Ike Skelton

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that Dr. Steven J. DeTeresa will soon complete his detail to the Committee on Armed Services of the United States House of Representatives. Dr. DeTeresa was detailed from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to the Committee on June 1, 2005. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his Master of Science and Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts. Dr. DeTeresa worked as visiting scientist for the Institute Donegani in Novara and the University of Naples, Italy; as a research fellow for the University of Massachusetts; and in various research and project management positions at LLNL for the past 20 years. Dr. DeTeresa has over thirty-five years experience in leadership positions and in conducting independent research and development projects for defense and commercial applications of materials. He is an expert in the mechanics of materials, structure-mechanical property relationships, fundamental aspects of aging and long-term behavior, process science, and failure analysis and modeling. Dr. DeTeresa has made great contributions to the work of our committee, the Armed Forces of the United States, and the American people during the past three years. Dr. DeTeresa came to work for Congress voluntarily to help his country during a time of war. During his time here, he has been a scientific and technical advisor to the Chairman and to the Committee on Armed Services. He has conducted critically important work for the country on force protection issues such as vehicle and body armor, counter-IED or improvised explosive device technologies, and persistent surveillance technologies. He also has been an essential member of our Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Staff. On behalf of the House of Representatives and the Armed Services Committee, let me personally thank Dr. DeTeresa for his service to the Nation and to the men and women of our Armed Services. I wish the best for him, his wife Patti, and their children Catherine and Peter.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that LTG John R. Wood is retiring from the U.S. Army. Lieutenant General Wood graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1972. He has served in many posts, including as the platoon leader to the commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division of the 8th U.S. Army--Republic of South Korea, as a National Security Fellow to the White House, and as a commander at the U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Experimentation Directorate. Lieutenant General Wood has overseen the Joint Forces Command's missions on training, experimentation and integration for the U.S. military. Lieutenant General Wood is a highly decorated commander, earning the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, and many others. The General also holds advanced degrees from the University of Chicago and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Madam Speaker, LTG John R. Wood is a valuable member of his community, but moreover, an honorable soldier. His dedication to the Armed Forces should certainly be noted. I know the Members of the House will join me in thanking Lieutenant General Wood for his service in the U.S. military, and in wishing him and his family nothing but the best in the many years to come.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this means to add my tribute to two fine Alabama Congressmen, Bud Cramer and Terry Everett. Through the years, I have had the pleasure of working with these outstanding lawmakers. They have been friends to me both personally and professionally. They have exhibited the best of this institution-- looking after the interests of the people they represent and ensuring our Nation has a strong economy, strong foreign policy, and strong national security. They, like I, represent rural areas of our country. There are few of us serving in Congress who have the privilege of representing predominantly small town America, Typically, we rural Congressmen and women bond together on rural matters, working across party lines to ensure the interests of rural America are best represented in the laws we make in Washington. Both Bud and Terry have worked on behalf of rural people, not only in Alabama but across our country. Bud and Terry have also worked for a strong national defense. I have worked with Terry on the Armed Services Committee, and I have always been honored by his commitment to our men and women in uniform. Bud, too, has been a stalwart supporter of our troops and of the NASA community in Northern Alabama. While I am sad to see Bud and Terry leave the House, the institution has been strengthened by their service. I hope they enjoy the next chapter in their lives.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, during our time in Congress we all have benefited from the efforts of our staffs. I certainly have been blessed with the services of wonderful people through my career. One of those individuals, Joy Seitz, has been with me throughout all of my congressional tenure and helped me in my time in the Missouri State Senate. Joy came to work for me on the State senate staff in 1974. She has been the anchor of my office in Jackson County, Missouri since it was opened in 1977. She has handled countless constituent calls and letters and has been an able advocate for them as an ombudsman and caseworker. She has for several years been the principal bookkeeper for my office. She has been competent and professional always and has always demonstrated a warm personality reflecting her wonderful parents and small town values. It has been my great joy to witness her transition in life. She married Jim Seitz, the son of my long time good friends Ed and MaryBelle Seitz. Jim and Joy have raised two wonderful children, Michael and Rebecca both of whom have served as interns in my Washington office and are outstanding young adults. Joy has been the model for what a Congressional staff member should be. She has been a calm voice in responding to constituents who were often frustrated with some aspect of the government. Her work in solving constituent problems has won many accolades and has made the government work better. Joy Seitz will be retiring from Congressional service as we begin the new Congress in January. With this statement I want to recognize her 32 years of service to our country and to wish her many, many happy years with Jim and their family. While she will not answer the phone in my Blue Springs office she will continue to be a cherished friend.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, during our time in Congress we all have benefitted from the efforts of our staffs. I certainly have been blessed with the services of wonderful people through my career. The standard in my office was set early in my professional life, before I came to Congress. The daughter of a friend became my assistant in private law practice and has been with me continuously since 1968. Berna Dean Nierman has been a true and faithful friend as well as a very competent and valuable employee through the years. The first person invited to join my Congressional staff was Berna Dean. She opened the office in Sedalia, MO, and has managed it continuously since 1977. She has handled thousands of constituent problems. She has been responsible for overseeing the process for selecting appointees to the various military academies and she has had responsibility for helping arrange tours for constituents who are visiting the Capitol from Missouri's 4th District. She has handled countless phone calls on legislative issues and problems in government and has always been professional in her response always. We have shared professional and personal triumphs and hardships. It has been a joy to watch her celebrate her marriage to Wayne Nierman and then to see the family grow as Christopher and Christine came along and developed into outstanding young adults in their own right. She was a friend and confidant to my late wife Susie. Her advice and counsel were always welcomed by her and I continue to benefit from her wise counsel. Berna Dean was my first employee and set a very high standard for those who followed. Her character and work ethic, along with an engaging and warm personality, reflect the small town values instilled in her by her wonderful parents. After 32 years of Congressional service and 40 years working with me, Berna Dean Nierman is retiring. She will be missed, but I know I am not losing a friend, but just changing the location where I can contact her. She and Wayne have my best wishes for many, many happy years together. I ask the Congress to join me in thanking her for her outstanding service to the people of the Fourth Congressional District of Missouri and our country.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 3001) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to bring the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 to the floor today for approval by the House. This bill represents a final agreement reached with the Senate, and I believe it can pass the Senate, which is critical, of course. The troops and their families need these authorities by September 30. It's important to note this agreement was reached in a very short period of time. While the House finished its work back in May, the Senate approved its version of the bill just one week ago today. The two Armed Services Committees have been working overtime ever since, and as a result we have not been able to provide all of the notice and time for examination of the bill that we normally would. I regret that fact. But I can assure the House that we observed all of the long-standing traditions of fairness and bipartisanship this committee is known for. My good friend, Duncan Hunter, and his team of members and his staff have been involved in every step of this process, and we have also worked hard to consult with the outside committees on the issues that are within their jurisdiction. We also placed the completed bill and report language on our Web site as soon as it was done last evening. This is a good bill. It authorizes $531.4 billion for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. It also authorizes $68.6 billion to support ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during fiscal year 2009, a similar amount to that which passed the House in May. To restore readiness, this agreement provides $8.6 billion for the Army and $1.8 billion for the Marine Corps to repair and replace equipment. This agreement also provides $800 million for National Guard and Reserve equipment. To help manage demands placed on our servicemembers by our military obligations, the agreement increases the size of the military by 7,000 soldiers, 5,000 marines, over 1,000 sailors and 450 airmen. To improve the quality of life for our forces and their families, the agreement provides a 3.9 percent pay raise for the troops, which is .5 percent more than the President's budget request. The agreement also preserves important health care benefits by prohibiting fee increases in TRICARE and the TRICARE pharmacy program and creating new preventive health care initiatives to improve the readiness of our force. Finally, I would like to say a word about the person for whom this bill is named, as well as for others who helped us get the bill done under an extraordinary time frame. Duncan Hunter has been a tireless advocate for the troops and a great partner, as well as a personal friend to me. The Armed Services Committee will miss him. I think it's deeply appropriate that we name this bill for him. I also want to thank all the members of the Armed Services Committee, particularly the subcommittee chairmen and the ranking members. Finally, I wish to thank the bipartisan staff, fantastic staff, they couldn't be better. Our committee has been blessed with such a staff, and they have worked tirelessly to help get this bill negotiated and completed. It is an excellent bill. It's urgently needed by our military, and I urge my colleagues in the House, as well as in the Senate, to vote for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009, which is named for and in honor of Duncan Hunter, the ranking member, former chairman of this committee. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. SKELTON. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Tauscher), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Mississippi, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Sea Power, Mr. Taylor.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats, and Capabilities, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith). (Mr. SMITH of Washington asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 90 seconds to the gentlelady from New Hampshire for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mr. SKELTON. I thank the gentlelady for raising this important issue. I also commend her for her long-standing support and advocacy for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. At her request to the committee to support critical facility improvement projects in this year's bill, I am delighted to inform her that we have included over $30 million in capital improvement projects, including a critical Waterfront Support Facility and a Consolidated Component Improvement Facility. I would also like to make it clear for the record that due to a clerical error, Ms. Shea-Porter's name was not included in the transparency table that accompanied the bill showing that she had requested the Waterfront Support Facility. This was an oversight and will be corrected in an addendum to show that she had requested and supported the addition of these facilities in the bill. I commend her for her strong support of the shipyard and would support her continued advocacy for this critical national asset.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentlelady from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mr. SKELTON. I yield the gentlelady an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. SKELTON. Let me compliment the gentlelady from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) on her interest and her work on this issue, and I think in the days ahead the efforts will be understood and be fruitful as we move ahead with the defense of our Nation. I thank her for that. We're coming to the end of a long, arduous process here in the House. Our wonderful staff has worked more than diligently, not just through the year but the last several days. In the last five days actually, Mr. Speaker, they've done 6 weeks of work, phenomenal, miraculous, and I compliment them for that. Erin Conaton, the director, and Bob Simmons, the minority chief, have been superb to work with, and every member of the staff has been a professional in the finest sense of the word. I cannot brag on them more. And we're very grateful for their efforts, and their efforts will pay off for those young men and women, those families who wear the uniform of our country check as they do their professional work. This effort is really for the security of our country and is done particularly for the young people who wear the uniform. They are, Mr. Speaker, our national treasures, and those of us on the committee understand that. We work toward that end, and as we vote for this bill and it passes, hopefully with a large, large majority, and goes to the Senate, and hopefully passes to the White House and to be signed by the President, those young gentlemen and young women who really make their life and their profession the national security of our country should know that we in Congress support them, back them up, and that we're immensely proud of the work that they do. So, with that in mind, and thanks to all the Members of our committee, superb committee, subcommittee chairmen, subcommittee ranking, and every Member, our staff and those who give advice and recommendations to us have made this bill possible in a very, very short period of time. So with that and a great deal of gratitude especially for my friend from California, Duncan Hunter, who we unanimously named this bill for, we will miss him terribly, but we thank him for his service to our Nation, to our Congress, to our committee as chairman and ranking member, and we appreciate him, and we'll long remember him.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to H. Res. 1476, which the house adopted yesterday, I submit an addendum to the Joint Explanatory Statement which I entered into the Record yesterday. Due to administrative error, a number of Member requests were not included in the transparency table in yesterday's submission. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24SE08.285

Mr. SKELTON. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to congratulate the Lafayette County C-1 School District on receiving a $37,000 grant and to commend the Citizens Telephone Company for their most generous contribution. To celebrate the company's 100th anniversary of their first dial tone in Higginsville, MO., the Citizens Telephone Company awarded the Lafayette County C-1 School District a $37,000 check. This grant enables the school district to start offering new classes to Higginsville students that were not available before. Also, the grant establishes a ``Distance Learning'' Program. This allows students to communicate with teachers remotely, from different locations. Citizens Telephone Company has graciously provided monitors, cameras, and other devices to make this technology come to fruition. Now, students and teachers in the district can actually see and interact with each other from different locations. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members of the House to join me in congratulating the school district and in commending the Citizens Telephone Company on its generosity.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to honor Dan Cambridge. Mr. Cambridge, a former advertising executive for Young and Rubicom in Des Moines, Iowa, has been named the new tourism director of Lexington, Missouri. Mr. Cambridge graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism. It was soon after his completion of college that he began working for the Des Moines Register. He then spent over 20 years with a Young and Rubicom affiliate. Mr. Cambridge is excited to begin his new post in Lexington, and claims he envisions the tourism commission focusing on public relations angles with the city. Dan has experience with the Iowa Department of Economic Development and Tourism, and I know he will be a valuable asset to my hometown. Cambridge's son attended Wentworth Military Academy. His family now resides in the Kansas City metro area. Madam Speaker, I trust that my colleagues will join me in congratulating Mr. Dan Cambridge on his new position in Lexington, Missouri, and in wishing him the very best.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to honor and acknowledge the fine members of the 1139th Military Police Company of the Missouri National Guard. Their brave efforts in Opelousas, Louisiana, are a true testament to their character and integrity with regard to helping fellow Americans in a time of need. The Missouri National Guard arrived in Opelousas, an area hit very hard by Hurricane Gustav. Ninety percent of the town of 20,000 was without power, hundreds of trees and power lines were destroyed, and many citizens were without food or supplies. The Guard distributed food and ice to hundreds of hungry residents and patrolled possible looting targets throughout the evenings. Madam Speaker, the Missouri National Guard Military Police Company 1139 deserves our respect and honor for their admirable efforts on the Gulf Coast. I ask my colleagues at this time to join me in acknowledging these fine individuals on a job well done.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that a long and exceptionally distinguished career will soon come to an end. RADM Stanton Thompson of Higginsville, Missouri, will retire from his position as the county executive director for the Farm Service Agency on November 14, 2008. Rear Admiral Thompson grew up in Saline County, where he graduated from Slater High School. Following that, Mr. Thompson received two degrees from the University of Missouri--Columbia. In 1977, Rear Admiral Thompson began his career with the Farm Service Agency as the Caldwell County executive director. With the support of his family and friends, he was able to carry on a successful career spanning 30 years as the county executive director of both Lafayette and Caldwell counties. In 2002, Rear Admiral Thompson's office was nationally recognized when it received the FSA Administrator's Award for efforts to educate women landowners. Thompson has directed a comprehensive overhaul of the state's management training program, utilizing his experience of training over 100 county operations trainees. As director of the Farm Service Agency, Rear Admiral Thompson helped issue millions of dollars in Federal agricultural program benefits to over 3,000 customers. In addition to his accomplished business career, Rear Admiral Thompson is a retired two-star Admiral in the U.S. Navy Reserve, providing our Nation with over 35 years of service. He is it veteran of the Vietnam war, First Gulf war, and the global war on terrorism. Madam Speaker, I know the Members of the House will join me in paying tribute to RADM (Ret.) Stanton Thompson for his outstanding career and dedication to his country and in wishing him all the best as he enters the next stage of his life with his wife, Sandy, and with his loving children and grandchildren.