We owe it to our men and women in uniform, Mr. Chairman, to take action now.

As a country we can do better, we must do better.

we are proud to support Representative Elijah Cumming's bill to make this possible.

This legislation has had overwhelming bipartisan support over the past two years.

Now, as you know, I represent Maryland. CMS is located in Maryland. So, if we are talking about doubling the size of CMS, it might be good for my State.

The most immediate measure that this Committee and this House could take right now to eliminate the drag on the economy is to replace the sequester.

the most immediate measure that this Committee, and that this House, could take right now to eliminate the drag on the economy is to replace the sequester.

I would point out that as of right now, 83 percent of the government lands, federal lands that are being leased, are not being produced.

One of the things we have done in this country as a matter of public policy is to try to encourage the development of fledgling industries.

I believe, as do hundreds of American businesses who recently signed a statement saying that the United States should rise to the occasion and challenge that dealing with global climate change is, at the same time, a huge economic and jobs…

the Congressional Budget Office predicted that, as a result of the sequester, we will see 750,000 fewer American jobs by the end of this calendar year.

The Republican bill that is coming to the floor of the House this week would essentially open up all of our outer continental shelf to drilling for oil and gas.

And in the Committee that is supposed to make tough choices on behalf of the American public, I would think that we would decide to get rid of those taxpayer subsidies and put them to a higher purpose.

So that just seems to me counterproductive at a time when our major economic competitors are moving forward in this important space.

I hope, today, we can assess the budgetary impact of further oil and gas production thoughtfully, honestly, and with a real understanding of the math and facts on the ground.

My hope, as I yield back my time, is that we can strike the right balance so that it is cost effective to pursue a number of these different opportunities and that we can safeguard, as I said, public health and other concerns that we have.

As you note, Ukraine was designated a Priority Foreign Country for failing to provide adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPR).

Just think about that, what priorities we have as a nation when we are cutting $40 million from senior meals programs.