Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to mourn the passing of John Alfred ``Fred'' Bennett and to pay tribute to his life of leadership and service. Mr. Bennett was a beloved husband, father, friend, and community leader in my district. He was born in Franklin Borough, Cambria County to James A. and Shirley R. Bennett. He grew up with a love of

sports and was especially fond of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mr. Bennett graduated from Greater Johnstown High School and later attended St. Francis University.

After serving his country honorably in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Mr. Bennett came home to Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He was employed for more than 40 years by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, where he worked in many positions. He was a delegate to the Johnstown Regional Central Labor Council, became one of the area's most preeminent Masons, and was a dedicated Elk.

A devout Christian, Mr. Bennett filled many leadership roles as a member of Mount Sinai Institutional Baptist Church. He served on the church's board of trustees and also participated as a member of the Male Chorus, Adult Gospel Choir, Lily of the Valley, and the John Bennett Singers.

Madam Speaker, Mr. Bennett was the former president and a lifetime member of the Johnstown Branch National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and also served as Chairman of the Civil Rights Committee of United Steelworkers of America 2634 Rod and Wire Mill.

At 78 years old, John Bennett lived a full and prosperous life. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Rosemarie and his loving family.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding officer who will shortly be leaving active duty. Major William W. Ma will be retiring from the United States Marine Corps on March 31, 2010, after more than 21 years of active military service, culminating as Director, Marine Corps Appropriations Matters in the Secretary of the Navy's Appropriations Matters office.

Major Ma enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1988 and in 1993 was accepted into the Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning and Education Program. In 1996 he graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Arizona and received his commission in the Marine Corps. Throughout his career Major Ma has held numerous high level financial management, leadership and staff positions, including tours with the Force Service Support Group at Camp Pendleton, California; Company Commander Headquarters Support Battalion at Camp Pendleton, California; Head of the Programs and Resources Congressional Branch at Headquarters Marine Corps Washington, DC; Comptroller, Marine Corps University at Quantico, Virginia; Director, Marine Corps Appropriations Matters at Headquarters Marine Corps Washington, DC. Over his distinguished career he has been awarded two Meritorious Services Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Navy Unit Commendation, and various campaign and theatre specific awards. Major Ma's civilian education includes an undergraduate degree in finance and Master of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School as a Conrad Scholar Awardee.

It was during his last assignment that I first came to know Major Ma. In this capacity, he has proved to be an invaluable link between the United States Marine Corps and the Appropriations Committee. Major Ma has escorted me, other Members of Congress, and staff on several occasions as the committee conducted inspection trips to review military operations and confirm the health and welfare of our troops.

On every occasion, Major Ma performed his duties in an exacting and precise manner. But far more important to me was his thorough knowledge of the Marine Corps and the appropriations and budget process. He could always be depended on to know the status of funds and the impact they were having on our Marines and their families.

Madam Speaker, I also want to recognize the Ma family: his wife Julie Kay, daughter Alysson, and his son Andrew. We can ill afford to forget that it is the strength of family, and indeed their love and support, that make it possible to honorably serve in uniform.

In closing, I want to express my thanks and appreciation for the special contribution Major Bill Ma has made to the Department of the Navy and the United States Marine Corps. I wish Major Ma and his family continued success. Semper Fidelis.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 976, I call up the bill (H.R. 3326) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I offer the motion at the desk.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include tabular and extraneous material.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, Members of the House, this is the largest appropriations bill that we have ever handled. It was completely bipartisan. We never did anything without working together. It is basically the same bill we voted on before it went to the Senate but with a few minor changes. I am pleased to say that we made some conciliatory changes with the White House and also with the Senate. This, as a matter of fact, is $625 billion. The House passed $636 billion. It pays for first-class medical care for military personnel.

I have to say I don't usually talk on any one thing, but having been out at Bethesda in intensive care for 2 days, I have to endorse the money that we have spent on the care at Bethesda. They did a marvelous job, and I am so pleased about the way the money is being handled out there.

Medical research, of course, the committee under my leadership and under the leadership of Jerry Lewis and Bill Young, has always been in the forefront. There are peer-reviewed programs, which have turned out to be as good as any programs you will find any place. We are supporting military families, operations and maintenance, civilian workforce, and insourcing. We are trying to reduce the contractors, and we are struggling in doing that. The inspector of general oversight, we worked at that for 2 or 3 years. This bill includes the MRAP program and $526 million for situational awareness.

In other words, this is as good a bill as we could come up with given the amount of money that was apportioned to us.

The Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill puts troops first, ensuring their readiness, providing them with first class weapons and equipment, and ensuring the availability of care and support for their families.

The bill makes critical investments in the health, well-being and readiness of our armed forces; addressing issues raised by service members, their families, and Department of Defense officials in testimony before the Congress, and discovered through visits to military bases across the United States and overseas. The bill also reins in the use of contractors and begins to return inherently governmental functions to Department of Defense personnel.

For the first time since the beginning of operations in Iraq, this bill includes funding for Overseas Contingency Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq for the upcoming fiscal year; providing $128.3 billion to support current operations, and to meet the needs of our troops in the field and their families here at home. The bill does not address the President's new Afghanistan security strategy because the Administration has yet to request funding for that initiative.

[Bill total in billions]

2009 Total Enacted...............................................$625.3 President's Request...............................................640.1 House Passed......................................................636.3 Senate Passed.....................................................636.3 2010 Total Bill...................................................636.3

Military Personnel and Pay: The bill provides a 3.4 percent military pay increase, 0.5 percent above the request. The bill also includes $1 billion pursuant to an amended budget request in order to increase U.S. Army troop strength.

First Class Medical Care: The bill recommends a total of $29.2 billion for the Defense Health Program, $3 billion above fiscal year 2009 and $1 billion above the 2010 request. The increase includes $307 million above the request to provide for shortfalls in the TRICARE program. The bill also includes $300 million above the request for transportation infrastructure issues related to base closure.

To provide quality medical care for service members and their families, and address the serious financial challenges facing the Defense Health Program, the bill recommends the following funding:

HIV Research................................................$20,000,000 Wound Care Research..........................................13,000,000 Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health Research ($372m budget

+ $120m over budget)......................................120,000,000 Global HIV/AIDS Prevention...................................10,000,000 Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program.......................50,000,000 Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research........................150,000,000 Peer-Reviewed Ovarian Cancer Research Program................18,750,000 Peer-Reviewed Prostate Cancer Research Program...............80,000,000

Supporting Military Families: The bill provides greater support for military families. The bill includes funding for quality child care, job training for spouses, and expanded counseling and outreach to families that have experienced the separation and stress of war. The bill fully funds $472.4 million for Family Advocacy programs and fully funds Family Support and Yellow Ribbon programs.

Operation and Maintenance: The bill recommends $154 billion for operation and maintenance, an increase of $1.3 billion above the fiscal year 2009 enacted level. The recommendation includes funding above the budget request for the following items:

Hybrid Operations Readiness Training (Hybrid--DoD's new terminology for

full-spectrum training)...................................$43,000,000 Army Helicopter Readiness Training..........................142,000,000 Navy Aircraft Depot Maintenance..............................35,000,000 Environmental Restoration....................................32,500,000

The recommendation rebalances funding from preparing for Cold War-era types of conflicts to the highest priority readiness requirements for the hybrid operations that the military services will be facing for the foreseeable future. The bill also includes adjustments based on trends in DoD budget execution.

Civilian Workforce and In-Sourcing: The bill supports increased funding for DoD civilian personnel to in-source workload. The Department estimates that every position converted from contract to federal civilian saves on average $44,000 per year. Additionally, the bill includes general provisions to suspend further conversions by the Department of Defense from government functions to contractors.

The bill also includes $100 million, as requested, to fund further development and training for the DoD acquisition workforce.

Inspector General Oversight: the bill includes $288 million, $16 million above the request, for the Inspector General to hire additional investigators to ensure proper oversight of DoD acquisition and contracting.

Procurement Programs: The bill recommends $104.4 billion for procurement, an increase of $3.46 billion above the fiscal year 2009 enacted level and a decrease of $816 million below the 2010 request. The bill includes:

$6.8 billion, the requested amount, for the procurement of 30 F-35 Lightning Aircraft, 16

Short Take-off and Vertical Landing variants for the Marine Corps, 4 Carrier variants for the Navy, and 10 conventional variants for the Air Force.

$465 million above the request to continue development and initial procurement of the Alternative Engine for the Joint Strike Fighter.

$2.5 billion above the request for procurement of 10 additional C-17 aircraft.

The bill also includes:

$6.3 billion for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Fund, an increase of $825 million above the request.

$526 million as requested for Situational Awareness upgrades to 353 Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

$498 million for the procurement of Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles.

$613 million for the procurement of Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles.

$15 billion, $120 million above the request, for Navy Shipbuilding and Conversion and the National Defense Sealift Fund for the procurement of 7 Navy ships, including: one DDG-51 Guided Missile Destroyer; one SSN-774 Attack Submarine; two Littoral Combat Ships; and one Intra-theater Connector Ship (joint high speed vessel to move personnel and equipment within theater).

Additionally, this funding provides for the final increments of funding for the CVN-78 Aircraft Carrier, the third DDG-1000 Guided Missile Destroyer, and the tenth LPD-17 Amphibious Transport Dock.

$30 million, not requested, for the shipbuilding loan guarantee program to assist in stimulating the domestic shipbuilding industry.

$1.5 billion for the procurement of 18 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Tactical aircraft, nine above the request.

$1.6 billion, the requested amount for 22 EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.

$2.7 billion for the procurement of 30 MV-22 and five CV-22 Osprey aircraft.

$950 million for National Guard and Reserve Equipment.

Research and Development: The bill recommends $80.5 billion for research and development, an increase of $17 million above the fiscal year 2009 enacted level, and a $2 billion increase over the fiscal year 2010 request. Major funding items include:

$4 billion for the continued development of the F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, $430 million above the President's request.

$130 million for Presidential Helicopter, of which $100 million is for technology capture to recoup investments in research and development of the VH-71, an increase of $44.8 million above the request.

$306 million for the development of the Next Generation Aerial Refueling Aircraft.

$62 million for JSTARS re-engineering research and development, an increase of $46 million above the request.

$202 million for the Israeli Cooperative Program (Arrow). The recommendation is $82.8 million above the President's request.

$50.5 million, the President's request for Ballistic Missile Defense European Capability.

$2.2 billion for the continued development of the restructured Future Combat Systems Program.

$1.2 billion for the continued development of the P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft.

$387.5 million, the President's request, starting development of the replacement for the Ohio class ballistic missile submarine.

$526 million for the continued development of the DDG-1000 Guided Missile Destroyer.

Overseas Contingency Operations: The recommendation addresses a number of policy issues concerning operations in Iraq and Afghanistan including:

A general provision prohibiting the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq or Afghanistan;

A general provision prohibiting the torture of detainees held in U.S. custody;

The bill provides $1.2 billion, a reduction of $300 million from the request for the Commanders Emergency Response Program (CERP) authority and fences $500 million pending a spending plan from the Department of Defense; and

Provides no funds for the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Naval base.

I yield back the balance of my time, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Charles E. Moyer, the mayor of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. He is retiring after 16 years as mayor. His hard work and dedication have had an immense impact on his community.

Mr. Moyer was born and raised in Ebensburg, where he attended Holy Name Grade School and Central Cambria High School before taking classes at Saint Francis University. He lives with his loving wife, Rose, and together they raised their daughter Denise and their late son David.

Mr. Moyer began serving Ebensburg in 1963 as a member of the Dauntless Fire Company and was its captain from 1973 to 1983. He first joined the Ebensburg Borough Council in 1974 and became council president in 1984, an office he held until he became mayor in 1994.

Mr. Moyer has been an officer of the Cambria County Boroughs Association since 1986, is a member of the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs Board of Trustees and Directors, and represents the association on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's New Product Evaluation Committee. Since 1997, Mr. Moyer has served on the Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority, working to develop recreational resources, including playgrounds and trail projects, in Cambria County. For the past 5 years, Mr. Moyer has also been a member of the Cambria County Airport Authority and has served on the board of directors for the Cambria Somerset Council of Governments for 15 years, including 2 years as the president.

Madam Speaker, during his distinguished career, Mr. Moyer received the Thomas F. Chrostwaite Award in 1993, the Distinguished Service Award in 2002, the Board of Directors Award in 2003, and the A.C. Scales Award from the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs in 2007 for exceptionally outstanding service.

As mayor and councilman, Mr. Moyer has been instrumental in the many improvements in Ebensburg. Most recently, the borough enacted a $1.3 million Streetscape program to revitalize the downtown, which has allowed for the construction of Penn Eben Park with a gazebo-style band shell, new sidewalks, street lights, benches and trees as well as renovations of many buildings. New businesses have nearly filled all the storefronts in downtown Ebensburg.

Madam Speaker, I conclude my remarks by commending Charles E. Moyer for his service to his community. Through his years as a volunteer fireman, a councilman and finally as mayor, he has continually worked to make Ebensburg Borough a better place. His retirement closes a chapter on a long and fruitful career and the people of Ebensburg, along with those of us who have worked with Charlie, will surely miss him.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr., the president of California University of Pennsylvania. His dedication to education as a professor, dean and university president, in addition to his commitment to philanthropy, has had a great impact on the people of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Armenti received his Bachelor of Science in Physics from Villanova University and his Master's and Ph.D. from Temple University in Special Relativity and General Relativity, respectively. He returned to Villanova

as a professor where he remained for 20 years. He subsequently became chair of the physics department, Dean of University College, and Director of Planning at Villanova.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Armenti received the Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching and in 1992 was one of only 32 individuals in the nation named an American Council on Education Fellow. He has published many journal articles and the book, The Physics of Sports.

Madam Speaker, on May 19, 1992, Dr. Armenti became the 6th president of California University of Pennsylvania. Since then, applications have increased by 90 percent, the average SAT score rose by 95 points and four-year graduation rates rose by 80 percent. The university adopted new academic programs, a general education curriculum, the University Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, and a new governance structure.

During his tenure as president, California University has constructed new buildings including the Eberly Science and Technology Center, the Kara Alumni House, the Duda Classroom Building and six residence halls, as well as renovating several older structures. This construction significantly enhanced the educational and living environments of California University. It also created two major off-campus sites at the Southpointe Business Park in Canonsburg and at the Regional Enterprise Tower in downtown Pittsburgh.

The Washington County Community Foundation named Dr. Armenti and his wife, Mrs. Barbara Armenti, the 2009 Philanthropists of the Year for the scholarships they established at California University and for developing a philanthropic atmosphere throughout the school and community. Dr. & Mrs. Armenti have inspired many students to serve their communities.

In addition, Dr. Armenti serves the educational field by working with the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. He also serves southwestern Pennsylvania as the Campaign Chair and President of the Mon Valley United Way. Madam Speaker, I conclude my remarks by commending Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr. for his lifelong dedication to education and philanthropy. I wish him the best as he continues to serve his students and the people of Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, on September 11, 2001, I was in the U.S. Capitol, where the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee was meeting to markup the annual defense spending bill. We watched on television as the two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers, and soon after, evacuated the building because another plane was headed in our direction.

As I got outside, I saw the billows of black smoke rising in the distance from the Pentagon. The plane had actually hit a section of the Pentagon that had recently undergone significant renovations. I had previously earmarked funds to accelerate the building's renovation project, and I was told that had it not been for those improvements, the building would have suffered far greater damage and more lives would have been lost.

It wasn't until later that morning that I had learned of another plane crashing into the quiet fields of Somerset County within my congressional district. There was little known about that flight, so the following morning, September 12th, I drove back to Pennsylvania and to Stonycreek Township.

Looking out across this field, I saw no sign that an airplane had crashed here. There were no burning buildings or piles of rubble like we saw pictured in New York and at the Pentagon. All that remained in this field was smoldering earth and a charred tree line.

I was quoted as saying, ``Somebody here was a hero, a passenger . . . or the pilot who would not fly on. There must have been a struggle. Some heroic individual brought this plane down.''

I was right about a struggle, but I was wrong in saying ``some heroic individual brought this plane down.'' In fact, there were 40 heroic individuals aboard United Airlines Flight 93 that morning. Forty ordinary citizens, who together, decided to make an extraordinary sacrifice.

In early 2002, I introduced legislation establishing a national memorial to honor the passengers and crew of Flight 93. Nearly 8 years later, I'm honored that we are breaking ground on a memorial that is both fitting of their sacrifice and contribution to our great Nation.

I want to commend and complement Secretary Salazar and the National Park Service, the Families of Flight 93, our local and state officials, and all those involved with the planning and construction of the Flight 93 National Memorial.

Future generations will look out across this quiet Pennsylvania field and forever be reminded of the story of Flight 93 and the courage and sacrifice of her passengers and crew.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Patrolman John Marhefka of Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania. He was recently named Pennsylvania's top Drug Awareness and Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Officer of the Year.

For twelve years, Marhefka has been dedicated to preventing illegal drug usage through D.A.R.E., a program where police officers go into schools to teach young people about the dangers of illegal drugs. The D.A.R.E. program encourages students to make good life decisions by warning them about the risks of substance abuse and violence. The relationships that develop between the officers and their students open new lines of communication and help to strengthen community ties.

While there are more than 1,000 D.A.R.E. officers throughout Pennsylvania, Marhefka is one that goes above and beyond what is expected of him. Over his time as a D.A.R.E. officer, he has taught over 700 Burrell students from kindergarten to 12th grade. Marhefka makes a genuine effort to form a relationship with each of his students. He is known for his participation in recess and school family fun nights. Most importantly, Marhefka gives students the opportunity to get to know him, increasing their comfort with local authorities and their trust in the police.

Madam Speaker, Marhefka's dedication to the D.A.R.E. program has given students the knowledge and confidence they need to avoid the temptation of peer pressure. I commend him for his dedication to the prevention of illegal drug use and for his outstanding commitment to promoting safety in his community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the heroic deeds of one of my constituents, Mr. James Patrick of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, while Mr. Patrick, a letter carrier for the US Postal Service, was on his route, he saw flames and thick black smoke erupting out of the top of a church. He immediately found someone to call 911 before he selflessly entered the burning church to make sure that everyone was safe.

Even though the roof of the church and the adjacent rectory were rapidly becoming engulfed in flames, Pastor Robert Hall and the church's secretary were unaware of the fire. Patrick informed the two of the fire, but Pastor Hall wanted to put the fire out himself. However, Patrick insisted that everyone leave. He is quoted as saying, ``Father, you have to get out--the whole roof is on fire.''

Because of his courageous deeds, two people's lives were saved. Subsequently, Pastor Hall, in a letter to the Postal Service wrote, ``In this day and age when people don't want to get involved, I want to say thank you to your employee for going the extra mile.''

Patrick is a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Johnstown Branch 451. For his actions, he was recently recognized by the Association and was awarded the Eastern Region Hero Award.

Madam Speaker, I wish to close my remarks by commending Mr. James Patrick for his heroic actions. We are fortunate that we have people like Mr. Patrick who choose to go above and beyond what is expected so that lives may be saved.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask this chamber to recognize the students, faculty, and staff at California University of Pennsylvania who have valiantly served their country in Iraq. Cal. U. students have an exemplary record of serving our country in times of need and have done so again during the war in Iraq.

There have been nineteen California University students who have been deployed to Iraq. Furthermore, five members of the staff and faculty were also deployed. Many were part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, north of Baghdad. This was the largest National Guard call-up in support of a single operation in the history of the university. I have joined my colleagues in recognizing the 56th Stryker Brigade by becoming an original cosponsor of H. Res. 754, which honors the citizen-soldiers of the National Guard of the State of Pennsylvania, including the 56th Brigade Combat Team (Stryker) of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard on its return to the United States from deployment in Iraq.

Madam Speaker, these students, just like countless others across Pennsylvania and the rest of the country, are choosing to serve their nation and put their own education on hold.

I have seen the consequences and effects of returning home after combat and I am pleased that Cal. U. has an Office of Veterans Affairs. This office has been instrumental in helping veterans reintegrate into the university community and has helped to facilitate the issuance of G.I. Bill benefits. This is an excellent way to help those who have given so much to our country.

I wish to conclude my remarks by commending the California University of Pennsylvania students, faculty and staff members who have selflessly dedicated themselves to our great nation by serving their country. I would also like to commend students and university staff and faculty across our great nation who have done the same.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American, Charles J. ``Charlie'' Vizzini. He was born in Colver, Pennsylvania on March 8, 1924 to John and Lillian Vizzini. He passed away on August 11 of this year.

Throughout his life, he dedicated himself to God, his country, and to his fellow man. In particular, he focused on remembering and helping his fellow veterans. His commitment stemmed from an incident during World War II when, as a young Army private stationed in France, Vizzini was wounded. He was struck in the chest by bullets from a German automatic pistol. An Army doctor was quoted in a 1944 article as saying that even though Vizzini sustained tremendous injuries, his life was saved because the bullets hit a New Testament in one of his breast pockets and a Catholic missal in the other. In a 1998 interview, Vizzini said, ``I believe it is a miracle from the Lord that I am here today. That is the biggest reason I do the things I do to help veterans.'' While recovering from his injuries, he stayed in a European hospital for almost a year before returning to Colver. For his courageous efforts serving his country, he received two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star.

After returning to Cambria County, Vizzini married the former Glendora Waterhouse, his loving wife of 60 years. He worked in Pennsylvania's Ebensburg Center and served as commander of Ebensburg Post 4963, Veterans of Foreign Wars. He also served on the Pennsylvania Democratic Committee and was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church in Ebensburg.

Madam Speaker, Vizzini was particularly active in honoring veterans. He would organize annual Veterans Day memorial services to honor veterans. He would also hold services

on the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and to honor the memory of fellow Cambria County native Marine Sgt. Michael Strank who helped to raise the flag at Iwo Jima.

Vizzini was often the voice for those who did not have one. He was known for rallying at the Cambria County Courthouse for causes that he felt passionately about. To honor the 63 miners who died at the 1940 Sonman Mines explosion in Portage, Pennsylvania, he organized a memorial service. He also was influential in honoring the 112 who lost their lives in the Cambria Steel Company's 1902 Rolling Mine Mill explosion in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Madam Speaker, I wish to conclude my remarks by saying that Charlie Vizzini will be remembered as a great American. He was a war hero who continued to serve his country by honoring his fellow veterans throughout his life. His selfless service to others in all walks of life will not be forgotten. Madam Speaker, Charlie Vizzini will truly be missed.

Madam Speaker, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) has been providing quality, affordable higher educational opportunities to students since 1875.

With over 14,000 students, 1,600 employees, and an annual operating budget of nearly $250 million, IUP is one of the top economic drivers in Indiana County, and the reason why unemployment rates there fall well below the national and state averages.

In this tough economy, IUP has the largest student enrollment in University history, and has been frequently ranked as a ``best value for public colleges and universities.''

Madam Speaker, when my grandfather, Charles Ray, graduated from IUP in 1902, there were only twenty-five students in his class. Twenty-five years later, my mother graduated from IUP, and by the time my daughter graduated from IUP the University had over 10,000 students.

Having worked with IUP over the last few decades, I have witnessed both their academic achievements and their strong leadership within our community. University officials work hand-in-hand with our local and state representatives to identify projects that have the greatest academic impact on our students and the greatest economic impact on our community.

The Foundation for IUP is currently working with city and county officials to make a series of main street improvements to downtown Indiana. The Foundation's $500,000 investment is transforming the city's main thoroughfare and improving the livability of our community.

IUP is near the completion of a multi-phase residential revival program, a $270 million public-private collaboration that is the largest of its kind in the nation. These new student housing facilities integrate ``living-learning'' space and are beautifying both the campus and community.

Most recently, IUP began construction of a 150,000 square-foot convention and athletic complex. The complex, built on the site of a former salvage company, will provide IUP and the community with space to accommodate large events that will bring in both patrons and revenue.

Madam Speaker, I rise to commend the achievements of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and to thank them for their exceptional commitment to our students and to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Rory A. Cooper, Ph.D. for his outstanding achievement of winning five gold medals at the 2009 National Veterans Wheelchair Games, for helping to guide emerging technologies and treatments to improve mobility for people with physical disabilities, and for promoting a positive image for our wounded, injured, and ill veterans.

While winning five gold medals is an exceptional achievement by itself, Dr. Cooper has proven himself again and again. Madam Speaker, Dr. Cooper won four gold medals at the 2008 National Veterans Wheelchair Games and over 100 total medals since 1983. He has previously held the world record for the 10,000-meter wheelchair race. He has participated and won medals almost every year since he first started competing. In 1988 he won the bronze medal at the Paralympic Games in Seoul, Korea. He continued to stay active in Paralympic competition by serving as a member of the Steering Committee for the 1996 Paralympic Scientific Congress. He was also the Sports Scientist for the 2008 United States Paralympic Team. In recognition of his achievements at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, he was one of the featured athletes on a 2009 Cheerios cereal box.

When Dr. Cooper is not competing, he is a researcher in the field of assistive technology design at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. He is also the Director and Veterans Affairs (VA) Senior Research Career Scientist for the VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Center of Excellence, Co- director of the National Science Foundation Quality of Life Technology Engineering Research Center, a member of the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Prosthetics and Special Disability Programs Advisory Committee, and a Director of the Paralyzed Veterans of America Research Foundation. He has published over two hundred peer-reviewed journal articles and two books, Rehabilitation Engineering Applied to Mobility and Manipulation and Wheelchair Selection and Configuration. Dr. Cooper is also a recipient of the Department of the Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for ``exceptional leadership, service, and advocacy of severely injured service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) and other military medical facilities from October 2004 through May 2008.''

Madam Speaker, Dr. Cooper is truly an inspiration to all to us. I conclude my remarks by commending him for his outstanding achievements.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Cambria County Association of Township Officials. This organization and the townships that comprise it have seen many changes over the last century since its inception.

When Cambria County's townships first formed, they were primarily agrarian. Farms dotted the landscape and were valuable contributors to the local, state, and national economies. However, as America was quickly industrializing, the townships changed as many of their citizens began working in the coal mines that were opening throughout the county. Even today, the economies are again changing as Cambria County's townships are becoming the center of new, high-tech industries.

Madam Speaker, while the county's industries have changed over the years, Cambria County's townships have adapted by adding and diversifying its businesses. Instead of changing entirely, the townships are now home to agriculture, mining, and high-tech industries.

The townships are also quality places to live, with many who work elsewhere choosing to live and raise families there. They are among the county's assets.

Finally, like the County itself, the townships have endured much hardship, surviving severe flooding in 1889, 1936, and 1977. They also survived the collapse of the steel industry and the ripple effects throughout the entire county. Their resilience is a reflection of the strong people who live and work there.

Over the years, as the townships experienced the economic ups and downs, they have had a constant advocate. The Cambria County Association of Township Officials has been there to lobby on behalf of its members. They meet on a monthly basis, gathering to discuss common issues. The group is also a member of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Officials.

Madam Speaker, I conclude my remarks by commending the Cambria County Association of Township Officials, as well as the townships themselves, for their hard work and dedication to the people of Cambria County.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Willie Gathrel ``Bill'' Hefner. Bill was a unique Member of Congress and served with distinction as the Chair of the Military Construction Subcommittee for many years. Few Members could match his contribution to the defense of this country. He represented his congressional district well, but never lost sight of national goals, whether those dealt with education, law enforcement, or defense. Many times he would sit on the floor listening intently to debate and he became one of the best extemporaneous speakers that ever served in Congress. Madam Speaker, Bill Hefner was a good friend and an outstanding American.

I have an amendment at the desk.

This amendment provides $60,199,000 to be made available for a joint POW/MIA account, $2 million additional funding for the Fisher House, for a total of $12 million, for redirecting $368,800 otherwise available for advanced procurement of additional F-22 aircraft spare parts. Let me explain--well, some money shifting from the health program and some chemical agents and so forth. In other words, some amendments we couldn't get to in the floor.

The major difference is that I had advanced funding for the F-22 in the bill, and obviously the Senate, in its wisdom, defeated the possibility of the F-22 passing. So what I've done is say, okay, if we're not going to have an F-22, let's at least fund the original 187 airplanes at the fullest robust level. And that's the only difference, actually, that we have between myself and Mr. Young.

So with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield myself 2 minutes.

I certainly agree with what the gentleman said. I have a great concern about air superiority, but the problem is we need 292 votes in the House. The President is hard over on this issue. We need 66 votes in the Senate, and there is no chance of us getting that kind of a vote.

So what I'm trying to do is make sure that that is robustly funded, the ones that are there, because the very thing Mr. Young mentioned, the fact that these airplanes have high maintenance, they cost about $50,000 an hour to maintain, and it's very expensive and very burdensome. So I want to make sure they have the spare parts they need, the engines they need in order so the ones we have, have what they need.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

I reserve.

I just want to reiterate what I said.

The political climate has changed substantially. We're in a situation where the President's hard over, and we are doing the best we can to have robust funding for the fleet. That's what I intend to do, or I hope, when this amendment passes, that's what we'll have done.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield myself 1 minute.

I will say to the gentleman, as I have said before, we're doing the best we can with what we have. Politically, it's changed so dramatically that we just have no alternative than to make sure that what we have is robustly funded.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time and call for an affirmative vote on the amendment.

Will the gentleman yield?

We're willing to accept the amendment.

Would the gentleman take yes for an answer?

I rise in opposition to the amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I will use my own time.

I have the right to close, and I reserve my time.

I rise in opposition to the amendment. I am trying to figure out what the gentleman is trying to do. This was in the table from the White House, from the administration, the Defense Department. This would delete $160 million in drug interdiction and counter-drug activities which go to Mexico, Afghanistan and Colombia. The Defense Department has the authority to train and equip foreign governments for counter-drug activities since Congress enacted section 1004 of the '91 National Defense Authorization Act. This funding will enable the Department of Defense to provide digital communication equipment to our allies in order to fight the increasing drug trade and execute this funding at the discretion of the Department of Defense.

I mean, I can't imagine anything that's more important to us and our troops in Afghanistan than the amount of money that we're putting in for anti-drug interdiction. So I would urge the Members to vote against this amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

If the gentleman would yield, I agree with the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

I reserve my time.

I continue to reserve.

Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve.

I rise in opposition to the amendment. It will strike $80 million out of the Kinetic Energy Interceptor program.

In my estimation, what I said to the Defense Department over and over again, all at once, after all these years of no oversight in the Defense Department, they get nothing from the program. We've got the same thing in the Presidential helicopter. We've got the same thing in many of these other programs. What I'm trying to convince them is they have to have oversight earlier in a research program.

Now, the Under Secretary tells me that in the new research programs he is going to try to have a cost cap or some kind of effectiveness so that they measure it, benchmarks of some sort so that they can measure these earlier.

We may have to adjust this in conference if this amendment doesn't pass, but I ask the Members to vote ``no'' on this amendment, and we will see what we can work out. The program has already spent $1 billion, and we ought to get something out of it.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition.

I reserve my time.

I reserve my time.

Let me read again to the gentleman from Arizona. ``With respect to the list of specific programs, projects and activities contained in the tables entitled Explanation of Project Level Adjustment in the report of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, those which are considered Congressional earmarks for purpose of rule XXI of the House of Representatives, when awarded for a profit entity, shall be awarded under full and open competition.''

Now, let me tell you, you talk about old awards. KDH was awarded on 14 July 2090, a competitive $39.4 million contract for 65,000 vests for the Army and Air Force. They must be doing a good job or they wouldn't have been made that award.

I went to Iraq. They were short--would the gentleman, I know the staff has a lot of information for him, but I would like him to listen to what I am saying.

I went to Iraq and I found with the First Division a 44,000 shortage of armor. The biggest complaint I get from the troops in the field--I don't know how often you visit the field, Mr. Flake. I don't know how often you come to the people that do this work.

When I go in the factories, their sons and daughters are working in this place. They love the work that they do. They know they are doing work that is under very specific guidelines set by the government.

Announcement by the Acting Chair

You are absolutely right. I am sorry, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I want you to know that when I go to visit these plants and I see these people working, whose sons and daughters are fighting, they know how important these vests are. They know how important the work that they do is for the Defense Department.

I remember 20 years ago when I brought defense companies into my district and I had 24 percent unemployment. We didn't have the specifications. We didn't have any small business that could do the work. We didn't get any awards. Once we learned the ISOs, once we were able to perfect it, once we were able to compete--the people of my district are hardworking--we got the unemployment down to below the national level and diversified the economy.

All I can do is bring people in. I can't direct them where to do the business of the Defense Department. They do it on their own. They are the ones that award the contracts. I visit those plants and I see those hardworking people. I see what they do for this great country. Not only the troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the public who work in these defense organizations do everything they can to help this great country.

We put money into the budget. We have an obligation to take care of our district. We have an obligation to take care of this great country. And the people working in my district work hard.

I visit these plants and these bases all the time. I visit the troops and I ask them, What are your biggest problems? The biggest problem is employment, Mr. Chairman. The biggest problem is the fact that the vests are too heavy for Afghanistan. They are working on trying to get vests that aren't so heavy.

I just went out to the hospital the other day. I don't know how often Mr. Flake goes to the hospital. I am sure he goes quite often. Every week he probably goes to the hospital. But I will tell you this. I go to the hospital.

I saw a young fellow who was wounded two years ago. His organs were outside of his body for 10 days. He had a bag for about 6 months. He got rid of the bag. They did another operation.

This goes on continuously. Nobody has done more work for the medical profession, putting earmarks in for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, all of those things, because we feel so strongly about it.

We want a great defense in this country, and the people working in the defense industry do a great job. We don't appropriate this money for anybody except the people that do the work, and if they do the work, they are awarded the contracts. And they are competitive contracts, and it is very clear in our bill, and it doesn't come out of the bill. It has been in title X of the bill ever since I can remember. They have to be competitive if they are pro-profit.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time and ask for a ``no'' vote on the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition.

I reserve my time.

Let me read to the gentleman, Mr. Chairman:

``With respect to the list of specific programs, projects and activities contained in the tables entitled `Explanation of Project Level Adjustments' in the Report of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, those which are considered congressional earmarks for purposes of rule XXI of the House of Representatives, when awarded to a for-profit entity, shall be awarded under full and open competition.''

This amendment would prohibit $2.5 million for AARGM Counter Air Defense Future Capabilities. Now, I know that Members of Congress represent their districts. I know that Arizona gets $9.7 billion in defense. I'm sure that this Member is not worried about the fact that some of this money may go someplace else. I know that's not his reason for this. It's $9.7 billion. It's fifth in the number of defense industries throughout the country. Let me tell the Chair a story:

When I first took over the committee in 1989, I looked at one of the projects that the Navy was working on. They made consoles for all of the ships in the Navy, and they were paid $850,000 for those consoles. We said, You've got to compete them. We had probably 25 to 30 hearings that year. We had 51 trips that we sent the troops on, which is the same as we had this year. We had 37 hearings this year, and we had hundreds and hundreds of meetings.

This one particular program was called the Q-70. We forced them to compete it, and it's a very interesting thing. The Navy went to the Air Force and said, Look, we want you to buy this particular program, and we'll buy it from you. This is so they wouldn't have to compete. Well, the staff found out about it; and in the end, that didn't work and they competed.

That particular console now costs $125,000 per unit. We've saved over $1 billion. They happen to make that in my district. Some people would say that was an earmark. We saved over $1 billion in one contract. On another submarine torpedo contract, we saved over a half a billion dollars.

So small business is the backbone of industry in this country. All the growth has been in small business. These folks are working diligently. They pay taxes. They go home every day, and they know how important it is to do good work. They meet super-specifications from the military. They complain all the time that the specifications are too tough and that competition is too tough.

The first time that I brought defense companies to my district, I had 24 percent unemployment, and we couldn't get any business out of them because none of my companies knew how to do defense work. Now, in Arizona, they obviously know how to do defense work. They've got $9.7 billion worth of business in Arizona. Pennsylvania is not even on the list for the amount of defense work. That's embarrassing with all of the troops that we send. We send more National Guard members to Iraq and Afghanistan than any other National Guard unit in the country. I've lost 19 people in my congressional district, so I feel very strongly about this.

Small business is the backbone. These people that I visit are working hard. They know how tough it is. They know that they meet the specifications, and they bid on these contracts, and they win these contracts, and I'm proud to represent them. With that, I ask for a ``no'' vote.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Let me read again to the Chair.

``With respect to the list of specific programs, projects and activities contained in the tables entitled `Explanation of Project Level Adjustments' in the Report of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, those which are considered congressional earmarks for purposes of Rule XXI of the House of Representatives, when awarded to a for-profit entity, shall be awarded under full and open competition.''

In this particular case, this company is doing very well. Reuters gave them a very high rating. But what we look at is the people that work in those places, the awarding of these contracts, the fact that the Defense Department has such high levels of specification that they insist on.

When you go to a defense company, they have all kinds of things that are added that are not true in most places, and small business is the best you can get at doing this kind of work.

During World War II, we produced 83,000 airplanes in 1 year during 1943, 30,000 tanks. There were some abuses, I'm sure. Today, we don't have that capacity. What we worry about, if we don't have small business doing this, it's going to go overseas, and if it goes overseas, we're going to lose those businesses, we'll lose the ability. We continually put ``buy American'' in our provisions, and it turns out that it still goes overseas. Much of the airplane parts are built overseas. Much of the parts--if we weren't careful, some of the body armor would be built overseas because some of the companies would be cheaper.

So we insist they be built in this country. We insist Americans do it. And those Americans are so proud of the work that they do, they have Americans flags there. They have pictures of the troops. They have letters from the troops about how proud of the work they are doing, and the government checks continually to make sure they're doing that kind of work, and they meet those specifications.

With that, I would ask for a ``no'' vote.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I object.

I rise in opposition.

I reserve my time.

I rise in opposition to the amendment. Let me read to the House again--the one Member keeps mentioning over and over again the same thing I'm going to mention.

``With respect to the list of specific programs, projects and activities contained in the tables entitled `Explanation of Project Level Adjustments' in the Report of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, those which are considered congressional earmarks for purposes of Rule XX1 of the House of Representatives, when awarded to a for-profit entity, shall be awarded under full and open competition.

As I mentioned, I hope that there is no Member that's trying to protect their own Defense money--$9.7 billion in Arizona--that this is not the reason that there is opposition to these things.

But I don't say that under any circumstances. One thing I say is we put money in for projects. We don't put it in because of any one Representative.

Last year--this PMA is defunct, and this year, we've put the projects in that we thought were worthwhile, not because they're from a Representative, because they don't represent them any more. Those projects are in the budget because Members, themselves, thought they were good projects.

And with that, I ask a ``no'' on the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition.

I reserve my time.

Mr. Chairman, let me read the policy of the committee. The full committee just brought me the policy which answers the gentleman's question.

Under the policies adopted by the great Appropriations Committee, ``The use of Member earmarks awarded to for-profit entities as a functional equivalent of no-bid contracts is ended.

``In cases where the committee funds an earmark designated for a for- profit entity, the committee includes legislative language requiring the executive branch to nonetheless issue a request for proposal that gives other entities an opportunity to apply and requires the agency to evaluate all bids received and make a decision based on merit. The legislative language included in the bills requires `full and open competition.'

``This gives the original designee an opportunity to be brought to the attention of the agency, but with the possibility that an alternative entity may be selected.''

Now, let me read to the gentleman, Mr. Chairman: ``With respect to the list of specific programs, projects and activities contained in the tables entitled `Explanation of Project Level Adjustments' in the Report of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, those which are considered congressional earmarks for purposes of Rule XXI''--this is on page 113 of the bill--``when awarded to a for-profit entity, shall be awarded under full and open competition.''

In this particular case, they strike $1.5 million from hospital maintenance and so forth. Nobody, there is no committee in the Congress--the authorizing committees work on different things. We work on making sure that the medical facilities are clean, making sure that they are taken care of. And Mr. Bishop offers an amendment which wants to make sure that the funding would provide for development, renovation, maintenance, to test the environmental sustainable laboratories, hospitals, and clean rooms for drug development.

I ask for a ``no'' vote.

I yield to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor).

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time and ask for a ``no'' vote.

I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

I've said over and over again, I have been for the F-22. The point is we'd need 292 votes here in order to pass the F-22. We'd need 66 votes in the Senate. The Senate voted 58-40 against it. So we have no alternative.

Now, what I've done is try to robustly fund the program as it is. In other words, they have 187. Let's make sure it's funded adequately. Let's make sure they have what they need. They have a lot of maintenance questions about the F-22. There is no question about it, and so we need to make sure it's robustly funded.

The Presidential helicopter, $3.2 billion we spent on this thing. We ought to get something out of it. One of the Secretaries said to me the other day that they are going to spend another $2 billion if you get it right. I said, Wait a minute; how much do you think you will spend if you have to do another one?

I'm trying to work something out with the White House on that and other issues.

It took a little more time than I expected in this bill today, but I'd appreciate a ``no'' vote on this vote to recommit.

I yield back the balance of my time.