Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to Chief Petty Officer Michael A. Nelson, United States Navy, on the occasion of his transfer from the U.S. House of Representatives Liaison Office for the Department of the Navy's Office of Legislative Affairs, while serving as Legislative Chief. I, and many other members of this chamber have had the pleasure of working with him over the past four years, and I am honored to commend Chief Nelson's achievements and recognize his service and devotion to our great nation.

Every day he served in direct support of not only the Navy's Office of Legislative Affairs, but every Member of Congress. His keen abilities in organization, interpersonal relationships, and communication were extremely critical to the successful accomplishment of the Navy's Office of Legislative Affairs mission of serving the U.S. Congress.

While serving in the Liaison office, Chief Nelson routinely turned broad guidance into action, which energized the Office of Legislative Affairs and Members of Congress alike. His actions allowed the Navy to engage Members of Congress and their staffs, directly facilitating the increased emphasis on improving congressional relationships.

During Chief Nelson's tour, he accomplished the full spectrum of the Navy's legislative mission. He exemplified the candor and knowledge that we have come to expect from the Navy and he played a key role in maintaining superb relationships between the Navy and the House of Representatives.

Throughout his tour, Chief Nelson effectively responded to several thousand congressional inquiries, many of which gained national level attention. During his time on Capitol Hill, Chief Nelson successfully planned, coordinated, and escorted over 50 international and domestic congressional and staff delegations. His detailed coordination with foreign government officials, U.S. State Department, and senior military officials ensured that each delegation was conducted professionally and flawlessly. His attention to detail and anticipation of requirements allowed Representatives to focus on fact-finding and gleaning new insights to make informed critical decisions to support the interests of the people of the United States. He has made lasting contributions to the House of Representatives and for that I am eternally gratefully.

I wish Chief Nelson continued success and fulfillment as he transitions to his next duty station. His loyal dedication to duty reflects the highest standards of Naval Service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a first for Accomack County, Virginia, in the 2nd Congressional District which I am honored to represent. On August 4, 2013, the Accomack County Department of Public Safety promoted Fire Medic II Nicholette P. Steffes, to the rank of Fire/EMS Captain, the first female Captain ever in the service of Accomack County. Nicholette joined the Department of Public Safety in 2007 as a recruit fire medic, another first for Accomack County, and after completing her fire training at the Eastern Shore Regional Fire Training Center, and earning her EMT basic certificate, Nicholette began her service as a Fire Medic. After several years of intensive training and course study, much of this on her own time, Nicholette completed her National and Virginia certification as a Paramedic in 2012.

Mr. Speaker, the Accomack Director of Public Safety, Mr. Jeff Terwilliger, should be commended for his leadership and dedication for providing Accomack County with a first class and effective Department of Public Safety. Nicholette is to be congratulated for her hard work, dedication, and achievements in the service to the residents of Accomack County. I am proud to represent the dedicated men and women of the Department of Public Safety, Accomack County Virginia, whose motto is ``Together We Make a Difference."

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this, the people's House, to pay tribute to, to honor, and to remember the lives of 32 American heroes.

Next Tuesday is August 6, and it is the most sobering anniversary in the district I have the privilege to represent. It was on that day in 2011 that enemy fighters in Afghanistan shot down a Chinook helicopter, killing 5 soldiers, 3 airmen, and 24 Navy SEALs. This tragedy marks the heaviest loss of life for our elite Navy SEAL community.

The warriors we lost that day were loving husbands, devoted fathers, brave sons, selfless patriots. While their families struggle with the loss of their own personal hero, our Nation stands with them, and the good folks in Virginia's Second Congressional District stand with them, as well.

Mr. Speaker, men and women have sacrificed for this country at a high cost. I have wrestled with this question, and I do not know why providence calls upon some to give so much, including in cases like this, for young men or young women to give the full measure of sacrifice in defense of our freedom. But I do know this, Mr. Speaker: I know the duty we have to the fallen, and that's to honor and to remember them and to care for their families and to meet our obligation today in this place and across this great land and press on for the freedom and liberty that they indeed gave their life for.

So it is with reverence and respect, Mr. Speaker, and sincere appreciation from one American to the families of the fallen that I will now read the names of these Americans whose lives were taken that day in defense of our country.

These are Navy servicemen killed August 6, 2011:

Jonas B. Kelsall

Louis J. Langlais

Thomas A. Ratzlaff

Craig M. Vickers

Brian R. Bill

John W. Faas

Kevin A. Houston

Matthew D. Mason

Stephen M. Mills

Nicholas H. Null

Robert J. Reeves

Heath M. Robinson

Darrik C. Benson

Christopher G. Campbell

Jared W. Day

John Douangdara

Michael J. Strange

Jon T. Tumilson

Aaron C. Vaughn

Jason R. Workman

Jesse D. Pittman

Nicholas P. Spehar

The five soldiers killed that day:

David R. Carter

Bryan J. Nichols

Patrick D. Hamburger

Alexander J. Bennett

Spencer C. Duncan

And the three airmen killed that day:

John W. Brown

Andrew W. Harvell

Daniel L. Zerbe

Mr. Speaker, as these families continue to struggle with their loss, we continue to pray for them, asking that God will give them a special measure of grace and peace on this day and the days ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor this morning to call for a change in the House calendar.

Mr. Speaker, leaders set priorities. They identify the challenges and opportunities that face their organization, then they assess them and put them in the right order, and then they align their organization's calendar to make sure that those top priorities get addressed. That's what the American people rightfully expect of each of us.

Overall, our calendar and the priorities of the House are right on track. I'm so proud of the legislation that we've passed that would move America to energy independence and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

But in one very critical area we're seriously off track. Our calendar does not reflect the challenges and the top priorities of our country. Specifically, we're not on track to pass all 12 appropriations bills that fund the Federal Government for 2014.

The fact is, we're not even close to passing those bills. And with our current congressional calendar, I cannot possibly see a way that we can pass those bills by September 30, which is the end of the current fiscal year.

This is not without consequence. It damages our economy, job creation. It damages our military in a very real way. And ultimately, it hurts hardworking American families.

Now, let's look at the status of the 12 bills, and then look at the time that remains on the congressional calendar to debate and pass those bills in time to avoid what's referred to as a continuing resolution.

And make no mistake here. A continuing resolution is wholly inadequate as a financial vehicle to fund this government. It has serious adverse consequences, and that's why this topic merits the careful attention of this body, and that's why it merits a change in our congressional calendar.

Well, here are the 12 bills that must be passed. We've passed four of them. Well, that leaves eight. My math's pretty good--there are 12 bills, 4 have been completed.

Now, they're not past due right now, but they surely will be, at least some of them.

As I mentioned, this has serious repercussions. I've spent a tremendous amount of time in our district listening to the hardworking men and women who keep our country safe and those who support them.

Every time we pass a continuing resolution, our military reels with uncertainty. We have a deep obligation to the young men and women around the world who are keeping this country safe to use every dollar wisely to ensure that we get the very best equipment and support to each of them.

That's why I feel so strongly about this issue, and it burdens me when we fail the American people in this respect.

Well, let's look on at the calendar and see what we've got to work with here.

Mr. Speaker, we have 15 calendar days. They're indicated right here in the teal green color. These areas here represent constituent work periods. I work really hard in our constituent work periods. I know that every Member here does. It's important that we're in our districts. There's value to that--to listen and to be accountable to the good folks who sent us here.

That said, a principle function and what the American people are expecting of us is that we pass these 12 appropriations bills. So if what is referred to as the August recess is brought to this body for a vote, I will vote ``no.'' I'll encourage every Member of this body to vote ``no,'' Democrat and Republican. When an organization is facing profound challenges, you do what you must do to set it on a better course. It may be House tradition to break, but I submit that it's not wise.

Mr. Speaker, I really believe we ought to be in session 6 days a week, starting at 8 a.m.--earlier, if it were up to me--and then end around 7 p.m. Six days a week. I'm convinced that just that pressure alone would help us to find some common ground that I know exists in this place. That's why I call for a change in the calendar.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise to speak in support of my amendment, which would prohibit any of the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund to be used to begin new infrastructure projects.

There are a host of amendments that will address current projects. That's not the focus of my amendment. My amendment is focused on new projects.

Mr. Chairman, I have in my hand the summary of an audit provided to Congress on July 12, by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. It contains key findings that really make the case that my amendment is needed. The opening paragraph states this:

More than 10 years after international intervention in

Afghanistan, the U.S. Government, the international

community, and the Afghan Government continue to face

challenges in implementing programs to build basic

infrastructure.

That's certainly consistent with what I observed firsthand during my trip to Afghanistan.

It goes on to say that five of the seven infrastructure projects for fiscal year 2011 are up to 15 months behind schedule. USAID, the lead agency of this effort, certainly doesn't need to be taking on new projects when it can't get control of its current projects.

Really of far more importance and what is so deeply troubling, Mr. Chairman, is what is stated at the close of that same paragraph:

In some instances, these projects may result in adverse

counterinsurgency efforts.

Let that sink in, Mr. Chairman. The Inspector General is making clear to us that the American taxpayers' dollars may be funding infrastructure projects that actually work against our counterinsurgency efforts.

It goes on to state the two reasons why that might occur.

First, these projects create an expectations gap among the affected population; second, they lack citizen support.

Look, even the Afghans don't want some of these projects.

The harsh reality is this, Mr. Chairman: while we're furloughing hardworking Americans who work alongside and support our men and women in uniform, we have poured not millions, but literally billions, $89.4 billion, in reconstruction efforts really into a cauldron of graft and corruption. It's not the way to spend America's tax dollars.

Mr. Chairman, it is time to stop building infrastructure in Afghanistan.

Finally, the Inspector General's report makes clear that we are building infrastructure that the Afghans cannot possibly maintain and sustain. They don't have the money, and they won't have the money. Buildings will deteriorate. Generators will run out of fuel. Lights will go out. Yet we keep building. We keep adding to the national debt.

Look, we're hiring Afghans and laying off American workers. This doesn't make any sense, Mr. Chairman. It's time to stop building infrastructure in Afghanistan.

That is why I urge my colleagues, both sides of the aisle, to look carefully at this issue. I believe that will lead to a vote for my amendment, which will prohibit any of the Afghanistan infrastructure funds be used to begin new infrastructure projects.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I appreciate the comments of both of my colleagues. I certainly don't agree with them. However, if I understood the gentleman correctly who led in opposition, and I do want to get this right, and I will yield if I don't get it correct, but I made the notes here that the gentleman said we have failed the nation, the people of Afghanistan.

I yield to the gentleman.

Don't want to. Thank you for the clarification.

Mr. Chairman, by any measure, we won't and have not and will not fail those people because we have sacrificed so great a measure of treasure and loss of life. We have met every obligation to the people of Afghanistan. And look, our principle and primary and exclusive obligation, of course, is to the American people. The best indicator of future performance is past performance. We have not demonstrated competence, as much as we've tried and good people have given their all. In fact, some of our civilians at USAID, as we all know, have given their life in this effort. But we have not demonstrated a competency to advance these projects, and here are the facts on the economy.

The entire revenue stream for the Afghan government is about a billion dollars a year. We've raised up a military operation there, the Afghan army and police, the largest employer by far in the country, that has an annual expenditure of about 7 or $8 billion. Look, the math doesn't work. We've created a structure here that's going to require, absent some difficult decisions, a sharp reduction of expenditures there.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I move to strike the last word.

I rise to enter in a colloquy with the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey, the chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, Mr. Frelinghuysen.

Virginia is proud to be home of one of the Department's flagship national labs in nuclear physics, the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, or JLab, located in Newport News, and its primary scientific facility there known as the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility.

In fact, the nuclear physics community so values the work at the JLab that they recommended a major upgrade to its accelerator, what's referred to as the 12 GeV project, as its number one priority in their 2007 long-range plan for nuclear physics. That upgrade has received over 70 percent of its construction funding through the tireless efforts of the subcommittee, and work is going to begin there on its commissioning in fiscal year 2014, that is, provided that sufficient funding is included in this appropriations measure.

I'm really grateful that the construction funding that is provided in the bill is at the level requested by the administration. However, I am concerned that the proposed reductions for nuclear physics below the budget request could force unilateral cuts in medium energy nuclear physics operations, and that these reductions could delay the start of the commissioning of the 12 GeV project, which is scheduled to start in the first quarter of fiscal year 2014.

Therefore, I'm asking the chairman if he would be willing to work with me and my colleagues in Virginia and others who support the priorities of the nuclear physics community to work towards completing this important construction project and to begin operations in a timely fashion.

I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

I thank the gentleman for yielding initially. I thank him for his leadership.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Amendment Offered by Mr. LaMalfa

Mr. LaMALFA I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, before I begin my remarks, I want to just express my appreciation to our colleague, Mr. Fleischmann, and my respect for him and the eloquent tribute that he paid his father. Indeed, his father was a member of the Greatest Generation, and we thank him, his father, for his service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to talk about my number one priority in serving the Second District of Virginia and this incredible country that we have the privilege to live in, and that's jobs. That's the number one focus for our office.

I rise in strong support of House Resolution 2231, Offshore Energy and Jobs Act, that will come before this House either today or tomorrow. That bill includes language that I authored and introduced, and it creates a clear path,

an opportunity that can really change the lives of hardworking Americans.

And I'm awfully proud of what the bill will do--ideally, when it's passed through the Senate and made into law by the President--in job creation.

But before I share with this House what the bill actually does and what the language does, I want to make clear what it's not. It's not a bill that spends more money. In fact, it's just the opposite. It's a bill that actually creates Federal revenue.

Here's how it works:

Right now, there is a moratorium, a full stop, on offshore exploration of energy off the coast of Virginia. And what our bill does and what the language does is it breaks through that, and it opens up that tremendous job-creating potential of Virginia's offshore energy.

The first benefit of this bill, of course, is jobs. Eighteen thousand jobs are estimated to be created by this bill, just in Virginia alone. And, Mr. Speaker, every one of those jobs is a life-changing job.

I'm an entrepreneur in what I refer to as a season of public service, and I've had the privilege, hundreds and hundreds of times--perhaps thousands, I don't know--of being able to look at an applicant and say these incredible words, ``You're hired.'' And I know the person goes home and says, ``I got the job.'' That's what Americans are looking for is opportunity, and that's what this bill advances.

And as we become more energy independent, what happens is we've reduced our need to have our young men and women around the world protecting our sources of energy. It makes America a safer country.

Right now, more money than any one of us would like is going to countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. These countries don't share our values, and we're fueling their economies. We should be fueling our economy.

It creates the revenue, Mr. Speaker, that we need. I'm a Republican who talks about the need for more revenue, but we get that by growing our economy. This is the way we can invest in our schools and have better roads, make the investments that we need to make into our infrastructure.

And look, it fast-tracks a great renewable--wind. It has tremendous opportunity. Frankly, it's too expensive right now. But we're Americans. We're smart. We can innovate. We can think our way through this and find a way to make wind energy more affordable.

In this very body right here, the President came in and he said, I'm all of the above with respect to energy. Mr. Speaker, that's common ground, and I'm delighted to say it's common ground.

Right now, I'm having difficulty reconciling what he said with this full moratorium off the coast of Virginia, and this bill represents common ground. We've got the Governor of Virginia. We have our two U.S. Senators, interestingly, both Democrats, Senator Kaine and Senator Warner, both support, in principle, this same objective. In fact, they're introducing similar legislation in the Senate. The General Assembly of Virginia wants to move forward. There is a clear consensus in Virginia that this legislation ought to go forward.

Right now, the only thing holding up these jobs, every one of these life-changing jobs, is the administration. We're not asking for a tremendous amount of money. As I mentioned, in fact, we're just asking for the administration to get out of the way.

Mr. Speaker, I didn't mention what tremendous local support this bill has: We have the local NAACP behind the bill. The mayor of Virginia Beach, the largest city in our district, is behind the bill; Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, Hampton Roads Global Commerce Council, the Virginia Port Authority.

And we can do this, Mr. Speaker, while meeting the deep obligation that we have, the moral obligation to leave our children with clean air and clean water and clean soil.

To those who put one against the other, that it's either jobs or a good environment, I reject that outright. Why? Because we're Americans. It's in our DNA to innovate and to think through these things. We can have a reliable source of energy. We can help right off the coast of Virginia. We can create the local jobs that we need to give our young people opportunity and our veterans that are exiting the military, so many of whom exit the military right there in Hampton Roads.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

I yield myself 1 minute.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 2231, which requires the administration to complete its Atlantic Environmental Impact Statement by December 31 of this year, which will pave the way for us to calculate new estimates of the tremendous energy potential that's off our shores.

It's been 30 years since geological and geophysical studies, including seismic studies, have been conducted in Atlantic waters. Those studies used outdated technology, and our current estimates for the energy that is out there are surely inaccurate. And I believe they're low. For example, we collected five times more oil from the Gulf of Mexico than the government estimated to be there in 1983. The study also will allow us to move forward with a critical component of renewable energy--and that's wind.

So for all those reasons, the administration must stay on track here and issue its long-awaited environmental impact statement--and do that on time. And that's what my amendment ensures happens. It should move forward with energy production and, most importantly, job creation, using the best science available.

I yield to the gentleman.

I thank the chairman for your leadership on this bill.

I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

How much time is remaining?

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I appreciate the gentleman's argument. I certainly don't agree with it. The concern that we have--that I have personally--is that the administration's willingness to keep the tempo and the cadence of this whole process going forward is real. And if I approach this with a great sense of urgency, it's because people are hurting. We need to diversify our local economy. This bill that the underlying bill supports could create 18,000 jobs in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia alone.

I so appreciate the full support that we have, in principle, from Senators Warner and Kaine on this very issue. This is a commonsense, common ground, overall initiative to grow revenue that we need for better roads and healthier schools in an environmentally responsible way, moving forward with coastal Virginia energy. Our Governor supports it. Our general assembly supports it. Our two U.S. Senators support it, in principle. I ran on it. And it has the support of so many different groups, including the local chapter of the NAACP, the chambers of commerce. It's just a wonderful and, frankly, diverse group of coalitions that has come together to say this is what is best for Virginia and job creation. We need to move forward with this.

I reserve the balance of my time.

How much time do I have remaining, Mr. Chairman?

I appreciate the gentleman's argument but my deep concern about the Federal government's real commitment to moving this forward is legitimate. I urge the adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, these are very, very challenging fiscal times. Our deficit continues to grow, and that is putting pressure on every single line of our Federal budget, including defense. And yet the world has not become a safer place. So what's clear is we have a duty, an absolute duty, to invest each and every dollar of our defense dollars wisely, and that's exactly what my amendment does. It does that by eliminating a regulation that's holding back competition; and in doing so, it's hurting the American taxpayer.

When it comes to understanding the value of introducing competition into things, the American people get it. From groceries to computers, we know when competition is introduced, good things happen. The prices go down and the quality goes up.

The same is true, or it should be true, when it comes to the Department of Defense and the ability of the private sector and the public sector to compete. President Obama put it this way. He said:

Taxpayers may receive more value for their dollars if not

inherently governmental activities that can be provided

commercially are subject to the forces of competition.

In my service to my district, I'm always looking for commonsense ideas

and common ground. On this particular issue, I see both in the President's statement.

My amendment moves competition forward by eliminating a full moratorium that Congress has put in place. The Department of Defense said in 2011 that it wanted that particular moratorium removed so it could meet its statutory obligation. What is that statutory obligation? It's this, and this comes right out of their own report and recommendations:

The Secretary of Defense shall use the least costly form of

personnel consistent with military requirements and other

needs of the Department.

Well, we know that some activities are inherently governmental. For example, criminal investigations. My amendment has nothing to do with those types of activities. They should be performed by the Federal Government. But other activities, Mr. Chairman, for example, janitorial services, that's not inherently governmental and should be subject to competition. That's what this amendment opens up. It really isn't effecting what's known as the 50/50 rule and those core services that are provided by depots. I believe that the amendment represents both common sense and common ground. I urge my colleagues to vote for it.

I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman).

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I just would respond to the gentlelady. I appreciate her comments. And I, too, am a strong supporter of our Federal workforce. I just believe that they can compete and should compete.

This is good for America, good for our ability to defend our great country, and good for the American taxpayer.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I just refuse to agree with the gentleman's proposition there about laying Federal employees off. This does not state that, has nothing to do with that, in fact. It just simply says that this is a tool for the Department of Defense to use. It does not require public-private competitions to go forward.

I just believe in the Federal worker. I believe in the free market as well, that competition is a good thing, and it needs to be introduced, because this is how we will make our defense dollars go as far as they can possibly go.

I see this as a duty to the American people to advance this amendment. I ask my colleagues to support it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I consider it a joy and really a special privilege to rise today to honor the 200th-plus anniversary of the Seatack community, the oldest African American community in the United States.

The community, named for the sea attack of the coast by the British Navy, is a stalwart in Hampton Roads, steadfastly protecting civil rights and promoting the African American community. Throughout its proud history, the Seatack community has stood for doing what is right in the face of adversity.

Going back to the early 1800s, Seatack fishermen braved the rough waters of the Atlantic to save the passengers of a ship that had wrecked off the coast. The men of Seatack have fought in every major American war, including serving as air raid wardens in World War II to protect the citizens of Virginia Beach from potential airstrikes.

And when the Seatack community needed a fire department, the Seatack veterans from World War II came together to build the first fire department owned and operated by African Americans.

Even in its early days, Mr. Speaker, Seatack has shown a commitment to educating its youth. In 1908, Seatack parents formed their first school at Mount Olive Baptist Church, and a few years later formed the Seatack Public School League. Later, the community provided the land for the Seatack Elementary School. And today, Seatack continues its commitment to education by providing funding for college students.

Mr. Speaker, I am truly honored to represent this amazing community within my district. Their continuous hard work to promote education, civil rights, and a safe Hampton Roads community is nothing short of admirable.

In October 2011 and October 2012, the community celebrated 200-plus years of being a vibrant, active, engaged, and historical community. Thanks to the contributions of the community historian, whom I have gotten to know and greatly respect, Sadie Shaw, a preeminent holder of all the history of the wonderful community, because of her and so many others, the legacy of the historical community of Seatack will continue to be perpetuated for generations to come.

I congratulate them as the legacy continues. We ask that God continue to bless that wonderful community and this wonderful country that we're privileged to live in.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of United States Navy SEAL Lt. Jason Redman. In September 2007, while in the midst of an intense fire fight to capture an Al Qaeda High Value Individual, he was severely wounded. Shot in the face and other parts of his body, he came very close to death. With the help of his devoted wife Erica, Lt. Redman has made a miraculous recovery. The one word he uses which embodies his life and attitude is OVERCOME! He and his wife have started up a new company in Virginia called Wounded Wear. Through their company they are devoted to providing clothing and other gear for those injured in combat. Their goal is to help make the transition easier for American wounded warriors and their families. Lt. Redman and his family make us all so very proud to be Americans and I ask that this poem penned in their honor by Albert Carey Caswell, be placed in the Record.

To Overcome

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter a statement into the Record on behalf of my constituent, Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman. Rabbi Zoberman is the Founding Rabbi of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is also the president of the Hampton Roads Board of Rabbis and Cantors. Rabbi Zoberman asked me to enter the following remarks into the Record recognizing Elie Wiesel on the occasion of Yom Hashoah, the 65th Anniversary of the State of Israel, and the 20th anniversary of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Rabbi Zoberman's statement follows:

Elie Wiesel, the most distinguished representative of the

Holocaust survivors' generation, has risen from Auschwitz's

hell which he entered at age fifteen, to become the world's

witness to the human condition and humanity's prophetic voice

of both sacred remembrance and chastising warning. He even

admits to making enemies because of his steadfast stance

against trivializing Auschwitz, protectively defining the

Holocaust as ``the Event.''

The 1986 Nobel Peace Laureate--he deserves the literature

prize too--and Founding Chairman of the U.S. Holocaust

Memorial Council, who as earned our nation's greatest honors

along with foreign high ones, enjoys a special relationship

with President Obama and is presently collaborating on a

joint literary project. In the latest book of this prolific

author, Open Heart, Wiesel opens his aching and grateful

heart to us following the watershed impact of his open heart

surgery on June 16, 2011, at age 82. He utilizes this trying

medical and life-changing ordeal to teach us about life's

demanding trials and transitions, courageously facing his own

mortality at his ``greatest pain and darkest anguish.''

This master teacher who is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor

in the Humanities at Boston University is asking challenging

questions: How well has he fulfilled his obligation as a

survivor with a consecrated mission to tell a tale of woes

without despairing of the Creator nor of a blemished

creation, wrestling with a God who deprived him of so much

but also blessed him beyond measure? Having contributed

immeasurably toward a sane and sacred world, ever standing

guard, Wiesel nonetheless doubts if he has done all he could

and should have in his struggle against evil. He and fellow

survivors believed that the world would change for the

better, never allowing for genocides again, and how painful

it must be for heart-broken Wiesel to conclude, ``The fact

is, the world has learned nothing.''

May Wiesel fulfill his heart's fondest desire to live to

witness the B'nai Mitzvah celebrations of his beloved

grandchildren Elijah and Shira, the children of son Elisha

who is named for Wiesel's father Shlomo who perished so close

to liberation. May he do so along with his wife Marion,

faithful soul-mate and professional helpmate, herself a

survivor from Vienna, Austria. Her brainchild is Beit Tzipora

in Israel, the centers to enrich Ethiopian children, named

for Wiesel's precious little sister whom he saw with their

mother for the last time upon the arrival in Auschwitz.

Reading Wiesel's transforming account a few days following

the multiple tragedies at Sandy Hook Elementary School in

Newtown, Conn., the following line resonates with painfully

heartfelt relevance, ``We must choose between the violence of

adults and the smiles of children, between the ugliness of

hate and the will to oppose it.''

The 20th Anniversary of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial

Museum, with which Wiesel has been so intimately connected,

is testimony to his vision to ensure in the face of Holocaust

deniers and the ravages of time's forgetfulness that the

indispensable facts and essential lessons of the holocaust

will endure for the sake of humanity. The museum has already

exposed millions of Americans and other visitors in our

nation's capital to its sacred work, shedding light on

history's darkest chapter. I'm ever grateful to this U.S.

sponsored museum as a son and grandson of Polish Holocaust

survivors with heavy family losses in Zamosc, Poland, and

Sarny, Ukraine. I was born in Kazakhstan on November 12, 1945

and spent my early childhood in Germany's American zone of

the Wetzlar Displaced Persons Camp, before finding refuge and

home with my family and most of the survivors in the reborn

State of Israel now celebrating its 65th proud anniversary.

Wiesel reportedly was invited in the past to be Israel's

president.

Israel's accomplishments in all fields of endeavor are

astonishing given its humble beginnings and ever trying

circumstances. This vibrant democratic oasis and America's

trusted ally in a mutually beneficial bond more significant

than ever, is surrounded by a wide wilderness and exposed to

substantial threats following the ``Arab Spring'' with its,

so far, destabilizing islamist victory. It is truly an

inspiring expression of the Jewish

spirit and the human saga. The vast human tragedy in Syria

continues unabated with the international community failing

to stop it, while Iran's menacing shadow looms large. May the

Middle East and the entire world where the Jewish people

first proclaimed an enlightened agenda for all, yet be

transformed, with the United States' critical role, in the

spirit of eternal Shalom.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate an exceptional naval officer, Captain Andrew Shepard Whitson, at the completion of 30 years of distinguished naval service, culminating as the Director of the U.S. House of Representatives Liaison Office for the Department of the Navy's Office of Legislative Affairs.

I'm honored to commend Captain Whitson's achievements and recognize his service and devotion to our great country.

A 1983 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, Captain Whitson earned his wings in 1985 and was designated a naval aviator. He sailed around the world, flying the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornets. He's served in five fighter squadrons, participating in multiple combat operations during Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was also recognized as the ``East Coast Fighter Pilot of the Year'' in 1997.

Captain Whitson served as the executive officer and commanding officer of the Bounty Hunters of Fighter Squadron Two, leading them through two deployments aboard USS Constellation (CV-64), including the combat operations in Iraqi Freedom. In 2009 and 2010, he served as the commander of Carrier Air Wing 17.

Captain Whitson is retiring after 30 years of honorable service to this Nation. His professional success would not have been possible without the support of his wife, Tracy--I've had the privilege of getting to know Captain Whitson and his family--and his lovely daughter, Alexandra. Their shared sacrifice is a credit to their personal character.

I wish Captain Whitson continued success and fulfillment as he transitions to civilian life after three decades of exceptional service to our country. His loyal dedication to duty reflects the highest standards of naval service.

I hold him in high personal regard and consider it a privilege to call Captain Whitson my friend. And I'm delighted that he and his family call Virginia's Second Congressional District their home.

Mr. Speaker, I know that my fellow colleagues this morning join me, all

Members of the House, in saluting this outstanding naval officer and wishing him and his wonderful family fair winds and following seas.

Mr. Speaker, what do we know with certainty about the bill which passed the Senate? We know it has bipartisan support, and that's encouraging. I'm a Republican who has been making the case that revenues must rise. This bill does that; and if it becomes law, it provides some certainty to our Tax Code, which would surely help our economy.

Yet, Mr. Speaker, we also know with certainty that it fails to address the mortal threat facing our country--uncontrolled spending. It fails to reflect the balanced approach that was advocated by our President. So we find ourselves again with a bill that reflects not financial wisdom but the seductive spirit that pervades this town. The time to confront our spending addiction is not now. It's later, they say--we'll do the right thing then.

In lacking knowledge, political courage--or both--leaders in Washington continue to overpromise. They're like salespeople who tell their customers they can have a $30,000 car but only pay $18,000 for it. Who doesn't like that deal? The truth--and what we know with certainty--is that the full cost, indeed, will be paid by their children, the next generation of Americans.

There is a better way forward, Mr. Speaker, for Americans. Let's find it.

I thank Chairman Terry very much for yielding and my friend and colleague, the gentlelady from New York, for your support of this good bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Drywall Safety Act of 2012, as amended. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on really what is much-needed and commonsense legislation that's going to come before the House tonight.

For nearly 4 years, families across the country have suffered from the harmful effects of defective Chinese-manufactured drywall. They're friends and neighbors, and they're families, Mr. Speaker, who worked hard and saved and really set out for that classic American Dream to own their own home or to finish their retirement years in a home, and yet that dream turned into a literal nightmare when their home was filled with a mysterious and foul rotten egg type of odor. I've been in these homes. It completely makes the home uninhabitable. It takes all the copper wiring in the home and basically turns it into black soot. They have to replace the compressors on the air conditioners. And even worse is that their health deteriorates.

They turn first to the builders. The builders are not covered by their insurance. Some were able to help out the homeowners and renovate the home on their own, but many are not able to do that, and some builders have gone out of business. They turned then to the manufacturer of the contaminated drywall in China, but really have no recourse there. It's a profoundly sad situation where Americans, through no fault of their own, are experiencing bankruptcy and terrible financial problems.

But tonight we have an opportunity to do what's right and to stand with our friends and neighbors and pass this legislation. It will hold China responsible in no uncertain terms for failing to require their manufacturers to rightly compensate Americans who have been damaged and victimized by those contaminated products.

We express the undivided sense of Congress, Republicans and Democrats working together, that we're going to make sure that China is held accountable for what they've done here. It requires labeling on all the drywall products to make sure that we can find out who's responsible for the manufacturer of each and every piece of drywall that's manufactured; it will limit the amount of sulfur in the drywall, which was the cause of all of this; and, as has been pointed out by my colleague from New York, it's a voluntary standard as opposed to just more massive government intervention. I think that's the right path to go.

So I thank my friends and colleagues from both sides of the aisle for making this possible. The underlying legislation passed the House unanimously in September. The amendment that has been made, I think, is very modest. I especially want to thank my friend and colleague from Florida, Mr. Deutch, for working with me as cochair of the Chinese Drywall Caucus. I thank the chairman for yielding and for your support on this piece of legislation.