Floor Statements

Thank you, Chairman Rogers, and I do want to engage in a quick colloquy on the Medium Extended Air Defense System, known as

I thank the gentleman for making that clear.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Sheetz Family which owns a convenience store chain, based in Altoona, Pennsylvania. For more than 60 years, the Sheetz name has represented entrepreneurship, vision and innovation. And while consumer needs and lifestyles have changed over the years, one thing that has remained constant is the Sheetz Family's commitment to its customers, employees and the communities in which they operate.

Sheetz, Inc. was founded by Bob Sheetz in 1952 when he purchased one of his father's five dairy stores in Altoona. In 1961, Bob hired his brother Steve to work part-time at the store. It was not until 1963 that the second store was opened under the name ``Sheetz Kwik Shopper.'' In 1972, the brothers literally doubled the size of the company, expanding from seven to fourteen stores. One year later, Sheetz added gasoline pumps and introduced self-serve gasoline to Central Pennsylvania.

By 1983, Bob and Steve had opened 100 stores. The following year, Bob retired and handed over the leadership of the company to his trusted business partner and brother Steve. In 1995, Stan Sheetz, Bob's son, became president and Steve assumed the position of Chairman of the Board. To this day, Sheetz maintains a unique and successful family business with five family members serving on the Executive Committee.

Since 1952, Sheetz has grown from a small dairy/deli in Altoona, PA, to one of the fastest growing family-owned convenience stores in the world, with more than 437 locations across six states--Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina--and more than 14,500 employees. The company manufactures its own unique Sheetz brand food products; it consistently is listed as one of the ``Best Places to Work'' in state surveys; and it donates hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to programs like the Special Olympics and Make-A- Wish Foundation through its corporate Sheetz Family Charities organization.

The Sheetz Family will be honored February 23, 2013 with the Respected Citizen Award by the Central Blair Recreation Commission and the Booker T. Washington Revitalization Committee in Altoona. I congratulate the family on this recognition, applaud them for their extraordinary contributions to the community and thank them for the positive impact their company has on the economy.

Mr. Speaker, as the Co-Chairman of the House Azerbaijan Caucus, I rise today to bring attention to the tragedy that

took place in Khojaly, Azerbaijan, a town and townspeople that were destroyed on February 26, 1992.

This month we will mark the 21st anniversary of that devastating and heartbreaking day. Sadly, today there is little attention or interest paid to the plight of Khojaly outside of Azerbaijan. However, one of our greatest strengths as elected officials is the opportunity to bring to light truths that are little known and command recognition. As a friend of Azerbaijan, I am proud to remind my colleagues that we must never forget the tragedy that took place at Khojaly.

At the time, the Khojaly tragedy was widely documented by the international media, including the Boston Globe, Washington Post, New York Times, Financial Times, and many other European and Russian news agencies.

Khojaly, a town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, now under the control of Armenian forces, was the site of the largest killing of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians. With a population of approximately 7,000, Khojaly was one of the largest urban settlements of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

According to Human Rights Watch and other international observers the massacre was committed by the ethnic Armenian armed forces, reportedly with the help of the Russian 366th Motor Rifle Regiment. Human Rights Watch described the Khojaly Massacre as ``the largest massacre to date in the conflict'' over Nagorna-Karabakh. In a 1993 report, the watchdog group stated ``there are no exact figures for the number of Azeri civilians killed because Karabakh Armenian forces gained control of the area after the massacre'' and ``while it is widely accepted that 200 Azeris were murdered, as many as 500-1,000 may have died.''

Azerbaijan has been a strong strategic partner and friend of the United States. The tragedy of Khojaly was a crime against humanity and I urge my colleagues to join me in standing with Azerbaijanis as they commemorate this tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, as the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, I rise today to join with the people of Azerbaijan to commemorate the tragic events of ``Black January.''

On January 19, 1990, approximately 26,000 Soviet troops stormed Azerbaijan's capital city of Baku in tanks and armored vehicles. That night, the Soviet military opened indiscriminate fire on peaceful demonstrators, including women and children. As a result of these merciless acts 131 people were killed, 611 were injured, 841 were arrested, and 5 went missing.

The Human Rights Watch report ``Black January in Azerbaijan'' states that ``among the most heinous violations of human rights during the Baku incursion were the numerous attacks on medical personnel, ambulances, and even hospitals.'' The report concludes that the violence used by the Soviet Army constituted an exercise in collective punishment and that the punishment inflicted on Baku by Soviet soldiers may have been intended as a warning to nationalists, not only in Azerbaijan, but in other Republics of the Soviet Union.

Far from crushing the spirit of Azeris, the atrocities of Black January instead consolidated the rising independence movements in the country and united the Azerbaijani nation in its quest for freedom. After 23 years Azerbaijan represents a flourishing country where democratic aspirations of Azerbaijani people have been materialized as they continue diplomatic relations with the United States.

It is my honor to thank the Azerbaijani people for their friendship and to offer my thoughts and prayers to the families of those who gave their lives for the independence of Azerbaijan. I encourage my colleagues to visit the very moving memorial to Black January in Baku that honors the memories of those killed in these attacks by the Soviet military and to join with me today in standing with Azerbaijanis as they commemorate this tragedy.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Denham) for his leadership and for sponsoring this important legislation.

We are proud to have strong bipartisan support. Thanks go to Member Rahall and Ms. Holmes Norton for her support on this and working closely with us. In fact, the gentlelady from Washington, D.C., and I worked very closely 8 years ago on many of these reforms that we're going to expand from pilot projects.

I would also like to acknowledge my predecessor and friend, our former chairman, Mr. Mica, who's been a leader on these issues, and also to thank Mr. Palazzo from Mississippi, who offered important suggestions to improve this legislation.

I'm proud to be a cosponsor. These bipartisan Federal Emergency Management Agency and disaster recovery improvements will speed up and streamline Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. And they will also, importantly, reduce costs.

We worked to target improvements that will specifically help communities in the immediate aftermath of Sandy. These are critical, bipartisan reforms supported by FEMA and key experts and stakeholders. We understand from FEMA Administrator Fugate that these reforms must be enacted by March 1 to help the recovery from Hurricane Sandy.

I have worked on these issues since serving as chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management, as I mentioned, with the gentlelady from Washington, 8 years ago. At that time, I witnessed the devastation following Hurricane Katrina. We saw how our emergency management capability broke down, and significant reforms were needed. We crafted legislation to put FEMA back together again within the Department of Homeland Security, reformed and strengthened our response capability and created pilot programs to test out innovative ways to improve our recovery process.

While we have made significant improvements in disaster preparedness and response since Katrina, there is so much red tape in the recovery programs that rebuilding takes several years longer than it should. The longer communities take to rebuild, the higher the economic losses to those communities and the more it costs the taxpayers.

The pilot programs we created after Katrina laid the foundation for many of these reforms. From the debris removal and public assistance pilot program to the individual and household pilot programs, the savings were significant, and in some cases up to six times less expensive. And these pilot programs did not just save money, but they actually got things done faster.

The Sandy Recovery Improvement Act builds on the important work we started after Hurricane Katrina. Specifically, the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act will: streamline environmental review procedures; allow greater flexibility to reduce rebuilding time and lower costs; reduce debris removal costs; provide flexibility and less expensive housing costs; and call for recommendations for reducing costs for future disasters.

As the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I look forward to working on a FEMA reauthorization bill in the future and moving other important FEMA reforms later in Congress.

However, today I know FEMA needs these reforms, and so I urge all my colleagues to support this in order for us to save hundreds of millions of dollars in Sandy recovery.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 90th anniversary of Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Bishop Guilfoyle has been dedicated to the education and development of Altoona's youth for nearly a century, and its commitment to excellence has helped the school to become a tremendously influential institution in our community. The school places a great emphasis on instilling a culture of goodness, discipline, and knowledge in its students, as evidenced by its valued presence in the Altoona area.

In 1922, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona and Johnstown established Bishop

Guilfoyle Catholic High School, under its original name of Altoona Catholic High School. After the sudden death of Bishop Richard T. Guilfoyle in 1957, the school was renamed to honor his compassion for the Altoona Catholic students, and his enthusiasm for sports.

Since its establishment, the school has seen nearly 11,000 of its students receive diplomas, many of them matriculating to higher education. With this outstanding production, the school has had a profound importance in its students' lives, and has helped each of them to thrive in our community and beyond.

Bishop Guilfoyle has achieved numerous accolades, and has developed a prestigious academic reputation across the 12 Catholic parishes that it serves. The school has continued to add state-of-the-art facilities, and has implemented a rigorous academic curriculum, which holds its students to the highest of standards, both within the classroom and in the community.

Mr. Speaker, Bishop Guilfoyle's commitment to the education of our district's youth has not gone unnoticed. Its faculty's passion for cultivating the necessary values to succeed as productive, compassionate citizens has earned the school an exemplary reputation in Pennsylvania's 9th district. The many proud alumni that are spread throughout the world are a testament to the school's celebrated achievements and storied tradition as a first-class instructional institution.

As Congressman of the 9th District, I wish Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School all the best on what is sure to be another productive, successful 90 years of education and development.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Fair Family Farms of Mann's Choice, Pennsylvania. On September 5, 2012, the farm marked its 200 years of continuous ownership and operation by the descendents of Lewis Turner.

In 1812, Lewis Turner of Louden County, Virginia, purchased the 241- acres that would become the original farm from the Estate of George Woods and from Dr. John and Mary Anderson of Bedford County. Lewis and his wife, Anna Maria Beltz, raised their six children on the farm. Following Lewis' death, his eldest son Fredrick Turner purchased the farm on April 24, 1838. Frederick and his wife, Susannah Mahala Exline, raised their seven children on the farm and constructed a gristmill on the property, remnants of which are still visible today.

Upon Frederick Turner's death, the farm was divided between three of his sons. One of the three, Andrew Turner, purchased the 95-acre Parent Parcel, a portion of the original land that has remained in the family's possession since the original 1812 survey. In 1865, Andrew and his wife Anna Mariah Hillegass constructed a barn and homestead in which they raised their eight children. The homestead remains in use to this day.

Following the death of Anna Maria, the farm passed to her daughter Mary M. Turner and her husband, John W. Fair, on December 20, 1912. On April 2, 1923, they transferred the property to one of their six children, Ralph A. Fair, and his wife, E. Mae Mowry. The farm changed hands again on February 12, 1959, when Ralph H. and Floyd A. Fair, two of Ralph and Mae's three sons, took possession of the property. Since 1979, Ralph and his wife, Geraldine V. Coughenour, have worked to acquire portions of the original land that had been subdivided and sold over the years, and now hold 226 of the original 241 acres. Throughout their 55 years of marriage, Ralph and Geraldine have always lived on the farm where Ralph was born and where they raised their six children, two of whom still live on the property.

After Floyd's death, full ownership of the farm passed to Ralph and Geraldine, on June 29, 2006. In 2008, Ralph and Geraldine created Fair Family Farms LLC to hold and preserve all the farm's land. They, as well as four of their children, are partners of the LLC, making them the 6th and 7th generation owners of the ancestral farm.

Since the farm's creation 200 years ago, it has remained an active dairy. Currently, Fair Family Farms is the only Pennsylvania Certified Organic dairy in Bedford County, producing milk, hay, corn and oats, as well as a significant poultry operation that produces million of eggs each year.

It is quite an accomplishment to keep a farm productive and in the same family for seven generations. Happy bicentennial, Fair Family Farms, and best wishes for many more!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 526, which expresses the sense of the House of Representatives toward the establishment of a democratic and prosperous Republic of Georgia and the establishment of a peaceful and just resolution to the conflict with Georgia's internationally recognized borders. I also want to stand with the ranking member for his support of Georgia. We need to stand by a democratic Georgia, a great ally of ours.

As the cochair of the Congressional Georgia Caucus, I was proud to sponsor this resolution along with my cochair and fellow Pennsylvanian, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz.

Our strategic partnership with Georgia is based on shared values and common interests. A democratic and stable Republic of Georgia is in the political security and economic interests of the United States.

Georgian troops have played an important role in a variety of challenging missions across the globe, including Kosovo, Iraq, and today in Afghanistan. In fact, they just brought home 900 Georgian troops and are going to re-up with 1700 troops.

While that doesn't seem like a lot, 1,700, when we have over 80,000, but when you look at a small country like Georgia with 5 million people, sending 1,700 troops is the equivalent of the United States of America sending over 100,000 troops. They have proven to be a reliable ally.

The level of their professionalism, as well as their sacrifices in the mission in which they have been involved so far, clearly demonstrates that Georgia has much to bring to the table as a future member of NATO and as a reliable ally.

Internally, Georgia has worked to develop its democratic and market- based economic institutions for over a decade.

The August 2008 war with Russia nearly halted the economic development, depleted public resources, drove up unemployment, and left a severe humanitarian crisis in its wake. A peaceful resolution to the conflict is a key priority for the United States in the Caucasus region, which is home to another one of our strong allies, Azerbaijan. Lasting regional stability can only be achieved through peaceful means and long-term diplomatic and political dialogue between all the parties.

It is also timely that we consider this resolution today, as Georgia is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on October 1. Georgia has put a robust system in place to support a free and fair electoral process. These elections will be an important test to Georgia's democracy and represent a chance for all Georgians to show the world how far they have come in this last decade.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important resolution today to express our support for one of our best and most important allies, the Republic of Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ms. Christa Harmotto, an outstanding athlete selected to the United States Olympic Team from the 9th Congressional District of Pennsylvania. Ms. Harmotto's Olympic Volleyball side has done very well to this point of the competition, and has earned an undefeated record following their first three matches in their group.

Christa Harmotto was brought up in Hopewell Township, PA where she excelled at sports from a young age. In high school, as a multiple year letterman for volleyball and basketball, Christa won the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year. She then transferred her high school success to that at Penn State, where she chose to continue her pursuit of volleyball. Her student athlete career was one of great success and achievement, as she acted as an integral member of a two-time national championship team, while simultaneously attaining All-American status for four straight years. A prominent figure on the squad as a middle blocker, Christa makes her Olympic debut in 2012. I am positive she will continue to fight valiantly and work hard for her side in their journey to win the gold medal.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate this Olympic hero of Pennsylvania's 9th district. With her effort and determination, this young lady is destined to do great things for our country and the 9th district of Pennsylvania. I am very proud of her hard work and determination to win for the United States Olympic Team, and will continue to track her team's success throughout the duration of their competition. I hope you join me in wishing Christa and the rest of our Olympic athletes well in their respective competitions at this year's Games.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the D.L. Martin Company as it celebrates its 50th anniversary on August 9th, 2012, and to recognize and honor its founder and owner, Donnie L. Martin for receiving ``Business Person of the Year'' in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

The D.L. Martin Company has experienced outstanding growth since it was first founded in 1962, when Donnie Martin first purchased a 3,000 square foot machine shop in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania and hired his first two employees. D.L. Martin has now grown to over 40 acres and 150,000 square feet of manufacturing floor space and employs nearly 200 people, making it an integral business in our community.

We are proud of the resilience that the D.L. Martin Company has shown and the excellent service that it has provided to Franklin County over the last 50 years. The company has become a world class provider of heavy industrial, construction and mining equipment, and also specializes in manufacturing custom hydraulics, elevator jacks and components, and engine and transmission parts for class 8 trucks. Their commitment to quality products and customer service has not gone unnoticed to their clients or to our community.

The company is holding a celebration in Mercersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania to commemorate its 50 years of business on August 9th, 2012. Current and former employees as well as family and friends in the community are invited to celebrate this anniversary and the promising future of D.L. Martin.

I would like to thank Donnie Martin for his service to our community and for being such an important employer to so many in our district. His integrity and strong work ethic have brought him great success thus far and have enabled his company to grow and thrive in our community. D.L. Martin continues to provide quality service and lasting jobs to the citizens of Franklin County and in other areas of Pennsylvania. As Congressman of the 9th district of Pennsylvania, I believe that their service has been very beneficial to the community and I know that they will experience continued success for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ms. Natalie Dell, an outstanding athlete selected to the United States Olympic Team from the 9th Congressional District of Pennsylvania. I am very proud to announce that Natalie and her Olympic team earned the bronze medal in yesterday's Women's quadruple sculls boat event.

Natalie Dell, raised in Clearville, PA was a standout track star throughout her high school career. Upon attending Penn State University, Dell decided that she had reached her full potential in track and field and wanted to pursue another competitive sport. She chose to begin rowing where she quickly fell in love with the sport. After graduation, she continued to hone her strength and technique and joined the Riverside Boating Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Although Natalie was less experienced than the rest of her peers, her talent and status advanced rapidly as she soon became a member of the U.S. National Rowing Team. Her rigorous training and the perfection of her skill proved to be well worth the effort. Dell achieved a position on the 2012 Olympic Women's quadruple sculls boat and is the first alumnus from Penn State to row for the USA National Rowing Team. Her six day per week, two-a-day training has aptly prepared this courageous woman to represent the United States and the 9th district of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate this Olympic hero of Pennsylvania's 9th district. With her effort and determination, this young lady is destined to do great things for our country and the 9th district of Pennsylvania. I am very proud of her hard work and determination to help secure a win for the United States Olympic Team, and am very happy to see that all of her work has paid off with such an enormous honor. I hope you join me in congratulating Natalie Dell and her teammates and wishing the rest of our Olympic athletes well in their respective competitions at this year's Games.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring two outstanding athletes selected to the United States Olympic Team from the 9th Congressional District of Pennsylvania: Natalie Dell and Christa Harmotto.

Natalie Dell, raised in Clearville, PA was a standout track star throughout her high school career. Upon attending Penn State University, Dell decided that she had reached her full potential in track and field and wanted to pursue another competitive sport. She chose to begin rowing where she quickly fell in love with the sport. After graduation, she continued to hone her strength and technique and joined the Riverside Boating Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Although Natalie was less experienced than the rest of her peers, her talent and status advanced rapidly as she soon became a member of the U.S. National Rowing Team. Her rigorous training and the perfection of her skill proved to be well worth the effort. Dell achieved a position on the 2012 Olympic Women's quadruple skulls boat and is the first alumnus from Penn State to row for the USA National Rowing Team. Her six day per week, two-a-day training has aptly prepared this courageous woman to represent the United States and the 9th district of Pennsylvania.

The second great Olympian from our district is Christa Harmotto. Harmotto was brought up in Hopewell Township, PA where she excelled at sports from a young age. In high school, as a multiple year letterman for volleyball and basketball, Christa won the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year. She then transferred her high school success to that at Penn State, where she chose to continue her pursuit of volleyball. Her student athlete career was one of great success and achievement, as she acted as an integral member of a two-time national championship team, while simultaneously attaining All-American status for four straight years. A prominent figure on the squad as a middle blocker, Christa makes her Olympic debut in 2012. I am positive she will fight valiantly and work hard for her side in their journey to win the gold medal.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate these two heroes of Pennsylvania's 9th district. With their effort and determination, these two women are destined to do great things for our country and the 9th district of Pennsylvania. I am very proud of their hard work and determination to win for the United States Olympic Team. I hope you join me in wishing them and the rest of our Olympic athletes well in their respective competitions at this year's Games.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight another milestone in the continuing efforts to honor the heroics of the 40 heroes aboard United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.

On July 28, the USS Somerset will be christened. The Somerset is named in honor of the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, and Somerset is the county in Pennsylvania in which United Flight 93 went down.

The 680-foot, 105-foot wide LPD transport dock ship is used to transport and land U.S. Marines, and also support amphibious assaults by our U.S. Special Forces.

Located on the property near the crash site were two draglines, machinery used in coal-stripping operations. In the days following the crash, a huge American flag was hoisted on top of one of the draglines, and the flag stood as a constant reminder of the sacrifices of the heroes of Flight 93.

In honor of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, the 22-ton bucket of one of the draglines was melted and cast into the ship's bow stern. In addition, the USS Somerset's mast will also contain a time capsule.

The USS Somerset, a bold representation of America's military strength, is a fitting tribute to the 40 ordinary Americans who took a stand against the enemies of free society and represent the best aspects of the American spirit. Their actions prevented further loss of life and disruption of some of the most recognizable symbols of freedom and democracy in the world.

Mr. Speaker, following is my statement in its entirety:

I rise today to highlight another milestone in the continuing efforts to honor the heroics of the 40 heroes aboard United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.

On July 28, the USS Somerset will be christened at the Avondale shipyard outside of New Orleans, Louisiana. The Somerset is named in honor of the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, whose courageous actions prevented terrorist hijackers from reaching their intended target in Washington, DC on September 11, 2001. Somerset is the county in Pennsylvania in which United Flight 93 crashed.

This 684-foot, 105-foot-wide LPD transport dock ship is used to transport and land U.S. Marines. LPD ships have supported amphibious assaults for special operations forces, expeditionary warfare missions, and humanitarian missions throughout the first half of the 21st century.

The final resting area of the 40 heroes who decided to fight back against the terrorists on that fateful day was an abandoned coal strip mine.

Located on the property near the crash site were two draglines once used in coal stripping. In the days following the crash, a huge American flag was hoisted to the top of one of the draglines. The flag stood as a constant reminder of the sacrifices and love of country shown by the Flight 93 heroes.

In honor of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, the 22-ton bucket of one of the draglines was melted and cast into the Somerset's bow stern. In addition, USS Somerset's mast also will contain a time capsule that includes such items as a bottle of Meyersdale maple syrup, a Flight 93 10th-anniversary commemorative pin and a Somerset Borough bicentennial marble.

The USS Somerset, a bold representation of America's military strength and humanitarianism, is a fitting tribute to the 40 ordinary Americans who took a stand against the enemies of a free society and represent the best aspects of the American spirit. Their actions prevented further loss of life and the destruction of the most recognized symbols of freedom and democracy in the world.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to share the concern of seven Members of this House that represent Army depots and arsenals, including Letterkenny Army Depot in my congressional district in Pennsylvania.

The following letter fully addresses our concerns:

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, July 12, 2012.

Hon. C.W. Bill Young,

Chairman, Subcommittee on Defense,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Norm Dicks,

Ranking Member, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Young and Ranking Member Dicks: As Members

with Army Depots and Arsenals in our districts, we wish to

express our concern over significant funding reductions in

this year's House Defense Appropriations Bill that will

negatively impact the Army's organic industrial base. The

Fiscal Year 2013 Defense Appropriations Bill, Sec. 8087 cites

``excessive levels of funding carryover at Army Depots'' and

reduces ``Operation and Maintenance, Army'' (OMA) by $1.207

billion and ``Other Procurement, Army'' (OPA) by $1.253

billion. This reduction of approximately $2.5 billion will

have harmful consequences far beyond what was originally

forecasted and will derail the Army's ability to maintain

equipment readiness. Ultimately, we believe this legislation

as it currently stands will cripple the ability of depots and

arsenals to support our soldiers during a time of war. We

understand the competing priorities facing the committee, but

we believe it is vital that we work together with you to

address this critical issue.

This reduction of funds will not only hurt the ability of

Army depots and arsenals to generate and maintain its

workload for the next Fiscal Year, but will also have lasting

impacts on the defense industrial base that will be felt well

beyond 2013. The cuts to OMA and OPA will cause an estimated

3,000 layoffs of specialized technicians that cannot be

easily replaced or retrained if workload returns to its

normal rate. Core depot logistics requirements will be

increasingly difficult and costly to meet and the Department

of the Army will be forced to turn to contracted alternatives

in order to reduce the backlog. This cut will make the

organic base less attractive for program managers and will

likely reverse the recent trend of depots and arsenals being

the preferred source of manufacture and repair.

It is our understanding that the Army did not provide a

detailed explanation for excessive levels of carryover money

until after the Appropriations Committee passed this year's

Defense Bill. Once the Army provided this analysis, it became

clear to all parties involved that the House Appropriations

Committee's proposed funding levels would not provide

adequate funding to sustain depots and arsenals throughout

Fiscal Year 2013. As we approach the debate over the Defense

Appropriations Bill on the House floor, it is still unclear

to us what possible measures will be taken, if any, to reduce

the impact of these cuts.

We look forward to further discussing this issue with you

and working with you on any potential adjustments that can be

made before this legislation is considered by the House of

Representatives. We believe that a strong organic industrial

base is critical to maintaining our national security posture

and the current Defense Appropriations Bill will result in

unrecoverable consequences for our Army depots and arsenals.

Sincerely,

Bill Shuster.

David Loebsack.

Blake Farenthold.

Mike Rogers (AL).

Ralph Hall.

Robert Schilling.

This bill includes reductions in funding for depots and arsenals due to a perceived surplus of funded workload available for previous fiscal years. After further analysis and additional feedback provided by the Army, we believe these cuts, as currently structured, could have a lasting negative impact on the organic industrial base.

It is my understanding that the House Appropriations Committee agrees that these current general provisions should be modified and is already developing an alternative plan.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I look forward to working with the chairman to address these concerns and to ensure we provide adequate funding for depots and arsenals. I know we are both in favor of a strong and capable organic industrial base and value the critical role our depots and arsenals play in maintaining the readiness of our military.

Mr. Chairman, at this time I yield to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack).

I thank the gentleman from Iowa.

And the gentleman from Texas, who's not here on the floor, I'd like to talk a little bit about his situation down at the Corpus Christi Army Depot, which is an industry leader of repair and overhaul for our aviation helicopters, employing over 6,000 civilians, of which 56 percent are veterans. Without CCAD, the Army would be unable to sustain maximum combat power for the warfighter.

Further, the depot in Corpus Christi's stewardship of taxpayer dollars is evident in the cost effective repair and overhaul of rotary wing aircraft systems. For example, in fiscal year 2011, a record production year, more than $47 million in cost savings was documented at the CCAD.

With today's rotary wing aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems flying in record numbers, the work at Corpus Christi Army Depot has become invaluable to the aircraft to remain airworthy. I am concerned that any lapse in production of the UH-60 Black Hawk Recap, CCAD's larger single program, would have a negative impact on supporting components programs and major OEM contracts and employers.

I know that the gentleman from Texas looks forward to working work with the chairman--as do I and other Members of the House that represent depots and arsenals--and the House Appropriations Committee as this bill moves forward to conference.

I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Amendment Offered by Ms. Woolsey

I thank the chairman for yielding me this time. I first would like to thank Chairman Mica and Chairman Duncan for their hard work in producing what I believe is a very solid bill with historic reforms in it. The chairman was a tough negotiator, and he came away with something that I believe we can all be very proud of.

We need to act on this bill. If we don't act, if we fail to act, the trust fund will default. We'd have to figure out a way to bail it out. And yet, here we are with a 2-year bill that is fully funded and has some significant reforms in it.

Those reforms include, first of all, the fact that it is a 2-year bill which puts certainty out there to the States and the companies and people who build roads and highways and supply them with the products that they need. That is extremely important.

Second, it consolidates nearly two-thirds of the programs, which is important in reducing red tape and in streamlining project delivery. That is significant. We believe that will reduce the amount of time it takes to build a significant highway project in half. That's a tremendous savings. When you look at a project I recently visited in Oklahoma City, the Crosstown Expressway, a $680 million job, it took 15 years. If you cut that in half, it saves somewhere between $60 million to $80 million just on the inflation alone. So that's a significant savings, and that's why I believe this bill has great reforms in it. It is something that we all need to get behind and pass.

Again, I want to congratulate the chairman for his great work, and also the staff, all of the staff on the committee, both sides of the aisle. Both sides of the Capitol worked hard, but a special thanks to Jim Coon, Amy Smith, Jennifer Hall, and Jim Tymon for their tireless effort. There were a lot of late nights, but they did a great job, and we owe them a great deal of thanks for what they did.

Again, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill.