H6788 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 22, 2008 for enabling this to move forward in MOTION TO GO TO CONFERENCE nurse. Their kids are good students and such an expeditious manner. ON S. 294, PASSENGER RAIL IN- play basketball and volleyball. But On 9 separate occasions, Congress has VESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENT gasoline expenses are hurting their established a commission or a joint ACT OF 2008 budget. Disposable income for them, committee to celebrate the life and ac- Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, just like all Americans, is disappearing complishments of one of our Nation’s pursuant to clause 1 of rule XXII, and as they drop their kids off to play Presidents or First Ladies. To date, we by direction of the Committee on sports or attend their kids’ games. have honored James Madison, Thomas Transportation and Infrastructure, I Record high fuel prices are not only Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy move to take from the Speaker’s table crippling family budgets, but also pub- Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin the Senate bill (S. 294) to reauthorize lic safety efforts, educational institu- Roosevelt, his wife, Eleanor, Harry Amtrak, and for other purposes, with a tions, small businesses, and causing in- Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. House amendment thereto, insist upon flation in all manner of products and commodities. Madam Speaker, H.R. 5235, The the House amendment, and request a Despite several promises from the Reagan Centennial Commission Act, conference with the Senate thereon. majority party, however, we have seen would create a commission to add Ron- The Clerk read the title of the Senate nothing that would truly help con- ald Reagan to that list. Like previous bill. sumers with the high cost of fuel commissions, the Reagan Commission The motion was agreed to. today. Yet, April 18, 2006, more than 2 will use the occasion of what would MOTION TO INSTRUCT years ago, then Minority Leader NANCY have been President Reagan’s 100th Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam PELOSI stated, ‘‘Democrats have a plan birthday in 2011 to call attention to his Speaker, I have a motion to instruct at to lower gas prices.’’ Again, April 24, life and his numerous accomplish- the desk. 2006, Minority Leader NANCY PELOSI re- ments. The Clerk read as follows: leased a statement saying, ‘‘Democrats The commission will plan activities Mr. Heller of Nevada moves that the man- agers on the part of the House at the con- have a commonsense plan to help bring for the year leading up to the Presi- ference on the disagreeing votes of the 2 down skyrocketing gas prices.’’ dent’s birthday. In the past, activities houses on the House amendment to the bill The parade of bold statements prom- have included essay contests for stu- S. 294 be instructed to insist on the provi- ising help for the American consumers dents, research papers, symposiums, sions contained in section 221 of the House continues. Majority Leader STENY events at particular historical sites, amendment. HOYER, October 2005 said, ‘‘Democrats and even joint sessions of Congress. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- believe we can do more for the Amer- The commission will be composed of ant to clause 7 of rule XXII, the gen- ican people who are struggling to deal Members of Congress and individuals tleman from Nevada (Mr. HELLER) and with high gas prices.’’ who have a knowledge or other exper- the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Not to be outdone, Democrat Whip tise concerning the life of President OBERSTAR) each will control 30 min- JIM CLYBURN said, ‘‘House Democrats Reagan, including his childhood, his utes. have a plan to help curb rising gas career in Hollywood and his political The Chair recognizes the gentleman prices’’ in July of 2006. career and legacy. Given the impact of from Nevada. And Madam Speaker, we haven’t seen President Reagan on his beloved Cali- Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam the results of these plans. The Amer- fornia, the United States and the Speaker, I rise today to offer a motion ican people would like to see the plan. world, this is a fitting and a proper to instruct conferees on H.R. 6003, the I reserve the balance of my time. tribute. Passenger Rail Investment Improve- Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I Madam Speaker, Ronald Reagan ment Act of 2008. This simple motion yield myself such time as I may con- transformed our Nation. He spoke of directs the House-Senate conferees to sume. limited government, commonsense val- insist upon section 221 of the House I welcome the gentleman’s motion to ues, and the bedrock notion of democ- bill, which states that ‘‘Amtrak shall instruct. The Buy America provision in racy which built this country. He em- be subject to the Buy American Act, Amtrak is comparable to the Buy bodied the optimism, the principles the regulations thereunder, for pur- America provision that I authored, got and the determination of our citizens chases of $100,000 or more.’’ enacted in the 1982 Surface Transpor- Especially during these trying eco- and our Nation. The American people tation Assistance Act, to require all nomic times, it is important that Am- responded to his call, and he led this steel in the Federal Aid Highway Pro- trak, a taxpayer-subsidized agency country back from a decade of decline, gram to be made in America, American that has never turned a profit, support transforming politics forever. steel. And we extended that to the American businesses and jobs. In fact, transit program subsequently, and to As a broadcaster, as an actor, as Gov- one of the most important ways Am- the Corps of Engineers program. ernor and as President, he gave voice trak could help the American economy The situation with Amtrak is that to America. is by buying American, especially by there are two Buy America laws. The I am pleased to support this legisla- buying American oil. first was established in 1978. It requires tion, and I ask my colleagues to join Amtrak runs on diesel fuel, and die- Amtrak to buy U.S.-sourced equip- me. sel prices in our Nation are at an all- ment, U.S. materials, U.S. supplies for Madam Speaker, I yield the balance time high. For the past several purchase in excess of $1 million. of my time. months, when I was at home in Nevada, As time went on, there was concern Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I the number one issue on the minds of that there was a good deal of equip- thank the gentleman from California my constituents was the high price of ment manufacturing moving offshore for introducing this measure. I urge its fuel. I am sure there is no difference because our domestic rail transit, rail passage, and I yield back. than any other district, since fuel costs passenger transit systems were in de- have reached record highs across this cline. There was little funding for The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Nation. them, and manufacturers were drying question is on the motion offered by In fact, this week some of my con- up in America, and the new sourcing the gentleman from New York (Mr. stituents were in town and came by the was coming from foreign manufactur- HIGGINS) that the House suspend the office. In talking with them, I was viv- ers. So the Appropriation Bill of 2002 rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5235, as idly reminded just how the high cost of required Amtrak to comply with the amended. fuel, spurred by congressional inaction, Buy America for procurements under The question was taken; and (two- is hurting families in my district. $1 million, pursuant to Amtrak’s grant thirds being in the affirmative) the The Anderson family lives in Carson agreements. rules were suspended and the bill, as City with their two kids, Steve and Our bill would require Buy America amended, was passed. Sarah. They are a model American to apply to purchases of $100,000, being A motion to reconsider was laid on middle class family. The father is a very specific about it, $100,000 or more. the table. dental lab technician, the mother is a So this motion instructs the managers VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:15 Jul 23, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K22JY7.068 H22JYPT1 wwoods2 on PRODPC60 with HOUSE July 22, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6789 to insist, and we are happy to insist on policy in our country over the last 30 tels. But only one of these measures is those provisions. years. And unfortunately, our col- now law. I thank the gentleman from Nevada leagues on the Democrat side of the I just returned, as my colleague from for his motion. aisle have made a very clear and dis- Minnesota mentioned, with a group I reserve the balance of my time. tinct decision, and it has been this: No from the Arctic National Wildlife Re- Mr. HELLER of Nevada. Madam new energy exploration in the United serve and other areas of Alaska which Speaker, I reserve 5 minutes for the States. They have been very clear are rich in potential oil and energy re- gentlewoman from Minnesota, Michele about this. They don’t want to increase sources. Exploration and development Bachmann. energy exploration in the United of these resources could easily happen Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank my col- States. We need to. in an environmentally sound fashion, league from Nevada (Mr. HELLER) for And we aren’t choosing just oil, just quickly brought online, and is some- his leadership on buying American, es- natural gas, just coal; we want to say thing that Alaskans support.