Ike Skelton

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire about the time that has been consumed and the time remaining on each side, please.

Mr. SKELTON. Then subject to the Chair, I wish to recognize more than one speaker in a row on our side. I yield, Mr. Speaker, 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd), a gentleman who is a Vietnam combat veteran, rifle platoon leader of the 101st Airborne Division.

Mr. SKELTON. That would be fine.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Patrick J. Murphy) first and only Iraq war veteran to serve in this body, a Member of the 82nd Airborne Division, who received the Bronze Star and his unit received the Presidential Unit Citation.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina, United States Army veteran, Mr. Etheridge.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca), former paratrooper with both the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, at this time I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 63.

Mr. SKELTON. I yield the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker, to my friend, my colleague, the gentleman from California, the chairman on the Committee on Foreign Affairs (Mr. Lantos). I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control the time.

Mr. SKELTON. May I make an inquiry, Madam Speaker, of how much time has been consumed and how much time remains on each side, please.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The great Chinese strategist and thinker once wrote that war should not be begun unless the end is in sight. Sadly, that admonition of Sun Tzu was not adhered to in this war in Iraq. Let me bring us back to what we are all about today. We have been hearing discussions ranging from both ends of the football field. This is a very simple, straightforward resolution. The first part of it is: We fully support the American troops. And I am going to say, Madam Speaker, we are so proud of them. They are volunteers, they are professionals, they understand the word duty. And, secondly: We do not agree with the troop increase of 21,500, for the simple reason it has not worked in the past, for the simple reason it is going to cause somewhere between 2,500 and 13,000 support troops to support that effort. And, consequently, it is not a well-thought-out tactic. And despite the fact that some wish to call it a strategy, it is a tactic, and there is a large difference between the two. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 5 minutes to a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee as well as the Budget Committee, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Northern Virginia, a member of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Jim Moran

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My friend from New York, a fellow member of the Armed Services Committee, Mr. McHugh, a good friend, I must agree with him on one comment that he made when he said, I am troubled by the course that lies ahead. Madam Speaker, I am very troubled about the course that lies ahead. That is what we are about this evening. We have seen an irretrievable strategic mistake made in Iraq that put us where we are. And consequently it brings us to this point where we express our concern and disagreement with the increase in troops in this crucial time in Iraq and allows us the opportunity to say thank you. We are proud of you, each of you who wears the American uniform. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. (Mr. RUSH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Hinchey, the gentleman from New York.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield the balance of my time to the gentlelady from California, who is a member of the Armed Services Committee and chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Mrs. Tauscher. I ask unanimous consent that she be allowed to control the time from this moment.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Brenda Wright, a long-time House Armed Services Committee Employee, on her retirement after 30 years of exemplary and professional service. Throughout her tenure on the committee, Ms. Wright has been a selfless and dedicated employee and public servant. After serving for six years at the Interstate Commerce Commission, Brenda joined the House Armed Services Committee on February 14, 1977. Initially, she provided administrative support for the Sea Power subcommittee chaired by Charles E. Bennett and was promoted to her current position as Professional Staff Member on the full committee in 1988. During the past 30 years, Ms. Wright has served seven committee chairmen, including myself, and has witnessed many pivotal moments in U.S. Congressional and military history. The House Armed Services Committee has been fortunate to benefit from the contributions of those who, like Brenda, not only have a great deal of experience, but who also appreciate and understand the history and the workings of this committee. Brenda joined the Congressional community at a time when our military faced the challenges of the aftermath of the Vietnam War, and since then, her efforts on behalf of our men and women in uniform have been consistent and unwavering. Recently, she recalled that one of the highlights of her tenure was the opportunity to personally witness the commissioning of the USS Cincinnati Los Angeles-class submarine and to stand among the service members who serve our nation so capably. Madam Speaker, public perception of Congress frequently seems to be based on the personalities and characters of a few powerful figures. However, as one who shares Brenda's long tenure on the Hill, I know that Congress relies on the dedicated staff who steadfastly complete their work in the shadow of the dome and in the shadow of the limelight. Brenda Wright has gained a well-earned reputation as a dependable, loyal, and capable staff member whose absence will be felt by all who have had the privilege of working with her. On behalf of all of the members of the House Armed Services Committee and her colleagues on the HASC staff, I congratulate Brenda on her upcoming retirement and thank her for her exemplary public service. With deep appreciation, we extend sincere best wishes to Brenda, her sons Robert and Lavan and their families for continued health and happiness.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, at the conclusion of the 109th Congress, Republicans adjourned for the year without completing work on 9 of the 11 budget bills that fund the operations of the federal government. Completion of the federal government's annual budget is one of Congress' most critical tasks, but even though several months have gone by since the beginning of the fiscal year, only 2 of the 11 bills for fiscal year 2007--Defense and Homeland Security Appropriations--have been signed into law. This failure to complete Congress' most basic task--to pay the country's bills--has left newly elected leaders of the House and the Senate with no choice but to make tough choices with regard to the fiscal year 2007 budget. Since October 2006, the federal government has been operating on the basis of a temporary measure known as a continuing resolution. This resolution is set to expire on February 15, 2007, and unless Congress approves funding for federal programs covering Agriculture; Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water; Foreign Operations; Interior and the Environment; Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education; Legislative Branch; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; and Transportation, Treasury, and Housing, federal government operations in these areas will cease. Over the past weeks, House leaders have been writing legislation that would ensure the federal government remains operational through fiscal year 2007. Today, the House is considering H.J. Res. 20, a joint resolution that will keep the federal government open and require most federal programs to operate under tight budget constraints. While modest increases were allotted to some of America's high priority items, such as veterans' and military health care, law enforcement, and education, the bill cuts over 60 federal programs and rescinds unobligated balances on many other programs to pay for them. Further, the bill explicitly eliminates special funding provisions, commonly referred to as ``earmarks.'' H.J. Res. 20 is not a perfect bill, and I am concerned about how it might impact some federal programs that are important to Missouri residents. Despite my concerns, I have concluded that it is in our nation's best interest to quickly approve this appropriations package and focus our attention toward the President's fiscal year 2008 budget and the President's anticipated supplemental appropriations request for military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. I commend Congressman Obey for drafting such complex legislation that makes the best of a bad situation.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Frank Barnes, a long-time House Armed Services Committee employee, on his retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives after 36 years of exemplary and professional service. Frank began his congressional career by joining the Office of the Speaker and Parliamentarian in 1972. Already then, Madam Speaker, were Frank's trademark traits--professionalism, dedication, loyalty, and kindness of spirit--in evidence. In fact, in a letter commending him for his service, Speaker Carl Albert wrote to Frank the following: ``Your ability to deal directly with the Members of the House and their staffs when the occasion arose was outstanding. This sets your job above most of those in other offices around the Capitol, and your performance in this regard has brought credit to yourself and to the Office of the Speaker and Parliamentarian. But beyond your ability to do a great job, I want to thank you for the manner in which you did it. You were always courteous, thoughtful and helpful. No task ever proved too difficult, and you consistently seemed to do more than what was asked. Since March 5, 1979, the House Armed Services Committee has been fortunate to benefit from his abilities and skills. Serving six committee chairmen, Frank's contributions ensured the smooth operation of committee business, under frequently demanding hearing and mark-up schedules, and helped facilitate the annual defense authorization process. His dedication was such that even after suffering a stroke last year before markup, Frank chided his doctor for not allowing him to leave the hospital and go to work. Madam Speaker, too often public perception of Congress is colored by the actions of a few powerful or well-known figures. However, as one who shares Frank's long tenure on Capitol Hill, I know that Congress relies on the dedicated staff who steadfastly complete their work in the shadow of the dome and in the shadow of the limelight. Frank has tenaciously labored on behalf of our men and women in uniform as well as each of us in this Chamber and his absence will be felt by all who have had the privilege of working with him. Simply stated, Frank leaves a legacy that is both remarkable and unsurpassable. On behalf of all of the members of the House Armed Services Committee and his colleagues on the HASC staff, I congratulate Frank on his retirement and thank him for his exemplary public service. With deep appreciation, we extend to Frank, his wife Ann, his sons Frank Jr. and Glenn and their families every best wish for health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to show my support for H.R. 521, a bill that would name a post office in Rock Island, Illinois for former Congressman Lane Evans. This is a fitting honor for a man with such a long and distinguished career. It was my pleasure to serve with Lane Evans on the House Armed Services Committee. He showed unwavering support for our troops and their families both in his service to that committee and the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, where he was the Ranking Member. As a Marine and veteran of the Vietnam War, Lane understands the sacrifices made by those in uniform and their families and worked tirelessly in Congress to ensure that those sacrifices would be honored. I want to thank Lane Evans for his many years of service. We will miss him sorely.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, In accordance with clause 2 of rule XI of the Rules of the House, I respectfully submit the rules of the Committee on Armed Services for printing in the Congressional Record. On January 10, 2007, the Committee on Armed Services adopted by a unanimous vote, a quorum being present, the following rules: Rules of the Committee on Armed Services, 110th Congress

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend originally from Missouri for yielding this time. Last year, I had the opportunity to visit the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. After a ceremony there, I went into the library, and in the glassed-off section for old and rare books I found a book printed in 1926 about the 1915 British misadventure at Gallipoli, entitled ``The Perils of Amateur Strategy.'' I have often thought regarding the situation in Iraq that we face today that this administration is not giving food for thought to some author to write a book entitled ``The Perils of Amateur Strategy II.'' The issue before us this evening is what would we have done, had we known what we know today. Had that been the case, we probably would never have had a resolution before us, much less voted in favor of it. We have a wonderful military, the finest we have ever had and the finest in modern history. The young men and young women are dedicated, they are professional and they are volunteers, whether they be active duty, whether they be National Guard or Reserve. Gosh, I am proud of them. I have been with them aboard ship; I have been with them in their training. I have been with them in Iraq and Afghanistan and had the privilege of spending Christmas Day with them in Baghdad. But I wonder where all of this ends. They moved the goalposts on us. The first goal was to make sure that weapons of mass destruction were not there, then to establish a democracy, and now to bring stability to Iraq. And those goalposts keep moving. I am truly concerned about where we have been and much more concerned about where we go in Iraq. Whatever happens there, and I feel that there is no positive outcome for this, the star of this show will be the young men and young women who wear the uniform of the United States. History will treat them well and our gratitude should go toward them. There are some mistakes that are made that are irretrievable. There have been such mistakes that we have made in Iraq. The first, of course, was going in with the intelligence that at least was available, not having a plan in use, despite the fact that there was a plan available. Lieutenant General Jay Gardner asked for the people to help draw it up and was finally given one person from the State Department. But the plan was not allowed to be used. Looting was allowed, and then we dismissed those who belonged to the Baathist Party, who made the trains run and the local government run. Some thousands of school teachers were put out of jobs. Then the army was dismissed, rather than giving them a paycheck and a shovel and the opportunity to help bring security and stability to that torn country. The military ammunition, weapons and caches, were not guarded. In September of 2003, John Spratt, Robin Hayes and I were told by David Kay that there were 50-some-odd caches that went unguarded, and the truth in fact is there were many, many more. That is where the insurgents got their weapons and ammunition to use against our young people. We fought the insurgents, the Baathists, criminals, foreigners and al Qaeda helping the insurgency, and then more recently the sectarian violence that overlays all of the insurgency that is going on; and we are there trying to bring stability to that torn land. I am hoping for a positive outcome. It is dark and misty as to where we are going today. I am hoping lightning will strike for the benefit of our young people who are there. It is having serious implications in our readiness which we will explore and talk about and hope to rectify to some extent in the Armed Services Committee. All of these areas, I think, are irretrievable, and I am hopeful that in the days ahead there will be some light at the end of the tunnel in this very sad misadventure in Iraq.

Mr. SKELTON. That is correct.

Mr. SKELTON. I appreciate the gentlewoman making reference. As you know, I am very, very proud of all three of our sons, two of whom are in uniform, and I do not speak about them other than just to be proud of them.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that a long and distinguished career has come to an end. Robert Woody retired as Fire Chief of Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, on January 3, 2007, after 32 years of service. Robert Woody earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Southwest Missouri State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Science from Drury College. Mr. Woody began his career as a firefighter in 1975 and after 4 years of service was promoted to driver. On February 20, 1983, he was promoted to crew chief where he served as a positive role model to many young firefighters. In 1999, after serving 8 years as assistant fire chief, he was promoted to fire chief where his leadership is to be commended. Under Mr. Woody, the Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department received the ``Fire Department of the Year: Northwest Region'' . Mr. Woody was a member of the Missouri Association of Fire Chiefs, Firefighter's Association of Missouri, Professional Fire and Fraud Investigation Association, and the Pulaski County Fire Chief's Association. He was honored with a Superior Performance Award in 1980, a Commander Award for Civilian Service in 1988 and 1999, a Special Act of Service Award in 1991, the Superior Civilian Service Award in 1992, and a Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1996. Madam Speaker, Robert Woody is a valuable member of his community and his leadership will be greatly missed. Mr. Woody plans to travel with his companion, continuing farming, teaching Fire Science and Safety with Missouri's Division of Fire Safety, and spending time with his two sons, Andy and Adam. As he begins the next phase of his life, I know the Members of the House will join me in thanking Robert Woody for his service to the Fort Leonard Wood Fire Department and wish him well as he begins his retirement.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this opportunity to recognize the long and distinguish career of GEN James L. Jones. General Jones just completed his assignment as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command. General Jones received a bachelor of science degree from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1966. He also attended the Basic School, the Amphibious Warfare School, and the National War College in Washington, DC. General Jones was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps where he was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam in January 1967. After serving as a Platoon and Company Commander he was promoted to First Lieutenant. He returned to the United States in December 1968 where he served as a Company Commander at Camp Pendelton, CA. From May 1970 to July 1973, General Jones served at Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, as a Company Commander. Remaining in Washington, General Jones served in the Officer Assignments Section at Headquarters Marine Corps where he was later appointed to Major and soon after served as the Marine Corps Liaison Officer to the United States Senate. After being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, General Jones was assigned to Camp Pendleton, CA, and in August 1987, returned to Headquarters Marine Corps where he served as Senior Aide to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He was promoted to Colonel in April 1988, where later General Jones would become Military Secretary to the Commandant. General Jones was assigned as the Commanding Officer, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune, NC, where he participated in Operation Provide Comfort in Northern Iraq and Turkey. He was advanced to Brigadier General and was assigned to duties as Deputy Director, J- 3, U.S. European Command, Stuggart, Germany. During this tour of duty he was reassigned as Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force Provide Promise for operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia. General Jones was advanced to the rank of Major General in July 1994, and was then assigned as Commanding General, 2d Marine Division, Marine Forces Atlantic, Camp Lejeune, NC. After serving as Director, Expeditionary Warfare Division (N85), Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and then as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Policies, and Operations, Headquarters Marine Corps, General Jones was advanced to Lieutenant General. General Jones served as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, and on July 1, 1999 became the 32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. He assumed his duties as the Commander of U.S. European Command on January 16, 2003, and Supreme Allied Commander Europe on January 17, 2003. General Jones' has been awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit with four gold stars, Bronze Star Medal with Combat ``V'', and the Combat Action Ribbon. Madam Speaker, I know the Members of the House will join me in paying tribute to GEN James L. Jones for his commitment to the United States Marine Corps and the safety and security of America.