Ralph Regula

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. In terms of earmarks, a proposal was made that we take an additional $2 billion as emergency spending, and half of that would have been for earmarks. But we did not do that.

Mr. REGULA. The fact that there are no earmarks?

Mr. REGULA. Absolutely, a billion dollars.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).

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

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I hope you will all weigh carefully what your opportunity here is in terms of voting for this bill. An opportunity to improve health research, an opportunity to improve education in Title I, an opportunity to provide more money for special education, an opportunity to ensure that LIHEAP is funded for those in need, an opportunity to develop community health centers where poor people can go to get help, where they can avoid having to run to the emergency room. So many positive things. As I said at the outset, this is a bill that makes you proud to be an American. It illustrates the compassion of the American people. We have heard from the other side how we are not doing enough. Let me point out that in 1996 shortly after the Republican Party became a majority in 1994 and took responsibility, in 1996, the total of this bill was $65 billion. Here 10 years later, this bill is $142.5 billion, more than double the amount of money that has been committed to the compassionate programs of America, education, job training, medical research. We could go on and on. We heard the gentleman from California talk about qualified teachers. I want to mention a special program in here. It is new. $100 million to help get better qualified teachers in every classroom. Over and over again we hear how important the teacher is to the education system. Not only teachers but principals, good principals, good schools. We have recognized the importance of this by committing $100 million. This bill has $2 billion for homeland security. Again, this is important to the American people. Homeland security in the form of CDC, checking around the world in 43 locations to ensure that avian flu does not reach our shores. I could go on and on about the compassion of this bill in terms of helping people. TRIO and GEAR-UP, programs to help people get into college, to get that higher education that we all recognize is vital to their future and to the future of this Nation. And let me say to those of you who think that, well, the key to this is to defeat the bill. If you defeat the bill, what is going to happen, in all likelihood, it will give these responsibilities that are embodied in this bill, the important programs for America will get rolled into some form of an omnibus bill and will be a continuing resolution. If that were to happen, priorities that are embodied in the bill would be lost, the things that are so important to all the Members of this body, but, moreover, far more important to the people of America, 280 million people. I urge a strong, positive vote for the bill so we can continue to take pride in America and the compassion of the American people.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I move to take from the Speaker's table the bill, H.R. 3010, with the Senate amendment and to insist on disagreement to the Senate amendment.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue of great importance to me and my constituents. In particular, I speak of a provision in the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act of 2006 regarding the Muskingum Watershed in Ohio. The Muskingum Watershed encompasses 18 counties in Ohio and includes all of the area which drains into the Muskingum River and its tributaries where it joins with the Ohio River. Below the watershed lies an aquifer of great importance to the constituents of my district and those of surrounding areas. The threat that landfills pose to the aquifer and the watershed are too great to ignore. Remember, we are fortunate in the United States to be well-endowed with water, and we are indebted to our forebearers for creating the infrastructure to deliver potable water to our communities, farmers and industries. As a representative, it is my responsibility to respond to the concerns of my constituents to protect and preserve the integrity of their water supply. During my time as chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I have dealt with many issues relating to clean water and its significance. I have seen how a lack of planning, oversight and development has harmed the Everglades, and now we are tasked with spending millions of taxpayer dollars to reverse the problem. Additionally, per my request, the United States Geological Survey published a report in 2003 titled ``Plan for National Assessment of Water Availability and Use.'' The report highlights the availability of water in the U.S. and how this availability relates to need, source and geographic location. I would like to cite a statement made in a report by the Council of State Governments that sums up the need to protect our water: ``Water, which used to be considered a ubiquitous resource, is now scarce in some parts of the country and not just in the West as one might assume. The water wars have spread to the Midwest, East and South as well.'' I find this statement quite telling and see it as a wake up call to all those who take water for granted. Much has changed over the years; cities have grown, irrigation technology has advanced and ground water has become a much larger fraction of the nation's water supply. All these factors contribute to the need to protect the Muskingum watershed and the aquifer below it. Having heard from many constituents concerning the potential dangers posed by the stress of additional landfills in the Muskingum Watershed, I have made this provision one of my top priorities in Congress. I feel that the criteria set forth by the provision are fair, nondiscriminatory and of utmost importance in preserving the aquifer for generations to come.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate my constituent, Stephen A. Perry, for his service to his country as the 17th administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The Buckeye State is proud of Steve as one of the highest ranking Ohioans serving in the Bush administration. As administrator, Steve brought an extensive background from both the private sector and State government. He has effectively led the GSA during a period where the Federal Government's infrastructure has been aging, but funds have been limited to deal with all these problems. However, Steve guided GSA through prioritizing projects and making sure that agency employees had the support required to tackle Federal infrastructure issues. He started his career at the Timken Company of Canton, a leading international manufacturer of highly engineered bearings and alloy steels. At Timken, Steve progressed from an initial position as stockroom clerk to vice president. In 1991, then Governor George Voinovich appointed Steve to his Cabinet as director of the Department of Administrative Services, which provides services to State agencies that are similar to what GSA provides Federal agencies. After his successful tenure in State government, Steve returned to Timken where he was elected as an officer and promoted to senior vice president. Additionally, Steve has been very active in community and charitable organizations. He has been recognized by numerous groups for his commitment to his home community. On a personal note, I would like to thank Steve for his work in getting a new Federal building for Canton, Ohio. Through Steve's leadership, this new Federal center will be a one-stop facility where citizens can come to various Federal agencies to get issues addressed. The building will be a model for the GSA system, and we owe its success to Steve's guidance. I look forward to being with Steve at the future ceremony that opens Canton's new Federal building. We are proud of Steve's service at GSA, but also pleased that he, and his wife, Sondra, are returning home to Canton, Ohio and be active members in our community.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1 of rule XXII and by direction of the Committee on Appropriations, I move to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 3010) making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the Senate amendment, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve a point of order on the gentleman's motion.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I make a point of order against the motion because it violates clause 9 of rule XXII by proposing to direct the conferees to exceed the scope of matters committed to the conference. And I ask for a ruling from the Chair.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I move to lay the appeal on the table.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lance Corporal Daniel McVicker, a constituent from my district who died on October 6th when the humvee he was driving was hit by a roadside bomb. Daniel joined the Marines in 2003 and was serving in Iraq by providing security for convoys. Daniel was a graduate of West Branch High School where he was active in chorale and many of the school's plays. The community fondly remembers him as always smiling and as having the ability to brighten everyone's day. He showed true courage and the ultimate sacrifice by giving his life in the pursuit for freedom and security. He is a hero and through his memory, continues to brighten the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing him. I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to his parents and all of his family and friends who are mourning the loss of his life. I pray for the safe return of all of our servicemen and women and thank them for the sacrifice they make every day defending our country.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following poem ``Eulogy of the Common Soldier'' for inclusion in the Congressional Record. The poem was written by U.S. Army First Lieutenant Aaron Seesan when he was in his senior year at Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio. Aaron was killed in Iraq on May 22, 2005 while serving his country. All mortal beings, which God brought forth, die the same, man is not exempt. All will inevitably end as the dust from whence we came, it matters not of age. Do not mourn me if I should fall in a foreign land, think this of my passing. In a far off field a finer soil mixed with the foreign sand, a dust that is American. A dust that laughed, cried, and loved as an American, on this plot there shall be. A little piece of America, a patch for the free man, which no oppressor can take. From this soil grows grass shimmering a little greener, brilliant emerald ramparts. A Breeze whisping White Poppies with a scent a little sweeter, flowers towards Heaven. Mourn not my terrible death but celebrate my cause in life, viewed noble or not. I would have sacrificed and gave all that I had to give, not to make man good, but only to let the good man live.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the School Readiness Act. Let me first begin by recognizing the tremendous efforts of my colleagues, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) in crafting a good bill. As a former teacher and elementary principal, I am aware of the necessity of a first-rate education and need to ensure that children have adequate skills before entering kindergarten. As chairman of the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, funding Head Start in the amount of $6 billion, this bill will achieve a better use of those moneys. For over four decades the Head Start program has provided comprehensive early childhood development services to low-income children. By providing educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to the most needy in our society, this program prepares children to enter kindergarten and to improve the conditions necessary for their success in later school and life. Head Start strongly emphasizes the involvement of families in the local community to ensure that the programs are responsive to the unique needs of each community. As you know, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Head Start Bureau has urged all of its grantees to provide Head Start services to any displaced children and families now in their communities. Very important, so they do not fall behind. As successful as Head Start has been, I believe that the program can be even more successful by maintaining the comprehensive services already provided and enhancing the academic component. Consistent with the goal of strengthening this program, H.R. 2123 will help to eliminate financial mismanagement by increasing the competitive nature of the current program. The competition requirements are intended to help drive program improvement across the board and to ensure that the $6 billion we spend is spent constructively and wisely. Mr. Chairman, I would like to emphasize that a good education is the cornerstone for success in life and that it is critical to have the basic skills to build the foundation before entering kindergarten. We have found a large dropout problem in our inner-city schools, in some cases exceeding 50 percent. In fact, the national average is 32 percent. And this is a terrible waste of human resources. In many cases, the students dropping out cannot read at beyond the elementary school level, and see no reason to stay in school when they cannot keep up with the school work. The problems of dropouts and illiteracy do not begin in high school. They manifest themselves in high school, but they begin in elementary and pre-elementary. These problems begin in the school when the students fall behind their classmates in the early years, because they did not start with the same skill sets. We need to ensure that these students have an equal start, and H.R. 2123 will help us in the mission.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues from Ohio, and particularly our Senator, Senator Voinovich, and my other colleagues. And as dean of the Ohio delegation, it is a great pleasure that I rise this afternoon to introduce the Honorable Jean Schmidt of the Second District of Ohio. She has been a lifelong resident of Clermont County, the first woman ever elected to represent southern Ohio in Congress. The diverse Second Congressional District includes seven counties, a lot of Lincoln Day dinners, stretches from downtown Cincinnati to the riverside town of Portsmouth in Scioto County. Throughout her career, Congresswoman Schmidt has held various roles in public office and has been actively involved in civic and community groups. That is a great background for serving here. She served for two terms in the Ohio statehouse, and according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, she `` . . . proved effective in passing legislation to address her district's concerns.'' While serving in the State legislature, Schmidt enacted legislation to create jobs, protect Ohio's children, and ensure access to quality health care. Prior to her election to Ohio's statehouse, Mrs. Schmidt served 10 years as a Miami Township trustee. In this leadership role, she helped Miami Township to become a world-class community by initiating a variety of projects and improvements, including creating a 300-acre first-class park system, securing funds for critical road repairs, and attracting 2,000 high-paying jobs for the township. My township could use some of her advice. She also established a 5K run and located a branch of the Clermont County Library in Miami Township. Congresswoman Schmidt resides in Miami Township with her husband, Peter, and their daughter Emily. She holds degrees in political science and secondary education from the University of Cincinnati. Her interests include auto racing and long-distance running. She has completed 56 marathons and still counting. Mr. Speaker, I want to say she is tonight embarking on the greatest marathon of her career. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome Congresswoman Schmidt to the House.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this bill. I commend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg) for presenting a fair bill. It provides for critical transportation and housing needs of our country, as well as funding for the Federal Judiciary and the District of Columbia. In the interest of time, I am just going to summarize my remarks. I think one of the key elements to a strong economy in a Nation is an interstate highway system so we can move goods and people. I often think how wise President Eisenhower was when he started the interstate system. We cannot imagine the United States without the interstate system. So this bill, under the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), really focuses on transportation, and that is a key element of the Nation's economy. It is a key element of providing quality of life and jobs for people. In addition to the Federal system, this bill provides $37 billion for public roads, bridges and so on that deal with the safety issues. There is over $14 billion to the FAA because, again, safety in our airports, safety in facilities to expand the aviation capability of the United States. Along with that is the money for the air traffic controllers. Again, there is a need for a growing number. Many air traffic controllers will be retiring, and this bill addresses that by making investments in new hiring and training for almost 600 new air traffic controllers. I think we forget when we are up in the sky in an airplane; we assume safety. But we are dependent on the air traffic controllers to ensure that. Housing needs, again an essential part of the quality of life in a country. This bill addresses the section 8 programs. I would particularly commend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg) for restoring funding to the community development fund. This gives the local communities an opportunity to meet the needs and requirements of their people. I think it is a great way of involving local government and the people who know what the needs of their community would be to ensure that there is a quality of life. Lastly, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program is part of the National Drug Control Policy. We do a lot of drug control programs in the Labor-HHS bill, but this is also an important part of that. This is critical in the State of Ohio for the HIDTA program. It is critical for local communities as well as Federal responsibilities. For all of these reasons and many more, and the qualities of this bill, I urge my colleagues to support this important funding measure. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Transportation, Treasury, HUD Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2006. As a member of the Subcommittee, I commend Chairman Knollenberg for presenting a fair bill that provides for the critical transportation and housing needs of our country, as well as funding for the Federal Judiciary and the District of Columbia. I would like to highlight several issues that make this a good bill that deserves the support of this House. First, a strong interstate highway system is essential for a growing and healthy economy. I am pleased the bill increased funding to Federal-aid highways to $37 billion to construct and improve our Nation's highways, public roads and bridges. This represents an increase of nearly $2 billion from last year's enacted level. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) partners with States to assist in financing the construction and preservation of nearly 1 million miles of highways and other key routes, connecting cities and towns across the country. The bill also provides over $14 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); nearly 900 million over last year's level. This important funding supports the operations of a 24-hour a day national air traffic system and a continued commitment to safety and efficiency in our Nation's airways. I support the Chairman's increases of funding for the Airport Improvement Program to $3.6 billion and for the Essential Air Service program to $104 million. These important programs assist public use airports with costs of capital improvements and ensure that people living in small communities and rural areas have access to air service. Air traffic controllers have the tremendous responsibility of providing for safety and security of our Nation's airways. With the expectation that 73 percent of controller work force will be eligible to retire over the next 10 years, I am pleased the committee directed $25 million in responsible investments to hire and train 595 new air traffic controllers. Addressing housing needs, the bill includes $15.5 billion in funding for the Section 8 housing vouchers. This funding level represents a $765 million increase over last year and allows for the renewal of all existing tenant-based vouchers. The bill assumes completion of the transition from a ``unit-based'' to a ``budget-based'' system so that Public Housing Authorities will now have a set amount of funding to work with each year. Recognizing that numerous Public Housing Authorities were adversely affected by the three-month snap shot period used last year to set the budget totals, the bill provides $45 million to restore vouchers to those areas that need it most. Section 8 housing vouchers are the safety net needed to help many low income working people provide a safe and secure home for their families. I would like to commend Chairman Knollenberg for restoring funding for the Community Development Fund to a level of $4.151 billion and maintaining this community development program in the Department of Housing and Urban Development where it can best serve our local community needs. This critical program provides local governments with flexible funds, allowing them to address specific needs existing within their communities. I would also like to note that this bill maintains funding for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA) within the Office of National Drug Control Policy and does not move the program to the Justice Department. The bill provides $227 million to fully fund the existing HIDTAs and allows some expansion where needed. This program is critical in the State of Ohio to allow local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies to coordinate and work together to reduce drug trafficking in the State. With that I urge my colleagues to support this important funding measure.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume just to close this out. Mr. Chairman, I think, again, these are both good programs. We had to make choices. In balancing the equities between the two, inasmuch as we put the $100 million in the innovative program and that is yet to be developed as to how it will be accomplished. But, we know with AmeriCorps that they work in the communities, do a lot of great work in getting people involved in mentoring and all kinds of other activities, and on balance I think we have to make a choice here. So, I would urge Members to stay with the numbers that are in the bill, to stay with what we put in for AmeriCorps and not approve this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. REGULA. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman. We are very aware of the gentleman's concerns. We have added a modest amount for the cancer institute. I have had many discussions with the director, Dr. von Eschenbach; and what we are trying to do, and he is doing, the gentleman would be interested in, he is trying to coordinate the various research centers. There are many good institutions throughout the United States doing cancer research; and because of the importance and the cost, we want to avoid duplication among these various institutions. So I think this program of trying to coordinate to ensure that they are not reinventing the wheel at each one of these places, because it is expensive, hopefully out of that effort there will be a more coordinated effort to target a cure for cancer because this would certainly be a great breakthrough.