Mike Rogers

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, at this time we have no further speakers, and I would continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, there are many things that keep me awake at night as the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The growing threat from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks not only abroad but here is of growing concern. Instability in governments that possess these materials, an increasing interest from those who would choose to do harm to the United States, desire to get their hands on these materials means that we must prepare ourselves here at home for the unfortunate, I think unlikely certainly in the short term, but possible position of being attacked with these disturbing weapons systems. This is that important step to protect Americans by increasing our stockpiles, and I would urge its passage. With that, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Mr. Dennis Gehringer on his retirement from First National Bank of Howell after a distinguished 44 year career. Mr. Gehringer's career is truly an American success story. He progressed from errand boy to teller to collector before becoming a Loan Officer and ultimately a Commercial Loan Officer in 1984. In addition to his job duty progression, Mr. Gehringer was also promoted in rank within the bank from an assistant cashier to assistant vice- president then to vice-president and retires as a Senior Vice President, a rank he has held since 1989, among the highest ranking officers in the bank hierarchy aside from the Chief Executive. Although Mr. Gehringer gained significant professional accomplishments during his tenure, when asked, he said that he was most proud of the people that he and First National have helped over the years. From helping people start a business or just helping get a customer through a rough patch, Mr. Gehringer demonstrated the real value of a community banker with his ability to build relationships. Mr. Gehringer has given back to the community where he has lived his entire life. He is the past President of the Livingston County Coin Club; an active participant with the Howell Chamber of Commerce; a Livingston County United Way Volunteer, and active in his church, St. Joseph's, as a Men's Club member and former Endowment Fund Chair. Mr. Gehringer also served on the Salvation Army board and as a Scout Master. Mr. Gehringer's community involvement was specifically recognized and celebrated on two different occasions. In 2001, he received the Charles W. Itsell Volunteer of the Year Award from the Livingston County United Way. Then, in 2003, the Howell Chamber of Commerce presented Mr. Gehringer with its Citizen of the Year Award. Mr. Gehringer and his wife Laurie, who met at First National, have two children and one grandchild. Mr. Gehringer says he is most looking forward to spending more time with family, playing more golf, and continuing to enjoy the people and places of Livingston County. I ask that the House of Representatives join me in thanking Mr. Gehringer for his exemplary service to his community and congratulating Mr. Gehringer on his retirement and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5949, which would reauthorize the FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Act of 2008, or FAA, as we refer to it, for 5 years. The FAA is currently set to expire at the end of the year. If that happens, the government will lose a critical tool for protecting Americans against foreign threats, including terrorists, and, as a result, will lose significant intelligence on these foreign targets. I want to emphasize, Mr. Speaker, foreign targets. We were all reminded yesterday, while looking back on the horrible events of 9/11, of the threat that we face from those seeking to do us harm. Let me reassure you that even though we have been able to disrupt numerous plots over the years, our enemies want to do just as much harm today as they did then, and they just want to do it as badly as they did even 11 years ago. The original FAA that is being reauthorized was sponsored by Representative Reyes in 2008, my Democrat predecessor, as chairman of the Intelligence Committee. It also reflected the work of then leader, Mr. Hoyer, to help develop the final product under the previous majority. I have been pleased to work in a collegial, bipartisan manner with my ranking member, Mr. Ruppersberger, on this clean reauthorization bill as well. In fact, the Intelligence Committee reported this bill out unanimously, which doesn't happen all that much around this place. The administration has also indicated to us that reauthorizing the FAA is its highest national security legislation priority, and on Tuesday issued a statement strongly supporting this bill. I hope we can all recognize this is an issue that is being driven by our national security needs and not by politics. A few key points on the FAA. First, if we let this authority expire, we will lose a critical intelligence collection tool against foreigners on foreign soil. If that happens, we lose information on the plans and identities of terrorists, information about the functioning of terrorist groups like al Qaeda and others, information on the intentions and capabilities of weapons proliferators, information on potential cyberthreats to the United States and other critical intelligence about foreign adversaries that threaten the United States of America. Second, it is important to remember that this authority is focused on allowing the government to conduct intelligence collection targeting foreigners located outside of the United States--I'm going to say that again, Mr. Speaker, targeting foreigners located outside of the United States--and not on Americans located in the United States or anywhere else in the world. Third, the FAA is subject to a robust oversight structure, including Congress, and I can assure you that the Intelligence Committee takes this responsibility extremely seriously. We have had numerous hearings, Member briefings, and staff briefings since the passage of FAA in 2008. Before the government can collect any intelligence under the FISA Amendments Act, a Federal judge must approve the government's surveillance process, including the targeting and minimization procedures required under the law. One final point, in addition to the primary authority in FAA to target foreigners located abroad, it actually enhanced the civil liberties protections for Americans by requiring a court order to target an American for collection outside of the United States. Before 2008, the government only needed the Attorney General for approval. If this law expires, so do these enhanced civil liberties protections. Mr. Speaker, contrary to what some may say, FAA is not about domestic surveillance and it does not authorize a sweeping dragnet of collecting on American communications. This is about foreigners on foreign soil. It is about giving our intelligence professionals the tools they need to quickly and effectively intercept the communications of those outside the United States who seek to do us harm. Let's not forget the nature of the threat that, almost 11 years ago to the day, took so many lives in such a horrific way. And the examples that we see just yesterday of the ongoing target of U.S. civilians, if they're in the United States or they're in places like Libya, continues to be a threat to the personal safety of those we ask to stand in harm's way and protect and promote the values of the United States. This is a critical piece of legislation supported by both parties and the President of the United States. Mr. Speaker, I would urge all of our colleagues here to stand united in the defense of the United States and support H.R. 5949. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am going to continue to reserve and allow the gentleman from Maryland to close.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I yield 2 minutes to a friend of mine, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. It's just important to remember that the due process protections of the United States are alive and well here. This is one of those programs that has an inordinate amount of oversight to make sure that we are not targeting Americans. Not only does the committee participate, but the Department of Justice has a separate review. There are strong internal reviews. In the odd case where an American is intercepted, there are very strict procedures on how to destroy that information and correct that problem, and it has not happened, hardly frequently at all is the good news, which is why I think there is such bipartisan and strong support of our effort again to collect on foreigners who are outside of the United States, incredibly important. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I reserve with the right to close.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my ranking member, Mr. Ruppersberger, for the fine bipartisan effort on this important national security issue. I think the people at home can rest assured that we have taken every precaution to protect our civil liberties, which we all cherish in this Nation, and still have the ability to collect on foreigners overseas seeking to harm this great country, and I want to thank you for your work and commend the President for his letter of support of our bipartisan effort on this important national security issue. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true American Hero, a man whose focus, drive, intellect and leadership were responsible for spawning innovative systems that have saved lives and ensured the security of our great nation. Pedro Luis Rustan, known as ``Pete'' to all within the Intelligence Community, was an extraordinary American. His passing leaves a void within the Intelligence Community and for all his family and friends. Pete may not have appreciated my remarks because he was never concerned about who received the credit, only that the job was done. However, he was a man who was grateful for the gifts that God gave him and he could think of no greater use for these gifts than service of the Nation that had blessed him and his family with freedom. Pete was born in 1946 in a small city 40 miles from the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay. In August 1967, he made a dramatic escape from Communist Cuba with his father, two sisters, and brother-in-law. They fled to a railway, climbed inside a railroad boxcar and jumped from the moving train as it approached the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo. Pete and his family swam and waded through a snake-infested swamp before reaching multiple tall security fences topped with barbed wire. Pete carried his younger sister on his back over the fences. After being picked up by a Navy patrol craft they sought and received political asylum. In the early 1970s Pete studied electrical engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and was quickly drafted into the Air Force. In the Air Force he served first as an enlisted man, and then successfully completed Officer Candidate School, becoming a U.S. Air Force officer. He eventually went on to graduate school at the University of Florida, from which he received a doctorate in electrical engineering in 1979. During his 26-year career with the U.S. Air Force, Pete ran several advanced technology space programs and was mission manager for a joint NASA--Defense Department project, the Clementine mission, a small, low- cost spacecraft that made history by mapping the surface of the Moon and discovering ice at its south pole. Daniel Golden, a former NASA director, said that Pete always ``seemed to take on things that were impossible.'' He retired from the Air Force in 1997 with the rank of colonel but continued to deliver intelligence systems that accomplished the seemingly impossible with National Security technical systems. After retiring from the Air Force, Pete consulted on commercial space ventures and for federal intelligence agencies. He was on an advisory board that recommended changes at the National Security Agency, one of the country's largest intelligence agencies. As Michael V. Hayden, a former director of the National Security Agency said of Pete, ''He was hands-down the most valuable member of that board. He was creative. He was energetic. He was candid without ever being caustic or unkind.'' After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Pete returned to the government, leading research efforts in satellite reconnaissance for the Defense and Intelligence Communities. He held numerous positions at the National Reconnaissance Organization, NRO, including Director of the Advanced Systems and Technology Directorate, Director of the Ground Enterprise Directorate, Director of Small Satellite Development and most recently, Director of the NRO's Mission Support Directorate. He retired from the NRO officially in October 2011. In each instance he enhanced the capability of the organization and demonstrated his well earned reputation as a technical innovator and advocate of streamlined acquisition principles in space programs. He was a true asset to the NRO and to our country. Pete contributed to improving the world outside of work as well. He personally led missions to a small impoverished town in Honduras where he provided shoes, developed aqueducts and tilapia fish farms. In his private and personal life he also was one who accomplished the seemingly impossible. On June 28, Pedro ``Pete'' Rustan lost his battle with cancer but won his eternal reward after 65 vibrant years, passing away at his home in Woodbridge, Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Alexandra, and children, Peter and Amy. He leaves behind a legacy of intelligence systems and people whom he mentored to continue to achieve the seemingly impossible in his memory. He will be greatly missed in the Intelligence Community and by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, which this month will mark the 25th anniversary of its founding by mid-Michigan entrepreneur Chris Holman. Twenty-five years ago, Mr. Holman saw the need for a publication that would promote, publicize, and support local companies, provide a forum for ideas, and keep members of the community informed of the services and products offered by businesses in the area. The first issue of The Greater Lansing Business Monthly hit the streets in June 1987. In its 25 years of existence, the magazine has become known for its consistent quality and for the positivity of its content. The magazine is distributed to all non-resident addresses in the cities of Lansing, Mason, Holt, Grand Ledge, East Lansing, Haslett, DeWitt, Williamston, and Okemos. Readership has gown to an estimated 40,000 per month. The Business Monthly's content includes feature stories centered around a theme each month. Whether the topic is banking or business travel, health care or hospitality, articles highlight the quality products and people of the Greater Lansing area. These stories highlight successful businesses in the community and the people who comprise the companies. In response to market needs, The Greater Lansing Business Monthly has become involved in many other endeavors. For example, The Greater Lansing Business Index & Survey provides an in-depth look at mid- Michigan's economy. Other projects include CEO networks, the Greater Lansing Entrepreneurial Awards, the Greater Lansing Business Showcase and the Greater Lansing Business + Sports Luncheon. The magazine is also represented on more than a dozen boards in the area. The magazine enjoys a 92 percent awareness and readership rate among businesses in the Greater Lansing market. Therefore Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to join me in honoring The Greater Lansing Business Monthly and its staff for 25 years of exceptional service to mid-Michigan employers and their customers.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, while I do not oppose the amendment, I ask unanimous consent to control the time in opposition.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, while I do not oppose the amendment, I ask unanimous consent to control the time in opposition.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to applaud the gentleman for his work. We look forward to working with him as we move forward, and I will support the amendment. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I would yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Pompeo).

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 5743.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Chairman, I first wish to make an announcement with respect to the availability of the classified annex to the bill for the Members of the House. This is to reinforce a previous announcement made to Members by the Committee on Rules on May 23, 2012, and an informal announcement by leadership. Mr. Chairman, the classified Schedule of Authorizations and the classified annex accompanying the bill remain available for review by Members at the offices of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in room HVC 304 of the Capitol Visitors Center. The committee office will open during regular business hours for the convenience of any Member who wishes to review this material prior to its consideration by the House. I recommend that Members wishing to review the classified annex contact the committee's director of security to arrange a time and date for that viewing. This will assure the availability of committee staff to assist Members who desire assistance during their review of these classified documents. Mr. Chairman, we're especially pleased with this year's fiscal 2013 Intelligence authorization bill and its presence here on the floor today. This will be our third authorization since I assumed the chairmanship and my colleague, Mr. Ruppersberger, assumed the ranking member position on the House Intelligence Committee. The bill is a vital tool for congressional oversight of the intelligence community's classified activities and is critical to ensuring that our intelligence agencies have the resources and authorities they need to do their important work. The Intelligence authorization bill funds U.S. intelligence activities spanning 17 separate agencies. This bill is significantly below last year's inactive budget, but up modestly from the President's roughly $72 billion in the unclassified number budget request for fiscal year 2013. It is also completely in line with the House budget resolution, which provides for a modest increase of defense activities above the President's budget. The FY13 bill sustains our current intelligence capabilities and provides for the development of future capabilities, all while achieving significant savings and ensuring the intelligence agencies are being good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars. The U.S. intelligence community plays a critical role in the war on terrorism and securing the country from many threats that we face. Effective and aggressive congressional oversight is essential to ensuring continued success in the intelligence community. The current challenging fiscal environment demands the accountability and financial oversight of our classified intelligence programs that can only come with an Intelligence authorization bill. The bill's comprehensive classified annex provides detailed guidance on intelligence spending, including adjustments to costly but important programs. The bill funds requirements of the men and women of the intelligence community, both military and civilian, many of whom directly support the war zones and are engaged in other dangerous operations designed to keep America safe. It provides oversight and authorization for vital intelligence activities, including global counterterrorism operations such as the one that took out Osama bin Laden; efforts by the National Security Agency to defend us from advance foreign state-sponsored cyberthreats; countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; global monitoring of foreign militaries and advanced weapons tests; and research and development of new technology to maintain our intelligence agencies' technological edge, including work on code breaking and spy satellites. To stay competitive amidst declining budgets, the IC must wring out cost in all realms of operations--collection, processing, analysis, logistics, and ``back office'' operations. This bill promotes operating efficiencies in a number of areas, particularly in information technology, the ground processing of satellite data, and the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance departments. The bill holds personnel levels, one of the biggest cost drivers, at last year's levels. Even so, the bill adds a limited number of new personnel positions for select, high-priority positions, such as FBI surveillance officers to keep watch on terrorists. The bill contains additional funding for intelligence collection programs, including increased counterintelligence to thwart foreign spies. The bill also increases funding for our intelligence community's comparative advantage--cutting-edge research and development. While we're on the subject of funding our intelligence agencies, I think I would be remiss if we didn't briefly discuss the looming threat of sequestration and the devastating consequences it would have for our vital intelligence operations. The intelligence community and the congressional intelligence oversight committees have worked together over the last year, in recognition of the current challenging fiscal environment, to find efficiencies in the intelligence budget. And we've done that. We've actually done more in certain areas by finding efficiencies in other areas and reducing the overall cost of our 17 agencies. Unlike the dangerous, across-the-board cuts of the 1990s, however, these funding cuts were carefully selected to ensure that no important operational intelligence capabilities were impacted. Let me be clear: The intelligence community has given until it hurts to produce better budget efficiencies, but we have done this without adversely affecting the mission, which is critically important. All of this careful work, however, will have been done for nothing if Congress doesn't avert the sequestration train wreck. Sequestration will require a devastating cut to defense spending that will also entail dangerous across-the-board reductions in intelligence funding. The across-the-board nature of the sequester means that there is very little discretion left to our intelligence agencies on how to apportion these reductions. Let me give you just a few examples of the dangerous impact this would have. Thousands of intelligence officers and specialized technicians will be laid off, to include those working around the world, and around the clock, to stop terrorist plots before they arrive on U.S. shores. The National Security Agency would have to significantly reduce its ability to intercept, translate, and analyze terrorist communications about their plans to attack the United States and Western targets. This would significantly reduce our odds of detecting and disrupting those terrorist plots. Intelligence community support to our soldiers and marines in harm's way in Afghanistan would significantly be curtailed. Also, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency would be forced to cut back the number of satellite images that it analyzes, reducing our odds of detecting significant foreign military activity, such as North Korean preparations for an attack on our troops in South Korea. Our intelligence agencies and the important work they do is our first line of defense against the many threats around the world to our national security. Sequestration would be dangerous and irresponsible for many reasons, not the least of which is the threat to those vital intelligence capabilities, and Congress must act to avoid it. The House has put an offer on the table that would avert this disaster. We passed a bill earlier this month with responsible spending reforms that will bring down the debt without endangering our national security. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take up this bill without further delay. The bipartisan fiscal year 2013 Intelligence authorization bill preserves and advances national security and is also fiscally responsible. We have proven it can be done. The secrecy that is a necessary part of our country's intelligence work requires that the congressional Intelligence Committees conduct strong and effective oversight on behalf of the American people. That strong and effective oversight is impossible, however, without an annual Intelligence Authorization bill. I want to thank all of the members on the committee for their bipartisan effort to find agreement on a bill that saves money and moves forward smartly on protecting the interests of national security for the United States. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to a distinguished member of the committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes).

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I'll reserve my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I have one more speaker who is on his way to the floor, I understand, so I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Heck).

Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I, too, want to thank the ranking member for his bipartisan leadership on this very, very important issue, our national security, and the staffs of both committees. We did something very unusual. We have the staffs work together to produce an authorization bill, and we think it makes a much better product with a lot more voices in the mix. We think we have gotten to a place that will protect America and save money for the taxpayers. That's a good place to be. And at the end of the day, this is about a very serious issue. It's about the fact that we have folks all around the world who are getting up in the morning trying to commit acts of violence against U.S. citizens or our allies. It's about nation-states who want to steal the very prosperity of America by stealing our intellectual property through spying or cyberspying. It's about nation-states who are making an investment in cyberattack capability that would actually cause catastrophic harm to the United States economy. It is about nation- states who are engaged in the development of nuclear weapons for certainly no good purpose. In the nineties we had a peace dividend because the structure of the threat changed fundamentally, and we could rearrange the way we looked at the world and our defense posture and our national security posture around the world. And I think this is a good moment to caution where we go in the future. This is not like the nineties. We don't enjoy the same peace dividend in the sense that the world is more complicated and, in many ways, more dangerous than it has ever been before. Those intelligence services are getting aggressive. Our adversaries are getting better. They are investing in space and cyber in a way that is breathtaking if we don't keep pace. We don't have to spend dollar for dollar, but we do have to match intellectual capital with the solutions that we need to keep America safe. The very brave men and women who risk their lives all over the globe to protect our soldiers by providing them state-of-the-art and up-to- date information, or by recruiting somebody in a very dangerous place somewhere else that might give us that little bit of advantage in knowing what our adversaries are up to, we owe a great debt of gratitude to those very brave Americans who risk their lives every single day in defense of this Nation. They are silent and quiet warriors, but deserve no less of our appreciation and gratitude for faithful service to this great Nation. This bill reflects that, and it reflects the important status that we are going to have to take in the intelligence community when it comes to protecting America in what is promising to be a dangerous future when it comes to our adversaries. This bill, we think, takes head-on those new challenges, so that America can be equally prosperous in the future and as safe as we have ever been. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.