Elise Stefanik

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, and I would like to first thank and applaud Chairman Thornberry on his leadership and commitment to this thoughtful and comprehensive bill. Additionally, I am grateful to our subcommittee chairs for their exhaustive efforts. While the end results may not be perfect, it is a strong, bipartisan piece of legislation that I am proud to support. Our committee spent 19 hours debating this bill, and all members put forward their ideas. We worked together across the aisle, which led to significant strides in maintaining and establishing our Nation's defense policy. In today's unstable global environment, we are asking our Armed Forces to do more with less over and over again, and as a representative of Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division, such a high operational tempo unit, I too am concerned about long-term impacts due to the budget cap constraints. Recently, I had the honor to attend a small congressional delegation visit to CENTCOM's AOR. On this trip, I was able to get a firsthand perspective on the detrimental effects these budget caps have on our Nation's overseas missions. Thankfully, the fiscal year 2016 NDAA provides our U.S. Armed Forces with the tools and resources to maintain current efforts, and it passed out of our committee on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 60-2. I want to remind my colleagues, 60-2. Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for putting forth a great bill that I am pleased to support. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, particularly those colleagues on the committee who already have.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Chair, I would like to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) and his staff for allowing this important discussion of an east coast missile defense site, as well as the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) for his continued efforts and support. Madam Chair, my amendment would provide for the planning, design, and construction of an additional missile defense site. Simply put, missile defense shields our Nation from hostile incoming warheads. And with the escalation of threats of rogue nations like North Korea and Iran, the United States must be ready not just to retaliate, but to actually stop an attack. We must be able to defend our Nation and shoot it down. North Korea does, indeed, have a nuclear weapons capability and is a real concern, given their unstable and erratic behavior. Iran has clearly demonstrated key technologies required for ICBM development. This is about maintaining our Nation's readiness, and an east coast missile defense site provides increased battle space, more decision time, increased reliability, more inventory, and a different angle of intercept. General Jacoby stated that a third site would give him an increased battle space and increased opportunity for him to engage threats from either Iran or North Korea. An east coast missile defense site would increase our Nation's defense capability against those very real threats. Madam Chair, this amendment provides for the security and protection that our Nation needs. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, let us honor and recognize the 10th Mountain Division on their 30th anniversary for their service to Fort Drum, the 21st District of New York, our North Country community and our nation. For the past thirty years, the brave men and women of the 10th Mountain Division have stood in harm's way to protect and defend our country. Since September 11th, 2001, the 10th Mountain Division has been the most actively deployed division to Iraq and Afghanistan. Too many of our nation's service members have made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives while in service. We cannot repay the debt we owe these service men and women and their families, but we can work to honor their legacy and recognize what they have done for us. We must protect the promises that we have made to these brave individuals and strengthen our nation's commitment to helping them as they return home from combat. As leaders in Congress we have an obligation to serve our constituents and members of our armed forces. I am honored to serve on the House Armed Services Committee and as the Vice-Chair for the Subcommittee on Readiness and as a member of the Subcommittees on Personnel and Emerging Threats and Capabilities. As a member of these subcommittees I will fight to ensure the Defense Department, our troops and Fort Drum have the necessary tools and resources they require to defend our nation from those that wish to do us harm. On this 30th anniversary, let us honor and reflect all that the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum has done for our community and our nation, and let us pledge to work together to preserve and strengthen this institution for many years to come. Thank you to the soldiers and your loved ones for keeping our nation safe.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the 10th Mountain Division, their service to Fort Drum, the 21st District of New York, our North Country community, and our Nation. For 30 years, the brave men and women of the 10th Mountain Division have stood in harm's way to protect and defend our country. Since September 11, 2001, the 10th Mountain Division has been the most actively deployed division to Iraq and Afghanistan. Too many of our soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives in service. As leaders in Congress, we have an obligation to protect and serve our constituents and members of our Armed Forces. We cannot repay the debt we owe these servicemembers and their families, but we can work to honor their legacy and recognize what they have done for us. We must protect the promises we have made to these brave individuals and strengthen our Nation's commitment to helping them as they return from combat. In Congress, I will do everything I can to protect the interests of Fort Drum and to ensure the 10th Mountain Division has the necessary resources they need to do their work. It is critical for Fort Drum and the entire 21st Congressional District to have a voice at the table to fight on behalf of our military families and veterans. To that end, I am honored to serve on the House Armed Services Committee as the vice chair for the Subcommittee on Readiness and as a member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee and Intelligence, Emerging Threats, and Capabilities Subcommittee. As a member of these subcommittees, I will work to ensure the Defense Department, our troops, and Fort Drum have the necessary tools they require to defend our Nation from those that wish to do us harm. However, we continue to see threats to our national security increase, and reductions to our military remain due to the Budget Control Act and sequestration. These substantial budget cuts will have significant negative impacts to Fort Drum and the U.S. military. Under sequestration, the Pentagon's proposal states that Fort Drum could lose up to 16,000 soldiers and civilian jobs. This loss of jobs will have severe and devastating effects to the installation, the North Country community, New York, and the entire Nation. General Dempsey and our military leaders have declared time and time again that sequestration reduces our Armed Forces' readiness and their capabilities, and it unnecessarily puts our men and women in uniform at increased risk. Here, we expect our servicemen and -women to protect our Nation; however, the imposed budget cuts due to sequestration inhibit their readiness and threaten our national security. It is our duty to ensure our Nation is protected and, in doing so, maintain the operational readiness of our military. I pledge to work to preserve and strengthen our Nation's Armed Forces and follow in the footsteps of Representative John McHugh by advocating for our troops and veterans stationed in the 21st Congressional District of New York and in our surrounding communities. Two weeks ago, I had the honor to attend a small congressional delegation visit to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. On this trip, I was privileged to meet with soldiers who are based out of Fort Drum, as well as many others who have trained there. What an opportunity it was to visit with the troops from the Resolute Support headquarters forces, USFOR-A soldiers, and counterterrorism operations forces. I thanked them for their service and discussed ways we can protect and strengthen Fort Drum for our district. This trip was truly essential in order for me to gain a personal perspective of the circumstances under which so many of our brave soldiers from Fort Drum have served abroad. Additionally, I was able to meet with many important foreign dignitaries, including King Abdullah of Jordan, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, and Iraqi President Fuad Masum, to discuss issues of concern to the region. These nations and their leaders play a key role in the effort among Arab nations to combat ISIS and other terrorist organizations. The discussions and meetings with these dignitaries were informative and useful. I believe that continued open dialogue and conversation with these leaders will be incredibly beneficial to maintain and establish our Nation's perspective on defense policy. This trip gave me a chance to hear from our servicemen and -women on the ground and other national leaders about real solutions related to stabilizing the region, continued threats to our own national security, the readiness of our Armed Forces, and the tools they need to keep our country safe. Serving the Fort Drum community in Congress and as a member of the House Armed Services Committee is an incredible honor. I am beyond thankful to our men and women in uniform and grateful to their families for their service to our community. Thank you to you and your loved ones for keeping our Nation safe.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. ``Do you believe in miracles?'' Madam Speaker, these were the iconic words uttered by legendary sportscaster Al Michaels with just 3 seconds left in the historic match between Team USA and the Soviet national hockey team in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. With the eyes of the world on the Lake Placid games, through sheer grit and determination, an amateur Team USA proudly did what many thought would be impossible by defeating the favored Soviet team. Decades of cold war politics made this event more than just an ordinary hockey game. For many, it was one more proud reminder of what a determined and united America can accomplish. I grew up hearing this story firsthand from my dad, who was in Lake Placid with his best friend, Doug Brownell, when the underdog Team USA won and the crowds erupted in cheers. It was an awe-inspiring moment for our entire country and the world. Our community in Lake Placid and the North Country still celebrate this incredible occasion. This past weekend Lake Placid was proud to host a reunion celebrating the 35th anniversary of this game and hosting the players from the 1980 Team USA men's hockey team. Our North Country community is proud to be a home for this historic and inspiring event, and I am proud to stand on the House floor today to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the ``miracle on ice.''

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a lawmaker who understood the deep values held by the great people living in the North County, represented them with integrity, and had the heart of a true public servant. Congressman Bob McEwen passed away in 1995, but it is appropriate to reflect back on a life of service as it has been two decades since his passing. Mr. Speaker, I would like to read a brief profile of him written by a friend of mine, Cary Brick. Cary was Congressman McEwen's Chief of Staff and remained close to him after his retirement in 1981. Cary's tribute appears in the January 2015 issue of Thousand Islands Life Magazine. ``When Rep. Elise Stefanik raised her right hand in Washington this month, to be sworn in as the North Country's Representative in Washington, she garnered a lot of national media attention as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Exactly a half century earlier, twenty years before she was born, a 45-year-old veteran New York State Republican legislator from Ogdensburg, took the same oath. One of his Congressional friends from the Great Lakes once referred to him as ``The St. Lawrence Congressman.'' Robert Cameron McEwen, with strong family roots in New York's St. Lawrence County, went on to represent the Congressional district, bordered by the Thousand Islands and Lake Ontario on the West and Lake Champlain on the East, from 1965 until his retirement, in 1981. Living on the U.S. shore of the St. Lawrence River, he said ``almost near enough to see the color of the eyes of the passing captains and pilots,'' he was the first North Country Congressman with such a strong personal tie to the St. Lawrence and the Thousand Islands. The United States Customs House in Ogdensburg, the oldest continually occupied Federal building in America, bears his name as a tribute to his public service. I had the privilege of serving on his Congressional staff from 1969 until his retirement in January of 1981--first as his Press Secretary, later as his Special Assistant and finally as his Executive Assistant. He never missed an opportunity to promote the island region. In fact, one of his Congressional colleagues once told me ``When I saw Bob McEwen I knew I was going to hear a pep talk about either the (Thousand Islands) or the Seaway.'' Best Friends Forever: ``Bob'' McEwen's Congress was unlike today's; its members debated the issues of the day with gusto, but at sundown they were friends sharing collegiality, respect and friendship. Two immediate lighthearted instances come to mind. The first was his hosting of his fellow House member, Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, a downstate Democrat (who later was the Vice Presidential candidate on the 1984 Mondale/Ferraro ticket) through what seemed like ocean seas on a small Coast Guard vessel, from Wellesley Island to Morristown. It was a cold, Fall day. All of us onboard were green at the gills and holding our stomachs when we finally docked. The object was to demonstrate to the influential Democrat, the dangers of winter navigation on the river, a red-hot issue at the time. It worked: she joined him in opposition to the idea. On the flight back to Washington she said ``OK, Bob, you've made your point!'' The two were political opposites in both party and political philosophy, but they were friends forever. The second was his hosting of a senior Southern State Democrat, whose support he needed for legislation, to benefit the eventual expansion of Fort Drum. After the tour of the installation near Watertown, the influential colleague and his wife settled in for a McEwen-arranged weekend at a cottage in the shadow of the Thousand Islands Bridge. Over the course of their stay, the guests were treated to a private boat tour of the islands, a traditional shore dinner, a visit to Fort Henry at Kingston and several informal ``stop-by'' visits from local movers and shakers, from both political parties. If that wasn't enough, knowing of his interest in antique firearms, a visit to Ozzie Steele's gun shop in Clayton resulted in the visitor's strong interest in an antique handgun on display. They couldn't agree on a price, however, much to the dismay of Bob McEwen. That sale eventually took place when unbeknownst to the ``good `ol boy' '' from the South, Bob (quietly) paid Ozzie the difference. Everybody was a winner in that transaction, especially the North Country, when the Southerner became a strong backer of Fort Drum expansion. That weekend resulted in another ``forever'' friendship. A McEwen Fish Story: He proudly wore a belt buckle depicting a St. Lawrence Muskie. He caught his first Muskie on an Election Day in the 70s; he displayed it in his Washington office. I jokingly named it after his unsuccessful Congressional challenger of the day. He proudly invited his friends to see it and welcomed the opportunity to describe its fight to stay in the river. It now hangs in my home as a remembrance of his sense of humor and his competitive nature--two requisites for success in Congress. At a White House reception some time later, President Richard Nixon commented on the buckle and told stories of his own fishing trips to the St. Lawrence, in the months following his 1960 defeat by JFK. That led to six frozen McEwen Muskie steaks being shipped by air, from St. Lawrence County to the Congressional office, for promised delivery to the President. My delivery of the wrapped-in-dry-ice steaks to the White House, at the Congressman's behest, certainly caught the attention of the Secret Service, but that's a story for another time. A Working Retirement: Bob McEwen returned to his native North Country upon his retirement, in January, 1981. That retirement didn't last too long. President Reagan called him back to work by naming him as Chair of the U.S. section of the International Joint Commission, a State Department entity dealing with American-Canadian border issues. No stranger to those matters, he had been an active member of the U.S./Canada Inter- Parliamentary Group, a low-key association of American Congressmen and Canadian Parliamentarians, who met regularly to discuss issues of mutual concern. He had also been a founder of the Great Lakes Conference of Congressmen, which met in the Capitol to share input on maritime, trade, environmental and other matters affecting the Lakes regions. Back Home: Bob McEwen died in 1995. In delivering his eulogy in Ogdensburg, I said: ``Bob knew that when the time came for his final roll call vote, as a veteran and member of the House of Representatives, he could be interred beside some of our nation's greatest heroes, statesmen (and) Supreme Court Justices . . . in Arlington National Cemetery. . . . He knew he was entitled to an interment with pomp and circumstance. But Bob was a man of the North Country. He wanted it simple. He wanted it here.'' The ``St. Lawrence Congressman'' is buried in Ogdensburg--not too far from the shore of the river he called home.'' Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me a few minutes to share the memory of Congressman Bob McEwen. I yield back the balance of my time.