Tom Petri

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 226, to commemorate the end of World War II by observing ``Spirit of '45 Day.'' On August 14, 1945, the people of the United States received word of the long awaited end of the war. While there was celebration, there also was recognition of the 400,000 Americans who gave their lives to this effort. This day marks the gratitude we have for our veterans, their families, and their sacrifice. We reflect on the beginning of a new era following the war, and the rebuilding of nations with the common goal of developing and maintaining a more peaceful global community. We celebrate the strengthening of American democracy, freedom and service to community and country. We are proud of the unprecedented national effort to defeat forces of aggression. The achievements of the past continue to be relevant today. The World War II generation, often referred to as the Greatest Generation, is a model of courage and determination that serves as a source of inspiration not only for the men and women serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world, but for civilians as well. It is important we recognize and honor their dedication and self-sacrifice. That is why as we approach the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II, I proudly support the observance of the second Sunday in August as ``Spirit of '45 Day'' to commemorate the end of World War II on August 14, 1945.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, after four stimulus packages over the past 2 years, Americans are asking: Where are the jobs? Why aren't businesses hiring? In a word, uncertainty. We've seen a great deal of activist government over the past 2 years with enormous budget deficits, the government takeover of car companies, bank bailouts, mandatory national health care, misguided financial regulation and more. Still, President Obama and the congressional leadership have additional disruptive plans on tap, including big tax increases and cap-and-trade legislation. Not only are businesses being burdened with new taxes and other requirements, they also know that further afflictions are coming, but the form and extent of those afflictions are still a mystery. Business people plan to succeed, but when the government is making major burdensome and, as yet largely unspecified, changes, it is very difficult to plan. Rather than hiring and investing, many are choosing to wait and see. America's working people are the victims of this administration's and this Congress' rampant activism.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Davis from Kentucky, for yielding me this time. And I also would like to express my appreciation for the way that my subcommittee chairman, Mr. Costello, and chairman, Mr. Oberstar, and my colleague, Mr. Mica from Florida, have all been working on this conference and on this legislation now for longer than we would have liked. It's too bad that we have to do what will be, I guess, our 14th or 15th extension of the existing law. But it is, unfortunately, necessary to do that to give us time to complete work on the conference, which actually is well underway. In May of last year, we passed the Reauthorization Act of 2009, H.R. 915. This March the Senate passed its own FAA reauthorization bill, which the House took up, amended, passed, and sent back to the Senate. While a conference has not been called, staff from both Chambers have been in informal discussions for months to reconcile the two versions of the bill. And while these discussions have led to tentative agreement on the vast majority of provisions, and there has been good work on both sides of the aisle on this, a number of controversial issues have stalled progress on a final agreement. I am disappointed, myself, that several issues unrelated to important safety and modernization provisions in the reauthorization package are holding up final agreement on this legislation. Nevertheless, in order to allow the FAA to continue operating uninterrupted, I support passage of the bill before us to extend FAA's funding and program authorization. H.R. 5611, the bill before us, would extend the taxes, programs, and funding of the FAA to August 1 of this year. This bill provides just over $3.5 billion in Airport Improvement Program funding, extends the War Risk Insurance program, and extends other authorities related to Small Community Air Service, airport, and safety programs. That will ensure that our National Airspace System continues to operate, and that the FAA continues to fund important airport projects while the Congress completes action on a final reauthorization bill. I want to urge my colleagues to take advantage of these extra 30 days to reach compromise on the few remaining controversial provisions in the FAA bill. This bill contains critical safety provisions that must not be delayed any longer. We owe it to the families of Flight 3407 and to the traveling public to reach agreement and send a good, bicameral, bipartisan FAA bill to our President. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5611.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, today, I am introducing the Making Work and Marriage Pay Act of 2010. This legislation will establish a bipartisan commission to study the negative impact that high effective marginal rates can have on families as they attempt to improve their circumstances through work or marriage. The National Commission on Effective Marginal Tax Rates for Low-Income Families would provide an important opportunity for removing the disincentives that hold many back, in spite of their personal efforts to get ahead. Federal and state governments provide financial assistance to low- income families through many means-tested programs and a variety of income tax credits. Each of these benefits is income-based, and as income rises benefits are reduced through phase-outs. These reductions occur at various earnings levels and on differing schedules. While it is appropriate for benefits to be withdrawn as family income increases, little thought has been given to the combined impact on behavior of these multiple phase-outs. Different programs are created within separate Congressional committees and are implemented by assorted federal and state agencies. No one entity has the authority to consider our vast system as a whole. The Commission established under this Act would be given this task and charged with the responsibility to propose a legislative package to remove the disincentives to work and marriage that these high effective marginal rates impose. Marginal rates matter. Economists have long contended that high tax rates affect the investment decisions of affluent individuals. People at all income levels, however, respond rationally to economic incentives and disincentives. If we want people to work their way into the middle class, we need to change a system which says that if you're poor and you struggle to earn a higher income, you won't be able to keep enough of it to make it all seem really worthwhile. I have looked at the impact these marginal rates have on a typical single mother with two children living in Wisconsin. From $17,000 to $40,000 in earnings, this single parent would experience combined effective marginal tax rates in excess of 50 percent--averaging 59 percent between $24,000 and $41,000. At lower income levels, she even approaches a rate of 100 percent. Putting this into perspective, the U.S. corporate tax rate is 35 percent (one of the highest in the industrialized world). The highest U.S. income tax rate for individuals is also 35 percent. Thus, for every dollar of new income earned by increased effort or the acquisition of new skills, this single mother finds herself only incrementally ahead and, perhaps, wondering whether her hard work is being justly rewarded. Despite the good intentions, these programs, in effect, offer no incentive to get ahead. Rather, the incentives are backwards and low-income workers often are encouraged to stay where they are. The same dynamic can also affect an individual's decision whether to marry. Experts from across the political divide agree that marriage is good. Government policy, however, as enacted in this assortment of programs and phase-outs actually discourages marriage among low-income couples. Varying benefit levels across the fifty states produce different results, but in Wisconsin, for a married couple with two children, the marriage penalty starts rising from about zero at $19,000 of combined income to $7,000 in after-tax income at $28,000 of combined earnings, which is what you get if two people earn minimum wage. At $42,000, the cost of being married reaches $8,154. That's a high price for a marriage license. This penalty results from the high effective marginal tax rates produced by taxes and the phaseout of various benefit programs. As income rises, taxes go up and benefits go down. The couple that has combined their lives and their income sees a steeper loss of income than does the comparable couple that has remained unmarried. If marriage is a recognized good for both society and the individual couples, then government policy should not stand in the way of people choosing to marry. It's time that Congress rationalizes this web of programs to ensure that hard work brings rewards by removing the punishingly high effective marginal tax rates faced by low-income individuals and families. This is why I am introducing the Making Work and Marriage Pay Act. My bill would authorize a Commission made up of Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, and recognized policy experts to recommend solutions for the problems posed by these high effective marginal tax rates. The Commission would be constructed to achieve partisan balance, input from states offering a varying level of income support, and expert participation from government and private sector experts. The Commission would be charged with seeking a solution along certain policy lines, but would have full authority to offer additional policy recommendations. The Commission's recommendations would be in the form of a legislative blueprint to ease consideration of its comprehensive solution by the wide range of Congressional committees. For too long, Congress has neglected to clean up the mess of uncoordinated federal benefit programs. The Making Work and Marriage Pay Act is the first step toward a benefit structure that rewards work and effort and reflects our shared belief that marriage is the basis of stable communities. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, each and every year since passage of the Budget Reform Act of 1974, this House has managed to produce a budget resolution, a document necessary for responsible governing--each and every year except this one. What's the problem? In addition to outlining spending for the year ahead, budget resolutions include plans for multiple years, laying out anticipated spending and revenue and calculating anticipated deficits and surpluses. If the House were to pass a 2011 budget resolution, it would establish as official House policy that we will run enormous deficits for as far as the eye can see, but several Democrats here are reluctant to associate themselves with such an irresponsible document. Of course it's theoretically possible that the current House majority could propose a budget resolution mapping a path back to balanced budgets. But no. Substantial numbers of the Democrats here think we should be spending more, not less. With Members in the majority party pulling in opposite directions, the majority leadership appears to have given up on finding the votes necessary to pass an official budget whether big spending or responsible. This is a failure of mammoth proportions.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of the resolution before us, House Resolution 1414, congratulating Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men-Englewood campus for achieving 100 percent college acceptance rate for all 107 members of its first graduating class of 2010. In 2002, a group of motivated African American civic, business, and educational leaders, organized by former Hales Franciscan High School president Tim King, determined to establish a new high school in Chicago focused on providing a strong college-preparatory high school option for boys in underserved African American communities. African American males have been and continue to be the lowest performing demographic in Chicago's public schools. A recent University of Chicago study published in 2006 reported that only one in 40 African American boys in Chicago public schools eventually graduates from a 4-year university. The Chicago Board of Education approved Urban Prep Academy's charter application in 2005, and Urban Prep opened its first school, Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men-Englewood campus, the subsequent September. It is the first charter high school for boys in the country and currently enrolls 550 students in grades nine through 12. Urban Prep's second school opened in the East Garfield Park community in 2009, and the third will open this fall in the South Shore community. The mission at Urban Prep Academies is to provide a comprehensive, high-quality, college-preparatory education to young men that results in graduates succeeding in college. Urban Prep's first graduating class, the class of 2010, is well on its way to fulfilling the school's mission. The entire graduating class has been accepted to more than 80 colleges and universities and will receive nearly $4 million in scholarships and grants. The students' 8-hour day consists of a heavy math and science course load, an emphasis on studying a foreign language, plus two periods of English every day. In addition, students spend more than an hour a day with a mentor. The school fosters an environment where students can thrive. Failure is not an option. A 100 percent college acceptance rate is clearly phenomenal. The Urban Prep Academy students should be commended for all their hard work and ability to beat the odds. In addition, today we recognize Tim King, the president and CEO, the faculty and staff for providing these students with the support and encouragement they needed to succeed. I support this resolution and ask my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the resolution before us, House Resolution 1389, recognizing the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day, and really on every day. Children with involved, caring fathers have improved educational outcomes compared with children whose fathers are absent. A number of studies suggest that fathers who are involved, nurturing, and playful with their infants have children with higher IQs, as well as better linguistic and cognitive capacities. Toddlers with involved fathers go on to start school with higher levels of academic readiness. They are more patient and can handle the stresses and frustrations associated with schooling more readily than children with less involved fathers. The influence of a father's involvement on academic achievement extends into adolescence and young adulthood. For instance, a U.S. Department of Education study found that highly involved biological fathers had children who were 43 percent more likely than other children to earn mostly As and 33 percent less likely than other children to repeat a grade. Fathers play a significant role in shaping the character of their children. By spending time with their sons and daughters, being stern yet fair disciplinarians, and listening to their experiences, fathers mold and shape children into the men and women they will become. They instill important values and prepare their children for the challenges and opportunities ahead by demonstrating true leadership. On Father's Day and every day, we honor our fathers and celebrate the special bond between a father and a child. I rise today in support of this resolution and ask my colleagues to do the same. I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from east Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).

Mr. PETRI. I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from Pennsylvania, Joe Pitts.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the resolution before us, have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution, H. Res. 1322, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program, recognizing the significant contributions made by Albert Einstein fellows. The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program offers current public or private elementary and secondary mathematics, technology and science classroom teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching an opportunity to serve in the national public policy arena. Einstein fellows are selected, through a competitive selection process, to spend a school year in a congressional office or in one of a number of Federal executive branch departments. Einstein fellows provide policymakers and Federal agencies with a real-world perspective. Their invaluable contributions help to provide practical insight and a unique knowledge base in the formulation, application, and implementation of Federal policy. Some of the contributions of Einstein fellows include creating Web-based science education programs and establishing and evaluating national and regional programs on school reform and teacher preparation. As educators who are working to provide the Nation's students with a high-quality education, Einstein fellows enrich students' educations in a twofold manner: by educating them in the classrooms and by guiding the policy that will direct their educations in the future. I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. PETRI. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 4855, the Work-Life Balance Award Act, establishes an annual award within the Department of Labor to recognize employers with exemplary work-life balance policies. This bill represents a bipartisan effort to highlight the positive policies currently being used by employers to help their employees meet the competing demands of family and work. H.R. 4855 would highlight best practices by employers and encourage innovation in the adoption of work-life balance policies, which we hope will encourage other companies to adopt similar programs. It's important to note that the bill does not create any mandates or new requirements. Many employers accommodate employee requests for greater workplace flexibility without the use of government mandates, which can increase the cost of employment and stifle creative arrangements. If employers want to pursue this award, they will do so voluntarily and with no penalty if they choose not to do so, nor will this award confer any specific government procurement or tax advantage on the recipients. The only advantage will be related to the employer being able to market themselves as winning this award and providing these types of flexibility in their workplaces. It's appropriate that the bill sets out a process by which the criteria for receiving this award will be determined. For us in Congress to claim that we know best about what constitutes appropriate flexibility in the workplace and to lock that in so that it could not be changed without another act of Congress would be, frankly, presumptuous and ensure that this award would lose its relevancy over time as new concepts of flexibility emerge and employers respond to employee needs in new ways. This award would complement similar private-sector awards and showcase public and private organizations that maintain and utilize policies to help their employees to find ways to maintain productivity, while providing workplace flexibility. The award program would be housed at the U.S. Department of Labor, and funding for the program would come out of existing funds at the Labor Department. I'd like to thank the sponsors of the bill, particularly the main sponsor, Congresswoman Woolsey, for working to craft this bill in a bipartisan manner and for maintaining an open dialogue with interested parties throughout this process. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Chair, the Courtney/Petri/Matsui amendment would transfer the successful Troops to Teachers Program back to the Department of Defense and make important changes to the program to ensure it will continue to provide opportunities for veterans to transition into second careers as educators. I have been a supporter of the Troops to Teachers program since its authorization in the 1994 Defense Authorization Act, and I am proud of its success in placing over 12,000 veterans in our Nation's classrooms. Troops to Teachers is a unique program that provides veterans with a $5,000 stipend to help cover the costs of obtaining a teaching certification in exchange for 3 years service in an eligible school. An additional bonus of $5,000 is available for teaching in a ``high need school.'' This structure has proven very effective in transitioning qualified retiring military personnel into second careers in teaching. Indeed, Troops participants fill several critical needs among educators: 80 percent are male, over one-third are ethnic minorities, and a majority bring an expertise in science and math to the classroom. Furthermore, these troops also bring valuable life experience and character traits that are uncommon in our Nation's classrooms. However, the success of this program is in jeopardy without the needed changes that are included in the Courtney/Petri/Matsui amendment. When the program was transferred to the Education Department, a simple drafting error in the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act resulted in an Education Department ruling restricting the number of school districts in which veterans can fulfill their teaching requirement. Since the implementation of this ruling in September 2005, retiring military have found the number of schools at which they would be eligible to teach drastically reduced. The Department's new interpretation locks out schools in many rural areas and small communities. This is a shame, especially given the success of this program and its ability to meet some of our Nation's greatest teaching needs. In my own State of Wisconsin, only 11 out of 426 school districts qualify for participants to fulfill their teaching requirements. A 2006 Government Accountability Report, GAO, of the program found that the 2005 ruling had reduced interest and participation in the program, as schools in regions where troops lived were no longer considered eligible. Our amendment would correct this ruling and ensure that veterans participating in the Troops to Teachers program receive a $5,000 stipend for teaching 3 years in any school that is in a district receiving Title 1 funds. This would result in a 49 percent increase in the number of schools eligible under the program. The amendment does not change the criteria for the additional $5,000 bonus, maintaining the incentive for troops to teach in the highest need schools. Let me be clear, as the language of H.R. 3943 would provide, it is the intent of this amendment to strike ``high need'' from the stipend participation language in the Troops to Teachers statute. There was a late night drafting error that mistakenly did not delete the term ``high need'' as was contemplated and is consistent with the language in H.R. 3943. So as this provision is finalized in conference, it is important that this technical change be made to implement the original intent of the amendment. The amendment also makes the Troops to Teachers Program more accessible by reducing the length of service requirements for active military. The make-up of our military has drastically changed since this program was first authorized 16 years ago. Many of our young men and women returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan who would like to pursue teaching careers are currently ineligible for the program. Third, to ensure continued success of the program the amendment creates an advisory board charged with improving awareness, increasing participation and ensuring the program meets the needs of schools and veterans. Earlier this year, Representatives Courtney, Matsui and I introduced H.R. 3943, the Post 9/11 Troops to Teachers Enhancement Act, that contains these needed improvements to the program. This bill has 169 bipartisan cosponsors and the support of both military and educational organizations. These include: the American Legion, National Education Association, Association of the United States Army, Association of the United States Navy, Military Order of the Purple Heart, National Association of the State Boards of Education and many more. Finally, our amendment transfers the Troops to Teachers Program back to the Department of Defense. Currently, the program is operated by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support, DANTES. The Department of Education simply transfers funds to DANTES. Both the Department of Defense and the Department of Education support this transfer, which is reflected in the Administration's Fiscal Year 2011 budget request. I want to thank Representative Courtney and Representative Matsui for their work on this amendment, as well as both the Armed Services and Education and Labor Committees for their assistance. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution before us. I have no further requests for time, and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of the resolution before us, House Resolution 1336, congratulating the University of Texas men's swimming and diving team for winning the NCAA Division I national championship. The University of Texas at Austin, or UT, is one of the Nation's largest public universities. Founded in 1883, the university has grown to include 21,000 faculty and staff, 17 colleges, and over 50,000 students. UT awards over 8,700 bachelor's degrees annually and is a national leader in graduate degrees awarded. U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Texas at Austin among the top 50 universities in the Nation in 2009. The university has been especially noted for its schools of engineering, business programs, and college of education. In addition to academics, the University of Texas at Austin has excelled in athletics as well. The University of Texas Longhorns have won more than 40 national championships, and UT's athletes have won 116 Olympic medals. The Longhorns men's swimming and diving team added the most recent title to UT's name. On March 28, 2010, the University of Texas Longhorns men's swimming and diving team accumulated 500 points to win the 2010 NCAA Division I National Championship. It marked the 10th national title for the team. Head Coach Eddie Reese led the team to excellence and became the first men's swimming coach to win NCAA team titles in four separate decades. Senior Dave Walters and sophomore Jimmy Feigen were named the 2010 Big 12 co-Swimmers of the Year and sophomore Drew Livingston was named the Big 12 Diver of the Year. The University of Texas Longhorns men's swimming and diving team has shown themselves to be exemplary athletes. So I stand to congratulate the University of Texas men's swimming and diving team, Coach Eddie Reese, the students, fans, faculty, and staff of UT. I understand that there are no requests for time by the majority and therefore would yield such time as he may consume to our colleague, the Representative from Austin and some of the surrounding area, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1292, congratulating the Emporia State University Lady Hornets women's basketball team for winning the 2010 NCAA Division II National Championship. On March 26, 2010, the Emporia State University Lady Hornets defeated the Fort Lewis Skyhawks 65-53 in the NCAA Division II women's basketball national championship in St. Joseph, Missouri, and captured the Hornets' first-ever women's basketball national title and the university's first national title since 1984. The Hornets' success was due, in large part, to Alli Volkens. Alli Volkens was named the overall Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and recorded 16 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in the championship game alone. While this player was recognized for her outstanding play, the entire team is responsible for the success of the team as NCAA Division II national champions. The national accolades bestowed upon this team can only be attributed to Head Coach Brandon Schneider and assistant coaches Jory Collins and Kiel Unruh. While athletic success is what brings us here today, Emporia State is also known for its excellent academics. Emporia State University aims to provide a dynamic and progressive student-centered learning community that fosters student success through engagement in academic excellence, community and global involvement, and the pursuit of personal and professional fulfillment. Emporia State University is located in the heart of the Flint Hills, Kansas, area. The university serves 6,500 students in four different colleges. Founded in 1863, ESU is noted today for their programs in business, library and information management, and liberal arts and sciences. I extend my congratulations to Emporia State University Head Coach Brandon Schneider and his entire staff, the hardworking players, and the fans. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Madam Speaker, seeing no other requests for time, I yield such time as he may consume to our colleague from Kansas, Jerry Moran.

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the bill before us, H.R. 5220, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act. Eunice Kennedy Shriver was the founder and honorary chairperson of Special Olympics and a leader in the worldwide effort to improve the lives and understanding of individuals with intellectual disabilities. For more than three decades, through her work with the Joseph K. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation and Special Olympics, she worked tirelessly to seek the prevention of intellectual disabilities by identifying its causes and improving the means by which society deals with citizens who have intellectual disabilities. Mrs. Shriver passed away on August 11, 2009, but her work to ensure that individuals with intellectual disabilities are able to lead independent lives in their communities will live on. An estimated 7 million individuals, 2 percent of the population of the United States, have intellectual disabilities which impair daily living skills needed to live and work in the local community as productive citizens. The three major known causes of intellectual disabilities are Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and Fragile X. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act will assist individuals with intellectual disabilities by continuing the Federal Government's support of programs that provide early intervention, effective education, research, and appropriate supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities so that they can reach adulthood and become contributing members of our society. First, the bill reauthorizes the Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004. Special Olympics was established in 1968 and provides year-round sports training and competitive opportunities in 26 sports to more than 3 million athletes with intellectual disabilities. But it does so much more. It dispels negative stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities, builds community engagement, increases the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in community life, and provides education and health screenings for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Second, the bill authorizes support for Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization that provides mentors and friends to individuals with intellectual disabilities to increase their social relationships. Best Buddies was founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver as the first national, social, and recreational program for people with intellectual disabilities. Since that time, it has grown from one chapter to more than 1,400 middle school, high school, and college campuses all around the country. Finally, the bill establishes Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institutes for Sport and Social Impact. Through this effort, institutions will conduct research, collect data, and evaluate evidence-based best practices, with the goal of improving the quality of life and, further, the social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to recognize the life and accomplishments of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Her dedication to improving the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities is awe inspiring, and I hope that this bill will serve as a fitting legacy to her efforts. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from the State of Michigan, Vern Ehlers, a member of the committee.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to a special leader of this House and coauthor of the bill before us, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill before us, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act, and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the bill before us, H.R. 2136, the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act. Today we have an opportunity to discuss the need to bolster safety on college campuses, specifically fire safety. The name of this bill is appropriate because there was no Member of this body more concerned about protecting our college students from the dangers of fires than the late Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones. This bill would honor Representative Tubbs Jones by naming a demonstration program in her honor. Our Nation's college students should be able to live on campus with the confidence that they will be safe in their dorms, apartments or other housing. This measure will take a step toward allowing colleges to ensure their buildings are properly equipped with the latest fire safety measures. Specifically, this bill will allow colleges and universities hoping to participate in the demonstration program to apply for funds that can be used to install fire sprinkler systems or other fire suppression or prevention technologies on campus or in buildings controlled by the university. This measure, combined with the provisions enacted by Congress in the Higher Education Opportunity Act, will increase campus fire safety at colleges and universities. The provisions included in the Higher Education Opportunity Act require colleges to provide a fire safety report to the Secretary of Education. The report must include statistics showing the number of fires and injuries resulting from fires on campus over the past year. We will also require colleges to report on the type of fire prevention technologies they are utilizing and any plans the college may have to improve their fire prevention and detection technologies. The bill before us today will help colleges think creatively about fire safety and ensure they have the funds to move forward with their plans. Today we have the opportunity to provide a commitment to the safety of college students and pass a measure that will help colleges keep our young people safe from devastating fires. I urge my colleagues to support the bill before us. I understand the majority has no further requests for time, so I yield such time as she may consume to my colleague from West Virginia, the Honorable Representative Shelley Moore Capito.