Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the man behind so many pivotal diplomatic achievements that have improved the lives of so many around the world and made our Nation safer: Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.

As a former Foreign Service Officer I first met Ambassador Holbrooke while I was serving at the U.S. Embassy in Macedonia, and most recently during a congressional delegation I led to Afghanistan. I will remember him as a key figure in the middle of many delicate, quintessential diplomatic negotiations.

Few Americans have left as big a mark on U.S. foreign policy as Ambassador Holbrooke. From his historic role brokering peace in the Balkans, to his final mission in the Afghanistan and Pakistan region, Ambassador Holbrooke had a fearless love for his country. He shied away from nothing, always diving head-first into the challenging issues of his time.

With the passing of Ambassador Holbrooke our country, and indeed the world, has lost a brilliant and respected diplomat. But his legacy will live on in the improved relationships we now have with countries in the world's toughest regions.

My heart and prayers are with his wife Kati, his sons David and Anthony, his stepchildren Elizabeth and Chris Jennings, and his daughter-in-law Sarah.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend and distinguished colleague Chairman Ike Skelton. For nearly three and a half decades, Ike has dedicated his life to serving the citizens of Missouri. During his tenure, Ike has been a steady, moderate voice during some of the greatest challenges this hallowed body has ever faced.

I have been humbled to serve with Chairman Skelton on the Armed Services Committee. In my time on the HASC, I have been deeply impressed by Ike's ability to keep partisan hyperbole--so prevalent in today's discourse--out of committee proceedings. For Ike, the sacred commitment to our servicemembers, their families, and our national security always supersedes petty politics.

As chairman, Ike shepherded some of Congress' most important legislation through a minefield of disparate interests and motives while maintaining an even hand, fair disposition, and unwavering dedication to his craft.

Mr. Speaker, it has been a great honor to serve alongside such a principled chairman, consummate statesman, and dedicated public servant as Ike Skelton.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following.

Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Our God, M'kor Chayim U'vracha, Infinite Source of Life's Blessings,

Dear Veterans, Families, Donors, Friends, Zeh Ha'Yom Asa Adonai, Nagila V'nismecha Vo! This is the awaiting day the Lord has granted us, that we may find joy and meaning in it!

Tenderly, tearfully and triumphantly we recall our very own fighting Jewish men and women in uniform who alongside fellow Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life, and to the last full measure of devotion, borrowing a phrase from President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address--served and sacrificed, secured and saved on behalf of our great and grateful nation, a flourishing democracy which has been a tower of strength to a weary and vulnerable world as well as a steadfast beacon of Shalom's flickering lights of hope, harmony and healing.

Our cherished kin, some with their long-loving and supportive families here on this festive Veterans Day of the Jewish War Veterans Monument Dedication, have proudly, patriotically and profoundly responded to freedom's far-reaching sacred call from these golden shores to the most noble of duties in defense of all we hold precious. Their selfless acts of unflinching heroism and exemplary conduct under harrowing circumstances brought genuine honor and lasting glory, sanctifying God's holy name.

This significant monument is an essential addition to the beautiful grounds of the Reba and Sam Sandler Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community in the unique region of Hampton Roads, home to the nation's largest cluster of military installations. The monument, linked by design to the Helen G. Gifford Holocaust Memorial Garden, is forever an inspiring testimony to unforgettable brethren, the dead and the living, who participated in the monumental liberation of the surviving remnant, myself included, of European Jewry from the threat of total extinction by humanity's foes.

At the approaching Chanuka celebration, we salute our veterans who like the Maccabees of old, through wondrous deeds and abundant sacrifices of a faithful spirit, have bequested unto us all the inseparable twin gifts of life and liberty.

``Minesharing Kalu

M'arayot Gaveru

They were swifter than eagles,

They were stronger than lions!

Eich Naflu Giborim

B'tock Hamilchama--

How have the mighty fallen

In the thick of battle''

Second Samuel 1:23, 25

And humbly let us say, Amen.

Rabbi Israel Zoberman is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach and president of the Hampton Roads Board of Rabbis and Cantors. He was born in Kazakhstan in 1945 to Polish Holocaust survivors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a former colleague today, the late Congressman Owen Pickett, who passed away on October 27 of this year. Congressman Pickett dedicated his life to service to our military, to our veterans, and to his constituents.

Mr. Speaker, Congressman Pickett served in Congress representing the Second District of Virginia for 14 years, from 1987 to 2001, prior to that serving in the Virginia House of Delegates. He passed away on October 27 of this year at the age of 80.

Owen Pickett will be remembered as a man of resolve who understood that the best way to get things done was to work with people from both sides of the aisle. Congressman Pickett always put his constituents first. He stayed out of the partisan bickering that so many politicians fall prey to and instead focused his energy on how best to serve the people he represented.

A member of the Armed Services Committee during his entire tenure, he distinguished himself as an outspoken advocate for a strong, advanced, and superior military, an improved quality of life for our military personnel and their families, and enduring support of military facilities for the Greater Hampton Roads region.

Congressman Pickett was a friend of mine, a mentor, and a champion for our warfighters, and there are some here today who had the honor of serving in this body with him.

At this time I would like to yield to my colleague from Virginia.

I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

I yield to our distinguished majority leader, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that the House now observe a moment of silence to remember Congressman Owen Pickett, a former Member who will be dearly missed in southeast Virginia.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Howard Jones, co- founder of the Howard and Georgeanna Jones Foundation for Reproductive Medicine and the Jones Institute at Eastern Virginia Medical School, for the occasion of his 100th birthday. Dr. Howard Jones and his wife Dr. Georgeanna Jones pioneered in vitro fertilization and established the Jones Institute in 1983, following the birth of America's first in vitro baby in 1981. Two years later they helped establish the Jones Foundation to ensure that groundbreaking research in the field of reproductive medicine would continue for years to come. Today, the techniques developed by the Jones team are offered at clinics around the world and have helped countless couples conceive children. I wish you a happy birthday Dr. Jones, and I thank you for your invaluable contributions to American science.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to Captain Frank Roberts (ret.), a longtime resident of Virginia Beach and a lifelong public servant, on the occasion of his retirement from the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance.

Frank Roberts is a 1969 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and had a distinguished 27-year active duty career with the U.S. Navy, retiring with rank of Captain. One of only 300 aviators ever to surpass 1000 carrier arrested landings, Frank is a graduate of the ``Topgun'' Navy Fighter Weapons School and the Naval War College. He has always welcomed professional challenges and never declined an opportunity to serve his country. The list of Frank's active duty assignments is long and many Naval personnel, both uniformed and civilian, count themselves fortunate for the opportunity to have served with, and learned from, Frank Roberts.

Upon his retirement from the U.S. Navy in 1996, Frank was employed by OC, Incorporated and provided military analytical support to the Joint Warfighting Center. From 1997 to 2003, Frank served as the Vice President and Director of Hampton Roads operations for Battlespace, Inc., where he supported joint unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) experimentation at U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM). From 2003 to 2006, Frank was employed by Old Dominion University Research Foundation and was assigned to USJFCOM to lead the Joint Operational Test Bed System UAV experimentation program focused on transforming intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The Hampton Roads area was fortunate when Frank Roberts stepped in as the first Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance in 2006. The communities that comprise the Alliance--Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, Isle of Wight, James City and York--selected Frank to lead the Alliance because of his expertise, his experience, his work ethic, and his dedication. Hampton Roads has played a critical role in America's national and homeland defense for generations. In Frank, the Alliance found an effective and tireless advocate on behalf of the region's unique capabilities and the Commonwealth's contributions to protecting our nation. During a time of great change and uncertainty due in part to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, Frank's tenure as the head of HRMFFA will be remembered for his steadfast leadership as he navigated the Alliance through choppy waters to calmer seas.

Frank has been buoyed in his professional career by a loving family at home--his wife Joan, his son Jim, his late daughter Andrea and his grandchildren, Reagan and Lucas, have been a source of love and support. On behalf of the Second Congressional District, I would like to thank Frank Roberts and the Roberts family for his many years of public service to Virginia and to our nation. Frank Roberts is someone who answered the call to serve his country, and his service has made a difference. We wish you well, Frank, and hope you know how deeply grateful we are for your contributions.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday I introduced, with my colleague Mr. Wilson, the Stop Waste by Eliminating Excessive Programs Act, otherwise known as the SWEEP act. The bill will reduce wasteful government spending by creating a means to review and abolish federal programs that are inefficient, unnecessary, or outdated.

Back home in Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore of Virginia, families sit around the kitchen table, forced to make tough decisions about their budget and where they need to trim back--it's time Congress acted with the same responsibility.

We have already taken several important steps toward fiscal restraint and responsibility, such as voting to install statutory Pay-Go budget rules. Another area of spending Congress has tackled is the Congressional pay raise. Voted in favor of before I took office, I immediately took my unnecessary raise and donated it to Vetshouse, a local organization in my district that supports homeless veterans. In addition, I, joined by many of my colleagues, successfully voted to stop the Congressional pay raise for this year and the next. But these efforts are just the tip of the iceberg.

It is clear that we need a more comprehensive approach to reducing the federal government footprint and my bill will do just this.

Across the various federal agencies and bureaus, the government supports tens of thousands of programs. Many of which have been continuing for years without proper Congressional oversight or authorization. In effect, these programs continue to receive funding without proving their merit.

What's more, without a thorough inventory, duplicative programs have cropped up across agency lines, wasting precious taxpayer dollars on activities that are being performed elsewhere.

The SWEEP Act is a three step approach that will make sure inefficient, duplicative, or wasteful programs are eliminated.

The first step is to review current funding authorizations by creating a bi-partisan Sunset Commission. The Commission will examine each and every government-funded program to determine its worth based on proven outcomes, cost-effectiveness, scope of interest, and whether a duplicative program exists.

The second step will require the Commission to submit a report to Congress annually, analyzing each program reviewed. This report will recommend whether each program assessed should be abolished, consolidated, transferred, reorganized or remain untouched.

The final step will require the Commission to submit a legislative proposal to Congress, which contains all programs recommended for reform or repeal. This legislation will be fast tracked and must receive an up or down vote by Congress within a month of the proposal.

Our current deficits are unsustainable and, if left unchecked, will weaken America's standing in the world. Congress has a responsibility to correct these irresponsible financial practices that continue to undermine the long term economy and national security of America. The SWEEP Act is a bold step forward that will allow Congress to roll up its sleeves and clean house.

I strongly urge all Members of the House to support this endeavor to provide legislative oversight and, program by program, rein in excessive government spending.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, recent reports on U.S. economic growth are promising and suggest that recovery is taking hold. However, I continue to hear from small business owners in my district who are still having a tough time obtaining the business loans that they need today. They have weathered the worst of the storm and are ready to lead our economy to a strong recovery. However, in order to do this, they need capital; capital from loans that banks are unwilling to lend.

As chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology, my subcommittee examines every day how the Federal Government can incentivize business innovation.

For example, last year, with my fellow Virginian Mark Warner, I proposed the Small Business Administration take action on the ARC loan program, a vital loan program that had been delayed months until Congress authorized it. Because of our efforts, soon after the ARC loan program was implemented, and it is expected to create or retain 24,000 jobs and assist 4,900 businesses this year alone.

We must continue to implement these types of small business programs that will unfreeze the small business credit markets. However, as we create this program to increase lending capacity to small banks, we must ensure that it is not another bank bailout.

The amendment I offer today puts controls in place to guarantee the funds in this bill are in fact going to small businesses. First and foremost, we must define what a small business is. If the Small Business Lending Fund is created with the intention to spur small business lending, we must ensure that the funds are in fact lent to businesses that are properly defined as small business. In order to do this, we should use the definition already being used by Federal agencies to determine a business's size.

Second, we want to increase lending volume and open up the credit markets to every qualified small business. To do this effectively, we need to link lending incentives to volume, or in other words, to the number of loans that a bank makes and not just the amount of money lent. If we measure the lending of a bank merely by the amount of money lent, then a bank could make a few large loans and call it a day. Working capital for most small businesses requires small loans, and many times it takes more than one. Thus, to effectively measure if this program is truly supporting working capital efforts, we must certify that the volume of these small loans increases.

Third, in the same vein, a hardened baseline with real meaning must be set when measuring a bank's lending record. Currently, the bill only requires a bank to increase its lending according to its 2009 fourth quarter record. The fourth quarter of 2009 saw a historically low lending rate. Small financial institutions decreased their small business lending by an average of 12.8 percent, and small business lending by large banks dropped by more than 20 percent. To gather a more accurate measure of small business lending, this amendment requires a full year's worth of data to measure a bank's lending report.

Finally, small business lending companies exist only to lend to small businesses. It would be nearsighted not to make these institutions that already have a strong infrastructure and proven ability to lend to small businesses eligible in this bill. My amendment includes small business lending companies with less than $10 billion in assets as qualified financial institutions, alongside community banks and small credit unions.

If our economic recovery is going to translate into economic expansion, we must open up the credit markets to our small businesses who are proven job creators and we must ensure that programs created to provide capital to small businesses take the necessary measures to promote small business lending and not big business bailouts.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment for our small businesses and for our economic future.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to Congresswoman Velazquez, the chairwoman of the Small Business Committee.

I ask unanimous consent that each side be allocated an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished ranking member of the committee, Congressman Graves.

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

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I stand here today to continue the fight for my constituents in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and for thousands of families across the United States against a nefarious adversary, toxic Chinese drywall.

Chinese drywall has serious health implications. The toxins released from the drywall reek of chemicals and rotten eggs. They corrode a home's electrical systems and can cause deep, hacking coughs, bloody noses, and eye irritation. However, the scariest fact is that we still do not know what long-term health effects Chinese drywall will have.

Since January of last year, more than 3,300 cases have been reported from 37 States and the District of Columbia. Families have been left with an impossible choice: live in a contaminated home or pay tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to rip out and replace their home's drywall.

In my district, I have visited these homes and I've spoken with the families. Many of them have been forced to move in with friends or relatives; many others are now living in rental housing, paying for both the cost of the mortgage and the cost of rent or, even worse, living in the home, unable to afford repairs. And still others have made the toughest decision: walking away from their homes. This is bad for our recovering housing market and bad for our economy, and it's bad for American families.

Mr. Chairman, my commonsense amendment will extend the Federal Housing Administration's special forbearance program for American homeowners by providing forbearances for those who suffer from toxic Chinese drywall through fiscal year 2011. This reprieve has allowed countless families to get back on their feet and repair their homes.

As cochairman of the Congressional Contaminated Drywall Caucus, I commend the Federal Housing Administration for working with Congress and American homeowners. Providing temporary forbearances for those who suffer from Chinese drywall through no fault of their own is something the Federal Government must continue to support. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank my colleague from West Virginia for her support of the amendment. I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I would like to start by thanking my colleague from New York for laying out the issue very concisely tonight and for his leadership on the issue. And, as someone who has spent a significant amount of time, myself, both in Israel and in a number of the surrounding countries, I want to rise today to reaffirm the U.S.-Israeli bond of mutual defense and security.

Our friendship gives us peace of mind in knowing that we will always have each other's support in one of the most volatile regions of the world. I maintain my strong support for Israel's right to exist and to protect herself. As the lone bastion of democracy in the region, Israel is our closest ally against terrorist groups, and I am committed to seeing our friendship continue.

The recent loss of life off the coast of Gaza is distressing. However, it is troubling that many have rushed to judgment while failing to recognize the serious security challenges Israel faces every day necessitating the Gaza blockade.

As my colleague has mentioned tonight, Hamas terrorists in Gaza launch frequent rocket attacks directed at Israeli towns than too often take the lives of innocent civilians. And, as our majority leader said earlier this evening in describing a trip that I joined him on last summer, Israeli children are forced to hide in concrete bunkers in order to have a safe place to play.

Hamas makes relentless efforts to import into Gaza, through any means possible, the parts for these deadly rockets, complicating Israel's efforts to safely allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

Lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians requires that Israel can assure the safety of its population against terrorist threats. And that is why I recently introduced and helped pass in the House H.R. 5327, the United States-Israel Missile Defense Cooperation and Support Act.

The funds authorized by the bill will allow Israel to build two Iron Dome missile defense batteries that will help protect Israeli citizens living in cities like Sderot, who have been terrorized by over 8,000 indiscriminate rocket and mortar attacks on their homes, schools, and communities.

Mr. Speaker, U.S.-Israeli cooperation on the Iron Dome system will help advance the cause of peace by supporting Israel's ability to defend civilian areas from terrorist attacks, creating the necessary space for a successful peace process.

Again, I want to thank my colleague from New York for his leadership on the issue.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Ms. Jeanette Eldridge, of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Ms. Eldridge is retiring from the U.S. Government with 42 years of service, 32 of those years with NCIS. She started her career with NCIS as a Support Services Clerk (Typing) and has risen steadily through the ranks to her current leadership position as the Field Office Support Officer (FOSO) of the Norfolk Field Office.

Ms. Eldridge has set an outstanding example for government service. She has exceptional technical skills in many areas and a calm and graceful leadership style that make her a role model. She is a proactive manager and sets the standard by which others are measured. She is amazingly effective, while being a careful steward of the public's resources and trust. On behalf of the United States Government, I congratulate Jeanette on her well-deserved retirement and thank her for her service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to reaffirm and strengthen the U.S.-Israeli bond in mutual defense and security by introducing H.R. 5327, the United States-Israel Missile Defense Cooperation and Support Act.

The relationship between our countries is unlike any found in the world, and our friendship gives both Israel and the United States peace of mind in knowing that we will always support one another's security.

A safe homeland begins abroad, and Israel has long been central to that security. For instance, it is because of Israel's strength and cooperation that the U.S. no longer has to constantly keep a carrier strike group in the Mediterranean, allowing us to use our forces more judiciously.

I am proud to introduce this legislation which is supported by the President's recent decision to provide funding to support Israel's deployment of the Iron Dome missile defense system. The Iron Dome system will help protect Israeli citizens living in cities like Sderot who have been terrorized by over 8,000 indiscriminate rocket and mortar attacks on their homes, schools, and communities. The funds authorized by this bill will allow Israel to build two Iron Dome batteries which will be deployed in the southern and northern areas of the country as needed. Israeli defense officials estimate that Iron Dome could be deployed and functional this year.

Lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians requires that Israel can ensure the safety of its population against missile threats. Therefore, U.S.-Israel cooperation on the Iron Dome system will help advance the cause of peace by supporting Israel's ability to defend itself against terrorist attacks. Cooperation on important technologies such as Iron Dome proves that the U.S.-Israeli security cooperation is stronger than ever and is also beneficial to both nations as we continue to collaborate to develop our most sensitive defense technologies.

Congress stands shoulder to shoulder with Israel in their quest for peace and the right to live free from terrorism. This legislation is a tribute to America's commitment to Israel's defense and to the President's continued and expanding support for Israel's security.

I would like to thank Chairman Berman, Ranking Member Ros- Lehtinen, Ms. Giffords, Mr. McMahon, Mr. Himes, Mr. Ackerman, Ms. Kosmas, Mr. Bishop, and Mr. Turner for their support of this crucial legislation as original cosponsors, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, I rise today to offer a commonsense, yet important, amendment to the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act which will provide much- needed savings for our military families.

I represent one of the highest concentrations of veterans and servicemembers of any congressional district in the country, and this amendment is especially important to my constituents in Hampton Roads.

Under the bill, homeowners, renters and contractors will be able to claim a credit for home energy efficiency upgrades and for high-energy- use appliances, such as air conditioners and water heaters. My amendment will simply add Armed Forces exchanges to the list of qualified entities that can provide these credits instantly to servicemembers and veterans.

Many servicemembers and their families shop at base exchanges because they are one-stop shops for everything from fresh produce to energy- efficient light bulbs and other home needs. Providing them easy access to the great benefits in this bill is a simple and commonsense way to make their day-to-day duties more hassle free.

Madam Chair, we should do all we can to support our military families. Often, it is the families who have the toughest jobs because, really, they are doing two jobs: being strong and supportive for their husbands or wives who are overseas, and also taking care of the families back home and the household finances. Saving them a few hundred dollars a year, if not more, would really provide a boost to their finances. This amendment would make that easier.

I would like to thank Representative Welch, Chairman Markey, and Chairman Waxman for their hard work in bringing this legislation to fruition.

Passing the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act will go a long way toward promoting energy efficiencies throughout our country. So I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill and the amendment.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Dr. Israel Zoberman, founding rabbi of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this passage shall be recorded in the Congressional Record of the United States of America:

``The 62nd anniversary of the State of Israel is a genuine cause for celebration. It is sadly not a given having a sovereign Jewish state following a long history of denial, and current attempts to delegitimize. Israel is both the fulfillment and unfolding quest of two millennia of prayerful persistence and unyielding faith. From Inquisition to pogroms to finally a consuming Holocaust designed to seal the anti-Semitic rejection of Jewish insistence to live in fidelity to its own Biblical covenant with God--Israel's triumph of survival is thus a statement of hope in the human potential to endure monumental hardships.

``Yet what is a people to do if destined to experience the miracle of rebirth in a region as problematic as today's Middle East? That strategic geo-political gateway to continents has always enticed the appetite of empires for control, gaining access to resources, expansion and power. Colonialism took its toll, materially and psychologically, and forced the eruption of conflict between Jews and Arabs.

``The Palestinian national identity, on the soil that had been the setting for centuries of Jewish life and creativity, brought the two into tragic and perpetual conflict whose full resolution still eludes us though progress has been made. However, the reason for guarded optimism is rooted in the ultimate interests of the wider Arab and Muslim world, whose tacit recognition of Israel's factual and future existence through Egypt's and Jordan's breakthrough diplomatic ties is positive. Let all the Arab and Muslim states reach out to formally join and reassure Israel of their intentions at this critical juncture.

``What has replaced much of the anti-Israel ideology is the even more potent power of an extreme Iran, whose leaders' political plan of regional domination and world influence is cloaked in religious absolutism that loathes compromise, seeking total victory over its adversary. Consequently, Iran has been fanning and financing the dangerous turmoil produced by their proxies of Hamas and Hezbollah whose goal is to foil an Israel-Palestinian peace settlement while engaging Israel in a war of attrition on two fronts. Iran's nuclear drive is geared toward neutralizing Israel's essential deterrence, dominating the Arabs and establishing Iran as a prestigious arbiter in world affairs, while offering its Ayatollahs critical hegemony of imperialistic magnitude.

``The United States is bound to Israel through a special relationship born of compelling legacies of both countries, the common democratic ethos of free nations and shared security concerns to combat religious fundamentalism, including radical Islam.

``Overall, Israel has achieved much that is exemplary given constricting conditions. It has absorbed and saved millions of Jewish refugees. It has reached out to offer professional expertise and economic aid to many developing countries across continents. And Israel has revived the Hebrew language and culture and its higher learning institutions rank among the best with a flourishing top notch hi-tech industry. Israel has proven that for peace sake it is ready to compromise, as with the painful Gaza Disengagement that Hamas failed to appreciate. Hamas is yet to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. A united Palestinian front, free from Iran's and Syria's menacing involvement, and one eager to live peacefully as Israel's neighbor will not be disappointed in Israel's response.

``As the only democratic state, the West's canary, in the Middle East celebrates a hard-won milestone and heroically maintained independence, its fondest dream and secret weapon remains an undying attachment to the promise of shalom's blessings, and its consecrated mission of an historic people to continue inspiring the human family to bring out the best within it.''

I would like to thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Chair, first I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for their important work on this bill, to improve our cybersecurity and strengthen the partnerships between the Federal Government and the private sector.

Cybersecurity is an issue of national security, and as we work to defend against the next generation of cyberthreats, the only way to make sure we're getting it right is to find out what we're doing wrong. That's why I have introduced an amendment to require the GAO to conduct a study, examining key weaknesses within the current cybersecurity infrastructure along with recommendations on how to address such weaknesses in the future and on the technology that is needed to do so.

Not only will this benefit Federal and private sector efforts to strengthen cybersecurity, but it will also help local cities and counties learn how to defend themselves against attacks on their networks and infrastructure.

In my district in Virginia, in the city of Hampton, we are doing exactly that. We are creating a regional Center of Excellence to help local communities improve their cybersecurity. This bill will help that effort, and the GAO report called for in my amendment will make it even stronger.

I would like to thank my colleagues for their support. I urge the rest of my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment and in passing this bill.