Jim Langevin

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 609, H.R. 5997, as amended, I was unavoidably detained and missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, November is National Family Caregivers Awareness Month, a time to honor the work of over 65 million family members who sacrifice every day to care for their loved ones with special needs. Whether they have a father with Alzheimer's or a mother with Parkinson's disease or a child with autism, these caregivers provide approximately 80 percent of the long-term care for the chronically ill. Unfortunately, this 24-hour-a-day commitment can take a toll on the caregiver's emotional, physical, and financial well-being. Respite care provides a temporary break for family members engaged in the full-time task of caregiving. In fact, it is the most frequently requested support service, yet nearly 90 percent of caregivers still go without needed assistance. That's why I've introduced the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, and will continue to advocate for its passage and funding. Mr. Speaker, family caregivers are our Nation's silent heroes, and they deserve our recognition and support not just in November but every day of the year. To all of them, I say a heartfelt ``thank you.''

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on rollcall No. 604. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 2012, we, as a nation, watched with pride as Team USA competed in the Olympic and Paralympic games in London, England. With over 200 nations competing in 300 events, the Olympic Games once again demonstrated the capacity of international sports to captivate and inspire us all through friendly competition, sportsmanship, solidarity, and fair play. Team USA was well-represented, with 530 Olympians and over 245 Paralympians, each of whom served as an example to all of us with their unyielding commitment to excellence. Their years of dedication paid off handsomely, as Team USA finished first in the overall Olympic medal count with 46 gold, 29 silver, and 29 bronze medals, and fourth in the Paralympic medal count with 31 gold, 29 silver, and 38 bronze medals. I would especially like to point out the courage and fortitude put forth by so many Paralympians. Although they might not get the same television coverage as the Olympics, the Paralympics showcases some of the finest talent this country has to offer. Some of these world-class athletes are also wounded warriors who served in our military and fought for our country with honor and distinction. I have been pleased to work with the U.S. Olympic Committee and my Congressional colleagues to provide adaptive sports programs to injured service members, helping to speed their recovery time, bolster their self-confidence, and vastly improve their quality of life. Olympian or Paralympian, all members of Team USA put forth their best effort at the Summer Olympics. They have trained their entire lives for the honor and privilege of representing the United States in international competition. Their achievements are extraordinary, and we are proud of all they have accomplished. To honor the hard work and unparalleled success of Team USA and the U.S. Olympic Committee, I have proudly joined my fellow co-chairs of the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus to introduce H. Res. 780, a resolution in support of the goals and ideals of the Olympic movement. The Olympic movement is a testament to the power of international competition to unite us in common spirit and a reminder to all that we can achieve our dreams with courage and determination. I congratulate Team USA for their success and thank the U.S. Olympic Committee for their continued dedication to achieving a better world through athletics.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to Dr. Kaigham J. Gabriel on the occasion of his departure as Acting Director of the Department of Defense's (DoD) Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Gabriel on several occasions during his tenure at DARPA and admire his dedication to supporting our men and women in uniform and his commitment to strengthening the technological advantage of our current and future combat forces. The DARPA mission is clear and concise: to create and prevent strategic surprise for the Nation. In a little less than 3 years as the deputy director and acting director, Dr. Gabriel led the Agency in accomplishing numerous initiatives important to DoD and National Security. He initiated an advanced manufacturing program designed to counter the increasing time, cost, and risk of producing complex defense systems by shortening the timeline from conception to fielding of weapons and defenses. He oversaw the development of a hypersonic test vehicle that flew at Mach 20, the fastest high lift-to-drag ratio aircraft ever built and one that will be instrumental in our Nation's capabilities in the future. We now have 3 minutes of fully aerodynamically controlled flight at Mach 20, which yielded more aerodynamic and test measurement data than had been collected in ground tests during the previous 40 years. Dr. Gabriel also directed DARPA's innovative talents to improve the welfare of our brave men and women in uniform who suffered severe injuries in theater before returning home. The Agency's prosthetics research has pioneered a new generation of artificial limbs. I witnessed, for example, a veteran using an artificial hand so adroitly that he was able to pluck a single grape from a large cluster. In addition, in less than a year's time, DARPA's team researched, developed, built, and deployed wristwatch-size blast gauges that detect and record overpressure blast exposure--data critical to the early diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury for our troops deployed abroad. Dr. Gabriel helped the Agency create a forward cell in Afghanistan to support technology deployment efforts. This included a 90-day ``Skunk Works'' activity that brought together some of the country's best computer and social scientists, counterinsurgency experts, economists and analysts. The team deployed to Afghanistan within a month of being tasked to aid the war effort. Dr. Gabriel also oversaw the fielding of a wide-area, high-definition, off-nadir light detection and ranging collection system to provide much-needed 3D map data and systems. To ensure that our nation's resources are being directed in the most appropriate areas, Dr. Gabriel oversaw the development of several analytic frameworks that guided DARPA's investments toward areas revealed to be most divergent with existing threats to the country's security. The cyber analytic framework, in particular, highlighted the need to undertake some new and innovative approaches in defensive cybersecurity, and DARPA was the first DoD organization to address openly the need for an offensive cyber strategy. In today's fiscally constrained environment, Dr. Gabriel insisted on financial accountability and solid business practices. During his tenure, DARPA's obligation rate was 21 points higher than the previous 5-year average, translating into more than $600 million in the performer community, working for DoD and the Nation. Dr. Gabriel would be the first to tell us that none of this would have been possible were it not for the incredible talent at DARPA. In our conversations, he has emphasized to me that the personnel are the lifeblood of the Agency, and he has helped to recruit the nation's best talent from academia, industry, nonprofits, the Services, and laboratories to serve our Nation. On behalf of the House of Representatives and the United States of America, I thank Dr. Kaigham Gabriel for his service to our country, his significant contribution to the defense of our Nation, and his leadership in advancing what is necessary for America to prevent and create strategic surprise. I know my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and in both houses of Congress, join me in sending our best wishes in his next endeavor.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding. Mr. Speaker, today we have the opportunity to talk about our vision for the future and the path our country must set upon in order to remain competitive in the global economy and also to get our fiscal house in order. The tax reform proposals that we are debating today could not be in starker contrast. Today, I will vote against the Republican plan that is before us, and instead I will vote for the Democratic plan which I believe is a balanced approach to move our country forward. It gives everyone the opportunity to succeed. Mr. Speaker, this debate is about choices. The Republicans want to give more tax cuts to the wealthy, quite frankly, at the expense of everyone else. Democrats, on the other hand, propose a balanced plan that asks the wealthiest to sacrifice just a little bit more so that we can provide tax relief for the middle class taxpayers, we can bring our debt down, and invest in economic growth. We will protect our most vulnerable. We will repeal the alternative minimum tax. We will discourage tax haven abuse and eliminate the tax breaks that ship jobs and profits overseas. Far too many of us, Mr. Speaker, have experienced the hardship and loss of employers shuttering their operations in our districts, and we know that when a business closes, it's not just direct jobs that are lost. It is an entire community which is affected. The grocery store has less business, people don't go to the movies, they're not going out to eat at the local diner, they postpone home repairs, and they don't buy that new car. This is as a result of Republican tax policies that have, quite frankly, incentivized companies moving jobs overseas. Democrats propose to change that. That's why we've made promoting domestic manufacturing such a top priority. We want to rewrite the Tax Code in such a way that it incentivizes job creation here or bringing jobs back from overseas. That means that not only are we going to create jobs in that particular business that comes back to America or that starts up here in our country, but also the ancillary jobs that are created as a result that filter out into the community. Some estimate that for every one job that is created in manufacturing, for example, there's at least four or five jobs that are created in other industries. We all agree that comprehensive tax reform is urgently needed. Where Democrats and Republicans fundamentally disagree is how we get there. I urge my colleagues to vote against the Republican plan that is before us and vote for the Democratic substitute to reduce our debt, protect the middle class, promote American products that are made by American workers, and invest in our national priorities: infrastructure, education, research, and security. Let's keep America competitive and create jobs the right way, right here at home. With that, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Republican tax proposal. Their plan will give more tax breaks for the richest 2 percent, providing $160,000 for the average millionaire--on top of the $1 million that they received over the last 9 years. A hundred and sixty thousand dollars means different things to different people. For 464 Rhode Island veterans, it means access to employment and job training services; for 2,340 Rhode Island parents, it means immunizations for their children against Measles, Mumps, and the flu; and for Rhode Island's youth, it means 25 more students get a leg up through Head Start. But for millionaires, $160,000 simply represents the additional gift they receive under the Republican tax proposal. A hundred and sixty thousand dollars is a lot of money, and it can go a long way towards improving the lives and opportunities of Rhode Islanders. While every program I mentioned is on the chopping block, Republicans seem complacent to mortgage our children and grandchildren's future to preserve these tax cuts for the wealthiest top two percent at a cost of $1 trillion. These are tax cuts we simply cannot afford. In fact, if we want to talk about responsible deficit reduction, this would be an excellent place to start. Democrats and Republicans do agree on one thing;--the need to extend tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses, which is exactly what the Democratic proposal will do. Under the Democratic plan, every single taxpayer will receive a tax cut on income earned up to $200,000 if you are single, and $250,000 if you are married. For our middle class families, this translates to an extra $2,200 in their pockets. And even high-income households will continue to receive a tax cut averaging more than $10,000 on their first $250,000 of income. No one thinks raising taxes on the middle class is a good idea. Right now, my top priority is giving middle-class families and our small businesses the security and certainty they deserve by extending tax cuts they desperately need. This should be an issue where Republicans and Democrats can work together to do what is right for hard-working Americans. I urge my colleagues to reject the Republican plan that continues down the same fiscally irresponsible path. Give our small businesses and working families the certainty they deserve, and support the Democratic plan to cut taxes for everyone and help move the economy forward.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Olympic silver medalist and Rhode Island resident, Elizabeth Beisel. Elizabeth is a member of the USA Olympic Swimming Team, and on July 28, she competed in the Women's 400 meter individual medley, finishing in second place with a time of 4:31.27. I join her family, friends, Rhode Islanders, and the entire United States in congratulating her on this remarkable accomplishment. Growing up in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, Elizabeth began swimming at 5 years old. Her passion, energy, and hard work paid off in 2008 when she qualified for her first Olympics. In Beijing, 15 year old Elizabeth was the first Olympic swimmer from Rhode Island in 44 years. She finished in fourth and fifth in the 400 meter individual medley and the 200 meter backstroke respectively. Last year she won her first world title at the Shanghai World Championships in the 400 meter individual medley. After the Beijing Olympics, Elizabeth enrolled in the University of Florida, where she continues to train and compete. Outside of the pool, Elizabeth is a dedicated student and a talented violin player. She balances the demands of her collegiate and Olympic training programs, academic coursework, and international competition schedule with incredible grace and maturity. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in extending congratulations and best wishes to Elizabeth and all of the exceptional athletes who make up Team USA. America is so proud of you!

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. I would like to thank Ranking Member Grijalva and Chairman Bishop and their staffs for working to bring this bill to the committee and to the floor today. I would like to thank my good friend, Congressman Courtney of Connecticut, who has been an outstanding partner in this effort. I would also like to thank all of those back in Rhode Island who have worked to bring this bill to fruition, including the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, Save the Bay, The Nature Conservancy, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. Speaker, the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act proposes a study of segments of the Beaver, Chipuxet, Queen, Wood, and Pawcatuck Rivers in Rhode Island and Connecticut for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Rhode Island and Connecticut have long been outstanding stewards of these rivers, so I hope the passage and completion of this study will affirm what we who live near these rivers already know, which is that they possess outstanding recreational, natural, and historical qualities that make them worthy of the designation of ``Wild and Scenic Rivers.'' As a nation, we are privileged to have access to a diverse system of wilderness areas, not only in the remote expanses of our country but also close to home--in our backyard wilderness. The rivers of the Wood- Pawcatuck watershed are within a 45-minute drive for every Rhode Islander, easily accessible for family outings and school field trips. The people of Rhode Island and Connecticut have long enjoyed the recreational and scenic wealth of the Wood-Pawcatuck, and we are eager to share this natural treasure with the rest of New England and the Nation. These rivers are not only an important part of our national heritage; they are a critical part of our economy, which relies on the health of our waters. The Wood-Pawcatuck watershed offers diverse destinations for tourism, which is a vital industry to Rhode Island and Connecticut, and these rivers offer exceptional trout fishing, canoeing, photography, and bird watching opportunities, with adjacent hiking and camping our for sportsmen. Accordingly, the study will not only review the special character of the river, but it will fully engage with local government, landowners, and businesses to recognize the existing commercial and recreational activities on or adjacent to the watershed. With that, Mr. Speaker, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act offers the best guarantee that the Wood-Pawcatuck will be here for future generations to enjoy. The passage of this study is an important first step along that path. The rivers of the Wood-Pawcatuck watershed contain outstanding recreational, scenic, and natural heritage qualities that would be an excellent addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this bill. Again, I want to thank the members of the committee, especially the chair and the ranking member, for bringing the bill to the floor, and I thank Mr. Hastings and also Mr. Sablan for their assistance with this as well.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. LANGEVIN. In this vein, I'd like to talk about the decades of investment that this Congress and the Department of Defense have made into directed-energy weapons research. More specifically, I'd like to direct them to a recent report by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment that clearly showed many directed-energy technologies have actually matured to the point that cultural factors, not technological maturity, are the most significant barriers to operational deployment. To this end, I offered an amendment to this year's National Defense Authorization Act that would require a report detailing how we can accelerate the deployment of the most promising directed-energy initiatives; and I recognize the commitment that this bill before us today continues in terms of investing in directed-energy weapons technology, and I would encourage the committee to support these efforts in future appropriations measures. With that, I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. LANGEVIN. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. LANGEVIN. I rise to engage in a colloquy with my colleagues and good friends, a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Mr. Frelinghuysen, and the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Dicks. First of all, I'd like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their hard work on this very important legislation. Their efforts to strengthen our national defense and support our men and women in uniform have been tireless, and they truly should be commended. Moreover, I'm very pleased that they make key investments in areas of great interest and concern to me, the first of which is the Virginia class submarine, as well as cybersecurity. I believe that our technological edge is critical to ensuring that our warfighters not only can do what we ask them to do in the future, but can do so as safely and efficiently as possible. In addition to the Virginia class submarine and cybersecurity, no family of technologies shows as much promise to this end as directed-energy weapons. With that, I would yield to the gentleman.

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the chairman for his and the ranking member's commitment, and I certainly look forward to working to realize the potential of directed-energy weapons and to harvest the Nation's past investments in this family of technologies. With that, I yield to the chairman.

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the ranking member and the chairman, and I yield back the balance of my time. Amendment Offered by Mr. Engel

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 20th anniversary of the Leadership Alliance. Founded in 1992 by Brown University in my home State of Rhode Island, the Leadership Alliance is a national academic consortium of leading research universities and minority- serving institutions with the mission to develop underrepresented students into outstanding leaders and role models in academia, business, and public service. Through an organized program of research, networking, and mentorship at critical transitions along the entire academic training pathway, the Leadership Alliance prepares young scientists and scholars from underrepresented and underserved populations for graduate training and professional apprenticeships. Leadership Alliance faculty mentors provide high quality, cutting-edge research experiences in all academic disciplines at the Nation's most competitive graduate training institutions and share insights into the nature of academic careers. During difficult economic times, it is important to educate and train young people to become active participants in the workforce. In particular, I believe we must build on programs in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM fields. If we do not engage future generations to excel in these fields, it will hurt our Nation's ability to innovate, and hurt our employers' ability to fill 21st century jobs. It is through their creativity and talent that we will strengthen our economy and competitiveness. In the 20 years since its establishment, the Leadership Alliance has proven that investing in our students yields immeasurable returns. Brown University has mentored 386 Leadership Alliance participants, of whom 35 percent have received a graduate level degree. Notably, over half of the Leadership Alliance doctoral degree recipients are in the STEM disciplines. Opportunities through the Leadership Alliance and other programs, such as the Community College to Career Fund, offer students of all gender, racial, and economic backgrounds to get involved, and ultimately, to succeed. As co-chair of the Career and Technical Education Caucus, I am always searching for ways to excite and entice these young students to develop their potential and share their knowledge. When we invest in their successes, we invest in our economic future. I am pleased today to congratulate the Leadership Alliance and Brown University for 20 years of mentoring a diverse, competitive research and scholarly workforce, and I look forward to following their successes over the next 20 years.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, my amendment proposes to add $15 million to the RDT&E in the Defense Health Program for the purpose of augmenting the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program. Spinal cord injuries are a serious combat-related condition affecting many of our servicemen and -women. In response, Congress established the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program in 2009 to support research into regenerating and repairing damaged spinal cords and improving rehabilitative therapies. More than 30 years ago, when I was first injured with a spinal cord injury, I was told that I'd never walk again and that you just can't repair the spinal cord. Well, now, some 30 years later, we know that that is not accurate. In fact, it is no longer a question of if we can repair spinal cords, but when. This offers great hope to our men and women in uniform who have been the victims of a spinal cord injury in combat. In fact, recent research promises to make the repair of spinal cord injuries a reachable goal in the very near future. In one study released earlier this year, in fact, rats with severe spinal injuries were able, following a groundbreaking new treatment, to walk, run, and even climb stairs. Scientists in charge of the trial said a similar approach could be used on human patients with spinal injuries, with a clinical trial possible within 1 or 2 years. This and other research provides real hope to our military servicemembers and veterans who have suffered severe nervous system damage while defending our freedom, as well as the 1.275 million Americans estimated to be paralyzed as a result of a spinal cord injury. But without sufficient funding, these therapies will not be able to undergo further development or clinical trials. The research is real and shows incredible promise. There is a genuine and exciting possibility that we can soon repair these debilitating injuries that affect so many. I believe that we must make sure that momentum is not lost and that the benefit of decades of research into spinal cord injuries is realized. With that, Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank my good friends, Chairman Young and Ranking Member Dicks, and the committee staff for working very closely with me on crafting this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, a rare thing has happened today. Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate have reached a compromise for the greater good of the American people. Today we will vote on three critical measures: a long-term transportation extension, a long-term flood insurance extension, and a one-year continuation of current rates for need-based student loans. Each of these is of critical importance to our nation's economic recovery. This legislation will create or save more than 2 million jobs, including approximately 9,000 in Rhode Island, by authorizing highway and transit programs through 2014. Unfortunately, in order to secure an agreement, the conferees included some provisions in this bill with which I disagree. I am disappointed that the legislation threatens critical environmental funding and protections and fails to expand funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provides matching grants for our state to acquire land and water for the benefit of all Rhode Islanders. I will work to restore these resources in the future, but on balance this is a good agreement that will benefit communities and workers across our state. I am also pleased that this measure prevents the Stafford loan interest rate from doubling to 6.8 percent on July 1 for 7 million college students, saving them $1,000 over the life of their loans. However, I am concerned that the bill cuts the student loan program by limiting the amount of time a student qualifies for a loan to 150 percent of the program's length and eliminates the six-month interest subsidy grace period after a student has graduated. Too many students-- especially those from low-income families--face unnecessary barriers to pursuing a college degree, and it is our responsibility to empower them by investing in their education. Thousands of jobs in Rhode Island have been on hold, waiting for Congress to act This delay was needless, and this legislation is long overdue. Nowhere is our nation's fragile recovery more apparent than in my home state of Rhode Island, with an unemployment rate of 11 percent. I applaud the Conferees for their tireless efforts to craft this compromise, which will bring loan relief to our students, provide flood insurance to our homeowners, and allow our states and cities to move forward on the path to rebuilding our roads, our communities, and our economy.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, another summer building season is well under way without a long-term transportation bill; and we are, quite frankly, down to the wire on the current funding authorization, which expires next Sunday. Yet here we are debating the addition of even more non-transportation- related measures. Congressman McKinley's motion to instruct on coal ash is another example of delay. The transportation conferees ought to be urgently completing their work on a long-term authorization, not being saddled with extraneous requirements which pose a threat to public health. With thousands of jobs on hold until Congress acts, this delay is unconscionable. Our State Departments of Transportation gave us early warning that if Congress did not act on a long-term transportation bill by March 31 the summer building season would be compromised. The Senate recognized this concern, and it sent to the House bipartisan legislation known as MAP 21, which is a bill that passed the Senate with the strong bipartisan support of 74 Senators. Then, as we saw the March 31 deadline come and go, House leadership refused to take up the bipartisan Senate bill, knowing full well that carrying an extension through the summer building season would cost jobs. And it has. Nowhere is our Nation's fragile recovery more apparent than in my home State of Rhode Island, which currently has an unemployment rate of 11 percent. According to RIDOT, millions of dollars in projects have already been delayed, including a $6.4 million project to carry I-95 over Ten Rod Road in Exeter; a $1.5 million project to provide traffic improvements on I-295 ramps along the borders of Cranston and Johnston; a $3.5 million project to resurface State Street to Broad Street and Main Street to route 1A in Westerly, Rhode Island. These projects not only improve the infrastructure upon which our businesses and residents rely, but they mean real jobs, desperately needed jobs, for Rhode Islanders. MAP 21 will help rebuild America's economy so it is on a stronger, more sustainable foundation. It will provide the financing for critical highway and transit projects and support almost 2 million jobs, 9,000 of them in my home State of Rhode Island. The 90-day extension, Mr. Speaker, is almost up. It was reluctantly passed back in March with the promise of a long-term measure to follow, a bill which has yet to materialize. We must let the conferees finish their work, and we must let the EPA continue to do its job of protecting the public from the risks of coal ash, which include cancer, neurological disorders, birth defects, and asthma. I urge my colleagues to vote against this industry-driven motion and to vote for moving forward on the path to rebuilding our roads, our communities, and our economy by bringing the American people a long- term transportation bill.

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman. In that spirit, I would like to encourage the gentleman to work together with Mr. Price on efforts to determine and address potential DHS cyber workforce challenges. Specifically, I believe it would be a great value to have DHS study a report on its efforts, challenges, and recommendations to address cyber workforce requirements at the agency. Given their critically important roles with regard to Federal cybersecurity, I believe we absolutely must make sure that DHS can attract and, equally as important, retain the best and the brightest to defend our networks.

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the chairman. I certainly look forward to working with my good friend to ensure that our Federal Government is properly addressing these critically important cybersecurity and cyberworkforce challenges. It's a very important issue, and I thank the chairman for all of his hard work and also thank Ranking Member Price for his outstanding work on this important bill.

Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I'd first like to thank Chairman Aderholt for his hard work. His efforts to support and strengthen cybersecurity activities within the Department of Homeland Security have been commendable, and I want to thank him and his staff, as well as Mr. Price and his staff, for crafting this important piece of legislation. There can be no doubt of the importance of ensuring DHS has the resources it needs to execute its role in protecting against cyberthreats, and key to this is attracting and retaining a robust and skilled cyber workforce. DHS has been delegated numerous critical responsibilities in securing Federal networks through Federal statute and OMB memorandum. These include operating the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or US CERT, and overseeing the Trusted Internet Connection initiative. DHS also has prime responsibility within the executive branch for the operational aspects of Federal agency cybersecurity with respect to the information systems that fall under the Federal Information Security Management Act. While I applaud the chairman for delivering on the need to strengthen America's homeland security efforts in the face of reduced Federal spending, I would ask him if he gave consideration to the hiring, development, and retention of our top-tier cybersecurity talent charged with performing the aforementioned critical duties. An organization such as the Department of Homeland Security absolutely must be able to attract and keep these highly skilled and highly valued individuals in order to defend Federal networks and inform better policy.

Mr. LANGEVIN. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LANGEVIN

Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank both Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Ruppersberger for their outstanding work on this very important legislation and so many aspects contained in it. Last September, I proudly spoke in support of the fiscal year 2012 Intelligence authorization bill because it addressed critical cybersecurity needs as well as many issues of great importance, not just to me but to our country and to the men and women of our intelligence services. I was pleased to be a part of a bipartisan effort within the Intelligence Committee to craft that legislation and gratified by the overwhelming bipartisan support that it garnered. Earlier this year, the House considered the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, which also received bipartisan support and, in my opinion, is a critical first step to confront the serious challenges our Nation faces in the realm of cybersecurity. Now, I continue to advocate for action on CISPA and on the comprehensive cybersecurity legislation that will ultimately be necessary to address this issue, but today I'm proud to support H.R. 5743, the fiscal year 2013 Intelligence authorization bill because it builds on these earlier efforts to give the U.S. intelligence community the tools and funding it needs to meet the challenges of the future. Just as importantly, it supports the men and women of the intelligence community who enable those investments and keep our Nation secure. The National Counterintelligence Executive recently warned that China and Russia are conducting sophisticated cyberespionage against the U.S., in addition to more traditional espionage operations. They and other countries seek to undermine our military, technological, and innovative edge by exploiting our vulnerabilities in the cyber realm, in particular, our critical infrastructure. This situation presents a pervasive threat to U.S. economic security, and I'm very sad to say that they're having success. The estimates on the losses to U.S. industry and government from economic espionage range from $2 billion to over $400 billion a year. Now, this massive spread only emphasizes that we don't yet have the information we need to fully understand and combat this threat.