Frank Wolf

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chair, I have no objection to the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chair, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment. The gentleman's amendment would cut the DEA by $18 million to pay for a $15 million increase for LSC. The DEA primarily targets high-level drug trafficking organizations, disrupting and dismantling them, attacking the economic basis of the drug trade and contributing to counterterrorism activities tied to and financed by drugs. It does not focus on low-level criminals nor on users. It has seen a huge challenge not only internationally but from the cartels. Every drug area in the Nation now is controlled pretty much by the Mexican cartels. Also, our funding level for LSC is $50 million above last year's House level. It is above the FY12 enacted level. The bill also includes an additional $43 million under the Violence Against Women program specifically for legal assistance for domestic violence victims. This amount is nearly 50 percent above the enacted level. Lastly, later today, we will likely consider amendments that significantly reduce or eliminate LSC. I plan to oppose those amendments that are going to cut Legal Services. I oppose this amendment, and I ask for a ``no'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentlemen from New Jersey and Massachusetts. I recognize the importance of NOAA's restoration programs, especially the community-based restoration program, and we will work to address your concerns as the bill moves forward toward conference with the Senate.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chair, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. WOLF. The reason the numbers are what they are, there was an indiscriminate cut by the administration of $75 million. Secondly--and I know the gentleman from Colorado didn't mean this--but you kind of just blew off the DEA agents. A number of DEA agents have died--a number of DEA agents died in Afghanistan. A number of DEA agents have risked their lives for us here. The head of the DEA is a career civil servant who was a city of Baltimore police officer who has given her life to law enforcement for the last 30 years. So I don't think you meant it, but if I were a DEA agent somewhere back in some remote area maybe watching C-SPAN in Afghanistan, where there is a number of DEA agents who are risking their lives when we are in a very safe community surrounded by policemen, but maybe they are in Kabul right now where there were just some killings the other day-- So, I oppose the amendment. DEA is striving to cope with significant challenges. There is surging heroin. We have increased heroin. Members of Congress have come up, the committee has tried to address their needs--heroin Midwest, heroin Virginia, heroin all over, heroin, heroin. The DEA is dealing with that. The trafficking of prescription drugs, we just increased money for prescription drug abuse because it has the number one impact on young people. DEA is the line of defense. DEA is the one that is fighting the Mexican drug cartels. Every community in the United States, the drug operations are impacted by the Mexican cartels, and it is the DEA that is doing this. This bill tries to help. Also, it helps DEA out of the impact that they will hit with regard to sequester. So, I urge a ``no'' vote for the amendment.

Mr. WOLF. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.

Mr. WOLF. Let me say she has not embarrassed herself before the body. If this institution is going to go criticizing people who have served us that way, I think she has done an honorable job. I think she has represented the DEA well. Also, I think there has been an effort by some in the administration to attack her in a way, it almost reminds me of the Nixon administration. I was in the Nixon administration. They had policies whereby they would go after civil servants and career people--I think some of the things that have been done against her. So I think this is a very bad amendment. If you want to allow the cartels to come in--you can't just take $35 million and say it has no impact on the agents that are working and giving their life and sacrificing their life in Afghanistan. This is a bad amendment, and I urge a ``no'' vote. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I wanted to read, just briefly to the House, some of the names that are on the Wall of Honor of DEA agents who have given their life for our country, and I will put the whole list in the Record: Special Agent James Terry Watson, June 21, 2013; Special Agent Michael E. Weston, October 26, 2009; Special Agent Chad L. Michael, October 26, 2009; Special Agent Forrest N. Leamon, October 26, 2009; FBI Special Agent Samuel S. Hicks, November 19, 2008; Special Agent Thomas J. Byrne, August 30, 2008; Task Force Officer Jay Balchunas, November 5, 2004; Special Agent Donald C. Ware, October 12, 2004; Special Agent Terry Loftus, May 28, 2004; Telecomm Specialist Elton Lee Armstead, March 18, 2003; Diversion Investigator Alice Faye Hall- Walton, March 1, 2001; Special Agent Royce D. Tramel, August 28, 2000; Pilot Instructor Larry Steilen, September 25, 1998; Special Agent Shaun E. Curl, December 12, 1997; Special Agent Kenneth G. McCullough, April 19, 1995; Carrie A. Lenz, April 19, 1995; Office Assistant Carrol J. Fields, April 19, 1995; Rona L. Chafey, April 19, 1995; Shelly Bland, April 19, 1995; Special Agent Frank S. Wallace, Jr., August 27, 1994; Special Agent Juan Vars, August 27, 1994; Special Agent Meredith Thompson, August 27, 1994; Special Agent Jay W. Seale, August 27, 1994; Special Agent Frank Fernandez, Jr., August 27, 1994; Special Agent Richard E. Fass, June 30, 1994; Detective Stephen J. Strehl, November 19, 1993; Special Agent Becky Dwojeski, October 21, 1993; Special Agent George D. Althouse, May 28, 1992; Special Agent Alan H. Winn, August 13, 1991; Special Agent Eugene T. McCarthy, February 2, 1991; Investigator Wallie Howard, Jr., October 30, 1990, and the list goes on. I will put the whole list in the Record. This is to make up for what happened in sequestration. These people are literally giving their lives. We will also insert into the Record with regard to the helicopter crash that took the lives of those agents. For those reasons, I strongly oppose the amendment.

Mr. WOLF. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WOLF. I appreciate the gentleman's concern, and we will continue to work on this. I thank the gentleman for his comments. We will work on this in an appropriate way for the people of your region.

Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman. Four agents have died since 2009. Four agents have died since 2009.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chair, I would like to submit the full list of DEA agents who gave their lives to keep our communities safe. Agent Stafford E. Beckett, March 22, 1921; Agent Charles Archie Wood, March 22, 1921; Agent Joseph W. Floyd, May 17, 1922; Agent Bert S. Gregory, October 25, 1922; Agent James T. Williams, October 16, 1924; Agent Louis L. Marks, October 24, 1924; Agent James E. Brown, June 7, 1928; Agent James R. Kerrigan, December 27, 1928; Agent John W. Crozier, November 16, 1934; Agent Spencer Stafford, February 7, 1935; Agent Andrew P. Sanderson, September 23, 1944; Agent Anker M. Bangs, September 24, 1950; Agent Wilson M. Shee, December 12, 1957; Agent Mansel R. Burrell, December 19, 1967; Agent Hector Jordan, October 14, 1970; Officer Gene A. Clifton, November 19, 1971; Special Agent Frank Tummillo, October 12, 1972; Special Agent George F. White, March 25, 1973; Special Agent Richard Heath, Jr., April 1, 1973; Special Agent Emir Benitez, August 9, 1973. Detective Gerald Sawyer, November 6, 1973; Investigator Leslie S. Grosso, May 21, 1974; Special Agent Nickolas Fragos, August 5, 1974; Secretary Mary Keehan, August 5, 1974; Special Agent Charles H. Mann, August 5, 1974; Secretary Anna Mounger, August 5, 1974; Fiscal Assistant Anna Pope, August 5, 1974; Spvr Clerk-Typist Martha Skeels, August 5, 1974; Clerk-Typist Mary Sullivan, August 5, 1974; Special Agent Larry D. Wallace, December 19, 1975; Special Agent James T. Lunn, May 14, 1976; Special Agent Ralph N. Shaw, May 14, 1976; Special Agent Octavio Gonzalez, December 13, 1976; Office Assistant Susan Hoefler, August 16, 1986; Special Agent William Ramos, December 31, 1986; Special Agent Raymond J. Stastny, January 26, 1987; Special Agent Arthur L. Cash, August 25, 1987; Detective Terry W. McNett, February 2, 1988; Special Agent George M. Montoya, February 5, 1988; Special Agent Paul S. Seema, February 6, 1988. Special Agent Everett E. Hatcher, February 28, 1989; Special Agent Rickie C. Finley, May 20, 1989; Investigator Joseph T. Aversa, March 5, 1990; Investigator Wallie Howard Jr., October 30, 1990; Special Agent Eugene T. McCarthy, February 2, 1991; Special Agent Alan H. Winn, August 13, 1991; Special Agent George D. Althouse, May 28, 1992; Special Agent Becky L. Dwojeski, October 21, 1993; Detective Stephen J. Strehl, November 19, 1993; Special Agent Richard E. Fass, June 30, 1994; Special Agent Frank Fernandez, Jr., August 27, 1994; Special Agent Jay W. Seale, August 27, 1994; Special Agent Meredith Thompson, August 27, 1994; Special Agent Juan C. Vars, August 27, 1994; Special Agent Frank S. Wallace, Jr., August 27, 1994; Shelly D. Bland, April 19, 1995; Rona L. Chafey, April 19, 1995; Office Assistant Carrol J. Fields, April 19, 1995; Carrie A. Lenz, April 19, 1995; Special Agent Kenneth G. McCullough, April 19, 1995. Special Agent Shaun E. Curl, December 12, 1997; Pilot Instructor Larry Steilen, September 25, 1998; Special Agent Royce D. Tramel, August 28, 2000; Diversion Investigator Alice Faye Hall-Walton, March 1, 2001; Telecomm. Specialist Elton Lee Armstead, March 18, 2003; Special Agent Terry Loftus, May 28, 2004; Special Agent Francis J. Miller, March 5, 1977; Special Agent Robert C. Lightfoot, November 23, 1977; Special Agent Thomas J. Devine, September 25, 1982; Special Agent Larry N. Carwell, January 9, 1984; Detective Marcellus Ward, December 3, 1984; Special Agent Enrique S. Camarena, March 5, 1985; Deputy Sheriff James A. Avant, July 24, 1986; Investigator Charles M. Bassing, July 24, 1986; Investigator Kevin L. Brosch, July 24, 1986; Special Agent Donald C. Ware, October 12, 2004; Task Force Officer Jay Balchunas, November 5, 2004; Special Agent Thomas J. Byrne, August 30, 2008; FBI Special Agent Samuel S. Hicks, November 19, 2008; Special Agent Forrest N. Leamon, October 26, 2009; Special Agent Chad L. Michael, October 26, 2009; Special Agent Michael E. Weston, October 26, 2009; Special Agent James Terry Watson, June 21, 2013.

Mr. WOLF. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman for his efforts on this. I want to personally tell you that I appreciate it. I also appreciate the fact that Greta Van Susteren was down there. I watched one of the interviews. It is painful to watch, to see how a United States citizen--I appreciate the gentleman's service, too, in the Marine Corps. I know you were in Fallujah. Your dad was very proud of what you had done. I know you have to have a feeling for this, but why we cannot get someone out. We will do everything we can to work with you, to help you. We will call the Attorney General's Office tomorrow. I will try to talk to Mr. Holder, who I know will be very sympathetic and help to see what we can possibly do to get the gentleman out. I thank the gentleman. We will do anything you ask us to do.

Mr. WOLF. Thank you. I want to thank Mr. Crowley for raising this issue. Mr. Serrano, I think, also raised it at one of the hearings, and also Mr. Diaz-Balart. I will do everything I can to work with you and see if we can deal with this. Thank you for raising the issue.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman raises a good point. I am going to oppose the amendment--and I will get into it--but we will be glad to work with them to see what we could. Because I think when you have--and Mr. Fattah knows--when we have had different areas, we will be glad to meet with you and ATF to get them to do this. The budget really hasn't been cut. It is flat. I think they are $1 million off. This is the only agency that didn't get a big hit in sequestration. But the reason I oppose the amendment--and I will get to your issue at the end--is it would take a reduction from NASA's commercial crew. You have seen the stories where Putin said, and the head of their space program, their general, said: If we want to get their space station, we are going to have to use a trampoline. Funds for this program are critical to allow NASA to name the development schedule and to end our reliance on the Russians so we can get up there. Right now we pay them roughly $60 million a ticket almost to get up there. Less funding would mean fewer development testing activities being carried out, which in turn will put pressure on the overall program. So for that reason, I oppose the amendment and ask for a ``no'' vote. But I would say, let's talk after this and we can have a meeting with you and Mr. Fattah and myself with the ATF and see if we can get them, as we have in some communities, to kind of focus like a laser beam on your community because, rightly so, your people ought to know they can live in safe areas. We will be glad to do that no matter what the outcome of the amendment is. But I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment because of where he takes it from and what the impact would have on the commercial crew. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I have no objection to the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, the gentlelady makes a very powerful case, and I think she is absolutely right. I support the amendment. I will accept it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.