Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who is a courageous leader and fierce ally for her State of Arizona and for all Americans. Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, and her constituents were subjected to a tragic act of violence on January 8, 2011, when a gunman opened fire at a public event for the Congresswoman in Tucson, Arizona. The entire State of Iowa is praying for her recovery, and for the family members and loved ones of every American affected by the Arizona shooting.

Madam Speaker, Congresswoman Giffords and I served on the House Armed Services Committee and are both members of the Blue Dog Coalition. I know firsthand her commitment to making our Nation better for all Americans. She is a tireless advocate for every man and woman in uniform and their families. Today, we are all praying not only for her recovery, but for her return to Congress.

When Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, and her constituents gathered to participate in one of the most basic American rights in our great Nation--the right to civil discourse--no one expected the day to end tragically. The shooting on January 8, 2011, is a national tragedy and an attack on the right of every American to participate in free and open dialogue with the men and women they elect to represent them in Congress

I would like to recognize Congresswoman Giffords's staff members who were wounded in the shooting, including Gabe Zimmerman, who lost his life, and the five other Americans who were killed: Christine-Taylor Green, Dorothy Morris, U.S. District Court Judge John Roll, Phyllis Schneck, and Dorwin Stoddard. We are all praying for their families and loved ones.

Madam Speaker, today, our hearts are with our friend, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

Mr. Speaker, I regret my absence in the House today as I was in my district attending to personal business. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall votes 9, 10, and 11.

Mr. Speaker, I would concur with what was just last said. I have great respect for the committee. Nobody wants your job.

I came here 14 years ago, and looking back on years that have gone by, I met Charlie Rangel as a colleague here, and then I learned sometime after that we were fellow veterans and fellow soldiers. I realized that he had served with honor and distinction. One year ago last December, I led a codel and we flew to Korea. And reflecting back on my time as a student, a teacher in the Command and General Staff College, and read a lot of that history, the conflict that I served in, as many of you, I thought of Charlie. And he was valorous and did his job.

Charlie's erred. We know that. I'm not going to repeat those things. He's erred.

But I think censure is too much. A reprimand is appropriate, and he would accept that. And I would ask this House to recognize that, his history, and do the right thing. I would support the reprimand.

I rise today to bring to light my concerns about the growing epidemic of domestic violence in our country, and to vehemently voice my support for H. Res. 1637, commemorating October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking are crimes of epidemic

proportions that impact millions of individuals and every community in our Nation. To address and prevent these crimes, the Federal Government created the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). VAWA programs administered by the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have changed Federal, tribal, State and local responses to these four crimes.

In 2007, crimes by intimate partners accounted for 23 percent of all violent crimes against females and 3 percent of all violent crimes against males. This rate jumped in 2008, when 35 percent of female murder victims were killed by an intimate partner. These staggering statistics are just a few examples of how serious this problem has become. These figures compel us to raise awareness in the health care community about the devastating effect that domestic violence has on families and communities.

The current economic crisis has a disproportionately high and devastating impact on victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. When victims of these heinous acts take the difficult step to reach out for help, many are in life-threatening situations and must be able to find immediate refuge. Given the dangerous and potentially lethal nature of these crimes, we cannot afford to ignore these victims' needs.

We in Congress continue to support the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services as they continue their efforts to put an end to domestic violence in our country.

I urge my colleagues to continue to raise awareness about this grave issue by supporting H. Res. 1637 and designating October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3519) to amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to establish a grant program to promote efforts to develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill, H.R. 3519.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3519, the Veterinarian Services Investment Act, which was introduced by my good friend and colleague from Nebraska (Mr. Smith). I had the privilege to be the lead Democrat on this legislation which is vital to growing our rural communities across America and securing our Nation's food supply.

Our veterinary workforce is responsible for ensuring that the food we eat is safe, but they are facing a critical shortage in the public, private, industrial and academic sectors, and the problem is growing. Our Nation's large-animal vets are truly on the front lines of food safety, public health, animal health and national security. The demand for large-animal veterinarians is increasing, and lack of these specialists in many areas of the country will continue to put our agricultural economy and the safety of our food supply at risk.

I know firsthand how important large-animal veterinarians are to farmers and ranchers. When I left the Army, I returned to my family farm and realized that much had changed in agriculture during the 20- plus years I had served. I decided to sit down with my local veterinarian and have a discussion on the new animal health practices that science and research had given agriculture. I was lucky because in the small town of Lamoni in Decatur County we had a food animal veterinarian who I could turn to; however, many are not so lucky today. We are experiencing a shortage in large-food animal veterinarians across the country.

I have worked over the years to try and correct the shortage of livestock and large-animal veterinarians. Research has shown that the demand for large-animal veterinarians will increase by 13 percent a year, with four in every 100 positions remaining vacant.

With just over 250 graduates from veterinary schools going into livestock-related fields, this crisis is a problem that not only affects rural America but also our major cities. These large animal veterinarians are the first line of defense against animal disease, outbreaks that can occur and cause serious health problems. Food and animal veterinarians not only identify, treat, and prevent naturally occurring diseases but are also on the front line of agroterrorism.

For all of the reasons above, I urge my colleagues to join me in passing the Veterinary Services Investment Act today. This legislation will authorize grants to address workforce shortages based on the needs of underserved areas. For example, grants could be used to recruit veterinarians and veterinary technicians in shortage areas and communities. It could add veterinarians expanding and establishing practices in high-need areas. It could establish mobile portable clinics and televet services and establish education programs, including continuing education, distance education, and factor recruitment in veterinary science.

Our Nation faces major challenges to relieve veterinary shortages, and the Veterinary Services Investment Act is a step in the right direction.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3519, the Veterinary Services Investment Act.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, just a couple of things before we close.

There are an estimated 283 million pets and 2.3 billion farm animals in our country. That's a lot of animals, Frank, don't you think? It is. There are nearly 86,000 veterinarians in the U.S.; however, the majority of them focus on pets--cats and dogs. Twenty-eight veterinary schools in the country, and something that's very important to this legislation, veterinary graduates have an average debt of $120,000. So I think this is something that we ought to be aware of when we think of food safety and so on. So the demand for large animal veterinarians is increasing, and the lack of these faceless in many areas of the country will continue to put our agricultural economy and the safety of our food supply at risk.

H.R. 3519, the Veterinary Services Investment Act, will help address this shortage and continue to ensure Americans have access to the safest, most plentiful, and most available food supply in the world. So I urge all of my colleagues to support this important legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise to commend State Representative Roger Wendt, former Chair of the Iowa House Education Committee for his work protecting Iowa's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students from bullying and harassment in schools and communities. All students need a safe, supportive environment in which to learn, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. There is extensive evidence that LGBT students are disproportionately targets for harassment and discrimination in schools. The climate of fear experienced by LGBT students frequently results in increased absenteeism, decreased academic performance and increased risk of suicide and other high-risk behaviors.

On September 1, 2010, Iowa Safe Schools will recognize Alicia Claypool, State Representative Roger Wendt, and State Senator Mike Connolly for all their work protecting Iowa's LGBT students and all other students from bullying and harassment. This date will mark the 3rd year anniversary of the Iowa Safe Schools Law going into effect. This legislation protects Iowa's 500,000 students from bullying and harassment in our schools on the basis of 17 categories which include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Representative Wendt led the fight in the Iowa House for this critical piece of legislation. His years-long efforts resulted in its bi-partisan passage in February 2007. Iowa educators, administrators, and other policy makers hold Representative Wendt in high esteem for his tireless commitment to improving the lives of Iowa youth. Parents, community leaders, and students have been well-served by this advocate for equality, and I am proud to honor him.

Madam Speaker, I rise to commend Alicia Claypool, Chair of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission on her work protecting Iowa's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students from bullying and harassment in schools and communities. All students need a safe, supportive environment in which to learn, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. There is extensive evidence that LGBT students are disproportionately targets for harassment and discrimination in schools. The climate of fear experienced by LGBT students frequently results in increased absenteeism, decreased academic performance and increased risk of suicide and other high-risk behaviors.

On September 1, 2010, Iowa Safe Schools will recognize Alicia, State Representative Roger Wendt, and State Senator Mike Connolly for all their work protecting Iowa's LGBT students and all other students from bullying and harassment. This date will mark the 3rd year anniversary of the Iowa Safe Schools Law going into effect. This legislation protects Iowa's 500,000 students from bullying and harassment in our schools on the basis of 17 categories which include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Without the efforts of Alicia, this law would not have passed, and Iowa Safe Schools, an organization committed to protecting Iowa's students would not exist. Iowans can never thank Alicia enough for all her efforts in creating and fighting for those without a voice.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to thank the chairman of the committee and my good friend the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and Ranking Member Bachus for their leadership on this issue, as well as Chairwoman Waters and Ranking Member Capito.

Unfortunately, the Iowans I represent know all too well how flooding can ravage a farm, a neighborhood, a city. Much of the State is still recovering from the devastating floods of 2008, as high rivers and creeks are threatening their homes and businesses yet again. Neighborhoods are sandbagging, and some residents have left their homes. For Iowa, flooding is a real and a tangible threat.

Just last weekend, as I arrived back in my district, in my capital city, I met the mayor, I met the city manager, I met the public works director, and we went to the levees, and we really, really were worried whether we were going to make it through the night. So we understand it very well.

The bill before us is a good bill. I intend to support it. However, I rise today to offer a straightforward amendment that will strengthen this legislation for Iowans and the residents of other States that are often affected by flooding. I certainly understand, after being there and seeing the aftermath, the threat and the concerns that Congressman Taylor and his constituents had when they faced Katrina. Where to go, how to get there.

Under section 6 of this bill, State and local governments must provide flood risk and crisis information to residents in order to be eligible for a 5-year delay in the effective date of the mandatory purchase requirement of new flood hazard areas. This amendment would require that these entities also provide appropriate evacuation routes. Floodwaters rise quickly, and when people are forced to evacuate, we must make sure that residents have the information they need to do so in a way that is safe.

Additionally, my amendment would help residents and property owners to obtain flood insurance by including information about flood coverage in the outreach activities listed under section 1326. This amendment is about providing our constituents with the best possible information to keep their families and their property safe.

I ask my colleagues to support this important amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank the gentlelady for her support, and the chairwoman. I thank you very much, and I encourage passage.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to engage the chairman in a colloquy.

I would like to briefly clarify an important point with the chairman regarding the intention of one of the exclusions from the definition of ``swap.'' The exclusion from the definition of swap for ``any sale of a nonfinancial commodity or security for deferred shipment or delivery, so long as the transaction is intended to be physically settled,'' is intended to be consistent with the forward contract exclusion that is currently in the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC's established policy on this subject. Physical commodity transactions should not be regulated as swaps as that term is defined in this legislation. This is true even if commercial parties agree to ``book-out'' their delivery obligations under a forward contract.

For those who may not be familiar with terminology used in the trade, a book-out is a second agreement between two commercial parties to a forward contract who find themselves in a delivery chain or circle at the same delivery point. They can agree to settle

their delivery obligations by exchanging a net payment if there has been some change arising since the initial forward contract was entered into. Simply put, book-outs reduce transaction costs, and that saves consumers money.

Can the chairman clarify this for me?

I yield to the chairman.

I thank the chairman for the clarification.

Madam Speaker, I regret missing morning votes in the House on June 29th due to a flight cancellation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall votes 395 and 396 and ``nay'' or rollcall vote 397, and I ask that my statement be placed in the appropriate place in the Record to reflect this.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the en bloc amendments, of course.

When we did this in committee last week, I was called to the floor and I didn't get to talk about the little item I had in there to do with a study on breast cancer in women soldiers. It passed. I am proud of that, and I want to thank you for it. I want to thank the ranking member as well. But it occurs to me we need to talk about this just a little bit.

I stand before you as a person that a surgeon told me what I went through was Agent Orange, but we didn't do anything about it until way down the line.

I have a lady veteran in my office that went to a reunion after Iraq. In that small group, five of the women got breast cancer, and they had no connection to anything else in their lives.

I feel like that we can't just let this go. Fifteen percent of our force is women. It is going to be 20 percent in a short time. We have to do some things different. So I appreciate the fact that we have asked the Department of Defense to take a look at this and see if it is something they will study.

I don't want it to be another Agent Orange. I hope it won't. But I am very adamant about supporting the troops, you know that, you know my history, and I am not going to ever back off from that. We have to do all the things we have to do.

But the women of the United States Armed Forces deserve some special attention in this, and I think that we ought to give some serious thought as we go into the future, maybe the very near future, to give this consideration beyond what we have done.

My intuition tells me that this is important. What checking we have done, there seems to be a problem, and we ought to get to the bottom of it as fast as we can for the sake of these outstanding women that serve in our Armed Forces.

For one little reunion, to find out that five women soldiers are afflicted, is kind of a startling thing. It needs some attention, and I just would hope that as we go forth, in the time ahead, that we will make the effort to be sure that this is looked into, and we don't look back a few years from now, like we have on Agent Orange, and say oh, my, I wish we had known. It won't cost us that much to find out when we decide to do it, and I hope we decide to do it relatively soon.

Madam Speaker, I regret missing two evening votes from the House on May 24th, 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall votes 292 and 293.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1177, the 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act. I believe this legislation is very important to not only recognize the contributions of the Command and General Staff College to our U.S. military, but also to ensure that the program at the college remains strong for our future military leaders.

For over 129 years, the Command and General Staff College has produced some of the best military leaders in the world, including the five 5-star generals who taught or studied at the college, as mentioned, Generals George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Hap Arnold, Omar Bradley. I might add that Colin Powell and David Petraeus also graduated from the school.

As Mr. Moore mentioned, I had the honor to both attend the college as a student and then become an instructor during my military career, and I can attest to the fact that those I served with were truly the best in the world. Last fall I had the privilege to be the keynote speaker at the flag ceremony for the international military students at the school. A lot has changed from my time there, and I had the opportunity to see the state-of-the-art training that our military personnel are receiving.

This legislation will require the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar coins in recognition of the five U.S. Army 5-star generals. The surcharges in the sale of such coins will be paid to the Command and General Staff College Foundation to help finance support for the college.

The foundation, I can report, is capably led, and I appreciate the dynamic leadership of Ret. Col. Ulin. Some of the activities that the foundation performs include research grants for the faculty, support for the International Military Officer program, and support for guest speakers, professional development and other activities.

During my career in the Army, I had the privilege to serve alongside many great men and women. The passage of H.R. 1177 will ensure that the Command and General Staff College remains the world-respected military institute of higher education that it is today.

I would like to thank Mr. Moore for introducing such an important bill, and urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1177.

Mr. Chairman, I hope I convinced the ranking member. I appreciate your hard work. You have been doing some excellent work for all of us, for our country, for our future.

The COMPETES reauthorization provides for important investments in STEM education that I believe will move our students and Nation forward. I have always held that education and innovation are two of the best investments we can make, for they guarantee a turnaround and are proven to enhance the quality of life for all Americans. This legislation will bring greater innovation and stability to our institutions of education at all levels and to our Nation's economic vitality.

This amendment, which I am proud to offer with Mr. Michaud, makes a very simple and very important modification to the COMPETES reauthorization. This amendment ensures that when the Department of Energy assists in the expansion of energy-related courses or degree programs that biomass technology systems education can be utilized. It will guarantee that the grants, scholarships, and training programs offered under this program can be used by students and schools that are moving us forward in the study and business of biomass technology systems.

Biomass production is an important component of our economy and energy security that we must foster. We all know very well the importance of biofuels and its benefits to our environment and our national security by ending our dependence on foreign oil. My constituents in Iowa have experienced the successes of ethanol biodiesel. However, corn-based ethanol is just one piece of the larger puzzle. We're seeing great advances in alternative fuels and increased production of native plants that can be reaped for maximum energy use.

My home State of Iowa continues to play a critical role in the development of the biomass industry in the United States. As leaders in agriculture, we have access to the resources and expertise to produce advanced biofuels, biopower, and bioproducts. Many young minds at various schools in Iowa are moving forward to study the production of biomass, how to maximize the use of alternative fuels and produce plants that maximize the best return possible when harnessed for their energy.

Supporting this amendment will ensure that this technology can expand across our great Nation, and it will affirm for our researchers, students, teachers, and scientists that they can move forward with this innovation and bring us closer to a Nation that is reliant on its own resources and not on OPEC. So I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment and vote on behalf of students, innovation, and energy dependence.

Madam Speaker, on the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America, I rise to recognize six exceptional young men in my district who are involved in the Cub Scouting program from Johnston, Iowa. Carter Lundgren, Hunter Norris, Liam Sullivan, Jordan Kirkman, Jarred Dannels, and Jonah Blondino are Webelos Scouts in Pack 98, chartered to the Urban Heights Evangelical Church in Urbandale, IA. Later this month, they will cross over into Boy Scouting as newly minted scouts and recipients of Cub Scouting's highest honor, the Arrow of Light award. The Boy Scouting program, incorporated in America in 1910, and Chartered by Act of Congress in 1916, aims to encourage boys' growth of moral strength and character, participatory citizenship, and mental and physical fitness. I had the honor of working with these boys this fall to help install several flower beds that they donated to their home school, Horizon Elementary School, located in Johnston, Iowa.

These young men are active in their community; Carter Lundgren has performed with the Des Moines Metro Opera, is a Qualifier for the Iowa Games in bowling, and a Member of the Kingdom Hoops Basketball Team. Hunter Norris has been very active in the Des Moines area youth bowling league as well as a participant in the Johnston Little League. Jordan Kirkman is an accomplished coronet player in the Horizon Elementary school band. Liam Sullivan has been an ELP (Extended Learning Program) student in math and reading, as well as a participant in Horizon Elementary's Math Olympiads team. He is an avid ice hockey player in the Des Moines Youth Hockey Association, and was a member of a bronze medalist team in youth hockey for the Iowa Games in 2007. Mr. Sullivan is also a relative of Bertrand Hollis Snell, a Representative from New York who honorably served in this body from the 64th through 75th Congress, and who supported the original charter of the Boy Scouts of America. Jared Dannels is a member of the Horizon Elementary band as trombonist and was invited into the ELP (Extended Learning Program) for math and the Math Olympiads team. He also has participated in Johnston Little League. Jonah Blondino plays the saxophone in the Timber Ridge Elementary school band, and is an avid Little League player in the Des Moines area.

I extend my hearty congratulations to these young men as fine examples of their community and wish them the best in their future endeavors.