December 11, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7631 Republicans, a plan guided by indi- they drag on, the less legitimate the Pennsylvania (Mr. THOMPSON) for 5 vidual freedom of choice and open com- overall system appears. Meanwhile, our minutes. petition. civilian judicial system, which many Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. This will only happen if there is a congressional critics have derided as Mr. Speaker, the Food Network re- massive change of heart by the con- not up to the task of handling ter- cently broadcast an episode of their hit gressional Democrats who imposed this rorism cases, has disposed of a long reality-based cooking television series, nightmare on our country. Now is the line of defendants—from Richard Reid, ‘‘Chopped.’’ Aspiring teen chefs high- time for all Americans whose lives the Shoe Bomber, to Omar Farouk lighted their culinary skills and com- have been upended by their folly to Abdulmutallab, the Underwear Bomb- peted for a scholarship that would be share their stories with their Rep- er, and Faisal Shaizhad, the Times put towards a leading culinary school. resentatives and to pray that they ac- Square Bomber—all successfully pros- Competition aside, these young chefs tually can touch some hearts and ecuted in America’s civilian courts, are ambassadors of career and tech- change some minds during this holiday and none will ever be released again. nical education programs. They season. Otherwise, I am afraid that amazed professional judges and made b 1015 New Year’s Day will be nothing to cele- the viewing public second-guess mom’s brate. By lifting its restriction on transfer- cooking. ring these detainees to the United f As cochair of the bipartisan Career States for trial, Congress could give and Technical Education Caucus, CLOSING GUANTANAMO BAY the administration the flexibility to which I am proud to lead with my good The SPEAKER pro tempore. The transfer many of those now in the mili- friend, the gentleman from Rhode Is- Chair recognizes the gentleman from tary commission system to Article III land (Mr. LANGEVIN), I congratulate the California (Mr. SCHIFF) for 5 minutes. courts for prosecution. These civilian Food Network and ‘‘Chopped’’ for pro- Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, when it courts can be more expeditious, more moting these young culinary profes- was first opened in the immediate effective, and, in the eyes of the world, sionals. aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the more just than military tribunals. Mr. Speaker, inspiration is like light- Guantanamo Bay prison may have The remaining detainees—some 46 ning; it doesn’t strike in the same seemed a reasonable stopgap measure men—will be the most difficult cases. place twice. With 2014 quickly ap- as a shocked Nation marshaled its re- These are detainees considered too dan- proaching, we should do everything in sources and figured out how to dispose gerous to release or transfer, but who our power in order to support the cul- of detainees taken in Afghanistan and cannot be prosecuted. For some, evi- inary arts and the entire range of other elsewhere. dence cannot be presented without re- career and technical education pro- But even in those early days, the vealing critical sources of intelligence grams and fields that offer aspiring problems we were creating with Guan- and methods. Others were tortured, or young minds and transitioning adults a tanamo’s patchwork of military rules evidence against them was collected gateway to success in a rapidly evolv- and commissions were readily appar- through torture or some other unlaw- ing and dynamic job market. The fu- ent. Since 2002, I have introduced nu- ful means. For still others, the evi- ture of America deserves as much. merous bills and amendments to try to dence of past acts and future dan- f bring Guantanamo into conformity gerousness, while not sufficient to with American and prosecute, argues compellingly against RECOGNIZING LAWRENCE LIVER- and to stop it from becoming a jihadi any release or transfer. MORE NATIONAL LABORATORY recruiting tool. The administration announced over FOR OUTSTANDING WORK But reform of this prison system has the summer that it would begin a re- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The been elusive and progress towards view of these cases, and as a result, Chair recognizes the gentleman from bringing its detainees to justice almost others may be cleared for transfer or California (Mr. SWALWELL) for 5 min- nonexistent, as U.S. courts have taken prosecution. It is likely that many, if utes. strong issue with its improvised legal not most, of the detainees in this final Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. process. category will remain in American cus- Speaker, I rise to recognize Lawrence In one of his first acts as President, tody. But where? Livermore National Laboratory for its ordered the closing of Even if we ultimately decide to outstanding scientific work and the Guantanamo, but the Congress almost maintain these detainees in custody, dedicated scientists who played a role immediately stepped in and erected a that does not justify continued oper- in the effort that was recently awarded series of statutory barriers that have ation of Guantanamo Bay. Instead, the 2013 . prevented the transfer of detainees to they should be transferred to civilian Yesterday, in , , the Or- the United States and made transfer to or military confinement in the United ganization for the Prohibition of Chem- third countries extremely difficult. States, an option currently blocked by ical Weapons, OPCW, received the 2013 Today, there is a renewed push by the Congress. Nobel Peace Prize for its work enforc- administration to shutter Guantanamo Every day that it remains open, ing the global ban on chemical weap- for good. Doing so will not be easy, but Guantanamo Bay damages the United ons. The OPCW received this pres- the cost of keeping the prison open—to States. Because there are other, better tigious award in part because of the our values, to our pocketbook, to our options for prosecution and detention contributions from over 21 scientific reputation, and to our security—have of these inmates, we are not safer for laboratories around the world. That become too great to bear. Guantanamo’s existence. In fact, it work, in different capacities, led to There are now 164 detainees at Guan- makes us more vulnerable by drawing identifying and destroying chemical tanamo, 84 of whom have been cleared new generations to the jihad. weapons across the world. One of these for transfer to their home country or The Congress, the administration, laboratories is from the 15th Congres- another country willing to accept and the military can work together to sional District, Lawrence Livermore them. These detainees should be proc- find a solution that protects our people National Laboratory. essed and transferred as soon as secu- even as we maintain our principles and Over the past 13 years, Lawrence rity considerations will allow. devotion to the rule of law. The Presi- Livermore Forensic Science Center has This would leave 80 remaining de- dent has indicated that he would like worked closely with the OPCW to ana- tainees, who are roughly split into two to work with Congress to end the lyze samples and test for the possible groups. The first group, which includes Guantanamo era. We should take him presence of chemical weapons. The Khalid Sheikh Mohamed and other key up on that important challenge. OPCW and Lawrence Livermore Lab- 9/11 plotters, consists of detainees slat- f oratory were recognized specifically for ed for trial under the military commis- actions that OPCW has recently taken sions that were established by the Bush SUPPORTING CAREER AND TECH- in —to identify, destroy, and dis- administration. NICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS mantle the Assad regime’s chemical These proceedings have been mired in The SPEAKER pro tempore. The weapons that they most recently used pre-trial wrangling; and the longer Chair recognizes the gentleman from back in August on their own people.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:14 Dec 23, 2014 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD13\RECFILES\DEC2013\H11DE3.REC H11DE3 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE H7632 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 11, 2013 I have been a sharp critic of proposed with Congress to achieve a long-term solu- to get our Nation on a path of fiscal military action in Syria. I believed all tion. As such, I would like to take you up on sustainability, to get our American fel- along that there was a third way, that your public offer to discuss ideas and imple- low citizens back to work by fixing our it was not a false choice between isola- ment solutions that will no longer force us Tax Code, and solving the entitlement to govern through crises, cliffs, or shutdown tionism, not doing anything, and tak- deadlines. crisis that is impending upon us. ing military action in Syria. The ac- On October 16, 2013, you stated you are With that, I ask us to join in this tions of OPCW and the ‘‘Willing to work with anybody . . . Demo- proposal and ask the President to join have shown, in working in collabora- crat or Republican, House or Senate Mem- us in a bipartisan manner to address tion with the Lawrence Livermore Na- bers on any idea that will grow our economy, these concerns. tional Laboratory, that diplomacy can create new jobs, strengthen the middle class, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Mem- work. We can go into Syria and iden- and get our fiscal house in order for the long bers are reminded to address their re- tify these dangerous chemical weapons; term.’’ To that end, I submit the following marks to the Chair and not to a per- honest proposal which I truly believe will ceived viewing audience. we can dismantle them and make sure take a small but significant step forward to- that a ruthless dictator never again ward more responsible governance. Also, I f can use them on his own people. hope it might change the culture of Wash- FOOD INSECURITY Together, the work of OPCW and ington, D.C., to an environment where good The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Lawrence Livermore Laboratory has policy triumphs over politics. Chair recognizes the gentleman from created a safer world. But they recog- As you can see, the honest proposal is a Massachusetts (Mr. MCGOVERN) for 5 nize that their work will not be com- multistep vision and plan summarized as fol- minutes. plete until the world is free of chemical lows: Step 1, raise the February 7, 2014, debt ceil- Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, on weapons. ing limit in an amount equal to the total Friday, the Republican leadership has I have been a tireless advocate for CBO score of spending reductions, reforms, decided we will adjourn for the holi- funding of both Lawrence Livermore and removal of waste, fraud, and abuse with- days. Notwithstanding the fact that we National Laboratory and the other lab- in government operations that have already haven’t done immigration reform, we been identified and supported on a bipartisan oratory that is in my district, Sandia haven’t passed a jobs bill, we haven’t National Laboratory. The work that is basis. Attached, please find a list of $573 bil- lion of such government reforms and spend- extended unemployment insurance, being done right now with OPCW shows they have all decided it is time to go that the work being done at our na- ing reductions already identified to date. Step 2a, upon completion of step 1, we will home and enjoy the holidays. So on tional laboratories has value and that then move to step 2. In step 2, what we would Friday, we will all leave and go back to we cannot continue to chip away at propose is votes in the House and Senate on our districts. Federal funding for our national lab- their respective visions for comprehensive The one thing we will all have in oratories. tax reform and also for reform of our entitle- common, Democrats and Republicans, Congratulations again to OPCW for ment programs to ensure their solvency for is we will go back and we will enjoy the receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and I another generation would occur. If those holidays, and we will partake in many votes occur in the House and Senate, there am very proud of the scientific commu- celebrations. And the one thing that nity, the engineers at Lawrence Liver- would be automatic relief of the debt ceiling cap for an additional year. we will not have to worry about is more for your work in support of And then we would move to step 3, Mr. whether or not we will have enough to OPCW and their efforts. President. Step 3 would essentially say, if in eat. Our concern, quite frankly, will be f the House or the Senate we enact either one overeating. of those long-term solutions through our Tax But the fact is, for millions of our ADDRESSING CHALLENGING Code or through our entitlement crisis with FISCAL ISSUES fellow citizens, close to 50 million our Social Security and Medicare insolvency Americans, they will have to worry The SPEAKER pro tempore. The coming down on us, we would immediately, about whether they will have enough Chair recognizes the gentleman from in step 3, relieve the debt ceiling for an addi- tional 2-year period of time. This would to eat for them and their families. New York (Mr. REED) for 5 minutes. Fifty million people in this country, Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I rise today mean, Mr. President, the debt ceiling re- straint would no longer impact your admin- the richest country in the history of to highlight a framework I have de- istration as it would be automatically ex- the world, are hungry; 17 million are signed which will begin to address the tended beyond the end of your administra- kids. All kinds of people fall in that challenging fiscal issues we face as a tion’s term. category. Sadly, close to 1 million of Nation. This proposal is to deal with I kindly request you review this proposal our veterans rely on food assistance the impending debt ceiling crisis that and then meet to discuss how it can be im- programs because they don’t have will be coming upon us in February or proved and implemented. To me, this is an enough to eat. shortly thereafter. honest proposal which will put Americans Mr. Speaker, the fact that so many I am pleased to hear recent news first and begin to address the pressing issues of our day. We have major debt issues that people in the United States of America today of a budget agreement dealing cannot wait any longer. Our arcane Tax Code are hungry is a national disgrace. We with a potential government shutdown stifles economic growth, and the fiscal should be outraged. There should be resolution that avoids governing by health of Social Security and Medicare is outrage in this Chamber. There should crisis, but we have the debt ceiling worsening beyond control. If we solve these be a sense of urgency that we need to issue right behind. What I have put two challenges, we will place our children solve this problem. Yet what we see is forth, Mr. Speaker, is an honest, sin- and grandchildren and our Nation’s finances indifference and, in some cases, out- cere proposal consisting of three steps in a far better position than where they are right hostility toward those Americans to reduce our spending on the Federal now projected to be. To me, this adheres to a fundamental rule that we must pass Amer- who happen to be poor. level, address our Nation’s broken Tax ica on to our next generation in a better con- The House of Representatives re- Code, and ensure the solvency of Social dition than which we found her. cently passed a farm bill that cut the Security and Medicare. I look forward to hearing your thoughts SNAP program, the Supplemental Nu- Mr. Speaker, I outlined the proposal and working with you to prevent the dire trition Assistance Program, which is in a letter sent to the President on No- consequences of failing to address these chal- designed to ensure people have enough vember 15 of this year, and that letter lenges. to eat. They cut that program by $40 reads: Mr. Speaker, I have yet to receive a billion. In the Senate version, they cut Dear Mr. President, response from the President, not even a it by about $4.5 billion. There is now a It is time. As I have expressed before in courtesy response so I know it was re- conference committee going on, and writing to you and members of your adminis- ceived and not lost in the mail between press reports say that maybe they will tration, I am very interested in working my office in the Longworth Building decide on an $8 billion cut. with you in a bipartisan manner to imple- and the White House, less than 2 miles Eight billion dollars, what does that ment long-term solutions to America’s debt problems. Our impending debt crisis and away. mean? That means that 850,000 families threats to the solvency of Social Security So I take to the floor of the House in this country will be impacted in a and Medicare must be solved now before they today to have my proposal officially negative way by that cut; 1.7 million reach catastrophic levels. I urge you to work recorded and to lay out this framework people.

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