Floor Statements

Thank you, Mr. Smith, for yielding, and thank you also for calling this Special Order, particularly as Congress, tomorrow, will take up an important issue relating to the unborn.

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, of all the responsibilities given to Congress under our Constitution, none is more important than to protect and preserve life.

Throughout the history of governments, through the entire course of the world as we know it, governments have had the power to decide who dies and who lives. Our Founding Fathers established the United States to ensure the protection of first life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all of our citizens.

As the people's Congress, we pass laws that define life. We pass laws that define life for all Americans, including the unborn. No matter that comes before this Congress or our society is more important than the matter of protecting the lives of our citizens; and, my colleagues, no citizen is more vulnerable or helpless than the unborn.

Our Nation, in respect for life and the unborn, must not waver. Protecting human life at every opportunity must be our only option and certainly our moral responsibility.

As thousands of pro-life Americans express their support for the unborn at our Nation's Capital this week, I welcome them, and I also hope and pray that their voice is heard.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American, the former City of Apopka, Florida Mayor and a wonderful friend, John H. Land. John passed away Saturday, November 20, 2014. I have had the honor to work with Mayor Land for over four decades during his public service as Mayor.

As Mayor of Apopka for 61 years, John was one of the longest-tenured public officials in the nation. He proudly served his community and was committed over the decades to make a positive difference in the lives of all those he was elected to serve.

Mayor Land was born in Plant City, Florida. He attended the University of Florida until World War II, when he signed up for the Army, serving under Gen. George S. Patton in Europe.

Following his return, John worked in his family's mill, Consumers Lumber and Veneer Company, and later won election in 1949 as Mayor of Apopka, a small Florida city that boasted a mostly rural population of 2,254. Over the next six decades as mayor, Apopka grew to a population of over 45,000 with a diversified tax base.

Over his many years in Public Service, faith was always deeply important in the life of Mayor Land. He loved his family, community and country. He was a spiritual leader and deacon at the First Presbyterian Church. I, and many others, sought his council.

American history was another passion that Mayor Land and I shared. As a fitting tribute to Mayor Land, the Tri-County League of Cities renamed its Lifetime Achievement Award, on the evening before his passing on November 21, 2014, as the Mayor John H. Land Award, of which he was the first recipient.

For his tireless work on behalf of thousands of Central Floridians, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and legacy of Apopka Mayor John H. Land. What a great privilege it has been to work with him. I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife, Betty; their children, Suzanne Larkin, Cathy Waters and John Land, Jr.; and John's many grandchildren.

Mayor John H. Land's final resting place is Greenwood Cemetery in his beloved city. He will always be remembered as one of the key architects who helped lay the foundation for Apopka's growth and success. I asked my colleagues today to join me in paying tribute to John H. Land.

Mr. Speaker, as I rise today, it is my pleasure to announce the birth of Enslie Cole Deck on November 19, 2014 at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia.

Enslie is the daughter of Wiley Deck, my Chief of Staff, and Elizabeth Deck. The former Elizabeth Buckles and Wiley Deck met as staff members in our Washington office. Both of them moved to our Florida District Office in St. Augustine in 2003. They married and had their first child, Emilia Hayward Deck. The Decks returned to Washington, DC in 2011 and now have expanded their family with the arrival of Enslie.

To the Deck and Buckles families, we extend our warmest congratulations and wish them years for continued health and happiness.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5448) to amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act to authorize appropriations for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 5448.

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

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I bring up a bill which is a simple reauthorization bill, and I am very pleased to be here actually on behalf of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta), and we wish him well. He has had some medical issues. He chairs the Subcommittee on Transportation.

He actually has a cosponsorship with the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Carson), who you will be hearing from in a

minute, but this is a bill to reauthorize the capital repair and maintenance programs at the Kennedy Center.

In 2012, I helped introduce and Congress passed the last reauthorization for the Kennedy Center, and I want to thank again the current leader of the Transportation Committee, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), for his leadership on this issue and for also moving this legislation forward, and as I said, Mr. Barletta and Mr. Carson from Indiana have also taken the lead on this measure.

The building, of course, is a national monument. It is our national cultural center. In fact, it is owned and maintained by the Federal Government, and it is a memorial to the late John F. Kennedy.

Now, I want to cite in the Record, to let folks know this because most people don't know this, that the idea that came forth for the Kennedy Center was not so much by President Kennedy, but it was the foresight and vision of President Eisenhower. President Eisenhower actually proposed a national cultural center when he was President.

When they renovated the Eisenhower Theater several years ago, some of the Eisenhower family was there, and they actually showed clips of President Eisenhower proposing a national cultural center, so it was his idea and his vision.

It was named for our slain and great President Kennedy, but the vision for the national cultural center again came from Dwight David Eisenhower, our President. I actually saw an old film of him describing his vision for what we have.

The other thing I wanted to say is, since we built the Kennedy Center--and this is a reauthorization. Some several years ago, I had the opportunity to introduce legislation for the first real expansion, which I understand is now underway, the plans and some of the preliminary design.

When they built the Kennedy Center, it was a performing arts center, but it never had an educational component. It never had the space that they need. So of all the legislation I have participated in, I couldn't be more proud than helping to author the first expansion since we constructed that building.

This measure, however, is a reauthorization for some of their operations and their capital repairs which is part of our responsibility as the Federal Government, so capital programs are critical.

I might say that in the expansion there is no Federal public money, that it is all money that is raised privately. It is also important that we pass this legislation because it provides effective and efficient building operations for the next 5 years.

The amounts authorized in the legislation will help address building inefficiencies that we currently have. It will assure that the building can continue to operate cost-effectively and will also reduce costs for the taxpayers, so those are some of the points that I would like to make.

I reserve the balance of my time.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I ask for my colleagues to join us in the approval of a bipartisan piece of legislation that again authorizes the capital repair costs and maintenance for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

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

Mr. Speaker, I submitted this into the Congressional Record in 2001 and resubmit it today, July 16, 2014 on the 42nd anniversary of the passing of Pfc. John Mica.

Mr. Speaker, The West Palm Beach Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Florida was inspired by the life, military service and death of Pfc. John Mica. Army Corpsman Mica was born on April 3, 1915 in Binghamton, NY, served as a private in the U.S. Army from 1943- 44, and died July 16, 1972 in a crowded veterans hospital in Miami, Florida.

Because of the circumstances of John Mica's death in that veterans facility, which was strained to capacity, his son Daniel A. Mica made construction of a new South Florida veterans hospital one of his goals when elected to the U.S. Congress. From 1978 to 1988, Congressman Daniel Mica, a member of the House Veterans Committee, cited the need for additional veterans medical facilities in Florida at every meeting of that Congressional panel over the decade of his service.

Congressman Daniel Mica, on February 8th, 1983 during the 98th Congress, introduced H.R. 1348, ``A bill to construct a new Veterans Administration hospital in the State of Florida.'' Construction of the Palm Beach County Veterans' hospital was completed in 1994.

This history has been submitted by Congressman John L. Mica in memory of his father, Pfc. John Mica, and also in recognition of his brother Daniel's contribution to the veterans of the State of Florida.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and the distinguished ranking member. Thank you for your hard work in trying right now to put a Band- Aid on our bleeding transportation funding. Thank you for trying to get the transportation cart out of the ditch.

Mr. Speaker, we have reached the eleventh hour, and soon projects will be closing down across the country. It is unfortunate that we are at this juncture on the road to funding transportation responsibly. We had a chance for a 5-year bill, and we did not have the leadership, I believe, from the White House. In fact, President Obama was AWOL during that entire process. Now, today, we see the President has been at a bridge, and he is going to be at another site. He is out at a research thing, talking about transportation funding.

Where was the President when Mr. Oberstar--the distinguished gentleman who recently passed away and who was chair of the committee-- offered a bill, and he came and cut his legs out from underneath the Democrat chairman? We would have had a longer term, fully funded bill. If it is to secure our borders, where has he been? He says he doesn't do photo ops, but he is doing them now, and he will do them on transportation. He doesn't need to be at the bridge. He needs to be here, working with these distinguished Members of Congress for a long- term solution. He was absent at the border, and he is absent as we need to secure our Nation's infrastructure. This is not acceptable.

I support this measure because it is an extension of what we did. It doesn't have deficit spending. It is responsible for paying for it, and it doesn't have earmarks. The last bill had 6,300 earmarks--not this bill. I support the measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Greyhound Lines on the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1914.

Greyhound is the nation's largest bus transportation system, serving communities nationwide with modem and environmentally friendly

bus facilities at affordable prices. From Greyhound's founder, Eric Wickman, to the current CEO, Dave Leach, the company has grown from a humble three man operation, based out of a seven person van, transporting coal miners to a transcontinental business employing 7,500 staff to one of the most recognizable and well-respected bus carriers.

An immigrant from Sweden, founder Eric Wickman began a bussing transportation system in the rural town of Hibbing, Minnesota after losing his mining and drilling job that same year. Operating as Mesaba Transportation Company and various other names until the official incorporation of the Greyhound name in 1930, Wickman built his company from the ground up, expanding services and locations and acquiring smaller lines until cementing the company's status as the largest intercity bus and transportation system in 1987.

Based out of Phoenix, Arizona, Greyhound Lines' fleet of 1,735 buses, travelling to more than 3,800 destinations and serving 17.6 million passengers annually, is now operated by FirstGroup. With the classification as the safest mode of transportation by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Greyhound buses contribute to a safer driving environment for others, taking an average of 19 cars off the road each trip.

Most people are unaware, but our domestic private bus companies transport more passengers each day than airlines and Amtrak combined. In Florida, Greyhound serves many of our communities and provides employment for hundreds of workers. Greyhound is a publicly traded corporation that pays significant local, state and federal taxes. The private transportation carrier actually makes a profit and does not rely on federal subsidies.

As the former Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my honor to work with many Greyhound officials and employees and it is my pleasure to congratulate each of them and the Greyhound Lines Family on this occasion. I know my colleagues join me in saluting a great American transportation carrier and all the fine people at Greyhound on this significant milestone.

First of all, I want to commend you, Mr. Chairman, also the ranking member and the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee staff, for your efforts in bringing this important measure to the floor for our military.

Mr. Chairman, in working with you and your staff, I know, firsthand, of your dedication to our armed services and the importance you place on ensuring the readiness of our troops.

As you well know, modeling and simulation tools are cost-effective and highly successful components in ensuring that our troops have the absolute best training available.

I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his support, and also for the inclusion of specific language in the FY

2015 Appropriations Defense Subcommittee report specifically emphasizing the benefits of modeling and simulation.

Also, as the House considers this vital appropriations bill, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you, the committee, and my colleagues, a concern of mine affecting the modeling and simulation and training community.

As you know, part of the continuation of the Warfighter FOCUS program was expected to be the TEACH program. It is my understanding that the TEACH program has been put on hold.

It is also my understanding that the Army will continue this program under a different name and format. It is my hope that the funds allocated are used to fulfill the requirements needed for this portion of the Warfighter program.

Mr. Chairman, again, I appreciate your support for this vital tool-- simulation saves taxpayers dollars and assists in training our defense personnel--and also its inclusion in the Defense Appropriations bill.

I thank you, Chairman Frelinghuysen, and the ranking member.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Delta Airlines on the 85th anniversary of its founding on June 17, 1929.

Delta is one of our Nation's oldest and largest commercial passenger airlines. From Delta's founder, C.E. Woolman, to its current CEO, Richard Anderson, and with thousands of loyal employees over the years, they have built one of the world's finest airlines. In a difficult and sometimes turbulent industry, Delta has survived many challenges over the past decades.

Originally established as a crop dusting operation, it was later founded in Monroe, Louisiana and has grown to a world-class passenger airline that now boasts more than 80,000 employees and serves nearly 165 million passengers annually. Traveling to more than 300 destinations worldwide and with recent mergers and acquisitions, Delta now holds a position as one of the largest domestic U.S. airlines. Over the years, as one of the first U.S. airlines to carry passengers, Delta's innovation and leadership has led to industry firsts like domestic inflight Wi-Fi and TV broadcasts.

Delta is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and serves hundreds of U.S. cities and flies to 59 countries in six continents. In Florida, Delta serves many of our communities and provides employment for thousands of workers. Across the country, several of my family members and friends have retired and some continue to work for Delta. Travelling frequently over the years, I have met hundreds of wonderful people who work very hard to keep Delta customers flying and their company successful in business.

As the former Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee and the House Transportation Committee, it has been my honor to work with many officials and employees and it is my pleasure to congratulate each of them and the Delta Airlines Family on this occasion. I know my colleagues join me in saluting a great American business and all the fine people at Delta Airlines on this significant milestone.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I would ask the chairman of the T-HUD Subcommittee to rise and engage in a colloquy.

First of all, I have to commend Chairman Latham, Ranking Member Pastor, and the Appropriations Committee staff for their great efforts in bringing this measure to the floor.

I would like to take just a moment at this opportunity to share with the committee and my colleagues a concern that I have regarding the recommendation in report language that is contained in this bill that provides funding for capital investment grants that have signed a full funding grant agreement, FFGA, by the start of the 2015 fiscal year on September 30, 2014.

Unfortunately, some delays and miscommunications with the Department of Transportation on several projects, including an important Florida project, has caused the signing of a FFGA, full funding grant agreement, to be delayed several months beyond the date in the report language. And, again, without congressional action, Florida's project and other national projects could be impacted.

I have received assurances that this issue can be resolved in the final legislation.

Mr. Chairman, would you join us in our effort to ensure that these critical national infrastructure projects continue to move forward?

I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.

I thank the chairman and look forward to working with him to maintain and expand our national infrastructure. I am pleased to yield back the balance of my time.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Grijalva

I want to thank you, Chairman McKeon, Ranking Member Smith, and the Armed Services Committee staff for your fine efforts in bringing this important measure to the floor for our military.

I also want to take a moment, and this opportunity, to highlight the importance of modeling and simulation and the role it plays in maintaining our military readiness while being, of course, most cost effective.

Last year, in fact, in the National Defense Authorization Act, we put in language, report language, that highlighted modeling and simulation as a cost-effective tool in maintaining a high level of readiness for our military. In response, our armed services have followed suit in utilizing modeling and simulation effectively and continue to do so in current and future programs.

While that report language does not appear in this bill, it is important that our military continue utilizing this most cost-effective tool for manpower training.

As our Nation faces future threats, it is also critical that we are able to meet those threats with a force that is more capable and more ready for the challenge. Modeling and simulation enables our Nation's fighting men and women to do so, while decreasing costs during a time of budget uncertainty.

Mr. Chairman, finally, I would just like to ask that you join me in support of utilizing this vital tool that saves taxpayer dollars and assists our Nation's heroes in training for our defense.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Smith, and staff. I look forward to working with the committee and you and others ensuring that modeling and simulation remains being utilized as a cost-effective tool for our military readiness.

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I am going to ask a couple of questions. First of all, I have to give a disclaimer that I was one of the Members on this side of the aisle that did not favor a select committee. I actually took my name off of a request by Mr. Wolf. I thought we could handle this matter in regular order. Four committees proceeded to investigate the matter.

I am the senior member of the chief investigative panel of Congress. I have been through many investigations. I have never in my life seen the stonewalling. I have never seen the contempt for Congress displayed by this administration.

Then last week, to make a mockery of the entire system, we saw from an outside party getting information that four committees of Congress had never received and requested. I have never seen anything like this. Why are we doing this? The other side has brought this, the administration has brought this upon themselves.

Let me ask a fundamental question: What difference does it make? What difference does it make?

I want you to tell that to the State Department employees who every day go to work, sometimes put their life at risk. Four American officials were killed--murdered--and no one has been held accountable. No one has been brought to justice, and to have an official come before a committee of Congress and say: What difference does it make? Ask that to the families of the State Department people who work for the American people.

What difference does it make? Ask the military.

Oh, there is no evidence of an order to stand down, but we know our military had the ability to save those Americans. We know that the State Department had the ability to keep those Americans safe, and no one acted.

What difference does it make? What difference does it make to those four families?

What difference does it make? We don't have to investigate anything. We don't have to hold anyone accountable.

No one died in Watergate. Four American officials lost their lives. Under our system, individuals--whether it is the Secretary of State or the President of the United States or any official at any level--need to be and must be held accountable and responsible under our system.

Otherwise, we make a mockery of this whole business of a government of and for and by the people.

What difference does it make?

People were asleep at the switch. They need to be held accountable again, regardless of rank. This is the United States of America. This is the Congress. People sent us here. They are out there trying to make a living, provide for their families, pay their taxes. They sent us here to keep this government responsible, accountable.

What difference does it make? It makes a great deal of difference, not only to the men and women of the State Department, our United States military, the families of those slain, but it makes a big difference to the people of the United States who sent us here to keep this a responsible government and accountable, no matter who must be held responsible or accountable.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, there is probably nothing more sacred to Americans, nothing more important to protect, than the democratic electoral process which has made this, by far, the greatest country in the world, giving everyone an opportunity to participate.

We are here today to hold Lois Lerner in contempt. It has been stated she didn't have her rights recognized. She has the right to take the Fifth. She has done that under the Constitution. We brought her in twice, May 22, 2013, and March 2014. She began--and you can see the tapes--declaring her innocence. Even before that, when it was pointed out that she was at the heart of this matter--in fact, everyone, her employees, when she tried to throw them under the bus, they said she threw them under a convoy of Mack trucks.

Every road leads to Lois Lerner. Lois Lerner held the Congress of the United States in contempt and is holding it in contempt. Lois Lerner held the electoral process that is so sacred to the country in contempt. Lois Lerner has held the American people and the process that they cherish and the chief financial agency, the IRS--whom we all

have to account to--as a tool to manipulate a national election. This was a targeted, directed, and focused attempt, and every road leads to Lois Lerner.

She has had twice the opportunity to come before Congress and to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and she has failed to do that. I urge that we hold Lois Lerner in contempt. That is our responsibility, and it must be done.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I would ask if the chair of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee would rise and engage in a colloquy.

Thank you, sir.

First of all, I would like to commend you, Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Bishop and the Appropriations Committee staff, for their efforts in bringing this important measure for our veterans and our military to the floor.

I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight a vital need of our central Florida veterans population. This year, as we approach the completion of construction of the new veterans hospital and medical complex at Lake Nona in Orlando, I would like to request your assistance in helping to keep the existing and valuable medical facilities and clinic at Baldwin Park in service to our veterans. This medical resource is an important Federal asset that must not sit idle even before the new medical center opens. It is critical that the VA make a positive determination on the future use of this property and medical treatment center.

With Florida's growing veteran population that is already the second largest in the Nation, it is important that we plan now for the future medical care of our veterans. Additionally, with those service men and women now returning from overseas conflicts, we must prepare for the future demand for medical services.

Two years ago, I wrote a letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to plan for this day in anticipation of keeping this medical facility open and using it for the benefit of our veterans. Most recently, a joint letter from the central Florida congressional delegation, both Democrats and Republicans, has been sent to the Secretary asking for his consideration of this request. I am now hoping, Mr. Chairman, that you will join us in our effort to ensure that the VA takes steps to preserve and utilize this much-needed medical center that we have there. The recently opened Lake Nona veterans 120-bed nursing facility and 60-bed domiciliary care unit

are already at capacity, confirming the need to maintain the Baldwin Park complex.

Mr. Chairman, finally I would just ask for your support of these current efforts to ensure that the existing VA medical facilities in Baldwin Park remain open and continue to provide world-class treatment for our veteran population.

I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Well, I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your past work. And I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) and the staff for working with us. We look forward to ensuring that the VA medical complex at Baldwin Park remains open and continues to be used to provide medical services for our veterans.

Finally, Mr. Chair, I would like to insert into the Record two letters to Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki, one from myself and another from the central Florida congressional delegation.

Congresss of the United States,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, August 13, 2012.

Hon. Eric Shinseki,

Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington,

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy and service of Leo Alexander Voskan.

From the day he was born in New York in 1915, Leo had a keen thirst for adventure. The son of Armenian immigrants who came to the United States in search of a better life for their family, Leo spent his childhood on the waterfront in New York City.

By the time Leo reached High School, he had developed into quite the athlete and was the quarterback for his high school's football team and was also a member of the school's track team. His physical talents extended beyond the athletic field and onto the stage. As an avid dancer, Leo taught dance for the Arthur Murray Studio and was also a competitive dancer at the famous Rainbow Room in New York's Rockefeller Center.

While attending New York City College following High School, Leo was forced to leave school and assume the responsibilities of the family's manufacturing business due to his father's failing health.

With World War II looming on the horizon, Leo voluntarily enlisted into the U.S. Army for both patriotic and family reasons. Leo's goal was to keep his younger brother George out of the military as long as he possibly could so that he could maintain the family business while Leo went overseas to fight.

While serving as a member of the U.S. Army's Signal Corps, his superiors recognized his leadership potential and sent him to Officer's Candidate School where upon his commission he earned the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

Leo was in command of a Combat Engineering Platoon that participated in the Normandy invasion, where despite his leadership; many of his men were lost including his Company Commander. Leo was given a battlefield promotion and assumed Command of the entire Company.

In Normandy, Leo's Company fell under the command of General George Patton and went on to liberate France and eventually fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Leo was also involved in the liberation of several concentration camps across Nazi Germany.

Upon returning home Leo and his brother George resumed their roles in the family's manufacturing business. During this period, Leo also met the love of his life, Joan. Leo and Joan soon married, moved to the New Jersey suburbs and began their family. Leo was a loving father to four children, Craig, Gail, Lynn and Diane who tragically died of pneumonia at the age of three.

In 1952, Leo moved his family to Longwood, Florida to start an orange grove business which was devastated in the freeze of 1958. Always the determined entrepreneur, Leo continued his professional life by starting several businesses's including, a night crawler supply company and a pallet manufacturing company which helped sustain his family. Leo was also passionate about politics and teaching others about business including real estate licensing.

Leo's zest for life will always be treasured by those who knew him and his service to our nation will never be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, 1 ask all Members of the U.S. House of Representatives join me in recognizing the distinguished life and service of Leo Alexander Voskan.