pascrell: thank you, mr. chairman. thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, just a short while ago i returned from afghanistan. the fifth largest contingency in nato is from italy. we have many reminders through history and specifically now of what our relationship is between the united states and italy. so we rise to support this resolution. resolution 430, expressing our deepest sympathies to the citizens of italy. this earthquake was devastating, mr. speaker, in ruined a large part of the abruzzo part of italy. the magnitude of this earthquake is understood by many americans. the university town of laquila along with 26 other surrounding cities, towns, and villages suffered massive destruction. you already have heard of how many people were killed. 15,000 buildings destroyed. they were historic, cultural landmarks. 70,000 people were displaced. so we extend our deepest sympathies. homes and churches can be rebuilt but we can never replace loved ones. despite the aftershocks that continue to devastate the region for days after, rescue workers demon

pascrell: mr. speaker, this is truly bizarre. we're talking about life and death issues, and i know technically you can speak about everything, but we are talking about life and death issues. we have seen witnesses disappear, go underground so that law enforcement can now protect us. and if the gentleman, my good friend from georgia, gets up and talks about something which has nothing to do, absolutely nothing to do with what we're talking about, but i guess that's par for the course. so i thank the ranking member, i thank the chairman, i thank mr. conyers for getting this legislation. and mr. cummings has done us all a great favor. nothing is going to help law enforcement more than our trying to help the protection of the witnesses out there who view these crimes. criminal street gangs have been a major concern all across this country and new jersey. law enforcement -- and truly law enforcement cannot do its job if we do not do this legislation. i don't believe, mr. speaker, that there is a more significant thing that we can do

funding for the firefighter grant program, that draws on proposals from representatives ult mire, pascrell, austria, peter king and biggert. additional funding for nonprofit security grants, representatives cohen and weiner. additional funding for the metropolitan medical response system, representative kosmas. additional funding to implement the western hemisphere travel, representive mitchell. d.h.s. employees can use personal protection equipment without negative personnel action. a prohibition on funds in this bill being used for first class travel with certain exceptions from representative cuellar. and a prohibition of funds in this bill for closing or transfer from fema recovery office. all increases are appropriately offset elsewhere in the bill. while the bill includes earmarks in it, which have been properly disclosed according to house procedures this amendment does not contain any congressional earmarks and i ask members to support this amendment. reserve the balance of my time. the chair: for what purpose does the gentleman from kentucky rise? mr. rogers: to claim the time in