Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained in a classified security briefing on Syria and missed rollcall votes No. 450, No. 451, and No. 452.

Had I been present for H.R. 1155, a bill to reform the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers, I would have voted ``aye.''

On H.R. 2747, a bill to amend title 40, United States Code, to transfer certain functions from the Government Accountability Office to the Department of Labor relating to the processing of claims for the payment of workers who were not paid appropriate wages under certain provisions of such title, I would have voted ``aye.''

On S. 130, a bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land to the Powell Recreation District in the State of Wyoming, I would have voted ``aye.''

personal explanation

Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today with a heavy heart to pay my respects and to bid a solemn farewell to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Officer David Vanbuskirk. Officer Vanbuskirk was killed in the line of duty on Tuesday, July 23 while participating in a rescue mission outside of Las Vegas. He was 36 years old.

To me, Dave was more than a constituent, and he was more than a public servant. He was one of my medics and a teammate. You see, prior to coming to Congress, I was a member of the LVMPD Search and Rescue team and the department's medical director.

A 13-year veteran of the department and one of only seven commissioned search and rescue officers on this elite force, Officer Vanbuskirk was called

into action on the night of the 22nd to rescue a hiker who was stranded on a rocky ledge above Mary Jane Falls on Mount Charleston. Once he reached the stranded hiker via helicopter, Officer Vanbuskirk secured the man and himself with harnesses to be lifted back into the helicopter. It was at some point during the lift that Officer Vanbuskirk became detached from the harness and fell to the ground below.

The hiker survived. He was saved by the heroic actions of Officer Vanbuskirk.

David's career with the department was marked by many accomplishments, but the notable achievements he would want us to remember cannot be hung on a wall or pinned on a uniform. These achievements can be summed up this way: David Vanbuskirk answered the call when people needed him. This is a man who, when the call came out to rescue a hiker stranded high on Mount Charleston, did not think of himself or of the danger he would be putting himself in. Like so many times before, he climbed into the helicopter and thought only of the person to be rescued, of the life to be saved.

Of course, answering calls like this are what David and the rest of the Las Vegas Search and Rescue team do. The work our law enforcement and search and rescue officers do around the valley and around our Nation to keep our communities safe is dangerous work, and this tragedy is a somber reminder that they put their lives on the line every time they are on duty, every time they answer that call.

Dave's personal courage and selfless dedication to his work and the community he served epitomized the very core of those in the public safety professions--of those who run towards the sound of gunfire or run into a burning building while everybody else is running away.

I remember when Dave first joined the unit. He was ambitious, motivated, professional--and he was always smiling. And he was smart-- one of the brightest with whom I've ever had the opportunity to serve. He was always looking to learn more about search and rescue techniques and about emergency medical care.

We spent long hours together on SWAT missions, sitting in the cab of our rescue vehicle or on the rock during training exercises, and he was always asking questions. He was the proverbial sponge for knowledge. It was always, ``Hey, Doc. What about `this' or `that'?'' or ``Hey, Doc. What `if'?'' He always put others first, and nowhere is that more evident than in how he spent his final hours--in the dark of night, with the search and rescue team, finding someone who needed help.

Madam Speaker, I think we use the word ``hero'' so often to describe athletes or celebrities or public figures that we sometimes forget what a real hero looks like. One only needs to look to my left. David Vanbuskirk was a hero, and that was evident by those who eulogized him this past Monday in the outpouring of public support, by the thousands who lined the funeral procession route and attended his services. He touched many hearts in his short time on this Earth, and stories about how he helped so many brought tears to the eyes of everyone who filled the church, even to the toughest cops in attendance.

While the Las Vegas search and rescue community, the metro police family, his friends, family members, wife, and all who knew him mourn his loss, we also celebrate Officer David Vanbuskirk's 13-year career of answering the call to serve the residents of Clark County. He is survived by his wife of 11 years, Adrianna; by his mother, Pat; by his sister, Jennifer; and her two sons, Reid and Griffin.

I extend my most heartfelt condolences to Adrianna and the Vanbuskirk family, and I pray they will be strengthened by friends and family during this difficult time.

Police Officer David Vanbuskirk, P No. 6482. Secure. Final.

Mr. Speaker, in our Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote that governments derived their power from ``the consent of the governed.'' Years later, Abraham Lincoln called our American democracy a government ``of the people, by the people, for the people.'' What would these great men think if they saw the waste and abuse so rampant in our government today?

House Republicans are committed to maintaining a government that works for the American people, not against them. That's why this week we're bringing a number of bills to the floor to do just that. We believe in an America with expanded opportunity and a more secure future for all.

There's no place in that America for massive government overreach, and

that's why the House Republicans will continue to fight it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of reining in excessive government spending and waste, and I thank my colleague from Texas for his work on this important matter.

As the Representative who represents Henderson, Nevada, I am pleased Congress and the administration worked together to reduce wasteful government spending and to prevent flagrant abuses of taxpayer funds on lavish conferences and travel. These efforts will certainly increase oversight and transparency. However, I urge my colleagues to avoid those unnecessary restrictions on government travel which could significantly affect conference cities like Las Vegas and Henderson.

Despite the inexcusable actions of a few, government conferences can benefit the public and private sectors and contribute to our economic health. Cancelling conferences outright solves nothing. The cancellation of a 2013 Military Health System Conference to train military medical personnel actually cost the government more than $800,000 in replacement expenses and lost revenue. I am concerned that those approving government conferences under these new standards may limit agency travel to specific geographic locations solely to avoid the perception of the misuse of taxpayer funds.

These decisions should not be about perception but should be based on cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and the best interests of taxpayers. That's why I cosponsored H.R. 1880, the Protecting Resort Cities from Discrimination Act, to prohibit Federal agencies from implementing policies that discourage travel to perceived resort or vacation destinations. Cities like Las Vegas, Henderson, and Orlando are equipped with an abundance of affordable rooms and conference spaces, and independent studies

confirm that the per attendee cost of government conferences is nearly half that of similar private sector conferences, but these cities should not suffer from poor judgment by a handful of government workers.

Again, I strongly support the efforts to eliminate the waste and abuse of taxpayer funds. Federal travel and conference participation benefits our economy when done appropriately and responsibly. So I support this legislation, and I ask to continue to work together to encourage accountability and transparency for government travel to ensure conference cities like Las Vegas, Henderson, and others can continue to provide their valuable services.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013.

As the first in my family to go to college--and as a parent--I fully understand the value of a high-quality education and the opportunities it provides. I also know that accessing higher education is not cheap. I just started paying back the student loans of my daughter. I'm still paying back my student loans for medical school.

Throughout Nevada, many new high school graduates are preparing to head to college this fall. Without this bipartisan compromise, originally proposed by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and based largely on the President's own proposal, students face significant uncertainty over their student loans. This legislation provides a permanent, market-based solution that gives students and taxpayers the certainty they need and deserve. Additionally, by ensuring the interest rates are set by the market, rather than legislators, this bill rightly takes politics out of the student loan discussion.

While we must continue our work to address the skyrocketing costs of higher education--because the much greater issue is the total indebtedness upon graduation--this bill is an important step in addressing the near-term needs of students.

I strongly support H.R. 1911 and urge the passage of this important bill to help not only Nevada students, but students throughout our Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, since its inception, the Iron Dome system has achieved tremendous success defeating rockets fired at the State of Israel from the Gaza Strip, and I am pleased that the underlying bill supports the President's request and fully funds this critical program. However, despite significant investments in this vital program, the United States has no rights to any of the proprietary information associated with that system.

My amendment would provide $15 million for the Israeli Iron Dome short-range defense system to initiate co-production of missile interceptors in the United States. This is $15 million, in addition to the funds appropriated to support Israel's Iron Dome program, to help ensure that the U.S. has a role in future production and can leverage the technology that we have invested in. Specifically, these funds will support the infrastructure, tooling, transferring data, special test equipment, and related components for U.S. production.

This amendment will help stabilize U.S. manufacturers who are facing an uncertain future with U.S. military procurement shrinking in the face of sequestration. By increasing opportunities for U.S. manufacturers, we will help support our Nation's struggling economy, while supporting and creating critical jobs here at home.

This funding will also provide a second source of production for Israel, who can leverage the rate-production capabilities of American firms to ensure that necessary quantities of Iron Dome interceptors are fielded as rapidly as possible. Providing this funding will ensure that our most critical ally in the Middle East, Israel, has the necessary capacity to defend itself against rocket attacks launched by Hamas.

In March of 2013, during President Obama's trip to Israel, the commander of the Israeli Air Defense Command, Brigadier General Shohat, spoke of the need for U.S. co-production of Iron Dome missile interceptors.

In response to concerns about future missile interceptor shortfalls and the desire to increase Israel's Iron Dome deployment from 5 to 13 batteries, the general stated:

What would be impacted is the pace at which we equip

ourselves. Bottom line, I need as many air defense units as

possible and as quickly as possible.

By accepting this amendment, the House will ensure that Israel has the capability, as well as the capacity, to defend itself.

Further, in written testimony provided to the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Director of the Missile Defense Agency Vice Admiral James Syring indicated that the Missile Defense Agency was actively seeking Iron Dome co-production opportunities and was negotiating to obtain available technical data packages and data rights. This amendment will ensure that funding is available to move forward on this important effort.

During consideration of H.R. 1960, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014, by the House Armed Services Committee, I offered an amendment to authorize funding for co-production of Iron Dome, which was unanimously agreed to. Additionally, the House of Representatives authorized this funding when it voted to pass the fiscal year 2014 NDAA last month.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, in order to offset the cost of this co- production, my amendment reduces two applied research programs within the Defense-wide RDT&E. Specifically, it reduces applied research in joint munitions technology by $5 million and reduces funding for applied research in chemical and biological defense programs by $10 million. These modest reductions conform to the funding levels authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act and ensure that these programs still receive adequate and appropriate funding.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment ensures that Israel has the capacity to defend itself while providing the U.S. the ability to leverage our significant investments in Israel's Iron Dome short-range rocket defense program.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment and reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 697, the Three Kids Mine Remediation and Reclamation Act, which is an innovative solution for restoring our environment, improving safety, and creating jobs.

H.R. 697 addresses the safety and environmental concerns of the Three Kids Mine, as was stated, an abandoned manganese mine and mill site consisting of approximately 1,262 acres of both Federal and private lands which lie within the Henderson city limits and is located across from a busy parkway and an increasing number of homes and businesses.

The site was owned and operated by various parties, including the United States Government, from approximately 1917 through 1961, and used as a storage area for Federal manganese ore reserves from the late 1950s through 2003.

Currently, the project site contains numerous large, unstable, sheer- cliff open pits as deep as 400 feet, huge volumes of mine overburden and tailings, mill facility remnants, and waste disposal areas. To give a sense of scale, the site contains mine overburden mounds that are approximately 10 stories high in some areas and abandoned waste ponds that are up to 60 feet deep and filled with more than 1 million cubic yards of gelatinous tailings containing high concentrations of arsenic, lead, and petroleum compounds.

H.R. 697 provides an innovative public-private partnership solution to finally clean up the abandoned Three Kids Mine site. In its simplest form, H.R. 697 directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Federal lands at the project site--approximately 948 acres--at fair market value, taking into account the costs of investigating and remediating the entire site, which also includes an additional 314 acres of now-private lands that were used historically in mine operations.

In return for conveying the land at fair market value, the Federal Government will also receive a release of liability for cleanup of both the Federal and private lands.

Under this legislation, before the Federal lands are conveyed, the State must enter into a binding consent agreement under which the cleanup of the entire project site will occur. This agreement must include financial assurances to ensure the completion of the remediation and reclamation of the site. The cleanup will be financed with private capital and Nevada tax increment financing at no cost to the Federal Government. Again, this project will be carried out at no cost to the Federal Government.

H.R. 697 is the result of more than 5 years of work among the city of Henderson Redevelopment Agency, the Department of the Interior, the State of Nevada, and private entities. This public-private partnership solution will finally lead to the cleanup and reclamation of the Three Kids Mine site, while at the same time providing for economic development and the creation of as many as 33,000 jobs. Furthermore, I believe this innovative solution could serve as a viable model for the cleanup and reclamation of other similar sites across the country.

This bill, which has the support of the entire Nevada delegation, is nearly identical to H.R. 2512, which passed the House of Representatives by voice vote during the 112th Congress, but unfortunately did not receive consideration in the Senate prior to the adjournment of the last Congress.

I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee for recognizing the importance of this legislation to Nevada and the West, and for their efforts in advancing it, in a bipartisan fashion, through the committee.

H.R. 697 is a win for the economy, a win for the environment, and a win for the Federal taxpayer. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, because it will improve education in America and help our students succeed.

My district in southern Nevada is home to, and my three children are products of, the Clark County School District, the fifth largest district in the Nation. While there are many stories of remarkable achievements coming out of these schools, I hear all the time from administrators, teachers, and parents that Federal requirements are getting in the way of them doing what is best for their students.

While only a very small portion of a school district's budget comes from Washington, districts do not have the ability to shift the funds to where they are needed most, and they are forced to use scarce resources to check the Federal boxes to receive those funds. This one- size-fits-all approach to education is Washington bureaucracy at its worst and does not take into account the specific conditions in our local classrooms.

It strikes me as arrogant to imply, as my colleagues on the other side do, that only the Federal Government cares about student success. No one understands the conditions or has more of an interest in improving education of our children than the people who work in our schools and interact with students every day.

It is time we turn control over education policy to those who are invested in the success of our students. The Student Success Act will do just that.

I applaud Chairman Kline and the members of the committee for their work on this bill and urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, the amendment I'm offering today focuses on helping children that far too often go unnoticed or get left behind by our education system--neglected, delinquent, and other at- risk youth.

As a cosponsor of the Student Success Act, I am pleased that the underlying bill continues to provide for important programs that offer educational opportunities for youth in, or returning from, correctional institutions, as well as other at-risk populations.

Additionally, under the bill, school districts also may coordinate health and social services, operate dropout prevention programs for at- risk children and youth, provide career and technical counseling, or offer other mentoring services.

To help ensure that neglected, delinquent, and at-risk youth are given the care and attention they need, my amendment provides local educational agencies with the option of partnering with organizations that have critical experience and existing resources that would enhance the services provided by school districts to our most vulnerable youth.

Mr. Chairman, there are a number of hardworking organizations that are dedicated to providing a wide range of services and care to vulnerable children that need it most, and partnering with them would help these children.

For example, in my home State of Nevada, Boys Town has worked for more than two decades to provide an integrated continuum of care that assists more than 20,000 children and families in Nevada each year. These are children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned; children with serious behavioral, academic, social, or emotional problems. Their stories are heartbreaking, but their personal development into independent, productive citizens with help from Boys Town is simply astounding.

Boys Town operates in a number of States throughout the country, and there are many other nonprofits and organizations that offer similar services. They have done the groundwork, they have proven their effectiveness, and they are a vital part of our communities and would be valuable partners.

Additionally, given our current fiscal climate, it is more important than ever to ensure that we are using all available resources effectively.

By allowing local educational agencies and these organizations more flexibility to work together and share expertise, vulnerable youth will benefit from the attention and care they need both at school and at home. Coordinating these efforts provides critical stability that these children deserve.

Children belong in the education system, not the juvenile justice system.

I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment builds on the committee's work in support of scientific research and development within the Department of Energy.

More than 30 years have elapsed since Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, and over that same time, technology and scientific knowledge have evolved significantly. However, Congress still clings to outdated technology and policy prescriptions to address today's nuclear waste issues.

The fact, Mr. Chair, is that sticking our country's highly radioactive nuclear waste in a hole in the ground for perpetuity is a 21st century solution.

Instead, we must encourage the use of 21st century technology to address this issue.

My amendment redirects the $25 million designated for the Yucca Mountain High-Level Waste Geological Repository into the High Energy Physics program within the Department of Energy's Office of Science for the development of a 21st century solution to this problem.

The High Energy Physics program is currently researching and developing ways to use accelerator technology to reduce the toxicity of nuclear waste, transforming it into a more stable, less hazardous form.

According to a report released by the Department of Energy, ``The United States, which has traditionally led the world in the development and application of accelerator technology, now lags behind other Nations in many cases, and the gap is growing.'' The report concludes that ``to achieve the potential of particle accelerators to address national challenges will require a sustained focus on developing transformative technological opportunities, accompanied by changes in national programs and policy.''

Other countries have already made significant investments in the research and development of accelerator technology that will help make long-term storage facilities, like the facility supported in this bill, obsolete. It is time that the United States begins to make up the ground it is losing to the rest of the world when it comes to accelerator technology and begin focusing on 21st century solutions to deal with nuclear waste.

For Nevada, the site of Yucca Mountain and the State with one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, this 21st century solution has the potential to create countless new high-paying R&D jobs utilizing existing regional technology capabilities. We cannot allow our Nation to continue falling further behind other developed countries in fully funding and implementing these types of projects--21st century solutions that are critical to maintaining our Nation's economic and technological superiority.

I urge my colleagues to embrace the future of nuclear waste disposal and support my amendment to help create jobs and restore the United States role as a leader in science and technology development, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member for the work they've done on this bill; but I especially want to thank the Appropriations Committee staff for helping me fine-tune this amendment very quickly at the last minute.

My amendment transfers $60 million from the International Material Protection and Removal Activities within the Global Threat Reduction Initiative to a program that will help secure our nuclear materials here at home. This year's budget request included funding for a project to construct a security perimeter around the Nevada National Security Site. Additionally, this funding was authorized by this House when we voted to pass H.R. 1960, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014. However, the bill under consideration fails to provide funding for this critical project.

I agree that we must work with other nations to ensure their nuclear material does not fall into the wrong hands, and applaud the committee's efforts on this front. However, we should not neglect priorities to secure nuclear material on our own soil while providing $20 million in excess of what was requested to help foreign countries secure their nuclear materials.

I'm simply requesting we transfer a relatively small sum--$16 million out of a total $2.1 billion--from a portion of the bill that provides funding to other countries to secure their nuclear materials and instead use that money to secure our own facilities containing nuclear materials. This funding will be used for the DAF/Argus project, which will provide a state-of-the-art perimeter intrusion detection and assessment system at the Nevada National Security Site's Device Assembly Facility.

As I mentioned, this project is a priority for the Nevada National Security Site and was included in the President's budget request and authorized by this House just last month. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment which will prioritize national security concerns here at home while still providing adequate funding to ensure nuclear material in other countries does not fall into the hands of those who wish to do us harm.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my constituents from Nevada, a man who has become so very close to America's heart over the years. Rich Little, the man of over 200 voices. In the last decades he has impersonated every President. Through his rich collection of voices, he has entertained America and the world. In honor of the love of his life, his late wife Maria, he has also formed a foundation to help children, homeless people, and for animals in need. Just recently he has proudly become an American citizen in 2010. For years Rich's other love has been directed towards the men and women of the Armed Forces. Whether on front lines with Bob Hope, or in hospitals across the America with the USO. He has brought so much joy to these heroes and their families. Taking them all back home for the holidays, and letting them forget the evils of war. He is also a very proud father of two lovely daughters, Brio. and Alaina. I submit this poem penned in his honor by Albert Carey Caswell.

Rich in Laughter!

(By Albert Carey Caswell)

Rich . . .

Rich in laughter!

Rich in joy!

For these are the things in life which we need so much more!

Some so measure wealth all in silver and gold!

But the greatest measure of ones wealth,

is but what is so found in the heart's we hold!

And all of the hearts along the way,

that we so touch with our's of gold!

Make them laugh!

And make them smile!

Ever so strive to so live your life just like a child!

Like Peter Pan and that crocodile,

be happy and never grow up and ever smile!

For we will only be here for just a while!

So make each day so count,

all in your true amount,

and touch as many hearts along the way all with your style to

mount!

So make a difference with it all,

and so ever carry with you the heart of a child!

The only thing Little about this man,

is his great name which rhymes with Kittles like that candy

man!

For he is The King!

The King of Impersonator's In Comedy,

as this is so said without any hesitation so indeed!

And Arnold would say,

``you pump me up . . . Rich you complete me''!

Some say he's an Impersonator . . . a fake!

Yes he is, but he's the good kind of which is great!

And he's served more terms as President you see,

than anyone in history!

As a Man for all seasons,

for so many wonderful reasons he can claim!

He's so big he needs to have citizenship in two countries,

just to maintain!

And every President but so remembers his name!

Rich, one of the giants of Hollywood,

and him and Frank did it their way the same!

So President Obama,

if in the White House there is any drama and you need help!

Call him up,

an he'll come over in his Honda, and get you some results!

Born a Canadian, one America's greatest friends,

as one of America's greatest import's for years he would

stand!

And even better now my friend,

we are all so proud to so call him an true AMERICAN!

And if Elvis was here today he'd say,

``Thank you, thank you very much . . .

for all of those GI's you took home on all those holidays

that you so touched''

He's on so many Walks of Fame,

you'd have to walk around and around the world,

and back again just to so see all of his names!

But his greatest love,

his wife Marie who passed away . . .

and he has founded a foundation all in her name for what she

gave!

And one day up in Heaven him and her,

and Jimmy Stewart and Harvey and Ron will all be together

again!

The Rich and Marie Foundation was so founded,

to so help children and the homeless and animals in every

way!

But perhaps his greatest love,

is for all our Men and Women of the Armed Forces he holds so

very high above!

As over the years with Bob Hope here,

into harms way He and Rich would so appear!

And in hospital beds,

across the country, has so said to them what must be said!

Making them smile,

and so raise their spirits and lift their heads!

Bringing tears to all of our wounded women and men who

deploy!

And that is why one thing is so,

he's GOT TO BE MR. USO!

And I would give you a long list of all the people that he

can so impersonate,

but you need to be home for Christmas with your loved ones

they can't wait!

Rich In Patriotism,

that really so describes him to a T,

because he's one fine Yankee Doodle Dandy!

But the one thing about this man that which you can not so

impersonate,

is but his huge heart inside of him which is so very warm and

great!

And if Ronald were here today,

he'd say, ``well there you go again Rich, you are a great

American in every way''!

Make them laugh!

Make them smile!

For we will only be here for just awhile!

Rich In Laughter,

don't you so wish the world could all so be the while?

Madam Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment.

This amendment will severely undermine the operational readiness of our Guard and Reserve forces. Over the past decade, we have built incredible capability in our Guard and Reserve, and that capability was largely paid for by overseas contingency operation funds.

To mitigate the risk associated with this administration's force reductions of 100,000 Active component servicemembers, our Nation will have to rely on our Reserve component. In fact, in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Army Chief of Staff General Odierno stated that ``in order to lessen the risk of Active Duty force reductions, the Army will continue to rely on Reserve components to provide key enablers and operational depth.''

Decreased funding has already resulted in the cancelation of numerous of Guard and Reserve deployments, which substantially undermines the capabilities and readiness of these units.

It is for these reasons that I strongly urge my colleagues to reject this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I have come to the floor today, along with my colleague, Mr. Horsford, to offer a very simple amendment because we must do everything we can to protect our cities, towns, and communities.

The Urban Area Security Initiative, according to the Department of Homeland Security, dedicates funds to:

Address the unique planning, organization, equipment,

training and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density

urban areas, and assists them in building an enhanced and

sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, mitigate,

respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism.

However, due to a recent change in qualification criteria, a number of major metropolitan areas will be going without UASI funds despite being qualified for such funds last year. Those areas that will be without funds to prevent and respond to threats include Riverside, California; Portland, Oregon; Orlando, Florida; Indianapolis, Indiana; New Orleans, Louisiana; San Antonio, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Las Vegas, Nevada. Now, if those sound like high-threat, high-density locations to you, you'd be correct. They are. Yet despite recent events, they are not going to be receiving UASI funds this year.

Now, I cannot speak for all of these areas, Mr. Chairman, but I can tell you that Las Vegas, which holds more high-profile, highly attended events than any city in the country, is worthy of UASI funding.

In Las Vegas, law enforcement has to not only defend the Las Vegas metro area, which includes the fabulous Las Vegas Strip with more densely packed hotel rooms than any other city in our country, but also has high-threat areas outside the city, like the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which holds 140,000 people, and the Hoover Dam, which is not only a popular tourist attraction, but a source of electrical power for more than 1 million people across the southwestern United States.

So today, I have a very simple amendment to the bill. The amendment decreases funding under four different accounts as outlined previously and redirects those amounts to the Urban Area Security Initiative for the purpose of funding the program to the top 35 eligible metropolitan areas.

Now I recognize that as our debt continues to increase, we must work to rein in wasteful spending, and I recognize that all of the funding in the world isn't going to prevent every attack. But in this case, don't we think the safety and well-being of our cities and communities, our families and our children, are a worthy expense? Don't we believe they deserve our support?

My amendment goes to the very heart of the core functions of our democratic government, Mr. Chairman. Our Constitution states that our Federal Government must ``insure domestic tranquility'' and ``provide for the common defense.'' That is the issue at hand with my amendment.

As someone who has worked on the front lines of homeland security as a SWAT physician and emergency preparedness consultant, as well as someone who has worn the uniform in the U.S. Army Reserve, I believe that overlooking the risks faced by the top 35 cities would be a mistake, and we should provide them the funding they need. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join with me in restoring the honor and valor of our military heroes by passing H.R. 258, the Stolen Valor Act of 2013.

On June 28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, concluding that the broad nature of the law infringed upon the guaranteed protection of free speech provided by the First Amendment of our Constitution. The Court determined that the act ``sought to control and suppress all false statements on this one subject, without regard as to whether the lie was made for the purpose of material gain.''

However, in concurring with the decision of the plurality, Justice Breyer stated that a ``more finely tailored statute that shows the false statement caused specific harm, or was at least material, could significantly reduce the threat of First Amendment harm, while permitting the statute to achieve its important protective objective.''

Mr. Speaker, that's exactly what my legislation does. The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 resolves these constitutional issues by clearly defining that the objective of the law is to target and punish those who misrepresent their service with the intent of profiting personally or financially.

Defining the intent helps ensure that this law will pass constitutional scrutiny while, at the same time, achieving its primary objective, which is to preserve the honor and integrity of military service and awards.

In 2006, every Member of both the House and the Senate clearly understood the need to protect the integrity and honor of military service and demonstrated that by unanimously passing the Stolen Valor Act in each Chamber.

That body understood that the proliferation of false claims occurring at the time cheapened the integrity of the military awards system and threatened the trust and honor bestowed upon military servicemembers and veterans by this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, the need to protect the honor, service, and sacrifice of our veterans and military personnel is just as strong today as it was in 2006. The need is just as strong today as it was last year when this body passed the 2012 Stolen Valor legislation 410-3. The need will be just as strong as long as there are individuals who continue to lie about service in order to gain notoriety, profit personally and professionally, and to receive benefits reserved for those who fought in defense of this Nation.

This House has the opportunity to once again show our servicemembers and veterans that we value the sanctity of their sacrifice while, at the same time, protecting the constitutional rights that they've fought so hard to protect.

This past Saturday was Armed Forces Day, and a week from today is Memorial Day. Mr. Speaker, what better way to show our support for our brave servicemen and -women than by passing this legislation before us today?

H.R. 258 enjoys broad bipartisan support, with 124 cosponsors, and is supported by numerous veterans service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Association of the U.S. Navy, the Fleet Reserve Association, the National Association for Uniformed Services, the National Guard Association of the United States, the Association of the United States Army, the Military Officers Association of America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and AMVETS.

I want to thank Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers for moving this important legislation through the Judiciary Committee.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 258.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to pay my most solemn respects to and commemorate the life of Ty Woods, a former Navy SEAL and my constituent who was killed in the attack on the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on the occasion of his name being enshrined on the American Foreign Service Association memorial plaque.

The memorial honors ``diplomatic and consular officers of the United States who while on active duty lost their lives under heroic or tragic circumstances.'' The events that surrounded the untimely loss of Ty Woods were at once tragic and heroic and it is fitting that his name be added to the memorial. He lived a life of service to his country and in the end made the ultimate sacrifice in its defense.

After twenty years of honorable service in the Navy, Ty, who led raids and reconnaissance missions in the most volatile parts of the Middle East, could have chose a life of relative ease as a decorated war hero. Instead, the man who Secretary of State Hillary Clinton memorialized as having ``the hands of a healer as well as the arm of a warrior,'' again answered the call to serve and joined the State Department Diplomatic Security team.

Since 2010, Ty protected American diplomatic personnel in dangerous posts from Central America to the Middle East but it was at Benghazi where he demonstrated exemplary courage under fire. In Benghazi, while defending an under-secured, besieged diplomatic mission, Ty Woods gave his life so that other Americans could escape to safety. According to reports, Ty saved the lives of thirty staff members by heroically engaging the insurgents even after sustaining mortal wounds. For his heroism in the face of grave danger, Ty has earned his place on the memorial that hangs at the State Department. His name joins dozens of others who have given their lives in the service of the country they loved.

Ty Woods was a loving son, husband, and father who lived up to the highest ideals of the United States Navy and the State Department. I thank him for his service and his selfless sacrifice and commend to his memory yet another honor so well deserved.

I want to begin by thanking both the chairman and the ranking member for their incredible leadership on this very difficult task. It was especially gratifying to work in such a bipartisan manner to come to the final product that we'll be voting on later tomorrow.

Madam Chair, our Nation is under attack every day, every hour, every minute. Cyber attacks on our Nation's networks threaten our economic and national security. That is why I rise in support of H.R. 624, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act.

Whether it is hacktivists attempting to disrupt services, criminals intent on stealing personal information, spies looking for intellectual property or trade secrets or nation-states searching for military and security vulnerabilities, our networks are at risk.

Cyber looting puts U.S. businesses at a competitive disadvantage, threatening jobs and our private information. The same vulnerabilities used to steal intellectual and personality property are also exploited to target America's critical infrastructure, such as our electrical grids and our banking and financial institutions. These cyber weaknesses make the intelligence-sharing provisions within H.R. 624 vitally important. However, as we seek to secure and defend the U.S. economy and our country's critical infrastructure, we must be mindful of our Nation's founding principles. We must ensure that we protect our citizens' privacy and civil liberties.

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has sought the input of and worked closely with privacy and civil liberties groups to strengthen the bill and provide necessary individual protections. These discussions resulted in a number of amendments that were adopted on a broad bipartisan basis during the committee markup.

My amendment, offered with my colleague from Connecticut (Mr. Himes), specifically limits the private sector's use of cyber threat intelligence only to a cybersecurity purpose. This provision addresses the concerns and misperceptions that private sector companies could have used this information for marketing and other commercial purposes.

Another amendment requires the establishment of minimization procedures to limit the receipt, retention, and use of personally identifiable information, or PII. In the unlikely event that PII is inadvertently shared, this provision will prevent the government from receiving and/or maintaining that information while still ensuring rapid transmission of critical cyber threat intelligence necessary to protect our systems.

Yet another amendment narrows the authorized use of shared cyber threat intelligence by striking the provision providing the government broad authority to use this information for national security purposes.

All of these bipartisan amendments will provide the private sector the necessary tools to protect its own networks while at the same time providing critical protections for privacy and civil liberties.

This legislation represents an important first step toward securing our Nation's intellectual property and critical infrastructure from cyber attack, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Again, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership.