Floor Statements

I thank Chairman Upton.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2019, named in the memory of a remarkable young lady, Gabriella Miller.

The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act gives pediatric research a shot in the arm through additional targeted funding, funding that is fully offset by reining in taxpayer funding of political conventions.

The National Institutes of Health works admirably in distributing important Federal funding on basic medical research, but more can be done for childhood illness. In 2012, only 2 percent of NIH funding was spent on pediatric cases.

Today's bill provides additional funding for the NIH to help address the need for coordinated research on various childhood diseases, including cancer, autism, and juvenile diabetes. It helps provide a down payment to the promise that we have to our next generation by helping our scientists and researchers find the cures today to childhood illnesses.

There is no Republican or Democrat form of childhood illness, and there is no Republican or Democrat way to fight it. By working together on this bipartisan bill, we can put our children above the Presidential politics of every 4 years.

I want to thank my good friends Congressman Gregg Harper and Congressman Peter Welch for their work on this legislation. I also want to thank Majority Leader Cantor for his continued leadership on these issues affecting America's families across the country.

Vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2019.

I thank my colleague for yielding time to me.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1900 and in support of the work this Chamber has accomplished this week.

This was an important week in the House. We will have passed three bills that further the energy revolution that has propelled the U.S. to the forefront of the world's energy producers.

So to hear a few of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle disparage this work, even so much as refer to it as egregious, is disappointing.

First, we passed legislation that reduced bureaucratic delays on energy products on Federal lands that are providing resources to power our economy. As America, we will soon become the largest energy producer in the world. It is astonishing that this occurred while energy production on Federal lands has actually decreased.

We guaranteed that energy production from hydraulic fracturing on Federal lands is overseen by the regulator with the best track record, the States.

And today we are ensuring that, once harnessed, the energy resources will reach end-users in the safest, most efficient and reliable manner.

In its lifecycle, the quality of all Americans improves; and there is no better example than, at the start of this month, November 1, the first pipeline to enter New York City in 40 years opened. That was 40 years that it took.

What happened once it entered New York City? The price dropped. The price fell by 17 percent. Do you realize if you buy gas in New York City, it is cheaper than in Louisiana? But 40 years that it took. To me, that was egregious.

The savings extend far beyond New York City. In 2012, affordable energy added $1,200 of disposal income to the average U.S. household. That will go to $2,700 by 2020 and $3,500 by 2025. That is real savings.

Today we have an opportunity. We have an opportunity to streamline, to protect, and to lower the costs for all Americans, to actually be able to produce and create more jobs in America. That is why you see a very diverse group of support for this legislation, from unions, to associations, to Americans that want to keep more of what they earn, create more American jobs, and then, again, stop any egregious falsity that it takes 40 years to build a pipeline.

I thank the chairman for his work in keeping his pledge of bringing this bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act.

From the start, ObamaCare has been a disaster.

First, the individual mandate was a bad idea before and is even more dangerous now because it is forcing people to choose health care they do not want, cannot afford, and isn't right for themselves and their families.

Second, the President's credibility continues to crumble as independent news sources have confirmed that he intentionally broke his promise to every American about whether they can keep his insurance under this law.

We will continue to see the shock waves of ObamaCare. Today, it is the fact that Americans cannot keep their coverage. Tomorrow, it will be the staggering and unexpected cost. Next month, it will be about losing access to their doctors, and the list continues. No administrative fix will undo the harm this law has caused.

Republicans believe that we must try and help Americans who have been harmed by ObamaCare. That is why, today, we will pass a bill to allow Americans to continue to enroll in plans currently offered without facing the individual mandate penalty. What the American people and our constituents need is certainty. The only approach that begins to provide them certainty is the bill before us today.

Our bill allows Americans a choice. It lets individuals keep their health care plans while giving others who currently are uninsured an escape hatch from ObamaCare. Our bill will allow individuals, whether one is a mother of a sick child, a small business owner, or a young, invincible adult, to keep their current plans. The National Federation of Independent Business and senior groups, such as 60 Plus, are urging Congress to fulfill its duty and pass this bill.

I urge my Democratic friends to join with us. Many of them voted for this bill. They stated they had an intent that Americans could keep their plans. Today is their opportunity to keep that pledge.

Mr. Speaker, the President's announcement today does little to change the need for Congress to act.

The President's promise of ``if you like your plan, you can keep it,'' is an empty promise. Sadly, 1 million Californians are now finding out firsthand in the form of a letter that their current plan has been canceled.

One of those 1 million Californians happens to be a constituent of mine from Bakersfield, California. He wrote me recently to tell me how ObamaCare has failed him. He writes:

Our youngest son was born with a rare genetic condition

that results in severe mental retardation, an inability to

walk or talk, and a need to be tube-fed directly into a

surgically implanted port in his stomach.

Our longtime insurance carrier, Kaiser Permanente, has been

great about caring for our son, who requires 24-hour care and

special medication and formulas, all of which are very

expensive.

Well, we just learned today that our previous coverage, not

cheap by any means, with a premium of nearly $1,000 a month,

is no longer available, and that a far inferior replacement

plan with less coverage and more out-of-pocket exposure will

cost $626 a month more, bringing our total to over $1,600 a

month.

With the added out-of-pocket expenses, we anticipate for

his care in the coming year we expect to pay about $24,000

more for care next year than this year, all thanks to ACA.

That is why we must take up and pass Keep Your Health Plan Act, and we ask the Democrats to join with us, to keep a pledge, to keep a promise, and stop increasing the cost for the constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of the founding of the City of Ridgecrest in my district.

Located in the southern portion of the Indian Wells Valley, Ridgecrest embodies what makes America exceptional--love of country, hard work, and dedication. The roots of Ridgecrest began much earlier than 1963, when the city was incorporated. In 1912, local dairymen James and Robert Crum established a small farming settlement named Crumville. As more farming families settled the Naval Ordnance Testing Station was created, the community continued to grow. By 1963, the town was officially incorporated as Ridgecrest and experienced exponential growth as the demand for expertise in the naval station's programs for weapons development increased during the Cold War. Today, the Naval Ordnance Test Station is now the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS) and home to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division.

Growing together with China Lake, the Ridgecrest community also grew, supporting the tireless mission of our nation's defense with zeal. One of the most patriotic communities in America, Ridgecrest remains dedicated to the defense of American ideals and helping members of the armed forces.

Ridgecrest boasts a rich historic and educational history. The city has many cultural and recreational activities, such as the Maturango Museum, the China Lake Naval Museum of Armament and Technology, and the Petroglyph Canyons. Boasting National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished Schools, Ridgecrest schools, served by the Sierra Sands Unified School District, consistently perform at the highest academic levels. Additionally, with the establishment of Cerro Coso Community College in 1973, Ridgecrest carries a statewide reputation for hosting one of the top community colleges in California, serving over 8,500 students.

Over half a century, Ridgecrest remains a California jewel, honoring and supporting America's great warfighter, and sharing in the success of one of the Navy's premier research, testing, development, and evaluation installations. Such success cannot be replicated without the hardworking people and the close-knit community that is unique to Ridgecrest. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me and my friends in the Ridgecrest community as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of its incorporation as a city in the great state of California.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 70th anniversary of America's premier weapons development center, the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, which is located in Ridgecrest, California, which I represent.

China Lake was originally established as the Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) in the Indian Wells Valley of California to serve the needs of the Navy-Caltech wartime rocket program. This location was chosen due to its near-perfect flying weather and incredible visibility. Testing began a month after NOTS was formally established and shortly thereafter the Secretary of the Navy expanded its mission to lead the Navy in research, development, and testing of weapons, a mission China Lake still carries out to this day.

Since being founded during World War II, China Lake has been critical in the development of our nation's defense capabilities in every major conflict, including the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of China Lake's notable developments occurred in 1950, when scientists and engineers developed the air-intercept missile (AIM). Known more commonly as the Sidewinder, the AIM has become the world's most recognized air-to-air missile and is one of many weapons that have been developed or tested at China Lake. Other prominent rockets and missiles developed or tested at China Lake include the Mighty Mouse, Zuni, Shrike, Joint Stand-off Weapon (JSOW) and Joint Direct-Attack Munition (JDAM), all of which have given and continue to give our military the capabilities needed to maintain combat superiority over current and future threats.

Spanning over three counties and covering more than 1,100,000 acres, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake is currently home to several commands and detachments that work together each day in support of our warfighters. These include: the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), which serves within the Naval Air Systems command to maintain the highest standards of excellence in weapons development for the Navy; the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE ONE (VX-31) and the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron NINE (VX-9), which provide the essential expertise needed to plan

and execute ground and flight tests, air-to-ground weapons, air-to-air weapons, sensors, electronic warfare systems, and developmental weapons and weapons systems testing; the Marine Aviation Detachment (MAD), which focuses on the development of cutting-edge technologies for weapons systems; the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachments, which are forces comprised of highly-trained technicians who specialize in explosives, diving, and parachuting; the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest China Lake Detachment, which is responsible for the public works, planning, engineering design, construction, real estate, and environmental services of the facilities and real estate at NAWS China Lake. Together, these tenants are made up of the hardworking men and women of the China Lake community, who work each day to maintain a reputation of excellence for the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense.

For the past 70 years, NAWS has been critical to ensuring our military men and women have the latest cutting-edge technology to protect and defend America when called into harm's way. The weapons and weapons systems developed at China Lake help ensure these brave individuals complete their mission and return safely to their families. I have had the privilege to meet with the amazing individuals at China Lake who are responsible for these incredible innovations in American technology. Their dedication, commitment, and pride in the work they perform are unparalleled. This same commitment is reflected in the Ridgecrest community, where many of the men and women who work at this installation live and raise their families.

Mr. Speaker, NAWS China Lake is a beacon of innovation and excellence in the military community and an important part of my community and my district. I am honored to represent so many individuals, active-duty military and civilians, who go to work each day for the purpose of maintaining and strengthening both the warfighter and this nation's defense. I look forward to another 70 years of amazing achievements, and I ask my colleagues to join me today in wishing the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake a very happy 70th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2189, legislation that will provide real relief to hundreds of thousands of our Nation's veterans.

I first want to thank Chairman Miller because this bill includes the provisions that are a result of the GAO audit that Chairman Miller and I requested on the Department of Veterans Affairs due to the numerous complaints from veterans in all of our districts who had to wait months and, oftentimes, years for benefits. The audit confirmed these veterans' worst complaints about the severity of the claims and the backlog.

The GAO identified the Los Angeles regional office, which serves many of my local veterans in my home district, as one of the worst in the country. According to the current data, 61 percent of the over 16,000 claims are still backlogged.

Recent data from the VA shows that the Department processed 100,000 less claims than they planned for fiscal year 2013. Clearly, the VA is unable to implement needed reforms themselves.

This legislation today addresses the backlog problems in the VA by focusing on streamlining required paperwork and communications between Federal agencies and ensuring continued and, if needed, relentless congressional oversight of the administration's timeline to clear the compensation claims backlog.

When called to serve the United States of America, our Nation's veterans have answered. It is time Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs answer their call as well.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting our veterans and supporting this bill to end the backlog.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the anniversary of a California company that has dedicated itself to serving the residents of our state for 150 years. Founded in San Francisco, the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company has been protecting the future for individuals, families and businesses since 1863. The Fireman's Fund name, which is well-known across California, emanates from the founder's arrangement to pay 10 percent of the company's profits to support the widows and orphans of firefighters who died in the line of duty. That tradition continues today through the company's Heritage Program, providing fire departments throughout the nation with life-saving equipment and training. Working in combination with its employees, agents and brokers, the company has distributed more than $30 million to support firefighters for safer communities since 2004, with over $8 million contributed in California. The company has also been a benefactor for numerous charities in the San Francisco Bay Area and its generosity has added tremendously to the vitality of our communities.

Over the past 150 years, Fireman's Fund's contribution to our nation's history extends far beyond California. The Fireman's Fund has insured the construction of some of our nation's most treasured landmarks, including the Hoover Dam, the Golden Gate Bridge and even Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis. During our nation's most trying times of crisis, the company delivered on its promises. Following the Chicago Fire of 1871 and the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, the Fireman's Fund played a critical role in rebuilding after the devastation. The company was also present when needed most for many displaced people after the Northridge earthquake of 1994, which devastated much of Southern California.

Throughout its history, the Fireman's Fund has prided itself on also being innovative; it prides itself on being the first insurance provider to write a standing grain policy in the U.S., the first carrier to offer nationwide automobile insurance and standardized homeowners insurance, and the first company to add ``green rebuild'' insurance to their offerings for homes and businesses. Back in my hometown of Bakersfield, California, Fireman's Fund remains one of our region's largest agricultural insurers, providing essential risk control services to hundreds of farm producers in my Congressional District. Its 150 years of service has established a name and reputation which resonates well with insurance agents and brokers who distribute their product in our local communities.

Today there are more than 1,200 Californians working for Fireman's Fund. Together they make up a great company that remains one of California's most enduring financial institutions. Given the time of rapid change in which we live, it is comforting to know that companies like Fireman's Fund still endure, and I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing them well with the hope that they will still be protecting the future for individuals, families and businesses for another 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend, John Pilios, who will be retiring as news director at KGET Channel 17 in Bakersfield, California after dedicating 35 years of his life to the California broadcast industry.

Joining the world of radio broadcasting in 1977 as a Disc Jockey with KSEE Radio in Santa Maria, John has done it all. From Program Director with KLOM Radio in Lompoc to News Anchor with KSMA Radio, John eventually went on to serve as a reporter with KCOY and, in 1990, became its News Director. In 1999, he joined the KGET family and in 2001 became the News Director.

As one of the longest serving news directors in California, John is well known for his impeccable character and carries a reputation for high standards--standards that have helped make KGET the most watched station in the region. Yet, beyond these accomplishments is a truly admirable quality: his passion and commitment to community service.

It is clear to me and thousands of Kern County residents that John's love for the Bakersfield community is genuine. Under his leadership at KGET, the station's viewers have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars that went to those most in need. From assisting our veterans and the elderly, to finding lost animals and helping the homeless, to his support for the annual Red Cross Real Heroes event, John's efforts have made our community healthier and stronger.

I firmly believe that John's commitment to the highest standards of journalism has not only enriched our community, but carries on the American ideal that an informed public is the most important element of a free society.

Though John's tenure at KGET is coming to an end, his ideas, values, and standards can be found in the work of reporters and journalists across the country who credit their success to him. And, as he enters this new chapter in his life, I know he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Cindy,

daughter Dawn, and grandchildren, Landen and Paige. I know I join thousands of others in thanking John for his contribution to our community and wish him well in retirement.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. This issue is straightforward. It deals with Defense Working Capital Funds.

This is just like owning a business. When you provide a service or a product, you get paid for it. That is how Defense Working Capital Funds operates. They're paid through reimbursements for the services they provide to the Department of Defense, which is already funded for the fiscal year. Thus, Working Capital Funds do not receive direct

appropriations and, therefore, furloughing these individuals have no savings. They actually have the direct opposite effect. It will cost you more, there will be delays, and, most importantly, individuals will be harmed in the process.

The specialized work the Defense Working Capital Fund employees perform is vital to our Nation's security and our warfighters around the globe. A blanket 11-day furlough policy, such as China Lake in my district, will only end up slowing down getting our warfighters the best and latest technology to complete their mission when called upon to protect and defend America and safely return home to their families.

This is very simple. They are a business that performs work and they get paid for it, and the money is already there. That's why I ask and urge all of us to join in supporting this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of Principal Willie Sandoval, who is retiring after dedicating 45 years of his life to the Kern High School District in California.

In 1968, Willie began as a teacher and--how I remember him best--a coach at Bakersfield High School, my alma mater. In the mid-1980s during my time at BHS, Coach Sandoval taught me the importance of perseverance and a constant desire to learn, both on and off the field.

By 1997, Willie was eligible for retirement. Instead, his passion for educating our young people led him to take on new challenges and continue to serve Bakersfield students. He is the only principal in Kern High School District's history to open two new schools--Golden Valley High School and Independence High School. And as principal of Independence, he was constantly innovating new opportunities and educational experiences for his students. For example, Willie partnered with the California Department of Energy and PG&E to found the New Energy Academy, which infuses career technical education into our students' traditional academic endeavors at Independence. Coach Sandoval is a living example of the mantra ``never give up.''

Though his tenure in the education system comes to an end, his legacy will forever be found in the halls of our schools. President John F. Kennedy once said, ``After the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.'' Mr. Speaker, Principal Willie Sandoval's contribution to the human spirit through the education of our young Americans is truly admirable. Throughout his illustrious career, he has remained steadfast to his vision, passion, and advocacy for education.

I wish Willie well in retirement. And, as he enters this new chapter in his life, I know he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife Nettie, their daughter Carrie, son William, and his four grandchildren. On behalf of thousands of parents and students, I salute and honor a truly exceptional teacher, coach, principal, and leader in our community, Willie Sandoval, who leaves a legacy of hope, education, and inspiration through Kern County and the State of California.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this bill. Now, if you're like me and you go across the country, you want to listen to the American people. The two things they talk about when you tell them you're a Member of Congress, the first thing is: Where are the jobs? The second thing they say: Why can't you work together? Why can't you solve this problem together?

It's not often that we get to mesh those two together on the exact same day. But, you know, today is that opportunity.

Last week, I watched our President of the United States go to a small business. I love it when he goes to a small business. I was a small business owner. He went to a small business to talk about job creation. He wants to move America forward. And I'll be frank, lots of time my philosophy isn't the same as the President, but I want to work together, especially when we agree. So I listened to his words and I listened to him closely because he talked about what was holding back job creation in America. The President said:

One of the problems we've had in the past is that sometimes

it takes too long to get projects off the ground. There are

all these permits and red tape and planning, and this and

that, and some of it's important to do, but we could do it

faster.

You know what? I agreed with those words of President Obama. And I looked for what could make that change. And you know when he spoke at that small business, it just so happened that the CEO of that small business was there with him. But you know where he was 24 hours before? He was right here in Congress. He was here testifying, as that small business, about what could get America moving. You know what he talked about? Build the Keystone pipeline. Build it.

So when the President said that sometimes projects take too long to get off the ground, I think he was referring to if it was more than 1,700 days, that was too long. So when the President said that there's too much red tape, some is important, but we could do faster, I think the President probably meant that 15,000 pages of review that we've done for Keystone is probably too much.

So there's a unique ability that, yes, we can move something that can create 20,000 jobs in America today. You know what? We could be less reliant on the Middle East for our energy as well.

But you know what is more important when we listen to the American people and they ask, Why can't we do this in a bipartisan manner? You know what? It will come off this floor in a bipartisan vote. But you question, can it come off the Senate? Well, you know what? A majority of the Senators have voted for it, 17 Democrats on the other side as well.

So I stand today as the majority whip saying I agreed with President Obama's words. The only thing that is missing is the action. Today we will do our job. We'll send it to the Senate, and it will be the start of a new beginning, to put people before politics and jobs and bipartisanship forward, and I look forward to the opportunity to do it.

As we gather today in this House, we opened it with prayer--prayer to remember those families, those children, those runners, those spectators that were lost in Boston. As I watched that horrific incident, I paused for a moment. At the same time that I saw this tragic incident, I also saw the spirit of America. The spirit of America was with those individuals who rushed in to help, not knowing whether they would be injured or not, not knowing what would happen to them. But they rushed to help one another.

I want this body to instill that same American spirit--that we are bound together--so that we will remember those lost, but more importantly, we will bring to justice those that perpetrated this action and that we will be stronger in the end as a Nation and never forget those who were lost.

Mr. Speaker, the Majority Whip Office asked Representative Michele Bachmann to work on a project during the RSC budget vote. We assured her that we would inform her prior to our closing the vote. We did not, and for that we take responsibility and apologize both to her and her constituents.

Representative Bachmann would have voted in the affirmative for the Republican Study Committee substitute to H. Con. Res. 25.

I would like to thank the chairman for his work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 667, to honor two great pioneers in American aeronautics and space exploration, Dr. Hugh Dryden and Astronaut Neil Armstrong.

Neil Armstrong was a Navy fighter pilot, engineer, test pilot, astronaut, and educator who was always proud to serve this Nation.

Before joining the Astronaut Corps in 1962 and eventually taking the first small step for a man, Armstrong served as a test pilot for 7 years at what is presently called the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Kern County, California, which I am proud to represent. Armstrong flew thousands of hours as a test pilot there, mainly in experimental jets and high-speed rocket planes. He was also part of the team in the early 1960s who developed the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle used to train our astronauts on how to safely land on the Moon.

After the success of the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong remained an active contributor to the aeronautical research programs at the Flight Research Center. Most notably of these was the digital fly-by-wire program, which is recognized today as a far-reaching technological breakthrough. He returned to visit the center in the years that followed and, throughout his life, remained a strong advocate of flight research.

H.R. 667 would rename the NASA Center in his honor, the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center.

H.R. 667 would also honor Dr. Hugh Dryden's contributions to aerospace engineering that made many of Neil Armstrong's career achievements possible.

Dryden was a key figure in the development of America's aerospace programs from the early part of the 20th century to the much more complex programs that are still ongoing at NASA Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, and China Lake Naval Air Station in my district.

He was an early pioneer in aerodynamics over the first half of the 20th century and enabled many scientific breakthroughs. When NASA was created in 1958, Dr. Dryden was chosen to be its first deputy administrator, focusing his energies on the programs that allowed our country to explore space and send our astronauts to the Moon.

H.R. 667 will memorialize both men by redesignating the Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and naming the center's test range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range.

Edwards Air Force Base, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, and NASA Flight Research Center in eastern Kern County remain a hub of scientific discovery, aeronautic innovation and space exploration. I look forward to many more groundbreaking achievements from the men and women inspired by the legacy of Neil Armstrong and Hugh Dryden.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 667 is a fitting tribute to Armstrong and Dryden, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill to celebrate the remarkable lives of both men.