Buck McKeon

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes).

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

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. McKEON. I thank the gentleman for his efforts in addressing such a complex and serious issue. I agree that much needs to be done to improve our contingency contracting outcomes and to preserve and integrate the lessons learned over the last 10 years. The committee report accompanying the bill takes action on many of these same concerns. The committee will pursue this issue going forward to explore additional recommendations for systemic improvements to operational combat support and stabilization and reconstruction programs, including the proposal represented by the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to the amendment although I don't oppose the amendment.

Mr. McKEON. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, we had an amendment earlier to cut off all funds to Pakistan. This is a more moderate approach. Pakistan is part of the problem, we understand that. They live in a tough neighborhood. We know that in some ways they help us, in some ways they don't help us. This amendment is kind of a carrot-and-stick approach. We say, when you do the things that you say you'll do, when you open these Ground Lines of Communication, we'll be giving you some of the funds. I think that's the proper approach that we should take, and I think that will help us in moving forward our effort in that area. I thank the gentleman for his amendment. I think it makes the bill stronger. I thank him for his work in this regard. I ask support of the amendment and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. I rise, Mr. Chairman, to claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. McKEON. Could I ask the time remaining?

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4310.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of the time. Mr. Chairman, when I was in Afghanistan a few years ago, I visited Camp Leatherneck. General Nicholson, who was just setting up base, and they were just there in the desert--the men were out setting up forward operating bases, trying to take back territory that the Taliban commanded. The general told me that his troops were being asked every day by the local people, when are you leaving? How long are you going to be here? Can we trust you to be here to protect us? Last year, when I returned, I went to the same area. We were able to go to Marjah this time, which we couldn't go to before because that was a Taliban stronghold. Last year, we were able to walk down the street in Marjah. I saw marines and Afghan soldiers embracing; they were happy to see each other. Maybe they'd been apart for a while. The marines had put up light standards down the street, and the merchants were able to keep their stores open a little bit longer. We opened a school while we were there, not a school like we enjoy, but it was a school built out of adobe and tents. They had 500 kids. About a third of them were girls. They were able to go to school that they hadn't been able to go to before. They were excited about that opportunity. I visited with the local governor there. We had lunch. I asked him what motivated him, because he knew, as the Taliban came back for the spring effect, that his life was on the line. He said, God willing, we'll prevail. Mr. Chairman, I think when we talk about pulling these people out before they have a chance to complete their mission--I was at a street fair in Simi Valley last week and I talked to a lady working in a booth for the troops. She said, my grandson just came home from Afghanistan. And I told him we ought to just get out of there. And he said, Granny, that's wrong. We're accomplishing great things. We're helping those people. Let us finish our mission. That's what the generals say they should do. That's what the troops say they should do. Defeat this amendment that pulls the troops out immediately. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Chairman, I oppose the Conyers amendment. The F 35B is a short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the F 35 stealth fighter, and it's in the final stages of development and has entered low-rate initial production. The F 35B will operate from large deck amphibious ships as well as have the capability to operate from forward operating bases and damaged air strips to support Marine Corps ground maneuver forces ashore. The Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Amos, wrote to the committee yesterday and said: The importance of the F 35B short takeoff vertical landing variant to the Marine Corps and the Nation cannot be overstated. The F 35B has made significant progress in the last year, under General Amos' guidance, by completing all of the plan test points in 2011 and accomplishing 260 vertical landings. If passed, this amendment could have major negative impacts to our Nation's future combat power, increase the cost of the overall F 35 program, and negatively affect the eight international program partners in foreign military sales. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Conyers amendment.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, a member of the committee and the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller).

Mr. McKEON. At this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry), the vice chairman of the committee.

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

Mr. McKEON. At this time, Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway), a member of the committee.

Mr. McKEON. I encourage all Members to support the en bloc amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes at this time to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. West), a member of the committee, a gentleman who has led troops in battle.

Mr. McKEON. We have no further requests for time, so I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, at this time I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger), a member of the committee and an Air Force pilot.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, at this time I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce).

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield at this time 1 minute to the ranking member of the committee, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. McKEON. May I inquire as to how much time we have remaining?

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.