Congressional Record—House H7878
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H7878 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 17, 2007 center even exists. We don’t know if it The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to modifications committed to conference: even exists, if it’s created by this ear- clause 6 of rule XVIII, further pro- Messrs. Reyes, Cramer, and Hoekstra. mark. ceedings on the amendment offered by From the Committee on Science and Tech- Concurrent Technology has been the the gentleman from Arizona will be nology, for consideration of secs. 703, 1301, recipient of millions upon millions of 1464, 1467, and 1507 of the Senate amendment, postponed. and modifications committed to conference: dollars over the years. The executives Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I Messrs. Gordon of Tennessee, Wu, and in Concurrent Technology contribute move that the Committee do now rise. Gingrey. handsomely to Members of Congress. The motion was agreed to. From the Committee on Transportation So it receives a lot of earmarks. It Accordingly, the Committee rose; and Infrastructure, for consideration of Ti- seems to be an earmark incubator of and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. tles I–III, sec. 1002, and Title XI of the House some type, an earmark that begets DAVIS of Illinois) having assumed the bill, and secs. 202, 301, Title IV, secs. 801–803, 807, 901, 1001, 1002, 1101–1103, 1422–1424, 1426, more earmarks. chair, Mr. TIERNEY, Chairman of the And yet we have the report that 1427, 1429, 1430, 1433, 1436–1438, 1441, 1443, 1444, Committee of the Whole House on the 1446, 1449, 1464, 1473, 1503, and 1605 of the Sen- comes with the bill that doesn’t even state of the Union, reported that that mention Concurrent Technology. It ate amendment, and modifications com- Committee, having had under consider- mitted to conference: Messrs. Oberstar, just mentions this center as if it al- ation the bill (H.R. 2641) making appro- DeFazio, and Mica. ready existed. We don’t even know if it priations for energy and water develop- For consideration of Title II of the House does. We can’t even find any informa- ment and related agencies for the fiscal bill, and Title III and subtitle C of title XIV tion on it, and apparently we can’t year ending September 30, 2008, and for of the Senate amendment, and modifications even get that information from the Ap- other purposes, had come to no resolu- committed to conference: Mr. Larson of Con- necticut. propriations Committee. tion thereon. So I would submit that this is what There was no objection. this process is about. This is why we f f come to the floor. This is why we in- APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON vite the sponsor of the earmark to de- H.R. 1, IMPROVING AMERICA’S ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOP- fend the earmark. But I would say SECURITY ACT OF 2007 MENT AND RELATED AGENCIES again, does this center exist? Do we The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 even know if it exists? How do we know objection, the Chair appoints the fol- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- if it’s a good center or a bad center? Is lowing conferees: ant to House Resolution 481 and rule this Concurrent Technology, which al- From the Committee on Homeland Secu- XVIII, the Chair declares the House in ready receives millions and millions of rity, for consideration of the House bill and the Committee of the Whole House on dollars in other bills, worthy of an- the Senate amendment, and modifications the State of the Union for the further committed to conference: Mr. Thompson of other earmark to create another cen- consideration of the bill, H.R. 2641. ter? Mississippi, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of Cali- These are the questions that we have fornia, Mr. Dicks, Ms. Harman, Mrs. Lowey, b 1335 to ask. Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mrs. Christensen, Messrs. Etheridge, Langevin, Cuellar, Al IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance Green of Texas, Perlmutter, King of New Accordingly, the House resolved of my time. York, Smith of Texas, Souder, Tom Davis of itself into the Committee of the Whole Mr. VISCLOSKY. I would continue to Virginia, Daniel E. Lungren of California, House on the State of the Union for the reserve my time. Rogers of Alabama, McCaul of Texas, Dent, Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I guess I further consideration of the bill (H.R. and Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida. 2641) making appropriations for energy will finish off. I will call for a vote on From the Committee on Armed Services, this one, but I think it’s important for consideration of secs. 1202, 1211, 1221, 1232, and water development and related when Members are voting on this ear- 1233, and 1241 of the House bill, and section agencies for the fiscal year ending Sep- mark and whether to retain it that we 703 of the Senate amendment, and modifica- tember 30, 2008, and for other purposes, have to know what we know and know tions committed to conference: Messrs. Skel- with Mr. TIERNEY (Acting Chairman) in ton, Spratt, and Saxton. the chair. what we don’t know. From the Committee on Energy and Com- We don’t know if this center even ex- The Clerk read the title of the bill. merce, for consideration of Title I, Title II, The Acting CHAIRMAN. When the ists. We are appropriating money for a secs. 743 and 901 of the House bill, and Title center where the Appropriations Com- III, secs. 1002, 1481, 1482, 1484, and Title XVII Committee of the Whole rose earlier mittee that has a responsibility to vet of the Senate amendment, and modifications today, a request for a recorded vote on this earmark can’t even tell us here if committed to conference: Messrs. Dingell, the amendment offered by the gen- this even exists. We don’t know that. Markey, and Barton of Texas. tleman from Arizona (Mr. FLAKE) had We’re voting on an earmark where in From the Committee on Foreign Affairs, been postponed. for consideration of secs. 601, 1202, 1211, 1221, the report it says it goes to the center, AMENDMENT NO. 35 OFFERED BY MR. 1222, 1232, 1233, 1241, 1302, 1311, 1312, 1322, 1323, HENSARLING but here in the certification letter it 1331–1333, 1412, 1414, 1422, 1431, and 1441–1443 of mentions Concurrent Technology, a the House bill, and secs. 502, 1301, Title Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Chairman, I private company. Which is it? XVIII, secs. 1911–1913, and 1951 of the Senate offer an amendment. If we don’t know these facts, we don’t amendment, and modifications committed to The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk know what’s going on here, I would say conference: Messrs. Lantos, Ackerman, and will designate the amendment. the thing to do is to vote this down, to Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. The text of the amendment is as fol- actually vote for the amendment and From the Committee on the Judiciary, for lows: consideration of secs. 406, 501, 601, 702, and wait until the Appropriations Com- Amendment No. 35 offered by Mr. Title VIII of the House bill, and secs. 123, 501– HENSARLING: mittee actually has time to scrub and 503, 601–603, 1002, and 1432 of the Senate At the end of the bill (before the short to vet these earmarks a little more amendment, and modifications committed to title), insert the following: carefully. conference: Mr. Conyers, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of None of the funds in this Act may be used Mr. Chairman, I yield back the bal- California, and Mr. Sensenbrenner. for the South Carolina HBCU Science and ance of my time. From the Committee on Oversight and Technology initiative (SC). Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I Government Reform, for consideration of yield back my time. sec. 408 and subtitle A of title VIII of the The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to The Acting CHAIRMAN. The ques- House bill, and secs. 114, 601, 602, 903, 904, the order of the House of today, the tion is on the amendment offered by 1203, 1205, and 1601 of the Senate amendment, gentleman from Texas (Mr. the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. and modifications committed to conference: HENSARLING) and a Member opposed Messrs. Waxman, Clay, and Issa. FLAKE). each will control 5 minutes. From the Permanent Select Committee on The Chair recognizes the gentleman The question was taken; and the Act- Intelligence, for consideration of secs. 601, ing Chairman announced that the noes 712, 723, 732, 733, 741, 742, and subtitle A of from Texas. appeared to have it. title VIII of the House bill, and secs. 111–113, Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Chairman, Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I demand 121, 122, 131, 502, 601, 602, 703, 1201–1203, 1205, this particular amendment would save a recorded vote. 1206, and 1606 of the Senate amendment, and the taxpayers $1.5 billion. This would VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:50 Jul 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JY7.055 H17JYPT1 hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMHOUSE July 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7879 strike the funding for the South Caro- are we deciding that the taxpayer is Marion University. And I would say lina HBCU Science and Technology ini- supposed to fund this one? Is there any that as far as the University of South tiative. good purpose, any good program, any Carolina is concerned, in this same Let me say at the outset that I have good project in America that shouldn’t subcommittee, you will see some ear- no doubt that good use could be made receive a Federal subsidy? That’s kind marks, if you please, I call it targeted of these funds by this institution in of the question that we have here funding, to that institution.