[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9] [House] [Pages 12800-12806] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008 The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1257 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of the bill, H.R. 6063. {time} 1558 In the Committee of the Whole Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of the bill (H.R. 6063) to authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for other purposes, with Ms. Clarke (Acting Chairman) in the chair. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The Acting CHAIRMAN. When the Committee of the Whole rose on Thursday, June 12, 2008, amendment No. 8 printed in House Report 110- 707 offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) had been disposed of. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, proceedings will now resume on those amendments printed in House Report 110-707 on which further proceedings were postponed, in the following order: Amendment No. 5 by Mr. Lampson of Texas. Amendment No. 10 by Mr. Hodes of New Hampshire. The Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the time for the second electronic vote in this series. Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Lampson The Acting CHAIRMAN. The unfinished business is the demand for a recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote. The Clerk will redesignate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Amendment No. 5 offered by Mr. Lampson: In title XI, add at the end the following new section (and amend the table of contents accordingly): [[Page 12801]] SEC. 1109. EXCEPTION TO ALTERNATIVE FUEL PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENT. Section 526(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17142(a)) does not prohibit NASA from entering into a contract to purchase a generally available fuel that is not an alternative or synthetic fuel or predominantly produced from a nonconventional petroleum source, if-- (1) the contract does not specifically require the contractor to provide an alternative or synthetic fuel or fuel from a nonconventional petroleum source; (2) the purpose of the contract is not to obtain an alternative or synthetic fuel or fuel from a nonconventional petroleum source: and (3) the contract does not provide incentives for a refinery upgrade or expansion to allow a refinery to use or increase its use of fuel from a nonconventional petroleum source. Recorded Vote The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded. A recorded vote was ordered. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 429, noes 1, not voting 8, as follows: [Roll No. 418] AYES--429 Abercrombie Ackerman Aderholt Akin Alexander Allen Altmire Andrews Arcuri Baca Bachmann Bachus Baird Baldwin Barrett (SC) Barrow Bartlett (MD) Barton (TX) Bean Becerra Berkley Berman Berry Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Bishop (UT) Blackburn Blunt Boehner Bonner Bono Mack Boozman Bordallo Boren Boswell Boucher Boustany Boyd (FL) Boyda (KS) Brady (PA) Brady (TX) Braley (IA) Broun (GA) Brown (SC) Brown, Corrine Brown-Waite, Ginny Buchanan Burgess Burton (IN) Butterfield Buyer Calvert Camp (MI) Campbell (CA) Cannon Cantor Capito Capps Capuano Cardoza Carnahan Carney Carson Carter Castle Castor Cazayoux Chabot Chandler Childers Christensen Clarke Clay Cleaver Clyburn Coble Cohen Cole (OK) Conaway Conyers Cooper Costa Costello Courtney Cramer Crenshaw Crowley Cubin Cuellar Culberson Cummings Davis (AL) Davis (CA) Davis (IL) Davis (KY) Davis, David Davis, Lincoln Davis, Tom Deal (GA) DeFazio DeGette Delahunt DeLauro Dent Diaz-Balart, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Dicks Dingell Doggett Donnelly Doolittle Doyle Drake Dreier Duncan Edwards Ehlers Ellison Ellsworth Emanuel Emerson Engel English (PA) Eshoo Etheridge Everett Fallin Farr Fattah Feeney Ferguson Filner Flake Forbes Fortenberry Fortuno Fossella Foster Foxx Frank (MA) Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Gallegly Garrett (NJ) Gerlach Giffords Gillibrand Gingrey Gohmert Gonzalez Goode Goodlatte Gordon Granger Graves Green, Al Green, Gene Grijalva Gutierrez Hall (NY) Hall (TX) Hare Hastings (FL) Hastings (WA) Hayes Heller Hensarling Herger Herseth Sandlin Higgins Hill Hinchey Hinojosa Hirono Hobson Hodes Hoekstra Holden Holt Honda Hooley Hoyer Hunter Inglis (SC) Inslee Israel Issa Jackson (IL) Jackson-Lee (TX) Jefferson Johnson (GA) Johnson (IL) Johnson, E. B. Johnson, Sam Jones (NC) Jones (OH) Jordan Kagen Kanjorski Kaptur Keller Kennedy Kildee Kilpatrick Kind King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kirk Klein (FL) Kline (MN) Knollenberg Kucinich Kuhl (NY) LaHood Lamborn Lampson Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Latham LaTourette Latta Lee Levin Lewis (CA) Lewis (GA) Lewis (KY) Linder Lipinski LoBiondo Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Lowey Lucas Lungren, Daniel E. Lynch Mack Mahoney (FL) Maloney (NY) Manzullo Marchant Markey Marshall Matheson Matsui McCarthy (CA) McCarthy (NY) McCaul (TX) McCollum (MN) McCotter McCrery McDermott McGovern McHenry McHugh McIntyre McKeon McMorris Rodgers McNerney McNulty Meek (FL) Melancon Mica Michaud Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Miller (NC) Miller, Gary Miller, George Mitchell Mollohan Moore (KS) Moore (WI) Moran (KS) Moran (VA) Murphy (CT) Murphy, Patrick Murphy, Tim Murtha Musgrave Myrick Nadler Napolitano Neal (MA) Neugebauer Norton Nunes Oberstar Obey Olver Ortiz Pallone Pascrell Pastor Paul Payne Pearce Pence Perlmutter Peterson (MN) Petri Pickering Pitts Platts Poe Pomeroy Porter Price (GA) Price (NC) Pryce (OH) Putnam Radanovich Rahall Ramstad Rangel Regula Rehberg Reichert Renzi Reyes Reynolds Richardson Rodriguez Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rohrabacher Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ross Rothman Roybal-Allard Royce Ruppersberger Ryan (OH) Ryan (WI) Salazar Sali Sanchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Saxton Scalise Schakowsky Schiff Schmidt Schwartz Scott (GA) Scott (VA) Sensenbrenner Serrano Sessions Sestak Shadegg Shays Shea-Porter Sherman Shimkus Shuler Shuster Simpson Sires Skelton Slaughter Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Smith (WA) Snyder Solis Souder Space Speier Spratt Stearns Stupak Sullivan Sutton Tancredo Tanner Tauscher Taylor Terry Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Thornberry Tiahrt Tiberi Tierney Towns Tsongas Turner Udall (CO) Udall (NM) Upton Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walberg Walden (OR) Walsh (NY) Walz (MN) Wamp Wasserman Schultz Waters Watson Watt Waxman Weiner Welch (VT) Weldon (FL) Weller Westmoreland Wexler Whitfield (KY) Wilson (NM) Wilson (OH) Wilson (SC) Wittman (VA) Wolf Woolsey Wu Yarmuth Young (AK) Young (FL) NOES--1 Blumenauer NOT VOTING--8 Faleomavaega Gilchrest Harman Hulshof Meeks (NY) Peterson (PA) Rush Stark {time} 1616 Mr. BRADY of Texas changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.'' So the amendment was agreed to. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. Hodes The Acting CHAIRMAN. The unfinished business is the demand for a recorded vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes) on which further proceedings were postponed and on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote. The Clerk will redesignate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Amendment No. 10 offered by Mr. Hodes: In title XI, add at the end the following new section (and amend the table of contents accordingly): SEC. 1109. CHRISTA MCAULIFFE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR FIELDS RELATED TO THE MISSION OF NASA. The Administrator shall establish a scholarship program in honor of Christa McAuliffe, who died in the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster. The scholarship fund would provide scholarships each year of $10,000 each to three women who are going to college to study in fields related to the mission of NASA, with the goal of seeking careers in space science, aeronautics, and other fields related to NASA. Recorded Vote The Acting CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded. A recorded vote was ordered. The Acting CHAIRMAN. This will be a 5-minute vote. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 423, noes 3, not voting 12, as follows: [Roll No. 419] AYES--423 Abercrombie Ackerman Aderholt Akin Alexander Allen Altmire Andrews Arcuri Baca Bachmann Bachus Baird Baldwin Barrett (SC) Barrow Bartlett (MD) Barton (TX) Bean Becerra Berkley Berman Berry Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Bishop (UT) Blackburn Blumenauer Blunt Bonner Bono Mack Boozman Bordallo Boren Boswell Boucher Boustany Boyd (FL) Boyda (KS) Brady (PA) Brady (TX) Braley (IA) Brown (SC) Brown, Corrine Brown-Waite, Ginny Buchanan Burgess Burton (IN) Butterfield Buyer Calvert Camp (MI) Campbell (CA) Cannon Cantor Capito Capps Capuano Cardoza Carnahan Carney Carson Carter Castle Castor Cazayoux Chabot Chandler Childers Christensen Clarke Clay Cleaver Clyburn Coble Cohen Cole (OK) Conaway Conyers Cooper Costa Costello Courtney Cramer Crenshaw Crowley Cubin Cuellar Culberson Cummings Davis (AL) Davis (CA) Davis (IL) Davis (KY) Davis, David Davis, Lincoln Davis, Tom Deal (GA) DeFazio DeGette Delahunt DeLauro Dent Diaz-Balart, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Dicks Dingell [[Page 12802]] Doggett Donnelly Doolittle Doyle Drake Dreier Duncan Edwards Ehlers Ellison Ellsworth Emanuel Emerson Engel English (PA) Eshoo Etheridge Everett Fallin Farr Fattah Feeney Ferguson Filner Forbes Fortenberry Fortuno Fossella Foxx Frank (MA) Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Gallegly Garrett (NJ) Gerlach Giffords Gillibrand Gingrey Gohmert Gonzalez Goode Goodlatte Gordon Granger Graves Green, Al Green, Gene Grijalva Gutierrez Hall (NY) Hall (TX) Hare Hastings (FL) Hastings (WA) Hayes Heller Hensarling Herger Herseth Sandlin Higgins Hill Hinchey Hinojosa Hirono Hobson Hodes Hoekstra Holden Holt Honda Hooley Hoyer Hunter Inglis (SC) Inslee Israel Jackson (IL) Jackson-Lee (TX) Jefferson Johnson (GA) Johnson (IL) Johnson, E. B. Johnson, Sam Jones (NC) Jones (OH) Jordan Kagen Kanjorski Kaptur Keller Kennedy Kildee Kilpatrick Kind King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kirk Klein (FL) Kline (MN) Knollenberg Kucinich Kuhl (NY) LaHood Lamborn Lampson Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Latham LaTourette Latta Lee Levin Lewis (CA) Lewis (GA) Lewis (KY) Linder Lipinski LoBiondo Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Lowey Lucas Lungren, Daniel E. Lynch Mack Mahoney (FL) Maloney (NY) Manzullo Marchant Markey Marshall Matheson Matsui McCarthy (CA) McCarthy (NY) McCaul (TX) McCollum (MN) McCotter McCrery McDermott McGovern McHenry McHugh McIntyre McKeon McMorris Rodgers McNerney McNulty Meek (FL) Melancon Mica Michaud Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Miller (NC) Miller, Gary Miller, George Mitchell Mollohan Moore (KS) Moore (WI) Moran (KS) Moran (VA) Murphy (CT) Murphy, Patrick Murphy, Tim Murtha Musgrave Myrick Nadler Napolitano Neal (MA) Neugebauer Norton Nunes Oberstar Obey Olver Ortiz Pallone Pascrell Pastor Payne Pearce Pence Perlmutter Peterson (MN) Petri Pickering Pitts Platts Pomeroy Porter Price (GA) Price (NC) Pryce (OH) Putnam Radanovich Rahall Ramstad Rangel Regula Rehberg Reichert Renzi Reyes Reynolds Richardson Rodriguez Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rohrabacher Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ross Rothman Roybal-Allard Royce Ruppersberger Ryan (OH) Ryan (WI) Salazar Sali Sanchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Saxton Scalise Schakowsky Schiff Schmidt Schwartz Scott (GA) Scott (VA) Sensenbrenner Serrano Sessions Sestak Shadegg Shays Shea-Porter Sherman Shimkus Shuler Shuster Simpson Sires Skelton Slaughter Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Smith (WA) Snyder Solis Souder Space Speier Spratt Stearns Stupak Sullivan Sutton Tancredo Tanner Tauscher Taylor Terry Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Thornberry Tiahrt Tiberi Tierney Towns Tsongas Turner Udall (CO) Udall (NM) Upton Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walberg Walden (OR) Walsh (NY) Walz (MN) Wamp Wasserman Schultz Waters Watson Watt Waxman Weiner Welch (VT) Weldon (FL) Weller Westmoreland Wexler Whitfield (KY) Wilson (NM) Wilson (OH) Wilson (SC) Wittman (VA) Wolf Woolsey Wu Yarmuth Young (AK) Young (FL) NOES--3 Broun (GA) Flake Paul NOT VOTING--12 Boehner Faleomavaega Foster Gilchrest Harman Hulshof Issa Meeks (NY) Peterson (PA) Poe Rush Stark Announcement by the Acting Chairman The Acting CHAIRMAN (during the vote). There are 2 minutes remaining in this vote. {time} 1625 So the amendment was agreed to. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. (By unanimous consent, Mr. Boswell was allowed to speak out of order.) Moment of Silence for Iowa Flood Victims Mr. BOSWELL. I think all of you have been watching the news the last few days out in the Midwest and Iowa. This is the Iowa delegation here, of course. It's been tough, it's been really rugged, and I think you know that, because you've been watching the news. It's devastating to communities to see what's going on when you have a flood. I know last Saturday, for example, all of us have been in and out of the emergency operating centers, and I flew over the district, flew up to Vinton, Iowa, those of you know. I went close to Waterloo and then down to Belle Plaine, around up to Vinton and then down over Iowa City, Cedar Rapids. It was really tough. When you see a little town where all you see is rooftops, you know that there is a lot of pain there, fields flooded and so on. We are just very appreciative that the people have really bonded together. I will just say this, and I would guess every one of us could bear testimony. For example, I was talking to some of the folks in one of the emergency operations centers, and after he told me all the things that were going on there, losing their power plant, this, that and many things, I said, how are you feeling? They said, you know, we're like family. It's bonded us together, and we're going to conquer this. We hope that we could, of course, have some help. I was reminded of that just yesterday when I was here for a moment of personal privilege, or the 1-minute, as we call it, and was asked to give the Pledge, and so I did. Of course, the part of the pledge that says ``one Nation, under God, indivisible,'' and that word ``indivisible'' all of a sudden meant so much to me, because we are a great country, and we won't have to face this alone. We know that. I wanted to appreciate that to all of you. All the damage to businesses and homes and everything else is tough, and that's all up and down the whole way from Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana or Illinois, Missouri, right on down the river. That whole area is under this. Businesses and homes can be rebuilt, but lives are lost and suffering takes place. Over 20 at this point that we know about. If I could, Madam Chairman, I would like to ask us to take a moment of silence in memory of those that are suffering at this time. The Acting CHAIRMAN. Members will rise and observe a moment of silence. Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008. The bill supports NASA's missions and goals in space with a $20 billion authorization that, in addition to funding such important programs as the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station, will also enable NASA to inspire a new generation of Americans through its plans for additional manned space exploration. The bill continues other important NASA programs including its climate research programs which help us understand how solar radiation and human activities are affecting the Earth's climate; the Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (an instrument that measures cosmic rays and particulate matter in space); NASA's Science Directorate, which studies Earth and the solar system; and NASA's many inspirational educational programs. The educational programs are of particular importance as current science and engineering workers across the country begin to retire. To help ensure that the U.S. continues to meet the growing demand for scientists, mathematicians and engineers, it is important that Congress supports programs that encourage more young people to pursue careers in the sciences. I want to especially acknowledge one such program--the NASA Goddard High School Internship Program which has educated and inspired students across this country--including some from my district. The NASA Goddard High School Internship Program is a research intensive program allowing interns to apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines to ``real time'' research. The program enables students to work on projects relevant to NASA's goals and then share the results of their research with NASA management, personnel and fellow interns. I commend NASA for the role it continues to play in helping maintain and strengthen the vitality of science and engineering in the United States and for its ongoing efforts to inspire, educate and engage our young people. The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended. The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, was agreed to. [[Page 12803]] The Acting CHAIRMAN. Under the rule, the Committee rises. Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Weiner) having assumed the chair, Ms. Clarke, Acting Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 6063) to authorize the programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for other purposes, pursuant to House Resolution 1257, she reported the bill back to the House with an amendment adopted by the Committee of the Whole. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the previous question is ordered. Is a separate vote demanded on any amendment to the amendment reported from the Committee of the Whole? If not, the question is on the amendment. The amendment was agreed to. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill. The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time. {time} 1630 Motion to Recommit Offered by Mr. Gingrey Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill? Mr. GINGREY. I am in its current form. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to recommit. The Clerk read as follows: Mr. Gingrey of Georgia moves to recommit the bill H.R. 6063 to the Committee on Science and Technology with instructions to report the same back to the House promptly in the form to which perfected at the time of this motion, with the following amendment: In section 1106(a), insert ``, and the United States,'' after ``can assist NASA''. In section 1106(b)(1), amend the proposed subsection (b) to read as follows: ``(b) Topics.--(1) In selecting topics for prize competitions, the Administrator shall consult widely both within and outside the Federal Government, and may empanel advisory committees. The Administrator shall give consideration to prize goals such as the demonstration of the ability to provide energy to the lunar surface from space- based solar power systems, demonstration of innovative near- Earth object survey and deflection strategies, and innovative approaches to improving the safety and efficiency of aviation systems. ``(2) At least one of the prize competitions awarded under this section shall focus on lowering the cost of aviation fuel, and shall give consideration to technologies aimed at converting coal, oil shale, tar sands, and biomass to liquid fuel for aviation uses.'' In title XI, strike the section (added by the amendment offered by Mr. Lampson of Texas) regarding section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and insert the following new section (and amend the table of contents accordingly): SEC. 1109. FUEL USE. The Administrator of NASA (or his designee) may waive the prohibition contained in section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140) if such a waiver is deemed necessary by the Administrator, in his sole discretion, to further the mission and objectives of NASA. Mr. GINGREY (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the motion be considered read and printed in the Record. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Georgia? There was no objection. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, there is no Federal agency that has risen to the challenge of innovation over the last 50 years like NASA. When the Soviets put a man into orbit, NASA put men on the moon. We, as a Nation, are today the fortunate heirs of NASA's legacy: conviction, resolve, and achievement. As a Congress, we owe it to NASA to create an environment that promotes creativity rather than one that prevents innovation. Unfortunately, I deeply regret this House has not fully empowered the men and women of NASA to meet the challenges of our Nation in the 21st century. Instead of providing it the tools needed to thrive in energy innovation, the Democratic majority chose to handcuff NASA when it enacted section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Section 526 placed an artificial limitation on the ability of Federal agencies, including NASA, to utilize alternative fuel sources for their energy needs; even if they could be safely developed within the United States. These domestic energy sources would reduce the cost of fuel and save the American taxpayers billions of dollars. While families across the Nation pay higher and higher prices for their own fuel needs at the pump, section 526 ensures that they will also bear the full cost of the Federal Government's fuel needs, no matter how high they may go. That, Mr. Speaker, is an inconvenient truth that even politicians turned documentary filmmakers can understand. This motion to recommit will provide a waiver for NASA from this misguided provision. It will also foster the American innovative and competitive spirit by putting in place prizes for the private sector to work with domestic sources of energy that are readily available--coal, oil shale, tar sands, and biomass--to develop liquid fuels that will reduce costs. Mr. Speaker, today nearly a year and a half after Speaker Pelosi promised the American people a ``common-sense plan'' to bring down gas prices, the price of a gallon of gasoline is $4.08. This marks an increase of $1.75 since the beginning of the 110th Congress, a nearly 75 percent increase since the Democrats took control. Indeed, a Pelosi premium that is wrecking this economy. Since we are the people's House, one might presume that the Democrats would listen to the American people. However, the 20 percent of Americans who favor suing our way to lower gas prices have trumped the nearly 60 percent of Americans who favor domestic drilling. Perhaps this is motivated out of a deference to the trial lawyers and environmental extremist groups who are, shall we say, ``closely tied to the Democratic Caucus.'' Mr. Speaker, this same establishment is preventing us today from extracting oil shale in the western United States in which an estimated 1.2 trillion barrels of petroleum is trapped in porous shale rock, of which 70 percent is on public Federal land. That is exactly where it is going to stay, trapped as long as section 526 remains intact. Whatever action this Congress does take, a repeal of section 526 is in order--or at the very least a waiver, grant a waiver as this motion to recommit proposes--so we do not hinder progress at the very agency that has been on the cutting edge of technology for these last 50 years. But time after time, in the committee rooms of the House, in the Rules Committee and on the floor of this body, my Democratic colleagues have refused to address section 526 in any meaningful way. And let me point out, Mr. Speaker, the Lampson amendment does virtually nothing. It only allows us to continue importing oil from Canada, our largest source of imported oil because it might contain just a little trace of petroleum that was obtained from tar sands. That's all that does. If this Congress insists on sacrificing American competitiveness and innovation on the altar of environmental extremism, then it will be one small step for NASA, but one giant leap for Greenpeace. Mr. Speaker, this is about more than the pain at the pump. It is also about the spirit of discovery and innovation that is the backbone of our great Nation. The decisions we make today will not only impact this generation, but generations to come. We can either provide American engineers and innovators the tools they need to realize limitless opportunities for the American people, or this majority can continue to put up arbitrary roadblocks that stymie their potential. Now, while I believe that many on the other side have good intentions, I cannot sit idly by while the Democratic Leadership seems to care more about a carbon footprint than an American footprint on Mars. I cannot sit idly by while this Majority continues to say ``no'' to American entrepreneurship in energy exploration. I cannot sit idly by while this Majority seems content to blame the President or the previous Republican Congress. [[Page 12804]] Blaming the past while ignoring the future is not leadership; that's not why the American people award Majority status to one party or another. The American people awarded you the leadership reins to solve the problems our country faces on a daily basis, and nothing is more important than our energy independence. I therefore challenge the Democrats and all of my colleagues to start solving the biggest problem facing our country today, energy independence, by supporting this Motion to Recommit with its instructions to relieve NASA of the shackles of section 526. Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, for Members who weren't here last Thursday, let me just remind you and recap some of the testimony on this authorization. This is a bipartisan bill that passed unanimously out of the Science and Technology Committee. It is fiscally responsible. It is a balance between aviation, science research and human exploration; and, quite frankly, it is too important to our Nation, both to our prestige as well as to our future, to jeopardize it trying to score political points. This amendment was not offered in the subcommittee markup, although there was an enormous amount of collaboration. And it was not even presented to the full committee until less than 24 hours before we voted on it. If this was so important to the Nation, you would think that my friend during the previous 6 years when there was a Republican House, a Republican Senate and a Republican President could have easily passed this. This bill is too important to try to score political points. We need to get something done for the Nation. Let me just remind you of some of the endorsers of this good bill, and this is a very small listing of so many: Association of American Universities, Aerospace Industry Association, National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Universities Space Research Association, Information Technology Association of America, National Business Aviation Association, and General Aviation Manufacturers Association. I can go on and on and on. This is too good a bill to be killed on this floor today for partisan reason. I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman). Mr. WAXMAN. I urge my colleagues to oppose this motion to recommit. For the last 8 years, our Nation's energy policies have been a fiasco. Gasoline prices are skyrocketing, our dependence on foreign oil is growing, and we are fueling dangerous global warming. Yet when the Democrats passed even modest reforms that say we need to invest in cleaner fuels, not dirtier ones, the Republican leadership brings forth a motion to repeal them. This motion would repeal a provision in the energy bill, the Energy Independence and Security Act, that Congress passed last year. In that bill we included a provision that said tax dollars should not be used to purchase new types of fuels that would cause more global warming than conventional gasoline and diesel fuels. This provision was not controversial. It had broad support, and it would be foolhardy to invest our tax dollars in new fuels that would make us face a greater global warming problem. Now there have been misconceptions about all of this, and that is why I was pleased the House just adopted overwhelmingly the Lampson amendment. Some of the misconceptions about section 526 say that it would affect the oil companies. But, in fact, the oil companies and other energy companies can do what they want with their own money. If they want to invest in dirtier fuels, they can. This just says the taxpayers are not going to be used to subsidize them. Some people say section 526 would prevent NASA and other agencies from buying generally available fuel that contains small amount of fuel from tar sands. Well that's not accurate, and the Lampson amendment makes it clear that we could continue to import fuel from Canada. And in all of the acres that are not being drilled on now throughout the west, they can be drilled and this section is not keeping them from drilling. They could be drilled if the oil companies wanted to do it. Section 526 does not prohibit investments in coal-based fuels so long as the fuels would be as clean as conventional gasoline and diesel fuel. Global warming is real and it is dangerous and threatens our health, our environment, our economy and our national security. We have to stop making things worse before they will get better. That is a philosophy that makes no sense. And what's worse is this motion to recommit would be a motion that says ``promptly'' and that means that it would kill the legislation by sending the bill back to committee. The bill gives NASA the resources it needs to ensure that those investments are effective. It will enhance NASA's work, and we should not vote for this motion to recommit that would kill the legislation. Parliamentary Inquiry Mr. WESTMORELAND. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary inquiry. Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, isn't it true that if this motion were to pass, the bill could be recommitted back to the committees from which it came and reported back the next legislative day? The SPEAKER pro tempore. No. As the Chair reaffirmed on November 15, 2007, at some subsequent time, the committee could meet and report the bill back to the House. Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit. There was no objection. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it. Recorded Vote Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote. A recorded vote was ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 and clause 9 of rule XX, this 15-minute vote on the motion to recommit will be followed by 5-minute votes on passage of H.R. 6063; and the motion to suspend the rules on H. Res. 1002. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 196, noes 225, not voting 12, as follows: [Roll No. 420] AYES--196 Aderholt Akin Alexander Bachmann Bachus Barrett (SC) Bartlett (MD) Barton (TX) Biggert Bilirakis Bishop (UT) Blackburn Blunt Boehner Bonner Bono Mack Boozman Boustany Brady (TX) Broun (GA) Brown (SC) Brown-Waite, Ginny Buchanan Burgess Burton (IN) Buyer Calvert Camp (MI) Campbell (CA) Cannon Capito Carney Carter Castle Chabot Coble Cole (OK) Conaway Costello Crenshaw Cubin Culberson Davis (KY) Davis, David Davis, Tom Deal (GA) Dent Diaz-Balart, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Doolittle Drake Dreier Duncan Ehlers Ellsworth Emerson English (PA) Everett Fallin Feeney Ferguson Flake Forbes Fortenberry Fossella Foxx Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Gallegly Garrett (NJ) Gerlach Gingrey Gohmert Goode Goodlatte Granger Graves Hall (TX) Hastings (WA) Hayes Heller Hensarling Herger Hobson Hoekstra Holden Hunter Inglis (SC) Issa Johnson (IL) Johnson, Sam Jones (NC) Jordan Keller King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kirk Kline (MN) Knollenberg Kuhl (NY) LaHood Lamborn Latham LaTourette Latta Lewis (CA) Lewis (KY) Linder LoBiondo Lucas Lungren, Daniel E. Mack Manzullo Marchant McCarthy (CA) McCaul (TX) McCotter McCrery McHenry McHugh McKeon Mica Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Miller, Gary Moran (KS) Murphy, Tim Musgrave Myrick Neugebauer Nunes Paul Pearce Pence Peterson (PA) Petri Pitts Platts Porter Price (GA) Pryce (OH) Putnam Radanovich Ramstad Regula Rehberg Renzi Reynolds Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rohrabacher Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Royce Ryan (WI) [[Page 12805]] Sali Saxton Scalise Schmidt Sensenbrenner Sessions Shadegg Shays Shimkus Shuster Simpson Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Souder Stearns Sullivan Tancredo Terry Thornberry Tiahrt Tiberi Turner Upton Walberg Walden (OR) Walsh (NY) Wamp Weldon (FL) Weller Westmoreland Whitfield (KY) Wilson (NM) Wilson (OH) Wilson (SC) Wittman (VA) Wolf Young (AK) Young (FL) NOES--225 Abercrombie Ackerman Allen Altmire Andrews Arcuri Baca Baird Baldwin Barrow Bean Becerra Berkley Berman Berry Bilbray Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Blumenauer Boren Boswell Boucher Boyd (FL) Boyda (KS) Brady (PA) Braley (IA) Brown, Corrine Butterfield Capps Capuano Cardoza Carnahan Carson Castor Cazayoux Chandler Childers Clarke Clay Cleaver Clyburn Cohen Conyers Cooper Costa Courtney Cramer Crowley Cuellar Cummings Davis (AL) Davis (CA) Davis (IL) Davis, Lincoln DeFazio DeGette Delahunt DeLauro Dicks Dingell Doggett Donnelly Doyle Edwards Ellison Emanuel Engel Eshoo Etheridge Farr Fattah Filner Foster Frank (MA) Giffords Gillibrand Gonzalez Gordon Green, Al Green, Gene Grijalva Gutierrez Hall (NY) Hare Hastings (FL) Herseth Sandlin Higgins Hill Hinchey Hinojosa Hirono Hodes Holt Honda Hooley Hoyer Inslee Israel Jackson (IL) Jefferson Johnson (GA) Johnson, E. B. Jones (OH) Kagen Kanjorski Kaptur Kennedy Kildee Kilpatrick Kind Klein (FL) Kucinich Lampson Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Lee Levin Lewis (GA) Lipinski Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Lowey Lynch Mahoney (FL) Maloney (NY) Markey Marshall Matheson Matsui McCarthy (NY) McCollum (MN) McDermott McGovern McIntyre McNerney McNulty Meek (FL) Melancon Michaud Miller (NC) Miller, George Mitchell Mollohan Moore (KS) Moore (WI) Moran (VA) Murphy (CT) Murphy, Patrick Murtha Nadler Napolitano Neal (MA) Oberstar Obey Olver Ortiz Pallone Pascrell Pastor Payne Perlmutter Peterson (MN) Pomeroy Price (NC) Rahall Reichert Reyes Richardson Rodriguez Ross Rothman Roybal-Allard Ruppersberger Ryan (OH) Salazar Sanchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Schakowsky Schiff Schwartz Scott (GA) Scott (VA) Serrano Sestak Shea-Porter Sherman Shuler Sires Skelton Slaughter Smith (WA) Snyder Solis Space Speier Spratt Stupak Sutton Tanner Tauscher Taylor Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Tierney Towns Tsongas Udall (CO) Udall (NM) Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walz (MN) Wasserman Schultz Waters Watson Watt Waxman Weiner Welch (VT) Wexler Woolsey Wu Yarmuth NOT VOTING--12 Cantor Gilchrest Harman Hulshof Jackson-Lee (TX) McMorris Rodgers Meeks (NY) Pickering Poe Rangel Rush Stark Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). Members are reminded there are less than 5 minutes remaining in this vote. {time} 1700 Mr. SPRATT and Ms. HOOLEY changed their vote from ``aye'' to ``no.'' Mr. WILSON of Ohio changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.'' So the motion to recommit was rejected. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. Stated for: Mr. PICKERING. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 420, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' The question is on the passage of the bill. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it. Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 409, nays 15, not voting 9, as follows: [Roll No. 421] YEAS--409 Abercrombie Ackerman Aderholt Akin Alexander Allen Altmire Andrews Arcuri Baca Bachmann Bachus Baird Baldwin Barrett (SC) Barrow Bartlett (MD) Barton (TX) Bean Becerra Berkley Berry Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Bishop (UT) Blackburn Blumenauer Boehner Bonner Bono Mack Boozman Boren Boswell Boucher Boustany Boyd (FL) Boyda (KS) Brady (PA) Brady (TX) Braley (IA) Brown (SC) Brown, Corrine Brown-Waite, Ginny Buchanan Burgess Burton (IN) Butterfield Buyer Calvert Camp (MI) Campbell (CA) Cannon Cantor Capito Capps Capuano Cardoza Carnahan Carney Carson Carter Castle Castor Cazayoux Chabot Chandler Childers Clarke Clay Cleaver Clyburn Coble Cohen Cole (OK) Conaway Conyers Cooper Costa Costello Courtney Cramer Crenshaw Crowley Cuellar Culberson Cummings Davis (AL) Davis (CA) Davis (IL) Davis (KY) Davis, David Davis, Lincoln Davis, Tom Deal (GA) DeFazio DeGette Delahunt DeLauro Dent Diaz-Balart, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Dicks Dingell Doggett Donnelly Doolittle Doyle Drake Dreier Edwards Ehlers Ellison Ellsworth Emanuel Emerson Engel English (PA) Eshoo Etheridge Everett Fallin Farr Fattah Feeney Ferguson Filner Forbes Fortenberry Fossella Foster Foxx Frank (MA) Frelinghuysen Gallegly Garrett (NJ) Gerlach Giffords Gillibrand Gingrey Gohmert Gonzalez Goode Goodlatte Gordon Granger Graves Green, Al Green, Gene Grijalva Gutierrez Hall (NY) Hall (TX) Hare Hastings (FL) Hastings (WA) Hayes Heller Hensarling Herger Herseth Sandlin Higgins Hill Hinchey Hinojosa Hirono Hobson Hodes Holden Holt Honda Hooley Hoyer Hunter Inglis (SC) Inslee Israel Issa Jackson (IL) Jackson-Lee (TX) Jefferson Johnson (GA) Johnson (IL) Johnson, E. B. Johnson, Sam Jones (NC) Jones (OH) Jordan Kagen Kanjorski Kaptur Keller Kennedy Kildee Kilpatrick Kind King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kirk Klein (FL) Kline (MN) Knollenberg Kucinich Kuhl (NY) LaHood Lamborn Lampson Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Latham LaTourette Latta Lee Levin Lewis (CA) Lewis (GA) Lewis (KY) Linder Lipinski Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Lowey Lucas Lungren, Daniel E. Lynch Mack Mahoney (FL) Maloney (NY) Manzullo Marchant Markey Marshall Matheson Matsui McCarthy (CA) McCarthy (NY) McCaul (TX) McCollum (MN) McCotter McCrery McDermott McGovern McHugh McIntyre McKeon McMorris Rodgers McNerney McNulty Meek (FL) Melancon Mica Michaud Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Miller (NC) Miller, Gary Miller, George Mitchell Mollohan Moore (KS) Moore (WI) Moran (KS) Moran (VA) Murphy (CT) Murphy, Patrick Murphy, Tim Musgrave Nadler Napolitano Neal (MA) Neugebauer Nunes Oberstar Obey Olver Ortiz Pallone Pascrell Pastor Payne Pearce Pence Perlmutter Peterson (MN) Peterson (PA) Pickering Pitts Platts Pomeroy Porter Price (GA) Price (NC) Pryce (OH) Putnam Radanovich Rahall Ramstad Rangel Regula Rehberg Reichert Renzi Reyes Reynolds Richardson Rodriguez Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rohrabacher Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ross Rothman Roybal-Allard Royce Ruppersberger Ryan (OH) Salazar Sali Sanchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Saxton Scalise Schakowsky Schiff Schmidt Schwartz Scott (GA) Scott (VA) Serrano Sessions Sestak Shadegg Shays Shea-Porter Sherman Shimkus Shuler Shuster Simpson Sires Skelton Slaughter Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Smith (WA) Snyder Solis Souder Space Speier Spratt Stearns Stupak Sullivan Sutton Tanner Tauscher Taylor Terry Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Thornberry Tiahrt Tiberi Tierney Towns Tsongas Turner Udall (CO) Udall (NM) Upton Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walberg Walden (OR) Walsh (NY) Walz (MN) Wamp Wasserman Schultz Waters Watson Watt Waxman Weiner Welch (VT) Weldon (FL) Weller Westmoreland Wexler Whitfield (KY) Wilson (NM) Wilson (OH) Wilson (SC) Wittman (VA) Wolf Woolsey Wu Yarmuth Young (AK) Young (FL) [[Page 12806]] NAYS--15 Blunt Broun (GA) Cubin Duncan Flake Franks (AZ) Hoekstra LoBiondo McHenry Myrick Paul Petri Ryan (WI) Sensenbrenner Tancredo NOT VOTING--9 Berman Gilchrest Harman Hulshof Meeks (NY) Murtha Poe Rush Stark Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). Members are reminded there's less than 2 minutes remaining on this vote. {time} 1711 Mr. CHABOT and Mrs. SCHMIDT changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.'' So the bill was passed. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________