Ike Skelton

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As my friend, Mr. Hunter, the gentleman from California knows, both the House version of the Defense Authorization Act and the Senate version authorized supplemental funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I say ``authorized.'' The Armed Services Committee has collectively supported authorizing this funding to ensure the continued relevance of the committee and to make sure that the specific purposes for which the President has requested funds are actually related to the wars. In both the House and Senate versions of the bill, we have authorized this funding in a way that provides maximum flexibility for the leadership as well as for the appropriators. While we authorize funding, as my friend from California knows, nothing can happen without further action on an appropriations bill, and it is those appropriations bills that have served as the vehicles for the Iraq debate. The House recently passed a bridge supplemental fund that would change our policy in Iraq. We may very well have similar debates in the future, and I would hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would be forthcoming with their suggestions on how to address the strategic risk we incur by pursuing the President's failed policy. In the Defense Authorization Act, our committee, I expect, will act in conference to ensure that those debates can occur and that the House can work its will on future appropriations bills to restrain the President's Iraq war policy. We all acknowledge that our troops have done a great job in Iraq. We owe them our thanks, our gratitude and our congratulations for their work as well as for their sacrifices. Their sweat and their blood have helped to reduce the level of violence in Iraq from the horrific levels of late 2006 and early 2007. The original purpose of this surge was to reduce violence to provide the Iraqis with a chance for political reconciliation. Violence is down. It is time for the Iraqis to step up and take the hard steps toward reconciliation that will finish the job our wonderful troops have started. Yet they have refused to do this. In response to this refusal, the House recently voted to begin to redeploy most of our troops out of Iraq and to change the nature of our involvement there. This policy is supported by a large majority of the American people who do not believe that we should continue to police a civil war when the Iraqis themselves refuse to take the hard steps to bring it to an end. Well, we are not having the Iraq debate on the defense authorization bill. The supplemental authorization is intended to set the stage for that debate. That is an appropriations bill as all of us know. That is why the House and the Senate versions of the Defense Authorization Act, which is before us, included a supplemental authorization and why I suspect that the conference will do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, before I yield to the gentleman from Mississippi, let me point out the fact that both in the House version of the defense authorization bill as well as the Senate version of the bill there is positive reference to the threat of a failed state in Iraq. That is fully recognized in both pieces of legislation, and I appreciate the gentleman's comments thereon and hopefully correct and parallel language could be adopted in that regard. I now, Madam Speaker, yield 5 minutes to my friend, my colleague, the gentleman from Mississippi, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower (Mr. Taylor).

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1585) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 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, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the Senate amendment, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Tauscher), who is the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), a very distinguished member of the Armed Services Committee. (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The motion to instruct by my friend Mr. Hunter from California is in two parts. Both of these sections make reference to issues that are spelled out in both the House and Senate versions and consequently should be acceptable. I would hope that the conferees would be in line with accepting both of those issues. I would like to take just a moment, Madam Speaker, however, to say a word about those wonderful troops who we, through this authorization, support. They are the best in the world. They and their families have been tasked to do monumental work in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and to say we are proud of them is an understatement. General Petraeus is the right man for the job in his great efforts in Iraq. That is why in this bill we authorize a 3\1/2\ percent pay raise for our troops; that is why we made significant changes to address the problems unearthed by the Walter Reed situation regarding our wounded warriors; that is why we put $1 billion in strategic readiness funds to deal with the critical readiness shortfall. And this is a major challenge for us. The reforms for Iraq and Afghanistan contracting are spelled out in this bill. There is additional money for the MRAP vehicles; there is $980 million for our National Guard equipment; prohibition on TRICARE fee increases; taking steps to minimize the inequities for survivors and to step forward on the survivor benefit plan offset. So all of these are major issues within the realm of the two bills, and hopefully the conferees would be able to make significant progress on each of those. I am proud of the work we have done. I am proud of the Armed Services Committee. I think it is the most bipartisan committee in Congress. Special thanks to the gentleman from California who has worked with us these many years to the end of positive help for the American in uniform. So with that, I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this means to express my support for H.R. 3998, which includes a piece of legislation entitled the ``Harry S. Truman Birthplace Study Act,'' which I introduced on July 31, 2007. That particular bill would direct the Interior Secretary to study the feasibility of adding the Harry S. Truman Birthplace State Historic Site in Lamar, MO, to our system of National Parks. I was honored to introduce this legislation on behalf of the people of Lamar, a community located in Southwestern Missouri that has done much groundwork for the inclusion of the State Historic Site in our Federal system. The bill would further honor the 33rd President of the United States and Missouri's favorite son, President Harry S. Truman. On May 8, 1884, Harry Truman was born in a downstairs bedroom of a small frame house in Lamar, MO. The Truman birthplace, which the family occupied until Harry was 11 months old, was built between 1880 and 1882. In 1959, the United Auto Workers donated the home to the State of Missouri, after buying it some years earlier to preserve its rich cultural significance. Since its addition to the Missouri State Parks System, much work has been done to maintain the dignity and historical relevance of the residence, and many Americans make their way through the site each year. When the Mayor of Lamar, Keith Divine, wrote to me earlier this year asking me to introduce legislation to begin the process of including President Truman's birthplace in our National Park System, I was honored to oblige. In my view and in the view of the local community, doing so would add perhaps the most critical piece of Harry Truman's life, the place of his birth, to the current group of national historic sites that honor the legacy of our 33rd President. And, doing so would foster economic development in Lamar and in Barton County. As a matter of record, let me share with you briefly my personal connection with President Truman and with the legislation creating the original Harry S. Truman National Historic Site in Independence, MO. I came to personally know President Truman through my father, Ike Skelton, Sr., who developed a friendship with him some 78 years ago at the dedication of the Pioneer Mother Statue--the Madonna of the Trail-- located in my hometown of Lexington, MO. At that time, Harry Truman was a county commissioner in neighboring Jackson County and my father was a well-known lawyer and Democrat. Through the years, I developed my own friendship with this genuinely nice person we call the ``Man from Independence.'' He was a son of rural Missouri whose handshake was firm, whose honesty and personal integrity were never questioned, and whose devotion to his beloved wife, Bess, to his daughter Margaret Truman Daniel, and to his friends was enduring. He led our country through some difficult periods and made courageous, principled decisions during his presidency. In the past, Congress has honored President Truman by designating sites in Missouri important to his life as part of America's National Park System. In 1982 and 1983, I worked with the late Senator Tom Eagleton and former Senator Jack Danforth to pass legislation designating the home of Harry and Bess Truman in Independence, MO, as the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site. The site, which consisted at that time of President and Mrs. Truman's home at 219 N. Delaware Street, was willed to the Archivist of the United States when Mrs. Truman passed away in October 1982. Because the National Park Service, rather than the Archivist, has the Federal responsibility of administering national historic sites, the property and its historic contents became stuck in limbo, with only minimal protection and threatened by possible vandalism, theft, or fire. At that time, there was an urgent need to protect this important property, so I requested the Secretary of the Interior to exercise his authority to designate and administer President Truman's home as a national historic site. The Department refused, and I quickly introduced legislation to establish the site. My bill passed the House on December 13, 1982, but the Senate failed to act on it before the end of the session. Fortunately, the Interior Secretary came to his senses and signed a secretarial order designating the home as a national historic site. In 1983, however, I wrote legislation to codify the Secretary's directive. In May 1983, Congress unanimously approved and President Ronald Reagan signed into law my bill that created the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site in Independence. Since that time, Congress has authorized the National Park Service to add other historically significant Truman family sites to the Federal property--in 1989, additional family homes near 219 Delaware Street and in 1993, the Truman Farm Home near Grandview, MO. So, here we are on December 4, 2007, considering my legislation to direct the Interior Secretary to study whether it is feasible to include another important historic site--President Truman's birthplace--to our National Park System. As someone who cherishes the life and legacy of Harry Truman, I am hopeful this bill will become law and that the National Park Service's study will proceed quickly and will yield favorable results. Over the years, Lamar, the State of Missouri, and the University of Missouri Extension have put into place a development plan for the Harry S. Truman Birthplace State Historic Site. If approved, I am confident the Federal study will look favorably upon the community's work and will take into consideration the positive economic impact for the Lamar and Barton County area, which has experienced considerable economic hardship in recent months because a major employer, O'Sullivan Industries, closed its doors. I urge my colleagues to approve H.R. 3998 today.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, our purpose is to defend America and American interests, American citizens. And this bill is a good bill. I speak for this rule. I speak for it because this is a balanced rule. On the one hand, it helps protect Americans; on the other hand, it is a balance in favor of the Constitution. We have to keep, of course, those two goals in mind, but keeping in mind the fact that we need good intelligence, and this is a means and the law to allow us to get good intelligence and protect America and American interests.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in support of this resolution. It's very important that we take a good look at where we are in the country of Iraq. It's important that we take a good look at the status of the United States military forces, in particular our Army, which is being stretched and strained nearly beyond recognition. You can't help but have a great deal of pride in the young men and young women in doing the duty upon which they have been called. But it is important for us to turn the reins, give the baton over to the Iraqi forces, to the Iraqi Government. We cannot hold their hand there forever. It is important that we redeploy our forces in a responsible and reasonable manner so that their readiness is assured in case of some future challenge.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, agricultural trade is critical to the state of Missouri. Exports of farm products boost Missouri's farm prices and farm income. Such exports support about 17,900 Show-Me State jobs both on and off the farm in food processing, storage, and transportation. In 2006, Missouri agricultural exports amounted to $1.4 billion and made an important contribution to Missouri's farm cash receipts that totaled $5.6 billion that year. The U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement would provide increased market access to Missouri's agricultural exports by making agricultural trade a two-way street. Currently, 98 percent of Peru's agricultural exports benefit from tariff-free access to the U.S. market. On the other hand, most U.S. farm and food exports to Peru are subject to high tariffs and other non-tariff restrictions. Current tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods exported to Peru average 18 percent. As a result of this agreement, duties on more than 2/3 of these goods, such as prime and choice cuts of beef, soybeans, soybean meal, crude soybean oil, cotton, and wheat would be eliminated immediately. Duties on pork, dairy, corn, and beef varieties would be phased out over a period of time. Because the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement is so beneficial to American agriculture, it has been endorsed by four former Secretaries of Agriculture--John Block, Bob Bergland, Dan Glickman, and Clayton Yeutter. Additionally, eight former Secretaries of State have endorsed the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement because it is in the national security interest of the United States to maintain and build strong economic alliances with our Latin American neighbors. These former Secretaries include Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, Warren Christopher, Lawrence Eagleburger, James Baker, George Shultz, Alexander Haig, and Henry Kissinger. Over the past twenty years, Peru has transformed from bloody civil unrest to a democratic nation with freely elected leaders who are embracing reform and strengthening the rule of law. In that time, trade has fueled Peru's economic expansion and helped to increase per capita income levels. Peru has been a strong U.S. ally in our efforts to eradicate narcotics trafficking and to combat terrorism in the Western Hemisphere. Because this agreement will benefit Missouri agriculture and strengthen our friendship with Peru, I am pleased to support the U.S.- Peru Trade Promotion Agreement and hope it will be quickly approved and signed into law.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, farmers in Missouri and throughout the Midwest depend upon our rivers for the transportation of agricultural goods and other products important to their businesses. Rivers afford producers greater market access, so it is essential that our river transportation system runs smoothly and efficiently. Earlier this year, the House and Senate approved the Water Resources Development Act, a bipartisan bill to authorize funding for America's navigation, flood control, and environmental restoration projects. Important for Missouri's agricultural community, this long-overdue measure would modernize outdated locks and dams along the Mississippi River in order to facilitate the movement of commodities to the domestic and global marketplace. On Friday, the President vetoed the Water Resources Development Act. I was extremely disappointed that the President chose to veto this bill, which is an investment in rural Missouri and in the sound water infrastructure of our entire country. On behalf of the Show-Me State farmers I am privileged to represent, I am pleased to cast my vote in support of overriding the President's veto. I am hopeful it will garner the necessary two-thirds vote and that the Other Body will act swiftly so that Congress will enact; the water infrastructure bill despite the President's objections to it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this moment to recognize the selfless acts of Pat Kerr. Mrs. Kerr has tirelessly advocated on behalf of service members and their families. After her daughter, CPT. Kat Numerick, was deployed to Iraq, Pat Kerr organized successful events at the Capitol to raise support for our troops. Mrs. Kerr has earned the reputation of refusing to turn down any soldier or family member. She regularly works late into the night, spending her own time and money to resolve each family's problems. Recently, Mrs. Kerr testified to Congress on the care of wounded servicemen. Due to her relentless work to improve conditions for our troops, Mrs. Kerr has been recognized by Traditional Home magazine as a 2007 Classic Woman. She will be commended at an award ceremony in New York and will be featured in an article in Traditional Home's Classic Woman issue. This prestigious distinction comes with a $2,500 contribution from Traditional Home, which will be awarded to The Military Family Relief Fund. Currently, Mrs. Kerr continues her career at the Missouri State Veterans' Commission. She and her husband, John, care for their grandson while Captain Numerick serves her third tour of duty. I trust that Members of the House will join me in thanking Pat Kerr for her devotion to the brave men and women in our military.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. In the State of Oklahoma yesterday, weighing in at 6 lbs, 12 ounces, Janna Lou Boren was born to Andrea Boren and our colleague, Dan Boren. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this moment to recognize the career of Dr. Jake Lippert. Dr. Lippert has served as the Executive Director for the Missouri Dental Association since 1998, who now ends his tenure. Dr. Lippert earned an undergraduate degree from St. Louis University before completing its Dental School program in 1959. He then honorably served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy until 1961. Dr. Lippert has been a member of the American Dental Association since 1959 and a member of the Missouri Dental Association since 1961. During his career, Dr. Lippert has been awarded numerous professional honors, including being named the Missouri Dental Association's Dentist of the Year in 1998. Beyond his private practice, Jake Lippert has been extremely involved in his community. He has served as an Instructor for East Central College, the President of the Union School Board, an assistant scout master for a local Boy Scout troop, and a certified high school football referee. Dr. Lippert is highly regarded for his generosity and hard work. As Executive Director of the Missouri Dental Association, Dr. Lippert was instrumental in increasing legislative involvement, creating additional continuing education programs, and shaping a vision for the future of the organization. I'm certain that Members of the House will join me in thanking Jake Lippert for his exceptional leadership and dedication.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I think this is a very important piece of legislation. Let me take this opportunity to compliment my friend from Hawaii for introducing it and for bringing it to the floor. Mr. Abercrombie is indeed to be commended for this work. What this does is merely closes some loopholes that are presently in the United States law. Defrauding the Federal taxpayer should be a felony, and it is subject to considerable years in prison and a fine up to $1 million or twice the illegal profits of the crime. When we're in a war situation, you want people to work hard. We expect a great deal from those in uniform. And we expect those who are supplying and building and reconstructing in the war-torn area to also play by the rules as we demand of those young men and young women in our United States military. So this bill does the right thing. It goes after the war profiteering, that is the overcharging in order to defraud or profit excessively from the war. And this bill also confers jurisdiction within the Federal courts to hear and try such cases. It's the right thing. It's the right action for us to take in this Congress. I, again, compliment the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), and I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for giving me the opportunity to express my condolences to the Jo Ann Davis family, her husband and two sons. It's always difficult to say good-bye to a friend. And Jo Ann Davis was my friend. She was my colleague. We served together on the Armed Services Committee since she came to Congress. She represented the First District of Virginia, which had and has a strong military tradition. She was preceded in this Congress by my friend through the years Herb Bateman. She was a strong advocate for the men and women in uniform, and she will be sorely missed in supporting them as the days lie ahead. Shipbuilding was the centerpiece of her work because of the district she represented, and she understood and advocated the importance of shipbuilding for the United States Navy. She was a member, actually a subcommittee ranking member, on the Readiness Subcommittee. And it is interesting that we should, this evening, point out that she fought a disease with grace and dignity, and that this is the Breast Cancer Awareness month, that I think we should make note of. She fought a tremendous fight. She came back when she could, and our heart was with her. She fought the good fight. But in looking back at my friend, Jo Ann Davis, I remember her most for her sense of humor, how we would joke with one another and how absolutely pleasant she was. Those are attributes that people remember just as much as they remember the good work that she did as a Member of this body. So I thank the gentleman from Virginia for allowing me to say a word or two about my friend, Jo Ann Davis.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this moment to recognize the extensive career of Command Sergeant Major Frank D. Gross. CSM Gross has spent over 41 years serving in the Missouri Army National Guard and Engineer Regiment. Frank Gross earned a master's degree in education from Central Missouri State University. In 2001, he successfully completed the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. During his career, CSM Gross has been awarded over 18 medals and ribbons for his selfless leadership and dedication. He is highly respected by his peers, as well as by the soldiers who he has led. CSM Gross's service to our country in wartime has been invaluable. Beginning in 2002, Gross served as CSM for the 35th Engineer Brigade for over 2 years, where he supervised the deployment of three battalions and two companies. Due to CSM Gross's exceptional guidance, these units effectively completed the missions to which they were assigned. Currently, CSM Gross is the Missouri State Command Sergeant Major for the Joint Force Headquarters. In this capacity, he is responsible for the enlisted soldiers' promotion system, as well as training other CSMs. I'm certain that Members of the House will join me in honoring Command Sergeant Major Gross for his outstanding service to our country.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the long and selfless career of Bobbie Roggero. Mrs. Roggero has spent over 30 years as a dedicated educator. Bobbie Roggero received a BA degree in Education before beginning her extensive career as a public school teacher. She has earned the reputation of being an exceptional instructor who fosters the potential she sees in every student. Mrs. Roggero regularly spends her nights and weekends developing teaching strategies and planning for class, proving her commitment to the success of her pupils. Mrs. Roggero was recently named the 2007 Educator of the Year for the Camdenton, Missouri, school district. This prestigious distinction comes with a stipend which Mrs. Roggero will use to offer her students additional opportunities not afforded in the standard curriculum. Currently, Mrs. Roggero teaches Kindergarten at Osage Beach Elementary. She has been tirelessly serving the Camdenton District since 1995. I trust that Members of the House will join me in thanking Bobbie Roggero for her devotion to the youth of our Nation.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3087) to require the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior military leaders, to develop and transmit to Congress a comprehensive strategy for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces in Iraq, as amended.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my colleague, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Loretta Sanchez) who, by the way, is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 3087, a bill to require the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on the status of planning for the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq. This bill is the rarest of creatures, a bipartisan compromise on one of the most significant issues facing our country today, the war in Iraq. This bill was marked up in the Armed Services Committee with the support of our ranking member, Duncan Hunter of California. The committee took the excellent work of Representative Neil Abercrombie and Representative John Tanner and built on it. The committee adopted a comprehensive amendment developed by Mr. Abercrombie and Representative Mike Turner, two of our leaders on our committee on the advancement of national defense. The bill, as amended, passed our committee 55-2. I am proud of the work of our committee. I am glad it has been brought to the floor. The bill seeks to accomplish two primary goals. First, it affirms the critical need for comprehensive, well-thought-out planning for a redeployment of troops from Iraq, the kind of planning that, frankly, was not done for the post-war period in Iraq, the so- called phase 4 of the war before we invaded. This will help Congress fulfill its duties to ensure that such a mistake is not repeated. Second, it requires that the planning the Pentagon is doing for deployment from Iraq be shared with Congress, as it should. It lays out a clear statement on the need for appropriate, detailed contingency planning for our redeployment of troops from that country, including consideration of force protection for our military and civilian personnel, and the need to continue to protect our vital national security interests. It requires by statute that the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff provide us with a report and briefing on redeployment planning from Iraq within 60 days of enactment, and that updated reports and briefings from senior Department of Defense officials continue to be provided on a quarterly basis thereafter. It will allow the Armed Services Committee to perform the oversight function, which is central to our purpose. Time is not on our side. In my view, it's time to begin responsible redeployment of forces and a change of mission in Iraq. Members are on different places on Iraq, but we can agree that we must be engaged in serious planning for the redeployment of American forces. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. I yield 1 minute to my colleague, my friend, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend, my colleague, the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), who is the chairman of the Air and Land Forces Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee and is also an original cosponsor of this legislation along with Mr. Tanner from Tennessee.