[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 7, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E335-E337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       ESSAY BY BAILEY ARLINGHAUS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 7, 2012

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great Nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share these with my House colleagues.
  Bailey Arlinghaus is a senior at Clements High School in Fort Bend 
County, Texas. Her essay topic is: In your opinion, what role should 
government play in our lives?

       Government is crucial in our lives. Without government, we 
     would all be barbarically fighting for the limited amount of 
     resources we have available. Government helps our society 
     function the way it is, but just like anything else, too much 
     of a good thing can be bad. Therefore, government 
     intervention should be limited on our lives. Too much 
     government control can lead to dictatorships or the 
     government playing a ``Big Brother'' kind of role. This ``Big 
     Brother'' type of rule would be bad in the long run because 
     the people would lose faith in the government, so the 
     citizens would try to find any way they can to overthrow the 
     government. Government's role should be to help society but 
     within its boundaries set by society. Crossing these 
     boundaries can lead to too much government intervention in 
     our society. I think the boundary that the government should 
     never cross would be the boundary of the government tracking 
     your every move and everything you do. The government's main 
     role should be to lay down the expectations, make laws that 
     people should follow, help society when needed, but don't 
     interfere in society so much that it makes the people 
     dependent on the government to run effectively. The 
     government's role is important to how this society functions. 
     Therefore, the government needs to let society work in a way 
     so that it isn't making the society completely dependent on 
     them. Every individual should be able to speak their mind, 
     without control, to promote new ideas that better society. 
     That can only happen with a limited government role, to make 
     society work on its own. The government should do nothing 
     except give a little push to society every now and then to 
     keep it running. With this, the government isn't running our 
     everyday lives but just helping us to be able to run it 
     ourselves. We should all follow the government's laws but, at 
     the same time, be able to have a mind of our own. To 
     conclude, the government shouldn't play a huge role in our 
     every day lives, rather a limited one, so we can be more 
     effective on our own and be able to think for ourselves.
    

[[Page E336]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Thursday, March 8, 2012 may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                MARCH 13
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine U.S. Southern Command and 
           U.S. Northern Command in review of the Defense 
           Authorization request for fiscal year 2013 and the 
           Future Years Defense Program; with the possibility of a 
           closed session in SVC 217 following the open session.
                                                            SD G50
     10 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine the report of the Independent 
           Consultant's Review with Respect to the Department of 
           Energy Loan and Loan Guarantee Portfolio.
                                                            SD 366
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Frederick 
           D. Barton, of Maine, to be an Assistant Secretary of 
           State (Conflict and Stabilization Operations), and to 
           be Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, 
           and William E. Todd, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to 
           the Kingdom of Cambodia, both of the Department of 
           State, and Sara Margalit Aviel, of California, to be 
           United States Alternate Executive Director of the 
           International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
                                                            SD 419
     10:30 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the Freedom of Information 
           Act, focusing on safeguarding critical infrastructure 
           information and the public's right to know.
                                                            SD 226
     2:30 p.m.
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Carlos 
           Pascual, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant 
           Secretary for Energy Resources, John Christopher 
           Stevens, of California, to be Ambassador to Libya, and 
           Jacob Walles, of Delaware, to be Ambassador to the 
           Tunisian Republic, all of the Department of State.
                                                            SD 419
       Environment and Public Works
       Water and Wildlife Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine S. 810, to prohibit the 
           conducting of invasive research on great apes, S. 1249, 
           to amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act 
           to facilitate the establishment of additional or 
           expanded public target ranges in certain States, S. 
           2071, to grant the Secretary of the Interior permanent 
           authority to authorize States to issue electronic duck 
           stamps, S. 357, to authorize the Secretary of the 
           Interior to identify and declare wildlife disease 
           emergencies and to coordinate rapid response to those 
           emergencies, S. 1494, to reauthorize and amend the 
           National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment 
           Act, S. 1266, to direct the Secretary of the Interior 
           to establish a program to build on and help coordinate 
           funding for the restoration and protection efforts of 
           the 4-State Delaware River Basin region, and S. 2156, 
           to amend the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation 
           Stamp Act to permit the Secretary of the Interior, in 
           consultation with the Migratory Bird Conservation 
           Commission, to set prices for Federal Migratory Bird 
           Hunting and Conservation Stamps and make limited 
           waivers of stamp requirements for certain users.
                                                            SD 406
       Intelligence
         To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence 
           matters.
                                                            SH 219
     3 p.m.
       Appropriations
       Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related 
           Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed military 
           construction budget estimates for fiscal year 2013 for 
           the Department of Defense and the Department of the 
           Navy.
                                                            SD 124

                                MARCH 14
     9:30 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related 
           Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine Federal onshore 
           and offshore energy development programs in the 
           Department of the Interior.
                                                            SD 124
     10 a.m.
       Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
         To hold hearings to examine risk management and 
           commodities in the 2012 farm bill.
                                                            SH 216
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine Sudan and South Sudan, 
           focusing on independence and insecurity.
                                                            SD 419
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine Congress, focusing on reform 
           proposals for the 21st century.
                                                            SD 342
       Appropriations
       State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2013 for the United States Agency for 
           International Development.
                                                            SD 226
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine ending homelessness among 
           veterans, focusing on Veterans' Affairs progress on its 
           five year plan.
                                                            SR 418
     10:30 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Department of Defense Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2013 for the Department of the Air Force.
                                                            SD 192
       Appropriations
       Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and 
           Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2013 for the Department of Labor.
                                                            SD 138
     2 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Personnel Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the Active, Guard, Reserve, 
           and civilian personnel programs in review of the 
           Defense Authorization request for fiscal year 2013 and 
           the Future Years Defense Program.
                                                           SR 232A
     2:30 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Adam E. 
           Sieminski, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the 
           Energy Information Administration, Department of 
           Energy, Marcilynn A. Burke, of North Carolina, to be an 
           Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and Anthony T. 
           Clark, of North Dakota, and John Robert Norris, of 
           Iowa, both to be a Member of the Federal Energy 
           Regulatory Commission.
                                                            SD 366
       Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
       Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine issues in the prepaid card 
           market.
                                                            SD 538
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Pamela A. 
           White, of Maine, to be Ambassador to the Republic of 
           Haiti, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, of Louisiana, to be 
           Director General of the Foreign Service, and Gina K. 
           Abercrombie-Winstanley, of Ohio, to be Ambassador to 
           the Republic of Malta, all of the Department of State.
                                                            SD 419
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, 
           and the District of Columbia Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine managing interagency nuclear 
           nonproliferation efforts, focusing on if nuclear 
           materials around the world are effectively secured.
                                                            SD 342
       Armed Services
       Strategic Forces Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine strategic forces programs of 
           the National Nuclear Security Administration and the 
           Department of Energy's Office of Environmental 
           Management in review of the Department of Energy budget 
           request for fiscal year 2013; with the possibility of a 
           closed session in SVC 217 following the open session.
                                                            SR 222
     2:45 p.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of William J. 
           Kayatta, Jr., of Maine, to be United States Circuit 
           Judge for the First Circuit, John

[[Page E337]]

           Thomas Fowlkes, Jr., to be United States District Judge 
           for the Western District of Tennessee, Kevin McNulty, 
           and Michael A. Shipp, both to be a United States 
           District Judge for the District of New Jersey, and 
           Stephanie Marie Rose, to be United States District 
           Judge for the Southern District of Iowa.
                                                            SD 226

                                MARCH 15
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the Department of the Navy in 
           review of the Defense Authorization request for fiscal 
           year 2013 and the Future Years Defense Program; with 
           the possibility of a closed session in SVC 217 
           following the open session.
                                                            SD G50
     2:15 p.m.
       Indian Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine Indian water 
           rights, focusing on promoting the negotiation and 
           implementation of water settlements in Indian country.
                                                            SD 628
     2:30 p.m.
       Appropriations
       Legislative Branch Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2013 for the Government Accountability 
           Office, Government Printing Office, and the 
           Congressional Budget Office.
                                                            SD 138
       Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
       Securities, Insurance and Investment Subcommittee
       Housing, Transportation and Community Development 
           Subcommittee
         To hold joint hearings to examine strengthening the 
           housing market and minimizing losses to taxpayers.
                                                            SD 538

                                MARCH 20
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the Department of the Air 
           Force in review of the Defense Authorization request 
           for fiscal year 2013 and the Future Years Defense 
           Program; with the possibility of a closed session in 
           SVC 217 following the open session.
                                                            SD G50

                                MARCH 21
     10 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine retooling government for the 
           21st century, focusing on the President's 
           reorganization plan and reducing duplication.
                                                            SD 342
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold joint hearings to examine the legislative 
           presentations of the Military Order of the Purple 
           Heart, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), 
           Non Commissioned Officers Association, American Ex-
           Prisoners of War, Vietnam Veterans of America, Wounded 
           Warrior Project, National Association of State 
           Directors of Veterans Affairs, and The Retired Enlisted 
           Association.
                                                            SD G50
     2 p.m.
       Judiciary
       Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine Verizon and cable deals.
                                                            SD 226

                                MARCH 22
     10 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold joint hearings to examine the legislative 
           presentations of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Air 
           Force Sergeants Association, Blinded Veterans 
           Association, American Veterans (AMVETS), Gold Star 
           Wives, Fleet Reserve Association, Military Officers 
           Association of America, and the Jewish War Veterans.
                                              345, Cannon Building
     2:30 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
       Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine S. 303, to amend the Omnibus 
           Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to require the Bureau 
           of Land Management to provide a claimant of a small 
           miner waiver from claim maintenance fees with a period 
           of 60 days after written receipt of 1 or more defects 
           is provided to the claimant by registered mail to cure 
           the 1 or more defects or pay the claim maintenance fee, 
           S. 1129, to amend the Federal Land Policy and 
           Management Act of 1976 to improve the management of 
           grazing leases and permits, S. 1473, to amend Public 
           Law 99 548 to provide for the implementation of the 
           multispecies habitat conservation plan for the Virgin 
           River, Nevada, and to extend the authority to purchase 
           certain parcels of public land, S. 1492, to provide for 
           the conveyance of certain Federal land in Clark County, 
           Nevada, for the environmental remediation and 
           reclamation of the Three Kids Mine Project Site, S. 
           1559, to establish the San Juan Islands National 
           Conservation Area in the San Juan Islands, Washington, 
           S. 1635, to designate certain lands in San Miguel, 
           Ouray, and San Juan Counties, Colorado, as wilderness, 
           S. 1687, to adjust the boundary of Carson National 
           Forest, New Mexico, S. 1774, to establish the Rocky 
           Mountain Front Conservation Management Area, to 
           designate certain Federal land as wilderness, and to 
           improve the management of noxious weeds in the Lewis 
           and Clark National Forest, S. 1788, to designate the 
           Pine Forest Range Wilderness area in Humboldt County, 
           Nevada, S. 1906, to modify the Forest Service 
           Recreation Residence Program as the program applies to 
           units of the National Forest System derived from the 
           public domain by implementing a simple, equitable, and 
           predictable procedure for determining cabin user fees, 
           S. 2001, to expand the Wild Rogue Wilderness Area in 
           the State of Oregon, to make additional wild and scenic 
           river designations in the Rogue River area, to provide 
           additional protections for Rogue River tributaries, S. 
           2015, to require the Secretary of the Interior to 
           convey certain Federal land to the Powell Recreation 
           District in the State of Wyoming, and S. 2056, to 
           authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey 
           certain interests in Federal land acquired for the 
           Scofield Project in Carbon County, Utah.
                                                            SD 366

                                MARCH 27
     2:30 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Airland Subcommittee
         To hold a hearing to examine Army modernization in review 
           of the Defense Authorization request for fiscal year 
           2013 and the Future Years Defense Program.
                                                            SR 222

                                MARCH 28
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
       SeaPower Subcommittee
         To receive a closed briefing on the Ohio-class 
           Replacement Program in review of the Defense 
           Authorization request for fiscal year 2013 and the 
           Future Years Defense Program.
                                                           SVC 217
     10 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of Margaret 
           Bartley, of Maryland, and Coral Wong Pietsch, of 
           Hawaii, both to be a Judge of the United States Court 
           of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
                                                            SR 418
     2 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Personnel Subcommittee
         To resume hearings to examine the Active, Guard, Reserve, 
           and civilian personnel programs in review of the 
           Defense Authorization request for fiscal year 2013 and 
           the Future Years Defense Program.
                                                           SR 232A

                                MARCH 29
     10 a.m.
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Contracting Oversight Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine contractors, focusing on how 
           much they are costing the government.
                                                            SD 342