Adam Smith

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, and I thank Chairman Edwards and Ranking Member Wamp for their work in crafting this legislation. As someone who represents tens of 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 service. This legislation accomplishes that by providing $109 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, a $14.5 billion increase over 2009, when not factoring 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 efforts to reduce the backlog of benefits claims. I believe these are two of the most important issues that we deal with, making sure that we deal with the PTSD issues which continue to be a significant problem and also to make sure that we have the services available to provide for the large number of wounded veterans who are coming back from our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 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 health care 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. Again, I thank the chairman and ranking member for their work on this important legislation and urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Fiscal Year 2010 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill. I'd like to thank Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger for their hard work on this bill and take a moment to explain the need for this important piece of legislation. This bill improves America's leadership in the fight against global poverty and disease. As Congress continues to debate the efficacy of our foreign aid against the backdrop of a post-9/11 world, many Americans do not make the connection between national security and development. It's more than just a moral problem that billions of people around the world are struggling to survive. It is also in our security interest as a nation. Populations that struggle in extreme poverty are more likely to become mired in destabilizing conflicts, or worse, become havens or recruiting grounds for terrorist organizations. Taking action to help lift people out of poverty and addressing the critical issues that go hand-in-hand with poverty will help prevent threats to U.S. security, and will also help create goodwill toward the U.S. in places where it is desperately needed. The United States sits near the bottom of government aid donations by country wealth, donating just 0.18% of our national income. Now is the time to bolster our funding and development efforts to developing countries. The current economic climate is seriously impacting developing countries and they are in dire need of our assistance. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, world trade is in the largest decline since 1929, and commodity prices, particularly for exports from developing countries, are falling. I am pleased to see that this legislation contains $13.4 billion for national security, counterterrorism and counternarcotics programs, including significant funding for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. Yet, the funding focus in recent years on defense, while vital in our fight against extremism, has left behind the other D's--diplomacy and development. This bill helps remedy that by reforming and rebuilding America's diplomatic and development capacity. While it does not meet the full request by the President, the bill provides funding to hire 1,000 new State Department personnel and 300 new USAID personnel. Unfortunately, U.S. efforts remain insufficient to counter violent extremist narratives around the world. Terrorist groups aggressively push their narrative through new and traditional media. I was pleased to see increased funding for public diplomacy programs in the FY2010 bill. The increase would support at least 20 new public diplomacy positions. Importantly, the funding also continues imperative programs which include the counterterrorism communication center, and the digital outreach team focused on engaging Arabic language websites to impart accurate information and counter misinformation about the United States. Strategic communication and public diplomacy should be at the front-and-center as we work to roll back al-Qaeda's and other violent extremists' influence among disaffected populations. I would be remiss not to mention funding for the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) which was increased over the current level. I am disappointed, however, that the allocation was less than the President's request. As the bill progresses I would urge continued support for global poverty reduction by funding the MCA at no less than the $1.4 billion allocated in this legislation. The Millennium Challenge Corporation's (MCC's) model of combating global poverty through initiatives that remove barriers to economic growth has not only been hailed as innovative, it has provided an effective complement to existing development aid streams. The bill also provides $156 million for health and development assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and prioritizes peacekeeping operations funding for the country. I witnessed the urgent need for this funding first hand when I visited the DRC earlier this spring. This bill includes funding for addressing gender-based violence and I would hope that priority is given to the areas in conflict and post-conflict such as the DRC which are afflicted most by these dehumanizing acts. Too often in these areas acts of rape and sexual abuse are, unfortunately, common events. Gender-based violence is a major public health and human rights problem throughout the world and it is most apparent in the DRC. There, a devastatingly high percentage of girls are reported to have been raped. Yet, this is only a fraction of the actual number as most cases are unreported. Again, I thank Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger for their work on this legislation and urge my colleagues to support its passage. This bill would advance our ability to combat global poverty and is critical to our country's ability to address today's threats.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I want to just rise to thank Chairwoman Nita Lowey and Ranking Member Kay Granger for their great work on this bill and focus particularly on this bill's commitment to global development issues. I'm the chair of the Terrorism Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services and have been working very, very closely with our military as we attempt to combat terrorism and violent extremist groups throughout the globe. Certainly, there is a big military component to that. What we have increasingly learned in the military and elsewhere is that we will never win that battle and that fight if we are not equally committed to global development. We have seen a major commitment in this bill on the central focus in our efforts right now, which is in Pakistan and Afghanistan. I applaud that effort. But also understand that this bill recognizes that it is broader than just Pakistan and Afghanistan. Throughout the Middle East, throughout Africa, throughout Southeast Asia, failed and failing states are a major contributor to instability and the rise of violent extremist groups. Getting our global development policy right is critical to stopping that effort. This bill makes that commitment. I also want to say that this is not just a matter of more money. It is a matter of improving the quality of our global development, of coordinating it, of figuring out what works and making sure that our programs are more efficient and more effectively delivered. On that point, I also support the committee and support the Foreign Relations Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee as well for putting pressure on the administration to make fundamental changes in the way we do global development, to make sure that it is better coordinated, more effective, and works better. We have a lot of work to do on this front, but this appropriation bill reflects the priority of global development policy, funding it and supporting it, if we are ever to be triumphant in our efforts to stop violent extremist groups and reduce instability throughout the globe.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment, and I thank Congressman Reichert for offering it. These are two critical programs. And I thank the committee, as well, for their excellent work in reauthorizing these programs, the SBIR and the STTR programs, which are designed to help small businesses with innovative products get access to help from the Small Business Administration to promote those products, and in particular, to emphasize help for veteran-owned businesses, small businesses, minorities, and underrepresented areas. I applaud Mr. Reichert for offering this amendment as we reach out to those people and try to make them aware of this program, which has been a significant challenge, as Mr. Reichert outlined, of people being aware of the opportunities that are there. It makes a great deal of sense to those same veterans, minorities, and underrepresented areas to do that outreach. I think this is a well thought-out amendment that will help enormously in making sure those people get access to these critical programs. As Mr. Reichert mentioned, there are a large number of veterans coming back from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan who are looking for these opportunities. This amendment will help make sure that our veterans get that help that they need to find those opportunities that are there. And this will also be a huge boon to our economy. There are a lot of great ideas amongst these groups. If we can take those ideas, turn them into businesses and turn them into jobs, we all benefit from it, while at the same time helping our veterans who so richly deserve our help. This is an important amendment that will help facilitate access by veteran-owned and other underrepresented businesses to the SBIR and STTR programs that we are discussing today. As was already explained by my colleague, this amendment ensures that the outreach to underserved areas and underrepresented small businesses called for in this legislation will be conducted by organizations that include those which serve underrepresented States, regions, and businesses owned by women, persons of minority status, or service- disabled veterans. As my district is home to many veterans who have gone on to start small businesses, and with many who will soon return home from service abroad and look to start businesses of their own, I am proud to offer this amendment with my colleague, Mr. Reichert. This amendment will help to ensure that there are avenues available to those veterans and other underrepresented small business owners that would benefit from the assistance offered by the SBA. I ask that my colleagues support this amendment.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I rise in support of the National Defense Authorization Act and to discuss briefly the portions of the bill contained under the subcommittee that I chair on Terrorism and Unconventional Threats and Capabilities. And I want to begin by thanking Ranking Member Miller from the great State of Florida for his support for this bill. We work in true bipartisan fashion on the subcommittee, following the lead of our able chairman, who does the same with the full committee, and I think, in large part as a result of that, we produce a very good product. I also want to thank the chairman for his overall leadership on the committee in putting together this mark. It places the priorities exactly where they belong, first and foremost, on our troops and their families, giving them the support they need to continue to fight and defend our country. In program after program, you can see the priority that that is put in this bill. I really appreciate the chairman's work on that and, particularly, the 3.4 percent pay raise across the board for our military. The bill also prioritizes our fight in Afghanistan, the central front now in the war against al Qaeda. It is absolutely clear that the battle over there has a profound impact on the national security of this country. This bill gives our troops over there the resources and equipment they need to fight the fight, to defeat al Qaeda, and to protect us against the violent extremists in that region. In particular, it also recognizes the battle in Pakistan by funding counterinsurgency efforts there that are so critical not just to success in Pakistan but to success in Afghanistan as well. On the subcommittee portion of our mark on the Terrorism Subcommittee, we are focused on three main issues: First of all, support for counterterrorism efforts, the fight against al Qaeda, and broader counterinsurgency and counterterrorism efforts across the globe; second, the support for innovative new technologies to give our troops the updated equipment that they need to best fight those fights; and lastly, to protect our homeland against unconventional threats. All of these areas are focused on irregular warfare, unconventional threats, and the emerging threats that we face. And I want to take just a moment to thank Secretary Gates for his leadership in funding the money necessary, the programs necessary, the troops necessary to fight these fights. He made some bold steps in this bill to move us past a cold war mentality to focus on the threats that are right there before us from al Qaeda and other violent extremist groups. I think that makes an enormous difference. In particular, in our mark we do everything we can to support our troops with the special operations command. They are the tip of the spear in fighting terrorism, in fighting insurgencies throughout the globe. We are growing their force--in the process of growing their force. It is necessary to fund that growth and fully support their outstanding efforts in protecting us across the globe. We are very pleased with the operations and always make a high priority funding their efforts. We fully fund all of their unfunded requirements in this mark. So, with that, Mr. Chairman, I simply again want to compliment Chairman Skelton, Ranking Member McKeon, also Ranking Member McHugh for all of his work on this committee and on this bill and Ranking Member Miller for his support as well. I think we have put together an outstanding bill that will best protect the national security interests of this country.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2847, and in appreciation of the work done by the Chairman and Ranking Member on this appropriations bill. I want to take a moment to speak to a provision included in the bill's accompanying report regarding methamphetamines. I have heard from members of the law enforcement community in my district about the range of difficulties that they have encountered with the efficiency and effectiveness of the logbook requirement of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act (CMEA). As you know Mr. Chairman, pharmacies are required to keep a record of the sale of various over- the-counter pharmaceuticals, due to their use in the production of illicit drugs such as meth. This record is meant to ensure that individuals do not purchase excessive amounts of specific pharmaceuticals in a set period of time. Unfortunately, there is a wide assortment of methods used to meet this requirement. Some pharmacies utilize an electronic record system while others have a paper logbook to record purchase information. Further, there is no way for pharmacies in a geographic area to share information from their logbooks, which allows individuals purchasing meth ingredients, known as ``smurfers,'' to easily go from one pharmacy to another, purchasing the maximum amount of product from each store. The inconsistencies of the logbook requirement make it very difficult for law enforcement agents to investigate drug-related activities in a timely and effective manner. This legislation contains a reporting requirement for the Department of Justice to explain its strategy for dealing with illicit methamphetamine production and to make recommendations on how the CMEA can be strengthened or expanded to improve the Department's ability to identify and apprehend those engaged in the illegal production and distribution of meth, and other illicit drugs, in our communities. I am grateful that Committee has agreed to include this report provision and look forward to working with the Chairman to ensure this report specifically takes into consideration the logbook requirement and ways on which that requirement can be improved to assist the law enforcement community with their difficult task. Again, I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for their work on this bill and look forward to supporting its passage.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Colonel James Geurts, United States Air Force, on the occasion of his retirement after twenty-two years of dedicated service to this Nation. A distinguished graduate of the Lehigh University and the Air Force's Institute of Technology, Colonel Geurts was commissioned as an officer in the Air Force in 1987. He has served as a career acquisition program manager with engineering and program management experience in numerous weapon systems including Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, surveillance platforms, tactical fighter aircraft, stealth cruise missiles, and special operations manned and unmanned aircraft. As the Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing at United States Special Operations Command, Colonel Geurts spearheaded the largest recapitalization and growth of Special Operations Forces Air Component fleet in its 22 year history. More than anyone else, Colonel Geurts helped shape the future of Special Operations aviation. Colonel Geurts was instrumental in planning and executing numerous urgent deployment acquisition programs in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi freedom. He fielded multiple aircraft, which led the Secretary of Defense to proclaim his efforts as ``the single greatest expansion of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capability flowing to the United States troops.'' Colonel Geurts' distinguished career is marked by numerous awards and decorations that include the 2008 Packard Award, the Global War on Terrorism Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration Transition Team of the Year, and the William Perry Award. In addition, he has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1 oak leaf cluster), Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal (1 oak leaf cluster), and the Air Force Achievement Medal (1 oak leaf cluster). On behalf of Congress and the United States of America, I express our appreciation of Colonel Geurts for his tireless service and support of the warfighter. His professionalism, expertise, and efforts showcase his patriotism, and his dedication to the Special Operators in the field: Colonel James Geurts is truly a great American. I congratulate Colonel Geurts on completing an exceptional military career and am humbled by his dedicated service to our Nation. I wish Colonel Geurts, his wife Kelly, and their sons Jimmy and Brandon many blessings and much success as he begins his future endeavors and embarks on new adventures.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I mistakenly missed the vote on rollcall No. 162: On passage of H.R. 1404, the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Rollcall No. 125, On motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 987. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Rollcall No. 126: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1217. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Rollcall No. 127: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1284. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 53: On the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 738. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, on February 6, 2008, I was unable to vote on the following votes: rollcall No. 29: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 867. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 30: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 942. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'', and rollcall No. 31: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 943. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''. Madam Speaker, on February 7, 2008, I was unable to vote on the following votes: rollcall No. 32: On ordering the previous question for H. Res. 956. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 33: On agreeing to H. Res. 956. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 34: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 283, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 35: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4848, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 36: On agreeing to the amendment numbered 4 to H.R. 4137. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 37: On agreeing to the amendment numbered 5 to H.R. 4137. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 38: On agreeing to the amendment numbered 7 to H.R. 4137. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''; rollcall No. 39: On motion to Recommit H.R. 4137 with Instructions. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''; rollcall No. 40: On passage of H.R. 4137. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 41: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 947. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'', and rollcall No. 42: On agreeing to the Senate amendment to H.R. 5140. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Madam Speaker, On March 11, 2008, I was unable to vote on the following vote: rollcall No. 111: On motion to adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Madam Speaker, on April 14, 2008, I was unable to vote on the following votes: rollcall No. 183: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 886, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 184: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 994, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; and rollcall No. 185: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3548, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Madam Speaker, on May 5, 2008, I was unable to vote on the following votes: rollcall No. 240: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 952. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 241: On a motion to table the motion to reconsider H. Res. 952. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 242: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1011, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 243: On a motion to table the motion to reconsider H. Res. 1011. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; and rollcall No. 244: On a motion to adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Madam Speaker, on May 6, 2008, I was unable to vote on the following vote: rollcall No. 260: On motion to adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Madam Speaker, on June 3, 2008, I was unable to vote on the following votes: rollcall No. 367: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 138, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 368: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 923. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 369: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1114. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Madam Speaker, on July 17, 2008, I was unable to vote on the following votes: rollcall No. 510: On agreeing to the resolution to H. Res. 1350. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''; rollcall No. 539: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1370, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. First of all, I want to congratulate and thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member Hunter. Their dedication to making sure that we get a defense authorization bill done every year is truly admirable and an amazing accomplishment. They understand the importance of making sure that our committee sets the policy and the direction for national security and military policy in this country, and they are determined to get it done. The challenges were great this year, and yet they still got us a bill done on time and a bill that will really, really help the men and women who are fighting for us in our Armed Services and help protect our country. And that is a tribute to their leadership. I also want to thank Ranking Member Thornberry on our subcommittee for his great work. Our subcommittee, as he mentioned, is focused on specifically the war against al Qaeda and violent extremists, with jurisdiction over SOCOM and to handle unconventional threats. I am proud that this bill fully funds SOCOM and their efforts to protect us from terrorism across the globe. This bill also emphasizes science and technology and our need to develop the best, most advanced weapons to protect our military troops everywhere that they are fighting. I think this is an excellent bill, one that was not easy to accomplish, and I'm very proud of what our subcommittee has accomplished as well.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 567: On motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 2403, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted yes. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 568: On motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 2837. Had I been present, I would have voted yes. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 569: On motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 2135, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted yes. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 570: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Con. Res. 344, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted yes. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 571: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 937, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted yes. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 572: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 1069, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted yes. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 573: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 1307, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted yes. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 574: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6168. Had I been present, I would have voted yes. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 575: On motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6630, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted yes.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of Dan Packer, chief of the East Pierce Fire Department, who recently died in the line of duty as he was helping to save lives and property from the wildfires burning in northern California. Dan was a veteran firefighter, respected leader, wildfire expert, as well as a father and a friend to many. His service to our community and his friendship will be sorely missed. Originally from Montana, Dan was an avid rodeo bull rider and first joined the fire service in Burien, Washington, in 1981. He began serving as chief of the fire department in Bonney Lake in 1995 and was instrumental in joining several jurisdictions into an organization now known as the East Pierce Fire District. Today, East Pierce serves over 75,000 citizens across nearly 150 square miles with the support of more than 100 firefighters and staff members and 40 volunteers. Dan Packer also served as a president of the Washington Fire Chiefs. As a part of a Washington State-based incident response team, Chief Packer was called to service to respond to wildfires that have affected more than 600 acres of Siskiyou County in northern California. In this role, he combated the Panther Fire and was preparing to assume the duties of the division supervisor for time--battling the blazes in the Klamath National Forest near the town of Happy Camp. Reports indicate that on Saturday, July 26, 2008, while scouting the fire, flames suddenly overcame Chief Packer and, tragically, he was not able to escape. I extend my heartfelt condolences and prayers to the East Pierce Fire Department, the many firefighters who had the honor of serving at Dan Packer's side in both California and Washington State, and particularly to his wife, four daughters, two grandchildren, and his mother in this time of terrible grief and loss.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, due to family obligations, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 465: Mahoney Amendment to H.R. 6052. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Madam Speaker, due to family obligations, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 466: Motion to Recommit H.R. 6052. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Madam Speaker, due to family obligations, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 467: Final Passage of H.R. 6052. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Madam Speaker, due to family obligations, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 468: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H.R. 6377. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Madam Speaker, due to family obligations, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 469: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H.R. 6251, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Madam Speaker, due to family obligations, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 470: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 1098. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis. By June 30 of this month, the last of the, roughly, 4,000 men and women of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division will have returned home to Fort Lewis after completing a 15-month deployment in Iraq. The Dragoon Raiders, as the Brigade is known, deployed in Iraq in April 2007, a month earlier than expected. During their deployment, the 4-2 supported operations in Baghdad, Baghdad's Northern Security Belt, and the Diyala Province. The Brigade cleared 2,216 IEDs from more than 87,000 kilometers of routes, ensuring safe travel for civilians and security forces. Soldiers from the 4-2 also captured more than 1,700 detainees and 220 high-value targets during combat operations. In tribute to their brave service, three members of the Brigade were awarded the Silver Star, the United States' third highest award for combat valor. Their valorous service was not without cost, however. In the course of their deployment, the Dragoon Raiders lost 54 of their comrades, with another 424 wounded. I want to express my deep condolences to the 4-2 Brigade and to the families of those fallen soldiers. Their contributions and sacrifices will not be forgotten. The men and women of the 4-2 have done everything their country has asked of them and more. We all should have the utmost respect and admiration for their service and sacrifice.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, the GAO is scheduled this week to decide whether or not to overturn the Air Force decision on awarding the tanker contract to Airbus. We have already heard this morning that the Air Force has discovered that they made numerous mistakes in how they calculated the cost. There is another huge issue. We hope the GAO does the right thing and overturns that decision, but even if they don't, we have to keep in mind that our country has a trade action against Airbus right now for unfairly and illegally subsidizing their products, the very product that the Air Force has decided to buy. If we want to enforce our trade laws against our trading partners to our advantage, it makes no sense whatsoever to reward precisely the illegal, unfair behavior that we are trying to stop them from doing. Giving them this contract does that, and we should overturn it either by the GAO or by Congress if they don't and not reward unfair subsidization by our foreign competitors.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My amendment is very simple and straightforward. It encourages collaboration between Amtrak and local and regional commuter rail agencies on train schedules and routing in shared corridors. There are competing needs for some of these uses, and cooperation between Amtrak and others is critically important to take most advantage of our rail corridors. Across the Nation there are multiple commuter rail transit agencies that run on the same rails as Amtrak. Many of these public transportation services have made substantial investments in the tracks and signal capacity on a rail corridor to enhance commuter rail service. Currently, Amtrak has first right to schedule their services, which can often result in delays to commuter rail passengers and have negative impacts on the on-time performance of the commuter rails. Amtrak must work with commuter rail in a collaborative manner and in coordination with the host railroad to best facilitate an efficient flow of intercity Amtrak commuter rail passengers. In the Puget Sound region in particular, Sound Transit has worked closely with BNSF and made a tremendous investment in the rail corridor throughout the Puget Sound region, investing more than $1 billion of public funding in the freight corridor between Tacoma and Everett, Washington. These investments represent a high price that has been paid by the region to ensure that commuter rail did not impact the freight rail operations that drive our region's economy. These investments benefit light rail, Amtrak, and of course Sound Transit's commuter rail passengers, as well as our freight rail. This amendment does not change Amtrak's priority in setting these, it merely asks that they work cooperatively with the other parties that are interested in using these rail systems to maximize their capacity. There are a number of folks who want to make investments in improving those rail systems, and if Amtrak works cooperatively with them, those investments will work out better for all concerned. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have an approved amendment by the rule to offer.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time just to close. I thank Chairman Oberstar and the ranking member on this committee for their work on this bill and their cooperation in my efforts with this amendment. I call for passage of the amendment.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the chairman of the committee, Mr. Oberstar. (Mr. OBERSTAR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I would like to bring my colleagues' attention to significant political developments in Southeast Asia. Malaysia, which recently held major elections, is embarking on a new set of democratic reforms to deal with some of the serious problems that the country faces. I am pleased to see that Malaysia is moving toward reforms that would support the rule of law and a more open society. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has announced a series of initiatives that would help demonstrate Malaysia's commitment to government reform and to moderate and progressive principles of democracy. The actions respond to the call for reform issued by voters in the March 8 elections. The Malaysian government has proposed a series of judicial reforms to strengthen the independence of judges and improve trust and respect for the Malaysian judicial system, and steps to fight corruption. The government plans to take steps that would provide greater press freedoms as well. Malaysia is a moderate country of 25 million people in Southeast Asia with a dominant Muslim population. The country is of significant importance to the United States and our interests in the region. Democratic development in Malaysia is important not only to the political stability and economic growth of Southeast Asia but the fight against extremism. I would like to submit for the Record and for the benefit of my colleagues an editorial by the Wall Street Journal Asia that comments on these reforms. In closing, I encourage my colleagues to take notice of recent developments in Malaysia and to support the government as it works to implement democratic reforms that could benefit Malaysia and help support U.S. interests. [From The Wall Street Journal, Apr. 24, 2008] Reforming Malaysia Malaysia's economy has long been open to competition, but its political system has not. Last month's opposition-party electoral victories changed all that. Now, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has started to compete for voters' hearts, based on what the people want. Mr. Abdullah's announcements over the past two weeks are nothing short of remarkable. Last Thursday, he acknowledged ``perceived corruption'' in the judiciary and announced an independent committee to vet prospective judges. On Monday, he promised to beef up the nation's Anti-Corruption Agency, implement laws to protect whistleblowers, and make changes to government procurement practices--long a source of patronage for his party, the United Malays National Organization, and the coalition it leads, the National Front. None of these ideas are new. In fact, Mr. Abdullah himself promised better, cleaner governance when he took office in 2004. Malaysia's voters gave him four years to implement his promises. Last month, voters delivered their verdict: They handed opposition parties control of five out of 13 states, up from one--their biggest parliamentary gains since the country's founding. With that reprimand, Mr. Abdullah now seems to realize that democracy in Malaysia matters. And he's ripped reform ideas straight from the opposition parties' playbooks. Anwar Ibrahim's National Justice Party, for instance, has long advocated judicial reform and the protection of whistleblowers. The new chief minister of Penang, a member of the Democratic Action Party, called for an open tender system for government procurement last month. A wise leader will always appropriate good ideas, especially ones recently endorsed at the ballot box. Doing so is also a savvy political move for Mr. Abdullah. His standing as head of UMNO was put in question after his party's electoral losses last month. It still is--on Sunday, a former finance minister, Razaleigh Hamzah, said he'd contest for the party leadership. If the Prime Minister can reposition himself as a reformer who enjoys public support, it will be harder for his internal challengers to unseat him, come the party congress in December. Showing that UMNO can reform is also a chance for Mr. Abdullah to slow the opposition's political momentum at a time when it is still enjoying the aftermath of last month's election victories. The Prime Minister may also be thinking about his legacy. The first to hold that office after over two decades of rule under Mahathir Mohamad, Mr. Abdullah was seen as a transitional figure who would bring greater freedoms to his country. At first, he did, loosening controls on the press and cracking down on a few corrupt officials. But largely as last month's vote showed--he has so far failed. Malaysia needs the reforms now on offer, and fast. Corruption undermines the country's economic competitiveness and its attractiveness as a place to do business. That depresses investment, and employment opportunities for Malaysians. Without a strong judiciary or a free press, the only way citizens feel they can show their discontent is to protest on the streets. Giving Malaysians a justice system they trust would help alleviate some, if not all, of those grievances. None of these reforms can be implemented overnight, and most will be strongly opposed by UMNO's political machine, which has benefited for years from its opaque patronage system. But the threat of being unseated from office should be a good motivation for the party to take Mr. Abdullah's ideas seriously. Its about time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Jon Lester, a resident of Puyallup, Washington, for his bravery in surviving cancer and his achievements as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball. Jon graduated from Bellarmine Prep School in 2002. That same year, the Red Sox drafted him. He played for the Red Sox's minor league team, the Portland Sea Dogs. In 2005, Jon led the league in strike-outs, was named the Eastern Pitcher of the Year, and was selected for the Eastern All-Star Team. The following year, Jon was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma and had to undergo chemotherapy. Following his treatment he returned to Major League Baseball in 2007. Lester was an integral component of the Red Sox's World Series victory, closing out the final game. On the 19th of May. 2008, he threw a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals. It was the first no-hitter since September 2007, and the first by a left-handed Red Sox player since 1956. Bowing to Jon's achievement, Kansas City manager Trey Hillman could only explain, ``We're on the wrong part of history.'' Jon also found time for philanthropic work for the Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, the Boston Parks and Recreation summer program and the Boys and Girls Club of Chelsea, Massachusetts. I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring Jon's courage, his athletic gifts, and his deep concern for his community.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the en bloc amendment and want to point particular attention to the amendment that was offered by me and Mr. Thornberry on strategic communications. Put simply, this is our effort to convey our message in the battle against violent extremism. And what we have discovered on our subcommittee is there are a lot of different pieces at the DOD and Department of State and elsewhere who are working on strategic communications issues, but none of it is coordinated. So our amendment asks for DOD and the administration to bring together and give us a coordinated plan for how to do strategic communications to make sure that our message, our counter-radicalization message, is coordinated and at its most effective. I think this is an important amendment, and I thank the chairman for including it in the en bloc and urge the support of the body.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to start by thanking Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member Hunter for the work they have done, not just on this bill but during the 12 years that I've been in Congress and even before then. Their leadership on this committee I think should be an inspiration to all of us in the way they approach these very important issues. To begin with, they set a tone of bipartisanship. We worked together in an open process that I think gives us the high quality product that we wind up with. And that's not to say that we don't disagree, occasionally along party lines, but we do so in a very open, very honest way, in a way that I think addresses the issues and the way that Congress should perform. I want to thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member Hunter for his time as ranking member and time as chairman as well for doing that. I think this year's bill is a particularly good product and representative of that fine work. We have heard many different pieces of it already. I just want to highlight two in the general bill. First of all, the $2 billion in additional money that we put in to deal with readiness, a major challenge right now for our Armed Forces, particularly the Army and the Marines. Our forces are really under a great deal of strain because of their deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maintaining readiness has been a major challenge and concern, and this bill puts that concern up front and funds it in a way that will help us begin to deal with the problem. Also, equally as importantly, it prioritizes our troops by giving them a 3.9 percent pay raise, to recognize the hard work and sacrifice that they perform for us and support them in every way that we possibly can. With that, I want to highlight some of what we've done on our subcommittee, the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats, and Capabilities. We have four main areas that we focus on. The first of those is the Special Operations Command over which we have jurisdiction, and I want to pause at this moment in the general remarks and thank Representative Saxton who, though he is not the ranking member on this committee now, serves on the committee and was the first Chair. As Representative Hunter has pointed out, the special operations forces were a particular concern of Representative Saxton. He has a done a great deal in our efforts to expand that force, meet their needs and expand their capabilities, and more than that, he has been a great Member, not just of this subcommittee but of this committee for his career in Congress. He will be missed, and I very much appreciated working with him. What we have done primarily for special operations forces in the bill this year is fund as many of their unfunded requirements as we possibly can. They have been at an incredibly rapid tempo in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere. Continuing to fund their needs is the top priority of our subcommittee. The other area that we focus on is irregular warfare, and there are a number of different pieces to this. But I think it's a critical part of our defense bill because it is emerging as one of the most continuous pieces of the fight, counterinsurgency efforts, counterterrorism efforts, things that were not prior to 9/11 part of our lexicon to the degree that they are now. We take steps to make that a higher priority by raising it to the Assistant Secretary level at the DOD and also by helping to fund human terrain teams. Our subcommittee received excellent testimony about what these human terrain teams are doing to go in and understand the culture in Afghanistan, in Iraq. We actually employ anthropologists and others who are experts in culture so that our forces can know who they're dealing with when they go in. This is a critical element of what we're working on. We also, thirdly, focus on harnessing technological innovation. We fund it, to begin with, $1.69 billion worth of R&D for science and technology, and we also focus on harnessing new technologies as quickly as possible by developing a clearinghouse for that. The procurement process in the DOD can be a lengthy process at times. We want to get these technologies out in the field as quickly as possible when they are most useful. We're also asking the Department to focus on the recruitment of IT professionals, the people with the brains to help us with cyber security and elsewhere. As you might guess, the DOD does not pay as much as these people might be able to earn in the private sector. So we have to aggressively go out there and recruit folks to make sure that we have the top IT professionals within the DOD. Our bill focuses on that as well. Lastly, we focus on improving DOD's homeland defense capabilities, a role of our subcommittee, by funding the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the chemical/biological defense programs and by increasing their funds and making sure that they have what is necessary to protect us here in the homeland, within the DOD, working in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security. Again, I want to thank Representative Saxton for his work and also Representative Thornberry, who is the ranking member on this subcommittee. He has been great to work with, very smart, very talented, works in a bipartisan way. All of the issues that I have just listed have been made possible in large part because of his input. I appreciate working with him as well. Again, I want to thank the chairman and Ranking Member Hunter for the way they run this committee. It makes me proud to be in Congress every year I have the opportunity to serve with them. Thank you very much.