Floor Statements

I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee and also my dear friend, the distinguished ranking member of the subcommittee and indeed the Appropriations Committee in general, for recognizing the value and the importance of this funding.

As I have said to the gentleman from California's friend and colleague, my colleague from Arizona, Mr. Flake, in past years when he has brought amendments to the floor striking out at some of the programs that I have been proud to advance, I always appreciate the opportunity, Madam Chair, to rise and to talk a bit about the district I have the honor of representing and the special people who live there.

I agree we have an economic challenge in this country. I'm not sure $150,000, as much as I wish that all of us in America had that amount in our hip pocket, will save that.

But taking with seriousness the gentleman from California's proposal, I would just make the following comments. Most people view New York State through one lens--and that lens is New York City. When they think of New York, they think of Broadway, they think of the Statute of Liberty. They think about all the great things that is indeed New York City and is, in many real ways, New York. New York is all of that, but it's much more as well.

In my part of the world, in my part of New York State, it's the St. Lawrence River; it's the Adirondack Mountains; the Adirondack Park--the largest publicly held park in the lower 48 States. It's Thousand Islands. It's beauty. It's natural wonder. And it's great people. It's not a metropolis. It's small towns, it's villages, and its hamlets with very industrious, very proud, and very kind people. But for all of our natural beauty, for all that causes us to be proud in calling this great part of the world home, it's a region that has long been confronted by economic challenges--closed factories, abandoned mills, failing farms, declining populations.

In our part of the world--and I can't speak for the coast of California where the gentleman represents--and I know he does that proudly--economic development is a little bit different, perhaps. It's something that we take very seriously, but it has to be configured around those things that the good Lord has given to us: the great universities--four of them within 10 miles of this facility; the tourism, which is our number one industry, along with agriculture, those failing farms I spoke about; the need to bring economic development by revitalizing downtown centers.

I can't speak to the fact why the gentleman had trouble as he did in the first amendment identifying the right amount as to the proper group he was unable to identify, but the organization to which this money will go is a not-for-profit organization. They're configured in Canton, New York.

They're attempting to do all of the things I listed: bring economic development through vitalizing tourism; giving people who come to that beautiful part of New York State something to see, something to do; an opportunity to learn about the very special culture, starting with the 1600s in New York State on the Canadian border.

That opportunity to revitalize that downtown center, to create the opportunities for new businesses to come in, and for that chance for those good and proud people to realize that glory and the opportunity and the growth that they had in the past.

I don't think the gentleman from California has any animosity towards Canton, quite frankly. With no disrespect, I doubt he could find it. But the fact of the matter is I think we have a difference of philosophy. The gentleman doesn't believe that it's the opportunity and the right of Members of Congress to come here and to do within the rules and regulations, within the standards established by this House-- and if we want to expand them, I'm happy to do that--to provide a little bit of help--in this case, $150,000--to bring a difference where the unemployment rate is pushing over 10 percent.

This is a program that is not just an earmark. It's under the Save America's Treasures Act. The gentleman spoke very eloquently in the first amendment he brought about standards, about guidance, about benchmarks. There are nine benchmarks under the Save America's Treasures Act. Where it is in the timeline, this project meets every one of those standards. I would hope my colleagues would join me in understanding the importance of this.

If that were the case, why didn't the gentleman come to me or go to the committee and ask what the differences were? We reached out to your staff today, and we had a response that had nothing to do with what the offer was we made.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2892--Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman John McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2892

Account: Infrastructure Protection and Information Security

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Clarkson University

Address of Requesting Entity: 8 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, NY 13699

Description: Provide an earmark of $100,000 to Clarkson University to establish and maintain a collaborative cyber security training center designed to strengthen the nation's ability to educate large numbers of highly qualified individuals in the fields of information assurance and cyber security. This initiative will also update cyber security training modules to anticipate and respond to new threats, improve warning capabilities, accelerate comprehensive responses to real time attacks, and develop next generation cyber security experts.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2996--Interior and Environment Act of 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman John McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2996

Account: Save America's Treasures

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Traditional Arts in Upstate New York

Address of Requesting Entity: 53 Main Street, Canton, NY 13617

Description: Provide an earmark of $150,000 to the Traditional Arts in Upstate New York for the renovation of a building that houses the North Country Folk Life Center in Canton, NY. This National Register-- listed building has the potential to become a destination point and serve as a vital economic driver in the region.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2487 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010

Requesting Member: Congressman John McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2487

Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Madison County

Address of Requesting Entity: 138 North Court Street, Wampsville, NY 13163.

Description: Provide an earmark of $800,000 to Madison County for the construction and implementation of an interoperable emergency communications system to help facilitate communications with area first responders. I certify that I do not have any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman John McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2487

Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: St. Lawrence County District Attorney's Office

Address of Requesting Entity: 48 Court Street, Canton, NY 13617.

Description: Provide an earmark in the amount of $200,000 for the St. Lawrence County Drug Investigation Equipment Project. The project involves the purchase of electronic equipment to combat drug trafficking through surveillance. The equipment would be used by St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force to investigate, solve, and otherwise address drug trafficking. I certify that I do not have any financial interest in this project.

Requesting Member: Congressman John McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2487

Account: Office of Justice Programs: Juvenile Justice

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 565, 4403 Main St. 2nd Floor, Waitsfield, VT 05673.

Description: Provide an earmark in the amount of $300,000 for the establishment of an innovative, replicable youth outdoors program model which will serve underprivileged urban and rural 10-14 year olds. This project represents a scalable model for engaging youth in active outdoor experiences that lead to a number of positive outcomes. I certify that I do not have any financial interest in this project.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Military Construction, Army

Name of Military Installation: Fort Drum

Address of Requesting Entity: Fort Drum, New York 13601

Provide an earmark of $8,200,000 in MCA to build an All Weather Marksmanship Facility at Fort Drum, New York. Currently, Fort Drum has only one operational All Weather Marksmanship Facility. The project is required to provide year round live fire training to more efficiently support soldiers in meeting weapons proficiency and qualification standards, and minimize the amount of time required to complete training. The Light Infantry Doctrine and the missions of the 10th Mountain Division require higher than normal levels of marksmanship proficiency and fire discipline.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Defense Health Program

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization (FDRHPO)

Address of Requesting Entity: 120 Washington Street, Suite 302, Watertown, NY 13601

Provide an earmark of $430,000 to enable the FDRHPO to hire the necessary staff and conduct the required assessments. The health care delivery model for federal beneficiaries at Fort Drum is unique as the only MEDDAC with a division and no inpatient capabilities. The model is a military-community partnership that joins the Army medical treatment facility with community providers to augment the medical treatment facilities primary care capability with specialty care and inpatient services. Through ongoing collaboration of the FDRHPO, access to quality health care will continue to improve, costs will be reduced, communication will continue to increase, additional resources will be leveraged and innovated cooperative health care arrangements and agreements will be tested.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Research and Development, Air Force

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Clarkson University and ITT

Address of Requesting Entity: Clarkson University (8 Clarkson, Potsdam, NY 13699) and ITT AES (474 Phoenix Drive Rome. NY 13441)

Provide an earmark of $5,000,000 for Cyber Attack and Security Environment (CASE). Operating effectively in cyberspace requires a Cyber Command and Control (CC2) system to synchronize cyber attack operations, facilitate analysis of attack results including measures of effectiveness, and deconflict friendly use of cyberspace. The objective of ITT's proposed effort is to conceptualize and demonstrate the technologies necessary to systematically coordinate, plan, and execute offensive cyber campaigns; determine effects associated with an offensive cyber weapon; monitor/evaluate events that occur in cyberspace; and ultimately achieve situational awareness of cyberspace with an overall goal of achieving dominance within that critical realm. Alpha and beta testing throughout the lifecycle of this project will occur at a secure military installation in upstate New York. A significant partner in this effort is Clarkson University through its complex networks group, its biometrics group, critical electric power/ large scale systems faculty, and cryptographic protocol analysis researchers, who will provide subject matter expertise and project research. The results of the CASE effort will help form a strategic partnership between AFRL Rome and Air Force's Global Cyberspace Integration Center (GCIC) located on LAFB, VA. The addition of $5M in FY10 for CASE will demonstrate the technologies necessary to systematically coordinate, plan, and execute offensive cyber campaigns while maintaining defensive continuity.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Research and Development, Navy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Trudeau Institute

Address of Requesting Entity: Trudeau Institute (154 Algonquin Avenue Saranac Lake, NY 12983)

Provide an earmark of $8,000,000 for the U.S. Navy Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Program: Enhancement of Influenza Vaccine Efficacy. Prevention of seasonal and pandemic influenza remains a significant unmet need for the U.S. armed forces. Influenza in active duty personnel and dependents compromises force readiness and impacts training. The funding for the proposed project will help advance the development of novel techniques for enhancing vaccine efficacy to promote Force Readiness and general health of the members of the Armed Services and their dependents.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Research and Development, Army

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Syracuse Research Corporation

Address of Requesting Entity: 7502 Round Pond Road North Syracuse, NY 13212

Provide an earmark of $5,000,000 for the Foliage Penetrating, Reconnaissance, Surveillance, Tracking, and Engagement Radar (FORESTER). U.S. Forces currently have no radar capability to detect and track activity under foliage. FORESTER is an airborne sensor system that provides standoff and persistent wide-area surveillance of dismounted troops and vehicles moving through foliage. The Phase II funding will help transition FORESTER to the User community, and apply the technology to additional platforms and U.S. border security applications, providing U.S. forces a critical new capability to detect and track activity under foliage.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Research and Development, Army

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Legend Technologies

Address of Requesting Entity: 1541 Front Street, Keeseville, New York 12944

Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 for the Remote Sighting System. Currently available optical technologies are not optimal for the

various ``Robotic'' platforms currently being fielded. These platforms are only as good as their ability to ``See.'' The final funding installment will allow for the outfitting of production facility in Keeseville, New York, for manufacture of the Remote Sighting System from a domestic source. Consistent with current Department of Defense mandates and overall goals, the RSS can be used across platforms, which results in future savings, increased troop security and safety.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Research and Development, Army

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Welch Allyn, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 4341 State Street Road, Skaneateles Falls, New York 13152

Provide an earmark of $5,000,000 for the Personal Status Monitor (Nightengale). Welch Allyn is actively working on a project to monitor the health status of a soldier, remotely communicating the data to obtain the most appropriate level of care in a forward combat environment, which is essential for medical and military strategic decision-making. The Research and Development funding for this project will allow Welch Allyn to further develop its smart sensing technologies. These technologies provide on-body sensing of physiologic parameters that can be relayed to a remote server by means of a series of wireless relay devices for notification in the case of a critical or life threatening event. Specifically, the technology consists of wearable sensors with RF communication to observation stations, doctor's offices, electronic patient records, and hospital information systems, providing anywhere, anytime access to real-time or archived patient information. Applications include deployment on individuals or groups of individuals who are subject to catastrophic physiologic events such as military personnel, public safety personnel and those with cardiovascular disease.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Aircraft Procurement, Army

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: Rockwell Collins, Address: 33 Lewis Road, Binghamton, NY 13905 (Hqs: 400 Collins Rd., Cedar Rapids, IA 52498)

Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 for the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS-PVI) CH-47F. The funding for the project will help reduce pilot workload to assist Army pilots and crewmembers as they prosecute the war on terror. This proposal is to make timely long lasting changes to the CAAS cockpit of the CH-47F aircraft through an effective Pilot Vehicle Interface program. The results of such activity will reduce aircrew workload and deliver a safer more usable system to the field. Once completed, the CAAS cockpit will be suitably aligned for future integration into all conventional Army rotary wing aircraft.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Operations and Maintenance, Army

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: John Deere

Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 John Deere Run, Cary, NC 27513

Provide for an earmark of $2,000,000 for the M-Gator. The M-Gator is a proven asset to our troops around the globe in support of the Global War on Terror and provides a unique capability that does not exist in the Army equipment inventory. M-Gators fill critical equipment shortages in Infantry, Aviation, Military Police, Combat and Field Service Hospitals, Special Operations, and other Combat Support and Combat Service Support units. The M-Gator enjoys an enviable reputation because of its ruggedness, load-carrying capability, and reliability. It has proven to be a key asset to our troops around the globe in support of the Global War on Terror and provides a unique capability that does not exist in the Army equipment inventory. Army units, including the 10th Mountain Division, have never had sufficient operational funds to replace their war-torn M-Gator fleet. The funding is to provide M-Gators to the 10th Mountain Division.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Research and Development, Navy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lockheed Martin

Address of Requesting Entity: 497 Electronics Parkway, Syracuse, NY 13088

Provide an earmark of $4,700,000 for the Future Generation Thinline Towed Array (TB-29A). Towed arrays are the primary long range ASW sensor systems for search, acoustic intelligence collection, and self- defense on today's submarines. The Thinline TB-29 series Submarine Towed Array is the premier sensor in the submarine fleet today. The TB- 29A delivers enhanced performance at half the acquisition and life cycle support costs of its predecessors. It also uses a lightweight tow cable allowing operation of the array in a littoral environment. The design of the TB-29A has not achieved the desired reliability for optimum fleet operations. Telemetry components and connectors are primary failure points after frequent reeling in and out of the submarine. The funding will help develop a modernized design, resulting in a new, low risk thinline submarine towed array that provides significant reliability improvements, equal performance and lower life cycle cost compared to current arrays.

Requesting Member: John M. McHugh

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Research and Development, Defense-Wide

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Sensis Corporation

Address of Requesting Entity: 85 Collamer Crossings, East Syracuse,

Madam Speaker, I was inadvertently recorded as having voted in the negative on H.R. 1256, House rollcall vote 335, on June 12, 2009. I would like the record to show that I fully intended to vote ``yea.'' I strongly support this measure and, indeed, voted for the legislation when the measure first came before the House for a vote on April 2, 2009.

Thank you very much, Jay. It is always a pleasure to be here with our friends and colleagues.

Before giving my report on the program, I want to say it's a special pleasure to be here this year because we're giving our annual award to Lou Frey. I had the privilege of serving as vice president during Lou's tenure as president and he was a tremendously strong leader for us in those days and has since then been a leader of our association. I think no one really deserves the honor more than Lou and I note that he has Marcia his wife with him and many of his beautiful family members. And so we're delighted to be with you today, Lou, and to give you this long-deserved honor.

As Jay said, the Congress to Campus Program has been administered by the Association in cooperation with the Stennis Center for 2 years now. During that time, the program has experienced a marked growth and has expanded for the first time to include community colleges across the country. As most of you know, this program is the flagship program for our Members. It sends bipartisan teams of former Members to colleges, universities and high schools across the country to educate the next generation of leaders on the importance of civic engagement. The participating students benefit, we think, from the interaction with our association members, whose knowledge and experience are truly a unique resource. Our members, as Jay said, benefit through their continued involvement in public service and the ability to engage young people on issues of importance to them.

During each visit, our bipartisan team conducts classes, meets individually with students and faculty, speaks to campus media, participates in both campus and community forums, and meets with local citizens. Institutions that we visit are encouraged to market the visit to the entire campus community, not just simply to students who major in political science, history or government. Over the course of 2\1/2\ days, hundreds of students are exposed to the former Members' message regarding the significance of public service.

The program has made both domestic and international visits this academic year, including two separate visits to campuses in the United Kingdom and one in Canada. Over the 2008-2009 academic year, the program has made 20 campus visits, including visits to institutions we had not previously visited, such as the U.S. Air Force Academy, the University of Montana, and a number of community colleges as I have mentioned. More than 30 former Members participated this year, and I want to thank all of you who took the time from your schedules to do so. I would also like to encourage those of you who have not had the opportunity to seriously consider participating. It's truly a great way to continue our public service after Congress.

I also want to extend our thanks to the faculty, the staff members and students who worked so diligently on each of these visits. Without their hard work, these visits would simply not have been possible. We rely heavily on the universities to take the lead in coordinating logistics related to each visit and appreciate the time they devote to ensuring that their students receive the full benefit of the program.

We have continued our relationship with the Stennis Center for Public Service, as Jay mentioned earlier, in the administration of this program and I think we owe a special debt of gratitude to Tracy Fine of our staff and to Brother Rogers of the Stennis Center for their fine work on this program. Our two staffs work very closely together to make the program such a success and we appreciate the continuing financial support we also receive from the Stennis Center. We look forward to working with the Center in the years ahead.

I would also like to take this opportunity to second Jay's note of thanks to the Joyce and Donald Rumsfeld Foundation for its generous financial support for the program during this past year. The Foundation's generous grant enabled the program to reach an even wider array of students, including those at the community colleges that participated for the first time this year.

In addition to the expansion of the program to community colleges, the program has also commenced a concerted effort in partnership with the University of Central Florida and the Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government to reach out to high school students via a series of webcasts, another example of the kind of work that Lou does consistently with younger people. These programs focus on specific issues and are designed as a tool for teachers to showcase the legislative process and encourage involvement in government. During the fall, the first in the series was piloted to high schools in Florida, and in 2009 and 2010 it will expand its reach to high schools in other States. Using this technology, the Association can reach a much larger audience and can make an even greater contribution to civics education. While these ``virtual'' visits cannot replace the person-to-person experience of a traditional Congress to campus visit, they can play an important supplemental role in teaching about representative democracy at the high school level.

We have also continued our working relationship with the People to People Ambassador Program which brings young people to our Nation's capital for a week of events centered on the concepts of character and leadership. These students are younger than those who participate in the Congress to Campus activities but they have already demonstrated a commitment to the ideals that Congress to Campus seeks to promote. The Association's involvement in this program allows our members living in this area, the Washington area, to speak to these younger students on the importance of public service and to answer their many questions about our government and our country. A number of our members continue to work full time, but this program permits them to continue their public service in this way. The events are typically held in the early morning at suburban locations, and I want to thank my colleagues who have participated in this program.

As some of you may know, the Association also partners with the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars to organize panels of former Members of Congress to meet with students who are interning in the area, and to participate in seminars that address current issues and the relationship between the administration and the Congress. During the past academic year, the Washington Center and

the Association convened six separate panels of former Members to speak with the students. Since last year was an election year, the Washington Center held seminars at each of the party conventions at which former Members of Congress spoke to the students about the party platforms, the nomination process and other issues that the students were interested in. I also want to thank my colleagues who participated in these panels throughout the year.

Finally, I want to say again how really grateful we are to those who have made the Congress to Campus Program such a success and to strongly encourage all of my friends and colleagues to participate in the program either by making a visit to a school or by recommending a school to host the program. As all of us know, a democracy can prosper only if its citizens are both informed and engaged, and as former legislators we have a particular opportunity and responsibility to encourage such involvement. This program gives us a good chance to do so, particularly with our young people. Again, I thank those who have been part of it and encourage all of us to continue to participate.

Thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, May 21, 2009, I was unavoidably delayed and unable to vote on rollcall Nos. 288 through 291. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on No. 288, ``yes'' on No. 289, ``no'' on No. 290, and ``yes'' on No. 291.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of H.R. 2090, which would designate the Ogdensburg, New York post office in honor of renowned 19th-century American sculptor, painter, author and illustrator Frederic Remington. I want to thank the Gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) and the Gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) for their work to bring this legislation to the floor today. I also want to thank the members of the New York delegation for cosponsoring this measure along with Representative Chaffetz, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia.

Frederic Remington was born in Canton, New York, in 1861 and moved to Ogdensburg, New York in 1873. Best known for his depictions of frontier life of the American West, including cowboys taming broncos, cavalry soldiers engaged in battle, and Native American warriors and scouts, Remington first headed west to the Montana Territory in 1881. Upon his return east, he sold his first sketches to Harper's Weekly, thus beginning his career as a magazine illustrator.

In the mid 1880s, Remington moved from illustration to water-color and oil painting, and in 1895 began sculpting in bronze. He ultimately produced nearly 3,000 drawings and paintings, 22 sculptures, and eight volumes of writings throughout his career. Frederic Remington died on December 26, 1909, thus making 2009 the 100th anniversary of his death. Unfortunately, he was only 48 years old and died at the height of his popularity.

In 1961 the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Frederic Remington's birth. The stamp featured an oil painting drawn by Remington in 1905 entitled ``Smoke Signal.'' Over 111 million Remington stamps were issued by the Postal Service.

Remington's works can be found throughout the nation, in some of America's most highly regarded museums, including the Art Institute in Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many others. Indeed, President Obama has kept ``The Bronco Buster,'' the stirring Remington sculpture, in a prominent location within the Oval Office at the White House.

Today, a comprehensive collection of original Remington paintings, sketches and sculptures are housed at the Frederic Remington Art Museum, founded in 1923, and located in Ogdensburg, New York. The Remington Museum is open year-round, and offers many programs for the public, including school tours, gallery talks, exhibit openings and workshops. Since the Museum's founding, purchases and donations of Remington art and personal artifacts have added significantly to the breadth of

this amazing collection. The Remington Museum's importance to the residents of my Congressional District can be attributed to both its cultural and historical significance, as well as its economic impact on the surrounding community.

Frederic Remington was, indeed, one of Northern New York's most famous residents and it is fitting we honor his artistic contributions to the world. It is also fitting that Ogdensburg, one of America's most historic destinations, be the home of such an equally historic figure. Located along the strategic St. Lawrence River, Ogdensburg was the site of key battles during the French and Indian War as well the War of 1812. In fact, the city was captured by British forces during the famed Battle of Ogdensburg in the War of 1812. Ogdensburg was also the site of the appropriately titled Ogdensburg Agreement of 1940. This was a joint defense pact signed between Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King and President Franklin Roosevelt.

It is also fitting that such a storied city has a duly historic post office. In fact, the Ogdensburg Post Office was listed in the National Historic Register in 1977. The building serves as the oldest active post office in New York State and among the oldest in the United States. It was constructed between 1867 and 1870, and is truly a building befitting of this honor. Of note, on August 7, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant visited the building for a public reception. It is also very likely Frederic Remington himself would have sent some of his correspondence from the very post office that will be dedicated in his name.

Accordingly, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation to designate the Ogdensburg, New York Post Office as the Frederic Remington Post Office Building.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have some speakers on our side who have some time constraints, and I don't want to utilize a lot of time on my statement right now, so I just want to make a few opening comments, if I may.

First of all, it seems like only days ago that we were here doing the House version of this bill, and the reason for that is we were here only days ago doing the House version of this bill. The speed with which this legislation has passed through both bodies, while not suggesting that it was done in haste, this is a well-crafted proposal, but rather suggests the importance of this acquisition reform initiative, recognizes, as well, the unanimity of feeling amongst all the Members of both the House and the Senate as to the task before us. And I think it's a tribute as well to the President, who called some of us down to the White House and told us that he fully supported this initiative and urged us to work as expeditiously as we could. Today's bill is a result of that effort, and I certainly want to start by thanking my dear friend, my partner, and my chairman, Ike Skelton, the gentleman from Missouri, for providing his leadership that brought the House and, particularly, the House Armed Services Committee, into this very, very important discussion that has developed this very, very important piece of legislation.

As my distinguished chair said, we owe our thanks to many, and I want to give a special tip of the hat to as well, my friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), my partner, our representative on the special panel, Mike Conaway, the gentleman from Texas, and all of the special panel's members who really did an outstanding job in meeting with the department representatives and discussing the initiatives with representatives of industry and Members of both Houses of the legislature, and brought this important bill before us. It is a critical measure and it really is a best-of-all-worlds proposal. It portends the opportunity to save literally hundreds and hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, dollars that now probably go to expenses and to costs that should and could be avoided and, as well, ensures that every tax dollar we do spend goes appropriately to providing the best weapons systems we can to keep those brave men and women in uniform safe, who do such an amazing job with us.

I join my chairman, Mr. Skelton, in urging all Members to soundly and enthusiastically, and with great pride, support this conference report. And we look forward to its carrying to the White House and its signature in the very near future.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would note the one Member that had a time constraint, Mr. Coffman from Colorado, not just a great and able member of our special panel, but also a veteran of both the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps, did have another appointment that he had to make and, therefore, was not able to stay with us to make his statement personally.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to now yield as much time as he may consume to one of the senior members of the House Armed Services Committee, and a gentleman who also wore the uniform of this Nation, United States Marine Corps, my friend, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline).

Mr. Speaker, when we try to find the right people for the right job, be it in the private sector--and it works this way in Congress as well--sometimes they're unavailable. The best people are always the busiest people.

I think one of the critical challenges and primary challenges that both the chairman and I had was in making sure that the heads of the special panel were two individuals who had the power, the intellect, the understanding from the real world of life experiences, and a recognition as to the importance of the challenge.

We are very blessed, certainly, with the agreement of Mr. Andrews to head and chair the subcommittee panel. As well on our side, the first person I thought of was Mike Conaway. Mike does have those qualifications of intellect, of the ability to relate to concepts and to real applications. As well, he has brought to this effort his service as an NCO in the United States Army.

It is my privilege and my honor and with a great deal of thanks to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway).

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers. So with the majority's permission, I'll just say a few words in closing.

I would be remiss if I did not send my best wishes, appreciation and expression of admiration to our Senate colleagues, particularly Senators Levin and McCain, who led the fight on acquisition reform.

As I noted to them in a meeting we had with the President at the White House, they really did help us hear the call to arms on this initiative. As we went forward, they were true and very active and very productive partners in making sure we could reach a conference report that truly does, as the bill before us speaks very clearly toward, embody the best provisions of the House bill and the Senate bill.

Lastly, I want to add my words of deep appreciation to those who, day in and day out, make our committee, and ultimately make every committee, in the House of Representatives work, and that is our invaluable staff people as all of the other speakers have mentioned. I've said in the past, they labor quietly in the shadows and we are able to step out in the sunlight that they provide through their hard work and bask in their glory. And their hand prints and their diligence and terrific effort is in every line of this bill.

So in closing, I would simply say again, congratulations to my friend, the distinguished chair, Mr. Skelton, and strongly urge all of our Members to step forward and to proudly support this bill. And we can do something important for the war fighters and the taxpayers of this great country.

And I would yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of H. Res. 300, which congratulates Camp Dudley YMCA of Westport, New York, on the occasion of its 125th anniversary. I want to thank the gentlemen from California (Mr. Miller and Mr. McKeon) for their work to bring this resolution to the floor today. Likewise, I wish to thank many of my colleagues in the House who have signed on as cosponsors.

Camp Dudley is the oldest camp in continuous operation in the United States. It was founded in 1885 by Sumner F. Dudley, a YMCA volunteer, and will celebrate its 125th anniversary this year. The camp is located in picturesque Westport, New York, on the shores of Lake Champlain and surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains.

Camp Dudley is truly a special place. It is a place that celebrates timeless traditional values and inspires boys, girls, men and women to seek something higher than their own self-interest. In fact, Camp Dudley's motto is appropriately ``The Other Fellow First.''

Over the years, Camp Dudley has remained true to its mission to develop moral, personal, physical and leadership skills in the spirit of fellowship and fun. In fact, leadership development is a dynamic part of the Dudley experience. Camp Dudley uniquely refers to its counselors as Leaders. This resolution recognizes this legacy of leadership.

It is also important to recognize that Camp Dudley welcomes a diverse camper body of all faiths into their community. This resolution further recognizes Camp Dudley's commitment to making camp affordable for all socioeconomic levels. In fact, approximately 20 percent of summer campers are awarded scholarships on the basis of financial need and are funded from the generous support of alumni and parents. This support has allowed campers and staff to make significant contributions in their own communities and families. Many alumni have gone on to excel in a variety of fields including medicine, law, business, and government, to name just a few. This resolution also recognizes Camp Dudley's decision to expand its reach to include Camp Kiniya for girls in 2006. Camp Kiniya is located on the Vermont side of Lake Champlain in Colchester, Vermont.

Of note, the William J. Schmidt Annual Scholarship Fund, named after former Camp Director Willie Schmidt, was launched in 2004. Thanks in large part to Dr. Schmidt's generosity and fundraising efforts, thousands of boys and girls have the joy of a Camp Dudley experience.

Campers representing 35 states and 12 foreign countries have spent their summers at Camp Dudley. They have enjoyed this experience so immensely that the camper return rate stands at 84 percent. One of the unique characteristics of Camp Dudley is the loyalty and support of its alumni both through financial support and attendance at the more than forty-seven alumni gatherings occurring each year across the country and around the world.

Accordingly, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution honoring Camp Dudley YMCA of Westport, New York, on the occasion of its 125th anniversary and join with me in recognizing Camp Dudley's current staff, campers, and alumni for their contributions to their communities.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I too rise in support of this very important piece of legislation, H.R. 2101, the Weapons Acquisition System Reform through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009.

I want to begin where thanks are truly due, and that is with my good friend, my distinguished chairman, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), who provided the inertia and the great leadership in putting together the team that has worked so hard to bring this bill to the floor, and a particular tip of the hat to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews) and my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway), for

their roles as the chairman and the ranking member in our special oversight committee. They really have done yeoman's work, supported by very able members, as they advanced a great piece of legislation.

Obviously, as you have heard, we consider this matter to be of utmost importance. The United States taxpayers deserve to get the most bang for their buck. It's a trite saying, but very true, especially when matters of national security are involved. What's more, there is an enormous opportunity cost when major defense systems miss and overrun their budgets.

The Government Accountability Office found that as of 2009 the Department of Defense had, as the chairman so correctly stated, some $296 billion of cost growth on just 96 major weapons systems. And even if most of this growth is due to poor initial estimates or requirement changes and not to waste or mismanagement, the fact remains that the Department of Defense was unable to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on other planned priorities.

It's in the interest of a strong national defense, therefore, that we in Congress do all that we can to rein in cost growth in the development of major weapons programs.

This national security imperative is also what has driven us to quickly mark up, and hopefully pass today, H.R. 2101. But I would note, despite the speed with which this body has moved, the legislation we have before us is a sound and well-crafted product.

We have the benefit of feedback from the industry, from the Department, and from members of our Defense Acquisition Reform Panel. Speaking on my own behalf, I believe this feedback has allowed our committee to draft truly a superior piece of legislation.

I don't want to be taken wrong here, the Senate, the other body, has passed a solid piece of legislation as well, S. 454. But it's important for the House Members to recognize that the legislation we have before us today will take us immediately into conference with the Senate and, quite likely, to the President's desk in just a matter of weeks.

Which is why we all believe it's all the more important to get a strong vote in support of this bill, to guarantee the voice of the House is heard in this debate, so that this body will remain on the forefront of ensuring we deliver the right capability to our war fighters at the right time and at the best value.

As my chairman, Mr. Skelton, has indicated, this legislation focuses on reforms on the early stage of the acquisition system, requiring the evaluation of alternative solutions and more critical points and independent oversight earlier in the process. A focus on early stage acquisition is vital. As we know, as we heard from my chairman, the sins which cause most cost overruns are generally created in the initial stages of the acquisition process.

It also increases the level of independent scrutiny major weapons programs receive, not because our program managers are incapable, but because we recognize that it's an unfair burden to require program managers to be both a leading advocate for and an independent evaluator of the program.

The legislation also seeks to address concerns we have had heard about minimizing bureaucracy and continuing to give the Secretary of Defense the flexibility he needs to manage his own office. Despite the impressive list of reforms carried in this bill, it really is relatively narrow in scope.

Some, including The New York Times Editorial Board, have criticized us for focusing only on acquisition of major weapons systems, stating, and I quote from one of their editorials, ``Unfortunately, the House version, to be voted on later, applies to only about 20 percent of acquisitions.''

Although, with due respect to The Gray Lady, maybe $296 billion doesn't sound like a lot of money to The New York Times, but as I previously noted, that's just the cost of overruns on these 96 programs. The total planned outlay for those 96 programs is some $1.6 trillion.

I have to say that I am fairly comfortable with taking on reforms to $1.6 trillion in government spending as just a first step this year.

In addition, we deliberately narrowed the scope of our bill in order to keep the legislation aligned with the Senate and to send this bill to the President as soon as possible. The remaining 80 percent of DOD programs will not go unaddressed. If truth be told, acquisition workforce issues and acquisition of services have been addressed in prior years' bills, but we will not be satisfied with resting on the laurels that I think this body will accrue today in supporting this legislation.

These issues will continue to be considered by the Defense Acquisition Reform Panel, which will carry on with its mandate to consider initiatives that could be addressed by the committee as part of the fiscal year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to reemphasize that I give my full support to this bill. We owe a great debt of gratitude to those Members who worked so hard to bring it to the floor today and do so with such a quality product behind it.

I am honored to stand with them in this well this afternoon, and I look forward to a strong vote in support of this worthy piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2101, the Weapons Acquisition System Reform through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009. As my friend and Chairman, Ike Skelton, has so ably described, this bill, which was unanimously adopted by the House Armed Services Committee, takes aim at reforming the process used by the Department of Defense to acquire major weapons systems.

We consider this matter to be of the upmost importance. The United States taxpayers deserve to get the most bang for their buck-- especially when national security matters are involved. What's more, there is an enormous opportunity cost when major defense weapons systems miss overrun their budgets. The Government Accountability Office found that as of 2009 the Department of Defense had $296 billion of cost growth on 96 major weapons systems. Even if most of this growth is due to poor initial estimation or requirements changes, and not to waste or mismanagement, the fact remains that the Department of Defense was unable to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on other planned priorities. Therefore, in the interest of a strong national defense, Congress must do all it can to reign in cost growth in the development of major weapons programs.

This national security imperative is also what has driven us to quickly mark up and, hopefully, pass H.R. 2101. Despite the speed with which this body has moved, the legislation before us is a sound, well- crafted product. We have had the benefit of feedback from industry, from the Department, and from the members of our Defense Acquisition Reform Panel. Speaking for myself, I believe this feedback has allowed our Committee to draft a superior piece of legislation.

Don't get me wrong. The Senate has already passed a solid piece of legislation, S. 454. But it is important for the members of the House to recognize that the legislation we have before us today will take us immediately into conference with the Senate, and quite likely to the President's desk in a matter of weeks. Which is why I believe it is all the more important to get a strong vote in support of this bill, to guarantee the voice of the House is heard in this debate and so this body will remain on the forefront of ensuring we deliver the right capability to our warfighters at the right time and at the best value.

As Chairman Skelton has indicated, this legislation focuses reforms on the early stages of the acquisition system, requiring the evaluation of alternative solutions at more critical points and independent oversight earlier in the process. A focus on early stage acquisition is vital, because we know from experience that the sins which cause cost overruns are generally created in the initial stages of the acquisition process. It also increases the level of independent scrutiny major weapons programs receive--not because our program managers are not capable, but because we recognize that it is an unfair burden to require program managers to be both the leading advocate for a program and an independent evaluator of the program. The legislation also seeks to address concerns we have heard about minimizing bureaucracy and continuing to give the Secretary of Defense the flexibility he needs to manage his own office.

Despite the impressive list of reforms carried in this bill, our legislation is relatively narrow in scope. Some, including the New York Times Editorial Board, have criticized us for focusing only on the acquisition of major weapons systems, stating, ``Unfortunately, the House version, to be voted on later, applies only to about 20 percent of acquisitions.'' Maybe $296 billion doesn't sound like a lot of money to the New York Times, but as I've previously noted--that's just the cost overruns on those 96 programs. The total planned outlay for those 96 programs is $1.6 trillion. I

have to say that I'm fairly comfortable with taking on reforms to $1.6 trillion in Government spending, as a first step this year.

In addition, we deliberately narrowed the scope of our bill in order to keep our bill aligned with the Senate bill and to send this legislation to the President as soon as possible. The remaining 80 percent of DoD acquisition programs will not go unaddressed. If truth be told, acquisition workforce issues and acquisition of services have been addressed in prior year bills. But we will not be satisfied with resting on our laurels. These issues will continue to be considered by the Defense Acquisition Reform Panel--which will carry on with its mandate to consider initiatives that could be addressed by the Committee as part of the FY2011 National Defense Authorization Act.

Ironically, others have suggested that additional legislation is not warranted. The outgoing Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics recently told reporters, ``I just do not think you can mandate a process that will ensure successful defense acquisition . . . The bottom line is people run programs, not documents [or] processes.'' I think few can argue with this assessment. In the end, implementation of sound acquisition policies and maintaining a skilled workforce is more important than passing new reforms. Nevertheless, we continue to see poor outcomes that could have been avoided if there had been a stronger independent voice, earlier in the program and the warfighters had a clear role in establishing the requirements up front.

Moreover, we have repeatedly heard testimony before the Armed Services Committee that the reforms contained in this bill are practical, necessary, and can be implemented. We heard testimony from a panel of outside experts, many of them former senior officials from DoD, and the new Deputy Secretary of Defense, who were highly complimentary of this legislation. The Department is on-board with these changes--many of which they have recently committed to internal policy guidance.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I give my full support to this bill. In conclusion, I thank all of the members, but especially Chairman Skelton, for collaborating so closely with me, and Rob Andrews and Mike Conaway who lead our Defense Acquisition Reform Panel, for their participation in this process and for helping to make this the strongest possible product. I have absolute confidence that the members of the Panel will continue in their endeavors and provide the Armed Services Committee with a number of additional recommendations when they have fulfilled their mandate. We appreciate their hard work.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 2101.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

I want to again thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his great effort and leadership and clearly associate myself with his comments about the staff, some of whom are beside and behind me here, as they are

behind the chairman and others on the other side. Everything good that we achieve comes from their efforts. Everything that is not so good is certainly because we fail to listen to them. Certainly, in this bill, we listened to them very carefully. That, in large measure, is why it's such a great product.

With that, I'm proud to yield 4 minutes to our leader on our side of the aisle, a man whom I asked if he would not think about leading our efforts from the minority side, and was anxious to go forward and really underscored why he was the only choice, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway).

At this time I'd be happy to yield such time as he may consume to our ranking member on the Air and Land Subcommittee, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett).

At this time I'd like to yield 2 minutes to a very able member of the Acquisition Reform panel and a proud veteran of our United States military, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman).

Madam Speaker, at this time I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Fleming), a 6-year member of the Navy and a military family physician.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would yield myself the balance of our time.

Madam Speaker, as you have heard here today through very eloquent and insightful comments of Members on both sides of the aisle, this is a piece of legislation that we believe very strongly deserves the full and enthusiastic support of every Member of this House. And I want to close how I opened, and that is a word of thanks to our distinguished chairman and to the Chair and ranking member of our special panel, Messrs. Conaway and Andrews for their great efforts. And I know today that the House will take an important step forward in both serving our men and women in uniform better through acquisition reform and equally serving the interests of the United States taxpayer.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Thousand Islands Winery upon being named the 2009 Winery of the Year by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation at its 38th annual New York Wine Industry Workshop and Unity Banquet. I am pleased to have the opportunity to recognize the winery and its owners, Steve and Erika Conaway, and extend my sincere wishes for their continued success.

The Thousand Islands Winery is located between Clayton and Alexandria Bay in Jefferson County, New York, which I am proud to represent. This incredibly picturesque area is known as the Thousand Islands Region and consists of over 1,000 islands that are located along the U.S.-Canada border within the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. Tourism has long been a crucial component of the economy.

The winery, which the Conaways established on May 16, 2002, holds the unique distinction of being the northern most farm winery in New York State. It has produced over 25,000 gallons of wines in 14 varieties and has won 21 medals for its wines in national and international competitions. Notably, its blush wine ``Alexandria Bay Rose'' won a double gold, best in class, at the 2008 National Women's Wine Competition in Santa Rosa, California.

Additionally, the winery was a founding member of the Thousand Islands-Seaway Wine Trail, which is over 78 miles long, and has already attracted more than 52,000 visitors since it was launched in 2007. The trail now consists of two grape nurseries, nineteen vineyards, and includes three other local wineries: the Coyote Moon Winery in Clayton, the Otter Creek Winery in Philadelphia, and the Yellow Barn Winery outside of Sackets Harbor.

Given the importance of economic growth to New York's 23rd Congressional District, I am particularly appreciative of the work done by the Thousand Islands Winery and others to develop the wine industry and the wine trail and thereby enhance the economy of the region.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of the Preserving the American Historical Record (PAHR) Act. I appreciate the work my friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), has done to develop this important legislation, which would greatly enhance efforts to preserve and disseminate our Nation's rich historical records.

Americans have long recognized the importance of preserving history through the support of such institutions as the Library of Congress, National Archives, and the Smithsonian Institution. However, efforts to preserve records held by State and local historical societies, archives, and libraries are currently hindered due to a lack of resources necessary to ensure adequate preservation.

The PAHR Act, which I also cosponsored during the 110th Congress (H.R. 6056), would authorize $50 million annually for grants to States, local governments, and other entities to preserve these important records. In addition to preservation assistance, the PAHR Act will enhance safe access to those records for public use. Of note, the Act could result in the expanded use of a wide variety of access tools, including archival finding aids, documentary editions, indexes and images of key records online.

This measure will also support initiatives to use records in ways that highlight the importance of state, territorial, and community history. For instance, in New York's 23rd Congressional District, which I am proud to represent, there are some 300 non-profit organizations and more than 650 local governments that hold numerous records documenting both the people and history of central and northern New York. A few examples of these records include:

The Adirondack Museum Library has the largest collection documenting that unique region, with records ranging from architectural drawings of ``Great Camps,'' catalogs for J.H. Rushton canoes, early maps of the Adirondack Park, and recordings of Adirondack folk musicians.

The Essex County Historical Society holds records from Republic Steel that document not only the mining industry but the employment of hundreds of miners from Peru who lived and worked in Port Henry, New York in the 1920s.

The Lewis County Historical Society is home to the papers of Dr. Franklin Hough, the father of American forestry.

The Sackets Harbor Battlefield Historic Site Library houses manuscripts, documents, maps, archeological reports, and records related to the Sackets Harbor Battlefield, the War of 1812, and the Sackets Harbor Naval Station.

St. Lawrence University retains manuscripts which document the economic, social, political, religious, and cultural activities of Adirondack communities; environmental issues; the Lake Placid Winter Olympics; and the development of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

These are just a few citations outlining the wealth of historical records that could benefit through the enactment of the PAHR. Many other worthy examples exist throughout the nation. Accordingly, I look forward to working with the gentleman from New York to enact this legislation and thereby preserve additional aspects of America's rich history.

Madam Speaker, on March 23, 2009, the Gentleman from New York, Mr. Arcuri, the Gentleman from California, Mr. Nunes, the Gentleman from Utah, Mr. Bishop, and I introduced legislation, the Dairy and Sheep H-2A Visa Enhancement Act (H.R. 1660). This measure would allow dairy farmers to access the H-2A visa program and codify longstanding regulatory practices used by sheepherders and thus provide certainty to these two industries, which collectively accounted for over $141 billion in economic activity in 2007.

In New York's 23rd District, which I have the privilege of representing, dairy is an integral component of the economy, with approximately 2,000 dairy farms with some 190,000 milk cows dispersed across the 11 counties that comprise the region. Dairy farmers have long overcome natural disasters and wide farm price fluctuations, such as the current nearly 50 percent decline in the price of milk from just one year ago. However, these difficulties are exacerbated by current labor shortages, which cause farms to either remain static in size, shrink, or make a decision to end a way of life and go out of business. Whether in New York or California, with a herd large or small, dairies need sufficiently trained and skilled labor.

Dairy work is demanding and must be done around the clock, 365 days a year. During the past decade, dairy farms throughout the nation have increasingly experienced difficulty in hiring local workers to meet their needs and, as a result, are ever more reliant upon immigrant labor. The tremendous uncertainty regarding that labor supply has a profound impact on their ability to plan for the future and make sound business decisions.

Under the H-2A program, employers may hire foreign workers to perform full-time, temporary or seasonal agricultural work. However, the H-2A program does not work effectively for dairy because the program requires both

the worker and the job to be seasonal and temporary. Thus, the Dairy and Sheep H-2A Visa Enhancement Act would allow dairy farmers to legally hire foreign workers through the program for an initial period of three years with additional terms of three years thereafter without requiring intervening periods of absence.

The bill would also allow sheep ranchers to hire foreign workers through the program on the same terms and codify those existing regulatory practices benefitting American sheep ranchers that have proven to be extremely successful. For more than 60 years, the American sheep industry has been able to utilize the H-2A program to employ foreign sheepherders.

This legislation is currently supported by the following entities: Agri-Mark, Inc.; American AgCredit; American Sheep Industry Association; California Wool Growers Association; CoBank; Colorado Wool Growers Association; Dairy Farmers of America; Dairylea Cooperative Inc.; Farm Credit Services Southwest; Farm Credit of Western New York; Farm Credit West; Federal Land Bank Association of Kingsburg; First Pioneer Farm Credit; Idaho ACA; Idaho Wool Growers Association; Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers; Montana Wool Growers Association; National Milk Producers Federation; Nevada Wool Growers Association; New York Farm Bureau; Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives; Northeast States Association for Agricultural Stewardship; Northwest Farm Credit Services; Oregon Sheep Growers Association; St. Albans Cooperative Creamery; South East Farmers Association; United Dairymen of Arizona; Upstate-Niagara Cooperative; Utah Wool Growers Association; Washington State Sheep Producers; Western Range Association; Western United Dairymen; Wyoming Wool Growers Association; Yankee Farm Credit; and Yosemite Farm Credit.

As I have previously stated, American dairy farmers and sheep ranchers deserve and need access to a stable source of legal workers. Accordingly, Congress should enact the Dairy and Sheep H-2A Visa Enhancement Act without undue delay.