C. Young

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the SAFEGUARDS Act, legislation I have introduced for the past three Congressional sessions that is intended to address some of the issues surrounding the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster and the subsequent federal response effort. Saturday marked the three-year anniversary of this catastrophic oil spill and the people of the Gulf are still waiting for the Congress to address the breakdowns in safety, oversight and response that were exposed during the spill. I have emphasized repeatedly that we owe it to those who perished in the explosion, as well those whose lives and businesses were impacted in the months that followed, to address the deficiencies in current federal policy. I am thankful that last year the Congress was able to pass the RESTORE Act that directs a large portion of the fines resulting from the Deepwater Horizon spill to the restoration of the Gulf region. While we do not know the full amount that will be available in this fund, I am certain that it will have a positive impact on future restoration, revitalization and research efforts in the Gulf, including in my state of Florida. However, I remain greatly concerned with continuing our work to ensure an oil spill of this magnitude is prevented from ever happening again. Fortunately, the beautiful beaches in my district were spared a direct oil impact during the spill but make no mistake, our cities and local industries were impacted, including tourism and our fisheries, causing great hardship for many in my area. My constituents fear the impact that a future spill could have on their homes, businesses and our local environment. While federal agencies have worked through the regulatory process to address some of deficiencies highlighted by the spill, most notably the Department of Interior's replacement of the Minerals Management Service with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement, Congress has still not enacted comprehensive legislation. The members of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling (Oil Spill Commission), which issued their final report in January 2011, recently gave Congress a D-plus for failing to implement the recommendations made in the report. Multiple retrospective reviews of the oil spill and the response efforts have provided us with valuable information about what should be included in comprehensive legislation. This includes the report by the Oil Spill Commission, the Joint Investigation of Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement and U.S. Coast Guard, and the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Incident Specific Preparedness Review. As I stated last Congress, I was not surprised that many of the changes I recommended in the SAFEGUARDS Act were included in the Oil Spill Commission report, as my measure was developed following a series of meetings and regular phone calls with the on-the-ground incident commanders, local research teams and community emergency response personnel. It is my hope that the Congress will act on the solutions put forth in this measure and include it in a wider legislative response to ensure that we impose rigorous safety standards on any off- shore platforms, while also establishing a fully thought out plan to respond to future disasters. We must stop waiting and act to address the systematic breakdowns that led to the BP Deepwater Horizon catastrophe. The SAFEGUARDS Act presents common sense solutions to help prevent a disaster of this magnitude from ever happening again, and improves the federal response in the event it ever does. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this measure. We owe it to the American people and the entire Gulf Coast to pass oil spill response legislation during this session.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Dan Stowers, who received the Clive Rainey Lifetime Achievement Award from Habitat for Humanity International. This prestigious national award was presented to Dan in recognition of his more than 20 years of volunteer service for Habitat for Humanity. For the benefit of my colleagues, I am including an announcement from Habitat for Humanity detailing Dan's accomplishments. Dan began his service to Habitat in Ohio in 1991, after retiring from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources where he designed bridges, roads, marinas and infrastructure for state parks. His previous experience and love for home improvement were the perfect fit for Habitat, making Dan an invaluable volunteer from the very start. When Dan and his wife Carolyn moved to Pinellas County, Dan continued his work with Habitat Pinellas. Habitat Pinellas quickly realized that Dan was a devoted volunteer who worked tirelessly to assist in building housing both in Pinellas County and through Habitat's international missions. In recognition of his commitment and skills, Habitat Pinellas asked Dan to become their lead architect 12 years ago and every year he designs and helps build an average of 25 homes in our community. Each Habitat home is unique and Ron Spoor, the chief operating officer for Habitat Pinellas, credits Dan's ability to modify house layouts to meet each family's needs. At the same time, they meet the highest standards for energy use and water efficiency to lower the cost of homeownership, which is vital in helping Habitat meet its mission of providing affordable housing to local families. The value of his contribution is immeasurable and can be seen in every house Habitat builds from Dan's designs, often with his assistance. Spoor estimates that Dan is the largest individual donor to Habitat Pinellas, generously giving his time, talents and resources over the past 20 years. His efforts, along with all those who give their time and energy to assist Habitat Pinellas, have helped build more than 250 houses in Pinellas County. Mr. Speaker, Dan Stowers has been a devoted and passionate volunteer for Habitat for Humanity for the past 20 years, never seeking recognition for the huge impact he has had on families in Pinellas County, the United States, and the international community. I would ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dan on receiving the Clive Rainey Award as he continues to build upon his commitment to Habitat for Humanity in the coming years. Pinellas County Man Receives Clive Rainey Award from Habitat for Humanity International (Habitat for Humanity) The prestigious ``Clive Rainey Lifetime Achievement Award'' was presented to Pinellas County resident Dan Stowers by Habitat for Humanity International at its biennial national affiliate conference in Atlanta on March 12th. Stowers was recognized for more than 20 years of volunteer service to Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Florida and Ohio, Habitat Global Village builds, and Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Projects around the world. At the Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County affiliate, Stowers, a licensed professional engineer, volunteers his time and expertise to preparing engineering and architectural plans for many of the 25+ homes built locally by the affiliate each year. In addition to preparing the plans and engineering for Habitat Pinellas, Dan frequently volunteers on the worksites and recruits and leads groups from his church to volunteer. Stowers helped establish the first Habitat chapter in Romania and he has participated in ten Habitat builds in various locations around the world. He has also worked on Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Projects in Hungary, the Philippines, Harlem, NY, Mexico and Thailand. ``By serving as the affiliate's professional engineer in a volunteer capacity, Dan has saved Habitat Pinellas a very considerable sum of funds,'' said Ron Spoor, chief operations officer for Habitat Pinellas. ``In fact, when calculating the monetary value of Dan's in-kind donation, Dan is the largest individual donor in the affiliate's history. Through his donation of time and resources to Habitat, Dan has enabled the affiliate to increase its production and serve many additional families.'' The Clive Rainey Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to volunteers for significant accomplishments that have advanced the mission of Habitat for Humanity. The award honors Habitat for Humanity's first volunteer, Clive Rainey, who made an exceptional and sustained commitment to advancing Habitat for Humanity's mission through generously sharing his time and talents.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Elliott Steele, the Executive Director of Vincent House, a remarkable organization in Pinellas Park, Florida, was recently honored by The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare with an Award of Excellence at its National Council Conference. Specifically, Mr. Steele received the Reintegration Award for Achievement for his tireless work, and that of his wife Dianne, to found Vincent House, a clean and safe haven for people recovering from mental illness. Vincent House helps adults living with severe and persistent mental illness achieve recovery through work partnerships within the community. The more than 600 individuals who have sought help there have been treated with the utmost dignity and respect by the staff and volunteers. As a result, they have built up in themselves a sense of new-found confidence, self-esteem, and real life social and work skills that have improved their quality of life, led to their independence, and helped them regain their pride in being able to find real-life work experiences in our community. Vincent House was the outgrowth of the love, compassion and dedication the Steele's had for their daughter, who was diagnosed in 1993 with severe mental illness issues during her freshman year of college. The Steele's decided to devote themselves to finding a way to help those like their daughter who had lost hope and for which traditional treatments were not producing results. They each quit highly successful careers in 1999 to devote their full-time focus to the cause. By 2003, they opened the doors on Vincent House in a small storefront in a Pinellas Park strip mall. The concept was based on programs established in several other communities where a community center or club house would create a place where those with mental illness could be surrounded in a loving and supportive environment by people who listened to their dreams and helped them reintegrate into the community through volunteer and work opportunities. Those who pass through the doors of Vincent House are not considered patients, they are considered members. And once they become a member, they are a member for life. The Steeles were joined in their quest to help those with mental illness by Bob Dillinger, the Public Defender for Pinellas and Pasco Counties, who shares a passion for helping this underserved population. Together they found funding within the community to open Vincent House and to move into a larger, stand-alone facility two years later. It is a facility that has already almost doubled in size to meet the increasing demand for these services. Mr. Speaker, having had the privilege to tour Vincent House and attend their annual Breakfast of Hope, I have seen and heard first-hand the success stories of those who have passed through its doors and are now proudly working in our community. Every one of those club members who walks through the door and one day walks out that door with a positive experience and a job is better than any award Elliott and Dianne Steele can receive. It is a sense of achievement that is shared by all of Vincent House's staff, volunteers and members of the board. Vincent House is an excellent program that I believe can be replicated in communities throughout our nation. It is my hope that my colleagues in the House will take a look at Vincent House and share information about its success with their constituents back home. It is also my hope that my colleagues will say thank you to Elliott and Diane Steele for a job well done.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to improve the Marine Gunnery Sgt. John David Fry Scholarship. Since 9/11, over 6,500 of our brave men and women in uniform have given their lives to protect our freedom. That number is tragic enough. But left behind by many of these soldiers is a family: wives, husbands, sons, and daughters. I think we all agree that we should do everything we can to help these families after their loved one makes the ultimate sacrifice. My wife, Beverly, and I have come to know many of these families. We have visited with them at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. We have been to the funerals. It especially breaks our hearts to think about the children. In 2009 the Fry Scholarship signed into law as a part of the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-32). The clear purpose of this measure was to promise Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits to the children of soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Unfortunately, due to a technicality in the law that restricts eligibility to the child of a soldier who ``dies in line of duty while serving on active duty,'' some children of fallen soldiers have not been able to qualify for the scholarship. During the early days of the War Against Terror, many active duty service members who suffered mortal injuries were medically retired to veteran status on the battlefield. The Department of Veterans' Affairs has informed me that despite the intent of the law, the children of these soldiers are technically ineligible for the scholarship. The definition under current law is confusing for families and even for the VA. I have been made aware of instances where a child was able to receive scholarship money, and then was later asked by the VA to pay those benefits back. My legislation clarifies that the children of a soldier who dies ``as a result of a service-connected disability'' is eligible for the Fry Scholarship. This is a small change in the law that could make a big difference for the children we will help go to college. It is my hope that we can work together on this issue to get this fix signed into law.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 933, which includes as Division A the fiscal year 2013 Defense Appropriations Bill. The Defense bill is a good bi-partisan bill which was negotiated with the Senate late last year. It is critical that we pass this bill and get the Department of Defense out of a year-long continuing resolution, which would have devastating consequences--consequences that rival those of sequestration as several of the Service Chiefs have claimed. The Defense bill provides the Department with funding in the proper accounts to match how the fiscal year 2013 funds were requested and will be executed, as opposed to the mismatch created by carrying forward the fiscal year 2012 enacted levels in a CR. Without correctly establishing this baseline for execution, the Operation and Maintenance accounts would have been almost $11 billion short--a shortfall almost equivalent to the sequestration reductions. Passing a Defense bill also removes the prohibition on new starts and rate increases which exists under a continuing resolution. With over five hundred programs impacted by this prohibition, the Department would experience hundreds of significant schedule delays and cost increases. Also, over a billion in savings would be lost because the Department could not enter into multi-year procurement contracts. It has now been 5 months since the fiscal year began. But because the Senate did not pass one appropriations bill last year, we find ourselves still trying to wrap up fiscal year 2013. I want to thank Chairman Rogers for including the Defense bill in this package. This bill is long overdue, and I urge its quick passage. Chairman Rogers is the initiator of this plan to pass Defense appropriation and military construction as the major parts of this legislation and he deserves appreciation for his determination to make this important plan work.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to William (Bill) P. Galligan, for his exceptional dedication to duty and service to the Department of Defense, spanning over a 43-year career, in honor of his retirement at the end of September 2012. Mr. Galligan enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in February 1969 and served on Active Duty until February 1993. His uniformed service included two combat tours in Vietnam, assignments at bases in Germany and stateside, and 11 years as administrative assistant and Congressional courier on the Comptroller's staff at the Pentagon. With his retirement from the Air Force, he transitioned to a civilian role and continued to serve the Comptroller organization for another 19 years. In his capacity, including three decades in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) office, serving 15 Congresses from the 98th to the 112th, Mr. Galligan delivered key documents to our Committee from the Department of Defense. We could always count on a story that ended with a chuckle from Bill. Many staff over the years has become fond of Bill and it won't be the same not seeing his face around Capitol Hill anymore. We wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement. I'm sure he will be enjoying more time with his grandchildren.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding achievement of Mr. Joshua Bedell. Through perseverance and commitment to his skill, Bedell will represent the United States at the International WorldSkills Competition in CNC Milling in Leipzig, Germany. Bedell was recently awarded the silver medal in CNC Milling in November at the WorldSkills America's competition in Brazil. At this event, The United States competed against 23 other countries in preparation for the WorldSkills Competition. In June of 2011, Bedell won the college/postsecondary gold medal in CNC Milling at the SkillsUSA Championships. The program, SkillsUSA, strives to impose and teach leadership, citizenship and character development during technical training. The organization highlights their respect for work, ethics, workmanship, scholarship, and safety. To compete at the international CNC Milling competition, every candidate must complete a project that contains a minimum of three modules. Each module requires the competitor to develop a CNC program from a complex drawing using MasterCam, to set up a machining center that will assemble the final part. During the WorldSkills CNC Milling contest, Bedell, along with other competitors, must create the CNC program based on drawings while utilizing a CAM system. Competitors, themselves, must select and mount tools for competition. Every two years, hundreds of young people from 53 member countries, or regions, compete in the prestigious WorldSkills Competition. The contestants are then judged in front of the public in contests that are run and judged by industries that use international standards. Competing in the event truly symbolizes excellence in the craft. The WorldSkills International has come to symbolize pure expertise in vocational training. Joshua Bedell is one of only 20 members of the World team, all who must be under the age of 23, who will represent the United States of America at the World Skills competition. As Bedell prepares to compete at the CNC Milling competition, I offer him my best wishes as he represents our proud nation and proves the dedication to his craft in Leipzig, Germany at the biennial WorldSkills Competition.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join the leaders of the science and education community of the Tampa Bay area who are honoring Dr. Peter R. Betzer of St. Petersburg, Florida this Saturday with the 2013 ARCS STEM Visionary Catalyst Award for his life-long work to inspire generations of students to pursue the study of science, technology, engineering and math, STEM. There is no more appropriate award with which to honor Peter than one that pays tribute to his vision because he has brought vision and strong leadership to every area in which he has been involved over the more than 40 years he has lived and worked in our community. Peter found his way to St. Petersburg in 1971 after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island. He taught chemical oceanography at the University of South Florida's Department of Marine Science. By 1982 he became Chairman of the Department and in 2000 he was named Dean of the newly established College of Marine Science. I still remember my first meetings with Peter as the Department and College grew. We agreed at the time that we would do all we could to make the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg a world-class center for the study of marine science. With Peter's vision and his passion we have done just that. Under Peter's guidance, the College became an important partner of the United States Navy in developing systems to protect our nation's ports and waterways as well as those of our allies. The technology and systems developed there have proven extremely useful to our nation's homeland and environmental security agencies. These include an underwater mass spectrometer and an underwater mapping system that have created tremendous commercial opportunities and were critical to monitoring the impact of oil from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The development of these systems only enhanced the growth of the University's reputation as a world-class center for the study of marine science, and strengthened Peter's efforts to bring other agencies and businesses to St. Petersburg: this to create a true marine science hub in the southeast U.S. Together, the community developed an innovative plan to bring the United States Geological Survey to campus and established an office of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service in downtown St. Petersburg. Along with the city, we developed a public/ private partnership to bring the world-renowned SRI International to the port and to bring nearby a new division of Draper Labs. Peter was at the center as the architect of all these developments. With each one, the opportunities to study the sciences grew along with the interests of local, national and international students. It is Dr. Peter Betzer's ability to provide the vision and act as the catalyst that the ARCS Foundation, which stands for Achievement Rewards for College Scientists, will be honoring at a dinner to raise funds to support Tampa Bay area students pursuing the study of science, technology, engineering and math. As a leader in Marine Science education at the University of South Florida, Peter recognized early-on the importance of promoting the broad spectrum of STEM to USF's students. Back in the early 1990's, a bright marine science student named Mike Morris started with an idea born of studying ocean chemical processes and created a company worth tens of millions of dollars in a few short years-- Ocean Optics. Peter is quick to recognize that the success took a team led by Mike Morris, but it would not have happened if not for Peter's leadership, mentorship and behind-the-scenes support. In the world of business, Ocean Optics was just the beginning. Other companies, like Claro Scientific, came to St. Petersburg because of Peter's efforts. And, Peter's behind-the-scenes support for the ``STEM- business'' connection was ultimately a deciding element in both SRI International's and Draper Lab's decisions to locate in St. Petersburg. Those organizations brought dozens of high-paying knowledge jobs to the region and thus helped to establish an emerging regional technology cluster. While Peter has always understood the importance of developing new businesses, for him an emphasis on education has been his highest priority. While leading the world-class ocean research programs at the College of Marine Science, Peter spearheaded the creation of the Oceanography Camp for Girls to inspire them to consider career opportunities in the sciences, with nearly 1000 ``teenaged scientists'' attending the camp so far. He also established a marine science-based remote learning program which televises informative middle-school marine science lessons across the country reaching tens of thousands more. When Peter retired from academic life, he decided to push the throttle further forward. Leading the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership as its President and CEO, Peter continued to perform miracles. From providing vision for the downtown waterfront, to making international connections with world-class groups such as Cousteau Divers to securing businesses like LumaStream for St. Petersburg, his many accomplishments seem to have no end. Most noteworthy is Peter's passionate championing of the SunBay Digital Math program for Pinellas County middle schools. The SunBay math program, through a collaborative partnership of SRI International and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, has positively impacted more than 2500 students by enhancing their understanding of the principles of algebra--a crucial element in the future success of anyone in a STEM-related career. Mr. Speaker, at a time when this Congress and our nation are doing all we can to encourage our youth to consider careers in math and science, let there be no doubt of Dr. Peter Betzer's life-long passion in this regard. For Peter, it has been a multiplier effect as the students he has inspired throughout his career have in turn passed along Peter's passion to their students and coworkers to bring more interest and more focus to STEM education and careers. There is clearly no one more deserving of the ARCS STEM Visionary Catalyst Award than Dr. Peter Betzer and I am proud to say to him thank you for a job well done.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for yielding me the time. The emergency funding provided for the Army Corps of Engineers in this bill and the amendment that you offer is narrowly drawn to help the States that were hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy. Could the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), the very capable and effective chairman of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, clarify something? Despite my earlier comments, I'm concerned that the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies funds appropriated by our committee in previous acts are still available for other emergency needs that occurred prior to Sandy. I would appreciate the gentleman's clarification on that.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for that clarification.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the devastating across-the-board sequestration cuts set to take place across the entire federal government tomorrow--January 2nd. Half of those cuts would come from the Department of Defense and our national security programs. The Department of Defense, industry, and the Congressional Defense Committees, have repeatedly and consistently warned of the consequences of letting sequestration take place. If allowed to happen, the impact to the Department of Defense would be a reduction of 8.2 percent or $54.6 billion from the fiscal year 2013 budget. The total sequestration reduction for Defense through fiscal year 2021 amounts to roughly $492 billion--almost half a trillion dollars. With military pay and personnel costs exempt from the cuts, the actual cut to all other accounts increases to 9.4 percent. Even though the Department of Defense has some limited flexibility to allocate sequestration cuts in the operating accounts, a computer will cut all procurement and research accounts proportionally--which will directly impact more than 2,500 programs and projects. The impact on our national security and readiness will be severe. Base operating budgets will be cut, negatively impacting readiness. Training could be significantly reduced, resulting in unprepared troops and higher risk to those who deploy. Civilian personnel will certainly be affected, possibly resulting in hiring freezes and unpaid furloughs. Fewer weapon systems will be bought, which starts a vicious circle of rises in unit prices for the remaining weapons. Other major weapon systems will be reduced or terminated, and current contracts may have to be terminated or renegotiated, resulting in additional costs to the government and a loss of favorable contract terms in some cases. Procurement and Depot Maintenance schedules will be severely impacted, which is enormously disruptive, especially in shipbuilding and maintenance when future deployments rely on maintaining schedules. Earlier this year, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta testified that the impact of sequestration on the Department of Defense alone would drive up our nation's unemployment rate by a full percent. Jobs will be lost but more importantly, infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities critical to our national security will be lost. Already prime contractors have notified their suppliers and subcontractors that programs are on hold. This has left thousands of small businesses with no choice but to close their doors and lay off workers as work orders have dried up. Our nation's manufacturing base relies upon these workers and their special skills. We rely on these small businesses to supply critical components for important weapons systems and platforms. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the impact of sequestration is very real and is very imminent. Just consider that if sequestration remains in place for its full nine years, our nation will be left with the smallest ground force since 1940, the smallest number of ships since 1915, and the smallest Air Force in history. When we talk about the fiscal cliff, these across the board cuts to our defense budget will result in not only an economic fiscal cliff, but of greatest concern to me, a cliff off which our national security will fall. This will impact our readiness, our ability to defend our nation, and our ability to ensure the safety of our all volunteer force as they operate around the world. I urge my colleagues in the House to do everything we can to ensure that sequestration does not become a stark reality tomorrow. Failing to take action will cause irreversible harm to our nation's security and violate our Constitutional responsibility to ``provide for the common defense.''

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6684, the Spending Reduction Act of 2012. This bill is essential in stopping the devastating across-the-board sequestration cuts set to take place across the entire federal government in just a few weeks. Half of those cuts would come from the Department of Defense and our national security programs. The Department of Defense, industry, and the Congressional Defense Committees, have repeatedly and consistently warned of the consequences of letting sequestration take place. If allowed to happen, the impact to the Department of Defense would be a reduction of 8.2 percent or $54.6 billion from the fiscal year 2013 budget. The total sequestration reduction for Defense through fiscal year 2021 amounts to roughly $492 billion--almost half a trillion dollars. With military pay and personnel costs exempt from the cuts, the actual cut to all other accounts increases to 9.4 percent. Even though the Department of Defense has some limited flexibility to allocate sequestration cuts in the operating accounts, a computer will cut all procurement and research accounts proportionally--which will directly impact more than 2,500 programs and projects. The impact on our national security and readiness will be severe. Base operating budgets will be cut, negatively impacting readiness. Training could be significantly reduced, resulting in unprepared troops and higher risk to those who deploy. Civilian personnel will certainly be affected, possibly resulting in hiring freezes and unpaid furloughs. Fewer weapon systems will be bought, which starts a vicious circle of rises in unit prices for the remaining weapons. Other major weapon systems will be reduced or terminated, and current contracts may have to be terminated or renegotiated, resulting in additional costs to the government and a loss of favorable contract terms in some cases. Procurement and Depot Maintenance schedules will be severely impacted, which is enormously disruptive, especially in shipbuilding and maintenance when future deployments rely on maintaining schedules. Earlier this year, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta testified that the impact of sequestration on the Department of Defense alone would drive up our nation's unemployment rate by a full percent. Jobs will be lost but more importantly, infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities critical to our national security will be lost. Already prime contractors have notified their suppliers and subcontractors that programs are on hold. This has left thousands of small businesses with no choice but to close their doors and lay off workers as work orders have dried up. Our nation's manufacturing base relies upon these workers and their special skills. We rely on these small businesses to supply critical components for important weapons systems and platforms. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the impact of sequestration is very real and is very imminent. Just consider that if sequestration remains in place for its full nine years, our nation will be left with the smallest ground force since 1940, the smallest number of ships since 1915, and the smallest Air Force in history. When we talk about the impending cliff, these across-the-board cuts to our defense budget will result in not only an economic fiscal cliff, but of greatest concern to me, a cliff off which our national security will fall. This will impact our readiness, our ability to defend our nation, and our ability to ensure the safety of our all volunteer force as they operate around the world. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend you for keeping the impact sequestration will have on our nation's security at the forefront of your negotiations with President Obama. We cannot, and we must not, let these devastating cuts happen. Unfortunately, only the House has acted to do anything about it, passing a bill on May 10 and considering this bill today. I urge my colleagues in the House to approve this legislation today and for the Senate to follow suit quickly to ensure that sequestration does not become a stark reality just 13 short days from now. Failing to take action will cause irreversible harm to our nation's security and violate our Constitutional responsibility to ``provide for the common defense.''

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Sean Patrick Smith, an Information Management Officer in the State Department and United States Air Force Veteran, who was slain in the September 11, 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. Government Mission to Libya in Benghazi along with Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and former United States Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) Operators, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods. Sean Smith was a native of the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego, California and seemed destined to serve his nation. His father, Rene ``Ray'' Smith, my constituent from Gulfport, Florida, was a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. The elder Smith often served as a ``tunnel rat,'' crawling deep into Vietcong underground facilities in search of the enemy. In 1970, during a firefight, he was burned over 60 percent of his body after the brush he was in caught fire. He raised Sean to appreciate the freedoms our nation provides and to be willing to fight for them. Sean enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1995 at the age of 17, so young that he needed a parental release. He served six years as a Ground Radio Maintenance Specialist, which included a deployment to Oman. Sean left the Air Force in 2002 as a Staff Sergeant. At the time of his death, Sean was on temporary assignment to assist in the establishment of the Information Technology infrastructure in support of the Mission to Libya. Before his assignment to Benghazi, Sean had given 10 years of dedicated service to the State Department around the globe in Brussels, Baghdad, Pretoria, Montreal, and The Hague. A technological guru, Sean's computer savvy was not limited to his United States Air Force and State Department duties. Sean was an avid gamer and well known in the online gaming community of the space fantasy game EVE Online. A leader of the ``Goonswarm'' guild, his gaming persona ``Vile Rat'' made use of Sean's skills as a diplomat and he was respected as a skilled competitor. Additionally, Sean was a moderator of the internet forum, ``Something Awful,'' where he posted about football, politics and working with the Foreign Service. In the lobby of the State Department, the names of those who have fallen in the line of duty are inscribed in marble. Sean's name has been added along with his compatriots, Ambassador Stevens, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods. In the same tradition, a plaque will be placed in the lobby of the Bay Pines VA Medical Center, where Sean's father receives his primary care, to commemorate his life and the daily sacrifices made by our veterans. Sean is survived by his father Ray, mother Pat, wife Heather, and two young children, Samantha and Nathan. Beyond his family, Sean will be forever mourned by friends, colleagues, and countless online competitors, collaborators and gamers, who shared his passion in the virtual world Sean helped create. They are the true victims of this act of terror. While Sean's pain has ended, they will have to continue life without a beloved son, caring husband, nurturing father, and extraordinary friend. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a grateful Nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing Sean Patrick Smith for his dedicated service to his country. He has made the ultimate sacrifice to defend freedom and his fellow Americans and we are forever in his debt. We wish his family all the best as they continue in their life's journey, and hope they find solace in knowing that their beloved Sean shall forever be remembered as a true patriot and hero.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I use this time to rise to present the Defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2013, and that's what I had planned to do. But then, all of a sudden, I realized I already did that 2 months ago; and the House, in a strong, bipartisan vote of more than 330 votes passed this good bill that Mr. Dicks and I had worked so long and hard to prepare and to present. We were really excited about getting to the Senate and having the Senate make their mark and then go to conference and get this bill on the law books. It's important that our national defense and the members of our military have some certainty in what they're going to be able to do in the next fiscal year. But that was not to be. We were rolling along with that bill, and we had passed seven other appropriations bills, thanks to Mr. Rogers getting us back to regular order. His committee had already voted out all but one of the appropriations bills. We had passed seven in the House before we got the message. The Senate leader said the Senate will pass no appropriations bills this year. There's something wrong with that. I'd like to read the Constitution, and I recommend it. It's good reading. Article I, section 9, says, ``No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law.'' That's what it means to pass these appropriations bills. The end of the fiscal year is only a few weeks away. This Constitution would come into play. The government would have no money to function. Portions of the government would have to be closed down. You've heard it referred to, a government shutdown. We're going to have to pass this CR because we don't want a government shutdown. The Defense appropriations bill was a very good bill. It was a bipartisan bill. There were some great initiatives that we had included and the House supported in that bill. We got to keep two of those initiatives as anomalies, and that's all. So it's important that as soon as the Congress reconvenes, when it does, we get back to this Defense appropriations bill and pass it for sure. One of the anomalies had to do with prohibiting the Air Force from undertaking any of the new aircraft retirements or relocations of aircraft and associated missions that were identified in their fiscal year 2013 budget request. That needs to be in here. This affects all of our States. All of our Governors, all of our adjutant generals weighed in on this issue. We did get that, as an anomaly, in the bill. But we need to get to work on this Defense appropriations bill as soon as we possibly can and get it into law so that our military, the members of our military, the men and women who wear the uniform, those at the Pentagon who do the management, who do the planning, they have to know what it is they're going to be able to do, what money will they have available. And then they're facing sequestration, which also has to be avoided somehow, one way or another. But when the Constitution is ignored--which is happening with our brothers and sisters in the other body--things don't work right, and we've got to get them right. In the lame-duck session, we have got to take care of these problems and get to work on this Defense appropriations bill. We've got to find some way to persuade those who serve in the other body. If their leadership doesn't want to do it, there are ways to apply pressure to the leadership to get the job done that the Constitution requires. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Rogers for the good job he's done, and I thank him for the time that he has given to me today.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Major General Robert J. Kasulke, for his extraordinary dedication to duty and service to the United States of America. Major General Robert J. Kasulke will retire as the Commanding General of the Army Reserve Medical Command (ARMEDCOM) on October 1, 2012. His military service spans over thirty-two years of dedicated selfless service to the United States Army Reserve. Major General Kasulke is a graduate of Fordham University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1971 and earned a Masters in Public Administration from the Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Administration in 1996. He earned his degree in Medicine in 1975 and received a direct commission in the Medical Corps in 1980 following graduation from the State University of New York, Syracuse, College of Medicine while completing a Fellowship in Vascular Surgery. Major General Kasulke has served in the U.S. Army Reserve since 1980 and held assignments as General Surgeon, 5503d U.S. Army Hospital, 912th Combat Support Hospital and Chief of Surgery of the 376th Combat Support Hospital. He commanded Detachments 1, 2 and 3 of the 310th Field Hospital and the 865th Combat Support Hospital. He was appointed as the Commander of the 8th Medical Brigade in May 2001. From March of 2005 through March of 2009 he served as the Deputy Surgeon for Mobilization, Readiness and Reserve Affairs. While serving as the Commander of the 8th Medical Brigade, Major General Kasulke was selected to the Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee in Washington DC, and to the General Officer Medical Advisory Committee. Through these two prestigious committees, Major General Kasulke became the voice of the medical profession for the 77th Regional Support Command and the United States Army Reserve at the beginning of the Global War on Terrorism. Major General Kasulke instituted a highly successful Innovative Readiness Training program in support of an American Indian program named: Walking Shield American Indian Society. Operation Walking Shield deployed military doctors, dentists, nurses, and other medical personnel to various American Indian reservations to help address the serious health challenges that existed in those austere areas in five states over a period of five years. The soldiers deploying to these sites returned with enhanced skills in their medical field and with the knowledge they have served their nation in a unique and meaningful way. Major General Kasulke was also instrumental in creating a partnership with Kings County Medical Center, New York for a trauma training program which included the Jacobi Medical Center, New York. These partnerships proved to be an invaluable asset for training medical personnel for the type of trauma injuries those medical Soldiers would see within a combat theater of operations. The partnership augmented medical readiness of medical Army Reserve soldiers, and improved the training readiness of hundreds of medical personnel in the United States Army Reserve. While serving as the Deputy Surgeon General for Mobilization, Readiness and Reserve Affairs, Major General Kasulke was the Senior United States Army Reserve Medical Department Officer acting as the representative and advisor to the Army Surgeon General. During his tenure he was instrumental in improving the joint medical readiness of the United States Army Reserve and National Guard. Major General Kasulke influenced and enhanced Army Reserve medical unit readiness by developing and increasing the number of joint medical exercises which sought to build and develop clinical training programs for Reserve clinicians. Furthermore, he improved support to the Surgeon General by building a United States Army Reserve Medical Consultant Staff, which was the first ever for the Surgeon General's office. Major General Kasulke's career is culminating with his assignment as the Commander of the Army Reserve Medical Command, at the C. W. Bill Young Armed Forces Reserve Center in Pinellas Park, Florida. Here, Major General Kasulke was the driving force for the Reserve Component Soldier Medical Support Center. This program coupled with the Medical Management Activity rapidly evaluates permanent profiles of Soldiers across the Army Reserve. Under Major General Kasulke's stewardship, over 3,300 medically not ready profiles were reviewed resulting in a cost savings of over $88 million, and directly returning over 1,500 Soldiers back to duty. The Medical Management Activity also downgraded approximately 3,500 profiles which equates to $120 million in cost savings returning Soldiers back to their formations in a ready and deployable status. In his civilian career, Major General Kasulke is a board certified vascular surgeon. He is also board certified in general surgery and quality assurance. He is certified in medical regulating and HIV medicine. He is also a founding member of the American Hospice Organization. He authored or co-authored several articles or chapters in numerous books and periodicals. He also serves as Assistant Editor for The Federal Practitioner and The Journal of Military Medicine for Vascular and General Surgery. Major General Kasulke serves as Chair, Director, or member for over seven community, county, or regional boards of directors. He also serves on five military associations and was most recently elected to serve as President for the Congress of the International Organization of Medical Reservists. The Army Medical Department, the United States Army, and the Nation will dearly miss one of its most respected and valued leaders as Major General Robert J. Kasulke retires. We will miss his humility, selflessness, candor and integrity. Major General Robert J. Kasulke's exemplary leadership and selfless devotion to duty has touched fully over three generations of Soldiers and their Families. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending Major General Robert J. Kasulke for a lifetime of service to his country. For all he and his family have given and continue to give to our country, we are in their debt. We wish him, his wife Catherine, daughter Kristen, and son Stephen, all the best in his retirement.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Enable America, a first of its kind organization entirely dedicated to reducing unemployment among people with disabilities. This organization has assisted countless people with disabilities in finding a job and the belief that ``good things happen when people have jobs'' underpins their efforts. Enable America was founded by Richard Salem, a man intimately familiar with the disabled community. After losing his eyesight as a teenager, Richard's parents were the main drivers behind his continued inclusion in the public high school system, which later allowed him to graduate cum laude from Belmont Abbey College. In pursuing a law degree, he was the first blind student to attend Duke Law School, graduating with distinction in 1972. Now, 40 years later, Richard is not only a successful lawyer, as the founding partner of the Tampa- based Salem Law group, he is also a tireless advocate for those living with disabilities and life-changing diseases. Knowing that the support he received was one of the keys to his success, Richard founded Enable America in 2002 as a nonprofit organization that is focused on increasing employment among the 54 million Americans with disabilities, including wounded warriors and disabled veterans. With more than 70 percent of adults with disabilities wanting to work so that they can live independently, the programs that Enable America has developed helps them to achieve this goal. Enable America's committed staff knows that having a job gives people ``self-esteem, independence and pride. They have a place in the community and are able to grow and become their own person.'' In assisting people with disabilities to find a job, Enable America directly confronts the misinformation or misunderstandings about the disabled community, which often hinders people with disabilities from finding employment. Enable America's two-pronged approach was developed specifically to help connect the disabled community with the business community. First, they host Community Connection Meetings across the nation, which assist with the creation of a national information- sharing network comprised of local community task forces devoted to eliminating the barriers to employment for disabled individuals. Second, Enable America hosts a series of meetings with business leaders, managers, resource professionals and speakers to encourage prospective employers to hire disabled job seekers by demonstrating the many benefits of hiring disabled employees and by answering questions that businesses may have about issues such as personnel policies, taxes and insurance. Beyond connecting people with disabilities with business leaders, Enable America also provides disability employee mentoring. This program provides people with disabilities with real-world experience in the workplace by matching mentees with business mentors that are looking to improve diversity and increase employment opportunities. Today, I have the privilege to host one of these mentees in my Washington, D.C. office. William ``Bill'' Rockwood, who is currently pursuing a law degree at Georgetown, does not allow his learning disability to stop him from embracing new experiences and taking advantage of opportunities when they come along. Programs like Enable America, which offered Bill a unique mentoring opportunity, not only provide an irreplaceable experience for the mentees, but also afford mentors an impactful look at the contributions they can make in any work environment. Finally, Enable America assists our wounded warriors as they return to active duty or civilian life. These brave men and women who have served our country in combat deserve all the assistance that we can provide. Military service members, past and present, possess a great sense of honor and traits any employer would find valuable--duty, commitment, and loyalty. Enable America honors their service and sacrifice by showing businesses that investing in our nation's veterans and honoring their service to our nation is not charity, but a smart decision. Mr. Speaker, as you can see this organization is truly making a difference in the lives of those living with disabilities. I ask my colleagues to join with me today in recognizing this important milestone and to wish Enable America continued success in the future.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize September as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and to urge my colleagues to use this time to raise awareness and help increase public knowledge about this deadly disease and its symptoms. In 2012, it is estimated that approximately 22,280 women in the United States will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 15,500 will die of the disease. In my state, Florida, an estimated 1,040 women will die from ovarian cancer this year. Too many American women--sisters, daughters, nieces, wives, friends, neighbors, and coworkers--are losing their lives to this disease. Ovarian cancer is currently the ninth most common cancer among women and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths, making it the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers. If ovarian cancer is treated before it has spread outside the ovary, the five-year survival rate is 93 percent. Currently, only 15 percent of ovarian cancers are found at such an early stage and overall the relative five-year survival rate is 46 percent. I urge Members of this House to help make women aware of the potential warning signs to prevent future deaths. This is especially vital because physicians acknowledge that symptoms can be vague and may be associated with other medical conditions. Despite increased knowledge and treatments for many once-deadly cancers, ovarian cancer's risk factors, symptoms, and causes are not well understood. Experts recommend that women see a gynecologist if they experience any of the often subtle symptoms of ovarian cancer daily for more than a few weeks, these include bloating, difficulty eating, and pelvic or abdominal pain. I ask all of my colleagues to become familiar with the symptoms and to share the information with their friends, family, staff, and constituents. Research also holds the key to identifying better treatments for ovarian cancer, as well as the development of a screening test. That is why as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense I have made it an annual priority to assist in funding the highly successful Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program. For nearly two decades now this program has played a key role in supporting unique ovarian cancer research and has already seen some breakthroughs in the fight against ovarian cancer. Continued federal funding will allow the program to maintain current research and expand innovative investigations into much-needed early detection tools and screening. As we continue our work on establishing funding priorities for the coming fiscal year, it is my hope that my colleagues remember the important work of the DoD Ovarian Cancer Research Program and other federal initiatives aimed at reducing ovarian cancer incidence and mortality. We must all work together to bring greater awareness to ovarian cancer and help educate the women in our life about the risk factors, signs, and symptoms of this devastating disease.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Major General Phillip E. McGhee, for his extraordinary dedication to duty and service to the United States of America. Major General Phillip E. McGhee will retire as the Director of the Army Budget. His service spans over thirty-three years active military duty of which he served selflessly dedicated, extra-ordinary effort both peacetime and combat to the United States Army. Commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infantry in 1979, after his graduation from Columbus State University with a bachelor's degree in Business, Major General McGhee went to his first assignment as an Infantry Platoon leader with the 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington. Following his transfer into the Finance Corps, Major General McGhee has served around the world in a wide variety of finance and comptroller leadership assignments throughout his illustrious career culminating as the Director of the Army Budget at the Department of the Army, Washington, DC, responsible for the Army's $245 billion current budget. Major General McGhee has been decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Senior Parachutist Badge, just to name a few. The United States Army and the Nation will dearly miss one of its most respected and valued leaders as Major General Phillip E. McGhee retires and moves back into his role as a citizen. We will miss his humility, selflessness, candor and integrity. Major General Phillip E. McGhee's exemplary leadership and selfless devotion to duty has touched fully three generations of Soldiers and their Families and will be greatly missed. Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure to recognize Major General McGhee's long and distinguished career today and also acknowledge the great benefit to the Nation he has provided as the Director of the Army Budget. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending Major General McGhee for a lifetime of service to his country. For all he and his family have given and continue to give to our country, we are in their debt. We wish him, his wife Candy, their son Shawn and his wife, Stacey, and his two granddaughters, Hailey and Aiden, all the best as they continue on in their life's journey.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Colonel Corliss Gadsden, for her extraordinary dedication to duty and service to the United States of America. Colonel Corliss Gadsden will retire as the Army Reserve Medical Command's Operations Officer (G-3) on October 1, 2012. Her service spans over twenty-nine years of military duty to the United States Army Reserve. Colonel Corliss Gadsden has served her country with integrity, dedication, and visionary leadership for over 29 years. She has constantly and consistently achieved and surpassed every mission assigned to her. During the early days of the Global War on Terrorism, while assigned as the United States Army Reserve Europe Medical Plans Officer, she was responsible for activating three medical units to support the European Regional Medical Command resulting in the right mix of medical professionals deploying to hostile environments to ensure the highest quality medical care for deployed United States service members. Ever conscious of maintaining the operational posture of Army Reserve Soldiers' she focused and honed in on the medical and Soldier skills. In 2002, she was responsible for increasing the United States Army Reserve Force Projection footprint to support the ever-growing Overseas Deployment Training missions from 400 Soldiers to over 1,000 Soldiers. During 2003 and 2004 she led the efforts to deploy over 800 individual healthcare providers in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, and OPERATION JOINT GUARDIAN while sourcing medical units for all active operations in United States Central Command, European Command, and the continental United States based support missions. In 2006, while serving in the United States Army Reserve Command's Surgeon Office as the Chief, Medical Plans and Operations her planning was critical in maintaining the continuity of operations while transitioning from the ten Regional Readiness Commands to four Regional Support Commands and simultaneously maintaining the United States Army Reserve Command's medical operations in light of the ongoing base realignment and closure mission. She planned, coordinated, and conducted quarterly synchronization meetings ensuring the prioritized, timely, and maximized use of the Individual Ready Reserve and Individual Mobilization Augmentation Soldiers in support of global Overseas Contingency Operations. In 2007 she was recognized by the Commanding General of the Army Reserve and Secretary of the Army for her herculean efforts in the mobilization and deployment of thousands of Army Reserve Soldiers. Colonel Gadsden, partnered with the Department of the Army G-3 and the United States Army Medical Command in developing the blueprint for the Warrior Transition Units and led the initial staffing efforts which proved to be instrumental in the care and transition of our wounded warriors returning home from the Global War on Terror. Colonel Gadsden's selfless service and commitment to her Soldiers has distinguished her among her peers. She was instrumental in transforming the Army Reserve Medical Commands from a strategic force to an operational force. As the interim Chief of Staff for Western Regional Medical Command she expanded the command from a six-state region to a 20-state region in less than one year while ensuring the continuity of care for over 358,000 beneficiaries. As the Army Reserve Medical Command's G-3 she led the staff through a deliberate and comprehensive mission analysis which resulted in trained and ready medical units to support the Combatant Commands and enhance continental U.S. based mobilization platforms with a stable medical support plan. Colonel Gadsden's contributions to the Army have been immense. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending Colonel Corliss Gadsden for a lifetime of service to her country. For all she and her family have given and continue to give to our country, we are in their debt. We wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Command Sergeant Major Roger B. Schulz, for his extraordinary dedication to duty and service to the United States of America. Command Sergeant Major Roger B. Schulz will retire as Command Sergeant Major and Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Army Reserve Medical Command on October 1, 2012. His service spans over thirty-six years of military duty to the United States Army Reserve. Command Sergeant Major Schulz has served in numerous assignments throughout his career and participated in many operations, including OPERATION JACKFROST and OPERATION BRIMFROST conducted in Alaska, and OPERATION BRIGHT STAR conducted in Egypt. He supported OPERATION DESERT STORM while stationed at Fort McCoy, WI, and deployed to Baghdad in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. Command Sergeant Major Schulz began his career as an Infantryman; serving for twelve years holding the positions of Rifleman through Platoon Sergeant. Following his time in the Infantry, Command Sergeant Major Schulz dedicated himself to the education of future Army leaders. He has served as an Instructor, Team Sergeant and Senior Instructor, 4th Army Light Fighter Academy; Brigade Operations Sergeant, 4th Brigade, 91st Division; Division Operations Sergeant, 91st Division; Battalion Operations Sergeant, Training Support Battalion, 104th Division; Chief of Operations, Primary Leader Development Course Manager and First Sergeant, U.S. Army Noncommissioned Officer's Academy; Deputy Commandant/Director of Instruction, U.S. Army Noncommissioned Officer's Academy; Installation Command Sergeant Major; Commandant, U.S. Army Noncommissioned Officer's Academy and Commander, 12th Battalion, 6th Brigade, 104th Division; and Commander, Company A, United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. In 2003, Command Sergeant Major Schulz was assigned to the 3rd Medical Command where he was instrumental in the development of two Army Medical Department accredited schools in Iraq. His career is culminating at the Army Reserve Medical Command, where he is responsible for the discipline, morale, welfare, and education of over 28,000 Soldiers. Through his guidance and leadership the command sustainment rate was over 91%. He initiated the first Sergeant Audi Murphy Board for the command and set the requirements for the continued success of the program. The Army Medical Department, the United States Army, and the Nation will dearly miss one of its most respected and a valued leader as Command Sergeant Major Roger B. Schulz retires. We will miss his humility, selflessness, candor and integrity. Command Sergeant Major Roger B. Schulz's exemplary leadership and selfless devotion to duty has touched fully three generations of Soldiers and their Families. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing Command Sergeant Major Roger B. Schulz for a lifetime of service to his country. For all he and his family have given and continue to give to our country; we are in their debt. We wish him and his wife, Command Sergeant Major Tommie Schulz, all the best in his retirement.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on this, the somber anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation, I rise to say thank you to the more than 7,000 members of the Florida Patriot Guard Riders who have provided invaluable support to the families of the fallen and injured servicemembers in the ongoing war against terrorism. With the motto of ``Standing for Those Who Stood for Us'', the Patriot Guard Riders provide motorcycle escorts for our fallen as they take them to their final resting places. They provide escorts for our injured servicemembers as they return home. And they provide color guard support for hundreds of ceremonies throughout our state of Florida and our Nation as we honor those who wear and who have worn the uniform throughout our history. In the past month alone, hundreds of Patriot Guard Riders joined as we escorted Staff Sergeant Matthew Sitton of Largo, Florida, home to his final resting place. Staff Sergeant Sitton paid the ultimate price for freedom when he was killed by an IED blast in Afghanistan. Thousands and thousands of Matthew's friends and neighbors, and thousands more who had never met Matthew or his family, lined the streets of Tampa and Pinellas County to say thank you to him and his family as hundreds of Patriot Guard Riders provided a mile long escort to honor this American hero and his equally heroic family. The Patriot Guard Riders were with us when we opened a Clearwater, Florida exhibit to remind us to never forget the lessons of the Holocaust. They lined the exhibit area with American flags as a tribute to those who served our nation during World War II, ``The Greatest Generation'' who restored freedom to Europe and freed the Nazi concentration camps. The Patriot Guard Riders were also with us last week when we opened the new USO Lounge at the Tampa International Airport, to provide a place to support the thousands of troops who pass through Tampa annually, and to support their families when they come to await their return from their deployment and from their hospitalizations. Again, the Patriot Guard Riders lined the halls to show their thanks and their respect for our veterans of all generations as we dedicated this new facility. Mr. Speaker, the Florida Patriot Guard Riders are led by State Captain Mike Donohoe, and Assistant State Captains Thomas ``T-Man'' Brown, Al Kaufman, Dave ``Buzzard'' Clark, Terry Hanifin, and Doug Horton. If space permitted, I would list the names of all 7,000 of the Florida riders who served our nation in uniform and who continue to serve their brothers and sisters in uniform. The mission of the Patriot Guard Riders throughout our nation is to, ``show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.'' It is also to, ``shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors.'' Both of these missions are critical to our troops and their families. Throughout our nation's war against terrorism, my wife Beverly and I have been asked by the injured Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen at our military and veterans hospitals if the American people continue to support their mission. The Patriot Guard Riders make sure that when these American heroes return home, they know they are loved and appreciated by the people of their hometowns. Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that my colleagues will stop and say a word of thanks every time they see a Patriot Guard Rider back home in their communities. These men and women do not serve and ride for their own personal recognition. They ride and they stand in formation as a group to say thank you from a grateful nation and to do as their motto states, to ``Stand for Those Who Stood for Us.''

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to provide my colleagues with an update on a remarkable young man, Navy Lt. Brad Snyder, of St. Petersburg, Florida, an American hero who lost his eye sight in Afghanistan while carrying out an extremely dangerous mission as a member of an explosive ordinance detail. When I last reported to you in July, Lt. Snyder, who I had the privilege to appoint to the U.S. Naval Academy, had just qualified to represent the United States swim team at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Today, I am proud to report to you that Lt. Snyder has brought home two gold medals and one silver medal. He was one of the truly inspirational stories of these games. So inspirational in fact, that his teammates selected him to serve as the U.S. flag bearer for last night's closing ceremonies. Lt. Snyder is symbolic of the indomitable spirit of our men and women in uniform in our all volunteer force. He volunteered to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and upon graduation he volunteered for assignment to the dangerous explosive ordinance disposal team. With injuries that would have devastated most people, he found the courage to reenter the pool to represent our nation in front of the world in such a dramatic manner. You will recall that Brad was selected as the Captain of the Naval Academy Swim Team because his coaches, teammates, and fellow sailors all recognized his exceptional work ethic and trustworthy behavior. After graduating in May 2006, Lt. Snyder became an Explosive Ordinance Officer. He served for six months in Iraq and was deployed to Afghanistan on April 11, 2011. While his unit was on patrol there on September 7, 2011, the front of the patrol team set off an IED. While providing aid, Lt. Snyder stepped on a pressure plate, detonating another unseen IED. The second blast inflicted severe burns and permanently blinded him. Less than two months after losing his sight, Lt. Snyder returned to the swimming pool and swam several hundred meters on his first attempt. Appropriately enough, it was one year to the date of his injuries that Brad won his second gold medal at the London Games. As I said in July, I was struck when I went back and read Brad's candidate statement to me from 11 years ago as part of his application to the Naval Academy. In it he wrote, ``Initially it was Olympic gold that I dreamed of, but as reality set in I realized that the military was a more realistic dream. Today I dream that I will be an officer in the best Navy the world has ever seen, and I hope that my contributions to the Navy can help it grow strong.'' Mr. Speaker, Lt. Brad Snyder has achieved his goals on both fronts-- serving our nation with honor as a United States Naval officer, and winning Olympic gold. Far greater though, is the way in which he demonstrated to the world the courage and commitment of all U.S. service members when he entered that pool and when he carried the Stars and Stripes into the Olympic Stadium. This is a remarkable young man with a remarkable story and he deserves the thanks and appreciation of all of the members of this House for a job well done.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4362, the Stopping Tax Offenders and Prosecuting Identity Theft Act of 2012. Tax-related identity theft is a wide-spread problem that must be addressed. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has reported that 641,052 taxpayers were affected by identity theft last year, more than double the number from 2010. This year, all indications point to an even greater number of incidents of tax-related identity theft. In April, the IRS had already blocked more than $1.3 billion in potentially fraudulent tax refunds. While many taxpayers throughout the country have fallen victim to identity theft, the Tampa Bay area that I have the privilege to represent has unfortunately become a hotbed for this criminal activity. Local police have arrested street criminals with hundreds of Social Security Numbers, online tax preparation software, and prepaid debit cards containing tax refunds. Thieves are selling innocent people's identities for as little as $10 per Social Security Number. After these criminals have stolen an identity, they file a false tax return using the victim's name and information. The IRS will send the criminal a refund on a prepaid debit card that is virtually untraceable. The IRS says that these fraudulent refunds could cost the taxpayers $26 billion over the next five years. When the victim attempts to file his legal tax return, the IRS flags the account as having already received a refund and then begins an investigation to determine which return was actually filed by the valid taxpayer. Unfortunately, this process can take more than a year to complete and the victims are given no indication when they will receive their refund check. So now, not only has the victim's identity been stolen, the IRS will not give him the money that he or she is rightfully owed. H.R. 4362 is good legislation in that it calls on the Department of Justice to do more to prosecute tax-related identity theft and strengthens criminal penalties on the thieves. However, I believe there is much more that can be done to combat this growing problem. It is clear that the IRS needs to do a better job addressing this crime. There are steps that the IRS can and should take to prevent identity theft before it sends out fraudulent refunds. The IRS needs to do much better assisting the victims in getting their proper refunds. In May, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration released a report titled, ``Most Taxpayers Whose Identities Have Been Stolen to Commit Refund Fraud Do Not Receive Quality Customer Service.'' More than 40 of my constituents have contacted me to express their personal experiences with tax-related identity theft and frustrations in getting the refunds they are owed from the IRS. In April, I wrote to IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, to call on him to address the growing problem of identity theft. I asked the Commissioner to respond to me about the actions the IRS has taken to combat fraud, how the IRS can better utilize its resources to deal with identity theft, how we can ensure that victims receive their proper refunds in a timely manner, and how the IRS can better collaborate with law enforcement to identify and prosecute identity thieves. Despite the public's increasing concerns regarding this important issue, it took the IRS until the end of June to respond to my original inquiry. I would like to insert into the Record my letter to Commissioner Shulman as well as the response from the IRS. The House Appropriations Committee, of which I am a senior member, has also indicated its strong concerns regarding the IRS's efforts to combat identity theft in the Fiscal Year 2013 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill. Section 103 of the legislation would require the IRS to ``institute policies and procedures that will safe-guard the confidentiality of taxpayer information and protect taxpayers against identity theft.'' Additionally, the Committee Report directs the IRS to report to the Congress regarding the number of cases of tax-related identity theft, the time it takes to resolve cases, and the agency's efforts to expedite resolution for these taxpayers. The Stopping Tax Offenders and Prosecuting Identity Theft Act is a good start for addressing tax-related identity theft. But it is only a start. As our national debt approaches $16 trillion, we cannot afford to send out billions in fraudulent refunds to criminals. At the same time, the victims of this crime should not have to wait more than a year to receive the money that is owed to them. There is much the IRS can do on its own to address these issues. However, if more legislative changes are needed, I stand ready to work with my colleagues in the House to combat this problem. Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, April 12, 2012. Hon. Douglas H. Shulman, Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Dear Commissioner Shulman: As the deadline for individuals to file their tax returns approaches, I would like to take this opportunity to call on the IRS to address the issue of tax fraud by identity theft. As you arc well aware, this crime has been particularly prevalent in the Tampa Bay region that I have the privilege to represent. Several of my constituents have been victims of identity theft and I thank you and your staff for your efforts to help resolve their cases. Tax season is stressful enough without the threat of identity theft. The taxpayers we work for should not have to worry that their identity has been stolen while they are complying with the law and simply filing their tax returns. Victims of identity theft can also experience significant delays in receiving their refunds, depriving them of money that many were counting on to help in these difficult economic times. Often, these innocent citizens are left with no idea of when they will be able to get the refund that is rightly theirs. At a time when the federal government is again projected to run a deficit of more than $1 trillion, we should not be paying out fraudulent tax refunds to identity thieves. The IRS should do everything in its power to prevent this crime and quickly assist victims. If the IRS requires additional statutory authority to take these steps, I would urge you to work with the Congress to find appropriate solutions. To this end, I ask that you to respond to the following questions: 1. What actions has the IRS taken in this tax filing season to address the growing number of tax-related identity theft cases? 2. How can the IRS better focus its resources to deal with identity theft and assist victims? 3. What steps has the IRS taken to ensure the timely issuance of refunds to victims of identity theft? 4. How can the IRS better work with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify, investigate, and prosecute identity thieves while protecting the privacy of victims? Again, thank you for your work to help the victims of tax- related identity theft and your prompt reply to these questions. With best wishes and personal regards, I am. Very truly yours, C.W. Bill Young, Member of Congress.

Mr. YOUNG of Florida

Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to join with the students, faculty, staff and past graduates of Seminole High School in celebrating its 50th anniversary. Located in Seminole, Florida, Seminole High is an institution with students who excel, not only in the classroom, but in the arts and sports as well. It was established in 1962 to meet the pressing need for a high school in the rapidly growing Seminole area. Now, 50 remarkable years later, this comprehensive public school, that I have the privilege of representing, has quite a history, which would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the students, teachers, and faculty alike, who have devoted their time and energy into making Seminole High School what it is today. Home to several National Merit Scholars and the three-time winner of the ``St. Petersburg Times' All Sports Award'' for best athletic programs in the Tampa Bay area, it is no wonder that Seminole High is a seven-time winner of the Florida Department of Education's Five Star School Award, which is presented to schools that have ``shown evidence of exemplary community involvement.'' Seminole High School's academic record also has received special attention as it exceeds the state average with a higher graduation rate than most other schools, not only in its district, but in the entire State of Florida. With such a gifted student body, this school has many famous alumni ranging from professional football players, Olympic swimmers, a Miss America, and my wife, Beverly. The Seminole Warhawk marching band has performed in famous events such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, as well as the Rose Bowl Parade, which they are due to participate in for the second time this New Year's Day. With half a century of history and a record of sterling accomplishments, it is no surprise that Seminole High School has progressed from what was once only a simple two-building complex in the 1960s, to a superior academic and athletic high school that it is today. It is due to the extraordinary faculty, and of course, the talented student body that has allowed Seminole High School to excel for 50 years. Certainly, Seminole High has much to be proud of and I look forward to seeing what successes they will achieve over the next 50 years.