Steve Womack

Mr. WOMACK

Mr. WOMACK. I thank the gentleman for the time. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution. It is important for people to remember that the issue that we are speaking about goes right to the heart of readiness. Never before in the history of this Nation have we been so reliant on our Guard and Reserve as now. I am an example, Madam Speaker, of that reliance. It was my National Guard battalion that became the first to answer our Nation's call after 9/11 when my Gunslingers from Arkansas took the mission of the Multinational Force and Observers into Sinai, Egypt--and let me just add--on very short notice. We were able to go because we were trained and we were ready. This sequester has already taken its toll on our military, so to deny these Guardsmen and Reservists their pay when they're making these sacrifices makes absolutely no sense to me. In fact, it's incredibly stupid for our country to be so shortsighted to try to make our political statements by denying the men and women of the Guard and Reserve the pay for their sacrifices. I urge support of the resolution.

Mr. WOMACK

Mr. WOMACK. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution because it allows the NIH to continue to operate at the FY13 funding levels until mid- December. The bill mirrors the clean CR that our friends across the aisle and Senate Democrats have said they will support. It should be supported by all Members of Congress. As you have heard, Mr. Speaker, the NIH's mission is to invest in basic biomedical research to uncover new knowledge that can lead to lifesaving cures for disease, like pancreatic cancer, like Alzheimer's, like diabetes. It supports 35,000 research grants at over 3,000 institutes and universities across our country. In my home State of Arkansas, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is one such institute; and just this morning, the UAMS Cancer Institute announced a new collaboration with Highlands Oncology. It will undoubtedly bring incredible opportunity to Arkansas, our research and our cancer patients. As many of my colleagues know, two-thirds of NIH's staff has been furloughed due to the lapse in appropriations. NIH has been forced to shut down the pipeline for finding future lifesaving cures, and it has shut off all systems that support grant review, leaving our researchers with many uncertainties. That's where this resolution comes in. Federal funding is essential to sustaining the mission of improving health through scientific breakthroughs and maintaining international leadership in biomedical research, which is why we must allow the NIH to stay open while we continue to work toward regular order and through funding the rest of our Federal Government. I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation, legislation on which our scientists, our doctors, our patients, and our futures depend.

Mr. WOMACK

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of ABF Freight System's 90th birthday. Since its humble beginnings in 1923 as a local freight hauler, ABF has grown to employ 10,000 people in North America, with 1,000 in Arkansas alone, delivering freight worldwide. Today, it continues to deliver value to its customers by developing and implementing customized solutions to global logistical challenges. It's fitting, Mr. Speaker, that this milestone coincides with National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Last year, ABF, together with J.B. Hunt, the other great trucking company that calls Arkansas home, and the more than 3 million truck drivers in the United States were responsible for hauling 68.5 percent of all U.S. freight tonnage. Without ABF and truck drivers throughout the Nation, 80 percent of our communities that rely solely on trucking would not be able to access the goods on which they depend. Thank you to all of our truck drivers, and happy 90th birthday to ABF.

Mr. WOMACK

Mr. WOMACK. I claim time in opposition.

Mr. WOMACK. Madam Chair, I'm so pleased to hear my friend from Kentucky further discuss the true intent of what his amendment does; and respectfully, I recognize that, in order for the amendment to be made in order, it has to be written broadly. And because it was written broadly, there were concerns expressed by a number of people on both sides of the aisle about what an amendment written this way might do that would negatively affect a lot of the things that we presently do and have been doing for a long time in Egypt. I can speak personally to it because it was right after 9/11, while commanding an infantry battalion in Arkansas with the Arkansas National Guard, that I was called to duty to lead a task force of infantry soldiers and other personnel of over 500 men and women to the Sinai in Egypt to become the U.S. battalion so that other forces of the 18th Airborne Corps could go prosecute missions elsewhere in support of the war on terror. The gunslingers of Arkansas distinguished themselves by going to the Sinai in Egypt on very short notice and executed that mission, the U.S. battalion in the South Sinai Peninsula that does the observe-and-report mission, consistent with all of the protocols that were established with the Treaty of Peace in 1979. In fact, our unit was there during the 20th anniversary of the MFO. Since that time, other State National Guard units have followed this mission and have been doing it consistently--Oregon, Oklahoma, and others--until, because of sequestration, the active component has accepted responsibility for that mission once again. So we've had a lot of our men and women across the country into the Sinai to do the mission of the MFO. On top of that, our country has had a number of exercises called Bright Star, which is, if not the largest, one of the largest military training exercises that takes place on a biennial basis. Now it didn't happen in 2011 because of unrest in Egypt, but my understanding is that Bright Star is certainly going to occur again. So it is our hope, and as I said, I'm glad that my friend from Kentucky has further clarified the intent of his amendment, that it is not designed to affect the Multinational Forward Observer, nor is it designed to affect the training exercises that would happen with a Bright Star operation, nor does it affect what goes on with the Office of Military Cooperation or the Defense Attache program or, as he has indicated, our marine security to outposts in that region. So again, I am very, very pleased, and we can breathe a bit of a sigh of relief that there is no intent in here at all to abandon, Madam Chair, the Treaty of Peace that was famously signed in 1979, and everybody has the vivid reminder of that picture with Jimmy Carter in the middle and Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin signing over that peace treaty. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WOMACK. I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger), the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations.

Mr. WOMACK. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member.

Mr. WOMACK. Reclaiming my time, I don't want to put words in the mouth of the author of the amendment, but I would yield to the gentleman from Kentucky to further clarify, as I understand it, his willingness to make sure that we make the appropriate adjustments to this amendment in a conference. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky.

Mr. WOMACK. Reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for his further clarification of the intent going forward beyond this. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen).

Mr. WOMACK. I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. WOMACK. Madam Chair, let me just say in conclusion, I do appreciate my friend from Kentucky for further clarifying this intent of his amendment. It is something that I believe we can work with so long as we can make the proper adjustments once we get to conference. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOMACK

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, we have no speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOMACK. I object.

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition.

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will prevent the completion of the two most strategic initiatives funded by the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund--the Northeast and Southeast Power Systems--and limit the lasting counterinsurgency effects intended by the AIF program. Available, reliable power promotes jobs and economic development, which increases stability and reduces insurgency and insurgent influence. Mr. Chairman, Kandahar Province has been a primary focus for AIF investment. Of all the areas in Afghanistan, none is more important to the future of the Afghan Government or to the Taliban insurgency than this province--the Taliban's birthplace, location of its former capital, and spiritual heart. AIF projects support the ``Build'' phase of the Shape, Clear, Hold, Build counterinsurgency strategy and are a critical component of the integrated civil/military campaign that sets the conditions for Afghanistan's decade of transformation beyond 2014. Power distribution is currently provided through 12 provinces, serving 10 million Afghans. And Mr. Chairman, let me just remind you that we just passed an amendment that already cuts this account by $79 million. This amendment cuts more funds than are left in the account. According to DOD, the lack of reliable electricity is the single greatest impediment to Afghanistan's economic growth, and thereby the stability necessary to support drawdown and transition. Significant work on five of the seven power projects is in its beginning stages and is unlikely to be completed until well after the NATO mission ends in 2014. If project goals are set and not achieved, both the U.S. and Afghan Governments can lose the populace's support. It's for these reasons that we remain in opposition to the gentleman's amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the ranking member.

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOMACK. Objection.

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

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, let's remind ourselves the Afghan Infrastructure Fund is aimed at providing water, power, and transportation projects, and more recently to increase the electricity supply throughout but, specifically in southern Afghanistan, to light shops and power factories and to construct provincial justice centers around the country. It is clear that remaining projects could take 12 to 24 months to complete. A lot of work has already taken place, in particular on the seven power projects in its beginning stages; and as I said in the previous amendment, unlikely to be completed until well after the NATO mission ends in 2014. If these goals are not met, then a lot of great investment and a lot of good work will have gone for naught. We remain in opposition to the gentleman's amendment. If the ranking member would like to speak on behalf, then I would be happy to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, I am strongly opposed to the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOMACK. I claim the time in opposition, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, the intent of the amendment's sponsor is to reduce the Afghanistan National Security Force's Fund by over $550 million in order to limit the purchase of Mi-17 helicopters. I am pleased that my friend from Colorado at least acknowledged that he was not going to argue with the purpose of the helicopters and the need for the helicopters, because as we all know, a properly trained and equipped Afghanistan National Security Force is the safest and quickest path for our forces to leave Afghanistan. Reducing funding from this account will only inhibit our ability to achieve the goal. The amount that the amendment seeks to cut, over $550 million, is for the purchase of 30 Mi-17 helicopters that were purchased with fiscal year 2012 funds, and Congress was later notified of the Secretary of Defense's intent to exercise the purchase on April 1 of 2013. Mr. Chairman, the reduction of funds is being taken from a prior year allocation, or a prior year appropriation, which makes this amendment just simply a punitive amendment to this year's funding. I oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition.