Cliff Stearns

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 1594, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, as the Michael A. Marzano Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic. I appreciate the efforts of my colleague Phil English, and obviously Congressman Jason Altmire who just recently spoke, and their efforts to push this legislation. Obviously this is a very important symbolic piece of legislation, and I think it reminds us of what occurred. I will defer to Congressman English for further comments on this legislation in a few moments. As pointed out, Marine Sergeant Michael Marzano, a servicemember from Mercer County, Pennsylvania, was killed in action on May 7, 2005, while deployed in service to his Nation in Iraq. Reports from the field indicate his bravery and leadership while protecting a hospital, and many lives were saved due to his sacrifice. Sergeant Marzano was the first marine from Mercer County to give his life for freedom in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, this legislation has strong bipartisan support and also support from the local and State veterans communities, as well as support from the entire Pennsylvania delegation. As pointed out, I thank Chairman Filner and also Ranking Member Buyer for foregoing the existing criteria to move this legislation expeditiously forward. It is right that we honor the memory and service of a warrior such as Michael Marzano by naming the Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in his honor. So I urge my colleagues to support the bill, which is H.R. 1594. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English).

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, it's no secret that our country is facing economic uncertainty with a rapidly rising national debt and a lingering housing and mortgage crisis. Just weeks ago, our Congress orchestrated a sweeping effort to prop up government-sponsored enterprises--GSEs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac--which own or insure half of our Nation's mortgages by exposing American taxpayers to vast financial risk. Now, just this past weekend, the Treasury has finalized a plan to officially bail out Fannie and Freddie, a step I had hoped our government would not be forced to take. It used to be argued that simply chartering Freddie and Fannie didn't mean that the Federal Government was on the hook if these mortgage giants collapsed, but now no one can make that case anymore. The recent and worrisome events occurring in the United States' housing market have revealed that the Federal Government bears significant risk in its chartering of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Although these two GSEs are supposed to make the American dream come true, the reality is that they are contributing relatively little to the overall quality of the U.S. housing finance system. At the same time, they have created exorbitant risks both for the taxpayers and for the entire economic system that cannot be adequately addressed by simple regulation alone. Over the years, Fannie and Freddie have been allowed to incur $5.2 trillion in debt by borrowing $1.5 trillion and by guaranteeing mortgage-backed securities worth almost $4 trillion. Unfortunately, since January of this year, Fannie and Freddie's stock has also declined by about 90 percent. The collapse of these two, their common shares, coupled with the current credit, housing and mortgage crisis and illiquidity of our markets, has clearly demonstrated that the financial and regulatory structures we have been operating have failed us. With the hasty passage of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (H.R. 3221), which I voted against, Congress granted the Treasury a broad new authority to inject capital into the struggling mortgage giants if that's needed. To the surprise of few, with a collapse imminent, the Treasury decided this past weekend it would transfer the control of Fannie and Freddie and place it into conservatorship, which is akin to the filing of chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Treasury will now commence with buying mortgage-backed securities from banks in the open market at the expense of American taxpayers. Although this move will probably lower interest rates on home loans by, maybe, about 1 percent, the bailout won't stabilize home prices or swiftly curb the rate of foreclosures, which are currently at an all- time high. Thus, the immediate effect of the Treasury bailout of Fannie and Freddie will serve to benefit, for the most part, international stock exchanges and large central banks in foreign countries. To be specific, one of the biggest, immediate beneficiaries of this bailout will be the central banks in Asia, such as the People's Bank of China, which has billions invested in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bonds. Four years ago, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan told the Senate Banking Committee: ``The existence or even the perception of government backing undermines the effectiveness of market discipline,'' and he was right. We must find an effective way to free our economy from the grips of this avoidable financial instability. In order to do so, Fannie and Freddie must be restructured and set on a path towards gradual privatization, for placing Fannie and Freddie into conservatorship is not a good long-term solution. Privatization is the most viable solution to mitigating the enormous risks posed by these out-of-control GSEs. To be sure we never find ourselves in this situation again, Fannie and Freddie must be removed entirely from the government's account, be placed in direct competition with other financial institutions and be subjected to the effective discipline of the U.S. market. In this way, we can stabilize these important mortgage firms, restore confidence to investors and shareholders and relieve American taxpayers from the burden of another costly bailout. Also, I call for an immediate investigation by this body into Freddie Mac's unreported financial results of almost $9 billion. Let's ask former CEO Franklin Raines to explain these fraudulent audits that were presented. The American people deserve better than what these GSEs have to offer. We cannot allow them to leave us with a legacy of debt to be shouldered by hardworking Americans, for as Thomas Jefferson so aptly said a long time ago, ``[the] principle of spending money to be paid by posterity under the name of funding is but swindling our future on a very large scale.''

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, providing for our nation's veterans--the brave men and women who risk their lives to ensure our freedom--has always been a top priority for me in my service to the people of the sixth district of Florida. I am pleased that we are here today to pass legislation that will authorize much-needed funding for improvements to new and existing VA facilities throughout our country. Included in this legislation is funding for a new Bed Tower at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida. For years I have been working on securing funding for an addition to the Malcom Randall VA Hospital in my district, which will help to correct some of the patient privacy deficiencies this hospital has been experiencing over the years. This facility will address the acute needs of our local veterans by providing them with state-of-the-art, private patient rooms, and the convenience of high quality VA medical care. The funding authorized by this legislation will go toward a five-story, 245,000 square foot facility consisting of four floors of new patient beds and one floor of supporting medical services. This new Bed Tower will have 228 new beds, and will also house a 10-bed ER, Chest Pain Unit, and ENT, Ophthalmology, Urology, and Hematology Clinics. The Malcom Randall VA Hospital is one of the busiest and efficient VA facilities in the country, and the veterans in my district will benefit greatly from this new Bed Tower. I thank my colleague, Mr. Filner, for introducing this important legislation, and I look forward to the completion of this new Bed Tower in Gainesville.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would make it easier for veterans to find employment in their communities. While it would be subject to a point of order, I believe it has a great deal of merit. My amendment is simple and inexpensive. It directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use funds from the VA's General Operating Expenses Fund to establish a portal on the VA Web site containing a comprehensive list of employment opportunities throughout the United States so that veterans are better able to secure employment after they return home from combat. Furthermore, these results could then be updated annually to reflect the current and changing needs in the local job market. With the posting of this information on the VA Web site, veterans could simply plug in their ZIP code and see a list of the occupations that are most in demand within their commuting area, allowing them to use their Federal job training more effectively. I have received a commitment from Chairman Edwards and Ranking Member Wamp to send a letter to the VA Secretary asking him to establish a portal on the existing VA Web site that would contain comprehensive, up to date employment opportunities in various job markets across the country. In addition, I would like to work with the chairman and ranking member to get comparable language in the conference report to ensure this happens. I would like to thank Chairman Edwards and Ranking Member Wamp for their commitment to veterans and for their offers of support for ensuring that the idea of my amendment becomes a reality.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. My colleagues, all of us on this conference committee and in the subcommittee have worked with the consumer groups, industry leaders, and the Commission itself to make this a bipartisan, sound bill that works effectively. I would like to commend the hard work of Chairman Rush, Chairman Dingell, Ranking Member Barton, Ranking Member Ed Whitfield, the Senate conferees, and all the committee staff that worked so tirelessly on this important legislation. It is a fact we have a bipartisan bill. It was bipartisan out of the subcommittee and the full Committee on Energy and Commerce. There are things you can complain about Congress, but today you can commend Congress for working in such a bipartisan fashion to get a very important bill after these many, many years. It is a commendation both to Mr. Dingell and Mr. Barton. Through their differences and through the different members on the Senate conferees, they were able to work patiently, consistently, and persevere until we have this final product today. I urge all my colleagues to support this critical bipartisan legislation, and I look forward to its implementation soon.

Mr. STEARNS. I address my colleague, Mr. Rush, and say to him I am impressed with the courage and energy that you come down here, and we want to thank you today for taking that extra time. All of us obviously wish you well, and hope and pray and provide great love and friendship that the healing powers of the Lord Almighty will bring great restorative powers on you and you will be successful. We are inspired by you being here today. Obviously it has been fun working with you on this bill and others as the ranking member when you became chairman. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, and obviously I urge its immediate passage. As former chairman and ranking member of the Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee, I have been involved in these issues for many, many years. When I was chairman, we held numerous hearings and markups on a variety of issues, not just on toy safety and lead standards but also the Consumer Product Safety Commission itself. In addition, we held consumer protection hearings on privacy, on the Ford-Firestone tire safety, and consumer protection on the Internet, including spyware, data security, and ID theft. We compiled a long record on this subcommittee. This bill is a culmination of many years of hard work and oversight. However, like many bills, this bill, H.R. 4040, is not entirely perfect, not all of it is exactly what we may have wanted, but it does go a long way to protect our children against harmful products. And that is the most important issue. Over the last 2 years, my colleagues, we have seen numerous children's product and toy recalls rise dramatically. Many of these recalls were because of excessive amounts of lead in toys being imported from China. As if parents didn't have enough to worry about, they are now faced with another dilemma: Are the toys that they are buying their children safe today? That is a question they are asking. Today, with passage of this conference report, we will make sure that children are kept safe from hazardous products. While many Members on both sides have focused mainly on the growing compliance shortfalls with toys that are manufactured outside the United States today, particularly in China, toys have not been the only problem over the past several years. As imports of every type of product have risen over the years, so have the number of problems that have been associated with these particular products. But the Consumer Product Safety Commission has done a fairly good job of meeting this daunting challenge. As you can imagine, there are 15,000 different kinds of products. They have issued more recalls over the last 2 years than any other time in our history. I commend them for their diligent work in protecting the American people and their children. Despite this good work, we recognize the need to provide the Commission with additional resources, which we are doing today. We authorize significant increases in their budget so that the Commission can fulfill their mission to keep defective products that can cause injury, or worse, out of the stream of commerce today. This bill is good public policy that not only provides the Commission with new resources but also provides for new standards regarding lead paint and implements the most stringent standard ever for lead content in children's products. This bill requires testing and certification of children's products before they are ever shipped to store shelves, and provides increased penalties for companies that violate the law. New labeling requirements will help facilitate effective recalls, and the bill provides greater authority for the Commission to recall harmful products and notify the public of these dangers. It is very important that they have this additional recall authority that is in this bill.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding a district funding request as part of H.R. 6599, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2009. 1. Florida Army National Guard, Regional Training Institute (RTI) Phase IV at Camp Blanding, FL (Department of Defense, Army National Guard) Project ID: 04ee1. This project is to complete construction of the RTI at the Camp Blanding Training Site, FL. The readiness of the Florida Army National Guard and Air National Guard in general will be affected if the school cannot adequately accomplish its mission to train soldiers. The student quota continues to grow with the need for new training requirements. The new campus will serve the full-time mission of the RTI. The completion of the new campus will allow the school to accept all projected students and to provide the support needed to run the regional school. The new campus will provide the school with the area required to adequately perform its essential mission. It will house, feed, teach, and train all students attending the institute; students are from all fifty states and territories. The school averages 800 students per cycle.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the University of Florida's finest student-athletes--the Gators great quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow. As the Representative for the University of Florida, I am pleased to take this opportunity to commend a deserving young man who has, and continues to be, an inspiration to students, athletes, and sports fans across the country. Many know that Tim Tebow is an outstanding athlete and one of the best quarterbacks in the country. As a freshman, he was instrumental in helping the Gators win the 2006 national championship. This past season, Tim threw for 29 touchdowns and ran for 22 touchdowns becoming the first player in major college football history to run and pass for over 20 touchdowns in the same season. Furthermore, Tim's total of 51 touchdowns was a Southeastern Conference record and his 22 rushing touchdowns also set a new conference record as well as a national collegiate record for quarterbacks. Tim's season culminated by becoming the first sophomore to win college football's most coveted and prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy. The University of Florida is now the only school in the SEC to have three Heisman winners and one of eight schools nationally to have three winners of the prestigious award. While his achievements on the field are well documented, what many people may not know is that Tim is also a dedicated student who consistently maintains a 3.77 grade point average at one of the Nation's top universities. This is no easy task. His classroom excellence earned Tim first-team Academic All-American honors, becoming only the fourth sophomore in UF history to earn this honor. Tim's ability to balance his commitments to both school and football is truly a testament to his exemplary character and his desire to succeed. Tim Tebow is a leader on and off the field. His parents have instilled in him a sense of community spirit and compassion for his fellow man, which is evident through his missionary work in the Philippines and his commitment to visiting hospitals across the U.S. The entire University of Florida community is fortunate to have a scholar-athlete like Tim representing the university both on and off the field. Each time he takes the field, Tim Tebow plays with passion for the game, for his teammates, and for the fans, reminding us why it's great to be a Florida Gator.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, the United States is the world's largest energy consumer and one of its leading producers. However, many Americans remain in the dark about the global nature of the energy crisis we have today. As a result of the integrated nature of the world oil market, it is unlikely that any one nation acting on its own can implement policies that isolate its market from the broader price behavior. As new major oil importers, notably China and potentially India, expand their demand, the oil market likely will have to expand production capacity, too. This promises to increase the world's dependence on the Persian Gulf members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, especially Saudi Arabia, and to maintain upward pressure on price. International markets set the price of oil and energy as a whole. There is nothing we can do about that. However, we can increase our own energy reserves and can lessen the effects of the global energy market, but we must keep the proper perspective about our energy supplies. Now, so-called alternative fuels, including wind, solar, fuel cells, ethanol, and biodiesel, indeed, hold great promise for the future, but right now, they are expensive and are currently useful only in small- scale applications. I hope this will change. Wind and solar power, for example, are intermittent and are unpredictable. Because electricity cannot be stored on a large scale, wind and solar are unsuitable as 24- hour-a-day sources of energy. Even though government forecasts show more than a 50 percent increase in renewable energy used by 2030, the renewable share of the total energy pie will rise from only 6 to 7 percent during that period. At this stage, it would be more accurate to call these ``supplemental'' rather than ``alternative'' energy sources. They are simply not ready to replace the fossil fuels that currently account for about 80 percent of the world's energy supply. We need an effective national policy that supersedes the existing patchwork of different State laws and regulations, one that allows us to tap all of our energy supply options, to promote greater reliance on conservation and efficiency and to foster a business environment conducive to market competition and timely investment in new energy infrastructure. Current projections indicate that, shortly after 2040, the United States will exceed 400 million people and that the world will exceed 9 billion people. This steady climb has major implications for the U.S. energy industry. Each new person will put additional demands on the system, requiring more electricity and natural gas to run their homes and businesses and gasoline or other liquid fuels to transport them. Although its forecasts do not quite go that far, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity over the next 25 years is expected to jump by 50 percent. Now, similarly, domestic oil consumption is expected to grow about 1 percent a year with U.S. oil consumption climbing by one-third, from 21 million barrels a day to 28 million barrels a day. The U.S. addiction to oil is strong and growing. We are not alone in our thirst for oil. Global demand for oil is also forecasted to increase by nearly 50 percent by the year 2030. The emergence of China and of India as economic powers is a leading cause of that growth. Their mushrooming demand for oil and for other forms of energy is reshaping global markets and is creating new geopolitical alliances and security concerns along the way. These are significant increases, and we must plan now to meet this future energy demand or run the risk of undercutting the economic engine that drives the world's economy. Because of the global nature of the energy crisis, there are no quick fixes or silver bullets to remedy this problem. However, this Congress must not sit idly by and watch the price of energy bankrupt American families. We must make finding a meaningful multilateral approach to our energy problem this year Congress' top priority. We need to do it now.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Gilbert B. Langford, who died this week at the age of 82. One of the greatest honors in my time in Congress was awarding Gil the Congressional Gold Medal. At the age of 16, he was assigned at Tuskegee Air Base later earning his wings and the honorable right to call himself a Tuskegee Airman. He ended his distinguished career as a 1st lieutenant acquiring the skills as a pilot, navigator, and bombardier. As a civilian, he became one of the first black engineers for General Electric and served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy while working for the Department of Defense. Gil was a true American hero and will be missed most by his three children and six grandchildren. Gilbert Langford unselfishly gave every fiber to his country, and still believed he could give more.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcalls Nos. 505-507, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted on rollcall No. 505, Boyda--``yea''; rollcall No. 506, Wittman--``yea''; rollcall No. 507, Passage--``nay.'' I was unavoidably detained.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, the June 5 forced resignations of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff General T. Michael Moseley represent the first time in United States history the top uniformed and civilian leaders of any service were ousted simultaneously. The actions of Secretary of Defense Gates are totally unprecedented and deserve deeper scrutiny and inquiry. Successful leaders must focus on today's problems while simultaneously anticipating future challenges. The tenures of Moseley and Wynne were defined by these characteristics. They cultivated a service that was second to none. Moseley and Wynne developed and employed new technology, such as the unmanned aerial vehicles that are yielding unparalleled effects on the battlefield. They also recognized that the Air Force has to adapt to a changing world, and they directed the service to build competencies in new areas such as cyberspace and alternative fuels. And finally, Wynne and Moseley took action to re-capitalize the Air Force's aging fleet with a wide array of assets, including the tanker, the F-22, and the next generation bombers. These are steps that will prove essential as the service confronts future challenges. Secretary Gates' real reasons for the firing of Secretary Wynne and General Moseley may never be known. However, I have come to believe that his stated reasons do not necessarily match up with reality. The publicly stated reason was primarily because of the violation in sending nuclear control units to Taiwan. Perhaps the real reason for the firings is because of disagreements on the strategic defense of this Nation. The parts that were in violation were removed from the nuclear control list in 1991. The parts shipped were just special lamps. Moseley and Wynne had approved a correction on this matter and were spending over $1 billion to make those corrections. If Secretary Gates, or others in the Pentagon, had some concerns, they could have voiced those concerns much earlier. In addition, it is important for the Secretary to release the full report by Admiral Kirkland Donald, who investigated the case of the mistaken shipment to Taiwan. Admiral Donald's findings directly led to the firing of Moseley and Wynne, and the report should be made public as soon as possible. I call on the Secretary tonight to make this report public. Now, there have been reports that Moseley and Wynne constantly clashed with the Secretary of Defense's office over greater procurement of the F-22. In order to avoid a showdown with the Air Force, the Defense Department decided that instead of closing down the F-22 line, it would restrict how many planes the Air Force could buy and leave the ultimate decision to the next administration. The F-22 will serve as replacements for the aging F-117s and F-15s. The Air Force needs a minimum of 381 F-22s to fill out its 10 air and space expeditionary forces. However, it has been authorized funds for only 183. As a result, the Air Force must keep selected F-15s and F-16s in service much longer than had been expected. Mostly and Wynne fought hard for the F-22 against the wishes of Secretary Gates and his office. Now, considering the impressive record of General Moseley and Secretary Wynne, one must ask why they were forced to resign. While I certainly understand and share the Secretary's concern regarding the Air Force's control over its nuclear inventory, I think the reason for the firings extends far past his publicly stated reason. We had a clash of philosophies here. Moseley and Wynne were not leaders that were content with simply toeing the line for today. They were pushing hard for the future. This garnered much criticism, with many suggesting that it is impossible to adequately focus on today's challenges if one is also thinking about the future. That's what Secretary Gates believed. He even went so far as to deliver a speech where he disparagingly termed this concept as ``next-waritis.'' Is it not the responsibility of the Secretary of Defense to plan for the future defense of this Nation? Many mistakes that Moseley and Wynne were blamed for can be laid squarely at the feet of the Pentagon leadership. Without a real commitment from the Secretary of Defense' office, many of those problems will persist. To ignore this trend is simply irresponsible. General Moseley and Secretary Wynne understood this. Unfortunately, it led to their dismissal. Responsible military leaders do not have the luxury of focusing on the present at the expense of the future. Failure to anticipate, adopt and learn lies at the core of military disasters. Given the stakes, ``next-war-it is'' is a sacred duty, not a reason for decapitating the leadership of the Air Force. History has taught us repeatedly that those who solely fixate on today's problems will be woefully unprepared to address tomorrow's challenges. Iraq and Afghanistan are obviously important, but we must also respond to global trends and realize that future wars may not always mirror our past conflicts. We must support our military leaders who aggressively tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow. Firing Moseley and Wynne for taking this comprehensive view is simply irresponsible and sets a disastrous precedent. Instead, we owe them a debt of gratitude for all they did to help win today's fight and help the nation posture for the future. They understood the complex array of challenges facing the country and I stand resolute in my support for continuing this encompassing approach--the nation cannot afford to consider any other option. Many of the mistakes that Moseley and Wynne were blamed for can be laid squarely at the feet of the Pentagon leadership. Without a real commitment from the Secretary of Defense's office, many of these problems will persist. We cannot ask aircrews to fly in combat missions if their airplanes are falling out of the sky due to structural fatigue. We cannot afford the cost of inefficiencies within the Department of Defense that is created by unnecessary overlap in roles and missions. We cannot ask our Airmen to undertake missions if they are not supported with adequate budgets to facilitate those missions that we as a nation ask them to fulfill. To ignore these trends is simply irresponsible and could prove devastating for the nation. It takes an immense amount of time, planning, and resources to posture for these challenges and we will not have the luxury of any of these elements when what was once a seemingly distant future threat becomes a critical challenge for today. General Moseley and Secretary Wynne understood this. Unfortunately, it led to their dismissals.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to General T. Michael Moseley for his long and distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force and for his unwavering commitment to his country. After 37 years of honorable service including over 2,800 hours in flight, General Moseley will surely be missed, but his many accomplishments will always be remembered and surely outlast his service. General Moseley's vast knowledge and understanding of national security policies can be credited to his tenure at Texas A&M acquiring his bachelors and masters degrees in Political Science. In 1971, during his college career, General Moseley enlisted in the Air Force, thus beginning one of the most decorated and honorable careers in Air Force history. After college, his military education continued. He attended Squadron Officer School, Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Air Command and Staff College, U.S. Air Force Joint Senior Battle Commander's Course, National War College, and Combined Force Air Component Commander Course during his career. With the knowledge acquired combined with genuine devotion, General Moseley was an obvious choice for demanding positions involving command. His influence had a positive effect with the F-15 Division of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and the 33rd Operations Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. His work with the F-15 was essential to the success the plane had during the wars of the Persian Gulf and Desert Storm. Under his direction as flight and weapons instructor, it was no surprise that the F-15 proved more than formidable with a perfect air to air combat record in the Persian Gulf and in Desert Storm. His commitment is not constrained to just survival in battle, but for preparing the Air Force for the 21st century On the day of his swearing in, General Moseley laid out his intentions as the Air Force's 18th Chief of Staff. He said, ``We are all going to make it our life's work for you to be proud of us and it is our continued promise that we Airmen will be the best in the world at what we do--dominating air and space.'' General Moseley sought to maintain the prestige the Air Force had inherited throughout the years of superior aeronautical innovations. With his many accomplishments and various recognitions both national and international, General Moseley did exactly what he sought out to do: developing and preparing the Air Force for the new century. His services include Director Liaison for the Secretary of the Air Force; Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs for Asia/Pacific and the Middle East, the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Chair and Professor of Joint and Combined Warfare at the National War College. General Moseley was greatly admired by his peers, and received various awards for his efforts during his years in service. His awards include Distinguished Service medals with oak leaf clusters, medals for his efforts on Global War on Terrorism, and from foreign countries such as Korea, France, Brazil, and the Republic of Singapore. General Moseley has even been knighted receiving the title of Knight Commander from Queen Elizabeth II sharing this title with others like Presidents Reagan and Eisenhower. In the 37 years General Moseley gave to the Air Force, the service has grown stronger, prouder, and more prepared for whatever the future holds. As an Air Force veteran and founder of the House Air Force Caucus, I know what a difficult job General Moseley undertook. And I also know what a great and honorable career he had. He deserves the respect and admiration of all Americans. Thank you General Moseley for your dedication, ideals, and service to our country. America is a better and safer place because of General Michael Moseley's service.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I stand before my colleagues on the House floor today to lend my strong support to this House Concurrent Resolution 299, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. I am also honored to cochair this with my distinguished colleague from Massachusetts, Mr. Ed Markey, and I look forward to passage of this resolution. He and I have worked on this together. We are very pleased that, finally, it's coming to the floor, and hopefully will pass today. My colleagues, this is a disease that affects 30,000 Americans living in this country, more than half of which are children. One out of every 3,500 babies born in the U.S. today has cystic fibrosis, with 70 percent of the cases diagnosed by age 2 and 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year. In my home State of Florida, there are roughly 1,100 patients who suffer each and every day from this debilitating disease. It's cruel. That is 1,100 too many. These CF patients have to endure hours of treatment each day just to stay relatively healthy and maintain normal lung functions. Treatments range from daily air clearance techniques to intensive nutrition and drug therapies, and even to lung transplants in the most severe cases. People suffering from CF have two copies of a defective gene, which causes the body to produce abnormally thick sticky mucus which clogs the lungs and can result in fatal lung infections. This kind of mucus can also obstruct the pancreas, making it difficult for people with CF to absorb nutrients, simple nutrients, in food. Unfortunately, more than 10 million Americans are unknowingly symptom-free carriers of the CF gene. Now, the residents of Florida have recognized there is a real need for CF care and research. There are 15 specialized centers and clinics for cystic fibrosis care in my home State of Florida, including one at the University of Florida, which I represent here in Congress. My colleagues, there is no cure for CF, even though it is one of the most common, life-threatening diseases in the United States. Now, 50 years ago, CF was considered a death sentence, as there were no drugs to combat and control the symptoms. In 1955, a child born with CF was not expected to live long enough to attend elementary school. Today, the median age of survival for a CF patient is 37. I am proud to say there are five drugs on the market, and there's over 30 new drugs that are in various stages of development. These drugs are helping children born with CF to live significantly longer and healthier lives. People with CF are living longer. Over 40 percent of the CF population is now age 18 or older. But that is not enough, my colleagues. We need more research and more funding, and we can't stop until we find the cure. I believe in the ingenuity and strong ethic of the American people. I believe we have the brain power and the drive to cure this disease today. I would like to recognize the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which has led the development of these promising treatments through an innovative business approach to drug discovery and development. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has entered into partnerships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in an effort to find a cure, a simple cure for this disease. As a result of their efforts, promising potential drug therapies to correct the cause of the disease are now entering clinical trials in CF patients, and new therapies that treat the symptoms of this disease are now helping patients every day as we speak. In the past 5 years, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its subsidiaries have invested over $650 million in drug research. I commend them for their commitment to innovation and for acting as a facilitator in the development of these important new drugs. With the support of the foundation, programs like the one at the University of Florida CF and Pediatric Pulmonary Disease Center are simply improving the health outcome of patients who have cystic fibrosis. In the past 5 years in the State of Florida, CF research and care supported by the CF Foundation has totaled $3\1/2\ million. I urge my colleagues to recognize the achievements of organizations like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and to bring awareness to and honor to the thousands of Americans suffering from CF every day, by simply passing this resolution.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand before my colleagues today as we pass legislation that will designate the Department of Veterans Affairs spinal cord injury center in Tampa, Florida, as the ``Michael Bilirakis Department of Veterans Affairs Spinal Cord Injury Center.'' Michael Bilirakis served the Ninth Congressional District of Florida from 1983-2006. Michael was a standout member of the United States House of Representatives, and his presence is surely missed on Capitol Hill. A native of my home State of Florida, Michael worked steadfastly for his constituents for 23 years, and his lifetime of civic-minded public service has not gone unnoticed. I had the pleasure of serving on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee with Michael, and his leadership as chairman of the VA Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations was unparalleled. A veteran of the United States Air Force, Michael spent his career working hard to serve the best interests of our Nation's veterans. Michael's strong traditional values and service-oriented spirit were always visible in his everyday work on Capitol Hill. It is truly appropriate and deserving then, for Congress to name the VA spinal cord injury center in Tampa, Florida after Michael Bilirakis, and I thank my colleague and fellow Florida delegation member Jeff Miller for sponsoring this legislation.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, according to the Energy Information Agency, the United States electricity demand is projected to increase up to 40 percent by the year 2030, and other countries are projecting similar increases. The rapid industrial development of both China and India is already placing great pressure on global energy supplies. Nuclear energy can help meet this growing demand by providing a clean, abundant source of electricity. Other countries seem to understand the potential benefits of nuclear power and have either commenced constructing, or have developed projections for new nuclear power plants. Countries like China, India, and Russia are already building new nuclear power plants. Even smaller countries like Vietnam and countries in the Middle East have begun exploring nuclear power as they too are facing demand shortages and they are feeling the pressures from the industrialized world to reduce CO2 emissions. The time has come for all of us to remove regulatory impediments and allow nuclear energy to continue helping this country to meet its growing energy demands.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the University of Florida's 2008 Women's softball team for their historic 70-5 winning season. This marks the first time in NCAA history that a team has won 70 games in a single season. The UF Women's softball team has also set many outstanding records this season in hitting, pitching, and fielding, and for the first time in school history, the softball team made it to the semifinals of the Women's College World Series. In addition to their historic season, the Gators produced five All- American honors players, and many personal records were set for the number of runs scored, bases stolen, and game shutouts. The UF Women's softball team played with class and won with grace, and their teamwork, tenacity, and gamesmanship deserve to be recognized. This certainly is a team to be remembered, and this is just another reason why it is great to be a Florida Gator.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and urge my colleagues to support this very good legislation.

Mr. STEARNS

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, but I will reserve the balance of my time just until I understand whether my colleague has additional speakers.

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker I would support the bill and urge its passage. I yield back my time.

Mr. STEARNS. I would note that certainly his points are well taken, but I think after the Wilmington, North Carolina, demonstration, if it does not work, there is perhaps a possibility of another demonstration. But certainly most of the kinks should be worked out after that first demonstration, and I look forward to taking a very careful look at it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My colleagues, I rise in support of the DTV Transition Assistance Act, the Senate bill, S. 2607, and urge its immediate passage. By setting February 17, 2009 as the date for full-power broadcasters to transmit exclusively in digital format, the DTV legislation gave industry the needed incentives to prepare for this transition. The result, 91 percent of broadcasters are transmitting in digital; 68 percent are already on their post-transition channel and 68 percent are already broadcasting at full strength. As of April 30, 2008, 78 percent of households had all their televisions prepared for the transition, and 91 percent of households had one or more televisions that were prepared for this transition. This means that with more than 9 months still to go, about 10 percent of households were relying exclusively on analog over-the-air broadcasts and needed to take action to receive programming after the transition. Because low-power translator stations are not required to transition to digital television, our original DTV legislation created a $10 million grant program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, NTIA, to help translators convert digital broadcast signals back to analog. As it turns out, not many requests for money from the conversion fund have really been made. Moreover, even if every translator participated in the program, it looks like we will still have money left over. Therefore, this bill allows some of the $10 million to be used for DTV consumer education, but only if the NTIA determines that not all the money will be needed for the converter box program. The original DTV legislation also created a second grant program making $65 million available to help low-power stations voluntarily upgrade to digital broadcasting. At the time, it was believed that low- power stations would not upgrade until after full-power stations transitioned in 2009. Consequently, money from the $65 million upgrade fund was not to become available until 2010. It now appears low-power stations intend to upgrade sooner, so this bill makes the upgrade funds available in 2009 instead of 2010. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill that will give the NTIA additional flexibility to help ensure that the DTV transition goes as smoothly as possible. I strongly support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to also support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STEARNS. I would be glad to yield.

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I heard my good colleague from Virginia talk about some suggestions, and his suggestion is that we adopt something that Britain has adopted. But I'm not sure it's necessary because we're having a demonstration project of the digital transition in North Carolina. And I think with that sort of demonstration, I think after that, if we see problems, then probably that's the best time to adjust.