Michael Turner

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, last weekend the Dayton, Ohio area played host to America's Amateur Radio operators. The Dayton Hamvention, located in Trotwood, has been a fixture of the Amateur Radio community since the event's founding in 1952. There are 663,000 FCC-licensed amateurs in the United States and Ohio ranks fourth nationally with a total of 27,800. Many traveled to the Dayton area to attend the Hamvention. The Amateur Radio Service, which began in the early 1900s, is both a challenging hobby and a valuable national resource in times of local and national disasters. Amateur Radio has repeatedly proven its value in providing two-way communications for local emergency operations centers and public safety officials during hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes and even terror attacks. Its motto, ``When all else fails . . . Amateur Radio,'' is more relevant today than ever. For most of the 20th century, Amateur Radio attracted and nurtured telecommunications skills in America's youth, inspiring many to seek careers in communications and engineering while advancing the art of radio communications. Today, Amateur Radio satellites link hobbyists around the globe, and Amateur Radio operators combine the latest computer technology and digital communications with a commitment to public service. The Dayton Hamvention, sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, has steadily grown in size and popularity to become the premier annual gathering of ham radio operators from around the world. The three day event offered exhibits of the latest in radio and digital communications technology and forums for hams to share their skills and interests. Thanks to the never ending hard work of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, hams eagerly look to Dayton each year for innovation and inspiration.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Well, I want to thank Brad Miller for his leadership on this issue. This is a very important issue that affects our whole country. And we all took a pause as we saw our financial institutions shaken nationally. And as the bailouts were proposed that came here to this floor to be voted upon, across the country, Americans wondered, How did we get here? How did this happen? Now I voted against every bailout that came here to this floor. And I voted against it because not only did I believe that they were not structured appropriately, that there was money that was going to be wasted, but more importantly, not one of them included a change in the laws that would prohibit the type of practices that got us here to begin with. The toxic assets that people talk about are these mortgage- backed securities that were traded and sold upstream. They were the securities that were based upon practices of mortgage lending that had a negative impact on our families and a negative impact on our communities. And today I wanted to offer my support for the recently passed bill, H.R. 1728, Mr. Miller's bill, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009. This bill directly addresses the root causes of the current financial and economic crisis in the United States as well as how it has led to some home abandonment and high foreclosure rates throughout the country. Mr. Speaker, the United States is experiencing a steady increase in foreclosures and mortgage lending problems that have impacted homeowners, families, communities, the United States economy and global economies. In 2006, there were an estimated 1.3 million foreclosures in the United States. This number has increased by 79 percent in 2007, bringing the estimated number of foreclosures nationwide to 2.2 million. In 2008, an estimated 3.2 million foreclosures were reported nationwide. Estimates suggest that this trend is likely to continue with millions more of Americans potentially losing their homes to foreclosure in the next 4 years and with foreclosures not abating until perhaps 2011. Recently, an analysis by the Associated Press reported that Ohio has three of the most vacant neighborhoods in the United States where home foreclosure and abandonment have devastated neighborhoods with parts of northwest Dayton, Ohio, in my district, with more than 40 percent of the area being vacant. This statistic makes northwest Dayton the ninth emptiest neighborhood in the Nation. If you look at the 2008 foreclosure rates in my district, there have been 4,091 foreclosures in Montgomery County, the primary county of my district. There were 1,558 foreclosures in Warren County, 287 foreclosures in Clinton County, and 351 in Highland County. These statistics become even more real when I open the pages of my local newspaper. When I was home over the past couple of weeks, I looked at the newspaper, and I actually compared the number of pages that actually contained news to the number of foreclosures. The Dayton Daily News the other day showed up on my doorstep. It had 14 pages of news nationally and worldwide and 14 pages of foreclosures. Those are foreclosures that affect families, communities and neighborhoods, the families that live there, the children that live there, and the neighbors that live next to the homes, and the neighborhoods that begin to decline upon foreclosure and abandonment. According to a study commissioned by Jim McCarthy, the head of the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center in my district, the mortgage foreclosures associated with lenders who are identified as subprime lenders increased at an annual rate of 43 percent from 1994 to 2000. This number is more than double the annual 18 percent rate increase associated with lenders who are not identified as subprime lenders. The study also showed that foreclosure filings in Montgomery County, Ohio, nearly doubled from 1994 to 2000 and that subprime lenders were responsible for a disproportionately high share of that increase. In Montgomery County, the number of predatory lending complaints since 2001 have risen to 5,326. Home foreclosures resulting from predatory lending take a toll on American cities. Properties which are foreclosed often sit vacant for long periods of time and not only become an eyesore but become a threat to public health and to safety. Boarded-up neighborhoods, falling property values, and increased crime all lead to an eroded local tax base and impair a city's ability to provide important services to urban families. Additionally, when I served as mayor of the city of Dayton and faced this issue and how it impacts homeowners, my community continued to wonder how the financial markets would be able to sustain the losses associated the mortgage foreclosures. Beyond the individual impact resulting from predatory lending, these practices were resulting in the loss of capital in the market that cumulatively, one would expect that it would have an impact. Now, I want to show you some of the boards that I have beside me. These are the home foreclosure numbers for Montgomery County for the years starting in 1997 to 2008. Since I have been in Congress here for 6\1/2\ years, in a county that has a population of slightly more than 500,000, there have been about 27,000 foreclosures in the community. The number of families that are impacted, the number of houses in the neighborhood is just really astounding. I wanted to show you a representative map of a neighborhood that would show you what that would look like from the early period, before this period here starting from 2004 on where we have the higher numbers, as the foreclosure crisis began in the community. This is one Dayton neighborhood in northeast Dayton. You can see probably on the camera just a few of the streets and the make-up of the area. But for every dot you see on this map, that represents a foreclosure. This is just the period from 1997 to 2003. We haven't even imposed upon this map what occurred from 2003 forward. If you imagine, that means that just about everybody living in the neighborhood lives next to a house that went through foreclosure. And what is unfortunate is that a lot of those houses then go on to abandonment. When a house is foreclosed, a family might walk away. And many times families are left in the neighborhood living next to houses like these that become boarded up, sources for criminal activity, lowering the property values and trapping everyone. If these houses were subject to predatory lending and their neighbors were not, the neighbors still are impacted by predatory lending by having these types of occurrences in their neighborhood and next to them. Well, today, Mr. Speaker, the impact of all of this is clear. It does impact our financial institutions. And it does impact the very fabric of our financial institutions for our community and our country. These are the toxic assets that everyone speaks about. When they talk about toxic assets and mortgage-backed securities, they talk about the real- life foreclosures that have occurred. And predatory lending practices have contributed a disproportionate amount to those impacts. I believe that homeownership is a privilege that everyone should enjoy. But we must not allow for the dream of homeownership to be shattered because of questionable and less-than-honest mortgage lending practices that can steal individuals' futures. That is why I'm pleased to commend my colleague, Brad Miller, on his leadership on this issue and work on securing the passage of H.R. 1728 in this body. Brad, we appreciate it. The families who have been impacted appreciate it. This is an important step of changing the rules so that we don't continue the practice of creating toxic assets.

Mr. TURNER. Before you turn to Mr. Ellison, I do want to commend you for this bill. It is very important. You are taking action that goes right to the heart of the crisis. I am pleased to support it, as this House was, and we certainly look forward to it proceeding. Thank you for highlighting it today.

Mr. TURNER. Exactly to what you said, one other thing that I want to talk about is the issue of how people feel about this. There are people who live next to abandoned homes that went into foreclosure, who have made their payments and have seen their property values drop, and they know that lenders took advantage of the families in their neighborhoods, and those lenders are part of where the tax dollars are going for these bailouts. They want to know when are these lenders, when are they going to be held accountable and stopped from these types of activities. That is what your bill does. It goes to saying we are not going to allow the lenders to continue these practices. Elements of your bill will have a huge impact on neighborhoods and families. Thank you for advancing it.

Mr. TURNER. Absolutely. In Ohio, we have had significant job loss, and that goes to part of the economic crisis that people are seeing. But when you have people's home values drop, just as you said, they have less wealth. And when they have less wealth, they are less secure, so they are less secure in proceeding with other purchases. But an issue that also impacts them is when the value of your house goes down because someone else has gone into foreclosure, the value is not there and you are also stuck, unable to sell your home. There are people now, who because of the number of foreclosures that have occurred in the neighborhood, were holding onto their house, and that has a suppressing impact on the economy also. If the value was still there, they might sell their home and move on. Brad, I commend you again for your bill. Throughout the country, people know we have a foreclosure crisis. They know there is a foreclosure crisis which goes straight to the issue of toxic assets, which goes straight to the financial stability of our financial institutions. This bill, unlike the bailouts that were passed, goes straight to the issue of trying to stop these practices so that we don't continue to crank out toxic assets. That will provide stability in the market where people will have some confidence that these loans that are being given have some standards behind them and that families are not put at risk.

Mr. TURNER. Well it has definitely gone down. And Brad, you make some excellent points. Now our community in Dayton, Ohio, and the surrounding counties, Warren, Clinton and Highland, that are in my district, we are not an area of the country which saw these large spikes in property values. We had very modest property appreciation. What happened most of the time, I believe, and the Montgomery County Fair Housing Center has statistics where this has been proven out, is that through predatory lending practices and what I believe are also fraudulent lending practices, the loan-to-value ratio got out of kilter. They would lend people more money than their house was worth. Structurally, you cannot maintain that. You are going to have a foreclosure if someone leverages their entire equity. I will give you an example. Someone might have a house that is worth $70,000. A lender comes to them and says, well, your house is really worth $100,000. I will give you $10,000 cash out of your equity. And then they will charge them $15,000 in fees that are rolled up and capitalized into the loan, so the family now has a $100,000 loan on a house that was worth $75,000. They got $10,000 to send their kid to college or pay medical bills. But they are now sideways because the house really isn't worth $100,000. So if you have then an economic event where they have difficulty in making that mortgage payment, it is different from economic downturns we have had before. When we have had economic downturns before, people still had equity in their home. They might be able to sell their home or they might be able to try to make the payments on the lower value. But once you have a loan on a house that is greater than its value, and people do not have the money to cut the check for the difference, they are going to walk away. And they are structurally going to have to leave that home behind. The bank is going to foreclose and take it. You're going to have this abandonment. And what you just said, Brad, what is really important, is the people who live next to that house, who didn't have a predatory loan, who didn't take a loan out greater than their value, now see their property values drop because the house next door to them is now abandoned. We have seen stagnation in property values and growth in the Dayton area, some declines. People who live next to a home that has been in foreclosure see their property values decline. So it is something that doesn't just impact the family. These numbers you see here of people who have had their home where they have lost it in foreclosure are multiplied by the number of people who live next to those homes. And in some neighborhoods because there are so many that this has happened, the whole neighborhood sees the decline.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. I think the real easy answer as to why we should have missile defense is because our adversaries are so interested in funding missiles, and they obviously see that missiles are a way that they put us at risk because they are investing so heavily in it, in research and technology. And we are seeing in the rogue nations, now North Korea and Iran and their capabilities, the fact that they are reaching for these shows that we need to reach for the defense. One area that I wanted to raise and that I know that we need investment in is in the area of intelligence and our space capabilities that give us the eyes and ears and the ability to understand what some of the threats are, to be able see them, to be able to respond. It is good to bring this information to light for the public, because people need to know what's out there, what we are capable of, but also what is left to do.

Mr. TURNER. Thank you, Mr. Akin. I appreciate your leadership on this and your leadership on the Armed Services Committee, and I want to thank you for doing this this evening. This is such an important issue. And, Congressman Franks, I appreciate his leadership in trying to highlight where we have been, what we've accomplished, and, of course, the threats that we have in front of us. Many people are not necessarily aware that we have missile defense currently deployed to protect portions of the United States and to respond to some of the threats. It's not a complete shield for the area, and it's certainly something that we moved quickly to deploy in the face of the issue of the threats of North Korea. Our system currently has 26 Ground-Based Interceptors in Alaska and California, 18 Aegis Missile Defense ships, 13 Patriot battalions, and five Ground- Based Radars all supported by satellite-based systems and command and control systems. The issue here is that this is deployed initially to respond to emerging threats, but it's an incomplete system. It's one we have not fully yet assembled, and it certainly is technology that is emerging. The more that we work with this, the more that we learn, the greater ingenuity that we have and the ability to respond to what are real threats to our country. As we all look to what Iran is doing and what North Korea is doing, we know that there is a real threat to our country, a real threat to our allies, and a real threat to our interests. So we have to preserve in this budget round our ability to fund the deployment of these systems, the maintenance, the upgrade, the research and development that will help us look to the future as to how do we protect our country and our allies. This is a very important function, and I really appreciate your bringing this to light and all those who are participating.

Mr. TURNER. Again, I want to thank you for your focus on this because there is an information gap, I think, between our capability of what we are able to do and what the American people know that we can do. So many times when people talk about missile defense, they remember the past criticisms, that this is a system that would not work, it's an impossible task. Well, this is a system that not only works, it's deployed. And many people are not aware that we actually have missile defense systems that are deployed for the purposes of protecting the United States from the threat of North Korea. Again, as you and I were discussing, it's an incomplete system in that we have not fully deployed all of the system that's necessary to protect the United States. But, again, this is a system that has not only been tested fully, responds to some of the threats that we have, but it's actually deployed. Now, it is just the first phase of a system. We have to continue our research, continue the American ingenuity that is so great. The missiles that you have behind you that are able to intercept are so important, again, and technology that people said would not work. We have other technologies that we need to explore; for example, the airborne laser, being able to take high directed energy and actually apply them to some of the missiles that threaten us. That's the technology that's so important to pursue. Because as we pursue research and development, as we pursue testing and find out the ways in which we can utilize this, these technologies to protect ourselves, we are going to perfect it. We are going to find the American ingenuity that we all know and apply it in ways that protect our families and our communities and our cities.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. I speak today in favor of H. Resolution 401, honoring the life of the honorable Jack Kemp. Jack Kemp was a friend of mine. His love of urban issues and love of those who government could help to achieve the American Dream was both admirable and something that many of us have attempted to follow. With his recent passing, we have to remember his work not only here in this body, but as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Jack Kemp is a guy who brought forth many concepts of how to appropriately size government, look to ways to lower tax burdens, and for economic development and moving the country forward. More importantly, he was also a guy who understood that the work of government was important, that it played an active role and held opportunity for people seeking the American Dream. His work and efforts to advance some of those programs really made a difference in the lives of many and is something today that we can look to as a model. He believed that tax cuts and economic growth would create benefits for everyone in the community, but also believed in trying to amass capital, bringing them to urban areas, assisting in redevelopment, assisting in enhancing educational programs, and looking to those neighborhoods where there were needs and ways which we can enhance their economic opportunity and the opportunity of those who live there. Jack Kemp's legacy is a model that we should continue to strive for as we look to ways to take our government into our neighborhoods to assist those who are in need. Thank you.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105. 1. Project--Lynchburg Police Department Police Equipment Replacement and Modernization Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division B Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Village of Lynchburg Address of Requesting Entity: 155 South Main Street, Lynchburg, Ohio 45142 Description of Project: Funding will go toward the replacement of outdated police cruisers and will support the inclusion of necessary, modern equipment that will support law enforcement in this community. 2. Project--Employment Training for Reentering Offenders-Turning Point Applied Learning Center Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division B Account: OJP-Byrne Discretionary Grants Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Turning Point Applied Learning Center, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: Turning Point Applied Learning Center, Inc., 110 Homestead Ave., Hillsboro, OH 45133 Description of Project: Funds for this project will go toward the workforce retraining of ex-offenders in rural Ohio who lack a GED and are seeking basic employment skills and documented work history. 3. Project--Holes Creek, West Carrolton, OH Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division C Account: Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Miami Conservancy District Address of Requesting Entity: 38 E. Monument Ave., Dayton, Ohio 45402 Description of Project: Funds will go toward the construction of a levee and floodwall to protect 13 commercial and industrial properties north of the creek, and purchase three flood prone properties south of the creek and remove the structures, completing this flood protection project. 4. Project--Ohio Environmental Infrastructure, OH, City of Hillsboro, OH Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division C Account: Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Hillsboro, Ohio, Address of Requesting Entity: 130 N. High St., Hillsboro, Ohio 44133 Description of Project: The funds requested would be used by Hillsboro, Ohio, located in rural Highland County for the construction of needed improvements to their wastewater treatment plant and the installation of additional equalization basins. Funds will also be used to upgrade aging water infrastructure for the treatment of waste. 5. Project--Ohio Environmental Infrastructure, OH, City of Dayton, OH Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division C Account: Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: CityWide Development Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: 8 N. Main St., Dayton, Ohio 45402 Description of Project: These funds, authorized by the 2007 WRDA, will provide additional water, sanitary and storm sewer infrastructure to the Tech Town Campus in Dayton, OH. This property is a former brownfield being remediated for future use. 6. Project--Ohio Environmental Infrastructure, OH, Fairview Commons, Dayton, OH Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division C Account: Construction Legal Name of Requesting Entity: CityWide Development Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: 8 N. Main St., Dayton, Ohio 45402 Description of Project: These funds will provide water and sewer infrastrucutre to neighborhood revitalization efforts underway in low- income neighborhoods in Northwest Dayton. 7. Project--Miamisburg Mound, OU-1 (OH) Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division C Account: Defense Environmental Cleanup go. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Miamisburg, Ohio Address of Requesting Entity: 10 N. First Street, Miamisburg, OH 45342 Description of Project: Funds for this project will go toward the final cleanup of a non-designed toxic waste landfill, the cleanup of which will allow for the full redevelopment of this former Department of Energy Nuclear Weapons Site. 8. Project--Dietary Intervention, Ohio Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105, Division A Account: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Ohio State University Address of Requesting Entity: Dr. William Ravlin 1680 Madison Ave. Wooster, OH Description of Request: The funding would be used to continue ongoing clinical trials to evaluate new treatments for the prevention of colorectal cancer in conjunction with the cancer research centers within Ohio State University. 9. Project--Children's Medical Center of Dayton, Dayton, OH for facilities and equipment for the Pediatric Trauma Unit and Emergency Center Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division F Account: HRSA--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Children's Medical Center of Dayton Address of Requesting Entity: One Children's Plaza, Dayton, Ohio 45404 Description of Project: Funds for this project will go toward Children's Medical Center's renovation of their Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Center. 10. Project--Clinton Memorial Hospital Regional Health System for Facilities and Equipment Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division F Account: HRSA--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Clinton Memorial Hospital/dba CMH Regional Health System/Clinton Memorial Hospital Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 600, 610 W. Main Street, Wilmington, Ohio 45177 Description of Project: Funds will be used to stabilize an historic structure on hospital grounds, and to renovate this facility for viable hospital use. 11. Project--Premier Health Campus, Franklin, OH, For Facilities and Equipment Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division F Account: HRSA--Health Facilities and Services Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Premier Health Campus--Middletown Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Medical Center Drive, Franklin, Ohio 45005 Description of Project: Funds will go toward the expansion of the health and health education facilities at Atrium Medical Center in Southwest Ohio. 12. Project--Montgomery County, Dayton, OH for training services for displaced automotive and manufacturing workers Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division F Account: Employment and Training Administration (ETA)-Training & Employment Services (TES) Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Montgomery County, Ohio Address of Requesting Entity: 451 West Third Street, Dayton, Ohio 45422 Description of Project: Funds for this program will provide for the training and development of displaced automotive and manufacturing workers to fill jobs in the advanced manufacturing, tooling and machine sectors. 13. Project--Aviation Heritage Foundation, Inc., Dayton, OH for exhibit upgrades and purchase of equipment Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division F Account: Museums & Libraries Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Aviation Trail, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 633, Dayton, Ohio 45409 Description of Project: Funds will be used to complete interactive and visual exhibits at the museum, which is a regional asset celebrating the Wright Brothers and the history of aviation. 14. Project--Dayton Society of Natural History, Dayton, OH for Exhibits and Purchase of Equipment Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division F Account: Museums and Libraries Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Dayton Society of Natural History Address of Requesting Entity: 2600 DeWeese Parkway, Dayton, Ohio 45414 Description of Project: Funds will provide new interactive space science exhibits, and for new museum equipment at the Boonshoft Museum in Dayton, Ohio. 15. Project--Greater Dayton RTA Bus Replacement, OH Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division I Account: Bus and Bus Facilities Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority Address of Requesting Entity: 4 South Main Street, Dayton, OH 45402 Description of Project: Funds will go toward the replacement of 78 diesel buses between the years of 2008 and 2012. 16. Project--I-75 at South Dixie Drive/Central Avenue Interchange Improvements, OH Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division I Account: Interstate Maintenance, Discretionary Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of West Carrolton, Ohio Address of Requesting Entity: 300 E. Central Ave, West Carrolton, Ohio 45449 Description of Project: Funds will go toward constructing the four missing movements at exit 47 on 1-75. 17. Project--Great Miami Boulevard Extension, Dayton, OH Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division I Account: Surface Transportation Priorities Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Montgomery County, Ohio Address of Requesting Entity: 451 West Third Street, 10th Floor, Dayton, Ohio 45422 Description of Project: Funds will go toward rebuilding Great Miami Boulevard from Riverside Drive to Shaw Avenue and extending Great Miami Boulevard from Shaw Avenue to Forest Avenue. 18. Project--For Acquisition and Demolition of Blighted, Vacant Properties and Buildings in Order to Revitalize the Area Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division I Account: Economic Development Initiatives Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Montgomery County, Ohio Address of Requesting Entity: 451 West Third Street, Dayton, Ohio 45422 Description of Project: Funds for the Brown Warren Redevelopment Project will go toward acquisition and demolition of blighted, vacant properties and buildings in Dayton, OH in order to revitalize this neighborhood. 19. Project--For Build-out of Approximately 3 Historic Buildings to Make them Tenant Ready for Business Occupancy Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division I Account: Economic Development Initiatives Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wright Dunbar, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 1105 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402 Description of Project: Funds will provide build out of approximately three historic buildings (25,000 square feet) in the Wright-Dunbar historic neighborhood in Dayton, OH, to make them tenant ready for business occupancy. 20. Project--Ohio Hub Cleveland--Columbus Rail Corridor, OH H.R. 1105 incorrectly named me as a requestor of the ``Ohio Hub Cleveland--Columbus Rail Corridor, OH'' project in the Research and Development Account of the Federal Rail Administration. I did not request this project.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize the members of the General Daniel ``Chappie'' James American Legion Auxiliary Post 776, located in my congressional district in Riverside Ohio, for the service its members have given to our nation and our community. Ms. Carol T. Robinson has completed a successful year as the 2007- 2008 Department of Ohio President of the American Legion Auxiliary. She is the first African-American woman to hold the office. Ms. Robinson joined the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 776 through her late brother, William A. Hawkins, a U.S. Army veteran during the Korean War. Ms. Robinson organized a project with Sew Much Comfort, a local nonprofit organization, to supply adaptive clothing for hospitalized amputee service members. For the 89th Department of Ohio American Legion Convention held last July in Dayton, she asked each attendee to bring a donation for our troops. Ultimately, Ms. Robinson sorted, packed and shipped 48 boxes (503.7 pounds) for our wounded warriors. This summer, at the National Convention of the American Legion Auxiliary held in Phoenix, Arizona, Ms. Robinson accepted four National Awards, several Central Division Awards and Certificates for Auxiliary programs conducted during her administration. The American Legion Auxiliary is the world's largest, nonprofit, patriotic women's service organization whose members do volunteer work for a multitude of worthwhile causes which benefit American's veterans, children and communities. It is my privilege to recognize Ms. Carol Robinson and the members of the General Daniel ``Chappie'' James American Legion Auxiliary Post 776 for their leadership and service to our community.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I oppose H.R. 1424 today because it does not address the real problems that caused this current financial crisis. Madam Speaker, I voted against the financial bailout legislation that failed on Monday, with the hope that Congress could then work on different ideas for how to solve this problem. Instead, we have been given nearly the exact same proposal, with little modification, but with a much larger price tag. Although I support taking action to help correct the damage done to our markets, I believe that making the wrong choice today places a risky and heavy burden on American taxpayers. Today's legislation does not provide adequate assistance to homeowners, does not provide assistance to communities with large quantities of foreclosures, and does not prohibit the predatory lending practices that got us into the current crisis. Madam Speaker, the Treasury Secretary and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve have both indicated that this may not work. Further, there is no backup plan if this proposal does not work. When discussing this bailout, it is important that people keep in mind that agreeing to the $700 billion price tag could be only the beginning. This bailout would transfer billions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities to the federal government and provide no roadmap for what comes next. If these properties are foreclosed, the federal government is not prepared to become the Nation's largest homeowner without seriously considering how it will handle these mortgaged properties. If the Federal Government takes possession of these mortgages, questions like ``who will replace the roofs and windows,'' will abound. That is why I have introduced H.R. 7113, the Preserve our Neighborhoods Act, a bill which would allow communities who have been hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis to purchase the mortgages acquired by the Treasury during the course of the bailout. This would allow these local governments to take abandoned, blighted properties, and redevelop them for more productive use. Additionally Madam Speaker, I have joined my Ohio colleague Congressman Steve LaTourette in attempting to amend the current package to reduce the amount of the initial bailout payment, and increase Congress's role in allocating additional funds. Both of these provisions would provide some commonsense reforms to this bill--these provisions would add accountability to the bailout payment, and address a real problem that's facing local communities. Congressman Representing Ohio's Statement H.R. 1424 Concurring to the Senate A Speaker, But sadly Madam Speaker, these reforms are not a part of this package. Instead, we have essentially the same package we had before, only with tax credits and earmark spending. Any legislation that we bring forward should hold the right people accountable and prohibit the bad lending actions that led to this crisis. Today's bill fails in this respect and therefore leaves us vulnerable to the same situation in the future. While I am in favor of the tax extenders and have voted in favor of mental health parity, both of which are included in the current package, the underlying problem still remains: how does the federal government address the foreclosures that have led to this mess. Something should be done Madam Speaker. Something should be done to fix this problem. Unfortunately, H.R. 1424 is not the solution.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to pay tribute to United States Air Force General Bruce Carlson for his 37 years of distinguished and honorable service in the United States Air Force and to our Nation. General Carlson has had a distinguished career, beginning with his graduation from the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Minnesota. He has held numerous flying assignments, staff and command positions throughout his career. He commanded the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, the Air Force's first stealth fighter wing. His staff assignments included time at HQ AF, the office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff. Prior to serving as Commander of Air Force Materiel Command, General Carlson served as Commander of the 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U. S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB. As Commander of AFMC, General Carlson led the organization to meet leadership challenges and world threats. General Carlson championed the Air Force alternative fuels program and delivered on Presidential and Secretary of the Air Force challenges to reduce the military's dependence on foreign oil. General Carlson also oversaw the development and deployment of AngelFire persistent surveillance and reconnaissance program. Under his command, AngelFire deployed to the CENTCOM AOR with the help of Air Force Research Laboratory personnel, marking the first- ever deployment of an AFRL program directly into combat. Additionally, General Carlson delivered the first MQ-9 Reaper to the 42nd Attack Squadron at Creech AFB nearly a year ahead of schedule to meet Air Combat Command requirements. He received numerous military awards for his service including: Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters. He also received the highest honor from the Air Force enlisted corps, the Order of the Sword. In addition, General Carlson is a command pilot with over 3,300 flight hours. I have known General Carlson since he took command of AFMC in August 2005. General Carlson is a man who is honest, provides a straight assessment and has the highest degree of ethics. His service honors the Air Force and our country. I've appreciated his dedication to duty and his willingness to work with the surrounding community. General Carlson truly exemplifies the core values of the Air Force, ``Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do.''

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I submit the following: for the Congressional Record regarding Member requests associated with the FY2009 CRH.R. 2638 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. 1. Project--Integrated Electrical Starter/Generator (IES/G). Requesting Member: Michael Turner. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Air Force, RDT&E. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Air Force Research Laboratory. Address of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH. Description of Request: $1,600,000 is appropriated for an Integrated Electrical Starter/Generator in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. The funding would be used to help develop a pre-prototype, sensorless IES/G to demonstrate the feasibility of supplying both main engine start function and the electrical power necessary to operate all aircraft systems. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project. 2. Production of Nanocomposites for Aeorospace Applications. Requesting Member: Michael Turner. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Air Force, RDT&E. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Air Force Research Laboratory. Address of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH. Description of Request: $1,600,000 is appropriated for the Production of Nanocomposites for Aerospace Applications in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. The funding will transition nanomaterials technology into Air Force applications. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project. 3. Project--Security Forces Operations Facility. Requesting Member: Michael Turner. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Air Force, Mil Con. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Address of Requesting Entity: Dayton, OH. Description of Request: $14,000,000 is appropriated for a Security Forces Operations Facility in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base located at Dayton, OH. The funding would be used to house the operations of the 88th Air Base Wing Security Forces Squadron (88 SFS), which provides security and police services for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project. 4. Project--Tactical Metal Fabrication System (TacFab). Requesting Member: Michael Turner. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Army, RDT&E. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, Engineering Center. Address of Requesting Entity: Dearborn, MI. Description of Request: $2,000,000 is appropriated for the Tactical Metal Fabrication System in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, Engineering Center in Dearborn, MI. The funding will help Tactical Metal Fabrication (TacFab) System design, develop and build a mobile, containerized foundry, deployable overseas as a companion to RMS, the Army's Rapid Manufacturing System. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project. 5. Nano-Composite Structures Manufacturing Technology Development. Requesting Member: Michael Turner. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Air Force, RDT&E. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Air Force Research Laboratory. Address of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH. Description of Request: $800,000 is appropriated for Nano-Composite Structures Manufacturing Technology Development in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. The funding will enable the nano-composite materials and structures manufacturing technology development and demonstration from this R&D project to meet national defense needs by providing lighter weight and lower cost composite structures manufacturing processes for defense systems applications such as sensor and weapon platforms. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project. 6. Hybrid Bearing. Requesting Member: Michael Turner. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Air Force, RDT&E. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Air Force Research Laboratory. Address of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH. Description of Request: $1,600,000 is appropriated for Hybrid Bearings in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. The funding being requested will help develop a high speed bearing for aerospace applications that will provide exceptional hot hardness, exceptional fatigue life, exceptional wear resistance, and exceptional fracture toughness. Defense applications would include the JSF main shaft bearing application, as well as other weapons platforms or devices requiring high speed bearings. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, the state of Ohio has been greatly blessed to have leaders like Ralph Regula, Dave Hobson, and Deborah Pryce working for them in the United States Congress. Their decades of hard work and outstanding service have made the state of Ohio a better place and have set an example for the rest of the Ohio Delegation. I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with them on the issues affecting our state and our nation. Ralph Regula has been a great example of service and statesmanship as the Dean of the Ohio Delegation. Dave Hobson has been a role model and mentor for me since I took office in 2003 and I appreciate his friendship and support. Deb Pryce has been a graceful and determined leader for all Ohioans over her 16 years in Congress. I join the rest of my colleagues in congratulating Ralph Regula, Dave Hobson, and Deborah Pryce, on their service to their districts, our State, and the United States of America.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, I submit the following earmark request: 1. Project--Security Forces Operations Facility. Requesting Member: Michael Turner. Bill Number: H.R. 6599. Account: Air Force, Mil Con. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Address of Requesting Entity: Dayton, OH. Description of Request: $14,000,000 is appropriated for a Security Forces Operations Facility in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base located at Dayton, OH. The funding would be used to house the operations of the 88th Air Base Wing Security Forces Squadron (88 SFS), which provides security and police services for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 556 and 557, I was not present. On 556 I would have voted ``no,'' and on 557, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to welcome today our guest chaplain, Pastor Kelly McInerney, from Wilmington, Ohio, and I thank him for leading the House in prayer. Paster McInerney has led the congregation at Bible Baptist Church in Wilmington since its inception in 1995. The church began as a mission project of the Hillsboro Bible Baptist Church. Before the construction of its first facility in 2001, the congregation met in a storefront, a former bank building, and a historic theater in the heart of downtown Wilmington. The church's membership and attendance have grown steadily each year from a group of 40 charter members to a congregation whose average Sunday morning attendance currently averages over 1,000 persons. Pastor McInerney is a respected community leader who is devoted to his congregation and his family and his faith. He is currently the chaplain for the Southwest District of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Clinton County Sheriff's Office, and the Wilmington City Fire Department. As part of his service to the first responders of our community, Pastor McInerney also holds annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Day at his church. The event recognizes outstanding members of the law enforcement community and pays tribute to all the officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty in the history of Clinton County. His family includes his wife Theresa, and his sons Kenton and Kaden. It is with great pleasure that I welcome Pastor McInerney and his family to Washington, and I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking our guest chaplain for his thoughtful and inspirational words.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 5975, designating the post office in Waterville, New York, as the Corporal John P. Sigsbee Post Office. In October 2005, Corporal Sigsbee joined the 101st Airborne Division 32nd Cavalry Unit, based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, famously known as the home of the Screaming Eagles. After being deployed to Iraq, he was injured by a roadside bomb in July 2006. For his action, he was honored with the Purple Heart. After recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center, he insisted on returning to Iraq. Steve English, one of Corporal Sigsbee's high school teachers, said, ``John was doing something he knew was important. After being injured, he could have chosen to be assigned anywhere. He chose Iraq.'' English noted that it was indeed Corporal Sigsbee's commitment to his fellow soldiers that drove him to return to Iraq. Sadly, during his second deployment, Corporal Sigsbee was killed in action on January 16, 2008, along with two other American soldiers when they came under small arms fire and grenade attack in Balad. He was posthumously honored with a bronze star for his service and a promotion to the rank of corporal. Corporal John Patrick Sigsbee's life and tragic death have served as a rallying point for his community of Waterville, New York. By naming the new post office in his hometown after this brave young American, we will establish not only a permanent monument for this fallen soldier, but a permanent reminder of his example. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. I speak today in favor of H.R. 4199, which will add two important historic sites into the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Park. I want to thank Natural Resources Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young, as well as Subcommittee Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop for ushering this bill through the Resources Committee process, as well as bringing it to the floor today. I also want to thank the members of the Ohio delegation, many of whom have cosponsored this legislation. Mr. Chairman, Ohio is the birthplace of aviation, and Dayton is the home of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the two men that invented the airplane. Some consider their invention to be the most important innovation in modern history. When the Wright brothers took flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, our world became connected in a dramatic way, transforming travel, commerce, and communication. Dayton is also the home of Paul Laurence Dunbar. Dunbar was a classmate of Orville Wright, and was a contemporary of the Wrights. Throughout his life, he was known as the poet laureate of African Americans, and achieved national success after his second collection of poems was reviewed in Harper's Weekly in 1896. The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park is a celebration of the legacies of the Wright brothers, as well as Paul Laurence Dunbar. Currently, many people enjoy our National Historic Park. The park includes the Wright's Cycle Shop, the Wright Flyer Airplane, and the Huffman Prairie, where the Wrights perfected fixed-wing flight, among other sites. However, the Wright's history within the park remains incomplete. Currently, the Wright Company factory buildings and their home, Hawthorn Hill, are not included among the sites at the park. That is why I have introduced H.R. 4199, which will complete the Wright's story told at the park, by adding these two critical sites. The Wright Company factory buildings in west Dayton are the first American facilities specifically designed and built for the manufacture of airplanes. These buildings had a production capability that was greater than any other airplane manufacturing facility at the time. The Wright Company operated at the site from 1910 to 1916, and produced 13 different models of airplanes. This site is currently owned and controlled by the Delphi Corporation, who will operate at this site until later this year. Hawthorn Hill was designed by Wilbur and Orville Wright and was the home of the Wright family until 1948. This historic architectural landmark tells the story of the Wright brothers as inventors. Amanda Wright-Lane, the great-grandniece of the Wright brothers, testified before the Resources Subcommittee on National Parks earlier this year, discussing the Wright's incredible history and the importance of Hawthorn Hill to the Wright's story. Mr. Speaker, the addition of these sites to the existing park is critical to the park's purpose, which was outlined in the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act of 1992. The purpose is ``to create partnerships among Federal, State and local governments and the private sector to preserve, enhance, and interpret for the present and future generations the historic and cultural structures, districts, and artifacts in Dayton and the Miami Valley in the State of Ohio associated with the Wright brothers, the invention and the development of aviation, or the life and works of Paul Laurence Dunbar.'' Put plainly, the addition of these sites completes the Wright's story at the park. Mr. Speaker, adding these sites to the national park enjoys a wide range of support from both local and national organizations, including the City of Dayton; Montgomery County; the State of Ohio; the Wright family; the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce; the Dayton Development Coalition; the Ohio Historical Society; the Dayton Historical Society; Sinclair Community College; The University of Dayton; the Dayton Foundation, the National Cash Register Corporation; the Delphi Corporation; the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers; and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. H.R. 4199 also includes the exact language from H.R. 4191, which passed the House by a voice vote earlier this year. This language would change the name of the Dayton Aviation National Historic Park to the Wright Brothers-Dunbar National Historic Park. Changing the name of the park has been the result of a community-wide process, led by Federal Judge Walter Rice and the Dayton Aviation Heritage Commission. I want to thank Judge Walter Rice and the other commissioners for their time and dedication to making the name of our park a fitting salute to those for whom it is a tribute. It is clear that this bill is an important priority to the Dayton region. It is also important to the Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Wright brothers' legacy. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you again for this opportunity, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4199.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, today I speak in favor of H.R. 3981, the Save America's Treasures/Preserve America Authorization Act of 2008. I want to thank Representative Miller, the co-chair of the Historic Preservation Caucus, for his collaboration on this bill, as well as Senator Domenici and Senator Clinton for their work in moving this bill forward in the Senate. I also want to thank Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young of the House Natural Resources Committee, as well as Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands for their work on this bill. Finally, I want to commend the work of the national historic preservation advocacy groups, many of which have collaborated with our offices in crafting this bill. To this date, the Save America's Treasures and Preserve America Programs have been authorized through executive order, and I want to point out that through both First Lady Laura Bush's and former First Lady Hillary Clinton's efforts and commitment to historic preservation, these programs have been a success for many local communities. H.R. 3981 would ensure that these two important programs continue by codifying them into law. Both the Save America's Treasures and Preserve America Programs have had an enormous impact on historic preservation nationally, as well as in Ohio. Ohio is home to nine Preserve America communities, Dayton, my hometown, being one. In fact, Dayton recently received a Preserve America Grant that will help analyze heritage tourism in the area. Additionally, since 1999, Ohio has been the home of 45 Save America's Treasures Projects. These projects total nearly $11 million in funding toward bricks and mortar restoration of important Ohio historic assets such as the Paul Lawrence Dunbar House in Dayton; Cincinnati's Union Terminal; the Wright Flyer III in Dayton, Ohio; the Palace Theatre in Columbus; and last, but not least, The National First Ladies Library in Canton, Ohio. It's certainly interesting to note that the First Ladies Library was a recipient of the two programs started by these two First Ladies. H.R. 3981 will ensure a stable and continuous funding source is authorized to assist in funding these important projects. Additionally, the bill ensures that public-private partnerships remain a key aspect to the preservation of important historic assets by requiring non-Federal funds be used in collaboration with these Federal grants. The authorization of these programs will help highlight the importance of historic preservation as an economic development tool, as well as a core national value. It is clear that saving our heritage in these buildings and neighborhoods is not just a way to pay homage to our past. It is also an important way to boost our economy in the present, in addition to the future. This bill enjoys a broad range of support, including many historic preservation organizations and over 55 cosponsors in the House. Again, I want to thank Congressman Miller for being the lead sponsor of this legislation, as well as the leadership of the Resources Committee for ushering this bill through the committee process. This bill is also important because many of the recipients are organizations that are staffed by volunteers. These programs recognize their efforts to preserve the fabric of their community and help tell the story of our Nation's heritage. These programs work. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation. July 7, 2008. Hon. Nick Rahall, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Don Young, Ranking Member, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Young: We are writing as representatives of the national preservation community in support of H.R. 3981, a bill that would authorize both the Preserve America (PA) and Save America's Treasures (SAT) programs. Our organizations support this measure and we are grateful to Reps. Miller and Turner for their initiative in authoring this legislation, as well as their leadership as co-chairs of the House Historic Preservation Caucus. We hope that Congress will pass H.R. 3981, legislation which is critical to the historic preservation community. Despite all of their success and support, the PA and SAT programs are unauthorized and funded from year-to-year through the annual appropriations process. We would like to see Congress authorize SAT and PA with a long-term programmatic and funding vision that would enable both programs to work in harmony with the other components of the national historic preservation program. Authorization would codify the successful implementation and practices of the ten-year old SAT program along with its newer partner, Preserve America, led by First Ladies Clinton and Bush respectively. While each of these historic preservation initiatives apply to projects of a different nature--SAT for ``bricks and mortar'' preservation and PA for heritage education and outreach, it is important that they should be authorized and mutually supportive of each other to maximize federal resources and goals in saving the nation's historic assets. We already know that PA and SAT are working together at specific locations throughout the country. While much has been achieved since SAT was established, the need remains great and we must look to future needs. In just the first eight years of the program, 2,702 grant applications were received, representing requests for more than $1.17 billion in critical preservation assistance. SAT has provided more than $264 million in federal challenge grants to 1,024 historic preservation projects through 2007. These funds have helped bring new life to irreplaceable historic treasures--including buildings, documents and works of art--in every state. SAT funds have made a huge difference, but without Congress' ongoing commitment to the program, it would be virtually impossible to stimulate the required dollar-for-dollar non-federal matching contributions and hard to imagine where else the money would come from to preserve our national heritage. That same ongoing need applies to PA projects as well with grants to support community efforts that demonstrate sustainable uses of historic and cultural sites, and the economic and educational opportunities related to heritage tourism. The first round of Preserve America Grants in 2007 provided 43 applicants with a total of $2.6 million distributed across the nation. The second round provided $2.26 million to 29 recipients in 20 states. The importance of resources to support this effort has not diminished since then--in fact, it has grown. SAT and PA reflect the bipartisan and bicameral commitment that has characterized historic preservation policy in Congress and the White House over the years. SAT was created during a Democratic administration and embraced by the Bush Administration and Congressional Republicans. Likewise, PA was created during a Republican administration and is now supported by Members on both sides of the aisle. This is the strongest signal that authorizing both programs makes sense when bipartisanship is sometimes an elusive quality. We urge you to pass this timely authorization. Sincerely, Richard Moe, President, National Trust for Historic Preservation. Heather MacIntosh, President, Preservation Action. Mike Polk, President, American Cultural Resources Association. Lu Ann De Cunzo, President, Society for Historical Archeology.

Mr. TURNER

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 101 Tallapoosa Street in Bremen, Georgia, as the ``Sergeant Paul Saylor Post Office Building.'' Friendly. Dedicated. Hardworking. These are but a few of the magnificent words of praise that arise when friends and family speak of the memory of Sergeant Paul Saylor. A native of Bremen, Georgia, Paul was a shining star in his community. A starter on the football team and committed thespian, Paul was voted ``best personality'' by his graduating class of 2002. After graduation, Paul attended North Georgia College and State University, a military college. Tragically, on August 15, 2005, Sergeant Saylor lost his life while serving as part of the National Guard's 48th Infantry in Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq. Described by his brother, Jamie, as the ``. . . type who would help you, but he wouldn't let you know it,'' Sergeant Saylor served his family, community, and country with selfless devotion. I rise today in honor of not only a tremendous patriot, but an outstanding citizen. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution in honor of a valiant life that should not, and will not, soon be forgotten by a grateful Nation. I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey), the author of H.R. 6092.