Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, the purpose of this statement is to clarify the scope of the resolution before us. It states that it encompasses Quapaw tribal and individual claims ``other than the legal claims that are pending in the Court of Federal Claims on the date of enactment of this resolution.''

A question arises. If one or more of those currently pending legal claims are dismissed by the Court for lack of jurisdiction, would the dismissed claim be considered ``pending'' for purposes of this resolution?

In my view, the answer is no. Our intention with the reference resolution is to request from the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims a report containing findings of fact and conclusions of law concerning the nature, extent, and character of the Indian-trust related claims of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma and its tribal members for compensation. As the language of the resolution suggests, these claims may be legal or equitable in nature, and exclude only the claims that are already within the jurisdiction of the Court of Federal Claims (including the statute of limitations) and are already pending in the Court of Federal Claims on the date of enactment. If a claim is dismissed as being outside the statute of limitations or for jurisdictional reasons, in my view, it was not pending on the date of enactment.

The intent behind the resolution is to have the Court review and render a final and complete resolution of all such claims--that resolution to occur either in the pending cases under the jurisdiction already granted the Court of Federal Claims by the Indian Tucker Act or else under the terms of H. Res. 668.

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to recognize the 80th anniversary of the Federal Home Loan Bank system. Chartered by Congress in 1932, the Federal Home Loan Bank system consists of 12 regional banks acting as a reliable source of critical funding for community financial institutions to finance housing and economic development.

The Federal Home Loan Banks provide safe, affordable liquidity to nearly 8,000 banks, thrifts, credit unions, insurance companies and community development financial institutions in every state. As such, they are an essential partner for community and economic development across the country.

The Federal Home Loan Banks operate under a cooperative model with ownership resting in its regional members and a management team focused on safety and soundness. This has protected taxpayers over the FHLBanks' entire 80-year history. During the recent economic downturn, the FHLBanks received no taxpayer support, and they were a vital player in supporting a broader U.S. housing market recovery.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the Affordable Housing Program administered by the Federal Home Loan Banks and funded by contributions of 10 percent of the earnings from each of the FHLBanks. This important program represents the largest single source of private sector grants for housing and community development in the country. The Federal Home Loan Banks have distributed approximately $4.6 billion in private grants through their Affordable Housing Program since its inception in 1990. These grants have helped provide 1.5 million housing units to deserving families in every corner of the country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man of determination, service, and integrity--State Representative Paul Roan of Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

Roan, a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, has served his district and state with distinction during the years of 2000 to 2012.

Paul's legislative work has been devoted to helping Oklahoma's brave veterans and emergency responders, protecting the state's natural resources and improving education for young people.

His personal career has been built on a foundation of public service. Roan proudly served our country as a member of the United States Air Force, he then spent time as an educator, a police officer and was elected Deputy Sheriff of Pontotoc County, followed by over 20 years of service as an Oklahoma Highway Patrol State Trooper.

Representative Roan has been a civic leader in the Oklahoma community for several years, serving as 1st Vice-President of the Oklahoma State Troopers Association, President of Tishomingo Lions Club, Master of Tishomingo Masonic Lodge #91, and a member of Johnston County Chamber of Commerce and American Legion Post 164.

It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to acknowledge not only his successes in the Oklahoma legislature, but also as a devoted father and family man.

Paul Roan is the husband of Betty Roan and father of Chris, Brad, and Angela Roan. The 20th House District of Oklahoma is a better place because of the service of Paul Roan.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of L.L. Powell, Jr. of Ashland, Oklahoma, who suddenly died on June 29, 2012. I extend my deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and the community of Ashland for their loss.

L.L. will be remembered as a dedicated and thoughtful servant to his community. While he will be missed tremendously by all who knew him, he leaves with us a legacy of service that will inspire others to follow in his footsteps for many years to come.

As an employee of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, Oklahoma, where he worked for 22 years, L.L. was part of the important effort to produce and field munitions to far corners of the globe for use by the U.S. military. As many will tell you, the ammunition plant is the pride of southeastern Oklahoma, and no one took its mission more seriously than L.L.

He was a man of many roles at the ammunition plant. In his capacity as president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 2815, L.L. was an advocate for his fellow federal employees. A calm and steady hand, he worked effectively to resolve disputes and problems. Each spring he traveled to Washington to brief my staff and me on employee issues at the ammunition plant. I could always count on him to shoot me straight.

Work was but one place where L.L. made his mark. Always answering the call of duty, he provided a valuable public service to his community by working for the Ashland Volunteer Fire Department. He was an avid supporter of local little league athletic programs, including football and basketball, and participated in local activities such as Pittsburg Play Day, Founder's Day, and the Savanna Booster Club, among many others.

Above all things, L.L. was a man who was dedicated to his family. He treasured his wife, Jeannie, and four children. In addition, he enjoyed nothing more than spending time with his twelve grandchildren and close friends.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, L.L. was not only someone with whom I enjoyed working on issues of importance to southeastern Oklahoma, but a trusted friend and confidant. Like his family members, friends, and the community of Ashland, I will miss his presence tremendously.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4157, the Preserving America's Family Farms Act.

I commend my friend from Iowa (Mr. Latham) and his entire staff for all of their hard work on ensuring that the Department of Labor's proposed rule to restrict family farm tradition be reversed.

In December, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed updated regulations on labor practices for minors in agricultural operations, including a rule that would have prevented children under the age of 16 from performing certain duties on farms. Historically, family farms have been exempted from such rules, but the new proposal could have been interpreted broadly to exclude operations that are partly owned by extended family members.

In response to the proposed rule, Congressman Latham and I introduced H.R. 4157. The bill protects the family farm tradition by directing the Secretary of Labor to recognize and understand the unique circumstances of family farm youth and multigenerational family partnerships when drafting regulations now and in the future.

In April, the administration announced that, as a result of loud opposition, they would not finalize the proposed rule. Although I am very pleased that they have decided to abandon the flawed rule and listen to thousands of voices among our rural communities, passage of H.R. 4157 will ensure that, in the future, the Department of Labor does not reissue this proposal or any other rule that would have a similar effect on our family farms.

This legislation encourages the administration to work collaboratively with rural stakeholders, such as farmers and ranchers, to understand issues that affect our communities and our way of life.

Family farms have a long history of providing invaluable work ethic and leadership experience to future farmers. Many of these young folks dedicate their entire lives to providing us with an abundant and safe marketplace, so we owe it to them to protect the foundation on which this American spirit of hard work is built.

Please join me, my friend Congressman Latham, and the over 93 bipartisan cosponsors to pass this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong--very strong--support of H.R. 2362, the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011.

In an effort to reduce unemployment and incentivize investment, H.R. 2362 allows--again, we have said this all along the debate--all 155 World Trade Organization countries to participate in a trial trade program directly with sovereign Native American tribes in the United States. Specifically, it would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to select up to six tribes to participate in a program that would allow them to use their land for economic development.

In addition to creating jobs, H.R. 2362 would provide a path for economic empowerment of tribes and encourages foreign and domestic investment in Indian Country. With this bill, we can give tribes the means and the authority to address specific issues plaguing Indian Country.

I want to also, as Mr. Moran and many other members on our side of the aisle have done, commend my good friend, Mr. Cole, for his diligence on this issue, for his persistence and for all that he has done for Indian Country. Mr. Cole mentioned in his debate earlier that there are a lot of different organizations that are supporting this legislation. He talked about NCAI and a whole list of others.

Again, if you ask Indian Country, ``Do you support this bill?'' they're saying, ``Yes.'' The other people that are saying, well, we're opposed to it, it's not coming from Indian Country. It's not coming from places like my home State of Oklahoma.

So I ask my colleagues that are watching this debate to give their deepest consideration and to support this legislation. Again, I want to say ``thank you'' to Mr. Cole, to the chairman and to all the other Members who are supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1369, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1021 Pennsylvania Avenue in Hartshorne, Oklahoma, as the Warren Lindley Post Office, a bill that has the support of the entire Oklahoma delegation.

All of us who knew Warren knew him for his caring heart. Warren Lindley proved time and again that he would go to great lengths to assist his community. The naming of a post office facility after this great man would not only honor his accomplishments, but also those of the community that he cared so much about and worked so hard to improve.

After purchasing a grocery store in Hartshorne, Oklahoma, in 1979, Warren realized that as a small business owner, he could greatly contribute to the economic success of his town. In the years following his initial purchase, Warren helped to open a convenience store, a car wash, a laundromat, a medical clinic, and a water company in order to provide more job opportunities for people in his growing community.

However, his charity did not end there. During a historic ice storm, Warren worked to secure food, water, and other necessary items for his townspeople, even personally delivering the goods to those that were most in need. In addition to hiring many local students for their first job, Warren provided numerous employees with the guidance and encouragement needed to earn scholarships for college and grow confident in their future.

Warren Lindley was a self-made businessman, a respected community leader, a beloved friend, and an admirable citizen. A post office named in his honor will serve as a reminder to the Hartshorne community to live each day in the service and support of one another.

I know tonight that his widow, Clidia, and his family is watching, and they are very proud that his legacy will go on. We will miss Warren Lindley.

I urge passage of this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H. Res. 397, to reinstate the House Page Program, which was terminated in August of 2011.

This is in the context of the Legislative Branch appropriations. Unfortunately, this amendment was not made

in order, but we're going to work with the committee as we go forward.

The House Page Program was an institution older than Congress, itself. Dating back to the first Continental Congress in 1774, House pages supported Congress by delivering messages, answering phones in the cloakrooms, and serving on the House floor. Young people who served as House pages had the chance to see the inner workings of our government from a perspective many people did not. I had the opportunity to serve as a page for Senator Robert Byrd in 1988, and it is a summer I will never forget. The experience was instrumental in my motivation to become a public servant.

The House Page Program was not only a great opportunity for young people to learn about our government, but the enthusiasm of these young people also reminded us every day of why we are here.

In a time when we are trying to come together and find bipartisan solutions to our Nation's problems, pages serve as a reminder of our future. As we legislate on the House floor, pages served as witnesses to lawmaking that will affect their generation. They remind us to consider viable long-term solutions to the problems facing America.

In September of 2011, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi proposed a new intern initiative to replace the House Page program. While this is a step in the right direction, I believe it is necessary to restore the tradition of young people serving Congress, even before they attend college.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to bring pages back to our Halls.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan and their celebration of Republic Day on May 28.

Azerbaijan first declared independence from the Russian Empire on May 28, 1918. Though the Azerbaijan Republic later succumbed to Soviet forces in 1920, in its 2 years of independence Azerbaijan achieved a number of measures on state-building, armed forces, education, economy, and universal suffrage, from which it benefits today. Azerbaijan restored its independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Azerbaijan is a key global security partner for the United States. Azerbaijan was among the first nations to offer unconditional support for US and its allies in anti-terrorism efforts, providing use of its airspace, airports, and troops for operations in Afghanistan. Azerbaijani troops were also part of international contingent in Kosovo and Iraq.

Azerbaijan has opened Caspian energy resources to development by U.S. companies and has emerged as a key player for global energy security. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project is the most successful project contributing to the development of the South Caucasus region and has become the main artery delivering Caspian Sea hydrocarbons to the U.S. and our partners in Europe.

As a proud Co-Chair of Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus I call my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Republic of Azerbaijan on this important occasion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say a few words about my friend Carole King.

Carole King is a music legend, with hundreds of pop hits, including the recognizable ``I Feel the Earth Move.'' She has won four Grammys, and is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Many of her songs have been featured in commercials, TV shows, and movies, and she has worked with many music icons such as Eric Clapton and Celine Dion.

In addition to her fame as a musician, King is also a strong activist for environmental issues. She is often here in our offices on Capitol Hill fighting for the protection of our wildlife and ecosystems, both in her native Idaho and worldwide.

While Carole and I do not always agree on the issues, I have always been impressed by her tenacity. She is truly dedicated to this cause, and her perseverance is something to be admired. Many of us do not have the opportunity to meet someone like Carole. She has a great heart and is a great asset to America.

I want to congratulate Carole King on all of her accomplishments. It has been a pleasure to work with her over the years.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. I'm proud to have been a part of this bipartisan effort, led by Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Ruppersberger, to bring this bill to the floor today.

There is one fact on which everyone can agree: our country must strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities. To achieve this, we need the cooperation of industry, government, and our citizens, and we need to protect the unique interests of each of these groups.

Some may be asking the question, how does this bill protect American industry? It gives private companies the ability to receive classified information from the government to protect their networks. The bill also gives them flexibility to share information with the government without compromising their business equities or harming their customers. This information-sharing partnership will enhance government efforts to analyze and understand malicious codes and other cyberthreats.

I think companies that have publicly supported this legislation have gotten a bad rap in the press. I think we all need to remember that these American companies are not the enemy. They employ thousands of Americans and provide essential cyberservices to millions of people. They are profit-making entities that want to satisfy their customers and grow their businesses. These American companies have absolutely no motivation to send private customer information to the government or anyone else. In fact, they have every reason to protect it.

Under this legislation, American companies will enhance their capability to protect the private information of their customers by receiving classified assistance from the government. Moreover, they will help their customers and the country by voluntarily informing the government of malware and other malicious conduct and threats that emerge from their networks. But that is not the only way that this bill protects our citizens' privacy. It restricts the government's use and retention of any personal information that companies may choose to share. In addition, it directs the intelligence community inspector general to monitor and report any abuse of users' privacy.

Finally, we must also remember that the government is not the enemy. The intelligence community does not want to squander this opportunity to improve our Nation's cybersecurity by abusing the civil liberties or privacy of American citizens. To this end, the bill specifies that the government can only use the information it receives from the private sector for purposes directly related to addressing cyberthreats, national security, and threats to life and limb.

In closing, this legislation strikes the appropriate balance between the interests of the private sector industry, the Federal Government, and private citizens.

It will help our country avoid a potential cybercatastrophe that could threaten our national security and endanger our economic prosperity.

With that, I urge my fellow Members to join me and support this important bill.

Again, I want to say specifically to our ranking member and our chairman, thank you for putting the country's interests ahead of partisan gain. We're working together in this committee, both Democrats and Republicans, to do what is in the best interest of our intelligence community and the United States of America.

Madam Chair, as a Congressman serving on the House Committee on Natural Resources and the past Co-Chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, I support America's sportsmen and the acclaimed activities of hunting and recreational fishing and shooting through the enactment of H.R. 4089.

H.R. 4089 is essential to recognizing the importance of and facilitating the expansion and enhancement of hunting and recreational fishing and shooting. It is a compilation of four different bills (H.R. 2834, H.R. 3440, H.R. 991 and H.R. 1558) that promote and advance these time-honored traditions. The Sportsmen's Heritage Act reaffirms that hunting and recreational fishing and shooting are important activities by providing a sound legislative foundation for the advancement of America's sporting heritage.

Seventy-five years ago, the conservation community, including hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and related industries, supported the use of funds from an excise tax on firearms and ammunition--along with the dedicated revenue from hunting and fishing licenses--to be used exclusively by state fish and wildlife agencies to professionally manage fish and wildlife populations and provide access for sportsmen and the larger public to enjoy the benefits of this management. This funding mechanism was eventually expanded to include the fishing and boating communities as well as the archery community. Accordingly, these groups produced the American System of Conservation Funding: a unique ``user pays--public benefits'' approach. This user- pays funding strategy has produced numerous public benefits including: abundant fish and wildlife populations, access to public lands and clean waters, improved fish and wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, wetland protection and associated water filtration and flood retention functions, improved soil and water conservation, shooting ranges and boating access facilities that are available for the

enjoyment of the entirety of the American public--hunters and non- hunters alike. In addition, sportsmen are an economic powerhouse. They directly support jobs, generate billions of dollars in Federal, State and local tax revenues, and invigorate the economies of local communities by spending their money on travel, lodging, food, sporting equipment, and so much more while participating in their sport.

Hunting and recreational fishing and shooting are the beating heart of conservation in the United States. This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program--a program supported and made possible by the dollars of our Nation's sportsmen. Given the current celebration of the success of this program, it seems timely to support our sportsmen by enacting legislation that will provide them with more opportunities to participate in their sport. We as a legislature must come together-- overcoming partisanship and working collaboratively with our partners in the Senate--to promote, advance and protect our Nation's sporting heritage. I support our Nation's sportsmen and I urge you to join me in supporting H.R. 4089.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in honor of my dear friend Frank Cantey, who after 11 years of service will be retiring from his role as Sheriff of Mayes County, Oklahoma.

Frank has been in law enforcement since 1973, when he started taking criminal justice classes while working at the Contra Costa County Campus Police Department in California. In 1979, he moved to Oklahoma and has since served on the force in both Delaware and Mayes Counties.

After retiring from the Police Department, Cantey was elected Sheriff of Mayes County and took office in 2001. He has served Oklahoma honorably and kept Mayes County safe over the past 11 years. As a member of the Executive Board of the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association, Frank has worked to support public safety through training, education and the promotion of positive interaction among all criminal justice agencies across the state.

I had the honor of getting to know Cantey during my first election, and I enjoy seeing him perform in his famous band, the Law Dawgs.

Frank has always been dedicated to his wife, Linda, and their two sons Jason and Jeff. It is because of this commitment that he has chosen to retire. I wish Frank the best of luck in his endeavors, and thank him for his tireless commitment to Oklahoma.

Mr. Speaker, last week the world lost an incredible journalist, and Oklahoma lost a son: Anthony Shadid. At the time of his death Anthony was covering the turmoil in Syria, despite the many attempts to limit media coverage of the violence. This attitude marked Anthony's entire career--he put the importance of sharing information before his personal safety. For 15 years, Anthony worked relentlessly to investigate and bring to light the events in the Middle East.

Anthony was a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for his reporting on the US invasion of Iraq in 2004 and for the withdrawal of US troops six years later, but he transcended traditional reporting. He was unafraid as he pushed into the front lines, and he often faced dangerous situations head-on.

While Anthony Shadid will always be remembered for his courageous reporting, he also leaves behind a loving family. Anthony's wife, Nada Bakri, is also a reporter for the New York Times; Anthony also has two young children, Malik and Laila. Several members of his family remain in Oklahoma, including his cousin Ed Shadid, a city councilman in Oklahoma City.

My family's deepest sympathies go out to the Shadid's and everyone else whose life was touched by Anthony.

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.

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 covered 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 and was destroyed after the attack. Hundreds were killed or injured.

Twenty years later, the cause of this conflict has not yet been resolved. As the Presidents of the United States, Russia and France underlined in their statement at the Deauville Summit in May 26, 2011, the current status quo is unacceptable.

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.