Steven Palazzo

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 258, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against:

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Chairman, I rise to join Mr. Hall, chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, to urge all Members to support passage of H.R. 658, the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011. This is a good and balanced bill that will help advance important modernization of safety programs at the FAA, and do so in a fiscally responsible manner. The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, which I chair, held an oversight hearing on February 16 that focused on FAA's research and development activities. Witnesses from FAA, industry, an external advisory panel to FAA, and the DOT Inspector General spoke in general agreement about the importance of FAA's research and development portfolio, with the non-agency witnesses also offering constructive suggestions for improvement. Of chief importance to the agency and industry is development and implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System program. NextGen will modernize our Nation's air traffic control system, increasing its capacity, safety, security, and efficiency. But this ambitious program will not succeed without a well structured, well managed research and development program that will deliver appropriate technologies when and where they are required. To offer a few examples, currently there is NextGen-related research focused on increasing our weather prediction capability, research to better understand human factors in a highly automated environment, wake turbulence prediction, and research on aircraft technologies. What we are asking FAA to do is to prioritize and make choices. Most folks in Washington and at home acknowledge that we cannot afford business as usual by routinely increasing Federal spending year after year. This bill is a responsible approach to pushing the FAA forward, but doing so wisely. Mr. Chair, I rise to join with Mr. Hall, Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, to urge all Members to support passage of H.R. 658, the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011. This is a good and balanced bill that will help advance important modernization and safety programs at the FAA, and to do so in a fiscally responsible manner. The Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, which I chair, held an oversight hearing on February 16 that focused on FAA's research and development activities. Witnesses from FAA, industry, an external advisory panel to FAA, and the DOT Inspector General spoke in general agreement about the importance of FAA's research and development portfolio, with the non-agency witnesses also offering constructive suggestions for improvement. Of chief importance to the agency and industry is development and implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System program. NextGen will modernize our nation's air traffic control system, increasing its capacity, safety, security, and efficiency, but this ambitious program will not succeed without a well-structured, well-managed research and development program that will deliver appropriate technologies when and where they're required. To offer a few examples, currently there is NextGen-related research focused on increasing our weather prediction capability; research to better understand human factors in a highly automated environment; wake turbulence prediction; and research on aircraft technologies. Ultimately, tens of billions of dollars are at stake both by government and industry if we're to enable the full realization of NextGen, and ensure its success the agency needs a strong R&D program. Title X of H.R. 658 also supports FAA's traditional safety research, and it directs the agency--in coordination with NASA--to assess the environmental impact of aviation. To be clear, the environmental research will help FAA better measure the effects of aviation, and where warranted, to develop technologies to mitigate them. For example, using biomass-based feedstock to develop jet fuel. But just as importantly, an environmental assessment will also give industry a baseline against which progress on impacts can be measured, which is a metric we do not have today. There are some Members who may argue that this bill is counterproductive because it reduces FAA's authorization levels, asserting, for instance, that it imperils public safety by eliminating safety-related research. To those who raise such claims, I respectfully disagree. In this bill, we're not eliminating any program. What we are asking FAA to do is to prioritize and make choices. Most folks in Washington and at home acknowledge that we cannot afford `business as usual' by routinely increasing federal spending year after year. This bill is a responsible approach to pushing the FAA forward, but doing so wisely.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, the resolution proposed by my colleague from Ohio does a disservice to the men and women who have courageously defended our country from our enemies in Afghanistan. This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure and honor of welcoming home the 287th Engineering Company, commonly referred to as Sappers, based in Lucedale, Mississippi. They have the most dangerous mission in Afghanistan. They were the ones that cleared routes so that our men and women in uniform could have safe passage. They're the ones that rooted out the IEDs and the roadside bombs. And I'm happy to say they came back 100 percent, with one wounded warrior, but they did their mission. While they were obviously overjoyed to see their loved ones again, the soldiers I spoke with were good to go with that mission and what they had accomplished. They fully understand that there are those who want to indiscriminately kill and maim Americans and we would rather take the fight to them overseas and abroad instead of having them come to our backyard, to our schools and our playgrounds. Just yesterday, I had the chance to speak personally with General Petraeus after his testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. Again, as a Marine veteran of the Persian Gulf war and currently serving in the Mississippi National Guard, I know firsthand what good military commands look like, and General Petraeus is a great leader, a professional soldier, and someone whose opinion I respect very much. Based on this resolution, his quote was, ``The Taliban and al Qaeda obviously would trumpet this as a victory, as a success. Needless to say, it would completely undermine everything that our troopers have fought and sacrificed so much for.'' Mr. Speaker, Congress' constitutional responsibility is to ensure that the courageous men and women in our armed services have the tools and equipment and training to do their job and come home safely to their family. Our warfighters don't need armchair generals in this Congress arbitrarily dictating terms that will cause irreparable harm to them and to the national security of this country. I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hard work and determination of a group of my fellow soldiers who have recently returned home to Mississippi after a long deployment in Afghanistan. Over 100 troops from the Mississippi Army National Guard 287th from Lucedale, MS have just finished a yearlong deployment in Paktia Province. These brave soldiers have been providing route clearance, removing improvised explosive devices and roadside bombs allowing their fellow troops serving our Nation safe passage. The 287th faced danger and uncertainty every day. I am truly honored to represent these brave Americans in the U.S. House of Representatives. Having served in the military, I believe that all of our soldiers deserve the utmost respect from all of those they protect. I ask that my colleagues here in Washington and the American people take a moment to thank these selfless men and women and continue to keep all of the brave men and women serving our Nation in their thoughts and prayers.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, last week, while most of us were working from our districts, a newspaper article entitled, ``Combat Troops To Get Gay Sensitivity Training,'' was published. The article explains how our combat forces on the front lines in Afghanistan will soon be required to take a time-out from their mission and be forced to participate in the Pentagon's homosexual sensitivity training regimen. I still maintain the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell will harm recruitment, retention and readiness; but regardless of your opinion on that issue, it is remarkable that the courageous men and women who have voluntarily put themselves in harm's way are being subjected to such insane distractions while the war wages on around them. Our Nation is at war against an enemy that wants nothing more than the complete destruction of our way of life. For the President and the Pentagon to dangerously distract the attention of our troops in forward operating bases away from the enemy and toward homosexual sensitivity training is outrageous. To the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces, I pray to God that you all return home safe and sound to your families. I, for one, believe in your mission and want to win the war on terror because we have certainly lost the war of common sense.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, last week written across America's newspapers were headlines of how Egyptians stood up to what they viewed as a restrictive and arbitrary government. Perhaps those protests should serve as a wake-up call for us all, if for no other reason than for where they took place. You see, just east of Cairo is the Suez Canal and SuMed pipeline, which combined carry nearly 5 million barrels of oil a day to countries around the world. Egypt's future remains uncertain, and because of the restrictive and arbitrary anti-drilling policies imposed by President Obama, so does the future for thousands of families in south Mississippi. By refusing to issue new drilling permits this administration continues to impose a de facto moratorium on U.S.-based companies, which is having a devastating effect on gulf coast families. Having worked on an offshore platform, I know firsthand the impact those jobs have on a local economy. Without drilling in the gulf, many small businesses will suffer as more jobs are lost and the effect of those lost wages trickle throughout the economy. Mr. Speaker, you don't ground the entire airline industry when there's an airplane crash. Now is the time for this administration to do what's right for the American people by allowing further offshore exploration and reducing our reliance on foreign sources of oil.

Mr. PALAZZO

Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for the repeal of this health care monstrosity. It was a bill passed over the objections of most Mississippians, built on unconstitutional individual mandates and unprecedented burdens for State governments. In short, this government takeover is poised to destroy the greatest health care system in the world. Don't take my word for it, but look at how some of the most ardent backers have been quietly working to obtain special waivers so they will not be held to the same standards most small businesses face. Mr. Speaker, it's time we give all Americans the same relief the President's political friends have worked so hard to get--relief from this job-destroying legislation--by voting in favor of this repeal. I am proud that the first speech I have given in this Chamber and the first bill I have co-sponsored in this Congress is one to repeal this 2,700-page monstrosity.