Chris Van Hollen

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I would be happy to yield to Mr. Boucher, and I want to commend him for his important work on this bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, this bill before us establishes many important incentives for consumers to make savings through the use of improvements in energy efficiency. However, I think we all understand that those incentives only work if consumers know about them and they are easily accessible, and that is what this noncontroversial amendment aims to do. It simply adds a sixth policy option for States to consider in title IX of the underlying bill. It asks States and asks utilities to partner with us to promote the use of home energy audits, to educate homeowners about the financial and environmental benefits associated with residential energy efficiency improvements, and to publicize the availability of Federal and State incentives to make residential energy efficiency improvements more affordable. In short, this amendment represents a voluntary, commonsense way to drive consumers towards the very incentives we encourage them to use in this bill. Mr. Chairman, this comprehensive energy package represents a long- overdue course correction and a new vision for energy policy in the United States. Today, we are beginning to make good on our commitment to redirect many of the wasteful subsidies away from already highly profitable oil and gas companies towards the renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies of the future. These investments will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. They will help combat the growing problem of climate change by reducing our carbon dioxide emissions by 10.4 billion tons through the year 2030, more than the total of all tailpipe emissions from all of the cars on the road today. As we generate cleaner power, we will also generate an estimated 3 million good-paying jobs over the next 10 years while investing in small business, economic development and high-payoff research at the Department of Energy. And its energy efficiency provisions that we hope this amendment will encourage more consumers to go toward will save consumers if they take advantage of them, a staggering $300 billion through the year 2030, demonstrating once again that the cheapest kind of energy is the kind we never have to use. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is designed to ensure that American consumers know of the new possibilities before them. Many who oppose this bill focus on what they claim America cannot do. Those of us who support this bill have great faith in the creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit of the American people and our capacity to find innovative solutions to the challenges we face. I encourage my colleagues to adopt this amendment which is in the spirit of the overall bill. Mr. Chairman, this bill establishes many important incentives for consumers to make savings through the use of improvements in energy efficiency. However, those incentives only work if consumers know about them and they are easily accessible. That is what this non- controversial amendment aims to do. It simply adds a sixth policy option for states to consider in Title IX of the underlying bill. It asks states and utilities to partner with us to promote the use of home energy audits; to educate homeowners about the financial and environmental benefits associated with residential energy efficiency improvements and to publicize the availability of Federal and State incentives to make residential energy efficiency improvements more affordable. In short, this amendment represents a voluntary, common- sense way to drive consumers toward the incentives we encourage them to use. Mr. Chairman, this comprehensive energy package represents a long overdue course correction and a new vision for energy policy in the United States. Today, we are making good on our commitment to redirect huge wasteful subsidies away from our already highly profitable oil and gas companies toward the renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies of the future. These new investments will reduce our dependability on foreign oil. They will significantly enhance our ability to combat global climate change--by reducing our carbon dioxide emissions by 10.4 billion tons through 2030, more than the total tailpipe emissions from all the cars on the road today. And while these investments generate more clean energy they will also generate an estimated 3 million good-paying jobs over the next 10 years while investing in small business economic development and high-payoff research at the Department of Energy. And its energy efficiency provisions will save consumers and businesses a staggering $300 billion through 2030--demonstrating once again that the cheapest kind of energy is the kind you never have to use. This amendment is designed to ensure that American consumers know of the new possibilities before them. Many who oppose this bill focus on what they claim America cannot do. Those of us who support this bill have great faith in the creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit of the American people and our capacity to find innovative solutions to the challenges we face. I encourage my colleagues' support.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to rise today as an original cosponsor of the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act of 2007 and the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007. Taken together, this comprehensive energy package represents a long overdue course correction and new vision for energy policy in the United States. Today, the House Democratic Leadership makes good on its commitment to redirect wasteful subsidies away from our already highly profitable oil and gas companies towards the renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies of the future. These new investments will significantly enhance our ability to combat global climate change, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, generate millions of new jobs and save consumers and businesses hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 25 years. This package calls on the U.S. to reengage in the global effort to reach a binding global warming agreement. It reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 10.4 billion tons through 2030, more than the total tailpipe emissions from all the cars on the road today. It moves aggressively towards the development of carbon sequestration in order to mitigate the impact of the fossil fuels we will continue to use. And it asks the Federal Government, the largest single energy consumer in the country, to lead the way by becoming carbon neutral by 2050. To begin the necessary process of weaning ourselves off foreign oil, we make an historic investment in biofuels, with opportunities for feedstock contributions from every region of the country. We provide grant funds for alternative fuel vehicles and additional support for service stations offering E-85 ethanol. And we help farmers deploy technologies like wind, solar and biomass to further distribute renewable energy production and revitalize rural America. This legislation is a pro-innovation, job-creation machine. It increases loan limits for small businesses engaged in clean energy technology. It funds high-risk, high-payoff renewable energy research at the Department of Energy. And it includes worker training programs in areas like solar panel manufacturing and green building construction to ensure that our citizens are fully prepared to participate in the green workforce of the future. The payoff? An estimated 3 million jobs over the next 10 years. The energy efficiency provisions in this legislation alone are estimated to save consumers and businesses a staggering $300 billion through 2030--demonstrating once again that the cheapest kind of energy is the kind you never have to use. On the tax side, we extend the renewable production tax credit through 2013 to eliminate the planning and market uncertainty associated with the two-year extensions of the past. We expand manufacturer tax credits for energy efficient appliances and extend the current deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings. In an effort to allow States and localities to innovate and tailor clean energy solutions to the specific needs and opportunities of their jurisdictions, we provide new bonding authority for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects--providing my home State of Maryland with an allocation of $111 million to tackle these issues at the local level. And we finally do away with the infamous ``Hummer Loophole'' that has perversely subsidized the purchase of the most polluting, least efficient vehicles for far too long. Mr. Chairman, along with Mr. Udall, Mr. Platts and several of my other colleagues, I will also be offering an important bipartisan amendment today to establish a Renewable Electricity Standard for the United States. Renewable electricity standards aren't new. Twenty-three States and the District of Columbia already benefit from them. The European Union has set a goal of 22 percent renewable electricity generation by 2010. By contrast, the RES amendment we will be offering today proposes the substantially more modest goal of 15 percent renewable electricity production by 2020, of which 4 percent can be achieved through energy efficiency. Above and beyond the underlying bill, adopting this RES amendment is the single most important step this House can take today to address climate change, promote energy independence, create hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs and save American consumers billions of dollars on their future energy bills. Additionally, I will also be offering a noncontroversial amendment to H.R. 3221 that would add a sixth policy option for States to consider in Title IX of the underlying bill. This language is intended to complement the existing residential energy efficiency incentives provided throughout the rest of the legislation by asking States and utilities to partner with us to promote the use of home energy audits, educate homeowners about the financial and environmental benefits associated with residential energy efficiency improvements and publicize the availability of Federal and State incentives to make residential energy efficiency improvements more affordable. In short, this amendment represents a voluntary, commonsense way to drive consumers towards the incentives we are hoping they will use--and I encourage my colleagues' support. Finally, by the time we finish this legislation, I believe it is critical that we enact aggressive ``smart grid'' policies that create incentives to modernize the electric grid, something that is decades overdue. Smart Grid reduces CO2 emissions by 25 percent and electricity usage by 10 percent according to the Department of Energy, DOE, and the Electric Power Research Institute, EPRI. By utilizing intelligent tax depreciation policy, and by modernizing existing DOE programs, we can immediately incentivize modernization of the electric grid and see the corresponding energy and environmental improvements.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, in 2005, the National Academies released a report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm. Its authors, a team of scientists, academic leaders, and business executives, gave Congress a strong warning--unless we take comprehensive action, America will lose its competitive edge in the world economy. Today, I am proud to join my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to respond to that call to action with the 21st Century Competitiveness Act. This bill addresses this century's challenges with new investments in education, research, and small businesses. It is a comprehensive way to ensure that America remains at the forefront of discovery and innovation. We recognize the need to foster student potential and encourage them to enter the fields of science, math, technology and engineering. This bill invests in 25,000 new teachers, helping them pay for school and training them to enter our nation's classrooms and engage students in math and science. It increases the number of teachers who can teach Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes and push our students to work with more challenging curricula. It puts new science and math teachers in high-needs schools so we can reach more students. And it establishes public-private partnerships so business and community leaders can identify high-needs fields and help students pursue innovative careers. We recognize the need to push the boundaries of current research, explore new ideas, and foster innovation. This bill puts us on a path to double funding for our research institutions--the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy's Office of Science. Our scientists at these institutions are engaged in remarkable, ground-breaking work, and we must redouble our support to ensure that America continues to be a leader in scientific advances. This bill will also provide grants to young researchers at the early stages of their careers to allow them to pursue their ideas and encourage them to continue their study in U.S. institutions. And, recognizing the importance of research into new energy technology as we work to combat global warming and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, this bill creates a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy. Finally, we recognize the importance of small businesses and entrepreneurial success in the development of our economy. This bill will double funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership over 10 years and will create a Technology Innovation Program to support revolutionary technology development at small and medium sized companies. Mr. Speaker, we must take proactive steps to secure America's place in an era of global economic and scientific competition. This bill, by increasing the number of students entering STEM fields and stimulating exciting research at our national scientific institutions and in our business community, will do just that. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the Voluntary State Discount Prescription Drug Plan Act of 2007--a completely voluntary, commonsense way to offer prescription drugs at affordable prices to millions of Americans currently struggling without prescription drug coverage. This legislation would enable States, at their option, to create State discount prescription drug plans that extend Medicaid-negotiated rebates to citizens up to 300 percent of the poverty line and thereby provide discounts of roughly 40 percent to 50 million uninsured Americans--all at their local pharmacies, all at no cost to the Federal or State Government. Just like HMOs and insurance plans in the private sector, participating States would simply leverage their purchasing power to secure better prices on behalf of their citizens. In that regard, our bill would explicitly authorize recent prescription drug affordability initiatives in States like Maryland, Maine, and Vermont by removing barriers that have needlessly blocked these efforts in the past. In 2005, my home State of Maryland passed a State discount prescription drug plan law with the near unanimous support of our General Assembly and our then Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich. Unfortunately, that plan was subsequently blocked by the Bush administration's Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, for reasons that have never been credibly explained. As a result, the broad bipartisan will of our State has been thwarted and hundreds of thousands of Marylanders have been deprived needed access to affordable prescription drugs. In fact, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data conducted by Families USA and the Center for Policy Alternatives, an estimated half million Marylanders would become eligible for immediate prescription drug price relief under this legislation. Since these plans are created at the State level and don't impose any cost on the Federal Government, we don't believe States should have to ask the Federal Government's permission in order to establish them. For that reason, our legislation makes clear that Maryland--and any other State that chooses--can set up a State discount prescription drug plan without petitioning CMS for a section 1115 waiver. Additionally, since these plans rely on government purchasing power rather than government outlays to produce price discounts, we remove CMS's somewhat contrived requirement that states expend some undefined amount of their own money as part of these plans. Beyond modest administrative costs, it simply isn't necessary. Madam Speaker, this legislation represents a significant opportunity to empower States to deliver prescription drug affordability to millions of our citizens who don't currently have it--at no cost to the Federal Government. I hope Congress seizes this opportunity, and I invite my colleagues' support.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the CHAMP Act, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act. The CHAMP Act reauthorizes and improves the very successful State Children's Health Insurance Program, SCHIP. Created in 1997 by Congress with broad bipartisan support, the SCHIP program currently covers 6 million children who otherwise would have no access to health insurance. Despite its many successes, there are still more than five million children who are eligible for SCHIP, but not yet enrolled in the program. This bill seeks to cover those vulnerable children. Unfortunately, President Bush's proposal seeks to turn back the clock and take us in the wrong direction. The President has proposed funding SCHIP at a rate that does not even take into account any increases for inflation or population growth. Under the President's proposal, more than 1.5 million children will lose SCHIP coverage and many States, including Maryland, will continue to face funding shortfalls. Indeed, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, CBO, has confirmed that the President's proposal would be too little to keep covering the children who are currently enrolled in SCHIP. In contrast to President Bush's proposal, this bill will extend coverage to an additional 5 million children who are currently eligible for SCHIP but are not yet enrolled. I am also pleased that the bill provides for guaranteed dental coverage in SCHIP--good oral health care is integral to the health of children and no child should have to suffer because they cannot access adequate dental care. No family should have to suffer the loss of a child because they lack access to dental care, as happened in the tragic case of Deamonte Driver, a 12- year old Marylander who died earlier this year when an infection from an untreated abscessed tooth spread to his brain. I am also pleased that this bill provides important mental health coverage for children. The reauthorization and improvement of SCHIP will benefit the approximately 136,000 children who are currently enrolled in Maryland's CHIP program and prevent Maryland from facing further funding shortfalls in its SCHIP allotment as has been the case in recent years. The CHAMP Act will also provide essential funding to Maryland to enroll 68,000 children in families with incomes under 200 percent of the federal poverty level who remain uninsured. It will also provide Maryland with a new option to cover more than 65,000 children who are aging out of Medicaid and SCHIP. And because of the bill, Maryland will have an increase in its SCHIP allotment of $99.7 million from last year, allowing it room to reach additional eligible but uninsured children. Not so long ago, President Bush promised to expand coverage of SCHIP to include eligible children who are not yet enrolled. In his September 2004 speech to the Republican National Convention, the President stated--and I am quoting here, ``America's children must also have a healthy start in life. In the new term, we will lead an aggressive effort to enroll millions of poor children who are eligible but not signed up for the government's health insurance programs. We will not allow a lack of attention, or information, to stand between these children and the health care they need.'' Now, the President has reversed course. In his July 10, 2007, speech in Cleveland, Ohio, he forgot his 2004 pledge and stated, ``I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room.'' I hope the President will reconsider his position and help Congress provide health insurance to 11 million children who are one of the most vulnerable segments of our society. In addition to reauthorizing SCHIP, the CHAMP Act makes improvements in Medicare that will strengthen that important program. The legislation reduces overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans, which are paid, according to non-partisan CBO and other independent entities analysis, on average, 12 percent more than the cost of care in traditional Medicare. This will increase Medicare's solvency by two years. In addition, the legislation prevents the impending physician reimbursement cuts and provides positive updates in 2008 and 2009. Also, the bill will increase Medicare beneficiaries' access to preventive services by eliminating co-payments and deductibles for current and future preventive benefits and authorizing Medicare to add additional preventive services. The CHAMP Act also increases the tobacco tax by 45 cents to a total of 84 cents. Increasing the tobacco tax will save billions in health costs and is one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use, especially among children. In short, raising the tobacco tax will prevent thousands of children from starting to smoke and the proceeds of the tax will be used to expand health coverage for children. That is a win-win result. Mr. Speaker, the clock is ticking. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this much needed legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S.1, the Honest Leadership, Open Government Act of 2007. S.1 contains the contents of an agreement between the House and the Senate in the reconciliation of provisions between the respective bills of these institutions to impose the highest standards of ethics reform on the House and the Senate and to restrict the influence of special interests and lobbyists. The American people spoke loud and clear in their demand for change on Capitol Hill. They conveyed a very strong message that an environment that accommodated Duke Cunningham and Jack Abramoff was unacceptable and that the culture of corruption must stop. As a result I urge the House to adopt this measure. This Conference agreement between the House and Senate contains some of the following provisions: Bans lavish convention parties--prohibits Members of Congress from attending national political convention parties held in their honor and paid for by lobbyists or their clients. Creates new transparency for lobbyist political campaign fund activity and other financial contributions--requires disclosure when lobbyists bundle campaign contributions for any federal elected official, candidate or leadership PAC; and requires lobbyists to detail their own campaign contributions, and payments to Presidential libraries, Inaugural Committees or entities controlled by or named for Members of Congress. Ends K-Street Project--Prohibits Members of Congress and their staff from attempting to influence employment decisions in exchange for political access. Imposes restrictions on corporate flights--requires Senators, Senate candidates and Presidential candidates to pay charter rates for trips on private planes; bars House candidates from accepting trips on private planes. Expands public disclosure of lobbyist activities--requires lobbyists to file reports on their lobbying twice as often each year, and for the first time to file them electronically in a public, searchable database; and increases civil and criminal penalties for knowingly violating lobbying disclosure rules. Creates Congressional Pension Accountability--Denies Congressional retirement benefits to Members of Congress who are convicted of bribery, perjury and other similar crimes.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Peterson and all the members of the Agriculture Committee for the work they have done in crafting this very important bill. Mr. Chairman, I think we all understand that no bill that comes before this House is perfect. But this bill represents a very careful balancing of important national priorities: protecting the family farmer, strengthening the nutrition program. And I want to thank subcommittee chairman Joe Baca for those efforts, land conservation, environmental protection and renewable energy sources, and all done in a fiscally responsible manner. I am especially grateful and thankful for the efforts of Chairman Peterson and subcommittee Chairman Holden for their efforts to protect the Nation's largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay comprises six States and the District of Columbia as part of its watershed. The scientists have told us that the health of the Chesapeake Bay is in grave danger unless we take action now. Almost 50 percent of the excessive nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay comes from the runoff from farm operations. Our farmers want to be part of the solution to this problem. This bill provides farmers on the more than 66,000 farms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed with the tools they need to help protect the Chesapeake Bay. It represents a historic leap in Federal support for our efforts to protect this national natural treasure, the Chesapeake Bay. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank again the members of the committee for taking this landmark step with respect to Chesapeake Bay protection. It is a national treasure. It is a bay, of course, in the backyard of our Nation's Capital. We need to lead by example. I thank the chairman, and I thank the committee. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of this bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, August 19, 2007, will mark 100 years since the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office issued its first broadcast of a navigational warning. This event began its mission of broadcasting information concerning hazards to navigation to ships at sea during an age when limited communication methods and the lack of an international system made receiving this information difficult. In recognition of this 100th anniversary of broadcasting safety of navigation information, we honor all who have contributed to broadcasting maritime safety information. On April 14, 1912, the sinking of the Titanic focused the world's attention on navigation safety at sea. Following this tragedy, an international committee was formed to which the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office became a major contributor. This committee monitored ice conditions along the major Europe-to-America shipping routes, established specific lifeboat capacity for passengers, and most importantly, mandated that all vessels at sea maintain a 24-hour radio watch. In 1921, the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office began broadcasting navigational safety warnings worldwide for all commercial and military shipping. In 1977, the International Hydrographic Organization and the International Maritime Organization established the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service, WWNWS, to coordinate global radio broadcast service for information about hazards to navigation that might endanger international shipping. The WWNWS divided the world into 16 Navigation Warning Areas. The United States has been designated the coordinator for the two areas along the Atlantic and Pacific Coast. As the responsible WWNWS coordinator on behalf of the United States, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, NGA, headquartered in Bethesda, MD, annually processes over 130,000 messages, guaranteeing the continuous operation of the WWNWS for the world's ships. On this 100th anniversary, we recognize the importance of maritime safety information and the NGA for supporting safety of life at sea through the broadcast of navigational warnings. We also recognize the men and women of the NGA who carry on this legacy today.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, there are few who are not familiar with the wonderful work of the Make-A-Wish-Foundation of the Mid- Atlantic, Inc.--a non-profit organization that fulfills the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy. One of the most successful Make-A-Wish chapters in the country, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, is headquartered in my congressional district, in Kensington, Maryland. The gentleman most responsible for this remarkable success--the Mid- Atlantic Chapter's President and CEO for 17 of its 24 years, Mr. Ralph Nappi--is retiring this month. During Ralph's tenure, the Foundation has grown from fulfilling 40 wishes a year to more than 400, having a significant impact on the lives of children in Maryland, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Delaware. Ralph has set a standard of excellence that is a model for the other 71 chapters across the U.S. and the 28 around the world. Founded in 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. has fulfilled the wishes of more than 5,600 children fighting illnesses such as cancer, pediatric AIDS, cystic fibrosis, Duchene's muscular dystrophy and heart disease. Remarkably, it has granted the wish of every courageous child referred to it since its founding. Nationally, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted the wishes of 150,743 children-- granting one wish every 41 minutes. A wish fulfilled creates a memorable experience for a child fighting a life-threatening medical condition and gives that child something wonderful to focus on rather than on medical treatments and hospital visits. Recent wishes granted by the Mid-Atlantic chapter include visiting Walt Disney World, taking a family vacation to Australia, receiving a home computer, having a bedroom redecorated and meeting the Backstreet Boys. On behalf of my constituents in Maryland's Eighth Congressional District, especially those who have benefited from the wonderful work of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I congratulate Ralph Nappi on his outstanding leadership and thank him for all that he has done. He will be missed greatly by many as he enjoys his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chairwomen, I rise in support of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill (H.R. 3043). This legislation makes important investments in education, health care and vital scientific research. ``Last November, voters around the country called for a change in direction and this bill epitomizes the differences in priorities between the old Republican-led Congress and the new Congress. In the past five years, even as the cost of attending college skyrocketed, the previous Congress raised the maximum Pell Grant by only $300. We said we could do better, and today we are increasing the Pell Grant by $390, more in one year than the Republican-led Congress did in five years. President Bush submitted a budget this year to freeze funding for child care and cut funding to Head Start by $100 million. We said we could do better, and today we are increasing both Child Care Block Grants and Head Start by $75 million each. ``Since the inception of No Child Left Behind, it has been underfunded by more than $55 billion, and this year the President's budget proposal fell $14.7 billion short of full funding. We said we could do better, and today we are reversing that trend and increasing the appropriation for No Child Left Behind by $2 billion, including a $1.5 billion increase for Title I. As we work to reauthorize that bill this year, I hope that we will continue this positive trend and commit to mandatory funding of primary and secondary education. ``I am also pleased that today, for the first time since fiscal year 2005, we are increasing funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In 1975, Congress passed IDEA to ensure that all students with disabilities receive a free, appropriate public education. At that time, Congress made a pledge to states--the federal government would pay 40% of the costs to educate special needs students. We have never met that commitment, and in the past several years, the Congress has actually failed to increase funding for IDEA at all. This year, the President proposed a cut in these funds. Today, we are increasing IDEA funding by $509 million. While this is an excellent start, we must continue to work towards keeping our promise to states and fully funding IDEA. With that in mind, I urge my colleagues to join me to pass the EDUCATE Act, which creates a mandatory, fiscally responsible path to fully fund IDEA by 2015. Students and states have waited more than 30 years for Congress to fulfill its pledge, and we have a responsibility to do so. ``I am also pleased that in this bill today, we are increasing funding for many important education programs, including school counseling, afterschool programs, Even Start, Teacher training, education technology, and advanced placement. By strengthening these priorities, and putting the focus back on education at all levels, we are opening doors to students and increasing our ability as a nation to harness the energy, intelligence and ambition of our young people and keep our country in the forefront of discovery and innovation. ``The bill also addresses the fact that, in recent years, the nation's health scientists have faced shrinking laboratory budgets and dwindling research grants. Important investments need to be made today to reverse those trends. The House focuses an additional $1 billion to fund the National Institutes of Health to accelerate research discoveries that can treat and cure many diseases. ``In spite of the all of the positives that this bill will accomplish, I am concerned about what some might consider superficially attractive but ultimately counterproductive cuts to administrative accounts at the Department of Education and elsewhere. Federal employees work hard to deliver valuable services to our nation everyday and simply can't do their jobs without the minimum amount of resources necessary. This legislation includes roughly $175 million in funding cuts to federal employee salaries and resources. I'll be working in conference to ensure that our dedicated civil servants have the resources they need to continue providing their valuable services. Madam Chairwoman, I am pleased to support this legislation which makes the critical investments needed to address the health, education and economic challenges we face.''

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I thank the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee. Mr. Speaker, two separate headlines on the front page of today's Washington Post tell the sad story of two of the Bush Administration's biggest national security failures. First, its disastrous Iraq policy, and second, its failure to complete the mission against al Qaeda and the Taliban along the Afghan/Pakistan border. One headline reads, ``CIA Said Instability Appeared Irreversible.'' The article describes how, on the same day last November, the Baker- Hamilton commission received two starkly different portrayals of what was happening in Iraq. One came from President Bush, who portrayed a rosy picture, and the other came from the man who President Bush put in charge of the CIA, General Hayden, who was responsible for providing a clear-eyed analysis based on cold facts. And what he reportedly told the commission was, and I quote, ``Instability of the Iraqi Government was irreversible.'' Irreversible, he said. These starkly different portrayals of the situation go to the core of our problems in Iraq because the President has been in a state of denial. Happy talk is no substitute for a reality-based policy. And indeed, the President's decisions based on wishful thinking have led to decisions that have weakened our national security. Yesterday, the U.S. intelligence experts confirmed the gloomy assessment that General Hayden made last November, and today's report to Congress confirms that the Iraqi Government has failed to make sufficient progress in key areas of national reconciliation. The other headline on the front page of the paper today on Washington Post reads, ``U.S. warns of stronger al Qaeda and describes al Qaeda's growing presence and strength along the Afghan/Pakistan border and reveals the consequences of our failure to complete the job against al Qaeda in that area.'' Mr. Speaker, we must insist that the Iraqis assume greater responsibility for their own future, and we redouble our efforts against those who did attack us on September 11, 2001. That's what this bill is about. It's time to change direction. I urge my colleagues to adopt this bill.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2900, the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007. I am proud that the headquarters of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is located in the Congressional District that I represent. I commend the hard working employees at FDA for their service and dedication to our country. However, serious gaps have been exposed in FDA's ability to protect the American public due to recent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses as well as high-profile post-market safety problems. It has become clear that FDA lacks the adequate resources to fulfill its vast and vital public health mission. In light of these events, we need to ensure that the FDA has the necessary tools and resources to protect the American public from unsafe products. H.R. 2900 takes a good first step in providing FDA with those resources in reauthorizing the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). Since its inception in 1992, PDUFA has helped enable FDA to approve more than 1,100 new medicines and reduce review times for innovative drugs and biologics, providing patients and doctors with earlier access to breakthrough treatments. Congress must reauthorize the prescription drug and medical device user fee programs in a timely manner to avoid any workforce disruptions at FDA. Without this bill, FDA will not have adequate resources to fulfill its mission. In addition, the innovation and development of new therapies will be hampered if PDUFA is not renewed--the FDA approval process will be too long for new potential treatments. With this reauthorization, the FDA will be permitted to collect a total of $393 million in prescription drug user fees per year through FY 2012. H.R. 2900 also expands the FDA's ability to monitor the safety of drugs after they have been approved and marketed. In addition, the legislation creates a public database for ongoing and completed clinical trials. It is important to have all the information about any drug during the trial stage be disclosed to the public so that doctors can make sound medical decisions and provide their patients with the best possible care. I am also pleased that the legislation includes a provision that expands on the successful Critical Path Initiative. FDA established the Critical Path Initiative in 2004 to improve the efficiency and safety of drug and medical product development. This provision authorizes the FDA to enter into Critical Path Public-Private Partnerships with universities and non-profit organizations to modernize the process to develop prescription drugs and other medical products. These collaborations will help the FDA move drugs and medical devices through the approval process in a quicker, safer and more reliable manner at a lower cost. Mr. Speaker, the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act is only one important step in providing FDA with the necessary tools and resources to do its job. Congress must also significantly increase federal appropriations to FDA so that the agency is able to fulfill its most basic responsibilities. Such an increase will not only make foods, drugs and devices safer, but it will also lead to a stronger, more effective FDA that can restore public confidence, speed innovation and ensure that America remains competitive in foreign markets. I believe H.R. 2900 will help ensure the timely access to safe and effective prescription drugs and medical devices as well as improve the integrity of the drug approval process at FDA. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2900.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Let me thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for the time, and thank her for her leadership on education issues. Mr. Speaker, this is a good day for students around the country, and it is a good day for all Americans, and I commend the Education and Labor Committee for their good work on this legislation. During the first 100 hours of this new Congress when we passed legislation to cut the interest rates on student loans in half, many of us stood in the well here and said, this is just the beginning. That was an important first step to making college more affordable and giving millions of students a chance to further their educations and to brighten their futures. We stand here today to take the next step, the largest investment in student loans since the GI Bill. We are keeping the promise that we made to the American people and American students, cutting interest rates on student loans in half and now increasing Pell Grants, raising the cap on low-interest Federal loans and making it easier for students who are being pinched by other costs to pay back the payments on their interest rates and their loans. In addition, this bill makes it easier for young people to enter public service and serve their communities by extending loan forgiveness to law enforcement officers, first responders, librarians and nurses and giving more assistance than ever to undergraduates who commit to teaching in high-need locations or subject areas. As we make these very vital changes to give more opportunities to students, we do so in a fiscally responsible manner by cutting exorbitant fees to lenders. Mr. Speaker, by opening the doors to college and maintaining a balanced budget, we are working to ensure the best possible future for our young people. By increasing the opportunity incentive to enter public service, we harness the ability and ambition of our best and brightest. And by helping students achieve advanced degrees, we are ensuring that the United States remains on the forefront of innovation and discovery in an increasingly competitive global economy. Mr. Speaker, I think we would all agree, there is no better investment that we can all make than in the area of education. Students and middle America are feeling the pinch of rising costs in many areas. This helps provide them greater means to open the door of college and opportunity to more and more Americans. I encourage my colleagues to join with all of us in taking this very important step for the students of this country and, indeed, for all America.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, a funny thing happened during a routine security check on classified information in the Executive Branch. It was blocked by the Vice President of the United States. The fact that the Vice President refused to comply with a security requirement imposed by the President is deeply disturbing. However, what is more chilling is the fact is that he defended his action by maintaining that he is not really within the Executive branch and hence, not within the reach of the Executive Order. In classrooms throughout our country students are rightly taught that the American Constitution establishes three branches of government--the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial. Despite his best efforts, there is no ``Dick Cheney'' branch of government. So, I rise today in support of Mr. Emanuel's amendment to strip the funding for the Vice President's office within the executive branch based upon his assertion that it does not in fact exist. The Vice President's position that he is outside of the reach of the Executive Order adds another act in the Cheney Theater of the Absurd. The Vice President seems to believe that for every rule there is a ``Cheney exception''. He doesn't want to be bound by the same rules that apply to everyone else. As highlighted by the ongoing Washington Post series on the Vice President, his worldview has infected the policies and practices of the entire Bush Administration. As a Federal Appeals Court noted, the Administration's attempt orchestrated by Mr. Cheney to rewrite the Clean Air Act could be valid ``only in a Humpty-Dumpty world'' where everything is upside down. Nowhere has the Cheney approach had more impact and created more damage than in the area of national security policy. His blatant misrepresentation about the situation in Iraq before and during the war have weakened our national security and diminished our credibility around the world. After all it was Dick Cheney who said: ``Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.'' This statement we now know to be wrong. Regarding Sadam Hussein's connections with Al Qaeda, despite repeated findings to the contrary by Executive branch agencies, bipartisan Congressional Committee and the Baker Hamilton Commission that there is no evidence of collaboration between Al Qaeda and Sadam Hussein, the Vice President continues to repeat the erroneous claim. Once the war started he was equally wrong in his assessment of the war claiming two years ago that the Iraqi insurgency was in its ``last throws''. Following a report in January of this year where the President finally acknowledged deep troubles in Iraq, the Vice President indicated that the Administration has achieved ``enormous successes'' in Iraq and declared that critics and the media ``are eager to write off this effort or declare it a failure.'' Regarding the conditions for detaining the Bush Administration's ``enemy combatants'' at Guantanamo Bay the Vice President said: ``They got a brand new facility down at Guantanamo. We spent a lot of money to build it. They're very well treated down there. They're living in the tropics. They're well fed. They've got everything they could possibly want.'' It has been difficult to determine which of the Vice President's unique traits epitomizes his arrogance of power more, his belief that he is above the law or his complete and utter disregard for the facts. This week however, a more disturbing tendency has emerged, his complete abandonment of reality. Still if the Vice President insists that he is not a part of the Executive Branch then his office in the Executive Branch must be unnecessary and is no longer in need of funding.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, America's small businesses are among the most vital elements of the Nation's economy. Small businesses employ 50 percent of the Nation's workforce, produce 97 percent of all exports and generate the majority of innovations that come from U.S. companies. Many times, an entrepreneur's dreams become a nightmare because they lack the necessary training to plan and evaluate a business proposal or they lack the proper funding or skills to be successful. That is why Madam Speaker I rise today to recognize the work and committed public service of employees and volunteers of SCORE. SCORE is a vital source of free and confidential advice for existing and emerging small businesses and has become a trusted and valued partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SCORE has 389 chapters nationwide staffed with 10,500 volunteers comprised of working and retired small business owners, successful corporate executives and military veterans and professionals. These experienced business counselors share their knowledge and experience with entrepreneurs in the strictest confidence and without conflicts of interest. In the past year, SCORE conducted more than 300,000 counseling sessions and held nearly 7,000 workshops with more than 125,000 attendees. SCORE volunteers have devoted more than one million hours to helping America's small business owners and entrepreneurs. SCORE volunteers deserve to be recognized for their commitment to public service and for their efforts to build strong communities and strong small businesses.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chairman, I am grateful for the opportunity to add my voice of support to our valued public servants at the Government Accountability Office, GAO. Just as Congress relies on the GAO for the gold standard of fair and even-handed analysis, so too must we ensure that our GAO workforce receives that same standard of fairness and even-handedness when it comes to matters of their own employment. The issues that gave rise to the language in today's underlying Legislative Branch Appropriations bill are not new to the Government Oversight Committee on which I sit, or to the Federal employee community I am privileged to serve. Like many of my colleagues on the committee, I have received reports expressing concern about the process surrounding the recent Band II Restructuring Project, as well as the methodology used in the 2004 Watson Wyatt Worldwide, WWW, compensation study. In that regard, I am particularly troubled that the WWW study is being cited as the reason over 300 hard-working GAO employees who met or exceeded their performance expectations have been denied annual cost of living adjustments, notwithstanding public commitments to the contrary. As a majority of GAO analysts have now exercised their employment rights to organize a union, it is critical that the requisite election process go forward expeditiously and without interference. I thank my colleagues for this opportunity to voice my support for the GAO workforce and the rest of our valued Federal employee community.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to congratulate the Appropriations Committee for putting together a bipartisan bill that provides assistance for such important issues as global health, humanitarian assistance in Sudan, the environment and peacekeeping operations around the world. The 2008 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill reinforces the notion that foreign policy is about more than the use of military force and that foreign assistance and humanitarian aid are important components of foreign policy making. The bill provides $949 million for Sudan, of which $210 million is for critical humanitarian and peacekeeping programs in Darfur. The remaining funds are for development assistance and to strengthen democratic institutions in southern Sudan. Global health efforts also receive funding in this bill. The bill provides $5 billion for HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and care programs around the world. The bill also includes $501 million for clean energy and biodiversity programs worldwide. Educational and cultural exchanges receive more than $500 million to fund participation of over 42,000 individuals in educational, cultural, and professional exchange programs including Fulbright exchanges. The bill also contains funding for programs in many countries around the world, including Pakistan. The U.S. appreciates Pakistan's effort in the fight against global terrorism. However, President Musharraf's decision to enter into a non- aggression pact with tribal leaders in the Waziristan region appears to have provided a safe haven for the Taliban and has led to an increase in Taliban and al Qaeda attacks inside Afghanistan. We should encourage the Pakistani Government to reconsider this policy. As we provide additional support to Pakistan, we must also make it clear that we stand with those calling for free and fair elections. The firing of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Muhammad Chaudhury raises serious questions about President Musharraf's commitment to an independent judiciary and the rule of law. The U.S. must make clear to the people of Pakistan that we support the democratic process and expect President Musharraf to honor his pledge to abandon his dual role as both head of state and head of the armed forces. The United States has long stood as a beacon for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. That beacon has been dimmed as a result of the Bush administration's blunders and abuses in places like Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. These practices have created a perception that the United States has a double standard when it comes to the rule of law and the promotion of democracy. We must speak with a clear and consistent voice on these issues or we will continue to lose our credibility, erode our ability to influence decisions, and weaken our national security.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of former Congressman Gilbert Gude and to reflect on his remarkable public career. Gil Gude was a man of great civic vision who served his community with great passion and dedication. He served in this body with great distinction from 1967-77, representing Maryland's Eighth Congressional District, which I am now honored to represent. Gil Gude led a remarkable life. He grew up on a farm near Rockville, Maryland, where he developed a deep love of nature. He answered his country's call to duty in 1943, joining the Army Medical Corps during World War II. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1953-57 and in the State Senate from 1963-68. Elected to Congress in 1966, Gil Gude made his mark as a creative legislator whose ideas crossed party lines. He did not accept ``conservative'' or ``liberal'' labeling but rather worked with great personal integrity to do what he believed was right for his Nation. Even as a member of the Republican Party, he opposed the Vietnam War, called for the impeachment of President Nixon, worked to limit cigarette advertisement, and fought to restrict handgun ownership. Gude was a devoted environmentalist. He worked to improve air quality in the District, save wild horses in the West, and create the C & O National Historical Park, among his many other accomplishments. In 1975 he spent a Congressional recess leading a 400-mile trip down the Potomac River in an attempt to give it a national designation. Gude resigned from Congress in 1977 after a decade of dedicated and compassionate service. However, this did not mark the end of his public service. In 1977 he became Director of the Congressional Research Service, and worked to establish the CRS as a premier and reliable research institution for Members of Congress. He retired from CRS in 1985. Gil Gude spent a great amount of time focusing on his greatest passion--the Potomac River. He helped found the Potomac River Basin Consortium and took many trips to explore the small communities surrounding the river. He wrote two books about the upriver towns and viewed these tight-knit communities and the river as sources of immense history and cultural importance. He shared his wisdom with others, teaching courses at Georgetown University on history and the environment. Our Nation mourns the passing of Gilbert Gude. He was a model of bipartisan cooperation who left a legacy that serves as an inspiration for us all. To Gil Gude's family, please know that you are in our hearts and prayers. We share your grief during this painful time, but are proud to celebrate this extraordinary American's life of service and accomplishment.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of the House version of the Stem Cell Research Act of 2007, I rise in strong support for S. 5. I firmly believe that stem cell research holds the promise of scientific breakthroughs and finding cures for life-threatening diseases that could improve the lives of millions of Americans. We should allow the expansion of federally funded research of human embryonic stem cell lines. This bipartisan legislation would accomplish that while establishing ethical guidelines. This is an issue that affects every family in America. A majority of the American people support stem cell research. I was disappointed that the President exercised his first veto last year on a piece of similar legislation that has bipartisan support. The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 will be soon on the President's desk for his signature. I hope this time the President will listen to Congress and the American people rather than to the extreme right of his own political party and not wield his veto pen on such promising legislation. We cannot put politics over the health of the American people. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I will be delighted to yield.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Let me begin by congratulating the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Lantos, and the ranking member, Ms. Ros- Lehtinen, for their wonderful bipartisan work on this very important legislation, which sends a signal that the United States remains fully engaged in making sure we have a secure Afghanistan, and that we build on what has happened to date and make sure that we continue to have a situation that demonstrates a continuing investment by the United States. I think if you look back over history, we made a big mistake, when we disengaged from Afghanistan, after the Soviet withdrawal. We had helped, of course, support the Mujahedin, the freedom fighters, that was the right thing to do. But when the Soviets left Afghanistan, so did we. And that left a vacuum that the Taliban exploited, Afghanistan became a failed state, al Qaeda found a home there, and we know the rest of the story, the terrible attacks of September 11, 2001. Even to this day, we have not yet finished the job in Afghanistan in terms of hunting down al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, and essentially destroying the network that caused those terrible attacks of September 11, 2001. But even as we continue that action, we need to make sure we provide for stability in Afghanistan for the longer haul, so we do not create another situation where other terrorists can take advantage of a failed state. That requires we work in partnership with the Afghan government and the international community to make a long-term investment in Afghanistan's stability. That involves, making sure, that in addition to large infrastructure projects and important investments that we make, that we also make sure that we empower the Afghan people and make sure that they understand that we continue to have a stake and they have a stake, obviously, in their future and in building their economy. That's what this amendment that I am offering today relates to. According to a recent GAO report, despite the expenditure of billions of U.S. dollars, reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan still have lacked a strategic focus. I know that is the major thrust of this bill, and I, again, want to commend our leadership for putting this important piece together. As you know, this bill requires, among other things, that the President design a comprehensive interagency strategy for long-term security and stability. But in addressing these issues, issues that will impact heavily on the lives of ordinary Afghan citizens, it's essential that we make sure that we leverage one of Afghanistan's greatest assets in that decision-making process. That is the Afghan people themselves. And while it does support local-led development programs such as the National Solidarity Project, the bill, I think, would also benefit and be strengthened by additional focus on involving the Afghan people at the local level in decision making. And that is why I'm proposing this amendment that requires the President to include as any part of his Afghanistan strategy an emphasis on empowering Afghan citizens in that decision making. Economic development is a major source of concern, obviously, to the Afghan people. The CSIS, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, recently released the second in a series of post-conflict assessments of progress in Afghanistan and reported that, despite a marked improvement in the economy, Afghans continue to suffer from unsteady employment and economic insecurity. So this amendment addresses those issues. Just, again, emphasizes what I know is the overall thrust of this legislation, the importance of making sure we include the Afghan people at the grassroots level in decisions that affect their future. Again, I want to thank the chairman, Mr. Lantos, and the bipartisan support this overall effort has had; and I urge the adoption of the amendment.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the National STEM Scholarship Database Act. In a time of global economic and scientific competition, we must ensure that our brightest young people have the resources to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. When students graduate from American universities with undergraduate degrees, they graduate with on average, $20,000 in debt. This undergraduate debt is a significant factor in a student's decision to pursue graduate school. And among science and engineering students, those who had debt from their undergraduate education were more likely to say they could not afford graduate school. We cannot afford to limit the potential of these students, or those who find the cost of even an undergraduate education prohibitive. We cannot afford to have ambitious students with interest and aptitude in science or math or engineering shut out of our colleges. We need Americans with advanced degrees in the STEM fields to propel our Nation forward in discovery and innovation. This bill makes it easier for students to find scholarships and grants to finance their educations. It does not require a significant investment from the Federal Government--although I believe we should make the investment in more Federal loans in the future. It simply creates a central location where students can learn about their options. This is a common sense way to help students pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. It is a simple, low-cost part of our competitiveness agenda, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it today.