Paul Tonko

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 442 into the Record.

Mr. TONKO. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 442, which expresses Congress' support for the important work of the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Participation in nutrition programs sets the foundation for healthy lifetime eating behaviors. Studies prove that it is only when young children are well nourished that they feel secure, pay attention, behave and maintain good health. Through the Child and Adult Care Food Program's provisioning of nutritious meals and snacks, millions of children are able to experience the positive effects of improved nutrition. Authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, the Child and Adult Care Food Program seeks to improve the quality of child care through the support of programs providing early education experiences while making such programs more affordable to our low- income families. As part of their day care program, licensed child care centers and child care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program provide 2.9 million nutritious meals and snacks every day of operation. These meals and snacks have been found to be nutritionally superior to the meals provided by nonparticipating providers. In fact, the program that has its children participating in it, has them consuming more fruits, vegetables and milk than nonparticipants. They even have higher quality diets overall. Beyond the services provided to young children in child care, the Child and Adult Care Food Program also provides meals for children in emergency shelters and those enrolled in eligible after-school care programs. Additionally, the program serves 86,000 adults receiving care in nonresidential adult day care centers. Sponsorship of the child and adult care food program is critical now that the economic crisis is making it even harder for families to adequately feed their children. All children who qualify should be able to experience the positive benefits of the high-quality child care and nutritious meals as provided by the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Madam Speaker, once again, I express my support for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, we are at the threshold of energy policy that can transform not only our energy thinking but respond to the economic crises that are gripping this Nation. With the leadership of a new administration, with a President who has expressed the boldness of a vision for energy generation, energy transmission and energy storage, an innovation economy sparked by that source of greening up of our energy thinking can be just what the doctor ordered in curing our economic ills and allowing us to go forward with a stronger sense of security, security that is expressed by our energy security, our job security, our economic security and certainly for those measures, our national security. It is no wonder that our gluttonous dependency on a fossil-based economy has caused us to rely on importing, from some of the most troubled spots in the world, our energy supplies. These are countries that have unstable governments that have ruled the day for our economy. And certainly when we look at the failed measures of the previous administration, the average household has been paying, or the average citizen has been paying $1,100 more in energy costs because of the failure of that energy policy during the Bush-Cheney administration. So it is a challenge to us and a dictate to the American public to go forward with a new vision, a boldness of greening up our energy thinking so as to spark this innovation economy. When we look at what can happen in this country, there are many promising statistics. We can understand that some 5 million jobs can be created in the clean energy economy if we were to enhance by 25 percent our renewable energies. And just for the electricity supplies we require and the transportation needs that we have, if we advance a 25 percent improvement by the year 2025, we could realize those 5 million additional jobs in the economy. And dollar for dollar, it is calculated that four times the job growth is realized in the clean energy economy than is realized in the dependency and the continuation of the oil and petroleum economy. So those statistics speak nobly to the challenge that befalls us, that we need to move forward with a new order of thinking, that we can, as we enhance our energy security, grow American jobs that produce American power for America's energy needs. Now that is a strengthening of our economy in a way that will put new jobs, job opportunities, on to the grid that have not previously been there. It allows us to cover the array of job opportunities from the trades that are involved on over to the engineering, the inventor, the innovator types that can produce the prototypes and then pulling them into the manufacturing and commercial sectors of emerging technologies that will allow us to very cleverly encourage new generation formats, new storage formats and new transmission opportunities in the realm of energy. The transitioning will allow us to impact industries from manufacturing to engineering to all sorts of lab opportunities for our given communities. When we look at situations in New York State alone, we are looking at some 132,000 or so jobs that could be created in a clean energy opportunity in New York State. Obviously with an unemployment rate that is above 8 percent in New York State, that would be a welcomed bit of opportunity. We need to simply look at the practicality of some of the experiences out there that have enabled us to move forward, to move forward in a way that allows us to utilize the strength of our intellect as a Nation and use that brain trust and invest in our future. Recently when we were visiting with a former energy minister for the country of Denmark, he had visited with the SEEC caucus that has been formed here in Congress of which I serve as Chair, the Sustainable Energy and Environment Caucus has entertained guests who will share with us their ideas and their success stories. Denmark has done well by changing its format of energy design. It was important to note that they have very boldly stepped forward and invested with some ideas that actually came from the United States and perhaps even patents that originated here. So it behooves us to move forward and utilize this American think tank and put it to work here in our country to meet our energy needs. While I was at NYSERDA where I served as president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, we were able to advance several new ideas: kinetic hydro that allowed us to utilize the turbulence of the East River along the Manhattan shoreline, and just utilizing that turbulence allowed us to do subwater surface energy creation, energy generation simply by the motion of the water. We have several opportunities with the many bodies of water in New York State, and with turbulent bodies as such, to perhaps achieve as much as 1,000 to 1,100 megawatts worth of power. The demonstration project, funded through the assistance of NYSERDA, made modifications possible through Denver, through the Department of Energy labs, and we have reformulated the design of the energy turbine blades. We have recalculated the assembly, the core assembly of such a turbine, and we are able to go through with these improvements that now offer great hope for the kinetic opportunities. That is just one sampling of cutting-edge technology, emerging technologies that can strengthen our American economy and our energy consumers' future here in this country. I think also of the geothermal applications that we have made with campuses like the Culinary Institute of America where the geothermal applications are used now to heat and cool six new dormitory areas, lodges as they are referred to, at the CIA. This is another practical application that allows us to create a sustainable future, one that is working in a benign fashion with the environment and utilizing the resources of our air, our water, and our soil to respond to our energy needs. This is the boldness of vision that has been imparted by President Obama and his administration. It is the boldness of vision embraced by Speaker Pelosi in the House, and other leaders; our Energy and Commerce Chair, Henry Waxman; and Barton Gordon of Science and Technology, to name just a few. But as we go forward, we will continue to advance this progressive order of policies and the resources required to advance the development that we require. I think it is important for us as a society to invest well beyond the prototype. The prototype is the idea that comes to life in the research labs across the country, but that is not where we should end with the story. We need to deploy that magic into the manufacturing and commercial sectors so we can take full advantage of the earlier investments into prototypes. Just this week I was able, Mr. Speaker, to travel to the GE Research and Development Center in my district. They announced their plans for new battery technology, battery technology that will enable us to add to the diversity of battery types of the future. There are efforts within the stimulus package advanced by the White House and approved by the House and the Senate on the Hill that was recently signed into law as the Recovery Act for America that will invest billions of dollars into cutting-edge thinking in battery application. It was at GE that they announced this formulation of a sodium chloride and nickel mix that allows for us to deal with heavy-duty equipment, the more stressful vehicular applications. It also holds promise for energy generation and energy storage, very key and critical to the intermittent nature of several of our renewable sources. So with all of that being said, there are samplings out there that today are speaking to the progress that can be made. And it is that source of job creation that is inspired by the efforts made by researchers and engineers and inventors and innovators that then allow for trade application in the practical applications as we retrofit our schools, our businesses, and our homes in a way that allows us to meet our energy needs. So with all of that, I call upon this House to continue to move forward and advance the agenda of green energy policy that will transform our economy, strengthen our job market, and allow for us to have a stronger sense of energy security and national security. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to share my thoughts.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2187, which would provide school districts that serve low-income communities with much-needed money for green school modernization, renovation and repair projects. I particularly want to thank Chairman Miller, Subcommittee Chair Kildee, and our sponsors that have introduced the legislation, both Mr. Chandler and Mr. Loebsack, for their outstanding support here on behalf of our students across the country. These new funds will allow schools to make badly needed repairs to their buildings at a time when State governments are cutting back on education aid. This will help schools to not only become more energy efficient, but also, importantly, more healthy. Thirty-two million children in our country attend schools which are reportedly having environment problems with their facilities that affect students' health and their learning. These funds will allow our schools to make their buildings healthier by allowing them to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, to mitigate indoor air quality problems, address mold infestations, replace old furnaces and pollution-emitting equipment, and deal with water contamination problems, amongst a host of other things. Healthy and high-performance schools reduce indoor environmental hazards and are indeed energy efficient. I was proud to have worked with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to develop New York State's high-performance school guidelines, some of the best in the country; and I am pleased that this bill now will provide States with funds to develop similar measures. Every child deserves a safe, clean and healthy environment in which to learn, and this bill is a major step in achieving that goal.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. President Obama has outlined a bold vision for a significant change in our Nation's energy policy. In keeping with the theme this evening of energy efficiency, I share with you a vision that the President has borne that will take and highlight energy efficiency. Energy efficiency should be our fuel of choice, a fuel we need to drill and mine like we currently drill for oil and mine for coal. We must invest in demand-side energy solutions as well as supply-side. Madam Speaker, we must diversify our energy portfolio and achieve efficient outcomes. For example, this summer in New York State, almost 45 percent of a homeowner's utility bill will go for heating and cooling. For every degree the thermostat is set below 78 degrees, the customer will use 3 to 5 percent more electricity. When government implements rate-based or taxpayer-funded demand-side management programs, the public policy is clear--the kilowatt saved is the cheapest, cleanest and the quickest kilowatt we can produce. Madam Speaker, as we move to create legislation that focuses on clean energy jobs, we must remember the important role that energy efficiency has to play.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts. I rise today in support of House Resolution 370, a resolution I was proud to introduce to recognize National Healthy Schools Day. National Healthy Schools Day recognizes the importance of having a clean, healthy and safe indoor environment for our Nation's schools. Fifty-four million children, Madam Speaker, and 6 million adults spend their days in our Nation's schools. The EPA estimates that up to one-half of those schools have problems, problems with indoor air quality. Some 32 million students attend schools that have self- reported environmental problems with their facilities that can affect students' health and certainly students' learning. Some of the hazards common to schools include overcrowding, indoor air pollution, mold infestation, airborne fiberglass particles, lead and copper-contaminated drinking water, playgrounds and classrooms with high levels of pesticides, unchecked furnaces and buses leaking carbon monoxide, chemical spills, renovation fumes, demolition dust, exhaust from gasoline-powered equipment and emissions from hazardous facilities next door to their school campus. These problems can contribute to absenteeism, the need for medication use amongst students and can contribute also to learning difficulties, sick building syndrome, staff turnover and liability issues for our school districts across this great country. Children are more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazards in their schools simply because of their developing immune systems and small bodies. Poor indoor environmental quality has been linked to asthma and other illnesses in our children. With one out of every 13 children suffering from asthma, the number one cause of missed school days, it is very important that we address these issues and address them boldly. Research shows that simple steps can be taken to make our Nation's schools healthier. Heating and ventilation equipment can be improved upon to enhance indoor air quality. New schools can be built with a healthy design and can be located at nonpolluted sites. Nontoxic products can be used for cleaning, for maintenance and for teaching. The use of natural light should be encouraged. Certainly we can improve on that dynamic heavily. Many States have adopted guidelines for building healthy high- performing schools that incorporate these steps and more. H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, which we will be considering in this body later this week, would do just that. It would require States to adopt similar guidelines. I was very proud to work with my colleagues at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to develop New York State's High Performance Schools Guidelines. I would suggest that they are some of the most effective and most rigid guidelines in the country and will score wonderful opportunities for our students. National Healthy Schools Day draws attention to the importance of having a safe and a healthy school environment for all of our Nation's children. National Healthy Schools Day is supported by the Healthy Schools Network, the EPA, the National Educational Association and many more organizations. I am proud to be counted as a supporter of National Healthy Schools Day and look forward to working with my colleagues here to ensure that every student has a healthy environment in which to learn. Our students require that, and our students deserve that.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. As I have previously stated on this House floor, tragically, on March 5, 2009, one of Schoharie County's citizens from my district, Jason Rivenburg, pulled his truck into an abandoned gas station frequently used by truckers in South Carolina as a rest stop, and was then and there violently and senselessly shot and murdered, robbed of a meager $7. At the time of his death, Jason was a mere 12 miles from the destination that he was to arrive at, but was unable to make his delivery because he was too early. Jason Rivenburg was 35 years old, leaving his wife Hope and son Josh behind. They had just moved into a new home. As if that stress was not enough, shortly after his death, Jason's widow delivered two healthy twins--a boy named Hezekiah, after his grandfather, and a girl named Logan. Rivenburg's death sparked outrage and an outpouring of support for the family across our country. Truckers and family members are demanding that the government do more to protect truckers who risk their lives following rules that require that they pull over and rest after a certain amount of driving time. There are few resources telling truck drivers, who are often unfamiliar with the local area, where a safe place to rest might be. Moreover, there are few safe places to rest in the first place. Mr. Speaker, we must do more to support these incredibly important men and women. That is why trade groups such as the American Truckers Association, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, and the American Moving and Storage Association, and so many more, support H.R. 2156, Jason's Law. Moving freight and goods is essential to keeping this country and our economy progressive. We must ensure that we move on H.R. 2156, Jason's Law, and support this measure by honoring a great man.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Yes.

Mr. TONKO. Thank you, Representative Driehaus. I thank you for bringing us together on what is a very important topic. You know, as we look at this very deep and long recession, far longer than some forecasted, we need to look at the root causes of yesterday that bring us to this point in history of today and how we are going to move forward. I was very much interested in the chart that you shared with us earlier to look at the recent past history and the neglect that has caused such hardship in so many of the communities across this country. And, rightfully, it can be stated that this recession that we are currently enduring was pretty much triggered by the housing crisis, the mortgage crisis, the lending crisis, the foreclosure crisis. And as has been indicated by Representative Kilroy, it impacts in several ways; and we can measure that in very interesting dynamics. To think of the fact that one out of every 200 homes will be foreclosed upon is a very unraveling thought. That translates to some 3,000 people just in this capital city of Washington, D.C. alone. That is a tremendously difficult burden for communities. When you think of the fact that one child in every classroom in America is at risk of losing her or his home because the parents cannot pay for that mortgage, six in 10 homeowners that wish they understood the terms and details of their mortgages better. And the list goes on and on, all sorts of dynamics that really speak to the trouble that is out there and the impact that has been felt in our communities. Any number of tipping points can cause this mortgage crisis or this foreclosure crisis. It can range from a job loss in this tough economy, to a health crisis that many families face, to previously missed mortgage payments--or certainly the lack of savings and access to credit, which has been another dynamic that has been dealt with and felt very severely by America's working families. But on March 5 of this year, several of us--perhaps all of us in this colloquy--were able to stand up on this floor and pass H.R. 1106, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which was our step forward, with the leadership of this House, with Speaker Pelosi determined to make a difference, with the Members of the majority looking to respond as there wasn't a response in the past, with the President and his administration looking to employ certain agencies to help resolve these crises. We are going to move forward with a plan of action. And we need to make certain that more people are allowed to have a stable, affordable mortgage outcome. We need to work with agencies like the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Federal Housing Administration and the Department of Agriculture to allow people to modify their mortgages so that we can save the day for many homeowners. We need to expand the FHA's mortgage loan modification abilities so that, again, we can bring assistance to so many families.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, these undoubtedly are tough economic times, not only for our country but for many across the world. So as we recognize that we co-exist in this global community, it is important for us to go forward thoughtfully and fairly with a sense of justice as we approach the issues of trade, making certain that there be this balance, that there be this fairness in the trade options that are available to this Nation and others, and that we move forward in a way that most progressively responds to the needs of this global community in which we share our opportunities. I grew up in and now represent New York's 21st Congressional District, which was once home to dozens of thriving mill towns. Now if you drive across that district, my district, from Troy to Cohoes, to Schenectady, to Amsterdam, to Gloversville, you can see the glaring hole that the loss of industry has created. This is a story that resonates all too frequently throughout the United States, from New England to the Midwest, and now even into the South. My hometown of Amsterdam, New York, was once home to thriving carpet mills that employed thousands of workers. Decades ago General Electric employed more than 40,000 workers in Schenectady, and American Locomotive employed 12,000-plus. But for a few thousand GE employees, manufacturing in Schenectady has disappeared. The glove-making industry once employed 80 percent of the residents of Gloversville, New York, and that industry has also almost completely disappeared. The decline of manufacturing in Upstate New York occurred before the free trade agreements that were negotiated in the 1990s. But since those agreements have been signed, the decline of manufacturing has accelerated dramatically. Trade policy, when done right, can benefit countries around the world. My objection, Madam Speaker, is that our current trade agreements place a disproportionate burden on American workers and leave our United States at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to the rest of the world. By negotiating trade agreements that do not have adequate labor standards or environmental provisions, we simply export pollution and poor working standards to other nations. It is indeed hard for a glove-manufacturing company based in my congressional district to compete with another manufacturer located in one of the so-called ``free trade zones'' in Central America, for instance, where employees make cents on the dollar, are offered no benefits, and work in factories that do not have those safety provisions so guaranteed for our American workers. By inserting basic labor standards into our trade agreements that address worker pay, worker safety, worker benefits, and the length of that workday, American workers will be more competitive. In addition, by strengthening labor provisions in our trade agreements, we can help guarantee that better standard of living for workers in the countries with which we are trading. Environmental standards are often another significant area that have not been sufficiently addressed by NAFTA, and this oversight is continuing under these NAFTA-like trade agreements coming before us. In the 1970s we collectively agreed that preserving the environment is essential, is necessary to our health and our way of life. The legislation that came out of that period helped to preserve our air and our water by limiting the pollutants that companies could emit into the environment, our environment. By agreeing to free trade agreements that do not include similar provisions to protect the environment, we not only make American manufacturers less competitive, but we export our pollution to developing countries. Again, the solution to this problem is simple: by including environmental provisions into our trade agreements, we can even the playing field for American workers and reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing in other countries. I honestly believe that trade can help the American economy. It can help our manufacturers and can help our workers. However, this trade has got to be done right. We cannot keep agreeing to those lopsided trade agreements that leave American workers without jobs because American companies cannot compete with firms located overseas that can pay their workers sweatshop wages and operate in ways that devastate our shared, our shared, environment. When this body is asked to consider the past administration's NAFTA- style trade agreements in the coming months, I will be forced to add my voice to the millions of American workers who have had enough: enough of exporting American jobs overseas, enough of competing with workers that pay cents on the dollar. And the American people have had enough of free trade and demand a trade model, a fair trade model, that will help our economy recover.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The opportunity for us to address several crises facing our Nation allows us to respond, I think, in very bold measure to opportunities that speak to an energy crisis, to an economic crisis and to a climate crisis in our Nation. There is no mistaking that, as we work through this very tough economy under the leadership of the new President and his administration and Speaker Pelosi in this House and in Congress in general, the leadership is advised by several that we need to think in terms of an innovation economy--one that allows us to grow boldly into the future by addressing the basic core needs of not only our economy but of our climate, of our environment and certainly of our energy solutions. As we look at the potential that exists out there for growing clean energy jobs--American jobs--that can generate American-produced power, we have the awesome opportunity to go forward in an innovative and creative way to provide for a response that reduces our energy dependency on fossil-based fuels that are oftentimes imported from some of the most troubled spots in the world. We're given the opportunity to embrace our intellectual capacity as a Nation as we go forward with research and development investments-- dollars that can invest in prototypes of design and that speak to the energy independence of this Nation--and to do it in a way that takes that prototype and further develops that technology into the manufacturing sector, deploying it into the commercial sector. We see that today as work came forward to me in NYSERDA--the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. I was able to witness firsthand the soundness of the investment in R&D, making certain that we could take these projects that were coming through R&D investments and could grow them in a way that created American jobs, that embraced intellectual capacity--the brain trust of this Nation. It was greening up our economy and our thinking in terms of energy generation and energy emerging technologies. That's what the measure about energy reform here in our House is all about. It's about making certain that we grow our energy independence and our energy security and, in so doing, grow our national security. This strikes as a win across the board for us as consumers, for us as job seekers, for those of us striking to plan a comeback with this economy, and certainly for generations to follow in terms of a better environment that will be shared and passed on for other generations, coming generations, to steward. So we are at that cutting edge, at the opportunity of ushering in a new era of thinking where we're able to invest not only in generation opportunities for energy's sake but to invest in those transmission opportunities. I saw what happened just in my district, in the 21st Congressional District of New York, when we invested in groups like Superpower. Superpower is breaking its own records in producing a superconductive cable that allows us in the future to think of transmitting electrons in a way that provides far more opportunity and much greater efficiency as we wheel those electrons over a cable that can transmit far more electricity than can traditional cable of the same size. That's just one example. We look at the opportunity with kinetic hydropower, that power that is produced by the turbulence of water flow. Just in the area of New York State, along the island of Manhattan, in the East River, we have seen the successful demonstration of kinetic hydropower. It is thought that some 1,100-megawatts' worth of power could be the solution just in one State by dealing with this innovation, by taking this cleverness of the intellect of energy reform and transitioning our economy into one that is based on far greater potential by investing in those sorts of designs. So, as we move forward, we talk about clean-energy jobs, clean-energy jobs that cannot be shipped overseas. We talk about saving money for our families and for our businesses through efficiency. I saw what the investment of efficiency meant for many businesses, for many farms, for agriculture in the State of New York through NYSERDA. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority was there as a partner, working with the business. That's what this is about. It's investing in our future. It's investing in new technology. It's investing in the opportunities to grow a better climate, to grow and to address the environmental needs, not only of this country but of the world, to make certain that we address climate change, that we address that carbon footprint that needs to be reduced. As stewards of the environment, we all have that responsibility, and it does a great deal to reduce that glutinous addiction that we have to foreign oil that is imported from some of the most unstable governments around the globe. So here is a golden opportunity for us to turn green, to turn green in our energy outcomes and to grow a stronger American economy that finds us controlling our destiny in much more bold expression. You know, as we look at some of the opportunities here, we're looking at investments that could be made in not only the grid but with smart metering, making certain that we embrace new technology, cutting through some of the traditional patterns of the past and making certain that new choices, new cleverness, is incorporated into our energy thinking. Clean-energy jobs--it's calculated through the renewable electricity standard--can create some 300,000 new jobs, and in the area of efficiency, the talk is some 222,000 projected jobs. This is just in those two areas alone. That then equates to billions that are saved-- $100 billion with the opportunities for renewable electric standards and certainly some $170 billion in efficiency savings. We need to see efficiency measures as our fuel of choice. It is shelf-ready today. There are emerging technologies invested into through R&D today. There is the potential of growing countless other options, but the fact remains that we need to address the per capita consumption of electricity in this country in a way that enables us to see efficiency as something that is mined and drilled routinely. You know, as we mine for coal, as we drill for oil, we need to see that mining and drilling, for efficiency's sake, can produce great savings. It means the avoided cost of having to build additional plants. It means a clean outcome. It means less of a carbon footprint as we go forward with an investment in energy efficiency. So all of this is at our fingertips. All of this great potential is here to allow us to create clean jobs. In so doing, we will strengthen our economy; we will provide certainty for our businesses in this country, and we will be able to address the pollution that is part and parcel to the residential, business and housing sections of this country--those sectors that all can be benefiting from energy thinking, that is of a nuance of sorts, that breaks from these traditional patterns and from the glutinous dependency. So this evening, as we move forward in this hour of discussion, it is great to have colleagues here who will be talking about some of the opportunities that we have as energy consumers. The fact remains that, for far too long, I believe we have invested in prototypes. We have invested in those new orders of thinking, but we have not done enough to stretch that budgeting to enable that prototype to be developed more fully and then to be entered into in the manufacturing sector. When we think of the great potential, there are super opportunities for us to think in magnanimous terms, to think with a sense of vision that expresses our boldness for creating jobs not yet on the radar screen. When we develop green-collar workforces out there, when we develop that array of workers that will join the traditional assignments through white- and blue-collar job opportunities, we will now be able to advance a new order of job creation of a green-collar variety. That new addition to the workforce out there will save those traditional white- and blue-collar jobs through the nuances that the green-collar job opportunities will bring. I saw again, through the work done at NYSERDA, where we were able to implement programs for training construction majors, for instance, in the new, cutting-edge technologies for solar and PV installation, making certain that those arrays are incorporated into the certification programs and matriculation programs at a local community college in the State of New York. Hudson Valley Community College would train these green-collar workers and then would also reach out to other campuses and would enable them to develop that workforce that we will need as a society as we retrofit with this new order of thinking of efficiency, of conservation, of new technologies--emerging technologies--and of efficiency standards that will be enhanced so that we can go forward with new opportunities that this country can prosper by. When we deal with the green collar job development, we're going to look at situations within the framework of this new thinking that will allow us to reach into the earlier grades, to allow students to think of the potential of a career path enabling us to develop with centers like BOCES and with trades, occupational efforts with apprenticeship programs, with the opportunities to go forward with community colleges, again developing their course work to comply with the growing needs of a green collar workforce and to offer those innovative opportunities into the college setting, into graduate studies. All of this, the array from trades on over to engineers, inventors and innovators, will all be required to be part of that process that provides that new thinking that will enable us to go forward in a way that will strengthen our economy and clean our environment and create opportunity. The opportunities that befall us as a country are many, and knowing that in this process, it will draw down that dependency on fossil-based fuels knowing that we have precious little time to go forward, to clean up an environment that is impacted by some of the severe measurements that we see out there today. That reminds us of a plan that we had in cleaning up acid rain that was part of the 1990s era, where through the efforts of the then- President, President Bush, we moved forward and fought acid rain successfully by having a focus and a plan and cutting back on situations that made polluters pay. But we're talking today of having polluters pay for their consequential damage to the environment, we want to make certain that we benefit Americans, middle-class Americans with tax credits that will come from those who are polluting. So it's encouraging clean companies, it's encouraging American- produced power, and it's providing tax credits to families, and it's investing resources from a clean-energy jobs programming that will invest in the new ideas that are being developed as we speak. But it's the sort of impetus that can be provided, the sort of incentive that is created that will really spur this sort of economic recovery that will make for a strong response. I am reminded of a project that we had conducted while I was at the State Assembly in the State of New York as energy chair. We had reached out to energy service companies, we had reached out to academia, we had reached out to the farm bureau and worked with demonstration projects through local dairy farms and working through the auspices of NYSERDA, the State energy research and development authority, we were able to put together a review, an audit of those dairy farms, and take a situation where they were dealing with a perishable product and making certain that a highly regulated arena, as it should be, producing a basic nutritional need for this country that had to deal with the ebbs and flows of not only how they conducted business but dealing with energy cycles that they couldn't escape simply because of the forces of mother nature. With all of that being the dynamics of their day-to-day operation, we were able to work within that context to create energy efficiency opportunities that came through the guidance of groups at Cornell and Farm Bureau and the local utility and NYSERDA where we retrofitted to those dairy farms the sorts of demands for energy that dealt with pumping and cooling processes and put together a plan, a strategy, that really developed a very sound outcome--a pleasant surprise to those who participated in the demonstration project. In fact, it became so successful as a demonstration project that we advanced this notion to some 70 farms in the State of New York that prospered from this sort of activity, of auditing the farms and putting efficiency into play. We also saw successful programs that came about with business incorporated into the energy-efficiency opportunities. And it reminds us that if we are going to compete, if we're going to ask our American businesses to compete in a global marketplace, then we need to advance every bit of opportunity of doing it in smart fashion, doing it in a way that is clever, that is causing a stronger outcome, a more progressive outcome simply by the incorporation of a highly intellectual energy plan, a comprehensive energy plan that looks at cutting demand. For too often we have reached to a supply situation as we were looking at energy solutions. We were developing more supply. We were content with using, consuming a lot of energy resources when, in fact, we should have moved forward with opportunities that allowed us to address the demand side of the equation. Looking at that consumption factor, looking at the efficiency, looking at conservation were the clever strategies that were dictated simply by the dynamics of the given solution today. So as we go forward, we see these opportunities to advance a plan that is encouraged by our President as he wants us to grow smart with our energy usage. He wants us to reach to innovation and a clever strategy using our creative genius to put together a source of investment in research and development, to grow those prototypes of the future, to further develop them and then move to the manufacturing of these commodities here in this country--domestic production of all sorts of nuances--making certain that we move forward not only in the energy generation world but in the energy transmission and distribution area giving commercial consumers the opportunity to work within the context of smart metering, making certain that they can have these smart meters to control their destiny so that they can see firsthand the amount that's being consumed and when to be on-peak and off-peak in given situations; to be able to have a transmission system that responds to weaknesses that were so highly visible in August of 2003 where we witnessed a huge collapse in the system, the delivery system, that started as far west as Ohio and moved into New York and New England and the mid-Atlantic States and into southeast Canada. That was a huge bit of blackout for consumers in that given bit of geography that stood as a glaring example of vulnerability, of a weakness in our system. We need to go forward and advance the investments in a very wise and clever way that will enable us to strengthen that generation aspect of electricity, strengthen the transmission and distribution components, and to go forward with a commitment to efficiency and conservation. And looking at renewable opportunities. Taking advantage of so many opportunities that mother nature provides and where the President has called for an investment where we embrace our wind, our sun, our Earth to be able to make certain that we use that in a benign way to grow the energy response that we require that will be clean, that will be innovative, and that will draw down our energy dependence in a way that allows us to prosper with bolder outcomes. As we move forward, I would encourage us to cleverly look at the plans that have been advanced by the leadership of this House, the discussion that is made of growing a green energy economy, the ideals embraced by the President and his administration for this innovation economy that reaches to the American brain trust, that sees us with our science and tech potential to be ready and willing to go forward and provide for the nuances that will usher in a new era of energy thinking. That is what the opportunity for clean energy jobs is all about. It's a clean energy jobs agenda that finds us producing jobs, developing jobs, retaining jobs, growing jobs in this country, avoiding the opportunities to ship overseas these jobs that have far too often escaped our American economy. And then for saving money for our families, our businesses, individuals in this country through efficiency opportunities, and ending that addiction, that gluttonous addiction to foreign oil, fossil fuels, that really do not enable us to think in the kind of boldness and the sense of vision that is required today. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the time to be here this evening and share these opportunities with you, to share the thinking that I believe can help us grow as a Nation and respond to the crisis that we see, the crisis with the energy situation, the crisis with our environment, the crisis with our economy. It can address a multitude of needs out there by embracing this sort of cleverness of thinking and advancing policies that are progressive and investing resources that will really strengthen us as a people, as a Nation, and certainly as a world.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, tragically on March 5 of 2009, one of Schoharie County's citizens from my congressional district, Jason Rivenburg, pulled his truck into an abandoned gas station frequently used by truckers in South Carolina as a rest stop, and was then and there violently and senselessly shot and murdered, robbed for a meager $7. At the time of his death, Jason was a mere 12 miles from his destination but was unable to make his delivery because he was too early. Jason Rivenburg was 35 years old, leaving behind his wife, Hope, and son, Josh. They had just moved into a new home. As if that stress was not enough, shortly after his death, Jason's widow delivered two healthy twins, a boy named Hezekiah, after his grandfather, and a girl named Logan. Rivenburg's death sparked outrage and an outpouring of support for the family across our country. Truckers and family members are demanding that the government do more to protect truckers who risk their lives following rules that require that they pull over and rest after a certain amount of driving time. There are few resources telling truck drivers, who are often unfamiliar with a local area, where a safe place to rest might be. Moreover, there are few safe places to rest in the first place. Mr. Speaker, we must do more to support these incredibly important men and women. Moving our freight and goods is essential to keeping this country and our economy progressing. We must ensure that as we demand mandatory stops and on-time delivery that we provide adequate support systems for our Nation's truck drivers. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues support the life and memory of a truly hardworking American man and support Jason's Law, which I am sponsoring.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Healthy Schools Day, which is being celebrated around the country today. National Healthy Schools Day recognizes the importance of having a clean and healthy indoor environment in our Nation's schools. And today I introduced a House resolution officially recognizing National Healthy Schools Day. Some 54 million children spend their days in our Nation's schools, half of which have problems with indoor air quality. Children are more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazards in their schools because of their developing immune systems and small bodies. Poor indoor environmental quality has been linked to asthma and other illnesses in children. With one out of every 13 children suffering from asthma--the number one cause of missed school days--it is very important that we address this issue. Healthy and high-performance schools are the answer to this problem. They reduce indoor environmental hazards and are energy efficient. I was proud to work with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to develop New York State's High Performance Schools guidelines, and I am proud to recognize National Healthy Schools Day.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) who we praised in our earlier comments for bringing this awareness of the value of our rehabilitation counselors to the attention of the House, and we applaud him for his efforts, and we recognize him for 5 minutes.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, the House resolution concerning Best Buddies is an outstanding opportunity for us to reinforce the efforts made by Best Buddies as they move towards the mission of integrating individuals with intellectual disabilities into society, into community in the most successful measure. And so for those reasons I would strongly urge support for this resolution.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, we have no other Representatives from the majority that choose to speak on the measure, so I would ask if the gentleman from Michigan has others to speak.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland, Majority Leader Hoyer of the House, whose long-standing commitment to people with disabilities is well- documented. And I have to also make mention that when it comes to a buddy system for incoming freshmen, helping us to navigate on behalf of our constituents, there is a real friend in Majority Leader Hoyer.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1824) to provide assistance to Best Buddies to support the expansion and development of mentoring programs, and for other purposes.

Mr. TONKO

Mr. TONKO. I again want to thank Mr. Ehlers for the inspiration to pay tribute to the libraries across this country. They are, indeed, very valuable components of the education infrastructure in this country. They obviously provide tremendous opportunity to individuals throughout this country without any sort of prejudice. I am reminded of the powerful library in my hometown of Amsterdam, New York, and the wonderful countywide system that is part of Schenectady County, with several sites within their library structure. And so it is, indeed, very appropriate that we recognize the contribution that libraries, and more specifically, librarians, make to our society and the development of the intellectual capacity and character of our society. With that, I encourage passage of the resolution.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 336, which encourages all Americans to take advantage of the numerous resources libraries make available. All across the country, libraries have developed communities by bringing people of all nationalities, ages and socioeconomic levels together to enjoy the pleasures of literature, media and new technology. Libraries foster national discourse on intellectual freedom and provide informational equity across our great Nation. Not only do libraries provide free resources, but they preserve historical artifacts and information highlighting societal achievements. Today, we have over 123 libraries nationwide playing a vital role in creating vibrant, energized communities. For example, the Big Read is a national reading program designed to revitalize the role of reading in America, and 208 communities participate in the Big Read program nationwide. American libraries play a central role fostering community participation. There is also the National Book Festival sponsored by our very own Library of Congress. Representatives from State libraries gather at the Nation's Capital to promote reading and literacy in all of our 50 States. Last September, the 8th annual National Book Festival was a huge success. Hundreds of people gathered to promote reading to children, including professional athletes, actors, and famous writers, authors and poets. The Library of Congress is also a great resource for the public. As the largest library in the world, the Library of Congress holds more than 120 million items on approximately 530 miles of book shelves. The collections include more than 18 million books, 2.5 million recordings, 12 million photographs, 4.5 million maps and 54 million manuscripts. The massive resource provided by this library to this country is indeed a bit of invaluable information. National Library Week continues to commend librarians who help the public to interpret the information they need to live, to learn, and to navigate their way in today's challenging and complicated economy. By providing free educational opportunities and a safe place for lifelong learning, libraries and librarians help people achieve the American Dream. With that said, ultimately libraries help people explore curiosities and make sense of this complex world. I do want to thank Representative Ehlers for his leadership and bringing this important resolution forward. Again, I want to extend my gratitude toward libraries for their important work in our communities. I ask my colleagues to support this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials on House Resolution 336 into the Record.

Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 336) supporting the goals and ideals of National Library Week.