there are probably laughing about this. we are a capitalist country. we are making money, what do they care? when you look at the bigger picture of capitalism and christianity, that is a strange juxtaposition as well. these people are making profits, that is what they are supposed to do. if it means going to the taxpayer, so what, they will get it anyway that they can. they have been skimming off of the top of the military- industrial complex and making a lot of money, which is where the jobs are going. host: we are going to let you go. we appreciate your thoughts. thank you for your calls. we are taking you to the floor of the house. enjoy your day. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the chair lays before the house a communication from the

speaker. the clerk: the speaker's room, washington, d.c., january 13, 2010. i hereby appoint the honorable shelley berkley to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, nancy pelosi, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: the prayer will be offered by the guest chaplain, reverend samuel , congregational christian church of american samoa. the chaplain: [speaking samoan] god, faith of our fathers and lord of our homage, we embrace you and one another in heart and soul, thought and mind giving you praise and trusting your faithfulness. bless this day and your

service. o lord, help us to remember the proclamation from ages past where there is no vision, people perish. let us be visionary in our decisionmaking, particularly those resolved by the leadership of our nation. grant this congress the ability to see, the faith to believe, and the courage to leap forward in their journey of determination for tranquility and peace. upholding those virtues by which all may benefit from in our home of the brave and the land of the free. god, may your will be done, your vision be known and your righteousness prevail both now and forever. amen.

the speaker pro tempore: the chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the house her approval thereof. pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1 the journal stands approved. the pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentleman from north carolina, congressman butterfield. mr. butterfield: join me in the pledge. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from american samoa, mr. faleomavaega, is recognized for one minute. mr. faleomavaega: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to speak for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection.

mr. faleomavaega: madam speaker , it is my great honor and pleasure to welcome the reverend to the chamber today. reverend samuel, as he's properly known in our smowan community, is from -- samoan community, is from my home district in american samoa. he's part of the congregational christian church in american samoa. he was appointed secretary to the partnership consultation committee of the administrative initiative of the church of christ. he was ordained in the mid 1990's where he became pastor of the bread of life church in honolulu prior to becoming secretary of the ccas. to my knowledge he is the first

american samoan to give the prayer to the house. i want to recognize his lovely wife, who is present in the gallery. also with her is the vice chairman of the christian church and his wife and the assistant to the general secretary and his wife, diane. it is my distinct honor and privilege to welcome to the house today my good friend, reverend samuel sr. thank you, madam speaker. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair will entertain up to 15 further requests for one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio rise mr. kucinich: good morning, madam speaker. i ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. kucinich: yesterday i introduced h.r. 4404, a bill

that will have a 50% tax that bankers are paying themselves from windfall taxes earned from massive federal government support. this bill is necessary because bankers are about to pay out the largest bonuses in history. all banking corporations, whether they receive direct assistance or not, receive substantial benefits from government bailouts. bankers failure to self-regulate let us remember was the direct result of the crisis we're in today. they need to know that the money they're making is from public trust. bank profits are the result of a deliberate, federal government policy to restore banking capital and ultimately investment in american prosperity. banking bonuses have nothing to do with these objectives and payouts to bankers are a form of appropriation of public wealth. banks could be using their profits to do many things, to improve the prospects of economic recovery. including strengthening their capital base, recognizing and writing off their real estate

losses, reducing fees charged to customers, especially fees to struggling consumers and increasing lending to small and medium-sized companies. support h.r. 4418. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina rise? mr. wilson: madam speaker, i ask permission to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. wilson: in south carolina last week, i met with people making a difference promoting jobs by visiting the one-stop employment centers across the district. i visited the directors and staff, desk to desk, in clom columbia, hampton, richland and buford. i want to thank the energetic, optimistic and talented employees and commissioners of the employment security commission for their dedication to helping put people back to work. another economic development is being announced for south carolina today. the correctional facility is adding 50 more jobs with the

biomass contract. we welcome the recent economic commitments to our state from four-star industries, boeing, d.h.l., dixie norco, and now esto correctional facility. the combination of low taxes, worker training, right to work protections and less regulatory red tape is a sound recipe to attract business. this commonsense approach should be applied at the government level. in conclusion, god place our troops and we will never forget september 11 and the global war on terror. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california rise? >> to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. chu: i rise today to speak about a shocking murder in my california district. on new year's eve, bobby salsedo was in a restaurant in durango, mexico, when gunmen

came in, took six of them away and shot the rest of them execution style. bobby was only 33 years old. with bobby they murdered an exemplary u.s. citizen. he was an elected city of the el monte school board. he returned to his school to become the assistant principal. he was studying for his doctorate in school administration at ucla. he was a rising star in our community. bobby's death shows that the violence done by mexican drug cartels is not in some faraway land. it affects us in the u.s. all too closely. for the sake of bobby salsido we must end the mexican drug cartels. my heart goes out to the family. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from louisiana rise? mr. cao: to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized.

mr. cao: madam speaker, the new orleans saints are having an historic season. their success has benefited our city tremendously. and with the first playoff game kicking off this saturday, i want to give constituents a chance to honor them. today, julian writes, the reason we are proud of the saints, the reason we rally behind them has less to do with the school board and more to do with the hearts, soul and fire of the city. your average new orleanian seems so opposite of one another. there are those who have always called new orleans home and some who came for only a few years and fell in love. watching the saints help us escape from rebuilding yet reminds us of why we came home. the saints are an exact reflection of us, our city, our home and that's why the saints are my home team. thank you, and i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina rise? mr. butterfield: i ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. butterfield: madam speaker, the american people continue to struggle in this difficult economy. one of the counties in my north carolina district is now suffering with the state's highest unemployment rate. yes, people are hurting and need to be put back to work. the transformation of our nation's health care system represents an enormous opportunity to create jobs and fuel economic growth. each year our health care reform plan will create 250,000 to 400,000 jobs. these reforms will also allow small business to add an estimated 80,000 jobs. without these reforms, the health care premiums paid by businesses in coming years will more than double. money needlessly spent on health care premiums by small businesses is really needed to hire workers and increase salaries and refuel the

economy. madam speaker, americans cannot afford the status quo. doing nothing is not an option. i urge my colleagues to join us in improving the health care delivery system. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania rise? >> i ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. murphy: congress continues to spend, having raise the debt limit time and time again. we don't have jobs by borrowing billions from china, taking hundreds more from americans in new taxes. what we can do, however, is by using some of our oil off our coast, we can use it to create jobs, restore our environment, use conservation and new technologies to cut waste and improving energy efficiency, development clean energy generation in all sectors and rebuild american's transportation and energy infrastructure.

by putting our resources to work we put millions of americans to work here at home. and all this can be done without raising taxes. i encourage my colleagues to join the effort by supporting and being co-sponsors of h.r. 2227, the american conservation and clean energy act. it's about new jobs for a new clean america and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california rise? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. baca: the house is back in session this week and at the top of the agenda is health care. i'm here to make sure that 217,000 uninsured in my district have affordable chance to purchase health care coverage as well as those across america. families across america will benefit greatly from the bill's extensive improvement to our health care system. we will finally end discrimination by insurance companies based on pre-existing conditions. we will bring peace of mind to every parent out there who

constantly worries about paying for high medical bills. america's a land of freedom and opportunity. america must have the freedom and opportunity to purchase their own health insurance that is affordable for everyone, that is affordable for everyone. during nothing is unacceptable. we need to drive down the health costs. demand greater accountability for health insurance companies. i urge my colleagues to support the health care reform and put the interest of our families first. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from louisiana rise? mr. fleming: i ask unanimous consent to speak to the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. fleming: madam speaker, recently two teams in my district won football state championships. in class 2-a led by john bachmann sr. defeated john curtis high school. david d. deron completed an eight-yard touchdown pass in

the third quarter to trey taylor to give them the lead. the eagles won the game by a final score of 18-13. david d. deron completed 25-39 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns. setting a 2-a title game record for most completions, attempts and yardage. in class 1-a, the hainesville tornados won the title. late in the third quarter, mcgee had a 21-yard touchdown to give haynesville the lead and then the golden tornado defense intercepted a pass with only 23 seconds left in the game to preserve the 19-12 win. congratulations to the coaches and players of both evangel and haynesville. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia rise? >> to address the house for one

minute and to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. .r5a is an ordinance. off street parking. by expanding the scope of projects able to be funded to include transportation and related improvements by making told me her dramatic story in her own words. a 28-year-old woman from tanzania one night in october, she was attacked in her sleep by a group of machete yielding men who cut off both of her arms. in the end she lost her unborn child. she's a survivor who is relaying her story in the hopes that people like these will end. i will be introducing a house resolution recognizing the plight of people in east

africa, condemning their murder and mutilation and calling for swift action by her country and that of tanzania. i yield back. .7 c16 c1 is recognized. >> madam speaker, i rise today to honor barbara stotlet, a teacher as gatewood elementary school. at a recent white house ceremony, she was awarded the presidential award for mathematics and science teaching. the nation's highest honor for teaching in those fields. she's one of only two minnesota educators to receive such an honor. she used her cutting edge teaching methods and passion in the classroom to develop each students' potential for 20 years, even earning a minnesota teacher of the year award. barbara's participation in the improvement of educational programs in the school as well as the entire district ranges from instrumental classroom

development to writing mathematical standards for minnesota. for her development of innovative teaching strategies, her work to promote the key areas of math and science, and selfless commitment to an important profession, i'm honored to recognize her before this body. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california rise. >> i rise to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. capps: madam speaker, the two most pressing issues that our constituents wanted to tackle are health care and the economy. last week i convened a number of round tables in my district with a variety of business leaders in order to discuss the economy and jobs. health care costs were, as i expected, a top concern for all of them. that's why i was proud to report that our health reform legislation will benefit them. our health reform bill will allow small business to add an estimated 80,000 new jobs

because we are going to be lowering the cost of health insurance premiums. it's pretty simple. less money spent on health insurance premiums means the ability to hire new workers and salary increases for existing employees. contrast that with the other side which is to preserve the status quo. let insurance premiums continue to rise and cause further job loss. we must exact -- enact meaningful health reform now in order to reduce health insurance costs, protect jobs, and enable small business growth. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia rise? >> to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. gingrey: madam speaker, as we begin the second session of the 111th congress, more than 15 million americans are looking for work and our nation's unemployment rate is 10%, actually 12% in the 11th district of georgia, the highest level of unemployment since june of 1983. last year democrats promised that borrowing almost $1

trillion on the backs of our children and grandchildren would create jobs immediately and unemployment would not rise above 8%. clearly that is not the case. so as we start this session, i urge democratic leaders finally take some commonsense steps to help create jobs and make health care more affordable. that means putting an end to spending money we don't have. it means not continuing to pass legislation that imposes job-killing taxes on our small businesses. and it means passing health care legislation that actually reduces health care costs for all americans without cutting the benefits. madam speaker, the american people cannot afford any more of the democrats' agenda for killing jobs and growing the federal government. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from kentucky rise? mr. yarmuth: request permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. yarmuth: madam speaker, i'd like to tell you about two of my constituents in louisville who came up over the break and told me why they were against health

care reform. the first one was a mother. she said she thought our health care reform bill was going to hurt too many people. when i asked her why, she said, well, or who, she said like my son. he had a kidney transplant and i'm afraid he won't get the care he needs. when i told her that under our bill we could very well save his life because he would never get insurance under present situation and he will never be denied coverage under our bill, she had a little bit of conversion right on the spot. the second was a woman who owned a gift shop in louisville. she said she was against health care reform because she's a diabetic and she said i can't wait until 2014 to get the help i need. she wasn't against health care reform, she needs it now. she needs it desperately. under our bill, there would be a high-risk pool so she could immediately get coverage she can't get now. the fact is health care reform as proposed by the house democrats will save lives, will save money, will save jobs, and will save medicare. it is time to pass health care

reform. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia rise? >> request permission to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. wolf: i rise today to voice my strong support of google's intention to consider pulling out of china due to a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on its corporate infrastructure and email service. google is making a principle stand reminiscent of the companies that pulled out of apartheid south africa and fascist germany. "the washington post" today reported that google said it is eminent that a primary call on the attackers accessing the g-mail accounts of chinese human rights activists. they found the accounts of literally brave human rights advocates appear to have been routinely accessed by third parties. this is unconscionable but not surprising given china's long history of cracking down on free speech, human rights, and religious freedom. china is regressing. they are increasingly brazen in

their human rights aboosts. this principle stand on google will give hope to the millions of chinese people whoern for freedom and cry out -- who yearn for freedom and cry out for basic human rights. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio rise? >> to address the house for one minute. the speak pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. today i rise in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the national urban league, an organization dedicated to bettering the lives and protecting the rights of minority groups across our country. the national urban league is the largest community based organization in our nation. locally the greater start county urban league located in northeastern ohio district 230r78ed out of the integration of a macklin and caan affiliates and have been serving our communities for over 90 years. under the direction of the interim president, the work is bettering star county at precisely the time we need. ohio's unemployment is still

high and we are recovering slowly. now more than ever as we are rebuilding our local economy for future success, the greater stark county urban league is connecting minority groups in our communities to the employment and housing services and health and youth programming necessary. last year the local urban league began a new scholarship program for 20 high school juniors and seniors. this year they hope to provide 30 scholarships. the league is also offering classes this year to help 60 people obtain their g.e.d. i commend the county greater urban colleague for making critical investments in our people and our country and our future. this is the type of service that we all talk about here and should applaud every day on the floor of the house of representatives. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania rise? >> to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. pitts: thank you, madam speaker. an american citizen is being held illegally and unjustly by the burmese government today and we should do all we can to return him to the united states

and his family. he has been imprisoned in burma since september 3 and held under a resolving array of charges, all bogus. he has been deprived of food and sleep, beaten, then had medical treatment withheld and he remains in prison while his trial is pending. the burmese government has ignored its obligations under international treaty and violates standards of human rights and basic decency. he has a heart for the oppressed people of his native country, and his offense is promoting freedom in a country that is like a vast prison camp. i urge secretary clinton to publicly call for ahn's release and use all possible diplomatic means to return him to the u.s. where he can receive medical care. his life hangs in the balance and we cannot afford to wait. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee rise? >> to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. cohen: thank you, madam

speaker. last week a dutch lady, died at the age of 100. the reason her death is worth noting is because she was a dutch catholic who with her husband hid the frank family, anne frank, otto frank, that family and another jewish family for 25 months in amsterdam when the nazi regime came and was taking jewish people to concentration camps. for 25 months their family protected the franks. they were then betroid, the frank family, and sent to concentration camps where all died but otto frank. she found the diary of anne frank and preserved it and gave it to otto frank when he was released. it was published. the story of a young girl and her hopes during the nazi occupation of amsterdam and the persecution of jews. there are people today that do

not believe that the anne frank diary was real. it was indeed real. this lady saved it. she saved history. and taught us what people can do, ordinary citizens, and acts of heroism to protect others in the faces of injustice. i'm pleased to recognize her in the united states congress. we are lucky she came this way. she had a significant impact on the world. thank you, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from arkansas rise? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. boozman: thank you, madam speaker. more than eight years after the september 11 attacks, our country is still fighting against terrorism. the attempted attack on christmas day has renewed the discussion of how to keep our country and its citizens safe and our nation's interest protected. our military is fighting every day to protect the world from these extremists. arkansans have proudly served to defend our country since the

global war on terror began. most recently last week 50 members of the 188th fighter wing based in fort smith, arkansas, left for the 120-day deployment in afghanistan. these men and women are continuing the arkansas tradition of service to our nation. in the coming months an additional 250 members of the 188th will deploy to provide close air support for ground troops in afghanistan. this is an important mission that i'm confident these men and women will accomplish successfully. i ask my colleague to keep the members of the 188th and their families and friends in their thoughts and prayers during this time. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey rise? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. payne: madam speaker, i was deeply saddened to learn yesterday of the 7.0 richter

scale earthquake that struck haiti yesterday. as i speak, president obama is preparing to address the nation about our response and support. my heart goes out to the haitian people and also like to express our condolences to the united nations peacekeeping organization there currently it is expected there are casualties from brazil, china, jordan, and france, and other countries. the montana hotel where i have been was one of the places where the soldiers stayed and that's where many of the deaths occurred. the earthquake of this magnitude and aftershock has brought extensive damage on port-au-prince, we say that we are here to add our support and our prayers go out to the people of haiti. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from washington rise? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute.

the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. reichert: thank you, madam speaker. the people of the state of washington are in a state of shock once again. they are in disbelief at the news that yet another police officer has been shot and killed in the line of duty. that makes six in the last two months in western washington. as a former cop myself, i will never forget the devastating time that we have gone through in the last couple months in losing these cops. . he died after being shot in the line of duty. he was able to kill the suspect, save other family members. his partner, sergeant nick houser, and the community he swore to serve and protect. he paid the ultimate price. visiting at the hospital and attending his service and memorial, it's clear that tepute mondell had a heart full

of life. he was willing and ready to serve. he was full of compassion for other human beings. and now that heart is silenced. and we all mourn this profound loss. deputy mondell leaves behind his mom, his wife, his son and daughter, his partner, his entire law enforcement community, countless friends and loved ones. i ask this body, please, to keep them all in your prayers. deputy kent mondell out of service, gone but not forgotten. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from arizona rise? >> i ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. kirkpatrick: our top pry orders remain the same. jobs, jobs and jobs. we must stay focused on job

creation, to end this economic downturn. with our national debt well over $12 trillion, we cannot just rely on more spending to achieve our goals. washington has defined -- to find the right balance in investing in our future and doing more with less. this year i will continue to push for projects that require common sense, not millions of dollars. projects that help communities attract new industries, that will create jobs, get folks back to work and put the economy back on track. i will also work to remove barriers, to success for small businesses and curve excessive regulations that can slow growth. these low-cost job creation efforts will spur economic recovery without further increasing the debt. i urge my colleagues to join my colleagues in supporting them.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from north carolina rise? ms. foxx: madam speaker, i ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. foxx: thank you, madam speaker. seniors who expressed concern about the democrat plans for a government takeover of health care in our country are correct to be concerned for at least four reasons. the democrat health plan does not address the fundamental concerns of lowering the cost of health care. indeed, the democrat plans do exactly the opposite by raising health care costs. not only will the democrat health care plans cause health care costs to go up, they will raise taxes, increase the deficit, raise premiums and hurt the quality of health care that americans receive. the envision to pay for democrat health care will harm medicare and devastate medicare advantage. passing the democrat's health care bill will harm our economy at a time when we need to focus on creating jobs.

i urge seniors to tell their democrat representatives to vote no on this job-killing, deficit-raising bill. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new york rise? >> to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. mrs. maloney: madam speaker, the joint economic committee, which i chair, has just launched a nonpartisan outreach, looking for new and creative ideas to accelerate job creation in our struggling economy. the g.e.s. is looking for ideas that come from outside the bubble of the beltway and that may be outside the box of conventional thinking. we are surveying executives at fortune 100 companies as well as leading small businesses across america looking for their ideas and innovation. the administration has already identified some of the things we must do to create jobs including the passage of health

care reform. under the status quo, the soaring costs of medical care serves as a hidden tax on employers in the form of higher health care premiums. but we are committed to doing more, and we are eager to hear the best ideas from the sharpest minds in the country. looking for innovative new ways to create jobs and produce an economy that is stronger, fair and brighter. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from minnesota rise? >> to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. ellison: madam speaker, job creation is the number one top priority that we're focusing on in this period. the fact is that the republican recession has created some of the worse economic conditions since the great depression. it's important to note that the american recovery and

reinvestment act has actually helped our economy recover and it's important that americans know this. it's important for americans to know that the recovery act has created more than 640,000 jobs since it was enacted almost a year ago, and could produce as many as 1.6 million jobs. more is needed, but the recovery act has reduced job losses, reduced unemployment rates, and the increase in the unemployment rate and the de crease of the gross domestic product. we will continue to work well and we hope we can do this in a bipartisan way. but even if we can't, we will continue to make jobs first on the agenda. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california rise? >> madam speaker, i rise to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. sanchez: thank you, madam

speaker. i rise today representing the voice of the vietnamese american stwensy who once again bring attention to the deteriorating human rights condition in vietnam. last wednesday a number of catholics who were attacked by the police for reporting, for reporting an incident where vietnam government officials destroyed a holy cross at one parish. the removal of the cross was only one incident in a series of violent actions taken by the vietnamese government to unlawfully cease church property which belonged to the church for over 100 years. i ask, why have we not put this country, vietnam, on the list of countries of particular concern? those who prosecute and persecute religious beliefs? i find it absolutely appalling that the vietnamese government continues to get away with these human rights violations

and we should do something about it. in 2010 i hope that the united states will finally take a stand and show the world that this behavior is unacceptable. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. ms. sanchez: it's time for vietnam to be held accountable. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york rise? >> to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. engel: thank you, madam speaker. the devastating earthquake, which hit haiti last night, is something that pains all of us. the millions of haitian americans in this country and people who care about haiti all over the world need to see what we can do to get aid as quickly as possible to the people of haiti. the earthquake was 7.0 on the richter scale, the largest

earthquake ever to hit haiti. and this comes on top of devastating hurricanes a little more than a year ago. the people of haiti are going to need the united states to help. as chairman of the western hemisphere committee i will leave no stone unturned to try to get aid to the people of haiti. i know that president obama and secretary of state clinton has pledged lots and lots of aid. probably thousands upon thousands of people are devastated and killed and this is going to hurt us. i call on the american people and our government to do whatever we can to send aid to help the beleaguered people of haiti. now is the time i urge the american people to send donations to those organizations that can get aid in as quickly as possible. money donations is probably what's needed right now. only the united states is in a

very, very unique position, and, again, we want to tell the haitian people that the united states of america, the u.s. congress is there with you. we will leave no stone unturned to help save lives. the next 72 hours is crucial in terms of saving lives, in terms of preventing any kind of epdemics, in terms of keeping food going and the water clean and making sure that there's no disease, looting, things like that. so we need to do everything we can. i know we will. and, again, we will leave no stone unturned. as chairman of the western hemisphere subcommittee, i know our committee will be right in there with our sleeves rolled up and do everything we can to help the people of haiti. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman yields back. pursuant to the order of the house of january 12, 2010, the unfinished business is the further consideration of the veto message by the president

on house joint resolution 64 by the clerk will report by title. the clerk: house joint resolution 64, joint resolution making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2010 and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house on reconsidering pass the joint resolution the objections of the president to the contrary notwithstanding. the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized for one hour. mr. obey: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative to revise and extend their remarks on h.j. res. 64. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. the gentleman is recognized. mr. obey: madam speaker, i'm the only speaker for our side of the aisle. and i plan to be brief. so i will yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from florida, mr. young, for the purpose of debate only. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. young: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman is recognized. mr. young: and i wanted to rise in support of the position taken by my friend, mr. obey. he didn't say what that position was exactly. so i'm assuming that we're going to vote no, that we're going to support the president's veto. on our side, we fully support this issue. i find it a little ironic that here we are having to defend the constitutional prerogatives of the congress in a joint resolution that was originally sent to the president to respect his constitutional prerogatives. under article 1, section 7 of the constitution, the president has up to 10 days to review legislation before deciding whether to sign it into law. however, since the continuing resolution is to keep the

government functioning -- the appropriations bill is set to expire, the continuing resolution is sent to the president to give him the opportunity to review the appropriations bill. as a matter of courtesy to the president, congress on a bipartisan basis traditionally submits a short-term signing c.r. to preserve the president's ability. that's exactly what the situation here is today. it's basically a moot question other than the constitutional requirements. and so we're here to say to my friend, mr. obey, and to you, madam speaker, that assuming that mr. obey is going to recommend a no vote, we're going to also vote no. and since we have no speakers on our side, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida yields back his remaining time.

the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized. mr. obey: madam speaker, i think the gentleman from florida summed up the situation pretty well. in december, the house and senate passed a five-day continuing resolution to let the president signed the c.r. and the defense appropriations bill. he received the bill on december 19. he signed the defense bill thereby avoiding a need for a stopgap funding in the c.r. since the president signed the defense appropriation measure quickly, i agree that the c.r. was not needed to keep the government open. the president sent the c.r. back to the house, as the gentleman indicated, with his veto. but in that veto message, he suggested in some ways that he was -- he had in fact pocket vetoed the legislation. but the fact is clear that the congress was here to receive a message, and we do not consider it a pocket veto, and, therefore, we feel that the

appropriate action to be taken is to sustain the veto and take this action to demonstrate that in our judgment a pocket veto is not appropriate, that the president exercised irregular veto and it should be treated as such. with that i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. all time for debate has expired. the question is will the house on reconsidering pass the joint resolution, the objections of the president to the contrary notwithstanding. in accord with the constitution, the yeas and nays are ordered. and pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings will be postponed. .

the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings today on the motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered or on which the vote incurs objection under clause 6 of rule 20. record votes on postponed questions will be taken later today. for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee rise? >> i move to suspend the rules and agree to h.res. 981. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 981, resolution supporting continued political and economic development in ukraine. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the

gentleman from tennessee, mr. tanner, and the gentleman from arkansas, mr. boozman, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from tennessee. mr. tanner: thank you, madam speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. tanner: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. tanner: this sunday ukrainians will go to polls to elect a new president. the successful conduct of these elections is important to our country, the united states. as vice president biden said during his visit to key eve last summer, we consider ukraine to be a vital european partner for advancing stability, prosperity, and democracy on the continent. six years ago the orange revolution demonstrated the

ukranian people's desire for freedom, democracy, and prosperity. since that time ukraine has made great strides, an open and free press, and a government accountable to its citizens. we welcome the government's registration of over 450 international observers for the elections. including from osce and the international republican institute. we would take this means and opportunity to urge all parties in the elections to cooperate fully with the observers and ensure the elections are conducted without manipulation. the united states and ukraine have a strong bond. not the least due to the fact that over one million americans trace their roots back to ukraine. these ties were solidified in the charter on strategic partnership which was signed in december of 2008 and which outlined numerous areas of engagement and cooperation.

last month the strategic partnership commission held its first meeting here in washington during the visit of ukranian foreign minister. madam speaker, ukraine has been a key partner in the efforts of the transatlantic alliance to ensure international security. contributing forces to the nato mission in afghanistan and training mission in iraq. in addition, on december 16, ukraine formally agreed to allow the transit of cargo through its territory to support the nato isaf operations in afghanistan. access to the landlocked country of afghanistan is vital and we applaud ukraine in assisting to turn the tide against the taliban and prevent safe haven for al qaeda. nato has made clear that ukraine will become a member of the alliance at some point if it so desires. following the 60th anniversary of the nato summit, i visited

kiev, ukraine, as chairman of the u.s. delegation of nato and president of the nato parliamentary assembly to underline nato's ongoing commitment to ukraine's process of euro-atlantic integration. while many of the leaders of ukraine, i expressed the conviction that nato's door should remain open and encouraged the implementation of reforms necessary to bring this integration to fruition. in order for ukraine to remain on this positive path of political development and europe-atlantic integration, it is critical that this upcoming election be free, fair, and untainted by the fraud and irregularities that beset the 2004 polls. also we recognize that ukraine like much of the world has suffered greatly from the global financial crisis. unfortunately, political divisions have hampered ukraine's effort to overcome this crisis and implement the reforms necessary to submit its

progress on the road to prosperity. these elections are important particularly to ensure the ukranian government has a clear mandate from its people that would enable it to carry out the difficult decisions necessary to put the country on such a path. madam speaker, given the importance of ukraine as a vital friend and strategic partner of the united states, i would urge support for this resolution. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from arkansas is recognized. mr. boozman: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. boozman: i rise in support of house resolution 981 introduced by chairman berman and expressing our support for the continued political and economic development of ukraine. almost 20 years have passed since the ukranian people gained their independence by breaking free from the oppressive

authoritarian soviet communist regime. despite continuing challenges both internal and external, ukraine has made significant progress in establishing a democratic political system and implementing market-based economic reforms. since becoming an independent state, ukraine has evolved into an increasingly important partner for the united states and for ourure peaian allies. -- our european allies. ukraine's participation in the international mission in afghanistan and nato training mission in iraq are examples of contributions that ukraine has made and is making in its efforts focused on promoting stability and defeating islamist extremists. in recognition of ukraine's commitment, the nato heads of state at their summit in april, 2008, agreed to and declared

ukraine will become a member of the nato alliance in the future. in december, 2008, then secretary of state condoleezza rice signed the u.s.-ukraine charter on strategic partnership which aims to expand cooperation between our two countries on issues relating to democracy, defense, energy, and trade. significant challenges continue to confront ukraine, including serious financial troubles it now faces as a result of the global financial crisis. one very serious challenge for the stability of eastern europe as well as the future independence and prosperity of ukraine lies in the apparent interest on the part of some in neighboring russia. to ensure that ukraine is held within the spirit of influence dominated by russia. it's important to ukraine and to europe and to the transatlantic

community that russia refrain from any effort to provoke instability by fomenting territorial divisions as it did in georgia. or interfere in ukraine's domestic policies and politics either overtly or through less visible corrupt activities. the russian's invasion of georgia in august of 2008, such concern over russian intentions toward ukraine is no small matter. the kremlin needs to accept the right of ukraine to its independence and to its right to live as a peaceful political democracy free of intimidation. the united states has a strong interest in seeing the rise of a sovereign, free democratic and prosperous ukraine. the presidential elections scheduled to take place next week in ukraine need to be

conducted in a free and fair manner. the victor in those elections needs to leave ukraine in a democratic and noncorrupt manner in order to solidify the hard-won progress already made by the ukranian people. i urge my colleagues to render their full support for this resolution and with that i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from tennessee. mr. tanner: thank you, madam speaker. i don't have any other requests for speakers. i yield back. mr. boozman: i thank you, mr. chairman. we also do not have any requests for time to speak. with that i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. mr. tanner: we yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from tennessee yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 981.

so many as are 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 upon the table. .

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise? >> madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 970. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 970, resolution congratulating flint native, university of alabama sophomore, and running back mark ingram on winning the 2009 heisman trophy and honoring both his athletic and academic achievements. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from michigan, mr. kildee, and the gentleman from kentucky, mr. guthrie, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on h.res. 970 into the record. the speaker pro tempore:

without objection. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. madam speaker, i rise today in support of house resolution 970, honoring mark ingram, 2009 heisman trophy winner and pride of my hometown, flint, michigan. mr. speaker -- or, madam speaker, with an unemployment rate close to 30%, flint has been going through some tough times. our young people need a role model they can look up to, someone who can show them that through hard work and perseverance their dreams are within reach and that greatness can be achieved. madam speaker, mark ingram is that inspiration for our community. since he began his football career in grand blanc community high school in flint southwestern academy where he was a four-year starter and he distinguished himself as a running back and a cornerback,

he has continuously excelled. this season mark broke the university of alabama single season rushing record with 1,542 yards, was named the southeastern conference offensive player of the year, and scored 18 touchdowns and finished one season with 322 receiving yards. he led his team to the s.e.c. championship rushing for 113 yards and scoring three touchdowns in the championship game. he's the first heisman winner from the university of alabama and only the third sophomore in history to win the heisman trophy. and just last thursday, mark led the alabama crimson tide to the national championship and was named the game's offensive most valuable player. beyond his athletic accomplishments, mark is a

dean's list student at the university of alabama where he is pursuing a degree in communications. madam speaker, i introduce h.r. 970 to congratulate mark on awful his remarkable achievements, and i'm pleased to call mark ingram the pride of flint. and i urge immediate passage of this resolution, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from kentucky is recognized. mr. guthrie: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. guthrie: thank you, madam speaker. i appreciate the gentleman from flint here today and appreciate -- i know the people of the state of alabama appreciate having mark ingram in their state and going to the university. and i rise today to support this house resolution, congratulating the flint native mark ingram, university of alabama sophomore and running back of winning the heisman trophy honoring his athletic and academic achievements and

that's important. it was originally conceived by members of the downtown athletic club who appointed a club trophy committee charged with conducting the first award presentation at the conclusion of the 1935 football season. in 1936, following the death of john w. heisman, they renamed the award the heisman -- exclues me, 1936, following the death, it was the heisman award. on december 25, 2009, the university of alabama student and running back mark ingram was selected as the 75th winner of the heisman memorial trophy as the most outstanding college football player in the united states for 2009. this season mark rushed for 249 -- he rushed 249 times for 1,542 yards with 15 it updowns while catching 30 passes for 322 yards, leading alabama to an undefeated regular season and a number one national

ranking. mark was named the a.p. offensive player of the year as well as the s.e.c. offensive player of the year and his rushing total established a single season record at alabama. mark has been recognized as a superior college football player but his team and coaches also deserve recognition. ingram and the university -- is the university of alabama's first heisman trophy winner. the team, head coach, nick saban and all alabama fans, share in ingram's excitement. on january 7, led by coach saban, the university of alabama football team enjoyed the perfect end to a perfect season winning the b.c.s. championship game against the university of texas. mark was recognized as offensive m.v.p. of the national championship game running 116 yards and scoring two touchdowns. just six months ago mark was a new starting running back, not a household name that he is today. watching mark deliver his humble and heart felt acceptance speech gave us all insight in this man that mark

is. his dedication to his team as well as his hard work is the reason he received this exceptional award. and especially for me to talk about today in his congratulationses -- his speech when he received the heisman trophy he congratulated his offensive line and had a special connection there. i had a classmate from high school whose son was on the offensive line. and the young man's father that i graduated with his mother, a close friend of mine, his name is jones. he congratulated him. as any running back knows, that's why you win heisman trophies if you have a great offensive line. and people that i know that are close to the university of alabama football program talked about what an outstanding young man mark ingram is. he's not only great on the football field but great on campus. he represents the university well and represents flint, michigan, well. not just being a great running back but being a great person. i extend my congratulations to mark ingram, to the coach, to

the players and fans of the university of alabama and i ask my colleagues to support this resolution. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: i continue to reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. mr. kildee: does the gentleman have a speaker? mr. guthrie: i yield to the gentleman from alabama as much time as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from alabama is recognized for as much time as he might require. mr. bachus: thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, i commend mark ingram. the whole state of alabama is proud of mark. and flint, michigan, and the state of michigan i know is very proud of their native son. and they should be. and i commend congressman kildee for bringing this resolution. the state of michigan has overcome many challenges, and i think it's fitting that mark

ingram comes from a state that's overcome many challenges. i rise to recognize mark ingram as representing the citizens of alabama. he's the first heisman trophy winner to ever win the award at the university of alabama. now, think about the university of alabama, bear bryant, and the storied program at the university. and yet he's the first recipient of the heisman trophy at the university of alabama. you know, many names come to mind from the university of alabama, many all-americans. yet, he's the first to accomplish that. and as mr. kildee said, congressman kildee, he did so in his sophomore year. "sports illustrated" cover storied called mark the pride of the tide. he did set an alabama single

season rushing record of over 1,542 yards. he led the nation with 38 runs with 10 yards or more, and he caught 30 passes in addition to that. when the game was on the line, mark ingram is at his best. what statistics don't measure and what congressman guthrie, what congressman kildee have properly emphasized is the person mark ingram, the person he is. and you know, in life it's not so much your accomplishments on the field, it's what you do with that opportunity, it's what you do with that talent. and mark's greatest asset is his spirit. he stands as an example for all young people of what can be achieved through hard work, through determination, of overcoming adversity and putting others first. in his acceptance speech, he

put others first. he recognized his four competitors. he talked about how much he enjoyed getting to meet them, what fine young men they were and we know that that's true. we know of tim tebow, we know of all that tim has done off the field. he's an inspiration to all of us, of his values and spiritual commitment. prior to the alabama-texas game, alabama fans who visited california had many conversations with the university of texas fans. both before that game, during the game and after the game. the respect, the kindness and the hospitality between those two teams and between their fans should be an example for all of us. there was such a spirit of friendliness. and colt mccoy, many of us learned that he spends as much as two or three hours on

certain days visiting children with terminal illnesses and with severe illnesses. what a fine young man. what a fine young man tim tebow is. and mark ingram is a better person because of the challenges of those young men and their examples. and i think he will be a better example to others and how wonderful it is that young people can look to people like mark ingram, tim tebow, colt mccoy, to be role models. i think the story that mark has is a little special is dealing with the family challenges. mark's been a model of grace and loyalty. as a dean list student, he's balanced his record on the football field with excellence in the classroom. he demonstrated his humility and his spirit of sportsmanship during his speech at the heisman trophy award ceremony.

he thaad his teachers -- he thanked his teachers, he thanked his coaches, he thanked his teammates. and as i said earlier, he thanked his competitors and talked about what fine young men they were. and so today i think we not only congratulate mark ingram, we congratulate tim tebow, colt mccoy, college football for producing so many fine young men that are examples off the field as well as on the field. and college football is better because of mark ingram. it's better because of them. it's better because of people back in flint, michigan, grandfather and a mother and teachers who made mark ingram the person that he is today. and he had the intelligence and the character to recognize them. mark was the most valuable player of the national championship game. now, not only was he that, he

was a heisman award winner and he won the national championship. that is something no other player has done, no other player in the history of college football. mark leonard, the university of southern cal, was heisman trophy winner and he played for u.s.c. in the national championship game. however, he was not the most valuable player. as i said, the alabama and texas fans came together to support their teams. two storied programs. they were respectful of each other. and they're an example of the high flame that college athletes can reach. the way that mark ingram has conducted himself and represented his team and the university is perhaps his greatest accomplishment. it is a source of pride for all supporters of alabama football, and not only that, but auburn supporters. i can tell you that we're all

in the state of alabama and throughout the country proud of mark ingram. from president mark robert witt and coach nick saban to all citizens of the state. in conclusion, madam speaker, we congratulate mark ingram for his achievements through his hard work, and it did take hard work, it was not given to him. he's earned every accolade. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: i continue to reserve. first of all i would like to thank the gentleman from alabama, mr. baucus, for wreck -- bachus, for recognizing the ability, character of mr. ingram. we are very proud of him in flint, michigan. we are very so happy that alabama can share our pride. i thank you for your kind words.

i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from kentucky. mr. guthrie: i have another speaker. i would like to yield as much time as he may consume, another gentleman from alabama, mr. bonner. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from alabama is recognized for as much time as he might consume. mr. bonner: thank you, madam speaker. mr. kildee, i want to personally thank you on behalf of alabama fans all across the nation for bringing this important resolution to the house floor today. mark ingram is an exceptional athlete. as my colleagues have noted, he won the heisman trophy for the first time in the history of the university of alabama to bring this honor and distinction to our storied and beloved university. but mark ingram is also an outstanding young man. i know the people in michigan, especially the people of flint, are proud of what he's accomplished. but people all across america, especially young people, as we look to so many athletes and actors and politicians who

sometimes disappoint us, here you've got a young man, 19 years old, who on the night that he received the highest athletic award that can be bestowed upon a college football player, stood and with tears in his eyes proudly thanked god, thanked his family, thanked even his teachers, the professors at the university of alabama, for helping to give him this opportunity. thanked, as my friend from kentucky said, the offensive line, the quarterback, the others who helped make this not just an individual award but a team award. as i think about my own children, a 14-year-old daughter, lee, and 11-year-old son, robin, i liked to know there are young role models like mark ingram out there for children all across america to be proud of and to look up to. yes, mark ingram is a tremendous athlete.

as my colleagues have already noted, he is not only the -- set the single season rushing record at the university of alabama, when you think about the great names who played running back, johnny museo, sean alexander, bobby humphrey, that's saying a lot. but mark ingram is also a deans list student. my sister, judy, is the provost at the university of alabama, chief academic officer. she says the faculty at the university look at mark with awe at what he does not only on the athletic field but in the classroom as well. he's a deans list student and he's certainly setting the highest standard of any student at the university of alabama. so, it goes without saying, madam speaker, that we are all proud, the people of michigan, the people of alabama, and people all across this country that a young man can come to the university of alabama, someone who didn't even know if he would be starting in running back --

at the running back position at the beginning of the year, and contribute to his team to win the 13th national championship and the first ever heisman trophy. we are proud of mark ingram and i thank the gentleman from michigan and the gentleman from kentucky for allowing all of us to pause for just a moment and say we salute you, mark, we are proud of you, and we know you have a great future in front of you. i yield back the time the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from kentucky -- from michigan. mr. kildee: i continue to reserve my time. i want to thank mr. bonner for his kind remarks. his family back in flint, is watching this live right now. and alabama is proud of him. michigan is proud of him. and he makes this whole nation proud of him. his depth of decency really gives us an example for all of

us. i continue to reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from kentucky. mr. guthrie: i have no further speakers. i would like to close. he was an outstanding young man to watch. i watched most of the games he played on television. actually had a chance to see the b.c.s. game myself. he just seemed like an outstanding person. the people that i know that are close to the program were just -- it couldn't have happened to a better person. somebody who excudes leadership on the football field and somebody you want to be around. that says a lot. it says a lot for him. i urge the passing of this resolution. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: madam speaker, 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 970. so many as are 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 the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise? mr. kildee: madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 862, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 862, resolution congratulating the staff, students, and faculty at the illinois mathematics and science academy for winning the 2009 star innovator in the intel

schools of distinction competition. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from michigan, mr. kildee, and the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. platts, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on h.res. 862 into the record. madam speaker, -- the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i am pleased to recognize the gentleman from illinois and yield him such time as he may consume. mr. foster. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for as much time as he shall consume. mr. foster: thank you. madam speaker, i'm here on the floor today to speak in support of h.res. 862, honoring the illinois math and science academy for the receipt of the intel corporation star innovator award.

the illinois math and science academy is a school of outstanding academic quality in my district, but i'm also speaking in support of bringing the attention of this body to the importance of education in science, mathematics, and other quantitative fields. the illinois math and science academy was first proposed by leon letterman, the recipients of the nobel prize in physics in 1988, as a way of ensuring that top flight and motivated illinois children receive an invaluable education in science and mathematics. and also to train thousands of illinois teachers in the art of teaching those kills -- skifments under the guidance of stephanie pace marshal, this institution boss blossomed into one that graduated many famous people. including dozens of surgeons, teachers, pilots, scientists, and even financial services experts. we employ a graduate in our

congressional office today. the award this school received last september, intel corporation's star innovator award, has its own rich history of promoting science in the united states. the progenitor of this award was first given out in 1942, then referred as the westing house science talent search. this award was given out under this name for over 50 years and was widely recognized as the highest scientific honor that any high school student could receive. a decade ago this program was taken over by intel, the company that invented the microprocessor and company that recognizes the crucial importance of math and science education to the economic future of our country. the name of the award as primary sponsor may have changed, but the award itself and high academic honor associated with it continue to this day. under intel's guidance the program includes awards honoring not only students and teachers but innovative institutions specializing in math and science education as well. as a scientist myself, i see the need for recognizing and

congratulating scientific achievement at all ages. we need not -- we need this award not just this award, not just corporate sponsorships, not just economic rewards, but also a new cultural appreciation for the value of individuals with extensive quantitative skills in math, science, and engineering, and other technical disciplines. i also have a special reason to be proud of this award. as it turns out my daughter is one of the many proud alums. my daughter recently graduated from stanford and i'm happy to report she's gainfully employed doing work she enjoys. while the illinois math and science academy lies in the illinois 14th district i represent, i'm proud to be joined in this congratulation by the entire illinois delegation and in particular i'd like to thank representative judy biggert who has always been a strong supporter of math, science, and education as well

as the illinois math and science academy. i would be pleased to yield to her to second this congratulation and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. platts: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. platts: thank you, madam speaker. i rise today in support of house resolution 862, congratulating the staff, students, and faculty at the illinois mathematics and science academy for winning the 2009 star innovator in the intel schools of distinction competition. math and science education at all levels is a necessary part of strengthening the future of scientific research in the united states. as a result of the changing nature of the global economy, american economic competitiveness is now at the forefront emphasizing math and science education will ensure a competitive 21st century work force. madam speaker, i would now like to yield to the distinguished gentlelady from illinois, the gentlelady, miss judy biggert.

the speaker pro tempore: the the gentlewoman from illinois is recognized. mrs. biggert: i thank the gentleman for yielding. madam speaker, i rise today in strong support of house resolution 862, which congratulates the illinois mathematics and science academy, or commonly known as msa located in aroara, illinois, for winning the 2009 innovator award. i would like to commend the gentleman from illinois, representative foster, for authoring this resolution and also for all the work he's done in math and science and in education. we really do need to continue to work and work to have more sciences, more engineers, more mathematicians if we are going to compete in the global economy. and msa was founded in 1985 and the -- it does enroll the most talented, 10th through 8th

graders in the state of illinois. since its founding it has graduated 4,000 students, including many from nearby communities. i have had the opportunity to have many of those students come from my district. m.s.a. students go on to pursue exciting careers in the latest cutting-edge fields. mathematics, engineering, and science. just a few more facts where these m.s.a. alumni have gone, they were founding teams for many websites. many website innovations, including netscape, paypall, and u tube as the gentleman from illinois recognized. each year intel gives this star innovation award to a school that provides high quality,

cutting-edge math and science instruction in a unique and enriching environment. it really is -- in a boarding school but the kids have the opportunity to go home on the weekend. they work really, really hard and concentrate. on their studies. and they come out with a great education and are able to move forward. i'm a long time advocate, also, of the science, technology, engineering mathematics or stem education. and i have been since my tenure here in congress. i'm really delighted to see that this school is recognized for its innovative curriculum. its administration, its teachers, and the high caliber of graduates that it produces. if we are really to strive and to develop a work force for the 2 isst cren 2ri -- 21st century and be able to participate in

the global commirks we always think of our country as having the innovation and creativity. well, this is where it comes from. it's from schools like this that produce the graduates that are able to take care -- to carry forth in these fields. i hope that m.s.a. will be a model for other schools throughout the country. i think the more recognition it guess, -- gets, the more we are going to find these schools are so important to our economy. please join us in supporting this important resolution and encouraging excellence among our nation's schools and our -- giving the best students the opportunity to participate in something like this. with that i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: i recognize myself for such time as i may consume. first of all, it's always -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. kildee: nice to follow mrs. biggert to the microphone, particularly when she speaks on

education. her support of education at every level is well-known, well beyond the borders of illinois. and this country's educational system is much better off because of her devotion to education. . madam speaker, i rise in support of h.res. 862, congratulating the staff of the illinois' mathematics and science academy for win the 2009 star innovator in the intel schools distinction competition. each year the intel corporation holds a school of distinction competition. the awards are recognized schools in the united states that have implement innovative math and science programs and serve as role models for other schools. among the 18 schools that qualify for the intel schools of distinction honor, one school is selected to receive the high prestigious star innovator award. finalist, winner and the star innovator all receive a cash

grant from the intel foundation. the star innovator is given a $25,000 grant. on september 15, 2009, the illinois mathematics and science academy was selected as the 2009 star innovator. established in 1985, the idea, as mr. foster mentioned, was the idea created by prize -- nobel winner leon letterman. it was set out to craft a school that not only would provide children with an invaluable education in science and mathematics but also train thousands of illinois teachers in the art of teaching those skills. students at the illinois math and science academy design and conduct hands on experiments, make observations, analyze data, draw conclusions and communicate evidence-based principles. students are able to delve into the scientific literature and build understanding by blending

information and investigation through writing. students are given opportunities to partner with cutting edge scientists on diagnostics, nanotechnology, medical research and more. at the center of achievement at illinois mathematics and science academy is an excellent staff that utilize cutting edge facilities, technology to advance student achievement. of the 18 science faculty members, 11 have a ph.d. numerous alumni are currently working at the head of their fields in such diverse industries as aerospace, engineering, biotechnology, forensic science and academic institutions across the globe. the illinois mathematics and science academy has clearly demonstrated a continued dedication for providing the kind of education necessary to create future generations of scientists in the united states. and thus secure the future of

scientific research in this country. awarding them the star innovator award not only credits them for doing an outstanding job educating our youth in math and science but also helps grant them the funds to continue their success. madam speaker, once again, i express my support for congratulating the illinois mathematics and science academy in winning the 2009 star innovator in the school of distinction competition. and i urge my colleagues to support this resolution. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania. >> thank you, madam speaker. i have no other speakers, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i have no further speakers, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 862 as amended. 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, the resolution is agreed to and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise? mr. kildee: madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1001. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1001, resolution congratulating north central college on winning the 2009 ncaa division iii men's cross-country championship. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from michigan, mr. kildee, and the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. platts, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on h.res.

1001 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i rise today in support of h.res. 1001, which recognizes and congratulates the north central college cardinals men's cross-country team for winning the 2009 ncaa twigs iii men's cross-country championship. for the entirety of the 2009 season, the north central college cardinals men's cross-country team held onto their ranking as number one among ncaa division iii teams and by the u.s. track and field and cross-country coaches association. the team won their first intercollegiate championship this season edging out the university of illinois by 16 points by winning the ncaa

midwest regional by an 84-point margin. on november 21, 2009, the team applied the lessons learned during their successful season and displayed their outstanding athletic skills by winning the ncaa division iii national cross-country championship. it was the cardinals' 13th men's cross-country championship in their school's history and first since 1999. the team won with 50 points and the margin of victory was the largest in the history of division iii men's national meet. in addition, all seven of the cardinals' team national championship competitors earned all-american honors. i'd like to recognize each one of them individually and congratulate neal klein, michael spain, ryan carrigan, nathaniel hird, kyle brandy, nathan rutz and sean carlson on

their athletic excellence. special congratulationses are due to coach -- special congratulations are due to coach al carius for leading the team to the championship, guided the cardinals to eight invitationals this season. in addition to an outstanding season of coaching, the day after winning the championship the u.s. track and field and cross-country coaches association named carius the 2009 ncaa division iii national cross-country coach of the year. carius, also a member of the u.s. track and field, cross-country coaches association hall of fame, has led his athletes to a total of 18 national titles during his tenure at north central, and four championships in outdoor track and field and one in indoor track and field. north central college suck seeds not only on the cross-country trails but in its classrooms -- succeeds not only

on the cross-country trails but in its classrooms as well. they have undergraduates hailing from 31 states and 24 foreign countries. n.c.c. offers 55 different majors. north central college empowers students to choose nontraditional concentrationings and offer a wide range of independent studies and internships. it is an institute of higher learning from which the graduates include its athletes which will go on to accomplish great things and make important contributions to our nation. madam speaker, once again, i congratulate the north central men's cross-country team and its coaches on its 2009 division iii ncaa championship title. i wish the program much success in the 2010 season, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. platts: thank you, madam speaker.

i yield such time as the sponsor of this legislation, the distinguished gentlewoman from illinois, the gentlelady, judy biggert. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. biggert: i thank the gentleman for yielding. madam speaker, i rise today in support of house resolution 1001, recognizing north central college in naperville, illinois, in my district, for exceptional athletic and academic achievements. on november 21, 2009, the north strell men's cross-country -- central men's cross-country won the division iii national championship. team members, and i am going to go over their names again, because i think this is so important, neal klein, michael spain, ryan carrigan, nathaniel hird, kyle brady, nathan rutz and sean carlson earned all-american status, placing them in an elite group of national athletes.

additional, coach al carius was named 2009 ncaa division iii national cross-country coach of the year by the u.s. track and field and cross-country association. these dedicated young men of the team spent countless hours training and preparing for their outstanding cross-country season, ultimately winning nearly every meet in which they participated. the success of the north central men's cross-country team is but one example of the high caliber of the college students in both athletic and academic pursuits. i think this resolution is a great opportunity to encourage excellence among our nation's best students. when you look at the students, you say this is athletics, this isn't academic, i think it goes hand in hand.

the exercise is improving the capability of our brain. i think so many times you think this is a little side but i think it's important. i'm proud to say that illinois is the only state in the union that requires gym or some sort of athletics for every student in the state. and i wish more states could have the same opportunity for the kids to pursue the -- their sports. but -- this is a great opportunity to talk about excellence in both athletics and academics. i'd urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the north central men's cross country team for their victory at the ncaa division iii national championship. and i would yield back the balance of my time.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: madam speaker, first of all, i'm sure the students and faculty and coaches and all those at north central college are very pleased that mrs. biggert is the chief sponsor of this resolution and it's our pleasure in a few minutes to pass that so they can keep it in their archives forever. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman continues to reserve. the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. platts: thank you, madam speaker. i urge a yes vote in support of house resolution 1001 and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: 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 1001. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being 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 michigan rise? mr. kildee: madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1002. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1002, resolution honoring the life and work of dr. martin luther king jr. and encouraging the continued commitment to the martin luther king jr. day as a national day of service. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from michigan, mr. kildee, and the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. platts, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on h.res.

1002 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. kildee: madam speaker, i rise in support of house resolution 1002, which honors the life and work of dr. martin luther king jr. and encourages the continued commitment to martin luther king jr. day as a national day of service. january 18, 2010, marks an important holiday for our country. it is a day in which our nation reflects on the life and teachings of an inspirational and courageous leader, dr. martin luther king. dr. king devoted his life to the causes of equality and social justice, believing that unity in nonviolence and service to our fellow man would empower individuals and strengthen our communities and our country. .

as the king day of service approaches encourage my peers, colleagues, and every american citizen to answer dr. king's call to service by volunteering within your communities. last year, the 2009 king day of service brought together more than one million volunteers across the nation to work on more than 13,000 projects. this year public and private entities alike, including the corporation for national and community service, the martin luther king jr. center for nonviolent social change, clear channel, u.p.s., and habitat for humanity are committed to building on last year's success and generating an even larger show of unity and service in this country. service and volunteerism are

fundamental values demonstrated by our citizens throughout history. in good times or hour of greatest need, fellow zints have always come together with great spirit and again rossity. as a country we have looked to national service for healing and hope as well as joy and laughter. the inherent value of service to our communities was acknowledged and affirmed by congress and president obama when in april of 2009 the edward m. kennedy service america act was signed into law. this legislation has jump-started a new service era. creating a continuum of service for which americans of all ages and from every background can lend their experience and skills to uplift our communities and transform this nation. since its passage, organizations like americorps have been able to significantly expand their membership, receiving more applications than they have capacity for at a ratio of four

to one. this year kings day of service provides each of us with the opportunity to follow in dr. king's footsteps. through service to our communities on this day and throughout the year to come. madam speaker, i proudly support this resolution and thank congressman platts for bringing this bill forward. i urge my colleagues to support this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. paths: thank you, madam speaker. -- mr. platts: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. platts: i rise today in support of house resolution 1002 which provides martin luther king jr. day as a day of national service and recognizes the efforts of the countless americans who will volunteer their time and efforts on behalf of many worthy causes. i'm proud to have introduced this resolution with my fellow co-chairs of the national service caucus, representatives doris matsui, verne ehlers, and

david price, as well as education and labor committee chairman george miller, representative john lewis, and numerous other colleagues. it was in 1994 that congress designated the martin luther king jr. federal holiday as a national day of service in recognition of dr. king's selfless and courageous service to his fellow citizens. since then we have seen a growing number of individuals embrace this day as a day on not a day off. in 2009, millions of americans spent the martin luther king jr. day serving in over 13,000 projects all across the country. this year the corporation for national community service is again working with the king center and six other grantees to promote the king day of service. in years past, organizations like the capital area food bank, habitat for humanity, and the boys and girls clubs all benefited from the volunteer efforts of everyday americans. i'm looking forward to again volunteering myself at the

christmas advocacy association of york back in my hometown. as january 18 quickly approaches, i encourage my fellow members of congress and constituents to take advantage of the countless service opportunities available in your local communities. a list of opportunities can be found at serve.gov as well as mlkday.gov. in addition to the day's activities, families and individuals will be given resources as to how they can serve their communities throughout the year. as we reflect on the great gift, compassion, and selflessness that dr. king has given us both in his life and in passing, may we remember his words, quote, everybody can be great because anybody can serve, unquote. i urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan.

mr. kildee: madam speaker, i yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from georgia, mr. lewis. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from georgia is recognized. mr. lewis: madam speaker, i want to thank my colleague for presenting this resolution. madam speaker, i rise in tribute to dr. martin luther king jr. dr. king was a man i knew personally and regarded as a brother, friend, colleague, and my hero. he was a simple human being filled with love, peace, and compassion for all humankind. he was ray of hope who preached a doctrine of nonviolence and civil disobedience to combat racial injustice. dr. king's speech at the at washington, transformed the steps of the lingom memorial. on that day he shared his dream of a beloved community, a truly interracial democracy. i can still hear him say, i have

a dream today, deeply rooted in american dreams. it is fitting and appropriate that we pause as a nation and as a people to remember the life of dr. martin luther king jr.. he inspired a nation and changed america forever. it is also fitting while remembering his life and his contribution that we commit ourselves to serving our communities, to become the change that we all wish to see in the world. madam speaker, today we encourage all citizens, especially our young people, to take the time to reflect on the attention and leadership of dr. martin luther king jr. we encourage all people to do something today for your neighbor, for your community, for your country that will move us closer to dr. king's dream of

creating a beloved community. i urge all members to reflect on this day of service and peace. remember dr. martin luther king jr. legacy this weekend. make a difference in your own community. and continue dr. king's great legacy of service and make it your own. thank you, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. platts: thank you, madam speaker. i yield as much time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from california, mr. lungren. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for as much time as he may consume. mr. lungren: i thank the gentleman for the time. i thank him for bringing this bill to the floor. i thank the gentleman on the other side of the aisle for their support of this bill. madam speaker, i rise as one who was part of the bipartisan coalition who established in this chamber the martin luther king holiday some 2 1/2 decades

ago. that was a glorious day here. and it was a day in which we acted for the right reasons. martin luther king jr. was born january 15, 1929. perhaps it is fitting that dr. king was born in that year for while the great crash of 1929 would shake the economic and financial fundamentals of our country and our society, dr. king's life and work would just as dramatically shake this nation into reconfirming our commitments to a moral and constitutional foundations. madam speaker, in honoring dr. king we do not have the time to recount the entire complex history of civil rights in this country. but dr. king knew and appreciated 9 -- the shoulders upon which he stood. slavery was our founding fault and segregation our enduring national stain. dr. king knew these truths in his soul and knew many we would

discuss today that fought their struggles for civil rights and laid the groundwork for dr. king's life work. the gentleman from georgia is one of those people. we have individuals like harriet tubman, frederick douglass, the african-americans who so nobly p. tragically served in congress after the civil war. booker t. washington, the early founders of the naacp, emmet till, medgar evers. those tirelessly persistent souls in montgomery, the great individuals in birmingham, alabama, and philadelphia, mississippi who tried to cross the edmund pet tiss bridge and many more. -- pettis bridge. and many more. we think of those 180,000 african-americans who served and fought for this country during the civil war. those who fought bravely against the sufferings, the lynching,

the violence, the defactor segregation, and enforced callousness and ruthlessness to be second class citizens in a nation founded on liberty. many could have been bitter. those who succeeded were not bitter, but they called us to our better spirits. martin luther king jr. stood on these precedence admonishing us to look at their example and we should take pride in their and his commitment to equality and to civil rights. madam speaker, dr. king's letter from a birmingham jail is one of the finest articulations of the moral prerequisites of the rule of law and its fundamental necessaryity to our legal, political, and societal foundations ever written. when i talked to school children, oftentimes i tell them to take a look at that letter. when you realize that letter was

written without any access to books at the time. that he wrote under very difficult circumstances in a sparse jail cell. you appreciate even more the wisdom and the grace of the language that dr. king used. his articulation of natural rights guarded by natural law of just and unjust laws, of the objective and nonarbitrary basis for the rule of law, trust, government, and moral order is in my judgment without comparison. so as we call in this resolution people in this nation, particularly young people, to dedicate a portion of that day to service of the country, let us remember the vision of dr. king as he understood the true basis for laws in this country. when asked by some of the other ministers at birmingham why he

would interfere, he basically answered that it was his obligation to stand up against injustice. and he said that he was a man of the law, but we were called to follow just laws not unjust laws. and he answered the question as to the difference between the two t and he, in my judgment, made a very, very specific reference to natural law. in which he said that there are those laws which violate the laws of god that we know them to be unjust and therefore we must work against them. i also remember in that letter he said to these ministers who were similarly christian ministers when they accused him of being an outside agitator, and i can only paraphrase his words, but he said words to this

effect, he said, what would christ but an outside agitator for love. what was christ but someone who attempted to seek justice and are not we called upon to do the same thing? as we in this resolution call upon young people and others in this country to commit some time in the service of others, let them understand that dr. king's appeal went deeper than just serving another. it was serving another for the right reason. it was for fighting for justice not only in your community but anywhere that you saw injustice. there are few heroes in any lifetime that you have. but certainly for those of us old enough to have been alive during dr. king's lifetime, even though we may not have marched with him, we were honored to be part of a generation that saw his life and his commitment and

his call to justice and truth. and fundamentally to a full application of the constitution of the united states and the foundations which -- upon which this country is based. i thank you for the time. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: i continue to reserve, madam chair. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman continues to reserve. the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. platts: thank you, madam speaker. i again urge a yes vote in support of the resolution. honored to join with the gentleman from michigan and georgia and certainly delighted and honored to associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman from california and his work in establishing the martin luther king jr. federal holiday. urge a yes vote and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house

suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1002. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair -- mr. kildee: i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: on that i request the yeas and nays, madam chair. . the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20 and the chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise? >> madam chair, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 860 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 860, resolution supporting the initiatives of chicago wilderness and the children's outdoor bill of rights. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from michigan, mr. kildee, and the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. platts, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on h.res. 860 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection.

mr. kildee: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. kildee: i rise today in support of house resolution 860, supporting the initiatives of chicago wilderness and children's outdoor bill of rights. with more and more children growing up in a world where the internet, cell phones and video games are at their fingertips, the need for children to play and explore outside has become even more important. research has shown that unstructured outdoor play is a key element in the wholesome, balanced development of the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical skills of children. the chicago wilderness, a coalition of over 240 organizations is committed to adding biodiversity to the chicago metropolitan area and creating a better quality of life in the community. based on the idea that people's lives are improved by a strong

connection with nature, the coalition sets out to increase and diversify public participation and environmental stewardship. chicago wilderness especially recognizes the value of connecting children to nature. in fact, in 2007, they launched the leave no child inside initiative and the children's outdoor bill of rights with the gell of increasing awareness and encourage manager children to explore their outdoor environments. getting more children outside enjoying nature, encouraging their curiosity and developing their creativity is essential. playing outdoors not only helps children learn in new ways and improve academically, it helps them thrive both socially and emotionally. studies have shown that outdoor play helps children overcome stress as well as helping them become more inventive and better problem solvers. many health risks are also

lowered when outdoor activities become part of a child's daily life. in children who connect with nature have even show to improve their interpersonal relationships and behavior. in some cases, outdoor activities, something as simple as fishing, has been correlated with reducing the symptoms of attention deficit disorder. this resolution encourages us to all recognize and support the children's outdoor bill of rights, commitment to fight obesity and physical disorders, and awareness of a natural amenities by promoting quality outdoor activities for both children and adults. this is a worthy commitment, simple and fun outdoor activities can have a great impact on our nation's children and families. madam speaker, once again, i express my support of h.res. 860 and thank representative

quigley for bringing this bill forward and urge my colleagues to support this measure and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania rise? >> thank you, madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. >> i rise today in support of house resolution 860, supporting the initiatives of chicago wilderness and the children's outdoor bill of rights and i want to commend the gentleman from chicago, mr. quigley, for his leadership on this issue. most of us here today can remember ample time in our childhood spent outdoors. to this very day, the child in me enjoys hikes in the woods, tent camping for my wife leslie and our two boys, t.j. and tom, some of our most wonderful vacations have been tent camping in our national parks throughout our great nation. unfortunately, however, many children today don't have the same opportunities due to a

lack of safe outdoor play areas and abundance of video games and television time and little encouragement to play outdoors, many children today don't experience the benefits of outdoor activities. research indicates that being active outdoors benefits children in countless ways. active outdoor play has been shown to help children manage stress, lower that -- lower their blood pressure and help children develop cognitive skills. the children's outdoor bill of rights encourages children to explore opportunities to discover the wilderness to learn to swim to follow a trail and explore other outdoor resources. the children's outdoor bill of rights highlights the importance of outdoor activities to the development and nourishment of our children. children certainly should be encouraged to take vack of these unique opportunities and

resources. for most of us outdoor play was a regular part of growing up. unfortunately, this again is not true today. by supporting the children's outdoor bill of right we highlight the importance of children participating in outdoor activities and in doing so will bless not just our nation's children but our nation as a whole. i'm honored to support this resolution and urge a yes vote. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise? mr. kildee: i yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from illinois, the sponsor of this legislation, mr. quigley. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. quigley: thank you, madam speaker. i appreciate the remarks from the gentleman from pennsylvania and it bears truth that philly fans and cubs fans can unite on common goals. earlier this year the house passed the no child left inside act a bill and initiative i support whole heartedly. this past summer, following our

congressional footsteps, the illinois general assembly proclaimed june no child left inside month. chicago wilderness, a network of over 240 organizations statewide, makes giant strides to promote this initiative. the organization works to get more children outside and increase the amount and quality of the time they spend there. children who grow up with an understanding of the land, air, and water surrounding them grow into environmentally conscious adults. it makes them more physically fit. these individuals are people who are actively involved in efforts to clean, restore and preserve our precious resources. chicago wilderness knows this and works hard to better the lives and communities of everyone in the chicagoland area. chicago wilderness should be commended and recognized for their efforts to promote environmental literacy and healthy living. i urge you to join me in support of this resolution on the house floor today as it is my first resolution, i wish to

thank my staff for their efforts, thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. platts: thank you, madam speaker. before i conclude, i want to reference, on a family visit to chicago this past summer, we think of chicago as that urban center and city, and a wonderful city it is, but my boys had a chance to fish in the chicago river as part of a city of chicago fishing program encouraging just what we're talking about in this resolution, getting kids outdoors and enjoying the activities of outdoors. the fish they caught -- they caught in the chicago river may not have been big but they caught some and they remember that visit well. i urge a yes vote and thank the gentleman from illinois for sponsoring this resolution. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan. mr. kildee: i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and agree to the resolution as amended. those in favor say aye.

those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the resolution is agreed to and without objection the motion to -- mr. kildee: on that, i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20 and the chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from massachusetts rise? >> good afternoon, madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 3892. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 3892, a bill to designate the facility of the united states postal service

located at 101 west highway 64 boy pass as the e.v. wilkins post office. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. lynch, and the gentleman from missouri, mr. luke mire, will each -- mr. lute mire will each control 20 minutes. mr. lynch: i have ask that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. lynch sprk i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lynch: as chairman of the house subcommittee with jurisdiction over the united states postal service, i present h.r. 3892 for consideration this legislation will designate the facility of the united states postal service located at 101 west highway 64 bypass as the e.d. wilkins post office. at this time, i would like to

yield for such time as he may consume to the chief -- lead sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from north carolina. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. >> thank you very much, madam chair. to the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, my friend from massachusetts, mr. lynch and to the minority member who is managing the bill, i don't recall your name right now, but i apologize for that, thank you very much for allowing us to have this time today. i rise to recognize a friend, the late el mor d. wilkins, -- th the late elmore d. wilkins, a life-long carolynian. we remember him as one with a strong philosophy of tolerance, civic responsibility and educational achievement. because of his public service,

i introduced this bill to name the united states post office located in roper, north carolina, as the e.d. kill wince -- wilkins post office. the entire north carolina designation, and i understand mr. etheridge, my colleague from north carolina, may be on the floor in a few minutes, we are now one step closer to this bill becoming a reality. the people throughout the county of washington in north carolina and the surrounding counties deeply appreciate this naming opportunity. elmore b. wilkins was born in 1911 and this was no coincidence. he was a staunch defender of constitutional rights and would become a well known voice for civil rights and voting rights for every citizen. he was the second of 10 children born to l.t.l. and mrs. malinggee wilkins in

roper. after graduating from north carolina central university in the 1930's, e.b. returned to his hometown of roper to teach mathematics and j.j. clemmons high school. he became the school's principal a position he held for more than 30 years. . prior to his ackivism, white children were the only students having access to a bus, forcing african-american students to walk, sometimes miles to and from their school. he solicited small donations from white citizens and african-american citizens and even accepted bushels of potatoes from those unable to give money. they were sold and the proceeds were used in what was called the bus fund. in the mid 1950's, frustrated

with the inability of african-american citizens to vote, e.v. wilkins along with the local branch of the naacp, initiate add lawsuit to compel election officials to allow african-american citizens to register to vote. as a result, e.v.'s father, was able to vote for the first time in 1956. it was clear to e.v. that political empowerment for the african-american community could make a real difference in their lives. and so in 1967, two years after the voting rights act, e.v. made history by becoming the first african-american since reconstruction to be elected to the town council. sensing an opportunity to better serve the tount and its citizens, e.v. was then elected mayor in 1975. again making history as the first african-american to hold that position. e.v. served as mayor for 20 years until his retirement. e.v. was a well-known

progressive voice in eastern north carolina. in addition to serving as mayor, he served as a delegate to the democratic national convention in 1972, 1980 and 1984. helping to nominate george mcgovern, jimmy carter, and walter mon dale as nominees for his political party. e.v. was a tireless and stalwart public servant throughout his life. in addition to his service as teacher, principal, councilman, and mayor, he served on numerous boards including the state board of education for north carolina. state economic development commission. north carolina's secondary road council. north carolina railroad board of directors. north carolina state ports authority. advisory board for the rural education institution at e.c.u., which is east carolina university, and elizabeth city state university board of trustees. during his life, e.v. received many honors and awards including the north carolina distinguished citizen award, the order of the

long leaf pine service award by the north carolina leadership office, the north carolina distinguished service award, and the north carolina human relations commission in recognition for his dedication and leadership in the areas of education, civil rights, and human rights. he was also honored by the elizabeth city state university with the naming of the university's computer center as the e.v. wilkins academic computer center several years ago. further, elizabeth city state university established the e.v. wilkins endowed chair and the university school of education and psychology department in 1996. e.v. wilkins passed away, madam speaker, on june 2, 2002. at the age of 90. his commitment to enriching the lives and standing up for those less fortunate are qualities i hope we all emulate. his integrity and values for hi he did will bring great honor to the post office that will bear

his name. his greatest joy was his two daughters. bunny was also called to service much like her father. she is currently the mayor of roper, north carolina, and is an outspoken advocate for her town and citizens. again i want to thank my friend, mr. lynch, and the r78 -- ranking member, and all my colleagues for their strong support. i respectfully request a yea -- yeah vote on h.r. 3892. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from is recognized. >> thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise today in support of house resolution 38 2, designating the united states postal service facility located at 101 west highway 64 bypass in roper, north carolina, the e.v. wilkins post office. born in roper, north carolina, on july 4, 1911, elver vanray wilkins spent his childhood there before attending north carolina sent tral university

where he received a bachelor of science and master of arts degree. upon graduation, mr. wilkins returned home to roper where he taught mathematics at j.j. clemons high school. during his time he was serving as a teacher, mr. wilkins met his wife, elizabeth, also a fellow teacher. the result of his success as a teacher, in 1941 he was made principal of clemons high school. a position he held with distinction for 30 years. after his service to the high school, he was described as a mentor to many students. in the 1950's, mr. wilkins began his involvement in politics. he worked with the naacp to file a lawsuit that eventually ensured that african-americans in his hometown county of washington county, would allow the right to vote. he continued his work in politics in 1967 as he became the first postreconstruction african-american member of the roper town council. mr. wilkins broke down more racial barriers in 1975 when he became the first african-american mayor of roper.

he served as mayor for 20 years until he retired. during his time as mayor, he was delegate to the democratic national convention three separate times. his years of public service earned him many different awards and honors. his patience for helping others and dedication to the town was a model for young people in the community, that he helped grow and change. he was given the north carolina distinguished citizen award and service award by the north carolina leadership caucus. the north carolina distinguished service award and the north carolina human rights commission's libby d. koontz award in recognition of his dedication and leadership in the areas of education, civil rights, and human rights. elizabeth city university dedicated its computer center to mr. wilkins and created an endowed chair in hisor in the school of education -- in his honor in the school of education. his accomplishments are a role model, including his daughter, bunny, who is the current mayor. i urge my colleagues to support

this resolution to honor e.v. wilkins' life and successes. ask my fellow members to join me in supporting house resolution 3892. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: thank you, madam speaker. at this time i would like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from illinois, mr. davis, to speak on mr. butterfield's resolution. the speaker pro tempore: gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. davis: thank you very much, madam speaker. let me first of all thank chairman lynch for yielding. i want to commend representative butterfield for introducing such an outstanding resolution paying tribute to such an outstanding individual as mr. wilkins. as i listened to representative putter field talk about wilkins, i couldn't help but be reminded of my own parents, my uncles, and aunts who all part of that generation of individuals who

did outstanding work that has been unheralded in many instances. so i simply want to congratulate representative butterfield for recognizing such an outstanding person. i also want to take this opportunity to commend representative platts for his resolution honoring the work of dr. martin luther king who lived in the neighborhood where i lived the little time he spent in chicago. and i got a chance to know him and to see him so i simply recommend that all of us spend a day of service and day of work in his memory. i thank you, madam speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri is recognized. mr. luetkemeyer: madam speaker, i urge all members to support the passage of house resolution 3 le 92 -- 3892. having no further speakers i

yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: thank you, madam speaker. i ask all members -- first of all i want to thank mr. luetkemeyer for his articulate comments and his support of this resolution. i want to thank the sponsors, lead sponsors, mr. butterfield and also mr. etheridge, i understand is a sponsor as well. i ask our colleagues on both sides to support this resolution. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 3892. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative--the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: i would like to call the yeas and nays, please. 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's prior announcement,

further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from massachusetts rise s mr. lynch: madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 4139. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 4139, a bill to designate the facility of the united states postal service located at 7464 highway 503 in hickory, mississippi, as the sergeant matthew l. ingram post office. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. lynch, and the gentleman from missouri, mr. luetkemeyer, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: thank you, madam speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the chair recognizes the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i

may consume. madam speaker, as chairman of the house subcommittee with jurisdiction over the united states postal service, i am pleased to present house resolution 4139 for consideration. this legislation will designate the united states postal service located at -- post office facility located at 7464 highway 503 in hickory, mississippi, as the sergeant matthew l. ingram post office. house resolution 4139 was introduced by my colleague, representative greg harper, of mississippi on november 19, 2009. and reported out of the oversight and government reform committee on december 10, 2009, by a voice vote. in addition, the legislation enjoys the support of the entire mississippi house delegation. a native of pearl, mississippi, sergeant ingram was serving in support of operation enduring freedom in afghanistan as a proud member of the second

battalion, 12th infantry regiment, fourth brigade combat team out of fort collins, colorado. regrettably he was killed in action in afghanistan after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle and his unit came under small arms fire from enemy forces. he was 25 years old at the time of his death. following his graduation from newton county high school in decatur, mississippi, sergeant ink gram enlisted in the united states army in 2003 to fulfill his lifelong goal of serving his country. one year later, sergeant ingram was deployed to iraq and served two tours of duty with distinction in support of operation iraqi freedom. from 2004 to 2005 and from 2006 to 2007. in recognition of his exemplary service, he received an army

commendation medal, an honor bestowed on soldiers who distinguish themselves through heroism, meritorious achievement or service. in 2009 he began a tour of duty in afghanistan in support of operation enduring freedom and remained in service to his country until his passing on august 21 of last year. madam speaker, those that were fortunate enough to know sergeant matthew ingram remember him as a loyal, hardworking whose dedication to serving his country was only surpassed by his devotion to his loving family. in the words of his loving father, james, sergeant matthew ingram was a mighty good man. as noted by his beloved life, sergeant ingram was a soldier at his heart whose service in the united states army afforded him the opportunity to do exactly what he loved to do. however, sergeant ingram always

considered being a good dad to his daughter, now over a year old, as his most important mission in life. he loved his baby and would do anything for her, recalls holly ingram, upon her husband's passing. similarly sergeant ingram's classmates and teachers at his alma mater remember their fallen friend as a dedicated and soar rageous young man -- and courageous young man. as noted, i'm very honored to have taught him and the fact he gave the ultimate sacrifice is something i'm proud of that hi an opportunity to teach him. . the life of sergeant ingram stands as a dedication to all our men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. let us pay tribute to his life and service, that of sergeant matthew l. ingram, through the

passage of this resolution to name the postal center in hickory creek in his honor. i urge my colleagues to support this resolution and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri is recognized. >> in the interest of time, i would like to have my remarks entered in the record and yield to my colleague, mr. harper, any amount of time he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. harper: i rise today in support of h.r. 4139 a resolution to designate the facility of the united states postal service located in hickory, mississippi, as the sergeant matthew l. ingram post office. he was thought of by his mother patricia as we one giving the orders. she explains he would tell his older brother what to do.

he has always been a leader, not a follower, said patricia. the he saw many advantages to military service he saw it as a way to serve the country he loved, pay for his education and as his mother added, see the world. ingram joined the army in the sum over 2003, fulfilling his basic training requirements at fort benning, georgia. he served as a member of the second battalion, fourth brigade combat team, fourth infantry division, based in fort carson, colorado. soon after basic training, his brigade was reassigned to south korea, where he spent 10 months prior to his first deployment to iraq for a one-year tour. stationed in colorado, ingram would meet his future wife holly. their 2006 marriage preceded his return for a second iraq tour. however, this time, he had been promoted to sergeant. in 2007, sergeant ingram returned to colorado from

theater wearing an impressive military decoration he wore one of the highest honors presented to soldiers wounded while serving his country, the purple heart. as his mother described, that was his most prized possession. his next call to duty was in afghanistan in may of 2009 and for the first time, he left not only a wife who he loved, but also a beautiful baby girl, chloe. his departure would be the last time this brave young soldier would ever embrace his family he loved so much. on august 20, 2009, army sergeant matthew ingram died from wounds suffered from an i.e.d. detonated near his vehicle during combat in afghanistan. the blast occurred while his unit was under small arms fire from enemy forces. at the time of his death, the fighting in afghanistan was so brutal that admiral mike mullen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, described the situation as

serious and deteriorating. although this was sergeant ingram's last mission, combat had become familiar to this brave purple heart facility. naming this facility will represent a constant reminder of the sacrifices ingram and others have made to their country. matthew's love for his country and able leadership took him from hickory, mississippi to afghanistan and his courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten. i urge you to support this resolution and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. >> we have no further speakers -- mr. lynch: we have no further speakers at this time but continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. luetkemeyer: having no further speakers, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. mr. lynch: i ask all members on

each side as well to support the resolution, which will designate the facility of the united states postal service located -- in hickory, mississippi, in honor of matthew l. ingram and i yield back the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 4139. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and the bill is passed. without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose -- for what purpose does the gentleman from massachusetts rise? mr. lynch: i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill s. 692. the speaker pro tempore: the

clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 692, an act to provide that claims of the united states of document documents related to franklin delano roosevelt shall be treated as waived in certain circumstances. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule the gentleman from massachusetts, will lynch and the gentleman from missouri, mr. luetkemeyer will each control 20 minutes. the chair are exnices the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: i ask that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and add any ex-trainus materials. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the chair recognizes the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. madam speaker, on behalf of the committee on oversight and government reform, i present senate bill 692 for consideration. this legislation will facilitate the donation of the grace kelly artive to the -- ar dive to the national ar dives. senate 692 is the senate

companion to h.r. 1506 introduced by louise slaughter. h.r. 1506 ro passed the house by voice vote after it was approved by the committee on oversight and government reform on a voice vote. senate 692 is identical to h.r. 1506. the legislation reported out of the senate committee without amendment on october 5, 2009, and was passed by the united states senate on october 14, 2009, by unanimous consent. madam speaker, ms. grace tully served as the personal secretary of presidents franklin delano roosevelt from june of 1941 to april of 1945. in her capacity as personal secretary to the president, ms. tully represerved an assortment of personal papers and other historical items that have come

to form a historically significant collection. while the private owner of the collection would like to donate the materials this the -- to the franklin delano roosevelt library, the national archives has asserted a claim to a portion of the collection. the claim asserted by the national archives impacts whether the private owner may claim a tax deduction for the donation. nrd to -- in order to facilitate the donation of the archives, senate bill 692 waives the government's claims to the records and will allow the collection to be gifted to the roosevelt library. madam speaker, the grace tully archive represents an important part of american history through the passage of senate bill 692, we ill ensure that this collection will be properly preserved and made publicly available through the roosevelt library. i'd like to note that this legislation enjoys the support of the national archives as noted by former acting

archivist adrien thomas, who writes, i write to express my support for the ongoing collection of the frank lip d. roodsvelt of the tully archive. ms. thomas went on to say, it is very important to the national archives and records administration and for future historians that might want to study these papers the tully archive to be kept intact and made fully accessible to the american people in a public government archive. madam speaker, i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting senate bill 692 and i reserve the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri is recognized. mr. luetkemeyer: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. luetkemeyer: senate bill 692 is idental -- identical to

h.r. 1506 passed in the house this will waive claims to certain documents known as the tully collection related to frankly roosevelt. grace tully served as franklin roosevelt's chief of staff and after her service, her collection passed through numerous hands to the current owners. in 2004, the national archives asserted a claim to a portion of the documents. the current owner wishes to donate the collection to president roosevelt's library and take a tax deduction. through the archives claim, the company is prevented from receiving a tax deduction. this bill waives the claim of the united states and the archives, clearing the way for the tax deduction and archives. i understand the archives

offered its spoth for, but i want to highlight two points. the majority is bringing this without discussion and given the problems with the archives, we should have an opportunity to review the agency. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. mr. lynch: i have no further speak thornse matter, but i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. luetkemeyer: i urge my colleagues to support this bill and yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lynch: i urge support of senate bill 692 and yield back the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 692. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative,

the rules are suspended and the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the payable. -- on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from most rise? mr. lynch: madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2646 as introduced. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 2646, a bill to amend title 31, united states code to enhance the oversight authorities of the comptroller general and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio rise? >> i rise to claim time in opposition. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is opposed -- is the gentleman from missouri opposed to the motion? >> no, we're not. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ohio will control the time in opposition. pursuant to the rule the gentleman from massachusetts,

mr. lynch, and the gentleman from ohio, mr. kucinich, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. lynch: thank you, madam speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. mr. lynch: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. madam speaker, on behalf of the committee on oversight and government reform, i rise in strong support of h.r. 2646, the government accountability office improvement act of 2009. this legislation introduced by the chairman of the oversight committee, representative ed towns of brooklyn, will increets the effectiveness of the g.a.o. by clarifying and strengthening the g.a.o.'s authority in several areas, including access to records. congress relies on the g.a.o. in carrying out the

investigative and oversight functions vested in the legislative branch. the g.a.o. helps inform the congress and the public about areas and programs within the federal government that are performing well and those that are -- that need to be improved and are vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse. the general accounting office provide reliable assessments as to whether the taxpayers are receiving full value from important programs this legislation is necessary to ensure that g.a.o. can successfully carry out all these important functions for the congress. specifically, the g.a.o. improvement act addresses a 2002 federal court decision that limited the g.a.o.'s ability to question agency access determinations in court. the bill explicitly provides the comptroller general with standing to pursue litigation if the comptroller general

determines that the performance of her official duties has been harmed by an agency improperly holding -- withholding information. the bill also clarify thinks g.a.o.'s access to important information in two important areas. first it confirms the g.a.o.'s right to make and maintain copies of records which has been denied by federal agencies in some cases and it provides the g.a.o. with the right to interview agency offices and employees. . the bill says it should be limited only in an act passed by congress. additionally the bill clarifies g.a.o.'s authority to administer oaths, an important tool in conducting audits and taking statements. lastly, it provides agencies more flexibility in reporting to

congress in their responses to g.a.o. recommendations. the committee on oversight and government reform committee reported h.r. 2646 favorably on a voice vote on june -- excuse me, on june 4, 2009. at the committee markup a bipartisan amendment was added to the bill that would have allowed the g.a.o. to conduct reviews of certain actions taken by the federal reserve that previously had been exempt from g.a.o. review. however, similar language was included in the wall street reform and consumer protection act which passed the house before the holiday recess, therefore the legislation that we are considering today is the bill introduced by representative towns on june 4. and is without the committee's amendment related to the federal reserve. madam speaker, the congress and the american people need the g.a.o. to help us remain informed about what's being done well and what needs to be improved within the federal government.

the g.a.o. can only do this effectively if it has access to all the information it needs. this bill strengthens the g.a.o. in this manner. it is an important good government initiative that will improve the effectiveness of government operations. i urge all members to support the legislation and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ohio is recognized. >> as recounted by my friend from massachusetts, the amendment which was in the bill that would have given the g.a.o. a bill audit effect was taken out of the bill and the bill as introduced originally before this congress. i question the wisdom of moving on this bill absent a provision to audit the fed prior to the senate acting. because suppose the senate,

which has the ability to go in any direction on this, suppose the senate strips out the provision that i did support, the ron paul provision, the senate strips that out and then we have stripped out a provision in our bill it sends a signal to the fed, business as usual. that's the reason i'm raising this question right now. because it hasn't passed the senate. if it passed the senate i would not be on the floor. challenging this legislation. because if it passed, it went through conference, then finally at last the feds will be held accountable. we are not that far along yet. so why bring in the first day of legislative action in this second session of the 111th congress a bill to the floor which essentially gives the fed what they want, which is they don't want any oversight at all. why was this brought forward in

the first place? because congress and our committee particularly depend on the government accountability office and the audits and reviews they perform to assist us in helping us justify oversight responsibilities. but g.a.o. currently, unless the law changes, cannot perform audits or conduct reviews of the various credit facilities that the federal reserve created, and due to an expressed prohibition in an auditing monetary activities of the fed contained in section 714 of title 31, g.a.o. isn't allowed to assist congress in conducting oversight. this congress voted for the financial reforms. a majority of members of congress signed on to mr. paul's very strong proposal to audit the fed. i was one of those signatories.

it isn't a question whether you want to audit the fed or not. the majority of members of congress agree on that. let's start off this new year with a bill that strips that provision out before the senate acts. let's see what the senate is going to do. that's why i didn't want to see this bill brought to the floor at a time when the senate has enacted on the fed. and if we -- language. and if we go ahead and take that language out of our bill, some could read it in the senate as a green light to strip out the paul provision, which is a much stronger provision than the one i brought forward in my amendment. that's the concerns i wanted to bring forward and air them publicly. just ask members a cautionary note here about what's happening with respect to the fed. since a majority of members of congress already want to audit the fed, why should we go and weaken our position by passing a bill that strips out audit

provisions before the senate has acted on the bill that contains the paul amendment. with that, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. mr. lynch: madam speaker, at this time i would ask unanimous consent to be able to yield 10 minutes of my time to the gentleman from missouri, mr. luetkemeyer. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from missouri will control 10 minutes. mr. luetkemeyer: thank you, madam speaker. oversight and accountability are critically important. this bill provides g.a.o. additional process authorities regarding access to information and enhances g.a.o.'s ability to carry out its mission. g.a.o. has had a long-standing right of access to agency records. on occasion its efforts have been frustrated and delayed by agencies refusing to provide g.a.o. with copies of necessary records or by a lack of willingness on the part of agency officers and employees to discuss the content of records.

or provide background information relevant to programs and review. this bill augments g.a.o.'s existing access authority by confirming g.a.o.'s right to make and retain copies of records and by providing g.a.o. with the right to interview agency officers and employees. in addition, the bill requires agencies to interpret statutes as requiring disclosure of information to g.a.o. unless the statute expressly prohibits disclose sure to g.a.o. finally, the bill makes some commonsense changes to the comptroller general's ability to administer oaths as well as agency reporting requirements. madam speaker, congress looks to the g.a.o. to assist with the investigative and oversight functions vested in the legislative branch. this bill is intended to increase the effectiveness of g.a.o. by ensuring that the agency is not unnecessarily restricted in its deference to secure necessary information from performing these necessary important functions. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation. i thank the gentleman from

massachusetts for yielding his time. i yield back the balance of my time. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ohio is recognized. mr. kucinich: -- mr. lynch: thank you, madam speaker. in closing i just want -- before i yield back, i just want to say that i understand the spirit in which the gentleman from ohio has brought this issue forward. i do understand the central role that oversight and investigation has in this congress. it is the only way that we can make sure that the executive follows the legislative mandate of congress and that the resources provided by the taxpayer are properly used. and to limit fraud, waste, and abuse. i understand the spirit in which he acts. i think his desire for transparency is spot on. i agree with it. i thank the position of the

chairman, mr. towns of new york, is that we have included a provision in another bill recently passed that would provide for all of that. i understand, however, the belt and suspenders approach the gentleman would like to see which is let's put it in every bill that we send over there which is germane. i respect that urgency and however i do in this case agree with the chairman that we have addressed those concerns in the other bill. and we will need to be diligent in making sure that the effect of that language is carried into law. i would like to at this point yield to the gentleman. mr. kucinich: you have both the support our chair. we support the oversight function of this -- of our committee and the congress. and that is the spirit in which i rise and also that i think it's critical that we track this

legislation as it moves through the financial reform legislation as it moves through the senate to make sure that the provisions that were put in by representative paul are not going to be stripped. i would not want the senate to misinterpret the stripping of this -- of a fed audit provision from government oversight bill as being an indication of the weakening of the intention of congress to hold the fed accountable. so for that reason i raise that issue. and i appreciate the gentleman's remarks. mr. lynch: thank you. madam speaker, at this point i am prepared to yield back the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ohio. mr. kucinich: i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 2646.

so many as are 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 bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee rise? >> madam speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 3237. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: house calendar number 127, h.r. 3237, a bill to enact certain laws relating to

national and commercial space programs as title 51 united states code, national and commercial space programs. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from tennessee, mr. cohen, and the gentleman from texas, mr. smith, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from tennessee. mr. cohen: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman is recognized. mr. cohen: thank you. i yield myself such time as i may consume. h.r. 3237 codifies into positive law as title 51 united states code the laws related to national and commercial space programs. it was jointly introduced by judiciary committee chairman john conyers of the great state of michigan and ranking member lamar smith of the great state of texas for many of these space programs are located. it was prepared by the office of law revision counsel as part of its functions under 2 u.s.c.

285-b-this bill is not intended to make any substantive changes in the law. as is typical with the codification process, a number of nonsubstantive revisions were made, including the reorganization of section noose a more coherent overall structure. but these changes are not intended to have any substantive effect. the bill has been subject to extensive public review in the previous two congresses, including our relevant congressional committee's agencies, practitioners, academic experts, and whoever else is left. the current bill is substantially identical to the bill chairman conyers and ranking member submit introduced two years ago with a few additional technical clarifications. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized from texas. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. smith: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. i support h.r. 3237, a bill proposed by the office of law

revision counsel to enact title 51 united states code as positive law. the judiciary committee has jurisdiction over law revision bills, and this particular bill creates a new title to address national and commercial space programs. many laws have been enacted over the years dealing with national and commercial space programs, however there is no distinct title in the u.s. code to consolidate these laws. this is because the u.s. code was established in 1926 long before space programs were ever contemplated. this bill would put all of these laws into one title within the code. h.r. 3237 and similar law revision bills are important because they ensure that the u.s. code is up to date and crack without making substantive changes to the law. i'm happy to support this legislation today. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from tennessee. mr. cohen: thank you, madam speaker. as is traditional even on bills of this nature. i reserve the balance of my time. he's already yielded back. he's already yielded back. therefore i don't have to