Heather Wilson

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, today I bring to your attention Kevin and Manuel Romero, best friends who took it upon themselves to help save a family's home during the first of two fires that recently threatened Albuquerque's bosque. Kevin and Manuel will be juniors at Albuquerque's West Mesa High School in the fall. They both grew up on Albuquerque's West Side, the area of town most threatened by the recent fires, and have been involved in JROTC throughout high school. On June 24, the pair decided to drive by the bosque to get a closer look at the flames. As they did so, they saw Mary and Dick Kirschner, whose home borders the bosque, attempting to put out the flames encroaching on their house. Grabbing shovels, the boys immediately filled buckets with dirt and dumped sand onto the embers. The thought of not helping never crossed their minds. Kevin and Manuel's efforts clearly made a difference in saving the Kirschners' home, which is now surrounded by scorched terrain. That landscape is a constant reminder of how close the fire came. Kevin and Manuel had never met the Kirschners, yet they tirelessly worked to save their home. The boys' efforts won them not only recognition on numerous local newscasts but the thanks of the Kirschners as well, who praise the boys for ``reaffirming the best of human instincts.'' Kevin's mother taught him that good deeds come back to those who do them, and that creed has clearly affected both Kevin and Manuel in a very positive way. Mr. Speaker, I ask you join me and all the residents of New Mexico in honoring and thanking Kevin and Manuel Romero for their valiant efforts in saving a family home from a devastating fire. Their spirit of community is an inspiration to us all.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, today I bring to your attention a partnership that could save children's lives. Telecommunications provider Qwest will begin sending AMBER Alerts directly to its technicians' pagers in order to increase the number of individuals looking for missing children. The company joins America Online and the New Mexico State Lottery as a corporate partner in the program to find abducted children. The AMBER Alert program began in 1996, and since then over 32 abducted children nationally have been found as a direct result of communities' rapid response to the alert. In October 2000 I sponsored and the House passed a resolution on this floor urging communities to implement the AMBER Alert. I then laid the groundwork for the alerts to become available in New Mexico, which they did in April 2001. Today the Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department, and the New Mexico State Police have all established AMBER Alert programs. The AMBER Alerts are currently carried by New Mexico's broadcast media via the same Emergency Alert System used in severe weather and national emergencies. The tones so familiar to citizens during storms are now helping to save children's lives. Thanks to Qwest's efforts, the alerts will now go out directly to the company's field technicians' pagers as well. The workers cover much of the state in their efforts to serve customers, so adding those employees to the network of individuals looking for missing children will be a tremendous advantage. Mr. Speaker, I ask you join me and all the residents of New Mexico in honoring and thanking Qwest for its efforts to aid our community in efforts to find abducted children. AMBER Alerts have proven effective in finding these children, and through its partnership Qwest has significantly expanded the number of people participating in the program and aiding authorities in their search. I commend them for answering an important call.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 454 I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment Offered by Ms. Lee

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 455 I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 456 I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 459 I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 458 I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 457, I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for his acceptance of my amendment, but I would like to briefly explain it. Back in 1962, this Congress approved a water project in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado that builds 26 miles of tunnels to take water from the Colorado River system down for the city of Albuquerque, which is south of this map, and it goes through these tunnels to Herron Reservoir. Those water works started within the last month, and Albuquerque has started taking that water out of the Rio Grande River under multiple contracts with Federal agencies to get that water there. Unfortunately, two judges in Denver, Colorado, recently came out with an opinion that threatens to undo water all throughout the West, and will mean that citizens in cities and counties throughout the country can no longer plan for their water future. This $42 million project now is threatened. It provides a third of the water for the city of Santa Fe, almost all of the future water for the city of Albuquerque, and it is not native water. This is not Rio Grande water. It is from Colorado, and it was purchased by the people of New Mexico and brought here. What this judge has decided is that they can order Federal agents who run these dams to pour the water into the river and require it stay there because there is a fish down at the bottom end of the river that might need it. These are man-made structures. It is not water native to the Rio Grande, and all this amendment says is that no funds can be used for these Federal agents running these dams to take water that is not theirs for the purpose of enforcing the Endangered Species Act. We should not be ordering agencies to breach contracts on water delivery that have existed for 40 years. These agencies have no water rights. They did not buy this water. If the courts can order this, they can order anybody who has bought a bottle of water at the Circle K or at Sam's Club to walk down to any river in this country and pour it in because that is exactly what this ruling in Denver has done. We are supporting the restoration of the fish downstream, with restoration of the channel, with breeding projects at the zoo, with leasing of rights, but we cannot allow Federal judges to seize water and overturn water law in the entire West. This is an interim fix with bipartisan support. It is supported by Bill Richardson, the Governor of New Mexico, by Senator Bingaman and Senator Domenici, by New Mexico's Attorney General Patsy Madrid, by Mayor Marty Chavez, Mayor Larry Delgado, both Democrats, mayors of the city of Santa Fe and of Albuquerque, and broadly supported throughout our community. We have to protect water rights and protect the law that allows these projects to be built in the first place.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, Peggy Klinke was a constituent of mine from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was murdered in January of this year by a former boyfriend who was obsessed with her and stalked her for almost 2 years. Today I will be introducing a resolution to this House to bring greater awareness of the problem of stalking in America and the things that we need to do to protect its victims. It is my pleasure that Debbie Riddle and Mark Spark are here today. Debbie was Peggy's sister and Mark was her boyfriend. I wanted to thank them for joining me here today in the House. More than 1 million women a year and almost 400,000 men are stalked annually. Those numbers are staggering. One in 12 women and one in 45 men in their lifetime will be stalked. Yet the problem continues to go mostly unrecognized and not responded to properly. The bill that I am introducing would make January Stalking Awareness Month in honor of Peggy in the month that she died. The first step in addressing any problem is to understand that problem and make sure that other people do, because until people understand it, you cannot mobilize the will for change. We need model laws and to make sure those model laws are implemented in every State in this country. We need to identify the best practices for dealing with stalkers, practical things proven to work in the field that can be used by victims and also by law enforcement to make sure victims are safer. We need to better train our police and our district attorneys so that they know what tools they have at their disposal when they are dealing with a stalker. And we need better cross-jurisdictional communication. Eleven percent of stalking victims move to get away from their stalker. As soon as they do, you have got two police departments, two district attorneys and two judicial systems supposedly working together but often not communicating about the victim and the stalker. No one should have to live in fear without protection and without hope. I believe that this resolution is the first step to getting better protection for the victims of stalkers. I ask the House to rapidly consider the resolution and pass it from this House.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I asked New Mexicans to send me nominations of women in New Mexico who have given special service to our community, but may have never received recognition for their good deeds. On Thursday, April 17, 2003, I had the honor and privilege of recognizing forty-five worthy nominations describing sacrifices and contributions these women have made for our community. The people who nominated the women describe the dedication they have witnessed: volunteer hours for veterans services, service on nonprofit boards, homeless programs, mentors for young women, healthcare providers going above the call of duty, child advocates, volunteers at churches and synagogues, successful business woman, wives, mothers and friends. Allow me to share information about this year's nominees: Jan Dodson Barnhart--Jan recently retired as a 30 year employee of the University of New Mexico's General Library. She has worked diligently to promote historic preservation and recognition of the cultural treasures that exist in New Mexico's built environment. She served on the Governor's committee on historical records, with the Oral History Association, and with the Albuquerque Museum Foundation. Dian Baughman--Dian is a nurse at Paloma Blanca Nursing and Rehab Center. She works numerous hours dedicating time and service to residents of the center to ensure good care and quality of life. During her off hours, she travels the state with her husband to provide medical assistance to homeless veterans during veterans functions. Tess Ruiz Burleson--Tess is the Chief Financial Officer for Lovelace Respiratory Research and Director of Lovelace Scientific Research. She is also an active Board Member of many community organizations, such as Next Generation Economy Initiative, Behavior Health Research, Wells Fargo Leadership Council, Performance Arts Charter School, and Magnifico/Festival of Arts. Joann Castillo--Joann is the Library Director at Carnegie Public Library in Las Vegas, NM. Joann is very involved in community activities, such as the Las Vegas San Miguel Literacy Volunteers, Communities that Care and the Las Vegas Youth Commission. She feels that these young men and women are our future and need to be active in community events also. Alvorn Clifton--Mrs. Clifton has provided the Trumbull Village with a legacy of working for the betterment of children, families and our community. She is a leader making a difference. As the President of the Trumbull Village Neighborhood Association, she advances the lives of children through support and guidance. Each year, she hosts Halloween, Christmas and Easter parties so the neighborhood kids have a safe place to celebrate. Leslie Cunningham-Sabo--Leslie works tirelessly as a doctor at Pediatrics Department at UNM for obesity and diabetes prevention program which works with the pueblos and the Navajo Nation. She volunteers at Project Share, Asbury Pie Cafe, and for anybody that needs a helping hand. Kathy Cyman--Kathy is an Instructor and Adjunct Faculty Member at UNM. As a teacher and practicing artist, she maintains a high standard of professionalism. She is a tireless worker and role model for women who struggle to make a living. She gives her all to her community and to aspiring educators. Rebecca Dakota--Rebecca is the former Director of the NM Commission on the Status of Women. She is supportive of women and works diligently to address the issue of domestic violence. She has helped to make police departments around NM more aware of the problem so that training could be implemented for officers. She has worked to assist poor women with job training partnerships and scholarship assistance. Brenda Delaurentis--Brenda is Manager of the Payroll Services and Financial Training Organization at Sandia National Labs. She has worked with ``Shared Vision,'' spearheaded Sandia's involvement in the Science and Technology Magnet School initiative sponsored by DOE, and helped organize the first ``School to World'' event, a career fair targeting 8th graders. Brenda has also been a Girl Scout Leader for seven years. Gail Doherty--Gail is the state coordinator for Project Linus, which provides handmade blankets for needy children. In her 5 years, 5000 blankets have been distributed to fire victims in Los Alamos, September 11 Pentagon families and numerous others. Each week, she visits the Senior Centers to work with the knitters and weavers to make blankets and she takes their therapy-trained dog to Carrie Tingley to visit the children. Viola Edwards--Mrs. Edwards works tirelessly each month to provide food boxes with the Share Program for needy or low income families. Monthly, she orders 16-17 food boxes and distributes them to families that can use it. She has also collected and recycled clothing to provide for the clothing needs of children and families. Shannon Enright Smith--As the Executive Director of Resources, Inc., Shannon has been a passionate voice for victims of domestic violence, especially for the children who witness domestic violence. In a typical day, Shannon performs duties from walking a victim through the legal system, doing interviews for local media, to testifying before the state legislature. Deirdre Firth--Deirdre, a Senior Economic Developer for the City of Albuquerque, works tirelessly to bring economic vitality to New Mexico. She represents the City in the development of the Sandia Science and Technology Park, a public/private partnership which is bringing thousands of high-paying technology jobs to New Mexico. Linda Flanigan--Linda has lived in Albuquerque for most of her life. She has helped teenagers with career and life decisions. She was a Brownie Troop Sponsor and she helps people recover from various addictions and through family problems through her activity and her community church. Linda Fleisher--Linda is a Crime Free Multi-Housing Coordinator. Her inspiration and driving force were instrumental in bringing a ``rebirth'' to the Alta Monte Neighborhood. She has inspired many landlords to participate in the program, making great strides in improving the quality of life for the residents of the neighborhood. Annabell Gallegos--Annabell manages the ``Keep Albuquerque Beautiful/ Keep America Beautiful'' program for the City of Albuquerque. The department tries to change customer behavior and get the public to ``recycle'' and be aware of what a clean environment means for our future. Teacher and student training, field trips and community clean- ups are just a few of Annabell's many accomplishments. Cindy Hansen--Cindy is the Resident Care Director at the Cottages of Albuquerque for Alzheimer's Specialty Care. She cares and helps the families get through the ``long death.'' She spends what little free time she has talking to and holding the hands of residents. Her love for both the residents and their families is apparent. Blesila Hartom--Blesila has served as a registered nurse for Presbyterian, Health South and University Hospitals for fifteen years. She is also a proud member of the Filipino-American Association, serving on several committees and participating in numerous fundraising activities. She has become a part of the Filipino Historical Society to establish a foundation that recognizes the importance of Filipino heritage. Elizabeth Holm--Elizabeth is a computational materials scientist at Sandia National Labs. She is active in the Albuquerque Chapter of the American Society for Metals and she is a mentor of many young women in the sciences. She is very involved in the Albuquerque schools, serving as a guest science speaker, science instructor, book fair host, and debate and speech tournament judge. Kathleen Holt--Kathleen is a Technologist in the Environmental Decisions and WIPP Support organization. As an adviser to the La Cueva Key Club, she has involved students in leadership training and strategic planning experiences as well as mentoring many of the kids. She teaches students mediation and arbitration techniques and has organized day-long experiential leadership training events for high school students. Debbie Hughes--Debbie is the dynamic force behind the rise of the New Mexico Agricultural community to the status it is beginning to enjoy today. As Executive Director of the NM Association of Conservation Districts, she has been instrumental in bringing agricultural issues and solutions to the forefront. She has been a leader in crafting and executing this most prominent New Mexico water conservation project. Diana Jackson--Diana is an Administrator in the Attorney General's office and she manages her tasks with skill and grace. She is also quite active in her church, First United Methodist, taking on many volunteer efforts. Through her commitment to community and church, she has become increasingly involved in the social dilemmas confronting our society and works behind the scenes to make a difference. Elsie Kear--Elsie came to NM as an R.N. and decided to start nursing at the OB/GYN ward at the Base Hospital (run by the Army at the time). Elsie soon became acquainted with the other 3 major hospitals in Albuquerque by becoming a ``Pool Nurse.'' One of her biggest challenges was flying out of the local airport, picking up patients in NM and Texas and bringing them back to the Veteran's Hospital in Albuquerque. Blanche Lange--Mrs. Lange served WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam veterans. She also taught nursing at Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, and at UNM. At the age of 84, she still provides comfort and support to all who ask. She is an Associate Professor at UNM's College of Nursing, was published in the Journal of Nursing, and she has received commendations from UNM, the VA, and other Veterans organizations. Dr. Mary Lipscomb--Dr. Lipscomb is the chair of Pathology at the University of New Mexico. In addition, she is the principal investigator for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Asthma Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) grant. She is an internationally recognized expert in pulmonary immunity who has mentored numerous students, fellows, and faculty. Laurel Moore--Laurel Moore is the Project Manager for Strengthening Quality in Schools, an initiative that has improved the New Mexico K-12 education system. Laurel has worked tirelessly to improve New Mexico's schools through the use of Quality principles and the Malcolm Baldridge Criteria for Performance Excellence. Carolyn Moralez--Carolyn has been the primary caregiver for the past two and a half years for her mother who has ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). This terminal illness has touched Carolyn's life so deeply that she has dedicated herself to raising money to find a cure for the disease, building awareness, and helping other caregivers cope with the life changes this disease has on its victims and their families. Christine Morgan--Chris is a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff Systems in the Adaptive Cyber Systems Deployment and Control Organization at Sandia Laboratories. She is a trained facilitator; a Master Trainer for adults and girls for the Girl Scouts; member of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Chaparral Council; and an advisor/leader/Assistant Scoutmaster for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. Tina Nenoff--Tina is a Materials Chemist at Sandia National Laboratories. She is active in mentoring numerous students through Women in Science and Engineering at the University of New Mexico. Tina served as the past President and is currently a volunteer for the Women's Community Association, helping women subjected to domestic violence. Tina also volunteers at St. Martin's Hospitality Center for the homeless. Carolyn Olona--Carolyn is one of our nursing unsung heroines. Carolyn began her nursing career as a student nurse in September 1961 and has continued to this day in various areas of nursing. Finally, she spent the last twenty one years at Sandia Laboratory as an Occupational Health Nurse. Carolyn is a highly dedicated, professional Registered Nurse. Her focus is always the welfare of the patient, above all else. Dr. Renee Ornelas--Dr. Ornelas examines children suspected to have been sexually abused. She has been a child sex abuse expert since 1990 and uses her expertise to ensure sex offenders are convicted and the children they scar are well taken care of. Presently, Doctor Ornelas serves as the Director of Para Los Ninos, a specialized clinic which handles the medical exams for children who are victims of sexual abuse. Georgianna Pena-Kues--Georgianna is recognized for her years of commitment to the well-being of her neighborhood, community, and the Bataan Corrigedor Veterans Association. In addition, as a board member of the Bataan Corrigedor Veterans Association, Georgianna was instrumental in the planning, funding, and publicizing the new memorial in Bataan Park. Wynona Ratliff--She and her late husband, Jack, were missionaries to South America for almost 20 years. In 1975, they bought Sunset Mesa Schools and turned it into one of the best private schools in New Mexico. They have been involved in a multitude of charitable and community activities including the New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranches. Martha Romero--Martha has been nominated to be recognized as a ``Hometown Hero'' with KOB-TV Channel 4. She raised 9 children. She is most famous for her Annual Chili Roasting sales and the hundreds of beautiful quilts that she makes. She gives endlessly to her children, her extended family, her friends and her community. Patsy Sanchez--Patsy serves as the Lincoln County Planning Director with tremendous responsibilities. Her greatest strength is her unwavering goal toward an accurate accounting of the water resources in the county. She urges commissioners to seek legislative allocations for water and for changing rules regarding land and water issues. Kaye Sinclair--Kaye has held central positions in Albuquerque Radio Emergency Services, which handles all communications for any Search and Rescue emergency in the state. She has also served on the board of the Emergency Services Council, a meeting of all rescue groups in New Mexico and surrounding areas. Kaye has given at least a decade and a half to rescue and emergency service for New Mexico. Jackie Lee Barnes Brown Soderstrom--Jackie is known for being a loving and caring person who gives of herself without asking for anything in return. She cared for her mother as she was dying and she is the caregiver to her husband. Among Jackie's accomplishments, she was crowned Miss New Mexico in 1957 and Mrs. New Mexico in 1979. Amy Tapia--Amy is a Program Manager in the corporate Outreach Organization at Sandia National Laboratories. As the project Leader for School to World, she led a team of business and education representatives in putting on the most successful career familiarization event in the state. Amy also developed the CroSSlinks program to match Sandia scientists, engineers and technicians with schools, teachers, and students to help them appreciate the wonders of science and technology. Tia Turco--Tia is a teacher at La Cueva High School. She works tirelessly for the benefit of others. In addition to teaching 6 classes a day, Tia serves as the sponsor and coach of the La Cueva High School Speech and Debate team. Her responsibilities include organizing a team of over 30 members. Jennifer Wade--Jennifer works more than full-time as an officer of a locally headquartered, publicly traded technology company, SBS Technologies. She also serves on her Church's Council, prepares meals for the UNM Campus Ministry. Jennifer also donates her time to Project Share. Patsy Welch--Patsy works on Kirtland Air Force Base. A few months ago, she noticed that some of the Security Force entry controllers (gate guards) didn't have gloves on during cold days and she felt sorry for their freezing hands. She went to Wal- Mart and bought every black pair of gloves they had and put them in her car. Now, every time she goes through the gate, if the guard doesn't have gloves, she asks if they want a pair. Dominique Wilson--As the program coordinator for Critical Skills Development at Sandia National Laboratories, Dominique advances workforce development by merging critical skills needs of the national laboratories with the resources of APS, TVI, UNM and Sandia technical staff to create pipeline programs to benefit middle and high school students. She has established advanced learning academies for Albuquerque students, creating opportunities for post-secondary education and technical internships in math and science. Anne Haines Yatskowitz--Anne is the President and CEO and one of the ACCION New Mexico principal founders. She served on boards of Jewish Family Services and Jewish Federation of Greater Albuquerque. She was a member of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Leadership Albuquerque program and she served as Chair of the Chamber's Maxie Anderson Award Selection Committee. Elisabeth Zimmer--Elisabeth gives her time to help young pregnant girls and young mothers in Albuquerque. Following a successful career with Intel, she has done volunteer work at Maria Amadea Shelter. Last year, she started a non-profit organization to create a residential program for pregnant teens and mothers. Life Options Academy is the projected goal and it will help many young women in our community. Lt. Katherine Zimmerman--Kate is an outstanding Air Force Officer supporting Ballistic Missile Defense development. She is the Detachment's blood drive organizer and she collected over 180 pints. She is also a Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer, and recruited 18 volunteers from UNM. Kate was the UNM Spring Storm organizer, recruiting over 700 students, faculty and alumni to perform 82 community service projects.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, today I bring to your attention Al Hurricane, a musical legend and the Godfather of New Mexico music. Al Hurricane has brought Norteno music to audiences throughout the Southwest and Mexico for 50 years. Al Hurricane was born on July 10, 1936 in Dixon, New Mexico. His birth name is Alberto Nelson Sanchez, but his mother gave him his famous nickname because he was like a little ``Hurricane,'' always knocking things over at the dinner table and running through objects in his path. He began singing when he was 3 and started playing the guitar when he was 5 years old. He was only 12 when he started to sing and play guitar at local restaurants. Throughout his 50 years of music, he formed several bands and played with legendary artists like Fats Domino, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Clanton and Chubby Checker. He has recorded over 40 albums, tapes and CDs. His trademark ``black eye patch'' is a result of an injury he received in a serious automobile accident. Of course, he was on his way to play at a sold-out performance. The accident and the new eye patch could not stop his music. While Al Hurricane is known for playing and performing music, like Flor de las Flores, or Sentimiento, we cannot forget his strong commitment to his family and his community. He has eight children, several of whom have followed their father's footsteps into the music business. He has won numerous public service awards such as The Lifetime Achievement Award given to him by the New Mexico Hispanic Awards Association and the Governor's Award for Music. He is currently the State Chairperson for the National Education Association-New Mexico's Read Across America. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me and all the residents of New Mexico in honoring and thanking Al Hurricane for 50 years of bringing joy into our lives through his music and his commitment to our community. Here's to another 50 years of Rancheras, Nortenas, and Corridos from the Godfather of New Mexico music, Al Hurricane.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, my colleague from California has made a strong argument for unilateral nuclear disarmament. But what she has not made is a good argument for stopping our robust nuclear Earth penetrator program. Nuclear weapons are useful because they are unusable. That is the nature of the nuclear deterrent. And the reason that we are pursuing these studies and why we should reject the Tauscher amendment is because deterrence is the center of what nuclear weapons are all about; it is not because we are changing the way we plan to fight wars. Nuclear weapons are horrible things. Warfare is a horrible thing. But we must maintain the nuclear deterrent so that we can avoid those conflicts. We have been reducing our nuclear stockpile in this country over the last 10 years, and we will continue to. We signed the Moscow treaty which will bring our stockpile down to levels that we have not seen since the 1950s. We have stopped advanced development and research over the last 10 years and at the same time North Korea, Iran, Iraq, and Russia have continued their weapons development programs. Our unwillingness to research these weapons has not stopped anybody from developing them themselves. Our potential enemies are burrowing in. They are putting their command and control centers, the people with their fingers on the trigger, in hard and deeply buried bunkers. For deterrence to work, we have to hold at risk those things which our potential enemies value and that means holding hard and deeply buried targets at risk. They are out of reach of conventional weapons. They are out of reach of current nuclear weapons. The robust nuclear Earth penetrator program does not create a new nuclear weapon. It is only intended to explore whether you can encase a weapon in order to allow it to penetrate before it explodes so that you can hold that target at risk and continue to deter the use of weapons of mass destruction against America or its allies. The base bill includes $280 million for work in conventional weapons against hard and deeply buried targets and only $15 million for these programs in advanced development and for the robust nuclear Earth penetrator program. The advanced concepts program I think is even more important. President Putin announced last week and confirmed what all of us have suspected for some time: the Russians are developing a new generation of nuclear weapons. It is up to the United States to avoid being surprised. That means to constantly study what other nations are doing so that we have a good idea of what is going on. When I was much younger than I am today, someone gave me a copy of a letter. It was from the archives from President Roosevelt. It was from Albert Einstein. It was a letter advising President Roosevelt that in the course of the last 4 months, it has been made probable that it may become possible to set up a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of uranium by which vast amounts of power and large quantities of new radium-like elements would be generated. How history would be so different if America had decided that we should not think about the unthinkable. We must continue to maintain our weapons of mass destruction program so that we can never be subject to surprise.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, the following high school students from the First Congressional District of New Mexico have been awarded the Congressional Certificate of Merit. These students have excelled during their academic careers and proven themselves to be exceptional students and leaders with their scholastic achievements, community services, and participation in school and civic activities. It is my pleasure to be able to recognize these outstanding students for their accomplishments. Their parents, their teachers, their classmates, the people of New Mexico and I are proud of them. Certificate of Merit Award Winners 2003 Katelynn Florentino, Freedom High School. Chelsea Knepper, Manzano High School. Victoria Soto, St Pius X High School. Jodieleigh Sierbert, Rio Grande High School. Travis Green, Sandia Prep High School. Darlene Lopez, Albuquerque Charter Vocational School. William Winslow, Eldorado High School. Jonathan Berch, Estancia High School. Emily Frances Clauss, Albuquerque Academy. Jessika Cremer, La Cueva High School. Sharada Bean, Albuquerque High School. Laura Thompson, Southwest Secondary Learning Center. Julian Gomez, Los Lunas High School. Monica Maestas, Valley High School. Renee Giraudo, Cibola High School. Finola Perry, New Futures School. Taylor Kidwell, Hope Christian School. Natalie Irene Mora, West Mesa High School. Roseamond Stewart, Del Norte High School. Brittany Allcorn, Moriarty High School. Elisha Lovato, Bernalillo High School. Joseph McCarthy, Hope Connection High School. Ashley Ellison, Nuestros Valores Charter High School. Marcus Romero, Mountainair High School. Kaycee Kloeppel, Highland High School. Paul Tafoya, Sierra Alternative High School. Katherine Dahl, Cibola High School. Dominic Montoya, Albuquerque Evening High School. Catherine Sandoval, Menaul School. Milessa Muchmore, Sandia High School. Amber Marquez, Evangel Christian Academy.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Darshan N. Patel, a National winner of the 2003 Voice of Democracy Program. The contest theme this year was ``Freedom's Obligation.'' Mr. Patel is a sophomore at Albuquerque Acaderny in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I think you will agree that his entry earned the award. Mr. Patel has communicated a powerful message regarding ``Freedom's Obligation.'' I submit his winning entry for the Congressional Record to honor Darshan's tribute to the American men and women of the military who have given us the many freedoms we enjoy today. Mr. Speaker, I also extend my appreciation to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States for their sponsorship of this program. This year more than 80,000 secondary school students participated in this contest competing for the 59 national scholarships. Darshan was sponsored by VFW Post 401 and its Ladies Auxiliary in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Darshan Patel as a National winner and thanking him for his patriotism.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 seconds just to say that I agree with my colleague from Washington, it is a beautiful place which should be preserved, which is the nature of this amendment, to find the balance between exploration and preservation. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, some readers of the language are asking questions about the intent. Would the gentleman be willing to work in conference to make technical corrections to the language in order to make that intent perfectly clear?

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. This amendment would limit the environmental impact on the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge, and I think it is important to put in context how much it would. If the front page of a newspaper were the size of Alaska, 2,000 acres is less than one character on the page. That is a significant limitation. For some Members it is still not enough, but I believe it is possible to have balance. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, the Committee on Energy and Commerce adopted an amendment that I offered in committee regarding research to reduce the impact of uranium mining on water. The amendment sought to make clear that this research would be restricted only to the States of Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Utah or Wyoming; and no other States, including New Mexico, would be the location for this type of research. Does the gentleman agree that is the intent of the language included in the bill today?

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 seconds. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Massachusetts is clever and creative, but he is also misinforming the public. The amendment that I proposed includes all production facilities, all roads, all pipelines, all within the 2,000-acre area; and the map he displayed is far more than 2,000 acres in his red lines. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), the chairman of the Committee on Resources.

Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The amendment that we are considering places limits on oil exploration in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. I believe that it is possible to have a balanced, long-term energy plan for this country that includes both exploration for the energy we need and protection of the land that we love. Mr. Chairman, in the course of the debate on these issues on what we should do with respect to Alaska, we kind of made a promise. The people who want to explore for oil in Alaska have said that they think it is possible to do this with no more than 2,000 acres of total surface disturbance. What this amendment does is take them at their word because all of us know that sometimes here in Washington people say things and then later on those promises are not kept. So we are going to write the promise into the law. This amendment was approved in the comprehensive energy bill that was passed by this House in the last Congress, and it was approved in the amendment in exactly the same form as we are hearing it still today. What is 2,000 acres? What are we really talking about here? Two thousand acres is about three square miles. It is a tiny part of the coastal plain of ANWR. To make this kind of real, I kind of think of it this way: if all of Alaska were a 2-hour movie, then ANWR, this section here, would be about 6 minutes and 24 seconds. The coastal plain area would be about 30 seconds and 2,000 acres would be the blink of an eye. In order to explore for oil and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, I think it is possible to have this balance that allows surface disturbance in the blink of an eye. This bill requires that we use the best available technology. It favors things like ice roads rather than gravel roads, and by 2,000 total acres of surface disturbance, that includes everything: roads, pylons, pipelines, support structures, airfields, whatever it is. It is limited to no more than 2,000 acres. I live in the most beautiful State in the Nation, and I know some people in this room would disagree with that, but the Land of Enchantment is the third largest supplier of natural gas to this country and number six in oil production. We have some of the Nation's largest coal and uranium reserves. It is possible to explore for energy and to protect the land that we love. This amendment writes that into law. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.