E2310 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks November 20, 2008 

people about the Sikh faith, and now serves 

as president of the council. Jasjit Singh is 

vice president of the Central Orange County 

Interfaith Council. 

‘‘As a relatively recent immigrant, I am 

very appreciative of the opportunities that 

this country has given me,’’ says Ahuja. 

‘‘Our value system must remain steadfast. 

That’s what distinguishes us from most any 

other country in the world.’’ 

Nina Totenberg ‘‘Ninotchka, we’re proud of 

you.’’ 

Nina Totenberg still cherishes her father’s 

words. She had just endured a period of intense scrutiny after her reporting led to testimony by law professor Anita Hill, during 

the confirmation hearing of Justice Clarence 

Thomas. 

Her father, Roman Totenberg, a world-renowned violinist, performed across Europe 

by age eleven. A Polish Jew, he left Europe 

in 1935. ‘‘He saw the rise of Hitler,’’ says his 

daughter, ‘‘but he came to America because 

it represented a kind of equality and 

meritocracy that did not exist in Europe.’’ 

Nina Totenberg’s mother, Melanie, shared 

her interest in American politics. ‘‘I remember my mother watching the Army-McCarthy hearings on TV all day every day, explaining to me what was going on,’’ says 

Totenberg. ‘‘I knew who all those senators 

were and I was eight years old.’’ 

At 16, reading The Making of the President, the classic book about the 1960 election, Totenberg confirmed her childhood desire to be a witness to history. ‘‘I wanted to 

be a reporter from the time I realized that I 

couldn’t be Nancy Drew.’’ 

For the past three decades, Totenberg has 

reported for National Public Radio and is 

best known for her coverage of the Supreme 

Court. ‘‘There are a lot of injustices in the 

world and in this country,’’ she says. ‘‘The 

ones that I can do something about—I will 

try to do something about.’’ She credits her 

father, who still teaches at age 97. 

YOU CAN’T GET MY DAD TO DO SOMETHING HE

THINKS IS NOT RIGHT

We believe in fairness. 

In America, the loudest voice does not always have the last word, and every voice has 

a right to be heard. 

We act with hope. 

Not because life is perfect, but because we 

are free to face life, and all its imperfections, 

on our own terms. 

We rely on faith. 

In a sturdy and tested framework of law 

and government that works because of the 

confidence we place in it and in each other. 

WE ARE EACH RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING

AMERICA ON COURSE

‘‘Are we there yet?’’ the children ask. 

We know the answer. 

We pursue justice. 

But still have a way to go. 

We celebrate freedom. 

But endlessly debate what it means to be 

free. 

Our table is brimming. 

But not everyone receives a fair portion. 

John Lewis Growing up in a large family 

on a small farm in rural Alabama, John 

Lewis cared for the chickens. 

When his parents wanted to sell or trade 

chickens, or have one for dinner, ‘‘I would 

protest,’’ Lewis recalls. ‘‘They were creatures of God, and we didn’t have a right to 

abuse them.’’ 

Lewis was fifteen in 1955, when Emmett 

Till, a black teenager, was brutally murdered in Mississippi, Rosa Parks refused to 

move to the back of the bus, and Martin Luther King, Jr., organized the Montgomery 

bus boycott. Listening to King on the radio, 

‘‘It was like he was saying, ‘John Lewis, you 

can do it, 

YOU, TOO, CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION

Lewis went to Nashville, to study nonviolence and become a minister. He participated in sit-in demonstrations, Freedom 

Rides, and the creation of a campus group 

called the Student Nonviolent Coordinating 

Committee. 

‘‘Even when I was being beaten, I saw these 

individuals almost like the chickens,’’ he 

says. ‘‘They were innocent creatures and 

something happened to them.’’ 

As chairman of SNCC, at 23, Lewis stood 

with King and other civil rights leaders on 

the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the 

March on Washington in August 1963, preaching, ‘‘Wake up, America.’’ He has exerted 

leadership in Congress since 1986, representing the district around Atlanta. 

‘‘We’ve made progress,’’ says Lewis. ‘‘The 

world is so different from the world I grew up 

in.’’ 

Still pursuing his vision of a ‘‘beloved community,’’ Lewis asserts, ‘‘We need to turn toward each other to create a greater sense of 

community and belonging.’’ 

Tasneem Shamim. In the late 1990s, at 

about age 40, Tasneem Shamim began to feel 

spiritually empty. 

She missed a sense of compassion and universality, which she remembered from her 

childhood in India and could not find in the 

mosques in New Jersey, where Shamim, a 

doctor, lives with her husband and three 

children. 

‘‘One of my early memories is going with 

my grandmother to the small villages. My 

grandmother started organizations to help 

women out of poverty and oppression.’’ 

To help reconnect with her feelings, 

Shamim visited the holy sites in Mecca and 

Medina, and she decided to cover her hair. 

Her mother and sister were concerned about 

potential antagonism, and one friend asked, 

‘‘Do you have to go to chemotherapy?’’ 

For Shamim, the head scarf is an opportunity to prompt and answer questions about 

Islam. Most important, it makes her more 

conscious of her roles in life. 

‘‘You become a doctor mostly to please 

God. God says, ‘You cannot help Me, but help 

the creatures that I have created.’’’ 

Shamim also began studying Sufism, a 

spiritual strand of Islam. At the urging of a 

Sufi leader that she express her religion in 

good works, Shamim established the Muslim 

Women’s Coalition, a national organization 

devoted to community service and mutual 

respect. 

PEOPLE ACCEPT THAT AMERICA IS A QUILT

Progress can be slow as we propose and 

protest, argue and advocate. 

But we are grateful to be part of this vigorous democracy. 

We enjoy its unparalleled privileges and 

accept its obligations: 

To pursue our dreams while helping others. 

To advance our convictions while respecting others. 

To prepare our children for the gift of the 

American journey. 

f 

EARMARK DECLARATION 

HON. STEVE KING OF IOWA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. KING of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I wish 

to make the following disclosure in accordance 

with the new Republican Earmark Transparency Standards requiring Members to 

place a statement in the CONGRESSIONAL

RECORD for a bill that includes earmarks they 

have requested, describing how the funds will 

be spent and justifying the use of Federal taxpayer funds. 

Requesting Member: Congressman STEVE

KING

Bill Number: H.R. 2638, The Consolidated 

Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 

Appropriations Act, 2009. 

Account: Research, Development, Test and 

Evaluation, Army. 

Project Name: Battlefield Plastic Biodiesel. 

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Renewable Energy Group and General Atomics. 

Address of Requesting Entity: West Central, 

406 First Street, Ralston, IA 51459. General 

Atomics, 3550 General Atomics Ct., San 

Diego, CA 92121. 

Description of Request: $1.6 million is provided in the bill to continue a 3-year partnership with the U.S. Army to develop a technology providing a cost effective way to recycle military plastic waste into a useable biodiesel fuel with enhanced energy yield, for use 

in field power generation and other applications. This technology has the potential to 

save taxpayers millions per month in military 

waste disposal costs, and enhance the viability of increased use of biodiesel by both the 

military and civilian sectors to achieve greater 

energy independence. The $1.6 million FY09 

appropriation is needed to complete the development phase of this multi-year project and 

demonstrate the technology. 

f 

RECOGNIZING THE FUTURE 

FARMERS OF AMERICA 

HON. JACK KINGSTON OF GEORGIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, November 20, 2008 

Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to recognize five students in my district 

that have received national honors from Future Farmers of America. These young people—Ryan Highsmith, Jordan Culpepper, Nicholas Worley, Jacob Schindler, and Courtney 

Curlin—have surpassed many other students 

to earn top honors for their work in local Future Farmers of America. All of these students 

excelled though challenging assessments at 

State and National level against their peers 

before being awarded these top accolades. 

Ryan Highsmith of Lake Park, Georgia, won 

first place in the nation for Specialty Animal 

Production for his four year work with honey 

bee cultivation. 

Jordan Culpepper of Lake Park, Georgia, 

won second place in the nation for Diversified 

Agriculture Production. Jordon dutifully worked 

with both livestock and crop production in a 

wide range of operations for over 5 years. 

Nicholas Worley of Valdosta, Georgia, was 

named National Agriscience Student of the 

Year. Using clean wood chips and leftover biomass from Georgia forests, Nicholas found 

that a large amount of ethanol can be produced from these two sources. 

Jacob Schindler of Valdosta, Georgia, won 

second place in the Junior Individual Botany 

Division. Jacob’s project involved research on 

the effects of inert gases on kudzu. Jacob researched the uses of gases on kudzu, which 

enabled him to eradicate several large infestations of kudzu in the Valdosta area. 

Courtney Curlin of Valdosta, Georgia won 

third place in the senior individual Engineering 


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November 20, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2311 

Division. Courtney designed a filter using urea, 

which was able to filter out over fifty percent 

of particulate emissions from a tractor exhaust. 

Agriculture plays an important role in the 

Georgia economy and it is wonderful to see 

our young people taking an interest in developing our resources. Their projects not only 

show their innovative thinking, but also prove 

that this generation recognizes the need to get 

involved. I am proud to recognize these five 

students today and wish them the best of luck 

in their future endeavors. 

f 

EARMARK DECLARATION 

HON. RODNEY ALEXANDER OF LOUISIANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, November 20, 2008 

Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam Speaker, I am 

submitting the following earmark declaration: 

Requesting Member: Mr. ALEXANDER. 

Bill Number: H.R. 2638. 

Account: Air Force. 

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Barksdale 

Air Force Base. 

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 625, 

Shreveport, LA 71162. 

Description of Request: Construct a new 

Security Forces Squadron Complex at 

Barksdale Air Force Base. Security forces 

command and operations functions are currently housed in a 1930’s vintage hangar on 

the aircraft parking ramp. The Law Enforcement Desk and associated offices (including 

confinement) and storage of mobility equipment/personal bags are located across the 

street in one of our historic facilities. The majority of security operations occur in the Weapons Storage Area (WSA) which is over four 

miles by road from the current facility. The 

hanger facility is inadequate in functional layout to accommodate existing requirements. 

The facility is incompatible with existing land 

uses as the facility should house a function 

supporting flight line operations. Delays in 

construction of this facility will prevent compliance with the base comprehensive plan established land use policies. Already strained base 

resources will continue to be spent on an inadequate and inefficient facility. 

Requesting Member: Mr. ALEXANDER. 

Bill Number: H.R. 2638. 

Account: FEMA State and Local Programs. 

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Louisiana 

State University. 

Address of Requesting Entity: 156 Thomas 

Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. 

Description of Request: Louisiana State University’s (LSU) National Center for Biomedical 

Research and Training (NCBRT), Academy of 

Counter-Terrorist Education is a founding 

member of the Consortium which consists of 

LSU, New Mexico Tech, Texas A&M University, U.S. Department of Energy’s Nevada 

Test Site, University of Hawaii, Transportation 

Technology Center, Inc., and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Domestic Preparedness. The National Domestic 

Preparedness Consortium shall identify, develop, test, and deliver training to State, local, 

and tribal emergency response providers, provide on-site and mobile training at the performance and management and planning levels, and facilitate the delivery of training by the 

training partners of the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security. The current mission of the 

Consortium is to enhance the preparedness of 

federal, state, local, and tribal emergency responders/first receivers and teams, including 

non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to reduce the Nation’s vulnerability to incidents involving weapons of mass 

destruction, terrorism and all-hazard high-consequence events by developing, delivering 

and assessing plans, training, technical assistance and exercises. 

f 

EARMARK DECLARATION 

HON. ROB BISHOP OF UTAH

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, November 20, 2008 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, consistent with House Republican Earmark Standards, I am submitting the following earmark 

disclosure and certification information for a 

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Request that I made and which was included within the text and/or report to accompany H.R. 2638, the ‘‘Consolidated Security, 

Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2009.’’ I certify that neither I, 

nor my spouse, have any financial interest in 

this request, and certify that, to the best of my 

knowledge, this request is (1) not directed to 

an entity or program named or that will be 

named after a sitting Member of Congress; (2) 

is not intended for a ‘‘front’’ or ‘‘pass-through’’ 

entity; and (3) meets or exceeds statutory requirements for matching funds (where applicable). Please note that while publication of this 

disclosure information prior to the floor vote 

was intended, such was not possible because 

House Democratic Leadership chose to circumvent regular order under the House Rules 

last September when the bill was voted upon 

in the House by waiving the normal layover 

period between the time of filing of the report 

and a floor vote on the same in order to rush 

the bill through to a vote with minimal public 

scrutiny. 

Requesting Member: ROB BISHOP (UT–01). 

Bill Number: H.R. 263—The Consolidated 

Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 

Appropriations Act of 2009. 

1. Project: Distributed Environment for Critical Infrastructure—Decision Making Exercises 

for Increasing Cyber Security. 

Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the ‘‘Consolidated 

Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 

Appropriations Act of 2009.’’ 

Project Amount: $3 million. 

Account: Science & Technology; Research, 

Development, Acquisition, and Operations. 

Requesting Entity: Utah State University 

Space Research Foundation. 

Receiving Entity: The Cyber Conflict Research Consortium (CCRC); an affiliation of 

academic and non-profit institutions, including 

Miami University, Norwich University Applied 

Research Institutes, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, University of Nevada at Reno, and 

Utah State University Space Research Foundation. 

Address: CCRC Team Leader, Norwich University, Applied Research Institutes, 57 Old 

Freight Yard, P.O. Box 30, Northfield, VT 

05663–0030. 

Project Description and Justification: Funding would continue work begun in FY’08 with 

the Department of Homeland Security on completing full-scale development of the Web-distributed Environment for Critical Infrastructure 

Decision-making Exercises (DECIDE). This 

project is the only high-level governmental 

program designed to minimize threats and 

risks of cyber attacks against the U.S. Government and key economic sectors which rely on 

electronic data bases, such as financial markets and banking institutions. Funding would 

continue development of core software components and demonstration to government entities and private-sector institutions concerned 

about following a coherent and coordinated 

plan to counter the serious and growing cyberattack threat. 

Matching Funds: Not applicable. 

Detailed Spending Plan: Not applicable. 

f 

COMMENDING THE SOUTHERN 

GUAM LITTLE LEAGUE FOR 

THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE 

2008 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL 

WORLD SERIES 

HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO OF GUAM

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, November 20, 2008 

Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I join the 

people of Guam in commending the Southern 

Guam Little League, a team comprised of 

players from the villages of Agat, Inarajan, 

Merizo, Naval Station, Santa Rita, Talofofo, 

and Umatac who competed in the 62nd Little 

League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, 

Pennsylvania. The Southern Guam Little 

League represented the Asia-Pacific Region. 

After a seven to six comeback victory over 

the European champions from Italy, Team 

Guam played two hard-fought games against 

teams from Mexico and Curacao. A three run 

loss to Curacao on August 19, 2008, at Volunteer Stadium allowed Curacao to advance to 

the elimination round. I congratulate the players, parents, and coaches on their winning the 

Little League Asia-Pacific Region Championship and their representation of Guam in the 

2008 Little League Baseball World Series in 

Williamsport, Pennsylvania. 

I would like to commend Dominick San 

Nicolas and his parents Paul Paulino and Josephine San Nicolas; Austin Paulino and his 

parents Jesse Meno and Debbie Paulino; 

Brielle Meno and her parents Ben and MaDonna Meno; Fernando Rabago and his parents Thomas and Tammy Rabago; Mark Blas 

and his parents Mark and Lucy Blas; Brian 

Bunag and his parents Benjamin and Gina 

Bunag; Johnny Quenga and his parents Johnny and Lani Quenga; Parish Reyes and his 

parents Fred and Ester Reyes; Andrew 

Quintanilla and his parents Jesse and Marie 

Quintanilla; Austin Sablan and his parents 

Rocindo Alforque and Mary Sablan; Nicholas 

Cruz and his grandparents Felix and 

MaryJane Cruz; Nicholas Hernandez and parents Guillermo and Nancy Hernandez; Southern Guam Little League Coaches Paul Paulino 

and Johnny DeJesus; Manager William 

Meeks; President William Sarmiento; Vice 

President Donna H. Santiago and Mr. Stephen 

J. Guerrero, the District Administrator, Guam 

Little League for their work and accomplishments in the 2008 Little League Baseball 

World Series. 


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