On the recordNovember 17, 2011
I thank the ranking member, I thank the chairman of the full committee, and, most importantly, I thank my colleague, Chairman Frank Wolf. We've had an opportunity to work through the issues on this bill, and he has afforded every courtesy to the minority as we have worked through this. It's been truly a bipartisan effort; and even though there are things that we would make different final calculations on, I think that there's nothing else to be said other than that truly this is a product that reflects both input from the majority and the minority, and I thank Chairman Wolf and Chairman Rogers for the courtesies extended. This is a bill that I believe funds the most important agencies of our government in terms of securing our citizens, in terms of innovation and advancement in technology and science, in terms of dealing with the challenges of severe weather, and dealing with our oceans and the navigation of crafts throughout our waterways. This is a bill that is critically important, and I'm happy to join with others to urge that the House would favorably consider it. There are a number of things I would want to point out.…
