dorothy height, the honorable dorothy irene height, for many years. this last weekend several of us went to bennett college for women in greensboro, north carolina. i was a speaker at the height for excellence luncheon scholarship luncheon for the young women that go to that university. quite an honor it was for us to pay homage to dr. height, quiet, courageous, just imagine 70 years ago when she stepped out as a woman working with leaders to speak, to give, to organize, and to teach. here we are in 2010 wanting to be like dorothy irene height. i want to honor former secretary alexis herman who served as her adopted daughter and with her for all these years as we serve here in washington. also to dr. barbara skinner who worked tirelessly and surrounded dr. height in prayer for the last three weeks, 24 hours a day.

thank you, my sisters. let us rise up and have the strength that dr. height showed each of us. 30 seconds? the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is yielded another 30 seconds. ms. kilpatrick: thank you very much. dr. height, just know you are in all of us. that as we go forward as women, as congresswomen, mothers, as we brave young children to be future dr. heights, just know the height of excellence will remain in each of us. rest in peace our dear beloved mother. join rosa parks, harriet tubman, and others who have gone before. thank you very much. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from texas. mr. poe: i reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan. mr. conyers: i'm pleased to recognize our colleague gwen moore from wisconsin. i yield her one minute.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is yielded one minute. ms. moore: dr. dorothy height gave not only her height but her long-term breadth and depth and length of service to the civil rights movement, to gender equality. mother to no children, wife to no one, she was queen mother and nurturer and lover of the civil rights movement through seven decades of advocacy. although she was a queen, she treated each one she encountered with equity and it was my privilege to bow down to her each time i encountered her. thank god for the life of dr. dorothy height. thank god for her life and legacy and may her life be more than a memory, but a compelling force to press on for the unfinished work of the civil

rights and gender equality movement. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from texas. mr. poe: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. conyers: i'm pleased to recognize the chair of the congressional black caucus, the distinguished gentlelady from oakland, california, barbara lee, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. lee: thank you very much. i want to thank the gentleman from michigan for yielding and for your leadership and also just say, as we think about about and honor and mourn, yes, and celebrate her life, congressman john conyers, one of the great civil rights leaders, dr. height, one of our greatest civil rights leaders a woman, who often times with the great men of the civil rights movement had to make sure that a woman's voice, an

african-american woman's voice, was heard. dr. height wore many hats, literally and figuratively. i'm going to miss her so much. a couple of months ago she insisted that i participate with the national council of negro women with their annual conference in maryland. dr. height, of course, knows the schedule here on the hill and she said just come out for the breakfast. i said, ok, dr. height. goit there maybe 7:00 in the morning. there she was to greet me. may i have an adigal 30 seconds, mr. chairman? the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california has an additional 30 seconds. ms. lee: she was there to greet me at 7:00 a.m. dr. height, you knew you were in the presence of greatness when you were with dr. height. whenever we called on dr. height, she was there to support our efforts. just recently, for example, she joined the congressional black caucus in our efforts here on

the hill to support the 2010 census. her passion was an inspiration to all of us here in congress. hard to imagine that in the 1930's, she provided a resistance movement in her efforts to desegregate the ywca. we're going to deeply miss her he love her and we celebrate her life and mourn her death. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognize plsmed poe: i continue to reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves his time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. conyers: madam speaker, i yield to judge butterfield two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north carolina is recognized for two minutes. mr. butterfield: thank you, madam speaker. let me thank the chairman my good friend, mr. conyers for yielding the time. mr. conyers, i didn't want our female colleagues to have a monopoly on the floor today plus i wanted to come down and

say a few words about dr. dorothy height. madam speaker, i had the privilege of knowing dr. height for at least 50 years. she and my mother were very good friends as well as dr. mary mccloud bethune and they were all active participants in the national council of negro women. in the early 1950's, i would come to washington, d.c. with my mother to attend those meetings and it was dorothy height and mary bethune who opened up the willard hotel for the women to have their convention. at that time, hotels in d.c. were segregated abit was dr. height who helped open up the willard hotel for that purpose. at that time, she was helping to build the organization on behalf of dr. bethune, who was beginning to fail. when i came to congress six years ago, i brought where with me a picture taken in 1942 of the organization and i went and presented to it dr. height. she immediately recognized the picture and told me it was taken in front of the department of labor in 1942.

i asked her where she was in the picture. dr. height said, well, honey, i was inside doing the work of the organization while the members were taking the picture. thank you for the time, mr. conyers. this was an a lifetime of service to the country and the african-american people. i want to thank her for her service to quality, -- to equality, fairness and inclusion. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. poe: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognize plsmed conyers: madam speaker, i'm delighted to yield to dr. don that christensen of the virgin islands one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from the virgin islands is recognized for one minute. mrs. christensen: i rise with my colleagues in support of this resolution honoring dr. dorothy irene heights, the god mother of the women's movement a leader in the fight for equality and justice for all americans.

one of the civil rights movement's greatest pioneer a true drum major for justice to the very end. it is because of her unwavering dedication, dogged determination and valuable leadership that many of us stand proudly here today. she motivated and inspired men and women of all creeds and colors here and the world over. our entire nation stands with us to commemorate the passing of our beloved leader. while we mourn her loss, we joyously celebrate her life and her rich legacy. she's passed the torch to those of us who remain. let us carry it with pride. my family, my staff and the people of the virgin islands join me in extending our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from texas. mr. poe: i reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. coon yers: madam speaker, i will yield myself such time as

i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman has five minutes remaining. mr. conyers: the recitations of many of the members in memory of dorothy height has been marked by the personal knowledge and their own intimate relationship with her and i'm no different from the rest. i knew and worked with her on a regular basis. she was attending all the functions up until recently. i could see her anywhere in washington that there was a civil rights event or women's event, a national event. and so it was good to see her.

sure she was slowing down but most of us are anyway. so i appreciated that she was as stylish as has been referred to as always. she always had that spirit and it was with great pleasure that i remember through the many occasions starting from our first public meeting at the march on washington in 1963. she, dr. martin luther king jr., and rosa parks were very important figures as i participated in the struggle

that would lead to the cullmy nation of the great civil roog -- to the cullmy nation of the great civil rights movement in american history. it's with fondness i remember her activity, her friendship, her helpfulness and i think that there may be some kind of national commemoration for her that might be appropriate now that we've reviewed all the medals, commendations, and awards that she's received thus far. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognize. mr. poe: i reserve the balance of my time the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. conyers: i'm pleased now to recognize the majority leader of the house, the great steny hoyer for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland is

recognized for one minute. mr. hoyer: i thank the chairman for yielding. i want to thank chairman conyers for his extraordinary leadership on behalf of the rights of all peoples. his role in the civil rights movement has been extraordinary and continues to this date. i rise on behalf of this resolution and in memory of an extraordinary woman. i had the privilege of knowing dorothy height for some four decades. that does not mean i saw her regularly during those four decades, but i saw her frequently during those four decades. and she always exuded the positive, constructive approach she took to solving problems, bringing people together. the historian taylor branch rightly called dr. heights

brothers and sisters in the civil rights movement, and i quote, the modern founders of democracy. today we honor the legacy that she leaves behind. what a wonderful, long, productive, constructive, important life we honor in dorothy height. dorothy height was an extraordinarily gracious human being. i never failed to leave her side in meeting her where i did not feel better. feel better about the relationships that i had with her, but that she had with others, as i saw her interface with others in the room and the crowd, in the meeting. dorothy height was and is a giant. "the washington post" had on its front page today a very large picture of dorothy height. it was appropriate that in the

nation's capital, dorothy height would be given such prominence. not for her death but for the life that she lived, the contributions she made. we are all better for dorothy height's life. we are all freer for dorothy height's life. we were lifted as a society by dorothy height and those with whom she worked from a segregated society where the perception was that some americans were not equal to other americans. that was contrary to the premise articulated by thomas jefferson, but not lived out by thomas jefferson and our founding fathers. the premise was accurate, but their practice was not. martin luther king jr. and dorothy height and john conyers and john lewis who serves with us, jim clyburn, our whip, and so many others called america's

attention to the fact that it was not living out the reality of its promise. not just to african-americans, but to all americans. dorothy height showed extraordinary courage and conviction in the face of bigotry and discrimination and like so many in this body who faced bigotry and discrimination, they did not allow that to poison their soul. they did not allow that to diminish their relationship even with those who they saw as oppressors. to that extent, the above the conduct directed at them, to change that conduct by love and positive encombagement. dorothy height is a perfect example -- engagement. dorothy height is a perfect example.

young and old participating in this society which unfortunately too often we see today falls into anger and competition rather than civility and discussion. i'm wore owed about the anger that i see in -- i'm worried about the anger that i see in society today. in some respects not justified at the level that we find it. yes, there's room for disagreement. but dorothy height shows us that notwithstanding the fact that there may be disagreement, notwithstanding the fact that there may be people who do not treat us as we would want to be treated, that the way to solve that is to do so constructively, civilly with debate that states the facts and the truth but does not evolve into hate and division.

so i'm pleased to join my colleague, john conyers. i came to congress some 30 years ago. we talked about making martin luther king jr.'s birthday a holiday, not a holiday to play but a holiday to recognize the contributions made then and the work that needs to be made now. john conyers had me out in front of the capitol on january 15 or close to that time every year, and i was so proud to stand with him and say to america, let us recognize those who as taylor branch has said are the modern founders of democracy. thank you, mr. chairman, for your leadership. thank you for bringing this resolution to the floor to recognize an extraordinary, wonderful, lovely person whose spirit enriched us all and enriched our country, and i yield back the balance of my time.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. poe: i yield two minutes to the gentlelady from illinois, mrs. biggert. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from illinois is recognized for two minutes. mrs. biggert: thank you. i thank the gentleman from for yielding. i had to come down to the floor just to support this resolution. i served as the co-chair of the 107th women's caucus, along with juanita mill der mcdonald. as -- millen der mcdonald. the first name that appeared on our list was dr. dorothy height. and we had that event over in one of the hotels near the hill. and it was the most interesting thing i had been to. dorothy height was in her hat, as she always wore her hat.

we all arrived in our hats and i still have that hat hanging on my coat hangar here in washington, and every time i see it i think of her. here is a person who had such dramatic effect on our country, such a strong personality, but everything she did was with great -- graciousness and really think of the times that she saw as her 98 years and what transpired in this country and i think that juanita millender-mcdonald would have been the first one down here, too, if she had not also passed on. so that was a great year and it started off with a great event to have this wonderful person, dorothy height, be the speaker at our first event. she did that with such grace, such gentleness and yet she always was very strong on her

beliefs and how she -- i would call her a change agent but did so with the civility that we don't often see. almost the white glove mentality and the hats and the type of person she was. i just wanted to come down and say i really support that resolution and thank you for doing it. and i would yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. conyers: madam speaker, we have no further speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. poe: i'm prepared to close, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. poe: i want to once again voice my support of this resolution. dr. height died at 88 and most person influtional in my life was my grandmother who lived to

her late 90's as well. chairman conyers would like to know that she was a roosevelt democrat, never forgive me for being a republican. but once we got past that, she made a lot of comments that influenced me and made a lot of statements that were true then and they're true now. she said that there was nothing more powerful than a woman that has made up her mind. i think that definition fits dr. dorothy height. she made up her mind about two issues, civil rights and the equality of women in our society. so today we honor her. i support this resolution. i urge its adoption. 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 is recognized. mr. conyers: madam speaker, i'd like to close by thanking all the presenters, particularly

singling out my dear friend on the judiciary committee, judge poe, who's done a very good job here. it occurred to me that dorothy height has already received so many awards, commendations, citations during her lifetime that if the distinguished president of the united states were to ask us what further could be done, i'd recommend that there be some kind of event, bipartisan obviously, but one that draws in americans who may not have participated in the struggles and the experiences that distinguished

dorothy height's long career. and that might be a wonderful way for her to be remembered as she no doubt will in the course of history as more and more historical books are written about her contribution going all the way back to the 1930's. and i'm happy to close this debate by returning any time that may be available. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1281. 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.

the chair lays before the house an enrolled bill. the clerk: h.r. 4360, an act to designate the department of veterans' affairs blind rehabilitation center in long beach, california, as the major charles robert sulties jr. blind rehabilitation center. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.con.res 255 as

amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house concurrent resolution 255, concurrent resolution commemorating the 40th anniversary of earth day and honoring the founder of earth day, the late senator gaylord nelson of wisconsin. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from california, ms. speer, and the gentleman from arizona, -- ms. speier, and the gentleman from arizona, mr. flake, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from california. ms. speier: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. ms. speier: i now yield myself -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. speier: i now yield myself such time as i may consume. madam speaker, i rise today in support of h.con.res 255. this measure was introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. obey, on march 19, 2010. it was referred to the committee on oversight and

government reform, which ordered it reported by unanimous consent on april 14 of this year. the measure has the support of 70 co-sponsors. madam speaker, tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of earth day. our planet faces serious environmental challenges, challenges we must face not just in the coming years but now, right now. the effects of the most serious challenge, global climate change, are happening today, and if we do not act deliberately, now, right now, the future consequences for our country and our planet will be grave. i encourage everyone working towards this end to continue their efforts, and i hope that we in congress will stand up and demonstrate further leadership to address this threat. of course, earth day is also a reminder of the other environmental challenges we face, such as developing sustainable and renewable sources of energy, preserving wildlife and their habitats, protecting our water and our

air, cleaning up pollution and so much more. as representatives, i encourage all of us to stand with our constituents this week who are lending their time and services to activities to clean up our environment. across the country, thousands of events have been organized in the cities and the countryside, along our roadways and parks and on our beautiful coasts to put words into action. one town in my district expects over 5,000 people to dedicate their time and efforts to clean up the local shoreline, and i will be there, and i know that all of my colleagues will be just as fortunate to witness similar local efforts in their districts. earth day is truly about service, and it's a great opportunity for friends and neighbors to come together on behalf of our planet. the relationships we can build with one another as we do this work are lasting, and i'm confident that they will foster even greater work in the years to come. once again, it is incumbent

upon us in congress to transport what our constituents do at the local level to help our country. protecting the environment is the right thing to do, but as we know it's also a win-win for our economy and for our national security. we have made great strides on this front since the first earth day. the 1970's saw the establishment of the environmental protection agency as well as a series of important environmental laws, including the clean air act, the endangered species act and the safe drinking water act. but much work still lies ahead, and unfortunately some of our most important environmental policies have been watered down in recent years. no pun intended. however, i know the efforts of millions of people in the united states and around the world who support the goals and ideals of earth day will pay off. i commend them for their work, and i look forward to seeing what we in congress will

further do to support them. thank you, madam speaker, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. flake: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arizona. mr. flake: madam speaker, i rise in support of house concurrent resolution 255, commemorating the 40th anniversary of earth day and honoring the founder of earth day, the former senator, gaylord nelson of wyoming. for the past 40 years, citizens across this country come together once a year to celebrate the wonder of planet earth. americans from all parts of the country, coastal regions to mountainous regions to forested regions and the many other incredibly diverse regions of this country take time to admire and enjoy the beauty and splendor of our environment. earth day allows all people to realize the importance of ensuring that our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy the beauty of a planet for generations to come. senator gaylord nelson of wisconsin founded earth day because of his love for our

planet and the environment. as senator nelson said in his speech on earth day, earth day is dramatic evidence of the broad new national concern that cuts across generations and ideologies and may be symbolic of a new communication between young and old about values and priorities. a veteran of world war ii and governor of wisconsin, gaylord nelson served in the senate from 1963 to 1981. during his career in both the state and national politics, he promoted many environmental causes and worked tirelessly to preserve the planet for future generations. in 1995, he received the presidential medal of freedom for his achievements throughout his career. despite many accomplishments, earth day was his most important and lasting legacy. on a personal note, one thing he advocated and i think we advocate is to get out in the environment and enjoy what's around us. last year, i did that to an

extreme. i was dropped off at a little island in the middle of the pacific and for a week, i didn't see another person, i didn't see a plane, i didn't see an automobile, i didn't see a boat, i saw nothing. just a lot of fish. and hermit crabs and others. >> will the gentleman yield? mr. flake: i will yield. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized. >> what the gentleman is referring to is a week of isolation by himself, and i think he assured me i could have -- i could be his agent when hollywood comes calling for a reality show about a congressman stranded on an island contemplating the deep thoughts of life i'm ready to

go. mr. flake: i appreciate that. contrary to popular belief, this was not a metaphor for the fate of congressional republicans. it was a great opportunity to, without any outside influence at all, to be there and see nature at its finest and with that, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. speier feather thank you and i'm glad the gentleman said that, and not me. i now have the pleasure of recognizing mr. obey for five minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. mr. obey: i thank the gentlewoman for the time. madam speaker, 41 years ago, my friend and mentor, wisconsin senator gaylord nelson, had a

surprisingly simple idea. at the time, the country was fighting an unpopular and unwinnable war and students were rising up in protest and holding teach-ins on college campuses all over the country. senator nelson looked around him and realized that those teach-ins were an invaluable tool in helping educate people and calling attention to the need to win the war once and for all. in 1969, when the senate contained such environmental giants as ed muskey, scoop jackson, gaylord nelson and bob stafford he gave a pivotal speech at the seattle science center. in that speech he suggested that just as americans had been involved in teach-ins to protest the vietnam war, that they should also set aside a day to call attention to the environmental problems facing the planet and to demand real leadership from public officials on producing solutions. wire services carried the story from coast to coast and as

history shows, the response was overwhelmingly positive. earth day was born. the first earth day launched an environmental decade on unparalleled period of legislative and grassroots activity that resulted in passage of 28 major pieces of environmental legislation from 1970 to 1980 alone. including the clean air act, the clean water act they can national environmental quality education act, the wild and scenic rivers act and others. gaylord was at the center of them all. 40 years later, his legacy endures and half a billion people in 180 countries are expected to gather this week to help clean up their communities and to demand leadership and real solutions to the very real problems facing the planet today. problems like toxic pollution, mercury in our air and water and climate change. as we celebrate the 40th

anniversary of earth day, it's fitting we pass this resolution honoring the founding father of that day. when he initially set the date for it, he was roundly criticized by, of all group the john burke society, because they attacked him for selecting the same day lenin was born. he pointed out that since there were only 365 days in the year, each day was bound to be the birthday of both good and bad people throughout the world he pointed out, for instance, yes it was the birthday of lenin but it was also the birthday of st. francis of assisi, and he said, but more important, it's also the birthday of my aunt tilly. without the leadership of the late senator gaylord nelson, the air we breathe would not be as clean we would not be swimming in lakes and rivers as safe as they are today and we would not be enjoying the beauty of public lands we're

able to protect under the law he is championed. we're a long way away from perfection on those grounds but we're a lot better off than we were when gaylord started the movement. we would not be holding earth day celebrations around the globe each april 22 either. today we honor gaylord nelson and celebrate the 40th anniversary of earth day. no wonder he was awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the presidential medal of freedom by president clinton in 1995678 his leadership is still felt today. i thank the gentlewoman. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. flake: i continue to reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. speier: i'd like to offer two minutes to the gentleman from wisconsin, representative kind. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. kind: i thank my good

friend from california for yielding me this time. i thank her and my friend from arizona for managing this resolution. i proudly rise in support of this resolution, commemorating not only the founding of an important day in our live, earth day, but to pay tribute to the founder of earth day a member of the greatest generation who fought and served in the second world war a political icon, still in the state of wisconsin and throughout the nation and the rest of the world. former senator gaylord nelson. i'm sure if he was told as a kid growing up in clear lake, wisconsin, close to my wife's hometown a population of less than 400 people that he would one day rise and become the father of the modern environmental movement and the creator of earth day, which is sell brailted in over 167 nations throughout -- celebrated in over 167 nations throughout the globe, he would have thought you were kidding. it's a true american success

story. he lived the all-american story but he also leaves an important legacy and a reminder to all of us as inhabitants on this beautiful yet fragile planet of ours that her mere stewards of the precious resources the good lord saw fit to bless us with and as stewards of that, we have a special moral and personal responsibility to utilize those resources reasonably and sensibly. so we have a legacy to pass on to future generations to also be goods stewards of this planet. i'm proud to represent a congressional district in western wisconsin which was home to the very first watershed project throughout the united states in the queen valley area, which became the model of the current conservation title of our farm bills, voluntary land and water conservation program that our farmers are able to utilize in order to set up sound water and land management practices --

practices on their farm. it's spread nationwide. gaylord nelson and his wife were the subject of a chapt for the tom brokaw's book "the greatest generation." mr. speier: i yield one more minute to the gentleman from wisconsin. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. kind: i still miss senator nelson greatly. i always made a point of calling him as a young member of congress, calling him in his office in washington once a week to get his feedback on the policy proposals we were working on. i'm still a proud member of the natural resources committee. i was able to fortunately work very closely with gaylord nelson trying to enhance his legacy. but he knew, as i hope all of us realize, that earth day is not an event to be celebrated just one day every year but it is a day that we need to practice each and every day throughout the year. it's that message especially to the younger generation that i think is his greatest legacy.

where the old earth day lessons are being taught in schools and sch at roast on april 22, if not more throughout the year, so i commend the leadership for bringing up this resolution, encourage my colleagues to support it and yield back the remainder of my time. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. flake: may i inquire as to the remaining speakers? ms. speier: i believe we completed our list of speakers. mr. flake: i'll go ahead and close. i want to urge my colleagues to support the resolution, it's a great cause and i think we all owe it to our constituents and to the country to recognize stewardship that we have to ensure that we pass on the planet as good as we got it or better to future generations. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back his time.

the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. speier: madam speaker, i would like to echo the words of the great leaders from wisconsin who have spoken already on this. we are indeed stewards. earth day should be something we celebrate every day and this the 40th anniversary of earth day, is a great time to start. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: all time has been yielded back. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and agree to house concurrent resolution 255 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 concurrent resolution is agreed to and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. ms. speier: madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman seek regular recognition?

ms. speier: i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.res. 855. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 855, resolution expressing support for designation of may 1 as silver star service banner day. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from california, ms. speier, and the gentleman from arizona, mr. flake, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from california. ms. speier: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. the gentlewoman from california. ms. speier: i yield myself such time as i may consume. madam speaker -- madam speaker, i rise in support of h.res. 855, a bill supporting silver star service banner day. h.res. 855 was intro-- introduced by my the gentleman from missouri, roy blunt, on

april 22, 2009. it was referred to the committee on oversight and government reform which reported it favorably by unanimous consent on april 14 of this year. it enjoys the support of over 50 co-sponsors. our nation continues to face two long and difficult wars. i'm glad we can take time now to honor the men and women of our armed services. they deserve our thoughts, our prayers, and our support. the silver star families of america understand this well. they work hard to help the american people recognize the sacrifices made by the wounded and ill members of the armed forces. tens of thousands of american troops are fighting in iraq and afghanistan, risking their lives in service to our country. they also risk their lives in deployments throughout the world. i ask my colleagues to join me in giving thanks to them and to their families for the sacrifices they continue to

make and for their service to our country. thank you, madam speaker, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. flake: i yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from missouri, mr. blunt. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. blunt: thank you, and i thank the gentleman from arizona for yielding time. i thank the committee for reporting this bill, this resolution to the floor. i want to recognize along with my other colleagues the silver star families of america. this bill does that, it designates the first of may as silver star service banner day. silver star families of america is a -- is not only reflective of all the families that have helped, but it's also a nonprofit organization, it's been formed dedicated to supporting and assisting those whose families have earned the silver star.

those who have been wounded. those who have become ill on a -- in a combat zone, recognizing those members of the armed forces and their families across all branches of the services and, madam speaker, for all wars. this group was founded in missouri's seventh congressional district in 2004. the silver star flag and the silver star banner are symbols of remembrance and honor for those wounded during battle, those who incurred an illness during battle, and those who have honorably served in the armed forces during that moment of sacrifice and a sacrifice that is almost always shared by their family and their loved ones. thousands of cities and counties throughout the country have issued proclamations to set aside may 1 to honor our current troops, our veterans and their families as well as

silver star families and gold star families. last april, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, admiral mike mullen, recognized silver star families of america for their support of service -- of the service members and those who have earned the silver star. madam speaker, i thank the committee for bringing this to the floor. i ask my colleagues to join me in support of house resolution 855, which, of course, is a resolution in support of those service people and their families who have earned this recognition, who fly this -- who show this banner, who understand the implications of the silver star flag and the silver star banner, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. speier: i reserve the balance of my time, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. flake: if the gentlelady has no additional speakers, i'm

prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arizona. mr. flake: madam speaker, it's important for us to take a moment to extend our gratitude for the loved ones who have endured the grief of losing loved ones, those brave soldiers in the battlefield, who have become wounded to our -- or are sick. i thank the gentleman from missouri for his comments. we are all grateful for the silver star families of america, for their devotion, dedication and keeping us aware of the sacrifices made by the wounded and ill members of the armed services. i ask all members to support this resolution, supporting silver star service banner day, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back his time. the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. speier: madam speaker, i had the privilege, and i call it a privilege earlier this year to travel to kuwait, yemen, pakistan, afghanistan and then to germany where i had the privilege of meeting our troops who are committed, passionate, have an incredible love of country and to visit those wounded, those wounded

warriors at our facility in germany. and i must say there's nothing like having that interpersonal connection, that opportunity to make us realize the extraordinary sacrifices that are being made every single day. so it is fitting that we have this resolution before us, and i urge all my colleagues to support this measure, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 855. 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. ms. speier: madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? ms. speier: madam speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.res.

1262. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1262, resolution expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the fire at the tesoro refinery in anacortes, washington. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from california, ms. speier, and the gentleman from arizona, mr. flake, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from california. ms. speier: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. the gentlewoman from california. ms. speier: thank you, madam speaker. i now yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise in support of h.res. 1262. this measure expresses condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the victims of the fire at the tesoro refinery in anacortes, washington.

this resolution was introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from washington, representative rick larsen, on april 15, 2010. the measure was referred to the committee on oversight and government reform, which worked with leadership to get it to the floor quickly. the measure has the bipartisan support of over 60 members of the house. madam speaker, i'd now like to yield four minutes to the sponsor of this bill, the gentleman from washington, mr. larsen. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from washington is recognized for four minutes. mr. larsen: thank you, madam speaker. and i thank the gentlewoman for yielding. i want to thank the chairman and ranking member of the house oversight and government reform committee, as well, for their assistance in bringing in the resolution to the house floor. madam speaker, on april 2, washington state experienced a tragedy when a fire occurred at the tesoro oil refinery in anacortes, washington, in my district. one was burned and remains in intensive care. i offer my condolences, to the friends and loved ones of the

victims of this fire. my thoughts and prayers are with tesoro's employees and everyone from the city of anacortes who grieve for the workers who died and suffered injuries. i urge my colleagues to join with me in supporting this resolution in honoring the life of matthew bowen, daniel aldridge,, darrin hoines, kathryn powell and lew janz. matt gumbel is currently at harborview medical center. earlier this week, madam speaker, we received a letter from the c.e.o. of tesoro and the chair of the united steelworkers local in expressing support for this resolution. i ask unanimous consent that this letter be entered in the congressional record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. larsen: multiple state, local agencies are currently

investigating the cause of the fire. i strongly support the work they are doing to help us understand what happened and preventing a similar accident in the future. although most americans don't associate northwest washington with oil and gas, skagit county has been home to major oil refineries for over five decades. the 40 refineries can process 45 million barrels of oil a day. they employ nearly 2,500 people and supply over $200 million in wages to workers and contractors. the refining industry is inherently hazardous. as one refinery employee in my district put it, we don't bake cookies, we bake oil. that being said, preventing accidents that harm workers is vitally important. as a fire at the tesoro in anacortes fades from headlines, we must stress worker safety at our refineries and industrial sites around the country. while it's not impossible to

stop all refinery accidents, we need to look what happened in anacortes. i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution, expressing the condolences of the house of representatives to the families, friends and loved ones of the victims of the fire. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. flake: madam speaker, i thank the gentleman from washington for introducing this resolution, and i urge my colleagues to support it. we want to express our condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of those who perished in the fire and wish a speedy recovery to those who -- the one who is still injured. we want to make sure, also, that this fire's investigated and we -- to the extent possible can make sure that it doesn't happen again. i want to encourage all my

colleagues to support this important resolution, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. speier: madam speaker, i now yield three minutes to the gentleman from missouri, the great leader, mr. ike skelton. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from missouri is recognized for three minutes. mr. skelton: madam speaker, as an original co-sponsor, i rise today in support of h.res. 855, a resolution that expresses our nation's appreciation for the sacrifices that have been made by so many dedicated service men and women who have worn the uniform of the united states. it's no small thing to raise one's hand and swear to uphold and defend the constitution of the united states. it's the responsibility of every american to recognize that service members who have been wounded or become ill in the line of duty have paid an especially high price for our freedoms. i make it a point to visit service members who are recovering at walter reed and i

know so many of my colleagues do just the same. oftentimes a spouse or a parent is there lending support and anxious to take their loved one home. i'm humbled by the strepping and character of these service members and their caregivers. the silver star families of america deserve recognition for the tremendous job its members do in reminding us the debt of gratitude our nation owes to wounded and ill service members, veterans and their families by supporting the designation of may 1 as silver star service banner day, members of the house -- collective body of good works. i want to thank my colleague, roy blunt, for introducing this resolution. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from california. ms. speier: madam speaker, i now yield two minutes to the representative from wisconsin, representative tammy baldwin. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from wisconsin is

recognized for two minutes. ms. baldwin: thank you, madam speaker. and i thank the gentlewoman from california for recognizing me out of order to speak to a previous resolution. many years ago gaylord nelson from my home state of wisconsin had a vision. he envisioned a world where our pristine oceans and lakes are protected, our air clean to breathe, and our planet preserved for future jep rations. -- generations. being the wise man that senator nelson was, he recognized the environmental degradation that everyone around him was acknowledging, everyone, that is, but the political establishment which wasn't interested in action. he knew that if the environment was to have its place on the political agenda it had to be brought there by the people. so he announced there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment. he called it earth-day. at the time it was a gamble --

he called it earth day. at the time it was a gamble. no one expected the turnout. 20 million people came out to participate. the sheer numbers gathered the attention of the congress, and it was those voices that led to congressional action on some of our most treasured environmental laws. the clean air act, the clean water act and the safe drinking water act. i commend my colleague from wisconsin, mr. obey, for bringing the resolution to honor the late senator gaylord nelson of wisconsin, to the floor and it also commemorates the 40th anniversary of earth day. in the words of senator nelson, our goal is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all human beings and all other living creatures. i urge my colleagues to support the resolution. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. i would remind people in the

chamber, people in the gallery that little whispers turn into loud roars and please be mindful that we are conducting business on the house floor. the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. speier: madam speaker, thank you. i now yield to my good friend, the gentleman from washington, mr. inslee, as much time as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from washington is recognized. mr. inslee: thank you. i'd like to speak in favor of this resolution, that commemorates and honors those who were lost in the tesoro explosion in washington state. and this is something that is felt, i think, nationwide, and i appreciate rick larsen and his leadership bringing this for the congress to consider this tragedy. and the reason is maybe two-fold. one, we really look forward to a day in this country that our loved ones can go to work without the fear of them not coming home in these jobs and we hope that this will help

focus congress and our continuing efforts to improve safety in the workplace for our loved ones. my son worked at a pipeline project that terminated the tesoro facility and got to know some of these hardworking people. and they were aware the dangers associated with the product they work with, and he was impressed and i think we were all impressed with their dedication to their jobs, and i just want to express from the folks i represent our empathy for the families. i also want to express my admiration for a fellow named matt gumbel who today is recovering from harborview hospital from his burns and doing well and is very impressed. i just read some comments on his website of people saying if matt could get 100 feet following his injuries to the control room to help get help for the people who were injured he'll be able to get through this. so we're thinking of him, and we commend this resolution to

the chamber. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arizona is recognized. mr. flake: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. speier: madam speaker, i don't have any further speakers. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from california. ms. speier: i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass house resolution 1262. 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 the marianas islands seek recognition? mr. sablan: i move the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1182. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 11le 2. resolution congratulating radford university on the 1200th -- 100th anniversary of the university. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from marianas island, mr. sablan, and the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from marianas island. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on house resolution 1182 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i yield

myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of house h.res. 118 which celebrates radford university for 100 years of leadership and service in higher education. radford was originally founded in 1910 as the state normal and industrial school for women, tracing its roots back to the expansion of virginia public higher education system. while its name has evolved over the years, radford's commitment to academic excellence has never waivered. radford's beautiful 177 acre campus is located in the new river valley between the blue ridge and allegheny mountains. the university's home to nearly 8,000 undergraduates and over 1,000 graduate students. and these students have access to a diverse academic and curricular programs. the university's comprised of six undergraduate and one graduate college which offers

153 degree options. additionally, radford has also has 19 ncaa division i teams, 400 intramural sports teams, eafer over 200 clubs and organizations. recently radford was named one of the top up-and-coming schools in the nation by "u.s. news and world report" due to its promising and innovative changes it's made over the past few years. under the leadership of radford's sixth president, the university has consistently ranked among the best colleges and universities in the southeast region. such recognition shows the school's continually innovating and striving for success. for its 100th anniversary, radford honors its service with a crensenial service challenge which encourages students, faculty, and staff to participate in community service in local and regional areas. this event is indicative of radford's tradition of

cultivating graduates who will become meaningful contributors to society and mark a significant mark in the university's history. once again i congratulate radford university on its 100-year anniversary and thank representative boucher for bringing this bill forward. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from marianas islands reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. biggert: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of house resolution 1182 congratulating radford university on its 100th anniversary. radford university was founded in 1910 as a state normal and industrial school for women at radford. classes began in september of 1913 and in 1979 the school became radford university. during 2010, radford is celebrating their centennial university with numerous programs and events.

on march 24 the university observed the centennial charter day celebration. located in radford, virginia, radford university's organized into six undergraduate colleges and one college of graduate and extended education. the university aims to create a challenging, supportive, and engaging educational culture that is anchored in the liberal arts tradition and is ethically responsible to the needs of the 21st century global society. the university has more than 200 clubs and student organizations and competes in 19 ncaa athletics. in addition, radford has a national reputation for excellence in academics. in 2007, radford unveiled 717 forging a bold new future with the goal of establishing radford as one of the top 50 master's degree granting universities in the nation by 2017. in 2009 the university was ranked in the south top 25

masters level public universities and named one of the nation's top and upcoming schools by u.s. news and world reports. i want to congratulate radford university on the occasion of their 100th anniversary and recognize the university for 100 years of excellence in higher education. i extend my congratulations to the university, the faculty, and staff, the students, and the alumni and ask my colleagues to support the resolution and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from illinois reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: i'm pleased to recognize the gentleman from virginia, mr. boucher, the sponsor of the resolution for three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. boucher: thank you very much. mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. boucher: i want to thank the gentleman for his leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor and for yielding this time to me today.

i extend thanks also to the gentlelady from illinois for her assistance with this measure. i thank both of my colleagues for their very generous statements on behalf of radford university this afternoon. h.r. 1182 is bipartisan legislation congratulating radford university on its 100th anniversary. the resolution is co-sponsored by eight members of our virginia house delegation, and senators webb and warner have introduced companion legislation which previously has been approved in the senate. for a century radford university has provided students with an outstanding education. and the university richly deserves congratulations which we extend today on that achievement. in that century, nearly 70,000 students have received a radford education. many of whom have gone on to become leaders in business and

government and education, health care, the arts, and other areas. radford university was chartered on march 10, 1910 as the state normal and industrial school for women at radford. with the mission of preparing teachers. it was renamed in 1924 as radford state teachers college. in 1944 as the women's division of virginia polytechnic institute, and in 1964 as radford college. the school became radford university in 1979, the name that it proudly bears today. today radford university is known for its strong leadership between and relationships between faculty and students and the commitment to service that exists and pervades the student body. the school offers 153 undergraduate and graduate

programs and strong research, service learning, and preprofessional programs. radford university is located in my congressional district, but its achievements bring pride not just to our region but to citizens across virginia. the university's graduates reside in communities throughout the nation who share in the congratulations which the congress today formally extends to radford university on its 100th anniversary. i thank my colleagues for their assistance in bringing this measure to the floor. and i urge its approval by the house. that said i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: i believe there are no further speakers. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the the gentlewoman from illinois yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: i again urge my

colleagues to support the -- h.res. 118 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 1182. 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. for what purpose does the gentleman from mariana islands seek recognition? mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1239. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution -- the speaker pro tempore: read the resolution as amended.

is the resolution amended? is that a yes? mr. sablan: as amended. the speaker pro tempore: thank you. the clerk will report the title of the resolution as amended. the clerk: house resolution 1239, resolution commending the university of connecticut huskies for their historic win in the 2010 ncaa division i women's basketball tournament. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from the mariana islands, mr. sablan, and the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. saab -- mr. sablan: i request five legislative days during which members may insert extraneous material on house resolution 1239 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman from mariana islands is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i rise to congratulate the university of connecticut's women's basketball team for winning the 2010 ncaa division i women's basketball national championship. in this year's championship game the uconn huskies roared to their second straight championship win and a history making 78 straight win of the season. with their 53-47 victory that tuesday night at the alamodome, the university of uconn's huskries marked their fourth undefeated season. over although they both played with exceptional talent and dedication, in the end uconn's seventh ncaa division i championship. the huskries became the first women's basketball team to have back-to-back undefeated national championship seasons. with their 78th straight win,

uconn also broke the ncaa women's basketball record for number of consecutive wins. the huskies women basketball season marked coach gino's 20th season at uconn and seventh ncaa women's basketball championship victory. he led uconn to the final four a total of 11 times during his time with the team and this game was his 735th career win as a coach. in fact, he has the highest winning percentage among division i active coaches. he also guided uconn to 15 big east regular season titles and 14 big east tournament titles. the sensational junior forward, maria moore, was named the most outstanding player, scoring 23 points during the championship game. she scored 11 of her team's 17 points in the second half,

leading uconn's comeback from the first half and giving the huskies their solid lead. she has been a leader and a remarkable asset to the huskies all season. tina also proved to be an invaluable player. she was chosen the naismith award winner and associated press player of the year. she was later drafted number one overall in the 2010 wnba draft and recently signed with the connecticut suns. i also congratulate the huskies on their excellence, both on and off the court. the huskies women team both a flawless 100% graduating rate in 2009 among all four-year players. the alumni, faculty, and staff of the university of connecticut have much to be proud of. once again i congratulate the uconn huskies on winning the national championship and i thank mr. courtney for bringing this bill forward.

i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from the mariana islands reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. . mrs. biggert: i rise in support of house resolution 1239, commending the university of connecticut huskies for their historic win in the 2010 national collegiate athletic association division i women's basketball tournament. on april 6, 2010, the university of connecticut huskies defeated the stanford university cardinals 53-47 in the ncaa division i women's national championship and -- in san antonio, texas, capturing the huskies' seventh national title. as a stanford graduate i was disappointed, but the undefeated huskies overpowered each of their regular season

opponents over 10 points. certainly a very worthy opponent. in large part, the huskies' success was due to senior center tina charles and junior forward maya more. and was chosen the naismith wooden award winner, united states basketball writers' association player of the year and associated press player of the year. mora was chosen player of the year and as the women's final four most valuable player. while these two women were recognized for their outstanding play, the entire team deserves the -- our praise for the unparalleled success of the team as ncaa division i national champs. however, this program would not be what it has turned out to be today without the outstanding efforts of the head coach, geno auriemma, during his illustrious tenure. the coach has transformed a program from only one winning season to a team with a record

that includes seven national championships, four undefeated seasons and a record 78 consecutive wins. not bad. while athletic success is what brings us here today, the university of connecticut is also known for its excellent academics. the university of connecticut is the state's flagship institution of higher learning. founded in 1881 as the agriculture school and became the university of connecticut in 1939. in fact fact, the university has more -- in fact, the university has more than 70 focused research centers where faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students conduct research from everything from improving health to enhancing public education and protecting the country's natural resources. i extend my congratulations to the university president, the head coach, geno auriemma, and his staff and the hardworking

players and the fans. with that i'd reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from illinois reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i'm pleased to recognize the distinguished gentleman from connecticut for as much time as he might consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from connecticut, mr. court neerks is recognized. -- mr. courtney, is recognized. mr. courtney: vince lombardi said if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. that beautiful statement i think really describes to a tee the uconn women's basketball team which today stands as a history-making organization with 78 straight wins. they are now only nine wins short of catching the record by the ucla men's basketball team led by coach wooden back in the 1960's. i'm proud to represent the district where the university of connecticut is located, who

are confident that we are actually going to see that milestone fall sometime during next year's basketball season. because of the amazing talent that has been assembled at the university of connecticut campus but also the system that coach ariemma has put together over the last number of years. inve ge through chapter and verse in terms of the incredible season which the uconn women accomplished. they won the national title. there was tremendous pressure every single game to see if their winning streak would actually come to an end. every team that played them was pumped up and psyched as any game on their schedule because they saw it as an opportunity to make history. and the pressure on the uconn women huskies was extraordinary. the national media focused as the program again advanced its amazing record from one game to another. again, was something that niece young women had to demonstrate

that they were capable of overcoming. and as the proponents said earlier, the thing that we are so proud of earlier is that coach geno auriemma has maintained a program where academic excellence, the true ideal of athletes is not forgotten and the graduation rate is perfect since he's been there. a great role model for not just young girls in the u.s. but also young boys in terms of really the goal of a student athlete's path toward success in life. mr. speaker, last year when the uconn women won the national title, they had the exciting honor to go visit the white house for an event at the rows -- rose garden. president obama, who was obviously, as we all know, a big basketball fan, welcomed them. as a father of two young girls, to the white house, and spent a lot of time with them, getting

a chance to become acquainted. and then actually challenge them to a game of horse in the outdoor basketball court which exists at the white house. much to the astonishment of people in connecticut and also to the women's basketball team, president obama actually won the game of horse. and a reception that we had a short time afterwards, the women were very upset with themselves but also pointed out correctly that they were playing in high heels and dresses while the president had flat shoes and certainly i think had some advantage in terms of that impromptu pickup game that happened last year. at the christmas party, which i'm sure you attended, i remind you that the women of uconn were still pretty upset about the fact that they lost that game of horse at the white house. and mrs. obama, who is ever gracious, leaned over and said, we'll invite them back to come

back and play again. i told both the president and first lady, don't worry, the uconn women are coming back with an invitation or without because they'll win the invitational in the 2010 season. so they have lived up to my prediction, which was made at the christmas gathering at the white house last year in. in a short time i'm sure there will be another rose garden celebration of their extraordinary success. i would bet my house and car that they are this year going to win the game of horse, which they are spoiling for a rematch at the white house with the president. again, it's something that the people of the state of connecticut are so proud of. there was a huge celebration last saturday in hartford. there were over 20,000 people lining the streets of hartford to cheer on this group of young women and coach geno auriemma guided. he will be the coach for the

national team and coach of the next olympic team which he deserves, given the amazing record which again the prior speakers have described in chapter and verse. as coach lombardi once said, perfection is not unattainable but if we catch -- chase perfection we can catch excellence. they have shown perfection with what they have achieved this year. and i hope that this chamber will affirm that great accomplishment by unanimous support for this resolution. and i thank, again, the speaker and the proponent for giving me the opportunity to speak on behalf of this resolution. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from connecticut yields back the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: seeing no further speakers, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from illinois yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from the mariana

islands. mr. sablan: again, i ask my colleagues to support house resolution 1239 as amended, 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 number 1239 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 -- the resolution is agreed to, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from the mariana islands seek recognition? mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1585 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill as amended. the clerk: h.r. 1585, a bill to amend the elementary and secondary education act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education.

the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from the mariana islands, mr. sablan, and the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert, each will control 20 minutes. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on house resolution 1585 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of house resolution 1585, which brings much-needed attention to the role of physical education and activity in our nation's schools and the importance of promoting the importance of healthy lifestyles. this legislation comes at a critical time. obesity among our nation's children has not only reached epidemic proportions. it has become a public health crisis. the danger of childhood obesity is far greater than any other health-related emergency we

have seen in the past decade. the children that are overweight in america has tripled in the last 30 years. nearly 25 million children and teens are considered overweight or obese, a number that keeps on rising. the first lady has recognized the need to address this epidemic and has created the let's move initiative. her initiative has four key pillars to achieve the goal of ending childhood obesity. getting parents more involved and informed by nutrition and exercise, making healthy foods more accessible and affordable, increasing attention to physical activity and lastly, improving the quality of food in the school meal programs. this legislation makes available important information to parents and communities regarding the physical education being provided to students, encouraging increased physical education and activity

and promoting the healthier u.s. school challenge which recognizes schools that are creating healthier school environments through their promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. the legislation will also make available best practices for innovative and successful physical education programs and policies at the state and local level. finally, the bill calls for a national research council study to how best incorporate physical activity in the school day and started the relationship between physical activity and cognitive development and academic achievement. this will build on recent research that has shown that children's health has statistically significant impact on their academic achievement and a decline in physical education may contribute to a decline in school performance. i am glad to join the first lady in encouraging awareness of the importance of physical education in our schools.

by investing in our children and their future we will be investing in our country's future health and prosperity. mr. speaker, i would like to thank representative kind and representative wamp for bringing this bill forward and urge my colleagues to support it. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i'd yield time as he may consume to mr. wamp of tennessee as a sponsor of this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from tennessee, mr. wamp, is recognized. mr. wamp: i thank the gentlelady, the chairman and the speaker for the time, and i'll commend representative kind and inslee and many others for bringing this important legislation to the floor. but this is just the start of what we need to do in this country. mr. speaker, we got 13-year-olds all over this country on high blood pressure medication. we've got a type two diabetes

and chronic obesity problem in america. we do have a lot of federal involvement in education. now, we can debate how much of that we should have and frankly as someone who seeks to be the 49th governor of tennessee, i don't want any more. i want local control and state control, but we do have through the primary, secondary act and now no child left behind federal involvement. what we really wanted is in the multiple measures category physical education to be counted as other requirements are because thomas jefferson said 200 years ago a child who is not physically well struggles with learning. we now know that is true and more true today than it was then because of these afflictions, because of poor nutrition. we know in my home state with research from dr. mark houston that healthy doses of fresh fruits and vegetables can lower the cancer rate in your state

by 40%. nutrition is incredibly important. physical activity is how children perform better. all the research shows if a child gets a good healthy dose of cardiovascular exercise their brain functions much better, they test much better, they sleep better. child with good physical health is much better. now no child left behind has squeezed a couple of things from physical education. one is p.e. the other is arts education. and that's really unfortunate because arts education is a left brain thing that broadens the child's thinking and physical activity is essential to a child learning and growing and becoming productive. let alone the consequences of type two diabetes and obesity and hypertension among young people which can be a life sentence. so this is a matter of life and death.

so if we are going to have federal involvement in changes, we ought to have p.e. as part of the mix. we ought to have the best research for the states which is what this bill gets to in how to incorporate physical education into the curriculum and the daily regimen of children in schools. now, moms and dads need to know this early, but every fourth grader in america needs to know this is not about how big god made you. some of us have big bones, small bones, wide, thin, tall, short, dark, light. this is about knowing that there's a dial in your life that must be adjusted if we want to live a high-high quality of life and you want -- live a high quality of life and you want to be physically well. the dial is you must get a certain amount of exercise. p.e. has been squeezed out of our schools. it needs to be welcomed back in with open arms. we need healthier children. . this is a chronic problem. we tried to get president bush to make it a centerpiece issue. we weren't able although he was

physically active and a great model for the country. this is a minor first step. we took out all the mandates in this bill so people couldn't complain about that. let us at least come together and say, accurate information, helping schools and states better understand what works, what doesn't work, what's the most effective way to incorporate physical education in education. mind, body, and spirit is a holistic way to live a high quality of life. out of this body we know this. we have the information. share it with parents, teachers, directors of school, and most importantly the next generation will be a better for it. i urge passage of this bill. i thank the authors and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: i'm pleased to recognize the gentleman from washington, mr. inslee, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from washington is recognized for one minute. mr. inslee: thank you. i commend this bill. this is a bipartisan bill to

attempt to prevent a bipartisan epidemic of diabetes from swallowing the next generation. as mr. wamp who's done a great job and mr. kind know we have had a no child left behind, as a p.e. teacher who helped develop this bill said, now we need a leave no child on their behind bill. this will help our parents work with their children to make sure that is the case. i'm particularly appreciative of what a little physical activity can help students in their academic pursuits. this isn't talking about necessarily growing olympic champions here. we are trying to get kids active to help their performance. my dad's an old p.e. teacher. i have seen up front and personal the benefit of getting kids active. this is a reasonable means to make sure parents have information of how active their children are.

we intend on a bipartisan way to stop a diabetes epidemic. this is a great bill. let's pass it. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from washington yields back the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: at this time i would like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from utah, mr. bishop. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from utah is recognized for two minutes, mr. bishop. mr. beneficiaryon: thank you, mr. speaker -- mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. 200 years ago james madison on the house floor gave the following speech, he said if congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, and are the soul and supreme judges of the general welfare, they may appoint and choose every state, county, and parish, they may take into their own hands the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the nation. what madison said sarcastically 200 years ago is actually before us in bill form today. madison concluded by saying where the power of congress to establish in the latitude contended for it would subvert the foundations and transmute

the very nature of limited government established by the people of america. now, are the sponsors of this bill sincere? yes. are the goals of this program good? yes. would this program be beneficial for kids? yes. should the federal government take the initiative to introduce it? no. if we view the different responsibility levels of government, someone has to stand up and say stop. we are not a school board. there is also a practical reality of this legislation. most common response to top-down mandates of teachers who have to implement it is this too shall pass. which simply means the potential grants in the future may be good, but it has to come at the local level. which means the advocates of this program should take this initiative to every local information where they can get buy in from those who implement it.

the reporting requirements that will be mandated on every district in nation by this bill will produce more resentment than reform. this bill is well-intentioned. it has all sorts of good motives. but because of that, it is too important to allow it to remain at a federal level. it must be down in the districts where it will have impact. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from utah yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from mariana islands. mr. sablan: i'm pleased to recognize the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. kind, for four minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. kind, is recognized for four minutes. mr. kind: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. kind: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank my friend for yielding time. in response to my good friend from utah, i know his belief is sincere but just to be clear with this legislation before us, we are not mandating that schools and school districts have to offer physical education. merely informing parents and the community what physical activity and what physical education courses are being provided today. we are very careful in that.

there is a very simple concept behind the legislation before us today. that is this, studies have shown it's hard to develop a healthy mind without a healthy body. as my good friend from tennessee, mr. camp, has been fond of saying, one of the best antidepressants ever invented in the world is good old-fashioned sweat. that's what we are up against with the childhood obesity epidemic that's ravaging our country and youth today. the onset of early childhood type ii juvenile diabetes, cardiovascular disease, close to 75% of kids today are on the verge of being overweight and we know that 80% of them will be overweight and the adult life if something is done to preempt that in a much sooner level. that's what's behind the movement towards the legislation. it's an attempt to try to emphasize physical activity and physical education courses back in our schools today. why is this important? again part of the reason as mr. wamp pointed out is that with the advent of no child left

behind, various courses that were offered in the past are being squeezed. arts are being dropped and physical education especially are one of those courses viewed more and more as a discretionary item rather than something that's necessary to enhance our own child's performance in the classroom. because we know that when kids are more physically active they tend to perform better in schools. test scores go up. there's less disciplinary problems. graduation rates go up. and their overall health improves. all worthy goals we need to be encouraging and supporting more of throughout the nation. today only 4% of elementary schools, 8% of middle schools, 2% of high schools, even provide daily physical education in their schools. 22% of schools don't require students to take physical education at all. that number is growing. 62% of children don't receive any physical activity outside of the school hours. and schools are providing less and fewer physical activity

opportunities. what fit kids will do is work to ensure that kids are active during the school day and taught from an early age the benefits of living an active and healthy lifestyle. the bill will have schools make information available to parents and communities about the type of physical education being provided to students for each grade in relation to the recommended amounts established by the c.b.c., as well as information on the importance of living healthy and active lifestyles. it will enact a national resources council study through the national academy of sciences to figure out the best way to incorporate physical activity in the school day and study the relationship between physical activity and cognitive development and academic achievement where there is a dearth of research being provided today. it will make available best practices for innovative and successful physical education programs and policies at the state and local level. so schools and school districts are not being asked to recreate the wheel trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. there are many model programs

that already exist that we can help share through the modeling of best practices and get that information out to empower more schools and therefore more families. ultimately and i would agree with my friend from utah, it really does come down to personal responsibility. for us to take more permanent control over our own healthy lifestyle decisions. we all know what we all need to be doing a better job of. eating healthier, exercising more, not smoking, and especially for us parents to work much closer, earlier with our children at the earliest possible age to help them develop the good lifestyle decision that is will continue throughout their life. that will mean from time to time of unplugging them from the technology so many of our kids are addicted to. i have two little boys at home myself. i know the power -- one additional minute? mr. sablan: i yield an additional minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. kind: i know the power technology holds over our kids today from xbox's and tivo's and

cell phones. but it's also leading to a more sendtary lifestyle, increasing the childhood bow beesity epidemic. it's up to us parents working in the home, providing a good model of care working with our kids to establish these good practices. again i want to thank my colleagues, mr. wamp, mr. inslee for being original sponsors of the legislation. the gentlelady from illinois, mrs. biggert who is also a co-sponsor of this bill. i want to thank chairman miller and the members of the education committee for the hearings and attention brought to it. i also want to thank over the 50 organizations that endorsed this legislation such as the american heart association, the nfl players association with their play 60 campaign, national association of sport and physical education, american diabetes association, sporting goods manufacturers association, the first lady, michelle obama, along with the president that's elevated the cause of children's health to new levels and new attention in this country.

my own staff person, shannon, who has worked tirelessly on this bill and richard simmons who has been a tireless advocate promoting fit kids throughout the nation. testifying here in congress, appearing before press conferences, on jay leno, on david letterman. and visiting hundreds and hundreds of schools every year for his life mission of promoting healthy living habits not just for adults but especially the children in our life. i thank richard simmons for his leadership and tireless advocacy in fit kids. i ask my colleagues to support it. it's the right thing to do. it's the right step. more needs to be done. this is a good place to start. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of h.r. 1585, the fitness integrated with teaching kids acts or fit kids act. i want to thank my good friend,

congressman ron kind of wisconsin, and congressman zach wamp of tennessee, for sponsoring this piece of legislation and for their tireless work to reduce childhood obesity. childhood obesity is an issue that's reached epidemic proportions in the united states in 2008, 70% of children between the ages of 2 and 19 were obese. and approximately 70% to 80% of overweight or obese children remain obese in adulthood. unfortunately these obese children are more likely to develop diseases such as high blood pressure and type ii diabetes. both diet and exercise are important to the maintenance of a healthy wait. unfortunately most of today's children live sedentary lifestyles. less than 1/3 of high school students currently meet recommended levels of physical activity. the fit kids act requires states and localities to provide information to parents and

families on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including eating habits, physical education, and physical activity. it does not require physical education in schools. the school districts also collect information on how schools are promoting good nutrition and physical activity, whether the school has an age appropriate physical education curriculum. the amount of time students spend in physical education. a description of the facilities available for p.e. and information on any local health and wellness councils. finally the bill would authorize the national research council and the department of education to conduct two important studies on physical activity. as a co-sponsor of h.r. 1585 i believe that physical education will play an important role in attacking the childhood obesity crisis. that is impacting our young people. and also as we are learning more

about the brain how p.e. in schools really helps to develop that brain. when i was in the illinois general assembly i worked really hard to ensure that the state -- the schools and state of illinois had access to daily physical education. and i'm proud to say that illinois still has a mandatory p.e. requirement for all elementary and secondary students. . that really is the only state that has mandatory p.e. and i've also had the privilege to work with a local naperville, illinois, chapter of the nonprofit organization, p.e. for life, whose mission is to inspire active living by advancing the development of daily health and wellness-based physical education programs for all children. not just those that are athletically inclined. now, i went over there and rode

bicycles, racing against these kids. the kind of bicycles that row and these kids are whipping along and i'm falling off the road. that's the kind of thing that's fun for kids to do and to learn a healthy lifestyle. and the other thing that something like p.e. for life does it is attracts -- tracks their fitness from the time they get on in september and until they get off to see how they've become personally more fit and how they care about the nutrition and everything. so it's my hope that other states will follow illinois' lead in making physical education a priority. so i want to highlight the work of congressman kind and congressman wamp on this important piece of legislation, and i hope that we will begin to -- the work of dramatically reducing childhood obesity and i urge all my colleagues to support h.r. 1585, the fit kids

act, and i would inquire whether the gentleman has further speakers. mr. sablan: no, i don't, madam speaker. mrs. biggert: with that i'd yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from illinois yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: i want to encourage the importance of physical education in our schools and ask all our colleagues to join us in support of the house resolution 1585 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1585 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 and the bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. without objection, the title is amended.

for what purpose does the gentleman from mariana islands seek recognition? mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1270. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1270, resolution expressing support for mathematics awareness month. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from the mariana islands, mr. sablan, and the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on house resolution 1270 into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of house resolution 1270 which recognizes the important role of mathematics in our school and in our country.

family members, as children's first teachers, are crucial to children's success. and the more a parent becomes involved in a child's education the greater a child will succeed. they read to them and counting with them. mathematics awareness month provides children from kindergarten through high school to celebrate and learn math. institutes of higher education and professional organizations organize community events that highlight math problem solving and how math is used in a variety of careers. to succeed in tomorrow's world, students must understand algebra, geometry, statistics and probability. business and industry demand workers who can solve real-world problems, explain their thinking to others, identify and analyze trends from data and use modern technology.

our nation's economic competitiveness depends upon rich math knowledge that can fuel industry by our citizenry. tackling prominent social health -- solet and health challenges will require professional skills in mathematics. mathematics awareness month began in 1985 as mathematics awareness week and became a month-long celebration in 1999. math has been commemorated this way every april for almost 25 years. the theme of this year's mathematics aware month is sports. all over the country, students and their families can attend community events to learn about math in baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, track and field, tennis and actually car racing. additionally, the mathematics awareness month website provides videos and links to other resources.

mathematics awareness month provides an opportunity for us to recognize the dedication of our nation's math educators and to purposely look for ways to increase mathematics excellence for all of our children. i commend the colleges, universities and organizations that hold events to draw and retain students into the field of mathematics. mr. speaker, once again, i express my support for mathematics awareness month, and i hope this resolution serves to inspire our nation's citizenry to seek out events near them. i want to thank representative mcmorris rodgers for bringing this resolution to the floor, and i you were my colleagues to pass this resolution. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield to the gentlewoman from washington, kathy mcmorris rodgers, the sponsor -- cathy mcmorris rodgers, the sponsor of this bill, as much time as

she may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from washington is recognized. mrs. mcmorris rodgers: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of h.r. 1270, expressing support for mathematics awareness month. there has been a growing concern with the low number of students graduating with a degree of mathematics. a 2002 report issued by the national science foundation found that the a number of math degrees represented 1% of all bachelors degrees in 1998, down from 1.5% in 1985. our concern is the demand for those with mathematics degrees has and will continue to significantly exceed the available number of individuals qualified to meet our nation's employment needs in the areas requiring math background. mathematics awareness month is intended to raise public awareness and appreciation for mathematics. this first recognized by president ronald reagan in 1986, the need for increased outreach was recognized. in 1999, mathematics awareness month was established and has

been recognized every year since by the federal government and interested stakeholders to highlight math relevancy and the importance of our economic future. this month, mathematics awareness month will focus on the relationship between math and sports, emphasizing the role that math plays in sports, such as time and measurement and statistics and probability. i think what's interesting is that a 2005 g.a.o. report found that teacher effectiveness between grades kinder guard and 12th were critical -- kindergarten and 12th were critical to a student's interest in math. as we move forward with the re-authorization of elementary and secondary education act, we must be cognizant of what is resonating, particularly in the area of mathematics, science, engineering and technology. mathematics awareness month is one way we can make a practical

connection between students and needed areas of studies. i ask my colleagues to support this needed resolution and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from washington yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, does the gentlewoman from illinois have any further speakers? mrs. biggert: i have no further speakers except for myself. mr. sablan: then i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. biggert: mr. speaker, as a longtime advocate of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or stem education, during my tenure in education, i rise in strong support of house resolution 1270, expressing support for mathematics awareness month. in our increasing global and technologically based economy, math education has become even more important to ensuring our

nation's continued economic competitiveness. and learning math is financially beneficial for both our nation's economy and our students. in 2010, the 10 top highest paying college majors were all related to math, science and engineering. unfortunately, a recent national association of educational progress, naep, test scores shows little or no -- since 2007. despite the best efforts of many, this data demonstrates that must more must be done to improve mathematics demonstration and -- education. that is why the joint policy board of mathematics has chosen the 2010 theme, mathematics and sports, for this year's mathematics month. it will highlight the interception of sports world with the wide world of mathematics in universal

language that is used to investigate questions ranging from the trajectory of a baseball to the weight of a star. sports offer a variety of data, strategies and probability each uniquely suited to mathematical analysis beyond its obvious use in evaluating baseball players and football quarterbacks. mathematics is necessary to design the different patterns on golf balls and the composition of racing tires. today's baseball and basketball teams are utilizing complex new mathematical formulas to assemble the best teams at the lowest cost. this sports theme will provide students with countless opportunities to apply a range of math skills on real-life issues they encounter every day. mr. speaker, i strongly support mathematics awareness month and urge my colleagues to join in encouraging all schools, colleges, universities and other organizations to

recognize the importance of mathematics in their own curricula. with that, seeing no further speakers, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from illinois yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i also would urge my colleagues to support house resolution 1270. 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 number 1270. 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 -- mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having

arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20 and the chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from the mariana islands seek recognition? mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1276. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1276, resolution recognizing the continued importance of volunteerism and national service and the anniversary of the signing of the landmark service legislation, the edward m. kennedy serve america act. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from the mariana islands, mr. sablan, and the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert, each will control 20 minutes. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: thank you, mr. speaker. i request five legislative days during which members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on house resolution 1276 into the

record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. sablan: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from the mariana islands is recognized. mr. sablan: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of house resolution 1276, which recognizes the anniversary of the signing of the landmark service legislation, the edward m. kennedy serve america act shes and the continued importance of volunteerism and national service to our country. for many americans, including my constituents in the northern mariana islands, service is the most valuable way for them to contribute to their community. the serve america act encourages all americans from at-risk youth in inner cities to people in rural communities to people in the middle of the pacific ocean to seniors and veterans to unite to service to their communities. this is the universal quality of service that martin luther king spoke about when he said, everybody can be great because anyone can serve. the serve america act expands

many of the current service programs, including americorps, which is on the path to increase its volunteer force from 75,000 to 250,000 by 2014. this new initiative will specifically focus on key areas that is the foundation of our nation's growth and prosperity. such as education, health care, energy and veterans. young adults join americorps' vista to commit to serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organization or government agency, working to fight ill literalcy, improve health services, create businesses and strengthen community groups. programs like this are valuable teaching tools for students to apply real world experiences to issues they may in-- they may encounter in the classroom and to grow as individuals while giving back. most importantly, the act seeks

to revitalize our nation's commitment to an engagement in service, especially among our nation's youth. i strongly believe our people are our most important and best resource and engaging them in service puts that research to work for the good of the community as a whole. i have seen the benefits in my home in the mariana islands to the recipients of service and the volunteers alike and i know it's a rewarding experience for both, one that strengthens the ties of our community. this marks the national volunteer work. it recognizes the spirit of service that has been important to bringing americans together especially in times of economic hardship. according to the corporation for national and community service, 61.8 million

americans, or 26% of adults, took time to contribute some volunteer service in 2008. those volunteers donated eight billion hours' -- eight billion hours, worth $162 billion. finally, i want to recognize the person for whom the serve america act is name, the late senator edward m. kennedy. senator kennedy spent his life serving his country, never forgetting the words spoken by his brother, president john f. kennedy, in 1961, of those to whom much is given, much is required. i'm proud we can honor senator kenky's memory by encouraging americans to offer service to their fellow citizens. mr. speaker, once again i express my support for this resolution, commemorating the edward m. kennedy serve america act and i urge my colleagues to join me in support of this

resolution, celebrating its one-year anniversary and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert. mrs. biggert: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. biggert: i rise today in support of house resolution 1276, recognizing the continued importance of volunteerism and national service and commemorating the anniversary of the landmark service legislation, the edward m. kennedy serve america act. albert einstein once said a person starts to live when he can live outside himself. regardless of one's age or background, education or interests, experience or abilities, every american should have the chance to serve because all have something to contribute to the greater good. the serve america act increases opportunities for americans of all ages to serve, supports

innovation in the nonprofit sector, and promotes good management, cost effectiveness in organizations receiving tax dollars. the serve america act established a summer of service program to provide education awards for rising sixth through 12th graders a semester of service program for high school students to engage in service learning an youth empowerment zones for secondary students and out of school youth. it authorizes nonprofits to pass the building grants to provide organizational development assistance to small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations. in addition, it ensures that programs receiving assistance under national service laws are accountable by continuously evaluating them for effectiveness in achieving performance and cost goals. today we recognize the anniversary of the signing of this legislation and encourage americans to continue to answer the call to serve. i support this resolution and

urge my colleagues to do the same and i would yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from illinois yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from the mariana islands. mr. sablan: i encourage all my colleagues to support this resolution 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 1276. 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 resolution is agreed to and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the proceedings will resume on motions to suspend the rules previously postponed.

votes will be taken in the following order. s. 1963, by the yeas and nays. house resolution 1104 by the yeas and nays. house resolution 1216 by the yeas and nays. the first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote resm maining electronic votes will be conducted as a five-minute vote. the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from california, mr. filner to suspend the rules and pass s. 1963 as amended on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 1963, an act to amend title 38 united states code to provide assistance to care givers of veterans to improve the provision of health care to veterans and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the ill the ho suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended? members will record their votes by electronic device.

this is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: the yeas are 419, the nays are none. 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from tennessee, mr. cohen to suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1104, on which the yeas and nays were ordered. the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1104, supporting the mission and goals of 2010 national crime victims' rights week to

increase public awareness of the rights, needs rks and concerns of victims of -- victims and survivors of crime in the united states, no matter their country or origin or their creed, and that the week be designated crime victims' rights, fairness, dignity, and respect. the speaker pro tempore: members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

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the speaker pro tempore: on

this vote the yeas are 416. the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 419. the nays are none. on this vote the yeas are 417. the nays are none. 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. please clear the well. members, please hold your conversations down.

members. members. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? the speaker: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to speak out of order. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from california is recognized, madam speaker. the speaker: thank you very much, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, my colleagues, earlier today in the house, a resolution was brought to the floor honoring the 10 years that father coughlin has served us as the chaplain of the house of representatives. we recognize that 10 years ago under the leadership of then speaker dennis hastert he reached back to illinois and named a parish priest, father coughlin, as the chaplain of

the house of representatives. for those of us who are roman catholic, it was an honor because it was the first time that a catholic was the chaplain of the house. five years after that, father coughlin took us to rome for the funeral of pope john paul ii, and in doing so he was visiting vatican city where he had participated in his priesthood. before he came here he was a parish priest. before he came here he had lived in a trappist monastery in kentucky and deepened his faith there. before he came here he had served the poor in calcutta, india. my own patron saint of the city of san francisco, as i said earlier, he would say, preached the gospel, sometimes used words. that's what father coughlin did, he preached the gospel by ministering to the needs of the

poor following the message of the gospel. and he also then served as a parish priest and came here to this house of representatives. in the meantime, last sunday as these two events converged, it's quite a coincidence, it's quite a coincidence in chicago he was honored at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of his becoming a priest. priest. 50th anniversary. we all know father coughlin as a modest man, but in a moment

in modesty he told me earlier that 35 priests celebrated the mass, the celebration of his ordination. and there in a church to see his mother, lucille, 95 years old. mr. lipinski, the presenter of the resolution earlier, was there as well. as with a mr. sensenbrenner and his wife, cheryl -- as was mr. sensenbrenner and his wife, cheryl. i am almost jealous of them for them being at that church to see that celebration because every single day here we see his holiness, his goodness. we see him lead us in prayer at the beginning of the day under the engraving "in god we trust."

when he's not presenting that inspiration to us, he's invited other faith leaders to present an invocation to the members of congress. his goodness shines through. his inspiration to us is endless. the debt of gratitude that we have to him and to lucille for what he has brought to us is endless, his service here has indeed been a blessing to this house of representatives, and i am so pleased that we're all going to unanimously support the resolution honoring his 10 years of service here and recognizing his 50 years as a priest. thank you, father coughlin, for thank you, father coughlin, for serving us so long.

i'd be pleased to yield to leader boehner. mr. boehner: i appreciate the speaker. let me tell you about father coughlin. he's really quite an individual, and he's been there for all of us. and i think that over the 10 years that he's served us he's done a really marvelous job and i think all the members would agree. in the resolution that was on the floor earlier today celebrating his 10 years of service to the house, it mentions that he's in his 70's. now, he looks pretty good for a guy who's in his 70's. and i would -- mr. hoyer is jealous because he's in his 70's as well. you know, i remember what it took to be ordained a priest back in father coughlin's era.

and so i'm sure he's beyond just 70, mr. hoyer. but i think he looks awfully good for a man in his 70's. but i think all of us realize while the father -- father coughlin's here to lead in the opening prayer or to work with other ministers who come, he's also there for our spiritual guidance, days when we're sad and days when we're happy. but to celebrate 50 years in the priesthood, 50 years of a lot of service to a lot of people. and on behalf of all of us, father coughlin, we thank you for your service and wish you a hardy congratulations. the speaker: mr. speaker, i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. without objection, five-minute voting will continue. the unfinished business is on the vote on the motion of the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. capuano, to suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 1216, on which the yeas and nays were ordered. the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 1216, resolution congratulating reverend daniel p. coughlin on his 10th year of service as chaplain of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and agree to the resolution? members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 412, the nays are zero. 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the resolution is agreed to and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous con senlt that my name be withdrawn as a co-sponsor of h.r. 3963. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered.

the chair will entertain requests for one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from california rise? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in strong support of the caregivers and veterans omnibus health services act. day in and day out our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines and coast guardmen put their live on the line to protect our own. our men and women in uniform are the bravest among us, making unparalleled sacrifices to protect our precious liberties and freedoms and we must do everything in our power to support them. this legislation is important -- an important exonalt of our ongoing effort to give back to our veterans and their families. it will provide long overdue support to those who care for the disabled, ill and injured veterans. it will enhance health services for women veterans, including care for new borns for the first time in history.

it will expand mental health services for veterans and health care access for veterans in rural areas. it will end co-pays for vet -- veterans who are cat strofpkly disabled. today we have an opportunity to provide for our veterans and families the valuable benefits they need, have earned and deserve. on behalf of our brave men and women in uniform, as well as their friends and family, i join my colleagues in strong support of the bill. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentlelady from florida rise? ms. ros-lehtinen: revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. ros-lehtinen: thank you so much, mr. speaker. i would like to congratulate are a kell bayhar,, a great member of the south florida community. she will be recognized by the miami jewish health system as the 2010 mother of the year. her dedication and selfless service to the latin exallry and the miami jewish health system have been exceptional. it is a testament to her character and her sense of

community. are a kell has also worked with the miami jewish health system's music therapy program. despite all of her community service and engagement, the role she cherishes most of all is that of being a mother and a grandmother. her values and principles have inspired her loved ones. her daughter has become an active member of the latin exallry, serving on its board, and her grandson has also become involved with the auxiliary and the miami jewish health system. raquelle and her wonderful family are two examples of from generation to generation. i'm proud to call her a friend and south florida is fortunate to have her. congratulations, raquelle on, on this award. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california rise? >> address the house, revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. sanchez: thank you, mr. speaker.

i rise today to recognize and honor our military forces who have fought valiantly to strengthen our counterterrorism strategy. my top priority as chairwoman of the house armed services subcommittee on chism on conventional threats and capabilities is to provide all the necessary resources to our military in order to protect our country from terrorist threats. i'd like to especially recognize our u.s. special operation forces who have been an integral part of our counterterrorism strategy. the u.s. special operations forces have been successful in developing valuable relationships with the government in pakistan and afghanistan, ultimately leading to the capture of hundreds -- hundreds of al qaeda fighters and affiliates. however, terrorism is not limited to iraq and afghanistan. currently our forces are also in regions such as yemen to root out terrorists and send a loud message to those who seek to do

us harm, that we will not let them operate freely like that. congress must be proactive about addressing all terrorist threats to our country, through intelligence, diplomacy and with our armed forces. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from michigan rise? ms. kilpatrick: mr. speaker, since the attempted terrorist attack on northwest flight 253 on christmas day, i have been arguing that the terrorists at detroit metro airport that was arrested there is an unlawful enemy combatant who should be tried in a military combhigs. the decision to try this terrorist in civilian court, to give him the right to remain silent, as well as giving him three taxpayer-funded attorneys is absolutely wrong in my opinion. mr. speaker, as well this trial will place undue costs and man power burdens on the city of detroit and the state of

michigan, neither of which is in a position to absorb additional security-related costs. it is wrong, mr. speaker, to ask hard-pressed communities, local communities, to pay these costs simply because we were the targets of this attack. while we played no role in the decision to hold this trial in the city of detroit. it was the decision of attorney generic holder and the federal government to try this terrorist in civilian court in detroit so i think the additional cost to local and state government should be borne by the federal government. the department of homeland security must stand up and guarantee to fund any costs in the city of detroit or the county of wayne or the state of michigan that they would not normally incur. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california rise? >> address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> imagine going to work every day for decades, giving your blood, sweat and tears to a company and then finding out your male colleagues were

getting higher raises and making more money for yeerls. that's what happened to lilly ledbetter and she is one of the lucky ones because she was able to prove that she was paid less because she was a woman. the effect of lesser spay immense. for a single woman it can mean the loss of up to $2 million over a career, not to mention lower pension and social security payments for the rest of her life. today more women are graduated from college than men yet full-time working women with the same major and same degree earn only 80% compared to their male colleagues. that is unacceptable. at this rate, my three young nieces will be receiving social security before they get the equal pay they deserve. but i refuse to wait that long. that's why the senate must pass the paycheck fairness act which stiffens penalties for employers who discriminate based on gender. i stand today to urge the senate's support, the women of america, there must be equal pay for equal work. thank you. .

. . he earned his masters in education from the university of rrk in fay yachtville and went on to teach physics and chemistry for 15 years prior to becoming assistant principal at springdale high school. the innovative programs he created like the sophomore center at springdale high school, which led to higher achievement and less absenteism amongst students is a testament to his character and passion to educate. this program truly helped those at risk students at springdale high school to perform better in school and to make more of their

education. in he also created adopt a pup which assigned every at risk student with a mentor to help them achieve better in school. i'm proud of him for his commitment to education and his efforts to improve the lives of students in arkansas and this is a well deserved honor. with that i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentlelady from illinois rise? without objection. >> mr. speaker, the house will soon take an important step by approving a motion to go to conference on h.r. 2194, the comprehensive iran sanctions accountability and divestment act. last december the house voted overwhelmingly in support of this bipartisan legislation. now we need to act quickly on a conference report so that we can send a bill to the president. every day we delay is another day that iran grows closer to acquiring a nuclear weapon. a nuclear iran is an

unacceptable scenario that would be a threat to the state of israel. our trusted ally and could destabilize the entire middle east. it would also be a threat to our own national security. enacting strong, crippling sanctions on the iranian regime will send a clear signal to the international community that we need to work together to prevent a nuclear iran. i look forward to working with my colleagues and the administration to make this happen. mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from utah rise? mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize one of utah's great medical association as it celebrates 100 years of anniversary. followed in ogden, it was to bring medical services to underserved areas.

the church assumed leadership and expanded services for even more residents. in 1976, the l.d.s. church relength issued control to the not-for profit health care. taking this charge of excellence to heart, tens of thousands of working individuals have devoted their lives of healing patients at the intermountain medical center and their efforts have been recognized as a national model for providing quality and affordable health care. i ask you and my colleague to join me in congratting the intermountain medical hospital for 100 years of dedicated service and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from illinois rise? mr. quigley: address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. quigley: israel declared its independence and established the nation founded on the principles

of justice, freedom and peace. these are not unlike those on which the united states was built and these beliefs spurred a resilient relationship between israel and the u.s., a friendship of six decades which remains strong today. the united states was the first nation to recognize israel and with that recognition came a promise, a promise to help ensure israel's security, a promise to stand behind the only democracy in the middle east and a proposal his to always uphold israel's right to exist on. this anniversary, let us celebrate as the old israeli song goes, the people of israel lives and may they have the land of israel to call home today, tomorrow and always. thank you, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania rise? mr. thompson: request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend.

inscribed on the jefferson memorial is a quotation from jefferson that reads in part, no man shall be required to relengthish religious ministry or suffer on account of his opinions or belief but all means shall be free to maintain their opinions in matters of religion. nothing about the national day of prior that compels anyone to have a ministry. we who support the national day of prayer wish it was more successful. all men are free to profess and maintain their religion through prayer and other means. what threatens some people about a still small moment of silence or a prayer to a higher being. nothing about the national day of prayer requires anyone to do anything. i ask, where is the harm to them? the founding fathers gave us freedom of religion.

and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland rise? >> address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> i rise in support of the armenian recognition of theen os eyed. it includes the scholars and wassel foundation for humanity whose foundings are supported by 53 nobel lawyer yachts. turkey express presses on and a legacy it continues to enforce. many of my colleagues express sympathy for the victims but hesitant to vote for recognition. turkey's lobbying campaign which threatens retaliation should the u.s. realize this historical reality has had the intended effect.

some worry that it will cause harm to u.s.-turkish relations and undermine united states' strategic interests. it's not a good time is a common refrain but that excuse is always available. it is a wholly inadequate excuse. in true furtherance of its interests the united states must take a deep breath and recognize this tragic episode of the modern era to be a fact of history. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio rise? >> address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> i rise in recognition of the recent 60th anniversary of the toastmaster's club in ohio where i live. the international club with members in china and india and 250,000 americans giving them the opportunity to overcome their fear of public speaking, become better listeners and gain confidence in community

relations. they have given that opportunity to people in my community for 60 years having grown from four members. in alliance, ohio, there are politicians, administrators and teachers who have gained confidence in their ability to communicate. but now more than anything, toastmasters have the opportunity to engage in their neighborhood, learn from one another and develop thoughts. in an age of 24-hour news, internet, texting, it is important to maintain face-to-face communication with one another. i commend the club for helping people in my community for gaining confidence to do just that for 60 memorable years and i thank them for their service to our community. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from texas rise snr ms. jackson lee: address the house and revise and extend my

remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. jackson lee: thank you very much, mr. speaker. on a number of occasions, many members have had to rise to speak of a very sad and tragic incident that has occurred in their congressional district and today, sadly i rise as well to speak to the terrible loss of joshua mcmackle, a young student at texas southern university. meeting his parents and sister, his grandmother and aunt, many of whom were in the service of this country being federal employees and law enforcement employees, it was so sad to be able to speak about this senseless and untimely death. i would say to you that this was a fine young man, a freshman who had come to texas southern university because of its special and exclusive music program. he was a graduate of the

randolve makeon military academy and traveled around the world with his mom and parents. his tragic death occurred as any student might have it happen to them unfortunately when parents send their children away to learn. some person, some unfortunate tragic individual would take a life by gun fire. and so it was for josh youa a -- joshua a week ago when he was at an event, a party, which is perfectly all right for college students and along came outsiders who attempted, if you will, to turn this into the devastating tragedy that it was. in tribute to joshua we will memorialize him this saturday. but more important to him, we nt

up a fellow student or cause the death of someone they do not know. may this fine young man rest in peace. joshua mcmackle, we honor you to your contributions to america. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair lays before the house the following personal requests. the clerk: leaves of absence requested for ms. johnson of texas for today until 4:00 p.m. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland rise? >> i ask unanimous consent that today following legislative business and any other special orders heretofore entered into, the following members may be permitted to revise and stepped their remarks and include

extraneous material for five minutes. congressman poe, april 28. congressman jones, april 28. congressman westmoreland, today. congressman moran april 22. congressman bartlett, today. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida rise? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that today following legislative business and any special orders entered into, the following members may be permitted to address the house for five minutes and include extraneous material. mr. hoyer of maryland, mr. skelton of most, myself, mr. engel of new york, mr. klein of florida, mr. israel, ms. schakowsky, mr. wiener of new york, mr. markey, ms. schwartz, mr. schiff of california, ms. sanchez of california, mr. marshall of california, mr. garamendi of california, ms. chu

of california, mr. smith of washington, ms. woolsey of california, mr. defazio of oregon and ms. kaptur of ohio. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. under the speaker's announced policy january 6, 2009 and under a previous order of the house, the following members are recognized for five minutes each. mr. moran of kansas. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from florida rise? ms. ros-lehtinen: take mr. moran's time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. ros-lehtinen: thank you for the time, yesterday congresswoman wasserman schultz and fellow members of congress held a great press conference with the chief administrative officer of the house of representatives on how to make our offices more energy efficient.

representing such natural wonder iris like the florida keys national marine sanctuary, i'm sensitive to the impact of our daily routine on the environment. i'm a supporter of the green proposals, such as increasing the fuel efficiency in our cars and promoting the use of clean alternative energy. however, as we all know, green living begins at home and the workplace, whether it is by turning off the lights when exiting a room, car pooling to the office or recycling on a regular basis, we can all work to improve our environment. the buildings of the capitol complex are now utilizing the latest in energy and water-saving technologies. simple action of installing energy-saving lighter throughout the house of representatives has saved u.s. taxpayers more than $175,000 annually. house offices have increased their participation in the recycling of paper and other raw

materials. and last year, house of representatives recycled more than 1,800 tons of paper, 46 tons of bottles and cans and one ton of leather. my district office in miami will be implementing additional electricity and resource-saving measures. at a time when our nation is struggling with high unemployment and unstable deficit, we should be doing all that we can to eliminate government inefficiency, waste, fraud and abuse. this week in celebration of earth day, south florida families can attend miami's going green celebration to learn more about how you can protect the environment, support green technology and save money on your energy and water bills. i encourage south floridians to attend this important event, which is scheduled to take place on saturday from 10:00 to 6:00 p.m. in miami's bayfront park.

individuals and families can participate in seminars on energy-efficient home improvement, how to save on your water bills and several other exhibitions. in particular, i encourage you to register for my of the eco-friendly services provided by miami-dade county such as adopt a tree program. by implementing individual changes, we can all make a positive difference on our environment. i will continue to work in congress to support policies that encourage families and businesses to be more energy efficient and less reliant on expensive foreign fuel. at the same time, i will continue to be a staunch advocate for green initiatives that will not put a financial burden on working families and small businesses. once again, i urge all my south florida constituents to attend the miami going green celebration this saturday at

bayfront park to learn more about living more environmentally-friendly lives. we have a role to play as we preserve south florida's natural beauty and improve our communities' environment for ourselves, our children and grandchildren. thank you, mr. speaker, for this thank you, mr. speaker, for this time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. mr. hoyer of maryland. for what purpose does the gentleman from missouri rise? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to claim the time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. skelton: mr. speaker, i rise today to commend and thank our brave men and women in uniform who risk their lives every single day to protect america and to keep our families safe. we have the very best war fighters in the world led by the very best commanders and under president obama our military service members are experiencing even greater success in keeping our nation safe from those who seek to do us harm.

earlier this week the joint raid by u.s. and iraqi forces delivered what general and the top military commander in iraq identified as potentially the most significant blow to al qaeda in iraq since the beginning of the insurgency. during this raid, two of al qaeda's top leaders were killed, including al qaeda in iraq's top leader. this news was a sign not only of -- only of our continued progress against al qaeda in iraq and its affiliates, but of our progress overall in our fight to quell terrorism and keep america and our allies safe. our increased success in killing and companyturing terrorists isn't limited to just -- killing and capturing terrorists isn't limited to just iraq. we've stepped up the fight against terrorisms and strengthened strategic partnerships in places like pakistan and yemen and with the help of these partners we are finally making significant

progress in the war against al qaeda terrorists and their allies. we're capturing terrorist leaders every week and seeing much greater success in getting our allies and other countries in the region to root out terrorists and send a loud message that those who seek to do us harm will not be able to operate freely. this is increased progress in marking noticeable in afghanistan which for many years under the bush administration was frankly the forgotten war. mr. speaker, afghanistan has been an epcenter of terrorism. we cannot afford to forget that it was the genesis of multiple attacks that have killed thousands of americans, our children, our parents, our spouses, our friends, our neighbors. after nearly a decade with no real plan in afghanistan, we now have a strategy for success under this president. while we build an afghan government capable of keeping al qaeda from using afghanistan as a safe haven, we are striking

even harder al qaeda and their allies as they hide in the mountains in pakistan. using special operation forces and predator planes and cooperating with the governments in pakistan and afghanistan we've captured or killed hundreds of al qaeda fighters and affiliates since 2009. far more than in 2008. in fact, during this administration more than 600 terrorists have been killed by drone strikes. that's more than triple the amount from 2004 to 2008 combined. the president's new strategy in afghanistan and pakistan also helped lead to the capture and cooperation with pakistani forces of the taliban second in command, former taliban finance minister and two taliban shadow governors, the most significant captures of afghanistan taliban leaders since the start of the war in afghanistan.

reinforcing the well of other countries to strike at al qaeda will, i believe, be critical toward eliminating this threat forever. president obama's administration deserves to be congratulated for its progress on both fronts. importantly, this administration understands that we need a comprehensive strategy to prevent terrorism, just as you cannot effectively rid your backyard of poison ivy by just cutting off the leaves, we cannot effect and heavily destroy terrorist cells unless we take them out by the roots, cutting off the supply of thieves that feed them. to capture and kill terrorists, we're also now placing a greater emphasis on taking the necessary measures to prevent the recruitment of violent extremists. mr. speaker, with the responsible new steps being taken by our commander in chief, the outstanding leadership by our commanders on the ground and the unrivaled dedication and

courage of all of our men and women in uniform, i have no doubt that our nation is safer today than it was three years ago. we've come a long way in keeping america safe from future terrorist attacks. thank you, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. mr. poe of texas is recognized. without objection. >> thank you very much. mr. speaker, during the clinton years, washington was telling the american people that we were -- we had a budget surplus and we were paying down the debt. after a number of months of bragging about this budget surplus we had and how much we were paying down the debt, we had to raise the debt limit ceiling. now, i asked our leadership, is it going to be a -- isn't it going to be a little difficult

to explain to the american people why we have to raise the debt limit ceiling if for these many months we have been paying down the debt? why would you have to raise the debt limit ceiling if you lowered the debt? well, you may not be surprised that what comes out of washington is not always altogether truthful. i have a little chart here that helps to explain what happened and why we had to raise the debt limit ceiling when we had a so-called budget surplus and were telling the american people that we were paying down the debt. now, what we were doing, we had a surplus in social security and we had surpluses in medicare and we had a lock box, you may remember the lock box, we had a lock box on social security and medicare surpluses. and the lock box says that you couldn't transfer that money to the general treasury, that you had to pay down the public debt

with those moneys. and so what we did was to take the surpluses from the social security trust fund and the medicare trust fund and there were surpluses there and we'd pay down the public debt. but for every dollar we paid down the public debt we incurred another dollar debt in the trust funds. and, you see, the national debt, the debt that really counts, is the sum of the public debt and the trust fund debt. so if you simply decrease the public debt by increasing the trust fund dunn debt, you have done nothing -- fund debt, you have done nothing to the national debt. it's a little bit like taking money from your right hand pocket and putting it into your left hand pocket. obviously if you do that, are you neither richer nor poorer, after you've taken money from your right hand pocket and put it in your left hand pocket. and that is what we're doing. now, very few people know that there is a difference between

the public debt -- the public debt is the wall street debt. that's all those instruments that we give to people when they loan us money. the trust fund debts, of course, are debts that we owe to our trust funds because for many years we have been taking moneys from the american people for social security and medicare and about 50 other trust funds, the highway trust fund and so forth, and we presumably are taking that money and putting it in trust for them. is that what happens? no, that is not what happens. what happens is we take that money and if we have any surplus money after meeting our social security and medicare obligations, we then take that money and immediately concert is the -- convert it into a nonnegotiationble u.s. security and we move it over to the general trust fund and we spend it. so there is in fact no money in the social security trust fund or the medicare trust fund that is really here, it is not a trust fund, i guess you might call it a trust debt. because there's nothing there but i.o.u.'s.

now this year for the first time we spent more money on social security than we took in in social security. we still have about $2.5 trillion of surpluses in the social security trust fund. so we'll be paying social security for a while if we can collect or borrow enough money from other places to make up for the money that we took from the social security trust fund and spent. so for all those years, those months, for a couple of years we were telling people we were paying down the debt, and i talked to c.b.o.'s and i think there was never a moment in time, if we kept our books on the accrual method, which by the way we require every small business to do, never was a moment in time when the national debt went down. now, another thing, the debt will always go up more than the advertised deficit. how can the debt go up more than the advertised deficit? the debt goes up more than the

deficit because we make the silly statement that the social security surplus and the medicare surplus offset the debt. of course if you take that surplus and spend it, it simply incurs another kind of debt. i hope this helps you understand, i just thought you'd like to know and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. mr. deutch of florida is recognized. for what purpose does the gentleman from alabama rise? >> i rise to claim -- ask for unanimous consent to claim his time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to praise the outstanding work of our fighting men and women stationed overseas. too often their work goes unnoticed but our safety and security is contingent upon their success. on monday, however, the entire world took notice of their excellent work. two of al qaeda's top leaders were killed in a joint effort between iraqi and u.s. forces.

the general said it was potentially, i quote, saying it was potentially the most significant blow to al qaeda since the beginning of the insurgency. end quote. their success is not by accident nor is it limited to iraq. our allies across the region are beginning to actively engage in the fight against terrorism and it is yielding successful results. we must send a loud message that those who speak -- seek to do us harm will pay the ultimate price. i anticipate our progress will continue in the months ahead because we have a strategy and clear-cut goals in afghanistan. the administration and the commanders on the ground know we must root out the terrorists who still reside in the same country from which the 9/11 terror attacks original nated. as a result, terrorist leaders are being -- or age nated. as a result -- originated. terrorist leaders are being captured there. drones have captured or killed more than 600 of al qaeda's

fighters and associates in 2009 alone. far more than in 2008. this is more than triple the amount from the period of 2004 to 2008 and during that period combined. the new counteru.s. is strategy in afghanistan help -- counterinsurgency strategy in afghanistan helped lead to the capture of two shadow governors of afghan province. these are the most significant captures of afghan taliban leaders since the start of the war in afghanistan. . as we continue to move forward, we must never forget osama bin laden, the man behind the 9/11 attacks and must be brought to justice. in order to send a clear message that no act of terror will go

unpunished. last year, i visited afghanistan as part of a congressional delegation to the regions. we received briefings from military and afghani political leaders. the question i asked of nearly everyone who would listen to us was where is osama bin laden and what are we doing to capture or kill this man? our recent success in killing and capturing his allies gives me appropriate steps to bring this murderer to justice. commander of nato forces recently confirmed that the military is trying to find and kill bin laden. i was pleased to hear mcchrystal confirm his commitment as he continues his excellent service in afghanistan. the strategy in afghanistan and iraq is two-pronged. in addition to ramping up our

missions to capture and kill terrorists, we are placing a greater emphasis on preventing the recruitment of violent extremists and returning the countries to what they were in the past. i participated in a video conference with the third heavy brigade combat team in the 3rd infantry division, the sledge hammer brigade, told me about over 120 projects they have completed or will soon be completed in a five-province region in iraq. their efforts are big reasons why we have seen big efforts of stablization in iraq over the past two years. i look forward to working with my colleagues to continue to support our forces in these two endeavors. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. mr. jones of north carolina.

for what purpose does the gentleman from texas rise? mr. poe: asking unanimous consent to reclaim my time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. poe: thank you, mr. speaker. today is april 21 and when i grew up in texas, april 21 was a holiday. we didn't go to school. and the reason i thought we didn't go to school because april 21 is my mother's birthday and led me to believe that school was out because it was her birthday. i learned that that wasn't correct, that we had celebrated april 21 as a state holiday in texas because it is one of the most if not the most important day in texas history because on april 21, 1836, 174 years ago, texas gained complete independence from mexico and became a free and independent nation for over nine years. a little history is due, i think.

it started when mexico was a republic, a democracy, similar to the united states. texas belonged to mexico. but a person by the name of santa ana became president of mexico. when he became president, he abottle issued the constitution and became dictator. he eliminated civil rights for everybody who lived in mexico including what is now texas. texas sought independence on march they claimed independence because of the tyrant who denied civil rights to those living in texas. there were 187 volunteers of all races from all the states in the union and many foreign countries assembled at a beat up church in texas called the alamo. 187 volunteers stood in defines

of santa anaa's army. several enemy soldiers came in and after 13 days of fighting that battle, those battles, jad alamo fell. sam houston built an army to fight back. the commander of the alamo, 26-year-old individual from south carolina that victory will cost the enemy more dearly than defeat. and he was right because of the massive losses of the forces at the alamo. he had to regroup and started chasing sam houston. houston was moving east and headed towards the sabine area, which is next to the united states and we call that louisiana. he had yet to fight a battle.

the armies had been successful and defeated the texas armies in almost every battle. and sam houston had yet to fight, but find himself on april 21, 1836, between the buffalo and the river. there he stood to fight. most battles are fought in the morning after sunrise. on april 21, the texas army was so eager that at 3:00 in the afternoon, they decided to march on the forces, which jut numbered the texas two to one. they were an odd-looking bunch. there were frontiersmen, lawyers, doctors, made up of texans and led by a captain. and they were part of the cavalry. the texans had no uniform.

they wore a playing card in their hat band to make sure they knew who they were. they marred on the forces completely by surprise and defeated them, overwhelmingly defeat one of the big upsets in military history. half of the forces were killed other half captured. battle lasted 18 minutes and one-third of the land in the united states, which is now the united states, switched hands. this is the map way texas looked after april 21, 1836. part of oklahoma, new mexico, colorado, wyoming and kansas. and texas became a free and independent nation that day and stayed a republic for nine years and then joined the united states, texas only got into the united states by one vote when a louisiana senator finally changed his mind and allowed texas to come into the united

states. i mention this april 21 because it's an important day not only for texas but people who believe in freedom. these volunteers in 1836, many of them gave their lives for that word liberty, a word that we still fight for today, that our history has a lot of people who fought for that word and died for independence both for texas and for the united states. we honor those brave texans, the april 21, 1836. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida rise? >> to address the house for five minutes out of order. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this special order. mr. speaker, as the nation's newest member of congress, it is

truly an honor to have my first remarks on the floor in commemoration of israel's 62nd anniversary. i rise in support of house concurrent resolution 260, which recognizes the independence of the jewish state of israel and confirms the friendship and alliance between our two great nations. as israelis and jewish communities celebrate, this resolution holds a special significance for me and my constituents in florida's 19th district. i represent one of the largest number of jewish americans and holocaust survivors. my constituents remember when the promise of israel was only an unlikely possibility. and over the years they watched the realization of this dream and the establishment of this great nation. for so many of my constituents and to so many americans, that day in 1948 when israel declared its independence was the day that a promise was fulfilled to

the jewish people who struggled to find a place they could call home. 62 years later, israel has grown into a thriving democratic state with a great economy and rich culture. they embrace freedom and through art, literature, music and business, the entire globe has benefited from israel's existence and success. throughout the 62 years, the people of israel vr shown a desire to live in peace and a fierce resolve to protect the security of their citizens no matter what the cost. this nation and these citizens have shown dedication in the face of terrorism and threats from those who deny and threaten's israel's existence, whether attacks from hezbollah or the continued financial sponsorship by syria and iran, the people of israel should know that the united states will always stand in support of

israel's right to self-defense. the relationship between the united states and israel is unbreakable. the relationship is one between two peoples, our common values, history we share, our commitment to freedom and joint vision of a secure and peaceful middle east. from the recognition of the new state of israel by president truman in 1948 through today, let me make this clear, the united states stands with israel and the united states will always stand with israel. the relationship is secure and the relationship is strong. this resolution not only re-affirms israel's right to self-defense but recognizes the most single threat threatening national security is iran. its quest poses a threat to the state of israel and unacceptable threat for the united states. the importance of this issue cannot be understated. just this week, the very week we celebrate israel's independence,

news organizations have reported that president ahmadinejad has approved new uranium enrichment plants in iran. this threat is real and it is unacceptable. congress and the administration must work together and use every tool in our disposal to prevent inche from developing nuclear weapons and united states take action to ratch he et up pressure which i hope the house will work on tomorrow and we must continue to demand that the international community join with us in our critical effort. as a new member of congress, i look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on an issue that will strengthen our bond with israel and thwart iran's nuclear weapons program. america and israel share a commitment to confront terrorism but bolstering freedom, human rights and democracy across the globe. theen rossity and kindness of the israeli people could not

have been more evident than the days following the devastating earthquake in haiti. israel arrived on the scene first and began rescuing men, women and children. it was israel who built the first field hospital in haiti and began offering medical care to the injury. and it was israel who stood with those most in need because of a simple belief in universal human dignity. let us stand with israel today bypassing house concurrent resolution 260 and by expressing our most sincere hope that our ally israel achieves lasting peace it has long deserved. thank you, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. mr. burton from indiana. ms. berkley from nevada. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida rise? mr. klein: speak out of order and claim my time.

the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. klein: mr. speaker, i rise today tore support house resoln 260nd acknowledge both the sacrifices and the celebrations of the israeli people on their independence day. 62 years ago, the founders of the jewish state gathered together to declare, quote, our exile from the land of israel, the jewish people remain faithful to it. never ceasing to pray and hoping to return the restoration of the national freedom, closed quote. in every turn of jewish history, expulsion after expulsion, the vision and dream would keep the jewish people going. it was this hope that fueled the establishment of the state of israel and through every battle and every war, the words of the israeli proclamation of independence continue to hold true.