Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 803, the SKILLS Act.

Mr. Speaker, this is the time to be investing in workforce development programs, not slashing them. I especially want to point out that unemployment in Rhode Island remains unacceptably high, yet the skills gap is an employment obstacle we can overcome with the right resources. Workers need proper training to succeed in a global economy, and the Workforce Investment Act programs have helped to do just that.

So it saddens me that the bill before us today cuts so many vital programs just when we need them the most. It freezes investments in job training. It cuts or consolidates 35 critical programs and limits access to services for youth, minorities, older workers, people with disabilities, and veterans--the vulnerable populations that this law was designed to serve.

This bill could also imperil the efforts of organizations making positive strides also in my home State. A prime example of this is the Genesis Adult Education Center in Providence, which receives 20 percent of its total budget from WIA sources and helps some of the most disadvantaged people in our State through job training, child care, and support services. Under the SKILLS Act, the Genesis Center could face a reduction of funding and would be forced to serve fewer Rhode Islanders.

At the Job Corps centers nationwide, enrollment of new students has been suspended, and this bill does nothing to address this problem. For almost 3 years, the Job Corps center in Rhode Island has been unable to enroll new students in job training classes. We should be considering legislation that addresses this challenge and invests in job creation, and this bill falls far short on both counts.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule and reject this bill so that we can come together in a bipartisan manner that properly addresses our workforce issues.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to recognize Robert P. Andrade, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Pawtucket Credit Union in my home state of Rhode Island. Bob has had a long and distinguished career in public service, and I want to thank him for his continuing commitment to causes that have helped the people of Rhode Island build wealth and economic stability.

Mr. Andrade first distinguished himself as a legislative advocate for the credit unions of Rhode Island working diligently to ensure that the members of credit unions receive outstanding financial service. He has served in many capacities at the Credit Union Association of Rhode Island including Board Chairman, Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman, Bylaw and Resolutions Committee Chairman, and Marketing Committee Chairman. Through his efforts to provide service to credit unions with unique and forward looking programs, he has earned national recognition.

Through this leadership, Rhode Island credit unions joined a ground breaking cooperative with their colleagues in New England that allows pooling of resources while maintaining autonomy. During his tenure, the Credit Union Association of Rhode Island has also provided almost $600,000 to support the Special Olympics of Rhode Island as a distinguished corporate sponsor. Mr. Andrade has been and continues to be committed to the conviction that the credit union community must invest in the future by staying engaged at every level of the legislative process to ensure a dynamic operating environment with flexibility for change and modernization.

Mr. Speaker, throughout his career, Mr. Andrade has eloquently voiced his belief that credit unions make it possible for all Americans to lead better, happier and more productive lives. Today, I salute his advocacy work and his charitable efforts, and I wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on Republican leaders to keep the House in session until Congress fulfills its responsibility to the American people by averting sequestration.

With Rhode Island unemployment at 10.2 percent, my constituents cannot afford a single day of these indiscriminate cuts. They will have a negative impact on Rhode Islanders seeking job assistance, teachers educating our children, and countless seniors who rely on food assistance, not to mention the numerous jobs in our defense industry.

We've found compromise in the past. Since April of 2011, Congress has reduced the deficit by over $2.5 trillion, cutting spending by over $1.4 trillion,

with almost $3 in spending cuts for every $1 of revenue. Mr. Speaker, Democrats in the House and the Senate, along with the President, have put forward balanced proposals to avert these devastating cuts. I urge you to listen to the American people and bring balanced legislation to the floor for a vote. Our communities cannot afford to wait.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Career and Technical Education Month. I'm proud to be joined by Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, who I know spoke earlier this morning. Mr. Thompson is my good friend and fellow cochair of the bipartisan Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus.

CTE is an investment in the future of our economy, our workforce, and our country. From skills training in high schools to community colleges and professional programs, CTE plays a critical role for workers of every age. And I'm so proud that President Obama called for more support for CTE in his State of the Union message last evening.

The most important step I believe we can take this year to support CTE is to fully reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act. Currently, the Perkins Act is authorized at a level set in 2010, which doesn't reflect the reality of a modern economy where more workers are looking at high-skilled fields.

More and more employers need highly skilled workers. I hear too often from Rhode Island employers with job openings that they can't fill because they can't find the workers with the right skills to fill the jobs that they do have available. Meanwhile, our unemployment rate remains unacceptably high.

Closing the skills gap is one important step we can take to ensure that workers can fit and fill the needs of expanding industries, both today and in the future. After all, how can we expect to help individuals start a company or businesses expand their company or to relocate jobs from overseas if we don't have the workers with the right skills to do the jobs that would be and are available?

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to a continuing partnership with my good friend, G.T. Thompson from Pennsylvania, in the 113th Congress, and I strongly urge my colleagues to join the Career and Technical Education Caucus and to support the full reauthorization of the Perkins Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule which prevents consideration of critical amendments offered by me and my colleagues from disaster-affected States.

I'm particularly disappointed that my amendment was not even allowed a vote, as it would ensure that all States that received a major disaster declaration due to Hurricane Sandy are able to receive EPA State and tribal assistance grants. The failure of the House bill to provide this assistance to every State receiving a Presidential disaster

declaration following Sandy is troubling and, quite frankly, extremely disappointing. The refusal of the majority to allow this amendment to come for a vote is even worse.

The Senate passed a fair and balanced relief package last year providing assistance for all of our communities and industries affected by a major disaster declaration, including our fishing industry. I'm deeply disappointed that this legislation before us reverses course, denying assistance to certain communities affected by Sandy, particularly after the House Republicans have delayed nearly 3 months in bringing even this flawed bill to the floor.

In this Congress, we've made it clear that we help our communities when they're in need when disaster strikes, and this bill doesn't adequately address assistance to all communities that have been impacted.

For these reasons, I will vote against the rule in the hope that we can improve the overall bill to include these critical amendments. But with that being said, should that rule pass, as flawed as it is, I won't let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and I would urge my colleagues to act in good faith and pass the disaster assistance bill free from additional legislative gimmicks that will only further imperil its success.

With that, I thank the gentlelady for yielding. This bill is by no means perfect, but our States can't afford to wait another 3 months.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. It goes without saying that this is no one's idea of a perfect bill. However, the American people are counting on Congress to act to prevent a tax increase on the middle class, just as our economy is starting to recover.

President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Senate Democrats and Republicans have done what the voters sent us here to do: find a balanced approach to help get our fiscal house in order. House Democrats have been ready to do our part, and I am glad that our Republican colleagues have finally allowed this legislation to come to the Floor so that we can ensure our nation does not feel the harmful effects of the fiscal cliff. It should not have taken this long, and it should not have been this hard.

While I have serious concerns about certain portions of the agreement, I am very pleased that--first and foremost--middle class families will be protected from a tax rate increase. Not only will we permanently extend middle-class tax cuts, but this deal will also extend the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit, and it permanently ensures that the Alternative Minimum Tax will not hit middle-class families.

Very importantly, this package also includes a critical extension of unemployment benefits for those still struggling to find work, and I am grateful for the efforts of Senator Jack Reed and others to ensure this provision was part of the final deal.

I have called many times in recent months for the expiration of Bush- era tax rates on income over $250,000, and I am disappointed that this agreement does not meet that goal. However, while the income threshold of $450,000 is higher than I would have liked, it is nonetheless a major step forward that the very wealthiest Americans will begin to pay their fair share under this bill. Democrats have already agreed to over a trillion dollars in spending cuts, and it is critical that some significant revenue is finally being put on the table.

Of particular interest to Rhode Island's wind energy industry, this bill extends the Production Tax Credit and the Investment Tax Credit for renewable energy, which will mean critical jobs for our state. It also provides our doctors with another year of relief from Medicare reimbursement cuts.

One thing many of my colleagues and I made clear to House leaders was that we would not support a deal that cut Medicare or Social Security benefits for our seniors, and I am glad that they listened to us.

Overall, this agreement sets the standard for a balanced approach that demands shared sacrifice through both spending cuts and revenue increases. I have long advocated for such an approach, and I am hopeful that this will be the model for our deficit reduction efforts in coming years.

Unfortunately, this deal is no ``grand bargain,'' and it sets up yet another potential crisis mere weeks from now by pushing off a solution to sequestration for two months, right at the same time we will need to increase the debt limit and renew government funding. No one wants to relive this fight, and I would have much preferred to resolve these perennial issues all at once.

Nonetheless, it is time to act. We have an obligation to move forward with a balanced compromise, and I believe that we have achieved that. I urge my colleagues to support this agreement, and I hope that we can begin the 113th Congress with a renewed commitment to address our nation's many complex challenges with seriousness and cooperation.

I want to thank Ranking Member Smith for yielding and also wish to thank Chairman McKeon, both of them, for their hard work on this bill and working so collaboratively on behalf of the men and women in uniform and for our national security. I also want to thank the committee staff and all of my colleagues on the committee for their work on this year's legislation. I'd especially like to give a special thanks to Chairman Thornberry, who has been a superb partner on the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, and I particularly want to thank him for his hard work and our collaborative work together on cybersecurity, which I care passionately about.

While this legislation is not perfect in my eyes, it represents a compromise and common purpose that voters expect of us, as well as our continued commitment to one of our fundamental purposes as Members of Congress--providing for the common defense.

Now, this bill makes important investments in both the people and the programs that make defense work. It ensures that we have a robust national security. I'm particularly proud to note that it includes key provisions I advocated for directing the procurement of an additional Virginia-class submarine in FY 14. These boats are critical to our national security, and the hardworking men and women at Electric Boat in my district are building them ahead of schedule and underbudget. This bill preserves the two-boat-per-year model that has made such efficiencies possible.

I would also like to highlight the important cybersecurity provisions that enhance the oversight of Defense Department cyberoperations, establish criteria for DOD contractors to rapidly report cyberattacks and, most importantly, cyberpenetrations, especially when they've been successful, and obviously the work done here to grow our cyberworkforce. The highly skilled men and women who defend the United States' interests in cyberspace, in my opinion, are too few in number, and we have to reverse this trend, and we must attract, train and retain the very best.

Likewise, I'm pleased that this legislation includes provisions I authored that ask the DOD to assess the state of next-generation directed energy technologies. DE technologies hold great promise. In the short and medium term, they will not be a replacement for kinetic defenses; but they can be an added benefit, whether it's on missile defense or leak defense.

I thank the gentleman.

These technologies will not be, again, a replacement for kinetic defenses; but given the threats that we face in terms of raid sizes from adversaries on both short-, medium-, and long-range missiles, directed energy technologies do add an added dimension of defense that can supplement kinetic defenses.

With that, I want to thank all of my colleagues for their hard work on this bill. Again, I want to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for working so well together, their hard work; and I urge all of my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, impending budget cuts under sequestration pose a serious risk to America's leadership in a variety of areas. The one in particular that I want to focus on today is the serious risk to America's leadership on a clean-energy economy and to developing grid- scale energy infrastructure, made possible in part by the Production Tax Credit. These investments help to ensure our Nation's energy security and independence while spurring growth in a wind industry that supports over 70,000 jobs nationwide, including hundreds in Rhode Island.

Mr. Speaker, Rhode Island receives 7 percent of its State revenue from Federal grants that are subject to sequestration. Unless averted by Congress, it

could threaten the health of Rhode Island's local economies and risk another national recession.

I know we have difficult choices ahead; but if there's one mandate both parties can claim from the November election, it is to solve our Nation's economic and fiscal challenges together. Although we may not agree on all aspects of a solution, we can all agree on the need to address the impending problem. The clock is ticking.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 609, H.R. 5997, as amended, I was unavoidably detained and missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, November is National Family Caregivers Awareness Month, a time to honor the work of over 65 million family members who sacrifice every day to care for their loved ones with special needs.

Whether they have a father with Alzheimer's or a mother with Parkinson's

disease or a child with autism, these caregivers provide approximately 80 percent of the long-term care for the chronically ill. Unfortunately, this 24-hour-a-day commitment can take a toll on the caregiver's emotional, physical, and financial well-being.

Respite care provides a temporary break for family members engaged in the full-time task of caregiving. In fact, it is the most frequently requested support service, yet nearly 90 percent of caregivers still go without needed assistance. That's why I've introduced the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, and will continue to advocate for its passage and funding.

Mr. Speaker, family caregivers are our Nation's silent heroes, and they deserve our recognition and support not just in November but every day of the year. To all of them, I say a heartfelt ``thank you.''

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on rollcall No. 604. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to Dr. Kaigham J. Gabriel on the occasion of his departure as Acting Director of the Department of Defense's (DoD) Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Gabriel on several occasions during his tenure at DARPA and admire his dedication to supporting our men and women in uniform and his commitment to strengthening the technological advantage of our current and future combat forces.

The DARPA mission is clear and concise: to create and prevent strategic surprise for the Nation. In a little less than 3 years as the deputy director and acting director, Dr. Gabriel led the Agency in accomplishing numerous initiatives important to DoD and National Security.

He initiated an advanced manufacturing program designed to counter the increasing time, cost, and risk of producing complex defense systems by shortening the timeline from conception to fielding of weapons and defenses. He oversaw the development of a hypersonic test vehicle that flew at Mach 20, the fastest high lift-to-drag ratio aircraft ever built and one that will be instrumental in our Nation's capabilities in the future. We now have 3 minutes of fully aerodynamically controlled flight at Mach 20, which yielded more aerodynamic and test measurement data than had been collected in ground tests during the previous 40 years.

Dr. Gabriel also directed DARPA's innovative talents to improve the welfare of our brave men and women in uniform who suffered severe injuries in theater before returning home. The Agency's prosthetics research has pioneered a new generation of artificial limbs. I witnessed, for example, a veteran using an artificial hand so adroitly that he was able to pluck a single grape from a large cluster. In addition, in less than a year's time, DARPA's team researched, developed, built, and deployed wristwatch-size blast gauges that detect and record overpressure blast exposure--data critical to the early diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury for our troops deployed abroad.

Dr. Gabriel helped the Agency create a forward cell in Afghanistan to support technology deployment efforts. This included a 90-day ``Skunk Works'' activity that brought together some of the country's best computer and social scientists, counterinsurgency experts, economists and analysts. The team deployed to Afghanistan within a month of being tasked to aid the war effort. Dr. Gabriel also oversaw the fielding of a wide-area, high-definition, off-nadir light detection and ranging collection system to provide much-needed 3D map data and systems.

To ensure that our nation's resources are being directed in the most appropriate areas, Dr. Gabriel oversaw the development of several analytic frameworks that guided DARPA's investments toward areas revealed to be most divergent with existing threats to the country's security. The cyber analytic framework, in particular, highlighted the need to undertake some new and innovative approaches in defensive cybersecurity, and DARPA was the first DoD organization to address openly the need for an offensive cyber strategy.

In today's fiscally constrained environment, Dr. Gabriel insisted on financial accountability and solid business practices. During his tenure, DARPA's obligation rate was 21 points higher than the previous 5-year average, translating into more than $600 million in the performer community, working for DoD and the Nation.

Dr. Gabriel would be the first to tell us that none of this would have been possible were it not for the incredible talent at DARPA. In our conversations, he has emphasized to me that the personnel are the lifeblood of the Agency, and he has helped to recruit the nation's best talent from academia, industry, nonprofits, the Services, and laboratories to serve our Nation.

On behalf of the House of Representatives and the United States of America, I thank Dr. Kaigham Gabriel for his service to our country, his significant contribution to the defense of our Nation, and his leadership in advancing what is necessary for America to prevent and create strategic surprise. I know my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and in both houses of Congress, join me in sending our best wishes in his next endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 2012, we, as a nation, watched with pride as Team USA competed in the Olympic and Paralympic games in London, England. With over 200 nations competing in 300 events, the Olympic Games once again demonstrated the capacity of international sports to captivate and inspire us all through friendly competition, sportsmanship, solidarity, and fair play.

Team USA was well-represented, with 530 Olympians and over 245 Paralympians, each of whom served as an example to all of us with their unyielding commitment to excellence. Their years of dedication paid off handsomely, as Team USA finished first in the overall Olympic medal count with 46 gold, 29 silver, and 29 bronze medals, and fourth in the Paralympic medal count with 31 gold, 29 silver, and 38 bronze medals.

I would especially like to point out the courage and fortitude put forth by so many Paralympians. Although they might not get the same television coverage as the Olympics, the Paralympics showcases some of the finest talent this country has to offer. Some of these world-class athletes are also wounded warriors who served in our military and fought for our country with honor and distinction. I have been pleased to work with the U.S. Olympic Committee and my Congressional colleagues to provide adaptive sports programs to injured service members, helping to speed their recovery time, bolster their self-confidence, and vastly improve their quality of life.

Olympian or Paralympian, all members of Team USA put forth their best effort at the Summer Olympics. They have trained their entire lives for the honor and privilege of representing the United States in international competition. Their achievements are extraordinary, and we are proud of all they have accomplished.

To honor the hard work and unparalleled success of Team USA and the U.S. Olympic Committee, I have proudly joined my fellow co-chairs of the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus to introduce H. Res. 780, a resolution in support of the goals and ideals of the Olympic movement.

The Olympic movement is a testament to the power of international competition to unite us in common spirit and a reminder to all that we can achieve our dreams with courage and determination. I congratulate Team USA for their success and thank the U.S. Olympic Committee for their continued dedication to achieving a better world through athletics.

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, today we have the opportunity to talk about our vision for the future and the path our country must set upon in order to remain competitive in the global economy and also to get our fiscal house in order.

The tax reform proposals that we are debating today could not be in starker contrast. Today, I will vote against the Republican plan that is before us, and instead I will vote for the Democratic plan which I believe is a balanced approach to move our country forward. It gives everyone the opportunity to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, this debate is about choices. The Republicans want to give more tax cuts to the wealthy, quite frankly, at the expense of everyone else. Democrats, on the other hand, propose a balanced plan that asks the wealthiest to sacrifice just a little bit more so that we can provide tax relief for the middle class taxpayers, we can bring our debt down, and invest in economic growth. We will protect our most vulnerable. We will repeal the alternative minimum tax. We will discourage tax haven abuse and eliminate the tax breaks that ship jobs and profits overseas.

Far too many of us, Mr. Speaker, have experienced the hardship and loss of employers shuttering their operations in our districts, and we know that when a business closes, it's not just direct jobs that are lost. It is an entire community which is affected. The grocery store has less business, people don't go to the movies, they're not going out to eat at the local diner, they postpone home repairs, and they don't buy that new car. This is as a result of Republican tax policies that have, quite frankly, incentivized companies moving jobs overseas.

Democrats propose to change that. That's why we've made promoting domestic manufacturing such a top priority. We want to rewrite the Tax Code in such a way that it incentivizes job creation here or bringing jobs back from overseas. That means that not only are we going to create jobs in that particular business that comes back to America or that starts up here in our country, but also the ancillary jobs that are created as a result that filter out into the community. Some estimate that for every one job that is created in manufacturing, for example, there's at least four or five jobs that are created in other industries.

We all agree that comprehensive tax reform is urgently needed. Where Democrats and Republicans fundamentally disagree is how we get there. I urge my colleagues to vote against the Republican plan that is before us and vote for the Democratic substitute to reduce our debt, protect the middle class, promote American products that are made by American workers, and invest in our national priorities: infrastructure, education, research, and security. Let's keep America competitive and create jobs the right way, right here at home.

With that, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Olympic silver medalist and Rhode Island resident, Elizabeth Beisel. Elizabeth is a member of the USA Olympic Swimming Team, and on July 28, she competed in the Women's 400 meter individual medley, finishing in second place with a time of 4:31.27. I join her family, friends, Rhode Islanders, and the entire United States in congratulating her on this remarkable accomplishment.

Growing up in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, Elizabeth began swimming at 5 years old. Her passion, energy, and hard work paid off in 2008 when she qualified for her first Olympics. In Beijing, 15 year old Elizabeth was the first Olympic swimmer from Rhode Island in 44 years. She finished in fourth and fifth in the 400 meter individual medley and the 200 meter backstroke respectively. Last year she won her first world title at the Shanghai World Championships in the 400 meter individual medley.

After the Beijing Olympics, Elizabeth enrolled in the University of Florida, where she continues to train and compete. Outside of the pool, Elizabeth is a dedicated student and a talented violin player. She balances the demands of her collegiate and Olympic training programs, academic coursework, and international competition schedule with incredible grace and maturity.

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in extending congratulations and best wishes to Elizabeth and all of the exceptional athletes who make up Team USA. America is so proud of you!