David Wu

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support to the Castle-Markey amendment to H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This amendment would ensure that States have control over whether an LNG facility is sited in their district. Under the energy bill, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) would have the sole authority to make decisions regarding the construction, expansion and operation of LNG facilities. While the bill requires FERC to consult with State and local governments, they have no role in the final decision, and FERC is not required to consider their concerns. This is unconscionable. It is exactly the local communities who must have the final say in whether or not an LNG facility is built in their district. It is these people who must live with the decision either way. The Castle amendment would create authority for States to have a say in the final decision. Currently, I have four proposed LNG sites in my district, and I have heard from many of my constituents about these proposals, both against the sites because of environmental concerns and because of job creation. It is exactly these individuals who should get to decide if an LNG plant will be sited in their community; it should not be a decision made by a Washington, DC based government official who has no connection to the site. This amendment would enhance the process of selection and provide the community an outlet to be more involved. It is my hope that the local communities, State, and FERC can work together in deciding whether or not a LNG facility is good for Oregon. I am a strong believer in participation of all stakeholders when it comes to monumental decisions like these. I support transparency among the local, State, and federal governments to ensure the process is thorough and thoughtful. I strongly believe that the States should have authority in LNG facility sites and I urge my colleagues to vote for the Castle-Markey amendment.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 683, the Trademark Dilution Revision Act. Trademark law emanates from the commerce clause. It was originally about consumer protection, ensuring consumers are not confused or harmed by the misuse of a famous trademark, rather than property protection. However, with the passage of the Federal Trademark Dilution Act in 1995, the issue of trademark dilution became more an issue of property protection. The purpose of that law was to enable businesses'' to protect the investment that companies have made in branding their products. Consumer confusion was no longer required to establish ``dilution.'' Not surprisingly, private lawsuits in this area jumped from 2,405 in 1990 to 4,187 in 2000. For example, Starbucks went after a local coffee shop in my district that was named after its owner, Samantha Buck Lundberg. The coffee shop bore the nickname given to her by her family and friends--Sambuck. Ringling Bros.-Barnum and Bailey Circus sued the State of Utah over Utah's advertising slogan that it had ``The Greatest Snow on Earth.'' To the circus this slogan was an obvious play on the long time identification of the circus as ``The Greatest Show on Earth.'' Microsoft sued to prevent use of the term ``Lindows'' for the Linux operating system software and website produced by Lindows, Inc., arguing that it was clearly an attempt to play on the Windows designation of its own operating system. Lindows eventually changed the name of the product and website to ``Linspire'' after losing court cases. Best Western International the hotel/motel chain appears to be trying to claim sole right to the word ``Best'' when it comes to using the word in names of hotels or motels. It has sued both Best Inns and Best Value Inns, contending that those names infringe on its trademark. In recent years, the Supreme Court addressed these lawsuits in Moseley, et al., DBA Victor's Little Secret v. V Secret Catalogue, Inc., et al., in which Victoria's Secret sued a small business in Kentucky. In its opinion, the Court ruled that companies under the Federal Trademark Dilution Act have to prove that their famous brand is actually being damaged before they can use dilution law to force another person or company to stop using a word, logo, or color. Since trademark laws have an effect not only on famous companies but also on the many small businesses with legitimate business interests, any anti-dilution legislation should be very carefully considered so as not to interfere with the rights of small businesses. The goal must be to protect trademarks from subsequent uses that blur, dilute or tarnish that trademark, but it must also be the protection of small business interests from its more powerful corporate counterparts. Unfortunately, this bill will change trademark law to make it easier for large companies to sue individuals and businesses for trademark dilution, thus potentially creating rights in perpetuity for trademarks. This bill states that no actual harm will have to be proven; large companies will be able arbitrarily to file lawsuits against small businesses and private citizens. I agree with the Supreme Court in its unanimous decision in Moseley. I think that companies in seeking to impose their trademarks upon the public must show actual harm. If not, we run the risk of trademark owners being able to lock up large portions of our shared language. This open-ended invitation to litigate is especially troubling at a time when even colors and common words can be granted trademark protection. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I urge strong support of the Castle-Markey amendment to H.R. 6. This amendment would ensure that the States have a proper role in the siting of energy facilities. There is this photograph of a large tanker in Boston Harbor. I do not have the good fortune to represent a city like Boston, but there are four, five or six communities in my congressional district, communities of 1,000; 5,000; or 10,000 people where a facility like this would change the basic characteristics of that community forever. Some people are passionately for the LNG facilities. Other people are passionately against the LNG facilities. I have told these folks they get the chance to decide and not a bureaucrat 3,000 miles away. Vote for this amendment.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise to strongly support H. Con. Res. 53, a resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding the issuance of the 500,000th design patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. For over 200 years, the basic role of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO, has been to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries. Under this system of protection, American industry has flourished. New products have been invented, new uses for old ones discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans. The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends directly on effective mechanisms that protect new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. The continued demand for patents and trademarks underscores the ingenuity of American inventors and entrepreneurs. The USPTO is indeed at the cutting edge of America's technological progress and achievement. As many of you may know, on December 21, 2004, the USPTO reached an important milestone and awarded the 500,000th design patent to DaimlerChrysler Corporation for the design of the Chrysler Crossfire. I would like to congratulate the USPTO and its employees for being at the core of our nation's creative forces. It is with their commitment to excellence our Nation moved from a young Nation to the world economic power that it is today. As the Ranking Member on the House Science Subcommittee on Environment, Science and Standards and a former technology lawyer, I profoundly value the work of the USPTO, and urge my colleagues for their support for this important institution. As the 109th Congress moves to take up our FY06 appropriations bills, I look forward to working on ensuring a strong funding level for the USPTO.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the employees of the Intel Corporation and the Intel Foundation for their efforts to provide tsunami relief to the Indian Ocean region. As we all know, on December 26, 2004, a 9.0 earthquake erupted off the coast of Indonesia. Following the earthquake, a major tsunami swept across the region, destroying lives, homes and businesses in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, and Thailand. Along with governments, citizens, businesses, and other private organizations around the world, Intel's employees and the Intel Foundation mobilized and delivered critical supplies and funds that helped save lives and begin the reconstruction process. I stand here today to applaud Intel and its employees, many of whom live and work in my district in Oregon. Without their good work, many more lives may have been lost because of the Indian Ocean Tsunami.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, this is a profound tragedy for the Schiavo family, and I sympathize with all of the family members. It is also a deeply personal matter, one which should be decided within the family. No one wants this personal decision to be made by 536 politicians: 435 Members of the House, 100 Members of the Senate, and the President of the United States. The facts of this tragedy, and the competing wishes of the family members, have already been determined by those best placed to do so. Those determinations have been repeatedly ratified over the past 7 years, by 19 judges in more than 10 trials, appeals or other proceedings. None of those decisions have been reversed, until today. In an unprecedented procedure, the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate are voting to direct a Federal court to relitigate this entire matter. There are deeply personal and private issues that are discussed by every married couple. These discussions occur in bedrooms across America. Also, intensely personal decisions are made in hospital and hospice rooms across this country. By forcing this vote through Congress, the Republican leadership is demonstrating that no bedroom in America and no hospital room in this land is beyond the reach and power of this Federal Government. This is wrong. The Republican leadership has transformed a profound tragedy for the Schiavo family into a tragedy for the entire Nation. It is my hope that from this tragedy more people will understand the importance of determining their own futures and that of their family in the form of living wills.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of this resolution to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, with its 120,000 members worldwide, is a professional organization focused on technical, educational, and research issues of the engineering and technology communities. The society has a long and distinguished history in the creation of industrial and manufacturing codes and standards that enhance public safety. It began with technical standards for screw threads and now has developed more than 600 standards, including standards in vital areas such as precision machining, nuclear power generation, and petroleum refining. The diversity and range of the society's activities is reflected in the variety of its technical divisions, including Aerospace, Management, Materials, Power, Production Engineering, Rail Transportation, Textile Industries and most recently, Information Storage and Processing Systems. The Society conducts one of the world's largest technical publishing operations, holds numerous technical conferences worldwide, and offers hundreds of professional development courses each year. It also sponsors activities to enhance kindergarten through twelfth grade science education and to attract students to careers in science and engineering. On the basis of its long and beneficial service to the engineering profession and to the welfare of this Nation, it is entirely appropriate that we recognize the accomplishments of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and congratulate the society on its 125th anniversary. Mr. Speaker, I commend this resolution to my colleagues and ask for their support for its passage by this House.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, today we stand together here in the people's House to honor and mourn the loss of one of its true servants, Bob Matsui. I am filled with sadness as we remember an outstanding Member of Congress, an inspiration to a generation of Asian Americans, a leader and a good friend. It is not only a loss for those of us who had the privilege to serve with him, not just a loss for Asian Americans but a loss for this Congress and all Americans. His wisdom and counsel will certainly be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time, with Doris, with Brian and Amy. Bob Matsui believed in the value of public service. As a Congressman for 26 years and as a city councilman and vice mayor of his beloved Sacramento before that, he understood that government had a positive role to play in people's lives. Inspired by the calling of President Kennedy's speech challenging Americans to ask what they could do for their country, Bob Matsui dedicated his life to that challenge. Bob Matsui was a mentor, a statesman and a role model. As a founding member of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, he was able to provide his insight and experience about the importance of public service and how to get the job done to many of us junior Members. Several members of that caucus join me today in honoring Bob Matsui's life and selfless service. As a senior member of the Committee on Ways and Means, Bob Matsui was intricately involved in that committee's complex portfolio and important public policy issues, including tax policy, international law and trade, Social Security, health care and welfare reform. Most notably in recent years, Bob fought to preserve Social Security because he believed that the elderly and the disabled are entitled to the stability of a guaranteed income that allows them to live in dignity. Many of us will miss his voice in the coming debates on the future of Social Security. Those of us who had the privilege to know Bob Matsui and to serve with him will be forever in his debt. His intellect, his passion for justice, his dedication to the value of public service will continue to be guideposts for us all. Bob, wherever you are, it is a far, far better place now that you are there. Thank you for all the sound advice that I received from you over the years. My only regret is that I did not take a little bit more of it. Today we mourn the loss of a great man and a friend. He will be missed.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, the Founders of this Nation understood that a free society must rely on the knowledge, skills, and virtue of its citizens and those serving in public office on their behalf. To enable our young people to be effective and responsible citizens we must do everything possible to ensure they receive an adequate civic education. On September 20-22 of last year, the first annual Congressional Conference on Civic Education was launched. The conference was sponsored by the Alliance for Representative Democracy and co-hosted by the four leaders of the U.S. Congress. One of the very important outcomes of the congressional conference was the establishment of state delegations that would return to the state to enact specific policies designed to restore the civic mission of our schools. I would like to recognize, Marilyn Cover, Executive Director of Classroom Law Project, and Barbara Rost, Program Director, the facilitators of the Oregon delegation for their leadership in working to design an action plan to improve civic education in our state. These state action team activities include implementing Oregon's already strong and comprehensive State civic standards. Leaders from the Governor's office, State House and Senate, Department of Education, school districts, and local communities will plan for re-invigorating civic learning in Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the success of the Oregon civic education delegation and their participation this year at the second annual Congressional Conference on Civic Education on December 4-6 of this year.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor our friend and colleague, Senator Hiram Fong. Even though I did not serve with Mr. Fong, I admired his leadership in the Asian American community. Senator Fong was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on October 15, 1906. He was one of 11 children born to Chinese parents. His work ethic was a good example to all that aspire to be successful. At the age of 4, Hiram caught and sold fish to contribute to his family. He worked hard as a shoeshine boy and sold newspapers when he was 7. Hiram attended Honolulu's public schools and went on to continue his education at the University of Hawaii and Harvard Law School. Mr. Fong had a full public service career before he entered the United States Senate. He was a member of the Territorial House of Representatives where he would eventually gain many leadership roles. This helped him gain support for statehood of Hawaii among his many colleagues. He also served in the Army Air Corp when he took a short break from the Territorial House of Representatives. He eventually retired honorably as a colonel. The Senator is remembered for the many great things he did in Congress. He secured funding for the H-1 freeway which runs through Hawaii, established and nourished relationships between the United States and Asian and Pacific countries, and promoting civil rights by requiring auditors at polling sights to ensure minority voting rights. He was also known for working in a bi-partisan nature to obtain progress and policy for the citizens of our country. Hiram set an example for all who hold public office. Working with both sides of the aisle earned him a successful Senate record that many admire today. Hiram Fong was a hard working man that gave a great amount of public service to the great state of Hawaii and our country. He provided big shoes to fill, being the first Asian Pacific American to join the United States Senate. I admired his courage and willingness when he defended the civil rights of the APA community and worked on the Immigration Reform Act of 1965. His true leadership contributed to eliminating the immigration quotas for the Asian and Pacific countries. Senator Fong is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife Ellyn Lo. They had four children Hiram Jr., Rodney, Marvin, and Merie-Ellen. My deepest sympathies go out to his family during this time of remembrance. Senator Fong will be greatly missed and his service will never be forgotten.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act. I wish this bill were not necessary. Unfortunately, it is. Youth suicide is a growing problem that knows no geographic, cultural, racial, or socioeconomic bounds. More children and young adults die each year from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke and chronic lung disease combined. More troubling, the rate of youth suicide has tripled in the last 50 years. A recent study by the American College Health Association found that 61 percent of college students report feeding hopeless, 45 percent said they feel so depressed they could barely function, and 9 percent felt they were suicidal. The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act would provide critically important resources to help families, educators, and medical professionals better understand the warnings signs of a child in danger and foster better coordination and communication to come up with the best ways to prevent another painful loss. Specifically, the bill would authorize $82 million over 3 years to support efforts at the community, state, and Federal levels to enhance early intervention and prevention services. Federal funds would provide mental health services (e.g., screening, assessment, mentoring, counseling etc.) to children and young adults in a variety of youth- oriented settings such as schools, juvenile justice systems, foster care, substantive abuse and mental programs. It would also help establish, and coordinate evaluation of the efficacy of early intervention and prevention programs specifically related to youth suicide. Mr. Speaker, this bill is named in memory and in honor of Senator Gordon Smith's son who tragically took his life after struggling with bipolar disorder. I admire Senator Smith and his wife, Sharon, who returned their family tragedy into something that will benefit other families. By sharing their story with others, they are raising awareness of this growing problem that I know will help prevent other youth suicides.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I want to concede to my colleagues who argue for the constitutionality of the subject legislation that it is constitutional. This Congress can strip the Supreme Court of much of its jurisdiction, can abolish all appellate courts, and can abolish all district courts, but just because we can do something does not mean that we should do it. We have heard much about arrogant activist judges. What have arrogant activist judges done? In 1954 they revoked the reprehensible doctrine of separate but equal in Brown v. Board of Education. In 1964 they reestablished the principle of one-person/one-vote in Reynolds v. Sims. In 1967 they respected the sanctity of all marriages, even those across ethnic lines. Because we can do something does not mean we should. Let us today not hang out the sign on the Federal courthouse door, ``Some Americans Need Not Apply.''

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3819, the Lewis and Clark National and Historical Park Designation Act. The bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's epic journey is upon us. H.R. 3819 commemorates the Corps of Discovery by renaming several state parks and Ft. Clatsop National Memorial as the Lewis and Clark National and Historical Park. Through 15 National Heritage Events, tens of thousands of participants from all over the world will be able to experience the 200-year-old story of Lewis and Clark, and take away lessons that are still relevant today. The Pacific is one of 15 nationally sanctioned events taking place along the Lewis and Clark trail. This is a bi-state collaboration between Washington and Oregon scheduled for Friday, November 11th through Tuesday, November 15th, 2005 and ends with the dedication of a new state/national park at Station Camp. Local businesses, national and state park staff, and volunteers are working tirelessly to make our signature event a success. Congress must also do its part by passing H.R. 3819. As America ventures further and is lifted by the spark of discovery, today and in years to come, it behooves our nation to look to those who have paved the way before us. Whether pushing the frontiers of freedom here on earth, the frontiers of exploration in the heavens, or the frontiers of knowledge everywhere there is ignorance, the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition is one that demonstrates the power of what is possible when a people, and a nation, have the curiosity to ask, ``why?''; the sense of unbounded possibility to ask, ``why not?''; and the resolve to remake the world. I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 3819.

Mr. WU

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, is there any intention of the chairman or of anyone that the chairman knows of to offer a secondary amendment?

Mr. WU. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, reserving the right to object, are we agreeing to time limitations on all subsequent amendments? Are we agreeing to a 10-minute limit on this amendment only?

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I would like to recognize the strong leadership of the ranking member, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), and the new and strong leadership of our newest member, the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth), in bringing this important amendment before the U.S. House of Representatives. This amendment would not only assist us in achieving energy independence sooner than we otherwise would, but let us look at some of the specifics in this amendment which I think are very, very important, not just to the United States of America as a whole, but also to our particular region of the country, the Pacific Northwest, which is particularly reliant on renewable sources of energy such as hydropower, wind power, and other renewable energy sources which have less impact on the environment than does our current reliance on oil and coal. Last year, in the past, this is what this effort has achieved: it assisted 35 wind power projects. It supported $7 million to support 30 anaerobic digesters; $1 million to support six solar projects; almost $4 million to support 16 ethanol plants and anaerobic digester plants; and also supported direct combustion and fuel pellet systems. These are important projects locally, nationally, and affect the geopolitics of the world. The section 9006 program leverages a tremendous amount of private sector investment, since the program provides a maximum of 25 percent funding. This 3-to-1 leverage ratio is a good buy for the American taxpayer. This fosters rural economic development and generates clean and efficient energy. The amendment is supported by the Alternative Fuels Renewable Energies Council, the American Bioenergy Association, the American Corn Growers Association, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the American Wind Energy Association, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the Energy Law and Policy Center, the Geothermal Energy Association, the National Association of State Energy Officials, the National Farmers Union, the Renewable Energy Action Project, the Solar Energy Industries Association, and the Soybean Producers of America, all strong supporters of this important amendment. The Spokane County, and that, Mr. Chairman, is in my corner of the country, the Spokane County Conservation District, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Western Organization of Resource Councils, all of these organizations support this amendment offered by the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the ranking member, because it makes sense. It leads to clean energy; it leads to energy independence. This is what the best of agricultural policy should do for America and the world. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the ranking member, if she has any further comments.

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I am yielding to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. WU. Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the right to object. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise in reluctant opposition to the chairman's amendment and in support of the Common Computing Environment and the associated systems. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) cited many of the benefits of the Common Computing Environment not only to the Department of Agriculture but to the many farmers and ranchers that the Department of Agriculture seeks to serve. I want to bring to the attention of the House another very important function of the Common Computing Environment efforts, and that is a new technology or at least a new application of a technology which has been with us for about 30 or 40 years, and that is satellite imaging in support of forest and farmland use. There is a very important effort under way to categorize farmland and to image farmland all across the United States. It serves many important purposes. One of them is to help us figure out the categories of different farmland and the erosion of that farmland, and it helps farmers in the end by protecting their most basic asset, the land. It also helps our forests because it helps us assess forest health. It helps us assess the buildup of unwanted or unnecessary fuel stocks in our forests to avert forest fires, and it also helps assess infestations by insects and other pests so that we can better assess the health of our forest stock. So I just want to point out that, as these amendments come up, ranging from the chairman's amendment, which makes a fairly substantial cut, to other amendments which make smaller cuts in the Common Computing Environment budget, I, for one, will have to choose very carefully between those amendments which serve very crucial public purposes such as eliminating decades' old discrimination by various Federal agencies and programs and other, perhaps less compelling, causes to cut into the Common Computing Environment budget. And, again, I do want to point out that in addition to the many important purposes that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) pointed out that we in Oregon, we who have a very thorough land use planning system, we depend on data in order to maintain our categories of farm and forest land, of urban reserve, of urban land and potential urban land, and there is nothing quite as important as having some of the satellite imagery which would also be unfortunately adversely affected by the chairman's amendment. So I do rise in reluctant opposition to the chairman's amendment.

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, reserving the right to object.

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. WU. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. There is an emerging threat to the nursery stock and Christmas tree industries, and I want to recognize my colleague, the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley), and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), and I am pleased of the work with the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley) in offering this amendment. Phytophthora ramorum is the causal agent of sudden oak death. This pathogen causes disease on a wide, wide range of plant species, including many crops important to the nursery industry such as rhododendron and camellia and potentially affects Oregon's Christmas tree industry also. Together, nursery crops and Christmas trees are crucial not only to jobs in Oregon but they also constitute over $1 billion in Oregon exports. Oregon, by the way, is the Nation's largest grower of Christmas trees. Sudden oak death has already resulted in one county-wide quarantine on nursery products in a county which I represent, Columbia County, Oregon. This disease is threatening Oregon's nursery industry and its Christmas tree growers. To respond to this threat, Oregon has begun an aggressive joint State and Federal inspection program that will gather and test plants from almost 1,400 nurseries and Christmas tree growers. Each nursery will submit a minimum of 40 plant tissue samples for laboratory analysis. The ability of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, known as APHIS, to process these samples in a timely manner is absolutely essential to the Oregon agricultural economy, and I want to ensure that APHIS has the necessary resources to do so. This bill contains $1.98 million for emerging plant pests. Some of that money will be applied to sudden oak death eradication. I am pleased that this bill does provide some funding for sudden oak death eradication. However, I do not believe that $1.98 million will provide APHIS with enough resources to deal with the serious threat facing the State of Oregon and the Nation as a whole. In 2004 alone, USDA had to allocate over $17 million in emergency and contingency funds for sudden oak death eradication. We are facing the same threat in fiscal year 2005, and we should not, should not as a matter of sound policy, rely solely on emergency funds to meet our needs. Mr. Chairman, the Hooley-Wu amendment transfers $5 million to APHIS from the Agriculture buildings and facilities account for the purpose of sudden oak death eradication. These additional funds will ensure that important collaborative efforts between the States and APHIS continue in a timely manner and in an effective way. I would like to thank my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla), the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, staff members and all affiliated staff for their assistance with this issue. I believe that, by working together, we can minimize the economic impact of sudden oak death in Oregon and around the United States.