Darrell Issa

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 290, the ``War Memorial Protection Act,'' of which I am a proud cosponsor. H.R. 290 will allow religious symbols to be included as part of a military memorial established or acquired by the U.S. government. This follows past legislation which led to the federal government's acquisition of Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial from the city of San Diego in 2006. First erected in 1913, the cross on top of Mount Soledad has been a fixture of San Diego for nearly a century. In 1954 the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial was rebuilt and dedicated as a lasting memorial to the dead of the two world wars and the Korean conflict. It is a symbol of the community's respect and honor for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their nation and liberty. I am a proud defender of the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial. Our Founding Fathers made sure the government did not impose one religion on all people. They also believed religion plays an important role in public life and individuals should be able to freely practice what they believe. That is why it is so important to pass the War Memorial Protection Act. This bill does not favor one religion over another and it does not make any exclusions. This bill seeks to ensure that religious symbols can also be part of war memorials honoring our fallen heroes. Mr. Speaker, again I urge passage of H.R. 290.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform filed a report to accompany H.R. 3029, the Reducing the Size of the Federal Government Through Attrition Act of 2011. The purpose of the legislation is to reduce the size of the federal civilian workforce by ten percent through attrition. The bill also makes the federal government subject to a hiring freeze if the size of the workforce exceeds ninety percent of its size as of September 30, 2011. The legislation requires tough, but necessary, choices to control government spending. As discussed in the committee report, H.R. 3029 provides the President, acting through the Office of Management and Budget and in consultation with the Office of Personnel Management, broad flexibility to achieve the necessary reduction in the size of the federal civilian workforce and to prioritize staffing needs across the federal government. The Committee cites federal law enforcement as an occupational category that meets the requirements for an exemption from both the required workforce reduction and the hiring freeze. The Committee recognizes that the federal government's law enforcement responsibilities have expanded in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The national security and homeland security challenges our nation faces are increasingly complex, and require a dedicated workforce of federal civilian employees. In exercising the waiver authority provided in the bill, the Committee believes the President should give every consideration to members of the federal law enforcement community whose duties include (1) the investigation, apprehension, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States; (2) the protection of officials of the United States against threats to personal safety; or (3) the protection of life and property, such as government institutions performing emergency work involving the safety of human life or the protection of property. The Committee will carefully monitor implementation of H.R. 3029 to ensure the federal government's law enforcement mission is appropriately protected.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following letter regarding S. 384: Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, December 13, 2011. Hon. Darrell Issa, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Issa: I am writing concerning S. 384, to amend title 39, United States Code, to extend the authority of the United States Postal Service to issue a semipostal to raise funds for breast cancer research. I wanted to notify you that the Committee on Energy and Commerce will forgo action on S. 384 so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration. This is done with the understanding that the Committee on Energy and Commerce is not waiving any of its jurisdiction, and the Committee will not in any way be prejudiced with respect to the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar legislation. I would appreciate your response confirming this understanding with respect to S. 384 and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Sincerely, Fred Upton, Chairman.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 929 due to Whip activities, I missed this vote but would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 2767, introduced by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver), would designate the facility of the United States Post Office located at 8 West Silver Street in Westfield, Massachusetts, as the ``William T. Trant Post Office Building.'' This bill is cosponsored by the entire Massachusetts delegation and was favorably reported unanimously from our committee in November. Mr. Speaker, William Trant was a man truly dedicated to serving both his country and his community. In 1943 he enlisted in the Army and saw combat in Europe, suffering wounds at both Normandy and Rhineland. For his service, he was awarded the Purple Heart, as well as numerous other service medals. After returning from war, Mr. Trant began his career working for the United States Post Office there in Westfield. Following a short stint with the New York Giants minor league baseball team, Mr. Trant returned to his career at the postal service--as we know in government, it's always good to have a backup job if you're going to pitch--where he would continue to serve for 32 years. Mr. Trant rose to the rank of the postmaster of that post office that he served in up through the process. He also, though, did many community works, including serving on the Westfield City Council for near 20 years and, in 1962, also served as acting mayor. It is fitting that we name the Westfield Post Office after its postmaster. In 1967 he served as procurement officer in the Springfield Post Office, as well as the procurement director of services in the northeast postal district in Hartford, Connecticut. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, in 2002 Mr. Trant passed away. He is remembered by many in Westfield as both an exemplary citizen and a person of character. I urge all Members to join in support of this legislation to honor a true public servant, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleague and move that we support unanimously the William Trant Post Office naming, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2767) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 8 West Silver Street in Westfield, Massachusetts, as the ``William T. Trant Post Office Building''.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 2158, introduced by my colleague and friend, the gentlelady from California, Ms. Linda Sanchez, would designate the facility of the United States Post Office located at 14901 Adelfa Drive in La Mirada, California, as the ``Wayne Grisham Post Office.'' This bill enjoys bipartisan support. In fact, every Member of the California delegation supports it, all 53. Mr. Speaker, it is fitting and proper that Wayne Grisham, a man who dedicated his life to public service, be recognized. Born in 1923, Mr. Grisham served as a fighter pilot in World War II and was shot down over Germany, earning a Purple Heart. After a successful career in real estate, Mr. Grisham was elected to the La Mirada City Council, where he served for 8 years. In 1978, he was elected to serve as a Member of this body, representing California's 33rd Congressional District. He served for two terms. In 1983, he was appointed by then President Reagan to serve as the director of the Peace Corps in Kenya. After his service in Kenya, Mr. Grisham was elected to the California State Assembly in 1984, where he served until 1998. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, on January of this year, Mr. Grisham died at the age of 88. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, his son, daughter, and five grandchildren. After his death, he was described by the distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee, Mr. Dreier--who Mr. Grisham lost to in a 1982 reelection bid--as being the model of civility and a true gentleman. Mr. Speaker, we don't hear that very much in this body. I'll repeat it; as the model of civility and a true gentleman. I urge Members to join me in supporting this legislation in honoring a true public servant. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, it is now my honor to yield such time as he may consume to a friend and colleague who would like to speak on Mr. Grisham's behalf, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3220) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 170 Evergreen Square SW in Pine City, Minnesota, as the ``Master Sergeant Daniel L. Fedder Post Office''.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In brief, no individual is to be honored more than one who knowingly walks up to a piece of explosive that can kill them surrounded by hostiles who can kill them. When others stand back, our EOD technicians go forward. And no organization has paid more of a price than Marine EOD and Army EOD during this conflict. So as we honor Master Sergeant Fedder, hopefully we will recognize that he didn't come home, many other EOD technicians didn't come home, and many who came home came home injured because, in fact, you cannot expect these IEDs not to be set off as you walk up to them. Only a week ago, I was at the Kennedy Center where they honored a countless number of individuals who had been wounded warriors. Disproportionately, I saw the badge of the EOD technician on many of these individuals. They were operating from wheelchairs, and they were operating with terrible, terrible scars. The master sergeant did not come home, and that is tragic. But let's understand this post office naming is being named after those men and women who serve day in and day out in Iraq, Afghanistan and here at home, to disarm explosives that most people would simply run away from. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 3220, introduced by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Cravaack), would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 170 Evergreen Square SW in Pine City, Minnesota, as the Master Sergeant Daniel L. Fedder Post Office. The bill is cosponsored by the entire Minnesota State delegation and has been favorably reported from committee. Master Sergeant Fedder died tragically in August of last year while he was based out of Camp Pendleton within my district and was serving honorably in our theater of operation. Mr. Speaker, the postal naming is something that our committee takes seriously. We require that all post offices have unanimous support in order to be named. And under this year's rules, we require that it be for individuals befitting of the honor of having a post office named after them, and virtually every postal naming this year has been after one of our fallen heroes. With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Cravaack).

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 384) to amend title 39, United States Code, to extend the authority of the United States Postal Service to issue a semipostal to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of this bill, Representative Todd Akin of Missouri, who has authored this bill and carried it throughout the process, including here today.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3246) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 15455 Manchester Road in Ballwin, Missouri, as the ``Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office Building''.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I join with my colleagues from Missouri on the left and the right that we are united by the naming of this post office on behalf of our fallen hero. Few things unite us in Congress like a recognition that men and women today are still paying the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Knowing the risk, serving a long time, Peter Navarro knew what he was doing when he went back to Iraq, and he did so knowing the risks that he took. Many youth in America take risks, and they know not what they do and they lose their life; but the men and women of the Armed Forces know the risk, and particularly when they've already been in combat, return home, and go again. Sadly, more and more are going again for the second, third and fourth time; and Peter was no exception. So today, as we name this post office on behalf of our fallen heroes from Missouri, hopefully we will take time to reflect about the many from Missouri who will not have something named after them but should never be forgotten for their sacrifice and their contribution to the freedoms we enjoy. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.