Robert Wittman

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 183, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Stated against:

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 121 high school seniors in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area who plan to enlist in the United States Armed Forces after graduation. These students have excelled in their academic and extracurricular activities, and I offer my sincere congratulations upon their high school graduation. Altizer, Zachary; Barrett, Isiah Thomas; Buckley, Jacob Thomas; Croce, Reed; Dingus, Adam Jacob; Dreyer, Jacob Clark; Eiley III, Raymond; Fones, Sean Tyler; Gill, Tyler James; Gordon, Jarrett Reid; Hanse, Martin; Hardy, Tanner Ramsey; Hebdon, Curtis Allen; Higgins, Draylon C; Holmes, Gregory Rolland; Jackson, Anthony; Kelly, Benjamin Wyatt; Knowles, Trent Hunter; Krieter, Jacob Andrew; Krieter, Joseph Paul; Lawson, Ethan William; Lisovich, Thomas Jerome; Lloyd, Coby Jacob; McAllister, William Edward; Michalechen, Alec; Moore, Jahlil; Nelson, Jacob Robert; Oliviera, Logan; Ross, Mathew Andrew; Shay, Matthew Ellis; Sivigny, Douglas; Tibbs, Lytesha Tayquona; Vangorder, Tanner Clyde; Ziadeh, Clinton Austin. Manuel, Jackson; Ewer, Winter; Patterson, Chance William; Gaskins, Taquana Athalia; Foley, Michael Andrew; Andah, Kow Issiw; Pierson, Thomas Richard; Huber, Colby Toler; Hayes, William Cody; Leitch, Nicholas Ashley; Apperson, Brandon Alex; Martinez, Carlos Everardo; Kirkpatrick, Jacob Aaron; Ruff, Jordan Thomas Philip; Dileo, Robert Gerard; Rock, Desmond Marcell; Gainey, English Blake; Whitaker, Bradley Eugene; Cook, John Lee; Bermudez, Brency; Broussard, Nicole Lynn; Shivers, Jonathan Jay; Snyder, Andrew Thomas; Kinsella, Sean William; Green, Heaven Leigh; Lee, Kelsey Reed; Sublett, Gregory Allen; Sanat, Reza Emanuel; Mariner, Robert Anthony; Abielmona, Mazen; Silver, Benjamin Isaac Landon; Good, Connor David; Straughan, Jessica Lee; Aron, Curtis Davion; Stillabower, Adam Bradley; Sampath, Vimal Ganapathy; Dogra, Praveen; Sanit Asante, Kweku; Valencia Alvarez, Mario Gabriel; Cory, Hunter; Dunn, Sean; Garcia, Jose; Grant, Jame; Isom, Khaliyah; Licht, Benjamin; Moffo, Borian; Owens, Tomomi; Patterson, Arielle; Smith, Toby; Abdullah, Arahim; Cross, Nygel; Sporney, Kory. Dejesus, Sarah; Herin, Justin; Travers, Carrington; Williams, Namon; Lowery, Krystal; Lober, Zachary; Gilstrap, Jaclyn; Alexander, Mikayla; Patton, David; Deputy, William; Smith, Gary. Auerbach, Anthony; Baskerville, Dre'Shawn; Beitzel, Nathaniel; Castellino, Rachel; Dale, John Barron; Davis, Brody Logan; Eubanks, Lamont; Fuller, Corey; Gray, Kevin; Hicks, Zahn; Holman, Andrew James; Holmes, Kendall; Howard, Alxendra; Hunley, David; Jolly, Autumn Nicole; Mamboyo, Juan E. Balguin; McGovern, Samuel; Mullins, Blaine; Prince, Colton Dean; Proudfoot, Garrison A.; Savoie, Henry; Soper, Charles Grayson; Stauber, June Maria, Jacob, Lydia. These students will be honored by the Greater Fredericksburg Chapter of Our Community Salutes at their 5th Annual Military Enlistee Recognition Ceremony on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking these young men and women and their families for their dedication to serving this great Nation. We owe them and the many Americans who have served, and will serve, a debt of gratitude.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a momentous event: the 75th anniversary celebration of the United States Army Officer Candidate School. The Army Officer Candidate School program was established in 1941 when the Secretary of War, the War Department, and the Army Chief of Staff agreed that a training program was needed to quickly commission new officers. Since its inception, the demand for well-trained junior officers has expanded and contracted as American soldiers have been involved in conflicts spanning World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and the war on terror. The Army Officer Candidate School continues to demonstrate unparalleled flexibility, professionalism, and an exceptional ability to provide the U.S. Army with competent, well-trained, and fearless officers in the most responsive time possible. The graduates are recognized as leaders in the Nation's first and best line of defense in the Army and are essential to fighting and winning our Nation's wars. Again, I would like to congratulate them on the 75th anniversary celebration of the United States Army Officer Candidate School.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Bill Turgeon for his contributions to his community both inside and outside the classroom at River Bend Middle School. The positive influences he has had on young children running the youth after school program go well beyond the classroom in preparing them as they face the challenges of real life. Parents and others in his community are proud to call him their own and there is no question, he is very deserving of their praise. Mr. Turgeon is a fine example to his fellow citizens of dedication, selflessness, and commitment to the common good around the world. I thank him for his devotion to go above and beyond the call to mentor the youth of Sterling, Virginia.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Bill Turgeon for his contributions to his community both inside and outside the classroom at River Bend Middle School. The positive influences he has had in running the youth after school program on young children go well beyond the classroom in preparing children as they face the challenges of real life. Parents and others in his community are proud to call him their own and there is no question, he is very deserving of their praise. Mr. Turgeon is a fine example to his fellow citizens of dedication, selflessness, and commitment to the common good around the world. I thank him for his devotion to above and beyond the call to mentor the youth of Sterling, Virginia.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the University of Mary Washington celebrating their 75th anniversary as a Federal Depository Library on Thursday, March 10. The public has a right to information contained in Government documents, which have been published at public expense and the Government has an obligation to ensure the availability of, and access to, these documents at no cost. Federal Depository Libraries serve that goal by providing free, ready, and permanent public access to Federal Government information for present and future generations. UMW has shown true service to the community by highlighting the diversity and excellence of government information. I am thrilled to have the UMW Federal Depository Library Program as a part of the First District and want to again congratulate them on this amazing achievement.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, Annette Kramer, formerly of Detroit, and the youngest of eight children, was a remarkable, courageous woman who spent most of her life in the service of others, yet she never sought recognition or spoke of her deeds or accomplishments. A Marine wife and mother for more than 35 years, Annette lived a life of quiet sacrifices and countless hardships yet her generosity and selflessness knew no bounds as evidenced so many times throughout her life. She was extremely proud to be a part of the Marine Corps family, stoically supporting her daughter and husband through numerous deployments into harm's way. A woman of integrity, honor and fierce loyalty, Annette chose not to ignore the needs of those around her and was always there to lend a helping hand. For more than two decades, Annette served as a mentor to her friends and other military wives by helping them navigate through a wide array of local and military cultures, address family requirements, and provide help to those in need of counseling and support. Annette supported numerous combat Wounded Warriors and their families during their recovery phases at both Walter Reed and Bethesda Military Medical Centers and spent countless hours providing support and assistance to the wives and families of fallen Marines. She continually gave a helping hand to Veterans of all services and found time to volunteer at her local ASPCA helping animals in need. Annette was a life member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, an Honor Flight volunteer, and was active and respected throughout her local community. In the aftermath of 9/11, Annette spent long hours working at the Pentagon crash site as a volunteer member of the Pentagon Search and Recovery Task Force night shift, after working her regular day job. Receiving, organizing and distributing necessary supplies and equipment to task force personnel, Annette ensured that everyone had what they needed to complete their arduous tasks. In 2003, during the early days of the Iraq war, there were equipment shortfalls for our warriors going into combat. Tirelessly ambitious, Annette organized several fund raising drives in order to send hundreds of much needed hydration systems to forward deployed Marines in Iraq. This effort was well received and had a very positive impact on combat forces conducting operations throughout Iraq. Over the years, she frequently helped organize and participate in drives supporting our deployed military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq with equipment, care packages and other services to enhance capability, morale and let the brave men and women fighting for our freedom know that their sacrifices did not go unnoticed. Every December for more than a decade, Annette helped with the laying of wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery. A proud American, upon returning home from Arlington, she would be filled with emotion having spent the day on hallowed ground in the company of so many fallen heroes. A docent at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Annette was adored by the staff and visitors alike, resulting in the museum generously installing a permanent name plate in her memory in their rotunda. Annette was highly regarded at all levels, from homeless Veterans to senior leaders, because she truly cared about those who served and her community. Although Annette left this world prematurely, her memory will endure in the many hearts of those who were fortunate to have known her. Annette was interred in Arlington National Cemetery on October 26, 2015. More than 250 of those whose lives she touched attended her memorial service and interment ceremony, from military professionals representing all the armed services, to civilians from all walks of life. They traveled from throughout the U.S. as well as overseas bases to honor her. Annette Kramer was a shining star who gave so much to her family, those who served and this great nation. Her family, friends and the military community will miss her dearly and honor her as a valiant American.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 124, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Officer Ashley Guindon. Officer Guindon was killed in the line of duty Saturday while responding to a call for help from a domestic violence victim. She was 28 years old, and during her short life, Officer Guindon had done more for others than most of us will ever do. She spent 6 years in the Marine Corps Reserves before interning and ultimately working with the Prince William County Police Department. At funeral services Tuesday, Officer Guindon was remembered as a policewoman and as a peace officer. In Prince William County, the Police Department's stated mission is to ``enhance the quality of life by providing police services through shared responsibility with the public.'' As members of the public, it is incumbent upon us to respect the work that police officers do, the sacrifices that they make, and the lives that they touch across the Commonwealth and the United States of America. God rest you and keep your family, Officer Guindon. Thank you for your service.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding and thank him for his leadership. As you have heard, this is just a commonsense bill, and I rise in strong support of S. 1580, the Competitive Services Act. I want to thank my colleague from Virginia, Gerry Connolly, for his effort, along with my staff, in putting together the House version of this bill. It is just a commonsense, bicameral, and bipartisan bill that allows agencies in a very complex and competitive world to aggressively and timely recruit individuals for these positions. We want to get individuals into those positions quickly, and we want to understand where the talent lies so that these agencies can communicate back and forth. Many times that silo approach doesn't work. This breaks down those silos and allows agencies to share information about these applicants. In today's world when we need to, in a timely way, gets folks into the cybersecurity realm, we need to get folks into the information technology realm, and even in the veterans' healthcare realm where we need to get healthcare providers there quickly, especially when there is demand, this is the perfect way to do that. When we go through the effort of having these individuals apply for these jobs, we know what their qualifications are. There is no reason why we shouldn't be sharing this information. It allows us to act in the best interests of taxpayers, it cuts down on the amount of expense that is put forth in recruiting these individuals, and it ensures that we get things done on time. We understand, too, the talent pool that is out there. Many times, too, if you look at it and say that these are the individuals who are available and even if there is a challenge in getting somebody, you can immediately see that, instead of having to wait for time to communicate back and forth between agencies and say, ``Well, it doesn't look like in this area that we have the number of individuals that we need; what is the next course of action?'' this allows us to get through all of those particular issues and get people in these positions as quickly as possible. It is just a commonsense piece of legislation that allows our managers to manage in the most effective way possible. It allows us to do the best job for our country, and it allows the best use of taxpayers' dollars. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 1580.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I would reiterate polar bears are not endangered. They are not on the endangered species list. I want to remind folks, too, these 41 trophies were harvested in Canada. Canada has a world-class management program for polar bears. They have used the best science. Remember, these polar bears were taken in 2008, based upon the science Canada was using to manage the program. The polar bears in Canada, both at the time and now, are increasing in population. Canada does a great job in managing this. This is just a situation where polar bears legally harvested under the best management programs available should be allowed to come back into the United States. I would encourage my colleagues to vote against this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to reiterate something that Mr. Young said. There is a thousand-dollar importation fee that is assessed on all 41 of those trophies. Those dollars go to polar bear conservation and research. So we are looking to use these efforts to continue the promulgation of this species. We want to make sure polar bear populations continue to grow. Hunters provide, I believe, the largest measure of conservation of any group out there that is looking to preserve polar bears. It is in everyone's interest to make sure these things happen. We have a number of groups out there that are in support of this bill: the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, the National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Safari Club International, and the Boone and Crockett Club. All those organizations are deeply committed to making sure that we continue and grow these species. We want to make sure we understand that, but hunters are the best conservationists on the planet because they are involved in making sure the species continue. They use their resources to put into species continuation. They want to make sure these species are properly managed and that we have good science in managing those species. I believe that this is what we want. We want to make sure that we are encouraging that. This amendment does not allow us to do that. It strikes those provisions. I would strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, this amendment strikes a provision of the SHARE Act that will allow the importation of 41 polar bears legally harvested from sustainable populations in Canada before the polar bear was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. I yield to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Nevada. I urge my colleagues to strongly support this amendment.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I want to remind folks, too, that the law already prohibits certain individuals from possessing a firearm, from using it at a public range. The acquisition or possession of a firearm by a person subject to 18 U.S. Code 922, section (g), under any circumstances for any purpose is already a Federal felony. I think the law already covers that as far as who can and cannot own a firearm. Having the additional effort of saying you can't access a public range is secondary to the primary violation of the law. I think that that is already covered if you are looking at making sure that guns aren't put in the hands of those folks who are convicted of these crimes. Again, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment. I encourage my colleagues to do the same, to oppose the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I remind the gentleman from Virginia--we all have an interest in shooting sports--that there is no evidence to suggest that there is an issue right now with felons using this opportunity to perpetrate crimes at public shooting ranges, so I think it is a solution in search of a problem. We want to make sure that there is a balance there and that, indeed, people have access to these ranges. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock).

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, this amends the definition of public target ranges in title II and the definition of public target range as used for Pittman-Robertson funding. This amendment is unnecessary, as it prohibits behavior which is already against the law. This amendment is also impractical. Administrators at public ranges would have no way of knowing who is prohibited and who is not. Public target ranges are not equipped to run background checks, and requiring them to do so would largely undermine the other purposes of the bill, like expanding access to ranges. This amendment does not distinguish between public target ranges that allow only archery versus those that allow firearm use. The amendment would prohibit, without justification, certain persons from taking advantage of otherwise lawful and harmless recreational archery. Access to the national background check screening data base is strictly limited by law and cannot be used to screen people just because they want to use a target range. The National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and Safari Club International oppose this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I strongly encourage my colleagues to oppose this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, this manager's amendment makes technical changes to the underlying bill, makes expenditures under the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act subject to appropriation, and eliminates the Pittman-Robertson interest on obligations language, title XII, which was signed into law last year. The manager's amendment also adds an important new title to the bill, the Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act, which makes that law more transparent. The Equal Access to Justice Act, or EAJA, was originally passed in 1980 as a social safety net program for seniors, veterans, and small businesses. It was designed to pay back these little guys for the cost of suing the Federal Government in a once-in-a-lifetime event. However, special interest groups have used EAJA as a way to be reimbursed for lawsuits when they can't be reimbursed under the Nation's environmental laws. These illegitimate reimbursements not only cost taxpayers money, but they tie up our land management agencies, chasing procedural lawsuits instead of doing their actual job. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. WITTMAN. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WITTMAN. Will the gentleman yield?