Pete Olson

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank the chairman of the committee. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment. H.R. 910 was carefully written to provide the auto industry with greater certainty by streamlining the regulatory process with only one fuel economy regulator--NHTSA--from 2017 onward. This amendment would remove that provision by requiring that we continue to have three separate regulators--the EPA, NHTSA, and California--setting fuel economy standards. This is wasteful and duplicative spending at a time when government should be more efficient and providing greater certainty for customers. This amendment would allow the EPA to set low carbon fuel standards that would equate to nothing more than a carbon tax at the pump. In a weak economy, this administration has disregarded studies which have concluded that greenhouse gas regulations will increase energy costs and destroy jobs. An AP headline today read: ``Rising Oil Prices Beginning to Hurt U.S. Economy.'' These regulations will only force Americans to pay more. Furthermore, it is Congress, not the EPA, that has constitutional authority to decide if or how greenhouse gases should be regulated. My home State of Texas has improved its air quality and increased its energy production even as we are having the largest population growth in America. Our legislation allows America to find commonsense solutions that provide an affordable, reliable energy supply for our Nation, as well as providing much-needed certainty to an unstable job market. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment and support the underlying bill, H.R. 910. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the King Street Patriots, a Houston political watchdog group, for being given the esteemed Ronald Reagan Award at the February meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference. The King Street Patriots started the True the Vote initiative in an attempt to uncover voter fraud in the greater Houston area. In their investigation they discovered unimagined levels of voter fraud, from vacant lots with registered voters to election judges helping voters with their ballots. This is a movement made up of ordinary citizens who realize that voter fraud is one of the most egregious offenses under our Constitution. The King Street Patriots are now lobbying the Texas legislature to strengthen election laws and prevent future abuses. Free and fair elections are essential to our democracy, and the King Street Patriots have shown an impressive commitment to civic duty, and I applaud their efforts.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following: Discovery! This, her final quest! As on this your final voyage, now so left . . . . As through the years, as you went forth . . . . with all of your best! To news worlds, with all of your dreams unfurled . . . . Daring so boldly, but To Be The Best! And to all of those lives lost, and all those most swollen tears . . . . this cost! Who to us the very meaning of courage, so taught! Space! The Final Frontier! Hurdling through space, but on the edge . . . . the very edge of death as wrought! All in your most heroic quests! As have, all of your most courageous hearts and souls . . . . so here no less! Hearts and souls! Who, all of you our very futures hold! To Discovery! These mysteries and answers, that we have so left! To new worlds, and new distant shores! To Discover . . . . To Move So Gallantly Forth, To Explore! As have you, and all of yours! And all of those, fine women and men.... Who have so helped, so helped all of you up to send.... To send, all up in outer space! All but to so save this, this the human race! As upon you, most courageous explorers . . . . all our futures so depend! For only through you can we so learn, and grow . . . . and to new heights so ascend! For as long as we have such Brave Heart's as yours, who so heroically so go forth! And reach for the stars! Who So Go Forth, to new worlds and far away most distance shores! To Discover, what so lies left . . . . All out there, on but that very edge . . . . that edge of death! To all of Man and Womankind, to so bless! God Speed, to all of you on this your most final heroic quest! All in this your final voyage . . . . final journey no less! To Discover! As to new heights, as your most magnificent souls so crest! To Discovery, and all of its gifts!

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. OLSON. Madam Chair, I rise today to support the Pence amendment, which would prohibit any Federal funding from going to Planned Parenthood. I want to thank my friend from Indiana who continues to fight tirelessly to ensure that organizations that promote and perform abortions do not receive Federal funding from hardworking taxpayers in this country, the majority of whom do not want their money going to such causes. In June, I received a report I requested from the Government Accountability Office which revealed that just six organizations connected to the abortion agenda received over $1 billion in Federal funds over the past 8 years. One billion dollars. The most significant portion of that money was for Planned Parenthood and their affiliates, the largest abortion provider in the United States. A recent Planned Parenthood reporting shows that in 2007 alone, 305,000 abortions were performed at their facilities. Planned Parenthood recently opened a new facility in Houston, right in the middle of Houston's largest minority neighborhoods. At seven stories high and 78,000 square feet, this center is their largest center in the United States. An entire floor is going to be completely devoted to abortions. If we keep sending Federal funds to abortion providers, we are supporting abortion advocates everywhere with our taxpayer dollars, allowing them to build more mega-centers such as the one in my hometown. It is time to renew this call and to bring light to this issue. The transfer of taxpayer funds that supports such organizations must stop. I am proud to have once again introduced the Taxpayer Conscience Protection Act, a bill that requires each State to report annually to the HHS Secretary the amount of funding which is sent to organizations like Planned Parenthood. Before I conclude my remarks, I have to point out to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that the Pence amendment does not--does not--cut any funding for health services. It simply blocks those funds from Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the country. There are many health clinics, hospitals, faith-based organizations, and many more that also provide health services for women. We must shine a bright light on the exorbitant amounts of money that taxpayers provide each year for abortions. I ask my colleagues to stand beside our colleague from Indiana in this fight by voting a resounding ``yes'' on his amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to shift funds in the NASA budget. I appreciate the work that Chairman Wolf and his colleagues have put into drafting this bill. I know how tough it must have been. We were elected to make tough decisions, to cut spending, and to put our fiscal house in order. In our Nation's current fiscal situation, we must set clear and prudent guidelines on how our limited tax dollars are spent. I propose today that we set such limits within NASA to get better use out of our money. Climate research is currently conducted in 16 different agencies, including NASA, and received over $35 billion through stimulus and last year's appropriations bills. Human space flight is conducted in exactly one agency, NASA. In this tight budget cycle, we must reduce duplicative spending and target our resources where they will be most beneficial. The 15 other agencies conducting climate research can pick up the slack while freeing up resources for NASA to make a truly unique contribution, maintaining U.S. dominance in human space flight. Accordingly, my amendment proposes to reallocate $517 million that could be spent on NASA's science programs so that it will instead be available to maintain stable operations for human space flight. The amendment does not--does not change the overall NASA funding level. It simply reallocates within the total. I understand the tough task this CR has been for our appropriators. It is never easy to tell people they must do more with less. NASA has been doing more with less for almost a decade, and that is why I am offering this amendment. I appreciate this opportunity to discuss NASA priorities with Chairman Wolf and my colleagues. And I ask for Chairman Wolf's commitment to work with me going forward as we begin the appropriations process for fiscal year 2012, to ensure that we orient NASA away from duplicative climate research missions and back to its unique human space flight mission. Mr. Chair, I would like to yield to Chairman Wolf for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy.

Mr. OLSON. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank my friend from Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 72. In this economic environment, it is critically important for this Congress to find and eliminate government regulations which are damaging to the economy and are destroying American jobs. According to the Heritage Foundation, the current administration has imposed 43 major regulations in fiscal year 2010 alone, with an estimated cost of $26.5 billion. A prime example of this senseless regulation is the EPA's new greenhouse gas regulations which will adversely affect every business and energy consumer in America. The increased costs associated with the new EPA regulations will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher energy costs. Those impacted include small businesses and individuals still struggling to make it out of the current recession. The EPA's regulations will eliminate American jobs and send them overseas. It's just plain and simple. The bureaucratic EPA permitting process will cause countless construction delays on new projects, and the increased compliance costs will drive many companies abroad where the regulatory environment is more favorable. Again, American jobs heading overseas to foreign soil. America has suffered 21 straight months of unemployment above 9 percent. Our top priority should be to reduce the cost of doing business so companies can expand their operations and hire new employees. The new EPA greenhouse gas regulations are a tax on energy. They will only serve to drive up energy costs, reduce economic activity, and destroy American jobs. Most importantly, under the Constitution, it is Congress--not unelected EPA bureaucrats--who determines whether and how greenhouse gases are regulated. The Energy and Commerce Committee will soon be reviewing existing regulations to determine if they make sense. If so, we will keep them. If not, we will throw them in the dustbin of history.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Mayor Joe Gurecky, a statesman and a friend, for his service as the mayor of Rosenberg, Texas. Mayor Gurecky has served his citizens for 16 years, first as a council member, then as the mayor from 1999 to 2011, making him the longest continually serving mayor in the history of Rosenberg. Mayor Gurecky recently announced that he wasn't going to seek reelection. Joe Gurecky practiced four of the basic ideals of fiscal conservatism: accountability, fighting excessive spending, reducing taxes, and providing a safe community for his beloved city. During his 12-year tenure, Mayor Gurecky oversaw a fourfold increase in property values and a 40 percent decrease in crime while simultaneously lowering taxes on the residents of Rosenberg. Mayor Gurecky will be missed as the mayor. I thank him and his wife, Doris, for their service and wish them well in the future.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank my colleague from Michigan. I rise in strong support of H.R. 2. Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues have come to this floor tonight to highlight the numerous job-destroying provisions in this new health care law. They have outlined serious threats to our health care system and our economy. Now I would like to highlight something that was not included in the law--medical liability reform. My home State of Texas has implemented liability reform with positive results. It is a model for America to follow. Before reform in Texas, doctors could not afford to stay in practice. Frivolous lawsuits were forcing them to close their doors. Now, with reform, they are flocking--flocking--to Texas. Here is the proof: Since implementation in 2003, we have seen a 60 percent increase in the number of doctors practicing in our State--60 percent--and a 27 percent drop in the cost of medical liability insurance premiums. We must repeal and replace this economy-busting health care bill by enacting meaningful health care reform. On November 2, we made a promise to the American people. Today, it is a promise kept.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank my colleague from California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution before the House and to pay tribute to my colleague and dear friend, Gabby Giffords. I have been privileged to call her a friend as the chairwoman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee while I was the ranking member. We found that we share a deep passion for space and NASA, and we have worked closely on these issues together. In sitting in a hearing that Gabby was running with your eyes closed, you would be hard pressed to know who was the Republican and who was the Democrat. And as a freshman Member in Congress, it was heartening to know that while the controversial issues of the day may divide us, there is also room for collaboration and unity on both sides of the aisle. That was because of Gabby. I have no better bipartisan friend in the Congress than Gabby Giffords. Madam Speaker, she is warm and kind, but the Gabby I know is also tough. She will pull through this with her husband, Mark, by her side. I wouldn't bet against her. Other Members of our House family need our support too. I would like to say a prayer for Gabe Zimmerman and his family, Gabby's staffer who lost his life, as well as Ron Barber and Pam Simon, her other staffers who were victims in this horrible, horrible tragedy. We must also remember the others who lost their lives or were seriously injured. They are in our hearts and prayers as the Nation begins the healing process. Madam Speaker, I am going to close my remarks by talking to my friend as if she was here because in many ways she is.

Mr. OLSON. I thank my colleague from California. Gabby, I know you feel things and you hear things. When asked, you squeeze a hand, you hold two fingers up, and you hold a ``thumbs up.'' I know you feel the love and prayers of a Congress, a Nation, and a world that only wants you to have a full and speedy recovery. My friend, right back at you. I will see you when you get back in this Chamber.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Amendment 17: ``The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for 6 years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.''

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Pearland Oilers for winning the Texas Class 5A Division One Football Championship last weekend. In front of 43,321 fans, the third largest in Texas history, the Oilers achieved a heart-stopping 28-24 victory, defeating the number one ranked team in the entire Nation, Euless Trinity. The Oilers were referred to as the underdog, but an underdog doesn't use a play called ``the dead man'' to score a 54-yard touchdown. They demonstrated their tenacity in the final seconds, when Dustin Garrison, who scored three touchdowns, broke up a fourth quarter pass, sealing the win for the Oilers. Pearland has lived by a ``plus one'' outlook, always striving to make one more play and give one more degree of effort for the benefit of the team. The Oilers finished the season with a perfect 16-0 record and brought home to the ``rig'' Pearland's first 5A championship. I congratulate them on their historic victory and well-deserved honor.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Zarian Wood of Houston, Texas. Zarian, known as ``Z'' to his friends, was killed on May 16, 2010, in a bomb blast during a foot patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was 29 years old. After serving in combat in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, Zarian volunteered for a second combat tour. This tour sent him on a 7-month stint to Afghanistan, where he was assigned to India Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. Z was trained to be a hospital corpsman, the first out of the foxhole to rush to a wounded comrade. Well, in Afghanistan, he was known as ``Doc,'' serving on the front lines alongside Marine infantrymen from Camp Pendleton, California. Z was a 1999 graduate of South Houston High School, where he competed on the Trojan wrestling team. After high school, Z worked as a youth pastor and tutor for at-risk children on Houston's northeast side and as a merchandiser for Coca-Cola before enlisting in the Navy in 2006. Z was known for living life to the fullest. His life embodies the fabric of the exceptional men and women who comprise our U.S. military. He is the embodiment of the honorable, courageous, and patriotic young Americans we are privileged to have defending our country. His selfless heroism, both as a civilian and in the military, created a legacy of courage and patriotism that will not be forgotten by those who knew him. The liberty we cherish in this Nation has come at a great cost. Zarian and his family have paid the ultimate price for our freedom--but it is not without the tremendous gratitude of this Nation, this Congress, and this Congressman. Mr. Speaker, America cannot repay the debt we owe to Zarian and his family. What can we do? We can say thank you, thank you, thank you to Z for his selfless commitment to serve our Nation and thank you, thank you, thank you to his family for raising such a strong, wonderful and selfless Navy hero. Zarian Wood is a true patriot, and a grateful Nation says: Semper Fi, fair winds and following seas. Z, may you find eternal peace in God's arms.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank my colleague from Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Senate bill 3774. I introduced companion legislation, H.R. 5790, which would do the same thing as this good bill. Two years ago, Hurricane Ike tore through the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall in Galveston, Texas. It was the largest hurricane ever, ever to make landfall in the United States. Ike slammed into Galveston as a Category 2 hurricane but with a storm surge equivalent to that of a Category 4 storm, causing damages estimated at $18 billion. Over 200 people lost their lives. Two years later, what Ike destroyed in 12 hours continues to be rebuilt. In response to the storm, an emergency appropriations bill was passed for the purpose of assisting the victims of Ike. The funding came with a deadline that the State of Texas and the local communities now need extended. This is not without precedent. A similar extension was granted for victims of Hurricane Katrina. In the process of recovering from Ike, please consider that Catholic Charities reports that there are over 3,500 families in Galveston who are in the process of getting their homes repaired or replaced who still need rent assistance. The Gulf Coast Center in Galveston and Brazoria Counties is working with 19 agencies to provide mental health support and counseling to 3,000 clients each month who are still suffering from the impact of Hurricane Ike on their lives. The University of Texas Medical Branch reports that they are providing food assistance, medical care, and case management to 20,000 households each month. This will end without an extension. In the words of one leader at the United Way, ``We are not asking to access more funding, only to finish what we started.'' Do I wish this extension was not needed? Of course. We all do. But it is needed, and I ask that this Chamber join me in doing what is right and fair for a community that lost so much 2 years ago. I urge my colleagues to vote for Senate bill 3774, so the people of southeast Texas can finally put Hurricane Ike in their past.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1714, congratulating the engineers, scientists, psychologists, and staff of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration who contributed to the successful rescue of the 33 Chilean miners. NASA employees provided technical advice to the Chilean Government based on the agency's long experience in protecting humans in the hostile environment of space, including recommendations on medical care, nutrition, psychological support, as well as aiding the design of the device used to extract the miners. As the world watched, Chile's Government turned its full attention to locating the 33 miners following the mine collapse on August 5. Seventeen days later, rescuers located the miners by successfully boring a half mile below the surface to a safe haven where the men had taken shelter. The fact that the drilling operation found its target on the first try in itself is a miracle, but it was also a testament to the skills and collaboration of many men and women working on the surface. One day after locating the men, Chile's Government contacted NASA asking for technical advice regarding the best approach to ensure the miners were receiving appropriate psychological support and medical care. NASA also offered its advice to Chilean authorities on design requirements for the extraction vehicle. A week later, a five-member team of NASA employees visited Chile and the mine site as part of the agency response, offering their advice and their expertise. I would like to recognize Dr. Michael Duncan, Dr. Albert Holland, and Dr. James Polk from the Johnson Space Center in the district I represent; Clint Cragg from the Langley Research Center; and Albert Condes from NASA headquarters, for their role in helping this grand rescue effort, just another example of how the world benefits from American human spaceflight. I would like to thank my fellow colleague, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, for her hard work in getting this resolution to the floor. I urge all Members to support this resolution. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank my esteemed colleague from Texas. Mr. Speaker, as we take on great endeavors, it's important to have a workable plan and to stick to it. Not doing so leads us to uncertainty, like the uncertainty that has gripped NASA for most of this year. Nowhere have I felt and seen the effects of this uncertainty more than when I'm home talking to the men and women of the Johnson Space Center. It's been especially difficult for these men and women and their families because their lives and careers have been centered on uncertainty. They wanted to be part of America's space program, and how do we reward that commitment? By providing insufficient funds, constantly changing goals, and second-guessing the past instead of embracing a clear path to the future. Meanwhile, thousands of workers have watched, waited, and most of all, safely worked throughout the seemingly difficult ups and downs. The low point in this debate came in February with the release of the President's budget for NASA. In NASA's history of bold adventures, this was one of the boldest. Unfortunately, not in a manner that the agency is used to. The proposal neglected to build on our past, discarded work of the present, and lacked a vision for our future. The plan was so bad, so misguided that it did something unheard of in Washington, D.C.: It united Congress in opposition. And along these lines, I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for the partnership we have forged through these past several months. It has been an honor to work with each of you. Our partnership has produced a great piece of legislation, our NASA authorization bill which passed out of the Science and Technology Committee in July. I believed then, and frankly believe now, that our bill was the right approach to sustain a robust exploration program. But we are running out of time. Let's send a message as a unified Congress that the proposal the administration submitted in February is not the direction our country is going to go. If we fail to pass an authorization bill, we will witness the continued dismantling of America's human spaceflight infrastructure with no guarantee that it will be replaced. We will lose our most precious asset, our people. This bill contains critical elements for the future: Funding for the Orion crew capsule; the ability to fly the ``launch on need'' flight of the space shuttle; extending the international space station through at least 2020; and a robust technology development program. We also agree with our Senate colleagues that NASA should focus on the immediate development of a heavy lift launch vehicle. Our future in space is not, not in low Earth orbit. We have to go beyond. A heavy lift vehicle will enable us to achieve the true mission of the agency--to explore. This bill reaffirms what earlier Congresses have supported, particularly an increased role for commercial providers to fly cargo and eventually crew to the international space station. I will be vigilant in working with my colleagues, the agency, and those in the private sector who will conduct these cargo and crew flights. We need them to succeed, but we need to develop standard practices and an understanding of how a fundamentally different way of doing business will work. It is just another challenge for NASA, and one I know they will meet. I grew up in Clear Lake, Texas, where the men and women who walked on the Moon, those people, and the people who got them there and back weren't just my heroes. They were my neighbors. I saw a community and a Nation unite around a grand goal and accomplish it. Today we take a step towards restoring the goals worthy of a great Nation. And in doing so, we are saying to the men and women of NASA currently and those to come that this Nation still chooses to explore. I ask my colleagues to support S. 3729.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, as our economy continues to struggle, the President's former budget director, Peter Orszag, stated that, and I quote, ``Higher taxes now would crimp consumer spending, further depressing the already inadequate demand for what firms are capable of producing at full tilt.'' In non-Washington, D.C., language, that translates to the more money the government takes from the American people, the less they have to spend and to help rebuild our economy. My Republican colleagues and I have been saying this for nearly 2 years. Now, over 30 of my Democrat colleagues have joined us in supporting an extension of all the tax cuts across the board. They get it. It makes no sense, no sense to raise taxes, especially at this time when businesses and individuals are trying to invest what little they have to make a better future and get our economy going. Mr. Speaker, end the uncertainty and let the American people keep their money. I urge House leadership to extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank my colleague from Texas. Madam Speaker, the Obama stimulus plan was a waste of taxpayer dollars, and I'm proud that the elected officials in the Texas Statehouse had the good sense to keep those funds in reserve. If a Member of this body has a problem with the way the rightfully elected representatives of the people of Texas choose to use their money, then I have some advice for him or her: Go to Austin. Madam Speaker, the eyes of Texas will be watching her congressional delegation as they cast their votes. You will either be for Texas or against her. You will either stand for our State and national constitutions or ignore them. This is exactly the sort of arrogance, pettiness, and political chicanery that the people of America are tired of. I know that Texans are. I have great hope that November will bring a much-needed change in direction in Washington. I urge my colleagues to vote no-no-no against this bill.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. I thank my colleague from Florida for giving me a couple of minutes to talk about the problems with this energy bill. Mr. Chairman, there are parts of this bill that are well-intentioned, but they miss the mark--particularly the language in this bill regarding the moratorium on offshore drilling. Thirty-three rigs were affected by this moratorium when it was imposed shortly after the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig. Since that time, these rigs have been incurring somewhere upwards of $500,000 a day in expenses just while they're not doing any production. There are very few companies, very few entities in our economy, that can incur over $90 million in expenses if this moratorium runs out for the 6-month period that it's supposed to run. And there's no guarantee that it's going to end within 6 months. Predictably--and I've been banging this drum for almost 2 months now--these rigs are going to move overseas and it's starting to happen. The first rig went to Egypt. It was a rig from Diamond Offshore. Let me read a quote from their CEO, Larry Dickerson, as he talked about why they were moving this rig overseas. Mr. Dickerson said, ``As a result of the uncertainties surrounding the offshore drilling moratorium, we are actively seeking opportunities to keep our rigs fully employed internationally. We greatly regret the loss of U.S. jobs that will result from this rig relocation.'' Again let me read that last sentence: ``We greatly regret the loss of U.S. jobs that will result from this rig relocation.'' Mr. Chairman, this is not what the American economy needs right now. We need to ensure we're independent from foreign oil. We can't be exporting jobs overseas. This is a job-killing bill that's coming before this House and I oppose it. Another problem I have with the bill that has been introduced here is the change in liability limits. By changing the liability limits, this bill will effectively squeeze out all the small and medium operators in the gulf, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs. If you like Big Oil, this bill is your bill. I am strongly opposed to that. We need to create American jobs. Not ending this moratorium and this changing liability limits is not in America's best interests.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Pearland High School Lady Oilers for winning the UIL-5A State softball championship. The Lady Oilers defeated Austin Bowie on June 5 with a 4-0 victory. It's impressive to note that five Lady Oilers were named to the UIL State All-Around Team. Coach Laneigh Clark and her softball team posted an impressive 37-6-1 record for the season. There is no question that these students have the leadership, dedication, and commitment that it takes to achieve great things now and in the future. They are persistent. They finished second last year; now they are number one. The Lady Oilers are proven role models and a source of pride for Pearland. With hard work and dedication, they have achieved their lofty goals. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Pearland Lady Oilers on their championship and thank them for representing their community and school in a manner befitting the champions that they are.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Lance Cpl. Garrett Gamble. Garrett died in the Helmand province, Afghanistan on March 11th, 2010. In honor of Garrett's life and service, I submit the following poem, penned by Albert Cafrey Caswell. Garrett's Gift Garrett's! Garrett's gift! So Brilliant, and Bright! So Magnificent, this light! So all of this! So Brave, This Light! As That Last Full Measure . . . Was but Garrett's fine gift, this night! A United States Marine! Who upon battlefields of honor, was seen! Seen . . . Marching, into that valley of death. . . . With no regrets! As shone, his most brilliant sheen! His quest! As he took, all of those most courageous steps! But worn upon his fine chest, all in courage's crest! Giving all, until none lie left! For all of his most beloved Brothers In Arms, to bless! All in a Hero's quest, all To Be The Best! As a Freedom Fighter, no less! For such lights come, only from one's soul so bright! To but vanquish the darkness, and bring The Light! All in what you have done, all in your short life. . . ! A Mother cries, as her fine son has died . . . as she asks why? Fine comfort! One day up in Heaven, he will be by your side! Thy Will Be Done! For you Garrett my son, are but the Brightest of All Ones! Because, moments are all we have! To Grab Hearts, To Make Difference . . . To Heaven Rise! All in your most magnificent shades of green! You United States Marine . . . And when there comes a gentle rain, all across Sugar Land. . . . Our Lord's tears will remain, with your Mother to ease pain! For Heaven has just gotten stronger, as a new Marine belongs there! And as the tears roll down our cheeks, remember what brilliance can be! And remember all of this, and remember Garrett's Gift! Amen!