Ike Skelton

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished whip.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake). (Mrs. DRAKE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Loretta Sanchez).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. McKinney).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, in reference to the gentlewoman from New Mexico's (Mrs. Wilson) remarks, the women in the military issue is past. There were some trying moments, there were two amendments, one quite onerous and the other just onerous. I thank the gentlewoman. I thank the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder), I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus), for their work, along with the chairman and the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake) for gluing together a piece of legislation that replaces the onerous language. Mr. Chairman, we have a remarkable military. History will prove that we have the finest young men and young women who are in uniform ever. As it was pointed out a few moments ago, they are all volunteers. They are all dedicated. They understand duties. They understand service. They understand professionalism. And today when we pass this bill, and I know the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) joins me, we hope this will be a tribute to them and their hard work, their dedication and their patriotism. For without them, without the young men and women who wear the uniform of all the services today, our country would not be safe and secure. Mr. Chairman, I admire and appreciate those who serve in our military today. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, there are magic moments in a person's life. One of those magic moments happened to me in April 1948 in Kansas City, Missouri, at the Music Hall Auditorium, where I manned the stage with a good number of other Boy Scouts, my mother walking up the steps with me, a rose being handed to me which I handed to her, and I shook hands with the sponsor of the Eagle Scout class, Dr. Milton Eisenhower, the then-president of Kansas State University. It was a moment to remember. That was my Eagle Scout Code of Honor. Of course, I am pleased to say that we have a son also that is an Eagle Scout. Scouting builds good citizenship. I have been around it all my life. Looking back, I have so much to thank my scoutmaster, John L. Marchetti, old Troop 418, for the young men he worked with and molded into good Missouri citizens. It is important that young Scouts have the finest places to camp, the finest places to learn the skills, the camping, the frontiering, learn the active parts of the Scout law: to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. They can learn these on reservations that are and do belong to our military. As a matter of fact, a good number of Scouts that come through the Scouts ranks volunteer and become part of the military, many of them for a career. So it certainly is fitting that the gentlewoman from Virginia offers this amendment. I thoroughly endorse it. I certainly hope it passes overwhelmingly. I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) again for giving me this opportunity to speak in support thereof.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews). (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, let me add a thank-you and it is a job well done to Robert Rangel. Your professionalism, your friendship, your integrity, your hard work have served this institution well. You love this institution, we know that, and we are most appreciative of all you have done for us in a bipartisan way. You understand politics; but on the other hand, you understand this institution and help make it work very, very well. I might say, Robert, back in Lafayette County, Missouri, the highest compliment you ever get is, You done good. So Robert Rangel, you done good.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson- Lee).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1544, the Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act is critically important for the entire country, but it is also good for rural America. I am pleased to share my support for this bill, which streamlines and prioritizes homeland security spending and should result in better stewardship of America's tax dollars committed to public safety. Last year, the 9/11 Commission made clear to Congress that homeland security assistance should be based strictly on an assessment of risks and vulnerabilities. H.R. 1544 fulfills the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission by providing priority assistance to first responders facing the greatest threat; by streamlining terrorism preparedness grants; and by requiring specific, flexible, and measurable goals for State and local government terrorism preparedness. As a member of the Congressional Rural Caucus, I am especially interested in how rural areas will be treated under this legislation. Currently, rural America does not receive its fair share when it comes to the distribution of homeland security funds. H.R. 1544 will ensure that rural Americans have a seat at the table when federal spending decisions are made. For the first time, tax dollars will be distributed to first responders based on risk, regardless of whether the potential dangers are in urban, suburban, or rural communities. Under this legislation, each State shall develop a 3-year Homeland Security Plan. The State must solicit comments from local and county governments--including those in rural areas--and evaluate risk factors, threats, populations, and all critical infrastructure. Risks to Missouri's Fourth Congressional District might include agriculture and agribusiness, natural gas pipelines, Bagnell Dam, Truman Dam, the Lake of the Ozarks, and the Missouri River, among others. H.R. 1544 allows for rural Missourians to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future terrorist attacks under a risk-based formula. Additionally, this measure maintains a State minimum for funding to ensure that each State can reach at least a minimal level of preparedness. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1544 is supported by every major first responder organization and by the State of Missouri. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this important, risk-based legislation.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Mr. Peter H. Cote will retire from his post as civilian Farrier, after 35 years of faithful and dedicated service to the nation. Mr. Cote graduated from Woodbridge Senior High School in Virginia in 1967. He then attended the Martinsville Farrier School until he was drafted by the U.S. Army in March 1969 as a Heavy Artilleryman. Mr. Cote's military career includes positions in Germany, Walter Reed and Fort Myer. He was discharged from the U.S. Army on March 1, 1971, and was hired by Walter Reed as the Military District of Washington civilian Blacksmith/Farrier. Mr. Cote received his Master Farrier Qualification from the Brotherhood of Working Farriers. He is certified as an Equine Appraiser, equine emergency rescuer, equine adjuster and an inspector of American Trail Rides. Mr. Cote has trained 165 personnel in the art of Farriery. He also has participated in the state funerals for President Johnson and President Reagan. Additionally, he has been the head Farrier for nine Presidential Inaugurals. Mr. Cote's many honors and awards include the Meritorious Civilian Service Award and numerous Exceptional Performance Appraisals. He also was named ``The Nation's Farrier'' in 1999 by The American Farrier Journal. I know my colleagues in the House will join me in thanking Mr. Cote for his many years of service to his country and in wishing him all the best in the years to come.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the importance of our national intelligence capability and what we in Congress must do to improve it. Just a few weeks ago, the Commission on Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction, the Robb- Silverman Commission, issued its report. One of the many charges leveled by the commission against the intelligence community, perhaps the most damning, is the intelligence community collects far too little information on many of the issues we care about most. As the commission also points out, without information, analysis turns to guesswork. The state of the affairs in our intelligence community is alarming, dangerous and frankly unacceptable. Within the span of 2 years, the United States has had two very obvious and public examples of intelligence failures. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the dead wrong conclusions reached about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. The 9/11 Commission took the first step in identifying what ails the intelligence community, by pointing out that it's a community in name only. It needs centralized direction and coordination. The intelligence reform bill Congress enacted last year establishes a director of national intelligence and tries to address this problem. I also believe that Congress did not challenge the intelligence community aggressively enough before we invaded Iraq, either in the issue of weapons of mass destruction, or the likely aftermath of the invasion. We, in Congress must help the intelligence community move beyond the cold war mentality and focus more effectively on the challenges we face from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and from al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups within global reach. But, beyond fixing the intelligence community, Congress needs to get its own house in order. We must do a better job of oversight of the intelligence community. Restoring effective and constructive Congressional oversight should be a top bipartisan priority in the 109th Congress. I believe there will be value in putting together a bicameral, bipartisan select committee like the Joint Economic Committee or the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy of the past, to take a hard look at how Congress should reform itself to better perform oversight of our intelligence. In my view, the House and the Senate need similar structures to handle intelligence matters, so that the budget requests, legislative referrals and conferences between the two bodies on authorizations and appropriations are handled logically and simply and without disconnection or disfunction. How would such a select committee work? Membership could be appointed by the leadership on both sides from committees that deal with intelligence matters now. The committee could garner input from various groups including the intelligence community, other governmental organizations such as CRO, CBO and GAO, and from outside groups such as think tanks, former Members of Congress, and experts in the field. Moreover, both the 9/11 Commission and the Robb-Silverman Commission made suggestions about how Congress should reform itself to do a better job with intelligence issues. These recommendations should be explored in depth. There are a number of fundamental questions that should be rethought: Which committee should have jurisdiction and oversight responsibilities for intelligence matters? Should there be a separate intelligence appropriations subcommittee? Should intelligence responsibility in Congress continue to be divided along programmatic lines, the JMIP, the TIARA, and the NIP? Should the current Select Committee on Intelligence be made permanent? Mr. Speaker, these are not partisan questions, and they should not be addressed in a partisan fashion. I believe that for the sake of our own national security we must avoid a partisan blame game. We should focus on how to fix the intelligence community that is still reeling from its public failures and struggling to digest organizational reforms that we have already enacted. At the same time, Congress must restore its own effective and constructive oversight over intelligence matters. I think a bicameral, bipartisan select committee could rise above the partisan and turf tensions that exist, and I urge Leader Pelosi and Speaker Hastert to strongly consider this option as a way to improve the system. In the final analysis, the intelligence community, the administration and the Congress must work all together to ensure that we can meet the intelligence challenges we face in the coming years. We must get this right.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this means to congratulate Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, was formed on February 23, 1905, by Paul P. Harris. Through the years, Rotary's popularity has spread across the nation and the world and its mission has expanded well beyond serving the professional interests of local chapters. Rotary has been instrumental in pooling resources to assist communities in need across the world. In 1985, Rotary made an historic commitment to immunize all of the world's children against polio. Working in partnership with nongovernmental organizations and national governments, Rotary is the largest private-sector contributor to the global polio eradication campaign. In fact, in 2005, Rotarians joined with representatives from global health networks to mark the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Dr. Jonas Salk's polio vaccine as safe and effective. Rotary has also worked to meet the changing needs of society, addressing critical problems surrounding illiteracy, world hunger, and at risk children. Mr. Speaker, I have visited countless Rotary Clubs throughout Missouri's Fourth Congressional District. On each occasion, I am humbled by the hard work and friendly spirit of the community leaders who belong to this organization. I congratulate them on 100 years of community service and I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 142.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Major General Kathryn G. Frost is retiring after a long and exceptionally distinguished career. General Frost's outstanding service to the nation has been marked by meritorious service in increasingly demanding command positions, culminating as the Commanding General of the United States Army and Air Force Exchange. General Frost is a 1970 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of South Carolina where she received a degree in Administrative Education. She also received a Master's degree in Counseling from Wayne State University. Her distinguished career has spanned three decades, and her duties have included tours as Chief, Military Personnel Office/Deputy Adjutant General, Berlin Brigade/United States Army, Berlin, Germany; Commander, Eastern Sector, United States Military Entrance Processing Command, Great Lakes, Illinois; Adjutant General/Commanding General, Physical Disability Agency/Executive Director of Military Postal Service Agency, Alexandria, Virginia; and Deputy Legislative Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, DC. General Frost's awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge. She also was named one of USC's Distinguished Alumni in 2002. Mr. Speaker, I know the Members of the House will join me in paying tribute to Major General Kathryn G. Frost, for her outstanding commitment to the United States Army and the United States of America.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the alternative budget resolution that will soon be offered by my friend and colleague, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt). I do so in light of the fact that the Republican budget resolution mirrors the President's request for defense and the Spratt alternative matches this funding dollar-for- dollar, but the Spratt budget is better because section 401 of his resolution calls on the Congress to address serious shortcomings in both the President's budget and the House Republican budget resolution. Let me explain why I favor the Spratt alternative budget. The Republican budget only temporarily increases the death gratuity and the Service Members Group Life Insurance coverage. The Spratt budget would make these increases permanent. That is important. The Republican budget omits targeted pay raises and reenlistment bonuses for enlisted personnel. We know right now we are having a great deal of trouble in enlisting young people, reenlisting some of the troops. As you know, you enlist a soldier, but you retain families. These issues are critical to retaining experienced troops and maintaining readiness. The Spratt budget makes it a priority. The Republican budget fails to increase funds for Family Service Centers to support the families of deploying troops. The Spratt budget takes care of that, and takes care of our military families. The Republican budget shortchanges community-based health care organizations that care for the injured servicemen and women. The Spratt budget takes care of that. It pluses up the program. The Republican budget does not aggressively fund nuclear nonproliferation programs. Both sides of the aisle, and as a matter of fact during the last campaign both the candidates for President, said that stopping a nuclear weapon from getting in the hands of terrorists is our top national security priority. The Spratt budget backs that up with dollars. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the budget to be offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning, along with my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), to talk about how House Democrats feel about national security. It may seem obvious to say we Democrats support our troops and support a strong national defense, but I want to offer today a more detailed explanation of where we stand and why. These are challenging and difficult times for our country. We are engaged in a global war against terrorism, we have military forces deployed around the world, and we are involved in two shooting wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan. These deployments and these conflicts are putting a terrible strain on our military, on our troops, on our equipment, on our military families, on our defense budget, and on our national economy. I believe we will overcome these challenges because we have the greatest treasure in the world, our service men and women, who are selflessly serving around the globe on behalf of this great Nation. They are the key to the war on terrorism, more than any doctrine or system. Their effort and sacrifice will make ultimate victory for us in the war on terror, and in Iraq and Afghanistan, possible. Unfortunately, the two most people-intensive services, the Army and the Marine Corps, are last in line for funding from the Defense Department. For example, the fiscal year 2006 budget request for the Army, not counting money that may be added in the supplemental, actually declined by some $300 million relative to last year's level. Mr. Speaker, it is incredible to think that this administration would actually reduce funding for the Army, the service with the most people and the most equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan, in a time of war. Even if the amount for the Army is ultimately increased because of supplemental appropriations, what kind of signal does this send our troops, who are literally putting their lives on the line, when the administration asks for fewer funds for their service? Our servicemen and women deserve better. I know I speak for all House Democrats in saying we support our troops, but what is more important for everyone to understand is that supporting the troops is more than just a bumper sticker. It means giving them the best possible leadership, the finest training, and up- to-date and working equipment, protective armor body, and vehicle armor. We in Congress have a duty to ensure that they have all the tools they need to succeed on the battlefield. We also have a duty to provide for their families while they are deployed in service to our great Nation. We have a duty to take care of the families of those who are killed and those who are wounded. Mr. Speaker, we also have a duty to our citizen soldiers, members of the National Guard, members of the Reserve, who also make such extraordinary sacrifices. They not only serve our country beside their active-duty counterparts, but they also do so at considerable sacrifice back home. Because they have jobs in their communities, oftentimes they give up these jobs and ask someone else to pick up the slack created by their absence. Moreover, while they are deployed, their families are entitled to benefits, but it is often hard for families to use these benefits because so many of them do not live close to military facilities. Finally, Mr. Speaker, we Democrats believe we have an obligation to our Veterans, whether it is allowing them to receive full retired pay in addition to VA disability compensation, allowing their survivors to receive both Social Security and Survivor Benefit Plan benefits, or allowing their survivors to receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation in addition to VA benefits. We have an obligation to make sure they know that America appreciates their patriotism and is willing to recognize their sacrifices. America should know that Democrats unanimously take these responsibilities very, very seriously. The supplemental appropriation bill, which we will pass later this week, will have overwhelming bipartisan support. That is evidence of the commitment that we on this side of the aisle have in supporting our troops. But I want to be clear. While Democrats support a strong military and support using our military when necessary, we do not support squandering it. My concern, Mr. Speaker, is that we are starting to see visible signs of strain in our military. I do not want to see it break. My colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), will speak to these issues momentarily. The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that all Members should support our men and women in uniform, we should not deploy them wantonly, and we should give them the compensation, recognition, and tools they, as well as their families, need and deserve. I know I speak for all Democrats in saying we honor their service.