Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Special Agent Scott E. Jacobs, who will be retiring from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) after 28 years of dedicated service.

Throughout his expansive career, Scott has been instrumental in the successful implementation of many operations within NCIS. When he first began his career in 1981, Scott was assigned to the Naval Investigative Service, NIS, in Seattle, Washington. After his initial post, he took on an undercover bidding operation in Yokosuka, Japan when he transferred to the NIS Resident Office. He then returned to the United States, where his keen operational style garnered Scott positions within management ranks, such as staff assistant to the regional director, Far East region, 1997-1988; special agent in charge of the Regional Fraud Office in New Jersey, 1988-1992; and assistant special agent in charge of the Metropolitan Northeast Field Office in New Jersey, 1992-1995.

I came to know Scott during his time as a Department of the Navy legislative fellow. For 2 years, he worked with my staff as a Navy fellow and helped to ensure the people of New Jersey's third district were well-represented. Following a stint as executive assistant to the deputy director and deputy assistant director for economic crimes, 1996-1997, he returned to Capitol Hill to work with the Joint Economic Committee. There, he focused his efforts on the Endangered Species Act. Scott then returned to NCIS headquarters and resumed his position as deputy assistant director for economic crimes.

In 2001, Scott spent time in Seattle as a special agent-in-charge of the NCIS Northwest Field Office and spearheaded the NCIS Law Enforcement Information Exchange (LInX). This valuable data-sharing system has become one of the Nation's premier tools for law enforcement agencies. He later returned to our Nation's Capitol in 2005 upon his appointment to the Senior Executive Service as the executive assistant director for combating terrorism. Scott was also tapped to serve as the acting director of the Department of Defense Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA), where he managed the CIFA's transition to the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Madam Speaker, Scott's enthusiasm and abiding loyalty for the NCIS are only surpassed by his genuine desire to embrace and enhance the world around him. As he celebrates his retirement, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for his leadership, commitment, and service to our Nation.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of FY 2009 Defense Appropriations Bill.

Project: Monmouth University's Rapid Response Institute.

Funding Amount: $3,200,000.

Account: Research, Development, and Testing, Defense Wide.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lockheed Martin.

Address of Requesting Entity: 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764.

Description of Request: Project will evaluate the software's ability to improve the effectiveness of military (including National Guard) preparedness and its support to the civilian first responders.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of FY 2009 Defense Appropriations Bill.

Project: Ballistic Missile Defense--Aegis

Funding Amount: $20,000,000

Account: Research, Development, and Testing and Evaluation Ballistic Missile Defense Aegis

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lockheed Martin

Address of Requesting Entity: 199 Borton Landing Rd, Moorestown, NJ 08057

Description of Request: Ballistic Missile Defense Aegis system provides resources to close the capability gap between current Sea Based BMD capabilities and the emergent BMD threats.

Project: Vehicle Common Armor Manufacturing Process (VCAMP)

Funding Amount: $2,500,000

Account: Army Research, Development, and Testing and Evaluation End Item Industrial Preparedness Activities

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: SMH International, LLC

Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Technology Way, Suite 210, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054

Description of Request: Vehicle Common Armor Manufacturing Process develops a common armor manufacturing process for force protection aimed at enhancing soldier survivability by reducing vehicle weight and speeding production.

Project: Battlefield Anti-Intrusion System (BAIS) Funding Amount; $3,000,000

Account: Army Procurement Physical Security

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Communications

Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08103

Description of Request: Battlefield Anti-Intrusion System detects and classifies intruding personnel, wheeled, and tracked vehicles for forward intelligence collection or perimeter self-protection.

Project: Software Lifecycle Affordability Management (SLAM), Phase

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act. Last week, I inadvertently voted against this legislation, of which I am original cosponsor. I regret that error, and want to make clear that I support this reauthorization of the National Environmental Education Act--both the continuation of important programs at the Environmental Protection Agency, and newly authorized programs at the Department of Education.

Environmental education is important to our children's future, has a positive impact on their educational achievement, and also helps promote healthier lifestyles. H.R. 3036 assists state and local efforts to improve and expand upon these important goals by creating new grant programs and increasing professional development in order to ensure that environmental education is a subject area that becomes more widely and effectively practiced.

Again, I strongly support the No Child Left Inside Act, and intended to vote ``yes'' on its final passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in supporting authorization of the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program. H.R. 1907--the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Act authorizes a voluntary partnership program to provide badly needed Federal funds for the purchase and protection of sensitive coastal ecosystems with the goal of better ensuring the ecological and economic health of our coastal communities.

It is well known that more and more people are moving to the coast to enjoy its beauty and recreational opportunities. An estimated 60 percent of Americans will live along our coasts by 2010. Fourteen of our Nation's 20 largest cities are located on the coast. More than ever, the pressures of urbanization and pollution along our Nation's shores threaten to impair watersheds, impact wildlife habitat and cause irreparable damage to the fragile coastal ecology.

Created by Congress in fiscal year 2002, the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program--also known as CELP--was modeled after the successful Forest Legacy Program. To date, this program has invested nearly $200 million towards 150 conservation projects in 26 of the Nation's 35 coastal and Great Lakes States and territories. This Federal investment has leveraged more than an equal amount of State, local and private funding, demonstrating the importance of coastal protection throughout the Nation and the critical role of Federal funding to its success.

More importantly, the program has helped to conserve lands and waters that will offer numerous benefits to local communities by preserving water quality, natural areas for wildlife and birds, and outdoor recreational opportunities--thereby protecting for the future the very things we love about the coasts. Although the program has been in existence for six years, it has yet to be formally authorized. This legislation seeks to do just that.

This bill will formally authorize this Federal/State partnership program explicitly for conservation of coastal lands. CELP will award grants on a competitive basis to the 35 coastal and Great Lakes States and territories or National Estuarine Research Reserves for the purpose of protecting lands that are critical to the health of our coasts and estuaries. This legislation will allow coastal States to compete for 1 to 1 matching funds to acquire land or easements from willing sellers to protect coastal areas that have considerable conservation, recreation, ecological, historical or aesthetic values threatened by development or conversion.

By establishing a plan for the preservation of our coastal areas, the Act will build on the foundation laid down by the Coastal Zone Management Act, and will encourage voluntary land conservation partnerships among the Federal Government, State agencies, local governments, private landowners and nonprofits. It will not only improve the quality of coastal areas and the marine life they support, but also sustain surrounding communities and their way of life.

I thank Representative Capps and all of our cosponsors for their support of H.R. 1907 and I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of The Polish American Congress. On September 28, 2008, The Polish American Congress will hold a ``Terrorist Attack Memorial Service'' to honor and commemorate the victims of the Katyn Forest Massacre, as well as pay a tribute to those who perished on September 11, 2001.

In addition to carrying out the overall mission of the Polish American Congress, the New Jersey Division chooses to hold a memorial for the victims of both the Katyn Forest Massacre and the September 11, 2001 attacks on our country. The Katyn Forest Massacre occurred during World War 2 as a result of the Soviet Union's persecution of thousands during the communist era. The September 11th attacks on the United States claimed more than 3,000 lives. The New Jersey Division of the Polish American Congress has taken it as their mission to commemorate the lives lost in both incidents.

The Polish American Congress is an umbrella organization, with over 3,000 clubs that exist to serve various levels and aspects of the Polish communities of the United States. They promote different areas of education and cultural programs to further the knowledge of Polish history, as well as to stimulate Polish American involvement in their community .

Madam Speaker, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for the leadership, commitment, and service that the Polish American Congress has demonstrated in their existence throughout the community.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Republican Earmark Guidance, I am including the following request, which has received funding in H.R. 6599.

Project: Unified Security Forces Operations Building.

Cost: $7,400,000.

Account: Military Construction--Defense Wide.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Joint Base.

Address of Requesting Entity: 2901 Falcon Lane, McGuire Air Force Base, NJ 08641.

Description of Request: The joint security headquarters is designed to serve all three services and installations. This funding is for the first of two construction phases. The structure will house criminal investigation personnel, training facilities, detention and confinement areas, identification facilities, and an armory and weapons cleaning stations.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Republican Earmark Guidance, I am including the following projects I supported that were included in the 2008 President's Budget and subsequently received funding in H.R. 6599:

Project: Modified Record Range

Cost: $3,825,000

Account: Military Construction--Army

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Joint Base

Address of Requesting Entity: Command Headquarter, Building 5417, Fort Dix, NJ 08640.

Description of Request: Range will train and test individual soldiers on the skills necessary to identify, engage and defeat stationary infantry targets for day/night qualification requirements with the M16 and M4 rifles. Range improves the capability of Fort Dix, which supports the Army Reserve and National Guard

forces as one of the four main power projection platforms

Project: Advanced Arresting Gear Test Site

Cost: $15,440,000

Account: Military Construction--Navy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Joint Base

Address of Requesting Entity: Naval Air Engineering Station, Hwy 547 Building 150-3, Lakehurst, NJ 08733.

Description of Request: Project provides permanent facilities that will be part of the recovery test sites, which will support the new CVN 78 carriers. Advanced Arresting Gear will provide a reliable aircraft recovery system consistent with current technology for controlled deceleration of landing aircraft. The Advanced Arresting Gear will initially serve as the forerunner for ship instillations and eventually serve as the land-based testing facility.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Dr. Frederick Grassle. On June 16, 2008 Dr. Grassle will be celebrated for his years of service as he steps down from his role as the Director of the Rutgers University Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences after nineteen years.

Dr. Grassle has been instrumental in the tremendous success of the Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences (IMCS). A well-published and involved member of the science community, Dr. Grassle has worked tirelessly to establish Rutgers University and the IMCS as a premier institution for the study of oceanic and aquatic sciences. He has fought for various causes, including the elimination of deep sea dumping, watershed-scale approaches to coastal management, and ensuring we safeguard of our coastal habitats.

In the past two decades, I have been fortunate enough to work with Dr. Grassle to bring about positive change to our precious coastal habitats. Through our collaboration, the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve was designated and the Barnegat Bay Estuary began receiving much-needed assistance by developing and implementing various programs designed to restore its ecological integrity. In addition, we worked

to bring about funding for the National Undersea Research Program, the Integrated Ocean Observing Program, and a range of fisheries research programs.

No stranger to the community, Dr. Grassle is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the New Jersey Academy of Sciences, the American Society of Naturalists, the Estuarine Research Federation, the National Association of Marine Laboratories and the Oceanography Society, to name a few. He also served as Past President of the International Association of Biological Oceanographers.

Madam Speaker, Dr. Grassle's infectious enthusiasm and abiding loyalty to our coastal regions are only surpassed by his genuine desire to embrace and enhance the community around him. As he celebrates his time with Rutgers University, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for Dr. Grassle's leadership, commitment, and service.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Republican Earmark Guidance, I am including the following requests, which are authorized in H.R. 5658:

Project: Ballistic Missile Defense--Aegis.

Account: Research, Development, and Testing and Evaluation Ballistic Missile Defense Aegis.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lockheed Martin.

Address of Requesting Entity: 199 Borten Landing Rd, Moorestown, NJ 08057.

Description of Request: Ballistic Missile Defense Aegis system provides resources to close the capability gap between current Sea Based BMD capabilities and the emergent BMD threats.

Project: Vehicle Common Armor Manufacturing Process (VCAMP).

Account: Army Research, Development, and Testing and Evaluation End Item Industrial Preparedness Activities.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: SMH International, LLC.

Address of Requesting Entity: 100 Technology Way, Suite 210, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054.

Description of Request: Vehicle Common Armor Manufacturing Process develops a common armor manufacturing process for force protection aimed at enhancing soldier survivability by reducing vehicle weight and speeding production.

Project: Battlefield Anti-Intrusion System (BAIS).

Account: Army Procurement Physical Security.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: L-3 Communications.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08103.

Description of Request: Battlefield Anti-Intrusion System detects and classifies intruding personnel, wheeled, and tracked vehicles for forward intelligence collection or perimeter self-protection.

Project: Software Lifecylce Affordability Management (SLAM), Phase

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I am in very, very strong support of this amendment. The Future Combat System is a system that leverages technology in a way that it will help us in the future a great deal. This system has been underdevelopment for quite some years, and for the last 3 years in a row, not counting this year, for the last 3 years in a row, there have been significant cuts made to the program.

This year, as Mr. Akin correctly pointed out, is the year where we get out the yardstick and say how much progress have we made? Do we want to continue the system or do we want to cancel it? A $233 million cut to this program this year to me seems to be very unwise because this is the yardstick year. This is the year where we make the decision, based on the progress that we have been able to measure, whether the program goes forward or is modified or is cancelled.

And so I believe that this amendment should be one we all support.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), a great member of our committee.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

(Mr. LEWIS of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price).

Mr. Chairman, we have no further speakers at this time, and I am prepared to yield back. I do yield back.

I want to thank Mr. Hunter for yielding time.

Mr. Chairman, there has been a lot said here tonight about bipartisanship and working together, and it's absolutely been a fantastic experience for the last 2 years we've worked under the leadership of our good friend, Ike Skelton. I might say that one of the reasons that this bipartisanship works so well is very simply because we're all friends. We're friends in the committee, we're friends in the hallway, we're friends in our offices, and we are friends here on the floor, and we're friends when we're not in session.

And so we appreciate the opportunity to be here tonight on the floor in that spirit.

I might also thank my good friend from California (Mr. Hunter) for the kind remarks that he offered with regard to my service. But I want to say something, too, about Mr. Hunter, because for the last several years before Ike Skelton, Mr. Hunter was our chairman, and now he's our ranking member. Following in the footsteps of Floyd Spence and Bob Stump, Duncan Hunter picked up the job of being chairman and continued to set the tone for the bipartisanship that is a hallmark of the Armed Services Committee.

Perhaps as only Ronald Reagan could have said it years ago when I first came to Congress, he said, You know, a lot of things are important around here, but there is nothing that's more important, maybe there are some things that are as important, but nothing is more important than our national security.

And the bipartisanship with which the Armed Services Committee, under the leadership of both Mr. Skelton and Mr. Hunter and their predecessors, has approached this issue is very, very important. I would like to thank the gentleman for the great job that he's done, as well as my friend, Ike Skelton.

Force protection is a very important element of this bill. We know that force protection has changed a great deal because of the threat that we face in Iraq and Afghanistan of an conventional nature.

In this bill we upgraded the funding available for the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected Vehicle, the MRAP. We have $947 million to upgrade the armor on Humvees, and $2.2 million for the Abrams tank upgrades, the Bradley fighting vehicle, as well as the Stryker. And so we once again put our soldiers first and are providing the protection for them that they need.

One of my pet projects in the years that I have been on the committee has been the moving forward of the C-17, and here again, we've got funding or we've got authorization here for 15 additional C-17s, and hopefully we will continue to move forward with that.

There is one area that I have a concern about in this bill, but it's a whole lot better than it could have been when it started. Our great friend, Neil Abercrombie, compromised with us on the Future Combat System.

While it's important to provide force protection for today's Army, it's also important to get ready for tomorrow's Army. And while the Air Force, as well as the Marine Corps, as Mr. Hunter pointed out, adopted a revolutionary system known as the V-22, which is a fixed-wing aircraft. It can take off vertically and can fly twice as fast as a helicopter. That was revolutionary. In the Air Force, we have revolutionary systems, the F-22, the Joint Strike Fighter, which are revolutionary because they can do things that we never dreamed that we could do before.

The Army has been an evolutionary developer, and the FCS, the Future Combat System, is the first, in my time here, revolutionary system adopted by the Army. We cut the funding for the Future Combat System by $233 million. I think that's a mistake. This is a big year for the FCS, and in my view, we should have funded it altogether. $3.6 billion is a lot of money. That's the total authorization for the FCS this

year. A 5 or 10 percent cut may not seem much, but this is the make-it- or-break-it year. This is the year we study the progress we've made with FCS and decide whether to go forward with it or not. A bad year to make a cut in my estimation.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate very much the opportunity to be here tonight under these circumstances. This is a good bill. I am certainly going to support it, and as Mr. Hunter suggested, this should be a unanimous vote, and I urge the House to make it so.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Exercise Tiger Association, a National Commemorative Foundation. The Association bears the name of a little known World War II naval battle which claimed the lives of several hundred American servicemen.

``Exercise Tiger'' was originally a practice operation, preparing for the upcoming D-Day invasion. On the morning of April 28th, 1944, German submarines stumbled upon the operation, proceeding to torpedo the mostly defenseless landing ships. Three of the landing ship tanks were sunk and 749 servicemen lost their lives.

The Exercise Tiger Association goes to great lengths to commemorate this engagement and honor the memory of the servicemen who lost their lives that day. The Association has a wreath tribute and ceremony each year. The annual ceremony recently became a national tribute, when wreaths were dropped simultaneously into both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, honoring veterans nationwide.

Under the leadership of Walter Domanski, the National Director, this organization has also awarded veterans, servicemen, and other noteworthy individuals with numerous accolades, honoring service and sacrifice to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Walter Domanski and the Exercise Tiger Association for honoring our Nation's brave men and women of the Armed Forces and for providing the opportunity to embrace the memory of the lives lost on that day in 1944.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Committeeman Kenneth E. Street. On May 13, 2008, Mr. Street will be celebrated for his contributions as a member of the Hainesport Township Committee as he retires after more than forty years of faithful service to the citizens of South Jersey.

Kenneth has dedicated his life to serving the residents of Hainesport Township. First elected to the township committee in 1950, Kenneth was then appointed mayor in 1953. He served in that position for an impressive twenty-one years. During his time as an elected official, his contributions helped to shape the township into what it is today. Most notably, he worked on developing the township's zoning and property maintenance, as well as the master plan.

In addition to his responsibilities within Hainesport, Kenneth became involved in the League of Municipalities, a statewide organization dedicated to the cooperation of neighboring communities. He served as the league's president, along with various other positions, and remains active in the group today.

Madam Speaker, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for his leadership, commitment, and service as Kenneth celebrates his retirement.