Tom Petri

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In the 110th Congress, the House passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007, which was H.R. 2881. That legislation reauthorized the FAA for 4 years. In May of this year, the House voted again to pass a comprehensive reauthorization bill, this time numbered H.R. 915, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009. Unfortunately, the Senate has been unable to come to an agreement on its bill over the last 2 years. So for the past 2 years, Congress has passed extensions of the Federal Aviation Administration's funding and authority through the end of budget year 2009. The latest extension expires next week. So today we're considering another extension. H.R. 3607 would extend the taxes, programs, and funding of the FAA through December of 2009. This bill extends FAA funding and contract authority for 3 months; provides $1 billion in Airport Improvement Program funding through December of 2009; extends the War Risk Insurance program; and extends the Small Community Air Service Development Program. H.R. 3607 would ensure that our National Aviation System continues to operate until a full FAA reauthorization can be enacted. As I have indicated many times since the passage of the House FAA reauthorization bill back in 2007, we need to pass a long-term bill so that we can meet the growing demands placed on our Nation's aviation infrastructure. Modernizing our antiquated air traffic control system and repairing our crumbling infrastructure need to be at the top of our list of priorities. While I have some concerns with the House-passed bill, I look forward to addressing these issues in conference to develop bipartisan solutions on some of the more controversial provisions. I urge our colleagues in the other body to complete their work on a comprehensive FAA reauthorization package in a timely fashion. While I am disappointed that the FAA has gone so long without a comprehensive reauthorization, I support this extension as the best alternative to keep the FAA and the national air space system running safely until we can take up and pass a bipartisanship and bicameral bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. I thank my colleague from Minnesota. Madam Chair, I rise in support of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which eliminates the Federal Family Education Loan Program and moves origination of all Federal student loans to the Direct Loan Program. For over two decades, I have championed direct loans as the most cost-effective way to provide student loans, but the defenders of the archaic FFEL guarantee loan program remain confused, so let me be clear. Currently, we have two Federal student loan programs which provide the exact same loans to students. FFEL is a Federal program, not a private loan program. Private lenders make the loans with two separate subsidies from the Federal Government: a guaranteed interest rate that's determined through the political process, not the markets, and a guarantee against default losses. Thus, if a student defaults, the taxpayers are on the hook, not the private lender. The profits are private, but the losses are socialized. FFEL is not a free enterprise. Over the years, FFEL has proven to be fraught with scandal and an unreliable source of funds, and it costs billions of dollars more for the taxpayers. A writer for a conservative columnist Bill Kristol's Weekly Standard Magazine aptly described the FFEL Program as ``a textbook example of crony capitalism.'' In contrast, the Direct Loan Program eliminates the middleman, lending directly from the Treasury, and all servicing and bill collection is handled by private companies operating through performance-based contracts. Over the years, there has been unanimous agreement by budget experts under both the Clinton and Bush administrations on the excessive costs of FFEL. Earlier this year, an estimate by the CBO once again reiterated this conclusion when it reported that switching to 100 percent direct lending would result in nearly $87 billion in savings. At this point, I would like to engage in a colloquy with Chairman Miller. Chairman Miller, I support the grant program included in this bill that aims to strengthen community colleges. It's my understanding that public 2-year liberal arts colleges that offer associate degrees and certificate programs, such as the University of Wisconsin Colleges, will be eligible to compete for these funds. Do you agree with that interpretation?

Mr. PETRI. I thank the gentleman for his assurance. And I thank my colleague for the time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Wisconsin businessman John Torinus had a column in the July 25 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which I commend to everyone. Entitled ``Health care architects must face fiscal reality,'' Mr. Torinus pointed out six serious flaws in the health care reform plan. For example, the proposed 8 percent payroll tax on companies which don't provide coverage. Mr. Torinus' company, like many others, spends about 15 percent of payroll on health care. These businesses would save money by opting out of health care and instead paying the 8 percent tax. President Obama promises that if you like your health insurance, you can keep it. Don't count on it. The House bill proposes a 2.5 percent penalty on people who don't buy mandatory insurance. For someone earning $40,000, that's $1,000, or about one month's premium for a family. With insurance companies required to accept all comers, many people would skip insurance and instead pay the $1,000 penalty until a substantial medical need arises. That is what Mr. Torinus says is happening in Massachusetts under a similar plan.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. 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. 3326, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010: Requesting Member: Hon. Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 3326 Account: Department of Defense: Operations and Maintenance, Army (OM, A) Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Department of Defense Address of Requesting Entity: 1400 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1400 Description of Request: The $4,500,000 appropriation will be used by the Department of Defense to purchase Light Weight Tactical Utility Vehicles. This vehicle will be manufactured at John Deere Horicon Works in Horicon, Wisconsin. The Light Weight Tactical Utility Vehicle, better known as the M-Gator, is a rugged, air-droppable, highly mobile diesel-powered tactical vehicle to expedite casualty evacuation and resupply activities. They have been heavily utilized during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The M-Gator has proven to be a key asset to our troops around the world in support of the Global War on Terror and provides a unique capability that does not exist in the Army equipment inventory. M-Gators fill critical equipment shortages in Infantry, Aviation, Military Police, Combat and Field Service Hospitals, Special Operations, and other Combat Support and Combat Service Support units. The M-Gator enjoys an enviable reputation because of its ruggedness, load-carrying capability, and reliability.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. 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. 3293, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010: Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fond du Lac County Address of Requesting Entity: 160 S. Macy Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935 Description of Request: The $400,000 appropriation will be used to expand Fond du Lac County's Save a Smile Program, which provides dental care to Medicaid eligible children. The CMS account provides federal funds for demonstration projects related to one of the core missions of CMS, including improving access to health care and access for low- income and uninsured individuals. The lack of dental care among children is a national problem and the Save a Smile Program is a new innovative approach to remedy the situation that may serve as a model for the rest of the country. The goal of the program is to maximize the dental provider delivery system with public sector intervention to establish a dental home for children with Medicaid who reside in Fond du Lac County. The program removes the major barriers voiced by local dental providers, which include burdensome and frustrated Medicaid billing, increased patient no show rates and inadequate Medicaid reimbursement. Specifically the funds will be used to cover additional eligible children, hire additional staff, and produce educational materials. Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lakeshore Technical College Address of Requesting Entity: 1290 North Avenue, Cleveland, Wisconsin 53015 Description of Request: The $250,000 appropriation will be used by Lakeshore Technical College to support the development of new programs and certificates in sustainability, renewable energy, energy management, solar power and photovoltaic installation, composites, and other relevant disciplines. These programs will be based on the needs of local industry as determined through program advisory committees, direct business requests, and relevant projections. These programs will expand on Lakeshore's current initiatives to retrain American workers with the skills necessary to succeed in the green workplace. The FIPSE account provides funds for projects that focus on improving access to, or the quality of, postsecondary education. Specifically these funds will be used to hire additional faculty, curriculum and professional development and to develop and offer community education sustainability workshops. Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 3293 Account: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Account Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Marian University Address of Requesting Entity: 45 South National Avenue, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935 Description of Request: The $200,000 appropriation will be used to establish a collaborative abilities-based Master's Program in Nursing Education. The establishment of this program is designed to address the shortage of nurse educators, thereby expanding opportunities for students to get degrees in nursing. The FIPSE account provides funds for projects that focus on improving access to, or the quality of, postsecondary education. Through this program, Marian University proposes to create the relationships and infrastructure to support collaborative agreements among a group of nursing programs at colleges, universities, and technical colleges within Wisconsin. Although the proposed program would have as its primary focus nursing education, students would be able to obtain advanced clinical preparation in specialty areas. This venture would be the first in Wisconsin to join private and public colleges in order to create new models that wisely use the scarce faculty resources available. Specifically, the federal dollars will be used for faculty, staff, equipment and travel. This will address a national and state-wide need for nurses as identified by Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks received as part of H.R. 3288--Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. Requesting Member: Hon. Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: FAA--Airport Improvement Program Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Address of Requesting Entity: 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53702 Description of Project: This $950,000 will be used for phase 2 of the 3-phase reconstruction of the primary runway at Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This is one of the largest projects in the state with a total cost of $13 million. The current Pavement Condition Index Report identifies the northern 6,000 feet of the runway at below minimum service level. Requesting Member: Hon. Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: Federal Highway Administration--Surface Transportation Priorities Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Address of Requesting Entity: 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53702 Description of Project: This $500,000 will be used to complete a study and begin construction of an overpass across the Wisconsin Central Railyard on Lake Shore Drive in the Village of North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The railyard is the largest of its kind in the State of Wisconsin and access at Lake Shore Drive is frequently blocked due to trains parked on the tracks. This overpass will allow for the safe and efficient passage of rail traffic through the community and allow for the delivery of essential services (including emergency services) to the residents of the community. The overpass will consist of a 532-foot bridge span across the yard and access ramps to the connecting roads on both sides of the structure. Requesting Member: Hon. Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 3288 Account: Federal Transit Administration--Buses & Bus Facilities Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Address of Requesting Entity: 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53702 Description of Project: This $250,000 will be used to purchase 35- foot replacement accessible buses and related fare box equipment for the Fond du Lac Area Transit System.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. 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. 3183 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010: Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 3183 Account: Department of Energy: Energy, Efficiency, and Renewable Energy (EERE) Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Address of Requesting Entity: 800 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Description of Request: The $500,000 appropriation will be used by UW Oshkosh to establish a program for biomass recycling to be housed on their campus. This project is in conjunction with several private and public entities in the State of Wisconsin. The EERE account provides federal funds to strengthen the United States' energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality in public-private partnerships. This project is expected to both reduce organic waste sent to the landfill and produce alternative fuels to replace fossil- fuel generated energy for campus operations. The University believes it will save approximately $150,000 annually in energy savings. Schools, nursing homes, and other community institutions and households will gain a means to dispose of biomass waste in an environmentally responsible manner and the entire community will benefit from reduced demand on landfill capacity. Funding will be used to acquire the anaerobic digesting plant equipment, plan and engineer the installation of the digester plant, and educate the Oshkosh area community about this new technology. This project supports the University's plan to develop alternative sustainable energy sources and follow the Governor of Wisconsin's directive to eliminate dependence on fossil fuels. Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Section 1135 Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit Division Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 1027, Detroit, MI 48231 Description of Request: $150,000 for the Corps of Engineers' assistance to participate in an investigation to determine the extent of the Corps' water level management strategy on the depletion of fish and other aquatic habitat within Lake Poygan, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Lake Poygan once provided abundant high quality habitat for water fowl and other birds, furbearers, and warm water fishery. Much of this habitat has deteriorated in recent years. The existing water level management strategy is being reviewed to determine its role in the degradation. Water levels at Lake Poygan have been managed under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Fox River project since 1872. The project would involve the construction of a break wall on Lake Poygan for the purpose of protecting, improving, and restoring fish and other aquatic life habitat. FY 2010 funding would be used to continue the feasibility phase. Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Engineer District, Chicago Address of Requesting Entity: 111 North Canal Street, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606. Description of Request: The appropriation will provide $7.275 million in the FY 10 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, Construction account for the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal. The funding would be used for the construction and operation of the electric dispersal barriers in the canal as well as a study to consider alternative approaches to prevent inter-basin transfers of aquatic nuisance species. This request was made with numerous Members and Senators of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, along with a request from President Obama. Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Engineer District, Great Lakes & Ohio River Division Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, Cincinnati, OH 45202 Description of Request: The appropriation will provide $3.2 million in the FY 10 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, for restoration projects under the Great Lakes Fishery & Ecosystem Restoration program. The funding would be used in coordination with other federal, state, and local agencies and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to plan, implement, and evaluate projects supporting the restoration of the fishery, ecosystem, and beneficial uses of the Great Lakes. This request was made with numerous Members and Senators of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force. Account: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Investigations Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Engineer District, Great Lakes & Ohio River Division Address of Requesting Entity: 550 Main Street, Room 10032, Cincinnati, OH 45202 Description of Request: The appropriation will provide $4 million in the FY 10 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, General Investigations account for Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Committees. The funding would be used for RAPs to identify specific actions to resolve pollution problems by coordinating with the Corps of Engineers in dredging and sediment cleanups. This request was made with numerous Members and Senators of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding an earmark I received as part of H.R. 2847--Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010: Requesting Member: The Honorable Thomas E. Petri Bill Number: H.R. 2847 Account: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies--COPS Law Enforcement Technology Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Waupun Police Department, Waupun, Wisconsin Address of Requesting Entity: 16 E. Main St., Waupun, Wisconsin 53963 Description of Project: This $30,000 from the COPS Law Enforcement Technology account will be used by the Waupun Police Department to purchase new communication equipment to become P25 compliant and more effectively respond and communicate with other jurisdictions in the area.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, today, President Obama is in my home state of Wisconsin conducting a town hall meeting to promote his health care agenda. I know that the residents of my home state will tell him that they are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of their health care premiums, while others are simply unable to afford health care coverage. Many people in my state have lost their jobs and fear that they won't be able to afford their children's medication or that an unforeseen illness will bankrupt them. Some individuals who have insurance are simply staying in a job they don't like because their next job may not offer health care insurance. Others who are happy with their insurance worry that any drastic reform will force them into a system that will limit their choice of doctor or access to medical treatment. I agree with the President that it is time to fix the health care system in the United States so that all Americans, all my constituents, have access to quality affordable health care coverage. However, I strongly believe that any reform that we consider in the House must be based on a few important principles. First, it must give everyone access to quality and affordable health care. All individuals should have the freedom to choose the health plan that best meets their needs. Second, any reform should ensure a patient centered system. Patients in consultation with their doctors should be in control of their health care decisions and not government bureaucrats or insurance agents. If your child or parent is sick, you should have access to timely tests and treatments and not subject to waiting lists or treatment decisions dependent on anyone other than you and your doctor. Third, our health care system must emphasize prevention and wellness. Chronic diseases account for 75 percent of our nation's medical costs. By implementing programs focused on preventing such things as smoking and obesity-related diseases, we will not only save lives, but reduce health care costs. And lastly, any reform needs to focus on getting rid of the waste, fraud and abuse that plagues our current system. Approximately $60 billion is lost due to fraud in the Medicare program alone. We can't afford to multiply that number through a government takeover of our entire health care system. Our health care system needs to prioritize efficiency, transparency, and results. I look forward to working with Members of both parties to ensure that these principles guide any legislation we will consider in the future.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I would like to express my support for House Resolution 484, designating June 10 as National Pipeline Safety Day, and yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz- Balart).

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I believe this resolution highlights the need to properly maintain pipelines and encourages the development of pipeline safety programs. I support the passage of this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same. 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 House Resolution 410, a resolution recognizing the recreational boating community and industries. I now recognize for as much time as he may consume our colleague from South Carolina, Mr. Henry Brown.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to our colleague from Indiana, Representative Souder.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I fully support House Resolution 410, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 410, introduced by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein), which recognizes the recreational boating community and boating industry for their contributions to the national economy and urges the President to issue a proclamation to observe July 1, 2009 as National Boating Day. In the United States, the boating community consists of over 59 million people and over 13 million registered recreational boats. The boating community supports over 330,000 American jobs with total wages totaling approximately $10.4 billion a year. There are approximately 1400 boat builders in the United States that construct and repair boats using materials and services from all 50 States. In addition, recreational boating and the boating industry contribute over $33 billion to the American economy annually. In my state of Minnesota, there are over 866,000 registered boats-- the third largest number of boats of any state in the country. In fact, Minnesota has the most boats per capita of any state: there is one boat for every six people. Whether it is on the river, a lake, along the ocean, inter-coastal or intra-coastal waterway, recreational boaters support and depend on over 12,000 marinas all across the United States. Recreational boating is an American pas-time. It is a family activity that appeals to all age groups and is a constructive outlet for entertainment. Whether water skiing, snorkeling, fishing, or just relaxing on the water, boating is a perfect reason to turn off the television and put away the video games and to bring families and friends closer together. For these reasons, July 1, 2009, should be established as National Boating Day. I support H. Res. 410, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. PETRI

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

Mr. PETRI. At this time, Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my colleague from Michigan, Vern Ehlers.

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 472. I'm a cosponsor of the resolution introduced by my colleague, Mr. Dent of Pennsylvania, congratulating the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association on the organization's 70th anniversary. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 472. I am a cosponsor of the resolution introduced by Mr. Dent congratulating the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) on the organization's 70th anniversary. For decades, AOPA has provided important safety information to pilots all over the country, making it a valuable safety partner with the FAA and the House Transportation Committee. In addition, AOPA continues to perform an advocacy function for pilots and aircraft owners providing a helpful voice both at the FAA and here in Congress. Representing roughly 415,000 pilots and aircraft owners, AOPA has been a valuable stakeholder helping to shape policy solutions to safety issues facing the general aviation industry. Finally, in representing pilots and aircraft owners, AOPA represents a general aviation industry that is critical to our nation's economy. The manufacturing of general aviation aircraft as well as the maintenance and operation of general aviation aircraft supports 1,265,000 high-quality jobs here in the United States. General aviation also inspires the love for flying that has led to so many U.S. commercial airline pilot careers. I support the adoption of the resolution. I yield such time as he may consume to the author of the resolution, Representative Charles Dent.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. I thank my colleague for yielding. I thank the previous speakers, particularly the Speaker of the House for taking the time from her busy schedule to come down here to honor a distinguished colleague on the occasion of naming the Federal courthouse in his hometown after him, and that's the gentleman I had the privilege of serving with for nearly 30 years and getting to know and one whom I admire a great deal, and that is Ralph Regula. You've heard about the spirit with which Ralph Regula approached his responsibilities as a legislator. It was positive. He worked with all Members of this body, and he did what he thought was in the best interest of this country and this institution. You learn a lot about Members of this body when you visit their districts. And my wife and young daughter and I had the habit, as we would drive back to Wisconsin for the August break, of picking a different route across the country and taking a few extra days and stopping to see historic and interesting places and making it an educational and fun thing rather than just an ordeal to go across the country. And one year we decided to go through and visit John Seiberling, another colleague in Akron, Ohio, from a distinguished family, Seiberling Tire and all that, and he had his home which they had lost in the Depression, Stan Hywet, which is one of the largest private homes in the United States. And in the course of doing that, he took us through the thing, and I discovered that he and Ralph Regula had worked together for many years to create what is now, I believe, the largest national park east of the Mississippi, the Cuyahoga. I know they were both tremendously proud of that. It was a wonderful opportunity for that area of Ohio because there are large cities on various sides of this and it provides recreational and other opportunities for a large population. And if they had not acted when they did, it might not be there today. It was done by those two Representatives working as best they could with colleagues in both political parties and will stand, I think, as a lasting monument to their joint efforts on behalf of our country and certainly the people of their region in Ohio. Ralph and Mary were and are a great team. And one other thing I think I might mention, Ralph is kind of a gentleman farmer, I guess, and he used to spend a lot of time working there, and he loved his grandchildren and family and all of that. But Ronald Reagan was kind of a gentleman farmer, too. He had this ranch out in California where he cleared brush and was trying to develop it. And it turned out that he and Ralph were talking over at the White House for some reason about some other things, and Reagan discovered that Ralph was going back to work on some fencing on his farm and he asked him if he could explain how he did it. So Ralph came back to a meeting afterward and said that Reagan had taken careful notes and everything else and then a week or two later gave him, I think, a signed copy of the instructions that Ralph had given to him, that it was a good fence. Ralph did a great job and it's an appropriate honor. I strongly support the passage of this legislation.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the amendment offered by my colleague Mr. Mica and co-sponsored by myself and fellow subcommittee members, Congressman Ehlers and Congressman Graves. This amendment seeks to clarify the standard for when TSA is allowed to circumvent the rulemaking process under the Administrative Procedures Act and issue a security directive in order to respond to an ``imminent threat'' of limited duration. While there are circumstances in which these security directives are necessary to address immediate threats to our transportation systems, they too often have been issued under unclear circumstances and have even been known to change from week to week. This places an unnecessary burden on commercial and general aviation alike--as well as other modes of transportation. For example, TSA recently issued a security directive that required background checks and restrictive badging requirements for general aviation at airports with commercial service. This directive placed unneeded restrictions on thousands of pilots and others without identifying what imminent threat existed. The TSA subsequently eased the requirements somewhat, but the fact remains that a security directive was used to regulate an entirely new population of airport personnel and users. This is basically regulation by policy statement-- not the more proper rulemaking that provides for the opportunity for public comment, consideration of costs and operational impacts, and greater transparency and accountability. By the way, this one Security Directive has been revised 8 times! We are all aware of the threats our nation's transportation systems face. TSA must have the authority to address imminent threats by bypassing the formal rulemaking process. But this authority should not be used to impose new security requirements that do not meet the security directive threshold as contemplated by Congress. This amendment not only will ensure that TSA retains this needed authority, but also establishes a proper balance between security and the protection of our civil liberties by tightening the issuance standard. I want to express my appreciation to Mr. Mica and others for their work to bring this amendment to the floor, and urge my colleagues to support its adoption.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. I have no further requests for time. 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 H.R. 1380, the Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsiveness Treatment in Schools Act of 2009, also referred to as the Josh Miller HEARTS Act. This legislation would authorize the United States Secretary of Education to make grants to public and private elementary and secondary schools to purchase automated external defibrillators, also known as AEDs, for school grounds and to train employees and volunteers on how to use these devices which have saved thousands of lives all over the United States. An AED is a portable, computerized medical device that can check a person's heart rhythm to determine whether he or she is in cardiac arrest. It can recognize a rhythm that requires an electronic shock and can advise a rescuer when a shock is needed. The AED uses voice prompts, lights and text messages to tell the rescuer the precise steps he or she needs to take to operate the device. It is an extremely accurate and easy device to use. As such, the device is widely credited for saving hundreds of lives each year. This bill requires local education agencies that receive a grant under the program to provide at least a 25 percent match from non- Federal sources. It also ensures that local paramedics and other emergency services personnel are notified regarding where the actual AED is located on the school grounds in case they ever have to respond to a situation on the campus. H.R. 1380 is an important piece of legislation that will help save lives all across the country. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. I have no requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the Toys for Tots Literacy Program for their commitment to providing our Nation's less fortunate children with the resources they need to develop early reading skills. I ask all of my colleagues to support this resolution. I have no requests for time. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from Tennessee, my colleague, Mr. Duncan.

Mr. PETRI. I have no further requests for time. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting the resolution of our colleague from Tennessee honoring Head Coach Pat Summitt on her exceeding 1,000 victories. I yield back the balance of my time.