October 27, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1951 These qualities are not uncommon among that critical capacity by delaying the launch longer jointly procure the NPOESS satellite the men and women who serve in our nation’s of the next generation polar-orbiting sat- system; instead, each agency would plan and Armed Forces, but it’s not every day that you ellites, said Jane Lubchenco.’’ You are also acquire its own satellite system.’’ quoted as saying, ‘‘It is a disaster in the Your reported inaccurate and partisan can point to someone who has lived up to making. It’s an expression of the dysfunction comments are unhelpful. I urge you to pub- these standards over a career that spans in our system.’’ Your remarks mirror similar licly correct these inaccurate statements. I nearly seven decades. I am pleased to recog- comments made by deputy administrator await your prompt response. nize a man who has done just that, John Kathryn Sullivan to the Washington Post Best wishes. Bruce of Troy, Michigan. earlier this summer. Sincerely, Mr. Bruce served in the South Pacific during Perhaps you are unaware that the Repub- FRANK R. WOLF, World War II as a member of the Army Signal lican-authored House FY 2011 bill rec- Chairman, Commerce-Justice-Science Corps. After being honorably discharged fol- ommended a higher level of funding for Subcommittee, Appropriations Committee. lowing the war, he began a career at the De- NOAA’s satellite acquisition account than f the Democrat-authored Senate bill despite troit Arsenal in 1946 as a cost/price analyst. the House having a lower allocation than the HONORING JULIE WATKINS FOR Mr. Bruce has been with TACOM ever since, Senate. Further, for FY 2012, the House Com- TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF PUB- accepting greater and greater responsibilities. merce-Justice-Science Appropriations sub- LIC SERVICE He has served as Chief of Payroll, Chief of Fi- committee recommended $901 million, a nancial Accounting, Deputy Comptroller, and nearly $430 million increase—91%—above the Chief of the Detroit Arsenal Procurement Of- FY 2011 level for JPSS. Despite having an al- HON. NICK J. RAHALL II fice, to name only a few of the positions he location $2.5 billion higher than the House, OF WEST VIRGINIA has held over the years. the Senate recommended an amount only IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Bruce has been honored on many occa- slightly above the House recommendation, $920 million. To my knowledge, you have Thursday, October 27, 2011 sions for his service. His awards include the never criticized Senate funding levels for Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, it is always hard Secretary of the Army Award for outstanding JPSS. While the House did not provide the achievement in material acquisition; the Com- full $1 billion requested, the House level is a to say goodbye to a valued staff person, but manders Award for exceptional Civilian Serv- significant amount of funding given these today is especially difficult in wishing Julie ice, the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the austere budget times when other programs Watkins a fond farewell as she begins her re- Achievement Medal for Superior Civilian Serv- in the Commerce-Justice-Science bill were tirement. ice, the Superior Civilian Service Award, the significantly reduced or eliminated alto- Julie has served the people of West Virginia Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, and gether. as a staff member in the U.S. Congress since Finally, I would call your attention to the the Department of the Army Decoration for Ex- 1989, almost 23 years. fact that any gap in satellite data is not due Julie began her Congressional tenure work- ceptional Service. to lack of funding, ‘‘Republican budget-cut- Mr. Bruce is a graduate of UCLA, where he ting measures’’ or ‘‘the dysfunction in our ing in the mailroom for West Virginia’s beloved earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Busi- system,’’ but rather years of poor inter- Senator Robert C. Byrd. She later moved to ness Administration. He and his late wife, agency management that resulted in the Senator Byrd’s front office, where she was a Jean, have two daughters, Nancy and Bar- cancellation of the National Polar-orbiting Staff Assistant who proved her commitment bara. Operational Environmental Satellite System daily to her job. Rising at 3:15 a.m., each When John Bruce retires on his 94th birth- (NPOESS) satellite program after being morning, in order to drive from rural Virginia to day on December 3, he will be TACOM’s and more than five years behind schedule, twice be in the office by 5 a.m., Julie impressed as expensive with fewer satellites and less Senator Byrd and everybody on staff with her the Army’s longest serving employee. I ask capability. The caution shown by the Con- the House of Representatives to join me in ex- gress with regard to funding the successor diligence and hard work. pressing our gratitude to Mr. Bruce for his program, JPSS, is fully justified in light of Julie later was promoted to Front Office many years of service to the nation. Congratu- this record of waste and mismanagement. I Manager and then Office Manager, training lations for a remarkable career and a job well have noted below portions of September, 2011 every new Staff Assistant who came to work done. GAO testimony to the Congress on NPOESS in Senator Byrd’s front office, forty-eight in mismanagement, from GAO–11–945T: f total, while she was in that position. After fif- ‘‘When its primary contract was awarded teen years, in 2005, she left the front office to LETTER TO NOAA ADMINIS- in August 2002, NPOESS was estimated to try her hand at casework. Senator Byrd, who TRATOR JANE LUBCHENCO RE- cost about $7 billion through 2026 and was thought so very highly of Julie, was deeply re- GARDING HER INACCURATE AND considered critical to the United States’ luctant to let her go—refusing to accept for the UNCONSTRUCTIVE PUBLIC COM- ability to maintain the continuity of data required for weather forecasting and global longest time that Julie was no longer looking MENTS ON THE HOUSE APPRO- after his front office—a position upon which he PRIATIONS LEGISLATION climate monitoring. However, in the years after the program was initiated, NPOESS en- placed tremendous value. She had been, for countered significant technical challenges in so long, his warm, welcoming, efficient rep- HON. FRANK R. WOLF sensor development, program cost growth, resentative to so many West Virginians when- OF VIRGINIA and schedule delays. By November 2005, we ever they called for help or came to visit Cap- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES estimated that the program’s cost had grown itol Hill. to $10 billion, and the schedule for the first When Senator Byrd passed away last year, Thursday, October 27, 2011 launch was delayed by almost 2 years. These I was fortunate that Julie agreed to come to Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I submit a letter issues led to a 2006 restructuring of the pro- work on the House Natural Resources Com- that I have sent to National Ocean and Atmos- gram which reduced the program’s mittee, on which I was Chairman. She worked pheric Administration administrator Jane functionality by decreasing the number of in my Committee office, and later graciously Lubchenco in response to inaccurate and planned satellites, orbits, and instruments. The restructuring also led agency executives moved to my personal office, once again re- unconstructive remarks about the House Com- to decide to mitigate potential data gaps by suming the vital duties of the front desk. merce-Justice-Science Appropriations Sub- using NPP as an operational satellite. Even I cannot help but feel a little boastful in say- committee recommended funding for the Joint after the restructuring, however, the pro- ing that I succeeded where Senator Byrd did Polar Satellite System. gram continued to encounter technical issues in developing two sensors, significant not in convincing Julie to move back into the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, front office. I know, however, that Senator Ocober 26, 2011. tri-agency management challenges, schedule Dr. JANE LUBCHENCO, delays, and further cost increases. Faced Byrd would be so proud to know that all of Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, with costs that were expected to exceed $14 Julie’s skill and experience were still being Department of Commerce, Washington, DC. billion and launch schedules that were de- employed, at least for a little while longer, in DEAR DR. LUBCHENCO: I was disappointed layed by over 5 years, in August 2009, the Ex- serving the people of West Virginia. by your recent remarks to the Guardian ecutive Office of the President formed a task Julie is one of those prized Congressional newspaper accusing congressional force, led by the Office of Science and Tech- staffers who master their job. Many times they nology Policy, to investigate the manage- Repub1icans of endangering the Joint Polar are not high profile positions, but they are es- Satellite System (JPSS). I want you to know ment and acquisition options that would im- that your reported accusations were neither prove the NPOESS program. As a result of sential to a smooth running office and to en- accurate nor constructive. this review, the Director of the Office of suring that our constituents are well and effec- According to the article, ‘‘Republican Science and Technology Policy announced in tively served. Julie knows what so many of us budget-cutting measures would knock out February 2010 that NOAA and DOD would no forget or fail to understand: filling the copy

VerDate Mar 15 2010 02:45 Oct 28, 2011 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A27OC8.016 E27OCPT1 tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E1952 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 27, 2011 paper each morning, checking the fax ma- TRIBUTE TO USS ‘‘CALIFORNIA’’ California is a state with a long naval history chine so it works properly, knowing the right and strong naval tradition. The entire Cali- contacts in the Superintendent’s office when HON. KEN CALVERT fornia Delegation is proud to welcome the something needs fixing—these sometimes OF CALIFORNIA USS California as the eighth U.S. Navy ship seemingly little things are of big importance. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES named after our home state. We have no Julie had a keen eye for catching those little Thursday, October 27, 2011 doubt that she, and her crew, will serve our things and always looked after them to ensure country honorably. Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on that everyone else could do their job better. The following are the names of the Mem- behalf of the California Delegation, to honor She is ever dependable, ever reliable. When bers of the California Congressional Delega- and pay tribute to the USS California (SSN– Julie gets an assignment, you know it will get tion in support of the USS California: 781), a Virginia-class submarine and the first done and get done right. MIKE THOMPSON, WALLY HERGER, DANIEL submarine to be named after the Golden LUNGREN, TOM MCCLINTOCK, DORIS MATSUI, I know I speak on behalf of the entire Rahall State. On the occasion of the submarine’s GEORGE MILLER, JOHN GARAMENDI, JERRY staff, as well as the staffs of the Natural Re- commissioning, we could not be more proud MCNERNEY, JACKIE SPEIER, PETE STARK, ANNA sources and Transportation and Infrastructure to have one of the world’s most modern and ESHOO, MIKE HONDA, ZOE LOFGREN, SAM Committees who have had the pleasure of sophisticated nuclear-powered attack sub- FARR, DENNIS CARDOZA, JEFF DENHAM, JIM working with her, when I say that Julie will be marines named for the state of California. COSTA, DEVIN NUNES, KEVIN MCCARTHY, LOIS The contract to build her was awarded to deeply missed. We wish her a most enjoyable CAPPS, ELTON GALLEGLY, HOWARD ‘‘BUCK’’ Northrop Grumman Newport News (now Hun- retirement. We won’t ever forget her and nei- MCKEON, DAVID DREIER, BRAD SHERMAN, HOW- tington Ingalls Industries Newport News Ship- ther will scores of citizens who have benefited ARD BERMAN, ADAM SCHIFF, HENRY WAXMAN, building) in Newport News, Virginia, on August from her service to the Nation. XAVIER BECERRA, JUDY CHU, KAREN BASS, LU- 14, 2003. Construction began in December CILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD, MAXINE WATERS, JANICE 2006. California’s keel was laid down on May f HAHN, LAURA RICHARDSON, GRACE NAPOLI- 1, 2009. She was christened on November 6, TANO, LINDA SA´NCHEZ, EDWARD ROYCE, JERRY H.R. 674 AND H.R. 2576 2010, sponsored by Donna Willard, wife of Ad- LEWIS, GARY MILLER, JOE BACA, KEN CALVERT, miral Robert F. Willard. The California was MARY BONO MACK, DANA ROHRABACHER, LO- launched eight days later, on November 14, RETTA SANCHEZ, JOHN CAMPBELL, DARRELL HON. JOHN D. DINGELL 2010. The commissioning has been scheduled for October 29, 2011 by the Secretary of the ISSA, BRIAN BILBRAY, BOB FILNER, DUNCAN OF MICHIGAN Navy. USS California will be homeported at HUNTER, and SUSAN DAVIS. f IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Groton, Connecticut. Designed to meet the Navy’s requirements HONORING THE PALMYRA HIGH Thursday, October 27, 2011 in a post-Cold War era, Virginia-class sub- SCHOOL LADY PANTHERS marines use advanced technologies to in- Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared crease firepower, maneuverability and stealth. to vote in support of H.R. 674, which would re- Along with other Virginia-class submarines, HON. BLAINE LUETKEMEYER OF MISSOURI peal the onerous requirement that federal, the California is tailored to excel in a wide IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES state, and local government entities withhold range of warfighting missions with several in- three percent of payments to government con- novations that significantly enhance its Thursday, October 27, 2011 tractors. Although never put into effect, the re- warfighting capabilities, especially in the littoral Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise quirement would constitute a significant bur- environment. The ship has a fly-by-wire ship today to ask my colleagues to join me in con- den on all levels of government, which are control system that provides improved shal- gratulating the Palmyra High School Lady presently sorely lacking in resources. With- low-water ship handling. The class has special Panthers softball team for winning the Class 2 holding three percent of payments was un- features to support special operation forces Missouri State Championship on October 22, sound policy when enacted by the Republican and prolonged deployments. Advanced tech- 2011. Congress in 2005, and I gladly will help my nology is employed to provide the ship’s com- The young women and their coaches should colleagues on the other side of the aisle cor- pany enhanced situational awareness and is be commended for all their hard work through- rect their mistake. designed to remain state of the practice for its out the regular season and bringing home the I am less disposed to be helpful on H.R. entire operational life through rapid introduc- state softball championship to their school and 2576, a bill to adjust the definition of ‘‘modified tion of new systems and payloads. community. adjusted gross income,’’ MAGI, so that fewer Previous ships bearing the USS California The Lady Panthers were hungry for a win Americans qualify for tax credits under the Af- name have a long and storied history. The first and proudly demonstrated that competitive fordable Care Act. This strikes me at best as USS California, a screw propelled frigate, was spirit by beating the undefeated Pleasant a solution in search of a non-existent problem. christened in 1869. In 1941, the USS Cali- Hope High School Pirates softball team for the To add insult to injury, H.R. 2576 will cause fornia (BB–44) was the flagship of the U.S. title. This is their fourth softball title in just six American families, seniors, and those with dis- Pacific fleet stationed in Pearl Harbor. She years. abilities to pay more for their healthcare at a was badly damaged by Japanese torpedoes, I ask that you join me in recognizing the time when they can least afford it. I have and partially sunk. The three crewmen serving Palmyra Lady Panthers for a job well done. spent my entire career fighting to ensure work- aboard the battleship that day were post- f ing American families have access to afford- humously awarded the Medal of Honor for HONORING TED WELCH able, good-quality healthcare. Supporting H.R. acts of bravery in saving the lives of their ship- 2576 would be in direct contravention of that mates. A few months later, the California was goal, and I cannot in good conscience do so. salvaged and repaired, and served in the Pa- HON. MARSHA BLACKBURN I urge my colleagues to vote ‘‘no’’ on it. cific theater during the final two years of World OF TENNESSEE War II. She was present at several crucial bat- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude by tles in the Pacific theater, including the Battle Thursday, October 27, 2011 noting the rascality underlying the rule for H.R. of Surigao Strait—the last naval engagement 674 and H.R. 2576. It allows separate votes fought by opposing battleships. Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, the true on both bills—one non-controversial and the The most recent USS California (CGN–26) greatness of our state and country lies in the other very controversial—and then requires was the lead ship of her class of nuclear pow- creativity, integrity, and passion of its people, they be merged for consideration by the Sen- ered guided missile cruisers and was also a and we are fortunate to be surrounded by ate. I oppose this sort of legislating and be- vital part of the U.S. fleet from her launch in mighty examples of dedication to leadership, lieve each chamber should be allowed to work 1971 to her retirement in 1999. She was service, and support of the arts. I rise today to its will on separate items, rather than forced to known as the ‘‘Golden Grizzly,’’ in recognition honor Ted Welch as he receives the Applause accept bad policy in the guise of procedural of the grizzly bear on the California state flag. Award. Given each year to those who devote tricks and faux compromise. This is skulldug- We are pleased that the USS California their time, talents, and treasures to the per- gery at its finest, Mr. Speaker, and an unnec- (SSN–781) will follow in the footsteps of pre- forming arts and arts education in Middle Ten- essary affront to regular order, which your side vious ships that have served this great country nessee, Ted Welch joins Tim McGraw as this so consistently claims to cherish. so proudly. year’s deserved recipients.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 02:45 Oct 28, 2011 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A27OC8.018 E27OCPT1 tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS