Adam Smith

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise today to pay tribute to the men and women of the Washington National Guard, including the members of the 81st Brigade Combat Team, who recently returned from an overseas deployment in Iraq. I want to thank the entire Washington State delegation, who have all cosponsored this resolution in honoring this unit for their service to our State and to our country. Throughout the Nation, hundreds of thousands of men and women in the Guard and Reserves serve our country. Over the last 8 years, we have asked more of them than anybody could have possibly imagined, and every single time, they have answered that call at great personal sacrifice. These are men and women who have lives, they have other jobs, they have families, and it is highly unpredictable when they are going to be called up and asked to serve, and yet they always respond. It is critical to the safety and security of our country that they do this. They do it with great courage and dedication, and they honor our country by their service. In my home State, various elements of the Washington National Guard have been deployed over that time period overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also we must remember that the Guard and Reserves serve us here at home as well. We have had numerous emergencies in the State of Washington during that time period on which the Guard and Reserves have helped us out. As well, we have had them deployed across the country in places like Louisiana. When Hurricane Katrina hit, they were called upon to do that. Their service continues for all of us in the State and across the country. Most recently, the 81st Brigade Combat Team, led by Colonel Ronald Kapral and Command Sergeant Major Robert Sweeney, just completed their second 12-month deployment to Iraq. The brigade primarily engaged in convoy security, force protection, provincial reconstruction, and base operations missions around Iraq during their yearlong deployment. They made our State proud during this service, as they have during all of their previous deployments. Again, this is done at no small sacrifice both by the individual members of our Army National Guard and also by their families, who have to deal with the disruption. One of the most important things we can do in our State and across the country is to always support the families when the men and women are deployed, and to let them know that they are not alone in their service. Their deployment was highly successful, honored by all who watched them serve. Tragically, one member of the team died during the course of his service. Specialist Samuel Stone, of Port Orchard, was killed on May 30, 2009. We all honor his loss and his service, and I ask that we keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers. The National Guard serves our State and our country in ways that most of us are unaware of, but it is absolutely critical to the security of our country. With our all-volunteer force, it simply could not function without men and women who are willing to take on this dual responsibility to continue in their civilian lives and who are also making themselves available for service whenever they are called, and they do not know when that is going to be. As I said, it can be from the Governor in the State or across our country, or as has happened most recently, overseas deployments can come up when they are asked by our Federal Government to serve our Nation. Yet they are always ready, and they always respond, and they have served our Nation in a way that should make us all proud. We literally could not have the national security we have in this country without their willingness to serve, and I thank the 81st Brigade Combat Team for their service on this most recent deployment, and I thank all those in the Washington National Guard who have served and who, today, stand ready to continue to serve. We honor their service. We thank them. Again, I want to thank my colleagues in the Washington State delegation for unanimously signing onto this resolution honoring their service. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 627) honoring the citizen-soldiers of the National Guard of the State of Washington, including the 81st Brigade Combat Team (Heavy) of the Washington Army National Guard, as amended.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

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

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

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. I rise to support House Resolution 445 and thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Olson) for introducing this measure. This resolution recognizes 100 years of military aviation and expresses continued support for military aviators of the United States Armed Forces. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am privileged to be joined here today by a number of my colleagues in the House to recognize the service, sacrifice, professionalism, and commitment of all those who serve and have served our Nation as aviators in the United States Armed Forces. Our Nation's military aviation began on August 2, 1909 when the United States Army accepted its first aircraft built by the Wright brothers. Military aviation quickly expanded to the other services. Less than 2 years later, in 1911, the Navy ordered its first aircraft. Marine Corps aviation had its inception in 1912 when the first Marine Corps officer reported for duty at the Naval Aviation Camp in Annapolis, Maryland, and qualified as a pilot less than 3 months later. Coast Guard aviation began in 1916, when its first officer received orders for flight training. World War I focused more attention on aviation. Despite a combat record of only 9 months, February-November 1918, the Air Service made a respectable showing during World War I. The 740 American aircraft assigned to squadrons at the front on November 11, 1918, Armistice Day, represented little more than 10 percent of the total aircraft strength of Allied nations, but the Air Service had conducted 150 separate bombing attacks. World War II began an enormous expansion of military aviation. The U.S. Army Air Forces strength in World War II would swell from 26,500 men and 2,200 aircraft in 1939 to over 2.2 million men and 63,000 aircraft by 1945. Similarly, U.S. naval aviation began the war with one small and seven large aircraft carriers, about 5,200 aircraft and about 27,000 men. During that war, this force grew to over 100 carriers of various types, over 40,000 aircraft, 160 airships, and 60,000 pilots. After World War II, President Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, which created today's Department of the Air Force. Since World War II, military aviation forces have played major roles in such conflicts as the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as well as all major humanitarian and combat operations. America's first seven astronauts were all military aviators, paving the way for future decades of American leadership in space. Today's military aviators have been engaged in Operation Noble Eagle since September 2001, Enduring Freedom since October 2001, and Iraqi Freedom since March 2003, and are performing with valor, distinction, and steadfast commitment to accomplish this mission. As a Representative of the Ninth District of the State of Washington, I would also like to take a moment to especially note McChord Air Force Base. Their service is part of the Air Mobility Command, primarily flying C-17s and serving our country across the world. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to honor 100 years of air service in the military. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of House Resolution 445 to recognize those 100 years of military aviation and express continued support for military aviators of the United States Armed Forces. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 445) recognizing 100 years of military aviation and expressing continued support for military aviators of the United States Armed Forces, as amended.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

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

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Mrs. Dahlkemper).

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Holden).

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

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 754) honoring the citizen-soldiers of the National Guard of the State of Pennsylvania, including the 56th Brigade Combat Team (Stryker) of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard on its return to the United States from deployment in Iraq.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to correct my vote on the Motion to Instruct Conferees for the Fiscal Year 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Act that was considered on the House floor on October 1, 2009. The Motion to Instruct Conferees (rollcall No. 746) made recommendations that would prohibit the transfer of detainees currently held at Guantanamo Bay to the United States, even for prosecution. My vote in favor of this motion was a mistake and contradicts my views on our detention policies. To be clear, I strongly support President Obama's decision to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and move our detention policies forward in a responsible manner, even if that means transferring some detainees to the United States. I intended to vote ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 663.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I rise in support of this legislation. I want to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for their hard work in crafting this compromise and getting a bill that the House and Senate can agree on. We need to strengthen our relationship with Pakistan. This is a very, very difficult part of the world, and this is a very, very difficult relationship. But none of that overcomes the basic fact that we need a strong relationship with Pakistan for our own national security interests. The threat is real, as has been described by a large number of my colleagues. The threat from Islamic extremism, through al Qaeda and other groups, comes from this region in large part through al Qaeda, in large part through the Taliban, and threatens us. To defeat that, we need partners in the region. We need a partner in Afghanistan. We need a partner in Pakistan. And the good news is Pakistan is taking steps in the right direction. As has been mentioned, they have stepped up and confronted the violent extremists that threatened them and pushed back against them. They are working with us to train their forces in counterinsurgency tactics so they can better do this, and they have also taken the first basic steps in getting a lasting democracy in place. This has been a lengthy challenge for them as they have dealt with governance and economic issues, but they have made progress. They need our help to build on that progress, because if they cannot provide a decent government, a decent governance, it makes it all too easy for the violent extremists to prey on their failures and recruit Pakistanis to their cause. With our support, they can build a better economy. They can build the basics of government to provide for their people. Without it, they're going have a very, very difficult time accomplishing that task. That will be a threat to the region and that will be a threat to us. This bill shows a commitment from the United States to a long-term relationship. For too long, the Pakistanis have felt that we only used them for our own interests and then walked away and have been reluctant to embrace us, reluctant in some ways to confront the Taliban for fear that we will not be there to help them when it is truly needed. This bill shows the long-term commitment to the partnership that we must have with a Pakistani Government that seems increasingly willing to have that partnership. I urge support for this legislation.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, yesterday evening, I was unfortunately detained and missed the recorded vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass, as amended, H.R. 905, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 740.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the fourth annual National Health Information Technology Week. Health information technology is a critical piece of health care reform. The cost of our health care system is the main burden. As we look for ways to expand coverage to the millions of Americans who don't have it, getting costs under control is absolutely critical. Health care information technology is one way to do that. If we can improve the quality of our IT systems and our health care system, we can improve the quality of health care for millions of Americans by getting better information to both doctors and patients more quickly. Right now the system is woefully behind most other businesses in developing and improving IT. This House took an important step in the stimulus package passed last January by putting $19 billion towards improving health care information technology. It's critical that that money is well spent. It is critical that we improve our health IT systems if we are going to improve the quality of our health care system for all Americans.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, unfortunately I missed recorded votes on the House floor on Monday, September 14, 2009. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 696 (On the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 6); ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 697 (On the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 459); and ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 698 (On the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 59, as Amended).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, July 30, 2009, I recorded an incorrect vote on the Tierney amendment to the FY 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill. I intended to vote ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 663.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, unfortunately I missed recorded votes on the House floor on Monday, July 27, 2009. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 647 (On the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.Res. 593, as Amended), ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 648 (On the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1376), ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 649 (On the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1121).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, unfortunately I missed recorded votes on the House floor on Monday, July 20, 2009. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 593 (On approving the Journal), ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 594 (On the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 607), ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 595 (On the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2245).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, and I am appreciative of the work done by the chairman and ranking member on this bill. I would like to briefly engage the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor) in a colloquy regarding an issue related to the Seattle District of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Howard Hanson Dam. The Green and Puyallup Rivers located in part in the Ninth District of Washington were flooded by record levels of water in January 2009, causing cities along these rivers to sustain major damage. Levees along those rivers are now in need of repair and rehabilitation, and when added to the other levees that were already priorities for the Seattle district, the need for resources and action is imperative. Following the record high level of water behind the Howard Hanson Dam on the Green River, significant structural weaknesses were discovered. Because of this damage, water levels at the Howard Hanson Dam are being held at lower-than-normal levels, drastically increasing the possibility of flooding along the banks below. This is extremely troubling as we are rapidly approaching the upcoming rain and flood season. If the dam were to fail, or if a strong storm brings a heavy level of rain, then the levees below are at serious risk of being breached, causing significant property damage and driving large numbers of people from their homes and businesses. I respectfully ask to work with the gentleman to ensure that the Seattle district of the Army Corps of Engineers is responsive to the flood prevention needs of those along the lower Green and Puyallup Rivers and will make the repairs of their levees a top priority. I also ask to work with the subcommittee to make the resources needed to fix the Howard Hanson Dam available in a timely manner as they are identified. And with that I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor).

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Thank you. I appreciate that support.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill and thank Chairman Edwards and Ranking Member Wamp for their work in crafting this legislation. As someone who represents thousands of military veterans and their families, I believe that we have an obligation to provide them with the benefits and treatment they deserve for their years of faithful service. This legislation accomplishes that by providing $108.9 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, a $14.5 billion increase over Fiscal Year 2009, when not factoring in stimulus or supplemental funding. It is estimated that the VA will treat more than 6.1 million patients in 2010, including more than 419,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. To meet this demand, the bill provides important funding for mental health programs, assistance to homeless veterans, and to improve access for veterans in rural areas. The bill also provides vital funding to hire additional claims processors to support the Department's continued effort to reduce the backlog of benefit claims. I was also pleased to see that the committee included a provision to provide advanced budget authority and funding for fiscal year 2011 for medical related accounts. This is a step to ensure that the VA healthcare system continues to receive a timely and predictable stream of funding without subjecting it to the delays that can arise due to the larger annual budget debates. In addition to the funds provided for our nation's veterans, I also applaud the committee's work in providing the necessary funding to meet the construction needs of our military. The bill provides $24.6 billion for construction, facility modernization, and environmental cleanup. Among other construction projects at Ft. Lewis and McChord, I was specifically pleased to see funds included in the bill for the construction of a Joint Access Road between Ft. Lewis and McChord Air Force Base, a project that I specifically requested funding for. These funds will help provide a link between the two installations, alleviate congestion, and provide a deployment route for the air transportation of Army vehicles and equipment. Again, I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for their work on this legislation and urge my colleagues to support its passage.