Robert Wittman

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. I'd like to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership in moving H.R. 4310, the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, as it overwhelmingly passed the House Armed Services Committee. The provisions of this bill aptly demonstrate our collective commitment to our Nation's heroes--the men and women of our armed services who sacrifice so much each and every day for all of us. I've seen their efforts firsthand, having the opportunity to travel five times to Afghanistan, and I recently had the opportunity to visit wounded warriors in Bethesda and Balboa. Each visit reinforces how much this Nation owes the members of our all-volunteer force. Against this backdrop, I have worked to ensure that decisions made in Congress fulfill the appropriate oversight role in taking care of our troops and veterans and securing our Nation's defense. The bill before us today lives up to those solemn commitments. In particular, this bill blocks the proposed increase in TRICARE fees proposed by the administration. The administration's proposal places an unconscionable burden on our oldest and most vulnerable veterans by increasing their fees by 345 percent over a 10-year period. The bill recognizes our budgetary limits, but also keeps faith with America's veterans and servicemembers. This bill ensures that as we consider transition in Afghanistan, we adequately understand associated risks. Based on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee findings, this bill calls for periodic assessments of the factors resulting in such trends and the effectiveness of transfer agreements we've negotiated with foreign countries. This bill, through an amendment, also requires an assessment focused on similar trends for the Parwan Detention Facility in Afghanistan. Finally, this bill helps to preserve our Nation's maritime dominance by authorizing new construction of up to 10 destroyers and up to 10 submarines, as well as preventing early retirement of three cruisers. These assets will provide for our common defense, ensure we have the necessary resources for our strategic pivot to the Asia-Pacific, and help to maintain a healthy shipbuilding industrial base.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 75th Anniversary of Prince William Forest Park. Located in southern Prince William County, Virginia, Prince William Forest Park is a natural oasis just outside Washington D.C. Established in 1936, Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area (RDA) was constructed as a Great Depression area federal relief program. Recreational Demonstration Areas were built across the country, largely near urban areas to combat unemployment and to provide recreational opportunities for poverty stricken urban poor. Work on the park also provided employment. Depression era job programs, including the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration contributed the labor to build the parks roads, cabins, lakes and other facilities. For decades, Chopawamsic RDA provided outdoor recreational and education opportunities to the urban youth of our nation's capital. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, and the United States entrance into the war, Chopawamsic RDA served as training grounds for covert operatives of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). A precursor to today's Central Intelligence Service, OSS was a highly secretive wartime agency that waged covert activates behind enemy lines during World War II. Chopawamsic's forests and cabin infrastructure located in a rural area just an hour from Washington, D.C. provided an ideal location to train spies for the war effort. After the War, the Park was renamed Prince William Forest Park in 1948. Today, the Park provides miles of hiking and biking trails, camping, picnic spots and many programs for school aged children. Prince William Forest Park is truly one of the special natural resources in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I encourage my colleagues to join with me in commemorating Prince William Forest Park's 75th Anniversary.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man who has made an unforgettable mark on his community over the last fifty years. Since becoming Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site) on March 4, 1962, Rev. Lawrence A. Davies has lived a life full of dedicated service, guiding his church and his community through five decades of struggle and success. Rev. Davies will retire from his post on March 4, 2012, 50 years to the day after he began his tenure. A native of Houston, Rev. Lawrence A. Davies was elected to City Council shortly after arriving in Fredericksburg, and in 1976, he became the city's first African American mayor. During the 20 years he spent as mayor of Fredericksburg, Rev. Davies led the city through many economic development projects, including revitalizations of the city's downtown and the establishment of the city's first low-income housing complex. His tenure also saw the creation of a regional public transit system that successfully provided low-cost transportation to citizens. Rev. Davies' service has extended to his private exploits as well. Having been directly impacted by the tragic effects of sickle cell anemia on his family, he and his wife, Janice, have worked tirelessly to increase attention of and advocacy for the victims of this debilitating disease. Rev. Davies also founded Citizens United for Action, a group that promoted civic activism, racial tolerance, and voter education, and his guidance and leadership in the city undoubtedly helped to preserve peace during the Civil Rights era. He has served on numerous boards during his time in Fredericksburg, including the Mary Washington College Board of Directors, the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, and the Virginia Department of Transportation. As pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), Rev. Davies has served as an anchor of his community over the last fifty years. Under his leadership, the church has flourished, with continued growth in membership and a focus on the development of innovative ways to help the homeless and provide community outreach. I have worshipped with Rev. Davies and his congregation on multiple occasions, and his insightful, energetic sermons are full of spiritual encouragement and inspirational teachings. Rev. Davies' contributions to the Fredericksburg area since his arrival in 1962 have impacted the entire fabric of the region, and I greatly admire his selflessness, faith, and compassion for his fellow citizens. As he celebrates his retirement with friends and family on March 4, I wish him many years of happiness. I know that he will continue to set the standard for selfless service in Fredericksburg for many years to come, and I look forward to our continued friendship.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the many achievements of the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center (SRMC). Since the hospital opened in June of 2010, its staff and volunteers have served their community selflessly, assisting patients with everyday illnesses as well as after tragic incidents such as the August 2011 earthquake that was centered just 25 miles from SRMC. With over 50,000 total hours of volunteer service performed in less than two years, these individuals have shown an extraordinary devotion to their community, and their compassion and friendly service certainly played a part in SRMC's high patient satisfaction ratings in 2011. In a perfect world, there would be no need for hospitals; however, it is reassuring to know that there are great medical centers such as SRMC should we ever require medical assistance. I'd like to commend the doctors, nurses, administrators, and volunteers who make up the impressive team at SRMC on their stellar performance in the brief amount of time since the hospital's inception, and I look forward to following the continued service of the great folks at the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center in the future.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize those men and women who have served this great Nation while conducting combat operations in Iraq over the past 9 years. From March 20, 2003 until December 31, 2011 our Nation's Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines supported Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn while serving in Iraq. During this time they disarmed and removed Saddam Hussein from power, freed a country and its people from years of suffering under an oppressive dictatorship, and fought a brutal insurgency. Many members of our all-volunteer force, the greatest all-volunteer force in history, served multiple combat tours in Iraq during this time with little dwell time at home. More than 1.5 million members of the United States Armed Forces served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn conducting operations against a dangerous and determined enemy force. 4,474 members of the United States Armed Forces made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn and 32,223 members of the United States Armed Forces were wounded during almost 9 years of military operations in Iraq. During this time four Medals of Honor, the highest United States award for military valor, were awarded for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, additionally, at least 327 Silver Stars, 21 Navy Crosses, and 15 Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces. I stand today to recognize the tremendous personal sacrifice of the members of the United States Armed Forces who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, many of whom were committed to multiple deployments away from loved ones, and the contributions of military families on the home front. The bravery and service of our all- volunteer force, the best and the brightest that our Nation has to offer, adds to the enduring legacy of the proud history of our armed forces. I am committed to honoring the memory of these heroes for their courage and sacrifice. To all the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, welcome home and thank you for your service to the United States of America.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I don't think there is anyone in this country who supports increasing pay for Members of Congress. I certainly don't, which is why I voted in favor of H.R. 3835 on Wednesday. Throughout my tenure in this body, I have continually voted to cut, freeze, and otherwise limit pay for Members. With so many folks across Virginia's First District and the nation struggling to feed their families or find a job, Congress has got to lead by example and show that it is serious about tackling this country's economic woes in a responsible manner. An important part of being responsible, however, is the ability to be fair, and I fear that H.R. 3835 sets an unfair precedent by targeting a particular group of public servants who are already tasked to do so much for their country: federal employees. Government workers have been under a pay freeze since December of 2010, and this legislation would extend that freeze through 2013. These hardworking patriots serve our nation on a daily basis, whether it be keeping our skies safe for travelers with the FAA or supporting our troops on the front lines of the war on terror with the CIA. From the lowest GS-1 to the highest GS- 15, the federal workforce is full of dedicated and committed citizens who exemplify patriotism in everything they do. There is no question that changing the unsustainable trajectory of this nation will take sacrifice from us all, but continually singling out federal employees is an ineffective and unjustified response to the nation's fiscal struggles. Although I have serious concerns with the federal employee pay freeze, I ultimately voted for this legislation because Congress must lead by example and freeze our own pay first. I would like to remind my colleagues that long after we are all gone, federal employees will continue to selflessly serve this nation, as they have since its inception. Repeatedly singling them out is no way to thank them for their dedicated contributions. I am hopeful that future deficit reduction efforts in this body will focus on more realistic methods of savings that truly address the drivers of our debt so that we can foster an environment of job creation and prosperity in this country.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In 1934, the Congress enacted the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act. This law required hunters to purchase a Federal duck stamp in order to hunt migratory waterfowl. Proceeds from the sale of these stamps have been used to preserve vital wetlands and waterfowl habitats across the country. Every year, hunters, bird watchers, and stamp collectors visit the post office, National Wildlife Refuge, or sporting goods store to purchase their duck stamp. For the past 4 years, eight States have participated in an electronic duck stamp pilot program. Instead of having to visit a bricks-and- mortar store, hunters and collectors could purchase the duck stamp online. By all accounts, the program has been a tremendous success. Many Americans have enjoyed the convenience of buying a Federal duck stamp over the Internet. I'm the author of this legislation and would like to see that it continues to allow hunters to electronically purchase the annual Federal duck stamp required to hunt migratory waterfowl. It is time to make this permanent feature a Federal law for a more efficient and faster process. Similar technology is already embraced by States that allow sportsmen to obtain their hunting and fishing licenses online. And, by the way, many States who require a duck stamp also allow their hunters to purchase the duck stamp online. And as I have spoken with a number of hunters, they also indicate an interest to be able to do this. And especially hunters that may, at the last minute, decide to want to pursue a hunting activity the next day, if they are not in the area where a post office is open, then they are not able to enjoy a day on the water hunting waterfowl. As a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission and an avid waterfowl hunter, I am proud to sponsor this legislation to modernize the distribution of the Federal duck stamp program without burdening the taxpayer. I want to compliment the lead cosponsor of this bill, Congressman Ron Kind from Wisconsin, for his leadership, his commitment, and his passion on sportsmen's issues and waterfowl conservation. Anybody who knows Representative Kind knows how strongly he feels about this. He has worked on this issue for a number of years, and I thank him for those ongoing efforts. H.R. 3117 is supported by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and Ducks Unlimited. I urge support for this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. With that, Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I also yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam 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. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3117) to grant the Secretary of the Interior permanent authority to authorize States to issue electronic duck stamps, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, H.R. 1141 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, and limestone forest sites on Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National Park System. The island of Rota contains cultural and natural resources, including caves with pictographs and several other prehistoric relics as well as sites from the 20th century Japanese occupation. Additionally, Rota has a natural limestone forest that is habitat for endangered species native to the island. With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1141) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, and limestone forest sites on Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National Park System.

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

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

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume, and 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 express my concern about the United States Navy's future plan to home port a nuclear powered aircraft carrier aboard Naval Station Mayport. I, along with other members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation, have continued to question the duplication of resources to move the home port of a nuclear aircraft carrier, when current resources in Norfolk, Virginia, meet these needs. This nation is in very challenging and uncharted waters with respect to the Department of Defense budget. Every effort must be made to ensure efficient and thoughtful planning, procurement, and budgeting is conducted to support our national security strategy for the 21st century. While the budget may be getting smaller, the request for power projection and forward presence around the globe to protect our interests and ensure a peaceful future is only growing. Sequestration and the very real possibility of cutting $1 billion out of the Department of Defense budget over the next ten years puts our carrier force in jeopardy. With these major defense cuts coming we are forced to address the proposal by the United States Navy to move a nuclear powered aircraft carrier to Naval Station Mayport. While strategic dispersal of forces is important, what is more important is that we maintain a capable level of forces to disperse. An iconic symbol of American freedom domestically and abroad and a potential item for the sequestration chopping block, the aircraft carrier could face detrimental cuts to her fleet and capability because of a flawed defense strategy driven by looming budget cuts. The Navy has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in her fleet. While six remain deployed across the world, supporting operations, others are in rotation, utilized for training or remain in the shipyard for necessary maintenance. On September 23, 2011, I wrote the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jonathan Greenert arguing that at a time when the nation's historic fiscal challenges will require drastic cuts in federal spending, it is fiscally irresponsible and strategically unnecessary to build expensive and redundant nuclear-support infrastructure for CVN homeporting when there are more cost-effective alternatives to sustain Mayport's future as an operational base. Admiral Greenert's response to the letter indicated concerns raised about the movement of an aircraft carrier to Mayport would be included in the Navy's strategic calculus. He stated that ``the size of fiscal adjustments compels us to take a comprehensive strategic review, examining every program element, including the funding required to homeport a CVN in Mayport''. The conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 1540, addressed the issue of military construction funding for a road improvement project at Mayport. It states, ``The conferees determined that the Massey Avenue Corridor Improvements Project had merit to support requirements at the Naval Station Mayport, Florida, whether or not a nuclear powered aircraft carrier was home ported there.'' The proposed home port shift of an aircraft carrier, especially in this challenging budget environment, is unaffordable and unnecessary and I encourage this Congress and the United States Navy to carefully consider a better utilization of taxpayer resources to fund our men and women in uniform.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Illinois, a member of the conference committee, Mr. Schilling.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would tell my colleagues I am prepared to close.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. I want to thank our conferees and the members of the Armed Services Committee once again, and I want to thank our staff directors, Bob Simmons and Paul Arcangeli. This conference report addresses a wide array of policy issues, from cooperation with nations like Israel and Georgia, operations in Afghanistan, our new partnership with Iraq, and balancing strategic opportunities and risks with respect to China and Pakistan, to mitigating the threat from Iran and North Korea, enhancing missile defense, and maintaining this Nation's nuclear deterrent. Passage ensures our troops get a 1.6 percent pay raise and the benefits their families rely upon. This bill also ensures that we continue to fulfill our Nation's most sacred obligations to our brave men and women serving in the greatest all-volunteer force in history. The service by our men and women in uniform is priceless, especially during the last 10 years of combat operations. Besides thanking them for their service and sacrifice to this Nation in ensuring they are afforded the best benefits and care for their service, there's little we can do to repay them for standing the watch and keeping America safe. This bill authorizes a modest 1.6 percent pay increase, but it never can express how truly grateful we are as a Nation for the service and sacrifice of our all-volunteer force and their families. Additionally, some very important provisions were included to ensure our industrial base maintains a constant workload and a fully employed workforce; and $14.9 billion was authorized for U.S. Navy shipbuilding, a total of 10 ships, which include two Virginia class submarines. The bill also extends the multiyear funding authority for the second and third Ford-class aircraft carriers for 4 to 5 years of incremental funding authority. American ingenuity, creativity, and initiative are alive and well in our shipyards that build warships for the United States Navy. Shipbuilding is supported through business and industry spanning 50 States and designed and engineered by our greatest asset--the American people. The American aircraft carrier is the pinnacle of this industrial engineering ingenuity and genius where mechanical, nuclear aerospace, and electrical engineering converge with naval architecture to form a magnificent 100,000-ton, 1,092-foot-long piece of American sovereignty that travels anywhere, anytime around the world. Additionally, the bill reinstates the requirement for annual delivery of the Navy's 30-year shipbuilding plan solidifying the need for the Navy to communicate their plan as it relates to the strategic objectives of the United States balanced against a very challenging budget environment. I'm pleased that this legislation came together to support our men and women in uniform. In times of austerity, they remain a priority, as do the safety and security of this Nation. Today, I stand in support of this legislation and encourage my colleagues to support its passage; and I would like to reflect that all 26 Senate conferees signed this report, and 29 out of the 32 core House conferees signed as well. This is a solid product, thoroughly debated and deliberated considerably. I urge my colleagues to support and vote in favor of the conference report. Mr. Speaker, with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces and member of the conference committee, Mr. Turner.

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Missouri, the chairman of the Small Business Committee and a member of the conference committee, Mr. Graves.

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 Jason M. Wood, United States Navy. For the past year, Lieutenant Commander Wood 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 Wood 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 the Co-Chair of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus. Lieutenant Commander Wood 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 Wood 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 Wood'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 Wood and his beautiful young family for the service and sacrifice they 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 1st District of Virginia. After spending eight of the last ten years stationed in Hawaii, which included three combat deployments to Afghanistan and a 12 month deployment to Bahrain, Lieutenant Commander Wood is headed to the N88 staff at the Pentagon. After that tour Lieutenant Commander Wood will return to the sky and to leading Sailors as he goes back in to harm's way to execute his trade as Naval Aviator. I have no doubt that Lieutenant Commander Wood 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 Jason Wood 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 Wood, thank you. Best of luck to you and God bless you, your family, and your fellow men and women in uniform.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chair, on rollcall Nos. 760 and 761 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on both 760 and 761. Amendment No. 3 Offered by Ms. Edwards