Robert Wittman

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Well, thank you, Representative Carter. I thank you and Representative Gohmert for your leadership in putting forth a bill to make sure we address this issue of military pay for our men and women in uniform. And, you know, Mr. Speaker, we shouldn't even be here tonight. We should be having before us a spending decision that doesn't call into question whether or not we can pay our men and women in uniform. Now, that's absolutely reprehensible. You know, it's clear that this spending discussion needs to be focused, and it needs to be focused on making sure that we're getting our troops paid, bottom line, period. I had the opportunity a couple weeks ago to travel to Afghanistan, and I had the privilege there to visit with a young man who's a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. And I had met his family earlier in the little town of Pocosin. And I was there for a pancake breakfast one morning there at a middle school, and I had a chance to see his family there, and I talked to his wife, and I met his children. And they told me that their father was deployed downrange. And I asked where he was, and they gave me the information. And I said, Well, listen. I'm going to be going there soon. I want to make sure that I have a chance to visit him. So I was able to go downrange and visit this fine lieutenant colonel. He's doing a great job for this Nation. They are under very trying conditions there in Afghanistan. I had a chance to thank him for his service and had a chance to also, when I got back, to call his wife and to thank her and her family for their sacrifice and for them staying back home here in anxiety as their father and husband served downrange. And folks, I cannot imagine being in a situation to look that lieutenant colonel in the eye and say, You know something? Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. But we don't think enough about what you're doing to even have the backbone to stand and make sure that you get paid. You know, how do you look at their family, that mother who's at home, those children whose father and husband are downrange being deployed, and look them in the eye and say, Hey, listen, thanks for your sacrifice, but, by the way, we're not going to be able to make a decision up here to make sure that you get the paycheck that supports your family in the weeks to come? I mean, I cannot imagine how we are letting ourselves get to that point. Mr. Speaker, there is a lack of fortitude to make sure that we get this done and get it done now. Just as Representative Carter said, the time is now. This needs to get done. We have a deadline of Friday. This Congress needs to act, get this done. And also, as you pointed out, we have a spending problem here. It is clear that spending is absolutely out of control. As Mr. Carter said, clearly there is a spending issue we need to address. We're on an unsustainable path. This has to be done. This decision has to be done on time. The American people expect leadership out of this Congress. They expect leadership out of both sides. As the Speaker said, we can't continue to negotiate with ourselves. We have to have folks on the other side of the aisle that are willing and able to say yes, we're going to get these things done; there's at least a counterproposal, instead of saying no, no, no. There has to be more to this than ``no.'' Our goal is to cut spending and reduce the size of government. It's not to shut it down. I know you hear out there people say, oh, you know, they want to shut it down. They want to shut it down. That's the last thing we want to do. We don't want to shut it down. We want to make sure that our military gets paid. That's the bottom line. And we have to get this thing done as soon as possible. My question is: Is Congress in Washington, D.C., so out of touch that we don't get it, that we don't get what the American people have sent us here to do, what they want us to accomplish? Do they expect from us that we're going to forgo a budget and not ensure that our military families get paid? I think that's not the case. They want to make sure we act, and I want to make sure that we act and make sure that we get things done. And I think we ought to bypass the 72-hour review rule and get this done out of respect for our men and women in uniform. Again, I want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Carter and Mr. Gohmert, for their leadership in bringing this bill forward to ensure that our military get their pay. I am a proud cosponsor of that act because I think it is the responsible way to go about getting things done. I was also eager to join 80 of my colleagues in signing a letter to Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid to let him know that this needs to get done: We need to pay our men and women in uniform. You know, in my district, in what we call America's first district, we have a proud tradition of military there, with seven military installations and a number of people there that serve this country and are now retired or in active duty. We have a great military presence there. I got a call the other day from a mother in Stafford County. And she said, ``My husband is an active duty military officer. And if I understand the news correctly, if this budget isn't passed by April 8, 2011, the military will be expected to work and will not be paid until the budget has been passed. My family will struggle. And I am concerned about how I am going to pay my mortgage and feed my family. If the military is asked to work without pay, you will be causing severe stress on our families. As a spouse who has endured my husband's deployment in Iraq four times, I know the thought of not getting paid would be making me sick. I also know that I would not be able to talk to my husband about this concern because I wouldn't want him to worry. Please work hard and pass the budget. I am counting on you.'' Folks, there are so many people out there that are counting on us, counting on Congress to stand up and do what is needed to be done to make sure that our military families get paid, to make sure that we adopt a budget, to make sure that we get this country on the right track to reduce spending. The time has come for us to get that done. You know, our military members out there do a fantastic job for this country. It is unconscionable to even think about them worrying about not getting paid, or for folks downrange to be thinking about what's happening here in Washington rather than being able to focus on their mission downrange. Folks, we need to get this done. Our military families serve this Nation with honor, with distinction, and without question. And they are there performing flawlessly. They don't have to, I think, be expected to have that uncertainty about what's going to happen here in the future. So I want to make sure that this bill gets done and that we take away any worry from our military families or folks serving downrange. Our military families need to be worrying about the everyday necessities of life, and not have to worry about getting paid and to make sure they can meet those necessities. And our men and women downrange need to be focusing on the mission that they have at hand. Just as Mr. Carter said, our military and their families have been to war now for almost 10 years, some of them on their fifth, sixth, and seventh deployments. You know, we need to keep in mind the sacrifices that those families make and know the great job that they are doing, the hard work that they put forward. It's time for us to show the same resolve here and get this budget done and make sure that we without question assure that our military families are paid, that our men and women that serve downrange get the respect that they deserve from this body here in Congress. So Mr. Carter, I thank you for your leadership. Mr. Gohmert, I thank him for his leadership in making sure that this is first and foremost in our minds about ensuring that our military gets paid. With that, Mr. Carter, I yield back.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, due to a family emergency I unfortunately missed a series of votes on February 17, 2011, which included roll call votes number 67 through 79. If I had been present, I would have voted ``yes'' or ``aye'' on rollcall vote number 67, 68, 69, 70, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, and 79. If I had been present, I would have voted ``no'' or ``nay'' on rollcall vote number 71.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by my colleague from Virginia. This amendment would give Congress time to conduct oversight over the decision to close Joint Forces Command pure and simple, and specifically it would allow us to determine how the closure could impact national security. In August, it was announced by the Pentagon that JFCOM would be disestablished, but there was no transparency in that decision. Congress was not informed, and Congress asked multiple times for the analysis that was done that led to the decision to close JFCOM without getting that information. This leads me to believe that a thorough and detailed analysis into the JFCOM decision was never conducted. It leads me also to believe that in 5 years the Pentagon will be asking Congress to set up a mechanism to ensure jointness among our services. Capabilities exist under JFCOM that are vital to our national security and paramount to our success in the current wars the military is fighting. Without that analysis, we cannot know whether we are casting away years of joint experience that will be crucial to the future defense of this Nation.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Section 2: ``Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being 21 years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens 21 years of age in such State.''

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by recognizing Ranking Member McKeon for his leadership and for his thoughtfulness in this whole process of leading the House Armed Services Committee on the minority side. I also want to recognize our outgoing chairman, Ike Skelton. What a tremendous legacy of service to this Nation, of devotion to our men and women in uniform. I know everybody out there that has served this Nation during his time in Congress is better off for his leadership here on the House Armed Services Committee, and I thank him for that. He has been a mentor to many of us on the committee. Every once in a while taking his hand, placing it on your shoulder, giving you a thoughtful word or a little advice or a little input on this whole process that we go through here has really affected many of us on the House Armed Services Committee, and I thank him deeply for that. We have before us the national defense authorization bill, which I'm happy to support but disappointed in the process and how we have gotten here. I'm concerned in that the House put a significant amount of effort into passing a national defense authorization act, with all the members having their input there and with, I think, there being a very thoughtful process. The concern now is that we have a bill before us very different than the one that came before the House previously, one that had been crafted without that transparency, without that input of all the members of the committee. Again, that disturbs all of us. The process needs to go through where everybody's thoughts and ideas are incorporated into the bill. I hope and I am confident, in the future, that will not happen again. Our men and women in uniform deserve better. They deserve the total commitment to make sure that we do everything possible to pass a national defense authorization act that has all the provisions in there that each member of the committee has worked so hard to put in there.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6494, a bill that would authorize procurement for the Littoral Combat Ship. And I will start by thanking Chairman Taylor, who has been extraordinarily diligent in this effort in making sure that our Nation gets the best deal on LCS, knowing that there have been some hiccups in the past. He stood up and made sure this process was going to happen properly, that it was going to be the best value for our Navy and the best value for the United States. So I applaud the chairman for his leadership there. And also to Ranking Member Akin who, alongside the chairman, made sure also that this process was going to happen properly and that the proper decisions were going to be made and that we were going to make the best decision on behalf of our Navy. And as we all know, this legislation would amend the FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act to authorize the procurement of 20 Littoral Combat Ships which are absolutely needed these days in our Navy. This bill would also allow the Navy to enter into one or more contracts and allow the Navy to conduct a competition for an additional shipyard for ship construction to be built to a design specification for that ship. That technical data package will belong to the United States, so if something doesn't go right with this two-ship acquisition, we have the opportunity to fix that and get it back on track. Absent an NDAA, it is imperative to ensure that our Navy shipbuilding program remains on the right track. By procuring 20 Littoral Combat Ships, that gives our Navy the ability to increase its mission capability and project power throughout the littoral waterways around the globe. We need to do everything we can to get Federal spending under control, and this bill does that. This bill, as Chairman Taylor says, cuts to the heart of reducing spending, gets us actually the same number, if not a little bit more, for $2 billion less. It is a good deal for this Nation. The thing we have to keep in mind in the future is looking at the operation and maintenance costs of two platforms, making sure they were holding the Navy firm to controlling costs there, both the training costs of multiple crews and the operation and maintenance costs. We have been assured by Under Secretary Stackley that that will happen. So I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3860, a bill that would ensure greater accountability for the operations at Arlington National Cemetery. I would first like to thank the gentleman from California, Chairman Filner, for his leadership on this issue and bringing this bill to the floor to make sure that this issue is put out there in the forefront, and to the gentleman from Indiana, Ranking Member Buyer, who has done the same, who is passionate about making sure that we are doing the right thing and making the right decisions. I think the ranking member points out some great things we ought to remember, and that is, let's make sure we do a proper examination. Let's not be hasty in reaching judgments. Let's make sure that we are thoughtful about this and make sure we are holding people accountable and not too quickly getting to a point of transference but really getting at the root of the problem. So I appreciate the ranking member for his thoughtfulness on that. Mr. Speaker, these are our Nation's heroes who have fought and have died to protect our country, and they deserve absolute dignity and honor. The mishandling of remains and gravesites at Arlington has demonstrated that there was a clear lack of accountability. After allegations of mismanagement surfaced in June, Army Secretary John McHugh rightly came forward to accept responsibility and immediately made changes to correct the system. And I want to applaud the Secretary for doing that. He has done great work in making sure that this issue gets addressed. I do believe that this legislation is necessary, though, as the next step to ensure accountability and to avoid these issues in the future. S. 3860 would require the Secretary of the Army to submit a report to Congress accounting for all the gravesites at Arlington Cemetery within 1 year. And folks, this is a significant effort. There are 320,000 of our heroes buried at Arlington. There may be up to 6,600 gravesites in question. We owe it to the families, we owe it to those servicemembers to make sure that this issue is addressed. This bill would require the Army to submit plans to remedy any errors found and make sure that those don't happen again in the future. Under the bill, the Comptroller General would be required to report to Congress on efforts to change the management and oversight structure at Arlington National Cemetery, including contract management. I am pleased that the legislation requires an assessment of the adequacy of current practices at Arlington, to provide information, outreach and support to the families of individuals buried at the cemetery as errors are detected and corrected. And we've seen some of those things happen here recently. I just heard the other day of a family who was told that the remains of their loved one were, indeed, known and that they were confirmed. Unfortunately, a week later they were called and told that that was not the case. We need to make sure we get this right, and we need to make sure we keep in mind the effects on families who have loved ones and our Nation's heroes that are buried there. The families deserve timely and accurate information about the location of their loved ones, and I want to make sure that that happens and happens in every case without ambiguity. Arlington is the last resting place of so many of our Nation's heroes, those service men and women who are called upon and gave the ultimate sacrifice to this country and, folks, they deserve nothing less. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize those men and women who have served this great Nation with honor, men such as Lieutenant Damon Loveless, United States Navy. For the past year, Lieutenant Loveless, who has already been selected to become a Lieutenant Commander, served on my staff as a Congressional Defense Fellow. In the last six months of his assignment, he served as my Military Legislative Assistant and as my principal staff member responsible for defense, veterans, foreign affairs and intelligence matters. Lieutenant Loveless 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 Ranking Member and the U.S. Naval Academy in my role as a member of the Board of Visitors. Lieutenant Loveless 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 Loveless 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 Loveless' 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 Loveless and his 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. Lieutenant Loveless is headed back to the Fleet to assume his duties at sea as a leader and mentor to our Nation's Sailors. Furthermore, he is going back into harm's way to execute his trade as Naval Aviator, flying the F/A-18 Super Hornet. I have no doubt that Lieutenant Loveless 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 Damon Loveless 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 Damon Loveless, 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. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from California for yielding. I would like to thank him, also, for his leadership in this issue. I rise today in support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 1722, the Telework Improvement Act. This legislation will foster the use of telework by Federal agencies by ensuring that each agency has a telework policy, and that employees are informed about their eligibility to telework. This bill would ensure that those Federal employees who are eligible to telework are able to do so, with an emphasis on enhancing agency operations and productivity. Virginia's First District is home to thousands of Federal employees, many of whom commute hours each day. Despite the fact that there are such numerous benefits to teleworking, such as reduced traffic congestion and energy consumption, cost savings, competitive hiring and retention, readiness and emergency preparedness, many Federal agencies continue to underutilize telework. The snowstorm last winter, as we have heard referred to today, which closed the Federal Government several days is a good example of how teleworking programs can achieve cost savings. We saw during that time that 30 percent of our Federal workers actually teleworked during that snowstorm, achieving $30 million daily in reduced costs for that Federal workforce being offsite. As Representative Wolf so stated there, that, I think, is a great example of the potential savings that can be achieved through teleworking. Under this legislation, Federal employees handling classified information, though, would not be eligible to telework. This policy effectively prevents the use of teleworking programs by employees who need access to classified information specifically in the areas of defense, homeland security, law enforcement, and intelligence. The Director of the National Intelligence Agency's Vision 2015 states that there is a definite need for cross-organizational collaboration, cross-functional teams, and joint duty amongst the intelligence agencies, and this is going to require a much more agile infrastructure. Vision 2015, as it is identified, suggests that the intelligence community will have to shift from the current centralized model, where employees are consolidated in a single location, to a model where a dispersed workforce can rapidly come together in a virtual environment to respond to new tasks and missions. This workforce is going to have to be flexible and is going to have to be spread out so that strategically we can meet whatever challenges this Nation may face in the future. I look forward to working with my colleagues to further explore the potential of secure teleworking. Robust teleworking programs at Federal agencies will get cars off congested roads, enhance productivity, reduce costs, and ensure continuity of operations. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, the great patriots living in the original 13 colonies in the early years of this Nation relied on hard work, enduring spirit, and innovative thinking to create America. We are in the final weeks of the 111th Congress, and during this session, much of the legislation passed challenged the fundamental characteristics of what makes our Nation great: self-reliance, responsibility, taking risks, and making tough decisions. Instead, we have seen more mandates, burdensome regulations, and overbearing debt and deficits--hardly what those founding patriots intended. After a few months back in America's First District, the message from Virginians is simple: Stop the spending. Keep freedom intact. Congress has two choices: Continue on the same path or chart a new, responsible path. Mr. Speaker, Congress has the responsibility to work together to chart a new course and allow this Nation to prosper for years to come.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 20th Anniversary of the Southeast Community Day Parade and Festival in Newport News, VA and to congratulate Andrew Shannon for his longtime dedication to this special event and to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The Southeast Community Day Parade and Festival was founded and organized in 1990 by Andrew Shannon for the purpose of strengthening community ties. The Southeast Community Day Parade and Festival is presented by the Southeast Community Day Planning Committee and Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Last year, the event attracted over 60,000 attendees, including national civil rights leaders, and I am pleased that the Newport News Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference will continue this wonderful occasion for a 20th consecutive year. I look forward to joining the citizens in the Hampton Roads region to celebrate this outstanding community event and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this special occasion.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the President of the United States signed legislation into law that dramatically alters the way our financial sector works and makes it harder for our economy to recover. Instead of bringing much-needed reforms to modernize our financial system, this law grows government again. As The Wall Street Journal put it, ``What started as a promise to streamline and modernize the financial system turned into 2,300 pages of new agencies and new powers for the very authorities that fomented the financial crisis.'' According to a recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce study, Federal regulators will have to write 520 rules, issue 81 studies and 93 reports. I opposed this measure as it came before the House. Business owners and constituents across my district are frustrated because the policies coming from Washington create more bureaucracy and stifle job creation. It's time that Washington focuses on commonsense principles that put Americans back to work, reduce government expansion, and get our economy back on track. We must head back in the right direction for the future of this Nation.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to a fallen hero. Private First Class Richard M. Dawson of the United States Army served this country proudly and with the highest level of honor. He gave the ultimate sacrifice to this nation by paying with his life while fighting for freedom in one of this country's most trying conflicts, World War II. PFC Dawson grew up on a farm in Haynesville in Richmond County, known affectionately by his family as ``Norris''. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1938 and was one of a select few chosen to join the Allied effort to regain control of Burma from the Japanese. In 1944, his Army Air Force unit was stationed in Dinjan, India, flying transport missions over ``the Hump'' of the Himalaya Mountains to supply American, British and Chinese forces fighting the Japanese in China and Burma. Despite reported bad weather conditions, his aircraft commander demonstrated extreme courage and elected to carry out its vital cargo- drop mission in the northern most portion of Burma. The Army reported the twin-engine C-47 Skytrain and its crew of seven took off to drop ammunition at Myitkyina in the mountains of northern Burma. Tragically, the aircraft never reached the drop zone and all seven crewmembers perished. Efforts to find the cargo plane were unsuccessful until late 2002 when a missionary provided U.S. officials with a data plate from a C-47 crash site approximately 31 miles northwest of Myitkyina. A Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command team excavated the crash site in 2003 and 2004, recovering additional remains and crew-related equipment which included an identification tag for Dawson. The remains of the Richmond County airman were buried July 15, 2010 in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. PFC Dawson is survived by his 78 year-old sister Christine King, who remembers the day in 1944 that a telegram arrived to tell the Dawson family that their son and brother was missing. He was 25 years old at the time. Dawson was a loving son who wrote frequent letters to his mother, beginning each one imploring her not to worry about him. This is a prime example of Dawson's selflessness which was exemplified throughout the duration of his service. I extend to PFC Dawson's relatives my sincere condolences and deep appreciation for his service to our nation. We are forever appreciative of the sacrifice he made to further the cause of freedom. We hope that his remaining family will find comfort in knowing he will rest in peace among America's finest who answered our nation's call to duty and who did so with bravery and valor.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 445, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Ranking Member Issa for his great work on this bill. I appreciate your words and Congressman Wolf's words concerning the things that we need to do. Telework is a nonpartisan issue. It just make sense. It's how do we create efficiencies? And these days we want to be able to do more with less in what is definitely a resource-challenged environment. Despite the fact there are numerous benefits of teleworking, such as reduced traffic congestion and reduced energy consumption, cost savings, competitive hiring and retention, and emergency preparedness, as we saw during the snowstorm, many Federal agencies continue to underutilize telework. And this bill is going to help ensure that Federal employees who are eligible to telework are able to do so without diminishing agency operations and performance. Under this legislation, Federal employees handling classified information, though, would not be eligible to telework. And folks, that's a group of people that we are missing out on. There's a great opportunity there to bring those folks that work in secure networks to the table to participate in telework. And I offered an amendment that was rejected by the Rules Committee that would have required the Office of Personnel Management to report on the status of any programs for teleworking by Federal employees whose primary duties require access to secure networks, and to identify at least two sites for a possible teleworking pilot program. And I look forward in the future to working with my colleagues to further explore the potential for secure teleworking. We all know in this region there are a number of agencies that have their employees working on secure networks. We ought to make sure we are looking at bringing those folks in. We saw during the snowstorm $30 million of efficiency we picked up during that period of time. So this truly is a nonpartisan issue of looking at increased efficiencies. We ought to be looking across the board at all the ways that we can lift telework up, make it available for every different aspect of Federal work operations to make sure we are doing all we can to increase efficiencies, folks. And this is entirely possible. We have had conversations with folks within the agencies. They are ready, willing, and able to pursue this. We need to give them the mechanism to get this done. The desire is there. The need is there. Whenever we match those two together, we have the ability to get this done. So again, this is a nonpartisan issue. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this, and let this be the first step to making sure we have telework as an opportunity for the entire Federal workforce.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I am privileged to rise today to honor the 400th Anniversary of the City of Hampton, Virginia. I am pleased to recognize and honor the City of Hampton as it celebrates its 400th Anniversary on July 9, 2010. The City of Hampton is America's first and oldest continuous English-speaking settlement. It is one of seven major cities that comprise the Hampton Roads areas, and is located on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula and borders the Chesapeake Bay. On April 30, 1607, Captain John Smith landed at Strawberry Banks. Three years later, on July 9, 1610, English Colonists established a small town at the entrance of the James River and the Chesapeake Bay. Well-situated, the area became one of the leading ports in America and the entrance to the Commonwealth of Virginia with many settlers passed by its shores before moving into the interior. Early settlers also saw the strategic defensive importance of the area, establishing Old Point Comfort where the Elizabeth, Nansemond and James rivers empty into the Chesapeake Bay. In 1830, construction of Fort Monroe began. Named in honor of President James Monroe, the fort is the oldest active duty fort in the nation. By the 1600s, the South King Street waterfront was the center of a prosperous settlement and hub for the seafood industry. Wharves and maritime merchants extended along the waterfront, and crab skiffs, oyster canoes and buy boats lined the river and creeks giving rise to the nickname `Crabtown.' The crabs caught became world famous, wining prizes at the Berlin, London and Paris World Fair's. This gave rise to shipyards, shipfitters, carpenters, blacksmiths and coopers to support the maritime industry.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we heard Washington won't have a budget blueprint this year. For the first time in modern history, Congress will not perform one of its primary responsibilities. I believe it is simply not acceptable to pass the buck at a time when families are feeling uncertain about what comes next in this economy. All across this Nation, families are making tough choices. Is this decision to forgo a budget simply to pass on making tough choices? Without a budget, Congress is avoiding the tough choices American families and small businesses must make every day. This failure to govern and to lead is especially alarming as spending deficits and debt continue to spiral out of control. The Treasury Department reported recently that the Federal Government is now $13 trillion in the red, marking the first time the government has sunk that far into debt. The United States simply cannot continue on an unchecked spending spree that will put the future of our economic strength in jeopardy in the short term and for the next generation. We have to control spending in Washington. It must start now. American individuals and families are looking for leadership. I ask leaders of this House today to reconsider this decision and to perform the duties we are elected to do.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize three outstanding young men from Montross, Virginia who have exhibited the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in Troop 252 of the Boy Scouts of America and earning the prestigious title of Eagle Scout. Each of the scouts selflessly dedicated his time and resources to benefit the surrounding community, and they are all fine representatives of my hometown. Murphy Bailey, a 2009 graduate of Washington and Lee High School, used his Eagle Scout project to help the citizens of nearby Kinsale, Virginia, pouring concrete bases and building picnic tables to enhance visitors' experiences in the town park. Murphy is currently farming in Westmoreland County. Trent Jones, a recent graduate of Washington and Lee High School, rebuilt a dilapidated fence at Beulah Baptist Church in Lyelles, Virginia. Trent raised the project funds, formulated a budget, and managed the workers who assisted in the fence's reconstruction. Trent plans to attend Virginia Tech in the fall. G. E. ``Bubby'' Miles, also a recent graduate of Washington and Lee High School, volunteered a considerable amount of his time at the Cople District Fire Department in Coles Point. Bubby plans to attend college in the fall. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Murphy Bailey, Trent Jones, and Bubby Miles for their accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for the efforts each of them put forth in achieving the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember a United States Marine who serves as an example of courage and patriotism to us all. Sergeant Donald J. Lamar II, of the United States Marine Corps, recently gave the last full measure of devotion and sacrifice for our beloved nation while supporting combat operations in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. Men such as Sergeant Lamar epitomize the core value of selfless service that we all hold so dear in the United States, and especially in the United States Marine Corps. Sergeant Lamar grew up in Stafford County, Virginia, and graduated from Stafford High School in 2004. There, he was known by his teachers, coaches, and friends as a well-rounded leader who excelled in sports, particularly wrestling and football. After graduation, Sergeant Lamar joined the Marine Corps and was assigned to the First Battalion, Second Marine Regiment, Second Marine Division, of the Second Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Although already among America's elite fighting force as an infantryman, Sergeant Lamar chose to be part of an even more exclusive group--Marine Sniper. He stood out at every opportunity and always gave his utmost. Sergeant Lamar's awards at the time of his deployment included the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, and Afghanistan Campaign Medal. To add to his list of accolades, he was recently meritoriously promoted to Sergeant, a unique and fitting distinction for a combat-proven leader of Sergeant Lamar's caliber. A man of character and fortitude, Sergeant Lamar bravely served two combat tours in Iraq. He was most recently serving his third combat tour in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, where fierce fighting was taking place daily during 2010. Tragically, on May 12th, 2010, Sergeant Lamar exhibited the ultimate sacrifice for his country, family, and friends while engaged in combat operations there. His leadership in the Marine Corps and his local community will not be forgotten. I extend to Sergeant Lamar's entire family my sincere condolences and deep appreciation for their sacrifices and service to our nation. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie Lamar, and daughter, Madison; his parents, Don and Coleen Lamar; and two younger brothers. The liberties and freedoms we enjoy here in the United States are in place because of brave and courageous men such as Sergeant Lamar who routinely answer the call to duty and place sacrifice above self. We are eternally grateful to him and his family for their service to our nation.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, as I travel around America's First District, I hear unanimously from folks out there, and they ask this question: Rob, what's happening in Washington about our budget? Why do we continue to deficit spend? We are on an unsustainable path. When are we going to reduce the national debt? I was just in Heathsville, Virginia, on Sunday. There folks asked, Rob, when is Congress going to adopt a budget? Why aren't you adopting a budget? We, as family members, have to adopt a budget. We have to make sure that we're responsible in spending. Why isn't Washington doing the same thing? Well, I ask the majority the same question, Why aren't we adopting a budget? Why aren't we on a path of sustainable spending, reducing this deficit and addressing this national debt? Folks, it's incumbent for this country to do that; it's a responsibility of this Congress to do that. I challenge the majority to do their duty, put a budget on the table. Let us get to work for the American people.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to begin by congratulating Ranking Member McKeon and Chairman Skelton for their fine work on the National Defense Authorization bill for 2011. Mr. Chairman, the defense authorization bill provides our Department of Defense the resources it needs and addresses the committee's priorities in supporting our men and women in uniform, their spouses and families. To enable our servicemembers to continue defending our freedoms abroad, we owe it to them to provide the best available support, training and equipment; and this bill reflects our undying commitment to those servicemembers. After traveling to Afghanistan and Pakistan last month on a congressional delegation and visiting the troops in the field, I know it is critical that we move the bill forward quickly to provide them that vital support. The funding and support in this bill for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are critical. That support back home is just as critical. I am concerned, though, today about the attempt to repeal the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy without listening to our servicemembers first. We are currently fighting two wars and asking our men and women to make tremendous sacrifices. Now this Congress wants to act without their regard and essentially tell our American military members and families that their views do not count. We have only been given 5 minutes to debate this policy which will affect millions of American servicemembers and their families. Surely the American people and the military deserve more, especially as we head into the Memorial Day weekend intending to honor our servicemembers. Furthermore, we heard from all the service branch chiefs yesterday asking Congress not to support this amendment and wait for the study next year. I believe Congress must make a fully informed decision, and the Department of Defense must provide Congress a full and complete report on the ramifications of changing the current law or whether a change is necessary. We owe that much to our military personnel to listen to them and to wait for the completion of a study next year.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I am privileged to rise today to recognize St. Clare Walker Middle School in Locust Hill, VA for their recent national accreditation as a ``School to Watch''. In 1999 the National Forum introduced the ``Schools to Watch'' Program. This program is a national partnership that seeks to identify and recognize high-performing middle schools. A strict criteria and guidelines, set by the ``Schools to Watch'' Forum, help identify the high-performing middle schools. Schools that are distinguished as ``high-performing'' demonstrate academic excellence by challenging students, are sensitive to the unique developmental needs of early adolescents, and provide students with high-quality resources and educators. St. Clare Walker Middle School in Locust Hill, VA was recognized for meeting and exceeding the criteria. St. Clare Walker Middle School Principal Dr. James Lane spearheaded and succeeded in creating a school that helps students excel academically, socially, and developmentally. Dr. Lane's commitment to excellence has resulted in national recognition as one of the best middle schools in Virginia. I want to commend the entire faculty, staff and students of St. Clare Walker Middle School for their hard work. As the husband of a school teacher I understand the vital work and learning that takes place every day in classrooms across the Commonwealth. The educators at St. Clare Walker Middle School have helped to create a learning environment that positions their students for lifelong academic success. I also want to recognize Superintendent Donald Fairheart, school board members, and members of the board of supervisors for their support and dedication to the success of St. Clare Walker Middle School. Recently I had the pleasure of visiting St. Clare Walker Middle School. I was able to spend the day with the faculty, teachers, and students. I was impressed by the many dedicated teachers and faculty with a passion for educating our Nation's youth. I also enjoyed meeting and talking with many St. Clare Walker Middle School students who exhibited great enthusiasm for learning. I want to take some time today, to congratulate St. Clare Walker Middle School in Locust Hill, VA and wish them continued future success. Through their hard work and perseverance they have earned the national honor of being designated a ``School to Watch''.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, folks in America's First District have a lot to say about spending, the debt, and the deficit, and I'd like to share their comments. Chris from Warrenton says, Please cut Federal spending. This issue can't be put off any longer. It's not time for us to be able to afford these fancy Federal programs, and we have to get on the track of reducing spending now. The American people get it. Dealing with the debt and deficit should be a top priority. Cut spending. No one has ever spent their way out of debt. Elizabeth from Williamsburg says, Fix the budget. Stop spending what we don't have. Scott from Yorktown says, The U.S. taxpayers are on the hook for billions. Anyone with sense knows that a debt crisis cannot be solved with more debt. John from Quantico says, Please cut Federal spending. Congress is spending and borrowing too much. This must end. You must balance your books, and you must do so by cutting spending, not increasing taxes. Frank from Stafford simply says, Stop the spending. Diane from Williamsburg says, The national budget is way out of control. Citizens everywhere are so concerned about this that something has to be done right away. Raymond from Warrenton says, I am deeply concerned that our Nation is falling hopelessly into debt. I urge you to promote reduction in spending. Keep taxes low to motivate business and people to spend, not the government. With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge us to adopt a budget.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Rebecca Acors, a dedicated educator from Spotsylvania County, Virginia, retiring after fifty-two years of teaching at Robert E. Lee Elementary School. Mrs. Acors began her teaching career in 1957 after graduating from Mary Washington College with a degree in psychology. Over the first part of her career, she taught first, second, third, and fifth grades. In 1974 she graduated from the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education with a Master's in Education degree. After receiving her Virginia state certification as a Reading Specialist, she began serving as Robert E. Lee's Reading Specialist and has served in that position to the present day. She has taught children and grandchildren of her early students, and this year she is teaching her first great- grandchild. Mrs. Acors has taught through many changes--new trends in education and the ever-increasing use of technology in the classroom. She made it her goal to embrace and utilize innovative teaching methods in accordance with new research findings. In 2001, she was named the University of Virginia's Elementary Teacher of the Year and in 2008 she was named Robert E. Lee Elementary School's Teacher of the Year. To summarize her outstanding career, Mrs. Rebecca Acors has had a positive impact on colleagues, parents, community members, and most importantly, children. As she described it, ``To be able to help children accept themselves, to challenge each child to reach his/her full potential and to give the gift of reading is invaluable. I am content in knowing that I have changed lives and made a difference in this world.'' Rebecca Acors devoted her life to the children of Virginia and I congratulate and commend her on this significant achievement.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay special tribute to a dedicated American and true patriot for whose service to this country as a Captain in the United States Army deserves our sincere gratitude. Capt. Joseph ``Joe'' Guyton of Stafford, Virginia served with the U.S. Army's 5th Stryker division in Kandahar, Afghanistan. On August 11th, 2009, while Capt. Guyton was conducting a mounted area reconnaissance his unit was attacked by an improvised explosive device. Against all odds he somehow survived, however, the attack left him with severe injuries that resulted in the bilateral amputation of both of his legs. Currently Capt. Guyton is continuing his recovery with the aid of his loving wife Amy at Walter Reed Medical Army Center. He amazes and inspires us all with his will to live and a special can do attitude. As he now fights a very different kind of war, rebuilding his life without the aid of his two front legs, he now runs with his heart. His continued faith and courage in the coming years will serve as a source of inspiration to those around him and a lesson to us all. We should all offer our sincere blessings to him and his fine family that has stood with him through this ordeal. Capt. Guyton and his wife, Amy, intend to move back to where they first met at the University of Virginia to raise a family. This poem, entitled ``Stryking Deep!'' was penned in Capt. Guyton's honor by a close friend, Albert Caswell. Stryking Deep! Stryking Hard! Stryking Fast! Stryking Deep! All in our lives, these things that which last! All in our lives to keep! Are but, all of those things that which count! That, all hearts should so seek! All in our hearts of love, like our gifts from above . . . that which so makes our Lord so weep! All along our life's path, our Full Measure upon this earth as asked . . . to climb mountains, steep! For there are only so many minutes, before out life's path is complete! To leave behind, all in our lives . . . those things which last, oh how so very sweet! For from This Great Old Dominion . . . Have but come, such great patriotic sons of distinction! Such Fine Virginians! The likes of Washington and Lee, Marshall and Jefferson . . . all of these ones! Who for our Country Tis of Thee, did what must so be done! As when a Cavalier, went off to war . . . To Strike Out, and So Very Deep . . . for our Nations Freedom, to ensure! Yea, he wasn't no regular Joe! For Strength In Honor, was his code! Marching into the face of death . . . for us . . . the things he bore! Remember, you sleep well this night! All because of such men of light, who our Freedom's so ensure! Who So Face Death! And To Us So Bless! Can you, but not ask for more? As when that day came, as all in the midst of hell . . . Near death, as he so lay . . . close to death that day! As when his fine heart would so swell! As when he made that choice, to Stryk Back and Stryk Deep . . . and listen to his inner voice! All in his loss, all in his pain! Looking down, as his strong legs so no longer so remained . . . As upon, his most courageous face . . . the tears began to rain! As his new war had begun, for this one of Virginia's finest Southern Sons . . . To Teach Us, To Reach Us, To All Hearts . . . To So Beseech Us! Stryking all of our Hearts, so very deep! With his courage and faith, that he would so keep! Because, men like him . . . who with their hearts, towards Heaven run . . . Our lives, will never be the same! And Capt. Joe Guyton, is his name! And if I ever have a Son, I but hope and pray he could be like this one . . . Moments, are all we have! All in our lives, To Stryk! For What Is True! For What Is Deep! If its Heaven we wish to keep! For such noble things in life, to so live and die for . . . is what is right! For only from such hearts of Magnificence, can come light!