Bart Stupak

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. STUPAK. I want to thank Chairman Thompson and the Homeland Security Committee for their work on this bill. I think it's an excellent piece of legislation and will go a long way towards making the Department of Homeland Security more accountable and effective. Mr. Chairman, I rise to ask my colleagues to support my amendment to H.R. 1684, which would require the Secretary to conduct a study on ways to improve the effectiveness of the Integrated Border Enforcement Team, or IBET program. IBETs are already one of the border's great security success stories of the post-9/11 era. The program grew out of a history of informal cooperation between American and Canadian border protection officers. In December 2001, the IBET concept was made official as part of the Smart Border Declaration signed by the United States and Canada. As a former law enforcement officer, I know that access to timely, reliable information is one of the most effective, important tools an officer can have. IBETs allow law enforcement officers from along our northern border to collaborate in real time and share information and expertise with their Canadian counterparts. This strategy has paid off along our northern border. In the past year alone, IBETs helped to break up several organized criminal operations that were smuggling drugs and people into the United States, leading to dozens of arrests and confiscation of millions of dollars in drug and cash. I have seen firsthand how important this program is to local border protection officers. One of the 15 current IBET sites is in my district in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The IBET consists of area law enforcement officers from the United States and Canada, including cooperation with county and local police officers, Customs and Border Protection agents, the Coast Guard and Canadian border officers and police officers. The officers involved in this IBET have been unanimous in telling me how much IBET has improved their ability to police the border and make our homeland more safe and secure. I am concerned, however, that the potential of the IBET has not been fully realized at Sault Ste. Marie and other sites. The Department of Homeland Security has not assigned a full-time officer to monitor and lead the IBET, instead defining IBET as ``collateral duty'' for an officer who already has a full-time job. The previous IBET chairperson was transferred to a post in Miami, leading to a loss of valuable institutional knowledge. Finally, there is no specific funding line for IBET activities; and direct funding has been minimal, in fact, only $5,000 for 15 IBETs for 2006. My amendment would require the Secretary to report to Congress on the resources currently being devoted to the IBET program. In addition, the amendment asks the Secretary to make recommendations to Congress on how to make the IBET program even more effective in the future. It is clear that when the IBET program is fully funded and staffed it can be a powerful tool for law enforcement. My amendment is intended to improve accountability and oversight for the IBET program and ensure that all IBETs, not just some, receive the resources they need to be truly effective. Once again, I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their outstanding work on this bill and for their willingness to support this amendment. I urge support of the Stupak amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STUPAK. I appreciate the comments from Mr. King, and I yield the remaining time to Mr. Green, my friend from Texas.

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, the key words to this whole amendment are ``in the near term.'' Unfortunately, it's been 25 years since the Air Florida accident. We've been talking about interoperability, and nothing ever gets done. The time for studies and promises are over. If you listen to the program that DHS has, according to them, it will take us 20 years and $100 billion to achieve interoperability. That is not the case at all. We don't need 20 years. We don't have 20 years to wait in this country to have interoperability. Last Congress, we passed the National Telecommunications Information Agency, which is advancing technologies that are available today to solve the interoperability problem, technologies that don't cost $100 billion and 20 years. And what has happened, though, the $1 billion we put in the NTIA grant program, the administration used it to make further cuts in the Department of Homeland Security. So $1 billion that should have gone to interoperability has cut off other DHS programs. This administration has ignored congressional intent on interoperability. It's time for the excuses to stop. The administration has to put forth a reasonable plan to achieve interoperability in this country, and that's what the Cardoza amendment does, and I fully support it. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that I am able to revise and extend my remarks. I rise today in support of the Cardoza Amendment, which expresses the Sense of the Congress that efforts to achieve interoperable emergency communications in the near term should be supported and are critical in assisting communities properly execute their interoperability plans. The key words in this amendment are ``in the near term.'' It's been 25 years since the Air Florida crash on the Potomac. It's been over 5 years since September 11th, when over 120 firefighters and hundreds of civilians lost their lives due to a lack of interoperability. Terrorist attacks, man made disasters, and natural disasters are a certainty. Yet, we still do not have nationwide interoperability in this country. This problem has been studied and studied. In its final report, the 9/11 Commission concluded: The inability to communicate was a critical element of the World Trade Center, Pentagon, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, crash sites . . . The occurrence of this problem at three very different sites is strong evidence that compatible and adequate communications among public safety organizations at the local, state and federal levels remains an important problem . . . Federal funding of such (interagency communication) units should be given high priority . . . After September 11th, President Bush said, ``we want to spend money to make sure equipment is there, strategies are there, communications are there to make sure that you have whatever it takes to respond.'' Yet, under the President and the Republican-led Congress, the money was not allocated, the equipment was not there, strategies were incomplete, and first responders still cannot communicate across agencies and jurisdictions. DHS has testified it will take an $18 billion to $100 billion investment to make our first responder communications fully interoperable. DHS's plan to achieve full interoperability is 20 years. We do not have another 20 years. The time for study and excuses is over. This bill and this amendment represent action by the Democratic Congress. This bill reverses the draconian cuts to first responder grant programs made by this administration. And this amendment tells DHS to advance solutions that help first responders in the near term. The Energy and Commerce Committee created, and Congress enacted, a $1 billion interoperability grant program at the National Telecommunications Information Agency (NTIA), in 2006. Our intent was to advance new approaches to solve the interoperability problem; approaches that don't cost $100 billion and take 20 years to implement. Yet, the administration seems to be missing the point. The administration's budget proposal justified the DHS grant cuts by ``offsetting'' those cuts with the $1 billion NTIA grant program. Our committee has heard testimony from experts, industry, and first responders that there are new technologies today that can help our first responders at a fraction of the cost. Again, this amendment tells DHS that Congress has lost its patience with excuses. It says invest in near term solutions that are available today. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in honoring the Michigan State University Men's Hockey team in winning the Frozen Four, becoming the Men's National Collegiate Hockey Champions. On Saturday, April 7, 2007, a record crowd of 19,432 witnessed Michigan State defeat Boston College, 3-1, in the championship game of the 2007 NCAA Men's Frozen Four in Scottrade Center in St. Louis. During the first period, neither team was able to push the puck past the opposing goalie. As the championship game progressed into the final period, most fans thought the game was headed to overtime. MSU then ``exploded'' with three goals in the final 10 minutes of the game, icing the championship for MSU. This victory constituted MSU's third national championship, and the first since 1986. Each member of the MSU Hockey organization made essential contributions to the team's success. Justin Abdelkader, who was named the team's Most Outstanding Player, snapped a 1-1 tie with 18.9 seconds to go, seconds after ringing a shot off the goalie post. Jeff Lerg made 29 saves, and Chris Mueller added an empty-net goal with 1.2 seconds left to clinch it for the 3-1 Spartan win. MSU Spartans' Head Coach Rick Comley has become only the third coach in college hockey history to win national titles at two Division I Universities, and has earned over 700 career wins. Coach Comley last won the NCAA Championship with Northern Michigan University in 1991. The Spartan Hockey Team not only demonstrated untouchable strength and skill, but also perseverance and determination to make Michigan State University and all of the State of Michigan proud. The unyielding support from thousands of fans, family and friends, dressed in green, lined the streets of East Lansing where they turned out to welcome MSU's national championship hockey team back home. I am pleased to join with my colleague; Congressman Mike Rogers, who represents Michigan State University, and all the Michigan delegation in honoring MSU and its NCAA National Champion Men's hockey team. I am also very pleased that MSU selected my friend from Northern Michigan Hockey coach, Rick Comley, to lead MSU to its latest hockey title after its legendary hockey coach, Ron Mason, became MSU's athletic director. Again, I congratulate the MSU Spartan Hockey Team on winning the 2007 NCAA Championship and recognize all the players, coaches, managers, staff, fans, and families who were instrumental in this great achievement.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a constituent and friend of mine, Mr. Ronald Calery, who has spent a lifetime fighting poverty, serving as a voice for those least fortunate and defending the powerless in our society. This week, Mr. Calery will be recognized for his efforts with the prestigious Terrence DuVernay Award, which recognizes career excellence in the field of affordable housing. Mr. Calery has served for 35 years as Executive Director with the Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Human Resources Authority (CAHRA) Inc. Before his appointment to the position of Executive Director, he served the agency as a founding member of the board of directors. The Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac CAHRA administers a number of critical programs that attack poverty head on. Among its vital services, the organization provides quality housing that is affordable to low income and moderate income persons. Ron Calery's leadership of the Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Human Resources Authority has strengthened this organization, making it one of the most effective community action agencies in the state. Under his leadership, the Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Agency has assisted local entities to improve existing housing and develop new housing units. Perhaps one of Mr. Calery's most notable contributions was the construction of Avery Square Complex, a project that served to help revitalize downtown Sault Ste. Marie. The project has been widely recognized as a housing model throughout the State of Michigan. Mr. Calery has also worked closely with county and local governments, helping to spur the construction of moderate cost housing in several rural communities. He planned a housing development in Sault Ste. Marie, and is currently planning moderate cost housing in St. Ignace. While the Duvernay award which Mr. Calery will receive focuses upon efforts to provide affordable housing, Mr. Calery's service to the public, the Eastern Upper Peninsula (V.P.) and the State of Michigan extends well beyond affordable housing issues. His service to the state and his community has been extensive. At one time or another, he has been a driving force in just about every organization that plays a positive role in the Eastern U.P. He served on the Tri-County Small Business Loan Committee, helping to spur small business in Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac Counties. As President of the John F. Kennedy Chippewa County Retarded Children's Association, he helped to expand activities and programs for handicapped children. He served on the State board of directors for the Michigan Association for Retarded Children. He spent 4 years in a non-partisan position as an elected City Commissioner for Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. As the Chairman of the Tri-County Recreation Commission and the Sault Ste. Marie Parks and Recreation Commission, he helped ensure that positive recreation opportunities abound in the Sault Ste. Marie region. He also coached Soo PeeWee Hockey. No matter what project Mr. Calery takes on, he never takes ``no'' for an answer. He never retreats from a challenge. Instead, Ron Calery is known for pausing, examining the various obstacles, assembling a new coalition, seeking different funding arrangements, and ultimately finding a solution to achieve the goal. Regardless of what it takes, once he decides that a project or program can have a positive impact on his fellow citizens, he is relentless in seeing the project brought to fruition. The affordable housing projects, programs to eliminate poverty, and efforts to improve the living conditions for-residents of Michigan have all been challenging, but never once has Ron Calery shirked from the challenge. When a project he has worked upon is complete or a program is successful, this humble man does not leap forward to take credit. Instead, Mr. Calery always steps aside to commend the work of others and compliment the fine leadership they have provided. On Tuesday, May 1, 2007, Mr. Calery will be recognized by his colleagues for a career spent helping others. His many friends will gather to say thank you for all that Ron Calery has accomplished. Across Michigan, many other citizens will be unable to attend, but they, too, will be thanking this warm man for his many kindnesses. Madam Speaker, as Ron Calery receives this well-deserved award, I would ask that you and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join me in saluting, congratulating, and thanking him for his selfless service to others.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, as an original co-sponsor, I rise today in support of H.R. 518, The international Solid Waste Importation and Management Act, or what is commonly referred to as the Canadian Trash bill. Last Congress, identical legislation (H.R. 2491) was unanimously approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee and the full U.S. House of Representatives. Since coming to Congress, I have worked with Mr. Dingell and other members to address the Canadian trash problem. After 14 years of work, I look forward to resolving this issue. Over 400 trucks a day cross the border from Canada, bringing tons of trash into Michigan and other states. The unregulated flow of trash from Canada into Michigan and other states creates significant environment and public health concerns. Even more alarming; a January 2006 audit conducted by the Department of Homeland Security has shown that these trucks are often found containing medical waste, illegal drugs, and illegal currency. This report raises significant border security and national safety concerns that must be addressed. This legislation would give residents of Michigan and other states the power to limit the trash from outside the United States they are currently forced to accept. I look forward to continuing to work with supporters on both sides of the aisle to move this legislation to the President's desk. Given the environmental, public health, border security, and national safety concerns, it is especially important that we act immediately to control the flow of trash from Canada. I'd like to thank Chairman Dingell for his leadership on this issue, and I encourage my colleagues to support this long overdue legislation.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of the most effective, well organized and long standing conservation groups in the State of Michigan, the Au Sable Anglers. This organization, which has done so much to preserve the Au Sable River, celebrates its twentieth anniversary on Saturday. The Au Sable River is located in northern Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The river winds from Lake Huron inland running approximately 140 miles to the center of the peninsula. This picturesque river and its surrounding wetlands are a favorite fishing spot for Michigan residents seeking brown trout as well as for fishing enthusiasts who travel from across the country each year for some of the best fishing in the nation. The river has faced many threats, but the Au Sable Anglers have remained stalwart champions of the river, helping to preserve this wondrous natural resource for future generations of trout anglers and outdoorsmen. The Anglers of the Au Sable was born out of efforts to prevent a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) policy from being rescinded. The State's 1986 Catch and Release fishing policy was at the time being challenged. To thwart efforts to rescind this policy, a local businessman named Rusty Gates, whose fishing lodge and tackle shop abuts the banks of the Au Sable River, rallied supporters. In May of 1986, Mr. Gates began culling a mailing list from his lodge guests and patrons of his fly shop to organize allies and protect the catch and release policy. In September of 1986, six anglers--Rusty Gates, Dan Drislane, Ed McGlinn, Dennis Potter, Vic Prislipski and Gene Ballou--met in the Gates Au Sable Lodge. This organizational meeting was the genesis of the Au Sable Anglers. In August of that year, the Au Sable Anglers held their first annual members meeting with 75 conservationists in attendance. While the Au Sable Anglers were originally formed to address the issue of the Department of Natural Resources' Catch and Release policy, they rapidly expanded their areas of interest to face down an array of threats to the Au Sable River. When the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission initiated its re- licensing process for scores of hydroelectric dams in Michigan, including six on the Au Sable River, the Anglers helped ensure that Au Sable River would be protected. In the early 1990s, the Anglers discovered illegal water regulation at a dam on the Au Sable that was causing extremely low water conditions. After pressure from the Anglers, the owner of the dam abandoned this environmentally damaging practice. The Au Sable Anglers were also involved on issues surrounding gas exploration near the river. Although the Au Sable Anglers are active on public policy and environmental issues affecting the Au Sable River and its ecosystem, they are not afraid to roll up their sleeves to help remediate pollution and keep the river clean. Over the years they have helped restore scores of soil erosion sites and funded the repair and restoration of hundreds of fish habitat sites. Every year since September of 1996, they have held an annual river clean up, in which hundreds of volunteers walk more than 100 miles of river, filling trash bags with waste and debris. Since its inception, the annual river clean up has evolved into an event that rallies the entire Au Sable River community together. Not only do volunteers from the Anglers pitch in, but local property owners along the river open their land to the trash collection teams and help guide the teams from point to point. The organization has also lent its financial resources towards engaging young people in conservation studies. Over the years, the Anglers have underwritten several graduate biology students to investigate soil erosion and other problems impacting the Au Sable River and its habitat. Today, after twenty years of hard work to preserve the Au Sable River for future generations, the Au Sable River Anglers remains a vibrant and effective organization. The group boasts over 600 conservationists as dues paying members and remains involved in local environmental issues and in river remediation efforts. Rusty Gates continues to serve as the organization's President. Like the organization's founders and board members, he should be commended for dedicating so much of his personal time to building the organization and protecting the Au Sable River. Madam Speaker, the Au Sable Anglers provide an inspiring example of how ordinary citizens can band together to protect and improve their local environment. While the Au Sable Anglers have not won every battle they have fought, their collective, tireless efforts have done much to preserve one of northern Michigan's great locations for fishing, canoeing and outdoors life. Twenty years ago, six outdoorsmen gathered to discuss how they could protect and improve a northern Michigan river that they cared for greatly. Today, twenty years later, thanks to that initial meeting, the Au Sable Anglers remains a vigilant defender of the Au Sable River. Madam Speaker, as this local, grassroots organization observes its twentieth anniversary, I would ask that you and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join me in thanking the Au Sable Anglers for their work and in saluting them for their stalwart advocacy on behalf of the Au Sable River.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 493, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA. Congratulations to all who have worked for the last number of years on this legislation, especially Ms. Slaughter. In reviewing this bill, I was concerned that families may face genetic information discrimination from testing of embryos and fetuses, plus I was concerned about children who are in the process of being adopted. As genetic testing becomes increasingly common, GINA protections must be extended to genetic material gathered through pre- implementation genetic diagnoses, amniocentesis or other future techniques. Together with Chairman Dingell, Ms. DeGette and Mr. Smith, we were able to close this loophole, which could have been exploited against families on the basis of genetic material of their fetuses or children in the process of being adopted. I am proud to have worked with so many Members to correct the concerns I had on this bill. I support the passage of this bill.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, in fiscal year 2006, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Office of Management and Budget set new guidelines for maintenance dredging of commercial harbors in their budget for fiscal year 2006. The Corps excluded harbors that move less than 1 million tons of cargo each year. The House is on record that the Corps' neglect of these harbors is unwise and unreasonable. With Members' help during consideration of WRDA, the Stupak-Hoekstra-Delahunt amendment to prohibit the Corps from using a tonnage-based standard was included in the House bill by voice vote. Now the Corps is back with a similar tonnage-based formula. This formula essentially credits $2 for maintenance dredging for every ton of product moved. The harbor is then provided only the amount from the formula, regardless of the actual cost to dredge a harbor. This policy not only discriminates against rural America by significantly limiting dredging of harbors in smaller communities, but it is pound wise and penny foolish. For example, under the Corps proposal, my harbor in Ontonogan, Michigan, will move just over 300,000 tons of material, so the Corps will provide $643,000 worth of maintenance dredging, even though its dredging cost is more than $1 million. Again, there are almost 300 harbors across this country that face the same problem. Our small harbors will never be able to adequately dredge, but will silt in with each passing year. Thus, pound wise, penny foolish. These Corps guidelines will have a detrimental effect on small-town, rural America, causing job losses, increased hardship for business, and endanger our Nation's entire shipping infrastructure. Each harbor that has been maintained by the Corps for years has unique characteristics other than just the amount of tonnage it moves. For example, annual dredging helps prevent flooding in Ontonogan, and dredging plays an essential role in preserving the economy and lifeline of this harbor town. By only considering the amount of tonnage a harbor handles, the administration ignores the benefits provided to businesses and residents that depend on electricity, flood mitigation and other purposes beyond the tonnage handled. With this new policy, the Corps also disregards the fact that approximately two-thirds of all shipping in the United States either starts or finishes at a small port. By ignoring the smaller communities, the Corps is also significantly harming the Nation's economy. With the Corps' proposed maintenance dredging guidelines, in each year our small harbors' maintenance remains uncertain. Without this Stupak-Hoekstra-Delahunt amendment, the economic vitality and the dream of economic expansion for these 300 communities remain uncertain. As the House considers this WRDA legislation, I am again offering this amendment with Congressmen Hoekstra and Delahunt, which keeps the maintenance dredging the same as it has been before the Corps and OMB came up with these tonnage proposals. For the sake of our Nation's small harbors, from which two-thirds of all shipping in the United States either starts or finishes at small ports, I encourage my colleagues to adopt our amendment, which would ensure that all harbor maintenance is funded fairly, regardless of the amount of tonnage a harbor handles. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar. He has been a great help throughout my whole career here, but especially on issues confronting the Great Lakes and WRDA and other areas of his expertise in transportation infrastructure. And Mr. Baker has also been a friend and very helpful, as has Ms. Johnson. It is a bipartisan piece of legislation. I would hope that the Members support it. If we are going to truly care about waterborne commerce and transportation in this Nation, we must remember that two- thirds of all commerce on our Nation's waterways start and begin at the small ports the Army Corps no longer wishes to dredge and maintain. We need support on this amendment, and I ask for your support.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my constituents who has been of tremendous service to the economic growth in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Mr. John Campbell has spent over thirty years helping to foster economic growth and development in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. A lifelong Michigan resident, Mr. Campbell was born and raised in Brown City, Michigan. In 1956, he graduated from Central Michigan University with a major in biology and minors in Chemistry and Physical Education. His graduate studies were taken at Michigan State University and Wayne State University from 1958 to 1963. In early 1969, Mr. Campbell began his career at the Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning & Development Commission as an economic planner. As early as his very first grant request, Mr. Campbell demonstrated his resolve and commitment to bringing funding for projects to the Upper Peninsula. His first grant request came from Kinross Township, which was seeking funding for a recreational proposal. The plans for the proposal, which were sketched upon a tattered, torn and coffee stained brown paper bag, included the construction of a lighted racetrack, a grandstand and an underground walkway. At the time, the Department of Natural Resource's Recreation Grant Program did not cover any of these projects. Despite this challenge, Mr. Campbell toiled tirelessly and within the next five years, each of these projects was brought to completion. As the Assistant Director of the Regional Commission from October 1970 through August 1973, Mr. Campbell directed and coordinated the planning, research, and grant efforts of the staff. During his early career at Regional Planning, Mr. Campbell was principally in charge of the Overall Economic Development Plan, which was produced with grant funding from the Economic Development Administration. Mr. Campbell was also an integral figure in finding ways to reuse the Kincheloe Air Force Base. When Kincheloe Air Force Base was closed in the 1970s and it was announced that 10,000 service people would leave the region, it was expected that the local area would undergo a massive economic hit. However, thanks in large part to Mr. Campbell's hard work and creativity, Kincheloe Air Force Base and surrounding base sites were modified to be used for other purposes, creating additional economic activity. Within 12 years after the closing, four prisons and one work camp were installed at the base, along with 12 industrial companies and 15 retail businesses. In all, the local tax base had doubled, and the civilian payroll created by the new ventures had reached $110 million. While perhaps best known, redevelopment of Kincheloe Air Force Base was by no means Mr. Campbell's only project. Over his more than thirty years of work on economic development in the Upper Peninsula, Mr. Campbell was involved in nearly every major project in the immediate region. Among the projects he worked upon, Mr. Campbell helped oversee: the Newberry Streetscape/Infrastructure Project; road improvements near Hessel Block Company and Maples Sawmill CDBG; Tahquamenon Scenic Heritage Route Management Plan; a study of I-75; Easterday Avenue Interstate Bridge Crossing Study; DeTour Village Water System Improvements; Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Solid Waste Management Plan; Portage Township Land Use Plan; the establishment of the Chippewa County Industrial Park and Whitefish Township Plan. Madam Speaker, throughout his distinguished career of service, Mr. Campbell has established a reputation as a consensus builder who can bring together different parties in the community to achieve shared results. Residents throughout the Eastern Upper Peninsula describe Mr. Campbell as a quiet, but determined planner who knows the specifics of every project down to the last detail. Never one to seek credit for a particular project, he is known for his quiet demeanor, moving projects along to completion, but always humbly sharing the acclaim with those around him. After over thirty years of service, Mr. Campbell is retiring. This weekend, residents of Chippewa County, Sault Ste. Marie and the Eastern Upper Peninsula will come together to honor Mr. Campbell for his many years of labor on behalf of economic growth in the Upper Peninsula. As this humble, hardworking man enters well-deserved retirement, I ask that you, Madam Speaker, and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join me in congratulating Mr. John Campbell and in wishing him and his wife, Geri, all the best for many years to come.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, today, on April 18, 2007, I could not be present for two votes because I had undergone emergency medical care. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the motion on ordering the previous question on the rule for the Executive Compensation bill, also rollcall vote 219. Secondly, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on H. Res. 301, the rule providing for H.R. 1257, the Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act, rollcall vote 220.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the only undefeated high school basketball team this season in the State of Michigan, the Cedarville Trojans. The journey for the Trojans to the State Championship at Michigan State University in East Lansing to win the Class D State Championship was a long road, but one that these young men navigated with heart and dignity, making all of Michigan's Upper Peninsula proud. Last season, the Cedarville Trojans traveled to the State championship semi-finals, but their path stopped there. This year, when the team returned to Michigan State for the finals, they were determined not to be stopped. Equally dramatic, in this year's championship game, the Trojans faced the Tri-Unity Defenders, the same team that defeated the Trojans in last year's semi-final game. The 2006-2007 Cedarville Trojans are not, by any means, the tallest team in Michigan High School Class D Basketball. The Trojans' tallest player, Justin Baker, stands at six feet and one inch. However, what the Cedarville Trojans lacked in height, they made up in hard work, practice and natural ability. Throughout the season, the Cedarville Trojans distinguished themselves as effective scorers. In particular, the team honed their three-point shooting ability, making their outside game a dangerous weapon. Thanks to the team's remarkable shooting ability, the Cedarville Trojans broke the 100-point ceiling during four different games throughout the season, including scoring 106 points against Posen High School in the regional final. Cedarville's scoring ability would prove critical during the State championship game. Early in the championship game, the Cedarville Trojans put their opponents on notice that the Trojans planned to win. By halftime, thanks to their avalanche of three-point shots, the Trojans led 45-32. In the second half, while the Defenders used their superior height to creep back into the game, the Trojans continued their three-pointer scoring onslaught. Ultimately, Cedarville would score 11 three-point shots, breaking the previous record of 10 three-point shots in a single State championship game. This shooting lead Cedarville to a 77-74 victory and capped a perfect, 26-0 season. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join me in congratulating the 2006-2007 Cedarville Trojans: Jordan Sweeney, Sheldon Tassier, Jim Eberts, Matt Hansen, Kevin Thompson, Jason Duncan, Jordan Duncan, C.J. Paquin, Taylor Smith, Luke Murray, Justin Baker, Cody Thompson, Scott McGreevey, James Mitchell, and Keith Foster. It is with great pleasure that I single out their head coach, David Duncan, who has built a solid coaching record over the last year 17 years, winning 248 games and losing only 147 games. Mr. Duncan's assistant coaches, Scott Barr and Kurt Duncan, are also to be commended for leading this year's Cedarville Trojans through this historic season. I also salute the team's managers, Adam Dingman and Joe Duncan, for their hard work. These adults deserve our collective commendation for spending so much personal time preparing these young men for the challenges of the season and the challenges they will face later in life. As Coach Duncan has noted, the unofficial theme for the Cedarville Trojans basketball team this year has been, ``Dream Big.'' Clearly, the young men of this team dared to dream big by battling their way to a perfect season, defeating taller teams, and bringing home Cedarville's first State championship. For dreaming big and for making their families and community proud, I salute this fine basketball team and ask that you, Madam Speaker, and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join me in saluting their efforts. Congratulations to the Class D, State of Michigan Basketball Champions, the Cedarville Trojans.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary woman who has made tremendous contributions to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, to the County and City of Marquette and to Northern Michigan University. A Marquette native, Phyllis Maki is a graduate of Bishop Baraga High School. She has spent nearly her entire life in Marquette and, over the years, Ms. Maki has involved herself in countless local community organizations, winning the admiration of her friends and neighbors as someone upon whom her community could always depend. Phyllis Maki is active on the Board of the Lake Superior Community Partnership, which fosters economic growth throughout Marquette and surrounding, smaller communities. She was Treasurer of the Lake Superior Community Partnership and Lake Superior Jobs Coalition. She represented the interests of Marquette City by serving as a ``Marquette County Ambassador,'' traveling to Lansing to advocate for the community before the state House and Senate and to bring money back from the state capital to invest in important programs in the Marquette area. She further helped drive economic growth in the area by serving on the board of the Economic Club of Marquette County. She has served on the boards of the Marquette County YMCA, the KI Sawyer Heritage Museum and the Northern Michigan University Centennial Committee. She has worked towards access to healthcare for my constituents by serving on the Marquette Community Access to Health Care Finance Committee. She has served as a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Committee and the Michigan Department of Transportation Focus Group. As one of her friends recently commented, ``She is involved in everything!'' She has been recognized with multiple awards in the past, including the Athena Award in 1998, which recognizes excellence of female leaders in their profession. She herself served for several years on the Athena Board Steering Committee. She also received the Paul Harris Fellow Award, an International Rotary Award for assisting others in the community to reach their goals. An honorary alumna of Northern Michigan University (NMU), Ms. Maki's ties to Northern Michigan University run deep. She has served many years on the Northern Michigan University Foundation Board of Trustees and as past president of this Board of Trustees for 11 years. She was also a member of NMU's Golden Wildcat Club, Blue Line Club and a member of NMU's Forest Roberts Theater. Ms. Maki can perhaps best be described as ``tireless.'' In all areas of her life, Phyllis Maki exhibits a tenacious, irrepressible spirit. While her involvement in her community demanded much of her time, she also made time for family: a single parent, she raised two children largely on her own. She is known for waking early in the morning to tackle the day. She would start almost every morning with a 4:30 a.m. run, finishing in time to be in her office or in meetings as early as 6 a.m. Her runs were so notoriously early that one morning, she is said to have encountered a moose. She was up so early that the only living creatures up with her at that hour were wildlife! While she has given freely of her personal time and raised a family, Ms. Maki was also able to lead a rich and rewarding career in the private sector. In February of this year, she retired as the Chief Financial Officer of a local car dealership. During her 37 years of work there, she was the driving force in building the company's philanthropic activities, encouraging them to regularly donate vehicles to various charities and non-profits. Coincidentally, the name of her long time employer reflects Ms. Maki's altruistic spirit: the car dealership is called Public Service Garage. An active member of St. Peter's Catholic Church, Ms. Maki's faith has always been a strong foundation in her life, providing her the spiritual endurance to give so much to so many. Tomorrow, Phyllis Maki will receive the Northern Michigan University President's Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious honor is bestowed upon men and women whose lives are truly outstanding. As the citation for this award reads, ``A beautiful person inside and out, she leads with strength and vision and lives with a kind heart and generous soul. She is the best kind of friend--the forever kind.'' Madam Speaker, I ask that you and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join me in saluting my friend, Ms. Phyllis Maki, for her lifetime of contributions and in wishing her, Carlo, Deborah, David and Michael all the best on this momentous occasion.

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, allowing me an opportunity to speak about this issue here before us. I want to thank Mr. Waxman and the committee for reporting an excellent bill. The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act is a long overdue piece of legislation that will go a long way towards correcting some of the abuses of the past and updating the whistleblower protection system to face the challenges of the present. For too long protections passed by Congress for good-faith whistleblowers have been chipped away by executive agencies and the courts. Court decisions have limited the scope of whistleblower protections in a way that betrays the spirit of the original law. This bill will clarify the rights of whistleblowers, including the right to a prompt court proceeding if their employer challenges their right to the protection. The bill also protects whistleblowers who work in the national security sector or who work for Federal contractors. This is a critical provision. Under current law, national security employees have next to no protection if they are retaliated against for reporting waste or corruption. This is an extremely dangerous situation. If corruption or abuse of power is happening in our intelligence and security agencies, it should be a concern for all Americans. Employees who report abuses in these sectors are doing a service to our national security. I am glad to see that this bill would finally protect them. I am also pleased to see protections strengthened for Federal contractors. The growth of contracting under the current administration has been astronomical. Under President Bush the Federal Government is now spending nearly 40 cents of every discretionary dollar on contracts with private companies, a record level. Much of this money has been spent without any kind of oversight that would apply within a Federal agency. Protection for whistleblowers in the contracting sector is key for improving congressional oversight and bringing potential waste and mismanagement under control. Let me be clear. This bill doesn't just protect whistleblowers. It protects all Americans. As chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I know that every congressional investigation relies on the willingness of individual witnesses to speak up about what they have seen. These individuals risk their careers and their reputations to expose instances of corruption, waste, and abuse within our government. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their courage. This bill is an important step towards making sure that those individuals have the protection they deserve.

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, thank you for allowing me an opportunity to address my amendment, and I thank the Rules Committee for making my amendment in order. I want to recognize Mr. Waxman, Mr. Braley, Mr. Davis, and others of the Government Reform Committee for advancing a good bill, and I want to thank Mr. Markey for his help with this amendment and for his previous work in protecting the right of government scientists to publish their findings. One of the most important sections of H.R. 985 deals with protecting the integrity of the scientific process by shielding whistleblowers who report tampering with government scientific investigations. My amendment would enhance whistleblower protection by including in the list of reportable actions any attempt to suppress the right of government scientists to publish or announce their findings in peer reviewed journals or public meetings with their fellow scientists. In science, one of the strongest signs of credibility in a study is that the scientists are given a right to publish their rights freely, whatever those results may be. Completed studies are submitted to peer-reviewed journals for consideration, allowing the scientific community at large to review, challenge and incorporate new findings. The peer review process is a critical step in the development of scientific knowledge, and the transparency inherent in the process is one of our strongest safeguards against corrupted or misleading scientific claims. Scientific studies funded by the taxpayers should be held to this same high standard. Political pressure on scientists to suppress or hide the results of their research is a direct attack on the public interest, and employees who report suppression of their scholarly publications should be given the same protection as those who report other kinds of corruption or abuse of authority. My amendment would protect science in the public sector and has been endorsed by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to issues of scientific integrity. Congress has already had some experience with this issue. In November 2004, the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony from Dr. David Graham, the whistleblower in the Vioxx case. Dr. Graham described how senior managers within the Office of Drug Safety of the FDA attempted to block publication of his study on the dangers of Vioxx, even going so far as to call the editors of The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal, to attack Dr. Graham's work. Dr. Graham's case is not an isolated incident. In a recent survey by the Union of Concerned Scientists, 150 of 279 government scientists reported some sort of political interference with their work. When asked whether they believed they were free to publish results that might go against the political positions of their agency, a majority of those scientists who answered the question felt they were not free to publish. We all know how important good science is in helping us make good public policy. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I am especially aware of the critical role whistleblowers have in rooting out abuses of power and aiding Congress in its oversight responsibilities. My amendment helps to make the important scientific integrity section of the base bill more comprehensive and more clear. My amendment will protect the public's right to know the results of publicly funded research, and will help make a good bill even better. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, I will be brief. I sat for 12 years on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Oversight and Investigations, and I cannot tell you how many times we have dealt with scientists who have come forward under a whistleblower status, or will call us up in cases like the Vioxx that I mentioned. I have an article I will include for the Record where a scientist said, ``FDA Called Journal to Block Vioxx Article.'' Thousands of people have died because a drug was put forth on the market because the scientist within the FDA was not allowed to publish the results of his study and was not allowed to speak at advisory panels. We also see that in a drug called Ketek. It is a drug we continue to do investigation on, and we will have further hearings next week on it, how fraudulent studies were put forth before the FDA. The scientists knew it, and the FDA suppressed the evidence and allowed the drug to be approved, to the detriment and the death of many Americans. And there is the drug Accutane which has many mysterious questions surrounding it, and people have not been allowed to testify at advisory panels which must approve a drug before it is put forth for public use. This is a safety issue, and 150 of 279 government scientists reported political interference with their work. My amendment protects the public right to know the results of taxpayer-funded research. What is wrong with that? This amendment is a good amendment. It will make the bill better. I ask that my amendment be approved. [From USA Today] Scientist Says FDA Called Journal To Block Vioxx Article (By Rita Rubin) Just days before a medical journal was to publish a Food and Drug Administration-sponsored study that raised concerns about the safety of the arthritis drug Vioxx, an FDA official took the unusual step of calling the editor to raise questions about the findings' scientific integrity, suggests e-mail obtained by USA TODAY. Lead author David Graham says the call was part of an effort to block publication of his research, an analysis of a database of 1.4 million Kaiser Permanente members showing that those who took Vioxx were more likely to suffer a heart attack or sudden cardiac death than those who took Celebrex, Vioxx's rival. Graham had reported his study in August at an epidemiology meeting in France, but publication in a medical journal would have exposed it to a wider audience. Graham, associate director for science and medicine at the FDA's Office of Drug Safety, says The Lancet, a medical journal published in London, had planned to post the study on its Web site Nov. 17, a day in advance of his appearance before the Senate Finance Committee to testify about the FDA's handling of Vioxx. Merck had pulled the drug from the market Sept. 30 because of safety concerns. Publication of the study could have embarrassed the FDA, which was being criticized for not warning patients sooner of Vioxx's cardiovascular risks. Steven Galson, acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said Sunday that Graham's charges are unfounded. ``We didn't make any efforts to block publication in The Lancet,'' he said. ``What we did is let The Lancet know that the paper was submitted in violation of the agency's clearance process.'' Graham had sought to publish his study before getting the FDA's OK, Galson said. And in a written statement, FDA Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford said that Galson contacted Lancet editor Richard Horton ``out of respect for the scientific review process.'' Galson said he would like to see the paper published some day but didn't see the value of timing its release to the Senate hearing, ``not exactly a scientific imperative.'' Graham says he pulled his paper at the last minute because he feared for his job. Following is a chronology of the events surrounding the paper's withdrawal: Nov. 12. Galson called Horton to tell him that the FDA had not cleared Graham's paper for publication. He then e-mailed Horton a link to a document describing the FDA's internal review process for journal articles. ``As you will see, there are some ambiguities here,'' Galson said in his e-mail. In a later e-mail to Horton that day, Galson brought up points from a nine-page review of Graham's study by Ann Trontell, deputy director of the FDA's drug safety office. Galson and Trontell noted discrepancies between the article submitted to The Lancet and an abstract of the study that had been submitted in May for presentation at a second scientific meeting, an American College of Rheumatology conference. Trontell's review, which Graham had forwarded to Horton, refers to ``potential charges of data manipulation.'' Graham says he had already explained the discrepancies to his superiors at the FDA. After the abstract was submitted to the rheumatology group, Graham says, he discovered two problems: A computer program had misclassified the amount of Vioxx some patients had taken; and one of his co-authors noticed that an analysis Graham had done was incorrect. Graham says the rheumatology group told him that it was too late to correct the printed abstract, but that he could present the corrected analysis at its annual meeting in October, as he had at the epidemiology meeting in August Nov. 14. In an e-mail to Galson, Horton wrote, ``You will not be surprised if I say that I was a little taken aback to get your call on Friday (Nov. 12). It is very unusual indeed for a member of the employing institution of an author to contact us in the middle of the review and publication process of a manuscript.'' Horton wrote that Galson's call could be perceived as an improper attempt to interfere with The Lancet's review process. Raising the possibility that a scientist manipulated data ``is an extremely serious allegation,'' Horton wrote. ``One could read such an allegation as an attempt to introduce doubt into our minds about the honesty of the authors--doubt that might be sufficient to delay or stop publication of research that was clearly of serious public interest'' Nov. 18. Graham told a Senate panel that the FDA is ``virtually defenseless'' against another ``terrible tragedy and a profound regulatory failure'' like Vioxx. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Braley).

Mr. STUPAK

Mr. STUPAK. I thank the gentleman for yielding. And congratulations on a well thought of, well put forth piece of legislation, and I strongly support this legislation. I want to address the Davis-Bacon issue I have heard so much about in the last few days. I represent one of the more rural, disadvantaged districts, and we should not be taking away Davis-Bacon. To take away Davis-Bacon because a district is small or rural or may be considered disadvantaged as some people say is just purely hogwash. Davis-Bacon is good for rural America. Davis-Bacon is good for urban America. Davis- Bacon is good for all Americans. In my congressional district, which is comprised of mostly seniors and veterans and households with income around $38,000, my district can't afford not to have Davis-Bacon. My district needs to keep wages up, not lower our wages. There should be no retreat, no surrender on Davis-Bacon. We should stop this madness. We come here, and it is always like a race to the bottom: Who can do it for cheaper? Who can do it for lower? Who are we affecting? The men and women who I represent and all the men and women who built this country. We should pay them a decent wage so they can afford a decent standard of living. Take health care. If you are going to try and do health care in this country, you better have $48,000 a year minimum income because the insurance premiums are $12,000 to $14,000. Davis-Bacon allows you a fair wage so you can afford health insurance so you can provide for your family. When we take a look at this, Davis-Bacon provides nothing more than quality work for decent pay. We have got to stop the race to the bottom, do not drive down wages. There should be no retreat, no surrender. Support Davis-Bacon. Support this bill, H.R. 720. I compliment the chairman; it is a great piece of legislation. I have been here now for a while. We are finally going to put money back into the water system, to our wastewater treatment systems to clean up our environment, to clean up public health so our people can have a safe quality of life, but they can't do it without an adequate income. Support this legislation. Reject the Baker-King shallow argument about rural America needs a special exception in order to afford it. Rural America supports this legislation. We cannot afford to walk away from Davis-Bacon. We must have Davis-Bacon in this legislation.

Mr. STUPAK. Madam Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. STUPAK. Thank you, Madam Chairman. I thank the Rules Committee for making my amendment in order. I rise today to continue to protect the Great Lakes, as it is the source of drinking water for 45 million people and the recreational and economic livelihood of the region which depends heavily on a healthy Great Lakes. There are a large number of wastewater facilities in both the United States and Canada that discharge treated and untreated sewer water into the Great Lakes. While these facilities do everything they can to prevent polluting the Great Lakes, there are times when untreated or undertreated wastewater is released. Once this pollution occurs, it can be difficult to determine that a wastewater treatment facility is the source, the effects of these discharges on the Great Lakes, and the steps needed to stop the pollution and clean up any damage. For example, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, have faced tremendous problems with E. coli, coliform, and other bacteria in the water near a wastewater treatment facility in Ontario, Canada. These two cities are separated by the St. Mary's River, which connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Under the direction of the EPA, the Chippewa County, Michigan, Health Department has undertaken significant monitoring of the St. Mary's River. The Ontario Ministry of Environment has also begun testing. However, because there is disagreement about the source of the pollution, there is little to be done to correct the issue. Even though both sides are now beginning to monitor the river, a lack of communication and cooperation still presents a significant roadblock in accomplishing a solution. My amendment would require the EPA, in consultation with the State Department and the Canadian government, to study wastewater treatment facilities that discharge into the Great Lakes. The study would include recommendations on ways to improve monitoring, information sharing and cooperation between the United States and Canada. The U.S. and Canada must work together to limit harmful wastewater discharges into the Great Lakes. My amendment will allow the EPA to offer solutions to the notice, protocol and information sharing problems the U.S. and Canada face. By improving monitoring and communication, the U.S. and Canada can work together to solve problems created by wastewater treatment facilities discharging into the Great Lakes. The Congressional Budget Office has indicated there will not be any direct spending as a result of my amendment. I wish to thank the staff of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as the staff of the Foreign Affairs Committee and my personal staff for their assistance in crafting this amendment. I look forward to continuing with them as this legislation moves forward. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STUPAK. Let me thank Mr. Baker and Mr. Oberstar for their help in support of this amendment. Madam Chairman, we do realize we have to make some minor modifications in this amendment, and I look forward to their continued help and support in that direction. I am always amazed at the knowledge of the chairman, Mr. Oberstar, as he went back 20 years to recite language. He was absolutely right about the flow of the St. Mary's river, 130,000 cubic feet per second. I am always amazed at his knowledge of the Great Lakes and his support for the Great Lakes. All this amendment is saying is that the U.S. and Canada must work together to prevent harmful discharges into the Great Lakes. My amendment will allow the EPA to offer solutions to notice, protocol and information sharing between our two countries in the face of monitoring, communicating and eventually working together to resolve the problems created by waste charge facilities which discharge treated and untreated water into our Great Lakes. Again, no direct spending will result as a result of my amendment or in the CBO, and I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.