Paul Gosar

Mr. GOSAR

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

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer a simple amendment that will save taxpayers money and prevent HUD from hiring outside counsel. This wasteful practice has been utilized by the agency in the past to conceal questionable operations, stifle inspector general investigations, and limit overall transparency. Mr. Chairman, a recent report commissioned by Inspector General David Montoya revealed that the Philadelphia Housing Authority paid more than $30 million for outside legal services from April 2007 through August 2010. That is nearly $10 million a year in outside legal fees for one public housing authority in this country. The inspector general report stated: Alarmingly, the Public Housing Authority could not adequately support $4.5 million that it paid to outside attorneys during that period, virtually the entire limited amount we reviewed, raising questions about the propriety of the remaining $26 million in payments that we did not review. In addition, the Public Housing Authority made unreasonable and unnecessary payments of $1.1 million to outside attorneys to obstruct the progress of HUD Office of Inspector General audits. The Public Housing Authority also allowed an apparent conflict of interest situation to exist when it entered into a contract with a law firm that employed the son of its board chairman. Mr. Chairman, all of this fraud and abuse was revealed by investigating one-fifth of the spending of one public housing authority during a 3-year period. There are more than 3,000 other public housing authorities throughout the country. While not every public housing authority commits this type of abuse-- and to be fair, some are responsible stewards of the taxpayer dollar-- the bottom line is this is shameful and an unnecessary expenditure of taxpayer money. It is inexcusable and must not continue. The bill we are discussing here today provides nearly $100 million for the sole purpose of funding HUD's Office of General Counsel. As stated in the committee's report on the bill: It is the responsibility of the Office of General Counsel to provide legal opinions, advice, and services with respect to all programs and activities, and to provide counsel and assistance to the development of the Department's programs and policies. In addition to having their own counsel, HUD also has access to attorneys within the Department of Justice. There is no logical reason HUD should be spending millions of dollars a year on outside counsel. The inspector general agrees and has previously stated: We have been concerned for some time about the extent to which some to public housing authorities use outside legal counsel. I appreciate the inspector general for bringing forward this wasteful and fraudulent practice to the attention of Congress. I ask my colleagues to recognize the inspector general's recommendations and support this commonsense amendment. I thank the chairman and ranking member for their continued work on the committee. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the Sesquicentennial of the city of Prescott, Arizona. The city of Prescott was founded in 1864 as the territorial capital of Arizona. Shortly after President Abraham Lincoln appointed the territory's first governor, John A. Gurley, Prescott was selected as the site of its first capital because of its mild climate and access to valuable natural resources such as water and gold. In its 150 year history, the city of Prescott has been host and home to pioneers integral to both the story of Arizona and the United States. The city is recognized as home to the world's oldest rodeo where in 1888 local merchants organized the first professional ``Cowboy Tournament.'' It is also home to Arizona's first elected female official, Sharlot Hall, whose celebrated poem ``Arizona'' helped influence the U.S. Congress to admit Arizona and New Mexico into the Union as two separate states. Barry Goldwater launched his magnetic 1964 presidential campaign on the steps of the Yavapai County Courthouse; a campaign of principles that continues to influence political debate today. The city of Prescott embodies the spirit of Arizona, the spirit of a free and fiercely independent people, of pioneers who forged homes out of the desert and who continue to lead the community and state into the future. Congratulations on a momentous 150 years.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. I would like to speak on the amendment, and I yield to the chairman.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment which seeks to bolster an important program in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriation Act. This an amendment is fully paid for by cutting wasteful spending, and specifically takes $8 million from the office space for the Department of Justice bureaucrats in order to bolster the prescription drug monitoring activities. This program is the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. The gentleman, Mr. Rogers, is the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and he has spent years on the issue of combating prescription drug abuse in our great country. The problem is truly plaguing our streets, our youth, and our communities. Prescription drug abuse is contributing to addiction, health deterioration, and even untimely death amongst many of our friends and loved ones. Prescription drug abuse also fuels demand for other illicit drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamines, ectasy, and heroine, much of which flows over our southwest border and into my home State of Arizona, along with human trafficking, gunrunning, and murder. I have seen drug abuse all over my State, and I know I am not the only Member who has been affected by the rampant drug abuse in my community. As a dentist of 25 years, I am well aware of how easy it is and can be for doctors and patients to abuse the prescription drug system. With a background in chemistry and biology, I know how easy it can be for people, both young and old, to become addicted to these substances. The primary purpose of the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is to enhance the capability, the capacity, of regulatory and law enforcement agencies to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data through a centralized database administered by an authorized State agency. States that have implemented prescription drug monitoring programs can collect and analyze prescription data much more efficiently than States where the collection of the prescription information requires the manual review of pharmacy files. It is this body's duty, through the annual appropriations process, to evaluate which programs are worthwhile and which ones are not. We must decide which programs should have their funding increased, which should be reduced, and which should have theirs zeroed out. It is not an easy job, but it is a job that each of us was elected to do. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has shown promising results, but we must not give up on it. It is easy to overlook these issues, but I think our families, our friends, and our future generations deserve it. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this amendment. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to stand with veterans throughout the country and offer a simple amendment that seeks to bolster funds in this act for the Veterans Treatment Court initiative. My amendment pays for this modest increase for this critical initiative by reducing funds for salaries and expenses from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives by $6 million. The Bureau's salaries and expenses were increased by $21 million from fiscal year 2014 levels, with a proposed appropriation of $1.2 billion overall on this bill for the agency. My amendment redirects funds from the bureaucrats in the mismanaged Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency of to a worthy treatment program for our Nation's veterans. Veterans Court promotes sobriety and recovery through coordinated local partnerships among community corrections agencies, drug treatment providers, the judiciary, and other important community support groups. Veterans Treatment Courts have been extremely successful since they were first created in 2008 by a Buffalo judge to combat the growing number of veterans appearing before the court who were addicted to drugs and alcohol, as well as suffering from mental illness. Many of our Nation's heroes returning from combat are traumatized due to the associated violence and pressure of war and often cope with such feelings with substance abuse. They need focused treatment and a helping hand, and these courts provide such an avenue. The alternative to funding the Veterans Treatment Court initiative is jail. I think we would all agree that providing treatment for our veterans through a community partnership at the local level is a far better option. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the passage of my commonsense amendment and this worthwhile program. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment which seeks to bolster a critical law enforcement program within the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. That program is the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, also known as Byrne-JAG. My amendment is fully paid for by cutting unnecessary spending elsewhere in the bill. Specifically, the Office of Justice Programs, Research, Evaluation, and Statistics budget was increased by $4.25 million from the FY14 levels. This amendment takes that increase and redirects those funds to the Byrne-JAG Grant Program to bolster law enforcement nationwide. As we all know, one of the Federal Government's core responsibilities is to secure the peace. The government establishes a National Guard and a standing military for security purposes, but it can also assist local law enforcement with funding, critical information, and joint efforts between local, State, and Federal officials, or any of these combined. My home State of Arizona, in particular, has some serious issues and needs when it comes to law enforcement. Being that Arizona shares an international border with Mexico, we have seen increased amounts of illegal trafficking operations--from noncitizens to illicit drugs to illegal firearms. I believe the Federal Government, in conjunction with State and local law enforcement, has a duty to uphold the rule of law and to combat these activities in the best ways possible. My State of Arizona uses multijurisdictional task forces, or MJTFs. It also funds probation-based drug monitoring programs and other probation-related services, including drug courts, pro bono defense services, and other metrics-based programs aimed at curbing drug abuse. In the 2010 fiscal year, Byrne-JAG contributed to 58 worthwhile Arizona programs. This local investment assisted Arizona's 16 multijurisdictional drug task forces with arresting over 6,000 drug offenders. These same drug task forces seized over 847,000 grams of cocaine, nearly 50,000 grams of heroin, more than 200,000 grams of methamphetamine, over 300,000 pounds of marijuana, and more than 40,000 marijuana plants. Finally, and perhaps most satisfying, the combined efforts of these drug task forces and tandem prosecution resulted in over $23 million in forfeited assets. These Byrne-JAG programs nationwide have proven themselves worthy of sustained Federal resources. As a member of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, I will strive to keep American homes and communities safe by providing important resources to worthwhile law enforcement programs that protect local communities. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of my commonsense amendment. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. GOSAR

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

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer a multifaceted amendment to limit funds within the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to programs that are constitutional, appropriate, and sane. For the sake of time, I will just highlight some of the provisions within my amendment. My amendment protects Second Amendment rights and individual liberties. It does so by prohibiting a Federal firearm registry from being created with funds in this bill. Similar language has previously passed the House. I also want to bring the House's attention to some of the ludicrous studies that taxpayers have funded via the National Science Foundation. First, I appreciate the National Science Foundation's mission and its work. The National Science Foundation grantees and funds have been instrumental in advances in the Internet, astronomy, energy, chemistry, and many other important aspects of scientific scholarship; but, like our well-funded government operations, the bureaucracy begins to grow and proper oversight of the grant process begins to wane. In 2011, Senator Tom Coburn released a publication titled ``The National Science Foundation: Under the Microscope.'' In that document, he outlined a litany of wasteful, superfluous, and seemingly idiotic studies, some of which I will outline here. There was a study on human reaction to popular baby names. There was a $580,000 grant to study racial preferences in online dating. There was nearly $1 million in multiple grants to study how rumors are started. There have been nearly two decades of grants awarded to a certain panel in which the National Science Foundation has granted about $60 million. One of the panel's studies covered how much housework a man creates for a wife in his household. There was a $90,000 grant to study the relationship between a researcher and their online avatar in virtual worlds and differences in their behaviors. Since 2000, grants provided by the National Science Foundation have been used to study crustaceans running on tiny treadmills after being exposed to different microbes. These little shrimp were also given tiny backpacks to weigh them down, so researchers could study test variables such as weight and resistance. In 2011, the lab said it planned to build treadmills and create studies for lobsters and blue crabs as well. This amendment would prevent these types of abuses. There was a 2009 grant disbursed to the tune of $300,000, to study how humans ride bicycles. There was another $300,000, which actually came from the stimulus funds, that was disbursed to a married couple to travel to seven countries around the world to study stray dogs in an effort to discover how dogs became man's best friend. Sounds like a heck of a honeymoon to me. Possibly the most ridiculous grant highlighted by Senator Coburn's report was a National Science Foundation grant to support a robot rodeo hoedown. Let me repeat that: a robot rodeo hoedown. I would like to point out how laughable it was to my staff to work with legislative counsel to define what a hoedown is for the purpose of this amendment. The project involved programming small robots to dance to ``Chicken Coop Shuffle,'' but I suppose the event wasn't a total loss. It produced hundreds of YouTube views. I want to, again, thank Senator Coburn and his staff for producing these reports that shed light on these issues. My amendment will not prohibit all future ridiculous taxpayer-funded studies, but hopefully, I can take part in shedding a little bit of light of those that are the most egregious. The hope is that those people awarding these moneys wake up and use a little more discretion with hard-earned taxpayer money, but I have a feeling I will be back here next year offering a similar amendment. I urge passage of this commonsense amendment. I reserve the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment which seeks to correct a serious injustice against U.S. citizens and the United States Constitution. As many of us learned from the intelligence disclosures last year, the Federal Government is engaged in a wide variety of surveillance practices. These practices, though mostly focused internationally, also encompass domestic communications on a regular basis. I hear many in the executive branch--and the legislative branch, no doubt--making excuses as to why this happens or how that is not all that bad, but I say that it is. It is an absolute violation of our basic civil liberties and the Fourth Amendment. I could go on and on about the different practices that violate our Constitution and the trust of the people, but my amendment focuses on one simple statute, one simple statute I believe almost everyone will agree needs to be changed. Section 2703 of title 18, U.S.C., United States Code, allows the Federal Government to obtain your personal emails in your email account if they are 180 days or older. It is essentially a carte blanche authority to do so. What is it about a piece of email being 180 days old that suddenly makes it the business of the government? What is it about a piece of email being 180 days old that suddenly makes it no longer your property? After 6 months, are those emails suddenly a threat to national security? Moreover, if these personal emails do discuss plots against the Nation, in many cases it is a little too little, a little too late to do anything since the government is 6 months behind the ball. I do not know anyone who can make a legitimate argument to keep this provision of law. I know of no real justification. To put support for this amendment in perspective, I will point out that there are a handful of bills in the House that abolish or significantly alter this provision of law. One of these bills is H.R. 1847, introduced by my friend and colleague Congressman Matt Salmon of Arizona. The other is H.R. 1852, introduced by my friend Congressman Kevin Yoder of Kansas. If you add up all the Republicans and Democrats cosponsoring these two bills alone, the number is 217, just about enough to pass this amendment. I can tell you that our constituencies certainly do not accept this gross violation of privacy and abuse of power. We saw a good bill in the U.S. Freedom Act get watered down and mutilated last week, which was a disgrace. I supported the original act because it made real reforms. I voted against the version that came to the floor because it extended section 215 of the PATRIOT Act for another 2 years. But can we not agree on this one simple change? Must the NSA or the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security have access to our emails that are several years old with no other justification than an arbitrary date? I think not. I urge passage of my commonsense amendment. With that, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chair, with the understanding that the chairman has given, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground and its Commander, Colonel Reed F. Young, Ph.D. The U.S. Army's presence in Yuma dates back to 1850, when Fort Yuma was constructed on a hill overlooking the Yuma crossing of the Colorado River. Soldiers at Fort Yuma maintained peace with the local Indians and protected the important Yuma crossing. That fort operated until 1883. In 1865, a second facility known as the Yuma Quartermaster Depot was constructed in order to supply Army posts throughout Arizona and western New Mexico. That depot was also closed in 1883, and the Army would not return to Yuma on a permanent basis until the Second World War. Beginning in 1943, the area was host to various bases, depots, and training grounds. In 1950, the mission of the facility changed drastically to become the nation's premier artillery testing site, hosting the longest overland artillery range in the country. The installation was renamed Yuma Proving Ground in 1963 during the reorganization of the Army. The Yuma Proving Ground has since been home to tests of long-range weaponry, the Apache Helicopter, M-1 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, rockets, mortars, parachute and airdrop technologies, global positioning systems (GPS), and even automobiles. The Yuma Proving Ground contributes directly to both America's national defense and its national economy. I must also thank and congratulate Colonel Reed Young, the Commander of the Yuma Proving Ground. He assumed command in May 2011. He leads over 2,700 military, civilian, and contractor personnel. Colonel Young is responsible for research and development of highly-advanced technologies valuable to the military, many of which also have civilian applications. Before taking command of the Yuma Proving Ground, Colonel Young served as a Program Manager and Chief of the Technology Integration and Outreach Division for the U.S. Army Research Office in Durham, NC. He is also a member of the Arizona State Council on the Education for Military Children that helps remove barriers for children of military families. He is always quite courteous to my staff and me each time we visit, taking time out of his day to interact with us. His service to our country is exemplary. On behalf of the State of Arizona, I want to recognize the Yuma Proving Ground for its rich history, and I want to thank Colonel Young for his hospitality and dedication to this nation.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Lake Havasu Marine Association on being awarded the 2013 Hollister Award for Outstanding Service in the Field Of Boating Safety. The Lake Havasu Marine Association (LHMA) has made impressive progress since it was founded over 30 years ago. I would like to specifically recognize their ``Pack it In, Pack it Out,'' ``Designated Operator,'' and Lake Havasu River Channel projects. The ``Pack it In, Pack it Out'' campaign was created in 2008 by the members of the LHMA and paid for by funding from private donors. Through this program, 150,000 trash bags have been provided to boaters each year. Over the span of four years, 450,000 bags have been distributed and over one million pounds of trash have been removed from the shorelines of Lake Havasu. The LHMA also assisted in the development of the ``Designated Operator'' campaign spearheaded by Carl Flusche, Vice Chairman of the Association. The aim of this campaign is to reduce the incidence of accidents and fatalities related to alcohol use on the Colorado River and Lake Havasu. One of the unique and innovative elements of the program is the creation of latex wristbands that are designed and purchased by sponsors and distributed to ``designated boat operators'' who have made a commitment to remain sober while operating a watercraft. Local businesses have sponsored the program and provide non-alcoholic beverages at no cost to those who have made this commitment. As the program continues to gain support among the boaters of Lake Havasu, it has also garnered national attention for its efficacy. Thanks to the leadership of Mr. Flusche and the innovative work of the Association, boating safety has improved and there has been a notable increase in the number of boaters taking charge of their safety and utilizing designated watercraft operators. Finally, the LHMA has supported boating safety by spearheading the Lake Havasu River Channel Project to deepen a channel through shallow delta sediments in a half-mile stretch on the upper side of Lake Havasu. The dredging project increased the channel depth from approximately two feet to four feet. It also marked the channel with buoys to alert boaters of the depth and created a ``no wake zone.'' This project will undoubtedly relieve congestion and increase boating safety. Congratulations to the Lake Havasu Marine Association for taking these steps to increase boating safety.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. The people's House has thoroughly documented Lois Lerner's trespasses, including her history of targeting conservative groups, as well as the rules and laws she has broken. In fact, there is a 443-page committee report supporting these allegations. We know that Ms. Lerner refuses to comply with a duly-issued subpoena from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and without Ms. Lerner's full cooperation, the American public will not have the answer it needs from its government. My friends across the aisle have continuously cried foul over this legitimate investigation; but where is their evidence to put this issue to rest? Let me say that I do not enjoy holding any Federal official in contempt or pursuing criminal charges because doing so means that we have a government run amuck and a U.S. Attorney General who does not uphold the rule of law. Such a predicament is a lose-lose situation for all Americans and our Constitution. As uncomfortable as it may be, it is our job to proceed in the name of government accountability. I support this resolution, and it is way past time for contempt for Lois Lerner.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, on April 24, 2014, I was honored to speak at the dedication of the new John M. Roll United States Courthouse in Yuma, Arizona. I joined former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Senators McCain and Flake, Mayor Nicholls of Yuma and others at the ceremony. I was able to take a tour of this new courthouse and it is remarkable. It is filled with natural light and the carpets look like an aerial view of Yuma County's agricultural fields. It's fitting that this impressive U.S. Courthouse is named after an impressive man, one who dedicated his life to justice and to upholding the rule of law. U.S. District of Arizona Chief Judge John Roll, who was killed by a gunman at Congresswoman Giffords's event outside Tucson in 2011, served Arizona and our nation honorably for four decades. He was a wise and gracious man, who not only talked the talk but walked the walk. I hope that all those who work in the courthouse in the years to come will honor the legacy of Chief Judge Roll by executing the law with Lady Justice in mind: impartially, fairly and objectively--just as Chief Judge Roll did.

Mr. GOSAR

Mr. GOSAR. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. GOSAR. Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GOSAR. Madam Chairwoman, I rise today to speak in favor of my simple and straightforward amendment. My amendment would reduce funding to the United States Botanic Garden to the levels appropriated in fiscal year 2014. That money would then be transferred to the Spending Reduction Account so that we could take one more step towards reining in Federal spending. I would be the first to say that I appreciate the Botanic Garden and its beauty. I believe it is a good program, and I am personally interested in botany. But Members of Congress are often faced with difficult choices, especially given our current fiscal crisis. There are programs that are constitutionally mandated, and other programs that are nice but are not constitutionally mandated. This is one program that is nice but cannot be immune from the fiscal pressures facing our government. While the Botanic Garden is a wonderful attraction, Congress must seek to limit excessive spending in the name of getting our fiscal house in order. No line item can be overlooked in making these assessments and decisions, including our own office budgets, as we have demonstrated. Madam Chairwoman, so many families are tightening their belts during these trying economic times. Congress must do the same and make cuts where it can. I am concerned that the Architect of the Capitol has proposed over $5.1 million in new capital projects at the Botanic Garden this year. Rather than making minor repairs to a few small leaks in the roof, the Architect of the Capitol is proposing to tear down the entire roof and replace it with something called a new vegetative roofing system. At a time of soaring deficits and with the Federal debt in excess of $17 trillion, such expenditures are especially wasteful, and we shouldn't be wasting precious taxpayer money on a new, state-of-the-art vegetative roofing system. My proposed amendment is a fair cut. It does not gut the program but merely rolls back the appropriations back to 2014 levels. My amendment still allows for almost $2 million in new capital projects and repairs to take place in fiscal year 2015. A note about vegetative roofs. They are usually at least twice the cost to install and require a much higher maintenance cost, and in some cases have unintended consequences by attracting wildlife into urban areas, as an example, geese. I ask each Member to vote in favor of the Gosar amendment. Madam Chairwoman, I yield back the balance of my time.