Mark Udall

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the public service of a fine Coloradan, John Welles, who passed away on December 18, 2002. Mr. Welles had a long and distinguished record of public service to Colorado and he will be dearly missed. John Welles served as the regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency for six years under President Reagan. He was a principled public servant who always worked in a bipartisan manner and in a way that respected those with whom he disagreed. I had the good fortune to know Mr. Welles when I was the executive director of the Colorado Outward Bound School. Among the many qualities that I admired in John, I will most remember his gentle, wise demeanor. He was a kind and public-spirited man whose good work for Colorado will not soon be forgotten. I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to John Welles, a fine public servant and a great Coloradan. Attached is an article which ran in the Rocky Mountain News on December 20, 2002. [From the Rocky Mountain News, Dec. 20, 2002] Former EPA and Museum Official John Welles Dies (By Erika Gonzalez) Holly Welles' childhood was filled with an unusual family ritual--each night her father, John, would bring a stack of articles to the dinner table. ``We would go around the table and talk about what we did that day and then he would talk about some key event-- something out of a science magazine that he thought was amazing,'' she said. ``Sometimes it was a little much. But he loved to learn and he loved to share.'' That zeal for science fueled a remarkable career, including an appointment as regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency and a six-year post as executive director of the Denver Museum of Natural History, now the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Mr. Welles died Wednesday after a long bout with various illnesses. He was 77. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 3 at St. John's Cathedral. Born in Lexington, VA., Mr. Welles attended Yale university, earning a degree in electrical engineering in 1946. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he returned to the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a master's degree in business. Mr. Welles began his career in the private sector, but in 1956, he joined the Denver Research Institute at the University of Denver, heading up the institute's Industrial Economics Division. During a sabbatical from DU in 1971, Mr. Welles took his family to Geneva to help plan the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. ``He was always concerned about air pollution and population problems,'' his daughter Holly explained. Those interests hit home locally, when Mr. Welles worked with Gov. Richard Lamm on the Front Range Project, a process to protect Colorado's quality of life in the face of rapid population growth. Later, at this EPA post. Mr. Welles helped resolve conflicts concerning the Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Rocky Flats. Though Mr. Welles also served as vice president of planning and public affairs for the Colorado School of Mines. Holly says her father enjoyed his tenure at the museum most. Under his leadership, the Museum landed one of its most popular traveling exhibits ever, ``Ramses II: The Pharoah and His Time.'' Mr. Welles also created the permanent Prehistoric Journey exhibit before retiring in 1994. ``He enjoyed discussing scientific elements and he enjoyed engaging and challenging the scientists,'' said museum board member Chuck Hazelrigg. Surviving, including his wife, Barbara, are children Ginny Welles of Lincoln, Mass, Deborah Welles of Denver, Barton Welles of Ross, Calif., and Holly Welles of Mill Valley, Calif.; and six grandchildren. Contributions can be made to the Hemlock Society, P.O. Box 101810, Denver, CO. 80250; and the John Welles Memorial Fund at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution and in tribute to the Columbia seven. Today we mourn them all. We mourn Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William McCool, Mission Specialists Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, and Laurel Clark, and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon. All seven of the Columbia left behind husbands and wives and family and friends. They were role models to young people everywhere who dreamed of space. They symbolized possibility and achievement to Americans, Indians, Israelis, and citizens of the world. They gave their lives in exploration for America and the world. They hold a special place in all of our hearts. I would like to say a few words about Dr. Chawla, who earned her doctorate in aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado. Dr. Chawla was the second former CU student to be lost on a NASA mission, joining Ellison Onizuka, who died in the Challenger accident in 1986. Mr. Speaker, I've included an article from the Denver Post detailing how Dr. Chawla spent five hours on Columbia salvaging the broken space experiment of students at the Colorado School of Mines. Because of Dr. Chawla's help, the students were able to download almost all of the data they had hoped for through a satellite link. Those who knew Dr. Chawla talk about her incredible determination and drive and her ability to achieve against so many odds. A friend of hers from India said that ``She never had the feeling that because she was a girl, there were things she should not do.'' She left India, but she never forgot it. Beginning in 1998, at her urging, NASA invited high school students from India to take part in a summer space experience program in Houston. One of the students who visited Houston remembered something Dr. Chawla said to her there: ``Whatever you believe in, do--just follow your dreams.'' In his State of the Union address announcing his vision to put a man on the moon, President Kennedy said that ``it will not be one man going to the moon . . . it will be an entire nation.'' And it has been an entire nation supporting our men and women in space, dreaming their dreams along with them, following their adventures, as a way to satisfy our own curiosity, to stimulate our own sense of discovery and wonder. I am committed to doing all I can to honor the memory of our brave astronauts. The House Science Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, of which I am a member, will be conducting hearings to try to understand what happened to Columbia, to make sure such a tragedy never happens again, and to help NASA recover and begin anew its mission of discovery. I intend to take an active part in those hearings. The exploration of space remains one of the great adventures of all time. I am committed to keeping the dream alive, and along with it, the spirits of the Columbia seven. [From the Denver Post, Feb. 2, 2003] (By Dave Curtin) Astronaut Kalpana Chawla became a hero to students at Colorado School of Mines when she went beyond NASA protocol to spend five hours Monday salvaging their broken space experiment. But more than that, Chawla and her six crewmates made the students feel like their best friends and equals in space science as they worked closely together during the past week. ``They were real people. They didn't put themselves above anyone else. They made us feel important,'' said Ned Riedel, who helped design the Mines experiment, a system designed to fight fire in space and on Earth. He worked directly with the astronauts from Johnson Space Center in Houston until he returned to Colorado on Friday. Chawla worked tirelessly to fix a pesky leak on the Mines firefighting experiment as five students and professors watched, riveted, from payload control at the space center. When she was finished with the fixes, the experiment worked like a charm and data flowed to the students on the ground for a week, saving the future of the project. Students couldn't believe the time Chawla and the other astronauts devoted to their experiment. It was only one of 80 aboard the 16-day flight, including one by international high school students coordinated by the University of Colorado. And they couldn't believe how unassuming the astronauts were since meeting them 2\1/2\ years ago and training them on the experiment. ``They were incredibly nice people. Easy-going and down-to- earth people,'' said Riedel. ``Working the mission with them, they were just fantastic. The timeline in space didn't allow the time we needed to get it online, and they gave it to us anyway,'' he said. ``We learned things we never expected. We celebrated all the way to the end. We were ecstatic, which makes this even more horrible,'' Riedel said. ``When I head, I cried. I thought of their families. Now I'm just shocked. I can't get over it.'' ``They sacrificed time from their meals and other things to give us time not scheduled for our experiment,'' said David Petrick, a Mines graduate who also returned Friday from Johnson Space Center, where he worked with the astronauts. The school's new-generation firefighting system produces a fine-water mist in spacecraft and has commercial applications on Earth, including in office towers. A 1996 international ban on ozone-depleting Halon 1301 as a chemical fire suppressant has created an urgent need for other environmentally friendly fire suppressants. The ban went into effect in 2000. Using water droplets one-tenth the size of a human hair, the Mines mister creates a fog that sucks the heat out of fire, preventing its spread and saving lives. It's preferable to conventional water sprinklers because it causes less damage to expensive equipment such as computers. It's also an attractive alternative for planes and ships traveling with weight limits, said Frank Schowengerdt, director of Mines' Center for Commercial Application of Combustion in Space, one of 17 NASA-funded commercial space- research centers in the country. The experiment on board Columbia was a tightly sealed 1\1/ 2\-foot cannister with a tiny propane flame that ignited a gas mixture so researchers could examine how the mist worked in space. Thanks to the astronauts' devotion, the students were able to download 90 percent of the data they had hoped for through a satellite link last week. ``This experiment that the shuttle crew worked so hard to repair a few days ago will move forward in their honor, and we will use the data they gleaned in space to build a firefighting system they would be proud of,'' Schowengerdt said. ``And we will think of a way to name it after them. They made all the difference.'' The students were stunned at how humble the shuttle crew was as they worked together over the months. ``What makes them extra special is you could walk up to them and they would remember your name and have a beer with you,'' Riedel said. That happened to Riedel and Petrick in December during final simulation exercises, when the students bumped into the shuttle crew at Petey's, an astronaut after-hours hangout near Johnson Space Center. ``I knew Ilan Ramon because he's an astronaut, but it floored me that he remembered my name and started introducing me around like I was his best friend,'' Riedel said. ``That's just the kind of people they all were.'' The students were grieving on Saturday, feeling the loss of their science partners--astronauts they had come to call friends. ``We were walking on sunshine Friday,'' Petrick said. ``The Mission Control folks were smiling at us because we were dancing and singing, we were so happy. Then on Saturday we woke to this happening.'' ``I thought on Monday it was going to be a tragedy because we wouldn't be able to get any data for our experiment,'' Riedel said. ``Now I know the definition of tragedy,'' he said, breaking into tears.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I am voting for this bill because it is urgently needed. Its enactment will prevent the cutoff of some unemployment benefits--a cutoff that otherwise would occur very soon. In other words, by passing this bill we can save many people who are out of a job from the harm that otherwise would result from the refusal of the Republican leadership of the House to deal with this last year. That is the right thing to do, even at this late date--and so I will support it. But while this bill is necessary, it definitely is not sufficient. It does not cover everyone who should be covered. In fact, it will do nothing to help a million or more people who are out of work and who have used up all their federal benefits. The statistics I have seen indicate that at least 17,000 Coloradans fall into that category. Those people are no less in need of assistance to enable them to pay their bills and feed their families while they look for work. It is not their fault that since the current downturn began more than 1.5 million jobs have been eliminated from the economy--and while the best response to their problems will be to revive the economy so that new jobs will be created, in the meantime we need to make it possible for them to make ends meet until that recovery really gets underway. In the meantime, this bill does need to be passed. But it should be just the first step--and not the last one--to respond to the economic problems of Colorado and the rest of the country.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to another achievement of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, based in Golden, Colorado. It is appropriate that on its 25th anniversary, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has garnered yet another award recognizing its contributions to the development of clean energy technologies. In its December issue, Scientific American magazine has named NREL one of the Scientific American 50--the magazine's first list recognizing annual contributions to science and technology that provide a vision of a better future. NREL, along with Spectrolab Inc., was selected by the magazine for its work in increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic solar cells. NREL's research into multi-junction solar cells for more than a decade has led the way to ever more efficient cells, offering the potential of cheaper electricity from the sun. The magazine noted that all the recipients of the Scientific American 50 have ``demonstrated clear, progressive views of what our technological future could be, as well as the leadership, knowledge and expertise essential to realizing those visions.'' I continue to be proud of the tremendous contributions that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory had made--to Colorado, our country, and our world. Congratulations to all at NREL on this important award.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Daphne Jefferson for her dedication and diligence in my office over the past year. An employee of the Federal Aviation Administration, Daphne was selected for a legislative fellowship under the auspices of the Brookings Institution, and I have had the benefit of her assignment to my office. In 1996 Daphne started at the FAA as a Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialist in Miami, Florida. Her career with the FAA has lasted more than fifteen years. During that time she has worked as Associate Program Manager for Requirements in Washington, DC, an Air Traffic Manager in Dayton, OH and most recently served as a Branch Manager for FAA in Washington, DC. Before joining the FAA Daphne was the assistant to the Vice President at a small minority owned bank and also was responsible for managing the student loan profile. Daphne was born in Chicago, IL, but grew up in Jacksonville, FL and thinks of Florida as her home. She recently received her Masters in Public Administration in the Key Executive Program from the American University, and was awarded her Bachelor of Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Miami, FL. While working in my office Daphne has been primarily responsible for covering transportation, federal employment, and banking and housing issues. Her analysis of issues is always thorough and professional. Daphne's years of experience at the FAA have provided invaluable insight regarding the real-world effect of transportation legislation. Her understanding of transportation has been especially important and helpful this year, as the Congress and Administration have been working to make air transportation more secure in the wake of the terrorist attacks. From her first day, Daphne exhibited a friendly demeanor and professional attitude. In her short time in my office she has made an inestimable contribution to the Udall team. She is appreciated and respected by the entire office as a highly professional and dependable colleague and friend. Daphne has been a great asset to my office and I am sorry to see her move on. However, I am confident that she will continue to contribute immensely to our nation as she continues her career.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bill Swenson for his eight years of dedicated service to the Colorado General Assembly. Before being elected to the Colorado House of Representatives, Bill Swenson had already established a long and distinguished career in public service. He was elected to the Longmont City Council in 1977 and served as the City's Mayor from 1981-1985. He also served as the Boulder County Republican Chairman from 1993-1994. I had the good fortune to serve with Bill in the Colorado State House. I found him to be an affable, effective policy maker willing to reach across policy lines to act in the best interest of Colorado. Most important of all, Bill had a reputation for basing his votes on principle, and not on party or politics. At a time when voters seem to feel increasingly disenfranchised by what they view as partisan dogmatism, Bill Swenson represents public service that transcends partisanship. He is a recognized leader on transportation and served as the Chairman of the Transportation and Energy Committee. His values of practicality and fiscal responsibility helped shape the tone for the entire transportation debate. In addition, he has worked to find common sense ways to encourage investment in renewable energy resources and enhance the diversification of energy resources in Colorado. These efforts may not result in colorful political sound-bites, but they will inevitably lead to a stronger economy and future generations of Coloradans will took back on Bill's service with gratitude. I am proud to have served with Bill Swenson and proud to call him my friend. I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring him for his exceptional service, I thank him for his good work, and I wish him continued good health and success in the future.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to another achievement of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, based in Golden, Colorado. It is appropriate that on its 25th anniversary, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has garnered yet another award recognizing its contributions to the development of clean energy technologies. In its December issue, Scientific American magazine has named NREL one of the Scientific American 50--the magazine's first list recognizing annual contributions to science and technology that provide a vision of a better future. NREL, along with Spectrolab Inc., was selected by the magazine for its work in increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic solar cells. NREL's research into multi-junction solar cells for more than a decade has led the way to ever more efficient cells, offering the potential of cheaper electricity from the sun. The magazine noted that all the recipients of the Scientific American 50 have ``demonstrated clear, progressive views of what our technological future could be, as well as the leadership, knowledge and expertise essential to realizing those visions.'' I continue to be proud of the tremendous contributions that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has made--to Colorado, our country, and our world. Congratulations to all at NREL on this important award.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, passage of this resolution is understandable, but unfortunate. And, louder than any words, it demonstrates the cynicism of the Republican leadership here in the House. For months, the leadership has refused to allow the House to meet its basic responsibility of considering bills to fund any part of the government besides the Department of Defense. And by passing this continuing resolution, that pattern of dereliction will be continued through the rest of this year. I do not think this is how we should do our business. I agree with the Rocky Mountain News that we should instead make completion of the appropriations process our top priority. For the information of our colleagues, I am attaching the News's editorial on this subject. [From the Rocky Mountain News, Nov. 13, 2002] Budget the Top Priority for Congress President Bush says the ``single most important item'' facing the lame-duck Congress is creation of his Department of Homeland Security. Actually, it's not. The most important duty of the lame-duck Congress is to pass the Federal budget for fiscal year 2003, which began Oct. 1. Embarrassingly, one two of the 13 money bills needed to complete that budget have been passed. And that alone is why the outgoing Congress had to return to the capital, not homeland security or terrorism insurance or the energy bill. And the returning lawmakers should pass those bills cleanly and not resort to the desperate solution of other lame-duck Congresses--stuffing all the unfinished budget business into the messy monster called an omnibus reconciliation bill. Lame-duck Congresses are not the best possible legislative forum. They operate in a tight time frame, knowing they'll be out of business at the end of December. And they include in their ranks retiring and defeated lawmakers who no longer answer to anyone. And this lame-duck session has a novel problem. The Democrats now control the Senate, but only by one vote and only until a new Republican senator arrives in a week or so. The lame-duck Congress' most important item of business is to pass the budget. The second most important priority is: Go home.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the Global Change Research and Data Management Act of 2002. This bill would replace the current law that formally established the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) in 1990. The USGCRP has significantly advanced our scientific knowledge of Earth's atmosphere and climate and has provided us with a wealth of new data and information about the functioning of our planet. After a decade of research, we have a far better understanding of the Earth's natural cycles and how human activities can influence them. However, while the USGCRP has produced excellent scientific results, it has not produced sufficient information, in terms of both content and format, for local, state, regional, and national policymakers responsible for managing resources, making residential and economic development decisions, and responding to natural disasters. The program has focused nearly all of its resources and efforts on scientific inquiry. Only one broad assessment of the impact of global change on society has ever been attempted by the program, and that assessment was completed nearly seven years after its Congressionally mandated deadline. In my view, it is critical that Congress re-orient the USGCRP toward a user-driven research endeavor. The current Administration has reached a conclusion similar to mine with respect to climate research. However, their efforts to produce more policy-relevant information on climate change have become bogged down in reorganization of the federal bureaucracy instead of focusing on reaching out to users. The Global Change Research and Data Management Act would require the Administration to identify and consult with members of the user community in developing the USGCRP research plan. The bill would also mandate the involvement of the National Governors Association in evaluating the program plan from the perspective of the user community. These steps would help to ensure that the information needs of the policy community will be met as generously as the funding needs of the academic community. The 1990 law outlined a highly specific organizational structure for the USGCRP. My bill would eliminate this detailed organizational structure and provide the president with the flexibility to assemble an Interagency Committee and organizational structure that will best deliver the products Congress is requesting. My bill would, however, retain many of the key features of current law--the requirements for a ten-year strategic plan, for periodic assessments of the effects of global change on the natural, social, and economic systems upon which we depend, and for increased international cooperation in global change science. My bill would establish a new interagency working group to coordinate federal policies on data management and archiving. Advances in computer, monitoring, and satellite technologies have vastly expanded our ability to collect and analyze data. We must do a much better job of managing and archiving these important data resources to support the work of current and future scientists and policymakers. As is clear from the impasse on the climate provisions of the energy bill (H.R. 4), the Congress has yet to agree on how much more information, if any, is needed before we take actions to slow the effects of human activities on global change. These are tough policy questions that we will continue to wrestle with in the years to come. This bill does not offer specific policy direction, but it does affirm the need for the continued strong federal support for global change research, and it does map out a new emphasis on production of information needed to inform these important policy debates. As the world leader in science and technology, it is incumbent on us to develop solutions that will protect our planet's resources and permit continued economic and social progress for our nation and for the world.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Morris W. Cottingham for his decades-long commitment to democracy and good citizenship. I want to thank Mr. Cottingham, known affectionately to his many friends as ``Morrie'', for his many years of service to the Democratic Party and the contributions he has made to so many Coloradans. He reminds us of the importance of citizen participation in the democratic process and of how one person can make a big difference in their local community, their state, and their nation. Morrie's 70-some years have been involved in politics from the beginning. Although raised in a Republican household, he realized early on that his politics were quite different than those of his parents. In the 1930's. when Franklin Roosevelt rode a train through his parent's farm, Morrie remembers being impressed and inspired by Roosevelt's Democratic message. He will be the first to tell you that one of his most significant and motivating pieces of memorabilia is a Chicago Tribune with a headline that reads, ``Dewey defeats Truman.'' In every election since then, Morrie has poured blood, sweat, and tears into helping Democratic candidates win office. He is a veritable institution in Boulder County politics, having served in nearly every position from Precinct Committee Person to the Second Congressional District Presidential Elector in 1996 and 2000. For the Party, Morrie has done everything from fundraising at bingo games to playing for the Mighty Dems softball team. He has often said of himself that one would be hard-pressed to find someone to the left of him on political issues. Those who know Boulder County, know that that is quite a statement. Morrie's presence as a volunteer during campaigns could turn potentially stressful and chaotic events into smoothly functioning and enjoyable experiences. During a 1996 campaign, when over a hundred people needed supplies of yard signs for distribution, Morrie personally delivered thousands of signs to them within two days. He helped set the standard of excellence and volunteerism in the Boulder County Democratic Party, and his dedication is unequaled. Many elected officials in my district owe a huge debt to Morrie for his hard work in helping them get into office. No one is more grateful than myself, and I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring someone who has truly participated in the democratic process. Thank you, Mr. Cottingham. I wish you continued health and happiness.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Ed Marston, who recently stepped down from the post of publisher of the High Country News, after serving in this role for nearly 20 years. I understand that Ed is staying on with the paper for a little longer as a senior journalist, and that his wife, Betsy Marston also is staying on as editor of the Writers on the Range, a syndicated column service created by High Country News. The High Country News has focused on the balance between the resource bounty that the west provides, all the people who have a stake in those resources, or realize that bounty, and the importance of proper management of those resources. Over the years, the paper has become a notable part of the journalism of Colorado and other western States-- and Ed and Betsy Marston have become synonymous with its probing coverage and analysis of environmental and natural resource issues. Under their leadership, the paper has become essential reading for everyone--policy makers, business people, government agencies, and students of the west--seeking to understand what is involved in these issues and why they so often prompt passionate views. As publisher, Ed Marston has worked hard to provide space for diverse voices and diverse views of people who share a love for the west even though that love takes different forms. The High Country News does not just examine issues and controversies from a purely theoretical or rhetorical perspective. Instead, it tries to obtain and report the perspectives of people who are directly affected, whether they raise cattle in New Mexico, live in timber-mill communities, or keep stores in small western towns. At the same time, the paper never lets its readers forget that these perspectives are part of a larger context of issues related to proper management of our public lands and the need to protect them while preserving the opportunity for people to make a livelihood from them. The paper was founded by Wyoming rancher Tom Bell. Ed and Betsy were involved in its relocation to Paonia, a small town in scenic Delta County, on Colorado's Western Slope. From there they have maintained a west-wide focus--covering issues related to pacific northwest salmon, farming in southern California, timber policies in Idaho and Montana, and such Colorado staples as water projects and wildlife management. I know many other Coloradans share my pride that a paper of such renown is based in our state. I know that the staff and journalists at the High Country News will continue the legacy of Ed Marston and will continue to be a part of the ongoing debates and challenges we face in the west. I wish Ed all the best and hope he and Betsy remain engaged in public policy debates and will continue to work to protect and enhance the western landscapes that we all cherish. A column written by Paul Larmer, interim publisher of the High Country News, about Ed's tenure as publisher of the paper follows. He Sees the Society Behind the Scenery I first met Ed Marston when I was a wet-behind-the-ears, wannabe journalist starting an internship at the funky little newspaper called High Country News. It was January 1984, less than a year after the paper had moved to Paonia, Colo., from its birthplace in Lander, Wyo. I arrived fresh from the nation's capital, where I had quickly learned that, despite my college ambitions, I was not cut out for the grinding life of an environmental lobbyist on Capitol Hill. Paonia, with its orchards and mountains and partially boarded-up two-block downtown, seemed the perfect antidote to Washington, D.C. So did a job working on an environmental newspaper that covered the most blood-stirring wildlands left in the country. My first impression of Ed Marston was this: How can this man be the publisher of a Western environmental rag? Ed was quiet-spoken, bookish and clearly from the East Coast, despite the sideburns and unruly hair. But after a few days working in the dingy, creaky-floored rooms of HCN's downtown office, my perception began to change. The man possessed a quiet intelligence and a razor-sharp editing pen. He also seemed to know how to operate the paper's only computer. Editor Betsy Marston (Ed's wife) and I pounded out copy on typewriters. Ed worked that Radio Shack computer hard. Issue after issue, he wrote long articles and essays, tackling everything from wilderness and water to mining and logging. He admitted that he was plunging in where he ought to fear to tread; he lacked the background of HCN's earlier generation of environmentalist editors. Yet the growing power of his words showed he was a very quick study. It also became apparent that Ed's interests were far broader than the public-lands issues that had long been the paper's meat and potatoes. One of my first assignments was to find out how rural hospitals were faring in the grim energy bust that had settled on the region's rural communities. I thought it was an odd story for HCN. I had come to write about the environment, not health care. Yet the story was interesting, and it opened my eyes to the people and communities that live next door to the public lands. The land has a human context that cannot be ignored even if you care more about the wild than about humanity. That lesson stuck with me long after I left Paonia in late May. I carried it, and the memory of mountain air thickened with the smell of blossoming cherry trees, through graduate school and even through a stint at the Sierra Club in San Francisco. And I still had it when I returned to Paonia in 1992, this time as a husband, father and assistant editor, with a desk in HCN's new office, across the street from the old one. The paper's circulation had grown--from a hard-core 3,000 subscribers to nearly 10,000--and it was more sophisticated. Ed no longer wrote every other cover story; he had help from an extensive network of freelance writers and photographers. Yet Ed's ever-expanding vision of the region remained central to the operation. Environmental issues remained at the core of HCNs coverage--stories about lawsuit-wielding activists and right-wing, anti-government conservatives continued. But a more diverse menagerie of Westerners started appearing in these pages: green-hearted ranchers and blue- collar environmentalists, hotel workers, economists, historians, and scientists of all stripes. Since then, Ed's expanded vision of environmentalism in the West has become embedded in this place. High Country News' editors and writers now look for the story beyond the story, for the strings that bind the West to itself and to the world, as a matter of course. I can hardly talk about any event without asking: ``So what does this mean for the West?'' That may make for dull conversation around the family dinner table, but it nurtures an important dialogue for those of us who live in this unique and rapidly changing part of the country. For this, and many other fine things not mentioned here, I thank Ed Marston.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Adams Community Mental Health Center for their outstanding service and to honor one of their earliest and staunchest supporters, Mary Ciancio. Adams Community Mental Health Center is one of the most respected mental health service providers in the Denver-metro area. ACMHC has been providing high quality care to low income families and individuals in Adams County since 1957. They have given the gift of hope to over 115,000 members of the community. ACMHC provides counseling to people who are having a difficult time dealing with life stress. They give people the tools they need to stop hurting themselves, their families and their communities. Countless people in the community owe a huge debt of thanks to ACMHC for helping loved ones and healing families. They provide an invaluable service to the community because helping people to lead mentally healthy lives uplifts the entire community. One person who believed this implicitly was Mary Ciancio. Mary Ciancio is one of the most respected citizens in Adams County history. Growing up, Mrs. Ciancio had to overcome many trials and tribulations. She overcame painful family tragedies. With dignity, she fought racism as she worked tirelessly and in her always-gentle way, to overcome prejudice against Catholics, against Italian-Americans, against people with disabilities and on behalf of community service. There is little doubt that these experiences helped shape her into the strong, compassionate altruist that she became. She helped the March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society and the Colorado Easter Seals, in addition to many other organizations. She had a special interest in helping people with mental illness. One of her top priorities was the Adams Community Mental Health Center. She was one of the Center's earliest supporters and sat on the Board of Directors for a number of years. The largest annual fund-raiser for the Center is the Mary Ciancio Memorial Golf & Tennis Tournament, the Tournament raises over $100,000 annually and was organized by her son, Don Ciancio, in 1981. ACMHC has honored her importance to the Center by naming its administrative building the Mary Ciancio Memorial Building. The support of Mary Ciancio was instrumental in helping to establish the Adams Community Mental Health Center. The Center has been of paramount importance to its community. The care that they have provided has given individuals hope and uplifted the community in the process. I ask my colleagues to join me today in thanking ACMHC for their good work and honoring the life of Mary Ciancio. Our community is better because of them.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of a talented group of students from the University of Colorado who designed and built the winning entry at the Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon. I am submitting for the Record a recent article from the Daily Camera describing the team's achievement. The Solar Decathlon is a competition organized by the Department of Energy that gives college students an opportunity to demonstrate practical uses of solar power. This October, 14 university teams from around the country competed in the first-ever Solar Decathlon to build the most energy-efficient, solar-powered house. Each team was required to use solar energy to power the entire house, and was judged on how well its house was able to produce energy for heating, cooling, hot water, lighting, appliances, computers, and charging an electric car. The houses were also critiqued on their overall aesthetic design. The students from the University of Colorado designed a building that demonstrates how clean, renewable, solar energy can practically and efficiently power a home. They focused on making the design of the house attractive and affordable to show that homeowners don't have to compromise style and convenience to live in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. These enterprising students from the University of Colorado had a challenge--to take advanced architectural and engineering concepts, put them together in a design, and build a house that could be a model of our energy future. These students met that challenge and met it better than any of the other teams. I'm proud of these students and I'm proud that the University of Colorado produced such a talented team. Most of all, I am proud to represent these young people who are working so hard to make our way of life a sustainable one. [lsqb]From the Daily Camera, Oct. 6, 2002[rsqb] CU Wins Contest for Solar House Design Builders Triumph Over 13 Other College Teams (By Ryan Alessi) Washington.--The bright sunny October morning proved an appropriate backdrop Saturday for the 14 Solar Decathlon teams to finish the last few tasks of the weeklong competition. The 14 homes built on the National Mall by college teams from around the country and Puerto Rico had been probed, monitored, inspected and judged since last weekend. Architects and U.S. Department of Energy officials rated the teams in 10 categories ranging from the appearance of the homes to how much energy they saved. And of course, everything from the fridge to their electric buggy-mobiles had to be powered by sunlight. By Saturday morning, the University of Colorado sat atop the standings as the team to beat. Then, shortly after noon, video cameras, photographers and a crowd began gathering outside the CU team's house, leaving little doubt that they had, in fact, won. At a brief ceremony, David Garman, assistant energy secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, presented a polished steel trophy to Michael Brandemuehl, the CU team's adviser and professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering. The University of Virginia, which started the day in third place, passed Auburn University for second place. ``We were pretty confident,'' said Mike Renner, CU's engineering design leader. ``All the other teams had pretty much decided they were going for second.'' The judges scored the CU house among the top five in all the design-based categories. And the engineering spoke for itself as the team received the best marks in the competition for the amount of electricity it generated and how efficiently the home used the power. ``It's a well-oiled machine because of the team's all- around planning,'' said Sheila Hayter, one of the scoring officials from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden. She said the team's use of recycled materials also boosted the team's scores. ``They put together a very environmentally conscious house.'' That also caught the attention of many of the estimated 75,000 visitors who have streamed through the solar village. ``I loved their efficient use of space and their overall design,'' said Elizabeth Ridgeway, visiting Washington from North Hollywood, Calif. She voted for CU's house in a separate People's Choice competition whose winner will be announced today. ``And they used a lot of interesting materials,'' said Bill Lyon, also from Los Angeles. ``I really liked to see so many students focusing on the environment.'' After the Energy Department declared CU the winner, other onlookers couldn't wait to see the house, so a group rushed up to the porch and into the foyer before team members could stop them. ``Geez, they're practically breaking the doors down,'' Renner said. ``Good thing we don't have any goal posts.'' Team members said that type of public response has been the real trophy that they can take away from the competition, especially because this home was their second design. They opted to scrap their original design in January and start over. The public response ``was satisfying for us as individuals because the reason we changed our design was because we didn't agree that it was the direction we should go,'' said Adam Jackaway, a graduate student in charge of the home's lighting and the passive solar design. ``And the direction we should go is targeting the homeowners who are looking for something right now that conforms to their aesthetic taste and what they can afford and what is easy to operate.'' Jackaway said he wants to challenge the Department of Energy to hold this kind of a competition not only for college students, but for home builders, car manufacturers and energy companies, to see who can build the most self- sufficient neighborhoods, the most efficient vehicles and the cleanest energy. The CU home--which cost about $200,000 for materials, construction and transportation to Washington--will return to campus for about a year. Then, team members say, they plan to sell the 800-square-foot house to make up some of the costs. As for the competition, Richard King, the Solar Decathlon's founder and director, said the Department of Energy will begin focusing on the next decathlon for fall 2004. He said future teams probably will study how the CU team wove engineering and architecture together to build a winning design. Teams that didn't properly balance the two quickly fell from the top five. The University of Maryland, a team of all engineering students, built a plain, white, box-like house that ``worked like a tank,'' King said. It scored high in engineering but low in design. The Carnegie Mellon team of all design students had large windows, open ventilation systems and tons of recycled materials. ``It looks great, but they couldn't get it to work,'' King said. ``So now the engineers will go back and say, `Hey, we need to get some architects.' And the architects will go back and say, `We need engineers,' '' he said. ``That's how it works in real life.'' The team from CU used everything from compressed sunflower board to reclaimed bleacher seats for cabinet facing. Other ``green'' materials used included soy adhesives in the countertops and bamboo flooring. To help make the home more energy-efficient, the team installed thermally insulated blinds and limited the highest ceiling to 18 feet. About 100 students and faculty from engineering, architecture and design programs at CU have worked on the project for the past two years, said Matthew Henry, the team's construction manager and design leader. Henry, 28, graduated from CU last spring with a degree in environmental design, but he said the project meant so much to him that he came back to help with the competition. ``The prize is going to be someone coming up and saying I want to build a whole community of these types of houses, I want to build better,'' he said. For more information on the CU team's project, visit solar.colorado.edu. (The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Environmental Justice Act of 2002. I am proud that my colleague Congresswoman Hilda Solis is joining me as an original cosponsor of this bill. Representative Solis and I long have been concerned about the fact that past federal actions have had disproportionately adverse effects on the health, environment and quality of life of Americans in minority and lower-income communities. Too often these communities--because of their low income or lack of political visibility--are exposed to greater risks from toxins and dangerous substances. It's a regrettable commentary on our society that too often it has been possible and convenient to locate waste dumps, industrial facilities, and chemical storage warehouses in these communities with less care than would be taken in other locations. Too often these communities are thought of as expendable--without full appreciation that human beings, who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity are living, working, and raising families there. Instead, by providing clean, healthy and quality environments within and around these communities, we provide hope for the future and enhance the opportunities that these citizens have to improve their condition. Our bill would help do just that. The bill essentially codifies an Executive Order that was issued by President Clinton in 1994. That order required all federal agencies to incorporate environmental justice considerations in their missions, develop strategies to address disproportionate impacts to minority and low-income people from their activities, and coordinate the development of data and research on these topics. Although federal agencies have been working to implement this order and have developed strategies, there is clearly much more to do. We simply cannot solve these issues overnight or even over a couple of years. We need to ``institutionalize'' the consideration of these issues in a more long-term fashion--which this bill would do. In addition, as this issue was addressed through an administrative order, that federal policy could be swept away with a stroke of a pen by new administrations. Thus, we need to make these considerations more permanent--which is also what this bill would do. It would do this by requiring all federal agencies to: make addressing environmental justice concerns part of their missions; develop environmental justice strategies; evaluate the effects of proposed actions on the health and environment of minority, low-income, and Native American communities; avoid creating disproportionate adverse impacts on the health or environment of minority, low-income, or Native American communities; and collect data and carry out research on the effects of facilities on health and environment of minority, low-income, and Native American communities. It would also establish two committees: an Interagency Environmental Justice Working Group to develop strategies, provide guidance, coordinate research, convene public meetings, and conduct inquires regarding environmental justice issues. Makes permanent the group set up by the Executive Order; and a Federal Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, appointed by the President, including members of community- based groups, business, academic, state agencies and environmental organizations. It will provide input and advice to the Interagency Working Group. In a nutshell what this bill would do is require federal agencies that control the siting and disposing of hazardous materials, store toxins or release pollutants at federal facilities, or issue permits for these kinds of activities to make sure they give fair treatment to low-income and minority populations--including Native Americans. What this bill does is say to federal agencies, ``In the past these communities have endured a disproportionate impact to their health and environment. Now we must find ways to make sure that won't be the case in the future.'' Both Representative Solis and I recognize that it likely will not be possible for the Congress to complete action on this measure in this Session. But we are today taking the first step toward its enactment, and will persist in our efforts to accomplish that goal. For the information of our colleagues, I am attaching a brief outline of the provisions of the bill. Environmental Justice Act of 2002 Representatives Mark Udall and Hilda Solis Summary: This bill would essentially codify a Clinton Administration Executive Order which directed a number of federal agencies and offices to consider the environmental impact of decisions on minority and low-income populations. Background: On February 11, 1994, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12898, ``Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations.'' The President also issued a corresponding Memorandum to all federal departments and agencies further explaining the order and how the agencies should implement it to address environmental justice issues. The Order and Memorandum called for the creation of an interagency working group to provide guidance on identifying disproportionate impacts on the health and environment of minority and low- income populations, develop strategies to address this disproportionate impacts, and provide a report on that strategy. Since the order was promulgated, the affected agencies have developed reports and strategies. Need for the Bill: Although federal agencies and offices have been complying with the Executive Order, disproportionate impacts related to human health and the environment still exist for many minority and low-income communities. These impacts must be addressed over the long term. In addition, due to the lack of resources and political clout of many of these impacted communities, vigilance is required to make sure that disproportionate impacts are reduced and do not continue. As the effort to date has been primarily administrative based on the presidential order and memorandum, these strategies need to be incorporated into the routine functioning of federal agencies and offices through federal law. What the bill does Requires federal agencies and offices to: include addressing environmental justice concerns into their respective missions; conduct programs so as not to create disproportionate impact on minority and low-income populations; include an examination of the effects of such action on the health and environment of minority and low- income populations for actions that require environmental analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act; create an environmental justice strategy to address disproportionate impacts of its policies and actions, and conduct and collect research on the disproportionate impacts from federal facilities. Creates an Interagency Environmental Justice Working Group to develop strategies, provide guidance, coordinate research, convene public meetings, and conduct inquires regarding environmental justice issues. Creates a Federal Environmental Justice Advisory Committee composed of members of community-based groups, business, academic, state agencies and environmental organizations which will provide input and advice to the Interagency Working Group.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jessie Barrett, the grandmother of my staff member Jennifer Barrett, on Jessie's 100th birthday. Jessie will turn 100 on November 5th. Jennifer's father (also Jessie's son) Peter came up with a few reflections on Jessie's life that I would like to submit for the Record. The way Jennifer describes her grandmother, it seems clear that Jessie is a strong woman who played a vital role in the family's development and progress over the years, through the hard times as well as the good times. I congratulate her on living such a full life and for the inspiration she has always been to her family and to everyone who has known her. Comments and Reflections by the Barrett Family Jessie was raised in Plainfield, New Jersey, where her father ran a business, the Watchung Stone Company. Neither of her parents attended college, but both believed in the importance of education. Jessie recalls the excitement in her town when Andrew Carnegie donated money for a library, and she also recalls that she and her brothers looked forward each week to spending most of Saturday in the library. Hard work in their studies and the family attitude about the importance of education determined her family's life paths. With a background of university studies and law school, her brother became President and CEO of Florida Power & Light Corporation, while Jessie gained teaching skills at Wheelock College in Boston. After meeting a special young man at Harvard, Hollis Barrett, she and her new husband set out for the wilds of California, where Hollis built a successful life as a real estate broker. Jessie seems to have passed on her interest in teaching to her family; her daughter, Martha, taught students at both the elementary and high school levels, while her son, Peter, pursued a career in academic medicine at UCLA, which involved him in the training of medical students and internal medicine residents. Jessie has also taken great pride in the accomplishments of her five grandchildren. Following in his father's footsteps, John is a physician; Anna, the youngest, is a project manager for a non-profit organization involved in health care access; and Jennifer is Rep. Mark Udall's Deputy Legislative Director. Jessie's Texas granddaughters, Barbara and Nancy, are pursuing both careers and motherhood, and Jessie is now a great-grandmother for the two youngest members of the family, Audrey and Grace. A few more words about Jessie will allow the reader to know something about her as a person, and perhaps to understand how she has been able to enjoy life for several decades longer than many of her friends. If only one word could be used to describe her, it would be ``optimist.'' That point of view was reflected in her daily approach to life as well as in her general philosophy. Her optimism even extended to thunder storms, as she pointed out that ``. . . if you can see enough blue sky to make a sailor a pair of pants, then you know the storm is clearing up.'' Consistent with her philosophy, no matter how hard it was raining, she was always able to see a patch of blue sky, even when no one else could see it. Importantly, she has shared this philosophy with the children she taught in school, and with her own family. Jessie's life spanned most of the twentieth century. She saw both Halley's Comet and Mark Twain in 1910, waved goodbye to relatives as they sailed for France in World War I, manned a coastal watch tower in World War II, and watched Americans walk on the moon. The Great Depression had a great impact on the family and on their views about investments and savings. She has dedicated her life to her family, and imbued them with a strong devotion to each other, a love of learning and education, and a strong sense of patriotism. And it should be noted that she loves all her grandchildren, even though some of them have joined the Democratic Party. Jessie continues to enjoy life and looks forward to the family celebration on November 5th. The family will also remember to vote on that date, but the most important event of the day for them will be ``Nana Jessie's'' 100th birthday. Peter V. Barrett, MD Martha B. Bell

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize adoption of the Ski Industry Climate Change Policy by the National Ski Areas Association and Colorado Ski Country USA, an organization in Colorado that represents Colorado's 25 ski and snowboard resorts. I am submitting the policy for the Record. The climate change policy was developed over the last several months and was adopted by the National Ski Areas Association Board of Directors on September 18, 2002 under the auspices of Sustainable Slopes. This campaign has its origins in the Environmental Charter adopted in June 2000, which contains a sweeping set of voluntary principles for protecting the environment and formalizes the industry's commitment to environmental sustainability. More than 170 ski areas in 31 states, plus six resorts in Canada, have endorsed the Charter. The Colorado ski industry leads the nation in endorsing Sustainable Slopes, with all Colorado resorts except one endorsing. Variability in climate is not good for skiers, the ski industry, or the environment. Given the ski industry's dependence on weather, climate changes that produce weather patterns of warmer temperatures or decreased snowfall could significantly impact the industry. The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that global warming may already be affecting the snow pack of the Sierra Mountains in California. I'm pleased that the ski industry in general and Colorado Ski Country in particular has taken a leadership role in raising awareness and encouraging solutions on this important issue.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution. Like many of my colleagues, I have struggled with the question of whether to give the President the broad authority to take our Nation into a full-scale war with Iraq. I have also struggled with the question of how to support the President's objectives and also keep faith with my oath to uphold the Constitution. I continue to have grave reservations about acting unilaterally, acting without evidence of an imminent threat and acting without considering the consequences for the war on terrorism or without a commitment to rebuilding a post-war Iraq. In my opinion, the resolution we are considering today would give the President authority to act without adequately addressing these crucial questions. Congress has a solemn responsibility to join with the President in determining whether any path to war will be short or long, who will be on that path with us and ultimately what kind of war we intend to wage. This resolution does not allow Congress to answer these important questions. Instead, the resolution gives that power to one man, the President, and represents a dangerous erosion of congressional power and responsibility. That is why it should be defeated unless it is amended. Absent new evidence that Saddam Hussein poses an imminent threat to our national security, I believe we should only go to war against Iraq as a part of a broad international coalition authorized by the United Nations. This is important not only to secure the peace and manage the costly and difficult nation building that must follow but also to avoid compromising our efforts to combat global terrorism, particularly in the Islamic world. As a last resort, it may be necessary for American military forces to act without the support of the United Nations Security Council. But before we do so, I believe the President should come to Congress for a separate authorization. That is what the amendment I offered to the Committee on Rules called for. My amendment was based on a resolution I introduced, House Joint Resolution 118, which would ensure that Congress, not the President, makes this awesome decision. Regrettably, my amendment was not made in order; so I am glad that tomorrow I will have the opportunity to vote for the Spratt amendment, which I believe is more consistent with the Constitution than the underlying resolution we are being asked to support. Congress needs to know whether the United Nations is with us or on the sidelines before we launch a military invasion of Iraq on our own. Not having this information beforehand, with all of the implications it poses for our global war on terrorism, and the consequences for our security in this region, is simply irresponsible, in my view. Do not misunderstand. I have no illusions about the duplicity of Saddam Hussein or the depths of his cruelty. Saddam Hussein is a dangerous tyrant and a threat to peace, and I fully support the goal of disarming him. I do not believe in a policy of appeasement towards Saddam Hussein. But I believe that ridding the world of Saddam Hussein is only part of the job we face. We have to remove Saddam Hussein's threat in the context of broader security goals, including crippling al Qaeda and sustaining and building the important global relationships we need for the war against terrorism and for solving other critical global problems. My father, Morris Udall, who was serving in Congress in 1964, came to regret his support for the Gulf of Tonkin resolution when it became clear that it was being used as a substitute for the constitutional responsibility of Congress to declare war. I fear that this Congress, a generation later, is poised to make a similar mistake. To avoid that, we need to reject this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution. Like many of our colleagues, I have struggled with the question of whether to give the president the broad authority to take our nation into a full-scale war against Iraq. I have also struggled with the question of how to support the president's objectives and also keep faith with my oath to uphold the Constitution. I continue to have grave reservations about acting unilaterally, acting without evidence of an imminent threat, and acting without considering the consequences for the war on terrorism or without a commitment to rebuilding a post-war Iraq. In my opinion, the resolution we are considering today would give the president authority to act without adequately addressing these crucial questions. Congress has a solemn responsibility to join with the president in determining whether any path to war will be short or long, who will be on that path with us, and ultimately what kind of war we intend to wage. This resolution doesn't allow Congress to answer these important questions. Instead, the resolution gives that power to one man, the president, and represents a dangerous erosion of congressional power and responsibility. That is why it should be defeated unless it is amended. Mr. Speaker, a few days ago the president told us that voting for this resolution would not mean that war was imminent or unavoidable. Many of my colleagues draw comfort from the vies that this resolution is not necessarily a call to arms. With respect, I find no such comfort. This resolution very clearly gives the president authority to take us to war. I introduced a resolution, H.J. Res. 118, which would ensure that Congress makes this awesome decision. I also submitted to the Rules Committee an amendment based on my resolution. Regrettably, my amendment was not made in order. So I am glad that I will have the opportunity to vote for the Spratt amendment, which I believe is more consistent with the Constitution than the underlying resolution we are being asked to support. Absent new evidence that Saddam Hussein poses an imminent threat to our national security, I believe we should only go to war against Iraq as part of a broad international coalition authorized by the United Nations. This is important not only to secure the peace and manage the costly and difficult nation-building that must follow, but also to avoid compromising our efforts to combat global terrorism, particularly in the Islamic world. As a last resort, it may be necessary for American military forces to act without the support of the United Nations Security Council, but before we do so, I believe the president should come to Congress to ask for a separate authorization. Congress needs to know whether the United Nations is with us or on the sidelines before we launch a military invasion of Iraq on our own. Not having this information beforehand, with all of the implications it poses for our global war on terror and the consequences for our security in the region, is simply irresponsible in my view. Don't misunderstand, I have no illusions about the duplicity of Saddam Hussein or about the depths of his cruelty. Saddam Huessin is a dangerous tyrant and a threat to peace, and I fully support the goal of disarming him. I do not believe in a policy of international amnesia toward Saddam Hussein. That's why I can't support the Lee amendment, which I believe does not adequately respond to the urgency of ending Saddam Hussein's decade of defiance and eliminating Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. The Lee amendment seems to rule out military action as a last resort, and I don't believe we can or should do that. But I believe that ridding the world of Saddam Hussein is only part of the job we face. We have to remove Saddam Hussein's threat to the context of broader security goals, including crippling Al Qaeda and sustaining and building important global relationships we need for the war against terrorism and for solving other critical global problems. My father was serving in Congress in 1964 when it passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which led to the eventual deployment of 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam and the deaths of 55,000 American servicemen and women. My father came to regret his support for that resolution when it became clear that it was being used as a substitute for the Constitutional responsibility of Congress to declare war. I fear that this Congress, a generation later, is posed to make a similar mistake. To avoid that, we need to reject this resolution.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, in the last few weeks since the president's speech to the United Nations, I have taken time to listen to Coloradans and to discuss with military leaders and other experienced voices the threat posed by Iraq. This has been a difficult, even soul-searching time for all Americans, and I have taken my responsibility very seriously because I deeply believe that this vote will be among the most important I cast in Congress. The U.S. Constitution assigns the power to declare war to the Congress, and if we are on the path to war, I believe this Congress has the grave responsibility to join with the president in determining whether this path will be short or long, who will be on that path with us, and ultimately what kind of war we intend to wage. After deep reflection and after listening to those whose experience and judgment in matters of war and peace I respect most, particularly those in the military, I have come to these conclusions about the path to war: We should only go to war as a last resort and after all diplomatic efforts have been exhausted, and I take some comfort that President Bush apparently agrees with this view. Unless there is new evidence that Saddam Hussein poses an imminent threat to our national security, I believe we should only go to war against Iraq as part of a broad international coalition authorized by the United Nations. America can go it alone, and should go it alone where we believe an attack is imminent, but that is not the case with Iraq. In this case, I believe we need the United Nations with us--not so much to win the war and topple Saddam Hussein, but to secure the peace and take responsibility for the costly and difficult nation-building that must follow. Some say that after 9-11 we cannot afford not to attack Iraq on our own. I say that after 9-11 we should only attack in concert with the international community. Why? Because a preemptive, go-it-alone attack could seriously compromise our efforts to combat global terrorism, particularly in the Islamic world. Saddam Hussein is a dangerous tyrant and I fully support the goal of disarming him. I have no illusions about the duplicity of this man nor the depth of his cruelty. The world would be safer and breathe easier if he were removed. Getting the job done and doing it in a way that protects American interests, American values, and American lives is what concerns me most. Moreover, I believe that ridding the world of Saddam Hussein is only part of the job we face. We have to remove Saddam Hussein's threat in the context of other security goals, including winning our war against terrorism and Islamic fundamentalist terrorism in particular. I have indicated that I cannot support the Congressional Resolution on Iraq that has been reported by the International Relations Committee. This resolution would not meet what I believe to be the solemn responsibility of Congress to declare, authorize, and define war, particularly on a full-scale, preemptive basis. The current resolution concerns me most because it shortens the path to war. Worse, it vests total discretion with the president to determine how fast we run this path. This path to war is far too complicated and the consequences far too dangerous for Congress to delegate this responsibility to one man. I believe this path to war should be slower-paced and involve more check-points--check points that include the participation by Congress. These are the check-points I think should mark any path to war with Iraq: 1. We must secure a tough new resolution from the United Nations Security Council that establishes a timetable for the destruction of Saddam Hussein's arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. This will strengthen the president's hand. 2. If we secure the full support of the United Nations, I believe the UN must join us in deploying a robust and even coercive inspection and disarmament program against Iraq, backed up by a multinational force that America would lead. 3. If we fail to secure the support of the United Nations and unfettered inspections are not begun, I believe we must cripple Saddam Hussein's ability to acquire and deploy weapons of mass destruction. At that juncture, military force may indeed be necessary as a last resort. But before America launches a massive operation of the kind we saw in the 1991 Gulf War, however, I believe the president should come to Congress to ask for a separate authorization of war. Congress needs to know whether the United Nations is with us or on the sidelines before we launch a military invasion of Iraq on our own. Not having this information beforehand, with all of the implications it poses for our global war on terror and the consequences for our security in the region, is simply irresponsible in my view. More important, Congress needs to share responsibility for the decision to go to war on this scale. We cannot simply wish the president the best and wash our hands of the awesome responsibility to send thousands of American men and women to war. The last time we did so, in 1964, when Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, my father was serving in Congress. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, like the one we are now debating, was designed to strengthen the president's hand in dealing with an international crisis. It led to the eventual deployment of 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam, and the deaths of 55,000 American servicemen and women. My father came to regret his support for that resolution when it became clear that it was being used as a substitute for the Constitutional responsibility of Congress to declare war. My father was an early and outspoken critic of that war, and I know he came to believe that Congress made a terrible mistake when it passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Let not this Congress, a generation later make a similar and tragic mistake. The resolution I am offering specifies key questions that should be answered before we send thousands of American soldiers into harm's way. It would also establish the legitimacy of American military action as a last resort because we would have clearly exhausted all other means to eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Finally, it would preserve the Constitutional responsibility of the Congress to declare war. The resolution I offer today is intended to avoid the mistakes of the past, while still allowing us to accomplish the important task of ridding the world of the dangers posed by Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 476. As my friend, the gentleman from Michigan, has so articulately pointed out, this resolution salutes the memory of the brave firefighters who gave their lives to help their citizens during the past year. It also recognizes the efforts of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to help our Nation honor the firefighters who die in the line of duty each year. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is a charitable, nonprofit corporation funded by donations from individuals and corporations. The Foundation maintains and preserves the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, which is on the grounds of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This memorial is a 7-foot stone monument topped by a sculptured bronze Maltese cross, which is a traditional symbol of the fire service. The monument is encircled by plaques listing the names of those who have died in service to their communities. In 1990, Congress approved a joint resolution to designate this striking monument as the official national memorial to volunteer and career firefighters who die in the line of duty. Each October during Fire Prevention Week, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation organizes a memorial service held at the monument to honor all of the career and volunteer firefighters who were killed in the line of duty during the previous year. This year the ceremony will take place this coming weekend of October 5 and 6. The ceremony will honor 446 firefighters from 34 States who gave their lives last year. This includes the 347 heroes who perished at the World Trade Center. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation will provide support for the firefighters' families wishing to attend the memorial service in honor of their loved ones. It is appropriate that Congress by means of the resolution now before the House calls to the Nation's attention the dedication and sacrifice of the fire services during this week leading to the ceremony in Washington. I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith), and I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) for taking the lead in developing H. Con. Res. 476 and for their leadership in the House on fire service-related issues. And I also wanted to thank the chairman of the Committee on Science, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), for his efforts to bring the resolution to the floor. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support passage of the measure. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I again want to urge support for this important resolution. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as the author of this legislation, I obviously support passage of the bill. I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) for his kind words and also his support. I also wanted to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), the chairman of the Committee on Science, and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), the ranking member, for making it possible for the House to consider the bill today. I introduced the Remote Sensing Applications Act in June 2001 to address a real problem we have in Colorado, the problem of excess growth and sprawl. My goal was to point to a way to utilize the resources of the Federal Government to help foster wise community planning and management at the local level. As a member of the House Committee on Science and the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, it made sense to me to look for ways to help communities grow in a smarter way through the use of technology. One new space-age tool, and the gentleman from California was talking about it, is the use of satellites to provide images of the Earth's surface. We now have the technology, using geospatial data from satellites, that can produce very accurate maps that show information about vegetation, wildlife habitat, flood plains, transportation corridors, soil types and many other things. By giving State and local governments and communities greater access to geospatial data from commercial sources and Federal agencies such as NASA, I believe that the Federal Government can help bring valuable and powerful informational planning resources to the table. H.R. 2426 would facilitate this transfer of information. The bill would establish in NASA a program of grants for competitively awarded pilot projects. The purpose of the grants would be to explore the integrated use of sources of remote sensing and other geospatial information to address State, local, regional and tribal agency needs. This legislation would build on and complement an applications program that NASA's Office of Earth Science announced last year. State and local governments and communities can use this geospatial data in a wide variety of applications, in such areas as urban land use planning, coastal zone management and erosion control, transportation corridors, environmental planning, and agricultural and forest management. One potential application that has garnered much attention since the tragic events of last September 11 is the use of geospatial technology to bolster our homeland security. Emergency management has always been an important responsibility of State and local governments; but in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, the scope of this responsibility has broadened. Geospatial technology can help States and localities identify the location, nature, and scope of potential vulnerabilities and the impact of potential hazards, as well as how to respond to events and recover from them. Certainly, it is important that we continue to add to our database of available geospatial information. More information is always better than less, but we have to also make sure that we have maximum use of the information that we already have at hand, and that is the need that this bill would address. State and local officials are becoming more familiar with the uses of geospatial technology for various planning purposes. However, there is a need for Federal agencies such as NASA, which has been pioneering the use of satellite remote sensing technologies, to work with State and local organizations to demonstrate how remote sensing and other geospatial data can offer a cost-effective planning and assessment tool. I am pleased that there is broad bipartisan cosponsorship of the bill and that it has earned the endorsement of a number of important national organizations. The supporters of H.R. 2426 understand the importance of targeting geospatial information at the places where it will have the greatest impact, that being local and regional levels. This act can help begin to bridge the gap between established and emerging technology solutions and the problems and challenges that State and local communities face regarding growth management, homeland security, forest fire management, and other issues. Mr. Speaker, I believe this bill will be welcomed by States and localities nationwide, and I urge its adoption. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of H.R. 5303, the Charles ``Pete'' Conrad Astronomy Awards Act. The bill which was introduced by the gentleman from California (Chairman Rohrabacher) is a bill, as he so eloquently outlined for us, that has two important purposes. By establishing an awards program, it recognizes the important role amateur astronomers can play in detecting potentially hazardous Earth-crossing asteroids, and it honors the memory of a genuine American hero, Apollo astronaut Charles ``Pete'' Conrad, who led the second expedition to land humans on the moon. I have to tell my colleague, the gentleman from California, that I enjoyed hearing more about Pete Conrad. He was a true American hero, and he lived life to the fullest. I thank the gentleman for sharing some of those stories and insights into what made Pete Conrad the man that he was. The Committee on Science has focused attention on the importance of detecting and cataloging Earth orbit-crossing asteroids for more than a decade. I venture to say that my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), has led much of that work. I want to commend him for his attention to this important area. The late Chairman George Brown held hearings on the topic early in the last decade, and Congress subsequently passed legislation directing NASA to establish a near-Earth object detection program. There is a growing scientific consensus that asteroid impacts have had profound effects on the history of our planet and may have helped lead to the demise of the dinosaurs. I remember growing up in Arizona. In Arizona in the northern section is Meteor Crater. We were very familiar with that incredible event that led to a crater being created there that is over a mile wide, and quite an object to behold. The gentleman mentioned later this week that the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics will be holding a hearing on near-Earth objects. At that hearing the subcommittee will receive an update on the nature of the potential threat posed by Earth orbit-crossing asteroids, as well as the status of the international efforts to detect them. As noted in H.R. 5303, amateur astronauts can play a useful role in detecting asteroids, and their efforts should be recognized. Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today is a constructive measure, and I want to commend the gentleman from California (Chairman Rohrabacher) for his initiatives. I urge my colleagues to suspend the rules and pass this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.