transformed what was the u.d.t., basically the underwater demolition team, and transformed that concept into what we know today as the s.e.a.l.'s and i think we need to take this action not just for the commander but for the men who served everyday as s.e.a.l. team members out there that will you not hear about, but their deeds are great and many, but we don't hear about them, mostly because so many of them are covert. i have to say that from everything from the saving the victims of piesy to defending our camps around the world, the s.e.a.l.'s have proven their value to this country. commander boehm made this possible and i think that is why it's so appropriate that we join today in naming this post office. today the navy s.e.a.l.s are known around the world, but when the commander started, nobody hardly even knew what a u.d.t.

member was and largely because of commander boehm we can thank the entire service that we know now today as the s.e.a.l.'s. my fellow members of congress, i ask you to join me in honning commander boehm by recognizing as -- his many life achievements, his valor, and particularly through his participation in the creation of that group the world knows at the united states navy s.e.a.l.s. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: was that a reserve or yield? mr. bilbray: i'll reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time at it this time. the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. mr. lynch: mr. speaker, we have no further speakers on this. i continue to reserve our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from california. mr. bilbray: mr. speaker, at this time i will yield back the remainder time. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: i thank the gentleman from california for his words in support of this measure. i also want to thank congressman rooney for being the lead sponsor here, the gentleman from florida. in closing i again urge my colleagues to join me in hong lieutenant commander roy boehm for his good work through the passage of h.r. 2470 and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 2470. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative -- mr. bilbray: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from rise? mr. bilbray: mr. speaker, i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered.

pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered or on which a vote incurs objection under clause 6 of rule 20. -- pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. without objection, the title to h.r. 2422 is amended. for what purpose does the gentleman from northern marianas rise? mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i ask that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 493. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 493, resolution recognizing the significant contributions of hillel: the foundation for jewish campus life to college campus communities in the united states and around the world. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from the northern mariana islands, mr. sablan, and the gentleman from

washington, mrs. mcmorris rodgers, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from the northern mariana islands. mr. sablan: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on house resolution 493 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize the significant contributions of hillel, the foundation for jewish campus life has made towards colleges and universities around the united states. hillel began as an organization 85 years ago at the university of illinois. benjamin franklin developed the organization as an oppornity for jewish students to support their heritage. during the war, hillel

counseled soldiers, welcomed g.i.'s back to campus and sponsored european refugees. one of the refugees was the late chairman of the house foreign affairs committee, tom lantos. today hillel is the largest jewish campus organization in the world. hillel's mission is to enrich the lives of jewish undergraduate and graduate students so they may enrich the jewish people around the world. it helps them spiritually, intellectually and socially throughout their college years. hillel prepares thousands of young adults to enter the world upholding the important ideals of the jewish faith. in addition to serving the jewish community, hillel services as a beacon for social justice that extends far beyond the jewish community. it champions civil rights, ending the genocide in darfur, aids awareness, and interfaith

dialogue and understanding. hillel is also an important campus advocate for israel, educating college students around their country's important relationship with israel. through this outreach and advocacy efforts, hillel communicates to our nation and the world the highest values of the jewish community. mr. speaker, i'd encourage everyone to take a moment and appreciate the contributions made by hillel. i urge my colleagues to pass this resolution. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from washington is recognized. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: mr. speaker, i rise in support of house resolution 493 which would recognize the significant contributions of hillel: the foundation for jewish campus life to college campus communities in the united states and around the world. hillel is a jewish campus life

organization that has provided support and education to jewish and non-jewish students around the world. it was originally named after a sage who moved from back lonian to palestine in the first century. his wisdom is the foundation upon which this organization was built. it was founded in 1923 at the university of illinois- champaign urbana. it helped people throughout the great depression, world war ii and the holocaust. hillel was organized, adopted a new mission statement and became the organization we recognize today. for 85 years hillel has supported jewish expression and helped to break discriminatory barriers. its mission is to enrich the lives of jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich the jewish people around around the world -- and around the world. provides grants, educational peer-organized trips and jewish content. it also educates non-jewish

students to help break down religious and cultural barriers. hillel is open to any interested college student. today, hillel foundations are found in israel, south america and the former soviet republics. affiliated organizations are found in australia, canada and great britain. hillel students around the world connect jewish people and understand jewish life. over 600 hillel professionals are at work around the world engaging jewish students. by engaging jewish students and promoting understanding of non-jewish students, hillel has been on the forefront of combating anti-semitism. in light of recent occurrences at the holocaust museum, we're reminded how important organizations such as hillel are, organizations that encourage today's young people to understand each other and to fight discrimination are invaluable to future generations. i ask my colleagues to support this resolution, and i reserve the balance of my time.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, does thgentlewoman from washington have any further speakers? mrs. mcmorris rodgers: i have no additional requests for time. i urge my colleagues to support the legislation and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from washington yields back the balance of the time. the gentleman from the northern mariana islands. mr. sablan: yes, mr. speaker. i'd like to thank the gentlewoman from washington for her fine statement and support of h. resolution 493. i have no further speakers, so i encourage our members to support h.r. 493, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 493. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are

suspended and the resolution is agreed to and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from the northern marianas rise? mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i ask that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 428. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 428, resolution recognizing the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on father's day. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from northern mariana islands, mr. sablan, and the gentlewoman from washington, mrs. mcmorris rodgers, each will control 20 minutes. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from the northern mariana islands. mr. sablan: thank you, mr. speaker. i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert

extraneous material on house resolution 428 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of house resolution 428 which recognizes the immeasurable contributions fathers make in the healthy development of children. on june 21 our nation will celebrate father's day. many times fathers know just what to say at the most delicate time in our lives. they encourage their children to do their best and show them that their dreams are possible. fortunately, fathers can help children exceed in school, enhance children's emotional development and reduce childhood poverty. by playing a significant role in the lives of children, active fathers provide additional support for children to succeed. fathers create great memories with their children by going to ballgames, ballet recitals,

school events and other similar activities. fathers can generate lasting memories for their kids. fathers as role models and mentors help youth reach their potential. unfortunately, many children grow up without fathers. actually, 25 million children, one out of three, grow up in homes in which their biological fathers do not live. these children are significantly more likely to live in poverty, drop out of school and engage in risky behavior. it's imperative that our nation support parents in their efforts to raise their children. parenting is an essential part of a child's development and both mothers and fathers should be best equipped to raise their children. today, home visiting programs are great ways to inform parents about the resources they have available. these programs work closely with parents to help fathers and mothers support their children's development.

h. reuss 428 commends the millions of fathers who serve as a wonderful caring parent for their children. as father's day approaches on june 21, this legislation asks fathers to take time out to reconnect with their children. father's day can be used to express love and support for their children. i also want to note that my wife, andrea, and my daughter, patricia, are here in the house gallery today. my son, jesse, will be here soon as well. celebrating father's day with the three of them here in washington will make the holiday especially meaningful for me this year, and i am grateful to have this time to spend with my children. let us celebrate father's day and recognize our nation's great fathers who every day are making important contributions in the lives of their children. mr. speaker, once again, i

express my support of house resolution 428, wish fathers across this country a very happy father's day, and acknowledge the importance of fathers in the united states. i want to thank representative mcintyre for bringing this resolution forward. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from washington. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of house resolution 428 which recognizes the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children. supporting reasonable and responsible fatherhood and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on father's day. here's a quote, one father is more than 100 school masters. george herbert, the english clergyman and poet, made this

statement hundreds of years ago but it still rings true today. the presence of a father is one of the most important factors in a child's life. in fact, research has consistently shown that the presence of two committed involved parents directly contributes to better academic performance, reduce substance abuse, less crime and delink wednesdayy, fewer emotional and other behavioral problems, less risk of abuse or neglect and lower risk of teen suicide. research conducted by the national fatherhood initiative shows that 24 million children do not live with their biological father. nearly 20 million live in single parent households and about 40% of children in father-absent homes have not seen their father at all in the past year. 26% of absent fathers live in a different state than their children and 50% of children living absent their father have never set foot in their father's

home. these figures are sobering. and serve to remind us all of the importance of promoting fatherhood in the country, our communities churches and families must work to ensure that every child in the united states grows up with the love, involvement and commitment of a responsible father. fathers also have a responsibility to set aside quality time with their children in ways that can contribute to the well-being of their sons and daughters. fathers need to realize that the time they spend with their children is really an investment in them. and while each father is unique, the future generation of americans to achieve their dreams and demonstrate the pure -- each father is unique, each person who parents in his own style, there are some characteristics that good fathers have in common. we all know that fathers play a significant role in shaping the character of their children. by spending time with their sons and daughters, being stern yet fair, disciplinarians and

listening to their experiences, fathers shape children into men and women they will become. as advisors and role models, fathers help their children know the difference between right and wrong and recognize how the decisions they make today can affect the rest of their lives. fathers instill important values and prepare their children for the challenges and opportunities ahead, by demonstrating true leadership. their love and devoths inspire the future generations of americans to achieve their dreams and demonstrate the true spirit of our country. a father is one of the most important influences in a child's life. i want to commend the millions of fathers who are wonderful, caring parents to their children. i also want to challenge those who are not. to reconnect, rededicate themselves to their children's lives. i u-all fathers to understand the level of responsibility they have, emotionally, physically and spiritually. on father's day and every day, we honor our fathers and celebrate them.

i'm honored to rise today in support of this resolution and ask my colleagues to support it. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from washington reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman. mr. sablan: does the gentlewoman from washington have any further speakers? mrs. mcmorris rodgers: no, i do not. does the gentleman have any more speakers? mr. sablan: no, i do not but i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from washington. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: mr. speaker, i have no additional requests for time, urge my colleagues to support the resolution and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from washington yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from northern mariana islands. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i'd like to commenled the gentlewoman from washington for such eloquent statements about fathers, which brings back this close memory of my father who is 8,000 miles away at this time.

i will call him up after this, later on today. i have no further speakers. i do encourage everyone to support h. resolution 428 and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from northern mariana islands yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 428. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the resolution is agreed to and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from the northern mariana islands rise? mr. sablan: i move that the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 729 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 729, a bill to help keep students safe on school-run, overnight, offpremises field trips. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the

gentleman from northern mariana islands, mr. sablan, and the gentlewoman from washington, mrs. mcmorris rodgers, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from the northern mariana islands. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i request five legislative days during which members may insert extraneous material on h.r. 729 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 729, which is a bill that helps kids keep safe on school run, overnight, offpremises field trips in april, 2007, phylicia moore, a high school senior, died while participating in a field trip in ghana. her death, ruled an death by authorities in ghana, is undergoing further investigation by the federal bureau for investigation. the tragedy of phylicia's death exposed a flaw in the system and

served as a reminder of having procedures in place when students participate in overnight field trips. the legislation put forward today will go a long way toward keeping students safe. this bill requires school districts that receive money through the safe and drug free schools program to develop and make public school safety policy for offprim sess, overnight field trips. the bill would further encourage the secretary of education to develop model school safety plans and disseminate those best practices to school districts. trips like the one that lessia took to ghana, are intended to change student lives for the better. it is important to expose our young people to learning experiences outside the classroom but we must ensure their safety at the same time. phylicia had worked a part time job to cover the cost of the trip and raised money for an orphanage and an aids charity in

ghana. unfortunately she was never able to experience the country. she passed away on the first night of the trip. i want to thank lola and douglas moore, the parents of phylicia, whose hard work has brought national attention to this issue. they have worked through their grief and the tragic loss of a child, have toiled tirelessly to keep other parents have experiencing similar loss. with passage of this bill, congress has the opportunity to join with the family to prevent future tragedies. mr. speaker, once again i express my support for phylicia's law and i thank representative rothman for his dedication to bring this bill to the floor. i urge my colleagues to pass this important law. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from the northern mariana islands reserves the balance of his time.

the gentlewoman from washington. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of h.r. 729, phylicia's law, which would require school districts that receive funds under the safe and drug free schools program to develop and make public a written districtwide school safety plan governing offpremises, overnight field trips. as i'm sure many of my colleagues are aware, school field trips are an important component of student learning in the education system. almost every school in the country has programs in place that take elementary and secondary school students it to parks, museums, nature centers and other outdoor settings that provide an important contribution to the learning process. researchers have documented the cognitive and effective benefits of field trips, including increased motivation for learning, a more positive learning toward science and the acquisition of knowledge and skills. further, field trips can

stimulate interest in students' future careers and result in an improved attitude toward school. at the same time, many schools and school districts also sponsor overnight field trips, such as overnight camping trips or academic events where students travel sometimes long distances to compete with other students in these sbations -- situations, it is vitally important that school districts have safety plans in place so that the students can feel safe and there are policies in place to address emergency situations that may occur. it is sobering -- it is the sobering reality that the reason why this bill is on the floor today is because of the tragic circumstances that came to light after a student lost her life while on a two-week field trip with her class to ghana. 18-year-old phylicia moore was last seen at 10:30 p.m. on april 15, 2007, when she left a group around a hotel pool to go to her room to change. she was found 11 hours later at

the bottom of the pool. chaperons initially said they had checked on the students in their rooms the night before. but later admitted they had not. phylicia would probably be here today if the buddy system or other protections had been in place in -- in place. experts say there are a number of best practices that schools should follow while on a field trip. it's important for chaperons to know the children in their care. all chaperons should have a concise list of the participants' names, addresses and phone numbers are parents and guardians can be reached in the hours they're responsible for their children and a student's information should identify whether he or she has special needs. the more chaperons know about their students in their care, the easier it will be for them to feel confident that they can head off potential trouble and keep everyone on the field trip safe at all times. a second key to field trip safety is having students look out for each other. it is important for chaperons to have their eyes on their

children at every moment possible, but it's impossible for them to respond to every question and meet every need that arises. regardless of age, having students use the buddy system is important. so that someone who is always accountable for the other's whereins. overnight trips should have reasonable curfews in place that are adhered to. room checks should be conducted by chaperons on a regular basis and emergency procedures should be in place should a serious injury or death occur. these policies will help ensure that the trip will be safe and enjoyable for all involved. mr. speaker, this bill does not specify a particular policy that schools must follow when conducting a field trip. but would merely require school districts that receive funds under the safe and drug free schools program to develop and make public a written, districtwide school plan governing offpremises, overnight field trips. we all know that students achieve their full academic

potential when they have the ability to learn in a safe and secure environment. whether on or off campus. this bill will help ensure that learning opportunities outside the school campus can be experienced safely. i would ask all of my colleagues to support h.r. 729 and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from washington reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from the northern mariana islands. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i am pleased to recognize the gentleman from new jersey, mr. rothman, for eight minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey, mr. rothman, is recognized for eight minutes. mr. rothman: thauk, mr. speaker. i thank -- thank you, mr. speaker, i thank the gentleman for the time. mr. speaker, today we consider legislation that is an important step in protecting our young people as they come to explore this amazing world that we live in. first, i want to take time to thank my friend, the education and labor chairman, george miller, earlier this year chairman miller took the time

from his schedule to meet with phylicia moore's parents, lola and douglas moore, and if i lessia's brother, christopher. chairman miller heard their heartbreaking story. the legislation we have before us today is a testament to his leadership and his christmas -- compassion. i also want to acknowledge the role played by secretary of education, arne duncan, he also personally met with the moores and he and his staff suggested several important improvements to the bill. i'm deeply grateful tortoise -- for his personal involvement. i would also like to thank ranking member, conman mckeon, and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, for their bipartisan support of this very important legislation. i'd also like to recognize and express my gratitude for the endorsements of the national parent-teacher association, the

national education association and the national school boards association for this important bill. phylicia's law bears the name of a young woman from my district who was taken from us much too soon. phylicia moore was an 18-year-old high school student from new jersey who died in april, 2007, while on a school-sponsored trip to ghana. today, however, is not about the past. we're here to talk about the future. and what we can do to help ensure that no more parents endure what douglas and lola moore have gone through. it is the culmination of the moore's hard work and dedication to their daughter and her memory and their desire that no other parent suffer as they have that brings us to this moment on the floor of the united states house of representatives.