Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, perfect seasons and consecutive championships are a rare feat for any football team. On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we wish to congratulate a football team that not only won its second straight championship, but did so in perfect fashion. The West Rowan High School Falcons flew as high as possible by again capturing the North Carolina 3A with a perfect 16-0 record. As the Salisbury Post stated in its headline, the win was ``Deja Blue.''

The championship for the Falcons was won with what the team calls its ``T&E--technique and effort.'' Effort and technique were on display when West Rowan watched a 20-0 lead erode into a one-point deficit to Eastern Alamance, which is also located in the Sixth District. Led by Head Coach Scott Young, who is known for inspiring his young men to greatness, the Falcons mounted a furious comeback. In the fourth quarter, West Rowan finally went ahead and ended up winning 28-21. This team showed true grit and character to come back and win the championship and preserve its 30th straight win.

The perfect championship season effort was led by seniors K.P. Parks, Quan Cowan, Maxx Gore, KaJuan Phillips, Ershawn Wilder, Jon Crucitti, Chris Neal, Will Holloway, Coleman Phifer, Michael Livengood, Corey McVay, Chris Smith, Jairahmal Robinson, Timmy Pangburn, Rodney Cline, Mackel Gaither, Isaiah Cuthbertson, Eli Goodson, and Josh Poe, juniors, Trey Mashore, Dashion Barger, B.J. Sherrill, Jamarian Mabry, Eric Cowan, Aakeem Minter, Tyler Mullis, Domonique Noble, Kendall Hosch, John Dunlap, Kelly Palmer, Odell McBride, Chandler Jones, Patrick Hampton, Emmanuel Gbunblee, Matt Wright, Charles Holloway III, Armando Trujillo, Nolan Rich, Xavier Still, Tim Jancic, Tyler Anglin, Davon Quarles, Leon Dulin, Jalen Morrow, Ethan Wansley, and Justin Teeter, sophomores Dinkin Miller, Christian Hedrick, Troy Culbertson, Louis Kraft, Jarvis Morgan, and Maurice Warren, along with freshman Bertin Suarez.

The team, of course could not have achieved this amazing feat without the help of Head Coach Young and his outstanding assistants Ed Bowles, Butch Browning, Durwood Bynum, Jeff Chapman, Tim Dixon, Ralph Ellis, Dave Hunt, Lee Linville, Darrell Misenhiemer, Joe Nixon, Kevin Parks, Sr., and Stevie Williams. Congratulations also go to the support staff that is needed to reach championship heights. Included in that effort were trainer Amber DeDorning, student trainers Nichole Barber, Kayla Barnett, Ashley Gaston, Vicki Nichols, J.J. Pangburn, and video coordinator Alan Champion.

Again on behalf of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we would like to congratulate West Rowan High School Principal Jamie Durant, Athletic Director Todd Bell and the entire faculty, staff, students, and fans for another historical season. The West Rowan Falcons will be remembered for many years to come for their perfection on the field and second straight North Carolina 3A championship. As the Salisbury Post headline stated, and to paraphrase that great philosopher Yogi Berra, it was a case of ``Deja Blue'' all over again.

I thank my friend from Texas, and thank him for elevating me to the esteemed status. I am not sure I deserve that.

Mr. Speaker, I don't want to be a prophet of gloom and doom, but there are many people in this world who every night retire, prior to sleeping, with one thought in mind, and that one thought is destroy America. The PATRIOT Act has served as a useful impediment to thwart that effort of destruction, and it must not be allowed to expire.

The majority has had over a year to reauthorize the three expiring provisions, but we failed to do so. In 2005, Mr. Speaker, I chaired the Crime Subcommittee of Judiciary, and we oversaw nine hearings to thoroughly examine all of the intelligence-gathering provisions of the PATRIOT Act. The Republican-led Judiciary Committee completed these and additional full committee hearings, a full committee markup, and floor consideration to reauthorize nearly one dozen provisions, all prior to the August recess.

The current majority, Mr. Speaker, has conducted only one subcommittee hearing, a markup, but still hasn't brought a commonsense bill to the full House floor.

Again, I don't want to promote gloom and doom, but time could be running out on us because one of these days, one of these people who retire with that, before they fall asleep with the one desire to destroy America, they may result in success. We need the impediment to stand thoroughly against this effort, and that impediment, among others, is the PATRIOT Act.

I thank the gentleman from Michigan, and I rise in opposition to this reckless spending proposal.

We simply cannot afford to continue on the same course.

Our current debt is $12.36 trillion. I have opposed past efforts to increase the debt limit, and again today I will vote against raising the limit.

The amount is staggering, $1.9 trillion.

It will raise the limit to $14.294 trillion--an incomprehensible figure.

Our economy is out of sync--currently we have no comprehensive plan for energy, the federal budget or making our manufacturing base competitive in the global market.

In addition Madame Speaker, I am mystified by the attempt today to force members to simultaneously vote on the debt limit increase and the proposed pay-go rules.

These types of shenanigans--particularly on something as significant as a $1.9 trillion debt ceiling increase--are exactly why Americans have lost faith in their government.

Now is not the time to increase our debt ceiling--vote ``no'' on H.J. Res. 45. It will force the government to focus on the economy and it will start restoring some faith in the Congress.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Special Agent Ralph Blincoe, Deputy Director, Management and Administration, of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), who will retire from that agency on February 27, 2010, after 28 years of highly distinguished service.

Mr. Blincoe began his career as a Special Agent in 1982 with the then-named Naval Investigative Service (NIS) after graduating cum laude from Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. After being selected for and completing the first NIS special agent basic class to graduate from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Criminal Investigator Training Program, Mr. Blincoe assumed his first duty assignment in San Diego, CA. While there, he served on the narcotics squad and, became dedicated to investigating procurement fraud matters. Mr. Blincoe was the first NCIS case agent to work a Group I undercover fraud operation with the FBI code-named ``Sandfish,'' which resulted in the conviction of multiple contractors and naval personnel for kickbacks and bribery. In 1986, Mr. Blincoe was short-toured from his assignment in Hawaii and transferred to the first of three NCIS Headquarters tours to become the co-case agent on Operation Iron Eagle, a massive effort focused upon corruption and irregularities committed by members of Seal Team 6, resulting in numerous indictments and convictions of civilians and military members including famed Navy Seal Richard Marcinko. For his efforts, Mr. Blincoe received a Navy Special Act Award and the Department of Defense Inspector General's Award for Investigative Excellence.

Following Supervisory Special Agent tours at NCISRA Washington, D.C., and Jacksonville, FL, Mr. Blincoe was reassigned as the Supervisory Special Agent at Rota, Spain. Mr. Blincoe believes his three years in Spain were amongst the best of his life due to the excellent staff, great work, and close working relationships he developed with the Spanish law

enforcement and intelligence agencies. It was also in Spain where Mr. Blincoe led a dedicated team of NCIS personnel whom were credited with saving the lives of two naval officers. As a result, Mr. Blincoe was awarded the Navy Superior Civilian Service Medal. In 1995, Mr. Blincoe moved to Naples, Italy and served as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge.

In 1997 Mr. Blincoe was transferred back to NCIS Headquarters and then in 1999 was appointed the Deputy Assistant Director for Criminal Investigations. It was during this time period that he was selected to be the Navy's lead for the removal of hundreds of protestors from the Navy's bombing range at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. This highly emotional crisis received daily international media attention, involved multiple federal agencies, and briefings to the senior-most levels of government. The removal plan was flawlessly executed and Mr. Blincoe received the Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service Medal for his efforts.

After tours as the Special Agent in Charge at NCISFO Washington and as the Assistant Director for Administration, Mr. Blincoe was selected to be the first NCIS Executive Assistant Director for Combating Terrorism following the tragic events of 9/11. It was during this time period that Mr. Blincoe was promoted to the Senior Executive Service and has noted that he is particularly proud of the development of the counterterrorism strategies he and his team put together shortly after 9/11, many of which still endure today. Following his 2004 to 2006 assignment as the Executive Assistant Director for Atlantic Operations in Norfolk, VA, Mr. Blincoe returned to Washington for the final time when he was selected by Former NCIS Director Thomas Betro to be the Deputy Director for Operations, a position he held during one of the most demanding operational tempos in the agency's history. Some highlights of that time period include the Haditha/Hamdania investigation, the Chi-Mak and Ariel Weinmann espionage investigations, and the rebuilding of the NCIS economic crimes and proactive criminal operations programs. In 2008, Mr. Blincoe moved to the Management and Administration position and focused much of his time in the areas of leadership development, increasing diversity, the upcoming BRAC moves to Quantico and Fort Meade, and improving the expeditionary communications capability of NCIS.

In retirement, Mr. Blincoe intends to initially volunteer his time and energy to various charitable causes in the greater Washington, D.C., area and then explore employment opportunities in the private sector. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Blincoe for his 28 years of outstanding public service and to wish him fair winds and following seas as he begins the next chapter of his life.

I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding. I appreciate that. And you're on the money: ``The Beverly Hillbillies,'' indeed, were a very significant role that they played: Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys brought to you by Martha White. Those introductory words were disseminated, Madam Speaker, across the airwaves throughout Tennessee, southeastern United States and beyond, introducing what, in my opinion, was the world's premiere bluegrass aggregation during that era, specifically the fifties and the sixties.

I realize that the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee can claim, and rightly so, that Lester Flatt was his constituent, but I would be remiss if I didn't remind him again that Earl Scruggs, the world's premiere 5-string banjoist is a native Carolinian, although not a resident in the district I represent.

In addition to Lester and Earl, Paul, Josh and Jake completed the starting five. But when Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys performed, whether on radio, television or in live concert, Americana was on parade because bluegrass music, after all, is America's music. These men, all superb musicians, were celebrities in their own right, but they did not conduct themselves as celebrities. They were not unlike our next-door neighbor or the guy down the street.

Finally, I think it's fitting and appropriate that this House of Representatives recognizes today that Lester Flatt has made an invaluable contribution to American art as both a songwriter and a performer, leaving an indelible legacy in bluegrass music.

Mr. Speaker, I previously came to the well of the House to voice my disappointment in the then recently announced decision to prosecute certain Gitmo detainees, Gitmo terrorists, in New York City.NOTICE

If the 111th Congress, 1st Session, adjourns sine die on or before December 23, 2009, a final issue of the Congressional Record for the 111th Congress, 1st Session, will be published on Thursday, December 31, 2009, to permit Members to insert statements. All material for insertion must be signed by the Member and delivered to the respective offices of the Official Reporters of Debates (Room HT-59 or S-123 of the Capitol), Monday through Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. through Wednesday, December 30. The final issue will be dated Thursday, December 31, 2009, and will be delivered on Monday, January 4, 2010. None of the material printed in the final issue of the Congressional Record may contain subject matter, or relate to any event, that occurred after the sine die date. Senators' statements should also be formatted according to the instructions at http://webster/secretary/cong_record.pdf, and submitted electronically, either on a disk to accompany the signed statement, or by e-mail to the Official Reporters of Debates at ``[email protected]''. Members of the House of Representatives' statements may also be submitted electronically by e-mail, to accompany the signed statement, and formatted according to the instructions for the Extensions of Remarks template at http://clerk.house.gov/forms. The Official Reporters will transmit to GPO the template formatted electronic file only after receipt of, and authentication with, the hard copy, and signed manuscript. Deliver statements to the Official Reporters in Room HT-59. Members of Congress desiring to purchase reprints of material submitted for inclusion in the Congressional Record may do so by contacting the Office of Congressional Publishing Services, at the Government Printing Office, on 512-0224, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. By order of the Joint Committee on Printing. CHARLES E. SCHUMER, Chairman.

I return today, Mr. Speaker, to reiterate my concern and disappointment about this ill-advised decision, which, in my opinion, will cause our prosecutorial ship of state to sail directly into the tide of procedural reefs, rocks and shoals. When ships steam near reefs, rocks and shoals, collisions and/or groundings become imminent, if not inevitable.

The commanding officer of this ship, President Obama, and his executive officer for this issue, the Attorney General, should bring this ship about, terminate the course now pursued and formulate a better course that will serve good purposes. The present decision, in my opinion, serves no good purpose and is seriously flawed.

My disappointment regarding this matter, Mr. Speaker, is shared by thousands and thousands of New Yorkers specifically and Americans generally. New Yorkers should not be forced to endure 9/11 yet again.

What about the costs that will be inevitably incurred to conduct these prosecutions? Thousands upon thousands of dollars will be spent, thousands upon thousands of dollars we simply do not have.

Mr. Speaker, furthermore, many of us fear that the decision to prosecute in New York City has the trappings of converting the courtroom into a three-ring circus to the detriment of America, public relations-wise. I have earnestly tried to detect something positive about this decision, and I have come up empty time and time again.

I fear President Obama and Attorney General Holder are so rigidly inflexible in defending their decision. This aside, I respectfully urge them to reconsider and reexamine the decision, hopefully reject it and subsequently embrace a policy that is more sound and that will attract more support from the American people.

This is a terrible decision, Mr. Speaker, and I hope it can be rectified.

Mr. Speaker, it's not uncommon for Presidents' administrations to commit blunders, but of the several blunders that have been forthcoming from this administration, the one that stands out most prominently is the decision to authorize prosecution of the 9/11 terrorists in New York City.

This decision, Mr. Speaker, violates reason and common sense. The costs will be overwhelming, the risk not insignificant, and the defendants will enthusiastically embrace the circus atmosphere to espouse their radical views. I hope it is not too late to rescind this flawed decision and conduct the prosecutions before military tribunals.

Of the several blunders committed, this one must be awarded the ultimate blue ribbon. Mr. Speaker, let's hope it's not too late to rescind it and move forward.

Mr. Speaker, much has been spoken and written about the White House snub of Fox News. We have heard little, however, about MSNBC. Anita Dunn, the departing White House Communications Director, was quoted in a recent New York Times article claiming that Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann, MSNBC hosts, are ``progressive but not partisan.'' Well, they surely fooled me.

Some may agree with Ms. Dunn by concluding that these two are not merely partisan, but rather fiercely partisan, and Ms. Dunn insults our intelligence by claiming otherwise.

I thank my friend from New Jersey for yielding, and I commend the gentlelady from California for having introduced this very significant resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment or two to express our condolences to the families, friends and members of our Armed Forces associated with the crew of the Coast Guard C-130 and the Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra who collided on October 29, 2009, off the California coast.

Mr. Speaker, it's difficult to lose servicemembers under any circumstances, and this accident is no exception. The seven members of the Coast Guard C-130 crew were in the midst of a search-and-rescue mission while the Marine Corps Super Cobra

was involved in a military escort mission. These servicemembers were answering the call of duty to protect and serve others and paid the ultimate sacrifice. As a former Coast Guardsman and a Member of Congress, I believe it is appropriate to recognize their service and honor their lives. This resolution is a significant gesture of expression to show our gratitude for their service and sacrifice.

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

The gentlelady from California (Ms. Chu) pretty well touched very thoroughly on this subject matter, and I'll add somewhat to that. I rise in strong support of S. 1599. The Reserve Officers Association is well known and respected in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1922 by General ``Black Jack'' Pershing with a mission to ``support and promote the development and execution of a military policy for the United States that will provide adequate national defense.''

The Reserve Officers Association has as its goal to ensure adequate resources for the National Guard and the various reserve components and ensure that these entities play a key role in the national defense. The Association also is dedicated to the support of the interests of our citizen soldiers, their families and their survivors. Membership is open to all federally commissioned military officers and warrant officers and their spouses. There are currently about 65,000 members.

The Reserve Officers Association received a Federal charter in 1950. The Association would like to modify its charter to reflect technical changes made to its Constitution and bylaws, such as the addition of the position of ``president elect'' and the allowance for more than three executive committee members. That is what this legislation accomplishes. The Senate passed the bill in September by unanimous consent, and I've introduced a companion House version in this body.

I urge my colleagues to support this meritorious legislation, which will allow the Reserve Officers Association to continue to play a vital role here in Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

I have one speaker remaining, Mr. Speaker. I yield to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Gary G. Miller) such time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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

Mr. Speaker, in a post-9/11 world, we understand the importance of technology- and information-sharing between law enforcement agencies in keeping this country safe. That is why I support H. Res. 851, which recognizes and honors the 40th anniversary of SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics.

SEARCH was created by the Department of Justice's Law Enforcement Assistance Administration in 1969 as a 10-State project. Members of the nonprofit organization are primarily state-level justice officials appointed by the respective State governors. The group's original goal was to see whether it was possible to exchange and share criminal history records on an automated and nationwide basis. SEARCH not only succeeded in demonstrating the possibility of such an information- sharing program, but also, through partnership with the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, State agencies and other organizations helped to establish the national criminal history record information system.

Specifically, SEARCH has played a major part in developing programs such as biometric technologies like electronic fingerprinting, the Interstate Identification Index, National Instant Criminal Background Check System, National Fingerprint File, the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, and the National Information Exchange Model. SEARCH also provides training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies when dealing with high-technology crimes and information gathering.

Through these various technologies, SEARCH has helped agencies do their jobs in a more thorough manner. Offenders often have criminal histories that cross state jurisdictional lines. Law enforcement officials having quick access to a suspect's complete history means less missing pieces of the puzzle. And through these technologies, SEARCH has also helped agencies to do their jobs in a more time- and resource-efficient manner. This increase in efficiency and decrease in time wasted has proved critical in helping our law enforcement agencies keep America safe.

I support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill which is a major overhaul of our delivery of health care. We need a fine tune-up, not a major overhaul.

Mr. Speaker, the majority of my constituents believe the United States has the world's best delivery of health care services. I concur. These same constituents are not averse to reform, but they fear the Pelosi health care plan will leave the gate wide open for the introduction of an overwhelming governmental involvement. I believe that fear is well founded.

Our health care system, Mr. Speaker, may well need some adjusting, some fine-tuning. What it does not need is a major overhaul. The Pelosi plan is, indeed, a major overhaul and should be rejected.

Madam Speaker, in his latest column, New York Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt criticized the Times for its lack of coverage of the ACORN fraud and corruption scandal. Hoyt wrote that the Times showed ``slow reflexes'' and risks appearing ``clueless'' or ``partisan'' if it does not cover similar stories in the future.

The Times wasn't alone. The Washington Post's ombudsman admitted the Post was slow to cover the story as well and speculated that reporters' liberal leanings might have played a part.

Most other national news outlets ignored or downplayed the ACORN scandal. Days passed before the network news programs covered the story, and only one out of five Sunday news show hosts asked the President about ACORN last week.

The national media should report the facts instead of ignoring stories that don't fit their liberal agendas.

Madam Speaker, I rise to express my grave concerns over Iran's illicit nuclear program. In the midst of all the attention being paid to issues such as the economy and

health care reform, we must not overlook the growing threat that Iran poses to the security of the United States and our allies in the Middle East. Every day, Iran is working to develop the capacity to produce a nuclear weapon, a point from which I fear there may be no return.

The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has left no illusion of his desire to wipe Israel off the map. Through his emboldened and misguided leadership, Iran has exerted its hegemony throughout the Middle East with complete disregard for the truth and resolute intolerance.

If Iran crosses the nuclear weapons threshold, I have no doubt that this will provoke a renewed race for nuclear arms in the Middle East. Radical political factions throughout the region will be empowered and moderates, who are working to develop a comprehensive peace agreement, will lose their much-needed support. Terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas and Al Qaeda will be strengthened and emboldened to pursue a nuclear weapon of their own--which is our worst nightmare.

Thanks to the Internet, we know that democracy and human rights in Iran are an illusion. Some Iranian leaders would argue with that assertion and also contend that their country has no interest in pursuing a nuclear weapons program. We cannot afford to rely on hollow assurances such as these.

We need valid and thorough inspections immediately to verify exactly what Iran is doing with its nuclear program. The only way to deal with Iran's recalcitrant leaders is to leverage our political influence and force them to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, to conduct inspections. Unfortunately for the Iranian people, this means enacting the Iran Sanctions Act and the Iran Refined Petroleum Act, which would result in severe consequences for Iran and its people.

There is no simple solution to Iran's threat. Measures we can take right now include enacting legislation and supporting policies that will force Iran's leaders to allow IAEA inspectors unfettered access to conduct nuclear weapons inspections. There is far too much at stake to rely on promises from the same Iranian leaders who openly profess their desire to wipe Israel off the map, deny allegations of human rights violations, and provoke violence around the world against those who embrace liberty and justice.