Appearing on the House floor this week is the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (H.R. 1495), which would provide for flood control, navigation improvement and environmental restoration projects in rivers, lakes and harbors around the country. Most notably is the carp dispersal barrier project in Chicago, in which work is currently being done to construct an electrified barrier to prevent Asian carp in the Illinois River from spreading into the Great Lakes. Asian carp is considered an invasive species, and could pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem if it is allowed to proliferate into the lakes. The funding authorization in this bill would help complete the barrier, and provide support to operate and maintain the barrier once construction is finished.

This week in the House of Representatives, Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers will support legislation to help scientific researchers early in their career to receive critical funding to launch successful careers, as well as providing grants targeted at novel research with the potential to stimulate new technologies and applications. Both grants to young investigators and to high-risk projects struggle to be funded in a tight budget, and Congress believes they are in need of special attention. Most of the researchers supported through these programs are scientists at colleges and universities across the nation. Many of the fundamental breakthroughs the grants hope to encourage could be influential to both the physical sciences community, biomedical science community, and the entire nation.  Programs included in H.R. 363 are managed by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the bill responds to many of recommendations from a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences known (shorthand) as “The Gathering Storm”.

The deadline to file 2006 income tax returns is upon residents of Michigan's Third District. As the deadline approaches, there are some interesting facts to point out. This year, Americans are expected to receive an average refund of $2,394, up from $2,314 last year. The average federal tax rate for a four-person family earning the median income is 13.1% - the lowest it has been since the 1960's. Pro-growth Republican tax policy has helped contribute to this trend.

This year's filing deadline comes a day later than usual - Tuesday, April 17. Be sure to e-file or put your tax documents in the mail by the end of the day on Tuesday.

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

On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:30 a.m. for morning hour and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.

Suspensions (15 bills):

1) H.R. 886 - Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 2007 (Sponsored by Rep. Larsen / Natural Resources Committee)

2) H.Res.217 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 50th anniversary of Celilo Falls (Sponsored by Rep. Wu / Natural Resources Committee)

3) H.R. 609 - To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Edwards / Natural Resources Committee)

4) H.R. 786 - To amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Los Angeles County Water Supply Augmentation Demonstration Project, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Linda Sanchez / Natural Resources Committee)

5) H.R. 309 - To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a demonstration program to facilitate landscape restoration programs within certain units of the National Park System established by law to preserve and interpret resources associated with American history, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Pearce / Natural Resources Committee)

6) H.R. 815 - To provide for the conveyance of certain land in Clark County, Nevada, for use by the Nevada National Guard (Sponsored by Rep. Porter / Natural Resources Committee)

7) H.R. 865 - To grant rights-of-way for electric transmission lines over certain Native allotments in the State of Alaska (Sponsored by Rep. Don Young / Natural Resources Committee)

8) H.R. 1191 - To authorize the National Park Service to pay for services rendered by subcontractors under a General Services Administration Indefinite Deliver/Indefinite Quantity Contract issued for work to be completed at the Grand Canyon National Park (Sponsored by Rep. Renzi / Natural Resources Committee)

9) H.R. 1677 - Tax Payer Protection Act (Sponsored by Rep. Rangel / Ways and Means Committee)

10) H.Res.125 - Expressing deep concern over the use of civilians as "human shields" in violation of international humanitarian law and the law of war during armed conflict, including Hezbollah's tactic of embedding its forces among civilians to use them as human shields during the summer of 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and the State of Israel (Sponsored by Rep. Ros-Lehtinen / Foreign Affairs Committee)

11) H.Res.196 - Supporting the goals and ideals of World Water Day (Sponsored by Rep. Blumenauer / Foreign Affairs Committee)

12) H.Con.Res.100 - Condemning the recent violent actions of the Government of Zimbabwe against peaceful opposition party activists and members of civil society (Sponsored by Rep. Lantos / Foreign Affairs Committee)

13) H.R. 1681 - To amend the Congressional Charter of The American National Red Cross to modernize its governance structure, to enhance the ability of the board of governors of The American National Red Cross to support the critical mission of The American National Red Cross in the 21st century, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Lantos / Foreign Affairs Committee)

14) H.Res.293 - Supporting the goals and ideals highlighted through National Volunteer Week (Sponsored by Rep. Shea-Porter / Education and Labor Committee)

15) H.R. 1515 - To amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to treat certain communities as metropolitan cities for purposes of the community development block grant program (Sponsored by Rep. Costello / Financial Services Committee)

Suspensions (1 bill)

1) H.Res. __ - Honoring the 53,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and civilians that comprise the Nation's special operations forces community (Sponsored by Rep. Smith (WA) / Armed Services Committee)

H.R. 1361 - RECOVER Act (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Velazquez / Small Business Committee)

H.R. 1257 - Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Frank / Financial Services Committee)