion and meeting the veterans with whom he served. And now, like my father and so many in their generation, he has passed on and returned to our heavenly Father. Perhaps they are together now talking about airplanes. This Christmas I received an A-2 Bomber Jacket with Army Air Corps and Eighth Air Force patches. I thought of Royce and my Dad and I regret not having the chance to show it to Royce. But maybe he can see it from a better vantage point now. I met Royce during my first campaign for Congress. He supported me when many did not and he was always there for me. I remember how much he reminded me of my own father and he was a shining example of how to live. Like many others in his generation, he taught us how to be courageous but with humility. He taught us how to have a sense of humor and I learned a great deal from him. As we mourn our personal loss, we must also celebrate the life of Royce Hopkins, for it was a great life and he lived it to the fullest. To his wife, Mollie, and his children, Kim, Kit, Sharon and Mike, like you, we all loved Royce. It was hard not to, he was just that kind of person. I am fortunate God brought us together. He was my friend and I will miss him dearly. I am reminded of the Gospel of Matthew when Jesus said, ``Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.'' May the peace of Christ be with you and may He hold you in the palm of His hand. I will miss him dearly. Well done, good and faithful servant.

Mr. McCAUL of Texas

Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Madam Speaker on rollcall No. 598 I was unable to cast my vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. McCAUL of Texas

Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is a simple one. It would prohibit any funds appropriated in this bill from going to any projects named after a sitting Member of Congress. The amendment is based on my bill, H.R. 5771, which I introduced earlier this year, and has been cosponsored by 27 other Members. One of the most egregious examples of pure vanity and arrogance that we see in Washington is the practice of naming projects after current Members of Congress, or, as I call them, monuments to me. According to the latest polls, only 12 percent of the American public approves of the job we are doing in the Congress, and that sentiment is due, in no small measure, to the fact that the American public thinks that we care less about them than we do ourselves. That is really what is wrong with Washington today. And a few examples I think illustrate this problem that we have with ethics today in the Congress. The Robert Byrd Center for Hospitality and Tourism, the Robert Byrd Lodge, office complex, the Ted Stevens International Airport, the Harkin Grants, the Harkin Wellness Grant Program, the Harkin Global Communication Center, the Arlen Specter Headquarters and Emergency Operations Center, the John Dingell Drive, the Cynthia McKinney Parkway, the Jack Murtha Highway, the James Clyburn Golf Center, the James Clyburn Pedestrian Overpass, the James Clyburn Intermodal Transportation Center, and the Charlie Rangel Center For Public Service. I submit to you, Mr. Chairman, that this bill is not about us. This bill is about our military and our veterans, as it should be. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.