Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address Attorney General Holder misleading Congress with deceptive testimony. If I or any other ordinary citizen did what the Attorney General did, we would be thrown in jail for perjury. In front of the House Judiciary Committee on May 15, Holder said he knew nothing of the targeting of journalist James Rosen, yet Holder himself signed the subpoena for Mr. Rosen's records.

Does the Attorney General suffer from Sergeant Schultz syndrome-- where he hears nothing, sees nothing, and knows nothing? How convenient for Mr. Holder--but at what cost to our Constitution?

We are a Nation of laws, but the Attorney General has created an atmosphere of lawlessness in America. Nobody is above the law. He must be held accountable.

As Supreme Court Justice Brandeis said:

In a government of laws, the existence of the government

will be imperiled if it fails to observe the law

scrupulously. If government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds

contempt for the law. It invites every man to become a law

unto himself. It invites anarchy.

I ask you: Has the Attorney General invited anarchy? I will continue to make my case here in the people's House, at the people's pulpit. I will be back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address truly disturbing comments President Obama made during his hour-long speech on July 24. He mentioned ``an endless parade of distractions and phony scandals,'' as if to belittle the significance of these stories. Well, there's nothing phony about the deaths linked to Attorney General Holder's Operation Fast and Furious.

Beside me is a photo of blood running through the streets of Mexico, the blood of high school students murdered by guns Holder's DOJ sold to Mexican drug cartels. This massacre is far from phony, Mr. President. Brian Terry, the Border Patrol agent murdered by violent criminals whom Holder's DOJ gave the guns to, is definitely not phony.

These deaths are real.

What else is real? Attorney General Holder's violation of the law, the ramifications of which are far from phony. As Supreme Court Justice Brandeis said:

In a government of laws, the existence of the government

will be imperiled if it fails to observe the law

scrupulously. If government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds

contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto

himself. It invites anarchy.

I ask you, has the Attorney General invited anarchy?

I will continue to make my case here in the people's House, at the people's pulpit. I will be back.

Offered By: Mr. Gosar

Amendment No. 23: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

Sec. 421. None of the funds made available by this Act may

be used by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to

provide a grant under the Natural Experiment Grant Program.

Offered By: Mr. Gosar

Amendment No. 18: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

limitation relating to use of official time

Sec. 421. None of the funds made available in this Act may

be used to pay a Federal employee for any period of time

during which such employee is using official time under

section 7131 of title 5, United States Code.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed light on Attorney General Eric Holder's less than glamorous tenure as Attorney General.

As the chief law enforcement officer of our Nation, Mr. Holder is expected to govern by the principle of seeking justice. As a sworn Federal official, he has one primary job: to enforce the laws of the United States fairly and impartially. It is for that reason that Lady Justice wears a blindfold. The blindfold represents objectivity and that justice should be dealt out without fear, favor, or impartiality.

How come Mr. Holder dispenses his version of justice impartially? How come the Attorney General overlooked injustices and with disregard for the rule of law?

As Supreme Court Justice Brandeis said:

In a government of laws, the existence of the government

will be imperiled if it fails to observe the law

scrupulously. If government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds

contempt for law: it invites every man to become a law unto

himself. It invites anarchy.

I ask you then, has the Attorney General invited anarchy?

I will continue to make my case here in the people's House at the people's pulpit. Folks, I will be back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed light on Attorney General Eric Holder's blatant disregard for the rule of law. Mr. Holder's violations of the law are egregious, and he should not be immune from prosecution or given license to act without restraint.

An ordinary citizen would go to jail for selling guns to Mexican drug cartels. An ordinary citizen would go to jail for secretly obtaining phone records and emails. An ordinary citizen would go to jail for lying to Congress about an investigation. What would happen to an ordinary citizen for lying to a judge? This is just a small part of what Attorney General Eric Holder is responsible for.

As Supreme Court Justice Brandeis said:

In a government of laws, the existence of the government

will be imperiled if it fails to observe the law

scrupulously. If government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds

contempt for law. It invites every man to become a law unto

himself. It invites anarchy.

I ask you, has Attorney General Eric Holder invited anarchy?

I will continue to make this case here in the people's House at the people's pulpit. Folks, I will be back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a brave Arizonan. Robert Davies, from Golden Valley, Arizona, truly met the definition of ``hero'' by coming to the aid of his elderly neighbor. Mr. Davies and his fellow neighbor, Paul Bissonette, responded to a neighbor whose home was on fire, saving the 92-year-old woman stuck inside. Mr. Davies risked his own safety by jumping through a broken window into the smoke and pulling the woman into position near the window where she could breathe. Receiving help from an off-duty fireman who arrived on the scene, Mr. Davies was able to lift the woman through the window to safety seconds before the building was taken by the flames.

Mr. Davies says this was something that anybody else would have done. But he actually did it. While I appreciate his humility, I thank him for his display of bravery and courage in the face of danger. I am pleased to recognize Mr. Robert Davies today, before this great body, for his act of heroism.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a distinguished leader who has earned the respect of everyone who knows him, Mr. Tom

Price. Tom has lived in the Kingman area for almost 30 years and is married to Ada Calderon Mora. Together, they have six children and four grandsons.

Tom is a successful attorney who is happy to advise anyone on one's legal situation. He is a critical thinker--the kind of man who is able to take a complex situation, simplify it and put it into a context that is usable, workable, and solvable. Tom has that gift. He serves on several boards in the community, but, today, I honor him for his service to the Kingman Chamber of Commerce.

He has served in each of the executive officer positions within the Kingman Chamber of Commerce, and is serving in his last year as immediate past chairman. He is the chairman of the Business and Government Committee, which concentrates on educating the community on political issues and candidates.

Tom, thank you for your work and for your dedication to our community. I truly believe that the entire Kingman area is a better place to live in because of you.

For a life that has included more than 30 years of service, I am pleased to recognize Tom Price, in this great body, as a true American and a leader for the businessmen and -women of Kingman, Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the community service of Mr. Tony Campbell.

Tony moved to Kingman, Arizona, in 2001 to become general manager of Route 66 Motorsports, also known as Mother Road Harley-Davidson.

He also joined the Kingman Area Chamber of Commerce and began leading his community, constantly finding ways to lift others up as he strived to better the lives of those around him. He organized what would become one of the chamber's signature fundraisers, the Harley raffle dinner. He is an avid outdoorsman; and, of course, he loves his motorcycles.

In 2009 after 8 years of service with the Kingman Area Chamber of Commerce, he was asked to join the board of directors and serve on the business and government committee. With his larger-than-life personality, he had an amazing ability to bring others together, both business and government, using the strengths of each to complement each other. He showed again his leadership, one the chamber could depend on.

For the last year, Tony has served as chairman of the board for the Kingman Area Chamber of Commerce. As his time in this role comes to an end, it is with honor and appreciation that I stand here and recognize Mr. Campbell for his service. I am pleased to recognize him today before this great body as a true American and a leader of businessmen and businesswomen of Kingman, Arizona.

Madam Speaker, joining me off the House floor today is Jeb Harmon, a dedicated staffer of mine for almost 2 years.

Jeb embodies the spirit, work ethic, and patriotism we need from young adults who will one day lead our Nation. He has worked tirelessly first as an intern and then as a valued member of my communications team, helping to keep my constituents updated on my actions in D.C. and at home.

Jeb isn't a future leader. Jeb is a leader today. In just a few weeks, Jeb will leave my office to go to law school. Though he will be missed, I am incredibly proud of him.

For Jeb and for all students reaching their own American Dream, we must keep the burden of student loan debt from being cost prohibitive.

Mr. Chairman, we, the Arizona delegation, rise today in the wake of the tragic Yarnell Hill Fire that has left our hearts, the hearts of Arizonans and the hearts of Americans across the country overwhelmed with disbelief and sadness.

This was the largest loss of life of first responders since 9/11.

The town of Yarnell and the people of Arizona will never forget and will forever honor the 19 heroes of the elite Granite Mountain Hotshot fire crew who lost their lives in an act of self-sacrificing bravery.

Out of my deepest respect for these fallen heroes, their families and the communities of Prescott, Peeples Valley and Yarnell, I ask you to keep them in your prayers.

I now ask you to join me and my colleagues for a moment of silence to honor the Yarnell 19's ultimate act of courage and sacrifice.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Heck of Nevada

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

Mr. Chairman, on March 16, 2012, the Secretary of Energy issued a ``Memorandum for Power Marketing Administrators.'' This memo, commonly referred to as the ``Chu memorandum,'' has created a great deal of

concern among our constituents who rely on Power Marketing Administrations, or PMAs, for affordable and reliable energy.

As many of you know, the PMAs are four regional Power Marketing Administrations which have been delivering reliable, clean energy to consumers for over 75 years. The PMAs have been successful models of regional collaboration with local stakeholders and a guided principle of ``beneficiary pays,'' meaning that whoever benefits from the specific investments in the PMAs' infrastructure ultimately bears the cost.

The former Secretary's memo directs the PMAs to act in areas involving transmission expansion, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and cybersecurity--all laudable goals--goals that, on the surface, I support. In fact, I have strongly advocated for the expansion of transmission here in Congress. However, I believe the Department of Energy's means of these goals, the ``Chu memo,'' would implement a top- down approach that could certainly impose greater costs and risks that outweigh benefits and could undermine the collaborative and low-cost, emissions-free nature of the Federal power program.

This issue has undergone significant scrutiny here in Congress over the past year. Last year, I and Congressman Jim Matheson, from Utah, led a letter expressing concern over the Chu memo. That letter was signed by over 160 U.S. Senators and Representatives, almost evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. Additionally, the House Appropriations Committee approved similar language to what I am putting forth today, by voice vote, to the 2013 Energy and Water Appropriations bill barring the Secretary from implementing the Chu directives. There are few issues that Congress has had such consensus on in the past.

Additionally, the House Natural Resources Committee has held multiple hearings on the memo, and it was a major topic of conversation at our recent PMA FY 2014 budget hearing. Members from both sides of the aisle have expressed concern about how the DOE might move forward with the Chu memo.

It is best if we stop this train wreck from moving forward before it is even implemented. My amendment would simply prohibit the power marketing agencies from utilizing their budgets to implement any new program, project or activity proposed under the guise of this memo. It is not intended to disrupt any previously existing activities of the PMAs, including the Bonneville Power Administration, that have been conducted in coordination and with the support of the customers. It is many of our beliefs that the recommendations of the memo fall far from the DOE's authority under the existing law. If the DOE would like to move forward, this amendment ensures the administration will have to come forward in a transparent manner and request legal authority.

I hope my colleagues will support this commonsense amendment that will preserve the existing Federal power program and will ensure our constituents' electricity costs stay low. I urge the support of my amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for the time and her teamwork on this public lands initiative.

But I am very frustrated that it even is necessary for us to re- introduce this legislation. It shouldn't take years and an act of Congress to right a wrong. Last year, the House overwhelmingly passed this bill by a vote count of 421-1. Unfortunately, it was the victim of partisan gridlock in the United States Senate and was not sent to the President before the end of the 112th Congress.

I see this initiative as unfinished business from the last Congress; and I hope, together, we can get this across the finish line very quickly this year.

H.R. 862 is a commonsense solution to an incomprehensible Federal land situation in northern Arizona. In 1960, the Federal Government conducted a survey in which several acres of the United States Forest Service land were misidentified as private property.

It was not until 2007, when the Federal Government contracted another private survey, that the mistakes were realized, and the residents of the Mountainaire neighborhood were informed of these errors.

Until the 2007 survey, many of these residents have maintained these parcels and developed them as their own for years and, in some cases, decades. In essence, the Federal Government seized lands the residents had maintained, developed, and paid taxes on for years.

Questions associated with the land ownership have plummeted property values in the neighborhood and prevented a number of owners from selling their homes. On some of those parcels, the revised boundary goes practically through portions of the residents' homes or backyards.

To fix the untenable situation, we reintroduced H.R. 862. The bill simply authorizes the Forest Service to convey all rights, titles, and interests to approximately 2.67 acres of the Coconino National Forest to the homeowners for a small fee, using an estimation process Congress utilized in another land exchange in the same northern Arizona county from the 109th Congress, Public Law No. 109-110.

The Forest Service does not want to own these people's living rooms, and the property owners certainly do not want to share their homes or their yards with the Forest Service. This bill is a no-brainer, reported out of the Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent.

I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation and relieve some northern Arizonans of this financially burdensome situation.

Madam Chairwoman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairwoman, I rise today to engage in a colloquy with the subcommittee chairman, Congressman Carter, regarding Operation Stonegarden, which is a facet of our Homeland Security operations and which is provided for in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2014.

By way of background, Operation Stonegarden is a Department of Homeland Security grant program that is intended to provide a great deal of cooperation and coordination among Federal, State, local, municipal and tribal law enforcement agencies in a joint mission to secure the United States borders, including travel corridors in States that border Canada and Mexico, as well as States and territories with international water borders. The grants are made available to local units of government. They're made based on risk analysis and feasibility of the proposed investments demonstrated by the applicants.

I speak on behalf of local law enforcement entities in Arizona when I say that this program actually works. It serves to bolster resources available to law enforcement and border States as they do their best to tackle overwhelming problems of illegal immigration, in addition to illegal trafficking of drugs, persons, weapons and money. I hear nothing but praise for the program, and I know that the people of Arizona and other border States reap the benefits of this program whether they know the program by name or not. When people are involved in the process, you see certain programs and initiatives take off because everyone's input is respected, considered and valued.

In fact, the program works so well and is needed so badly that in 2009, Secretary Napolitano decided to extend an additional $30 million to be divided amongst the States which needed the resources most. Though I may not agree with Arizona's former Governor on many issues, this is a decision I applauded.

The problem of illegal immigration is one that I think will remain for sometime, which is why we are debating immigration reform in Congress today.

As I have said before, trust is a series of promises kept. Current and previous administrations held by both parties have failed to keep that promise, and so we are here today. Border security and interior enforcement are of utmost concern when considering immigration and the protection of our homeland, and this program is a prime example of the teamwork that is needed to deliver on the promises made to the people of this great Republic.

This investment in our Nation's homeland security is one that pays off over and over again, and it is my hope that future legislation will continue to provide robust resources for this program.

It is our collective duty as a deliberative body to ensure that we both support the Federal programs and initiatives that actually work, while simultaneously reducing or sunsetting those that do not. I am pleased that the House has begun such a process in the past two Congresses, and I am proud to be part of it.

The people of Arizona and I thank the chairman for increasing the resources available to Operation Stonegarden relative to previous appropriations.

And with that, I yield to the chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

I thank the gentleman, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Engel