Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, in this world of such negativity, I think it is important to bring attention to the good things people do for others..

My constituent, Dennis Shepherd of Hubert, NC, has been declared a ``2010 Hero of Everyday Life'' by the Sodexo Foundation. The Sodexo Foundation is a committed force that contributes to ending hunger in America.

Every year since 2000, the Sodexo Foundation has recognized Sodexo employees who invest their time, talent, and service spirit in helping some of the 49 million people who are at risk of hunger in the United States. Nominated by a colleague, friend, or employer, selected Heroes are honored by the foundation and a donation is made to their local hunger-related charities of choice.

After serving 22 years in the United States Marine Corps, Dennis has been instrumental in the success of Sodexo Servathon at the USMC by organizing and delivering food donations to the Onslow Community Ministries Kitchen and Jacksonville Food Bank. Since 2004, Dennis has collected and delivered 18,000 pounds of food.

After Dennis finishes his regular work day, he volunteers at least 10 hours a week, doing charitable jobs including cutting grass and baking cakes to help gather food donations, supplies, and money for local charities. Dennis also engages in creative activities such as posting advertisements to help spread the word and encouraging others to help support people in need throughout the community.

Since 2004, Dennis has collected donations valued at $20,000 for children and families in need. The award from the Sodexo Foundation has continued to open doors to Dennis' work. So far in 2010, he has already raised $17,000--plus a $5,000 grant that he received as part of the Heroes of Everyday Life award.

Dennis has been married to his wife Naomi for 19 years. He met Naomi while stationed in Okinawa, Japan during the 16 years he spent there with the United States Marine Corps.

Dennis also finds time to be a devoted father to his three children, Jonathan, Christina and Vega.

People like Dennis Shepherd make our world a better place to live, and I am proud that Dennis and his family live in the 3rd district. We could all learn from Mr. Shepherd's example and do more for our communities.

May God continue to bless Dennis Shepherd and his family, may God bless our men and woman in uniform, and may God continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start my comments out with an editorial from the Pensacola News Journal, dated June 25: ``Is Afghanistan worth it?''

``It isn't often that conservative columnist George Will and liberal columnist Thomas Friedman are on the same page. Welcome to Afghanistan.''

Mr. Speaker, the reason we need to have this debate tonight is due to one issue. The main issue that bothers me greatly is what is called ``rules of engagement.''

In fact, on the 20th of June, in The Washington Post, George Will wrote an editorial, ``An NCO recognizes a flawed Afghanistan strategy.''

``A recent email from a noncommissioned officer serving in Afghanistan: He explains why the rules of engagement for U.S. troops are `too prohibitive for coalition forces to achieve sustained tactical success.' ''

I also would like to show, very quickly, two newspapers articles from the Marine Times:

``Rules of engagement. We are putting our kids out there to fight with their hands handcuffed--left to die. They call for help. Negligent Army leadership refuse and abandon them on the battlefield. Four marines and one Army killed.''

I actually spoke to this father, Mr. Speaker, from Maine, who was featured in the Marine Times, which reads: ``Caution killed my son. Marine families blast suicidal tactics in Afghanistan.''

This is what they call ``rules of engagement.'' We handcuff our troops, and we tell them we want them to go out and fight.

Mr. Speaker, I have a retired general who, for the last 9 months, has been my adviser on Afghanistan. I gave him my word that I would not use his name publicly on the floor of the House, in a committee or in a newspaper. Six weeks ago, I asked him again about Afghanistan, and this is what he emailed back to me:

``Afghanistan has been too tough a nut to crack for every nation that has ever tried to crack it. We need to figure out a way to honorably pack our bags and get out. It is not in our national interests to be there.''

That is why I am on this amendment with Mr. McGovern and Mr. Obey. I don't see how anybody could be opposed to this. If you are concerned about our troops and if you are concerned about the frequent deployments that are wearing out our military and their families, if you are concerned about the billions of dollars that are unaccounted for in Afghanistan, this is a reasonable amendment. It will give hope to our troops, and it will give hope to our taxpayers that we are watching their moneys. More importantly, the troops will know what is in front of them--not 10 more years of going down a road that has no end to it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I will ask the men and women in this room to continue to pray for our men and women in uniform and their families. Let's pass this amendment. It is a good amendment.

Madam Speaker, I want to share with the House words from George Will. It was a syndicated column that he wrote on the 20th of June of this year. The title is ``An NCO recognizes a flawed Afghanistan strategy.''

In receipt of a recent email from a noncommissioned officer serving in Afghanistan, he explains why the rules of engagement for U.S. troops are too prohibitive for coalition forces to achieve sustained tactical success.

Receiving mortar fire during an overnight mission, his unit called for a 155 millimeter howitzer illumination round to be fired to reveal the enemy's location. The request was rejected, and I quote, Madam Speaker, ``on the grounds that it may cause collateral damage.'' The NCO says that the only thing that comes down from an illumination round is a cannister, and the likelihood of it hitting someone or something was akin to that of being struck by lightning.

I further read from this article: ``Returning from a mission, his unit took casualties from an improvised explosive device that the unit knew had been placed no more than an hour earlier.''

I quote again: ``There were villagers laughing at the U.S. casualties'' and ``two suspicious individuals were seen fleeing the scene and entering a home.'' U.S. forces are no longer allowed to search homes without Afghan National Security Forces personnel present. But when his unit asked the Afghan police to search the house, the police refused on grounds that the people in the house ``are good people.''

Madam Speaker, Afghanistan is a chaotic situation. As my friend Mr. McGovern said, they have a corrupt government. There is not anything we can do to take a country that has never been a nation to make it a nation.

Madam Speaker, I, along with Congressman Jeff Miller and Congressman Doug Lamborn, have asked the chairman and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee to hold classified hearings on what is called rules of engagement.

I wish I could read this entire article, but I can't because of time. But I want to read the close of George Will's column. And George Will is a conservative. ``President Obama has counted on his 2011 run-up to re-election being smoothed by three developments in 2010--the health care legislation becoming popular after enactment, job creation accelerating briskly, and Afghanistan conditions improving significantly.''

I further read: ``The first two are not happening. He can decisively influence only the third, and only by adhering to his timetable for disentangling U.S. forces from this misadventure.''

Madam Speaker, I am on the letter that Mr. McGovern made reference to a while ago. I have Camp Lejeune Marine Base in my district and Cherry Point Marine Air Station. And we're wearing out our military. Madam Speaker, I hope the President will keep his word and have a timetable to get our troops out of Afghanistan.

With that, Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform. I ask God please bless the families of our men and women in uniform. I ask God to please in his arms hold the families who have given a child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. Madam Speaker, I ask God to bless the House and Senate, that we will do what is right in the eyes of God. And I ask God to give wisdom, strength, and courage to President Obama that he will do what is right in the eyes of God. And three times I will say please God, please God, please God, continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to express my sincere dismay with the letter from Jeh Johnson, general counsel of the Department of Defense, to Senator Carl Levin, declaring the DOD opposition to Senate bill 504, legislation to rename the Department of the Navy as the Department of Navy and Marine Corps. In his letter Mr. Johnson states: ``The renaming of the Department is unnecessary and would incur additional expense of several hundred thousand dollars a year over the next several years.''

In response to my letter, the CBO report actually states that ``the bill would have very little effect on most U.S. Naval or Marine Corps installations. The cost of implementing this bill would be less than $500,000 a year over the next several years from appropriated funds. And enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues.'' So therefore it would not have an impact, Mr. Speaker.

With that said, I would like to ask Mr. Johnson, Do you think that our men and women of the United States Marine Corps are worth this small monetary amount? Have they not earned the right to be recognized and respected?

Mr. Speaker, it is a joke for DOD to be concerned about such a small monetary amount considering the money that has been and is continuing to be wasted by the Department of Defense. An audit conducted by the Department of Defense IG revealed that the Federal Government failed to substantiate the disbursements of at least $7.8 billion of $8.2 billion spent for goods and services in Iraq. I would think Mr. Johnson should be more focused on serious money issues such as these instead of focusing his efforts on opposing the recognition that our marines truly deserve.

Our marines have fought alongside the Navy for many years, and if they are truly viewed as one fighting team, they should receive equal recognition. This bill is not meant to take anything away from the Navy. It does not demand any special concessions for the Marine Corps. It simply adds three words to the name. I am baffled as to why Mr. Johnson felt the need to interject into this matter now, when it has been ongoing for the past 10 years. We have the support of a record 425 Members of the House of Representatives and 80 Members of the Senate. The numbers alone should speak volumes.

And, Mr. Speaker, before I close, I want people to see this young marine who gave his life for this country. The family received posthumously the Silver Star medal that he earned by giving his life for this country. This is an official copy. And it says the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C., with the Navy flag. That's all it has at the heading, Mr. Speaker. Nothing about the Marine Corps in the heading, but Navy.

If this bill should become law, what it would say is what you see now, Mr. Speaker, the Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps, Navy flag, Marine flag, present the Silver Star posthumously to this man's family.

Mr. Speaker, with that I would like to close as I always do, because our men and women, as Ms. Woolsey said, they are over there fighting, giving their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I would ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform, please bless their families, and, God, please bless the House and Senate that we will do right in the eyes of God.

And, dear God, I ask three times, please God, continue to bless this country. And, God, please always remember that we care that you look after us so that we will do what's right for your people. God, continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, there are not many Members of Congress that have the honor to wish a beautiful lady a happy 98th birthday, especially when the lady was present at his birth. Mrs. Juanita Worsley Williams, from my hometown of Farmville, lived next door, and she and her husband, Dr. Roderick Williams, were good friends of my parents. In fact, Juanita Williams assisted her husband in delivering me on February 10, 1943.

Juanita is the daughter of Lula Lee Blake Worsley and William H. Worsley. She was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, at Park View Hospital in 1912.

Mrs. Williams and her husband raised their children in Farmville and lived next door to my family for years. She was very good friends with my mother, and I often played with her children.

Juanita and Dr. Roderick Williams have three children: Nan Williams Gibson, Dr. Roderick Williams, Jr., and Lu Williams Leonard. She also has eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

When Juanita's husband died in 1964, she began working at the Sam D. Bundy Elementary School as a secretary. She loved her job, and everyone loved her in return.

Friendship and community service have always been important to Mrs. Williams. She was very active locally and statewide in the Daughters of the American Revolution and Girl Scouts. She also organized the CAR, Children of the American Revolution, in our hometown of Farmville. Because of her love for the youth of our community, Mrs. Williams, who was also a devoted member of the First Baptist Church, participated in Sunday school, vacation Bible school, and youth fellowship meetings.

Mrs. Williams just returned from a trip to the Panama Canal. While there, she visited with nephews and nieces and had a wonderful time. Juanita was very pleased that the canal will be widened and not replaced.

Juanita Williams has given her life to making her community of Farmville a better place to live, whether it be by organizing the Meals on Wheels program or helping with the Girl Scouts. She is a true American who believes and lives the traditional values of placing God, home, and country first in her life.

Juanita Williams always has two wonderful things to say to everyone: ``I love you,'' and ``God bless you.'' She always says that her secret for longevity is love, love for others and love for God.

I'm truly honored to know such a wonderful lady and have this opportunity to honor her on this special day. I want Mrs. Williams to know how much she meant to the Jones family and that we love her.

May God continue to bless Juanita Williams, her family, and our country. And may God continue to bless America.

Madam Speaker, last week, the House of Representatives passed a suspension bill that was H.R. 24, to redesignate the Department of the Navy to be known as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. That bill had 426 cosponsors, colleagues from both sides of the aisle, who believe sincerely that the Marine Corps has earned this right to be recognized. All this is about recognition.

I want tonight to thank Senator Pat Roberts. Senator Pat Roberts last January put in a companion bill to H.R. 24, Senate Bill 504. Senator Roberts himself served in the United States Marine Corps. He was an officer, a retired Marine officer. This Monday, he wrote a letter to every Senator, and I want to read just a little part of this, Madam Speaker. First, the subtitle of his letter says, ``Let's Make History By Supporting Our Nation's Marines As They Support Us: Redesignate the Department of Navy as the Department of Navy and the Marine Corps.'' And he further states, ``Dear Colleague,''--I'm just going to read paragraphs from this letter, Madam Speaker--``it is not possible to overstate the service and sacrifice of any man or woman who wears or has worn the Marine Corps uniform, whether in Iwo Jima 65 years ago or today. The Corps has been `first to fight for right and freedom' for over 234 years. That is why I am writing to urge you to cosponsor S. 504, a bill to redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.'' He does state, but I am not going to repeat this because I just stated this, that he praises the House of Representatives because we passed unanimously H.R. 24, and he does mention the number of 426 cosponsors.

He further states in his letter to his colleagues in the Senate, ``I hope you will join me in recognizing our Nation's force in readiness, our Marine Corps, and those who serve in it as equal to our other Armed Forces.'' To cosponsor S. 504, please contact his office.

Madam Speaker, I want to read this as well: ``P.S. One only has to watch the current acclaimed special television production ``Pacific'' to understand why Marines everywhere are expressing their heartfelt support for what they believe is a long overdue oversight. The Marines and Marine veterans in your State simply ask you to join them with your support.'' Again, this letter is to the Senate, and I know that Senator Roberts himself plans to reach out to as many Senators as he can to ask them to support this.

Madam Speaker, with that, I would like to close by asking, as I do on the floor of the House many times, I ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform. I ask God to please bless the families of our men and women in uniform. I ask God in his loving arms to hold the families who have given a child dying in Afghanistan and Iraq, and I ask God to please bless the House and Senate, that we will do what is right in the eyes of God. And I ask God to give strength, wisdom, and courage to President Obama, that he will do what is right in the eyes of God. And three times I will ask God, please God, please God, please God, continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was humbled, but also pleased, that the House of Representatives passed legislation that would rename the Department of the Navy to be the Department of Navy and Marine Corps, and I want to thank 426 cosponsors of this legislation for joining us yesterday.

Mr. Speaker, the history on this issue is that this is the tenth year that the House of Representatives, not with a vote on the floor of the House, but in the Armed Services Committee, has put language in the House Armed Services authorization bill that would do the same thing, and that is to say, that the Department of the Navy would become the Department of Navy and Marine Corps.

The reason yesterday was very important that we would have this vote on the floor of the House was to say to the Senate, who for 10 years has stopped this effort to recognize two great services, the Navy and Marine Corps, which are known as one fighting team and would carry the name Department of Navy and Marine Corps, it

was to say to the Senate, ``Please take a look at this and please look at this seriously because this is important to a large number of people in both the Navy and Marine Corps.''

There is no cost to this. This does not affect the budget. It doesn't affect even the stationery. It would just make it so that in the future, as changes come about, it would be known as the Department of Navy and Marine Corps.

Mr. Speaker, I want to tell a story about a news conference. About 6 weeks ago, the Marine Corps League held a news conference in the Cannon Office Building to announce their support of this legislation. At the news conference we had Senator Pat Roberts, a retired Marine officer who serves in the United States Senate, who has put in a companion bill, S. 504. In addition, we had a former Commandant, Al Gray, to speak on behalf of this legislation. We had a four star Marine General, Anthony Zinni, to speak on behalf of this legislation.

In addition, we had a young man named Eddie Wright. Eddie Wright lost both hands in Iraq for this country. And he told a very compelling story. He is a Marine, and he said, ``I love the Navy.'' He said, ``I love the corpsmen who came on the battlefield and saved my life.''

Then we also had a father named Dick Lynn from Richmond, Virginia. Dick Lynn's son was killed in Iraq. He was a Marine. And Mr. Lynn told the story of his father, who had served as a World War II Navy veteran, and the fact that in Culpeper, Virginia, his son, a Marine, is buried next to his grandfather. And Dick Lynn told the story of having the headstone that says ``United States Navy'' that identified his father who was deceased, and then beside his father was his son's headstone that had ``United States Marine Corps''.

I bring that up, Mr. Speaker, because we can see beside me is a poster of an actual condolence letter from the United States Navy to the family of a Marine captain who was killed in Iraq. And it says, ``The Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C.,'' with the Navy flag. I certainly took the names out of the condolence letter for this poster. Mr. and Mrs. Joe American Marine. ``Dear Marine Corps Family: On behalf of the Department of the Navy, please accept my very sincere condolences.''

Mr. Speaker, the Navy and Marine Corps are one fighting team. They deserve to be respected as one fighting team by carrying the name Navy and Marine Corps.

Mr. Speaker, if this bill is accepted by the Senate, what we would see in a condolence letter would be ``The Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps,'' with the Navy flag and the Marine Corps flag. And it would say, ``Dear Marine Corps Family: On behalf of the Department of Navy and Marine Corps, we extend our condolences.'' That's the story that Mr. Lynn tried to say at the news conference.

Why cannot the Senate understand the importance of paying the respects with the recognition to the Marine Corps which the Navy has, the Army has, the Air Force has? This is a very simple change of three words, with no cost to the American taxpayer.

Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to say there is a national Web site. It's called MarineCause.com. Gunnery Sergeant Lee Ermey, a movie star who himself served in the Marine Corps, in the movie Full Metal Jacket, which is about Vietnam, he is the DI in that movie. He is also on the Military Channel with Lock 'N Load and Mail Call. He is our national spokesman on this Web site. So I hope that the American people would join in this effort.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Heinrich for his kind words about this legislation. I also want to take time to thank Chairman Ike Skelton and Ranking Member Buck McKeon, who have been very supportive of this legislation for the last 8 years. It is because of the leadership of both, and especially the chairman, that this bill is on the floor today, for which I am very grateful.

Mr. Speaker, as Mr. Heinrich said, it is kind of interesting that the Marine Corps, which has such a history, that is so revered by so many Americans, just like those who serve in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, yet it is a fact that the Marine Corps is somewhat like a child at the family reunion, meaning that they are part of the family, but they just aren't seen as the family.

I make that mention for this reason. A few years ago, this cap was given to me by the Secretary of the Navy, and the cap says, ``Navy- Marine Corps, One Fighting Team,'' and yet this one fighting team doesn't carry the name of both services.

Again, I want to thank the 426 cosponsors. We turned in 11 names today so that for this debate they could be part of the effort that Mr. Heinrich made reference to, so it is 426.

Many people would say, well, why do you and others want so badly to build that type of support? It is because, as Mr. Heinrich said, the Senate has always been the downfall of this effort, and I can honestly say, Mr. Speaker, that in the past 8 years there have been so many comments by people who support this legislation and groups, that I would just like to name a few in the time that I have.

First of all, this year alone, H.R. 24 has these associations that support it: The Fleet Reserve Association; the Marine Corps League; the National Defense Political Action Committee; National Association of Uniformed Services; Veterans of Foreign Wars; and Marine Parents.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to this, years ago in this effort that Mr. Heinrich made reference to, 8 years, I want to read just one statement from the Honorable Wade Sanders, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs. This is what he said, and I read verbatim:

``As a combat veteran and former Naval officer, I understand the importance of the team dynamic, and the importance of recognizing the contributions of team components. The Navy and Marine Corps team is just that, a dynamic partnership, and it is important to symbolically recognize the balance of that partnership.''

Mr. Speaker, in addition to that, I would like to share with the debate today, it caught me by surprise back in 2005 from your home State, I was notified that the Chicago Tribune had editorially supported this bill in 2006. I just want to read a paragraph.

``Step up for the Marines. The Marines have not asked for complete autonomy. Nothing structurally needs to change in their relationship with the Navy, which has served both branches well. The Corps only asks for recognition. Having served their Nation proudly and courageously since colonial days, the leathernecks have earned a promotion.''

I want to thank this House again. All we are saying is, the Marine Corps deserves recognition.

Mr. Speaker, if I could make a couple other points, and then I would reserve my time.

One of the opponents to this legislation is in the Senate. I looked up the history. He was a member of the class of 1958. In 1958, the football field at Annapolis was known as the Navy Memorial Football Stadium. After that distinguished gentleman graduated in 1959, they changed the name of the football stadium at Annapolis to the Navy- Marine Corps Memorial Football Stadium.

This year, when we were here on a weekend, I was watching the Notre Dame-Navy football game, and I noticed a jersey that Annapolis was wearing. I know you probably can't see this, but I can make my point.

Mr. Speaker, on the front it says ``Navy.'' On the left sleeve is the Marine Corps anchor and globe. On the right sleeve is the Navy anchor. They understand teamwork, they understand one fighting team, and the House understands one fighting team. That is why it is so important today that we are having this debate.

Again, I thank each and every one that has been part of this.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Schiff for those excellent remarks about this bill and the need for this proper recognition. Again, it is no more, no less than just recognizing the Marine Corps as part of one fighting team, the Navy and Marine Corps.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Schiff for also mentioning Gunnery Sergeant Lee Ermey, who has become the national spokesman. In fact, there is a Web site called MarineCause.Com that anybody that would like to see more about this issue and maybe join in on a petition, they could do that.

We did a news conference about 5 weeks ago with the Marine Corps League, and I want to thank Mike Blum and the League for hosting this news conference. It was in the Cannon Building. Lee Ermey came. He is quite an interesting American. He is quite a patriot as well.

At the news conference, the speakers that day, I made the opening remarks, and then Senator Pat Roberts, who has put a companion bill in on the Senate side, S. 504, and he himself is a retired Marine officer, he spoke.

Then we had this young man named Eddie Wright. I never will forget him. Eddie Wright lost both hands in Iraq for this country. He came, and at the news conference he told the story of how much he loved the Navy. He said,

``Here I am a Marine. I would have died without the corpsmen saving my life.'' He said, ``We are one family. That is why I think this legislation is so important.'' Again, Eddie Wright has lost both hands.

In addition, there was a father, Dick Lynn, from Richmond, Virginia. He was telling the story about when he received the condolence letter when his son died in Iraq for this country. This is the condolence letter. We have taken the names out of it. It is not the one that Mr. Lynn received. But it is just so ironic that the Marine family, whose son died for this country, that they receive a letter that says ``The Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C.,'' with a Navy flag, and it says, ``On behalf of the Department of Navy, please accept our very sincere condolences.''

A condolence letter certainly is important. But if this should become the law, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Lynn and every other family would receive a condolence letter that would say, ``The Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps,'' with the Navy flag and the Marine flag. ``On behalf of the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps, please accept my sincere condolences on the loss of your loved one.''

Mr. Lynn gave one example about the importance of ``team.'' He said, My father was a World War II Navy veteran. He is buried in Culpeper, Virginia. Next to my father is buried my son, who was in the United States Marine Corps. And on both headstones, the father, ``United States Navy,'' the son, ``United States Marine Corps.''

As I begin to close, I want to thank Mr. Heinrich for being on the floor today and Mr. Schiff for being on the floor today. I want to thank the chairman of the committee, Ike Skelton, for being a supporter of this for over 8 years. I want to thank Buck McKeon for being a supporter of this for over 8 years.

It is time that the Senate, I hope, will look at the fairness of this issue that will be sent to the United States Senate. That is all it is, is recognition and fairness to the United States Marine Corps, who are loved and endeared by the American people.

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

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

Today, I rise in support of the resolution introduced by my colleague on the Armed Services Committee, Representative Martin Heinrich, honoring the USS New Mexico as the sixth submarine of the Virginia class. The Virginia-class submarine program is the first class of U.S. Navy attack submarines to be designed for the variety of post-Cold War missions faced by our sea service. These vessels are capable of operating in the open ocean as well as the littorals, can travel at speeds in excess of 25 knots, and stay submerged for extended periods at sea.

The Secretary of the Navy named the U.S. Navy's sixth Virginia-class fast-attack, nuclear-powered submarine, designated SSN 779, the USS New Mexico in honor of the State of New Mexico. In addition, this name honors the legacy of the battleship USS New Mexico. The battleship New Mexico was the first turboelectric-driven battleship, serving both the Pacific and Atlantic theatres during World War II, and earning six battle stars.

Although the submarine USS New Mexico has only just been commissioned in March of this year, it is well on its way to living up to its namesake's legacy. She was built by Northrop Grumman Newport News in partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat and constructed 4 months ahead of schedule, achieving the shortest construction period of any Virginia-class submarine to date.

The naming of this latest submarine is also appropriate because the State of New Mexico and its two national security laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, have made significant contributions to the Nation's nuclear development, including the advancement of nuclear-powered submarines. For its own part, the State of New Mexico and its residents have embraced this vessel. In fact, in response to a contest, Ms. Emilee Sena, of Albuquerque, designed a crest for the USS New Mexico, as a senior at St. Pius X High School in 2007.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleague in honoring the USS New Mexico as one of the most advanced submarines in the history of the United States Navy and in commending all of the individuals and organizations who worked tirelessly to ensure that the latest Virginia- class submarine would bear the proud name of the State of New Mexico.

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

Madam Speaker, on April 12 of this year I had the honor and privilege of visiting the wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital with Jerome and Rachel Lee and their dog Lex. The Lees' son Dustin, a marine, was killed in Iraq in 2005. Lex was his military working dog and was severely injured in the attack.

The Lees are a remarkable family. They continue to visit the wounded warriors that return from Iraq and Afghanistan. This is how they remember their son. And they gave for this country a very special young man. The interaction between Lex and the wounded was amazing. To see these brave men and women smile at the sight of Lex was truly a touching experience for me personally. Lex is one of them and continues to fight through his injuries. The shrapnel still lies in his back. In fact, Lex has been awarded the Purple Heart.

The Lees also had a wonderful experience meeting retired United States Senator Bob Dole as he was recovering from an accident. Senator Dole was kind enough to invite the Lee family into his room at Walter Reed and speak with them for several minutes. It was truly remarkable as I watched former Senator Dole, a war hero himself, as he pet and bonded with Lex.

I would like to thank the Humane Society, who sponsored this trip for the Lee family, Connie Whitfield, wife of United States Congressman Ed Whitfield, who joined us on this tour. They, Mrs. Whitfield, and the United States Humane Society, went above and beyond for this family.

There are many other people to thank, but I would like to especially thank my dear friend Major General Mike Regner, who was very instrumental in uniting the Lees and Lex. Major General Regner is currently serving in Afghanistan, but I would like to note that he was remembered during the Lees' visit at Bethesda and Walter Reed. And the family is very grateful to him. Major General Regner helped them adopt Lex, their son's best friend and partner.

Madam Speaker, because of that trip that I took with the Lees to Bethesda and Walter Reed, and the number of young men and women both at Walter Reed and Bethesda who have been severely wounded for this country, I would like to close, as I normally do on the floor of the House, I would ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform. I will ask God to please bless the families of our men and women in uniform. I will ask God in His loving arms to hold the families who have given a child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. And I will ask God to please bless the House and Senate here in Washington that we would do what is right in the eyes of God for today's generation, but also tomorrow's generation. I will ask God to give strength, wisdom, and courage to President Obama that he will do what is right in the eyes of God for today's generation and tomorrow's generation.

Madam Speaker, I will ask three times, God, please, God, please, God, please continue to bless America.

Today, I was going through some of the newspapers on the Internet and I found a very interesting article that I wanted to bring to the floor. This was Newsweek, March 19, 2010, and the title is, ``The Gang That Could Not Shoot Straight.''

Six billion dollars later, the Afghan national police cannot begin to do their jobs right, never mind relieve American forces. I'm going to repeat that. Six billion dollars later, the Afghan national police cannot begin to do their jobs right, never mind relieve American forces.

Mr. Speaker, this is a rather long article, but I just want to read part tonight and I will read some tomorrow night, because I think about the men and women in uniform--God bless them all--over in Afghanistan and Iraq. I think about the situation they're in. I'm not an expert on history, but I know enough about history to know that any nation that ever tried to conquer Afghanistan never did. They basically failed.

From this article: America has spent more than $6 billion since 2002 in an effort to create an effective Afghan police force--buying weapons, building police academies, and hiring defense contractors to train the recruits--but the program has been a disaster. More than $332 million worth of invoices for police training were approved, even though the funds were poorly accounted for according to a government audit, and fewer than 12 percent of the country's police units are capable of operating on their own.

Let me repeat that. More than $332 million worth of invoices for police training were approved, even though the funds were poorly accounted for according to a government audit, and fewer than 12 percent of the country's police units are capable of operating on their own.

Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the State Department's top representative in the region, has publicly called the Afghan police an inadequate organization riddled with corruption. I'm going to also repeat that, Mr. Speaker. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the State Department's top representative in the region, has called the Afghan police an inadequate organization riddled with corruption.

During the Obama administration's review of Afghan policy last year, This issue received more attention than any other except for the question of U.S. troop levels, Holbrooke told Newsweek. We drilled down deep into this. The worst of it is that the police are central to Washington's plans for getting out of Afghanistan.

Mr. Speaker, I will again tomorrow night read another portion of this article. What it is saying--and what we in Congress need to keep in mind, we can't even fix the streets in my home town in eastern North Carolina, yet we're spending billions and billions and billions and billion of dollars in a country that at best is living in the 16th century.

We've debated health care this weekend. We have other issues we'll be debating. And even though these issues are very important to the American people, how in the world can we keep wearing out our troops overseas, spending billions and billions of dollars that we can't even spend here in America?

So, Mr. Speaker, as I do every night because my heart aches for the military and those who have lost their lives, the families, I will ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform. I will ask God to please bless the families of our men and women in uniform. I will ask God in His loving arms to hold the families who have given a child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq, and I will ask God to please bless the House and Senate that we will do what is right in the eyes of God.

I will ask God to give strength, wisdom and courage to President Obama that he will do what is right in the eyes of God. And three times I will say, God, please, God, please, God, please, continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, recently I introduced H.R. 4639, the Corporal Dustin Lee Memorial Act. What this bill would do is allow the adoption of military working dogs by the family of a deceased or seriously wounded member of the Armed Forces who was the dog's handler.

And, Mr. Speaker, beside me I have the poster of a family from Mississippi whose son was killed for this country, Dustin Lee. He was a dog handler in Iraq. He was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade, and his dog, Lex, was wounded.

The Marine Corps very kindly, at the funeral of Dustin Lee, carried Lex to be there with his master, and the family, Jerome, the daddy, and the mom, Rachel, asked the Marine Corps to please let the dog stay with them. The dog had two more years of service.

This was brought to my attention. I called a very dear friend of mine, General Mike Regner, who's now in Afghanistan, told him the situation and said, Mike, is there anything we can do to help the Lee family adopt this dog, Lex?

And so, long story short, Mr. Speaker, the Marine Corps contacted the Air Force, and the adoption took place 2 years ago in Albany, Georgia.

I have beside me a photograph taken by the family. Lex, the dog, is looking at the headstone that's got an engraving of Dustin Lee and Lex, and it says, ``In loving memory of Corporal Dustin Jerome Lee.''

Mr. Speaker, what happened was as soon as they got the dog home, Lex, the German Shepherd, they allowed Lex to sniff the boots of their son, Dustin, who had been killed, and then they took Lex to the cemetery. I've seen photographs of the cemetery. It's a rather large cemetery. And they took the dog, Lex, away from the area, then they let him out and said, Find Dustin; find Dustin. And the dog ran up to the headstone and laid down.

I hope that my colleagues will join me in this effort to allow a family of a deceased soldier, marine, airman, whomever, that maybe was a dog handler who was killed for this country, or the seriously wounded soldier, marine or airman or seaman who was wounded be able to adopt the dog without going through a long process.

So, Mr. Speaker, I again will ask my colleagues to please join us in

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 113, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, last week during the debate on Afghanistan, I spoke on the floor. I was in support of the resolution introduced by Mr. Kucinich, House Resolution 248, and I used in my remarks an article from Marine Corps Times of November 2, 2009. It says, ``Caution Killed My Son: Marine families blast `suicidal' tactics in Afghanistan.'' Sadly, Retired Marine First Sergeant John Bernard lost his son Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard, 19, who was killed in Afghanistan; and from that, his concern was that the rules of engagement have changed to such a point where our military is restricted in certain areas of what they can use in the way of defending themselves.

Well, after I read part of the article on the floor, it really got on my mind about, you know, what are we doing to our military if we're asking them to go to Afghanistan and fight, yet we tell them in certain situations, You cannot use your weapons? So I asked my staff to email a very dear friend of mine who is a retired senior military general. I wanted him to help me understand the rules of engagement. Well, the comments that he sent back really didn't speak to my question of rules of engagement, but I want to share with you part of his email back to my staff.

``As I wrote and mentioned to Congressman Jones before, trying to `win' in Afghanistan is a losing proposition. You are not dealing with a nation-state, nor are you dealing with state actors. Afghanistan is a tribal country, and we are involved in a tribal warfare. Bottom line: as I told Congressman Jones before, Afghanistan has been too tough a nut to crack for every nation that has ever tried to crack it. We need to figure out a way to honorably pack our bags and get out. It is not in our national interest to be there. Al Qaeda is the enemy . . . not some tribesmen who are loosely affiliated with something called the Taliban. Al Qaeda does not need Afghanistan to attack us. They play `whack-a-mole' . . . we beat them down in one location and they will pop up somewhere else. Case in point--Yemen. If we want to fight these guys, we need to fight like them. Hunter-killer teams supported by air and artillery . . . set ourselves up in the bad guys' backyard and hit them whenever they show their faces.''

Madam Speaker, before I close, I want to say again that I am concerned about the issue of rules of engagement. I intend to write the chairman of the Armed Services Committee and ask for hearings, because it's not fair to send our men and women overseas to fight for this country and then tell them that they're handcuffed. They can only shoot at certain times to defend themselves.

Madam Speaker, with that, before I yield back my time, as you know, I have signed over 9,000 letters to families and extended families who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq because I will go to my grave regretting that I voted to send our troops to Iraq. Madam Speaker, I ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform. I ask God to please bless the families of our men and women in uniform. I ask God in his loving arms to hold the families who have given a child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. And I will ask God to please bless the House and Senate, that we will do what is right in the eyes of God. And I will ask God to give wisdom, strength, and courage to the President of the United States, President Obama, that he will do what is right in the eyes of God. And I will ask three times, God please, God please, God please continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio, first, for presenting this resolution and, secondly, for fighting for so long to get us to have this debate. I want to say to Mr. Berman, thank you for agreeing to let this be debated.

I want to start by saying that Peggy Noonan has called for this debate in ``A `Necessary' War?'' I want to read this: ``So far, oddly, most of the debate over Afghanistan has taken place among journalists and foreign policy professionals.'' All of them have been honest in their opinions about the war in Afghanistan. But when you really look at the facts, nobody elected these people to debate the war. ``Washington has to get serious, and the American people have a right to know the facts and options.''

[From the Wall Street Journal, Oct. 10, 2009]

A `Necessary' War? The President and Congress, Distracted, Have Left a

Void

(By Peggy Noonan)

So far, oddly, most of the debate over Afghanistan has

taken place among journalists and foreign-policy

professionals. All power to them: They've been fighting it

out on op-ed pages and in journals for months now, in many

cases with a moral seriousness, good faith, and sense of

protectiveness toward the interests of the United States that

is, actually, moving. But nobody elected them. We need a

truly national debate.

So thank you both for allowing this debate to take place today. But I join my friends in saying that it's time to bring an end to this war. I have Camp Lejeune Marine Base in my district, Cherry Point Marine Air Station, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Brave men and women. God bless them all.

I want to start my comments and would like to share this with you from the Marine Corps Times, March 1, 2010: ``Left to Die. They called for help. `Negligent' Army leadership refused--and abandoned them on the battlefield.'' Four died, handcuffed to do their job for this country. That's awfully sad to me.

I would like to read also from the Marine Corps Times: ``Caution killed my son. Marine families blast `suicidal' tactics in Afghanistan.'' I would like to read the words from a father whose son died for this country. I would like to read the words of this man because he served in the Marine Corps, a sergeant himself. His frustration about how his son died because he was not helped led him to write to Admiral Mullen and also Senator Collins. This is his response back to the letters from Admiral Mullen and his response back to Susan Collins:

``Sergeant Bernard said the letter is `smoke and mirrors' and overlooks his consistent concern: A counterinsurgency strategy won't work as long as Afghanistan is filled with warring tribes that have no empathy for the United States and its way of life.''

He further stated in his letter to Senator Collins, ``I have already spoken to your office,'' and he further said, ``Don't let him,'' meaning Admiral Mullen, ``spin this crap.''

I'm quoting him now. These are not my words. This is what he said to Admiral Mullen. This is a father whose son died for this country. I repeat that:

``Don't let him spin this crap,'' Bernard said. ``There's no indication that Afghanistan has changed anywhere. Our mission should be very, very simple: Chase and kill the enemy.''

Well, I just gave you two examples of where we're not really fighting the war in Afghanistan. Because why in the world would those marines have been killed who were asking for cover, and yet the Army said, No, we can't give you cover because of our policy--and our policy is: We don't want to kill civilians. But as Sergeant Bernard said, and he's right--I've never been to war, let me be honest about it, but he has been to war and knows that war is ugly. It's mean. And therefore we're saying to our troops we're going to ``handcuff'' you, and we're going to do what we can to protect those in Afghanistan, but you might have to give your life and you couldn't even fire a gun. That is not what we should be doing in Afghanistan.

Last point, the book that's called ``The Three Trillion Dollar War,'' it is a book written by the economist Joe Stiglitz, and he says in the book that to take care of the wounded from Afghanistan and Iraq for the next 25 years, a minimum cost of $2 trillion.

I want to end with this story: Three years ago, three years ago, Congressman Gene Taylor and Walter Jones, myself, went to Walter Reed to visit the wounded, as many Members of Congress in both parties do. And we go into a room where a young man, 19 years old, had been shot in the neck, sitting in a wheelchair, will never walk again. As Gene and I speak to him and tell him we thank him so much for his service, his mom comes in and she looks at us like a deer in headlights.

Scared. She should be scared. She doesn't know what the future is for her son.

And then she said to Gene Taylor and myself, after we introduced ourselves, Can you guarantee me that this government will take care of my son 40 years from now? He is 19 years old.

And one of us said to her, This country should take care of your son 40 years from now. But you know what I would tell her today? I'm not sure we can take care of your son.

We need to understand we can't police the world anymore. It's time that we protect ourselves from the enemy, the terrorists. But going around the world and trying to police the world doesn't work anymore.

So I want to thank the gentleman for giving me this time. And I join you in this resolution and hope that these debates will continue and continue so we will meet our constitutional responsibility and we will be able to say one day to that 19-year-old soldier or marine: We will take care of you 40 years from now. Because right now we cannot do it.