Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a landmark establishment within the City of Tchula that provides one of the most critical and essential services for all working parents: Wee Care Nursery and Learning Center, Inc.

Tchula's Wee Care Nursery and Learning Center began as Tchula Day Care. Tchula Day Care opened its doors on September 3, 1991. The name was later changed to Tchula's Wee Care Nursery and Learning Center, Inc. On May 15, 1995, Wee Care Nursery and Learning Center #2 opened its doors in Lexington, MS.

Tchula's Wee Care capacity is 142 and Lexington's is 169. Current enrollment is 77 and 54 respectively.

At Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers, their mission is to provide child care that meets the needs of each child and family in a safe, educational environment.

They take pride in the Centers and focus on the individual needs of each child, while providing quality, reliable and safe child care.

The goals of Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers are: (1) To provide affordable, convenient, dependable child care services; (2) To create a child care setting for social, cognitive, and physical development; (3) To provide a nurturing environment; (4) To provide learning experiences for children; and (5) To provide a preschool program, readying children for lifelong learning.

Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers, Inc. believes that a high quality early childhood program provides a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development of young children while responding to the needs of families. They believe in promoting an anti-bias, pro-social curriculum that teaches children to value and respect themselves and others for their own unique individuality. Each child is considered unique in temperament and rate of development. Curriculum is planned to enhance and challenge particular, distinct individual needs, interests and abilities. The curriculum includes: manipulatives, art, music, games, and outdoor play. They believe child-initiated, child-directed, teacher-supported play is an essential component of developmentally appropriate practice. Activities and relationships occur in a healthy, positive and relaxed environment in which well-qualified staff provide personal attention, guidance and nurturing to each child.

Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers, Inc. strives to maintain continuity and consistency throughout the program by conducting helpful staff planning, training and a variety of joint activities involving various groups of children. In this context, all caregivers at Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers are encouraged to express their individual educational strengths as they work with children and in their cooperative efforts with other staff members.

When you come to Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers, your child will receive the best care the industry has to offer. All you need to do is ``expect more.'' They have been fortunate to get special recognition from: Greenwood Voters' League, Mississippi State University, The Cities of Tchula and Lexington, Mississippi Building Blocks and The Delta Foundation.

Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers are able to care for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. Along with regular childcare services, they also provide before and after school care and a summer reading and math enrichment program.

Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers, Inc. have a motto/slogan: Building a better world one child at a time. Learning Today . . . Leading Today!

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Wee Care Nurseries and Learning Centers, Inc. for its past and present dedication to providing impeccable, dependable childcare services in an effort to help families of all backgrounds within the Tchula community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable person, Mr. Isaac Palmer.

Mr. Isaac Palmer was born on May 23, 1914 in Sharkey County, Mississippi, the oldest of nine children born to the late Reverend Littleton and Frances Nathaniel Palmer. Mr. Palmer was married to the late Vera Lee Bell Palmer for over 50 years. He has eight children: Betty, Geraldine, Odell, Isaac Lavelle, Nina, Patricia, David (deceased) and Fred (deceased).

Mr. Palmer wanted to attend school badly; but, he had to leave school when he was twelve years old, in the 6th grade, to work on the farm and help provide for his younger sisters and brothers. However, he didn't let this stop him. He learned to read, write and speak more fluently by studying the Holy Bible. Mr. Palmer was a ``jack of all trades'', doing things like driving tractors, farming, welding and being a mechanic, just to name a few.

At an early age, Mr. Palmer accepted Christ as his Savior. He was an active member of New Hope Baptist Church in Blanton, Mississippi, where he served as Senior Deacon and Superintendent of the Sunday school for many years. During this time, he led many children, friends and acquaintances to Christ. He has been and remains a laborer for Christ for more than 85 years.

Though Mr. Palmer only had a 6th grade education, he remains passionate about helping and encouraging his children and other young people to get as much education as possible. To help out, he would drive his own children to and from Alcorn and Jackson State Universities, as well as their friends who lived in the area (free of charge), after working all day.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Isaac Palmer for his dedication to serving and giving back to his family and community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Pastor E.L. King, who is a former Educator in the Greenwood Public School District, Extraordinary and public servant.

Mrs. Ethel King was born in Leflore County on June 8, 1959 to Robert and Ethel L. Lawrence. At the age of thirteen, her mother died and she was nurtured by her grandfather, Mr. Willie James Lawrence, along with her seven siblings.

Mrs. King attended Greenwood Public School. She dropped out of school in the twelfth grade in 1976 because she had her first child. She was very independent and determined to make an easier life for her child. She immediately went to work at Rocky Manufactory at the age of eighteen. She remained there 3\1/2\ years. She left Rocky Manufactory to work for Irvin Industry Automobile & Parts for 3\1/2\ years. After seven years of working in a factory environment, she felt life had more to offer her. She went on to take her GED and attended Mississippi Valley State University in 1986. Before completing college in November, 1989, her daughter fell ill and later died with Leukemia in December, 1990. While at the University Hospital, she volunteered as a coordinator to help parents cope with their children's illness. She later volunteered with a candidate for a supervisor position in the 2nd District in Greenwood.

Mrs. King was called into the Ministry in 1992. She completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice in 1993. After completing her degree, her health failed. She continued to fight on in 1996. She went to work as a volunteer permanent substitute teacher at Dickerson Elementary School under the leadership of Mrs. Vivian Redmond. Later she was hired as a full-time substitute teacher. Mrs. King was very dedicated to educating children.

In 1998 she was hired at Bankston Elementary School as an assistant teacher until her health failed again. She retired in 2006. After retiring from the school system, Mrs. King worked as a Notary Public of the State of Mississippi under Governor Haley Barbour. She also volunteered with the Fannie Lou Hamer Foundation in Leflore County. Later, she became Pastor of Monument of Grace Church II in Lexington, MS for three years under the leadership of Bishop L.J. Johnson.

Pastor Ethel L. King has made an impact on the lives of many children and adults alike, encouraging them through the scripture, ``. . . but seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all things shall be added unto you.''

Pastor Ethel L. King is married to Edward E. King and they are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters and eight precious grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Pastor Ethel L. King, a Former Educator, a Pastor who is yet inspiring others and often giving of herself to make many lives better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable Unsung Hero in Cleveland, Mississippi.

Deborah Moore is the Associate Vice President of Community Relations at Delta Health Alliance. Mrs. Moore is assigned to the Indianola Promise Community where she provides administrative oversight and technical assistance to the community and organizations. Mrs. Moore worked one year as Project Manager IV at Delta Health Alliance before being promoted to Assistant Vice President and then to Associate Vice President.

Mrs. Moore is a retiree from the state of Mississippi where she served 27 years in community and economic development. She spent the last 12 years of her career before coming to Delta Health Alliance at Delta State University's Center for Community and Economic Development in Cleveland, MS where she served as AmeriCorps director for two programs and then as director of the Center for Community and Economic Development the last five years. In her role as director of the Center for Community and Economic Development she assisted grass-root communities by empowering individuals, strengthening relationships and developing projects and programs to strengthen communities. Moore has extensive work with proposal writing having secured grants in excess of $15,000,000.00.

Mrs. Moore is a member of several nonprofit boards, the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits, Cleveland Youth Council and Friends of the Environment. She currently serves as chair of the board for the Delta Fresh Foods Initiative. Moore serves in an advisory capacity for the Breast Education-Early Detection Project and the School-based Asthma Management Project at Delta State University. She also serves on the advisory board of the Excel By 5 program in Cleveland, MS and is a member of the Excel By 5 Coalition in Indianola, MS.

Mrs. Moore works tirelessly in assisting: the elderly by running errands and doing other tasks they may desire; mentoring youth in diverse subject areas, so they can become an asset to society and work faithful with her husband's ministry to enhance congregants both spiritually and naturally.

Mrs. Moore is a native of Cleveland, MS. She is a graduate of Delta State University with a B.B.A. degree and a M.B.A. degree. She has a certification as an Economic Development Finance Professional from the National Development Council (NDC) and received her PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi in Human Capital Development.

Mrs. Moore is married to Dr. Billy Moore and they are the proud parents of two daughters, A'ndrea and Alicia.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Deborah Moore, an amazing Unsung Hero, for her dedication and service to mankind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Trina George, who is a Director, Leader and Public Servant.

Trina George was appointed on June 29, 2009, by President Barack Obama to serve as Mississippi's Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development. She has made history by being the first woman appointed in this position for the State of Mississippi. In her new role, she is charged with assisting residents of rural Mississippi with a range of programs such as: Affordable Housing, Water Systems Upgrades, and Economic Development Efforts. Rural development also provides grant and loan assistance to local governments and non- profit organizations for fire and police protection as well as health clinics, libraries and other facilities for public use. She is an advocate for rural communities throughout the state to assist with their growth, development and sustainability.

Prior to this appointment, Mrs. George served for 15 years as a Special Project Coordinator for Congressman Bennie Thompson where she resolved community and constituency issues by thinking inside, outside and around the box. Her hands-on experience in the Congressional Office served as an ideal prerequisite for her role in rural economic development and community participation for the State of Mississippi.

Mrs. George served on many civic organizations, including education and volunteer groups. She is actively involved in the community where she is: a Board Member for the Heart of the South Girl Scouts Council, which serves Northern Mississippi and Southern Tennessee; and a Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, and PI Alpha Alpha Honor Society. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Mississippi Valley State University and a Master's Degree from Mississippi State University. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University. Also, she holds a Professional Certificate

in Management and Leadership from the NeighborWorks Training Institute of America in Washington, DC.

Mrs. George is an important advocate for rural communities throughout the state. She administers and manages over 40 programs which include: housing; business and cooperative programs; community programs; and community facilities which are designed to improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development is an agency that the Obama Administration wants to see in the forefront of efforts to promote renewable energy and conservation of natural resources while ensuring a safe, sustainable, nutritious food supply through the Agency's cooperatives for present and future users.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Trina George, a director, leader and advocate, who is improving the quality of life for rural America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a landmark establishment within the Clinton community that provides one of the most critical and essential services for all working parents: Lambs of God, Inc.

Lambs of God, Inc., formerly known as Agape' Childcare, was established on August 1987 by Jessie and Shirley Burns of Bolton, Mississippi. Over the past two decades, the establishment has changed ownership and name twice, but the quality of childcare and nurturing has continued to grow for over 20 years. In 1998, Victor and Cantrell Keyes, also of Bolton, Mississippi, became the new owners and changed the name to Agape Christian Academy. In June 2005, Kenneth and Vickie Lewis of Clinton, Mississippi became the establishment's present day owners and renamed the business Lambs of God, Inc.

Over 1000 children have been served and ministered to through Lambs of God, Inc.

Founded in reference to John 21:15. The business is currently licensed to serve 57 children and is dedicated to developing and nurturing the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social growth in a safe Christian learning environment.

In addition to providing childcare, the establishment also offers summer camp, preschool, afterschool, before school drop-off, A'Beka tutorial and two well-balanced meals and two afternoon snacks. The overall mission of Lambs of God, Inc. is to interactively engage a child's educational needs while promoting professionalism in the field of childcare.

The vision and inspiration for Lambs of God, Inc. manifested via the encouragement given by Mrs. Daisy Johnson, owner of Kids Are Kids Learning Center in Brandon, Mississippi. Her insight in the field of childcare gave Mr. and Mrs. Lewis the inspiration and the tools needed to encourage and redirect families and single parents. Childcare became the perfect opportunity to lay a strong spiritual/educational foundation, build character and exemplify love, all while strengthening the community and establishing lifelong relationships.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Lambs of God, Inc. for its' past and present dedication to providing impeccable, dependable childcare services in an effort to help families of all backgrounds within the Clinton community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Muriel Ellis, who has been blazing through Mississippi's legal system.

Mrs. Ellis, 54, became the first African American clerk of Mississippi's Supreme Court and Court of Appeals on July 1 this year, after being the first African American Supreme Court deputy clerk and chief deputy clerk.

Mrs. Ellis worked her way through the clerk's office for 23 years after beginning as a legal clerk in 1991. The Callaway High School alumna, who graduated in 1977, became chief deputy clerk in 2009 after being named a team leader in 2000 and deputy clerk in 2007.

The Jackson native said she is blessed and honored to accept her new position. ``I am just going to lead the clerk's office forward,'' she said. Mrs. Ellis took courses at Phillips Business College and worked as a ward secretary for St. Dominic Hospital from 1979-1987.

Mrs. Ellis has seen many changes since working in the clerk's office. Along with Ms. Kathy Gillis, former Mississippi Supreme Court Clerk of 33 years, Mrs. Ellis supervised the office's transition to electronic filing. Since the office's mandatory e-filing for briefs and motions began on January 1, 2014, she continues to work on the electronic transition through implementing emailed orders and clerk's notices, as well as e-filing transcripts and records from other trial courts.

The clerk became interested in a career in the legal system when she was serving as an alternate juror in the Hinds County Circuit Court. While working in the billing edits department at the City of Jackson Water Department, she said she drove past the Supreme Court building all the time on her way to the Water Department office, which is also located on High Street. ``I never knew what this building was, but I used to say: `That is a pretty building. I would love to work there someday,' '' Mrs. Ellis said.

Mrs. Ellis has three children: Karen Ellis Evans, Kimberly Ellis and Leonard Ellis; three grandchildren: Madison Evans, Leonard Ellis, III and Bryson Williams--and is married to Mr. Leonard Ellis, Sr.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Muriel Ellis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable hero, Lillie G. Henson.

Lillie G. Dean Henson was born to the late Aaron and Lillian Dean on August 10, 1949 in Sardis, MS, Panola County. She is the ninth of eleven children, five boys and six girls. There were many challenges that she faced that seemed to have placed her in the line of the first born. She was blessed to be born in a Christian home where reading and studying the Bible were not an option, therefore, her faith in the Lord was well rooted and grounded.

Faced with many challenges of sickness in her family, Lillie learned the application of her faith was the only true anchor. Growing up was very challenging at times. Early in her growing up years her mother was stricken with a severe heart condition which required lots of rest and carefully prepared meals.

At the age of fourteen, much of the responsibility of taking care of the family fell upon Lillie. Cooking breakfast for the family and preparing a special diet for her ailing mom before going off to school was quite an experience.

As a little girl growing up, Lillie's dad would ask her to read the Bible to him, and as a child she remembers reading: ``Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the earth.'' This scripture and many others rested in her spirit as she grew into adulthood. Lillie's passion for the word of God grew greater and greater.

By the time Lillie was a junior in high school, she began to make plans for college . . . only to be asked by her ailing mother to stay home to make sure her younger sister, who was then a junior, finish high school. Her plans were shattered but she learned to be obedient to her parents through the studying of the scriptures.

In 1969, Lillie's mother went to be with the Lord, her sister completed her junior year of high school with perfect attendance and completed high school as planned.

In 1970, Lillie moved to Chicago with her older siblings. Lillie was employed at Brachs Candy Company for twenty years. She was among the first few African Americans to hold a manager's position in the Quality Control Department.

In 1990, Lillie's dad at the age of eighty-two became ill. Her husband, Otha Henson, Sr., who was also employed at Brach Candy Company and is from Kilmichael, MS, decided to move back south to care for Lillie's dad and baby sister, Rebecca, who was born with Spinal Bifida. Lillie's dad passed away in 1991 and Rebecca lived ten years after his death.

Since 1996 to present, Lillie has been employed as Program Manager at Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a Youth Development Program located in Lambert, MS.

Lillie continued her education at Northwest Community College, Senatobia, MS, Rust College, Holly Springs, MS, and in 2012, she earned a BA in Ministry and in 2013 she received a Masters in Christian Counseling from Jacksonville Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, FL.

Lillie is happily married, the proud mother of four children, eleven grandchildren and two great grand boys.

You can find her teaching Sunday school on Sunday mornings at Pleasant Green M.B. Church, Sardis, MS, also a praise and worship leader, counseling, and encouraging and nurturing those in need.

Eph. 6:2, ``Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Lillie G. Henson for she is definitely the epitome of an unsung hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable hero, Cleotha Saddler.

Cleotha Saddler was born on February 1, 1945 in Illinois to Garfield Allen and Viola Orr. She grew up in a home with six other relatives until her father decided he would raise her in Memphis, TN. Cleotha attended Mississippi Valley State University where she earned multiple degrees in elementary education. She later married Frank Saddler, Jr., settled in Marks, MS, and gave birth to nine children.

Today, Cleotha, also known as ``Cleo'' or ``Lou,'' is the rock of her family. She continues to care for her children, and take care of her grandchildren. Over the course of her life, she has contributed to her community tremendously. Her name has become one so common for helping others that the desire from others to want to help even her grandchildren has increased. She is most known in her efforts for raising money for those in need.

In 2005, she stood at the main intersection in Marks, MS tirelessly to gather donations from townspeople to send to Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina victims. In addition to that, she has never been reluctant to gather donations in that same way for families who cannot afford to pay for the funerals and burials of their loved ones. She comforts those families, not just with funds but with endless visits and ``check-in'' calls. She also helps organizations to decorate and/or cook for different events in the community. She is one that is very supportive of the school system, in reference to achieving adequate education. Cleotha is never hesitant to help anyone in any way that she possibly can.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Cleotha Saddler for she is definitely the epitome of an unsung hero.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce legislation today titled the ``Clearance and Over-Classification Reform and Reduction Act'' or ``CORRECT Act.''

The CORRECT Act recognizes that the massive proliferation of original and derivative classified material and the exponential growth in the number of individuals with security clearances present significant homeland security and national security challenges that warrant timely action. In addition to the high costs incurred by the Federal government to investigate an unnecessarily large number of individuals for positions requiring security clearances, over-designations have undoubtedly resulted in the Federal government recruiting, hiring, and paying individuals at rates that are higher than necessary and not hiring individuals who otherwise have the required knowledge and skills.

The CORRECT Act amends the existing Reducing Over-Classification Act by (1) requiring the President to establish a goal for the reduction of classified information by not less than 10 percent within five years through improved declassification and improved original and derivative classification decision-making; (2) creating standardized sampling techniques for use by Federal departments and agencies conducting self- inspections to assess their progress at improving classification decision-making within their organizations; (3) creating annual training to each employee with original classification authority; and (4) requiring the Inspector General of each department or agency to report on the progress of each respective department or agency with respect to implementation of the Reducing Over-Classification Act as well as the President's 10 percent classified information reduction goal.

The CORRECT Act also includes a sense of Congress that a position should only be designated as requiring a security clearance when it requires access to classified information, presents a risk of a material, adverse effect on the national security, or is a position of public trust for any agency that has the authority to issue security clearances.

Additionally, the CORRECT Act sets forth specific reforms at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make it a leader among Federal agencies with respect to security clearance practices. The reforms at DHS are targeted at the designation, investigation, adjudication, denial, suspension, revocation, and appeals processes. In particular, to increase transparency and improve performance among investigation service providers, including Office of Personnel Management, it requires the DHS Secretary to publish on the Department's website an annual Department-wide satisfaction survey. If a pattern of performance problems with a particular investigation service provider emerges, the DHS Chief Security Officer is required to make a recommendation to the Secretary regarding corrective action, including suspension or cancelation of services.

I urge support of this commonsense legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3202, the ``Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment Act,'' introduced by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Border and Maritime, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

H.R. 3202 seeks to ensure that Transportation Worker Identification Credential program, as implemented by TSA and the Coast Guard, deliver the security benefits that Congress envisioned in the SAFE Port Act of 2006.

We have worked hard, on a bipartisan basis, to make this program work.

However, as documented in multiple reports on the program produced by the Government Accountability Office, TWIC has not lived up to our expectations.

Meanwhile, working-class Americans whose livelihoods depend on accessing ports and vessels have borne the costs of this troubled program.

Longshoremen, truck drivers, and others are paying hard-earned money for biometric cards that may offer only limited security value.

The bill before us today would require an independent assessment of the TWIC program and mandate the Secretary issue a corrective action plan in response to the assessment.

The required assessment should give Congress the information it needs to determine how best to proceed with the program.

The bill does not, however, delay the long-overdue final rule for deployment of TWIC readers, which is expected to limit significantly the ports required to utilize biometric readers.

If that is the case, and depending on the outcome of the assessment required by the bill, Congress may need to examine whether requiring workers who do not need to access ports with biometric readers should continue to be required to purchase a biometric credential.

For today, I look forward to speedy approval of this bill by the House and hope it will be considered by the Senate and signed by the President in short order.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3202, the ``Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment Act.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3846, the ``United States Customs and Border Protection Authorization Act.''

The bill before us today seeks to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for the first time since the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security.

As one of the largest operational components within DHS, CBP is charged with the critical, dual mission of securing our Nation's borders while facilitating legitimate trade and travel.

It is imperative that CBP is authorized in law in a manner consistent with its current organizational structure.

Only then can Congress conduct full and appropriate oversight of the agency and its activities.

The bill before us today serves that purpose by establishing CBP, its leadership structure, and its functions in law.

I am pleased to say that H.R. 3846 is a bipartisan product that has benefitted from input from Members on both sides of the aisle during the Committee process. Democratic Members of the Committee on Homeland Security offered important amendments on unaccompanied children crossing the border; electronic searches at the border; standards at short-term detention facilities; and professionalism and accountability for CBP personnel.

I want to congratulate the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, Rep. Candice Miller and Rep. Jackson Lee, for their hard work on this measure.

The bill before us today reflects the results of the bipartisan spirit in which they conduct their work, and it should be something all Members can give their strong support.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3846, the ``United States Customs and Border Protection Authorization Act.''

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today as an original cosponsor of this legislation, the National Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act.

This bipartisan legislation gives the Department of Homeland Security Congressional Authority to more fully carry out its civilian cyber mission, and to increase protection for our national critical infrastructure.

Importantly, this legislation also gives the Committee on Homeland Security a robust oversight position to make sure the Department carries out an innovative and cooperative relationship with industry, to protect the nation's privately owned critical infrastructure.

By giving DHS specific civilian authorities, it codifies what the President has already set into motion with his Cyber Executive Order 13636, issued in February of 2013, but Executive Authority goes only so far, and the President has said that his efforts cannot take the place Congressional action.

Mr. Speaker, we have stepped up to the plate. The legislation that Mr. McCaul and I worked on together, directs Federal agencies and private industry to coordinate the development and implementation of voluntary risk-based security standards, and codifies the ongoing process that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and private industry have taken on.

We are asking that business and government find an adaptable and cooperative cyber security framework, for both government and private companies, not an off-the-shelf, or check-the-box solution.

We must depend on strong private sector leadership and accountability to focus on our nation's most pressing cyber vulnerabilities, protecting critical systems that when disrupted could cause catastrophic damage to our citizens. I believe this legislation will allow that process to move forward.

The President said it best, ``It is the policy of the United States to enhance the security and resilience of the Nation's critical infrastructure and to maintain a cyber environment that encourages efficiency, innovation, and economic prosperity while promoting safety, security, business confidentiality, privacy and civil liberties.''

Critical infrastructure provides the essential services that underpin American society, and I suggest that the owners and operators of America's critical infrastructure are in a unique position to manage their own business risks with the help of civilian government agencies, to develop operational approaches that can make our critical infrastructure protected and durable.

Mr. Speaker, I have worked long and hard with the chairman to hammer out privacy and liability concerns held by myself, and many others, on both sides of the aisle.

There are no broad exceptions to the current privacy laws in this legislation, and it focuses on information sharing using existing structures. In fact, the ACLU commended the construction of this legislation by saying, ``. . . it is both pro-security and pro-privacy . . .''

We still have much work to do to achieve a higher level of cyber security in this country, and internationally.

We must approach the cyber threat arena in a way that is consistent with traditional American values, and by leading on the issue of respecting personal privacy in the efforts to achieve cyber security, we must continue to respect the safeguards for our constitutional right of freedom of speech.

The wrong way is to assume that we must cede all of our personal privacy and freedoms to remain safe.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2952, the ``Critical Infrastructure Research and Development Advancement Act.''

H.R. 2952 requires the Department to have a well-developed Research and Development strategy to work in targeted ways to advance cybersecurity, particularly within the critical infrastructure sector.

Keeping pace with cybercriminals, hackers, and others who seek to exploit vulnerabilities in critical IT networks is a major challenge for the Federal government and its partners in the private sector.

Americans take for granted that when they flip a switch, their lights will come on, when they pick up a phone, there will be a ringtone and when they pick up their Smartphone, they will have a signal.

The reliability and functioning of these systems is dependent on computer systems, often Internet-based systems.

Recently, we have seen the damage that can be done when systems are breached. The database breach at Target, a major retailer, involved 70 million stolen records, which affected over a hundred million people.

The true cost of these kinds of breaches is almost unknowable because of the complexity of the crimes, and the sometimes-untraceable use of the stolen information.

What we do know is that hackers are breaching the networks of large corporate companies, gaining access to proprietary industry information, as well as consumer data.

The Department of Homeland Security is the lead Federal agency responsible for researching and developing more advanced and effective cybersecurity technologies to defend Americans from such attacks.

The legislation before us today creates a technology clearinghouse to help promote partnerships with laboratories and universities throughout the Nation for research on how to enhance not only the cyber but the physical of critical infrastructure.

I am pleased that it directs DHS to seek out new ways to better collaboration with its Centers of Excellence on this research.

I am confident that the teams at Jackson State University and Tougaloo College in Mississippi, which are part of the Centers of Excellence network, can make valuable contributions to this effort.

On a bipartisan basis, this Committee has developed a record for championing homeland security research and development while, at the same time, demanding accountability of DHS to ensure solid decision- making drives the expenditure of limited R&D dollars.

I urge my fellow colleagues to support H.R. 2952, the ``Critical Infrastructure Research and Development Advancement Act of 2013''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 3107, the ``Homeland Security Cybersecurity Boots-on- the-Ground Act''.

I would like to commend Subcommittee Ranking Member Clarke for her commitment to addressing a critical issue for the Department of Homeland Security--how to recruit and retain a robust cybersecurity workforce.

There is an urgent need for greater protection of our cyber infrastructure, with the rate and intensity of system breaches at an all-time high and the mounting source of cyber threats.

The Department of Homeland Security is the lead Federal agency for protecting the government's Internet platform ``.gov'' and for partnering with the private sector on cybersecurity.

Attracting the best and brightest in the cybersecurity field has been a chronic challenge for the Department. In an effort to come up with some effective strategies to overcome that challenge, in July 2012, then-Secretary Janet Napolitano directed the Homeland Security Advisory Committee to assemble a ``Task Force on CyberSkills''.

The Task Force issued a series of recommendations that included the adoption of a list of mission-critical cybersecurity tasks and a model for assessing the competency and progress of the existing and future DHS mission-critical cybersecurity workforce.

H.R. 3107 adopts many of the Task Force's key recommendations.

For instance, in order to recruit the Department with the cyber workforce it needs, H.R. 3107 requires DHS to have comprehensive occupation classifications to categorize what types of work will be done in each position.

Today, DHS does not utilize a uniform classification system and, as a result, positions get posted that offer little clarity on what knowledge, skills, and experience is sought.

Sophisticated cyber mission-critical skills are not a dime-a-dozen, and Federal agencies have to compete among themselves, and especially private sector employers for talent.

This bill seeks to ensure that DHS has an effective approach to attracting, hiring, and retaining a mission-critical cybersecurity workforce.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.