Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, Israel has a responsibility to protect its citizens. Hamas has blatantly ignored any cease-fire agreements by assailing Israel with thousands of rocket and mortar attacks during the last 8 years, nearly half during this last year, including the 6-month so-called cease-fire.

Israel has the right to defend its people from terrorist attacks and is only taking the actions currently taken in direct response to Hamas policy.

Madam Speaker, I support this resolution, H. Res. 34, and I urge its adoption.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Major Dale Myers, United States Air Force. While serving on my staff as a Legislative Fellow during this Second Session of the 110th Congress, Dale has shown an exceptional commitment to duty in his daily pursuit of excellence. During his tenure here on the Hill, Dale worked on a myriad of legislative matters for me from developing draft legislation to staffing hearings and briefings.

A natural leader, Dale personifies his strengths while engaged in matters relating to taking care of our men and women in uniform. His contributions to my efforts on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Veterans' Affairs Committee will have a resonating impact on our military service members and veterans for years to come.

Further, Dale has made a positive and lasting impact on my staff by increasing their knowledge of the inner workings of the Department of Defense. In doing this, he has given them a greater appreciation and respect for the hard work and dedication exemplified by those individuals working exhaustively to support the men and women serving on the forefront of America's defense. As he transitions to his next Air Force assignment, I thank

Major Dale Myers for his numerous contributions and wholeheartedly wish him the very best of luck with his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009.

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: 3600F RDT & E, Air Force, Line 13, PE 0602601F.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Aeroflex.

Address of Requesting Entity: 4350 Centennial Blvd. Colorado Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.

Description of Request: $1.6 million is included in this bill for Radiation Hardened Non-Volatile Memory. This request is intended to aide in the development of radiation hardened non-volatile memory technology to be used in a variety of applications, principally satellites.

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: RDTE, AF.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Goodrich Corporation.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1275 North Newport Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80916.

Description of Request: $5.6 million is included in this bill to fund ACES 5 ejection-seat development and testing for the Air Force- variant F-35 to enable insertion into F-35 LRIP to leverage the most capable and safest ejection seat ever developed and ensure that the U.S. preserves the domestic capability to produce vital life saving ejection seat systems for the Air Force.

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: RDT&E.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Analytical Graphics, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 7150 Campus Drive, Suite 260, Colorado Springs, CO.

Description of Request: $800,000 is included in this bill to incorporate space object data, improve navigation accuracy prediction (including jamming and weapons modeling), and integrate electronic warfare (EW) analysis into a common operational environment for Army support teams. The user friendly interface will couple real time data integration with currently deployed and supported data feeds, including imagery, terrain, GPS status, electronic warfare environment, and terrestrial weather.

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Air Force.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Finmeccanica of North America.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1625 I Street, NW., Floor 12, Washington, DC 20006.

Description of Request: $800,000 is included in this budget to demonstrate and qualify in a cold climate an innovative, energy efficient, alternative power technology, on an energy intensive Air Force installation. Utilizing tactical or readily available fuels, this first phase of qualifying will place a next generation power generator in a military environment while showcasing all the benefits (monetary, environmental, and technical) this technology can provide within various scenarios, such as ``Silent Camp'' or ``Islanding''.

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Research, Development, Evaluation, & Test, DW.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Northrop Grumman Corporation.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1000 Wilson Blvd, Suite 2300 Arlington, VA 22209.

Description of Request: $10 million is included in this budget for Missile Defense Integration & Operations Center (MDIOC) modeling and simulation. This ensures early Warfighter involvement and realistic BMDS operational concepts for the fielded system that will protect U.S. Homeland, our Allies, and U.S. troops from the threat of ballistic missile attack.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the recent accomplishments of the Bruce McCandless Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home. This superior performing facility is the recipient of the highly coveted American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living's (AHCA/NCAL) Quality Award and is the Nation's first state veterans nursing home accepted into the Eden Alternative Registry. The Eden Alternative Registry is a grass roots non-profit organization whose core value centers on a holistic belief of quality care and empowerment of the aging.

For over 32 years, the Bruce McCandless Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home has been providing 24-hour, skilled nursing care to veterans and their families, and I am proud to commend them on their well-deserved achievements. Their superiority is exhibited not only by being one of four long-term care facility award recipients in Colorado, but as one of only 312 long-term care facilities in the United States to have qualified for the AHCA/NCAL Step I award.

These prestigious accomplishments exemplify the Bruce McCandless Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home's commitment to providing the very best of care to some of our Nation's finest--our veterans. Their continuous strive to meet the needs of their residents clearly demonstrates a strong commitment to continuous quality improvement and I am pleased to have this facility within both my district and the great state of Colorado.

Madam Speaker, Pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of S. 3001, the FY09 Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act:

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: 3600F RDT&E, Air Force, Line 13, PE 0602601F.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Aeroflex.

Address of Requesting Entity: 4350 Centennial Blvd. Colorado Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.

Description of Request: $2 million is included in this bill for Radiation Hardened Non-Volatile Memory. This request is intended to aide in the development of radiation hardened non-volatile memory technology to be used in a variety of applications, principally satellites.

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: RDTE, AF.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Goodrich Corporation.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1275 North Newport Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80916.

Description of Request: $6 million is included in this bill to fund ACES 5 ejection-seat development and testing for the Air Force-variant F-35 to enable insertion into F-35 LRIP to leverage the most capable and safest ejection seat ever developed and ensure that the U.S. preserves the domestic capability to produce vital life saving ejection seat systems for the Air Force.

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: RDT&E.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Analytical Graphics, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 7150 Campus Drive, Suite 260, Colorado Springs, CO.

Description of Request: $1 million is included in this bill to incorporate space object data, improve navigation accuracy prediction, including jamming and weapons modeling, and integrate electronic warfare (EW) analysis into a common operational environment for Army support teams. The user friendly interface will couple real time data integration with currently deployed and supported data feeds, including imagery, terrain, GPS status, electronic warfare environment, and terrestrial weather.

Requesting Member: Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Air Force.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Finmeccanica of North America.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1625 Eye Street NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20006.

Description of Request: $1 million is included in this budget to demonstrate and qualify in a cold climate an innovative, energy efficient, alternative power technology, on an energy intensive Air Force installation. Utilizing tactical or readily available fuels, this first phase of qualifying will place a next generation power generator in a military environment while showcasing all the benefits, monetary, environmental, and technical this technology can provide within various scenarios, such as ``Silent Camp'' or ``Islanding''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as my colleagues across the aisle try to deceive the American people with this none-of-the-above, no energy plan. H.R. 6899, the Democrat energy bill, does nothing to address lawsuits from radical environmentalists, which means that leases will be tied up in court for years. It allows no drilling within 50 miles of American shores. This alone rules out most of the promising areas in the Gulf of Mexico. It gives no revenue sharing to States that allow offshore drilling. This bill would actually cost these States money. States will have no incentive to allow drilling from 50 to 100 miles. It imposes tax increases on oil companies right when they need to invest in new development. These tax hikes will be passed on to consumers and will raise the price of gasoline and home heating oil. It does nothing to promote oil shale, nuclear power, clean coal, new refineries or Alaskan oil.

I am concerned about using oil shale in particular, being from Colorado. According to estimates, there are 1.23 trillion barrels of oil in oil shale deposits just in government-owned lands. This legislation does not provide a solution that advances oil shale development. It is estimated that access to this American supply of energy could supply American domestic gasoline needs for 200 years.

In essence, the Democrat bill does not open up offshore drilling as it purports to do. It makes no progress on other major sources of energy. And it actually raises the cost of oil and gas through tax hikes and raises the cost of electricity through its renewable energy standards. This bill is not just a sham and a fraud, though it is that. It will actually damage our economy. It will kill jobs, and it threatens our economic future as a country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Ambassador Jason C. Yuan on his recent appointment as the Taiwan Representative to the United States. Ambassador Yuan's extraordinary career of diplomatic service spans more than 40 years. His previous assignments include Assistant and Acting Naval Attach, Embassy of the Republic of China in the United States; Representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada; Ambassador of the Republic of China to Panama; Director General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles; and Vice Chair, Non Government Organization Affairs Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China. Ambassador Yuan's distinguished career has been marked by numerous awards including the Scholarship Medal and twice the recipient of the Foreign Service Medal. Through his extensive experience in fostering goodwill among nations combined with his admirable sense of duty and commitment to diplomatic service, I say with the utmost of confidence that Mr. Yuan will be a valuable asset to this relationship. I applaud Ambassador Yuan's appointment to this assignment and look forward to working with him for years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the ongoing career of Mr. Erik Russell as recognized for the 2008 Colorado Aerospace Education Foundation Teacher of the Year Award. His commitment to education in the areas of Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) has made a tremendous impact on the 4th graders that he teaches at Odyssey Elementary School in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

As the program director for the Engineering is Elementary Program, Mr. Russell has set the standard for future STEM educators. Mr. Russell's dedication to STEM education has garnered more than $10,000 in grants and donations. From rocketry to Lego robotics and weightless flights to symposiums, his work to bring innovative ideas and real world applications to the classroom clearly ranks him among the best in the education profession.

Mr. Russell's work extends beyond the classroom to the local military, the aerospace industry, and the Air Force Association. His noteworthy accomplishments have also been recognized by the Wall Street Journal.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize the accomplishments of Mr. Eric Russell. I applaud his selfless dedication to students and to the future of STEM education.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 674, a bill to amend title XXXVIII, United States Code, to permanently establish the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans which is set to expire on December 31, 2009. I commend my colleague from Illinois, Luis Gutierrez, for introducing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, in 1994 under Public Law 103-446, the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act, Congress established the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. The committee is comprised of veterans who represent their respective minority groups and are recognized authorities in fields pertinent to their needs. The committee's goal is to promote the use of VA programs, benefits, and services by minority veterans, to make benefits and services more accessible to minority veterans, and to evaluate current programs and make recommendations on how the VA can better serve minority veterans.

As I said, current authority for the committee is set to expire December 31, 2009. By supporting H.R. 674, we eliminate the expiration date and permanently extend this important committee to ensure the perspectives of minority veterans are considered during the establishment of VA benefits and services. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of H.R. 5892, as amended, the Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to modernize the VA disability benefits claims processing system and to ensure the accurate and timely delivery of compensation to veterans and their families.

I commend my colleague from New York, Subcommittee Chairman John Hall, for introducing this comprehensive bill, which has been a culmination of thought and of a great deal of cooperative effort to make substantial improvements to the veterans' benefits claims process. I appreciate the bipartisan manner in which we have worked together to bring this bill to the floor.

Not long ago, the VA's health care system was in such a poor state that it was derided in movies like Born on the Fourth of July. Now the VA's state-of-the-art medical care is cited in top medical journals and in a number of other respected publications. I believe the VA can make similar progress on the benefits side of the department.

This bipartisan bill is intended to improve benefits claims processing so that our veterans receive their benefits with the speed and accuracy that they deserve. It is comprised of a number of measures that have as their foundation the collective recommendations of Democrats, Republicans, veterans' service organizations, and two blue ribbon commissions on veterans' benefits.

These recommendations include the utilization of information technology, a quality and training assessment program for the certification of each VA claims processor, a study of a new rating schedule that reflects the loss of quality of life and the loss of earnings.

The VA rating schedule now is a complex set of regulations used to determine the appropriate level of compensation for veterans' disabilities. We must ensure that the rating schedule compensates veterans for both the loss of earnings and for the loss of quality of life. The schedule must also be reflective of the contemporary job market to ensure parity in disability ratings.

While the VA has made adjustments over the course of many decades, it is still obviously important that Congress continues to work with VA and with its stakeholders to ensure that the rating schedule is as accurate and is as up to date as possible.

In addition, H.R. 5892 will allow an eligible dependent to substitute for a claimant who passes away while a disability claim is pending rather than to begin the claims process all over again. This provision was taken from H.R. 3047, a bill that I introduced, and I'm glad to see it included in this bill.

By supporting H.R. 5892, we will initiate steps to ensure that VA benefits and services are of unsurpassed value to veterans. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Offered By: Mr. Lamborn

Amendment No. 12: In section 127, insert after ``action''

the following: ``(other than the purchase of land from a

willing seller)''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the energy crisis gripping our country. The time has come for America to unite behind an aggressive campaign to reduce our dependence on foreign energy. Failure to act now will only drive up energy prices and destroy good-paying jobs.

Solving this crisis requires producing more American energy. We must lift the moratorium imposed by Congress on offshore drilling. Also, we must remove the roadblocks preventing leasing programs for oil shale on public lands. Finally, we must allow responsible drilling in ANWR. Doing these things will have an immediate impact on gasoline prices.

President Bush this week lifted the executive moratorium on new oil and gas exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf. This is an important first step but must be followed by action from Congress to finish the job. Billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas are available to America if we do this. We are the only country in the world not using the energy at its disposal.

Congress must act immediately to help lower gasoline prices for all Americans.

I thank my colleague from Florida.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in support of this resolution, H. Res. 1312, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the United States Space Foundation. Founded in March of 1983 by a small group of pioneering individuals in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Space Foundation serves to advance America's space-related endeavors to inspire, enable, and propel humanity. This nonprofit organization is a leader in advancing space exploration, development, and use of space and space education for the benefit of all humankind and embraces all aspects of space including commercial, civilian, and national security components.

The Space Foundation's leadership in international space advocacy has led to their membership in the United States Delegation to the United States Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and recognize the contributions made by the Space Foundation and commemorate their 25 years of excellence in support of this Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise with my colleague, Representative Chris Smith, and others to strongly oppose funding Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers with Federal taxpayer dollars.

Today, in America, in order for a minor girl to receive an aspirin at school, or to pierce her ears, or to get a tattoo, she must not only inform her parents, but they must give written permission or be there in person. Shouldn't mothers and fathers be involved in their daughter's decision about something as major as getting an abortion?

Abortion is a major surgical procedure. It is dangerous and wrong to cut parents out of this significant medical decision. Over half the States have realized the necessity of parental involvement in this life-changing decision and have passed laws requiring parental involvement.

In polls, 80 percent or more of Americans want parental involvement in a decision by their minor girl in getting an abortion.

Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry, however, seek to remove minors from the guidance of their parents. For example, Planned Parenthood illegally performed an abortion on a 14-year-old girl in Ohio without the knowledge or consent of her parents. As a result, this 14-year-old girl, a victim of statutory rape, had no guidance or support besides that of the abortionist and the 21-year-old boyfriend who had impregnated her.

Planned Parenthood is actively working against parental involvement laws. They recently worked with others to defeat a parental notification initiative in California which barely lost. They want to keep mothers and fathers in the dark, while their daughters undergo a life-changing event alone.

For these reasons, the Federal Government has absolutely no business funding Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers, especially not with our taxpayer dollars. Congress must pass H.R. 4133 which would prohibit Federal funding for these abortion providers.

I urge Members of Congress to think about their own daughters and ask, Wouldn't you want to be there with your daughter when she's faced with this life-changing decision?

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to more than 144,000 members of the Navy Armed Guard who served during World War II. Their service protecting merchant ships from enemy attack and ensuring needed supplies, ammunition, and troops made it across the world's oceans was an effort that helped lead America and her allies to victory. In 1998, Congress enacted Public Law 105-261, Section 534, stating Congress' ``appreciation for service during World War I and World War II by members of the Navy assigned onboard merchant ships as the Naval Armed Guard Service.'' Today, I would also like to specifically mention one of my constituents, Mr. Eugene George Brown, and thank him for his service in the Navy Armed Guard. Following his entry into the Navy from Queens, New York, Mr. Brown served more than 3 years in the Navy Armed Guard, protecting the SS ROBIN LOCKSLEY, SS FLOMAR, and SS MILL SPRING in the American, Pacific, Asiatic, European, African, and Middle East theaters of World War II. But most importantly, then Seaman First Class George earned the Victory Medal, with its inscription on the obverse--Freedom From Fear and Want; Freedom of Religion and Speech. Mister Speaker, on behalf of the Congress, I wish to thank Mr. Brown and his more than 144,000 shipmates of the Navy Armed Guard during World War II, and pay tribute to the 1,810 who were killed in action. Their service and sacrifice is recognized and appreciated by a grateful Nation.