Remarks

We have before us today the Chairman's mark for the fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill and report for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.

Welcome to the mark up of the fiscal year 2013 Financial Services and General Government bill. As you know, this Subcommittee has jurisdiction over a diverse group of agencies and activities including financial regulators, tax collections, the White House, the Federal courts, DC, GSA and the Small Business Administration.

I thank the Chairwoman for yielding, and I congratulate her, Ranking Member Serrano, and the entire Subcommittee and its staff on producing a strong Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2013.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5855, the Fiscal Year 2013 Homeland Security Appropriations bill.

After successfully thwarting several attempts at terrorist attacks in our skies, and eliminating the world's most heinous terrorist Osama bin Laden, we can agree our country is safer today than it was ten years ago.

But we face constant reminders that the war on terror is far from over. Our freedom isn't free, and we cannot skimp on our national security if we want to stay vigilant and – most importantly – safe.

I know that my colleagues feel the same way I do that one of the most gratifying, most rewarding parts of this extraordinary job that we're entrusted with in addition to being guardians of the Treasury, to being good stewards of the public's business, is to do everything in our power to help ensure that our men and women in uniform have all that they need to do their job as they stand guard and over this Nation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in every scary, dark corner of the world.

Mr. Chairman, it is my honor to bring the fiscal year 2013 Energy and Water bill before the full House.

Before I begin my remarks, let me thank the full chairman, Mr. Rogers, as well as the ranking member, Mr. Dicks, for their support of a very open process. I would also like to thank my ranking member, Congressman Pete Visclosky, for his dedication to our joint mission and our close working relationship. The bill is stronger for his input and knowledge.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5325, the Fiscal Year 2013 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill.