Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers said today that he is pleased that the U.S. Senate confirmed a slate of judicial nominations – including three U.S. District judgeships affecting West Michigan.    Two of the nominees for U.S. District Judge are from Grand Rapids, Ehlers noted. Robert James Jonker is a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd, while Janet T. Neff is a judge on the Third District of the Michigan Court of Appeals.    “I am thrilled that the U.S. Senate has filled these judgeships that are so crucial for our area,” Ehlers said. “These appointments give West Michigan our full contingent of federal district judges to serve our citizens.”

•    Robert James Jonker, of Grand Rapids, as U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Michigan, replacing the retiring Judge Gordon J. Quist;

•    Janet T. Neff, of Grand Rapids, as U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Michigan, replacing Judge David W. McKeague, who was elevated to the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers today praised the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007 (H.R. 2830), which will include provisions to establish a new ballast water management program for international vessels entering U.S. waters as a way to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species. The bill was approved today by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives. It has been more than a decade since Congress last addressed the issue of ballast water management.

The ballast water provisions in H.R. 2830 largely track those in a bill originally co-sponsored by Congressman Ehlers, the Ballast Water Management Act of 2007 (H.R. 2423). The provisions would establish ballast water discharge standards that are far more stringent than current international standards and will accelerate timelines for getting treatment technologies on ships.

Congressman Ehlers is co-chairman of the House Great Lakes Task Force, and is supporting the legislation because of the unrelenting threat invasive species pose to Michigan’s water resources.

“This legislation will help fight the influx of aquatic invasive species into the Great Lakes and other U.S. waterways. Ballast water is the primary way aquatic invasive species reach the Great Lakes, and it is time for Congress to realize that this threat continues to grow, and will not go away unless we act now,” said Ehlers. “The Zebra Mussel came in through ballast water in the 1980s, and we have had to spend billions of dollars unclogging intake pipes and scrubbing boat hulls and motors. We can’t allow more species like that to get in and cause more damage that further disrupts the ecosystem.”

Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers is pointing out efforts at Grand Rapids-based furniture manufacturer Steelcase as an example for manufacturers across the country. In offering an amendment to the Green Jobs Act of 2007 (H.R. 2847), Ehlers said efforts to increase sustainability in operations and products at Steelcase should serve as a model for manufacturing in the United States.

“Steelcase uses a ‘design for the environment’ approach to creating products that excel in every environmental dimension to protect, replenish, and restore the communities in which we live and serve,” said Ehlers. “In fact, Steelcase’s global energy consumption has declined by 46 percent over the past five years.”

The amendment would add “sustainable manufacturing” to the list of industries eligible to participate in the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program, which provides federal grants for worker training in “Green” jobs.

Ehlers says his amendment could spur the creation of sustainable manufacturing jobs in Michigan. It would provide incentives for employers to adopt sustainable practices and train workers with the skills needed to understand “Green” manufacturing.

As a way to honor and preserve the memory of President Gerald R. Ford, Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers is leading an effort to have a statue of Mr. Ford placed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. A bi-partisan, bi-cameral effort is now underway in Lansing to help facilitate Congressman Ehlers' vision. Bills introduced by Senator Bill Hardiman (R-Kentwood) and Representative Michael Sak call for Mr. Ford's statue to be one of two the state contributes to the National Statuary Hall Collection.

Congressman Ehlers was also chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library at the time of President Ford’s death, and is currently still a member of the Committee. Rep. Ehlers is determined to do everything in his power to honor the former president.

“It would be a fitting tribute to have a statue placed in the Capitol Rotunda in President Ford’s memory,” Ehlers said. “The people of Michigan are proud of his service to the state and the country, and the whole nation should be reminded of all that he has done.”

“None of this would be possible without the work of Senator Hardiman and Representative Sak in the Michigan Legislature,” Ehlers said. “They have drafted resolutions which will allow Mr. Ford to be honored with a statue in Washington, and will transport the statue of Zachariah Chandler from the Capitol to the Detroit Historical Museum. With Governor Jennifer Granholm’s support, this resolution can be adopted, and the Ford statue may be commissioned. It is with a great deal of appreciation that I commend their efforts at the state level and look forward to honoring President Ford.” The statue of President Gerald R. Ford will replace the one of Zachariah Chandler, which was added to the collection in 1913.

The Gerald R. Ford Foundation will help design the statue, and will assume all costs related to the project.

Congressman Ehlers was chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library, which oversees the placement of statues in the Capitol, when it set a policy to place statues of former presidents in the Capitol Rotunda. Each state contributes two statues to the National Statuary Hall Collection.

On Monday, there are no votes expected in the House.

(Bills on suspension are generally considered non-controversial and have reduced debate time, but require a two-thirds majority vote to be passed.)

Suspensions (12 bills):

1) H.Res. 483 - Recognizing the 63rd Anniversary of Big Bend National Park, established on June 12, 1944 (Sponsored by Rep. Rodriguez / Natural Resources Committee)

2) H.R. 359 - Cesar Estrada Chavez Study Act (Sponsored by Rep. Solis / Natural Resources Committee)

3) H.R. 986 - Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act (Sponsored by Rep. Courtney / Natural Resources Committee)

4) H.R. 2121 - To modify a land grant patent issued by the Secretary of the Interior (Sponsored by Rep. Stupak / Natural Resources Committee)

5) H.R. 2381 - UpperMississippi River BasinProtection Act (Sponsored by Rep. Kind / Natural Resources Committee)

6) H.R. 1337 - To provide for a feasibility study of alternatives to augment the water supplies of the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District and cities served by the District (Sponsored by Rep. Cole / Natural Resources Committee)

7) H.R. 1725 - Rancho California Water District Recycled Water Reclamation Facility Act of 2007 (Sponsored by Rep. Bono / Natural Resources Committee)

8) H.R. 1904 - New MexicoWater Planning Assistance Act (Sponsored by Rep. Wilson / Natural Resources Committee)

9) H.R. 556 - Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007 (Sponsored by Rep. Maloney / Financial Services Committee)

10) H.Res. 526 - Supporting home ownership and responsible lending (Sponsored by Rep. Cummings / Financial Services Committee)

11) H.R. 660 - Court Security Improvement Act of 2007 (Sponsored by Rep. Conyers / Judiciary Committee)

12) H.R. 1979 - Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2007 (Sponsored by Rep. Aderholt / Judiciary Committee)

Suspensions (10 bills):

1) H.R. 2608 - SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act (Sponsored by Rep. McDermott / Ways and Means Committee)

2) H.Res. 527 - Recognizing the month of November as "National Homeless Youth Awareness Month" (Sponsored by Rep. McDermott / Ways and Means Committee)

3) H.R. 2900 - Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (Sponsored by Rep. Dingell / Energy and Commerce Committee)

4) H.Res. 287 - To celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first use of the name "America", and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Hastings (FL) / Foreign Affairs Committee)

5) H.Res. 426 - Recognizing 2007 as the Year of the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons in Colombia, and offering support for efforts to ensure that the internally displaced people of Colombia receive the assistance and protection they need to rebuild their lives successfully (Sponsored by Rep. McGovern / Foreign Affairs Committee)

6) H.Res. 467 - Condemning the decision by the University and College Union of the United Kingdom to support a boycott of Israeli academia (Sponsored by Rep. Murphy (PA) / Foreign Affairs Committee)

7) H.Res. 482 - Expressing support for the new power-sharing government in Northern Ireland (Sponsored by Rep. Gallegly / Foreign Affairs Committee)

8) H.Res. 500 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in opposition to efforts by major natural gas exporting countries to establish a cartel or other mechanism to manipulate the supply of natural gas to the world market for the purpose of setting an arbitrary and nonmarket price or as an instrument of political pressure (Sponsored by Rep. Ros-Lehtinen / Foreign Affairs Committee)

9) H.Res. 436 - Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the University of Central Arkansas (Sponsored by Rep. Snyder / Education and Labor Committee)

10) H.Res. 210 - Commending the Appalachian State University football team for winning the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-AA Football Championship (Sponsored by Rep. Foxx / Education and Labor Committee)
H.R. 2669 - College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. George Miller / Education and Labor Committee)

H.R. 1851 - Section 8 Voucher Reform Act of 2007 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Waters / Financial Services Committee)