Mike Coffman

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, we are remiss in our duty to reintegrate those who served in our military into the civilian workforce. The awful truth is that 16.7 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan servicemembers face joblessness upon separation. To help address this problem, I am introducing the Veterans Employment Act of 2012, which will require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to hire all qualified veterans before considering other applicants. The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, has a workforce of 318,856 civilians, only 32 percent have actually ever worn the uniform. Increasing the amount of veterans they employ, while decreasing the amount of unemployed veterans, is a commonsense policy that benefits everyone. The number of claims for veterans' disability benefits that take more than 125 days to complete has reached 560,000 unresolved cases. The VA claims backlog is leaving too many disabled veterans waiting an average of six months to receive the disability benefits they have earned. Worse, the Integrated Disability Evaluation System, IDES, designed to make the transition from wounded warrior to veteran status more efficient, averages 394 days to process each veteran. Broadening the presence of veterans working for the VA will ultimately make the organization more responsive to the needs of our veterans. Having served in both the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps, I understand the strong bond of compassion shared between veterans of all uniforms and across all generations. There is a common culture, terminology and expectation of care among military personnel and veterans that have proven to be uncommon to civilians who struggle to connect with them. A dramatic increase in the number of veterans working at the VA is one solution to the systemic inefficiencies that have plagued the department and the reason I am introducing this bill. My bill will require the VA to consider all qualified veterans for a job. If the VA determines none of those candidates meet the qualifications, only then may they consider non-veteran candidates. The VA will still be required to submit an explanation to the Office of Personnel Management for all veterans passed-over, in accordance with current regulation. No qualifications for employment will be changed or reduced. Requiring the VA to explain their hiring decisions introduces greater transparency into the process. I look forward to working with my colleagues from both parties to fulfill our commitment to veterans by recognizing their increased value for employment in the VA.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize and pay tribute to First Sergeant Hector Sotorodriguez United States Marine Corps, on the occasion of his transfer from the United States Marine Corps House Liaison office back into the Fleet Marine Force. First Sergeant Sotorodriguez has served our great Nation for many years, earning many decorations and awards. I, and many other members of this chamber, have had the pleasure of working with him over the past two and a half years that he has served as part of Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs, OLA, Fellow and as the Senior Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge of the House OLA liaison office. First Sergeant Sotorodriguez distinguished himself through exceptional meritorious service while serving as the Senior Staff Non- Commissioned Officer In-Charge of the Marine Corps House Liaison office. Every day he served in direct support of not only the Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs but in direct support of every member of Congress, every Marine and every American. His keen abilities in organization, interpersonal relationships, and communication were extremely critical to the successful accomplishment of the Marine Corps mission. His achievements and ability to get the job done have been understated but always effective and noteworthy. While serving in the Liaison office, First Sergeant Sotorodriguez was able to develop and execute legislative strategy for the United States Marine Corps. This strategy was instrumental in creating a shared understanding between congress and the Marine Corps, allowing leadership the ability to train and equip the Nation's most elite fighting force, ensuring their success on the battlefield. He routinely turned broad guidance into action which energized the Office of Legislative Affairs and members of Congress alike. His actions allowed the Marine Corps to engage members of Congress and their staffs, directly facilitating the increased emphasis on improving Congressional relationships--a cornerstone of the CMC's strategic vision. Throughout his service he consistently demonstrated his expertise and knowledge by providing timely and accurate information to the Congressional Members and their respective staffs. First Sergeant Sotorodriguez was a vital asset for all matters relating to the Marine Corps in the House of Representatives. Members and staffers alike respected and trusted First Sergeant Sotorodriguez's straightforward and dependable assistance. His forthrightness and knowledge were key attributes in maintaining the Marine Corps' superb relationships with the many Members of the House of Representatives. Throughout his tour, First Sergeant Sotorodriguez personally responded to, or supervised hundreds of congressional inquiries, some of which gained national level attention. Through his exceptional inter-personal skills, broad knowledge in a wide range of military affairs, and personal efforts he assisted the Director, Marine Corps Liaison Office, in gaining the Members' support and trust on critical issues. First Sergeant Sotorodriguez's has contributed immeasurably as a member in the Marine Liaison Office here on Capitol Hill and to the Marine Corps as a whole. I wish him well in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,907,138,660,280.97. We've added $5,280,261,611,367.89 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,874,859,322,768.40. We've added $5,247,982,273,855.32 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment. On this day in 1947, President Harry S Truman signed the National Security Act, creating the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We must balance the budget to ensure proper funding for organizations that keep us safe.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

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

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I too rise in support of Mr. Perlmutter's comments in relationship to our own Aurora Police Department, as well as all the other law enforcement entities that have helped in this terrible tragedy. I now yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Gardner).

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. 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 House Concurrent Resolution 134.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tipton).

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, we can never explain nor fully comprehend evil, but last Friday we were reminded of its existence. The face of evil emerged when a cold blooded, calculating mass murderer trapped unsuspecting movie patrons packed in a darkened theater in my hometown of Aurora, Colorado. Today, on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, we pause to again remember the victims of this horrendous crime and to honor the courage of so many who put their own lives at risk to limit the carnage. The victims who lost their lives in the early morning hours of last Friday are: Veronica Moser, age 6; Alex Teves, age 24; Jessica Ghawi, age 24; Alex Sullivan, age 27; Matt McQuinn, age 27; Micayla Medek, age 23; John Larimer, age 27; A.J. Boik, age 18; Rebecca Wingo, age 32; John Blunk, age 26; Jesse Childress, age 29; Gordon Cowden, age 51. Aurora is a proud suburban community, mostly of working class and middle class families, who share basic American values, the values of hard work, and of faith in God, and of family. My family came to Aurora, Colorado, in 1964 when my father, a career soldier, was sent to Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center for his last assignment in the U.S. Army. Back then, Aurora was just a small town surrounded by three military bases. In the 1970s, Aurora transitioned away from being a military town, although it still has an Air Force base. Aurora has grown to become the third-largest city in the State of Colorado, with a population of over 300,000 residents. Aurora has also grown to become the most racially and ethnically diverse city in the State of Colorado. Aurora has received the ``All-American City Award'' by the National League of Cities in recognition of being a community whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and for having achieved uncommon results. A couple of weeks ago, I was at a meeting with the Aurora Board of Realtors where Mayor Steve Hogan was speaking. He proudly informed the audience that Aurora was ranked as the eighth-safest city of its size in the country. No doubt we are still in shock and trying to understand why this happened to our community. The theater where so many lost their lives and where so many were injured lies in the heart of our city. The vacant ground beside the theater has been designated by our city's planners to be the future site of the City Center. Aurora will never be the same after this horrific act of evil that occurred last week, but the citizens of Aurora are caring and resilient, and a long process of healing has already begun. We will stand together and come back stronger than before this attack. When I think of all the victims of this tragedy and how much our community has suffered, I am reminded by a refrain from a hymn that I have often sung in church: And He will raise you up on eagle's wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, Make you to shine like the sun, And hold you in the palm of His hand. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,882,491,122,065.69. We've added $5,255,614,073,152.61 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our Nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,877,234,078,986.00. We've added $5,250,357,030,072.92 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. To the gentleman from Washington, I believe that this certainly does not disallow us to maintain rotational forces in Europe. There is no provision within the NATO Charter that requires the United States to maintain a permanent military presence in Europe.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. To the gentleman from Washington, there is no requirement where we have to maintain a permanent military presence in Europe.

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

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Chairman, the Cold War ended more than two decades ago, and the Iron Curtain and the Soviet Union no longer exist. While the United States is spending 4.7 percent of our economy on defense, only 4 out of 28 of our NATO allies are spending even 2 percent of their economy on defense. Our allies in Europe have drastically reduced their national defense spending because they take for granted that the United States will continue to be the guarantor of their security. Now it is time for our NATO allies to provide more of their own security and not be so reliant upon the United States. We face difficult budget challenges here at home. The resources that we are currently spending on maintaining a military presence in Europe are needed to meet much more significant security challenges elsewhere. The Pentagon has recently stated that the American military presence in Europe is a diminishing priority and has proposed removing two combat brigade teams in fiscal year 2013. This bipartisan limiting amendment to the Defense appropriations bill will force the Department of Defense to follow through with withdrawing two brigade combat teams from Europe and will deny the ability for the Pentagon to reverse this decision later. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,874,046,715,877.56. We've added $5,247,169,666,964.48 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our Nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,884,155,929,632.05. We've added $5,257,278,880,718.97 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,875,734,673,516.05. We've added $5,248,857,624,602.97 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment. On this day in 1945, President Harry Truman, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the opening of the Potsdam Conference. We must balance the budget so that we may continue to meet and lead other great world powers.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,876,457,645,132.66. We've added $5,249,580,596,219.58 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment. Today marks the 150th anniversary of the authorization of the Medal of Honor by Congress. We must balance the budget so that we may continue to honor properly those who have served this country valiantly.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, on the 208th anniversary of the fatal wounding of Alexander Hamilton in his duel with Aaron Burr, it is $15,879,266,313,073.20. We've added $5,252,389,264,160.12 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,879,266,313,073.20. We've added $5,252,389,264,160.12 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment. On this day in 1951, armistice talks began for ending the Korean War at Kaesong. We must balance our budget so that we have the resources to engage in peace talks.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, the Supreme Court's decision to uphold President Obama's health care reform law has reinforced the need for Congress to repeal and to replace this law. No doubt, health care reform is important. Today, health insurance is far too expensive, and health care reform should lower costs and broaden access without compromising the quality of care. I support tax incentives to help individuals buy health insurance, high-risk insurance pools for those affected with preexisting conditions, allowing small businesses to band together for the purchase of health insurance so that they can get the same discounts that large corporations receive, and medical malpractice reform to help bring health care costs under control by curbing the unnecessary and costly practice of defensive medicine. Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to act, to show the American people that we can accomplish meaningful health care reform without crippling the economy and bankrupting our Nation.

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado

Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 $15,879,528,608,975.11. We've added $5,252,651,560,062.03 to our debt in just over 3 years. This is debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.