Adam Smith

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre), the ranking member on the Seapower Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, at this point, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen).

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), who is the ranking member on the Emerging Threats Subcommittee. (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, can you give us an update on the time left on each side.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I yield the gentlelady an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from California (Mrs. Davis) ranking member on the Personnel Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I yield the gentlelady an additional 1 minute.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from California (Ms. Loretta Sanchez), the ranking member on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), the ranking member of the Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. 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. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to congratulate Shana Chandler and Brandon West on the birth of their son, Hudson Scott West. Hudson Scott was born this morning, March 29, 2012, at 1:32 a.m., in Washington, DC. Weighing eight pounds and ten ounces, Hudson Scott measured twenty- one and one-quarter inches long. I understand that both he and his mother are doing very well. I am excited by this blessing, and I am extremely happy for Shana, Brandon, and the West and Chandler families. I wish them all the very best.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, February 27, 2012, I was unable to be present for recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 73 (on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 347).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Paul Bascomb for being named a recipient of the 2011 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award in recognition of his work on crime prevention. Since 1990, the FBI has honored local leaders and organizations with the Director's Community Leadership Award. Honorees are recognized for their efforts in making extraordinary strides in the areas of crime prevention, violence prevention, and education in their communities. Every year, each FBI field office selects one individual or organization to receive this prominent award. As the chair of the African-American Community Advisory Council to the Seattle Police Department and a board member for the East Precinct Crime Prevention Coalition, Mr. Bascomb has been a leader for cooperation between the African-American community and local law enforcement. Through open and considerate conversation, Mr. Bascomb and the African-American Community Advisory Council work with the Seattle Police Department to give diverse communities access to the police department and promote cultural competency training for officers. Mr. Bascomb served as a correctional officer for more than 16 years in the Washington State juvenile justice system. In 2011, he completed the rigorous Citizen's Academy Program, which gives community leaders an overview of the FBI. This in-depth study includes practical exercises, discussion of case studies and legal issues, and presentations from specialized units. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize the accomplishments of Mr. Paul Bascomb. His dedication to improving the relationship between law enforcement and local African-American communities sets a positive example for everyone who works for crime prevention.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Mt. View Edgewood Water Company, of Edgewood, Washington and its General Manager, Marc Marcantonio, for winning the gold medal at the National Great American Water Taste Test and being judged the best tasting water in the United States. Each year, the National Rural Water Association sponsors the Great American Water Taste Test to honor small community drinking water supplies from across the United States who provide the public with safe, clean, and affordable water. The goal of the competition is to judge great tasting water that comes directly from the tap. Prior to the national contest, water providers participate in state events. The Mt. View Edgewood Water Company competed against 19 other water samples from all over the State of Washington to be named the Washington State winner at the Evergreen Rural Water of Washington Fall Conference and Tradeshow. The company was honored for the water's clarity, bouquet, and taste. The Mt. View Edgewood Water Company has now earned itself the honor of winning the gold medal at the National competition against 40 other water companies. Judges tasted unidentified samples of water and ranked the samples based on clarity, bouquet, and taste before naming the Mt. View Edgewood Water Company the 2012 Winner of the Great American Water Taste Test. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize the Mt. View Edgewood Water Company and Marc Marcantonio for winning this national competition and providing customers with the best tasting water in the United States.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, February 6, 2012, I was unable to be present for recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 34 (on agreeing to the resolution H. Res. 537) and ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 35 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1162, as amended).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Melanie Dressel, President and C.E.O. of the Tacoma, Washington-based Columbia Bank, for being named a Community Banker of the Year by American Banker magazine. Melanie joined Columbia Bank in 1993 and ten years later was named its Chief Executive Officer. Under Melanie's leadership, Columbia Bank acquired five other banks, increasing the bank's assets by fifty percent. These actions have helped Dressel transform Columbia Bank into a regional power. Despite the bank's growth, Melanie has remained close to traditional community banking practices. Columbia Bank is committed to giving individuals and businesses in the Pacific Northwest a safe, secure, and customer-focused banking option. Throughout her tenure, Columbia Bank has consistently been honored as one of the region's best places to work. The bank is regularly featured on the Puget Sound Business Journal's ``Washington's Best Workplaces'' list and listed as ``One of Washington's 100 Best Companies to Work For'' by Seattle Magazine. Even during challenging economic times, it is encouraging to see Columbia Bank going the extra mile to ensure employee satisfaction. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Melanie Dressel. Her dedication to community banking has helped grow Columbia Bank to provide exemplary service its customers, employees, and our community.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Wendy Freitag for being named a Champion of Change in recognition of her work to prepare Washington communities for unexpected events and developing innovative and creative approaches to emergency preparedness and response. As the External Affairs Manager for the Washington State Military Department's Emergency Management Division, Wendy Freitag oversees statewide emergency management outreach programs. These programs focus on disaster preparedness public education, private-public partnerships and public information programs. She encourages all residents of Washington State to take preparedness steps in their households and communities before a disaster strikes. Wendy and her team continue to work on designs for outreach campaigns and programs to empower individuals and organizations to proactively prepare for disasters. They know that in order to effectively respond and recover from disasters, work must be done at the community level. Her team uses a combination of reason and emotion to engage and inspire all community members to become more disaster resilient. Wendy has tremendous experience in the public and private sectors developing innovative solutions for preparedness. Prior to joining the Emergency Management Division, Wendy worked for a decade on physical security, national crisis management and business continuity projects and teams at Microsoft and the former Washington Mutual Bank. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives please join me in recognizing the dedication of Wendy Freitag to helping all Washington residents be better prepared for disasters.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, January 23, 2012, I was unable to be present for recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 5 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3117, as amended) and ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 6 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1141).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, I was detained in a meeting and was unable to be present for a vote in a series of recorded votes. I request the record show that had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 917 (on the question of consideration of H. Res. 491).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, I was unable to be present for a series of recorded votes. I request the record show that had I been present, I would have voted: ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 947 (on the motion to table H. Res. 504), ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 831 (on the motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 3630), and ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 832 (on agreeing to H. Res. 501).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, some have raised concerns about potential ambiguities in section 2207 of the FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act and I wanted to provide clarification on some of these matters. It was asked whether section 2207 restricts the obligation of funds for contract modifications to ongoing projects or awarding minor supporting contracts required to complete projects that have already begun. First, it is not the intent of the bill to restrict the Department of Defense from modifying current contracts or awarding required ancillary contracts in support of active projects because those prior-year funds have already been obligated and therefore are not subject to the restrictions set forth in section 2207. We understand that minor additional obligations may be required to complete those previously authorized projects, and we do not object to such minor obligations as long as they are within the scope of the original authorizations. Others have asked me, can the Department of Defense use any funding to continue planning and program management activities or begin new studies that will help inform or develop any of the five requirements that are outlined in section 2207 that must be met before further funds are obligated? The language in section 2207 is not indented to restrict the Department of Defense's ability to use prior-year funding to conduct program management activities, planning and further studies or complete ongoing studies that will better inform or allow the Department to complete work on the five requirements that are called out in section 2207 of this bill. This provision is not intended to stop the military buildup, but there are questions that remain outstanding. I am committed to working with the Gentlelady from Guam to continue to address these issues regarding the stationing of Marine Corps forces on Guam.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. First of all, let me say we had hearings on this last February and March. We had language in our bill which we passed in May. This issue has been thoroughly debated. Now, I've heard a couple of times that the Judiciary Committee has not heard this issue. This has been going on for 10 years under both Democratic and Republican control. I don't know why the Judiciary Committee has not chosen to have hearings on this issue, but that's hardly our fault. We have. We've had endless discussions on this. It has, in fact, been debated. And let me also say that I am very concerned about these very issues. On our committee, I have been one of the strongest voices of concern. I support closing Guantanamo. I know a lot of people don't. I think we should have all of the suspects here in the U.S. and that we should try them. I also strongly believe that the criminal justice system has to be part of how we combat al Qaeda. I have heard the argument. People say, this is a war, not a criminal matter. Why are we bothering with things like article III courts? I disagree with that and have spoken out publicly and strongly and in many cases even when popular support has been on the other side of issues like closing of Guantanamo. I care deeply about this issue; and from the very start, I fought hard to protect precisely the things Mr. Nadler is referencing. I fought hard in the conference committee to make sure they were protected, and they were. Now the argument is we don't know exactly what it means; so, therefore, we should do nothing. It is very true that law is unsettled. That, again, has nothing to do with this bill. There are court cases ongoing; there are habeas corpus cases continuously happening as a result of Guantanamo; and it's being interpreted by courts and also by the executive branch. I want to make it also clear that the judiciary and the executive branch would always rather that we do nothing. They would always rather forget that we are supposed to be a coequal branch of government, but we are. After 10 years and after countless hearings, the legislative branch should say something about this. And what we said we said very, very carefully to simply codify what the executive branch and the judiciary have said about the AUMF and to make absolutely clear--and this language is not ambiguous--that military custody in the U.S. does not apply to U.S. citizens and does not apply to lawful resident aliens. Again, the problems that people have--and I share some of them--are with existing law, not with this bill. Defeat this bill, and it won't change a piece of that existing law that we've heard about and that we should all be concerned about. But defeat this bill, and it will make it very difficult for our troops to get the support they need. Now, I've been around this process long enough to know that there ain't no guarantee of fixing anything. And if we defeat this bill, our troops will be left to wonder if they're going to get that pay raise, if those military support projects are going to get built, if our troops are going to get the support they need. And I don't know the answer to that question. So there's a ton of very, very good stuff in this bill that supports our troops, that addresses Members' concerns on issues like sexual assault within the military and a whole host of others. We need to support this bill to support our troops. And the issues that folks are concerned about on detention, again, that is existing law. Whether this bill passes or not, those controversies will continue. This is an excellent piece of legislation, well-crafted and worked hard by a lot of folks. It deserves an overwhelming ``yes'' vote. With that, I urge passage and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I am also going to reserve until it is time to close. We are down to our last speaker.