Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 51; 52; 53 H.R. 361, the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act; H.R. 623, the Social Media Working Group Act; H.R. 615, the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Act.

Due to inclement weather, I was not present for the vote series on Monday, February 2, 2015.

Had I been present, I would have voted AYE.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people in New York's--9th District to express our sincere appreciation for the dedication and sacrifices of Kenneth B. Hauck.

Kenneth B. Hauck selflessly and courageously served in the United States Army between October 1942 and May 1946. During his period of service Kenneth B. Hauck participated in World War II, where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge with Company B, 112th Infantry Regiment and was a Prisoner of War. His personal sacrifice and steadfast loyalty during this time go unparalleled. For his service he was awarded the American Campaign Medal, EAME campaign medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.

It is an honor to know that such impressive and dedicated men and women like Kenneth B. Hauck are willing to sacrifice so much in the name of freedom. It is my honor to recognize and thank Kenneth B. Hauck for his exemplary service to our nation.

Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 555, I was unavoidably detained on official business.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Major Curt Owens for his past two years of exemplary dedication to duty and service as an Army Congressional Fellow and Congressional Liaison for the Chief of Army Reserve. I am grateful that he will continue to serve the Army and Congress in his new assignment as a legislative liaison in the Programs Division of the Office of the Chief, Legislative Liaison. We wish him well in his new position.

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Major Owens earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business at Florida State University and was commissioned an infantry officer in the Army Reserve. He has earned advanced degrees in management and legislative affairs.

Curt has served in a broad range of assignments during his 20 years of service as a citizen soldier. As a lieutenant, he served as a rifle platoon leader in the 100th Infantry Battalion during combat operations in Iraq. As a captain, he served as an operations officer in a combined joint special operations task force, commanded a basic combat training company, and served as platoon trainer at the basic officer leadership course, 11th Infantry Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia.

In 2013, following assignments as a battalion operations officer and executive officer with 1st Brigade, 98th Division, Major Owens was selected as an Army Congressional Fellow and assigned as the Defense Fellow in my office. In this role, Curt served as policy advisor on all matters relating to defense and national security. He provided me with candid advice and became a trusted source of counsel and productivity to my office.

After this, he served as a legislative liaison in the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve. In this capacity, Curt represented the Chief of Army Reserve directly with the Senate and House Armed Services and Appropriations Committees to educate and inform Senators, Representatives, and staff on critical Army Reserve issues and programs.

Throughout his twenty year career, Major Curt Owens has made positive impacts on the careers and lives of his soldiers, peers, and superiors. I am grateful that he has chosen to continue to serve as an Army leader. I join my colleagues today in honoring his dedication to our Nation and invaluable service to the United States Congress as an Army congressional liaison.

Curt is accustomed to working long hours in his congressional relations work. So let me also acknowledge Curt's wife Allison, and their sons Grayson, Carter and Brady, thank them for their sacrifices and wish them all the best for continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This landmark legislation was initially passed in 1964, permanently paving the way for the protection and growth of our Nation's natural resources.

Mr. Speaker, New York's 19th Congressional District is home to some of the most amazing scenery in the Nation. Constituents in our district can walk and bike in the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys; they can hike through the Catskill Mountains and paddle along the streams that feed into the Hudson River.

I'm proud to say my constituents know how important it is to preserve and protect our land. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been a tremendous success for New York State.

It has been estimated that outdoor recreational activity supports over 300,000 jobs for New York and that over 4 million New Yorkers participate in hunting, fishing, and viewing wildlife each year.

Additionally, my district benefits from the Forest Legacy Program funded under the LWCF. This program helps States preserve and maintain their forest land.

Mr. Speaker, next year, we will have the opportunity to reauthorize LWCF. I would encourage all my colleagues in the House and Senate to reflect on the legislation's success, recognize our Nation's legacy of historic beauty, and to support the reauthorization next year.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his strong leadership of our committee.

I rise in opposition to the amendment. Certainly, the Islamic State is an evil organization and a threat to our country. There is no question on that. I saw that firsthand leading paratroopers in Iraq, al Qaeda in Iraq executing, at close range, Iraqis who were working with us just to provide for a better day for their people. This evil organization has to be defeated. The question is: How?

Well, first of all, we always reserve the right to act in self- defense. If we learn of specific intelligence that the enemy is preparing, planning an attack

on us, we always reserve that right. We will take action to protect our people. But, as the President reported when he spoke to the American people last week, the intelligence community, we do not have that specific intelligence at this moment that they are going to be able to strike our country. So then the question occurs again: What is the smartest way to deal with this threat?

I maintain, based on my experience, escalating in Syria right now is not the best approach. We should instead implement a three-point plan.

Number one, empowering the Iraqi Armed Forces and the Kurdish forces to defeat the Islamic State. We have seen in recent days, with our help, they have been begun to reverse some advances of the Islamic State, and they have a capacity.

As was mentioned earlier, the big issue that they have is they weren't willing to fight and die for that Prime Minister. They didn't have the will to stand up because they didn't believe. Now we have had a new election. They are rallying around, attendant to their constitution, a new government, and they do need our support, and we should be standing there with them.

Why is it so important that we do it that way?

Well, our enemy, the Islamic State, is trying to frame this struggle as one, in their words, between the believers and the nonbelievers. There is certainly an element here, but it goes much broader than that.

In the main, what is really at stake is what is happening to the mainstream Muslims in Iraq and Syria. Why this is so important is, when we help the Iraqi Army and the Kurdish forces to defeat militarily the Islamic State, that also lessens the ability of the Islamic State to recruit and to fundraise internationally. Long-term, that is what is key to success here.

So, number one, empower the Iraqi Armed Forces and the Kurdish forces.

Number two, we have not set the conditions for actions in Syria. There is no credible partner there. There is no political partner there, and that is really the issue.

What we should be doing is working to compel--working with our friends and our neighbors in the region, other nations across the world, to compel the Government of Syria to get to some brokered agreement with the rebel forces, including what we would call the Free Syrian Army. From that foundation, we will be in a stronger place to complete the final destruction of the Islamic State.

Here is the issue, the big idea that the administration is advancing right now. The big idea is that we need a ground element to support airstrikes.

Now, given my military experience, I understand that and I actually agree with that point. But here is the point: What they are advancing today, what we have learned, is that, at the earliest, we would see a ground force in 6 to 8 months.

Mr. Speaker, evidently I am not going to get any more time. I ask the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi) for 1 minute.

So the issue is that here it is, the administration saying that they need a ground partner to conduct these air attacks, but we are not even going to have a ground partner for 6 to 8 months, and they are talking about launching airstrikes within a month. This is a problem.

The other problem is these forces on the ground have not shown themselves to be militarily competent nor politically trustworthy. We should work politically in Syria. That is the second point.

The third point is we ought to secure our borders, commonsense point. But look, they have expressed the desire to attack our country, and we need to protect ourselves from that.

So empower the Iraqi Armed Forces and the Kurds, work politically to get a partner in Syria, and secure our borders. And reject this amendment, with all due respect.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of thousands of Americans who have been impacted by Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses each year, including in my district in upstate New York, where this is a public health scourge.

This legislation is truly constituent-driven and represents a significant step forward in what has been an extensive process. For the past few years, I have worked with physicians, patient advocates, professional researchers, and patients and their families throughout New York and the United States on a bill that focuses on solutions.

I am proud to be joined by two of my colleagues who have been national leaders on this issue: Chris Smith of New Jersey is our leader, who has, for several decades, been a tireless advocate for our sufferers, and Frank Wolf of Virginia, who has added his significant voice to this issue and has also made incredibly meaningful contributions to this bill and the cause. I thank them both.

Likewise, I thank Dr. Richard Horowitz, Pat Smith, David Roth, Jill and Ira Auerbach, Holly Ahern, Chris Fiske, and other Lyme advocate leaders from Pennsylvania and from across the Nation for their significant and persuasive engagement and unyielding commitment to change the direction of U.S. policy to bring solutions and relief for our chronic Lyme sufferers.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank Chairman Upton, Chairman Pitts, their ranking members, and their dedicated committee staffs. Thank you all for your great work.

In August of 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the number of Americans diagnosed with Lyme disease each year is now over 300,000, while other researchers, such as Holly Ahern, have shown that we are significantly underestimating the cases in the U.S. It is clear that the increase of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases is rapidly becoming a public health crisis in the United States. While the CDC, NIH, and other Federal agencies have recognized this threat to public health, regrettably, we have made far too little progress in improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

This legislation before us seeks to make a positive difference, prioritizing and coordinating Federal tick-borne

disease research through an interagency working group made up of relevant Federal agencies as well as non-Federal partners, such as experienced physicians, researchers, patient advocates, and chronic Lyme disease patients themselves.

The working group is tasked with ensuring interagency coordination, accountability, and transparency, minimizing overlap, examining research priorities, and ultimately making policy recommendations. The working group is required to reflect a broad spectrum of scientific viewpoints and ensure patients and their advocates have a seat at the table.

The bill increases oversight and accountability over tick-borne research throughout the relevant Federal agencies, ensuring all stakeholders are situationally aware of all existing research before making policy recommendations.

Importantly, this bill also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, informed by the working group report, to submit a strategic plan to Congress to improve patient outcomes to cure our chronic Lyme sufferers. This plan will include benchmarks to measure progress, ultimately ensuring we spend the taxpayer dollars wisely and find solutions and cures that are long overdue.

Finally, this bill is dedicated to those chronic Lyme sufferers out there who have been ill for years, at times seemingly without hope, wondering if anyone in Washington was listening or cared. We hear you. We do care. Today we pass this legislation to help you get better.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address a solemn and pressing issue that unfortunately has not received the attention that is warranted. This issue is the illegal capture, transport, ongoing detainment, and upcoming trial of First Lieutenant Nadiya Viktorivna Savchenko of the Ukrainian Army by pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists and, now, the Russian Government.

Lieutenant Savchenko, whose first name Nadiya means ``hope'' in Ukrainian, is a true patriot and hero. She was born in 1981 in what was then the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and grew up in that Soviet Union-aligned Republic.

At the early age of 16, 1 year younger than myself when I joined the United States military, Nadiya joined the Ukrainian Army as a radio operator and started an incredible and groundbreaking career in service to a free and independent Ukraine.

Now 33, she has not only been trained as an elite paratrooper, she also became the first female air force pilot in

the Ukrainian military. Her exemplary time in uniform includes service in Iraq between 2004 and 2008 as a member of Ukrainian peacekeeping troops, during which time she served alongside and earned the respect of U.S. personnel, including Special Operations Forces.

In fact, her tour in Iraq overlapped with part of my own time serving in that theater. I personally know the hardships and exemplary work done by our coalition forces during that difficult period, including Nadiya's Ukrainian contingent.

She has since become a national hero and icon, serving in the 3rd Army Aviation Regiment and being recognized by Ukrainian defense forces and the United Nations. Nadiya also became a leading national figure in the Euromaidan demonstrations, which led to the fall of President Viktor Yanukovych.

After Yanukovych, pro-Russian forces began stoking anger and violence across Ukraine's eastern provinces and the Crimean Peninsula. Lieutenant Savchenko then joined one of many volunteer, pro-government units that were organized to supplement deployed government forces. As the leader in the Aidar Battalion, she served alongside Ukrainian military personnel and civilians alike to quell the Russian-supplied, - trained, -supported, and -supplemented separatist forces.

On June 28, Nadiya was captured by the separatists. After several days of unknown whereabouts, she resurfaced in Russia in the custody of the Russian Government on charges of murdering two Russian journalists. Access to her by family and Ukrainian officials has been very limited, and calls for her release based on her illegal capture, transport, transfer, and detention have gone unanswered. This is unacceptable. As Americans, we must recognize those who have fought alongside us and those who have stood up for democracy and freedom across the globe. Furthermore, we cannot let international law and due process be violated by any entity or nation.

For these reasons, I call on the United States Government and the United Nations to take immediate action to seek release of First Lieutenant Nadiya Viktorivna Savchenko. If she, a citizen of the sovereign state of Ukraine and a war hero, is to face trial, she must be granted the full ability to do so in an open, transparent, and unbiased venue such as through the international court system or be granted the privilege of a full and proper investigation by her own country. Lieutenant Savchenko deserves due process of law. I further call on Russia to comply with its international obligations and immediately release Nadiya Savchenko to her family or appropriate authorities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the retirement of Command Sergeant Major Frank Wicks. Command Sergeant Major Wicks has served the people of New York and the United States admirably throughout his career. He will be missed.

Born in Troy, New York, Command Sergeant Major Wicks entered the Army in November 1982 and attended Basic Training in Fort Dix, New Jersey, and advanced individual training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

His assignments include the 205th Support Group, 2nd Battalion 105th Infantry, Headquarters 42nd Infantry Division, Company A 204th Engineer Battalion, Headquarters 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry, 2nd Battalion 106th Regiment, 1st Battalion 108th Infantry, Headquarters 27th Brigade Combat Team, and Headquarters 53rd Troop Command. His Command Sergeant Major assignments include 2nd Battalion 106th Regiment, 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry in Utica, NY, 27th Infantry Brigade in Syracuse, NY, and the 53rd Troop Command, Valhalla, NY.

Command Sergeant Major Wicks has served in every leadership position from Team Leader to Command Sergeant Major. He has also served as an Instructor at the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. In October 2003, CSM Wicks mobilized and deployed as the 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry and Task Force Hunter Command Sergeant Major to the Sunni Triangle, Iraq, serving as the Senior Noncommissioned Officer in the conduct of combat and stability operations of the Task Force during Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

His military education includes all four Noncommissioned Officers Development Courses culminating in his graduation from the Sergeants Major Academy in June of 2002. Command Sergeant Major Wicks has earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from NYACK College.

Command Sergeant Major Wicks' awards and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with bronze oak leaf cluster), Army Commendation Medal (with 2 bronze oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with bronze oak leaf cluster), Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 4 bronze oak leaf clusters), National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (``M'' device 4th award, bronze hourglass), the NCO Professional Development Ribbon (with numeral 4), Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, and the Combat Infantry Badge.

Yet, Command Sergeant Major Wicks' career is much more than a list of accolades. While those are important and serve as a testament to his knowledge, drive, and continual self-improvement, more important are the lives across New York, the United States, and the world that Command Sergeant Major Wicks' has impacted for the better. On behalf of all those individuals, directly or indirectly, impacted by Command Sergeant Major Wicks throughout his career I express my deepest appreciation for his leadership and wish him and his family the best in their next endeavor.

Mr. Chair, I want to thank my friend Sean Patrick Maloney. We are working together on this amendment, and we are fighting for our constituents.

We just came through last winter, one of the harshest winters for those in upstate New York, where we saw our gas and home heating prices rise. We saw our electricity prices double. And yet as my friend Mr. Maloney just pointed out, we see that FERC wants to continue on and has moved forward with this new capacity zone, which they claim is going to lead to more generation.

But, look, these rising rates, they are not necessary. We already have interest in our region for more generation, and this is just more burden on our constituents.

And if you take a look at how this is impacting across the area, this is hurting hardworking families. It is impacting small businesses. So we are talking about a loss of jobs, we are talking about heartache on families, all for something that is unnecessary. And, as Mr. Maloney pointed out, this is coming from FERC, which has really been unaccountable when it comes to our concerns.

Mr. Maloney and I, our Governor, one of our Senators--we have had leaders at every echelon reach out to FERC and explain to them, especially given the harsh winter that we went through and the fact that it is unnecessary. This is tone-deaf and outrageous that they are going forward. We want to fight this.

We thank the chairman and ranking member for their acknowledgement in the report language. Going forward, we think that will be helpful. But we need relief right now.

We are asking for support for this amendment. We think this is the right thing to do. And I would ask all my colleagues to stand up. Let's fight for families. Let's fight for small business.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Winnakee Land Trust, an organization dedicated to preserving the beautiful history and nature of northern Dutchess County, New York. This Saturday, July 12, the Winnakee Land Trust will be celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary, marking a tremendous achievement in land conservation and care for New York's natural resources.

Founded in 1989, the Winnakee Land Trust was born out of the desire of local Dutchess County residents to protect open spaces and agriculture. The name ``Winnakee'', meaning ``good land,'' comes from the name of a Native American tribe that roamed Dutchess County. In 2011, Winnakee earned accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance, a national conservation organization with high standards for membership.

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, and as an Upstate New Yorker, I am honored to have the privilege of recognizing this great organization. The Winnakee Land Trust has worked hard to engage our community all over the region and build relationships with stakeholders in the towns and villages of Clinton, Hyde Park, Milan, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, and Tivoli, among others.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Winnakee again on twenty-five years of excellence. I look forward to attending their anniversary gala this Saturday, July 12. I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate, and all Americans, to look to their example as a beacon of historic land conservation in our great nation.

I thank my friend and colleague.

Madam Chair, if another country gave arms to a rebel group or another country for the express purpose of attacking our country, we would view that act as an act of war. But for some reason, we don't hold ourselves to that same standard.

If it is the intent of the administration to give arms to any group then, under our Constitution, the administration must first come here and debate it on the floor and get authorization from the people's representatives.

So, Madam Chair, I oppose us getting involved in the Syrian civil war. I believe that there is more that we can do diplomatically to isolate the Assad regime, but I don't think giving arms to any rebel group is in our best interest.

But most certainly, if that is ever to occur, there first has to be an authorization. So I urge my colleague to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the opening of the Ulster County Patriots Project in Kingston, New York. The Patriots Project, which will open on July 2, addresses an issue that plagues many of our veterans, including many in my district--homelessness. Once open, the Patriots Project will provide eight clean and safe rooms, two of which will be handicap-accessible, for Ulster County homeless veterans as they work through the many challenges confronting our veteran population.

I also rise today to thank Ulster County Executive Mike Hein and all the leaders from across Ulster County who made the Patriots Project a reality. I was honored to join with leaders from across the region who wrote letters of support and leveraged a variety of governmental programs to fund the program. Moreover, Mike, his team, and volunteers from across my district donated their time, resources, and expertise to ensure that this noble project came to fruition. On behalf of the people of New York's 19th Congressional District, I thank them.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

First of all, let me begin by recognizing my friend, Chairman Wolf, for his long and distinguished career in public service--a role model for all of us. Let me say also how impressed all of us are with the teamwork of Chairman Wolf's and of Ranking Member Fattah's in putting together this piece of legislation. I am giving it my highest endorsement here.

Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment about an issue that is of grave concern to us in upstate New York, which is of the heroin and opiate epidemic that is going on.

From the stories I have read, this is actually an issue across our country. I will note that the Governor of Vermont spent the time in his State of the State to address this issue. We certainly have to do more on this score.

I have convened meetings in which I have had an opportunity to listen very carefully to district attorneys, to law enforcement professionals, to medical professionals, and to the families of those affected. Without any doubt, we are going to have to do more to address this issue. I see it in three basic categories. One is doing more on prevention. The second is enforcement. The third is treatment. Treatment is handled in the Labor-HHS bill, and I look forward to our addressing that in the weeks to come. Tonight, we can address prevention and enforcement.

I do want to commend the committee, and I do want to read of some specific areas of the bill in which the committee, I think, has done great on this issue.

In DEA Language:

Prescription drug and heroin abuse--the committee is

extremely concerned about the continued threat posed by

prescription drug abuse, as well as about the resurgence of

heroin abuse and overdoses that appear connected to the

enforcement of laws against prescription drug diversion. The

committee has included in its recommendation funding to

support the enhancement of DEA's investigative efforts to

deal with these growing threats and directs DEA to report to

the committee no later than 60 days after the enactment of

this Act on the numbers of actual and estimated heroin

investigations in fiscal years 2013 through 2015, the amounts

and street value of heroin associated with such

investigations and prosecutions resulting from

investigations.

In the DOJ General Administration:

Heroin--the committee notes with concern the increase in

heroin abuse. The Department shall report no later than 90

days after the enactment of this act on potential ways to

address this problem, such as prevention, law enforcement

strategies, prescription drug disposal site expansion, and

other evidence-based approaches.

Then, finally, in Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force:

Heroin--the recent surge in heroin use, overdose deaths,

and trafficking volumes shows it to be one of the gravest

problems now facing law enforcement and the drug treatment

community. DEA noted in its 2013 threat assessment a trend of

users switching to heroin from prescription drug abuse as one

explanation for a rise in overdose deaths and warned that

persons addicted to opioid prescription pills now find highly

pure heroin easier and cheaper to obtain. The committee urges

the Department to intensify its use of task forces to address

this disturbing trend.

I commend the committee for their work on this.

I rise to offer an amendment to increase, by $4 million, the funding for the account that addresses the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. This will help our country--and my district in particular-- in dealing with high-level traffickers and gangs that are selling heroin and opioids. I think this will help.

It will be part of an overarching strategy, and I think it synchronizes with the committee, so I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an exemplary constituent of mine, David J. Crawford, who throughout his lifetime in Columbia County, NY has contributed significantly to economic growth and our sense of community in my home county.

David was born and raised in Germantown, where he played soccer, basketball, and the trumpet while working as a construction laborer in high school. After high school, he first began studying engineering at Columbia-Greene Community College, where he also was the 1st Trumpet in the College's first musical, ``The Music Man.'' He then continued his undergraduate studies at Clarkson University and began his Master of Business Administration at Pace University, before setting off to work as a land surveyor and engineer for firms in Missouri, Michigan, and Indiana.

David returned to New York permanently in 1978 and founded Crawford & Associates Engineering & Land Surveying, P.C. in 1992. He is the current board President of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, past president and treasurer of Friends of Clermont, board member of the Columbia County Historical Society and Columbia County Board of Supervisors' Airport Committee, and past president of the Columbia County Association in the City of New York. Beyond his significant business and charitable contributions to Columbia County and surrounding areas, David has made an indelible mark on our region through his character and personal relationships.

I would like to again thank David for his life of service and business acumen that have immeasurably helped Upstate New York and beyond. It is no surprise to me, nor anyone else who knows him, that he continues to be recognized in a variety of ways, including winning the Columbia County Association in the City of New York 2013 Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award. Thank you David, and keep up the incredible work.