Curt Weldon

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, recognizing the organizations that have worked to promote fire safety and save young lives. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 295, which establishes September as Campus Fire Safety Month, is a vital part of our efforts to raise awareness about the importance of fire safety across the Nation. Along with the U.S. House of Representatives, 31 states, representing 61 percent of the population, have introduced proclamations and, as a result, many colleges and universities are holding campus fire safety training events during September. There are several key organizations that are working tirelessly to promote the cause of fire safety and were instrumental in the introduction and passage of H. Res. 295. These include: The Center for Campus Fire Safety, Congressional Fire Services Institute, International Association of Fire Fighters, International Fire Chiefs Association, International Code Council, International Fire Marshals Association, National Association of State Fire Marshals, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, National Fire Protection Association, National Fire Sprinkler Association, Society of Fire Protection Engineers, and Underwriters Laboratories. The Center for Campus Fire Safety is a central focal point for campus fire safety issues and is led by a staff and Board of Directors of dedicated individuals: Edward Comeau, Michael Halligan, Shawn Kauffman, Timothy Knisely, Paul Martin, and Michael Swain. The aforementioned individuals are to be commended for their commitment to protecting students and improving fire safety on our campuses. Teaching our youth the importance of fire safety during their college years will help to protect them not only while they are in school, but for the rest of their lives. The fire safety lessons and skills they learn will be vital in helping to reduce the horrific death toll from fire which claims the life of almost 4,000 people every year in all occupancies across the Nation.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation and congratulate our distinguished chairman and ranking member for their outstanding work. We take great pride on this committee in doing our defense work in a bipartisan manner. In our subcommittee we had no disagreements. Our markup lasted for 5 minutes, which is typical for us. Neil Abercrombie and I came to terms on every issue. Whether it was the F-22, tactical aviation, Army modernization, you name it, we were able to find a common ground. I think the reason we can do that is because of the tone set by our leadership on both sides of the aisle. It is especially sad, though, for me, Mr. Speaker, because my good friend is leaving. Joel is the president of our class. We came together with the Speaker, and Joel will no longer be sitting alongside of us. Mr. Hefley has been an outstanding Member, along with the other Members who are not returning. I just want to pay my respects to my good friend and let him know that America is better because of his service to the country.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this fall 2006, Child Guidance Resource Centers will celebrate its 50th anniversary of service to the community. CGRC has been instrumental in providing community-based therapeutic, supportive, and preventive behavioral health-care services for children, adolescents and families with mental health, developmental disability, and residential needs. In 1956, CGRC opened its doors in Media, Pennsylvania, and today is an independent, private, non-profit community organization dedicated to meeting the behavioral health care and special educational needs of those living in southeast Pennsylvania, in the counties of Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks, in addition to the State of Delaware. Child Guidance Resource Centers, now headquartered in Havertown, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, is entering its 50th year of service addressing the needs of over 3,000 children and families each year, through 25 different programs in 23 different locations. CGRC has over 350 employees, including highly qualified professional therapists and clinicians. Child Guidance is committed to creating and sustaining healthy and secure communities through an array of highly-qualified clinical services that address and maintain the health and well-being of the clients they serve. Vital to this commitment is an outstanding clinical and support staff that provides services of unparalleled value. Programs include a broad spectrum of alternative efforts to address the needs of children with autism: Elementary Education Services, After School, Extended School Year and Summer Therapeutic Activities Programs. CGRC also offers a wide variety of educational services for children that enable them to ultimately flourish within the least restrictive educational settings possible--through Elementary Education Services, Extended School Year, and School-Based Contracted Services Programs. The staff involved with CGRC's Truancy and Delinquency Prevention Program and its Multisystemic Therapy Program collaborate actively with local county Juvenile Justice Departments, District Justices and School Districts, to reduce truancy and delinquency throughout the county. The cornerstone of CGRC's work involves cutting edge mental health intervention through those programs noted above, as well as many other centerbased and community-based services. CGRC is registered with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Organizations; licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare; accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; a United Way participating agency; and a member of the Pennsylvania Community Providers Association, as well as the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. The citizens of the 7th District and I are very proud of the Child Guidance Resource Centers for their continued efforts to provide quality service to those in need of them. I know that the CGRC will continue its fine tradition of service, community support, and its many admirable efforts in the future. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the Child Guidance Resource Centers on its 50th anniversary of service to our community.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to recognize the outstanding achievements of Dr. Hilary Koprowski--a man who has changed America, and the world, for the better. Dr. Koprowski is one of the most distinguished and respected biomedical researchers in American history and is known for his work as a creative scientist. One of Dr. Koprowski's most notable achievements is his discovery of the first oral polio vaccine. Today, the Western Hemisphere has been declared free of paralytic polio, and eradication of polio around the globe is within sight. The pioneering work of Hilary Koprowski has made this possible. Today, Dr. Koprowski is the author or co-author of over 860 articles in scientific publications and is co-editor of several journals. Currently, he is the President of the Biotechnology Foundation, Inc., Director of the Biotechnology Foundation Laboratories at Thomas Jefferson University and Head of the Center for Neurovirology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Born in Warsaw, Poland, Dr. Hilary Koprowski was faced with a choice between a career in music or science. He received a degree in piano from the Warsaw Conservatory as well as the Santa Cecilia Academy of Music in Rome. In 1939, Dr. Koprowski obtained his M.D. and adopted scientific research as his life's work. Music remains a significant part of Dr. Koprowski's life. His compositions are published and are currently being played by various orchestras. Dr. Koprowski often compared science to music when he said, ``A well-done experiment gives the same sense of satisfaction that a composer feels after composing a sonata.'' Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hilary Koprowski is a hero. He has been a world leader in scientific research for over 56 years. His expertise and leadership in the field of science has helped save countless lives. I know the House will join me in paying tribute to this outstanding scientist on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am concerned by the inclusion of provisions in this bill related to eligible trustee relationships with eligible institutions and the negative implications that these provisions will have on the availability of low-cost Federal loans and need-based grants in Pennsylvania and across the Nation. I am also concerned that this legislation was not discussed with the affected institutions and is being brought to the floor for a vote less than a week after it was introduced. Nearly 150 institutions of higher education participate as Federal Family Education Loan--FFEL--program lenders to their graduate and professional students, including many of the leading medical and law schools in the country. The financial benefits offered to students who borrow through their institution are better than what was available to students at the institution prior to the school becoming a lender. These institutions are required to pay the loan origination fees or reduce the interest rates that their borrowers are charged, and many institutions choose to do both. Over the past 8 years, Widener University in my district has been able to provide nearly $8 million more in grant aid to needy students as a result of its activity as a school lender. Over 90 percent of the students at Widener require financial aid to pursue their studies. In addition, Widener also provided loans at lower costs than Sallie Mae and the big banks and has charged no up-front fees to students borrowing their loans from the university. The provisions in H.R. 6138 would not allow school lenders to make Graduate PLUS loans to their students after December 31, 2006. The Graduate PLUS loan program has only been available since July 1, 2006, and was designed to replace graduate students' need to borrow higher- cost private loans to cover their remaining need. A number of institutions have sought to meet their borrowers' financing needs though eligible lender trustee arrangements under which a bank originates and holds loans on behalf of a trust established by the institution. The proceeds from the sale and repayment of these loans are used to help students. By continuing to deny school lenders the ability to make Graduate PLUS loans directly and stopping them from making them under trustee arrangements, the bill shifts millions of dollars from funds to help needy students to the profits of the big corporate lenders. The inability to make Graduate PLUS will result in a loss of over $50 million need based grant aid for students at the 14 school lenders in Pennsylvania. In addition to Widener University in my district, the University of Pennsylvania, University of Scranton, Drexel, Duquesne, Carnegie Mellon, Temple, University of Pittsburgh, and seven other medical and professional schools in Pennsylvania also participate as school lenders. In addition, the provisions also impact existing structures that have been in place for many years. A 2005 U.S. Government Accountability Office--GAO--study found a wide diversity in how these institutions finance, administer, and structure their FFEL lending programs. For example, some have used affiliated foundations as the lender because of State laws prohibiting institutions from incurring debt directly or because they have chosen to issue taxable bonds to finance their loans. Some of these arrangements involve eligible lender trustee relationships as well as affiliate organizations. The bill would not allow institutions to use or modify these types of structures after date of enactment.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I was unable to record my votes during the last series of votes. On rollcall vote No. 474, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' On rollcall vote No. 475, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' On rollcall vote No. 476, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' On rollcall vote No. 477, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.'' On rollcall vote No. 478, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 468 I was on the floor for this vote and others in series. My vote on H.R. 6095, Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006, did not register. I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness and tremendous gratitude to honor the life of my good friend, Margaret E. Miller, a generous and dedicated member of the community who will be greatly missed in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Miller, known to her many friends as ``Pearl'', was a woman of character, ability and charm, and we shall all miss her very much. Pearl Miller was renowned for her unswerving loyalty to her friends and family. She worked to make a difference in the lives of others and everyone who met her was warmed by her friendliness and hospitality. While establishing her reputation as a loving wife and mother, Pearl also distinguished herself as a gracious hostess and active supporter of many admirable causes. Pearl Miller was a woman of integrity, compassion, and dedication. She carried out her responsibilities as mother, wife, hostess, campaign advisor, and friend with a grace and style, which few could match. Her loss is felt deeply throughout Delaware County, particularly in Springfield, the town she proudly called home. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Pearl Miller, a dedicated friend to many in the 7th Congressional District. I wish Pearl's husband, Rutherford S. ``Ford'' Miller, Sr. and family my heartfelt condolences. May they find comfort in knowing that the many people she impacted deeply value her dedication and generosity and the example of her life and work.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished leader for yielding the time. I rise in support of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I was at the site of 9/11, but the first time I was there in 1993, and I went because that was the first time bin Laden hit us. Representing all the first responders in America, I go to where they are, not with the cameras and the TV lights blaring, but as one of them. I went in 1993 when Howard Safer, the Fire Commissioner for New York, asked me to go down to Ground Zero to see the damage caused by the first hit of the terrorists against us. And the young firefighter who took me through that complex was a man by the name of Ray Downey. Ray Downey became one of my best friends. He didn't live in my district, he lived in New York. But Ray Downey was an active firefighter, a former marine, who told me the lessons that we should learn because he said, ``Curt, you have to understand, bin Laden is going to hit us again and again and again,'' and, boy, was he right. They hit us at the Khobar Towers, they hit us at the African embassies. They bombed the USS Cole. And what was our response? Nothing. We shook our head in disbelief. So it was with a great deal of sadness on September 11 that I was called while walking out of the Capitol building and I was told that Ray Downey had been killed. You see, Mr. Speaker, on September 11, Ray Downey was the Chief of all rescue for the New York City Fire Department. He was the guy at the base of the tower that was overseeing the largest and most successful rescue in the history of mankind. 70,000 people were brought out alive. Ray Downey was killed. I went to New York the next day. I did not wait again for the cameras and the suits. I went up as a member of the first responder community and at Ground Zero I spent the whole day. As they took me around the back of these two seven-story piles of rubble, after being briefed by Joe Allbaugh, the head of FEMA, I saw two firefighters on their knees sifting through the debris with their hands. As I got closer I could read their turnout gear, and there were the names Downey and Downey. You see, Mr. Speaker, two of Ray Downey's five kids are also firefighters, today they are battalion chiefs in New York, and there they were looking for their father. In fact, I brought Ray's family and his widow down to my district one month after 9/11 and we honored them as American heroes. I tell you all of this, Mr. Speaker, because the passion that I have for the first responders is the reason I come to the floor today to honor the memory of those who paid the ultimate price. The last thing we should be doing is playing politics with this. After all, it was in 1995, I think there was a different President back then, when the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee said that we didn't have an interoperable communications system, and we did nothing about it. In fact, it wasn't until Jane Harman and I introduced legislation that passed last December that in fact corrected that problem and put $1 billion on the table. It was in 1999 that I sat in my office on November 4 with the Deputy Head of the CIA and the Deputy Director of the FBI and the Deputy Secretary of Defense to convince them to have an interoperable capability linking all 33 classified systems together. And you know what the CIA said, Mr. Speaker? They said, ``Congressman, we don't need that. Even though there are emerging transnational terrorist threats, we don't need that capability.'' It was the single biggest failure on 9/11 not to have that interoperable capability to link together 33 classified systems. Mr. Speaker, all of us could have done a better job. When my colleagues on the other side were in charge, they didn't fund a dime for the first responders, not one dime of money. We did that in 2000, one year before 9/11, when working with Republicans and Democrats we put into place both the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program and the SAFER Program. I couldn't believe the rhetoric last night I heard on the House floor, because it was Democrats and Republicans together who did that. But it was Republican leadership who made it happen. I am proud of our record. I am proud of the fact that today we have linked up the 33 classified systems. First of all it was the TTIC, the Terrorism Threat Integration Center. Today it is the NCTC, the National Counterterrorism Center. I am proud of the fact that we have put together almost $4 billion to 24,000 of our 32,000 fire and EMS departments around the country. I am proud of the fact that Democrats and Republicans finally have solved the problem of putting money with interoperable communications together. I am also a little frustrated. We hear our colleagues on the other side. The Gilmore Commission, which Ray Downey encouraged me to put into law, which I did, made three reports before 9/11, most of them in the previous administration. Forty percent of the 9/11 recommendations had already been made by the Gilmore Commission before 9/11 ever happened. But we don't hear that today on the House floor, that there were recommendations that we could have put into place before 9/11 and we didn't do it. So stop the blame. This is not fair to Ray Downey and his family. It is not fair to my constituent Michael Horrocks, who left behind two kids and a wife. What was his mistake on 9/11? He climbed in the front seat of one of United's planes and he had his throat slit as the plane traveled into the Trade Center towers. This resolution needs our support in a bipartisan way. That is the only way we can protect America.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to insert into the Congressional Record a winning essay written by a very special constituent, 10th grade student Melissa Brown, a resident of Broomall, Pennsylvania. Melissa's essay was chosen from nearly 11,000 entries written by students in first through 12th grade who were asked to ``describe how a person or experience has made an important impact on your life.'' In her essay, Melissa describes the many lessons she has learned from her brother, Josh. Her words are not only inspirational, but powerful in a message we can all take to heart. This young writer captures what family means for so many of us--love, acceptance and learning from one another. The text of her essay follows: When people are asked, who has influenced you most in your life, most have to think about it. For me, I could answer that question in less than a second. My little brother Josh, without a doubt, has influenced me more than anyone. Josh has Down Syndrome, which is a genetic disorder. It makes him do some things a little slower than most kids his age. But Josh is an exceptional child. He is extremely smart. He knows every little detail about every single animal, ever. He loves collecting anything that is long and skinny and giving them names and personalities. His memory is amazing and he learned all his letters, and some words, by the time he was 2 years old. He also reads fluently and does well in school. He has overcome many obstacles to really be a success. Josh is the most loving and open person you will ever meet. He greets you with a smile that lights up a room. Josh isn't like most people who look at your appearance and judge you by that. He looks straight into your heart and will open his arms to you. Living with Josh has taught me numerous things. The main thing he's taught me is to not judge a book by its cover. I need to look inside a person and find out what they're like inside before I make assumptions. Josh has made me sensitive to people that are less fortunate than I am. I realize I've been blessed and need to share that with others who need it. He's taught me that when I see people who are different, I shouldn't stare but should smile at them. One little smile can make a person's day. I've also learned not take life so seriously. Josh is one of those people who finds pleasure in little things. So I need to be able to find the good things in life and take pleasure in little things. When people first see Josh, they may think that he looks weird or that he's just a little brother. Well, he's neither of those. He is an adorable little 11-year-old who is bounding with energy and love. He also is the one who makes me laugh, gives me support and is my best friend. I tell people that he is the person who has inspired me most in my life.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness and tremendous gratitude to honor the life of a brave young man, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Chiomento. He died fighting the Taliban on July 17, 2006 in Khwaya Ahmad, Afghanistan, when his patrol encountered enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. Staff Sgt. Chiomento was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, Louisiana. He was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Every soldier that passes away has a story behind him, and has a family. The news of Staff Sgt. Chiomento's death was relayed to me by his cousin, Thomas Chiomento, my good friend and constituent. Thom remembers his hero cousin as a third-generation who has fought in combat. Their grandfather served as a Marine in the Pacific during World War II and his father served in Vietnam. We must not forget the individual stories of these soldiers who have served our country with courage and honor. Staff Sgt. Chiomento was a brave and gifted soldier who was awarded the Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and the Combat Infantrymen's Badge. He was the kind of soldier that boosted our pride in being an American. Mr. Speaker, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Chiomento exemplified the spirit of service that has made this country great. It is proper to remember and honor a man of such worth and character with great respect for what he stood for. Our pride in Robert shall certainly live on--his life, his courage, his sacrifice and strength of character. The example of his citizenship and dedication to duty will be his enduring legacy. We will not forget his sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, at this time I ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join me in honoring the memory, life and service of Staff Sgt. Robert J. Chiomento--``an American hero,'' and in sending our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Staci, his two daughters, Ambre and Syleste, his entire family, his friends, and community.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join family, friends and community leaders in extending my thanks and appreciation to Walter Senkow as he celebrates retirement after unparalleled years of public service to children throughout Delaware County, PA. Here in Congress, we often have occasion to pay tribute to the work of great men and women and comment on the impact they have had on us. It is fitting to recall that few have a more important calling than those who have made a lifetime commitment on behalf of the education of our children. In a career that has spanned 44 years of school-board service, Mr. Senkow has involved himself in the education of young people at nearly every level. Mr. Senkow, a retired Marine who served during World War II, is a man for whom public service blended seamlessly into the fabric of his life. His leadership in education has led to significant improvements that will continue to make a difference in the lives of students for years to come. Among his singular achievements at the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) were serving as board president since 1983 and guidance of the project which consolidated DCIU Education Service Center into the Morton, PA, location. Educator, administrator, advocate, and community leader, Walt Senkow has dedicated a lifetime of commitment to Delaware County, PA, and its residents. He has left an indelible mark--a model of all that a community member should be and an example to which we would all aspire. Mr. Speaker, Walt Senkow has demonstrated a unique and consummate dedication to public service. I have no doubt that he will continue in these efforts even after his retirement. On the occasion of his retirement, we thank him for his dedicated service and wish him all the best for the future.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a tremendous honor and privilege for me to rise to honor four young members of the AmeriCorps Program for their heroic assistance to the individuals devastated by hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. The National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program, under AmeriCorps, is a full-time, teamwork-encouraging, non-profit organization comprised of individuals ages 18-24 who strive to serve the community at large, wherever assistance is needed. These four individuals, who so patriotically aided the residents of the Gulf Coast area, reside in the 7th Congressional District of Pennsylvania. AmeriCorps was founded in 1994, through the enactment of the National Community Service Trust Act. Members of the NCCC are required to serve for a minimum of ten months at a time, and are Red Cross-trained and certified in CPR, first-aid, and mass care. More than 1,600 NCCC members have extended their relief efforts to residents of the Gulf Coast region since September 2005, and have amassed approximately 600,000 hours of service--a truly commendable effort. Jaime Fabey, an NCCC Team Leader, led a group of ten Corps members on two disaster relief mission-projects along the Gulf Coast. In partnership with the First Baptist Church of New Orleans, Jaime and her team, for two months helped save 16 homes as well as the personal items of many families whose homes were unsalvageable. Elizabeth Topham and her teammates spent their first assignment helping with the construction of the Salvation Army's largest outreach center in New Orleans, which aided more than 12,000 local residents. Salil Gabale and teammates worked to repair a warehouse that belonged to a non-profit organization named the Green Project, located in Covington, LA. Brian Beck offered his support through carrying out damage assessments and recruiting for volunteers. Brian and his team are currently building houses for hurricane disaster victims in Slidell, Louisiana. As the Vice-Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, I have seen first-hand the positive affects of the NCCC. These four young members have no doubt played a large role in upholding the excellent reputation of this organization. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have within my district four remarkably heroic and brave members of the NCCC. Our Nation owes Jaime Fabey, Elizabeth Topham, Salil Gabale and Brian Beck and the rest of the NCCC volunteers our most sincere gratitude for their services. We are most certainly a safer country because of their outstanding efforts. Again, I have the great privilege of representing these special individuals and honoring them for their selfless service to those who needed it the most during a time of national crisis.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, without exception, each of us who has the honor of serving in Congress does not have to look far from home for our American heroes. In my 7th Congressional District, the Newtown Township Supervisors recently hosted a ceremony at their June 12 meeting to recognize the sacrifice of two mothers whose sons were killed in action. The fallen soldiers come from different generations but are forever united in spirit as they join all who have given their lives serving in our Armed Forces to preserve our rights and freedoms. Every person who dies in the line of duty commands the eternal gratitude of the American people. PFC Stephen M. Lashinsky was killed while serving in Vietnam and SGT Jimmy Fordyce died along with ten other marines in a helicopter crash off the east coast of Africa in February 2006. Both PFC Stephen Lashinsky and SGT Fordyce joined the military with a strong desire to serve and protect our country. In doing so, they made that incredible commitment, putting their lives on the line to accomplish their mission. It is because of soldiers like PFC Stephen M. Lashinsky and SGT Jimmy Fordyce that our country remains free today. We must commit to remembering forever their lives and valiant sacrifices. Our thoughts and prayers are with our fallen service men and women and their families. May God bless them and all Americans serving with honor today.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Jean Diehl for her more than 30 years of dedicated volunteer service with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, where she has served as a major community force in establishing and developing the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. Jean's enthusiasm and deep love of the Tinicum Marsh has provided decades of consistent strength and leadership through the Concerned Area Residents for Preservation of the Tinicum Marsh (CARP) and later the Friends of the Heinz Refuge (FOHR), ensuring that future generations of Americans will be able to enjoy and learn from the treasurers of our Nation's natural heritage protected through our National Wildlife Refuge System. I was pleased to work with Jean and others to make the dreams of this unique National Wildlife Refuge a reality, promoting conservation and a cleaner, healthier environment for both wildlife and the citizens of the greater Philadelphia region. The history of Tinicum Marsh, the largest remaining freshwater tidal wetland in Pennsylvania, goes back to the first settlements in the region in 1634. Swedes, Dutch and English diked and drained parts of the marsh for grazing. At that time, the tidal marshes measured over 5,700 acres. The rapid urbanization since World War I reduced tidal marshes to approximately 200 acres. The remnant of this once vast tidal marsh is protected by the Refuge. Jean first discovered the wonders of Tinicum Marsh as a youth while exploring the wilds of her neighborhood and learned of their endangerment through her involvement with Girl Scouts. Jean soon became an active member of CARP, a grassroots conservation organization that worked closely with government and political leaders to preserve and protect Pennsylvania's largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh. Through much of Jean's leadership with both CARP and as President of the Friends of the Heinz Refuge, as well as her community work with the League of Women Voters and with many other concerned local citizens, the Tinicum National Environmental Center (later renamed to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum) was established. Jean's leadership helped with the passage of four pieces of Federal legislation adding both land and funding for the refuge. Ever the environmental champion, Jean has worked diligently over the past 30 years to ensure the future of the Reserve. Her work helped realign Interstate 95 to avoid paving over this important wildlife habitat; raise funds for the purchase of the Tinicum Lagoons to be included in the Refuge; establish the Tinicum Treasures Bookstore (all proceeds of which are used to support refuge educational and biological programs); and create the Cusano Environmental Education Center. Jean Diehl has, indeed, truly served our Nation as a founding parent of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. I commend Jean Diehl for her outstanding service. She is among Pennsylvania's finest, and I am honored to bring forth her particular accomplishments at the Tinicum Refuge before this body and our Nation today.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, there are few among us who have given more of themselves to making the world a better place than Con Cassidy, who passed away last year on September 24, 2005. As we continue to mourn the passing of our dear friend Con, I want to take a few moments to remember his life and his work in the community he served so faithfully in so many different ways. One of Con's greatest pleasures during his lifetime was helping those in need. He leaves behind an impressive list of accomplishments that most people can only dream of achieving in their lifetime. Con will be remembered for many reasons, not the least of which is his inspirational leadership that has had a profound effect on people trying to better their lives. Even with all of his work in public service and with community organizations, Con also endeared himself to many because of his generous spirit and wise counsel. Whether it was a local concern or just a relaxed visit with an old friend, Con's friends always knew they would find the support and guidance they were looking for in a chat with Con. While in his presence, you were immediately put at ease with his warm smile, his firm handshake, his reassuring voice and his admirable character. We have all felt his loss in one way or another, however those individuals that have special needs due to unforeseen circumstances or serious illness are the ones that will suffer most from the loss of their friend, Con. Anyone who knew Con knew that he was a person who spent countless hours volunteering his time and energy to benefit individuals and organizations in need. The Con Cassidy Foundation has been established by a group of his friends and family in his honor with the hope of continuing his tradition of giving. The ``Make a Wish Foundation'' will be the primary benefactor of proceeds raised and will be given in Con Cassidy's name. Con's legacy and his tradition of giving will endure in the wonderful work being done by the Foundation established in his honor. Mr. Speaker, as the Con Cassidy Foundation gathers to honor his memory and life on June 22--the anniversary of his birthday--I ask my colleagues to join me in tribute for all he has done to strengthen our community and better the lives of others. Con Cassidy's life is truly an eloquent statement about what one committed citizen can do.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. I thank my colleague for yielding. Last week, on Thursday, I chaired a hearing in my subcommittee looking at this very issue with helmets, and we have a dilemma right now, Mr. Chairman. We have all of our Army being outfitted with modern helmets thanks to the good work of the appropriators. 500,000 of these helmets are on order and in place with cutting-edge technology inserts that the soldiers are very happy with. We have the Marines Special Ops units deployed with similar helmets with the inserts the Army is using. But we have 20,000 marines in theater, and 6,000 of those marines have requested an updated insert that the marines are unwilling to provide. So we have a private nonprofit, headed by a former Navy surgeon, who has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy inserts to give to our soldiers in theater, including the 6,000 marines. It is a very confusing issue. General Catto last week said, well, we are not going to stop them from using these inserts, but he won't order them for the rest of the marines. What this language does is it says complete this study within 60 days and buy immediately the helmets and the inserts, especially for the Marine Corps that the marines in theater are in fact requesting and using.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. First of all, let me say there is a role for this Congress to play in defense, in spite of my colleague from Arizona. If it wasn't for this Congress, a decision made by the administration back in 1989, when they canceled the V-22 program, would have been left undone. This year, the Marine Corps will deploy the V-22 program. In spite of the administration back then and Secretary Cheney canceling the program, we did the right thing for the Marines. Today, we are building 450 of these aircraft because this Congress knew what it was doing. I would remind my colleague that it was in 1996 that this Congress passed a defense authorization bill requiring that we arm the Hellfire missile on the Predator system. The administration didn't want it back then. They knew better than we did. Thank goodness this Congress armed the Hellfire missile on the Predator. That was our decision, not the administration's. If this Congressman would have come to me and asked me some questions, perhaps he would have been a bit more enlightened about what this is. This is not a subsidy program. This is a program to focus research and technology on the rotorcraft industry for our military and for other purposes. If the gentleman would have come to me, he could have attended one of our four hearings. Now he speaks a good game here. Why weren't you at the hearings when we discussed rotorcraft over the past 2 years? We had two hearings this year. Why didn't you come and sit on those hearings and understand what the rotorcraft center was all about? Why didn't you talk to the American Helicopter Society, headed by Rhett Flater? More importantly, why didn't you talk to the Boeing folks? Maybe by then you would have realized that a portion of this money, and by the way none of it goes into my district, the money is funneled out to 21 other locations, including your district. The Boeing Company received a grant from this program in your district, which you weren't even aware of. I will not yield because the gentleman has offered an amendment that he knows nothing about. I respect people of intelligence, who have integrity. You didn't have the courtesy to come and ask me about this program. You didn't have the courtesy to come and ask about the briefing, about the four hearings, about the memorandum of understanding signed in 2004 by every major rotorcraft manufacturer in this Nation, including Sikorsky, Bell Textron, including Kaman Industries, including Boeing, including Georgia Tech, Penn State, and Maryland, all the major rotorcraft centers in this Nation. You didn't have the courtesy to come and ask. You took a cheap shot. And you know what? Your cheap shot is just that. The amount of impact on my district is one job, one job at Penn State University. The money you just talked about flows into 21 other States, into universities and corporations doing research on rotorcraft technology. Now, why is that important? Because the primary responsibility for rotorcraft research was NASA, but NASA has seen fit to move away from that. And as a member of the Science Committee, we have worked repeatedly to try to get NASA to take the responsibility mandated by the law. NASA used to fund $30 million a year in rotorcraft research. In the past 5 years, they have spent zero. So we took the initiative that the Army established. And when the gentleman says on this floor, again ignorantly, that the military and the Pentagon don't support this, I would have said to him, why don't you go talk to the Army, because the Army has supported the Center For Rotorcraft Innovation repeatedly. The U.S. Army. Not the Russian Army, the U.S. Army. If you would have taken the time to go to the Army, you would have found those facts out. You know, Mr. Chairman, I hate to be emotional in this debate; but doggone it, I am not going to let somebody stand up here in total and complete ignorance and spout off a bunch of gobbledygook about subsidizing the rotorcraft industry. That is not what this is about. If you want to give the money back from your district, you go to Boeing and tell them to turn back the money they got from this research initiative. But don't stand up on the floor and make stupid allegations because you want a headline about cutting waste. This is not waste. Mr. Chairman, I submit for the Record the memorandum of understanding, the list of all 21 centers that have received funding from this program, and the Center For Rotorcraft Innovation's outline. Memorandum of Agreement This MOA is between the Boeing Company, a Delaware corporation having offices at Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a United Technologies Company, having offices at Stratford, Connecticut, Bell Helicopter Textron Inc, a Delaware corporation that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron having offices at Hurst Texas, the Kaman Aerospace Corporation, having offices in Bloomfield, CT, the Rotorcraft Industry Technology Association (RITA) Inc., a Delaware corporation, Keystone Helicopter Corporation, having offices in West Chester, PA, The Pennsylvania State University, located at State College, PA, The University of Maryland, located in College Park, MD, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, located in Atlanta, GA, the Piasecki Aircraft Corporation having offices in Essington, PA, Augusta Aerospace Corporation having offices in Philadelphia, PA and the American Competitiveness Institute, having offices in Philadelphia, PA, hereinafter which may be referred to individually as ``party'' or collectively as ``parties''.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today, June 15, a celebration is being held in Aston, Pennsylvania, marking the delivery of the 28th and final M31 Marine Corps Expeditionary Arresting Gear System, MCEAGS, to the United States Marine Corps. Initial production of the Expeditionary Arresting Gear started in March of 2002 and the final delivery of the one on June 15 will provide the Marine Corps full operational capability for the Expeditionary Arresting Gear. The M31 Arresting Gear is now employed worldwide, including operations in Iraq. The great news is that the contractor, Engineered Arresting Systems Corporation, ESCO, delivered all these systems on schedule and under cost. The M31 program is unique and a great success story. Designed and developed under an integrated product team arrangement, the Marines, NAVAIR Lakehurst and the contractor have produced equipment that demonstrated meeting Marine Corps requirements at government test facilities. Additionally, ESCO is providing all spare parts and logistics support for the system. Best of all--it works. It works very well. ESCO, in conjunction with its teammates of the M31 Integrated Product Team from NAVAIR Expeditionary Airfield Support Team at Lakehurst, NJ have been providing full logistics to the fielded M31 systems for the past 4 years. This team's support includes full system supply support, depot maintenance, continuing, engineering support and configuration management. A 5-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract was put in place in December 2005 to provide the above support through December 2010. Mr. Speaker, the other great story is the teamwork between ESCO and the Naval Air Systems Command Team. The support and dedication of personnel from both NAVAIR, Lakehurst, New Jersey and Patuxent River, Maryland cannot be overemphasized. Both the military and civilian government employees have played a very active and crucial role in the development, production, fielding and support of the M31 Expeditionary Arresting Gear System. This program is a model program for the entire Department of Defense to emulate. Congratulations to ESCO and the Naval Air Systems Command for a job ``well done.''

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished chairman for yielding me time. I heard one of our colleagues on the other side say that we have two choices tonight: we could stay the course, or we can cut and run. Well, those are not the only choices we have. They were not the choices that we used in the 38 deployments in the 1990s when I supported our Democrat President when we sent troops to Somalia, Haiti, East Timor, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia. You name it we were there. The decision of when we left those countries was made by our military leaders. It was made by the generals and the commanders, not arm-chair politicians back here who try to do what was done by the Congress during the Vietnam War. Believe me, I want our troops back home. But there is a process that we can use that I think is very logical. You know, when I have been to the theater, the generals talk about the way that they assess the capability and the readiness of the Iraqi brigades. They categorize them into four levels. They know how to assess the readiness of the Iraqi brigades. They have perfected it. What we should be doing is what is already happening. We do not tie the removal of our troops to an artificial date. We tie it into the assessment that our generals make of the capability of the readiness of the Iraqi brigades. Mr Speaker, this morning I went back to my district. I was at the Boeing plant where we rolled out the newest model of the CH-47F, the cutting-edge platform for our Army for the next 50 years. It is a great aircraft. The speaker there, the keynote speaker for this rollout was an Army colonel. In fact, he was the airwing commander of the 101st Airborne Division. He oversees 167 aircraft in theater right now. He is home for two weeks of R&R. He oversees 3,200 of our troops that are on the cutting edge. He wants to be home with his family. He has been in the service 24 years. This was his second deployment. He is from Edgewater, Maryland; he is not my constituent. And I said to Colonial Warren Phipps, Colonel, we are debating today in Congress whether or not we should set a date certain. What do you think? You are there. Is that the right thing for us to do? He said, With all due respect, sir, that is the worst thing that our Congress could do for my troops under my command. That is the worst thing we can do, because it would telegraph and signal the enemy when they can plan their attacks, and when they can do harm to my colleagues. Well, I will be honest with you, Mr. Speaker. I did not support artificial dates under President Clinton, and I do not support artificial dates under President Bush. I want the ultimate decision of when the troops come home not to be done by us, but by the field generals in the command situation, command leadership in Iraq, who understand that the safety and security of the troops is their number one priority as well as ours. What this young colonel said was, Congressman, we are making great success. Today the Iraqis are handling more and more of their own security. That should be the determining criteria on when our troops come home. As this colonel sees with his own eyes that the Iraqis are engaged and are handling more and more of their own defense. He said, Today, Congressman, they are going out on their own missions. He said, when I have meetings and we are doing planning sessions, if I close my eyes, when I hear the Iraqis planning, it is just as though it were American generals planning for our operations. He said, Now is not the time to cut and run. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and not cut and run.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 261 and 262, I was unavoidably detained giving a speech to a policy conference sponsored by Brookings Institute. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on 261 and ``aye'' on 262.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter the following Memorial Day speech into the Record. It was made by Staff Sergeant Joseph M. Dimond. I am sure that you, and all who hear these words, will be moved by this unforgettable tribute to those who have fallen in the service of their country: Memorial Day Good morning and happy Memorial Day! Memorial Day means many different things to many different people. To some it means BBQ's and beer, to some its just another long weekend to relax, to some it's the beginning of summer, but to people like me, and I'm guessing people like you since you are here, it means a lot more! Since I was a boy, Memorial Day has always had a special meaning to me. I remember at 8 and 9 years old following my father, a Korean War Vet, around East Lansdowne and Upper Darby while he and his fellow American Legion brothers fired off 21 gun salutes at all the memorials. I would run around collecting all the shells from the rifles and save them as my own little memorial. Afterwards, we would put flags on the graves of all the Veterans in Fernwood Cemetary. I'm not even sure if I understood completely what we were honoring, I just knew it was very important! I knew, that for some reason, every time I heard TAPS or the National Anthem played, I would get teary eyed, but I don't think I ever really grasped the importance of it all. Unfortunately, over the past year I had the chance to find out first hand what it all meant, why I would cry, why I felt the way I've been feeling for my entire life. I have experienced many difficult times in my life, but nothing could prepare me for the last year! You see, I was in charge of security for the bomb squad for the entire city of Fallujah. While over there, we dismantled 362 roadside bombs and, unfortunately, got hit by some too. One of the many downfalls of being with the bomb squad in the most violent city in Iraq is that whenever an American or Iraqi soldier is killed by a roadside bomb or suicide bomber, we have to go and make sure all of the ordnance that is in the vehicles when they blow up are stabilized, and removed before the mortuary affairs people can come in and remove the bodies, so long story short, we were forced to work around the bodies of every ally killed by a bomb in Fallujah and the surrounding area. While doing this, my team had to remain calm, keep our heads and not get tied up in what we were seeing, because the bomb squad was a huge target, and I needed to do my best to keep them safe while they focused on their jobs. We were successful most of the time, but did have some bad luck too. Since October 15th, six of my very good friends were killed on the streets of Fallujah, five of which happened while I was there, all in separate incidents. One happened a week after I left Iraq, while my friend John was finishing his last week of a 9 month tour. These men were all heroes! Whatever your politics, whether you believe we should be in this war or not, whether you are Republican or Democrat, we are all Americans! And I want to make sure you all know this: every single soldier, sailor, airman, and marine over there is there for you! They all feel they are doing what they have to do to make life better for you, our kids and me. I'm not a politician, and this isn't the time or place for politics, but the #1 question I've been asked in the past 2 months since I've been home is ``Do I think we should be there?'' Well, my answer to that is very simple, I don't know if we should have gone over there, but I, like these men we honor today, was asked to go so I went. I'm an enlisted man, and leave that to the people that sit behind their desks and make the big decisions. What I do know as a grunt on the ground, looking these people in the eye, day after day, is that I've never seen or imagined the hate, evil or torture that man is capable of until now! I also have no doubt that these people that I was fighting hate you, they hate all of us because we believe in a different God, they hate us because we allow our daughters and sisters to walk around malls in belly shirts, they hate us because we are different from them, they hate us because we are free! In an America filled with violent movies, video games and violent everything else, we've all become a little desensitized. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked by naive people, ``How many people have you killed?'' Like it is a cool thing or something. Only someone who hasn't seen or done the things I have would ask such a question with a smile on their face. And I try to be understanding of the fact that they haven't seen it, but at the same time I feel a responsibility to let them know that there is nothing cool about people losing their lives. Whether they are wrong or deserved it or not, there will be a family mourning, somewhere. More importantly I feel the responsibility to explain to those people who may not know better, that regardless of what Hollywood may want you to believe, there is no glory in a twenty-something year old man dying violently in the dirt thousands of miles away from his home, away from family, and the people he loves. It is important to me that people recognize and understand how devastating it is when an American, a friend, dies in such a violent way. The hurt and grief one feels when witnessing a twenty-year-old kid, who you personally trained, die in a hellhole thousands of miles away from his home is indescribable! Promising to tell a man's unborn child that her daddy loved her while he bleeds to death because it is too dangerous for a helicopter to come into the city to medivac him is something no human being should have to ever experience. Listening to a friend ask as he is dying if you think God will forgive him for all the things he had to do over here is not glamorous in any way, shape or form. But most importantly, I feel a responsibility to explain that these men that we honor today were not looking for Glory or medals or memorials! They were all just doing what they felt was right, they were men doing the job that nobody wants! Living in misery, so the people they love could live in happiness! Dying horrible deaths, so the ones they love can live on in peace! That is why they are heroes, and that is why they deserve our thoughts, time and respect at least for this one day of the year! There is a saying in the war fighting community that says: ``We are the unwanted, doing the impossible, for the ungrateful.'' Well, now that I'm moving on to the civilian sector again, I'm here to say that not everyone is ungrateful my brothers! I've seen enough bloodshed for twenty lifetimes! And I pray for peace just as every true warrior prays for peace! For me, every day is Memorial Day, and it is because of men like these: Mark Adams, killed by a roadside bomb at age 24, on October 15th 2005. Joel Dameron, killed by a roadside bomb at age 27 on 30 Oct 2005, his wife has since had their baby girl. Michael Presley, killed by a suicide bomber at age 21 on Dec 14th 2005. Ryan McCurdey, killed at age 20 by a sniper while dragging a wounded Marine to safety on 5 Jan 2006. Nick Wilson, killed at age 25 by a secondary bomb while dismantling another bomb on 12 Feb 2006. He had 4 days left in the country. John Fry, killed at age 28 by a roadside bomb on 8 March 2006,8 days after I left the country, and 6 before he was leaving. So, today, when you are barbequing or spending time relaxing with your family, please take a minute and remember these men who sacrificed so much, and remember their families who are living without husbands, fathers, sons and brothers. And if you see someone who doesn't take that time, remind them of all that is done for them! I'm not much of a speaker, and I'm not sure if I did these men justice, but when I was asked to speak I felt like it was the least I could do to remind people that these men aren't just numbers to follow on the news, but men with families and lives that they gave up for you and me. I have no doubt that I will see these men's faces in my sleep every night, and think of them at least once a day for the rest of my life. I'm just asking you to take a moment out of one day a year to remember them and the many other Americans that died before them. God Bless, and have a great Memorial Day!

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the tragic and untimely passing of David P. Smith, a Delaware County Chamber of Commerce executive and a lifelong community activist, who leaves behind a legacy of service to his hometown--Media, Pennsylvania--where he was known as ``Mr. Media.'' Dave's untimely death is deeply felt by the entire Media community. In celebration of his life a tribute was held yesterday (June 6, 2006) at the Media Theater where his family and friends gathered to remember this remarkable man. Everyone shared words of praise, joyful memories, and personal stories I know will be told for many years to come. Everyone always marveled how Dave could be so active in so many business, political and community endeavors and still have so much time for his friends. Dave was successful in his professional life but, more importantly, in his personal friendships. He was always there for those who needed a kind word, and he always had a ready smile and warm greeting. Dave lived life with a passion for everything he did, and he worked tirelessly for the betterment of his community. He was active with the Swarthmore Players Club, the Media Republicans, the Delaware County Press Club, the Brandywine Conservancy and the Middletown Business and Professional Association. He demonstrated, by example, the kind of work that can be achieved when one is committed, involved and enthusiastic about making his community a better place to live. Mr. Speaker, yesterday Delaware County said goodbye to a favorite son. I offer my condolences to his family, his friends and his beloved community. I know that while Dave is no longer with us, his legacy will continue for many years to come.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.