Ralph Regula

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to introduce the newest Member of our body from Ohio, Mr. Robert Latta. There is a lot that I can say. He has an outstanding record in the Ohio legislature. He has a lot of community activities. One that I especially like is he was very active in the 4-H program, and that's something close to my heart. But let me say, Bob, you have a wonderful legacy to uphold here. Your father served here for 30 years, an outstanding Member, Del Latta, for a few of us that still remember him well, a great Member. And then you succeed Paul Gillmor, who had 20 years of outstanding service. So the 5th District of Ohio has had 50 years as a legacy of great service. And looking at your record in the Ohio legislature, I know that you will carry on the same record of great service to the people of that district and to the State of Ohio. And I'm happy, as the senior Member, to welcome you as a new Member of this great body. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Madam Speaker, one of the most significant factors of a student's academic achievement and success in life is a teacher who inspires. It is my privilege to rise today to recognize two outstanding teachers from my district who have been honored for their exceptional service and dedication. Just last month, Terra Mann was recognized among 4,000 nominations by the U.S. Department of Education as Ohio's recipient of ``American Stars of Teaching.'' With 19 years of teaching at Worley School in Canton and hundreds of inspired students behind her, Terra's talent and commitment has propelled students forward. In 5 years, she has risen to the challenge and helped move a struggling school to one of the highest designations of success we measure as a Nation, particularly in the critical area of reading proficiency. Julie Herman teaches at Compton Elementary in Canton, Ohio, and is the most recent recipient of the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, an award also known as the ``Oscars of Teaching.'' She is an intervention specialist and engages young at-risk and disabled students to achieve remarkable success academically. In 2005-2006, she helped all of her third graders pass the Ohio Achievement Test. Before our future entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders stands a teacher, and these women are examples of the truly best. I'm pleased to recognize and congratulate them here today.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this. When I was chairman of the committee, we eliminated the Bureau of Mines in 1995. Nobody missed it. The functions are carried on by the USGS very effectively. It is just one of those things that is not needed. I think it would be a big mistake to put it back in place. The amendment provides for 200 employees out of USGS. Why take them away from where they are doing a good job? The mining programs have worked very effectively since 1995, the time at which we eliminated this. It saves about $100 million. I think it would be a big mistake to put another, put it back in place. I hope that the Members will join me in opposing this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Pearce amendment. This amendment would simply re-create an agency that was dismantled in 1995. As Chairman of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee at that time, I worked to close the Bureau of Mines which the proposed amendment's agency resembles, in an effort to balance the budget through smaller, more effective government. With its closure, almost $100 million, or 66%, of the Bureau of Mines' 1995 programs ceased. However, certain critical minerals information activities moved to the US Geological Survey. This meant we receive the needed information on our mineral resources using far less money than in the past. Since taking over the minerals information functions, the USGS has done an excellent job of producing critical minerals information and in fact has broadened the role of the minerals information group by providing vital statistics and insight to help commerce, industry, and security. The USGS is the sole provider of mineral resource assessments and information in the federal government. To fragment this program once again by creating a new bureaucracy in government would not improve its functionality or serve American taxpayers' interests. Mr. Chairman, this amendment does not create anything new that is substantive. The only thing the amendment will create is a title of new agency, move some people around, and employ 100 new bureaucrats in administrative positions. Why do we need 100 administrative positions to oversee 200 scientists who were already working effectively at the USGS? Further, the amendment proposes a $30 million budget, which is more than double the current funding for this function. In our current budget climate, it makes no sense to add this new agency burden to government when the work this agency is proposed to do is already being done at the USGS effectively, with less expense to the taxpayer. This amendment will only fracture our current system of attaining knowledge on our country's mineral resources, create a new bureaucracy and waste tax dollars. I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlemen for yielding time. I could spend all day on this. I've had 10 years of experience with this, with the heritage corridor, and it's been such a tremendous asset. As a matter of fact, our chamber of commerce brought in an expert on economic development as to what we could do to keep young families in our community, and she said your number one asset is the corridor, the trail, because young families want to use it, and they do use it. And putting a human face on it, not only do I see young families all the time out on the towpath with their bicycles, with their family groups, but I see handicapped people who are wheeling their wheelchairs down the trail. So they, too, can benefit from the value of open space, a touch of environment and touch of nature. It's a terrific asset in our community. Over 3 million people use it. In terms of costs, this is not an appropriation. This is an authorization. So let's not be confused here by what it costs. That will be a decision for the Appropriations Committee to make as to how much they want to commit. All this bill does is authorize this expenditure. But what we found is that we get a huge outpouring of community support, foundations, village councils, private individuals who support this. For every dollar of Federal support, there's probably been $10 of local community involvement because they appreciate the recreational value. They appreciate the family values that come from using these facilities. They appreciate what it means to have this kind of thing in our community. The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath, which was originally there as part of the canal system, had brought prosperity to Ohio many years ago. In fact, we had had a system of canals that were the original expressways of yesteryear, and it started with George Washington and John Quincy Adams who pushed this for people. Of course, we all know about the granddaddy of all canals, the C&O Canal. That was saved. It was originally designated to be a highway. The highway folks said, yeah, this is wonderful; we've got 160 miles here of corridor where the canal and the towpath run so we'll put a highway on it. And Justice William O. Douglas got the Washington press corps together and said, ``Come with me; we'll hike this piece of history.'' I suppose that was a little strenuous at the time, but they managed it, and they wrote such glowing editorials about it that it was preserved. And to date, it's the C&O Canal National Parkway, and all you need to do is go out there on a Sunday afternoon or any weekday and you see people, thousands of people, from the City of Washington and the area using the C&O Canal for recreation, for an understanding of environment, for an understanding of history. It's a terrific asset. And I think what we're saying here is that other communities want to preserve their heritage corridors to tell the story of how their communities were built originally, and this is the case in Ohio. But you get all the additional benefits of health, of walking and bicycling on a towpath, the benefits of being together as a family, the benefits of having a community asset. It was mentioned about the cost, but I don't think we are ready to charge for Yellowstone or Gettysburg. We preserve these things, and it's part of the national responsibility to preserve these historic artifacts and places that are very much a part of our Nation's history. So I would urge my colleagues to support this bill. Let the communities raise their money. Let them go to the Appropriations Committee and get whatever they can by way of support.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to commend Chairman Rahall and the staff for their effective working on this. This is a people's bill because what it does is allows the local communities to develop their heritage legacy. As Mr. Wolf pointed out, the historic corridors, as was pointed out also by Mr. LaHood, would bring these things to life. It would bring these battlefields to life to understand what happened there and how important that is to our Nation's heritage as a people, how important it is in the case of Lincoln, as to what his life has meant to all of us. And it's no encroachment on local control. In fact, it's the epitome of local control, because the decision to make heritage corridors work is up to the people. In our own experience, as I say, we've raised over 250 million private dollars to match something like 8 or 9 million of Federal dollars. But putting the Federal imprimatur on this gives it a certain status that allows foundations, that allows private individuals to contribute to making these corridors a success. And as I said earlier, it enhances family values. It enhances property values. It enhances understanding. I'll never forget going out, to our corridor, where we had a group of students from the inner city as part of a summer work program, cleaning up the right-of-way where we now have the towpath. And these two young students who for the first time in their life, saw a turtle. It was a whole new experience for them. I said to them, Keep your finger out of that turtle's mouth. But it illustrates how historic corridors are so much a part of everyone's heritage, to understand environmental values, to understand historical values, to understand what has made this Nation great. And I would urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. This is a gift to the people of all local communities that have a corridor.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. I thank the gentlelady for yielding, and I also would like to mention the loss of Charlie Vanik. I think for the people of Ohio, his greatest legacy is he joined John Seiberling and myself in creating the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and it was his leadership that was vital in getting that legislation passed. Millions of Ohioans and others enjoy the great outdoors in this 33,000-acre park that serves our State so well, and that was a wonderful legacy that Charlie Vanik left as part of his service in this Congress.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Madam Speaker, I know that Leader Boehner has already informed the House of the untimely death of our colleague, Paul Gillmor, but I want to just add to that. I will be offering a resolution of bereavement after we have finished the suspensions for the day, which will be very shortly, for those who might want to comment. It is a tremendous loss for Ohio. Paul was a leader in the Ohio senate over a number of years, 22 years to be exact. He was a leader here on the Financial Services Committee. But most importantly, he was a person who cared about the people of Ohio. He made a tremendous effort to represent them well. It is evident by a number of awards that he received and so on. I won't take the time to go into that now, but all of you knew Paul. I think something that many were not aware of, he was chosen as the vice president of the International NATO Group, the parliamentary group that is made up of something like 22 nations, and they elected him as the number two person in their leadership responsibilities. It is a tribute to him and to Ohio and to this body that he was chosen for that assignment. Madam Speaker, I would like if we would all rise and recognize his loss, too, in a moment of silence.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 632) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), chairman of the committee on which Paul served.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).

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

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), my colleague, who is the senior member of the Democrat delegation, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and colleague Paul Gillmor of Tiffin, Ohio. Paul Gillmor was a leader in Ohio. He was elected five times by his colleagues in the Ohio Senate as a leader and was President of the Ohio Senate three times. He was a leader here in this House on financial issues, focusing effectively on legislation to protect the general public. Additionally, Paul's leadership extended beyond Ohio and Congress to his position as Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. His awards from grateful constituents and community groups he represented were powerful evidence of Paul's diligent efforts on behalf of those who depended on his caring representation on their behalf. Five Ohio colleges and universities honored his outstanding leadership with honorary degrees. In addition, he served his country as a captain in the Air Force with active duty during the Vietnam conflict from 1965 to 1966. Ohio Wesleyan University and the University of Michigan Law School are proud to claim him as an alumnus. Our sympathy goes out to Paul's wife, Karen, and his five children. To those of us who cherished him not only as a colleague, but as a friend, we will long remember Paul and will always be grateful that he was part of our life. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that both sides have 5 additional minutes.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Tiberi).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the leader, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to our colleague from Ohio (Mr. Jordan).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio, Mrs. Schmidt.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns). (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)