Ellen Tauscher

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I too rise to support H.R. 3694 and to thank the chairman and the full committee ranking member and the subcommittee chairman and ranking member for their leadership to put forward the Highway Funding Restoration Act. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this legislation and am proud of the bipartisan way the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has worked together to bring this bill to the floor. This bill will restore $373 million for highway projects in California and allow projects we desperately need to move forward, including adding carpool lanes to I-680/80, widening Highway 4, and developing the Oakland Airport interconnector. This does not replace all the money President Bush cut from California's transportation budget, but it is a good first step. It also translates to saving more than 15,000 good-paying jobs across our State. Commuters in the Bay Area face some of the worst congestion in the country, and we are also facing a sluggish economy. Now is not the time to be cutting Federal funding for highway projects. This bill will fund California's section of the highway account at $2.3 billion for the next year. While this amount was authorized in TEA 21 for the next year, it is not sufficient to meet California's needs. I will continue to push for more money to be used from the trust fund which has $18 billion in cash just sitting in it. In addition to restoring money, this bill reasserts the integrity of the budget firewalls in TEA 21 and the realigned budget authority mechanism called RABA. These provisions will ensure that local communities can plan transportation projects knowing that the Federal Government will be a predictable partner throughout the life of a project. Every community in America depends on transportation to keep its people and local economy moving. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and keep America's transportation improvements on track.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, this is right for the United States and this is right for this Congress. This is an opportunity for the bilateral relationships between the United States and Russia to improve, and I am here to say that I am very thankful to see that it is also a real sign of bipartisanship of this Congress where Democrats and Republicans, who up to yesterday had some disagreements about some language in this amendment, have come together in a very practical and common sense way to increase the opportunities for our national labs, two of which are in my district in northern California, to work to provide for the American people and frankly for the people of Russia and around the world much more opportunities for nonproliferation, much more opportunities for bilateral work and cooperation, and the ability for us to have agreements between our countries that are much more transparent and give a sense that we are very committed to working together and to turn aside the old adversarial relationships in the post-Cold War and move to a new time where we can be cooperative against the threats that we both share. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for being so cooperative in working together.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I would also like to add my thanks to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) for his leadership, and I wish him every best wish. Mr. Chairman, I intend to vote for the defense authorization bill today because it does many good things. This bill will help us fight the war against terrorism and it gives our military men and women a well-deserved pay raise. But I am concerned, Mr. Chairman, about the direction this bill takes regarding our Nation's national nuclear weapons policy. This bill encourages the United States to develop new nuclear weapons for first time since 1990. It clears the way for underground nuclear testing in Nevada. It endorses arming ballistic missile defenses with nuclear warheads and encourages arbitrary caps on the number of nuclear weapons that could be removed from the Nation's nuclear stockpile. I will offer an amendment today to require the Department of Energy to provide Congress with options for reducing our nuclear arsenal more quickly than is called for in the Nuclear Posture Review. If President Bush reaches an agreement with President Putin to reduce nuclear weapons, we should be prepared to make those reductions as quickly as possible, not wait 10 years. But I am disappointed, Mr. Chairman, that the Committee on Rules refused to make in order other amendments relating to our nuclear weapons posture. I had submitted an amendment with the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen) to have a more balanced sense of Congress on nuclear policy. Our amendment had several common sense provisions, including restoring the President's ability to pursue sensible reductions in the nuclear stockpile, encouraging conventional ``bunker buster'' weapons rather than nuclear ones, and exploring all the implications of resuming underground testing instead of going full steam ahead with them. I had also prepared an amendment to extend our Nation's nonproliferation efforts to countries like Pakistan and India. Mr. Chairman, despite the limitations the Committee on Rules has placed on debate, I encourage Members to vote for the defense authorization bill today, but I also hope that Members recognize that there are many provisions in this bill that take our Nation down a very dangerous path toward a new nuclear arms race.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) for accepting the amendment and appreciate the opportunity to work with the gentleman. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, this amendment adds a small but critical requirement to the language in the bill on the Nuclear Posture Review. As Members know, the Nuclear Posture Review provides Congress with crucial information about the administration's intentions on the country's nuclear strategy, warhead levels and infrastructure over the next 10 years. Some of the review's comments are positive, such as the restatement of the need to deploy the lowest number of nuclear weapons consistent with our security requirements. Other findings are more troubling, especially the review's failure to outline significant and verifiable cuts to our nuclear arsenal. Recent comments by Assistant Secretary of Defense Crouch about warhead reduction that ``there is no such thing as something that is irreversible,'' directly contradict the President's objective stated in Crawford, Texas, in the summit with President Putin last summer. The credibility of the United States' leadership in the area of arms control will be significantly undermined if we do not live up to the President's proposal to reduce our nuclear arsenal. The gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Stump) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the ranking member, took a first and valuable step toward addressing this disconnect. Indeed, the bill requests clarification of the administration's plans for our strategic force structure, including specific definitions of how many warheads will be dismantled or placed in the ready reserve and associated costs. I ask for Members' support for an additional requirement to this section mandating a report from the Secretary of Energy on options for achieving the President's objectives for operationally deployed nuclear warheads before 2012. This is a nonbinding, common sense requirement that simply asks the Secretary of Energy to look at whether the President's arms objective can be achieved in a shorter time frame. Additionally, it is my belief that this should actually be addressed to the National Nuclear Security Administration, which is a semi-autonomous agency inside the Department of Energy.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, Marty Marshall is President of the California School Food Service Association, with over 2,500 members, Director of Nutrition Services for Fremont Unified School District, with over 32,000 students, wife, mother, grandmother, and community volunteer. Her life has been, a continues to be, devoted to service to others. Whether to family, co-workers, friends, or fellow professional association members, Marty finds giving of her heart, energy and time to he her greatest pleasure. As President of the California School Food Service Association, Marty Marshall has worked tirelessly to revitalize the Association by conducting strategic planning sessions, and accomplishing the resulting strategic goals in the areas of organizational structure, internal and external communication, membership, professional image, leadership development, and legislative activity. With her inclusive style of leadership, she has brought together members of all levels including site staff, management, and industry to come to consensus on the goals as well as the necessary steps to achieve them. The membership has expressed enthusiastic appreciation for bringing back some of the traditions and structure that had been lost over the past few years. In addition to her current position as President of CSFSA, Marty has served as President Elect, Chair of the Professional Development, Awards and Scholarships, and Rules and Resolutions Committees, Conference Program Chair, Conference Exhibits Chair, and President of the Josephine P. Morris and Northern California Chapter. She is also currently the Executive Committee Advisor to the Public Policy and Legislative, and Conference Committees. Marty's theme for her Presidency, ``Nutrition and Learning, Hand in Hand,'' depicts her commitment to children's nutrition education, and the positive effect good nutrition has on a child's learning ability. This has been a timely theme because of current interest amongst California families, schools, and Legislators in children's nutrition issues. Marty testified numerous times during the 2001-2002 session in both Senate and Assembly Committee hearings regarding nutrition and training related legislation. Her testimony contributed strongly to reaching compromise on SB 19, the Pupil Health, Nutrition, and Achievement Act of 2001, signed into law by the Governor, and authored by Senator Escutia. Marty Marshall was born Martha Elizabeth Knecht in Berkeley, California on August 21, 1946. She grew up in Walnut Creek, where she attended Parkmead Elementary School and Del Valle High School, participating in service and leadership activities in both. In Elementary School she was active in Brownies, Girl Scouts, Job's Daughters and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and took lessons in flute, piano, and ballet. She was a member of the Student Council, and gave the commencement speech at her eighth grade graduation ceremony. Attending a new high school, as a member of the second graduating class, Marty was in the Leadership Class and on the Student Council all four years, and was a cheer leader for three years, the last of which she was elected as Head Cheer Leader. She was a member of the Latin and French Clubs, tutored special education students, earned a life membership in the California Scholarship Federation, and was selected as Del Valle High School's ``Most Outstanding Citizen'' by the school staff. After graduating from High School, Marty Marshall attended the University of California at Berkeley, where she majored in Dietetics. It is here where she met Marilyn Briggs, current Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction for the California Department of Education Director of the Nutrition Services Division, who has become a lifelong friend and mentor in the area of child nutrition. Marty continued tutoring special education students through her college years, and volunteered in a local convalescent hospital, reading to residents and participating in holiday events. She joined the Alpha Phi sorority, which focuses nationally on activities to support heart health, and participated annually in their fundraising drive. Before working at Fremont Unified School District, Marty worked for two years as an Assistant Dietitian for a chain of convalescent hospitals. She also worked for six years as the Food Service Instructor for a Federal Training Grant Project where she trained functionally retarded and legally blind clients to work in commercial food service. Here, she developed an Independent Living Skills program for her clients, most of who had recently been released from a state hospital that had closed. She also developed a prescreening program for the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind, to help ensure the success of her clients when they entered this business food service training program. Marty still stays in touch with two of her clients from this Federal Training Project after 30 years. Marty has worked at Fremont Unified School District for over twenty years as the Director of Nutrition Services. She works hard to combine nutritional integrity with sound business practices, and has earned a USDA Recognition Award each time her program has been audited. She is committed to the children and is known for running her program with the highest of ethics and standards. Marty is a member of Candle Lighters, a Fremont organization that builds and operates a ghost house each year and donates the proceeds to local charities. She has chaired the Caramel Apple booth and the scheduling of students to work in the house. Over $1,500,000 has be returned to the community over the past 25 years through the efforts of this organization. Marty's husband Steve, and her two children, Chris, 26 and Nicky, 23, participate with her in many of her volunteer activities.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), another member of the Board of Visitors.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Joint Resolution 32, which recognizes the bicentennial of the United States Military Academy, commonly referred to as West Point. The United States Military Academy has been nurturing and developing a spirit of duty, honor, country in our Nation's Army cadets for 200 years since its founding in 1802 by President Thomas Jefferson. As a member of West Point's Board of Visitors, it is an American tradition of excellence I am honored to be proud of. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington considered West Point to be the most important strategic position in America. Nestled on nearly 16,000 acres in West Point, New York, along the Hudson River, the United States Military Academy is dedicated to attracting diverse young men and women to our Nation's military leadership. For 2 centuries, West Point has been both home and training academy to thousands of cadets who have committed themselves to serve our Nation and the virtues of duty, honor, and country. Among the graduates of this distinguished institution are: Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower, ``Stonewall'' Jackson, Robert E. Lee, John J. Pershing, Douglas MacArthur, George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, Edwin E. ``Buzz'' Baldwin, Brent Scowcroft, and H. Norman Schwarzkopf. Other honorable graduates include: Dennis Hart Mahan, a distinguished educator and writer who taught the science of war; Henry O. Flipper, the first African American graduate in 1877; Henry H. ``Hap'' Arnold, a pioneer of Army aviation; astronauts Frank Borman, who commanded the first circumlunar flight; Edward White II, the first American to walk in space and who tragically perished in the Apollo spacecraft fire; and Michael Collins, who participated in the first manned lunar landing; Roscoe Robinson, Jr., the first African American four-star Army general; Andrea Lee Hollen, the first woman to graduate from the Academy and a Rhodes Scholar; and Kristin Baker, the first woman brigade commander of the U.S. Corps of Cadets. These and many other well-known and not so well-known graduates of West Point have made an impact on our Nation's history. The United States Military Academy's mission is ``to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country; professional growth throughout a career as an officer of the United States Army; and a lifetime of selfless service to the Nation.'' For 200 years, the Academy has faithfully and dutifully carried out the ``West Point Experience'' by challenging intellect, requiring rigorous physical stamina, and developing the military and moral and ethical character of cadets. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating the United States Military Academy on its bicentennial and support S.J. Resolution 32. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for the people of Colombia and ask my colleagues to support this resolution. The people of Colombia have suffered through years of violence, deprivation, and discord. They have seen their country torn apart in a violent war between their government and various rebel factions. Despite the best efforts of President Pastrana, the murder and kidnapping of Colombian citizens, government officials, and even American visitors have increased. His efforts to reach a peaceful settlement have been rejected by the rebel groups. Mr. Speaker, the United States has made a commitment to addressing the root cause of these problems in Colombia--the drug trade. Through Plan Colombia we are working with our Andean allies to destroy drug production and interrupt drug traffic. Our assistance will help Colombia's Government lead the country and, eventually, end drug production and stabilize the Andean region. As Colombia continues working to secure lasting peace, the United States should continue to offer support and assistance. This resolution is an important expression of that support, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. I thank my friend and colleague for yielding time. Mr. Chairman, I have supported Shays-Meehan since being elected to Congress in 1996. I helped pass this bill twice. I hope today we can get a clean bill so we can vote for it again. I urge my colleagues to oppose the Armey substitute so we can get a clean vote today on Shays- Meehan. Our democracy deserves honest campaigns and honest elections. Voters deserve to know the truth about who is working to affect election outcomes, including the people and interest groups bankrolling ads and campaigns. There is no reason parties need to collect large, unregulated amounts of money that can be used to directly influence elections. Campaign finance reform will help restore the public's faith in elected officials and the legislative process. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership will stop at nothing to kill this bill, only further distancing working families from their government. I hope supporters of reform in previous years will keep working with both parties and support real reform again this year and today when it really matters.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank our ranking member for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I must rise in opposition to this senseless sense of the Congress resolution. I support tax cuts, and I even voted for last year's tax package because I believe hardworking Americans deserve tax relief. But in the year since we passed the tax cut, America's economic conditions have drastically worsened. We now face a future of budget deficits that threaten Social Security and Medicare. That is why yesterday I submitted an amendment to the Committee on Rules that would have added a trigger mechanism to the tax cut. My amendment would have ensured that the tax cuts passed last year continue as planned as long as future cuts are not paid for with Social Security and Medicare money. Unfortunately, the rule does not allow me to offer this amendment. It is simply irresponsible for Congress to jeopardize Social Security and its promise of a secure future. That is why I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote no on this senseless resolution and let us get back to work.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, we have mourned. We have remembered. And we have flown the flag. We have done a lot to honor those lost. But we can do more to honor the men and women who became some of the greatest heroes in American history on September 11. Many families are still searching for peace of mind and for how to explain to their children that their moms or dads aren't coming home. One of those people is Deena Burnett, who lost her husband Tom on flight 93. Another is Laurie Hart, whose husband John was in the World Trade Center September 11. These two men are shining examples of the American spirit, and of our bravery and values as a Nation. Nothing will ever bring back Tom or John, but we must do everything we can to help their families keep their memories alive. Deena Burnett would like to hear the recording from flight 93's cockpit recorder. And I believe we owe that to her. These families know the tape might not give them all the answers they're looking for. But many believe it's the only way to cement in their minds what they already know in their hearts--that their husbands and fathers and best friends died as heroes, selflessly doing everything they could to protect their fellow Americans. Mr. Speaker, I have urged the FBI to immediately consider letting Deena Burnett hear this tape. For 7 weeks I have waited for an answer. Even worse--so have all those families. And while Deena Burnett and all these other people have been waiting, someone shared information about their loved one's final moments with reporters. But the families'requests still go unanswered. This is heartless, and it is unacceptable. The FBI can no longer delay making this important gesture to respect and honor the families of these American heroes. Please, Mr. Speaker, help us give these families the best holiday gifts they could receive--the memories of those they lost.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Madam Speaker, I would like to lend my strong support for the Price-Anderson Reauthorization Act of 2001. I commend my colleague Heather Wilson for introducing this timely bill and her work on the Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure bipartisan participation. As a member of the Armed Services Committee's Special Panel on Department of Energy Reorganization and with two national defense laboratories in my district, I believe that the timely renewal of the Price-Anderson Act is absolutely essential for the continued operations and cleanup of Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facilities. As several of my colleagues who have National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sites in their districts know, the defense production sites and former sites are operated by experienced, uniquely qualified contractors who ensure that viability of our nuclear deterrent and the safe disposition of excess nuclear materials and waste. Price-Anderson gives us critical protection while fostering progress on environmental and quality management of many of the world's most radioactively contaminated facilities. The legislation passed out the Energy and Commerce Committee ensures a sufficient contractor base and places a strong emphasis on accountability. Current civil and criminal penalties contained in Price-Anderson, combined with DOE's inherent authority to adjust fees based on performance or terminate contracts, ensure contractors are accountable. This mix will help DOE contractors continue their dedication to safely maintaining America's nuclear stockpile, while they continue cleaning up the environmental legacy of the cold war, and ensuring worker safety and health. On a broader level, a straightforward Price-Anderson reauthorization is necessary to ensure that the public has the financial resources available to cope with a nuclear accident, covering expenses from evacuation to medical care to property damage. The strict liability regime imposed by Price-Anderson in the unlikely case of a major accident ensures money starts flowing where it's needed without legal wrangling. This expedited process visibly benefits the public. In fact, during the Three Mile Island accident, Price-Anderson financial assistance meant that the needs of people in the surrounding communities were met. Finally, important, timely measures have been added to the Price- Anderson Reauthorization Act, that address the threat of terrorism to our nuclear facilities. These provisions include measures to safeguard the transportation of nuclear materials and several steps that address potential threats to nuclear facilities. Mrs. Wilson's bill is timely. It matches bipartisan proposals for reauthorization in the Senate and tracks both recommendations made to Congress under the previous administration and the National Energy Policy developed by the Bush administration. I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote for this legislation.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time, and I rise in support of the Andean Trade Preference Act. We are at a critical point in our ongoing relationship with our good friends in Central and South America. The expansion and extension of ATPA is a necessary component of a comprehensive strategy to improve our collective security in the Western Hemisphere. We have already established free trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, and now we must look to widen our horizon, expand our opportunities and share the good fortunes of trade with our Andean neighbors and then the rest of the democratic countries of South America. The ATPA has helped foster trade between the United States and the Andean region that has nearly doubled over the last decade to $18 billion to the mutual benefit of the United States and Andean businesses. To date, we have made a bet that a $1.3 billion American assistance program can help solve this problem. If we truly want to shape the environment to ensure our success, we must protect our bet with a trade package that sets the conditions for economies that need to change their earnings from drug money to industries that are part of the 21st century economy. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3009, the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown).

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 852, a bill to designate the new courthouse and Federal building under construction in Youngstown, Ohio, as the Nathaniel R. Jones and Frank J. Battisti Federal Building and United States Courthouse. These two native sons of Youngstown, Ohio, have contributed to the excellence of the judicial system and dedicated their lives to preserving the notion of equal justice under the law. Judge Battisti was born and brought up in Youngstown. After attending Ohio University, in 1950 he received his J.D. from Harvard Law School. Judge Battisti was Assistant Attorney General and a law instructor at Youngstown State University. Later in his career, he was elected judge of the Common Pleas Court of Mahoning County, Ohio. In 1961, he was appointed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio by President Kennedy. In 1969 he became the Chief Judge. Judge Nathaniel Jones was also born and brought up in Youngstown and is a World War II veteran. His civic and public appointments include serving as director of the Fair Employment Practices Commission and executive director of the Mayor's Human Rights Commission. Attorney General Robert Kennedy appointed Judge Jones as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, based in Cleveland. In 1969 Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP, asked Judge Jones to serve as the NAACP's general counsel. Judge Jones accepted the offer and served at the NAACP for a decade, from 1969 until 1979. In 1979, President Carter appointed Judge Jones to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit. Both gentlemen have been active in numerous community and civic organizations. They were personal friends and professional colleagues. It is very fitting and proper that we support this naming bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 852. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Democratic motion to instruct conferees to convene and complete a conference by this Friday, November 9. I was hopeful that the House would pass the Senate version of the airport security legislation last week so a conference could be avoided and the President could have signed a comprehensive bill by now. Now that a conference is convening, I am hopeful that conferees will strike the provision requiring that airport security screeners must be a citizen for 5 years before being eligible for employment. We should not have a double standard for U.S. citizens that creates different levels of citizenship. Mr. Speaker, we do not require people seeking to serve in our military or join the National Guard to be citizens for a certain period of time to be eligible. I might add that the National Guard is serving on the front line of airport security today, posted next to the screeners and heavily armed. Once someone becomes a U.S. citizen, they are a citizen, period. Mr. Speaker, clearly the latest security breaches highlight the need to make radical and swift changes to our airport screening procedures. I am hopeful the conferees can reach a compromise as soon as possible. The American people are waiting.

Mrs. TAUSCHER

Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished ranking member for yielding me this time, and I rise in strong support of the Oberstar amendment, which is the same text of the bill the Senate passed unanimously over 3 weeks ago. It has been some 7 weeks since security at three of our major airports was breached, resulting in the hijacking of four planes and the tragic events that unfolded on September 11. Following the attacks, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure worked swiftly, in a bipartisan way, to pass a relief package for airlines, which I supported. But I said then and I believe now that no amount of money will stabilize the aviation industry over the long term unless we restore the confidence of the American flying public, and that means getting security right, and that means today. Families need to feel safe in order to buy tickets to go see grandma for Thanksgiving and business travelers should feel confident to return to the skies to help our slowing economy. Mr. Chairman, restoring confidence means restructuring our current system to establish a seamless network of security that has national standards and national accountability. This amendment does that, and, if passed, would avoid a conference with the Senate and could be signed into law by the President tomorrow. Recent polls indicate that, like national security, over 80 percent of the American people believe that airport security should be a function of the Federal Government. The Senate, including 49 Republican Senators, have chosen to put the safety of the American flying public above partisan politics. The House leadership should allow their Members to do the same. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Oberstar amendment and send the President this bill tomorrow. The American people are waiting.