Robert Wittman

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WITTMAN. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise for the folks in my district being furloughed because of indecision, political gamesmanship, and the failure to act in Washington. Our Nation has no greater asset than the folks serving our Nation, including those who make up our Department of Defense, both military and civilian alike. Their dedication and service to our Nation is unwavering. Unfortunately, those same patriots have lived for months with the uncertainty of the sequester. Many of those who have dedicated themselves to ensuring equipment is repaired and ready for our Armed Forces are being forced to step away from their lives. Even the children of our military families will not be spared. Teachers at DOD schools are being furloughed, too. The administration had flexibility to make other choices. Furloughs are just one of the effects of compounding budget cuts on our Nation's military, and it affects this Nation's military readiness. There are smarter solutions to our Nation's budget woes, and I voted for replacements for this shortsighted sequester. Congress should not sit idly by. Let's fix this.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 527, the Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act. H.R. 527 is important legislation for our Nation's high-tech, defense, medical, and scientific industries. It will ensure the continued operation of and sales of helium from the Federal Helium Reserve, providing a stable and secure supply of a critical material for the next several years. This legislation represents a significant step forward in addressing the concerns associated with the helium supply from the Federal Helium Reserve. This also creates a situation where we have a reliable source of helium that's critical to the strategic interests of this Nation. This bill also provides for the continued operation of the Reserve and the sale of helium to private entities, thereby helping to ensure a stable and secure supply of helium in the near term. It provides price transparency through clear reporting requirements for both the Bureau of Land Management and for those who purchase helium. And for many industries throughout the United States, this reliability and transparency is absolutely critical. H.R. 527 is important and is urgently needed to address this Nation's helium supply in making sure, too, that we keep in mind the implications it has for both our national and our homeland security. I'd like to applaud Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member Markey for their work on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, again, the bill continues a modest investment of Federal resources to protect these hallowed grounds where independence was won and our Republic secured. I do want to reiterate what Mr. Holt said in that this legislation does not increase authorized spending. Proponents of this program sought to double the annual spending authorization and add Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 sites to those eligible for grants, but the committee made sure that there was no increase in spending and insisted that the proposal be added to keep the authorization flat at these current levels when adding additional war sites. We wanted to make sure we had the opportunity for sites to be included, but in understanding where we are with the Nation's deficit, we wanted to make sure that we could preserve these sites without adding to the deficit. I think this is a very responsible way to do that, to make sure that communities have the ability to do the things they need to do, and also to make sure we keep in mind the times that we face here at the Federal level. So I believe it's an extraordinarily good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1033. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As an original cosponsor of H.R. 1033, I would like to express my appreciation to Mr. Holt for his continued leadership to preserve and protect important historic battlefields throughout the United States, including those in his home State of New Jersey, which is better known as the ``crossroads of the American Revolution.'' As a Virginian, this legislation is also especially notable as it will continue to preserve important hallowed ground from our Nation's independence and the Civil War. The Civil War Battlefield Preservation program has been particularly beneficial to the Commonwealth of Virginia. As a result, hard-fought acres of battleground have been preserved in pivotal sites such as Appomattox, Cedar Creek, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Petersburg, and Richmond. Preserving battlefields does more than just honor those who fought in those battles; it protects important places from development. I want to make sure that we continue those efforts in ensuring that we make the effort to keep these battlefields in their proper place in this Nation's history. I also would like to emphasize that this program doesn't increase the amount of Federal land. I know there's been some criticism to say this is an effort to increase Federal land within this program. While it does increase and expand those battlefield areas that are eligible under the program, it doesn't increase the amount of Federal land in this particular project. I want to make sure people understand that because this is really for the protection of battlefields outside of national park boundaries, giving those concerned within those areas the ability to help preserve those lands. There is no additional management burden on the Federal Government, so these lands are not going to become part of a system in which we have to incur more costs to maintain those lands. It's the ability to make sure that we preserve those lands. Especially today, with the encroachment of development in these areas, these critical, historical sites must be preserved, and this gives the folks in those areas the flexibility and the tools--the ability--to preserve these lands. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. As Mr. Holt said, preserving battlefields is extraordinarily important, but it does more than just honor those who have fought in the past: it's important that it protects these places that are so important in our Nation's history. Preserving these battlefields contributes economically to local businesses and to historic communities in these areas across the country. According to a recent study, in just five States, those States including Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, 15.8 million visitors went to these Civil War sites and spent nearly $442 million in those local communities and supported 5,150 jobs. We talk all the time up here about jobs and the economy. This is something that we can do to improve and enhance jobs and the economy in these local communities. We are blessed in Virginia, as Mr. Holt said, with a rich history. According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Civil War site visitors stay longer and spend more than twice as much as the average visitor to the Commonwealth. Preserving battlefields is good for local communities and businesses, and it's good for jobs and the economy.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The American Battlefield Protection Act addressed the preservation and protection of Civil War battlefields through conservation easements or through the purchase of land from willing sellers with Federal grants. H.R. 1033 renews this effort which will soon expire and adds Revolutionary War and War of 1812 battlefields to those eligible for protection. It is important to know that the bill we are considering mirrors the version from the last Congress that passed the House and included improvements made by the Natural Resources Committee. Specifically, the program sunset was moved up from 10 to 5 years, and we retained the existing authorization of appropriations to provide a more realistic funding level in these times of deficit spending. Additionally, the committee added language to prohibit these funds from being used for lobbying activities or for being distributed to organizations that participate in lobbying. With so many existing needs within the National Park Service, we want to ensure that these funds go specifically for battlefield protection and not outside advocacy. I would also like to point out that this legislation does not fund advocacy or educational seminars and programs. These grants are strictly available to State and local governments for battlefield protection. There is a separate and distinct Federal authorization for educational programs and partnership that is not part of this bill. Mr. Speaker, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1033) to authorize the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under the American Battlefield Protection Program.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz).

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 254, introduced by Congressman Jason Chaffetz of Utah, facilitates the development of 50 megawatts of clean and renewable hydroelectric power at existing Interior Department facilities in the Diamond Fork System in Utah. That is enough electricity to power over 50,000 homes. The bill removes an administrative impediment to make this happen. As part of the Interior Department's current rules, the developer must first pay $106 million even before investing in the capital cost to install hydropower generators. As Water and Power Subcommittee Chairman Tom McClintock said, this requirement is akin to a family renting out a room but first requiring the renter to pay off their mortgage. The family is then shocked that nobody wants to rent from them and the family is not further along in paying off its mortgage and has denied itself rental income. The Congressional Budget Office concurred by stating: The Federal Government is unlikely, under current law, to develop the hydropower resources of the Diamond Fork project for at least the next 10 years. Therefore, this bill removes the requirement of paying for the sunk cost and encourages non-Federal entities to pursue hydropower development at Diamond Fork. As a result, this legislation will generate $4 million in revenue over a 10-year period. The House has passed this legislation twice in as many Congresses, and I urge my colleagues to support it again. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 254) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate the development of hydroelectric power on the Diamond Fork System of the Central Utah Project.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I concur with the gentleman from New Jersey in that this bill should pass, and I appreciate the bipartisan support. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Brigadier General Earl C. Acuff, USA (Ret.), the Commandant of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets from 1973 to 1980, who passed away on February 13, 2013. A native of Iowa, Earl Acuff learned to box as a young boy and became a Golden Gloves champion while in high school; he earned a full football scholarship to the University of Idaho, where he met his wife, Mary- Low, and enlisted in ROTC. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Earl Acuff was shipped to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, where he served as the executive officer to the 1st Intelligence Combat Platoon. He provided strong leadership as the unique unit scouted Japanese forces in the Aleutian Islands without resupply or personal contact with the outside world; after the war, the unit mapped the entire western coastline of Alaska. Earl Acuff briefly left the military, working as a bush pilot, a big game guide, and a high school teacher in Anchorage before he was asked to rejoin the United States Army to teach Arctic survival skills. General Acuff went on to serve as commander of the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry, 7th Infantry Division, and led the fight to defend Hills 255 and 266 during the Korean War. His extraordinary valor resulted in his being awarded a Purple Heart, second Combat Infantryman Badge, a Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, and a Bronze Star with four Oak Leaf Clusters and V for Valor. He was a Master Parachutist who provided important insight as the United States Army revaluated its Ranger training program; in 1965 he became the oldest man to successfully graduate as a United States Army Ranger at the age of 47. Earl Acuff then earned a master's degree from George Washington University and worked for the United States Department of State before rejoining the battlefield as commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division Republic of Vietnam, where he earned his third Combat Infantryman Badge. In 1969 Earl Acuff became the Deputy Post Commander at the U.S. Army Infantry School. One year later, he joined the faculty at Virginia Tech as a military science instructor. In 1974 Earl Acuff was promoted to Brigadier General and became the commandant of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, where he continued the proud tradition of training young men and women to become the nation's military leaders. Earl Acuff also began a competitive career in racquetball, earning 20 gold medals at major national and international tournaments and induction into several halls of fame. Brigadier General Acuff was predeceased by his wife, Mary-Low, and son, William, and will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his children, Thomas, Dan, Ardis, Rodney, Janice, Teresa, and Dawn, and their families; and numerous other family members, friends, and admirers. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Brigadier General Acuff and his dedicated service to the nation.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my distinguished colleagues from Virginia Representative Rigell and Representative Scott to recognize Nancy Davenport-Ennis, of Yorktown, Virginia, on her retirement 17 years after founding the Patient Advocate Foundation and the National Patient Advocate Foundation. Nancy Davenport-Ennis founded the Patient Advocate Foundation and the National Patient Advocate Foundation in 1996 in honor and memory of her friend, Cheryl Grimmel, a breast-cancer patient who was denied coverage for her treatment. Through Nancy Davenport-Ennis' determined leadership the Patient Advocate Foundation and the National Patient Advocate Foundation have provided direct patient assistance to over 965,000 patients with chronic, debilitating and life-threatening conditions who needed help navigating the health care system or finding affordable health care. Additionally, millions of other patients were assisted through web- based informational services. Nancy Davenport-Ennis knows first-hand of the personal battle of cancer as a two-time breast cancer survivor. She has eloquently and openly discussed how this experience aided her in establishing a body of work that will continue to help millions of patients long past her retirement. Throughout her exemplary career as a leader in health care policy she has embodied the dignity and integrity of a true patient advocate. I join with my distinguished colleagues in expressing our utmost respect and admiration for her service to Virginians and all Americans.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to this bill. I'm proud to represent thousands of hardworking Federal civilian employees who selflessly serve this Nation on a daily basis. They fight crime for the FBI, root out terrorism with the CIA, and provide vital support to members of our military. They're scientists, air traffic controllers, and engineers, pursuing excellence each day to cure disease, protect our travelers, and shore up our infrastructure. They're doctors and nurses at VA hospitals, ensuring that our veterans get the highest caliber care in return for their service to this Nation. They're Border Patrol agents protecting our homeland from those who wish to do us harm. But above all, they are patriots, selfless, committed citizens who believe in serving their Nation. This Congress charges these hardworking Americans with their duties, and this Congress asks them to perform these duties to the very best of their abilities. It is only appropriate then that their service be recognized and applauded rather than consistently used as a tool in the game of politics. To be clear, I do not think that Members of Congress should receive a pay increase, and I have continually supported efforts to reduce our pay and cut our legislative budgets. But this bill is not about Members of Congress, it is about our Federal civilian workforce, which has already been under a pay freeze for the last 2 years. This legislation would continue that pay freeze throughout the end of this year. For these dedicated citizens, life is about public service and commitment--commitment to the people of this Nation and to the ideals and dreams set forth by our Founding Fathers. So today, I ask my colleagues: Do you want an efficient, responsible, and safe United States of America? Do you plan to ask any less of our Federal workforce? It seems to me that we are only asking them to do more for this Nation with less without standing by them in these challenging times. We must stop continually targeting our Federal employees, and I urge a ``no'' vote on H.R. 273.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, as the 113th Congress begins, I strongly believe that no Member of Congress should have his or her salary increased. It is critical that this nation's elected leaders lead by example in the quest to reduce our debt and put this nation on sound financial footing. Responsible, accountable leadership is required in Washington if this train of fiscal disaster is ever going to get rerouted onto a track toward prosperity and economic growth. That is why I am a cosponsor of legislation that would halt the pay increase for Members of Congress under the President's December 27, 2012 Executive Order and legislation to stop the a utomatic pay increase for members of Congress. However, I also want to make absolutely clear my opposition to any efforts to unfairly target our civilian federal workforce for deficit reduction purposes. America's First District is full of hardworking and dedicated citizens who serve the people of this nation every day, such as on the front lines of the War on Terror or in support roles for our military. Still others provide valuable service at places like VA hospitals, cancer research laboratories, and the FBI. And yet since 2010, federal civilian employees have seen their pay frozen and their benefits reduced on multiple occasions. I voted against the initial two-year pay freeze in December of 2010, and on the first day of 2013, I voted against H.R. 6726, which would have extended this pay freeze for an additional year. I am fully ready and willing to cut my own salary, benefits, and office budget, but we must stop singling out federal employees simply because Congress fails to address the out-of- control spending. There is no question that our nation must get its spending in order, and federal employees are certainly eager to do their part to help in this effort. Their daily contributions to their fellow citizens and to the cause of freedom are simply innumerable, and yet during the deficit reduction debate over the last few years, federal employees have been asked to contribute more than their fair share. Our federal civilian employees live a life of selfless service, and they deserve our appreciation. I am hopeful that deficit reduction efforts going forward will focus more realistically on addressing the true drivers of our debt, rather than targeting those who are trying simply to serve their nation each and every day.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking our chairman, Mr. McKeon, and ranking member Mr. Smith for their leadership, and to thank all the staff for their great work. You know, in this city where partisan strife tends to reign supreme, it is truly refreshing to see folks able to work across the aisle and focus on a common goal, which is ensuring that the men and women of our all- volunteer force are provided with the highest-caliber resources, training, and authorities as they step into harm's way to complete their missions. Our Nation is the greatest nation the world has ever known, precisely because our brave servicemen and -women make up the finest military the world has ever known. But our military is certainly facing many difficult challenges, both here at home, where the Pentagon has endured 50 percent of the Nation's deficit reduction despite the fact it only comprises 20 percent of the budget, and also abroad, where our troops continue to serve bravely in Afghanistan, and where geopolitical focus is beginning to shift to the Asia Pacific. These challenges have certainly been at the heart of efforts by the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee throughout the past year. And over the past 6 months, the O&I Subcommittee convened a number of hearings and briefings on the training and development of the Afghan National Security Forces. I consider this issue one of our national security imperatives, and we must continue to monitor this effort in the months to come. Since June of 2011, the subcommittee also conducted an extended study of the Navy's 30-year shipbuilding program in order to better understand the effectiveness of this plan and its impact on the defense industrial base. These initiatives, and others like them, have been aimed at maximizing the successes of our military, increasing our capabilities for future successes, and ensuring efficient and effective use of resources and funding. At the heart of all of this, we must ensure that the looming defense cuts under sequestration are addressed. Our national security depends on us getting this right. This conference report today echoes these goals of providing for our military, and I'd like to thank the Members and staff for their dedication to our men and women in uniform. Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and Coast Guardsmen who selflessly serve this Nation on a daily basis. Without their service, we would not be the great Nation we are today, and their example inspires me on a daily basis.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr Speaker, I rise today to recognize those men and women who have served this great Nation with honor, men such as Lieutenant Commander Tom G. Weiler, United States Navy. For the past year, Lieutenant Commander Weiler, a proud submariner and graduate of the University of Notre Dame, served on my staff as a Congressional Defense Fellow. During his assignment, he served as a senior member of my staff responsible for defense, veterans, foreign affairs and intelligence matters. Lieutenant Commander Weiler executed his work as a liaison to the constituents of the First District and the numerous defense installations in the First District with distinction. Furthermore, he provided exceptional support to me as my staff liaison to the House Armed Services Committee in my role as a Subcommittee Chairman and as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus. Lieutenant Commander Weiler directly contributed to my goal of providing excellent constituent service to the people of the First District. He was responsible for bringing numerous constituent inquiries to a successful conclusion and he was able to leverage his personal and operational experience to respond to the most challenging inquiries. In addition to his efforts on behalf of the First District, Lieutenant Commander Weiler took on projects with regional, state and national implications, demonstrating his ability to view a challenge from many angles and develop innovative solutions often requiring collaboration across many levels of government. Lieutenant Commander Weiler's work ethic, duty to mission, and commitment to servant leadership is without equal. I believe that his personal drive to achieve excellence in his work has and will set a very high standard for his peers. I would also like to thank Lieutenant Commander Weiler for the service and sacrifice he has made, and continues to make, for our Nation and our great Navy. His keen sense of honor, impeccable integrity, boundless work ethic, and loyal devotion to duty earned him the respect and admiration of my staff and the First District of Virginia. After spending eight of the last eleven years stationed in Hawaii, which included multiple patrols in the Western Pacific and a 12-month deployment to Germany, Lieutenant Commander Weiler is headed to the England as the only U.S. Navy submarine officer to participate in the Royal Navy Submarine Command Course in Portsmouth, England in 2013. Following this distinguished opportunity to train with the British Royal Navy, Lieutenant Commander Weiler will embark on his journey to become an Executive Officer of a United States Navy submarine and attend the Submarine Command Course. After this intense course of instruction Lieutenant Commander Weiler will return to sea and to leading Sailors as he goes back into harm's way to execute his trade as submariner in the ``silent service'' of this great Nation. I have no doubt that Lieutenant Commander Weiler will continue to serve the United States Navy honorably and with distinction. I wish him the best of luck as he continues his Naval career. It was an honor and a pleasure having him serve on my staff. We all can sleep soundly at night knowing that men and women like Lieutenant Commander Tom Weiler are members of our all-volunteer force and they stand ready to defend our country and take the fight to our enemies; far away from their families and the comforts of the United States of America. Lieutenant Commander Weiler, thank you. Best of luck to you and God bless you, your family, and all the Sailors you are charged with leading. Fair winds and following seas . . . and GO IRISH!

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, Americans continue to look for work, to put food on the table, and to ensure their children have proper school supplies as fall comes into full swing. Yet the House is set to leave Washington today with many items on its to-do list. While Congress finishes up the work to pass a budget to fund the Federal Government, catastrophic cuts loom on the horizon, set to hit in January of 2013. Leaving these cuts unresolved is unconscionable. Not only is this the wrong message to send to the American people, it's simply not the right thing to do. Our all-volunteer force is at war, and these cuts threaten our national security. Furthermore, they threaten over 200,000 jobs in Virginia. Nine days remain before the new fiscal year begins. Congress should do the right thing and stay in Washington instead of ignoring the reality and delaying tough decisions. It's time to put governing over politics. Let's stay in Washington and finish the job that we were elected and expected to do.