Rob Andrews

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding the time to the gentleman from Rhode Island, and I would say, of course we recognize our duty to listen to those who serve in uniform. We also recognize our duty to raise their pay, to give them the tools and weapons necessary to do their job, to support their families, and to give them the strategy that works to defend this country. This bill does all of those things. We should support the bill and support the en bloc amendment before the body. I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. ANDREWS. Again, we appreciate the efforts of Members on both sides of the aisle in working through a wide array of problems in a very thoughtful way. Each of these amendments has been reviewed and accepted by both the minority and majority staff. We thank the Members for their efforts. At this time, I yield 5 minutes to the author of one of the en bloc amendments, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Braley).

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, at this point, I am privileged to yield 1 minute to another champion of growth of American jobs here from the runner-up city in this year's Stanley Cup finals, the gentleman from Chicago, Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. I understand. Thank you. Excuse me for interrupting, sir.

Mr. ANDREWS. I think that the process that my friend from California lays out is a correct one, that there should be wide solicitation of views from those who wear the uniform, and there will be. And the amendment that Mr. Murphy will be offering later today simply says this: If, after that process the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Staff believe that the evidence shows that implementation of the repeal would undercut the readiness or effectiveness of our troops, they will not certify that the policy should be put into effect, and it won't be. The Secretary has repeatedly said, Admiral Mullen has repeatedly said the question is not whether repeal should take place, but how. Mr. Murphy's amendment will set up a rational process for that to take place. I believe it's the right thing to do, and I support Mr. Smith's amendment which is before us right now.

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition, although I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. It is a very well-thought-out amendment that encourages competition, which will be a service to the servicemembers of our country, as well as to our taxpayers. We thank the gentleman from Maryland for offering it and would urge Members to support it. I yield back my time.

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution 1404, as the designee of the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, I request that during further consideration of H.R. 5136 in the Committee of the Whole and following consideration of Amendment No. 82 printed in House Report 111-498, the following amendments be considered: en bloc No. 3, followed by en bloc No 4. Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Smith of Washington

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Reclaiming my time, am I correctly stating the amendment?

Mr. ANDREWS. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. Mr. Speaker, if you love your country, you ought to be able to serve your country. That's the change that Congress is talking about today. The minority is opposing an amendment that doesn't exist. We've heard voices on the minority side say that the policy changes ignore the advice of those in uniform, and it's not listening to the report the military is presently preparing. They should read the amendment, Mr. Speaker. The amendment says the policy change would not take effect until 60 days after the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff say the implementation of the necessary policies is consistent with the standards of military readiness.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Reclaiming my time, the best insurance policy against spending increases is a Democratic majority.

Mr. ANDREWS. How much of that 85 percent was the Recovery Act?

Mr. ANDREWS. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ANDREWS. I would ask my friend from California if it is true or false that spending increases in the Obama years have been 6 percent and 8 during the Bush years. Is that true or false?

Mr. ANDREWS. Reclaiming my time. If I understand it correctly, the gentleman is denying that the spending increases averaged 8 percent during the Bush years. Is that correct?

Mr. ANDREWS. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the chairlady for yielding. I think it is important for the House to reflect on what we are and are not doing. What we are doing is considering a procedure by which the Congress can investigate what may or may not have happened in the tragedy that occurred in West Virginia that cost the miners their lives, setting that process in motion. What the minority is doing is trying to bring to the floor a vote on a different matter regarding the TANF program. And that is well within their rights, so I am not going to object to their procedural efforts to do that. I am going to object to the substance of their argument. If I understand it correctly, the cut that they are interested in making is in a program that I think most Americans think makes pretty good sense. And what it essentially says is, if you are able-bodied and you receive welfare benefits, you should work. Most Americans, when they hear that, would say it is a pretty good idea. And I want to read to the minority that this program that they want to debate today was commented on by a gentleman from a think tank in Washington who said: Given the state of the labor market, it is hard to imagine how any sensible person could oppose extending the emergency fund that they are talking about. This was not from the Obama administration or one of the more liberal groups in town. It was Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute. So I would say to the minority that their thirst for spending cuts was somehow missing when the Bush administration raised spending by 8 percent per year, when the Bush administration launched two wars on borrowed money, when the Bush administration cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans and paid for it by borrowing money from the Chinese. There is a record on spending increases in recent history. During the Clinton years, Federal spending increased by 4 percent per year on the average. During the Bush years, spending increased by 8 percent per year on the average. In the first 2 years of the President's term, spending has increased by 6 percent, given the economic emergency. But during the 8 years of President Reagan's term, spending increased by 7 percent per year. So I am with the minority, Mr. Speaker. I think spending restraint is something we need to have, which is why we should make sure we never have another Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

Mr. ANDREWS. Well, then you are agreeing with me. You are not denying it.

Mr. ANDREWS. I yield to my friend from California.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Gloria Chao for both her service as a librarian at the Rutgers School of Law-Camden and for her infectious positive attitude. Ms. Chao received her Bachelor of Arts from Providence University in 1967 and a Master of Science in Library Science (M.S.L.S.) from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Villanova University in 1970. After graduation, Ms. Chao worked with Temple Law Library and Air Asia in Taiwan. In 1979, Ms. Chao joined the library staff at Rutgers School of Law in Camden, New Jersey. Upon joining the library team, she immediately played an integral role in establishing the cataloging department and Research Library Information Network (RLIN) system. By 1984, Ms. Chao was appointed Head of Technical and Automated Services. In her 31 years with Rutgers School of Law-Camden, Ms. Chao has been a model of success, hard work and positivity. She is affectionately referred to as the ``sunshine'' of the law library and the law school. Currently she is using her bravery, optimism and strength to battle stage 4 lung cancer. She is facing the disease while keeping her sense of humor intact. Madam Speaker, Ms. Gloria Chao has helped students and faculty find and secure knowledgeable resources and information while brightening the days of all around her. I congratulate Ms. Chao on her accomplishments at Rutgers and wish her the utmost strength and courage in this time of sickness.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the longest serving councilperson in Cherry Hill Township, Councilman N. John Amato, for his 27 years in public service. Councilman Amato has demonstrated significant leadership and dedication to his community, and for this he deserves great praise. Councilman Amato is a graduate of Rutgers University and holds a Masters degree from Kean College. He moved to the Erlton neighborhood in Cherry Hill in 1963 where he has resided ever since. He was first elected in 1983 and continues to serve Cherry Hill Township. In addition, as a licensed public accountant, Councilman Amato is an administrator for Rutgers University's LEAP Academy, a magnet school serving the City of Camden, New Jersey. The Councilman devotes his time and effort to his community in many different ways. He is a Eucharistic minister and lector at the Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Church and also serves on the board of the Young Adolescent Learning Environment School for children with special needs. He is active in the Sons of Italy and is former Board President of the Camden County Vocational Schools. Councilman Amato and his wife, Marion, have two daughters, Rosemary and Irena, and two grandchildren, Michael and Francesca. He is famous for playing Santa Claus at Christmastime for charitable organizations and the Cherry Hill Mall. Madam Speaker, Councilman Amato's contributions to his field and to the state of New Jersey should not go unrecognized. I want to personally thank the Councilman for the exceptional leadership he has provided and the impact he has made in Cherry Hill. I congratulate Councilman Amato on his accomplishments and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Richard P. Miller for his contributions to our community through his service and commitment to the non-profit Virtua health care system. Since 1998, Mr. Miller has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Virtua. Mr. Miller's hard work has helped Virtua become an international model for effective healthcare management. Virtua has been recognized twice with the New Jersey Governor's Award for Clinical Excellence and has also been honored with the Leadership Award for Outstanding Achievement by Voluntary Hospitals of America. The non- profit was also the recipient of the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 Consumer Choice Awards by the National Research Corporation. Mr. Miller's leadership and service within the communities that Virtua serves is evidenced through his civic and community service affiliations, and his awards and recognitions. Mr. Miller is a board member of the March of Dimes of Southern New Jersey and served as chairman of the March of Dimes WalkAmerica Campaign from 1996 to 1999. He is a member of the American Heart Association board and served as chairman of the Arthritis Association Walk for Southern New Jersey in 2004 and 2005. Recently, he received the ``Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award'' from the Boy Scouts of America and has been named a ``Person to Watch'' by Philadelphia Magazine. In 2008, Mr. Miller was recognized as the Lean Six Sigma ``CEO of the Year''. He has served on the NJ Healthcare Access Study Commission and the Governor's Committee on Benchmarking for Quality and Efficiency. To add to the overwhelming list of leadership commitments, Mr. Miller is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves as a trustee of the National Quality Forum. Madam Speaker, as President and CEO of Virtua, Richard P. Miller has helped the people of New Jersey by delivering a quality patient experience and a high level of care. I congratulate Mr. Miller on his accomplishments and wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Cornelius E. Marek, Jr., of Morris Plains, New Jersey, who passed away on March 14, 2010. Mr. Marek's contributions should not go unrecognized. Mr. Marek, the son of Cornelius Marek, Sr., and Grace Bowden-Marek, was born January 28, 1942, in Morris Plains, New Jersey. He served in the United States Army from 1964 until 1966 as a private first class prior to attaining his associates degree from the County College of Morris in 1968. Mr. Marek dedicated his career to improving healthcare in New Jersey. He worked for Healthcare Materials Purchasing at Morristown Memorial Hospital from 1970 to 1980 before becoming Vice President of Purchasing at the New Jersey Hospital Association. Mr. Marek then joined FJD Ventures in 1994 before retiring in 2005. He came out of retirement to work for Liberty Health in Secaucus, NJ, from 2008 until 2010. In addition, Mr. Marek was a member and president of the Hospital Materials Management Society of New Jersey. Mr. Marek inspired all those around him and has passed along his love of politics, reading, and classic movies to his children and grandchildren. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2008 and bravely fought the disease for 2 years, continuing to work full time at Liberty Health until January of 2010 and serving on the Board of Hospital Materials Management Society of New Jersey until March 3rd of 2010. He passed quietly in his sleep on the morning of March 14 surrounded by family and friends and was laid to rest next to his mother and father at Greenwood Cemetery in Boonton, New Jersey. Madam Speaker, Cornelius Marek, Jr.'s commitment to his family and to healthcare in his country should not go unrecognized. I express my deepest condolences to his family for their loss and pay tribute to the memory of this outstanding individual.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. We support Mr. Hall's amendment. He has been an advocate for government transparency since his first day in this institution. This amendment is a significant stride forward for transparency. Last year's major weapons system bill and this bill vests significant authority in the PARCA office, which is the review office or the auditing office of the Secretary of Defense. This office, under this bill, will compile annual reports judging the quality of the work by procurement organizations throughout the Department of Defense. Mr. Hall's amendment ensures that those reports become public documents so the taxpayer can understand with great specificity the quality or lack thereof by which their tax dollars are being spent. Mr. Hall is providing a valuable tool for oversight. Future Congresses will be able to understand those reports and act efficiently in terms of their oversight responsibilities. I think even more importantly what Mr. Hall has done is given the public an opportunity for that oversight. Some of the very best work on ferreting out wasteful government spending has come as a result of the First Amendment, from the press and from the public. So Mr. Hall's amendment will give the press and the public, as well as the Members of this body, an opportunity to understand the quality or lack thereof of procurement activities. I commend him for that, and urge support of his amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the time in opposition and urge a ``yes'' vote.