Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that Col Michael R. Shoults will retire from the United States Air Force after 27 years of active duty service. He currently serves as the Chief of the Nuclear Plans, Policy, and Strategy Division of the Air Force.

A native of Bridgeton, Missouri, Col Shoults earned his Bachelor's degree in Aircraft Maintenance Management from Parks College of St. Louis University. From there, he went on to receive degrees from the Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Webster University, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the National Defense University, among others.

This extensive education did much to further Col Shoults' long, diverse, and successful career. In the Air Force, he served as the Air Force operations readiness officer at U.S. Atlantic Command and the commander of the 28th Bomb Squadron and deputy commander for the 7th Operations Group at Dyess Air Force Base. Most recently he served as the vice commander of the 2nd Bomb Wing and the Chief of Staff of Air Combat Command's 8th Air Force. Additionally, as a command pilot he has logged over 3,800 hours in the B-52 and B-1 aircraft.

For his service, Col Shoults received numerous awards and decorations including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.

Madam Speaker, let me take this means to extend my congratulations to Col Shoults on his well-earned retirement and to wish him, his wife Elaine, and his two sons, Robert and Neil, the very best in the days ahead.

Madam Speaker, let me extend my gratitude and appreciation for the twelve years Mr. Tom Hayes served as Mayor of my hometown of Lexington, Missouri. For over a decade, Mr. Hayes selflessly dedicated his life to the betterment of all who call Lexington home.

For twelve years, Mr. Hayes oversaw top to bottom improvements in Lexington that led to economic growth and increased safety. He tackled the problem of an aging infrastructure by overseeing the repaving of major thoroughfares and improving the city's intersections. These investments in the city's streets complimented Mr. Hayes' focus on economic development. He led the effort to refresh and improve the River Front Park, an important historical marker and central meeting place for

the city, and he oversaw the development of the city's new theater. These improvements and the acquisition of the existing City Hall facility ensured the city was on sound fiscal footing.

Mr. Hayes' approach to governing the city was innovative and refreshing. He harnessed the collective wisdom of Lexington's best and brightest by establishing numerous boards and committees, such as the Transportation Board and the Marina Committee. He also maintained and strengthened relationships with Wentworth Military Academy and other local institutions. These partnerships will continue to benefit Lexington for years to come.

Mr. Hayes serves our community in many capacities outside of his role as Mayor. An active member of the First Baptist Church and a dedicated family man, he is a committed member of numerous community boards and foundations. As a man of good character with a high moral standard, he has set a wonderful example for all of Lexington's residents. He has and will continue to make the City of Lexington a wonderful place to live, do business, and raise a family.

Madam Speaker, the commitment to service that Mr. Hayes has shown throughout his life is an inspiration to me personally and to us all. I trust my fellow members of the House will join me in thanking him for his unyielding service to the City and the citizens of Lexington.

Madam Speaker, it was recently brought to my attention that Patricia's Mexican Restaurant in Sedalia, Missouri, is celebrating its 25th year in business. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the owners of Patricia's, Patricia Ives and Gary Farr, for operating such a thriving business for so many years.

Pat Ives, who is originally from Creighton, Missouri, first started a business in Sedalia as the owner of a Mexican restaurant franchise known as El Sambre, which was located in Liberty Plaza. In 1993, she bought the rights to the restaurant and changed its name to Patricia's Mexican Restaurant. In 1990, Pat's son, Gary Farr, joined his mother in running the restaurant, which moved from Liberty Plaza to a new, architecturally unique building in 1998.

Pat and Gary have run their successful restaurant with a great deal of common sense and a compassion for their employees and for their community.

They care genuinely about the people who help them operate their restaurant. This kindness has generated deep loyalty among their workforce and among those who have worked at Patricia's Mexican Restaurant through the years. By encouraging hard work and the development of good people skills, Pat and Gary have helped transform many young Missourians, the restaurant's first-time workers, into responsible citizens. Many of these folks are now contributing within their own communities and to our country.

Pat and Gary are good employers, which is why it is no surprise that they have been in business for 25 years. I know my fellow colleagues in the House of Representatives will join me in paying tribute to Patricia's Mexican Restaurant on its important milestone and in honoring all who have worked for Pat Ives and Gary Farr through the years.

Madam Speaker, let me take this means to congratulate the Smith-Cotton High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) of Sedalia, Missouri. These outstanding young men and women recently placed first overall at the 2010 National High School Drill Team Championships in Daytona, Florida.

More than 145 schools and over 4,000 cadets from across the country participated in the annual competition, and each team competed in four events: regulation, exhibition, color guard, and inspection. The cadets from Smith-Cotton High School scored exceptionally well in each, earning first place in regulation and color guard, second in exhibition, and tenth in inspection.

Since September, the Smith-Cotton JROTC has logged hundreds of hours in training and preparation. These young cadets showed an unyielding commitment to purpose, to team, and to goal, and their hard work has truly paid off. With leaders like the young men and women of this team, I am confident our future is in good hands.

Madam Speaker, the cadets of the Smith-Cotton High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps deserve recognition for their outstanding achievement, and I trust my fellow members of the House will join me in congratulating them.

Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that Mrs. Janice S. Bramwell will be retiring as Regional Director for Experience Works, Inc., after more than 30 years of service. Mrs. Bramwell has helped countless individuals in our communities, and her commitment to service will be sorely missed.

As Regional Director, Mrs. Bramwell used her lifetime of experience as a social worker to bring exceptional service to low-income seniors in Missouri and Illinois. Experience Works, Inc., formerly Green Thumb, is a non-profit organization that helps this struggling population gain the skills and training they need to find gainful employment, a service that is especially needed in this difficult economic time. During her time with this organization she has been recognized for her excellence in budget management and the job retention rate of her clients.

Together with her husband Dewey and her daughter Melissa, Mrs. Bramwell is an active member of the community. She serves as a member of the Ozark Region Workforce Investment Board, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Missouri Senior Employment Coordinating Committee.

Madam Speaker, I trust my fellow members of the House will join me recognizing Mrs. Janice S. Bramwell for her dedicated service to the State of Missouri.

Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that Mr. Harold J. Johnston is retiring as Conductor of the Sedalia Symphony Orchestra after 30 years. Only the second Conductor in the history of the Symphony, Mr. Johnston continued and expanded the great tradition of this Sedalia staple.

Mr. Johnston began his service to the community in 1955 as an educator in the Smithton School District. Four years later, Mr. Johnston began teaching in the Sedalia School District and remained there for the next 27 years. Having received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music education from Central Missouri State University, Mr. Johnston trained countless middle and high school students in vocal and instrumental music.

In 1952, Mr. Johnston began his involvement with the Sedalia Symphony Orchestra, the second oldest continuous symphony in the State of Missouri. Now in its 75th concert season, the Symphony continues to bring great value to Sedalia and the surrounding communities due in no small part to Mr. Johnston's leadership for the past three decades. Building on the Symphony's great tradition, he introduced two new performances that have become community favorites: the annual Christmas POPS Concert and the performance of Handel's Messiah.

Mr. Johnston's commitment to the community of Sedalia and the Symphony has not gone unnoticed. In 1998, Mr. Johnston received the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sedalia Area Council for the Arts, now the Liberty Center Arts Association.

Madam Speaker, Mr. Johnston has brought the joy of music to countless individuals throughout his career in public education and with the Sedalia Symphony Orchestra. I trust my fellow members of the House will join me

in thanking him for his many years of dedicated service.

Madam Speaker, allow me to recognize and pay tribute to Mr. George Thomlinson who recently received the Spirit of Service award from the Warrensburg Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This annual award recognizes a member of the community who shows an outstanding commitment to service and volunteerism.

Although Mr. Thomlinson has worked for 31 years as an insurance agent with Farmers Insurance Group in Sedalia, Missouri, volunteering remains his true calling. Since 1995, Mr. Thomlinson has been involved with the Sedalia-Pettis County United Way. As president and campaign chair, Mr. Thomlinson helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable organizations in Pettis County, and he currently serves on the board as first vice president.

Over the years, he has also served as president of the Liberty Center Association for the Arts, a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and a board member of the Sedalia Rotary Club. For 2 years, he was president of the Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce, and he was awarded the ``Volunteer of the Year'' award in 2002 for his service with the Chamber.

Though his commitments are wide and diverse, few have meant more to Mr. Thomlinson than his work with Ducks Unlimited, an organization that has conserved, restored, and protected over 12 million acres of habitat in North America. After serving as the Missouri State chairman for 3 years, this year he will be nominated to become a regional vice president.

Madam Speaker, let me take this means to recognize Mr. Thomlinson for his tireless service to our community and for the impeccable example he and his wife Holly have set for their daughter Vanessa and us all.

Madam Speaker, today I recognize and pay tribute to Colonel David Furness, United States Marine Corps, on the occasion of his transfer from the liaison office. I, and many other members of this chamber, have had the pleasure of working with him over the past two years that he has served as part of U.S. Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs and as the Director of the USMC Liaison Office in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Colonel Furness expertly represented the Marine Corps on all matters in the U.S. House of Representatives and spearheaded the Marine Corps' most difficult and challenging legislative initiatives from June 2008 to May 2010. Through his direct and skillful interaction with Members of Congress, he ensured that Marine Corps requirements were widely understood by key Members and staff to guarantee the best possible support to the Marine Corps. He also successfully oversaw, planned, coordinated, and escorted more than 150 international and domestic trips for high-level Congressional and Staff Delegations.

Furthermore, Colonel Furness managed, trained and mentored a team of Legislative Liaison Officers and House Legislative Fellows and created an environment that fostered teamwork and professionalism. He led Company and Field Grade Officers and ensured they better understood both the message of the Commandant and the role of the Congress in National Security matters. Colonel Furness contributed immeasurably to making capable Liaison Officers who will return to the Marine Corps Fleet with a better understanding of how Congress and the Corps work closely together to win our Nation's battles.

Through it all, Colonel Furness has been able to ensure that Members of Congress and their staffs never forget the purpose and focus of the Marine Corps: the Marines themselves.

Madam Speaker, through all of these actions, and many more, Colonel Furness has maintained and improved the U.S. House of Representatives' view of the Marine Corps. His performance has made a lasting impact on the readiness of the Marine Corps, laying the groundwork for continued Marine successes on Capitol Hill.

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

I rise in strong support of H.R. 5013, which is known as the IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010. For many years we've witnessed waste in the Department of Defense's acquisition system spiral out of control, placing a heavy burden both on the American taxpayers as well as our men and women in uniform. Less frequently, but still far too often, fraud and abuse have crept into the system, as sadly it happened recently in Iraq. Our troops rely on the acquisition system to buy the equipment they need to keep them safe on the battlefield as well as to protect our country. And when that system breaks down, they suffer.

In recent years, I and many of my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee have become increasingly concerned that this flawed defense acquisition system was not responsive enough to today's mission needs, not rigorous enough in protecting the tax dollars of millions of families who are struggling financially, and not disciplined enough in the acquisition of weapons systems for tomorrow's wars.

We took action. Mr. Chairman, last year we worked with the Senate to enact legislation to reform weapons system acquisition, which covers about 20 percent of all of the military acquisitions. However, weapon systems make up only a small piece of our defense. That bill was a great launching pad; however, we need to do more.

In the House, we continued the effort by creating a Panel on Defense Acquisition Reform, ably led by Congressmen Rob Andrews and Mike Conaway to carry out a comprehensive review of the current system and to identify what steps we need to take to make this system work. The panel could not have done a better job scrutinizing the defense acquisition system. It deals with everything from paper clips to boots to food, everything under the acquisition umbrella.

During the course of this past year, this panel held 14 hearings plus two briefings on a broad range of issues dealing with the acquisition system, unearthing everything from contract fraud to simple process errors that led to billions of wasted dollars. They put together an excellent report with suggestions to fix the system. And we are here today, with the good will of the House, to pass legislation that will enact those recommendations as outlined in the panel headed by Mr. Andrews and Mr. Conaway.

This act will overhaul the defense acquisition system in many respects. Basically, however, requiring the department to set clear objectives for the defense acquisition system and manage performance in achieving those objectives; requiring the department to introduce real accountability into the requirements process, and create a requirements process for the acquisition of services; strengthening and revitalizing the acquisition workforce; requiring the department to develop meaningful consequences for success or failure in financial management; and strengthening the industrial base to enhance competition and gain access to more innovative technology.

In other words, the legislation before us today would require the Department of Defense to adopt the basic management practices that are necessary for anything as complex as the acquisitions system to function properly. These changes will make sure that the men and women who are risking their lives to protect our country are getting

the proper equipment they need to do their jobs and to protect themselves, and that they get it sooner. Additionally, we expect this bill to prevent the waste of billions of taxpayer dollars over the next 5 years.

This is a bipartisan bill. I am very proud of that fact. It passed our Armed Services Committee by a vote of 56-0. A great deal of credit goes to Mr. Rob Andrews and Mr. Mike Conaway. And a special thanks to my partner, Buck McKeon, the ranking member, the gentleman from California.

I urge my colleagues to join us in sending the strongest possible message to the men and women in uniform, as well as to the American people, that we are serious about protecting the taxpayers' dollars and making the acquisition system work more smoothly. It's really for them as well as for our country.

Committee on Ways and Means,

U.S. House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, April 21, 2010.

Hon. Ike Skelton,

Chairman, Committee on Armed Services,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Skelton: Thank you for working with the

Committee on Ways and Means (``Committee'') on H.R. 5013, the

``Implementing Management for Performance and Related Reforms

to Obtain Value in Every Acquisition Act of 2010.'' As you

know, section 403 of H.R. 5013 is of jurisdictional interest

to the Committee as it would require tax return information

to be supplied by the Internal Revenue Service (``IRS'').

Generally, tax return information is confidential. However,

Section 6103(c) of the Internal Revenue Code permits the

Secretary of the Treasury to disclose the tax return

information of a taxpayer to such person as the taxpayer

designates. The Committee continues to monitor the expanding

IRS workload and remains concerned about programs that

greatly increase the agency's workload outside of its core

mission. In calendar year 2009, the IRS made nearly 11,000

tax disclosures under section 6103(c). It is unknown how many

additional disclosures will be made under H.R. 5013. As such,

the Committee worked with the Armed Services Committee to

develop a provision that is administrable by the IRS. The

Committee remains committed to ensuring that any additional

responsibilities imposed on the IRS do not strain agency

resources and welcomes the opportunity to re-evaluate this

provision in the future.

As we have discussed, this exchange of letters will be

placed in the Committee Report on H.R. 5013 and inserted in

the Congressional Record as part of the consideration of this

legislation in the House. Thank you for the cooperative

spirit in which you have worked with the Committee regarding

this matter.

Sincerely,

Sander M. Levin,

Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, at this time let me pay tribute to members of our committee. Buck McKeon, the ranking member, a gentleman of the first order, is helping so very, very much to achieve end results in a bipartisan manner. National security is an American challenge. It is not a Democrat or a Republican challenge but one that is bipartisan. And I certainly appreciate his efforts.

Rob Andrews, Mike Conaway, and all those on the panel, the bipartisan panel, which made the recommendations for this legislation did so unanimously. We had a full hearing, debating the issues that arise in this bill, and it was passed out to this floor with a vote of 56-0. So I want to say a special thanks to the members of the Armed Services Committee, all the members, and especially the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) for his untiring efforts in this regard.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and my colleague, who is also the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).

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

Let me point out that this acquisition legislation is based upon a complicated set of facts. You just don't go down to the local store and buy the necessary equipment for the young men and young women in uniform. Many of the issues deal with the production, with the purchase, with the right sizing, and all of the intricacies and technologies of today's high-level type of efforts.

So to explain all of this in much greater detail is the gentleman who is the key sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman who chaired the panel, and I compliment him on the excellent job that he and Mr. Conaway and the other members of the panel did. So I yield at this time 5 minutes to my friend, the sponsor, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I yield the gentleman an additional 5 minutes.

No. I appreciate the gentleman from New Jersey. I have nothing further to add, except that hopefully this bill will receive a unanimous vote at a later moment.

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

Mr. Chairman, the amendment before us is one that is technical in nature. It merely seeks to clarify certain technical errors and inconsistencies that arose during the process of drafting the bill. It conforms the bill to the intent of the Armed Services Committee in its markup. It makes no substantive changes, is noncontroversial, and I would certainly hope that we could adopt the amendment.

At this time, Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Arcuri).

Will the gentleman yield?

The gentleman is correct. The Armed Services Committee has under consideration a number of requests from Members of the House related to the impacts of current law regarding titanium and other specialty metals on the industrial base. We will consider these requests when we mark up the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2011.

I look forward to working with Mr. Arcuri, Mr. Shuler, and Mr. Davis on the issue in the coming weeks so that these important concerns are addressed. I thank the gentleman for his efforts on this bill, H.R. 5013, and for agreeing to assist the committee in putting together our authorization bill.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge).

(Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment, but I do not oppose it.

The amendment before us is a sense of Congress amendment. In essence it says, we should follow the law. It reaffirms Congress' support for the Buy American Act and other United States labor laws, and Congress has acted in recent years to make contracting officers aware of firms seeking contracts that have engaged in certain violations of the law. This is a ``wake up and pay attention to the law'' sense of Congress.

Today, Mr. Chairman, we have done more than adopt 16 amendments and had an excellent general debate on this bill. We have exhibited in a very substantial and substantive piece of legislation that Democrats and Republicans can work together, that, in a bipartisan effort, we can make things better for the young men and women in uniform, that we can save the taxpayer dollars, and over a period of time, it will be in the billions of dollars if this legislation becomes law. And we certainly hope that it will not only pass here with a substantial vote but also pass the United States Senate with a substantial vote, because it is a hallmark piece of real legislation. It should have been done before, but it wasn't. And here we are, taking up legislation that will be good for the young men and young women in uniform and save the American taxpayer dollars.

I am really proud of the committee. I am really proud of Buck McKeon, the ranking member, for his excellent cooperation and work; Rob Andrews, the chairman of the panel that I appointed; Mike Conaway, for the excellent work that he did, in particular, the sections relating to the required audits that will be part of this legislation. We have just done marvelous work. I could not be prouder of the Armed Services Committee and those who worked on it as well as those who offered the very important amendments.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I am very grateful for the work that has been done, and I do urge a ``yes'' vote on this particular amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object.

Mr. Speaker, I claim time in opposition, though I do not oppose the motion.

I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the instructions of the House in the motion to recommit, I report the bill, H.R. 5013, back to the House with an amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and in which to insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill, H.R. 5013, just passed.

Madam Speaker, let me take this means to congratulate the men and women of the Lincoln University Track and Field team for their outstanding performance at this year's NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The women's team finished the season by bringing home their second national title in as many years and the Blue Tigers' tenth overall national championship. This accomplishment is even more impressive given the strong performance by the men's Track and Field team. Led by junior Kimour Bruce, himself a national champion in the 60-meter dash, the men's team finished in fourth place.

Madam Speaker, I wish to extend my congratulations to the student- athletes of the Lincoln University Track and Field team for these remarkable achievements.

Madam Speaker, I wish to extend my congratulations and best wishes to Dr. Aaron Podolefsky as he prepares to end his tenure as president of the University of Central Missouri, UCM, in Warrensburg, MO. After 5 years of dedicated service to the University, Dr. Podolefsky will become the president of Buffalo State College in Buffalo, New York.

After a distinguished record of academic accomplishment as a scholar at San Jose State University in California and the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Dr. Podolefsky pursued a career as an educator and academic administrator, showing a commitment to public universities and the development of young minds across the country.

During his tenure as President of UCM, Dr. Podolefsky presided over a period of great change. With the adoption of a new name for the University, he brought together students, educators, community partners, and civic leaders to develop and implement a new vision for UCM. He expanded opportunities for students and enhanced economic development in the region by reorganizing the academic departments and developing partnerships with national and international institutions.

Under his leadership, the U.S. News and World Report and Princeton Review have recognized UCM as one of the best universities in the Midwest for the first time in university history. And, UCM provides this exceptional education at low cost, ranking first in the Midwest in low student debt. These accolades, combined with an ever increasing job placement rate for UCM graduates, are evidence of Dr. Podolefsky's sustained commitment to the University.

Madam Speaker, I wish Dr. Podolefsky the best of luck in his future career at Buffalo State College and thank him for his dedication to the University of Central Missouri. Together with his wife Ronnie and sons, Noah and Isaac, Dr. Podolefsky will be missed and his mark on UCM will be felt for years to come.

Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that my friend CAPT Randy Jackson will retire from the United States Navy on June 4, 2010, after three decades of service to our nation. Let me take this means to congratulate Captain Jackson on his well-earned retirement and to thank him for his lifetime of service to the United States and for his many years of friendship.

Born in my hometown of Lexington, Missouri, Captain Jackson received his appointment to the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1980 with a degree in Systems Engineering. After distinguishing himself in the classroom, Captain Jackson moved across the country to serve aboard the USS Elliot, based in San Diego, California.

Over the next 30 years, Captain Jackson showed remarkable adaptability and flexibility as he moved from post to post and job to job

in the United States and around the world. As a Surface Warfare Officer, a Seabee Combat Warfare Officer and a Joint Qualified Officer, Captain Jackson dedicated his life to ensuring the men and women of the United States Navy had well-functioning and state-of-the-art systems, accommodations, and equipment.

His superior service did not go unnoticed. Over the years, Captain Jackson has received numerous unit and service awards, among them the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal.

Married to the former Sonja Huff of Camdenton, MO, Captain and Mrs. Jackson are the proud parents of three young adults: Ryan, Kirsten, and Evan.

Madam Speaker, throughout his life, Captain Jackson has shown uncommon commitment to service and dedication to country. I trust my fellow members of the House will join me in wishing him well as he prepares to close a chapter in his life and begins to write another.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Vice Admiral Sir Alan Massey, Second Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, on the occasion of his visit to the United States and in anticipation of his impending retirement from active duty following over three decades of service in the Royal Navy.

Throughout a long and distinguished career, Vice Admiral Massey has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, stewardship and unwavering commitment to members of the Royal Navy, and for this alone he deserves recognition and admiration. But it is his many years of friendship and cooperation with the Armed Forces of the United States for which I pay tribute to this exceptional naval officer.

Over the course of his career, Vice Admiral Massey has commanded a destroyer, a frigate, and two aircraft carriers. In the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, as a key ally in Operation Enduring Freedom, he led operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan while in command of HMS ILLUSTRIOUS. Additionally, at the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, while commanding HMS ARK ROYAL, Vice Admiral Massey led the successful coalition amphibious assault into southern Iraq as part of Operation TELIC. In recognition of his exceptional performance, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on the United Kingdom's Operational Honours List.

Vice Admiral Massey has served in the Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom, on four occasions and has held two appointments on NATO Headquarters staffs. He served as Assistant Chief of the Royal Naval Staff, responsible for representing the maritime case in the Ministry of the Defence, while concurrently planning the Navy's future and coordinating its public communications strategy and outreach activity. In an earlier assignment, Vice Admiral Massey led the Operations division of the United Kingdom's Permanent Joint Headquarters, responsible for the conduct of joint military operations in all current theatres, including Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans.

Vice Admiral Massey has a first class Honours degree from the University of Liverpool, and is a graduate of the Royal Naval Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies. Selected for promotion to Vice Admiral in July 2008, he was appointed as Second Sea Lord, equivalent to our United States Chief of Naval Personnel, and concurrently serves as Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command and Flag Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty the Queen. During the Queen's Birthday Honours of 2009, Vice Admiral Massey was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of Bath.

I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to rise with me to thank Vice Admiral Sir Alan Massey for his service to the Royal Navy and for his long and distinguished career in support of the mutual interests of the United Kingdom and the United States. We wish him fair winds and following seas as he closes his military career and assumes his new duties as Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. We also wish Vice Admiral Massey, his wife Julie and their four children, James, Annabel, Tom and Sally, much success, infinite happiness and good health in the days ahead.

Mr. Speaker, let me share my support for the House Amendment to S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act. This is a good bill for our nation's veterans and those who care for them, and I am thankful for all the hard work that has gone in to this legislation.

Missouri's Fourth Congressional District, which I have the honor to represent, is a rural district consisting of small towns, farms, and patriotic Americans, so I am particularly pleased with the provisions of the bill that focus on the needs of rural veterans. Veterans of all of our nation's conflicts, from World War II to today, call the Fourth District home, but the advantages of living in rural Missouri often come with long drives to the closest VA hospital or clinic. This legislation takes a number of steps to improve access to care for rural veterans, including increasing the mileage reimbursement rate for traveling to a VA health facility and partnering with veterans service organizations to provide transportation options for veterans living in rural areas. These moves would help address some of the concerns I often hear from veterans.

I am also pleased with the provisions of the legislation that impact the caregivers of our veterans. Oftentimes, the day-to-day care of a seriously injured or ill veteran is provided by a spouse, a child or a parent. These individuals give of themselves gladly, but many are forced to take time off of work or school, or to leave their jobs or their pursuit of higher education altogether. And many caregivers do not have the experience or training to provide the most effective care for their loved one. The bill before us today expands training and education for caregivers, provides access to them for counseling and mental health services, and for those caring for veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, provides a monthly stipend and health care through the CHAMPVA program. These caregivers are providing an important service for our veterans and this legislation gives proper consideration for their needs.