I would like to clarify that it is not the Committee's or the Senator's intent to exclude forest products from this program. And I would also like to clarify the meaning of the new provisions around innovation in the program.

I thank the Senator. And what about companies like Robbins Lumber in Maine that produces solid wood products, like 2x4s or flooring? While the product may be the same product that has been on the market for decades, the company producing…

I think it is an important one.

There are few prosecutions. There are fewer convictions.

Should retaliation be an offense? If someone retaliates against someone for reporting, should that, in itself, be some kind of punishable offense?

Senator Gillibrand has suggested that we ought to take this out of the chain of command because that is a problem in the prosecution.

I believe, in the committee on a number of the options and alternatives that have been put forward in various bills.

I would suggest that this might be an area to, again, get the word out that if the word gets back that somebody is being retaliated against in some way--shunned, ostracized, whatever--that that in itself ought to be, in some way…

What would you think of the idea of making retaliation itself a punishable offense?

I take it that your opinion is similar to Ms. Parrish that the structural solution is to take this decision out of the chain of command, and you feel that will make a substantive difference in the amount of reporting and, presumably, the…

There are enough specifications in the UCMJ to address it now.

It just seems to me that one of the most important things is for you all to mean it. To mean it.

My question is the key word you used was 'can.' Should that be 'shall'? In other words, should it be an automatic proposition if the JAG officer disagrees that it goes up, not a further discretionary decision?

I would suggest maybe you want to look at something more specific than tampering with the system.

I would just suggest that this issue of retaliation is significant.

Until you create some objectivity in the process where there is no bias and influence and prejudice against the victim, the lower-ranking individual in the situation, you are not going to solve this problem.

What about a situation where a decision not to prosecute would have to have the written concurrence of the JAG officer associated with that decision?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the privilege to be recognized to address you here on the floor of the House of Representatives to raise the issues of our time and have this opportunity for this dialogue that I know that you turn a…

I rise today in support of energy innovation, energy independence, national security, and local economies. The legislation I am introducing, the Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2013--known as the BTU Act--would give tax parity to…

I am just concerned that reading essentially vitiates the congressional power to declare war.

I do not disagree that we need to fight terrorism, but we need to do it in a constitutionally sound way.

I guess the definition proves too much because it basically is unlimited.

I have only been here 5 months, but this is the most astounding and the most astoundingly disturbing hearing that I have been to since I have been here.

You guys have essentially rewritten the Constitution here today.

I do not believe that terminating the AUMF is a good idea.