E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 159 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2013 No. 102 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was harming our national security and put- He went on to say: called to order by the Speaker pro tem- ting our military readiness at risk. At If our dedicated folks are told to turn the pore (Mr. MASSIE). the same time, they also represent a lights off and lock the doors at 4 p.m. on a f severe 20 percent pay cut in the form of Thursday, then who will provide that level of days when they are forced to stay responsiveness our military counterparts DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO home without pay, forbidden even from have so desperately come to expect and rely TEMPORE volunteering to continue performing on when no one is here to respond to the call The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- on Friday? What message does that send to their important tasks. the civilians and contractors who have made fore the House the following commu- Federal employees, including those it their mission to ensure our military never nication from the Speaker: in civilian defense positions, have al- goes without critical equipment, data, and WASHINGTON, DC, ready contributed $114 billion over the training they need? July 17, 2013. last 3 years for the next 7 years toward He goes on to say: I hereby appoint the Honorable THOMAS deficit reduction from pay freezes and I genuinely worry that it devalues the MASSIE to act as Speaker pro tempore on changes in retirement benefits. These this day. level of effort that our employees have put are hardworking, dedicated men and forth. And when you’re losing your pay and JOHN A. BOEHNER, women who only want to serve their Speaker of the House of Representatives. your work appears to be less important, it country and make a difference. will become much harder to retain a lot of f As I said on this floor last week, I these very talented folk. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE went to Pax River 2 weeks ago to meet Not my words, Mr. Speaker, but the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- with many of those preparing to be fur- words of one of America’s many selfless ant to the order of the House of Janu- loughed. I heard their concerns about public servants who are concerned ary 3, 2013, the Chair will now recog- the sequester’s effects on the missions about this dangerous sequester. of our men and women in uniform nize Members from lists submitted by What will it take for Congress to act? whom these civilian employees sup- the majority and minority leaders for We’ve also seen air combat units port. grounded, and some classes at the morning-hour debate. We have men and women at the point The Chair will alternate recognition Naval Academy this fall could be can- of this spear, but we have a lot of men between the parties, with each party celed if sequester continues. The only and women who are making sure that way to reverse these effects, Mr. limited to 1 hour and each Member they can be as effective and as safe as other than the majority and minority Speaker, on our military readiness and possible at the point of that spear. And training is to replace the sequester leaders and the minority whip limited I heard from them about how the se- to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall with a big and balanced alternative. quester is affecting morale on and off Budget Committee Ranking Member debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. base. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN has proposed a bal- f What I did not hear much at all from anced alternative seven times, but the those employees was concern for them- EFFECTS OF SEQUESTRATION majority has not allowed us to consider selves, about how furloughs will impact a balanced plan on this floor. If we had, The SPEAKER pro tempore. The their own families. That’s because on this floor, an alternative to the se- Chair recognizes the gentleman from their number one concern, even facing quester that achieves real deficit re- Maryland (Mr. HOYER) for 5 minutes. an undeserved 20 percent pay cut, is duction—which we know we need— Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, for civilian still their ability to serve and get the through a balance of revenues and tar- defense employees at Pax River Naval job done for our troops and all of us Air Station, Webster Field, and the who depend on a strong national de- geted spending cuts, Mr. Speaker, I be- Naval Surface Warfare Center at Indian fense. lieve that the majority of us, Repub- Head, all of which I represent—and Mr. After my meeting with civilian de- lican and Democrat, would come to- JONES, who is on the floor, represents a fense employees from Maryland’s Fifth gether and would support it. It’s time substantial number as well in his dis- District, I received an email message for Speaker BOEHNER to appoint budget trict—sequestration hit home last from an employee at Webster Field. He conferees so that House and Senate ne- week as furloughs began. The same is wrote this: gotiators can begin to reach agreement true of 650,000 civilian defense workers We pride ourselves in not only delivering a on a balanced compromise. throughout our country. quality product but on being responsive to I will continue, Mr. Speaker, to call The furloughs brought on by the irra- the emergent needs of our soldiers and sail- on both parties to listen to the men tional policy of sequestration are ors around the world. and women of Pax River, of Webster b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H4525 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:00 Jul 18, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17JY7.000 H17JYPT1 pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H4526 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 17, 2013 Field, of Indian Head, Quantico, the and limb in Afghanistan. History has Cable sings a song about racial preju- folks in North Carolina that Mr. JONES said no nation has ever changed Af- dice, entitled, ‘‘You’ve Got to Be Care- represents, the folks in Maryland that ghanistan and no nation will ever fully Taught.’’ The lyrics of the song I represent, the folks in Connecticut change Afghanistan. We need to listen confront prejudice at its core, explain- that Mr. COURTNEY represents, the to the American people and stop this ing the simple truth that discrimina- folks in Massachusetts that my good spending. And more importantly than tion is not inherent; it’s imposed—im- friend, the ranking member—almost the spending is the waste of life in Af- posed by others who once had it im- ranking member on the Rules Com- ghanistan. posed upon them in the vicious cycle of mittee represents, and the gentleman I ask my colleagues on both sides to prejudice and fear. from Illinois represents. They and I come together and work together. One isn’t born with an inherent aver- will continue, in both parties, to act, Let’s start reducing the amount of sion to those of a different skin tone. to act on a balanced, rational, reason- money that we are spending in Afghan- One has to be taught to fear a young, able alternative that brings the deficit istan, and let’s also reduce the number unarmed black man in a hoodie. One down but maintains our national secu- of troops that have to go back and has to be taught to fear minorities vot- rity and the morale of the people who forth to Afghanistan. ing. You’ve got to be carefully taught. every day work to protect our great Sequestration and furloughs are cre- I also believe discrimination plays a land. ating one of the worst situations for role in opposition to same-sex mar- riage. One isn’t born thinking gay peo- f our military that they have faced in many, many years. And again, we are ple should be treated differently than AFGHANISTAN looking at furloughing the professional straight people. One has to be taught The SPEAKER pro tempore. The doctors and nurses and mental health to fear equality for all. You’ve got to Chair recognizes the gentleman from providers. be carefully taught. North Carolina (Mr. JONES) for 5 min- Mr. Speaker, beside me is really what Discrimination has played a role in utes. I say speaks better than my words. It is our immigration policy from the late Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I must say a photograph of a full-dressed Army 19th century to today. But people that it is very disappointing that the contingency walking behind a caisson. aren’t naturally hostile to those who last time the House of Representatives Apparently, the wife of the soldier in speak a different language or come officially remembered the men and the caisson is standing there with her from a different place. They had to be taught to fear the dreamers who are women who have died in Afghanistan little girl holding the mother’s hand, American in all but citizenship or their was February of this year.