Summary

HOUSE FLOOR DEBATE: The House meets for legislative business. Ten One Minutes per side Last votes expected between 9:00 & 10:00 p.m. Veto Override on the Conference Report on H.R. 1591- U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act. H.R. 1429 - Improving Head Start Act of 2007 (Rep. Kildee - Education and Labor) (Subject to a Rule) H.R. 1867 - National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2007 (Rep. Baird - Science and Technology) (Subject to a Rule) Postponed Suspension Vote (1 bill): 1) H.Res.243 - Calling on the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to immediately and unconditionally release Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, and for other purposes (Rep. Smith (NJ) - Foreign Affairs) 10:02:47.9 the speaker: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by the chaplain. chaplain coughlin: lord god, who speaks wisdom to the 10:02:59.3 brokenhearted and heals the wounds of nations, when any of us comes to an impasse and becomes paralyzed with fear or confusion, by prophetic call you bid us to turn to you with renewed faith. 10:03:15.6 lord, speak your word and help leaders of government and judges in courts to look beyond self-interest as if this were the path for another's good. and while in dialogue seeking 10:03:31.2 the full circumference of facts , let a new light arise in their midst which draws all to a deeper common ground. which will grant us surface of security and truth and pave a 10:03:48.1 course to justice and peace. which always reflects your image and will last now and forever. amen. the speaker: the chair has 10:04:02.1 examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the house his approval thereof. pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1, the journal stands approved. the pledge to the flag will be 10:04:19.3 led by the gentleman from ohio, mr. kucinich. mr. kucinich: thank you, madam speaker. please join me in pledging to the flag which embodies our nation's highest ideals. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty 10:04:34.2 and justice for all. the speaker: the chair will 10:04:50.6 receive a message. the messenger: madam speaker, a message from the president of the united states. the messenger: madam speaker. the speaker: mr. secretary. the secretary: i'm directed by the president of the united states to deliver to the house of representatives a message in writing. the speaker: the chair will 10:05:25.6 entertain up to 10 one minutes on each side. the gentleman from illinois. mr. emanuel: to address the house for one minute. 10:05:41.2 the list of republicans under investigation or resigning in this administration in disgrace keeps growing. this morning "the washington post" reported julia mcdonald, the deputy assistant secretary of the interior department, resigned just as she was being investigated for changing 10:05:58.9 scientific reports. i wish this was an isolated 10:06:06.4 case in the bush administration . this morning "the new york times" reported the department of commerce inspector general faces three separate investigations into the conduct of his office. scott block, the special counsel at the justice department, is being investigated for the management of his office. 10:06:20.8 lucita doan being investigated for the politicization of the offices. sue ellen woolridge at justice stepped down. davis sabian, o.m.b. had to 10:06:38.2 step down. all have had their conduct scrutinized. it is time for a fact and justifies why this congress is doing its job of oversight and accountability and bringing 10:06:49.9 people's professional conduct in order. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from north carolina. mr. mchenry: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. mchenry: thank you, madam speaker. i rise to join with millions across our nation who applaud the supreme court's recent decision to ban -- to uphold 10:07:07.8 the ban on partial-birth abortion. partial-birth abortion is unrivaled in its gruesome brutality. there is no question it's caused the vicious destruction of viable living, breathing babies whose only crime is inconvenience. 10:07:22.1 the court's decision is a victory in the quest to restore the dignity of human life. no longer will the most vulnerable and innocent among us be subject to such cruelty as partial-birth abortion. it's also a victory for the constitution, mr. speaker. which liberal activist judges have demeaned for far too long. 10:07:40.8 it's encouraging to see the court's decision move towards our founders' vision, a vision rooted in the commitment to not only protect but also respect human life. while this is a step forward, it is only one victory in a 10:07:55.7 longer struggle to assure that the abolition of abortion altogether is achieved. let us not ever forget our responsibility to hold the basic sanctity granted to us by our maker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the 10:08:10.1 gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from ohio. mr. kucinich: request permission to address the house, revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. kucinich: the president's veto will stand but now what will we stand for? we say we want the war to end. 10:08:29.6 but will we give the president the money to continue the war? we say we want our troops home. but will we continue to support the occupation? we know that u.s. contractors have been stealing from u.s. 10:08:45.8 taxpayers and iraqi government, but will we leave our troops in iraq to protect them? we know oil has had a lot to do with this war, but will we let this president get away with attempting to privatize iraq's 10:09:02.3 oil well shall shall -- wealth in the name of reconciliation? we can still change course. we can deny the administration funds to continue the war. we can bring our troops home, we can stabilize iraq with international security force, once we end the occupation. 10:09:18.3 that's exactly what h.r. 1234 is about. and it's time that we started to look for alternatives which reflect this nation's highest aspirations. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from 10:09:31.6 pennsylvania. mr. pitts: to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. pitts: mr. speaker, anyone who was alive at the time will always remember the collapse of the berlin wall. with the soviet block crumbling, the western world rejoiced as freedoms spread to 10:09:48.2 populations once thought hopelesslyly -- hopelessly in the grip of communist -- communism. unfortunately recent actions seem to be giving new life to old communist ghost. police squads crushing the 10:10:04.6 kremlin's decenters. advocates of freedom and transparency silenced. cultural figures detained. the recent backsliding in russia should be cause for alarm for all freedom-loving people. 10:10:18.9 as the kremlin's power expands, freedom for the russian people sha rinks. this was wrong during the -- shrinks. this was wrong during the cold war and wrong now. it is time the free nations of the world take a stand against this trend. start demanding more from mr. putin and russia's leaders. i yield back. 10:10:36.5 the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from tennessee. mr. cohen: request one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. cohen: i want to talk, mr. speaker, today about a gentleman who was an army specialist, evan caradine jr. 10:10:53.9 he would have been 36 years old today if he lived. he was from my hometown of memphis, tennessee, where we have lost nine veterans. he joined the army to provide a 10:11:04.6 wetter life -- better life for his family. he graduated from high school and worked his way up to being manager of a restaurant. he had a wife and four children. three years ago to this day army specialist died. 10:11:22.7 he was in a convoy in baghdad that was hit by an i.e.d. three years ago. three days before his death he called his wife and he said, there was a change. she said there was a change in 10:11:36.5 his voice. he said it's getting worse over here. it's not getting better. since then nearly 3,000 more soldiers have died. army specialist carradine jr. said something three years and 10:11:53.1 three days ago that's still true. it's getting worse over here not better. let's not have more deaths. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from illinois. >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. shimkus: thank you, mr. 10:12:09.5 speaker. imagine my beloved st. louis cardinals playing the much despised chicago cubs. the cardinals are are up by five finishing the top of the ninth. is this a cause for celebration? is this a cause for victory? no. unbelievable as it may seem, 10:12:26.2 the cubbies score five runs in the bottom of the ninth to throw the games into extra innings. there the score remains until 1:00 a.m. five innings later. however at the top of the 15th the cardinals fail to field a batter. the entire team has left the stadium. 10:12:41.4 it seems that they are more worried about next day's 1:00 p.m. game at home than finishing the game at hand. who wins? we know it's the team that stays on the field. arbitrary deadlines and a date certain accept defeat before the conclusion of the contest. it is our national security 10:12:58.5 interest that continue to take the field and support a moderate arab state. leaving prior assures a loss for us and victory for our opponents which will lead to another extremist islamic state. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. 10:13:14.0 the gentleman from texas. mr. doggett: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. doggett: mr. speaker, the president can veto our plan for a safe, orderly phased redeployment from iraq, but he cannot veto reality. 10:13:29.7 our troops are coming home. it's just a question of how much blood and money will be spent before they do. if the president had listened to the generals, we would never have invaded iraq in the first place. each day of this unnecessary tragedy demonstrates the wisdom 10:13:47.6 of general schwarzkopf that we would become like a dinosaur in a tar pit. had he listened to the generals, the president would have deployed enough troops to get the job done. instead he rejected the advice of general shinseki and allowed 10:14:03.5 the violence to spiral and unguarded weapons heaps became i.e.d.'s. if the president had listened to the generals, he would now be redeploying our troops instead of sending more inadequately protected for longer repeat tours of duty. 10:14:18.5 had he listened to the generals, our veterans would be getting the quality care that they have earned and deserved. but in this administration, generals who disagree with the president earn a new title -- retired. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from illinois. 10:14:35.4 mr. kirk: i ask unanimous consent to address the house. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. kirk: thank you. mr. speaker, i rise in support of the conyers-kirk local law enforcement hate crimes prevention act. we know that a hate crime can ignite group on group violence 10:14:49.7 that can completely overwhelm a small suburban police department. in 2005, the f.b.i. recorded 7,000 hate crimes in our country, 168 in the state of illinois, and two in my congressional district, one in 10:15:06.5 wheeling and one in pallentine. for us we remember a tragic night in 1999 when ben min smith, a member of a white supremacist group, gunned down the northwestern university basketball coach in front of two kids. 10:15:20.9 why? because he was black. . smith continued his hunting spree shooting orthodox jews coming home from synagogue. these were hate crimes, crimes 10:15:37.4 designed to tear a community apart, crimes designed to commit and isolate a sigma tiesed members because of the color of their skin or the religion they practice. 10:15:51.1 i urge my colleagues to back the hate crimes bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from maryland. >> i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without 10:16:04.3 objection. >> yesterday, the supplemental bill provides our soldiers everything the president asked for and more. it's a bill supported by the american people, this congress and military experts who believe it's time to change the course of the war in iraq. 10:16:18.7 the president's response, a veto. the president's action last night shows not only his stubbornness and his inability to work with others, it also demonstrates that he refuses to change the status quo. the president refuses to give 10:16:34.1 our troops, this congress or the american people any timelines as to when this war will end or under what conditions he will finally bring our troops home. mr. speaker, the president says that things are getting better in iraq, but that's simply not true. 10:16:48.8 last month was one of the deadliest months for american troops in iraq. 104 soldiers were killed. it's time for a new course. it's time for the president to sit down and work with this congress so we can finally produce the change that will end this war. 10:17:05.8 i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentlewoman from minnesota. >> i request permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> last night the president did what he said he was going to do 10:17:22.2 for weeks now. he vetoed the democrat supplemental that was loaded with pork, provided the enemy with an ill-conceived exit strategy. as the president said last night, mr. speaker, congress passed the bill that substitutes the judgment of politicians for 10:17:39.0 the judgment of our military commanders. i couldn't agree with him more. and that's why i oppose this supplemental. and that's exactly why he vetoed it. we must not, as a nation, be invested in defeat. again, i repeat. we must not as a nation be 10:17:55.8 invested in defeat. unilateral surrender may be the democrats' plan but it may not lead to a safer america. now that the veto has taken place, it's simply unacceptable for the democrat leaders to delay any further the funding 10:18:09.4 that our american troops deserve. let's pass a clean iraq supplemental, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from iowa. >> mr. speaker, i request unanimous consent to address the 10:18:25.7 house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> even after losing 3,100 american lives and spending billions of taxpayers' dollars after declaring mission accomplished four years ago, the bush administration continues to demand an open-ended commitment 10:18:43.0 of american troops in iraq. last night president bush refused to change a course when he vetoed a bill that was supported by congress, retired military generals and the american people. this put an end to the end 10:18:57.9 consistent with our national security needs. even secretary gates reiterated last month that congressional debate was helpful. he delivered the message to the iraqi government that the clock is ticking on u.s. operations there. 10:19:11.8 president bush's veto yesterday lets the iraqi government off the hook and shows the president plans to keep our troops there indefinitely. mr. speaker, the days of rubber stamping the president's war proposals are long over. the president is going to have to learn to work with the 10:19:27.4 democratic leadership on this congress so that we can find a way out of iraq soon and so we can provide our troops with the resources they need. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from texas. mr. poe: request permission to address the house for one 10:19:44.7 minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. poe: now that the media side shows is over for the iraqi surrender group and the president vetoed the day of surrender bill yesterday and properly so, congress needs to get on with the business of funding our troops. failure to fund our troops not 10:20:00.5 only will affect our troops there but it will affect the iraqi security forces, the national guard and, of course, our reserves. that first bill may have funded some of the troops but it had the pork and beans pro-vision. the peanut farmers and the 10:20:18.1 spinach farmers. eliminate that and have a clean bill to support our troops. no more complaining. send them the money they need. this reminds me the same problem that stonewall jackson had with the army when they were 10:20:34.9 complaining about the war. he said, send more troops, no more questions. and that's just the way it is. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new hampshire. >> permission to address the house for one minute. yesterday, president bush called 10:20:50.8 the timetable a prescription for chaos and confusion. that timetable was a responsible road map out of iraq. the president has caused chaos 10:21:02.5 and confusion for four long years, replacing one general after another when the general disagrees with the policy. what has the president given us? he's given us the largest deficit in history. he's cut back from domestic programs to pay for this war. 10:21:19.5 he's weakened the military. 88% of the national guard is prepared to go to war. he's neglected our own people, and he's destroyed iraq's economy, their social fabric. people are leaving iraq, fleeing from the chaos the president has 10:21:34.6 caused for four long years. we had a responsible road map. the president should have signed it. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from georgia. mr. price: i ask unanimous 10:21:49.7 consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. price: yesterday the majority party sent a plan for fail aure to the president and the president did the write thing, he sent it back. it's now time for congress to pass a funding bill that supports their mission. 10:22:08.2 the majority party has done nothing, nothing but delay the delivery of tools and resources to our troops in the field while outlining a very specific and dangerous blueprint for defeat. let's stop wasting time. let's stop trying to rewrite the constitution and the role of the 10:22:24.6 commander in chief. we have a choice. the majority can continue to play these partisan games or we can get down to work. we have that choice. the brave men and women in our armed forces do not. let's honor their sacrifice with leadership rather than political partisanship. 10:22:40.3 the american people are watching, and so are our allies and our enemies around the world. we have a choice. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from new jersey. mr. sires: request perm -- question permission to address 10:22:59.2 the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. sires: president bush said that our mission in iraq was accomplished. can you imagine that? four years later it is clear that this was one of the many miscalculations on the bush 10:23:15.0 administration part. over the past four years we've lost more than 3,000 additional troops. tens of thousands more have been injured. and hundreds of billions of u.s. taxpayers' dollars have been spent. now a dangerous civil war has been waged with no end in sight. the american military did its 10:23:31.7 job. military experts agree there is no military solution to the war in iraq. that is why this congress approved an mother-in-law supplemental bill last week -- approved an emergency supplemental bill last week. american troops are not going to 10:23:48.0 be there indefinitely. mr. speaker, president bush was wrong four years ago. he's wrong now. it's time for the president to work with this congress to come up with a plan to end this war. the speaker pro tempore: the 10:24:02.9 gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan. >> permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> one of our greatest responsibilities is our dependence on middle east oil. and we need to advance home 10:24:24.3 grown renewable energy resources. this week i will introduce the energy through independence through biodiesel act, creating this will help the scales 10:24:38.2 necessary to america america the leader in re-- necessary to make america the leader in renewable resources. it will demand the clean air act to require that all diesel fuels sold contains a 2% industry 10:24:53.7 average. 55 billion gallons of diesel was consumed in 2005. and a 2% standard will create a 1.1 billion gallon market. this will spur the necessary investments and facilities and technological advancements needed in this alternative fuel 10:25:09.3 industry. i urge my colleagues to commit to diversifying our supply and less our dependence on foreign industry and support this act. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from minnesota. 10:25:24.8 >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> mr. speaker, four years ago today, president bush landed for a photo opportunity in front of a banner that said mission accomplished and declared an end to major combat in iraq. 10:25:41.2 four years later this president refuses to discuss the reality of a military mission that's entered its fifth year. yesterday the president has vetoed the second bill. he called it a prescription for chaos and confusion. i ask, how is that different from what we have now? 10:25:56.3 he refuses to even hold the iraqis accountable for making 10:26:03.3 economic or diplomatic reforms that he promised and they promised to make. what exactly is the president waiting for? now that the president's rejected our legislation, he has the responsibility to tell the american people how many more years does he expect us to stay. 10:26:17.0 do you think it will be five, maybe 10? and what exactly do the ground conditions look like in order to have us beginning to withdraw? wishful thinking, political talking points and rigid ideology do not make good foreign policy. this president was wrong when he declared an end of combat 10:26:33.7 operations. and he's been consistently wrong about every single thing in iraq. it's time that this president works with the new congress, elected by the majority of the american people so that we can bring about a change to this war and truly secure america. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the 10:26:49.4 gentleman's time has expired. the gentlewoman from oklahoma. ms. fallin: question permission to address the house for one minute. mr. speaker, this is a difficult time for our nation. we are all war weary. we're all heart broken over any loss of life, and we're all 10:27:04.3 concerned about the cost of the war. all americans, republicans, democrats and, yes, the president, want this war over as soon as possible. it's time to stop the political games and put the needs of our men and our women defending our nation first. 10:27:19.3 the people of america want a solution to bring the troops home, but not at the expense of jeopardizing the safety and the future of our nation. as a nation we must make a strong commitment and a decoration to the world that the united states will defend itself and will not tolerate terrorism. 10:27:37.1 nor will we coddle terrorists or surrender or appease them. the commander in chief vetoed a bill which sought to micromanage the war, tie the hands of our generals. 10:27:50.3 congress must uphold the president's veto, set aside the cut and run attitude, the loser attitude for good. where is the pride for the defense of our nation, the liberty and the freedoms that thousands of men and women have given their lives for in earlier years? thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the 10:28:08.0 time of the gentlewoman has expired. the gentleman from new jersey. >> i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will suspend. i would remind our guests in the gallery that any expression of favor or disfavor with what is said on the floor is a violation of the rules. 10:28:24.9 the gentleman from new jersey. mr. payne: thank you, mr. speaker. over this past week, five more american soldiers were killed in iraq bringing the number killed in april to over 100 u.s. soldiers. it was the deadliest month for american soldiers this year. 10:28:41.3 sadly, the total number of americans killed now stand at 3,351, along with thousands of innocent iraqi men, women and children. the reality is on the ground that our brave soldiers continue to face day in and day out, stand in stark contrast to 10:28:59.9 president bush's pronouncement four years ago that major combat operations were over. if was over four years ago, what have our troops been fighting the last four years? it's indeed our mission was 10:29:15.3 accomplished four years ago as the banner behind the president on that aircraft carrier proclaimed. what are our troops still doing in iraq? if our president wants to bring this to a just conclusion, he should work with congress 10:29:29.8 instead of just vetoing our funding bill as he did. it's now up to the president to decide if he will support accountability for iraqis' benchmarks for success, a new direction in iraq or we cannot stay this course. 10:29:44.7 i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from florida. >> i request that i address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: mr. speaker, under current law, military pay rates must be reasonably 10:30:02.3 comparable to those in the private sector with similar skills, education and experience. unfortunately, due to budgetary constraints over the years, the military pay increase has not always met this criteria, and a pay gap was created. 10:30:17.1 . this gap is not only unfair to our brave men and women in uniform, it also has raised retention and readiness concerns. for this reason i have introduced h.r. 2027, the military pay improvement act 10:30:33.4 which would give them a minimum of 3.5%. our nation's brave men and women in uniform have fought gallantly to ensure the continued safety, security, and prosperity of this great nation. 10:30:49.0 i believe it is unacceptable that we task these men and women with extraordinary responsibilities, especially during war times, and cannot compensate them accordingly. 10:31:01.2 the debt we owe them for their sacrifices can never be repaid. however my bill will take a small step in the right direction to show our appreciation for their valor. thank you, mr. speaker. i urge all my colleagues to co-sponsor the bill. appreciate it. 10:31:14.6 the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the chair lays before the house a communication. the clerk: the honorable the seener, house of representatives. madam, pursuant to clause 5-a -4-a of rule 10 of the rules of 10:31:30.8 the house of representatives, i designate the following members to be available for service on investigative subcommittees of the committee on standards of official conduct during the 110th congress. the honorable rod bishop, the monyash marshall blackburn, the 10:31:46.3 honorable andrew crenshaw, the honorable lincoln diaz-balart, the honorable phil english, the honorable tom latham, the honorable frank lucas, the honorable sue myrick, the honorable mike simpson, and the honorable greg walden. 10:32:04.3 sincerely, john a. bane letter -- boehner, republican leader. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? mrs. matsui: mr. speaker, by direction of the committee on rules i call up house resolution 349 and ask for its 10:32:18.7 immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house calendar number 47, house resolution 349, resolved that at any time after the adoption of this resolution the speaker may, pursuant to clause 2-b of rule 10:32:34.5 18, declare the house resolved into the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for consideration of the bill h.r. 1867, to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010, for the national science foundation and 10:32:51.2 for other purposes. the first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. all points of order against consideration of the bill are waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule 21. general debate shall be 10:33:06.8 confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the committee on science and technology. after general debate, the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. it shall be in order under -- 10:33:23.7 in order to consider as an original bill for purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on science and technology now printed in the bill. all points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are 10:33:37.6 waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule 21. notwithstanding clause 11 of rule 18, no amendment to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be in order except those printed in the portion of the 10:33:52.9 congressional record designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule 18, and except pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate. each amendment so printed may be offered only by the member who caused it to be printed or his designee and shall be 10:34:08.1 considered as read. at the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment, the committee shall rise and report the bill to the house with such amendments as may have been adopted. any member may demand a separate vote in the house on any amendment adopted in the 10:34:24.1 committee of the whole to the bill or to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 10:34:40.6 section 2, during consideration in the house of h.r. 1867, pursuant to this resolution, notwithstanding the operation of the previous question, the chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to 10:34:54.1 such time as may be designated by the speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized for one hour. mrs. matsui: for the purpose of debate only, i yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from washington, mr. hastings, winding which i yield 10:35:10.2 myself such time as i may consume. -- pending which i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. matsui: during consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on h.res. 349 and insert extraneous 10:35:30.8 material into the record. the speaker pro tempore: is there objection? without objection, so ordered. mrs. matsui: mr. speaker, this rule permits the house to consider the national science foundation authorization act of 2007. this important legislation would be considered under an open rule with a preprinting 10:35:47.4 requirement. allowing any member to submit changes or improvements to the bill. chairman gordon, chairman baird, ranking member hall, ranking member ehlers, and the science and technology committee have put together an 10:36:01.9 excellent product and look forward to an open and constructive debate. i am proud that today's debate will shine a light on the national science foundation. the national science foundation is truly one of the federal government's greatest 10:36:14.9 accomplishments. it features a rich tradition that has supported talented young investigators, made america the world leader in basic science and renovation, and laid the ground-work for the nation's economic strength. this also represents another 10:36:31.5 important step in the implementation of the innovation agenda. by boosting scientific research and development, moving the nation toward a clean energy economy, promoting broadband deployment, and supporting small business entrepreneurs, 10:36:48.4 the innovation agenda will keep our promise to maintain and strengthen america's competitiveness and leadership in the global economy. at present the national science foundation supports research and education activities at 10:37:04.4 over 2,000 universities, colleges, k through 12 schools, and research institutions throughout the country. it is unique among our federal research enterprises in that n.s.f. supports scientists and engineers across all disciplines. 10:37:19.7 in a given year n.s.f. will support about 200,000 scientists, engineers, teachers, and students. that is why n.s.f. funding has led to groundbreaking research in such varied fields as genetics, computer science, 10:37:37.3 information technology, nanotechnology, and climate change. by way of example in my district n.s.f. funds the u.c. davis center for biofoe tonic science and technology. the center features dynamic and 10:37:54.1 innovative research that harnesses light to facile at this time revolutionary advances in biomedical science. the potential applications for medical research and treatment are are groundbreaking and will offer hope to thousands of our 10:38:08.9 constituents. that is the kind of research n.s.f. supports. i'd also like to point out that n.s.f. resources are distributed on a competitive peer review basis. so an objective process allows for only the most worthy 10:38:23.6 proposal to receive funding. this is the best kind of investment the federal government can make because a return on this investment is tremendous. by stimulating innovative research, we create educational opportunities for promising 10:38:39.2 students and drive cutting-edge research throughout the country. there is no better way to fuel the economy and create quality jobs. that is why the national science foundation has broad and bipartisan support in 10:38:53.1 congress. this re-authorization provides $21 billion at n.s.f. for fiscal years 2008 through 2010. in doing so, it keeps us on the path to double national science foundation funding by 2017. 10:39:10.6 this was a key recommendation of the highly respected national accounting report on u.s. competitiveness, rising above the gathering storm. and this boost is urgently needed. 10:39:24.4 since today n.s.f. can only fund about a quarter of the grant proposals that are submitted. the bill also creates a pilot program targeted at new investigators so we can bring more talented young people into scientific research fields. and it directs n.s.f. to 10:39:41.9 facilitate public-private partnerships, a proven method to leveraging federal investment and bolstering american competitiveness. finally, this re-authorization bill is on the agency's legacy of promoting math and science 10:39:56.5 education by including the provisions of h.r. 362, the 10,000 teacher, 10 million minds math and science scholarship act, which the house passed last week. with that i thank the science committee once again for this excellent legislation. 10:40:11.8 i look forward to a robust debate on this bill. and i hope we can work with the senate to get it on the president's desk in short order. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from washington. mr. hastings: thank you, mr. speaker. 10:40:28.1 mr. speaker, i thank the gentlelady from california for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from washington is recognized for such time as he may consume. mr. hastings: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. hastings: thank you, mr. speaker. 10:40:43.8 mr. speaker, the national science foundation plays an important role in making sure that our nation is a global leader in the fields of science and engineering. this federal agency provides critical support for researchers, educators, and students in science, technology, engineering, and 10:41:00.9 mathematics. specifically federal support allows the american scientists to pursue high risk, high return fields that increase our nation's competitiveness and scientific knowledge, and ensures we are able to attract the brightest minds to our colleges and universities. 10:41:15.4 one area in which the national science foundation is supporting u.s. leadership is in the sciences -- in the sciences is in the laser interferamoter observatory 10:41:29.5 program. the ligo program which operates and observatory in central washington in my district is trying to detect for the first time the existence of gravitational waves which have been sought by physicists around the world since they were theorized by albert einstein. 10:41:45.5 their discovery would lead to a greater understanding of the makeup of the universe and help solidify our nation's lead in the fields of physics and astrophysics. the president's fiscal year 2008 budget provides for the expansion of lyingo and nearly bubbles funding for the 10:42:02.8 observatory to allow for more advanced research. i'm leezed -- pleased that the national science foundation authorization act supports this proposed expansion. the program is not only an important investment in our nation's science capability, but it also has been an 10:42:18.9 instrument of learning for local communities. the ligo's observatory was recently awarded one of the first ever science education advocate awards by the washington state leadership and assistance science education reform. 10:42:33.5 a partnership of public schools and science institutions. ligo is an excellent example of the national science foundation's dedication to funding world class research while also helping to grow students' interest in the science. mr. speaker, if america is to 10:42:49.7 continue to lead the world in science and the pursuit of knowledge, funding for the national science foundation is essential. the underlying legislation authorizes the national science foundation for three years at strong levels needed to maintain and strengthen 10:43:05.8 research through the foundation. but, mr. speaker, i am once again disappointed that the democrat majority has once again missed an opportunity to provide consideration for the national science foundation act under an open rule that would allow all members of the house 10:43:21.5 to come to the floor and offer amendments during consideration of the bill. the national science foundation was last authorized in 2002 and at that time the republican majority allowed the bill to be considered under a truly open rule. i'm disappointed the democrat 10:43:38.1 majority has pledged a new era of openness, but so far has not lived up to their commitment. instead it frankly has tried to change the definition of what an open rule is. with that, mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the 10:43:54.9 gentleman from washington reserves the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from california. mrs. matsui: mr. speaker, i inquire of the gentleman from washington if he has any remaining speakers. mr. hastings: i have no requests for time. if the gentlelady is prepared to yield back, i'll yield back. mrs. matsui: i have some closing remarks. 10:44:10.1 would you like to -- mr. hastings: i've made remarks. mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from washington yields back the balance of his time. the gentlewoman from california. mrs. matsui: mr. speaker, i'm very much looking forward to the upcoming debate on the national science foundation re-authorizing this rule 10:44:26.9 allows. in discussing the various programs initiatives at n.s.f. we'll demonstrate how the federal government can effectively drive scientific discovery and innovation. the importance of the national science foundation and its mission must not be underestimated. 10:44:41.5 while america has been blessed with abundant natural resources, it is innovative spirit of our citizens that has driven this nation's leadership and global economy. throughout our history, we have been willing to experiment, to take risk, to constantly redefine what is possible. 10:44:59.1 that tradition has given us a competitive advantage over other countries that has created prosperity for the nation. improving the quality of life for all our constituents. as members know well, our leadership in the global economy is at risk today. we face rising threats from 10:45:14.7 countries like india and china, we have also failed to make the necessary invetsments in education, science, and research and development to maintain the foundation of knowledge that has served us so well in the past. . this re-authorization chase 10:45:30.8 great strides to remedy that neglect. most importantly to double n.s.f. funding over the next 10 years. we demonstrate that ensuring the nation's competitiveness as a high priority. the importance we place on 10:45:47.3 competitiveness will be demonstrated against and again. with that i look forward to today's debate and continuing to move forward on measures like this that will boleser innovation and compet i have -- 10:46:00.4 bolster innovation and competitiveness. i urge a yes vote and move the previous question on the resolution. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california yields back the balance of her time. all time has now expired. without objection, the previous 10:46:13.7 question is ordered. the question is on the adoption of the resolution. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. the ayes have it, the resolution is agreed to and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. 10:46:55.1 10:47:08.5 the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from ohio seek recognition? 10:47:13.9 ms. sutton: i ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 350. resolved, that at anytime after the adoption of this resolution, the speaker may, pursuant to 10:47:29.3 clause 2-b of rule 18, declare the house resolved in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union, to authorize appropriations for the national institute of standards and technology for fiscal years 10:47:44.8 2008, 2009 and 2010, and for other purposes. the first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. all points of order against consideration of the bill are waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule 21. general debate shall be confined 10:48:01.8 to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the committee on science and technology. after general debate, the bill shall be considered under amendment under the five-minute rule. 10:48:16.5 it shall be considered as original bill for purpose of the amendment under the five-minute rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee of science and technology now printed in the bill. the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read. 10:48:32.5 all points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived except those arising out of clause 9 or 10 of rule 21. notwithstanding clause 11 of rule 18, no amendment to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be 10:48:48.6 in order except those printed in the report of the committee on rules accompanying this resolution. each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a member designated in the report, shall 10:49:03.7 be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent and shall not be subject to amendment and shall not be subject for division of the question in the house or in 10:49:19.0 the committee of the whole. all points of order against such amendments are waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 under rule 21. after conclusion of the consideration of the bill for amendment, the committee shall rise and report the bill to the house with such amendments as 10:49:34.3 may have been adopted. any member may demand a separate vote in the house on any amendment adopted in the committee of the whole to the bill or to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to 10:49:51.4 final passage without intervening motions except one motion to recommit with or without instructions. section 2, during consideration in the house of h.r. 1868, pursuant to this resolution, notwithstanding the operation of 10:50:06.0 the previous question, the chair may postpone further consideration of the bill to such time as may be designated by the speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from ohio is recognized for one hour. ms. sutton: thank you, mr. speaker. for the purpose of debate only, 10:50:21.2 i yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from texas, mr. sessions. all time yielded during consideration of the bill is for debate only. i yield myself such time as i may consume. i also ask unanimous consent that all members may be given 10:50:40.0 five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on house resolution 350. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. ms. sutton: h.r. 350 provides consideration for h.r. 186867 -- 10:50:57.5 1867 under a structured rule. 10:51:00.3 it provides one hour of general debate to be controlled by the chairman and the ranking minority member of the committee on science and technology. the rule makes in order five amendments printed in the rules committee report, each with 10 minutes of debate. the rule also provides one 10:51:17.0 motion to recommit with or without instructions. mr. speaker, i speak today in support of house resolution 350 and h.r. 1868, the technology, manufacturing and stimulation 10:51:33.8 fact. the united states commerce department's national institute of standards and technology strives to promote u.s. innovation and industrial competitiveness through the 10:51:49.0 advancement of measurement, standards, science and technology. through numerous individual laboratories, the nist makes important scientific contributions to numerous scientific fields. 10:52:05.3 this bill will enhance the important mission putting the nisto a path to double its budget by the year 2017. with additional funding. the nist will continue to make important contributions to public safety, industrial 10:52:21.7 competitiveness and economic growth. this bill also alindicates funding for the manufacturing extension partnership, also known as m.e.p. these m.e.p. programs will leverage federal, state, local and private investments to 10:52:37.3 stimulate new manufacturing processes and technologies. these new processes and technologies are a key component for ensuring manufacturers have the tools to compete effectively and efficiently against overseas 10:52:54.3 manufacturers. the m.e.p. program has proven remarkably effective in my home state of ohio where small and mid-sized manufacturers face limited budgets, in-house expertise and access to the 10:53:09.5 newest technologies. m.e.p. assistance provided training, expertise and services tailored to the critical needs of ohio's small and mid-sized manufacturers have made a big difference. through this assistance, manufacturers in ohio have 10:53:25.0 increased productivity, achieved higher profits and remained competitive by providing the latest and most efficient technologies, processes and business practices. in 2006, as a direct result of m.e.p. assistance, my state 10:53:41.5 enjoyed over $150 million of new investment and over $500 million in increased or retained sales. companies in ohio participating in the m.e.p. reported cost savings of over $100 million. through the continued funding of 10:53:58.2 this vital program, we can bring these vast benefits to even more small manufacturers across the country. finally and very importantly, this bill allocates funding for the new technology innovation program, which funds high-risk, 10:54:16.2 high-reward, pre-competitive technology development by small and medium-sized companies. the goal of this program is to accelerate the development of technologies that will have a broad economic impact on our technology market. 10:54:32.2 harvard professor daniel bell once said, quote, technology, like art, is a soaring exercise of human imagination, end quote. it is through the national institute of standards and technology, the manufacturing extension partnership, and the technology innovation program 10:54:48.7 that technology is given the wind that it needs to soar. even more importantly, through this bill, small and mid-sized manufacturers will be given the support they need to compete with larger competitors in overseas businesses. 10:55:03.4 this bill will not only provide assistance to american companies, like the 1,773 companies in ohio that were helped by the manufacturing extension partnership, but it will also create a stronger and more vibrant american technology industry. 10:55:19.3 this is a good bill, and it deserves our support. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from ohio reserves the balance of her time. the gentleman from texas. mr. sessions: good morning, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today in strong support of promoting technological innovation, 10:55:38.2 bolesering the strength of our manufacturing industry, and contributing to the overall global competitiveness of american business. however, i simply cannot support the closed rule process brought forward today by the democrat majority that prevents all but one republican amendment from 10:55:53.9 being considered by the house. 10:55:58.9 -- this rule represents a substantial break by recent precedent because a comprehension of this report that was brought to the rules committee, the republican 10:56:11.0 majority provided the house with a completely open rule for its consideration. i know this, mr. speaker, because i had the privilege of managing that rule for our majority. and the democrat minority's position was then aptly handled by the chairman of the rules committee, my good friend, 10:56:29.6 chairwoman louise slaughter. unfortunately, chairwoman slaughter has forgotten the merits of providing the house with an open rules process, because today the committee that she chairs has provided the house with a closed process. through a restrictive rule, not 10:56:45.5 an open rule, even using the more len yant definition of an open rule currently being employed by the democrat leadership, it is a modified 10:56:59.7 open rule. i ask unanimous consent to insert in the record to have a copy of this rule which provided for consideration of h.r. 2733, to remind the majority that nist re-authorization is -- it's 10:57:17.5 possible to do this under an open process. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. sessions: despite my objection to the rule, i do support the underlying legislation which makes a number of positive changes to an institution with a long history of helping to keep america globally competitive. 10:57:35.9 since its inception in 1901, the national institute of standards and technology has worked diligently to achieve its mission of promoting u.s. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement, science, standards 10:57:52.6 and technology in ways that enhances economic security and improve the quality of life. by focusing on its core mission of stimulating innovation, fostering industrial competition and competitiveness and improving quality of life, the 10:58:09.7 nist has become a valuable component in the ongoing struggle that the united states faces to remain globally competitive. this legislation authorizes appropriations for nist for the 10:58:24.7 next three years. most notably, doubling the federal government's investment in fiscal science research as proposed by president bush's american competitiveness initiative. and this increased investment will yield real world benefits 10:58:41.3 across the number of diverse sectors, including development standards for bulletproof vests for military and law enforcement, chemical and biological protection equipment for first responders and measurement standards vital to 10:58:57.7 leading edge industries, like nanotechnology and next generation solar cells that will help america increase its energy independence. this legislation strengthens oversight by requiring the nist director to submit annual 10:59:15.6 problematic planning documents to congress ensuring that the nist budget is -- their budget is spent on activities that meet the needs of american industry, and that the increased funds, which the nist is being 10:59:29.8 entrusted with, are spent wisely. this legislation also takes steps to ensure the continued viability of the workhouses of the american economy. small and medium-sized manufacturers. 10:59:45.0 by re-authorizing the manufacturing extension partnership program, congress will help countless domestic manufacturers to improve their manufacturing process, reduce waste, and to train workers to use new equipment. mr. speaker, i do appreciate the