Ron Barber

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. A lot is said over and over again about how Congress cannot find common ground. With this piece of legislation, we truly have shown that is possible. In fact, I would go on to say, Mr. Speaker, that our committee works in a very bipartisan manner. I am proud to be a member of a collaborative group who are interested in securing the homeland. I was very pleased to work with Chairman Duncan, who chairs the House Oversight and Management Subcommittee, on this very important piece of legislation. In order for the Department of Homeland Security to better achieve its mission of securing our Nation, it must have efficient and effective management practices in place, and this legislation gives the Department the tools needed to bring greater transparency, accountability, and consistency to its acquisition process and to make sure that it reports accurately and timely to Congress on its progress. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4228, the DHS Acquisition Accountability and Efficiency Act, and I urge the House to pass the bill. As an original cosponsor of this legislation, I was very pleased to work with my colleague, Congressman Jeff Duncan, who chairs our Oversight Subcommittee, and I fully support the legislation as yet another product of collaboration between Republicans and Democrats on our committee to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security succeeds in streamlining its acquisitions management process. As the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, I am absolutely committed to saving taxpayer money and working to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security eliminates waste, fraud, and abuse. We must be good stewards of the taxpayers' money, and we must require the departments to be the same. As a Representative whose district covers 83 miles of Arizona border with Mexico, I have seen firsthand the failures of the Department of Homeland Security's acquisition processes, and the need for an effective and efficient process that gets resources to the agents and other DHS employees on the ground. They need them to secure our borders, our ports of entry, and our Nation. In my district, we have witnessed for far too long many acquisitions that did not stand up to scrutiny, cost overruns, and money spent in excessive ways that did not meet the end goal. If enacted, H.R. 4228 will give the Department the tools to bring greater transparency, accountability, and consistency to the Department's acquisition process. The Department expends almost one-quarter of its overall budget to purchase goods and services, with a total of $12.2 billion spent in fiscal year 2013 on 85,000 acquisitions. Thus far, in fiscal year 2014, the Department has allocated upwards of $4 billion on 27,000 transactions, with more expenditures to come. Since January 2003, the Government Accountability Office has included the Department on its high-risk list due to its task of integrating 22 legacy agencies into one entity. It is still, obviously, a work in progress. In its 2013 high-risk update, the GAO cited the Department for its failure to adequately overhaul its management challenges, including its acquisition process. Inefficient management practices and procedures hurt the Department's ability to effectively and efficiently achieve its mission and keep America safe. In spite of the Department's agreement with the Government Accountability Office's findings, the Department has yet to fully improve its management functions, and as a result, the Department remains on the high-risk list. According to the GAO, the Department's acquisitions costs increased from $19.7 billion in 2008 to $52.2 billion in 2011, representing an increase of 166 percent in 16 major acquisitions programs. In response, H.R. 4228 will assist the Department in better managing its acquisitions management process by directing individual component agencies to follow the Department's rules for acquisitions and assure that resources are spent as intended. This legislation also will address the Department's ongoing management challenges by implementing a process to alert Congress should programs begin to veer over budget and off schedule. H.R. 4228 will make sure that, for the first time, the Department as a whole takes part in the acquisition review board process, a process that brings officials from across the entire Department together to monitor Department acquisitions. It will help DHS in achieving another needed reform, the need for a stable, well-trained acquisitions workforce across all component agencies. Furthermore, H.R. 4228 will ensure that small businesses are able to fairly compete for contracting opportunities. Making the Department of Homeland Security's acquisitions process more efficient and effective will absolutely save taxpayers money and allow the Department to more effectively accomplish its mission of protecting the Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan piece of legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the YMCA located in my district in Tucson, Arizona. Since 1914, the YMCA of Southern Arizona has been strengthening the Tucson community by fostering physical, mental and social development. From the original modest site at the corner of Congress and Court Streets in Downtown Tucson, the Y began developing programs for young men. In 1948 the YMCA's Triangle Y Camp was established in the Catalina Mountains, and in the 1950s and 60s, new locations included a central branch, the Lighthouse YMCA, a south branch, the Mulcahy YMCA and the Ott Family YMCA on the east side. The YMCA Foundation was established in 1973, and today has a $3.5 million professionally managed asset fund. New locations continued with the Lohse Family YMCA in 1992 and the Northwest Community Center in 2002. In the last decade, many of the locations have been improved and expanded to better serve community needs. Today, the Y has five amazing branches that incorporate the tenets of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA of Southern Arizona has developed hundreds of programs. From sports, aquatics and camp activities that help kids, youth and seniors to child care, military support and family services--there is no limit to their inclusiveness for our community as they serve 200,000 participants each year. As we look to the future, the Y will continue to provide programs and services for adults, children and families. I am proud to honor their 100-year legacy and anticipate the great things they will provide in the next century.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army Command Sergeant Major Martin R. Barreras, who died on May 12, 2014 from wounds he suffered on May 6 when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Harat Province, Afghanistan. He leaves behind his wife, Melinda; mother, Gloria; father, Ray; brothers Dave and Andy; three children, Calvin, Victoria and Amice; three grandchildren; and numerous friends. Born in New Mexico, Command Sergeant Major Barreras spent most of his childhood in Tucson, Arizona. He attended Sunnyside High School before joining the military. In the last assignment of his long military career, he was assigned as the highest-ranking enlisted member of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team based in Fort Bliss, Texas. Command Sergeant Major Barreras was on his sixth deployment to Afghanistan, after serving 29 honorable years defending our country in both the Army and Marine Corps. Nicknamed ``Gunny'' from his time in the Marines, Command Sergeant Major Barreras was a great soldier. Over his career he earned 50 awards and distinctions including a Bronze Star with valor and two Purple Hearts. However, his illustrious career depicted through his medals will not be the only thing to highlight his service to our country. The men and women he led and fought with will always remember his selflessness and war-fighting spirit that will undoubtedly be passed on for generations to come. As an Army Ranger, he helped rescue former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch from an Iraqi hospital in 2003. Command Sergeant Major Barreras was the leader of the Army battalion that conducted the successful rescue of Lynch. He personally handed Lynch to another soldier to transfer her to the helicopter that evacuated her from the area. Without any hesitation, he then led the fight against multiple attacks in order to retrieve all nine bodies of the other U.S. soldiers missing in action. We remember Command Sergeant Major Barreras and offer our deepest condolences and sincerest prayers to his family. I am heartsick for their loss and my words cannot offer adequate consolation. Everyone in our great country owes Command Sergeant Major Barreras and his family a debt of gratitude for his selfless sacrifice and courage. It is vital that we keep our men and women in uniform who are in harm's way in our thoughts and prayers. I call on my fellow colleagues and all Americans to remember, on this Memorial Day weekend, Command Sergeant Major Barreras and his fellow fallen comrades--those who have paid the ultimate price.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army Command Sergeant Major Martin R. Barreras, who died on May 12, 2014 from wounds he suffered on May 6 when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Harat Province, Afghanistan. He leaves behind his mother, father, brother, two children, a grandson, and numerous friends. Born in New Mexico, Command Sergeant Major Barreras spent most of his childhood in Tucson, Arizona. He attended Sunnyside High School before joining the military. In his last assignment of his long military career, he was assigned as the highest-ranking enlisted member of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team based in Fort Bliss, Texas. Command Sergeant Major Barreras was on his sixth deployment to Afghanistan, after serving 29 honorable years defending our country in both the Army and Marine Corps. Command Sergeant Major Barreras was a great soldier. Over his career he earned fifty awards and distinctions including a Bronze Star with valor and two Purple Hearts. However, his illustrious career depicted through his medals will not be the only thing to highlight his service to our country. The men and women he lead and fought with will always remember his selflessness and war fighting spirit that will undoubtedly be passed on for generations to come. As an Army Ranger he helped rescue former Prisoner of War Jessica Lynch from an Iraqi hospital in 2003. Command Sergeant Major Barreras was the leader of the Army battalion that conducted the successful rescue of Lynch. He personally handed Lynch to another soldier to transfer her to the helicopter that evacuated her from the area. Without any hesitation, he then led the fight against multiple attacks in order to retrieve all 9 bodies of the other U.S. soldiers missing in action. We remember Command Sergeant Major Barreras and offer our deepest condolences and sincerest prayers to his family. I am heartsick for their loss and my words cannot offer adequate consolation. Everyone in our great country owes Command Sergeant Major Barreras and his family a debt of gratitude for his selfless sacrifice and courage. It is vital that we keep our men and women in uniform who are in harm's way in our thoughts and prayers. I call on my fellow colleagues and all Americans to remember, on this Memorial Day weekend, Command Sergeant Major Barrens and his fellow fallen comrades--those who have paid the ultimate price.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the National Defense Authorization Act, which we will vote on today. The act supports a strong national defense and gives our men and women in uniform the tools and resources that they need to do the often- dangerous jobs that we ask them to take on. Southern Arizona is home to Fort Huachuca, the 162nd Wing of the Air National Guard, and a strong defense industry, all of which are vital to our Nation's security. We are also the proud home of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the A- 10 Thunderbolt. This heavily armed plane we call the Warthog may be ugly, but it flies slow and low and provides close air support and protection to our troops like no other aircraft we have today. This bill includes a provision I offered with my Republican colleagues, Representatives Hartzler and Scott, to keep the A-10 flying. It passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Armed Services Committee. Today, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this critical legislation for our servicemembers and their families and the security of our Nation.

Mr. BARBER

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

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this important bipartisan amendment that will provide additional funding to support the VA Office of Inspector General. This will help provide the oversight and accountability that is currently needed in the VA. As we all know, recently, allegations of a secret waiting list at the Phoenix VA health care system may well have led to the preventable deaths of up to 40 veterans. I am appalled and infuriated to think that the VA ignored the needs of those who served our country and forced them to wait months to see a doctor. We have demanded that the VA Secretary address these allegations of falsified records, preventable or premature deaths, mismanagement, and other systematic problems in the VA; but more must be done. We must quickly get to the bottom of this and bring about swift action to prevent a reoccurrence, so that our veterans get prompt access to the best possible care that they so richly deserve. The amendment we are introducing will provide the necessary resources to the VA inspector general that he or she will need to investigate these horrendous allegations and provide the public and the grieving families the answers they deserve. Once the investigation is completed, those who are found responsible should be quickly held accountable. We must restore our veterans' trust in the VA health care system, so that our men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country can finally get the care they have earned. As the son of a veteran and a Member of Congress representing 85,000 veterans, Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, so we can find the answers and take action to hold the VA accountable.

Mr. BARBER. I yield to the gentlewoman from Arizona.

Mr. BARBER. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. BARBER. I want to thank my colleague for cosponsoring this important bipartisan amendment. Congressman Runyan understands very well, I think, that we have to have a commitment in order to make sure that we do the right thing by our military. Mr. Chairman, we are in difficult times. There is no question we are in times when the budgets are constrained, but as we draw down our forces from war in Afghanistan and shift our strategic focus to the Pacific, reducing Active Duty personnel and equipment across the services, there is absolutely no doubt that we must reevaluate where we are in terms of the Department of Defense's infrastructure. However, this does not mean that we should take on another round of Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC. Our military installations across the Nation have a profound impact on the families of the communities that support these installations. In my district, for example, we have two installations--the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Fort Huachuca. Both the communities of Tucson and Sierra Vista have storied histories that go back over eight decades in support of these installations. They have become inextricably linked, with the bases and the cities growing and prospering together. Mr. Chairman, while sequestration and the current fiscal outlook demand that we make prudent decisions about spending across the government, now is not the time for another costly round of BRAC. The 2005 round of BRAC cost our taxpayers money, and we have yet to see any savings from it. It doesn't seem prudent to start another one while we are still looking for savings. Our military communities, including those in southern Arizona, cannot afford the uncertainty of another round of BRAC. Again, I want to thank Congressman Runyan for his leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Ryan budget proposal, which would balance the budget on the backs of seniors, middle class families, and students. We must balance the budget, but this is the wrong way to do it. The Ryan budget would destroy the Medicare guarantee for Arizona seniors I work for and for seniors across this great country. It would implement a voucher system and ask seniors and future retirees to pay more. Prescription drug costs would increase by nearly $1,200 a year, and Medicare premiums would soar. This is just plain wrong, Madam Speaker. I stand today against the reckless Ryan budget plan because it undermines the promises we have made to our seniors, it hurts middle class families, and it would slash funding for students who want to go to college. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand with me in opposition to this irresponsible budget.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of the Electronic Proving Ground (EPG), located in my district at Fort Huachuca in Southern Arizona. The Electronic Proving Ground (EPG) is the Army's C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) developmental tester under the Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC). C5ISR is one of the major components to Cyber Command and is absolutely essential to understanding and controlling the battlefield of the 21st Century. The mission of EPG is to plan, conduct, and analyze the results of technical tests for C5ISR systems and Electronic Combat (EC)/Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment for the Department of Defense, other federal agencies and private industry. Southern Arizona is home to an incredible array of national security assets and our community in Southern Arizona does all we can to support our defense industry, military installations and veterans. It is only fitting to mark and celebrate this important event. Situated within a bowl-like valley enclosed by mountains more than four thousand feet above sea level, the Electronic Proving Ground is an open-air testing range that offers more than nine thousand square miles of land protected and free from outside electromagnetic interference. The terrain and vegetation of EPG is varied, with mountains, desert, and woodlands providing a unique and unparalleled opportunity for testing technology in a multitude of environments. Fort Huachuca also possesses 970 square miles of restricted airspace that is used for airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Electronic Warfare systems testing. Combined, these assets help to create the nation's premier testing environment and community. In 1954, the Army's Chief Signal Officer realized the incredibly unique environment located at Fort Huachuca for electronic and communications equipment testing and since then, EPG has been recognized as one of the best interference free environments in the nation, if not the world. I am proud to represent the soldiers, civilians, and contractors that support the Electronic Proving Ground. I wish them all the utmost success as they continue to support our warfighter with the best testing capabilities that come from sixty years of experience, intelligence, savvy, and skill. The Army, the Department of Defense, the United States and mankind have benefitted from the work performed at EPG, and we are forever grateful.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. I want to thank the gentleman for bringing us together tonight to talk about the importance of preserving and protecting Medicare Advantage. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the citizens that I represent all across southern Arizona--thousands and thousands of seniors who have come to rely on Medicare Advantage to keep them in their homes, to keep them well, and to provide them with the support that they so dearly need as they age in place. They live in communities all across my district, from Tucson to Sierra Vista, to Douglas, to Benson, to Bisbee, to Willcox, and to ``the town too tough to die,'' Tombstone. And I am determined to fight on their behalf to make sure that Medicare Advantage continues to serve them and does not disappoint the delivery of services by losing funding, as is proposed by the President this month. Medicare Advantage offers seniors and individuals with disabilities quality and affordable health care that they can depend on. And they depend on us--those of us who represent them--to fight for their right to continue this program. Medicare Advantage focuses on prevention and innovation. It is a proven fact that this program improves health outcomes and contains costs. Isn't that what we should be doing for our seniors and for everyone in America? But now, as I said, the President is proposing harmful cuts to Medicare Advantage. So let's examine what these cuts would mean if they go into effect. They will mean fewer benefits, fewer doctors, and less choice. This is wrong, and we cannot let it happen. I oppose these cuts, and I have called upon the President to reverse course and protect this critical program. For the people in my Second District of Arizona and for seniors all across this great Nation, there are over 390,000 Medicare Advantage enrollees or recipients in the State of Arizona alone, and it is working for them. They will attest to that, and they have to me. They have contacted my office in person and by phone, they have met with me in community gatherings all across the district over the last several weeks, and they have expressed their deep concerns that they will lose this valuable program that they have come to rely upon that keeps them well and keeps them in their homes. Before I came to the Congress and before I worked for Congresswoman Giffords, I administered a regional and then a State program for people with disabilities that focused on the same kinds of services that are provided to seniors and individuals with disabilities under the Medicare Advantage program--cost effective, in-home support, keeping people well, and preventing more illness. This makes sense. It makes sense for them, it makes sense for our country, and it makes sense for the appropriations that we are trying to protect in this Congress. I certainly urge the President to reverse course and stop these cuts. We cannot stand for it. I will not stand for it, and I will not back down until we are successful in reversing this impossible and irresponsible decision.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the women's economic agenda and to acknowledge Women's History Month. Women's History Month is a time when we pause to recognize the extraordinary contributions that women have made throughout our Nation's history. As a husband to my wife, Nancy, who is a leader in health care for women, as the proud father of two accomplished daughters, and as the grandfather of three girls with so much promise, I am absolutely committed to making our country's full range of opportunities available and a reality for all of America's daughters. That is why I introduced, earlier this month, the Women's Economic Bill of Rights, because all women have a right to equal pay and because all women have a right to fair treatment in the workplace and to economic and retirement security. The Women's Economic Bill of Rights is about standing up in Congress to make sure that we strengthen our commitment to advancing women's economic security for current and future generations. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this resolution because we know that, when women succeed, America succeeds.

Mr. BARBER

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

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 1459, the Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act. Under this bill, national monument declarations must include a feasibility study that assesses the costs to the Federal Government to manage the monument in perpetuity. However, costs of managing the monument are only one side of the equation. As all Arizonans know well, national monuments, like Chiricahua and the Casa Grande Ruins, also bring significant benefits, such as tourism dollars, that create jobs and stimulate local economies. These benefits are real. Travel and tourism is a major economic driver in Arizona, bringing in millions of dollars to the part of the State that I represent--southern Arizona--and billions of dollars in direct spending statewide. The same is true for national monuments all across the country. Communities near national monuments would testify to the economic benefits of their national monuments. My amendment is simple and straightforward. This amendment says that, in addition to assessing the costs associated with managing a monument, we should also look at the many benefits that result from the establishment of a national monument. Doing so will ensure that Congress and the American people have a thorough and complete picture of how a monument will impact local communities. This is a commonsense amendment that will not add additional costs to the bill. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army Sergeant First Class William K. Lacey, or Kelly, as his family wants him to be remembered, who was killed in action on January 4, 2014 after a rocket propelled grenade attack by insurgents hit his unit in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. He leaves behind his wife, Ashley, and his loving family and friends. Born at Eglin Air Force Base where his father, Master Sergeant John H. Lacey, was stationed, Kelly spent most of his childhood in Florida. He attended Niceville High School before joining the Army in 2003. While in the Army, he attended Meridian Community College and received an Associate Degree. Sergeant First Class Lacey was assigned to the F Company, 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Kelly was on his second deployment to Afghanistan, and he had already completed three previous deployments to Iraq: the first a 5 month deployment, the second a 14 month deployment and the other a year-long deployment. From April 2011 until March 2012, Kelly served in Afghanistan. From his earliest time in the Army, Sergeant First Class Lacey was considered a great soldier. Over his career he earned more than a dozen honors including three Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, two Afghanistan Campaign Medals with Bronze Service Star and two Iraq Campaign Medals with Bronze Service Stars. For his bravery in action, Sergeant First Class Lacey was awarded a Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device ``V'', two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart posthumously. We remember Kelly and offer our deepest condolences and prayers to his family. Everyone in our great nation owes Sergeant First Class Lacey and his family a debt of gratitude for his selfless sacrifice and courage. It is vital that we keep our men and women in uniform who are in harm's way in our thoughts and prayers. I call on my colleagues and all Americans to remember Kelly and the many others who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our freedoms and all that we value as a nation.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, due to a meeting with members of the House Armed Services Committee, I missed one recorded vote on March 6. I would like to indicate at this point how I would have voted had I been present for that vote. On rollcall No. 110, agreeing to the amendment offered by Mr. Nadler of New York to exempt from the bill any construction project for a nuclear facility planned in an area designated as an earthquake fault zone, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Anna Jolivet, a renowned and deeply respected educator in Tucson, Arizona who passed away late last month at age 85. Ms. Jolivet retired from the Tucson Unified School District as an assistant superintendent in 1989. But she continued to have influence in our community as a civic activist and supporter. Ms. Jolivet was born in Tucson and grew up in an era when Tucson elementary and high schools were racially segregated. In 1950, she was one of three African-American women to graduate from the University of Arizona, where she received bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education and a doctorate in education administration. She served her community primarily as an educator--but also as a community advocate and cultural leader. She served as a member of the boards of directors for numerous local, regional and national organizations. Ms. Jolivet was the first African-American woman to be appointed principal of a Tucson Unified School District school. And in 1996, she was the first African-American woman to be named Woman of the Year by the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Jolivet was a founding member of the America-Israel Friendship League's Tucson chapter and of the Educational Enrichment Foundation. Anna and I founded the Educational Enrichment Foundation in 1983. The Foundation continues to serve children attending Tucson schools. In 2010, the Educational Enrichment Foundation honored Ms. Jolivet with its Ray Davies Lifetime Humanitarian Achievement Award for her involvement in programs and institutions that promote quality education and serve Tucson's youth. On March 1, Ms. Jolivet will be honored by the Tucson Urban League at its first annual Equal Opportunity Day Awards Dinner--an event that will be held to remind the Tucson community that the greatness of our country rests upon the principle of equal opportunity for everyone. This principle was the foundation in which Anna served the children of Tucson and our community at large. I am proud to recognize Anna Jolivet--an outstanding citizen of Tucson who has left a strong legacy that we celebrate today.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 60th Annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show--the largest gem and mineral exhibition in the United States and an event that has set the standard for such shows around the world. The show, which will be held this year from Feb. 13-16, has been hosted for the past six decades by the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society Inc. The show began as a club show and today is dedicated to presenting extraordinary mineral, gem, fossil, lapidary and jewelry exhibits that provide a rare window into private and museum collections from around the world. The theme of this year's show is ``60 years of Diamonds, Gems, Silver and Gold'' and will feature a display of diamonds from the Smithsonian Institution. As a result of interest generated by this long-running show, dozens of satellite shows have proliferated throughout the Tucson area-- bringing with them gems, minerals, fossils, meteorites and other items from around the world. This weeks-long collection of events has become known as the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase and attracts thousands of participants, enthusiasts and buyers from across the globe. During the showcase, Tucsonans and visitors find everything from rare diamonds to boxes made of petrified wood. There are dinosaur skeletons, loose stones, jewelry, African art, beads, polished stones, minerals and gifts of every description. None of this would have happened without the vision and the hard work by members and volunteers of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society Inc., which remains dedicated to promoting the study of earth sciences. I am proud to recognize the organization and its members including President Diane Braswell and Vice President John Callahan. Its other officers are Marilyn Reynolds, Ellen Alexander, Alrene Hibben, Madison Barkley, Mark Marikos, Bob O'Donnell, Mark Ascher and Robert and Elaine Royer. The chairman of this year's show is Paul Harter. I am proud to recognize the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society Inc. on the occasion of its 60th Annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, which next week will host the 60th annual Tucson Gem and Minerals Show. This show began as a small club gathering, and over the past six decades, it has grown to set the standard for other such events around the world. This year's show will be held from February 13 through 16 with the theme ``60 Years of Diamonds, Gems, Silver, and Gold.'' As a result of the interest generated by this long-running event, dozens of satellite events very much like it have proliferated throughout the Tucson area. These feature gems, minerals, fossils, meteorites, and other items from around the world and are known as the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase. These events bring an estimated $100 million to southern Arizona. None of this would have been possible without the work of the volunteers of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society. I am proud to recognize this long-time Tucson tradition and this great organization and the economic benefits it brings to my district.

Mr. BARBER

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I am opposed to the bill in its current form.