Tom Petri

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. PETRI

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

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the author of the resolution.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 144.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 144. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 144, which expresses the sense of Congress that Dinah Washington should be recognized for her achievements as one of the most talented vocalists in American popular music history. Born in 1924, Dinah Washington was a singer and performer whose early influence and focus was gospel music and spirituals. She began touring the country in 1940, was hired to sing with Lionel Hampton's big band, and signed her first recording contract in 1943. Dinah Washington was recording with jazz stars and leaders in the industry by 1948 and was a full-fledged pop music star by the late 1950s after recording the ballad ``What a Difference a Day Makes.'' Throughout her career, Dinah Washington recorded in jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and pop and was considered a preeminent figure and an enormously gifted vocalist in each genre. After dominating the charts in the late 1940s and 1950s, Dinah Washington died on December 14, 1963. By today's measure, she would have been considered a tremendous crossover superstar. House Concurrent Resolution 144 is simple and straightforward. It expresses the sense of Congress that Dinah Washington should be recognized for her versatility, remarkable music talent, and for influence on female vocalists in jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, pop, and gospel. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I am honored to participate in this special order recognizing the many years of dedicated service to the 1st District of Nebraska and to our country by our good friend and colleague, Doug Bereuter. Doug is one of the hardest working, dedicated and principled Members to serve in this House. In his quiet way, he has successfully worked to bring about significant reforms and accomplishments in many areas. Through it all, he has done so with the highest moral character, unquestioned integrity, and has been true to his convictions. Doug has been an example to us all by working in an effective and bipartisan manner, more interested in policy and legislation than scoring political points. He considers each issue on the merits and isn't afraid to follow his own convictions and do what he believes is right. If Doug proposes a legislative initiative, you can count on it being well-considered and carefully thought out. Perhaps his strength of character and principled behavior comes from his Midwestern Nebraska roots that go back five generations. He has served Nebraska and his constituents well, never losing sight of the special needs and concerns of his district. Doug has been a leader in many varied initiatives that have benefited his constituents and the country. He has been active in promoting a national trail program that improves the quality of life for all Americans. As a colleague on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I know he has been diligent in tending to the various transportation needs of his district. While not a Member of the Agriculture Committee, he nonetheless has been active in promoting proposals to aid farmers. Just this year, the Financial Services Committee and the House have acted on other initiatives he has spearheaded for many years, including flood insurance reform and home loan guarantee programs. Perhaps the area for which Doug has become most recognized here in the House and, literally, around the world is that of foreign affairs. He is recognized as one of the hardest working members of the International Relations Committee and has served admirably as Chairman of the Asian Subcommittee and the Europe Subcommittee. For many years he was the Chairman of the House delegation to the British American Parliamentary Group and remains an active member today. He is currently Chairman of the U.S. House Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly as well as President of the NATO PA itself, positions that require countless hours of work and effort on a continuing basis. He is a co-founder of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China that was essential in winning permanent normal trade relations with China while ensuring that we continue to monitor human rights, guard against prison labor exports and put in place other related safeguards. The many other boards, commissions and task forces he has served on over the years are too numerous a to mention. While I regret Doug leaving the House, he is undoubtedly well suited for his next position as president of The Asia Foundation. He is keenly aware of the increasingly important role of Asia and in the benefit to Asia and to the U.S. in helping to encourage growth and prosperity from within the region. The goal of the Asian Foundation is the ``development of a peaceful, prosperous, and open Asia-Pacific region.'' It accomplishes this through supporting programs that help improve governance, economic reform and development, increased participation of women, and other internal reforms. I know all of these are principles that Doug shares, and he will provide strong and steady guidance to the organization. I would be remiss if I didn't note another important ingredient to Doug's--success--lovely wife Louise. An accomplished artist and musician, Louise has been a loyal and steadfast partner as Doug has faced his many responsibilities. I will long remember one night on a recent BAPG trip to Ditchley Park outside Oxford. Louise played one song after another on the piano as the rest of us struggled to sing along. I'm afraid our vocal abilities were no match for her musical skills. But it was a lot of fun, and that is how I will always think of Doug and Louise--good and decent people who know how to enjoy life. So I wish them well as they move to San Francisco and begin this new phase of their life together. Doug can be proud of his service here in the House, an I am proud to have served with him and to consider him a friend.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my chairman for the time, and I assure my senior minority leader on the committee that it is often darkest before the dawn, and I think there will be a dawn before long for transportation in America. I certainly hope so. One way or another, we will meet our Nation's needs. I rise in support of this bill to extend to July 30 current highway transit and highway safety programs. We have done it several times in the past. We are bringing this bill to the floor today in order to ensure that these programs continue to function and that funds be made available to the States while House and Senate conferees proceed with negotiations on a long-term bill. Mr. Speaker, it is important we have a multiyear bill that provides adequate and needed resources to invest in our Nation's transportation systems. In preparation for this reauthorization effort, I and many of my colleagues on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, as has been pointed out, traveled to meetings with Governors, mayors, local officials all across our country. Each of them showed us the pressing transportation needs that their cities and States have in order to improve safety, reduce congestion, and provide for a first- class transportation network that is essential for economic growth and opportunity. There are many demands being placed upon us as we seek to reauthorize TEA-21. Donor States want to see improvement in their rate of return on Federal highway dollars. Members from States with trade corridors want to see adequate investment to construct needed roads like I-69, I-49 and Ports-to-Planes, to name only a few. Cities and States that need to complete massive projects, such as the multibillion dollar viaduct project in Seattle or the rail consolidation project in Chicago, find themselves overwhelmed by their financial costs and are seeking Federal help, and almost every Member of this body has approached the committee regarding pressing transportation projects that are crucial in their district. All of these are legitimate goals, but we must have the resources if we are, in fact, to respond. As we continue negotiations to resolve these and other questions, I urge the approval of this extension so that needed funds can continue to flow to the States and so work on critical transportation projects can move forward.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize one of my constituents who is serving as our guest chaplain today, the Reverend David Lauer. Reverend Lauer is the campus minister and Marjorie and Richard D. Leach Professor of Theological Studies of Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. At Lakeland, he teaches in the areas of Old and New Testament, liturgy, contemporary ethics and contemporary theology. Reverend Lauer just completed his 36th year as coach of the men's varsity tennis team and has been inducted into Lakeland's Athletic Hall of Fame. David received his bachelor of arts degree from Heidelberg College and his master of divinity degree from Eden Theological Seminary. He will celebrate 40 years of marriage to Lynne Jenkins next year. I know my colleagues join me in welcoming Reverend Lauer to the House today.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, it is with a sense of real loss that I first heard the news that Charlie Johnson was leaving after so many years of dedicated service to all of us in the House, and I want to take this occasion to join with my colleagues in paying tribute to him today. I personally take great comfort in seeing Charlie each day at his post on the Speaker's podium, monitoring our proceedings, guiding the Member who has been appointed to preside over the House, and making the determinations and rulings needed to keep this House running in a manner that respects the rights and the privileges of all Members. I know that we are in good hands. The person who serves as Parliamentarian influences the daily activities of the House, and though not known by many Americans, has had a great impact on some of the most dramatic moments that have occurred in this Chamber. From his perch, he literally has a front seat to history. I am sure at times he found himself in situations he never expected; but through it all, his behavior was beyond reproach. Perhaps what impressed me most as I got to know Charlie over the years was his commitment to and interest in parliamentary procedure, not only here in the U.S. but in other legislative bodies as well. Charlie often traveled to consult with others and has participated in conferences and hearings explaining our rules and procedures. Speaking from my own experience, he joined us on trips to London as part of the British-American Parliamentary Group. He spent at least part of the time consulting with his counterpart in the British Parliament regarding a cooperative project on parliamentary procedures and comparing the two institutions. Charlie was an educator. In addition to writing and editing books about parliamentary procedure, he spent a lot of time meeting with school kids and others to explain how our House works and the importance of parliamentary procedure and its literal impact on the history of our House and this Nation. As he leaves us, we can thank him too for the way he ran the Office of Parliamentarian and mentored the deputy and assistant Parliamentarians under his direction. His deputy, John Sullivan, will become the Parliamentarian next month. This also reflects well on the standards Charlie set for his office. I will miss Charlie, but I will value always his integrity, professionalism, his attention given to each Member no matter what party they may have represented, his principled advice and conduct, his love and respect for the House and its traditions, and, most importantly, for his friendship.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, as a long time supporter of Hmong veterans and their families in Wisconsin and across the United States, I am pleased to be a cosponsor and express my support for House Resolution 402 which calls for democratic and human rights reforms in Laos. Many Americans don't realize the vital role Hmong soldiers played in the Vietnam War. School history books often ignore that before U.S. soldiers even landed in Vietnam or Laos, CIA agents arrived to train young Hmong men and women to fight against their oppressors. These brave Hmong fought valiantly for democracy and for freedom for their people. They rescued downed American pilots and took bullets that otherwise would have found their way to the bodies of American soldiers. In defense of their country and in service to U.S. troops, nearly 40,000 Hmong troops were killed, approximately 58,000 were injured in combat and more than 2,500 are still missing in action today. These numbers don't begin to represent the thousands of Hmong soldiers and civilians hunted down and massacred by communist forces after the U.S. armed forces began their withdrawal from the region in 1975. The survivors lost many loved ones and lost their homeland. The United States owes these veterans a great deal. Edgar Buell, a former senior U.S. official working with the Hmong during the war years, best summed up their dedication to the U.S. and western democratic principles when he said, ``Everyone of them that died, that was an American back home that didn't die. Somebody in nearly every Hmong family was either fighting or died from fighting . . . They became refugees because we . . . encouraged them to fight for us. I promised them myself: `Have no fear, we will take care of you.' '' Yet, we hear reports that the persecution of the Hmong in Laos continues to this day, with charges of starvation, families being separated, and other acts of violence. Over the last twenty years, thousands of Hmong have settled in Wisconsin and other places across the United States, sharing their tragic history and brave sacrifices with their fellow Americans. On their behalf, we must fulfill Edgar Buell's promise and encourage the government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to stop civil rights violations against the Hmong and others, and allow free and open political activities in Laos.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The legislation now before us will continue for an additional 2 months the highway construction, highway safety, transit, motor carrier and surface transportation research programs. These programs will be continued under current law program structures and conditions. This bill is necessary in order to give the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and our colleagues in the Senate time to conference our two versions of the multiyear surface transportation bill. H.R. 4219 provides over $31 billion in new funding authority, which reflects 9 months' worth, or nine-twelfths of the budget authority and associated outlays in the 2004 budget resolution that Congress passed earlier this year. As the House knows, we recently passed by 357 votes H.R. 3550, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users. This bill will help the country maintain and begin to improve our aging and deteriorating transportation infrastructure. Although H.R. 3550 is funded at a much lower level than it was originally introduced, $275 billion in guaranteed funding instead of the $375 billion the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure supported, it is a balanced and good bill that will help stimulate and support the economy, decrease congestion and make our highways safer. Until H.R. 3550 can be conferenced with the Senate-passed bill, this 2-month extension through June 30 is a must-pass bill. If we do not pass this bill and send it to the President before Friday of this week, four Department of Transportation agencies will close their doors and furlough their employees: the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. If we do not pass this extension, new highway projects will be shelved, States will not be reimbursed the Federal share of projects, safety grants will not be provided to States, transit construction will be halted, and Federal enforcement of motor carrier safety regulations on the highways and at our borders will suffer. It is crucial that H.R. 4219 be passed by both the House and Senate and delivered to the President by April 30, if not before. Our economy cannot withstand the shutdown of the national surface transportation programs. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I wish I was standing here on the floor today urging passage of a conference report meeting our Nation's transportation needs. Instead, I urge my colleagues to support a further 2-month extension of the existing program so that conferees can be appointed and we can work with the Senate toward the end of meeting our Nation's transportation needs. This is what we need to do under the circumstances, and do it promptly.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4219) to provide an extension of highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a law reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4219.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 97 recognizing the Garden Club of America's 91st annual meeting this week here in Washington, D.C. The Garden Club of America, founded in 1913, is a recognized national leader in the fields of horticulture, conservation, education, and civic improvement with 195 member clubs in 40 States and the District of Columbia. Each year the Club holds its annual meeting in a different host city. This year 12 Garden Clubs in the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland are hosting the meeting, which occurs in Washington, D.C., only once every 20 years. In our Nation's Capital, the Garden Club of America was instrumental in the founding of the National Arboretum, the development of the Archives of American Gardens at the Smithsonian Institution, and the creation and installation of the Butterfly Habitat Garden which now graces the Mall at the National Museum of Natural History. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting Senate Concurrent Resolution 97 to recognize the many contributions this organization has made in communities across our country and to send our best wishes on the occasion of the Garden Club of America's 91st annual meeting in Washington, D.C., April 24 through the 27.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment. The Chairman pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the amendment.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Illinois, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Chairman, I reluctantly rise in opposition to the amendment. It is offered by a very valued and hard-working member of our committee. We have been working with the members of the committee on both sides of the aisle on the FAST proposal. Elements of it are contained in the bill before us. But the amendment as drafted would be disruptive to a number of aspects of the legislation that is currently on the books. There is a three-State pilot program that would be repealed by the amendment, and there are also several new tolling proposals that are in this legislation that would be repealed by the proposal. We are not opposed to working with the Member and trying to perfect what is in the legislation as it goes forward, but as things stand at this point we oppose the amendment.

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I do not believe there is any objection to this technical amendment. It has been reviewed by people on both sides. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during further consideration of H.R. 3550, pursuant to House Resolution 593, it shall be in order to consider, prior to any other amendment, the amendment that I have placed at the desk as though printed as an amendment printed in part B of House Report 108-456, to be debatable for not to exceed 10 minutes, equally divided and controlled between myself and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar).

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Chairman, I would just like to concur in the commendation that our chairman extended to the working staff on both sides of the aisle, and to say to my colleagues that this is a work in progress. This is an important milestone, but this is not the end of the process by any means. We will be working on this and voting on it over the coming months, and then we will be back under the terms of this bill in about 18 months to readdress the needs of our Nation in the transportation area. So this is not a one-time snapshot that is set. This is a work in progress; and I hope that, as we continue with this work in progress, we will work together to meet the transportation needs of our country, which are enormous.

Mr. PETRI

Mr. PETRI. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. PETRI. That is something that we are eager to work with the gentleman on. This is important not only in Illinois, it is important in Wisconsin, in Minnesota, and in a number of other States.