[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 153 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1970-E1971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 24, 2008

  Mr. LATHAM. 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 
prior to a floor vote on 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 Tom Latham.
  Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster 
Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. Division C--
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
  Account: Aircraft Procurement, Army Project Name: UH-60 Improved 
Communications (ARC 220) for the ARNG.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 400 Collins Rd., NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 
52498.
  Description of Request: To date, the Army National Guard has received 
141 UH-60L helicopters from the regular Army without the ARC-220 radio 
system. The National Guard currently has funding of $3.9 million to 
outfit 85 of the 141 UH-60 helicopters that are missing the ARC-220 
radio system, and the $1.6 million appropriation included in this bill 
will help outfit the remaining National Guard Helicopters. Mission and 
threat changes, as well as responding to emergencies and/or immediate 
medical evacuation calls, require the crew to have ability to 
communicate immediately and effectively over long distances (200 vs. 
the current 20 miles). The ARC-220 radio system is a formal Army 
Program of Record (POR) that is combat proven and currently being 
utilized by the U.S. Army in their AH-64s, UH-60s and CH-47s in combat. 
The ARC-220 is an essential combat-multiplier for long range voice, 
data and situational awareness to the flight crews and operational 
commanders. This lack of long-range communications reduces mission 
flexibility and increases risk to both the aircrew and soldiers being 
supported. Additionally, situations involving precautionary landings 
executed outside the current range of communications leave the aircrew 
with no immediate, effective means to communicate this situation with 
higher or adjacent forces for immediate assistance. Failing to fund 
long range communication will inhibit mission flexibility, decrease 
threat knowledge and limit emergency communications.
   Requesting Member: Congressman Tom Latham.
  Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster 
Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. Division C--
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
  Account: Research, Development, Test And Evaluation, Army.
  Project Name: Advanced Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) Training 
Systems.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Iowa State University.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1750 Beardshear Hall, Ames, IA, 50010.
  Description of Request: The Virtual Reality Applications Center 
(VRAC) located at Iowa State University, will develop three advanced 
software prototypes for LVC training that dramatically enhance the 
ability of a training officer to create efficient and effective 
training programs. Keeping up with the unique demands of urban combat 
and the ever-changing tactics of the insurgency in Iraq requires 
flexible and adaptive training systems that can be modified rapidly and 
deployed reliably and effectively in the field. The VRAC at Iowa State 
University has a scientific team leading research in the development of 
immersive virtual training environments. 50% of the funding will be 
used for equipment, 25% for salaries and benefits, and the remaining 
25% will be used for software licenses, student tuition and other 
expenses.
   Requesting Member: Congressman Tom Latham.
  Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster 
Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. Division C--
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
  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: Renewable Energy Group, 416 South Bell 
Avenue. Ames, IA 50010. 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.
   Requesting Member: Congressman Tom Latham.
  Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster 
Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. Division C--
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
  Account: Research, Development, Test And Evaluation, Army.
  Project Name: New Vaccines to Fight Respiratory Infection.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Iowa State University.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1750 Beardshear Hall, Ames, IA, 50010.
  Description of Request: A team of researchers at Iowa State 
University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center with expertise 
in biotechnology, bacterial genetics, pathogenomics, immunology and 
polymer chemistry has been formed to work on this project for the U.S. 
Army, in order to develop unique vaccine delivery vehicles that can be 
employed to combat a wide variety of respiratory pathogens threatening 
our military personnel. Such strategies also can be effective in 
combating agro-terrorism by protecting animals from airborne diseases. 
The project addresses needs identified in the President's Interagency 
Research and Development priorities related to Homeland Security and 
National Defense. $4 million is provided in the bill for FY09. 38% of 
the funding will be used for equipment, 25% for personnel costs, and 
the remaining funding is for laboratory studies and the necessary 
materials and supplies.
   Requesting Member: Congressman Tom Latham.
  Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster 
Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. Division C--
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
  Account: Research, Development, Test And Evaluation, Army.
  Project Name: Wireless Medical Monitoring System (WiMed).
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Athena GTX.
   Address of Requesting Entity: 3630 SW 61st Street, Suite 395. Des 
Moines, IA 50321.
  Description of Request: This WiMed project has gained extensive 
support from both U.S. and foreign military services since 2006. The 
U.S. Army and the National Trauma Institute are planning comprehensive 
clinical trials evaluation in 2008 and 2009 across numerous Level 1 
Trauma Centers with core funding using this system. The purpose of the 
project

[[Page E1971]]

is to greatly improve casualty care in combat situations, where medics 
are unable to effectively monitor injured soldiers' conditions. Current 
medical triage monitors and vital signs data tracking tools are 
complex, heavy, and have numerous wires with bulky connections. WiMed 
prototypes have successfully demonstrated a comprehensive leap ahead in 
critical care by linking all patient care within the same wireless 
systems and platforms already in service. The $1.6 million provided in 
FY09 funding will accelerate comprehensive clinical evaluations and 
speed deployment to the troops. Once placed with a patient, WiMed can 
be kept on patients throughout triage and subsequent care. The self-
contained WiMed works with standard blood pressure cuffs and a simple 
highly mobile forehead stick-on sensor, integrating pulse oximetry, 
blood pressure, temperature, skin humidity, and electrocardiograms into 
a single unit. The patient's condition is also broadcast via Wi-Fi 
technology using common Windows-based software. 25% of the funding will 
be used for software and equipment upgrades, 20% for production design, 
25% for certification testing, and the remaining 30% for manufacturing 
start-up.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Tom Latham.
  Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster 
Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. Division C--
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
  Account: Research, Development, Test And Evaluation, Defense-Wide.
  Project Name: HyperAcute Vaccine Development.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: BioProtection Systems Corporation.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 2901 South Loop Drive, Suite 3360. 
Ames, IA 50010.
  Description of Request: It is generally recognized and accepted by 
the Congress, the Administration and the Intelligence Community that 
Chemical/Biological attacks on The United States are not only possible, 
but likely. Although millions of dollars have been spent on Biological 
Defense over the past several years, only a handful of vaccines/
medications have been developed to counter known threats. 
Unfortunately, most have proven to be weak and impractical to 
administer because they require multiple doses for protection or 
treatment. Importantly, these vaccines would not protect against 
genetically engineered biological weapons, which are relatively easy to 
produce. BioProtection Systems Corporation will utilize its HyperAcute 
technology to (1) enhance current vaccines, making them more effective 
and practical for use, (2) generate vaccines for known threats where a 
vaccine does not exist, and (3) develop a vaccine platform for unknown 
agents. FY09 funding will continue the development program for a 
HyperAcute vaccine candidate selected by the Department of Defense to 
satisfy existing military requirements. The $2.4 million appropriation 
funds the second year in a three-year development plan. 50% of the 
funding will be used to improve existing HyperAccute vaccine technology 
through BSL-4 level pre-clinical testing to meet FDA efficacy standards 
for biodefense vaccines. The remaining funding will be used to develop 
and text test new vaccines based on this technology.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Tom Latham.
  Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster 
Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. Division C--
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
  Account: Research, Development, Test And Evaluation, Defense-Wide. 
Project Name: Portable Rapid Bacterial Warfare Detection Unit.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Advanced Analytical Technologies, 
Inc.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 2901 S. Loop Drive, Suite 3300, Ames, 
IA 50010.
  Description of Request: Bacterial warfare agents present a real and 
immediate threat to our deployed troops. The introduction of a 
pathogenic contaminant into a military base water supply poses a 
catastrophic, yet highly preventable scenario. The project objective is 
to develop a fast, portable detection device to identify these 
contaminants and prevent or limit exposure. FY06 and FY07 project 
funding was used to establish a rapid and reliable method for detecting 
single bacterial cells. FY08 funding will be used to optimize and 
streamline the DNA profiling system used in the device. This funding 
will also be used to build a library that houses profiling sequences of 
target DNA that correlate to Biological Warfare (BW) agents such as 
anthrax. This will allow rapid identification of any threatening water 
contaminants. The BW organisms are classified as BSL-3 agents or higher 
and require manipulation in a certified containment facility like that 
at Aberdeen Proving Ground. FY09 funds will be used to re-engineer the 
system to a miniaturized, portable instrument better suited for field 
deployment. This system will be deployable and easy to operate, 
providing a tool for protecting our troops.
   Requesting Member: Congressman Tom Latham.
  Bill Number: H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster 
Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. Division C--
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
  Account: Research, Development, Test And Evaluation, Navy.
  Project Name: Galfenol Energy Harvesting.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: ETREMA Products, Inc.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 2500 North Loop Drive. Ames, IA 50010.
  Description of Request: The U.S. Navy has a goal of reducing the crew 
sizes of its various vessels. The chief strategy is the use of remote 
sensors to monitor areas normally covered by personnel standing watch. 
Remote sensors would communicate information to a central processing 
station using a wireless network and thereby avoid adding the weight 
and complexity of additional wiring. The challenge is that each of 
these sensors requires a battery to operate, which adds to the 
maintenance demand and cost. Galfenol, a new smart-materials technology 
being developed by the U.S. Navy and ETREMA Products of Ames beginning 
in FY08, has the potential ability to be the solution by generating 
electricity directly from energy produced by vibrations of a ship's 
hull during the course of normal operations. FY09 research and 
development funding will be used to advance the capability of Galfenol 
material fabrication and the design of small, efficient energy 
harvesting electronics that can harness the material's capability.

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