Buck McKeon

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to Mr. Austria for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield now 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta).

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield for the purpose of making a unanimous consent request to the gentleman from Utah, the one that led us in that great debate on the F-22 that saved the day. (Mr. BISHOP of Utah asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), the ranking member on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield at this time 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner), the ranking member on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield now to the subcommittee ranking member on Military Personnel, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Mr. McKEON. I yield, at this time, 3 minutes to the ranking member on the Seapower Subcommittee, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Akin).

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the ranking member on the Terrorism Subcommittee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller).

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett) the ranking member on the Air and Land Forces Subcommittee such time as he may consume.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, as legislators, we meet once again to address the wide range of important national security issues undertaken by the Departments of Defense and Energy. We all take our legislative responsibilities very seriously. This is especially true during a time of war, and it is always true of my good friend and colleague, Armed Services Committee chairman Ike Skelton. I would be remiss, Mr. Chairman, without saying a word about the outgoing ranking member, John McHugh. I know we all agree that this committee, this Congress, and the 23rd District of New York will all miss the leadership of John McHugh. I look forward to speaking more about John later in our debate. As a result of Chairman Skelton's tireless efforts to put forward this bill, our committee reported out the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 last Wednesday. The vote was unanimous, 61-0. Consistent with the longstanding bipartisan practice of the Armed Services Committee, this bill reflects our committee's continued strong support for the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces. This legislation acknowledges that the United States has a vital national security interest in ensuring that Afghanistan does not once again become a safe haven for terrorists, supports a comprehensive counterinsurgency strategy that is adequately resourced and funded by Congress, and calls on the President to provide our U.S. military commanders with the military forces they require in order to succeed. In Iraq, the committee ensures the Congress will support the President's plan to redeploy combat forces while providing our commanders on the ground the flexibility to hold hard-fought security gains and ensure the safety of our forces. Mr. Chairman, we owe our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines the very best available equipment, training and support in order to provide them with the best possible tools to undertake their missions and return safely. The provisions that are already in this bill go a considerable way in demonstrating this support, but we can, and should, improve it. Congress, and particularly the Armed Services Committees in both Chambers, has the unmistakable obligation to ensure that the Department of Defense develops and deploys defensive capabilities that protect the American people, our forward-deployed forces, and our allies. This includes promising programs in the areas of missile defense. In a year where Iran and North Korea have demonstrated the capability and intent to pursue long-range ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons programs, elements of genuine national security threat, this bill endorsed reductions to capabilities that would provide a comprehensive missile defense system to protect the U.S. homeland, our forward- deployed troops, and our allies. We need to take steps that would reverse the administration's 35 percent reduction to a critical component of the national missile defense system located in Alaska and California, which is designed as a last line of defense to protect the U.S. homeland. It's unfortunate that we've been forced to trade national missile defense capabilities for more theater missile defense. Both are necessary, and both could have been adequately funded without such deep cuts. Building on the Weapons Acquisition Reform bill that the President signed in May, this legislation takes a number of important steps on major weapons programs. I am pleased that this bill provides $368.8 million in advance procurement funding for 12 additional F-22s. Keeping the F-22 production line open is not only necessary to meet military requirements, but also sustains a critical sector of the defense industrial base and provides over 95,000 direct and indirect jobs at a time when our economy is struggling through a recession. As a Nation, we owe more than our gratitude to the brave men and women in uniform and their families, past and present, for the sacrifices they make to protect our freedom. I am pleased that this legislation includes a 3.4 percent pay raise, which is half a percentage point above the President's request. I commend and thank Chairman Skelton for working to address the concurrent receipt in the suspension bill addressed earlier today. However, I remain concerned that we were not able to fund payments to military surviving spouses by repealing the ``widow's tax'' and allowing access to TRICARE for Guard and Reserve members who receive earlier retirement. If this is truly to be the Year of the Military Family, we must make it a priority to fund these programs, too. One of the few areas where there is disagreement within our committee is detainee policy. These are differences that I believe need to be debated and given a vote within the full House. As you know, many Members believe the American people do not want detainees in Guantanamo brought to the sovereign territory of our country. I am disappointed we will not debate amendments dealing with the transfer or release of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba into the United States. Finally, I strongly agree with many Members who believe that Congress should do everything possible to ensure that the detainee pictures presently subject to the Freedom of Information Act are not released. The President and our military commanders determined that these photos, if released, would risk the safety of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Given the overwhelming support for this language in the Senate, I regret that we could not address this issue on the House floor today. As in years past, I believe that this legislation reflects many of the Armed Services Committee's priorities in supporting our Nation's dedicated and courageous servicemembers. I thank Chairman Skelton for putting together an excellent bill and helping us to stay focused on delivering a bill that protects, sustains, and builds our forces. I look forward to working with my colleagues to improve and pass H.R. 2647. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. I yield now to the gentleman from Virginia, the subcommittee ranking member on the readiness committee, Mr. Forbes, 3 minutes.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding Member priority requests received as part of H.R. 2996 the ``Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010'' Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2996, the ``Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010'' Account: U.S. Forest Service, Land Acquisition Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Angeles National Forest Address of Requesting Entity: 701 Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority request totaling $500,000 for land acquisition in the Angeles National Forest. The acquisition of in holdings in Southern California's national forests has been identified as a priority in the state's wildlife action plan because the proximity of the forests to huge population centers puts them at high risk of development and presents significant dangers to the ecology of the region. Acquisition by the Angeles National Forest would protect the scenic values and ecological integrity of this significant in holding. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2996, the ``Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010'' Account: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), State Assistance Grant Program (STAG) Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Palmdale, CA Water District Address of Requesting Entity: 2029 East Avenue Q, Palmdale, CA 93550 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority request totaling $500,000 to replace 35,000 to 40,000 feet of rapidly deteriorating water pipelines and connections throughout the Palmdale area. This project would help conserve water otherwise lost to leakage, improve water quality, decrease maintenance costs for the District and its ratepayers, and create jobs. Additionally, these efforts would ease some of the local pressure to keep pace with reductions in water supply from the Colorado River and the State Water Project.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding Member priority requests I received as part of H.R. 2647, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.'' Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2647, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010'' Account: Air Force Research and Development Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Northrop Grumman Corporation Address of Requesting Entity: 1840 Century Park East, Los Angeles, California 90067-2199 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority authorization request totaling $14,600,000 for Advanced Tactical Data Links (ATDLs) for the U.S. Air Force B-2 Stealth. This data link would profoundly alter how these stealth aircraft like the B-2, F-35, and F- 22 communicate with each other in a high threat environment by allowing all three types of aircraft to communicate and share threat information. Sharing real-time threat information would improve lethality, increase survivability, reduce operating and support costs, and increase efficiencies. The USAF has acknowledged the need for such a critical capability and has provided funding to integrate a common data link into the F-35 and F-22. However, funding for integration of such a link on the B-2 has not occurred. This initiative would provide these significant improvements in the capability two to three years sooner than currently planned. These upgrades will enable our strategic bombers to be more effective in projecting American power abroad and providing battlefield support for our troops. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2647, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010'' Account: Army Research and Development Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing Address of Requesting Entity: 28965 Avenue Penn, Santa Clarita, CA 91355 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority authorization request totaling $2,400,000 for U.S. Army Vehicle Electronics Optimization. This project provides advanced technological components to a variety of Army systems such as tanks, armored personnel carriers, and artillery pieces that are smaller, save power, weigh less, and require less cooling while improving performance and reducing life cycle cost. This would help the Army's accelerated fielding of new systems by reducing complexity and risk associated with these electronics upgrades. Enhancements will help our soldiers in combat be more effective and responsive. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2647, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010'' Account: Air Force Research and Development Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Advatech Pacific, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: 950 E. Palmdale Blvd., Suite C, Palmdale, CA 93550 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority authorization request totaling $3,000,000 for the U.S. Air Force Advanced Vehicle Propulsion Center (AVPC), a unique, world-class center at Edwards Air Force Base that allows experts to examine current and future engineering, design, and development of propulsion systems, space vehicles, missiles, and advanced weapon concepts. The Center's efforts are estimated to save the Air Force millions of dollars in future program costs through the integration of the best engineering, design, analysis, and cost tools from government, industry, and academia. Funding would allow the Center's engineers to incorporate recent technological advances into future Air Force space and missile systems, virtually demonstrating whether proposed designs are sound from operational, infrastructure, schedule, cost, reliability, and risk perspectives. This research will enable our warfighter to be more effective, and will free up limited resources to fund other defense priorities. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2647, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010'' Account: Navy Research and Development Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake Address of Requesting Entity: HSAD Program Office, Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, CA 93555-6100 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority authorization request totaling $1,900,000 for the U.S. Navy/U.S. Air Force High Speed Anti-Radiation Demonstrator established at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station in 2002 to demonstrate an advanced rocket propulsion system that can provide either twice the distance or half the time to target over solid propellant rocket motors. With flight testing successfully accomplished and propulsion system technology demonstrated, this funding request would allow the transition of HSAD designs into a tactical missile configuration for future use in Navy/ USAF advanced weapon systems. In addition, funds would be used to develop next generation solid ramjet fuels and provide performance data to support missile performance. In the future this research will benefit the warfighter by providing better performing missiles and missile defenses critical to our air superiority and homeland defense. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2647, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010'' Account: MILCON, Navy Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center Address of Requesting Entity: U.S. Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, CA, 93517 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority authorization request totaling $8,600,000 for a new commissary at the U.S. Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center. This project would construct a permanent commissary at the U.S. Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center. Due to the remote location of the base outside Bridgeport, California, military members and their families travel dozens of miles over steep and sometimes impassable roadways to buy groceries and supplies. This project would eliminate that drive and provide an improved quality of life on base, especially during the winter months. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2647, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010'' Account: Air Force Research and Development Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Andrews Space Address of Requesting Entity: 25133 Avenue Tibbitts, Unit A, Valencia, CA 91355 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority authorization request totaling $2,000,000 to promote research into smaller, lower cost, and rapidly deployable satellites called ``cubesats'' that would provide imagery, advanced warning, navigation, and intelligence to our military and other national security agencies. Currently, a domestic provider of cubesat components does not exist. Funding would allow the DoD Cubesat Program to continue fundamental research, development, testing, of domestic source, low cost components such as flight computers, power hardware, and spacecraft navigation and control hardware. These efforts would help enable domestic mass production of cubesats in the near future. Cubsats are an integral part of the Department of Defense's plan to provide more, less expensive, timely intelligence to support the warfighter. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2647, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010'' Account: Navy Research and Development Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California State University Long Beach Address of Requesting Entity: 6300 State University Drive, Ste 332, Long Beach, CA 90815 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority authorization request totaling $2,000,000 for a Department of Defense Strategic Mobility Logistics Study. This project, headed by Cal State University Long Beach and Cal State University San Bernardino at the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA), would allow the continuation of educational training, logistics modeling, and the development of defense training courses supporting the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and several major commands. These courses are designed to make Defense Department logistics more efficient, less expensive, and provide greater inventory control while creating a more cognizant military and civilian logistics workforce. This program also plays a key training role creating jobs in the defense industry.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding Member priority requests I received as part of H.R. 2892, the ``Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010.'' Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2892, the ``Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010'' Account: Predisaster Mitigation Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Santa Clarita, CA Address of Requesting Entity: 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Suite 300, Santa Clarita, CA 91355 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority request totaling $500,000 for seismic retrofits to the City of Santa Clarita, CA's Emergency Operations Center. This project would assist the City of Santa Clarita with seismic upgrades to its City Hall building so that it may serve as the City's Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The funding would help purchase and install Special Concentrically Braced Frames, incorporating lessons learned from the Northridge earthquake of 1994, during which the City of Santa Clarita's City Hall building, which serves as the Santa Clarita Valley's Emergency Operations Center (EOC), sustained extensive damage. These enhancements will allow Santa Clarita's City Hall to serve as the City's primary EOC in the event of a significant seismic event.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend from California (Mr. Dreier) for yielding the time. As the ranking member on Armed Services, I rise in opposition to this rule and to the war supplemental conference report for one simple reason. It will endanger our troops in harm's way. Compared with the clean troop funding bill that passed the House with bipartisan support in May, this package cuts $4.7 billion from defense that we passed at that time to create room for a $105 billion global bailout loan program. What should be a clean military funding bill has become a means for the President's promise to provide more foreign aid to the International Monetary Fund. Those funds will eventually make their way to countries that are less than friendly to the United States at the expense of programs to support our troops. And even more disturbing is the decision by conferees to reject the motion offered by Republicans to prohibit the release of detainee photos that could exacerbate tensions in the very regions our troops are fighting. Mr. Speaker, let me read to you a statement about those photos by General Petraeus, commander of U.S. Armed Forces throughout the Middle East: ``The release of images depicting U.S. servicemen mistreating detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan, or that could be construed as depicting mistreatment, would likely deal a particularly hard blow to U.S. CENTCOM and U.S. interagency counterinsurgency efforts in these key nations, as well as further endanger the lives of U.S. soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, civilians and contractors presently serving there.'' General Petraeus is correct, and we should stand with our troops in the field and prohibit the release of these photos. We should not leave it in the hands of ACLU lawyers or at the mercy of activist judges. I urge my colleagues to reject this package and insist that it be brought back immediately with Senator Lieberman and Senator Graham's language to prohibit release of these photos. Finally, the Senate-passed troop bill included language prohibiting release or transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to U.S. soil. Unfortunately this conference report does not prohibit the transfer or release of detainees after October 1 of this year. This is a huge mistake. I fear we're already beginning to open Pandora's box. We've already begun importing terrorists. These Guantanamo detainees are trained to foment dissent among Americans, and we should do everything possible to keep them away from our local military bases and our prisons. Again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule and the conference report so we can quickly make these necessary changes to protect our troops in the field and bring back a clean troop funding bill.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, Pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding Member priority requests I received as part of H.R. 2847, The ``Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.'' Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2847, ``Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010'' Account: Department of Justice, Juvenile Justice Programs Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The City of Victorville Address of Requesting Entity: 14343 Civic Drive, PO Box 5001, Victorville, CA 92393 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority request totaling $82,000 to assist with the Uturn Gang Prevention Program evaluation and assessment component. Uturn Gang Prevention Program will focus on elementary school age at-risk youth, along with their immediate families. The focal point will be three areas of accountability: home, school and community. The Uturn program aims to work with at-risk families willing to make a two-year commitment to involvement in services. The goal is to develop at-risk children's full personal potential so that they will not be attracted to gang involvement. The City of Victorville will contract evaluation and assessment services through California State University San Bernardino, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Social Work. Evaluation and assessment services will track participants' behavioral changes, school attendance, communication skills, academic trends, family involvement, and communication skill sets. Ultimately this program will evaluate and assess the individual and collective development of the youth and families. This program will enhance the family structure and strengthen values. The progress of the program participants will be tracked every 6 months for a two year period insuring behavioral, emotional and family stability. The success of the program insuring gang life will be less attractive and irrelevant to the youth. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2847, ``Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010'' Account: Department of Justice, Juvenile Justice Legal Name of Requesting Entity: CASA of Los Angeles County Address of Requesting Entity: CASA of Los Angeles County, Lancaster office, 1040 West Avenue J, Room 1130 Lancaster, CA 93534-3329 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority request totaling $300,000 for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Los Angeles County Lancaster program. The funding is specifically to recruit and train additional CASA volunteers to provide advocacy services to 120 additional abused and neglected foster children in the Antelope Valley area. CASA of Los Angeles County will provide any required match for this program. CASA of Los Angeles services the needs of abused and neglected children in the foster care system through the recruitment, training, supervision and support of community volunteers who investigate the circumstances of each child, facilitate the provisions of services, monitor compliance with the orders of the court and advocate for the best interests of the child. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2847, ``Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010'' Account: Department of Justice, COPS Technology Grant Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Inyo County, California Address of Requesting Entity: Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority request totaling $240,000 for an Emergency Operations Center for Inyo County. This project will expand an existing Inyo County Sheriff's Department facility that will serve as a dedicated Emergency Operations Center ensuring continuity and effective emergency management in the event of a disaster such as a wildfire or earthquake. Aspects of this project include site preparation, installation and expansion of existing utilities and data communications, construction, radio communications, and an emergency backup electrical system for emergency operations. Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon Bill Number: H.R. 2847, ``Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010'' Account: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Byrne Grant Program Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The City of Adelanto, CA Address of Requesting Entity: The City of Adelanto, 11600 Air Expressway, Adelanto, CA 92301 Description of Request: I requested and received a Member priority request totaling $375,000 to establish an Emergency Operations Center within Adelanto, CA's existing City Hall. This center will serve as the central command and control facility in the event of a disaster and will be responsible for carrying out the protocols of an emergency situation, such as a wildfire or earthquake, and ensuring the continuity of operations. Aspects of this project include structural renovations, network infrastructure installation, and purchases of equipment like computers, phones, a generator, 800MHz communication radios, and a mobile secondary/backup Emergency Operations Center.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. I am interested in saving energy. I just think that this bill costs too much, borrows too much, and controls too much. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. If there is a serious academic purpose for gardens and greenhouses, they can already be built under the far-reaching legislation in the underlying bill. Let's not dilute the Federal investment in education further by getting into the landscaping business. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. I yield myself the balance of my time. I ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment. Federal interference in school facility maintenance is troubling enough, but at least there is some semblance of an academic focus in the underlying bill. But I cannot justify expanding that spending to recreation and physical education. I urge a ``no'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Although I oppose the underlying bill because it spends too much, borrows too much, and takes too much control for the Federal Government, in fairness, if it's going to be done, this is a good amendment. From brush fires in California to flooding in Iowa to tornados in Kansas, natural disasters like this take place all over the country, and this would be a good thing to help those local districts if, in fact, the money is going to be spent. For that purpose, I support the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I urge support of the gentlewoman's amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. I support this amendment, I encourage our colleagues to support the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, while there's debate on whether funding school construction is a proper role of the Federal Government, it's difficult to argue that any such program should not contain an educational component. I commend the gentlewoman for her amendment, and I would support that amendment and ask my colleagues to support that amendment. Mr. Chairman, we are moving along a little quicker than we thought, and that's why Mr. Flake wasn't able to get here for his amendment, but he has arrived, and at this time I yield him such time as he may consume.

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