Scott Rigell

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 39 wounded and the memory of the 17 killed who were aboard the USS Cole when it was attacked by terrorists this day 11 years ago. I have the privilege of representing Norfolk Naval Station, the home port of the USS Cole. On the morning of October 12, 2000, the USS Cole was moored off the coast of Aden, Yemen. At around 11:18 a.m., a small craft approached the port side of the ship and exploded, ripping a 40-by-40-foot gash through the steel of the destroyer. The ship's galley, where the crew was gathering for lunch, took a direct hit. The attack was organized and executed and planned by Osama bin Laden. In his death, justice was served, but at the dinner table of 17 American families, there sits an empty chair. What should be a joyous family gathering is tempered by the loss of a loved one. So we pause today, and rightly so, to honor and remember those who stand boldly in defense of America, in defense of freedom. We must meet our deep obligation to them, to our veterans, and to the families of the fallen. May God forever bless the crew and families of the USS Cole, past and present, and may God forever bless the United States of America.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I have the great privilege, and really the honor, of representing the largest concentration of active duty and retired military members in the country; and it's a true honor to defend those who wear our Nation's uniform and to speak boldly on behalf of our veterans. Today, I rise to address a recent decision by the Department of Defense regarding TRICARE. The DOD has increased fees for those enrolling in TRICARE Prime after October 1, 2011. Mr. Speaker, this action is nothing less than a breach of trust between this great Nation and its veterans. Career members of the uniformed services and their families make incredible sacrifices over the course of long careers defending our freedom. They honored their commitment and exceeded what they told us that they would do. They have served with distinction. We need to honor our commitment to each of them. So I call on the Department of Defense to reverse its decision and to honor its promise to our veterans.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Now, imagine you worked hard and saved for a down payment of your own, a down payment on the American Dream. Imagine that you found the right place, secured the financing and happily started your life as a homeowner. Now, imagine months later, though, that your house is filled with a putrid, rotten, egg-like odor that just permeates your home, makes your children sick with severe headaches and nose bleeds. Imagine the mounting frustration when the copper coils on your AC unit and your refrigerator corrode, develop leaks and have to be replaced again and again and again. You ultimately have to move your family into a rental home and find out that the cause of all of this pain and grief is nothing other than defective drywall that fills your home and was imported from China. Madam Speaker, many of my constituents don't have to imagine that nightmare. They are experiencing it and living it right now. Some have been dealing with this issue for more than 2 years without relief. Many are severely financially strained as they continue to have to pay the mortgage on the first home and then go out and find a second residence to live in and pay for both. Some have had their homes foreclosed on. Some have gone into bankruptcy. I have been in these homes. These people are hurting, our fellow American citizens. And because our legal system is flawed, the manufacturers of the contaminated drywall that is coming from China are not being held accountable for a defective, dangerous product. Even if a judgment is made in favor of the homeowners, it can't be enforced. That is not right. Homeowners' insurance and builders' insurance is not covering the damages. At the end of the day, who is left holding the bag? It's the owner of the home. This is not the American way. Their finances are devastated, their credit ratings are ruined. Now I am working with a bipartisan group with my colleagues doing everything we can on the Contaminated Drywall Caucus to forge a better path for our fellow citizens. We have had hearings, we have met with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, we have written letters to the President. We have asked for assistance from the United States Trade Representative, but it's not enough. We must, we must hold the Chinese manufacturers accountable for the defective products they shipped to our Nation and that fill our American homes. So I call on the committees of jurisdiction to hold hearings, to investigate and move forward some practical solutions to this problem that is hurting so many of our neighbors. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter a statement into the Record on behalf of my constituent, Dr. Israel Zoberman. Dr. Zoberman is the Founding Rabbi of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is also the president of the Hampton Roads Board of Rabbis and Cantors. Dr. Zoberman asked me to enter the following remarks into the Record regarding the 10th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Dr. Zoberman's statement follows: We are duty-bound to respond to the significant and related dedications of the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument in The Mall of our nation's capital, Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, honoring 40 lost souls, and the Stone Memorial and Garden of 184 benches for the perished at the Pentagon involving American Airlines Flight 77, and that of the Memorial and Museum on the hallowed grounds of the World Trade Center with its majority of victims, 2,753, upon the 10th anniversary of the horrific strikes of 9/11. Terrorism, whether from within or without, cannot be tolerated. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. representing the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's will now be lastingly visible in stone along with some of his writings--teachings forever etched in the heart and mind of a repentant and grateful nation. We pledge to remember both the pain and promise of that trying and triumphant era in American History. The impressive monument is a statement of faith in what the martyred Nobel Peace Laureate means to a shared fractured past and, perhaps even more importantly, to our shared future as well. Dr. King's sacrifice of his very life, which he had envisioned, and all, including American Jews, who heroically participated with him, contributed to the eventual success of the monumental struggle to liberate America from its shackles to a demeaning past of inhumane slavery and of its aftermath of brutal violence and disgraceful discrimination. Dr. King's prophetic spirit of justice--planted, nourished and sustained by Israel's Biblical prophets--is ours as we continue his and our timeless journey to make America faithful to its most noble promise and premise that God's divinity and human dignity go hand in hand. The uncommon courage and ingenuity under harrowing circumstances of United Airlines Flight 93 passengers, bringing down their hijacked plane, are fittingly honored and memorialized in a lonely Pennsylvania field, turned symbol of American inner strength in face of adversity and a spirit that cannot be vanquished. Converting American Airlines Flight 77 into a weapon against the Pentagon, which is entrusted with our national defense, brought death of innocent civilians and committed professionals all valiant heroes of a grateful nation. The erection of the uniquely inspiring Memorial and Museum at the 10th anniversary of the ghastly strikes and its haunting images of 9/11 by Islamist extremists committed to disrupting and destroying the pluralistic and embracing American way of life and civilization itself without moral restraints, is a somber occasion for sacred recollection, reflection and resolution. We prayerfully recall the victims who were caught by utter surprise and shock, becoming martyred heroes, their agonizing families whose lives have been cruelly interrupted, the fortunate survivors who escaped the inferno but not the nightmares, the first respondents and recovery workers, some of whom paid with their lives or got severely sick. Etched in my memory of 9/11/2001 will be arriving in my synagogue following an early morning Neptune Festival Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at the Founders Inn in Virginia Beach. A phone call awaited me from the local media concerning the first hit at the twin towers, as I was watching in disbelief the second hit. I knew then and there that our world will never be the same. Let us resolve not to allow brazen terrorism using loaded civilian planes as missiles to plunge into the packed multi- national World Trade Center, to topple our faith in what America proudly and rightly stands for, making her the world's greatest democracy and indispensible light to humanity. Mindful of living in a challenging volatile global community, not without opportunity, we remain vigilant in protection of our constitutional rights even as we secure our shaken and wounded nation from potential harm, while overcoming crippling divisiveness from within. Continuing to stand up to evil, there is no other choice, may we yet turn pain into promise, violence into vision, fear into faith, vulnerability into virtue and blemishes into blessings. I wrote the following poem in the wake of 9/11. Mangled iron mingled with human bits of crushed hopes wedded to once a teeming empire's cathedral brought down by God's creatures too, welding a monument to doomsday's promise of hate's power. Once again ashes blowing in the wind of dust an inferno called infinity with no answer to the mystery of faith persisting to ignite smoldering embers of life. May the divine gifts of Shalom's healing, hope and harmony be bestowed upon us.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, on June 17, 2011, I was honored to take part in a ceremony recognizing more than sixty 5th grade students from Virginia Beach's Windsor Woods Elementary School to mark the transition from the elementary level to the secondary level. After six years of hard work, they enjoyed reflecting back on their accomplishments, over this important time in their development, with different types of recognitions and awards. I spoke to them about their next challenge in the upcoming seven years of secondary school. I reminded them that each part of this next period in their lives is made up of small resolute steps toward their near goal of graduating from high school by illustrating numerous stories from my life. Below are the names of the 5th grade scholars: Otoniel Adame-Perez, Dmitry S. Alelekov, Katlyn Allen, Aric L. Asper, Joshua A. Bailey, Joseph L. Baker, Peyton E. Berning, Tanner S. Blais, Julia M. Bland, Monica C. Boone, Fabricio Borda, Christopher Brazelton, Isreal Brownlow, Jacob A. Browning, Emily B. Bullock, Alexandria E. Carman, Justin D. Chesnut, Michelle Ciely. Mya L. Clark, Briyana C. Davenport, Logan Davis, Morgan L. Davis, Michael Deany, Clayton G. Ditty, Justin W. Dowell, Christopher Dunlap, Evan Fisher, James Fisher, John P. Gordley, Nia S. Hamiel, Angel Harris, Chance W. Harbour, Kiavon Ingrain, Arne J. Jakobsson, Krystina A. Johnson. Darryl Jones, Ky-Asia M. Jones, Cody T. Kaneiss, Gregory Klein, Sarah N. Kline, Benjamin R. Kohler, Nguyen T. Le, Joseph A. Leake, Makaela L. Leisy, Mahogany Leslie, Yong Hao Li, Noelle N. Litchfield, Anastasia E. Maletz, Christiana L. Marlowe, Emmalyn R. Martin, Isabella Martinelli, Raymond Matos-Dominguez, Sean McClurg. Jackson Mills, Christian N. Moe, Bridget L. Moran, Dillon Morey, Mark A. Mount, Joseph L. Nguyen, Aaron J. Ortiz, John M. Pagan Lamberty, Andjee Phillips, Jeffery Proctor, Brianna I. Quilan, Emily I. Rice-Wheeler, Alexia R. Robbins, Andrew B. Rowe, Jenna A. Rylko, Elijah Sailes, Esabel J. Samonte, Carson D. Saunders. Joseph Savage, Joseph Scharf, Matthew J. Schreck, William Scott, Montez Scutchings, Colin S. Seys, Destani E. Shine, Christopher Smith-Dent, Sophie R. Sparling, Jaden G. Stanford, Jaekwon Vinson, Brandon M. Waddington, Cassidy M. Wagner, Amari T. Wall, Aliya D. Walker, Christian Walker, Erica M. Walker, Desmond O. Warren, Nicholas H. White, Javon Williams, Janasia L. Woodard, Victoria E. Yocom, Matthew Zieger.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Chairman, Americans across this great land are hurting. Families are being hurt by excessively high unemployment. It is right now at 9.2 percent. In the Second District, it's high, and my wife, Teri, and I have dear friends who have lost their family businesses because of, I think, policies that have come out of this very institution, a hyperactive Federal Government. So I rise today to offer an amendment that would directly address one of the principal reasons that I believe that our small businesses are having such a difficult time--and I know this firsthand because I am a small business owner--and that's a lack of credit. My amendment would require the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to submit a financial impact analysis on each proposed rule or regulation that it intends to layer upon our Nation's lenders. It would expand the cost analysis to include financial institutions of all sizes, not just the smaller ones that are currently under the cost analysis portion of the bill. Most importantly, though, the amendment would require the bureau to submit an analysis to the council on how the proposed regulation would impair the ability of individuals and our small businesses to access credit. I've spent a lot of time, Mr. Chairman, in our district listening to small business owners and our local community bankers, not the big banks up in New York but the local banks. They've given me a clear indication of the struggle that our small business owners are having when it comes to acquiring credit. They're saying, Scott, we're not hiring account executives to go out and meet with our small business owners. We're hiring regulatory analysts to figure out and sort through Dodd-Frank, and now there's just yet another layer that's coming upon our local lenders. They're really struggling. Mr. Chairman, what I've done in this amendment is to offer a reasonable solution that just would require that bureau to pause and to calculate and to distribute to the public a clear indication of the impact that the regulation would have both on the lending institution and on credit for our small business owners and individuals. I believe this is a very prudent amendment. Given the hyperactive nature of our Federal Government, it continues to grow, it continues to reach out and, I think, choke out the life of the small business entrepreneur. I would urge my colleagues to support this amendment. It really is about confidence. The hardworking folks that I know in the district, they want to know that we really are going to start in a reasonable and responsible way to contain this ever-expanding Federal Government. Mr. Chairman, I close with this. I am not an advocate for no regulation, I'm an advocate for smarter and lighter regulation, and I think this amendment meets that test. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, our friends and neighbors are hurting. Last week the Department of Labor told us that the unemployment rate has climbed to 9.2 percent. That's unacceptable. This number reflects, in part, the policies of an administration that is embracing bureaucracy and red tape more than entrepreneurship and common sense. Let me give you a local example. A respected developer in my district, he has got a job-creating project that is ready to go and has the full support of the City of Virginia Beach, which has already invested millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements for the project. And unlike so many of the projects that have been talked about, this really is shovel ready. HUD just needs to give it a green light. But all we're seeing is red because HUD is locked into a bureaucratic culture evidenced by a rigid first-in, first-out policy. It's resulted in an expensive 6-month delay. It's putting the entire project in jeopardy. America can't afford even one more month of these kind of jobs numbers. So to the leadership of HUD, I am asking you, work overtime. Do what you must to turn these applications around in a timely manner and you'll unleash the greatest job-creating engine the world's ever known--the American entrepreneur.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, it is a high honor and privilege to commend Mr. Willard Smith of Virginia Beach, a patriot known to his friends and peers affectionately simply as ``Smitty.'' Smitty is not only recognized for his notable military service in the United States Navy, but for his commitment to the wellbeing and recovery of more than 500 of our nation's brave but now homeless veterans. After five tours of duty in Vietnam as a Navy Seabee, Smitty serves as Executive Director at Vetshouse, a unique nonprofit organization serving homeless veterans in the Tidewater area in Virginia. Vetshouse is not a shelter, but a 12-month program providing contemporary living quarters in a group environment, assistance in job hunting, transportation, personal skills and development guidance. For having the courage not only to turn his own life around, but for having the compassion and commitment to help his fellow man do the same; For bringing health, hope, and happiness into the lives of so many around him; And for his discipline, dedication, and devotion to our nation's treasured veterans; I hereby commend Mr. Willard ``Smitty'' Smith.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Chairman, each Member of this body has the duty to protect the separation of powers that was so wisely woven into our Constitution by our Founding Fathers and which forms the very foundation of how we govern this great Nation. Mr. Chairman, an egregious ongoing breach of the separation of powers is taking place at this very hour; specifically, the usurpation of a power given only to Congress, that found in article I, section 8 of the Constitution: only Congress can declare war. Known initially as Operation Odyssey Dawn and now as Operation Unified Protector, military intervention easily rising to the definition of war is being carried out in Libya. It is being carried out with the bravery, exceptional professionalism and commitment to victory that define our fellow Americans who serve in our Armed Forces. And before I address the mission itself, I first applaud their willingness to sacrifice so much for their fellow Americans. Mr. Chairman, a careful review of the President's case for support of his actions in Libya leads me to this sobering but firm conclusion. The President's use of force in Libya is unwise and it is unconstitutional. The level of military resources being employed both in personnel and equipment, the amount of ordnance delivered, and the damage inflicted constitute acts of war. At the very minimum, they meet the definition of ``hostilities'' under the War Powers Resolution. Yet not one of the three criteria delineated in the War Powers Resolution that would justify his action has been met. There has been no declaration of war. There has been no statutory authority issued. There has been no evidence that an attack on American forces was imminent or had occurred. Now if a Tomahawk missile was launched into any American city, whether Los Angeles, Chicago, or even my home city of Virginia Beach, would that not meet our definition of hostilities? Absolutely, it would. Now, Mr. Chairman, this is the pivotal issue: The military force being directed toward Libya easily triggers the definition of hostilities. The legal opinion upon which the administration stakes the legitimacy of its actions in Libya is thinner than the paper on which it is written. It is not based on law but something that he refers to as the ``national interest,'' a term that the President, in his wisdom, believes he can solely define himself. His Office of Legal Counsel concluded that: ``President Obama could rely on his constitutional power to safeguard the national interest by directing the anticipated military operations in Libya which were limited in their nature, scope, and duration''--listen carefully here--``without prior congressional authorization.'' Disregarding the legal opinions of the Pentagon's general counsel and the acting head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, both of whom told the White House they believed that the military's operations in Libya amounted to ``hostilities,'' the President plowed ahead. Mr. Chairman, a President's opinion of the War Powers Resolution does not negate its authority. Though required by law, there was no check; there was no balance. Even the broadest interpretation of article I, section 8 cannot corral the interpretation held by the President of his unilateral right to engage U.S. forces in combat. It is irreconcilable with our Constitution. The President has taken America into a war in the midst of a financial crisis, in yet another Muslim nation, in pursuit of a military objective that is ambiguous and constantly morphing. Though I disagree with the President's actions in Libya, I stand here today not motivated by partisanship. Now, if I woke up tomorrow morning and learned that the President had taken action to defend this great country from imminent danger and attack, I would be the first to stand next to him and affirm his action. If America should go to war, it must be done so in a very careful, deliberative manner and as a last measure. It must be done so in a way that is fully consistent with our Constitution. That is not the case here. My amendment is necessary because only by using the power of the purse can we end an unwise war and meet our duty, our high duty, to preserve the separation of powers. Now is the time to act. I respectfully ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Paul Shoemaker and the Virginia Beach Elks Lodge #2268. On Sunday, June 12, 2011, the Virginia Beach Elks Lodge #2268 held a Flag Day Ceremony at the Flame of Hope Memorial in Virginia Beach, VA, to commemorate the adoption of the Flag of the United States. I would like to thank Chief Warrant Officer Floyd R. Shoemaker, Sr. for attending the ceremony and for his 43 years of service in the Navy, Air Force, and Army. I would also like to thank Colonel Francis X. Cubillo, USMC; Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr.; Captain Robert N. Geis, USN; Karyn Swenor; Beverly Hamby; the Green Run High School NJROTC; Ron McGregor; and Samantha Spencer for participating in the ceremony. The Elks did an incredible job putting this event together, and I commend them for their continued service in the Hampton Roads community.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor from the bill, H.R. 1380.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, recently the President said this about our most recent new jobs numbers that were greatly disappointing: ``People and the markets are still skittish and nervous, and so they pull back because they're still thinking about the traumas of just 2\1/2\ years ago.'' Mr. Speaker, I want the President to know that American entrepreneurs and job creators are not looking to the past. Entrepreneurs and job creators by their very nature are looking to the future, and all they see, Mr. Speaker, is the perfect storm of uncertainty based on the President's fiscal policies: They see an EPA that is a hindrance--not a partner--in job creation; they see a nationalized health care that's creating uncertainty about health care costs and where that's going; they see a mountain of debt that continues to grow each and every day; and they see local bankers who aren't hiring local account executives to reach out to small business owners, but they're hiring those account executives to go out and look at regulations that are just continuing to pour down on our small banks. Thomas Friedman wrote this in the New York Times this weekend; he said: The epidemic of uncertainty is one of the principal problems undermining U.S. job growth today. We can do better, Mr. Speaker. Let's support and unlock the greatest job-producing engine the world has ever known: the American small business owner.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an important milestone in the history of an organization that has been a leader in the national effort in marine science education, conservation, and research--the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. Since 1986, the Aquarium has been educating our youth, saving the lives of marine mammals and sea turtles, and spurring economic growth in the region. During the past 25 years, the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center has attracted 11 million guests, including one million students, making it the Commonwealth of Virginia's most popular non- historical, nonprofit tourist attraction. The Aquarium has been instrumental in educating our future generations with its unique experiences involving live animal displays, interactive science exhibits, marine science programs, the country's only interactive Seal Splash activity, and boat trips. The Aquarium's Ocean in Motion vehicle has transported live marine animals to visit over 337,000 school students in 78 cities and counties in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee to offer hands-on activities related to watersheds and key ocean literacy concepts. The vehicle has also traveled to the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Commerce to allow federal workers to learn hands-on. In addition to its education initiatives, the Aquarium leads the way in conservation efforts through its renowned Stranding Program by responding to marine animals along the East Coast and providing an impetus for numerous research projects on seals, dolphins, right whales and endangered sea turtles. The Virginia Aquarium has been influential in attracting economic development to the region with winter whale-watching trips which result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct spending to the regional economy. Out-of-town tourists who visit the Aquarium spend more money and stay longer in the area. The Aquarium is a key partner in the resort area's master plan for the retail, cultural, maritime, and natural environment, serving as an economic engine for the region and the state. Congratulations to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center on this 25 year anniversary and for the education, conservation, and economic contributions to the region. We all look forward to many more years of inspiring work. Mr. Speaker, it is with pride and admiration that I offer my thanks and recognition to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman McKeon for yielding, and I rise in strong support of House Resolution 292. I object to the U.S. military intervention in Libya, and my friend and colleague from Virginia actually has far more confidence in the intent and the purpose of the rebels than I do. I've heard in testimony in the Armed Services Committee from multiple top leaders in our country that we simply don't know enough about the rebels, and in my view not one single provision of the War Powers Resolution has been met that would legitimize the President's intervention in Libya. Since President Obama announced the military strikes, Secretary of State Gates admitted that Operation Odyssey Dawn ``was not a vital national interest to the United States.'' This legislation, the Boehner resolution, reflects and meets the deep obligation we have to support our troops and to uphold the Constitution. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the participants of Virginia's Area 2 Special Olympics competition in Virginia Beach on Saturday, May 14, 2011. These talented and hardworking individuals deserve our honor and our congratulations as they compete and use the skills they have worked hard to develop and finesse. My wife and I consider it a high honor to attend Saturday's event, and today, I want to acknowledge each competitor. 2011 Virginia Beach Special Olympics--Athletes Daniel Alexander, Douglas Allred, Lara Amerson, Angela Anglen, Tyler Baird, Patrick Baker, Robert ``Drew'' Barnum, Tony Barrett, Kelly Bateman, Wanda Beasley, Scott Bedzik, Patrick Beil, Maggie Bell, Maggie Bellamy, Robert Bentley, Eddie Beslanovits, Katie Blind, Michael Borza, Brian Boyd, Scott Boyd, Catlin Boylan, Meghan Boylan, Jessica Boyle, Malcolm Boykins, Amy Bozeman, Kelly Bradshaw, Ronnie Bray, Charles Bryant, Ashley Buffington, Jason Buky, Barry Bunch--Emeritus, Matthew Burk, Jason Burnett, Daniel Boyter, Stephen Bradby, Lucius Brown, Tim Brown, Phillip Cabral, Richard Cameron, Anne Carey, Joe Carleaf. Dianna Cashman, Randy Christie, Catherine Clayton, Mark Clowes, Dianna Cobb, Jay Coffield, Sharon Coffield, Chad Conner, Chris Cook, Samuel Corprew, Stephen Cox, Brian Cullipher, Collin Cunningham, Michael Daniel, Norman Derreberry, Michael Dickins, Claud ``CR'' Divers, Chandler Doebler, Kristen Dowdy, Neal Doyle, Kunta Drake, Nicholas Driscoll, Rachel Drake, Steven Durica, David Englin, Matthew Earnest, Sherie Elling, Edward Engelman, Samantha Errico, Richard Evans, Max Everton, Christian Felder, Lori Felts, Jackie Ferebee, Donte Fleming, Lynne Foster, Lisa Garrison, David Gaynor, Ross Goldman, Adam Golt, Brandon Gonzales. Phillip Gonzales, Jada Goodson, Donna Gregory, Luke Grossman, Michael Hackforth, Eric Hardin, Vanessa Harmon, Christopher Harper, Alvin Harrell, Thomas Harrell, Jeremy Harwood, Wendi Harwood, Sherri Haunton, Daniel Haynie, Brian Heald, Patrick Hennessy, Rachel Higgins, Savannah Hinegardner, Marie Hock, Troy Hoeg, Timmy Howard, Jeffrey Hutton, Gavin Ingham, Elizabeth Jackson, Haley James, Elaine Jeffers, Kelly Jones, Kenneth Johnson, Kelli Johnson, Michael Johnson, Ronald Johnson, Hartley Jordon, Maya Jubilee, Christopher Kemp, Robert Klausmeyer, Sonia Knight, Heather Knapton, Ryan Knapp, Anna Kopf, Robert Lang, Tamara Langill. Paul Lapke, Al Lassiter, Darlene Laurent, Joey Layton, Michelle Levine, Kathleen Lewis, Anna Llewellyn, Michael Loeb, Peter Lorts, Peter Luke, Jamie Lynch, Jose Maisonave, Dominic Marinello, Damon Martone, Mark Masiko, Jonathan Maurici, Benjamin Meade, Reginald Mercer, Sarah Mielke, Charlton Miles, Amy Miller, Joe Milligan, Korben Mishoe, Eldric Mitchell, Meredith Monahan, Stacy Monroe, Melissa Moore, Nathaniel Morell, James Morter, Jean Marie Murphy, Darrin Moaton, Nicholas Morton, Joel Myers. Darryl McCain, Ian McCullough, Scot MacEachen, Jillian MacGregor, Michael McKay, Kathryn McLaughlin, Blair McLaren, Kate McLig, Thomas McMahan, Kelly Nolan, Melanie Norris, Eric Nunn, Douglas Oatley, John Orr, Darwin Peele, Hannah Peelen, Celeste Perry, Monica Perry, Patricia Phillips, Patty Piggott, John Polfus, Michele Pollard, (Helen) Page Powell, Grant Prakalapakorn, Sudan Ra II, John Ramsey, Rufina Ann Rector, Jeff Regan. Amber Richard, Alexander Ripley, Tyler Robertson, Antonio Rodriguez, Cathia Romero, Cindy Romero, Jessica Rosengrant, Melissa Rowe, Errick Ruffin, John Russell, Brian Ryland, Theresa Salvato, Jennifer Savell, Katherine Schmidt, Michael Shank, Megan Shephard, Michael Shepherd, Timothy Sherman, David Simpkins, Kandie Skinner, Thomas Skinner, Andre Smith, Earl Smith, Jr., Ian Smith, Joshua Smith, Lamar Smith, Phillip Smith, Steven Smith, Hannah Spruill, Andrew Statz, John Steele, Colleen Stefonowich, Gretchen Stott. Brooke Stowell, James Strickland, Charles Silfies, David Sutton, Brian Taylor, Donald Taylor, Raymond Taylor, James Thacker, Joshua Thacker, Travis Thereault, James Thomas, Michael Thornton, Stephen Todd, Julie Touhey, Raeleen Toupin, Harold Vanwart, William Velazguez, Timothy Voigtsberger, Alexander Ward, Stefanie Ward, Robert Webb, Todd Weeks, Melissa Weisbrodt, John Wells, Bryan Welker, Bruce Wielenbeck, Lynda Whedbee, Randolph Whitehurst. Stephanie Whitlow, Jerri Williams, Dyshawn Williams, Jonathan Winfree, Savoyie Winstead, Vincent Woodhouse, Dylan Woodruff, Troy Green, Warren H. Lombard III, William Mason, Stephen Bradley, Reginald Turnage, Shekida Williams.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter a statement into the Record on behalf of my constituent, Dr. Israel Zoberman. Dr. Zoberman is the Founding Rabbi of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is also the president of the Hampton Roads Board of Rabbis and Cantors. Dr. Zoberman asked me to enter the following remarks into the Record regarding the 63rd anniversary of the State of Israel. Dr. Zoberman's statement follows: The 63rd Anniversary of the State of Israel is celebrated against the backdrop of the monumental eruptions of Biblical proportions in the Arab world, further highlighting the uniqueness of the Jewish state in the Middle East where the historical Jewish people came to make a difference for the entire human family, through its transforming gifts of the spirit and unparalleled endurance. The unfolding events make it amply clear that Israel is a flourishing and enviable democratic oasis surrounded by a vast wilderness that is crying for change. We are witness to an amplified echo of the ancient Israelites' inspiring saga of the Exodus, ironically from Egypt's House of Bondage, instructing humanity through the ages to uphold freedom and responsibility as non-negotiable divine gifts worthy of sacrifice. This most noble mandate of replacing degradation with dignity is reverberating throughout a troubled and stagnant Arab world that has for so long been lagging behind the West's progress, suffering from long-standing neglect manifested in poverty, illiteracy, and the lack of economic and social mobility, under authoritarian rule of fear and intimidation with corrupt leaders unaccountable for the public welfare. All that is being challenged in a world becoming an interconnected and interdependent global village with sophisticated communication that can mobilize the masses like never before. However, there is a looming threat that extreme groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda will take advantage of the unrest for their own purposes, for they loathe a representative democracy and the West as a whole, rejecting the idea and presence of a Jewish state. After all, democracy thrives best with well-developed democratic institutions requiring time and experience, which rely upon progressive education that respects and fosters human rights as well as women's rights anchored in law. The peace treaties that Israel established with both Egypt and Jordan should be enhanced and fortified by responding to Israel's yearning for closer cooperation in all endeavors in a context of a``warm'' peace. This historic crossroads is an opportune and urgent time for all Arab and Muslim states to finally join Israel in peace to transform in tandem the Middle East, that the cradle of Western civilization may be renewed as a flowing source of Shalom's blessings. Let the campaign cease to de-legitimatize and demonize the only sovereign Jewish state in the world through economic and culture boycotts, utilizing the twin evils of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. The attempt to thus divert attention from the Arab states' dire predicaments of bankrupt regimes has pointedly proven fruitless and counter-productive. It should be amply clear now that Israel is the only democratic and stable ally that the United States enjoys in a critical part of the world, through a special bond reflecting shared values and commitments, and whose steadfast preservation and cultivation is essential for both model free nations with heroic legacies leading pluralistic societies. In the present complex scenario Iran's dangerous role should not be lost as it is poised to take advantage of the transitional uncertainty of the Arab world. Iran's tyrannical theocracy, whose leaders are Holocaust deniers, remains a mortal threat to the free world, still insisting on acquiring a nuclear capability to conclude what Pharaoh began and Hitler almost accomplished. Iran's proxy, Hamas, refusing to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shallot who is both an Israeli and French citizen, after more than five years in isolated captivity, the cold- blooded murder of five members of the Fogel family in Itamar, including an infant, the bombing in Jerusalem, and the relentless rocket and mortar, also on a school bus, from Gaza, do not reflect peaceful Palestinian intentions. Let Hezbollah, Iran and Syria's proxy in Lebanon, know along with all of Israel's adversaries, that the Jewish state will fight to ensure that its divine promise of survival is never withdrawn, even as it struggles for Shalom's sake of healing, hope and harmony.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Thank you so much. I appreciate the gentleman yielding, Judge Carter, for your leadership on this topic and also Representatives Gohmert and Kingston for their leadership on this. I will say this: As the son of an Iwo Jima veteran and as the proud father of a third-generation marine, it is deeply troubling to me that we are even having to discuss how and if our men and women in uniform are going to be compensated. A failure of leadership, Mr. Speaker, has left us in this precarious position, and it is deeply troubling to me that we are having to address it tonight, the confusion that's out there. Just today, the White House said that military personnel would not be paid. Now, Mr. Speaker, this is failed leadership. How could it possibly be that the message from our Commander in Chief is that it's very likely if this shutdown occurs that our men and women in uniform would not be compensated? This week, a senior Department of Defense official said that our troops would be paid for a week but not for 2 weeks. Just yesterday, the Pentagon spokesman said that the Department had not issued any direction to the services about implementing a shutdown. And he really skirted the question of how a shutdown would affect the pay of our servicemembers. Mr. Speaker, this lack of clarity is not only unnecessary, it's unconscionable. Brave men and women--Americans--are around the globe, and they are putting their lives at risk fighting for our freedom and our way of life. I just got back from a trip to Afghanistan, and it's just unbelievable to think that a young corporal in Helmand province would have to speak or somehow communicate to his wife about whether he is going to get paid or not. Our men and women in uniform deserve our unwavering support from this Congress. If our military is not paid, Mr. Speaker, I believe that Members of Congress and the Commander in Chief should not be paid, not one nickel. My office gets calls every day from spouses of our military. They are concerned and understandably so. Let's be clear on this, Mr. Speaker. The genesis of this crisis that we're in is because the Democratic leadership last year had the Presidency, had the Senate and had the House, and failed to pass a budget. Not only was this a failure in leadership; I truly believe it's nothing less than an abdication of the responsibility that was entrusted to them by the American people. So here we are debating last year's budget. And as a result, we have this climate of uncertainty. And as an entrepreneur, I know that it's holding back job creation. As a result, we are operating under a continuing resolution which each and every service chief has said is hurting the readiness of our military. I truly believe we are a nation at serious and increasing risk because of our failure to manage our finances properly. Indeed, that is why I ran for this office. I am proud to be a Republican tonight because we have proposed a path toward fiscal stability that would keep the government open. It has been pointed out, rightfully so, the Senate has failed to move on that proposal, preferring apparently to allow the government to close and not pay our men and women in uniform. That is not acceptable. We must achieve stability and funding. I stand ready to work with any Member on the opposite side of the aisle here, and I know my colleagues do as well. This is so important. We must do what is right. The Senate must act. I truly believe that the House has met its responsibilities, starting with H.R. 1. We have worked every day to resolve this. We must pass a defense appropriations bill for the sake of our troops and our national security. I encourage every American to let their Senators and our President know that they want our troops paid on time. I thank the gentleman for this time. I appreciate it.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the anniversary of the single largest loss of members of the National Guard since World War II. Ten years ago last week, the Virginia Beach community and, really, the entire country suffered a tremendous loss when 21 National Guard members perished when their helicopter crashed in southern Georgia during a rainstorm. Eighteen of those members were from Camp Pendleton's Red Horse Guard Unit in Virginia Beach, and it included my good friend Paul Cramer. My constituent Elayne Schmuckler reached out to our office to share her brother's story. Richard's honorable legacy lives on today, as does the legacy of every guardsman who perished on that flight. My thoughts and prayers are with the families today on this somber anniversary. The selfless service of their loved ones and their service to our country will not be forgotten. May God bless them and comfort them.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. I thank my friend and the gentleman from South Carolina for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as a business owner for more than 20 years, I know firsthand that excessive tax paperwork and compliance matters are already major expenses to our small businesses. And the new reporting requirements included in the health care law will substantially increase those costs. These new requirements impose yet another burden on small businesses forcing them to devote more resources to filing taxes instead of going out and doing what they do best, which is to create jobs. You know, in Virginia alone, small businesses make up nearly 98 percent of all business establishments and account for----

Mr. RIGELL. No, I will not. The gentleman's question that he is persistent with is not germane. And account for more than 75 percent of new job growth. And according to a study by the Small Business Administration, the cost of complying with the Tax Code is 66 percent higher for small businesses as compared to large businesses.

Mr. RIGELL. You know, these reporting requirements are a classic example of laws that are passed by people who have no clue what it means to go out and create a job and that put precious capital at risk. They're created, these laws, by people who have never met with a banker and have been told by a banker, ``No, I can't help you.'' So this bill, H.R. 4, is a step in the right direction to help our small business owners. I strongly urge my colleagues to stand with me in voting in favor of it.

Mr. RIGELL

Mr. RIGELL. I thank my good friend for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Forbes Joint Forces Command Amendment. The establishment of a combatant command requires a literal act of Congress. It follows, then, that the closure of a combatant command should involve thoughtful analysis that is shared with this body for comment. The closure of Joint Forces Command fails on that important count. Either no such analysis has been conducted or it is being withheld. Mr. Chairman, the absence of data that supports the closure of a combatant command is simply unacceptable. Accordingly, this cost neutral amendment delays its closure. Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of the Forbes Joint Forces Command amendment.