Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor James J. Sweeney of Havertown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Sweeney entered the United States Navy after graduating from high school in 1943, and served aboard the USS Hancock. The Hancock took part in some of World War II's most pivotal battles, including the invasions of the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Mr. Sweeney was honored for his heroic service and awarded the Philippines Liberation Medal, two Battles Stars and a Presidential Unit Commendation.

It was during his time in the Navy, that Mr. Sweeney befriended his shipmate, John Finn. Lieutenant Finn received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions at Pearl Harbor. During the Japanese surprise attack, Lieutenant Finn manned his machine gun and fought off the Japanese Zeroes for two and half hours even as he took an onslaught of bullets and shrapnel. And for the past nine years, James Sweeney has tirelessly worked to honor Lieutenant John Finn, who passed away in 2009. On February 15th, 2011, those efforts proved successful as the Navy announced that a new guided missile destroyer will be named the USS John Finn. For these efforts Mr. Sweeney is being honored by American Legion Post 667 in Havertown. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I congratulate Mr. Sweeney on his efforts to ensure that Lieutenant Finn's name and legacy lives on, and for his service during World War II, reflecting great credit upon himself and the United States Navy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise not as a person from a State that was directly affected, because my State of Pennsylvania, while impacted, had no where near the devastation of that which I saw in New York, New Jersey, and parts of Connecticut.

In fact, I was in New York a week ago in an elevator and met a man who was telling me how happy he was that he finally had a chance to get out of the pickup truck that he had been sleeping in since the storm. He was hoping, for the first time, to get back to his home. His story is just one of hundreds of thousands through this devastated region.

We have stepped up for our neighbors in other parts of our country because these acts of nature are larger than any individual. We must be larger than that. Support the ability to give that support to those in this time of need.

Madam Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues here in the House of Representatives and citizens all across the United States to join in an unambiguous message of support for Israel in this time of great and dramatic concern and rising tensions in the Gaza Strip.

Look, the facts are clear: The 400 rockets that have been launched from Gaza into Israel over the last 48 hours represent a dramatic provocation of Israel and its people. Second, the use of long-range missiles--for the first time reaching into population centers like Tel Aviv--represents an irresponsible escalation of the acts of terrorism that have been generated by Hamas and underscored by Iran.

Today, we must send an unambiguous signal that we stand with Israel in the right to defend itself and make sure that we simultaneously call on those who are coming into Gaza from Egypt with a message that they have a responsibility to begin the process immediately of deescalating this conflict, standing shoulder to shoulder for peace, and making sure that this escalation does not lead to further provocation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Devereux Foundation on its upcoming 100-year anniversary.

The Devereux Foundation, founded in 1912, was the inspiration of Helena Devereux. During her years of service as a public school teacher, Helena developed an interest in students who exhibited learning difficulties. Ms. Devereux theorized that students who had previously failed to achieve academically would thrive if given an individualized approach to learning as well as lesson plans that included social skills. She firmly believed that all students have the ability to become ``a contributing and valued member of their community''.

Moving from the classroom to a rented home, where she could provide intensive instruction, Helena mastered individualized education plans for students with learning differences and emotional handicaps. Her philosophy of ``every child is a program'' empowered her to work day and night to help children overcome their challenges.

As the success of Helena's methods continued to spread, the reach of the foundation also expanded. In 1938, the Devereux Schools received a non-profit charter establishing the Devereux Foundation. Today the Devereux Foundation has locations in eleven states across the Nation.

The Devereux Foundation students have proven Helena's hypothesis correct. Students performed the National Anthem a cappella at Columbia University, which is a feat for even the most musically gifted singers. Annually 15,000 individuals receive professional and quality services from the Devereux Foundation to overcome their learning and behavioral differences.

Although Helena is no longer with us, the Devereux Foundation's staff continues her legacy. Recently Dr. Megan Russell, Corporate Director of Clinical and Professional Affairs, has been invited to present the research findings of a recently completed Devereux study at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. This research benefits not only children and adults of the Devereux Foundation but all individuals facing behavioral health challenges. The Devereux Foundation's work has been highlighted in Microsoft Case Studies. The Devereux Foundation uses specialized software to serve students more effectively by collecting data on their behavior to analyze and modify progress and treatment plans.

The innovation of Helena Devereux continues in the Devereux Foundation as they complete one hundred years of exemplary service throughout the Seventh Congressional District of Pennsylvania and beyond. I send them my sincere congratulations and wish them continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a great American, legal scholar and friend--Judge Joseph P. Cronin, Jr. Judge Cronin has shown a lifelong commitment to public service and to Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Judge Cronin first served his nation as a Marine and following law school he joined the District Attorney's Office in Delaware County where he prosecuted cases in the Juvenile Court. Following his service as a prosecutor, he went on to become Partner at the law firm of Cronin, Emuryan and Breen. Although in private practice at the time, Judge Cronin still remained dedicated to the community by serving his township as commissioner.

On November 5, 1991 Judge Cronin was elected to his first 10-year term to the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. During these years as a trial Judge he earned a reputation as a fair-minded and wise jurist. Judge Cronin was retained for a second term and in January 2008 he was elected President Judge by the 19-member Board of Judges to serve a five-year term. In that role, Judge Cronin showed tremendous skill in leading a busy Court System with significant responsibilities. Recently, Judge Cronin was instrumental in helping Delaware County establish a veteran's treatment court to aid those heroes who now suffer from substance abuse and mental illness. Judge Cronin will retire from his position on the Court of Common Pleas on August 31, 2012.

Judge Joseph Cronin's service to Delaware County has been invaluable and he has our enduring gratitude. I join the citizens of Delaware County and the 7th Congressional District in wishing him and his family the best for the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of the Seventh Congressional District of Pennsylvania, Daniel A. Schultz, who recently lost his battle with Sarcoma.

Daniel Schultz was an outspoken advocate for Sarcoma awareness. Sarcoma is a rare, highly aggressive, cancer which can present anywhere in the body and occurs in connective tissues, such as muscle, fat, fibrous tissue and blood vessels. As with most rare diseases, this cancer has a higher prevalence in children. Sarcoma represents approximately 15 percent of all children's cancers. Treatments for rare diseases, like Sarcoma, are difficult to achieve which is why I was happy to cosponsor the Creating Hope Act, introduced by my colleague from Texas, Congressman Michael McCaul. This bill, which was signed into law last month, creates incentives for the development of treatments for rare diseases that disproportionately impact children. In honor of Daniel A. Schultz, I would like to recognize the importance of Sarcoma Awareness.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, this is not about politics, though there are some who want to suggest that it is because if they yell loud enough and long enough, it will deflect the truth of the matter. Frankly, it's not about ``gotcha.'' As a former prosecutor myself, the Attorney General personifies the pursuit of justice, and I want to see him do well. But it is about accountability.

Agent Brian Terry is dead, protecting our border, and 563 days later, the Terry family still does not know why it occurred. What they do know is that the very agency that initiated Fast and Furious, the Department of Justice under Attorney General Eric Holder, called the operation ``fatally flawed.'' And then the wagons got circled.

It's about the separation of powers. As uncomfortable as it may be, at times it's a fundamental tenet and a strength of our democracy that Congress is given not just the power, but the responsibility, to exercise its duty of oversight over the Executive, especially when, by their own admission, things have gone glaringly wrong.

Because the Justice Department has stubbornly resisted the legitimate inquiries of Congress over Operation Fast and Furious, there's so much we do not know. But because whistleblowers within the Department of Justice were outraged at mischaracterizations, there's a great deal that we do know.

What we do know is that we have been dealing with a systematic effort to deflect attention away from the decisions and the determinations that were made at the highest levels of the Department of Justice, where information was brought directly to individuals at the highest levels of the Department of Justice, information that was contained in wiretap affidavits that lay out in explicit detail the matters related to Fast and Furious.

Mr. Speaker, there is a famous quotation in the Department of Justice about the responsibility of the Attorney General not being to win cases, but to assure that justice is pursued and retained.

Mr. Speaker, it is incumbent and a responsibility on this House to do what is required to do in this circumstance and to support the request that we be given the documents to obtain the facts that will allow us to draw the conclusions which I believe will allow us to get to the bottom of this level.

I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3668, the Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act.

I want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Texas for his leadership on this issue on the Judiciary Committee, and I also want to thank my colleagues from the other side of the aisle as we rise in a truly bipartisan, bicameral fashion in working for the passage of this very important legislation. So I appreciate the kind remarks of the gentlelady from California in support of this bill as well.

Like so many other health care costs, prescription drugs are expensive, and the cost is rising. So what we are beginning to see increasingly is people going online to make the purchases of those drugs. It's an issue that I saw firsthand as a Federal prosecutor who began to work on the proliferation of illegal drug sales over the Internet. Oftentimes, the people who are purchasing these are senior citizens.

Online, there are not the kinds of protections that would exist traditionally as there are in a pharmacy setting where, not only do you have the ability to have the advice of a pharmacist, but the certainty of the chain of custody, so to speak, for the drugs that have been traveling in commerce.

What we are finding is that close to 90 percent of counterfeit drugs are sold online. And we're not just talking about mislabeled pills here. The fakes could actually contain no active ingredients, the wrong active ingredient, or even a contaminant.

The counterfeit medicines pose a threat because of the conditions under which they are manufactured, often in unregulated locations and frequently under unsanitary conditions. In many instances, they contain none of the active pharmaceutical ingredients found in the authentic medicine or are in incorrect doses. In others, they may contain toxic ingredients, such as heavy metals, arsenic, pesticides, rat poison, brick dust, floor wax, and even leaded highway paint. In a worst-case scenario, the medicine itself is a fake, and the result of the counterfeit sale is harm to the patient's health and safety.

And while all types of drugs are counterfeited, what's of particular concern to me is the illicit market in significant drugs, cancer drugs, like Avastin and Altuzan; ADHD drugs, like Adderall; and pain treatments, like Vicodin.

This is an economic harm. Estimates are that there are $75 billion worth of counterfeit drug sales annually. But it's not just the economic harm that is of the greatest concern to me; it is the consumer safety associated with this.

The World Health Organization, in their estimates, predicted or believed that counterfeit drugs caused 100,000 deaths worldwide last year. This is an

issue of such importance, it even captured the attention of the world governments, with the G 8 leaders at Camp David issuing a declaration on the need to address this international crisis.

Today it's illegal to introduce counterfeit drugs into interstate commerce, but the penalties are no different than those assessed for trafficking other counterfeit products, such as movies or fashion products like purses.

That's why our bill seeks to have sentencing laws reflect the seriousness of the crime. The bill increases fines to a maximum of $4 million for the first offense and $8 million for subsequent offenses, and prison terms for a maximum of 10 to 20 years. This is an overdue and needed change--and I can say that as a prosecutor.

I would like to thank Congresswoman Sanchez for her leadership on this issue. I want to thank my colleague from Pennsylvania, Congressman Tom Marino, for his hard work on the Judiciary Committee, working with Chairman Smith on this issue. And I want to thank the Members in both parties that should be recognized for bringing this critical measure to the floor so expeditiously.

I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to lend their support for this very important legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you for yielding and I thank you for your kind words, and I thank the ranking member for his kind words in support of this important amendment.

I urge support for H.R. 2764, which provides, as has been explained, important guidance for the weapons of mass destruction and intelligence sharing functions of the Department of Homeland Security.

Now, this work has been built on a framework of important work, the roots of which were set with former Senators Bob Graham and Jim Talent, who were charged by a previous Congress just 2 years ago with establishing the Weapons of Mass Destruction Weapons Commission. They found that unless decisive action was taken, it was their prediction that a WMD attack would occur somewhere in the world by 2013.

I recently returned from the Middle East, and one of the striking takeaways from that trip was the amount of chemical weapons which are currently stockpiled in Syria. Similar concerns have been expressed about missing Libyan chemical weapons stockpiles. And obviously the great fear of all is that these weapons will get into the hands of al Qaeda terrorists or others during times of great instability.

We can't also forget the world's top State sponsor of terrorism, Iran, which has explicitly stated that it would use nuclear weapons to ``wipe Israel off the map.''

Al Qaeda has reportedly made efforts to acquire what we call chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials, or CBRN, to make weapons of mass destruction in the past. Osama bin Laden's death should not create an atmosphere of complacency. In fact, with multiple affiliate networks around the world targeting the U.S. homeland and interests, it is important that we remain as vigilant as ever. Al Qaeda is now led by Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden's longtime second in command, and the possibility of a WMD terrorist attack cannot be overstated.

The congressionally established WMD Commission has been relentless in its efforts to ensure that actions are being taken to meet what they describe as a very real threat. Congress must do its part to ensure that the Nation is meeting its WMD detection and prevention responsibilities in a meaningful and risk-based way.

CBRN materials can be quite difficult to detect and to prevent, and the danger they pose is unimaginable. This bill will ensure sustained DHS commitment and facilitate the partnership across the intelligence community, other government partners, and with the public.

I urge support for this bipartisan bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise strongly to oppose the Quigley amendment in this particular matter.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the V 22, on behalf of the marines who are using it in the theater of battle where it has proven itself. Indeed, if this argument were taking place in 2009, there might be a case to be made, but it's being made in 2012, where, in fact, I've got the testimony of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

The Osprey has given the United States unprecedented agility and operational reach, unmatched by any other tactical aircraft. The Osprey is the cornerstone of the Marine ground task force. More significantly, with regard to cost savings, it has--procured under a multiyear procurement contract, it will actually save a proposed $825 million over single-year contracts, providing required capability for the Marine Corps. In addition, if we tried to replace it, there would be 74 percent more cost associated.

Reliability, cost, dependability, proof. I urge my colleagues to support the retention of the V 22.

Thank you for yielding, Mr. Chairman.

I rise today to urge the support for my amendment, which requires the Secretary of State to submit a report to the Congress explaining whether Boko Haram meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization. If the Secretary determines that Boko Haram does not merit a foreign terrorist organization designation, the amendment would require the Secretary to inform Congress which criteria are not met.

Mr. Chairman, 6 months ago, the Department of Justice reached out to the Department of State in urging this determination. My committee, the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, held hearings and issued a report identifying the activities of Boko Haram, which is an Islamist terrorist-based group based in Nigeria that has quickly evolved from wielding machetes to using deadly, vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. This is the same kind of conduct that was conducted by other terrorist organizations, and only later did the Department identify them as FTOs.

I urge its support.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the Blue Star Mothers of America. The Blue Star Mothers of America was founded in 1942 in order to bring together the mothers of children serving in the United States Armed Forces. In 1960, the nonprofit organization was chartered by the Congress of the United States. The Blue Star Mothers continue to provide support for active duty service personnel, promote patriotism, assist veteran's organizations and homeland volunteer efforts. Not only is the organization for mothers, but family members and friends may become associate members, and fathers of military personnel may join the Father's Association. During World War I, the Blue Star Service Flag was designed by Captain Robert L. Queissar and went on to become an unofficial symbol of a child in service. Today this same flag is an official banner authorized by the Department of Defense for display by families and associations who have members serving in the Armed Forces during a period of war. I ask that the U.S. House of Representatives honor the month of May as Blue Star Mothers Month, keeping in mind that sons and daughters continue to fight for our freedoms and protect this great Nation both domestically and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of National Teacher Day and to say thank you to the many who dedicate themselves to the education of our children. I suspect there's not a person in this body that can't think back to a teacher who made a significant difference in their lives.

I call attention, as well, to two particularly well-performing schools in my district. Just the other day, I had an opportunity to visit one of them, the Rose Tree Elementary School in Media. The other is the Coebourn Elementary School in Brookhaven. Both of those schools have been recognized because they have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2011.

Yesterday, while visiting the Rose Tree Elementary School and talking with the children and the bright faces, the attention from the kids really riveted me because they were really listening. I spoke with the amazing educators, staff, and students at this Blue Ribbon ceremony.

Now, the Blue Ribbon is one of the most prestigious awards our Nation gives for educational excellence, and Rose Tree Elementary is certainly most deserving. The Rose Tree students have attained 100 percent proficiency in science for 3 consecutive years. I got a chance to visit some of the classrooms and to watch and to see how they engage the children, not just in the science but, once again, develop the creativity so that the kids were using the lessons that they learned in practical ways.

In 2010, the school was also ranked number one in Pennsylvania in writing. I want to focus on that as much too because I was impressed not just by the reading level, but the fact that the students were listening, comprehending, and then re-expressing themselves. The skills developed at that level are going to last a lifetime.

The school is led by Karen Daugherty, one of seven principals in the entire country to receive national recognition for her commitment to educating children by overcoming challenging circumstances. I commend Ms. Daugherty and all of the 2011 Terrel H. Bell Award recipients.

I encourage the communities of Brookhaven and Media to join me in recognition of their Blue Ribbon schools. And further, Mr. Speaker, I call on all Americans to take some time today to thank a teacher for making a difference in their lives.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 200, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my deep appreciation to the members of this committee who, in their wisdom, saw the ability to support the concept of veterans treatment courts.

Many of our veterans are returning from commitments overseas in which they are having not just one, but two, three, and sometimes four tours of duty. By virtue of the nature of that duty, we're seeing an unusually high number of veterans that are returning with posttraumatic stress syndrome. Oftentimes that stress-related activity leads some of these veterans to act out in ways that sometimes cross the laws of our country. Somebody might get engaged in a fight in a bar. More frequently, we're seeing many of these veterans that are dealing with the issue by alcohol and drug addiction.

There is an opportunity--and I say this as a former prosecutor at both the county and Federal level--to appropriately divert these cases to a place where they can be handled with the treatment that the veterans deserve. Veterans treatment courts are an obligation, in my mind, to these returning veterans to allow us to most effectively deal with the underlying issues that have come as a result of the commitment that they made to our Nation by their service.

I want to express my deep appreciation to Chairman Wolf and to the members of the committee for their forward-thinking support and urge the support of all of the Members of this body for the appropriation in support of veterans treatment courts.

I am happy to yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

I just want to take one second to express, as well, my appreciation to my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), who, from the outset, was one of the original cosponsors that helped to bring this concept to this body. I thank him for his support and encouragement.

I yield back the balance of my time.