Joseph Heck

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 697, the Three Kids Mine Remediation and Reclamation Act, which is an innovative solution for restoring our environment, improving safety, and creating jobs. H.R. 697 addresses the safety and environmental concerns of the Three Kids Mine, as was stated, an abandoned manganese mine and mill site consisting of approximately 1,262 acres of both Federal and private lands which lie within the Henderson city limits and is located across from a busy parkway and an increasing number of homes and businesses. The site was owned and operated by various parties, including the United States Government, from approximately 1917 through 1961, and used as a storage area for Federal manganese ore reserves from the late 1950s through 2003. Currently, the project site contains numerous large, unstable, sheer- cliff open pits as deep as 400 feet, huge volumes of mine overburden and tailings, mill facility remnants, and waste disposal areas. To give a sense of scale, the site contains mine overburden mounds that are approximately 10 stories high in some areas and abandoned waste ponds that are up to 60 feet deep and filled with more than 1 million cubic yards of gelatinous tailings containing high concentrations of arsenic, lead, and petroleum compounds. H.R. 697 provides an innovative public-private partnership solution to finally clean up the abandoned Three Kids Mine site. In its simplest form, H.R. 697 directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Federal lands at the project site--approximately 948 acres--at fair market value, taking into account the costs of investigating and remediating the entire site, which also includes an additional 314 acres of now-private lands that were used historically in mine operations. In return for conveying the land at fair market value, the Federal Government will also receive a release of liability for cleanup of both the Federal and private lands. Under this legislation, before the Federal lands are conveyed, the State must enter into a binding consent agreement under which the cleanup of the entire project site will occur. This agreement must include financial assurances to ensure the completion of the remediation and reclamation of the site. The cleanup will be financed with private capital and Nevada tax increment financing at no cost to the Federal Government. Again, this project will be carried out at no cost to the Federal Government. H.R. 697 is the result of more than 5 years of work among the city of Henderson Redevelopment Agency, the Department of the Interior, the State of Nevada, and private entities. This public-private partnership solution will finally lead to the cleanup and reclamation of the Three Kids Mine site, while at the same time providing for economic development and the creation of as many as 33,000 jobs. Furthermore, I believe this innovative solution could serve as a viable model for the cleanup and reclamation of other similar sites across the country. This bill, which has the support of the entire Nevada delegation, is nearly identical to H.R. 2512, which passed the House of Representatives by voice vote during the 112th Congress, but unfortunately did not receive consideration in the Senate prior to the adjournment of the last Congress. I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee for recognizing the importance of this legislation to Nevada and the West, and for their efforts in advancing it, in a bipartisan fashion, through the committee. H.R. 697 is a win for the economy, a win for the environment, and a win for the Federal taxpayer. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, because it will improve education in America and help our students succeed. My district in southern Nevada is home to, and my three children are products of, the Clark County School District, the fifth largest district in the Nation. While there are many stories of remarkable achievements coming out of these schools, I hear all the time from administrators, teachers, and parents that Federal requirements are getting in the way of them doing what is best for their students. While only a very small portion of a school district's budget comes from Washington, districts do not have the ability to shift the funds to where they are needed most, and they are forced to use scarce resources to check the Federal boxes to receive those funds. This one- size-fits-all approach to education is Washington bureaucracy at its worst and does not take into account the specific conditions in our local classrooms. It strikes me as arrogant to imply, as my colleagues on the other side do, that only the Federal Government cares about student success. No one understands the conditions or has more of an interest in improving education of our children than the people who work in our schools and interact with students every day. It is time we turn control over education policy to those who are invested in the success of our students. The Student Success Act will do just that. I applaud Chairman Kline and the members of the committee for their work on this bill and urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I'm offering today focuses on helping children that far too often go unnoticed or get left behind by our education system--neglected, delinquent, and other at- risk youth. As a cosponsor of the Student Success Act, I am pleased that the underlying bill continues to provide for important programs that offer educational opportunities for youth in, or returning from, correctional institutions, as well as other at-risk populations. Additionally, under the bill, school districts also may coordinate health and social services, operate dropout prevention programs for at- risk children and youth, provide career and technical counseling, or offer other mentoring services. To help ensure that neglected, delinquent, and at-risk youth are given the care and attention they need, my amendment provides local educational agencies with the option of partnering with organizations that have critical experience and existing resources that would enhance the services provided by school districts to our most vulnerable youth. Mr. Chairman, there are a number of hardworking organizations that are dedicated to providing a wide range of services and care to vulnerable children that need it most, and partnering with them would help these children. For example, in my home State of Nevada, Boys Town has worked for more than two decades to provide an integrated continuum of care that assists more than 20,000 children and families in Nevada each year. These are children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned; children with serious behavioral, academic, social, or emotional problems. Their stories are heartbreaking, but their personal development into independent, productive citizens with help from Boys Town is simply astounding. Boys Town operates in a number of States throughout the country, and there are many other nonprofits and organizations that offer similar services. They have done the groundwork, they have proven their effectiveness, and they are a vital part of our communities and would be valuable partners. Additionally, given our current fiscal climate, it is more important than ever to ensure that we are using all available resources effectively. By allowing local educational agencies and these organizations more flexibility to work together and share expertise, vulnerable youth will benefit from the attention and care they need both at school and at home. Coordinating these efforts provides critical stability that these children deserve. Children belong in the education system, not the juvenile justice system. I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, my amendment builds on the committee's work in support of scientific research and development within the Department of Energy. More than 30 years have elapsed since Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, and over that same time, technology and scientific knowledge have evolved significantly. However, Congress still clings to outdated technology and policy prescriptions to address today's nuclear waste issues. The fact, Mr. Chair, is that sticking our country's highly radioactive nuclear waste in a hole in the ground for perpetuity is a 21st century solution. Instead, we must encourage the use of 21st century technology to address this issue. My amendment redirects the $25 million designated for the Yucca Mountain High-Level Waste Geological Repository into the High Energy Physics program within the Department of Energy's Office of Science for the development of a 21st century solution to this problem. The High Energy Physics program is currently researching and developing ways to use accelerator technology to reduce the toxicity of nuclear waste, transforming it into a more stable, less hazardous form. According to a report released by the Department of Energy, ``The United States, which has traditionally led the world in the development and application of accelerator technology, now lags behind other Nations in many cases, and the gap is growing.'' The report concludes that ``to achieve the potential of particle accelerators to address national challenges will require a sustained focus on developing transformative technological opportunities, accompanied by changes in national programs and policy.'' Other countries have already made significant investments in the research and development of accelerator technology that will help make long-term storage facilities, like the facility supported in this bill, obsolete. It is time that the United States begins to make up the ground it is losing to the rest of the world when it comes to accelerator technology and begin focusing on 21st century solutions to deal with nuclear waste. For Nevada, the site of Yucca Mountain and the State with one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, this 21st century solution has the potential to create countless new high-paying R&D jobs utilizing existing regional technology capabilities. We cannot allow our Nation to continue falling further behind other developed countries in fully funding and implementing these types of projects--21st century solutions that are critical to maintaining our Nation's economic and technological superiority. I urge my colleagues to embrace the future of nuclear waste disposal and support my amendment to help create jobs and restore the United States role as a leader in science and technology development, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member for the work they've done on this bill; but I especially want to thank the Appropriations Committee staff for helping me fine-tune this amendment very quickly at the last minute. My amendment transfers $60 million from the International Material Protection and Removal Activities within the Global Threat Reduction Initiative to a program that will help secure our nuclear materials here at home. This year's budget request included funding for a project to construct a security perimeter around the Nevada National Security Site. Additionally, this funding was authorized by this House when we voted to pass H.R. 1960, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014. However, the bill under consideration fails to provide funding for this critical project. I agree that we must work with other nations to ensure their nuclear material does not fall into the wrong hands, and applaud the committee's efforts on this front. However, we should not neglect priorities to secure nuclear material on our own soil while providing $20 million in excess of what was requested to help foreign countries secure their nuclear materials. I'm simply requesting we transfer a relatively small sum--$16 million out of a total $2.1 billion--from a portion of the bill that provides funding to other countries to secure their nuclear materials and instead use that money to secure our own facilities containing nuclear materials. This funding will be used for the DAF/Argus project, which will provide a state-of-the-art perimeter intrusion detection and assessment system at the Nevada National Security Site's Device Assembly Facility. As I mentioned, this project is a priority for the Nevada National Security Site and was included in the President's budget request and authorized by this House just last month. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment which will prioritize national security concerns here at home while still providing adequate funding to ensure nuclear material in other countries does not fall into the hands of those who wish to do us harm. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my constituents from Nevada, a man who has become so very close to America's heart over the years. Rich Little, the man of over 200 voices. In the last decades he has impersonated every President. Through his rich collection of voices, he has entertained America and the world. In honor of the love of his life, his late wife Maria, he has also formed a foundation to help children, homeless people, and for animals in need. Just recently he has proudly become an American citizen in 2010. For years Rich's other love has been directed towards the men and women of the Armed Forces. Whether on front lines with Bob Hope, or in hospitals across the America with the USO. He has brought so much joy to these heroes and their families. Taking them all back home for the holidays, and letting them forget the evils of war. He is also a very proud father of two lovely daughters, Brio. and Alaina. I submit this poem penned in his honor by Albert Carey Caswell. Rich in Laughter! (By Albert Carey Caswell) Rich . . . Rich in laughter! Rich in joy! For these are the things in life which we need so much more! Some so measure wealth all in silver and gold! But the greatest measure of ones wealth, is but what is so found in the heart's we hold! And all of the hearts along the way, that we so touch with our's of gold! Make them laugh! And make them smile! Ever so strive to so live your life just like a child! Like Peter Pan and that crocodile, be happy and never grow up and ever smile! For we will only be here for just a while! So make each day so count, all in your true amount, and touch as many hearts along the way all with your style to mount! So make a difference with it all, and so ever carry with you the heart of a child! The only thing Little about this man, is his great name which rhymes with Kittles like that candy man! For he is The King! The King of Impersonator's In Comedy, as this is so said without any hesitation so indeed! And Arnold would say, ``you pump me up . . . Rich you complete me''! Some say he's an Impersonator . . . a fake! Yes he is, but he's the good kind of which is great! And he's served more terms as President you see, than anyone in history! As a Man for all seasons, for so many wonderful reasons he can claim! He's so big he needs to have citizenship in two countries, just to maintain! And every President but so remembers his name! Rich, one of the giants of Hollywood, and him and Frank did it their way the same! So President Obama, if in the White House there is any drama and you need help! Call him up, an he'll come over in his Honda, and get you some results! Born a Canadian, one America's greatest friends, as one of America's greatest import's for years he would stand! And even better now my friend, we are all so proud to so call him an true AMERICAN! And if Elvis was here today he'd say, ``Thank you, thank you very much . . . for all of those GI's you took home on all those holidays that you so touched'' He's on so many Walks of Fame, you'd have to walk around and around the world, and back again just to so see all of his names! But his greatest love, his wife Marie who passed away . . . and he has founded a foundation all in her name for what she gave! And one day up in Heaven him and her, and Jimmy Stewart and Harvey and Ron will all be together again! The Rich and Marie Foundation was so founded, to so help children and the homeless and animals in every way! But perhaps his greatest love, is for all our Men and Women of the Armed Forces he holds so very high above! As over the years with Bob Hope here, into harms way He and Rich would so appear! And in hospital beds, across the country, has so said to them what must be said! Making them smile, and so raise their spirits and lift their heads! Bringing tears to all of our wounded women and men who deploy! And that is why one thing is so, he's GOT TO BE MR. USO! And I would give you a long list of all the people that he can so impersonate, but you need to be home for Christmas with your loved ones they can't wait! Rich In Patriotism, that really so describes him to a T, because he's one fine Yankee Doodle Dandy! But the one thing about this man that which you can not so impersonate, is but his huge heart inside of him which is so very warm and great! And if Ronald were here today, he'd say, ``well there you go again Rich, you are a great American in every way''! Make them laugh! Make them smile! For we will only be here for just awhile! Rich In Laughter, don't you so wish the world could all so be the while?

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Madam Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment. This amendment will severely undermine the operational readiness of our Guard and Reserve forces. Over the past decade, we have built incredible capability in our Guard and Reserve, and that capability was largely paid for by overseas contingency operation funds. To mitigate the risk associated with this administration's force reductions of 100,000 Active component servicemembers, our Nation will have to rely on our Reserve component. In fact, in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Army Chief of Staff General Odierno stated that ``in order to lessen the risk of Active Duty force reductions, the Army will continue to rely on Reserve components to provide key enablers and operational depth.'' Decreased funding has already resulted in the cancelation of numerous of Guard and Reserve deployments, which substantially undermines the capabilities and readiness of these units. It is for these reasons that I strongly urge my colleagues to reject this amendment.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I have come to the floor today, along with my colleague, Mr. Horsford, to offer a very simple amendment because we must do everything we can to protect our cities, towns, and communities. The Urban Area Security Initiative, according to the Department of Homeland Security, dedicates funds to: Address the unique planning, organization, equipment, training and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas, and assists them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism. However, due to a recent change in qualification criteria, a number of major metropolitan areas will be going without UASI funds despite being qualified for such funds last year. Those areas that will be without funds to prevent and respond to threats include Riverside, California; Portland, Oregon; Orlando, Florida; Indianapolis, Indiana; New Orleans, Louisiana; San Antonio, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Las Vegas, Nevada. Now, if those sound like high-threat, high-density locations to you, you'd be correct. They are. Yet despite recent events, they are not going to be receiving UASI funds this year. Now, I cannot speak for all of these areas, Mr. Chairman, but I can tell you that Las Vegas, which holds more high-profile, highly attended events than any city in the country, is worthy of UASI funding. In Las Vegas, law enforcement has to not only defend the Las Vegas metro area, which includes the fabulous Las Vegas Strip with more densely packed hotel rooms than any other city in our country, but also has high-threat areas outside the city, like the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which holds 140,000 people, and the Hoover Dam, which is not only a popular tourist attraction, but a source of electrical power for more than 1 million people across the southwestern United States. So today, I have a very simple amendment to the bill. The amendment decreases funding under four different accounts as outlined previously and redirects those amounts to the Urban Area Security Initiative for the purpose of funding the program to the top 35 eligible metropolitan areas. Now I recognize that as our debt continues to increase, we must work to rein in wasteful spending, and I recognize that all of the funding in the world isn't going to prevent every attack. But in this case, don't we think the safety and well-being of our cities and communities, our families and our children, are a worthy expense? Don't we believe they deserve our support? My amendment goes to the very heart of the core functions of our democratic government, Mr. Chairman. Our Constitution states that our Federal Government must ``insure domestic tranquility'' and ``provide for the common defense.'' That is the issue at hand with my amendment. As someone who has worked on the front lines of homeland security as a SWAT physician and emergency preparedness consultant, as well as someone who has worn the uniform in the U.S. Army Reserve, I believe that overlooking the risks faced by the top 35 cities would be a mistake, and we should provide them the funding they need. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join with me in restoring the honor and valor of our military heroes by passing H.R. 258, the Stolen Valor Act of 2013. On June 28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, concluding that the broad nature of the law infringed upon the guaranteed protection of free speech provided by the First Amendment of our Constitution. The Court determined that the act ``sought to control and suppress all false statements on this one subject, without regard as to whether the lie was made for the purpose of material gain.'' However, in concurring with the decision of the plurality, Justice Breyer stated that a ``more finely tailored statute that shows the false statement caused specific harm, or was at least material, could significantly reduce the threat of First Amendment harm, while permitting the statute to achieve its important protective objective.'' Mr. Speaker, that's exactly what my legislation does. The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 resolves these constitutional issues by clearly defining that the objective of the law is to target and punish those who misrepresent their service with the intent of profiting personally or financially. Defining the intent helps ensure that this law will pass constitutional scrutiny while, at the same time, achieving its primary objective, which is to preserve the honor and integrity of military service and awards. In 2006, every Member of both the House and the Senate clearly understood the need to protect the integrity and honor of military service and demonstrated that by unanimously passing the Stolen Valor Act in each Chamber. That body understood that the proliferation of false claims occurring at the time cheapened the integrity of the military awards system and threatened the trust and honor bestowed upon military servicemembers and veterans by this Nation. Mr. Speaker, the need to protect the honor, service, and sacrifice of our veterans and military personnel is just as strong today as it was in 2006. The need is just as strong today as it was last year when this body passed the 2012 Stolen Valor legislation 410-3. The need will be just as strong as long as there are individuals who continue to lie about service in order to gain notoriety, profit personally and professionally, and to receive benefits reserved for those who fought in defense of this Nation. This House has the opportunity to once again show our servicemembers and veterans that we value the sanctity of their sacrifice while, at the same time, protecting the constitutional rights that they've fought so hard to protect. This past Saturday was Armed Forces Day, and a week from today is Memorial Day. Mr. Speaker, what better way to show our support for our brave servicemen and -women than by passing this legislation before us today? H.R. 258 enjoys broad bipartisan support, with 124 cosponsors, and is supported by numerous veterans service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Association of the U.S. Navy, the Fleet Reserve Association, the National Association for Uniformed Services, the National Guard Association of the United States, the Association of the United States Army, the Military Officers Association of America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and AMVETS. I want to thank Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers for moving this important legislation through the Judiciary Committee. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 258.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to pay my most solemn respects to and commemorate the life of Ty Woods, a former Navy SEAL and my constituent who was killed in the attack on the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on the occasion of his name being enshrined on the American Foreign Service Association memorial plaque. The memorial honors ``diplomatic and consular officers of the United States who while on active duty lost their lives under heroic or tragic circumstances.'' The events that surrounded the untimely loss of Ty Woods were at once tragic and heroic and it is fitting that his name be added to the memorial. He lived a life of service to his country and in the end made the ultimate sacrifice in its defense. After twenty years of honorable service in the Navy, Ty, who led raids and reconnaissance missions in the most volatile parts of the Middle East, could have chose a life of relative ease as a decorated war hero. Instead, the man who Secretary of State Hillary Clinton memorialized as having ``the hands of a healer as well as the arm of a warrior,'' again answered the call to serve and joined the State Department Diplomatic Security team. Since 2010, Ty protected American diplomatic personnel in dangerous posts from Central America to the Middle East but it was at Benghazi where he demonstrated exemplary courage under fire. In Benghazi, while defending an under-secured, besieged diplomatic mission, Ty Woods gave his life so that other Americans could escape to safety. According to reports, Ty saved the lives of thirty staff members by heroically engaging the insurgents even after sustaining mortal wounds. For his heroism in the face of grave danger, Ty has earned his place on the memorial that hangs at the State Department. His name joins dozens of others who have given their lives in the service of the country they loved. Ty Woods was a loving son, husband, and father who lived up to the highest ideals of the United States Navy and the State Department. I thank him for his service and his selfless sacrifice and commend to his memory yet another honor so well deserved.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. I want to begin by thanking both the chairman and the ranking member for their incredible leadership on this very difficult task. It was especially gratifying to work in such a bipartisan manner to come to the final product that we'll be voting on later tomorrow. Madam Chair, our Nation is under attack every day, every hour, every minute. Cyber attacks on our Nation's networks threaten our economic and national security. That is why I rise in support of H.R. 624, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. Whether it is hacktivists attempting to disrupt services, criminals intent on stealing personal information, spies looking for intellectual property or trade secrets or nation-states searching for military and security vulnerabilities, our networks are at risk. Cyber looting puts U.S. businesses at a competitive disadvantage, threatening jobs and our private information. The same vulnerabilities used to steal intellectual and personality property are also exploited to target America's critical infrastructure, such as our electrical grids and our banking and financial institutions. These cyber weaknesses make the intelligence-sharing provisions within H.R. 624 vitally important. However, as we seek to secure and defend the U.S. economy and our country's critical infrastructure, we must be mindful of our Nation's founding principles. We must ensure that we protect our citizens' privacy and civil liberties. The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has sought the input of and worked closely with privacy and civil liberties groups to strengthen the bill and provide necessary individual protections. These discussions resulted in a number of amendments that were adopted on a broad bipartisan basis during the committee markup. My amendment, offered with my colleague from Connecticut (Mr. Himes), specifically limits the private sector's use of cyber threat intelligence only to a cybersecurity purpose. This provision addresses the concerns and misperceptions that private sector companies could have used this information for marketing and other commercial purposes. Another amendment requires the establishment of minimization procedures to limit the receipt, retention, and use of personally identifiable information, or PII. In the unlikely event that PII is inadvertently shared, this provision will prevent the government from receiving and/or maintaining that information while still ensuring rapid transmission of critical cyber threat intelligence necessary to protect our systems. Yet another amendment narrows the authorized use of shared cyber threat intelligence by striking the provision providing the government broad authority to use this information for national security purposes. All of these bipartisan amendments will provide the private sector the necessary tools to protect its own networks while at the same time providing critical protections for privacy and civil liberties. This legislation represents an important first step toward securing our Nation's intellectual property and critical infrastructure from cyber attack, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage. Again, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to announce that this week, April 14 through April 20, is National Osteopathic Medicine Week. This week celebrates the contributions of more than 100,000 osteopathic physicians and medical students in the United States to the health of our communities. There are many doctors in the House of Representatives, but as the lone osteopathic physician in Congress, I feel it incumbent upon me to mark this week by raising awareness of the importance of osteopathic medicine. The practice of osteopathic medicine was founded by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in 1874, and over the past 139 years, osteopathic physicians have made significant contributions to the United States health care system. Osteopathic doctors have treated Presidents and Olympic athletes, contributed to the fight against AIDS, and continue to be involved on the front lines of our health care systems today. In fact, Dr. Martin Levine, immediate past president of the American Osteopathic Association, was part of the medical team at the Boston Marathon and was pressed into service, providing immediate care in the wake of yesterday's tragedy. As osteopathic physicians, we take a holistic approach to medicine that focuses on the health of the whole person, and we are committed to improving the health of the communities we serve through education and awareness, as well as delivering quality health care services. In light of the contributions made by osteopathic physicians to the health of our Nation, and this being their national week of recognition, I have introduced House Resolution 159, which calls on the House to support the designation of National Osteopathic Medicine Week. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the field of osteopathic medicine and supporting the designation of National Osteopathic Medicine Week.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Madam Chair, I thank my colleague, Ms. Foxx, for her leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor. I was pleased to work with Ms. Foxx and Mr. McKeon in the last Congress on similar legislation, and I've enjoyed working with my colleagues on this bill. I rise in support of the SKILLS Act because back in my district, the biggest concerns of my constituents are still jobs and the economy. Southern Nevada was hit hard by the recession due to our economy relying heavily on the travel and tourism industries and the construction industry. We lost a lot of jobs in those sectors, and, in fact, unemployment is just under 10 percent in our State today. Madam Chair, the SKILLS Act is exactly what southern Nevada needs to foster our recovery. Our State is identifying and attracting new, in- demand industries that will come to Nevada and create jobs and economic opportunities. Now we need to train our workers to do these jobs, the jobs that do and will exist, not the jobs that did exist. The SKILLS Act will help us do that because it strengthens the role of employers in workforce development decisions by requiring that two-thirds of the workforce board members be local employers, and focuses training on in- demand occupations. The SKILLS Act will also improve job-training programs by eliminating and streamlining 35 ineffective and duplicative programs, and creating a flexible workforce investment fund to serve as a single source of support for workers, employers, and job seekers. To think that our State and local elected leaders are not concerned with helping all of their unemployed, whether they be victims of domestic violence, veterans, those unable to complete high school, or the single mom, is a slap in the face to those local elected leaders, elected by their constituents. Finally, the SKILLS Act increases accountability and transparency for workforce investment boards and their performance measures, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly. The SKILLS Act will certainly improve workforce development efforts across the country, getting more Nevadans and more Americans connected with the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow, not the jobs of yesterday. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to recognize the exemplary service and outstanding achievements of LTC William Anton, a member of the Army Ranger Hall of Fame and a resident of southern Nevada. LTC Anton was recently awarded the prestigious Knowlton Award--an honor recognizing significant contributions in the field of Army intelligence--by our nation's Military Intelligence Corps. After serving with distinction in Vietnam, service which earned him a 2009 induction into the Army Ranger Hall of Fame, Bill began a career in Army intelligence. In 1979, while in command of an electronic warfare company, Bill developed a key intelligence-gathering tool that was still being used a decade later during Operation Desert Storm. The details of the intelligence system Bill developed are still considered classified but rest assured it was an asset to our troops in battle and may have saved American lives as it gathered intelligence on our enemies. The Knowlton Award was named after Revolutionary War hero LTC Thomas Knowlton of Connecticut who was commissioned by George Washington to raise a regiment to perform desperate and delicate intelligence services and LTC Bill Anton has exemplified this tradition with his service to our country. I congratulate LTC Bill Anton on this well-deserved honor.

Mr. HECK of Nevada

Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to bid a solemn and respectful farewell to Mr. Romeo Barreras and Mr. Silverio Cuaresma. Messrs. Barreras and Cuaresma were residents of southern Nevada and members of the Las Vegas Mighty Five, a group of Filipino American World War II veterans denied benefits and recognition for their service to the United States. Romeo Barreras volunteered for the Philippine Army at age 17 and served with the infantry as a Guerrilla fighter. He earned a Purple Heart for wounds sustained in action and received an honorable discharge for his service to both the Republic of the Philippines and the United States. Romeo passed away last month at the age of 85. Silverio Cuaresma was a guerrilla intelligence officer who served under Army Colonel Edwin Ramsey in the 26th calvary. It was this unit that made the last horse charge in cavalry history on January 16, 1942. After his discharge, Silverio took up the cause of his fellow denied veterans and fought for their compensation ever since. That fight ended two weeks ago in Las Vegas. Silverio Cuaresma was 100 years old. They, along with their countrymen, fought and in many instances died under the command of American troops in the Pacific theater of World War II. After helping the Allies win the war in the Pacific, many of these veterans began seeking the benefits promised to them by President Franklin Roosevelt. But on February 18, 1946, President Harry S. Truman signed the Rescission Act of 1946 into law, which denied over 200,000 Filipino World War II veterans the benefits promised to them just five years earlier by President Roosevelt. Congress finally acknowledged the dedicated service of many of these denied veterans when it established the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund in 2009. But many of these veterans, as many as 24,000, still have not received compensation due to bureaucratic hurdles and paperwork shuffles over the types of records they hold verifying their service. The Mighty Five is now reduced to two with the passing of Romeo and Silverio. We lost Augusto Oppus last year as well. I fear many more will pass without ever obtaining the recognition they deserve if this body does not act to remove the barriers preventing these veterans from receiving the benefits they have earned. Yesterday, I introduced legislation to ensure that the remainder of the Mighty Five and denied Filipino veterans everywhere finally receive the benefits promised to them so many years ago. My bill, Mr. Speaker, is very simple. It directs the Department of the Army to certify the service of any Filipino World War II veteran whose name appears on the Approved Revised Reconstructed Guerrilla Roster or has certified documentation from the U.S. Army or Philippine Government attesting to their service. Simply put, these men fought so that the Allies could defeat the Japanese in the Pacific. If they can show they fought, let's fulfill our promise to them so they can live out their years knowing that the United States has officially recognized their service. I have met with the Mighty Five many times in Las Vegas. All they want is to be recognized. It's not about the money to them. They want to know that their service was appreciated, that their sacrifices did not go unnoticed. As I attended Lieutenant Cuaresma's funeral last week, no flag draped his casket, no honor guard was present, and there was no playing of ``Taps.'' There was no official recognition of his dedicated military service. And that, Mr. Speaker, was wrong. I would like to thank my friends and brother veterans, Romeo and Silverio, for their service to our country. Their passion and dedication to this cause will be missed. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in fighting to ensure these honorable World War II veterans are appropriately recognized.

Mr. HECK

Mr. HECK. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to recognize Dr. Harry Rosenberg, founding president of Roseman University of Health Sciences. In 1999, Dr. Rosenberg rented a small office space in Henderson, Nevada, believing he could establish a pharmacy school that would produce highly skilled graduates ready to be recruited for work across the country. His innovative approach to education led him to develop a block format curriculum that emphasizes a student-centered active learning environment, allowing students to participate in experiential education from the very beginning of their studies and complete their doctoral degree in just 3 years instead of the traditional 4 years, making Roseman one of the most affordable pharmacy schools in the Nation. During his tenure, Dr. Rosenberg helped transform Roseman from a local school of 38 students to a regional institution with over 1,000 and offering an array of quality programs in nursing, dentistry, and business administration. As he prepares for retirement, I commend Dr. Rosenberg for his vision, innovation, and commitment to offering students an affordable, state-of-the-art education that has and will benefit the State of Nevada and the Nation.

Mr. HECK

Mr. HECK. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 6361, the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2012. As stated, this bill would remove an unnecessary barrier that prevents our disabled wartime veterans from receiving the housing assistance they so critically need. It does this by preventing the Department of Housing and Urban Development from considering our veterans' aid and attendance benefits as income when calculating their eligibility for housing assistance. The aid and attendance benefit is an enhanced pension program provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to our Nation's wartime veterans who are severely disabled and have little or no income. According to the VA, veterans eligible for the aid and attendance benefit are defined as those requiring the aid of another person in order to perform his or her activities of daily living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, using the restroom, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting themselves from the hazards of their daily environment. In order to receive this benefit, our severely disabled veterans must first establish their eligibility for a low-income pension. Once eligibility is determined, those low-income disabled vets can receive an additional aid and attendance benefit annually to help defray the cost of their medical care. Now, this is an important point. The aid and attendance benefit is for medical care; it is not discretionary income. As you can imagine, these veterans struggle daily to keep the lights on, put food on the table, and to keep a roof over their heads. Add to that the exorbitant cost of paying for live-in aid, and it becomes increasingly difficult for them to stay in their homes. The Department of Housing and Urban Development operates a number of programs that can assist these veterans. However, the current statute requires that the aid and attendance benefit be counted as income when determining eligibility for housing assistance. Mr. Speaker, this makes no sense. The VA provides this benefit to ensure that our low-income disabled wartime veterans have the necessary resources to receive the medical care they need and have earned. The cost of an assisted living facility can be $39,600, and the median cost of a room in a nursing home is between $73,000 and $81,000 annually. By providing the aid and attendance benefit and keeping the veteran in their home, we are doing them a service and saving taxpayer money. Continuing to count the aid and attendance benefit as income does nothing more than reduce the housing assistance available to our low-income disabled vets. Mr. Speaker, it's the stated goal of both this House and this administration to reduce homelessness in our veteran population. Passing this legislation will help ensure that we achieve this goal. H.R. 6361 also includes an important provision authored by my distinguished colleague from the Ninth District of Texas, Congressman Al Green. His provision would create a pilot program to provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations for the purpose of modifying and rehabilitating homes for our Nation's low-income disabled veterans. H.R. 6361 was drafted in a bipartisan manner, and this is reflected in the overwhelming support it received when it was reported unanimously by the House Financial Services Committee on September 12, 2012. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6361 will go a long way in providing the services and assistance our low-income disabled vets have earned and deserve. I thank the subcommittee chair, the distinguished lady from Illinois, and all the members of the committee for their support of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this critical bill.

Mr. HECK

Mr. HECK. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join with me in protecting the honor and valor of our military heroes by passing H.R. 1775, the Stolen Valor Act of 2011. On June 28, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, concluding that the broad nature of the law infringed upon the guaranteed protection of free speech provided by the First Amendment of our Constitution. The Court determined that the act ``sought to control and suppress all false statements on this one subject without regard as to whether the lie was made for the purpose of material gain.'' However, in concurring with the decision of the plurality, Justice Breyer stated that a ``more finely tailored statute that shows the false statement caused specific harm or was at least material could significantly reduce the threat of First Amendment harm while permitting the statute to achieve its important protective objective.'' Mr. Speaker, this is exactly what my legislation does. The Stolen Valor Act of 2011 resolves these constitutional issues by clearly defining that the objective of the law is to target and punish those who misrepresent their alleged service with the intent of profiting personally or financially. Defining the intent helps ensure that this law will pass constitutional scrutiny while at the same time achieving its primary objective, which is to preserve and protect the honor and integrity of military service and awards. In 2006, every Member of both the House and Senate clearly understood the need for this legislation and demonstrated that by unanimously passing the prior Stolen Valor Act in each Chamber. Mr. Speaker, the need to protect the honor, service, and sacrifice of our veterans and military personnel is just as strong today as it was in 2006. This House has the opportunity to once again show our servicemembers and veterans that we value the magnitude of their sacrifice while at the same time protecting the constitutional rights that they fought so hard to protect. H.R. 1775 enjoys broad bipartisan support with 107 cosponsors and is supported by numerous veteran service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Association of the U.S. Navy, the Fleet Reserve Association, the National Association for Uniformed Services, the National Guard Association of the United States, the Association of the United States Army, the Military Officers Association of America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and AMVETS. I would like to thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Conyers for helping to move this important legislation that was reported unanimously out of the Judiciary Committee. I would also like to thank my colleague from Arkansas (Mr. Griffin) for sponsoring this substitute amendment during committee consideration. Mr. Speaker, it is only fitting that we pass this bill on the 11th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11 in recognition of the brave servicemen and women who have fought and died in the war to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1775.