Thomas Rooney

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Madam Speaker, today I had the opportunity to meet with a group of residents from an area of Palm Beach called ``The Acreage.'' Recently, a pediatric cancer cluster was confirmed in the Acreage, yet the cause is still unknown. In today's meeting, I spoke with mothers who have had children with brain tumors, along with other residents of the affected area. I was inspired by their optimism and dedication to this cause. They are not seeking to play the ``blame game.'' They are simply looking for answers. At the same time, I heard their frustration with the overall Federal Government involvement--or lack thereof. While the State and local health departments have been active in investigating and confirming the cluster at the local level, there are limits to what they can do and experiences they can draw on. And so today I call on the Federal involvement to improve. Action is needed now by the CDC and other agencies so they can lend their expertise and knowledge from other investigations to assist as we move forward. This is not a political or partisan issue. It's about finding answers to what caused the cancer cluster so my constituents can get on with their lives.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. First, I want to acknowledge and thank Congressman John Boccieri and Congressman Duncan Hunter for their service in Afghanistan. Madam Speaker, as a former captain in the Army in the 1st Cavalry Division and as an instructor at West Point, I had the distinct honor of teaching some of the men and women who are now serving in Afghanistan. I heard from them directly about the progress being made and about the need for the continued support of this Congress. It is for that reason that I will vote ``no'' on this resolution. Withdrawal now would destabilize that area of the world, and it would create a vacuum for terror. Groups like al Qaeda and the Taliban would increasingly gain access to weapons that would cause great damage to our allies and, eventually, to us. General McChrystal's implementation of President Obama's counterinsurgency strategy is producing dramatic successes, including the capture of key Taliban leaders and the rooting out of Taliban forces. A withdrawal now undermines what our troops have done. It undermines the winning strategy we are pursuing in Afghanistan, a strategy we all know the United States can achieve. It is for that reason I encourage my colleagues to send a message to our troops and to vote ``no.''

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Hoyt C. Woods, who passed away at his home in Port St. Lucie, Florida, this month. Woody, as he was known, was a veteran of the Vietnam War, and before moving to Florida nearly 30 years ago, he served as a police officer in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Serving fellow veterans was one of Woody's lifelong passions. For more than 15 years, he served as chairman of the Martin County Veterans Council, and he was also active in AMVETS, the American Legion, the VFW, and the Elks. He also co-established and was a charter member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 127, in Martin County. Woody was particularly proud of his integral role in creating the Honor Flight Program. This program honors America's veterans and their sacrifices by raising money to fly them to the Nation's capital so they can visit and reflect at their memorials. Hoyt Woods leaves behind his wife of 25 years, Joyce; their sons, Micki and Shawn; two daughters, Wendi and Angela; and a Nation forever grateful for his distinguished service. On behalf of the people of the 16th District of Florida, Godspeed, Mr. Woods.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, last week, my office introduced legislation to have all the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba tried in a military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Recently, when I was at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, I visited the men and women who are serving in uniform guarding the prisoners at that facility in a facility that has cost taxpayers in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. We also have a state-of-the-art courtroom there to accommodate. I urge Members to support this bill, which is a commonsense resolution to a very controversial issue this year. Try the detainees in Cuba in a military court martial.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, James Madison said in Federalist 45: ``The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Federal Government are few and defined. Those which are to remain with the State governments are numerous and indefinite.'' Later codified in the 10th Amendment, the Founding Fathers intended the powers of the States to act as a check on those of the Federal Government, and the Supreme Court said, in 1975, that ``Congress may not exercise power in a fashion that impairs the States' integrity or ability to function effectively.'' Mr. Speaker, time and time again, this Congress over the past year has forgotten the purpose of the 10th Amendment, from hate crimes to health care. We either stand with the Founding Fathers, the Constitution, and the Revolution, or we don't. And, if we do not, we do so at our peril.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2194, the Iran Petroleum Sanctions Act. Not only has Iran repeatedly refused to engage in international diplomatic efforts to halt their ongoing nuclear program, it is resolute in its plans to expand it. Just today, Israel's Military Intelligence Chief Major General Amos Yadlin stated that Iran has enough nuclear material for a warhead and is close to being able to build one. This announcement reinforces the urgency of strengthening the United States economic sanctions against Iran. The United States must defend the security of Israel and the Middle East, as well as our citizens here at home from Iran's dangerous threats. This bill sends a clear message that the United States takes Iran's actions and threats seriously and that we will not sit idly by. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this critical legislation and I am thankful it has finally been brought before the House for consideration.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 932, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 199, which recognizes the service and sacrifices of Echo Company of the 100th Infantry Battalion. I want to thank Delegate Gregorio Sablan for supporting it. Ten years ago, Echo Company was redesignated on the island of Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam and now serves to protect the citizens of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. Since that time, it has served two tours in Iraq, suffering the loss of two of its men. It continues to support the people and communities of the Northern Marianas and stands ready to serve America. Echo Company carries on the traditions of World War II predecessors in the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment and continues to live by its motto, ``Go for broke.'' This resolution honors the soldiers of the unit and the families who support them. I urge Members to vote ``yes'' on this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 206, which commends the soldiers, civilian personnel, and their families stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia, for their service and dedication to the United States. I want to commend Representative Paul Broun of Georgia for sponsoring this legislation which has drawn wide support of other Members as cosponsors, including a great number of non-Georgians. Mr. Speaker, Fort Gordon has been an important site of Army training for more than 60 years. Initially a training area for newly formed combat divisions preparing for battle in World War II, the 4th Infantry, the 26th Infantry, and the 10th Armored Divisions trained at the then-Camp Gordon before they were deployed to combat in Europe and distinguished themselves in hard fighting across France, the Low Countries, and Germany. After the war, the newly designated Fort Gordon became the home of the Army's Signal Corps. In every conflict since, from Korea through today's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Fort Gordon has trained Army combat communicators in their essential combat duties. This is why it is, therefore, right and proper that we recognize Fort Gordon, the home of the Army Signal Corps, for its outstanding contributions to our Nation. I urge all Members to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 940, which recognizes the service and sacrifices of the members of the Army and Air National Guard on the occasion of the 373rd anniversary of the National Guard. I want to commend Representative Robert Latta of Ohio for sponsoring this legislation. Mr. Speaker, America is such a dynamic, forward-moving, ever-changing Nation that few institutions can survive for long unless they repeatedly prove their worth and are capable of changing to meet new challenges. For more than 300 years, the National Guard has repeatedly demonstrated its worth and value to this Nation in the crises of peace and war. The courage, commitment, and sacrifices of the National Guard members have been an integral part of every war this Nation has ever fought. These citizen soldiers most recently have accepted an entirely new role in our national security and enthusiastically transformed themselves and their units from a ready Reserve to an operational Reserve, where repeated deployments to combat have become the norm and not the exception. While providing significant combat power to support ongoing wars, the Guard has remained true to its mission: to support the individual States in times of natural disasters. With this dual requirement to support not only the Nation, but also the people of the States from which they come, the National Guard is indispensable to the well-being, safety, and security of all Americans. This is why it is, therefore, right and proper that we recognize the National Guard for 373 years of outstanding service. I urge all Members to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield at this point 3 minutes to the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta).

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 845, which recognizes the United States Air Force and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, for their innovative approaches and success in achieving energy savings. I want to commend Representative Randy Neugebauer of Texas for sponsoring this legislation. Mr. Speaker, as the largest user of energy in the Federal Government, the Air Force has been a national leader in seeking ways to conserve energy, eliminate waste, and seek alternative sources of energy at its 166 large and small installations around the world. Within this exemplary group of military installations, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, was just one of three Air Force installations recognized by the Department of Energy as a 2009 Federal Energy and Water Management Award winner. In earning this distinction, Dyess Air Force Base personnel reduced energy consumption by more than 16 percent and saved over $1 million without sacrificing mission accomplishment in any way. This is why it is, therefore, right and proper that we recognize the Air Force and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, for their leadership and outstanding accomplishments in energy stewardship. I urge all Members to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, the sponsor of this resolution, Mr. Neugebauer.

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Thank you, Mr. Wittman and Mr. Kissell, for managing this bill and for Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member McKeon for supporting the National Military Family Month resolution. This resolution is about supporting our military families. We rightly give due credit time and time again in this Chamber to our service men and women who wear the uniform, especially now in a time of war. But this bill goes a step further in recognizing the spouses and the parents and the children of those men and women who serve our country. As a former Army captain married to another Army captain, my wife and I met so many families at just two of our duty stations at Fort Hood, Texas, and West Point, New York. The people that we came to know in the military were truly the best people we've ever met. The sacrifice of seeing a loved one off to war and waiting the days and months for their return, sending letters, waiting in the middle of the night for a phone call or an email just to hear that they're okay; the sacrifice of moving time and time again and town to town and duty station to duty station when other families set down roots much earlier; and, finally, the sacrifice of a mom and dad seeing their child putting on a uniform for the first time and marching at graduation and the pride that they feel, and sometimes even the sorrow of receiving a flag that draped their child's casket, this resolution honors them, moms and dads, the spouses, the children. I urge Members to support this, and thank you for yielding, Mr. Wittman and Mr. Kissell, and for supporting this bill.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Captain William B. Ecker of Punta Gorda, Florida, in my district, who passed away earlier this month. Captain Ecker flew combat missions in the Pacific during World War II, serving 32 years in the United States Navy. Most notably on October 23, 1962, Ecker led low-level sorties over Cuba collecting photographic evidence of the Soviet missiles fueling vehicles and other related equipment. Flying the F-8 Crusader, Captain Ecker was able to fly at lower altitudes than the U-2 spy plans. At the lower level, Ecker took close- up pictures of a site near the town of San Cristobal in western Cuba proving without a doubt that Soviet missiles were in Cuba. Captain Ecker received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his quick and risky flights over Cuba. The unit Ecker commanded, VFP-62, received the first peacetime Navy Unit Commendation in history by President John F. Kennedy. Captain Ecker leaves behind his wife, Kit, of 62 years and his two sons, Richard and David, and a Nation grateful for his distinguished service.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, when I came to Congress over 1 year ago, I was hoping to work across party lines in the spirit of bipartisanship because that's what the people in my district in Florida expected. But ever since I got here, the Democratic majority has locked Republicans out of the debate time and time again. And now here we are talking about what The Wall Street Journal calls the ``worst bill ever.'' The Pelosi health care bill cuts Medicare, increases taxes on businesses, individuals and employers, and it's a $1.2 trillion boondoggle that will complete a government takeover of the health care system, even though the majority of Americans don't want it. I don't know what the majority was doing over the August recess, but I was holding town hall meetings with hundreds of my constituents and friends; and the message was clear, we are a free people that chose to be governed, not the other way around. Enough is enough.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, 3 million Americans have lost their jobs since the Democratic stimulus plan passed. It was supposed to create 4 million jobs. National unemployment was at 8 percent when the stimulus passed, and now it's approaching 10 percent. In Florida, in my district, it's over 11 percent, and even in St. Lucie County, it exceeds 15 percent unemployment. Now is not the time for partisan bickering but, rather, for bipartisan solutions. That's why I've joined with Democrat and fellow freshman John Boccieri from Ohio to introduce a bill to get Americans back to work. This week, we're introducing the Back to Work Tax Credit Act, a commonsense bill to expand the current work opportunity tax credit to the long-term unemployed. The time for action is now. My neighbors in Florida and all over America deserve real solutions from Washington, not just talk and further inaction.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Thank you, Mr. Hunter. Just last week, myself, along with Mr. Hunter from California, sent a letter to the President asking him to take seriously the request of General McChrystal, the commander in Afghanistan; ask McChrystal to come to this body and address the Congress--or at least address the Armed Services Committee, of which I am a member--to let us know what his plan is in a very specific and detailed manner so that we can ask the tough questions, that we can do the people's work and to look out for our men and women serving in uniform. Along with many members of the freshman class, that letter was sent last week, and along with many other letters sent to the President, along with letters sent to my office, phone calls asking me to support our troops, support the generals on the ground, support our military chain of command and to do the right thing in Afghanistan. And that's to give us a chance to win where we know that we can win. The United States versus the Taliban. Think about that for a second. The United States versus the Taliban. And what the questions are and what we have to do. As Sun Tzu said, Don't go to war until you know you can win; and when you go to war, know that you've already won it. So what General McChrystal is asking the President to do quite simply is three things to win the war in Afghanistan: First, give us a surge in troops more than the troops that we've already approved--at least 43,000 more troops--to be able to secure the towns and villages and cities so that people feel safe, so that people come out of the woodwork and the intimidation of the Taliban and can feel that they can trust the Americans and our allies, that we're not going to leave, that we're going to stand by them and stand by for the people's rights and freedom in Afghanistan. This has been an issue of a lot of contention and, quite frankly and unfortunately, politics, not only here in the House but between the two parties and across this great country. The second thing is to integrate with the Afghan people. It's going to be risky. We are going to have to come out from behind the walls, out of the Bradleys, come down from the turrets in the Humvees and really do a much better job of winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. It's going to open us up to risk, and it's going to up us up to harm's way, quite frankly. But I think General McChrystal understands that it's going to take some sacrifice; it's going to take making the risks and the hard decisions to be able to accomplish this goal. Because, on the other hand, you have the Taliban, which operates under intimidation, operates under violence and threats that, if you cooperate with the Americans, we won't forget it and you will be punished, and there will be recourse for the things that you have done to cooperate with the enemy, in that case, us, the United States. The third thing that General McChrystal asks of the Commander in Chief is to help end the corruption in Afghanistan politically. This is the hardest of the three prongs and I think the most important. The local governments, the regional governments and the central national government have a long, long way to go in ending what has been a long string of corruption in Afghanistan. That's going to be the most difficult aspect of General McChrystal's request. But, again, we have the best team in place. The President, to his credit, has assembled the finest military and civilian defense staff that, as a former Army captain, I could possibly ask for, Secretary Gates, Jim Jones, General Petraeus, even General Shinseki being on the cabinet, even though he's with the Veterans Administration, just an outstanding dream team of military brass. We have the best team in place. I urge the President to listen to them, take their counsel, do the right thing in Afghanistan, finish the job that we started there. Whether or not it was neglected, whatever argument you want to make, starting from today on, for the kids that are there now, that are manning a post, that are out there alone and cold and homesick and undermanned, let's do the right thing and send a message to the world that the United States of America will stand up for freedom across this great planet of ours and stand by where freedom wants to ring out. And I believe it does, and I believe it will; and we should not let politics play a role in this, and let the generals on the ground do their job, and then support the President once he makes that decision. Thank you, Mr. Hunter and Madam Speaker.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. I rise today in support of the Energy and Water appropriations bill. This bill contains support for various projects within my district that will help with the continued restoration and preservation of the south Florida ecosystem. I'm pleased with the funding for the continued restoration of the Hoover Dike. This earthen dike is currently undergoing a massive rehabilitation project that will continue to ensure the health and human safety of Pahokee, South Bay, Okeechobee, Belle Glade, Clewiston, Moore Haven, and the surrounding communities. However, while I'm grateful to the committee for its support of these projects, I must express my great disappointment with the Senate for stripping out most of the vital construction funding for the Indian River Lagoon. This project was originally authorized in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act as a component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. While some in the upper body argued that the Indian River Lagoon was a new project and a ``new start'' and therefore not deserving of funding, I argue it's not a new start, as it is a component of the overall ongoing Everglades Restoration project. By cutting the majority of its vital funding, we are only kicking the can further down the road for not getting this vital project started. It's time for the Federal Government to live up to its financial commitment to this project. My only hope now is that the lagoon will receive funds, however minimal, and our colleagues in the Senate will now agree that this is not a new start and therefore deserves to be fully funded next year. Every year that goes by, however, without adequate funding, further damage is done to our fragile ecosystem there in the Indian River Lagoon, making recovery that much harder. I'd like to thank my fellow Florida colleagues, especially Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, for their tireless work and support for these projects, and the House committee for including funding in the original House bill. I look forward to continuing the good work that we have started.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained due to sickness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 736, and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 735.

Mr. ROONEY

Mr. ROONEY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Today is a great day for the residents of Fort Pierce, Florida, and the Treasure Coast. Over two decades ago, the late Congressman Tom Lewis and his district director, Ann Decker, started the long process of bringing a Federal courthouse to St. Lucie County. I was greatly honored that one of my first official events as Congressman was to participate in the historic groundbreaking of this new building. Shortly thereafter, I introduced legislation to honor the distinguished life and career of the late Florida supreme court chief justice, Alto Lee Adams, by naming this new building in his memory. This courthouse will fill a vital role for the city of Fort Pierce, bringing much-needed jobs and investment to the community with a greatly needed new Federal courthouse to the area. It is only fitting that this courthouse be named in honor of a man who himself gave so much to his community. Chief Justice Alto Lee Adams, Sr., attended the University of Florida College of Law and graduated in 1921. He practiced law in Fort Pierce from 1924 to 1938 until he was appointed as a circuit court judge for St. Lucie County. After Florida voters adopted an amendment which created a seventh justice in the State supreme court in 1940, Alto Lee Adams, Sr. was appointed to the court by then-Governor Fred P. Cone. He served as a justice on the Florida supreme court from 1940 to 1951 and 1967 to 1968, and as chief justice from 1949 to 1951. Chief Justice Adams believed it was important to give back to his community and even served as president of the Florida State Elks Association in 1937. His service to the St. Lucie community served as an example to his children and those who knew him. In addition to his distinguished career, Judge Adams started a successful cattle ranch named Adams Ranch in St. Lucie County which is still run by the Adams family. Judge Adams set a standard of integrity and community service that lives on today, and I believe it's only fitting that a new courthouse be named in his honor. I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, Mr. Diaz-Balart, and their staff, for helping support the moving of this legislation. I am proud to sponsor H.R. 3193 and ask my colleagues for their support.