Duncan Hunter

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. To the extent that the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has jurisdiction over this issue, I look forward to working with the gentlelady from California to include her proposal to include cybersecurity as an element in facility security plans required under chapter 701 of title 46 because it is important, and we need to figure out who is the best at it, who can do it. It might not be the Coast Guard. It might not be the actual ports. It might be the Navy. I think it is important, and I look forward to working with you on the issue.

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

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).

Mr. HUNTER. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HUNTER. Yes, it is.

Mr. HUNTER. To the extent that these issues are within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I look forward to working with the gentleman from Alaska with respect to resolving the disposition of the assets associated with the Coast Guard LORAN stations in a manner satisfactory to the longest-serving member of the subcommittee and its predecessors.

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows).

Mr. HUNTER. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HUNTER. That is my understanding as well.

Mr. HUNTER. That is also my understanding.

Mr. HUNTER. To the extent that the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has jurisdiction over this property, I will work with the gentleman from Washington to convey the property to the city.

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. One thing that this bill does is not only does it inventory this property--or it would--it also works to reduce the Coast Guard's excess property in general. It requires the Coast Guard to conduct an inventory of all of its real property and to determine which property can be divested or consolidated to save taxpayers money and to give the land back to the municipalities and cities and counties in which it resides. This is not just a Coast Guard bill. As the ranking member spoke about--and the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Shuster, it is beyond the Coast Guard in that this bill is important because it deals with maritime transportation. A healthy maritime industry is vital to our national security. Throughout our history, the Navy has relied on U.S.-flagged commercial vessels, crewed by American merchant mariners to carry troops, weapons, and supplies to the battlefield. When I deployed on my second tour to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004 out of San Diego, I was in charge as the logistics officer of driving down all of our equipment with Humvees and our big battery cannons down to the local pier in San Diego. We then put this on a roll-on/roll-off boat. I made sure everything was the way it was supposed to be, and that is how all of our equipment got over to Iraq. This boat was driven--manned by American merchant mariners. It was not driven by the Navy or the Coast Guard, but by civilian mariners that do this for us; so I have a very close personal relationship, if you will, because all of the gear that we fell in on in Fallujah was stuff we had shipped over from San Diego to Iraq. During Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom, U.S.-flagged commercial vessels transported 63 percent of all military cargos, like mine, moved to Afghanistan and Iraq. Since we cannot rely on foreign vessels and crews to provide for our national security--let's say we relied on the Russians to move our military equipment like we rely on them to move our people and equipment into space--it is critical that we maintain a robust fleet of U.S.-flagged vessels, a large cadre of skilled American workers, and a strong shipyard industrial base. Let me go through what the maritime sector provides to our economy very quickly. The U.S. maritime industry currently employs more than 260,000 Americans, providing nearly $29 billion in annual wages. There are more than 40,000 commercial vessels currently flying the American flags on our waterways, and the vast majority of these vessels are engaged in domestic commerce, moving over 100 million passengers and $400 billion worth of goods between ports in the U.S. on an annual basis. Each year, the U.S. maritime industry accounts for over $100 billion in economic output, and these are not just port cities that get this. It is the inland waterways, the Mississippi, the Great Lakes, all of the different locks and dams throughout Pennsylvania and the Northeast, including the Colorado River. Those are places where the Coast Guard is hard at work and our maritime industry is creating jobs and keeping people's mortgages paid and food on their table. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to thank the ranking member, Mr. Garamendi from California. He was great to work with on this. We had some disagreements, but we agree on the majority of it. I would like to thank you for your support. It was great working with you, and we will do it more in the future. I would also like to take into account what Mr. Garamendi said about an icebreaker. America is the only Arctic nation with no icebreaker. We don't have one. China has them; Russia has them; Canada has them. Just about everybody else that has any Arctic in its sphere of influence has an icebreaker, except for the United States; meaning, if an American oil ship got stuck in the Arctic, guess who would bail them out? Our good friend the Russians, maybe our good friends the Communist Chinese. The Canadians, if we are lucky, will have a ship available so we can at least go with a free country if we had to get that ship out of trouble. We don't have an icebreaker. That is a travesty. Icebreakers are expensive, especially if you just buy one. They are about a billion dollars by the Coast Guard's account. There are other options to get an icebreaker. You can lease an icebreaker like you lease a car, and it can be operated by merchant mariners, the same ones that we have been praising. Talking about this bill, that is who could run this icebreaker. We are going to work on that, and that should be this subcommittee and this committee's crowning achievement is getting an American icebreaker on the high seas to support American industry and American seafarers in the Arctic. Number two, maritime transportation is more than just important to this country; it is what this country is all about. There is an old saying in the Department of Defense--and I was a marine, so let me just throw this out there--whoever controls the oceans controls the world. Now you can say whoever controls space controls the ocean, but whoever controls the oceans controls the world. America is surrounded by water for the most part. All of our trade comes in through the Pacific or the Atlantic. It is more than important. It is the most important thing out there that we make sure of two things: that we protect these trade routes on the high seas for goods coming in and out of this country; number 2, we have to secure our ports and coastline from drugs, from illegal immigrants, and, most importantly, from a weapon of mass destruction that might be smuggled to our shoreline and then detonated by one of our port cities. That is easier to do than it is now to fly an airplane and land in an American airport and set something off. It is also easier to do than it is to cross the southern border and sneak across with some weapon of mass destruction. It is easier to get a ship or a cargo container ship with a weapon of mass destruction off of an American coast than it is to get it into this country any other way. When it comes to maritime transportation, Americans are leading the way in making these ships. We just made in San Diego, a company called NASSCO, a shipbuilding company in San Diego just built or is in the process of building right now the very first liquified natural gas- powered ships. They are not container ships that carry liquified natural gas, LNG, but they are powered by it. They are the first ones in the world. They are being made here in this country. So we might not be able to make cheap ships as easily as nations that don't have the same labor laws or environmental laws, but we can still make the most technologically advanced ships in the world, and we are doing that today. Lastly, the Coast Guard, approximately 41,000 military personnel--and to my friends that say that the U.S. Coast Guard should be under Homeland Security, the Coast Guard is a fifth branch of the U.S. military. It is actually under DOD. So if we want to move it anywhere, I would say put it under the Armed Services Committee. Approximately 41,000 military personnel, 8,000 reservists, 8,500 civilian employees, and 30,000 volunteers of the Coast Guard Auxiliary comprise this adaptable responsive military force within the Department of Homeland Security. As one the Nation's five Armed Forces, the Coast Guard also is prepared to operate as a specialized service to the Navy in times of war or at the President's direction. The Coast Guard is instrumental to the security of our Nation and our maritime transportation system of this Nation which, both of those, are, in turn, the most important things that we can look at when it comes to the high seas and maintaining a robust economy and secure shores. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman, the ranking member, and the committee as well, for putting in H.R. 2463, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, that Congressman Walz from Minnesota and myself wrote. Basically, what this does is allow Americans to use Federal lands that they pay for in order to go out and shoot for sport at target ranges. With fewer ranges today, providing greater flexibility to States for the purpose of maintaining public shooting venues will go a long way to restoring recreational opportunities and promoting gun safety. In San Diego, there are no public ranges that we can use. We have to go to an indoor range or to someone's private ranch. There are no more public facilities. The Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act uses existing resources to allow Americans greater access to lands on which to safely practice recreational and competitive shooting. Shooting sports participants already provide significant support to conservation efforts through excise taxes on firearms and ammunition. Public shooting ranges will continue to serve the interests of families and communities, providing a safe place for target practice and instruction while also sustaining jobs and supporting local businesses. This is a great bill. I would urge my colleagues to support it because shooting--and shooting well--is an American tradition. You shouldn't have to join the Marine Corps to learn that.

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased and honored to rise today and join in the Centennial Celebration of one of the most committed, hard-working and influential groups in San Diego County, the San Diego County Farm Bureau. 2014 marks 100 years of leadership for this non- profit membership organization, founded with the objective to promote and protect local agriculture. Since 1914, the San Diego County Farm Bureau has served as the leading advocate for the farming community and works with elected officials, government agencies, educators, the media and the public to create an environment that allows for the continued growth and sustainability of local agriculture. The first formal meeting of the San Diego County Farm Bureau was held on February 20, 1914, at the Speckles Theater in San Diego where 383 family farmers paid $1 in dues to be eligible to vote on creating the organization. It was here that the San Diego County Farm Bureau became the third of 53 county farm bureaus formed in California. Judge W.R. Andrews of Spring Valley was elected as its first president and the Bureau's longevity can be directly attributed to a proud lineage of 51 presidents and legion of volunteers who have given unselfishly of their time in support of our local farming community. Mr. Speaker, there is no question that America's agriculture industry is steeped in tradition and was an integral industry upon which the economy and self-sufficiency of our young nation was built. America's ``agrarian republic'' represented the hope of new beginnings and many of our founding fathers believed the character of leadership and necessary virtue would be found in those who worked the soil, in those who invested their time and effort into the production of their crops both for their own existence and that of their community. James Madison extolled the value of connecting with one's land and it was Thomas Jefferson who said, ``Agriculture. . . is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness.'' While there was an initial debate on the long-term viability of agriculture's role in developing America's manufacturing base, our nation's productivity in this industry proved to be an immediate return on investment and indicative of the ability of the American people to thrive in any circumstance. As our nation grew, so did the importance of agriculture, particularly in California. Today, California leads all other states in farm income. With 73 percent of the state's agricultural revenues derived from over 200 different crops and 27 percent of revenues generated by livestock commodities, California is our nation's leader in agriculture production. San Diego County has one of the country's largest farm economies and has more small and organic farms than any other county in California. San Diego County leads the nation in production of its two major crops, ornamentals and avocados, and is successfully invested in the areas of nurseries, cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, nuts, field crops, vineyards, livestock, and poultry. This production and success is not by chance, it is a direct result of the hard work of San Diego County's agriculture community and the tireless advocacy of the San Diego County Farm Bureau on their behalf. While our nation and my home state of California continue to face many economic challenges, particularly in the agriculture industry, we move forward with full confidence knowing that groups like the San Diego County Farm Bureau are leading by example and utilizing a wealth of experience that will continue to allow us to take advantage of our full potential. Congratulations again to the San Diego County Farm Bureau on 100 years of service and I look forward to their continued success well into the future.

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey and all of my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee who are bringing this up so quickly and for fast-tracking it. Mr. Speaker, I was in the Marine Corps. I did three tours: two in Iraq, one in Afghanistan. I served with these men and women. I have met their wives, their husbands, their kids, their families. I sat down with them. I've had dinner with them. I want to say from the bottom of my heart, I apologize for the shameful act of the administration's lawyers in determining that what we passed last month does not count for paying this death benefit. When the lawyers in the administration made the decision to not count the death benefit, they broke a sacred trust with our U.S. military men and women and those on the front lines. It is up to us in this Congress to restore that trust for the American people and for our military that we have sent to war for whom we have a responsibility.

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, on the one year anniversary of the terrorist attack on our consulate in Benghazi, Libya, I rise to honor Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, two former Navy SEALs that were killed during the attack. Glen was born in Massachusetts and always had a sense of adventure. He became a pilot, and enjoyed skiing and whitewater rafting. His desire to serve his county led him to join the Navy and become a Navy SEAL, where he was part of the team that responded to the attack on the USS Cole. Several years later, Glen fought in Iraq, earning the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device. Tyrone grew up in Oregon and was the father of three children. After high school he joined the Navy with the goal of becoming a SEAL. During his first attempt at SEAL training, Tyrone suffered an injury, but his perseverance led him to try again, and he earned his trident in 1991. During his 20 years of service in the Navy, Tyrone participated in Operations in Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan, where his bravery earned him the Bronze Star with combat ``V'' device. After both men left the military, they continued to serve their county by protecting Americans serving overseas. On night of September 11th, 2012, our consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was under siege by terrorists. As the coordinated attack unfolded, Glen and Tyrone exposed themselves to enemy fire as they engaged attackers that were armed with guns, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. Their ultimate sacrifice saved the lives of numerous American personnel that were rescued and safely returned to their families. Despite their brave actions, Glen and Tyrone's heroism and sacrifice has not been recognized through a formal awards process. In recognition of their sacrifice, I have introduced H.R. 1186, which would award Glen and Tyrone the Congressional Gold Medal. As we remember those that we lost on that tragic day in Benghazi, we must not forget the heroic acts and selfless courage displayed by Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize a true patriot and mentor, not only to myself, but to all the Marines that served with him, Colonel Alan Orr. Col Orr recently retired from the United States Marine Corps last week on July 26, 2013. While he may be hanging up his service uniform, Col Orr will continue to serve those who have sacrificed so much in defense of our country in his role as President and Founder of Combat Marine Outdoors. Col Orr graduated from the University of Michigan and then went off to Officer Candidate School where upon completion he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Col Orr was an outstanding artillery officer, commanding several Firing Batteries, a Marine Corps Recruiting Station, an Artillery Battalion, and an Artillery Regiment. It was during this period that I had the distinct honor of serving with Col Orr when he was my Battalion Commander in 2004. Col Orr went on to graduate from the Marine Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia, and the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He is also a graduate, with honors, from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the Army War College in Carlisle, PA, and holds several Masters degrees. In addition, Col Orr has numerous combat tours from Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, to Somalia and Operation Iraqi Freedom. But just as he has distinguished himself in combat and with his Marines in distant battlefields, his love for our Marines, sailors and soldiers extended from the front lines to the hospitals where our wounded warriors recover, and to life after the fighting has ended. Col Orr, along with a group of devoted hunters, ranch owners and patriots, has shown to our wounded heroes that excitement and adventure doesn't end with their battle wounds. In 2005, after visiting wounded Marines from the 1st Marine Division at Brooke Army Medical Center, Col Orr and other founding members created Combat Marine Outdoors, an organization that not only accelerates the recovery process, but restores hope in our servicemen and women. In collaboration with thousands of contributors and over 50 ranches, the Combat Marine Outdoors has provided well over 200 wounded veterans from Balboa Hospital to Walter Reed with the opportunity to hunt and fish. These outdoor experiences foster the opportunity to engage in a challenging experience that promotes teamwork and camaraderie. In many cases, these excursions facilitated a turning point in emotional recovery through a challenging experience that helps our wounded military men and women regain confidence through a sense of accomplishment. Col Orr is an accomplished professional, the most knowledgeable artillery officer I have ever known. But his impact to those Marines on and off the battlefield is immeasurable. I am honored to have served with Col Orr, a man who not only personifies military discipline, but exudes the compassion and love for our young warriors through a life of service above self I ask my colleagues join me in recognizing the exemplary military service of Col Alan Orr and his continued dedication to the young men and women of our Armed Forces.

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Armando Torres, an American and former Marine who was kidnapped in Mexico. Armando served in the Marine Corps from 2005 to 2011, completing tours in Iraq and Africa. He is a native of Texas and the father of two small children. In the Marines, we were taught to leave no person behind, and we must uphold that commitment to Armando. The United States and Mexican Governments have been working to find Armando, but it is clear that much more can be done. That is why the State Department and Justice Department must raise the visibility of this issue, and send a clear message to his captors that the United States will not tolerate the kidnapping of one of its citizens. Marines and their families from across our Nation have been rallying around Armando's cause, and it is time for all of us to join them, so we can ensure that Armando will be safely returned home to his family.

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of my statement is to inform the House that my absence last week, from July 8 to July 12, and on Tuesday of this week, July 16, was due to a necessary surgical procedure called anterior cervical disc fusion, performed by an outstanding team of professionals. With recovery underway, I'm eager to get back to work alongside the rest of my colleagues.

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of Sergeant Major John K. Gilstrap, who is retiring from his service to the United States Marine Corps on October 1, 2013. For three decades, SgtMaj Gilstrap faithfully served this country in various capacities, rising to the highest enlisted rank of Sergeant Major. He began his Marine Corps career entering basic training in September 1983 at Parris Island, South Carolina. From there he went on to serve at Camp Pendleton, and Okinawa with his Marine Attack Helicopter Squadron. SgtMaj Gilstrap then participated in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Sea Angel, and Operation Restore Hope. In the spring of 1996, then a Staff Sergeant, Gilstrap had the distinct honor of personally building and shaping young men into harden Marine warriors as a Drill Instructor and Senior Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. In the Marine Corps, there are few honors higher than being a Drill Instructor, having the responsibility of training the next generation of Marines to defend this great nation--Gilstrap did this with great honor. In May 2001, SgtMaj Gilstrap reported to 1st Battalion, 11th Marines and its during this time that I had the distinct honor as a new Marine Lieutenant to serve with him overseas. While with 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, SgtMaj Gilstrap deployed to Iraq where he held the billet of Battery 1stSgt for Battery A and Headquarters Battery. At this time, he was also promoted to his current rank of SgtMaj. While serving in Iraq, SgtMaj Gilstrap was awarded the Purple Heart when his vehicle was hit by an IED. Other decorations SgtMaj Gilstrap has received include the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, the Air Medal with 1st Strike Flight Award, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star and combat Distinguishing Device, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon. SgtMaj Gilstrap currently serves as the Senior Advisor to the Chief Operating Officer at the Marine and Family Programs Division at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia. Throughout his career, SgtMaj Gilstrap has displayed the very traits and principles that are the core of the Marine Corps. Thank you for you and your family's devoted service to this country. I am honored to share in the celebration of SgtMaj Gilstrap's military career, recognizing both his extraordinary leadership and his distinguished military service. Semper Fi!

Mr. HUNTER

Mr. HUNTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding. As the chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, it is my pleasure to rise today in very strong support of H.R. 2217. Earlier this year, the President released a fiscal year 2014 budget that would cut funding for the Coast Guard by nearly 10 percent below current levels. This is the second year in a row that this President has asked the Coast Guard to sacrifice mission readiness and success to pay for his questionable spending at other agencies. The President's budget would slash the service's acquisitions budget by 42 percent below current levels and would severely undermine efforts to recapitalize the service's aging and failing legacy assets, increase acquisition costs for taxpayers, and seriously degrade mission effectiveness. The President's proposed budget points to a future in which a downsized Coast Guard would fail to be able to accomplish even its most basic missions, and the cost could be measured in lives. Fortunately, the bill Chairman Carter has put before us totally rejects the massive cuts proposed by the President and ensures the Coast Guard is provided with the resources needed to carry out its very critical missions. I want to thank Chairman Carter, Ranking Member Price, and staff for their tremendous efforts and for their commitment to the men and women of the Coast Guard and the safety of the maritime community.