Mike Coffman

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Wayne Thompson of Denver, Colorado as he will be honored later this week by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Post #5061, for over 40 years of committed service to Colorado's neediest veterans. Wayne Thompson's is one of the exceptional stories of lifelong dedication to public service. Mr. Thompson enlisted in the Navy in 1951 and was stationed in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam over his four-year military career. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1932, Mr. Thompson began his career in public service in 1960 at the U.S. Department of Labor. While there, he worked on a task force dedicated to helping veterans find jobs. In 1974, Mr. Thompson was assigned to work in Denver and has called the Centennial State home ever since. Mr. Thompson served under multiple Governors of Colorado over the course of thirty years as a top advisor on veterans' health and employment issues. As a member of the VFW for nearly fifty years, Mr. Thompson played key roles in the establishment of numerous veterans' homes in Colorado, the funding of the Western Slope Military Cemetery, and the long-awaited construction of the new veterans' hospital in Denver. Mr. Thompson's commitment to veterans extended beyond his work in government. In 1972, Mr. Thompson co-founded the United Veterans Committee, a non-profit coalition of veteran service organization which advocates for veterans and their families in Colorado. From 1980-1990, Mr. Thompson served on the Colorado Board of Veterans' Affairs and from 1986-1990, he was its Chairman. He has also served on the board of the Fitzsimmons State Veterans Nursing home since its opening. Since coming to Colorado, Mr. Thompson has been a devoted champion of the state's veterans at every level and continues to work for the people of Colorado every day. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Mr. Wayne Thompson for his unwavering support of the veteran community in Colorado and a lifetime of public service.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,567,425,782.46. We've added $6,111,690,376,869.38 to our debt in 4 years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,932,605,798,305. We've added $6,305,728,749,392 to our debt in 4 years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,599,194,294.87. We've added $6,111,722,145,381.79 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,599,194,294.87. We've added $6,111,722,145,381.79 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a fellow Marine, Colonel Keil Gentry. After more than two years of service as the Marine Corps' Deputy Legislative Assistant to the Commandant, Keil will be assuming responsibilities as the Director of the Marine Corps War College. On this occasion, I believe it is fitting to recognize Colonel Gentry's distinguished service and dedication to fostering the warm relationship between the United States Marine Corps and the Congress. With over two decades of dedicated service to his country, Colonel Gentry has distinguished himself serving the cause of freedom across the globe. His service leading young Marines as a Battery, Battalion, and Regimental Commander, in garrison and in combat, is emblematic of the caliber of his character. Over the course of the last two years, Colonel Gentry has been instrumental to ensuring the Marine Corps' story is heard on the Hill. Known for his in-depth knowledge of legislative issues, personal warmth, and an ability to skillfully navigate Headquarters Marine Corps, Colonel Gentry worked long hours and through major surgery to ensure that Congress was armed with timely information on Operation Enduring Freedom, Marine Security Guards at our Embassies, and all other forward deployed Marine forces. Colonel Gentry could be counted on as a trustworthy source on Marine Corps Programs, be it the Joint Strike Fighter, the Amphibious Combat Vehicle, or the MV-22 Osprey. Moreover, his efforts helped this body properly recognize the contributions of the first African American Marines through the award of the Congressional Gold Medal in tribute to the Montford Point Marines. As Keil departs the Pentagon he will be heading just down the road to Quantico, Virginia. There he will be directing the Marine Corps' top level school, the Marine Corps War College. It is only fitting that an officer who has spent a career mentoring and training Marines should assume this great responsibility. Here Keil will interact with the Corps' senior leaders, those ready to assume vital commands around the globe. We can have no doubt that he will ensure they are well prepared for the duties they are about to undertake. Colonel Gentry's absence will be felt in the Congress and the Pentagon. I join many past and present Members in my gratitude and appreciation to him for his outstanding leadership and his unwavering support of the missions of the United States Marine Corps. I wish him and his wife, Jenny, fair winds and following seas as he continues to serve our great nation.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,084,158,233.57. We've added $6,111,207,109,320.49 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our Nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,094,608,381.03. We've added $6,111,217,559,467.95 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,116,336,111.15. We've added $6,111,239,287,178.07 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 381, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,116,336,111.15. We've added $6,111,239,287,198.07 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 383, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 385, I inadvertently voted ``yes.'' I respectfully request that the record reflect my corrected vote of ``no.''

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,126,867,888.58. We've added $6,111,249,818,975.50 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Last year, this body, in the FY13 Defense authorization bill, specifically prohibited the Department of Defense from using any taxpayer funds to purchase Russian-built Mi-17 helicopters for the Afghan Special Mission Wing. Our reasoning was simple: the Russian export company involved in the deal, Rosoboronexport, had an established track record for aiding our adversaries, having supplied both Iran and Syria with advanced weaponry in the years prior. However, despite our entirely reasonable objections to using taxpayer dollars to fund our enemies, the Department of Defense was intent on circumventing the will of Congress. The language of the bill prohibited the use of FY13 funding. DOD responded by using any unobligated FY12 funds, circumventing the will of Congress as expressed in a law we passed and the President signed. On June 16 of this year, DOD awarded a $553.8 million contract to Rosoboronexport for the purchase of 30 brand-new Mi-17 helicopters. Last month, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, released an audit of the Afghan Special Mission Wing, and their findings were shocking. The very first sentence of the audit reads: The Afghans lack the capacity--in both personnel numbers and expertise--to operate and maintain the existing and planned SMW fleets. Finding recruits who are both literate and have no known association with criminal and terrorist elements is incredibly challenging. The Afghan Special Mission Wing, or SMW, was stood up in July of 2012 in order to provide air support for Afghan Special Forces executing counternarcotics and counterterrorism missions, many of which are flown at night. Further complicating the issue is the fact that the pilots assigned to the SMW, less than 15 percent are qualified to fly with night-vision goggles. The vast majority of counterterrorism missions take place under the cover of darkness. My bipartisan amendment reduces the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund by $553.8 million, an amount equal to the contract DOD entered into with Rosoboronexport for 30 Mi-17 helicopters, and increases the Spending Reduction Account by the same amount. Frankly, my preference would have been to rescind the FY 2012 dollars that DOD used to circumvent the will of Congress and enter into this deal, but an amendment of that nature would be subject to a point of order. This amendment forces DOD to reallocate resources if they want to continue down this path. Mr. Chairman, I am not debating whether this helicopter is ideal for the rugged terrain of Afghanistan, or whether it is an easier platform for the Afghanis to train on and execute missions. There seems to be an overall consensus that, in fact, it is. My concern, and the reason I introduced this amendment, is that the United States taxpayer should not be paying for 30 brand-new helicopters when, A, they don't have the pilots to fly them; B, they don't have the trained personnel to repair them. In fact, SIGAR reports that only 50 percent of the current wing is airworthy due to a lack of maintenance; and, C, Congress explicitly prohibited DOD from entering into this agreement in the first place. Furthermore, the DOD is asking the American taxpayer to spend over $700 million a year to maintain these helicopters, and that spending is not scheduled to end in 2014 when we pull out our forces from Afghanistan. Additionally, the Pentagon just announced last week that the purchase of Russian-built Mi-17 helicopters will not end with the 30 they just purchased for the SMW. Their plan is to equip the Afghan Air Force with an additional 86 brand-new Mi-17s. If you consider that the cost of 30 helicopters was over $500 million, this new purchase will be well over $1 billion, and probably over $1.5 billion. This for a helicopter that the Afghans have proven they lack the personnel to fly and the capability to maintain. I urge my colleagues to support the Coffman-Garamendi-Murphy-Cohen amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,158,460,368.61. We've added $6,111,281,411,455.53 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we will mark the first anniversary of the mass shooting that took place in my hometown of Aurora, Colorado, in the early morning hours of July 20 of last year. We must never forget the names of those who lost their lives in this senseless tragedy: Matt McQuinn, Micayla Medek, Jessica Ghawi, Gordon Cowden, Jesse Childress, John Larimer, Jonathan Blunk, Veronica Moser-Sullivan, Alex Sullivan, Alexander Teves, Rebecca Wingo, and AJ Boik. Aurora was devastated in the aftermath of the shooting, but we have come together as a community in a demonstration of both strength and resilience, and tomorrow we will come together again to remember those who were lost last year.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,167,165,761.57. We've added $6,111,190,116,848.49 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,177,765,933.41. We've added $6,111,300,717,020.33 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Grandmaster Woong Kyung Kim of Aurora, Colorado. A Korean by birth, Mr. Kim, known affectionately as Bobby, became a household name in the world of martial arts as a teacher and a film star in the 1970s. Grandmaster Kim also occupied a peculiar but indispensable role in auxiliary to our armed forces from 1964 to 1979. Born in Seoul, South Korea in 1942, Grandmaster Kim began his service to the U.S. military while in college as a Taekwondo instructor for the Army's Second Infantry Division, stationed at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Mr. Kim taught the American troops in Korea while finishing his studies and shortly after he graduated in 1969, he came to the United States and began teaching the ways of Taekwondo to cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Mr. Kim ended his tenure with the Air Force Academy in 1979 but continues to share his knowledge of the Korean martial arts with pupils in Colorado to this day. Shortly after becoming an American citizen, Bobby Kim began an illustrious film career in 1975 and has been credited in 19 movies. Mr. Kim became a presence in the action and martial arts genre in both America and Korea over his career. Grandmaster Kim shared the screen with many great action stars during his career and even starred as the titular character in the 1989 Korean martial arts film ``Ernie and Master Kim''. Grandmaster Bobby Kim served as a role model and a community leader throughout his life. His unique service to our country is a testament to the American dream and we should all be proud to call him our countryman. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Grandmaster Bobby Kim for a lifetime of achievement with our military and on the big screen.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,188,365,630.03. We've added $6,111,311,316,716.95 to our debt in 4.5 years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,227,772,946.05. We've added $6,111,350,724,032.97 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $16,738,238,434,108.96. We've added $6,111,361,358,195.88 to our debt in 4 and a half years. This is $6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.