granule_id,date,congress,session,volume,issue,title,chamber,granule_class,sub_granule_class,page_start,page_end,speakers,bills,citation,full_text CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgD1085-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Daily Digest/Senate Committee Meetings,SENATE,DAILYDIGEST,DDSCMEETINGS,D1085,D1085,,,158 Cong. Rec. D1085,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Daily Digest] [Page D1085] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Committee Meetings (Committees not listed did not meet) No committee meetings were held." CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgD1085,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Daily Digest/Highlights + Senate,SENATE,DAILYDIGEST,DDSCHAMBER,D1085,D1085,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""8""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""302""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""SRES"", ""number"": ""628""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""SRES"", ""number"": ""629""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""SRES"", ""number"": ""628""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""SRES"", ""number"": ""629""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6060""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6586""}]",158 Cong. Rec. D1085,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Daily Digest] [Page D1085] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Monday, December 31, 2012 [[Page D1085]] Daily Digest HIGHLIGHTS Senate passed H.R. 8, American Taxpayer Relief Act, as amended. Senate Chamber Action Routine Proceedings, pages S8557-S8610 Measures Introduced: Two resolutions were introduced, as follows: S. Res. 628-629. Pages S8589-90 Measures Passed: American Taxpayer Relief Act: By 89 yeas to 8 nays (Vote No. 251), Senate passed H.R. 8, to extend certain tax relief provisions enacted in 2001 and 2003, and to provide for expedited consideration of a bill providing for comprehensive tax reform, by the order of the Senate of Tuesday, January 1, 2013, 60 Senators having voted in the affirmative, and after taking action on the following amendments proposed thereto: Pages S8584-86 Adopted: Reid/McConnell Amendment No. 3448, in the nature of a substitute. Page S8585 Pryor (for Reid) Amendment No. 3450, to amend the title. Page S8586 Space Launch Liability Provisions: Senate passed H.R. 6586, to extend the application of certain space launch liability provisions through 2014, after agreeing to the following amendment proposed thereto: Pages S8608-09 Pryor (for Nelson (FL)/Hutchison) Amendment No. 3449, in the nature of a substitute. Page S8609 Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Extension Act: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6060, to amend Public Law 106-392 to maintain annual base funding for the Upper Colorado and San Juan fish recovery programs through fiscal year 2019, and the bill was then passed. Page S8609 Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline: Senate passed S. 302, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue right-of-way permits for a natural gas transmission pipeline in nonwilderness areas within the boundary of Denali National Park. Page S8609 Inter-Country Adoptions of Russian Children: Senate agreed to S. Res. 628, expressing the deep disappointment of the Senate in the enactment by the Russian Government of a law ending inter-country adoptions of Russian children by United States citizens and urging the Russia Government to reconsider the law and prioritize the processing of inter-country adoptions involving parentless Russian children who were already matched with United States families before the enactment of the law. Pages S8609-10 Authorize the Production of Records: Senate agreed to S. Res. 629, to authorize the production of records by the Committee on Armed Services. Page S8610 Messages from the House: Page S8588 Enrolled Bills Presented: Page S8588 Executive Communications: Pages S8588-89 Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions: Pages S8590-92 Additional Statements: Pages S8586-88 Amendments Submitted: Pages S8592-S8608 Record Votes: One record vote was taken today. (Total--251) Page S8585 Adjournment: Senate convened at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 31, 2012 and adjourned at 2:31 a.m. on Tuesday, January 1, 2013, until 2 p.m. on the same day. (For Senate's program, see the remarks of the Acting Majority Leader in today's Record on page S8610.)" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgD1086,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Daily Digest/House of Representatives,HOUSE,DAILYDIGEST,DDHCHAMBER,D1086,D1087,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""114""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""134""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""140""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HCONRES"", ""number"": ""145""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""193""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""264""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""443""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""499""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""752""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""834""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""970""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""1047""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""1421""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""1478""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""2015""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""2076""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3250""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3563""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3666""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3715""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4019""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4194""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6364""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6612""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6649""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6720""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6725""}]",158 Cong. Rec. D1086,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Daily Digest] [Pages D1086-D1087] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [[Page D1086]] House of Representatives Chamber Action Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 6 public bills, H.R. 6720-6725 were introduced, no resolutions were introduced today. Page H7516 Additional Cosponsors: Page H7516 Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows: H.R. 752, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Molalla River in the State of Oregon, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 112-735); H.R. 4194, to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that Alexander Creek, Alaska, is and shall be recognized as an eligible Native village under that Act, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 112-736); H.R. 4019, to increase employment and educational opportunities in, and improve the economic stability of, counties containing Federal forest land, while also reducing the cost of managing such land, by providing such counties a dependable source of revenue from such land, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 112-737, Pt. 1); Fourth Semiannual Report on the Activities of the Committee on House Administration (H. Rept. 112-738); and Summary of Activities of the Committee on Ethics for the 112th Congress (H. Rept. 112-739). Page H7516 Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Harper to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. Page H7471 Recess: The House recessed at 9:41 a.m. and reconvened at 10 a.m. Page H7475 Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013: S. 3454, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, by a \2/3\ yea- and-nay vote of 373 yeas to 29 nays, Roll No. 652; Pages H7479-85, H7512 Redesignating the Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range: H.R. 6612, to redesignate the Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 404 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 653; Pages H7485-91, H7512-13 Amending the Animal Welfare Act To Modify the Definition of ``Exhibitor'': S. 3666, to amend the Animal Welfare Act to modify the definition of ``exhibitor''; Page H7495 Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act: Concurred in the Senate amendment to H.R. 6364, to establish a commission to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I and to provide for the designation of memorials to the service of members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 401 yeas to 5 nays, Roll No. 654; Pages H7495-98, H7513-14 Calling on the New Government of Egypt To Honor the Rule of Law and Immediately Return Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States: H. Res. 193, amended, to call on the new Government of Egypt to honor the rule of law and immediately return Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States; and Pages H7506-08 Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ``Calling for the safe and immediate return of Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States.''. Page H7508 Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2012: H.R. 6649, amended, to provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients. Pages H7508-11 Recess: The House recessed at 1:37 p.m. and reconvened at 5:44 p.m. Page H7512 Suspensions--Proceedings Postponed: The House debated the following measures under suspension of the rules. Further proceedings were postponed: Providing for the Conveyance of Certain Property from the United States to the Maniilaq Association Located in Kotzebue, Alaska: Concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 443, to provide for the conveyance of certain property from the United States to the Maniilaq Association located in Kotzebue, Alaska; Page H7491 Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012: Concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 2076, to amend title 28, United States Code, to clarify the statutory authority for the longstanding practice of the Department of Justice of providing investigatory assistance on request of State and local authorities with respect to certain serious violent crimes; Pages H7491-95 [[Page D1087]] Calling for Universal Condemnation of the North Korean Missile Launch of December 12, 2012: H. Con. Res. 145, amended, to call for universal condemnation of the North Korean missile launch of December 12, 2012; Pages H7498-H7500 Condemning the Government of Iran for Its State-Sponsored Persecution of Its Baha'i Minority and Its Continued Violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights: H. Res. 134, amended, to condemn the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights; and Pages H7500-03 Urging the Governments of Europe and the European Union to Designate Hizballah as a Terrorist Organization and Impose Sanctions: H. Res. 834, to urge the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization and impose sanctions, and to urge the President to provide information about Hizballah to the European allies of the United States and to support the Government of Bulgaria in investigating the July 18, 2012, terrorist attack in Burgas. Pages H7503-06 Meeting Hour: Agreed that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 12 noon tomorrow. Page H7514 Senate Message: Message received from the Senate today appears on pages H7511-12. Senate Referrals: S. 140 was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and S. 114, S. 264, S. 499, S. 970, S. 1047, S. 1421, S. 1478, S. 2015, S. 3250, S. 3563, and S. 3715 were held at the desk. Pages H7511-12, H7514 Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H7512, H7513, H7513-14. There were no quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 9 a.m. and adjourned at 6:25 p.m." CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgD1087-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Daily Digest/COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR 2013-01-01,,DAILYDIGEST,DDCOMMITTEEMEETINGS,D1087,D1087,,,158 Cong. Rec. D1087,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Daily Digest] [Page D1087] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2013 (Committee meetings are open unless otherwise indicated) Senate No meetings/hearings scheduled. House No meetings are scheduled." CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgD1087-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Daily Digest/Next Meeting of the SENATE + Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES + Other End Matter,SENATE,DAILYDIGEST,DDENDMATTER,D1087,D1088,,,158 Cong. Rec. D1087,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Daily Digest] [Pages D1087-D1088] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (USPS 087-390). The Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, D.C. The public proceedings of each House of Congress, as reported by the Official Reporters thereof, are printed pursuant to directions of the Joint Committee on Printing as authorized by appropriate provisions of Title 44, United States Code, and published for each day that one or both Houses are in session, excepting very infrequent instances when two or more unusually small consecutive issues are printed one time. Public access to the Congressional Record is available online through the U.S. Government Printing Office, at www.fdsys.gov, free of charge to the user. The information is updated online each day the Congressional Record is published. For more information, contact the GPO Customer Contact Center, U.S. Government Printing Office. Phone 202-512-1800, or 866-512-1800 (toll-free). E-Mail, contactcenter@gpo.gov. To place an order for any of these products, visit the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at: bookstore.gpo.gov. Mail orders to: Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 979050, St. Louis, MO 63197-9000, or phone orders to 866-512 091800 (toll-free), 202-512-1800 (D.C. area), or fax to 202-512-2104. Remit check or money order, made payable to the Superintendent of Documents, or use VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or GPO Deposit Account. Following each session of Congress, the daily Congressional Record is revised, printed, permanently bound and sold by the Superintendent of Documents in individual parts or by sets. With the exception of copyrighted articles, there are no restrictions on the republication of material from the Congressional Record. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Record, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, along with the entire mailing label from the last issue received. [[Page D1088]] _______________________________________________________________________ Next Meeting of the SENATE 2 p.m., Tuesday, January 1 Senate Chamber Program for Tuesday: Senate will be in a period of morning business until 3:30 p.m. Next Meeting of the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 12 p.m., Tuesday, January 1 House Chamber Program for Tuesday: To be announced. _______________________________________________________________________ Extensions of Remarks, as inserted in this issue HOUSE Bilbray, Brian P., Calif., E2023 Bonner, Jo, Ala., E2015 Burton, Dan, Ind., E2021 Clarke, Hansen, Mich., E2015 Fitzpatrick, Michael G., Pa., E2021, E2023, E2025 Fortenberry, Jeff, Nebr., E2018 Frank, Barney, Mass., E2019, E2024 Gallegly, Elton, Calif., E2017, E2020, E2023 Gerlach, Jim, Pa., E2015 Hochul, Kathleen C., N.Y., E2020 Kaptur, Marcy, Ohio, E2020 Lance, Leonard, N.J., E2024 McCarthy, Kevin, Calif., E2023 McCollum, Betty, Minn., E2018 Pence, Mike, Ind., E2024 Quigley, Mike, Ill., E2025 Reichert, David G., Wash., E2021 Rothman, Steven R., N.J., E2015 Smith, Lamar, Tex., E2016 Van Hollen, Chris, Md., E2017 Visclosky, Peter J., Ind., E2015" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgD1087,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Daily Digest/House Committee Meetings,HOUSE,DAILYDIGEST,DDHCMEETINGS,D1087,D1087,,,158 Cong. Rec. D1087,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Daily Digest] [Page D1087] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] Committee Meetings No hearings were held. Joint Meetings No joint committee meetings were held." CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2015-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PERSONAL EXPLANATION,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,PERSONALEXPLAIN,E2015,E2015,"[{""name"": ""Peter J. Visclosky"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""3159""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3203""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4057""}]",158 Cong. Rec. E2015,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2015] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PERSONAL EXPLANATION ______ HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY of indiana in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, on December 30, 2012, I was absent from the House and missed rollcall votes 649, 650, and 651. Had I been present for rollcall vote 649, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended, H.R. 3159, the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I been present for rollcall vote 650, on the motion to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 4057, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive policy to improve outreach and transparency to veterans and members of the Armed Forces through the provision of information on institutions of higher learning, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I been present for rollcall vote 651, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 3203, the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act, I would have voted ``yes.'' ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2015-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,HONORING THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,HONORING,E2015,E2015,"[{""name"": ""Steven R. Rothman"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2015,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2015] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS ______ HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN of new jersey in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Republic of Cyprus as it finishes out its first rotation of the European Union Presidency. For a small country like Cyprus, this is a significant event in their history and I want to recognize one of their Presidency's major accomplishments. I would like to thank Cyprus for successfully overseeing the implementation of new European Union sanctions that were imposed on Iran to target their nuclear and ballistic missile program. Iran continues to be a threat to the United States, Europe, and our closest ally in the Middle East--the Jewish State of Israel. These sanctions will go a long way towards ensuring further stability in the Middle East and helping Israel to maintain its security. These are the toughest sanctions yet to be imposed by the EU and I believe they will work in concert with those imposed by the U.S. Congress. Again, I'd like to congratulate the Republic of Cyprus for its oversight of this implementation and overall for a successful first rotation as EU President. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2015-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PERSONAL EXPLANATION,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,PERSONALEXPLAIN,E2015,E2015,"[{""name"": ""Jim Gerlach"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2015,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2015] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PERSONAL EXPLANATION ______ HON. JIM GERLACH of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker, on December 30, 2012, I unfortunately missed three recorded votes on the House floor. Had I been present, I would have voted AYE on Rollcall 649, AYE on Rollcall 650, and AYE on Rollcall 651. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2015-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,COMPETITIVENESS AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2015,E2015,"[{""name"": ""Hansen Clarke"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2015,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2015] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] COMPETITIVENESS AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING ______ HON. HANSEN CLARKE of michigan in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. CLARKE of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, after decades of decline, American manufacturing is now on the rebound. The United States created nearly half a million manufacturing jobs between 2010 and 2012. This recovery is critical for cities like my hometown of Detroit and for America's economy as a whole, but sustaining it will require coordinated comprehensive action. Thankfully, the nation can count on inspired and visionary leadership from both the public and private sectors to sustain the development of advanced manufacturing industries that create high-quality exports and well-paying jobs. I commend President Obama's commitment to creating a million new manufacturing jobs by 2016 through new investments in technological research and development as well as sensible policies like the elimination of tax deductions for companies that outsource manufacturing overseas. I also commend important private sector voices who are leading the way to America's manufacturing renaissance. Andrew Liveris, the head of Dow Chemical and author of Make It in America: The Case for Re-Inventing the Economy has argued persuasively for a new national economic strategy that rests on a range of innovative ideas. In particular, he calls for a more coherent and comprehensive approach to national energy policy and greater reliance on alternative energy sources. This is essential because the cost and volatility of traditional energy sources like imported oil are a major drag on the nation's industrial productivity. Mr. Liveris additionally calls for new investments in workers' skills in order to boost the nation's productivity and guarantee world-class living standards. An intellectual leader and prominent figure in American business, Mr. Liveris and his proposals should command respect and attention across the political spectrum. The Council on Competitiveness--a non-profit non-partisan coalition composed of CEOs, labor leaders, and university presidents--has likewise developed a vital and comprehensive proposal to spur American economic renewal. Their new report, ``A Clarion Call for Competitiveness,'' is a roadmap for Congress and the Administration to boost manufacturing and create well-paying jobs in the decades ahead. Among other recommendations, the Council urges federal leaders to double investments in technological research, increase efforts to commercialize America's scientific discoveries, strengthen apprenticeship programs for advanced manufacturing, speed-up the development of manufacturing ``clusters'' built around leading research centers around the nation, and ensure the quality of America's roads, bridges, and digital connections by authorizing the Export-Import Bank to fund domestic infrastructure projects. These ideas--which come from both Democrats and Republicans and both private and public sectors--are unique in today's civic debate for a simple reason: they offer hope. I call on Congress to implement these innovative proposals in the 113th Congress for the sake of our workers, our businesses, and our nation's long-term economic future. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2015-6,2012-12-31,112,2,,,"TRIBUTE TO RETIRED REAR ADMIRAL JAMES LLOYD ABBOT, JR.",HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,TRIBUTETO,E2015,E2016,"[{""name"": ""Jo Bonner"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2015,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2015-E2016] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] TRIBUTE TO RETIRED REAR ADMIRAL JAMES LLOYD ABBOT, JR. ______ HON. JO BONNER of alabama in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the devoted service and the remarkable life of an American patriot and a great Alabamian, retired Rear Admiral James Lloyd Abbot, Jr., who passed away on August 10, 2012, at the age of 94. A distinguished World War II veteran, a much-decorated Naval officer and leader in American exploration of Antarctica, James Lloyd Abbot, Jr., was born in Mobile on June 26, 1918. He attended Murphy High School, Spring Hill College and the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated and was commissioned Ensign on June 1, 1939. In 1939, he first reported for duty aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6), later transferring to the destroyer USS Gilmer (DD- 233). In 1943, he assumed command of Scouting Squadron 66 and was awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands from November 1943 through January 1944. In May 1961, he became Commanding Officer of the USS Intrepid (CVA- 11), which, under his command, won the Air Force, Atlantic Fleet Battle Efficiency Pennant for the fiscal year 1962. Under his command, the USS Intrepid was the recovery ship for Astronaut Scott Carpenter after his 3-orbit flight in May 1962. In February 1967, shortly before advancing in rank to Rear Admiral, he assumed command of the U.S. Naval Support Force, Antarctica; charged with the responsibility of insuring the success and safety of all United [[Page E2016]] States operations on that continent. Under his command the first oceanographic study was conducted far into the ice-covered Weddell Sea. Furthermore, Palmer Station, which was successfully completed and opened by Rear Admiral Abbot on schedule in 1968, was the first permanent United States presence in the Antarctica Peninsula. The Abbot Ice Shelf in Antarctica was named in his honor. His exemplary service, spanning nearly four decades, garnered him many medals commendations. In addition to the Legion of Merit with Gold Star, the Air Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal, Rear Admiral Abbot was awarded the American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Navy Occupation Service Medal, Europe Clasp; the National Defense Service Medal with bronze star; and the Antarctica Service Medal. After his retirement from the Navy in 1974, he returned to an active life in Mobile where he was a member of the USS Alabama Battleship Commission and Foundation and served on the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2011, Rear Admiral Abbot was named Patriot of the Year by the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Day Commission. He was also the first inductee into the Murphy High School Hall of Fame. On behalf of the people of Alabama, I wish to extend condolences to his sons, Retired U.S. Navy Captain J. Lloyd Abbot III, and retired U.S. Navy Admiral Steve Abbot, his five grandchildren, extended family and many friends. We will be forever indebted to his exemplary devotion to and service of our nation. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2016,2012-12-31,112,2,,,CORRECTING AND IMPROVING THE LEAHY-SMITH AMERICA INVENTS ACT,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2016,E2017,"[{""name"": ""Lamar Smith"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2016,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2016-E2017] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CORRECTING AND IMPROVING THE LEAHY-SMITH AMERICA INVENTS ACT ______ speech of HON. LAMAR SMITH of texas in the house of representatives Sunday, December 30, 2012 Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following. Section-by-Section Summary (a) Advice of Counsel. The AIA's section 17 created a new Sec. 298 of title 35 that bars the use of evidence of an accused infringer's failure to obtain advice of counsel, or his failure to waive privilege and introduce such opinion, to prove either willfulness or intent to induce infringement. Section 17, however, neglected to specify when this new authority became effective. As a result, Sec. 298 is subject to the default effective date at section 35 of the AIA, and applies only to patents issued one year or later after enactment of the AIA. This subsection makes Sec. 298 applicable to all civil actions commenced after the enactment of this Act. (b) Transitional Program for CBMs. This subsection corrects two scrivener's errors in section 18 of the AIA. These changes have no substantive effect. (c) Joinder of Parties. This subsection corrects a scrivener's error in the new Sec. 299 of title 35. This change has no substantive effect. (d) Dead Zones. This subsection fixes two provisions that inadvertently make it impossible to seek either post-grant or inter partes review of a patent during certain time periods. Section 311(c) of title 35 bars anyone from seeking inter partes review of a patent during the first nine months after the patent issues, or until a post-grant review of a patent is completed if such review is instituted. Section 311(c) was intended to preclude challengers from using IPR during the period when they can instead use PGR. The problem with the provision is that, during Senate floor consideration of the AIA in March 2011, another provision was added to the bill via the managers' amendment that allows only first-to-file patents to be challenged in PGR. This provision, at section 6(f)(2)(A) of the AIA, was intended to allow USPTO a longer period to prepare to conduct PGR proceedings, and to exclude patents that raise discovery-intensive invention-date and loss-of-right-to-patent issues from PGR. However, Sec. 311(c) takes effect and applies to all petitions for IPR that are filed on or after September 16, 2012. Yet for several years thereafter, almost all patents that are issued will still be first-to-invent patents. And under Sec. 311(c) of title 35, these patents cannot be challenged in IPR during the first 9 months after their issuance, while under section 6(f)(2) of the AIA, these patents cannot be challenged in PGR. Paragraph (1) eliminates this nine month ``dead zone'' by making Sec. 311(c) inapplicable to patents that are first-to-invent patents and are thus ineligible for PGR. Paragraph (2) addresses another dead zone that is unique to reissue patents. Under Sec. 311(c) of title 35, IPR cannot be sought during the nine months after a patent is reissued. This limit was imposed in order to force challengers to bring a PGR challenge (rather than IPR) against what is, in effect, a new patent. However, Sec. 325(f) of title 35 then bars a challenge to any claim in a reissue patent that is ``identical'' to or ``narrower'' than the claims in the original patent. As a result, such ``identical'' or ``narrower'' claims could not be reviewed in either a PGR or an IPR during the nine months after a reissue. Paragraph (2) eliminates this dead zone by repealing section 311(c)(1)'s limit on filing a petition for inter partes review after a patent has been reissued. (e) Correct Inventor. This subsection amends the authorization of settlement in derivation proceedings to refer to ``correct inventor'' in the singular, out of recognition of the fact that it is the entire inventive entity that must be named in the settlement agreement. This change has no substantive effect. (f) Required Oath. Paragraph (1) liberalizes the time allowed for an applicant to file the required oath or alternative statement, allowing him to file as late as payment of the issue fee (rather than requiring filing prior to allowance). Paragraph (2) corrects Sec. 115(g)(1) by using ``that claims'' rather than ``who claims,'' since the antecedent for these words is ``application'' rather than ``inventor.'' Paragraph (2)'s change has no substantive effect. (USPTO requests.) (g) Travel Expenses and Payment of Administrative Judges. Section 21 of the AIA, which makes minor changes to the law regarding the compensation of USPTO employees for travel and the payment of APJs, was not given its own effective date. This subsection makes these provisions effective upon enactment of the AIA. (h) Patent Term Adjustments. This subsection clarifies and improves certain requirements for seeking patent-term adjustments. These changes allow USPTO to provide notice of its PTA determination at the same time as the grant of a patent, and effectively require an applicant who wishes to pursue a civil action under paragraph (4)(A) of Sec. 154(b) to exhaust remedies provided under paragraph 3(B)(ii). These changes are minor, and only apply prospectively to PTAs that are determined and to Sec. 154(b)(4)(A) actions that are commenced after the enactment of this Act. (USPTO request.) The Committee is aware that the district court for the Eastern District of Virginia, on November 1 of this year, issued a decision in the case of Exelixis v. Kappos that appears to have adopted a highly problematic interpretation of the patent term adjustment allowed by Sec. 154(b)(1)(B). For reasons that remain unclear, the court concluded that continuations and other events described in the ``not including'' clauses of that subparagraph should not be excluded from the subparagraph's calculation of patent term adjustment, but instead must be read only to toll the three- year clock that determines when patent term adjustment begins to accrue under subparagraph (B). The district court's interpretation of subparagraph (B) thus would allow patent term adjustment to accrue for any continued examination sought after the three-year clock has run. Such a result, of course, would allow applicants to postpone their patent's expiration date through dilatory prosecution, the very submarine-patenting tactic that Congress sought to preclude in 1994 when it adopted a 20-year patent term that runs from an application's effective filing date. Despite the absurd and undesirable results that would appear to flow from the district court's interpretation, the Committee declines to address this matter at this time. This case was brought to the Committee's attention only very recently, precluding the thorough consideration and consultation that is appropriate before legislation is enacted. Moreover, Congress is not in the business of immediately amending the United States Code in response to every nonfinal legal error made by a trial court. The Committee, of course, reserves the right to address this matter in the future. In the meantime, the fact that the present bill does not amend Sec. 154(b) to address the Exelixis decision should not be construed as congressional acquiescence in or agreement with the reasoning of that decision. (i) Improper Applicant. This subsection repeals an unnecessary limitation on who may file an international application designating the United States. (USPTO request.) (j) Financial Management Clarifications. This subsection makes several technical changes to Sec. 42 of title 35, concerning USPTO funding. These changes: (1) ensure that the rule requiring that patent fees be spent for patent purposes also applies to RCE fees; and (2) ensure that all USPTO administrative costs will be covered by either patent fees or trademark fees. (USPTO request.) (k) Derivation Proceedings. Currently, the third sentence of Sec. 135(a) will allow a derivation proceeding to be sought only within the year after the victim's claim that has been the target of derivation has published. It is possible, however, that a deriver could file first, but delay claiming the derived material until more than a year has elapsed after the victim's claims have published, in other words, until after the current deadline has lapsed. The changes made by this subsection preclude such a scenario by requiring the proceeding to be sought during the year after the publication of the deriver's claim to the invention. These changes also add a definition of ``earlier application'' to Sec. 135(a), correct inconsistencies in the AIA's version of Sec. 135(a), and authorize the PTAB to conduct, and the courts to hear appeals of, interferences commenced after the effective date of the AIA's amendments to Sec. 135(a). (USPTO request.) (I) Terms of Public Advisory Committee Members. This subsection makes the terms of PPAC and TPAC members run for 3 years [[Page E2017]] from a fixed date (rather than from the date that they are appointed), and requires Chairmen and Vice Chairmen to be designated from among existing members. (Current law designates only a Chairman and gives him a 3-year term.) These changes will produce better coordination of members' terms, will allow experienced Chairmen to be appointed without requiring such individuals to serve two 3-year terms, and will provide for automatic replacement of a Chairman who does not complete his term of service. (AIPLA request.) (m) Report on pre-GATT Applications. The URAA amendments took effect on June 8, 1995 but were made inapplicable to applications filed before that effective date. Unfortunately, a small number of applicants may have engaged in clearly dilatory behavior and continue to maintain pending applications with effective-filing dates that precede the URAA effective date. It is highly unlikely that the 103d Congress ever conceived that its amendments to Sec. 154(a) would remain inapplicable to applications still pending in this Congress. The issuance of any such patent at this late date would be grossly prejudicial to the public. Many of these applications claim invention dates in the 1980s, and some even claim priority dates in the 1970s. To remove such technology from the public domain in 2012 would work a clear injustice on the public, and would bear no relation to the patent system's purpose of promoting the progress of science and the useful arts. An earlier version of this Act included a provision that would have required these applicants to complete prosecution of these applications promptly after the enactment of the Act. To avoid controversy that might delay the enactment of this Act, the present Act substitutes the earlier proposal with a requirement that USPTO issue a report that will provide Congress and the public with relevant information about these applications. The Committee expects that the report will contribute to an understanding of whether these applications present special circumstances that require further legislative, executive, or judicial action in order to ensure transparency and protect the public's interests. (n) Micro Entity Definition. This subsection corrects a scrivener's error in the AIA's definition of the ``micro entities'' that are entitled to a fee reduction. This change has no substantive effect. (o) Default Effective Date. This subsection provides that the amendments made by this Act apply to proceedings commenced on or after the enactment of the Act, except where the provisions of the Act include their own effective date or modify an existing law's effective date. Other Issues for Future Consideration Post-Grant Review Could-Have-Raised Estoppel. The version of post-grant review that was enacted by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act bars a petitioner who completes such a review from challenging any of the claims of the patent that were reviewed in the proceeding on any ground that the petitioner ``could have raised'' in the post-grant review. Although this broad estoppel first appeared in the bill that was reported by the House Judiciary Committee in June 2011, no amendment adopted by the committee authorized such a change. The change appears to have been made by staff charged with making technical corrections to the bill, who apparently assumed that the omission of could-have-raised estoppel in Sec. 325(e)(2) was an oversight. The application of a civil-litigation could-have-raised estoppel to PGR would cripple that proceeding if it is not corrected. All validity issues can be raised in PGR, and must be raised during the first nine months of the patent's life and without the benefit of discovery. Thus if could-have- raised estoppel were applied to PGR, a PGR challenger would effectively have to waive the possibility of raising any validity defense against the patent if he is later sued for infringement--and all without an opportunity to adequately investigate enablement and other discovery-intensive issues. In order to ensure that the post-grant review system that USPTO has recently implemented does not simply become a white elephant, it is important that this scrivener's error be corrected in the future. And, lest anyone suggest that the correction of this error is properly regarded as controversial, allow me to note that this correction would simply conform the PGR estoppel provisions to those of the bill that passed the Senate on March 8, 2011, by a vote of 95-5. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2017-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,IN TRIBUTE TO MY STAFF,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,TRIBUTETO,E2017,E2018,"[{""name"": ""Elton Gallegly"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2017,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2017-E2018] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] IN TRIBUTE TO MY STAFF ______ HON. ELTON GALLEGLY of california in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to the men and women who work day after day, and often on nights and weekends, that I may best serve the people of California's 24th Congressional District. During my 26 years in Congress, I have hired the best self-starters I could find who have a proven track record of caring for the people for whom they serve. As a result, I have one of the smallest staffs of any Member of Congress. As proof of their dedication and professionalism, I also have one of the lowest turnover rates of any Member of Congress. My district director, Paula Sheil, started with me in 1972 in the private sector and has run my district office since I was first elected to Congress. In addition to running the day-to-day operations of my district office, Paula brings me back to earth and redirects my energies when I get off-kilter. As my district chief of staff for 20 years, Brian Miller served as my surrogate in the district when I was in Washington, DC. He knows everyone, everyone knows him, and he has been instrumental in my knowledge of the needs and concerns of the county, cities, districts, organizations and individuals throughout the district. Tina Cobb has been handling my casework for 20 years. If a constituent has a problem and Tina can not solve it, it cannot be solved. She knows the ins and outs of our Federal agencies and can cut through red tape like no one else. Myrna Vafee joined my district staff 6 years ago. In addition to doing case work, Myrna does all the chores necessary to keep an office running, from sorting mail to greeting constituents. Her smile immediately puts people at ease. Thomas Widroe has been my deputy district director for 2 years, working from my Solvang office and acting as my eyes and ears in the North County. Joel Kassiday has been my chief of staff in Washington, DC, for 11 years. Joel is the epitome of efficiency. I have learned to be very careful before I ask Joel to undertake a task because he has it done before you have a chance to change your mind. Marianne Brant, my executive assistant, has been with me for 6 years. Marianne's primary responsibility is to maintain my schedule and to make sure I am where I am supposed to be. There probably is no tougher job in a congressional office and Marianne does it with poise, efficiency, and an ever-present smile. Richard Mereu, my chief counsel and administrative assistant, has been a trusted advisor for 18 years. He has served as my staff director on the subcommittees I've chaired on both the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees, in addition to advising me on a wide range of legislative issues. Tom Pfeifer joined my staff 14 years ago after 15 years as a journalist in my district. Tom's knowledge of the media, the people, the issues, and the politics of the district has made him a valuable resource in my D.C. office. Cecilia Daly has been my legislative counsel for 6 years. Cecilia is a master researcher who takes great pleasure in tutoring our interns on that skill. Kenneth Steinhardt first came to my office as an intern and came to work for me full time 7 years ago. Kenny is a bulldog on legislation. He builds coalitions on and off the Hill to move a bill and does not let up. RJ Hauman is my newest staff member. As staff assistant, he is often the first person a constituent interacts with in my D.C. office. Mr. Speaker, this is just my current staff. I have had many other great staffers over the years, but to try to name them all would take too long. Suffice it to say that I am grateful for their service as well. These are the best of the [[Page E2018]] best, and I know my colleagues join me in thanking them for their service and in wishing them well in their new endeavors. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2017,2012-12-31,112,2,,,DEPARTMENT OF STATE REWARDS PROGRAM UPDATE AND TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS ACT OF 2012,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2017,E2017,"[{""name"": ""Chris Van Hollen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2017,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2017] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DEPARTMENT OF STATE REWARDS PROGRAM UPDATE AND TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS ACT OF 2012 ______ speech of HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN of maryland in the house of representatives Sunday, December 30, 2012 Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor of the State Department Rewards Program Update Act to thank my House colleagues Representatives Berman and Ros-Lehtinen for their collaboration on the bill and also to thank Senator Kerry for introducing and managing the Senate companion. This measure expands on the authority of the State Department to issue rewards for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of people accused of the commission of armed terrorist attacks, drug trafficking, cybercrimes, animal poaching and transnational organized crimes. I added my name as a cosponsor to the bill because I hoped it would contribute to existing international efforts to capture Joseph Kony, the guerrilla leader of the Lord's Resistance Army who has abducted, tortured, abused and forced thousands of children into a life of brutal violence and sexual slavery. Though one of Kony's top lieutenants has been captured, Kony remains on the run. With the passage of this measure, more resources will be made available to help bring him to justice. I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of the bill. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2018-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4310--THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2018,E2019,"[{""name"": ""Betty McCollum"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4310""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4310""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""5652""}]",158 Cong. Rec. E2018,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2018-E2019] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4310--THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013 _____ HON. BETTY McCOLLUM of minnesota in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply disappointed that I must rise in opposition to the Conference Report on H.R. 4310, the FY13 National Defense Authorization Act. America's men and women in uniform deserve, and Congress must pass, legislation that provides them with the resources they need to preserve our national security. Unfortunately, this bill does not reflect the range of 21st-Century threats the United States must prepare for, nor does it reflect the urgent fiscal crisis this Congress must address. What this massive $633 billion defense bill does reflect, however, are disastrously misplaced priorities. On May 10th of this year, House Republicans passed the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act (H.R. 5652), which exempts the Pentagon from $55 billion in automatic spending cuts agreed to in last year's Budget Control Act (P.L. 112-25). How did they propose to do it? By cutting over $310 billion from domestic programs. These were cuts to nutrition assistance programs for low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and working families; cuts that will deny more than 200,000 low-income children their school lunches; cuts to the Meals on Wheels program critical to disabled seniors, and cuts to programs that protect vulnerable and abused children. These will have a real and severe impact on American families. Instead of asking the Pentagon to make tough choices and eliminate wasteful spending programs, House Republicans would rather balance the budget on the backs of our Nation's most vulnerable citizens. Here is just one example of Pentagon spending that House Republicans are protecting by cutting programs for low-income children, seniors, and working families: in this fiscal year, the Department of Defense plans to spend $389 million for its 150 military bands and more than 5,000 full-time, professional military musicians. This is a prime example of excessive military spending that we simply do not need, and can no longer afford. Earlier this year, the House passed my bipartisan amendment to this bill limiting the amount the military spends annually on military bands to no more than $200 million--not an insignificant sum. I am very disappointed to see that this language was not included in the Conference Report. This smart cut would have continued to provided $200 million for military bands in fiscal year 2013, ensuring that America would maintain its strong tradition of military bands, while saving taxpayers $2 billion over the next decade. Lastly, the Conference Report does virtually nothing to correct the civil liberties abuses passed in last year's defense authorization bill. House and Senate Conferees stripped a bipartisan amendment offered by Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Lee (R-UT) which would have helped ensure that no one can be denied a fair trial and detained indefinitely when they are captured in the United States. I am appalled that this commonsense amendment to protect the most basic American civil liberties was not included in the legislation before us today. Mr. Speaker, there are several positive provisions of this bill that I support, including the continuance of DOD clean energy programs, lifting restrictions on servicewomen's access to reproductive health care, and addressing military sexual assault. It also takes steps that would help eliminate hazing in the military and prevents any increase in new TRICARE fees. Unfortunately, the underlying legislation contains too much wasteful spending and does not correct the egregious human abuses that were part of the fiscal year 2012 bill. One of our primary duties as Members of Congress is to provide the resources and policy guidance necessary to protect our Nation. We must make certain that every dollar in this bill contributes to our national defense. It is time for tough choices and smart cuts that save taxpayer dollars, even at the Pentagon. Wasteful and excessive Pentagon spending is no longer acceptable as low income families, seniors, and disabled Americans to go without the critical services. I urge my colleagues oppose this legislation. [[Page E2019]] ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2018,2012-12-31,112,2,,,"DAWSON, YOU ARE SO AWESOME, YOU ARE SO DAWSOME, AS CAN BE! IN HONOR OF DAWSON COX AND HIS COURAGE AND HIS BATTLE",HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,HONORING,E2018,E2018,"[{""name"": ""Jeff Fortenberry"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2018,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2018] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DAWSON, YOU ARE SO AWESOME, YOU ARE SO DAWSOME, AS CAN BE! IN HONOR OF DAWSON COX AND HIS COURAGE AND HIS BATTLE _____ HON. JEFF FORTENBERRY of nebraska in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize one of Lincoln, Nebraska's most courageous sons, and one of my constituents, Dawson Cox. I had the honor to take him and his sisters Stevie and Nessa on the floor of the House during our vote, and spend time with him and his family. Dawson's Make A Wish, was to come to Washington D.C. and visit the new Dr. King Jr. Memorial, and to stand on the very spot where the I Have A Dream speech was given. Dr. King is his hero. And Dr. King would be proud of Dawson too for his courage! Dawson toured the Capitol, and met many members of Congress and one of the House's true Icon's John Lewis. Congressman Lewis, is the only surviving member left who spoke on that day. His new friend Bert, was so impressed with his courage and faith, and his spirit, that he penned this poem in his honor. Our prayers and our thoughts go out to Dawson and his family, during his most courageous battle. Dawson, You Are So Awesome, You Are So Dawsome, As Can Be! Dawson! You are so Awesome! You are so Dawsome! As Can Be! You're Major ``D''! For you are one of Nebraska's, most courageous of all sons so to be! Yea, you are a Husker! Who can so muster! The will and the courage, and the faith to so overcome! To Fight The Good Fight! As Thy Will Be Done! With all of your might! For inside of you, but shines such a light! For You are Major! You're Major ``D'', and yet your so young! And mini me, you so complete me! You see, because heroes come in all shapes and sizes, but it's all about what's within their hearts, that which so comprises . . . Of what they so can be! He's The Man! Even Washington has his initials DC, Dawson Cox understand! Because, In The Game of Life . . . Dawson, you are a winner so very bright! And if ever I had a son, I so wish that he could be like you this one! With that smile, that tells me all the while, that the heart of a champion so beats in this one! And when you walked on that House floor, they say the ratings on Cspan shot up so much more! That's because you are Major ``D''! And you are so Awesome Mr. Dawson can't you see! For you are as brave as can be, as any Navy, Air Force, Army, or United States Marine! Because, you and your families just like them and theirs, fight a war and the good fight continually! For you are all so much alike in so many ways! And yet Dawson, you are just a little boy! Who out of such heartache can still find so much joy! And yet, already so much you so understand! And what we could so learn from you, if we but so walked hand in hand! If Dr. King, is a King Among Men! Then, you Dawson . . . are but a Prince Among Children! For he's for MLK Jr., all the way Heroes, our children should not so have to be, but sometimes this is what our Lord has chosen for us to teach! To be inspired! To take and lift our hearts higher! To show us all that against all odds they never tire! All in their profiles of courage don't you see? And to remind us to hold our families close! To so remember what so but means the most! And to against all odds to always so believe! And, that is why . . . with tear in eye Dawson you so complete me! Dawson! You Are So Awesome! You Are So Dawsome! So Dawsome As Can Be! Because, it's with your heart you so run! On earth as it will be in Heaven, as Thy Will Be Done! And that smile, and that wit, and that mind, so very creative and so quick I'll carry with me every day! Because, you are my new best friend. . . Dawson, your Major ``D'' . . . And you are as Awesome as Awesome so can be! ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2019,2012-12-31,112,2,,,"RICHARD ARMEY'S $8,000,000 GOLDEN PARACHUTE",HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2019,E2020,"[{""name"": ""Barney Frank"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2019,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2019-E2020] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] RICHARD ARMEY'S $8,000,000 GOLDEN PARACHUTE ______ HON. BARNEY FRANK of massachusetts in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, given the role that former Majority Leader Richard Armey has played in significantly increasing the role in militant conservatives in the Republican party, the article in the Washington Post on December 25 is important information that all Members should know. [From The Washington Post, Dec. 25, 2012] Freedom Works Tea Party Group Nearly Falls Apart in Fight Between Old and New Guard (By Amy Gardner) The day after Labor Day, just as campaign season was entering its final frenzy, FreedomWorks, the Washington-based tea party organization, went into free fall. Richard K. Armey, the group's chairman and a former House majority leader, walked into the group's Capitol Hill offices with his wife, Susan, and an aide holstering a handgun at his waist. The aim was to seize control of the group and expel Armey's enemies: The gun-wielding assistant escorted FreedomWorks' top two employees off the premises, while Armey suspended several others who broke down in sobs at the news. The coup lasted all of six days. By Sept. 10, Armey was gone--with a promise of $8 million--and the five ousted employees were back. The force behind their return was Richard J. Stephenson, a reclusive Illinois millionaire who has exerted increasing control over one of Washington's most influential conservative grass-roots organizations. Stephenson, the founder of the for-profit Cancer Treatment Centers of America and a director on the Freedom Works board, agreed to commit $400,000 per year over 20 years in exchange for Armey's agreement to leave the group. The episode illustrates the growing role of wealthy donors in swaying the direction of FreedomWorks and other political groups, which increasingly rely on unlimited contributions from corporations and financiers for their financial livelihood. Such gifts are often sent through corporate shells or nonprofit groups that do not have to disclose their donors, making it impossible for the public to know who is funding them. In the weeks before the election, more than $12 million in donations was funneled through two Tennessee corporations to the FreedomWorks super PAC after negotiations with Stephenson over a preelection gift of the same size, according to three current and former employees with knowledge of the arrangement. The origin of the money has not previously been reported. These and other new details about the near-meltdown at FreedomWorks were gleaned from interviews with two dozen current and past associates, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to talk freely. The disarray comes as the conservative movement is struggling to find its way after the November elections, which brought a second term for President Obama and Democratic gains in the House and Senate. Armey said in an interview that the near-meltdown at his former group has damaged the conservative cause. ``Freedom Works was the spark plug, the energy source, the catalyst for the movement through the 2010 elections,'' Armey said, referring to the GOP midterm sweep. ``Harm was done to the movement.'' Stephenson, 73, declined a request for an interview. Matt Kibbe, the group's president, and Adam Brandon, its senior vice president, declined to discuss the issue. ``I don't comment on donors,'' Brandon said. ``He's on our board, he's a board member like anyone else. That's it. I see him at board meetings.'' Stephenson, a longtime but little-known player in conservative causes, is a resident of Barrington, Ill., a northwest suburb of Chicago known for its affluence and sprawling horse estates such as his Tudor Oaks Farm. He founded the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in 1988 following his mother's death from bladder cancer, according to the for-profit company's Web site and his public remarks. Stephenson also holds investments in a broad portfolio of other businesses, including finance and real estate companies. Stephenson has a passion for libertarian politics stretching back to the 1960s, when he attended seminars featuring ``Atlas Shrugged'' author Ayn Rand and economist Murray Rothbard, according to those who know him at FreedomWorks. Like Armey, Stephenson was an early supporter of Citizens for a Sound Economy, the conservative lobbying group founded by oil billionaires Charles and David Koch in 1984 that split into Freedom Works and Americans for Prosperity 20 years later. The Kochs, known for bankrolling a variety of conservative causes, kept control of AFP, while Stephenson and Armey stayed with FreedomWorks. FreedomWorks has been on a remarkable run in recent election cycles, growing its annual budget from $7 million to $40 million in just a few years and helping lead the tea party movement against Obama's agenda. The group was among several that rose up last week in opposition to a failed proposal from House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) to raise federal taxes on millionaires. The group played a crucial role in ushering a wave of tea party candidates into office in recent years, staging rallies, hawking books and videos, and organizing media appearances with conservative personalities such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. ``I've enjoyed my association with FreedomWorks,'' said Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who defeated incumbent Bob Bennett with help from the group. ``Matt Kibbe and Dick Armey endorsed me early in my candidacy for the U.S. Senate, and they were a big help to me.'' Despite such testimonials, FreedomWorks has struggled with accusations that it is an ``astro-turfer''--a national organization of big-money donors that swept in to lay claim to an independent movement. According to public records, FreedomWorks received more than $12 million before the election from two corporations based in Knoxville, Tenn.: Specialty Investments Group and Kingston Pike Development. The firms were established within a day of each other by William S. Rose III, a local bankruptcy lawyer. Rose, who could not be reached for comment, has said publicly he would not answer questions about the donations. But according to three current and former FreedomWorks employees with knowledge of the donations, the money originated with Stephenson and his family, who arranged for the contributions from the Tennessee firms to the super PAC. Brandon, FreedomWorks' executive vice president, told colleagues starting in August that Stephenson would be giving between $10 million and $12 million, these sources said. Brandon also met repeatedly with members of Stephenson's family who were involved in arranging the donations, the sources said. Stephenson attended a FreedomWorks retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyo., in August at which a budget was being prepared in anticipation of a large influx of money, according to several employees who attended the retreat. At the retreat, Stephenson dictated some of the terms of how the money would be spent, the employees said. ``There is no doubt that Dick Stephenson arranged for that money to come to the super PAC,'' said one person who attended the retreat. ``I can assure you that everyone around the office knew about it.'' Among other things, Stephenson wanted a substantial sum spent in support of Rep. Joe Walsh (R-I11.), a tea party favorite and Stephenson's local congressman, several who attended the retreat recalled. Walsh garnered national headlines during the campaign when he questioned whether his opponent, Tammy Duckworth, a former Blackhawk helicopter pilot who lost both legs in Iraq, was a ``true hero.'' Despite internal misgivings about the value of the investment, FreedomWorks spent $1.7 million on ads supporting Walsh; he lost the race. Two watchdog groups last week asked the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department to investigate the donations from the two Tennessee companies. The groups, Democracy 21 and the Campaign Legal Center, say the arrangement could violate federal laws that prohibit attempting to hide the true source of a political contribution by giving it under another name. (Brandon declined to comment on the complaints, but he said the group's books were in order.) Partnership unravels For years, FreedomWorks was headed by an unlikely duo: Armey, 72, the old-guard poi who wears a black cowboy hat even when he's not on his Texas ranch, and Kibbe, 49, who sports mutton-chop sideburns and has a passion for the Grateful Dead. But the most important relationship appears to be the bond between Kibbe and Stephenson, who bridged their age gap through shared libertarian views and Kibbe's battle with testicular cancer a decade ago, Armey and others said. They said Kibbe, after being given a terminal diagnosis, was encouraged by Stephenson to get treatment at his cancer clinics; more than a decade later, they said, he is cancer- free. Until this year, the partnership between Kibbe and Armey worked well. Armey's renown as a former House member drew media attention and crowds of conservative activists--most of them old enough to remember Armey's role in the Republican revolution in Congress in 1994. And Kibbe's youthful intellectualism drew a new generation of libertarian soldiers into the FreedomWorks fold. In 2010, the two co-wrote a book, ``Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto,'' that became a New York Times bestseller and a successful marketing tool for FreedomWorks, which collected the book's proceeds and used it to attract donations. The partnership came to a crashing end when Armey marched into FreedomWorks's office Sept. 4 with his wife, Susan, executive assistant Jean Campbell and the unidentified man with the gun at his waist--who promptly escorted Kibbe and Brandon out of the building. ``This was two weeks after there had been a shooting at the Family Research Council,'' said one junior staff member who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. ``So when a man with a gun who didn't identify himself to me or other people on staff, and a woman I'd never seen before said there was an announcement, my first gut was, 'Is Freedom Works in danger?' It was bizarre.'?'' By nearly all accounts, including from those loyal to him, Armey handled his attempted coup badly. Armey says he was stepping in because of ethical breaches by Kibbe [[Page E2020]] and Brandon, accusing them of improperly using FreedomWorks staff resources to produce a book--ironically, named ``Hostile Takeover''--for which Kibbe claimed sole credit and was collecting royalties. The use of internal resources for Kibbe's benefit could jeopardize the group's nonprofit tax status; the group denies any impropriety. ``This is not only about this one incident,'' Armey said. ``But that one incident was a matter of grievous concern.'' Armey also accused Brandon, Kibbe and other staff members loyal to them of squeezing him out of media appearances and management decisions while using his name to market the group. Armey appeared out of touch and unsure of how FreedomWorks operated when he took over that Tuesday morning, according to interviews with more than a dozen employees on both sides who witnessed the takeover. Sitting in a glass-walled conference room visible to much of the staff, he placed three young female employees on administrative leave, then reversed himself when they burst into tears; his wife lamented aloud that maybe they had ``jumped the gun.'' In subsequent meetings, Susan Armey passed her husband notes that several employees assumed contained suggestions on what to say. According to a recording of a staff conference call provided to The Washington Post, Armey bewildered his audience by demanding more FreedomWorks support for Todd Akin, the Missouri Republican whose Senate campaign had already cratered after his comments about ``legitimate rape.'' ``It was clear that under Armey's leadership, the organization as we knew it was going to be driven into the ground,'' said one junior employee. Enter Stephenson, who agreed to the multimillion-dollar financial incentive to push Armey out and install Kibbe back at the helm. The payments were necessary, several FreedomWorks leaders said, because Armey was threatening to sue over Kibbe's book deal. ``It was very clear to him that I would not work with Matt,'' Armey said, referring to Stephenson. ``He felt that Matt knew the levers and understood it better than I did and was very urgent to reinstate that.'' Brandon, back in the No. 2 spot as executive vice president, scoffed at the notion that the group is in trouble or that the dispute with Armey was indicative of a larger problem for the tea party. He said Freedom Works has 2.1 million members, nearly 4 million fans on Facebook and a budget that has grown sixfold in five years. He also pointed to the elections of Senate conservatives Ted Cruz in Texas and Jeff Flake in Arizona as evidence of the group's electoral success. ``We doubled our budget, and we doubled our membership,'' Brandon said, referring to the group's growth since 2011. ``That's how we ended up the year.'' (Alice R. Crites contributed to this report) ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2020-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,IN TRIBUTE TO PUSHMATAHA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,TRIBUTETO,E2020,E2020,"[{""name"": ""Elton Gallegly"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2020,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2020] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] IN TRIBUTE TO PUSHMATAHA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ______ HON. ELTON GALLEGLY of california in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to the Pushmataha County Historical Society in Antlers, Oklahoma, and in particular Myrtle Edmond and Madge Jentry. As historical societies go, the Pushmataha County Historical Society is relatively new, having been founded in 1984. But the Society's staff and volunteers know their town, its history, its people, and their place firmly rooted in the heart of America. My family hails from the Antlers, Oklahoma, area. When I was a young boy, I would travel by train, arriving and departing from the Frisco Depot, which now houses the Pushmataha County Historical Society. Myrtle Edmond and Madge Jentry were at the Society headquarters when my wife, Janice, and I stopped by on a recent trip and asked a few questions about my ancestors. Myrtle and Madge responded by enthusiastically researching everything they could find on the Gallegly and Williams family branches. Myrtle even wrote down, by hand, all their research in great detail and gave it to me. In addition, Myrtle had previously served on the society's cemetery identification project and helped identify and inventory almost 12,000 burials and grave sites at approximately 119 locations. With that information, she was able to locate the gravesites of my grandparents and many other relatives. The wealth of information Myrtle and Madge were able to provide on my family is even more impressive when one considers that the county courthouse burned during the Great Depression. Society volunteers have painstakingly rebuilt ancestral records from U.S. Census, newspapers, and other items in the historical record. Mr. Speaker, Antlers, Oklahoma, is America. It has seen its share of hardship yet continues to bounce back. One of the most devastating tornadoes in the history of the state struck Antlers on April 12, 1945. Out of a population of 3,000, 55 were killed, including my uncle, Dennis Dixon Gallegly. One third of the city was demolished. The city has suffered devastating fires. Floods have washed away homes, but they can't wash away Antlers, or the spirit of its people. Mr. Speaker, the pride Myrtle Edmond and Madge Jentry have in their community and in America was evidenced in their enthusiastic research of my family's roots. I know my colleagues join Janice and me in thanking them and all the Pushmataha County Historical Society volunteers for preserving and celebrating their part of our nation's history through dedication, passion, and professionalism. They are preserving the heart of America. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2020-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,THE PARK SCHOOL CENTENNIAL,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2020,E2021,"[{""name"": ""Kathleen C. Hochul"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2020,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2020-E2021] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] THE PARK SCHOOL CENTENNIAL ______ HON. KATHLEEN C. HOCHUL of new york in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Ms. HOCHUL. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to congratulate The Park School of Buffalo on [[Page E2021]] recently commemorating its Centennial. In 1912, a group of parents embarked on a truly remarkable journey by making a commitment to promote excellence in education with an emphasis on the personal development of their students. Over the past 100 years, The Park School has carried out its mission of building a diverse and creative community that nurtures the joy and responsibility of active learning for all. From its founders, John Dewey and Mary Hammett Lewis, to the current administration, Park has truly left its mark on Snyder and the Western New York community. I am confident that The Park School will continue its mission of educating our youth and strengthening our community as successfully over the next 100 years. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2020,2012-12-31,112,2,,,MILLIONS FORGO FORECLOSURE REVIEWS,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2020,E2020,"[{""name"": ""Marcy Kaptur"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2020,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2020] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] MILLIONS FORGO FORECLOSURE REVIEWS ______ HON. MARCY KAPTUR of ohio in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, this is the article I referred to in my one- minute speech this morning. (From USA Today) Millions Forgo Foreclosure Reviews (Homeowners Don't Have Much Time To Ask for Accuracy Checks) (By Julie Schmit) Millions of homeowners who were in foreclosure in 2009 or 2010 could miss a chance to have their cases reviewed for errors--and possible compensation--if they don't act by Monday. That's the deadline for eligible homeowners to request a free review required by a settlement last year between federal bank regulators and 14 mortgage servicers and their affiliates. The deadline has been extended three times due to poor response from homeowners. More than 4 million notices were mailed a year ago informing homeowners of their right to a review, but only 356,000 had asked for one by Dec. 13, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Compensation could range from hundreds of dollars to more than $100,000, the OCC has said. It is overseeing the settlement with the Federal Reserve. Requests must be submitted at independentforeclosurereview.com or be postmarked no later than Monday, the OCC says. Answers to questions can be found on the website or by calling 888-952-9105. ``The (response) numbers are not terribly impressive,'' says Bruce Mirken of the Greenlining Institute, a consumer advocacy group. Greenlining, like other consumer groups, says borrowers may still not be aware of the review opportunity. Notification materials--including the 4 million letters-- may have been ignored because they were written in legal jargon, were hard to read and looked too much like those used in foreclosure scams, says James Can, a senior policy fellow with the Opportunity Agenda, a non-partisan think tank. A Government Accountability Office report in June echoed those concerns. The settlement followed a federal probe in which regulators found significant weaknesses in foreclosure processes, including improper foreclosure document preparation. To meet regulators' deadlines, the GAO noted that servicers had just 60 days to develop outreach materials. That didn't leave time to test them with focus groups, one servicer representative told the GAO. About 95% of the letters were successfully delivered, the OCC has said. The reviews are intended to address a wide range of foreclosure errors, including excessive fees, wrongly denied loan modifications, misapplied payments or wrongful foreclosures. Borrower restitution will vary by case and financial harm, the OCC says. It's provided no cost estimate to servicers. No one has yet received restitution, OCC spokesman William Grassano says. The requested reviews are in addition to 159,000 reviews being done, as part of the same settlement, by consultants hired by the servicers, Grassano says. The Monday deadline should be lifted and review requests should be allowed as needed, the community groups say, especially since more recent outreach efforts have been more consumer friendly. The reviews are separate from a $25 billion settlement, reached between five servicers and, state and federal officials, that's also meant to address past foreclosure abuses. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2021-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF REDMOND,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2021,E2021,"[{""name"": ""David G. Reichert"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2021,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2021] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF REDMOND ______ HON. DAVID G. REICHERT of washington in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, as the two members who have the honor of representing this city today and in the future, I rise with my colleague Representative Suzan DelBene to honor the centennial anniversary of the City of Redmond, celebrated today, December 31, 2012. First incorporated in 1912, eligible thanks to the birth of its 300th citizen, Redmond began as a small logging community. A century later, it has turned into a vibrant urban center of 55,000 that still maintains its strong sense of community and is proud of its small-town feel. Over the last century, Redmond has evolved from logging town, to a small bedroom community east of the big city, to a bustling city in itself. Today, it's home to some of the most prominent high tech companies in the world. Redmond's tremendous growth has been fueled by the pioneering, entrepreneurial spirit of the town's first settlers and, in the century since, has attracted and inspired generations of Washingtonians to turn Redmond into a premier economic engine for the 21st century. With all this growth and change, Redmond continues to maintain a deep sense of friendship and community. For example, Mr. Speaker, the Redmond Derby Days, a city celebration that grew out of a bicycle race among local paperboys after the depression, is going strong after 70 years. The Derby Days are bigger and better than ever and today, the signature event has the honor of being the nation's longest running bicycle race. Over the last few years, we have both enjoyed participating in so many activities and events in beautiful Redmond and are honored to represent the great people of this city. With the further expansion of mass transit, Redmond has an amazing opportunity to continue its growth and impact neighboring cities. Together with Seattle and environs, its influence contributes to form a region that is vibrant, attractive for business and a great place to live, work and raise a family. As Mayor Marchione, along with all of Redmond's dedicated City Council members, continue to build on Redmond's rich history, we look forward to watching and aiding with the city's success in years to come. Mr. Speaker, Representative DelBene and I again offer congratulations to the City of Redmond for a wonderful, rich first century and together wish them the best as they move into their second century of prosperity. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2021-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,HEALTH RELATED MATTERS FOR MY COLLEAGUES IN CONGRESS TO CONSIDER IN 2013,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2021,E2023,"[{""name"": ""Dan Burton"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2021,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2021-E2023] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HEALTH RELATED MATTERS FOR MY COLLEAGUES IN CONGRESS TO CONSIDER IN 2013 ______ HON. DAN BURTON of indiana in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. BURTON. Mr. Speaker, as we close the 112th Congress and I prepare to retire from Congress, I would like to leave a few comments regarding health related matters for my colleagues who will return to the 113th Congress. Throughout my decades in public service, I have strived to give consideration to those whose issues fall through the cracks of our government, and to those who become targets of government authorities for daring to deliver or seek alternative therapies. Complementary and Alternative Therapies: While Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I initiated a comprehensive evaluation of the role of complementary and alternative therapies in our health care system. During this time we heard from researchers, practitioners, and patients about the value that complementary and alternative therapies can play in our health system. These therapies include acupuncture, massage therapy, traditional healing systems from various cultures around the world such as Traditional East Asian Medicine, Kampo, Native American Medicine, Homeopathy and energy therapies such as QiGong and Reiki as well as the use stress management tools and nutrition and dietary supplements. These also include conventional therapies used for purposes not yet recognized as mainstream such as Chelation Therapy for cardiovascular benefit. I hope my colleagues in 2013 will continue to protect access therapies and products so that Americans can continue to make their own choices in health care and retain their health freedom. I also believe a hard look at the management of resources provided to these issues is overdue. For instance, the first ever head to head research study looking at an alternative cancer treatment for pancreatic cancer as compared to the mainstream therapy was an absolute management disaster. Ten years, millions of dollars, and several federal investigations validating violations of patient protections by the academic conventional cancer therapy principal investigator has been swept under the rug by the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Too often, I hear that the studies that are funded, especially those on herbs are ``designed to fail''. After 20 years and more than a billion dollars, too little quality research on the therapies Americans are most interested has in has been conducted. When my colleague Senator Tom Harkin gave the initial instruction to the National Institutes of Health to ``investigate and validate'' therapies being used around the world, we all envisioned an aggressive campaign to go into the field and look at what is working an report this to the American people. Former Congressman Berkley Bedell championed this issue after being successfully treated with alternative therapies for Lyme disease and Prostate Cancer. Much good has been accomplished, but better work can and should be done. In early 2013, the results of a national multi-site Chelation Therapy study will be published. I hope my colleagues will review this study and look to the history of how doctors who have provided this therapy have been attacked for daring to use a therapy approved decades ago by the Food and Drug Administration to treat heavy metal exposure in children ``off label'' for cardiovascular benefit. Medicine is increasingly recognizing that exposure to lead, mercury and other heavy metals have on the body including the cardiovascular system. Chelation Therapy may be improving [[Page E2022]] cardiovascular health by removing heavy metals. This study was attacked by closed-minded individuals who oppose chelation therapy and all alternative therapies. Sadly, we have lost a decade in looking at the benefits of chelation therapy in children as the National Institutes of Health reneged on its promise to conduct a study at the Clinical Center on chelation therapy in the pediatric population. The American people deserve honest inquiry into chelation therapy for all its possible benefits. Keep in mind, 1 in 6 women of childbearing age are carrying a higher than normal body burden of mercury, and mercury is the second most toxic substance on the planet. Mercury in all its forms can be harmful especially to babies in the wound and in the first years of life. We first became aware of mercury in vaccines after the FDA was required by our body to conduct an inquiry on the amount of mercury in the products they regulated. A new inquiry is due in 2013 to determine the amount of mercury still in all FDA regulated products. Congress will once again need to require this of the FDA. I am disturbed that in 2013 we continue to have mercury in any form in medicines and in other products Americans routinely use without the knowledge they are exposing their families to mercury. It is a travesty that public health authorities have discounted the risk of mercury in vaccines and other products because it is a ``trace amount''. The whole body of evidence on mercury shows it can be harmful and is best avoided. Sadly the American Academy of Pediatrics and the public health officials at FDA and the rest of the Department of Health and Human Services should be leading the charge to get mercury out of all medicines, and they have instead continued to protect the industry and not our children. It has been left to families who have formed organizations such as the Coalition for SafeMinds to fight for children to be protected from exposure to mercury through medicine. Autism and Vaccine Injury: The Committee did not set out to investigate the epidemic rise in autism rates; however, in late 1999 as we were looking at reports of injury within the military form the adulterated anthrax vaccine, we began hearing about children being injured from vaccines and developing autism. It was a crisis we could not ignore. Just as Bob Wright, the founder of Autism Speaks, recently testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that his daughter Katie reports that her son suffered a vaccine injury and developed autism, my both of my own grandchildren suffered vaccine injuries and my grandson developed autism shortly after he was vaccinated with multiple vaccines, exposed to high levels of mercury and suffered adverse reactions. We heard from thousands of families whose experienced similar injuries. Almost 5,000 of these families sought relief through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) as is required by law. Congress and the American people are repeatedly told that vaccine injury does not cause autism. Of the 5,000 families only 1, a little girl named Hannah Poling, has received justice in this program because her parents, both health professionals were able to document a mitochondrial dysfunction that was exacerbated by exposure to mercury and vaccine injury. The government conceded her case, but it still took years of negotiations and legal battles for little Hannah to be compensated. This program is not working at Congress intended and I hope my colleagues in the 113th Congress will conduct a thorough review of the management of the VICP and direct through legislation improvements to the law so that all that are seriously injured may be compensated swiftly, fairly and without long litigious battles. Sadly the autism omnibus proceeding was fraught with injustices. There was only limited discovery, many actions by government lawyers that in any other court would lead to disbarment, and an appearance of bias by the Special Masters who seemed to work as partners to Justice to defend against vaccine injury rather than to sit as unbiased administrators and many other matters deserve a thorough oversight review by Congress to insure the program operates as it was designed. While government officials who settled the Hannah Poling case reported her mitochondrial dysfunction is rare, others reported that it is very prevalent in the autism population. Maybe as many as 1 in 5 with autism may have this same mitochondrial dysfunction. These same government officials have failed to share what their database of vaccine cases show--that almost since the inception of the VICP, the government has quietly been settling cases of vaccine induced brain injury that resulted in autism. The Elizabeth Birt Law Advocacy Center (EBCALA) conducted a review of settled cases within the program for vaccine induced brain injury such as encephalitis and seizures, confirmed dozens of cases in which the government compensated the vaccine injured. The way that the government has shielded this is that it is not listed as the primary injury. However, the EBCALA investigators validated through families and records that autism resulted from vaccine injury. There needs to improved transparency within this program. Every case that is settled should be published online in such a way that the public is informed what injuries have been acknowledged and the management of the program improved so that all cases for like injuries are compensated quickly. At present each report of injury is handled in isolation, with no discovery, no ability to refer to other cases and evidence previously accepted in cases, the program is wasteful in the use of its resources and certainly not fair to the injured. If we want to preserve vaccine policies in this country, it is essential to insure that the VICP works as Congress intended. I urge my colleagues to engage and stay engaged in investigating this program, talking to the lawyers and petitioners in the program, and improving it through legislation. Autism: Autism in and of itself is a national emergency. We have gone in the time that I served in Congress from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 88 children age 8 on the autism spectrum. This cannot simply be genetics-- there is no such thing as a genetic epidemic. There are many issues that I urge my colleagues to address in 2013. The ERISA fix for insurance coverage of autism therapies such as Applied Behavioral Analysis is ``low hanging fruit'' for Congress. There is an urgent need to address adult and transition services for individuals with autism including those with higher functioning autism who, while often able to live independently as adults, are often under employed. We have a severe shortage of adequate housing for adults with autism who are no longer able to live with their parents. We have invested a billion dollars in autism research over the last decade, mostly on epidemiology and genetics. The autism community is frustrated that environmental factors are not given a greater share of the research dollars and that practically no funding has been provided to evaluate the dozens of therapies families who are able to pay out of pocket are using very successfully. Many of these are dietary related and alternative therapies and if there is ever to be insurance reimbursement, Medicaid coverage, or access through other government programs such as for military families, research to investigate for safety and benefit is needed. I hope my colleagues in 2013 will direct federal research resources to these much needed efforts in collaboration with the families and practitioners who have experience using them. The government cannot continue to sink significant resources simply into counting the children, without addressing the causes of the epidemic increase and focuses on prevention and treatments. I am pleased that Chairman Darrell Issa committed during the November 29 autism hearing to stay engaged in looking at the federal response to autism. He is learning as I did while Chairman that the families and professionals involved in this community are desperate for Congress to do something to improve the Federal response, to hold accountable those who are subverting the truth about the causes of autism, and who have poorly managed the resources provided by taxpayers to get to the truth on autism and vaccine injury. I urge a review on how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has managed the Vaccine Safety Database, how Poul Thorsen was able to steal more than $1 million from the autism grant in the CDC-Denmark project, and why Diana Schendel of the CDC has continued publish studies as a co-author to Thorsen. Why does the CDC continue to promote his research after his federal indictment for 22 counts of wire fraud and money laundering? I am concerned that individuals at the CDC have participated in malicious acts of covering up the data showing a direct connection between exposure to mercury in vaccines in the first six months of life and an eleven-fold increase risk of autism. I urge the 113th Congress to shine the light of day on their actions and seek justice. Military and Veterans: I cannot leave Congress without giving mention to the men and women of our armed services, active duty, National Guard, Reserves and Veterans. We recently lost one our own in the Congress, Senator Daniel Inouye, a World War II veteran. All across the great nation, in veterans' hospitals, hospices and retirement homes, we are losing tens of thousands of World War II, the Korean Conflict, and Vietnam War veterans each month. Too many have no remaining family members to be with them and it is VA staff and volunteers who spend the last hours and days with them. The signature injuries of the Global War on Terror of the last 12 years is Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. (TBI/PTSD) I like many Members of Congress have been informed of the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy at 1.5 ATA for members of the military who have had concussive injury and developed TBI/PTSD. Professional athletes such as Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III who suffer a concussive injury are immediately provided access to all therapies that show benefit including hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). [[Page E2023]] Sadly our troops not provided the same access. For a decade members of the military and veterans have been working to gain access to HBOT and other therapies and to have these therapies paid for through Tricare. Evidence show HBOT is both safe and effective, and unlike the anti- depressant, anti-psychotic and other drugs being handed out like candy by military doctors, do not have black box warnings for increased risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts. I urge my colleagues returning in 2013 as well as President Obama, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to work together to make HBOT at 1.5 ATA (the validated dose) and other therapies as outlined in the TBI Treatment Act we passed twice in the House available to those with TBI/PTSD. Those who stepped up and volunteered to serve our nation deserve nothing less. Health Freedom and the Constitution: At the foundation of all of my time in public service is the Constitution. The prevailing theme of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans are as important today as it was when I was first sworn in. As I leave Congress, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Indiana and the nation. I am grateful for all those who have worked with me over the years in my Congressional office and on Committee Staff. I am thankful to a God who has provided me strength and health to serve and pray that as we enter 2013 and I enter a new phase of my life, with a beautiful and intelligent wife and family whom I love, that new champions for health freedom will emerge. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2021,2012-12-31,112,2,,,"IN HONOR OF COMMANDER HALSEY ""BULL"" KEATS",HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,HONORING,E2021,E2021,"[{""name"": ""Michael G. Fitzpatrick"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2021,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2021] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] IN HONOR OF COMMANDER HALSEY ``BULL'' KEATS ______ HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Commander Halsey ``Bull'' Keats upon his retirement from the United States Navy, where he served 20 years. CDR Keats completed four deployments throughout the world which have included ports in over 12 countries. During Enduring Freedom, he was the only Lieutenant Commander who stood in the ship's Captain during combat flight operations, and during Operation Iraqi Freedom he was selected to lead the first ever deployment of the Real- Time Sensor Data Link ground station to Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq providing the Commanding General tactical control over the Surveillance System Upgrade S-3 which boasted a streaming video capability. CDR Keats was selected as the Naval Flight Officer of the Year in 1997. In 2004 he graduated from the Operational Planners Course with distinction at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He has logged over 2,000 flight hours. For his exemplary service CDR Keats has received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, in addition to numerous unit commendations. His final tour was Chief, Special Activity plans at U.S. Central Command Operations Directorate from July 2010 through his retirement on 1 April 2013. Mr. Speaker, Commander Keats exemplifies all of the best qualities of a United States Naval Flight Officer. We have known each other for over thirty years. We worked together as young men back in Bucks County, Pennsylvania where his parents still do reside. Cmmdr. Keats is an outstanding husband and father and he has served his Nation with distinction. I am honored to be able to stand here today and recognize him for his many years of service. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2023-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. ROMAIN CLEROU,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,HONORING,E2023,E2023,"[{""name"": ""Kevin McCarthy"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2023,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2023] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. ROMAIN CLEROU ______ HON. KEVIN McCARTHY of california in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Romain Clerou, a local doctor from my hometown of Bakersfield, California who passed away on November 20, 2012. Romain selflessly served our community for over 65 years through his medical practice and will be remembered as a good friend to many, and a fixture on the sidelines at the local college and high school football games. Born in Bakersfield to French immigrants, Romain attended Kern County Union High School, Bakersfield Junior College, the University of California at Berkeley, and Creighton Medical School in Nebraska before serving in the U.S. Navy's 41st Seabees during the Second World War. In 1946, after the war had passed, Romain set up his medical practice in Bakersfield. Throughout the following decades, he would become well- regarded for his constant availability and the personal attention given to each of his patients. Dr. Clerou treated countless ailments, delivered thousands of babies, and befriended generations of families. Additionally, Romain was the beloved team doctor for many athletes on Bakersfield football teams, a service for which he was known to never charge. Romain loved sports. He was a gymnast and football player and continued to play competitive rounds of golf up until late February of this year. Only a few months ago, Romain could be found at Bakersfield College taking in a football practice, sitting in a golf cart and smoking the cigars he was so well known for. Mr. Speaker, it is this kind of dedication to community service that reflects the great characteristics of our nation's people. As someone who lived life to the fullest and spent most of that life serving the people of Bakersfield, Romain was not only a pillar of strength to his community, but also to his country. He is survived by Mrs. Mayie Maitia, along with her family, his six children, and five grandchildren. While I ask that my colleagues join me today in honoring the life of a great American, I have no doubt that Dr. Romain Clerou will be long remembered by the community he served so well. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2023-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,HONORING BUCKS BEAUTIFUL,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,HONORING,E2023,E2023,"[{""name"": ""Michael G. Fitzpatrick"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2023,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2023] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING BUCKS BEAUTIFUL ______ HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work being done in my home of Bucks County, Pennsylvania by the dedicated volunteers of Bucks Beautiful. Founded in 1990 by Robert and Joyce Byers and Carol McCaughan with the goal of beautifying Bucks County, this community organization has dedicated itself to preserving and improving upon the existing natural beauty of my home in southeastern Pennsylvania. Over the last 22 years, Bucks Beautiful has expanded its mission, offering beautification grant programs, partnering with a local college to offer academic scholarships, and offering scenic tours of Bucks County and other nearby locales. Most recently, Bucks Beautiful has completed its ``Bulbs For Bucks'' Program, planting hundreds of thousands of daffodils at strategic locations across the county. The inspiration of Chuck Gale, owner of Gale Nurseries and a Bucks Beautiful board member, this collaboration of local nursery owners and landscape architects will result in an impressive visual display come spring along major Bucks County thoroughfares. Chuck Gale and his team complete the first phase of this undertaking in fall of 2010, planting 30,000 Daffodil Bulbs were planted along the Rt. 611 Bypass. Last fall, 300,000 Daffodil Bulbs were planted along the Delaware Canal at key locations from Bristol to Riegelsville, Bucks County. Finally, this November marked the completion of Phase 3 with 170,000 daffodil bulbs being planted along the new Route 202 Parkway and Route 202 Bypass. The completion of this project, which included the acquisition from Holland the only bulb-planting machine in the United States, has laid the foundation for an expanded tourism base for Bucks County. Bucks Beautiful hopes to begin an annual bulb festival adding to the list of fairs and festivals that bring countless tourists from around the country to our community each year. The hard work and dedication of Chuck Gale, the Central Bucks County Chamber of Commerce and the volunteers of Bucks Beautiful has made this program an outstanding success, and I wish them the best of luck going forward. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2023-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENTS OVER THE PAST CENTURY,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2023,E2024,"[{""name"": ""Brian P. Bilbray"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2023,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2023-E2024] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENTS OVER THE PAST CENTURY ______ HON. BRIAN P. BILBRAY of california in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I submit an essay by a San Diego innovator, Dr. Jeff Stein, President and CEO of Trius Therapeutics. Dr. Stein provides a fascinating account of the evolution in the discovery of antibiotic treatments over the past century. Dr. Stein's story is a vivid example as to why the private sector and public sector must work together to innovate as a means to save [[Page E2024]] lives. Dr. Stein's company is one of many across the United States working to prevent infections and improve American's quality of life. Antibiotics Redux: Medicines That Change the Course of History Dateline: April 1945. Hill 913, northern Italy The 22-year old second lieutenant didn't know if it was the machine gun, mortar round or artillery shell blast that got him. Ordered to take out the machine gun nest hidden in a mountaintop farmhouse all he recalled was that he was dragging his platoon's wounded radio operator to safety when he felt a searing pain in his upper back, then nothing. The platoon medic took one look at the wounded lieutenant, injected him with the maximum survivable dose of morphine, indicating this by marking the letter ``M'' on his forehead in his blood, then, assuming he would not survive his wounds, left to treat other wounded platoon members. Although his initial wounds, which included a damaged spine, an obliterated kidney and a mangled right arm did not kill him outright, the lieutenant was shipped home with little expectation he'd survive. His parents were called to his hospital bedside three separate times for a death vigil. April 1945. Rutgers University Four-thousand miles west of Hill 913, 25-year-old graduate student Albert Schatz, having recently submitted his patent application for his discovery of the antibiotic Streptomycin, was trying to figure out how to make enough of it for human testing. Tests in guinea pigs showed that Streptomycin was safe and effective in the treatment of infections caused by gram-negative bacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. What motivated Schatz was that in the first half of the century bacterial infections--pneumonia, tuberculosis and blood stream infections--were the top three causes of death in the U.S. Wounded servicemen from World War II were especially prone to infections from gram-negative bacteria and the only other widely available antibiotic at the time, penicillin, was largely ineffective against these pathogens. As a child Schatz had experienced close friends dying of tuberculosis and as a medical bacteriologist stationed in an Army hospital in Florida during the early years of World War II, Private Schatz sat helplessly by the bedside of dying solders whose infections did not respond to penicillin or the experimental antibiotics then available. He was passionate and highly committed. Schatz produced Streptomycin from the soil bacterium Streptomyces griseus growing in 1-liter fermentation flasks running 24-hours a day in his basement laboratory at Rutgers. By the end of 1945 he had produced what he believed to be enough to treat one patient. March 1946. Percy Jones Army Hospital, Battle Creek, Michigan The attending doctors had virtually encased the lieutenant's body in ice in a desperate attempt to lower his body temperature. His weakened immune system made him susceptible to infection and he had developed a severe lung infection that subsequently spread to his blood with resultant high fever. Massive doses of penicillin were ineffective. He was dying. Word of his condition made its way to Rutgers and Albert Schatz who subsequently rushed the first experimental dose of Streptomycin to Percy Jones Hospital to treat the lieutenant. The effects were nothing short of miraculous. The lieutenant's fever broke within 24 hours and his lung infection cleared within a week. He would survive. Later that year Streptomycin would go on to become the world's first experimental medicine to be tested in a double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial--the gold standard in clinical research--where it was shown to be effective and safe for the treatment of TB. The lieutenant's name? Bob Dole. Yes, that Bob Dole who would go on to become Senate Majority Leader and, in 1996, candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Today. What is instructive about this true story of how an antibiotic altered the course of history is that we are presently on a retrograde course back to the early 20th century with respect to the treatment of bacterial infections. In the five-year period from 1983 to 1987 there were 16 new antibiotics approved, whereas from 2008 to 2012 there were only two. At the same time, there is an explosive emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria that are rendering existing antibiotics largely ineffective. Combat veterans returning from the Middle East have been diagnosed with drug resistant strains of the gram-negative pathogen Acinetobacter baumanii for which there are virtually no treatment options. The multidrug resistant NDM-1 strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, which initially emerged from India, has spread globally. One in three people in the world are infected with a dormant version of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a growing number of these, reported in 60 countries, have emerged as the highly virulent XDR-TB strain which is resistant to both first- and second-line TB therapies and can only be treated with a multiyear regimen of toxic drugs. Indeed, today's situation would likely ignite the same sense of urgency in Albert Schatz that he felt in 1945. Fortunately, we have passionate and committed contemporary versions of Albert Schatz working to develop new antibiotics. Because of the enormous capital requirements and complex regulatory pathway for antibiotics, however, these individuals are now largely found in small biotech companies where the truly innovative antibiotics are currently being developed. It is unclear which, if any, of these companies will succeed in delivering critically needed medicines to the market. As drug resistant bacterial pathogens continue to proliferate, regulatory headwinds and market dynamics have made antibiotic development extremely challenging. While it is encouraging that this disconnect is receiving growing recognition and action amongst regulatory authorities, these small antibiotics companies, such as Trius Therapeutics where I am CEO, wait to see whether these regulatory incentives, such as the GAIN Act recently passed by Congress, can be implemented in time to make the development of new antibiotics clinically feasible and financially tractable. It will certainly be a race in which the outcome could alter the course of history and yes, save lives. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2023,2012-12-31,112,2,,,IN HONOR OF MY FAMILY'S LOVE AND SUPPORT,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,HONORING,E2023,E2023,"[{""name"": ""Elton Gallegly"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2023,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2023] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] IN HONOR OF MY FAMILY'S LOVE AND SUPPORT _____ HON. ELTON GALLEGLY of california in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of my family. As you and almost every Member of Congress knows, doing this job would be impossible without the love and support our families. Twenty-seven years ago, my wife, Janice, agreed to support my first run for Congress. She agreed on three conditions: I would not put the family into debt. That I would never ask her to do public speaking. And, that she would never have to ask for campaign contributions. Well before the primary was over, we were in debt. Janice was my surrogate speaker, and she was the best fundraiser anyone could have. Because of her skills at public speaking and campaigning, we were quickly out of debt from my first run for Congress. For the next 26 years, she spearheaded my campaign and I never again had to borrow from the family. Janice stood by my side as I met with ambassadors, heads of state, and military families. She has been my rock. Janice and my four children were young adults when I first entered Congress. They have married and given us 10 beautiful grandchildren. They have been my greatest champions. Shawn Gallegly married Tea. They gave us two grandsons, Adrian and Lucas. Shawn Payton married Angelique. They gave us a granddaughter, Savannah, and two grandsons, Tanner, and Landon. Kevin Gallegly married Jennifer. They gave us three granddaughters, Emma, Bethie, and Sammie. Shannon Payton Breslow married Scott. They gave us a grandson, Payton, and granddaughter, Presley. Mr. Speaker, without the love and support of my family, I could not have served in this great institution for so long and represented my neighbors as effectively. I know my colleagues join me in thanking them for their love and support. I look forward to spending much more time with my wife, children, and grandchildren and in supporting them achieve their dreams. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2024-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF ELIZABETH COX,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,RECOGNIZING,E2024,E2024,"[{""name"": ""Leonard Lance"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2024,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2024] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF ELIZABETH COX ______ HON. LEONARD LANCE of new jersey in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Elizabeth Cox of Summit, New Jersey. Betty gave her life to public service in New Jersey and her contributions will long be remembered. Betty was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1972 to serve an unexpired term. Betty would continue four decades of public service as a founding member of the Women's Political Caucus, as a master poll worker for the Union County Board of Elections, as a staff member in the Department of Community Affairs and as an officer in the Summit, Union County and New Jersey Republican Committees. Betty will be remembered as a dedicated public servant, a parliamentarian and a champion of women's issues. I was honored to call Betty a friend and colleague. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2024-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PAUL KRUGMAN AND THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR FAIRNESS,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2024,E2025,"[{""name"": ""Barney Frank"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2024,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2024-E2025] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PAUL KRUGMAN AND THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR FAIRNESS ______ HON. BARNEY FRANK of massachusetts in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, Paul Krugman has consistently and articulately defended programs that are essential for the quality of life for our most vulnerable residents, and exposed the flawed morality and impaired logic of those who seek to use the existence of a large national debt as an argument for exacerbating inequality in the United States. His column for Monday, December 31 is an excellent example of this, and I hope all Members will pay attention to its message. Brewing Up Confusion (By Paul Krugman) Howard Schultz, the C.E.O. of Starbucks, has a reputation as a good guy, a man who supports worthy causes. And he presumably thought he would add to that reputation when he posted an open letter urging his employees to promote fiscal bipartisanship by writing ``Come together'' on coffee cups. In reality, however, all he did was make himself part of the problem. And his letter was actually a very good illustration of the forces that created the current mess. In the letter, Mr. Schultz warned that elected officials ``have been unable to come together and compromise to solve the tremendously important, time-sensitive issue to fix the national debt,'' and suggested that readers further inform themselves at the Web site of the organization Fix the Debt. Let's parse that, shall we? First of all, it's true that we face a time-sensitive issue in the form of the fiscal cliff: unless a deal is reached, we will soon experience a combination of tax increases and spending cuts that might push the nation back into recession. But that prospect doesn't reflect a failure to ``fix the debt'' by reducing the budget deficit--on the contrary, the danger is that we'll cut the deficit too fast. How could someone as well connected as Mr. Schultz get such a basic point wrong? By [[Page E2025]] talking to the wrong people--in particular, the people at Fix the Debt, who've been doing their best to muddle the issue. For example, in a new fund-raising letter Maya MacGuineas, the organization's public face, writes of the need to ``make hard decisions when it comes to averting the `fiscal cliff' and stabilizing our national debt''--even though the problem with the fiscal cliff is precisely that it stabilizes the debt too soon. Clearly, Ms. MacGuineas was trying to confuse readers on that point, and she apparently confused Mr. Schultz too. More about Fix the Debt in a moment. Before I get there, however, let's move on to Mr. Schultz's misdiagnosis of the political problem we face. Look, it's true that elected politicians have been unable to ``come together and compromise.'' But saying that in generic form, and implying a symmetry between Republicans and Democrats, isn't just misleading, it's actively harmful. The reality is that President Obama has made huge concessions. He has already cut spending sharply, and has now offered additional big spending cuts, including a cut in Social Security benefits, while signaling his willingness to retain many of the Bush tax cuts, even for people with very high incomes. Taken as a whole, the president's proposals are arguably to the right of those made by Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, the co-chairmen of his deficit commission, in 2010. In return, the Republicans have offered essentially nothing. Oh, they say they're willing to increase revenue by closing loopholes--but they've refused to specify a single loophole they're willing to close. So if there's a breakdown in negotiations, the blame rests entirely with one side of the political divide. Given that reality, think about the effect when people like Mr. Schultz respond by blaming both sides equally. They may sound virtuously nonpartisan, but what they're actually doing is rewarding intransigence and extremism--which, in the current context, means siding with the G.O.P. I'm willing to believe that Mr. Schultz doesn't know what he's doing. The same can't be said, however, about Fix the Debt. You might not know it reading some credulous reporting, but Fix the Debt isn't some kind of new gathering of concerned citizens. On the contrary, it's just the latest addition to a group of deficit-scold shops supported by billionaire Peter Peterson, a group ranging from think tanks like the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget to the newspaper The Fiscal Times. The main difference seems to be that this gathering of the usual suspects is backed by an impressive amount of corporate cash. Like all the Peterson-funded groups, Fix the Debt seems much more concerned with cutting Social Security and Medicare than with fighting deficits in general--and also not nearly as nonpartisan as it pretends to be. In its list of ``core principles,'' it actually calls for lower tax rates--a very peculiar position for people supposedly horrified by the budget deficit. True, the group calls for revenue increases via unspecified base broadening, that is, closing loopholes. But that's unrealistic. And it's also, as you may have noticed, the Republican position. What's happening now is that all the Peterson-funded groups are trying to exploit the fiscal cliff to push a benefit- cutting agenda that has nothing to do with the current crisis, using artfully deceptive language--as in that MacGuineas letter--to hide the bait and switch. Mr. Schultz apparently fell for the con. But the rest of us shouldn't. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2024,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PERSONAL EXPLANATION,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,PERSONALEXPLAIN,E2024,E2024,"[{""name"": ""Mike Pence"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2024,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2024] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PERSONAL EXPLANATION ______ HON. MIKE PENCE of indiana in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on December 30, 2012 and missed rollcall votes 649 through 651. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall votes 649, 650, and 651. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2025-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP),HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,ALLOTHER,E2025,E2026,"[{""name"": ""Mike Quigley"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2025,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E2025-E2026] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) ______ HON. MIKE QUIGLEY of illinois in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because in the coming week, most of us will sit down to a holiday meal with our families, friends, and loved ones. And most of us will take this meal for granted. But for 46 million Americans who rely on nutrition assistance, this holiday meal is not a guarantee. The vast majority--more than 85 percent--of these 46 million Americans are living in households making less than $22,000 for a family of four. And of those 46 million, half are children, and three-quarters are households that include an elderly person, a disabled person, or children. For these millions of families, food is not a certainty, and they struggle each day to make ends meet. Sadly, due to the recession, an increasing number of Americans have lost their jobs and been forced to turn to the supplemental nutrition assistance program, or SNAP. As the number of unemployed Americans increased 94 percent between 2007 and 2011, SNAP increased as well, rising 70 percent to meet demand. At the food pantries in my district, pantry visits have increased between 8 and 30 percent from last year. While the economy is improving, the number of individuals in need of assistance is still elevated. Rather than cutting food assistance right now, we should be bolstering it. Unfortunately, some members of this body have targeted food assistance, arguing it should be cut to balance the budget and avert cuts to defense. The Ryan budget proposed cutting SNAP by $133 billion. A cut of this magnitude would cut almost 10 million people off from food aid, or would result in a benefit cut of $90 per month for a family of four. For a family with a net monthly income of $338--the average for most SNAP households--a $90 cut would be devastating. I agree with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: We must reduce the deficit. [[Page E2026]] And that means raising revenues and implementing cuts. But both revenue increases and cuts must be strategic, not simple. The tax code should be simplified, tax expenditures should be scrutinized, and tax increases should be progressive. Similarly, spending reductions should be based on a reexamination of what we need to remain competitive in a global economy. For instance, we should continue to invest in education, job training, infrastructure, and yes food assistance to keep Americans successful and competitive. We should cut outdated spending on defense expenditures, such as our out-sized nuclear stockpile and permanent troops in Europe. We should also reform our entitlements, such as Medicare, by paying providers for outcomes and quality, combating waste and fraud, and demanding higher rebates from drug companies. The truth is, food assistance comprises just two percent of the federal budget. And contrary to the claims by the some that food assistance is unsustainable--SNAP is expected to drop from .52 percent of GDP in 2011 to just .3 percent as the economy recovers. This is hardly an unsustainable trend. In fact, according to Moody's Analytics every $1 dollar invested in SNAP yields $1.72 in economic benefit. As we speak, negotiators are sitting down to determine what a final deficit reduction package will look like. I hope that as they debate the final deal, and look forward to spending the holidays indulging with their families, they remember the millions of families that aren't as lucky. I hope they remember the millions of children, parents, elderly, and disabled Americans who rely on SNAP to avoid going hungry. I recently had the privilege of volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which provides food to over half a million Chicagoans every year. I met some of the folks who rely on SNAP and I heard their stories. And I can tell you, they are not takers. They are our friends and neighbors who have fallen on hard times and need our help. I won't soon forget them, and I hope those crafting the deficit reduction package won't either." CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgE2025,2012-12-31,112,2,,,HONORING VERNE D. RIDER,HOUSE,EXTENSIONS,HONORING,E2025,E2025,"[{""name"": ""Michael G. Fitzpatrick"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. E2025,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2025] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING VERNE D. RIDER ______ HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Monday, December 31, 2012 Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of a man I have had the distinct privilege of serving with during my time representing the people of Pennsylvania's 8th District, Verne D. Rider. With the conclusion of this 112th Congress, Verne will be retiring for the fourth time, but I am sure it will not be his last. Albert Einstein once claimed that ``a life lived in service to others is worth living.'' If Mr. Einstein is correct, Verne Rider's continued life of service to his country is an example to each of us a life worth living. When his country called him for the first time, Verne dedicated himself to decades of honorable service in the United States Air Force. During his proud military career, Verne flew missions over the fields of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War and the deserts of the Middle East as part of operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. To this day, Verne always takes note of when he or one of his co- workers is dressed in their ``Air Force Blue''. A true patriot, Verne's service in the Air Force is just one example of his drive to serve others in any way he can. Upon retiring from his time in the military, Verne recognized an opportunity to continue his service, this time in the name of his fellow veterans, including those who found themselves homeless and in need. As a generation of military men and women reaches retirement age, some find themselves in need of assistance and guidance through a complex and often frustrating bureaucratic VA Benefits system. When I began putting together my office staff for my first term in Congress I could think of no one better than Verne Rider to provide 8th District veterans with the help they needed. Whether that help comes in the form of a phone call to the VA, a letter to a federal agency, or often times just a shoulder to lean on, Verne is always ready and willing to do his best for his fellow veterans. During those first two years, Verne became a staple of the veteran community in my home of Bucks County, and was known across the district as a true friend to veterans. Between my terms in Congress, Verne insisted on continuing his service to his brothers in arms, and was able to fulfill a similar role for the late Senator Arlen Specter. I was fortunate enough to have Verne return to office with me for the 112th Congress and everywhere I go, the veterans of my district remind me how lucky I am to have someone like Verne Rider on my staff. While Verne's retirement from my office for the second time marks an immediate loss to our organization, I have no doubt that this will not be the last we see of Verne in service to our country. I know this because I am able to share one of my proudest achievements as a member of Congress with Verne. Together, with the efforts of local leaders and allies in Washington, Verne and I were able to bring a national cemetery to Bucks County, providing our veterans with a final resting place on the historic grounds of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. Verne's continued work with the Guardians of the Washington Crossing National Cemetery will keep him firmly fixed in his position as a community leader. After a lifetime of service to his country and its veterans, Verne will continue to dedicate himself fully to the most important role of his life as a loving husband, proud father and new grandfather. On behalf of myself, my staff, and the people of Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, I extend my sincerest gratitude to Verne D. Rider for his decades of service to his country and to our community. We are all looking forward to seeing where your drive to serve others takes you next. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH-FrontMatter,2012-12-31,112,2,,,House of Representatives,HOUSE,HOUSE,FRONTMATTER,H7471,H7471,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7471,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7471] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S Vol. 158 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012 No. 171" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7471-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7471,H7471,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7471,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7471] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following communication from the Speaker: Washington, DC, December 31, 2012. I hereby appoint the Honorable Gregg Harper to act as Speaker pro tempore on this day. John A. Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7471-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,MORNING-HOUR DEBATE,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7471,H7471,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7471,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7471] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] MORNING-HOUR DEBATE The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of January 17, 2012, the Chair will now recognize Members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning-hour debate. The Chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with each party limited to 30 minutes and each Member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip limited to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 9:50 a.m. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7471-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,THE FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7471,H7471,"[{""name"": ""Earl Blumenauer"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7471,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7471] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] THE FISCAL CLIFF The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes. Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, Congress is here on New Year's Eve with the people they love: themselves, the special interests, and the policies of the past. The overhyped fiscal cliff may well be upon us, and we will find $600 billion of deficit reduction with tax increases and spending cuts, and then there will be the howls that we are doing it too abruptly from some of the same people who demanded this system of expiring cuts and sequestration in the first place. Make no mistake. There will be some real damage. We will be squeezing some people who deserve far better, and then we'll be scrambling to refine the budget reductions in a way that makes sense. And some time in the hours, days, and weeks ahead, we will get a semibalanced small agreement, very likely, struggling throughout the new Congress with budget bluster, especially in the House, moving from crisis to deadline to showdown. It's ironic because it doesn't need to be this hard. We could use the pressure and revenue from expiring temporary tax cuts to enact tax reform to provide the money that a growing and aging American population needs, but do it in a simpler, fairer way. We could actually reduce entitlement spending on Medicare by accelerating the health care reform, which is what, in Oregon, we've committed to do in exchange for some flexibility and some upfront funding. We have in place a program going forward that, if done on a national level, would save over $1 trillion over the next 10 years. We shouldn't be fooling around with patching an outmoded, unfair farm bill. Let's reform it to support family farmers and ranchers, beginning farmers, especially those who grow food, not large agribusiness producing heavily subsidized commodities. We can save money, protect the environment, enhance wildlife, the experience for hunters and fishermen, and have a healthier America. The military is the greatest source of money. We can start with 135,000 soldiers scattered in over 1,000 bases across the globe. We have a nuclear arsenal where we are spending several hundred billion dollars on weapons we can't use, we don't need and can't afford. Mr. Speaker, the good news is that the public would support us in these steps. The good news is that, if we ever got the chance to consider them in a fair and open debate on the floor of the House, we would find bipartisan support for each of these real saving options. The good news is that, ultimately, we are going to take these steps, proving, once again, the wisdom of Winston Churchill when he observed that you could always count on the Americans to do the right thing after they have exhausted every other possibility. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7471-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,GOING OFF THE FISCAL CLIFF WITH POCKETS FULL OF SOMEONE ELSE'S MONEY,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7471,H7472,"[{""name"": ""Ted Poe"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7471,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7471-H7472] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] GOING OFF THE FISCAL CLIFF WITH POCKETS FULL OF SOMEONE ELSE'S MONEY The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) for 5 minutes. Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, ``We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much.'' That was Ronald Reagan in 1982. President Reagan went on to lead America out of a recession, but history has a way of repeating itself. Somehow, Washington never gets the message, and here we are, 30 years later on the brink of another crisis on New Year's Eve, still addicted to spending money. Now we are over $16 trillion in debt. President Reagan's words and principles remain true today, and they were true when he said them: the problem is spending money. Mr. Speaker, the American people know this. Why doesn't the Federal Government and Congress understand it? Why? Because Washington is obsessed with spending someone else's money. It's the arrogance of power that Congress spends the people's money without regard to how this obsession affects those very people. When American families are in debt, they sacrifice and they cut spending, whether that means taking one less [[Page H7472]] family vacation or fewer presents under the Christmas tree. Homes across the fruited plain are feeling the pain of the economic squeeze in their wallets, and they adjust accordingly, because that's what happens when times are tough. American families don't have a limited credit card like Congress does. The people are angry because they wonder why reckless Washington can't do the same. I hear that message every day from southeast Texans. These citizens are wiser than the tax-and-spendocrats here in Washington, D.C. Let me share a few of those straight-talking Texans' words with you. Michael says this: You can't have the cookies without the milk. Tax reform and spending cuts, not one without the other. Hubert from Baytown, Texas, says this: Our children and grandchildren will have to recover from reckless spending. Washington has a spending problem, not a taxing problem. Jeff says: You don't become fiscally responsible by continued increases in your credit card spending limit. Folks in Congress need to quit running from the hard choices and stop burying our children and grandchildren in debt. David from Humble, Texas, said this: This isn't really rocket science. Stop spending money we don't have, cut back on what we do spend, and stop sending money to our enemies. Now there's a novel idea. Paul from Beaumont said this: We do not have a revenue problem; instead, we have a spending problem. And it's been a spending problem for a long time. Larry said: If I'm out of cash, I stop spending. Perhaps Congress should do the same thing that I do in my house. When I don't have enough money, I quit spending. But Congress has its own printing press backed by the Chinese. Ashley says: Spending must be stopped. Just taking more from Americans will not fix this problem. Even if my direct taxes are not affected here, my employer's are. So what will that mean for me in the long run? I'm afraid I'm going to find out. Yes, Ashley, you're going to find out here on New Year's Eve. Jimmy from Crosby, Texas, says: I'm fed up with them never agreeing to a budget and spending like there is no tomorrow. This out-of-control action has got to stop. And, finally, Renee from Crosby, Texas, said: Please demand that spending be cut; fraud, waste, and abuse in government spending be addressed before any new taxes be forced upon hardworking Americans. Mr. Speaker, the American people, they actually do get it--at least those people who work and pay taxes. The backbone of America--the workers of America--say stop the spending obsession. Mr. Speaker, the problem is spending. We got here by spending too much, not by taxing too little. We're going off the cliff with our pockets full of somebody else's money. And that's just the way it is. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7471,2012-12-31,112,2,,,House of Representatives,HOUSE,HOUSE,CALLTOORDER,H7471,H7471,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7471,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7471] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [[Page H7471]] House of Representatives The House met at 9 a.m. and was called to order by the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Harper). ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7472-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,THE SGR NEEDS TO BE PATCHED NOW,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7472,H7473,"[{""name"": ""Tom Price"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7472,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7472-H7473] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] THE SGR NEEDS TO BE PATCHED NOW The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) for 5 minutes. Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, in the late 1990s, Congress came up with a new formula to determine how much to pay doctors for taking care of seniors in the Medicare program. It's called the ``sustainable growth rate,'' or the SGR. And like so many Washington solutions, it doesn't work. Before coming to Congress, I was a doctor. I took care of patients for over 20 years. I remember thinking at the time that the SGR program was put into place, Well, that won't work. It's a house of cards. It's destined to fail. Mr. Speaker, here we are. America's seniors are on the verge of losing access to health care. Let me repeat that, Mr. Speaker. America's seniors are on the verge of losing access to health care. How? If Congress and President Obama don't act by January 1, tomorrow, Medicare payments to physicians will be reduced, will be cut by nearly 27 percent. You see, Mr. Speaker, the fiscal cliff is more than just the tax increases that President Obama so dearly wants. The effect of the SGR formula means that physicians who treat Medicare patients will be forced to limit the number of seniors that they see, fewer patients being seen, doctors forced not to see patients because of foolish Washington policy. This jeopardizes health care for millions of folks. The sustainable growth rate, the formula used by Medicare to determine physician reimbursement, needs to be repealed. It doesn't work for patients, and it doesn't work for doctors. It's destructive to the very principles that we hold dear about health care. It violates accessibility, it violates quality, and it limits choices. It harms real people. There are positive solutions that we're working on so that we may responsibly reform this broken system. But while we work to put in place a system that actually does make sense, we must provide certainty for patients and their doctors for the new year. Mr. Speaker, slashing payments to doctors is a terrible idea, and it must be stopped. The SGR needs to be patched now so that seniors may continue to see their doctors, and then we [[Page H7473]] should move forward with real solutions that work for real people, not just for Washington bureaucrats. The sad thing about our current dysfunction in this town is that people all across this country get harmed. It's not because of something that they did, but because of something that government did to them or forced them to do. It's time to let Americans be Americans, and in health care that means caring for each other and allowing patients and families and doctors to make medical decisions, not Washington. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7472,2012-12-31,112,2,,,MIDNIGHT MAGIC,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7472,H7472,"[{""name"": ""Peter A. DeFazio"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7472,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7472] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 0910 MIDNIGHT MAGIC The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) for 5 minutes. Mr. DeFAZIO. All but those in total denial--and there is a lot of that inside the D.C. Beltway--would admit that we need a combination of increased revenues, taxes--the gentleman before me disagrees--and spending cuts to restore fiscal stability. Especially with a still-weak economy, we don't need blanket tax increases that would hit the hardworking families of the middle class, and we don't need brain-dead, across-the-board spending cuts that mete out the same percentage cuts to wasteful and unneeded programs and high-functioning essential programs. We can do better, and the American people deserve better. In that spirit, I offer the following ideas. Pick one of the numbers floating out there. Let's restore the Clinton-era tax rates on income over $250,000, $400,000, $450,000. They are bargaining out there. Whatever. We are restoring the Clinton-era tax rates. We're not going back to Eisenhower. We're talking about Clinton-era tax rates for income above that level. Restore the same Clinton-era tax rates on unearned income when there were a lot more productive investments out there, delay the across-the- board cuts for 30 days, give the new Congress a chance to make smarter, targeted cuts of equal value, and fix the Medicare reimbursement so that seniors aren't threatened in the middle of the month from not being able to get medical care, and extend unemployment. Come on, don't be cruel to people who can't find jobs and want to find them, although some on that side deny they're looking for work. It's not the specifics really that I want to talk about here. It's the procedure. That's what will solve this because this is Washington. It's not about reality. Now, here it is: the midnight magic plan. We begin debate at 10 p.m. For the first 2 hours, everybody can go to their usual corners. The Republicans could decry the increased taxes on job creators, on income over $250,000 or $400,000 or $450,000. The Republicans could stay true to their pledge to Grover Norquist to never, ever raise taxes for any purpose, never. Democrats could say it's not enough; it doesn't restore tax fairness. We could have the usual debate for 2 hours. At midnight we stop, sing ``Auld Lang Syne,'' come together a little bit, and then the midnight magic. Now, the same bill is cutting taxes for 98 percent of the working people in the United States of America, the Democrats would have protected Social Security and Medicare, and both sides get a chance over 30 days to legislate--God forbid we should legislate around here-- targeted cuts instead of the meat-axe approach to cutting spending. I think that's the best we can do for the American people. We transmogrify this bill with the magic of midnight from one that increases taxes on the job creators--income over $250,000 or $450,000-- to one that actually gives tax cuts to 98 percent of America, something both sides can go home and brag about. No cliff. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7473-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,FISCAL CLIFF AND BUSH TAX CUT HISTORY,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7473,H7473,"[{""name"": ""Mo Brooks"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7473,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7473] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 0920 FISCAL CLIFF AND BUSH TAX CUT HISTORY The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Brooks) for 5 minutes. Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Speaker, the Bush tax cuts' history illuminates why American families face huge tax increases on January 1. The Bush tax cuts had two purposes. First, stimulate the economy, create jobs, cut unemployment, and cut the deficit. Second, cut taxes to help American families take care of their own needs. In just 3 years, thanks to the Bush tax cuts, unemployment dropped from a high of 6.3 percent in 2003 to a low of 4.4 percent in 2006; 7 million American jobs were created between 2003 and 2006. Most importantly and paradoxically to those who do not understand economics, this robust economic growth cut America's deficit 60 percent--from $413 billion in FY 2003-2004 to $161 billion in FY 2006- 2007. By every economic measure, the Bush tax cuts were a spectacular success. The Bush tax cuts, part 1, became law in 2001. Republican Congressmen and Senators voted 258-2--99 percent--to cut taxes and protect family incomes. In contrast, Democrat Congressmen and Senators who now say they are for protecting family incomes voted 184-40--a whopping 81 percent--against American families and for higher taxes. The Bush tax cuts, part 2, became law in 2003. Republican Congressmen and Senators voted 272-3--that's 99 percent--to cut taxes and protect family incomes. In contrast, Democrat Congressmen and Senators who now say they are for protecting family incomes voted 245-9--an eye-popping 96 percent--against American families and for higher taxes. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats had enough votes to prevent the Bush tax cuts from being permanent. But for these Senate Democrats, America would not be facing a fiscal cliff today. President Obama and a radically different Congress, controlled by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, revisited the Bush tax cuts. In two separate votes in February 2009 and December 2010, Democrats could have increased taxes on the wealthy if they'd really believed what they now say. Did they raise taxes on the wealthy? No. Why not? Democrats could have permanently protected lower- and middle-income families from higher taxes if Democrats had really believed what they now say. Did they? No. Why not? Mr. Speaker, why would a Democrat Congress and White House say they want to tax the wealthy but not do it? Why would a Democrat Congress and White House say they want permanent tax relief for lower- and middle-income taxpayers yet not give it? The answer is simple: Washington Democrats voted twice against tax increases on the wealthy and twice voted against giving permanent tax relief to lower- and middle-income families so that they could run campaigns on base human emotions like greed, envy, and class warfare, and campaign against the very tax policies Democrats kept in place, thus deflecting attention from the Democrats' abysmal record on the economy--trillion-dollar deficits and a $16 trillion national debt. To their credit, in 2012, their strategy worked. Democrats won the White House and the Senate. Ultimately, however, American voters will learn from history and truth will prevail. Ultimately, the American people will look at their property taxes, income taxes, estate taxes, sales taxes, and every other tax that they are being forced to pay, and they will ask: Who taxes and undermines my ability to take care of my family? History proves Democrats raise taxes whenever they believe they can get away with it. Conversely, history proves that Republicans protect as many American families as possible from Democrat tax increases. Mr. Speaker, that is the fight the Republican House fights today. Republicans will fight today and Republicans will fight tomorrow to protect as many American families as possible from the tax increases Democrats passed when they controlled Congress and the White House, and it is that difference, Mr. Speaker, that caused American voters to give Republicans in the 2010 and 2012 elections their largest number of House of Representative victories in more than six decades. Fighting Democrat tax increases: now that's a mandate. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7473-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,A TIME OF PERSONAL REFLECTION,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7473,H7474,"[{""name"": ""Russ Carnahan"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7473,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7473-H7474] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] A TIME OF PERSONAL REFLECTION The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) for 5 minutes. Mr. CARNAHAN. On this last day of the year and on one of the last days of this 112th Congress, we are awaiting a fiscal deal that will strengthen the fiscal health of this country. I want to take a few moments to reflect on my service here in the House of Representatives and to personally thank many who helped me get here and to do the work of the people whom I represent and love in the State of Missouri. First, Mr. Speaker, Debra Carnahan, my wife but also an accomplished attorney, a former State and Federal prosecutor. She's really been the rock of our family and has been with me through the great highs and tough lows of this job. So I want to thank her. Also, our two great sons--Austin and Andrew--who have shared me with thousands of constituents for several years. They have grown into amazing young men, young men who I think will, in their own rights, make a difference as they work their way through their lives. Mr. Speaker, I want to also thank some of my amazing staff who are too numerous to name--dozens over many years--but there are four in particular who worked with me through the entire 8 years that I served in this Congress: Jeremy Haldeman, who has [[Page H7474]] staffed the Foreign Affairs Committee for me and the Oversight Subcommittee, and who has also been my chief of staff in the Washington office; Jim McHugh, who has been my district director and longtime friend and colleague in St. Louis; Suzanne Archer, who has been my deputy director; and Kathy Waltz from Sainte Genevieve, Missouri, a former mayor there but an invaluable part of our constituent outreach team. There are many other staff members, but I thank those in particular for their long and loyal service and for the difference they make in so many people's lives. To the Missourians whom I've had the great honor to represent, I am gratified and humbled beyond belief to have been able to represent them in this U.S. House of Representatives for 8 years and to also have represented many in the State house of representatives for 4 years prior to that. In working with them and for them we've been able to get some great things done on big national issues but also on important local issues back home. From ribbon cuttings and orange cones and construction signs all across the St. Louis region to investments in our infrastructure, which have created real jobs at home and have helped rebuild our region's roads, bridges, ports, lochs, dams, levees, flood walls, airports, high-speed rail, light rail, and our bus systems, those have made a real difference in people's lives. It was the reason I got on the Transportation Committee in the first place. We had two of the most deadly roads in America in Jefferson County, Missouri, and we got special funding to help rebuild those roads--to not only help their economy but to save lives. Recently, our firefighters were able to obtain a Federal grant for special patrol boats-rescue boats on the Mississippi River, which will serve the region for years to come. These kinds of investments are important, and I want to urge this new Congress that will be taking over in just a few days to pass a major transportation bill. It's one of the best investments we can make in this country in order to continue to grow this economy. We've seen after growing out of this Great Recession over the last few years the Recovery Act passed, the auto industry saved, major Wall Street reforms passed, health care reform passed, and stem cell research measures adopted in unprecedented bipartisan ways. I'll never forget the mothers with their young children who were sitting in my office the day that the health care bill was approved. There was not a dry eye in the room because all of their kids had preexisting conditions. Because of the new health care law, that cannot be the case anymore. I was also proud to serve on our House Foreign Affairs Committee and to chair the international organization's committee, so I just want to urge this Congress to take on the needed reforms to make this Congress work better for the American people. In closing, we recently greeted World War II veterans here at the monument built in their honor. They said that this Congress needed to take on the spirit they had in World War II--to put the country first and to put our differences aside--and that we could achieve great things. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7473,2012-12-31,112,2,,,IN RECOGNITION OF DEDICATED STAFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,RECOGNIZING,H7473,H7473,"[{""name"": ""Jason Altmire"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7473,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7473] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] IN RECOGNITION OF DEDICATED STAFF The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) for 5 minutes. Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, on this last day of 2012, I want to take a moment to highlight the work of a number of hardworking Federal employees, people who serve with distinction, but often without the credit they deserve. All of us in the House have dedicated staff who, though unheralded, are committed to their country and the constituents they serve. Without them, we could never do our jobs, and I want to thank those who have worked for me over the past 6 years: Susan and Ed Anfinson, Lin Banks, Mark Perkins, Noel Warren, and the great George Greenfield. They were all shared employees that we shared with other offices. Then we have our full-time employees: Ben Barasky, Olivia Benson, Evan Brennan, Mike Butler, Julie Cain, Richard Carbo, Jennifer Dale, Nick Demicheli, Michelle Dorothy, Serronn Emerson, Jim Ferruchie, Dori Friedberg, Jesse Haladay, Angela Hayden, Kathleen Janoski, Carolyn Kahler, Rachel Kaufman, Erik Komendant, Jennifer Kraus, Chris Lombardi, Cody Lundquist, Greg Malinak, Caitlin Mathis, Stephanie Bone, Tess Mullen, Beth Newman, Bennett Reed, Nathan Robinson, Emily Schmitt, Mariel Schwartz, Abby Silverman, Lee Slater, Shannon Smith, Christina Stacey, P.J. Tabit, Alexandra Taylor, Nikki Tesla, Randy Stapleford and John Galanski--the two best veteran constituent service reps you could ever want--Sharon Werner, Rachael Heisler, and Cara Toman. Mr. Speaker, all of them were loyal to the district, and I read their names into the Record to thank them for their service and loyalty to me, but especially for their service to the district. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7474-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,BELARUS,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7474,H7475,"[{""name"": ""John Shimkus"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7474,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7474-H7475] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] BELARUS The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) for 5 minutes. Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it's good to come down for morning-hour, especially today, to hear my colleagues come down and thank staff and people who've been important in their lives, especially in their careers. Jason Altmire, what a great job he did thanking his staff. My friend, Russ Carnahan from across the Mississippi River, thanking family, wife, sons, and staff. For the work we do here, too frequently, many go unappreciated. [[Page H7475]] But, Mr. Speaker, I did break the code on why we're here so late today. I know a lot of people want to know. We can blame Jay Pierson for that. Jay is retiring today. This is his last day, and we wanted to make sure that we got the last ounce of flesh and blood from him. So if the American people want to know why we're here, it's Jay Pierson's fault. Jay Pierson is Speaker Boehner's floor assistant. He obviously carries around a copy of Jefferson's Manual. He has been a servant of the House of Representatives for 34 years. He's a truly dedicated public servant. I thank him for his friendship and his support to this body and especially to me personally. Mr. Speaker, I also wanted to take time out, as I do, to speak about democratic movements around the world, especially in the former captive nations of Eastern Europe, and remember those who are jailed just because they want political freedoms and liberties. Two years ago after the brutal and bloody crackdown on peaceful demonstrations after the 2010 presidential elections, the human rights of ordinary Belarusian citizens continue to be violated by the Lukashenko government. One candidate who ran against Lukashenko during that election, Nikolai Statkevich, remains in jail. The other jailed candidate, Andrei Sannikov, was pardoned earlier this year and is in exile in Britain. Ales Byalyatski, the head of Viasna Human Rights Center, also remains imprisoned after being convicted to a 4\1/2\-year jail sentence for trumped-up charges of tax evasion. These are two of 12 political prisoners who today remain behind bars under deplorable prison conditions in Belarus. The general human rights situation in Belarus has not improved since the events of 2010, despite international condemnation and sanctions on the regime. In its 2012 report, Freedom House ranked Belarus as ``not free'' in the categories of civil liberties and political rights, and Belarus ranked 193 out of 197 countries on Freedom House's 2012 press freedom index. The Reporters Without Borders press freedom index ranks Belarus 168 out of 179 countries. Laws have passed that regulate demonstrations and political information, stifling freedom of assembly. Independent journalists and political activists are under a constant threat of intimidation and arbitrary detention. Belarus held parliamentary elections on September 23, 2012. Unsurprisingly, the elections failed to meet international standards and were widely condemned as not free or fair. While some democratic opposition parties boycotted the elections, the candidates who did attempt to run were denied registration by election authorities, intimidated, and given unfair access to media resources. No opposition figures were elected to the 110-seat legislature. Official turnout was reported as 74.3 percent, although observers claim the turnout was closer to 30 percent of eligible voters. Belarus remains mired in its worst financial crisis since independence, which has put Lukashenko under increasing pressure. In the past month, he has reshuffled several top figures in his government and made some controversial economic decisions that have been met with criticism in the international community. This includes signing a presidential decree making it illegal for workers in Belarus' wood processing industry to quit their jobs, and announcing that Belarus would begin shifting its exporting business from ports in the Baltic to Russian ports. This will only strain the relationship between Belarus and its democratic neighbors and increase Russia's stronghold on key Belarusian markets. {time} 0940 Belarus already depends on Russia for nearly all its energy supplies. The United States and the European Union must remain united, impose economic sanctions, and have a single plan for action regarding the promotion of democratic process in Belarus. So again, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this time coming down, and I wish everybody a Happy New Year. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7474,2012-12-31,112,2,,,FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7474,H7474,"[{""name"": ""Robert J. Dold"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7474,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7474] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 0930 FISCAL CLIFF The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Dold) for 5 minutes. Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I want to first start off by thanking my friend from Missouri for his service and working with him on legislation in the past. Just to pick up on what he said about our World War II heroes, we do need to put the country first. I think that certainly we're here on New Year's Eve and we're upon the fiscal cliff. What we do need to focus on is how do we find that common ground, because what we do know is I believe Democrats and Republicans alike want to put our country on a course to some fiscal discipline--we hope. Is there a course where we can find enough common ground to move it forward so that we don't have a downgrade, so that we don't spike unemployment, so that the markets don't go down. Mr. Speaker, I'm a small business owner. I employ 100 people. For me, it's 100 families. I meet a budget and a payroll. What they're looking for when I talk to people back home, they're looking for some stability, they're looking for certainty, and what we're doing here is not providing any of those things. And yet I do believe that there is a spirit of comity that we want to find that common ground and move forward. I'm sorry that we're here on New Year's Eve and that we haven't solved this problem long ago. I will say, Mr. Speaker, that the House did send a bill in August over to the United States Senate. Going back to my time as a small business owner, I can just tell you, if I'd given something to one of the people that I work with, marked it ``urgent'' and put it on their desk months ago and it sat for month after month after month, something would be wrong. Well, in essence, Mr. Speaker, that's exactly what we've done. We sent something over to the United States Senate months ago, marked it ``urgent'' because this is talking about the direction, the fiscal direction of our Nation, and yet nothing is coming back. Unfortunately, Washington works on brinksmanship. We don't want brinksmanship; we want stability. The world is watching, and we need to focus on the common ground to move things forward. We want to make sure that we can keep tax rates low. We want to make sure that we can bring additional revenue into the Federal Government. I believe that's going to be through growth. That's going to be sparking the American spirit, that entrepreneurial spirit across our country to bring more dollars into the Federal Treasury, to get more people back to work. The thing that's amazing, Mr. Speaker, is there's a lack of leadership, a lack of leadership here in Washington, D.C., that's palpable. We need to move forward. During the budget season, those on the other side of the aisle, myself, some of my colleagues on my side of the aisle, put forth a budget, the first bipartisan budget in a generation, based upon the Simpson-Bowles plan, talking about the need to bring additional revenue in, talking about the need to put spending cuts out there because Washington has this sense of spending, Mr. Speaker. Republicans have overspent; Democrats have overspent. I'm not here to point the finger. What I am looking for is a solution to the problems we face. My hope is that we can get those done today. The American people demand it, the American people need it, and the world is looking to America for leadership. Mr. Speaker, on a different note, I want to rise today to recognize an extraordinary lady, a great American, one who raised four children and instilled in them a love of family and country, taught those around her the idea that your integrity determines your identity. In fact, she gave me that plaque, and it hangs in my room today. I want to say it again, Mr. Speaker, because I think it is so very, very important: Your integrity determines your identity. She also instilled a fantastic work ethic in those around her. A teacher, first of special needs children, then in English as a high school English teacher for a number of years, she left the teaching profession to have a family and then became an entrepreneur. She went into the private sector, helped people get jobs, put food on the table for families, and helped those families get an education. Mr. Speaker, this great American lady celebrates a birthday today. I'm sorry that I'm not with her, but I am in spirit. Happy birthday, Mom. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7475-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,RECESS,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7475,H7475,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7475,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7475] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] RECESS The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair declares the House in recess until 10 a.m. today. Accordingly (at 9 o'clock and 41 minutes a.m.), the House stood in recess. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7475-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,AFTER RECESS,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7475,H7475,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7475,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7475] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1000 AFTER RECESS The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the Speaker pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson) at 10 a.m. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7475-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PRAYER,HOUSE,HOUSE,PRAYER,H7475,H7475,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7475,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7475] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PRAYER The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, offered the following prayer: Loving God, we give You thanks for giving us another day. On this last day of 2012, forget not Your people. There are many differences plaguing our Nation's discourse. Please send wisdom upon the leaders serving in government and goodwill among all the principals in current negotiations. We thank You for the service of so many who work every day in this building, whose labor provides the lubrication for the very public actions of the Members of this assembly. Though each deserves special mention, bless especially this day Jay Pierson, who works his last day of 34 years of faithful service on the floor of the House. May all that is done this day be for Your greater honor and glory. Amen. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7475-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,THE JOURNAL,HOUSE,HOUSE,HJOURNAL,H7475,H7475,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7475,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7475] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] THE JOURNAL The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has examined the Journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the House her approval thereof. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7475-6,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE,HOUSE,HOUSE,PLEDGE,H7475,H7475,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7475,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7475] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) come forward and lead the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. HIGGINS led the Pledge of Allegiance as follows: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7475-7,2012-12-31,112,2,,,ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE,HOUSE,HOUSE,HANNOUNCEMENT,H7475,H7476,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7475,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7475-H7476] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will entertain up to 15 requests [[Page H7476]] for 1-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7475,2012-12-31,112,2,,,FAREWELL TO THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7475,H7475,"[{""name"": ""Tim Scott"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7475,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7475] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] FAREWELL TO THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Scott) for 5 minutes. Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say farewell to the House. I first want to say thank you to the wonderful people of the South Carolina coast. From Myrtle Beach to my hometown of North Charleston to Hilton Head, your support over the last 3 years has truly humbled me and inspired me. I also want to thank my friends, my colleagues, and the members of the South Carolina delegation: Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Gowdy, and Mr. Mulvaney. We have a great group who truly understands we are here to represent the great State of South Carolina and the citizens of America, and I thank them all for their friendship. Finally, I'd like to thank all of my colleagues here in the House. We may not always agree on things, but we are here for a reason: to try and make this Nation better. As I prepare to move to the United States Senate, it is that belief that makes me incredibly optimistic about our future. The battles of today will, in the future, be seen as a positive turning point for our Nation, where we got our fiscal house back in order and revitalized the American Dream for our children and our grandchildren. I look forward to continuing to serve the residents of South Carolina, some of the most passionate people in the Nation. And I will never forget my time here in the people's House, where we worked every single day to build a brighter future for our Nation. Thank you. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7476-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7476,H7476,"[{""name"": ""Dennis J. Kucinich"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HJRES"", ""number"": ""100""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HJRES"", ""number"": ""100""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7476,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7476] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. KUCINICH. The question settling over this Capitol as we face the fiscal cliff is: How can this be happening? It's hyperpartisanship meets Citizens United. America's politics are so saturated with money and so politically polarized that the system cannot function to meet its obligations to keep the government running. But make no mistake about it--government does work. It's working for Pentagon contractors, for arms manufacturers, for oil companies, for coal companies. It's working for those who want to hold down wages and suppress the rights of workers. It's working for drug companies whose sweetheart deal on prescription drugs blew a hole in the Medicare budget. The apparent dysfunctionality of government masks the reality that the tax resources of government increasingly are going to the highest bidders in a $4 billion national election. The debris at the bottom of the fiscal cliff will be the wrecked hopes of doctors and Medicare patients, unemployed workers who can't protect their families, and middle class taxpayers who just can't pay any more. Our Nation's pose at the fiscal cliff is proof of the necessity of a constitutional amendment, H.J. Res. 100, to rid this Nation of the corrupting influence of special interest money with public financing, which recreates a true government of the people. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7476-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,FACTS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE ABOUT THE FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7476,H7476,"[{""name"": ""Pete Olson"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7476,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7476] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] FACTS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE ABOUT THE FISCAL CLIFF (Mr. OLSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I want to give the American people seven facts about our fiscal crisis. Fact number one: we have a $16 trillion national debt that's expected to go up to over $22 trillion before President Obama leaves office. Fact number two: Washington's problem is not revenue. It's uncontrolled spending. Fact number three: in less than 14 hours, automatic tax hikes will give Washington more money to spend. Fact number four: the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says these automatic tax hikes threaten to put us back into another recession. Fact number five: the House has done its job to avoid this crisis by passing a bipartisan bill to stop the tax hikes. Fact number six: the Senate, with the President's approval, has refused to take up this bill. Fact number seven: we've done our job in the House. It's time for the Senate to do their job before the clock strikes midnight. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7476-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,REAL EFFECTS OF GOING OVER THE FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7476,H7476,"[{""name"": ""Brian Higgins"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7476,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7476] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] REAL EFFECTS OF GOING OVER THE FISCAL CLIFF (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, at midnight tonight, the Budget Control Act of 2011 and sequestration will trigger spending cuts of $1.2 trillion over 10 years, including $109 billion in 2013. We'll have 8.2 percent, or $54 billion, in domestic spending cuts funding to the National Cancer Institute that supports clinical trials for new cancer treatments. If you're a patient at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo and you're diagnosed with late-stage cancer, you don't have the luxury of time that these cuts demand. That's what sequestration means to cancer patients in Buffalo and throughout the Nation. We'll have 9.4 percent, or $55 billion, cut in defense spending. What does it mean to my community of Buffalo and western New York? MOOG, a world leader in motion control technology with a thriving defense unit, a $2.5 billion company that employs 8,400 people, takes a major hit. That's what sequestration means to the defense industry in Buffalo and throughout the Nation. Madam Speaker, sequestration cannot be viewed in the abstractions of Washington and this institution. Its real consequences will be felt hard by real people in real communities throughout this Nation, including in Buffalo and western New York. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7476-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PASS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO AVERT THE FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7476,H7476,"[{""name"": ""David N. Cicilline"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7476,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7476] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PASS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO AVERT THE FISCAL CLIFF (Mr. CICILLINE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, the 112th Congress has been defined as the least productive Congress in recent memory. And now we run the risk of being the Congress whose action will cause real harm to our country's economic future. The American people have consistently said they want Republicans and Democrats to act like adults and work together on the challenges we face. And yet here we are again, facing a critical financial deadline with no agreement in place to avert the so- called fiscal cliff and to protect seniors, middle class families, and business owners while we reduce our debt. There's just too much at stake right now for this Congress to keep playing the games of brinksmanship and partisan politics. Over the last 10 years, as I've met with Rhode Islanders from Woonsocket to Newport and everywhere in between, I've heard one clear message: now is the time for those of us who serve in this Chamber to get this hard work done on behalf of the men and women who sent us here. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to spend less time assigning blame to each other and instead pass a comprehensive plan that averts the fiscal cliff, cuts our debt, and protects middle class families, seniors, and small business owners. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7476-6,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PUT DOWN THOSE GUNS,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7476,H7477,"[{""name"": ""Frederica S. Wilson"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7476,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7476-H7477] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PUT DOWN THOSE GUNS (Ms. WILSON of Florida asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Ms. WILSON of Florida. Today is New Year's Eve. While we debate going over the fiscal cliff at midnight, there are people somewhere in America planning to shoot their guns in celebration at midnight. Put down those guns. Millions of people have died or been injured due to this dangerous celebratory custom. Put down those guns. If I were in my district of Miami today, I would be participating in a press conference that we started 10 years ago, calling an end to this deadly custom. As a result, celebratory gunfire has largely disappeared from our county. It is a result of repeated demands and media events over and over again. Now people get it. Remember, what goes up must come down. Bullets are no exception. Instead, hug your kids. Light a candle. Resolve to sell your gun in the next community gun buy-back initiative. Say a prayer for [[Page H7477]] all of the precious children who have lost their lives to gun violence in our Nation, especially those babies we lost most recently in Connecticut. Put down those guns. Don't even think about it. Because one bullet-- just one bullet--will kill the party. Please, America, put down those guns. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7476,2012-12-31,112,2,,,BIG SPENDING LEADS TO FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7476,H7476,"[{""name"": ""Joe Wilson"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7476,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7476] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] BIG SPENDING LEADS TO FISCAL CLIFF (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, at midnight tonight, our Nation is scheduled to fall off the fiscal cliff, because the Augusta Chronicle editorial of December 2 is correct: It's that stubborn adherence to big spending that's powering the momentum toward the fiscal cliff. And halting big spending is what's going to stop it. Over the past year, House Republicans have passed effective bipartisan legislation to prevent the entire fiscal cliff. Unfortunately, these bills remain stalled in the Senate graveyard. This fact makes it very clear that House Republicans have addressed this issue, and Speaker John Boehner is holding firm for fiscal responsibility. With only a few hours to go, it's my hope the Senate will accept one of the House proposals and send legislation back to the House, which will attempt to tackle Washington's out-of-control spending, extend tax cuts for all Americans, and prevent the devastating defense budget cuts before it is too late and hundreds of thousands of jobs are destroyed. In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism. Congratulations, Jay Pierson, for your years of service. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7477-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,AVOIDING THE FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7477,H7477,"[{""name"": ""Eddie Bernice Johnson"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7477,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7477] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] AVOIDING THE FISCAL CLIFF (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to implore the House GOP leadership to address the looming fiscal cliff. We have only a few hours left, and we owe it to the American people to find a solution, pass legislation, and send it to the President for his signature tonight. There is too much at stake to let this critical situation devolve into the same politics as usual that we have seen throughout this Congress. The consequences of failure or inaction are dire. According to the Congressional Budget Office, going over the cliff would raise the unemployment rate from 7.9 to 9.1 percent in 2013. We would also see devastating cuts to programs that pay for education, food inspection, and air travel safety, nearing $55 billion. Madam Speaker, there is no more time, and the American people are depending on us for a solution to avoid this fiscal cliff. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7477-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,SENATE NEEDS TO GET TO WORK,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7477,H7477,"[{""name"": ""Steve Scalise"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7477,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7477] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SENATE NEEDS TO GET TO WORK (Mr. SCALISE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, here we are on New Year's Eve working to avoid this latest fiscal cliff. Of course, if you wonder why we're here, just look at the fact that we shouldn't have to be here. Back on August 1, this House, with a bipartisan vote, passed a bill that would have avoided this fiscal cliff. It would have protected every American family from seeing a tax increase. The bill passed on August 1, and it's been sitting over in the Senate every day since then. But here we are on New Year's Eve, and the Senate is finally rolling up their sleeves and working to avoid this crisis. Well, here we are at another crisis, and, unfortunately, as we look towards this New Year tomorrow, this is not the last time that we may be here. We passed a budget here in the House months ago. It's been more than 3 years since the Senate passed a budget, yet months from now we'll be hearing another cliff approaching of a government shutdown because the Senate hasn't passed a budget. It's time for the Senate to start doing their work and stop creating these crises and forcing American families to wonder what's going to happen next and what's going to be the next crisis. We should not have any American family facing a tax increase. Let's get the American economy on track. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7477-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,FISCAL CLIFF DEADLINE,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7477,H7477,"[{""name"": ""John A. Yarmuth"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7477,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7477] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] FISCAL CLIFF DEADLINE (Mr. YARMUTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mr. YARMUTH. Madam Speaker, the American people are looking at Congress with disdain--and rightfully so. With the deadline on the fiscal cliff only hours away, we have failed to reach a reasonable compromise to move the economy forward and ward off painful tax hikes on the middle class. The majority of Americans have sent us a clear message of what they want--a fair tax system, an economy that works for everyone, and a strong social safety net. These are classic American values, and throughout our history Members of both parties have made compromises in order to protect them. Those compromises reflect not just the will of the people but the way normal people do business. Every day of their lives American workers solve problems and collaborate with their coworkers to meet objectives. They don't get to wait until after the deadline passes to get the job done; if they do, they lose their jobs. The American people can't just go home if they don't get their way. And yet that's exactly what House Republican leadership did earlier this month. I hope it's not what they plan to do again this week. Madam Speaker, if my colleagues don't wake up and respond to what the American people want, they will be the ones to ultimately lose their jobs--and rightfully so. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7477-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7477,H7477,"[{""name"": ""Colleen Hanabusa"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7477,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7477] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] FISCAL CLIFF (Ms. HANABUSA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Ms. HANABUSA. Madam Speaker, when Chairman Bernanke first coined the phrase the ``fiscal cliff,'' he was really describing the perfect storm. The fiscal cliff is not only sequestration, the impact of the Budget Control Act, but also includes and is not limited to the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, unemployment insurance, the SGR, the AMT patch, the debt limit, other tax provisions. Ergo the perfect storm--major issues that this Republican-controlled House will not address until the wealthy are protected. We must address a sufficient number of these provisions to avert the perfect storm. To do so, we must look to the building of public confidence so that we can continue steady growth in the economy and jobs, the true way to avert the cliff. This is why we must do what is best for the middle and working class first: extend the Bush taxes for the middle class, extend unemployment insurance, SGR, the AMT patch, delay the sequestration--those items which we can all agree upon. We've got to get to work. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7477-6,2012-12-31,112,2,,,IMPENDING FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7477,H7478,"[{""name"": ""Paul Tonko"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7477,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7477-H7478] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] IMPENDING FISCAL CLIFF (Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, well, here we are on the last day of calendar year 2012 with an impending fiscal cliff challenging all of us. The women and men who serve in this great body assemble and express great differences, but those differences ought not divide us; they should build us with the best consensus. We need a bold and balanced approach to this fiscal cliff. We need to make certain that the 33 consecutive months of private sector job growth are not disrupted. We need to make certain that the unemployment rate does not rise as the CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, suggests, to 9.1 percent. We need to avoid taxes growing by $2,200 for an average family of four in 2013. That's what's impending here. It is important for us to go forward and take the initiative and avoid the consequences of that fiscal cliff. I'm concerned because FEMA, as an example, would be cut by some $878 million. Having witnessed the destruction in my district, we can ill- afford that. Cuts to nutrition programs, cuts [[Page H7478]] to Medicare. I implore our leadership in this House, bring a bold and balanced approach to solve our fiscal cliff crisis here today. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7477,2012-12-31,112,2,,,WORK TOGETHER FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7477,H7477,"[{""name"": ""Donna M. Christensen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7477,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7477] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1010 WORK TOGETHER FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. It will be very hard to wish the American people happy New Year unless this Congress reaches and passes an agreement that keeps taxes from going up on the 98 percent who have already had to sacrifice during the recession, that extends unemployment, enables doctors to continue to care for their Medicare beneficiaries, fixes the AMT, provides disaster recovery money to help our fellow Americans, and passes the farm bill. Democrats agreed last year to $1.5 trillion in cuts over the next 10 years, which are already in place. President Obama offered several concessions. Now Republicans need to give up at least an equal amount on the revenue side. And right now--but definitely early in 2013--my constituents in the Virgin Islands need relief from the highest energy costs in the country and a fair Medicaid match so that everyone can have access to quality health care. Whatever partisan differences we have and the Republicans have with our President, let's set them aside as this difficult year comes to a close and work together to give our constituents a happy New Year. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7478-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PASS THE SENATE SUPPLEMENTAL,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7478,H7478,"[{""name"": ""Carolyn B. Maloney"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7478,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7478] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1020 PASS THE SENATE SUPPLEMENTAL (Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, it has now been 9 weeks since Superstorm Sandy swept across the east coast. Twenty-four U.S. States were in some way affected by Sandy. The storm killed at least 131 people in eight States. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. The unprecedented disaster caused billions of dollars in loss and economic disruption. Just 2 weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast, this Congress approved more than $62 billion in Federal aid to help the devastated area get back on its feet. After Hurricanes Ike and Gustav hit in 2008, a supplemental appropriations bill passed this Congress overwhelmingly. All of these aid packages were approved by strong bipartisan majorities in both Chambers. The needs were obvious and the speed imperative. We need to pass the Senate supplemental. Nothing has changed. That is what we did for others. That's what we need to do to help this devastated area. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7478-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7478,H7478,"[{""name"": ""Marcy Kaptur"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7478,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7478] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, my hope is that tonight we will do what is right for the Republic and pass a responsible measure dealing with spending and our debt. But there's another cliff tonight at midnight that should concern the millions of homeowners who have forgone their mortgage foreclosure reviews. They have a deadline of midnight tonight as reported by USA Today yesterday on the front page of the business section. It's important to millions of Americans who literally could receive up to $100,000 in compensation because of mistakes that were made by servicers in the processing of those loans. So, I would like to tell people who might have had foreclosures facing their families in 2009 and 2010, they can call 888-952-9105 or go to the Web site IndependentForeclosureReview.com. The Office of Comptroller of the Currency will help them review those mortgage foreclosures. Far too many Americans, millions, 4 million to be exact, have received these notices, but only a little over 300,000 have replied. Millions of people could have those mortgages reviewed and perhaps receive compensation and hang onto their houses. Again, that phone number is 888-952-9105. Let's help the millions of Americans who have been harmed with their mortgages by irresponsible servicers. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7478-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7478,H7478,"[{""name"": ""Gerald E. Connolly"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7478,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7478] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] FISCAL CLIFF (Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, the start of a new year is supposed to be a joyous occasion. It is time to reflect on the past year, to take pride in our accomplishments and learn from our stumbles. There's a novel thought. Similarly, the start of a new Congress offers us an opportunity to look forward with hope and aspiration for the opportunity to work together--again, a novel thought--to deliver on behalf of those who have put their trust in us. Let's not pull the rug out from underneath both of those things before they've even had a chance to begin. The start of the new year and the new Congress do not have to be colored by the partisanship that's characterized the past year. There is a last-minute absolution to be had if we can seize the spirit of the season and do that which we have done all too little of this past year: compromise, come together. Let's ring in the new year with a fix, albeit a modest one, of the fiscal cliff and start off our new year and new Congress with a proper welcome for our constituents and our colleagues. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7478-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7478,H7478,"[{""name"": ""Keith Ellison"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7478,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7478] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] FISCAL CLIFF (Mr. ELLISON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, many years ago our friends on the conservative side of the political aisle told us that if we cut taxes for the wealthiest among us, what would happen is that they would get more money which they would use to invest in plant and equipment, and then all the rest of us working class and middle class folks would benefit by rich people having more money because then they would hire us and we'd have a stronger economy. They put this plan into implementation in 2001 and into 2003, and what followed was the most anemic decade of job growth that we have seen in many, many, many decades. If you can contrast it with the 1990s when the tax rates were actually higher, we had a much more robust economy. In fact, when President Clinton handed President Bush the reins to the government, he handed him, also, a surplus. The fact is the conservative experiment based on the ideas of a guy named Arthur Laffer and others has failed. They don't work. They're wrong for this country. It's time for us to have some balance and to pay the bills of this country, and that means taxes. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7478-6,2012-12-31,112,2,,,CONGRESS MUST WORK TOGETHER TO AVOID FALLING OFF THE FISCAL CLIFF,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7478,H7478,"[{""name"": ""Frank Pallone, Jr."", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7478,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7478] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CONGRESS MUST WORK TOGETHER TO AVOID FALLING OFF THE FISCAL CLIFF (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, if we fail to act on the remaining day of the 112th Congress, this Congress will be remembered as one which ignored the will of the people. If we fail to act, a typical middle class family of four would see its taxes rise by $2,200 starting in 2013. This means less money to buy groceries, gas and pay the bills. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, going over the cliff would raise the unemployment rate from 7.9 percent to 9.1 percent in 2013. Losing that many jobs would plunge our Nation back into a recession and put an economic recovery even further out of reach. We would be putting jobs on the altar for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans who have already seen their tax rate plummet to historic lows. It's time that we put an end to the era of trying to balance budgets on the backs of the middle class, and it's time that we take steps to avoid setting our economic recovery up for failure. We all want a better resolution than simply jumping off the fiscal cliff. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7478-7,2012-12-31,112,2,,,ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE,HOUSE,HOUSE,HANNOUNCEMENT,H7478,H7479,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7478,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7478-H7479] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the Chair will postpone further proceedings [[Page H7479]] today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered, or on which the vote incurs objection under clause 6 of rule XX. Record votes on postponed questions will be taken later. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7478,2012-12-31,112,2,,,DROPPING THE BALL,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7478,H7478,"[{""name"": ""Janice Hahn"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7478,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7478] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] DROPPING THE BALL (Ms. HAHN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.) Ms. HAHN. Madam Speaker, tonight in Times Square hundreds of thousands of people will be there at midnight to watch that ball drop, but here in Congress, we've also dropped the ball. We're in the final days of the 112th Congress. No one expected us to be here on the House floor on New Year's Eve, but here we are racing towards that fiscal cliff--towards higher taxes on the middle class and slashed investment for the American people, including nutrition for mothers and infants, education for our children, and our infrastructure. What part of the cliff sounds like a good plan? I know I'm not the only one who has spent time with families that it will hurt. I know I'm not the only one who has visited the businesses that are worried that our country could have another recession. We should not be playing this game of chicken. There's too much at stake to have politics as usual. We have an opportunity to prevent the fiscal cliff, but in order to do so we must act as a unified Congress. So I say to all my friends and colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, let's get this thing done. Tonight, when that ball drops, let's make sure that we haven't also dropped the ball. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7479,2012-12-31,112,2,,,INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7479,H7485,"[{""name"": ""Mike Rogers"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Dennis J. Kucinich"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Earl Blumenauer"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7479,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7479-H7485] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013 Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3454) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: S. 3454 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013''. (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. TITLE I--BUDGET AND PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations. Sec. 102. Classified Schedule of Authorizations. Sec. 103. Personnel ceiling adjustments. Sec. 104. Intelligence Community Management Account. TITLE II--CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY SYSTEM Sec. 201. Authorization of appropriations. TITLE III--GENERAL INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY MATTERS Sec. 301. Restriction on conduct of intelligence activities. Sec. 302. Increase in employee compensation and benefits authorized by law. Sec. 303. Non-reimbursable details. Sec. 304. Automated insider threat detection program. Sec. 305. Software licensing. Sec. 306. Strategy for security clearance reciprocity. Sec. 307. Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 compliance. Sec. 308. Subcontractor notification process. Sec. 309. Modification of reporting schedule. Sec. 310. Repeal of certain reporting requirements. TITLE IV--MATTERS RELATING TO THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Sec. 401. Working capital fund amendments. TITLE V--OTHER MATTERS Sec. 501. Homeland Security Intelligence Program. Sec. 502. Extension of National Commission for the Review of the Research and Development Programs of the United States Intelligence Community. Sec. 503. Protecting the information technology supply chain of the United States. Sec. 504. Notification regarding the authorized public disclosure of national intelligence. Sec. 505. Technical amendments related to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Sec. 506. Technical amendment for definition of intelligence agency. Sec. 507. Budgetary effects. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Congressional intelligence committees.--The term ``congressional intelligence committees'' means-- (A) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and (B) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives. (2) Intelligence community.--The term ``intelligence community'' has the meaning given that term in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4)). TITLE I--BUDGET AND PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2013 for the conduct of the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the following elements of the United States Government: (1) The Office of the Director of National Intelligence. (2) The Central Intelligence Agency. (3) The Department of Defense. (4) The Defense Intelligence Agency. (5) The National Security Agency. (6) The Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force. (7) The Coast Guard. (8) The Department of State. (9) The Department of the Treasury. (10) The Department of Energy. (11) The Department of Justice. (12) The Federal Bureau of Investigation. (13) The Drug Enforcement Administration. (14) The National Reconnaissance Office. (15) The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. (16) The Department of Homeland Security. SEC. 102. CLASSIFIED SCHEDULE OF AUTHORIZATIONS. (a) Specifications of Amounts and Personnel Levels.--The amounts authorized to be appropriated under section 101 and, subject to section 103, the authorized personnel ceilings as of September 30, 2013, for the conduct of the intelligence activities of the elements listed in paragraphs (1) through (16) of section 101, are those specified in the classified Schedule of Authorizations prepared to accompany the bill S. 3454 of the One Hundred Twelfth Congress. (b) Availability of Classified Schedule of Authorizations.-- (1) Availability to committees of congress.--The classified Schedule of Authorizations referred to in subsection (a) shall be made available to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and to the President. (2) Distribution by the president.--Subject to paragraph (3), the President shall provide for suitable distribution of the classified Schedule of Authorizations, or of appropriate portions of the Schedule, within the executive branch. (3) Limits on disclosure.--The President shall not publicly disclose the classified Schedule of Authorizations or any portion of such Schedule except-- (A) as provided in section 601(a) of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (50 U.S.C. 415c); (B) to the extent necessary to implement the budget; or (C) as otherwise required by law. SEC. 103. PERSONNEL CEILING ADJUSTMENTS. (a) Authority for Increases.--The Director of National Intelligence may authorize the employment of civilian personnel in excess of the number of positions for fiscal year 2013 authorized by the classified Schedule of Authorizations referred to in section 102(a) if the Director of National Intelligence determines that such action is necessary to the performance of important intelligence functions, except that the number of personnel employed in excess of the number authorized under such section may not, for any element of the intelligence community, exceed 3 percent of the number of civilian personnel authorized under such section for such element. (b) Treatment of Certain Personnel.--The Director of National Intelligence shall establish guidelines that govern, for each element of the intelligence community, the treatment under the personnel levels authorized under section 102(a), including any exemption from such personnel levels, of employment or assignment in-- (1) a student program, trainee program, or similar program; (2) a reserve corps or as a reemployed annuitant; or (3) details, joint duty, or long term, full-time training. (c) Notice to Congressional Intelligence Committees.--The Director of National Intelligence shall notify the congressional intelligence committees in writing at least 15 days prior to the initial exercise of an authority described in subsection (a). SEC. 104. INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT. (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated for the Intelligence Community Management Account of the Director of National Intelligence for fiscal year 2013 the sum of $540,721,000. Within such amount, funds identified in the classified Schedule of Authorizations referred to in section 102(a) for advanced research and development shall remain available until September 30, 2014. (b) Authorized Personnel Levels.--The elements within the Intelligence Community Management Account of the Director of National Intelligence are authorized 835 positions as of September 30, 2013. Personnel serving in such elements may be permanent employees of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence or personnel detailed from other elements of the United States Government. (c) Classified Authorizations.-- (1) Authorization of appropriations.--In addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated for the Intelligence Community Management Account by subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated for the Community Management Account for fiscal year 2013 such additional amounts as are specified in the classified Schedule of Authorizations referred to in section 102(a). Such additional amounts for advanced research and development shall remain available until September 30, 2014. (2) Authorization of personnel.--In addition to the personnel authorized by subsection (b) for elements of the Intelligence Community Management Account as of September 30, 2013, there are authorized such additional personnel for the Community Management Account as of that date as are specified in the classified Schedule of Authorizations referred to in section 102(a). TITLE II--CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY SYSTEM SEC. 201. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. There is authorized to be appropriated for the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement [[Page H7480]] and Disability Fund for fiscal year 2013 the sum of $514,000,000. TITLE III--GENERAL INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY MATTERS SEC. 301. RESTRICTION ON CONDUCT OF INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES. The authorization of appropriations by this Act shall not be deemed to constitute authority for the conduct of any intelligence activity which is not otherwise authorized by the Constitution or the laws of the United States. SEC. 302. INCREASE IN EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AUTHORIZED BY LAW. Appropriations authorized by this Act for salary, pay, retirement, and other benefits for Federal employees may be increased by such additional or supplemental amounts as may be necessary for increases in such compensation or benefits authorized by law. SEC. 303. NON-REIMBURSABLE DETAILS. Section 113A of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 404h-1) is amended-- (1) by striking ``two years.'' and inserting ``three years.''; and (2) by adding at the end ``A non-reimbursable detail made under this section shall not be considered an augmentation of the appropriations of the receiving element of the intelligence community.''. SEC. 304. AUTOMATED INSIDER THREAT DETECTION PROGRAM. Section 402 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Public Law 112-18; 50 U.S.C. 403-1 note) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``October 1, 2012,'' and inserting ``October 1, 2013,''; and (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``October 1, 2013,'' and inserting ``October 1, 2014,''. SEC. 305. SOFTWARE LICENSING. (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each chief information officer for an element of the intelligence community, in consultation with the Chief Information Officer of the Intelligence Community, shall-- (1) conduct an inventory of software licenses held by such element, including utilized and unutilized licenses; and (2) report the results of such inventory to the Chief Information Officer of the Intelligence Community. (b) Reporting to Congress.--The Chief Information Officer of the Intelligence Community shall-- (1) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, provide to the congressional intelligence committees a copy of each report received by the Chief Information Officer under subsection (a)(2), along with any comments the Chief Information Officer wishes to provide; and (2) transmit any portion of a report submitted under paragraph (1) involving a component of a department of the United States Government to the committees of the Senate and of the House of Representatives with jurisdiction over such department simultaneously with submission of such report to the congressional intelligence committees. SEC. 306. STRATEGY FOR SECURITY CLEARANCE RECIPROCITY. (a) Strategy.--The President shall develop a strategy and a schedule for carrying out the requirements of section 3001(d) of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (50 U.S.C. 435b(d)). Such strategy and schedule shall include-- (1) a process for accomplishing the reciprocity required under such section for a security clearance issued by a department or agency of the Federal Government, including reciprocity for security clearances that are issued to both persons who are and who are not employees of the Federal Government; and (2) a description of the specific circumstances under which a department or agency of the Federal Government may not recognize a security clearance issued by another department or agency of the Federal Government. (b) Congressional Notification.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall inform Congress of the strategy and schedule developed under subsection (a). SEC. 307. IMPROPER PAYMENTS ELIMINATION AND RECOVERY ACT OF 2010 COMPLIANCE. (a) Plan for Compliance.-- (1) In general.--The Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the Director of the National Security Agency shall each develop a corrective action plan, with major milestones, that delineates how the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and each such Agency will achieve compliance, not later than September 30, 2013, with the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-204; 124 Stat. 2224), and the amendments made by that Act. (2) Submission to congress.--Not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act-- (A) each Director referred to in paragraph (1) shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees the corrective action plan required by such paragraph; and (B) the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the Director of the National Security Agency shall each submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives the corrective action plan required by paragraph (1) with respect to the applicable Agency. (b) Review by Inspectors General.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 45 days after the completion of a corrective action plan required by subsection (a)(1), the Inspector General of each Agency required to develop such a plan, and in the case of the Director of National Intelligence, the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, shall provide to the congressional intelligence committees an assessment of such plan that includes-- (A) the assessment of the Inspector General of whether such Agency or Office is or is not likely to reach compliance with the requirements of the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-204; 124 Stat. 2224), and the amendments made by that Act, by September 30, 2013; and (B) the basis of the Inspector General for such assessment. (2) Additional submission of reviews of certain inspectors general.--Not later than 45 days after the completion of a corrective action plan required by subsection (a)(1), the Inspector General of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Inspector General of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the Inspector General of the National Security Agency shall each submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives the assessment of the applicable plan provided to the congressional intelligence committees under paragraph (1). SEC. 308. SUBCONTRACTOR NOTIFICATION PROCESS. Not later than October 1, 2013, the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees a report assessing the method by which contractors at any tier under a contract entered into with an element of the intelligence community are granted security clearances and notified of classified contracting opportunities within the Federal Government and recommendations for the improvement of such method. Such report shall include-- (1) an assessment of the current method by which contractors at any tier under a contract entered into with an element of the intelligence community are notified of classified contracting opportunities; (2) an assessment of any problems that may reduce the overall effectiveness of the ability of the intelligence community to identify appropriate contractors at any tier under such a contract; (3) an assessment of the role the existing security clearance process has in enhancing or hindering the ability of the intelligence community to notify such contractors of contracting opportunities; (4) an assessment of the role the current security clearance process has in enhancing or hindering the ability of contractors at any tier under a contract entered into with an element of the intelligence community to execute classified contracts; (5) a description of the method used by the Director of National Intelligence for assessing the effectiveness of the notification process of the intelligence community to produce a talented pool of subcontractors; (6) a description of appropriate goals, schedules, milestones, or metrics used to measure the effectiveness of such notification process; and (7) recommendations for improving such notification process. SEC. 309. MODIFICATION OF REPORTING SCHEDULE. (a) Inspector General of the Intelligence Community.-- Section 103H(k)(1)(A) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 403-3h(k)(1)(A)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``January 31 and July 31'' and inserting ``October 31 and April 30''; and (2) by striking ``December 31 (of the preceding year) and June 30,'' and inserting ``September 30 and March 31,''. (b) Inspector General for the Central Intelligence Agency.-- (1) In general.--Section 17(d)(1) of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. 403q(d)(1)) is amended-- (A) by striking ``January 31 and July 31'' and inserting ``October 31 and April 30''; (B) by striking ``December 31 (of the preceding year) and June 30,'' and inserting ``September 30 and March 31,''; and (C) by striking ``Not later than the dates each year provided for the transmittal of such reports in section 507 of the National Security Act of 1947,'' and inserting ``Not later than 30 days after the date of the receipt of such reports,''. (2) Conforming amendments.--Section 507(b) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 415b(b)) is amended-- (A) by striking paragraph (1); and (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively. SEC. 310. REPEAL OF CERTAIN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (a) Repeal of Reporting Requirements.-- (1) Acquisition of technology relating to weapons of mass destruction and advanced conventional munitions.--Section 721 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (50 U.S.C. 2366) is repealed. (2) Safety and security of russian nuclear facilities and nuclear military forces.--Section 114 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 404i) is amended-- (A) by striking subsections (a) and (d); and (B) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (a) and (b), respectively. [[Page H7481]] (3) Intelligence community business systems budget information.--Section 506D of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 415a-6) is amended by striking subsection (e). (4) Measures to protect the identities of covert agents.-- Title VI of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 421 et seq.) is amended-- (A) by striking section 603; and (B) by redesignating sections 604, 605, and 606 as sections 603, 604, and 605, respectively. (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.-- (1) Report submission dates.--Section 507 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 415b) is amended-- (A) in subsection (a)-- (i) in paragraph (1)-- (I) by striking subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D); (II) by redesignating subparagraphs (B), (E), (F), (G), (H), and (I) as subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), and (F), respectively; and (III) in subparagraph (D), as so redesignated, by striking ``section 114(c).'' and inserting ``section 114(a).''; and (ii) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows: ``(2) The date for the submittal to the congressional intelligence committees of the annual report on the threat of attack on the United States from weapons of mass destruction required by section 114(b) shall be the date each year provided in subsection (c)(1)(B).''; (B) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking ``each'' and inserting ``the''; and (C) in subsection (d)(1)(B), by striking ``an'' and inserting ``the''. (2) Table of contents of the national security act of 1947.--The table of contents in the first section of the National Security Act of 1947 is amended by striking the items relating to sections 603, 604, 605, and 606 and inserting the following new items: ``Sec. 603. Extraterritorial jurisdiction. ``Sec. 604. Providing information to Congress. ``Sec. 605. Definitions.''. TITLE IV--MATTERS RELATING TO THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY SEC. 401. WORKING CAPITAL FUND AMENDMENTS. Section 21 of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. 403u) is amended as follows: (1) In subsection (b)-- (A) in paragraph (1)-- (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end; (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``program.'' and inserting ``program; and''; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: ``(D) authorize such providers to make known their services to the entities specified in section (a) through Government communication channels.''; and (B) by adding at the end the following: ``(3) The authority in paragraph (1)(D) does not include the authority to distribute gifts or promotional items.''; and (2) in subsection (c)-- (A) in paragraph (2)(E), by striking ``from the sale or exchange of equipment or property of a central service provider'' and inserting ``from the sale or exchange of equipment, recyclable materials, or property of a central service provider.''; and (B) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ``subsection (f)(2)'' and inserting ``subsections (b)(1)(D) and (f)(2)''. TITLE V--OTHER MATTERS SEC. 501. HOMELAND SECURITY INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM. There is established within the Department of Homeland Security a Homeland Security Intelligence Program. The Homeland Security Intelligence Program constitutes the intelligence activities of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department that serve predominantly departmental missions. SEC. 502. EXTENSION OF NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS OF THE UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY. Section 1007(a) of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-306; 50 U.S.C. 401 note) is amended by striking ``Not later than one year after the date on which all members of the Commission are appointed pursuant to section 701(a)(3) of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010,'' and inserting ``Not later than March 31, 2013,''. SEC. 503. PROTECTING THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPLY CHAIN OF THE UNITED STATES. (a) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees a report that-- (1) identifies foreign suppliers of information technology (including equipment, software, and services) that are linked directly or indirectly to a foreign government, including-- (A) by ties to the military forces of a foreign government; (B) by ties to the intelligence services of a foreign government; or (C) by being the beneficiaries of significant low interest or no interest loans, loan forgiveness, or other support by a foreign government; and (2) assesses the vulnerability to malicious activity, including cyber crime or espionage, of the telecommunications networks of the United States due to the presence of technology produced by suppliers identified under paragraph (1). (b) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. (c) Telecommunications Networks of the United States Defined.--In this section, the term ``telecommunications networks of the United States'' includes-- (1) telephone systems; (2) Internet systems; (3) fiber optic lines, including cable landings; (4) computer networks; and (5) smart grid technology under development by the Department of Energy. SEC. 504. NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE AUTHORIZED PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (a) Notification.--In the event of an authorized disclosure of national intelligence or intelligence related to national security to the persons or entities described in subsection (b), the government official responsible for authorizing the disclosure shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees on a timely basis a notification of the disclosure if-- (1) at the time of the disclosure-- (A) such intelligence is classified; or (B) is declassified for the purpose of the disclosure; and (2) the disclosure will be made by an officer, employee, or contractor of the Executive branch. (b) Persons or Entities Described.--The persons or entities described in this subsection are as follows: (1) Media personnel. (2) Any person or entity, if the disclosure described in subsection (a) is made with the intent or knowledge that such information will be made publicly available. (c) Content.--Each notification required under subsection (a) shall-- (1) provide the specific title and authority of the individual authorizing the disclosure; (2) if applicable, provide the specific title and authority of the individual who authorized the declassification of the intelligence disclosed; and (3) describe the intelligence disclosed, including the classification of the intelligence prior to its disclosure or declassification and the rationale for making the disclosure. (d) Exception.--The notification requirement in this section does not apply to a disclosure made-- (1) pursuant to any statutory requirement, including to section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Freedom of Information Act''); (2) in connection with a civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding; (3) as a result of a declassification review process under Executive Order 13526 (50 U.S.C. 435 note) or any successor order; or (4) to any officer, employee, or contractor of the Federal government or member of an advisory committee to an element of the intelligence community who possesses an active security clearance and a need to know the specific national intelligence or intelligence related to national security, as defined in section 3(5) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(5)). (e) Sunset.--The notification requirements of this section shall cease to be effective for any disclosure described in subsection (a) that occurs on or after the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 505. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS RELATED TO THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (a) Personnel Practices.--Section 2302(a)(2)(C) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking clause (ii) and inserting the following: ``(ii)(I) the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the National Reconnaissance Office; and ``(II) as determined by the President, any executive agency or unit thereof the principal function of which is the conduct of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence activities, provided that the determination be made prior to a personnel action; or''. (b) Senior Executive Service.--Section 3132(a)(1)(B) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting ``the Office of the Director of National Intelligence,'' after ``the Central Intelligence Agency,''. SEC. 506. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT FOR DEFINITION OF INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. Section 606(5) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 426) is amended to read as follows: ``(5) The term `intelligence agency' means the elements of the intelligence community, as that term is defined in section 3(4).''. SEC. 507. BUDGETARY EFFECTS. The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ruppersberger) each will control 20 minutes. [[Page H7482]] The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan. General Leave Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill before us today. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Michigan? There was no objection. Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I appreciate the opportunity to be here on New Year's Eve. I first wish to make an announcement with respect to the availability of the classified annex to the bill under consideration for the Members of the House. This is to reinforce a previous announcement I made to Members last evening. Madam Speaker, the classified Schedule of Authorizations and the classified annex accompanying the bill remain available for review by Members at the offices of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in room HVC-304 of the Capitol Visitor Center. The committee office will be open during regular business hours for the convenience of any Member who wishes to review this material prior to its consideration by the House. I recommend that Members wishing to review the classified annex contact the committee's director of security to arrange a time and date for that viewing. This will assure the availability of committee staff to assist Members who desire assistance during their review of these classified documents. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that the House is considering this intelligence authorization bill today, the last day of the year. If passed and enacted, this will be our third intelligence authorization bill since I assumed the chairmanship and my friend the gentleman from Maryland became the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. In May, the House overwhelmingly passed, by a vote of 386-28, an intelligence authorization bill which is the same product as the bill that is before us today. I appreciate the ranking member's hard work on this year's bill and that of our colleagues in the Senate to achieve a bipartisan result between the two Chambers. {time} 1030 This is indeed a rare occurrence in this town these days, but this is truly a bipartisan, bicameral product that moves forward when it comes to protecting the United States and putting us in the best national security posture we could imagine. The intelligence authorization bill is vital to ensuring that our intelligence agencies have the resources and authorities they need to do their important work. The intelligence community plays a critical role in the war on terrorism and securing the country from the many threats that we face. The annual authorization bill, which funds U.S. intelligence activities spanning 17 agencies, is also a vital tool for congressional oversight of the intelligence community's classified activities. Effective and aggressive congressional oversight is essential to ensuring the continued success of our intelligence community, and therefore the safety of all citizens of the United States. The current challenging fiscal environment demands the accountability and financial oversight of our classified intelligence programs that can only come with an intelligence authorization bill. The FY 2013 bill sustains our current intelligence capabilities and provides for the development of future capabilities, all while achieving significant savings and ensuring intelligence agencies are being good stewards of our taxpayers' money. This year, the bill is significantly below last year's enacted budget but up modestly from the President's roughly $72 billion budget request for fiscal year 2013. It is also in line with the House budget resolution, which provides for a modest increase of defense activities above the President's budget. The bill's comprehensive classified annex provides detailed guidance on intelligence spending, including adjustments to costly but important programs. The bill funds requirements of the men and women of the intelligence community, both military and civilian, many of whom directly support the war zones and are engaged in other dangerous operations designed to keep Americans safe. It provides oversight and authorization for vital intelligence activities, including the global counterwar on terrorism and efforts by the National Security Agency to defend us from advanced foreign state- sponsored cyberthreats. And I can't tell you enough, Madam Speaker, how in this Chamber we have acted to stand up in the face of a growing cyberthreat not only to government networks but to private networks as well. We have, in a bipartisan way, given the first step on how we stand up our defenses here in the United States to protect us from nation-states like China and Russia--and now Iran--who seek to do us harm using the Internet. We will again aggressively pursue next year, with the help of my ranking member, actions needed, I believe, to protect the United States against what is the largest threat we face that we are not prepared to handle, and that is the growing threat of cyberattack and cyberespionage. Countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is also a critical, important mission of our intelligence community, and we made sure the resources were available to that end, as well as for global monitoring of foreign militaries and advanced weapons systems and tests, and for research and development of new technology to maintain our intelligence agencies' technological edge. And like the House-passed bill, this bill promotes operating efficiencies in a number of areas, particularly in information technology, the ground processing of satellite data, and the procurement and operation of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms. The bill holds personnel levels, one of the first and biggest cost drivers, generally at last year's levels. Even so, the bill adds a limited number of new personnel positions for select, high-priority positions, such as FBI surveillance officers to keep watch on terrorists, and personnel for certain other programs that will increase cooperation and training with our foreign partners in the critically important role for our intelligence agencies as we move to protect ourselves from threats all around the world. The bill authorizes increased funding for intelligence collection programs, including increased counterintelligence to thwart foreign spies. It also increases funding for our intelligence community's comparative advantage--cutting-edge research and development. This is an incredibly important investment for the United States. If we are going to continue to lead in the ability to detect before they can do harm to the United States, we have to make the investment in research and development of high-end technological advancement. While I cannot get into the specifics of a lot of these programs, it's important to mention them as we are going through the process each year in conducting oversight of intelligence activities and making funding recommendations that will help the community meet its mission in the most effective, fiscally responsible way. The bipartisan fiscal year 2013 intelligence authorization bill we are considering today preserves and advances national security and is also fiscally responsible. The secrecy that is a necessary part of this country's intelligence work requires that the congressional Intelligence Committees conduct strong and effective oversight on behalf of the American people and even our colleagues here in the House. That strong and effective oversight is impossible, however, without the advancement of these bills. I want to thank all of the members of the committee for their bipartisan effort to find agreement on a bill that saves money and moves forward smartly on protecting the interests of national security for the United States. I want to thank both of the staffs for working together to produce this bill. This truly is a collaborative effort both from staff and Members in this Chamber and in the Senate, proving that you can work in a bipartisan way to accomplish the best interests of the United States and, in this case, particularly when it comes to national security. [[Page H7483]] One final note: I want to congratulate Mrs. Myrick on her years of great service to the Intelligence Committee. She will be leaving us this year. This will be her last authorization bill that she will participate in. I am pleased to see that a provision she championed in May concerning the protection of the United States information technology supply chain is included in this bill. She has done great work in her time with the committee, and she certainly will be missed. She has been a true champion of the national security interests of this country. She is a great friend of mine, and I wish her well in her new endeavors. I thank all who participated. I also want to take this opportunity to thank my chief counsel for celebrating his birthday today on the House floor with us on New Year's Eve day. I appreciate that very much. With that, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Before us today is the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2013. It's a good, bipartisan bill that gives our intelligence professionals the resources, capabilities, and authorities they need to keep us safe. And I also want to acknowledge the leadership of Chairman Rogers. His bipartisan leadership has helped us make the Intelligence Committee a committee that provides oversight to our intelligence agencies and gives them the resources that they need to protect our country. I also want to acknowledge the staff on both sides of the aisle who worked very closely to put this bill together. When Chairman Rogers and I took over leadership of the Intelligence Committee, we made a commitment to bipartisanship. We believe politics has no place in national security. The stakes are just too high. We also made a commitment to passing intelligence budgets that provide oversight to the intelligence community and give it important financial direction. Chairman Rogers and I also work closely with Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein and vice chair Saxby Chambliss of the Senate Intelligence Committee, our counterparts in the Senate, so we can get things done. If this bill becomes law, it will be the third budget bill in a row passed since we took over leadership in January, 2011--a big change from the previous 6 years when we only passed one budget bill. This was an open, bipartisan process where we reached agreement on issues that will make this country safer and intelligence processes more efficient. We know we are facing tough economic times. This budget is slightly below the enacted levels of FY 2012. We made cuts where appropriate, eliminated redundancies, and pushed programs to come in on time and on budget. People ask me what keeps me up at night. Besides spicy food, I say weapons of mass destruction and a catastrophic cyberattack that shuts down our banking system, water supply, power grids or worse. This bill continues a substantial investment in cybersecurity that must be made to keep up with the cyberthreats of today and tomorrow. We also believe we must protect privacy and civil liberties when it comes to cybersecurity. Another priority is space. The bill promotes the commercial space industry by enhancing the government use of commercial imagery and commercial communications services. It requires the government to use commercial imagery to the maximum extent practicable. I believe competition is important to ensure we get high quality products while keeping costs down. It drives innovation and provides a much-needed insurance policy in case there are problems with other programs. And it does create jobs. The bill expanded our counterterrorism efforts to continue the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates around the world. The bill also makes counterintelligence the priority it is. It makes strategic additions across the intelligence community. This will pay for surveillance, better supply chain security, and the counterintelligence analysts we need. The bill added resources to the intelligence community's global coverage initiatives to ensure the United States is capable and ready to address threats from any location around the world, especially in areas of strategic interest. {time} 1040 It authorizes the Department of Defense's new defense clandestine service to reorganize its human intelligence collection. It will be a part of the CIA's national clandestine service. The bill directed the Director of national intelligence to develop a centralized cloud for the entire intelligence community; advancing collaboration and further promoting efficiency; and it required the President to develop a strategy for security clearance, reciprocity, and a report on how to better protect our information technology across the global supply chain. I urge my colleagues to support the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2012. When this bill was before the House in May, it passed by a bipartisan margin of 386-28. It's a good bipartisan bill that gives our intelligence professionals what they need to do their jobs and protect our Nation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I inquire if the minority side has a list of speakers. Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. At this time, we have one speaker. We're waiting for more; but if they don't come, we'll move on. Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Then I will continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the Congressman from Ohio, Dennis Kucinich. Mr. KUCINICH. I thank my friend. And I want to thank both my friends, the chair and the ranking member, for the work that they do on intelligence. You make a commitment to this country, and I think the country is in good hands because of your work. I want to raise a question--and we've had some of these conversations between ourselves. I'm very concerned about the shift that's occurred in our national security policy where the Central Intelligence Agency has increasingly played a very powerful paramilitary role with the execution of drone strikes. Numerous studies have indicated that there are many innocent civilians being killed by drone strikes. There's a lack of accountability here. There have been studies that suggest, for example in Yemen, that drone strikes are stirring up anti-American sentiment to the point where al Qaeda is actually being empowered. We really have to ask of the CIA, but even more than that, of our entire national security infrastructure, What's the game plan here? We see there have been changes in military policy where certain functions have been ceded to the CIA. We see changes in foreign policy where the State Department has let go of some of its functions. We know that the military has made an attempt with the Defense Intelligence Agency to try to become more actively involved as a separate organization. They were seeking 1,600 new spies. We have this architecture of national security which is so powerful, but I'm not sure that it's actually that effective. I don't question the effectiveness of our chair or our ranking member, but I do question the effectiveness of what we're doing. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio. Mr. KUCINICH. I do question the effectiveness of this drone program, its adherence to international law or lack thereof, the intel gathering on targeted killings where we've seen reports of efforts of one group to target individuals and other groups as a way of trying to settle some scores between people so they put them up as a potential terrorist and they get marked on a list and executed. And as I mentioned earlier, the concern about civilian deaths. I think that the Central Intelligence Agency functions best in gathering intelligence, and we ought to support them in that regard. I was very concerned and expressed this on the floor about what happened in Benghazi. If we'd paid more attention to the CIA, we probably would still have some of our officials there alive. But that's gone and it's over. We have to recognize that putting the CIA more and more into a paramilitary position is not in the best interest of this country, I don't believe. [[Page H7484]] Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I yield myself such time as I may consume. The gentleman and I have had these conversations, and I respect his position greatly and the work he does in Congress. I have some disagreements, and I'll tell you why--and I hope that the gentleman will consider voting for this bill today. The amount of oversight that the ranking member and I have increased on programs that may have concerns on behalf of Americans, because we have the same concerns. There are tools that America engages in, including air strikes. Air strikes have been something that we have used since we could figure out how to get something off the ground and throw something at the ground. They have been used as a tool. It's not a policy of the United States; it's a tool of the United States to make America safe. The amount of oversight that happens--and I will tell you this: if there is any air strike conducted that involves an enemy combatant of the United States outside the theater of direct combat, it gets reviewed by this committee. I am talking about every single one. That's an important thing. There are very strict reviews put on all of this material. There are very strict guidelines about how these air strikes may or may not occur, because we have that same feeling. If people lose faith in the ability of our intelligence services to do their work, then they will be ineffective, and, therefore, we will be less safe. Our argument has been we want that oversight, we want aggressive oversight, and we want thorough review. I can tell you--and I think you'd be proud--of the very work that we do on the committee to that end. We never really did covert-action reviews, except for sporadically. Now we do regularly, quarterly, and monthly covert-action reviews on this committee to make sure that we get it right, that they get it right. Mr. KUCINICH. Will the gentleman yield? Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I would be honored to yield to the gentleman from Ohio. Mr. KUCINICH. I have no question about the commitment of the chair and the ranking member to proper oversight, but what I do question is that the proliferation of the drone strikes puts such an extraordinary burden on our own oversight capacities. I'm wondering, looking retrospectively at the number of civilian casualties that have occurred, the oversight--there's a decoupling of the oversight capacity from the consequences of the strikes, and that's the point that I'm making here. I would ask my friend going forward for the committee to be ever more vigilant on--if you're for these strikes and you are conducting the oversight, look at the consequences of civilian casualties to raise questions about the information that's being given you. That's the point that I'm making. With that, I thank my friend for yielding. Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I appreciate that, and I reclaim my time. I think this is very important. Again, I personally review and the committee reviews the material that comes to these committees. There are many in the world who have political agendas about civilian casualties. I can tell you to rest assured that that is a point of review for any activity--I'm talking about any activity--that our intelligence community may or may not engage in. I think that you would be shocked and stunned how wrong those public reports are about civilian casualties, and I say that with all seriousness and with the very thought that every one of these events is reviewed. If there is an air strike used as a technique anywhere in the world to keep America safe, it is reviewed if it comes within the purview of the intelligence community, both military and civilian, on this committee. Those reports are wrong. They are not just wrong; they are wildly wrong. And I do believe people use those reports for their own political purposes outside of the country to try to put pressure on the United States. {time} 1050 Mr. KUCINICH. If I may, will the gentleman yield? Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio. Mr. KUCINICH. What I would like to do, Mr. Chairman, is to present to you and the ranking member reports that have been forwarded to me regarding these casualties. Maybe these are reports that you've seen, and maybe they aren't; but I certainly think that in the interest of acquitting our country's efforts that we make sure that every effort is made to avoid civilian casualties. So I will present those to you and the ranking member in the next few days, and I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity. Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. In reclaiming my time, I just want to assure the gentleman that every one of these is reviewed, and rest assured that the public reports about civilian casualties are not just a little bit wrong; they are wildly wrong. With that, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, I do want to acknowledge the work that has been done by Dennis Kucinich as a Member of Congress. Dennis and I don't always philosophically agree, but I respect that he has a good point of view. That's the whole process here in Congress--that we have different points of view, that we come together, that we debate, and that we can make decisions. So, Dennis, we are going to miss you. Good luck to you and your family in the future, and I'm glad that one of the last things you're going to do is come here and talk about our bill today. In just acknowledging what the chairman said, there is an aggressive legal process that is undertaken as far as drones are concerned that goes to the highest levels of our government before strikes are taken. In everything that I have reviewed, if there are children or innocent victims there, the strike does not take place. So there is a process. Unfortunately, there are some casualties--very minor. I would also agree with the chairman as far as this is concerned: in that what you read in the media is usually not what the facts are. It is part of what we do. Why do we have the Intelligence Committee? We have it because there is classified information that if it got out would hurt the national security of our country. It's part of our role and our committee's role to take this classified information and work with the agencies to which we provide oversight so we will continue to work through that process. Mr. Kucinich, I'm glad that you did raise that as an issue, as we all should. Madam Speaker, for the third time in 3 years, Chairman Rogers and I have stood on the floor of the House encouraging our colleagues to support our intelligence budget bill. Today, we both rise in support of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. The bill gives our intelligence professionals the resources, capabilities, and authorities they need to protect America and American interests. We crafted a bill that addresses our core needs, including space, cybersecurity, counterintelligence, and counterterrorism. We are also keeping an eye on the bottom line. The bill is slightly below last year's budget and holds personnel at last year's levels. In a very strong bipartisan way, the Intelligence Committee came together as Democrats and Republicans to do what is right for our country and for the intelligence community. I thank the staff again for what it has done, and I thank the chairman for his leadership in helping to provide this bill in a very fair, bipartisan way. I would also like to acknowledge two Democratic Members who will be leaving us at the end of this session--Congressman Dan Boren of Oklahoma and Congressman Ben Chandler of Kentucky. Both Members will be greatly missed, and I appreciate their service on the Intelligence Committee. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2013, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Michigan has 5\1/2\ minutes remaining. Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I want to thank my ranking member and both staffs on the Intelligence Committee for the long hours, hard work and thorough, detailed work [[Page H7485]] on the budgets and on the classified annex of this report. I think it should alleviate many of the good concerns of Mr. Kucinich and others who are concerned about these activities. I think it's important to reiterate that we have the same concerns, which is why we are so thorough and why we have joined together in a bipartisan way to increase the level of congressional oversight and to increase our impact and influence on the policies of the intelligence community in order to make sure it conforms with what this body and what I think the United States of America wants and needs in its intelligence services. We have now done, as I said before, regularly scheduled covert action, which, I think, should rest assured Americans that it is serious, thoughtful and thorough oversight. For counterintelligence activities, we now have regularly scheduled oversight. Every department is required to proffer its budget request, and we go over it line by line, dollar by dollar, policy by policy to make sure it conforms with the concerns of everyone in this body. As I said before, these are very brave Americans who are serving in really tough neighborhoods all over the world--trying to collect information, trying to take actionable intelligence to a point that it protects us from harm here at home. They deserve our respect, our encouragement, our high-five and pat on the back when they come home. They want thorough oversight. You wouldn't believe it, but they do. They want to know that the work that they're doing would make America proud for them risking their lives and being away from their families and putting it all on the line to keep America safe. That's why we agreed to do this in a bipartisan way and to be so thorough in its congressional oversight, because without that--without that confidence, without that faith of the American people that they're doing something on behalf of this great Nation--they will lose their ability to do what they do, and they will lose the courage and confidence that they need to do it in the right way. So that's what this bill reflects. I understand your concerns. I look forward to our further conversations on this; and in further conversations, I'd like to have the opportunity, if we can arrange this, to give you some examples--a peek behind the curtain as to exactly what goes on in the processes of making sure that we keep the good people safe and that the bad guys are brought to justice. I think you'd be proud of that work. This bill reflects that. Again, thanks to the ranking member and to the staffs and to the members on both sides of this committee. Thanks to Senator Feinstein and to Senator Saxby Chambliss for their help in putting this bill together. I hope we'll get a large show of support with a strong vote of bipartisanship for the men and women who are serving at our intelligence posts all around the world today. Let's send this to the President so we can go about the business of keeping America safe and maybe even look at some other details that the Speaker may have interest in dealing with today. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today, I voted against the Fiscal Year 2013 Intelligence Authorization Act. Despite keeping funding levels flat and capping personnel levels to that of Fiscal Year 2012, this authorization is not significantly different than the earlier version I voted against in May. It is another missed opportunity to make significant, smart reductions in our intelligence infrastructure, at a time when we're asking so many others to make significant budgetary sacrifices in the midst of austerity. This legislation continues to spend way too much money--$72 to $78 billion a year--with little transparency or efforts to reduce the sprawling intelligence community and protect privacy rights. It's of paramount importance to keep our country safe, and that's exactly what our intelligence community has done, but we cannot afford to spend as much on intelligence as Russia does on its entire military budget or employ hundreds of thousands of people with secret clearance. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 3454. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7485,2012-12-31,112,2,,,NEIL A. ARMSTRONG FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER AND HUGH L. DRYDEN AERONAUTICAL TEST RANGE DESIGNATION ACT,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7485,H7491,"[{""name"": ""Ralph M. Hall"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Donna F. Edwards"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Kevin McCarthy"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Dennis J. Kucinich"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Lamar Smith"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Ken Calvert"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6612""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6612""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6612""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7485,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7485-H7491] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] NEIL A. ARMSTRONG FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER AND HUGH L. DRYDEN AERONAUTICAL TEST RANGE DESIGNATION ACT Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6612) to redesignate the Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6612 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION OF DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER. (a) Redesignation.--The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, is redesignated as the ``NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center''. (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the flight research center referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center''. SEC. 2. REDESIGNATION OF WESTERN AERONAUTICAL TEST RANGE. (a) Redesignation.--The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Western Aeronautical Test Range in California is redesignated as the ``NASA Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range''. (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the test range referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``NASA Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) and the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Edwards) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas. {time} 1100 General Leave Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members shall have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6612, the bill now under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas? There was no objection. Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to begin by thanking, as I should, the Members for their bipartisan support of the legislation. H.R. 6612 would redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Dryden Flight Research Center, which is co-located with the Edwards Air Force Base in the Antelope Valley of California, as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center. The bill would also rename the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. This is very appropriate; they were very dear friends. Neil Armstrong needs no introduction. Actually, this bill was introduced by his congressman, Kevin McCarthy, the congressman where the redesignation will take place. The gentleman from California is the majority whip, but Neil Armstrong absolutely needs no introduction. He's an iconic American hero, and one of the most humble men I've ever met. He was quiet, thoughtful, and deliberate, choosing his words carefully, whether it was testifying before a congressional committee, giving a speech, or sharing a quiet movement with a friend. He did not exaggerate, and always, always gave recognition to the teams of engineers, technicians, and scientists at NASA and in industry when speaking [[Page H7486]] about the success of the Apollo 11 mission. He refused to take personal credit for his accomplishments. Naming the flight center after Neil is very appropriate. After graduating from college, Neil joined NASA's predecessor agency, the National Advisory Council on Aeronautics, and soon found himself at NACA's High Speed Flight Station located at Edwards, which in time would become the Dryden Flight Research Center. He spent 7 years there flying a variety of new design and high-performance aircraft, including seven flights at the controls of the X-15. Neil was a good friend, and is sorely missed by me and by all of the people he touched during his long and active life. He is survived by his wife, Carol; his two sons, Mark and Rick; a stepson and a stepdaughter; 10 grandchildren; and a brother and sister. The bill also names the Western Aeronautical Test Range after Dr. Hugh L. Dryden. He held the position of director of the National Advisory Council on Aeronautics from 1947 until it was renamed NASA in 1958, and was deputy director of NASA until his death in 1965. Dr. Dryden did pioneering research on airfoils near the speed of sound and the problems of airflow and turbulence. His work greatly contributed to the designs of wings for aircraft, including the P-51 Mustang and other World War II aircraft. Before I close, I want to tell something that was rather interesting. President Clinton, I think it was on the 25th anniversary, invited Neil to speak, knowing that he probably wouldn't speak because he had indicated that he would not. But he left an empty chair for him on the stage. And as we got through the ceremony, Neil walked in. And the President, good natured, said, Well, I said you wouldn't speak, but here's the microphone. Neil took the microphone and said, The parrot is the only bird that can fly and speak, and I can do the same. Then he sat down, and it brought the house down. I urge Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. EDWARDS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, all Americans can recite those famous words uttered by Neil Armstrong 43 years ago as he became the first human to walk on the Moon. Those words, as all Americans know were, ``That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'' In an effort to recognize that great man, H.R. 6612 has been offered to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center. The bill would also rename the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. While I plan to support it, this is a bill that is a bit unfortunate since it honors one aerospace pioneer by stripping away the honor previously extended to another worthy pioneer. Both are worthy of recognition. Their accomplishments at NASA and for the Nation are without parallel. Dr. Hugh Latimer Dryden was director of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics from 1947 until the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and was named deputy administrator of the new aerospace agency when it was created in response to the Sputnik crisis. Dr. Dryden made numerous technical contributions to research in high- speed aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, and acoustics, and published more than 100 technical papers and articles in professional journals. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, was named in honor of him on March 26, 1976. The center is NASA's premier site for aeronautical flight research. Neil Armstrong joined NACA, the advisory committee, in 1955 following his service as a naval aviator. Over the next 17 years, he was an engineer, test pilot, astronaut, and administrator for the committee and its successor agency, NASA. As a research pilot, he flew over 200 different models of aircraft, such as the storied X-15. He transferred to astronaut status in 1962, and was command pilot for the Gemini VIII mission when he performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space. As spacecraft commander for Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing mission, Neil Armstrong inspired millions around the world. He inspired me. And he passed away just this past August. Madam Speaker, it's clear that Neil Armstrong never sought the honor of having a NASA center named after him while he was alive. And the truth is, his name is going to live long throughout history whether or not we ever name anything for him. I expect that today we will approve this legislation, and that's fine. But I hope that all the Members who vote to honor him today will remember his testimony before the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. I know that our chairman, Mr. Hall, will remember that during that testimony he argued eloquently for the critical importance of giving NASA a sustainable future and a human exploration program that can once again inspire our children and humanity around the world. It seems rather extraordinary that even as we're honoring our hero, Neil Armstrong, that we face a situation where NASA's budget would be decimated, gutting the very programs that Neil Armstrong felt so passionately about. And if the same Members who vote to honor him today will commit to working in the coming months and years for those exploration goals, to those heights to which he devoted the last years of his life, then we will have truly honored Neil Armstrong in an enduring and meaningful way. And with that, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the very capable majority whip, the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy). Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, to the committee, thank you for your work, and especially to Chairman Hall for his tenure on the committee and his history-making here in Congress. I thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6612 to honor two great pioneers in American aeronautics and space exploration, Dr. Hugh Dryden and astronaut Neil Armstrong. Some of us here today can remember the pride every American felt in the summer of 1969 when we heard Neil Armstrong utter those famous words, ``that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,'' when he led the Apollo 11 mission and landed on the Moon. Before this incredible trip, Armstrong served as a test pilot for 7 years at what is presently called the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Kern County, California, which I'm proud to represent. Armstrong accumulated 2,400 hours of flying as a test pilot there, mainly in experimental jets. He was also part of the team in the early 1960s that researched how to land on the Moon using the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle. After the success of Apollo 11, Armstrong became NASA's deputy associate administrator for aeronautics. Under Armstrong's leadership, the center had one of its most far-reaching technological breakthroughs in a concept called digital fly-by-wire, the precursor to computerized flight control systems used on nearly all military and civilian high- performance aircraft, including the space shuttles. At NASA's Dryden 50th anniversary, Armstrong said in his speech: ``My years here were wonderful years. Dryden was a most unusual place--its enormous curiosity, wonderful intensity, and its unbelievable willingness to attempt the impossible here.'' H.R. 6612 would rename the center in his honor the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center. {time} 1110 The bill would also honor Dr. Hugh Dryden's contributions to aerospace engineering, some that made Neil Armstrong's achievements possible. Dr. Dryden was an early pioneer in aerodynamics and helped with many scientific breakthroughs, including the X-15 aircraft that launched some test pilots to careers as astronauts, including Neil Armstrong. Dr. Dryden was chosen to be NASA's first deputy administrator in 1958, placing him in charge of the programs that allowed the Agency to send those three brave men to the Moon in 1969. Dr. Dryden passed away in 1965, just a few years before his work was fulfilled and Armstrong took that first small step. [[Page H7487]] H.R. 6612 will memorialize both men by redesignating the Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautic Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. Edwards Air Force Base, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, and the NASA Flight Research Center in east Kern County remain a hub of scientific discovery, aeronautical innovation, and space exploration. I look forward to many more groundbreaking achievements from the men and women inspired by the legacy of Neil Armstrong and Hugh Dryden. Madam Speaker, I will insert the following letters of support for my bill into the Record. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. SPACEX, Washington, DC, December 13, 2012. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy: I am writing to express SpaceX's support for your recently introduced legislation, H.R. 6612, to redesignate the Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center. Throughout his extraordinary life, Neil Armstrong served as an inspiration to the nation and to the world, as a leader, explorer, and educator. His historic voyage to the Moon in 1969 opened the cosmos and created a legacy of greatness that will be forever remembered by all those in the pursuit of discovery. By renaming the Center, you are honoring Neil Armstrong's life of achievements every day with the groundbreaking science conducted there. SpaceX and our more than 2,200 employees applaud this important legislation and are proud to look to Commander Armstrong's outstanding character every day as we take our first steps into space. Sincerely, Tim Hughes, Senior Vice President & General Counsel. ____ EAFB Civ-Mil Support Group, Lancaster, CA. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy, The Edwards Air Force Base Civilian/Military Support Group wishes to convey to you its support of an initiative to change the designation of the ``NASA Dryden Flight Research Center'' at Edwards AFB, Ca. to the ``Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center'' and the designation of the ``Western Aeronautical Test Range'' as the ``Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range.'' Founded over 24 years ago, our organization is the only non-profit group dedicated exclusively to supporting the men and women, both civilian and military, who serve at Edwards AFB. As such, we feel it is entirely fitting that the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center be re-named in honor of Neil A. Armstrong, a decorated naval aviator and flight test pioneer who faithfully served our nation in both civilian and military capacities. Additionally, Mr. Armstrong enjoyed close ties to both the flight test community at Edwards AFB and the local Antelope Valley civilian community. In fact, many of his former colleagues still reside here and speak fondly of Mr. Armstrong and his contributions to this nation. We would like to also recognize that the contributions to this country made by Hugh L. Dryden are many and of worthy distinction in their own right and we do not wish to detract from such a distinguished legacy. Therefore, out of respect for Mr. Dryden's living family members and in order to preserve his memory we feel it is entirely appropriate to re- name the Western Aeronautical Test Range in his honor. Our nation is in dire need of programs that build on a solid base of science, mathematics and engineering in order to keep pace with our ever expanding technology. We feel the re-designation of these two assets will help to inspire future generations of aviators, scientists and engineers. For the above reasons, the Edwards AFB Civilian/Military Support Group joins with our legislative offices and other community organizations in supporting the proposed name change to the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. Thank you for your efforts in pushing this initiative forward in Congress and we wish you great success. Sincerely, Danny A. Bazzell, President, Edwards AFB Civilian/Military Support Group. ____ Mojave Air & Space Port, Mojave, CA, November 27, 2012. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy, Mojave Air & Space Port strongly supports a Resolution in favor of the proposed name change of the current NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and Western Aeronautical Test Range to the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. It is most appropriate that Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong be honored and memorialized in this way with his noted lifelong accomplishments as the first human to walk on the moon and as a former test pilot who worked at the Dryden Flight Research Center for seven years (1955-1962) as well as emphasis on the contributions of the center to the agency's space exploration mission. The Resolution recognizes the importance of this center in advancing technology and science through flight research and technology integration to revolutionizing aviation and pioneering aerospace technology as well as space exploration. We feel that this would be an extraordinary honor for Neil Armstrong by strongly encouraging and supporting the passage of this legislation to honor his memory as well as acknowledging the accomplishments of Hugh L. Dryden by renaming the aeronautical test range in his honor. Sincerely, Stuart O. Witt, Chief Executive Officer. ____ Sacramento, CA, November 28, 2012. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy: Thank you for introducing legislation to recognize Neil Armstrong and Hugh Dryden's enormous contributions to our national space program and the aerospace community in the Antelope Valley. Designating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range honors both of these individuals appropriately and in a way that highlights the contributions they have made. Aerospace is an ever changing, constantly advancing field. In the same way it was right to redesignate the former Lewis Research Center in Ohio to honor John Glenn's achievements and contributions, it is right to do so to honor Neil Armstrong and Hugh Dryden at the Edwards AFB facility. On behalf of the nine million California residents, including the aerospace communities in the high desert areas of Kern, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, I fully support H.R. 6612 and encourage all our federal representatives to join and support your legislation. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, George Runner, Member, California State Board of Equalization. ____ Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance, Lancaster, CA, December 5, 2012. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy: On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance (GAVEA), I'm requesting your support of an initiative to designate the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif., the NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and to designate NASA's Western Aeronautical Test Range the NASA Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. GAVEA has been a supporter of the flight test missions at Edwards since our inception in 2000. In light of NASA's current mission to ``extend the frontiers of space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research,'' we can think of no other person than Neil Armstrong whose name has the ability to inspire the next generation of researchers, scientists and space explorers. In addition, Mr. Armstrong had strong ties to both the center and the local community and lived an extraordinary life of service not only to his country as a test pilot and astronaut, but also as an educator. Recognition of his contribution to the nation is long overdue. Many of his former colleagues from the center still reside in our community and can attest to his reputation for exemplary values as well as technical and operational excellence. With due consideration, we acknowledge that Dr. Hugh Dryden also made a significant contribution to the NASA center at Edwards. However, few people today, especially young people, are able to make an immediate connection to his name. We believe it is important to preserve his legacy and that naming the Aeronautical Test Range after him would be a fitting tribute to his memory and to his living family members. It is a far more imperative mandate, however, to do what we can now to inspire math and science education though the center so that the important mission at NASA continues into the future. A fresh face on the facility at Edwards, in our opinion, will accomplish that objective. The Board of Directors of GAVEA wholeheartedly join our local legislators in endorsing this name change that reflects the outstanding successes of the center for over 60 years. We thank you for your effort to advance this initiative in Congress in the weeks to come. Sincerely, Dr. Jackie Fisher, GAVEA, Chairman. [[Page H7488]] ____ Palmdale Chamber of Commerce, Palmdale, CA, November 28, 2012. On behalf of the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce, I want to share our support for the name change of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. The Palmdale Chamber of Commerce has always been supportive of and, has been a beneficiary of, aerospace and space exploration brought about through the work of NASA. My personal dealings with NASA have led me to believe that they have done their due diligence in educating the population on who Hugh Dryden was however, many still do not know, nor will they ever know the impact of his work. For this reason, the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce is supportive of a name change to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. A change in name to the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center brings familiarity to NASA and in name alone will lend itself to increased interest in NASA's mission at the Flight Research Center. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Jeff McElfresh, CEO, Palmdale Chamber of Commerce. ____ Antelope Valley Board of Trade, Lancaster, CA, Nov. 27, 2012. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Cannon House Office Building, Washington DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy: The Antelope Valley Board of Trade wishes to express to you its support of an initiative to designate the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif., the NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and to designate NASA's Western Aeronautical Test Range the NASA Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. Our organization has been has been a supporter of the flight test missions at Edwards since the late 1950s. To that effect, we have seen numerous name changes of the NASA facility over the years, and we feel that the timing is right to move the center into a new era. In light of NASA's current mission to ``extend the frontiers of space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research'' we can think of no other person than Neil Armstrong whose name has the ability to inspire the next generation of researchers, scientists and space explorers. In addition, Mr. Armstrong had strong ties both to the center and to the local community and lived an extraordinary life of service not only to his country as a test pilot and astronaut, but also as an educator. Recognition of his contribution to the nation is long overdue. Many of his former colleagues from the center still reside in our community and can attest to his reputation for exemplary values as well as technical and operational excellence. With due consideration, we acknowledge that Dr. Hugh Dryden also made a significant contribution to the NASA center at Edwards. However, few people today, especially young people, are able to make an immediate connection to his name. We believe it is important to preserve his legacy and that naming the Aeronautical Test Range after him would be a fitting tribute to his memory and to his living family members. It is a far more imperative mandate, however, to do what we can now to inspire math and science education through the center so that the important mission at NASA continues into the future. A fresh face on the facility at Edwards, in our opinion, will accomplish that objective. We join our local legislators in endorsing this name change that reflects the outstanding successes of the center for over 60 years. We thank you for your efforts to advance this initiative in Congress in the weeks to come. For over fifty-three years the mission of the Antelope Valley Board of Trade has been ``to promote diverse business and industry, quality infrastructures, and a strong legislative voice for the benefit of our members and the greater Antelope Valley.'' Sincerely, Vicki Medina, Executive Director. ____ Kern County Board of Supervisors, Bakersfield, CA, December 4, 2012. Hon. Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Senator Boxer: The Kern County Board of Supervisors supports legislation by Rep. Kevin McCarthy to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. The legislation will accomplish three important goals: (1) to honor and memorialize Neil A. Armstrong, the first human to walk on the Moon and a former test pilot who worked at the Center for seven years (1955-1962), (2) to emphasize the contributions of that Center to the agency's space exploration mission, and (3) to continue to memorialize the extraordinary career of Hugh F. Dryden by renaming the aeronautical test range (approximately 12,000 square miles of special use airspace) in his honor. Neil Armstrong's career in test flight began at Edwards Air Force Base. At the time he became an astronaut, Armstrong had logged 2,400 hours of flying time as a test pilot at Edwards, about 900 of the hours in jets. Armstrong was the only member of his class of astronauts who had flown in any rocket- powered aircraft, notably the X-15. which he piloted seven times at the Center. While still a test pilot at the NASA Flight Test Center in the early 1960s, Armstrong was part of a team that conceptualized the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV), a flight test article that proved critically important in learning what would be required to pilot a spacecraft to a lunar landing. The LLRV evolved into the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle in which Armstrong and all other commanders of Apollo lunar landing missions trained for their descents from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon. At the conclusion of Apollo 11, Armstrong left his astronaut duties and became NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics. In this post he oversaw the aeronautical research programs being conducted at the Center and took a lead role in the Center's work on the new technology of digital fly-by-wire (DFBW), a concept for flying an airplane electronically. NASA considers DFBW technology to be one of the most far-reaching research technology breakthroughs that its Flight Research Center has made in its 60-year history. DFBW technology was the forerunner of the computerized flight control systems used on nearly all modern high performance aircraft, on military and civilian transports, and on the space shuttles. Given Commander Armstrong's extraordinary career and his close association with Edwards Air Force Base, our Board believes it is appropriate to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, and that it is equally appropriate to re-designate the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. We respectfully request your strong support for this legislation. Sincerely, Zack Scrivner, Chairman. ____ Kern County Board of Supervisors, Bakersfield, CA, December 4, 2012. Hon. Jim Costa, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman Costa: The Kern County Board of Supervisors supports legislation by Rep. Kevin McCarthy to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. The legislation will accomplish three important goals: (1) to honor and memorialize Neil A, Armstrong. the first human to walk on the Moon and a former test pilot who worked at the Center for seven years (1955-1962), (2) to emphasize the contributions of that Center to the agency's space exploration mission, and (3) to continue to memorialize the extraordinary career of Hugh L. Dryden by renaming the aeronautical test range (approximately 12,000 square miles of special use airspace) in his honor. Neil Armstrong's career in test flight began at Edwards Air Force Base. At the time he became an astronaut. Armstrong had logged 2,400 hours of flying time as a test pilot at Edwards, about 900 of the hours in jets. Armstrong was the only member of his class of astronauts who had flown in any rocket- powered aircraft, notably the X-15, which he piloted seven times at the Center. While still a test pilot at the NASA Flight Test Center in the early 1960s, Armstrong was part of a team that conceptualized the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV), a flight test article that proved critically important in learning what would be required to pilot a spacecraft to a lunar landing. The LLRV evolved into the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle in which Armstrong and all other commanders of Apollo lunar landing missions trained for their descents from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon. At the conclusion of Apollo 11, Armstrong left his astronaut duties and became NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics. In this post he oversaw the aeronautical research programs being conducted at the Center and took a lead role in the Center's work on the new technology of digital fly-by-wire (DFBW), a concept for flying an airplane electronically. NASA considers DFBW technology to be one of the most far-reaching research technology breakthroughs that its Flight Research Center has made in its 60-year history. DFBW technology was the forerunner of the computerized flight control systems used on nearly all modern high performance aircraft, on military and civilian transports, and on the space shuttles. Given Commander Armstrong's extraordinary career and his close association with Edwards Air Force Base, our Board believes it is appropriate to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, and that it is equally appropriate to re-designate the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. We respectfully request your strong support for this legislation. Sincerely, Zack Scrivner, Chairman. [[Page H7489]] ____ Kern County Board of Supervisors, Bakersfield, CA, December 4, 2012. Hon. Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Senator Feinstein: The Kern County Board of Supervisors supports legislation by Rep. Kevin McCarthy to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. The legislation will accomplish three important goals: (1) to honor and memorialize Neil A. Armstrong, the first human to walk on the Moon and a former test pilot who worked at the Center for seven years (1955-1962), (2) to emphasize the contributions of that Center to the agency's space exploration mission, and (3) to continue to memorialize the extraordinary career of Hugh L. Dryden by renaming the aeronautical test range (approximately 12,000 square miles of special use airspace) in his honor. Neil Armstrong's career in test flight began at Edwards Air Force Base. At the time he became an astronaut, Armstrong had logged 2,400 hours of flying time as a test pilot at Edwards, about 900 of the hours in jets. Armstrong was the only member of his class of astronauts who had flown in any rocket- powered aircraft, notably the X-15, which he piloted seven times at the Center. While still a test pilot at the NASA Flight Test Center in the early 1960s, Armstrong was part of a team that conceptualized the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV), a flight test article that proved critically important in learning what would be required to pilot a spacecraft to a lunar landing. The LLRV evolved into the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle in which Armstrong and all other commanders of Apollo lunar landing missions trained for their descents from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon. At the conclusion of Apollo 11, Armstrong, left his astronaut duties and became NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics. In this post he oversaw the aeronautical research programs being conducted at the Center and took a lead role in the Center's work on the new technology of digital fly-by-wire (DFBW), a concept for flying an airplane electronically. NASA considers DFBW technology to be one of the most far-reaching research technology breakthroughs that its Flight Research Center has made in its 60-year history. DFBW technology was the forerunner of the computerized flight control systems used on nearly all modern high performance aircraft, on military and civilian transports, and on the space shuttles. Given Commander Armstrong's extraordinary career and his close association with Edwards Air Force Base, our Board believes it is appropriate to re-designate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, and that it is equally appropriate to redesignate the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. We respectfully request your strong support for this legislation. Sincerely, Jack Scrivner, Chairman. ____ Kern County Board of Supervisors, Bakersfield, CA, December 4, 2012. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy: The Kern County Board of Supervisors supports your legislation to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. The legislation will honor and memorialize Neil A. Armstrong, the first human to walk on the Moon and a former test pilot who worked at the Center for seven years (1955- 1962); emphasize the contributions of that Center to the agency's space exploration mission, and continue to memorialize the extraordinary career of Hugh L. Dryden by renaming the aeronautical test range (approximately 12,000 square miles of special use airspace) in his honor. Neil Armstrong's career in test flight began at Edwards Air Force Base. At the time he became an astronaut, Armstrong had logged 2,400 hours of flying time as a test pilot at Edwards, about 900 of the hours in jets. Armstrong was the only member of his class of astronauts who had flown in any rocket- powered aircraft, notably the X-15, which he piloted seven times at the Center. While still a test pilot at the NASA Flight Test Center in the early 1960s, Armstrong was part of a team that conceptualized the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV), a flight test article that proved critically important in learning what would be required to pilot a spacecraft to a lunar landing. The LLRV evolved into the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle in which Armstrong and all other commanders of Apollo lunar landing missions trained for their descents from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon. At the conclusion of Apollo 11, Commander Armstrong left his astronaut duties and became NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics. In this post he oversaw the aeronautical research programs being conducted at the Center and took a lead role in the Center's work on the new technology of digital fly-by-wire (DFBW), a concept for flying an airplane electronically. NASA considers DFBW technology to be one of the most far-reaching research technology breakthroughs that its Flight Research Center has made in its 60-year history. DFBW technology was the forerunner of the computerized flight control systems used on nearly all modern high performance aircraft, on military and civilian transports, and on the space shuttles. Given Commander Armstrong's extraordinary career and his close association with Edwards Air Force Base, our Board believes it is appropriate to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, and that it is equally appropriate to redesignate the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. We therefore offer our strong support for your legislation. Sincerely, Zack Scrivner, Chairman, ____ City of Palmdale, Palmdale, CA, December 3, 2012. Congressman Kevin McCarthy, House of Representatives, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy: The City of Palmdale is pleased to support your legislature proposal to re-designate NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in honor of Neil A. Armstrong. The Antelope Valley, including Palmdale, is known for its rich aviation history and heritage, largely resulting from operations at Air Force Plant 42 and Edwards Air Force Base including NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. Our residents and local businesses are involved in making extensive contributions to our nation in the fields of space exploration, national defense, aeronautics and other scientific discovery. With NASA's new vision for space exploration, there is a need to inspire the next generation of scientists and researchers to explore space. The proposed name change will accomplish two important goals: to honor Neil Armstrong, test pilot and Apollo 11 astronaut who was the first person to walk on the Moon and a former test pilot at the Center, as well as to emphasize the contributions of the Center to the Agency's space exploration mission. Again, I applaud your efforts and thank you for introducing this legislation and your ongoing support of the Antelope Valley. Sincerely James C. Ledford, Jr., Mayor. ____ City of California City, City Hall, California City, CA, November 28, 2012. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Cannon House Office Building, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy: The City of California City whole heartedly supports and indorses the proposed name change of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center in honor of Neil Armstrong's lifelong service to his country and the expansion of space exploration. The rich history of NASA and it's relationship with Mr. Armstrong which lead to his accomplishments throughout his career inspire the ``Can Do'' attitude that makes America the nation of leaders that others constantly strive to emulate. We applaud your efforts to make this a realization so that future Americans will continue to recognize this pioneer's efforts whenever they come in contact with the NASA's Flight Research Center. Sincerely, William T. Weil, Jr., City Manager. ____ Lancaster, CA, November 29, 2012. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman McCarthy: The Antelope Valley Board of Trade wishes to express to you its support of an initiative to designate the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California the NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and to designate NASA's Western Aeronautical Test Range the NASA Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. Our organization has been a long-time supporter of the flight test missions at Edwards. To that effect, we have seen numerous name changes of the NASA facility over the years, and we feel that the timing is right to move the center into a new era. In light of NASA's current mission to ``extend the frontiers of space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research'', we can think of no other person than Neil Armstrong whose name has the ability to inspire the next generation of researchers, scientists, and space explorers. In addition, Mr. Armstrong had strong ties both to the center and to the local community and lived an extraordinary life of service not only to his country as a test pilot and astronaut, but also as an educator. Recognition of his contribution to the nation is long overdue. Many of his former colleagues from the center still reside in our community and can attest to his reputation for exemplary values as well as technical and operational excellence. [[Page H7490]] We join our local legislators in endorsing this name change that reflects the outstanding successes of the center for over 60 years. We thank you for your efforts to advance this initiative in Congress in the weeks to come. Sincerely, R. Rex Parris, Mayor. Ms. EDWARDS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich). Mr. KUCINICH. Neil Armstrong's voyage to the Moon represented a personal heroic journey, and it was also expressive of a uniquely American capability and capacity to reach higher and higher, to expand our horizons, to seek newer worlds, and to do that with a sense of wonder and in peace. May we regain that capacity through recognizing him today. Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Lamar Smith, who, on the 3rd day of January will be the chairman of Science, Space, and Technology for many, many years. Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas, the chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee for yielding me time. Madam Speaker, first I want to thank the gentleman from California, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, for honoring both Neil Armstrong and NASA Deputy Administrator Hugh Dryden with this bill. Not many people know the relationship between these two men. Hugh Dryden was the visionary behind NASA's X-15 rocket plane and the Apollo program, and Neil Armstrong was the one who actually flew the spacecraft that Dryden envisioned. The X-15 rocket plane set many speed and altitude records in the early 1960s. Hugh Dryden was the engineer and program manager for that spacecraft, which Neil Armstrong flew seven times. While everyone knows that Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the Moon, not many people know Hugh Dryden's role. The Soviets launched the first satellite, Sputnik, in 1957, and Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space in April 1961. President John F. Kennedy was looking for a way to demonstrate American ingenuity and technical superiority over the Soviet Union, so he convened the National Space Council and asked for their advice on the best way for America to respond to the Soviets' string of firsts in space exploration. Hugh Dryden was the person in that meeting who recommended to the President that the goal of putting a person on the Moon within 10 years was achievable and something the American people could rally behind. The rest is history. President Kennedy grabbed Hugh Dryden's idea and addressed a joint session of Congress the very next month. The Apollo program was the brainchild of Hugh Dryden, and Neil Armstrong turned that dream into reality by making that ``one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'' on another world almost 240,000 miles away. Hugh Dryden was not able to see his dream become reality, as he died in 1965, and, unfortunately, Neil Armstrong passed away last August. It is important for us to honor both men's legacies by naming the flight research center after Neil Armstrong and the surrounding test range after Hugh Dryden. With this bill, we reaffirm that America is filled with dreamers like Hugh Dryden and doers like Neil Armstrong, who, working together, can shoot for the Moon. Again, Madam Speaker, I want to thank Congressman McCarthy for honoring their legacy, which reminds us that America always needs to think about new frontiers. Ms. EDWARDS. Madam Speaker, I'd like to inquire of Mr. Hall as to whether he has additional speakers; otherwise, I'm ready to close. Mr. HALL. No, we do not have additional speakers. Ms. EDWARDS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It seems so fitting that we're here today to recognize Neil Armstrong. And I want to thank Mr. Hall both for his leadership of our Science Committee and the opportunity that we've had to work together. He is a good friend. I look forward to working with our new chairman, Mr. Smith, in the next Congress. And it seems that we will have an opportunity to work on the things that Neil Armstrong believed in and felt so passionately about: about making sure that the United States remains at the top of the leader board when it comes to space exploration; making certain that, as he expressed in our committee, NASA remains at the forefront of our technology development, of our research, of our capacity. There are few of us who will get to see or to know what Neil Armstrong saw and knew. There are few of us, though we want to, who will be able to see the universe in the kind of way that Neil Armstrong did. But what we do know is that we have the ability here in this Congress and in future Congresses to actually preserve what it is that we do in space and how we use technology, and that we build on the great promise of Hugh Dryden and Neil Armstrong and our great capacity as a Nation for research and development and technology. I know that our leaders will be committed to preserving the names of these great heroes in the work that we do in the future, for our children and for generations to come. It also seems very fitting that in honoring Neil Armstrong--and I will just say personally, there are few opportunities here in the Congress where you feel like you really get to both touch the past and look to the future, and for me, that came in just being able to meet and to talk with Neil Armstrong when he came before our committee, Mr. Chairman. And I will say, having watched all of those missions as a little girl sitting in front of a black-and-white television, in a classroom, seeing the promise and capacity of our universe and our scientific endeavors and creation, that Neil Armstrong was at the center of that. And so I am pleased that we're able to honor him today, but I hope that we can honor him and his legacy in the future with the work that we do to preserve the great work that's done at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for all of our future generations. To the chairman, I know that, to Chairman Hall, Neil Armstrong was a special friend of his as well and quite an inspiration, but an inspiration for generations. And so it gives me great pleasure to be able to present H.R. 6612 in renaming the Dryden Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Center, and I look forward to continuing to support the great work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, before I close, I'd just like to thank Jay Pierson, who plans to retire at the end of this year, for his many, many years of service to this House. He's been very helpful to me, to my staff, and to other staffs. He'll be sorely missed. With that, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I proudly stand with my good friend and fellow Californian, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, in strong support of legislation we have both championed, H.R. 6612, which will redesignate NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. One of the greatest benefits of public service in U.S. House of Representatives is the people that you meet from all walks of life. I had the very high honor and privilege of meeting Mr. Armstrong on several occasions before he passed away on August 25, 2012. Given his place as a revered global icon, Neil never sought the limelight and never lost his unassuming nature or the Midwestern values that his Ohio roots instilled in him. Those of us who were old enough to witness first hand when he took his first step on the surface of the moon will never forget the great sense of pride in our country and inspiration in the ability of mankind. There are few events in history that have had such a profound and positive impact, transcending generations across the globe. H.R. 6612 is just one way we can pay tribute to this great American hero. The bill will accomplish three important goals: (1) to honor Neil A. Armstrong, who served as an experimental research test pilot at the center from 1955 to 1962; (2) to emphasize the contributions of that center to NASA's current space exploration mission; and (3) to memorialize the extraordinary career of Dr. Hugh L. Dryden by naming the aeronautical [[Page H7491]] test range, approximately 12,000 square miles of special use airspace in his honor. I urge my House colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 6612. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6612. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Ms. EDWARDS. Madam 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7491-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,INVESTIGATIVE ASSISTANCE FOR VIOLENT CRIMES ACT OF 2012,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7491,H7495,"[{""name"": ""Trey Gowdy"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Robert C. \""Bobby\"" Scott"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""John Conyers, Jr."", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Sheila Jackson Lee"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""83""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""2076""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""2076""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6019""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6019""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7491,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7491-H7495] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] INVESTIGATIVE ASSISTANCE FOR VIOLENT CRIMES ACT OF 2012 Mr. GOWDY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 2076) to amend title 28, United States Code, to clarify the statutory authority for the longstanding practice of the Department of Justice of providing investigatory assistance on request of State and local authorities with respect to certain serious violent crimes, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the Senate amendment is as follows: Senate amendment: In lieu of matter proposed to be inserted, insert the following: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012''. SEC. 2. INVESTIGATION OF CERTAIN VIOLENT ACTS, SHOOTINGS, AND MASS KILLINGS. (a) Attorney General.--Title 28, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in section 530C(b)(1)(L)(i), by striking ``$2,000,000'' and inserting ``$3,000,000''; and (2) in section 530C(b)(1), by adding at the end the following-- ``(M)(i) At the request of an appropriate law enforcement official of a State or political subdivision, the Attorney General may assist in the [[Page H7492]] investigation of violent acts and shootings occurring in a place of public use and in the investigation of mass killings and attempted mass killings. Any assistance provided under this subparagraph shall be presumed to be within the scope of Federal office or employment. ``(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph-- ``(I) the term `mass killings' means 3 or more killings in a single incident; and ``(II) the term `place of public use' has the meaning given that term under section 2332f(e)(6) of title 18, United States Code.''. (b) Secretary of Homeland Security.--Section 875 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 455) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(d) Investigation of Certain Violent Acts, Shootings, and Mass Killings.-- ``(1) In general.--At the request of an appropriate law enforcement official of a State or political subdivision, the Secretary, through deployment of the Secret Service or United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, may assist in the investigation of violent acts and shootings occurring in a place of public use, and in the investigation of mass killings and attempted mass killings. Any assistance provided by the Secretary under this subsection shall be presumed to be within the scope of Federal office or employment. ``(2) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection-- ``(A) the term `mass killings' means 3 or more killings in a single incident; and ``(B) the term `place of public use' has the meaning given that term under section 2332f(e)(6) of title 18, United States Code.''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Gowdy) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina. General Leave Mr. GOWDY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the matter currently under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from South Carolina? There was no objection. Mr. GOWDY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, violent crimes, especially mass killings, are often unpredictable and impulsive. The venues are random. The jurisdictions where these crimes take place include the smallest of towns, the least likely places for crimes of this magnitude and this depravity. When we were drafting this bill months ago, Madam Speaker, of course we had hoped against hope that it would not be needed--not so soon, at least. We hoped it would sit on the sidelines, available but unused. Sadly, this is not the culture we live in, Madam Speaker. We have recently witnessed another example of the depth to which the human condition can sink. In times like these, when State and local resources are stretched, Federal law enforcement is ready, willing, and able to assist. Indeed, they do assist, but they do so without statutory coverage. The manner and method of the assistance, Madam Speaker, is vast and varied. Most local police departments do not have criminal profilers. They may not have quick access to a world-class forensic lab, grand jury subpoenas, or the experience that comes from handling similar investigations in the past. Law enforcement, Madam Speaker, is a particularly close-knit community, with State, local, and Federal agents working together sharing resources and expertise, working under very difficult circumstances to prevent crimes or quickly investigate and apprehend afterwards those who commit such crimes. Madam Speaker, I have seen in my own prior career in South Carolina the willingness of Federal law enforcement to assist in kidnappings, murders, arson, and robberies. Tragically, our country has seen the need for Federal law enforcement to assist in places as disparate as movie theaters, college campuses, and even elementary schools. Federal law enforcement agencies and officers do not currently have specific statutory authority to assist in the investigations of mass killings, attempted mass killings, or other violent crimes that occur. Federal law enforcement officers frequently receive emergency requests for such assistance from State and local law enforcement agencies. And while this assistance is routinely provided, Madam Speaker, it is possible that Federal officers who provide such assistance could be found to be acting outside their scope of employment. To correct this problem, H.R. 2076 specifically allows certain Federal agents to provide State and local law enforcement with the assistance requested when the violent act does not otherwise appear to violate Federal law. These Federal agents come from agencies such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshal Service, Secret Service, and ICE. And while we hope and pray, Madam Speaker, and take affirmative steps to prevent such similar crimes in the future, this bill ensures that State and local police now can at least request the assistance of Federal law enforcement officers in similar situations, and do so fully covered by the law. This bill allows Federal law enforcement officers to provide an emergency response to critical situations where violent crimes have occurred or may remain in progress. This bill is not an expansion, Madam Speaker, of Federal authority and does not expand the jurisdiction of any Federal law enforcement agency in any manner whatsoever. Any law enforcement assistance must be requested by a State or local authority and agreed to by the Federal authorities. Last year, Madam Speaker, this bill passed the Judiciary Committee in the House with broad bipartisan support. Earlier this month, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, this bill. This bill is supported by the FBI Agents Association and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to concur in the Senate's amendment to this bill so that it may be sent to the President for his signature, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 2076. The House originally passed this bill in September of 2001 by an overwhelming vote. H.R. 2076 gives the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security the specific statutory authority to respond to requests from State and local law enforcement agencies for assistance in investigation of violent acts and shootings occurring in public places and in investigations of mass killings and attempted mass killings. {time} 1130 The House-passed version of the bill only applied to the FBI providing assistance. The Senate amended the bill to include all DOJ and Department of Homeland Security law enforcement agencies. Therefore, under the version of the bill before the House today, the Department of Justice's agencies, such as the FBI, DEA, Marshal Service and ATF, would be able to provide assistance, as would the Department of Homeland Security's law enforcement agencies, such as Secret Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, if requested by local and State law enforcement agencies. These Federal agencies do not currently have the specific statutory authority to assist in the investigations of mass killings or attempted mass killings occurring in venues such as schools, colleges, universities, non-Federal office buildings, malls and/or other public places. In particular, while the FBI continues to receive requests for such assistance from State and local law enforcement, and the FBI often does assist in such circumstances, there is presently technically no Federal statute that directly provides jurisdiction to the FBI to respond to such requests. Legislation granting the proposed investigative authority would allow these Federal agencies to provide State and local law enforcement with the assistance, if requested, even when the violent act does not technically violate a Federal law. Unfortunately, due to the tragic shooting and killing of 20 students and six teachers in Newtown, Connecticut, the consideration of this bill is timely. Of course, we should pass the bill today so that the President may sign it into law. But, Madam Speaker, while we must take steps to assist in the investigation of such incidents, it is even more critical that we prevent them from occurring in the first place. Proposals to do that include not only legislation involving gun safety, but also [[Page H7493]] legislation such as the Youth Promise Act, which would provide funding for comprehensive juvenile justice initiatives, or additional funding for the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant, or the Campus Safety Act, which are all pending, as well as increased funding for mental health services and school counselors. We simply must do all we can to protect our citizens, and these proposals must be enacted as soon as possible. But with respect to H.R. 2076, the bill before us today, I want to commend the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Gowdy) for his leadership on this bill and urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendment to H.R. 2076. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. GOWDY. Madam Speaker, in conclusion, I just want to take this one final opportunity to thank Chairman Smith for his leadership, not just on this particular bill, but his leadership throughout the 2-year tenure he was chairman of the Judiciary. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Virginia? There was no objection. Mr. GOWDY. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time and the right to perhaps finish at the end. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Thank you. And I apologize, I was not aware that I had additional speakers. I yield such time as he may consume to the former chair of the Judiciary Committee, the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers). Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I am very quick to thank the former chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Bobby Scott of Virginia, and of course Mr. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina for his very great contribution to H.R. 2076, as amended, that the House originally passed in 2011 by a vote of 358-9. H.R. 2076 gives the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security the specific statutory authority to respond to requests from State and local law enforcement agencies for assistance in the investigation of violent acts and shootings occurring in public places, and in the investigation of mass killings and attempted mass killings. It's very appropriate, of course, under the recent circumstances that the leaders on both sides of the aisle have mentioned. So this bill, unfortunately, due to the tragic shooting in Newtown, the consideration of this bill is appropriately timely. Of course we should pass the bill today so that the President may sign it into law, but it is unfortunate that we're not also sending the President even more urgently needed legislation to protect us from gun violence. While we must take steps to assist in the investigation of such incidents, it is critical that we prevent them from occurring in the first place. We're simply not doing all we can do to protect our citizens, but we celebrate that we have come this far. So I urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendment to H.R. 2076. Mr. GOWDY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee). Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. First of all, I want to thank Mr. Gowdy very much for the attentiveness to this legislation and shepherding it so that it has come from the Senate and accepting the Senate amendment. I am on Homeland Security, and I believe that the amendment that has been provided under this legislation originally, H.R. 2076, will expand your intent, and I believe that you believe it as well. I think it is very important to emphasize that we now have extra investigatory skills and techniques and a collaborative effort between Homeland Security personnel and those in the Department of Justice to be utilized by the Homeland Security Secretary, and as well the Attorney General, helping to investigate violent acts or shootings that occur in venues such as schools, colleges, universities, non-Federal office buildings, and other places of public use. This includes mass killings that are three or more killings in a single incident. We all recognize the tragedy of Newtown, but there are tragedies that have faced us over the last couple of years. The President indicated Newtown was the worst day of his administration, but compounded was the Aurora killings, the killings in the Sikh temple, and the acts of heinous murder that occurred in Houston, Texas, where a mother and her daughter were murdered on Christmas Eve. So there are times when the local authorities need immediate assistance. Or the time when we had a child predator. Although this legislation may not define violent acts as such, I can tell you that the community felt violated when a number of children were preyed upon. Through the kindness and the understanding of the local FBI office in Houston and my persistence and the difficulty of coordinating with local authorities because of the sort of uncomfortableness of the involvement of the Federal Government, we overcame that and they participated, and shortly thereafter the predator was captured. Children are impacted, and that is why this legislation is enormously important. I also want to take note of the fact that the gentleman from South Carolina is right that the FBI did not have statutory authority to assist in the investigation of mass killings or other violent crimes that are carried out in non-Federal public places such as schools and universities. We now have put forward this Federal law. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2076, the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2011. This legislation is an appropriate and necessary measure to keep our citizens safe. Currently the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, does not have statutory authority to assist in the investigation of mass killings or other violent crimes that are carried out in non-federal public places, such as schools and universities. As of now, when the FBI is asked by state and local law enforcement to assist with related investigations, they frequently comply with the request, despite the possibility that in doing so, the responding officers may be found to be acting outside of their jurisdiction. The Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act grants specific authority to the FBI to respond when asked for help by state and local law enforcement, without expanding the jurisdiction of the FBI. The bill allows the FBI to assist in the investigation of a violent crime or mass killing only when asked to do so. The FBI has lent their resources to several high profile investigations in recent history. Last September, when an armed intruder entered the Discovery Communications Building in Rockville, Maryland, the FBI SWAT team assisted the Montgomery County Police Department, and FBI investigators processed the crime scene. In 2009, the American Civic Center in Binghamton, New York was the site of a mass killing when an armed subject killed 13 people. The FBI was asked to assist, and lent their Evidence Response Team, Victim Assistance program, and Behavioral Analysis unit. The FBI also assisted in the investigation to identify the student who opened fire at Virginia Technical Institute in 2007. The FBI lent invaluable assistance to state and local law enforcement to these and many other cases. However, as the law currently standards, there is no specific statutory authority allowing them to do so. The Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act specifically authorizes, by legal statute, that which the FBI is consistently asked and expected to do. This bill is an important measure aimed at increasing the safety and security of the American people. When faced with a mass killing or other violent crime, our state and local law enforcement officials should have access to every necessary resource in order to mitigate the situation, identify the perpetrators, and bring them to justice. In Houston, Texas, where I represent the 18th Congressional District, the FBI reports that 22,491 violent crimes in 2010. I know that my constituents would appreciate knowing that their local law enforcement officials have access to the resources of the FBI, should they need them. As a senior Member of both the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, I have worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of the American people, and this legislation does just that. I am pleased at the bipartisan manner in which this bill is being considered, and urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2076, the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act. {time} 1140 I think that is enormously important. Again, I congratulate the passage of this legislation, and I am particularly sensitive to the utilization of the SWAT team. I will take a moment, just to deviate, to be able to thank the chairman of the [[Page H7494]] committee and the ranking member and the ranking member on the Crime Subcommittee for their commitment and interest in children. Today, we were going to further proceed with our commitment to children, and that is in the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant. But my fight will continue in the next term, and I want to thank you, Mr. Smith, for understanding that the practical aspect of what we were doing was to save children and to prevent a youngster like this from not having a juvenile system that they could in fact have access to. It plays into some of what Mr. Gowdy is speaking about, but it plays into an earlier stage, and that is to ensure that there are court systems, there are mental health systems, there are a number of other systems that our juveniles can have access to that are intervention; that in fact we can take note of the fact that juveniles are bullied, that there's cyberbullying. But I believe it's important to stand to fight for another day. So as we support the legislation of Mr. Gowdy, I want to be able to thank all of those who stood crying in a hearing in Houston, Texas, in the fall of 2010, fighting about whether or not this Federal Government would make a statement, a positive statement, about resources to help with bullying and the intervention of such, and to do it in a way that could be effectively utilized. I think we came up with that in H.R. 6019, in all the compromise that we came about, and frankly sometimes the English language is not perfect and people cannot understand what we are trying to do. But to come back to this legislation, H.R. 2076 will be a good, fitting end for the Judiciary Committee, and in 2013 I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant reauthorization so that critical issues such as youth violence, juvenile crime prevention, mental health screening and treatment, among others, that would help millions of children can be in place. If we can have a situation where we reauthorize what my original bill, H.R. 83, offered to do, I will be right there being enthusiastic. If we have to find a common place of compromise, I will be there as well, because that is what we are here to do, to work on behalf of the American people and the children that we represent. It is important to note that we are doing something good in the Judiciary Committee. I hope that we will have the opportunity to work together more closely in 2013 and be able to do the good work that many of us have advocated and work with a number of groups and families who have been victims without the right kind of resources, which we were trying to implement. With that, I want to submit into the Record a number of documents on my remarks that I have just made, and I ask my colleagues to support the legislation of Mr. Gowdy. Congress of the United States, Washington, DC. Support H.R. 6019: The Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization Act 2012 Dear Colleague: I invite you to join me in supporting legislation that seeks to provide grants through the Department of Justice to States for the creation and operation of programs that address critical issues such as youth violence, juvenile crime prevention, and mental health screening and treatment, among others, which would help millions of children throughout our nation. H.R. 6019 reauthorizes the Juvenile Accountability Block Grants, JABG, and would allow a portion of those funds to also be used by States for a number of intervention programs. H.R. 6019 authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to States and local governments to strengthen their juvenile justice systems and foster accountability within their juvenile populations. As previously stated, JABG funds support seventeen program purpose areas, allowing local governments to utilize funding for a variety of activities including hiring juvenile court judges, probation officers, and court-appointed defenders. Moreover, local governments will have access to funding for programs derived from evidence-based models and best practices that address, among other issues, those related to bullying and cyberbullying, including prevention and intervention. I hope you will lend your support to this effort on behalf of our nation's children to create and support programs designed to address these critical issues and help create a better juvenile justice system in America. Together, we can do a great deal to ease and end the suffering of millions of children nationwide. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact Janice Bashford at 202.225.3816, or, Janice.Bashford@mail.house.gov. Very Truly Yours, Sheila Jackson Lee, Member of Congress. ____ Congress of the United States Washington, DC. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE JUVENILE ACCOUNTABILITY BLOCK GRANT Originally created in 1997, Congress created the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JABG) program and appropriated new federal funds through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). In 2002 and 2005, the program was reauthorized and the program was eventually renamed the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) Program. Its most recent reauthorization occurred in 2006, with $350 million a year for FYs 2006 through 2009. Now unauthorized, JABG still receives appropriations. FY 2001 ($250 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2002 ($250 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2003 ($190 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2004 ($60 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2005 ($55 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2006 ($50 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2007 ($49 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2008 ($52 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2009 ($55 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2010 ($55 million requested by President, $55 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2011 ($40 million requested by President, $46 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2012 ( ZERO requested by President, $30 million appropriated by Congress) FY 2013 ($30 million requested by President) H.R. 6019 would authorize the appropriation of $40 million annually over the 2013-2017. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 6019 would cost $121 million over the 2013-2017 period. PAYGO does not apply. ____ VOTE YES ON H.R. 6019 The Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Reauthorization Act of 2012 Help Your Local Communities 17 JABG Program Purpose Areas 1. Developing, implementing, and administering graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders. 2. Building, expanding, renovating, or operating temporary or permanent juvenile correction, detention, or community corrections facilities. 3. Hiring juvenile court judges, probation officers, and court-appointed defenders and special advocates, and funding pretrial services (including mental health screening and assessment) for juvenile offenders to promote the effective and expeditious administration of the juvenile justice system. 4. Hiring additional prosecutors so that more cases involving violent juvenile offenders can be prosecuted and case backlogs reduced. 5. Providing funding to enable prosecutors to address drug, gang, and youth violence problems more effectively and for technology, equipment, and training to help prosecutors identify and expedite the prosecution of violent juvenile offenders. 6. Establishing and maintaining training programs for law enforcement and other court personnel with respect to preventing and controlling juvenile crime. 7. Establishing juvenile gun courts for the prosecution and adjudication of juvenile firearms offenders. 8. Establishing drug court programs for juvenile offenders that provide continuing judicial supervision over juvenile offenders with substance abuse problems and integrate administration of other sanctions and services for such offenders. 9. Establishing and maintaining a system of juvenile records designed to promote public safety. 10. Establishing and maintaining interagency information sharing programs that enable the juvenile and criminal justice systems, schools, and social services agencies to make more informed decisions regarding the early identification, control, supervision, and treatment of juveniles who repeatedly commit serious delinquent or criminal acts. 11. Establishing and maintaining accountability-based programs designed to reduce recidivism among juveniles who are referred by law enforcement personnel or agencies. 12. Establishing and maintaining programs to conduct risk and needs assessments that facilitate effective early intervention and the provision of comprehensive services, including mental health screening and treatment and substance abuse testing and treatment, to juvenile offenders. 13. Establishing and maintaining accountability-based programs that are designed to enhance school safety, which programs may include research-based bullying, cyberbullying, and gang prevention programs. 14. Establishing and maintaining restorative justice programs. [[Page H7495]] 15. Establishing and maintaining programs to enable juvenile courts and juvenile probation officers to be more effective and efficient in holding juvenile offenders accountable and reducing recidivism. 16. Hiring detention and corrections personnel, and establishing and maintaining training programs for such personnel, to improve facility practices and programming. 17. Establishing, improving, and coordinating pre-release and post-release systems and programs to facilitate the successful re-entry of juvenile offenders from state and local custody in the community. Mr. GOWDY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I would just like to again compliment the gentleman from South Carolina for his leadership on this. A lot of communities will benefit. I thank him for that work. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. GOWDY. Madam Speaker, in conclusion, and I'm sure on behalf of all my colleagues, I want to thank the women and men in law enforcement for their service, their sacrifice, their willingness to do jobs that either we cannot do or will not do. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) for his leadership over the last 2 years, and I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for his collegiality and friendship. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Gowdy) that the House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 2076. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7491,2012-12-31,112,2,,,MANIILAQ ASSOCIATION PROPERTY CONVEYANCE,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7491,H7491,"[{""name"": ""Don Young"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Raul M. Grijalva"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""443""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""443""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7491,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7491] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1120 MANIILAQ ASSOCIATION PROPERTY CONVEYANCE Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 443) to provide for the conveyance of certain property from the United States to the Maniilaq Association located in Kotzebue, Alaska. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the Senate amendment is as follows: Senate amendment: Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF PROPERTY. (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, but not later than 180 days after such date, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall convey to the Maniilaq Association located in Kotzebue, Alaska, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the property described in section 2 for use in connection with health and social services programs. The Secretary's conveyance of title by warranty deed under this section shall, on its effective date, supersede and render of no future effect on any Quitclaim Deed to the properties described in section 2 executed by the Secretary and the Maniilaq Association. (b) Conditions.--The conveyance required by this section shall be made by warranty deed without consideration and without imposing any obligation, term, or condition on the Maniilaq Association, or reversionary interest of the United States, other than that required by this Act or section 512(c)(2)(B) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 458aaa-11(c)(2)(B)). SEC. 2. PROPERTY DESCRIBED. The property, including all land and appurtenances, to be conveyed pursuant to section 1 is as follows: (1) Kotzebue hospital and land.--Re-Plat of Friends Mission Reserve, Subdivision No. 2, U.S. Survey 2082, Lot 1, Block 12, Kotzebue, Alaska, containing 8.10 acres recorded in the Kotzebue Recording District, Kotzebue, Alaska, on August 18, 2009. (2) Kotzebue quarters aka kic site.--Re-plat of Friends Mission Reserve, U.S. Survey 2082, Lot 1A, Block 13, Kotzebue, Alaska, containing 5.229 acres recorded in the Kotzebue Recording District, Kotzebue, Alaska, on December 23, 1991. (3) Kotzebue quarters aka nana site.--Lot 1B, Block 26, Tract A, Townsite of Kotzebue, U.S. Survey No. 2863 A, Kotzebue, Alaska, containing 1.29 acres recorded in the Kotzebue Recording District, Kotzebue, Alaska, on December 23, 1991. SEC. 3. ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law, the Maniilaq Association shall not be liable for any soil, surface water, groundwater, or other contamination resulting from the disposal, release, or presence of any environmental contamination, including any oil or petroleum products, or any hazardous substances, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, pollutants, toxic substances, solid waste, or any other environmental contamination or hazard as defined in any Federal or State of Alaska law, on any property described in section 2 on or before the date on which all of the properties described in section 2 were conveyed by quitclaim deed. (b) Easement.--The Secretary shall be accorded any easement or access to the property conveyed as may be reasonably necessary to satisfy any retained obligations and liability of the Secretary. (c) Notice of Hazardous Substance Activity and Warranty.-- The Secretary shall comply with section 120(h)(3)(A) and (B) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9620(h)(3)(A)). The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska. General Leave Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Alaska? There was no objection. Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My bill, H.R. 443, directs the Indian Health Service to transfer 15 acres of Federal land in Alaska to the Maniilaq Association by warranty deed. The IHS has already conveyed these lands to the association by quitclaim deed; however, under Federal Indian health laws, transferring land by quitclaim deed could present some obstacles to the future use of the land by the association. The association is a nonprofit entity that runs Federal Indian health services for Native people in northwest Alaska. The land subject to this legislation is currently the site of a Native health facility and of proposed long-term care facilities and employee housing. The administration testified in support of the land transfer, and we have heard no other objections to this bill which passed the House over a year ago by a 407-4 vote. The Senate amendment before us today makes four small technical changes to the bill, including changing verb tenses, clarifying the timing of the conveyance, and clarifying a definition. None are controversial and, some might say, even necessary. I, again, thank Chairman Upton of the Energy and Commerce Committee for allowing H.R. 443, a bill that we share jurisdiction over, to be considered on the floor today. I urge the House to adopt the Senate amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GRIJALVA. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, we do not object to the Senate amendment to H.R. 443, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I have no other requests for time. I urge the passage of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 443. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7495-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7495,H7498,"[{""name"": ""Jason Chaffetz"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Ted Poe"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Eleanor Holmes Norton"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""938""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""3159""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6364""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6364""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7495,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7495-H7498] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 6364) to establish a commission to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I, to provide for the designation of memorials to the [[Page H7496]] service of members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the Senate amendment is as follows: Senate amendment: Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``World War I Centennial Commission Act''. (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings. Sec. 3. Definitions. Sec. 4. Establishment of World War I Centennial Commission. Sec. 5. Duties of Centennial Commission. Sec. 6. Powers of Centennial Commission. Sec. 7. Centennial Commission personnel matters. Sec. 8. Termination of Centennial Commission. Sec. 9. Prohibition on obligation of Federal funds. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress makes the following findings: (1) From 2014 through 2018, the United States and nations around the world will mark the centennial of World War I, including the entry of the United States into the war in April 1917. (2) America's support of Great Britain, France, Belgium, and its other allies in World War I marked the first time in United States history that American soldiers went abroad in defense of liberty against foreign aggression, and it marked the true beginning of the ``American century''. (3) Although World War I was at the time called ``the war to end all wars'', in fact the United States would commit its troops to the defense of foreign lands 3 more times in the 20th century. (4) More than 4,000,000 men and women from the United States served in uniform during World War I, among them 2 future presidents, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Two million individuals from the United States served overseas during World War I, including 200,000 naval personnel who served on the seas. The United States suffered 375,000 casualties during World War I, including 116,516 deaths. (5) The events of 1914 through 1918 shaped the world, the United States, and the lives of millions of people. (6) The centennial of World War I offers an opportunity for people in the United States to learn about and commemorate the sacrifices of their predecessors. (7) Commemorative programs, activities, and sites allow people in the United States to learn about the history of World War I, the United States involvement in that war, and the war's effects on the remainder of the 20th century, and to commemorate and honor the participation of the United States and its citizens in the war effort. SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. In this Act-- (1) America's national world war i museum.--The term ``America's National World War I Museum'' means the Liberty Memorial Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as recognized by Congress in section 1031(b) of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108-375; 118 Stat. 2045). (2) Centennial commission.--The term ``Centennial Commission'' means the World War I Centennial Commission established by section 4(a). (3) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans service organization'' means any organization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code. SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known as the ``World War I Centennial Commission''. (b) Membership.-- (1) Composition.--The Centennial Commission shall be composed of 12 members as follows: (A) Two members who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (B) One member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. (C) Two members who shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate. (D) One member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate. (E) Three members who shall be appointed by the President from among persons who are broadly representative of the people of the United States (including members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and representatives of veterans service organizations). (F) One member who shall be appointed by the executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. (G) One member who shall be appointed by the executive director of the American Legion. (H) One member who shall be appointed by the president of the Liberty Memorial Association. (2) Time for appointment.--The members of the Centennial Commission shall be appointed not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. (3) Period of appointment.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the Centennial Commission. (4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Centennial Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made. (c) Meetings.-- (1) Initial meeting.-- (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which all members of the Centennial Commission have been appointed, the Centennial Commission shall hold its first meeting. (B) Location.--The location for the meeting held under subparagraph (A) shall be the America's National World War I Museum. (2) Subsequent meetings.-- (A) In general.--The Centennial Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair. (B) Frequency.--The Chair shall call a meeting of the members of the Centennial Commission not less frequently than once each year. (C) Location.--Not less frequently than once each year, the Centennial Commission shall meet at the America's National World War I Museum. (3) Quorum.--Seven members of the Centennial Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings. (d) Chair and Vice Chair.--The Centennial Commission shall select a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. SEC. 5. DUTIES OF CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. (a) In General.--The duties of the Centennial Commission are as follows: (1) To plan, develop, and execute programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I. (2) To encourage private organizations and State and local governments to organize and participate in activities commemorating the centennial of World War I. (3) To facilitate and coordinate activities throughout the United States relating to the centennial of World War I. (4) To serve as a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information about events and plans for the centennial of World War I. (5) To develop recommendations for Congress and the President for commemorating the centennial of World War I. (b) Reports.-- (1) Periodic report.--Not later than the last day of the 6- month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than the last day of each 3-month period thereafter, the Centennial Commission shall submit to Congress and the President a report on the activities and plans of the Centennial Commission. (2) Recommendations.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Centennial Commission shall submit to Congress and the President a report containing specific recommendations for commemorating the centennial of World War I and coordinating related activities. SEC. 6. POWERS OF CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. (a) Hearings.--The Centennial Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Centennial Commission considers appropriate to carry out its duties under this Act. (b) Powers of Member and Agents.--If authorized by the Centennial Commission, any member or agent of the Centennial Commission may take any action which the Centennial Commission is authorized to take under this Act. (c) Information From Federal Agencies.--The Centennial Commission shall secure directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the Centennial Commission considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. Upon the request of the Chair of the Centennial Commission, the head of such department or agency shall furnish such information to the Centennial Commission. (d) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the Centennial Commission, the Administrator of the General Services Administration shall provide to the Centennial Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Centennial Commission to carry out its responsibilities under this Act. (e) Contract Authority.-- (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Centennial Commission is authorized-- (A) to procure supplies, services, and property; and (B) to make or enter into contracts, leases, or other legal agreements. (2) Limitation.--The Centennial Commission may not enter into any contract, lease, or other legal agreement that extends beyond the date of the termination of the Centennial Commission under section 8(a). (f) Postal Services.--The Centennial Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the Federal Government. (g) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--The Centennial Commission shall accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, both real and personal, for the purpose of covering the costs incurred by the Centennial Commission to carry out its duties under this Act. SEC. 7. CENTENNIAL COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS. (a) Compensation of Members.--Members of the Centennial Commission shall serve without compensation for such service. (b) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the Centennial Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with the applicable provisions of title 5, United States Code. (c) Staff.-- (1) In general.--The Chair of the Centennial Commission shall, in consultation with the members of the Centennial Commission, appoint an executive director and such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the Centennial Commission to perform its duties. (2) Compensation.-- [[Page H7497]] (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the Chair of the Centennial Commission may fix the compensation of the executive director and any other personnel appointed under paragraph (1). (B) Limitation.--The Chair of the Centennial Commission may not fix the compensation of the executive director or other personnel appointed under paragraph (1) at a rate that exceeds the rate of payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code. (C) Work location.--If the city government for Kansas City, Missouri, and the Liberty Memorial Association make space available in the building in which the America's National World War I Museum is located, the executive director of the Centennial Commission and other personnel appointed under paragraph (1) shall work in such building to the extent practical. (d) Detail of Government Employees.--Upon request of the Centennial Commission, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any employee of that department or agency to the Centennial Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act. (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.-- The Chair of the Centennial Commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. (f) Source of Funds.--Gifts, bequests, and devises of services or property, both real and personal, received by the Centennial Commission under section 6(g) shall be the only source of funds to cover the costs incurred by the Centennial Commission under this section. SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. (a) In General.--The Centennial Commission shall terminate on the earlier of-- (1) the date that is 30 days after the date the completion of the activities under this Act honoring the centennial observation of World War I; or (2) July 28, 2019. (b) Application of Federal Advisory Committee Act.-- (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall apply to the activities of the Centennial Commission under this Act. (2) Exception.--Section 14(a)(2) of such Act shall not apply to the Centennial Commission. SEC. 9. PROHIBITION ON OBLIGATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS. No Federal funds may be obligated to carry out this Act. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah. General Leave Mr. CHAFFETZ. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Utah? There was no objection. Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the original sponsor of this bill, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe). Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding and for his support on this legislation. I also thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia. Madam Speaker, they said that World War I would be ``the war to end all wars.'' But it wasn't. It was a world war and encompassed the entire globe and most of the countries in the world. The war started in 1914, and the United States entered in April of 1917. The United States entered the war for three main reasons: one, the sinking of the British liner Lusitania and 128 Americans being killed in that submarine attack; and then seven U.S. Merchant Marine ships were sunk by German submarines when they had unconditional rights to sink any ship on the high seas, according to the German Government; and the third thing was when the Germans sent the Zimmerman telegram to Mexico. Madam Speaker, a lot of Americans don't know what that was, but basically the Germans were telling the country of Mexico if they would enter the war on the side of Germany, the central powers, that they would help Mexico invade the United States and take the States of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona and give them to the country of Mexico. So the United States entered the war in April 1917. H.R. 3159 would create a commission to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I. Over 116,000 Americans died in World War I. That's more than in Korea, Vietnam, and both Iraq wars and Afghanistan combined. Madam Speaker, to my left is a photograph of American doughboys, as they were called because of the color of their uniform, going over out of a trench, ``over the top'' as it was called in World War I. They were primarily teenagers. Like in most of our wars, the teenagers go to fight those wars. And they are leaving the trench going into what is called ``no man's land.'' And those Americans served, along with their allies in World War I. Two U.S. Presidents served in World War I, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. And if World War II veterans were known as the Greatest Generation, then World War I veterans should be known as the Selfless Generation. After all, these World War I veterans--the ones that survived--were the fathers of the Greatest Generation. America's last doughboy was Frank Buckles. He died on February 26, 2011. He was 110 years of age. I got to know Frank Buckles when he came to the United States Capitol on some legislation that I will talk about momentarily. Frank Buckles in World War I was too young to join. Nobody would let him in. He went from recruiter to recruiter. He was 16--he might have been 15--but he lied about his age, and he finally convinced an Army recruiter to take him in. He joined the doughboys, and he went ``Over There,'' that song that George Cohan wrote talking about the Americans that wouldn't ``come back 'till it's over, over there.'' He drove an ambulance in World War I helping rescue other doughboys that were wounded out here in no man's land and some that had died bringing them back behind the lines. After the Great War was over with, he was in the Philippines when World War II started. And, sure enough, he's captured by the Japanese. Frank Buckles was held in a prisoner-of- war camp by the Japanese for 3\1/2\ years, and he was finally released when rescued by Americans who liberated the Philippines. After the war, he moved to West Virginia and he worked on the farm until he was 106 driving the tractor. Frank Buckles, the last surviving doughboy, lived half of our Nation's history. So, today, we have an opportunity to remember Frank Buckles, these doughboys, other doughboys, and all those great Americans who fought for America 100 years ago. The bill establishes a commission to commemorate the centennial of World War I. The commission will plan programs and activities to commemorate the 100th anniversary of that Great War. Time is short. The centennial for the start of World War I is in 2014, and many of our allies have already started planning different events. It must be noted that no Federal funds will be spent for this commission--they have to raise their own money from private funds. Madam Speaker, in the last century, there were four great wars where Americans participated, and we have built memorials on the Mall for all of them, except one. We built a memorial for the Vietnam veterans, the Korean veterans and the World War II veterans; but there is no memorial on the Mall for all of those doughboys that served in World War I. There is a D.C. memorial that recognizes and honors the D.C. soldiers and sailors that served in World War I, but there is no great memorial for all that served throughout the United States. It is my hope and the intent of the original legislation that passed the House that there one day will be a national World War I memorial on the Mall. And that's where I met Frank Buckles. He came to Washington, D.C., as the guest of many of our Senators. And it was his hope, and really it was one of his dying wishes, that we would build, that Congress would authorize the building of a memorial on the Mall for all of those that served in the great World War I. The original bill that passed this House by unanimous vote had that memorial in the bill. It went to the Senate, and now we have only the commission. So it is my intent to reauthorize, or reoffer, that bill in our next session of Congress, and I'd encourage the commission to consider this building of a memorial on the Mall in their commemoration. There would be no better way to commemorate these brave Americans than to honor them with a memorial on the Mall. [[Page H7498]] When one of our warriors dies, Madam Speaker, for our country, they become a casualty of war; but the worst casualty of war is to be forgotten. So I hope we would build that memorial on the Mall. But now let's pass this bill to commemorate them and honor them with this commission. Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this important legislation. H.R. 6364 establishes a commission to ensure that there is suitable observation of the centennial of World War I. This bill is a fitting tribute to all servicemembers who valiantly fought in all theaters of World War I. The commission the bill establishes leaves ample time for appropriate commemorative works, events, and a tribute before the 100th anniversary of the war in 2014. I would like to thank my colleagues, but especially Representative Ted Poe, who has been singularly focused on this bill and who has worked with me and with others until this day, and I certainly pledge to work with him next year as he continues on this very laudable mission. I thank also my friend, Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, Rob Bishop of Utah, and Raul Grijalva of Arizona for working with me to preserve the District of Columbia World War I memorial in particular. {time} 1200 Earlier this year, in his search for a suitable memorial for World War I, Representative Ted Poe introduced H.R. 938, which would have nationalized the D.C. memorial by redesignating it as the District of Columbia and National World War I Memorial. He made clear, however, that he was not necessarily focused on the D.C. memorial, but that his goal was a World War I memorial here. While I very much support commemorating all the servicemen and -women who fought in World War I, I had to oppose altering the integrity of the D.C. memorial. The D.C. memorial was built with the blood and treasure of D.C. residents only, including funds from schoolchildren. Of the more than 26,000 D.C. residents who served in World War I, the 499 who died, more than the number from three States, have their names engraved on the memorial. Our memorial is deeply symbolic of the historic and continuing concerns of District residents, particularly our veterans who continue to serve without equal congressional representation, equal rights as citizens, and equal local government control. In the spirit of cooperation among Members of both parties, the House-passed version of H.R. 6364 would have protected the D.C. War Memorial, and H.R. 6364 as amended by the Senate similarly will have no effect on the D.C. War Memorial. In fact, all of the provisions regarding memorials have been removed from the bill. Instead, it establishes a commission to observe World War I across the country as we approach the centennial of the start of the war. I believe that the reason that this has been done reflects nothing more than the fact that the commission's approach to two important commemorations has been the usual approach almost always to important commemorations, and World War I had enormous effects on those who fought, on the Nation and on the world. More than 4 million men and women from the United States served in uniform during World War I. Among them, two future Presidents: Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Two million men and women from the United States served overseas during World War I. The United States suffered 375,000 casualties during that war, including 116,516 deaths. The national commission will plan, develop, and execute programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I throughout the United States. Importantly, not only here, but throughout the United States, people are anxious to learn more about the history of this war, to become involved in its commemoration, especially considering the effects of this war on the 20th century until today. We very much look forward to the commission's efforts to honor the participation and sacrifices of the United States and its citizens in the war effort. And once again, I want to thank Representative Poe for the extraordinary effort and energy he has put into this bill and the way he has worked cooperatively with all of us on both sides of the aisle. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I would like to again thank Representative Poe from the State of Texas for introducing this legislation and his tenacious pursuit of making this happen. The bill is bipartisan in its approach. It creates a means for properly commemorating the centennial of the Great War in honoring those who gallantly fought. I would encourage my colleagues to vote in concurrence with the Senate amendment to H.R. 6364 and remind people that no taxpayer dollars will be used to carry out this act. I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this, and I yield back the balance my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) that the House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 6364. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Ms. NORTON. Madam 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7495,2012-12-31,112,2,,,AMENDING THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7495,H7495,"[{""name"": ""Eric A. \""Rick\"" Crawford"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Jim Costa"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3666""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3666""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7495,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7495] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] AMENDING THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3666) to amend the Animal Welfare Act to modify the definition of ``exhibitor''. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. ANIMAL WELFARE. Section 2(h) of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2132(h)) is amended by adding ``an owner of a common, domesticated household pet who derives less than a substantial portion of income from a nonprimary source (as determined by the Secretary) for exhibiting an animal that exclusively resides at the residence of the pet owner,'' after ``stores,''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. General Leave Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas? There was no objection. Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the bill, S. 3666, and yield myself such time as I may consume. S. 3666 is a simple regulatory relief measure which has been proposed to modify the definition of the term ``exhibitor'' under the Federal Animal Welfare Act. It has passed the Senate by unanimous consent and, in the last hours of the 112th Congress, I urge that it likewise be passed by the House of Representatives. The legislation would relieve private pet owners who might make a few dollars on the side with their pets but who do not derive a substantial portion of their income from such activities from the licensure requirements under the Federal Animal Welfare Act. An example where this might be an issue is in hiring somebody to serve as an extra in a film. These are the people who appear in the background of film scenes and may work on the film set for a couple of hours at a time or a day or two at the most. If that person has their pet with them during the filming, the current interpretation of the Animal Welfare Act is that the extra would be designated an animal exhibitor under Federal law and must therefore be licensed, inspected, and comply with all the administrative and record-keeping requirements of the act. This was not what the law intended nor is the administration of such a requirement a necessary or useful allocation of scarce Federal resources. The Federal Animal Welfare Act was intended to regulate businesses, not private citizens. There are many examples across the government of regulatory overreach. While I regret that we have not been able to address all of those in the 112th Congress, certainly this is one we can agree needs fixing and should be fixed. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation and reserve the balance of my time. Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I want to thank the gentleman from Arkansas for his efforts with our colleagues in the Senate to pass this measure, S. 3666. As was stated, this is a measure that involves common sense, and it attempts to relieve burdensome paperwork that frankly has no place under the current scheme in which movies are made in this country that require, without the relief of this measure, them to be included under the Federal Animal Welfare Act. As was stated, movies and television shows often use animals as extras. We're used to seeing that. It's part of the way these movies are made. This bill amends the Animal Welfare Act to clarify that when pets are owned by individual citizens who are acting in that movie or in that television show that they should not be regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture when it comes to these animals being used as extras in films. These animals should not be captured under the Animal Welfare Act regulations. The USDA, as we know, is spread pretty thin. It is using scarce resources to regulate personal pets, which now is required under the current law that this legislation will relieve that burden from. We think that the USDA should focus its resources on more cost-effective measures rather than regulating individual personal pets that are used in these movies or in these television shows as--the term of art is ``animal actors''; animals that play a key movie or television role will not be affected by this legislation. They will continue to be regulated by the Animal Welfare Act. This is, as I said at the outset, a commonsense regulatory relief of burdensome paperwork. I would ask my colleagues to support this measure. {time} 1150 S. 3666 is, I think, a well-thought-out measure. I want to thank, again, the gentleman from Arkansas and the committee for their efforts on this measure and ask their support for the bill. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 3666. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7498,2012-12-31,112,2,,,CONDEMNING NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7498,H7500,"[{""name"": ""Ileana Ros-Lehtinen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Howard L. Berman"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Edward R. Royce"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HCONRES"", ""number"": ""145""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HCONRES"", ""number"": ""145""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HCONRES"", ""number"": ""145""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7498,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7498-H7500] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CONDEMNING NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 145) calling for universal condemnation of the North Korean missile launch of December 12, 2012, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution. The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows: H. Con. Res. 145 Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1695, unanimously adopted on July 15, 2006, following a series of North Korean missile firings on July 5, 2006, specifically condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (North Korea) recent test-firing of a series of missiles, and demanded that the North-East Asian country suspend all ballistic missile related activity and reinstate its moratorium on missile launches; Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1695 also required all Member States, in accordance with their national legal authorities and legislation and consistent with international law, to exercise vigilance and prevent missile and missile-related items, materials, goods, and technology being transferred to North Korea's missile or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes, and to prevent the procurement of missiles or missile related-items, materials, goods, and technology from North Korea, and the transfer of any financial resources in relation to North Korea's missile or WMD programmes; Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, adopted on October 14, 2006, decided that North Korea shall suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme and in this context re-establish its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on missile launching; Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 also imposed a ban on the sales of military equipment and luxury goods to North Korea as well as a ban on technology transfers; Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 further required Member States to prevent the travel of North Korean officials connected to the ballistic missile or nuclear programs, the inspection of cargo from North Korea to assure it was not missile, WMD, or nuclear-related, and the immediate freezing of funds, other financial assets, and economic resources that support these illicit North Korean activities; Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874, adopted on June 12, 2009, called upon Member States to inspect, seize, and dispose of proscribed illicit North Korea items related to its missile, nuclear, and [[Page H7499]] WMD programmes and to prevent the provision of financial services or the transfer to, through, or from their territory of any financial or other assets or resources that could contribute to North Korea's nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related, or other WMD-related programmes or activities, and by denying fuel or supplies to service the vessels carrying them; Whereas, on December 12, 2012, in flagrant defiance of past United Nations Security Council resolutions, the international community, and its Six-Party partners, North Korea launched a three-stage, long-range missile, which overflew Japanese territory near Okinawa and dropped debris into the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and waters adjacent to the Philippines; Whereas North Korea's latest provocative and defiant action represents a direct threat to the United States Armed Forces in the Asia/Pacific region and regional allies and friends, including Australia, Japan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan and is a potential future threat to the United States and its people, including those residing in Guam, Hawaii, Alaska, and the west coast of the United States mainland; and Whereas there has been extensive cooperation on missile development and military cooperation between the Governments of North Korea and Iran that dates back to the 1980s: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that-- (1) the North Korean missile launch of December 12, 2012, represents a flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions 825 (1993), 1540 (2004), 1695 (2006), 1718 (2006), and 1874 (2009), that North Korea continues to defy the United Nations, its Six-Party partners, and the international community, and that the Member States should immediately impose sanctions covered by these resolutions and censure North Korea; (2) all current restrictions against the Government of North Korea, including sanctions that ban the importation into the United States of North Korean products and goods, should remain in effect until the Government of North Korea no longer engages in activities that threaten United States interests and global peace and stability; (3) the Government of China should cooperate with the United States in pursuit of a new round of United Nations Security Council sanctions, to pressure its North Korean partner, redouble its efforts to prevent Chinese companies from transferring military and dual-use technologies to North Korea, and to crack down on transshipments through China that relate to North Korean military, missile, and nuclear programs and proliferation activities; and (4) North Korea should abandon and dismantle its provocative missile and nuclear weapons programs, cease its proliferation activities, and come into immediate compliance with all relevant international agreements and United Nations Security Council resolutions. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe of Texas). Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida. General Leave Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material in the Record on this bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? There was no objection. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise to support this strongly bipartisan measure which condemns the latest provocation by North Korea. Pyongyang has once again flagrantly violated past United Nations Security Council resolutions and the assurances given to Six-Party partners. I would also like to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to sincerely congratulate President-elect Park for her victory in South Korea's hard-fought presidential election. The Republic of Korea is one of our Nation's closest friends in Asia. Ours is a steadfast alliance forged in the crucible of war. Two decades ago, with all eyes on Europe, the United States prematurely celebrated victory over communism and an end to the Cold War. But in 1989, the same year the Berlin Wall fell, tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square, crushing, in a bloody massacre, the democracy movement of the Chinese people. So while communism fell in Europe, it was revitalized in the world's most populous nation and preserved in North Korea and in my native homeland of Cuba. Pyongyang's recent missile launch awakens America to the fact that the shadow of communism still casts a long shadow over Asia. North Korea's expanding nuclear and missile proliferation threaten not only our allies in the Pacific, but potentially our own people as well. In Asia, the Cold War never ended, and the United States and South Korean forces stand guard together on this last frontier. Attempts to engage Pyongyang over the past 4 years have been met with repeated provocations: the kidnapping of two American journalists, repeated missile launches, one more nuclear test, the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel with the loss of 46 lives, and the shelling of a South Korean island. {time} 1210 How much more should we endure before we say, Enough is enough? Sweet-talking Pyongyang only seems to inspire further belligerence. Our extended hand is met not only with a clenched fist but a fist grasping a knife. Those who had hoped for openness and reform from this new generation of the Kim dynasty saw their dreams go up in smoke on a North Korean launch pad. The only answer appears to be a coordinated, firm, international strategy in which current sanctions are reinforced and strengthened. This, of course, requires the cooperation of Beijing, a U.N. Security Council permanent member who deceptively seems to tell one thing to Washington and yet another to Pyongyang. Press articles hailed the fact that China, in anticipation of the recent launch, had begun inspecting cargo on North Korean ships in search of contraband. The question this raises is: Why has China not been inspecting North Korean ships since 2006, as was first called for in a U.N. resolution, which was reinforced by another resolution in the year 2009? If U.N. member states would only enforce the sanctions currently on the books, North Korea would be unable to ignore the international community and the civilized world. The time for coordinated international action is now. The time, in fact, is long overdue. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 145, as amended, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to thank the sponsor of this legislation, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for her leadership on this issue and for her work in addressing the North Korean threat. Earlier this month, North Korea carried out a missile launch using ballistic missile technology in direct defiance of the international community. This important resolution condemns North Korea's launch, and it calls on the North to live up to its commitments, to adhere to its international obligations and to deal peacefully with its neighbors. North Korea's missile launch is a blatant violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874, and we urge the Security Council to take strong and concerted action to demonstrate that Pyongyang's actions are completely unacceptable. In particular, we call on China and Russia to work constructively with other members of the Council to show that the international community is united in condemning North Korea's provocative behavior. North Korea is only further isolating itself with its irresponsible action, and the development of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons will never bring the real security and acceptance by the international community that the regime so desperately wants. Instead of pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into its so-called space program, nuclear programs, and massive military, North Korea should instead work to feed its own citizens and improve its dismal economy. We must continue to remain vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and fully committed to the security of our allies in the region, so I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade and the chairman-designate of the full committee in the next Congress. I thank [[Page H7500]] him for his leadership on this and many of the issues that are facing our Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr. ROYCE. Thank you very much, Chairman, for yielding. I rise in support of this resolution, of which I am an original cosponsor. I think Members are very rightly concerned now, as the same technology that's used to put a satellite into space is also used to launch a ballistic missile. This experiment by North Korea is definitely an advance for them. It is definitely a threat to the region. It is definitely a threat to the United States because what we're talking about here are three-stage ICBMs. It is estimated that North Korea has spent $3 billion since 1998 on that missile program, which is the amount of money that would have bought enough corn to feed that country over the last 3 years. I have been to North Korea, and I've seen the malnutrition. Instead of feeding its people, it continues to plow billions of dollars into its military. That's the type of despicable regime we're dealing with--where $3 billion went into this project instead of feeding the population. This is why the House has passed legislation to prohibit the United States from giving food aid to North Korea. When we do so, money is fungible, and we have found in the past that that aid is both used to feed the military and it's sold on the exchange for hard currency. U.S. policy towards North Korea--hoping that North Korea will give up its weapons for aid--has been a failure. It has been a bipartisan failure, frankly, for decades, and it has gotten us now to this point. The hope that North Korea can be induced to abandon its ambitions for nuclear weapons and missiles distracts us, unfortunately. It distracts us from pursuing the very policies that might actually change the behavior of the regime and support its people. In going forward, we need to move away from an unimaginative policy here to one with energy and creativity and focus. Let's tackle North Korea's illicit activities--its missile and drug proliferation, its counterfeiting of U.S. currency. This regime will do anything for money. As many North Koreans who have left will tell you, this is a gangster regime. Let's interfere with those shipments and disrupt the bank accounts that are used. Let's ramp up radio broadcasts into the country where there is evidence that the information wall is cracking. We see that with the defectors who are telling us about how much they oppose the regime now. Let's help the refugees who are literally dying to escape the prison north of the 38th parallel. Severely weakening the regime is the only way to make the Korean peninsula secure. Until it was dropped in favor of a failed diplomacy program several years ago, the Treasury Department went after North Korea. If we can remember 2006, we went after North Korea's ill-gotten gains that were parked in a Macau bank. We put the brakes on North Korea's counterfeiting of U.S. currency. We cut the flow of currency to the regime. The head of state could not pay his generals. It created a crisis inside North Korea. That policy was mistakenly dropped. I'd like to see it reapplied. Let's go back to where we are proactively defending U.S. interests instead of just condemning another North Korean provocation every few months. Let's do something that has been proven to work in terms of putting the pressure on North Korea. Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 145, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. BERMAN. 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7500,2012-12-31,112,2,,,CONDEMNING IRAN FOR PERSECUTION OF BAHA'I MINORITY,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7500,H7503,"[{""name"": ""Ileana Ros-Lehtinen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Eliot L. Engel"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Robert J. Dold"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Chris Van Hollen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""134""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""134""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""134""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7500,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7500-H7503] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1220 CONDEMNING IRAN FOR PERSECUTION OF BAHA'I MINORITY Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 134) condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 134 Whereas, in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2008, and 2009, Congress declared that it deplored the religious persecution by the Government of Iran of the Baha'i community and would hold the Government of Iran responsible for upholding the rights of all Iranian nationals, including members of the Baha'i faith; Whereas the Department of State 2011 International Religious Freedom Report stated that the Government of Iran ``prohibits Baha'is from teaching and practicing their faith and subjects them to many forms of discrimination that followers of other religions do not face'' and that ``Baha'is are barred from all leadership positions in the government and military''; Whereas the Department of State 2011 International Religious Freedom Report stated, ``Baha'is are banned from the social pension system. In addition, Baha'is are regularly denied compensation for injury or criminal victimization and the right to inherit property. Baha'i marriages and divorces are not officially recognized, although the government allows a civil attestation of marriage to serve as a marriage certificate.''; Whereas the Department of State July-December 2010 International Religious Freedom Report stated, ``Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the government has killed more than 200 Bahai's and regularly raids and confiscates their property . . . Unknown assailants vandalized cemeteries and holy places, and school authorities denigrated and abused Baha'i students in primary and secondary schools in at least 10 cities.''; Whereas the Department of State July-December 2010 International Religious Freedom Report stated, ``Public and private universities continued to deny admittance to or expel Baha'i students.''; Whereas on September 15, 2011, the United Nations Secretary-General issued a special report on human rights in Iran (A/66/361), stating, ``Restrictions on the overall enjoyment of human rights by unrecognized religious minorities, particularly the Baha'i community, remain of serious concern.''; Whereas on September 23, 2011, the ``United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran'', issued a report (A/66/374), noting that ``[a] number of individuals and organizations provided the Special Rapporteur with first-hand testimonies, the preponderance of which presents a pattern of systemic violations of . . . fundamental human rights'' in Iran, and expressed concern regarding reports of ``human and civil rights violations'' against minority groups, including ``the Bahai community, which, despite being the largest non-Muslim religious minority, does not enjoy recognition as such by the Government'' and whose members ``have historically suffered multifaceted discrimination''; Whereas on November 21, 2011, the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a draft resolution (A/C.3/66/L.56) noting ``[i]ncreased persecution and human rights violations against unrecognized religious minorities, particularly members of the Baha'i Faith, including escalating attacks on Baha'is and their defenders, including in State-sponsored media, a significant increase in the number of Baha'is arrested and detained, including the targeted attack on the Baha'i educational institution, the reinstatement of twenty-year sentences against seven Baha'i leaders following deeply flawed legal proceedings, and renewed measures to deny Baha'is employment in the public and private sectors.''; Whereas on December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/66/175) calling upon the Government of Iran ``[t]o eliminate discrimination against, and exclusion of . . . members of the Baha'i Faith, regarding access to higher education, and to eliminate the criminalization of efforts to provide higher education to Baha'i youth denied access to Iranian universities''; Whereas in March and May of 2008, intelligence officials of the Government of Iran in Mashhad and Tehran arrested and imprisoned Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm, the members of the ad hoc leadership group for the Baha'i community in Iran; [[Page H7501]] Whereas, in August 2010, the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced the 7 Baha'i leaders to 20-year prison terms on charges of spying for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the regime; Whereas the lawyers for the 7 leaders were reportedly provided extremely limited access to the prisoners and their files; Whereas these 7 Baha'i leaders were targeted solely on the basis of their religion; Whereas beginning on May 22, 2011, officials of the Government of Iran in Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, and Shiraz raided the homes of individuals associated with the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education, searching over 30 homes, seizing educational materials, and arresting approximately 16 individuals; Whereas, in October 2011, Mr. Vahid Mahmoudi, Mr. Mahmoud Badavam, Ms. Noushin Khadem, Mr. Kamran Mortezaie, Mr. Farhad Sedghi, Mr. Riaz Sobhani, and Mr. Ramin Zibaie were each sentenced to 4 or 5-year prison terms for the crime of ``membership in the deviant Baha'i sect, with the goal of taking action against the security of the country, in order to further the aims of the deviant sect and those of organizations outside the country,'' and, in January 2012, Mr. Mahmoudi was released on probation; Whereas ordinary Iranian citizens who belong to the Baha'i Faith are disproportionately targeted, interrogated, and detained under the pretext of national security; Whereas the efforts of the Government of Iran to collect information on individual Baha'is are reportedly ongoing as evidenced by a letter, dated November 5, 2011 from the Director of the Department of Education in the county of Shahriar in the province of Tehran, instructing the directors of schools in his jurisdiction to ``subtly and in a confidential manner'' collect information on Baha'i students; Whereas the Baha'i community continues to undergo intense economic and social pressure, including an ongoing campaign in the town of Semnan where the government reportedly has harassed and detained Baha'is and closed 17 Baha'i owned businesses in the last three years; Whereas the Government of Iran is party to the International Covenants on Human Rights; and Whereas the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-195) urges the President and the Secretary of State to impose sanctions on ``the officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals who are responsible for continuing and severe violations of human rights and religious freedom in Iran'': Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) condemns the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights; (2) calls on the Government of Iran to immediately release the seven leaders, the six imprisoned educators, and all other prisoners held solely on account of their religion; (3) calls on the President and Secretary of State, in cooperation with responsible nations, to immediately condemn the Government of Iran's continued violation of human rights and demand the immediate release of prisoners held solely on account of their religion; and (4) urges the President and Secretary of State to utilize measures, such as those available under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 and Executive Order 13553, to sanction officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals directly responsible for egregious human rights violations in Iran, including against the Baha'i community. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida. General Leave Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? There was no objection. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 134 introduced by my good friend and colleague from Illinois (Mr. Dold). House Resolution 134 condemns the Iranian regime's persecution of Iran's Baha'i minority. Baha'is are the largest non-Muslim minority in Iran, numbering over 300,000 members in Iran alone. This resolution marks the 12th congressional action urging the Iranian regime to end its persecution of the Baha'i minority. And still, Baha'is do not have the freedom to practice their religion. In fact, restrictions on Baha'is extend far beyond their religious practices to further restrict their civil rights and human rights. Many members of the Baha'i faith living in Iran are even subject to harassment, to persecution by the regime, and others with extensive reports of confiscation of property, restrictions on travel, and raids on Baha'i homes and businesses. The Iranian Government continues to arrest and detain Baha'is based on their religious beliefs, with at least 60 cases logged last year alone. The members of the national leadership of the Baha'i in Iran, arrested in 2008 and unfairly tried with minimal access to their defense attorneys, are now serving a 20-year sentence for crimes, crimes including insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the regime. The government maintains possession of many Baha'i properties that were seized following the 1979 revolution, including holy places, cemeteries, and historical sites. Many of those properties have now been destroyed. Baha'is are barred from leadership positions in the government and are only permitted to enroll in schools if they do not identify themselves to be Baha'i and are required to identify as members of another religion in order to register for their entrance examinations. Many Baha'is are denied admission to the universities, and even those who are admitted may face expulsion due to their faith. The Baha'i Institute for Higher Education, established after Baha'is were barred from attending other universities, was declared illegal this year and six educators from that institute are currently imprisoned in Iran. These are just a fraction of the injustices that the Baha'is face at the hands of the Iranian regime. The regime has sought to make life as a Baha'i in Iran simply unlivable. They seek to take away aspects of everyday life that you and I would consider fundamental, inalienable rights. This resolution draws attention to their plight and calls on the Iranian regime to end its campaign of abuse against the Baha'is. It condemns the Iranian regime for the persecution of the Baha'is and calls on the regime to immediately release the Baha'is that it wrongfully holds in captivity, including the seven Baha'i leaders and the six Baha'i educators; and it calls for the President and the Secretary to publicly express the same sentiments. Finally, the resolution urges the President and the Secretary of State to use measures already enacted into law under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to sanction Iranian officials responsible for human rights violations against Baha'is and others. Mr. Speaker, I was a co-author of that legislation, and those measures are not here for show. They are there to punish those responsible for these egregious crimes and deter future human rights violations. It is therefore time for the administration to walk the walk and hold the Iranian regime officials--from the so-called ``supreme leader'' and Ahmadinejad on down--responsible for their violations of the human rights of the Baha'is and other Iranians. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 134, as amended; and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, before I get into the substance of the bill, I just want to say a couple of things as we're ending the 112th Congress. In the 113th Congress, I'm about to take over as ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The man I'm replacing, who spoke before me, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), I just want him to know, which he already does, but I want to say it for the record how much we're going to miss him and what a role model he really is for all of us on the committee, first as chair and then as ranking member. There isn't a person on either side of the aisle who doesn't respect him. There isn't a person who doesn't understand how important he's been to the Congress the many years he has served in Congress, and particularly on the Foreign Affairs Committee. His shoes are going to be very hard to fill. I'm going to try the best I can, but I want him to know, which he already does, but I want to say it for the record that I'm going to [[Page H7502]] miss him. I'm going to miss him as a friend, and I'm going to miss him as a colleague; and I think the Congress as a whole will miss him because he's one of the best, and I wish him only the very, very best as he moves on to a future endeavor. Let me also say the gentlewoman from Florida, the current chair of the committee and former ranking member of the committee, she knows the affection I have for her both personally as a friend but also as a colleague, as chair of the committee for the past 2 years and as ranking member for the previous 4. She and I have worked together not only in these past 6 years but for all of the years we've been in Congress, and I think we've been in Congress for almost the exact same time. It's been a pleasure and an honor to work with her, and I continue to look forward to collaborating with her on all these issues of importance to us--we agree on many, many, many things--in the 113th Congress. Madam Chair, I just want to tell you how much we appreciate you on both sides of the aisle. So let me talk about the bill. I think it's important. I agree with everything the chairwoman said. While the international community is rightfully concerned about Iran's ties to international terrorism and its nuclear weapons program, we cannot forget those who struggle for religious freedom and democracy in Iran. The Baha'i community has long been the target of religious persecution by the Iranian regime. Much of its informal leadership has been arrested, and many members of the community executed. The Baha'i are not permitted to practice their religion and culture. Their marriages are not recognized. Their dead cannot be buried according to Baha'i law, and their cemeteries are desecrated. In addition, the Baha'i are denied government jobs and business licenses. They are not permitted to enroll in public universities, and Baha'i schoolchildren are frequently harassed by classmates, teachers, and administrators. No human being deserves this type of treatment at the hands of their government. The social teachings of the Baha'i faith, such as the equality of women and men and the principle of each individual's responsibility to navigate the truth, are impossible for the theocratic leaders of Iran to comprehend. But these are universal values--human values--and they must be protected. Mr. Speaker, the United States and the international community must not ignore the systematic and violent attacks against the Iranian Baha'i community, and Tehran must be held accountable. By passing this resolution, we shine a light on the persecution of the Baha'i and hopefully move us one step closer to the day that true freedom reaches Iran. I encourage all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 134, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from New York for those kind words. Mr. Engel is a true mensch. That's a good thing. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Dold), a member of the Financial Services Committee, the Tom Lantos Congressional Human Rights Committee, and the author of this measure, whom we will miss greatly. Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank the chairwoman for her leadership and for her friendship and her work on human rights abuses. I certainly want to thank the ranking member and my friend from New York as well. Mr. Speaker, I've talked at length in this Chamber about the human rights abuses taking place inside the country of Iran. In response to this Iranian regime's oppressive rule, we have worked to promote democracy and human rights through a variety of legislative tools, and we have championed measures like the Lautenberg amendment to offer a lifeline to those individuals who seek nothing more than the freedom they cannot find in their home country. {time} 1230 Today I'm proud to stand here with my colleagues and encourage others to support House Resolution 134, officially condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i religious minority and for the continued violation of human rights. It's time for these continued violations of human rights to be fully exposed and to receive increased international attention. The Baha'i population is Iran's largest non-Muslim religious minority. Over 300,000 Iranians consider themselves part of the Baha'i faith, yet since the Islamic revolution of Iran of 1979, members of the Baha'i faith in Iran have faced intense suppression solely because of their religious beliefs. Baha'is are unrecognized under the Iranian Constitution, and over 200 Baha'is have been killed in Iran since the revolution. Additionally, Baha'is are wrongfully imprisoned and discriminated against throughout the country. Baha'is are barred from universities, banned from government employment, and excluded from the social pension system unless they deny their religious affiliation. Their marriages are not recognized; their property is confiscated; their holy places and cemeteries have been desecrated. The situation has worsened considerably, Mr. Speaker, in the last year as the number of Baha'is in prison has roughly doubled, and there have been raids on the Baha'i Institution of Higher Education, an alternative education system that the Baha'i community developed to educate Baha'i youth who are excluded from the state's university system. House Resolution 134 condemns the state-sponsored persecution performed by the Iranian Government and calls on it to release the seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders, six imprisoned educators, and all other prisoners held solely on account of their religious beliefs. Additionally, the resolution calls on the President and the Secretary of State to condemn the Iranian Government's continued violation of human rights. Finally, the resolution urges the President and the Secretary of State to utilize available measures to sanction officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals directly responsible for egregious human rights violations, including against the Baha'i community. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of the importance of this issue, this resolution currently enjoys over 146 bipartisan cosponsors. On behalf of all those who are concerned about human rights abuses, and on behalf of the Baha'i community in the Tenth District of Illinois, which is home to the Baha'i Temple of North America--the beautiful temple in Wilmette is one of only seven, Mr. Speaker, throughout the world--I'd like to encourage my colleagues, my friends to vote in support of H. Res. 134's passage. I thank you, and I thank, again, the chairwoman for her leadership. Mr. ENGEL. I have no further speakers, so I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for time. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor of H. Res 134, a resolution condemning the Government of Iran for the state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and to thank Representatives Dold, Lipinski and Sherman for their collaboration on this important measure. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Government of Iran has continued to repress Baha'is and prevent them from participating in the government and the military, from joining the social pension system or attending public schools and universities unless they concealed their faith. This resolution calls on the President and Secretary of State, in cooperation with the international community, to immediately condemn the Government of Iran's violation of the human rights of the Baha'i and urges the President and Secretary of State to utilize all available measures, including sanctions on officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals directly responsible for egregious human rights violations against the Baha'i community and other minorities. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 134, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum [[Page H7503]] is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7503,2012-12-31,112,2,,,URGING EUROPEAN UNION TO DESIGNATE HIZBALLAH AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,HOUSE,HOUSE,DESIGNATING,H7503,H7506,"[{""name"": ""Ileana Ros-Lehtinen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Eliot L. Engel"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Mike Kelly"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Dennis J. Kucinich"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Theodore E. Deutch"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Christopher H. Smith"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Chris Van Hollen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""SRES"", ""number"": ""613""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""834""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""834""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""834""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7503,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7503-H7506] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] URGING EUROPEAN UNION TO DESIGNATE HIZBALLAH AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 834) urging the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization and impose sanctions, and urging the President to provide information about Hizballah to the European allies of the United States and to support the Government of Bulgaria in investigating the July 18, 2012, terrorist attack in Burgas. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 834 Whereas the Department of State has designated Hizballah as a foreign terrorist organization since October 1997; Whereas the United States Government designated Hizballah a specially designated terrorist organization in January 1995 and a ``Specially Designated Global Terrorist'' pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (66 Fed. Reg. 49079) in October 2001; Whereas Hizballah was established in 1982 through the direct sponsorship and support of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Qods Force and, as a primary terrorist proxy of Iran, continues to receive training, weapons, and explosives, as well as political, diplomatic, monetary, and organizational aid, from Iran; Whereas Hizballah has been implicated in multiple acts of terrorism over the past 30 years, including the bombings in Lebanon in 1983 of the United States Embassy, the United States Marine barracks, and the French Army barracks, the airline hijackings and the kidnapping of European, American, and other Western hostages in the 1980s and 1990s, and support for the Khobar Towers attack in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 Americans in 1996; Whereas, according to the 2011 Country Reports on Terrorism issued by the Department of State, ``Since at least 2004, Hizballah has provided training to select Iraqi Shia militants, including on the construction and use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that can penetrate heavily-armored vehicles.''; Whereas, in 2007, a senior Hizballah operative, Ali Mussa Daqduq, was captured in Iraq with detailed documents that discussed tactics to attack Iraqi and coalition forces, and has been directly implicated in a terrorist attack that resulted in the murder of 5 members of the United States Armed Forces; Whereas Hizballah has been implicated in the terrorist attacks in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the Israeli Embassy in 1992 and the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association in 1994; Whereas Hizballah has been implicated in acts of terrorism and extrajudicial violence in Lebanon, including the assassination of political opponents; Whereas, in June 2011, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, an international tribunal for the prosecution of those responsible for the February 14, 2005, assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, issued arrest warrants against 4 senior Hizballah members, including its top military commander, Mustafa Badr al-Din, identified as the primary suspect in the assassination; Whereas, according to the 2011 Country Reports on Terrorism issued by the Department of State, Hizballah is ``the likely perpetrator'' of 2 bomb attacks that wounded United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers in Lebanon during 2011; Whereas, according to the October 18, 2012, report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the United Nations Security Council on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004) (in this preamble referred to as the ``October 18 Report''), ``The maintenance by Hizbullah of sizeable sophisticated military capabilities outside the control of the Government of Lebanon . . . creates an atmosphere of intimidation in the country[,] . . . puts Lebanon in violation of its obligations under Resolution 1559 (2004)[,] and constitutes a threat to regional peace and stability.''; Whereas, on July 12, 2006, Hizballah engaged in an unprovoked attack on Israel that instigated the 2006 Israel- Hizballah War, in which Hizballah deliberately targeted Israeli civilians and utilized innocent Lebanese as human shields in violation of international norms; Whereas, since the 2006 conflict, Iran and Syria have provided substantial assistance to Hizballah to rebuild its stockpile of tens of thousands of rockets, including sophisticated long-range weapons that can strike deep into Israeli territory; Whereas John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, stated on October 26, 2012, that Hizballah's ``social and political activities must not obscure [its] true nature or prevent us from seeing it for what it is--an international terrorist organization actively supported by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force''; Whereas David Cohen, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated on August 10, 2012, ``Before al Qaeda's attack on the U.S. on September 11, 2001, Hizballah was responsible for killing more Americans in terrorist attacks than any other terrorist group''; Whereas, according to a September 13, 2012, Department of the Treasury press release, ``The last year has witnessed Hizballah's most aggressive terrorist plotting outside the Middle East since the 1990s.''; Whereas, since 2011, Hizballah has been implicated in thwarted terrorist plots in Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Thailand, and elsewhere; Whereas, on July 18, 2012, a suicide bomber attacked a bus in Burgas, Bulgaria, murdering 5 Israeli tourists and the Bulgarian bus driver in a terrorist attack that, according to Mr. Brennan, ``bore the hallmarks of a Hizballah attack''; Whereas Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated regarding the Burgas terrorist attack, ``We have unquestionable, fully substantiated evidence that this was done by Hizballah backed by Iran.''; Whereas Bulgaria is a member of the European Union and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); Whereas, according to the October 18 Report, ``There have been credible reports suggesting involvement by Hizbullah and other Lebanese political forces in support of the parties in the conflict in Syria. . . . Such militant activities by Hizbullah in Syria contradict and undermine the disassociation policy of the Government of Lebanon, of which Hizbullah is a coalition member.''; Whereas, on October 26, 2012, Mr. Brennan stated, ``We have seen Hizballah training militants in Yemen and Syria, where it continues to provide material support to the regime of Bashar al Assad, in part to preserve its weapon supply lines.''; Whereas, on August 10, 2012, the Department of the Treasury designated Hizballah pursuant to Executive Order 13582 (76 Fed. Reg. 52209), which targets those responsible for human rights abuses in Syria, for providing support to the Government of Syria; Whereas, according to the Department of the Treasury, since early 2011, Hizballah ``has provided training, advice and extensive logistical support to the Government of Syria's increasingly ruthless effort to fight against the opposition'' and has ``directly trained Syrian government personnel inside Syria and has facilitated the training of Syrian forces by Iran's terrorism arm, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force''; Whereas, on September 13, 2012, the Department of the Treasury designated the Secretary-General of Hizballah, Hassan Nasrallah, for overseeing ``Hizballah's efforts to help the Syrian regime's violent crackdown on the Syrian civilian population''; Whereas, on October 26, 2012, Mr. Brennan stated, ``Even in Europe, many countries . . . have not yet designated Hizballah as a terrorist organization. Nor has the European Union. Let me be clear: failure to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization makes it harder to defend our countries and protect our citizens. As a result, for example, countries that have arrested Hizballah suspects for plotting in Europe have been unable to prosecute them on terrorism charges''; and Whereas, on October 26, 2012, Mr. Brennan called on the European Union to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization, saying, ``European nations are our most sophisticated and important counterterrorism partners, and together we must make it clear that we will not tolerate Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities.'': Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) urges the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization so that Hizballah cannot use the territories of the European Union for fundraising, recruitment, financing, logistical support, training, and propaganda; (2) urges the governments of Europe and the European Union to impose sanctions on Hizballah for providing material support to Bashar al Assad's ongoing campaign of violent repression against the people of Syria; (3) expresses support for the Government of Bulgaria as it conducts an investigation into the July 18, 2012, terrorist attack in Burgas, and expresses hope that the investigation can be successfully concluded and that the perpetrators can be identified as quickly as possible; (4) urges the President to provide all necessary diplomatic, intelligence, and law enforcement support to the Government of Bulgaria to investigate the July 18, 2012, terrorist attack in Burgas; (5) reaffirms support for the Government of Bulgaria by the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and urges the United States, NATO, and the European Union to work with the Government of Bulgaria to safeguard its territory and citizens from the threat of terrorism; and (6) urges the President to make available to European allies and the European public information about Hizballah's terrorist activities, efforts to subvert democracy within Lebanon, and provision of material support [[Page H7504]] to Bashar al Assad's campaign of violence in Syria. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida. General Leave Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? There was no objection. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 834, introduced by my good friend and colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly). The resolution before the House condemns the ongoing violence perpetrated by Hezbollah. It urges the European Union to classify Hezbollah as a designated terrorist organization. Now, in March of 2005, the House voted on a similar resolution urging the European Union to add Hezbollah as a designated foreign terrorist organization; yet here we are again, Mr. Speaker, nearly 8 years later, calling for the EU to take this long overdue action. As the purveyor of one of the most expansive extremist networks in the world, Hezbollah has engaged in nearly three decades of attacks against Americans, Europeans, Israeli civilians, in addition to plots and attacks on nearly every continent. Among the most egregious examples of Hezbollah attacks against innocent civilians abroad were its bombings of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in March 1992 and the Jewish Cultural Center in Buenos Aires in 1994. Hezbollah has never missed an opportunity to target innocent civilians, especially innocent Israelis, as the 2006 conflict in southern Lebanon illustrated, while using innocent Lebanese as human shields. Hezbollah has even turned its weapons on Syrians and against other Lebanese, as the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has uncovered. And most recently, Mr. Speaker, Hezbollah attacked innocent Israeli and Bulgarian civilians in Burgas, Bulgaria. Mr. Speaker, given Hezbollah's long and grisly record, it is no surprise that many of our allies--from Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand--have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, because that is what it is. In this respect, it defies comprehension that our allies in the European Union continue to purposely omit Hezbollah from their list of designated terrorist organizations. The logic of the European Union's decisionmaking on this matter is, at best, baffling, particularly against the backdrop of our mutual efforts to address the threats of Hezbollah patrons Iran and Syria. By simply designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and stating the obvious, the European Union could deprive Hezbollah of access to millions of dollars in European banks and other financial institutions, while making an enormous contribution to regional stability, saving hundreds of lives that would otherwise be Hezbollah's future victims. Again, I strongly support this Kelly resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 834 and yield myself as much time as I may consume. This important resolution urges the nations of Europe and the European Union to designate Hezbollah has a terrorist organization and to impose sanctions on it. We know from our experience with Iran that sanctions and, in fact, all diplomacy are most effective when they are multilateral--the more multilateral, the better. We are particularly strong in such matters when we and our friends and allies in the European Union stand shoulder to shoulder. That's why Europe's seemingly inexplicable refusal to classify Hezbollah as a terrorist group has been so disappointing over the years. Hezbollah is a charter member of the Foreign Terrorist Organizations list in the United States. It's crimes are legion, spread over many continents, and far too numerous to list here. They begin in the early 1980s with deadly bombings of the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Marine and French Army barracks in Beirut, and they have continued up to the present day. I still remember Ronald Reagan, President Reagan talking about it after so many of our marines were murdered in Lebanon. {time} 1240 Let me mention just a few of the other lowlights: countless kidnappings of Americans and Europeans in the 1980s and 1990s; the Khobar Towers attack that killed 19 Americans in 1996; the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy and the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, again, with multiple killings; the murders of Americans in Iraq and the training of other Iraqi militants; and countless assassinations in Lebanon, including, most likely, that of former prime minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. In 2006, Hezbollah's unprovoked murder of three Israeli soldiers caused a war, during which Hezbollah rocketed civilian targets in Lebanon and used Lebanese civilian as human shields. Over the past 2 years, it has staged attacks from Turkey to Thailand. Today, it has forces in Syria fighting on behalf of Assad and the murderous Assad regime and helping to train Assad's thugs. In addition, this year Hezbollah twice has been directly implicated in terrorism on European Union territory--in Bulgaria, where a suicide bomber killed five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian, and in Cyprus, where an apparent Hezbollah terrorist attack was thwarted. The failure of most European nations to designate Hezbollah has been based on the flimsiest of reasons; namely, that Hezbollah provides social services to the Shiite community and participates in electoral politics in Lebanon. In fact, Hezbollah takes a very novel approach to electoral politics--using a militia to intimidate voters into voting for them. By the way, it's a lesson that Hamas has learned very, very well. But Europe's failure to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist group is not merely a problem because it accords legitimacy to a terrorist organization. Rather, it has important operational consequences as well. The failure to designate makes it more difficult to prosecute cases against Hezbollah crimes committed in Europe. It allows Hezbollah to use EU territories to fund-raise, recruit new members, propagandize, and train. And thus, the freedom Hezbollah enjoys in Europe ultimately affects non-Europeans as well. The European Union obviously will make its own decisions on this matter, but it's hard to escape the conclusion that the EU's failure to designate Hezbollah undermines both Europe's security and ours as well. The State Department's top counterterrorism official recently said that he's ``cautiously optimistic--at last--about the prospects for an EU designation of the group.'' I hope his optimism is justified. Until it is borne out with an actual terrorist designation, however, it is important that we join the Senate in going on record as urging the European Union to make that designation, which would be so beneficial to the fight against terrorism worldwide and to our own national security. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly), an esteemed member of our House Foreign Affairs Committee and the author of this bill. Mr. KELLY. I thank the gentlelady for your guidance and your leadership the last couple of years. It was a joy serving with you in Foreign Affairs. I rise today in support of House Resolution 834 and urge the EU and member states to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Hezbollah is called ``the A Team'' of international terrorist organizations by terrorism experts. Hezbollah was created by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force in 1982, and is a primary terrorist proxy of Iran. Hezbollah receives weapons, training, monies, and support from Iran and Syria. [[Page H7505]] Hezbollah has left its bloody fingerprints around the world in the last 30 years. Hezbollah has been implicated in numerous deadly terrorist attacks against Europeans, Americans, and Israelis: In 1983, the bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut, which killed 63 people; the 1983 bombing of the U.S. and French barracks of the Multinational Force in Lebanon, killing 241 American servicemen and 58 French soldiers; the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people; the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center building in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people; the suicide bombing on July 18, 2012, that killed five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian driver in the town of Burgas, Bulgaria, that had all the hallmarks of a Hezbollah attack. Hezbollah has created violence and instability in Lebanon. In addition to terrorist attacks and political assassinations, it has launched thousands of rockets and missiles at Israel from within Lebanon. Hezbollah supports Bashar al-Assad's brutal, ongoing violence against the Syrian people. It's long past time for the EU and its members to join the U.S. and other allies and list Hezbollah as a terrorism organization. I would ask the EU as a recipient of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to please wake up. The U.S. designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in the late 1990s. Canada and Australia, as well as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, both EU members, also list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Failure to recognize and designate Hezbollah allows it to continue evading law enforcement, intelligence, and security services, and it endangers the people of Europe. Hezbollah cannot claim to be a legitimate political party or provider of social services when it refuses to abandon its terrorist agenda. Both the United States and the EU must be united in our fight against Hezbollah. This resolution, H. Res. 834, urges the EU and member states to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and to prevent Hezbollah from using EU territories for fundraising, for recruitment, for training, for propaganda, and any other activities. It urges the EU and its members to impose sanctions on Hezbollah for supporting the Assad regime's brutal violence against the Syrian people. It affirms our support for the Bulgarian government in its investigation of the July 18, 2012, terrorist attack, and urges our President to support that investigation. It urges the President to provide information to our European allies regarding Hezbollah's terrorist activities, subversion of democracy in Lebanon, and support of Assad's violence in Syria. This Congress has and will do all it can to urge the EU to do the right thing and list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. In September, my good friend Gus Bilirakis from Florida, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Israel, Mr. Sires and I led a bipartisan group of 268 House Members to send a letter to the President and the 27 ministers of the European Commission urging the Commission to include Hezbollah on the EU terrorist list. I might mention Mr. Deutch and I had talked one day walking into our offices about how well our staffs have worked together to forge this letter, to put it together. And we do things in a lot of bipartisan ways. I think sometimes it gets lost in the wash of other things that are going on. I especially want to thank all those members of the staffs and also one of my staff members, Mr. Isaac Fong, for the tireless work he put in. Earlier this month, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 613, which also urges the EU to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization. H. Res. 834 has over 80 bipartisan cosponsors. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H. Res. 834. It's time to recognize Hezbollah for what it is. If it waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. This is a terrorist organization. It needs to be recognized and designated as one worldwide. Mr. ENGEL. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich). Mr. KUCINICH. First of all, I want to begin by thanking the chair and the ranking member for their commitment to security, to Israel and to the region. I want to thank Mr. Kelly for his commitment, similarly. In my office, which I recently shut down because I'm not going to be in the next Congress, I had a pedestal on which rested a bomb fragment that I brought back from the village of Qana in south Lebanon. Qana is the place where Christ is said to have performed his first miracle. And Qana was also the place where a bomb dropped on an apartment building and killed about 50 women and children. I brought a fragment of that bomb back and put it on a pedestal in the office. And within that pedestal I put the dog tags of three Israeli soldiers who were captured and kidnapped. I got the dog tags from their parents. I've had that in my office since 2006, when I first went to Lebanon to look at the effects of the war. And I have them together because they represent the parenthesis on a human tragedy. {time} 1250 But we're all concerned about Israel's security. I rose on the floor of this House when the war started to talk about putting immediately into effect a plan that would stop the war. I've been to south Lebanon and Israel on several occasions. I want to add a word of caution here because what I'm concerned about, notwithstanding the best intentions of my friends who are taking a strong stand here, is the impact of this resolution on a United Nations force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. There are European troops there. Their mission is to enforce U.N. Security Resolution 1701 to end the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. UNIFIL has been working with Hezbollah to stabilize south Lebanon. And there are reports from the ground that they have helped to achieve a good measure of stability in that regard, even reports that Hezbollah has worked to help curb the work of terrorist cells of extremist bent. UNIFIL has, in effect, worked with Hezbollah. Peacekeepers have worked with Hezbollah. They've developed a relationship for future dialogue. Now, I'm concerned that this resolution could make it even more difficult to enforce UN Resolution 1701 and that, if it's passed, one of the things that this Congress has to consider is that the Lebanese army, itself, has to be strengthened. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. ENGEL. I yield the gentleman 1 minute. Mr. KUCINICH. We have to look at the implications of this. If you have European countries who are essentially part of the UNIFIL presence in south Lebanon in furtherance of a U.N. resolution to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, to create safety for both the people of Israel and the people of Lebanon, we've got to be very careful here that we don't create a situation that is the opposite of what we are trying to achieve. If this resolution passes--and unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to support it. But if it passes, we have to do something to strengthen the Lebanese army, because if the Lebanese army isn't strong enough, then you have a situation where the very thing that we are opposing here could come to pass and with great force. So I would just urge your consideration of that, and I thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to put this forward. Again, I thank my colleagues for their constant support of Israel. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch). Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 834, which urges the European Union to take steps to swiftly designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Despite its history of violent civilian attacks, our European partners in fighting terrorism as a whole have yet to formally recognize Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization. Mr. Speaker, the failure of the EU to gain consensus on this matter serves as a grave injustice to those who have been the victims of terror attacks masterminded and carried out by Hezbollah throughout the world. From the suicide truck bombings of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut in April 1983 that killed 63, the U.S. Marine barracks bombing in October 1983 that killed 241 American military personnel, a separate attack on the French military compound that killed 58, as well [[Page H7506]] as the hijacking of TWA 847 in 1995 and Hezbollah's role in the 1994 bombing of the Israel-Argentine Mutual Aid Association in Buenos Aires that killed 85, right up to the terrorist attack this summer at a Bulgarian airport that killed six, Hezbollah has shown its propensity to attack civilians and to attack them anywhere in the world. It's also shown its propensity to attack even within Lebanon, where the group is responsible for the 2005 assassination of Prime Minister Hariri. Hezbollah and its state sponsor Iran continually spread anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rhetoric and excitement, with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah recently threatening to rain down rockets on Israel ``from the Lebanese border to Jordan to the Red Sea, from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat,'' prompting harsh rebukes from several prominent members of Lebanon's Parliament. By failing to label Hezbollah a terrorist organization, Hezbollah is free to continue its operations, including recruiting and fundraising in Europe. Mr. Speaker, we deeply value our relationship with our European allies, including our joint commitment to combatting terror around the globe. We appreciate their partnership in enacting crushing sanctions designed to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions, but we do not understand the failure of our friends to join together in stopping this organization's reign of terror. That's why we are here this morning speaking about House Resolution 834. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I'd like to thank my friend, Congressman Kelly, as well as Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and Ranking Member Berman for their leadership on this issue. My friend, Mr. Engel, the incoming ranking member, I look forward to working with you, continuing to work on these vitally important issues. I urge my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, to support this resolution. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, so I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, and thank my good friend Mr. Kelly for authoring it. Mr. Speaker, this resolution urges the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hezballah a terrorist organization, so that it will not be able to raise funds and recruit operatives in Europe. Since Hezballah is one of the most active, dangerous, ruthless, and evil terrorist groups in the world, this should be the most obvious thing in the world for the European governments to do--the minimum action which they should be in a hurry to do on their own, without any urging from anybody. One reason many European countries have not done so is the ongoing presence of anti-Semitism in Europe. It's a very sad story, but it's undeniably true that in many European countries large minorities or even majorities of the population hold attitudes that can only be described as anti-Semitic. Regarding this I'd like to recommend to my colleagues a March 2012 study of the Anti-Defamation League on ``Attitudes Toward Jews in Ten European Countries.'' It is shocking but necessary reading--I will be happy to share it with any of my colleagues. Further, in Europe anti-Semitic opinion doesn't hide its head furtively. Rather people who are not anti-Semitic accept various forms of anti-Semitic statement and attitudes into seemingly ``mainstream'' discussion, where it's allowed to influence government policy--that is, anti-Semitic public opinion limits what some governments are willing to say and do in fighting anti-Semitism. So with this resolution we are also urging the European governments, and the European Union, to deal more pro-actively, much more pro- actively, with anti-Semitism in Europe. Denounce anti-Semitic actions and statements whenever they occur--this is a fundamental responsibility of every elected official. As elected officials, we always have a special responsibility to anyone in danger--and this resolution documents very well that Hezbollah is an extraordinarily dangerous terrorist group. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I do want to recognize the many European parliamentarians who have worked hard in fighting anti-Semitism in Europe. I've worked with many of them over the years, particularly in the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE and in the Interparliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism. This resolution, with its careful documentation of the extraordinary danger posed by Hezballah, will provide Europeans engaged in fighting anti-Semitism with a tool they can take to their governments and demand that they be much more pro-active against anti-Semitism. For it is anti-Semitism that creates the poisonous atmosphere in which Hezballah operates. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this excellent resolution. Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, As a cosponsor of H. Res. 834, I rise to thank Representatives Kelly and Deutch for bringing this important resolution to the floor today and to encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting the measure. H. Res. 834 urges the governments of Europe and the European Union to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. According to John Brennan, the deputy national security advisor, Europe's failure to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist group makes it more difficult to defend the citizens of the European Union and the United States because Hezbollah is able to openly raise funds in some European countries and because EU countries are unable to prosecute Hezbollah members suspected of plotting terrorist attacks. Hezbollah has been implicated in multiple acts of terrorism over the past 30 years, including the bombings in Lebanon in 1983 of the United States Embassy, the United States Marine barracks, and the French Army barracks, the airline hijackings and the kidnapping of European, American, and other Western hostages in the 1980s and 1990s. Before al Qaeda's attack on the U.S. on September 11, 2001, Hezbollah was responsible for killing more Americans in terrorist attacks than any other terrorist group. Today, Hezbollah is training militants in Yemen and Syria and continues to provide financial and material support to the regime of Bashar al Assad. This resolution urges the governments of Europe and the European Union to forbid Hezbollah from using EU territory for the purpose of fundraising, recruitment, financing, training and propaganda and it will help protect European and American lives. I encourage my colleagues to support the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 834. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. ENGEL. 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. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7506,2012-12-31,112,2,,,REQUESTING EGYPT RETURN NOOR AND RAMSAY BOWER TO THE UNITED STATES,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7506,H7508,"[{""name"": ""Ileana Ros-Lehtinen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Eliot L. Engel"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Barney Frank"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Christopher H. Smith"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""193""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""193""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""193""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7506,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7506-H7508] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] REQUESTING EGYPT RETURN NOOR AND RAMSAY BOWER TO THE UNITED STATES Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 193) calling on the new Government of Egypt to honor the rule of law and immediately return Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 193 Whereas Colin Bower's 2 young sons, Noor and Ramsay Bower, were illegally abducted from the United States by their mother in August 2009 and taken to Egypt; Whereas Noor William Noble Bower, age 11, and Ramsay Maclean Bower, age 9, are citizens of the United States of America; Whereas, on December 1, 2008, prior to the abduction of Noor and Ramsay, the Probate and Family Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts awarded sole legal custody of Noor and Ramsay to Colin Bower, and joint physical custody with Mirvat el Nady, which ruling stipulated Mirvat el Nady was not to remove Noor and Ramsay from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Whereas, in August of 2009, following a violation of the Probate Court's ruling, the Massachusetts Trial Court granted sole physical custody of Noor and Ramsay to their father, Colin Bower; Whereas Colin Bower has been granted only 4 visitations with his sons in the more than 3 years since the abduction; Whereas the United States has expressed its commitment, through the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, done at the Hague October 25, 1980, ``to protect children internationally from the harmful effects of their wrongful removal or retention and to establish procedures to ensure their prompt return to the State of their habitual residence''; and [[Page H7507]] Whereas the United States and 69 other countries that are partners to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction have agreed, and encourage all other countries to concur, that the appropriate court for determining the best interests of children in custody matters is the court in the country of their habitual residence: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls on government officials and competent courts in Egypt to assist in the safe and immediate return of Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida. General Leave Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? There was no objection. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, 3\1/2\ years ago, Colin Bower's two sons, Noor and Ramsay, were abducted from the United States by their mother in violation of the custody ruling given by the courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The boys' mother used forged passports to remove the boys from the United States and take them to her native land of Egypt, despite the fact that a court ruling stipulated that she was not to remove them from Massachusetts. Last I checked, Egypt was not in Red Sox country. One of the objectives of the Hague Convention, Mr. Speaker, on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction--of which Egypt and the United States are members--is to ensure that custody rights and access under the law of one contracting state are respected in the others. That means helping to bring Noor and Ramsay home to their father. The resolution is not calling for anything extraordinary. We are simply appealing to the Egyptian Government to uphold its responsibilities and return these two boys to their rightful home. I would like to thank my colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) for working so diligently to secure the safe and speedy return of these boys to their dad. This bipartisan measure deserves our unanimous support. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. {time} 1300 Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 193 and yield myself as much time as I may consume. This resolution calls on the new Government of Egypt to immediately return two kidnapped American children to their father in the United States. In August of 2009, Colin Bower of Wellesley, Massachusetts, received a terrifying phone call that his two children--Noor and Ramsay, ages 9 and 7 at the time--had been abducted to Egypt by his ex-wife, Mirvat el Nady. Mr. Bower was granted sole legal custody of the children after his divorce. El Nady lost custody over the children because the Massachusetts courts found her to have a drug addiction which put the safety of the boys at risk. She utilized falsified Egyptian passports to smuggle the children out of the country on an Egypt Air flight and is now wanted by Federal and local officials on charges of kidnapping. The facts of this case are heartbreaking, and I want to thank my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), for working so hard on this resolution and trying to reunite Mr. Bower with his children. The resolution before us asks for three simple things: first, that Egypt bring about the safe return of Noor and Ramsay Bower to their father, Colin Bower, in the United States; secondly, that Egypt immediately stop using its own security forces to aid and abet the continued unlawful retention of these two United States citizens; and, thirdly and finally, it urges Egypt and all other nations to join and fully participate in The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and to establish procedures to promptly and equitably address the tragedy of child abductions. During this holiday season, we are reminded that children are our most important and cherished resource, and it is a tragedy for everyone involved when they are taken away and denied access to one of their parents. Egypt's Government must do better. What the Mubarak and now Morsi governments have done is actively work to make sure Mr. Bower is not part of his children's lives. This is unjust, illegal, tragic, and unacceptable; and sadly, Mr. Speaker, this is but one of 31 separate cases involving American children wrongfully removed from the United States to Egypt. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues join me in supporting this important resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank). Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, my thanks go to the chair of the committee, the gentlewoman from Florida, the ranking member from California (Mr. Berman), and the new ranking member from New York (Mr. Engel) for giving us a chance to try to achieve not just justice but love, the love of a father for children for whom he grieves daily because they were illegally and abusively kidnapped. As the gentlewoman from Florida pointed out, this kidnapping was in violation of a decision by the family court in Massachusetts giving full custody to the father. Members will not be surprised to learn that there have been very few complaints, that I've ever heard of, of there being a bias in favor of fathers in those courts. Some say there's a bias in favor of mothers. There is certainly a presumption, as I understand it, in favor of mothers. So for a court to say unequivocally that the father gets sole control is a strong indication of the unfitness of the mother. And so the case is very clear; but I want in my remarks, Mr. Speaker, to address the Government of Egypt. There's a new government in Egypt. There are points of friction between Egypt and the United States. We have a great interest in a good relationship. The foundation of peace in the Middle East began in 1979 with the Camp David Accords. America has consistently provided Egypt with more foreign assistance than all but a handful of nations. And in this current period when there are issues that could arise that could divide us, I urge the Egyptian Government not to put or keep in place a serious problem, not an irritant. It's more than an irritant when a loving father who has been given custody of his children because of the court's decision that the mother is unfit by virtue of a drug addiction, when he is denied the ability to have his paternal instincts honored, to be able to honor and protect his children. And I urge the Government of Egypt: do not minimize the extent to which this will be an obstacle. I will not be here in a week, Mr. Speaker. I didn't think I'd be here this week. But I know that my successor in Congress, Mr. Kennedy, and my colleagues, the chair of the committee and the ranking member, will not forget this. The Government of Egypt will be seeking from this House support of measures, and there are a lot of reasons why we want to work together. I plead with them, do not allow what to us is a very serious issue--perhaps to some in Egypt it appears minor--but to have a father's children taken away from him and kidnapped with the implicit cooperation of the prior Egyptian Government is a grave problem. If the current Egyptian Government does not correct this situation, it will be an obstacle to the kind of cooperation that is in our mutual interest. I hope we get a very large, indeed unanimous, vote for this resolution and the Egyptian Government understands that it is not just justice but its best interests that call for compliance. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute to again reiterate the fact that I support this bill very strongly and also, since Mr. Frank spoke before me, I want to, as I mentioned before with some of the other people, tell him [[Page H7508]] how much I appreciate being his colleague through the years and how much not only I will miss him and the Congress will miss him but that the country will miss him. It's been wonderful to call him a colleague, even better for me to call him a friend, and I wish him the best in all future endeavors. Thank you very much, Barney. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also will miss Mr. Frank for his friendship and his great insight on many of the issues, and I thank him so much for caring deeply about constituents in his district, and we will continue to fight on their behalf. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time. Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 193, calling on the new government of Egypt to honor the rule of law and immediately return American citizens Noor and Ramsey Bower to the United States. It is absolutely appalling and inexcusable that more than three years after a textbook abduction, the new government of Egypt has yet to right the terrible wrong that has been perpetrated upon Noor and Ramsey, as well as upon their father, Colin Bower. Noor and Ramsey were abducted and hidden with the assistance of the previous Egyptian government August 2009. The boys' mother had lost custody of the children in the United States because of her drug use and psychological problems. Their father, Mr. Bower, was their primary caregiver. For the last three years, Colin Bower has been doing everything in his power to find out if his sons are safe and to be reunited with them. In July of 2011, he testified before my subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights--and conveyed his frustration over the lack of priority abduction cases receive in U.S. foreign policy. This sentiment is shared by the thousands of American parents whose American children have been abducted to foreign jurisdictions, often in violation of valid U.S. court orders. Every year, more than a thousand additional families are anguished by an abduction. We are losing our children and are not bringing them home. At that same hearing, we heard from Michael Elias, an Iraqi veteran from New Jersey, who told this committee of his anguish after his ex- wife used her Japanese consulate connections to abduct Jade and Michael Jr., after the New Jersey court had ordered surrender of passports and joint custody. His ex-wife flagrantly disregarded those valid court orders telling Michael Elias, ``My country [Japan] will protect me.'' She was right. Both the U.S. embassy personnel and Mr. Elias have been unable to even see the American citizen children since 2008--much less return them to their home. The U.S. talks about the problem with Japan, and talks, and talks-- but Japan has yet to issue and enforce a court order to return a single American child. In the case of Egypt, we have provided more than $4 billion in aid and debt relief since the abduction of Noor and Ramsey in 2009--despite the fact that Egypt has continued to flagrantly violate valid U.S. court orders, prevent Mr. Bower from seeing his sons, and otherwise aid and abet a kidnapping. The United States can and must do more to demand that our would-be allies respect the rule of law and return our abducted children. H. Res. 193 is a step in the right direction. Specifically, H. Res. 193 ``urges Egypt and all other nations--such as Japan--to join and fully participate in the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, and to establish procedures to promptly and equitably address the tragedy of child abductions, given the serious consequences to children of not expeditiously resolving these cases and of denying them access to a parent.'' H. Res. 193 also urges the House of Representatives to take other appropriate measures to ensure that Hague Convention partners return abducted children to the United States in compliance with the Hague Convention's provisions--and to work aggressively for the return of children abducted from the United States to countries that are not Hague Convention Partners and for visitation rights for left-behind parents while return is negotiated, establishing memorandums of understanding where necessary for the expeditious return of children. Mr. Speaker, it may soon be time for this body to consider additional steps if we do not see immediate cooperation from our would-be allies in the return of American children. H. Res. 193 is ample warning to Egypt, Japan, and other nations that American patience with abductions has run out. I strongly support the passage of H. Res. 193--and the passage of additional steps if the warning is not heeded. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 193, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to. The title of the resolution was amended so as to read: ``Calling for the safe and immediate return of Noor and Ramsay Bower to the United States.''. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7508,2012-12-31,112,2,,,NAVAL VESSEL TRANSFER ACT OF 2012,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7508,H7511,"[{""name"": ""Ileana Ros-Lehtinen"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Eliot L. Engel"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Gus M. Bilirakis"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""Brad Sherman"", ""role"": ""speaking""}, {""name"": ""John P. Sarbanes"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6649""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6649""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6649""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7508,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7508-H7511] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] NAVAL VESSEL TRANSFER ACT OF 2012 Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6649) to provide for the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6649 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2012''. SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF NAVAL VESSELS TO CERTAIN FOREIGN RECIPIENTS. (a) Transfers by Grant.--The President is authorized to transfer vessels to foreign countries on a grant basis under section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j), as follows: (1) Mexico.--To the Government of Mexico, the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY class guided missile frigates USS CURTS (FFG-38) and USS MCCLUSKY (FFG-41). (2) Thailand.--To the Government of Thailand, the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY class guided missile frigates USS RENTZ (FFG-46) and USS VANDEGRIFT (FFG-48). (3) Turkey.--To the Government of Turkey, the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY class guided missile frigates USS HALYBURTON (FFG-40) and USS THACH (FFG-43). (b) Transfer by Sale.--The President is authorized to transfer the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY class guided missile frigates USS TAYLOR (FFG-50), USS GARY (FFG-51), USS CARR (FFG-52), and USS ELROD (FFG-55) to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office of the United States (which is the Taiwan instrumentality designated pursuant to section 10(a) of the Taiwan Relations Act (22 U.S.C. 3309(a))) on a sale basis under section 21 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2761). (c) Alternative Transfer Authority.--Notwithstanding the authority provided in subsections (a) and (b) to transfer specific vessels to specific countries, the President is authorized, subject to the same conditions that would apply for such country under this Act, to transfer any vessel named in this Act to any country named in this Act such that the total number of vessels transferred to such country does not exceed the total number of vessels authorized for transfer to such country by this Act. (d) Grants Not Counted in Annual Total of Transferred Excess Defense Articles.--The value of a vessel transferred to another country on a grant basis pursuant to authority provided by subsection (a) or (c) shall not be counted against the aggregate value of excess defense articles transferred in any fiscal year under section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j). (e) Costs of Transfers.--Any expense incurred by the United States in connection with a transfer authorized by this section shall be charged to the recipient notwithstanding section 516(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j(e)). (f) Repair and Refurbishment in United States Shipyards.-- To the maximum extent practicable, the President shall require, as a condition of the transfer of a vessel under this section, that the recipient to which the vessel is transferred have such repair or refurbishment of the vessel as is needed, before the vessel joins the naval forces of that recipient, performed at a shipyard located in the United States, including a United States Navy shipyard. (g) Expiration of Authority.--The authority to transfer a vessel under this section shall expire at the end of the 3- year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida. General Leave Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material in the Record on this bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? [[Page H7509]] There was no objection. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 6649, the Naval Transfer Act of 2012, as amended. According to the Secretary of the Navy, authority to transfer surplus vessels is an important element of the U.S. strategy for decommissioned ships. It enables our Navy to manage its inventory while strengthening ties with our key security partners and with allies by transferring ships that meet key operational requirements. This legislation authorizes the transfer of 10 decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigates to Mexico, to Thailand, to Turkey and Taiwan. Six of the 10 vessels would be authorized for transfer on a grant basis as excess defense articles under section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act. Mexico, Thailand, and Turkey would each receive two frigates. With respect to Turkey, I remain greatly concerned with the deterioration in that country's relations with, and policy toward, the democratic Jewish state and our ally, the State of Israel. {time} 1310 Since the 2010 flotilla incident--a crisis on the high seas that triggered a tailspin in Turkish-Israeli relations--we have witnessed a Turkey that is increasingly hostile toward Israel. From its recall of its Ambassador to Israel, its attempts to marginalize Israel in other international fora, and its continued occupation of Cyprus to the embrace of the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots, current Turkish policy is unacceptable. I will continue to challenge those and take steps to ensure, for example, that Turkey is sanctioned for its activities regarding the Iranian regime. But, Mr. Speaker, the proposed transfer that we're talking about today is not validation of the current Turkish policy in the region. It is about our Nation's long-term national security interests. That is what this bill is all about. Turkey is a NATO ally that we need to continue participating in joint anti-piracy operations, for which they would use these frigates. It has even commanded the Combined Joint Task Force 151, fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden and along the Somali coast, protecting American citizens who are traveling in that volatile region. Additionally, in light of the deteriorating security environment in Syria and Turkey's critical role in that arena, the Department of Defense feels that it was necessary for our foreign policy priorities and security objectives that Turkey receive these transfers. Finally, Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the last time that Congress authorized such naval transfers, we approved the grant transfer of three OSPREY class mine-hunter coastal ships to Greece, but no transfers to Turkey. Lastly, these transfers are job creators here at home. Each frigate transferred will require 40 to $80 million of repair and refurbishment. This represents economic benefit to the United States through labor and services during the transfer process, as well as the potential for millions more in follow-on services, equipment, and training. According to estimates from U.S. sources, each frigate transfer creates or sustains approximately 100 shipyard jobs and 50 services jobs in the U.S. for approximately 6 months. Performing this ship transfer work in domestic shipyards that perform U.S. Navy overhauls and repairs lowers the cost of U.S. Navy maintenance by spreading costs over a wider base. The end result is an overall lower cost to our U.S. Navy and thus for the American taxpayer. The alternative to foreign ship transfers for ships no longer required by the U.S. Navy is to place the decommissioned ships into cold storage or have them be sunk. Navy funding is required for both the storage and the sinking option. Turning to the other four frigates, Mr. Speaker, these would be authorized for transfer to our close friends and ally, Taiwan. The transfer of these four frigates is not only a symbol of our enduring commitment to a secure and democratic Taiwan but will also provide the island with additional capabilities to conduct maritime security operations in the Taiwan Strait. The legislation also requires that any expense incurred by the U.S. in connection with a transfer authorized by this bill shall be charged to the recipient. Mr. Speaker, passage of this bill will help advance United States foreign policy interests and our broader national security requirements. Therefore, I urge adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill, H.R. 6649, as amended, and yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the transfer of decommissioned frigates to four foreign countries. The governments of Turkey, Mexico, and Thailand would each receive by grant two Perry class frigates. That means for free. Taiwan would be authorized to purchase four of the same class of frigates, which they clearly need to protect their territorial waters. I object to this bill primarily because of Turkey. While I recognize that Turkey is an important NATO ally, I regret that I have to oppose this bill in light of Turkey's problematic behavior and disturbing rhetoric regarding Israel and Cyprus over the past year and a half. For example, in May, with no apparent justification, Turkey sent combat aircraft to intercept an Israeli aircraft that was flying near Cyprus. This could have turned into a significant confrontation between a U.S. NATO ally and the United States' closest ally in the Middle East. Fortunately, it did not. In September 2011, Turkey announced that it would send warships to escort aid convoys to Gaza. It has not followed through with this threat, but nor has it rescinded it. Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Davutoglu have been famously competing to see who can issue the most vile denunciations of Israel, as we saw, once again, during the recent Gaza crisis. Indeed, their allegations of ``ethnic cleansing'' and ``crimes against humanity,'' quotes from them, topped even the claims of Hamas for stridency and falsehood. Of course, the prime minister called Israel a ``terrorist state.'' Is that the kind of rhetoric we should expect from a NATO ally? Some people say this should continue because, after all, Turkey is an ally and we need to help them. Well, I look at it the other way. They're a NATO ally, so they have responsibility. And the way they're acting has been anything but responsible. This is not an inconsequential or trivial matter. As many public opinion surveys show, and as is widely acknowledged, Turkey wields enormous influence among Middle Easterners, with the sway to exacerbate or tamp down tensions as it sees fit. For too long, it has been exacerbating these tensions, particularly since the new government--well, it's not new anymore--a government for several years with an Islamist bent has been in. Moreover, Turkey's longstanding recognition of Hamas has done nothing to moderate that group. It has merely lent legitimacy to a terrorist group and undermined the standing of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. Indeed, in the aftermath of the Gaza hostilities, Turkey's extreme rhetoric and one-sided approach to Israel's conflict with Hamas disqualified it from playing the useful mediating role which should be its natural vocation. Turkey's unnecessarily harsh anti-Israel rhetoric over the last several years actually did cost the Turks the support of Congress to authorize the transfer of two decommissioned U.S. frigates in the last Congress. It should have that result again in this Congress, and it should be denied. But Turkey's poisonous rhetoric and menacing behavior towards Israel is not the only reason to oppose this ship transfer, and perhaps not even the most potentially explosive. To cite the other important reason: Turkey has repeatedly threatened Cyprus and its energy explorations. One year ago, Turkey used its naval forces--and, by the way, the very naval forces this bill would enhance--in an effort to harass and intimidate Cyprus and workers employed by the Houston-based Noble Energy company as they sought to explore for offshore natural gas in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone. Prime Minister Erdogan also threatened that Turkey would use force to stop these explorations. Probably because of U.S. opposition, it has not done so, but, again, Turkey has never rescinded the threat. Almost exactly 1 year ago, Turkey conducted a dangerous live-fire [[Page H7510]] naval exercise in the vicinity of both the Cypriot and Israeli offshore natural gas explorations, which Cyprus and Israel are doing jointly. The Turkish attitude is epitomized by Turkey's Minister for European Union Affairs, Egemen Bagis, who addressed the issue of Cypriot natural gas exploration last year. This was his warning, and I quote: This is what we have a navy for. We have trained our marines for this. We have equipped the navy for this. All options are on the table. Anything can be done. And I want to remind my colleagues that Turkey has continued to occupy the northern part of Cyprus since the 1970s. It's just unacceptable. {time} 1320 Mr. Speaker, I realize that Turkey is an important member of NATO. It accepted radar emplacements for NATO's missile defense initiative, and it is an important element of the solution to several regional problems--notably, Syria--but it has become a major problem for U.S. interests in terms of its relations with Israel and the inflammatory and distinctly unhelpful role it has assumed in the Palestinian issue, as well as its threats against Cyprus. In the last several years, the once warm relationship between Israel and Turkey has unfortunately frozen over. We would truly like to see a thaw in that relationship, just as we would like to see Turkey respect the sovereign right of every country in the region, like Cyprus, to utilize their natural resources. Until then, I believe we should hold off on sending powerful warships to Turkey and encourage the government in Ankara to take a less belligerent approach to their neighbors. Early in the next Congress, I would look forward to working with my colleagues on a new ship transfer bill that excludes Turkey, if we can defeat this bill, or appropriately conditions our ship transfer so that the government in Ankara gets the right message. So I urge my colleagues to reject this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida, my colleague, Mr. Bilirakis, an esteemed member on our Committee of Foreign Affairs. Mr. BILIRAKIS. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I appreciate it very much. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6649, the Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2012. As part of this legislation before us, the United States would transfer two Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigates to the Government of Turkey. I have serious concerns, and I oppose this military transfer, Mr. Speaker, because the Turkish navy, as recently as last year, held naval live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean. These provocative exercises took place near the natural gas fields of Israel and the Republic of Cyprus and threatened to disrupt peaceful and productive economic activity. Instead, Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that, in the eastern Mediterranean, Congress will continue to work to foster the relationships between the United States, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus in order to promote and foster issues of mutual, economic, and diplomatic importance. For those reasons, Mr. Speaker, I oppose the bill. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have left? The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York has 13\1/2\ minutes remaining. Mr. ENGEL. I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman). Mr. SHERMAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Woodrow Wilson noted that Congress in committee is Congress at work. Congress ignoring the committee process is a Congress that doesn't work. This bill has not been the subject of hearing and, more importantly, a markup in the Foreign Affairs Committee. And in the dead of night, provisions to transfer two frigates to Turkey, a controversial provision, was added to this otherwise innocuous bill. There are arguments on both sides of the issue: Should we transfer the frigates to Turkey at no cost, a gift from the American taxpayer? Should we condition that transfer? Should we limit it to perhaps only one ship? I'd like to have hearings. I'd like Congress to work its will. Instead, a bill is brought to the floor on a day we were not scheduled to be in session for a last-minute discussion and a last-minute vote. In prior discussions in our committee dealing with providing frigates to Turkey, we've been told that Turkey lives in a dangerous neighborhood, that it shares a border with Iran. I would ask: Where on the Turkish-Iranian border will these frigates be deployed? The last time an oceangoing vessel has been seen in eastern Anatolia, it was Noah's Ark. Now these frigates will be deployed in the Mediterranean, and we've seen what the Turkish navy does in the Mediterranean. In 1974, there was the invasion of Cyprus. More recently, there are the actions taken against Israel and in support of Hamas. In June of 2010, after a Gaza flotilla attempted to aid the terrorist group Hamas with supplies, Turkey threatened to send armed naval escorts to back another aid convoy to Hamas. The Turkish Prime Minister, Erdogan, called for Israel to be punished for interfering with the previous effort to aid Hamas with the flotilla. In September 2011, after a U.N. report on the Gaza flotilla was released, Turkey threatened to send an armed naval presence to the eastern Mediterranean to confront Israel, and Prime Minister Erdogan said that Israel should expect more naval presence from Turkey in the area, and I quote: ``Turkish warships will be tasked with protecting the Turkish boats'' bringing aid to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The gentleman from New York pointed out how the Turkish navy has interfered with both the Cypriot and Israeli efforts to exploit natural gas deposits on the seabed between those two countries. This is particularly outrageous when you realize that the Cypriot natural gas fields are off the shores of South Cyprus, an area where Turkey has not tried to assert its military presence. And they've gone further and even interfered with Israel exploiting its own natural gas fields off of its coast. This is the action of the Turkish navy in the Mediterranean. Is this something that we should be furthering by two free frigates? I don't know. We haven't had hearings. We haven't had a markup. We haven't had a discussion on what limitations, what conditions, and what quantity of ships should be transferred. I've come to this floor on over 100 occasions to vote on suspension bills renaming post offices. Most of those bills were subject to a markup in the appropriate committee. Shouldn't we give that same level of attention to the transfer of frigates to Turkey? Send this bill back to committee. Let us have a real discussion. Let us follow the rules, not suspend the rules, when we're dealing with a matter of this importance to our foreign policy in the eastern Mediterranean. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes). Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the soon-to-be ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Engel, for yielding this time, and I want to thank him for his eloquent opposition to H.R. 6649. This is not a noncontroversial bill. I know it's being brought here on suspension as though it is, and I'm sure in the past when we've had these transfers of vessels, excess defense materials and so forth, often that is a noncontroversial action to take. In this case, it's anything but noncontroversial, and I'm surprised, frankly, that the majority would bring the bill to the floor in this form. Turkey is the problem here. There are vessels that are being transferred to Turkey. These are vessels that apparently are obsolete from our standpoint, surplus material that can go to them. And, yes, Turkey is a NATO ally, but it's a problematic ally at best. At critical moments over a period of many years, when the United States has looked to its ally Turkey for assistance for some critical support, Turkey has been absent. You've heard already, discussed at length here, the unlawful occupation of Cyprus. We're [[Page H7511]] talking about 38 years of unlawful occupation of our ally Cyprus. The adventurism of Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean and its recent conduct towards Israel has been detailed here at length. {time} 1330 So what you have is, yes, an American ally but one that has created some real problems for us and is a destabilizing actor in the eastern Mediterranean. You can only characterize Turkey's behavior in that region as gunboat diplomacy. When you look at its conduct towards Cyprus, towards Israel, its interference with American commercial interests that are trying to operate in the exclusive economic zone of these two nations that are critical to U.S. national security, Turkey has threatened to use force to stop Texas-based Noble Energy from drilling for oil and gas off the shores of Cyprus and Israel. Texas-based Noble Energy is an American company, and yet we are now going to transfer these vessels to Turkey for further adventurism on the high seas. You've heard this now detailed on both sides. At one point in the last year and a half, Turkey threatened to mobilize its air and naval assets to escort ships to Gaza. As Congressman Engel says, we're about to enhance those naval assets, with high anxiety on my part and, I think, on the part of other Members that they'll be used in furtherance of this same kind of provocative behavior. If we are going transfer these things, at the very least we ought to be putting some conditions on this transfer--that no offensive use of these vessels can be made and that they can't be used to traverse these exclusive economic zones that we've talked about. But this is going free of any conditions, and it's why I have severe reservations about it. This could be an opportunity to step back and think about how we conduct our foreign policy. Every bill we pass here matters. It all makes a difference. This may be on suspension, and it may be getting rid of excess material, but it's a chance for us to send a powerful message in terms of the kind of foreign policy that the United States is going to exercise. Frankly, I don't think that Turkey should be a beneficiary of this bill given its conduct over many years, but particularly over the last couple of years. It sends the wrong message. It rewards bad behavior. For that reason, I oppose it. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in a snapshot, this is the background to this bill and the inclusion of Turkey. I'd like to explain this. These are DOD requests for our U.S. national security interests. Turkey is a NATO ally that DOD needs to continue participating in joint anti-piracy operations for which they would use these frigates. In light of the deteriorating situation regarding Syria and Turkey's critical role, DOD insisted that it was timely to do this transfer. Now, just a few years ago, in 2010, Congress authorized the grant transfer of three Osprey class minehunter coastal ships to Greece-- Osprey MHC-51, Blackhawk MHC-58, and Shrike MHC-62. So today's bill, Mr. Speaker, maintains the Turkey-Greece balance. This lowers costs to our U.S. Navy, as they won't have to deal with decommissioned frigates. This bill creates U.S. jobs, as the mammoth portion of maintenance work is done here in the United States. On the issue of granting to Thailand, to Mexico, to Turkey versus the selling of the ships to Taiwan, this is what our U.S. Navy says: The determining factor on the grant or sale of extra defense articles is always what is in the best interest of the United States. Granting the hull does not make it free to the receiving nation. Among the types of extra defense articles that are granted to partner nations, ships are unique in that there is always a significant refurbishment cost paid by the receiving nation. The current legislation requires the refurbishment of the hulls here in the United States. This is approximately $60 million per hull; though with Turkey our experience has been that they will spend even more. Because of the high cost of refurbishment, we always try to grant the hulls. Both Armed Services Committee Chairman McKeon and Intelligence Committee Chairman Rogers support this bill with the inclusion of Turkey. Mr. Speaker, when our military officials tell me that they need these specific transfers, including to Turkey, because it is in our Nation's security interests and it advances our priorities, I believe that all of us here should take note. I trust our U.S. military when it comes to the operational needs and joint military and anti-piracy activities. This is why Turkey was included--and not at the last minute under the cover of night. No, quite the contrary. For almost 2 weeks, the text of this bill has been posted not just for our fellow colleagues to review but for all of the American people to review at their leisure. This bill is a standard bill that is done at the end of each Congress. Two years ago, as I stated, under a different majority, a similar annual transfer bill was considered at the end of the session. So, in short, Mr. Speaker, this bill helps our ally Taiwan. It advances our U.S. national security interests, and it reduces costs to our Navy. It creates jobs for Americans right here at home, and I hope that our colleagues see it as such. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6649, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7511,2012-12-31,112,2,,,MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE,HOUSE,HOUSE,HMESSAGE,H7511,H7512,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""114""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""140""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""264""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""499""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""970""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""1047""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""1421""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""1478""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""2015""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3250""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""3263""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3563""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""3641""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3715""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4073""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7511,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7511-H7512] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE A message from the Senate by Ms. Curtis, one of its clerks, announced that the Senate has passed without amendment bills of the House of the following titles: H.R. 3263. An act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to allow the storage and conveyance of nonproject water at the Norman project in Oklahoma, and for other purposes. H.R. 3641. An act to establish Pinnacles National Park in the State of California as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes. H.R. 4073. an act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to accept the quitclaim, disclaimer, and relinquishment of a railroad right of way within and adjacent to Pike National Forest in El Paso County, Colorado, originally granted to the Mt. Manitou Park and Incline Railway Company pursuant to the Act of March 3, 1875. The message also announced that the Senate has passed bills of the following titles in which the concurrence of the House is requested: S. 114. An act to expand the boundary of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. S. 140. An act to designate as wilderness certain land and inland water within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the State of Michigan, and for other purposes. S. 264. An act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the State of Mississippi 2 parcels of surplus land within the boundary of the Natchez Trace Parkway, and for other purposes. S. 499. An act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate the development of hydroelectric power on the Diamond Fork System of the Central Utah Project. S. 970. An act to designate additional segments and tributaries of White Clay Creek, in the States of Delaware and Pennsylvania, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. S. 1047. An act to amend the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 to require the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to take actions to improve environmental conditions in the vicinity of the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel in Lake County, Colorado, and the other purposes. S. 1421. An act to authorize the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes. S. 1478. An act to modify the boundary of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in the State of South Dakota, and for other purposes. S. 2015. An act to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain Federal land to the Powell Recreation District in the State of Wyoming. S. 3250. An act to amend the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to provide for Debbie Smith grants for auditing sexual assault evidence backlogs and to establish a Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Registry, and for other purposes. [[Page H7512]] S. 3563. An act to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to modify the Pilot Project offices of the Federal Permit Streamlining Pilot Project. S. 3715. An act to extend the limited antitrust exemption contained in the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7512-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,AFTER RECESS,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7512,H7512,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7512,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7512] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1744 AFTER RECESS The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Womack) at 5 o'clock and 44 minutes p.m. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7512-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE,HOUSE,HOUSE,HANNOUNCEMENT,H7512,H7512,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6364""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6364""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6612""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6612""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7512,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7512] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, proceedings will resume on motions to suspend the rules previously postponed. Votes will be taken in the following order: S. 3454, de novo; H.R. 6612, de novo; the Senate amendment to H.R. 6364, de novo. The first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote. Remaining electronic votes will be conducted as 5-minute votes. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7512-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7512,H7512,"[{""name"": ""David Schweikert"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3454""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7512,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7512] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013 The SPEAKER pro tempore. The unfinished business is the question on suspending the rules and passing the bill (S. 3454) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for intelligence and intelligence- related activities of the United States Government and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. SCHWEIKERT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 373, nays 29, not voting 29, as follows: [Roll No. 652] YEAS--373 Adams Aderholt Akin Alexander Altmire Amodei Andrews Austria Baca Bachmann Bachus Baldwin Barber Barletta Barrow Bartlett Barton (TX) Bass (CA) Becerra Benishek Berg Berkley Berman Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Bishop (UT) Black Blackburn Bonamici Bonner Boren Boswell Boustany Brady (PA) Brady (TX) Braley (IA) Brooks Broun (GA) Brown (FL) Buchanan Bucshon Buerkle Burgess Butterfield Calvert Camp Campbell Canseco Cantor Capito Capps Carnahan Carney Carson (IN) Carter Cassidy Chabot Chaffetz Chandler Chu Cicilline Clarke (MI) Clarke (NY) Clay Cleaver Clyburn Coble Coffman (CO) Cole Conaway Connolly (VA) Cooper Costa Courtney Cravaack Crenshaw Critz Crowley Cuellar Culberson Curson (MI) Davis (CA) DeFazio DeLauro DelBene Denham Dent DesJarlais Deutch Diaz-Balart Dicks Dingell Dold Donnelly (IN) Doyle Dreier Duffy Duncan (SC) Edwards Ellmers Emerson Engel Eshoo Farenthold Farr Fattah Fincher Fitzpatrick Flake Fleischmann Fleming Flores Forbes Fortenberry Foxx Frank (MA) Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Fudge Garamendi Gardner Garrett Gerlach Gibbs Gingrey (GA) Gohmert Gonzalez Goodlatte Gosar Gowdy Granger Graves (GA) Graves (MO) Green, Al Green, Gene Griffin (AR) Griffith (VA) Grimm Guinta Guthrie Hall Hanabusa Hanna Harper Harris Hartzler Hastings (FL) Hastings (WA) Hayworth Heck Heinrich Hensarling Herger Herrera Beutler Higgins Himes Hinchey Hirono Hochul Holden Hoyer Huelskamp Huizenga (MI) Hultgren Hunter Hurt Israel Issa Jackson Lee (TX) Jenkins Johnson (GA) Johnson (OH) Johnson, E. B. Johnson, Sam Jordan Kaptur Keating Kelly Kildee Kind King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kinzinger (IL) Kissell Kline Labrador Lamborn Lance Landry Langevin Lankford Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Latham LaTourette Latta Levin Lipinski LoBiondo Loebsack Long Lowey Lucas Luetkemeyer Lujan Lummis Lungren, Daniel E. Lynch Manzullo Marchant Marino Markey Matheson Matsui McCarthy (CA) McCaul McClintock McCollum McDermott McHenry McIntyre McKeon McKinley McMorris Rodgers McNerney Meehan Meeks Mica Michaud Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Miller (NC) Miller, Gary Moore Moran Mulvaney Murphy (CT) Murphy (PA) Myrick Nadler Napolitano Neal Neugebauer Noem Nugent Nunes Nunnelee Olson Owens Palazzo Pallone Paulsen Payne Pearce Pence Perlmutter Peters Peterson Petri Pitts Platts Poe (TX) Pompeo Posey Price (GA) Price (NC) Quayle Quigley Rahall Rangel Reed Rehberg Reichert Renacci Reyes Ribble Richardson Richmond Rigell Rivera Roby Roe (TN) Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rokita Rooney Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ross (AR) Rothman (NJ) Royce Runyan Ruppersberger Rush Ryan (OH) Ryan (WI) Sanchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Scalise Schakowsky Schiff Schilling Schock Schrader Schwartz Schweikert Scott (SC) Scott (VA) Scott, Austin Scott, David Sensenbrenner Serrano Sessions Sewell Sherman Shimkus Shuster Sires Slaughter Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Smith (WA) Southerland Stearns Stivers Stutzman Sullivan Sutton Terry Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Thompson (PA) Thornberry Tiberi Tierney Tipton Tonko Tsongas Turner (NY) Turner (OH) Upton Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walberg Walden Walsh (IL) Walz (MN) Wasserman Schultz Watt Webster Welch West Westmoreland Whitfield Wilson (FL) Wilson (SC) Wittman Wolf Womack Woodall Yarmuth Yoder Young (AK) Young (FL) Young (IN) NAYS--29 Amash Blumenauer Capuano Cohen Conyers Cummings Davis (IL) DeGette Doggett Duncan (TN) Ellison Gibson Grijalva Gutierrez Hahn Holt Honda Jones Kucinich Lee (CA) Lofgren, Zoe Massie McGovern Miller, George Olver Pingree (ME) Polis Speier Waters NOT VOTING--29 Ackerman Bass (NH) Bono Mack Burton (IN) Castor (FL) Costello Crawford Gallegly Hinojosa Johnson (IL) Lewis (CA) Lewis (GA) Mack Maloney McCarthy (NY) Pascrell Pastor (AZ) Paul Pelosi Rohrabacher Ross (FL) Roybal-Allard Schmidt Shuler Simpson Stark Towns Waxman Woolsey {time} 1805 Messrs. CONYERS, COHEN, CUMMINGS, DOGGETT, GRIJALVA, and Ms. SPEIER changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.'' Mr. SERRANO changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.'' So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7512,2012-12-31,112,2,,,RECESS,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7512,H7512,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7512,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7512] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] RECESS The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair declares the House in recess subject to the call of the Chair. Accordingly (at 1 o'clock and 37 minutes p.m.), the House stood in recess. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7512-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,NEIL A. ARMSTRONG FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER AND HUGH L. DRYDEN AERONAUTICAL TEST RANGE DESIGNATION ACT,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7512,H7513,"[{""name"": ""Glenn Thompson"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6612""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6612""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7512,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7512-H7513] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] NEIL A. ARMSTRONG FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER AND HUGH L. DRYDEN AERONAUTICAL TEST RANGE DESIGNATION ACT The SPEAKER pro tempore. The unfinished business is the question on suspending the rules and passing the bill (H.R. 6612) to redesignate the Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill. [[Page H7513]] The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 404, nays 0, not voting 27, as follows: [Roll No. 653] YEAS--404 Adams Aderholt Akin Alexander Altmire Amash Amodei Andrews Austria Baca Bachmann Bachus Baldwin Barber Barletta Barrow Bartlett Barton (TX) Becerra Benishek Berg Berkley Berman Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Bishop (UT) Black Blackburn Blumenauer Bonamici Bonner Boren Boswell Boustany Brady (PA) Brady (TX) Braley (IA) Brooks Broun (GA) Brown (FL) Buchanan Bucshon Buerkle Burgess Butterfield Calvert Camp Campbell Canseco Cantor Capito Capps Capuano Carnahan Carney Carson (IN) Carter Cassidy Castor (FL) Chabot Chaffetz Chandler Chu Cicilline Clarke (MI) Clarke (NY) Clay Cleaver Clyburn Coble Coffman (CO) Cohen Cole Conaway Connolly (VA) Conyers Cooper Costa Courtney Cravaack Crawford Crenshaw Critz Crowley Cuellar Culberson Cummings Curson (MI) Davis (CA) Davis (IL) DeFazio DeGette DeLauro DelBene Denham Dent DesJarlais Deutch Diaz-Balart Dicks Dingell Doggett Dold Donnelly (IN) Doyle Dreier Duffy Duncan (SC) Duncan (TN) Edwards Ellison Ellmers Emerson Engel Eshoo Farenthold Farr Fattah Fincher Fitzpatrick Flake Fleischmann Fleming Flores Forbes Fortenberry Foxx Frank (MA) Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Fudge Garamendi Gardner Garrett Gerlach Gibbs Gibson Gingrey (GA) Gohmert Gonzalez Goodlatte Gosar Gowdy Granger Graves (GA) Graves (MO) Green, Al Green, Gene Griffin (AR) Griffith (VA) Grijalva Grimm Guinta Guthrie Gutierrez Hahn Hall Hanabusa Hanna Harper Harris Hartzler Hastings (FL) Hastings (WA) Hayworth Heck Heinrich Hensarling Herger Herrera Beutler Higgins Himes Hinchey Hirono Hochul Holden Holt Honda Hoyer Huelskamp Huizenga (MI) Hultgren Hunter Hurt Israel Issa Jackson Lee (TX) Jenkins Johnson (GA) Johnson (OH) Johnson, E. B. Johnson, Sam Jones Jordan Kaptur Keating Kelly Kildee Kind King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kinzinger (IL) Kissell Kline Kucinich Labrador Lamborn Lance Landry Langevin Lankford Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Latham LaTourette Latta Lee (CA) Levin Lipinski LoBiondo Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Long Lowey Lucas Luetkemeyer Lujan Lummis Lungren, Daniel E. Lynch Manzullo Marchant Marino Markey Massie Matheson Matsui McCarthy (CA) McCaul McClintock McCollum McDermott McGovern McHenry McIntyre McKeon McKinley McMorris Rodgers McNerney Meehan Meeks Mica Michaud Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Miller (NC) Miller, Gary Miller, George Moore Moran Mulvaney Murphy (CT) Murphy (PA) Myrick Nadler Napolitano Neal Neugebauer Noem Nugent Nunes Nunnelee Olson Olver Owens Palazzo Pallone Pascrell Paulsen Payne Pearce Pelosi Pence Perlmutter Peters Peterson Petri Pingree (ME) Pitts Platts Poe (TX) Polis Pompeo Posey Price (GA) Price (NC) Quayle Quigley Rahall Rangel Reed Rehberg Reichert Renacci Reyes Ribble Richardson Richmond Rigell Rivera Roby Roe (TN) Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rokita Rooney Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ross (AR) Rothman (NJ) Royce Runyan Ruppersberger Rush Ryan (OH) Ryan (WI) Sanchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Scalise Schakowsky Schiff Schilling Schock Schrader Schwartz Schweikert Scott (SC) Scott (VA) Scott, Austin Scott, David Sensenbrenner Serrano Sessions Sewell Sherman Shimkus Shuster Sires Slaughter Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Smith (WA) Southerland Speier Stearns Stivers Stutzman Sullivan Sutton Terry Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Thompson (PA) Thornberry Tiberi Tierney Tipton Tonko Tsongas Turner (NY) Turner (OH) Upton Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walden Walsh (IL) Walz (MN) Wasserman Schultz Waters Watt Webster Welch West Westmoreland Whitfield Wilson (FL) Wilson (SC) Wittman Wolf Womack Woodall Yarmuth Yoder Young (AK) Young (FL) Young (IN) NOT VOTING--27 Ackerman Bass (CA) Bass (NH) Bono Mack Burton (IN) Costello Gallegly Hinojosa Johnson (IL) Lewis (CA) Lewis (GA) Mack Maloney McCarthy (NY) Pastor (AZ) Paul Rohrabacher Ross (FL) Roybal-Allard Schmidt Shuler Simpson Stark Towns Walberg Waxman Woolsey {time} 1812 So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7513,2012-12-31,112,2,,,WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7513,H7514,"[{""name"": ""Bob Goodlatte"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]","[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6364""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6364""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7513,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7513-H7514] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT The SPEAKER pro tempore. The unfinished business is the question on suspending the rules and concurring in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 6364) to establish a commission to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I, to provide for the designation of memorials to the service of members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) that the House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 401, nays 5, not voting 25, as follows: [Roll No. 654] YEAS--401 Adams Aderholt Akin Alexander Altmire Amodei Andrews Austria Baca Bachmann Bachus Baldwin Barber Barletta Barrow Bartlett Barton (TX) Bass (CA) Becerra Benishek Berg Berkley Berman Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Bishop (UT) Black Blackburn Blumenauer Bonamici Bonner Boren Boswell Boustany Brady (PA) Brady (TX) Braley (IA) Brooks Broun (GA) Brown (FL) Buchanan Bucshon Buerkle Burgess Butterfield Calvert Camp Campbell Canseco Cantor Capito Capps Capuano Carnahan Carney Carson (IN) Carter Cassidy Castor (FL) Chabot Chaffetz Chandler Chu Cicilline Clarke (MI) Clarke (NY) Clay Cleaver Clyburn Coble Coffman (CO) Cohen Cole Conaway Connolly (VA) Conyers Cooper Costa Courtney Cravaack Crawford Crenshaw Critz Crowley Cuellar Culberson Cummings Curson (MI) Davis (CA) Davis (IL) DeFazio DeGette DeLauro DelBene Denham Dent DesJarlais Deutch Diaz-Balart Dicks Dingell Doggett Dold Donnelly (IN) Doyle Dreier Duffy Duncan (SC) Duncan (TN) Edwards Ellison Ellmers Emerson Engel Eshoo Farenthold Farr Fattah Fincher Fitzpatrick Flake Fleischmann Fleming Forbes Fortenberry Foxx Frank (MA) Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Fudge Garamendi Gardner Garrett Gerlach Gibbs Gibson Gingrey (GA) Gohmert Gonzalez Goodlatte Gosar Gowdy Granger Graves (GA) Graves (MO) Green, Al Green, Gene Griffin (AR) Griffith (VA) Grijalva Grimm Guinta Guthrie Gutierrez Hahn Hall Hanabusa Hanna Harper Harris Hartzler Hastings (FL) Hastings (WA) Hayworth Heck Heinrich Hensarling Herger Herrera Beutler Higgins Himes Hinchey Hirono Hochul Holden Holt Honda Hoyer Huelskamp Huizenga (MI) Hultgren Hunter Hurt Israel Issa Jackson Lee (TX) Jenkins Johnson (GA) Johnson (OH) Johnson, E. B. Johnson, Sam Jones Jordan Kaptur Keating Kelly Kildee Kind King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kinzinger (IL) Kissell Kline Kucinich Labrador Lamborn Lance Landry Langevin Lankford Larsen (WA) [[Page H7514]] Larson (CT) Latham LaTourette Latta Lee (CA) Levin Lipinski LoBiondo Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Long Lowey Lucas Luetkemeyer Lujan Lummis Lungren, Daniel E. Lynch Manzullo Marchant Marino Markey Matheson Matsui McCarthy (CA) McCaul McClintock McCollum McDermott McGovern McHenry McIntyre McKeon McKinley McMorris Rodgers McNerney Meehan Meeks Mica Michaud Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Miller (NC) Miller, Gary Miller, George Moore Moran Mulvaney Murphy (CT) Murphy (PA) Myrick Nadler Napolitano Neal Neugebauer Noem Nugent Nunes Nunnelee Olson Olver Owens Palazzo Pallone Pascrell Paulsen Payne Pearce Pelosi Pence Perlmutter Peters Peterson Petri Pingree (ME) Pitts Platts Poe (TX) Polis Pompeo Posey Price (GA) Price (NC) Quayle Quigley Rahall Rangel Reed Rehberg Reichert Renacci Reyes Richardson Richmond Rigell Rivera Roby Roe (TN) Rogers (AL) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rokita Rooney Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ross (AR) Rothman (NJ) Royce Runyan Ruppersberger Rush Ryan (OH) Ryan (WI) Sanchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Scalise Schakowsky Schiff Schilling Schock Schrader Schwartz Scott (SC) Scott (VA) Scott, Austin Scott, David Sensenbrenner Serrano Sessions Sewell Sherman Shimkus Shuster Sires Slaughter Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Smith (TX) Smith (WA) Southerland Speier Stearns Stivers Stutzman Sullivan Sutton Terry Thompson (CA) Thompson (MS) Thompson (PA) Thornberry Tiberi Tierney Tipton Tonko Tsongas Turner (NY) Turner (OH) Upton Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walberg Walden Walsh (IL) Walz (MN) Wasserman Schultz Waters Watt Webster Welch West Westmoreland Whitfield Wilson (FL) Wilson (SC) Wittman Wolf Womack Woodall Yarmuth Yoder Young (AK) Young (FL) Young (IN) NAYS--5 Amash Flores Massie Ribble Schweikert NOT VOTING--25 Ackerman Bass (NH) Bono Mack Burton (IN) Costello Gallegly Hinojosa Johnson (IL) Lewis (CA) Lewis (GA) Mack Maloney McCarthy (NY) Pastor (AZ) Paul Rohrabacher Ross (FL) Roybal-Allard Schmidt Shuler Simpson Stark Towns Waxman Woolsey {time} 1822 So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the Senate amendment was concurred in. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7514-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,SENATE BILL REFERRED,HOUSE,HOUSE,HSENATEBILLREFERRED,H7514,H7514,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""140""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7514,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7514] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SENATE BILL REFERRED A bill of the Senate of the following title was taken from the Speaker's table and, under the rule, referred as follows: S. 140. An act to designate as wilderness certain land and inland water within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the State of Michigan, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Natural Resources. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7514-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED,HOUSE,HOUSE,ENROLLEDSIGNED,H7514,H7514,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""3263""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""3641""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4057""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4073""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6014""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6620""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7514,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7514] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED Karen L. Haas, Clerk of the House, reported and found truly enrolled bills of the House of the following titles, which were thereupon signed by the Speaker: H.R. 3263. An act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to allow the storage and conveyance of nonproject water at the Norman project in Oklahoma, and for other purposes. H.R. 3641. An act to establish Pinnacles National Park in the State of California as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes. H.R. 4057. An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive policy to improve outreach and transparency to veterans and members of the Armed Forces through the provision of information on institutions of higher learning, and for other purposes. H.R. 4073. An act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to accept the quitclaim, disclaimer, and relinquishment of a railroad right of way within and adjacent to Pike National Forest in El Paso County, Colorado, originally granted to the Mt. Manitou Park and Incline Railway Company pursuant to the Act of March 3, 1875. H.R. 6014. An act to authorize the Attorney General to award grants for States to implement DNA arrestee collections processes. H.R. 6620. An act to amend title 18, United States Code, to eliminate certain limitations on the length of Secret Service Protection for former Presidents and for the children of former Presidents. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7514-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,SENATE ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED,HOUSE,HOUSE,ENROLLEDSIGNED,H7514,H7514,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3202""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""S"", ""number"": ""3666""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7514,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7514] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SENATE ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED The Speaker announced his signature to enrolled bills of the Senate of the following titles: S. 3202. An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that deceased veterans with no known next of kin can receive a dignified burial, and for other purposes. S. 3666. An act to amend the Animal Welfare Act to modify the definition of ``exhibitor''. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7514-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,ADJOURNMENT,HOUSE,HOUSE,ADJOURNMENT,H7514,H7514,"[{""name"": ""Sean P. Duffy"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7514,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7514] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ADJOURNMENT Mr. DUFFY. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn. The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 o'clock and 25 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, January 1, 2013, at noon. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7514-6,2012-12-31,112,2,,,"EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, ETC.",HOUSE,HOUSE,EXECUTIVECOMM,H7514,H7516,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7514,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7514-H7516] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, ETC. Under clause 2 of rule XIV, executive communications were taken from the Speaker's table and referred as follows: 8960. A letter from the Acting Congressional Review Coordinator, Department of Agriculture, transmitting the Department's final rule -- Importation of Live Swine, Swine Semen, Pork, and Pork Products; Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia [Docket No.: APHIS-2008-0043] (RIN: 0579-AD20) received December 20, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Agriculture. 8961. A letter from the Acting Principal Deputy, Department of Defense, transmitting the interim response to section 519 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2012; to the Committee on Armed Services. 8962. A letter from the Under Secretary, Department of Defense, transmitting the fiscal year 2010 report entitled, ``Operation and Financial Support of Military Museums''; to the Committee on Armed Services. 8963. A letter from the Chief Counsel, Department of Homeland Security, transmitting the Department's final rule -- Suspension of Community Eligibility (Chesterfield County, VA, et. al) [Docket ID: FEMA-2012-0003] [Internal Agency Docket No.: FEMA-8259] received December 20, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Financial Services. 8964. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Department of the Treasury, transmitting the annual report of the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies for fiscal year 2011; to the Committee on Financial Services. 8965. A letter from the Assistant to the Board, Federal Reserve System, transmitting the System's final rule -- Community Reinvestment Act Regulations [Regulation BB; Docket No.: R-1454] received December 26, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Financial Services. 8966. A letter from the Director, Division of Regulations, Legislation, and Interpretation, Department of Labor, transmitting the Department's final rule -- Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts; Effective Date (RIN: 1215-AB69; 1235-AA02) received December 26, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. 8967. A letter from the Administrator, Department of Energy, transmitting A report on ``The Availability and Price of Petroleum and Petroleum Products Produced in Countries Other Than Iran'', pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 68513(a) Public Law 112-81, section 1245(d)(4); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8968. A letter from the Assistant General Counsel for Legislation, Regulation and Energy Efficiency, Department of Energy, transmitting the Department's final rule -- Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Residential Water Heaters, Direct Heating Equipment, and Pool Heaters (Standby Mode and Off Mode) [Docket No.: EERE- 2009-BT-TP-0013] (RIN: 1904-AB95) received December 26, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8969. A letter from the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting the Department's Annual Report entitled, ``Delays in Approvals of Applications Related to Citizen Petitions and Petitions for Stay of Agency Action for Fiscal Year 2011''; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8970. A letter from the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting a report entitled ``Performance [[Page H7515]] Evaluation of Accreditation Bodies under the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 as amended by the Mammography Quality Standards Reauthorization Acts of 1998 and 2004'' covering January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2011; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8971. A letter from the Program Manager, Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting the Department's final rule -- Control of Communicable Diseases: Foreign; Scope and Definitions [Docket No.: CDC-2012-0017] (RIN: 0920- AA12) received December 26, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8972. A letter from the Program Manager, Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting the Department's final rule -- Control of Communicable Diseases: Interstate; Scope and Definitions [Docket No.: CDC-2012-0016] (RIN: 0920- AA22) received December 28, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8973. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting the Agency's final rule -- Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; Determination of Attainment of the 2006 24-hour Fine Particulate Matter Standard for the Philadelphia- Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE Nonattainment Area [EPA-R03-OAR-2012- 0371; FRL-9765-9] received December 27, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8974. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting the Department's final rule -- Health and Safety Data Reporting; Addition of Certain Chemicals; Withdrawal of Final Rule [EPA- HQ-OPPT-2011-0363; FRL-9375-3] (RIN: 2070-AJ89) received December 27, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8975. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting the Agency's final rule -- Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Alaska: Eagle River PM 10 Nonattainment Area Limited Maintenance Plan and Redesignation Request [Docket #: EPA-R10-OAR-2010-0914; FRL-9764-7] received December 27, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8976. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting the Agency's final rule -- Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Utah; Determination of Clean Data for the 1987 PM10 Standard for the Ogden Area [EPA-R08- OAR-2012-0446; FRL-9765-6] received December 27, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8977. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting the Agency's final rule -- Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; Ohio; Redesignation of the Ohio Portion of the Huntington-Ashland 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter Nonattainment Area to Attainment [EPA-R05-OAR-2011-0468; FRL- 9764-9] received December 27, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8978. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting the Agency's final rule -- Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of Colorado; Regional Haze State Implementation Plan [EPA-R08-OAR-2011-0770; FRL-9734-8] received December 27, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8979. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting the Agency's final rule -- National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule [EPA-HQ-OW- 2008-0878; FRL-9684-8] (RIN: 2040-AD94) received December 27, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8980. A letter from the Director, Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting the Agency's final rule -- Significant New Use Rule on Certain Chemical Substances; Removal of Significant New Use Rules [EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0941; FRL-9369-8] (RIN: 2070-AB27) received December 27, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. 8981. A letter from the Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, transmitting Transmittal No. 12-02, pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8982. A letter from the Acting Secretary, Department of Commerce, transmitting a certification of export to China; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8983. A letter from the Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting notification of a possible unauthorized retransfer of technical data and unauthorized retransfer of hardware provided by the United States; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8984. A letter from the Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting Transmittal No. DDTC 12-139, pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(c) of the Arms Export Control Act; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8985. A letter from the Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting Transmittal No. DDTC 12-173, pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(c) of the Arms Export Control Act; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8986. A letter from the Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting Transmittal No. DDTC 12-169, pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(c) of the Arms Export Control Act; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8987. A letter from the Secretary, Department of the Treasury, transmitting as required by section 401(c) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), and section 204(c) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(c), and pursuant to Executive Order 13313 of July 31, 2003, a six-month periodic report on the national emergency with respect to the Western Balkans that was declared in Executive Order 13219 of June 26, 2001; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8988. A letter from the Secretary, Department of the Treasury, transmitting as required by section 401(c) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), and section 204(c) of the International Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(c), a six-month periodic report on the national emergency blocking property of the Government of the Russian Federation relating to the dispositing of the highly enriched uranium extracted from nuclear weapons that was declared in Executive Order 13617 of June 25, 2012; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8989. A letter from the Secretary, Department of the Treasury, transmitting as required by section 401(c) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), and section 204(c) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(c), a six-month periodic report on the national emergency with respect to terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace process that was declared in Executive Order 12947 of January 23, 1995; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8990. A letter from the Secretary, Department of the Treasury, transmitting as required by section 401(c) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), and section 204(c) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1703(c), a six-month periodic report on the national emergency with respect to North Korea that was declared in Executive Order 13466 of June 26, 2008; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 8991. A letter from the Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission, transmitting the Semiannual Report of the Inspector General and a separate management report for the period April 1, 2012 through September 30, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. app. (Insp. Gen. Act), section 5(b); to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 8992. A letter from the Chief, Border Security Regulations Branch, Department of Homeland Security, transmitting the Department's final rule -- Closing of the Port of Whitetail, MT [Docket No.: USCBP-2011-0017] (RIN: 1651-AA93) received December 20, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. 8993. A letter from the Secretary, Department Health and Human Services, transmitting Targeted Grants to Increase the Well-Being of, and to Improve the Permanency Outcomes for, Children Affected by Methamphetamine or Other Substance Abuse: Second Annual Report to Congress; to the Committee on Ways and Means. 8994. A letter from the Secretary, Department of Labor, transmitting the Department's nineteenth annual report prepared in accordance with section 207 of the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA); to the Committee on Ways and Means. 8995. A letter from the Chief, Publications and Regulations, Internal Revenue Service, transmitting the Service's final rule -- Partner's Distributive Share [TD 9607] (RIN: 1545-BJ37) received December 28, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Ways and Means. 8996. A letter from the Chief, Publications and Regulations, Internal Revenue Service, transmitting the Service's final rule -- Use of Controlled Corporations to Avoid the Application of Section 304 [TD 9606] (RIN: 1545- BI13) received December 28, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Ways and Means. 8997. A letter from the Chief, Publications and Regulations, Internal Revenue Service, transmitting the Service's final rule -- Appeals Settlement Guideline -- Military Disability Retirement Benefits [UIL: 104.04-00 & 122.01-00] received December 21, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Ways and Means. 8998. A letter from the Chief, Publications and Regulations, Internal Revenue Service, transmitting the Service's final rule -- Applicable Federal Rates -- January 2013 (Rev. Rul. 2013-1) received December 21, 2012, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Ways and Means. 8999. A letter from the Chair, Board of Directors, Office of Compliance, transmitting a report entitled ``Recommendations for Improvements to the Congressional Accountability Act''; jointly to the Committees on House Administration and Education and the Workforce. [[Page H7516]] ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7514,2012-12-31,112,2,,,HOUR OF MEETING ON TOMORROW,HOUSE,HOUSE,ALLOTHER,H7514,H7514,"[{""name"": ""Lynn A. Westmoreland"", ""role"": ""speaking""}]",,158 Cong. Rec. H7514,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7514] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HOUR OF MEETING ON TOMORROW Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon tomorrow. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Georgia? There was no objection. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7516-10,2012-12-31,112,2,,,ADDITIONAL SPONSORS,HOUSE,HOUSE,HADDSPONSORS,H7516,H7516,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""823""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HRES"", ""number"": ""834""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""2221""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""3855""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4202""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""4221""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""5741""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6446""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6600""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7516,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7516] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ADDITIONAL SPONSORS Under clause 7 of rule XII, sponsors were added to public bills and resolutions as follows: H.R. 2221: Mr. Engel. H.R. 3855: Mr. Amash. H.R. 4202: Mr. Capuano. H.R. 4221: Mr. Rangel. H.R. 5741: Ms. Wilson of Florida. H.R. 6446: Mr. Gardner. H.R. 6600: Mr. Turner of New York. H. Res. 823: Ms. Roybal-Allard. H. Res. 834: Mr. Van Hollen." CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7516-2,2012-12-31,112,2,,,PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS,HOUSE,HOUSE,HPUBBILLS,H7516,H7516,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6720""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6721""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6722""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6723""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6724""}, {""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6725""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7516,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7516] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS Under clause 2 of rule XII, public bills and resolutions of the following titles were introduced and severally referred, as follows: By Mr. FLORES: H.R. 6720. A bill to provide that no pay adjustment for Members of Congress shall be made in fiscal year 2013 or 2014; to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. By Mr. FITZPATRICK (for himself, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Huizenga of Michigan, Ms. Jenkins, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Jones, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Lance, Mr. Reed, Mr. Marchant, Mr. Platts, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Carney, Mr. Ribble, Mr. Flores, Mr. Paul, Mr. Griffin of Arkansas, Mr. Barletta, Mr. Loebsack, Mrs. Black, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Johnson of Ohio, Mr. Austria, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Latta, Mr. Dent, and Mr. Gibson): H.R. 6721. A bill to provide that no pay adjustment for Members of Congress shall be made in fiscal year 2013 or 2014; to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. By Mrs. BACHMANN: H.R. 6722. A bill to provide that no pay adjustment for Members of Congress shall be made in fiscal year 2013; to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. By Mrs. EMERSON: H.R. 6723. A bill to provide for Inspector General oversight for Federal entities not otherwise subject to such oversight, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. By Mr. KELLY: H.R. 6724. A bill to reform United States export control restrictions relating to commercially-available automotive products and technologies, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. By Mr. MORAN: H.R. 6725. A bill to provide for greater safety in the use of firearms; to the Committee on the Judiciary. ____________________" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7516-3,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Constitutional Authority Statement,HOUSE,HOUSE,CASTATEMENT,H7516,H7516,,,158 Cong. Rec. H7516,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7516] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following statements are submitted regarding the specific powers granted to Congress in the Constitution to enact the accompanying bill or joint resolution." CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7516-4,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Constitutional Authority Statement for H.R. 6720,HOUSE,HOUSE,CASTATEMENT,H7516,H7516,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6720""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7516,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7516] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] By Mr. FLORES: H.R. 6720. Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I, Section 6, Clause 1: ``The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.'' and Clause 1 of Section 1 of Article I, which states ``All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.''" CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7516-5,2012-12-31,112,2,,,Constitutional Authority Statement for H.R. 6721,HOUSE,HOUSE,CASTATEMENT,H7516,H7516,,"[{""congress"": ""112"", ""type"": ""HR"", ""number"": ""6721""}]",158 Cong. Rec. H7516,"Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Page H7516] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] By Mr. FITZPATRICK: H.R. 6721. Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Clause 1 of Section 6 of Article I of the Constitution, which states ``The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.'' and Clause 1 of Section 1 of Article I, which states ``All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.''"