Jeff Denham

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Madam Speaker, first, I would like to extend some thanks to Chairman Gowdy and Ranking Member Lofgren, not only for giving me the privilege and the honor to speak before their Subcommittee on Immigration yesterday, but as well to have conversations in my district and to have conversations in my State with a number of constituents that are affected by our immigration policy. This is something we have to act on now. This is something for which we need to make sure we've got a top-to-bottom approach. It is an issue on which Republicans and Democrats can actually come together that is vitally important to our economy and to the greatness of our country: making sure that our border security is actually secure, not only with a fence and greater law enforcement, but by actually redeploying the security technology and surveillance equipment from Afghanistan; making sure that we've got the internal security as we move forward--an E-Verify system--making sure that we can actually verify the jobs within our communities so we can address not only jobs, but the high unemployment in so many areas; making sure that we actually have a temporary worker program so that we can address our ag economy. Let's make sure that we have a top-to-bottom approach. So I ask that this body address this in a bipartisan fashion.

Mr. DENHAM

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

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, it is crucial in this time of limited budgets that we transfer funds from those programs which are either duplicative or ineffective to the highest priority uses for the Department, such as maintaining readiness and taking care of our personnel. With that in mind, I have introduced a limiting amendment to prohibit the Department of Defense from using funds to implement the Trans-Regional Web Initiative. This program consists of a series of general news Web sites that cater to foreign audiences. The Department requested $19.7 million to continue this effort during fiscal year 2014. An April 2013 GAO report found that the TRWI program lacks meaningful performance metrics and is poorly coordinated with other U.S. Government public diplomacy programs. I want to put this $19.7 million in perspective. With this money, the Army National Guard could have retained 2,000 soldiers of the 4,000 it has been forced to reduce from its end strength due to budget cuts. That is 2,000 guardsmen who could be supporting our active component, responding to natural disasters, or securing our border. Instead, that money is going to Web sites providing entertainment news and lifestyle advice to the Balkans and Middle East. It is important to remember that the United States already spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year in providing quality, independent journalism overseas through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. In fact, every week, more than 203 million listeners, viewers, and Internet users around the world engage with U.S. international broadcasting programs which are completely separate from the duplicative and expensive TRWI program. How can we possibly justify unnecessary and ineffective, duplicative measures by the Department of Defense? How can I tell someone in my district that he was furloughed but that we found the cash to pay for an article about the plight of child actors in Turkey? Our colleagues in the Senate have already acted. The Senate Armed Services Committee found that the costs to operate the Web sites are excessive, that the effectiveness of the Web sites is questionable, and that the performance metrics do not justify the expense. I want to thank Citizens Against Government Waste, Taxpayers for Common Sense, and the Project on Government Oversight for their support on this amendment. Mr. Chairman, in this time of limited Federal resources, we cannot afford to continue wasteful programs like this. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, I will just end by saying that this is another attempt to cut waste. Give the Department of Defense the flexibility to retain our personnel. 2,160 National Guardsmen, to be exact, could be saved and retained by cutting this amount of waste. As well as having Citizens Against Government Waste, the Senate has shown great wisdom in this particular instance in coming together with us and cutting this type of waste. I think this is a great opportunity to really show that we support those brave men and women by retaining those positions. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge a group of patriotic Republican women who, 60 years ago, established the Tracy Republican Women, Federated, for the benefit of like-minded women, to educate and inform themselves and others. It is an honor to congratulate them on their 60th Anniversary. Over the years, club members have contributed countless hours volunteering for candidates who support the principles and core values of the Republican Party. The group has registered hundreds of new voters and reached out to educate the community on the Republican Party's beliefs. In addition to being club members, many of the women have also served in the community as members of the board of California Federation of Republican Women (CFRW), as well as the San Joaquin Board of Supervisors, San Joaquin Board of Education, City Council, Tracy School District, and Republican Central Committee. They have also participated in activities such as Relay for Life, sponsoring needy families at Christmas time, and supporting our troops both financially and by sending care packages have been personally created by the Tracy Republican Women, Federated. Tracy Republican Women, Federated has looked to the future by providing scholarships for young Republican women to help them continue to fight for the freedom that is so dear to us all and pursue their educational endeavors. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating with the Tracy Republican Women, Federated and the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead in their efforts to fulfill their vision for the future. Congratulations on their work the past 60 years. I wish them every success in their continued endeavors in support of our nation, its freedom, and its history.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate Chairman Kline and the committee's work on this important reauthorization. Consolidating programs and replacing them with flexible grants is the right way to ensure that States and school districts are able to respond to the specific needs of their communities; however, the Federal Government has a unique and important trust obligation to the Native American population in this country. This trust obligation means that support for Indian education programs should be handled separately from the traditional grant programs that support disadvantaged students. Only by maintaining a separate title can we ensure that there's a dedicated funding stream that meets the needs of Native children. I thank Mr. Young for offering this important and revenue-neutral amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support both the underlying legislation, as well as this amendment.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Marine Corps' Colonel Adrian W. Burke, who retired today after many years of decorated service. Col. Burke is a native of Deer Park, Texas. He earned his commission in the United States Marine Corps as a Distinguished Naval Graduate from Texas A&M University where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree majoring in Marketing in 1984. Col. Burke has served as a Logistics Officer and a North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia Regional Specialist. He has commanded at the platoon, company, battalion and regimental levels, leading troops into combat during nine campaigns. Furthermore, he commanded a reinforced logistics company that supported Regimental Combat Team One during Operation Desert Shield and Task Force Papa Bear during the invasion of Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm. He commanded a reinforced logistics battalion during the initial invasion of Iraq in support of the 1st Marine Division. Col. Burke returned with his battalion for a second OIF deployment to support Regimental Combat Team 7 during the expansion of combat operations into the western Al Aribar province of Iraq. Col. Burke holds three Master's degrees. In 1992, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in International Business from National University, San Diego, CA, where he was a Leadership Scholarship recipient. In 1999, he earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, Newport, RI; he was recognized with three research and writing commendations. In 2006, he earned a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy with a concentration in Supply Chain Management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, DC; he was recognized as a Distinguished Academic Graduate and received a research and writing award for logistics excellence. Col. Burke is a CTL, Certified in Transportation and Logistics by the American Society of Transportation and Logistics. He is a certified graduate of the Georgia Tech Professional Program in Supply Chain and Logistics. He is a graduate of the Marine Corps' School of Advanced Warfighting, a masters-level program that refines decision-making skills in complex environments. Col. Burke is also an Honor Graduate of the Marine Corps' Amphibious Warfare School. The United States Marine Corps' Colonel Adrian W. Burke assumed command of the San Joaquin region Defense Logistics Agency Defense Distribution Center in July, 2010. His previous assignment was acting as the Director of Logistics for U.S. Forces Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. Col. Burke's personal decorations include: the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals, and three Combat Action Ribbons. His unit decorations include: the Presidential Unit Citation, four Joint Meritorious Unit Awards and two Naval Unit Citations. Col. Burke is married to his wife of almost sixteen years, the former Miss Traci Ann Patterson of San Diego, Calif. They have four children; Jimmy, Susie, Kadie, and Ellie. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Colonel Adrian W. Burke for his honorable service to our great Country.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Pearl Harbor survivor Walter R. Gorr, who passed away on July 8. Staff Sergeant Gorr served the United States of America honorably and earned a Bronze Star. Mr. Gorr was born in Shell Lake, Wis., on July 4, 1918. He was living in Tracy, California at the Astoria Gardens care facility following a long illness. In addition to serving in the United States Army, Mr. Gorr was a member of Mount Oso Masonic Lodge, the Order of the Eastern Star, the Tracy American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts and several other organizations. He was a proud member of the First United Methodist Church. Mr. Gorr leaves behind a son, Darrell Gorr, and his wife, Sherry, of San Jose; a daughter, Linda Hahn, and her husband, Mark, of Ladera Ranch; and two grandchildren. Preceding his death were his wife of 61 years, Dorothy Gorr, who died in 2008, three brothers and five sisters. Walter R. Gorr was a retired Tracy High School teacher but is probably best known as Tracy's last Pearl Harbor survivor. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Walter R. Gorr for his accomplishments and contributions. He will be remembered as a highly respected Tracy school teacher and for his efforts in bettering and developing services for veterans.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Modesto Regional Fire Authority Chief Gary Hinshaw, who announced his retirement after serving 35 years in the fire service. Currently serving as the Fire Chief of the Modesto Regional Fire Authority, Gary Hinshaw also serves as the Fire Warden and Assistant Director of Emergency Services for Stanislaus County. Prior to joining the County team in June 2002, Gary enjoyed a long-term career in the fire service starting as a wildland firefighter with the United States Forest Service in 1973 on the Stanislaus National Forest. His first full-time position as a firefighter was with the Modesto Fire Department, beginning on November 21, 1978. He remained in that position for two years and was promoted through the ranks; four years as a Fire Engineer, seven years as a Captain, four years as a Battalion Chief and nine years as a Division Chief. He was appointed Interim Fire Chief of Modesto Regional Fire Authority on April 20, 2012. During his career, Chief Hinshaw has championed the concept of a close and effective working relationship between the fire service and the pre-hospital medical community; he served as the Chair of the Stanislaus County Emergency Medical Care Committee. Chief Hinshaw's assignments within the Office of Emergency Services have included: Chair of Stanislaus County Domestic Terrorism Task Force, President of Stanislaus County Fire Chief's Association, Operational Area Coordinator for the Stanislaus Operational Area Council, Stanislaus County Mutual Aid Coordinator, Operational Coordinator for Stanislaus County Arson Task Force, Region IV Representative to Cal EMA Standardized Emergency Management, Administrator of the Homeland Security Grant Programs, and Manager Stanislaus County Emergency Operations Center. Chief Hinshaw has been involved in numerous instructional opportunities within the community, including instructor at Modesto Junior College Fire Science Program, County Public Information Officer Training, Weapons of Mass Destruction for First Responder Agencies, Incident Command System/Standardized Emergency Management System, High Rise Strategy and Tactics, and Strike Team Leader. Chief Hinshaw has been recognized by his colleagues with many awards and accolades. He is well respected on a state and local level in the fire service and CalEMA arenas. Chief Hinshaw is married and has a daughter, a son-in-law and a grandson. He is active in his church and enjoys photography, boating and the outdoors. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending the outstanding contributions made to fire service and Stanislaus County by Modesto Regional Fire Authority Chief Gary Hinshaw and hereby wish him continued success in his retirement.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the rich heritage of Our Lady of the Assumption of the Portuguese Church as they celebrate 40 years of worship and friendship in Turlock, California. Our Lady of the Assumption of the Portuguese Church in Turlock is the most recent of Portuguese national churches in the United States. Its origins go back to a small church blessed and dedicated on Monday, June 11, 1973. With the influx of thousands of Portuguese immigrants to California in the 1800s, after the eruptions of the Capelinhos volcano in 1957-1958, the stage was set for the development of a new parish with a clear mission to Portuguese immigrants in the Central Valley of California. Although relatively young, Our Lady of the Assumption has a rich history, shaped by several important events in the second half of the 20th century. In the 1960s Father Manuel Vieira Alvernaz, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Turlock, invited two young Portuguese missionaries to stay in his parish and minister to the Portuguese community. The two, Fathers Ivo Dinis Rocha and Jose Carlos Vieira Simplicio, officially began their ministry on March 1, 1969. One of the first things the missionaries noticed was that the Portuguese youth yearned for places of belonging and meaning; they reached out to the young by forming a youth group in 1969. On June 1, 1972, 12 individuals acquired the original five acre property at 2602 S. Walnut Road. This became the site of the Portuguese Cultural Center and eventually, the home of Our Lady of the Assumption of the Portuguese Church. On June 11, 1973, the chapel of the Portuguese Cultural Center was dedicated and blessed; this is considered the beginning of the parish of Our Lady of the Assumption. On June 22, 1973 the Feast of St. John the Baptist was celebrated for the first time. The first parish festival in honor of the Patroness Our Lady of the Assumption took place on Sunday August 19, 1973, i.e., the third Sunday of the month. In 1975, the Portuguese Cultural Center purchased an additional five acre parcel to accommodate growth and expansion. The parcel was purchased for $38,000. Escrow was closed on March 25th and corresponded with the Feast of the Annunciation of Blessed Virgin Mary by the angel St. Gabriel. A large parish hall was built in 1984 and has become the gathering place for many beautiful celebrations including weddings and receptions. In September of 1982, Father Rocha invited Father Richard Forti, who was also campus minister at Stanislaus State College, to celebrate a Sunday Mass in English and serve as a part-time youth minister and confirmation coordinator. By welcoming Father Ford, Our Lady of the Assumption was opening itself to the larger Church and society. The Sunday Mass in English at 9 a.m. would become a magnet attracting members from neighboring parishes and from non churchgoers in the area setting the stage for future conflict and growth. By 1986, approximately one thousand people participated at Sunday Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption in both languages. Over the years, the church continued to grow from the original five acre parcel consisting of a small house, garage and chicken coop. In 1992, plans were started for a new church. With the help of over 2,000 donors the new church was consecrated on August 16, 1998. The property now includes 18.2 acres with two community halls, two houses, three soccer fields, the original chapel, and the new church. Our Lady of the Assumption maintains a strong presence among the sick in the Central Valley with a team of 20 ministers who visit local hospitals. In July of 2006, with the leadership of Margaret Santiago, Michaleen Klee and Father Manuel Sousa, the parish embraced Stephen Ministry. A team of 11 trained listeners, with over 50 hours of classroom instruction and on-going supervision, are available to accompany people suffering from depression, loneliness, isolation and difficult life transitions. Parishioners and non-parishioners alike have benefitted from this competent, faith-based, extended hand of friendship and prayer. Currently, the parish roster contains 1,300 families, approximately 85% with Portuguese surnames. Sunday Mass attendance is over 1,000 in the winter months, with 60 percent of Sunday participation being in English services and 40 in Portuguese. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating with the Our Lady of the Assumption of the Portuguese Church in Turlock and the tremendous opportunities that lay ahead in their efforts to fulfill a vision for the future. Congratulations on the past 40 years, and I wish them the best success in the years to come.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Mr. Harold A. Peterson III, President/Chief Executive Officer of Community Hospice, Inc. who is retiring after 18 years of outstanding service to the Central Valley. Community Hospice, Inc. is a non-profit, standalone Medicare Certified hospice headquartered in Modesto, with a branch office in Stockton, and a 16 bed inpatient facility; the Alexander Cohen Hospice House is located in Hughson, California. Community Hospice provided compassionate care to over 1800 patients last year and 260 patients on a daily basis. Beyond medical and nursing care; the organization provides bereavement support to those in the community who have lost a loved one. Additionally, Community Hospice operates six Hope Chest Thrift Stores, a logistics and recycling center, a durable medical equipment division, and the Community Hospice Foundation, which raises additional funds to support the hospice mission. Prior to coming to Community Hospice, Mr. Peterson worked for 23 years in a Fortune 500 food manufacturing company. Harold has held positions from front line supervision to Senior Vice President of Distribution; a position he had held the last seven years. In addition to a busy work schedule, Harold has a history of active involvement in the community. Following is a partial list of his participation: 17 year member of Modesto Rotary, Past Chair of the Stanislaus County Economic Development Company, Past Chair of the Stanislaus County Private Industry Council, Past Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties, Past member of the Board of Directors for the Hughson Chamber of Commerce, Past Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Stanislaus County, Past member of the Board of Directors of the California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA), Past Chair of the Tri Valley Credit Union, and graduate of the 1990 Modesto Chamber of Commerce Leadership Modesto. Most recently, Harold has been a Supervisory Committee Member of the Community Trust Credit Union. Harold has received many acknowledgments for his volunteer work, which include receiving the Hughson Business Man of the Year award in 2008, J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award in 1995 and the United Way President's Award in 1994. Harold and his wife, Kathy of 42 years have three grown sons, and with their wives, five grandchildren. The Peterson family lives in Modesto, California. They enjoy playing golf and travelling in their motor home to visit family and friends. Harold is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War and holds a Bachelors Degree from the University of San Francisco in Organizational Behavior. Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending Harold A. Peterson III after numerous years of selfless service to the betterment of our community.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. I rise to offer my amendment.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak on behalf of my amendment to authorize the enlistment in the Armed Forces of undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. under 15 years of age, who entered the country on or before December 31, 2011, and who are otherwise qualified for enlistment. This amendment will also provide a way for this group of undocumented immigrants to be lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence by reason of their honorable service and sacrifice in the United States military. As a Nation, we have never made citizenship a requirement for service in our Armed Forces. Half of the U.S. military enlistees in the 1840s were immigrants, and more than 660,000 military veterans sought naturalization between 1862 and 2000. Mr. Chairman, I have worn the uniform. I have served with many immigrants in Desert Storm and Somalia. My uncle and godfather served with immigrants during Vietnam. My grandfather and grandmother served in Korea, where Europeans were encouraged to sign up for the United States military. Filipinos from 1947 to 2000 were encouraged to sign up and serve in the military. This is one opportunity for those that have gone to school here, that have graduated from high school, that are in our communities, to show their ultimate support for this great Nation and are willing to sacrifice in support of our country. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM. In addressing his concern about the cost of this bill, it is yet to be defined. It's something that we will need the administration to define the cost of, as we would with any bill that goes through the appropriations process. We look forward to working not only with the gentleman from California on the amendment, but certainly working with the administration to define an unknown cost that we are realizing today.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).

Mr. DENHAM. I look forward to working with the gentleman, but at this time I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENHAM. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz- Balart).

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. DENHAM. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman).

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, let me just finish by saying the precedence is here. Legal permanent residents are already serving in our military from American Samoa, from Micronesia, from Palau. We have a long history of over 660,000 immigrants serving in our military from other countries. This seems like something that should be a bipartisan, commonsense way to address this problem, allowing people to not only be able to serve in the military, that great opportunity that they have, but, ultimately, the ultimate sacrifice, giving your life for a great country like this. With that, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Blue Diamond Growers on the opening of its Turlock Plant. This dedicated business is assisting in bringing economic vitality back to the region. Blue Diamond Growers is a pioneer in almond processing and manufacturing. The company produces snack almonds in various flavors, nut-based crackers, almond milk, and packaged almonds for cooking and baking. Since its founding in 1910, Blue Diamond has grown to become the world's largest almond processing company. It currently consists of more than 3,000 California almond growers that produce more than 80 percent of the world's almond supply. Blue Diamond Growers has led the development of California's almond industry from a minor domestic specialty crop to the world leader in almond production and marketing. The almond is currently California's largest food export and America's number one specialty crop. In 2013, the almond crop is expected to exceed two billion pounds valued at six billion dollars. To continue to meet the demand for this California crop, Blue Diamond Growers has expanded its production facilities beyond its Sacramento and Salida plants. As of June 18, 2013, it will open the first phase of a three-phased project to develop a high quality, food-safe processing facility in Turlock, California. This new facility will bring much-needed jobs and economic growth to the region. Phase one, alone, is expected to create over 300 new jobs in the area. Blue Diamond Growers has continuously shown its commitment to maintain the highest standards of responsible growing and production in the California region. Mr. Speaker, please join me in praising Blue Diamond Growers for their diligent work in the almond industry and applauding them in the opening of their Turlock plant.

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 130, I missed a vote on H.R. 291, the Black Hills Cemetery Act (Noem, R-SD) because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. DENHAM

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 3.

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the chairman for the time to express my views on H.R. 3, which will generate numerous benefits to the Nation and its economic growth. This pipeline will create American jobs, enhance our energy independence, and strengthen our national security. I am proud to say that I'm a cosponsor of this legislation because it represents a significant opportunity to create jobs and spur economic growth in our country. Furthermore, this bill will help the Nation become more energy independent. According to the Department of Energy, the pipeline will transport 830,000 barrels per day of oil from Canada to the gulf coast, totaling nearly half of our current daily imports from the Middle East. This bill makes these numerous project benefits a reality. What this boils down to is breaking through bureaucratic hurdles and making this project a priority. The southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline has already been approved, and this bill finishes the job, allowing construction of the northern route of the pipeline to move forward. This bill also ensures that the environment and its historic resources are protected, through the 5 years of studies that have already been completed on this project. Indeed, this has been the most studied project in our country's history. It also ensures that the project's routing through Nebraska, the primary objection with the permit when it was denied in 2012, is the route chosen by the people of that State. Simply put, as President Obama said regarding the southern route, this bill ``cuts through the red tape.'' The project is the most extensively studied and vetted pipeline project in the history of this country. Given the nearly 5 years of study and review of the Keystone XL project--with four State Department environmental impact statements and over 15,000 pages of publicly released documents--we know the ins and outs and all about this pipeline. I believe in an all-of-the-above energy strategy, and this legislation is one piece of that puzzle to break America's dependency on overseas foreign oil. Finally, it is important to remember that this project will be built with private dollars and create thousands of private sector jobs. This project has passed through all three committees with bipartisan support, and I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation. I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, May 17, 2013. Hon. Bill Shuster, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman Shuster, I am writing concerning H.R. 3, the ``Northern Route Approval Act.'' As you know, H.R. 3 contains a section on judicial review, which is within the Committee on the Judiciary's Rule X jurisdiction. As a result of your having consulted with the Committee and in order to expedite the House's consideration of H.R. 3, the Committee on the Judiciary will not assert its jurisdictional claim over this bill by seeking a sequential referral. However, this is conditional on our mutual understanding and agreement that doing so will in no way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary with respect to the appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation. I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and would request that you include a copy of this letter and your response in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely, Bob Goodlatte, Chairman.

Mr. DENHAM. This is a very serious matter. Thousands of jobs, American jobs, are on the line. Energy independence is on the line. When is enough enough? Five years? six years? ten years? When will we utilize North American oil in North America? Mr. Chairman, I wish to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).