Christopher Gibson

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the opening of the Ulster County Patriots Project in Kingston, New York. The Patriots Project, which will open on July 2, addresses an issue that plagues many of our veterans, including many in my district--homelessness. Once open, the Patriots Project will provide eight clean and safe rooms, two of which will be handicap-accessible, for Ulster County homeless veterans as they work through the many challenges confronting our veteran population. I also rise today to thank Ulster County Executive Mike Hein and all the leaders from across Ulster County who made the Patriots Project a reality. I was honored to join with leaders from across the region who wrote letters of support and leveraged a variety of governmental programs to fund the program. Moreover, Mike, his team, and volunteers from across my district donated their time, resources, and expertise to ensure that this noble project came to fruition. On behalf of the people of New York's 19th Congressional District, I thank them.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GIBSON. First of all, let me begin by recognizing my friend, Chairman Wolf, for his long and distinguished career in public service--a role model for all of us. Let me say also how impressed all of us are with the teamwork of Chairman Wolf's and of Ranking Member Fattah's in putting together this piece of legislation. I am giving it my highest endorsement here. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment about an issue that is of grave concern to us in upstate New York, which is of the heroin and opiate epidemic that is going on. From the stories I have read, this is actually an issue across our country. I will note that the Governor of Vermont spent the time in his State of the State to address this issue. We certainly have to do more on this score. I have convened meetings in which I have had an opportunity to listen very carefully to district attorneys, to law enforcement professionals, to medical professionals, and to the families of those affected. Without any doubt, we are going to have to do more to address this issue. I see it in three basic categories. One is doing more on prevention. The second is enforcement. The third is treatment. Treatment is handled in the Labor-HHS bill, and I look forward to our addressing that in the weeks to come. Tonight, we can address prevention and enforcement. I do want to commend the committee, and I do want to read of some specific areas of the bill in which the committee, I think, has done great on this issue. In DEA Language: Prescription drug and heroin abuse--the committee is extremely concerned about the continued threat posed by prescription drug abuse, as well as about the resurgence of heroin abuse and overdoses that appear connected to the enforcement of laws against prescription drug diversion. The committee has included in its recommendation funding to support the enhancement of DEA's investigative efforts to deal with these growing threats and directs DEA to report to the committee no later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act on the numbers of actual and estimated heroin investigations in fiscal years 2013 through 2015, the amounts and street value of heroin associated with such investigations and prosecutions resulting from investigations. In the DOJ General Administration: Heroin--the committee notes with concern the increase in heroin abuse. The Department shall report no later than 90 days after the enactment of this act on potential ways to address this problem, such as prevention, law enforcement strategies, prescription drug disposal site expansion, and other evidence-based approaches. Then, finally, in Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force: Heroin--the recent surge in heroin use, overdose deaths, and trafficking volumes shows it to be one of the gravest problems now facing law enforcement and the drug treatment community. DEA noted in its 2013 threat assessment a trend of users switching to heroin from prescription drug abuse as one explanation for a rise in overdose deaths and warned that persons addicted to opioid prescription pills now find highly pure heroin easier and cheaper to obtain. The committee urges the Department to intensify its use of task forces to address this disturbing trend. I commend the committee for their work on this. I rise to offer an amendment to increase, by $4 million, the funding for the account that addresses the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. This will help our country--and my district in particular-- in dealing with high-level traffickers and gangs that are selling heroin and opioids. I think this will help. It will be part of an overarching strategy, and I think it synchronizes with the committee, so I urge my colleagues to support the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an exemplary constituent of mine, David J. Crawford, who throughout his lifetime in Columbia County, NY has contributed significantly to economic growth and our sense of community in my home county. David was born and raised in Germantown, where he played soccer, basketball, and the trumpet while working as a construction laborer in high school. After high school, he first began studying engineering at Columbia-Greene Community College, where he also was the 1st Trumpet in the College's first musical, ``The Music Man.'' He then continued his undergraduate studies at Clarkson University and began his Master of Business Administration at Pace University, before setting off to work as a land surveyor and engineer for firms in Missouri, Michigan, and Indiana. David returned to New York permanently in 1978 and founded Crawford & Associates Engineering & Land Surveying, P.C. in 1992. He is the current board President of the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, past president and treasurer of Friends of Clermont, board member of the Columbia County Historical Society and Columbia County Board of Supervisors' Airport Committee, and past president of the Columbia County Association in the City of New York. Beyond his significant business and charitable contributions to Columbia County and surrounding areas, David has made an indelible mark on our region through his character and personal relationships. I would like to again thank David for his life of service and business acumen that have immeasurably helped Upstate New York and beyond. It is no surprise to me, nor anyone else who knows him, that he continues to be recognized in a variety of ways, including winning the Columbia County Association in the City of New York 2013 Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award. Thank you David, and keep up the incredible work.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Bruderhof communities in New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Florida. This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of Woodcrest, the first Bruderhof community in the United States. Founded in 1920 in Germany, the Bruderhof is a Christian church community known for its exemplary contributions in education, care for the needy, excellence in business, and interfaith cooperation. Expelled from Germany by the Nazi regime in 1937, Bruderhof members initially found refuge in England and South America before settling in 1954 in Rifton, New York. In celebration of this anniversary, it's my honor to quote from Foundations of Our Faith and Calling, the Bruderhof community's constitution: Our life together is founded on Jesus, the Christ and son of God. We desire to love him, to follow him, to obey his commandments, and to testify in word and deed to the coming of his kingdom here on earth. Our faith is grounded in the Bible, the authoritative witness to the living Word of God. Through the Holy Spirit, we seek to be guided in all things by the New and Old Testaments. We hold to the teaching and example of the early Christians and affirm the apostolic rule of faith in the triune God as stated in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. We stem from the Anabaptist tradition, but feel akin to all who are pledged to full discipleship of Jesus. We recognize his power to work in all people, regardless of their creed or walk of life. Our calling is to Jesus, who calls all people to himself. Jesus sums up the nature of his kingdom in two great commandments: ``Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength,'' and ``Love your neighbor as yourself.'' Jesus asks us to live as citizens of his coming kingdom. We must prove our love to him in deeds, putting into practice his words in the Gospels, especially the Sermon on the Mount. His commands are practical: to forgive unconditionally; to renounce all violence; to stay faithful in lifelong marriage; to live free from wealth; to serve as the least and lowest; and to give up all power over others. To live for the kingdom of God leads to church community. God wants to gather a people on earth who belong to his new creation. Such a people came into being in Jerusalem at the first Pentecost. As described in Acts 2 and 4, the Holy Spirit descended on the believers who had gathered after Jesus' resurrection, and the first communal church was born. We are a fellowship of brothers and sisters, both single and married, who are called by Christ to follow him together in a common life in the spirit of the first church in Jerusalem. Our vocation is a life of service to God and humankind, freely giving our whole working strength and all that we have and are. If asked whether we are the one true church, we reply, ``No''--we are merely objects of God's mercy like everybody else. But if asked whether we experience the church as a reality in our daily lives, then we must affirm that we do, through the grace of God. We give all honor to God, knowing that our life together is nothing unless it is filled with his love and continually renewed by his mercy.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. I thank my friend and neighbor from New York. Madam Speaker, I am honored to be here today with my colleagues as we jointly pursue the effort to prevent sexual assault. I think this is something that really goes to the core of who we are as a people. I am reminded at this moment of some of our ideas at the very founding, inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These inalienable rights come from God, but governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed to secure these rights. We have taken action here in this Chamber. We have worked together to do that. The Violence Against Women Act we passed a little over a year ago, and then the budget agreement that we enacted at the end of last year increased by $10 million. Certainly we need to do more than that, but we are taking some action. I want to highlight how that can make a difference right at the local level. These resources go towards education for law enforcement professionals and for conduit with the judicial system. It is also for shelters and for supporting infrastructure and health care networks. I am reminded of one of the visits my wife and I made recently to the Washbourne House in Kingston. That is the largest city in my district, the 19th district in New York, where I met with Michael Berg, who heads the Family of Woodstock shelters, and Cathy Moriarty, who actually runs the Washbourne House. Madam Speaker, this is really hard work. These victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, when they first show up at the doorstep of the Washbourne House, security, the most basic of human needs, that is their biggest concern, and for these leaders, providing that security and helping the family to be able to trust again; then, for basic needs, some of these victims come with children, and providing for them to get back into a sense of normalcy, to get them back into school, all the while, to help our victims to get back up on their feet and to be self-reliant going forward, these resources are just critical to support these programs. I am very proud of the work that is done there. I think it is illustrative of the kind of work that is done by very special people in our country all across our land. But there is more to be done, and there is an opportunity for us to do more. I am talking about, now, H.R. 3571. This is the International Violence Against Women Act, and this provides resources to help coordinate USAID and Department of State efforts about our funding programs to make them more effective as we work with our friends and allies across the world. I will tell you, this will not only help, I think, prevent sexual assault and bring more security, but it will also make us a stronger country. It will make us a stronger country, and it will bring us truer and in line with our founding principles. I argue that when we do that, on our best day, other countries want to be like us; and in that regard, it actually makes us safer as well. So I just want to thank the organizations that work with us on this effort. I am talking about a number of organizations, but I would like to point out Amnesty International, CARE USA, and Futures Against Violence. I thank them for their leadership on this issue. I thank everyone for being here today, and I thank my friend from New York.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the honorable and distinguished career of Army Chaplain Colonel Eric Olsen. I have had the distinct privilege of knowing Colonel Olsen since serving in the United States Army. Born in Staten Island, Chaplain Olsen entered the United States Army in December 1983 through the Pennsylvania National Guard. He completed the Chaplain Candidate Course in 1985 and was subsequently ordained by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1988. From 1988 until 1992, he led the parish at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Saranac Lake before going on Active Duty and serving tours of duty in South Carolina, Germany, Egypt and Fort Drum. Finally, he transitioned to the New York National Guard in 1999 where he remained throughout his career. Chaplain Olsen's long career has included assignments as Assistant Chaplain HHC 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Chaplain HHS 1-156 Field Artillery, Chaplain HHC 27th UEX, and the State Chaplain of the New York National Guard. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Chaplain Olsen deployed to Iraq, operating in the dangerous Sunni Triangle region. Serving as the Battalion Chaplain, his unit conducted combat and stability operations as a part of Task Force Hunter. During his notable career, Chaplain Olsen earned various awards and decorations including the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with bronze oak leaf cluster), Army Commendation Medal (with 3 bronze oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with 1 silver oak leaf clusters and 1 bronze oak leaf cluster), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 3 bronze oak leaf clusters), National Defense Service Medal (with 2 bronze oak leaf clusters), Multinational Force and Observers Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Combat Action Badge. Eric had a truly commendable career, of which he, his wife Susan Marie, and his two sons Garth and Evan should all be very proud. Notably, he made the difficult sacrifice of serving both the United States as well as the higher power of God. I would like to wish him and his family all of the best in his future service and retirement from the United States Army and New York National Guard.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Brad Roberts, who recently passed away. Mr. Roberts' impressive career will surely be remembered by all. As the sponsor of H.R. 1465, the STORAGE Act, I am a strong proponent of energy storage and have had the opportunity to get to know this industry and the individuals who comprise it. Brad Roberts was a leader in this industry, serving for decades as the volunteer Executive Director of the Electricity Storage Association, which advocates for technologies that make our electric grid more resilient, cleaner, more efficient, and less expensive. Mr. Roberts worked full-time as the Power Quality Systems Director for the Power Quality group of S&C Electric Company. Growing up, Mr. Roberts was a graduate of Pensacola High School and a member of the Pensacola Fighting Tiger Band. During this time he had the opportunity to march in the Inaugural Parade for President John F. Kennedy. He then earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida and was registered as a professional engineer. Mr. Roberts began his engineering work as a systems reliability engineer in the Apollo Lunar Module Program at Cape Kennedy, and amassed over 35 years of experience in the design and operation of critical power systems. These systems ranged from single phase UPS systems to medium-voltage applications. His career grew to include senior management positions and the publishing of several technical papers and journal articles. Throughout his life he held many leadership positions in various organizations. In addition to his roles at ESA and S&C, Mr. Roberts served as the Chairman of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power Engineering Society's Emerging Technologies Committee. He was also a member of the US Department of Energy's Electricity Advisory Committee, and the University of Florida's College of Engineering Advisory Committee. During his remarkable career, Mr. Roberts was honored with the 2004 John Mungenast International Power Quality Award, the 2009 Phil Symons Electricity Storage Award, and was also recognized as a Senior Life Member of IEEE. In closing, I know Brad Roberts will surely be missed by those who knew him or knew of him. His passing is a loss to the industry. I send condolences to his family and loved-ones on behalf of my own family as well as the people of New York's 19th Congressional District.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for coming forward with these moving tributes. I want to add to those my condolences, and those of my family. This is a very resilient Nation, and New Yorkers in tough times like these, we come together. Every day I have thousands of my constituents who ride these trains back and forth to provide for their families. I pledge my support and those of our district as we ensure that a tragedy like this is not repeated.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Master Sergeant Jon Jensen for his extraordinary service to the nation while serving in the United States Army for the past 25 years. His record of distinguished service includes tours in Kuwait, Korea, and a competitive selection assignment as a Congressional Legislative Liaison to the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve. As the 295th Ordinance Company First Sergeant while deployed to Kuwait in 2004 and 2005, he superbly integrated 110 cross-leveled Army Reserve Soldiers and 44 active duty Soldiers into one cohesive company. First Sergeant Jensen utilized his superb leadership abilities to provide command and control and health and welfare of his unit, despite their dispersal throughout the Kuwait area of responsibility. First Sergeant Jensen also assumed operational duties during this deployment and successfully established three ammunition holding areas and a theater amnesty program resulting in the company's ability to maintain and provide more than 74,000 short tons of ammunition in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom. During his tenure as the 303rd Ordinance Group Operations Senior Non- Commissioned Officer, MSG Jensen successfully ensured full munitions support for all U.S. and coalition forces on the Korean Peninsula during the Ulchi Focus Lens Korea 06 exercise. While serving as the 1st Brigade, 104th Training Division Operations NCO, MSG Jensen was hand selected by the Ordinance Corps Advisory Group to present a proposal to the U.S. Army Chief of Ordinance on recommended upgrades to the 89B (Ammunition Specialist) Military Occupational Specialty. While in this role, he also led the Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Command from last to first place in Division operational readiness in a span of only four months. MSG Jensen's military career culminated in his competitive selection as the Army Reserve's only senior enlisted Legislative Liaison. At this strategic level, MSG Jensen heavily engaged with key congressional leaders and key senior leaders of governmental and non-governmental entities. MSG Jensen supported numerous congressional hearings, frequent office calls, and countless Hill engagements with members of Congress and Army Reserve Senior Leaders. He spearheaded, organized, planned and executed the Army Reserve Congressional Staff Delegation to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin to showcase the capabilities of an Operational United States Army Reserve. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the grateful Nation, I join my colleagues today in saying thank you to Master Sergeant Jon Jensen for his extraordinary dedication to duty and service to the country throughout his distinguished career in the United States Army.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, as I rise in support of the bill, I thank the chairman, the ranking member, and all the members of the committee and the staff for their work. Our veterans deserve our very best effort, and it is simply taking too long to process these claims. We have got to do better. I believe this bill will take a step in the right direction. I also appreciate the leadership of this committee including one of my bills along with this bill. Since arriving here, I have been working on supporting our Vietnam veterans who have been exposed to agent orange. The chairman mentioned that if you served on the ground or in the river in the Navy, you get presumed coverage; but if you served just offshore, you don't get that presumed coverage. I believe that needs to change. I have the bill to do that. Until the time of such policy change, I believe the DOD and VA need to be better organized so that we can work this out on a case-by-case basis, which is what we are doing right now. The leadership was kind enough to include that bill in this effort. I think we are going to make a positive difference. I do want to give a shout-out to a couple of ladies in upstate New York making a difference, Carol Olszanecki and Susie Belanger, for the work that they have done on this, and we are going to continue to work it together.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the incredible work done by the Combat Paper Project in California, New York, New Jersey and across the globe in helping combat veterans transition into civilian life. Having served 24 years in the United States Army, one of my most profound responsibilities as a commander was to help my troopers readjust when we returned home from combat deployments and assist in their transition to civilian life after leaving the Army. Since retiring from the Army and becoming a United States Congressman, I have been proud to support the countless public and private sector groups, businesses, organizations, and individuals who are also dedicated to this mission of assisting our veterans. The Combat Paper Project is an outstanding example of this effort. Founded by artist and papermaker Drew Matott and Iraq War veteran Drew Cameron, this organization seeks to assist in the veteran's transition by turning the uniform of the soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine into a piece of unique art. Notably, this is a collaborative process with the veteran helping to make the transition, breaking down the uniform and personally turning it into a unique piece of art that captures their own interests or life experiences, made up of the fabric in which they served their country. I recognize the difficulty in finding ways to acclimate our uniformed men and women back to. civilian life. Combat Paper is a unique way to do so and I thank its founders, supporters, and participants for its success to date. I wish this organization continued success and I and my colleagues in Congress will continue to work alongside them in repaying these men and women who have sacrificed so much.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce for being named the winner of The Business Council of New York State's Chamber of the Year award. As the Representative of New York's 19th Congressional District, I have the great honor of working with the Otsego County Chamber and know first- hand the good work they do for Upstate New York. Each year, The Business Council Chamber of the Year Award is given to a Chamber of Commerce that displays a positive commitment to pro- business activities within their community and state. In awarding this honor to the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce, The Business Council of New York has recognized Executive Director Barbara Ann Heegan's leadership and the entire Otsego County Chamber's work on behalf of the business community. Their commitment to quality programs and services, fiscal responsibility and membership growth makes them an example for Chambers of Commerce across New York and across the Nation. In these tough economic times, it is more important than ever that we have strong organizations dedicated to economic growth. Located in Oneonta, N.Y., the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce works to improve the overall business climate in Otsego County and create an atmosphere which attracts investment by building a positive, forward-thinking business community through partnerships with government, individuals and private institutions. Of particular interest to me was the Otsego County Chamber's partnership with local education institutions. These efforts included coordinating with the SUNY Cooperative Ed Initiative to create a college intern program, developing a partnership with Broome Community College to provide courses to county residents, expanding networking opportunities for community members, and providing seminars and educational programs. At a time where unemployment is hovering around 8 percent but around 4 million jobs remain unfilled in the United States, it is more vital that job creators and educators work together to build the workforce our country needs to remain competitive on the international front. It is an honor to represent Otsego County in the United States Congress and I am proud to stand today in recognition of the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce. I look forward to continuing to work with Executive Director Heegan and her award-winning membership at the Otsego County Chamber to grow the economy and bring jobs to Upstate New York.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the generous staff, volunteers, and supporters of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Upstate New York/Vermont Chapter. On Saturday, September 28, in recognition of Blood Cancer Awareness Month, 1,000 walkers will gather at Siena College in Loudonville, NY for the chapter's Light the Night Walk. Participants have raised more than $200,000 to fund treatments that are saving the lives of blood cancer patients. I am delighted to formally recognize the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for its hard work, community spirit, and dedication to fighting cancer. By bringing people together at Siena and similar events around the country this month, the society is making great strides in its mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Blood cancer is the number three cancer killer in our country. Nearly 149,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed in 2013. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has invested almost $1 billion in research, contributing to the development of life-saving drugs. Since 1963, myeloma survival rates have more than tripled. Lymphoma survival rates have more than doubled. Leukemia survival rates have more than quadrupled. This movement is made possible by the friends, families, and co- workers of cancer patients who form fundraising teams around the Nation. These efforts culminate in inspirational evening walks in over 200 U.S. communities, including the Siena campus and the city of Burlington, VT. Last year the Upstate New York/Vermont Chapter raised $1.1 million, hosted 19 educational seminars, welcomed 300 attendees to monthly support groups, and disbursed more than $300,000 in patient financial support. I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to this organization for bringing the light of hope and caring to the dark world of cancer. May God bless and protect these good citizens and their loved ones.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, during my time in the military, I had the privilege of serving as an assistant professor of American Government at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The opportunity to educate young minds about our democracy, our Constitution, our exceptional way of life was one of the greatest privileges I ever had. The continuation of our Nation relies upon the engagement of an informed citizenry. In a time when education funding is being stretched thin at the Federal, State, and local levels, civics and history are often among the first subjects to be pared down or even eliminated. I'm proud of the work of my colleagues such as Representative Honda and Representative Cole and what they're doing to promote civic education. One of my own constituents, Jonathan Estrin from Columbia County, has been helping them. I'm proud of him, as well. Though it is the role of the State and local governments to establish curricula, I support Federal efforts to assist States and localities who wish to empower their students by civic education. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure future generations come to learn about our Nation's history and remain engaged as citizens.

Mr. GIBSON

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Chairman, I want to say to our chairman of the Agriculture Committee and to our staff, I deeply appreciate all the work on this farm bill. I am proud to have been associated with it. I will say to the gentleman from Georgia, who just moments ago cited data from about a decade ago and then a report from 2009, I acknowledge the challenges with the program. However, as the gentleman mentioned, a couple of developments that have occurred are, first of all, implementation that has occurred just several months ago that addressed the points that were made in an IG report, and also the fact that in the underlying language--and I will thank the chairman--we incorporated other measures that deal with transparency and clarification that were talking about unserved areas. So I would say to the gentleman, and I appreciate him very much, but I want to tell you that this program is really important to districts like mine. The FCC claims that there are up to 19 million Americans who do not have access to high-speed broadband. The place that I represent in upstate New York, we've got many communities that don't have access to high-speed broadband. A program such as this has been helpful and will be helpful going forward. I want to remind everyone--it is worth pointing out--that this is a loan program that is paid back with interest. This expanding broadband helps us not only with job creation, but it helps us with health care delivery, it helps us with education, and overall quality of life. I know that even in your own State this has been a program that has done some good, certainly needed reform, and has happened, reform has come about. What I would say to the gentleman is I appreciate his concern for the taxpayer, I share that concern, and believe that we have made significant progress with regard to transparency, efficacy in the program, and want to see us continue this program because we need to move forward and continue to--just as we did with electrification for this country--to see all communities have access to high-speed broadband. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Mr. GIBSON. At this time, I yield 2 minutes to my friend from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Mr. GIBSON. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBSON. How much time do I have, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. GIBSON. In order to demonstrate the bipartisan nature of this amendment, I yield 30 seconds to my friend from California (Mr. Garamendi).

Mr. GIBSON. I will yield in just a second. I will be happy to do it. Let me first yield 30 seconds to our acting chairman, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford).

Mr. GIBSON. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. GIBSON. I appreciate the debate here, but I will just end where I began. I think that there have been significant improvements that have been made over time. I appreciate both the chairman and the ranking member for allowing us to improve this program. This is a program that's going to particularly help small companies so that we can build out broadband. It will be good for job creation and good for rural America. It's going to be good for health care delivery, and it's going to be good for education. I urge my colleagues to defeat this amendment. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.